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Stinger (disambiguation)

2026-04-12T00:26:36Z

Zenphia: /* Major Stingers */

The term '''Stinger''' has been applied to various different concepts in ''Transformers'':

==Major Stingers==
<center><gallery widths="150px" heights="200px">
File:Stinger.jpg|[[Stinger (AOE)|''Age of Extinction'' Stinger]]
</gallery></center>

==Full list of Stingers==
{{disamb|y=[[1988]]|the [[Decepticon]] [[Pretender]] [[Bugly (G1)|Bugly]]'s [[electro-stinger]]s from [[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]].}}
{{disamb|y=[[2003]]*|[[Stinger (G.I. Joe)|Stinger]], the [[Cobra]] vehicle.}}
{{disamb|y=[[2007]]|[[Stinger (weapon)|Stinger]]s, [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] and [[Wasp]]'s signature weapons from ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Animated]]'', the [[Live-action film series|live-action ''Transformers'' movie series]] and ''[[Transformers: Cyberverse (franchise)|Cyberverse]]''.}}
{{disamb|y=[[2014]]|[[Stinger (AOE)|Stinger]], the [[Kinetic Solutions Incorporated|KSI]]-built [[drone]] from ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (franchise)|Age of Extinction]]''.}}
{{disamb|y=[[1985]]/[[2015]]|[[Stinger (G1)|Stinger]], the [[Autobot]] [[Mini-Cassette]] from Generation 1.}}
{{disamb|y=2015*|[[Stinger (GoBots)|Stinger]], the [[Renegade]] from ''[[GoBots]]''.}}

*First appearance in ''Transformers'' fiction.

==Not to be confused with==
*[[Sting (G1)|Sting]] or [[Sting (RID)|Sting]]
*The [[Bumblebee clone]] from ''[[Transformers: Shadows Rising|Shadows Rising]]''.
*[[Stingracer]]
*"[[Venom laser|Seawing's sting]]"
*[[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]]'s [[stinger rifle]]
*[[Autostinger]]

{{disambig}}

Madeline Singer

2026-04-10T22:36:40Z

Zenphia: /* Dark of the Moon film */

:''Madeline Singer is a [[human]] from the [[Live-action film series|live-action film]] [[continuity family]].''
[[Image:DOTM Laserbeak and engineer's daughter.jpg|thumb|right|200px|She's the one holding the book.]]
'''Madeline Singer''' is a young girl who likes pink robots. Well, probably not any more. She is the daughter of [[Bob Singer|Bob]] and [[Julia Singer]].

==Fiction==
===''Dark of the Moon'' film===
:''Actor:'' [[Charlotte Labadie]]
Madeline was playing on a swing when she found a strange pink robot which asked if her father was home. She took it inside to read it a book, but when her mother found them, it revealed itself to be [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] and killed her father. {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}}
{{note|Madeline Singer’s involvement in the preceding events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the novel "[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)|Transformers: Dark of the Moon]]."}}

==Notes==
* In the movie, she is credited simply as "Engineer's daughter".
* The [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)|novel of the film]] strongly implies she and her mother were killed by Laserbeak to leave no witnesses. The movie itself leaves it ambiguous.

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

Madeline Singer

2026-04-10T22:36:06Z

Zenphia: /* Notes */

:''Madeline Singer is a [[human]] from the [[Live-action film series|live-action film]] [[continuity family]].''
[[Image:DOTM Laserbeak and engineer's daughter.jpg|thumb|right|200px|She's the one holding the book.]]
'''Madeline Singer''' is a young girl who likes pink robots. Well, probably not any more. She is the daughter of [[Bob Singer|Bob]] and [[Julia Singer]].

==Fiction==
===''Dark of the Moon'' film===
:''Actor:'' [[Charlotte Labadie]]
Madeline was playing on a swing when she found a strange pink robot which asked if her father was home. She took it inside to read it a book, but when her mother found them, it turned into [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] and killed her father. {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}}
{{note|Madeline Singer’s involvement in the preceding events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the novel "[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)|Transformers: Dark of the Moon]]."}}

==Notes==
* In the movie, she is credited simply as "Engineer's daughter".
* The [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)|novel of the film]] strongly implies she and her mother were killed by Laserbeak to leave no witnesses. The movie itself leaves it ambiguous.

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

Megatron (Movie)

2026-04-10T19:42:20Z

Zenphia: /* Revenge of the Fallen film */

{{factions|decepticon|ksi|hofsilver}}
{{disambigm|Megatron (disambiguation)|Galvatron (disambiguation)}}
{{suite}}
:''Megatron is the [[Decepticon leader]] from the [[Movie continuity family]].''

[[File:Movie Megatron Defiance3.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|Friends, [[Trypticon (Movie)|Trypticonians]], countrybots, lend me your audio receptors!]]

'''Megatron''' (aka '''Galvatron''', '''N.B.E.-01''', the '''Ice Man''', and '''C-81''') was not always the viciously powerful and brutally direct leader of the Decepticons: he was once brothers-in-arms with [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus]] and a student of [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]], appointed to be Cybertron's [[High Protector]] and commander of its [[Defense Force]]. But Megatron resented his comrade, knowing he was a [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] and therefore Sentinel's favored son. This anger allowed [[The Fallen|the Fallen]] to ensnare him and led to the revival of the Decepticons. Even without the Fallen, it's not hard to imagine that Megatron would have erupted Cybertron into war to rid himself of Optimus.

Megatron tends to become so obsessed with the object of his desires that he can ignore "secondary" matters, glaring flaws in his plans. Otherwise, he likely wouldn't have chased after the [[AllSpark]] alone, and spent centuries entombed in the [[Arctic]]. Trying to talk Megatron out of blindly going for his goals is useless. He will risk his world, his troops, and even his own [[spark]] to achieve his goals; these things do not matter to Megatron. Like his master, Megatron feels a violent hatred towards [[human]]s and views them as only slightly above bacteria, a feeling exacerbated by spending decades as their prisoner.

Despite this fatal flaw, Megatron did not achieve his dreaded status through simple warmongering. He's a manipulative, cunning strategist who can plan [[Ark (DOTM)|multiple]] [[Star Harvester|schemes]] spanning millennia, and while they may overlap, they all help him towards his one, true goal: the restoration of Cybertron. For all his evils, Megatron genuinely strives to save his home planet some day, and with it, the [[Transformer|Cybertronian race]]: even if it means he has to rule it with his iron fist and put his bloodlust to good use to do so.

{{bigquote|You still fight for the weak! That is why ''you lose!''|Megatron to Optimus|[[Transformers (film)|''Transformers'']]}}

==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.}}

====''Transformers'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Hugo Weaving]] (English), [[Kōtarō Nakamura]] (Japanese)|[[Lu Jianyi]] (Chinese), [[José Santa Cruz]] (Portuguese), [[Hans-Jürgen Wolf]] (German), [[Julien Kramer]] (European French), [[Vincent Davy]] (Canadian French), [[Ferenc Borbiczki]] (Hungarian), [[Luca Biagini]] (Italian), [[Gerardo Vásquez]] (Latin-American Spanish), [[Miguel Ángel Jenner]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Parminder Ghumman]] (Hindi), [[Ali Gül]] (Turkish, theatrical and home media), [[Fatih Özacun]] (Turkish, VOD), [[Sim Seung-han]] (Korean)}}

[[File:Movie2007 Megatron ArchibaldWitwicky.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Oh baby, you know just the spot to turn me on!]]

Megatron eventually succeeded in tracking the AllSpark to [[Earth]], where he rather embarrassingly crash-landed in the Arctic Circle and was frozen solid for thousands of years. In [[1897]], some 100 Earth-years before the arrival of the other Transformers, he was discovered by an explorer named [[Archibald Witwicky|Archibald Amundsen Witwicky]]. Captain Witwicky accidentally activated Megatron's navigation system and caused the coordinates of the AllSpark to be etched onto the explorer's glasses. Megatron remained imprisoned in the Arctic until the 1930s, when he was dug out by the United States government and moved to a secret [[Sector Seven]] stronghold inside [[Hoover Dam]]. In the years that followed, many modern devices (by Earth standards) were reverse-engineered from his frozen body.

[[File:Movie Megatron breakout.jpg|right|upright=1.4|thumb|Mace isn't for spraying, it's for hitting.]]

In the present day, having searched the galaxy for the AllSpark and being drawn to Earth, the remaining Decepticons learned of Witwicky's glasses. Through the Internet, they determined the location of both Megatron and the AllSpark inside Hoover Dam. [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]] infiltrated the dam and shut down the power systems, while Starscream attacked the external powerlines, resulting in Megatron's thawing out. Once again online, the leader of the Decepticons informed the worthless insects of his true name, shouting "I am Megatron!" (to clear up all that N.B.E.-01/Ice Man nonsense), randomly killed a few of them while destroying his former prison, then transformed and flew off after the AllSpark again. He met up with Starscream for the first time in thousands of years on the outside, and, never one for pleasantries, immediately demanded to know where the Cube was. Upon learning that the humans had moved the AllSpark, Megatron berated Starscream for yet another failure.

[[File:Movie2007 Megatron Starscream.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|You fail me yet again, Starscream... will I ever meet [[Starscream (SG)|a Starscream that is truly loyal?]]]]

After Starscream and Brawl's opening attacks in [[Mission City]], Megatron arrived, and again declared his name (he really wants people to know who he is). The Autobots were so panicked by the sight of their long lost nemesis that [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] called for a temporary retreat. Megatron blasted Jazz backwards when the diminutive Autobot attempted to attack, then threw him into the air before crushing him on top of a tower with his clawed talons. Jazz valiantly fought on, asking if Megatron wanted a "piece" of him, but doing little damage to the Decepticon leader. Megatron viciously killed the Autobot by tearing him in half, callously declaring that he wanted "two".

[[File:Movie Megatron jetmode cityfight.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb]]

As [[Sam Witwicky|the human boy]] ran off with the AllSpark, Megatron ordered the Decepticons to attack. Brawl attacked the armed insects, while Starscream and [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] fought [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] and [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] for the AllSpark. At that moment, Optimus Prime appeared and challenged Megatron. Millennia in the ice had done nothing to lessen the animosity Megatron felt for his brother, however. Barely managing to growl out Prime's name, he discarded Jazz's body and then transformed and flew at Prime at full speed. The Autobot leader leapt and grabbed a hold of Megatron, who slammed him into a building before flying right through a skyscraper. Both leaders landed in the middle of an intersection, but Megatron was the first to recover and leaped upon his brother, snarling that the humans were undeserving of life. Optimus Prime replied that they had the right to choose for themselves. Hearing this, the snarling Megatron tossed Optimus aside. Megatron declared that if Prime wished to defend them, he should "join them in extinction", forming his [[fusion cannon]]. Before he could fire, the Autobot leader drew his [[ion blaster]] and fired, hitting Megatron. The Decepticon leader shrugged off this attack, spun around from the momentum and fired his cannon, sending Optimus Prime flying into the side of a building.

[[File:Movie Megatron Samonroof.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|Oh look I found a stray human... wonder if I can keep him as a pet... come on boy, don't be scared. I'll take you to a new home.]]

Megatron pursued the young human who had removed the AllSpark from Hoover Dam, destroying everything that stood in his way. The boy ran to a dilapidated building that was the designated coordinates for a human military evacuation team, and Megatron smashed his way through, yelling that he could smell the human maggot. Starscream destroyed the helicopter intended to take the AllSpark, and Megatron burst through the floor, inquiring if it was courage or fear that compelled him. Finally cornering him on a ledge, Megatron offered that if the human gave him the AllSpark, the boy might live as his pet. The Decepticon leader relished the human's defiant refusal and destroyed the ledge the human was standing upon, sending the boy tumbling to the ground.

[[File:Movie2007 Prime Megatron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Get up, so I can knock you back down!]]

Unfortunately, the human was caught by Optimus Prime, who then tried to escape down the side of the building before Megatron tackled him and sent all three slamming into the pavement. As a nearby [[Michael Bay|human bystander]] attempted to crawl away, the Decepticon expressed his disgust at the insect's proximity and flicked it away. Protecting the young boy, Prime declared that their war would end here and it was now just between the two brothers. Though lusting for the AllSpark, Megatron decided to indulge his brother's obvious death wish, declaring that only he was in this fight. Despite Optimus Prime's best efforts, Megatron was relentless, matching the Autobot leader with blow after devastating blow until he collapsed. Adding insult to injury, Megatron informed Prime that his defense of the "weak" was the real reason he lost.

[[File:Megatron allspark merge.JPG|left|upright=1.4|thumb| The AllSpark will give you sparkburn!]]

The Decepticon leader turned his attention back to the human boy, but was suddenly attacked by the human fighter jets and [[William Lennox|Captain Lennox]]'s ground soldiers firing sabot rounds. Optimus took this chance, striking Megatron and knocking him down. His armor a damaged, shattered mess, Megatron ignored the punishment and focused on the human boy, growling that he would kill the boy and that the AllSpark was his. As Optimus Prime ordered the boy to place the AllSpark into his chest, the human instead pushed it into the now-exposed [[spark]] in Megatron's chest, overloading him with energy and extinguishing the Decepticon's life force. As Optimus Prime stood over Megatron's lifeless shell, watching the light flicker out of his brother's [[Sensors#Optical sensors|optics]], he remarked somberly, yet remorsefully, that Megatron had left him no choice, and removed a shard of the AllSpark from his brother's spark core.

Megatron's body was dumped into the [[Laurentian Abyss]] at its deepest point, along with the remains of the other Decepticons, where the near-freezing temperatures would, hopefully, keep them dormant indefinitely. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}}

{{note|Megatron'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 "[[Optimus Prime Versus Megatron]]", "[[Transformers (interactive Play-a-Sound Storybook)|Transformers Play-a-Sound]]", "[[Meet the Autobots]]", "[[Meet the Decepticons]]", "[[Transformers Mix & Match]]", and "[[Transformers: The Movie Storybook]]".}}

====''Revenge of the Fallen'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Hugo Weaving]] (English), [[Kōtarō Nakamura]] (Japanese)|[[Lu Jianyi]] (Chinese), [[Hans-Jürgen Wolf]] (German), [[Julien Kramer]] (European French), [[Vincent Davy]] (Canadian French), [[José Santa Cruz]] (Portuguese), [[Ferenc Borbiczki]] (Hungarian), [[Luca Biagini]] (Italian), [[Gerardo Vásquez]] (Latin-American Spanish), [[Miguel Ángel Jenner]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Parminder Ghumman]] (Hindi), [[Ali Gül]] (Turkish, theatrical and home media), [[Erhan Türkmen]] (Turkish, VOD), [[Sim Seung-han]] (Korean)}}
{{bigquote|Even in death, there is no command but mine!|Megatron |[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]}}

[[File:ROTFMegatronRising.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|Now, where's Starscream? I want to give him a piece of my mind.]]

Megatron's death would not last long, however. [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] tapped into a conversation between [[NEST]] and General [[Morshower]], listening to Director [[Theodore Galloway]] mention that 1) a shard of the [[AllSpark]] was in storage in [[Diego Garcia]] and 2) Megatron's body lay in the [[Laurentian Abyss]]. [[Ravage (ROTF)|Ravage]] was sent to steal the shard, and swam to the Abyss with [[Scalpel (ROTF)|Scalpel]], [[Long Haul (ROTF)|Long Haul]], [[Mixmaster (ROTF)|Mixmaster]], [[Rampage (ROTF)|Rampage]] and [[Scrapmetal (ROTF)|Scrapmetal]]. Scalpel ordered spare parts be used to repair Megatron's body with "ze little one", who was torn apart by his larger brethren, and then struck Megatron with the shard: the Decepticon leader was reborn as a Cybertronian tank with flight capabilities and a [[death-lock pincer]]. Megatron flew up to the surface, striking a [[USS Topeka|submarine]] on his way, before journeying into space to find the ''[[Nemesis (ROTF)|Nemesis]]''.

[[File:TheFallen-ROTFNemesis.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|"My Master, I have fai--" "I'm trying to watch the game here!"]]

On the ruined ship, Megatron met up with [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]], and berated his subordinate for leaving him to die on Earth. Starscream defended his actions by saying that he had to take care of the [[hatchling]]s, who were dying without [[energon]], as someone had to take command in Megatron's absence. Furious, Megatron bashed Starscream into a wall containing protoform sacks, and told Starscream that even in death, there is no command but Megatron's. Megatron met up with [[The Fallen|the Fallen]], who was weakened and in a life support chair. Megatron told his master he had failed and allowed the AllSpark to be destroyed, but the Fallen told Megatron that the knowledge of the AllSpark had instead been transferred to the human boy who killed him, [[Sam Witwicky]]. With the knowledge within Sam's mind, they could find another energon source, hidden away from The Fallen eons ago. Already eager to avenge himself, Megatron begged the Fallen for the chance to strip the flesh from Sam, but the Fallen asked for patience. Before they could act, Megatron was to kill [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], who was the last of the [[Dynasty of Primes]] and the only one that could defeat the Fallen. Megatron knew that Optimus would protect the boy, and ordered him captured.

[[File:ROTF Megatron tank mode.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|Don't blink. He isn't like this much.]]

Megatron sprang a trap, dispatching [[Grindor (ROTF)|Grindor]] to take [[Sam Witwicky]], [[Mikaela Banes]] and [[Leo Spitz]] to him at an abandoned factory. Although Megatron would have rather killed Sam slowly and painfully, Sam had valuable information as to the energon source's location in his mind, which he had received from his own AllSpark fragment. Megatron held the boy down while Scalpel performed several invasive probes of Sam's mind. Scalpel's probes confirmed the Fallen's claims, and Scalpel declared that they needed Sam's brain on the table, something Megatron had no objections to. Just as Scalpel was ready to remove Sam's brain, Optimus and [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] burst in to rescue the humans. Megatron attempted to attack Optimus, but was shot out of the factory as he pounced. Optimus drove Sam to a forest, with Megatron in hot pursuit. The Autobot and Decepticon leaders transformed and battled as Sam fled. Optimus was pretty easily dominating the fight, trash talking Megatron all the while, eventually forcing Megatron to call his Decepticons for help.

[[File:ROTFPrimePunch.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|"Body or face, Megatron?" "Not the face!" "Too bad!"]]

Starscream and Grindor immediately arrived to aid their leader. Megatron told Optimus that Sam could lead them to another energon source, then counterattacked his foe, kicking off Prime's [[mouthplate]] and blasting him backwards. Appearing to have a slight advantage, Megatron taunted the Autobot leader, asking if one boy was worth the future of the Cybertronians. Prime replied that he'd never stop at killing just one, then took on all three Decepticons. Surprisingly, he was winning, punching and stabbing Megatron multiple times, ripping off Starscream's right arm, and tearing Grindor apart. However, as a weary Prime tried to find Sam, Megatron [[Death-lock pincer|stabbed]] him in the back and blasted through his spark: Prime fell, mortally wounded. As Megatron moved for the boy, the rest of the Autobots arrived and provided enough cover for Bumblebee to spirit Sam away. Already injured from the battle with Prime, Megatron and Starscream were forced to retreat.

[[File:ROTF movie MegatronStarscream roofchat.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|"That's IT! No more Mr. Nice Megatron!" "But you were never—" "SHUT UP!"]]

With Prime dead, Megatron was quite pleased, until Starscream informed him that the boy had escaped. Furious, Megatron smacked his lieutenant with his own severed arm and ran his treads on him for a moment for losing track of a single insect, but Starscream countered that he was one of seven billion, and could be anywhere. Considering the situation, Megatron decided it was time to end their secret war, and that if they couldn't find the boy, they'd have the humans bring him to the Decepticons. Soundwave used his scanning abilities to locate the boys parents, the rejuvenated Fallen broadcast a message to deliver Sam to them across the planet. Megatron himself broadcasted the Fallen's message by rewiring the [[Empire State Building]]'s radio tower.

[[File:ROTFMegatronSam.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Hey, he stole my purse! Wallet! I mean wallet!]]

He then flew to [[Egypt]], where nineteen thousand years before, the Fallen had built a [[Star Harvester]] to harness the [[Sun]] for energon. Starscream informed him that the human soldiers had brought Prime's body with them, and Megatron surmised the boy's intentions. Commanding the rest of the Decepticons to begin their [[Operation: Firestorm|assault]], Megatron ordered [[Devastator (ROTF)|Devastator]] to destroy the pyramid that was built over the harvester, while he himself chased Sam for the [[Matrix of Leadership]], which would activate the harvester. Megatron almost killed Sam, but was overwhelmed by human gunfire, and flew off.

[[File:ROTF Megatron not over.JPG|thumb|right|upright=1.4|It's just a flesh wound. Err, armor wound.]]

Fortunately, the Fallen managed to take the Matrix and activate the harvester, but it had already been used to resurrect Optimus. Optimus combined with [[Jetfire (Movie)|Jetfire]] and destroyed the harvester, knocking Megatron off the pyramid while Prime went for the Fallen. Quickly recovering, Megatron came to the aid of his master and attacked Optimus from behind. After a brief but brutal tussle, Optimus used Megatron's own cannon to blast half his face off, and then severed the Decepticon's right arm. Finally, Optimus used his afterburners to send Megatron flying through some ruins, ending his role in the battle. Badly damaged, Megatron called out for "Tharscweam!" in agony, but it soon mattered little as Optimus Prime finally killed the Fallen. Horrified at the demise of his master, Megatron acknowledged Starscream's advice that they should flee, but vowed that "This isn't over." {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}

{{note|Megatron's involvement in the preceding events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the novels ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen]]'', ''[[Revenge of the Fallen: The Junior Novel]]'' and ''[[The Last Prime]]''; the ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Official Movie Adaptation]]'' and ''[[Movie Trilogy]]'' comics; and the storybooks "[[I Am Optimus Prime (ROTF)|I Am Optimus Prime]]", "[[Rise of the Decepticons]]", "[[When Robots Attack!]]", "[[Ratchet to the Rescue]]", "[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Electronic Voice Changer]]" and "[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Mix & Match]]". Several include an abandoned plot point from the film, in which The Fallen has promised to make Megatron a Prime in return for his services, only for this to be exposed as a lie by Optimus during the final battle (since Primes are born, not made), leading Megatron to abandon his master. Some adaptations of the story stated that Megatron's new form made him stronger than before. In the final film, his new body is simply a change in appearance.}}

====''Dark of the Moon'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Hugo Weaving]] (English), [[Kōtarō Nakamura]] (Japanese)|[[Lu Jianyi]] (Chinese), [[Julien Kramer]] (European French), [[Vincent Davy]] (Canadian French), [[Gerardo Vásquez]] (Latin American Spanish), [[Miguel Ángel Jenner]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Ferenc Borbiczki]] (Hungarian), [[Parminder Ghumman]] (Hindi), [[José Santa Cruz]] (Portuguese), [[Hans-Jürgen Wolf]] (German), [[Luca Biagini]] (Italian), [[Ali Gül]] (Turkish, theatrical and home media), [[Erhan Türkmen]] (Turkish, VOD)}}

{{quote|Cybertron... you are saved, at last.|Megatron|[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon]]}}

[[File:Dotm-megatron-face.jpg|left|thumb|250 px|[[Doctor Doom|Curse you]], [[Fantastic Four]]!]]

Three years after Operation: Firestorm and the death of the Fallen, Megatron finally adopted an Earth form - ironically, a large tractor-trailer not unlike that of his most hated enemy - and hid out in the plains of Namibia, Africa, in exile. There, still visibly bearing the scars of his battle with Optimus Prime, he spent most of his time sitting on a ramshackle throne of junk, with only [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]], [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]], [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]], and the diminutive [[Igor]] to command. Megatron regularly went out to find food for the [[Hatchling]]s that lived in a collection of oil drums at the camp, occasionally scaring the local wildlife with his roaring and bellowing. Starscream expressed his concern for his master's wounds, but Megatron was not fooled by his sucking up. Laserbeak returned after observing [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]]'s fight with Optimus, and he and Soundwave told Megatron that the Autobots had discovered a fuel cell from the Ark, which had been thought lost. Megatron noted his approval of the two's work, and decided that the humans that were working for them had served their purpose, and ordered them to be eliminated.

[[File:DOTM-MegatronLincolnMemorialchair.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67|Finally, a reference to "[[Atlantis, Arise!]]"]]
After [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] betrayed the Autobots, Megatron and Starscream travelled to Washington D.C., where Megatron outlined his scheme to his second-in-command. Apparently, Sentinel was supposed to rendezvous with Megatron there on Earth, but the circumstances caused them both to be deactivated, and Sentinel was the only one who knew how to activate the [[space bridge]]. However, Megatron had a contingency plan: since they already had the pillars on the Moon and Optimus had recovered the Matrix of Leadership, he merely needed Optimus to revive Sentinel, so he could activate the pillars. And so arrived that moment, and Megatron blasted President Lincoln off his stone throne, and used the remains as a seat. Optimus arrived to stop Sentinel but was too late. Megatron watched this happen, after which he declared, "Here we are. Fight us ''now''."

[[File:DOTM-SentinelandMegatron.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Megatron just needs to crash on Sentinel's couch for a few days until he can get back on his feet.]]

Soon, they travelled to Chicago, Illinois, where Sentinel and Megatron planned to start their global takeover. They set up their base of operations on the [[35 East Wacker|Jewelers' Building]]. Human [[Dylan Gould]], who was working for the Decepticons, came with [[Carly Spencer]] to watch, but Megatron ordered him to leave. Dylan did so but muttered to Carly "he's such a dick". After the Decepticons successfully occupied Chicago, Megatron stated that this was the world that he promised, that this way Cybertron would be restored. Sentinel, feeling his partner was getting too chummy, violently reminded Megatron of his place; Sentinel did not work ''for'' Megatron, he worked ''with'' Megatron, and warned the Decepticon to remember the difference.

Much later, Dylan shouted to Megatron that the Autobots, who were seemingly destroyed by Starscream, were still alive. Megatron ordered the bridges to be raised and all [[Orbital Assault Carrier|Decepticon fighter ships]] to find the Autobots.

[[File:DOTM off with his head.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|Insert your own "Give me your face" joke here.]]
Sentinel would take control of the Decepticon forces in the fight against the Autobots, and so, as the battle raged Megatron lay on another throne of junk, sulking, though his spirit was suitably lifted as Cybertron appeared in the sky above. That is until [[Carly Spencer]] approached him and mocked that Sentinel had apparently usurped him. Megatron denied this and maintained that he would rule. As Carly pushed him further, he prepared to crush the human for daring to speak so defiantly to him, but paused, realizing how far he had fallen from power within the past few years, and decided to once again take his rightful place at the top of the command chain. That is what he came close to doing; just as Sentinel was about to deal the fatal blow to Optimus, Megatron attacked and severely wounded Sentinel. Meanwhile, the Autobots destroyed the control pillar, thus destroying the space bridge and presumably Cybertron with it. Seeing this, Megatron offered Optimus a truce, as long he could remain in charge of the Decepticons. "Besides," he asked, "Who would you be without me, Prime?" Prime's response was to announce that it was "Time to find out," as he promptly tore Megatron's head from his shoulders with his axe, finally killing the tyrant. Optimus then used his nemesis' fusion shotgun to end Sentinel's life as well. {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}}

{{note|Megatron's involvement in the preceding events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the novels ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)|Transformers: Dark of the Moon]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel]]''; the ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation]]'' and ''[[Movie Trilogy]]'' comics; and the storybooks "[[Autobots Versus Decepticons]]", "[[The Lost Autobot]]", "[[Optimus Prime's Friends and Foes]]", "[[Bumblebee's Best Friend]]", "[[Dark of the Moon: Action Pop-ups!]]", and "[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Mix & Match]]". The novelization and comic adaptation feature an alternate ending in which Optimus accepts Megatron's offer of a truce and Megatron and the remaining Decepticons are allowed to leave.}}

====''Age of Extinction'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Frank Welker]] (English), [[Ryūzaburō Ōtomo]] (Japanese)|[[Lu Jianyi]] (Chinese), [[Éric Peter]] (European French), [[Bernard Fortin]] (Canadian French), [[Mario Arvizu]] (Latin American Spanish), [[Ramón Canals]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Ferenc Borbiczki]] (Hungarian), [[Augie Fantinus]] (Indonesian), [[Mario Bombardieri]] (Italian), [[José Santa Cruz]] (Portuguese), [[Milton Welsh]] (German), [[Faruk Akgören]] (Turkish), [[Gábor Vass]] (Hungarian)}}
[[File:Megatron Head at KSI.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|Aw, look at that, the humans wiped off all the rust! And wasn't my face split in two?]]
In the years that followed the battle of Chicago, Megatron was among the listed casualties by [[CIA]] taskforce, [[Cemetery Wind]]. He even had his ugly mug printed out on a playing card.<ref>[[:File:AOE-Kill-Cards-Set-1.jpg]]</ref>

Although Megatron's spark had been extinguished in the battle of Chicago, his brain remained intact within his severed head. Megatron's remains were acquired by KSI, who forced [[Brains]] to download and decrypt data from the Decepticon leader's brain to help them crack the secrets of [[living metal|Transformium]] and create their own range of man-made Transformer drones. Company head [[Joshua Joyce]] intended for the centerpiece of this line, the military drone "'''Galvatron'''", to be physically patterned after Optimus Prime, but Megatron's still-functional mind secretly influenced the Transformium, causing it to take a shape not dissimilar to his own appearance, so that the Galvatron shell could serve as a new body for himself. Over the next five years, Megatron became aware of KSI's alliance with the Cybertronian bounty hunter [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] and Cemetery Wind. Learning of the cyberforming [[Seed]] the humans were going to receive as payment for helping Lockdown capture Optimus, Megatron schemed to steal it and use it to create enough Transformium to build a massive Decepticon army. As the go-between, Brains was aware of the Decepticon leader's plan, but declined to notify his captors of any of this, because seriously, ''screw'' those guys.

[[File:AOE-PrimeVsGalvatron.jpg|thumb|right|300px|"You have no soul!" "That is why I make a great lawyer!"]]

After four prototype Galvatrons were junked by KSI due to their "inexplicably" Megatron-like appearance, they were forced to put the fifth into action after the Autobots attempted a raid on their Chicago facility. Before it rolled out, Megatron transferred his mind into the drone's body (or, as Brains put it, "infected it with his evil nasty chromosomes") and was thus reborn, a spark-less, soul-less 'bot without fear. He initially pretended to obey KSI's remote control, but quickly began to exhibit his free will, firing his weapons unbidden and showing a reckless disregard for civilian bystanders. When Optimus Prime engaged Galvatron in battle, he could sense the essence of Megatron within the drone, but before their fight could reach a definitive end, Lockdown interceded and abducted Prime. Galvatron was retrieved from the field by a furious Joyce, who declared the drone's signs of autonomy as critical flaws.

[[File:WeshallmeetagainPrime.jpg|thumb|left|300px|I'll get you next time, Gadget, next time!]]
Brains revealed Galvatron's scheme to [[Cade Yeager]], who called Joyce and alerted him of the danger Galvatron posed should he obtain the Seed. Having ended his deal with Lockdown, Attinger handed over the Seed he'd received in exchange for Optimus. Though efforts were made to tighten security, Galvatron activated on his own as he bellowed his name, then animated KSI's other Transformers. Together, Galvatron and his new Decepticons trashed KSI's lab as they searched for the Seed. However, Joyce was able to flee the facility with the Seed, escaping both Galvatron and the CIA. He attempted to rendezvous with the Autobots and Yeagers in [[Hong Kong]]. Galvatron ordered his the Decepticons to split up and find Joyce, and his troops were able to shoot down the Autobot ship just as Joyce was about to hand over the Seed. The Autobot ship crash-landed in the nearby Wulong Valley, leaving only [[Hound (Movie)|Hound]] and Bumblebee to protect the humans and the Seed. However, just as the two were about to be overwhelmed, the other Autobots returned with the [[Dinobot (AOE)|Dinobot]]s in tow, quickly turning the tide of battle and slaying most of the Decepticons, much to Galvatron's chagrin. Galvatron was only saved by the timely reappearance of Lockdown, whose attack drew Optimus's attention. With his plans temporarily stymied, Galvatron declared his rebirth and swore revenge against Prime as he left for parts unknown. {{storylink|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction}}
{{--}}

====''The Last Knight'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Frank Welker]] (English), [[Kōtarō Nakamura]] (Japanese)|[[Lu Jianyi]] (Chinese), [[Julien Kramer]] (European French), [[Stéphane Rivard]] (Canadian French), [[Ferenc Borbiczki]] (Hungarian), [[José Santa Cruz]] (Portuguese), [[Miguel Ángel Jenner]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Hans-Jürgen Wolf]] (German), [[Luca Biagini]] (Italian), [[Faruk Akgören]] (Turkish)}}

[[File:TLK-history-Megatron.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.85]]
Megatron, or someone who shared his [[Body-type]], was present during the {{w|1883 eruption of Krakatoa|eruption of Krakatoa in 1883}}. This historical appearance was covered up by the [[Order of the Witwiccans]].

[[File:TLK Megatron nomask.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Wait? My son, the planet or me?]]
At some point after the battle of Hong Kong, under undivulged circumstances, Galvatron fell under the sway of the alien sorceress and supposed Cybertronian "goddess" [[Quintessa (TLK)|Quintessa]], took on a new jet alternate mode, and returned to Earth using his true name. Quintessa charged him with recovering the staff stolen from her by her [[Guardian Knight]]s, which she sought to use to drain the lifeforce of Earth in order to restore the ruined Cybertron. Learning from his new ally that Earth was, in fact, Cybertron's ancient enemy [[Unicron]], Megatron surveyed each of the six mountainous "horns" that had begun to emerge from its surface in preparation for Cybertron's arrival, but the first breadcrumb on the staff's trail was not found until [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] witnessed [[Talisman Knight|a dying knight]] giving Cade Yeager a [[Talisman (TLK)|Talisman]] connected to the staff. Megatron was angry at his subordinate's failure to obtain it, but Barricade salvaged the situation with a plan to use the [[Transformers Reaction Force]] to do the work for them.

[[File:TLK Megatron fires.jpg|thumb|left|300px|What ever you do, don't say "Yes" or else he will shoot.]]
Requiring additional Decepticon reinforcements to take on Yeager's Autobot protectors, Megatron kidnapped two [[CIA]] officers, offering to trade them for the release of a squad of Decepticons of his choosing from TRF custody. Meeting with [[William Lennox]] in the desert, Megatron secured the release of [[Mohawk]], [[Dreadbot]], [[Nitro Zeus]], and [[Onslaught (ROTF)|Onslaught]] (only settling for the latter after his first choice, [[Berserker]], was refused). The Decepticons tracked Yeager to his [[South Dakota]] [[Junkyard (TLK)|junkyard hideout]], but their quarry had already escaped to a nearby town. Among the refuse, Megatron discovered the head of Starscream, and mused to his traitorous former lieutenant that his victory was near, pitying that Starscream hadn't lived to see his victory. He was then attacked by [[Hound (Movie)|Hound]], but he dispatched the Autobot with a blast of his fusion cannon. Megatron's team followed the Autobots, but all they could find in the town was the ramshackle little Autobot [[Sqweeks]]. Megatron was disgusted by the human scent he could smell upon the tiny 'bot... whereupon Sqweeks's friend and guardian [[Izabella]] emerged from hiding, furiously ordering the Decepticon leader to put Sqweeks down. Yeager and the other Autobots broke cover and sprung an explosive trap. As battle with the Autobots raged, [[Grimlock (AOE)|Grimlock]] arrived to join the fight and personally tossed Megatron around like a toy. The Decepticons were quickly overpowered and after Dreadbot and Onslaught fell, Megatron called a retreat, escaping with Nitro Zeus and Barricade but leaving Mohawk behind to perish. TRF then stepped in to take over the chase for Yeager.

When Yeager and Bumblebee went to England to meet with Sir [[Edmund Burton]], Megatron and his remaining forces followed, knowing Yeager would lead them to the Staff. Yeager was subsequently joined by [[Viviane Wembly]], and successfully located Quintessa's staff in the [[Guardian Knights' ship|knight's ship]] at the bottom of the ocean. Quintessa had, in the intervening time, also placed Optimus Prime under her control and sent him to obtain the staff, but when Bumblebee helped Prime break her control, Megatron seized his opportunity, streaking in, blindsiding the disoriented Prime, and snatching the staff away. He proclaimed to his nemesis that he had turned his back on Cybertron for the last time, and would watch Earth die. As Cybertron arrived in Earth orbit, the Decepticons headed for [[Stonehenge]], where Megatron activated the portal through which Unicron's energy would be drained. When Burton and the [[British Armed Forces|British military]] attempted to stop them, Megatron fatally wounded Burton with a single blast.

[[File:TLKMegsAndHound.jpg|upright=1.6|thumb|'''Hound''': You're going down, Buckethead! '''Megatron''': That line wasn't funny [[Orion Pax, Part 3|last time]], either!]]
The Decepticons proceeded to relocate to Cybertron, where Megatron delivered the staff to Quintessa and led the defense of her [[ignition chamber]] against the joint forces of the Autobots, humans, and [[Dragonstorm]]. His forces held the line until Sqweeks destroyed their gun emplacement and Optimus arrived and slew [[Infernocus]]. He and Nitro fell back as the Autobots broke through the defenses and arrived to thwart their plan, and soon engaged all the Autobots together. As he prepared to deliver a killing blow to Hound, he was briefly frozen by [[Hot Rod (DOTM)|Hot Rod]]'s time slowing gun and blasted by Hound. He was then tackled by Bumblebee and when he prepared to blast the small Autobot, Optimus Prime intervened, slicing his fusion cannon arm off. Megatron, despite his injury, managed to subdue Optimus and attempted to sway him by reminding him of how they had once been "brothers", but Optimus retorted that it had indeed only been ''once'', and kicked him through a wall, sending him plummeting through the air. {{storylink|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight}}

===IDW movie comics===
During the Dark Age of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] after the fall of the [[Dynasty of Primes]], Megatron became a follower of [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]]. Sentinel recovered the [[AllSpark]], and planned to transport a sun to repower it and the rest of Cybertron. The [[Thetacon (tribe)|Thetacon]]s, who believed Sentinel to be a mad heretic, launched an attack on the AllSpark's facility. Megatron, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus]], [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]], and [[Elita-One (Movie)|Elita-One]] fended off the Thetacons when Sentinel and [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Wheeljack]] successfully transported a star to Cybertron. The Thetacons laid down their arms, but Megatron resented that so many of his comrades had died before Cybertron's new dawn, and it was only by Optimus's persuasion that Megatron found it within himself to forgive his enemies and shake the Thetacon [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]]'s hand. {{storylink|Foundation issue 1|Foundation #1}}

That evening, Megatron eavesdropped on a conversation between Sentinel and Optimus. Sentinel claimed Optimus was also a Prime, and intended to make him the new ruler of Cybertron. Optimus refused, unable to accept he was a Prime and somehow superior to his comrades. The next day, Megatron grumbled to Shockwave that if he were Optimus, he would have accepted Sentinel's offer. They came across a [[Driller]] attacking a [[hatchling]] field trip, and successfully shot the creature to pieces. Megatron asked for the name of the Cybertronian who volunteered to guard the hatchlings: his name was [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]].

Three days later at the capital city of [[Trypticon (Movie)|Trypticon]], Sentinel Prime officially declared Cybertron's unification, and announced the planet would be governed by Optimus's [[Science Division]], and Megatron's [[Defense Force]]. {{storylink|Foundation issue 2|Foundation #2}} For two generations, Optimus and Megatron ruled Cybertron successfully, creating a balance of fair and firm leadership. {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 1|Movie Prequel #1}} When [[Malcontent]] activity increased on Cybertron, Megatron met with Optimus and requested supreme authority in protecting the planet. Optimus obliged. Megatron then requested to be called ''Lord'' High Protector and to be addressed as "sir". {{storylink|Foundation issue 2|Foundation #2}}

[[File:Defiance1 Megs Prime argument.jpg|left|upright=1.95|thumb|"Know your place, boy!"]]

After Commander Starscream returned from his patrol in the [[Eshems Nebula]], Optimus was reporting on his science sector's continuing excavation of the site near [[Simfur Temple]] and the unusual pulse waves that the AllSpark had been emitting ever since work began. At the excavation site, while Optimus' scientists were concerned with disturbing the ancient artifacts, all Megatron cared about was whether these relics might provide the same revitalising energy as the AllSpark. He was nettled when Optimus asserted the sector's dominion over all scientific and archaeological discoveries and reminded his junior that it was his defence force that protected this world, demanding to be informed of all possible threats from the excavation's findings. When Optimus dared to remind Megatron of the military's treatment of such discoveries as hostile, Megatron told Optimus that when ''he'' tried to be the leader of Cybertron, he could make those decisions, not ''now''. When a mysterious relic was discovered, Megatron ordered it removed at once, a demand that Optimus disagreed with. Just as the pair were about to launch into another argument, Cybertron fell under attack from Nebula inhabitants. Megatron had the relic quickly moved to his quarters under the guise of protecting it from the invaders. Arriving to find [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] and [[Cliffjumper (Movie)|Cliffjumper]] seeking cover within the temple of Simfur, Megatron chastised their alleged lack of courage before he was hit by an alien tank vehicle. After destroying it, he told Starscream to keep Optimus' team out of the military's way and staggered back to his quarters in Trypticon. Drawn towards the relic, he ignored his injuries and scraped away at the layers of debris encrusting it before losing consciousness. {{storylink|Defiance issue 1|Defiance #1}}

[[File:Defiance2 Megatron warrally.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Mein Führer!]]

The relic used what little power it had left to repair Megatron's wounds. At first Megatron was angry, demanding the being to show himself to the Protector of all Cybertron. The relic explained that it was unable to do so without Megatron's help, and ''if'' he helped, the relic would truly make him '''Lord''' of Cybertron. The relic then fired beams of energy into Megatron's mind (turning his white optic sensors red), explaining what needed to be done, filling him with delusions of grandeur. When Optimus came looking for the Protector, Megatron had changed; he had become even more aggressive in his speech and demeanor, and what's more, he demanded Optimus gather his scientists to go to war. When Optimus explained the sector was not combat-trained, Megatron shot back that the scientists should have known what the aliens were after: the AllSpark. Optimus refused, stating that the army's mission was of defense, and it went against everything their society was based upon to exacerbate war. Megatron slammed Optimus into the wall and stated that their society then needed to ''change''. He held a massive saber-rattling war rally outside Trypticon, demanding vengeance upon the alien aggressors. He claimed that until the war ended, he would assume full control of the military, and everybody would answer only to him. Megatron ordered all flight-capable Cybertronians accompany him to the Eshems Nebula, where they launched a surprise attack against the still-unknown aliens. Megatron fought his way inside the alien flagship and personally executed the alien leader. He then ordered Starscream and his units to conduct a war of genocide: ''none'' of the aliens were to survive. {{storylink|Defiance issue 2|Defiance #2}}

[[File:Defiance3 wearenowDECEPTICONS.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|I'm going to enjoy watching you die, Mr. Anderson.]]

Megatron returned from the front with news of their success and awaited further instructions from his master. The relic ordered Megatron to prepare the way for his return by expanding the army, and at the end, Cybertron would be Megatron's, while everything else the master's. Megatron was enraged when the relic informed him that Optimus had snooped inside his quarters while he was fighting the aliens, and convinced the Protector that Optimus was after the same power the relic had promised ''him''. Now seeing that there were "enemies" within Cybertron as well as without, Megatron arranged to have the "traitors" taken care of by ordering [[Prowl (Movie)|Prowl]]'s security team to arrest Optimus, and sent Starscream's soldiers to kill all bar Optimus. However, Megatron underestimated Optimus, who personally defeated Starscream's squad. Nonetheless, he used the survivors as propaganda that treacherous malcontents sought to betray them all, and declared that Megatron's followers would now be reformed under a new image and a new name: '''Decepticons'''. {{storylink|Defiance issue 3|Defiance #3}} He ordered the execution of the "false" Primes — though he knew Sentinel and Optimus were Primes, he needed to give his followers a villain. {{storylink|Foundation issue 3|Foundation #3}}

Optimus's forces having eluded him for now, Megatron was given new orders by his master: build a [[Nemesis (ROTF)|mighty starship]] that would scour the stars for something very important to the relic's plans. The relic counseled Megatron to not make the same mistakes he did thousands of years ago, that his protege should strike without mercy or hesitation. The relic told Megatron the story of his mighty race, and how the AllSpark granted them great power and created the Transformer race, but it needed to be recharged by draining the power of a sun using specially-constructed [[Star Harvester|harvesting]] devices, and their under-construction starship would be used to search for the last harvester in the galaxy. When Megatron presumed to believe he would accompany his master, he was rebuked and punished. Much later, the ''Nemesis'' was finally completed, and Megatron assigned [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] to command the ship. The relic praising Megatron for his fine work, and ordered him to stay behind to continue the war. Over the next thousand years, the Autobots and Decepticons clashed in a bloody struggle. {{Storylink|Defiance issue 4|Defiance #4}}

As Cybertron was devastated by the worsening war, Sentinel Prime was forced to make a deal with Megatron to seek out another planet whose resources they can exploit to restore their homeworld. The chosen planet was the resting place of the Primes' Star Harvester. {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}}{{storylink|Dark of the Moon issue 3}}

Ironhide led an attack on Simfur Temple. {{storylink|Foundation issue 3|Foundation #3}} Megatron stood at the gate and slaughtered many Autobots as Elita-One and [[Chromia (ROTF)|her]] [[Arcee (Movie)|sisters]] used the AllSpark to activate a "torch" made by Sentinel. Optimus finally appeared to fend off Megatron and ensure Elita-One escaped to give Sentinel the torch. Sentinel boarded the [[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]] with the torch to retrieve Optimus from Simfur, but to both Optimus and Megatron's horror, Starscream attacked the Ark, destroying it. The Autobots fled, but Megatron correctly deduced Optimus would return with a vengeance. {{storylink|Foundation issue 4|Foundation #4}} From his [[Lord High Protector citadel|citadel]], Megatron watched as Optimus and Ironhide battled their way through his defenses. When Optimus finally entered the tower, he found Megatron covered in hatchlings and daring him to kill them with him, gloating that Optimus would never go far enough. Optimus revealed he didn't: it had all been a distraction as Wheeljack, Chromia and Arcee stole the AllSpark aboard a second [[Ark (Movie)|Ark]]. With the AllSpark removed from Sentinel's device, the sun it held in place disappeared. Optimus escaped, rescuing Ironhide from Starscream and Shockwave while leaving Megatron to free himself of his hungry hatchlings. Megatron swore he would recover the AllSpark, and that if he would have to travel across the entire universe to do so, he would kill every Autobot. {{storylink|Transformers: Foundation|Foundation #1-4}}

[[File:Movie Megatron Targetcomic sure.jpg|right|upright=0.85|thumb|"Sit, boy — or I'll beat you to death."]]

During an assault on the Autobots personally led by Megatron and his hound, [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]], the tyrant crushed an Autobot opponent's spark before casually tossing his corpse over his shoulder. He declared that the AllSpark would be his again, to which Blackout assured his leader that he would personally see to it. Megatron was pleased by his minion's loyalty, but decided to dispatch him to assist Starscream's unit to prevent Optimus Prime's reinforcements from entering [[Tyger Pax]]. He then left to meet his destiny, but it slipped from his grasp; Prime had commissioned the AllSpark to be launched into the abyss of outer space. {{Storylink|Defiance issue 4|Defiance #4}} {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 1|Movie Prequel #1}} {{storylink|Planetfall (Movie)|Planetfall}}

[[File:MovieMegatron Bumblebee torture comic.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Better get some ice on that.]]
After realizing Bumblebee had stalled him from claiming the Cube so the operation could be completed, Megatron tore off Bumblebee's arm—removing his weapon—and crushed his voice box, destroying his vocal processors so that the young Autobot would never speak of the affront to his destiny. {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 1|Movie Prequel #1}} {{storylink|The Reign of Starscream issue 1|The Reign of Starscream #1}} Megatron, believing Prime to be a desperate, inexperienced fool, gave chase. On the way, he detected the ''Nemesis's'' distress signal and soon found the mighty starship on a barren world, abandoned by all but his master. Megatron was berated for allowing the Cube to slip away from his grasp and ordered to thoroughly continue his chase. {{Storylink|Defiance issue 4|Defiance #4}} As Megatron tracked the AllSpark through space, he mused about his reasons for the war and how he and his "brother" were not all that different, as seen by Optimus' sentencing their home to a slow death by launching the Cube into space. Tracing the AllSpark via energy signature to [[Earth|a primitive world]], he lost contact with it upon atmospheric entry and crashed into the planet's icy northern pole. Low on [[energon]], his safety buffers exhausted, Megatron went into [[stasis lock]].

[[File:MoviePrequel2-Megatrondownfall.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|"I HAVE WALKED INTO THIS!"]]

Millennia later, in the year [[1897]], [[Archibald Witwicky]], the leader of the National Arctic Circle Expedition, discovered Megatron buried deep in the ice. Accidentally triggering Megatron's navigation system, Witwicky was blinded by a burst of light from the Decepticon leader's eyes, which imprinted the location of the AllSpark on his [[glasses]]. {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 2|Movie Prequel #2}} Witwicky was subsequently driven insane by the experience, and upon his return to land, became the subject of attention by the United States government, who recruited adventurers [[Walter Simmons]] and [[Theodore Joseph Wells]] to investigate his fantastic claims. Simmons, Wells and their group followed Witwicky's route back to the Arctic, arriving early [[1898]], where they discovered Megatron's frozen body, and like Witwicky before them, inadvertently activated one of his systems upon entry into the cave, bringing him partially back on-line. The energy pulse this released caught the attention of [[Jetfire (Movie)|Jetfire]], a [[Seeker (ROTF)|Seeker]] abandoned on Earth by The Fallen, who quickly made his way to the Arctic, believing that The Fallen himself was the source of the pulse. Discovering the truth, Jetfire angrily informed Megatron that he has never heard of him, and punched him in the face. Simmons and Wells's group subsequently used explosives to send Jetfire punging into the freezing ocean; Megatron, too, was submerged, but jut before the cold overwhelmed him and he shut down again, he weakly proclaimed his name, which Simmons mis-heard as "Mega-Man". {{storylink|Original}} Simmons's organization set about constructing an environment dome around Megatron so he could be excavated and studied, which was completed in [[1899]]. Then, in [[1902]], the group discovered the AllSpark in the Colorado River, and quickly drew a correlation between it and their frozen "Mega-Man" because of the similar symbols that they were both decorated with. {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 2|Movie Prequel #2}}

Eventually naming itself [[Sector Seven]] and arranging construction of the [[Hoover Dam]] to contain the AllSpark, the group initially planned to move Megatron to the dam as well in [[1935]]. {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 3|Movie Prequel #3}} Unfortunately, some delays in the installation of the cryo-block system that would keep Megatron frozen delayed the planned move, however, and the outbreak of [[World War II]] put it on permanent hold. {{storylink|Weapon (issue)|Weapon}} It was in [[1954]] when Sector Seven definitively learned that they could not trust the Arctic cold to keep Megatron frozen when Communist sabotage of the organization's Arctic command post caused the Decepticon leader to thaw out, threatening the lives of the skeleton crew manning the base. Walter Simmons called for liquid nitrogen bombs to be dropped on the base, freezing Megatron solid once more only minutes after he awoke. {{storylink|Frozen}} In [[1969]], Megatron was at last transferred from the Arctic to the Hoover Dam headquarters. as Walter Simmons stayed looking at him. {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 4|Movie Prequel #4}}

In the aftermath of the battle in Mission City, [[Sector Seven]] hauled away Megatron's corpse along with the other Decepticon bodies. The clandestine human organisation brought the bodies to a secret facility in the Nevada desert, with the intention of getting every bit of information they can out of the dead Decepticons before they were forced to dump them into the sea. {{storylink|Alliance issue 1}} When he arrived to oversee the burial of those who fell in Mission City, Optimus Prime noticed the surviving AllSpark fragment glowed when near Megatron's body, and gave it to [[Vine|Professor Vine]] for safekeeping. {{storylink|Alliance issue 2}} Weeks later, Megatron, along with Blackout, was dumped into the Laurentian Abyss. {{storylink|Alliance issue 3}}

Later, after Megatron's machinations with The Fallen were undone by Optimus and his Autobots, Megatron freed Shockwave, whose inactive body had been captured by humans much as his had been. {{storylink|Rising Storm issue 2|Rising Storm #2}} When Starscream dared to question Megatron's latest scheme, the Decepticon leader took out his frustration by pummeling his underling, reminding him to always remember his place in the Decepticon hierarchy. Fed up with being pushed around, Starscream shoved Megatron back and took to the air. Megatron didn't bother to pursue, as he knew that one way or another, Starscream would always return to him. {{storylink|Transformers: Starscream}}

Megatron sent out Shockwave to retrieve Starscream and his subordinates, who have clandestinely begun dealing Cybertronian weaponry to humans. {{storylink|Rising Storm issue 1|Rising Storm #1}} As he waited, Megatron fumed about Optimus Prime's past decision to send out the AllSpark into space, internally justifying to himself all his past deeds as necessary evils in the face of Optimus's own transgressions against their species. {{storylink|Rising Storm issue 2|Rising Storm #2}} While Shockwave and Starscream did their parts in Megatron's scheme, Megatron stayed behind in Nambia, teaching the hatchlings under his care to recognize the image of Optimus Prime, presumably to know him as their enemy. {{storylink|Rising Storm issue 4|Rising Storm #4}}
{{-}}

====''Transformers: Beginnings''====
{{voiceactor|[[Frank Welker]] (English)}}

{{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}}

====''Schick Hydrobot and the Transformers''====
[[File:OptimusMegatronSchickComic.jpeg|thumb|right|300px|A concerned Megatron tries to help Prime with his face-taking addiction.]]
Megatron led an attack force, consisting of Barricade, Onslaught, and some combat drones, on a [[Schick]] R&D department in hopes of using the devices inside Dr. [[Hiroshi Benson]]'s laboratory to build an Energon converter. Standing in his way were Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Hound, and [[Hydrobot (TLK)|Hydrobot]]. Just before Megatron and Optimus could dish it out, Megatron grabbed a hold of Hiroshi but failed to stop the human from explaining how to use the [[Energy-field razor|control set]] against the Decepticons. A surprise punch from Optimus staggered Megatron and gave Hydrobot enough time to snitch the device away and use it to release a shock burst of [[H-Boostium]] through Bumblebee's stingers towards the Decepticons, prompting them to retreat. {{storylink|A New Friend|A New Friend}}
{{-}}

===Titan movie comics===
[[File:MegatronMovie GeoffSenior.jpg|right|upright=0.85|thumb|''The Beast and its armies shall rise from the pit to make war against God.'']]

Even as [[Lord High Protector]], {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 1|Movie Prequel #1}} Megatron was scheming to take power of Cybertron and worlds beyond. He believed the Transformers could gain ultimate power via the All Spark, power to reshape their [[alternate mode]]s into anything they imagined. Breaking all Cybertronian laws, he made direct contact with the All Spark to test his theory and found himself with a mighty new alternate mode. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 4|Megatron V. Optimus Prime}} {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2|Megatron Profile}} War was declared and Megatron's army of Decepticons swept the planet.

Ratchet tried to negotiate a peace and was almost murdered by Megatron in the process. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 3|Ratchet Profile}} When [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]] fought injustices outside of any faction, Megatron personally made an example of her. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 21|Arcee bio}}

To stop Megatron getting the AllSpark, the Autobots tricked him into looking for it at [[Tyger Pax]] {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 1|Movie Prequel #1}} while they launched towards the [[Alkaris Anomaly]], a wormhole that could potentially transport the cube to any one of an infinite number of locations in the universe. Megatron, noticing the launch, was fully capable of catching up to the cube before it would enter the wormhole, but as he passed Cybertron's moon, he found himself ensnared by an Autobot tractor beam of remarkable strength that pulled him down to the moon's surface.

Megatron was able to create a drone unit capable of zeroing in on Optimus Prime's unique energy matrix signature within his spark core. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 1|Prelude: Optimus Prime}}

Enraged by the ignominy of it all, Megatron turned his weapons on the Autobots responsible, but quickly calmed down enough to realize that this was only playing into their hands, and instead ordered [[Brawl (Movie)|Devastator]] to take his place in the battle. Megatron swooped back into space, hot on the AllSpark's heels, but was unable to stop the cube from falling through the anomaly. Determined to have the AllSpark's power, Megatron chose to enter the wormhole himself, only to be spat out in some far-off star system, with no trace of the AllSpark... {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2|Prelude: Megatron}}

Megatron entered the [[Solar System]], where he freed [[The Fallen]] from his pocket dimension prison on one of [[Saturn]]'s moons. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.3|The Fallen's profile}}

{{note|This leads into [[Movie Prequel issue 2|''Movie Prequel'' #2]].}}

Even when Megatron was missing in action, the idea he might come back was enough to stop [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] from killing Decepticons who'd ticked him off. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 5.1|Adrift in Space and Time}} The only exception was [[Bludgeon (ROTF)|Bludgeon]] but in the early 2010s, Megatron (with [[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] was his catspaw) attacked and defeated this upstart. None of Bludgeon's men ''dared'' mess with Megatron. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.20|Divided Loyalties}} {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.21|A Short, Sharp Lesson!}}

====Alternate timeline====
In [[Tyran 208.28 Gamma|another reality]], Megatron defeated Optimus at [[Mission City]], killed Sam Witwicky and took control of the AllSpark. He was fully linked to it and drew on its power—"It is me and I am it!"—giving him greater might and the ability to heal any wound. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 12|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 4}}

After conquering an unknown chunk of Earth (including the entire [[United States of America]]) with [[Dropkick (Movie)|Dropkick]] as his second-in-command, he used the AllSpark's power to start turning Earth from an organic world into a new Cybertron. Optimus Prime lay frozen in the [[Hoover Dam|old Sector Seven base]], Autobot resistance was scattered, and NATO's threat to [[Nuclear weapon|nuke]] occupied America was hardly much of one. [[File:Megatron Bumbleslap.jpg|left|upright=1.95|thumb|"''Sigh'' Even mindless violence seems boring today..."]] The only thing bothering Megatron was those rebels breaking into Hoover Dam... {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 9|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 1}}

Megatron personally arrived to face [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] and hunted for him, trying to bait him into appearing. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 10|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 2}} Realising the Autobot must have come with a human ally, he deliberately threatened to go after the human and thus got an emotional Bumblebee to make a defiant attack... at which point he backhanded Bumblebee into the wall and prepared to eviscerate him. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 11|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 3}} He gave the Autobot a chance at a swift death if he begged for mercy, and was quite impressed when Bumblebee merely asked "that all you got?", but was less impressed when Autobot reinforcements arrived. [[File:Megatron Titan12.jpg|right|upright=1.95|thumb|Megatron's BDSM Dungeon just wasn't meeting expectations.]] He effortlessly smashed them aside and was about to kill [[Skyblast (Movie)|Skyblast]] when a new challenger arrived: the revived Optimus! {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 12|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 4}}

Optimus Prime got the snot beaten out of him, every attack he landed on Megatron being repaired by AllSpark power. However, he distracted Megatron long enough for Bumblebee to hit him with the ''other'' thing they'd broken into the Dam for: Sector Seven's greatest weapon, a nanovirus that targeted AllSpark operation frequencies. Infected, the tyrant was consumed from within by his own power and collapsed dead. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 13|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 5}}

Or so it appeared. He'd downloaded his mind into the AllSpark interface module, knowing Starscream would take it and assimilate it into himself. And so Megatron was able to be a voice in Starscream's head for weeks and weeks—and finally, when Starscream had suffered a setback and wanted a plan to stop the Autobots, Megatron gave him one: to let him out... {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 22|The Decepticon Who Haunted Himself}}

While Starscream didn't, he ''did'' follow Megatron's tactical suggestions. He had the Decepticons use both carrot (promise of truce) ''and'' stick (multiple attacks) to make the US government, prompted by [[Theodore Allen|the mind-controlled President Allen]], boot out the Autobots—and then nuke them as they left, giving the Decepticons a clear shot at reconquest! {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 23|Revolution Part 1}} This plan backfired when [[Stockade (Movie)|Stockade]] intervened, and Megatron visited a broken, gibbering Starscream to once again tell him the only way out was to release him and let him walk the Earth again. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 24|Revolution Part 2}}
[[File:Starscreamseesthings Titan25.jpg|left|upright=1.95|thumb|''You're looking throooough me...'']]

This time Starscream ''did''... much to his dismay when he realised what he'd done. And so, when Stockade's New Decepticons stormed the [[Decepticon Heartland]], Megatron was there to "greet" them with fiery death!

Megatron fought Stockade in single combat, and [[Nucleon (substance)|Nucleon]]-fueled punches rained down on him—only for him to ''grab'' a punch and use the momentum to hurl his opponent, berating him for lacking clear ambition to support his strength. This fight would've carried on except then the Autobots turned up. Trashing a rebellion, conquering Earth, ''and'' killing Optimus Prime in one day?! WOOOOO!

But Optimus drew first blood, and before Megatron could truly fight back, he was forcibly teleported with his Decepticons to Cybertron. A dead Cybertron. A dead Cybertron that itself teleported to an unknown area of space, leaving them trapped with no way back and no way off, ''forever''.

{{bigquote|'''PRIIIIIME!'''}}

{{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 25|Revolution Part Three}}

===''Ghosts of Yesterday''===
"The Ice Man" was kept in deep freeze by [[Sector Seven]] in their super-secret [[Sector Seven High Arctic Base|High Arctic Base]] until they decided to move him closer to the [[AllSpark]] in [[1969]]. The convoy was disrupted when the driver of the lead truck spun out causing the rest of the vehicles to pile up on the icy roads. It was determined later that the driver was the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] spy [[Sergei Tasarov]] who had taken the place of the Sector Seven agent Peter Hodgson.

While the convoy prepared their defenses and a Soviet strike force attacked trying to obtain the Ice Man.

When Megatron came partially online, it was obvious that some time had passed. Not only was he encased in a primitive transport, but there were [[Human|lifeforms]] fighting over him. Before Megatron could properly exterminate them, another crude transport crashed into his, causing a massive (but not spark-threatening) explosion. Megatron would have been pleased to know that the fire only added to his terrifying visage in the eyes of the maggots. Regaining his composure, Megatron noticed [[Philip Nolan|an insect]] standing near him. As Megatron reached out to grab it, [[Thomas Kinnear|another insect]], this one terminally damaged, began firing crude projectiles which his body armor easily deflected. Waiting until after the creature had expended its ammunition, Megatron grabbed it in his hand, only to discover that it had packed itself with explosives, which threw Megatron to the ground when they detonated. Then, the aforementioned first insect began spraying liquid nitrogen on Megatron, causing him to go back into stasis. Unable to escape, Megatron screamed a dark vengeance upon his captors. {{storylink|Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday|Ghosts of Yesterday}}

===Toy bios===
Megatron was ''born'' evil, always wanting domination of everything. {{storylink|Megatron (Movie)/toys#Voyager Class toys|Megatron (Movie Voyager)}} His fiery diatribes still managed to sway thousands, however. {{storylink|Megatron (Movie)/toys#Robot Replicas|Robot Replica Megatron}}

At some point, Megatron took a stealth mode so he could attack Optimus without warning. {{storylink|Megatron (Movie)/toys#Fast Action Battlers|Night Attack Megatron}}

When frozen on Earth, Megatron remained vaguely conscious and remembers a few things from when he warmed up slightly. At one point, his body was worshipped as a god by early humans. {{storylink|Megatron (Movie)/toys#Voyager Class toys|Premium Series Megatron}}

After being blasted into stasis lock by the AllSpark, Megatron was dumped in the sea. He remained trapped and seething with rage until the Decepticons fixed him using cannibalized parts from themselves. Regardless, Megatron gave no shits: he just wanted revenge! Now, feeling the AllSpark's power flowing inside him, he had the power to finally destroy Prime! {{storylink|Megatron (Movie)/toys#Voyager Class toys 2|Megatron (ROTF Voyager)}} {{storylink|Megatron (Movie)/toys#Leader Class toys 2|Megatron (ROTF Leader)}}

In the end, that did nothing and Megatron swapped bodies for a new Blastwave Weapons Base arsenal. {{storylink|Megatron (Movie)/toys#Cyberverse|Blastwave Weapons Base}}

Though Megatron had fallen to Optimus Prime following the Battle of Chicago, a new evil was waiting to take his place. Designed by humans to be even more powerful than the fallen Decepticon leader, the mighty Galvatron steps forth to challenge the Autobots. {{storylink|Megatron (Movie)/toys#Generations|Galvatron (Voyager)}}
====Concept Art Megatron====
{{Note|This bio describes an unused scenario from the Bumblebee movie.}}
Leading the Decepticons, Megatron was present in the final battle on Cybertron. {{storylink|Megatron (Movie)/toys#Studio Series|Studio Series Concept Art Megatron}}

===Beast Wars Diorama Story===
[[File:BWDiorama Megatrons.jpg|thumb|left]]
On Earth in the past and in another universe, a group of [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]], led by another [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]], battled a contingent of [[Maximal]]s in a forest. {{storylink|Optimus Primal Chapter}}

Some time into the battle, a warp opened, bringing with it [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]], [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]], [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]], [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], and [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]]. After being defeated by the Maximals, Starscream joined the Predacons. {{storylink|Tigatron Chapter}} [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] later appeared and joined the Predacons, as well. As the battled raged, Megatron came in through the warp. {{storylink|Gimlet Chapter}}

The Decepticon Megatron brought along [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]], and the two Megatrons combined their troops into a fearsome force against the Autobots and Maximals. In the ensuing skirmish, Megatron stood on a cliff edge and loomed over the battle. The two factions then took formation against each other with the intention of combining their energies to attack the opposing side. The Predacon Megatron led the combined Predacon/Decepticon force. With [[Motorarm (BW)|Motorarm]] leading the charge, the Maximals and the Autobots attacked first. {{storylink|Motorarm Chapter}}
{{-}}

===Cyber Missions===
{{voiceactor|[[Tony Gialluca II]] (English)|[[Gerardo Vásquez]] (Latin-American Spanish), [[Ricardo Schnetzer]] (Brazilian Portuguese)}}
[[File:CyberMissions4 Megatron.JPG|right|thumb|300]]

Hiding in a disused factory, Megatron was able to cloak the energy signature of his spark, so that when Optimus and Sideswipe turned up, they didn't notice him hiding under a pile of girders. He was able to get the drop on them and sneeringly mocked them as they fought, until Sideswipe jabbed him in the foot. Optimus suggested he surrender, but Megatron instead transformed to tank mode and brought the roof down on them. By the time the two Autobots recovered, Megatron was gone. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 4}}

Not soon after the encounter, Megatron ordered his subordinate [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] to rendezvous somewhere in the Arctic, and revealed that he knew of his ambition to take over leadership of the Decepticons. However, due to the Autobots tracking Starscream en route to Megatron's location, Optimus Prime appeared not long after. Starscream and Megatron double-teamed Optimus for a brief time before the other members of Optimus's team arrived. Ordering Starscream to deal with the others, Megatron continued to attack. Megatron is soon beaten down and asks his foe if he will finish him, but Optimus grants him mercy and allows him to escape. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 12}}

Megatron received the energy signature of [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]], and tracked him to a bullet train, which he soon stopped dead in its tracks (literally). [[Bludgeon (ROTF)|Bludgeon]], [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]], Starscream, and [[Mindwipe (ROTF)|Mindwipe]] soon arrived on the scene. As Megatron attempted to retrieve his fallen communications officer, he discovered that it was in fact a hologram created by [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]], and was a distraction while the Autobots arrived. Megatron once again fought Optimus, who pointed out that Megatron's alliances were merely because of fear, unlike the Autobots' alliances. The human military arrived, and the Decepticons were backed into a corner. Optimus then declared that they leave Earth or face the consequences. The other 'Cons retreated, while Megatron made one final promise to destroy Earth the next time around, and blasted off into space. {{storylink|Decepticons Attack}}

===''I Can Read!'' books===
[[File:MegatronandStarsscreamdig-TrainingDay.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.75|After the Unity, you will join my legion and you will know the righteousness of power. You will love me. You all will.]]
Megatron's latest scheme to defeat the Autobots was to dig a series of underground tunnels to ambush his enemies wherever they may be. Or, more precisely, his plan was to have Starscream dig the tunnels while Megatron supervised. When the two Decepticons surfaced to attack Optimus, Sideswipe, Bumblebee and Ironhide, they were thwarted despite the element of surprise being on their side. {{storylink|Training Day (book)|Training Day}}
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===''Hunt for the Decepticons'' storybooks===
[[File:Megatronstucktoelectromagnet-PrimeTarget.jpeg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|Megatron maintains his dignity as leader of the Decepticons.]]
Megatron planted a [[New lab assistant|Decepticon spy]] at Sam's university to exploit Optimus's friendship with the boy. He had his agent send a false distress signal to Optimus through Sam's computer, prompting Optimus to arrive alone at the university's science lab. There, Megatron used a supermagnet to lock Optimus in his vehicle mode. Now holding his enemy at a disadvantage, Megatron began to brutalize Optimus Prime. If not for Sam arriving at that moment and turning the supermagnet against Megatron, the Decepticon leader would have surely slain Optimus. With Megatron stuck to the magnet, he was reduced to relying on Starscream's help to be freed while Optimus and Sam escaped his clutches once more. {{storylink|Prime Target (book)|Prime Target}}

Upon witnessing Megatron being defeated by Optimus one too many times, Soundwave concocted a plan to damage the Autobots' reputation in the humans' eyes, whom he blamed for the Decepticons' continued failures. {{storylink|Satellite Meltdown}}
{{-}}

===''Spot the 'Bots''===
Megatron was hiding in broad daylight behind a tree when Optimus spotted him. Megatron tried to get away in his tank mode, but more Autobots joined the chase. Nonetheless, Megatron managed to make it to an old warehouse, where Starscream and Ravage were waiting for him. The two factions then battled it out for the fate of the Earth! {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Spot the 'Bots}}
{{-}}

===''Unite for the Universe''===
Megatron entrusted [[Bludgeon (ROTF)|Bludgeon]] with a mission to steal the fruits of N.E.S.T.'s most recent labor: the Unite Weapons Program. Megatron promised Bludgeon command of his Earth-stationed troops if he succeeded. Starscream protested, claiming that Earth should rightfully be his to command. Megatron dismissed his second-in-command, reminding him that all of Earth was his, and that those under him were little more than stewards to his reign. {{storylink|Unite for the Universe issue 1|The Secret of Project: Unite}}

Starscream managed to acquire newfound power behind Megatron's back by imitating the human-Autobot alliance's process of recycling fallen Cybertronian bodies into upgrades. {{storylink|Unite for the Universe issue 2|Bludgeon's Revenge}} The upgrade affected Starscream's mental stability, however, and seeing his subordinate sowing unnecessary destruction, Megatron decided to put an immediate end to his power play. Through [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]], he tasked [[Brimstone (TF 2010)|Brimstone]] and [[Thundercracker (Movie)|Thundercracker]] with taking Starscream down, but Starscream proved too powerful for them. Enraged, Megatron headed out to deal with Starscream himself. {{storylink|Unite for the Universe issue 2|On the Road of Destruction}}

Slamming into the battlefield, Megatron warned Starscream that resisting him would only lead to greater suffering on his part. Uncowed, Starscream boasted that nothing could stop him, and the two Decepticons wrestled fiercely, ignoring the nearby Autobots. Optimus and his troops soon stepped in to interfere, prompting Megatron to focus on Optimus instead of the rebellious Decepticon. When Optimus refused to withdraw, as Megatron deemed the fight to be none of his concern, the Decepticon leader called in additional troops to support him. During the chaos, Ratchet managed to burn out Starscream's upgrades, rendering them unsalvageable. With any prize worth fighting for destroyed, Megatron sounded a retreat, vowing that soon he would have his reckoning against the Autobots. {{storylink|The Strongest Weapon}}
{{-}}

===''The Creation Revoltech!''===
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|The Creation Revoltech!}}}}
{{-}}

===''Prepare for Battle'' prequel material===
Long ago, during his search for [[AllSpark]], Megatron knew that the [[Knights of Cybertron]] were also pursuing the relic, so he approached them offering to surrender in return for amnesty. The Knights reluctantly accepted and the entirety of their group arrived for the meeting, but this proved to be a trap, and Megatron's forces wiped out the Knights.

Centuries later, [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] reported an intercepted transmission from [[Evac (Ride)|Evac]], the Knights' lone survivor, who was approaching Earth. Despising Evac and the Knights for representing an era of Cybertron before him, one he wished to erase, Megatron deduced that he was tracking the last shard of the AllSpark, plotting to take the shard and destroy the last of the Knights in one fell swoop. {{storylink|Prepare for Battle (website)|Prepare for Battle}}

===Mega-Mouth===
[[Megatron (WFC)|A certain Megatron]] from an alternate universe seemed to think he was ''this'' Megatron, as he claimed he attacked Sentinel. {{storylink|Transformers_Comic_issue_4.1#Mega-Mouth|Mega-Mouth #1}} He also explained why he wore a cowl in ''Dark of the Moon'', {{storylink|Transformers_Comic_issue_4.4#Mega-Mouth|Mega-Mouth #4}} and claimed that he survived ''Dark of the Moon''... well that Megatron was ''not so wrong'' about the last one... {{storylink|Transformers_Comic_issue_4.5#Mega-Mouth|Mega-Mouth #5}}

===''Cheetos'' comics===
{{Charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|Cheetos/Transformers: Age of Extinction|Cheetos/''Transformers: Age of Extinction''}}

===''TransTech''===
[[File:C-81andScalpel-CMW.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|left|"No protectors here: no Lanterns, no Kryptonian. This world will fall - like all the others."]]
In one timeline, moments before Optimus Prime was able to dispatch Megatron after the Decepticons' destruction of Chicago, a mysterious force caused Megatron's position to spontaneously shift. Now finding himself behind his foe, Megatron killed both Optimus and Sentinel Prime. Megatron then proceeded to rebuild his Cybertronian empire, repairing himself bit by bit along the way, though he remained haunted by the thought that he should have died in battle. Despite Megatron's victory on Earth, a new Autobot leader eventually rose up to challenge him: [[Hot Rod (DOTM)|Rodimus Prime]]. The Autobot/Decepticon war began anew, culminating in a final showdown atop a space bridge between Rodimus and Megatron. Dangling from the space bridge and with Rodimus ready to strike the final blow, Megatron's despondency with the eternal conflict led him to release his grip, and he fell into the abyss. Megatron awoke to find himself in [[Axiom Nexus]]. {{storylink|Megatron (Movie)/toys#Timelines|BotCon 2015 Megatron's bio card}}

Allegedly, when the Transcendent Technomorphs came upon Megatron, they mistook him for a derelict heap, and only identified his three Mini-Con companions, [[Boombox]], [[Heavyweight]], and [[Scalpel (ROTF)|Scalpel]]. Megatron somehow obtained a counterfeit [[identification bolt]], and renamed himself "'''C-81'''" to avoid complications with Axiom Nexus's "[[Dux non Intruitus]]" law, which forbade all Megatrons, Primes, and any other faction leaders. C-81 then proceeded to gather a crew to work under him, including [[Battletrap (G1)|Battletrap]], [[Stepper (SG)|Stepper]], and [[Nebulon (SG)|Nebulon]]. {{storylink|Cybertron's Most Wanted}} Together, they were Cybertron's most wanted criminals... save for C-81 himself, as the TransTechs were not specifically aware of him. Keeping his anonymity all the while, C-81 allowed other crime bosses to take credit for his work while he committed several thefts. {{storylink|Rook - Axiom Nexus News: Investigative Journalist|Rook - Axiom Nexus News, 2015/06/16}} {{storylink|Cybertron's Most Wanted}} With the technology he acquired, C-81 planned to build an interuniversal gate, and provide paying customers with an "off-the-books" travel agency. On his final raid, his greed got the better of him, and his crew wound up on the run from the local police force. Despite his efforts to cut through [[Seeker-Shinai]], an [[Axiom Nexus Security Administration|OZSA]] team led by [[Hound (G1)|Sergeant Hound]] caught up with him, and C-81 was brought to the offworlder maximum security prison.

[[File:C-81ripsBeet-ChitfromZaptrap-CMW.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5|Primitive beings.]]
While being held, C-81's crew met two more criminals that ranked amongst the most wanted on the planet, [[Oilmaster]] and [[Packrat]]. With these new recruits, the whole gang managed to escape the prison, only to find Axiom Nexus shut down on the outside. They then headed to Axiom Nexus's underground tunnel system, and made their way to one of their hidden weapons stashes. There, they bumped into [[Lift-Ticket (Diaclone)|Lift-Ticket]], [[Burn Out (Diaclone)|Burn Out]], and [[Spy-Eye (Diaclone)|Spy-Eye]], who immediately took off. Suspecting this trio might report them to the authorities, C-81's crew gave chase, only to wind up in the middle of a [[Waruder]] nest. They battled these extradimensional invaders for a time, but found themselves overwhelmed by sheer numbers. The tables turned when [[Optimus Prime (G1)|General Optimus Prime]] and Sergeant Hound joined in, along with the returning Burn Out and Lift-Ticket. C-81 was instrumental to the victory against the Waruders. He ripped out [[Beet-Chit|their commander]] from [[Zaptrap|his exo-suit]], and forced him to negotiate. Offering a Cybertron free of opposition in exchange for their peaceful departure, C-81 completed his interuniversal gate and escorted the Waruders to the abandoned planet. General Optimus Prime informed C-81 that he could not allow him to keep his gate, but agreed to keep C-81's identity a secret out of gratitude. In the end, C-81 was simply glad to have had the adventure. {{storylink|Cybertron's Most Wanted}}
{{-}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
In [[Tyran 609.23-PX Kappa]], Megatron rather than Optimus Prime killed the Fallen. Galvanized by his victory, Megatron returned to space to gather his army. He considered conquering Earth but realized that the true prize was Cybertron. With his troops ready for combat, Megatron led them on a successful campaign all over Earth against the Autobots and NEST. He also had Soundwave plant clues about the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s presence on Earth's [[Moon (moon)|Moon]] for Sam Witwicky to discover. Optimus Prime fell for the bait and took the ''[[Xantium (DOTM)|Xantium]]'' to the Moon to revive [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]]. Backed into a corner by the Decepticons' offensive, Optimus hastily revived Sentinel on the Moon's surface, and Megatron captured Optimus with the traitorous Sentinel's aid. With the aid of human collaborators, Megatron used [[space bridge]] technology to bring Cybertron into Earth orbit. Under the leadership of Dylan Gould, humans were put to work strip-mining Earth for resources to repair Cybertron.

Everything changed with the arrival of [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]], who demanded that Prime be handed over to him. Megatron and Sentinel both refused, the former out of pride and the latter out of loyalty. However, when Sentinel was tempted by Lockdown's offer of a protomatter [[seed]], Optimus used the opportunity to reignite Sentinel's sense of justice. Sentinel pretended to hand over Optimus, proceeding to ambush Lockdown, defeat him, and capture his [[Knight Ship|vessel]]. Allying themselves with the [[Dinobot (AOE)|Dinobot]]s, Sentinel and Optimus Prime waged a long guerilla campaign against Megatron's Decepticons, eventually restoring humankind's freedom and revitalizing Cybertron with the seed. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 22/7/2015}}

In [[Tyran 511.0 Kappa]], Megatron also returned as Galvatron, but his old subordinate [[Wild Rider]] remained loyal to his new Autobot comrades even in the face of Megatron's rebirth. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 16/9/2015}}

===Legends World===
Closet ''Transformers'' fan [[Blackarachnia (Legends)|Blackarachnia]] had a poster of Megatron in her bedroom. {{storylink|LG17 Blackarachnia}}

When [[Minor (Legends)|Minor]] struggled at [[Triggerhappy (G1)|Triggerhappy]]'s shooting gallery, the crack marksman showed him how it was done, unintentionally giving away the prizes for free. Minor walked away with a pile of swag including ''[[Transformers: The Last Knight (toyline)|The Last Knight]]'' [[Megatron (Movie)/toys#TLKLeader|TLK-19 Megatron]] and what appeared to be ''[[Transformers Movie The Best|Movie The Best]]'' [[Megatron (Movie)/toys#Movie The Best|MB-03 Megatron]]. {{storylink|LG49 Targetmaster Triggerhappy}}

When [[Majin Zarak]] invaded their home dimension, the toys of the Legends World revealed themselves to be real Transformers. A toy of Megatron in his ''The Last Knight'' form helped to defend [[Tokyo]]. {{storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two|Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two}}

===''Kre-O'' cartoon===
A bunch of Vehicons were helping build the Galvatron Factory Battle set when Optimus came stomping in on the scene atop of Grimlock. The Decepticon Kreons scrambled in terror, and Galvatron wound up losing an arm when a Vehicon grabbed hold of it as he was being drawn into Grimlock's mouth. {{storylink|Commercial/Age of Extinction#Dino Force|Kre-O Dino Force commercial}}

===''Age of Time''===
[[File:Prime1StudioSuperiorMegatron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"I have turned one hundred thousand worlds to dust looking for those who robbed me of my glory."]]
Like at least some of the other Transformers of his dimension, Megatron was somehow amalgamated with his [[Megatron (G1)#Age of Time|counterpart]] from an [[The Transformers (franchise)|alternate dimension]], who came to this dimension through a wormhole; together, they formed a superior version of themselves.
<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/TFsource/posts/10154472033061711 Images of Prime 1 Studio "Superior Megatron"] from TFSource on Facebook</ref>
<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1395741837139121.1073741971.371066602939988 TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF TIME - SUPERIOR OPTIMUS PRIME] by [[Prime 1 Studio]] on Facebook: "The story began when the Ark carrying G1 Optimus Prime and his fellow Autobots was attacked on their route to Earth from Cybertron by Megatron and his evil Decepticons. Both spaceships were sucked into a wormhole and ended up in an alternate dimension. This dimension is the cinematic Transformers universe. Different yet the same, both transformers from the different dimension amalgamated and formed the Superior version of their old self. Hence the New Generation Transformers was formed. To be continued..."</ref> {{storylink|Megatron (Movie)/toys#Prime 1 Studio|Transformers: Age of Time statue bios}}
{{-}}

===''TV Magazine'' stories===
[[File:TV-Magazine-April-2019-Megatron-vs-Autobots.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]
At one point, Megatron obtained a new flame-based power for himself. Naming himself '''Burning Megatron''', he utilized attacks like "Burning Laser", a more powerful Fusion Cannon due to the combination with his flames, an "Explosive Burning Sword", and "Burning Claw" (which utilized his fiery foot claws for kicking). {{storylink|Burning Megatron's Explosively Burning Power!}} Burning Megatron fought against Drift and Hot Rod until Optimus Prime and Bumblebee arrived, with the former ordering Drift and Hot Rod to transfer their Energon powers to Bumblebee, powering him up. Bumblebee defeated Megatron with a punch that sent him flying. {{storylink|The Explosive Birth of Energon Charge Bumblebee}}
{{-}}

===''Mission to Cybertron'' comic===
{{charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|Mission to Cybertron}}
{{-}}

===''Sector 7 Adventures''===
[[File:S7HalfDomeMegatron.jpg|thumb|Sorry, no [[Megatron (G1)|buckethead]] this time.|250px]]
While leading him through Sector Seven's Hoover Dam facility, [[Tom Banachek]] revealed to [[Seymour Simmons]] the existence of the "Ice Man": a frozen Megatron locked in stasis beneath the dam. Banachek commented on the grim consequences that would no doubt result should the robot ever be revived. {{storylink|Sector 7 Adventures: The Battle at Half Dome|The Battle at Half Dome}}
{{--}}

==Commercial appearances==
{{voiceactor|[[Frank Welker]] (English, pre-recorded dialogue)}}
*Megatron smashed some guys' cars just as they were about to retrieve them from the valet service. He did exactly the same thing to some woman's car too. It was awesome. Well, not for the car's owner. Otherwise, it was awesome. {{storylink|Commercial/Transformers (2007)#General Motors|Transformers Chevy tie-in commercial}} While on vacation at [[Transformers: The Ride – 3D|Universal Studios]] with his family, [[w:Peyton Manning|Peyton Manning]] runs into <s>a person dressed in costume as</s> Megatron, who Manning thinks used to play for [[Megatron (human)|Detroit]]. Megatron is sickened by the sight of Manning. {{storylink|Commercial#Transformers:_The_Ride-3D|Peyton Manning: Vacation Quarterback commercial}}

==Games==
{{main|Megatron (Movie)/games}}

==Toys==

{{main|Megatron (Movie)/toys}}

==Merchandise==
{{main|Megatron (Movie)/merchandise}}

==Notes==
===''Transformers''===
[[File:Movie Megatron olduglyface.jpg|upright=1.11|right|thumb|I'm blind!]]
*Megatron probably has the most well-known pre-release design changes out of the main robot cast, specifically for his head.
**The prototype photographs on the back of Fast Action Battler, Leader, and Voyager class Megatron's packaging show him with a completely different head based upon an earlier version of CGI design (seen on the right) that was dropped after much negative fan reaction. Legends class Megatron retains this head shape, as do a few children's picture books.
[[File:TF07-P1S-Museum-Masterline-Megatron-Bonus-Head.jpeg|upright=1.11|left|thumb|When the "I smell you!" line was meant to be taken more literally.]]
**The initial head design was further refined before it was redone from scratch, with a smaller crest and more prominent nose. The lower half of his face strongly resembled how the finalized face looked. This stage of the design can be seen on the cover art for ''[[Transformers The Game]]''.
**His redesigned head also went through multiple stages. The "original" finalized design retains the same basic shape as what would be used in the final cut, with more of a plated, angular look to it as well as a more aggressive resting face. This interim design can be seen in the last batch of promotional CGI renders released for the movie as well as the introduction and campaign ending cutscenes in ''Transformers The Game''. The rest of the game utilizes the finished design.
**The finalized design is more streamlined, more expressive, and has uneven teeth.
**Yet another design, which combines the face and crest of the finalized design with the parietals of the original design, can be seen in the Masterpiece toy, the bonus disc for the movie’s home media release, and previs animatics for the original trilogy. It is also briefly visible in two scenes of the finished film, albeit both are from a distance: the first is when Megatron is being pelted with F-22 missiles, and the second is when his corpse is being dumped in the ocean.
*The crest of Megatron's redesigned head strongly resembles the top half of his fusion cannon.
*According to ''The Movie Guide'', Megatron is one of the few Transformers capable of space travel without reverting to a protoform. This explains how he was capable of chasing the AllSpark immediately after its launch.
[[File:EarlyMegsMovieConceptartwithG1headandbody.jpg|right|upright=1.1|thumb|This would've shut [[GEEWUN|them]] up.]]
*The earliest concept designs of Megatron gave him a look very much inspired by his ''Generation One'' counterpart. Unlike the Cybertronic jet seen in the first movie, this Megatron was intended to transform into an army tank.
*According to ''[[The Quest for the AllSpark]]'' paperback's opening paragraph, "...Most revered were Optimus and Megatron. They were twin brothers of the Prime dynasty." (This implies that Megatron may have also had the surname "Prime" at one time.) Similarly, in the ''Autobots'' version of the same DS game, it is noted that Megatron "took the spark" of his and Optimus' father. However, in the [[Transformers Comic issue 2.12|twelfth issue of Titan's ''Revenge of the Fallen'' comic]], [[Barricade (Movie)|"Barricade"]] informed readers that Megatron and Optimus weren't related, the term "brother" was just because they'd known each other for so long. However, the ''[[Transformers: Foundation|Foundation]]'' comic series sheds more light on this, with Optimus and Megatron being LIKE brothers and Sentinel being like a father to them and his supposed death on Megatron's order brings the whole scenario full circle.
*Early script drafts and a [[Optimus Prime Versus Megatron|children's picture book]] featured Megatron consuming the [[spark]]s of his fallen foes, but this didn't make it into the final film due to time constraints. The novelization of the movie, on the other hand, sees him chow down on Jazz in the final battle; similarly, although not outright stated in dialogue, his animalistic pouncing on the fallen bodies of various characters (including Optimus Prime, Starscream, Jazz and the [[Create-A-Bot (Decepticon)|Decepticon Create-A-Bot]]) in the Movie Nintendo DS games, following by what appears to be rooting around in their innards, seems to suggest he's doing the same there.
*[[Detroit]] Lions American football player Calvin Johnson has earned the nickname [[Megatron (human)|Megatron]], due to his large stature and unstoppability. Since he got the nickname around the same time as the movie was in theaters, we assume he was named for this Megatron. Johnson has worn a hat with the Decepticon logo on it.<ref>[http://larrybrownsports.com/football/calvin-johnson-now-rocks-a-megatron-transformers-hat-picture/92078 Calvin Johnson now rocks a Megatron Transformers hat]</ref> Nike came out with a limited edition line "Megatron" styled sports gear for the 2012 Thanksgiving Day game.<ref>[http://www.nikeblog.com/2012/11/22/nike-calvin-johnson-megatron-collection/ Nike Calvin Johnson ‘Megatron’ Collection]</ref>
*The Megatron computer generated model consisted of 2411 individual pieces, 433,949 polygons, 8924 rig nodes, and 1437 texture maps. The pieces combined gave a volume of 10,325 cubic feet.<ref>Robertson, Barbara (2007). Heavy Metal. ''Computer Graphics, 30''(7), 12-17.</ref>
*The [[Milton Bradley]] [[Transformers Battling Card Game]] [[:File:MBMovieMegatronAttacks.jpg|depicts a couple of unique attacks]] for Megatron's original form; one card gives him a pair of forearm-mounted blades as an "Arm Sword", and another shows him firing a swarm of missiles from his chest in a "Missile Attack".

===''Revenge of the Fallen''===
*It was decided that Megatron would not be renamed Galvatron in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' for the sake of the general audience.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/180451-welcome-mr-roberto-orci-you-may-ask-him-questions-229.html#post3421064 Roberto Orci answers fan questions on the TFW2005 boards.]
</ref>
*While ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: The Movie Universe|Revenge of the Fallen: The Movie Universe]]'' and the [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Official Movie Adaptation|comic adaptation]] state that Megatron is a [[Triple Changer]] that alternates between his robot, jet, and tank modes, this characteristic is not present in the ''Revenge of the Fallen'' film. Throughout the film, Megatron only transforms into a winged tank portrayed by the Voyager figure and flies in said mode.
*According to his bio on the Hasbro sticker sheets, ''Revenge'' Megatron weighs in at 5.7 metric tons, is 35 feet tall, uses an 'Ion-fused chain whip' for his primary weapon, has a 'Strength power level' of 10, and changes into an 'Interstellar jet.' The mention of a chain whip and a jet mode seem to indicate the card's stats were based on his original form, rather than his ''Revenge of the Fallen'' tank mode. The card also surmises that Megatron's might will 'make the Earth quake, and the stars fall from the sky,' the latter of which seems to be a reference to several bible verses that describe signs of the end times. The two-disc special edition of the ''Revenge of the Fallen'' DVD also gives him a height of 35 feet.
*''Revenge of the Fallen: The Movie Universe'' states Megatron possesses an internal self-regenerating [[Dark matter fission cell|dark matter power core]] which is possibly of alien origin.
*Megatron's story was altered significantly during development of ''Revenge of the Fallen''; the climax of the film would have revealed Megatron served The Fallen under the pretense of becoming a Prime, which Optimus exposes a lie, explaining Primes are born, not made. An angered Megatron refused to aid The Fallen in his final battle, and returned to the ''Nemesis'' via The Fallen's space bridge to raise an army of hatchlings. In the final film, he is removed from the battle by having Optimus disfigure him with his own cannon, which would lead to his introduction in ''Dark of the Moon''.
*The headshot image on the [[Package art]] for Megatron's Leader and Voyager class toys uses the design of his head from the first movie rather than the updated design for ''Revenge of the Fallen''.
*The comic book cover art used for this page was originally drawn by Josh Nizzi with his ''Revenge of the Fallen'' design, but he was asked to redo the artwork with the 2007 design to avoid spoilers.<ref>[https://www.instagram.com/p/CG78SeOjGL0/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Josh Nizzi Instagram post about Megatron comic cover.]</ref>
{{--}}

===''Dark of the Moon''===
[[File:TF3concept-Galvatron-MassiveBlack.jpg|thumb|"There are plenty of Autobot shoulders for you. [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]'s shoulders are MINE!"]]

*Megatron's weatherbeaten Mack tanker truck mode and Cybertronian sawed-off shotgun as seen in ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon]]'' are fairly straightforward nods to the 1981 film ''{{w|Mad Max 2|Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior}}''.
*The notion of Megatron being [[Megatron (Movie)/toys#Voyager Class toys 4|a tanker truck]] in ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon]]'' might be a nod to executive producer [[Steven Spielberg]]'s first movie, ''{{w|Duel (1971 film)|Duel}}'', where a similar truck is the main "bad guy".
*Early concepts for Megatron's ''Dark of the Moon'' design called him Cyclonus in an attempt to curb leaks and spread misinformation. Concept art for "Galvatron" was created by [[Massive Black]] artist [[Bruno Gore]]. Whether he was intended to be an upgraded Megatron or a separate character entirely is unknown.
*Megatron's story was altered significantly during development of ''Dark of the Moon''; Megatron would have survived by returning to Cybertron after Optimus Prime accepts the truce for helping kill Sentinel Prime. In the final film, Megatron's offer comes across as less than sincere, allowing Optimus to finally tear his head off. While the original ending would leave an open possibility for a fourth film, the final cut seemed to wrap up the film series... until ''Age of Extinction'' was conceived.
*In ''[[Transformers: The Ride – 3D]]'', Megatron appears in his ''Dark of the Moon'' body, but with the "[[Death-lock pincer|murder arm]]" used in ''Revenge of the Fallen''.
*One of the screen-used trucks that portrayed Megatron is currently on display at the Mack Trucks Historical Museum in Allentown, Pennsylvania.<ref>[https://www.macktruckshistoricalmuseum.org/ The Megatron truck can be seen in the image under the "Mack Museum News" tab.]</ref>
{{--}}

===''Age of Extinction''===
[[File:AOE-Galvatron concept art.jpg|thumb|280px|Well...at least he managed to ''look like'' a [[Dynasty of Primes|Prime]]...]]
*The toy [[bio]] for the Voyager Class Galvatron toy portrays the character as a separate entity from Megatron, akin to Galvatron's [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|2005 IDW counterpart]].
*The creation of Galvatron as a counterpart to Optimus Prime takes cues from [[Nemesis Prime (disambiguation)|Nemesis Prime]]; in particular the human-controlled ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Prime]]'' [[Nemesis Prime (Prime)|character]]. This is even more supported by the concept art, here on the right, which represents Galvatron with a modified Prime-like helmet.
*Hasbro's website says that Galvatron's chest contains a "[[Vortex Grinder]]", like [[Devastator (ROTF)|Devastator]]'s.
*The purple image of Megatron in cryogenic hibernation that can be seen on screens in the background inside Hoover Dam in ''Transformers'' is re-used on a screen in the background at [[Kinetic Solutions Incorporated|KSI Headquarters]] when [[Cade Yeager|Cade]] first gets chased by security guards.
*Attinger's playing card of Megatron was revealed in a prop auction for the ''Transformers'' film series held in 2019.<ref>''[https://profilesinhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/101TransformersSs.pdf Transformers: The Auction]'' by Profiles in History</ref>
*The customized 2014 Freightliner Argosy used as Galvatron's alternate mode would later be reused as [[Robotnik]]'s mobile base in the 2020 ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (character)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' film.
{{--}}

===''The Last Knight''===
[[File:TLK Megatron dragon concept art.jpeg|thumb|500px|Stylish, isn't it? [[:File:Megatrontm2render.jpg|Yessss.....]]]]
*The red "scar" on Megatron's face came about one day when Michael Bay went into [[Industrial Light & Magic|ILM]] and asked the animators to add red markings to Optimus Prime and Megatron's faces and come up with an explanation for them. Visual effects artist Chris Zammit came up with the idea that the markings were the use of [[Dark Energon]] due to its mind-control abilities and the presence of Unicron in the film.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mke7biooPA4&ab_channel=TFcon The Explanation for Megatron's Red Face Paint in Transformers The Last Knight Discussion at TFcon]</ref> The idea was scrapped, leaving the red markings as some kind of "paint".
*While each of the changes Megatron undergoes in prior films is given an explicit in-story reason, the change from Galvatron in ''Age of Extinction'' to Megatron in ''The Last Knight'' is left unexplained. However, there are enough context clues in the film (from the red markings to his knowledge of the Talisman and Unicron) to figure out that Quintessa may be responsible for this change.
*Megatron was originally planned to transform into a Cybertronian [[dragon]], with his ''[[Megatron's Konda|konda]]'' sword forming his tail and the ability to breath fire in robot mode. Both this ability and the alternate mode were eventually scrapped in favor of shooting flames from his cannon and a new jet mode, which was originally designed as a fighter jet for the [[Guardian Knight]]s.<ref>[https://www.instagram.com/p/CEccCgvDAXl/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Josh Nizzi reveals Megatron dragon design] on Instagram.com</ref>
*Megatron has an engraving of himself in his 2007 body wielding a sword and commanding an army on the right side of his head. While unseen in the film itself, similar artwork of Optimus Prime is engraved on the opposite side of his head. The full artwork can be seen on an IMAX poster for the film.<ref> https://www.artstation.com/artwork/b5zoWv</ref><ref>https://news.tfw2005.com/2017/05/04/new-transformers-last-knight-imax-poster-338357</ref>
{{--}}

===''Bumblebee''===
[[File:Bumblebee-movie-Megatron-design-collage.jpg|thumb|300px]]
*As seen in a test cut of ''[[Bumblebee (film)|Bumblebee]]'', there was a post-credits scene with [[Jack Burns|Burns]], [[Seymour Simmons|Simmons]], and [[General Whalen|Whalen]] discussing that the Autobots can never learn of "N.B.E.-01". As such, Megatron would have made an appearance in this scene, frozen in ice as per the 2007 movie. This scene was removed from the final cut.
*[[Travis Knight]] initially wanted Megatron to appear during the Cybertron scenes featured in later cuts of ''Bumblebee''. However, for continuity's sake, the Decepticon leader was omitted.<ref>[https://comicbook.com/movies/2018/12/19/bumblebee-deleted-megatron-decepticon-scene/ 'Bumblebee' Deleted A Megatron Scene] on comicbook.com</ref>
*Like much of the robot cast, Megatron was given a design heavily influenced by [[Megatron (G1)|his Generation 1 namesake]]. This design has made scant appearances (right) since the film's release, first with the [[Tiny Turbo Changers|''Movie Edition'' Tiny Turbo Changer]] Series 5 [[Megatron (Movie)/toys#S5TTC|Megatron]] toy, a silhouette on a [[scale]] chart displayed by [[Yolopark]] at Singapore Comic Con later that year,<ref>{{citesocial|link=https://www.instagram.com/p/B5zJG3nApgK/|quote=Silhouette close ups|month=12|day=08|year=2019|site=Instragram|name=joanne_ying79}}</ref> and a cropped render of the ILM model on the packaging of two ''[[Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (toyline)|Rise of the Beasts]]'' [[Megatron (Movie)/toys#ROTBTitanChanger|Megatron toys]]. The announcement of ''[[Studio Series]]'' [[Megatron (Movie)/toys#SSConcept|Concept Art Megatron]] at MCM London Comic Con in October 2023 led to the reveal of his entire model (sporting icicles from his cut N.B.E.-01 scene) and full-sized merchandise for the first time. Only the front of Megatron's model was completed.<ref>{{citesocial|link=https://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/new-look-at-bbm-megatrons-face.1245810/page-12#post-21185952|month=03|day=31|year=2023|site=TFW2005 post|name=Gregory Prout|quote=Can confirm that’s the Megatron design we (3A/threezero) received assets of while we worked on development for the DLX figures for the Bee movie. The 3D model wasn’t finished, only the front half, his back detailing wasn’t designed yet}}</ref> Like the majority of the characters seen in the Cybertron opening prologue, Megatron was conceptualized without any particular alternate mode in mind. Artist [[Emiliano Santalucia]] later [[:File:Megs concept Bumblebee movie.jpg|designed a cybertronian jet and tank form]] for his ''Studio Series'' toy. The decision to give him three modes was to reflect both his alien alternate modes as depicted in the first two Michael Bay movies.<ref>{{citesocial|link=https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy9lj7xssPx|name=Sam Smith|site=Instagram|year=2023|month=10|day=28|quote=Knowing that theatrical Megatron arrived on earth as a cybetronian jet, and later a tank in the first two Bayverse films, I was split between what alt form was most appropriate, but aiming for a tripleformer seemed most appropriate.}}</ref>
*''[[Sector 7 Adventures: The Battle at Half Dome]]'' includes a recreation of the deleted post-credit scene with Megatron in his 2007 design.

===Other===
*The Blokees Classic Class Megatron, based on his 2007 design, copies the introduction to this very page word-for-word for his bio on the back of the box. The bio for the toy starts from the second paragraph of the intro.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Megatron''' (メガトロン ''Megatoron''), '''Galvatron''' (ガルバトロン ''Garubaroton'', ガルヴァトロン ''Garuvatoron'')
*''Korean:'' '''Megatron''' (메가트론 ''Megateulon'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Megaton''' (Taiwan, 密卡登 ''Mìkǎdēng''), '''Wēi Zhèn Tīan''' (Mainland China, 威震天, "Extremely Prestigious", literally "Heaven-shaking Might"), '''Jīng Pò Tīan''' (''Age of Extinction'', 惊破天, "Sky-breaking Awe")

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

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/toytables/movie_megatron.htm Megatron at TFU.info]

[[Category:Age of Extinction Decepticons]]
[[Category:Beast Wars Decepticons]]
[[Category:Bumblebee Decepticons]]
[[Category:Cyber Missions characters]]
[[Category:Dark of the Moon Decepticons]]
[[Category:Decepticon leaders]]
[[Category:Decepticon starships]]
[[Category:Dimension hoppers]]
[[Category:Hall of Fame characters]]
[[Category:Live-action film ARG characters]]
[[Category:Movie Decepticons]]
[[Category:Movie starships]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen Decepticons]]
[[Category:Rulers of Cybertron]]
[[Category:The Last Knight Decepticons]]
[[Category:TransTech Decepticons]]
[[Category:Triple Changers]]

Dinobot (BW)

2026-04-10T18:11:58Z

Zenphia: might be a bit much but we'll see

{{factions|predacon|maximal|jungleplanet|decepticon|autobot|unicron|hofsilver}}
{{disambig3|Dinobot}}
{{featured}}
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:''Dinobot is a [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] or [[Maximal]] from the [[Beast Era]] portion of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:TFLegends-Dinobotcardart.jpg|300px|thumb|






"You lived like a warrior ans{{sic}} died to an{{sic}} hero." [http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/ee52db9e103fd5a8?hl=en&&] ]]








'''Dinobot''' (aka '''Dynobot''') is a Predacon ruled by his sense of honor. He lives to die gloriously in battle. When he aided [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] in the theft of the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]], Dinobot believed he was in the pursuit of endless glory. But when he and his Predacon peers crashed on what seemed to be the wrong planet alongside a [[Maximal]] exploration vessel, he rebelled against Megatron and joined the Maximal team. It would be an uneasy alliance, fraught with turns of loyalty and turns of [[William Shakespeare|Shakespearean]] phrase. But it also led to strong friendships and even the salvation of all [[human]]ity.

As befits a warrior of his stature, Dinobot is skilled in all forms of combat. He wields a spinning sword and a [[Cyber-slash tail weapon|rotating blade]] as his preferred tools in battle, but, ever pragmatic in matters of violence, he has been known to use ranged weapons, such as his laser eye-beams or a simple handheld gun. He has threatened to use any and all of these on [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]], with whom he has an intense rivalry. Deep down, he may respect the rodent, but he'll die before he'll admit to it.

{{bigquote|The question that has haunted my being has been answered: The future is not fixed. My choices are my own. And yet, how ironic, for I now find I have no choice at all! I am a warrior... let the battle be joined.|Dinobot|"[[Code of Hero]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Toy bios===
Dinobot was a [[Maximal]] warrior on present day Earth. He clawed his way up to the top through victory after victory. Optimus considered him a natural when it comes to combat expertise. His thirst for battle was unquenchable. {{storylink|Dinobot (BW)#Toys|Dinobot bio}}

===Cartoon continuity===
====''Beast Wars'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Scott McNeil]] (English), [[Keiji Fujiwara]] (Japanese)|[[Yu Zhenbo]] (Chinese), [[Luiz Carlos de Moraes]] (Portuguese, Season 1), [[Jorge Barcellos]] (Portuguese, Season 2 onwards), [[Federico Romano]] (Latin American Spanish), [[Héctor Cantolla]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Mario Zucca]] (Italian), [[Michel Vigné]] (French), [[Uli Pleßmann]] (German)}}

[[File:BWDinobot arrival.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|"Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair... wherever the hell we are."]]
Dinobot was one of a group of rogue Predacons and was party to their theft of the Maximal relic, the Golden Disk. They stole a ship and traveled through a transwarp portal, with the Maximal ship ''Axalon'' not far behind. After a heated space battle over a mysterious planet, both ships were damaged, and they fell blazing towards the ground below.

The entire planet was saturated with [[energon]], so much so that Dinobot and the other Predacons required protection. To this end, organic forms were scanned. In Dinobot's case, ''Velociraptor'' remains buried deep within the volcanic soil of their crash site became the basis for his new form. But the levels of energon were just one problem—this planet looked nothing like [[Earth]], their target destination! As Dinobot ventured outside the base, he blamed [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] for this error and announced his intention to take over the Predacons himself. Megatron laughed and had [[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]] shoot him over the horizon.

Dinobot, cheated and humbled, took his efforts elsewhere. As the Maximals returned to their crashed ship from an outing, Dinobot was there, blocking the rocky bridge that crossed the waterfall surrounding their new base. This time, he challenged [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]], and for the leadership of the Maximals. {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 1)}}

[[File:BWPart1 bridgefaceoff.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|"Ill met by moonlight—er, sunlight, proud Optimus."]]
He and Optimus Primal began their fight. It almost ended badly for Primal when the Maximal commander's foot slipped on the edge of the bridge, but Dinobot saved him, as the Predacon believed that a dishonorable death would mean a dishonorable victory on his own part. They continued, but their battle was interrupted by a Predacon attack. After that clash subsided, Dinobot helped the Maximals, leading them to a victory against Megatron when he tried to obtain the bounty of a mountain-sized cache of natural energon. Optimus accepted him into the fold—not as a leader, of course, but still as a valued team member. This didn't sit well with the other Maximals, particularly [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]]. {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 2)}}

Dinobot provided not only brute force but an understanding of the enemy. A short time afterward, Dinobot was standing with Primal and [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] on the bridge of the ''Axalon'' around a holo-map of the Predacon base when Primal suggested that Rattrap go on a scouting mission. {{storylink|The Web}}

[[File:Dinobotbulliescheetor.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|"Come not within the measure of my wrath."]]
However, though he was an asset against the Predacons, Dinobot sowed discontent amongst the Maximals' own ranks. Early on, [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] was ordered to his quarters for fumbling the test of an energon monitoring device, and Dinobot suggested to the young Maximal that he secretly test the device himself. This ended in potential disaster when Cheetor unwittingly created an instant-transport stream between the two bases. When [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] used this to infiltrate the Maximal base, Dinobot feigned a desire to team up with him and overthrow Megatron. Lulling him into a false sense of security, Dinobot eventually took care of him with the trash disposal unit—all without firing a shot, and the other Maximals never even knew. {{storylink|Equal Measures}}

[[File:ChainofCommand-Dinobotrotateblade.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|"I have no words. My voice is in my rotate blade."]]
Dinobot and Optimus Primal investigated an energy signature detected within the [[Standing Stones]], an enigmatic monument of alien origin. After a clash with Megatron and [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]], the monument came to life and Optimus Primal disappeared before their eyes. When Dinobot woke up, he was in the Maximal CR chamber, as he'd been found stripped down and abandoned outside the base by unknown hands. But that wasn't important-Optimus Primal was gone, perhaps dead! The Maximals quickly tried to select a new leader by [[Democracy|secret ballot]], and Dinobot laughed at them when their vote ended in a tie. No, he would be the new leader-by force, if necessary! However, they were all interrupted by a message from Optimus Primal, who was inside the alien monument. Primal put Rattrap in charge, and the remaining Maximals mounted a plan to extract Primal from the alien construct. After another battle with the Predacons at the Standing Stones, the aliens returned Primal to them, with no explanations. {{storylink|Chain of Command (BW)|Chain of Command}}

When an incoming [[stasis pod]] carrying a potential new Maximal team member was detected, Dinobot refused to let Primal leave without scouting the area outside the ''Axalon'' first himself. Dinobot was convinced the Predacons would try to remove Primal from the equation, as he was their faction's only flying member, and he was right—the Predacons managed to damage Primal enough to keep him out of the race for the pod. Dinobot stayed behind with Primal while the others made a play for the pod on foot. When Dinobot received a transmission indicating the Maximals were having difficulties, he awoke Primal's [[core consciousness]] to consult him. As a result, the two were able to bounce a signal off one of the planet's moons to the dormant stasis pod, beating the Predacons to the punch. [[Tigatron (BW)|Tigatron]] joined the team. {{storylink|Fallen Comrades}}

[[File:Better Mousetrap Dinobot.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|"Today is a good day for violence!"]]
Soon after, Dinobot and Primal were investigating a second stasis pod when they were suddenly ambushed by Predacons. The Predacons defeated the two and secured the pod for themselves, bringing [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] online. As this was one in a long string of clever coups, this forced Optimus Primal to consider that their team was suffering from an information leak. Primal scapegoated Rattrap, an accusation in which Dinobot took pleasure. Dinobot was all too happy to destroy the alleged turncoat despite the potential hypocrisy of that act. Rattrap subsequently defected, and in the ensuing battle, was ordered by Megatron to shoot Dinobot, his frequent rival. After some hesitation, Rattrap shot Terrorsaur instead and revealed that the entire situation was a ruse by Optimus Primal to detect the real source of the information leak: stolen Maximal codes. {{storylink|Double Jeopardy (episode)|Double Jeopardy}}

Childish infighting between Rattrap and Dinobot inadvertently triggered Rhinox's new security program, [[Sentinel (BW)|Sentinel]], before it could be completed. Dinobot and the other Maximals fled the ''Axalon'', while Rattrap stayed inside to combat Sentinel himself. Later, when Sentinel appeared to have shut down, Rattrap was assumed dead. Each Maximal gave a touching eulogy for Rattrap except for Dinobot, who refused to taint Rattrap's memory with lies. It was soon revealed that Rattrap had not perished, but had instead managed to shut off Sentinel.{{storylink|A Better Mousetrap}}

[[File:Dinobotversusplant.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|"I will speak daggers to it, but use none."]]
Dinobot joined Optimus Primal on a mission once again, but this time to explore the planet's native organisms. Dinobot considered this work as being beneath him, and in the process found himself assaulted by one of the planet's flora. As Primal considered this a lesson in respect learned, he found himself attacked by one of Scorponok's [[cyberbee]]s. It injected him with a virus that was intended to make him a coward, but instead removed all his inhibitions. Upon returning Primal to the ''Axalon'', Dinobot oddly found himself agreeing that this new bloodthirsty Primal was not a beneficial change. After he failed to solve the problem with the Predacons diplomatically, as Primal would have wanted, it was decided to let the new violent Primal be the new violent Primal. Ultimately, Primal acquired the antidote and woke up with Dinobot standing watch over him. Dinobot assured him that it was merely his shift, and not indicative of his feelings towards Primal—despite having placed a beautiful plant in Primal's quarters. {{storylink|Gorilla Warfare}}

[[File:Victory Dinobot.jpg|right|thumb|250px|"Alas, poor Tarantulas; he had legs, and knew how to lose them."]]

When a Cybertronian probe was detected, Dinobot helped his teammates attempt to contact it, despite the fact he dreaded a return home. After all, he was a criminal even in Predacon terms, and he had no hope for a warm Maximal reception. Somewhat fortunately for Dinobot's potential fate, their attempts to catch the attention of the probe failed when [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] invented the [[Transformation Lock Lens|transformation lock lens]]. {{storylink|The Probe}} The issue was raised again when the Maximals thought that the Predacons had been destroyed. Dinobot elected to remain on the planet while the Maximals repaired their ship and launched it. However, just as Dinobot wandered off to explore the world that had become his, he stumbled across the not-so-dead Predacons, who attacked the ''Axalon'' and grounded the Maximals once again. {{storylink|Victory (episode)|Victory}}

[[File:Dinobot mirror.jpg|upright=1.4|left|thumb|"A little more than kin, and less than kind."]]

After Dinobot and the other Maximals were saved from a Predacon attack by Rhinox's ingenuity, Rhinox was abducted by the Predacons and reprogrammed into one of them. Optimus Primal waited for this to backfire on them, and when their plot began to unravel, Dinobot joined the Maximals in infiltrating the Predacon base and retrieving their kidnapped comrade. {{storylink|Dark Designs}} Megatron soon set his sights on Dinobot as well. After Terrorsaur buried Dinobot in a cave, Megatron unleashed a [[Clone One|clone of Dinobot]] on the unsuspecting Maximals. Ultimately, Dinobot broke free and returned to the ''Axalon'', where he confronted his clone and ate him. Yes. He ate him. {{storylink|Double Dinobot}}

Not long afterward, Tigatron went missing during a routine scouting report. When Optimus Primal noted that Tigatron was the victim of an aerial attack, Dinobot identified the culprits as Waspinator and Terrorsaur. {{storylink|The Trigger, Part 1}} Dinobot remained at base with Rhinox while the others searched for Tigatron on a mysterious flying island. {{storylink|The Trigger, Part 2}} Dinobot suffered along with his teammates when the energon dampener was stolen from the ''Axalon'', requiring him and the others to stay in [[beast mode]] to avoid energon surges. Between that and sleep deprivation from persistent Predacon attacks, their innate beast instincts began to take over, and the Maximals went feral. It was only through the instruction of Tigatron that they were able to defeat the Predacons and retrieve the dampener. {{storylink|Call of the Wild}}

Dinobot was tested again when he, Cheetor, Rhinox, and Rattrap were blinded by a Predacon attack. They were far from base and completely helpless, so Dinobot immediately began to panic. Rhinox was able to calm him and the others and slowly lead them back to base, using their other senses. They were rescued by Optimus Primal and Tigatron at the foot of the base just as they began to slip into [[stasis lock]]. {{storylink|Dark Voyage}} The Maximals were also visited by the wandering spark of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], who possessed the body of Waspinator and led a successful attack on the Maximal base, resulting in Dinobot receiving critical damage. Forced out of their base, Optimus Primal surrendered the Maximals to Starscream, under the condition that Dinobot be repaired. In exchange, Starscream ordered the Maximals to attack Megatron. Despite his treachery, Starscream himself was deceived, as Dinobot was not as damaged as advertised. He and Primal were able to eject Starscream from Waspinator's body and retake the ''Axalon''. {{storylink|Possession}}

[[File:Dinobottarantulasrattrapthelowroad.jpg|right|upright=1.4|thumb|"Frailty, thy name is Tarantulas!"]]
Once again, the feud between Rattrap and Dinobot led to disaster. Their carelessness indirectly caused Rhinox to be infected with a [[Energon discharge virus|virus]] that caused him to eject energy involuntarily, via hiccups or sneezes or...other means. Optimus Primal ordered the bickering pair to hunt down Tarantulas in his lair and obtain the antidote, figuring they'd either learn to work together or everyone would be destroyed. Unfortunately, the latter wasn't so unlikely an option, as Dinobot and Rattrap's out-of-control behavior toward each other repeatedly sabotaged their efforts to capture Tarantulas. Dinobot was able to grab him just as Megatron arrived, and claimed the spider as a hostage. Megatron did not care and shot them both. Ultimately, the day was saved when Rhinox used his virus against the Predacons, unleashing a mighty explosion from his rear end. {{storylink|The Low Road}}

Despite his increasing loyalty to the team, Dinobot's violent heart occasionally created rifts. Most notable was his reaction to [[Tigatron (BW)|Tigatron]]'s pacifism: When the tiger tried to leave the Maximals in grief over the accidental death of his best friend, Dinobot argued vociferously with the "coward". He simply could not comprehend what Tigatron was saying, that in order to stop the fighting, someone had to lay down his weapon. The confrontation with Tigatron revealed more than just Dinobot's warrior ethic. He explained to Tigatron a bit of his motives for turning against Megatron: He feared that if Megatron used Earth's energon supply to wage a new war, Cybertron would burn as a result. Dinobot could only see desertion, and for that he nearly killed Tigatron, who refused to fight back. But Primal interrupted before any damage was done, and Tigatron later came back to battle to save Dinobot from a Predacon attack, making the whole point moot. {{storylink|Law of the Jungle}}

The [[Vok|alien]] mystery that surrounded the planet soon came to a head. When it became apparent that the aliens themselves would visit them imminently, the Predacons surprisingly called for a truce. Tigatron was called to sneak into the Predacon base and find out what had captured Megatron's attention, and Dinobot and the other Maximals staged a non-lethal battle to cover Tigatron's exit, upholding their end of the truce. Dinobot loosened a large boulder out of place, allowing it to crush both Tarantulas and Blackarachnia. {{storylink|Before the Storm}} As expected, the aliens arrived. A wormhole opened up over the planet, and a beam shot down to the surface, where another alien device was activated. Rhinox and Dinobot stayed behind at the ''Axalon'' while the others investigated, but were too engaged by the planet's second moon shifting its shape into a horrible [[Planet Buster]] weapon to notice their base had been compromised. Both Rhinox and Dinobot were removed from the equation by Blackarachnia and Tarantulas. {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 1}} The Maximals returned to find them both welded to the ceiling by cyberwebs. Dinobot and Rhinox were placed inside [[CR chamber]]s as Rattrap and [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] went to find their unwelcome visitors. {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 2}}

[[File:Dinobotgoldendisks.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|"Neither a borrower nor a lender be; For loan oft loses both itself and friend, and borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry."]]
When Dinobot awoke, Optimus Primal was dead, having sacrificed himself to destroy the Planet Buster with a transwarp explosion, and Cheetor and Rattrap had been altered into [[Transmetal]] forms by the resulting [[quantum surge]]. After reluctantly admitting Rattrap's new form was an improvement, he immediately declared himself the new Maximal leader. However, with Primal dead, Rhinox was not in any mood to tolerate Dinobot's outburst and shut him up forcefully. While Rattrap and Cheetor were sent outside to deal with Waspinator and a newly Transmetalled Megatron, Rhinox and Dinobot were stuck with the task of restoring their security systems. They did not account for [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]], who had also infiltrated the ''Axalon''. Thankfully, Rhinox was able to defeat the Predacon and eject him from the ship. {{storylink|Aftermath (BW episode)|Aftermath}}

With the destruction of the planet's second moon and the stabilization of the planet's natural energon reserves, it became apparent to Dinobot that Megatron was right all along; this was indeed Earth, though in the distant past. Dinobot broke into the Predacon base and stole Megatron's golden disks. He knew that they contained information about the future, and this cut to the core of his being: "If the future is indeed immutably foretold, then my demise is but moments from that confirmation, for I could not live if not the master of my fate." Dinobot hid the disks in a remote location and returned to the ''Axalon'', where Rattrap was having a minor meltdown. Rhinox had hooked himself to a machine with little explanation, and with Tigatron and Airazor on a long-term exploration trip, it fell to Rattrap, Dinobot, and Cheetor to hold off the combined force of the Predacons. Worse yet, Megatron had introduced two new [[Fuzor]]s to his team, [[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]] and [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]]. Dinobot grabbed what weaponry he could, and with the other two Maximals engaged the Predacons far from the ship, in hopes that they could keep the Predacons away from whatever Rhinox was trying to accomplish. {{storylink|Coming of the Fuzors (Part 1)}}

[[File:Coming of the Fuzors 2 Dinobot Rattrap.jpg|right|upright=1.4|thumb|"A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!"]]

Their efforts, though seemingly doomed, were not for naught. Though Dinobot, Rattrap, and Cheetor fought to near-death, they held off the enemy long enough for Rhinox's gamble to work. He had travelled into the [[Transformer afterlife|Matrix]] and retrieved Optimus Primal's spark. Optimus Primal, restored as a Transmetal from a [[blank]] [[protoform]], dramatically turned the tide, saving Dinobot and the others from what would at least have been honorable deaths. {{storylink|Coming of the Fuzors (Part 2)}}

[[File:Maximal No More Dinobot bow.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|"Is this a dagger which I see before me, Dinobot, the handle toward my hand?"]]

His desire to discover whether the future could be changed kept Dinobot focused on Megatron's actions. When Predacon installations were placed in a Voyager-disk-like pattern, Dinobot remarked that Megatron's plan proceeded even without the disk's information. Thus, he resubmitted himself to Megatron's command, but the Maximals' influence still showed itself. When he was pitted in a death match against [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]] in a bizarre test of loyalty, Dinobot subdued his foe but refused to kill him, offering to train him instead. But Megatron accepted the prodigal son anyway, as long as he returned the original Golden Disk. (He had already given the alien disk to Rhinox.) Dinobot complied. He admitted to himself that by helping Megatron he might be sacrificing his own race, but he had to discover whether his actions were his own or predestined. After the artifact was back in Megatron's hands, Rattrap attacked and was quickly immobilized. As a final test of allegiance, Dinobot was ordered to kill his former teammate. This task proved too much for him, and he turned once again on the Predacon leader. Megatron retreated with the disk in his possession, and Primal was left with the decision on whether to allow Dinobot back into their ranks. Dinobot explained that either way, he would fight Megatron, prompting Primal to forgive Dinobot his treacherous actions. Once welcomed back, Dinobot told Primal of Megatron's ultimate designs for the disks' information. {{storylink|Maximal, No More}}

As Rhinox and Dinobot scanned known alien sites, they suddenly realized that Tigatron and Airazor were journeying into one. But before they could send a warning, the traveling pair triggered the alien site and were shot into space. Dinobot and the other Maximals were rallied by Optimus Primal to this site, where they confronted the Predacons. Before the fight could begin, the alien site activated again, creating a massive [[Metal Hunter]], and blasted everyone in the area. {{storylink|Other Visits (Part 1)}} The Transformers who had not been altered by the quantum surge lay deactivated, but the Transmetals and Fuzors were unaffected by the Metal Hunter's blast. Silverbolt and Cheetor were instructed to carry Dinobot and Rhinox back to the base for repairs. Megatron used the alien disk to activate the Metal Hunter, and the Maximals gained an unlikely ally: Tarantulas. Dinobot, like his fellow Maximals, greeted the Predacon turncoat with bared weapons and only reluctantly allowed Tarantulas to aid them. Subsequently, Dinobot joined an assault on the Metal Hunter itself, a cover for Tarantulas's entry. The Metal Hunter was destroyed. {{storylink|Other Visits (Part 2)}}

[[File:CodeofHero-letthebattlebejoined.jpg|right|upright=1.4|thumb|"To Bay or not to Bay; that is the question, and here is the sunset."]]

When Silverbolt went missing during an energon storm while he, Cheetor, and Optimus Primal were investigating [[Rampage (BW)|Protoform X]], Dinobot suggested they forget the Fuzor and concentrate on the Predacons. The enemy was, after all, minus both Tarantulas and Blackarachnia, while they were only down one member. Primal rejected Dinobot's lack of sympathy. As Primal and Cheetor left to find Silverbolt, Dinobot turned to one of the ''Axalon''{{'}}s consoles and began downloading into its database. {{storylink|Bad Spark}}

Unlike Primal, Rattrap was not so forgiving of Dinobot's earlier betrayal. After contemplating suicide and enduring Rattrap's continuing recriminations, Dinobot decided to set things right. He tracked Megatron down and found him testing the original disk which Dinobot had returned. Megatron had discovered a mountain whose image was recorded on the disk, and he had [[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]] destroy the peak. From a distance, Dinobot saw his greatest hope and worst fear form simultaneously: The disk's image changed. Dinobot's future was his own...but Megatron had virtually limitless power to change it.

[[File:Dinobot funeral.jpg|upright=1.4|left|thumb|"Out, out, brief spark! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor mech that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more."]]

When the Predacons launched an attack on a tribe of [[anthropoid]]s, attempting to destroy the future human race and alter the course of the Autobot/Decepticon war, Dinobot singlehandedly took on all of them. Having already been blindsided by Tarantulas (and having squashed him under a rock in retaliation), he ambushed Inferno, burying his sword in the latter's chest. Blackarachnia banged him up with her machine guns until Dinobot used Inferno himself as a shield, after which he blew away both Predacons with the ant-bot's own gun.

Dinobot proceeded to bombard Rampage from above until Waspinator shot him down (and caused him to land on top of the luckless flier); when Rampage tried to retaliate in tank mode, Dinobot shoved the downed Waspinator into the mad experiment's cannon, causing Rampage to blow himself apart. The backfire sent the warrior flying with severe damage, and Quickstrike was eager to add to his pain. Despite his optic weaponry shorting out, Dinobot still managed to beat the Fuzor, pummeling him with his bare hands before slamming him head-first into a rock.

At this point, his internal computer attempted to engage stasis lock to save his remaining energy, but Dinobot overrode it and turned to face his final opponent: Megatron himself. Mocking the weakened Dinobot, Megatron tallied the score firmly in his own favor: He had unimaginable power via the Golden Disk, he held a lone anthropoid hostage, and the severely damaged Dinobot was the only obstacle in his reality-warping plan. Mostly depowered, severely outmatched, and refusing to quit, Dinobot jammed a rock through a stick and attacked with the makeshift hammer. As the anthropoid's bonds dissolved, Megatron dropped the disk, allowing Dinobot to shatter it with his last bit of energy.

The rest of the Maximals arrived to drive Megatron off, but it was too late for their comrade. After a final conversation with his allies (including a last insult to Rattrap and a request to have his story told truly and without embellishment), Dinobot's spark left his frame. He was given a hero's funeral, with his body cremated as the Maximal fliers executed a {{w|Missing man formation}}. His legacy remained even with the anthropoids, who found his hammer and used it as a weapon. {{storylink|Code of Hero}}

Megatron, because that's the sort of prick he is, created a zombie-esque [[Dinobot II|Transmetal 2 clone]] of Dinobot. {{storylink|Feral Scream Part 1}}

Later, to convince Rattrap to let him search for ex-Predacon [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]], Silverbolt reminded him he'd trusted the original Dinobot. Rattrap grumped that he'd "regretted it" a few times, but still let his comrade out. {{storylink|Proving Grounds (BW)|Proving Grounds}}

[[File:Dinobotflashesnem1.jpg|right|380px|thumb|Behold, the enemy within!]]
Thanks to the destruction of [[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]], the Dinobot clone's spark-brother, Dinobot's consciousness was able to take hold of the clone and make him regain a sense of honour. {{storylink|Transformers Hall of Fame}} {{storylink|Nemesis Part 2}}

{{note|It was not entirely spelt out during "Nemesis" why Dinobot II was regaining Dinobot's memories. The 2010 Transformers Hall of Fame profile for Dinobot stated that the original's spirit had somehow returned from beyond to influence his clone. There was also an unproduced episode of ''Beast Wars'', "[[Dark Glass]]", where Rattrap would have discovered and downloaded a back-up of Dinobot's memories into Dinobot II; while the script never made it past a first draft, "[[Bad Spark]]" had Dinobot backing himself up onto the Axalon.}}

====Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity====
=====''Cloud''=====
While investigating an energon mine with the other Maximals in the 9-BW Spacetime, Optimus Primal encountered [[Hot Rodimus]] and [[SARA]], lost denizens of [[Cloud World]] who allowed most of the Maximals to believe they were from outer space and hunting [[Shockwave (Cloud)|a criminal]]. With their two new friends, the Maximals were about to reach the energon mine when they were ambushed by the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]]. Hot Rodimus's battle with [[Shockwave (Cloud)|Shockwave]] caused an energon eruption that sent the Predacons fleeing and almost consumed the Maximals who were trying to save the local wildlife. Fortunately, SARA was able to convert the eruption into less dangerous [[energon crystal]]s and the visitors returned to their proper spacetime. {{storylink|Wild (Cloud)|Wild}}

=====''Beast Wars Diorama Story''=====
Dinobot eventually met up with several [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s from [[Transformers (film)|another dimension]]. A battle broke out between the Maximals, Predacons, Autobots and Decepticons. The other-dimensional Transformers eventually returned to their place of origin and the Beast Wars continued as they were. {{storylink|Transformers: Beast Wars Diorama Story|Beast Wars Diorama Story}}
{{charstubfiction}}

====''Transformers: Dinobots'' packaging blurb====
When Dinobot's spark returned to the [[Transformer afterlife|Allspark]], the "data" contained in his "DNA schematics" returned with him. Later, to combat Megatron's [[technorganic]] virus the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]] reformated a small group of survivors using these "DNA schematics" from Dinobot, creating the Beast Machines era [[Dinobot (BM)|Dinobots]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Dinobots}}

====3H comics====
After using the [[Divine Light]] to access [[Primus]]'s power, [[Cryotek (RID)|Cryotek]] reanimated several [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticon]] corpses into facsimiles of [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]]'s old subordinates, including one of Dinobot in his pre-Earth vehicular form. {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

====Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity====
[[File:Dinobotmtmte8.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Little did we know that there was a giant shovel on the other arm.]]
During the theft of the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]], [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|He Who Would Be Megatron]] also scanned the historical datatrax of the [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s. He failed to notice the approaching guard until Dinobot dispatched him with his sword and insisted they speed up the operation. {{storylink|Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More Than Meets The Eye #8}}
{{BW Shell Game}}
While traveling back to Cybertron at the conclusion of the Beast Wars, Optimus Primal reflected on past battles, including those in which Dinobot fought. {{storylink|Shell Game issue 1|Shell Game #1}}

====''Transformers Legends'' anthology====
While Megatron was being guided through the afterlife by Rhinox, he beheld a vision of himself slaughtering his allies and foes alike, Dinobot among them. {{storylink|Singularity Ablyss}}

====2006 IDW ''Beast Wars'' continuity====
Near the end of the Great War, several combatants had been reduced to protoforms due to the fallout of a foiled [[Tripredacus Council]] plot. Among those afflicted was [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]], who's stasis pod "Dinobot" came upon as it was being stored away. {{storylink|Dawn of the Predacus}}

As [[Magmatron (BW)|Magmatron]] surveyed the events that began the Beast Wars, he witnessed several key moments involving Dinobot, among them his duel with Optimus Primal upon the stone bridge leading to the Maximal base. {{storylink|The Gathering issue 1|The Gathering #1}}

====''Timelines''====
[[File:Dinobotdawnoffuturespast.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|"Keep up your bright swords, for the dew will rust them."]]

After meeting with [[Cryotek (RID)|Cryotek]], "Dinobot", Megatron, and [[Dirge (BW)|Dirge]] broke into the [[Cybertropolis Maximal Data Archive]] to steal a [[Data-Con]] which would provide all sorts of information about the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]]. As they were making their getaway, Dinobot threw the Data-Con to Dirge (who was unaware of a switch on Megatron's part) before battling a squadron of [[Maximal Command Security Force|Maximal Security Troopers]], ending with a close combat duel with [[9K]] using his then energy-based sword. Dinobot evidently emerged victorious, as he was later seen with Megatron and "[[Scorponok (BW)|Clamps]]". {{storylink|Theft of the Golden Disk}}

Megatron and Dinobot joined [[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]] in escaping the archives with the Golden Disk, avoiding patrolmen [[Nitrostreak|Unit 1]] and [[Tigatron (BW)|Unit 2]]. As Dinobot disabled the former, he protested Megatron's apparent cowardice and dishonorable tactics. Megatron responded by clamping his fist around Dinobot's neck, rebuking him for using the "h" word in his presence. After Dinobot had regained his composure, they made their way to the rendezvous point with the ''[[Darksyde (BW)|Darksyde]]'' and launched into space, where they activated their transwarp drive.

The ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'' and the ''[[Chromia 10]]'' gave chase, though the latter was destroyed by [[Laserbeak (G1)|unknown]] [[Buzzsaw (G1)|assailants]]. When the ''Axalon'' caught up with the Predacons, Dinobot balked at the idea of fleeing again and managed to fire a few shots at the ''Axalon''. After Megatron taunted the pilot of the ''Axalon'' via videoscreen, Dinobot and the other rogue Predacons on board the ''Darksyde'' disappeared through a transwarp portal, with the ''Axalon'' close behind. {{storylink|Dawn of Future's Past}}

After [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] was reborn on [[Earth]], Dinobot rushed out to assist the Maximals against the Predacons during a plot to launch an orbital weapon. The launching pad was destroyed by Airazor just as Dinobot arrived. {{storylink|The Razor's Edge}}

====Razorclaw continuity====
In one splinter timeline of [[Primax 496.22 Alpha]], minor atmospheric perturbations caused [[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]]'s stasis pod to crash on the far side of Earth, and due to his absence, Megatron slaughtered all the remaining Maximals except [[Tigatron (BW)|Tigatron]] and [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]]. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#August 7, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 07/08/2015}}

===Comedy Beast Wars===
Dinobot, [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]], and [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] played a game of ''{{w|shiritori}}''. Dinobot accidentally scared Rattrap into farting and activated his [[cyber-slash tail weapon]] to blow the smell away. {{storylink|Comedy Beast Wars|Shiritori Fight}}

===''Beast Wars Metals'' manga===
Following the [[Quantum surge]], Dinobot, as well as many other Maximals, became separated from the rest of the team and left stranded somewhere on [[Earth|Energoa]]. After Optimus Primal's resurrection and escape from Megatron, Dinobot could be seen watching the [[Moon (moon)|Moon]] from somewhere off in the distance. {{storylink|Beast Wars Metals issue 1|Beast Wars Metals #1}}

Dinobot eventually got in contact with his Maximal comrades and revealed he was recovering in a [[anthropoid]] village. The village was promptly attacked by [[Jaguar]] and Dinobot died defending the anthropoids. Optimus Primal showed up and, swearing to avenge Dinobot's death, killed Jaguar in battle. {{storylink|Beast Wars Metals issue 3|Beast Wars Metals #3}}

===''Henkei! Henkei!'' pack-in manga===
[[File:Henkeimanga-Dinobot.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Who's got two thumbs on one hand except for when I switch to my fists? THIS guy!]]
In the present day, the [[Autobot]] [[Mini Vehicle]]s dug up the bodies of [[Hot Shot (G1)|Hot Shot]] and Dinobot from deep within the earth. As the Mini Vehicles wondered if Dinobot were an Autobot, he woke up angrily, and began to attack the others, hoping to find a worthy foe, until finally Hot Shot (and his [[Mini-Con]], Jolt) faced Dinobot in battle. After seeing Hot Shot perform a series of clever moves, Dinobot suggested the two battle for leadership. However, Hot Shot declined Dinobot's offer and suggested instead they team up and make peace.

Hot Shot returned with Dinobot to Autobot headquarters, where [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] immediately suggesting he and Dinobot fight each other for fun, ruining Hot Shot's ceasefire. {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 11}}
{{-}}

===''Henkei! Henkei! Transformers -Visualize-''===
[[File:Visualize Shot 13.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Visualize Shot 13}}}}
{{-}}

===''Kre-O'' comic===
[[File:KreO-webcomic-4-Dinobot.jpg|75px|thumb]]
Dinobot had himself a hearty laugh when [[Megatron (Kre-O)|Megatron]] attempted to replicate [[Optimus Prime (Kre-O)|Optimus Prime]]'s new clear-torso'd power-up via a see-through negligee. {{Storylink|Wheeljack's Bizarre Invention! Optimus Power Up!?}}

===Legends World===
The [[Legends World]], where the rest of the ''Transformers'' multiverse existed as fiction, had its [[Dinobot (Legends)|own version of Dinobot]].

''Beast Wars'' toy collector [[Rattrap (Legends)|Rattrap]] once missed out on buying a "Dawn of Future's Past" box set, containing [[Dinobot (BW)/toys#Timelines|a toy of Dinobot]]. {{storylink|Legends Vol. 1}}

When the Legends World citizens were under attack by [[Galvatron II]]'s forces on the [[G1 World]] version of the planet [[Beast (planet)|Beast]], [[Lio Convoy (BW)|Leo Prime]] made use of [[Transformers sickness]] to awaken the power of their spiritual ancestors; Dinobot took on the form of ''this'' Dinobot. {{storylink|The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 3}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
[[File:AloneTogetherP-Dynobot.jpg|left|thumb|300px]]
On a Cybertron ruled by the decrepit and corrupt Builders, '''Dynobot''' was one of the first Maximals and Predacons to speak out against the system, agitating for change. It was his words that would inspire some of the first seeds of real resistance on Cybertron. {{storylink|Derailment}} Eventually, Dynobot was captured and placed in the maximum security level of the [[Ferromax Detention Center]]. There he stayed until a group of Maximals led by Rattrap broke him out in a daring raid. {{storylink|Alone Together: Prologue|Prologue}}
{{--}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:Windblade6-allofus.jpg|left|thumb|300px]]
Dinobot was a resident of the colony world [[Jungle Planet (colony)|Eukaris]], and a member of the [[Scale Walkers|Scale Walker]] tribe. He gathered with representatives of the other three tribes in [[Talon Valley]], in front of a [[Space bridge|spacebridge]] portal, to discuss the [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertronian]] [[combiner]]s who had invaded three weeks prior. While declaring he would defend his planet from any invaders, no matter the cost, a traveler from offworld arrived through the portal: [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]]. Dinobot quickly took a disliking to him.

After Rattrap returned to Cybertron with intel, a week later, official representatives from offworld arrived on Eukaris through the portal. Dinobot and [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] were suspicious of them, as they heard of how their kind was once driven away and slaughtered by ancient Cybertronians, but amidst their visitors' pleas for peace, [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] was allowed to speak, as she was not actually Cybertronian, but a [[Caminus (planet)|Camien]]. The planet's gigantic guardian, [[Chela]], awoke before their eyes to quell this reunion of worlds, and Dinobot and the others attempted to defend the spacebridge from it, but it was summarily defeated by [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]. Dinobot was put off that in spite of the destruction of their legendary guardian, [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] still condoned an alliance. {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 6|Windblade vol. 2 #6}}

Dinobot begrudgingly (and adorably) gave a gift to his [[Fur Walkers|Fur Walker]] rival Cheetor on Chosen One Day. {{storylink|Choose Me}}

===''Of Masters and Mayhem''===
[[Thrashclaw]] had a mentor who was a "brown and blue, thick-headed, dynamic" bot who went off with a "[[Megatron (BW)|purple lunatic]]". {{storylink|Life Finds a Way}}

===''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' continuity===
====''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor| [[Krizz Kaliko]] (English), [[Ryuichi Abe]] (Japanese)|[[Dirc Simpson]] (German), [[Guillaume Orsat]] (French), [[Sérgio Moreno]] (Portuguese), [[Gabi Jiménez]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Mario Castañeda]] (Latin-American Spanish), [[Vinod Sharma]] (Hindi)}}
{{bigquote|But now I... ''I'm not pure-sparked, nor wise or heroic...'' but I've tried to live my life well...|Dinobot nearing his final moments, [[Kingdom episode 3]]}}
[[File:WFC-Kingdom-Ep2-Dinobot-stops-Megatrons-theft.jpg|thumb|250px|left|"''Part fools!'' Put up your swords, you know not what you do."]]
Dinobot was a [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] born out of an uninhabitable [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] due to loss of the [[AllSpark]] by [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] {{storylink|Kingdom episode 1}} and the threat of [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]], [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], and [[Nemesis Prime (G1)|Nemesis Prime]]. {{storylink|Kingdom episode 6}} Dinobot studied the legends of the [[Prime (rank)|Primes]], recognizing them as pure-[[Spark]]ed warrior heroes, and leaders of wisdom and honor. {{storylink|Kingdom episode 3}}

Dinobot reluctantly joined [[Megatron (BW)|Predacon Megatron]] and his small band of thieves to steal the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]] and return it to the original [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] in hopes of changing Cybertron's future for the better. When Megatron was carrying out the theft, Dinobot tried to reason with [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] to end their mission and stop Megatron's dangerous plan, especially since the pair had not done anything incriminating. When Megatron returned and tossed the Golden Disk by accident to Blackarachnia, Dinobot pointed a blaster at the Predacon leader, expecting Blackarachnia to return the disk to the Maximal Enforcers. In actuality, Blackarachnia stole the ammo from his blaster and returned the disk to Megatron, and Dinobot was scolded for his lack of loyalty. {{storylink|Kingdom episode 2}} The Predacons traced the original Megatron's steps back to [[Earth]] in the past using the Golden Disk, where the Predacons took on [[beast mode]]s and engaged in a battle with the Maximals from the ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]''. The conflict would continue for cycles, {{storylink|Kingdom episode 1}} and Dinobot thought of defecting to [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] and the Maximals a thousand times. {{storylink|Kingdom episode 3}}

While patrolling through the jungle, Dinobot's attention was drawn by the sound of space debris falling to Earth's surface. He emerged from the foliage to investigate, discovering the crashed ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]''. {{storylink|Earthrise episode 6}} Dinobot and Predacon Megatron later met with Decepticons from the recently crashed ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'' to bow down and deliver the Golden Disk. In the ''Nemesis'', Dinobot stood alongside while the two Megatrons discussed, and was then ushered out of the room along with [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]. The Seeker boasted that he must have been a legend in the future, though Dinobot denied this, angering Starscream. {{storylink|Kingdom episode 1}}

[[File:WFC-Kingdom-Ep2-Dinobot-catches-BA-n-Starscream.jpg|thumb|300px|"What, drawn and talk of peace!"]]

Dinobot soon found the treacherous lieutenant discussing matters with Blackarachnia, but before he could say anything, the ''Nemesis'''s alarms went off, as Soundwave had caught Airazor. Dinobot was witness to her torture at his Megatron's hands, causing him to express his disgust, and for Megatron to express his disgust at Dinobot. The two were interrupted by Blackarachnia telling the Predacon leader he'd been summoned to the bridge, leaving Airazor's questioning to Dinobot. However, his doubts gave him pause, and eventually he and Airazor began talking, as she began poking holes in his emotional armor. Confused, Dinobot took off to confront Blackarachnia. When he did, he was attacked by a cloaked Starscream, who felt the best course of action was to kill him, but Dinobot talked him out of this by revealing he wanted to ''join'' them, to form a new faction that could prevent all sides from killing one another. {{storylink|Kingdom episode 2}}

[[File:WFC-Kingdom-Ep3-Dinobot-velociraptor-n-Airazor.jpg|thumb|left|300px|"Better a witty fool than a foolish wit."]]

The trio used knowledge gained from eavesdropping on Megatron to journey to the Allspark's true location, but on approach their shuttle crashed. As Blackarachnia and Starscream attributed blame, Dinobot was entranced by the Allspark's holographic defenses, which then lashed out at them. Witnessing Starscream's attempts to flee disgusted Dinobot. At that moment, the Allspark changed tactics to trapping those around them in illusions. An unaffected Dinobot saw Starscream's fantasy of being a king, which only disgusted him further, and caused the two to come to blows, the Predacon calling Starscream out on his using his pain to justify his selfish greed. However, Starscream soon had Dinobot over a cliff, which he then dropped him over. Surviving, albeit injured, Dinobot made his own way through the Allspark's forest. His time with the treacherous pair had galvanized Dinobot, and he decided to make a stand against both Megatrons to retrieve the Golden Disk, aware that this would result in his own demise.

Finding an injured Airazor, he informed her of his choice, and set off toward the Decepticons, warding her off by saying her injuries would slow him down. Arriving, he was attacked by Ravage and Laserbeak, followed by Soundwave. Subduing them, he was then sucker-punched by the original Megatron. The two fought, with Dinobot criticizing the Decepticon leader as a desperate and clumsy tyrant. With a well-timed strike, Dinobot managed to defeat his opponent, only to then be mauled by the other Megatron. Viciously wounded, Dinobot used the last of his energies to wound Megatron and steal the Matrix from him.

However, his injuries proved too much for Dinobot, and he was unable to get far. Speaking to the talisman, he implored it for help, and it cut through the Allspark's illusions, allowing the Autobots and Maximals to find him. Dying, Dinobot admitted to his former enemy how he'd thought of becoming a Maximal, and asked if Primal would've accepted him. Primal responded he would've, but Dinobot would probably have made a terrible Maximal. An amused Dinobot admitted the truth of this, before finally succumbing to his wounds. {{storylink|Kingdom episode 3}}

[[File:WFC-Kingdom-Ep3-Dinobot-blasts-Megatron.jpg|thumb|300px|"It is a tale. Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury. ''Signifying nothing.''"]]

{{charfictionstub|{{storylink|Kingdom episode 4}}}}
{{--}}

====''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' marketing material====
[[File:Kingdom Golden Disk Dinobot becomes Dinomus.jpg|thumb|right|I will give you a new rotate blade, and a rigid grill structure to command.]]
The Predacons traveled across time to find the [[AllSpark]] and change the fate of Cybertron. While battling the [[Maximal]]s on pre-[[Ice Age]] Earth, both sides were joined by the Autobots and Decepticons, their epic battle changing their combined destinies forever.

Dinobot's function was a warrior, and he [[trans-scan]]ned into a raptor. His [[Cyber-slash tail weapon|cyber-slash tail and cyber shield]] were his powers and weapons, and his core traits were his inner-conflict, principle, and ferocity. Dinobot's message from the future was that his loyalties will be tested and he will question what he believes. {{storylink|War for Cybertron: Kingdom|''Kingdom'' webpage}}<ref>[https://transformers.hasbro.com/en-us/brands/kingdom ''Kingdom'' webpage]</ref>

During the collective battle, Dinobot teamed up with [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] and the Decepticon [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] in pursuit of [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] and the Autobot [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]]. {{storylink|War for Cybertron: Kingdom|Battle Across Time Collection marketing material}}<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08TM6TDF7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Battle Across Time Collection on Amazon]</ref>

Dinobot was one of a few 'bots with three possible destinies recorded on the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|''Voyager'' Golden Disk]]. {{storylink|Source:Golden Disk destinies|''Kingdom'' Golden Disk cards}}
*In one destiny, Dinobot leads a united [[Maximal]] and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] faction, standing alongside [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]], [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]], [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]], [[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]], and [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]].
*In another destiny, he became a Maximal, sporting a new color scheme.
*In his last destiny, Dinobot was reformatted into '''Dinomus''' as a [[Herald of Unicron]].

In other possible destinies recorded on the ''Voyager'' Golden Disk, Dinobot was present when Blackarachnia became a Maximal. {{storylink|Source:Golden Disk destinies|''Kingdom'' Golden Disk cards}}
{{--}}

===2021 ''Beast Wars'' comic===
[[File:SavageLandingPart1-ScienceMinistry.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

Dinobot, named for [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] and his [[Dinobot (G1)|elite wartime unit]], {{storylink|Savage Landing Part 6}} was a member of [[Megatron (BW)|Galavar]]'s cell of Predacon separatists in the employ of the [[Tripredacus Council]]. {{storylink|Savage Landing Part 1}} Although proud of his Predacon heritage, Dinobot's rigid code of honour led to frequent disagreements with his comrades, and over time Dinobot developed a deep, if private, hatred for thuggish 'bots like [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] and [[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]]. {{storylink|Primal Rage}} When Galavar went rogue and changed his name to "Megatron", Dinobot nevertheless joined his leader on a mission to liberate the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]] from the Maximal [[Ministry of Science|Science Ministry]]. During the heist, Dinobot prevented Terrorsaur from killing [[Under-3|a guard]] in the belief that there could be no honour in killing a defenseless enemy who wouldn't fight back before Scorponok killed him anyways.

After stealing the Maximal warship ''[[Darksyde (BW)|Darksyde]]'', Dinobot and the other Predacons attempted to follow the coordinates on the disk but came under attack from the Maximal science vessel ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'' before [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] could activate the ship's [[Transwarp Drive|transwarp drive]]; as they jumped through [[unspace]] across space and time, Dinobot stopped Terrorsaur from firing on the ''Axalon'' as the blast would destroy both ships. When both ships crashed on a mysterious organic world, the ''Darksyde''{{'}}s computer rebuilt the Predacons with organic [[beast mode]]s. {{storylink|Savage Landing Part 1}} Dinobot went to Tarantulas' lab to check on his progress on mapping the planet's environment, but Tarantualas only cared about the unspace energy all around the ship. Dinobot ordered Tarantulas to abandon the project, but the scientist refused to comply and ordered the Dinobot to leave his lab. {{storylink|Savage Landing Part 2}}

[[File:SavageLandingPart4-DinobotNyx.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

When the Predacons captured and tortured the Maximal [[Nyx]] for information, Dinobot stepped in and tried to reason with Megatron, but his protest that a worthy foe deserved a worthy death only angered Megatron. However, when Tarantulas deduced that other Maximals must've survived the crash, Megatron forgave his outburst but warned Dinobot to not defy him again. When the seven Predacons went outside to watch Nyx's execution using Tarantulas's recently invented [[Transformation Lock Lens|transformation lock lens]], Dinobot's long-brewing crisis of conscience finally came to a head; after destroying the device, he turned on the other Predacons so that Nyx could transform back into beast mode and escape. [[Skold]] and Scorponok accused him of betraying the Predacon cause, but Dinobot insisted that he had not betrayed his ideals and offered Skold the chance to join him. Skold refused, so Dinobot threw Skold at Megatron, forced the Predacons back into the ship, and used his security clearance to put the ''Darksyde'' into a full lockdown before escaping into the jungle. {{storylink|Savage Landing Part 3}}

While traversing the jungle, Dinobot used his beast mode to track Nyx and successfully rescued the injured flier from a native creature. However, extreme damage to her systems caused her to collapse, and after consulting her [[onboard computer]] Dinobot was able to plot a course back to the crashed ''Axalon''. Once he'd arrived at the Maximal ship, the remaining four Maximals confronted him; although [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] and [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] initially mistook him for an aggressor, Dinobot announced his intentions to join the Maximals. {{storylink|Savage Landing Part 4}} A skeptical Optimus immediately confined Dinobot to a makeshift brig until he could deduce his true intentions, and although Primal remained skeptical, Nyx requested to speak with him, and grew increasingly convinced that Dinobot's unexpected rescue indicated a genuine change of heart. When Megatron and the other Predacons attacked shortly thereafter, Nyx made the decision to release Dinobot so that he could turn the tide in the favour of the outnumbered Maximals. {{storylink|Savage Landing Part 5}}

[[File:SavageLandingPart6-Dinobotstabbed.jpg|thumb|left|200px|"'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church door, but 'tis enough; t'will serve."]]

After Dinobot defeated [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]], [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] successfully reactivated the ship's deflector shields; when Primal ordered a retreat, however, Dinobot found that the shield frequencies corresponded to Maximal source code, leaving him unable to retreat with the other Maximals as the remaining Predacons closed in. Confident that he could best five Predacons again, Tarantulas, the ''sixth'' Predacon, rejoined the battlefield in time to ambush Dinobot, stab him through the chest, and leave him helpless as the other Predacons closed in to beat him to the brink of death. Primal used the ''Axalon''{{'}}s [[plasma cannon]]s to force Megatron into a retreat and save Dinobot's life, but the experience left Dinobot critically damaged and doubtful that he would ever fight at full strength again. Although Dinobot planned to exile himself into the jungle so as to not burden the other Maximals, Primal told their new ally that they'd be honoured if he joined their team. {{storylink|Savage Landing Part 6}}

Some time later, Dinobot was still on the mend and passed the time by sparring with Optimus, {{storylink|Pod Part 1}} though he soon developed a mutual dislike for his nominal teammate Rattrap. {{storylink|Primal Rage}} One night, while briefing the other Maximals on his former Predacon allies over a game of cards, Cheetor heard a noise in the corridor and went to investigate. {{storylink|Pod Part 1}} The Maximals discovered that [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] had invaded the base and sabotaged the remaining Maximal [[stasis pod]]s in orbit. While Dinobot and Nyx headed to the ship's armory to see if she'd stolen any weapons, Dinobot prevented Cheetor from running into an explosive web-tripwire that would've killed them all. Although the Maximals couldn't prevent Blackarachnia from carrying out her sabotage and escaping, Dinobot and the other Maximals attended a meeting where Primal announced that they'd be going on the offensive. {{storylink|Pod Part 2}}

Optimus and Dinobot were on hand when Skold delivered a wounded [[Razorbeast]] to the ship. Dinobot noticed that Skold had become more confident since they last crossed paths, and offered her a place with the Maximals, but Skold rejected his offer to become a Maximal; due to her own past, she accused the Maximals of hiding their cruelty behind a benevolent facade. {{storylink|Thicker Skin}}

[[File:MaximalsStrikeBackPart2-DinobotVsMegatron.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Cry havoc, and let slip the dinosaurs of war.]]

Having jury-rigged an escape pod as an improvised shuttlecraft to reach the ''Darksyde'' and take back the Golden Disk, Dinobot explained its history to his teammates and how Megatron first took an interest in the artifact before piloting the vessel and its crew to the ''Darksyde''. Despite Rhinox's reservations about directly engaging the Predacons, Dinobot opined that Megatron understood no other language but force, and took the step of unelashing a bombing run on the Predacons below as part of a first salvo. {{storylink|Maximals Strike Back, Part 1}} In the ensuing battle, Dinobot fetched up against Megatron once more, but his injuries proved his undoing; the Predacon leader quickly realized that Dinobot now favored his right side and unleashed a punishing bite from his tyrannosaur jaws that left Dinobot badly wounded before Primal distracted Megatron at the last moment. {{storylink|Maximals Strike Back, Part 2}} Despite his injuries, Dinobot had enough fight in him to incapacitate Waspinator with his [[optic weaponry]]. Although the battle ended in a stalemate—Megatron held control of the disc and the Maximals left under a conditional ceasefire, although Rattrap secretly copied the information on the artifact—Dinobot grimly mused that they should've taken out Megatron when they had the chance. {{storylink|Maximals Strike Back, Part 3}}

At some point, Dinobot took part in a skirmish against the Predacons that ended with Cheetor getting injured. {{storylink|The Speedway of Central Consciousness}}

While planting early warning sensors outside the ''Axalon'', Dinobot and Optimus came under assault from Blackarachnia and Tarantulas, who attempted to infect him with a new variety of aggression-enhancing [[energon]]. However, Primal took the brunt of the explosion; while Dinobot's warrior instincts helped him suppress his anger, Primal had no such compunctions and quickly went berserk. As he rampaged through the ship, Dinobot suggested he take on Megatron, aware that Primal would tire himself before that and burn the infection out of his systems. {{storylink|Primal Rage}} Dinobot was surprised when Optimus returned with a warning that an advanced alien race known as the Vok, who had been monitoring the Cybertronians since their arrival, had taken exception to their presence and now desired to destroy both sides, requiring them to work together, a fact Dinobot and Rattrap were both skeptical about, with the Predacon feeling an alliance would only be an invitation for betrayal. However, Optimus was adamant. As part of the arrangement, Dinobot and Rhinox travelled to the ''Darksyde'' as an exchange with the Predacons. As they were working, Scorponok learned that Tarantulas had locked information on the ship's transwarp drive using Megatron's own codes. When confronted, the spider-bot attempted to flee, managing to make it outside the ship before Dinobot caught up to him and incapacitated him, in case Megatron wanted to interrogate the traitor. Megatron did, but this only allowed Tarantulas to summon his secret experiment: The reanimated corpse of Terrorsaur, which stunned Dinobot with one blow. {{storylink|The Beginning of the End}}

As Dinobot recovered, Tarantulas bargained with the Vok, having them summon reinforcements, which in this case was every protoform that had not yet been activated. Dinobot took to the field against these new opponents, but the fight soon ended when the Vok appeared in person, disrupting the Sparks of both sides, until they were blasted by the newly arrived ''Axalon'' using the harnessed energy of unspace. The remaining Children of the Vok chose to depart, while Megatron decided to resume the attack, until Rattrap blasted him with the unspace weapon as well, displacing him in time. With Megatron gone, Optimus suggested a truce to go after Tarantulas and then return to Cybertron, but neither Blackarachnia nor Dinobot thought it was worth it, with Dinobot pointing out the justice department would be unwilling to go easy on them without Megatron. As a result, the Predacons went their own way. {{storylink|The End (BW)|The End}}
{{--}}

===''Transformers Go! Go!''===
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|A Hunch of a Good Duo!}} {{storylink|Go! Go! issue 26}} {{storylink|The Transformers Gather on the Snowy Mountain!|Search Quiz 2}}}}

{{ongoing}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===''Beast Wars: Transformers'' video game continuity===
====''Beast Wars: Transformers'' video game advertising comic====
Upon arriving on "[[Earth|Planet Energon]]", the dangers of Energon radiation forced the six surviving Maximals and their Predacon adversaries to take on beast alternate forms. {{storylink|Beast Wars: Transformers video game advertising comic}}

====''Beast Wars: Transformers'' video game====
{{voiceactor|??? (English), ??? (Japanese)}}
[[File:BeastWarsPSX-Dinobotstats.jpg|thumb|Digital [[Cyber-slash tail weapon|rotate blade]]!]]

Many Beast Wars combatants had managed to construct personal bases, customized to their personal tastes, due to the extended duration of the war. Dinobot's own was situated in the "Polluted Area" of the planet, where a previous conflict had rendered it a gloomy and dilapidated environment. Dinobot joined his fellow Maximals in battling not only an entrenched Predacon threat, but the interdimensional monsters known as the [[Skriix]].

=====Maximal campaign=====
Upon having eliminated the Predacon threat, Dinobot was part of Optimus Primal's roll call when he announced that the galaxy was now at peace.

{{BW VG|Dinobot|M}}

=====Predacon campaign=====
After the Maximals failed to rescue a downed stasis pod in Dinobot's territory, the Predacons took advantage of Dinobot's troops having recently been thinned by a conflict with the Skriix. This left Dinobot vulnerable, leading him to be assassinated by a Predacon agent. In response to Dinobot's death, Optimus Primal launched an unsuccessful attempt on the Predacon ship, which ultimately led to the Maximals' undoing. {{storylink|Beast Wars: Transformers (video game)|Beast Wars: Transformers}}

===''Transformers Legends''===
Dinobot was part of Megatron's forces when a huge earthquake uncovered [[Energon]]. He took part in an ambush of the Maximals, so that the Predacons could gain control of this new resource. Also he appeared to have at least two raptor clones backing him up. {{storylink|Beast Wars (Legends)|Beast Wars}}

===''Transformers: Battle Tactics''===
[[File:BattleTacticsDinobot.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Beware my hand-mouth!]]
Dinobot participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He was a Super Rare character who could be recruited by collecting 250 units of Cybermetal, 75 units of Transmetal, and 10 cores of this character. {{storylink|Transformers: Battle Tactics}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers: Forged to Fight''===
[[File:Dinobot-Forged to Fight.jpg|thumb|250px|Clever Boy. He stole [https://www.gamespot.com/articles/killer-instinct-season-2-the-return-of-riptor/1100-6424228/ someone's] new design...]]
Dinobot was one of many warriors pulled from [[Beast Era|his universe]] to fight for the [[Quintesson]]s. There are many of him running around, some of which join [[You|the Commander]]. Notably, he is the only character in the game to have a unique victory animation.
{{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight}}
{{chargamestub}}

===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
[[File:Dinobot EarthWars.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.66]]

When Dinobot arrived on the future Earth, [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] wanted him to join the Dinobots because of his name. Dinobot refused, causing confusion among the Dinobots. Dinobot then wished Rattrap was there because of Grimlock's annoyances. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars}}

Megatron took [[Tonbot]] and Waspinator to the site where Transmetal II Dinobot was stashed so they could get Rampage's half-spark. It was hidden in the La Brea Tar-pits so it could mask it. He sent Waspinator there to dig out Dinobot's body to obtain the spark. {{Storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Last Line of Defense}}
{{chargamestub|{{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars}}}}

*'''Class''': Warrior
*'''Lowest Star Rating:''' 2 stars
*'''Ability: Pack Hunting '''- Place three decoys that have 33% of your health and DPS. For 15 seconds, you go pack hunting using melee attacks dealing damage and any healing received is increased by 20%.
[http://wiki.transformersearthwars.com/character:dinobot Dinobot at Transformers: Earth Wars Wiki]
{{-}}

===''Transformers Roleplaying Game''===
Dinobot was originally a Predacon who defected to the Maximals. Although he was a powerful close-range combatant, he frequently butted heads with the cynical Rattrap. Dinobot eventually perished defending primitive humans from a Predacon attack, but Megatron used samples of his genetic structure to engineer a [[Dinobot II|monstrous clone]] of his former lieutenant. {{storylink|Technorganic Secrets}}

==Toys==
{{main|Dinobot (BW)/toys}}

==Merchandise==
{{main|Dinobot (BW)/toys#Merchandise}}

==Notes==
* From the size to the proportions to the complete lack of feathers, Dinobot's [[beast mode]] barely resembles a {{w|File:Velociraptor Restoration.png|real ''Velociraptor''}}, and as was common in the 1990s, takes more inspiration from the "''Velociraptors''" of ''{{w|Jurassic Park (film)|Jurassic Park}}'' fame, which had shot the species to worldwide awareness three years prior and was likewise accompanied by a toyline from [[Kenner]]. Since raptors were not definitively known to be feathered in [[1996]] (feathers on dromeosaurids were considered speculative until the late 1990s and evidence of ''Velociraptor'' in particular having feathers did not emerge until [[2007]]), the contemporary science was not taken into account when designing the toy or animated [[character model]].
** Additionally, ''Jurassic Park''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s interpretation of ''Velociraptors''—and by extension, Dinobot—were actually based on a larger genus of raptor called ''{{w|Deinonychus}}'' (though even this genus is much smaller than the raptors seen in Jurassic Park, who are closer in size to the genus ''{{w|Achillobator}}'' that was described in 1999). The reason the genus of raptor was renamed in the film, dates back to the original ''{{w|Jurassic Park (novel)|Jurassic Park}}'' novel, where the author {{w|Michael Crichton}} thought the name was more appealing than "''Deinonychus''". Because of this, the vast majority of {{w|Velociraptor in popular culture|''Velociraptors'' in popular culture}} are often misrepresented, and Dinobot is no exception to this.
* The many characters in ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'' who switch sides between the Autobots and Decepticons were inspired by Dinobot, as Aaron Archer was fond of the character's dynamic.<ref>{{citesocial|quote='There were a lot of side changing during ''Armada'', it's a big theme in the show and built into many of the toys.' Yeah, and I got that off of Dinobot from ''Beast Wars'', I really liked how that character functioned, and I did like that, I guess, we did that with Wheeljack and some of the other ones.|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSXaInBmtIk&t=2264s|name=Aaron Archer|site=''The Toy Armada''|title=Toy Armada Friday night LIVE: Toy Talk Q&A|year=2023|month=05|day=12}}</ref>
* [[Smokescreen (Armada)#Hoist|''Armada'' Hoist]]'s head was based on Dinobot's—something which Dinobot's ''Timelines'' figure, reusing the Hoist mold, takes advantage of.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Cybertron Scourge... is that... that's the... backhoe guy. *Mimes Hoist's arm gimmick.* Yeah, his head is very much like Dinobot, I think I did design it like that. I don't know why. But I like that look. [Could you think of him as the Unicron Trilogy's Dinobot?] Yeah you totally could. Definitely with those colors, it even has that veliciraptor color vibe that they were using back then.|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ToNlyjgeZc&t=445s|name=Aaron Archer|site=''The Toy Armada''|title=Toy Armada Friday Night LIVE - General discussion|year=2023|month=03|day=24}}</ref>
* Like all non-toy robot Kreons in the ''Kre-O'' comics, Dinobot is made from existing ''Kre-O'' parts. He uses [[Ironhide (Kre-O)|Ironhide]]'s helmet in gold.
* The [[#Beast Wars: Uprising|''Beast Wars: Uprising'' incarnation]] of Dynobot is a "virtual redeco" of the [[Springer (G1)/toys#Thrilling 30|''Thrilling 30'' Voyager Class Springer mold]]. Accordingly, [[Grimlock (G1)#Beast Wars: Uprising|Grimlock]] shares this body-type in ''Uprising''.
* Unlike the other recognizable Maximals and Predacons featured in the 2021 ''Beast Wars'' comic, Dinobot's Cybertronian body is a wholly-new design yet retains his regular color scheme.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Didn't base Nyx on anything in particular! Dinobot is much the same. I picture the orb on his chest as a nod to the spark gem gimmick but other than that I just wanted a samurai kinda look to his silhouette. The arm mounted blades kind of a nod the Gundam Spiegel|link=https://twitter.com/jcburcham/status/1357035373184962561|name=Josh Burcham|site=Twitter|year=2021|month=02|day=03|(defunct=)}}</ref>
* Author [[Erik Burnham]] considered killing off Dinobot in [[Savage Landing Part 6|''Beast Wars'' #6]] but ultimately spared him.<ref>Erik Burnham at TFNation 2021</ref>

===Toy related===
[[File:BWRConcept04.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Dinobot's control art. The beast head displays a more rigid grill structure.]]
* Dinobot's original toy was designed to supplant a failed lion Transformer counterpart to Cheetor that ended up being, understandably, too similar to Cheetor. A dinosaur's entry into the Maximals was justified by pointing out that the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] had been good guys in Generation 1.<ref>[http://obscuretf.com/hhk/BC04interviews.html Botcon 2004 Interview with Vinnie D'Alleva], p1-2</ref>
* In the first ''Beast Wars'' toy commercials, [[:File:Dinobottoycommercial.jpg|Dinobot had a slightly different deco than the final toy]]. He was browner, rather than pinker, and had thicker stripes.
* Some fans are inclined to yank off Dinobot's mutant mask pieces, since he doesn't have them on the television show, they get in the way during transformation, and they're easily removable. Ten years later, Hasbro thought so, too, in their stock photography for ''[[Transformers: Beast Wars 10th Anniversary|Beast Wars 10th Anniversary]]'' Dinobot.
* A mainline [[:File:TMDinobotConcept.jpg|Transmetal Dinobot made it to the concept art stage]]. Several elements of the design were recycled for Transmetal [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]].
* Dinobot's toy curiously has six toes on each foot. Since his legs form his [[robot mode]] arms, not only does this mean he's left with two thumbs, but also a tiny, barely noticeable finger molded near his wrist. The double thumbs got carried over onto his animation model, yet his in-show beast mode appears to only have three toes. Between all this, it has to be said that real-life raptors had no more than four toes on each of their feet.
{{--}}

===Television related===
[[File:Dinobotearlycgimodel.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Code of... something.]]
* Several views of preliminary ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' CGI models were available in the Special Features of [[Rhino Entertainment|Kid Rhino]]'s ''Beast Wars: The Complete Second Season'' DVD box set. Dinobot's early model, like the other preliminary models, took more cues from the toy, such as including the [[mutant head]] and actually looking transformable. Interestingly enough, the preliminary model transformed into the final beast mode model, but since Dinobot's transformation involves swapping out parts, that's not too hard to believe.
[[File:Dinobotearlycgimodel2.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|[[Derrick J. Wyatt|Derrick Wyatt]]'s influence reached back through time.]]
* Australia's ''Beast Wars'' DVD sets from [[Madman Entertainment]] offered images of in-progress Dinobot models from later into production. Even in this late stage, he kept a large amount of his transformation kibble, though the aesthetic flourishes (like the spines on his ankles and the ribs in his torso) began to take shape. And, hey, check out that [[chin]].
* In an interview on Madman's Season 3 DVDs, Scott McNeil revealed that he created the Dinobot voice by using his previous experience mimicking [[Chris Latta]]'s famous performance of [[Cobra Commander]] when replacing him in the role after his death. Since he found the Latta-style vocalisation so difficult to maintain, he tried dropping it two octaves, and thus arrived at Dinobot.
* In the Japanese dub of ''Beast Wars'', Dinobot spoke with a protracted and emphatic ''dā'' (ダー) attached to the ends of his sentences. This is a vocal tic associated with older, archaic forms of speech, signifying his old-timey sensibilities and concepts of honor.
* Between the first and second seasons, Dinobot's robot mode raptor stripes were re-texture mapped. This is most noticeable on his hands, where the amount of stripe detail increases substantially. When Dinobot II briefly flashes back and forth between his and the original Dinobot's body in the series finale, it's the first season stripe pattern again.
{{--}}

===Fandom related===
* Some fans humorously refer to Dinobot's [[Cyber-slash tail weapon]] as a "Rotate Blade" because of its usage in a [http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/ee52db9e103fd5a8?hl=en& terrible fanfic by MG-Dinobot].
* Likewise, fans refer to Dinobot as having a "rigid grill structure", an injoke that came into being because of an [http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/307ed3ad2152d304 alt.toys.transformers poster's] somewhat confusing signature that included a quote from ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]''. What part of Dinobot is the rigid grill structure is not definitively determined, whether it be the bony pair of robot legs that hang under his toy's beast mode or his, uh, crotch.
* Speaking of Dinobot's crotch, [[Mainframe Entertainment]] once had a little fun with Dinobot's model after hours. "[[:File:Dirkdinobot.jpg|Dirk Dinobot]]" may not be safe for work, but his grill structure here is anything but rigid! Fan James Hooks was responsible for originally posting the Dirk Dinobot image on [[alt.toys.transformers]], thanks to an unknown person from Mainframe Entertainment.
* On [[May 7]], [[2010]], he was unveiled as one of the first five nominees for the [[Transformers Hall of Fame]], the first ''Beast Wars'' character to earn the honor and the only character not to be from 1984 or 1985. A tongue-in-cheek campaign for Dinobot was started by [[David Willis]], with the gag being that he'd never beat the 1984/5 characters. To everyone's surprise, at [[BotCon 2010]]'s Hall of Fame ceremony, Dinobot was unveiled as the winner: he became both the first ''Beast Wars'' character and first fan-voted to be inducted, beating out even long time favorites [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] and [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]!

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Dinobot''' (ダイノボット ''Dainobotto'')
*''Cantonese:'' '''Dillonburg''' (狄龍堡 ''Dik Lung Bou'')
*''Korean:'' '''Dinobot''' (다이노봇 ''Dainobos'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''KǒnglóngYǒngshì''' (China, 恐龙勇士, "Dinosaur Warrior"), '''Mó Lóng''' (Taiwan, 魔龍, "Demonic Dinosaur"),
*''Russian:'' '''Zuborob''' (first ''Beast Wars'' dub, Зубороб), '''Dinobot''' (second ''Beast Wars'' dub, Динобот)

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Dinobotbwx.jpg|''Beast Wars 10th Anniversary'' packaging art
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/ee52db9e103fd5a8?hl=en& "Dinobot's Old Technology" by MG-Dinobot]
*[http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/play/details.cfm?R=3D1EC1EB-19B9-F369-109E-19B934FCADD2:en_US Botcon 2010 tribute]

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Dinobot (BW)

2026-04-10T18:10:37Z

Zenphia:

{{factions|predacon|maximal|jungleplanet|decepticon|autobot|unicron|hofsilver}}
{{disambig3|Dinobot}}
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:''Dinobot is a [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] or [[Maximal]] from the [[Beast Era]] portion of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:TFLegends-Dinobotcardart.jpg|300px|thumb|






"You lived like a warrior ans{{sic}} died to an hero." [http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/ee52db9e103fd5a8?hl=en&&] ]]








'''Dinobot''' (aka '''Dynobot''') is a Predacon ruled by his sense of honor. He lives to die gloriously in battle. When he aided [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] in the theft of the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]], Dinobot believed he was in the pursuit of endless glory. But when he and his Predacon peers crashed on what seemed to be the wrong planet alongside a [[Maximal]] exploration vessel, he rebelled against Megatron and joined the Maximal team. It would be an uneasy alliance, fraught with turns of loyalty and turns of [[William Shakespeare|Shakespearean]] phrase. But it also led to strong friendships and even the salvation of all [[human]]ity.

As befits a warrior of his stature, Dinobot is skilled in all forms of combat. He wields a spinning sword and a [[Cyber-slash tail weapon|rotating blade]] as his preferred tools in battle, but, ever pragmatic in matters of violence, he has been known to use ranged weapons, such as his laser eye-beams or a simple handheld gun. He has threatened to use any and all of these on [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]], with whom he has an intense rivalry. Deep down, he may respect the rodent, but he'll die before he'll admit to it.

{{bigquote|The question that has haunted my being has been answered: The future is not fixed. My choices are my own. And yet, how ironic, for I now find I have no choice at all! I am a warrior... let the battle be joined.|Dinobot|"[[Code of Hero]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Toy bios===
Dinobot was a [[Maximal]] warrior on present day Earth. He clawed his way up to the top through victory after victory. Optimus considered him a natural when it comes to combat expertise. His thirst for battle was unquenchable. {{storylink|Dinobot (BW)#Toys|Dinobot bio}}

===Cartoon continuity===
====''Beast Wars'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Scott McNeil]] (English), [[Keiji Fujiwara]] (Japanese)|[[Yu Zhenbo]] (Chinese), [[Luiz Carlos de Moraes]] (Portuguese, Season 1), [[Jorge Barcellos]] (Portuguese, Season 2 onwards), [[Federico Romano]] (Latin American Spanish), [[Héctor Cantolla]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Mario Zucca]] (Italian), [[Michel Vigné]] (French), [[Uli Pleßmann]] (German)}}

[[File:BWDinobot arrival.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|"Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair... wherever the hell we are."]]
Dinobot was one of a group of rogue Predacons and was party to their theft of the Maximal relic, the Golden Disk. They stole a ship and traveled through a transwarp portal, with the Maximal ship ''Axalon'' not far behind. After a heated space battle over a mysterious planet, both ships were damaged, and they fell blazing towards the ground below.

The entire planet was saturated with [[energon]], so much so that Dinobot and the other Predacons required protection. To this end, organic forms were scanned. In Dinobot's case, ''Velociraptor'' remains buried deep within the volcanic soil of their crash site became the basis for his new form. But the levels of energon were just one problem—this planet looked nothing like [[Earth]], their target destination! As Dinobot ventured outside the base, he blamed [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] for this error and announced his intention to take over the Predacons himself. Megatron laughed and had [[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]] shoot him over the horizon.

Dinobot, cheated and humbled, took his efforts elsewhere. As the Maximals returned to their crashed ship from an outing, Dinobot was there, blocking the rocky bridge that crossed the waterfall surrounding their new base. This time, he challenged [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]], and for the leadership of the Maximals. {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 1)}}

[[File:BWPart1 bridgefaceoff.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|"Ill met by moonlight—er, sunlight, proud Optimus."]]
He and Optimus Primal began their fight. It almost ended badly for Primal when the Maximal commander's foot slipped on the edge of the bridge, but Dinobot saved him, as the Predacon believed that a dishonorable death would mean a dishonorable victory on his own part. They continued, but their battle was interrupted by a Predacon attack. After that clash subsided, Dinobot helped the Maximals, leading them to a victory against Megatron when he tried to obtain the bounty of a mountain-sized cache of natural energon. Optimus accepted him into the fold—not as a leader, of course, but still as a valued team member. This didn't sit well with the other Maximals, particularly [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]]. {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 2)}}

Dinobot provided not only brute force but an understanding of the enemy. A short time afterward, Dinobot was standing with Primal and [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] on the bridge of the ''Axalon'' around a holo-map of the Predacon base when Primal suggested that Rattrap go on a scouting mission. {{storylink|The Web}}

[[File:Dinobotbulliescheetor.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|"Come not within the measure of my wrath."]]
However, though he was an asset against the Predacons, Dinobot sowed discontent amongst the Maximals' own ranks. Early on, [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] was ordered to his quarters for fumbling the test of an energon monitoring device, and Dinobot suggested to the young Maximal that he secretly test the device himself. This ended in potential disaster when Cheetor unwittingly created an instant-transport stream between the two bases. When [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] used this to infiltrate the Maximal base, Dinobot feigned a desire to team up with him and overthrow Megatron. Lulling him into a false sense of security, Dinobot eventually took care of him with the trash disposal unit—all without firing a shot, and the other Maximals never even knew. {{storylink|Equal Measures}}

[[File:ChainofCommand-Dinobotrotateblade.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|"I have no words. My voice is in my rotate blade."]]
Dinobot and Optimus Primal investigated an energy signature detected within the [[Standing Stones]], an enigmatic monument of alien origin. After a clash with Megatron and [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]], the monument came to life and Optimus Primal disappeared before their eyes. When Dinobot woke up, he was in the Maximal CR chamber, as he'd been found stripped down and abandoned outside the base by unknown hands. But that wasn't important-Optimus Primal was gone, perhaps dead! The Maximals quickly tried to select a new leader by [[Democracy|secret ballot]], and Dinobot laughed at them when their vote ended in a tie. No, he would be the new leader-by force, if necessary! However, they were all interrupted by a message from Optimus Primal, who was inside the alien monument. Primal put Rattrap in charge, and the remaining Maximals mounted a plan to extract Primal from the alien construct. After another battle with the Predacons at the Standing Stones, the aliens returned Primal to them, with no explanations. {{storylink|Chain of Command (BW)|Chain of Command}}

When an incoming [[stasis pod]] carrying a potential new Maximal team member was detected, Dinobot refused to let Primal leave without scouting the area outside the ''Axalon'' first himself. Dinobot was convinced the Predacons would try to remove Primal from the equation, as he was their faction's only flying member, and he was right—the Predacons managed to damage Primal enough to keep him out of the race for the pod. Dinobot stayed behind with Primal while the others made a play for the pod on foot. When Dinobot received a transmission indicating the Maximals were having difficulties, he awoke Primal's [[core consciousness]] to consult him. As a result, the two were able to bounce a signal off one of the planet's moons to the dormant stasis pod, beating the Predacons to the punch. [[Tigatron (BW)|Tigatron]] joined the team. {{storylink|Fallen Comrades}}

[[File:Better Mousetrap Dinobot.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|"Today is a good day for violence!"]]
Soon after, Dinobot and Primal were investigating a second stasis pod when they were suddenly ambushed by Predacons. The Predacons defeated the two and secured the pod for themselves, bringing [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] online. As this was one in a long string of clever coups, this forced Optimus Primal to consider that their team was suffering from an information leak. Primal scapegoated Rattrap, an accusation in which Dinobot took pleasure. Dinobot was all too happy to destroy the alleged turncoat despite the potential hypocrisy of that act. Rattrap subsequently defected, and in the ensuing battle, was ordered by Megatron to shoot Dinobot, his frequent rival. After some hesitation, Rattrap shot Terrorsaur instead and revealed that the entire situation was a ruse by Optimus Primal to detect the real source of the information leak: stolen Maximal codes. {{storylink|Double Jeopardy (episode)|Double Jeopardy}}

Childish infighting between Rattrap and Dinobot inadvertently triggered Rhinox's new security program, [[Sentinel (BW)|Sentinel]], before it could be completed. Dinobot and the other Maximals fled the ''Axalon'', while Rattrap stayed inside to combat Sentinel himself. Later, when Sentinel appeared to have shut down, Rattrap was assumed dead. Each Maximal gave a touching eulogy for Rattrap except for Dinobot, who refused to taint Rattrap's memory with lies. It was soon revealed that Rattrap had not perished, but had instead managed to shut off Sentinel.{{storylink|A Better Mousetrap}}

[[File:Dinobotversusplant.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|"I will speak daggers to it, but use none."]]
Dinobot joined Optimus Primal on a mission once again, but this time to explore the planet's native organisms. Dinobot considered this work as being beneath him, and in the process found himself assaulted by one of the planet's flora. As Primal considered this a lesson in respect learned, he found himself attacked by one of Scorponok's [[cyberbee]]s. It injected him with a virus that was intended to make him a coward, but instead removed all his inhibitions. Upon returning Primal to the ''Axalon'', Dinobot oddly found himself agreeing that this new bloodthirsty Primal was not a beneficial change. After he failed to solve the problem with the Predacons diplomatically, as Primal would have wanted, it was decided to let the new violent Primal be the new violent Primal. Ultimately, Primal acquired the antidote and woke up with Dinobot standing watch over him. Dinobot assured him that it was merely his shift, and not indicative of his feelings towards Primal—despite having placed a beautiful plant in Primal's quarters. {{storylink|Gorilla Warfare}}

[[File:Victory Dinobot.jpg|right|thumb|250px|"Alas, poor Tarantulas; he had legs, and knew how to lose them."]]

When a Cybertronian probe was detected, Dinobot helped his teammates attempt to contact it, despite the fact he dreaded a return home. After all, he was a criminal even in Predacon terms, and he had no hope for a warm Maximal reception. Somewhat fortunately for Dinobot's potential fate, their attempts to catch the attention of the probe failed when [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] invented the [[Transformation Lock Lens|transformation lock lens]]. {{storylink|The Probe}} The issue was raised again when the Maximals thought that the Predacons had been destroyed. Dinobot elected to remain on the planet while the Maximals repaired their ship and launched it. However, just as Dinobot wandered off to explore the world that had become his, he stumbled across the not-so-dead Predacons, who attacked the ''Axalon'' and grounded the Maximals once again. {{storylink|Victory (episode)|Victory}}

[[File:Dinobot mirror.jpg|upright=1.4|left|thumb|"A little more than kin, and less than kind."]]

After Dinobot and the other Maximals were saved from a Predacon attack by Rhinox's ingenuity, Rhinox was abducted by the Predacons and reprogrammed into one of them. Optimus Primal waited for this to backfire on them, and when their plot began to unravel, Dinobot joined the Maximals in infiltrating the Predacon base and retrieving their kidnapped comrade. {{storylink|Dark Designs}} Megatron soon set his sights on Dinobot as well. After Terrorsaur buried Dinobot in a cave, Megatron unleashed a [[Clone One|clone of Dinobot]] on the unsuspecting Maximals. Ultimately, Dinobot broke free and returned to the ''Axalon'', where he confronted his clone and ate him. Yes. He ate him. {{storylink|Double Dinobot}}

Not long afterward, Tigatron went missing during a routine scouting report. When Optimus Primal noted that Tigatron was the victim of an aerial attack, Dinobot identified the culprits as Waspinator and Terrorsaur. {{storylink|The Trigger, Part 1}} Dinobot remained at base with Rhinox while the others searched for Tigatron on a mysterious flying island. {{storylink|The Trigger, Part 2}} Dinobot suffered along with his teammates when the energon dampener was stolen from the ''Axalon'', requiring him and the others to stay in [[beast mode]] to avoid energon surges. Between that and sleep deprivation from persistent Predacon attacks, their innate beast instincts began to take over, and the Maximals went feral. It was only through the instruction of Tigatron that they were able to defeat the Predacons and retrieve the dampener. {{storylink|Call of the Wild}}

Dinobot was tested again when he, Cheetor, Rhinox, and Rattrap were blinded by a Predacon attack. They were far from base and completely helpless, so Dinobot immediately began to panic. Rhinox was able to calm him and the others and slowly lead them back to base, using their other senses. They were rescued by Optimus Primal and Tigatron at the foot of the base just as they began to slip into [[stasis lock]]. {{storylink|Dark Voyage}} The Maximals were also visited by the wandering spark of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], who possessed the body of Waspinator and led a successful attack on the Maximal base, resulting in Dinobot receiving critical damage. Forced out of their base, Optimus Primal surrendered the Maximals to Starscream, under the condition that Dinobot be repaired. In exchange, Starscream ordered the Maximals to attack Megatron. Despite his treachery, Starscream himself was deceived, as Dinobot was not as damaged as advertised. He and Primal were able to eject Starscream from Waspinator's body and retake the ''Axalon''. {{storylink|Possession}}

[[File:Dinobottarantulasrattrapthelowroad.jpg|right|upright=1.4|thumb|"Frailty, thy name is Tarantulas!"]]
Once again, the feud between Rattrap and Dinobot led to disaster. Their carelessness indirectly caused Rhinox to be infected with a [[Energon discharge virus|virus]] that caused him to eject energy involuntarily, via hiccups or sneezes or...other means. Optimus Primal ordered the bickering pair to hunt down Tarantulas in his lair and obtain the antidote, figuring they'd either learn to work together or everyone would be destroyed. Unfortunately, the latter wasn't so unlikely an option, as Dinobot and Rattrap's out-of-control behavior toward each other repeatedly sabotaged their efforts to capture Tarantulas. Dinobot was able to grab him just as Megatron arrived, and claimed the spider as a hostage. Megatron did not care and shot them both. Ultimately, the day was saved when Rhinox used his virus against the Predacons, unleashing a mighty explosion from his rear end. {{storylink|The Low Road}}

Despite his increasing loyalty to the team, Dinobot's violent heart occasionally created rifts. Most notable was his reaction to [[Tigatron (BW)|Tigatron]]'s pacifism: When the tiger tried to leave the Maximals in grief over the accidental death of his best friend, Dinobot argued vociferously with the "coward". He simply could not comprehend what Tigatron was saying, that in order to stop the fighting, someone had to lay down his weapon. The confrontation with Tigatron revealed more than just Dinobot's warrior ethic. He explained to Tigatron a bit of his motives for turning against Megatron: He feared that if Megatron used Earth's energon supply to wage a new war, Cybertron would burn as a result. Dinobot could only see desertion, and for that he nearly killed Tigatron, who refused to fight back. But Primal interrupted before any damage was done, and Tigatron later came back to battle to save Dinobot from a Predacon attack, making the whole point moot. {{storylink|Law of the Jungle}}

The [[Vok|alien]] mystery that surrounded the planet soon came to a head. When it became apparent that the aliens themselves would visit them imminently, the Predacons surprisingly called for a truce. Tigatron was called to sneak into the Predacon base and find out what had captured Megatron's attention, and Dinobot and the other Maximals staged a non-lethal battle to cover Tigatron's exit, upholding their end of the truce. Dinobot loosened a large boulder out of place, allowing it to crush both Tarantulas and Blackarachnia. {{storylink|Before the Storm}} As expected, the aliens arrived. A wormhole opened up over the planet, and a beam shot down to the surface, where another alien device was activated. Rhinox and Dinobot stayed behind at the ''Axalon'' while the others investigated, but were too engaged by the planet's second moon shifting its shape into a horrible [[Planet Buster]] weapon to notice their base had been compromised. Both Rhinox and Dinobot were removed from the equation by Blackarachnia and Tarantulas. {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 1}} The Maximals returned to find them both welded to the ceiling by cyberwebs. Dinobot and Rhinox were placed inside [[CR chamber]]s as Rattrap and [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] went to find their unwelcome visitors. {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 2}}

[[File:Dinobotgoldendisks.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|"Neither a borrower nor a lender be; For loan oft loses both itself and friend, and borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry."]]
When Dinobot awoke, Optimus Primal was dead, having sacrificed himself to destroy the Planet Buster with a transwarp explosion, and Cheetor and Rattrap had been altered into [[Transmetal]] forms by the resulting [[quantum surge]]. After reluctantly admitting Rattrap's new form was an improvement, he immediately declared himself the new Maximal leader. However, with Primal dead, Rhinox was not in any mood to tolerate Dinobot's outburst and shut him up forcefully. While Rattrap and Cheetor were sent outside to deal with Waspinator and a newly Transmetalled Megatron, Rhinox and Dinobot were stuck with the task of restoring their security systems. They did not account for [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]], who had also infiltrated the ''Axalon''. Thankfully, Rhinox was able to defeat the Predacon and eject him from the ship. {{storylink|Aftermath (BW episode)|Aftermath}}

With the destruction of the planet's second moon and the stabilization of the planet's natural energon reserves, it became apparent to Dinobot that Megatron was right all along; this was indeed Earth, though in the distant past. Dinobot broke into the Predacon base and stole Megatron's golden disks. He knew that they contained information about the future, and this cut to the core of his being: "If the future is indeed immutably foretold, then my demise is but moments from that confirmation, for I could not live if not the master of my fate." Dinobot hid the disks in a remote location and returned to the ''Axalon'', where Rattrap was having a minor meltdown. Rhinox had hooked himself to a machine with little explanation, and with Tigatron and Airazor on a long-term exploration trip, it fell to Rattrap, Dinobot, and Cheetor to hold off the combined force of the Predacons. Worse yet, Megatron had introduced two new [[Fuzor]]s to his team, [[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]] and [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]]. Dinobot grabbed what weaponry he could, and with the other two Maximals engaged the Predacons far from the ship, in hopes that they could keep the Predacons away from whatever Rhinox was trying to accomplish. {{storylink|Coming of the Fuzors (Part 1)}}

[[File:Coming of the Fuzors 2 Dinobot Rattrap.jpg|right|upright=1.4|thumb|"A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!"]]

Their efforts, though seemingly doomed, were not for naught. Though Dinobot, Rattrap, and Cheetor fought to near-death, they held off the enemy long enough for Rhinox's gamble to work. He had travelled into the [[Transformer afterlife|Matrix]] and retrieved Optimus Primal's spark. Optimus Primal, restored as a Transmetal from a [[blank]] [[protoform]], dramatically turned the tide, saving Dinobot and the others from what would at least have been honorable deaths. {{storylink|Coming of the Fuzors (Part 2)}}

[[File:Maximal No More Dinobot bow.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|"Is this a dagger which I see before me, Dinobot, the handle toward my hand?"]]

His desire to discover whether the future could be changed kept Dinobot focused on Megatron's actions. When Predacon installations were placed in a Voyager-disk-like pattern, Dinobot remarked that Megatron's plan proceeded even without the disk's information. Thus, he resubmitted himself to Megatron's command, but the Maximals' influence still showed itself. When he was pitted in a death match against [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]] in a bizarre test of loyalty, Dinobot subdued his foe but refused to kill him, offering to train him instead. But Megatron accepted the prodigal son anyway, as long as he returned the original Golden Disk. (He had already given the alien disk to Rhinox.) Dinobot complied. He admitted to himself that by helping Megatron he might be sacrificing his own race, but he had to discover whether his actions were his own or predestined. After the artifact was back in Megatron's hands, Rattrap attacked and was quickly immobilized. As a final test of allegiance, Dinobot was ordered to kill his former teammate. This task proved too much for him, and he turned once again on the Predacon leader. Megatron retreated with the disk in his possession, and Primal was left with the decision on whether to allow Dinobot back into their ranks. Dinobot explained that either way, he would fight Megatron, prompting Primal to forgive Dinobot his treacherous actions. Once welcomed back, Dinobot told Primal of Megatron's ultimate designs for the disks' information. {{storylink|Maximal, No More}}

As Rhinox and Dinobot scanned known alien sites, they suddenly realized that Tigatron and Airazor were journeying into one. But before they could send a warning, the traveling pair triggered the alien site and were shot into space. Dinobot and the other Maximals were rallied by Optimus Primal to this site, where they confronted the Predacons. Before the fight could begin, the alien site activated again, creating a massive [[Metal Hunter]], and blasted everyone in the area. {{storylink|Other Visits (Part 1)}} The Transformers who had not been altered by the quantum surge lay deactivated, but the Transmetals and Fuzors were unaffected by the Metal Hunter's blast. Silverbolt and Cheetor were instructed to carry Dinobot and Rhinox back to the base for repairs. Megatron used the alien disk to activate the Metal Hunter, and the Maximals gained an unlikely ally: Tarantulas. Dinobot, like his fellow Maximals, greeted the Predacon turncoat with bared weapons and only reluctantly allowed Tarantulas to aid them. Subsequently, Dinobot joined an assault on the Metal Hunter itself, a cover for Tarantulas's entry. The Metal Hunter was destroyed. {{storylink|Other Visits (Part 2)}}

[[File:CodeofHero-letthebattlebejoined.jpg|right|upright=1.4|thumb|"To Bay or not to Bay; that is the question, and here is the sunset."]]

When Silverbolt went missing during an energon storm while he, Cheetor, and Optimus Primal were investigating [[Rampage (BW)|Protoform X]], Dinobot suggested they forget the Fuzor and concentrate on the Predacons. The enemy was, after all, minus both Tarantulas and Blackarachnia, while they were only down one member. Primal rejected Dinobot's lack of sympathy. As Primal and Cheetor left to find Silverbolt, Dinobot turned to one of the ''Axalon''{{'}}s consoles and began downloading into its database. {{storylink|Bad Spark}}

Unlike Primal, Rattrap was not so forgiving of Dinobot's earlier betrayal. After contemplating suicide and enduring Rattrap's continuing recriminations, Dinobot decided to set things right. He tracked Megatron down and found him testing the original disk which Dinobot had returned. Megatron had discovered a mountain whose image was recorded on the disk, and he had [[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]] destroy the peak. From a distance, Dinobot saw his greatest hope and worst fear form simultaneously: The disk's image changed. Dinobot's future was his own...but Megatron had virtually limitless power to change it.

[[File:Dinobot funeral.jpg|upright=1.4|left|thumb|"Out, out, brief spark! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor mech that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more."]]

When the Predacons launched an attack on a tribe of [[anthropoid]]s, attempting to destroy the future human race and alter the course of the Autobot/Decepticon war, Dinobot singlehandedly took on all of them. Having already been blindsided by Tarantulas (and having squashed him under a rock in retaliation), he ambushed Inferno, burying his sword in the latter's chest. Blackarachnia banged him up with her machine guns until Dinobot used Inferno himself as a shield, after which he blew away both Predacons with the ant-bot's own gun.

Dinobot proceeded to bombard Rampage from above until Waspinator shot him down (and caused him to land on top of the luckless flier); when Rampage tried to retaliate in tank mode, Dinobot shoved the downed Waspinator into the mad experiment's cannon, causing Rampage to blow himself apart. The backfire sent the warrior flying with severe damage, and Quickstrike was eager to add to his pain. Despite his optic weaponry shorting out, Dinobot still managed to beat the Fuzor, pummeling him with his bare hands before slamming him head-first into a rock.

At this point, his internal computer attempted to engage stasis lock to save his remaining energy, but Dinobot overrode it and turned to face his final opponent: Megatron himself. Mocking the weakened Dinobot, Megatron tallied the score firmly in his own favor: He had unimaginable power via the Golden Disk, he held a lone anthropoid hostage, and the severely damaged Dinobot was the only obstacle in his reality-warping plan. Mostly depowered, severely outmatched, and refusing to quit, Dinobot jammed a rock through a stick and attacked with the makeshift hammer. As the anthropoid's bonds dissolved, Megatron dropped the disk, allowing Dinobot to shatter it with his last bit of energy.

The rest of the Maximals arrived to drive Megatron off, but it was too late for their comrade. After a final conversation with his allies (including a last insult to Rattrap and a request to have his story told truly and without embellishment), Dinobot's spark left his frame. He was given a hero's funeral, with his body cremated as the Maximal fliers executed a {{w|Missing man formation}}. His legacy remained even with the anthropoids, who found his hammer and used it as a weapon. {{storylink|Code of Hero}}

Megatron, because that's the sort of prick he is, created a zombie-esque [[Dinobot II|Transmetal 2 clone]] of Dinobot. {{storylink|Feral Scream Part 1}}

Later, to convince Rattrap to let him search for ex-Predacon [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]], Silverbolt reminded him he'd trusted the original Dinobot. Rattrap grumped that he'd "regretted it" a few times, but still let his comrade out. {{storylink|Proving Grounds (BW)|Proving Grounds}}

[[File:Dinobotflashesnem1.jpg|right|380px|thumb|Behold, the enemy within!]]
Thanks to the destruction of [[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]], the Dinobot clone's spark-brother, Dinobot's consciousness was able to take hold of the clone and make him regain a sense of honour. {{storylink|Transformers Hall of Fame}} {{storylink|Nemesis Part 2}}

{{note|It was not entirely spelt out during "Nemesis" why Dinobot II was regaining Dinobot's memories. The 2010 Transformers Hall of Fame profile for Dinobot stated that the original's spirit had somehow returned from beyond to influence his clone. There was also an unproduced episode of ''Beast Wars'', "[[Dark Glass]]", where Rattrap would have discovered and downloaded a back-up of Dinobot's memories into Dinobot II; while the script never made it past a first draft, "[[Bad Spark]]" had Dinobot backing himself up onto the Axalon.}}

====Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity====
=====''Cloud''=====
While investigating an energon mine with the other Maximals in the 9-BW Spacetime, Optimus Primal encountered [[Hot Rodimus]] and [[SARA]], lost denizens of [[Cloud World]] who allowed most of the Maximals to believe they were from outer space and hunting [[Shockwave (Cloud)|a criminal]]. With their two new friends, the Maximals were about to reach the energon mine when they were ambushed by the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]]. Hot Rodimus's battle with [[Shockwave (Cloud)|Shockwave]] caused an energon eruption that sent the Predacons fleeing and almost consumed the Maximals who were trying to save the local wildlife. Fortunately, SARA was able to convert the eruption into less dangerous [[energon crystal]]s and the visitors returned to their proper spacetime. {{storylink|Wild (Cloud)|Wild}}

=====''Beast Wars Diorama Story''=====
Dinobot eventually met up with several [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s from [[Transformers (film)|another dimension]]. A battle broke out between the Maximals, Predacons, Autobots and Decepticons. The other-dimensional Transformers eventually returned to their place of origin and the Beast Wars continued as they were. {{storylink|Transformers: Beast Wars Diorama Story|Beast Wars Diorama Story}}
{{charstubfiction}}

====''Transformers: Dinobots'' packaging blurb====
When Dinobot's spark returned to the [[Transformer afterlife|Allspark]], the "data" contained in his "DNA schematics" returned with him. Later, to combat Megatron's [[technorganic]] virus the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]] reformated a small group of survivors using these "DNA schematics" from Dinobot, creating the Beast Machines era [[Dinobot (BM)|Dinobots]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Dinobots}}

====3H comics====
After using the [[Divine Light]] to access [[Primus]]'s power, [[Cryotek (RID)|Cryotek]] reanimated several [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticon]] corpses into facsimiles of [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]]'s old subordinates, including one of Dinobot in his pre-Earth vehicular form. {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

====Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity====
[[File:Dinobotmtmte8.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Little did we know that there was a giant shovel on the other arm.]]
During the theft of the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]], [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|He Who Would Be Megatron]] also scanned the historical datatrax of the [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s. He failed to notice the approaching guard until Dinobot dispatched him with his sword and insisted they speed up the operation. {{storylink|Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More Than Meets The Eye #8}}
{{BW Shell Game}}
While traveling back to Cybertron at the conclusion of the Beast Wars, Optimus Primal reflected on past battles, including those in which Dinobot fought. {{storylink|Shell Game issue 1|Shell Game #1}}

====''Transformers Legends'' anthology====
While Megatron was being guided through the afterlife by Rhinox, he beheld a vision of himself slaughtering his allies and foes alike, Dinobot among them. {{storylink|Singularity Ablyss}}

====2006 IDW ''Beast Wars'' continuity====
Near the end of the Great War, several combatants had been reduced to protoforms due to the fallout of a foiled [[Tripredacus Council]] plot. Among those afflicted was [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]], who's stasis pod "Dinobot" came upon as it was being stored away. {{storylink|Dawn of the Predacus}}

As [[Magmatron (BW)|Magmatron]] surveyed the events that began the Beast Wars, he witnessed several key moments involving Dinobot, among them his duel with Optimus Primal upon the stone bridge leading to the Maximal base. {{storylink|The Gathering issue 1|The Gathering #1}}

====''Timelines''====
[[File:Dinobotdawnoffuturespast.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|"Keep up your bright swords, for the dew will rust them."]]

After meeting with [[Cryotek (RID)|Cryotek]], "Dinobot", Megatron, and [[Dirge (BW)|Dirge]] broke into the [[Cybertropolis Maximal Data Archive]] to steal a [[Data-Con]] which would provide all sorts of information about the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]]. As they were making their getaway, Dinobot threw the Data-Con to Dirge (who was unaware of a switch on Megatron's part) before battling a squadron of [[Maximal Command Security Force|Maximal Security Troopers]], ending with a close combat duel with [[9K]] using his then energy-based sword. Dinobot evidently emerged victorious, as he was later seen with Megatron and "[[Scorponok (BW)|Clamps]]". {{storylink|Theft of the Golden Disk}}

Megatron and Dinobot joined [[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]] in escaping the archives with the Golden Disk, avoiding patrolmen [[Nitrostreak|Unit 1]] and [[Tigatron (BW)|Unit 2]]. As Dinobot disabled the former, he protested Megatron's apparent cowardice and dishonorable tactics. Megatron responded by clamping his fist around Dinobot's neck, rebuking him for using the "h" word in his presence. After Dinobot had regained his composure, they made their way to the rendezvous point with the ''[[Darksyde (BW)|Darksyde]]'' and launched into space, where they activated their transwarp drive.

The ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'' and the ''[[Chromia 10]]'' gave chase, though the latter was destroyed by [[Laserbeak (G1)|unknown]] [[Buzzsaw (G1)|assailants]]. When the ''Axalon'' caught up with the Predacons, Dinobot balked at the idea of fleeing again and managed to fire a few shots at the ''Axalon''. After Megatron taunted the pilot of the ''Axalon'' via videoscreen, Dinobot and the other rogue Predacons on board the ''Darksyde'' disappeared through a transwarp portal, with the ''Axalon'' close behind. {{storylink|Dawn of Future's Past}}

After [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] was reborn on [[Earth]], Dinobot rushed out to assist the Maximals against the Predacons during a plot to launch an orbital weapon. The launching pad was destroyed by Airazor just as Dinobot arrived. {{storylink|The Razor's Edge}}

====Razorclaw continuity====
In one splinter timeline of [[Primax 496.22 Alpha]], minor atmospheric perturbations caused [[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]]'s stasis pod to crash on the far side of Earth, and due to his absence, Megatron slaughtered all the remaining Maximals except [[Tigatron (BW)|Tigatron]] and [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]]. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#August 7, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 07/08/2015}}

===Comedy Beast Wars===
Dinobot, [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]], and [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] played a game of ''{{w|shiritori}}''. Dinobot accidentally scared Rattrap into farting and activated his [[cyber-slash tail weapon]] to blow the smell away. {{storylink|Comedy Beast Wars|Shiritori Fight}}

===''Beast Wars Metals'' manga===
Following the [[Quantum surge]], Dinobot, as well as many other Maximals, became separated from the rest of the team and left stranded somewhere on [[Earth|Energoa]]. After Optimus Primal's resurrection and escape from Megatron, Dinobot could be seen watching the [[Moon (moon)|Moon]] from somewhere off in the distance. {{storylink|Beast Wars Metals issue 1|Beast Wars Metals #1}}

Dinobot eventually got in contact with his Maximal comrades and revealed he was recovering in a [[anthropoid]] village. The village was promptly attacked by [[Jaguar]] and Dinobot died defending the anthropoids. Optimus Primal showed up and, swearing to avenge Dinobot's death, killed Jaguar in battle. {{storylink|Beast Wars Metals issue 3|Beast Wars Metals #3}}

===''Henkei! Henkei!'' pack-in manga===
[[File:Henkeimanga-Dinobot.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Who's got two thumbs on one hand except for when I switch to my fists? THIS guy!]]
In the present day, the [[Autobot]] [[Mini Vehicle]]s dug up the bodies of [[Hot Shot (G1)|Hot Shot]] and Dinobot from deep within the earth. As the Mini Vehicles wondered if Dinobot were an Autobot, he woke up angrily, and began to attack the others, hoping to find a worthy foe, until finally Hot Shot (and his [[Mini-Con]], Jolt) faced Dinobot in battle. After seeing Hot Shot perform a series of clever moves, Dinobot suggested the two battle for leadership. However, Hot Shot declined Dinobot's offer and suggested instead they team up and make peace.

Hot Shot returned with Dinobot to Autobot headquarters, where [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] immediately suggesting he and Dinobot fight each other for fun, ruining Hot Shot's ceasefire. {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 11}}
{{-}}

===''Henkei! Henkei! Transformers -Visualize-''===
[[File:Visualize Shot 13.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Visualize Shot 13}}}}
{{-}}

===''Kre-O'' comic===
[[File:KreO-webcomic-4-Dinobot.jpg|75px|thumb]]
Dinobot had himself a hearty laugh when [[Megatron (Kre-O)|Megatron]] attempted to replicate [[Optimus Prime (Kre-O)|Optimus Prime]]'s new clear-torso'd power-up via a see-through negligee. {{Storylink|Wheeljack's Bizarre Invention! Optimus Power Up!?}}

===Legends World===
The [[Legends World]], where the rest of the ''Transformers'' multiverse existed as fiction, had its [[Dinobot (Legends)|own version of Dinobot]].

''Beast Wars'' toy collector [[Rattrap (Legends)|Rattrap]] once missed out on buying a "Dawn of Future's Past" box set, containing [[Dinobot (BW)/toys#Timelines|a toy of Dinobot]]. {{storylink|Legends Vol. 1}}

When the Legends World citizens were under attack by [[Galvatron II]]'s forces on the [[G1 World]] version of the planet [[Beast (planet)|Beast]], [[Lio Convoy (BW)|Leo Prime]] made use of [[Transformers sickness]] to awaken the power of their spiritual ancestors; Dinobot took on the form of ''this'' Dinobot. {{storylink|The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 3}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
[[File:AloneTogetherP-Dynobot.jpg|left|thumb|300px]]
On a Cybertron ruled by the decrepit and corrupt Builders, '''Dynobot''' was one of the first Maximals and Predacons to speak out against the system, agitating for change. It was his words that would inspire some of the first seeds of real resistance on Cybertron. {{storylink|Derailment}} Eventually, Dynobot was captured and placed in the maximum security level of the [[Ferromax Detention Center]]. There he stayed until a group of Maximals led by Rattrap broke him out in a daring raid. {{storylink|Alone Together: Prologue|Prologue}}
{{--}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:Windblade6-allofus.jpg|left|thumb|300px]]
Dinobot was a resident of the colony world [[Jungle Planet (colony)|Eukaris]], and a member of the [[Scale Walkers|Scale Walker]] tribe. He gathered with representatives of the other three tribes in [[Talon Valley]], in front of a [[Space bridge|spacebridge]] portal, to discuss the [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertronian]] [[combiner]]s who had invaded three weeks prior. While declaring he would defend his planet from any invaders, no matter the cost, a traveler from offworld arrived through the portal: [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]]. Dinobot quickly took a disliking to him.

After Rattrap returned to Cybertron with intel, a week later, official representatives from offworld arrived on Eukaris through the portal. Dinobot and [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] were suspicious of them, as they heard of how their kind was once driven away and slaughtered by ancient Cybertronians, but amidst their visitors' pleas for peace, [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] was allowed to speak, as she was not actually Cybertronian, but a [[Caminus (planet)|Camien]]. The planet's gigantic guardian, [[Chela]], awoke before their eyes to quell this reunion of worlds, and Dinobot and the others attempted to defend the spacebridge from it, but it was summarily defeated by [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]. Dinobot was put off that in spite of the destruction of their legendary guardian, [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] still condoned an alliance. {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 6|Windblade vol. 2 #6}}

Dinobot begrudgingly (and adorably) gave a gift to his [[Fur Walkers|Fur Walker]] rival Cheetor on Chosen One Day. {{storylink|Choose Me}}

===''Of Masters and Mayhem''===
[[Thrashclaw]] had a mentor who was a "brown and blue, thick-headed, dynamic" bot who went off with a "[[Megatron (BW)|purple lunatic]]". {{storylink|Life Finds a Way}}

===''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' continuity===
====''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor| [[Krizz Kaliko]] (English), [[Ryuichi Abe]] (Japanese)|[[Dirc Simpson]] (German), [[Guillaume Orsat]] (French), [[Sérgio Moreno]] (Portuguese), [[Gabi Jiménez]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Mario Castañeda]] (Latin-American Spanish), [[Vinod Sharma]] (Hindi)}}
{{bigquote|But now I... ''I'm not pure-sparked, nor wise or heroic...'' but I've tried to live my life well...|Dinobot nearing his final moments, [[Kingdom episode 3]]}}
[[File:WFC-Kingdom-Ep2-Dinobot-stops-Megatrons-theft.jpg|thumb|250px|left|"''Part fools!'' Put up your swords, you know not what you do."]]
Dinobot was a [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] born out of an uninhabitable [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] due to loss of the [[AllSpark]] by [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] {{storylink|Kingdom episode 1}} and the threat of [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]], [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], and [[Nemesis Prime (G1)|Nemesis Prime]]. {{storylink|Kingdom episode 6}} Dinobot studied the legends of the [[Prime (rank)|Primes]], recognizing them as pure-[[Spark]]ed warrior heroes, and leaders of wisdom and honor. {{storylink|Kingdom episode 3}}

Dinobot reluctantly joined [[Megatron (BW)|Predacon Megatron]] and his small band of thieves to steal the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]] and return it to the original [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] in hopes of changing Cybertron's future for the better. When Megatron was carrying out the theft, Dinobot tried to reason with [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] to end their mission and stop Megatron's dangerous plan, especially since the pair had not done anything incriminating. When Megatron returned and tossed the Golden Disk by accident to Blackarachnia, Dinobot pointed a blaster at the Predacon leader, expecting Blackarachnia to return the disk to the Maximal Enforcers. In actuality, Blackarachnia stole the ammo from his blaster and returned the disk to Megatron, and Dinobot was scolded for his lack of loyalty. {{storylink|Kingdom episode 2}} The Predacons traced the original Megatron's steps back to [[Earth]] in the past using the Golden Disk, where the Predacons took on [[beast mode]]s and engaged in a battle with the Maximals from the ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]''. The conflict would continue for cycles, {{storylink|Kingdom episode 1}} and Dinobot thought of defecting to [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] and the Maximals a thousand times. {{storylink|Kingdom episode 3}}

While patrolling through the jungle, Dinobot's attention was drawn by the sound of space debris falling to Earth's surface. He emerged from the foliage to investigate, discovering the crashed ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]''. {{storylink|Earthrise episode 6}} Dinobot and Predacon Megatron later met with Decepticons from the recently crashed ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'' to bow down and deliver the Golden Disk. In the ''Nemesis'', Dinobot stood alongside while the two Megatrons discussed, and was then ushered out of the room along with [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]. The Seeker boasted that he must have been a legend in the future, though Dinobot denied this, angering Starscream. {{storylink|Kingdom episode 1}}

[[File:WFC-Kingdom-Ep2-Dinobot-catches-BA-n-Starscream.jpg|thumb|300px|"What, drawn and talk of peace!"]]

Dinobot soon found the treacherous lieutenant discussing matters with Blackarachnia, but before he could say anything, the ''Nemesis'''s alarms went off, as Soundwave had caught Airazor. Dinobot was witness to her torture at his Megatron's hands, causing him to express his disgust, and for Megatron to express his disgust at Dinobot. The two were interrupted by Blackarachnia telling the Predacon leader he'd been summoned to the bridge, leaving Airazor's questioning to Dinobot. However, his doubts gave him pause, and eventually he and Airazor began talking, as she began poking holes in his emotional armor. Confused, Dinobot took off to confront Blackarachnia. When he did, he was attacked by a cloaked Starscream, who felt the best course of action was to kill him, but Dinobot talked him out of this by revealing he wanted to ''join'' them, to form a new faction that could prevent all sides from killing one another. {{storylink|Kingdom episode 2}}

[[File:WFC-Kingdom-Ep3-Dinobot-velociraptor-n-Airazor.jpg|thumb|left|300px|"Better a witty fool than a foolish wit."]]

The trio used knowledge gained from eavesdropping on Megatron to journey to the Allspark's true location, but on approach their shuttle crashed. As Blackarachnia and Starscream attributed blame, Dinobot was entranced by the Allspark's holographic defenses, which then lashed out at them. Witnessing Starscream's attempts to flee disgusted Dinobot. At that moment, the Allspark changed tactics to trapping those around them in illusions. An unaffected Dinobot saw Starscream's fantasy of being a king, which only disgusted him further, and caused the two to come to blows, the Predacon calling Starscream out on his using his pain to justify his selfish greed. However, Starscream soon had Dinobot over a cliff, which he then dropped him over. Surviving, albeit injured, Dinobot made his own way through the Allspark's forest. His time with the treacherous pair had galvanized Dinobot, and he decided to make a stand against both Megatrons to retrieve the Golden Disk, aware that this would result in his own demise.

Finding an injured Airazor, he informed her of his choice, and set off toward the Decepticons, warding her off by saying her injuries would slow him down. Arriving, he was attacked by Ravage and Laserbeak, followed by Soundwave. Subduing them, he was then sucker-punched by the original Megatron. The two fought, with Dinobot criticizing the Decepticon leader as a desperate and clumsy tyrant. With a well-timed strike, Dinobot managed to defeat his opponent, only to then be mauled by the other Megatron. Viciously wounded, Dinobot used the last of his energies to wound Megatron and steal the Matrix from him.

However, his injuries proved too much for Dinobot, and he was unable to get far. Speaking to the talisman, he implored it for help, and it cut through the Allspark's illusions, allowing the Autobots and Maximals to find him. Dying, Dinobot admitted to his former enemy how he'd thought of becoming a Maximal, and asked if Primal would've accepted him. Primal responded he would've, but Dinobot would probably have made a terrible Maximal. An amused Dinobot admitted the truth of this, before finally succumbing to his wounds. {{storylink|Kingdom episode 3}}

[[File:WFC-Kingdom-Ep3-Dinobot-blasts-Megatron.jpg|thumb|300px|"It is a tale. Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury. ''Signifying nothing.''"]]

{{charfictionstub|{{storylink|Kingdom episode 4}}}}
{{--}}

====''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' marketing material====
[[File:Kingdom Golden Disk Dinobot becomes Dinomus.jpg|thumb|right|I will give you a new rotate blade, and a rigid grill structure to command.]]
The Predacons traveled across time to find the [[AllSpark]] and change the fate of Cybertron. While battling the [[Maximal]]s on pre-[[Ice Age]] Earth, both sides were joined by the Autobots and Decepticons, their epic battle changing their combined destinies forever.

Dinobot's function was a warrior, and he [[trans-scan]]ned into a raptor. His [[Cyber-slash tail weapon|cyber-slash tail and cyber shield]] were his powers and weapons, and his core traits were his inner-conflict, principle, and ferocity. Dinobot's message from the future was that his loyalties will be tested and he will question what he believes. {{storylink|War for Cybertron: Kingdom|''Kingdom'' webpage}}<ref>[https://transformers.hasbro.com/en-us/brands/kingdom ''Kingdom'' webpage]</ref>

During the collective battle, Dinobot teamed up with [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] and the Decepticon [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] in pursuit of [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] and the Autobot [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]]. {{storylink|War for Cybertron: Kingdom|Battle Across Time Collection marketing material}}<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08TM6TDF7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Battle Across Time Collection on Amazon]</ref>

Dinobot was one of a few 'bots with three possible destinies recorded on the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|''Voyager'' Golden Disk]]. {{storylink|Source:Golden Disk destinies|''Kingdom'' Golden Disk cards}}
*In one destiny, Dinobot leads a united [[Maximal]] and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] faction, standing alongside [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]], [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]], [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]], [[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]], and [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]].
*In another destiny, he became a Maximal, sporting a new color scheme.
*In his last destiny, Dinobot was reformatted into '''Dinomus''' as a [[Herald of Unicron]].

In other possible destinies recorded on the ''Voyager'' Golden Disk, Dinobot was present when Blackarachnia became a Maximal. {{storylink|Source:Golden Disk destinies|''Kingdom'' Golden Disk cards}}
{{--}}

===2021 ''Beast Wars'' comic===
[[File:SavageLandingPart1-ScienceMinistry.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

Dinobot, named for [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] and his [[Dinobot (G1)|elite wartime unit]], {{storylink|Savage Landing Part 6}} was a member of [[Megatron (BW)|Galavar]]'s cell of Predacon separatists in the employ of the [[Tripredacus Council]]. {{storylink|Savage Landing Part 1}} Although proud of his Predacon heritage, Dinobot's rigid code of honour led to frequent disagreements with his comrades, and over time Dinobot developed a deep, if private, hatred for thuggish 'bots like [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] and [[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]]. {{storylink|Primal Rage}} When Galavar went rogue and changed his name to "Megatron", Dinobot nevertheless joined his leader on a mission to liberate the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]] from the Maximal [[Ministry of Science|Science Ministry]]. During the heist, Dinobot prevented Terrorsaur from killing [[Under-3|a guard]] in the belief that there could be no honour in killing a defenseless enemy who wouldn't fight back before Scorponok killed him anyways.

After stealing the Maximal warship ''[[Darksyde (BW)|Darksyde]]'', Dinobot and the other Predacons attempted to follow the coordinates on the disk but came under attack from the Maximal science vessel ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'' before [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] could activate the ship's [[Transwarp Drive|transwarp drive]]; as they jumped through [[unspace]] across space and time, Dinobot stopped Terrorsaur from firing on the ''Axalon'' as the blast would destroy both ships. When both ships crashed on a mysterious organic world, the ''Darksyde''{{'}}s computer rebuilt the Predacons with organic [[beast mode]]s. {{storylink|Savage Landing Part 1}} Dinobot went to Tarantulas' lab to check on his progress on mapping the planet's environment, but Tarantualas only cared about the unspace energy all around the ship. Dinobot ordered Tarantulas to abandon the project, but the scientist refused to comply and ordered the Dinobot to leave his lab. {{storylink|Savage Landing Part 2}}

[[File:SavageLandingPart4-DinobotNyx.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

When the Predacons captured and tortured the Maximal [[Nyx]] for information, Dinobot stepped in and tried to reason with Megatron, but his protest that a worthy foe deserved a worthy death only angered Megatron. However, when Tarantulas deduced that other Maximals must've survived the crash, Megatron forgave his outburst but warned Dinobot to not defy him again. When the seven Predacons went outside to watch Nyx's execution using Tarantulas's recently invented [[Transformation Lock Lens|transformation lock lens]], Dinobot's long-brewing crisis of conscience finally came to a head; after destroying the device, he turned on the other Predacons so that Nyx could transform back into beast mode and escape. [[Skold]] and Scorponok accused him of betraying the Predacon cause, but Dinobot insisted that he had not betrayed his ideals and offered Skold the chance to join him. Skold refused, so Dinobot threw Skold at Megatron, forced the Predacons back into the ship, and used his security clearance to put the ''Darksyde'' into a full lockdown before escaping into the jungle. {{storylink|Savage Landing Part 3}}

While traversing the jungle, Dinobot used his beast mode to track Nyx and successfully rescued the injured flier from a native creature. However, extreme damage to her systems caused her to collapse, and after consulting her [[onboard computer]] Dinobot was able to plot a course back to the crashed ''Axalon''. Once he'd arrived at the Maximal ship, the remaining four Maximals confronted him; although [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] and [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] initially mistook him for an aggressor, Dinobot announced his intentions to join the Maximals. {{storylink|Savage Landing Part 4}} A skeptical Optimus immediately confined Dinobot to a makeshift brig until he could deduce his true intentions, and although Primal remained skeptical, Nyx requested to speak with him, and grew increasingly convinced that Dinobot's unexpected rescue indicated a genuine change of heart. When Megatron and the other Predacons attacked shortly thereafter, Nyx made the decision to release Dinobot so that he could turn the tide in the favour of the outnumbered Maximals. {{storylink|Savage Landing Part 5}}

[[File:SavageLandingPart6-Dinobotstabbed.jpg|thumb|left|200px|"'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church door, but 'tis enough; t'will serve."]]

After Dinobot defeated [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]], [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] successfully reactivated the ship's deflector shields; when Primal ordered a retreat, however, Dinobot found that the shield frequencies corresponded to Maximal source code, leaving him unable to retreat with the other Maximals as the remaining Predacons closed in. Confident that he could best five Predacons again, Tarantulas, the ''sixth'' Predacon, rejoined the battlefield in time to ambush Dinobot, stab him through the chest, and leave him helpless as the other Predacons closed in to beat him to the brink of death. Primal used the ''Axalon''{{'}}s [[plasma cannon]]s to force Megatron into a retreat and save Dinobot's life, but the experience left Dinobot critically damaged and doubtful that he would ever fight at full strength again. Although Dinobot planned to exile himself into the jungle so as to not burden the other Maximals, Primal told their new ally that they'd be honoured if he joined their team. {{storylink|Savage Landing Part 6}}

Some time later, Dinobot was still on the mend and passed the time by sparring with Optimus, {{storylink|Pod Part 1}} though he soon developed a mutual dislike for his nominal teammate Rattrap. {{storylink|Primal Rage}} One night, while briefing the other Maximals on his former Predacon allies over a game of cards, Cheetor heard a noise in the corridor and went to investigate. {{storylink|Pod Part 1}} The Maximals discovered that [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] had invaded the base and sabotaged the remaining Maximal [[stasis pod]]s in orbit. While Dinobot and Nyx headed to the ship's armory to see if she'd stolen any weapons, Dinobot prevented Cheetor from running into an explosive web-tripwire that would've killed them all. Although the Maximals couldn't prevent Blackarachnia from carrying out her sabotage and escaping, Dinobot and the other Maximals attended a meeting where Primal announced that they'd be going on the offensive. {{storylink|Pod Part 2}}

Optimus and Dinobot were on hand when Skold delivered a wounded [[Razorbeast]] to the ship. Dinobot noticed that Skold had become more confident since they last crossed paths, and offered her a place with the Maximals, but Skold rejected his offer to become a Maximal; due to her own past, she accused the Maximals of hiding their cruelty behind a benevolent facade. {{storylink|Thicker Skin}}

[[File:MaximalsStrikeBackPart2-DinobotVsMegatron.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Cry havoc, and let slip the dinosaurs of war.]]

Having jury-rigged an escape pod as an improvised shuttlecraft to reach the ''Darksyde'' and take back the Golden Disk, Dinobot explained its history to his teammates and how Megatron first took an interest in the artifact before piloting the vessel and its crew to the ''Darksyde''. Despite Rhinox's reservations about directly engaging the Predacons, Dinobot opined that Megatron understood no other language but force, and took the step of unelashing a bombing run on the Predacons below as part of a first salvo. {{storylink|Maximals Strike Back, Part 1}} In the ensuing battle, Dinobot fetched up against Megatron once more, but his injuries proved his undoing; the Predacon leader quickly realized that Dinobot now favored his right side and unleashed a punishing bite from his tyrannosaur jaws that left Dinobot badly wounded before Primal distracted Megatron at the last moment. {{storylink|Maximals Strike Back, Part 2}} Despite his injuries, Dinobot had enough fight in him to incapacitate Waspinator with his [[optic weaponry]]. Although the battle ended in a stalemate—Megatron held control of the disc and the Maximals left under a conditional ceasefire, although Rattrap secretly copied the information on the artifact—Dinobot grimly mused that they should've taken out Megatron when they had the chance. {{storylink|Maximals Strike Back, Part 3}}

At some point, Dinobot took part in a skirmish against the Predacons that ended with Cheetor getting injured. {{storylink|The Speedway of Central Consciousness}}

While planting early warning sensors outside the ''Axalon'', Dinobot and Optimus came under assault from Blackarachnia and Tarantulas, who attempted to infect him with a new variety of aggression-enhancing [[energon]]. However, Primal took the brunt of the explosion; while Dinobot's warrior instincts helped him suppress his anger, Primal had no such compunctions and quickly went berserk. As he rampaged through the ship, Dinobot suggested he take on Megatron, aware that Primal would tire himself before that and burn the infection out of his systems. {{storylink|Primal Rage}} Dinobot was surprised when Optimus returned with a warning that an advanced alien race known as the Vok, who had been monitoring the Cybertronians since their arrival, had taken exception to their presence and now desired to destroy both sides, requiring them to work together, a fact Dinobot and Rattrap were both skeptical about, with the Predacon feeling an alliance would only be an invitation for betrayal. However, Optimus was adamant. As part of the arrangement, Dinobot and Rhinox travelled to the ''Darksyde'' as an exchange with the Predacons. As they were working, Scorponok learned that Tarantulas had locked information on the ship's transwarp drive using Megatron's own codes. When confronted, the spider-bot attempted to flee, managing to make it outside the ship before Dinobot caught up to him and incapacitated him, in case Megatron wanted to interrogate the traitor. Megatron did, but this only allowed Tarantulas to summon his secret experiment: The reanimated corpse of Terrorsaur, which stunned Dinobot with one blow. {{storylink|The Beginning of the End}}

As Dinobot recovered, Tarantulas bargained with the Vok, having them summon reinforcements, which in this case was every protoform that had not yet been activated. Dinobot took to the field against these new opponents, but the fight soon ended when the Vok appeared in person, disrupting the Sparks of both sides, until they were blasted by the newly arrived ''Axalon'' using the harnessed energy of unspace. The remaining Children of the Vok chose to depart, while Megatron decided to resume the attack, until Rattrap blasted him with the unspace weapon as well, displacing him in time. With Megatron gone, Optimus suggested a truce to go after Tarantulas and then return to Cybertron, but neither Blackarachnia nor Dinobot thought it was worth it, with Dinobot pointing out the justice department would be unwilling to go easy on them without Megatron. As a result, the Predacons went their own way. {{storylink|The End (BW)|The End}}
{{--}}

===''Transformers Go! Go!''===
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|A Hunch of a Good Duo!}} {{storylink|Go! Go! issue 26}} {{storylink|The Transformers Gather on the Snowy Mountain!|Search Quiz 2}}}}

{{ongoing}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===''Beast Wars: Transformers'' video game continuity===
====''Beast Wars: Transformers'' video game advertising comic====
Upon arriving on "[[Earth|Planet Energon]]", the dangers of Energon radiation forced the six surviving Maximals and their Predacon adversaries to take on beast alternate forms. {{storylink|Beast Wars: Transformers video game advertising comic}}

====''Beast Wars: Transformers'' video game====
{{voiceactor|??? (English), ??? (Japanese)}}
[[File:BeastWarsPSX-Dinobotstats.jpg|thumb|Digital [[Cyber-slash tail weapon|rotate blade]]!]]

Many Beast Wars combatants had managed to construct personal bases, customized to their personal tastes, due to the extended duration of the war. Dinobot's own was situated in the "Polluted Area" of the planet, where a previous conflict had rendered it a gloomy and dilapidated environment. Dinobot joined his fellow Maximals in battling not only an entrenched Predacon threat, but the interdimensional monsters known as the [[Skriix]].

=====Maximal campaign=====
Upon having eliminated the Predacon threat, Dinobot was part of Optimus Primal's roll call when he announced that the galaxy was now at peace.

{{BW VG|Dinobot|M}}

=====Predacon campaign=====
After the Maximals failed to rescue a downed stasis pod in Dinobot's territory, the Predacons took advantage of Dinobot's troops having recently been thinned by a conflict with the Skriix. This left Dinobot vulnerable, leading him to be assassinated by a Predacon agent. In response to Dinobot's death, Optimus Primal launched an unsuccessful attempt on the Predacon ship, which ultimately led to the Maximals' undoing. {{storylink|Beast Wars: Transformers (video game)|Beast Wars: Transformers}}

===''Transformers Legends''===
Dinobot was part of Megatron's forces when a huge earthquake uncovered [[Energon]]. He took part in an ambush of the Maximals, so that the Predacons could gain control of this new resource. Also he appeared to have at least two raptor clones backing him up. {{storylink|Beast Wars (Legends)|Beast Wars}}

===''Transformers: Battle Tactics''===
[[File:BattleTacticsDinobot.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Beware my hand-mouth!]]
Dinobot participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He was a Super Rare character who could be recruited by collecting 250 units of Cybermetal, 75 units of Transmetal, and 10 cores of this character. {{storylink|Transformers: Battle Tactics}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers: Forged to Fight''===
[[File:Dinobot-Forged to Fight.jpg|thumb|250px|Clever Boy. He stole [https://www.gamespot.com/articles/killer-instinct-season-2-the-return-of-riptor/1100-6424228/ someone's] new design...]]
Dinobot was one of many warriors pulled from [[Beast Era|his universe]] to fight for the [[Quintesson]]s. There are many of him running around, some of which join [[You|the Commander]]. Notably, he is the only character in the game to have a unique victory animation.
{{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight}}
{{chargamestub}}

===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
[[File:Dinobot EarthWars.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.66]]

When Dinobot arrived on the future Earth, [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] wanted him to join the Dinobots because of his name. Dinobot refused, causing confusion among the Dinobots. Dinobot then wished Rattrap was there because of Grimlock's annoyances. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars}}

Megatron took [[Tonbot]] and Waspinator to the site where Transmetal II Dinobot was stashed so they could get Rampage's half-spark. It was hidden in the La Brea Tar-pits so it could mask it. He sent Waspinator there to dig out Dinobot's body to obtain the spark. {{Storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Last Line of Defense}}
{{chargamestub|{{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars}}}}

*'''Class''': Warrior
*'''Lowest Star Rating:''' 2 stars
*'''Ability: Pack Hunting '''- Place three decoys that have 33% of your health and DPS. For 15 seconds, you go pack hunting using melee attacks dealing damage and any healing received is increased by 20%.
[http://wiki.transformersearthwars.com/character:dinobot Dinobot at Transformers: Earth Wars Wiki]
{{-}}

===''Transformers Roleplaying Game''===
Dinobot was originally a Predacon who defected to the Maximals. Although he was a powerful close-range combatant, he frequently butted heads with the cynical Rattrap. Dinobot eventually perished defending primitive humans from a Predacon attack, but Megatron used samples of his genetic structure to engineer a [[Dinobot II|monstrous clone]] of his former lieutenant. {{storylink|Technorganic Secrets}}

==Toys==
{{main|Dinobot (BW)/toys}}

==Merchandise==
{{main|Dinobot (BW)/toys#Merchandise}}

==Notes==
* From the size to the proportions to the complete lack of feathers, Dinobot's [[beast mode]] barely resembles a {{w|File:Velociraptor Restoration.png|real ''Velociraptor''}}, and as was common in the 1990s, takes more inspiration from the "''Velociraptors''" of ''{{w|Jurassic Park (film)|Jurassic Park}}'' fame, which had shot the species to worldwide awareness three years prior and was likewise accompanied by a toyline from [[Kenner]]. Since raptors were not definitively known to be feathered in [[1996]] (feathers on dromeosaurids were considered speculative until the late 1990s and evidence of ''Velociraptor'' in particular having feathers did not emerge until [[2007]]), the contemporary science was not taken into account when designing the toy or animated [[character model]].
** Additionally, ''Jurassic Park''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s interpretation of ''Velociraptors''—and by extension, Dinobot—were actually based on a larger genus of raptor called ''{{w|Deinonychus}}'' (though even this genus is much smaller than the raptors seen in Jurassic Park, who are closer in size to the genus ''{{w|Achillobator}}'' that was described in 1999). The reason the genus of raptor was renamed in the film, dates back to the original ''{{w|Jurassic Park (novel)|Jurassic Park}}'' novel, where the author {{w|Michael Crichton}} thought the name was more appealing than "''Deinonychus''". Because of this, the vast majority of {{w|Velociraptor in popular culture|''Velociraptors'' in popular culture}} are often misrepresented, and Dinobot is no exception to this.
* The many characters in ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'' who switch sides between the Autobots and Decepticons were inspired by Dinobot, as Aaron Archer was fond of the character's dynamic.<ref>{{citesocial|quote='There were a lot of side changing during ''Armada'', it's a big theme in the show and built into many of the toys.' Yeah, and I got that off of Dinobot from ''Beast Wars'', I really liked how that character functioned, and I did like that, I guess, we did that with Wheeljack and some of the other ones.|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSXaInBmtIk&t=2264s|name=Aaron Archer|site=''The Toy Armada''|title=Toy Armada Friday night LIVE: Toy Talk Q&A|year=2023|month=05|day=12}}</ref>
* [[Smokescreen (Armada)#Hoist|''Armada'' Hoist]]'s head was based on Dinobot's—something which Dinobot's ''Timelines'' figure, reusing the Hoist mold, takes advantage of.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Cybertron Scourge... is that... that's the... backhoe guy. *Mimes Hoist's arm gimmick.* Yeah, his head is very much like Dinobot, I think I did design it like that. I don't know why. But I like that look. [Could you think of him as the Unicron Trilogy's Dinobot?] Yeah you totally could. Definitely with those colors, it even has that veliciraptor color vibe that they were using back then.|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ToNlyjgeZc&t=445s|name=Aaron Archer|site=''The Toy Armada''|title=Toy Armada Friday Night LIVE - General discussion|year=2023|month=03|day=24}}</ref>
* Like all non-toy robot Kreons in the ''Kre-O'' comics, Dinobot is made from existing ''Kre-O'' parts. He uses [[Ironhide (Kre-O)|Ironhide]]'s helmet in gold.
* The [[#Beast Wars: Uprising|''Beast Wars: Uprising'' incarnation]] of Dynobot is a "virtual redeco" of the [[Springer (G1)/toys#Thrilling 30|''Thrilling 30'' Voyager Class Springer mold]]. Accordingly, [[Grimlock (G1)#Beast Wars: Uprising|Grimlock]] shares this body-type in ''Uprising''.
* Unlike the other recognizable Maximals and Predacons featured in the 2021 ''Beast Wars'' comic, Dinobot's Cybertronian body is a wholly-new design yet retains his regular color scheme.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Didn't base Nyx on anything in particular! Dinobot is much the same. I picture the orb on his chest as a nod to the spark gem gimmick but other than that I just wanted a samurai kinda look to his silhouette. The arm mounted blades kind of a nod the Gundam Spiegel|link=https://twitter.com/jcburcham/status/1357035373184962561|name=Josh Burcham|site=Twitter|year=2021|month=02|day=03|(defunct=)}}</ref>
* Author [[Erik Burnham]] considered killing off Dinobot in [[Savage Landing Part 6|''Beast Wars'' #6]] but ultimately spared him.<ref>Erik Burnham at TFNation 2021</ref>

===Toy related===
[[File:BWRConcept04.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Dinobot's control art. The beast head displays a more rigid grill structure.]]
* Dinobot's original toy was designed to supplant a failed lion Transformer counterpart to Cheetor that ended up being, understandably, too similar to Cheetor. A dinosaur's entry into the Maximals was justified by pointing out that the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] had been good guys in Generation 1.<ref>[http://obscuretf.com/hhk/BC04interviews.html Botcon 2004 Interview with Vinnie D'Alleva], p1-2</ref>
* In the first ''Beast Wars'' toy commercials, [[:File:Dinobottoycommercial.jpg|Dinobot had a slightly different deco than the final toy]]. He was browner, rather than pinker, and had thicker stripes.
* Some fans are inclined to yank off Dinobot's mutant mask pieces, since he doesn't have them on the television show, they get in the way during transformation, and they're easily removable. Ten years later, Hasbro thought so, too, in their stock photography for ''[[Transformers: Beast Wars 10th Anniversary|Beast Wars 10th Anniversary]]'' Dinobot.
* A mainline [[:File:TMDinobotConcept.jpg|Transmetal Dinobot made it to the concept art stage]]. Several elements of the design were recycled for Transmetal [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]].
* Dinobot's toy curiously has six toes on each foot. Since his legs form his [[robot mode]] arms, not only does this mean he's left with two thumbs, but also a tiny, barely noticeable finger molded near his wrist. The double thumbs got carried over onto his animation model, yet his in-show beast mode appears to only have three toes. Between all this, it has to be said that real-life raptors had no more than four toes on each of their feet.
{{--}}

===Television related===
[[File:Dinobotearlycgimodel.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Code of... something.]]
* Several views of preliminary ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' CGI models were available in the Special Features of [[Rhino Entertainment|Kid Rhino]]'s ''Beast Wars: The Complete Second Season'' DVD box set. Dinobot's early model, like the other preliminary models, took more cues from the toy, such as including the [[mutant head]] and actually looking transformable. Interestingly enough, the preliminary model transformed into the final beast mode model, but since Dinobot's transformation involves swapping out parts, that's not too hard to believe.
[[File:Dinobotearlycgimodel2.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|[[Derrick J. Wyatt|Derrick Wyatt]]'s influence reached back through time.]]
* Australia's ''Beast Wars'' DVD sets from [[Madman Entertainment]] offered images of in-progress Dinobot models from later into production. Even in this late stage, he kept a large amount of his transformation kibble, though the aesthetic flourishes (like the spines on his ankles and the ribs in his torso) began to take shape. And, hey, check out that [[chin]].
* In an interview on Madman's Season 3 DVDs, Scott McNeil revealed that he created the Dinobot voice by using his previous experience mimicking [[Chris Latta]]'s famous performance of [[Cobra Commander]] when replacing him in the role after his death. Since he found the Latta-style vocalisation so difficult to maintain, he tried dropping it two octaves, and thus arrived at Dinobot.
* In the Japanese dub of ''Beast Wars'', Dinobot spoke with a protracted and emphatic ''dā'' (ダー) attached to the ends of his sentences. This is a vocal tic associated with older, archaic forms of speech, signifying his old-timey sensibilities and concepts of honor.
* Between the first and second seasons, Dinobot's robot mode raptor stripes were re-texture mapped. This is most noticeable on his hands, where the amount of stripe detail increases substantially. When Dinobot II briefly flashes back and forth between his and the original Dinobot's body in the series finale, it's the first season stripe pattern again.
{{--}}

===Fandom related===
* Some fans humorously refer to Dinobot's [[Cyber-slash tail weapon]] as a "Rotate Blade" because of its usage in a [http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/ee52db9e103fd5a8?hl=en& terrible fanfic by MG-Dinobot].
* Likewise, fans refer to Dinobot as having a "rigid grill structure", an injoke that came into being because of an [http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/307ed3ad2152d304 alt.toys.transformers poster's] somewhat confusing signature that included a quote from ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]''. What part of Dinobot is the rigid grill structure is not definitively determined, whether it be the bony pair of robot legs that hang under his toy's beast mode or his, uh, crotch.
* Speaking of Dinobot's crotch, [[Mainframe Entertainment]] once had a little fun with Dinobot's model after hours. "[[:File:Dirkdinobot.jpg|Dirk Dinobot]]" may not be safe for work, but his grill structure here is anything but rigid! Fan James Hooks was responsible for originally posting the Dirk Dinobot image on [[alt.toys.transformers]], thanks to an unknown person from Mainframe Entertainment.
* On [[May 7]], [[2010]], he was unveiled as one of the first five nominees for the [[Transformers Hall of Fame]], the first ''Beast Wars'' character to earn the honor and the only character not to be from 1984 or 1985. A tongue-in-cheek campaign for Dinobot was started by [[David Willis]], with the gag being that he'd never beat the 1984/5 characters. To everyone's surprise, at [[BotCon 2010]]'s Hall of Fame ceremony, Dinobot was unveiled as the winner: he became both the first ''Beast Wars'' character and first fan-voted to be inducted, beating out even long time favorites [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] and [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]!

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Dinobot''' (ダイノボット ''Dainobotto'')
*''Cantonese:'' '''Dillonburg''' (狄龍堡 ''Dik Lung Bou'')
*''Korean:'' '''Dinobot''' (다이노봇 ''Dainobos'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''KǒnglóngYǒngshì''' (China, 恐龙勇士, "Dinosaur Warrior"), '''Mó Lóng''' (Taiwan, 魔龍, "Demonic Dinosaur"),
*''Russian:'' '''Zuborob''' (first ''Beast Wars'' dub, Зубороб), '''Dinobot''' (second ''Beast Wars'' dub, Динобот)

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Dinobotbwx.jpg|''Beast Wars 10th Anniversary'' packaging art
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/ee52db9e103fd5a8?hl=en& "Dinobot's Old Technology" by MG-Dinobot]
*[http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/play/details.cfm?R=3D1EC1EB-19B9-F369-109E-19B934FCADD2:en_US Botcon 2010 tribute]

[[Category:Beast Wars Maximals]]
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Transformers: The Last Knight (film)

2026-04-10T03:56:47Z

Zenphia: /* Synopsis */

{{Nav-tlk}}
{{movie|
|seriess=[[Live-action film series]]
|prev=Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)
|next=Bumblebee (film)
|title=''Transformers: The Last Knight''
|image=TLK Poster.JPG
|caption=So forget any ideas you've got about lost cities, exotic travel, and digging up the world. We do not follow maps to buried treasure, and "X" never, ever marks the spot.
|production companies=[[Allspark (company)|Hasbro Films]] [[Lorenzo di Bonaventura|di Bonaventura Pictures]] [[Bagboyent Media]] [[Weying Galaxy]] [[The H Collective]]
|distributor=[[Paramount Pictures]]
|executive producer=[[Steven Spielberg]]
|producer=[[Lorenzo di Bonaventura]] [[Tom DeSanto]] [[Don Murphy]] [[Ian Bryce]]
|screenplay by=[[Art Marcum]] [[Matt Holloway]] [[Ken Nolan]]
|story by=[[Akiva Goldsman]] [[Art Marcum]] [[Matt Holloway]] [[Ken Nolan]]
|directed by=[[Michael Bay]]
|cinematography by=[[Jonathan Sela]]
|edited by=[[Mark Sanger]] [[John Refoua]] [[Debra Neil-Fisher]] [[Roger Barton]] [[Adam Gerstel]] [[Calvin Wimmer]]
|music by=[[Steve Jablonsky]]
|release date=[[June 21]], [[2017]]
|continuity=[[Live-action film series]]
|runtime=149 minutes
|budget=$217–260 million
|box office=$605.4 million
}}
'''''Transformers: The Last Knight''''' is the fifth film in the [[live-action film series]], serving as a sequel to ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Transformers: Age of Extinction]]'', and was released on [[June 21]], [[2017]].

When he is gifted a [[Talisman (TLK)|Talisman]] by a [[Talisman Knight|dying Transformer knight]], [[Cade Yeager]] finds himself pursued by both the [[Decepticon]]s and the [[Transformers Reaction Force]]. He is soon recruited along with [[Viviane Wembly]] by [[Edmund Burton|Sir Edmund Burton]], last of the [[Order of the Witwiccans]], to once again save the world from a new impending threat.

{{quote|The question is, why? Why do we tell ourselves these stories? Other than the fact that dragons are wicked. It's because we want to believe. Believe that we can be heroes in our own lives. When all seems lost, a few brave souls, us, can save everything we've ever known. Or is it just the dragons?|[[Viviane Wembly]]|''Transformers: The Last Knight''}}

==Synopsis==
[[File:TLK Knight gives staff.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Eternal life, Doctor Jones! The gift of youth to whoever drinks from the Grail.]]
It is the year [[484]] in [[United Kingdom|England]]. A medieval battle rages. [[King Arthur]] and his [[Knights of the Round Table|knight]]s are looking down the barrel of defeat at the hands of the [[Saxon]]s, and their only hope lies with the magician [[Merlin]]. Elsewhere, Merlin (in reality merely a drunkard), rides up to a [[Guardian Knights' ship|long-crashed alien ship]] and beseeches [[Guardian Knight|the occupants]] for help. He has kept their secret, but now needs their help. The other knights are losing hope, but Arthur believes Merlin will come through. Merlin manages to convince [[Stormreign|a giant metal red-armored knight]] at the ship to help, and it presents him with a [[Staff of Merlin|staff]], allowing him to return to the battle with a [[Dragonstorm|giant metal dragon]]. The battle is won in favor of Camelot.

Present day: five years have passed since the battle of [[Hong Kong]]. [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] drifts apparently lifeless in space. Both he and [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] have vanished from [[Earth]], and in spite of the atrocities caused by the [[CIA]]'s [[Cemetery Wind]], the vast majority of Earth's governments agreed that all Transformers should be considered illegal out of fear for more of [[Kinetic Solutions Incorporated|the devastation that had already occurred in the past]], with the [[Transformers Reaction Force]] set up to track them down, though they've found refuge in some places such as [[Cuba]], where [[Seymour Simmons]] is hanging out with some displaced Autobots. Meanwhile, Transformers continue to arrive in waves while [[NASA]]'s [[Jet Propulsion Laboratory]] detects something large incoming.

[[File:TLK Canopy downed.jpg|thumb|right|300px|He speaks a dozen languages and knows every local custom. He'll blend in, disappear and you'll never see him again.]]

Four kids, craving adventure, breach a fence and enter a section of [[Chicago]] ruined by a previous Transformer battle. They stumble on a [[Talisman Knight's ship|crashed Transformer ship]] containing a still-living occupant. TRF [[Sentinel (TLK)|Sentinels]] close in on them and warn them that they're trespassing; however [[Izabella]] appears out of nowhere to help, slinging bottles of [[Energon]] which result in one of the Sentinels shooting the another. Izabella's tiny robot [[Sqweeks]] wraps a cable around the legs of the remaining Sentinel and it topples over, allowing the kids time to get away. Pursued by another Sentinel, Izabella takes the kids to shelter — a Transformer named [[Canopy]] whose back is a hollow mound of rubble. They're joined by Sqweeks, who's lost his arm in the battle. Canopy and the kids start moving, unaware the TRF has spotted them. Unable to determine what faction Canopy is and with kids possibly in danger, TRF commander [[Santos]] orders an air strike. The missile takes out Canopy, who thanks a tearful Izabella before dying. The kids are soon rescued by [[Cade Yeager]] and [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] who destroy another Sentinel.

Cade drives the kids to the border of the no-go zone and drops them off before returning to the crashed ship. Despite his efforts, the pilot within dies, but not before attempting to present Cade with the [[Talisman (TLK)|Talisman]]. Cade does not take it. He reports the pilot's death to Bumblebee shortly before [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] appears and Cade is suddenly surrounded by TRF forces. Meanwhile, the Talisman sprouts legs and crawls away from the ship. Cade refuses to divulge where the other Transformers are. Bumblebee arrives, only to be blown to pieces by the TRF. Moments later, the parts start reconnecting as Bumblebee reassembles himself, sending the TRF forces into disarray as he does so. He and Cade take Santos hostage, but the standoff is interrupted by the arrival of [[William Lennox|Lennox]] who tries to talk Cade and Bee into standing down. [[Hound (Movie)|Hound]]'s appearance settles things however, and Cade, Bee, and Hound leave, though the TRF manages to surreptitiously attach a tracking device onto Bumblebee.

Lennox reports to [[Morshower|General Morshower]] who plays a recording of Barricade reporting back to Megatron. Megatron is disappointed Barricade failed to secure the Talisman as it is the object they need to lead them to the staff, but Barricade believes the TRF will lead them to it. Morshower orders Lennox to return to his covert infiltration of the TRF.

[[File:TLK Optimus chained.jpg|thumb|left|300px|My soul is prepared. How's yours?]]

Optimus's voyage through space comes to an end as he crashes on the ravaged surface of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], which has been mysteriously disassembled into many pieces. He encounters and attacks [[Quintessa (TLK)|Quintessa]], who claims to be his creator and the "Prime of Life," but she easily restrains him.

As he returns to the [[Junkyard (TLK)|junkyard]] he calls home, Cade realizes that the Talisman has somehow ended up in his vehicle. In England, [[Cogman]] alerts [[Edmund Burton|Sir Edmund Burton]] to the arrival of the Talisman. Elsewhere in England, [[Viviane Wembly]] wins a game of polo for her team before returning to the [[University of Oxford]]. She lectures her class on King Arthur, someone she believes to be a made-up legend, unaware she's being watched by Burton. Burton gives instructions to a nearby parked car.

Quintessa tells Optimus that he must retrieve her staff, stolen by her knight guardians and hidden on Earth.

[[Drift (AOE)|Drift]] and [[Crosshairs (AOE)|Crosshairs]] are hanging out in the junkyard. Cade, Hound, and Bumblebee stop off on their way back so Cade can banter with the local authority, Chief [[Sherman]], who complains that his cruiser has been stolen. The trio continue to the junkyard where [[Jimmy (TLK)|Jimmy]] and [[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] are looking at online photos of custom cars. They are unaware Izabella and Sqweeks have stowed away on Hound. While Bumblebee and Crosshairs come to blows, Cade persuades [[Grimlock (AOE)|Grimlock]] to cough up Sherman's cruiser, or what's left of it. [[Daytrader]] arrives, bringing [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]]'s head and a new voicebox for Bumblebee. He's interested in Cade's Talisman, and says it's a sign of the impending apocalypse. Izabella fronts up to Cade and attempts to persuade him to let her stay. They return to Cade's trailer for antics with the [[Mini Dinobot|Baby Dinobot]]s and trade stories of lost family members. Izabella manages to impress Cade with her knowledge of Cybertronian physiology and he's convinced to let her stay.

In [[Namibia]], scientists arrive at a location to find a giant metal horn poking out of the ground. News of the horn, and five more like it, get back to Simmons and Burton. Meanwhile, the NASA scientists meet with [[President of the United States|presidential]] staff to report they have detected an approaching planet, which they say will arrive in three days.

Helped by Hound, Cade makes an untraceable satellite phone call to [[Tessa Yeager|his daughter]] at college, but is unable to speak to her for fear that his voice will be recognized by the [[CIA]], and can only listen as she tries to convince him to get a girlfriend.

Lennox meets Morshower at the [[Pentagon]] for a briefing on the horns — Megatron has been spotted visiting them and has snatched up two CIA operatives as hostages. Lennox and some lawyers meet with Megatron to negotiate the return of some of his men. They agree to release [[Mohawk]], [[Dreadbot]], and [[Nitro Zeus]]; [[Berserker]], however, turns out to be a step too far, and Megatron is forced to select [[Onslaught (ROTF)|Onslaught]] instead. Morshower believes they can use Megatron so they can get hold of Cade's Talisman themselves.

[[File:TLKIzzyAndDecepticons.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The Grail is mine, and you're going to get it for me.]]

As morning breaks over the junkyard, the Decepticons prepare to move in, observed by the TRF. Izabella attaches a new arm to Sqweeks, before helping Cade fit Bumblebee's new voicebox. Bee is not happy with the result, which sounds like a GPS. Sherman gives the group advanced warning of the impending Decepticon assault, and the Autobots and humans scramble to get ready to escape. Megatron's group arrives to find the junkyard deserted, at least until Hound pops up and starts shooting. Megatron returns fire. The Autobot group heads into the nearby town, where Drift swiftly disables the tracking device on Bee. Grimlock and [[Slug (AOE)|Slug]] ambush the TRF forces en route to the town. Santos has a swarm of unmanned drones sent in. The Decepticons arrive in the middle of town and immediately spot Sqweeks, which draws Izabella out in an attempt to save the tiny Autobot. Cade detonates the explosives hidden around town and flees with Izabella, pursued by Barricade. The 'Con is knocked aside by Grimlock, who also devours Dreadbot. As the battle rapidly turns against the Decepticons, with Onslaught being killed by Drift and Crosshairs, Megatron calls a retreat. Mohawk, however, is left behind and is subsequently reduced to a head by Bumblebee. Cade, Izabella, and Jimmy take cover in a disused church as the TRF drones move in, however the drones continue to pursue them through the church. Cade and Izabella take two of them out, but Jimmy tries to bluff a third, banking on the idea it's using facial recognition. He gets shot anyway, but fortunately it was only a beanbag.

The trio head into another disused building and enter a lift where they encounter Cogman, who announces he's come to collect Cade. The discussion ends when a drone arrives, and Cade ends up clinging to it as it flies wildly around the street. Cogman phones Sir Burton to report the bad news, but fortunately Cade survives his impromptu flight, partly thanks to the Talisman protecting him from bullets. He manages to ride another drone to the ground and is met by Cogman who explains that he's important because of the Talisman. Crosshairs attempts to prevent Cogman from doing anything, only for the smaller robot to break his finger. Cogman convinces Cade to go with him and leave the others. Cade and Bee accompany Cogman on a plane to England.

Morshower and Lennox track the flight, and note that Megatron's group is giving pursuit. Lennox is ordered to take the TRF team to the UK as well.

Simmons calls Sir Burton to let him know a book has been tracked down. NASA continues tracking the incoming planet, now identified as Cybertron. Quintessa reveals to Optimus that Earth is actually [[Unicron]] and that they're going to kill him with the staff, an act which will destroy Earth and restore Cybertron. Optimus's optics turn purple as Quintessa addresses him as "Nemesis Prime". Optimus swears to fight anyone who interferes with his new mission.

[[File:TLKWW2Flashback.jpg|left|upright=1.6|thumb|Nazis. I hate those guys.]]
Viviane and her family watch a news report on the giant horns. Conversation turns to her dead father, and her mother suggests she check her father's study in case there's anything useful for her work. Disinterested, she instead gets into her car where an invitation falls out of the glove compartment. The car takes off of its own accord and starts driving her through the streets of [[London]]. When she smashes a window, the car complains in a French accent and throws her into the trunk. She calls for help, having realized she's in a Transformer, and the car [[scanning|scans]] a passing Lamborghini, reconfiguring itself into a copy of the other vehicle.

Cade's plane lands at Sir Burton's castle, where he and Bumblebee are shot at by [[Bulldog (TLK)|a tank Transformer]]. Sir Burton apologizes and takes a look at the Talisman. [[Hot Rod (DOTM)|Hot Rod]] arrives carrying Viviane, who is unhappy at being kidnapped. Once things calm down, Sir Burton explains he's the last of the [[Order of the Witwiccans]]. Cade's boorish behavior towards Viviane results in him being assaulted by Cogman. Sir Burton shows off portraits of his family tree and the Witwiccans, and relates how the Transformers have been helping humans for centuries, such as when Bumblebee and Hot Rod took part in [[World War II]]. They head to another building which houses the original [[Round Table]] used by King Arthur and his knights when they teamed up with the twelve [[Guardian Knight]]s. Further there is a legend that a last knight would be found and thanks to possessing the Talisman, that's Cade. Only Merlin's DNA can unlock the power of the staff, which is where Viviane comes in as a direct descendant of Merlin. She has no idea where the staff might be though. Further discussion is halted as [[Secret Intelligence Service|MI6]] and TRF forces arrive to assault the castle. Despite [[Lieutenant|one of the elderly Autobots]] attempting to defend the castle only to power down as a result of his aging, Hot Rod's time stopper weapon gives the group enough time to escape.

[[File:TLK Bumblebee car attack.jpg|thumb|right|300px|How does one get off this thing?!]]
Simmons makes an irate call to Sir Burton, who is currently being pursued through London and is late for the appointment at [[Trinity Library]]. Bumblebee arrives at Viviane's house with her and Cade, and the pair start rifling through her father's study in search of a clue. Sir Burton's dropped off at the library, but Simmons demands to be inducted into the Order of Witwiccans before he'll point Sir Burton to the [[Book of Cyber-Kells]], which reveals Earth is Unicron and points them to [[Stonehenge]]. After experiencing flashbacks to her childhood whilst touching a [[three-headed dragon pendant|pendant]] in a matching [[three-headed dragon urn|urn]], Cade and Viviane find a clue in an old popup book which points them to the [[HMS Alliance|HMS ''Alliance'']] at a {{w|Royal Navy Submarine Museum|naval museum}}. The TRF arrive at the house. Meanwhile, Sir Burton and Cogman switch cars and a high-speed chase through the streets of London ensues. Cade and Viviane, now also making a getaway in Bumblebee, let them know about the navy museum. Cogman manages to shake his pursuers while Bumblebee manages to shake Barricade by blasting the Decepticon.

Bumblebee reaches the naval museum at the same time as Cogman and Sir Burton, and they have the HMS ''Alliance'' evacuated. Sir Burton leaves the others to it, explaining that the submarine, in reality a Transformer, knows the way to the staff. The sub launches, with Bumblebee clinging to the exterior so he cam come along for the ride. The sub's departure is noted by TRF and they track it as it heads away from England. The TRF scramble their own submersibles to give chase. A nuclear sub fires missiles at the ''Alliance'' which responds by ramming the other sub and diving deeper into the ocean. Cogman fires himself out through a torpedo tube.

Sir Burton arrives at Number 10 to see the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]], but is turned away. Cogman returns to the sub with a couple of fish he's caught. Viviane and Cade share clumsy sexual chemistry until Cogman reveals he's made sushi as a "last meal". Sir Burton takes a secret back entrance into Number 10 to talk to the PM, holding off security by threatening to release the [[watch that killed Hitler]]. Sir Burton tells the PM to mobilize the military to Stonehenge. The ''Alliance'' zeros in on a vast undersea Transformer ship, which lights up as they approach. The pursuing TRF subs also spot the ship, but have to make their own way in after the airlock doors close behind the ''Alliance''. The ''Alliance'' surfaces beyond the airlock, and the group starts exploring.

[[File:TLKOptimusVsBumblebee.jpg|left|upright=1.6|thumb|Two selfless martyrs. Jesus Christ!]]
Back at the junkyard, Izabella, Sqweeks, and Crosshairs look up at the approaching Cybertron. Elsewhere, NASA and [[European Space Agency|ESA]] scientists give a briefing as the approaching planet scrapes the surface of the [[Moon (moon)|Moon]]. The doomsday news is broadcast on [[television]] around the world. The subs carrying the TRF teams led by Lennox and Santos emerge into an air pocket, and they move out. Daytrader arrives back at the junkyard with the [[Knight Ship|Autobots' ship]], and the group there prepares to head to England to help out. Cade and Viviane find a chamber holding motionless Guardian Knights. Cybertron moves into Earth's atmosphere, passing the [[International Space Station]]. Viviane touches a Celtic engraving which reveals [[Merlin's sarcophagus]], inside which they find a wooden staff. As the TRF moves through the same chamber, [[Skullitron|one of the knights]] springs to life. Cade keeps it distracted as the TRF attacks it, eventually bringing it down. Viviane grabs the wooden staff which transforms into metal in her hands. Lennox and Santos attempt to get her to hand it over, but she reveals only she can use it. More knights revive and attack, however a short time later, Optimus kills them and forces Viviane to turn the staff over to him. Sending the others back to the sub, Cade, Lennox, and Bumblebee go after Optimus.

[[File:TLK-Cade wields Excalibur.jpg|right|thumb|300px|You're strangely dressed... for a knight.]]
Bumblebee fights with Optimus atop the vast ship as it comes to the surface. Bumblebee manages to get the better of his former leader, and Cade attempts to persuade Optimus to stop fighting. As the ship rises out of the water, Optimus is able to get the upper hand and is prepared to end Bumblebee when Bee manages to talk in his own voice. Shaking Quintessa's influence, Optimus drops his sword, just in time for Megatron and Nitro to swoop in and claim the staff. After the Decepticons leave, the remaining Guardian Knights emerge from the ship and are ready to execute Optimus for aiding Quintessa's cause. The Talisman transforms into a sword which Cade uses to block the killing strike, and the Knights recognize Cade as a knight. Though Prime is ready to die, Cade talks him out of sacrificing himself, and Optimus announces they have to destroy Quintessa with the other Autobots show up in their ship.

[[File:TLK-Knightstogether.jpg|thumb|left|300px|He chose...''poorly''.]]

Cybertron makes touchdown on Earth, causing untold destruction. Megatron arrives at Stonehenge with the staff. Lennox contacts Morshower with the coordinates for the "end game", an [[ignition chamber]] which is part of one of the dangling pieces of Cybertron and military forces move in. Cade comes up with a plan to load Ospreys onto the Autobot ship so they can get close enough to the ignition chamber to land. NASA thinks this is a bad plan and works on an alternate idea. The massive ship continues towards Stonehenge where the Decepticons, along with Sir Burton and the military forces, are waiting. At Sir Burton's signal, the military opens fire on the Decepticons as the massive ship arrives directly overhead. The Autobots regroup with Cade and the TRF, and Optimus Prime gives a stirring speech before blasting off. Cogman manages to find Sir Burton, who had been blasted by Megatron sometime prior to the Autobots' arrival, shortly before he expires.

Megatron returns to the Ignition Chamber where Quintessa is waiting. She plugs the staff into the floor, and lightning starts arcing about. The pieces of Cybertron start moving about and joining, causing those on the ground to run for their lives. Massive worldwide destruction ensues. As the Autobot ship carries Autobots, knights and humans up to their fates, Cade asks Viviane out on a date. Jets soften up the defenses around the ignition chamber while the humans all board the Ospreys, and Cade has it out with Santos. Shamed, the TRF troops all rip off their insignias. The Ospreys launch, and Izabella and Sqweeks reveal they've stowed away on the one carrying Cade and Viviane. Covered by the jets and the giant three-headed dragon, the Ospreys head to the ignition chamber, and crash-land on the surface. The landing site is immediately a war zone as Megatron and his Decepticons stand in their way. Lennox spots the entrance to the chamber, but the team is pinned down by a gun emplacement. Izabella instructs Sqweeks to go blow the gun emplacement up. [[Infernocus]] forms under Megatron's orders and knocks Bumblebee and company out of the air.

[[File:TLKEnding.jpg|right|upright=1.6|thumb|May we go home now, please?]]
Meanwhile, the NASA scientists have come up with a plan to use [[Nuclear weapon|nukes]] to cause a nearby chunk of Cybertron to destroy the ignition chamber. Morshower contacts Lennox to let him know the new plan, and the TRF forces start withdrawing. Sqweeks succeeds in blowing up the gun emplacement. Optimus arrives aboard the dragon and takes out Infernocus. As the TRF troops parachute off the platform, the jets nuke the neighbouring chunk of Cybertron. Viviane drops her parachute and heads back towards the chamber, followed by Cade. The chunk hits the platform containing the chamber, however despite the devastating impact, the chamber continues to function.

[[File:Transformers_5_Unicron.jpg|left|upright=1.6|thumb|Trust no one.]]
The chamber tumbles down until it comes to rest on another part of Cybertron. Inside, chaos reigns as the Autobots and Decepticons fight and Viviane grabs the staff. Optimus kicks Megatron through a wall shortly before another impact sends the chamber tumbling out of the sky. Bumblebee kills Nitro Zeus and blasts Quintessa as Optimus manages to distract her. Quintessa vanishes in a flash of blue light. Viviane finally pulls the staff free, shutting down the Ignition Chamber just before it crashes to the ground. Optimus dramatically drives out of the cloud of debris raised by its impact, carrying Cade and Viviane. As everyone reunites, Optimus gives another stirring speech about how Earth and Cybertron are now joined as one before the Autobots depart for Cybertron alongside the guardian knights.

Meanwhile, back in Namibia, Quintessa, now in a human form, walks up to one of the scientists studying the giant metal horn and offers to tell him how to kill Unicron.
{{--}}

==Main cast==
{{featuredcharacters|
h1=[[Autobot]]s|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime/Nemesis Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] ([[Erik Aadahl]])
*[[Hot Rod (DOTM)|Hot Rod]] ([[Omar Sy]])<ref name="scratch">Certain lines from these characters are not delivered by their credited actors, but the fill-in actors who performed the "scratch track" for the movie, whose recordings have survived into the finished film.</ref>
*[[Hound (Movie)|Hound]] ([[John Goodman]])
*[[Drift (AOE)|Drift]] ([[Ken Watanabe]])
*[[Crosshairs (AOE)|Crosshairs]] ([[John DiMaggio]])
*[[Cogman]] ([[Jim Carter]])<ref name="scratch"/>
*[[Sqweeks]] ([[Reno Wilson]])
*[[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] ([[Tom Kenny]])
*[[Daytrader]] ([[Steve Buscemi]])
*[[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin/"Volleybot"]] ([[Steven Barr]])
*[[Canopy]]<ref name="uncredited">Denotes a character who speaks, but has no credited voice actor. The internet has popularly attributed these roles to DiMaggio, Barr, and Welker, variously, but often incorrectly, and with no proof; more likely, at least some are performed by scratch track actors and were not replaced for the finished film.</ref>
*[[Bulldog (TLK)|Bulldog]] ([[Mark Ryan]])
*[[Lieutenant]] (Mark Ryan)
*[[Trench]]
*[[HMS Alliance|HMS ''Alliance'' Autobot]]
'''[[Dinobot (AOE)|Dinobots]]'''
*[[Grimlock (AOE)|Grimlock]]
*[[Slug (AOE)|Slug]]
*[[Mini Dinobot|Baby Dinobots]]
**[[Sharp-T]]
**[['Tops]]
**[[Pterry]]

|h2=[[Decepticon]]s|c2=
*[[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] ([[Jess Harnell]])<ref name="scratch"/>
*[[Nitro Zeus]] (John DiMaggio/Steven Barr)<ref>Nitro Zeus' voice actor varies depending on the version of the film (see "[[#Other versions|Other versions]]," below). The "finished" version shown in English-speaking countries features John DiMaggio, and the other, shown internationally, features Steven Barr. Both the home video and digital releases of the film credit both actors.</ref>
*[[Mohawk]] (Reno Wilson)
*[[Onslaught (ROTF)|Onslaught]]<ref name="uncredited"/>
*[[Dreadbot]]
*[[Berserker]]<ref name="uncredited"/>
*[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]]'s head
*[[Protoform]]s
*[[Junkheap (AOE)|Junkheap]]-type Decepticons

|h3=[[Human]]s|c3=
*[[Cade Yeager]] ([[Mark Wahlberg]])
*[[Viviane Wembly]] ([[Laura Haddock]])
*[[Izabella]] ([[Isabela Merced]])
*[[Edmund Burton|Sir Edmund Burton]] ([[Anthony Hopkins]])<ref name="scratch"/>
*[[Seymour Simmons]] ([[John Turturro]])
*[[Jimmy (TLK)|Jimmy]] ([[Jerrod Carmichael]])
*[[Merlin]] ([[Stanley Tucci]])
*[[King Arthur]] ([[Liam Garrigan]])
*[[JPL Engineer]] ([[Tony Hale]])
'''[[Transformers Reaction Force]]'''
*[[Santos]] ([[Santiago Cabrera]])
*[[William Lennox]] ([[Josh Duhamel]])
*[[Morshower]] ([[Glenn Morshower]])

|h4=Others|c4=
*[[Quintessa (TLK)|Quintessa]] ([[Gemma Chan]])
*[[Infernocus]]
**[[Infernocon]]s
*[[Unicron]]
*[[Watch that killed Hitler]]
*[[Vatti Bot]]

'''[[Guardian Knight]]s'''
*[[Dragonstorm]]
**[[Stormreign]]<ref name="uncredited"/>
**[[Dragonicus]]
**[[Steelbane]]
**[[Executioner Knight]]
*[[Skullitron]]<ref name="uncredited"/>
*[[Talisman Knight]]<ref name="uncredited"/>

|nonumbering=true
}}
{{reflist|close=1}}

==Quotes==
"All right, I am what they say. I'm a liar, a charlatan. I've deceived my whole life, but if I could, for one moment, change this world for the better, I would give up everything! Everything! I'd give up drink! Money! Wom- ...Drink and money!"
:—'''Merlin'''

"You dare to strike your ''God?!'' Your war ''doomed'' Cybertron!" 
"Megatron started the war-" 
"''You'' destroyed your world, you fool!"
:—'''Quintessa''' shows '''Optimus''' who's boss after slapping him.

[In a Siri-type voice] 
"Daytrader is a punk-ass bitch."
:—'''Bumblebee''' isn't happy.

"There is a way to heal your world. My power of creation, the staff, was stolen from me by my twelve Guardian Knights. They betrayed me, and hid it on Earth. Gave it to your ''precious'' humans...the staff is the only way to bring life back to Cybertron. You are going to find it for me. Do you seek redemption, Prime? ''Do'' you?" 
"My maker, I ''do''." 
:—'''Quintessa''' coaxes a half-brainwashed '''Optimus''' to her side.

"The end is near, my old treacherous friend... what a shame you'll be unable to see it."
:—'''Megatron''' musing to the decapitated head of Starscream

"Go to hell!" 
"'This planet ''is'' hell!"
:—'''Izabella''' and '''Megatron''' exchange smack talk

"Don't kill the messenger... or the messenger will kill ''you''."
:—'''Cogman'''

"You are needed, sir. Urgently. My master is fond of saying that all the important decisions in life often come down to just one moment."
:—'''Cogman''' impresses on Cade the gravity of the situation.

"Introductions. Miss Viviane Wembly: Master of History, Oxford; Doctor of Philosophy, also Oxford; and Doctor of Letters, Oxford again, I think. Anything else? Anyway, meet Cade." 
"...''Yeager''. Cade Yeager. I'm an inventor."
:—'''Sir Edmund Burton''' and '''Cade Yeager'''

'''Hot Rod:''' "Bonjour, chérie! Je m'appelle Hot Rôd." 
'''Viviane:''' "Ut what?" 
'''Hot Rod:''' "Hot ''Rôd.''" 
'''Viviane''' "Hut Rud?" 
'''Hot Rod:''' "''Hot Rôd!''" 
'''Sir Edmund Burton:''' "Hot. Rod." 
'''Hot Rod:''' "Mhmm." 
'''Sir Edmund Burton:''' "It's his French accent." 
'''Viviane:''' "Is he French?" 
'''Sir Edmund Burton:''' "No, he just likes the accent." 
'''Hot Rod:''' "Non! No no no, I ''HATE'' the accent! But I can't get rid of it! I'm ''stuck'' with the accent!"
:—Everybody loves '''Hot Rod'''.

"Bee?" 
"Yes." 
"But he's so nice." 
"Behind the lines during the war they called him many things... nice was never one of them." 
:—'''Cade''' and '''Sir Edmund''' on Bumblebee's past.

[Cogman is playing the organ] 
"You ruined the moment again." 
"I was trying to make the moment more epic"
:—'''Cogman''' annoying '''Sir Edmond Burton''' and practicing for Britain's Got Talent.

"Optimus... it is time you knew the truth. The place you call Earth has another name: Unicron." 
"Earth... Unicron? Cybertron's ancient enemy?" 
"Yes. You are going to kill him. With my staff, we will drain the very life from Unicron. Earth ''will die''." 
"Yes..." 
"And your world will be reborn... ''Nemesis Prime.''" 
"I will fight anyone who stands in my way."
:—'''Quintessa''' coaxes a completely brainwashed <s>'''Optimus'''</s> '''Nemesis Prime''' to her side.

"I-I am Bumblebee... Your oldest friend! Optimus... I would lay down my life for you."
:—'''Bumblebee''' regains his voice, and Optimus regains his mind.

"You blew your chance to kill Unicron!" 
"I knew you couldn't do it! Your time is over, Prime. You ''FAILED''! You turned your back on Cybertron, now you will watch Earth ''DIE''!"
:—'''Nitro Zeus''' and '''Megatron''' denounce Optimus after his redemption.

"Knights, Autobots - this cannot and will not be the end. To save Earth and her people, we are going to steal Quintessa's staff. Only you, Viviane, can take it back. I will lead the way into her chamber, and when the account of the ages is etched into the cosmos, let those who exist long after us know that this was our finest hour!"
:—'''Optimus''' rallies his new and old allies before the final battle.

"Did you forget who I am? ''I AM OPTIMUS PRIME!''"
:—'''Optimus''' as he effortlessly kills the Infernocons. [[Commercial/Generation 2|They should've run for cover]], or at least DUCKED.

"We were brothers once!" 
"''Once.''"
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Optimus Prime'''

"At the heart of every legend, there is truth: a few brave souls unite to save the world. We can be heroes in our own lives, every one of us, if we only have the courage to try. Our fates were always intertwined, but now our worlds are joined as one. We need to repair our planets, work together, if we wish to survive. A dangerous secret is buried deep inside the Earth. There is more to this planet than meets the eye. I am Optimus Prime, calling all Autobots... It is time to come ''home''."
:—'''Optimus Prime'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s closing narration.

==Continuity notes==
*Optimus left Earth at the end of [[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|the last movie]], to look for the mysterious [[Creator]]s. The [[Seed]] he was carrying is absent and its fate is unmentioned, but he ''did'' say he was going to take it where "it could never be found," so perhaps he accomplished that first. As for the Creators, they are left ambiguous; Quintessa professes to have created the [[Transformer|Cybertronian]] race, but no attempt is made to connect or reconcile her with the biomechanical alien arm seen in ''Age of Extinction'', and she is labelled "the great deceiver" by the knights, throwing anything she claims into question.
*It seemed as though Cybertron was disintegrated at the end of ''Dark of the Moon'', but it was unclear if what we were seeing was literal, or just an exaggerated visual of the space bridge collapsing and the planet disappearing with it (this was a film in which a planet could be "half-teleported" and be absolutely fine, after all). Here, it appears partially broken-apart, chunks of the planet tethered to the rest by cables.
*Merlin mentions that Cybertron was "destroyed"; he's not referring to ''Dark of the Moon'' (which, obviously, hadn't happened yet at that time), but to the planet being ravaged by the war, and left barren and lifeless by the loss of the [[AllSpark]] prior to the [[Transformers (film)|first movie]].
*As per the end of ''Age of Extinction'', Drift has only one of his two longswords, having evidently never recovered the other after he hurled it into a [[KSI Sentry]] during the final act of the film. However, see "[[#Errors|Errors]]".
*Wheelie and Topspin reappear following their absence from the previous film, both revealed to have survived [[Cemetery Wind]]'s Autobot hunt. Given that [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] was indicated to have been killed by Cemetery Wind in ''Age of Extinction'' tie-in material, the only Autobots that survived the end of ''Dark of the Moon'' whose current status (i.e. around the timeframe of this film) are unknown are [[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] and [[Dino]], who were listed by [[Harold Attinger]]'s deck of dead-or-alive Transformers cards as not being "eliminated".
*The Dinobots were "set free" by Optimus at the end of the last movie, though at least some of them have since joined up with the main Autobot team in hiding, presumably for pragmatic reasons. Unnamed in dialogue in the previous film, Grimlock is here called by name (by Cade), the only Dinobot named on-screen.
*Izabella mentions that her parents were killed during the Decepticon invasion of Chicago in ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon]]''.
*Morshower says that America has made deals with the devil before to get while they want. While there's certainly a lot of real-world basis for this claim that is beyond the scope of discussion for this wiki, in the context of the films, mention could be made of the [[United Nations]] agreeing to [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]]'s demands for the Earth Autobots to be evicted from the planet only to backfire horribly for humanity.
*Cade's daughter Tessa was a soon to graduate high school student in ''Age of Extinction'', and she has since gone on to college.
*Starscream was killed by a [[NEST]] boomstick at the climax of ''Dark of the Moon''. ''Age of Extinction'' established that scavengers had salvaged many objects from the Battle of Chicago, explaining why Daytrader found his head in Buffalo.
*The T.R.F.'s prison facility is labeled "[[Non-Biological Extraterrestrial|N.B.E.]] Supermax", in reference to [[Sector Seven]]'s acronym for the Transformers.
*The dagger gun used by Cade in ''Age of Extinction'' can be seen when he and Jimmy are gathering weapons as the TRF are approaching the junkyard.
*Megatron addresses Starscream's disembodied head as "my treacherous old friend". Back in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', Megatron accused Starscream of abandoning him to die in the [[Transformers (film)|first movie]]. We wouldn't call that a justified accusation, but what can we do? It's the word of a dead skull against that of the universe's greatest warlord.
*When Viviane is abducted by Hot Rod, she asks if her captor is a famous Transformer such as [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] or [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]], unaware that they both died in ''Dark of the Moon''.
*Pictures of [[Sam Witwicky]] and [[Archibald Witwicky]] are briefly visible in Burton's mansion. Burton's claim that he is the last living member of the Witwiccans indirectly implies that either Sam died off-screen after his last appearance in ''Dark of the Moon'', or simply being a Witwicky wasn't enough to count as membership.
*Multiple photographs, newspaper clippings, and other memorabilia in Burton's mansion depict Megatron, Starscream, Optimus Prime, Shockwave, Drift, Hound, [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]], Bumblebee, and ''The Last Knight''-introduced characters, Hot Rod, Bulldog, four Guardian Knights, and more generic 'bots: [[Samurai Knight]], [[WWII Plane Transformer]], and [[Da Vinci Bot]] as part of human history. However, see "[[#Errors|Errors]]".
*A [[Pillar]] and the ''Ark'' fuel cell are briefly visible as a part of the many historical artifacts in Burton's mansion.
*Daytrader gives the Autobots [[Knight Ship|Lockdown's ship]], which was last seen being attacked by [[People's Liberation Army|Chinese military]] jets in Hong Kong.
*The ''Ark'' is briefly seen on the Moon, where it was revealed to be back in ''Dark of the Moon'', having been left there untouched in the years since, along with the site of the [[Apollo 11]] moon landing.
*Among the landmarks trashed by the hanging chunks of Cybertron is the [[Great Pyramid of Giza]], where the climax of ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' took place. The top of the pyramid is still missing following the events of that movie, in which it was torn open to reveal the [[Star Harvester]].
*Optimus remarks that he has not heard Bumblebee's voice "since Cybertron fell". This is actually foreshadowing to the prequel film ''[[Bumblebee (film)|Bumblebee]]'', which features Bee talking to Optimus in his normal voice in the Cybertron prologue. However, see "[[#Errors|Errors]]".
*The Autobots and Decepticons are seen using [[Orbital Assault Carrier]]s, which have been featured in the movie series since ''Dark of the Moon''.
*The Baby Dinobots appear without any form of explanation as to where they come from or what exactly they are.

==Transformers references==
*The jars of green goo that Izabella tosses to distract the TRF Sentinels have [[Energon]] in them.<ref name="MegatronScar">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mke7biooPA4&ab_channel=TFcon The Explanation for Megatron's Red Face Paint in Transformers The Last Knight Discussion at TFcon]</ref>
*Cade and the Autobots use a [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)|junkyard as a base]].
*[[Hot Rod (DOTM)|Hot Rod]] and [[Onslaught (ROTF)|Onslaught]] take their names from Generation 1 characters, but they have little relevance to their progenitors as far as appearance, personality, or role in the story goes.
*At some point in the movie, the [[Guardian Knight]]s are also referred as "Knights of [[Iacon]]", a name that is usually associated to Autobot-controlled cities and/or military headquarters on Cybertron in other continuities.
*Quintessa is inspired by the [[Quintesson]]s, the extraterrestrials antagonists from season 3 of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original 1980's cartoon]]. In the cartoon continuity, the Quintessons were the creators of the Transformers, in the same way that Quintessa claims to be in the film.
*[[Unicron]] is the ancient enemy of [[Primus]]/Cybertron, who was introduced in ''The Transformers: The Movie''. The idea of Unicron being Earth is derived from the ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' cartoon, in which the planet formed around his dormant body. Whether or not these particulars hold true for the movie's incarnation of Unicron remains to be seen.
* When Optimus Prime falls under Quintessa's control, he is dubbed "[[Nemesis Prime (disambiguation)|Nemesis Prime]]", an obvious reference to the evil clone/alternate version/corrupted future of Optimus Prime that has appeared in many continuities.
* Several Transformers introduced in this film have altered designs from past films, yet are entirely new characters nevertheless. Onslaught and [[Canopy]] are both altered versions of [[Long Haul (ROTF)|Long Haul]], [[Nitro Zeus]] employs the same body design as the [[KSI Boss]]es but has a head modified from [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]]'s, [[Dreadbot]] is an altered version of [[Crowbar]], [[Berserker]] reuses [[Crankcase (DOTM)|Crankcase]], [[Trench]] is the same body-type as [[Scrapper (ROTF)|Scrapper]] and [[Scrapmetal (ROTF)|Scrapmetal]], and [[Lieutenant]] is a much smaller modified model of [[Jetfire (Movie)|Jetfire]]. Also, despite being based off Constructicons, Canopy and Trench are both Autobots.
* Edmund Burton claims Cogman is a [[Headmaster (technology)|"headmaster"]], which is typically a human-sized bot that transforms into the head of a larger bot. While this reference ''is'' borne out by his [[Cogman#Toys|Deluxe Class toy]], which features a larger vehicle body and a detachable head, indicating it was ''supposed'' to be part of the film, it didn't happen on-screen.
* Burton's walking stick makes the classic transformation sound when it turns into a gun.

==Real-life references==
*King Arthur, Merlin and the associated knights are from British legend. The battle depicted at the beginning of the movie is the {{w|Battle of Badon}}.
*The TRF Sentinel that attacks Bumblebee and the kids bears resemblance to the ED-209 from ''Robocop'', with a nearly identical leg design.
*Jimmy says that when Cade is away from the junkyard, the Autobots are so rowdy that it becomes the ''{{w|Wild Kingdom}}''.
*When Bumblebee calls Izabella over to have his voice box replaced, he states "Doc, come in, Doc", using a voice quote by [[Marty McFly]] in ''[[Back to the Future]] Part II''.
*The bogus voice box Bumblebee gets from Daytrader has the voice of {{w|Siri}}, the AI assistant found in most iPhones.
*Crosshairs calls Cogman a "[[C-3PO]] ripoff".
*Sir Edmund Burton quotes the song ''{{w|It's a Long Way to Tipperary}}'' in reference to World War I.
*While evading the constabulary in London, Cogman breaks into an impromptu rendition of Ludacris's 2002 hit "{{w|Move Bitch}}", though he incorrectly sings "get out of my way" rather than "get out the way".
*Optimus' speech before the final battle begins ends with the line "let those who exist long after us know that this was our finest hour", paraphrasing one of [[Winston Churchill]]'s most {{w|This was their finest hour|famous speeches}}.
*Optimus saying "Say hello to my friend, Bumblebee!" is loosely based on the line "Say hello to my little friend!" from ''Scarface''.

==Other editions==
==="International" version===
Two versions of the film were released to theaters: one screened in English-speaking countries, which seems to be the "finished" version, and another shown internationally, with foreign language subtitles, which appears to be an earlier version. There are numerous differences in dialogue between the two versions, with some lines being dropped, added, or changed completely for the finished version, including ones that even help to make the film make more sense!
*When Hound shows up when TRF are talking to Bee and Cade, in the finished version he says, "Sorry I'm late! My invitation to this ass-kicking must have gotten lost in the mail." The alternate version has him say "Mornin', fellas! I like showing up to a gun fight! This round mound's gonna mow you down. Translation: Sayonara, suckers!"
*When Barricade meets Megatron to report about the Staff. In the finished version, Barricade replies to Megatron, "I know who can lead us to them", however in the alternate version, he states, "But I know who can lead us to them."
*When Crosshairs sits on the orbital assault carrier in the junkyard, in the finished version he says, "Losing our heads sitting around here, So tired of hiding.", while in the alternate version, he says "Ughhhhh, so bored on this forsaken rock.". Take note that his lip syncing is supposed to pair up with the alternate version's dialogue.
*When Hound arrives in the junkyard, he tosses aside a weapons cache that explodes on impact behind him. For some reason, the film plays this as a "flatulence" gag, though it differs between versions; in the finished version, Hound says "I shouldn't have eaten all of that Tijuana street machinery!" while in the alternate version, he says "Woah, been holding that one in for a while!"
*When Daytrader says "You always resort to violence, right off the bat!", in the finished version Hound replies "I love violence!". Hound does not reply in the alternate version.
*Hound has an extra line about wanting to "deep-six" Daytrader in the alternate cut right before the Vatti Bot appears, whereas he remains silent in the final edition.
*Izabella laughs at Cade's attempts to make Grimlock spit out the cruiser in the alternate cut. She smiles, but remains silent in the final version.
*When Jimmy and Wheelie argue, the finished version has Wheelie back down a bit when Jimmy threatens and grabs him, with Wheelie adding that Jimmy is the worst "senior vice president ever". In the alternate cut, Wheelie continues to berate him, threatening "I'll have my Autobot brethren kick your ass!". Oddly, he still flails his hands around when he's not saying anything in the latter version, meaning his animation is meant to be paired with the "finished" audio.
*In the "earlier" version, all of Nitro Zeus's dialogue is provided by Steven Barr, and the actor receives an on-screen credit for the role. For the "finished" version, it was all re-recorded by John DiMaggio (with the credits altered to reflect the change), with some differences. During his introduction, for instance, the finished version has him say: "I know where you live, Enrique, say hello to your wife for me!" while the other, he says: "By the way, Enrique, Chet's sleeping with your wife!" Though in the international version, after said dialogue, DiMaggio's laughter can be heard.
*When arriving at the Junkyard, DiMaggio-Nitro remarks "Aw man, I kicked more ass in prison!" upon learning that Cade and co. have left, while in the alternate version Barr-Nitro says "Unfortunate, because I was looking to knock some heads!".
*While Megatron is musing to the head of Starscream, as he says "The end is near", DiMaggio-Nitro cuts in with "Oh, she's coming!" while Barr-Nitro remains silent.
*When the Decepticons arrive in the abandoned town, Barr-Nitro says: "I know they're close!" while DiMaggio-Nitro says: "Oh, I feel a fight comin'!"
*In the final film, when the Autobots discover the tracker planted on Bumblebee, Crosshairs remarks "The tracker led 'em right to us! When are you gonna grow up?" but in the alternate version, he says "What's this? You brought 'em right to us!"
*In the final film, after Drift kills Onslaught ("and his fat head!"), Crosshairs remarks, "Don't get any deader than that!" In the alternate version, Crosshairs is silent, and Drift instead says "Fantastic!" after his quip about Onslaught's head. In the final film, Drift's lips are still visibly moving at the point when he says "Fantastic!" in the alternate cut.
**Also, note that Crosshairs' gun's sound effect fires faster in the international version than the finished version's.
*After the town battle, Crosshairs calls the TRF drones "gnats" as he shoots them down in the finished version. He remains silent in the alternate version.
*In the finished version, when Crosshairs is talking about Cogman he says, "Hey Cade, what's with the C-3PO ripoff?", but in the alternate version he says, "I'll swat this metal cockroach for you Cade."
*Crosshairs whines that his finger is broken in the background when Cogman is speaking to Cade in the finished version. He remains silent in the alternate version.
*As the WWII flashback begins, a closeup of the Nazi stronghold's entrance is added in the international version, while the final version has the clip omitted.
*Before the end of the WWII flashback, Hot Rod screams a French language version of "Take that!" in the finished version. He screams it twice in the alternate version.
*When Megatron steals the staff from Optimus, the "finished" film features Nitro Zeus saying: "You blew your chance to kill Unicron!" followed by Megatron saying: "I knew you couldn't do it. Your time is over, Prime! You failed!" The other has no Nitro Zeus dialogue, and instead features Megatron saying: "Quintessa, the most ruthless of our Gods, knew you couldn't do it. She knows I'm strong and you're weak."
*When the Guardian Knights attack Optimus, in the alternate version one of the Knights tells Prime "She put you under a spell!". In the finished version, that line was removed.
*After Cade saves Optimus, there is an extra shot of him dropping the Excalibur sword to the ground.
*Barricade has an extra line at Stonehenge in the alternate version, where he says "Yes! Drain Unicron! He will be powerless!"
*When Hot Rod flies to attack Infernocus, he responds "I got him!" in the finished version. In the international version, the original line is "I got him, Hound!".
*The finished version adds an extra line between Cade and Lennox on Cybertron about Optimus never having made it to the Ignition Chamber, while the alternate version never acknowledges his absence.
*After Cade says "Just grab my hand!", he shoots his gun to propel himself and Viviane closer to the staff.
*When Optimus Prime attacks Quintessa, In the finished version she says, "You traitor!", and Optimus retracts his faceplate. In the alternate version she says, "Nemesis! You traitor!", and Optimus's faceplate does not retract.
*The final version has Quintessa scream as Bumblebee blasts her, while Bumblebee quips "Sting like a bee!"—but in the other version, Quintessa is silent, and Bumblebee's dialogue is very slightly different, with him saying "''I'' sting like a bee."
*In the finished version, after the final battle, before the Autobots depart, Bumblebee crouches down and states, "You saved Prime." In the alternate version, Bumblebee is silent.

===Digital release===
[[File:TLK_BlueHound_vs_RedHound.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Hound was feeling a little ''blue.'']]
The home video release of the film on DVD and Blu-Ray uses the theatrical version, but with Hound's Red Cross symbols digitally recolored blue. The official digital release, however, changes a few other things:
*The scene of Wheelie checking the used car website has been removed.
*Hound's "Tijuana street machinery" line is replaced with his "been holding that one in" from the alternate version.
*A scene where Daytrader rummages through his backpack and accidentally pulls out a small [[Vatti Bot]] which Bumblebee angrily squashes, has been cut.
*Nitro Zeus' line "Unfortunate, because I was looking to knock some heads!" line from the alternate version is used in place of DiMaggio's "I kicked more ass in prison!", despite DiMaggio providing the voice for Nitro Zeus in every other scene. Both actors are credited for the role in the film's credits; this extends to the physical home video release as well, even though none of Barr's line are in those versions.

==Errors==
===Continuity errors===
*Sir Edmund says the battle depicted at the start of the movie took place in 484 AD, while a caption over the first present day scene says it takes place 1600 years later, which would result in the rest of the film taking place in 2084.
*Cybertron appears as smaller than Earth, when in ''Dark of the Moon'', it was significantly larger than it.
*Megatron has undergone some drastic changes since we last saw him in ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction]]''; he has changed his name back from "Galvatron," and he has acquired a new body that transforms normally as opposed to bursting into a cloud of [[Living metal#Live-action film series|Transformium]]. He has replaced his semi-truck alt mode with a Cybertronic jet. These changes are neither explained nor even ''acknowledged'' by the film, nor is it explained how he came to be in the service of Quintessa (aside from the suggestive presence of a red "scar" on his face like the one Quintessa inflicts on Prime when she brainwashes him).
**However, the fact that Lennox recognizes his voice despite a change in actor from [[Hugo Weaving]] to [[Frank Welker]] isn't an error; it just means that within the fictional world of the film, Megatron's voice hasn't changed.
*Cade blows up the cockpit of the dying knight's ship, yet as he walks away from it the cockpit is intact.
*After Cade says "I don't sell out friends", he looks to his right, but in the next shot he's looking to his left.
*When Barricade is speaking to Megatron, he has his left forearm weapon equipped in one shot, where shots before and after he does not.
*When Barricade throws the truck door, several fiery papers are strewn across the ground. Yet when the door hits the ground, none of the papers are there, nor is the area illuminated by flames.
*During the scene where Bumblebee reassembles his body, Cade hits Santos over the head with his door and shatters the glass. When Bumblebee later transforms and drives off, both windows are intact.
*Speaking of, how Bumblebee gained the ability to reassemble himself is completely unexplained.
*The removal of the Vatti Bot sequence in the digital version introduces a continuity error: Cade can be seen falling over when parts fall off Daytrader's back, but is suddenly standing up in the next shot.
*Absent for the rest of the film, Drift suddenly has his second longsword for one scene, using the two blades to raise himself into a meditation pose on the morning of the Decepticons' attack on the junkyard.
*Bumblebee tears out the "defective" voicebox yet is able to talk to Optimus later. Presumably he must have put his old one back in offscreen?
*Sqweeks is missing his scavenged Decepticon arm when the Decepticons invade the junkyard, his original arm appearing back in its place. It returns in all subsequent scenes with the character.
*The abandoned town the Autobots and humans seek refuge in has buildings which are a few stories tall at most, then Jimmy, Cade and Izabella are abruptly in a multi-story building with janitorial staff and an external lift when they encounter Cogman. After Cade's ride on a drone, they're suddenly back in the area with no tall buildings in sight.
*When the Decepticons arrive at the abandoned town, Nitro Zeus transforms and lands in front of the group, on the right side of the screen. However, when Izabella begins approaching the Decepticons, Nitro Zeus is now in the back and on the left of the screen.
*Brief shots of the Witwiccans and some of their artifacts depict various Transformers such as Hot Rod and Optimus Prime with their "modern" forms, years before they would take on such bodies, or arrive on Earth at all. It's possible these are intended to be generics who share more famous body types.
*When leaving Burton's mansion, the order of the vehicles are (from front to back) Bumblebee, Hot Rod and the Aston Martin. However, several shots later, Hot Rod and the Aston Martin have switched places.
*Bumblebee actually spoke with his real voice briefly at the end of the [[Transformers (film)|first film]], albeit with a different voice actor.
*When the knights charge at Optimus, at least eleven can be seen running across the ship. This excludes [[Skullitron]] and the [[Talisman Knight]], who died by this point—however, Quintessa confirms there are "twelve guardian knights"—not thirteen.
*When Optimus shouts, "Viviane! Get in here!", he and the Autobots are shooting at Megatron and Nitro Zeus from a distance, as the Decepticons guard the entrance to the ignition chamber. However, two shots later, they're both gone and the Autobots have moved all the way to the chamber's entrance.
*In ''Dark of the Moon'', Sam Witwicky thrusts a boomstick into Starscream's left eye, which causes Starscream's head to explode. Yet in this film Daytrader presents Starscream's head completely intact, somehow.
*Megatron refers to Starscream's decapitated head as his "treacherous friend", but this incarnation of Starscream never showed any disloyalty to Megatron.

===Technical/animation errors===
[[File:TLK-Mark-Yang-Hound-concept comparison.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
*A shot of two horsemen being hit by arrows and fireballs during the opening battle is "reused" five minutes later; the same scene was shot but from a different angle/camera.
*Hound's CGI vehicle mode model that was used for his transformation animations was based on [[Mark Yang]]'s concept artwork and wasn't altered to match [[:File:TLK-Mark-Yang-Hound-concept.jpg|the alternate version]] that the actual vehicle prop was based on.
*Before crashing on Cybertron, Optimus's sword was attached to his back—yet when he crash-lands, he's kneeling in a crater holding his sword. In the same scene, he audibly groans, but his mouth does not move.
*When Optimus meets Quintessa and tosses his shield away, it reappears on his arm in the very next shot before disappearing again, not being seen even on the floor next to him.
*When Cade and Izzy are fitting a new voice box into Bumblebee, it is clear that they are using a prop on set, with no sign of Bumblebee's body.
**A similar scene occurs later in the film: after Cade produces the Excalibur sword, he's standing on Optimus's back—which is obviously a prop as Optimus isn't moving at all.
*Onslaught is shown to have a redesigned head in his intro scene, one which resembles Brawl's, to showcase exaggerated speech. Yet it strangely reverts to Long Haul's head for the remainder of his screentime.
*Despite transforming into a larger vehicle, Dreadbot is visibly shorter than Barricade.
*When Megatron picks up Sqweeks, the handle to his ikakalaka sword is constantly flipping around between shots, before the sword itself disappears after Cade sets off the explosives, and reappearing as he shoots at Cade and Izabella before Grimlock arrives.
*After Cade sets off the explosions, Megatron can be heard shouting, "Get those vile beings!" When he rises from the smoke, his mouth opens as if he shouts something, but no words are heard.
*When Mohawk jumps on top of the car, Onslaught's head is shown leaning against the vehicle's left door. However, when Drift decapitated Onslaught, his head fell behind the car.
**And for some reason, two different cars are used for the shots. The doors of the car were also open when Drift decapitated Onslaught, but are closed when Mohawk jumps onto the car.
*In a handful of scenes, Hot Rod, Cogman, and Barricade's voices are not provided by their credited actors. The performers delivering these lines appear to be the fill-in actors who performed the "scratch track" for the movie, whose recordings survived into the finished film.
**When Cogman calls Burton after Cade falls out of the elevator, his line "I don't know, he just flew!" is not delivered by Jim Carter.
**Hot Rod's anomalous line—"She's very difficult!"—comes when he and Viviane arrive at Burton's estate. We can tell this is the scratch track because a promotional clip of the scene released before the film featured ''all'' of Hot Rod's dialogue being delivered by this actor, before Omar Sy recorded over it; his first line in the clip ("Leetle lady, non!") is replaced in the film (with "Non non non, leetle lady, why do you have to be zat way? Pour quoi?") but "She's very difficult!" remains unchanged.
**Barricade's non-Jess Harnell dialogue can be heard when the Decepticons arrive at Stonehenge ("I've lived for this! I've lived to kill a planet!" and "Drain Unicron! He will be powerless.").
*In the European French dub of the film, around half of Hound's lines are provided by [[Patrick Raynal]] instead of [[Benoît Allemane]], for unknown reasons. The voices are pretty similar, and the two actors relay each other all film long at random moments, sometimes even in two successive phrases.
*In the London car chase, the physical Mustang used for Barricade is missing the "'to punish and enslave...'", except in shots that presumably use the CGI model, where it has "'Keep calm and Hail Megatron'" instead. This phrase was part of the redesign, and at least one physical Mustang has it<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyzuKderOxE Unofficial upload] of behind-the-scenes material for ''The Last Knight''</ref>, but Barricade's appearance in the rest of the film uses "'to punish and enslave...'".
*When Cade, Viviane, and Cogman are aboard HMS ''Alliance'', there is a camera shot of Cade looking through the periscope with Cogman to the right of screen. The camera angle then changes and shows Viviane in another part of the chamber. The camera returns to Cade, Cogman has vanished. The camera pans back to Viviane again, then returns to Cade, with Cogman back in the shot.
*When the HMS ''Alliance'' Transformer crashes into the submarine, a similar scene, the shot of Megatron crashing into a submarine in ''Revenge of the Fallen'', is reused. This wouldn't be nearly as bad had Megatron not been removed from the shot—he can be seen flying towards the ocean's surface. A few of the clips and dialogue inside the sub are also reused from the aforementioned scene in ''Revenge of the Fallen''.
*After Bumblebee speaks and says "Optimus.", the subsequent shot of Optimus staring lasts too long, as his wristblade can briefly be seen retracting—however, this happens two shots later.
*When the Autobots are commenting on the Guardian Knights, Hound's mouth is animated to be saying something too soon before he actually begins speaking.
*When the group begins advancing on the ignition chamber, Hound is missing from his previous position behind them. He returns in the very next shot.
*As Optimus shouts, "Viviane! Get in here!", the ignition chamber can be seen in the background. However, the lightning Quintessa is producing between the giant knights is absent.
*When Optimus attacks Quintessa in the final battle, his faceplate is on, yet it disappears in the subsequent shot when he's being electrocuted. Then, after Quintessa is vanquished, it is put on again.
**Oddly, in the film's special edition, Optimus has the faceplate on throughout this scene—fixing the error.

===Geographic discontinuities===
*A road trip from the outskirts of Chicago to the Badlands of South Dakota takes about twelve hours, but Cade, Bumblebee, and Hound make the commute to and from Chicago all in the same day and are back by mid-afternoon.
*When the authorities arrive at Burton's mansion, it is noted that "TRF and MI6" are in pursuit. In real life, MI6 is the UK's ''external'' intelligence agency; it is more likely that {{w|MI5}}, the UK's domestic intelligence agency, would be the British central government's agency present.
*American street signs of the hanging green-coloured variety can be seen during the chase scene in London.
*Viviane leads her class from a large, expansive archaeological museum into the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. While there is an archaeological museum attached to the Natural History Museum, it looks nothing like the one featured in the film.
*The Royal Navy's submarine museum is nowhere near London as the movie depicts; it is actually in Gosport, Hampshire.
*Stonehenge is not as isolated in open countryside and from main roads as portrayed—the A303 among other roads runs past the monument. Also, the town of Amesbury is across said main road, less than two miles away.

==Tie-in material==
Two tie-in comics were published for the film: "[[A New Friend]]" by IDW Publishing as the promotion for both the film and Schick's Hydro line of electric razors, and "[[Mission to Cybertron]]" released exclusively for the Toys"R"Us exclusive Transformers: The Last Knight Blu-Ray Combo Pack.

==Music==
===Score===
{{main|The Last Knight (Music From the Motion Picture)}}
Continuing the tradition of the previous films, the music is once again composed by [[Steve Jablonsky]]. The ending theme of the movie is Torches by [[X Ambassadors]].

==Home video releases==
{{main|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)/home video}}

==Theatrical posters==
<center><gallery>
File:TLK Poster wide Dragonstorm.jpg|The big dragon is advertised as the big bad fighting Optimus. Now Dragonstorm knows how [[Predaking (Prime)|Predaking]] felt!
File:TLK Poster Rethink Heroes.jpg
File:TLK Poster.JPG|Divided We Fall.
File:TLK Poster Stonehenge.jpg|It's time for the Jedi to end.
File:TLK Poster Legend Secret.jpg|Yeah, this is like a 40-second scene in the film, so...
File:TLK Poster Here Forever.jpg
File:TLK Poster IMAX 3D.jpg|Dragonstorm, you forgot to wear clothes today!
File:TLK Poster char Optimus Prime.jpg|Optimus "Barely Appearing in this Movie" Prime
File:TLK Poster char Megatron.jpg|It took ten years, but we finally got [[Frank Welker|the king]] on the big screen, baby!
File:TLK Poster char Bumblebee.jpg
File:TLK Poster char Hound.jpg
File:TLK Poster char Hot Rod.jpg|''Watch me engagin' em, escapin' em, enragin' em!''
File:TLK Poster char Cogman.jpg
File:TLK Poster char Burton.jpg
File:TLK Poster char Lennox.jpg
File:TLK Poster char Yeager.jpg
File:TLK Poster char Izabella.jpg
File:TLK Poster char Jimmy.jpg
File:TLK Poster char Wembly.jpg
</gallery></center>

==Reception==

{{quote|[sighs] Here we go again.|[[BBC]] Radio 5 critic Mark Kermode on ''The Last Knight''<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ee6xh5AmQo Mark Kermode review]</ref>}}

''The Last Knight''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s critical reception was as poor as had come to be expected for the film franchise, even managing to set a new low record for Rotten Tomatoes score with 16%.<ref>[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_the_last_knight_2017 Transformers: The Last Knight (2017) - Rotten Tomatoes]</ref> However, after four films where critics hated it but the audience nonetheless showered it with money, ''The Last Knight'' broke the trend by ''not'' being showered with money. It had been projected to make $70–75m in its first days in North America, itself the lowest opening,<ref>[http://deadline.com/2017/06/spider-man-homecoming-hoping-to-catch-opening-in-the-100m-vicinity-1202114641/ Deadline, June 15th 20917: "‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ Hoping To Catch Opening In The $100M Vicinit"]</ref> but that was downgraded to $63m after the first few days were even lower than the lowest expected.<ref>[http://deadline.com/2017/06/transformers-the-last-knight-opening-weekend-box-office-1202118976/ "Deadline: ‘Transformers’ Still Rusty At $63M+"]</ref> In the end it made almost $70m over the first five days, better than the revised projection but lower than all of the previous films.<ref name="deadline.com">[http://deadline.com/2017/06/transformers-the-last-knight-opening-weekend-box-office-1202118976/ Deadline: "Why ‘Transformers’ Is Screaming For Reboot After $69M Start; ‘Wonder Woman’ & ‘Cars 3’ Fight Over 2nd Place"], 25th June 2017</ref> By mid-July, after over three weeks, the film had grossed $122.1m in North America against a $217m budget (not counting marketing costs). This meant a lot of critics began to zero in on the sluggish profit, taking the view that American audiences were just getting bored of Bay's version of the franchise.

Internationally the film did $196.2m in the same first five days, of which $123.4m came from [[China]] alone<ref name="deadline.com"/> (which loves the franchise so much delaying ''The Last Knight'' reduced 2016 cinema growth to 3%, down from 48% in 2015!)<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/robcain/2017/06/11/transformers-gears-up-for-another-1-billion-box-office-bounty/#659ff09e2325 Forbes: "'Transformers' Gears Up For Another $1 Billion Box Office Bounty"]</ref> The Chinese had been expected to spend up to $290m on the film's run.<ref>[http://variety.com/2017/film/asia/chinas-weying-boards-paramounts-transformers-the-last-knight-1202465635/ Variety:"China’s Weying Boards Paramount’s ‘Transformers: The Last Knight’"]</ref> However, in its second week in China takings dropped by a harsh 75% and after 10 days it had only grossed $198 million, which was seen as a disappointment—some pundits had expected $400m from China—and left it unlikely the film would perform as well as ''Age of Extinction'' had.<ref>[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/china-box-office-transformers-5-crashes-back-earth-75-percent-slide-second-weekend-1018449]</ref> ''The Hollywood Reporter'' visited a [[Shanghai]] screening and reported "walkouts, general disinterest and plenty of snickering over a conspicuous abundance of [Chinese] product placement" despite a truly massive PR campaign and the fourth film's mega-popularity. Chinese social media made it clear the plot was too complicated and the product placement, all products the Chinese knew weren't in America, was too dumb; the audience found it ''very'' funny when Wheelie looked up a Chinese used car website.<ref>[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/transformers-last-knight-has-pandering-chinese-audiences-hurt-transformers-5-1016926 The Hollywood Reporter: "Has Pandering to Chinese Audiences Hurt 'Transformers 5'?", July 2 2017]</ref>

While the next film in the franchise, 2018's, ''[[Bumblebee (film)|Bumblebee]],'' was initially billed as a prequel to the franchise as a whole—bridging the gap between Bumblebee's World War II adventures and his appearance in the 2007 ''Transformers'' film—the movie would be hastily retooled relatively late in production to drop many of these elements entirely. Subsequent reshoots would instead set up this ostensible prequel as its own, standalone movie. It seems likely that the poor commercial reception to ''The Last Knight'' may have been a contributing factor in this last-minute change and positive reception to ''Bumblebee''.

Final box office numbers were $605 million worldwide, over a hundred million less than [[Transformers (film)|the original ''Transformers'']].<ref>[https://www.boxofficemojo.com/releasegroup/gr438653445/?ref_=bo_ydw_table_16 Box Office Mojo]</ref> This also made ''The Last Knight'' the first ''Transformers'' movie not to end among the ten highest-grossing movies of the year, when ''Age of Extinction'' was downright #1!<ref>[https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/world/2017/ Highest-grossing films of 2017]</ref> In January 2019 in an interview with the CEO of Viacom on the ''Bumblebee'' movie, ScreenRant revealed that ''The Last Knight'' had lost its investors $100 million.<ref>[https://screenrant.com/bumblebee-movie-profit-sequel]</ref>

===Awards and recognition===
On January 22, 2018, it was announced that ''Transformers: The Last Knight'' was nominated for ten {{w|Golden Raspberry Award}}s.<ref>[http://news.tfw2005.com/2018/01/22/transformers-last-knight-nominated-razzie-awards-2018-357141]</ref> After ''Dark of the Moon'', ''The Last Knight'' has the honor of being the second Transformers film to be Razzie free with the most nominations, losing to the animated feature, ''{{w|The Emoji Movie}}'' for Worst Picture, Worst Director, Worst Screenplay and ''Worst Screen Combo''.<ref>[http://news.tfw2005.com/2018/03/02/transformers-last-knight-wins-zero-awards-golden-raspberry-awards-2018-360330]</ref>

==Production staff==
The film was directed by [[Michael Bay]], and was written by [[Art Marcum]], [[Matt Holloway]], and [[Ken Nolan]]. Visual effects duties where like the previous entries, handled by [[Industrial Light & Magic]] with assistance by [[Moving Picture Company]].

==Development details==
[[File:Transformers 5 provisional logo.png|thumb|right|143px|Transfivemers doesn't have the same ring to it.]]
*December 18, 2014 — [[Mark Wahlberg]] confirms to MTV that he is signed on for the next two Transformers films.<ref>[http://www.mtv.com/news/2030612/mark-wahlberg-transformers-5/ Mark Wahlberg Just Found A 'Transformers' Sequel] on MTV.com</ref>
*March 27, 2015 — [[Paramount Pictures]] negotiates with [[Akiva Goldsman]], hiring him to create a "writer's room" with the intention of building a cinematic universe.<ref name="goldsman">[http://deadline.com/2015/03/transformers-akiva-goldsman-paramount-sequels-spinoffs-1201400027/ Paramount Enlisting Akiva Goldsman To Ramp Up 'Transformers' Output] on deadline.com</ref> Goldsman goes on to hire a number of writers over the next few months: [[Steven DeKnight]] (''Daredevil''),<ref>[http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/transformers-cinematic-universe/35696/transformers-cinematic-details-more-writers-over-10-films Transformers cinematic details]</ref> [[Robert Kirkman]] (''The Walking Dead''),<ref name="deadlinewritersroom">[http://deadline.com/2015/05/transformers-writers-robert-kirkman-zak-penn-art-marcum-matt-holloway-jeff-pinkner-1201430601/ 'Transformers' Spinoff & Sequel Scribes Set] on Deadline.com</ref> [[Art Marcum]] and [[Matt Holloway]] (''Iron Man''),<ref name="deadlinewritersroom" /> [[Christina Hodson]] (''Shut In'', ''The Fugitive''),<ref name="hodsonbeer">[http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/446175-christina-hodson-and-lindsey-beer-join-transformers-writing-team Christina Hodson and Lindsey Beer Join the Transformers Writing Team]</ref> [[Lindsey Beer]] (''Dig''),<ref name="hodsonbeer" /> [[Zak Penn]] (''Pacific Rim 2''),<ref name="deadlinewritersroom" /> [[Jeff Pinkner]] (''The Amazing Spider-Man 2'', ''Lost''),<ref name="deadlinewritersroom" /> [[Andrew Barrer]] and [[Gabriel Ferrari]] (''Ant-Man''),<ref name="barrerferrari">[http://deadline.com/2015/05/transformers-ant-man-andrew-barrer-gabriel-ferrari-cybertron-1201433402/ 'Ant-Man' Scribes Andrew Barrer & Gabriel Ferrari Join 'Transformers' Writers Room] on Deadline</ref> [[Ken Nolan]] (''Black Hawk Down''), and [[Geneva Robertson-Dworet]].<ref name="nolandworet">[http://www.slashfilm.com/transformers-writers-room/ Akiva Goldsman Teases 'Transformers' Franchise Plans]</ref> Involved in the pitching process are [[Steven Spielberg]], [[Michael Bay]], [[Brian Goldner]], [[Lorenzo di Bonaventura]], [[Mark Vahradian]], and [[Don Murphy]].<ref name="deadlinereveal">[http://deadline.com/2015/09/transformers-writers-room-akiva-goldsman-transformers-5-1201531918/ 'Transformers' Writers Room Wraps] on Deadline</ref>
*May 27, 2015 — As part of the news surrounding Barrer and Ferrari joining the room, it's revealed that another pitch is an animated prequel movie set on Cybertron, titled ''[[Transformers One (film)|Transformers One]]''.<ref name="barrerferrari" />
*June 8, 2015 — The writers meet on the Paramount lot for the writer's room.<ref name="nolandworet" /> The writers work for the next three months to plot out the next ten years of ''Transformers'' films.<ref name="stephendaviskeynote">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_P2fw_DlS4&t=812 Stephen Davis's keynote speech] at MIPJunior.</ref>
*July 28, 2015 — DeKnight reports that as a result of the gathering of writers, Goldsman and Pinkner will be co-writing Transformers 5.<ref name="deknightreveals">[https://www.ign.com/articles/2015/07/28/daredevils-steven-deknight-on-the-transformers-writers-room-and-planning-ahead Daredevil's Steven DeKnight on the Transformers Writers Room and Planning Ahead] on IGN</ref>
*September 17, 2015 — Deadline reveals more about the writer's room process and reports that Barrer and Ferrari will write the animated feature, with Pinkner and Beer writing later films.<ref name="deadlinereveal" /> Bay remains uncommitted to directing.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Re: directing TF5. No, it's not official. I have not committed to any idea as of yet. Just met with Steven and we are discussing.|link=https://twitter.com/michaelbay/status/644622092110032896|name=Michael Bay|site=Twitter|year=2015|month=09|day=17|(defunct=)}}</ref>
*October 3, 2015 — [[Allspark (company)|Hasbro Studios]]'s [[Stephen J. Davis]] relates more details of the writing process in a keynote speech at the MIP Junior Conference.<ref name="stephendaviskeynote" />
*November 20, 2015 — With Goldsman now enlisted to create a writer's room for ''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]'' and ''[[Microman|Micronauts]]'', Paramount begins negotiating with Marcum, Holloway and Nolan to write the film.<ref>[http://deadline.com/2015/11/transformers-g-i-joe-micronauts-akiva-goldsman-paramount-hasbro-1201632388/ Akiva Goldsman 'Transformers' Writers Room Leads Paramount & Hasbro To Set One For 'G.I. Joe', 'Micronauts'] on Deadline</ref>
*December 14, 2015 — Wahlberg re-confirms in an interview with CinePop that he'll be back in Transformers 5.<ref>[http://cinepop.com.br/exclusivo-mark-wahlberg-confirma-ao-cinepop-que-estara-em-transformers-5-109295 Mark Wahlberg interview with CinePop]</ref>
*January 4, 2016 — Bay confirms he will be returning to direct.<ref name="rollingstone">[http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/features/13-hours-can-michael-bay-pull-off-a-gritty-movie-about-benghazi-20160104 '13 Hours': Can Michael Bay Pull Off a Gritty Movie About Benghazi?] on Rolling Stone</ref>
*January 12, 2016 — It's totally definitely the last ''Transformers'' film for him this time though.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn9bkPNV4JA?t=472 Michael Bay interview with Collider]</ref>
*February 12, 2016 — Transformers 5 is now being released on June 23, 2017. In addition, [[Bumblebee (film)|Transformers 6]], acting as a [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] spin-off, and [[Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (film)|Transformers 7]] are set to be released respectively on [[June 8]], 2018 and [[June 28]], 2019.<ref name="toyfairreveal">[http://news.tfw2005.com/2016/02/12/transformers-5-transformers-6-bumblebee-spin-off-movie-revealed-309503 Transformers 5, Transformers 6 And Bumblebee Spin-Off Movie Revealed] ToyFair news at TFW2005</ref><ref>[http://news.tfw2005.com/2016/02/12/transformers-6-tentative-title-revealed-bumblebee-movie-309597 Transformers 6 Tentative Title Revealed – The Bumblebee Movie] at TFW2005</ref>
*February 18, 2016 — Casting calls go out for June filming in [[London]] and [[Detroit]], also confirming [[Peter Cullen]]'s return as [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]].<ref>[http://www.acting-auditions.org/2016/02/transformers-5-casting-calls-for-new-lead-roles.html Transformers 5 casting call for new lead roles] on acting-auditions.org</ref>
*February 26, 2016 — After negotiations, it's announced that Michigan will provide $21 million in incentives towards the film.<ref>[http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MIEDC/bulletins/138dd29 'Transformers 5' lands in Detroit] from the Michigan Film & Digital Media Office</ref>
[[File:TLK Optiface Prime.jpg|thumb|right|300px|5 movies in and [[Michael Bay]] is still finding ways to make my face even more ridiculously detailed.]]
*April 6, 2016 — Cinematographer [[Jonathan Sela]] is reported as being booked to work on the film.<ref>[http://variety.com/2016/artisans/news/agencies-book-artisans-on-fast-8-transformers-5-to-the-bone-macgyver-and-altered-carbon-1201747892/ Agencies Book Artisans on 'Fast 8,' 'Transformers 5,' 'To the Bone,' 'MacGyver' and 'Altered Carbon'] on Variety</ref>
*April 13, 2016 — Filming dates are revealed via a casting call on acting-auditions.org.<ref>[http://www.acting-auditions.org/2016/04/transformers-5-casting-calls-auditions-information.html 'Transformers 5' Casting Calls and Auditions Information] on acting-auditions.org</ref>
*May 12, 2016 — [[Isabela Merced]] tweets that she's been cast in the movie.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=I'm gonna be in some movie franchise called #Transformers5 or something? 😕 @ParamountMovies robots? 😊 https://t.co/FU6KI4dXKG|link=https://twitter.com/isabelamoner/status/730835465163530241|name=isabelamerced|site=Twitter|year=2016|month=05|day=12|(defunct=)}}</ref>
*May 14, 2016 — Bay suggests [[Tyrese Gibson]] is under consideration to return.<ref>[https://www.instagram.com/p/BFXbTA2IWpr/]</ref>
*May 16, 2016 — The film's title is officially revealed to be ''Transformers: The Last Knight'' in [https://www.instagram.com/p/BFfCGhRoMmW/?taken-by=transformersmoviea teaser trailer] posted on a newly launched Transformers Movie Instagram.
*May 17, 2016 — [[Josh Duhamel]] announced to be returning for ''Transformers: The Last Knight''.<ref>[https://www.instagram.com/p/BFg6ffIoMvx/]</ref>
*May 25, 2016 — Michael Bay posts a [https://www.instagram.com/p/BF1sPamoWtc/?taken-by=michaelbay photo] as production begins in Cuba.
*May 27, 2016 — A [https://twitter.com/transformers/status/736286302870605824 teaser] is posted containing morse code which translates to "I'm coming for you May 31st."
*May 31, 2016 — Michael Bay posts [https://www.instagram.com/p/BGFEZ9vIWv1/a video] of [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] and announces production is about to start.
*June 3, 2016 — [[Anthony Hopkins]] joins the cast.<ref>[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/anthony-hopkins-joins-transformers-5-899343]</ref>
*June 4, 2016 — [https://www.instagram.com/p/BGPsjYZoMpq/?taken-by=transformersmovie&hl=en First look] at [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]'s vehicle mode, which is a 2016 Chevrolet Camaro.<ref>[https://www.instagram.com/p/BGPsjYZoMpq/?taken-by=transformersmovie&hl=en Bumblebee vehicle mode reveal]</ref>
*June 4, 2016 — The [[Freya|World's Loneliest Dog]] is cast.<ref>[http://michaelbay.com/2016/06/04/freya/ MichaelBay.com - Freya]</ref>
*June 10, 2016 — [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] is confirmed to return as a 2016 Ford Mustang.<ref>[https://www.instagram.com/p/BGes1IfoMqf/?taken-by=transformersmovie&hl=en]</ref>
*June 18, 2016 — [[Mitch Pileggi]] reveals he has a role.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Had the extreme pleasure of working on the new Transformers movie with @michaelbay. It's fascinating watching this cat work.|link=https://archive.is/zP0vs|name=Mitch Pileggi|site=Twitter|year=2016|month=06|day=16|(defunct=)}}</ref>
[[File:TLK Bumblebee profile.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Back to the basics.]]
*June 20, 2016 — [[Laura Haddock]] joins the cast.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=VERY EXCITED to tell you guys..... #transformers|link=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503011356/https://twitter.com/laurajhaddock/status/744915023299026944|name=Laura J Haddock|site=Twitter|year=2016|month=06|day=20|(defunct=)}}</ref>
*June 22, 2016 — New robot character [[Sqweeks]] is revealed.<ref>[https://www.instagram.com/p/BG-IEBroWgA/ Michael Bay on Instagram]</ref>
*June 28, 2016 — Tyrese Gibson is confirmed to return.<ref>[https://www.instagram.com/p/BHLBipSDqcO/ Tyrese on Instagram]</ref>
*June 30, 2016 — [[Santiago Cabrera]] joins the cast.<ref>[https://www.instagram.com/p/BHSfP9EAIi_/ Official movie Instagram reveal of Santiago Cabrera]</ref>
*July 1, 2016 — [[Drift (AOE)|Drift]] is confirmed to return with a new Mercedes alt-mode.<ref>[http://michaelbay.com/2016/07/01/drift/ Drift - MichaelBay.com]</ref>
*July 27, 2016 — [[Onslaught (ROTF)|Onslaught]] is confirmed to appear in the film.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/transformersmovie/photos/a.196236317078490.37515.180774635291325/1112021768833269/?type=3&theater Onslaught photo] on the official Transformers movie Facebook page.</ref>
*August 4–13, 2016 — A series of character profiles are released on the official movie Facebook. New character [[Hot Rod (DOTM)|Hot Rod]]<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/transformersmovie/photos/a.196236317078490.37515.180774635291325/1116775651691214/?type=3&theater Hot Rod Facebook reveal]</ref> is first to be revealed, and [[Crosshairs (AOE)|Crosshairs]]<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/transformersmovie/photos/a.196236317078490.37515.180774635291325/1119387291430050/?type=3&theater Crosshairs Facebook reveal]</ref> and [[Hound (Movie)|Hound]]<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/transformersmovie/photos/a.196236317078490.37515.180774635291325/1120161021352677/?type=3&theater Hound Facebook reveal]</ref> are confirmed to return. Also shown are profiles for Drift,<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/transformersmovie/photos/a.196236317078490.37515.180774635291325/1117988908236555/?type=3&theater Drift Facebook reveal]</ref> Sqweeks,<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/transformersmovie/photos/a.196236317078490.37515.180774635291325/1118574891511290/?type=3&theater Sqweeks Facebook reveal]</ref> Barricade,<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/transformersmovie/photos/a.196236317078490.37515.180774635291325/1120871694614943/?type=3&theater Barricade Facebook reveal]</ref> Megatron,<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/transformersmovie/photos/a.196236317078490.37515.180774635291325/1121491451219634/?type=3&theater Megatron Facebook reveal]</ref> and Bumblebee.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/transformersmovie/photos/a.196236317078490.37515.180774635291325/1122785391090240/?type=3&theaterBumblebee Facebook reveal]</ref>
*August 9, 2016 — Members of a number of ''Transformers'' fan sites, including TFWiki, are treated to [[Transformers 5 set visit|a set visit]].
*September 4, 2016 — [[Stanley Tucci]] is back as [[Joshua Joyce]] (He later turned out to be playing Merlin, but it's unclear from the article where the confusion originated).<ref>[http://variety.com/2016/film/global/stanley-tucci-to-reprise-transformers-role-in-the-last-knight-1201852108/ Stanley Tucci to Reprise 'Transformers' Role in 'The Last Knight'] on Variety</ref>
[[File:TLK Izabella trailer speech.jpg|thumb|right|250px|True fact: Isabela had to beat Megatron in an arm wrestling contest to get this part.]]
*September 24, 2016 — Location shooting at Blenheim Palace in England proved controversial as [[Winston Churchill]]'s birthplace became draped in Nazi banners. Bay told BBC News that veterans shouldn't be too upset as Churchill is a "big hero" in the film.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-37453284 Transformers' Blenheim Palace 'Nazi' scenes defended] from the BBC</ref>
*October 14, 2016 — Bay announces via Facebook that [[John Turturro]] will be back as [[Seymour Simmons]] and that [[John Goodman]] will be back to voice [[Hound (Movie)|Hound]]<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/transformersmovie/videos/1174984035870375/ Michael Bay video on Facebook]</ref>
*December 5, 2016 — The [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyVKK87hYYM teaser trailer] is released.
*December 6, 2016 — Vague details regarding the film's story and characters are revealed in a plot roundup made from various media sources regarding any little tidbits they heard from the movie set visit.<ref>http://news.tfw2005.com/2016/12/06/transformers-last-knight-plot-roundup-329777</ref>
*February 3, 2017 — The [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npaVgxxtKxQ "Big Game Spot"] is released on YouTube.
*March 12, 2017 — The [https://twitter.com/transformers/status/840751026693062656 Kid's Choice Award Clip] is revealed.
*March 17, 2017 — The [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVYSyiL4iis "Izzy Stays and Fights" preview], a family-aimed trailer attached to ''{{w|Beauty and the Beast (2017 film)|Beauty and the Beast}}'', is released.
*March 21, 2017 — Members of fan-media sites from across the globe arrive in Hollywood for the "[[Transformers: The Last Knight Super Fan Event]]", including a representative from {{SITENAME_SHORT}}.
*March 22, 2017 — Eight [http://ew.com/movies/2017/03/22/transformers-last-knight-motion-posters/ "motion posters"] for the film's robot cast are released.
*April 12, 2017 — Another [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FIH1TeIS9Q trailer] is released.
*April 24, 2017 — As part of the "[[Reveal Your Shield]]" promotion, Hasbro releases [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWXj0JSZQjE a video] featuring [[Peter Cullen]] and [[Frank Welker]] credited as the voices of Optimus and Megatron.
*May 5, 2017 — Variety reports that the film's release is being moved forward two days to June 21.<ref name="datemove">[http://variety.com/2017/film/news/mark-wahlberg-transformers-the-last-knight-1202410380/ 'Transformers: The Last Knight' Moves Forward Two Days]</ref>
*May 7, 2017 — The [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7toS4s_79ZA "Optimus Prime Dialog Coach" teaser] is released.
*May 9, 2017 — The [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVZhsL3vV8M "Secret Past" TV spot] is released.
*May 15, 2017 — A preview of an Empire Magazine feature on the film includes the news that [[Jim Carter]] has been cast as Cogman.<ref>[http://www.empireonline.com/movies/transformers-last-knight/exclusive-explosive-new-look-bumblebee-transformers-last-knight/ Exclusive, Explosive New Look At Bumblebee In Transformers: The Last Knight] on Empire Online</ref>
*May 17, 2017 — The [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue7cNNfjCyc International Trailer] is released.
{{--}}

=== Changes before, during and after production ===
*Tyrese Gibson was intended to return as [[Robert Epps]], but the logistics of filming in Europe and a scheduling conflict with ''{{w|The Fate of the Furious}}'' resulted in him being unable to take part.<ref>[http://www.ok.co.uk/celebrity-news/1104536/tyrese-gibson-transformers-the-last-knight-robert-epps-josh-duhamel-mark-wahlberg-michael-bay Tyrese Gibson exclusively admits he was 'p****d' to miss out on filming Transformers: The Last Knight alongside original co-star Josh Josh Duhamel] on OK! Online</ref>
[[File:TLK Primal concept.jpg|upright=1.55|thumb|This would ''probably'' start another era of [[Trukk not munky]].]]
*Concept art was made for [[Optimus Primal (ROTB)|Optimus Primal]], [[Cheetor (ROTB)|Cheetor]], and a Cybertronian snake that never made into the final film.<ref>[http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/07/26/optimus-primal-concept-art-last-knight-345543]</ref><ref>[http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/08/02/transformers-last-knight-new-unused-snake-concept-art-furio-tedeschi-346195]</ref>
*An alternate death for Nitro Zeus was scripted in an early cut but ultimately went unfilmed; he would get his head tore off from his body by Cogman, who could commandeer the headless body like a [[transtector]].{{fact}}
*The first trailers featured Hound with Red Cross insignias, which were removed in subsequent trailers yet retained with muted colors in the finished film.
*Barricade was either supposed to have a mask/helmet for his redesigned head or [http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/attachments/22580549_156168284980549_4064834079172853760_n-jpg.27831803/ retain his old head mold yet gain a pair of police shades.]
*Sqweeks was planned to be slightly taller and to move around with a single wheel in [[:File:TF5-CanopyConceptArt.jpg|concept art]].
*Daytrader was depicted in concept art with a head directly based on his voice actor [[Steve Buscemi]].
*Canopy was originally conceived as either a rather terrifying 'bot with a subway train alternate mode or [[:File:Canopy concept 2.jpg|a modified version of Optimus' first rusty body]] from the previous film in concept art. Regardless, he went by the working name "Ruins Bot".
*According to [[Josh Nizzi]]'s Instagram account,<ref name="tlkdreads">[https://www.instagram.com/p/BZW_tHdjF_g/?taken-by=joshnizzi.art] at Josh Nizzi's Instagram.</ref> [[:File:TF-TLK-Dread-Alternate-Concept-Art-03.jpg|a Decepticon]] sharing the same body-type as [[Hatchet (DOTM)|Hatchet]] was supposed to have appeared alongside Dreadbot and Berserker before ultimately getting cut from the final robot cast.
*The red "scars" on Optimus/Nemesis Prime and Megatron's faces came about one day when Michael Bay went into [[Industrial Light & Magic|ILM]] and asked the animators to add red markings to their faces and come up with an explanation for them. Visual effects artist Chris Zammit came up with the idea that the markings were the use of [[Dark Energon]] due to its mind-control abilities and the presence of Unicron in the film.<ref name="MegatronScar" />
**In an early version of the fight between Nemesis Prime and Bumblebee, a canister filled with normal [[Energon]] (much like the jars Izabella used on the TRF Sentinels) could have been tossed onto Nemesis Prime to release him from Quintessa's control.<ref name="MegatronScar" /> The idea was scrapped, leaving the red markings as some kind of "paint" and Bumblebee's voice used as the device to restore Optimus Prime.
*Megatron was originally planned to transform into a Cybertronian [[dragon]], with his ''ikakalaka'' sword forming his tail. Likewise, the Cybertronian jet that he turns into in the final cut was originally designed as a fighter jet for the [[Guardian Knight]]s.<ref>[https://www.instagram.com/p/CEccCgvDAXl/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Josh Nizzi reveals Megatron dragon design] on Instagram.com</ref>

==Notes==
*Topspin, seen in Cuba with Simmons, is credited as "Volleybot", initially leaving it unclear whether or not he was meant to actually be Topspin, especially since he's sporting [[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]]'s head. A later Transformers Fan Favorite poll held on the Transformers Movie web site credited Topspin as appearing in both ''Dark of the Moon'' and ''The Last Knight'', along with using a picture of Volleybot as his mug shot, confirming that Volleybot is Topspin.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/official-confirmation-that-volleybot-is-topspin.1122432/]</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''''Transformers/Saigo no Kishiō''''' (トランスフォーマー/最後の騎士王, "Transformers: The Last Knight-King")
*''Czech:'' '''''Transformers: Poslední Rytíř''''' ("Transformers: The Last Knight")
*''Finnish:'' '''''Transformers: Viimeinen Ritari''''' ("Transformers: The Last Knight")
*''French:'' '''''Transformers: The Last Knight''''' (France), '''''Transformers : Le Dernier Chevalier''''' (Canada, "Transformers: The Last Knight")
*''Italian:'' '''''Transformers - L'ultimo cavaliere''''' ("Transformers: The Last Knight")
*''Korean:'' '''''Transformers: Choehuui Gisa''''' (트랜스포머: 최후의 기사, "Transformers: The Last Knight")
*''Mandarin:'' '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng 5: Zuìhòu de Qíshì''''' (變形金剛5：最後的騎士, 变形金刚5：最后的骑士, "Transformers 5: The Last Knight")
*''Portuguese:'' '''''Transformers: O Último Cavaleiro''''' (Brazil, "Transformers: The Last Knight"), '''''Transformers 5''''' (Portugal)
*''Russian:'' '''''Transformery: Posledniy rytsar' ''''' (Трансформеры: Последний рыцарь, "Transformers: The Last Knight")
*''Spanish:'' '''''Transformers: El último caballero''''' ("Transformers: The Last Knight")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''''Трансформери - Останній лицар''''' ("Transformers: The Last Knight")
*''Turkish:'' '''''Transformers: Son Şövalye''''' ("Transformers: The Last Knight")

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [http://www.transformersmovie.com/ Transformersmovie.com]
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3371366/?ref_=nv_sr_1 ''The Last Knight'' at IMDB.com]
* {{w|Transformers: The Last Knight|''The Last Knight'' film on Wikipedia}}
* [https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_the_last_knight/ ''The Last Knight'' on RottenTomatoes.com]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Last Knight(film)}}
[[Category:Real world films]]
[[Category:The Last Knight| Last Knight (film)]]
[[Category:The Last Knight media| Last Knight (film)]]

Kinetic Solutions Incorporated

2026-04-10T03:53:54Z

Zenphia: /* Age of Extinction film */

{{factions|ksi}}
:''Kinetic Solutions Incorporated is a corporation from the [[live-action film series|live-action film]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:Kinetic Solutions Logo.jpg|thumb|Wake the f*** up, Samurai! We have a [[Megatron (Movie)|Transformer]] to build.]]
In the aftermath of the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Battle of Chicago]] and the subsequent cleanup efforts, robotics company '''Kinetic Solutions Incorporated''' (abbreviated as '''KSI''') stands poised to dominate the world's technological marketplace with cutting edge technology aimed at the consumer market. Headed by [[Joshua Joyce]], many of the company's innovations are reverse-engineered from [[Transformer|Cybertronian]] sources.

Because that's worked out so well before.

==Fiction==
===''Age of Extinction'' film===
Joshua Joyce began KSI as a boy, with a dream to make the world a better place. After the [[Decepticon]] invasion of [[Chicago]], KSI began reverse engineering Cybertronian corpses in an attempt to create man-made Transformers for military use. Joyce eventually came into contact with [[Harold Attinger]], who promised him the "[[Seed]]" with which he could make more "[[Living metal#Live-action film series|Transformium]]", the metal which all Transformers came from, in exchange for 500 million shares of the company. KSI built as many as fifty Transformers, all under remote control, including [[Stinger (AOE)|Stinger]], [[Junkheap (AOE)|Junkheap]], [[KSI Sentry|KSI Sentries]], [[KSI Boss]]es, "[[Two Head]]s", and the [[Oreo Transformer]]. The pride of their CEO was "Galvatron", a drone created using data from Megatron's severed head. [[Brains]] was forced to work for them and was tortured whenever he spoke. Because of this, he declined to tell them Megatron was still alive and manipulating KSI, more specifically the Galvatron drone he wanted to use for a new body, resulting in it always looking like him instead of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]]. Megatron equally made Galvatron capable of acting on his own and able to override the other drones. Attinger informed Joyce that [[Cade Yeager|a civilian]] had hacked their tech and knew of KSI's involvement in the Transformer hunts. Fortunately for Joyce, the civilian came to him, and Joyce happily turned him over to Attinger. However, KSI would soon suffer a crippling blow to their operations.

The Autobots eventually learned what KSI was doing and were very ticked. Optimus Prime was enraged to the point that he ordered his men to storm KSI's Chicago headquarters and he didn't care if humans were caught in the crossfire. When the Autobots arrived, they made a point to cause as much damage as possible. They destroyed most of the inactive prototypes and the Oreo Transformer along with the laboratory before Joyce convinced them that KSI was defending Earth from attacks just like the one they were committing and that humanity didn't need the Autobots. Visibly disgusted by Joyce, Optimus ordered his men to retreat, but not before freeing Cade and Brains.

When the Autobots left, Attinger had Joyce deploy the only two drones that were spared, Galvatron and one Stinger, against them. Unknown to KSI, Megatron was eager for revenge on Optimus and transferred his mind to Galvatron. When the drones were deployed, Galvatron killed civilians freely and even ''spoke''. When they were recalled, Joyce had all the prototypes moved to a Chinese facility and expressed his fury that Galvatron had malfunctioned. Joyce's confidence turned shaky after Attinger revealed that he alone had been backing KSI's Transformers project, not the CIA as Joyce had been led to believe, effectively making Joyce an unwitting war-criminal.

After a call from Cade Yeager alerting him of Galvatron's true nature, Joyce placed Galvatron under extra security. Regardless, Galvatron activated himself, announced to the humans he was his own being, and took control over all their drones. He had them destroy the facility and find the "Seed". All the prototypes were destroyed in the subsequent battle with the Autobots and Galvatron fled. In the aftermath, Joyce seemed to have renounced building new Transformers. {{storylink|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
[[Vector Prime]] was hesitant to overuse the word "Transformium" due to KSI's overzealous legal department. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/03}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Shadows Rising''===
{{chargamestub|{{storylink|Transformers: Shadows Rising}}}}

==Toys==
===''Kre-O''===
*'''Galvatron Factory Battle''' (2014)
**''Set number'': '''???'''
**''Pieces'': '''388'''
**''Kreons'': [[Optimus Prime (Kre-O)|Optimus Prime]], [[Bumblebee (Kre-O)|Bumblebee]], [[Vehicon (Kre-O)|Vehicon]], 2 KSI workers, Dr. Littleman.
**''Accessories'': Dr. Littleman's Spanner, KSI Worker's gun

: Available only with the "Galvatron Factory Battle" building set, Three human Kreons were featured on the set: One is a generic dark-skinned KSI scientist, a KSI security guard, and [[Dr. Littleman]]. They use the new smaller Kreon body from the Kre-O "Cityville Invasion" brand.
{{-}}

[[Category:Age of Extinction]]
[[Category:Businesses]]

Chicago

2026-04-10T03:49:45Z

Zenphia: /* Age of Extinction film */

[[File:Otfcc2003-cryotekvschicago.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|The huge piles of ice are pretty much par for the course. The giant blue dragon, not so much.]]
'''Chicago''' is the biggest city in the American Midwest. It's full of gangsters, burning railways, corrupt politicians, and, on occasion, robots.

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 continuity family===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
When held captive on the planet [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]] in the year 2005, [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] prepared [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] for an escape attempt by way of a coded message that involved recalling a [[Mecha-soccer#American football|football]] match between the [[Lunar Colony]]'s team and "the Bears". Whether the game was held on Earth's moon, in Chicago, or elsewhere is unknown. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2}}

====''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''====
When the [[Teletran 3]] supercomputer went berserk and blasted random Transformers into random points in Earth's timestream, teams of Cobras and G.I. Joe troops pursued them. One such group, consisting of the [[Baroness]], [[Percy]], [[Roadblock (G.I. Joe)|Roadblock]], and [[Beachhead]], materialized in a dingy, dirty, dark city, and narrowly avoided getting run over by two cars full of mugs shooting tommy guns at each other. They'd landed in Prohibition-era Chicago! {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 1|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #1}}

The team soon attacked a group of gangsters who were using [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] as a truck. Freeing him, they next tracked down the gangsters' boss, the notorious [[Tommy Fingers]]. Fingers's favored watering hole was a jazz club that he owned; the next four Transformers were located in a garage out back.

Through the Baroness's efforts, the team learned that Fingers was planning a bank heist, using a dynamite-loaded truck which just happened to be the last of the missing Transformers. Unfortunately for the humans, one of the four garage-bound Transformers was [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]], who was not at all mode-locked, and he quickly activated his [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticon]] compatriots. Optimus Prime and the humans fled from the Stunticons in a running firefight through Chicago's streets; the humans blasted down a suspension bridge along the way.

Coming up on the last Transformer, the Baroness blasted the dynamite, activated the Transformer ([[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]]), and all the time-displaced combatants returned to their own time. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 2|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #2}}

====2005 IDW continuity====
A counter-[[Infiltration protocol|infiltration]] unit under Prowl's command parked their vessel, the ''[[Ark-19]]'', beneath [[Lake Michigan]], some ten miles northwest of Chicago.

===Panini ''Armada'' comic===
When [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] wanted to draw out the [[Air Defense Mini-Con Team (Armada)|Air Defense Mini-Con Team]] for capture, he blasted a satellite out of orbit. The Mini-Con trio managed to stop the falling satellite from smashing into downtown Chicago's forest of skyscrapers a mere ten seconds before impact, then carried it away and dropped it into [[Lake Michigan]]. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 5|Panini Armada issue 5}}

===Live-action film series===
====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.}}
=====''Dark of the Moon'' film=====
[[File:DarkoftheMoon-Chicago.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|Bad Cryotek! Very bad Cryotek!]]
After taking [[Carly Spencer]] captive, [[Dylan Gould]] headed to Chicago. [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] also headed to Chicago to set up few of the space bridge pillars. Needing privacy to conduct their work, [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] ordered a huge Decepticon invasion force take over Chicago. Several [[mothership]]s arrived to disgorge a large number of [[Orbital Assault Carrier]]s, while ground forces took to the streets. Most of the city's population was slaughtered as the Decepticons sealed it off.

[[Sam Witwicky]] headed there to rescue Carly with the help of the ex-[[NEST]] soldier [[Robert Epps]] and a few other ex-NEST comrades. After taking a look at the Decepticon-fortified Chicago, Robert Epps realized that they had no chance of surviving all that, but Sam pressed on. As Epps attempted to dissuade Sam from rescuing Carly, Sam asked what they should do, and Epps admitted that they had to give up. Soon afterward, an Orbital Assault Carrier attacked the group. Just after killing several civilians and nearly killing Sam and Epps, the fighter was shot down. Sam and Epps looks behind them to see their savior—[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], who gave his own answer to Sam's question: kill every last Decepticon. The Wreckers [[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]], [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]], and [[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] proceeded to execute the pilot by tearing it to pieces.

Optimus then explained why they had feigned departure; they needed to fool the world's leaders that they were gone, so they could see the truth behind the Decepticons. As the rest of the Autobots arrived on scene, Sam inquired as to how they survived, to which Roadbuster and Leadfoot explained that the Autobots hid in the boosters of their ship, the ''[[Xantium (DOTM)|Xantium]]'' which splashed in the Atlantic, and then they traveled to Chicago from there. Wheelie and Brains then reiterated that Autobots would never leave Earth, and Optimus announced that they needed an element of surprise, to which Sam said he knew where to look.

[[File:DOTM-SentinelandMegatron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Sentinel and his new hobo friend.]]
Asking if Bumblebee could fly the downed Orbital Assault Carrier (which he replied with a hand shrug) Bumblebee and Sam departed for Dylan Gould's penthouse suite. Inside, Carly observed an argument between Sentinel and Megatron on the other building using a telescope. Sneaking in through the balcony, Sam confronted Gould, but [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] attacked Sam as Carly appeared, then threw him over the balcony. Bumblebee's captured Orbital Assault Carrier caught Sam, who urged Carly to jump. With the boy and his girl safely secured, Bumblebee opened fire on the human collaborators, but Laserbeak sent a mini-drone dispatched by the [[United States military]] into one of the Orbital Assault Carrier's thrusters, then attacked Sam. Pinning Laserbeak above the gun turret, Sam told Bumblebee to fire, killing the aerial Decepticon before they crash-landed onto the ground. As Dylan frantically ran about the streets shouting that the Autobots were alive, Megatron ordered the Decepticon to raise the bridges into the city and find the Autobots.

Reuniting with the Autobots and ex-NEST soldiers, the group was able to use the mini-drone to warn the powers that be about Sentinel and Megatron's plan to transport Cybertron to the Sol system. Colonel [[William Lennox]] mobilized NEST for a drop into a city using wing suits. Realizing that they had to destroy the [[pillar]]s, Epps team and the Autobots head into the city, but were attacked by [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] and the [[Driller]], separating Prime from his trailer carrying his weapons. Optimus agreed to take the Autobots on a diversionary attack while Epps and his team made their way to a skyscraper with the necessary height and clear line of fire, but not before [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]] gave them some urban combat weapons, the boom-sticks and grapple gloves. In distracting Shockwave, Wheelie and Brains became separated from the Autobots.

[[File:830px-Dotm-shockwave&driller-film-chicago.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Driller-bot is thirsty. What the hell?]]
Following this, Lennox and the NEST forces arrived in the city, but were forced to wing-suit in. As [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] lead the aerial counter-attack, the NEST soldiers abandoned the plane, gliding away until they lost the Decepticons in a tilted building. Once Epps team made their way to the right floor for the shot, the Decepticon Orbital Assault Carriers began shooting the building, causing the portion above the line of fire to begin collapsing. A Decepticon scout jumped into the building, forcing Epps to throw a grenade to distract it long enough for the humans to slide down the windows, just barely falling into the floors below. One soldier was not so lucky, and the debris fell around Shockwave. Knowing that there were humans inside, Shockwave ordered the Driller to begin eating the building, causing it to collapse onto another nearby building. As the humans evacuated onto the fire-escape on the other building, Optimus Prime, having recovered his flight tech, managed to kill the Driller, saving the humans from pursuit. Furious with the death of his pet, Shockwave fired a cluster of missiles at Optimus, causing him to become tangled in some cables as the [[Wreckers]] came to his rescue.

[[File:Dotm Starscream BOOM.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Like this is so unfamiliar to me.]]
At this point, Sentinel Prime gave the order to launch the pillars into orbit, at the same time as Wheelie and Brains discovered a downed Orbital Assault Carrier. While Epps and his team made their way through the streets, Sam and Carly continued on in another direction. To a position where Starscream spotted them. Relishing a chance to torment a long thorn in the Decepticons side, Starscream had some fun tormenting and threatening Sam. This allowed Sam a chance to use the grapple glove given to him by Que, hitting the [[Air Commander]]'s right [[sensor|optic]]. Starscream began flailing around in pain, tossing Sam through a window, which allowed him to arm a boom-stick. The commotion attracted the attention of Lennox and the NEST forces. Just as Lennox arrived, Sam managed to jump on Starscream's head and jam the boom-stick into his left eye. Now completely blind, Starscream lost whatever control he had left and began flailing about trying to get the boom-stick out. Lennox grabbed the rope Sam's glove was attached to, but was unable to cut it. they managed to hit the release mere seconds before the boom-stick went off, which killed Starscream, but nearly fell to their deaths, only just saved by Bumblebee. Once they were sure Starscream was dead, Bumblebee went ahead to the edge of the river.

[[File:Dotm-decepticoncarrier-film-city.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|''Chicago! Chicago! That explodin' town Chicago, Chicago! I will shoot it all down.'']]

By the time the two human teams reached the bridge, a SEAL team arrived, informing Lennox of inbound TOMAHAWK missiles, and the military had accessed local security cameras. What they found was not encouraging: most of the Autobots had been taken captive by Decepticons lead by [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. Realizing that the humans needed to get across the river, [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]] was able to hack the bridge controls and lower the bridge. Unfortunately, the orbiting pillars reached the necessary coordinates, and the ground based pillars began opening the space bridge. While this was going on, Wheelie and Brains managed to board a Decepticon cruiser and make their way to the control center. At the holding area, Dylan Gould was shocked that the Decepticons were taking prisoners, and encouraged them to kill the Autobots. [[File:DOTMQuegetsit.jpg|thumb|upright=1.95|''They have the end, the end of their life I saw a man, he got shot at and died In Chicago, my home town!'']]
Soundwave happily concurred, declaring "no prisoners, only trophies". Ordering Que to his feet, the Autobot scientist was gunned down by [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] while begging for mercy. Sam tried to activate a boom-stick, but it was damaged. Just as Soundwave was about to execute Bumblebee, Orbital Assault Carriers from the hijacked cruiser began crashing to the ground. The Autobots and Decepticons scrambled for cover, and Bumblebee was able to kill Soundwave in the ensuring confusion, then escape with the others. However, the cruiser carrying Wheelie and Brains crashed into the river, presumably killing the duo.

[[File:DOTMScrapper.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|''On State Street, that late street, I just want to say They blow up things they don't blow up on Broadway'']]
Meeting up with some army troopers, Lennox and Epps's teams took positions for a strike on the Decepticons, who were investigating Soundwave's last stand. As Lennox's team parachuted in, Barricade was reprimanding the protoforms for allowing the Autobots to escape when snipers began firing at the Decepticons optics. Momentarily blinded, the several demolitions teams were able to attach explosives to the Decepticons feet, crippling Barricade and several protoforms enough for the humans to kill them. As the Decepticons returned fire, Lennox and his men parachuted onto Shockwave, with one trooper seriously damaging the large Decepticon, while Epps team opened fire on full auto, seriously disorienting Shockwave. With this, the Autobots arrived and attacked. Despite the promising opening, sheer firepower was on the Decepticons side, keeping the Autobots and NEST from reaching the pillars. Declaring that Earth was theirs, Sentinel Prime fully activated the space bridge, and Cybertron began appearing in orbit. Just then, Optimus Prime, freed from the cables, arrived and quite literally tore through every Decepticon standing between him and Sentinel. Finally reaching Shockwave, Optimus punched out half of his chest, then tore his eye out through his head. Firing Shockwave's cannon at the control pillar, Optimus brought down a small part of the building, interrupting the transport and leaving Cybertron in half.

[[File:Autobots vs Sentinel.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"Um, Sentinel? We're over here!" "You sure you want him to remember us? My ass feels pretty kicked."]]
Optimus then demanded that Sentinel confront him, and a furious Sentinel was only too willing to oblige. Using his [[Primax Blade]] to descend the building, Sentinel was dumbfounded that Optimus still sided with the humans, but Optimus countered that Sentinel was the one who taught him freedom was the right of all sentient beings. Drawing a [[Dual Energon Swords|sword]] and [[Energon-axe]], Optimus engaged Sentinel, who vowed to reactivate the pillar, while Sam went off to try and reach it first. With the tide turning, the Autobots, NEST, and the military pushed forward. When Optimus started to get the upper hand over Sentinel, the elder Prime called in the Orbital Assault Carriers to attack Optimus. ''All'' the Orbital Assault Carriers. NEST was able to make contact with the remote guided TOMAHAWK missiles, which were five minutes out. With the Orbital Assault Carriers attacking Optimus, the Wreckers attacking the incoming ground Decepticons, and the rest of the Autobots engaging Sentinel, no Decepticons were left to reactivate the pillar, which fell to a cowering Dylan Gould. With the Orbital Assault Carriers on the verge of overwhelming Optimus, NEST was able to guide the missiles to the fighters, downing them.

As Sam made his way to the pillar, he encountered Gould, who tried to stop him at gunpoint. Sam tried to reason with the human agent, but Gould said there only one future for him. As some papers obstructed his vision, Sam attacked, but Gould was still able to reactivate the pillar. Megatron, allowing his [[Lensmeter Decepticon]]s to repair him, rested easily as Carly approached the [[Lord High Protector]]. Carly then pointed out that while the Decepticons were conquering Earth, their leader would not be Megatron, but Sentinel Prime. Megatron was within a hair of killing her when he realized she was ''right''. Meanwhile, Sentinel, under fire from more or less ''everything'' at this point, realized that he was losing and fled with Optimus hot on his heels. At the same time, Gould overpowered Sam, knocking him out cold. Optimus caught up with Sentinel at a bridge and the two fought once again. However, when Sentinel severed Optimus's right arm and knocked him to the ground, it came apparent that Optimus was not stronger then his mentor. Lamenting over how the [[Dynasty of Primes]] had been gods on Cybertron, Sentinel declared that on Earth, there could only be one.

[[File:DOTM space bridge collapse.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.55]]
Just as Sentinel was about to deliver the killing blow, an infuriated Megatron came in firing—at Sentinel, letting loose several thousand years of parental issues out. Sam quickly reappeared, and promptly killed Gould with the pillar itself. The Autobots overwhelmed the last Decepticon, and Ratchet and Bumblebee destroyed the pillar. The effects were instantaneous: not only were the remaining Decepticon ships pulled out of Chicago and into the collapsing space bridge, but the space bridge's collapse destroyed Cybertron in the process. Seeing the plan had failed, Megatron slyly proposed a truce with Optimus, his only stipulation remaining [[Decepticon leader]]. Megatron was confident Optimus would accept; they had fought for so long, who was Optimus Prime without Megatron? Optimus declared that he would find out. Picking up his discarded axe, Optimus jammed the weapon into Megatron's head, then tore it off, killing Megatron. The badly wounded Sentinel pleaded for mercy, explaining that all he wanted was to save the Cybertronian race, which was why he betrayed his former pupil. Optimus claimed it was never about betraying Optimus; by allying with Megatron and planning to enslave humanity, Sentinel had betrayed himself. With bitter regret, Optimus Prime raised Megatron's fusion shotgun and executed Sentinel Prime.

[[File:DOTM Autobots NEST victorious.jpg|thumb|280px]]
With the battle over, Sam and Carly reunited, and with Cybertron lost, the Autobots accepted that Earth was now their home. {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}}

=====''Age of Extinction'' film=====
Chicago proved to be the final straw for an already strained relationship between humans and Cybertronians. The United States government officially terminated all joint Autobot-human operations, replacing them with [[Harold Attinger]]'s [[Cemetery Wind]], a [[CIA]] unit tasked with hunting down the surviving Decepticons, whilst the Autobots were granted asylum on Earth. In reality, and under the White House's nose, Cemetery Wind hunted Autobot and Decepticon alike, holding both factions responsible for the loss of life in Chicago, forcing the Autobots underground. During the subsequent cleanup and rebuilding effort, Chicago proved to be a lucrative opportunity to salvage discarded alien technology, and several world governments and independent corporations began reverse-engineering Cybertronian tech.

Five years after the battle, Chicago had returned to its former glory, with a refurbished skyline. Perhaps as a result of easy access to Cybertronian artifacts and [[Living metal|transformium]], [[Kinetic Solutions Incorporated]] built its American division in the city. They were eventually visited by [[Cade Yeager]] and the surviving Autobots, who had hijacked a KSI drone and traced it back to its company of origin. Optimus Prime, angered by the mutilation of his former comrades, ordered an assault on the company, but his team voluntarily fell back after a confrontation with [[Joshua Joyce]], and left the city.

After Prime was captured by [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] the bounty hunter met up with [[James Savoy]] to hand over the [[Seed]]. Needless to say, the presence of a giant alien spaceship caused mass hysteria in the streets and the military scrambled fighters to intercept but were ensured that the ship was not there to cause any harm by Harold Attinger. The Autobots later infiltrated Lockdown's ship to rescue Prime and the following battle slightly spilled over into the city's airspace. The ship later left - but without a section which set off in another direction.
{{storylink|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction}}
{{-}}

=====''The Last Knight'' film=====
[[Izabella]] was orphaned during the battle of Chicago, as her parents were killed by Decepticons while she was away from home. By the time Cemetery Wind was exposed and replaced by the [[Transformers Reaction Force]], much of Chicago was still uninhabitable.

Under more government-organised work, the TRF proved to be a liability in the fight against [[Quintessa (TLK)|Quintessa]]. When Cade talked some sense into them, revealing that the real reason humanity turned on the Autobots after Chicago was because they simply gave up on them, the TRF realigned themselves as allies of the Autobots. {{storylink|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight}}

====''Dark of the Moon'' Annual====
[[NEST Satellite Orion]] detected the highest [[energon]] reading in Chicago, suggesting that the Decepticons were using the tall buildings as an interstellar transmission site. {{storylink|Transformers Dark of the Moon Annual 2012}}

====Ask Vector Prime====
In [[Tyran 609.23-PX Kappa]], Megatron also seized Chicago with the aid of collaborationist humans to set up the space bridge technology to bring Cybertron into Earth orbit. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime}}

====''Studio Series'' toy bios====
[[Thundercracker (Movie)|Thundercracker]] participated in an areal assault on the Autobots during the battle of Chicago.

==Video games==
===''Transformers: Forged to Fight''===
[[File:ChicagosSteakhouse.jpg|right|thumb|200px]]
A demolished Chicago is used as an arena on [[New Quintessa]]. Keep an eye out for [[Chicagos Steakhouse]]! {{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight}}
{{-}}

==Notes==
* Out here in the real world, Chicago has twice played host to the official Transformers convention, as [[OTFCC 2003]] and [[OTFCC 2004]] both occurred there.
* Chicago also hosts the annual Wizard World Chicago convention, which frequently features a Hasbro Transformers display booth similar to what's seen at [[BotCon]].
* The package and bio for Thundercracker's ''[[Studio Series]]'' toy marks him as being from ''Dark of the Moon'', ostensibly as one of the numerous Decepticons who space-bridged in from the Moon and participated in the battle of Chicago.

===Chicago in ''Dark of the Moon''===
* Chicago filming for ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon]]'' commenced July 10, 2010 and continued through August 19.
[[File:Dotm Protoform.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|Not such a Magnificent Mile for Que.]]
[[File:DOTM Autobots NEST victorious.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|Prime now gets a sign that reads ''Dunmurderin'''.]]
[[File:DOTM NEST HQ.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|The fictional universe of ''Transformers'' includes giant talking alien space robots and, far less credibly, a repeal of DC's building height restrictions.]]
* Many Chicago landmarks "appear as themselves" during ''Dark of the Moon''. Virtually every landmark on the downtown skyline is visible at some point. Buildings of significance in the film include:
** [[Trump Tower]]: the recently completed glass tower is where Dylan has his apartment.
** [[35 East Wacker]] (aka the Jewelers Building): the cupola'd building where Sentinel sets up the control pillar. It is directly across the Chicago River from the Trump Tower, accurately portrayed when Carly observes Megatron and Sentinel. Megatron is also shown sitting at its real-world base after (presumably) getting thrown off by Sentinel.
** McCormick Place Busway: the sunken street in Grant Park is where Sam and Epps enter the city amid the fleeing population.
** {{w|Navy Pier}}: prominently visible as the helicopters approach the city.
** {{w|Aon Center (Chicago)|Aon Center}}: the vertically striped white building prominently visible during the [[wingsuit]]ers' descent.
** The {{w|Chicago River}}: much of the action centers around the river and its movable bridges; the carrier ship crashes there.
** {{w|Willis Tower}} (previously Sears Tower): used by Lennox's wingsuit team for cover.
** {{w|Tribune Tower}}: the Gothic-styled building whose crest is crumbled by the crashing troop carrier ship. Also used as a launch pad for Decepticons who attack the wingsuit team, and later as a base for Lennox's sniper team.
** {{w|Wrigley Building}}: visible in various shots; most notably, the prisoner sequence occurs on Michigan Avenue in front of it.
** {{w|La Salle Street Bridge (Chicago)|LaSalle Street Bridge}}: scene of Optimus and Sentinel's final fight.
[[File:DOTM-Mexicanstandoff.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|Silly robots! The {{w|Lower West Side, Chicago#Pilsen|Mexican neighborhoods}} are like 2 miles west.]]
* Several additional filming locations in Chicago were repurposed as other sites, mostly set in [[Washington, D.C.]]:
** The abandoned south side Rosenwald Apartment Building appears as part of [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant|Chernobyl]], as Optimus arrives and the soldiers disembark, and where [[Alexi Voskhod]] meets his end shortly afterwards.
** The {{w|Old Chicago Main Post Office|Old Main Post Office}} is repurposed as NEST Headquarters in Washington D.C., with a digitally added helipad and smokestacks. The building's east loading docks appears several times, most notably when Sentinel announces his betrayal.
** North Garland Court, an alleyway between Wabash and Michigan Avenues, is used as the Washington D.C. street where Sam and Carly live.
** A section of {{w|Indiana State Road 912|Highway 912}} (Cline Avenue, closed since 2009) near Gary in northwest Indiana fills in for the D.C. Parkway. A highway sign added by the filmmakers contains signage for exits to I-88 westbound (about twenty miles north and west) and Business Route 20/State Street (two hours west in Rockford, IL!)
** The Mexican standoff occurs on S. Indiana Avenue, in front of the McCormick Place Convention Center's westernmost building. A star-shaped auto parts store sign, digitally inserted in to the scene, is actually located a couple of blocks west on State Street.
[[File:Dotm-driller-film-hudsontower.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|Michael Bay decides that we are now in a post-post-9/11 world.]]
[[File:DOTM-Wreckers-Prime-Cables.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|Optimus Prime was captured by the Chinese.]]
* Various discontinuities occur within the landscape of downtown Chicago during ''Dark of the Moon''. While not errors per se—such geographic splicing is common within films, and they do not affect the internal storyline—they are still of note:
** Most significantly, the movie's most prominent set piece—the skyscraper that gets shot in half and partially collapsed by the Driller, with our heroes still inside it— is not shown to be in its real life location. The building is clearly based on the office building located at {{w|155 North Wacker|155 North Wacker Drive}}, though in the film it was digitally altered to appear taller. In a couple of shots, it is shown to be sited near the Chicago River just north of the NBC Tower, but the actual location is a parking lot. The real building is actually located five blocks north of the Willis Tower.
** Detroit's abandoned {{w|Packard plant}} is digitally spliced into Chicago's landscape, south of downtown, as the backdrop as Epps and Sam argue, come under attack, and are reunited with the Autobots.
** The wingsuit team launches from the Willis Tower, on the west end of downtown. Successive shots show them passing the Aon Center (a good mile or more east), then City Hall (in the ''center'' of downtown) heading south, then back to the Aon Center, then north and west to Michigan Avenue.
** The abandoned {{w|Michigan Central Station}} in [[Detroit]] makes its second live-action appearance, this time as a Chicago building, where Prime and company retreat after the Driller's attack on the driving Autobots.
** Carly states that the control pillar is in the southeast cupola; it's actually in the northeast cupola.
** [[Robert Epps|Epps]] can somehow see the Driller plowing through LaSalle Street from the fictional tower, through over a mile of cityscape.
** After escaping from the fictional tower (north of the river), Sam and company are in a Lower Wacker Drive alley south of the river. A whole segment will subsequently focus on how they are trapped north of the river.
** Epps and company then duck into an abandoned church: City Methodist, located in Gary, Indiana.
** Sam encounters and kills [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] in a parking lot whose real-world location is, again, south of the river (Wabash at Lake). (The adjacent garage was demolished in 2012.)
** To attack [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] and [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]], Lennox and his team run into the Tribune Tower, but then jump out of the Trump Tower.
** The under-construction building where Optimus Prime (using his jetpack) gets entangled in cables is the {{w|China Central Television Headquarters}} in [[Beijing]], [[China]]. Construction for the CCTV building was finished in 2008, long before ''Dark of the Moon'' was even ''conceived''.

===Chicago in ''Age of Extinction''===
* Many of the downtown Chicago landmarks seen in ''Dark of the Moon'' re-appear in the sequel. In particular, the Tribune Tower has its crest destroyed ''again'', while the Willis (née Sears) Tower is once again the focal point of some aerial acrobatics.
* The offices of KSI are portrayed by the main concourse of the McCormick Place Convention Center.
* Chicago's abandoned Damen Avenue grain elevators, located along the Sanitary & Ship Canal, are repurposed as an industrial site in Hong Kong during the film's climactic final battle.
* The near west side's St. Boniface Church—also abandoned—makes a brief appearance as the site of Yeager's lab.
* The Uptown Theater—also abandoned (detecting a trend here?)—was another filming location.
* The scene of the Autobots gathered near some steam locomotives to hear Brains' exposition about Megatron was filmed at the Illinois Railway Museum, in the small town of Union, IL at the outer edges of Chicagoland. Several other scenes were filmed in the surrounding countryside.
{{-}}
==External links==
*{{w|Chicago}} at Wikipedia
*[https://wgntv.com/news/when-its-this-cold-chicago-sets-its-train-tracks-on-fire/ WGNTV's cover on the topic] No seriously, that is a thing.

[[Category:Armada cities]]
[[Category:Age of Extinction cities]]
[[Category:Cities in the United States]]
[[Category:Dark of the Moon cities]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cities]]
[[Category:Real-world human settlements]]
[[Category:The Last Knight cities]]

Chicago

2026-04-10T03:48:19Z

Zenphia: /* Dark of the Moon film */

[[File:Otfcc2003-cryotekvschicago.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|The huge piles of ice are pretty much par for the course. The giant blue dragon, not so much.]]
'''Chicago''' is the biggest city in the American Midwest. It's full of gangsters, burning railways, corrupt politicians, and, on occasion, robots.

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 continuity family===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
When held captive on the planet [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]] in the year 2005, [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] prepared [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] for an escape attempt by way of a coded message that involved recalling a [[Mecha-soccer#American football|football]] match between the [[Lunar Colony]]'s team and "the Bears". Whether the game was held on Earth's moon, in Chicago, or elsewhere is unknown. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2}}

====''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''====
When the [[Teletran 3]] supercomputer went berserk and blasted random Transformers into random points in Earth's timestream, teams of Cobras and G.I. Joe troops pursued them. One such group, consisting of the [[Baroness]], [[Percy]], [[Roadblock (G.I. Joe)|Roadblock]], and [[Beachhead]], materialized in a dingy, dirty, dark city, and narrowly avoided getting run over by two cars full of mugs shooting tommy guns at each other. They'd landed in Prohibition-era Chicago! {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 1|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #1}}

The team soon attacked a group of gangsters who were using [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] as a truck. Freeing him, they next tracked down the gangsters' boss, the notorious [[Tommy Fingers]]. Fingers's favored watering hole was a jazz club that he owned; the next four Transformers were located in a garage out back.

Through the Baroness's efforts, the team learned that Fingers was planning a bank heist, using a dynamite-loaded truck which just happened to be the last of the missing Transformers. Unfortunately for the humans, one of the four garage-bound Transformers was [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]], who was not at all mode-locked, and he quickly activated his [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticon]] compatriots. Optimus Prime and the humans fled from the Stunticons in a running firefight through Chicago's streets; the humans blasted down a suspension bridge along the way.

Coming up on the last Transformer, the Baroness blasted the dynamite, activated the Transformer ([[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]]), and all the time-displaced combatants returned to their own time. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 2|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #2}}

====2005 IDW continuity====
A counter-[[Infiltration protocol|infiltration]] unit under Prowl's command parked their vessel, the ''[[Ark-19]]'', beneath [[Lake Michigan]], some ten miles northwest of Chicago.

===Panini ''Armada'' comic===
When [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] wanted to draw out the [[Air Defense Mini-Con Team (Armada)|Air Defense Mini-Con Team]] for capture, he blasted a satellite out of orbit. The Mini-Con trio managed to stop the falling satellite from smashing into downtown Chicago's forest of skyscrapers a mere ten seconds before impact, then carried it away and dropped it into [[Lake Michigan]]. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 5|Panini Armada issue 5}}

===Live-action film series===
====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.}}
=====''Dark of the Moon'' film=====
[[File:DarkoftheMoon-Chicago.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|Bad Cryotek! Very bad Cryotek!]]
After taking [[Carly Spencer]] captive, [[Dylan Gould]] headed to Chicago. [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] also headed to Chicago to set up few of the space bridge pillars. Needing privacy to conduct their work, [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] ordered a huge Decepticon invasion force take over Chicago. Several [[mothership]]s arrived to disgorge a large number of [[Orbital Assault Carrier]]s, while ground forces took to the streets. Most of the city's population was slaughtered as the Decepticons sealed it off.

[[Sam Witwicky]] headed there to rescue Carly with the help of the ex-[[NEST]] soldier [[Robert Epps]] and a few other ex-NEST comrades. After taking a look at the Decepticon-fortified Chicago, Robert Epps realized that they had no chance of surviving all that, but Sam pressed on. As Epps attempted to dissuade Sam from rescuing Carly, Sam asked what they should do, and Epps admitted that they had to give up. Soon afterward, an Orbital Assault Carrier attacked the group. Just after killing several civilians and nearly killing Sam and Epps, the fighter was shot down. Sam and Epps looks behind them to see their savior—[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], who gave his own answer to Sam's question: kill every last Decepticon. The Wreckers [[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]], [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]], and [[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] proceeded to execute the pilot by tearing it to pieces.

Optimus then explained why they had feigned departure; they needed to fool the world's leaders that they were gone, so they could see the truth behind the Decepticons. As the rest of the Autobots arrived on scene, Sam inquired as to how they survived, to which Roadbuster and Leadfoot explained that the Autobots hid in the boosters of their ship, the ''[[Xantium (DOTM)|Xantium]]'' which splashed in the Atlantic, and then they traveled to Chicago from there. Wheelie and Brains then reiterated that Autobots would never leave Earth, and Optimus announced that they needed an element of surprise, to which Sam said he knew where to look.

[[File:DOTM-SentinelandMegatron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Sentinel and his new hobo friend.]]
Asking if Bumblebee could fly the downed Orbital Assault Carrier (which he replied with a hand shrug) Bumblebee and Sam departed for Dylan Gould's penthouse suite. Inside, Carly observed an argument between Sentinel and Megatron on the other building using a telescope. Sneaking in through the balcony, Sam confronted Gould, but [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] attacked Sam as Carly appeared, then threw him over the balcony. Bumblebee's captured Orbital Assault Carrier caught Sam, who urged Carly to jump. With the boy and his girl safely secured, Bumblebee opened fire on the human collaborators, but Laserbeak sent a mini-drone dispatched by the [[United States military]] into one of the Orbital Assault Carrier's thrusters, then attacked Sam. Pinning Laserbeak above the gun turret, Sam told Bumblebee to fire, killing the aerial Decepticon before they crash-landed onto the ground. As Dylan frantically ran about the streets shouting that the Autobots were alive, Megatron ordered the Decepticon to raise the bridges into the city and find the Autobots.

Reuniting with the Autobots and ex-NEST soldiers, the group was able to use the mini-drone to warn the powers that be about Sentinel and Megatron's plan to transport Cybertron to the Sol system. Colonel [[William Lennox]] mobilized NEST for a drop into a city using wing suits. Realizing that they had to destroy the [[pillar]]s, Epps team and the Autobots head into the city, but were attacked by [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] and the [[Driller]], separating Prime from his trailer carrying his weapons. Optimus agreed to take the Autobots on a diversionary attack while Epps and his team made their way to a skyscraper with the necessary height and clear line of fire, but not before [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]] gave them some urban combat weapons, the boom-sticks and grapple gloves. In distracting Shockwave, Wheelie and Brains became separated from the Autobots.

[[File:830px-Dotm-shockwave&driller-film-chicago.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Driller-bot is thirsty. What the hell?]]
Following this, Lennox and the NEST forces arrived in the city, but were forced to wing-suit in. As [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] lead the aerial counter-attack, the NEST soldiers abandoned the plane, gliding away until they lost the Decepticons in a tilted building. Once Epps team made their way to the right floor for the shot, the Decepticon Orbital Assault Carriers began shooting the building, causing the portion above the line of fire to begin collapsing. A Decepticon scout jumped into the building, forcing Epps to throw a grenade to distract it long enough for the humans to slide down the windows, just barely falling into the floors below. One soldier was not so lucky, and the debris fell around Shockwave. Knowing that there were humans inside, Shockwave ordered the Driller to begin eating the building, causing it to collapse onto another nearby building. As the humans evacuated onto the fire-escape on the other building, Optimus Prime, having recovered his flight tech, managed to kill the Driller, saving the humans from pursuit. Furious with the death of his pet, Shockwave fired a cluster of missiles at Optimus, causing him to become tangled in some cables as the [[Wreckers]] came to his rescue.

[[File:Dotm Starscream BOOM.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Like this is so unfamiliar to me.]]
At this point, Sentinel Prime gave the order to launch the pillars into orbit, at the same time as Wheelie and Brains discovered a downed Orbital Assault Carrier. While Epps and his team made their way through the streets, Sam and Carly continued on in another direction. To a position where Starscream spotted them. Relishing a chance to torment a long thorn in the Decepticons side, Starscream had some fun tormenting and threatening Sam. This allowed Sam a chance to use the grapple glove given to him by Que, hitting the [[Air Commander]]'s right [[sensor|optic]]. Starscream began flailing around in pain, tossing Sam through a window, which allowed him to arm a boom-stick. The commotion attracted the attention of Lennox and the NEST forces. Just as Lennox arrived, Sam managed to jump on Starscream's head and jam the boom-stick into his left eye. Now completely blind, Starscream lost whatever control he had left and began flailing about trying to get the boom-stick out. Lennox grabbed the rope Sam's glove was attached to, but was unable to cut it. they managed to hit the release mere seconds before the boom-stick went off, which killed Starscream, but nearly fell to their deaths, only just saved by Bumblebee. Once they were sure Starscream was dead, Bumblebee went ahead to the edge of the river.

[[File:Dotm-decepticoncarrier-film-city.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|''Chicago! Chicago! That explodin' town Chicago, Chicago! I will shoot it all down.'']]

By the time the two human teams reached the bridge, a SEAL team arrived, informing Lennox of inbound TOMAHAWK missiles, and the military had accessed local security cameras. What they found was not encouraging: most of the Autobots had been taken captive by Decepticons lead by [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. Realizing that the humans needed to get across the river, [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]] was able to hack the bridge controls and lower the bridge. Unfortunately, the orbiting pillars reached the necessary coordinates, and the ground based pillars began opening the space bridge. While this was going on, Wheelie and Brains managed to board a Decepticon cruiser and make their way to the control center. At the holding area, Dylan Gould was shocked that the Decepticons were taking prisoners, and encouraged them to kill the Autobots. [[File:DOTMQuegetsit.jpg|thumb|upright=1.95|''They have the end, the end of their life I saw a man, he got shot at and died In Chicago, my home town!'']]
Soundwave happily concurred, declaring "no prisoners, only trophies". Ordering Que to his feet, the Autobot scientist was gunned down by [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] while begging for mercy. Sam tried to activate a boom-stick, but it was damaged. Just as Soundwave was about to execute Bumblebee, Orbital Assault Carriers from the hijacked cruiser began crashing to the ground. The Autobots and Decepticons scrambled for cover, and Bumblebee was able to kill Soundwave in the ensuring confusion, then escape with the others. However, the cruiser carrying Wheelie and Brains crashed into the river, presumably killing the duo.

[[File:DOTMScrapper.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|''On State Street, that late street, I just want to say They blow up things they don't blow up on Broadway'']]
Meeting up with some army troopers, Lennox and Epps's teams took positions for a strike on the Decepticons, who were investigating Soundwave's last stand. As Lennox's team parachuted in, Barricade was reprimanding the protoforms for allowing the Autobots to escape when snipers began firing at the Decepticons optics. Momentarily blinded, the several demolitions teams were able to attach explosives to the Decepticons feet, crippling Barricade and several protoforms enough for the humans to kill them. As the Decepticons returned fire, Lennox and his men parachuted onto Shockwave, with one trooper seriously damaging the large Decepticon, while Epps team opened fire on full auto, seriously disorienting Shockwave. With this, the Autobots arrived and attacked. Despite the promising opening, sheer firepower was on the Decepticons side, keeping the Autobots and NEST from reaching the pillars. Declaring that Earth was theirs, Sentinel Prime fully activated the space bridge, and Cybertron began appearing in orbit. Just then, Optimus Prime, freed from the cables, arrived and quite literally tore through every Decepticon standing between him and Sentinel. Finally reaching Shockwave, Optimus punched out half of his chest, then tore his eye out through his head. Firing Shockwave's cannon at the control pillar, Optimus brought down a small part of the building, interrupting the transport and leaving Cybertron in half.

[[File:Autobots vs Sentinel.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"Um, Sentinel? We're over here!" "You sure you want him to remember us? My ass feels pretty kicked."]]
Optimus then demanded that Sentinel confront him, and a furious Sentinel was only too willing to oblige. Using his [[Primax Blade]] to descend the building, Sentinel was dumbfounded that Optimus still sided with the humans, but Optimus countered that Sentinel was the one who taught him freedom was the right of all sentient beings. Drawing a [[Dual Energon Swords|sword]] and [[Energon-axe]], Optimus engaged Sentinel, who vowed to reactivate the pillar, while Sam went off to try and reach it first. With the tide turning, the Autobots, NEST, and the military pushed forward. When Optimus started to get the upper hand over Sentinel, the elder Prime called in the Orbital Assault Carriers to attack Optimus. ''All'' the Orbital Assault Carriers. NEST was able to make contact with the remote guided TOMAHAWK missiles, which were five minutes out. With the Orbital Assault Carriers attacking Optimus, the Wreckers attacking the incoming ground Decepticons, and the rest of the Autobots engaging Sentinel, no Decepticons were left to reactivate the pillar, which fell to a cowering Dylan Gould. With the Orbital Assault Carriers on the verge of overwhelming Optimus, NEST was able to guide the missiles to the fighters, downing them.

As Sam made his way to the pillar, he encountered Gould, who tried to stop him at gunpoint. Sam tried to reason with the human agent, but Gould said there only one future for him. As some papers obstructed his vision, Sam attacked, but Gould was still able to reactivate the pillar. Megatron, allowing his [[Lensmeter Decepticon]]s to repair him, rested easily as Carly approached the [[Lord High Protector]]. Carly then pointed out that while the Decepticons were conquering Earth, their leader would not be Megatron, but Sentinel Prime. Megatron was within a hair of killing her when he realized she was ''right''. Meanwhile, Sentinel, under fire from more or less ''everything'' at this point, realized that he was losing and fled with Optimus hot on his heels. At the same time, Gould overpowered Sam, knocking him out cold. Optimus caught up with Sentinel at a bridge and the two fought once again. However, when Sentinel severed Optimus's right arm and knocked him to the ground, it came apparent that Optimus was not stronger then his mentor. Lamenting over how the [[Dynasty of Primes]] had been gods on Cybertron, Sentinel declared that on Earth, there could only be one.

[[File:DOTM space bridge collapse.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.55]]
Just as Sentinel was about to deliver the killing blow, an infuriated Megatron came in firing—at Sentinel, letting loose several thousand years of parental issues out. Sam quickly reappeared, and promptly killed Gould with the pillar itself. The Autobots overwhelmed the last Decepticon, and Ratchet and Bumblebee destroyed the pillar. The effects were instantaneous: not only were the remaining Decepticon ships pulled out of Chicago and into the collapsing space bridge, but the space bridge's collapse destroyed Cybertron in the process. Seeing the plan had failed, Megatron slyly proposed a truce with Optimus, his only stipulation remaining [[Decepticon leader]]. Megatron was confident Optimus would accept; they had fought for so long, who was Optimus Prime without Megatron? Optimus declared that he would find out. Picking up his discarded axe, Optimus jammed the weapon into Megatron's head, then tore it off, killing Megatron. The badly wounded Sentinel pleaded for mercy, explaining that all he wanted was to save the Cybertronian race, which was why he betrayed his former pupil. Optimus claimed it was never about betraying Optimus; by allying with Megatron and planning to enslave humanity, Sentinel had betrayed himself. With bitter regret, Optimus Prime raised Megatron's fusion shotgun and executed Sentinel Prime.

[[File:DOTM Autobots NEST victorious.jpg|thumb|280px]]
With the battle over, Sam and Carly reunited, and with Cybertron lost, the Autobots accepted that Earth was now their home. {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}}

=====''Age of Extinction'' film=====
Chicago proved to be the final tipping point in an already strained relationship between humans and Cybertronians. The United States government officially terminated all joint Autobot-human operations, replacing them with [[Harold Attinger]]'s [[Cemetery Wind]], a [[CIA]] unit tasked with hunting down the surviving Decepticons, whilst the Autobots were granted asylum on Earth. In reality, and under the White House's nose, Cemetery Wind hunted Autobot and Decepticon alike, holding both factions responsible for the loss of life in Chicago, forcing the Autobots underground. During the subsequent cleanup and rebuilding effort, Chicago proved to be a lucrative opportunity to salvage discarded alien technology, and several world governments and independent corporations began reverse-engineering Cybertronian tech.

Five years after the battle, Chicago had returned to its former glory, with a refurbished skyline. Perhaps as a result of easy access to Cybertronian artifacts and [[Living metal|transformium]], [[Kinetic Solutions Incorporated]] built its American division in the city. They were eventually visited by [[Cade Yeager]] and the surviving Autobots, who had hijacked a KSI drone and traced it back to its company of origin. Optimus Prime, angered by the mutilation of his former comrades, ordered an assault on the company, but his team voluntarily fell back after a confrontation with [[Joshua Joyce]], and left the city.

After Prime was captured by [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] the bounty hunter met up with [[James Savoy]] to hand over the [[Seed]]. Needless to say, the presence of a giant alien spaceship caused mass hysteria in the streets and the military scrambled fighters to intercept but were ensured that the ship was not there to cause any harm by Harold Attinger. The Autobots later infiltrated Lockdown's ship to rescue Prime and the following battle slightly spilled over into the city's airspace. The ship later left - but without a section which set off in another direction.
{{storylink|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction}}
{{-}}

=====''The Last Knight'' film=====
[[Izabella]] was orphaned during the battle of Chicago, as her parents were killed by Decepticons while she was away from home. By the time Cemetery Wind was exposed and replaced by the [[Transformers Reaction Force]], much of Chicago was still uninhabitable.

Under more government-organised work, the TRF proved to be a liability in the fight against [[Quintessa (TLK)|Quintessa]]. When Cade talked some sense into them, revealing that the real reason humanity turned on the Autobots after Chicago was because they simply gave up on them, the TRF realigned themselves as allies of the Autobots. {{storylink|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight}}

====''Dark of the Moon'' Annual====
[[NEST Satellite Orion]] detected the highest [[energon]] reading in Chicago, suggesting that the Decepticons were using the tall buildings as an interstellar transmission site. {{storylink|Transformers Dark of the Moon Annual 2012}}

====Ask Vector Prime====
In [[Tyran 609.23-PX Kappa]], Megatron also seized Chicago with the aid of collaborationist humans to set up the space bridge technology to bring Cybertron into Earth orbit. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime}}

====''Studio Series'' toy bios====
[[Thundercracker (Movie)|Thundercracker]] participated in an areal assault on the Autobots during the battle of Chicago.

==Video games==
===''Transformers: Forged to Fight''===
[[File:ChicagosSteakhouse.jpg|right|thumb|200px]]
A demolished Chicago is used as an arena on [[New Quintessa]]. Keep an eye out for [[Chicagos Steakhouse]]! {{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight}}
{{-}}

==Notes==
* Out here in the real world, Chicago has twice played host to the official Transformers convention, as [[OTFCC 2003]] and [[OTFCC 2004]] both occurred there.
* Chicago also hosts the annual Wizard World Chicago convention, which frequently features a Hasbro Transformers display booth similar to what's seen at [[BotCon]].
* The package and bio for Thundercracker's ''[[Studio Series]]'' toy marks him as being from ''Dark of the Moon'', ostensibly as one of the numerous Decepticons who space-bridged in from the Moon and participated in the battle of Chicago.

===Chicago in ''Dark of the Moon''===
* Chicago filming for ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon]]'' commenced July 10, 2010 and continued through August 19.
[[File:Dotm Protoform.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|Not such a Magnificent Mile for Que.]]
[[File:DOTM Autobots NEST victorious.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|Prime now gets a sign that reads ''Dunmurderin'''.]]
[[File:DOTM NEST HQ.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|The fictional universe of ''Transformers'' includes giant talking alien space robots and, far less credibly, a repeal of DC's building height restrictions.]]
* Many Chicago landmarks "appear as themselves" during ''Dark of the Moon''. Virtually every landmark on the downtown skyline is visible at some point. Buildings of significance in the film include:
** [[Trump Tower]]: the recently completed glass tower is where Dylan has his apartment.
** [[35 East Wacker]] (aka the Jewelers Building): the cupola'd building where Sentinel sets up the control pillar. It is directly across the Chicago River from the Trump Tower, accurately portrayed when Carly observes Megatron and Sentinel. Megatron is also shown sitting at its real-world base after (presumably) getting thrown off by Sentinel.
** McCormick Place Busway: the sunken street in Grant Park is where Sam and Epps enter the city amid the fleeing population.
** {{w|Navy Pier}}: prominently visible as the helicopters approach the city.
** {{w|Aon Center (Chicago)|Aon Center}}: the vertically striped white building prominently visible during the [[wingsuit]]ers' descent.
** The {{w|Chicago River}}: much of the action centers around the river and its movable bridges; the carrier ship crashes there.
** {{w|Willis Tower}} (previously Sears Tower): used by Lennox's wingsuit team for cover.
** {{w|Tribune Tower}}: the Gothic-styled building whose crest is crumbled by the crashing troop carrier ship. Also used as a launch pad for Decepticons who attack the wingsuit team, and later as a base for Lennox's sniper team.
** {{w|Wrigley Building}}: visible in various shots; most notably, the prisoner sequence occurs on Michigan Avenue in front of it.
** {{w|La Salle Street Bridge (Chicago)|LaSalle Street Bridge}}: scene of Optimus and Sentinel's final fight.
[[File:DOTM-Mexicanstandoff.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|Silly robots! The {{w|Lower West Side, Chicago#Pilsen|Mexican neighborhoods}} are like 2 miles west.]]
* Several additional filming locations in Chicago were repurposed as other sites, mostly set in [[Washington, D.C.]]:
** The abandoned south side Rosenwald Apartment Building appears as part of [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant|Chernobyl]], as Optimus arrives and the soldiers disembark, and where [[Alexi Voskhod]] meets his end shortly afterwards.
** The {{w|Old Chicago Main Post Office|Old Main Post Office}} is repurposed as NEST Headquarters in Washington D.C., with a digitally added helipad and smokestacks. The building's east loading docks appears several times, most notably when Sentinel announces his betrayal.
** North Garland Court, an alleyway between Wabash and Michigan Avenues, is used as the Washington D.C. street where Sam and Carly live.
** A section of {{w|Indiana State Road 912|Highway 912}} (Cline Avenue, closed since 2009) near Gary in northwest Indiana fills in for the D.C. Parkway. A highway sign added by the filmmakers contains signage for exits to I-88 westbound (about twenty miles north and west) and Business Route 20/State Street (two hours west in Rockford, IL!)
** The Mexican standoff occurs on S. Indiana Avenue, in front of the McCormick Place Convention Center's westernmost building. A star-shaped auto parts store sign, digitally inserted in to the scene, is actually located a couple of blocks west on State Street.
[[File:Dotm-driller-film-hudsontower.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|Michael Bay decides that we are now in a post-post-9/11 world.]]
[[File:DOTM-Wreckers-Prime-Cables.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|Optimus Prime was captured by the Chinese.]]
* Various discontinuities occur within the landscape of downtown Chicago during ''Dark of the Moon''. While not errors per se—such geographic splicing is common within films, and they do not affect the internal storyline—they are still of note:
** Most significantly, the movie's most prominent set piece—the skyscraper that gets shot in half and partially collapsed by the Driller, with our heroes still inside it— is not shown to be in its real life location. The building is clearly based on the office building located at {{w|155 North Wacker|155 North Wacker Drive}}, though in the film it was digitally altered to appear taller. In a couple of shots, it is shown to be sited near the Chicago River just north of the NBC Tower, but the actual location is a parking lot. The real building is actually located five blocks north of the Willis Tower.
** Detroit's abandoned {{w|Packard plant}} is digitally spliced into Chicago's landscape, south of downtown, as the backdrop as Epps and Sam argue, come under attack, and are reunited with the Autobots.
** The wingsuit team launches from the Willis Tower, on the west end of downtown. Successive shots show them passing the Aon Center (a good mile or more east), then City Hall (in the ''center'' of downtown) heading south, then back to the Aon Center, then north and west to Michigan Avenue.
** The abandoned {{w|Michigan Central Station}} in [[Detroit]] makes its second live-action appearance, this time as a Chicago building, where Prime and company retreat after the Driller's attack on the driving Autobots.
** Carly states that the control pillar is in the southeast cupola; it's actually in the northeast cupola.
** [[Robert Epps|Epps]] can somehow see the Driller plowing through LaSalle Street from the fictional tower, through over a mile of cityscape.
** After escaping from the fictional tower (north of the river), Sam and company are in a Lower Wacker Drive alley south of the river. A whole segment will subsequently focus on how they are trapped north of the river.
** Epps and company then duck into an abandoned church: City Methodist, located in Gary, Indiana.
** Sam encounters and kills [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] in a parking lot whose real-world location is, again, south of the river (Wabash at Lake). (The adjacent garage was demolished in 2012.)
** To attack [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] and [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]], Lennox and his team run into the Tribune Tower, but then jump out of the Trump Tower.
** The under-construction building where Optimus Prime (using his jetpack) gets entangled in cables is the {{w|China Central Television Headquarters}} in [[Beijing]], [[China]]. Construction for the CCTV building was finished in 2008, long before ''Dark of the Moon'' was even ''conceived''.

===Chicago in ''Age of Extinction''===
* Many of the downtown Chicago landmarks seen in ''Dark of the Moon'' re-appear in the sequel. In particular, the Tribune Tower has its crest destroyed ''again'', while the Willis (née Sears) Tower is once again the focal point of some aerial acrobatics.
* The offices of KSI are portrayed by the main concourse of the McCormick Place Convention Center.
* Chicago's abandoned Damen Avenue grain elevators, located along the Sanitary & Ship Canal, are repurposed as an industrial site in Hong Kong during the film's climactic final battle.
* The near west side's St. Boniface Church—also abandoned—makes a brief appearance as the site of Yeager's lab.
* The Uptown Theater—also abandoned (detecting a trend here?)—was another filming location.
* The scene of the Autobots gathered near some steam locomotives to hear Brains' exposition about Megatron was filmed at the Illinois Railway Museum, in the small town of Union, IL at the outer edges of Chicagoland. Several other scenes were filmed in the surrounding countryside.
{{-}}
==External links==
*{{w|Chicago}} at Wikipedia
*[https://wgntv.com/news/when-its-this-cold-chicago-sets-its-train-tracks-on-fire/ WGNTV's cover on the topic] No seriously, that is a thing.

[[Category:Armada cities]]
[[Category:Age of Extinction cities]]
[[Category:Cities in the United States]]
[[Category:Dark of the Moon cities]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cities]]
[[Category:Real-world human settlements]]
[[Category:The Last Knight cities]]

Chicago

2026-04-10T03:48:10Z

Zenphia: /* Dark of the Moon film */

[[File:Otfcc2003-cryotekvschicago.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|The huge piles of ice are pretty much par for the course. The giant blue dragon, not so much.]]
'''Chicago''' is the biggest city in the American Midwest. It's full of gangsters, burning railways, corrupt politicians, and, on occasion, robots.

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 continuity family===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
When held captive on the planet [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]] in the year 2005, [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] prepared [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] for an escape attempt by way of a coded message that involved recalling a [[Mecha-soccer#American football|football]] match between the [[Lunar Colony]]'s team and "the Bears". Whether the game was held on Earth's moon, in Chicago, or elsewhere is unknown. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2}}

====''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''====
When the [[Teletran 3]] supercomputer went berserk and blasted random Transformers into random points in Earth's timestream, teams of Cobras and G.I. Joe troops pursued them. One such group, consisting of the [[Baroness]], [[Percy]], [[Roadblock (G.I. Joe)|Roadblock]], and [[Beachhead]], materialized in a dingy, dirty, dark city, and narrowly avoided getting run over by two cars full of mugs shooting tommy guns at each other. They'd landed in Prohibition-era Chicago! {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 1|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #1}}

The team soon attacked a group of gangsters who were using [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] as a truck. Freeing him, they next tracked down the gangsters' boss, the notorious [[Tommy Fingers]]. Fingers's favored watering hole was a jazz club that he owned; the next four Transformers were located in a garage out back.

Through the Baroness's efforts, the team learned that Fingers was planning a bank heist, using a dynamite-loaded truck which just happened to be the last of the missing Transformers. Unfortunately for the humans, one of the four garage-bound Transformers was [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]], who was not at all mode-locked, and he quickly activated his [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticon]] compatriots. Optimus Prime and the humans fled from the Stunticons in a running firefight through Chicago's streets; the humans blasted down a suspension bridge along the way.

Coming up on the last Transformer, the Baroness blasted the dynamite, activated the Transformer ([[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]]), and all the time-displaced combatants returned to their own time. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 2|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #2}}

====2005 IDW continuity====
A counter-[[Infiltration protocol|infiltration]] unit under Prowl's command parked their vessel, the ''[[Ark-19]]'', beneath [[Lake Michigan]], some ten miles northwest of Chicago.

===Panini ''Armada'' comic===
When [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] wanted to draw out the [[Air Defense Mini-Con Team (Armada)|Air Defense Mini-Con Team]] for capture, he blasted a satellite out of orbit. The Mini-Con trio managed to stop the falling satellite from smashing into downtown Chicago's forest of skyscrapers a mere ten seconds before impact, then carried it away and dropped it into [[Lake Michigan]]. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 5|Panini Armada issue 5}}

===Live-action film series===
====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.}}
=====''Dark of the Moon'' film=====
[[File:DarkoftheMoon-Chicago.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|Bad Cryotek! Very bad Cryotek!]]
After taking [[Carly Spencer]] captive, [[Dylan Gould]] headed to Chicago. [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] also headed to Chicago to set up few of the space bridge pillars. Needing privacy to conduct their work, [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] ordered a huge Decepticon invasion force take over Chicago. Several [[mothership]]s arrived to disgorge a large number of [[Orbital Assault Carrier]]s, while ground forces took to the streets. Most of the city's population was slaughtered as the Decepticons sealed off the city.

[[Sam Witwicky]] headed there to rescue Carly with the help of the ex-[[NEST]] soldier [[Robert Epps]] and a few other ex-NEST comrades. After taking a look at the Decepticon-fortified Chicago, Robert Epps realized that they had no chance of surviving all that, but Sam pressed on. As Epps attempted to dissuade Sam from rescuing Carly, Sam asked what they should do, and Epps admitted that they had to give up. Soon afterward, an Orbital Assault Carrier attacked the group. Just after killing several civilians and nearly killing Sam and Epps, the fighter was shot down. Sam and Epps looks behind them to see their savior—[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], who gave his own answer to Sam's question: kill every last Decepticon. The Wreckers [[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]], [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]], and [[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] proceeded to execute the pilot by tearing it to pieces.

Optimus then explained why they had feigned departure; they needed to fool the world's leaders that they were gone, so they could see the truth behind the Decepticons. As the rest of the Autobots arrived on scene, Sam inquired as to how they survived, to which Roadbuster and Leadfoot explained that the Autobots hid in the boosters of their ship, the ''[[Xantium (DOTM)|Xantium]]'' which splashed in the Atlantic, and then they traveled to Chicago from there. Wheelie and Brains then reiterated that Autobots would never leave Earth, and Optimus announced that they needed an element of surprise, to which Sam said he knew where to look.

[[File:DOTM-SentinelandMegatron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Sentinel and his new hobo friend.]]
Asking if Bumblebee could fly the downed Orbital Assault Carrier (which he replied with a hand shrug) Bumblebee and Sam departed for Dylan Gould's penthouse suite. Inside, Carly observed an argument between Sentinel and Megatron on the other building using a telescope. Sneaking in through the balcony, Sam confronted Gould, but [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] attacked Sam as Carly appeared, then threw him over the balcony. Bumblebee's captured Orbital Assault Carrier caught Sam, who urged Carly to jump. With the boy and his girl safely secured, Bumblebee opened fire on the human collaborators, but Laserbeak sent a mini-drone dispatched by the [[United States military]] into one of the Orbital Assault Carrier's thrusters, then attacked Sam. Pinning Laserbeak above the gun turret, Sam told Bumblebee to fire, killing the aerial Decepticon before they crash-landed onto the ground. As Dylan frantically ran about the streets shouting that the Autobots were alive, Megatron ordered the Decepticon to raise the bridges into the city and find the Autobots.

Reuniting with the Autobots and ex-NEST soldiers, the group was able to use the mini-drone to warn the powers that be about Sentinel and Megatron's plan to transport Cybertron to the Sol system. Colonel [[William Lennox]] mobilized NEST for a drop into a city using wing suits. Realizing that they had to destroy the [[pillar]]s, Epps team and the Autobots head into the city, but were attacked by [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] and the [[Driller]], separating Prime from his trailer carrying his weapons. Optimus agreed to take the Autobots on a diversionary attack while Epps and his team made their way to a skyscraper with the necessary height and clear line of fire, but not before [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]] gave them some urban combat weapons, the boom-sticks and grapple gloves. In distracting Shockwave, Wheelie and Brains became separated from the Autobots.

[[File:830px-Dotm-shockwave&driller-film-chicago.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Driller-bot is thirsty. What the hell?]]
Following this, Lennox and the NEST forces arrived in the city, but were forced to wing-suit in. As [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] lead the aerial counter-attack, the NEST soldiers abandoned the plane, gliding away until they lost the Decepticons in a tilted building. Once Epps team made their way to the right floor for the shot, the Decepticon Orbital Assault Carriers began shooting the building, causing the portion above the line of fire to begin collapsing. A Decepticon scout jumped into the building, forcing Epps to throw a grenade to distract it long enough for the humans to slide down the windows, just barely falling into the floors below. One soldier was not so lucky, and the debris fell around Shockwave. Knowing that there were humans inside, Shockwave ordered the Driller to begin eating the building, causing it to collapse onto another nearby building. As the humans evacuated onto the fire-escape on the other building, Optimus Prime, having recovered his flight tech, managed to kill the Driller, saving the humans from pursuit. Furious with the death of his pet, Shockwave fired a cluster of missiles at Optimus, causing him to become tangled in some cables as the [[Wreckers]] came to his rescue.

[[File:Dotm Starscream BOOM.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Like this is so unfamiliar to me.]]
At this point, Sentinel Prime gave the order to launch the pillars into orbit, at the same time as Wheelie and Brains discovered a downed Orbital Assault Carrier. While Epps and his team made their way through the streets, Sam and Carly continued on in another direction. To a position where Starscream spotted them. Relishing a chance to torment a long thorn in the Decepticons side, Starscream had some fun tormenting and threatening Sam. This allowed Sam a chance to use the grapple glove given to him by Que, hitting the [[Air Commander]]'s right [[sensor|optic]]. Starscream began flailing around in pain, tossing Sam through a window, which allowed him to arm a boom-stick. The commotion attracted the attention of Lennox and the NEST forces. Just as Lennox arrived, Sam managed to jump on Starscream's head and jam the boom-stick into his left eye. Now completely blind, Starscream lost whatever control he had left and began flailing about trying to get the boom-stick out. Lennox grabbed the rope Sam's glove was attached to, but was unable to cut it. they managed to hit the release mere seconds before the boom-stick went off, which killed Starscream, but nearly fell to their deaths, only just saved by Bumblebee. Once they were sure Starscream was dead, Bumblebee went ahead to the edge of the river.

[[File:Dotm-decepticoncarrier-film-city.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|''Chicago! Chicago! That explodin' town Chicago, Chicago! I will shoot it all down.'']]

By the time the two human teams reached the bridge, a SEAL team arrived, informing Lennox of inbound TOMAHAWK missiles, and the military had accessed local security cameras. What they found was not encouraging: most of the Autobots had been taken captive by Decepticons lead by [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. Realizing that the humans needed to get across the river, [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]] was able to hack the bridge controls and lower the bridge. Unfortunately, the orbiting pillars reached the necessary coordinates, and the ground based pillars began opening the space bridge. While this was going on, Wheelie and Brains managed to board a Decepticon cruiser and make their way to the control center. At the holding area, Dylan Gould was shocked that the Decepticons were taking prisoners, and encouraged them to kill the Autobots. [[File:DOTMQuegetsit.jpg|thumb|upright=1.95|''They have the end, the end of their life I saw a man, he got shot at and died In Chicago, my home town!'']]
Soundwave happily concurred, declaring "no prisoners, only trophies". Ordering Que to his feet, the Autobot scientist was gunned down by [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] while begging for mercy. Sam tried to activate a boom-stick, but it was damaged. Just as Soundwave was about to execute Bumblebee, Orbital Assault Carriers from the hijacked cruiser began crashing to the ground. The Autobots and Decepticons scrambled for cover, and Bumblebee was able to kill Soundwave in the ensuring confusion, then escape with the others. However, the cruiser carrying Wheelie and Brains crashed into the river, presumably killing the duo.

[[File:DOTMScrapper.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|''On State Street, that late street, I just want to say They blow up things they don't blow up on Broadway'']]
Meeting up with some army troopers, Lennox and Epps's teams took positions for a strike on the Decepticons, who were investigating Soundwave's last stand. As Lennox's team parachuted in, Barricade was reprimanding the protoforms for allowing the Autobots to escape when snipers began firing at the Decepticons optics. Momentarily blinded, the several demolitions teams were able to attach explosives to the Decepticons feet, crippling Barricade and several protoforms enough for the humans to kill them. As the Decepticons returned fire, Lennox and his men parachuted onto Shockwave, with one trooper seriously damaging the large Decepticon, while Epps team opened fire on full auto, seriously disorienting Shockwave. With this, the Autobots arrived and attacked. Despite the promising opening, sheer firepower was on the Decepticons side, keeping the Autobots and NEST from reaching the pillars. Declaring that Earth was theirs, Sentinel Prime fully activated the space bridge, and Cybertron began appearing in orbit. Just then, Optimus Prime, freed from the cables, arrived and quite literally tore through every Decepticon standing between him and Sentinel. Finally reaching Shockwave, Optimus punched out half of his chest, then tore his eye out through his head. Firing Shockwave's cannon at the control pillar, Optimus brought down a small part of the building, interrupting the transport and leaving Cybertron in half.

[[File:Autobots vs Sentinel.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"Um, Sentinel? We're over here!" "You sure you want him to remember us? My ass feels pretty kicked."]]
Optimus then demanded that Sentinel confront him, and a furious Sentinel was only too willing to oblige. Using his [[Primax Blade]] to descend the building, Sentinel was dumbfounded that Optimus still sided with the humans, but Optimus countered that Sentinel was the one who taught him freedom was the right of all sentient beings. Drawing a [[Dual Energon Swords|sword]] and [[Energon-axe]], Optimus engaged Sentinel, who vowed to reactivate the pillar, while Sam went off to try and reach it first. With the tide turning, the Autobots, NEST, and the military pushed forward. When Optimus started to get the upper hand over Sentinel, the elder Prime called in the Orbital Assault Carriers to attack Optimus. ''All'' the Orbital Assault Carriers. NEST was able to make contact with the remote guided TOMAHAWK missiles, which were five minutes out. With the Orbital Assault Carriers attacking Optimus, the Wreckers attacking the incoming ground Decepticons, and the rest of the Autobots engaging Sentinel, no Decepticons were left to reactivate the pillar, which fell to a cowering Dylan Gould. With the Orbital Assault Carriers on the verge of overwhelming Optimus, NEST was able to guide the missiles to the fighters, downing them.

As Sam made his way to the pillar, he encountered Gould, who tried to stop him at gunpoint. Sam tried to reason with the human agent, but Gould said there only one future for him. As some papers obstructed his vision, Sam attacked, but Gould was still able to reactivate the pillar. Megatron, allowing his [[Lensmeter Decepticon]]s to repair him, rested easily as Carly approached the [[Lord High Protector]]. Carly then pointed out that while the Decepticons were conquering Earth, their leader would not be Megatron, but Sentinel Prime. Megatron was within a hair of killing her when he realized she was ''right''. Meanwhile, Sentinel, under fire from more or less ''everything'' at this point, realized that he was losing and fled with Optimus hot on his heels. At the same time, Gould overpowered Sam, knocking him out cold. Optimus caught up with Sentinel at a bridge and the two fought once again. However, when Sentinel severed Optimus's right arm and knocked him to the ground, it came apparent that Optimus was not stronger then his mentor. Lamenting over how the [[Dynasty of Primes]] had been gods on Cybertron, Sentinel declared that on Earth, there could only be one.

[[File:DOTM space bridge collapse.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.55]]
Just as Sentinel was about to deliver the killing blow, an infuriated Megatron came in firing—at Sentinel, letting loose several thousand years of parental issues out. Sam quickly reappeared, and promptly killed Gould with the pillar itself. The Autobots overwhelmed the last Decepticon, and Ratchet and Bumblebee destroyed the pillar. The effects were instantaneous: not only were the remaining Decepticon ships pulled out of Chicago and into the collapsing space bridge, but the space bridge's collapse destroyed Cybertron in the process. Seeing the plan had failed, Megatron slyly proposed a truce with Optimus, his only stipulation remaining [[Decepticon leader]]. Megatron was confident Optimus would accept; they had fought for so long, who was Optimus Prime without Megatron? Optimus declared that he would find out. Picking up his discarded axe, Optimus jammed the weapon into Megatron's head, then tore it off, killing Megatron. The badly wounded Sentinel pleaded for mercy, explaining that all he wanted was to save the Cybertronian race, which was why he betrayed his former pupil. Optimus claimed it was never about betraying Optimus; by allying with Megatron and planning to enslave humanity, Sentinel had betrayed himself. With bitter regret, Optimus Prime raised Megatron's fusion shotgun and executed Sentinel Prime.

[[File:DOTM Autobots NEST victorious.jpg|thumb|280px]]
With the battle over, Sam and Carly reunited, and with Cybertron lost, the Autobots accepted that Earth was now their home. {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}}

=====''Age of Extinction'' film=====
Chicago proved to be the final tipping point in an already strained relationship between humans and Cybertronians. The United States government officially terminated all joint Autobot-human operations, replacing them with [[Harold Attinger]]'s [[Cemetery Wind]], a [[CIA]] unit tasked with hunting down the surviving Decepticons, whilst the Autobots were granted asylum on Earth. In reality, and under the White House's nose, Cemetery Wind hunted Autobot and Decepticon alike, holding both factions responsible for the loss of life in Chicago, forcing the Autobots underground. During the subsequent cleanup and rebuilding effort, Chicago proved to be a lucrative opportunity to salvage discarded alien technology, and several world governments and independent corporations began reverse-engineering Cybertronian tech.

Five years after the battle, Chicago had returned to its former glory, with a refurbished skyline. Perhaps as a result of easy access to Cybertronian artifacts and [[Living metal|transformium]], [[Kinetic Solutions Incorporated]] built its American division in the city. They were eventually visited by [[Cade Yeager]] and the surviving Autobots, who had hijacked a KSI drone and traced it back to its company of origin. Optimus Prime, angered by the mutilation of his former comrades, ordered an assault on the company, but his team voluntarily fell back after a confrontation with [[Joshua Joyce]], and left the city.

After Prime was captured by [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] the bounty hunter met up with [[James Savoy]] to hand over the [[Seed]]. Needless to say, the presence of a giant alien spaceship caused mass hysteria in the streets and the military scrambled fighters to intercept but were ensured that the ship was not there to cause any harm by Harold Attinger. The Autobots later infiltrated Lockdown's ship to rescue Prime and the following battle slightly spilled over into the city's airspace. The ship later left - but without a section which set off in another direction.
{{storylink|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction}}
{{-}}

=====''The Last Knight'' film=====
[[Izabella]] was orphaned during the battle of Chicago, as her parents were killed by Decepticons while she was away from home. By the time Cemetery Wind was exposed and replaced by the [[Transformers Reaction Force]], much of Chicago was still uninhabitable.

Under more government-organised work, the TRF proved to be a liability in the fight against [[Quintessa (TLK)|Quintessa]]. When Cade talked some sense into them, revealing that the real reason humanity turned on the Autobots after Chicago was because they simply gave up on them, the TRF realigned themselves as allies of the Autobots. {{storylink|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight}}

====''Dark of the Moon'' Annual====
[[NEST Satellite Orion]] detected the highest [[energon]] reading in Chicago, suggesting that the Decepticons were using the tall buildings as an interstellar transmission site. {{storylink|Transformers Dark of the Moon Annual 2012}}

====Ask Vector Prime====
In [[Tyran 609.23-PX Kappa]], Megatron also seized Chicago with the aid of collaborationist humans to set up the space bridge technology to bring Cybertron into Earth orbit. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime}}

====''Studio Series'' toy bios====
[[Thundercracker (Movie)|Thundercracker]] participated in an areal assault on the Autobots during the battle of Chicago.

==Video games==
===''Transformers: Forged to Fight''===
[[File:ChicagosSteakhouse.jpg|right|thumb|200px]]
A demolished Chicago is used as an arena on [[New Quintessa]]. Keep an eye out for [[Chicagos Steakhouse]]! {{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight}}
{{-}}

==Notes==
* Out here in the real world, Chicago has twice played host to the official Transformers convention, as [[OTFCC 2003]] and [[OTFCC 2004]] both occurred there.
* Chicago also hosts the annual Wizard World Chicago convention, which frequently features a Hasbro Transformers display booth similar to what's seen at [[BotCon]].
* The package and bio for Thundercracker's ''[[Studio Series]]'' toy marks him as being from ''Dark of the Moon'', ostensibly as one of the numerous Decepticons who space-bridged in from the Moon and participated in the battle of Chicago.

===Chicago in ''Dark of the Moon''===
* Chicago filming for ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon]]'' commenced July 10, 2010 and continued through August 19.
[[File:Dotm Protoform.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|Not such a Magnificent Mile for Que.]]
[[File:DOTM Autobots NEST victorious.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|Prime now gets a sign that reads ''Dunmurderin'''.]]
[[File:DOTM NEST HQ.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|The fictional universe of ''Transformers'' includes giant talking alien space robots and, far less credibly, a repeal of DC's building height restrictions.]]
* Many Chicago landmarks "appear as themselves" during ''Dark of the Moon''. Virtually every landmark on the downtown skyline is visible at some point. Buildings of significance in the film include:
** [[Trump Tower]]: the recently completed glass tower is where Dylan has his apartment.
** [[35 East Wacker]] (aka the Jewelers Building): the cupola'd building where Sentinel sets up the control pillar. It is directly across the Chicago River from the Trump Tower, accurately portrayed when Carly observes Megatron and Sentinel. Megatron is also shown sitting at its real-world base after (presumably) getting thrown off by Sentinel.
** McCormick Place Busway: the sunken street in Grant Park is where Sam and Epps enter the city amid the fleeing population.
** {{w|Navy Pier}}: prominently visible as the helicopters approach the city.
** {{w|Aon Center (Chicago)|Aon Center}}: the vertically striped white building prominently visible during the [[wingsuit]]ers' descent.
** The {{w|Chicago River}}: much of the action centers around the river and its movable bridges; the carrier ship crashes there.
** {{w|Willis Tower}} (previously Sears Tower): used by Lennox's wingsuit team for cover.
** {{w|Tribune Tower}}: the Gothic-styled building whose crest is crumbled by the crashing troop carrier ship. Also used as a launch pad for Decepticons who attack the wingsuit team, and later as a base for Lennox's sniper team.
** {{w|Wrigley Building}}: visible in various shots; most notably, the prisoner sequence occurs on Michigan Avenue in front of it.
** {{w|La Salle Street Bridge (Chicago)|LaSalle Street Bridge}}: scene of Optimus and Sentinel's final fight.
[[File:DOTM-Mexicanstandoff.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|Silly robots! The {{w|Lower West Side, Chicago#Pilsen|Mexican neighborhoods}} are like 2 miles west.]]
* Several additional filming locations in Chicago were repurposed as other sites, mostly set in [[Washington, D.C.]]:
** The abandoned south side Rosenwald Apartment Building appears as part of [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant|Chernobyl]], as Optimus arrives and the soldiers disembark, and where [[Alexi Voskhod]] meets his end shortly afterwards.
** The {{w|Old Chicago Main Post Office|Old Main Post Office}} is repurposed as NEST Headquarters in Washington D.C., with a digitally added helipad and smokestacks. The building's east loading docks appears several times, most notably when Sentinel announces his betrayal.
** North Garland Court, an alleyway between Wabash and Michigan Avenues, is used as the Washington D.C. street where Sam and Carly live.
** A section of {{w|Indiana State Road 912|Highway 912}} (Cline Avenue, closed since 2009) near Gary in northwest Indiana fills in for the D.C. Parkway. A highway sign added by the filmmakers contains signage for exits to I-88 westbound (about twenty miles north and west) and Business Route 20/State Street (two hours west in Rockford, IL!)
** The Mexican standoff occurs on S. Indiana Avenue, in front of the McCormick Place Convention Center's westernmost building. A star-shaped auto parts store sign, digitally inserted in to the scene, is actually located a couple of blocks west on State Street.
[[File:Dotm-driller-film-hudsontower.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|Michael Bay decides that we are now in a post-post-9/11 world.]]
[[File:DOTM-Wreckers-Prime-Cables.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|Optimus Prime was captured by the Chinese.]]
* Various discontinuities occur within the landscape of downtown Chicago during ''Dark of the Moon''. While not errors per se—such geographic splicing is common within films, and they do not affect the internal storyline—they are still of note:
** Most significantly, the movie's most prominent set piece—the skyscraper that gets shot in half and partially collapsed by the Driller, with our heroes still inside it— is not shown to be in its real life location. The building is clearly based on the office building located at {{w|155 North Wacker|155 North Wacker Drive}}, though in the film it was digitally altered to appear taller. In a couple of shots, it is shown to be sited near the Chicago River just north of the NBC Tower, but the actual location is a parking lot. The real building is actually located five blocks north of the Willis Tower.
** Detroit's abandoned {{w|Packard plant}} is digitally spliced into Chicago's landscape, south of downtown, as the backdrop as Epps and Sam argue, come under attack, and are reunited with the Autobots.
** The wingsuit team launches from the Willis Tower, on the west end of downtown. Successive shots show them passing the Aon Center (a good mile or more east), then City Hall (in the ''center'' of downtown) heading south, then back to the Aon Center, then north and west to Michigan Avenue.
** The abandoned {{w|Michigan Central Station}} in [[Detroit]] makes its second live-action appearance, this time as a Chicago building, where Prime and company retreat after the Driller's attack on the driving Autobots.
** Carly states that the control pillar is in the southeast cupola; it's actually in the northeast cupola.
** [[Robert Epps|Epps]] can somehow see the Driller plowing through LaSalle Street from the fictional tower, through over a mile of cityscape.
** After escaping from the fictional tower (north of the river), Sam and company are in a Lower Wacker Drive alley south of the river. A whole segment will subsequently focus on how they are trapped north of the river.
** Epps and company then duck into an abandoned church: City Methodist, located in Gary, Indiana.
** Sam encounters and kills [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] in a parking lot whose real-world location is, again, south of the river (Wabash at Lake). (The adjacent garage was demolished in 2012.)
** To attack [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] and [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]], Lennox and his team run into the Tribune Tower, but then jump out of the Trump Tower.
** The under-construction building where Optimus Prime (using his jetpack) gets entangled in cables is the {{w|China Central Television Headquarters}} in [[Beijing]], [[China]]. Construction for the CCTV building was finished in 2008, long before ''Dark of the Moon'' was even ''conceived''.

===Chicago in ''Age of Extinction''===
* Many of the downtown Chicago landmarks seen in ''Dark of the Moon'' re-appear in the sequel. In particular, the Tribune Tower has its crest destroyed ''again'', while the Willis (née Sears) Tower is once again the focal point of some aerial acrobatics.
* The offices of KSI are portrayed by the main concourse of the McCormick Place Convention Center.
* Chicago's abandoned Damen Avenue grain elevators, located along the Sanitary & Ship Canal, are repurposed as an industrial site in Hong Kong during the film's climactic final battle.
* The near west side's St. Boniface Church—also abandoned—makes a brief appearance as the site of Yeager's lab.
* The Uptown Theater—also abandoned (detecting a trend here?)—was another filming location.
* The scene of the Autobots gathered near some steam locomotives to hear Brains' exposition about Megatron was filmed at the Illinois Railway Museum, in the small town of Union, IL at the outer edges of Chicagoland. Several other scenes were filmed in the surrounding countryside.
{{-}}
==External links==
*{{w|Chicago}} at Wikipedia
*[https://wgntv.com/news/when-its-this-cold-chicago-sets-its-train-tracks-on-fire/ WGNTV's cover on the topic] No seriously, that is a thing.

[[Category:Armada cities]]
[[Category:Age of Extinction cities]]
[[Category:Cities in the United States]]
[[Category:Dark of the Moon cities]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cities]]
[[Category:Real-world human settlements]]
[[Category:The Last Knight cities]]

Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)

2026-04-10T03:46:08Z

Zenphia: /* Synopsis */

{{Nav-aoe}}
{{movie|
|seriess=[[Live-action film series]]
|prev=Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)
|next=Transformers: The Last Knight (film)
|title=''Transformers: Age of Extinction''
|image=Transformers- Age of ExtinctionOptimusPrimePoster.jpg‎
|caption=An adventure 65 million years in the making.
|production companies=[[Allspark (company)|Hasbro Films]] [[Lorenzo di Bonaventura|di Bonaventura Pictures]]
|distributor=[[Paramount Pictures]]
|executive producer=[[Steven Spielberg]]
|producer=[[Lorenzo di Bonaventura]] [[Tom DeSanto]] [[Don Murphy]] [[Ian Bryce]]
|written by=[[Ehren Kruger]]
|directed by=[[Michael Bay]]
|cinematography by=[[Amir Mokri]]
|edited by=[[William Goldenberg]] [[Roger Barton]] [[Paul Rubell]]
|music by=[[Steve Jablonsky]]
|release date=[[June 27]], [[2014]]
|continuity=[[Live-action film series]]
|runtime=165 minutes
|budget=$210 million
|box office=$1.104 billion
}}

'''''Transformers: Age of Extinction''''' is the fourth film in the [[live-action film series]]. It was released on [[June 27]], [[2014]].

Following the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Battle of Chicago]], humanity has come to fear both Autobots and Decepticons alike. With the aid of a Transformer mercenary named [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]], a CIA [[Cemetery Wind|task-force]] operated by [[Harold Attinger]] begins hunting the remaining [[Transformer]]s on [[Earth]]. Hunted by enemies that were once his allies, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] loses faith in humanity and sends his forces into hiding. Now, five years later, struggling inventor and single-father [[Cade Yeager]] discovers a damaged Transformer, placing both himself and his [[Tessa Yeager|daughter]] on a collision course with events that threaten the extinction of humankind itself.

{{bigquote|The trouble with loyalty to a cause is that the cause will ''always'' betray you.|[[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]]|''Transformers: Age of Extinction''}}

==Synopsis==

[[File:The Creators cyberforming Earth AOE.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67|"God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man. Man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs."]]
65 million years ago, on Cretaceous [[Earth]], a ''Psittacosaurus'' is out hunting for food. The small dinosaur finds a fish and starts to feed, but stops as hundreds of alien ships enter Earth's atmosphere, piloted by the mysterious [[Creator]]s. The alien ships launch dozens of strange [[Seed]]s across the planet. As they detonate, they convert the landscape and the herds of panicking dinosaurs into a metallic substance, ending the Age of Dinosaurs. Millions of years later, while digging in the [[Arctic]], a team of geologists uncover a mysterious pair of metallized dinosaur skeletons - a discovery that attracts the attention of [[Darcy Tirrel]]...

Five years after the Battle of [[Chicago]], tensions between humans and Cybertronians have risen dramatically. Although the Autobots are officially granted asylum on Earth, the United States government has terminated all human-Autobot joint programs in the wake of falling public opinion and instated [[Cemetery Wind]], an elite [[CIA]] unit intended to flush out the handful of [[Decepticon]]s left on Earth. What the President doesn't know is that [[Harold Attinger]], the leader of the operation, is slaughtering all Transformers they come across, regardless of faction. On one such mission, the team pinpoints [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] hiding within an abandoned boat. He immediately tries to flee, but is crippled and brought down by their weapons. The team leader, [[James Savoy]], mockingly asks why Ratchet ran if he's not their enemy, and Ratchet replays a transmission he received from [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], ordering all Autobots to hide from humans. However, Savoy dismisses his pleas as his sister was killed in Chicago. A Transformer bounty hunter, [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]], who has actually been helping Cemetery Wind, emerges from the nearby swamp and attacks Ratchet, further damaging him. Walking past his human allies, Lockdown demands to know Prime's whereabouts. When Ratchet refuses, Lockdown rips out his spark, killing him.
[[File:AOE Ratchet dying.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|"Condors. Condors are on the verge of extinction..."]]

In Texas, struggling inventor [[Cade Yeager]] and his friend/employee [[Lucas Flannery]] meet at an old theater, looking for salvage. He finds an old truck, and upon inspection it seems to be full of artillery shells. He buys the truck along with the other theater equipment and puts it in his garage. [[Tessa Yeager|Tessa]], Cade's daughter, observes this while video-chatting with her boyfriend and criticizes her dad for buying the heap of junk. While attempting to salvage the truck's engine to sell, Cade realizes it's actually a badly-damaged Transformer. After calling Lucas and Tessa, he connects jumper cables to its engine, only for it to begin replaying the distress call Ratchet had received earlier. Lucas and Tessa advocate calling the government, claiming that there is a huge reward for Transformers. Cade convinces them not to call the authorities until he can spend more time working on the truck, as he may be able to stumble on a technological breakthrough if he can figure out how the Transformers work. When Cade removes a live missile from the truck's "power core," it transforms into a heavily injured Optimus Prime, who roars at them to stay back while he swings his weapon around the barn. Cade, Lucas, and Tessa ask why Optimus is so badly damaged, to which he replies that the Autobots are being hunted and he must help them. Cade offers to repair him, and sends Lucas to buy the parts that will enable him to fix Optimus. Cade and Optimus begin to bond as the repairs begin.
[[File:AOE-injuredoptimus.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67|"Should we chance moving him?"]]

In the Arctic, Attinger arrives via helicopter at [[Knight Ship|Lockdown's ship]] and demands to know why Optimus Prime escaped him in [[Mexico]]. Lockdown derisively tells Attinger that he only wishes to capture Prime and that Cemetery Wind's interference had allowed his escape. Shortly after returning to [[Washington, D.C.]], Attinger receives a tip that Optimus Prime has been located in Texas and sends Savoy and Cemetery Wind to apprehend him. The agents swarm the barn, but there is no trace of Prime inside.

[[File:Optimus shooting humans AOE.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|"You think they'll have that on the tour?"]]

When Savoy threatens Tessa to force Cade to tell him of Prime's whereabouts, the Autobot leader explodes out of the barn's basement in which he was hiding. He escapes after a brief skirmish that destroys the Yeager residence, with both Cemetery Wind and Lockdown in pursuit. As Cade catches one of Cemetery Wind's mini drones, a white rally car zooms over the adjacent fields and picks up the Yeagers and Lucas. The driver turns out to be [[Shane Dyson|Shane]], a rally car racer who is also Tessa's boyfriend. A group of Cemetery Wind vehicles begins chasing them, and both the rally car and Optimus Prime are chased into an abandoned factory, where Optimus Prime fights off Lockdown. Shane puts his driving skills to good use and pulls a series of tight maneuvers that result in the Cemetery Wind cars crashing, destroys his car in the process. Optimus Prime, who has caught Lockdown in a crane cable, transforms and tells the humans to pile into him and escape. Lockdown throws a grenade at the humans as they run towards Optimus Prime; though Shane and the Yeagers escape, Lucas is caught in the blast and killed.

Arriving at an abandoned gas station, Optimus orders the humans out and drives off to ensure that they have not been followed. Cade confronts Tessa and Shane about their relationship but Tessa gets angry at Cade for putting them all in danger. The next day, Optimus and the humans set off towards Monument Valley. Prime [[trans-scan|scans]] a passing truck, sheds his layer of rust and takes on a new form with his old paint scheme. They arrive in Monument Valley where they meet the other surviving Autobots in the form of [[Crosshairs (AOE)|Crosshairs]], [[Hound (Movie)|Hound]], [[Drift (AOE)|Drift]], and their de facto leader [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]. Crosshairs and Hound start threatening the humans for having their species betray them but Optimus convinces them that they have risked their lives to save his. The Humans notice that there are clear tensions between the Autobots. Cade reveals footage of the attack on Ratchet and [[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot's]] demise using the stolen aerial drone and Prime declares that he will kill the one responsible for hunting down the Autobots.

[[File:Autobots unite monument valley AOE.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67|"Dr. Grant, my dear Dr. Sattler... Welcome to [[Jurassic Park]]." ]]

Inspection of the drone leads them to a company named [[Kinetic Solutions Incorporated|KSI]], located in a rebuilt Chicago. It is run by [[Joshua Joyce]], who is working with [[Su Yueming]] and Attinger to create artificial Transformers to eventually be used in the military. Using the remains of [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]], [[Starscream (Movie)|the]] [[Soundwave (ROTF)|countless]] [[Shockwave (Movie)|Decepticons]] from the Chicago battle and the hunted Autobots, they have synthesized the metal that the Transformers are made of, calling it [[Living metal#Live-action film series|Transformium]]. When given commands through a computer, Transformium can be changed into various shapes or objects. Although a drone called [[Stinger (AOE)|Stinger]] (designed after Bumblebee) is active, Joshua's major project is a bigger, stronger drone called [[Megatron (Movie)|Galvatron]]. However, his attempts have not been successful; the drone keeps resembling Megatron instead of the friendlier image of Optimus Prime. Bumblebee builds Cade and Shane faux-ID badges which the duo use to infiltrate KSI. Cade goes further in and projects imagery of Ratchet's severed head being melted down, which sends Prime into a rage.

[[File:Joshua Joyce Transformium Experiment AOE.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|"God help us, we're in the hands of engineers."]]

However, Cade is caught when his ID badge is found to have been scanned twice (by him and its original owner). He is taken to the upper floors and confronted by Attinger, who claims that what he has witnessed is in the name of world peace. He also asks him about the whereabouts of Optimus Prime but Cade maintains his silence.

Furious over how the humans have mutilated their comrades, Optimus orders an attack on KSI. Bumblebee, carried by Drift in copter mode, rescues Cade. The others trash the lab, free the injured and enslaved [[Brains]], and confront Joshua, only for him to openly declare that what is being done is being done to prevent more Transformer-caused damage and that the humans "don't need" the Autobots. Disheartened, Prime orders a retreat.

As the Autobots exit the factory and leave, Attinger catches up with Joshua and claims that the Autobots are terrorists for attacking the facility. He coerces Joyce to use the two functional drones to take down the Autobots. Galvatron and Stinger activate and pursue their quarry across a highway, with Galvatron doing more damage than his KSI handlers intend. Bumblebee fires upon Galvatron but is surprised to see him simply disintegrate and reintegrate again. Galvatron attacks Prime. As they battle, Optimus declares that the artificial creation has no soul, to which it retorts "That is why I have no FEAR!"

[[File:AOEGalvatron.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67|"Kids! You want to have one of those?"]]

As Tessa scrambles for cover in a nearby vehicle, Prime is suddenly shot from the back and falls; Lockdown has arrived, along with his ship! Lockdown gloats to his prisoner, claiming that Optimus was built, not born, and now the Creators want him returned in one piece. The bounty hunter orders a net dropped over Optimus and hoists both the Autobot leader and Tessa's hiding place into his ship. Cade desperately clings to the net, but his strength gives out and he falls to the fields below. As the spaceship departs, Cade and Shane vow to get Tessa back.

Lockdown throws Prime in a cage and orders his lackeys to dispose of Tessa. Prime takes note of several other aliens in similar cages, including [[Dinobot (AOE)|other Cybertronian warriors]]. He also discovers the original purpose of the mercenary ship: it was originally used by a group of legendary Knights (presumably including Prime himself) but now acts as Lockdown's flying prison. Lockdown's ship hovers over Chicago, triggering panic in the streets, but Attinger manages to talk down the authorities and send Savoy to rendezvous with Lockdown. As payment for Prime's capture, Lockdown gives him a Seed.

Cade, Shane, and the other Autobots get aboard the ship as it flies low over a bridge. While being pursued by Lockdown's henchmen, the two humans find a strange Knight armory, from which Cade takes a sword that opens up to form a gun. While Shane and Cade rescue Tessa, Crosshairs deploys the ship's mooring cables, which fire into the Willis Tower and preventing the ship from breaking atmosphere. The humans begin to clamber down the cables to safety, but they are pursued by a pack of [[Steeljaw (AOE)|Steeljaw]]s. Bumblebee manages to save the trio. The other Autobots locate Optimus, who reveals that the section of the ship they are on can separate from the main body. Crosshairs uses a gunship to pick up Bumblebee and the humans, then leads them on a dogfight through Chicago's streets, destroying some of Lockdown's [[Shadow Raider|mercenaries]].

[[File:Prime gets shotAOE.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|"It could have been worse, John. A lot worse."]]

Back at KSI, it is decided that all equipment is to be moved to the Beijing facility to continue operations. Joshua is also none too pleased about the previous field test of Galvatron; not only was it a loss on several fronts, but the drone also ''spoke'', which was something it was ''not'' programmed to do!

The Autobots land their new ship at an abandoned train yard. Optimus claims that he sensed Megatron's presence during his fight with Galvatron. Brains explains Galvatron's true nature: while he decoded dead Transformer brains, he learned that Megatron's mind had survived and planned to transfer itself to Galvatron's body, explaining Galvatron's sinister appearance. The tiny bot further mentions how Galvatron used his knowledge to build Stinger and the other drones, with plans to make them into his personal army. As Tessa tells the group about the Seed she saw, Optimus and Hound explain that the Creators used Seeds to convert organic material into metal, then harvested the resulting Transformium for their own purposes. Cade makes a call to Joyce and relays the newfound data about Galvatron. Knowing that Joyce is also an inventor with a heart, he pleads with Joyce to shut down Galvatron before things escalate. Although Joyce puts up an unconvinced façade, he demands increased security around Galvatron after hanging up.

As police cars surround the train yard, the Autobots board their shuttle again and take to the air. Optimus says that though the Autobots will travel to Hong Kong and get the Seed back, they will leave Earth afterwards; they are done protecting humanity. Cade disagrees but Prime is non-responsive. They later debate the matter, with Cade attempting to reignite Prime's faith in humanity.

In deep space, Lockdown finally discovers the absence of the smaller ship. He grumbles about Optimus Prime taking his trophy case and how the Prime will feel his wrath while he reverses course. Joyce meets with Attinger and Savoy and receives the Seed. Joyce intends to detonate it in a region of the [[Gobi Desert]], which will generate enough Transformium to last a century. Attinger is eager to expedite production but grows incensed when Joshua disagrees and says that they should go slower, quite obviously moved by Cade's call. Meanwhile, Galvatron activates ''himself'' and starts to infect the legion of over fifty other KSI Transformers. When the alarm rings regarding Galvatron's escape, Joyce has Attinger and Savoy evacuated from the building and gets in a car with Su, an associate named Darcy, and the Seed. They decide to try to hide the Seed in [[Hong Kong]].

Being hunted by Attinger and Savoy, Joyce seeks refuge on a rooftop when the Autobot-piloted ship arrives and attempts to pick him and the Seed up. However, Galvatron and his drone army arrive and shoot down the airborne vessel, causing Bumblebee, Hound, and the Yeagers to spill out while the others (Prime, Crosshairs, Drift, and the captured Knights) to careen away into the Wulong Valley. Savoy finds the Yeagers and Joyce on the rooftop and open fires on them but Cade leads him away from the others. The two jump across rooftops, eventually crashing into a house and getting into a fist fight which ends with Savoy falling from a window to his death.

Hound and Bumblebee attempt to escort the humans and the Seed out of the city, but are cut short when Joshua points out that the KSI-built Transformers were specifically built to destroy any Autobots or Decepticons left on Earth. This prompts Prime to enter the crashed ship and activate the armory as well as release the other captives within the ship. As Hound and Bumblebee hold the line and protect the humans, Optimus tries to convince the Legendary Warriors to fight alongside them. Their [[Grimlock (AOE)|apparent leader]] violently declines at first, fighting the Prime in both his massive robot mode and his Tyrannosaurus mode. Optimus quickly defeats him, saying that he and the other warriors will protect his family or die, then mounts the metal dinosaur. The Autobots mount their Dinobots and charge over the mountains into Hong Kong.

[[File:Dinobots ready for battle AOE.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67|"''T. rex'' doesn't want to be fed. He wants to ''hunt''."]]

Meanwhile, as Hound and Bumblebee are starting to be overwhelmed by Galvatron's drone forces, Optimus and his fellow Autobots storm into the city, slamming, crushing, stomping, and chomping all nearby enemies. Galvatron retreats as the Autobots and Dinobots decimate his forces. With this battle over, Optimus confronts Joshua for his actions and gives the order to defend the humans and escort them, and the Seed, away from the city. On the way, a homing beacon within the Seed activates, allowing Lockdown to track the Autobots down. He activates a massive magnet, wreaking havoc on Hong Kong. Everything metal from kitchenware to massive ships are picked up by the magnet, including the Autobots and Dinobots. After narrowly avoiding the magnet, the Yeagers are momentarily separated from the Autobots. Optimus shoots at the magnet, destroying it and releasing the Transformers from its influence. The ship retreats to a nearby factory, with Optimus hot on its trail. Cade tells his daughter to stay with Shane and the Autobots, as he wishes to fight alongside Optimus against Lockdown. As Optimus Prime and Lockdown battle one-on-one, Attinger corners Yeager with a pistol, accusing him of choosing aliens over his own race, but he is quickly shot and killed by Optimus.

Because of Optimus's choice to save Cade before defending himself, Lockdown gains the upper hand, impaling Optimus through the chest with his own sword and pinning him to a concrete pillar. Meanwhile, Tessa convinces Bumblebee to turn around and the three join in fighting Lockdown, allowing Shane to use a tow truck to unpin Prime. Just as Lockdown is about to kill Cade, Optimus jumps up and slices the bounty hunter in half. Activating one of Lockdown's grenades, Prime tells the humans to hold on and uses rocket boosters to escape while the grenade destroys the last of the KSI drones. Galvatron has survived and retreated to the outskirts of the city; watching Prime blast off, he tells Optimus to beware, for he is reborn...

[[File:AOE-DefendThisFamily.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|"I don't know. I guess... I guess we'll just have to evolve too."]]

The Autobots, Dinobots, and their human allies all regroup on the waterfront. Cade and Tessa happily reconcile and Cade finally accepts Shane. Joshua nobly says he will help them with their destroyed home. Prime declares the Dinobots are now free as they depart for parts unknown. With the bounty on his head placing the entire Earth in danger, Prime blasts off into space with the Seed to confront the Creators and discover the mystery behind his own origins, but not before ordering the Autobots to protect the Yeager family. As he leaves Earth's atmosphere, Optimus Prime sends a message to his Creators to leave planet Earth alone, because he's coming for them.

{{--}}

==Main cast==
{{featuredcharacters|
h1=[[Autobot]]s|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] ([[Ben Schwartz]])<ref group=note>Schwartz provided original radio lines for Bumblebee. For more details, see notes.</ref>
*[[Hound (Movie)|Hound]] ([[John Goodman]])
*[[Drift (AOE)|Drift]] ([[Ken Watanabe]])<ref group=note>[[Eric Bauza]] recorded the scratch track for Drift, with some of his screams and efforts remaining in the final film.</ref>
*[[Crosshairs (AOE)|Crosshairs]] ([[John DiMaggio]])
*[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] ([[Robert Foxworth]])
*[[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]] (''Robert Foxworth'')<ref group=note>One of Ratchet's lines from earlier in the film, voiced by Foxworth, is reused for Leadfoot.</ref>
*[[Brains]] ([[Reno Wilson]])
*[[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime's]] head
'''[[Dinobot (AOE)|Dinobots]]'''
*[[Grimlock (AOE)|Grimlock]]
*[[Scorn]]
*[[Slug (AOE)|Slug]]
*[[Strafe (AOE)|Strafe]]

|h2=[[Kinetic Solutions Incorporated|KSI]] Prototypes|c2=
*[[Megatron (Movie)|Galvatron]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Stinger (AOE)|Stinger]]
*[[Junkheap (AOE)|Junkheap]]s
*[[KSI Sentry|KSI Sentries]]
*[[KSI Boss]]es
*[[Two Head]]s
*[[Oreo Transformer]]<ref group=note>The Oreo Transformer speaks but has no known voice actor.</ref>
*[[KSI Widow]]
*[[Aston Martin Decepticon|Aston Martin Transformer]]
*[[Lamborghini Decepticon|Lamborghini Transformers]]

|h3=[[Human]]s|c3=
*[[Cade Yeager]] ([[Mark Wahlberg]])
*[[Tessa Yeager]] ([[Nicola Peltz]])
*[[Shane Dyson]] ([[Jack Reynor]])
*[[Lucas Flannery]] ([[T. J. Miller]])
*[[Chief of Staff]] ([[Thomas Lennon]])

'''KSI'''
*[[Joshua Joyce]] ([[Stanley Tucci]])
*[[Darcy Tirrel]] ([[Sophia Myles]])
*[[Su Yueming]] ([[Li Bingbing]])
*[[Gill Wembley]] ([[James Bachman]])

'''[[CIA]]/[[Cemetery Wind]]'''
*[[Harold Attinger]] ([[Kelsey Grammer]])
*[[James Savoy]] ([[Titus Welliver]])

|h4=Others|c4=
*[[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] ([[Mark Ryan]])
*[[Shadow Raider]]s
*[[Steeljaw (AOE)|Steeljaws]]
*[[Stupid Drone]]s
*[[Creator]]s

'''Decepticons'''
*[[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron's]] head
*[[Insecticon (Movie)|Insecticons]]
*[[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]]<ref group=note name="archival">Barricade and the Decepticon Protoforms appear in the movie through archival footage from ''Dark of the Moon''.</ref>
*[[Protoform]]s<ref group=note name="archival"/>
|nonumbering=true
}}
<references group=note/>

==Quotes==
"Lockdown...?" 
"Autobots, Decepticons, like little children, always fighting; making a mess out of the universe, then ''I've'' got to clean it up! There is one way you survive. Tell me where he's hiding. Where is Optimus Prime?" 
"Never." 
''(Lockdown rips out Ratchet's spark)'' 
"Never is here." 
:—'''Ratchet''''s final moments before '''Lockdown''' kills him.

"In this planet we have a saying: ''The enemy of my enemy is my friend''." 
"I also have a saying: '''''I don't care'''''."
:—'''Harold Attinger''' discusses with '''Lockdown'''.

"Every galaxy I've traveled, all you species are the same. You all think you're the center of the universe. You have no idea..."
:—'''Lockdown''' never truly appreciated one of his clients.

"Human beings. Bunch of backstabbing weasels!" 
"Hound, find your inner compass. ''Loyalty is but a flower in the winds of fear and temptation.''" 
"What the hell are you saying?!?" 
"It's a haiku." 
"Cut the crap before I drop a grenade down your throat!" 
"Try it, you'll be dead!" 
"Oh, please pull it. Please do it."
:—'''Hound''' doesn't appreciate '''Drift's''' haikus.

"With your fate unknown, Bumblebee has held command, despite his complete and total lack of anything resembling warrior discipline. He's like a child." 
"This child is about to ''kick your ass!''"
:—'''Drift''' and '''Bumblebee'''

"Autobots, I have sworn never to kill humans..." 
"Big mistake." 
"...but when I find out who's behind this...he's going to ''die''." 
"Hoo-ah!"
:—'''Prime's''' rage is fueled by '''Hound'''.

"Destroy the lab! Destroy it all!" 
''(The Autobots lay waste to the KSI research facility)'' 
"Hey, you! Stop! That's company property!" 
"They're not ''your'' property! ''They were my friends.''" 
:—'''Optimus Prime''' duly informs '''Joshua Joyce''' that Transformers aren't just machines.

"You have no soul!" 
"That is why I have no ''fear''!"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' is shocked to find '''Galvatron''' isn't as lifeless as he thought.

"We're behind enemy lines now. Lockdown's ship has booby traps! Eyes open." 
"Beware of his bone-grinders, brain-blinders, flesh-stealers, chromosomal-inverters, catatonic slugs, black hole trapdoors and of course, radiation."

:—'''Hound''' and '''Crosshairs''' warn the humans of the perils held within Lockdown's ship.

"I was expecting a [[Grimlock (G1)/toys#Alternators.2FBinaltech|giant car!]]"
:—'''Drift''' witnessing Grimlock transform into a dinosaur.

"Autobots, we're going to prove who we are, and ''why we're here''!"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' rallies his troops with his characteristic passion and charisma.

"Ugh, you just wanna die for the guy. ''That's'' leadership. Or brainwashing, or something." 
"No, that's Optimus Prime."
:—'''Crosshairs''' and '''Drift''', remarking on their [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|leader]]/[[Dinobot (AOE)|Giant Robot Dinosaur]] tamer.

"I'm like a fat ballerina who takes scalps and slits throats!"
:—'''Hound''' takes another five levels in badass and ballerina class.

"How do you say 'Get the f&%# out of the way' in Chinese?"
:—'''Joshua''' has some issues with the language barrier.

"I hate cheap knockoffs."
:—'''Bumblebee''' looking for [[Jazz (Movie)#Human Alliance|Human Alliance Jazz]] on [[eBay]].

"We shall meet again, Prime, for I am reborn."
:—'''Galvatron''' retreats to fight another day.

"There are mysteries to the universe we were never meant to solve, but who we are and why we are here are not among them. Those answers we carry inside. I am Optimus Prime, and this message is to my Creators. Leave planet Earth alone. 'Cause I'm coming...for you."
:—'''Optimus Prime'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s closing narration.

==Errors==
===Continuity errors===
[[File:DeceasedTransformersAOE.jpg‎|thumb|upright=1.6|Your attention, please. Will the ''real'' Optimus Prime please stand up?]]
[[File:AOECrosshairsDriftWeirdEdit.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|What just happened? No, seriously. Is there some kind of timey-wimey thing going on?]]
[[File:AOE savoy eyegouge.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|"An eye for an eye makes the whole world-OH MY GOD!!!"]]
*[[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] is seen on the cards Attinger pulls out early in the film, listed as deceased and having been last seen in Chicago. However, Ironhide was killed by Sentinel Prime in Washington, D.C., midway through ''Dark of the Moon'', and long before the final battle in Chicago.
**Neither [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] nor [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] are listed as deceased on their cards. Apparently, this is due to the fact that in the film the Twins took part in the Battle of Chicago, as indicated by the footage from the filming.[https://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2010/07/mpea-busway-set-pics-explosions-and.html]
**Leadfoot is also not listed as deceased when he is clearly confirmed to be dead on-screen through the footage Cade shows the Autobots.
*Scenes from the Decepticons' invasion of Chicago in ''Dark of the Moon'' are shown as archival footage presented by Attinger. While it is conceivable some lucky people with cameras recorded the initial attack and managed to survive and publish their footage, it's highly unlikely people would've been able to get close-up video footage of the NEST team taking down [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] and the other Decepticons.
*When Ratchet's leg gets blown off, the largest part of his leg lands behind him. In the next shot, it's nowhere to be seen.
*As Optimus Prime explains his dilapidated state in Cade's barn, he is visibly falling apart and seems to imply only the Autobots (and Cade eventually) will be able to repair his damage. However, he later scans a truck on the highway and transforms into a brand new form with seemingly no struggle at all.
*A Cemetery Wind vehicle smashes into the side of Shane's car during the chase through the cornfield, but the car doesn't show any damage to that side in subsequent shots.
*Tessa and Shane's reliance on Romeo and Juliet laws is unnecessary, since the age of consent in Texas is 17.
*During the 'Autobots reunite' sequence, Drift starts out in car mode on a road with Bumblebee and Crosshairs, before suddenly appearing atop a rock formation in robot mode and transforming to helicopter mode to meet up with Optimus Prime.
*When Cade shows the Autobots the KSI drone's footage of Autobot attacks the first one shown is Ratchet's murder, before cutting to Leadfoot's. When Cade finds Ratchet's mutilated head in the factory, Optimus is enraged and acts like he only just learned about Ratchet's death.
*When Crosshairs and Drift are talking on board Lockdown's ship shortly after boarding it, a ''very'' bizarre edit occurs in the middle of Drift's line "Better hurry, because dark matter drives are preparing to take off". The camera angle is now slightly different than before, but it's not a switch between a long shot and a close-up or a complete change of perspective. Oddly, Drift is still seen from the almost the ''exact same angle'' as before the edit, but even though his and Crosshairs's bodies were at an almost 90 degree angle before the edit, they're now suddenly almost standing in parallel to each other, with Crosshairs' head turned towards Drift. In addition, a flame that appeared in front of Drift just before the edit is suddenly gone.
*When Shane shouts "I surrender!" and drops his "gun-sword", the hilt is facing to the right, but after a close-up showed it landing on the ground and firing a shot, the hilt is suddenly facing to the ''left'' in the subsequent long shot when it fires more shots.
*When Joshua reunites with the rest of the group in Hong Kong, Darcy tells him she'll do a diversion, and to get the Seed somewhere safe. Yet, no diversion of any kind happens.
*As Cade and Savoy grapple in the apartment, Cade jams his thumb deep into Savoy's eye socket (see right), with accompanying "squlech" sound effect, and appropriate reaction from Savoy in the form of a long howl of pain through gritted teeth and a string of drool flowing uncontrolled from his mouth. But as soon as the two separate, Savoy's eye is absolutely fine, with no indication anything is supposed to have happened to it.
*During Hound's fight with [[Two Head]], Cade is seen wearing his jacket but reverts back to his shirt following the Decepticon's defeat.
*While Lockdown is pulling up parts of the city, Shane backs the car into a building which is two stories high at most, but appears much larger on the inside.
*In vehicle mode, Stinger's engine sound is inaccurate to what his alt mode actually is (a Pagani Huayra) and sounds more like a McLaren F1.

===Technical/animation errors===
*The shot right before the close-up of the cyberformed dinosaurs has no cyberformed dinosaurs at all, despite having all the excavation vehicles in the same positions as the next scene.
* The card of Arcee seen in Attinger's deck is misspelled as "Acree" and uses an image of [[Elita-One (Movie)|Elita-One]]. While is considered an Arcee ''sister'' in contemporary media, Elita-1 is not Arcee herself as shown in the comics.
**This could potentially be explained by the movie ignoring the retcon from the comics that changed Arcee from one character with three bodies to three characters psychically linked by a single spark.
*When Savoy says "Use the mini-drones", you can clearly see the green screen in the monitors.
*As Cemetery Wind is attacking Ratchet, a helicopter fires several missiles at him. Two of the missiles miss him, but do not detonate or cause an explosion of any kind to the structures immediately behind Ratchet, and are not even seen to hit them- they simply disappear.
*When Attinger takes over the operation to scramble Cemetery Wind after Optimus and dismisses everyone in the room, he does so by saying "Ladies and gentlemen, this room is going dark. The exit is on your left." All the people then get up and begin to exit to their ''right''.
*Scrambling Cemetery Wind seems to scramble the timeline. From the deployment of Cemetery Wind to Lucas's death, the time of day is in limbo. For example, Optimus escapes from the Yeager property at sunset, joining the pursuit that takes place in the early afternoon, not to mention that Cemetery Wind arrives at the Yeagers' hometown at what appears to be dawn. In some instances, repeated changes between shots correspond with changes between different times of day, as different positions of the sun result in very very obviously different lighting conditions.
*When Lockdown transforms to prepare for the attack on Optimus, one can clearly see a faux-part Lamborghini logo pop out from inside the car, while the actual logo disappears.
*In the shot of Shane's car pulling up outside of the Yeager farm after Cemetery Wind has stormed in, nobody is seen inside the vehicle.
*During the scene where Cade is pretending to be a truck driver with Optimus still in his flat-nose truck form, he has a cap and white plaid shirt on. After Optimus scans into his newer form, Cade's back to wearing his leather jacket.
*When Shane's car gets sideswiped in the cornfield, the back left window is shattered. A couple scenes later, the window is just rolled down.
*When Shane's car breaks into a building, the woman sitting right in the middle of the room is clearly waiting on the glass-breaking noise to start running.
*After Lucas' death, there is nothing really stopping Lockdown or Cemetery Wind from continuing to chase Optimus. Lockdown is much faster and could easily catch up to Optimus whilst Cemetery Wind could chase in their remaining vehicles.
*When Optimus transforms to and from his Marmon 97 alternate mode, the windows and grille that make up his chest visibly change size and shape.
*When Optimus transforms out of his flat-nosed truck mode and punches the ground, Tessa and Shane are standing next to each other, as viewed from behind Optimus. When the view immediately switches to be facing Optimus, Cade is suddenly standing between the two.
*Shane defends his relationship with Tessa by stating that the 'Romeo and Juliet laws' "statute 2705-3" protect their relationship, yet the card he shows Cade reads "Statute 22.011". This is also the number that appears in the English subtitles of the DVD, meaning that it was scripted as 22.011 and not 2705-3. This makes sense, as 2705-3 is not a valid statue number in Texas.
**Additionally, Texas does not have Romeo and Juliet laws, or close-in-age exemptions, as they are more technically known. Statute 22.011 would be the relevant section though, with it dealing with matters of sexual assault and therein determining age of consent. (Please note that TFwiki.net makes no claims to fully understand consent laws in Texas or anywhere else; do not use this or anything else on this website as legal advice.)
*The truck that Optimus scans, while still being from the Western Star manufacturer, is an older and different model than the one he transforms into.
*When Optimus is on his way to the reunion site, the human characters inside are sitting this way: Shane to the right, Tessa in the Middle and Cade to the left. However when Optimus gets to the reunion point Cade comes out of the truck using Shane's side door (right) instead of his (left). It is clear they (the director and his crew) were trying to get a "superhero" pose but it doesn't make sense.
*When Optimus arrived to the reunion site you can see the filming crew in the reflection of his front chrome parts.
*The statement that Drift claims to be a haiku ("Loyalty is but a flower in the winds of fear and temptation") is not actually a haiku: poems of that style generally consist of three separate statements in a 5-7-5 syllable pattern; the one mentioned in the film is a single unbroken statement that totals to the 17 syllables that a haiku technically consists of.
**Also, as Japanese does not use syllables to count length, haikus technically don't follow that format; this is a wider culture misconception, however, and so blame cannot be laid on the film. (Also, it lacks a seasonal reference, but that's a whole other discussion.)
*Hound's dialogue when he's bickering with Drift doesn't really match up to what we see. Drift pulls his swords on Hound, but the big guy goads him on to "pull it", suggesting Drift was originally supposed to aim a firearm at him.
[[File:Uncolored Ratchet head prop.jpg‎|thumb|upright=1.67|Gray is the new green.]]
*When Joshua is in the lab showing Darcy Transformium, in two different shots, a gray, uncolored prop of Ratchet's head can be seen being worked on in the next room.
*As Cade's drone scans a KSI employee's name tag, it displays its location onscreen as around N 38°44'55", W115°28'27". These coordinates are for a [https://www.google.com/maps/place/38%C2%B044%2755.0%22N+115%C2%B028%2727.0%22W/@38.7486111,-115.4741667,3048m patch of desert in Nevada] rather than any place in Chicago.
*While first infiltrating KSI, in the showroom where Stinger is first viewed, Bumblebee is in car mode when Joshua walks in with Yueming. Bumblebee's engine audibly revs, yet Joshua doesn't notice that there's no one in the car to rev the engine.
[[File:Megatron Head at KSI.jpg|right|upright=1.4|thumb|Screw logic!]]
*Megatron's severed head is in somewhat good shape for someone who got an axe stabbed on the top of his head. Furthermore, his head is more in line with its appearance in the first movie, not ''Dark of the Moon''.
*Not to mention, after Joshua's group leaves and Bumblebee knocks Stinger down, there's no transformation noise right before Bumblebee returns to his altmode and the KSI executive walks in. Additionally, Bumblebee starts playing M.C. Hammer's "U Can't Touch This", '''when no one is in the car''' to turn the stereo on. Ostensibly it was for a comic moment, but it didn't raise anyone's suspicions that a car that wasn't typical of the ones being scanned, operating the engine and the stereo with no human inside, might be a disguised Cybertronian?
*After Bumblebee scans his new alternate mode, the camera pans over the car and Tessa and Shane are not inside. However, when he's getting his new upgraded form, you can see that they used stunt doubles for Shane and Tessa. That scene wasn't dangerous enough to require stunt doubles, was it?
*Some security guards in KSI fail to react to Crosshairs's shooting and shouting until a few seconds before the scene changes.
*When Galvatron first transforms and crashes into a truck, the way he is composed in the scene makes it look like he is simply floating above the wreckage, instead of being in the middle causing it.
*When Optimus transforms, Cade and Shane leap out of Optimus, while Tessa is trapped and rolls away. However, previous shots establish that the seating order in Optimus is Shane, Tessa, Cade. This means that Cade crawled over his daughter to escape(!), which is not quite logical or possible.
*When Tessa runs to the field and Optimus stabs Galvatron, his energon sword is flipped the other way.
*Lockdown fires two missiles at Optimus Prime that, despite piercing his chest, don't manifest any kind of visible damage on his person, despite the previous shot showing Optimus's chest getting blown apart.
*When Lockdown is approaching Optimus after gunning him down, the driver's door of the Cadillac SRX he's resting on is shown to be open in two exterior shots, even though Tessa previously closed it after getting inside, and it's also shown closed in other (mostly interior) shots.
*When he loses his grip on the net holding Optimus and the car containing Tessa, Cade is shown falling toward the street, but he lands on the grass by the road.
*When the Autobots are on a bridge, before boarding Lockdown's ship, Crosshairs is clearly shown to be speaking but no dialogue is heard.
*Also in that same scene when Hound says "It's a bad idea but I'm all about bad ideas" his mouth movements are slightly out of synch.
*When Tessa gets taken to the trash in Lockdown's ship, a green screen can be seen at the end of the corridor.
*While locking up Optimus, Lockdown's scar is on the left side of his face. While talking to Savoy upon delivering the seed, it's on the right side of his face; however, it switches back to the left side right before he walks off after bidding Earth farewell.
*While the human characters are climbing across the anchor cables to the high-rise building, some of the Steeljaws begin to climb out after them. Cade tells his daughter not to look back and see them, but when we cut back to her, with a clear view of the cables behind her, the Steeljaws are gone.
*When Bumblebee jumps off Lockdown's ship to save the humans, he is followed by a Steeljaw. In the following shot, the Steeljaw is gone.
*While explaining Megatron's plans to the Autobots, Brains rings a bell on a train. In the next shot, the bell is not moving.
[[File:ROTF-Prime-VS-AOE-Galvatron-clip.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
*In the scene where the KSI prototypes are being unloaded from planes in Hong Kong, Joshua and Su are standing in an airport runway during what appears to be sunrise. The subsequent clip that follows is partially recycled from ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''; having a dead Optimus Prime swapped with an inactive Galvatron. This means that the "KSI worksmen" that are supposed to be unloading Galvatron, are now US soldiers and it is mid-day during the reused scene making it ''completely'' out of place with the sunrise setting the previous and subsequent scenes had set.
**The transporter has also been reanimated to be moving out of the plane rather than in like the original.
**This scene is considered "partially reused" due to the fact that the military hummer that passes Optimus in the original clip is only just driving up behind Galvatron before the it cuts to the next shot. Additionally, another hummer can be seen driving by in the distance in the Galvatron scene, but with Optimus, the hummer doesn't appear at all due to his clip taking place after the hummer has driven past.
**The original footage was also heavily cropped down for ''Revenge of the Fallen'' and features a yellowing filter.
*During the motorcycle chase, the CIA cars change. At first, Joshua and Su are trailed by a Cadillac and an Audi; in the middle of the chase, the Cadillac is replaced by another Audi. By the end of the chase, the Cadillac is back.
*In Hong Kong, when Cade, Joshua, Tessa, and Shane enter the elevator to run away from the rooftop, the elevator won't move and Cade says it's overloaded. But in the next scene, we see that the maximum number of people that the elevator can carry is nine, and it's very clear that the Seed doesn't weight as much as five people.
*When Grimlock transforms to his dino mode and charges at Optimus, there are no other Dinobots, nor the ship, to be seen in the background. However, after Optimus punches Grimlock and the shot changes, Dinobots are standing almost right next to him.
*Optimus somehow has enough strength to not only maintain his ground, but propel Grimlock through the air during his charge. Considering Grimlock's strength, velocity and weight, it is highly unlikely Optimus would win.
*Immediately after he transforms into his triceratops mode, Slug is shown to have a very visible Autobot logo on his dino-mode forehead, yet he just met Optimus and the other Autobots moments before.
*One of the air conditioning units kicked off the building exterior by Savoy falls away to reveal ... a solid wall, with no connection to an apartment's interior.
*During Hound's stand in Hong Kong, the pickup truck he uses as a shield sways left to right whilst his arm remains still.
*The damage Hound receives after being shot down, most noticeably the pipe on his left shoulder, is fixed in subsequent shots.
*Crosshairs is seen driving alongside Drift and Hound through the bridge to take the Seed away from the city ... right after we just saw him staying behind to hold the line with the Dinobots.
*During the final fight, Bumblebee decides to just leave midway. Considering the distance between the factory and the dock where they met, he must have left long before Optimus flew there.
*Also during the final flight, Cade is hiding on his own behind a wall. After Lockdown fires, a second person is seen behind him. In the next shot this person has disappeared. Looking closely, the second person is wearing a suit like Attinger. Alternate take of his death, perhaps?
**The wall itself also completely changes shape between multiple takes.
*When Grimlock and Slug transform into dino mode for the last time, they fracture the concrete under them by striking it. In the very next shot, Grimlock is on the grass instead and the ground is intact. The ground remains intact in other shots.
*When the Dinobots depart into the forest in the final scene, the trees shoved aside by Scorn and Slug are removed in the IMAX edition, but not the trees' shadows. Because of this, dark spots can be seen ahead of the Dinobots' paths. The shadows move around at the same time the trees are knocked over in non-IMAX releases.
*As Optimus takes off, the Dinobots' footprints in the forest are seen to his right, but not any trees.
*The Dinobots' positions are inconsistent with their footprints when they depart. From the humans' perspective, when Grimlock transforms, he is to the right of Slug and to the left of Scorn, and there are no footprints to his right in the patch of grass. When he runs away, his path indicates he crosses over and will be on the left of Slug. However, the left two trails of footprints are later shown to be completely parallel. The pattern and density of the footprints suggest that it should be Grimlock on the left, Slug in the middle, and Scorn on the right.
*When the Dinobots are departing, three of the West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade wind chime pillars are seen toppled and crushed, and Grimlock runs between their remains. The aerial view shows different pillars damaged, with some even suffering the direct impact of Slug and Grimlock's feet.
*After Optimus takes off, the other Autobots are absent from the shot of the main cast watching Optimus fly off.

===Geographic discontinuities===
*When Cade tries to use his card at an ATM, not only is the card issued from a Chinese bank, which wouldn't have any branches in north Texas, where the Yeagers live, the text on the ATM screen (behind the ''Access Denied'' warning) is in Chinese.
*Despite being from north Texas, Cade and Tessa have no Texas accents. Not all Texans have noticeable accents of course, but Wahlberg in particular spends the whole film speaking with his natural ''Boston'' accent.
*Despite the KSI pursuit scene taking place on a two lane highway, there are several scenes spliced in of the Transformers with supercar alt modes (like Stinger and Crosshairs) driving on what is obviously a racecourse (specifically the GM proving grounds in Milford, Michigan). This is apparent by the horizontal incline of the road in some of the shots that are also missing the markings that would normally be on a road, and a reaction shot for Stinger that shows a straight, one lane ninety degree turn.
*The entirety of the KSI pursuit scene switches between taking place between the left and right sides of the two-lane highway, despite being only supposed to take place on the right side. Furthermore, the shot showing stray missiles colliding with oncoming traffic takes place on a completely different highway, one with five lanes instead of three and a wooden fence on the side of the street as opposed to a guardrail. Moreover; the car crashing stunt for the bridge jump scene starts on the five lane highway, continues on the left side of the three lane highway, and then finishes on the ''right side'' of the three lane highway. Trouble finding shots, eh?I
*Furthermore, because this is in Chicago, a U.S. City, it makes no sense for cars to be driving on the left side of the road, instead of the right.
*All of the vehicles seen in Hong Kong are left-hand drive, rather than the right-hand drive you'd expect in a location that drives on the left.
*Some scenes supposed to take place in Hong Kong depict a very distinctively American city with traffic lights suspended by wires above the street.
*Chicago's Willis Tower can be seen in the background of Hong Kong.
*The bridge out of the city shown in the film (Tsing Ma Bridge) is at least a half-hour drive from the battlefield in Central.
*Furthermore, despite Optimus's comment, there are no bridges connecting Hong Kong Island (where all the action allegedly takes place) to the mainland. The only way to get off Hong Kong Island (other than by boat or swimming) is via one of three tunnels, none of which are used, referenced or mentioned in the film.
*Speaking of bridges, Tsing Ma Bridge (the gray version of the Golden Gate Bridge) shown in the movie is effectively a dead end unless one is going to the airport or [[Disneyland]], because it only leads to/from Lantau Island.
*The bridge where Grimlock "digs in" is an expressway bypass. Geographically defending it is pointless as there are multiple other routes (including at least one that is faster) to bypass the bridge and tunnel yet end up at the same place on the other side.
*In one of the fight scenes there is an overhead railway (the {{w|Detroit People Mover}}). There are no overhead railways on Hong Kong Island (yet) and the {{w|MTR}} (the subway train network) trains look nothing like the train used in the scenes, as they are a completely different shape and color.
*There are no "glass houses" on Hong Kong Island.
*There are no Chinese temple ruins on Hong Kong Island. The temples there are all intact and frequently used or preserved and don't have giant metal umbrellas ''at all''.
*The area where Optimus battles and "tames" Grimlock is in the Wushan Valley in Northern China which is over 1100 km from Hong Kong, yet is depicted as being in Pok Fu Lam on the South Western side of Hong Kong Island (which is a high rise residential area). Even flying it would take well over 2 hours to get from Wushan Valley to Hong Kong.
*It's not possible to drive a car from Beijing into Hong Kong, as the number plates would be invalid, and it would take over a day to drive that distance. Chinese vehicles coming into Hong Kong have to be from the Canton area (number plates are black) and have to be registered with Hong Kong plates, which means they must display both plates at all times one above the other. (In addition, the process to obtain permission for a car to have that is also lengthy and costly.)
*The blue SUV used by Cade and his companions is not a type of vehicle that exists in Hong Kong. In addition, its steering wheel is located on the left side, even though cars in Hong Kong have their steering wheels on the right side.
*Optimus Prime's Western Star alternate mode would be illegal to drive on Hong Kong roads, since it's oversized. The Freightliner truck used for Galvatron is the maximum size/gauge allowed on Hong Kong roads. All scenes with Optimus driving in truck mode were filmed elsewhere, the Western Star truck was never brought to Hong Kong. Even his previous Peterbilt alternate mode would be illegal in Hong Kong.
*The area depicted as the final battle scene where Optimus and Lockdown face off was digitally added on the map of Hong Kong shown in the movie. It doesn't exist at all in real life, where it's actually a breakwater/typhoon shelter full of boats on Victora Harbour. In addition, the factories in Hong Kong (which are all located on Kowloon, because Hong Kong Island is purely a residential/business/shopping district) look nothing like the buildings used in the scene.

===[[Dinobot Island, Part 1|Paleontology weeps]]===
*The cyberformed remains of a ''Tyrannosaurus'' and a ''Spinosaurus'' appear frozen together in the arctic at the beginning of the film, which is rather odd considering the two are found on different continents (North America and Africa respectively) and separated by around 35 million years of evolution. Note that a few months after the release of the movie, the morphology of ''Spinosaurus'' was completely revised, with a different spine shape and shorter legs. Even more revisions came in 2020, which turned the tail into a newt-like paddle.
[[File:ExtinctionOfTheDinosaurus.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|And another thing! How is that sauropod running!?!]]
*The opening scene of the movie shows a ''Psittaccosaurus'' (100-120 million years old), a generic hadrosaur that might be either an ''Edmontosaurus'' or a ''Shantungosaurus'' (65-70 million years old), and a brachiosaurid (100-157 million years old) all present during what is implied to be the K-Pg extinction event (64.5-65 million years old).
*The ''Psittaccosaurus'', a well known herbivorous animal, is seen actively hunting and killing live prey. In a nod to paleontological accuracy, however, it is depicted with a row of quill-like feathers along its back, as many ceratopsian dinosaurs are believed to have had.
*The Dinobots' alternate modes are orders of magnitude larger than the real dinosaurs on which they're based. In an interesting twist, using Optimus as a proxy for the average human, all the Dinobots bar Strafe have been accurately scaled up. At 850 tonnes, 63.5 feet tall (from feet to horns) and 150 feet long (from tail to muzzle),<ref name="Grimlock stats">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/entertainment-weekly-reveals-new-details-on-transformers-4-age-of-extinction-new-grimlock-image-179675] summarised on TFW2005.</ref> Grimlock is as large compared to Optimus as a real ''Tyrannosaurus'' would be next to a human.

==Transformers references==

* As usual, many of the new characters have roots in older portions of the mythos:
** [[Drift (AOE)|Drift]] is based on [[Drift (G1)|a Generation 1 character]] introduced in IDW's 2008 ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]'' series.
** Lockdown is derived from [[Lockdown (Animated)|a character in the 2008 ''Animated'' cartoon]] who had already jumped over to the G1 comics and, in toy form, to the movie universe.
** [[Hound (disambiguation)|Hound]] shares a military-green alternate mode with his [[Hound (G1)|Generation 1 counterpart]], but is otherwise unrelated. His portly physique has put many a fan in mind of similar military-green Autobot [[Bulkhead (disambiguation)|Bulkhead]], but again, the movie character's crusty, violence-hungry, trigger-happy personality owes more to John Goodman’s previous roles than to that gentle Autobot giant.
** The name [[Crosshairs (disambiguation)|Crosshairs]] has been used by a few characters before, but this version has nothing to do with any of them.
** Galvatron being a new form for Megatron has been a thing for [[Galvatron (disambiguation)|basically forever]]. With Joyce's intentions of creating him as a counterpart to Optimus Prime, he also takes cues from [[Nemesis Prime (disambiguation)|Nemesis Prime]]; in particular the human-controlled ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Prime]]'' [[Nemesis Prime (Prime)|character]].
** The Dinobots are the latest iteration of [[Dinobot (G1)|the powerhouse subfaction]] that first appeared in the early days of Generation 1. Their leader Grimlock is a direct analog of [[Grimlock (G1)|his Generation 1 counterpart]]; Strafe and Slug are based on Generation 1 [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] and [[Slag (G1)|Slag]], respectively.
* The Creators seem inspired by the alien [[Quintesson]]s from the Sunbow ''The Transformers'' cartoon, who were revealed to be the creators of the Cybertronian race in the third season of said cartoon.
* In the film's opening act, Optimus has adopted a cabover truck alternate mode akin to that of his [[Optimus Prime (G1)|G1 counterpart]]. His robot mode also draws some inspiration from his G1 design, such as the large grill on his chest.
* Ratchet and Lockdown are paired off against each other; the first incarnation of [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]] from ''Transformers: Animated'' was pitted off against that version of [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] in his very first appearance, presumably inspiring their scene together.
* As he hunts for Ratchet, Lockdown's head-up display shows characters in [[Cybertronian language|Ancient Autobot]], an alphabet originating in the Generation 1 episode "[[Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust]]". Unlike some uses of the language, it appears at random here, with no secret messages to decode.
* In the scene where Optimus scans a passing truck, the classic [[Transformation#The noise|transformation noise]] plays when the Autobot symbol emerges from his grill.
* The scene where Galvatron goes active and breaks free in KSI's Chinese facility mirrors the scene in the 2007 ''Transformers'' movie when Megatron breaks free inside [[Sector Seven]]'s facility, down to a reuse of the line "I am Megatron", only with the name changed to "Galvatron".
* The ringtone on Gill Wembley's cell phone is a remixed version of the original ''The Transformers'' cartoon's [[theme song]].

==Real-life references==
[[File:Rainbow Dash Age of Extinction.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|"I found the magic!"]]

*Among the objects KSI makes from Transformium in the film is a [[Rainbow Dash]] doll from ''[[My Little Pony]]''.

==Other editions==
{{stub}}
{{--}}

==Prequel material==
*''[[Transformers (Titan Magazine)#Age of Extinction|Transformers (Titan Magazine)]]''
Titan's monthly title in the [[United Kingdom|UK]] (the final rebrand of their existing comic).

==Adaptations==
Unusually, no novel or comic adaptations of the film were released. The ''[[Transformers Annual 2015]]'' contained an extremely cut down prose summary of events.

==Sequels==
{{main|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|Bumblebee (film)}}

==Music==
{{stub}}
{{--}}

==Score==
{{main|Age of Extinction: The Score}}

==Home video releases==
{{main|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)/home video}}

==Theatrical posters==
<center><gallery>
File:Transformers- Age of ExtinctionTeaserPoster.jpg|Something has survived...
File:Transformers- Age of ExtinctionOptimusPrimePoster.jpg|Will you follow me... for the fourth time?
File:Transformers Age of Extinction poster-IMAX.jpg|The Prime, the Grim, and the Marky.
File:Transformers Age of Extinction Cade poster.jpg|Cade, look out behind you! Ah, too late, Lockdown's ship got him.
File:Transformers Age of Extinction Shane poster.jpg|So the five minute scene about his relationship with a minor was supposed to be funny?
File:Transformers Age of Extinction Tessa poster.jpg|She wants you to forget she was in ''{{w|The Last Airbender (film)|The Last Airbender}}''.
File:Transformers Age of Extinction Su poster.jpg|So the minor character gets a poster and two lengthy filler action scenes to herself?
File:Transformers Age of Extinction Lockdown poster.jpg|''Age of Extinction'', come and spend your money here!
File:Transformers Age of Extinction Rules Have Changed.jpg|It's a scene not in the movie!
File:Transformers Age of Extinction This Is Not War.jpg|This is not human extinction, it's just war.
File:Transformers Age of Extinction Stand Together1.jpg|So we face extinction if we don't stand with you? Huh, that's kinda harsh...
File:Transformers Age of Extinction Stand Together2.jpg|"Now look down. Now look at me. I'm on a dinosaur."
</gallery></center>

==Reception==

{{quote|"The few authentic inspirations to be found in the movie's hundred and sixty-five roiling minutes involve gigantic science-fiction contrivances."|[http://www.newyorker.com/arts/reviews/film/transformers_age_of_extinction_bay The New Yorker's Richard Brody on Transformers 4: Age of Extinction], Richard Brody|[http://newyorker.com newyorker.com] [[2014]]}}

''Transformers: Age of Extinction'' was critically panned, and nearly universally condemned on the American front, receiving a rating of 18% positive critical reviews on RottenTomatoes.com, one percent lower than the final score for ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''. Common criticisms leveled against it included its relatively long run time of 2 hours and 45 minutes, the disproportionately small amount of screen time the Dinobots got in relation to their relatively large exposure in promotional materials for the film, an over-reliance on product placement, obtuse humor (including jokes about knowing precisely when teenagers are old enough for adults to have sex with them), and the decision to set the final act in Hong Kong, which was perceived as a choice solely done to pander towards the Chinese audience for the film. However, the film received praise for its visual effects, action sequences, and the performances of some of the human actors, mainly Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, and Kelsey Grammer.<ref>http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_age_of_extinction/</ref> Despite any criticisms, the film was the worldwide top-grossing film for 2014, earning over a billion dollars.<ref>[https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/world/2014/ Box Office Mojo's 2014 Worldwide Grosses]</ref>

It {{w|35th Golden Raspberry Awards|won one Golden Raspberry Award}} for Worst Director ([[Michael Bay]]), was one of four movies contributing to [[Kelsey Grammer]]'s Worst Supporting Actor win (along with ''{{w|The Expendables 3}}'', ''{{w|Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return}}'' and ''{{w|Think Like a Man Too}}''), and was unsuccessfully nominated for Worst Picture; Worst Supporting Actress ([[Nicola Peltz]] as [[Tessa Yeager]]); Worst Screen Combo ("Any two robots, actors (or robotic actors)"); Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel; and Worst Screenplay ("screenplay by [[Ehren Kruger]], based on Hasbro's Transformers action figures").

For Chinese audiences, however, it was a phenomenon and some farmers started making replica Transformers as a new job.<ref>[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/chinese-villagers-give-up-farming-719236 The Hollywood Reporter: "Chinese Villagers Give Up Farming to Build Giant Transformers From Old Car Parts", July 16 2014]</ref>

==Production staff==
''Age of Extinction'' was written by [[Ehren Kruger]], who also wrote ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon]]'' and helped write ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''.
===Visual effects===
Like the previous films in the series, [[Industrial Light & Magic]] (with assistance from [[Atomic Fiction]] and [[Base FX]]) was employed to do the visual effects. [[Method Studios]] and [[Tippett Studios]] also contributed to the film's VFX production.

===Locations department===

==Development details==
===Cast and crew signing on===
On June 26, 2011, thirteen days before the official theatrical release of ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon]]'', actor [[Tyrese Gibson]] gave an interview to Movieweb, in which he claimed that [[Michael Bay]] would not return for a fourth ''Transformers'' installment; instead, executive producer [[Steven Spielberg]] himself was allegedly interested in directing a sequel.<ref name="tyresemovieweb">[http://movieweb.com/exclusive-steven-spielberg-may-direct-transformers-4/ Movieweb interview with Tyrese Gibson], with several names missing from the text; the full excerpt in question is quoted [http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/rumor-transformers-4-directed-by-steven-spielberg-172501/ here] on TFW2005.</ref> Ten days later, on June 26, 2011, still three days before the official theatrical release of ''Dark of the Moon'', Michael Bay posted praise for actor [[Shia LaBeouf]] on his official forums, while at the same time expressing regret for leaving the ''Transformers'' franchise.<ref name="bayshialeaving">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?9502-Love-Shia-as-an-Actor Michael Bay's praise for Shia LaBeouf] at the official Michael Bay forums.</ref> Another two days later, on June 28, 2011, LaBeouf confirmed that ''Dark of the Moon'' would definitely be his last ''Transformers'' film, as he didn't think there was "anywhere to take" his character of [[Sam Witwicky]].<ref name="endshia">[http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2011/06/28/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-shia-labeouf/ "'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon' Is The End For Shia LaBeouf"], MTV Movies Blog.</ref>

Eight months later, on February 13, 2012, producer [[Lorenzo di Bonaventura]] gave an interview during [[Toy Fair 2012]], in which he confirmed that a fourth film was scheduled for a release in the Summer of 2014, Michael Bay would direct it after all, and that the movie would be a "reboot". He promptly clarified that it was actually a "hybrid", an "evolution" of the franchise that would be in continuity with the previous films, citing 2012's ''{{w|The Amazing Spider-Man (2012 film)|The Amazing Spider-Man}}'' reboot of the ''[[Spider-Man]]'' film franchise as an example of what people should ''not'' expect from a fourth ''Transformers'' film. Di Bonaventura also confirmed that no casting discussions had taken place yet at that point, since there was no set story yet. However, there would be "a lot of new cast", and it was still uncertain at that point whether any of the previous cast members would return. The only characters that would "certainly" return would be [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]].<ref name="lorenzointerview">["http://www.mtv.com/videos/movies/733426/a-new-transformers-to-hit-theaters-in-summer-2014.jhtml "a new 'transformers' to hit theaters in summer 2014"], interview with Lorenzo Di Bonaventura at MTV.com.</ref> A day later, on February 14, 2012, Bay himself and [[Paramount Pictures]] officially announced that Bay had indeed signed a deal to make a fourth ''Transformers'' film. The film's release date was stated alternatively as either June 27 or June 29, 2014.<ref name="bayfourthfilm1">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-4-release-date-revealed-174395/ "Transformers 4 Release Date Revealed"] at TFW2005.</ref><ref name="bayfourthfilm">[http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-17028248 "Transformers director Michael Bay signs for fourth film"], BBC.co.uk.</ref> That same day, Bay also confirmed that he and Spielberg were working on a "whole new re imagining{{sic}} of ''Transformers''".<ref name="reimagining">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?10284-Transformers-4 Michael Bay confirming that ''Transformers 4'' would be a "reimaginging"] at the official Michael Bay forums.</ref> Two days later, on February 16, 2012, actor [[Josh Duhamel]] expressed his doubts that he, Shia LaBeouf, [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]] or Tyrese Gibson would return for the fourth installment.<ref name="noshiarosie">[http://eonline.com/news/294791/josh-duhamel-not-coming-back-for-transformers-4-is-anyone "Josh Duhamel Not Coming Back for Transformers 4: Is Anyone?!"] at E! Online.</ref>

Four months later, on June 6, 2012, Michael Bay confirmed in an interview centered around ''[[Transformers: The Ride – 3D|Transformers: The Ride]]'' that the fourth film would feature "some redesigns of the robots and an entirely new cast", and that it would be the last ''Transformers'' film he would direct.<ref name="ride">[http://herocomplex.latimes.com/movies/transformers-the-ride-3d-even-impresses-disney-rivals/ "‘Transformers’ taking new shape with Universal ride and fourth film"], LA Times Hero Complex.</ref> A few weeks later, on June 21, 2012, Bay confirmed that the fourth film would feature "different human actors", but the film would not be strictly a "reboot", but rather take the story "in a new direction". While hinting that the story might venture into space for "a little bit", he still wanted to keep it "grounded".<ref name="starsspace">[http://herocomplex.latimes.com/movies/transformers-4-michael-bay-purges-stars-may-go-into-space/ "‘Transformers 4’: Michael Bay purges stars, may go into space"], LA Times Hero Complex.</ref>

[[File:TF4 Chinese Reality Show contestants.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|If ''Age of Extinction'' teaches us anything, it's that more movies should be cast using reality shows.]]On September 21, 2012, Michael Bay confirmed the first "cast" member for the film in the broadest sense, namely the fact that voice actor [[Peter Cullen]] would be kept on as [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]]. He also confirmed that the film would ''not'' be a reboot, but would pick up the story from where ''Dark of the Moon'' had left off in [[Chicago]].<ref name="cullen">[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/21/michael-bay-transformers-4-pain-and-gain_n_1903523.html "Michael Bay, 'Transformers 4' Director, On The Struggles Of 'Pain & Gain'"], Huffington Post interview.</ref> One and a half months later, on November 8, 2012, Bay confirmed [[Mark Wahlberg]] as the first human cast member,<ref name="wahlberg">[http://michaelbay.com/2012/11/08/michael-bay-re-teams-with-his-pain-gain-star-mark-wahlberg-for-transformers-4/ "Michael Bay Re-Teams With His 'Pain & Gain' Star Mark Wahlberg for Transformers 4"], on Michael Bay's official site.</ref> after having referred to such claims as "just a rumor" a mere month earlier.<ref name="baynowahlberg">[http://michaelbay.com/2012/10/23/transformers-4-casting-rumor/ "Transformers 4 Casting Rumor"], on Michael Bay's official site.</ref> On December 15, 2012, Wahlberg himself confirmed that filming would commence in May 2013.<ref name="wahlbergmay">[http://collider.com/ted-2-sequel-mark-wahlberg-transformers-4/218011/ "Mark Wahlberg Talks TED 2, TRANSFORMERS 4, and PAIN AND GAIN; Says TF Starts Shooting in May Followed By TED Sequel"], interview with Collider.com.</ref> Another month later, on January 8, 2013, Irish American actor [[Jack Reynor]] was confirmed as the second human cast member.<ref name="reynor">[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/jack-reynor-lands-starring-role-409850 "Jack Reynor Lands Starring Role in 'Transformers 4'"] at Hollywood Reporter.</ref> [[Nicola Peltz]] was confirmed on March 26, 2013,<ref name="welcomepeltz">[http://michaelbay.com/2013/03/26/welcome-nicola-peltz-to-transformers-4/ "Welcome Nicola Peltz to Transformers 4"], on Michael Bay's official site.</ref> followed by [[Stanley Tucci]] (confirmed to be an antagonist) on April 16, 2013.,<ref name="tucci">[http://www.comingsoon.net/news/cinemaconnews.php?id=103034 "CinemaCon: Stanley Tucci Joins Transformers 4"]</ref> [[Kelsey Grammer]] as a lead (human) villain named "Harold Attinger" on May 1, 2013,<ref name="grammerattinger">[http://www.deadline.com/2013/05/kelsey-grammer-lands-lead-human-villain-in-transformers-sequel/ "Kelsey Grammer Lands Lead (Human) Villain In ‘Transformers’ Sequel"] at Deadline.com.</ref> [[Sophia Myles]] as a scientist on May 6, 2013,<ref name="mylesscientist">[http://www.thewrap.com/movies/column-post/sophia-myles-join-mark-wahlberg-michael-bays-transformers-4-exclusive-89661 "Sophia Myles to Join Mark Wahlberg in Michael Bay's 'Transformers 4' (Exclusive)"] at TheWrap.com.</ref> Chinese actress [[Li Bingbing]] in an at that point still unspecified role on May 20, 2013,<ref name="bingbing">[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/chinas-li-bingbing-boards-transformers-525370 "China's Li Bingbing Boards 'Transformers 4'"] at Hollywood Reporter</ref> and actor-comedian [[T. J. Miller]] as a mechanic and best friend to Wahlberg's character on May 28, 2013.<ref name="miller">[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/tj-miller-joins-transformers-4-559359 "T.J. Miller Joins 'Transformers 4'"] at Hollywood Reporter.</ref> [[Titus Welliver]] wasn't officially confirmed until July 25, 2013, after he had been spotted on set in Texas.<ref name="welliver">[http://www.deadline.com/2013/07/transformers-4-adds-titus-welliver/ "‘Transformers 4′ Adds Titus Welliver"], Deadline.com.</ref> In the lead-up to the release of the movie, Welliver would stir up a minor controversy with an interview in which he stated that the film would be darker and "not a kid's movie". Following a storm of online discussion regarding this statement, he issued a new statement to the effect that ''Age of Extinction'' is in fact a kid's movie, and he meant to say it would expand the audience.<ref name="nerdist">[https://www.nerdist.com/2014/02/titus-welliver-talks-about-transformers-4-and-clark-greggs-s-h-i-e-l-d-comments/ Titus Welliver Talks About TRANSFORMERS 4 and Clark Gregg’s S.H.I.E.L.D. Comments], Nerdist.com.</ref>

A rather unusual addition to the cast were [[Byron Li]], [[Candice Zhao]], [[Austin Lin]] and [[Teresa Daley]], which won their part through participating in the ''[[Transformers 4 Chinese Actors Talent Search Reality Show]]'' on August 25, 2013.<ref name="reality">[http://beijing.china.org.cn/2013-08/28/content_29845758.htm "'Transformers 4' recruits 4 Chinese actors"], China.org.cn.</ref>

The remaining robot voice cast (barring Optimus Prime) wasn't officially revealed until May 8, 2014.<ref name="voicecast">[http://michaelbay.com/2014/05/08/john-goodman-and-ken-watanabe-join-the-autobot-voice-cast-in-michael-bays-transformers-age-of-extinction/ "John Goodman And Ken Watanabe Join The Autobot Voice Cast in Michael Bay’s ‘Transformers: Age Of Extinction’"] at the official Michael Bay website.</ref>

===Writing and production===
On March 20, 2013, the Michigan Film Office announced that the fourth film would return to [[Detroit]].<ref name="michigan">[http://www.michiganfilmoffice.org/The-Film-Office/Press-Releases/Detail.aspx?id=11620 "Transformers Returning to Michigan, Approved for Film Incentive" at the Michigan Film Office website.]</ref> Principal photography began on May 28, 2013, at {{w|Monument Valley}}.<ref name="monument">[http://michaelbay.com/2013/05/28/transformers-4-starts-filming-in-monument-valley-navajo-tribal-park/ "Transformers 4 Starts Filming in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park"], on Michael Bay's official site.</ref> Other shooting locations were the small towns of Lockhart, Taylor, Elgin and Pflugerville in Texas.<ref name="texas">[http://www.dallasnews.com/entertainment/movies/headlines/20130426-fourth-transformers-film-to-shoot-in-texas.ece "Fourth ‘Transformers’ film to shoot in Texas"] at Dallas Morning News.</ref> Shooting in Michigan involved two historic passenger steamboats, the ''{{w|SS Columbia}}'' and her sister ship, the ''{{w|Ste. Claire (passenger steamboat)|SS Ste. Claire}}'', which were docked in {{w|River Rouge, Michigan|River Rouge}} awaiting restoration at the time being used as props.<ref name="boblo">[http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/story/2013/07/26/wdr-boblo-boats-transformers-four.html "Historic Boblo boats land role in Transformers 4"], CBC News.</ref> While shooting in Detroit, Mark Wahlberg's children visited the set and were given small parts in the movie upon their father's request.<ref name="wahlkids">[http://comicbook.com/blog/2013/07/30/mark-wahlbergs-kids-cast-in-transformers-4/ "Mark Wahlberg's Kids Cast In Transformers 4"], Comicbook.com.</ref>

[[File:AOE Michael Bay Nicola Peltz on set.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Michael Bay uses his legendary charm to get the very best performance out of his actors.]]
Due to an increased focus of Hollywood studios trying to market its movies to the Chinese audience, parts of the movie were not only set in China, but actually filmed there. One of the shooting sites was Hong Kong. While there, the movie crew encountered the risks of shooting a movie in China firsthand when director Michael Bay was assaulted on the set by two locals demanding money; according to some sources, they were store owners that were not satisfied with the compensation they received for the inconvenience of having a movie filming nearby. Bay received minor injuries, but played the incident off on his blog. Both he and an official Paramount statement suggested that the assailants were under the influence of drugs.<ref name="attack1">[http://deadline.com/2013/10/hong-kong-police-called-to-transformers-4-set-amid-alleged-extortion-attempt-report-613912/ "Extortion Attempt On ‘Transformers 4′ Set; Michael Bay Suffers Minor Injury: Report"], Deadline.com.</ref><ref name="attack2">[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/michael-bay-attacked-transformers-4-649183 "Michael Bay Attacked on 'Transformers 4' Set in Hong Kong"], Hollywood Reporter.</ref><ref name="attack3">[http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-24566287 "Transformers director Michael Bay attacked in Hong Kong"], BBC.</ref name="attack4">[http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/michael-bay-attacked-on-transformers-hong-kong-film-shoot-1.2100953 "Michael Bay attacked on Transformers Hong Kong film shoot"], CBC News.</ref><ref name="attack5">[http://michaelbay.com/2013/10/17/hong-kong-incident/ "Hong Kong Incident"] on Michael Bay's official Blog.</ref> A second extortion attempt occurred several days later, this time allegedly by several triad gang members. Although one of them was later arrested, no-one was injured this time around.<ref name="extortion2">[http://www.businessinsider.com/michael-bay-transformers-4hong-kong-second-extortion-incident-2013-10?IR=T "More Trouble For 'Transformers 4' In Hong Kong As Second Extortion Attempt Reported"], Business Insider.</ref><ref name="extortion3">[http://edition.cnn.com/2013/10/25/world/asia/hong-kong-transformers-triad-extortion/ "Transformers versus the triads of Hong Kong: the sequel"], CNN.</ref> Once again, Bay played down the extortion attempts in an interview, noting that most of the locals were apologetic over what took place, and that he wanted to film more projects in Hong Kong.<ref name="eager">[http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1342084/hollywood-director-michael-bay-eager-shoot-hong-kong-again "Hollywood director Michael Bay eager to shoot in Hong Kong again"], ''South China Morning Post'']</ref>

[[File:AOEOptimusRidingGrimlock.jpg|thumb|upright=1.9|left|"Get me closer! I want to hit them with my sword!"]]Late script changes resulted in Bay and his crew returning to the Chinese city of {{w|Chongqing}} for a week reshooting a scene in January 2014.<ref name="reshoot">[http://www.ecns.cn/2014/01-23/98337.shtml "'Transformers 4' back to China for additional shots"], China News Service (Ecns.cn).</ref>

Some of [[Industrial Light & Magic|ILM]]'s post-production effects were done at a newly opened Lucasfilm facility in Singapore.<ref name="ilmsg">[http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/lifestyle/story/lucasfilm-singapore-work-new-avengers-and-transformers-movies-20140116 "Lucasfilm Singapore to work on new Avengers and Transformers movies"], The Straits Times.</ref>

{{--}}

=== Sponsors and partners ===
==== General Motors and other car manufacturers ====
[[File:AOE Optimus Prime truck.jpg|thumb|upright=1.34|When having one's midlife crisis, it's not unusual to get a souped-up alternate mode.]]
''Age of Extinction'' continues the collaboration with General Motors. Earlier in the film, Bumblebee chooses a customized 1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS as his disguise when hiding from [[Cemetery Wind]], whereas later on, he upgrades to the newest model, a 2014 Camaro concept car. (The production crew was actually accused of ripping off a one-of-a-kind custom for the 1967 version.<ref name="1967custom">[http://jalopnik.com/did-transformers-4-rip-off-this-guys-design-for-the-ne-510655228 "Did Transformers 4 Rip Off This Guy's Design For The New Bumblebee?"] at Jalopnik.com.</ref>) Furthermore, new addition [[Crosshairs (AOE)|Crosshairs]]'s alternate mode is a 2014 Chevrolet C7 Corvette Stingray, and recurring character Ratchet briefly appears at the beginning of the movie and transforms into his Hummer H2 ambulance mode (in the color scheme from ''Dark of the Moon'') before being killed at the hands of Cemetery Wind and [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]].

''Age of Extinction'' is the first movie to feature an official partnership with a manufacturer for [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]]'s alternate mode. Earlier in the movie, he transforms into an old, rusty Marmon 97 truck cab (presumably without support from the manufacturer), but later upgrades into a brand new Western Star "5700 OP" concept truck that was designed specifically for the movie by "Twins Custom Coaches" and the team at West Coast Customs, with Western Star being a subsidiary of Daimler Trucks, who also provided a 2012 Freightliner Argosy that serves as [[Megatron (Movie)|Galvatron]]'s alternate mode.

Other manufacturers that provided vehicles to be used for characters' alternate modes were the Oshkosh Corporation with an Oshkosh Defense FMTV truck for [[Hound (Movie)|Hound]], the Volkswagen group with a 2013 Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse for [[Drift (AOE)|Drift]] and a Lamborghini Aventador for Lockdown, and independent Italian manufacturer Pagani Automobili with a Pagani Huayra for [[Stinger (AOE)|Stinger]].

=== Changes before, during and after production ===
* [[Slash (AOE)|Slash]] was originally intended to appear in the film (he even made it into some concept artwork).<ref name="burt">[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/transformers-age-of-extinction-concept-art-from-wesley-burt/30723/ Age of Extinction concept art by Wesley Burt], mirrored at Seibertron.com.</ref>
* [[Glenn Morshower]] was originally set to return in this film, reprising his role of [[Morshower|General Morshower]], but didn't return due to a scheduling conflict.<ref>http://transformerslive.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/general-morshower-not-returning-to.html</ref>
* Both [[Josh Duhamel]] and [[Tyrese Gibson]] were intended to cameo reprising their roles as [[William Lennox]] and [[Robert Epps]] but were cut before filming started.<ref>http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/tyrese-gibson-in-talks-for-transformers-4-176078/</ref><ref>http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/tyrese-gibson-to-make-cameo-appearance-only-in-transformers-4-177407/</ref><ref>http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/josh-duhamel-to-make-cameo-appearance-in-transformers-4-177026/</ref><ref>http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2013/06/josh-duhamel-not-in-transformers-4.html</ref>
* Ed Welburn, [[General Motors]]' vice president for global design, was originally set to cameo as the C.I.A. head before being recast as a KSI employee.<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/29/automobiles/ed-welburn-gets-a-part-in-transformers.html?_r=0</ref>
* A scene depicting Hound and Bumblebee dancing with Tessa (while Drift bobs his head in the background) was not present in the final cut of the film.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnxZ7Gg2yV4</ref>
* Scorn's toys lack the additional two sails he has in the film, suggesting it was a late design change.
*The Pagani Huayra that eventually ended up as [[Stinger (AOE)|Stinger]] was at one point intended as the alternate mode of a female robot with the working name "Widow Maker".<ref name="vitaly">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-9/age-of-extinction-concept-art-by-vitaly-bulgarov-180636/ Age of Extinction concept art by Vitaly Bulgarov] at TFW2005, including "Widow Maker".</ref><ref name="jung">[http://comicbook.com/blog/2014/07/20/transformers-age-of-extinction-concept-art-shows-off-epic-scope-/ Age of Extinction concept art by Steve Jung] at Comicbook.com, including "Widow Maker".</ref>
* Wahlberg's character was named "Flynn 'Ray' Vincent" rather than "Cade Yeager" in a casting call. The same casting call also revealed that actor [[Glenn Morshower]] was supposed to reprise his role as [[Morshower|General Morshower]] from the previous two films.<ref name="txcasting">[http://www.featurefilmauditions.com/2013/05/casting-for-transformers-4-actors-and.html "Transformers 4' open casting calls for actors and extras in Austin, TX and Detroit, MI"] at Film Auditions.</ref>
* A scene where Cade says "Stick behind me" is not present in the final cut of the film.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXSkXQs890g</ref>
* Another piece of dialogue cut from the film is when Cade says "You tell me" to Attinger when he asks for Optimus Prime.
* In some concept artwork, Grimlock appears as a horn-less T-Rex.
* The original running time of the film was 2 hours and 7 minutes, which would have made it the shortest film in the franchise. The final running time was 2 hours and 30 minutes <ref>http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/BatFreak/news/?a=77992</ref><ref>http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-4-age-of-extinction-running-time-revealed-180165/</ref>
* [[Dwayne Johnson]] was originally offered the role of Cade Yeager, but due to his commitment to ''Hercules: The Thracian Wars'', the role was later taken over by his ''Pain & Gain'' co-star Mark Wahlberg.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Michael Bay offered me Transformers, but I was unavailable due to Hercules. Then Wahlberg was offered the role. #RockTalk|link=https://twitter.com/TheRock/statuses/327892048978006016|name=Dwayne Johnson|site=Twitter|year=2013|month=04|day=26|(defunct=)}}</ref>
*In some concept artwork, Drift was colored orange instead of blue, but according to the Generation 2 featurette in the Blu-ray release, this was changed because the vehicle that was going to play Drift was sold off.
*Some concept artwork shows that Optimus was intended to have his original trilogy body in the scenes where he had his new look.
*According to Ehren Kruger in the Generation 2 featurette, in the early drafts of the film, it was not originally centered on the Cade Yeager character.
*Numerous silver [[redeco]] toys were produced for Optimus Prime with the moniker of "Silver Knight", suggesting that he was originally supposed to take on this alternate appearance in the film itself, almost certainly upon drawing a sword from the Knights' armory. In the finished film, he does undergo some slight physical alteration at this point, his arms reconfiguring to resemble armor plates, but that's as far as it goes. This was also ''prrrrobably'' where he was supposed to get the rocket-boots he suddenly deploys at the film's end.
*A scene depicting Harold Attinger throwing a man out of a moving vehicle was reportedly cut from the film.<ref>http://news.tfw2005.com/2014/08/16/kelsey-grammer-explains-a-deleted-scene-from-transformers-age-of-extinction-180984</ref>
*[[Kickback (disambiguation)|Kickback]] was seemingly considered to appear among the Insecticons, as concept art of the character was made by [[Rob Wiggins]].<ref>[https://www.artstation.com/artwork/bxDen Transformers 4 Insecticon Kickback concept art by Rob Wiggins]</ref>
{{-}}

===Disinformation campaign===

Like ''Revenge of the Fallen'' and ''Dark of The Moon'' before it, ''Age of Extinction'' had a campaign that would mask details of the final film. However, unlike the previous films, this one was all encompassing; no novelization or comics by [[IDW Publishing]] was released, allowing for a great deal of the movie's spoilers to actually remain unknown longer than for the previous three films.

In the original Michigan Film Office press release published on March 20, 2013, several vague plot details were revealed, including the fact that Autobots and Decepticons had "[[Cemetery Wind|all but vanished from the face of the planet]]", a "[[Kinetic Solutions Incorporated|group of [...] businessman and scientists]]" were developing new technologies based on past encounters with the Transformers, and an "[[Lockdown (ROTF)|ancient, powerful Transformer menace]]" was targeting Earth.<ref name="plotunveiled">[http://www.thewrap.com/node/82001/ "‘Transformers 4’ Plot Unveiled by Michigan Film Office"] at TheWrap.com.</ref> These plot details were later claimed to be inaccurate by Paramount Pictures,<ref name="notaccurate">[http://screenrant.com/transformers-4-movie-plot-synopsis-cast/ Unofficial "'Transformers 4' Plot Synopsis Is Not Accurate"] at Screenrant.com</ref> but in all their vagueness ultimately turned out to be not too far off from the film's plot.

A lot of the newly-added characters were given "code names" during production, most of them related to the ''Rocky'' saga: "Duke" for Hound, "Adrian" for Galvatron, "Ivan" for Grimlock, "Rocky" for Slash (who was originally intended to appear in the movie, as noted above), "Southpaw" for Scorn, "Paulie" for Strafe, and "Thunderlips" for Slug. In addition, Crosshairs was code-named "Slingshot", Drift was code-named "Bruce", Lockdown was code-named "Max", and Steeljaw was code-named "Wolf" (which ''might'' have simply been a working name).<ref name="customer">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-news-rumors/961952-monzos-mega-hasbro-customer-service-listing-breakdown.html Hasbro customer service list]</ref>

==Notes==
*Not only do the [[Dinobot (AOE)|Dinobots]] go unnamed in the film (other than [[Scorn]] getting the nickname, "Spike"), but the word Dinobot is never even said by anyone. The audio description soundtrack on the home video releases refers to them as warriors or barbarians, but notes during the final scene that they "turn into Dinobots" (of course it also refers to Galvatron transforming "into an Autobot" when he turns into a robot, so make of that what you will).
*In addition to the Shadow Raiders, Steeljaws, the ball-shaped drones, and Stupid Drones, inside Lockdown's ship there were also several hovering drones. These drones appear to be of the same type as those the United States used in ''Dark of the Moon'' (the one that got sucked into the engine of Bumblebee's commandeered Decepticon fighter). Maybe Attinger sold them to Lockdown?
*Michael Bay's website incorrectly refers to the film as "Transformers 4 The Age Of Extinction"
* The Autobots and Decepticons shown in the cards Attinger pulled early in the film include Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]], [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]], [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]], [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]], [[Dino]] (though he is listed as "Mirage"), [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]], [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]], [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]], [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]], [[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]], Leadfoot, [[Igor]], [[Loader]], [[Garagebot]], and the [[Driller]].
** Even though most of these Transformers are listed as deceased, Dino, Roadbuster, Igor, and Garagebot are not. Therefore, they could have been alive during the events of the film.
* This film seems to put a final nail in the coffin regarding the films' abandonment of the concept of using [[protoform]]s to travel through space; when the Autobots steal a ship from [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]], they immediately move to leave Earth, indicating they had been stranded on Earth for the past five years without a spaceship (following the destruction of the ''[[Xantium (DOTM)|Xantium]]''). The fact that no mention is made of searching for any possible survivors of Cemetery Wind's hunt also suggests that all Autobots who did not return for this film have been killed off as well.
**Fortunately, [[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] and [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]] reappear in [[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|the next film]] while Dino and Roadbuster are among the "not deceased" Transformers cards. Conversely, [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] is stated to have been killed by Cemetery Wind in some tie-in material.
*The robot designs in this film are markedly different than the previous three; the robots have fewer alien appearances and are more heavily influenced by human forms with far less visible vehicle parts.
*Speaking of the appearance of the Autobots - they all are based on specific types of human combatants throughout history: Optimus is obviously a medieval knight, Hound heavily resembles a World War II-era commando, Crosshairs looks like a mercenary or assassin, Bumblebee's new form is highly Ninja-like, and Drift is unsurprisingly a samurai.
*Director Michael Bay makes a cameo appearance in the film as a guy sitting in the passenger seat of a truck whose trailer Optimus Prime and Bumblebee crash through after being attacked by Galvatron and Stinger.<ref name="magiceffects">[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btn2tPxjisA "Behind the Magic: The Visual Effects of 'Transformers Age of Extinction'"] on the official ILMVisualFX Youtube channel.</ref> Heck with it, many of the KSI cars are part of his personal collection!
*This film re-uses a few minor pieces of footage from earlier films:
**The establishing shot of Attinger's plane is reused from ''Dark of the Moon'', where it was used as Charlotte Mearing's plane.
**A shot of Bumblebee's radio from the first movie gets reused, even though it doesn't make sense why the radio would look so beaten up when the rest of his '67 Camaro mode is in very good condition.
**The satellite tracking footage of the highway is exactly the same as the footage used in ''Dark of the Moon'' when [[NEST]] was tracking the [[Dread (DOTM)|Dreads]]. The image had obviously been altered to have the Autobots replacing the Dreads and new on-screen overlays that say "KSI" on them, but all of the surrounding civilian vehicles remain the same.
**The footage of the drone tracking the Autobots tilting its camera is re-used from the beginning of [[Operation: Firestorm]] in ''Revenge of the Fallen''.
*When the Dinobots depart into the forest in the final scene, Scorn and Slug are seen knocking down trees with their legs; however, these trees were removed in the IMAX release.
*''Age of Extinction'' is one of the only two yearly highest-grossing movies released during the 2010s that weren't distributed by [[Disney|The Walt Disney Company]], the other being ''{{w|Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2}}'' from [[Warner Bros.|Warner Bros. Pictures]] in 2011. Take that, [[Mickey Mouse]]!
*Nearly nine years after its release, comedian [[Ben Schwartz]] revealed in May 2023 on the ''{{w|Game Grumps}}'' web series that he provided lines for Bumblebee's radio voice in the film. Bay hired Schwartz to create original dialogue for the character's radio communication. While most of his work was in the finished product, a portion of his radio voice was omitted and replaced by lines from various media.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQwL2b4UEGU&t=8349s Ben Schwartz OBLITERATES Super Castlevania IV - Youtube]</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''''Transformers/Lost Age''''' (トランスフォーマー/ロストエイジ ''Toransufōmā Rosuto Eiji'')
*''Cantonese:'' '''''Binying Gamgong: Chimmit Saigei''''' (變形金剛：殲滅世紀 "Transformers: The Century of Annihilation")
*''Czech:'' '''''Transformers: Zánik''''' (Transformers: Extinction)
*''French:'' '''''Transformers : L'Âge de l'extinction''''' (France, "Transformers: The Age of Extinction"), '''''Transformers : L'Ère de l'extinction''''' (Canada, "Transformers: The Extinction Era")
*''German:'' '''''Transformers: Ära des Untergangs''''' ("Transformers: Era of Doom")
*''Mandarin:'' '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng Sì: Juéjī Chóngshēng''''' (變型金剛4：絕跡重生, 变形金刚4：绝迹重生, "Transformers 4: Rebirth from the Extinction")
*''Polish:'' '''''Transformers: Wiek zagłady''''' ("Transformers: Age of Extinction")
*''Portuguese:'' '''''Transformers: A Era da Extinção''''' (Brazil, "Transformers: The Age of Extinction"), '''''Transformers: Era da Extinção''''' (Portugal, "Transformers: Age of Extinction")
*''Russian:'' '''''Transformery: Epokha istrebleniya''''' (Трансформеры: Эпоха истребления "Transformers: Age of Extermination")
*''Spanish:'' '''''Transformers 4''''' (Argentina)
*''Turkish:'' '''''Transformers: Kayıp Çağ''''' ("Transformers: Lost Age")

==External links==
* [http://www.transformersmovie.com/ Transformersmovie.com]
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2109248/?ref_=nv_sr_1 ''Age of Extinction'' at IMDB.com]
* {{w|Transformers: Age of Extinction|''Age of Extinction'' film on Wikipedia}}
* [https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_age_of_extinction/ ''Age of Extinction'' on RottenTomatoes.com]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{stub}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Age of Extinction (film)}}

[[Category:Age of Extinction| Age of Extinction (film)]]
[[Category:Real world films]]

The Transformers: The Movie

2026-04-08T14:41:50Z

Zenphia:

{{disambig3|Transformers: The Movie}}
{{nav-tftm}}
{{movie|
|seriess=[[The Transformers (cartoon)|The Transformers]]
|prev=B.O.T. (episode)
|next=Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1
|seriess2=[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (franchise)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]
|prev2=Scramble City: Mobilization
|next2=Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1
|title=''The Transformers: The Movie''
|image=Transformersanimatedfilmposter.jpg
|caption=A long time ago in a galaxy far far away....
|production code=4034
|production companies=[[Sunbow Productions]] [[Marvel Productions]]
|distributor=[[Dino De Laurentiis|De Laurentiis Entertainment Group]]
|executive producer=[[Tom Griffin]] [[Joe Bacal]]
|screenplay by=[[Ron Friedman]]
|directed by=[[Nelson Shin]]
|cinematography by=[[Masatoshi Fukui]]
|edited by=[[David Hankins]]
|music by=[[Vince DiCola]]
|animation studio=[[Toei Animation|Toei]]
|release date=[[August 8]], [[1986]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
|runtime=85 minutes
|budget=$5–6 million
|box office=$2.6–5.8 million
|credits=The Transformers: The Movie/credits
}}
{{quote|Conceived in the epic tradition of ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]''...|[[Victor Caroli]] ain't just whistling Dixie|[[The Transformers: The Movie promo|''The Transformers: The Movie'' promo]]}}

'''''The Transformers: The Movie''''' is an animated feature film based on the original ''Transformers'' toyline. It was released in the United States on Friday, August 8, 1986.

The film's storyline follows the same continuity as the ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|Transformers]]'' cartoon. It introduces a [[Scale|planet-sized Transformer]] called [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] who eats other planets, and is approaching [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. As part of their continuing wars, the [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s have a [[Battle of Autobot City|fierce battle]] on [[Earth]] which sees both [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] mortally wounded. Prime passes the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] and dies, and Megatron is transformed by Unicron into [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]. [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (briefly) assumes leadership of the Decepticons, but is killed when Galvatron arrives at Cybertron. Galvatron then chases the surviving Autobots on Earth across space, splitting them up and taking the Matrix. The Autobots find their way back to each other, and follow Galvatron to Cybertron just as Unicron transforms into [[robot mode]] and begins to eat their world. Travelling inside Unicron, [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] recovers the Matrix, transforms into Rodimus Prime, and uses the Matrix to destroy Unicron.

Often referred to by fans simply as "the movie" or "TFTM", the movie was a step up in almost every area from the television series, with a more sophisticated plot, more serious treatment of war and violence, a hugely ambitious scope and a greatly increased animation budget with well-known celebrities providing voice work. For these reasons, the film remains very popular with children of the 1980s.

The film opens with characters who had been featured in the first two years of the toyline and associated media (cartoons, comic books, etc.), but quickly introduces new characters and kills many of the old ones to make room—a shock to young viewers who were used to their heroes driving off into the sunset at the end of every adventure.

{{quote|The Japanese have funded a full-length animated cartoon about the doings of these toys, which is all bad outer-space stuff. I play a planet. I menace somebody called Something-or-other. Then I'm destroyed. My plan to destroy Whoever-it-is is thwarted and I tear myself apart on the screen.|Orson Welles<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=KlqsYy512WIC&source=gbs_navlinks_s "Orson Welles: A Biography"] page 522</ref>}}

==Synopsis==
[[File:TFTM Unicron Lithone.jpg|left|thumb|That's no moon.]]
[[Unicron/Generation 1|A mechanical planet]] travels through the depths of space, attacking [[Lithone (planet)|a metal planet]] which has [[Lithone (species)|robotic inhabitants]]. Robots, vehicles, buildings, and even large chunks of rock are sucked off the surface and devoured by the monstrous planet.

It is the year [[2005]], and the [[Decepticon]]s are now in control of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. The [[Autobot]]s are preparing to launch an assault to retake the planet from hidden bases on two of Cybertron's moons. The Autobots launch a [[Autobot shuttle|shuttle]] to pick up a final shipment of [[energon]] from [[Earth]] before they strike.

[[File:Tftm1986a.jpg|thumb|Commander, tear this ship apart until you've found those plans. And bring me the passengers; I want them alive!]]
Plans for the attack are overheard by [[Laserbeak (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Laserbeak]], who reports back to [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]. The Decepticons attack the Autobot shuttle en route to Earth, wiping out its crew (including [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]], [[Prowl (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Prowl]], [[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] and [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]]). Using the Autobots' own shuttle, the Decepticons are able to get very close to the Autobots' base on Earth, [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], before they are detected, and begin a devastating surprise attack on the unprepared city.

During the [[Battle of Autobot City|battle at Autobot City]], both [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and Megatron suffer mortal injuries, and a number of others are also killed. Eventually the Decepticons retreat, but the damage suffered by the Autobots is severe.

[[File:Tftm1986b.jpg|left|thumb|If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.]]
Shortly after the battle, Prime lies on his deathbed. He passes the reins of leadership to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] and gives him the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. (Though [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] actually touches the Matrix before Magnus does.) Prime relates a prophecy: "One day, an Autobot shall rise from our ranks, and use the power of the Matrix to light our [[darkest hour]]." He then gives the oath, "[['Til all are one]]", and [[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|dies]]. This sequence of events is observed remotely by Unicron, the monstrous planet, who appears unusually concerned by the survival of the Matrix.

The Decepticons are making their escape aboard [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], but are too heavy for him to get them all home under his own power. After putting the matter to a fair vote, the Decepticons decide to throw their injured members off the ship to better the chance of survival for the rest, including the mortally wounded Megatron. Too injured to save himself, Megatron is tossed out into space by [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]], who claims leadership of the Decepticon army.

[[File:TFTM Starscream chucks Megatron.jpg|thumb|Into the garbage chute, flyboy.]]
Megatron and the other adrift Decepticons then encounter Unicron in interstellar space. Unicron offers to rebuild Megatron and his minions in exchange for their service. After some coercion on the planetoid's part, Megatron agrees, and is [[Reformatting|reformatted]] into [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]. The other Decepticons are turned into [[Cyclonus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cyclonus]], [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], and the [[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]]. Unicron provides them with a [[Revenge (G1)|ship]], and sends them to kill Ultra Magnus and destroy the Matrix, stating that the Matrix is the only thing which can stand in his way.

[[File:Tftm1986c.jpg|left|thumb|Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've constructed.]]
Galvatron first stops at Cybertron to take his revenge by killing Starscream and reclaiming leadership of the Decepticons. Almost immediately afterwards, Unicron arrives in Cybertron's vicinity and devours at least two moons—both of the Autobots' moon bases are destroyed. Under coercion by Unicron, Galvatron finally heads to Earth to kill Ultra Magnus, but Magnus and the other surviving Autobots flee in a pair of shuttles. Eventually Galvatron manages to cause one shuttle to crash on yet another metal planet ([[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]]), and detonates the other with a volley of missiles. However, the Autobots in the second shuttle escape unnoticed by separating the front portion of their shuttle just before impact.

The Autobots in the crashed shuttle, Hot Rod, [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]], and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], find themselves separated and in a hostile environment. Hot Rod and Kup battle a [[Sea squid|giant squid]], are captured by a pack of [[Allicon]]s and taken before a [[Quintesson]] [[Quintesson#Judges|judge]] and his court. While being held there, they learn the name and nature of Unicron from [[Kranix (G1)|Kranix]], a survivor of the planet destroyed in the opening of the film, which he calls [[Lithone (planet)|Lithone]]. Meanwhile, the Dinobots encounter and befriend a young, wild Autobot named [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] who has been living alone on Quintessa. Together, they crash the trial just as Hot Rod and Kup are fighting losing odds against the Quintessons' [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]]. The tide is turned, and the Autobots commandeer a [[Quintesson Cruiser]].

[[File:Tftm1986d.jpg|thumb|What an incredible smell you've discovered!]]
The other group of Autobots has landed on the planet [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]] to make repairs, but are attacked yet again by Galvatron, who was tipped off to their survival by Unicron. During the battle, Ultra Magnus tries to open the Matrix to use its power, but is unable to do so, and instead is killed. Galvatron absconds with the Matrix, taking it away to Unicron. The remaining Autobots—[[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Perceptor]], [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]], [[Springer (G1)|Springer]], [[Arcee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arcee]], and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike]]'s son [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel]]—are then ambushed by [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]], the eponymous natives of Junkion, who are also giant transforming robots. This battle is cut short, however, by the arrival of Hot Rod's group in their Quintesson ship. After exchanging the [[universal greeting]] they all make friends, and the Junkions restore Ultra Magnus to life. Together, the whole group travels to Cybertron to try to recover the Matrix and destroy Unicron.

[[File:TFTM Unicron smashes cybertron.jpg|thumb|left|Rebel base in range. You may fire when ready.]]
Galvatron attempts to open the Matrix to use its power against Unicron and force his master into submission, but is unable to open it. Unicron, not pleased with this attempted treachery, shocks Galvatron by transforming from a planet into a [[Scale|planet-sized robot]]. Unicron plucks Galvatron off his chest and swallows him, Matrix and all, and then begins attacking Cybertron itself. [[Shockwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Shockwave]] scrambles the Decepticon forces to defend the planet, but they are ineffective against so large an enemy. Shortly the Autobots arrive from Junkion, and fly the Quintesson ship straight through Unicron's eye. This impact destroys the ship, and the Autobots fall out inside Unicron. Hot Rod, separated from the others, eventually runs into Galvatron. During their fight, Hot Rod gets his hands on the Matrix and hears Optimus's voice speak the words, "Arise, Rodimus Prime." Hot Rod grows in stature, adopts a much sterner demeanor, and quickly dispatches Galvatron by tossing him through Unicron's hull out into space. He then opens the Matrix, which fills Unicron with light and begins destroying him.

[[File:Tftm1986e.jpg|thumb|Use the Force, Luke.]]
In the meantime, the other Autobots inside Unicron have located some of their comrades from the moon bases who had been presumed dead, including [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] and Daniel's father, Spike. The Autobots, including Rodimus, escape through Unicron's remaining eye just as he begins to fall apart and explode. The scene then immediately shifts to the surface of Cybertron, where—for unclear reasons—the Autobots seem to be in charge again. Rodimus predicts an era of peace and prosperity, and the film closes with a shot of Unicron's severed head still floating in orbit around Cybertron.

[['Til all are one]].
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime]] ([[Judd Nelson]])
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] ([[Robert Stack]])
*[[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] ([[Lionel Stander]])
*[[Springer (G1)|Springer]] ([[Neil Ross]])
*[[Arcee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arcee]] ([[Susan Blu]])
*[[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] ([[John Moschitta]])
*[[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] ([[Gregg Berger]])
*[[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Perceptor]] ([[Paul Eiding]])
*[[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]] ([[Buster Jones]])
*[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] ([[Michael Bell]])
*[[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (Neil Ross)
*[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]]
*[[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] (Peter Cullen)
*[[Prowl (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Prowl]] (Michael Bell)<ref group="fc" name="crednolines">Credited and appeared, but had no speaking lines.</ref>
*[[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] ([[Scatman Crothers]])
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] ([[Dan Gilvezan]])
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] ([[Casey Kasem]])
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] ([[Corey Burton]])
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] ([[Don Messick]])<ref group="fc" name="creduncertain">Credited, but may or may not have appeared through an animation error.</ref>
*[[Auto-combatant]] (Frank Welker)
*[[Eject (G1)|Eject]]
*[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]]
*[[Steeljaw (G1)|Steeljaw]]
*[[Ramhorn (G1)|Ramhorn]]
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]]
*[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]]
*[[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]]
*[[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]]
*[[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]]
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]]
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]]
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sunstreaker]]
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]]
*[[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]]<ref group="fc" name="crednoapp">Credited, but did not appear.</ref> ([[Walker Edmiston]])
|c2=
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (Frank Welker)
*[[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] ([[Leonard Nimoy]])
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] ([[Chris Latta]])
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cyclonus]] ([[Roger C. Carmel]])
*[[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] ([[Stan Jones]])
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (Frank Welker)
*[[Devastator (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Devastator]] ([[Arthur Burghardt]])
*[[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (Michael Bell)
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (Neil Ross)
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (Neil Ross)
*[[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (Don Messick)<ref group="fc" name="appearnocredit">Appeared and had speaking lines, but not credited.</ref>
*[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]]
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]]
*[[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] ([[Hal Rayle]])
*[[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] ([[Clive Revill]])
*[[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]]
*[[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] ([[Jack Angel]])
*[[Shockwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Shockwave]] (Corey Burton)
*[[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] ([[Bud Davis]])<ref group="fc" name="crednolines"/>
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] ([[Ed Gilbert]])
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (Frank Welker)
*[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] (Frank Welker)
*[[Laserbeak (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Laserbeak]] (Chris Latta)<ref group="fc" name="appearnocredit">Appeared and had speaking lines, but not credited.</ref>
*[[Ravage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ravage]] (Frank Welker)<ref group="fc" name="appearnocredit">Appeared and had speaking lines, but not credited.</ref>
*[[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]
*[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]]
*[[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]]
*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]]
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]]
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]]
*[[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]]
*[[Cyclonus's Armada (G1)|Cyclonus's Armada]]
|h3=[[Junkion (species)|Junkions]]|c3=
*[[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] ([[Eric Idle]])
*[[Junkyard (G1)|Junkyard]] (Bell)
*[[Scrapheap (G1)|Scrapheap]] (Welker)
*[[Rubbish]]
*[[Re-Cycle]]
*[[Trashbin]]
*[[HAZMAT]]
*[[Ashtray]]
*[[Wasteoid Gamma]]
*[[Greasestain]]
|h4=Others|c4=
'''[[Human]]s'''
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike Witwicky]] (Corey Burton)
*[[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] ([[David Mendenhall]])

'''[[Lithone (species)|Lithones]]'''
*[[Kranix (G1)|Kranix]] ([[Norman Alden|Norm Alden]])
*[[Arblus]]

'''[[Quintesson]]s'''
*[[Quintesson Prosecutor|Quintesson leader]] (Roger C. Carmel)
*[[Quintesson Judge (G1)|Quintesson Judge]] ([[Regis Cordic]])
*[[Quintesson Executioner (G1)|Quintesson Executioner]]
*[[Quintesson Bailiff]]
*[[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]]
*[[Allicon]]s

'''Other'''
*[[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] ([[Orson Welles]])
|nonumbering=true
}}
<references group="fc"/>

==Quotes==
[[File:TFTM European intro.jpeg|thumb|upright=1.4|It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire.]]
"Now all we need is a little energon and a lot of luck." 
"More than you imagine, Optimus Prime."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' and '''Megatron''' tempt fate.

"Such heroic nonsense."
:—'''Megatron''' coldly finishes off Ironhide. The 'Cons always get the best lines.

"First, we crack the shell... then we crack the nuts inside."
:—'''Rumble''' bravely raids Autobot City.

"I've got better things to do tonight than die!"
:—'''Springer''', telling it like it is.

"One shall stand. One shall fall."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' uttering the most quoted line of the Movie. An ass kicker cometh.

"Why throw your life away so recklessly?" 
"That's a question you should ask yourself, Megatron." 
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Optimus Prime''', about to engage in one last battle to the death.

"You, who are without mercy, now plead for it? I thought you were made of '''''sterner stuff'''''."
:—'''Optimus Prime''''s trash talk is actually [http://www.enotes.com/shakespeare-quotes/sterner-stuff a lot cooler than it sounds].

"I would have waited an eternity for this! It's over, Prime." 
"'''''NEVER!'''''"
:—'''Megatron''' is about to learn that a wounded '''Optimus Prime''' has enough strength left for one good hit.

"Until that day...'til all are one..."
:—'''Optimus Prime'''{{'}}s final words.

"Oh, how it ''pains'' me to do this." 
"Wait! I still function!" 
"Wanna ''bet''?"
:—'''Starscream''' fights back the tears as he throws '''Megatron''' out of Astrotrain.

"Soundwave superior, Constructicons inferior."
:—'''Soundwave''' insults the combiner team.

"I have summoned you here for a purpose." 
"Nobody summons Megatron!" 
"Then it pleases me to be the first."
:—'''Unicron''' shows '''Megatron''' who's the boss.

"Who disrupts my coronation?" 
"Coronation, Starscream? This is bad comedy." 
"Megatron? Is that you?" 
"Here's a hint!"
:—'''Galvatron''' drops "hints" for '''Starscream''' like others drop anvils.

"Oh shit! What are we gonna do now!"
:—'''Spike''' says the movie’s most infamous line.

"Kup and Hot Rod just bought it!" 
"I can't deal with that now!"
:—'''Springer''' and '''Ultra Magnus''' assess the situation.

"Did we ''have'' to let them detonate three quarters of the ship?" 
"Seeing as how they would have detonated ''four'' quarters, I think it was a good choice."
:—'''Arcee''' and '''Springer''', debating the launch of their emergency shuttle.

"Spare me this mockery of justice!"
:—'''Kranix''' is upset at being found innocent.

"You check in, but you don't check out."
:—'''Wreck-Gar''' making a reference to the tagline from the "Roach Motel." commercials

"For a time... I considered ''sparing'' your wretched little planet Cybertron. But now... you shall witness... its ''dismemberment''!"
:—'''Unicron''' really needs to work on his anger management skills...

"Destiny... You cannot... destroy... my... destiny!"
:—'''Unicron'''{{'}}s final words.

"Let this mark the end of the Cybertronian Wars as we march forward into a new era of peace and happiness! 'Til all are one!" 
:—'''Rodimus Prime''' announces the end of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]...for now.

==Season 5==
When ''The Movie'' was broadcast in [[The Transformers (cartoon)#Season 5|the fifth season]] of ''The Transformers'', it was broken into 5 parts (designated "Days") and given new bookending segments with original story material.

===Day One===
[[File:TommyPrimeSeason5BumperMovie.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|You just watch yourself. We're wanted men. I have the death sentence on twelve systems.]]
[[Tommy Kennedy|Tommy]] meets up with [[Powermaster]] [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] in the barren wasteland and Prime is concerned with the black eye and many bruises Tommy is sporting. Tommy explains that some "big guys" at school tried to rough him up (and by all visual evidence, succeeded). Tommy asks Prime if he'd ever faced any "big guys" in his many adventures and Prime decides to tell him about the time he faced the "biggest guy" of them all, [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]...

Optimus leaves off at the point during the [[Battle of Autobot City]] when Megatron broke their defenses to let the slaughter begin. Optimus gruesomely teases his own death scene to a very confused and concerned Tommy, but reassures him that until he can be revived as a Powermaster, the Matrix must be passed on to someone else who is worthy. Tommy wants to hear all about it, but Optimus doesn't have the time. Apparently, he needs to meet up with [[Joyride (G1)|Joyride]] and help him [[Space bridge technician|repair]] the [[Space bridge]]. Tommy asks if he can tag along and Optimus tells him that if he can lift one of their two-ton screwdrivers, he can even help. They summarily blast off into space.
{{-}}

===Day Two===
[[File:PrimeExplodingMemoryChip.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|I've lost R2!]]
Tommy and Optimus meet up in the barren wasteland, though Prime isn't sure what Tommy wants. Tommy reminds him that he promised to tell him more about Unicron and Prime concedes that he's been having trouble with his memory chip, lately. Tommy tells him all about the Battle of Autobot City, but none of it rings a bell for Optimus. Prime asks Tommy to open up an access panel in the back of his head and check the circuit. Tommy repairs the circuit, jogging Prime's memory...

Prime leaves off at the point where [[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] and [[Cliffjumper (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cliffjumper]] are eaten by Unicron. Tommy demands to hear more of the story, but Prime's memory chip explodes and smoke pours from the side of his head. All he sees are brief flashes of the further adventures of [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] and the rest. The furthest he can see, though, is the "death" of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] when his shuttle is blown up by [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]. Tommy expresses discontent, citing that the Autobots are "too cool to die". Prime says he knows there's more to the story, but with his faulty memory chip, he can't access the details. Tommy insists they get his chip fixed and so they blast off into space to do just that.
{{-}}

===Day Three===
[[File:TommyKennedyTraumatized.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|I can't even see. How am I supposed to fight?]]
Tommy finishes the repairs on Prime's memory chip, much to Prime's relief. Tommy asks Prime to test it out by continuing his story about the battle against Unicron. Prime indulges Tommy's request...

Prime leaves off at the point where [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] and Hot Rod are taken to the [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticon]] pits and watch as the survivors of [[Lithone (planet)|Lithone]] are executed. Tommy begs Prime to stop, claiming that the story thus far is too intense and depressing for him to handle. Prime asks if he wants to hear about how Kup and Hot Rod are fed to the Sharkticons, how the Autobots are menaced by "aliens made of junk" or how Ultra Magnus is blown to pieces by [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]. Tommy suddenly changes his mind and demands to hear all the gory, macabre details. Prime sets Tommy back down in the barren wasteland and promises to return soon to transform his day into an adventure. He then blasts off into space.
{{-}}

===Day Four===
[[File:PrimeTommyStopMotion.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|If there's a bright center to the universe, you're on the planet it's farthest from.]]
Tommy and Optimus meet up once again in the barren wasteland. Tommy asks why Prime is so late for their appointment and Prime confesses that [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] took a wrong turn on the way over. Prime wishes he hadn't let the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]] fly the shuttle. Tommy asks if Prime has enough time to tell him more of the story and Prime assures him there's time enough...

Prime leaves off at the point where the Autobots team up with the [[Junkion (species)|Junkion]]s to battle Unicron. Tommy is incredulous, wondering what a bunch of aliens made of junk could possibly contribute to the battle against Unicron. Prime informs him that great adversities often bring out the best in people, citing Hot Rod as an example. Tommy begs to hear how the story ends, but Prime says that he must first take Grimlock to have his "brain circuits" upgraded. Setting Tommy down, Prime promises to be back soon to transform his day into an adventure. Then he blasts off into space.
{{-}}

===Day Five===
[[File:StanBushTheTouchMusicVideoRecordLabelNotes.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|He made a fair move. Screaming about it won't help you.]]
Meeting again in the barren wasteland, Optimus asks Tommy if he's ready to hear the end of the story. Contrary to all the enthusiasm Tommy has shown during past storytimes, the human child laments that he's forgotten most of the tale thus far (offering the flimsy excuse that his lack of an electronic brain makes remembering so many details impossible). Prime gives him "a quick rundown" (that takes ''four minutes'') and then proceeds to finish the epic yarn...

Prime finishes the story with the destruction of Unicron, the ascension of Rodimus Prime and the exile of the Decepticons. Prime asks Tommy if he's satisfied, but Tommy just has more questions. Like what was up with the [[Quintesson]]s? Did they drop Grimlock on his head when he was a kid? And how did they ever bring Prime back to life? Prime tells Tommy to slow down. He has to attend an interstellar peace conference, but until he returns, he leaves Tommy with... [[The Touch|THE TOUCH!!!]]
{{--}}

==Production timeline==
* First script outline by Ron Friedman: revisions from 15th August 1984 to 19th September 1984
* [[The Transformers: The Movie (first draft)|First draft script]] by Ron Friedman: submitted November 12th 1984. Revised February 13th 1985.
* Reference photos of Powered Convoy toy designated as Ultra Magnus, provided to Ron Friedman: Taken 18th March 1985
* Second script outline by Ron Friedman: revised 28th March 1985
* [[The Transformers: The Movie (second draft)|Second draft script]] by Ron Friedman: completed 27th April 1985. Revised 2nd May 1985
* Model sheets approved 14th June 1985: Cyclonus, Galvatron (Marvel model with revised head), Hot Rod, Kranix (the pre-final model, can be seen with Granix name on it), Quintesson Judge (colour approved on 18th November 1985 by J. Bacal), Rodimus Prime, Scourge/Sweep, Sharkticon, Unicron robot mode, Wheelie, Wreck-gar
* Model sheets approved 24th June 1985: Ultra Magnus robot mode(first Powered Convoy version)
* Model sheets approved 2nd July 1985: Ultra Magnus (Initial Toei design. Colour revised on 20th July 1985)
* Model sheets approved 19th July 1985: Arblus robot mode, Spike (final model), Ultra Magnus vehicle mode(first Powered Convoy version)
* Model sheets approved 29th July 1985: Quintesson Prosecutor (a.k.a Quintesson leader. Approved by J. Bacal on 18th December 1985)
* Model sheets approved 31st July 1985: Arblus spaceship mode
* Voice actor auditions for Wheelie: 4th September 1985
* Model sheets approved 6th September 1985: Rewind flip side of the cassette mode
* Dialogue recording (main sessions): 10th and 11th September 1985
* Model sheets approved 3rd October 1985: Rewind and Eject
* Model sheets approved 8th October 1985: Lithonian Scientist, Lithonian Woman no.1

* Storyboard sequence 1 (Attack on Lithone): Final 31st October 1985
* Storyboard sequence 2 (Title sequence): Final 31st December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 3 (2005): Final 31st October 1985
* Storyboard sequence 4 (More Than You Imagine): Final 31st October 1985. Revised Final 14th November 1985.
* Storyboard sequence 5 (Attack On The Shuttle): Final 31st October 1985
* Storyboard sequence 6 (Gone Fishin'/Dare): Final 4th November 1985. Revised Final 14th November 1985
* Storyboard sequence 7 (Battle Of Autobot City, part 1): Final 14th November 1985. Revised Final 25th November 1985
* Storyboard sequence 8 (Battle Of Autobot City, part 2): Final 31st October 1985. Revised Final 14th November 1985
* Storyboard sequence 9 (Death Of Optimus Prime): Final 7th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 10 (Witness To A Funeral): Final 7th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 11 (Contest For Leadership): Final 4th November 1985. Revised Final 13th November 1985
* Storyboard sequence 12 (Transformation): Final 11th November 1985. Revised Final 26th November 1985
* Storyboard sequence 13 (Coronation): Final 10th December 1985. Revised Final 18th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 14 (Destruction Of Moonbase One): Final 10th December 1985. Revised Final 19th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 15 (Escape): Final 16th December 1985. Revised Final 24th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 16 (Pursuit): Final 12th December 1985. Revised Final 26th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 17 (Nothin's Gonna Stand In Our Way): Final 11th November 1985. Revised Final 25th November 1985
* Storyboard sequence 18 (Arrival On Junk): Final 12th November 1985. Revised Final 25th November 1985
* Storyboard sequence 19 (Unwelcome Visitors): Final November 14th 1985. Revised Final 27th November 1985
* Storyboard sequence 20 (The Matrix Survives): Final 12th November 1985. Revised Final 25th November 1985
* Storyboard sequence 21 (An Unexpected Friend): Final 18th December 1985. Revised Final 26th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 22 (Destruction Of Moonbase Two): Final 17th December 1985. Revised Final 26th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 23 (Ambush): Final 11th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 24 (Judgement/Rescue): Final 12th December 1985. Revised Final 26th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 25 (Another Leader Dies): Final 9th December 1985. Revised Final 26th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 26 (Unusual Allies): Final 19th December 1985. Revised Final 31st December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 27 (The Enemy Revealed): Final 12th December 1985. Revised Final 26th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 28 (Confrontation): Final 19th November 1985. Revised Final 6th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 29 (United Against The Enemy): Final 20th November 1985. Revised 4th December 1985. Revised Final 6th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 30 (In The Belly Of The Monster): Final 20th November 1985. Revised 3rd December 1985. Revised Final 6th December 1985
* Storyboard sequence 31 (Their Darkest Hour): Final 2nd December 1985. Revised 19th December 1985. Revised Final 31st December 1985
* Editing of United Kingdom version of the movie completed at [[Magno Sound %26 Video]]: 3rd December 1986

==Animation errors==
*Unicron ''laughs'' at the concept of [[Scale|scale]] throughout the movie:
**Lithone and both of Cybertron's moons are the same size as his planet mode maw (which fumbles the scale chart a bit, but ok, not too egregious), where Megatron/Galvatron is ''also'' the same size as his planet mode maw whenever the duo interact, the ridiculousness of this being further highlighted by how Megatron is barely much thinner than one of Unicron's mandibles during their first meeting when a bunch of Lithonians were shown running from what was clearly an enormous appendage in the film's opening scene.
**Unicron goes from about the same size as Cybertron when in robot mode to shrinking such that he's small enough to stand on top of the planet.
**Galvatron is ''much'' larger than he should be when Unicron grabs him. The Dinobots are also much larger when interacting with Unicron's body, but to a lesser extent, and incidentally end up making Galvatron appear larger than the team when it should be reversed.
**The Autobots exiting out Unicron's right eye are large enough to make a hole the same size as the hole in his other eye created by a ship much larger than all of Rodimus' group combined.
[[File:TFTM Unicron Small.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|We’re doomed.]]
*When Unicron is approaching Lithone at the start of the movie, at the line "Look, it's Unicron!", a [[Animation error#Sizing errors|cel stacking error]] results in Unicron's ring appearing in front of a building arch, [[Distribution|making Unicron look very tiny]] in that shot. In the next shot, it is clear that Unicron is several times larger than the entire planet of Lithone.
*The inside of one of the Lithonian ships being devoured by Unicron is visible for a couple of frames. The pilot of the ship appears to be Kranix, even though he apparently screams out Kranix's name, and Kranix appears later in the Quintesson prison.
*When Optimus Prime asks Jazz to report security status, it shows both Jazz and Cliffjumper. Cliffjumper is seen twiddling knobs above the actual drawn computer, as if a section was supposed to be present.
*Coloring errors:
**When the closeup of Cliffjumper doing his countdown is shown, his shoulders are blue (like his windows) instead of red.
**Scavenger's head is white instead of black as he ducks from Prowl's shot aboard the shuttle.
**Blaster's forehead is red instead of white after his "look out and shout!" line, and again after he returns to [[robot mode]].
**In the big lineup of firing Decepticons in Autobot City, Soundwave's cheek guards are blue instead of white.
**When Blaster asks Perceptor "What's shakin'?", a Dirge-colored Seeker flies by the window. However, it appears to be the standard Starscream/Thundercracker/Skywarp design, instead of having Dirge's unique wings.
**As Devastator lays into the walls, Shrapnel is white where he should be black.
**Megatron's pelvis is white instead of black as he gives the "let the slaughter begin!" order.
**When the Dinobots jump out of Optimus Prime's Shuttle, the shuttle is colored like the first shuttle, which Megatron boarded, instead of red-highlighted scheme of Prime's shuttle.
**When Prime says "No matter the cost", the shuttle is painted completely orange, when the front should have red and white highlights.
**In the shot of Decepticons running in Autobot City prior to them being crashed through by Optimus, Ramjet can be seen sporting Dirge's wings, albeit in red just like Ramjet's. Or maybe this is Dirge incorrectly painted in Ramjet's colours. Who knows?
**When Prime drives up behind the Decepticons, Blitzwing's helmet is purple instead of yellow. Prime's trailer is missing its Autobot symbol as well.
**After Megatron asks, "Why throw away your life so recklessly?", Optimus's left hand is colored red instead of blue when he replies "That's a question you should ask yourself, Megatron".
**The gun Megatron uses to fatally injure Optimus is blue and white for most of the shots it is seen in, but when Megatron screams "Fall! FALL!" while shooting Prime again, it is black.
**Prime's antennae are white as he tries to stand after knocking Megatron off the ledge.
**Starscream's whole nosecone, rather than just the canopy, is yellow as he looms over the fallen Megatron.
**In the shot of the Decepticons jettisoning Thundercracker, Skywarp and the Insecticons from Astrotrain, Ramjet and Dirge have their colours swapped.
**As Starscream prepares to toss Megatron out the door, Soundwave's eyes are painted white like his mask rather than red. (Maybe he was sleeping, his excuse for not stopping Starscream)
**Starscream's cockpit shell nearest his head is colored like a canopy rather than gray, as he nominates himself for leadership. Man, even the A-list animation team couldn't keep this straight.
**The red stripes on Starscream's wings are noticeably absent during most of the Coronation scene, the shiny gold stripes on his shoulder pauldrons also being purple until after he's blasted the Constructicons' trumpets.
**When dragging Arcee into the shuttle and two shots later when flying into space Magnus's Shuttle has Blue highlights instead of Red.
**After Springer runs past him, Perceptor's gun changes from red to white for a few frames.
**When Cyclonus is strafing what appears via editing to be Hot Rod's shuttle, it has red highlights instead of blue.
**When Hot Rod's ship is being watched by Galvatron trailing smoke it has red highlights instead of blue.
**In the shot after Magnus announces that he cannot deal with that now, his ship has blue highlights instead of red.
**Shrapnel's lower legs are white when he lands on Junk, instead of black. Must be a side effect of being dead.
**When Hot Rod tells the Junkions the universal greeting, the Autobot insignia on his chest is colored black.
**After transforming, Unicron has all-white hands (instead of white with gold knuckles) and a white, rectangular chin (instead of the double-triangular chin with a goatee) he has later.
**As the Autobots fly through space after exiting Unicron's eye, Rodimus is painted in Ultra Magnus's colors (inverted).
*When the Decepticons blow a hole through the Autobot shuttle to get in, it is a clean break. However, Megatron is still shown ripping through random ship components to get in.
*When the Decepticons are killing the Autobot shuttle crew, there is one of the common Starscream/Skywarp/Thundercracker miscolors. Megatron transforms into gun mode and Starscream catches him, killing Brawn. When they cut back to the Decepticons, Starscream moves back to avoid the Autobots' fire, and a ''second'' Starscream is in front of the Constructicons without Megatron and is firing one of his arm rifles (this was probably meant to be Skywarp, as he flies into the shuttle and takes a seat at the controls once the Autobots are defeated). When they cut back to the Decepticons for the third time, Starscream has Megatron again and is finishing off the rest of the Autobots. In the shot of Starscream firing his own lasers, his wings are red instead of gray.
*When Brawn is shot, it can be seen for one frame that he is initially hit in the top of his chest. As he falls, the wound has moved to the front rounded part of his chest. Additionally, the wound changes from black to red for one frame.
*Per his standard cartoon appearance, Ratchet should have a [[Red Cross]] symbol on each shoulder. When he turns in his seat as Brawn is shot down, we can see one on his right shoulder, but when he stands to return fire on the Decepticons, the right shoulder's cross has vanished, and he's only got one on his left shoulder. Then, when he falls, the cross is missing from ''both'' shoulders.
*When the Decepticons fly to the shuttle's controls:
**All of the Autobots have changed positions from when they fell—Brawn is now on his back, for example, while Prowl is now face-down.
**Ironhide's chest is completely intact, despite having a bunch of holes blown in it.
**Prowl, who turned gray as he fell (evidently dead before he even hit the floor) seems to be back in his normal colors.
*The reflections of Hot Rod and Daniel in the lake rarely line up with where they should be.
*When Hot Rod catches a fish, it is barely the size of his finger. When he releases it, it's [[Scale|suddenly huge]].
*Hot Rod has at least two totally different transformation schemes during the course of the film.
*When Hot Rod begins to shoot at the hijacked Autobot shuttle, the yellow light on his forehead is misaligned.
*When Kup and several Autobots at the roadblock react to Hot Rod's attack on the hijacked Autobot shuttle, Bluestreak is represented by Prowl's [[Character model|animation model]], in Bluestreak's gray and black colors.
*Hound and Sunstreaker appear in Kup's group at the foot of Lookout Mountain as they observe Hot Rod firing on Ironhide's shuttle. Sunstreaker later appears as Optimus Prime's co-pilot when they arrive on Earth with the Dinobots, and is seen disembarking the shuttle along with Optimus Prime and Hound.
**In the movie's storyboard, only Hound is shown present with Kup during the roadblock scene. Sunstreaker's only appearance in the storyboard is when he exits the shuttle, meaning that his presence during the roadblock scene is purely an animation addition. Hound being in both places ''is'', however, an error in both the movie and the storyboard—''unless'', Optimus Prime and the Dinobots picked up Hound and Sunstreaker from Lookout Mountain enroute to Autobot City? Now there's an idea for the old [[Personal canon|headcanon]]!
**In a deleted scene from the storyboard that would've shown Hot Rod and Kup meeting up with Ultra Magnus inside Autobot City, Sideswipe is shown running alongside Wheeljack in the background. However, Sideswipe is mistakenly referred to as "Sunstreaker" in the script (how ''[[Sideswipe (G1)#Notes|ironic]]''). Whether this mislabelling had any bearing over Sunstreaker being present with the roadblock crew is anyone's guess.
[[File:ShockwaveBattleAutobotcity.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|We've picked up a new group of signals... enemy fighters heading your way.]]
*In a wide aerial shot of the city under attack, a Reflector flies by in Ironhide's color scheme. Shockwave also makes his only appearance in the battle; considering both his role as Cybertron's guardian and his absence from any other scenes during the battle, his presence is probably an animation error. Rumble also flies past, despite being inside Soundwave at this point.
*When Shrapnel and Kickback are eating the door, Shrapnel only has one antenna.
*A laser blast that should be behind Blaster is instead layered in front of him as he acknowledges Perceptor's orders.
[[File:TFTMRumbleFrenzytwored.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|[[FIRRIB|What]] about that [[R2-D2|blue one]]? We'll take that one.]]
*In what may be the most well-known mistake in the film, when [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] sends out his cassette troops, [[FIRRIB|Rumble is the same color as Frenzy]]. This was not known to have been fixed in any re-releases.
*Blaster first ejects what looks like Eject, who stays blue up until he gets to the edge of the screen. He then turns black like Rewind. Then Blaster ejects another blue cassette, which after about a second turns black. This one gets through half his transformation colored black, then turns blue for a split second then turns black again. Then, when the cassettes are fighting each other, Eject runs in from the left and jumps over Perceptor. And then he runs in from the left ''again'' to shoot Ravage.
*As Springer runs up to the launcher, Wheeljack's body is visible, but he's in the red, white and blue color scheme of Smokescreen - who, in the storyboards of this sequence, was intended to be the one lying there dead.
*While Springer and Arcee are trying to move the launcher into place, Springer's face is the same color as his helmet.
*During Devastator's combination sequence in Autobot City, his chest plate, portions of his pelvis, his forearms, and Bonecrusher's treads are all green. The chestplate and pelvis should be purple, as should Bonecrusher's treads (they're ''normally'' green when Bonecrusher is separate, but they turn purple when he combines), and his forearms should be black.
*For almost the entirety of his screen time during the battle in Autobot City, the "jet engine" on top of Devastator's chest plate is misinterpreted as a trapezoidal block. The only time it appears in its proper shape is when he high-kicks Grimlock. It appears as it should during the scuffle on Astrotrain.
*While Perceptor and Grapple are shooting, Swoop's lower half runs by in the foreground, long before the rest of him gets there.
*Prime's dramatic transformation sequence far outlasts the transformation sound that's supposed to go with it. It's also the wrong sound (ascending pitch) for his robot-to-vehicle transformation. His trailer is also missing the Autobot logo, which reappears for the rest of the scene.
*Prime is missing the transformation sound as he blasts back to robot mode.
**If one listens ''very'' closely, the back half of one of the faster transformation sounds can be heard as his trailer disconnects from his body.
*The gun Megatron fires uses the same sound effect as his fusion cannon.
*"It's over, Prime...", with Megatron's days of being able to brag about thinking he's handsome also being over as he suddenly gains a ''crapton'' of damage that was not reflected in any of the prior close-ups during his duel with Optimus, or even a hint of the various cracks and fluid leaks from his eyes in the shot right before this. Conversely, the scene immediately following of Optimus slamming Megatron off the ledge has all of the Autobot leader's damages disappear before returning when he collapses.
*When Optimus Prime takes the Matrix out of his chest to give to Ultra Magnus, the animators forgot to remove the cel of the Matrix inside his chest, as it's still in there even as he's holding it in his hands. Since it's not supposed to be there, the luminous effect for the Matrix's core is missing from the duplicate in his chest, creating a visual trick that makes it look like Optimus might just have removed the core itself. (The [[Matrix of Leadership#Universe|''Universe'' comic]] would later use this error as a springboard to reconcile the visuals of Optimus's chest interior with their depiction in ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''.)
*When Ultra Magnus accepts the Matrix, he's seen inserting it into his chest twice, or at best readjusting its "fit".
*As the other Decepticons prepare to push him out, Bombshell's chest is rendered as a shapeless gray mass, rather than with its yellow canopy.
*The voice that says, "Brothers! Don't!" is nowhere close to the voices of any of the five Decepticons shown getting thrown out of Astrotrain.
*When Megatron says "Nobody summons Megatron" his chest emblem is colored gray like his chest. It looks like it should have been painted as a darker shade of purple, as it's the shadowed section. But was painted gray instead.
[[File:TFTMStarscreamCoronationErrors.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4| *''trumpet fanfare''*]]
*Even after the [[Battle of Autobot City]], characters who are supposedly dead continue to appear in crowd shots and battles. Shrapnel's role in the fight on [[Junkion (planet)|Junk]] is the most noticeable (and he was called for by name in the original script), but Thundercracker, Skywarp and Kickback can all be seen at Starscream's coronation. The two jets are later seen again, flying into Unicron's mouth.
*In the establishing shot of Starscream's coronation, there are only five Constructicons (Bonecrusher had better things to do tonight) and they are miscolored as purple and white rather than their usual purple and green color scheme.
*Hook has two eyes instead of his normal visor as he looks around in confusion during the trumpet scene.
*An early establishing shot clearly shows Cybertron with two and ''only'' two moons in low orbit. Yet a third moon is visible right after Unicron finishes eating the two Autobot bases.
*When Galvatron introduces himself to the Coronation party, Soundwave's chest window is drawn far too small.
*When Galvatron says "Decepticons, to Earth!", aside from his mouth being partially open, his mouth doesn't move. We guess being reformatted by Unicron gives you the ability to talk without moving your mouth?
*In the scene where Bumblebee and Spike are in the [[Autobot frigate]] and escaping Moonbase Two's destruction, when the two are cheering after believing that Unicron has been destroyed, Bumblebee's on the left side of Spike's seat. However, after Spike expresses his "colorful" reaction to Unicron remaining completely unscathed, and when the frigate is about to get sucked into Unicron, Bumblebee is on the right side of Spike's seat.
*When Cyclonus is strafing the Autobot shuttle in space, he briefly flies offscreen, and during that time his laser blasts come from a point that in no way matches his flight path.
*The Allicons walking towards Hot Rod and Kup are all animated as if they are walking through the water, including the ones that have already stepped onto the dry metal shore.
*During the wide shot of the Autobots in the crashed ship on Junk, Blurr's entire head is white. Also so is Daniels head, which is drawn as an indistinct incomplete circle.
*Daniel's lips don't purse when he whistles.
*Wreck-Gar's mouth doesn't move at all during his first lines, despite the camera pushing in all close on his face.
*The pistol Ultra Magnus fires uses the same sound effect as Optimus Prime's rifle.
*During the Junkion chase scene, Trashbin attacks Arcee. When she fights him off his motorcycle, his model is switched for Junkyard's when he falls down. And his head then flickers between colors when mounting Junkyard.
*When Grimlock gets kissed, his eyes are round instead of triangular.(Probably intentional expression)
*The large orange structure that emerges in front of Galvatron as Unicron begins transforming has a pair of gray cylinders slide out that are layered underneath the panel Galvatron is standing on despite being animated as if they should be over it.
*After Unicron's arms fold out to reveal the inner structures that will become his legs, said structures are almost entirely gray with noticeable vents and other details that all completely change in the next shot where portions that are equal parts gray and orange and completely flat on the bottom slide out, the gray portions sliding down after the orange parts have stopped moving to form the lower legs. The very next shot animates Unicron's legs as if they slid out fully-extended from the start (as in not needing the gray portions to make their own movements independent of the orange portions), and now have his white feet on the bottoms of what were previously gray flat surfaces to mean ''three'' different designs for the bottoms of Unicron's mid-transformation legs were shown off one after another.
*As Hot Rod falls off one of Unicron's inner spikes, his lower body isn't drawn in. It looks like it should be blocked by our view of the spike, but is layered above it instead.
*Hot Rod's missing his Autobot symbol as he regains his footing inside Unicron.
*In the first close-up of Unicron's face firing beams out of his right eye, the hole in his destroyed left eye is misplaced such that it overlaps with his cheek.
*As the Dinobots fly around Unicron, both his eyes are intact. (The left one had at this point been shattered.)
*Grimlock and Slag are shown to create decently-sized holes in Unicron's butt, where the shots immediately following their feats change the damage Grimlock inflicted into mere scratches and erases Slag's progress entirely.
*The third smelting victim (who looks a lot like another Bumblebee) doesn't fall from the conveyor belt; he simply vanishes.
*After Hot Rod exclaims "The Matrix!", the animation of him moving closer to the camera gets reversed and replayed for... some reason. Galvatron's line from the next shot notably starts before the camera cuts, so why did Hot Rod start his weird movements instead of the editor simply showing Galvatron in the darkness?

== Continuity errors ==
[[File:G1TFTM Snarl cameo.JPG|thumb|upright=1.4|He used to bulls-eye womp-rats in his T16 back home.]]
[[File:TFTMPromovsmovieSnarl.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Look, Jabba, even I get boarded sometimes.]]

*The Dinobot [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] is mysteriously absent from almost the entire movie, even though the Dinobots as a group are featured prominently. Copies of the script which have come into fans' hands repeatedly list the Dinobots, but never make mention of Snarl by name. In fact, at one point the script refers to "the four Dinobots". Despite this, Snarl does appear in three very brief shots—in which at least one other Dinobot (Swoop in one, Sludge in another) is entirely absent. Hmm.
** On the other hand, the original production ''storyboards'' for the scene where Snarl first appears in the movie only mentions "the Dinobots", not a specific amount of them. Additionally, Snarl also seems to have been in the scene with Kup telling the Dinobots a story in at least ''one'' version of the film; the Japanese trailer for the movie has finished footage of this scene...but it's very different from the one in the film; the Dinobots are all in their robot modes, and Snarl is present in the scene instead of Slag. It's completely unknown why Snarl's appearance in this scene was cut.
*Also curiously absent are the 1985 Autobot cars and Mini-Vehicles, such as Inferno, Smokescreen, Cosmos, Warpath, etc. It would seem that these characters were available at the time of the movie:
**Perceptor and Blaster both debuted at the same time in the cartoon as the 1985 cars, and both play prominent roles in the movie.
**Grapple is [[:File:BattleAutobotCity.jpg|seen ''very'' briefly]] during the battle for Autobot City. Or maybe it's [[Hauler]].
**The 1985 Decepticons (Astrotrain, Dirge, etc.) appear in the film.
**[[:File:TFTM-SideswipeRedAlertTracks.jpg|Tracks]], [[:File:TFTM-RedAlertDown.jpg|Red Alert]] (who was shot in the back by the Constructicons; his gun is the one Megatron uses against Optimus), and Smokescreen (who was supposed to be the corpse in place of Wheeljack next to Windcharger, Wheeljack instead surviving the battle and being part of a scrapped Earth-based subplot) all appeared in storyboards but not the finished film.
*Devastator is treated as ''the'' ultimate threat, while in the cartoon, his role (and apparent power) was already being [[Starscream's Brigade|severely diminished]], presumably because several other combiners had been introduced. In story terms, the absence of these newer combiners, not to mention the mighty Omega Supreme, is inexplicable. In real-life terms, those characters didn't exist when the film commenced production. (The ''[[Transformers: The Animated Movie]]'' adaptation shows Omega Supreme, Superion and Defensor guarding the Ark against an attack by Bruticus and Menasor, attempting to [[retcon]] the problem away.)
*Possibly the biggest example of the film's tonal shift from the cartoon, shots from firearms that would previously knock another character down at best have since become lethal, best demonstrated when Brawn and Prowl are each killed with a single shot by the Decepticons during the movie's first act.
[[File:Cyclonus armada tftf.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|We'll be safe enough once we make the jump into lightspeed.]]
*The existence of Cybertron's moons is contentious ''at best''.
**On the one hand, in numerous close and distant shots of the planet throughout the first two seasons, not a single moon was seen. Ever. Even after it got knocked out of Earth's orbit.
**On the other hand, Megatron ''does'' refer to Cybertron as "land of the metal moon" (note the singular) during "[[Microbots]]", suggesting otherwise. The fact that he was overenergized at the time and lost consciousness in mid-sentence - just before he ''might'' have specified a plural number of moons, (in)conveniently enough - makes it unclear just how much credence we should lend this statement.
**The movie promptly introduces two (possibly three) moons over the planet. In continuity terms, they must either have highly elliptical orbits with periapsides (points in their orbits that bring them closest to the planet) that just happened to coincide with the timeframe of the movie or they were constructed sometime after 1986.
*During the Battle of Autobot City, Starscream gets his leg caught. He shoots downward and gets away while screaming "My foot!", but it's his shin that's smoking while his foot looks fine. Later he kicks Megatron with the same foot. Shouldn't that hurt, according to him?
*So Ultra Magnus just happens to have a ready-made Matrix chamber installed in his chest cavity? Is this standard issue for all Autobots?
*The cartoon had already established that Astrotrain increases his size when he transforms to shuttle mode, being large enough to carry a pair of Decepticons in his cockpit. However, within the movie itself, his size is [[scale|noticeably inconsistent]]: When he leaves Autobot City, he's just large enough for the Decepticon army to cram themselves in; later, he's so huge that the Constructicons can quite comfortably form Devastator inside him. Perhaps he continued expanding when transforming from train to shuttle mode?
*Speaking of which, Astrotrain's entire body flips over when he transforms from train to space shuttle to escape from Autobot City. While ''we'' applaud the [[Show-accuracy|toy-accuracy]], the Decepticons inside probably didn't.
*The damage suffered by Skywarp, Thundercracker, and Bombshell basically appears out of nowhere when it's time for them to be jettisoned. (Shrapnel and Kickback are shown taking a beating early on, though, and later have to be carried to the fleeing Astrotrain by Thrust and Long Haul, respectively. Conversely, the two Seekers explicitly run to Astrotrain on their own and look no worse for wear during the Decepticons' escape.)
*Soundwave is loyal enough to pick up a wounded Megatron and save him, but then votes "aye" to jettisoning the wounded Decepticons, and when Starscream goes to throw Megatron out, Soundwave doesn't try to intervene. He even tries to steal the leadership once Megatron is gone. The "loyalty" attribute that has pertained so strongly to Soundwave seems to be alienated from the character in this scene.
*The number of minions created by Unicron changes throughout the film, with more Sweeps appearing as the story progresses. A second Cyclonus ("Cyclonus, the warrior, and [[Cyclonus's Armada (G1)|his armada]]") is shown being created but disappears shortly thereafter. At least ''seven'' new characters are shown at one point, created from only ''six'' Decepticons thrown from the shuttle.
*How can the Constructicons blow on those trumpets? Only [[Hook (G1)|three]] [[Bonecrusher (G1)|of]] [[Mixmaster (G1)|them]] have mouths.
*Given his relative position, Starscream's single shot through the trumpets defies all geometry.
[[File:SSBQ.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"I've been looking forward to this for a long time." "Yes, I bet you have."]]
*[[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] is capable of reducing [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] to ashes with a single shot from his cannon mode. Though in later episodes Galvatron is shown blowing up even small ''[[Thrull|planets]]'' and being able to take down [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] with one shot from his cannon, his extraordinary killing power seems to be gone—like when he scores a direct hit in cannon mode on Ultra Magnus in "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]" and Magnus isn't especially hurt at all, or how a similar blast against Scourge in "[[The Burden Hardest to Bear]]" only leaves the latter temporarily incapacitated. [[Marvel Comics]] bios explain this by suggesting that Galvatron had nearly limitless power through Unicron... but then again, Galvatron himself claims to be "more powerful than ever" after Unicron is dead in "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2]]". [[To sell toys|Who knows.]]
*Why didn't the Autobots notice Unicron until he was within devouring distance of Cybertron's moons? Why doesn't Shockwave, who is ''on Cybertron,'' react until after Unicron has eaten these moons, transformed into a giant robot, and ''smashed his hand into the planet's surface?''
*Despite running out of energon goodies on Quintessa, Hot Rod has at least one to offer to the Junkions.
*How did Hot Rod and Kup know to fly from Quintessa to Junk?
[[File:TFTMStarscreamVsUnicron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Let me see your identification.]]
*When the Decepticons on Cybertron launch a counterattack on Unicron, all three of the first-year Seekers are seen fighting alongside the Coneheads. Given that all three were either explicitly killed earlier in the movie (Starscream) or have been turned into Galvatron's troops by this point (Thundercracker and Skywarp), they're obviously not supposed to be ''around'' in these forms anymore; of course, they could also just be [[generic]]s reusing their colors...but, as noted above, Thundercracker and Skywarp ''also'' appear at Starscream's coronation.
*Daniel, who was just learning how to use his exo-suit, had to knock down the acid cover inside Unicron to save his loved ones. Why couldn't the more experienced Spike do the same with his suit from above? He had both of his arms free and a clear shot at the cover.
*It's not clear how Rodimus Prime (carrying two humans) and the other Autobots survived their jump out of Unicron's eye and their plunge towards the surface of Cybertron.
*It's also unclear just how the dozen or so Autobots (and one shipload of Junkions) managed to retake the whole planet of Cybertron. Did Unicron really wipe out ''that'' many Decepticons?
* Unicron's invincibility is extremely inconsistent; Moments before becoming Galvatron, Megatron creates visible damage to Unicron's horns simply by attempting to hold into something. Later, he doesn't suffer even a dent when one of Cybertron's moons is detonated in his mouth. Near the end, the Dinobots are capable of punching their way through his "skin", and Rodimus Prime just casually throws Galvatron into space through Unicron's side. Even without the Matrix, the small group of Autobots did pretty well against him.

===Not necessarily errors===
*Fans have noted throughout the years that Astrotrain, in his flight through zero-gravity space, should not have needed to "jettison some weight" in the literal sense. However, since the ejected Decepticons quickly fall behind Astrotrain instead of floating alongside him, he must still have been accelerating and thus would have needed to burn a greater amount of fuel in order to push a larger payload. Perhaps he should have said "jettison some ''mass''", but then again, just being a spaceship doesn't make him a rocket scientist.
*Springer escapes from Unicron's eye by transforming into helicopter mode and flying through outer space, where there shouldn't be an atmosphere for his rotors to provide lift. Maybe Unicron was still within Cybertron's atmosphere?

==Continuity notes==
*''The Transformers: The Movie'' has had a huge effect in shaping the mythos. Among the elements and characters which would reappear in many other iterations of ''[[Transformers brand|Transformers]]'' are:
**The notion that [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] has moons.
**The [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] as a physical object, rather than the computer program previously depicted in the [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|comics]]. Even the Marvel comics would eventually shoehorn this one in.
**[[Autobot City (disambiguation)|Autobot City]].
**[[Unicron]].
**The notion of [[Megatron (disambiguation)|Megatron]] becoming [[Galvatron (disambiguation)|Galvatron]].
**The idea of "[[Prime (rank)|Prime]]" being a rank rather than simply a given name.
**[[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|And it killed off Optimus Prime before it was cool]]!
*Cybertron's appearance in the post-titles establishing shot shows some major changes to the planet since our last look at it in Season 2. Many of the same buildings from the cartoon's stock image of the planet are there, but the giant pit near the planet's equator is mostly covered over, and the shredded portion of its southern hemisphere has been completely rebuilt.
*Gadgets and powers:
**Springer deploys a small flip-out twin laser from his wrist during the Autobot City battle.
**Arcee and Hot Rod both activate a long-distance scanner of some sort by lowering a red visor from under their helmets over their eyes.
**Megatron uses an "[[Lightsaber|Energy Dagger]]"<ref>[https://twitter.com/walruslaw/status/1204860124898181123 Reference sheets for various weapons used or planned for use in ''The Transformers: The Movie''] - TFRaw.com on Twitter</ref> during his one-on-one battle with Optimus Prime.
**Hot Rod uses a saw blade that extends from his retracted wrist.
**Blurr has the same kind of hooked welding tip used by various Autobots as far back as "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 2]]".
**Arcee unleashes a nasty barbed post from her fender to fend off a Junkion.
**Grimlock shows the never-before seen ability to [[GoBots|shoot lasers from his fists]].
*In a nice moment of attention to detail, Hook is seen running and attending to the critically damaged Megatron alongside Soundwave and Starscream. This tracks—as a surgeon [[Microbots|he's operated on Megatron]]; [[The Core|repaired other Transformers]]; and [[City of Steel (episode)|has even dissected them]].
*'''[[The Revenge of Bruticus|< <]]''' What makes Starscream the leader? Megatron's <s>dead</s> almost dead!

==Real-world references and Easter eggs==
[[File:TFTMUnicronSkyscrapers.jpg|thumb|I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.]]
*When the inside of Unicron is shown after he devours Lithone, the "blinking energy" effect of Unicron's innards shows, for a split second, what appear to be several images of post-apocalyptic buildings. These images look to be recycled background paintings from ''{{w|Fist of the North Star (1986 film)|Fist of the North Star}}'', a film [[Toei Animation|Toei]] had animated the same year. Regardless of animation efficiency/corner-cutting, the flashing images of ruined civilizations are eerily appropriate for Unicron.
[[File:TFTM Sludge Devastator.jpg|thumb|Your eyes can deceive you. Don't trust them.]]
*When Sludge gets haymakered by Devastator, his eyes pop out of their sockets in ''{{w|Looney Tunes}}'' fashion.
*Kup's storytelling sequence aboard the shuttle is drawn from the novel ''{{w|Of Mice and Men}}'', complete with Grimlock in the Lenny role asking Kup to "tell Grimlock about petrorabbits again".
*The Junkions speak almost entirely in pop culture quotes and pastiches. Littered among the generic phrases like "operators are standing by!", "Film at eleven" and "eliminate even the toughest stains" are more specific references, such as:
**"Don't look behind door #2, Monty!" - a reference to the game show ''[[Let's Make a Deal]]'' and its host, [[Monty]] Hall.
**"Ger-ronny-doo-ron-ron-ronny-mo!" - both the famous "{{w|Geronimo (exclamation)|Geronimo!}}" war cry, and the 1963 hit "{{w|Da Doo Ron Ron}}".
**"You check in, but you don't check out" - a parody of the tagline for {{w|Roach Motel (insect trap)|Roach Motel}} insect traps.
**"Breep, drit, aw rootie!" - part of {{w|Tutti Frutti (song)|"Tutti Frutti, aw rooty!"}}, from the 1955 song.
**"Happy motoring!" - the slogan of gas company [[Esso]].
**"Kill the Grand Poobah!" - a {{w|Grand Poobah|satirical term}} originating from {{w|Gilbert and Sullivan}}'s ''{{w|The Mikado}}'', likely referencing its use as the title of leaders of pseudo-Masonic lodges in ''{{w|The Flintstones}}'' and ''{{w|Happy Days}}''.
[[File:Tftm rosencrantz-and-guildenstern.jpg|thumb|Easy? You call that ''easy!?'']]
*For the German dub, the Junkion quotes have not been translated word for word, but rather replaced with then-current commercial quotes from German TV, including from Toyota ("Nichts ist unmöööööglich!" / "Nothing's impossible").
*The Quintesson jail cell includes robot debris ''strongly'' resembling [[:File:Tftm rosencrantz-and-guildenstern.jpg#parts|several mobile suits]] from 1985 Japanese animation ''{{w|Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam}}''.
*''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' sound effects (yes, even the high-budget Movie uses them):
**The ''[[Millennium Falcon]]'' engine burst noise is used extensively throughout the film, over and over and over, almost any time a Decepticon takes flight.

**[[Luke Skywalker]]'s deactivating [[lightsaber]] is used as the sound of the Quintesson ship's ramp extending.
**Clashing lightsabers are used as Unicron fires eye-blasts at the attacking Transformers.

**An igniting lightsaber is used as Rodimus opens the Matrix.
**An AT-AT foot stomp sound is heard as the Autobot shuttle crash lands on Junk.
**The whir of an AT-AT's leg hydraulics can be heard part way through Unicron's transformation.
*The ''[[Star Trek]]'' sliding door sound is used as Wreck-Gar pulls out his <s>iPhone</s> mini-TV.
*The sound used for the communicators on ''Star Trek'' is used when Daniel activates his blaster to save Spike.

==Adaptations==
*[[Transformers: The Movie (Marvel comic)|A comic adaptation of the movie]] was published by [[Marvel Comics]] in 1986, concurrently with the movie's theater run. It was based off a non-finalized version of the script, and differs in many details from the final film. Additionally, most of the major character models (and possibly their unedited original character write-ups) appear in issue #4 of the ''[[The Transformers Universe (Marvel)|Transformers Universe]]'' series.
*[[Transformers the Movie (Ladybird adaptation)|A storybook adaptation]] was released in the UK by [[Ladybird Books]].
*A four-part adaptation was released in 2006/2007 by [[IDW Publishing]], as part of the film's 20th anniversary celebration. It was titled ''[[Transformers: The Animated Movie]]'' to differentiate it from the [[Michael Bay]] [[Transformers (film)|live-action film]]. Unlike its predecessor, it adheres rigidly to the script and plot of the finished movie.

==Soundtrack==
{{main|The Transformers: The Movie - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack}}

==Promotions==
*Early in the movie's production, a [[The Transformers: The Movie promo|promotional trailer]] was made to sell the project to potential investors.
*The movie was advertised on related 1986 toy packages via the [[Decipher the Decepticon]] Sweepstakes, which included a pack-in poster and contest.
*The movie was heavily advertised directly by TV [[commercial]]s, and tail-end segments on Transformer toy ads. Portions of its story were also retold in altered fashion by animation segments of commercials for the movie character toys, such as a spot showing Springer doing battle with Wreck-Gar.
*[[Ziploc]] sandwich bags featuring an iron-on patch in boxed to advertise the movie. Each box contained one of eight potential characters.

==In the comic continuity==
The [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel UK comic]] made extensive use of the Movie as the basis for a series of stories involving the Transformers in the future. However, there are several differences between the events seen on screen and those referenced in the comic:

*The comic always dates the movie to [[2006]], following the date given in a treatment that was all [[Simon Furman]] had when he wrote "[[Target: 2006]]".
*In "Target: 2006", [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] states that he was previously "[[Life Spark]]".
*The Matrix is always called the "Creation Matrix" in the comic, a name that predates the "Matrix of Leadership" but which is now used for the same physical object.
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Wheeljack]] both survive the events, both later appearing in "[[Space Pirates!]]" (set in [[2008]]).

In addition, [[Shockwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Shockwave]] definitely survives the attack by Unicron.

The US comic almost completely ignored the events of the Movie, though later in the run an alternative future is briefly shown in "[[Rhythms of Darkness!]]" and "[[A Savage Circle]]". In this timeline at least some of the events of the Movie took place such as the creation of [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] from [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]], which is dated to 2005, though [[Prowl (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Prowl]]'s death was overlooked. [[Prowl (TM2)|Wouldn't be the first time. Or the last.]]
*The US version of the future story "[[The Big Broadcast of 2006 (issue)|The Big Broadcast of 2006]]" implicitly has the events of the movie as part of its backstory. However, since the rest of the US series ignored the movie, this issue's place in the continuity is questionable.

==Edits==
Several English-language versions of the film exist, with the following differences in content from the American theatrical run:

*In some versions (notably the European version) the opening credits are replaced with a scrolling text ("''Star Wars'' style") which provides backstory.
*In some versions (notably the European version) the film ends with [[Victor Caroli|a narrator]] reassuring the audience that Optimus Prime will return.
*Instances of swearing in the film (there are two) were edited out; sometimes one, sometimes both. Those instances are: Spike yelling, "Oh shit, what are we gonna do now?" after the self-destructing Moon Base 2 fails to scratch Unicron, and Ultra Magnus growling, "Open, damn it, open!" while trying to open the Matrix to fend off Galvatron and the Sweeps on Junkion. The United Kingdom cinema version had the swearing included but, when it was released on VHS in the United Kingdom, Spike's line was cut ("damn" not being considered especially offensive in the UK). However it has been restored on all United Kingdom DVD releases.
*In some early FHE video releases, the shot of the Matrix falling out of Optimus Prime's hand and being caught by Hot Rod is edited so that it appears that Ultra Magnus simply takes the Matrix from Prime. Why this was done is not known, and the replay of the Hot Rod catch on Unicron's monitors was left intact.
*The original FHE video release of the film painted out all instances of Megatron's green-colored "bleeding" from the end of the battle of Autobot City up to his meeting with Unicron.
*Instead of DEG, the {{w|Rank Organisation|Rank Film}} "{{w|Gongman}}" appears before the British release of the film, as Rank were the United Kingdom distributors. Ironically, the DEG logo at the beginning uses the "Gongman" sounds, rather than its own fanfare, possibly due to a plastering mistake.

None of these edits significantly affect the story. They should not be confused with various other sequences which were changed before the film's final release:

*Originally, Ultra Magnus's "death sequence" on Junkion called for him to be lassoed and drawn and quartered by the Sweeps' energy beams, but this was deemed too graphic for audiences, hence the less disturbing "shot to death" sequence seen instead. There is evidence that the original sequence had been fully animated when the decision was made, however; the Sweeps still kept their solid energy lassos when they fire upon Magnus, and Magnus is seen visibly straining against what appears to be said lassos (edited out and replaced with laser fire) before exploding. This also explains why the Junkions only have to put his limbs back on to repair him.
*A number of other sequences were illustrated as [[storyboard]]s but dropped, presumably without ever being animated. Among them were:
**A short scene showing Ironhide piloting the Autobot shuttle through ''huge chunks of ice'' from the tail of a passing comet, explaining how the Decepticons caught them unawares. In response to a reprimand by Prowl who prickishly disapproves of Ironhide's piloting shenanigans, Ironhide exclaims, "I can sure as shootin' dodge a couple of ice chunks". When the Autobots are suddenly jolted by the Decepticon strike force as Megatron and his troops attempt to enter the shuttle, Ironhide tells the others on board, "That was no ice chunk...". Heroic nonsense ensues...
**An extended sequence with Hot Rod and Daniel outside the city.
**A sequence of Mirage blasting Bombshell and being fired on by Megatron.
**The Autobots finally bringing down Devastator with a barrage of missiles (and the Constructicons subsequently shooting Red Alert in the back).
**The Decepticons dogpiling Optimus Prime, explaining why he seems to be standing up just before his fight with Megatron, and no longer holding his rifle. According to storyboards, Prime gets bum-rushed by Blitzwing (who causes Prime to drop his gun), Starscream, Astrotrain, and Skywarp. While it is not clear how Prime defeated the first four hand-to-hand combatants, Dirge is later shown attempting one final sneak attack (and gets his can handed back to him) as Prime is talking to Megatron before the two leaders' final fight.
**Trailbreaker is shown dead among the wreckage of Autobot City as the Decepticons begin their retreat.
:Some of these concepts were in earlier versions of the script, and hence made it into the comic adaptation.
*Rumors have occasionally circulated in the fandom of additional animated footage that was dropped from the film, such as ultra-violent battle scenes.<ref>https://groups.google.com/g/alt.toys.transformers/c/B0ZMv7tdDMk?hl=en#8aee0b30765b2b4a</ref> No evidence has ever surfaced to back these claims; the only known edits of any storyline or character importance are those listed in this section.
:{{see|Misconceptions and urban legends about Transformers#The Transformers: The Movie|Urban legends about ''The Transformers: The Movie''}}

==Reception and box office==
{{quote|''The Transformers'', in which Orson Welles plays a planet, is pure headache material. Target audience of cartoon-watchers also will probably find the film unintelligible, noisy and unoriginal. Boxoffice prospects are dismal.|2=[http://books.google.com/books?id=DHNZAAAAMAAJ&q=Hasbro+Transformers&dq=Hasbro+Transformers&lr=&as_drrb_is=b&as_minm_is=1&as_miny_is=1983&as_maxm_is=12&as_maxy_is=2005&num=50&as_brr=0&cd=69 Variety's Film Reviews 1985-1986, Volume 19]}}

{{quote|Obnoxious animated feature about the title good guys, who defend the universe against an evil planet (which has a voice of its own... provided by Orson Welles.) That deafening rock score certainly doesn't help. Little more than a feature-length toy commercial.|Leonard Maltin, ''1987 Movie & Video Guide''}}

{{quote|While all this action may captivate young children, the animation is not spectacular enough to dazzle adults, and the Transformers have few truly human elements to lure parents along, even when their voices are supplied by well-known actors. |2=[http://www.nytimes.com/1986/08/09/movies/screen-transformers-animation-for-children.html The New York Times]}}

{{quote|Transformers -- The Movie, a feature-length animated film inspired by the syndicated TV cartoon series inspired by the Hasbro toy imported from Japan, is utterly uninspired entertainment. |2=[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DM&p_theme=dm&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0ED3CE8EA8D40CCA&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM The Dallas Morning News]}}

{{quote|If you can swallow, without gagging, a large measure of sentimental and offensive religiosity - lines like "Do not grieve. Soon I will be one with the Matrix," whispered by a failing hunk of Autobot metal - then you have a better than even chance of leaving the theatre on your own two feet. |2=[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=01kiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=W6gFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2445,1286000&dq=transformers&hl=en The Montreal Gazette]}}

{{quote|Everything is poorly drawn and - when it's in focus - one dimensional. It is terribly hard to separate the robots from the backgrounds, and there is no easy way to tell the good guys from the bad guys. In an earlier movie based on the same sort of robot toys - "Go-Bots: The Battle of the Rock Lords" - the good guys were either white or colorful and the bad guys were dreary, and they had distinct personalities. Not this movie; everyone looks and sounds alike, except one pink robot who is a female good guy. Her tin voluptuousness makes her stand out. |2=[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kw4wAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OgMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6957,6334152&dq=transformers&hl=en The Toledo Blade]}}

{{quote|Even with an all-star cast doing the voice overs... and a rock music score, this is still nothing more than a ripoff of a successful toy line. |2=[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AYckAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dtsFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4192,1494652&dq=transformers&hl=en The Palm Beach Post]}}

{{quote|The great animated villains, like the Wicked Queen in Disney's "Snow White," had motivations as compelling as any live-action character. Unicron apparently destroys entire worlds because it has nothing else to do. |2=[http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/57996397.html?dids=57996397:57996397&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+8%2C+1986&author=CHARLES+SOLOMON&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&edition=&startpage=8&desc=%60THE+TRANSFORMERS%27%3A+STRETCHING+A+POINT The LA Times]}}

{{quote|A surprisingly dark, emotional, and almost excessively cynical experience for Transformers fans.|2=[http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_the_the_movie/ Rotten Tomatoes]}}

''The Transformers: The Movie'' was almost universally panned by professional critics upon its release.

Well-known film critic and animation enthusiast, Leonard Maltin, gave it a rating below 1 1/2 stars in his ''1987 Movie & Video Guide'', regarding it as a "bomb", then proceeded to write an unflattering blurb denouncing the film as a "feature-length toy commercial".

Caryn James of the ''New York Times'' admitted in the [[August 9]], 1986, edition of the paper that the film was intended for young children, pointing out that the kids in the audience were having a grand ole time with the ''Transformer'' toys and comics they brought with them to the theater, but derided the film as having little to no appeal to adults.

''Variety's Film Reviews 1985-1986, Volume 19 '' was far less even-handed in their review, claiming the film had no appeal to adults ''or'' children. They predicted the film would perform poorly in the box office (and were correct, in that regard).

Carrie Rickey of the ''Dallas Morning News'' chided the film in the [[August 13]], 1986, issue of the paper, describing it as "essentially a cartoon ''Star Wars'' about robots from a toybox galaxy far, far away". She then went on to say that the film "never takes off" and derided it as "uninspired".

Janice Kennedy of the ''Montreal Gazette'' verbally disemboweled the film in the [[August 23]], 1986, edition of the paper, criticizing it as overly commercial, profane, loud, violent, humorless, heavy-handed in its religious messages and chaulk-full of gratuitous celebrity voice-overs. Her only compliment: "But ''The Transformers: The Movie'' does have at least one good thing going for it, a howlingly appropriate song by [["Weird Al" Yankovic]]. It's title? ''Dare to be Stupid''." ''Ouch''.

Nanciann Cherry in the August 13, 1986, edition of the ''Toledo Blade'' claimed the robots in the movie had little personality and faded into the background. She even went on to say that ''[[GoBots]]: {{gb|GoBots: Battle of the Rock Lords|Battle of the Rock Lords}}'' was a superior film! Her review was filled with inaccuracies, however, citing characters such as "Unicon" and claiming that the destruction of Cybertron's moons by "Unicon" is what caused the Autobots to travel to Autobot City, at which point Megatron attacked. To be fair, she readily admits, "About 20 minutes into the film, I gave up on the plot and tried to count all the ideas that were stolen from other sources. Now that kept me busy." So she wasn't really paying attention, anyway.

Kathryn Buxton in the [[August 22]], 1986, edition of the ''Palm Beach Post'' gave the film a whopping ''one'' star, calling it "a ripoff of a successful toyline", whatever ''that'' means. In the same article, she also gave David Cronenberg's ''[[Fly|The Fly]]'' one star, just for reference.

In the August 8, 1986, edition of the ''LA Times'', critic Charles Solomon made clear his dislike for the film centered primarily on the fact that none of the characters had interesting or believable motivation. He stated, "Not even the best actor can create a character out of nothing. Not one of the robots has a reason for doing what he does." Solomon then pointed to Unicron specifically as an example of the lack of deep, multi-dimensional motivations in the characters.

Over time, however, the movie has acquired something of a cult following beyond the core base of [[fandom|Transformers fans]], particularly among children of the '80s. It is sometimes screened as a midnight movie at colleges. Online, it is not hard to find amateur reviews lauding everything about it as utterly awesome, from the premise to the soundtrack, and dismissing more critical views out of hand. ''The Transformers: The Movie'' currently holds a 62% "fresh" rating based on 25 professional reviews at online review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.<ref>http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_the_the_movie/</ref> In response to the film's cult following, several reviewers have compared the film in a favourable light to the [[Live-action film series|live-action film]]s (prior to the unprecedented critical success of ''[[Bumblebee (film)|Bumblebee]]''), stating that they lack the heart or nostalgia of the '86 movie.<ref>https://www.inverse.com/article/7309-6-enduring-legacies-of-1986-s-animated-the-transformers-the-movie</ref><ref>https://slate.com/culture/2007/07/transformers-why-the-original-animated-movie-is-still-the-best.html</ref><ref>https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Sorry-Michael-Bay-Why-1986-Transformers-Movie-Best-43582.html</ref>

===Box office===
An [[August 30]]th, 1987 ''Los Angeles Times'' article on the decline and fall of the DeLaurentiis Entertainment Group listed ''The Transformers: The Movie'' as grossing $2.6 million in the United States on a $5 million budget.<ref>https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-08-30-fi-5144-story.html</ref> Both it and ''My Little Pony: The Movie'' (which earned $2.8 million on a $5.5 million budget per that same article) were financial failures, together losing Hasbro about $10 million in an otherwise profitable year.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=... we just accidentally found the budget for The Transformers: The Movie while skimming a book about My Little Pony. Thanks, @sherilyn! https://t.co/epw3GW83lE|link=https://twitter.com/tfwiki/status/895169922678042625|name=TFWiki|site=Twitter|year=2017|month=08|day=09|(defunct=)}}</ref>

Confusingly, in comparison to the ''Los Angeles Times'' article, modern box office tracking sites<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=transformers.htm</ref><ref>http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/1986/0TRTM.php</ref> list ''The Transformers: The Movie'' as having made $5,849,647 in domestic (e.g., United States) theaters. Comparing this with the other online box office takes from animated films of 1986, the results are not particularly charitable; while it did better financially than ''{{gb|GoBots: Battle of the Rock Lords}}''<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=gobots.htm</ref> ($1,338,264) and ''Heathcliff: The Movie''<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=heathcliff.htm</ref> ($2,610,686), it performed worse than the 1986 ''[[My Little Pony]]'' movie<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=mylittlepony.htm</ref> ($5,958,456) and the '''second''' ''Care Bears'' movie<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=carebearsmovie2.htm</ref> ($8,540,346). Bringing up ''The Great Mouse Detective''<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=greatmousedetective.htm</ref> ($25,336,794) and ''An American Tail''<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=americantail.htm</ref> ($47,483,002) would really just be overkill.

==Significance in Transfandom==
''The Transformers: The Movie'' remains one of the most important elements of the entire Transformers brand, both within the fiction and from the perspective of the brand's popularity and "mindshare".

Fictionally, it established several story concepts that have been used repeatedly in the years since 1986, some of which—such as Unicron and the Matrix—are now central to the entire Transformers mythos. The movie is also the centerpiece of the most well-known Transformers continuity: the Generation 1 animated universe. The ''Transformers'' cartoon is split into "pre-movie" and "post-movie" sections which feature different characters and settings, and even somewhat different visual styles. (Most pre-movie episodes were animated by the studio [[Toei Animation|Toei]], while most post-movie episodes were animated by [[AKOM]].)

On a practical note, it was widely available on videotape, and remained so long after the ''The Transformers'' cartoon had gone off the air. Only a [[Family Home Entertainment|handful of series episodes]] were available on video, making ''The Transformers: The Movie'' the logical choice for someone looking to pick up a ''Transformers'' cartoon; this made it far more well known among fans than any particular cartoon episode.

To an entire generation of young fans, the movie was the most visually spectacular and narratively epic ''Transformers'' experience of their entire youth. Events such as the death of Optimus Prime are widely reported to have reduced many kids to tears. It is hardly a surprise that these emotional experiences embedded themselves deeply in many fans' memories.

Latter-day ''Transformers'' stories have made uncountable references (though [[The Transformers: The Movie/references|we're trying]]) to the movie, lifting or borrowing elements of its [[Minus One|dialogue]], [[The Transformers: Autocracy|fight sequences]], [[A Flash Forward|subplots]], [[Heavy Is the Head|details]], [[Less Than Zero|settings]] and more, as writers have discovered that a shout-out to the movie is a quick and easy way to win cheers from [[GEEWUN|some segments]] of [[Fandom|their audience]]. Even Hasbro and Takara themselves have gotten in on the act, producing a variety of toys based on the minutia of the film: [[Starscream (Armada)#Cybertron|Starscream's crown]], [[Galvatron (G1)/toys#United|Galvatron's creation]], the awakening of [[Hot Rod (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|Rodimus Prime]], and more. The fandom, for their part, pores over new ''Transformers'' fiction, often latching on to even the most tangential of details as a [[The Search for Alpha Trion#Quotes|"reference"]] to the movie, [[The Burden Hardest to Bear|coincidental or not]]. Call-outs, real or perceived, were once a rare treat - but now are so common that many fans are more likely to groan than cheer whenever some version of Optimus Prime declares that "[[One Shall Fall|One shall stand...]]" or a damaged character states that "[[Unfinished|I still function]]" or a vengeful blast is preceded by "[[The Illusion of Control|Here's a hint]]" or yet another Soundwave says yet another variation of "[[Human Error, Part II|Soundwave superior]]", or... well... this:

<center><gallery>
File:Transformersanimatedfilmposter.jpg|'86
File:TFTM1.jpg|'86 again
File:Botcon2000-movieposter.jpg|2000
File:TFvol1 31cvrRI.jpg|2010
File:Timelines10 diamonded.jpg|2014
File:Echoes and Fragments cover.jpg|2016
File:LL1 Riptcvr.jpg|2018
</gallery></center>

In 2016, thirty years after the release of the film, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] gave us perhaps one of the most meta comeback lines in franchise history. When [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]] declares that "Today — one shall stand, and two shall fall!", Optimus simply punches him in the face with a flat "No cliches, Galvatron", voicing once and for all just how sick we've gotten of '86 quotes. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 6: No Fair Fights|No Fair Fights}}

{{quote|...wait, I only just noticed something. Did they actually manage to go the entire episode without quoting the 86 movie?|[http://www.allspark.com/forums/topic/94625-episode-65-beast-hunters-episode-13/page-4#entry2360303 Allspark poster Unit Eleven]}}

==Criticisms==
[[File:TFTM Ratchet dies.jpg|left|thumb|Only [[Stormtrooper (SW)|Imperial Stormtroopers]] are so precise.]]
All this is not all to say that the movie is a "masterpiece", exactly. The film met with extremely harsh critical reviews on its release, and some of those criticisms still ring true today.

The film displays an arguably cynical attitude towards itself as [[To sell toys|a vehicle for advertising toys]], especially in the way [[The Transformers (cartoon)/cast|beloved characters]] are killed—sometimes gratuitously—for sake of justifying the story's focus on a new group of toys. (Note that with the exception of Laserbeak and possibly Buzzsaw, the poster at the top of this article features ''only'' new characters.)

Further, the two primary plot devices—[[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] and the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]—have no prior establishment in the fiction. Unicron is given no backstory ([[Call of the Primitives|until season 3]]) or justification; he simply exists, is very dangerous, and is afraid of the Matrix, all for no adequately explained reason. The introduction of the Matrix itself is a heavy [[retcon]]. The story asks the audience to accept that this cosmically powerful artifact has been in Optimus Prime's possession all along (even though Prime's open-chested repair scene in "[[Divide and Conquer]]" and his X-ray scene in "[[A Prime Problem]]" show absolutely no signs of said Matrix), but has somehow never been relevant before. In fact, this lack of prior establishment is what led [[Simon Furman]] to develop the divinity backstory of Unicron and [[Primus]] in the UK comics run.

[[File:Megatronlightsaber.jpg|thumb|Your powers are weak, old man!]]
The movie bears many similarities to ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'': There are several character-parallels ([[Springer (G1)|Springer]] is a [[Han Solo]]-type and [[Arcee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arcee]] even has Princess Leia's hairdo!), the primary threat is similar (it's the [[Death Star]]... [[Unicron/Generation 1|but it transforms!]]), and both feature a climactic battle where the [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|young hero]] hears the voice of his [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|dead, wise mentor]] one last time before saving the day.

To be a bit more fair to ''The Transformers: The Movie'', however, most of these similarities are either superficial (Arcee's Leia-hair; Megatron's "lightsaber" he briefly uses in his duel against Optimus Prime) or can be seen as elements common to thousands of years' worth of epic storytelling through human history, not just common to ''Star Wars''. As a simple example, the phenomenon of two charismatic leaders dealing each other mortal injuries in battle hearkens back to some versions of the "[[King Arthur]]" myth; in their final battle, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arthur]] and his arch-enemy [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sir Mordred]] deal one another lethal injuries and both apparently expire—though Arthur according to the legend will [[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1|return]] when [[Cybertron (planet)|England]]'s need [[Darkest hour|is greatest]].
{{--}}

==Formatting==
[[File:Tftm widescreenesque.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|The "widescreen" picture (left) actually ''cuts off'' the top and bottom of the fullscreen picture (right). Your eyes can deceive you; don't trust them.]]
[[File:Movie86 storyboard butprime.jpg|right|300px|thumb|The movie's [[storyboard|storyboards]] used dotted guidelines to show where the final 4:3 animation would be matted to widescreen.]]
Although it was billed in some advertisements before its theatrical release as being "widescreen", the movie was in fact animated in a 4:3 (fullscreen) aspect ratio. For its theatrical screenings, the film was matted down in the projector by the projectionist to a 16:9 aspect ratio (widescreen), chopping the top and bottom off the picture, but all video transfers of the movie were done without mattes, meaning that there was actually more picture visible in the fullscreen video and DVD releases than there would have been in theaters. Across 2006 and 2007, new editions of the DVD of the film were released by Sony BMG and [[Metrodome]] which applied the mattes in order to replicate the original theatrical presentation of the film for the first time in home entertainment. Some fans, however, didn't realize that the film wasn't actually ''animated'' in widescreen, and, hearing that the DVD was to be in widescreen, expected to see the fullscreen image with additional footage at the sides, causing them to complain that the top and bottom were cut off, thereby totally missing the point.
{{--}}

==International versions==
{{main|The Transformers: The Movie/dubs}}

==Commercial releases==
[[File:TFTM LaserDisc cover.jpg|thumb|The cover image from the original Japanese home media release of the movie.]]
*The movie was originally released in North America on VHS and Beta on [[September 17]], 1987<ref>http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1964&dat=19870911&id=YhAuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Ls8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=3198,2881581</ref> by [[Family Home Entertainment]], minus Spike's swear. Just days before, on [[September 14]], 1987<ref>https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003579/19870910/016/0016</ref>, it was released in the UK by [[Video Gems]]. This version featured the opening text crawl and closing narration inherent to the UK version of the film. In Australia, the film was released on video by RCA/Columbia Pictures/Hoyts. In Japan, [[Sohbi Kikaku|Hill Crane]] released a {{w|LaserDisc}} version alongside a VHS copy, both sporting a gorgeous painted cover that decorated many a fan's desktop back in the day.
*The movie was released spottily in the '90s, beginning with a budget VHS by Avid Home Entertainment in 1991. [[Malofilm]] released a VHS in Canada in 1995, notable for being the first home entertainment version to include Spike's swear. In 1998, Japanese company Pioneer produced another pair of LaserDisc and VHS releases. In 1999, things kicked off when American company [[Rhino Entertainment|Kid Rhino]] secured the Transformers license and released the film on VHS once again.
*The 21st century's flirtation with ''The Transformers: The Movie'' started with a UK budget VHS release of that country's version by [[Sony|Sony Wonder]], distributed by [[Maverick Entertainment]]. A Japanese company called CatCo followed this up with a VideoCD, and Malofilm—now Seville—were the first to release a DVD version of the film, though it was just a dump of their VHS version.
*In November 2000, ''The Transformers: The Movie'' got its first, full professional DVD release from Kid Rhino. This edition, labelled a "Special Collector's Edition", is the first to feature remastered video and audio, and several special features, including storyboards and an interview with [[Vince DiCola]]. Rhino concurrently released this version on VHS, sans extras.
*In 2001 in the UK, Sony Wonder released their own much-delayed DVD version of the film. It was the UK version of the film, but included Spike's swear. However, the release was burdened by badly interlaced video, though it notably included the [[Omni Productions]] dub version of the ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|Headmasters]]'' episode "[[Four Warriors Come out of the Sky]]" as an extra. This version (including the ''Headmasters'' episode) was simultaneously released on VHS.
*The movie was released on DVD in Australia in 2003 by [[Madman Entertainment]], using the same video as the Maverick version, but distinguished by some nifty new cover art by [[Don Figueroa]], and special features not seen on other editions, such as ''[[Stan Bush|The Touch]]'' music video and 80s TV spots.
[[File:Tftm uk covers.jpg|thumb|The UK poster art (left) has been the most common DVD and VHS cover in its home country, but the Ultimate Edition featured new art by Andy Wildman (right).]]
*After acquiring the license to release ''Transformers'' DVDs in the UK, [[Metrodome]] focused on completing their run of series box sets before turning their attention to the movie properly, releasing only a cheap budget DVD of the UK version through Prism Leisure with no extras, and a [[PlayStation|UMD]] of the same version.
*In 2005, Metrodome released ''Transformers: The Movie - Reconstructed'', a new version of the film designed to expose as much of the animated picture as possible. This, however, only resulted in exposing the rough, unfinished edges of the animation, and an overly pale remaster was compounded by excessive interlacing due to an unnecessary NTSC to PAL transfer. This, coupled with a 5.1 remix from [[Magno Sound & Video]], featuring the same extra sound effects that they added to Rhino's season box sets, made this release both controversial and disappointing to many. This was the first time that the US version of the movie was released in the UK, and the first to feature the US poster art as a cover (although a Silverscreen store exclusive version of the disc included a reversible cover with the UK poster art as well). Extras include trailers, TV spots, the character biographies from the Madman release, a looped version of the Lion ''Transformers'' theme on the main menu, and a subtitled version of "[[Four Warriors Come out of the Sky]]".
[[File:Tftm sony covers.jpg|thumb|Sony's covers, by Don Figueroa.]]
*For the movie's 20th anniversary in 2006, new license holder [[Sony|Sony BMG]] released a two-disc special edition of the film, featuring both a high-quality widescreen remaster and the original fullscreen version, audio commentaries from crew and fans, several new featurettes interviewing those involved in the movie's production, storyboards, TV spots, American and Japanese commercials and more. Most notably, this version included the first Western release of "[[Scramble City: Mobilization]]", albeit silent and unsubtitled, featuring only audio commentary. Also very notable is that this version includes an actual deleted scene from the animated film as an extra, though it is more of interest as a curiosity than anything it actually contains, being an approximately 2-second-long aerial view of the Autobots running towards the critically damaged Optimus Prime. This release featured two covers by Don Figueroa: one is of the '84-'85 cast that appear in the movie, and one is of the movie's new characters, available either as a lenticular hologram that switches between the two, or as a reversible sleeve with the images printed on either side.
[[File:Tftm madman covers.jpg|thumb|Madman's 2003 DVD cover (left), and their 2007 Special Edition cover (right).]]
*Delayed a bit to coincide with the hype for the 2007 [[Transformers (film)|live-action movie]], Metrodome also released a two-disc "Ultimate Edition" with a different widescreen master. Like "Reconstructed", this version used the US edition of the film, but this time, the UK version was also included, in fullscreen, on the second disc. Extras include TV spots, commercials, the Madman biographies, storyboards, commentary, "Scramble City" (with audio and subtitles), featurettes with [[Flint Dille]] and [[Peter Cullen]], and more. The double-disc edition was sold in a steel case featuring new art by [[Andrew Wildman]], with the UK poster art adorning the standard case inside. Various store exclusives were available, including postcards from Play.Com, a reversible cover with the US poster art from HMV, art cards from Virgin Megastore and [[posters]] from Woolworths and [[Toys"R"Us]]. It was also available in an extra-less single-disc version. This version was premiered at the Mid Ulster Film Festival in Ireland which was the only cinema showing of the remastered version of the film to date.
[[File:ShoutFactory TFTM BluDVD.jpg|thumb|Shout! Factory's 2016 Blu-ray cover.]]
*The film was released in Full HD 1080p on Blu-ray in the UK in October 2007. The Blu-ray is not region-locked, so it will play anywhere in the world. It features a 2.0 soundtrack, 5.1 Dolby Digital track, and a full bitrate DTS 5.1 track. The master used was the same used by Sony for their US DVD. Sadly, there are no extras on the DVD. The version of the film on the Blu-ray is the US one, complete with curse words.
*Madman produced their two-disc special edition through some collaboration with Metrodome, and consequently it features much of the same content, with additional extras taking the form of The Touch music video and a bonus episode of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''. This release again features cover artwork by Don Figueroa, specifically the cover of [[IDW Publishing|IDW]]'s ''[[Transformers: The Animated Movie]]'' adaptation.
*For the film's 30th Anniversary, and after being out of print in the US for 10 years, the film was rereleased on Region 1 DVD and given its first Region A Blu-ray release on [[September 13]], [[2016]] by [[Shout! Factory]]. Both versions are sourced from a brand-new 4K transfer which underwent extensive color-correction and remastering, and a Steelbook packaging variant of the Blu-ray was also made available.<ref>[https://www.shoutfactory.com/film/action-adventure/the-transformers-the-movie-limited-edition-30th-anniversary-steelbook The Transformers: The Movie Limited Edition 30th Anniversary Steelbook]</ref> The Steelbook Blu-ray was released in the UK by [[Manga Entertainment]] as a limited edition on December 12, 2016, followed by a standard edition release a year later.
*On September 27, 2018, Fathom Events screened the movie at select theaters in the United States. The movie was preceded by an interview with [[Travis Knight]] and [[Hailee Steinfeld]] and a preview of a scene from ''[[Bumblebee (film)|Bumblebee]]'', and followed by a short featurette of Stan Bush discussing the music he contributed to the movie and performing acoustic versions of ''The Touch'' and ''Dare''.<ref>[http://news.tfw2005.com/2018/08/01/1986-transformers-movie-hitting-theaters-one-night-only-369314 1986 Transformers Movie Hitting Theaters One Night Only!]</ref> Cineplex would later show the movie in Canadian theaters on October 4.
*For the 35th anniversary, Shout! Factory produced the first 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of the movie — presented in widescreen only — and a remastered fullscreen 1080p Blu-ray. Feature-length storyboards and the Stan Bush featurette from the 2018 Fathom Events screening were added as new bonus features. The two discs were first made available in a limited edition SteelBook with four art cards on [[August 3]], [[2021]]<ref>[https://www.shoutfactory.com/product/the-transformers-the-movie-35th-anniversary-limited-edition-steelbook?product_id=7636 The Transformers: The Movie [35th Anniversary Limited Edition Steelbook]]</ref>; a wide release in standard packaging followed on [[September 28]]<ref>[https://www.shoutfactory.com/product/the-transformers-the-movie-35th-anniversary-edition?product_id=7668 The Transformers: The Movie [35th Anniversary Edition]]</ref>, as did a third set comprised of the new fullscreen Blu-ray and a widescreen DVD<ref>[https://www.shoutfactory.com/product/the-transformers-the-movie-35th-anniversary-edition-1?product_id=7667 The Transformers: The Movie [35th Anniversary Edition]]</ref>. Cover art for the new releases was created by [[Matt Ferguson]].
**Region B versions of the Shout! Factory 35th Anniversary discs were distributed by Funimation and released on [[October 25]], and an additional collector's edition set was made exclusive to Zavvi, packaging the 4K and Blu-ray discs with an art book, poster and six art cards.<ref>[https://www.zavvi.com/blu-ray/the-transformers-the-movie-35th-anniversary-zavvi-exclusive-4k-ultra-hd-limited-collectors-edition-includes-blu-ray/13169855.html The Transformers: The Movie 35th Anniversary - Zavvi Exclusive 4K Ultra HD Limited Collectors Edition (Includes Blu-ray)]</ref> Zavvi also partnered with Ferguson to release a line of art prints and apparel featuring his cover art.
*Fathom Events once again returned the film to select theaters on [[September 26]]–[[September 27|27]], 2021, accompanied by a set of [[The Transformers: The Movie 35th Anniversary Stop Motions|stop-motion comedy videos]] inspired by the film.

==Television broadcasts==
Following a segmented, five-part broadcast during [[The Transformers (cartoon)#Season 5|the fifth season of ''The Transformers'']], the complete feature film was aired on American television in 1989 via Fox stations. Air dates and times were June 17 at Noon, July 30 at 11 A.M. and September 2 at 10 A.M. Of course, this was the language-edited video release from Family Home Entertainment.

The movie was aired on [[Hub Network|The Hub]] on February 18, 2012, following [[Orion Pax, Part 1|the Season 2 premiere]] of ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' on what was called "Transformers Mega Saturday". Uniquely, this version combined the European opening narration with the US scrawl-free opening credits, muted the two swear words (rendering the lines as "It isn't even dented! ...What do we do now?!" and "Open... ''Open!''"), used the European closing narration at the end, and sped up the scroll of the end credits to cut it down for time, ending the lyrics of the [[theme song]] around the beginning of its second verse ("Strong enough to break the bravest heart..."). Subsequent re-airings on The Hub aired this version of the movie.

The American television airing of the feature film adds one extra sound effect, and it has never been heard in any other release. During the scene when Arcee is racing to jump aboard the departing Autobot shuttle, there is a distinctive sound effect when she jumps. In all other releases there is no sound effect.

A July 4, 2014 Hub broadcast of the movie markets it as ''Transformers: The Animated Movie'', distinguishing it from that computer animation/live action [[Transformers (film)|hybrid film]] with the similar title made two decades and one year later.

==Notes==
*According to [[Buzz Dixon]], Hasbro's decision to kill off Optimus Prime was actually an attempt to maintain some brand-storytelling parity with ''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]'', as Dixon had just convinced them to allow the death of [[Duke (G.I. Joe)|Duke]] in ''{{w|G.I. Joe: The Movie}}'' and both films were in production at the same time.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20151215034944/http://www.joeheadquarters.com/interviews_dixon.shtml</ref> The heavy backlash resulting from Optimus's death would in turn affect Duke's fate in the G.I. Joe film, with the character being written as falling into a coma rather than dying.

*After reading [[Ron Friedman]]'s [[The Transformers: The Movie (first draft)|first draft]] of the movie's script, [[Flint Dille]] and [[Jay Bacal]] hastily wrote and proposed a script of their own, "[[The Secret of Cybertron]]", which later informed the cartoon five-parter "[[Five Faces of Darkness]]". Elements of this script also supposedly made it into the finished film, but no copy of the script has ever surfaced.

*This film was the last professional performance by [[Orson Welles]], who died only a month later. According to production materials shown at [[BotCon 2000]] by Tim Finn, the voice recording sessions for ''The Transformers: The Movie'' were done on [[September 10]] and [[September 11|11]] of 1985. Welles died on [[October 10]] of that same year. It has often been speculated that Unicron's last line ("Destiny… you cannot destroy my destiny!") was recorded by another actor—possibly [[Leonard Nimoy|Nimoy]]—because it sounds different than the other lines. This speculation has been quashed by statements by Transformers voice director [[Wally Burr]].<ref>http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/60-astrominutes/wally-burr/wally-burr-3.html</ref>
[[File:Windcharger wheeljack otp.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Uncle Owen! Aunt Beru!!]]

*With the exception of Starscream and possibly Shockwave, only the Autobots suffered fatalities in the movie. All of the other "dead" Decepticons from the Autobot City battle were rebuilt into Galvatron's new troops, and although more Decepticons were shown taking heavy damage and suffering huge casualties while fighting Unicron, their identities and their final condition are uncertain. Additionally, both Starscream and Unicron survived in the post-movie series in some form or another. Shockwave's death in the finished film is highly uncertain, although in the script it is fairly strongly implied. Regardless, Shockwave was originally intended to appear in the immediate post-movie story "Five Faces of Darkness", serving in the role that was ultimately given to Blitzwing, before an internal [[Sunbow Productions|Sunbow]] memo clarified that his character had been dropped from the series.<ref>[https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bid3TK_q2HxH7NR5MDAlGsKe5AlcbBnU/view Partial outline of "Five Faces of Darkness", covering Parts 3 to 5]</ref> Shockwave does make some miscolored appearances in crowd shots in later cartoon episodes, but these are probably examples of the fairly common animation errors in those episodes.

*Somewhat ironically, though only three of the original eighteen Autobots — [[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]], [[Cliffjumper (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cliffjumper]], and [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] — are definitively shown to have survived the movie, two would quite literally never be heard from again: [[Scatman Crothers]] passed away (though this didn't stop Jazz from making any number of background cameos) while Casey Kasem [[Casey Kasem#Notes|quit the show early in the third season]]. Fate's finger is fickle indeed.

*The Dinobots spend the majority of the film in their dinosaur modes, a practice that would eventually carry into season 3 of the cartoon. Swoop is the only one to spend extended amounts of time in robot mode, due to the anatomical issues of walking in a flight-based mode. However, there are some instances where they're briefly shown in robot mode for blink-and-you-miss-it moments, for no reason whatsoever. Additionally, despite his constant presence among the Dinobots, Sludge has no lines in the film at all.

*Unicron's roars in the movie were stock vocalizations originally created for Marvel Productions's 1982 ''The Incredible Hulk'' animated series and performed by voice actor Bob Holt, who voiced the [[Hulk]] in that show. Holt otherwise never voiced a character in the Marvel/Sunbow Transformers series (although he was a regular member of the ''{{gb|Challenge of the GoBots (cartoon)|Challenge of the GoBots}}'' cast as the original voice of [[Cop-Tur (GoBots)|Cop-Tur]]), and had passed away the year before ''The Transformers: The Movie'' was released in 1986. Thus, Unicron has the distinction of featuring ''two'' posthumous performances for the same Transformers character in a single production.

*[[:File:TFTM-MaybeBeachcomber.jpg|A robot resembling Beachcomber]] appears alongside Spike and the Autobots inside Unicron seconds before Daniel blasts the acid cover. Whether this was actually meant to be Beachcomber or just coincidental coloring is unknown, but regardless, Beachcomber shows up alive and well in "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]".

*Pieces of music from the movie would later be used in the [[Commodore 64]] version of ''Turrican''. For instance, basically unaltered bits of "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWFx-Go6Y6A Escape]" make up [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6jjpwpDVNY Subsong Two of the game's title theme].
*The shot of Unicron slamming his hand onto the surface of Cybertron would later be used for the toy commercial of his Armada self.
{{--}}

===Foreign names===
*''German:'' '''''Transformers: Der Kampf um Cybertron''''' ("Transformers: The Battle for Cybertron", TV airings only)
*''French:'' '''''La Guerre des Robots''''' ("The War of the Robots")
*''Japanese:'' '''''トランスフォーマーザ・ムービー''''' ("Transformers: The Movie")

==External links==
*[https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl3212281345/weekend/ ''The Transformers: The Movie''{{'}}s box office domestic gross]
*[https://sunbowmarvelarchive.blogspot.com/p/mp-4034-transformers-movie-sunbow.html ''The Transformers: The Movie'' outlines, scripts, storyboards, concept art and model sheets]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20211021062746/http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/movie/movie.html ''The Transformers: The Movie'' Dossier at The Cybertron Chronicle]
*[http://web.archive.org/web/20080426020409/http://www.tftm.net/ ''The Transformers: The Movie'' "Unofficial Fansite", an extremely thorough site about the movie] (archived)
*[http://zobovor.tripod.com/transformers_the_movie_bloopers.html ''The Transformers: The Movie'' bloopers]

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

{{DEFAULTSORT:Transformers: The Movie}}

[[Category:The Transformers episodes]]
[[Category:Generation 1 media]]
[[Category:MSTF]]
[[Category:Real world films]]

Grand Galvatron

2026-04-08T14:24:11Z

Zenphia:

{{factions|decepticon|unicron}}
:''Grand Galvatron is a [[Decepticon]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Grandgalvatron.jpg|right|250px|thumb|AH ET A BABEH!]]
'''Grand Galvatron''' (グランドガルバトロン ''Gurando Garubatoron'') is the deranged power fantasy of [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]'s twisted mind. Inspired by and envious of the tremendous power of [[Unicron]] (who he occasionally names itself after), Galvatron envisions an upgrade for himself that would be unstoppable—though it would have to be built out of the dead bodies of his own troops and possibly even the destroyed husk of the entire planet [[Earth]] or [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. This does not bother Galvatron. At all.

[[Galvatron II|Galvatron]] eventually managed to make this dream a reality, though it took a different form than the one envisioned; using [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]]'s body as a proxy, he uses four other Transformers to create Grand Galvatron.

{{bigquote|His plan is terrible.|[[Punch (G1)|Punch]]|"[[The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg]]" ([[Omni Productions]] dub)}}

==Fiction==
===Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
After surviving the destruction of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and reclaiming leadership of the Decepticons, Galvatron sent his forces on a campaign to plunder energy all across the galaxy. His true schemes remained a mystery to all those around him, but eventually [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] realized that he planned to incorporate the Earth into his system.

Eventually, Galvatron revealed to his most trusted warrior, [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]], that he intended to use the energy to turn [[Earth]] into his new Unicron-sized body and become Grand Galvatron. He also revealed to Sixshot that such a body would require parts from his most powerful and skilled warriors, Sixshot included. This didn't sit well with Sixshot (gee, wonder why), who betrayed Galvatron and left him to battle the [[Autobot]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] alone. Galvatron lost the battle and was buried alive beneath an iceberg by the Headmasters' [[Head Formation]]. His dreams of becoming Grand Galvatron were never fulfilled. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}}

====''Unite Warriors''====
[[File:GrandGalvatronForms-GrandGalvatronChapter.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|I am <s>Grand Galvatron</s> Unicorn, and those bots will now be a part of me!]]
When [[Cyclonus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cyclonus]] came to visit his former master's grave, {{storylink|Grand Galvatron Chapter}} the disembodied spirit of [[Galvatron II]] {{storylink|Ruination Chapter, Part One}} seized the chance and took over Cyclonus's body. Together, the two travelled to the [[Triple Z Point]], planning on using [[Unicron]] as the basis of Grand Galvatron. Unicron, obviously apprehensive about this plan, gave another option: he summoned three malicious Transformers—[[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]], [[Breakdown (WFC)|Breakdown]], and [[Roller (G1)|Roller]]—from across the multiverse and gave them new bodies that could combine with Cyclonus. The final component was created from [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] when he showed up to beg for a new body. Unlike the others, his new body was stuck in a half-living, half-dead form to assure loyalty.

With his new troops, Unicron sought to have the six conquer [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], but Galvatron defied his demands and set out to conquer for himself as the newly born Combiner Haunt Leader Grand Galvatron. {{storylink|Grand Galvatron Chapter}}

Arriving on Cybertron, Grand Galvatron was shocked to have his limbs removed by an invisible force courtesy of [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] and reverted into Galvatron and Cyclonus. The group combined into Grand Galvatron again upon reaching [[Vector Sigma]]'s chamber, where they were met with the Autobot combiner [[Sky Reign]], whose force field and assorted weaponry gave them some trouble. Galvatron's ghostly existence allowed his combined form to see through Sky Reign's [[hologram|holographic]] tricks and come close to victory, only to have the Autobot spring back up from near-defeat and bite into Grand Galvatron, causing him to cry out for aid. {{storylink|Sky Reign Chapter}} Upon the arrival of [[Megaempress]], Grand Galvatron split up as his components scrambled in fear of the Decepticon empress and her [[4 Guards]]. {{storylink|Megatronia Chapter}}

Though Galvatron II left his body, Cyclonus remained able to form the basis of Grand Galvatron and convinced his allies to combine with him again to stop Unicron from making Cybertron his new body. Together with the other combiners, Grand Galvatron distracted Unicron long enough for [[Ruination (RID)|Baldigus]] to separate him from Cybertron. After Unicron's defeat, the Transformers that made up Grand Galvatron all went their separate ways. {{storylink|Ruination Chapter, Part Two}}

===''Kre-O'' online comic===
Megatron's ambition was to use [[Earth]]'s bricks to build a planet-sized Galvatron-like body for himself. {{storylink|Megatron's Ambition!? The Solar Tower Is Built!}}

====''Legends'' comic====
Grand Galvatron was a Micro-Changer Combiner who accompanied [[Megatron (Kre-O)|Megatron]] during his attack on the [[Legends World]]. {{storylink|Transformers Legends Special Chapter|Special Chapter}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
The Galvatron of [[Primax 185.0 Beta]] planned to transplant his own [[spark]] into Cybertron itself in order to become Grand Galvatron and defeat the [[Quintesson]] forces opposing him in his quest for universal domination. However, his spark was destroyed by [[Ratchet (G1)|The Autobot]] and the [[Dreadnok]]s as it was being transferred. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/04}}

==Toys==
===''Unite Warriors''===
[[File:UW-toy GrandGalvatron.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|You chose WHO as your right-hand man?]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Grand Galvatron''' (Giftset, [[2016]])}}</ul>
:*''ID number'': '''UW-06'''
:*''Release date'': [[April 30]], 2016
{{toydesigner|[[Hisashi Yuki]] (TakaraTomy)}}

: ''[[Transformers Unite Warriors|Unite Warriors]]'' Grand Galvatron is made up of [[Cyclonus (G1)/toys#Unite Warriors|Tactician Cyclonus]] with the torso, and [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Unite Warriors|Ghost Starscream]], [[Thrust (Armada)#Unite Warriors|Curse Armada Thrust]], [[Breakdown (WFC)#Unite Warriors|Zombie War Breakdown]], and [[Roller (G1)#UW06|Wandering Roller]] as limbs. The deco of Cyclonus's torso mode more closely adheres to the appearance of the [[Galvatron (G1)/toys#Generation 1|original Galvatron toy]]... which is kind of funny given how painfully animation-based Cyclonus's deco is.

: While the box, [[Special Training in the Lava Baths of Planet Thrull!|included story]], and instructions have an official limb configuration for Grand Galvatron, using Wandering Roller as the right arm with his toes folded up in his leg configuration allows for Cyclonus's blaster to be mounted on the forearm, rather than precariously positioned on Starscream's wing.

: This set also included a [[collector coin]] in a special sleeve.

: Grand Galvatron was released as a [[TakaraTomy Mall]] exclusive, rather than as a retail release; it was the third of six exclusive sets.
{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===Brave-Goukin===
*'''Excel Suit''' (<s>2014</s>)
[[File:Cm-corps-exo-suit-grand-galvatron.jpeg|right|200px|thumb|No, more like ''Grande'' Galvatron.]]
:A tiny Grand Galvatron figurine was to be included with [[CM's Corporation]]'s ''Brave-Goukin'' "[[Exosuit#Brave-Goukin|Excel Suit]]" toy. It was displayed in unpainted [[prototype]] form at various conventions, but the whole set went unreleased due to CM's Corporation's bankruptcy.

{{canceledtoy}}

==Notes==
*In the [[Omni Productions]] dub, while showing his plans to Sixshot, Galvatron proudly proclaims, "This is [[Unicorn]]!" Sixshot reacts with a hilariously exaggerated "Whoaaaa!" Apparently, a member of the dubbing team found out about [[Unicron]] and tried (unsuccessfully) to tie the two concepts together.

===Foreign names===
*''English:'' '''Unicorn''' ([[Omni Productions]] dub)
*''Russian:'' '''Universal''' (Универсал, "Universal")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Unikron''' (Унікрон)

==See also==
*[[Galvatronus (CW)]]

[[Category:Combined forms]]
[[Category:TakaraTomy Mall exclusives]]
[[Category:The Headmasters]]
[[Category:Unite Warriors Decepticons]]

Grand Galvatron

2026-04-08T14:23:25Z

Zenphia:

{{factions|decepticon|unicron}}
:''Grand Galvatron is a [[Decepticon]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Grandgalvatron.jpg|right|250px|thumb|AH ET A BABEH!]]
'''Grand Galvatron''' (グランドガルバトロン ''Gurando Garubatoron'') is the deranged power fantasy of [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]'s twisted mind. Inspired by and envious of the tremendous power of [[Unicron]] (who he occasionally names itself after), Galvatron envisions an upgrade for himself that would be unstoppable—though it would have to be built out of the dead bodies of his own troops and possibly even the destroyed husk of the entire planet [[Earth]] or [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. This does not bother Galvatron. At all.

A [[Galvatron II|different Galvatron]] eventually managed to make this dream a reality, though it took a different form than the one envisioned; using [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]]'s body as a proxy, he uses four other Transformers to create Grand Galvatron.

{{bigquote|His plan is terrible.|[[Punch (G1)|Punch]]|"[[The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg]]" ([[Omni Productions]] dub)}}

==Fiction==
===Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
After surviving the destruction of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and reclaiming leadership of the Decepticons, Galvatron sent his forces on a campaign to plunder energy all across the galaxy. His true schemes remained a mystery to all those around him, but eventually [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] realized that he planned to incorporate the Earth into his system.

Eventually, Galvatron revealed to his most trusted warrior, [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]], that he intended to use the energy to turn [[Earth]] into his new Unicron-sized body and become Grand Galvatron. He also revealed to Sixshot that such a body would require parts from his most powerful and skilled warriors, Sixshot included. This didn't sit well with Sixshot (gee, wonder why), who betrayed Galvatron and left him to battle the [[Autobot]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] alone. Galvatron lost the battle and was buried alive beneath an iceberg by the Headmasters' [[Head Formation]]. His dreams of becoming Grand Galvatron were never fulfilled. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}}

====''Unite Warriors''====
[[File:GrandGalvatronForms-GrandGalvatronChapter.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|I am <s>Grand Galvatron</s> Unicorn, and those bots will now be a part of me!]]
When [[Cyclonus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cyclonus]] came to visit his former master's grave, {{storylink|Grand Galvatron Chapter}} the disembodied spirit of [[Galvatron II]] {{storylink|Ruination Chapter, Part One}} seized the chance and took over Cyclonus's body. Together, the two travelled to the [[Triple Z Point]], planning on using [[Unicron]] as the basis of Grand Galvatron. Unicron, obviously apprehensive about this plan, gave another option: he summoned three malicious Transformers—[[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]], [[Breakdown (WFC)|Breakdown]], and [[Roller (G1)|Roller]]—from across the multiverse and gave them new bodies that could combine with Cyclonus. The final component was created from [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] when he showed up to beg for a new body. Unlike the others, his new body was stuck in a half-living, half-dead form to assure loyalty.

With his new troops, Unicron sought to have the six conquer [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], but Galvatron defied his demands and set out to conquer for himself as the newly born Combiner Haunt Leader Grand Galvatron. {{storylink|Grand Galvatron Chapter}}

Arriving on Cybertron, Grand Galvatron was shocked to have his limbs removed by an invisible force courtesy of [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] and reverted into Galvatron and Cyclonus. The group combined into Grand Galvatron again upon reaching [[Vector Sigma]]'s chamber, where they were met with the Autobot combiner [[Sky Reign]], whose force field and assorted weaponry gave them some trouble. Galvatron's ghostly existence allowed his combined form to see through Sky Reign's [[hologram|holographic]] tricks and come close to victory, only to have the Autobot spring back up from near-defeat and bite into Grand Galvatron, causing him to cry out for aid. {{storylink|Sky Reign Chapter}} Upon the arrival of [[Megaempress]], Grand Galvatron split up as his components scrambled in fear of the Decepticon empress and her [[4 Guards]]. {{storylink|Megatronia Chapter}}

Though Galvatron II left his body, Cyclonus remained able to form the basis of Grand Galvatron and convinced his allies to combine with him again to stop Unicron from making Cybertron his new body. Together with the other combiners, Grand Galvatron distracted Unicron long enough for [[Ruination (RID)|Baldigus]] to separate him from Cybertron. After Unicron's defeat, the Transformers that made up Grand Galvatron all went their separate ways. {{storylink|Ruination Chapter, Part Two}}

===''Kre-O'' online comic===
Megatron's ambition was to use [[Earth]]'s bricks to build a planet-sized Galvatron-like body for himself. {{storylink|Megatron's Ambition!? The Solar Tower Is Built!}}

====''Legends'' comic====
Grand Galvatron was a Micro-Changer Combiner who accompanied [[Megatron (Kre-O)|Megatron]] during his attack on the [[Legends World]]. {{storylink|Transformers Legends Special Chapter|Special Chapter}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
The Galvatron of [[Primax 185.0 Beta]] planned to transplant his own [[spark]] into Cybertron itself in order to become Grand Galvatron and defeat the [[Quintesson]] forces opposing him in his quest for universal domination. However, his spark was destroyed by [[Ratchet (G1)|The Autobot]] and the [[Dreadnok]]s as it was being transferred. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/04}}

==Toys==
===''Unite Warriors''===
[[File:UW-toy GrandGalvatron.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|You chose WHO as your right-hand man?]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Grand Galvatron''' (Giftset, [[2016]])}}</ul>
:*''ID number'': '''UW-06'''
:*''Release date'': [[April 30]], 2016
{{toydesigner|[[Hisashi Yuki]] (TakaraTomy)}}

: ''[[Transformers Unite Warriors|Unite Warriors]]'' Grand Galvatron is made up of [[Cyclonus (G1)/toys#Unite Warriors|Tactician Cyclonus]] with the torso, and [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Unite Warriors|Ghost Starscream]], [[Thrust (Armada)#Unite Warriors|Curse Armada Thrust]], [[Breakdown (WFC)#Unite Warriors|Zombie War Breakdown]], and [[Roller (G1)#UW06|Wandering Roller]] as limbs. The deco of Cyclonus's torso mode more closely adheres to the appearance of the [[Galvatron (G1)/toys#Generation 1|original Galvatron toy]]... which is kind of funny given how painfully animation-based Cyclonus's deco is.

: While the box, [[Special Training in the Lava Baths of Planet Thrull!|included story]], and instructions have an official limb configuration for Grand Galvatron, using Wandering Roller as the right arm with his toes folded up in his leg configuration allows for Cyclonus's blaster to be mounted on the forearm, rather than precariously positioned on Starscream's wing.

: This set also included a [[collector coin]] in a special sleeve.

: Grand Galvatron was released as a [[TakaraTomy Mall]] exclusive, rather than as a retail release; it was the third of six exclusive sets.
{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===Brave-Goukin===
*'''Excel Suit''' (<s>2014</s>)
[[File:Cm-corps-exo-suit-grand-galvatron.jpeg|right|200px|thumb|No, more like ''Grande'' Galvatron.]]
:A tiny Grand Galvatron figurine was to be included with [[CM's Corporation]]'s ''Brave-Goukin'' "[[Exosuit#Brave-Goukin|Excel Suit]]" toy. It was displayed in unpainted [[prototype]] form at various conventions, but the whole set went unreleased due to CM's Corporation's bankruptcy.

{{canceledtoy}}

==Notes==
*In the [[Omni Productions]] dub, while showing his plans to Sixshot, Galvatron proudly proclaims, "This is [[Unicorn]]!" Sixshot reacts with a hilariously exaggerated "Whoaaaa!" Apparently, a member of the dubbing team found out about [[Unicron]] and tried (unsuccessfully) to tie the two concepts together.

===Foreign names===
*''English:'' '''Unicorn''' ([[Omni Productions]] dub)
*''Russian:'' '''Universal''' (Универсал, "Universal")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Unikron''' (Унікрон)

==See also==
*[[Galvatronus (CW)]]

[[Category:Combined forms]]
[[Category:TakaraTomy Mall exclusives]]
[[Category:The Headmasters]]
[[Category:Unite Warriors Decepticons]]

Bumblebee (Movie)

2026-03-24T13:54:22Z

Zenphia: /* Lack of voice */

{{factions|autobot|NEST|sector7|hofsilver}}
{{disambig3.5|the Autobot lieutenant|the movie named after him|Bumblebee (film)|Bumblebee}}
{{suite}}
:''Bumblebee is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Movie continuity family]].''

[[File:TF-Alliance03 Cover Nizzi.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|Hi, kids! I'm the new face of ''Transformers''! Hope you enjoy!]]
'''Bumblebee''' is one of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]]'s most trusted lieutenants. Although he is not the strongest or most powerful of the Autobots, Bumblebee more than makes up for this with a bottomless well of luck, determination and bravery. He would gladly give his life to protect others and stop the [[Decepticon]]s.

Badly damaged in battle, Bumblebee lost the ability to speak verbally, though he can still communicate over [[Inter-Autobot radio|inter-Autobot frequencies]] (in a fashion that seems somewhat akin to instant messaging, a usable but more distant and less personal means of interaction). He can also communicate with the Autobots' human allies and his friend, [[Sam Witwicky]], by playing audio clips from popular media on his radio. Though he has these stable forms of communication, Bumblebee would love nothing more than to finally get his voice back someday.

As the battles on Earth have raged on and more of their old friends have perished in the fighting, Bumblebee has found himself forced to step up as acting Autobot leader whenever Optimus isn't around. This stint at leadership isn't exactly going that well, as not only are there barely any surviving Autobots around to lead, not many of them respect his authority. Bumblebee's trying his best, but he shows all the signs of a young 'bot forced to grow up too fast, with his impulsiveness sometimes giving the Autobots as much trouble as their adversaries.

He is also known as '''N.B.E.-02''', '''ZB-7''', '''B-127''', and has operated under the codename '''Goldwheels'''. He is also partnered with the [[Dinobot (AOE)|Dinobot]] [[Strafe (AOE)|Strafe]], and is brothers-in-arms with fellow Autobot [[Hot Rod (DOTM)|Hot Rod]].

{{quote|If there's anything you need, I won't be far away.|Bumblebee quoting ''{{w|Forrest Gump}}'' to Sam|''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''}}

==Fiction==
===Movies===
{{note|The seven 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|[[Mark Ryan]] (English), [[Hiroshi Iwasaki]] (Japan radio voice), [[Akio Kato]] (Japan normal voice)|[[Bohdan Tůma]] (Czech), [[Lu Kui]] (Chinese), [[Patrick Béthune]] (European French), [[Helmut Gauß]] (German), [[Eduardo Borgerth]] (Portuguese), [[Omar Soto]], [[Marisol Romero]] (Latin American-Spanish Radio voices), [[Alfredo Gabriel Basurto]] (Latin American-Spanish normal voice), [[Paco Gázquez]] (Castilian Spanish), [[János Bácskai]] (Hungarian), [[Vilmos Papucsek]] (Hungarian radio voice), [[Saverio Indrio]] (Italian), [[Shanu Dev]] (Hindi), [[Altuğ Yücel]] (Turkish), [[Choi Jeong-ho]] (Korean), [[Kim Ki-heung]] (Korean)}}
[[File:Movie2007 Bumblebee dealership.jpg|left|upright=1.8|thumb|Out with the old, and in with the new.]]
When the Autobots scattered to the stars in search of the lost [[AllSpark]], Bumblebee made his way to the planet [[Earth]], where he connected the trail of the lost relic to the [[Witwicky (surname)|Witwicky]] family line. In 2007, disguised as a battered 1970s Camaro, Bumblebee followed [[Ron Witwicky]] and his son [[Sam Witwicky|Sam]] to [[Bolivia's Finest Quality Used Cars and Petting Zoo|a second rate car dealership]] and slipped himself amongst the vehicles, intending to have the boy purchase him so that he could get close to the family. When proprietor [[Bobby Bolivia]] couldn't agree on a price, however, it looked like Sam would wind up buying another car, so Bumblebee used a high-frequency sound wave to blow out the windows of every other vehicle in the lot, leaving Bolivia with no choice but to sell him.

[[File:Movie Bumblebee winner.jpg|upright=1.8|thumb|YOU BIG WINNER, HAHAHA.]]

The next day, Sam and his friend [[Miles Lancaster]] drove Bumblebee down to a party at the lake, where the disguised Autobot decided to do the boy a favor, playing "Drive" on his radio to subtly convince Sam to kick Miles out and offer his crush [[Mikaela Banes]] a ride home. When he neared a romantic spot overlooking the city, Bumblebee turned off his engine and began playing romantically suggestive songs; this didn't have the intended effect, and Bumblebee had to abruptly turn himself back on again when Mikaela started to walk off. After they returned Mikaela home, Bumblebee drove off during the night; Sam, believing it to be a car theft, followed him to a junkyard and witnessed the robot-mode Bumblebee sending a beacon into space to summon his fellow Autobots. Apparently unaware that he had been spotted, Bumblebee then scared off the junkyard's two guard dogs when they menaced Sam.

[[File:TF2007 bumblebee 2009 camaro.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.8|Out with the new, and in with the newer.]]

When Bumblebee returned to the Witwicky home the next day, a terrified Sam fled from what he dubbed "Satan's Camaro", only to wind up being attacked by the Decepticon [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]], who was also on the trail of the AllSpark. While fleeing this new threat, Sam ran into Mikaela, and Bumblebee then snatched the pair up and drove them away, with Barricade in hot pursuit. Taking refuge at a deserted chemical plant, Bumblebee revealed his robot form to the two humans so he could engage Barricade in combat, eventually knocked the Decepticon out after a brawl. Afterward, Bumblebee—able only to communicate in sound bites broadcast over his radio—properly introduced himself to Sam and Mikaela, and drove them to nearby [[Griffith Observatory]] to watch as the other Autobots he had called upon arrived in the sky overhead. Along the way, when Mikaela wondered aloud why a super-advanced robot turned into a "piece of crap Camaro", a mildly insulted Bumblebee scanned a passing 2009 Camaro, taking on its sleek and shiny form himself.

[[File:Movie BumblebeeCC guardian.jpg|upright=1.8|thumb|I may be your guardian, but I will not carry you through a crowd to the music of Whitney Houston.]]

Bumblebee took his friends to a secluded alleyway, where Sam and Mikaela met the other Autobots, including their leader, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]]. Medical officer [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] explained that Bumblebee's inability to speak was a result of an old injury to his [[processor|vocal processor]], which Ratchet then treated with a regenerative plasma beam.<ref name="Orci">[http://boards.transformersmovie.com/showthread.php?t=12054 Post-movie Q&A with screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman]</ref> Prime explained that Sam had been targeted because he owned [[Archibald Witwicky's glasses|a set]] of [[glasses]] belonging to his grandfather, [[Archibald Witwicky]], which had the location on the AllSpark inscribed on their lenses, and the entire group returned to the Witwicky home so they could obtain them.

[[File:Movie2007 Bumblebee lubricates Simmons.JPG|thumb|left|upright=1.8|"They should change my name to Bumble-PEE!!!" Ba Dum Tss! I'll be here all night!]]

Though the glasses were soon found, the forces of [[Sector Seven]] soon descended upon the house and apprehended Sam and Mikaela. The Autobots wasted no time in rescuing them, but when the interrogation of [[Seymour Simmons]] went nowhere, Bumblebee became so annoyed with his attitude that he released lubricant onto the agent. When Sector Seven reinforcements arrived, the Autobots were forced to hide; unfortunately, Sam and Mikaela fell from their hiding place beneath a bridge, and Bumblebee had to reveal himself to save them. Harpooned and frozen by Sector Seven agents, he was captured by the organization, with Optimus Prime regrettably unable to intercede as he knew the Autobots could not do so without harming the humans.

[[File:TF2007 bumblebee captured.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|"I WAS FROZEN TODAY!"]]
Taken to Sector Seven's base at [[Hoover Dam]], Bumblebee was continually doused with cryoblasts to keep him subdued while experiments were performed on him, until Sam and Mikaela (with some armed persuasion from [[William Lennox|Captain Lennox]]) convinced S7 to let him go. Upon his release, Bumblebee almost lashed out at his human oppressors until Sam calmed him down, informing him of the presence of the AllSpark and [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] in the facility, and that the Decepticons were coming for both. Following the humans to the AllSpark's chamber, Bumblebee hesitantly reached out to the life source of his people and reformatted it, shrinking the cube until it was a size that the humans could manipulate. Cube in hand, Bumblebee and a military escort fled to [[Mission City]], meeting the Autobots en route.

[[File:TF2007 bumblebee gives sam allspark.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8|"I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you!"]]
Soon after Bumblebee and the Autobots arrived in the city, the Decepticons descended in force, with a missile attack from Starscream blowing off Bumblebee's legs. To get him to safety, Mikaela and Sam hoisted Bumblebee onto an abandoned tow truck, but Bumblebee pushed the AllSpark into Sam's hands, urging him to run while he still could. As Sam reluctantly left, Mikaela drove Bumblebee away from the fighting to relative safety, but she was soon overcome with guilt for leaving Sam and the battle. With Bumblebee's assent, she turned headed back in, driving the truck in reverse so that Bumblebee could fire his weapons at [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]], helping take the tank Decepticon out. Subsequently, Sam used the AllSpark to destroy Megatron, and in the aftermath, Bumblebee found that his voice had returned,<ref name="Orci"/> and he used it to request permission to remain with Sam. Optimus and Sam agreed, and after his legs were repaired, Bumblebee allowed Sam and Mikaela to make out on top of him as Optimus sent his message to space calling other Autobots to Earth. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}}

{{note|Bumblebee'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]]," "[[Transformers Mix & Match]]," "[[Meet the Autobots]]," "[[Meet the Decepticons]]," and "[[Transformers: The Movie Storybook]]." In several, Bumblebee has his own [[Moustache Man]] hologram driver, which does not appear in the finished film.}}

====''Revenge of the Fallen'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Mark Ryan]] (English, promo video)|[[Lu Kui]] (Chinese), [[Bohdan Tůma]] (Czech), [[Bernard Bollet]], [[Jean-Philippe Puymartin]], others (European French radio voices), [[Eduardo Borgerth]] (Portuguese), [[Omar Soto]] (Latin American-Spanish Radio voice), [[Enrique Cervantes]] (Latin American-Spanish), [[Arturo Acosta]] (Latin American-Spanish radio voice), [[Alfredo Gabriel Basurto]] (Latin American-Spanish normal voice), [[Kim Ki-heung]] (Korean)}}
[[File:ROTF bumblebee opens fire.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|Fixing [[Appliancebot|broken appliances]] the most effective way.]]
Two years after the battle of Mission City, his voice still not properly repaired, Bumblebee was dozing in the Witwicky garage the day Sam was packing for [[Princeton University]] when a scream from Sam saw him called into action to blast the [[AllSpark Mutation]]s a surviving sliver of the AllSpark had made of the Witwicky kitchen appliances. Shrugging off [[Judy Witwicky]]'s complaints that he had blown up much of their house, 'Bee returned to the garage, where he was dismayed to learn that Sam was not planning on taking him to college with him, as just he wanted a normal life.

[[File:ROTF bee makes trouble.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.8|Phew, turned the alarm off before it started playing "Imma Be".]]
Hoping that Sam could serve as an ambassador of sorts to help convince the [[President of the United States]] that it was important the Autobots stay on Earth to fight off the Decepticons, Optimus Prime had Bumblebee pick up Sam from college so he could talk to him. 'Bee caused trouble for Sam right away, disrupting a frat party he was attending, then wound up with an unwanted passenger in [[Alice (ROTF)|Alice]], about whom he could tell something wasn't right. Bonking her head off his dashboard and spraying her in liquid to get rid of her, he then took Sam to meet Optimus, but the boy turned down the Autobot leader's offer. Unfortunately, Sam soon proved to have little choice in whether or not he would be involved in the Transformers' war, when a resurrected Megatron captured him, and Bumblebee and Prime had to come to his rescue. 'Bee took Mikaela and Sam's roommate [[Leo Spitz]], to safety, but Optimus died protecting the boy.

[[File:ROTF bumblebee puppdogeyes.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|''You tell me that you open your eyes...'']]

Bumblebee, together with [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]], took the three humans to an abandoned prison where they would be safe, but soon, the Decepticons' master [[The Fallen]] struck across Earth, demanding Sam he turned over to them. Bearing Sam no grudge for Optimus's death, Bumblebee promised to help his fugitive friend in any way, though he advised against Sam turning himself in. At Leo's suggestion, the group went to [[New York City]] to meet his internet rival, the Robo-Warrior—in actuality, Bumblebee's old lubrication post Seymour Simmons, who provided evidence that [[Seeker (ROTF)|a group of Decepticons]] had been on Earth thousands of years ago. Following this information, the group located and reactivated the ancient [[Jetfire (Movie)|Jetfire]], who teleported them to [[Egypt]] to search for the [[Matrix of Leadership]], which Sam hoped could be used to revive Optimus.

[[File:ROTF Bumblebee twin bash.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.6|Respect my authoritah!]]

Bumblebee transported the humans to [[Petra]], the supposed location of the [[Tomb of the Primes]], but when it appeared to be a dead end, the Twins got into an argument over why they were following Sam around. The argument turned into a brawl which threatened to crush the humans in the close quarters, so Bumblebee picked his two subordinates, slammed them together, and threw them out of the temple. However, the Twins' brawl had managed to unearth the Tomb of the Primes, and Bumblebee further opened the hole with his plasma cannon, where they found the Matrix...which instantly turned to dust. Gathering up the dust in hopes it would still work, the team headed back to Egypt, but were [[Operation: Firestorm|assaulted]] by Starscream on the way. 'Bee, Simmons, Leo, and the Twins led Starscream and the Decepticons away while Sam and Mikaela went on ahead, and when it became apparent that Starscream was no longer pursuing them, Bumblebee left to rejoin the pair.

[[File:ROTF movie BumblebeevsRampage.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|Move your body Rampage! Yeah, like that, gymnastics are really easy when you have two legs. Oh wait...]]

Arriving in the abandoned town Sam and Mikaela were hiding from the Decepticons in, Bumblebee found that Sam's parents were being held captive by [[Rampage (ROTF)|Rampage]]. Sam distracted the [[Constructicon (ROTF)|Constructicon]] long enough for Bumblebee to jump him, but while they were grappling, [[Ravage (ROTF)|Ravage]] ambushed Bumblebee. The plucky Autobot managed to fight off Ravage and ''rip out his spine'', then overpowered and killed Rampage. At Sam's instruction, Bumblebee took the boy's parents to safety, returning in time to see Sam apparently be killed by a blast from Megatron, upon which he broke down in grief. However, Sam miraculously survived the attack, and with the reformed Matrix of Leadership, resurrected Optimus Prime. Together, the assembled Autobots and humans watched as Optimus combined with the remains of Jetfire, destroyed the harvester and killed The Fallen. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}

{{note|Bumblebee’s involvement in the preceding events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the novels "[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen]]," "[[Revenge of the Fallen: The Junior Novel]]" and "[[The Last Prime]]"; the comic mini-series "[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Official Movie Adaptation]]"; and the storybooks "[[I Am Optimus Prime (ROTF)|I Am Optimus Prime]]," "[[When Robots Attack!]]," "[[Rise of the Decepticons]]," "[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Electronic Voice Changer]]" and "[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Mix & Match]]." In the [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|novelization]] of the film, Bumblebee speaks—with difficulty—in his own voice several times, a story element that was cut from the finished film.}}

====''Dark of the Moon'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Lu Kui]] (Chinese)|[[Eduardo Borgerth]] (Portuguese), [[Bohdan Tůma]] (Czech), [[Omar Soto]] (Latin American-Spanish Radio voice), [[Enrique Cervantes]], [[Arturo Acosta]] (Latin American-Spanish radio voice; ''Revenge of the Fallen''), [[Alfredo Gabriel Basurto]] (Latin American-Spanish normal voice), [[Ferso Velázquez]] (Latin American-Spanish radio voice), [[Paco Gázquez]] (Castilian Spanish)}}
[[File:DOTFfilm-BumblebeeStealthForce.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.8|''Stealth'' Force? Right...]]
Three years after the defeat of the Fallen, Bumblebee no longer lived with Sam, having been put back on active NEST duty now regularly engaged in top secret missions with the rest of the Autobots, mostly to prevent human conflict. Alongside [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]], [[Dino]] and [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]], Bumblebee investigated an illegal nuclear facility, employing his [[Stealth Force]] mode to destroy it. Upon returning to the [[NEST]] base, he assisted in teaching soldiers how to fight Decepticons.

[[File:DOTM bumblebee vs brazos.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|Grumpy Bee is not impressed.]]

Having received information from his co-worker [[Jerry Wang]] that suggested a conspiracy of humans collaborating with the Decepticons, Sam and his new girlfriend [[Carly Spencer]] went to NEST headquarters to share what Sam had learned, but when the guards would not let him enter, he grabbed a radio and called for Bumblebee to "convince" them. The guards quickly backed off when Bumblebee burst out of the building, but the reunion wasn't an entirely happy one, as Sam made clear to his big 'bot buddy that he was upset that he wasn't around much any more. National Intelligence Director [[Charlotte Mearing]] had no interest in Sam's conspiracy theories, so Sam left with Bumblebee to investigate the matter himself. To "repay" Sam's boss eccentric [[Bruce Brazos]] for a few leads he was able to provide them, Bumblebee play-fought with the man, who tried some karate moves on him.

[[File:Dotm-sam&bumblebee-ahhh!-1-.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.8|Here comes another Flight of the Bumblebee joke...]]
After Sam, [[Seymour Simmons|Simmons]] and [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]] learned that the Autobots' recent actions—recovering their lost former leader [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] and his [[space bridge]] [[pillar]]s from the wreck of the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'' they had discovered on Earth's [[Moon (moon)|moon]]—had actually been orchestrated by the Decepticons, Bumblebee, Sideswipe and Dino escorted the humans and Sentinel back to the NEST base. En route, they were attacked by the [[Dread (DOTM)|Dreads]], and Bumblebee was forced to execute an impressive mid-air transformation to avoid a crashed truck, tossing Sam into the air as he switched modes, before transforming back to vehicle mode around the boy. When the group arrived back at NEST, Sentinel revealed he was in league with Megatron, and Bumblebee was unable to prevent [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] from being killed and the base from being destroyed as Sentinel retrieved his pillars.

[[File:DOTM-bumblebeesamsfriend.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|Bee good.]]
Sentinel used his pillars to open a space bridge in the heart of Washington, and Bumblebee and the Autobots were vastly outnumbered by the Decepticon forces that poured through and had to retreat. When Sentinel forced the humans to exile the Autobots on their ship, the ''[[Xantium (DOTM)|Xantium]]'', Bumblebee was allowed a short time to say goodbye to Sam, and assured him he was always going to be his friend, before helping the others prepare the ship for launch. However shortly after lift-off, the ''Xantium'' was destroyed by [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]], and Bumblebee and the rest of the Autobots were presumed dead.

[[File:DOTM bee and carly in ship.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.8|Carly is not liking the in-flight movie.]]
In actuality, the Autobots had hidden in a rocket booster that was jettisoned before the Xantium's destruction, and arrived in the Decepticon-occupied [[Chicago]] in time to help Sam, [[Robert Epps|Epps]] and a team of soldiers in finding the kidnapped Carly. Bumblebee piloted one of the downed Decepticon fighters to get Sam into the building in which Decepticon conspirator [[Dylan Gould]] was holding Carly, and used it to both rescue the pair and blast off [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]]'s head. He rejoined his fellow Autobots in attacking the Decepticon forces, and arrived in time to save Sam and Lennox from falling to their deaths after Sam managed to kill Starscream.

[[File:830px-Dotm-helluvarun-1-.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|He's right behind me, isn't he?]]
Unfortunately, Bumblebee, Sideswipe, Dino, Ratchet and Que were soon captured by [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] and his troops, and Bumblebee could only watch as Que was executed. He had barely a moment to mourn before he was pulled forward, sharing what seemed to be a final, heartfelt look with Sam... before [[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] and [[Brains]] suddenly started dropping Decepticon fighters from a Decepticon warship above. With Soundwave distracted, Bumblebee attacked his would-be executioner, and after a short but intense battle, killed the Decepticon spy-master by punching straight through his chest and blasting his head to bits. Subsequently, Bumblebee joined the final battle, and with Ratchet's help, he tackled and destroyed the space bridge's control pillar, shutting the bridge down. After the defeat of the Decepticons and Sentinel Prime, Bumblebee produced a selection of gears and washers from inside his body so that Sam could use one as a ring to propose to Carly with, but Sam just told him that he needed to slow it down. He was then commended for his bravery in battle by Ratchet.{{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}}
{{note|Bumblebee's involvement in the preceding events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the novels "[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)|Transformers: Dark of the Moon]]" and "[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel]]," the "[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation]] and "[[Movie Trilogy]]" comics," and the storybooks "[[Autobots Versus Decepticons]]," "[[The Lost Autobot]]," "[[Optimus Prime's Friends and Foes]]," "[[Bumblebee's Best Friend]]," "[[Dark of the Moon: Action Pop-ups!]]" and "[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Mix & Match]]."}}

====''Age of Extinction'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Ben Schwartz]] (English radio voice, see notes), [[Kōichi Yamadera]] (Japanese radio voice)|[[Lu Kui]] (Chinese), [[Bohdan Tůma]] (Czech), [[Vincent Ribeiro]], [[Tristan Petitgirard]], [[Frédéric Souterelle]], [[Cédric Dumond]], others (European French radio voices), [[Marc-André Bélanger]], [[François L'Écuyer]] and [[Frédéric Zouvi]] (Canadian French radio voices), [[Eduardo Borgerth]] (Portuguese), [[Ferso Velázquez]] (Latin American-Spanish radio voice), [[Gerardo Alonso]] (Latin American Spanish radio voice), [[Moisés Ivan Mora]] (Latin American Spanish radio voice)}}
[[File:AOEBumblebee.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8|After a wild bender, Bumblebee woke up in the desert, stripped of his 2011 Camaro kibble.]]
At some point in the past, Bumblebee had a phase where he became extremely insubordinate and disrespectful to Optimus Prime.

In the aftermath of the Battle of Chicago, Bumblebee remained on Earth with the other Autobots, but they were all soon forced to go on the run when the U.S. government disbanded [[NEST]], and [[Harold Attinger]]'s [[Cemetery Wind]] taskforce began hunting down Transformers. Disguised as a beat-up 1967 Camaro, Bumblebee even found himself having to take command of the remaining Autobot refugees when Optimus Prime disappeared, even though the others saw him as brash and inexperienced.

[[File:AOE bee and stinger.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|Bumblebee shares the same feeling with [[Stephanie Sheh|Usagi Tsukino]] when it comes to clones.]]

Five years after Chicago, Optimus returned and Bumblebee relinquished command, but this did not stop [[Drift (AOE)|Drift]] from complaining about Bumblebee's leadership skills. Indignant at being called a "child" by the Autobot samurai, Bumblebee briefly brawled with Drift, but greater matters soon demanded the Autobots' attention. Following information provided by Optimus's new human ally [[Cade Yeager]] that revealed Cemetery Wind was delivering the bodies of the Transformers they captured to [[Kinetic Solutions Incorporated]], the Autobots prepared to infiltrate the company's Chicago headquarters; Bumblebee falsified ID cards to get Cade and [[Shane Dyson]] into the building, then drove them to the site, masquerading as a non-sentient vehicle being brought in for [[scanning]]. Upon seeing the company's display of [[Stinger (AOE)|Stinger]], a drone based on his own design, as well as several videos and posters claiming that he was inferior to the human-made Transformer, Bumblebee flipped out and knocked over the prototype, then left Shane to take the blame for the accident.

[[File:AOE bumblebee missiles.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.8|Hi Tom!]]

The information Cade brought out of KSI revealed to the Autobots that the captured Transformers were being melted down for their raw [[Living metal#Live-action film series|transformium]] metal. Learning that Ratchet had suffered this grisly fate, Bumblebee joined the Autobots in attacking the building, though not before scanning a newer 2014 Camaro along the way, as well as taking on a sleek new appearance based on Stinger. He got a lift from Drift's helicopter mode to the building's upper levels and was able to rescue Cade from Attinger's clutches, having no regard for damaging the building to avenge Ratchet. The Autobots then withdrew, but were pursued by Stinger and KSI's premiere creation, Galvatron; 'Bee attempted to cover Optimus and the humans by blasting Galvatron with a cluster of missiles, but was left in utter shock when the drone disintegrated and reassembled himself to avoid the attack.

[[File:AOE-BeeIsTheBest.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|Never mind the fact we should be ripped to shreds by the shattered glass from this skyscraper, you're the best, Bee!]]
When Optimus was captured by [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]], Bumblebee and the Autobots infiltrated the [[Knight Ship|bounty hunter's ship]]. Bumblebee helped their human allies escape from several [[Steeljaw (AOE)|Steeljaw]]s, and though he could not stop the ship's anchors from being detached, causing the humans to fall towards Chicago, he still managed to save them by swinging down on the cables and grabbing them out of the air. Given a lift by [[Crosshairs (AOE)|Crosshairs]] in a stolen gunship, 'Bee had to take over piloting the craft while Crosshairs engaged Lockdown's pursuing henchmen, and although he managed to lose the ships chasing them by diving into an underground roadway, he then promptly crashed the gunship into the city streets.

Bumblebee and the humans regrouped with the other Autobots at a disused train yard, where they learned from Brains that Galvatron was, in actuality, a reborn Megatron, and was planning to detonate a cyberforming [[seed]]—given to KSI head [[Joshua Joyce]] by Lockdown—in [[Hong Kong]]. The team immediately headed for China, but upon arrival, their ship was shot down, and Bumblebee, [[Hound (Movie)|Hound]] and the humans fell out and had to escort the seed out of the city. [[File:CheapKnockOffs.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8|But how does he feel about the length of his toy page?]] Bumblebee and Hound acted as a defensive line against Galvatron's forces, and though they destroyed many drones, they slowly became overwhelmed by the onslaught. Salvation came in the form of Optimus Prime and the newly recruited [[Dinobot (AOE)|Dinobots]]; their airborne member [[Strafe (AOE)|Strafe]] partnered himself up with Bumblebee, and together, they took out Stinger, who 'Bee "eulogized" by calling him a "cheap knockoff" and let Strafe gnaw on his head. With the battle reaching fever pitch, Bumblebee was tasked by Cade with taking his daughter [[Tessa Yeager|Tessa]] and Shane out of the city, but the pair soon convinced him to turn around and help Optimus and Cade fight the returned Lockdown. Bumblebee quickly found he was no match for Lockdown, but his intervention gave Tessa and Shane enough time to help Optimus recover, and the Autobot leader slew the bounty hunter. Bumblebee, alongside the other Autobots, was tasked with protecting the Yeager family from any threats when Optimus left Earth to confront Lockdown's employers, the mysterious [[Creator]]s. With Optimus off-world, Bumblebee was left in charge of the Autobots. {{storylink|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction}}
{{-}}

====''The Last Knight'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Erik Aadahl]] (English), [[Masato Obara]] (Japanese)|[[Atsuo Hasegawa]] (Japanese, radio voice), [[Lu Kui]] (Chinese), [[Bohdan Tůma]] (Czech), [[Boris Tessmann]] (German), [[Eduardo Borgerth]] (Portuguese), [[Omar Soto]] (Latin American-Spanish Radio voice), [[Alfredo Gabriel Basurto]] (Latin American-Spanish normal voice), [[Raúl Anaya]] (Latin American-Spanish, radio voice), [[José Luis Miranda]] (Latin American-Spanish, radio voice), [[Paco Gázquez]] (Castilian Spanish), [[János Bácskai]] (Hungarian)}}
[[File:TLK Bumblebee versus Nazis.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|left|He shot fifty men.]]
During [[World War II]], Bumblebee, then known as ZB-7, and [[Hot Rod (DOTM)|Hot Rod]] fought alongside Allies, during which the two met and befriended a young [[Edmund Burton]]. After the war however, Bumblebee resumed his search while Hot Rod remained behind. As the decades passed, Bumblebee would not come to remember World War II as a particularly noteworthy conflict.

[[File:TLK Bumblebee snags Santos.jpg|thumb|300px|If it's a Super Saiyan you're looking for, I can fill the part.]]
In the years since Optimus Prime's departure into space in search of the Creators, Bumblebee retook command of the remaining team of Autobots on Earth. He accompanied Cade and Hound to the Chicago No Go-Zone: a hotspot of Cybertronian artifacts that landed on Earth since the Battle of Chicago. He and Cade came to the aid of [[Izabella]] after her Autobot companion [[Canopy]] was killed with Bumblebee himself destroying one of the attacking Sentinels. When Cade was held up by the [[Transformers Reaction Force|TRF]], Bumblebee came to his assistance, albeit in an unorthodox manner. He blew himself apart, only for his individual pieces to piece back together and reassemble himself in order to dispose of the TRF forces, giving their side the advantage. If it weren't for Lennox's intervention, Bumblebee would very likely have killed TRF Commander [[Santos]]. With Cade easing the standoff to prevent any collateral damage and Hound arriving at the scene, he urged the TRF to lower their weapons and allow them to leave, but not without the TRF tagging Bumblebee with a tracker.

Back at the [[Junkyard (TLK)|junkyard]] where the other Autobots camped, he struggled to keep the team in order, with Grimlock stealing the local sheriff's cruiser and Crosshairs questioning his leadership skills, with whom he engaged in a small brawl. It wasn't helped by the arrival of the unscrupulous [[Daytrader]], who brought with him more of his shady trinkets, which included a [[Vatti Bot]] (which Bumblebee angrily crushed) and the deceased Starscream's head. The next morning, however, a convoy of Decepticons were heading towards at the junkyard. While Hound and [[Trench]] held the line, Bumblebee and others fled to a nearby town where Drift discovered and disabled the tracker the TRF had placed on Bumblebee. After the Decepticons had been lured into a trap, Bumblebee personally slew [[Mohawk]] before a [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] by the name of [[Cogman]] arrived on the scene to escort Cade to England to meet Sir Edmund Burton. Bumblebee accompanied Cade as extra muscle.

[[File:TLKOptimusVsBumblebee.jpg|left|upright=1.6|thumb|Ah, I was wondering what would break first! Your spirit -- ''or your body!'']]
At the castle, they were initially greeted by [[Bulldog (TLK)|a tank Transformer suffering from "robot-dimentia"]] attacking them before Sir Edmund scolded him for firing at guests. Burton then expressed joy at seeing Bumblebee despite the Autobot not remembering him. It was then that Bumblebee was reunited with Hot Rod, who had sort of kidnapped a woman named [[Viviane Wembly]]. When the TRF arrived, Bumblebee served as a getaway car for Cade and Vivian, depositing them at her flat before he took the two to the [[HMS Alliance|HMS ''Alliance'']], during which he managed to get his Decepticon nemesis Barricade off his tail by blasting him aside. Leaving Hot Rod behind, Bumblebee took hold of the massive femme as she submerged and took the humans to a [[Guardian Knights' ship|submerged Cybertronian ship]]. Inside the ship, however, the group was forced to split as ocean debris had made the path accessible to humans but inaccessible to Bumblebee. He caught up with the two soon after Viviane had found the [[Staff of Merlin]] and seconds before [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Nemesis Prime]] arrived to demand the staff. After threatening Viviane's life for it, Nemesis walked out and Bumblebee, spurred on by Cade, followed Nemesis to try and reawaken his true personality.

On the deck of the ship, Nemesis promptly beat Bumblebee into submission only for the sound of Bumblebee's true voice to reawaken Optimus Prime. Allying with the [[Guardian Knight]]s, the Autobots flew to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to confront and destroy [[Quintessa (TLK)|Quintessa]] while Viviane removed the staff from the [[ignition chamber]] to halt her plan. Though Cybertron's reconnecting and shifting geology proved an obstacle, the Autobots made it to the area of the ignition chamber only to be faced by a Decepticon army backed up by a gun emplacement and [[Infernocus]]; they were eventually destroy by Optimus and [[Sqweeks]]. Salvation came when the [[British Armed Forces|British military]] caused a nearby chunk of Cybertron to swing and impact the ignition chamber. In the temporary state of zero gravity, Bumblebee took the opportunity to kill [[Nitro Zeus]] by blowing up his head. Optimus then distracted Quintessa allowing Bumblebee to blast her from behind (with a quippy one liner) and Viviane to remove the staff saving Earth. on the surface of Earth, Optimus had felt that Cybertron had healed enough that the Autobots could return home and Bumblebee, after thanking the humans for saving Optimus, boarded the [[Knight Ship]] as it blasted off for Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight}}

====''Bumblebee'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Dylan O'Brien]] (English), [[Ryōhei Kimura]] (Japanese)|[[Lu Kui]] (Chinese), [[Bohdan Tůma]] (Czech), [[Julien Allouf]] (European French), [[Louis-Philippe Berthiaume]] (Canadian French), [[Boris Tessmann]] (German), [[Rajesh Kava]] (Hindi), [[János Bácskai]] (Hungarian), [[Ivan Zaytsev]] (Italian), [[Shin Yong-woo]] (Korean), [[Paco Gázquez]] (Spain Spanish), [[Emilio Treviño]] (Latin-American Spanish), [[Eduardo Borgerth]] (Portuguese), [[Levan Gorozia]] (Russian), [[Altuğ Yücel]] (Turkish)}}

[[File:Bumblejeep.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8|"Maybe if I look like this, [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] will think I'm [[Swindle (G1)|a part]] of [[Combaticon (G1)|his brigade]]!"]]

A scout under the command of Optimus Prime, B-127 was part of the final battle for Cybertron — a battle that ended with the Autobot position overrun by the Decepticons and necessitating a full-scale Autobot evacuation of Cybertron. As part of this evacuation, Prime tasked him with a reconnaissance mission to the distant planet of [[Earth]]—its location hidden from the Decepticons—in the hopes that the scout could establish a base for the Autobots to regroup and strike back. Launched off-planet aboard an [[Autobot escape pod|escape pod]], B-127 crash-landed in [[California]] in the year [[1987]], having the bad fortune to land in the woods where [[Sector Seven]] agent [[Jack Burns]] had been conducting a training exercise.

Trying to flee the hostile humans, B-127 quickly [[scanning|scanned]] a jeep alternate mode to make his escape and fled through the woods until he was cornered outside of an abandoned mineshaft. Despite his best intentions to assure the humans of his good intentions, the Autobot scout found himself attacked by the Decepticon [[Blitzwing (BB)|Blitzwing]]. Believing that B-127 knew the whereabouts of Optimus Prime and his forces, the Decepticon grappled with the little Autobot in an attempt to get him to speak; when his foe retorted that he would never disclose Prime's location, Blitzwing "made it official" by ripping out B-127's voice box and grievously injuring him by hurling him off a cliff. Before the Decepticon could execute him, however, B-127 emerged triumphant by jamming one of Blitzwing's missiles into the Decepticon's superstructure, blowing Blitzwing to smithereens.

His [[voice box]] damaged, his memory cells offline, and his body failing, the critically wounded B-127 was able to limp to a nearby riverbank, and before entering stasis he was able to scan a new disguise: a Volkswagen Beetle. It was in this form that B-127 remained for some time while he recovered, and at some point the derelict car found its way to a run-down [[Hank's Marine Repair and Parts|salvage yard]] in [[Brighton Falls]], where it was sheeted and left to rust.

[[File:VWBumblebee.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.8|"Do [[Sam Witwicky|you]] have your [[Archibald Witwicky|grandfather]]'s [[Archibald Witwicky's glasses|glasses]]- wait, sorry, [[Charlie Watson|wrong human]]."]]

In August of that year, B-127's derelict form caught the attention of [[Charlie Watson]], and while trying to start the car she triggered the Autobot's radio, broadcasting a signal that inadvertently reached the Decepticons [[Shatter]] and [[Dropkick (Movie)|Dropkick]] on [[Saturn]]. Several days later, on her eighteenth birthday, yard owner [[Uncle Hank|Hank]] allowed Charlie the car as a birthday present if she could get it to start. After fixing the engine, Charlie drove her new car home, and while repairing the car her investigations inadvertently revealed B-127, still wounded, mute, and amnesiac from his battle on Earth. Inspired by the buzzing noises of his broken voice box, Charlie named him "Bumblebee."

The next morning, [[Sally Watson]] used her daughter's car to drive [[Conan|the family dog]] to the vet, with Bumblebee almost revealing himself to a panicked Charlie as she tried to catch up with him. That afternoon, Charlie took him to a nearby beach to teach the Autobot that he couldn't reveal himself to other [[humans]], and during a subsequent walk in the woods Charlie wound up activating a garbled hologram of Optimus Prime, jolting Bumblebee's memory and reminding him of Prime's final battle on Cybertron. His continual attempts to communicate with his broken radio inspired Charlie to replace it with the radio from her late father's Chevrolet, and Bumblebee's curiosity about her old diving tapes and records prompted Charlie to open up about the passing of her father and her difficulty coping with his death.

[[File:Bumblebee vs sofa.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.8|Bumblebee's first (and last) couch gag.]]
As Bumblebee played with his radio, the noise attracted the attention of Charlie's neighbor [[Memo]], and after swearing him to secrecy the pair went for a drive in Bumblebee, with the two humans realizing that Bumblebee was trying to use the radio to communicate. Following an antagonistic encounter with [[Tina Lark]] at a cliff-diving party hosted by [[Tripp Summers]], the trio decided to get revenge by pranking her house; Bumblebee got carried away while egging her car, however, and wound up destroying it entirely. Their hasty escape caught the attention of [[Sheriff Lock]], and Bumblebee was able to easily evade the sheriff's police cruiser during the subsequent police chase.

Realizing that she couldn't drive Bumblebee the next morning, Charlie left him in the garage while she went to work, though Bumblebee's curiosity soon got the better of him, and his clumsy exploration of the Watson home had him inadvertently destroy the house's interior in the process, while his experiments with an electrical outlet led to a massive [[energon]] surge. His destruction of the house caught the attention of Memo, who called Charlie home from work to deal with the problem. Though Memo was able to coax Bumblebee back to the garage to lie low, they were unable to clean up the house before Charlie's parents arrived, and the ensuing argument led to Charlie leaving home in Bumblebee... running into a Sector Seven ambush in the process, the agency having tracked Bumblebee thanks to his energon surge.

[[File:BBfilm-interrogation.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|Bee finds himself in [[Megatron (Movie)#Alternate timeline|yet another]] Decepticon BDSM dungeon.]]
Bumblebee transformed to robot mode to carry Charlie to safety, and although he was able to outmaneuver the humans he was ambushed by Shatter and Dropkick, who took the little Autobot prisoner. Their interrogation revealed Prime's hologram; armed with the knowledge that the Autobots were on their way to Earth, the two Decepticons left to call in their army to finish off their foes—but not before blasting their prisoner.

Thanks to Charlie and Memo jury-rigging one of Sector Seven's electrical guns, the two were able to blast enough electricity into Bumblebee's systems to bring him back online, the reboot restoring his memory cells in the process. Cornered by Sector Seven agents, a weakened Bumblebee only found the strength to fight back after watching Agent Burns manhandle Charlie, blasting the humans until Charlie was able to talk him down; despite his human friend's belief that they needed to hide, Bumblebee set out to stop the Decepticons, bringing Charlie with him.

[[File:BBfilm-Charlie-Bee-underwater.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.8|''[[W:The Shape of Water|The Shape of Metal]]'']]
The pair raced through the streets of Brighton Falls, accompanied by Charlie's family and pursued by more Sector Seven agents, until they reached the radio antennae that Shatter and Dropkick had repurposed into a makeshift Cybertronian relay to contact the Decepticon fleet. Bumblebee leapt into action immediately, killing Dropkick by tearing him apart with a chain and rescuing Agent Burns's disabled helicopter from crashing. As Charlie tried to manually disable the Decepticon relay, Bumblebee was able to narrowly prevent Shatter from taking her down, and as the pair battled in the dry dock below Bumblebee was able to blast the dam holding back the ocean, allowing the rush of water to fatally crush Shatter against a ship. With the Decepticons vanquished, Charlie dove into the water to guide Bumblebee back to shore, and as the pair recovered from their ordeal Agent Burns, having realized the error of his ways, allowed them to leave before his reinforcements arrived.

His memories restored and his body healed, Bumblebee drove Charlie to the [[Golden Gate Bridge]] to say his goodbyes so that he could reunite with the other Autobots and continue his mission on Earth. After thanking his human friend for helping him find his voice, Bumblebee scanned a passing Camaro and drove off, meeting up with Optimus Prime on the bridge and driving away. In the woods that night, Prime commended the scout for his bravery as the pair watched more Autobots arrive on Earth. {{storylink|Bumblebee (film)|Bumblebee}}
{{note|Bumblebee's involvement in the preceding events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the novel "[[Transformers: Bumblebee: The Junior Novel]]".}}

====''Rise of the Beasts'' film====
Seven years after Optimus Prime and the other Autobots had arrived on Earth, Bumblebee was laying low in New York, maintaining a low profile until the Autobot leader sent an order for Bumblebee and all of the other Autobots to meet up at their base of operations. Bumblebee arrived at the same time that Arcee had arrived, seeing that fellow Autobot [[Mirage (Movie)|Mirage]] had in fact taken a human, [[Noah Díaz]], to their location and revealed himself to the human. Optimus Prime arrived shortly thereafter and made the plan for the Autobots to rely on Noah and Mirage to get the [[Transwarp Key]] in order to head home to Cybertron, the young Autobot was placed in the same position as Optimus and Arcee to wait around the mainland to the Museum on Ellis Island.

While waiting for Noah to retrieve the Transwarp Key, Bumblebee spoke to Optimus on the matter of humans, the young Autobot in belief that not all humans are bad. While Optimus would agree that [[Charlie Watson|one human]] had treated Bumblebee well, Optimus stood firm on his belief and added he did not want Bumblebee going to drive-in theaters anymore after the young Autobot said that Optimus "{{w|A Few Good Men|can't handle the truth}}."

Bumblebee's wait was cut short when the [[Terrorcon (ROTB)|Terrorcons]] arrived on the scene, and he rushed into battle alongside the other Autobots to face the threat. When Optimus was overpowered by the Terrorcon leader, [[Scourge (ROTB)|Scourge]] and [[Battletrap (ROTB)|Battletrap]], Bumblebee rushed in with Optimus's battle axe, but the young Autobot was impaled on Scourge's arm blade, and soon was blasted by Scourge's cannon, the Terrorcon leader shortly ripping Bumblebee's insignia off his head.

Bumblebee's body was carried away from the Museum by the other Autobots, and was kept hidden until the Autobots would enlist the help of [[Stratosphere]] to get to their next location, Peru. Arcee looked over the body alongside Optimus, suggesting an Energon transfusion could revive the young Autobot. Bumblebee's lifeless body was kept in the care of Stratosphere for the time being, eventually being placed in a village nearby the city of Cusco with the [[Maximal]]s.

The leader of the Maximals, [[Optimus Primal (ROTB)|Optimus Primal]], revealed that there was Energon in the area, but it was currently inert and would not be of use to revive Bumblebee .The Autobot remained lifeless until the arrival of [[Unicron]] through a transwarp gate. The activation of the gate caused the Energon in the area to ignite and flow, reviving Bumblebee in time for his arrival to the final battle.

[[File:Bumblebee Comeback ROTB.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.8|"He's still alive?!" "Well, he's not as dead as we would've hoped.."]]
Bumblebee arrived in time to reinforce the Autobots, skydiving out of Stratosphere as he would shoot at the multiple Terrorcon pods containing [[Scorponok (ROTB)|Scorponoks]] as well as the multiple [[Sweep (ROTB)|Sweeps]] that had pinned Optimus to the bridge. His fall was intercepted by the Terrorcon [[Nightbird (ROTB)|Nightbird]], but he overpowered her, initially using the Terrorcon as a shield against Scourge's shots before the young Autobot impaled Nightbird's spark with one of her own wings, destroying her as he landed.

Bumblebee assisted Noah in the final battle, and upon the defeat of Scourge, Bumblebee's insignia was returned to him by Optimus, though Optimus soon ordered Bumblebee and all the others to escape as the Autobot leader prepared to destroy the Transwarp Key. Bumblebee drove off in his upgraded off-road Camaro alternate mode, carrying [[Elena Wallace]] in him as he and the other Autobots and Maximals escaped.

Bumblebee then returned to America alongside the other Autobots via Stratosphere.
{{storylink|Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (film)|Rise of the Beasts}}
{{note|Bumblebee's involvement in the preceding events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the book "[[Mission at the Museum]]".}}

===Novels===
====''Ghosts of Yesterday''====
Before coming to Earth, Bumblebee was part of the crew of the [[Ark (Movie)|''Ark'']], searching through space for the lost AllSpark. In 1969, Earth-time, the crew encountered an alien ship, the ''[[Ghost 1]]'', in an abandoned solar system. After the ship turned tail and headed for one of the local planets, Optimus Prime sent Bumblebee down after it. Bumblebee located the ship, and was about to approach it when [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] arrived, and he was forced to retreat under the Decepticon's superior firepower. Shortly after Bumblebee discovered some apparently artificial pillars, the ground gave way beneath him, and 'Bee found himself plunged into a cave system. With his radio damaged, he explored the caves, and was attacked by giant, monstrous worm creatures, whose organic nature did not make them any less challenging as opponents. Fortunately, Optimus arrived in time to save him.

Prime and Bumblebee had a brief encounter with Starscream and the ''Ghost 1'', the crew of which had been persuaded by the Decepticon that the Autobots were the aggressors in the Transformer war. The pair retreated back below ground, and later found the ''Ghost 1'' in a battered state, having been abandoned by Starscream. Bumblebee made contact with its crew, a species known as "humans", and the earlier misunderstanding was soon cleared up. When more of the worm creatures turned up, Bumblebee acted as a diversion so Optimus could blast a way out of the caves, and everyone escaped intact. They returned to the ''Ark'' in time to fight the Decepticons once more. Bumblebee joined Ratchet in attacking Barricade, though the Decepticon gave them more than enough trouble. When the ''Ghost-1'' and its crew were lost during the battle, the Autobots turned their attention toward the planet from which it had hailed... Earth. {{storylink|Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday|Ghosts of Yesterday}}

====''The Veiled Threat''====
Following the battle of Mission City and the destruction of the AllSpark, Bumblebee's guardianship of Sam Witwicky meant that he was not an activate participant in any missions carried out by the forces of NEST. {{storylink|Transformers: The Veiled Threat|The Veiled Threat}}

====''Classified'' novels====
[[File:Tfc-switchinggears.jpg|right|thumb|Psst, down here!]]
After the defeat of The Fallen, NEST resumed their regular business of hunting down rogue Decepticons. Bumblebee was at [[Edwards Air Force Base]] with Ratchet when they received word that two Cybertronians in transition forms had landed near [[Hurley's Crossing]]. The pair went there by helicopter and encountered [[Reverb (ROTF)|Reverb]], who claimed to be a Decepticon defector hunting down another Decepticon who was after the technology at [[Hawthorne Army Depot]]. Though Bumblebee was highly skeptical, he followed Ratchet's lead, and they took Reverb to the depot. When they reached it, [[Kevin Bowman]] let them know that [[Gears (ROTF)|Gears]] was an Autobot and in reality trying to protect an ancient weapons cache. The warning came too late, as Reverb turned the weapons on Bumblebee and Ratchet, who were unable to penetrate the personal forcefield Reverb had acquired. Despite this, Bumblebee lasted out Reverb's defeat with minimal damage. {{storylink|Transformers Classified: Switching Gears|Switching Gears}}

When Bumblebee and Gears were left at base, they received word from [[Douglas Porter]] that the Decepticon [[Blowback (Classified)|Blowback]] was heading up to [[Battle Mountain]] where a storehouse of Cybertronian artifacts had been discovered. The pair were compelled to travel to Battle Mountain with Kevin and Douglas, though Bumblebee made a detour to a [[Kwiki-Burger]] on the way. On arrival, they were attacked by Blowback and his men, and by the time they'd dispatched the four Decepticons, Kevin and Douglas had found the storehouse. They were subsequently picked up by Ironhide and taken back to face Optimus Prime's anger at them having gone off on their own. {{storylink|Transformers Classified: Battle Mountain|Battle Mountain}}

When the Battle Mountain cylinder was in danger of activating, Bumblebee and Gears took part in a convoy to transport the device to a NEST vault near [[Yucca Mountain]]. The trip was cut short when the convoy was ambushed outside [[Beatty]] by Reverb and some stolen [[Hyperdynamix]] autonomous tanks. They caught a break when Reverb was called away to the nearby Hyperdynamix Aerospace facility, and while Gears and Kevin followed the Decepticon, Bumblebee remained to protect the remains of the convoy. {{storylink|Transformers Classified: Satellite of Doom|Satellite of Doom}}
{{-}}

===IDW movie comics===
[[File:Defiance1 Cliffjumper Bumblebee.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8|"Tell Hasbro that [[Cliffjumper (disambiguation)|I]] don't want to be a [[repaint]] of [[Bumblebee (disambiguation)|you]] anymore!"]]

Bumblebee was born over 10,000 years ago, one of the second generation of Cybertronians spawned by the [[AllSpark]] since its rediscovery and the revitalization of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 1|Movie Prequel #1}} He and [[Cliffjumper (Movie)|Cliffjumper]] were guardians of the AllSpark at the [[Simfur Temple|Temple]] of [[Simfur]]. One day, when the AllSpark suddenly began giving off energy spikes, a nervous Bumblebee was troubled by the fact that planetary leaders Optimus and [[High Protector]] Megatron were more concerned with a nearby archaeological excavation than with the source of the spikes, but Cliffjumper reassured him that they could handle whatever came their way. He would soon regret those words when [[Ejoornian|aliens]] from the nearby [[Eshems Nebula]] attacked Simfur. The pair were seeking cover inside the temple when Lord Megatron swooped in, berated them for not taking the fight to the enemy, and destroyed their opponent. {{storylink|Defiance issue 1|Defiance #1}} Instructed to stay out of the military's way, Bumblebee was concerned that the attack signalled the start of something ''big'', but Cliffjumper was unconcerned on the basis that two lowly guards wouldn't be part of whatever it was. [[Prowl (Movie)|Prowl]] agreed, ordering them to stay at their posts, after which he quizzed them on how the AllSpark had reacted during the battle. {{Storylink|Defiance issue 2|Defiance #2}}

[[File:Defiance3 Optimus Bumblebee orders.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|Well, that's one way to make a first impression.]]

His ambition ignited by the [[The Fallen|mysterious relic]] discovered at the archaeological dig, a power-hungry Megatron sought to have Optimus disposed of, and sent a team led by Prowl—including Bumblebee—to apprehend him on charges of treason. When Optimus angrily demanded to know what he had done, Bumblebee pointed his weapon at the science leader and said they were just following orders, which seemed to satisfy Optimus. What 'Bee and the other security officers didn't know, however, was they were being led into a trap; on the way to the city of [[Metrotitan (ROTF)|Metrotitan]], they were ambushed by a soldiers loyal to Megatron, who had been ordered to kill them all, save Optimus. Bumblebee helped haul [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]] to safety after the group was hit by an explosive round, and Optimus ordered them all to withdraw to [[Burthov]] while he took care of their attackers personally. {{storylink|Defiance issue 3|Defiance #3}} {{storylink|Foundation issue 3|Foundation #3}}

[[File:Defiance Bumblebee vehiclemodes.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8|My alt mode is Pac-Man!]]

After it was learned that Megatron had rebuilt his Defense Force as an army known as the "Decepticons", Optimus—now Optimus ''Prime'', embracing his destiny—organized Bumblebee and the others loyal to him to stand against Megatron's forces as the "Autobots". While on an apparent scouting mission, Bumblebee and Arcee discovered the Decepticon starship ''[[Nemesis (ROTF)|Nemesis]]'' while it was under construction; some time later, when the vessel was complete, they also observed as the majority of the Decepticon forces boarded. {{storylink|Defiance issue 4|Defiance #4}} Returning to the camp at Burthov, they and all the assembled Autobots watched at the ''Nemesis'' took off. {{storylink|Foundation issue 3|Foundation #3}} With the bulk of the Decepticons gone, the Autobots launched their first strike against the Decepticons, and the war between the two factions truly began. {{storylink|Defiance issue 4|Defiance #4}}

[[File:MovieMegatron Bumblebee torture comic.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Megatron's attempt at a "Give me your arm!" meme didn't really take off...]]

After years of war, with no end in sight, Bumblebee participated in an assault on Simfur Temple to activate the "[[pillar|torch]]" [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] had created, which Sentinel had promised would end the conflict. {{storylink|Foundation issue 3|Foundation #3}} Alas, Starscream blew up Sentinel's [[Ark (DOTM)|ship]], and Bumblebee retreated with the rest of the Autobots. However, the battle had weakened Decepticon forces to the extent that the Autobots were soon able to steal the AllSpark. {{storylink|Foundation issue 4|Foundation #4}} After moving the relic around the planet, Optimus Prime finally made the desperate decision to launch the AllSpark into space to put it beyond Megatron's reach. This decision took Bumblebee by surprise, but he supported Optimus. {{storylink|Defiance issue 4|Defiance #4}} Bumblebee was placed in command of a small Autobot unit at the AllSpark's hiding place in [[Tyger Pax]], on the assumption that the Decepticon would focus their attention on Simfur; unfortunately, Megatron sensed the AllSpark's true location, and Bumblebee and his men found themselves under attack by the Decepticon leader and his troops. [[Swindle (Movie)|Swindle]] tried and failed to torture the AllSpark's precise hiding spot out of Bumblebee, forcing Megatron to take up the task, but even 'Bee did not know ''exactly'' where it was—moments later, both he and Megatron could only watch as the cube was blasted into space from a launch site nearby. A furious Megatron crushed Bumblebee's voice capacitor beyond repair in a petty act of revenge and took off after the AllSpark; although the young bot survived and was dubbed a hero for his actions, he feared that all the Autobots had done was potentially spread their war to other worlds. {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 1|Movie Prequel #1}}

[[File:MoviePrequel Interlude bee vs barricade.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.6]]

In time, the Autobots left Cybertron aboard the ''Ark'' in search of the AllSpark. {{storylink|The Reign of Starscream issue 1|The Reign of Starscream #1}} After years of questing, in 2003, Bumblebee traced the AllSpark to Earth's [[Solar System]], first touching down on [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], where his image was captured by the [[Hubble Space Telescope]] and passed to human organization [[Sector Seven]]. {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 2|Movie Prequel #2}} Landing on Earth in the state of [[Virginia (state)|Virginia]], 'Bee quickly evaded S7 by scanning a battered old Camaro and making for [[St. Louis]], [[Missouri]]. There, he used a remote link to a coffee shop computer to search [[Shwiggle]] for any signs of extraterrestrial sightings, and discovered the story of Captain [[Archibald Witwicky]], who claimed to have seen an "Ice Man" that Bumblebee recognized as a frozen Megatron. {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 3|Movie Prequel #3}} Bumblebee's followed Witwicky's trail to an [[Psychopathic Institute for the Long-Term Insane|asylum]] in [[Baton Rouge]], [[Louisiana]], where the late captain had been committed, {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 4|Movie Prequel #4}} then headed downtown to [[asylum|another asylum]] that had computerized records he could scan. Having thus obtained a list of Witwicky's descendants, Bumblebee set course for [[Springfield]], Missouri, in search of his son [[Clarence Witwicky|Clarence]], evading an attack by Sector Seven along the way. In Springfield, he found records of Clarence's children and started out to track them down, starting with his eldest son [[Ben Witwicky|Ben]] in [[Denver]], [[Colorado]]. Ben proved a dead end, so 'Bee took off for [[Tucson]], only to be again attacked by Sector Seven, evading their helicopters by blinding them and rocketing off at high speed. Not long after, he learned the Decepticons had followed him to Earth when he was attacked by Barricade in the desert. {{storylink|Planetfall (Movie)|Planetfall}} {{storylink|Interlude (Movie Prequel)|Interlude}}

[[File:Prequel3 bumblebee altmode.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.8]]

Escaping his various pursuers, a damaged and smoking Bumblebee stopped by the roadside on the way out of Colorado to rest and recover. Suddenly detecting a burst of AllSpark energy, he trace the source to [[New Mexico]], where Barricade tracked him down and attacked once again. Other Decepticons, meanwhile, attacked the energy source and found it to be a Sector Seven ruse; consequently, assuming Bumblebee would have further leads they could exploit, Barricade let 'Bee escape so that they would be able to covertly track his movements. Eventually, Bumblebee's search took him to [[Tranquility]], [[Nevada]], {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 4|Movie Prequel #4}} where he would soon encounter Sam Witwicky, whom he befriended and allied with during the subsequent battle for the AllSpark. {{storylink|Transformers: Movie Adaptation}}

[[File:Alliance2 Bumblebee takecove-rrk.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8|"Why do they always aim for the throat!?"]]

Immediately following the battle in [[Mission City]], Bumblebee had his legs reattached by Ratchet, then he and the other Autobots rolled out to avoid Sector Seven's inquiries. 'Bee remained behind to guard Sam when the other Autobots were summoned to a meeting with Lennox a month later, {{storylink|Alliance issue 1|Alliance #1}} but then took part in the mission Lennox requested their help with: transporting the dead Decepticons' body to a navy base in [[San Diego]], [[California]] for disposal at sea. Before departing Sector Seven's [[Nevada]] base with the convoy, Optimus Prime gave the surviving AllSpark sliver to [[Vine|Professor Vine]] for safekeeping, but had second thoughts about his decision partway into the mission and sent Ironhide and Bumblebee back to the facility to retrieve it. Racing ahead, Bumblebee was greeted with an unexpected sight: the base aflame, and Decepticons [[Wreckage (Movie)|Wreckage]] and Starscream brawling in the midst of it all. 'Bee disarmed Wreckage with a well-aimed blast and Starscream finished him off, then turned his firepower on the humans; Bumblebee dived in front of them and took the blast, damaging his vocal processor once again. {{storylink|Alliance issue 2|Alliance #2}} {{storylink|Convergence chapter 4}} Ironhide praised him for his bravery and selflessness, Bumblebee regretted not being able to save everybody. {{storylink|Alliance issue 3|Alliance #3}}

[[File:Alliance3 Ironhide Bumblebee.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|"I see dead people, I mean it, look there's one right over there."]]

Two weeks later, Bumblebee was present for the burial at sea of [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] and the Decepticons, following which it was announced that the Autobots and Lennox's team would be working together as a new special unit, dedicated to protecting the Earth from threats posed by the remaining Decepticons. They began training on the island of Diego Garcia, but it took time for the humans and Autobots to learn to work together; during a training exercise on a shooting range, when Bumblebee instinctively fired on a target, he only narrowly avoiding blasting Epps in the process. {{storylink|Alliance issue 3|Alliance #3}} For their first mission, NEST was deployed to [[San Francisco]] to take out the Decepticons [[Jolt (Movie)|Deadend]] and 'Bee's old opponent Swindle. Bumblebee and Lennox chased Swindle onto the deserted [[Golden Gate Bridge]], where the Decepticon was amused upon realizing who it was he was facing once again. When Swindle turned on Lennox, however, he learned the folly of underestimating Bumblebee, who blasted his one-time torturer through the back, killing him. {{storylink|Alliance issue 4|Alliance #4}}

[[File:TotF1 bee vs barricade again.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]

Concerned that Sam Witwicky would become the target of the Decepticons again, Optimus selected Bumblebee to act as Sam's guardian again and sent him to live with the boy. {{storylink|Alliance issue 4|Alliance #4}} However, Bumblebee's attempts to integrate himself into Sam's life were not as smooth as he had hoped. Without the team structure of the Autobots, Bumblebee tended to act upon instinct, taking revenge on Mikaela's ex-boyfriend [[Trent DeMarco]] for his previous humiliations of Sam by wrecking his truck, smashing a would-be car thief with the door he was attempting to unlock, and inadvertently giving Sam traffic tickets by not observing the rules of the road. When Bumblebee was alone, he attempted to learn as much as he could about human culture, feeling that he owed it to his friend. {{storylink|Tales of the Fallen issue 1|Tales of the Fallen #1}} Though no longer on active NEST duty, Bumblebee very occasionally helped his Autobot allies out; in November 2008, he came on-scene to assist his team-mates after [[Demolishor (ROTF)|Demolishor]] had... demolished a sizeable amount of human property in [[Uruguay]]. {{storylink|Tales of the Fallen issue 2|Tales of the Fallen #2}}

Soon, the problem of Sam's impending departure for college arose: 'Bee intended to follow Sam wherever he went, but Sam feared that he might not be able to bring his car along with him. Not thrilled the prospect of Bumblebee continuing to live with them, Sam's father Ron decreed that once Sam had gone to school, Bumblebee would have to leave. However, unexpectedly, Ron came to Bumblebee seeking aid when Mikaela reported that Sam had never made a rendezvous with her. Speeding out of the garage without Ron (and without waiting for the garage door to open), Bumblebee searched for clues to Sam's whereabouts and eventually found a message from his old foe Barricade, who demanded the AllSpark in exchange for the boy. Finding the pair at an car wrecking yard, Bumblebee attacked Barricade, but was considerably outmatched, with the Decepticon gloating that Earth had made the Autobot soft, and their last encounter was down to pure luck. Eventually, with a distraction from Sam, Bumblebee was able to force Barricade into a pool of gasoline. With the Decepticon hardly down for the count, Bumblebee told Sam to run and ignited the gasoline, causing a tremendous explosion that sent both Transformers flying. In the aftermath, Bumblebee told Sam he had a feeling they hadn't seen the last of Barricade. {{storylink|Tales of the Fallen issue 1|Tales of the Fallen #1}}

[[File:After fight with Soundwave Nefarious 1.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|If you have a problem... if no one else can help... and if you can find them... maybe you can hire... The Bee Team.]]

In the wake of the Autobots' battle with The Fallen, {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Official Movie Adaptation|Revenge of the Fallen movie adaptation}} with more new Autobots arriving on Earth regularly, Bumblebee was brought back onto active duty and placed in charge of a team made up of rookies [[Jolt (ROTF)|Jolt]], [[Knock Out (ROTF)|Knock Out]], [[Dune Runner (ROTF)|Dune Runner]] and [[Breakaway (ROTF)|Breakaway]]. Bumblebee's team responded to Decepticon activity at [[Kingdom Petrochemicals]] in [[Florida]], but 'Bee and the other ground-based team-members arrived too late to save Breakaway from dying at Soundwave's hands. The Decepticons soon fled, as did a mysterious group of humans also active at the sight, leaving Bumblebee mystified as to what was going on. {{storylink|Nefarious issue 1|Nefarious #1}} He and his team returned to [[Edwards Air Force Base]], where Galloway was annoyed that he hadn't been notified about the arrival on Earth of some of the members of Bumblebee's team. {{storylink|Nefarious issue 2|Nefarious #2}}

After Optimus managed to capture Soundwave in [[Utah]], Bumblebee's team was assigned to escort the captive Decepticon to a NEST base in [[Odessa]], [[Texas]]. Decepticon. En route, their transport plane was shot down by [[Buzzsaw (ROTF)|Buzzsaw]], and when they attempt to continue the mission on the ground, they were soon obstructed by Soundwave's "mini-militia". Bumblebee tussled with [[Rumble (ROTF)|Rumble]], but quickly realized that his team was outmatched. Rather than a repeat of the loss of Breakaway, Bumblebee opted to release Soundwave. {{storylink|Nefarious issue 3|Nefarious #3}} Subsequently, Soundwave chose to ally himself with the Autobots to bring down the [[Initiative]], the human organization who had also been at Kingdom Petrochemicals, who were conspiring against the Transformers. Bumblebee's team were part of the NEST unit that follow Soundwave to the supposed location of the [[Initiative base|Initiative's base]] in [[Inyokern]], but the mobile facility had already relocated to [[Crater Lake]], [[Oregon]], by the time they got there. Pursuing it, 'Bee's team was sent to assault the base from the north, but when Bumblebee broke through the base wall, he was confronted by a most unexpected set of opponents: Initiative-controlled Transformers! {{storylink|Nefarious issue 5|Nefarious #5}} The damage he took from the initial blast knocked him out of the fight, but he had recovered in time to help during the clean-up. {{storylink|Nefarious issue 6|Nefarious #6}}

[[File:Cyberglyphicscomic bumblebee.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.6]]

While Bumblebee was picnicking with Sam and Arcee, a small earthquake, followed by the emergence of a Transformer energy signature, prompted the trio to investigate. Tracing the signal to a nearby cave, they were attacked by [[Space Case (DOTM)|Space Case]], who had been freed from his subterranean prison by the 'quake, and who promptly brought the cave down on top of the threesome. {{storylink|Transformers: Space Case}} Separated from Arcee in the cave-in, Bumblebee managed to hold up the collapsed ceiling, but could not get any transmissions out through the rocks, and found his strength slowly ebbing as the weight pressed down. 'Bee's mind drifted back to a recent encounter he and Sam had with Starscream, and remembered how the boy had aided him by using downed power lines to electrocute the Decepticon. Reminded that friendship meant trying your hardest and not letting your friends down, Bumblebee dug deep, and when a crack of light appeared overhead, managed to wrench the rocks clear. The pair were lifted to safety by Ratchet, who had been digging for them, and who was amazed that Bumblebee had had the strength to carry the weight for as long as he had. {{storylink|Transformers: Bumblebee}}

[[File:RisingStorm2 bumblebee vs decepticons.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.7]]

While visiting Sam at college in [[Philadelphia]], Bumblebee was parked at the roadside waiting for him while he grabbed lunch when he was approached by "[[Brains]]", a Decepticon brain unit who had just recently come online and escaped from [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] and [[Astrotrain (DOTM)|Astrotrain]]. Believing him to be an ordinary Earth vehicle, but not understanding that said vehicles were not alive, Brains tried asking Bumblebee for help; naturally, Bee did not break cover by replying, but when an angry Brains then kicked him, 'Bee's temper got the better of him and he transformed. {{storylink|Rising Storm issue 1|Rising Storm #1}} Sam and Bumblebee brought Brains back to his college, but this only made them targets for a force of Decepticons heralded by 'Bee's recurring opponent, Barricade. Vastly outnumbered, Bumblebee nearly met his maker at the end of [[Sonar (ROTF)|Sonar]]'s blaster, but was saved when NEST reinforcements [[Dino|Mirage]] and [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Wheeljack]] arrived. {{storylink|Rising Storm issue 2|Rising Storm #2}} As the battle intensified, Bumblebee and Barricade squared off once more, {{storylink|Rising Storm issue 3|Rising Storm #3}} but as more Autobot backup came to join the fight, Bumblebee got the better of his old enemy and defeated him yet again. {{storylink|Rising Storm issue 4|Rising Storm #4}}

Concurrently with the battle in Philadelphia, Shockwave had staged a devastating attack on NEST's Diego Garcia base, necessitating a restructuring of the organization. NEST's [[Charlotte Mearing|new director]] removed Bumblebee from his position as Sam's guardian, and placed him on full-time NEST activity. {{storylink|Rising Storm issue 4|Rising Storm #4}} Some time later, the Autobots faced the return of Sentinel Prime and Bumblebee and Sam were reunited to thwart his space bridge plot. {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation|Dark of the Moon movie adaptation}}
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====''Transformers: Beginnings''====
[[File:MoviePrequel bumblebee seeks allspark.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.8|It's a great big universe, and we're all really puny We're just tiny little specs about the size of Mickey Rooney]]
{{voiceactor|[[Mark Ryan]]}}

[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] entrusted Bumblebee with the secret that the AllSpark would be sent into deep space to prevent Lord Megatron from possessing and corrupting it. Just after the launch, Megatron attacked Bumblebee in rage at losing the AllSpark and shattered the Autobot's voice capacitor beyond repair.

Bumblebee arrived on Earth and, sensing the AllSpark was near, took on local camouflage to search for the artifact. He immediately attracted the attention of Sector Seven agents and the Decepticons. {{storylink|Transformers: Beginnings (Movie)|Transformers: Beginnings}}

{{note|Transformers: Beginnings is a condensed, flash-animated retelling of the events of the [[Transformers: Movie Prequel|Movie Prequel]], described in the above section.}}
{{-}}

====''Schick Hydrobot and the Transformers''====
While searching for Decepticons, Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Hound came across [[Hydrobot (TLK)|Hydrobot]] and mistook him for a [[Decepticon]]. Before they could catch him, Hydrobot escaped from the Autobots' clutches. The trio started to realize that they might have judged the small 'bot wrongly when Hound found out that the [[H-Boostium|substance]] Hydrobot left behind was nothing like something a Decepticon would use. They traced its source to a [[Schick]] R&D department and gained access into it in vehicle mode by fooling the guard into believing that the vehicles modes they were using was ordered by the scientist Dr. [[Hiroshi Benson]] himself. Upon gaining access to the laboratory, they confronted Hiroshi in robot mode, which left the human scientist baffled.

Shortly after the scientist finished explaining the origin of the substance and Hydrobot, a squadron of Decepticons led by Megatron suddenly bursted through the wall, explaining their intent to use the devices inside Hiroshi's laboratory to build the Energon converter. Luckily, Hydrobot arrived at the scene to help the Autobots by knocking over [[Onslaught (ROTF)|Onslaught]]. With help from Hiroshi's [[Energy-field razor|control set]], Bumblebee released a shock burst towards the Decepticons, prompting them to retreat. After all was said and done, the Autobots gave Hydrobot a lift and bid their farewells, but Bumblebee knew that he would return one day. {{storylink|A New Friend|A New Friend}}
{{-}}

====''Bumblebee Movie Prequel''====
{{note|Bumblebee Movie Prequel follows along with the continuity twist regarding Bumblebee's arrival on Earth that was established in [[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight]], yet is incompatible with the Bumblebee film itself.}}
During the war for Cybertron, Bumblebee was friends with the Autobot [[Diabla (BB)|Diabla]], at one point battling alongside her in the [[smelting pool]]s of [[Polyhex]]. {{storylink|From Cybertron with Love}} Unbeknownst to Bumblebee, Diabla was a Decepticon mole who had infiltrated the Autobots to destabilize them from within; when Diabla's treachery was revealed, Bumblebee maintained that Diabla had ''always'' been an Autobot, albeit one who had gone bad and joined the Decepticons.

After arriving on Earth and serving in World War II, Bumblebee — prior to the loss of his voicebox — fell in with [[Sector Seven]] at some point after the end of the war. At some point during the early 1960s the organization traded him to [[Secret Intelligence Service|MI6]], Bumblebee joining the ranks of Britain's elite counterintelligence agency [[P.R.O.G.R.A.M.M.E.]] Partnered with the not-so-suave superspy [[David Reeve]], {{storylink|The Man with the Golden Car}} and taking pointers from intelligence specialist [[Diana Lux]], {{storylink|The Living Headlights}} Bumblebee and Reeve embarked on a series of globetrotting adventures, battling against the forces of [[Konrad Gotell]]'s [[E.I.D.O.L.O.N.]] crime syndicate. In [[1964]], the duo tracked Gottell to [[Germany|East Berlin]]. Though Reeve discovered that Gotell had already been killed, and his office booby-trapped rigged to blow, Bumblebee was forced to evade the German police before he could rescue his partner from [[Wild Rider|Wildrider]], killing him by throwing him into the [[Berlin Wall]] and crushing him with a chunk of rubble.

Some time later, the duo returned to the United Kingdom to rendezvous with their handlers at [[Maundy Gregory Studio]]; though initially put out about being left in the rain, his position allowed him to realize that [[Pelham|the agency's director]] had been killed, his car coopted as a disguise for the Decepticon [[Runabout (BB)|Runabout]]. Bee was barely able to warn Reeve and Lux before the blast from Pelham's explosive-rigged body took out the studio, shielding his human friends from Runabout and Diabla's attacks. At Reeve's suggestion, Bumblebee fell back, deploying an oil slick to trip up the Decepticons while he made his escape. Regrouping on [[Victoria Embankment]], Reeve was barely able to recontact [[B.A.S.E.S.T.A.T.I.O.N.]] on a secure line: learning that P.R.O.G.R.A.M.M.E. had been potentially compromised by a human collaborator, the trio were sanctioned to do whatever it took to eliminate the compromised agent. {{storylink|The Man with the Golden Car}} Reeve was unaware that Bee and Lux had tapped the call, and though Lux briefly wondered if Reeve would kill ''them'' based on that suspicions, the sight of his partner raising his gun caused the Autobot to flee... until it became clear that Reeve was aiming at the Decepticon duo who had tailed them, and the subsequent chase took them across London until Bumblebee transformed to tangle with Diabla atop [[Tower Bridge]]. When it became clear that Diabla wouldn't listen to her old comrade, and that the Decepticon had him phsycially outmatched, Bumblebee escaped death by diving into the [[Thames]] so that he could meet up with his human contacts at a secret P.R.O.G.R.A.M.M.E. safehouse.

To meet with Gottell's old contact [[Vladimir Vladek]], the two humans disguised themselves as a photographer and a model, staking out [[Carnaby Street]] in the process and using Bumblebee's vehicle mode to block the road from Diabla so that the two humans could break into Vladek's headquarters. In the ensuing battle, Bumblebee attempted to talk down his old friend; this time, the Decepticon agreed, and the pair retreated to the roof to converse. Despite his best efforts, Bumblebee was unable to convince Diabla to reveal any information about her human connections, and the entire conversation was quickly revealed to be a distraction, so that [[Dead End (ROTF)|Dead End]] could tie up another loose end by killing Vladek while [[Blitzwing (BB)|Blitzwing]] eliminated the Autobot. {{storylink|The Living Headlights}}

Left to the mercy of Diabla and Blitzwing, Diabla's brief moment of mercy — when she briefly considered giving Bumblebee a quick and painless death — allowed Bumblebee to take on Blitzwing, though it quickly became clear that the Autobot was outmatched. Instead, Bee fired at a nearby gas main, using the explosion as cover to scoop up his human allies before transforming and fleeing into the [[London Underground]]. Pursued by Diabla, Bumblebee was able to outmaneuver his Decepticon foe by deploying his meager rear-mounted weaponry, baiting her into getting hit by an oncoming train while he re-emerged in south London.

Having eluded their pursuers, Reeve made contact with an "old friend" who promised more news regarding the activities of their foes. That evening, the group headed to [[Hyde Park]] to meet up with Reeve's ally; though momentarily surprised by a Decepticon ambush, their opponents were taken offline by [[Heath Donovan]], a Sector Seven agent in charge of keeping tabs on Bumblebee. New information revealed the full extent of the Decepticon's plans, including the extinction of humanity by turning the [[Cold War (history)|Cold War]] hot, but thanks to the homing device he'd tagged Diabla with in the Underground Bumblebee revealed that he was able to take them to their base of operations. Hitching a ride aboard a [[Jetfire (Movie)|stealth jet]], the trio parachuted into an abandoned castle, with Bumblebee dropping [[Darksteel (DOTM)|a guard]] before fighting their way into the complex... and discovered the diminutive Decepticon [[Malignus (BB)|Malignus]] as the mastermind behind the conflict. {{storylink|Energon Is Forever}}

Having revealed his role in recent events, gloating about his plans to push the nations of Earth into a nuclear war, Bumblebee begged Diabla for help one last time — only for Lux to reveal that she had previously turned Bumblebee's homing rounds into explosive devices, and detonated Diabla's, causing a momentary distraction that allowed the three heroes to slip their bonds. Deploying an underwater mode, Bumblebee was able to dive into the castle waterways, using his oil slick to blind the [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticon]]s that pursued him. When it seemed like his luck had run out, however, he was unexpectedly rescued... by ''Diabla'', who assured him that she had saved him only so that ''she'' could kill him, as revenge for his killing of the humans of E.I.D.O.L.O.N., siccing Dead End on the yellow Autobot. Though Reeve was able to kill Malignus, his missile had already launched, and the three spies were unable to do anything about it — only becoming aware that the conflicted Diabla had already climbed aboard to defuse it too late to stop her. Momentarily throwing Dead End off balance by using a falling Sharkticon to crush the red Decepticon, Bumblebee was too focused on preventing Diabla from killing herself to notice the arrival of Blitzwing and Dead End, but a shout from Reeve caused Bee to duck, and Blitzwing's shot to blow Dead End apart. Grabbing his two-human allies, Bumblebee leapt into the ocean as the disabled missile plummeted back into the castle, destroying it and all of its occupants.

In the aftermath, Bumblebee and his two-human allies survived, but were unable to determine if Diabla had done the same. Bumblebee spied one of her tires, which led her to believe that his old friend had survived the battle. Ferrying his partners back to shore, the Autobot vowed to find her... and, if he couldn't find her, than to kill Blitzwing. Over the next twenty years, Bumblebee left his human friends behind to pursue his new mission, travelling across the globe and eventually dedicating himself to eliminating Blitzwing instead. Eventually, Bumblebee tracked Blitzwing down, and the pair prepared to do battle once more... {{storylink|From Cybertron with Love}}

{{-}}

===Titan movie comics===
[[File:TitanMag-BumblebeeMegatronAllSpark.jpg|right|thumb]]

Bumblebee was part of a mission to trick Megatron into looking in the wrong place for the AllSpark{{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 1|Reprint of Prequel #1}}, in which he was the only one who knew the truth (not even team leader [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]] knew!) {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2|Recap in #2}} He lost his voice when Megatron crushed his vocal processor upon witnessing the launch of the AllSpark. The Decepticon leader immediately discarded his body and took off after the cube {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2|Prelude: Megatron}} and it was a long while before he was recovered. {{storylink|Transformers_Comic_issue_3#Items of note|Prelude: Ratchet}}

Rendered voiceless, he continued to fight on Cybertron and would encounter [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] when the two were about to be thrown into a Decepticon smelting pool. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.2|Dogfight!}} In 2003, he travelled to Earth while tracing the AllSpark and would spend years evading Decepticons and Sector 7 alike. {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 3|Reprint of Prequel #3}} {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 4|Reprint of Prequel #4}}

[[File:Titan2 BumblebeePOV.jpg|left|upright=1.6|thumb]]

Bumblebee and his fellow Autobots would ultimately follow the AllSpark to the planet Earth, where Bumblebee befriended the human Sam Witwicky. Some time after the battle of Mission City, Bumblebee was driven by the Witwickys to [[Princeton University|Sam's college]], where he quietly endured their bickering while scanning everything around him for potential threats. When he picked up radio transmissions from two new Autobots, he drove off into battle, and saved [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] from being slaughtered by [[Ransack (ROTF)|the Decepticon Ransack]]. But with the villain threatening a long game, Bumblebee knew that trouble was on the horizon. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.2|Dogfight!}} 'Bee brought Skids and Mudflap to meet with the other Autobots at [[Edwards Air Force Base]] in California, but no sooner had he turned his back than the pair snuck off to find Optimus Prime on their own, insisting they had a message for his ears only. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.3|Learning Curve}}

[[File:Titan2-6 aimedatyourheart.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.8|There's only room for ''one'' kid-appeal character...]]

Some time later, Bumblebee was hanging out in Sam's garage when he received an emergency call from NEST: the twins, having apparently fallen in with the Decepticons, had abducted Sam! 'Bee tore out of the garage, tracked down the twins, and demanded they stop immediately. When they didn't, he launched suppressive fire and began ramming Skids, which soon convinced them to release Sam. As Bumblebee held the twins at gunpoint, ready to eliminate if necessary, Mudflap's tried to explain that they hadd been framed and there was a bigger threat coming... but before 'Bee could hear any more, he was gunned down in a surprise attack from Soundwave. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.6|Outlaw Blues}} The "bigger threat" the twins had warned of soon arrived, in the form of The Fallen, but the Autobots were able to defeat the ancient Decepticon. Afterwards, back in the field in [[Beverly Hills]], Bumblebee was part of a unit assigned to captured [[Reverb (ROTF)|Reverb]]; Jolt messed the mission up, but Bumblebee saved the day by ''ramming'' the bike head-on. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.9|Culture Shock}}

[[File:Titan10 Eppsandbee.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.8]]

Later, with Lennox and his crew searching for [[Seeker (ROTF)|Seekers]], Bumblebee was left with only [[Robert Epps]] to investigate an attack on Malmstrom Air Force Base and the disappearance of Optimus Prime. Epps worked out that Optimus had been victim of an electromagnetic bomb, and Bumblebee tracked his leader to where he was being held (Poor Epps had to ride in Bumblebee jumping a ravine, and almost spewed up his breakfast). After locating Prime, they found he was a captive of the [[Free Men]] militia. At Epps command, Bumblebee hit the Free Men compound with his full firepower, swiftly defeating the militia. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.10| Bring Me the Head of Optimus Prime}}

[[File:Titan18 Bumblethumbsup.jpg|thumb|upright=1|It's true!]]

Bumblebee selected [[Death Valley]] as the site for a survival exercise for raw recruits Jolt, Dune Runner, and [[Rollbar (ROTF)|Rollbar]].{{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.11|Spare Parts!}} Later, he was summoned as back-up by NEST [[South Africa]] alongside [[Springer (ROTF)|Springer]] and Gears due to a Decepticon jailbreak led by [[Bludgeon (ROTF)|Bludgeon]], but Optimus ordered him to let the Decepticons leave to prevent civilian casualties. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.13|Inside Out!}}

[[File:NightBee4Xmas bumblebee vs deadend.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.6]]

Ultimately, this failure left the Autobots' reputations in the toilet, and with concerns that public fights risked alienating humans, Bumblebee was tasked to head a covert unit with [[Slap Dash (ROTF)|Slap Dash]] and [[Hubcap (TF 2010)|Hubcap]]. They were charged with operating under NEST's radar, monitoring Decepticons and waiting for windows of opportunity out of the public eye, before hitting hard and fast. In practice, this meant allowing Decepticons like [[Crankstart]], [[Brimstone (TF 2010)|Brimstone]], and [[Trenchmouth]] to run amok in cities, with Bumblebee restraining his desire to stop them and keeping his men from taking action. After an uncomfortable period of hoping nobody would be killed, the Decepticons went to an isolated stretch of road: now free to act, Bumblebee led his men in a vicious ambush and personally drove ''through'' Crankshaft. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.18|Shadow War}}

Information obtained from the Decepticon unit Bumblebee's covert squad had brought in allowed the Autobots to trace the location of Bludgeon's Decepticons' base to [[Arkhangelskaya Oblast]] in [[Russia]]. Regrettably, while strategizing together, Bumblebee and Ironhide made the mistake of dismissing Wheelie when he offered to help; insulted and angry, the little scrap drone sold the Autobots out to Bludgeon's Decepticons, who were able to ambush 'Bee and the Autobots when they moved to attacked their base, with Springer being shot out of the sky following an air strike by [[Skywarp (Movie)|Skywarp]] and [[Thrust (Movie)|Thrust]], Slap Dash being killed by Bludgeon, and Hubcap being subsequently killed/wounded as well. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.20|Divided Loyalties}} Fortunately for the Autobots, Megatron himself soon arrived and slew Bludgeon for his transgressions, meaning Bumblebee and the others did not have to battle the rogue Decepticon at all. In the wake of the two Decepticons' brawl, Bumblebee discovered the shattered remains of Wheelie, who had been torn to bits. Unaware of his treachery, 'Bee gathered up his parts to take back to Ratchet for repair... unaware that the cannibalistic Decepticon [[Dead End (ROTF)|Dead End]] was on his trail! {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.21|A Short, Sharp Lesson!}}

Intrigued by the human ritual of "[[Christmas]]", Bumblebee convinced Sam to let him secretly observe the Witwicky family during the festive proceedings. Unfortunately, Dead End tracked the Autobot to the Witwickys' house and attacked on Christmas Eve, tearing bits of Bumblebee's mechanisms out to integrate into his own body. Luckily, 'Bee managed to shock the zombie-con into submission before their fight awoke Sam's parents, and he was even able to get into the gift-giving on Christmas morning, buying Judy Witwicky car wax. Sam's present was particularly timely: a new traction bearing to replace the one Dead End had torn out! {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.19|The Nightmare Bee-4 Christmas}}

{{note|"The Nightmare Bee-4 Christmas" reads like it was meant to go '''after''' "Divided Loyalties" and "A Short, Sharp Lesson!" despite that story being released '''before''' the other two: it's the Russian battle that turns Dead End back into a monster, and he turns up at the Witwickys' because he's following Bumblebee.}}

When the Autobots were summoned to [[Fiesole Cathedral]] in [[Fiesole]], [[Italy]] to examine a mysterious object discovered there by an archaeology professor, Bumblebee accidentally smashed the cathedrals shrine to Saint Donatus. Determined to prevent the Autobots from getting ahold of the object—actually a piece of Sentinel Prime's ''Ark''—Starscream attacked the cathedral, blasting Bumblebee through a wall with a volley of missiles. Recovering, 'Bee joined Optimus Prime in pursuing Starscream to the cathedral's belltower, but the Decepticon then brought the tower down on top of them and escaped with the ''Ark'' component. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 3.1|Fight for Fiesole}}

At some point, Bumblebee uncovered some intel, pointing towards Soundwave working in conjunction with the [[Tanto Gang]], and passed on the information to Lennox. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 3.2|Gold And Blood}}

[[File:AcceptNoSubstitutes bumblebee vs stinger.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.5|Can ''you'' tell which is the real Bumblebee out of the guy who can talk and the one who can't?]]

Bumblebee was later teamed with Robert Epps to hunt down Soundwave in the Spanish [[Sierra Nevada]] mountain range, but NEST's intelligence regarding the Decepticons' operational status was flawed: Soundwave's weapons systems were in perfect working order, and Bumblebee was badly damaged by his attacks. Luckily, Optimus Prime arrived to save them. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 3.3|Dealing with the Devil}}

After the return of Sentinel Prime and the battle of Chicago, Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, and [[Crosshairs (AOE)|Crosshairs]] tracked three Decepticon survivors of the conflict to [[Jakarta]], [[Indonesia]]. When the Decepticons retreated and Crosshairs tracked them to [[Pulau Bidadari]], Bumblebee monitored the ranger and relayed the events to Optimus. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 5.2|Thousand Island Fight}}

Not long after, Bumblebee was shocked to see a news report claiming that he had attacked a human power plant. Though 'Bee was eager to hunt down his mysterious doppelgänger, Optimus Prime encouraged him to wait until he had the Autobot leader to back him up. The choice was soon taken out of Bumblebee's hands, however: responding to a fire at a remote human homestead, he was attacked by his mysterious duplicate, who introduced himself as "[[Stinger (AOE)|Stinger]]", and promptly welded 'Bee's battle mask shut so they would be totally indistinguishable from one another. Optimus Prime soon arrived and had to train his guns on the two identical Bumblebees... but the standoff was brief, as the real 'Bee revealed himself when he dived to save a human who had fallen from the burning building. Prime quickly sent Stinger packing, and he and Bumblebee rolled out together, wondering where Stinger had come from... {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 5.3|Accept No Substitutes!}}
{{-}}

====Alternate timeline====

[[File:Titan MikaelaBumblebee.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|Why is he apologizing, you ask? Look where his left hand is.]]

In an [[Tyran 208.28 Gamma|alternate timeline]], the battle of Mission City turned out very differently—Megatron killed Sam, captured Optimus, and obtained the AllSpark. The Decepticons proceeded to conquer North America, and by the start of 2008, had begun a plan to cyberform the Earth using the AllSpark's energies. Bumblebee—his voice still functional—and Mikaela Banes went underground, working with [[Tom Banachek]] to fight a guerilla war against the Decepticons.

Considering Optimus their last, best hope for victory, Bumblebee and Mikaela went on a mission to rescue him from the old Sector Seven base in Hoover Dam, which the Decepticons were now using as their headquarters. Mikaela quickly shot down Bumblebee's concerns about her safety, though she ''did'' almost get squished when 'Bee took out the bunker guard Swindle. Entering, the pair quickly located Optimus, but in a most unexpected condition: frozen solid in the old cryo-system previously used to contain Megatron. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 9|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 1}} Stalked by Megatron, Bumblebee kept the Decepticon leader busy while Mikaela attempt to deactivate the freezing system, {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 10|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 2}} but was baited into revealing himself when the tyrant threatened to kill Mikaela. Bumblebee made a desperate attack, only to be beaten aside with ease, {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 11|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 3}} but he remained defiant to the end and refused to beg for mercy. Luckily, Autobot reinforcements arrived; although even they were no match for Megatron, their added distraction provided Mikaela time to thaw out Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 12|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 4}} While Prime and Megatron battled, Mikaela arrived with Phase Two of their plan: a Sector Seven nanovirus that targeted AllSpark energy. Loading the virus into himself, Bumblebee charged Megatron, forcibly transmitting the nano-virus into him via a light-beam from his headlights. The virus killed Megatron once and for all, but Bumblebee did not celebrate too loudly, as he knew too well that this just left a [[Starscream (Movie)|power vacuum]]... {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 13|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 5}}

[[File:Aftermathpt2 bumblebee FAAASH.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.6]]

Bumblebee and the Autobots [[Savannah]], [[Georgia]], to survey the damage done by the Decepticons' AllSpark cyberforming project. He took Mikaela to a nearby refugee camp, but as Optimus Prime had feared, the humans the were fearful of him, viewing all Cybertronians as an unwanted presence. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 14|Aftermath, Part 1}} In apparent further validation of this fear, the Autobots soon came under attack from a [[NATO]] unit while attempting to defend the camp from a Decepticon attack, but intel from Banachek suggested something was not right. Spotting the human in charge of the unit, Bumblebee and Mikaela ran a gauntlet of human and Decepticon firepower, blinding the former with his headlights and roasting the latter with his fiery exhaust, in order to get to the man. Having got in close enough, Bumblebee was able to detect a mind-controlling Decepticon [[cerebro-strip]] on the man, and Mikaela freed him from its effects, ending the conflict. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 15|Aftermath Part 2}} Following this battle, the Decepticons continued their attacks on human infrastructure; Bumblebee was part of a unit defending an oil pipeline in [[Crooked Creek]], [[Alaska]]. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 16|Dark Spark}}

[[File:ReturntoCybertronpt2 ironhide restrained.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Leave it, mate, 'e's not worf it!]]

Bumblebee was part of a unit under Ironhide's command that was sent back to Cybertron in order to retrieve [[Nucleon (substance)|Nucleon]] in hopes it could be used to repair the damage inflicted upon the Earth by the AllSpark. Touching down on their homeworld, Bumblebee was sent on recon and discovered a strange satellite dish, but when the team investigated it, they were jumped by a team of Decepticons led by [[Stockade (Movie)|Stockade]]. The revelation that Stockade's "New Decepticons" were in control of the planet's Nucleon supply, followed by the appearance of a strange energy anomaly in Cybertron's orbit, {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 17|Return to Cybertron: Part 1}} convinced Bumblebee to try talking, rather than fighting; after convincing Ironhide to stop throwing his face at Stockade's fists, he learned from Stockade that the anomaly was a living entity the Decepticons had deliberately summoned, believing it would rejuvenate Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 18|Return to Cybertron: Part 2}}

Not trusting this entity and wanting to stop all the Nucleon being used up, Bumblebee had the Autobots create a distraction while he turned the Nucleon transfer off, and sent a distress call to Optimus Prime on Earth. His efforts to prevent the arrival of the entity failed, and it revealed itself to be [[Unicron|Unicron, the Anti-Life]], as it began to possess Cybertron itself. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 18|Return to Cybertron: Part 2}} In the resulting chaos, Bumblebee had to rescue Ironhide when the satellite dish collapsed on him. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 19|Return to Cybertron: Part 3}} Optimus soon arrived in response to Bumblebee's summons, brokered an alliance with Stockade, and came up with a plan: Cut off the Nucleon that Unicron's body was using for power. Bumblebee and Armorhide were dispatched to drain the Nucleon seam, but were not able to siphon all of the fuel off fast enough, so Ratchet came up with a quicker alternative: blowing it up. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 20|Return to Cybertron: Part 4}}

[[File:Titan MikaelaBumblebeereunion.jpg|right|upright=1.4|thumb|OTP!]]

Upon returning to Earth, the Autobots found the Decepticons had pinched their base and all 600 square miles around it. They retreated, leaving Mikaela in Decepticon hands; Bumblebee was distraught over this. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 21|Hard Target}} He would be part of the raid to get her back, perfectly aware it was an obvious trap, but not caring due to how much they owed Mikaela. The raid was successful and the two were reunited, awwww! {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 22|The Decepticon Who Haunted Himself}}

The pair's time together was short, as soon, the Decepticon-blackmailed American government ordering the Autobots off the planet. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 23|Revolution, Part 1}} Knowing that the Decepticons were behind, Optimus Prime had Bumblebee and Ironhide prepare a decoy ship; {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 25|Revolution Part 3}} the following day, after Bumblebee said his farewells to Mikaela (and beat up the Decepticon [[Dropkick (Movie)|Dropkick]] as an "up yours" gesture), the Decepticons had the ship blown up shortly after takeoff. [[File:Revolutionpt3 the end.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.8]] {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 23|Revolution, Part 1}} Believed dead, Bumblebee and the Autobots hid themselves on Cybertron, where they readied their final weapon against the Decepticons: a teleportation system that would trap the Decepticons on the dead planet, then teleport ''it'' off to the far reaches of the universe. When all was in readiness, the Autobots returned to Earth; Mikaela was ''not'' happy to find out they had not told her of their plan, but Bumblebee denied that it was because they didn't trust her—they had simply had to minimize any possible exposure. In the final battle that followed, Bumblebee tagged Megatron with the teleport tech, and the Decepticon leaders and his followers were soon exiled forever.

In the aftermath, after it became clear the Autobots had just exiled ''themselves'' to Earth forever—"Hey, there are worse fates," said Bumblebee—Mikaela forgave Bumblebee. Both had a lot of clean-up work to do, but also a brave new world to explore together...! {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 25|Revolution, Part 3}}
{{-}}

===Toy bios===
[[File:StudioSeries-Bumblebee-art.jpg|thumb]]
Bumblebee learned hand-to-hand combat at the most prestigious combat training center on Cybertron, where he received his converting energon blade as a reward for his skills. {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#WalmartRace|''Dark of the Moon'' Walmart-exclusive Bumblebee}} It was on the battlefields of Cybertron that Bumblebee first met the Decepticon Starscream, who he would meet again and again in combat. {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#BeeStarscream|Bumblebee/Starscream}}

Bumblebee repeatedly crossed paths with fellow elite spy Decepticon [[Hardtop (Movie)|Hardtop]]; initially a professional rivalry, the relationship between the two 'bots slowly evolved into a personal vendetta that saw the pair battle across the galaxy. It was a crack shot by Hardtop that damaged Bumblebee's vocal processors, causing the Autobot pain when he tries to speak. {{storylink|Hardtop (Movie)#Transformers (2007)|Hardtop}}

Bumblebee was sent to Earth ahead of the other Autobot by Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#TF2007_76deluxe|Deluxe Bumblebee ('76 Camaro)}} During [[World War II]], Bumblebee teamed up with [[Hot Rod (DOTM)|Hot Rod]] to provide serious firepower during an assault on an enemy stronghold they infiltrated, during which they unleashed the war machines within. {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#SS26|''Studio Series'' WWII Bumblebee}} {{storylink|Hot Rod (DOTM)#Studio Series|WWII Hot Rod}}

Prior to his arrival on Earth, Bumblebee cared little for the appearance of his alternate mode, simply scanning the first vehicle he saw, {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#evoofhero|Evolution of a Hero}} but that changed upon befriending Sam Witwicky. At the boy's urging, Bumblebee scanned a new Concept Camaro form, and came to appreciate how stylish he looked. {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#TF2007ConceptCamaro|Deluxe Bumblebee (Concept Camaro)}} His shiny new form was soon badly damaged, however, during the battle of Mission City—with his legs blown off, Bumblebee had to be towed to safety by the newborn [[Longarm (Movie)|Longarm]]. {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#TowedToSafety|Towed to Safety}}

When the AllSpark was destroyed, Bumblebee was briefly empowered by its radiation, and put the new power to use hunting down the straggling Decepticons. {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#AllSparkPower|AllSpark Power Bumblebee}} One such Decepticon was [[Scorponok (Movie)|Scorponok]], who he hunted across the [[Middle East]]. {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#Allspark2pack|Bumblebee vs. Scorponok}} Then, with the initial threat over, Bumblebee decided to kick back and relax. Transcanning a rally car, he began hanging around at race tracks, pitting himself against the human racers. {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#Fast Action Battlers|Rally Rocket Bumblebee}}

Following this, Bumblebee volunteered to be Sam's guardian. It was a pretty swank deal: he got to hang with Sam and Mikaela all the time, got lots of [[oil]], and could join Ironhide in killing Decepticons whenever he wanted. {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#ROTFdeluxe|''Revenge of the Fallen'' Bumblebee}} Peacetime afforded him the luxury of becoming meticulous about his alternate mode; he even had Ratchet learn a little about the cosmetic side of repair work. {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#Premium|Premium Series Bumblebee}}

In time, Bumblebee came to realize that with pictures of him all over the internet, ''everyone'' recognized him... including newly arriving Decepticons, which put Sam and others in danger! With Mikaela's help, Bumblebee recolored himself to help restore his disguise and make it easier to sneak up on the enemy. {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#TF2007Stealth|Stealth Bumblebee}} With the Decepticon forces constantly growing, he also decided to upgrade his arsenal and modified his vehicle mode so he could use weaponry in it, deciding he'd been caught off guard too many times before. {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#Cannon|Cannon Bumblebee}} When the battle shifted to the deserts, he threw himself into the fray, upgrading himself for desert combat and wielding the mighty ''sand blast''! {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#SandAttack|Sand Attack Bumblebee}}

Following the defeat of The Fallen, Bumblebee returned to active NEST duty, hunting down the Decepticons hiding across Earth; Sam even began joining him in the field. {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#ROTFHumanAlliance|Human Alliance Bumblebee}} Discovering that [[Dirge (Movie)|Dirge]] had secreted himself inside NEST itself, Bumblebee teamed with [[Armorhide (Movie)|Armorhide]] and [[Evac (Movie)|Evac]] to ferret him out. {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#Alliance|Alliance Bumblebee}} {{storylink|Evac (Movie)#Revenge of the Fallen|Evac (Deluxe)}} He had a particular dislike for [[Shadow Striker (ROTF)|Shadow Striker]], who really got under his metal skin. {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#LegendsVsShadowStriker|Bumblebee vs Shadow Striker}}

At some point, Bumblebee took on Soundwave, {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#VsSoundwave|Battlefield Bumblebee vs Infiltration Soundwave}} and brought his battle blade to bear in combat with Ravage and [[Insecticon (Movie)|Insecticon]]. {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#BattleBlade|Battle Blade Bumblebee}} His experience fighting fliers also meant that he was fully equipped to deal with [[Thrust (Movie)|Thrust]] {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#CrashLandingAttack|Crash Landing Attack}} and [[Grindor (ROTF)|Grindor]]. {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#BombingRunBattle|Bombing Run Battle}}

Bumblebee was the first Autobot try out the new [[MechTech]] weapons developed by NEST, {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#DOTM|''Dark of the Moon'' Leader Bumblebee}} and also began toting a Mobile Battle Bunker around. {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#CyberverseActionSet|Bumblebee Mobile Battle Bunker}} Like several other Transformers, he took to inscribing [[Cyberglyphics]] on his armor before significant battles, out of a superstitious racial belief that they granted good luck. {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#Cyberglyph|"Cyberglyph" Bumblebee}}

Hating how Soundwave always seemed to track his movements, Bumblebee put together a plan to take care of him once and for all. {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#BeeSoundwaveRodimus|Bumblebee / Soundwave with Rodimus}} He also found time to form the Autobot Daredevil Squad together with Sam and [[Backfire (TF 2010)|Backfire]], {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#Daredevil|Autobot Daredevil Squad}} and battle Shockwave alongside Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#StreetsideBotBrawl|Streetside Bot Brawl}}

Following the battle of Chicago, Bumblebee had to disguise himself as a super-charged muscle car to avoid detection in a world where all Transformers are in danger of being hunted. {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#HighOctaneDeluxe|High Octane Bumblebee}} When his allies were in danger, he dropped his disguise and charged into battle. {{storylink|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#2014Deluxe|''Age of Extinction'' Bumblebee}}

===''Mini Mayhem!''===
In a celebration of the Transformers brand, Bumblebee showed up as the representative for the "Movie" era of the franchise. {{storylink|Mini Mayhem!}}
===Cyber Missions===
{{voiceactor|[[Tom Anderson]], [[David Kledzik]], [[Tony Gialluca II]], [[Bronco D. Jackson]] (English)|[[José Antonio Macías]] (Latin American-Spanish), [[Alexandre Moreno]] (Brazilian Portuguese)}}

[[File:CyberMissions1 bumblebee datatrax lockdown.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.5]]

Some time after the defeat of The Fallen, Bumblebee and Ironhide were reviewing some [[datatrax]] that Optimus Prime had made for preservation in [[Vector Sigma]] when they detected an explosion outside their base. Bumblebee remained to lock down the most important data tracks while Ironhide went to investigate [[Bludgeon (ROTF)|the cause]] of the explosion. However, that turned out to be just what the Decepticons wanted, as moments later, Soundwave burst into the base, overwhelming Bumblebee with a sonic attack. Bumblebee attempted to counter with a shot from his shoulder cannon, but Soundwave absorbed the sonic boom and sent the acoustic energy back at him, bragging about his mastery of sound. Bumblebee decided to put his sonic skills to the absolute test, and unleashed a barrage of automatic weaponsfire at the Decepticon. At ten thousand rounds per minute, Soundwave was faced with too many sonic booms to absorb, and was soon flat on his back. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 1}} [[File:CyberMissions8 bumblebee in the arctic.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.5]] Bumblebee enclosed the defeated Soundwave in an electromagnetically sealed bubble, cut off from all sound. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 2}}

Ironhide, meanwhile, had gone missing in the jungle; Bumblebee reported the problem to Optimus, who had 'Bee perform a scan of the area. Bumblebee discovered several rich deposits of [[energon]] ore, which Prime pinpoint Ironhide's location. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 5}} Reunited, Bumblebee and Ironhide went on a training exercise in the Arctic, where the bigger 'bot put 'Bee through his paces. As Bumblebee was frequently singled out as a target by the Decepticons because of his small size, Ironhide taught him the importance of staying on guard and being mindful of his surroundings. As the pair sparred, Bumblebee learned another benefit of being aware of everything around him when Ironhide stopped their fight after they nearly crushed a strange little plant growing through the ice... a plant, Ironhide implied, that could well be sentient. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 8}}

[[File:CyberMissions9 Bumblebee.JPG|upright=1.5|thumb|BUUU!]]

When Decepticons [[Smolder (PCC)|Smolder]] and [[Chopster]] set fire to a building [[Scramble City (city)|Scramble City]], Bumblebee and Ratchet were dispatched to the scene by Optimus Prime. A menacing look from Bumblebee sent the diminutive Chopster running off in terror; 'Bee called after him to tell Smolder they would "like a word", hoping they could perhaps talk the situation out rather than fight, but Smolder wasn't interested. Bumblebee grappled with the pyromaniac Decepticon while Ratchet powered up his EMP blaster, which he then used to knock Smolder offline. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 9}}

[[File:CyberMissions12 cannon bumblebee vehicle.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.5]]

Optimus reported finding Megatron and Starscream in the Arctic regions of Earth, and Bumblebee was summoned to aid his leader in battle alongside Ironhide, Ratchet and Sideswipe. Leaving Megatron to handle Prime, Starscream attacked all the Autobots at once, but the combined fire of the four heroes was enough to ground the Decepticon. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 12}}

Optimus later laid a trap to lure the Decepticons to a final confrontation with a hologram of Soundwave, and Megatron indeed walked right into it. Bumblebee, Ironhide, and Ratchet arrived to join the battle, and in the ensuing fight, Bumblebee took on Mindwipe. The Decepticon tried to hypnotize Bumblebee into not fighting, but Bumblebee blocked out his voice and kept up the attack. An army of humans soon arrived and surrounded the combatants, and the day went to the Autobots. Optimus instructed the Decepticons to leave Earth to be destroyed, and after they had fled, Bumblebee stamped a huge Autobot symbol in the dirt, a marker visible from far away that let all Decepticons who saw it know that the Autobots protected the planet. {{storylink|Decepticons Attack}}
{{-}}

===Transformers Annual 2011===
Bumblebee charged to Sam's defense when Starscream tried to abduct the boy, but proved no match for the Decepticon, and was flung around the yard. As Starscream started making off with Sam, Bumblebee made another attempt to stop him, and was brushed aside. Luckily Optimus arrived to help, and Starscream soon fled, but the Witwicky's yard was in ruins. {{storylink|Sam in Danger}}

===''Unite for the Universe''===
[[File:UnitefortheUniverse bumblebee vs ravage.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.6]]
During NEST's ongoing worldwide hunt for the Decepticons after the defeat of The Fallen, Bumblebee paid a visit to NEST's regional headquarters in [[Bloemfontein]], [[South Africa]]. As he entered the facility, Decepticon spy Ravage was able to quickly sneak through the closing door behind him, but Bumblebee spotted him in his rear-view mirror and quickly went on the attack. When Ravage pounced on him, Bumblebee triggered his headlights, blinding the feline Decepticon and sending him fleeing, leaving Bumblebee confused as to the point of the infiltration... unaware that an airborne nano-virus Ravage had carried with him had already picked NEST's computers clean of information regarding [[Project Unite|Project: Unite]]. {{storylink|Unite for the Universe issue 1|Ambition Instigated}}
{{-}}

===''I Can Read!'' books===
[[File:BumblebeeandSideswipe-TrainingDay.jpg|thumb|left]]
Bumblebee met up with Optimus, Ironhide and Sideswipe in a desert to train. He raced Sideswipe, only for their training to be interrupted by a large boulder tumbling towards a nearby town. The two Autobots destroyed the boulder before resuming their race. They met back up with Optimus and Ironhide afterwards, and Optimus revealed the they had encountered a "natural disaster" as well. The source of the disturbances soon revealed itself to be Megatron and Starscream tunneling underground. Though the two Decepticons attempted to ambush the Autobots, Bumblebee and the others were able to send them running thanks to the training they had gone through that day. {{storylink|Training Day (book)|Training Day}}

Bumblebee and Sideswipe had a nasty run-in with the Decepticons, leaving Bumblebee pinned under a massive metal bar. Thankfully, Ratchet came to their rescue, and repaired them both. Bumblebee later helped the Autobots defeat the Decepticons in Egypt. {{storylink|Ratchet to the Rescue}}

[[File:BeeandWheeliehighfive-BuddyBrawl.jpeg|thumb|right]]
Bumblebee was out for a drive with Wheelie, Sam and Mikaela one day when Starscream swooped down and began to attack them! Bumblebee suggested to Wheelie that they gun for Starscream's wings to defeat the Decepticon. Wheelie disagreed, saying that they had to outsmart Starscream to defeat him. The two Autobots began to argue, becoming oblivious to Starscream attacking their human companions. Thankfully, Optimus Prime showed up to knock out Starscream. Optimus then chastised Bumblebee and Wheelie for allowing their feelings get in the way of protecting Sam and Mikaela. Bumblebee realized he was in the wrong, but was still too worked up to make his apologies to Wheelie. Instead, he stormed off. But he didn't get far before Starscream regained consciousness and resumed his attack. Optimus ordered Bumblebee to work with Wheelie to stop Starscream. The pair managed to do so by outwitting Starscream and destroying his wings, making the Decepticon crash into a nearby tunnel and crippling his flying abilities. With Starscream down, Bumblebee and the rest of the group celebrated another victory over the Decepticons. {{storylink|Buddy Brawl}}
{{-}}

===''Hunt for the Decepticons'' storybooks===
[[File:AutobotsthankSam-SatelliteMeltdown.jpeg|thumb|left]]
Sam witnessed the Decepticons [[Buzzsaw (ROTF)|Buzzsaw]] and [[Ratbat (ROTF)|Ratbat]] tear up a human city, while Soundwave declared that the Autobots had abandoned the humans. Refusing to believe the Decepticon's lies, Sam and Bumblebee set out to find Optimus Prime and the rest of the Autobots. It turned out that the Autobots had been tricked by Soundwave to go to the wrong location when they rolled out to engage the Decepticons. Sam and Bumblebee led Optimus and his troops to the scene of the conflict, where Optimus quickly dispatched the Decepticons. Afterwards, Optimus thanked for Sam's part in the day's events, while Bumblebee and the rest of the Autobots cheered. {{storylink|Satellite Meltdown}}

===''Spot the 'Bots''===
Bumblebee helped Optimus chase down Megatron to an old warehouse. There, Bumblebee duked it out with Starscream. The battle between the Autobots and Decepticons that ensued would decide the fate of the Earth! {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Spot the 'Bots}}
{{-}}

===''How to Ride your Dinobot''===
====Cartoon====
[[File:Htryd-chapter-1-bumblebee-yikes.jpg|left|upright=1.6|thumb|I'VE CHANGED INTO WILE E. COYOTE.]]
Bumblebee had never ridden a [[Dinobot (AOE)|Dinobot]] before, and decided to start by trying to mount [[Strafe (AOE)|Strafe]]. Guided by a kind but astonishingly unhelpful narrator, Bumblebee's attempts to mount Strafe left something to be desired. After many failed efforts, Bumblebee simply destroyed the instruction manual to riding Dinobots before storming off in annoyance, much to the narrator's surprise.
{{storylink|How to Ride Your Dinobot Chapter 1: Getting on a Dinobot|Getting on a Dinobot}}
[[File:HowtoRide bumblebee and strafe.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4]]
====Comic====

When Optimus Prime asked the Autobots to accompany him into the depths of a Chinese forest, Bumblebee was sure that their objective was important... but he never expected that the Autobot leader was taking them to learn the fine art of Dinobot riding! When Hound's tough-talking approach failed to win the Dinobots' hearts, 'Bee tried a kinder, gentler method, offering the Dinos a little snack. This worked a bit ''too'' well, and he would have been crushed when the Dinobots mobbed him to get the goodies had Strafe not lifted him into the air. Bumblebee pushed his luck when he climbed onto the flying Dinobot's back, however, and Strafe promptly threw him back to the ground. Subsequently, when Grimlock caught the scent of Decepticons nearby, Strafe and the other Dinobots relented and allowed Bumblebee and the Autobots to saddle up so they could all ride out to face the villains together. {{Storylink|How to Ride a Dinobot!}}
{{-}}

===Yokohama Decepticon Secret Base===

[[File:YokohamaBase bumblebee.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Bumblebee was hanging out at the [[Transformers Expo]] in [[Yokohama]] when [[Yokohama Convoy|Nemesis Prime]] came crashing into the building. The evil Prime initially mistook Bumblebee for a cosplayer, only to realize that the little yellow Autobot was the real deal when he attacked him alongside the two versions of Optimus Prime also visiting the show. Nemesis soon got himself some backup in the form of a ''second'' [[Nemesis Prime (AOE)|Nemesis Prime]] and [[Nemesis Grimlock]], but before they could all do much more than glare at each other, the combined energies of the AllSpark, the Matrix of Leadership and the [[seed]]—all on display at the Expo, because why not—suddenly began reacting with the [[Dark Energon]] within the first Nemesis Prime. This was all part of a complicated plot by [[Unicron]], but fortunately, Nemesis resisted the dark urges within himself, and channeled all the Dark Energon into the stickers his creator [[Doctor Arkeville]] had used to make him evil. Nemesis ripped the stickers off and hurled them into the air, where all the Autobots and Decepticons—and even the Expo's human attendees, using their cell phones—blasted them and stopped the chain reaction.

All together, pretty odd. {{storylink|Yokohama Decepticon Secret Base}}
{{-}}

===''Cheetos/Age of Extinction'' comic===
[[File:CheetosAOE bumblebee.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.2]]
Discovering that the Decepticons were increasing their strength through artifacts from the [[Cheetos (galaxy)|Cheetos galaxy]], Bumblebee and the Autobots recruited [[you]]r help to acquire the power-enhancing objects. {{storylink|Cheetos/Transformers: Age of Extinction}}
{{-}}

===''Q-Transformers'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Ryōhei Kimura]] (Japanese)}}
[[File:QTransformers the cast.jpg|left|thumb|upright=2]]
In this world, Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, and Lockdown were aware that they were toys: specifically, ''Q-Transformers'', a new line of cute-looking ''Transformers'' merchandise produced to tie-in with the 30th anniversary of the [[Transformers brand|''Transformers'' brand]]. Bumblebee occasionally changed his look to one more reminiscent of [[Bumblebee (G1)|his Generation 1 counterpart]], but his "default" form was that of a toy based on his ''Age of Extinction'' look. They hung out at different famous service areas on Japanese expressways, and talked about the ''[[Transformers: Mystery of Convoy|Mystery of Convoy]]'' video game, and the remake produced as a tie-in with their toyline, ''[[Q-Transformers: Mystery of Convoy Returns|Mystery of Convoy Returns]]''.

[[File:QTransformers1 Lockdown's bishonen fantasy.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.8|Bumblebee suddenly realized, much to his horror, that he was trapped in an anime high school AU.]]

Discussing the ins and outs of their cute designs, Optimus and his pals explained that they were created for the purpose of appealing to non-Transformers fans. Bumblebee suggested that another way to tap that market would be to create "Zodiac Transformers", based on all the different animals of the Chinese zodiac, but Lockdown had a different idea: a humanized Transformers "Boys Love" romance, where he and Optimus competed for Bumblebee's affection. Bumblebee was not impressed. {{storylink|Mystery of the 30th Anniversary Merchandise}} The trio went on to talk about the original ''Mystery of Convoy'', and Bumblebee got a telling-off from Optimus when he pointed out that it was a famously terribly game. Discussing traits that they thought made games bad, Bumblebee suggested that an RPG already completed when you started would be pretty awful. {{storylink|Mystery of Reliably Crappy Games}} When Lockdown suggested that re-releasing such a terrible game was like rubbing salt in a wound, Bumblebee didn't understand the expression. Optimus explained, and they all tried to come up with situations the phrase was applicable to; taking it a bit too far, Bumblebee suggested getting pooped on by bird, then looking up to discover that a meteor was about to crash into the Earth. {{storylink|Mystery of Smearing Salt in the Open Wound}} The group then talked about the rubbish stage bosses in ''Mystery of Convoy'', particularly the [[Destron Mark|floating Decepticon insignia]], and wondered what sort of fictional scenarios it could be used in. {{storylink|Mystery of the Stage Bosses}}

[[File:QTF bumblebee explorer.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.8]]

Prime and company began being joined by their friends to discuss facets of the game. [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] participated in a talk about the differences between the original and the remake, {{storylink|Mystery of the Wittily Similar Circumstances}} while [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] highlighted the tonal "gap" between the cute character designs and the very ''un''-cute action in the game. Everyone tried to think of examples of similar "gaps": Bumblebee suggested a handsome young man cooking a nice meal... for his mother. {{storylink|Mystery of the Gap of Unpopular Men}} [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] and [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] joined them to talk about classic terrible games, which turned into a discussion about adventure and exploring, and the comforts an explorer might like to have with them on such a journey—Bumblebee thought a nice pillow would be just the thing. {{storylink|Mystery of a Certain Explorer}} [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] and [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] also talked about some famously awful old games, segueing into a discussion about psychokinetic powers; Bumblebee was concerned about the potential of such powers to interfere with television. {{storylink|Mystery of a Certain Psychic}}

When [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] came along to share his thoughts on points of commonality among famously awful games, the group talked about the technical advancements of video games, with Bumblebee mentioning motion-control. {{storylink|Mystery of Game Balance}} [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] also had some opinions on the common themes of bad games, but Bumblebee and Optimus's willingness to settle for less frustrated Lockdown. {{storylink|Mystery of the Lowest Possible Standards}}

[[File:Qtransformers gtoptimus copenbee.jpg|right|thumb|upright=2]]

Bumblebee had changed his look when [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] dropped in, to one resembling his Generation 1 self but with a Daihatsu Copen alternate mode. They talked about the constantly changing looks of Transformers through history, and how Bumblebee used to be called "Bumble" in Japan. {{storylink|Mystery of Convoy}} Still sporting his Daihatsu Copen form, Bumblebee dropped in on a conversation between [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], the star of ''Mystery of Convoy''. He told them how Optimus and Lockdown would argue over the crappy's games merits—but to be reminded of the games shortcomings only sent Magnus into floods of shameful tears. {{storylink|Mystery of Mystery of Convoy}}

When [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] turned up to join the argument over just how bad ''Mystery of Convoy'' was, Optimus quickly switched bodies, taking on the form of [[Optimus Prime (G1)|his Generation 1 self]]; seeing this, Bumblebee also switched from his ''Age of Extinction'' form to his Daihatsu Copen body. They argued back and forth for a bit, discussing other ways the game could have been remade using staples of Japanese media, and Bumblebee proposed a "sports day"-style version. {{storylink|Mystery of Return of Convoy}}

[[File:QTransformers15-Bumblebee's sports uniforms.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.7]]
Bumblebee had to reveal that the show's budget had been slashed for the second season and that they were going to find ways to make Q-Transformers more popular. Optimus's suggestion that they turn the franchise into a Transformers version of [[Mito Kōmon]] led Bumblebee to dub him "Mito Convoy". {{storylink|The Road to Winning a New Fanbase}} While they were discussing ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]'', Lockdown complained that it was too hard to tell who was an Autobot and who was a Decepticon, to which Bumblebee suggested they could wear sports uniforms. {{storylink|The Road to Easy Identification}}

For the first installment of Q-Transformers Radio, Optimus and Bumblebee brought in guest star [[Yukimura Sanada]] for an interview, during which Bumblebee suggested that Transformers could guest star in the ''[[Sengoku Basara]]'' game series. {{storylink|The Road to Borrowing Popularity from Sengoku Basara}} When Lockdown was confused by the jump from ''Transformers'' to ''Transformers 2010'' due to ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' not being released at the time, the group decided to brainstorm ways to better explain the changes. Bumblebee and the others were mostly just confused by the concept for an abridged movie that Optimus came up with. {{storylink|The Road to Smoothly Conveying the Content of the Movie}}

[[File:QTransformers19-Bumblebee Inner Self.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.8]]
Optimus next brought in [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] to cover the later Japanese Generation 1 series, only for him and Bumblebee to have to field a series of complaints from Lockdown. During the ensuing discussion of potential new types of Transformers, Lockdown came up with pop idol Transformers, which Bumblebee seized on and suggested that the singing could transform their inner selves. His demonstration of the idea startled Optimus. {{storylink|The Road to Newer Transformers}} When they had [[Kazumi Araiwa]] on Q-Transformers Radio, Bumblebee asked their guest for advice on the fact that Optimus was very unreliable, and asked him to say "roll out". {{storylink|The Road to Borrowing Popularity from Cooking Papa}}

For the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' and associated cartoons, Optimus brought [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] in to provide explanations, with him and Bumblebee providing context. This led to a discussion about ideas for a dark but funny ''Transformers'' show. {{storylink|The Road to Dark and Comical Transformers}} While [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] described more ''Transformers'' cartoons, Optimus and Bumblebee found themselves defending the changes in the various shows to Lockdown. {{storylink|The Road to These Definitely Failed Sequels}}

Still seeking ways to increase their popularity, Optimus dragged Bumblebee along to [[Sanrio Puroland]] to get ideas, only to run into [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] and [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] and have an enlightening discussion about the Decepticons' idea of a theme park. {{storylink|The Road to Q-Transformers Land Which Won't Lose to Puroland}} After Bumblebee announced that the second season was coming to an end, he and Optimus reflected that they had not actually learned much. They decided making ''Q-Transformers: The Movie'' would be a good idea, though discussion of what should be in it meandered.
{{storylink|The Road to Q-Transformers: The Movie}}
{{-}}

[[File:LegendsBizTrip5 TFs of today.jpg|left|thumb|upright=.75]]

===Legends World===
In the [[Legends World]], Bumblebee was just a fictional character featured in a series of popular movies and toylines. When [[Rhinox (Legends)|Rhinox]] turned into [[Tankor (Legends)|Tankor]] and tried to revert the world back to how it was in the '80s, [[Rattrap (Legends)|Rattrap]] attempted to stop him by singing the praises of modern-day Transformers, including the ''Q-Transformers'' incarnation of Bumblebee. {{storylink|LG05 Whirl}}

After [[Blackarachnia (Legends)|Blackarachnia]] bought a [[Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#Q-Transformers|''Q-Transformers'' Bumblebee toy]], [[Megatron (Legends)|Megatron]] was inspired to visit a ''Q-Transformers'' event held at the Deckss Tokyo Beach shopping center to try and impress her. Bumblebee had a big presence, and between Megatron, Rattrap, and [[Optimus Primal (Legends)|Optimus Primal]], they saw a standee of him, a statue, an exclusive sticker, and even a themed "Bumblebee Mango" drink. At the neighboring Joypolis amusement park, his voice actor Ryōhei Kimura attended a Q&A! {{storylink|Deckss × Q-Transformers Collaboration Event Report|Deckss × Q-Transformers}}

''Q-Transformers'' [[Optimus Prime (Movie)/merchandise#Q-Transformers|Nazo Nazo Optimus Prime]] and [[Bumblebee (Movie)/merchandise#Q-Transformers|Nazo Nazo Bumblebee]] were prizes up for grabs at [[Triggerhappy (G1)|Triggerhappy]]'s shooting gallery. {{storylink|LG49 Targetmaster Triggerhappy}}

When the [[Zamojin (species)|Zamojin]] invaded their home dimension, the toys of the Legends World revealed themselves to be real Transformers. A toy of Bumblebee as seen in the first three movies and a toy of Bumblebee as seen in ''Bumblebee'' helped defend the people of America, like [[Josh Perez]]. {{storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two|Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two}}

The release of the ''Bumblebee'' movie turned out to be the great leveller for Rattrap and friends. Rattrap enjoyed how cute the title character was, Rhinox enjoyed its 80s nostalgia, and [[Silverbolt (Legends)|Silverbolt]] enjoyed it like the rest of the [[live-action film series]]. Rattrap exited the cinema playing with a [[Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#Bumblebee|BB-01 Bumblebee]] toy, Rhinox had a magazine with Bumblebee on the cover, and [[Waspinator (Legends)|Waspinator]] excitedly held a boxed ''[[Studio Series]]'' [[Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#SS18|SS-16 Bumblebee]]. {{storylink|Transformers Legends Final Chapter "Epiloge"|"Epiloge"}}
{{-}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
In [[Tyran 511.0 Kappa]], Bumblebee survived [[Cemetery Wind]]'s massacre and joined Optimus Prime along with fellow Autobot survivors [[Bulkhead (DOTM)|Bulkhead]] and [[Backtrack (Movie)|Backtrack]] as well as the desperate Decepticons [[Axor|Axel]] and [[Wild Rider]]. Initially skeptical of the Decepticons, the Autobots learned to appreciate Wild Rider, but Axel tried and failed to betray them to Lockdown. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/16}}

===Bee's Backtalk===
[[File:Ask Vector Prime Bumblebee.jpg|thumb|left]]

With [[Vector Prime]] still missing in action, Bumblebee became the fourth guest contributor to Vector Prime's [[Ask Vector Prime|column]]. He renamed the column to "Bee's Backtalk", answering questions from readers through patched-together audioclips.

Bumblebee gave us some more details about the state of the Autobots and their allies following the Chicago crisis. When asked about the fate of Sam following the rise of Cemetery Wind, Bumblebee became upset, and declined to comment. He noted that the Autobots were still searching for any more survivors of Cemetery Wind. A comment about the workmanship of KSI's Stinger units was enough to make him hopping mad, although he immediately apologized for his behavior. When someone asked Bumblebee why things in the [[Tyran|Tyran Cluster]] are prone to exploding, he suddenly found himself in the middle of a battleground as everything around him exploded. The Axiom Nexus News team lost contact with him (disappointing the editor, who was pleased that Bumblebee was able to stabilize ratings). As Andromeda was the one who found Bumblebee, she was tasked with finding his replacement: someone who, in contrast to Bumblebee's cryptic radio answers, could speak their mind in a straightforward manner.

[[Cy-Kill (GoBots)|And look how ''that'' turned out]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Bee's Backtalk|Bee's Backtalk}}

===''TV Magazine stories''===
As Megatron fought against several Autobots including Drift and Hot Rod, Optimus Prime and Bumblebee arrived in the battlefield, only to be shocked by Megatron's towering size. However, Optimus immediately though of a plan: transferring his Energon (along with Drift and Hot Rod's) to Bumblebee, giving the yellow scout a new ability called "Energon Charge", and defeats Megatron with a single punch. While victorious, Bumblebee is still considered as problematic for the napping Autobots as the glowing Energon effect is still on. {{storylink|The Explosive Birth of Energon Charge Bumblebee}}
{{-}}

===''Mission to Cybertron'' comic===
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Mission to Cybertron}}}}
{{-}}

===''Sector 7 Adventures''===
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Sector 7 Adventures: The Battle at Half Dome|The Battle at Half Dome}}}}

===''Bumblebee's First Life on Earth''===
{{voiceactor|[[Ryōhei Kimura]] (Japanese)}}
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Picked Up from the Junkyard}}{{storylink|Hiding in the Park!}}{{storylink|Cooking!}}}}

==Commercial appearances==
*Both Optimus and Bumblebee could be seen driving around the [[Speed Stars]] logo in vehicle mode. {{storylink|Commercial#Speed Stars|Speed Stars commercials}}
*Bumblebee was resting in vehicle mode in Al's Chevrolet car dealership, getting caught on tape while the dealership's owner filmed a commercial. The place's squirrel mascot playfully bashed Bumblebee's hood with a foam hammer, provoking Bumblebee into transforming and tossing him away. Bumblebee then sped away in a huff. {{storylink|Commercial/Dark of the Moon#Chevy|Dark of the Moon Super Bowl XLV Chevrolet Camaro TV Spot}}
*Bumblebee joined Optimus Prime on the road as part of the "[[Win A Ride To School With The Autobots]]" contest. {{storylink|Commercial/Dark of the Moon#Win A Ride|Win A Ride To School With The Autobots contest and commercial}}
*Bumblebee dazzled a group of Valero patrons by showing up at the gas station in his vehicle mode and... popping his fuel filler flap. {{storylink|Commercial/Age of Extinction#Valero|Age of Extinction Valero tie-in commercial}}
*While driving about town, Bumblebee crossed paths with a little boy in possession of a Mega 1-Step Bumblebee toy. Impressed by his miniature likeness, he paused to admire it, then gave the boy a fist bump. {{storylink|Commercial/Age of Extinction#Flip and Change|1-Step Optimus Prime & Flip and Change Grimlock toy commercial}}
*Bumblebee was one of many pop culture icons who were hanging out at Paramount Mountain and saw the arrival of the water bucket from ''{{w|Flashdance}}''. Once they finished reenacting the movie's famous scene, [[Kenny McCormick|Kenny]] got crushed to death by the giant bucket.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWRkBv4zJpU A Mountain of Entertainment | Storm l Paramount+]</ref>
*Bumblebee was one of [[Keegan-Michael Key|Mr. Garvey]]'s students during a roll call at Paramount Mountain, with his classmates being various cartoon characters from different [[Nickelodeon|Nick]] shows.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEdNAzv1LD8 A Mountain of Entertainment | Mr. Garvey's Mountain Survival Skills | Paramount+]</ref>
*Bumblebee was seen in an ''{{w|United Airlines}}'' commercial, alongside characters from other series, such as Thrall from ''{{w|World of Warcraft}}'', ''{{w|Peppa Pig}}'' and her family, and ''{{w|Crash Bandicoot}}''.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiYqwZaOKfA United — A New Era of Inflight Wi-Fi]</ref>

==Games==
{{main|Bumblebee (Movie)/games}}

==Toys==
{{main|Bumblebee (Movie)/toys}}

==Merchandise==
{{main|Bumblebee (Movie)/merchandise}}

==Notes==
===Classic Camaro===
*According to an article on [http://web.archive.org/web/20071013122820/http://edmunds.com/insideline/do/Features/articleId=121138?imw=Y Edmunds.com], the film makers wanted Bumblebee's original Earth form to be the 1976 iteration of the Camaro because it was the worst Camaro possible that also had chrome bumpers.
*The same article indicates that the 1976 Camaros used in the film were all purchased via online auction for under $6000 each, one for less than $2000. That one didn't run.
*One of the 1976 Camaros was sold on eBay. The bidding ended on July 18, 2007; the final price was $40,100.01.

===Modern Camaro===
*The 2008 Concept Camaro used for Bumblebee in the first movie was built by Saleen in 30 days, using a heavily modified 2006 Holden Monaro chassis as the basis. The '08 Camaro was not in production at the time that the first film was being made, hence an identical mock-up was needed to fill the role.<ref>[http://www.saleen.com/transformers.htm Saleen article about the construction of the Barricade and Bumblebee vehicles]</ref>
*In ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'', Bumblebee scans a working, driveable new generation Camaro — conveniently with the same paint job as his classic Camaro disguise at that time — that wouldn't be released until some time in the year 2009. However, it is possible that the Camaro in question was being road-tested by GM engineers, like they were doing in the real world.
*Although unexplained in the films, Bumblebee's vehicle mode changes appearance subtly between ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''. This is probably because of product placement: Bumblebee's old [[alternate mode]] was an unavailable concept Camaro, while in ''Revenge'' he uses what seems to be the new Z/28 Camaro... whose mass production was later canceled. Oops. However, it is perfectly reasonable to assume that it is the Camaro ZL1 that uses the same design.
*He changes models again between ''Revenge of the Fallen'' and ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon]]'' and becomes a production Camaro SS (rather than the previous two movies GTO-Based mock-ups); the movie prop car changes include the addition of a rear spoiler, the black racing stripes now being further apart while at the same time losing the outer pinstripes, the racing stripes now also covering the roof and Autobot badges in the front fenders.
*After the end of production of their respective films, the Camaros from ''Revenge of the Fallen'' through to ''The Last Knight'' were simultaneously sold for $500,000.

===Robot mode and CG model(s)===
[[File:MovieBBearlyconcept.jpg|thumb|upright=1]]
*An early concept art featuring a significantly different looking, more G1 inspired Bumblebee sporting his classic Camaro kibble was drawn by [[Don Figueroa]], as revealed through the artist's Twitter account.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=A VERY early character study of BB for the first #Transformers movie.|link=https://twitter.com/SketchyFig/status/1524542496847458304|name=Don Figueroa|site:Twitter|year=2022|month=May|day=12}}</ref> This or a related concept art most likely served as a basis for Bumblebee's [[Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#Deluxe Class toys|Deluxe Class 1976 Camaro figure]] from the [[Transformers (2007 toyline)|2007 movie toyline]]. The two designs have noticeable similarities in their forearms and feet.
*The Bumblebee computer-generated model consisted of 7608 individual parts, 1,511,727 polygons, 19,722 rig nodes, and 8094 texture maps. The volume of all the pieces came to 1069.01 cubic feet.<ref>Robertson, Barbara (2007). Heavy Metal. ''Computer Graphics, 30''(7), 12-17.</ref>
*Bumblebee's character animation is based on the performance of {{w|Michael J. Fox}} in the ''[[Back to the Future]]'' movies.<ref>From ''Cinefex'' magazine, issue number 111, published October 2007.</ref>
[[File:MovieBumblebeeStinger.jpg|thumb|He uses it once, then dies.]]
*Bumblebee is equipped with a pair of arm-mounted electrical "[[Stinger (weapon)|stingers]]."<ref>Bumblebee's [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/Battle-Bios.cfm Battle Bio] at Hasbro.com</ref> While designed, the stingers were ultimately not featured in the movies, though they may have influenced [[Bumblebee (Animated)|other]] [[Bumblebee (Cyberverse)|media]].
*Speaking of weapons, for someone whose main job is being subtle, Bumblebee is quite well armed, with a [[plasma cannon]] powerful enough to rattle [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]], [[Mohawk]], and [[Nitro Zeus]], a blade capable of disabling [[Blitzwing (BB)|Blitzwing]]'s jet thrusters, and a ring-shaped light missile launcher in each shoulder. He is also a capable close-combat fighter, as seen in his fights against [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]], [[Rampage (ROTF)|Rampage]], [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]], [[Stinger (AOE)|Stinger]], and [[Dropkick (Movie)|Dropkick]].
**Despite this, he has a [[Fireblast]] rating of ''three''. Also, he lost his blade while fighting [[Shatter]], requiring him to use his environment to his advantage.
[[File:ROTFBumblebeeAltColorsConcept.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|But will we ever '''get''' an orange Bumblebee? No, we'll just keep getting slightly different yellow ones.]]
*According to designer [[Paul Ozzimo]] on his website, at one point there were plans to make Bumblebee into a Z/28 convertible for ''Revenge of the Fallen'', and the possibility of changing his color to orange or black with yellow was also discussed. While none of these alterations happened, concept art for both appeared on the "25 Years of Transformers" feature on the ''Revenge'' DVD... though the black version is only seen from behind.
*Bumblebee stands approximately 16 feet tall, according to the [[Transformers The Game|official game]] strategy guide.
*In 2011, Bumblebee appeared in a Super Bowl XLV-related commercial, parodying car dealers by tossing a squirrel mascot knocking his hood to literally hammer the point of low prices. The TV spot also revealed ILM's modifications to his design for ''Dark of the Moon'', namely more pronounced shoulders and ribs ala his [[Bumblebee (WFC)|''Prime'' counterpart]].<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RttT4jC7_10 Chevrolet Super Bowl spot]</ref>
*Despite his Camaro alternate mode used for ''Dark of the Moon'' no longer sporting the outer pinstripes bordering his black racing stripes, the CG robot model still has them. Whoops.
*Similarly, in the first movie, after he gains the modern Camaro alt mode, Bumblebee's robot mode still features the scratches and dirt on his paint job of his original 1976 Camaro alt mode.
*In ''Age of Extinction'', Bumblebee's concept Camaro robot model sports a [[death-lock pincer]] similar to that of Megatron's ''Revenge of the Fallen'' body.
*Bumblebee's arm cannon in ''The Last Knight'' undergoes a slight visual tweak. Using his original trilogy's cannon design, the main barrel has a narrow barrel as the main firearm.
*In a profile image posted by the Movie series' Facebook page, Bumblebee is depicted to retain his battle mask from his ''Age of Extinction'' body, while the final cut features a variant of his original battle mask seen in the first 3 films.
*Meanwhile, although Bumblebee transforms into a regular, unarmored Mercedes-Benz 770 cabriolet in ''The Last Knight''{{'}}s World War II flashback sequence, his robot-mode kibble is that of a {{w|Humber Scout Car|Humber Scout Car}}, and his ''[[Studio Series]]'' toy based on the scene is yet ''another'' Humber model, specifically a {{w|Humber Light Reconnaissance Car}}.
*The design for Bumblebee's Cybertronian and Volkswagen bodies in ''Bumblebee'' draws heavy influence from his Generation 1 [[Bumblebee (G1)|namesake]].
*While on Cybertron, Bumblebee does not have the black 'wings' on his back as Cliffjumper does. However, when he lands on Earth they can clearly be seen on him.

===License plates===
Bumblebee sported several different [[license plate]]s between the movies, the video games and the toys:

*'''489 PCE''', registered in [[California]], was the 1976 Camaro's license plate in the first movie, which was kept consistent between the car prop and the CG model for the robot mode. The license plate was later auctioned off in 2008.<ref name="plate1">[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/movie-bumblebees-license-plate-for-sale/12255/ Movie Bumblebee (1976 Camaro edition) license plate for sale], Seibertron.com, January 2008.</ref> The same license plate was later used again in ''[[Bumblebee (film)|Bumblebee]]'' when Bumblebee upgraded from a Volkswagen Beetle to a 1977 Chevrolet Camaro. Of note, "PCE" is frequently used for license plates in film and TV productions because the California DMV does not issue that combination to the public. For example, another [[fandom:lostpedia:Hurley's Camaro Camaro|camaro]] seen several times in the television show ''[[Wikipedia:Lost (TV series)|Lost]]'' had the license plate "429 PCE", Phil Coulson's 1962 Chevrolet Corvette "[[fandom:marvelcinematicuniverse:Lola|LO.L.A.]]" in the TV show ''[[Wikipedia:Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.|Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.]]'' had the license plate "381 PCE" (or "681 PCE" in early epiodes), and [[fandom:strangerthings:Billy Hargrove|Billy Hargrove]]'s Camaro from the TV show ''[[wikipedia:Stranger Things|Stranger Things]]'' had the license plate "PCE 235".
*'''900 STRA''', without a state-specific registration, was the new license plate for the Concept Camaro car prop, which was kept for the production models used for all three subsequent movies. It was also used when the modern Camaro prop cars from the movies were on display at car shows and other events. Finally achieving consistency between both modes, Bumblebee also sported this plate in robot mode in ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon]]''. Furthermore, Hasbro started to use this license plate number with the Leader Class Bumblebee and Deluxe Class Nitro Bumblebee toys from the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (toyline)|''Dark of the Moon'' toy line]] (both sporting ''sculpted'' license plate inscriptions in both modes), and the [[Activision]] [[Dark of the Moon (video games)|''Dark of the Moon'' video game]] also uses it for the vehicle mode. The license plate used in ''Revenge of the Fallen'' was auctioned off in October 2009.<ref name="2009auct">[http://www.icollector.com/Hero-Bumblebee-license-plate-from-Transformers-Revenge-of-the-Fallen_i8633011 ''Revenge of the Fallen'' Bumblebee license plate auction], icollector.com</ref> In ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction]]'', he even uses this license plate in his 1967 Camaro disguise, and still keeps it when he upgrades to his new 2014 Camaro concept form.
*'''4NZZ454''', registered in California, is probably the most well-known license plate number due to being used on the CG model for the robot mode in the 2007 movie and ''Revenge of the Fallen''.<ref name="proctercg">[http://www.benprocter.com/storage/oldersites/sitev2/html/PROJPAGE_Trans_06.html Official Hasbro promo shots of the finalized CG model for Bumblebee] on Ben Procter's portfolio</ref> This number was also used for a lot of Hasbro's toys from the first two movies' toy lines (in robot mode and often also in vehicle mode), including the Deluxe Class Classic Camaro.
*'''4NZZZ454''', with a red line indicative of a California registration, was an erroneous version of the above number with an extra "Z", used on some of Hasbro's toys, namely the Deluxe Class Concept Camaro Bumblebee toy from the [[Transformers (2007 toyline)|first movie's toy line]] (including several [[redeco]]s and [[retool]]s) and ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' [[Human Alliance]] Bumblebee.
*'''5LKZ213''' can be spotted on some photos of the life-sized robot prop from the Hoover Dam set from the first movie.<ref name="procterprop">[http://www.benprocter.com/storage/oldersites/sitev2/html/ZOOM_Trans/ZOOM_24.html Life-sized Bumblebee prop] on Ben Procter's portfolio</ref><ref name="unicubb">[http://www.unicron.us/tf2007/toypix/ultimate_bumblebee.html Review of Ultimate Bumblebee] at Unicron.com, including a set photo of the life-sized Bumblebee prop used for the movies.</ref>
*'''BUMBLBE''', registered in California, was used for the life-sized robot prop on various exhibits in 2007.<ref name="premiere">[http://www.flickr.com/photos/bob_karol/archives/date-taken/2007/06/27/ Transformers Movie premiere in Westwood Village, California], Flickr photostream of Candid Photos</ref><ref name="18foot">[http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/pictures-18-foot-bumblebee-transformer-invades-la "18 Foot Bumblebee Transformers invade LA"] at Techeblog</ref>
*'''FXPERTS''' (registered in California), a reference to the special effects company that built the life-sized robot prop,<ref name="fxperts">[http://www.fxpertsinc.com/trans.html Building the life-sized Bumblebee prop] at Fxperts</ref> was used on various exhibits in 2008.<ref name="dolby">[http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/ces-2008-giant-bumblebee-transformer-invades-the-dolby-booth "CES 2008: Giant BumbleBee Transformer Invades the Dolby Booth"] at Techeblog</ref><ref name="holloman08">[http://www.flickr.com/photos/61043118@N00/archives/date-taken/2008/09/22/ Transformers on display at Holloman Air Force Base in September 2008], Flickr photostream of snakebite000.</ref>
*'''KDM 0814''', registered in California, was used for the life-sized robot prop on various exhibits from 2009 to at least 2011.<ref name="sydney">[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/movie-bumblebee-prop-appears-in-sydney-australia/17305/ Life-sized Bumblebee prop in Sydney, Australia] at Seibertron.com</ref><ref name="vegas">[http://www.flickr.com/photos/deltamike/archives/date-taken/2009/03/30/ Transformers on display at the Las Vegas Strip], Flickr photostream of Mike Renlund</ref><ref name="childmuseum">[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=77515 "Bumblebee coming to the Children's Museum of Indianapolis"] at The Allspark, March 2011</ref> A variant of this, "KDM 814" minus the "0", had been previously used as the license plate of [[Twins (ROTF)|the Twins]]' combined ice cream truck mode in ''Revenge of the Fallen''.
*'''5BBM2''' (registered in California), mirrored on the other side, is used by Activision for the robot models used in the ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (video games)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' and ''[[Dark of the Moon (video games)|Dark of the Moon]]'' video games.<ref name="nextgen">[http://www.nextgn.com/2009/05/15/transformers-2-playable-characters-and-soundtrack-revealed/ ''Revenge of the Fallen'' video game models] at Next Gen News</ref><ref name="actidotm">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/video-games-17/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-the-game-hands-on-171673/ Activision trailer and promo stills for Dark of the Moon video game] at TFW2005.</ref> Due to its partially mirrored nature, this plate wouldn't actually be legal.
*'''4N7 454''' (registered in California), another erroneous variant of the robot mode license plate from the first two films, was seen on a hand-painted prototype used for early official stock photos of the ''Masterpiece Movie Series'' Bumblebee figure.<ref name="mpmsbb">[http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/01/10/shadow-spark-optimus-masterpiece-movie-bumblebee-official-images-330837 "Shadow Spark Optimus and Masterpiece Movie Bumblebee Official Images"] at TFW2005.com.</ref> Samples on display at both Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair 2017 and [[Toy Fair|New York Toy Fair]] 2017, on the other hand, sported a regular "900 STRA" license plate.
*'''ANZZ454''', ''another'' erroneous variant of the robot mode license plate from the first two films that mistakes the first "4" for the letter "A", was used for the redeco of ''Transformers'' (2007) Deluxe Class Classic Camaro Bumblebee from the ''[[Transformers Tribute]]'' [[Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#Tribute|Bumblebee Evolution 3-Pack]].
*'''MM''', an easter egg put on the [[Bumblebee (Movie)/merchandise#Robot Heroes|''Revenge of the Fallen'' Robot Heroes figure]] by its designer, [[Marcelo Matere]].
*'''WH 218 371''', a license plate used by Bumblebee in ''[[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight]]'' in a flashback set during [[World War II]] that showed him infiltrating the Nazis in the disguise of a Mercedes-Benz 770.
*'''RWM4V15''', registered in California, the license plate used by Bumblebee in his disguise as a Volkswagen Beetle in ''Bumblebee''.

===Lack of voice===
*For [[Transformers (film)|the first movie]], [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] had originally preferred the Transformers not to talk ''at all'' throughout the movie, a notion Hasbro heavily contested.<ref name="tfwtour">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-news-rumors/139273-botcon-2007-botcon-2007-hasbro-tour-updated-friday-12-45pm.html BotCon 2007 Hasbro tour report.]</ref> Bumblebee still ended up being mute throughout most of the movie, which, according to Orci and Kurtzman, was inspired by [[Steven Spielberg]]'s ''{{w|E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial|E.T.}}'' and is supposed to signify that his friendship with Sam transcends words.<ref name="mtv">[http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1554426/20070312/story.jhtml MTV.com interview with Kurtzman and Orci.]</ref>
*According to the [[Movie Prequel issue 1|prequel comic]] by IDW Publishing, Megatron ripped out and crushed Bumblebee's voice capacitor during the battle at [[Tyger Pax]] back on Cybertron. [[Hardtop (Movie)|Hardtop]]'s toy bio claims the damage came from a shot fired by Hardtop. In the film itself, Ratchet only states to Sam that Bumblebee's "vocal processors were damaged in battle" and he was "still working on them". Ultimately, the most canon explanation of his loss of voice occurs during the events of ''[[Bumblebee (film)|Bumblebee]]'', when his voice box is ripped out by [[Blitzwing (BB)|Blitzwing]].
*By the end of all the conflict (the climax of the first film proper), Bumblebee has regained his ability to speak. Although it was not confirmed on-screen, screenwriter [[Roberto Orci]] did confirm ''off''-screen<ref name="Orci"/> that Ratchet's (regenerative) beam fired at Bee's throat was indeed the reason. Just as well, Roberto Orci ''also'' admitted that Bumblebee's brief contact with the AllSpark would be an equally valid (and even more "in-continuity") explanation.<ref name="Orci"/>
*The first known mention of Bumblebee losing his voice in Tyger Pax is from an early draft of the [[Transformers (film)|2007 movie]] called the ''Prime Directive'', where Ratchet reveals this information to Sam and Mikaela.
*When asked, Orci admitted there had been plans to have Bumblebee speak in ''Revenge of the Fallen''; however, ultimately they liked his "musical ability" too much, and [[Michael Bay]] wanted to focus more on [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]], since he thought kids would like the two characters.<ref name="orci">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/180451-welcome-mr-roberto-orci-you-may-ask-him-questions-283.html#post3785383 Q&A with Roberto Orci at TFW2005]</ref>
*In the ''Dark of the Moon'' novel adaptation, it is stated that Bumblebee never fully recovered from the damage to his voice box, implying that the injury wasn't fully healed even back at the end of the first movie. It is further explained that while Bumblebee can indeed talk, it takes a great amount of effort for him to do so while talking through the radio takes no effort at all.
**In the same novel, according to Bumblebee's inner thoughts, there is seemingly always something on the radio available for him to use to be able to communicate his mind. This appears to imply that Bumblebee uses live broadcasts while talking through the radio and not broadcasts he recorded beforehand.
*When Bumblebee finally did speak in the first movie, he had a slightly British accent. However, in ''[[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight]]'', it appears he in fact has an ''American'' accent. This was carried over to ''Bumblebee'' as well, albeit with a younger-sounding voice to reflect the film's status as a prequel. As of yet, no explanation for this discrepancy has been made, but given that Bee's voice box never fully recovered after the first movie, it's likely his voice ''itself'' hadn't, either.
*In several foreign-language dubs, namely Japanese and Spanish, Bumblebee is dubbed over by only one voice actor. This choice has been criticized for creating an obvious contradiction ("If his voice box was damaged, how can he talk perfectly?"). However, in others, such as French, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu, Bee is voiced by multiple uncredited voice actors, and all of their voices have certain audio effects. That's some good respect for the source material.

===Arrival on Earth===
*While the 2007 movie never states how long Bumblebee has been on Earth, all the prequel materials (in particular IDW's comic books) establish that he arrived only a few years prior to the movie's present-day events. For many years, this was never explicitly contradicted by any other media...
*However, ''The Last Knight'' suddenly established that Bumblebee had been active on Earth as early as [[World War II]], fighting on the side of the Allies alongside [[Hot Rod (DOTM)|Hot Rod]] and several other Autobots. The [[Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Prequel|''Bumblebee'' prequel comic]] follows along with this backstory, chronicling Bumblebee's adventures during the [[Cold War (history)|Cold War]].
*However, the events of ''Bumblebee'' depict Bumblebee arriving on Earth in 1987, rendering both the WWII flashback and ''Bumblebee Movie Prequel'' inconsistent with the films themselves.
*Therefore, we can either assume that all prequel materials are considered null and void at this point, or there is a live-action counterpart to [[Centurion (IDW)|Centurion]] running around. The latter would likely explain how Bumblebee has no recollection of being a WWII veteran or knowing Sir Burton, as well as where his big hammer came from.

===Other===
[[File:BumblebeePrequelSketches.jpg|thumb|right|200px|"Bumblebee: Year One"]]
*Bumblebee is a big fan of Earth cartoons! Some of his favorites include ''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]'', ''{{w|Ren and Stimpy}}'', ''{{w|Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law}}'', ''{{w|Futurama}}'', ''{{w|Voltron}}'', and ''{{w|Rick and Morty}}'', as noted in [[Ask Vector Prime]].
*Bumblebee's ability in ''The Last Knight'' to blow himself apart and magnetically reassemble himself came seemingly out of nowhere; with no explanation, having never demonstrated this ability before, and with no mention of this ability at any point in any other media whatsoever. The closest thing to an in-universe explanation for this ability would be that he was somehow able to mimic (for repairs and as a battle strategy) a similar ability shown by the man-made KSI drones in ''Age of Extinction'' to disintegrate and re-materialize for repairs and transformation (but even that's a ''huge'' stretch).
*Bumblebee's alternate mode in the [[Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Prequel|''Bumblebee'' prequel comic]] is a mixture of an {{w|Aston Martin}} and a {{w|Volkswagen Karmann Ghia|Karmann Ghia}}.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=It's actually sort of a blend of that with an Aston Martin.|link=https://twitter.com/glovestudios/status/1014997829775917059|name=Andrew Griffith|site=Twitter|year=2018|month=07|day=05|(defunct=)}}</ref>
*Bumblebee attended ''The Voice'' to watch [[Hailee Steinfeld]]'s performance of "Back To Life", the single from their movie.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJveg86lUWE Hailee Steinfeld - Back To Life (Live from The Voice / 2018) via YouTube]</ref>
*Almost nine years since the release of ''Age of Extinction'' in May 2023, comedian [[Ben Schwartz]] revealed on the ''{{w|Game Grumps}}'' web series that he provided lines for Bumblebee's radio voice in the film. Schwartz was hired by Bay to create original dialogue for the character's radio communication. While most of his work was in the finished movie, a portion of his radio voice was omitted and replaced by lines from various media.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQwL2b4UEGU&t=8349s Ben Schwartz OBLITERATES Super Castlevania IV - Youtube]</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Czech:'' '''Čmelák''' (first movie's first dub only) (Bumblebee)
*''Japanese:'' '''Bumblebee''' (バンブルビー ''Banburubī'')
*''Korean:'' '''Bumblebee''' (범블비 ''Beombeulbi'')
*''Cantonese:'' '''Daai Wong Fung''' (大黃蜂, "Bumblebee")
*''Hungarian:'' '''Űrdongó''' ("Space Bumblebee"), '''Dongó''' ("Bumblebee", ''Rise of the Beasts'' dub only)
*''Mandarin:'' '''Dàhuángfēng''' (Taiwan, 大黃蜂, "Bumblebee"), '''Dàhuángfēng''' (China, 大黄蜂, "Bumblebee")
*''Spanish:'' '''Abejorro''' ("Bumblebee")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Bdzhilka''' (Бджілка, "Bee")

==See also==
{{OtherVersions
|charname=Bumblebee
|disambig=Bumblebee (disambiguation)
|body=
*[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]], the plucky yellow [[kid-appeal character]] from [[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]].
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]], the hothead yellow kid-appeal character from ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]].''
*[[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]], the yellow kid-appeal character turned leader from the [[Aligned continuity family]].
*[[Bumblebee (Cyberverse)|Bumblebee]], the amnesiac yellow kid-appeal character from ''[[Transformers: Cyberverse (franchise)|Transformers: Cyberverse]].''}}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/2007/Autobot/Bumblebee/bumblebee.htm Bumblebee at TFU.info]
*[http://www.seibertron.com/toys/index.php?f_series=40&f_name=bumblebee&f_type=exact&Submit=Search Galleries of various different Bumblebee toys from the Movie]
*[https://www.instagram.com/p/BXNxtLPBtnK/], [https://www.instagram.com/p/BYYQ1Rej_e8/] Concept art for Bumblebee's World War II body by Josh Nizzi on Instagram

[[Category:Age of Extinction Autobots]]
[[Category:Autobot leaders]]
[[Category:Bumblebee Autobots]]
[[Category:Classified Autobots]]
[[Category:Cyber Missions characters]]
[[Category:Dark of the Moon Autobots]]
[[Category:Hall of Fame characters]]
[[Category:Human Alliance]]
[[Category:Legends Autobots]]
[[Category:Movie Autobots]]
[[Category:NEST]]
[[Category:P.R.O.G.R.A.M.M.E.]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen Autobots]]
[[Category:Rise of the Beasts Autobots]]
[[Category:The Last Knight Autobots]]
[[Category:TransTech Autobots]]

Changing Gears

2026-03-22T12:39:03Z

Zenphia: /* Animation or technical glitches */

{{disambig2|the 1985 cartoon episode|the movie-era book|Transformers Classified: Switching Gears|Switching Gears}}
{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=18
|series2=SRLFtoon
|ep2=12
|prev2=Autobot Spike
|next2=Traitor (episode)
|series3=''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (cartoon)|Transformers: Generation 2]]''
|ep3=27
|prev3=Roll for It
|next3=Attack of the Autobots (episode)
|image=ChangingGears Happy Gears.jpg
|caption=OMG! You guys! This is so awesome! Yay!
|title="Changing Gears"
|season=2
|season ep=2
|production code=#700-17
|airdate=[[October 1]], 1985
|written by=[[Larry Parr]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|animation studio=[[Toei Animation|Toei]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
|video=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHFIS9SJrTs
|videosite=YouTube
}}
'''In a plot to drain the Sun for power, the Decepticons capture and alter the grumpy Autobot Gears.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Changegearsskywarp.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Photograph taken immediately post-stair-pushing.]]
The [[Decepticon]]s attack [[human]]s working in a gold mine and take them prisoner. Just as [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] is about to blast a human calling for help on a radio, [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] backhands him, saying that he wants the human to bring the [[Autobot]]s.

At the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] orders the Autobots to assemble at once, which they do with lots of hustle. The only exception is [[Gears (G1)|Gears]], who complains the whole way. Prime orders his troops to head out to the mine to engage their enemies.

[[File:Changegearsinahole.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Team Rocket traps Gears in a hole in order to steal his Pikachu.]]

A battle ensues when they arrive, but Megatron lets the miners get in the way. Unwilling to endanger humans, Prime orders the Autobots to hold their fire. Megatron uses this chance to get the drop on the Autobots, then takes Gears captive for purposes unknown and retreats.

In [[Africa]], Megatron has Starscream zap Gears with the [[null-ray]], then takes out a special circuit from Gears' body. The Decepticon leader explains that this circuit is the final component he needs for his energy-absorbing [[Solar Needle]], a solar collector which his Decepticons have constructed to harness energy from the heart of the [[Sun]]. With the circuit in place in the needle, the device activates and causes world-wide earthquakes. Unbeknownst to Megatron, the Solar Needle is flawed, causing a dangerous instability within the core of the Sun.

The effect on Gears is profound as well. The removal of this component from Gears corrupts his personality, turning him from a surly grump into a happy-go-lucky, ultra-polite guy who'll do absolutely anything for anyone. This allows Megatron to manipulate and control him. Mentally, Gears still knows the Decepticons are evil and doesn't want to help them, but he's been rendered so "nice" that he can't refuse any request.

The Autobots blast through the jungle and start firing at the Solar Needle, but it's protected by a [[force field]]. Prime concocts a dangerous plan to circumvent the field by jumping through the hole at the top where the Sun's energy enters. [[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] and [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] say it's too dangerous, but [[Cliffjumper (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cliffjumper]] drives past them, makes the attempt and shatters the force field.

[[File:Changegearsmegatrontriumphs.jpg|right|upright=1.1|thumb|"Let there be light!"]]
The 'Bots battle. Megatron gets the drop on Prime and orders the Autobots to surrender or he'll shoot their leader. Prime orders them to fight on, but the Autobots capitulate. Prime asks for one last request, which Megatron allows. The chief Autobot turns and asks Gears to do him a favor now. Gears obliges and shoots a component of the needle. Inspired by his change of heart, the Autobots fight back against the 'Cons, who retreat.

Prime orders [[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] and Ratchet to deactivate the device, but they argue over the correct solution. Out of time and with the Sun about to explode, Optimus just grabs at a wire inside the device and pulls. The needle shuts down and the Sun returns to normal.

Prime removes Gears' circuit card from the needle and hands it back to him, but [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] interrupts, saying that the rest of the Autobots like the new Gears over the old. Gears isn't too happy about that, so Optimus returns the card and the surly, cranky hypochondriac is back. The Autobots roll on back to headquarters, leaving Gears to complain to himself.
{{-}}

==Featured Characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{collist|2|
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (9)
*[[Hound (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hound]] (10)
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cliffjumper]] (11)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (12)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] (13)
*[[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] (14)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] (15)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (16)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sunstreaker]] (17)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] (18)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] (19)
*[[Mirage (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Mirage]] (20)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (21)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (22)
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (23)
}}
|c2=
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (2)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] (3)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]] (4)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (5)
*[[Laserbeak (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Laserbeak]] (6)
*[[Ravage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ravage]] (7)
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (8)
|c3=
*Miners (1)
}}

==Quotes==
[[File:ChangingGears Gears Bee acrobatics.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|right|This act is illegal in 23 states and the District of Columbia.]]
'''Ironhide:''' "Action first, Gears; maintenance later." 
'''Gears:''' "Easy for you to say. Your pulleys don't squeak!" 
'''Bumblebee:''' "Your ''squeaking''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s not the problem—[''does a forward flip over Gears'']—it's your ''squawking!''"

"Go ding your diodes and get defunct, Megatron. I’m not helping you do zilch."
:—Cranky, gutsy '''Gears'''

"Megatron is behind this. I’d bet my titanium torsion bars on it."
:—That's probably a safe bet, '''Optimus Prime'''

"I should be very angry at you, Megatron. You ''are'' an evil son of a [[retrorat]], but for some reason, I just can't get too upset."
:—Cheery, nice '''Gears'''

"I should have destroyed you when I had the chance, but Megatron can't save you now!" 
"Heheheh, I really hate to disappoint you, Starscream, but you better look behind you!" 
"Do you seriously expect me to fall for such a stupid trick?"
:—'''Starscream''' refuses to be distracted by '''Gears''' warning of an impending charge from Bumblebee.

[[File:ChangingGears got a bang out of that.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4]]
"How can I help you, Megatron, heh heh, you rotten hunk of scrap?"
:—'''Gears''', piling on the flattery.

"What did you do to Gears, you monster? You turned him...''nice!''"
:—'''Ironhide''', at Gears' sudden change in personality.

"All right, now let's blast that Solar Needle and roll out." 
"I suppose you want me to do that." 
"Be my guest."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' and '''Gears''', grumpy once again.

==Notes==

===Continuity notes===
[[File:Changegearstakeitout.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|KALI MA! KALI MA!]]
* Gears' parts list: unlubed cable relays, squeaky pulleys (twice!), a cramped chronometer, a vibrating sequential camshaft, a trembling gyroscope, and besides that—
* Gears' special circuit board looks like an audio cassette tape. Whether it can [[Mini-Cassette|transform]] is not yet known.
* It may seem bizarre that Gears' personality is "modulated" by a circuit in his chest when Transformers generally keep their brains in their heads, but "[[Transport to Oblivion (episode)|Transport to Oblivion]]", "[[Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2]]" and "[[The Rebirth, Part 1]]" all feature Transformers with memory circuits in their chests.
* Gears uses the same hook-shaped welding tip that Brawn used to free Huffer, way back in "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 2]]".
* Where does the trailer go?
** At the end of the episode, Optimus Prime's trailer just randomly drives itself out of the jungle and connects to his truck mode. Seriously, where does that thing go when he's in robot mode?
* The gun Megatron pulls out of thin air and uses against the Autobots has the same distinct shape of his "high-density infrared laser cannon", the hand-held gun his [[Megatron (G1)/toys#The Transformers|original toy]] came with. Whether it was just a pure coincidence of animation or an intentional inclusion is unknown, though the sound effect used for the blast is quite clearly the one used for his [[Fusion cannon]].
* Yes, yes, we know, [[Solar Needle]], [[Star Harvester]] in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', blah blah, we ''promise'' you that ''IT IS NOT AN ACTUAL REFERENCE.''

===Animation or technical errors===
* Missing Seeker insignia:
** Skywarp and Thundercracker are both missing their wing emblems as they dive to fire on the miners.
* The mining car, loaded with gold, ''explodes'' when it gets shot by a laser beam. Maybe what the miners really struck was TNT.
* Ravage is ''tiny'' when he tackles the trapped miner, not more than 4 feet long.
* Coloring errors:
** Megatron's Decepticon symbol is a medium gray instead of purple when he bashes Starscream aside.
** The shot of Prime transforming to roll out for the gold mine is recycled as the Autobots leave for Africa. This is not an error in and of itself; however, Cliffjumper being colored yellow is!
** Ratchet's [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] is missing some red detailing as he rolls out behind Hound.
** The running light housings on Prime's chest are white instead of red as he orders the Autobots to "look sharp". The same error repeats later, as he reacts to the falling boulders outside Autobot Headquarters.
** Starscream's shoulder intakes are light gray instead of red when Megatron says that time is running out for Prime.
** Megatron's elbow is gray instead of red as he threatens to destroy the universe.
** Trailbreaker has a light gray fist as he and the others listen to Gears complain. It should either be a light gray gun-arm or a black fist.
* Sunstreaker and Trailbreaker run past Gears twice in successive shots.
* The size and shape of the corridor that Gears is walking through changes radically between shots; it's much smaller when Ironhide chastises him. In the same shot, the corridor floor is sliding underneath both Autobots much faster than the pace of their walk.
* Appearing/disappearing Autobots: Lots of Autobots come and go throughout the episode. The core Autobot cast is pretty consistent (Prime, Hound, Cliffjumper, Gears, Ratchet, Jazz, Wheeljack, Sunstreaker, Bumblebee, Ironhide and Trailbreaker; this is, for example, the group that gathers to look down on the Solar Needle, and again after the Decepticons retreat.) But several Autobots just show up for one or two shots, infrequently enough that it's not clear if they should have been shown or not:
** Mirage is seen driving away from Autobot Headquarters (twice due to recycled animation), dodging rocks the second time, and again jumping over the crevasse. He's never seen in [[robot mode]].
** Bluestreak and Brawn show up for a single shot at the mine. Later, Bluestreak is seen at Autobot HQ dodging boulders.
** Huffer's distinctive profile can be seen at the end of the Autobot convoy as they roll out first time.
** Sideswipe can be seen in the Autobot convoy just before they start blasting the jungle, and very briefly as the Autobots charge toward the Solar Needle.
* Despite Prime's warnings about not endangering the humans, the three miners are almost completely out of the Autobots' line of fire. Additionally, the Autobots make no attempt to move ''themselves'' out of the way.
* Megatron's transformation sequence is about half over by the time the corresponding transformation noise begins.
* Megatron reaches behind him to pull out his secondary gun. Given the angle of the shot, he pretty much has to have pulled it out of his... ahem... exhaust port.

* The animation doesn't really do such a great job of demonstrating that ''all'' the Autobots have been taken out of the fight, but that's about the only conclusion, since ''nobody'' makes any effort to combat the Decepticons after the "energized boulders" incident.
* The electrified cage holding Gears just vanishes after Starscream gives him the [[null-ray]] treatment.
* After Bumblebee says "Solar flares!", a quick shot shows the sun with the Solar Needle beam streaking into it, along with a locust-like energy sound effect. If the noise is audible when we're looking at the beam, shouldn't it be heard pretty much all the time everywhere on Earth?
* In the frequently-recycled shot of the destabilizing sun, some of the solar flares are flying past the camera. Given that they have blue sky behind them, that would mean Earth just got vaporized! In the same shot, the Solar Needle's energy beam is nowhere in sight.
* The shot of Starscream, Megatron, and Gears gaping at the newly activated Solar Needle is recycled after the first commercial break. The next shot has them all in different places and poses.
[[File:ChangingGears jungleclearing.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|Seriously. No roots, stumps, stray rocks, or ''anything''.]]
* Jazz and Sunstreaker's weapons can ''vaporize'' trees? Whoa.
* The gray portion of Gears's chest is abnormally large as he says "I love being a slave!"
* The chunk of earth that breaks loose, endangering Bumblebee, is nowhere in sight in the previous shot.
* Wheeljack gets the wrong transformation noise as he returns to car mode after saving Bumblebee from falling into the crevasse.
* Cliffjumper has the wrong voice as he says "Let's stop gabbin' and start blasting!" It sounds like Don Messick.
* Multiple Autobots fire on the Solar Needle, but only one laser beam is shown hitting or getting reflected.
* Ironhide's mouth isn't moving as he declares that "It's a reflective energy shield!" Prime is waving his arm like he should be the one speaking.
[[File:ChangingGears Cliffjumper hits forcefield.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|This is like the Cliffjumper equivalent of a drinking dare.]]
* Cliffjumper is shown flying toward the center of the Solar Needle, where he's supposed to be going, but the next shot has him hitting one of the peripheral energy beams instead. (As Cliffjumper flies off after the impact, Megatron appears to be standing there waiting to catch him!)
* The Autobots leap downwards into the Solar Needle's periphery, but it's not really clear where they're leaping ''from''.
* When Starscream says the line "Oh, no, you don't. Your circuit stays right here," the voice saying the line is Skywarp's. The subsequent lines make it clear that this was supposed to be Starscream.
* Starscream's gun barrel has no interior as he aims it at Gears; it's just solid, uniform gray.
* As Soundwave ejects Ravage to attack Bumblebee, Laserbeak's cassette mode is shown (due to the scene being recycled from the previous shot of Laserbeak ejecting.)
* Starscream's laser beams aren't quite properly animated to glow as he shoots at Gears repeatedly.
* The boulder that smashes the jungle floor after Megatron retreats appears to have just fallen out of the sky; there's no hill or cliff visible at all.
* Wheeljack's "ears" aren't flashing as he celebrates with the other Autobots, nor as he laughs with them at Gears's threat.

===Continuity errors===
[[File:ChangingGears Prime Sun being zapped.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|Prime's standing outside Autobot Headquarters, and the bottom of that beam of energy is in Africa. Totally buying that.]]
* Would the miners really find an entire truckload of gold on their ''first strike''?
* "Energized those boulders"? Uh...really?
* The energy beam that the Solar Needle fires into the sun makes contact with its target in seconds, and takes seconds to return to Earth. It should take a minimum of about 8 minutes to reach the sun, and a minimum of about 8 minutes to return.
* How can the sun be up in North America and Africa at the same time?
* The Autobots somehow '''drove''' from their base in the Western United States to the '''"geographic center of Africa"''' in '''"slightly less than 2 Earth hours"'''. After traveling through at least eight time zones, it appears to be roughly the '''same time of day''' as when the Autobots left their base.
* "Jazz! Sunstreaker! Laser us a road!" Prime apparently changes his mind on the flagrant destruction of flora some time between this episode and "[[Microbots]]", where he prevents Brawn from blasting a path through a South American jungle.
* Despite Ratchet's assertion that "no one could survive up there", Cliffjumper disrupts the energy shield with little more than a slight hangover to show for it.
** Also, none of the Autobots show much of a reaction to Cliffjumper's sacrifice. None of them even go to check on him. Of course, Ratchet's false assertion likely convinced the Autobots that Cliffjumper was dead, but still.
* Even with Prime disarmed, is Megatron pointing his cannon at Prime such a huge threat that the Autobots really have to surrender? He points that thing at Prime all the time!
* Gears produces two completely different guns from his arm: the one he pulls out when Prime is about to hit the pylon is round, while the one he pulls out to shoot the Solar Needle is square and has fins. In both cases, his fist slides out of his wrist ''holding the gun''. How does that even work??
* Does Gears ''really'' tip the odds that heavily in the Autobots' favor?
* What are these "battle stations" Megatron keeps ordering everyone to man? None of his troops do anything of the sort, probably because there are no "stations" anywhere in sight.
* Throughout the latter half of the episode, Optimus Prime and Megatron argue that the Solar Needle may/may not destroy the universe. While the Sun's exploding would obliterate our solar system, it couldn't destroy the universe in its entirety, unless the Solar Needle is some of the most advanced technology ever wielded by the Decepticons.

===Trivia===
[[File:Changinggearsautogroup.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|"You heard Jeff Probst, now get off the island."]]
* This episode features a ''ton'' of recycled shots: Megatron slapping Starscream; the Autobots leaving HQ; Megatron aiming his cannon at Prime (complete with a pan over to the Autobots); the unstable sun; Megatron & co. gaping at the Solar Needle. Soundwave ejecting Laserbeak/Ravage is used at least four times, and the shot is copied almost line-for-line from "Transport to Oblivion". And of course, there's the ol' stock Optimus Prime transformation sequence.
[[File:G1 ChangingGears Ratchet karate.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|"Notice that the stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo or willow survives by bending with the wind."]]
* Cameo locations: Pisa, [[Italy]]; Paris, [[France]]; [[New York City]] (or rather, Liberty Island, home of the [[Statue of Liberty]]).
* As the Autobots descend the cliffside to fight the Decepticons, Gears slides down on his butt, arms up in the air.
* When Megatron throws Optimus into the energy beam, Prime's [[ion blaster]] disintegrates (in a blink-and-you-miss-it bit of animation) and he remains weaponless for the rest of the episode. Wow, chalk one up for continuity.
* In another nice bit of continuity, the Solar Needle sphere that nearly crushes Wheeljack is still laying there broken when the Autobots prepare to blow up the Needle.
* Ratchet has the moves in this episode. First he Bruce-Lee-kicks Thundercracker. Then he kicks a boulder to knock a falling pylon in order to make it miss Wheeljack. While awesome, the latter move totally breaks the laws of physics.
* Man, the Decepticons really get their tails whipped in this episode, huh? First the Autobots capture nearly all of them, then they get beaten so bad that they just up and flee without even getting the order from Megatron.
* Trailbreaker ''is'' joking about not giving Gears back his circuit card, right? There's definitely not enough time for the Autobots to actually take that vote!

===Foreign localization===
'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Sauvez le Soleil'''" ("Save the Sun")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?
::*[[Georges Atlas]] is absent from the episode. However, most of his characters are absent or don't talk. Only Ratchet is taken over by both [[Albert Augier]] and [[Gérard Hernandez]].
::*Several logo transitions were cut. It is unknown if it was that way for the original broadcast or if the episode was chopped for the DVD release.
::*When Megatron takes Gears, Optimus Prime says "Ils emmènent le petit !" ("They're taking the kid!"). However, Gears is called by his name in the rest of the episode.
::*Gear's line "Prime! The energy grid!" is absent from the dub, he is left silent.
::*Unfortunately, Ironhide's joke "What did you do to Gears, you monster? You turned him... nice!" has been lost in translation. Instead he just says "What did you do to him? Did you tamper with his circuits? You will pay dearly for this!".
::*While in English, Optimus Prime says "Ratchet, Wheeljack, on the double!", in the dub he only names Ratchet.

'''Italian'''
:*''Title (both dubs):'' "'''Energia solare'''" ("Solar Energy")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Solar Energy o Nusume!'''" (ソーラーエネルギーを盗め!, "Steal the Solar Energy!")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[September 21]], [[1985]]
:**Despite having this spotlight episode, the [[Gears (G1)|Gears]] toy was never sold in Japan during the show's original run. He was not made available in Japan until [[2004]].
:**This episode was actually broadcast in Japan ''before'' it aired in the United States; one of the few episodes of ''The Transformers'' to do so.

'''Mandarin'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Huàn Biànsùxiāng '''" (换变速箱, "Changing Gears")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Brazilian Portuguese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Mudando as Marchas'''" ("Changing Gears")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Russian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Privoda podmenili'''" (Привода подменили, "Gears Is Quietly Substituted")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;{{w|LaserDisc}}
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1994 — ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' — Convoy Set ([[TakaraTomy|Takara]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1998 — ''The Transformers'' — Autobot Edition ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2001 — ''The Transformers'' — DVD Box 1 (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 1 ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2002 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 1: Vol. 1 (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2003 — ''Transformers'' — Season 2 Part 1 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Bumper Collection Special (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 2: Series 2.1 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of France.png|20px|France]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Volume 4 ([[Déclic Images]]) — European 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 Italy.png|20px|Italy]] 2008 — ''Transformers'' — Volume 03: Stagione Due Parte Prima ([[Medianetwork Communication]]) — English and Italian audio. 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season Two: Part One (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'' — Season Two, Volume One: 25th Anniversary Edition ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[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]] 2011 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Original Series (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2014 — ''The Transformers'' — Season Two, Volume One: 30th Anniversary Edition (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2014 — ''Transformers'' — The Classic Animated Series (Metrodome)

==External links==
*[https://drive.google.com/open?id=1yhehkb99y8FMdQlXvZtoB8mXuUXW-OmN Episode dialogue script]
*[https://drive.google.com/file/d/1x4WRSKYi5fQtcA8JRAG6zkY4BJ5wdggT/view?usp=drive_link Model sheets and background layouts]

[[Category:The Transformers episodes]]
[[Category:Generation 2 episodes]]

The Transformers (cartoon)/cast

2026-03-19T19:08:06Z

Zenphia: /* The Transformers: The Movie and Season 3 */

{{Nav-G1cartoon}}

As ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|The Transformers]]'' progressed over its four main seasons, characters would often come and go in the blink of an eye, while others stuck around for the majority of the show's length. As this show was made [[to sell toys]] to the audience, new characters were constantly being introduced to keep relevant products on-screen. For the purpose of this list, we have included every named Transformer, computer/robot, recurring human and alien in the cartoon, using concurrent names and terminology or, in the lack of any other option, names given after the fact via [[retcon]]. As with other cast lists for American ''[[Transformers brand|Transformers]]'' shows, only the characters' English voice actors are listed and excludes any stand-in voices. Rather than listing every single character that appeared per season, each season's list only has newly introduced characters present.

==Season 1==
[[File:Autobot roll call-panning shot stitched-MTMTE1.jpg|centre|thumb|upright=2.8|"Attention, Autobots! Your next mission is.... Hang on where's the other ''eight'' and that ''[[Hauler|other guy]]'' gone?"]]
{{note|For more on the season itself, See: ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)#Season 1]]''.}}

The first season primarily revolves around the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' and ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'' crews after landing on [[Earth]] and waking up in [[1984]]. As the season progressed, the introduction of toys from the [[1985]] lineup started to make their appearance. This season also had recurring humans working alongside the Autobots and Decepticons.

{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
;[[Ark (G1)#The Transformers cartoon|''Ark'' crew]]
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
**[[Combat Deck (G1)|Combat Deck]]
**[[Roller (G1)|Roller]]
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] ([[Dan Gilvezan]])
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] ([[Chris Latta]])
*[[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] ([[Scatman Crothers]])
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] ([[Casey Kasem]])
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] ([[Corey Burton]])
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cliffjumper]] (Casey Kasem)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] ([[Don Messick]])
*[[Hound (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hound]] ([[Ken Sansom]])
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] ([[John Stephenson]])
*[[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] (Peter Cullen)
*[[Mirage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Mirage]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Prowl (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Prowl]] ([[Michael Bell]])
*[[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] (Don Messick)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sideswipe]] (Michael Bell)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sunstreaker]] (Corey Burton)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (Frank Welker)
*[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] (John Stephenson)
*[[Hauler]]

;[[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]]s
*[[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] ([[Gregg Berger]])
*[[Slag (G1)|Slag]] ([[Neil Ross]])
*[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (Frank Welker)
*[[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] ([[Hal Rayle]])
*[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] (Michael Bell)

;Others
*[[Jetfire (G1)|Skyfire]] (Gregg Berger)
*"[[Halonix Maximus|Giant Autobot]]" hologram (Peter Cullen)

|c2=
;[[Nemesis (G1)|Decepticon ship crew]]
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (Frank Welker)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (Chris Latta)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] (Frank Welker)
**[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] (Frank Welker)
**[[Laserbeak (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Laserbeak]] (Chris Latta/Michael Bell)
**[[Ravage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ravage]] (Frank Welker)
**[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (Frank Welker)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] (Frank Welker)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]] (John Stephenson)
*[[Air Warrior]]s<ref name="retcon">Denotes a character who previously went unnamed during the show's original run but was later named in other forms of fiction established by publishers such as; [[Fun Publications]], [[IDW Publishing]], [[Ask Vector Prime]] or various forms of media released in the [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity]].</ref> (Michael Bell/Dan Gilvezan)
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (Chris Latta)
*[[Photon (subgroup)|Photon]]s<ref name="retcon"/> (Ken Sansom)

;[[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticon]]s
*[[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] (Hal Rayle)
*[[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] (Michael Bell)
*[[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] ([[Clive Revill]])
*[[Insecticon clone|Insecticon Clones]]

;[[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicon]]s
*[[Devastator (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Devastator]] ([[Arthur Burghardt]])
**[[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (Michael Bell)
**[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (Neil Ross)
**[[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (Neil Ross)
**[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (Gregg Berger)
**[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] (Frank Welker)
**[[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (Don Messick)

;[[Rainmaker]]s<ref name="retcon"/>
*[[Acid Storm (G1)|Acid Storm]]<ref name="retcon"/>
*[[Ion Storm]]<ref name="retcon"/>
*[[Nova Storm (G1)|Nova Storm]]<ref name="retcon"/>

;Others
*[[Shockwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Shockwave]] (Corey Burton)
*[[Bitstream (G1)|Bitstream]]<ref name="retcon"/>
*[[Hotlink (G1)|Hotlink]]<ref name="retcon"/>
*[[Nacelle (G1)|Nacelle]]<ref name="retcon"/>
*[[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]]<ref name="retcon"/>
*"[[Watchdog (G1)|Watchdog]]s"

|c4=
*[[Narrator]] ([[Victor Caroli]])

;[[Human]]s
*[[Sparkplug Witwicky]] (Chris Latta)
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike Witwicky]] (Corey Burton)
*[[Chip Chase]] ([[Michael Horton]])
*[[Doctor Arkeville]] (Casey Kasem)

;Computers
*[[Teletraan I]] (Casey Kasem)

|nonumbering=true
}}

==Season 2==
[[File:CosmicRust-BigGroup.jpg|centre|thumb|upright=2.8|"Attention, Autobots! Your next mission is screen-time!" 
"Uh, Prime, we're gonna need a bigger camera..." 
"Darn, looks like we may have to ''[[The Transformers: The Movie|lose a few of our numbers]]''."]]
{{note|For more on the season itself, See: ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)#Season 2]]''.}}

The second season greatly expanded the cartoon's cast and focused more heavily on character-driven stories, with many characters getting their own "spotlight" episodes. With the new additions of figures sold in the [[1985]] lineup of toys, it practically doubled the original amount of characters that were seen in the previous season.

(New characters only)
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
;Main cast
*[[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]] ([[Alan Oppenheimer]])
*[[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]] ([[Buster Jones]])
*[[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] ([[Michael McConnohie]])
*[[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]] ([[Peter Renaday]])
*[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] ([[Michael Chain]])
*[[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] ([[Walker Edmiston]])
*[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] ([[Jack Angel]])
*[[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Perceptor]] ([[Paul Eiding]])
*[[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] (Michael Chain)
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (Michael Chain)
*[[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]] (Alan Oppenheimer)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (Michael Chain/Dan Gilvezan)
*[[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] (Jack Angel)
*[[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] (Michael McConnohie)
*[[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] (Alan Oppenheimer)

;[[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbot]]s
*[[Superion (G1)|Superion]] ([[Ed Gilbert]])
**[[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]] ([[Charlie Adler]])
**[[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] ([[Rob Paulsen]])
**[[Fireflight (G1)|Fireflight]] ([[Jeff MacKay]])
**[[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] ([[Laurie Faso]])
**[[Slingshot (G1)|Slingshot]] (Rob Paulsen)

;[[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobot]]s
*[[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]] (Chris Latta)
**[[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]] (Dan Gilvezan)
**[[Blades (G1)|Blades]] (Frank Welker)
**[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (Michael Bell)
**[[Groove (G1)|Groove]] (Frank Welker)
**[[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] (Peter Cullen)

;[[Female Autobots]]
*[[Elita One (G1)|Ariel/Elita One]] ([[Samantha Newark]]/ [[Marlene Aragon]])
*[[Moonracer (G1)|Moonracer]] ([[Morgan Lofting]])
*[[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] (?)
*[[Firestar (G1)|Firestar]] (?)
*[[Greenlight]]<ref name="retcon"/>
*[[Lancer]]<ref name="retcon"/>

;Others
*[[Alpha Trion|A-3/Alpha Trion]] (Corey Burton/ [[Tony Pope]]/John Stephenson)
*[[Autobot X (G1)|Autobot X]] (Don Messick/Corey Burton)
*[[Dion (G1)|Dion]] (Corey Burton)
*[[Devcon (G1)|Devcon]] (John Stephenson)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Orion Pax]] (Laurie Faso)
*[[Robodoctor]] (Alan Oppenheimer)
*[[Guardian robot]]s (?)

|c2=
;Main cast
*[[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] (Jack Angel)
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (Ed Gilbert)
*[[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] ([[Bud Davis]])
*[[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] (Jack Angel)
*[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (Ed Gilbert)
*[[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]] (Chris Latta)

;[[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticon]]s
*[[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] ([[Regis Cordic]])
**[[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]] ([[Roger C. Carmel]])
**[[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]] (Alan Oppenheimer)
**[[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] ([[Philip L. Clarke|Philip Clarke]])
**[[Drag Strip (G1)|Drag Strip]] ([[Ron Gans]])
**[[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]] ([[Terry McGovern]])

;[[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticon]]s
*[[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] (Roger C. Carmel)
**[[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] ([[S. Marc Jordan]])
**[[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]] ([[Milt Jamin]])
**[[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]] ([[Tony St. James]])
**[[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] ([[Johnny Haymer]])
**[[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]] (Johnny Haymer)

;Others
*[[Autoscout]]
*[[Blast (G1)|Blast]]<ref name="retcon"/>
*[[Deceptitran]] (Paul Eiding)
*[[Dropkick (G1)|Dropkick]]s<ref name="retcon"/>
*"[[Giant Purple Griffin]]"
*[[Sentinel (G1)|Sentinel]]s (Gregg Berger)
*[[Head Guard]] (Greg Berger)

|c4=
*[[Slizardo]] (?)

;Humans
*[[Carly (G1)|Carly]] ([[Arlene Banas]])
*[[Raoul]] (Michael Chain)

;Robots
*[[Nightbird (G1)|Nightbird]]
*[[B.O.T. (G1)|B.O.T.]]
*[[Morphobot]]s
*[[Centurion droid|Centurion Droid]]s
*[[Maintenance drone|Maintenance Drone]]
*[[Robot Conversion Troop]]
*[[Robosmasher]]
*[[Gyronian Sentry]]<ref name="retcon"/> (Michael McConnohie)
*[[Alligaticon]]

;Computers
*[[Vector Sigma]] (Corey Burton)
*[[TORQ III]] (Gregg Berger)

|nonumbering=true
}}

==''The Movie'' and Season 3==
[[File:Autobots Groupshot Movie.jpg|centre|thumb|upright=2.8|"Hang on, [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]]… Hey, [[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]]! Get your big chassis out of the way, the viewers can't see [[Cliffjumper (G1)|me]]!”]]
{{note|For more on the season itself, See: ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)#Season 3]]''. For more on the movie, See: ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''.}}

[[1986]] was the year [[Hasbro]] decided to wipe a clean slate and advertise the new toys that were created specifically for ''The Transformers'' toyline (see: [[Pre-Transformers|pre-''Transformers'']]). Thus the movie was made, killing off a lot of older season one characters in the then-future year of [[2005]], in order to pave the way for their new products that were hitting store shelves. The new cast of characters introduced in the film also became the focus for future stories. The third season, set mostly in [[2006]], added even more characters on top of the movie's cast, with the addition of [[Titan (group)|Citybots]], new [[combiner]]s, new [[Mini Vehicle|Minibots]] and more [[Triple Changer]]s.

(New characters only)
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
;Main cast
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime]] ([[Judd Nelson]]/ [[Dick Gautier]]<ref name="change">Denotes a character whose voice actor had changed due to the switch over between the movie and season 3.</ref>)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] ([[Robert Stack]]/Jack Angel<ref name="change"/>)
*[[Arcee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arcee]] ([[Susan Blu]])
*[[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] ([[John Moschitta]])
*[[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] ([[Bill Martin]])
*[[Eject (G1)|Eject]]
*[[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] ([[Lionel Stander]]/John Stephenson<ref name="change"/>)
*[[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] (Bud Davis)
**[[Scamper]] (Dan Gilvezan)
**[[Six-Gun]] ([[Maurice LaMarche]])
**[[Slammer]] (Chris Latta)
*[[Outback (G1)|Outback]] (Dan Gilvezan/Gregg Berger)
*[[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] (Hal Rayle)
*[[Ramhorn (G1)|Ramhorn]] ([[John Hostetter]])
*[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] ([[Townsend Coleman]])
*[[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]] (Jerry Houser)
*[[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] ([[Aron Kincaid]])
*[[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (Neil Ross)
*[[Steeljaw (G1)|Steeljaw]]
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]]
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] ([[Ted Schwartz]])
*[[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] (Frank Welker)

;[[Throttlebot]]s
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee/Goldbug]] (Dan Gilvezan)
*[[Chase (G1)|Chase]] (Rob Paulsen)
*[[Freeway (G1)|Freeway]] ([[Danny Mann]])
*[[Searchlight (G1)|Searchlight]] ([[Steve Bulen]])
*[[Wideload (G1)|Wideload]] (Corey Burton)

;[[Technobot (G1)|Technobot]]s
*[[Computron (G1)|Computron]] ([[Bert Kramer]])
**[[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]] ([[Stephen Keener]])
**[[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]] ([[Jim Cummings]])
**[[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] (Danny Mann)
**[[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]] ([[David Workman]])
**[[Strafe (G1)|Strafe]] (Steve Bulen)

;[[Prime (rank)|Prime]]s<ref name="retcon"/>
*"[[Primon|Ancient Robot]]" (Michael Bell)
*"[[Prima|Powerful Robot]]" (Neil Ross)
*"[[Prime Nova|Brooding Robot]]" (Milt Jamin)
*"[[Guardian Prime|Pre-Transformer]]" (Charlie Adler)
*"[[Zeta Prime (G1)|New Narrator]]" (Phillip Clarke)
*"[[Sentinel Prime (G1)|U-Haul Robot]]" (Jack Angel)

;Others
*[[Beta (G1)|Beta]] (Susan Blu)
*[[Paradron Medic]]s
*"[[Playback (G1)|Autobot Communicator]]" (Laurie Faso)

|c2=
;Main cast
*[[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] ([[Leonard Nimoy]]/ Frank Welker<ref name="change"/>)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cyclonus]] (Roger C. Carmel/Jack Angel)
**[[Cyclonus's Armada (G1)|Cyclonus's Armada]]
*[[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] ([[Stan Jones]])
**"[[Sweep No. 4|Doomed Sweep]]" (Neil Ross)
**Other [[Sweep (G1)|Sweep]]s (Multiple voices)
*[[Octane]] ([[Beau Weaver]])
*[[Overkill (G1)|Overkill]]
*[[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]
*[[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]] ([[Roger Behr]])
*[[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] (Roger Behr)
*[[Slugfest (G1)|Slugfest]]
*[[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] ([[Brad Garrett]])

;[[Predacon (G1)|Predacon]]s
*[[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]] (Bud Davis)
**[[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]] ([[Joe Leahy]])
**[[Divebomb (G1)|Divebomb]] (Laurie Faso)
**[[Headstrong (G1)|Headstrong]] ([[Ron Feinberg]])
**[[Rampage (G1)|Rampage]] (Laurie Faso)
**[[Tantrum (G1)|Tantrum]] (Philip L. Clarke)

;[[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcon]]s
*[[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]] ([[Jim Gosa]])
**[[Hun-Gurrr (G1)|Hun-Gurrr]] (Stephen Keener/ [[Marshall Efron]])
**[[Blot (G1)|Blot]] (Tony St. James)
**[[Cutthroat (G1)|Cutthroat]] (Tony St. James)
**[[Rippersnapper (G1)|Rippersnapper]] (Jim Cummings)
**[[Sinnertwin (G1)|Sinnertwin]] (David Workman/ [[Jered Barclay]])

;Others
*[[Trannis]]<ref name="retcon"/>
*[[Gravedigger]]<ref name="retcon"/>
*[[Overcharge (G1)|Overcharge]]<ref name="retcon"/><ref name="title">Denotes a character who only appeared in the [[title sequence]].</ref>

|h3=Others|c3=
*[[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] ([[Orson Welles]]/Roger C. Carmel<ref name="change"/>)
*[[Skuxxoid]] (Corey Burton)
*"[[It]]" (Peter Cullen)

;Humans
*[[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] ([[David Mendenhall]])
*[[Marissa Faireborn]] (Susan Blu)
*[[Abdul Fakkadi (G1)|Abdul Fakkadi]] (Philip L. Clarke)
*[[Gregory Swofford]] (Jered Barclay)
*[[Mark Morgan]] (Aron Kincaid)
*[[Jessica Morgan]] ([[Pamela Hayden]])

;[[Lithone (species)|Lithone]]s
*[[Kranix (G1)|Kranix]] ([[Norman Alden|Norm Alden]])
*[[Arblus]]

;[[Junkion (species)|Junkion]]s
*[[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] ([[Eric Idle]]/Tony Pope<ref name="change"/>)
*[[Nancy]] ([[Joy Grdnic]])
*[[Ashtray]]<ref name="retcon"/>
*[[Greasestain]]<ref name="retcon"/>
*[[HAZMAT]]<ref name="retcon"/>
*[[Junkyard (G1)|Junkyard]]<ref name="retcon"/> (Michael Bell/Jerry Houser<ref name="change"/>)
*[[Re-Cycle]]<ref name="retcon"/>
*[[Rubbish]]<ref name="retcon"/>
*[[Scrapheap (G1)|Scrapheap]]<ref name="retcon"/> (Frank Welker)
*[[Trashbin]]<ref name="retcon"/>
*[[Wasteoid Gamma]]<ref name="retcon"/>
*"[[Short Junkion]]" (Frank Welker)

;[[Quintesson]]s
*[[Quintesson Judge (G1)|Quintesson Judge]]s (Multiple voices)
**[[Deliberata]] (Regis Cordic)
**[[Klementia]]<ref name="retcon"/> (Aron Kincaid)
*[[Quintesson Bailiff]]s
*[[Quintesson Prosecutor]]s (Roger C. Carmel)
*[[Quintesson Scientist]]s (Dick Gautier)
**[[Inquirata (G1)|Inquirata]] (Tony Pope)
*[[Mara-Al-Utha]] (Corey Burton)
*[[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticon]]s (Bud Davis/Frank Welker)
*"[[Allicon|Guard]]s" (Aron Kincaid)
*[[Dark Guardian]]s

;Robots
*[[NUL-A]] (Charlie Adler)
*[[Auto-combatant]] (Frank Welker)

;Computers
*[[Teletraan II]] (Frank Welker)

|nonumbering=true
}}

==Season 4==
[[File:Autobots Rebirth1.jpg|centre|thumb|upright=2.8|The Autobots had to be tied down for a decent photo in this season...]]
{{note|For more on the season itself, See: ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)#Season 4]]'' and ''[[The Rebirth]]''.}}
Lastly, season four aka "[[The Rebirth]]" was set months after the return of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]]. Being only three episodes long, most characters from the [[1987]] lineup that were not the main focus of the story, only received roughly 90 seconds of screen time each, as the introduction of the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] and [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmasters]] were this season's sole focus.

(New characters only)
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
;[[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]]s
*[[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] (Michael Bell)
*[[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] (Frank Welker)
*[[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] (Stephen Keener)
*[[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] (Johnny Haymer)
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] (Stephen Keener)
**[[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] (Jered Barclay)

;[[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmaster]]s
*[[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] (Neil Ross)
*[[Pointblank]] (Neil Ross)
*[[Sureshot (G1)|Sureshot]] (Steve Bulen)

;[[Clone (subgroup)|Clone]]s
*[[Cloudraker (G1)|Cloudraker]] (Danny Mann)
*[[Fastlane]] (Rob Paulsen)

;Others
*[[Punch (G1)|Punch]] (John Moschitta)
*[[Rollbar (G1)|Rollbar]] (Dan Gilvezan)

|c2=
;Headmasters
*[[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]] (Stephen Keener)
*[[Skullcruncher (G1)|Skullcruncher]] (Chris Latta)
*[[Weirdwolf (G1)|Weirdwolf]] (Stan Jones)
*[[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] (Stephen Keener)

;Targetmasters
*[[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]] (Stan Jones)
*[[Slugslinger (G1)|Slugslinger]] (Peter Cullen)
*[[Triggerhappy (G1)|Triggerhappy]] (Charlie Adler)

;[[Horrorcon (G1)|Horrorcon]]s
*[[Apeface]] (Dick Gautier)
*[[Snapdragon (G1)|Snapdragon]] (Dan Gilvezan)

;Clones
*[[Pounce]] (Stan Jones)
*[[Wingspan]] (Peter Cullen)

;Others
*[[Punch (G1)|Counterpunch]] (John Moschitta)
*[[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]] (Neil Ross)
*[[Flywheels]]<ref name="title"/>

|h3=Others|c3=
;Autobot Headmaster [[Nebulan|Nebulon]]s
*[[Arcana]] (Jack Angel)
*[[Gort]] (Michael Bell)
*[[Duros]] (Charlie Adler)
*[[Stylor]] (Milt Jamin)

;Autobot Targetmaster Nebulons
*[[Firebolt (G1)|Firebolt]] (Dick Gautier)
*[[Haywire (Targetmaster)|Haywire]] (Rob Paulsen)
*[[Peacemaker]] (Steve Bulen)
*[[Pinpointer (G1)|Pinpointer]] (Frank Welker)
*[[Recoil (G1)|Recoil]] (Johnny Haymer)
*[[Spoilsport]] (Danny Mann)

;Decepticon Headmaster Nebulons
*[[Zarak (G1)|Lord Zarak]] (Stan Jones)
*[[Grax]] (Milt Jamin)
*[[Krunk]] (Chris Latta)
*[[Monzo]] (Neil Ross)
*[[Spasma]] (Tony St. James)
*[[Vorath]] (Charlie Adler)

;Decepticon Targetmaster Nebulons
*[[Aimless]] (Milt Jamin)
*[[Blowpipe (G1)|Blowpipe]] (John Moschitta)
*[[Caliburst (G1)|Caliburst]] (Johnny Haymer)
*[[Fracas]] (Neil Ross)
*[[Nightstick (G1)|Nightstick]] (Peter Cullen)

|nonumbering=true
}}

==Season 5==
[[File:PrimeEmergencyBeaconMohawk.jpg|centre|thumb|250px|Most of the cast left the show due to pay cuts.]]
{{note|For more on the season itself, See: ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)#Season 5]]''}}
The final season of ''The Transformers'' was simply made up of edited reruns of the previous four seasons and ''The Transformers: The Movie'', with a "new" [[title sequence]] and live-action [[commercial bumper]]s and bookending segments, featuring [[Tommy Kennedy]] and an animatronic/stop-motion puppet of [[Powermaster]] Optimus Prime. Along with Powermaster Optimus Prime, several other [[1988]] characters featured in the toyline are only seen in the title sequence, via clips taken from [[commercial]]s.

(New characters only)
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
;[[Pretender]]s
*[[Cloudburst]]<ref name="title"/>
*[[Landmine (G1)|Landmine]]<ref name="title"/>
*[[Waverider]]<ref name="title"/>

;Targetmasters
*[[Landfill (G1)|Landfill]]<ref name="title"/>
*[[Quickmix (G1)|Quickmix]]<ref name="title"/>
*[[Scoop (G1)|Scoop]]<ref name="title"/>

|h3=Others|c3=
;Humans
*[[Tommy Kennedy]] ([[Jason Jansen]])
*[[Stan Bush]] (himself)

;Autobot Targetmaster Nebulons
*[[Flintlock]]<ref name="title"/>
*[[Silencer (G1)|Silencer]]<ref name="title"/>
*[[Boomer]]<ref name="title"/>
*[[Ricochet (G1)|Ricochet]]<ref name="title"/>
*[[Holepunch (G1)|Holepunch]]<ref name="title"/>
*[[Tracer (Targetmaster)|Tracer]]<ref name="title"/>

|nonumbering=true
}}

==Notes==
*A lot of characters went unnamed during production and generally had reference names used for the animators and writers to go by when creating the episodes. Some of these names became public knowledge through old scripts and storyboards, while others were sometimes credited using those names for any dialogue they may have had.
**Over the subsequent years, many writers of comics and books had taken to using some of the unnamed characters in their stories while [[Retcon|retroactively]] giving them proper names and even in some cases, personalities, far beyond what was shown on screen. Among the unnamed characters, there were some that were given fan-names and even [[subgroup]]s like the [[Rainmaker]]s, that had these fan-names later become canon through [[Hasbro]]/[[TakaraTomy|Takara]], [[Ask Vector Prime]] and media produced through [[BotCon]] and the [[Transformers Collectors' Club]].
{{--}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
[[Category:Generation 1 media]]
[[Category:Media credits]]

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)

2026-03-19T18:31:39Z

Zenphia:

{{nav-rotf}}
{{movie|
|seriess=[[Live-action film series]]
|prev=Transformers (film)
|next=Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)
|title=''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen''
|image=ROTFteaserposter.jpg
|caption=You have controlled your fear. Now, release your anger. Only your hatred can destroy me.
|production companies=[[DreamWorks]] [[Hasbro]] [[Lorenzo di Bonaventura|di Bonaventura Pictures]]
|distributor=[[Paramount Pictures]]
|executive producer=[[Steven Spielberg]]
|producer=[[Lorenzo di Bonaventura]] [[Tom DeSanto]] [[Don Murphy]] [[Ian Bryce]]
|written by=[[Ehren Kruger]] [[Roberto Orci]] [[Alex Kurtzman]]
|directed by=[[Michael Bay]]
|cinematography by=[[Ben Seresin]]
|edited by=[[Roger Barton]] [[Paul Rubell]] [[Joel Negron]] [[Thomas A. Muldoon]]
|music by=[[Steve Jablonsky]]
|release date=[[June 24]], [[2009]]
|continuity=[[Live-action film series]]
|runtime=150 minutes
|budget=$200–210 million
|box office=$836.3 million
}}
{{quote|We had three weeks to get our story and, really, we were going into the movie without a script. It’s tough to do that.|[[Michael Bay]], [http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2011/01/14/michael-bay-ready-to-make-you-forget-transformers-2-it-was-kind-of-a-mess/ LA Times interview]}}

'''''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen''''' is the second film in the [[live-action film series]], a sequel to ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]''. It was released in North America on [[June 24]], [[2009]].

Two years after the [[Mission City#Transformers film|Battle of Mission City]], the Autobots have found a home in "NEST", a secret military unit created to eliminate the remaining Decepticons, and Sam is starting college and trying to leave his Transformer-laden past behind. However, the Decepticons have regrouped under the command of Megatron's mysterious master, The Fallen, who schemes to activate an energon-producing Star Harvester on Earth, which will destroy the Sun and provide them with enough energon to raise an army. The Harvester's location, and the means to activate it, are hidden within Sam's mind, leading the Decepticons to wage war across the Earth as they hunt down Witwicky, forcing him to turn to some unlikely allies to escape and survive.

Director [[Michael Bay]] set out to greatly expand the film's scope with settings ranging across the globe, and a much larger cast of Transformers, with over 40 robots in all.

::::::::::::::::::::{{bigquote|Revenge is mine!|The Fallen}}

==Synopsis==
In 17,000 B.C., a group of human hunters discover Transformers already on Earth, building [[Star Harvester|a machine]]. [[The Fallen|One of the Transformers]] notices the humans, and his reaction is less than friendly.

Two years after the battle of [[Mission City]], the Autobots have teamed up with the American soldiers, including [[William Lennox|Lennox]] and [[Robert Epps|Epps]], in a secret team named [[NEST]] under the command of the [[United States military|US military]], but also incorporating soldiers from other countries such as the United Kingdom. Officially, the US government still keeps the Transformers' existence a secret.

[[File:ROTF-Arceethree.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Well, I guess you don't know everything about women yet.]]

NEST is hunting down the Decepticons on Earth. A region of [[Shanghai]], [[China]] is evacuated to allow NEST to deploy with a cover-up of a toxic chemical spill occurring. As soldiers probe the region, they find the heat signature of the Decepticon [[Demolishor (ROTF)|Demolishor]], who transforms and wreaks havoc on the roadways. His discovery prompts his partner, [[Sideways (ROTF)|Sideways]], to escape as well. Sideways is pursued by [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]], [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]], although [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]], waiting for the Decepticon, eventually slices him lengthwise in half. [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] is airlifted to Shanghai and chases Demolishor through the city with [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]]. Optimus shoots Demolishor several times in the head, while Ironhide shoots out his wheels, causing him to crash and fall off a bypass, badly injuring himself in the process. Before Optimus kills him, Demolishor delivers the cryptic message: "The Fallen will rise again."

[[File:ROTF Sam Cube fragment.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|You will go to the Dagobah system. There you will learn from Yoda.]]

Meanwhile, [[Sam Witwicky]] is preparing for his move to college and dealing with his bipolar mother. His father is looking forward to enjoying a holiday in Paris, and [[Mojo]] has a new canine companion named [[Frankie]]. Sam is on the phone to his rather snarky girlfriend, when he finds a splinter of the [[AllSpark]] lodged in his "D-Day shirt". He experiences a brief flash of images before the splinter burns him. Dropping it, Sam sees the floor catch fire as the splinter burns its way down to the kitchen, where it brings numerous kitchen devices to life. These [[appliancebot]]s make their way to Sam's room and attack. He escapes to the garden, where the bots pin Sam and his father behind the water fountain. After [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] has destroyed the kitchen robots (and part of the Witwickys' house with them), Sam hands the AllSpark shard to [[Mikaela Banes|Mikaela]]. His mother demands Bumblebee leaves. Sam then tells Bumblebee to join the other Autobots, as both of them need to move on. Sam and Mikaela have a slight scuffle over who should say the words "I love you" first, but they kiss and move on. Sam leaves for college, and no one notices a [[Wheelie (ROTF)|toy car]] in the lawn. It detects the splinter and signals [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]], who is stationed in orbit around Earth, disguised as a satellite, and Soundwave orders the truck to follow the girl.

Meanwhile, NEST is in a video briefing with [[Morshower|General Morshower]], Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, when they are visited by National Security Adviser [[Theodore Galloway]], who has been dispatched to relay the President's concerns over the casualties in Shanghai. As Optimus relays the warning of "the Fallen", Soundwave takes control of the satellite transmitting the message. Galloway dismisses the threat, convinced that the only reason the Decepticons are interested in Earth is because of the presence of the Autobots. Therefore, he suggests that they may leave the planet. Optimus says that, yes, they will, but also warns Galloway that he may be wrong. During the conversation, Galloway reveals the location of the AllSpark shard Optimus Prime had picked up after killing [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], and the location of Megatron's remains in the [[Laurentian Abyss]].

Sam arrives at college with his parents and meets his roommate, [[Leo Spitz]], who operates a [[The Real Effing Deal|conspiracy website]] and is convinced that alien robots are hiding on Earth. Sam feigns ignorance and goes to see if he can get another room, but his hunt is interrupted by his father and mother, the latter of whom has unwittingly purchased some marijuana-laced brownies. In the corridor, Leo points out [[Alice (ROTF)|Alice]], another student he has the hots for. Sam is more concerned with tracking down his mother, who by now is roaming the school, informing random people about the state of Sam's virginity.

Soundwave dispatches his minion [[Ravage (ROTF)|Ravage]] to Earth, where he infiltrates the NEST base on [[Diego Garcia]]. Ravage horks a swarm of [[Microcon (ROTF)|microcons]] into an ventilation outlet, and they swarm down to the chamber where the AllSpark shard is being held. There they combine into [[Reedman]], who steals the shard and joins Ravage in a rapid escape.

Although he's due to have a webcam date with Mikaela, Sam is dragged to at a frat party by Leo. He suffers some sort of attack, seeing [[Cyberglyphics|alien glyphs]] which he is trying to write on a table with cake icing when he's approached by Alice, who attempts to seduce him. When Bumblebee shows up, she takes a ride with Sam, but Bumblebee does everything he can to convince her to leave, up to and including spraying her with an [[lubricant|unidentifiable yellow liquid]]. Bumblebee then takes Sam to Optimus Prime, who tells him of the theft of the AllSpark shard and asks Sam to speak with the government on their behalf. Sam refuses, saying that he has his own problems and does not believe that he is the right person for this task.

[[File:TheFallen-ROTFNemesis.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|What is thy bidding, my master?]]

At the Laurentian Abyss, Ravage meets up with several [[Constructicon (ROTF)|Constructicons]], who have placed themselves aboard a cargo ship, then dives with them to the bottom of the ocean, where the US military has dumped Megatron's remains. Using the shard and spare parts from [[Scrapmetal (ROTF)|one of the Constructicons]] (who is presumably killed), [[Scalpel (ROTF)|"the Doctor"]] is able to revive Megatron, who promptly travels to one of Saturn's moons, where the ''[[Nemesis (ROTF)|Nemesis]]'' is being used as a base by the Decepticons. He is awaited by [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]], who is overseeing the spawning of a new army of Decepticons. After beating Starscream for leaving him to die, Megatron presents himself to his master, [[The Fallen|the Fallen]]. Although Megatron believes he has failed, the Fallen reveals that when the Cube was destroyed, the knowledge within the AllSpark was instead transferred to Sam, and with it the means to locate a device capable of creating vast amounts of Energon. The Fallen commands Megatron to capture Sam and kill Optimus, who is the last [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] and the only transformer who can defeat the Fallen.

As he sits in [[Colan|Professor Colan]]'s astronomy class, Sam suddenly reads through the entire reference book in a matter of seconds, before interrupting the Professor's lecture to scrawl more of the strange symbols on a blackboard and deliver a speed lecture on higher physics. After the Professor throws him out, he realises that the effects he's been experiencing may be linked to touching the AllSpark shard. When he calls Mikaela to warn her not to touch it, the [[Wheelie (ROTF)|toy-truck Decepticon]] tries to steal the shard, but Mikaela captures the tiny Decepticon. Mikaela promptly boards a plane to see Sam.

Alerted to multiple Decepticon contacts, NEST mobilises, but the Autobots are already on their way somewhere, and refusing to answer calls from their human comrades.

[[File:ROTF Optimus death.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|You are beaten. It is useless to resist.]]

Leo and Alice find Sam in the dorm room, freaking out and covering the walls with glyphs. Alice pushes Leo outside, and when Mikaela arrives, she finds Sam and Alice in what appears to be an intimate moment. It soon turns out, however, that Alice is a Decepticon as well. Mikaela, Sam and Leo flee as Alice hunts them, devastating the campus library; Mikaela eventually defeats her by slamming her into a tree with a hotwired car. The three humans try to get away but are captured by [[Grindor (ROTF)|Grindor]] and delivered to the waiting Megatron in an abandoned building. Megatron orders "the Doctor" to remove Sam's brain in order to access the information from the AllSpark shard, but Optimus Prime and Bumblebee arrive to free the three humans. Prime takes Sam and flees, but is soon overtaken by Megatron, Starscream and Grindor. In the subsequent battle, Prime injures Starscream and kills Grindor by tearing his head apart. However, Optimus is eventually impaled by Megatron and dies. The other Autobots arrive, saving Sam and causing Megatron and Starscream to retreat.

With the Decepticons unable to locate Sam on their own, Megatron decides that a show of force is in order to compel the humans to turn Sam over to him. Soundwave relays the mobilization order to the ''Nemesis'' and then tracks down [[Ron Witwicky|Ron]] and [[Judy Witwicky]] in Paris. Decepticons, joined by the Fallen, enter Earth and cause massive damage in their transition forms, destroying a [[United States Navy|naval carrier]] in the [[Atlantic Ocean]] and attacking Paris, kidnapping Sam's parents. In a hijacked TV broadcast around the world, the Fallen reveals his existence to the world's public and demands Sam be surrendered to him or else the Decepticons will destroy the world. As a result, manhunt for Sam is launched.

[[File:Rotf t2 simmonsclassified.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Ready are you? What know you of ready?]]

Sam, meanwhile, is hiding out with Mikaela, Leo, Bumblebee and the Autobot twins, Skids and Mudflap. Leo complains loudly about the strange turn his life has taken of late, and Sam rightly tells him to shut the hell up.

The Autobots return to the NEST base, where they are surrounded by the military. Galloway tells them that he has placed in charge of NEST, which is to cease all activities relating to the Decepticons. NEST is being stood down, and they are all to return to Diego Garcia, while the military draws up a coordinated multinational strategy, buying time by negotiating with the Decepticons. Though Lennox tries to argue, it's futile as Galloway pulls rank. Ratchet says the Autobots should leave Earth altogether, but Ironhide points out that it's not what Optimus would want.

Feeling guilty for Prime's death, Sam decides to solve the mystery of the symbols he's been seeing. The Autobots identify the symbols as Cybertronian, but since the language predates their existence, they cannot translate them. Leo eventually suggests they may ask his rival, "[[Robo-Warrior]]", owner of a [[GiantEffingRobots.com|competing website]], for help. To everyone's surprise, Robo-Warrior turns out to be none other than [[Seymour Simmons]], former agent of [[Sector Seven]]. Simmons reveals that the Transformers were on Earth some time ago, as symbols similar to those Sam is obsessed with have been found on numerous excavation sites around the world, and that Sector Seven discovered evidence that several Transformers stayed on Earth for some time. However, in order to read the symbols, they may need a Decepticon. Mikaela then interrogates Wheelie, who identifies the symbols as the Language of the Primes, and suggests they may track down one of the ancient [[Seeker (ROTF)|Seekers]], the Transformers believed to be on Earth. Wheelie identifies one as being nearby, in [[Washington, D.C.]]

[[File:ROTF behold Jetfire.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Looking? Found someone you have, I would say, hmmm?]]

At the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, they discover an old Decepticon named [[Jetfire (Movie)|Jetfire]], disguised as an SR-71 Blackbird. After some initial confusion on his part, Jetfire explains he has defected to the Autobots, inspiring Wheelie to follow suit. When Sam finishes writing down the symbols, Jetfire says that they were part of the Seekers' mission, and he opens a [[space bridge]] and teleports himself as well as Sam, Mikaela, Leo, Simmons, Bumblebee and the Twins to [[Egypt]]. He explains that thousands of years ago, the Transformers arrived on Earth on an exploratory mission under their original leaders, the [[Dynasty of Primes|Primes]]. The Primes had come to build a Star Harvester, a device which can create [[Energon]], the Transformers fuel, by destroying suns. The Primes had a single rule of never destroying a star with a living bearing world, but one of the Primes, forever known as the Fallen, despised the humans and tried to activate the machine. The Primes were unable to defeat their brother, but instead stole the [[Matrix of Leadership]], the key needed to activate the harvester, and gave their lives to seal it in a tomb made of their own bodies. Jetfire further explains that only a Prime can hope to defeat the Fallen, and with the death of Optimus, they are doomed. Sam suggests that they may use the Matrix to revive Optimus Prime, which is backed up by Jetfire. They head towards Giza, dodging Egyptian police on the way.

In New Jersey, NEST are loading up to return to Diego Garcia when Simmons contacts Lennox to relay information about the new quest, and coordinates where they can drop Optimus's body. Lennox and Epps decide to trust the new information and go against their orders. Sam's group passes through a checkpoint, allowing Soundwave to pinpoint their location, but they reach the Pyramids of Giza, where they pick up the next clue, pointing to [[Jordan]].

On the NEST aircraft, Lennox tricks Galloway into bailing out of the plane. Back in the US, General Morshower receives a communique from Lennox, and arranges to have assets in the target area.

In Petra, Sam's group discovers the [[Tomb of the Primes]]. Inside, Sam finds the Matrix, which instantly crumbles into dust into his hands. Sam collects the dust regardless, and he and Mikaela return outside where Simmons and Leo have spotted the NEST team parachuting into Egypt to begin preparing for battle near the pyramids.

[[File:ROTF movie BumblebeevsRampage.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|This baby's got a few surprises in her.]]

Before Sam and the others can get back to Lennox and his people, the Decepticons start their attack. Bumblebee, Simmons, Leo, and the Twins draw their fire while Sam and Mikaela make a break for the soldiers. The Constructicons merge into [[Devastator (ROTF)|Devastator]], who proceeds to swallow Mudflap. Mudflap, however, is able to free himself, together with Skids, they try to slow Devastator down. While the Autobots and NEST fight the Decepticons, Starscream leads several other Constructicons in a search for Sam, and intending to use Sam's parents to lure him into a trap. Falling into the trap, Sam offers to hand over the Matrix dust to the Constructicon [[Rampage (ROTF)|Rampage]], but only to stall for time until Bumblebee is able to attack and destroy the Decepticon. Ravage attacks Bumblebee from behind, but is killed as well. Sam then orders Bumblebee to get his parents to safety while he and Mikaela try to reach Optimus Prime's body. A remote drone relays pictures back to Morshower, who launches [[Operation: Firestorm]], ordering an immediate launch of pretty much everything they can muster.

[[File:ROTF Devastator Mudflap swallow.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|How you get so big eating food of this kind?]]

In the meantime, Devastator has begun to take apart the pyramid that has been built around the Harvester. Simmons calls a navy ship off the coast of Egypt and orders the use of a railgun. Meanwhile, Sam finally meets up with Lennox and Epps, but they're pinned down by [[Mixmaster (ROTF)|Mixmaster]]. Jetfire arrives and kills Mixmaster and [[Scorponok (Movie)|Scorponok]], but is mortally wounded by the smaller Decepticon. Simmons relays Devastator's coordinates to the Navy, who score a direct hit on the giant with their railgun. Devastator is torn to pieces and topples from the pyramid. After an air strike takes out most of the other Decepticons, Sam makes a dash for Prime's body, but is caught in the blast of a shot fired by Megatron. While paramedics try to reanimate him, the Matrix dust gets spilled across his hand, and Sam encounters the dead Primes in a vision. The Primes tell him that he was destined to find the Matrix and save the life of the last Prime. Sam returns to life, which is enough to get him and Mikaela to admit that they love each other, and the dust in his hand turns back into the Matrix, which he is able to revive Optimus Prime.

[[File:TheFallen-ROTFfacegotten.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|Perhaps you are not as strong as the Emperor thought.]]
Just then, the Fallen arrives by teleportation, steals the Matrix, and teleports himself to the pyramid, where he uses the Matrix to activate the Harvester. The soldiers and armored vehicles begin firing on the pyramid, but the Fallen raises the heavy weaponry with his telekinetic powers and destroys it all. Dying, Jetfire offers his parts to Optimus Prime, and then rips out his own Spark. [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] and [[Jolt (ROTF)|Jolt]] then proceed to fuse Jetfire's remains with Optimus Prime, making him extremely powerful with flight capabilities. Optimus Prime is then able to destroy the Harvester, then faces the Fallen and Megatron. After a short, but fierce battle, Optimus defeats Megatron and finally kills the Fallen. Horrified at the demise of his master, the severely injured Megatron follows Starscream's suggestion and retreats, but vows that the war isn't over.

[[File:ROTF Optimus Sam ship.JPG|thumb|200px|Take care, you two. May the Force be with you.]]

With the battle won, the Autobots, NEST, Sam and his friends return to the USA on board an aircraft carrier. Upon his return, Sam continues to attend college, while Optimus Prime sends another message detailing recent events, so the shared past of Humanity and the Autobots will not be forgotten as it was before.
{{-}}

==Main cast==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] ([[Mark Ryan]])*
*[[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] ([[Tom Kenny]])
*[[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] ([[Reno Wilson]])
*[[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] ([[Jess Harnell]])
*[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] ([[Robert Foxworth]])
*[[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] ([[André Sogliuzzo]])
*[[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]] ([[Grey Griffin]])
*[[Chromia (ROTF)|Chromia]] (Grey Griffin)
*[[Elita-One (Movie)|Elita-One]] (Grey Griffin)
*[[Jolt (ROTF)|Jolt]]

'''[[Decepticon|Ex-Decepticons]]'''
*[[Jetfire (Movie)|Jetfire]] (Mark Ryan)
*[[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] (Tom Kenny)

|c2=
*[[The Fallen]] ([[Tony Todd]])
*[[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] ([[Hugo Weaving]])
*[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] ([[Charlie Adler]])
*[[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
**[[Ravage (ROTF)|Ravage]] (Frank Welker)
**[[Reedman]] (Frank Welker)
***[[Microcon (ROTF)|Microcons]]
**[[Scalpel (ROTF)|Scalpel/The Doctor]] ([[John Di Crosta]])
*[[Alice (ROTF)|Alice]] ([[Isabel Lucas]])
*[[Grindor (ROTF)|Grindor]] (Frank Welker)
*[[Sideways (ROTF)|Sideways]]
*[[Scorponok (Movie)|Scorponok]]
*[[Insecticon (Movie)|Insecticon]]
*[[Buffalo MPV Decepticon]]
*[[Hatchling]]s
*[[Protoform]]s
*[[Scalpel's assistant]]s
*[[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy's]] head

'''[[Constructicon (ROTF)|Constructicons]]'''
*[[Devastator (ROTF)|Devastator]] (Frank Welker)
**[[Mixmaster (ROTF)|Mixmaster]]
**[[Long Haul (ROTF)|Long Haul]]
**[[Scrapper (ROTF)|Scrapper]]
**[[Hightower (ROTF)|Hightower]]
**[[Overload (ROTF)|Overload]]
**[[Scavenger (ROTF)|Scavenger]]
**[[Skipjack (ROTF)|Skipjack]]†
**[[Unknown Constructicon dump truck]]
**[[Unknown Constructicon shovel]]
*[[Demolishor (ROTF)|Demolishor/Wheelbot]] ([[Calvin Wimmer]])
*[[Rampage (ROTF)|Rampage/Skipjack]] ([[Kevin Michael Richardson]])
*[[Scrapmetal (ROTF)|Scrapmetal]]

|c3=
*[[Sam Witwicky]] ([[Shia LaBeouf]])
*[[Mikaela Banes]] ([[Megan Fox]])
*[[Leo Spitz]] ([[Ramon Rodriguez]])
*[[Seymour Simmons]] ([[John Turturro]])
*[[Judy Witwicky]] ([[Julie White]])
*[[Ron Witwicky]] ([[Kevin Dunn]])
*[[Theodore Galloway]] ([[John Benjamin Hickey]])
*[[Colan|Professor Colan]] ([[Rainn Wilson]])
*[[Fassbinder]] ([[Jonathon Trent]])
*[[Sharsky]] ([[Walker Howard]])
*[[Tova Anael Fischer|Tova Simmons]] ([[Annie Korzen]])
'''[[United States Army|US Military]]/[[NEST]]'''
*[[William Lennox|Major William Lennox]] ([[Josh Duhamel]])
*[[Robert Epps|Master Sergeant Epps]] ([[Tyrese Gibson]])
*[[Graham|SASF Agent Graham]] ([[Matthew Marsden]])
*[[Morshower|General Morshower]] ([[Glenn Morshower]])

|c4=
*[[Mojo]] ([[Chester the Chihuahua]])
*[[Frankie]] ([[Paris (dog)|Paris]])
*[[Bonecrusher (dog)|Bonecrusher]] (himself)
'''[[Appliancebot]]s'''
*[[Dickbot the blender guy]]
*[[Ejector]]
*[[Dyson vacuum cleaner]]
*[[Microwave bot]]
*[[Waffle iron]]
*[[Cappuccino bot]]
*[[Disposalcon]]
*[[Hand mixer]]
*[[Mixercon]]
*[[CISCO Aironet]]
'''[[Dynasty of Primes]]'''
*Prime #1 ([[Michael York]])
*Prime #2 (Kevin Michael Richardson)
*Prime #3 ([[Robin Atkin Downes]])
|nonumbering=true
}}
<nowiki>*</nowiki> Bumblebee's lines as spoken by Ryan were cut from the final movie, but one scene where his voice could be heard was in a promotional video created for ShoWest 2009.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRIfbFpe_sg Preview footage] from ShoWest 2009 showing Bumblebee "speaking" a line not used in the final cut.</ref>

† The individual known as "Skipjack" (not to be confused with Rampage who went by the name "Skipjack" in early production and even had this name carry over into the end credits), could possibly be the yellow bulldozer seen in the film that forms Devastator's left leg. The identity of this Constructicon was brought into question via what could be considered a minor [[Retcon|retcon]].<ref>[https://old.hasbropulse.com/blogs/unboxed/behindthedesign-transformers-devastator Behind the Design on Hasbro Pulse]</ref> ''(See: [[Skipjack (ROTF)]] for more details on this).''

==Quotes==





"Gotta wonder... if God made us in his image, who made ''him?''"
:—'''Epps''', as Galloway first witnesses Optimus's transformation.

"We've shed blood, sweat, and precious metal together." 
"Soldier, you're paid to shoot, not talk." 
[muttering] "Don't tempt me."
:—'''Epps''' is not really happy with '''Galloway'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s plan to get rid of the Autobots.

"So let me ask: If we ultimately conclude that our national security is best served by denying you further asylum on our planet, will you leave peacefully?" 
"Freedom is your right. If you make that request, we will honor it. But before your President decides, please ask him this: What if we leave, and you're ''wrong''?"
:—'''Galloway''' makes the U.S. government's position on the Autobot refugees clear, while '''Optimus Prime''' counters with a pointed argument of his own

"No, uh, it's just this friend of mine went to get you a tighter shirt." 
"There isn't a [[tightest shirt|tighter shirt]]! We ''checked''!"
:—'''Sam''' tries to deflect a pair of '''frat boys'''

"Sam, fate rarely calls upon us at a moment of our choosing."
:—'''Optimus Prime''', trying to convince Sam Witwicky to become involved in the conflict once again

"I know you’re pissed. I know you’re pissed because I tried to kill you and it's completely understandable. If somebody tried to kill me, I’d be upset, too."
:—'''Sam Witwicky''' tries to relate with Megatron, to no avail.

"Is the future of our race not worth a single human life?" 
"You'll never stop at ''one''. ''[Unsheathes his left blade]'' '''I'll take you all on!'''"
:—'''Megatron''' tries to justify killing Sam, but '''Optimus Prime''' disapproves based on the potato chip theory. The most epic beatdown of the film ensues.

'''Sam''': "These symbols gotta mean something. Like a message... or a map. A map to an energon source. Can you guys read this?" 
'''Skids''': "''Read?''" 
'''Mudflap''': "Nu-uh, w-no. We don't really do much reading."
:—Literacy with '''Skids''' and '''Mudflap'''.

"Beginning. Middle. End. Facts. Details. Condense. Plot. Tell it."
:—'''Simmons''' demands more coherent exposition from Jetfire.

"One man, alone..." 
"Stop saying that!" 
"...Betrayed by the country he loves." 
"Oh, my goodness, I'm in the car okay, you're not alone!"
:—'''Simmons''' being, well, himself, much to '''Leo Spitz'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s distress.

"Now I claim your sun!"
:—'''The Fallen''' does the standard "I claim victory before I have actually won" bit.

"You picked the wrong planet! Give me your ''face!''"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' warns the Fallen of his violent fetish.

"Not to call you a coward, master, but, sometimes, cowards do survive."
:—'''Starscream''' pitches his usual battle plan to an unusually receptive Megatron.

"Our races united by a history long forgotten and a future we shall face together. I am Optimus Prime, and I send this message so that our pasts will always be remembered. For in those memories, we live on."
:—'''Optimus Prime'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s closing narration.

==Continuity notes==
*With the AllSpark's destruction at the end of ''Transformers'', the Autobots had accepted Earth as their new home. The AllSpark fragment that is stolen from Diego Garcia and used to revive Megatron was the same fragment that Optimus took out of Megatron’s exposed spark chamber.
*While getting the entire AllSpark shoved into Megatron's chest for an extended time overloaded his spark and killed him, a tap from a shard of it was able to bring him back to life, similar to the multiple instances of machines being brought to life by quick bursts of the AllSpark's energy in the first film.
*During the past two years, the Autobots have formed an alliance with Earth's militaries. While Bumblebee is seen living with Sam per his request, Optimus, Ratchet, and Ironhide have joined up with NEST full-time. Optimus' message at the end of the film requesting the Autobots to join them on Earth has been answered by Sideswipe, Arcee, the Twins, and Jolt.
*Mikaela's reason for not being able to move near Sam's college is because she has to help her fresh out-of-prison father reintegrate back into society. In the first film, Sam made a request to get her father released.
*Starscream is shown working for the Fallen when first introduced in the film, and Megatron accuses him of abandoning him to die in Mission City, acknowledging the fan theories that Starscream managed to sneak back into the F-22 Raptor fleet that fired on Megatron.
*Scorponok makes a quick cameo returning after retreating following his defeat at the hands of Lennox and Epps's squad midway through the previous film, only to be quickly killed by Jetfire.

==Errors==
===Filming / editing / technical errors===
[[File:ROTF filmcrewinsideplane.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Goddamn paparazzi get ''everywhere!'']]
*In the opening scene of the movie, when the Fallen lands to inspect the tribe of humans, he lifts up his right foot to stomp on them. However, when the scene switched to an overhead view, it is suddenly his left foot that stomps.

*When the Twins crash during their pursuit of Sideways, the pairs' voices are switched, with Tom Kenny's voice coming from Mudflap as he announces he is okay, and Reno Wilson delivering the admonishments as Skids punches him.

*During the Shanghai battle, when the ramp on the NEST C-17 transport is lowering to reveal Optimus Prime in the cargo bay, a filming crew (including director Michael Bay) can be seen inside the plane on the left side of screen.

*The vehicle modes the Twins scan already have personalized [[license plate]]s on them. Furthermore, despite sporting a "SKIDS" license plate in vehicle mode most of the time, Skids sports a license plate stating his vehicle model, "BEAT", in an establishing shot during the scene in New York City. Since this would also make the Twins' fighting over which car they get pointless, as they have already been assigned a specific car determined by the plate, the most likely explanation is that either the wrong prop vehicles were used by accident, or the filming crew didn't properly keep track of which license plates were used in which scene (i.e. the cars they scanned were ''supposed'' to have just their vehicle models on their license plates, and the cars used as the Twins' alternate modes were ''supposed'' to have their names on their license plates).

*Despite the minor cosmetic changes to his Camaro vehicle mode (i.e. new car prop) and the corresponding changes to his robot mode (i.e. modified CG model), Bumblebee still sports the same license plate''s'' as in the previous film. That is, his license plate is ''still'' inconsistent between both modes, alternating between "900 STRA" in vehicle mode and "4NZZ454" in robot mode.

*Similarly, despite still sporting his license plate from the previous movie, "4PCI382", on his robot mode chest, Ironhide no longer ''has'' a license plate in vehicle mode.

*When Sam jumps from the second story of his house to escape the kitchen robots, a stuntperson who does not look much like Shia LaBeouf performs the stunt.

[[File:ROTF Optimus missing cheek glyph.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Cybertronian tattoo removal is expensive.]]
*Optimus Prime is missing one of [[Ben Procter]]'s [[Cybertronian language|Cybertronian "tribal tattoo" characters]] on his cheek during the scene in the hangar.

*During the scene in which Alice meets Sam at the party, Sam gets a drink and the glass is full, then the camera angle changes and the glass is half full/empty, then the angle changes again and the glass is full again.

*Bumblebee picks up Sam at the frat party in the evening. He then takes him to a graveyard where it's dawn. In real life, the graveyard is located in [[Philadelphia]], while the frat party is set a hundred miles north, in Princeton. Still, even in [[New Jersey (Earth)|New Jersey]] traffic, the trip wouldn't take ''all night.''

*During Sam's campus freak-out, when he drops his notes on the steps, a blonde woman in a suit can be seen coming down the steps to his left, nearly reaching him. However, when the camera angle shifts, the woman is suddenly at the top of the stairs again.

*As Alice attacks Sam, part of the window behind them is taken up by a fan. When Mikaela throws the tool box, it smashes through a glass pane where the fan had been moments before, with the fan itself now resting against the wall under the ''Bad Boys II'' poster.

*When the Autobots are driving to Sam's college shortly before the Decepticons attack him, Arcee is completely absent from the group, while previously-unseen Jolt shows up in one shot ''in front'' of the others, then when the camera angle changes, he disappears.

[[File:ROTF Constructicons ship continuity.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Wait, were you here a moment ago?]]
*In the flyover shot of the barge on which the four Constructicons sit, a red bulldozer, a concrete mixer, a green dump truck and a yellow front-end loader are visible. After the flyover shot, the four Constructicons are now a yellow bulldozer (in place of the red one), a concrete mixer, a green dump truck and a yellow Volvo excavator (in place of the yellow front-end loader). Additionally, the space between the containers where the Constructicons are parked has expanded considerably: During the flyover shot, the concrete mixer barely fit in, with the truck cab positioned behind the bulldozer; but in the subsequent shot, there is a considerable gap between the front of the concrete mixer's truck cab and the bulldozer that's almost wide enough to fit a second concrete mixer in!

*During the North Atlantic sequence, on the submarine [[USS Topeka|USS ''Topeka'']]'s sonar, there are "five contacts" diving down to Megatron's body's location, and "six contacts" coming up after his resurrection. Although this is dramatic, since [[Scrapmetal (ROTF)|one Constructicon]] was killed to repair Megatron, shouldn't there be only five contacts going up as well? Keep in mind, Scalpel is too small to register on sonar, but Ravage is just large enough.

*When the [[USS Theodore Roosevelt|USS ''Theodore Roosevelt'']] is sunk by Decepticon [[transition form]]s, its hull number of 71 can be seen on the bridge island. However, when it sinks, a hull number of 7'''4''' can clearly be seen on the bow of the landing deck. CVN-74 belongs to the [[USS John C. Stennis|USS ''John C. Stennis'']], a carrier that shows up later in the film and was also the carrier used for filming.

*Tasers do not cause those tased to go into convulsions. Even if they get tased in the nuts.

*There is a spiderweb in a tomb that explosively decompressed after being opened to the air for the first time in thousands of years.

*While the NEST team and Director Galloway are on the C-17 headed to Egypt, Prime's body appears and disappears from shot to shot.

*When an aide to Morshower shows him a map indicating that Lennox's NEST team have airdropped in Egypt, the location marked is actually on the eastern side of the Red Sea, in Jordan. ''Oops.''

*In the scene where Bumblebee, Skids and Mudflap are attacked by Starscream, Bumblebee's prop car door can be seen flailing open when Starscream fires a missile from the ground.

*In the quarry when Devastator forms, the Twins go from grimy and dust covered to showroom floor clean within two shots.

*When Sam and Mikaela are running at the same moment Megatron spots them, you can see Sam is holding Mikaela's arm, but his jacket is nowhere to be seen. In the next shot, he has his jacket on his arm.

*Once again, the [[w:General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper|MQ-9 Reaper]] drone is referred to as the more well-known [[w:General Atomics MQ-1 Predator|MQ-1 Predator]]. The drone is powered by a propeller, which can be seen when the (real) drone takes off. However, due to the usage of footage from the 2007 ''Transformers'' movie, when the (CGI) drone approaches the battlefield, the propeller is absent, replaced by a jet engine (which would be consistent with a ''third'' related drone, the [[w:General Atomics Avenger|Avenger]]) . Also unfortunate is the fact the real drone with the propeller is white, while the CGI drone is black. ''Oy.''

*Ravage tears off Bumblebee's back kibble... but in the next shot it's back.

*As the humans and Autobots run from the bombs being dropped on the Decepticons, a damaged Ironhide ejects the cannon on his left arm. In later shots, the cannon is back on his arm.

*Megatron's head clips through his torso and shoulder several times after Optimus defeats him in Egypt.

*In the scene where Sam tells Mikaela that she said that she loves him first, very briefly Mikaela is shown to be wearing her vest and white jacket that she lost earlier in the movie and which she wasn't wearing at this point. Likewise Sam's seem to be in better shape in the shots focused on him and he doesn't have the ashes on his face from when Megatron blasted him.

===Story / continuity errors===
*Most of the [[NEST]] and [[United States military|American]] soldiers are seen using small-calibre arms such as assault rifles, machine guns, and sniper rifles against the Decepticons, despite the previous film establishing very clearly that such weapons were useless against Cybertronians, and that "high-heat" sabot rounds were the only human weapons capable of penetrating Decepticon armour. Even if they somehow figured out how to make small calibre ammunition achieve the "high heat" required to damage Decepticon armour, it is ''extremely'' unlikely that such low-powered weapons would do any meaningful damage that warrants such widespread usage. After all, in real life, you can't kill a tank with a machine gun. Well, unless you're in [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]... ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon]]'' offers up the explanation that small-arms fire hitting Decepticon armor "scrambles their circuits" and disorients them.

*The notion that a big metal box (containing a complex electronic mechanism shouting to be released) would ''ever'' make it through post-9/11 airport luggage screening is a bit on the implausible side. The novelization of the film attributes this to Mikaela's Epic Hotness distracting the guard into just letting her through; she also claims that the box contains expensive mechanic's tools which might look strange in an x-ray. Neither explanation is present in the film itself, however.

*When Alice attacks Sam and his friends, the box Wheelie is imprisoned within is taken along, and the box is not seen when Mikaela and Leo escape from the foundry in Bumblebee. The box ''should'' still be inside the wreckage of the car Mikaela hotwired at the college, but Wheelie nonetheless continues to appear in the film, despite there being no indication that anyone returned to the foundry after the battle.

*While this may be a minor nitpick, why did the [[Constructicon (ROTF)|Constructicons]] have to kill one of their [[Scrapmetal (ROTF)|own]] to repair [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] when the [[Decepticon]] corpses from the last film were also dumped in the [[Laurentian Abyss]]? Couldn't they have still had some useful parts left? After all, the film later establishes that [[Jetfire (Movie)|corpse parts]] are still useful for [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|upgrades]]. Is this the films way of telling us these guys are evil? Also, even though Scrapmetal had been an unwilling donor for parts, Megatron's color scheme and parts do not reflect this at all, even Megatron's tank treads are of Cybertronian design, rather than what would have been present on Scrapmetal's [[Alternate mode|alternate form]]. Must be something along the lines of [[Scanning|scanning]] [[Trans-scan|and replicating]].

*Given that the Autobots are part of NEST, and are dependent on the US Air Force for transportation around the world, it is not clear why Major Lennox had to be alerted to the fact that the Autobots were on the east coast of the United States. Do the Autobots normally go on unexplained joyrides?
**The next film suggests that it's not entirely uncommon for the Autobots to sneak out like "teenage kids" to go do their own thing.

*Where does Mikaela get the padding and gauze to bandage up Sam's hand? They were in the middle of a desert!

*When Jetfire teleports to Egypt, Wheelie is seen landing by him, but disappears until the group reaches the border guards. After they arrive at the pyramids, Wheelie is seen rolling in with the quartet of humans, but is never seen again.

*While running to get to Optimus' corpse, Sam meets a lot of Autobots: Bumblebee, Ironhide, the Arcee sisters... so why doesn't he simply get in one of them and ''drive'' all the way to Lennox's team instead of running?

*There's no rational reason for Simmons to climb the pyramid after Devastator. It looks like he's enabling the Navy ship to "fire on his position", which is useful when the firer can't see the target. However, as we find out just before the railgun is fired, the ship ''can'' see the pyramid. (And railguns are line-of-sight weapons, anyway.) So, Simmons didn't need to climb; he could have stayed someplace safe, called the ship, and told them, "Take a look at the pyramid, and shoot the giant robot tearing it up." It's also hard to believe he wasn't crushed by the flood of pyramid stones, which at one point are raining down on all four sides of the structure.

===Geographic discontinuities===
{{note|The on-film splicing together of disparate filming locations is a common movie phenomenon; however, we wouldn't be good pedants if we didn't point out a few of the more glaring disconnects.}}
*The [[Shanghai]] "industrial district" is... interesting, to say the least. There's a company sign that translates as "Empire Import and Export" (which would be the Chinese equivalent of a US company named "Soviet Import and Export") right next to a huge ironworks, dozens of people not even remotely dressed like workers are being evacuated... and at least [[Demolishor (ROTF)|Demolishor]] thought that a giant mining excavator wouldn't be terribly out of place there.

*The aerial view of [[Princeton University]] is immediately followed by a ground shot of the dormitories at the University of Pennsylvania.

[[File:ROTFcap-closestone.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"The closest one's in Washington." Washington... New Jersey?]]
*After Lennox is alerted to the Autobot operation on the US east coast, he orders NEST to move out. By the time Optimus Prime is killed in battle with Megatron, it appears Lennox's transport planes are already over the United States, and by the end of the day, the NEST troops are at a US air base. Given the great distance between [[Diego Garcia]] and the United States, the short time it took them to arrive is implausible.

*[[Grindor (ROTF)|Grindor]] drops the car with [[Sam Witwicky|Sam]], [[Mikaela Banes|Mikaela]] and [[Leo Spitz|Leo]] inside into a factory just outside a huge city. Yet when [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] rescue them and flee, they almost immediately reach a huge forest that was nowhere to be seen in the aerial shot of the factory.

*In the basement of Simmons' deli, in New York City, Wheelie projects laser dots onto a map of the United States to indicate where the Seekers are located. One dot hovers over Syracuse, New York. Another hovers over Trenton, New Jersey. Yet Simmons inexplicably says the closest one is in Washington.
**There ''is'' no dot over Washington.

[[File:ROTFcap-Pyramidsocean.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|The foreshortening is amazing.]]
*When the cast goes after Jetfire, they presumably travel to Washington, D.C., where the {{w|National Air and Space Museum|Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum}} is located - but in reality, they arrive at the {{w|Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center}}, an annex of the Air and Space Museum in Virginia situated a good 23 miles away from its main Washington location. This alone might not seem like much, but the geography of this scene keeps on getting more bizarre: when Jetfire leaves the exhibition center, he exits into the desert location of the {{w|309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group}} (aka "the Boneyard"), which is in Tucson, Arizona. When Jetfire breaks out of the building, we can see a composited image of the Boneyard's rows of planes, so it's arguable that in this universe, the center of "Washington, D.C." happens to be a desert full of old planes, and no buildings and... you get the point. Michael Bay actually admits this to be a deliberate choice in his audio commentary for the movie, and suggests that "most people in Taiwan" would probably never notice the error.
**Interestingly, [[wikipedia:Dulles International Airport|Dulles International Airport]] is located next to and, in fact, directly connected to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center by a taxiway, going to the very same hangar door that Jetfire destroys - but nonetheless, the exterior scenario is evidently very different from what the film depicts, being mostly surrounded by woodland instead.

*The movie gives the impression that Giza in Egypt and Petra in Jordan are in close proximity to each other — within eyeshot, even. In reality, the two locations are about 416 kilometres (258 miles) apart. What makes this even more problematic is the fact that Egypt and Jordan don't share a common border — the country of [[Israel]] is in-between them, whose existence isn't even mentioned in the movie. At one point, Simmons displays a map of the Gulf of Aqaba (aka "the Dagger's Tip") - on which Egypt and Jordan are labeled in English, but Israel is not.

*Optimus, Megatron, Starscream and The Fallen take their fight from the Pyramids of Giza to the Temple of Luxor, which are ''more than 300 miles away''.

*Furthermore, the movie gives the impression that the Pyramids of Giza are located near the coast — the soldiers and tanks deployed from hovercraft arrive at the battle site almost immediately. In reality, the closest sea shore, the tip of the Red Sea, is still over 70 miles away from the Pyramids. Worse, when the [[rail gun]] is fired, a monitor screen on board the ''U.S.S. Kidd'' shows footage of the pyramids with the ''ocean in the foreground'', making it appear like they're no more than a mile or two away from the shore. Worse still, this is ''immediately'' followed by a shot of the pyramids that shows ''nothing but desert'' in the direction the rail gun shot is coming from.
{{-}}

==Transformers references==
In addition to carryovers from the previous film, various concepts and characters are derived from previous iterations of Transformers:
*The whole concept of "Transformers disguised as a human" used for [[Alice (ROTF)|Alice]] is inspired by the [[Pretender]]s. Roberto Orci even used the term "Pretender" during an interview before the movie's release.<ref name="pretender">[https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/01/14/transformers-2-rumor-confirmed IGN interview with Roberto Orci]</ref> However, a Transformer with an "organic" alt-mode instead of an external shell is a concept more reminiscent of the [[Beast Era]].
*The Generation 1 iteration of [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] is frequently portrayed as switching from Decepticon to Autobot (he's usually a young and technologically up-to-the-minute 'bot, however.)
*[[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] and his ejectible minion [[Ravage (ROTF)|Ravage]] both have [[Soundwave (G1)|Generation 1]] [[Ravage (G1)|counterparts]]. Movie Soundwave even has the same voice actor as 1984 cartoon Soundwave, using the same voice, though without the synthetic vocal processing that made the cartoon voice so distinctive.
*[[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] bears little physical resemblance to his [[Sideswipe (G1)|Generation 1 namesake]], but is a vaguely similar character archetype.
*Generation 1 [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] was the first [[female Transformer]] with a starring role, and was likewise a pink-colored girlbot. The idea of Arcee the pink girlbot as a motorcycle dates back to ''[[Transformers: Energon (franchise)|Energon]]''.
*[[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], the combined form of the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]], was the first [[combiner]] robot in Generation 1 (unless you count [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]]).
*The characters are new, but the names "[[Sideways (disambiguation)|Sideways]]", "[[Demolishor (disambiguation)|Demolishor]]", "[[Mudflap (disambiguation)|Mudflap]]", "[[Skids (disambiguation)|Skids]]", "[[Jolt (disambiguation)|Jolt]]", "[[Rampage (disambiguation)|Rampage]]" and "[[Wheelie (disambiguation)|Wheelie]]" are not. Likewise for the concept of "[[Seeker (disambiguation)|Seekers]]".
*[[Optimus Prime (disambiguation)|Optimus Prime]] dying and coming back to life has been done [[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|times beyond counting]].
*Prime combining with another 'bot to form a [[Super Mode]] which increases his power (and often gives him flight capabilities) is a trope that has occurred in many recent Transformers series (''Robots in Disguise'', ''Armada'', ''Energon'', ''Cybertron''.) In ''Armada'', a different [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] was his most frequent combination partner. This is the first time the other 'bot had to die for it to happen, though.
*[[The Fallen]] is based on a comic book character that made his debut in the 2004 miniseries [[Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages|The War Within: The Dark Ages]]. In fact, according to Hasbro, he is ''the exact same iteration'' of the [[character]]! ([[Multiversal singularity|It's needlessly complicated]].)
*The [[Matrix of Leadership]] is one of the franchise's oldest MacGuffins.
*[[Energon]] (mentioned though never seen) is the Transformers' power source in numerous incarnations, beginning with the original cartoon.
*The concept of a [[protoform]] as the first stage of a Transformer is a reference to the same concept introduced on the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' cartoon.
*Though it is almost certainly not an actual ''reference'' (it's a pretty generic and predictable sci-fi trope), the [[Star Harvester]] is quite similar in function to the [[Solar Needle]] from the Generation 1 episode "[[Changing Gears]]", sucking energy from the [[Sun]] to produce energon. Both devices would have destroyed the Sun if allowed to fulfill their function.
*The same is true for Sam having Cybertronian knowledge pumped directly into his brain via a sacred Transformer talisman, which is reminiscent of [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]]'s similar situation in the [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] G1 comics.
*In the factory battle, Optimus Prime performs a overhead leap while firing at Megatron that is strongly reminiscent of his G1 counterpart's iconic leap into battle from ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''.
*A newspaper is sucked into Devastator that headlines a photograph and accompanying article about a mysterious appearance by [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]].
*When Mudflap and Skids first appear in their ice cream truck disguise, they play the Transformers [[theme song]] in a very "ice-creamish" way.
*Jetfire isn't the only [[Landmine (Energon)|Transformer]] to call Earth [[Inferno (episode)|'Dirt Planet']].

==Other editions==
[[File:ROTF Skids Mudflap popsicle.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|right|The theater-specific lighting variant.]]
*A slightly longer edit was shown in IMAX theaters, which featured some brief additional scenes filmed with special IMAX cameras.<ref name="bayimax">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5003 Michael Bay's own announcement of the IMAX version]</ref> An exclusive deal with [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] resulted in ''{{w|Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)|Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince}}'' not being shown in IMAX theaters until two weeks after the movie's regular theatrical launch.<ref name="imaxpotter">[http://www.collider.com/2009/06/08/transformers-will-keep-harry-potter-off-imax-for-two-weeks/ Collider reporting on the Paramount/IMAX/Harry Pottter deal]</ref>
*A rumor claims that there exists a censored version of ''Revenge of the Fallen'' in which the rude "[[File:Symbol decept reg.png|15px]] suck my popsicle!" decal on the side of [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]]'s ice cream truck [[alternate mode]] is edited to remove the words "suck my", resulting in the somewhat nonsensical version "[[File:Symbol decept reg.png|15px]]           popsicle!" This version was supposedly shown in some theaters in several countries, even though other theaters in the those very same markets apparently showed the "uncensored" version.<ref name="popsicle">[https://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/decepticon-popsicle.254257/ Contemporary discussion] of the allegedly "censored" decal on the ice cream truck seen in ''Revenge of th Fallen'' at TFW2005.</ref> In reality, the most likely explanation for this is much more mundane: Whereas the Decepticon insignia and the word "popsicle" are both rendered in white, resulting in a high color contrast with the dark background of the decal, the words "suck my" are instead kept in dark red. Depending on the specific brightness and color contrast settings of a particular theater, this, combined with the overall darkness of the scene (which was shot "day for night"), could easily lead to those two words becoming pretty much "invisible" by pure coincidence, with no actual intention of "censorship" behind it.
{{-}}

==Prequel material==
===Titan movie comics===
While the Decepticons were disgusted with the pro-Autobot propaganda of Bay's first documentary {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 13|#13's Star Screams}}, they were quite optimistic about the second film. [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] took a strong interest in it, going to the trouble of personally convincing [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] to be in the film {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 15|15's Star Screams}}.

The Decepticons promised this new documentary would show a glorious Decepticon victory {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 10|#10's Star Screams}}—whether it was in the script or not. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 18|#18's Star Screams}}

Shockingly, even ''they'' were under a non-disclosure agreement regarding the script; Starscream fearfully referred to a greater power keeping him quiet. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 22|#22's Star Screams}} Talking about it could even undermine the Decepticon war effort! {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 23|#23's Star Screams}}

In the same week the film came out, the Decepticons suddenly became unhappy with it and the detente period ended. Bay, Kurtzman, and Orci are once again marked for extermination for their propaganda films. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.1|#1's Law and Disorder}}

===Novels===
*''[[Transformers: The Veiled Threat]]''
A prequel novel in the same vein as [[Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday]] chronicling the first missions of [[NEST]].

===IDW ''Transformers'' movie comics===
*''[[Transformers: Destiny]]''
A prequel series consisting of two four-issue minisseries:
**''[[Transformers: Alliance]]''
A four-issue limited miniseries picking up after the events of ''[[Transformers: The Reign of Starscream|The Reign of Starscream]]'' and tying into ''The Veiled Threat'' novel, leading up to ''Revenge of the Fallen'' itself.
**''[[Transformers: Defiance]]''
A four-issue limited miniseries set on Cybertron in the past, setting the stage for ''Revenge of the Fallen''.
*''[[Transformers: Tales of the Fallen]]''
A series of spotlights for six ''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'' characters, five stories are set before the events of the movie, while one in particular is set after the film itself.

===Titan Comics ''Revenge of the Fallen'' movie comics===

*[[Transformers (Titan Magazine)|''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'']]
A monthly title by Titan in the [[United Kingdom|UK]] (a rebranding of their existing comic).

The sinister, unseen figure of the Fallen is secretly gathering a Decepticon army on Cybertron. Skids and Mudflap, slacking off there at the time, accidentally discover this and flee to Earth to warn the other Autobots. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.1|Training Day}} An attempt to kill them fails {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.2|Dogfight!}}, but due to their rep of telling tall tales, no one believes them. It doesn't help when they accidentally help Grindor escape capture. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.3|Learning Curve}} The Fallen's agent Soundwave decides to use this, and first frames the twins as turncoats {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.5|Reversal of Fortune}}, then has them freed by their 'Decepticon allies' so they'll be hunted down.

After a few days of this, the twins began to regret ever getting involved, and Soundwave offered them sanctuary in the Decepticon army and the embrace of the Fallen: an offer they were eager to accept... {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.6|Outlaw Blues}}

==Adaptations==
*''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen]]''
The film novelization by [[Alan Dean Foster]].
*''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Official Movie Adaptation]]''
IDW Publishing's comic adaptation.

'''Children's adaptations'''
*''[[Revenge of the Fallen: The Junior Novel]]''
The film novelization for kids.
*''[[The Last Prime]]''
The film novelization for younger kids.

==Sequels==
Two sequels to the first ''Transformers'' movie were greenlit in the wake of its success, with ''Revenge'' being the first. Although Michael Bay had previously stated that he might need a break from giant space robots before tackling a third film, he confirmed a [[July 1]], [[2011]] release date on his blog.<ref>[http://michaelbay.com/2009/10/01/transformers-3-july-1st-2011/ Official confirmation of third movie release date from michaelbay.com]</ref>

{{main|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|Bumblebee (film)}}

*''[[Transformers: Cyber Missions]]''
A sequel for the film produced by [[TG Studios]] as a thirteen-episode CGI webcartoon.

*''[[Transformers: Nefarious|Nefarious]]''
A six-issue comic sequel published by IDW in a similar vein as ''The Reign of Starscream'' which was lead into by [[Tales of the Fallen issue 5]].

*''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: Unite for the Universe]]''
A five-part [[Japan|Japanese]] manga sequel to ''Revenge of the Fallen''.

==Soundtrack==
{{main|Revenge of the Fallen: The Album}}

==Score==
{{main|Revenge of the Fallen: The Score}}

==Home video releases==
{{main|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)/home video}}
''Revenge of the Fallen'' was released by [[Paramount Pictures]] on DVD (as both a 2-disc special edition and a regular single disc version) and Blu-ray on [[October 20]]th in the United States,<ref name="comingsoon">[http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=58245 Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Hits Blu-ray and DVD Oct. 20!]</ref> and [[November 30]]th in the UK.

==Theatrical posters==
<center><gallery perrow="3">
File:ROTFteaserposter.jpg|Teaser poster
File:ROTF Theatrical poster.jpg|Theatrical poster
File:ROTF International poster.jpg|International poster
File:ROTF Prime poster.jpg|Prime poster
File:ROTF bumblebee poster.jpg|Bumblebee poster
File:ROTF Starscream poster.jpg|Wait...Starscream gets a poster but Megatron doesn't? That's just wrong.
</gallery></center>

==Reception==
{{quote|Transformers: ROTF has mostly gotten pretty hideous reviews, but that's because people don't understand that this isn't a movie, in the conventional sense.|[http://io9.com/5301898/michael-bay-finally-made-an-art-movie Michael Bay Finally Made An Art Movie], Charlie Jane Anders|[http://i09.com i09.com,] [[June 24]], [[2009]]}}
{{quote|[The critics] never seem to understand that I make movies for people to take a ride and escape.|[http://tinyurl.com/nyscnv forum post] by Michael Bay|[http://shootfortheedit.com shootfortheedit.com,] [[June 25]], [[2009]]}}
{{quote|Rarely have critics been more disconnected from what audiences want and love.|John Horn, [http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-bay29-2009jun29,0,6806652.story The Los Angeles Times], [[June 29]], 2009}}
{{quote|I'll take some of the criticism... They're [the Twins] basically gone.|Michael Bay, [http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2010-06-11-Transformers11_ST_N.htm USA Today], [[June 11]], 2010}}

''Revenge of the Fallen'' had its world premiere on [[June 8]]th, 2009, in Tokyo, Japan. Michael Bay, Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Isabel Lucas and Ramon Rodriguez attended.<ref>[http://michaelbay.com/2009/06/08/revenge-of-the-fallen-japan-premiere-photos/ Japanese Premiere photos at Michael Bay.com, June 8, 2009]</ref> Other countries such as South Korea,<ref>[http://michaelbay.com/2009/06/09/bay-and-co-invade-seoul/ Korean Premiere photos at Michael Bay.com, June 9, 2009]</ref> the United Kingdom and Germany followed over the course of the next few days. The United States premiere was held on [[June 22]]nd, 2009, in Westwood, California, during the {{w|Los Angeles Film Festival}} for the second time.
[[File:Devastator-ROTFenemyscrotum.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Judge me by my size, do you?]]
In the week leading up to the United States release, while the film had been released in Japan and the United Kingdom, ''Revenge of the Fallen'' was ranking 38% fresh on [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_revenge_of_the_fallen/ Rotten Tomatoes.com]. As American reviews were added into the ranking on June 24, the movie's freshness slipped slowly to 22%. Today, the film's freshness rating sits at 20%, while its audience score is at 57%. The movie was primarily criticized for its crude portrayal of women, black people, and little people, but it was beaten for its long-winded action scenes, unfunny adult humor, dialogue, acting from the film's human cast, as well as its confusing plot. The film's long runtime proved to be a widespread issue among professional critics. These factors helped to dethrone ''{{w|Pearl Harbor (film)|Pearl Harbor}}'' (generally considered to be Michael Bay's worst movie prior to his involvement with the ''Transformers'' franchise), and gave the live-action ''Transformers'' films their terrible reputation among film critics. However, some of the film's more positive reviews noted that the film had impressive CGI and special effects.

RottenTomatoes.com's consensus was that "''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'' is a noisy, underplotted, and overlong special effects extravaganza that lacks a human touch." Roger Ebert, who had given the ''first'' Transformers film three stars,<ref>[http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070705/REVIEWS/70620006/1023 Roger Ebert's ''Transformers'' review]</ref> gave Revenge one star, and remarked that "if you want to save yourself the ticket price, go into the kitchen, cue up a male choir singing the music of hell, and get a kid to start banging pots and pans together." <ref>[http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090623/REVIEWS/906239997 Roger Ebert's ''Revenge of the Fallen'' review] on RogerEbert.com</ref> Todd Gilchrist of Cinematical.com said Michael Bay "has exceeded even the possibilities of sequel-driven 'moreness,' combining his own muscular, high-gloss sensibility with the conventions of blockbusters past, present, and probably future to create a monolithic action masterpiece that feels destined to be the biggest movie of all time." <ref>[http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/22/review-transformers-revenge-of-the-fallen/ Review: Transformers Revenge of the Fallen] on Cinematical.com</ref> Michael Phillips from the Chicago Tribune said "the first, comparatively lucid ''Transformers'' was a headache, but I sort of enjoyed it....''Revenge of the Fallen'' is more like listening to rocks in a clothes dryer for 2½ hours." <ref>[http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/chi-tc-mov-transformers-0623-0624jun23,0,7350387.story 'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen' stars Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel] on chicagotribune.com</ref> Roger Ebert went back for more in a second article, declaring not only that ''Revenge of the Fallen'' was awful, but that it'd [[Ruined FOREVER|ruined action films FOREVER]].<ref>[http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2009/06/the_fall_of_the_revengers.html "The Fall of the Revengers"] on suntimes.com</ref> In the face of many harsh responses to his own critique, Mr. Ebert went back a third time, not just deconstructing the film but also declaring that fans who claimed to perceive it as "great" were simply wrong.<ref>[http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2009/07/i_am_a_brainiac.html I am a Braniac]</ref>

Despite the overwhelmingly negative reviews, ''Revenge of the Fallen'' poised itself quickly as a blockbuster maelstrom. It grossed $16 million in its opening midnight showings alone, an all-time record for Wednesday openings and a second-best for openings on any day of the week behind ''The Dark Knight''. After the full Wednesday was over, ''Revenge of the Fallen'' had grossed $55 million in domestic ticket sales, surpassing the previous Wednesday release record, held by ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'', by over $10 million.<ref>[http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1614673/story.jhtml 'Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen' Breaks Wednesday Box-Office Record] on MTV.com</ref> By the end of the first five days, ''Revenge of the Fallen'' had taken an estimated $201.2 million in the United States, just shy of ''The Dark Knight's'' record $203.8 million 5-day US total. In the same period, international markets took in $186.1 million, bringing the 5-day worldwide total to $387.3 million.<ref name="bomjdebut">[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=2601&p=.htm BoxOfficeMojo.com - Weekend Report: ‘Revenge of the Fallen' Rises with Optimal Debut, June 28, 2009]</ref>

Paramount's U.S. exit polling revealed several intriguing facts: While the 2007 ''Transformers'' movie viewership skewed 60-40% toward men over women, the split for the new film was more even at 54% male, 46% female. More than 90% of those surveyed stated that ''Revenge of the Fallen'' was as good as or better than the first ''Transformers'' movie. Surprisingly, about 67% said the film was "excellent", an even better score than for Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman's critically acclaimed 2009 ''Star Trek'' movie.<ref name="exitp">[http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-bay29-2009jun29,0,6806652.story "'Transformers' director Michael Bay as audience darling" by John Horn, Los Angeles Times, June 29, 2009]</ref>

After two weeks in most markets, ''Revenge'' continued to defy critics and dominate the U.S. box office, narrowly defeating ''Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs'' on the Fourth of July weekend, finishing with upwards of $300 million in the U.S. and a similar figure in international markets.<ref name="reutjul7">[http://www.reuters.com/article/filmNews/idUSTRE5671DB20090708 Reuters reporting on Revenge of the Fallen's success around the world, July 7, 2009]</ref> Ultimately, ''Revenge'' grossed more than $836 million worldwide (versus $708 million for ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]''), including $402 million from US box offices alone (versus $319 million for the first movie).<ref name="bomjrotf">[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=transformers2.htm ''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'' at Box Office Mojo]</ref>

On [[October 20]], ''Revenge'' sold 2 million copies of its DVD/Blu-Ray release in the first 24 hours.<ref>[http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/business/Transformers-Sequel-Transforms-Hollywood-Revenues-65589247.html Transformers Sequel Transforms Hollywood Revenues]</ref>

On April 3, 2010, Shia LaBeouf stated that he was confused about many things in ''Revenge of the Fallen'' and in fact, hated the movie. However, he noted that one of the major problems the film faced was working during the writer's strike without a script, and that he had faith that the third film would be an improvement.<ref>[http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/shia-labeouf-confused-by-transformers_1137755 Shia LaBeouf comments on ''Revenge of the Fallen'' at contactmusic.com, April 3, 2010]</ref>

In a June 11, 2010 article about the third Transformers film, Bay and producer [[Lorenzo di Bonaventura]] now said they'd taken onboard some of the criticism, and cited the writer's strike and the rushed production as a problem; Bonaventura said "we tried to do too many things in the second movie, which didn't give enough time in any one of them". Bay also said he was getting rid of the "dorky comedy", like the Twins, for the third film, and called the Fallen "kind of a (expletive) character".<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2010-06-11-Transformers11_ST_N.htm?csp=usat.me USA Today, "Next 'Transformers' is due for a switch"]</ref> And later, in the April 2011 dated issue of ''Empire'', Bay would again blame the strike and also cite the inclusion of "mystical" plots as a flaw in the film.<ref>''Empire'' April 2011, page 64 - released end of February</ref>

As of {{CURRENTYEAR}} ({{#expr: {{CURRENTYEAR}}-2009}} years after its release), ''Revenge of the Fallen'' is considered by the ''Transformers'' fanbase to be one of the weakest works in the franchise, on par with ''[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Combiner Wars (cartoon)|Combiner Wars]]'', for many of the same reasons as professional critics; most of the complaints revolve around the story, characters and overall filmmaking, with the creative liberties and deviations from past ''Transformers'' incarnations (themselves more divisive than universally hated) seen as the icing on the turd cake rather than a core criticism. Even fans of the other Michael Bay-helmed movies have been known to use ''ROTF'' as a scapegoat for why the movies have so many flaws and/or why critics hate ([[Transformers (film)|the]] [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|most]] [[Bumblebee (film)|of]]) the entire series as a whole so much.

===Awards and recognition===
On February 1, 2009, it was announced that ''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'' was nominated for seven {{w|Golden Raspberry Award}}s.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Movies/02/01/razzie.award.nominations/index.html 'Transformers,' 'Lost' lead worst movie nominees], cnn.com (February 1, 2009) retrieved 02-01-2009</ref> It was awarded three of them, for Worst Picture, Worst Director, and Worst Screenplay.<ref>[http://enewsi.com/movies/190-16933.html 30th Annual Golden Raspberry Award Winners @ENI]</ref> This presumably represents an improvement from the 2007 film, which received only one nomination ([[Jon Voight]] in the Supporting Actor category) and no wins.

On February 2, 2009, it was announced that ''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'' was nominated for an {{w|Academy Award}} for Sound Mixing.<ref>[http://oscar.go.com/ Oscar.com]</ref> On March 7, it lost to ''The Hurt Locker''.

==Controversies==
[[File:ROTF movie SkidsMudflap bigmother.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.3|Who's scruffy-looking?]]
*A huge flap revolved around the characters of the "Twins", [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]]. Many critics and viewers believed them to be racist stereotypes of poorly educated black American teenagers. Much evidence points to the pair actually being stereotypes of poorly educated ''white'' American teenagers, trying their best to sound like hardcore black urban gangsters... though it's ''still'' a racist stereotype of dubious taste. Director Michael Bay, when confronted with these accusations, claimed that the personalities of the two characters had been primarily created in the recording studio by voice actors [[Tom Kenny]] and [[Reno Wilson]]. Wilson, who is African-American himself, claimed to have been surprised the characters were taken as stereotypes and explained they were described when he first took the role as "wannabe gangster types" whose understanding of human culture was filtered through the internet, comparing them to "posers" like {{w|Kevin Federline}}.<ref name="jive"/> Screenwriters Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci confirmed that this portrayal of the characters hadn't been in the script, and admitted that they could understand the controversy.<ref name="racism">[http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/news/orci-and-kurtzman-respond-to-claims-of-racism-in-transformers-2.php Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman respond to accusations of racism]</ref>

*At least one reviewer claimed to find a repellent "anti-Arab subtext" to the movie's climactic scenes, which involved the damage or destruction of various Middle Eastern landmarks.<ref name="antiarab">[http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/MovieTimes?oid=978078 Chicago Reader review by Andrea Gronvall]</ref>

*Along the same lines, Chinese viewers reportedly criticized the depiction of Shanghai in the opening scene of the movie. Apparently, depicting an ''industrial area'' as "very shabby" is an "insult" to an entire country, as is the destruction of parts of the city during a battle between alien robots.<ref name="insultchina">[http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90782/6686502.html English-language article from People's Daily Online reporting on the alleged criticism against the movie in China, including rebuttals]</ref> Regardless, ''Revenge'' topped the box office in China, dethroning 1997's ''Titanic'' as the most successful movie of all times there.<ref name="recordchina">[http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118006144.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 Variety reporting on the success of ''Revenge'' in China.]</ref>

*Both professional critics and amateur bloggers noted that the film presents the [[Barack Obama|Obama]] administration as endangering Earth by being wussy, bureacratic, and ignoring the Brave Soldiers.<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1906689,00.html Time's review of "Revenge of the Fallen"]</ref><ref>[http://hubpages.com/hub/Transformers-2-Revenge-of-the-Fallen--A-Political-Message A blogger's specific focus on the politics]</ref><ref>[http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/screen/reviews/Transformers-Revenge-of-the-Fallen-49559047.html Philadelphia Weekly's review of ''Revenge of the Fallen'']</ref><ref>[http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2009/06/24/turnabout-transformers-2-takes-a-shot-at-president-obama/ Big Hollywood: Turnabout]</ref> Some right-wing bloggers and critics were quite happy about this. As Bay had added Obama's name and image to the film as a ''tribute'' to the President after the two of them met and had a mutually-complimentary conversation,<ref>[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a160272/michael-bay-obama-likes-my-movies.html Michael Bay: 'Obama likes my movies'] at Digital Spy, and [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfT7ZF_AUk8 Bay telling the story at a press conference.]</ref> and the writers are known Democrats,<ref>[http://www.wilshireandwashington.com/2009/06/transformers-a-swipe-at-obama.html Variety: "Transformers, a Swipe at Obama?"]</ref> the implications are probably unintentional and meant to be a [[Autobot High Council|genre trope]] rather than a deliberate dig.

*The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, a lobbyist group that already complained about the [[Transformers (film)|first film]], is currently trying to lobby the Federal Communications Commission into tightening regulations for marketing movies rated "PG-13" and associated merchandise to children. The basic reasoning behind their complaints is that ''Revenge'' contains "intense sequences of sci-fi action violence, brief sexual humor, and language" and "would have been rated R fifteen years ago", and yet Hasbro's [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|associated toys]] are advertised during TV programs aimed at children.<ref name="fccfilter">[http://arstechnica.com/media/news/2009/08/transformers-movies-get-caught-in-fcc-content-filtering-inquiry.ars Ars Technica article on the CCFC/FCC story.]</ref> Hasbro themselves appear to be still undecided about their official position regarding the more "mature" tone of the movies and its ramifications for the [[Transformers brand|brand's]] public image, having left several questions to this effect unanswered.<ref name="allsparkqa">[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=61539 July/August 2009 edition] of the Allspark [[Hasbro Q&A]]</ref><ref name="tformersqa">[http://tformers.com/transformers-hasbro-answers-your-burning-questions-part-v/12149/news.html July/August 2009 edition] of the TFormers Hasbro Q&A</ref>

==Technical details==
'''Length:''' 149 minutes
'''Audio:''' Dolby Digital / DTS / SDDS 
'''Content Rating:'''
{{collist|4|
*PG-13 (USA/MPAA)
*G (Japan)
*12A (United Kingdom)
*PG (Canada; British Columbia)<ref>''Transformers'' received a "14A" rating in British Columbia, but an appeal by the studio successfully reduced it to PG.</ref>
*G (Canada; Quebec)
*PG-12 (Taiwan)
*PG13 (Singapore)
*PG-13 (Philippines/MTRCB)
*IIA (China)
*PG-13 (Malaysia)
*M (Australia)
*M (New Zealand)
*10 (Brazil)
*K-11 (Finland)
*11 (Sweden)
*12 (Germany)
*12A (Ireland)
*12 (Netherlands)
*M/12 (Portugal)
*12 (South Korea)
*B (Mexico)
*12+ (Russia)}}

==Production staff==
*Writers [[Roberto Orci]] and [[Alex Kurtzman]] recruited [[Ehren Kruger]] to help them write the screenplay. [[Michael Bay]] and producers [[Don Murphy]], [[Tom DeSanto]], and [[Lorenzo di Bonaventura]] also returned.<ref>[http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=6372 Transformers 2 Writers Confirmed]</ref>
{{stub}}

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

===Locations department===
{{stub}}

==Development details==
===Cast and crew signing on===
On May 30, 2007, a month before the official release of ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'', [[DreamWorks]] announced that two sequels were already being planned.<ref name="spy">[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a58430/two-transformers-sequels-in-pipeline.html Digital Spy article from May 2007, confirming that two sequels were being planned]</ref> [[Megan Fox]] had already been confirmed for the first of those sequels twelve days earlier,<ref name="foxcon">[http://www.mtvmoviesblog.com/2007/05/18/megan-fox-confirmed-for-transformers-sequel/ MTV confirming Megan Fox for the sequel]</ref> while [[Shia LaBeouf]] had already confirmed his participation in an—at that time still theoretical—sequel in November 2006.<ref name="shias">Rebecca Murray: [http://movies.about.com/od/bobby/a/bobbysl111006_4.htm Interview with Shia LaBeouf from 2006, confirming his participation in a theoretical sequel]</ref> Director [[Michael Bay]], meanwhile, only once briefly questioned his involvement in a sequel in August 2007, when [[Paramount Pictures]] announced that ''Transformers'' would be released on HD DVD, but not on Blu-ray Disc.<ref name="bayhd">[http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/08/21/michael-bay-responds-to-paramounts-abandonment-of-blu-ray-no/ One of many sites reporting Michael Bay's announcement that he would not direct the sequel if the first movie wouldn't be released on Blu-ray]. Bay deleted his original post after changing his mind.</ref> Bay quickly changed his mind, however, and Paramount would later release the first movie on Blu-ray anyway, after the HD DVD had been abandoned.

In September 2007, Paramount officially announced the first sequel for June 2009.<ref name="reldat">[http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117972852.html?categoryid=1236&cs=1 Variety reporting Paramount's official announcement of the first sequel]</ref> Bay was given a budget of $200 million, and ultimately managed to come in $4 million below that.<ref name="showest">[http://www.collider.com/entertainment/interviews/article.asp/aid/11461/tcid/1 Michael Bay talking the ''Transformers'' sequel at ShoWest“]</ref>

The ''Transformers'' screenwriters, [[Roberto Orci]] and [[Alex Kurtzman]], initially hesitated writing the sequel, but ultimately had a change of mind.<ref name="sciforc">[http://scifiwire.com/2009/03/orci-kurtzman-reveal-tran.php Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman talking to Sci Fi Wire.]</ref> In October 2007, [[Ehren Kruger]] was confirmed as a third writer, who, according to Kurtzman, brought in a "fresh perspective",<ref name="kickoff">[http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/01/14/kicking-off-2009-with-writers-alex-kurtzman-and-roberto-orci-part-two-transformers-2/ Another interview with Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci]</ref> and who reportedly impressed both director Michael Bay and [[Hasbro]] CEO [[Brian Goldner]] with his knowledge of ''Transformers'' mythology.<ref name="writersr">[http://www.zap2it.com/movies/news/zap-transformers2writers,0,1938976.story Zap2it story about the ROTF writers]</ref>

In April 2009, Roberto Orci confirmed that cartoon voice actor [[Frank Welker]] would voice Soundwave.<ref name="welkers">[http://www.cinemablend.com/new.php?id=12917 Roberto Orci confirming Welker as Soundwave]</ref> Welker had previously been considered as [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron's]] voice actor in the first movie, but ultimately Michael Bay had given that part to [[Hugo Weaving]] instead. Both Bay and the writers were also hoping that [[Leonard Nimoy]] could voice a character in the movie.<ref name="sciforc">Bay later stated that he was nervous of asking his relative Nimoy to voice The Fallen for fear of offending him with the relatively low pay allotted to voice actors.<ref name="nimoy1">[http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/04/21/michael-bay-afraid-to-offend-leonard-nimoy-with-transformers-family-reunion-offer/ ''Michael Bay Afraid To Offend Leonard Nimoy With ‘Transformers’ Family Reunion Offer'', MTV.com Movies blog, April 21, 2009]</ref> Even though Nimoy openly asked Bay to simply give him a call,<ref name="nimoy2">[http://www.latinoreview.com/news/leonard-nimoy-to-michael-bay-call-me-6682 Leonard Nimoy To Michael Bay: "Call Me!"], Latino Review</ref> it ultimately never worked out: after watching his guest appearance as Asteroth on ''{{w|Batman: The Brave and the Bold}}'', Bay selected [[Tony Todd]] - whom he worked with on ''The Rock'' - for the voice of The Fallen instead.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaN2g5i2k2E Interview with The Fallen himself - Tony Todd]</ref>

===Writing and production===
For the movie, Orci and Kurtzman searched the various ''Transformers'' comics and cartoons for "the most elemental bad guy", and eventually found one in [[The Fallen]].<ref name="sciforc"/>

In addition to that, they wanted to include many things in the sequel that hadn't made it into the first movie, including the Decepticon [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. Likewise, the [[Matrix of Leadership]] had initially been intended to be used in the first movie, but for fear of confusion with the ''Matrix'' movies, the cube had been renamed into the [[AllSpark]]. In return, the Matrix in ''Revenge of the Fallen'' bears more resemblance to the [[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]] Matrix.

In late 2007, during pre-production for the then-untitled ''Transformers'' sequel, the {{w|2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike|Writers Guild of America went on strike}}, but according to all parties involved, this didn't slow down preparations of the movie much in the long run. Screenwriters Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci turned in their first outline of the script the night before the strike officially began. During the strike, director Michael Bay used the script as a basis for preparing the movie. After the strike had ended, Kurtzman, Orci and Ehren Kruger continued their work on the script, based on Bay's changes.<ref name="kickoff"/> One consequence of this development was that Michael Bay and Hasbro had selected some of the new Transformers characters that were to appear in the movie during the strike, because of the long production run of the toys, while they had legally not been allowed to consult with the screenwriters.<ref name="sciforc"/> The "Twins", [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]], are Bay's creation.<ref name="jive">[https://web.archive.org/web/20090626132026/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/24/transformers-jivetalking-_n_220005.html Transformers' Jive-Talking Robots Raise Race Issues - The Huffington Post]</ref>

In early June 2008, DreamWorks, Paramount, and Hasbro officially confirmed the movie's title to be ''Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen''.<ref name="titleann">[http://www.reserveresult.com/2008/06/transformers-2-revenge-of-fallen.html One of the first announcements of the title, still with a "2" in it]</ref> A few weeks later, Roberto Orci confirmed that there would be no "2" in the title.<ref name="no2orci">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/180738-no-2-transformers-2-a.html#post2173364 Roberto Orci confirming that there will be no "2" in the movie's title]</ref>

Principal shooting began in June 2008 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.<ref name="pennlive">[http://blog.pennlive.com/lvbreakingnews/2008/06/shooting_starts_today_on_trans_1.html Pennlive story about the beginning of ROTF's principal shooting in Bethlehem]</ref> Other shooting sites were Philadelphia, the campus of Princeton University, Long Beach, the Holloman Air Force Base and the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. Some scenes were also shot in other countries, at the {{w|Egyptian pyramids|Pyramids of Giza}} and in Luxor, Egypt, in Jordan and in Paris.

According to director Michael Bay, ''Revenge'' is the first movie in about 30 years to be given permission to shoot at the Pyramids of Giza, and the first movie ''ever'' to film on top of {{w|Petra}}.<ref name="bayclub">[http://www.transformersclub.com/tfrof-intv09.cfm Transformers Collectors' Club interview with Michael Bay]</ref> He obtained permission to film in Egypt by contacting Zahi Hawass, secretary general of Egypt's council of antiquities, who turned out to be a fan of the 2007 ''Transformers'' movie.<ref>[http://www.collider.com/entertainment/interviews/article.asp/aid/10866/tcid/1 The Collider article and video interview with Michael Bay, February 9, 2009]</ref>

During the time of shooting, actor Shia LaBeouf suffered a severe injury of his left hand in a car accident. Ultimately, however, filming was only briefly halted, and his injury worked into the film, thereby not adversely affecting the filming schedule.<ref name="TheList2008">[http://www.list.co.uk/article/10788-shia-labeoufs-transformers-hand/ The List 1 August 2008]</ref> For the movie, director Michael Bay earned himself an entry in the Guinness Book of Records for the "biggest explosion on film with actors present".<ref name="guiness">[http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10579085 New Zealand Herald article mentioning Bay' Guinness Book entry]</ref>

===Sponsors and partners===
====Hasbro====
[[Hasbro]] once again acted both as a licensor and actively participated in the development of the movie. Together with the first ''Transformers'' movie, the ''[[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]'' movie ''Rise of the Cobra'' and several other planned movie projects such as ''Monopoly'', ''Stretch Armstrong'' and ''Battleships'', ''Revenge of the Fallen'' marks the beginning of a new company policy for Hasbro, believing that the new "the movie of the toy" strategy will be more lucrative than the old "the toy of the movie" concept, which involves hefty licensing fees.<ref name="brandweek">[http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/jun2009/db20090611_333306.htm Brandweek article on Hasbro's new movie-related business strategy]</ref> Still, director [[Michael Bay]] receives an 8% cut of all toy sales from the ''Transformers'' movies.<ref name="forbesbay">[http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2009/0622/celebrity-09-transformers-michael-bay-making-movies-enemies-money.html Michael Bay article on Forbes.com June 4, 2009]</ref> During the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, when nobody was legally allowed to consult with the screenwriters, Hasbro and Bay selected several of the new Transformers characters that were to appear in the movie.<ref name="sciforc"/>

====US military====
The [[United States military]] also supported the movie again, providing vehicles, shooting locations and military personnel that appear as extras in the movie.<ref name="milit">[http://www.military.com/entertainment/movies/movie-news/military-unites-with-hollywood-on-transformers?wh=entertainment American Forces Press Service press release about the US military's contribution to ROTF]</ref> Due to scheduling coincidences, ''Revenge of the Fallen'' was given a larger support by the [[United States Department of Defense]] than ''G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra'', which was produced at the same time.<ref name="dod">Jeff Schogol: [http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=62955 Stars and Stripes article about DOD support for ''revenge of the Fallen'' and ''G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra'']</ref> Initially, Bay had intended to include German Bundeswehr soldiers in the movie (presumably as members of [[NEST]] or on board the AWACS plane), but even though the soldiers were eager to participate, the German government denied the request.<ref name="szpremiere">[http://newsticker.sueddeutsche.de/list/id/657558 Report from the German press conference (in German language)]</ref>

====General Motors and other car manufacturers====
American car manufacturer General Motors once again provided vehicles that were used by the Autobots as their [[alternate mode]]s. Returning from the first movie were the GMC Topkick ([[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]]), the Hummer H2 ([[ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]]) and the new Chevrolet Camaro ([[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]), the latter this time as a slightly updated Z/28 model as compared to the first movie's concept car model. Newcomers for ''Revenge of the Fallen'' are all from the Chevrolet brand, namely the Chevrolet Beat ([[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]]), the Chevrolet Trax ([[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]]), a new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray concept car ([[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]]) and, as a last minute addition, the new Chevrolet Volt electric car ([[Jolt (ROTF)|Jolt]]).

In total, General Motors provided 67 vehicles, 52 of them being prototypes not intended for sale.<ref name="chevytroubles">[http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2009-06-15-gm-transformers_N.htm USA Today story on Chevrolet's participation in the movie]</ref> As a consequence of the 2007-onwards financial crisis, however, General Motors reduced their financial support for ''Revenge'' in April 2009.<ref name="horsep">[http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-cotown-transformers6-2009apr06,0,5419006.story LA Times story on General Motors cutting their support for ''Revenge of the Fallen'']</ref>

Director Michael Bay estimates that, without the support of General Motors and the military, production of the movie would have cost $10 million more than the $195 million ultimately spent.<ref name="forbesbay"/> Coinciding with the release of ''Revenge of the Fallen'', General Motors reported that sales of the new Chevrolet Camaro were so strong that orders were outrunning the supply, even though the car was being sold above MSRP in many places. A direct connection to the movie, however, could not be proven.<ref name="camarosells">[http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aZCnXEtqqTcc Bloomberg reporting on strong sales for the new Chevrolet Camaro]</ref>

As the only car manufacturer besides General Motors, Audi was able to place its R8 in the movie, as the Decepticon [[Sideways (ROTF)|Sideways's]] alternate mode. The cooperation was arranged by Propaganda Global Entertainment Marketing.<ref name="propaganda">[http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/09_28/b4139068367113.htm "Hollywood's Blockbuster Role for Product Placement"], Bloomberg Businessweek, July 2009.</ref>

====Product placement====
As in the first movie, numerous companies signed a deal with the filmmakers which allowed for their product being featured in prominent places in the movie. A Mountain Dew vending machine can be seen in [[Leo Spitz|Leo's]] room, computer screens feature visible Cisco logos, [[Sam Witwicky|Sam]] and [[Mikaela Banes|Mikaela]] intend to communicate via iChat, a huge HSBC logo is seen at Times Square in New York City, a Budweiser bottle is prominently featured in one of the Paris scenes, CNN is everyone's preferred news channel, and a giant IMAX logo is seen inside the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. In return, Mars heavily advertised ''Revenge of the Fallen'' with their chocolate candy brand [[M&M's]].

===Changes before, during and after production===
*The three Autobot motorcycles were at one point meant to combine into a larger robot, but this was ultimately abandoned for unknown reasons. Concept artwork for this combined mode has surfaced, and this feature was mentioned in the novelization and appears to remain in the toys.

*According to comic book writer [[Simon Furman]], the [[Dinobot (AOE)|Dinobots]] had been in an early draft of the movie's plot, but were dropped from the cast very early in development.<ref>[http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/01/29/no-dinobots-in-transformers-2-revenge-of-the-fallen-original-film-consultant-explains-why/ MTV Movie Blog interview with Simon Furman, January 29, 2009.]</ref>

*Due to licensing issues with Audi and the writers' strike, Sideways' role was dramatically altered and he was nearly taken out of the script entirely. Originally, Sideways was going to escape the first wave of his Autobot pursuers by using Demolishor as a distraction. After Demolishor's death, Sideways would have been cornered and engaged by Sideswipe in robot mode. At this point, it would have been Sideways, not Demolishor, who would have dropped the Fallen's name when he threatened Sideswipe during the fight. Ultimately, the scene was never finished. Audi backed out of the licensing agreement and the scene was rewritten to focus on Demolishor. Audi later decided that they DID want their product featured, so a pre-visualization animation of Sideswipe bisecting a Lamborghini (included in the movie DVD's and Blu-ray Disc's bonus material) was reworked to feature an Audi R8 being sliced in half instead. Interestingly, some toys still referenced the deleted fight. Most of Sideways' toys feature a chainsaw weapon that he did not have in the film, and Human Alliance Sideswipe's box art depicts a diorama scene of Sideways attacking him in robot mode.

*[[Springer (ROTF)|Springer]], an Autobot who transforms into a V-22 Osprey, was to be a character in the movie, but was dropped from the cast during production.<ref name="procterdesigns">[http://conceptartworld.com/?p=2772 Ben Procter's movie designs for ROTF]</ref> However, he was dropped so late during production that Hasbro still released [[Legends Class (2005)|Legends]] and [[Robot Heroes (toyline)|Robot Heroes]] versions of the character based on the abandoned movie design–in the first waves of their respective assortments, no less.

*Likewise, the Deluxe Class [[Breakaway (ROTF)|Breakaway]] and Scout Class [[Depthcharge (ROTF)|Depthcharge]] and [[Ransack (ROTF)|Ransack]] toys are based on designs [[Ben Procter]] had originally created for the movie. Breakaway had the early working name "Firestorm", while Ransack was originally conceived as a [[Ford Model T Seeker|Ford Model T]].<ref name="procterdesigns"/>

*[[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] was originally intended to come to Earth and scan a black Chevrolet Silverado pick-up truck as his new [[alternate mode]]. The Deluxe Class Soundwave toy still retains some elements of this abandoned concept in robot mode, particularly a Cybertronian version of the Chevy grill and small headlights on the lower torso.

*Several plot points about the [[Dynasty of Primes]] were dropped from the final version of the film, but feature prominently in the adaptations. In the original version, the Dynasty was founded by [[Thirteen|Thirteen Primes]], eleven of whom were killed by The Fallen, with [[Prima|the sole survivor]] sealing the Matrix in the Tomb of the Primes by himself. The Fallen returned to Cybertron and killed all the Primes' descendants, save the one hidden from him who had no knowledge of his ancestry: Optimus. Additionally, The Fallen would have been revealed to have promised Megatron the powers of a Prime, which Optimus would expose as impossible during the final battle around the harvester, causing Megatron and Starscream to leave The Fallen to his death.

*The Fallen was originally supposed to be trapped inside a triangular sarcophagus as seen in ''[[Transformers: Defiance|Defiance]]''. ''Defiance'' writer [[Chris Mowry]] reportedly nearly spilled his coffee when he watched the movie for the first time and saw The Fallen just sitting in a chair inside the [[Nemesis (ROTF)|Nemesis]].<ref name="mowryallsp">[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=64301&view=findpost&p=1387145 Comments by Chris Mowry at the Allspark], November 2009</ref> Exactly how this was supposed to inter-connect with The Fallen surviving his battle with the Primes and returning to Cybertron is unclear. Further, if he ''had'' been sealed in a sarcophagus, then, uh, who would have sent the Seekers to Earth to look for the Matrix?

*One scene that didn't make it into the final movie would have explained [[Alice (ROTF)|Alice]]'s sorta-human disguise: In it, [[Leo Spitz|Leo]] watches a TV ad featuring an Alice in Wonderland animatronic from an amusement park, which heavily resembles Alice. The scene was featured in the [[Revenge of the Fallen issue 2|comic adaptation]] and the [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|novelization]]. It's unclear if the scene has actually been filmed; however, the movie still features the follow-up scene in which Leo shows up to tell Sam ''something'' about Alice, only to see her robot tongue strangle him.

*Sam was to have been established as a new vessel for the AllSpark, absorbing its knowledge, which would have explained how he managed to get a scholarship to Princeton. When he was dying in Egypt, the knowledge of the AllSpark would then have transferred to the dust within the Matrix of Leadership, which was created by the AllSpark. The movie would have ended with Optimus showing Sam that he'd recovered the Matrix, which now replaced the Cube as the AllSpark's physical form.

*Another possibly dropped plot point involved an explanation for the government's cover-up of the [[Mission City]] battle in the [[Transformers (film)|first movie]]. The robots would have been declared the creations of a company either named [[McClaren Robotics]] or [[McClaren Robotics|Massive Dynamics]], which allegedly had gone rogue by accident. This is referenced in [[Alan Dean Foster]]'s [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|novelization]] of the movie (where the company is named "Massive Dynamics"), the junior novelization ''[[The Last Prime]]'' and [[IDW Publishing]]'s [[Revenge of the Fallen issue 1|comic adaptation]] (where the company is named "McClaren Robotics"). A McClaren sign is also briefly seen in IDW's [[Transformers: Alliance|''Alliance'' issue 4]]. An extensive casting call list leaked to the internet in April 2008 listed a "Massive Dynamics CEO" as one of the new characters.<ref name="iesbcall">[http://www.iesb.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4663&Itemid=99 Casting call at IESB, April 2008]</ref> Presumably, actor Steve Tom was originally intended to play the character in the movie. His official website is listing him as appearing in ''Revenge'' ever since July 2008,<ref name="stevetom">[http://stevetom.com/picsandresume.html Resume of actor Steve Tom]</ref> even though he isn't actually listed in the film's credits. Back in July 2008, IMDB also listed Tom as playing the role of McClaren Robotics' CEO,<ref name="tfwimdbtom">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-revenge-of-the-fallen-casting-steve-tom-as-robotics-ceo-katie-lowes-as-ra-165438/ TFW2005 referencing an (unarchived) IMDB entry for Steve Tom and his alleged role in ''Revenge'']</ref> whereas Theiapolis Cinema listed him as the CEO of Massive Dynamics at the same time.<ref name="theiarotf">[http://cinema.theiapolis.com/movie-2RLF/transformers-revenge-of-the-fallen/cast.html Theiapolis Cinema entry for ''Revenge'']</ref> It's unclear if the scenes featuring Tom were cut or dropped from the script before they were even filmed.

*[[Robert Epps|Epps]]'s wife, [[Monique Epps|Monique]], was also supposed to appear in the movie together with [[William Lennox|Lennox's]] wife [[Sarah Lennox|Sarah]]. The casting call from April 2008 lists her under the working name "Theresa".<ref name="iesbcall"/> The original plan was that [[Sam Witwicky|Sam]] would contact Epps and Lennox by calling their wives and asking them to pass on information to their husbands. This scene appears in the [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|novelization]] and in IDW's [[Revenge of the Fallen issue 3|comic adaptation]]; in the movie, the wives are never seen, and instead of Sam, it is [[Seymour Simmons|Simmons]] who contacts Epps and Lennox directly.

*[[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] was originally intended to appear in this film but was cut for unknown reasons.<ref>http://massiveblack.com/mbwp/?p=1368</ref>

===Leaks and disinformation===
====Persistent fake IMDB synopsis====
In July 2007, only a week after after ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' had premiered in the USA, nearly two years before ''Revenge of the Fallen'' was to premiere and half a year before a ''script'' would actually be written, a "synopsis" for the (at that point still untitled) sequel to ''Transformers'' was posted on IMDB,<ref name="imdbsum">[https://web.archive.org/web/20081218042602/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1055369/synopsis Fake "synopsis" for ROTF on IMDB]</ref> containing vague guesses for a potential plot direction based on the first movie ([[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] returning to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and taking command of the remaining Decepticons–which would actually happen in [[IDW Publishing|IDW's]] ''[[Transformers: The Reign of Starscream|The Reign of Starscream]]'' comic–and "[[Scorponok (Movie)|Skorpinox]]" [sic] stealing [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron's]] body from a military base, in contrast to the first film's actual ending), including several glaring spelling and grammar errors. The "synopsis" was eventually exposed as the work of ''Next'' and ''xXx: State of the Union'' director Lee Tamahori, who wanted to use it as a pitch to offer himself to [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] as a cheaper alternative for [[Michael Bay]].<ref name="tamahori">[http://defamer.gawker.com/hollywood/a-more-personal-kind-of-transformation/breaking-transformers-2-plot-synopsis-revealed-278307.php Gawker's Defamer reporting on the fake "synopsis" from IMDB, and updating with information about its true origins]</ref> Regardless, the "synopsis" was still heavily featured by other websites, including foreign theaters and media,<ref name="prosieben">[http://www.prosieben.de/kino_dvd/previews/film/ German TV station feature about ROTF using the fake IMDB "synopsis"]</ref> despite multiple evidence (trailers, official information provided by Paramount, leaked information about the involvement of a character named "[[The Fallen]]") suggesting that the alleged "plot" was pretty much bunk. The fake synopsis ''still'' persisted in some places long after ''Revenge'' had already hit theaters, despite being directly refuted by the film itself.

====Fake treatment====
In October 2007, an alleged treatment for the (at that point still unnamed) ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' sequel surfaced on the internet.<ref name="treat">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2007/10/transfomers-2-leaked-script.html The Transformers Live Action Movie Blog reporting on the alleged treatment], October 2007.</ref> While producer [[Don Murphy]] soon claimed that it wasn't real,<ref name="murphyfake">[http://www.donmurphy.net/board/showpost.php?p=1052166&postcount=52 Don Murphy denies the authenticity of the leaked treatment], October 2007.</ref> [[Michael Bay]]'s website administrator Nelson Lauren countered by suggesting that it wasn't a fan creation,<ref name="nelsonfake1">Nelson's deliberately misleading comments regarding the alleged treatment at the [http://boards.transformersmovie.com/showpost.php?p=435346&postcount=26 official Live Action Movie boards] and at [http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?&showtopic=37905&st=20&p=759450&#entry759450 The Allspark], October 2007.</ref> then referred to an ambiguous post he had made a few days earlier, in which he had hinted that information might be spread that would not be entirely reliable.<ref name="nelsonfake2">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1590&postcount=1 Nelson's ambiguous "telling the truth in a false way" post] at the official Michael bay forums, October 2007.</ref> What followed was a brief back-and-forth with Murphy accusing Nelson of "stirring shit up",<ref name="murphynelson">[http://www.donmurphy.net/board/showthread.php?t=22721 Don Murphy's response to Nelson's statements], October 2007.</ref> which prompted Nelson to counter that he had better sources than Murphy.<ref name="nelsonsources">[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=37905&st=60&p=761181&#entry761181 Nelson's counter to Don Murphy...] No, we stop here. You get the idea.</ref>

====Michael Bay's alleged disinformation campaign====
In April 2008, director Michael Bay claimed he had initiated a huge disinformation campaign in order to prevent content details from the movie being revealed to the public before he wanted them to.<ref name="misinf">[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a94406/bay-tries-to-fool-transformers-fans.html Mirrored copy of Michael Bay's original claims about his alleged "disinformation campaign"]. Bay apparently deleted his original post from his official message board.</ref> Ultimately, Bay himself turned out to be the main source of genuine disinformation, despite claiming that ''only'' what he said was 100% true. Therefore, the disinformation campaign mostly hinged on fans believing in its existence, and rejecting any genuinely "leaked" information, including set photos, statements by third parties such as [[Hasbro]] or [[IDW Publishing]] and stolen toy [[prototype]]s, as "disinformation". Screenwriter Roberto Orci eventually admitted that the disinformation campaign wasn't really working.<ref name="orcicampaign">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/180451-welcome-mr-roberto-orci-you-may-ask-him-questions-150.html#post2437185 Roberto Orci confirming Michael Bay's biggest fear: The disinformation campaign doesn't work!]</ref>

In June 2008, when principal shooting had just begun, a call sheet was leaked to the internet,<ref name="bethcall">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2008/06/bethlehem-call-sheet-cast-tf-and-next.html Leaked call sheet at the Transformers Live Action Movie Blog], June 5, 2008</ref> which revealed the casting of [[Ramon Rodriguez]] as a character named "[[Leo Spitz|Leo]]", the appearance of an [[Sideways (ROTF)|Audi R8]] and [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]] as well as a character with the working name "[[Sideswipe (Movie)|Stinger]]". Furthermore, an ice cream truck that had just been spotted on the Bethlehem set a day earlier<ref name="bethfirst">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-2-bethlehem-images---update---ironhide-on-set-165046/ Set photos from the Bethlehem shoot at TFW2005], June 4, 2008</ref> was hinted to be two characters only referred to as "[[Twins (ROTF)|The Twins]]". Lastly, the call sheet revealed that the next shooting location would be the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, where an SR-71 Blackbird would be revealed to be a Decepticon named [[Jetfire (Movie)|Jetfire]]. A character named "[[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheels]]" was also supposed to appear in that scene. In July 2008, Bay then claimed that fake scripts, treatments, "wrong schedules and call sheets with fake scenes on them" had been deliberately leaked to the internet.<ref name="bayfakescript">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showpost.php?p=44729&postcount=2 Michael Bay's forum post claiming that only he and the writers had seen the script]</ref>

For the longest time, Bay upheld the position that [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] would ''not'' return in ''Revenge of the Fallen''. After concept designs of Megatron's new [[alternate mode]] had surfaced (some of which would later turn out to be designs for the [[Robot Powered Machines|RPM]] Megatron toy, while the first ones that surfaced were far too advanced for mere "toy" designs<ref name="megsleak">Various leaks of the new Megatron design for ROTF mirrored at the Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, September 2008: [http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2008/09/tf2-megatron-image.html Robot mode design], [http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2008/09/megatrons-alt-mode.html concept art for the alternate mode], [http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2008/09/megatron-toy-pictures.html control drawings for Megatron's RPM vehicle toy]</ref>), Bay insisted that this was "just Hasbro coming up with a new toy", and Megatron would not appear in the movie.<ref name="EmpireFeb2009">''Empire'' magazine issue 236, dated February 2009, pages 68 and 69, article entitled "20 to watch in 2009", written by Nick de Semelyn</ref> Following ''officially released'' evidence to the contrary (including Megatron's brief appearance in the February 1 Super Bowl TV spot and the February teaser trailer), screenwriter [[Roberto Orci]] confirmed that Megatron would indeed return.<ref name="mreturns">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/180451-welcome-mr-roberto-orci-you-may-ask-him-questions-211.html#post3333713 Roberto Orci confirming Megatron's return on TFW2005.com - February 22, 2009]</ref> Shortly afterwards, Bay retracted his claims, but not entirely, suggesting that Megatron would only appear in a flashback scene "from the long lost past", despite the fact Megatron could be seen pinning [[Sam Witwicky]] to the ground in the aforementioned TV spot and teaser trailer. He also denied that Megatron would transform into a tank.<ref name="catoutbag">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showpost.php?p=66825&postcount=4 Bay retracting from his claims about Megatron on his forum - March 6, 2009]</ref>

====General Motors and the Chevrolet Volt====
In August 2008, after a Chevrolet Volt vehicle had been spotted on the set of ''Revenge'', General Motors reluctantly admitted having provided the car to the production crew, and that the car would indeed appear in the film, but claimed that it was no production vehicle (i.e. some details may differ from the final car, similar to Bumblebee's Concept Camaro in the first movie). Chevrolet also claimed that the Volt was only used for one or two days of shooting, and that it would only "appear in the movie very briefly", and "not as a Decepticon or Autobot", so it would "not have a Transformer nickname".<ref name="edmundsjolt">[http://web.archive.org/web/20090129105851/http://edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=131426 Edmunds Inside Line article on the Chevrolet Volt spotted on the set], August 2008</ref> (While it's true that [[Jolt (ROTF)|Jolt]] was a last-minute addition to the movie, the car was spotted again later at a different set.<ref name="joltwhite">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2008/09/chevy-volt-at-white-sands-set.html Set photos from White Sands Missile Range] including the Chevrolet Volt, September 2008.</ref>)

====Edited IDW interviews====
Bay and/or Paramount also tried to have information prematurely revealed by third parties contained after the fact: During [[San Diego Comic-Con]] 2008, in an interview on July 25, comic book writer [[Simon Furman]] revealed that the film would feature a character named [[The Fallen]], which was a character they had created for [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]]'s ''[[Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages|The War Within: The Dark Ages]]''.<ref name="furmancbr">[http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=17412Simon Furman interview with Comic Book Resources], edited version.</ref> Three days later, [[IDW Publishing]] writer [[Chris Mowry]] corroborated the claim in an interview with MTV Splash Page, calling "The Fallen" the main villain of ''Revenge''. [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]] was also confirmed in the same interview.<ref name="mowrymtv">[http://splashpage.mtv.com/2008/07/28/exclusive-transformers-2-prequel-comic-gives-inside-scoop-on-2009-movie/ MTV Splash Page interviews Chris Mowry], edited version.</ref> Less than a week after this, however, Michael Bay reiterated that everything leaked thus far was part of his alleged disinformation campaign, and that only a handful of people involved with the production of ''Revenge of the Fallen'' had actually seen the script, contradicting IDW's interviews where their representatives confirmed that they had the script. Additionally, Bay claimed the only truth about the film revealed up to that point was Sam going to college.<ref name="bayfakescript"/> Curiously, on August 5, 2008, after a fan had pointed out the contradiction to Bay, all references to The Fallen (and Arcee) were removed from the aforementioned interviews, as well as any references to IDW Publishing having the script.<ref name="interviewsoriginal">[http://tfwiki.net/~fortmax/movie/index.html Mirrored copies of the unedited versions of the interviews.]</ref>

====Other (minor) instances of disinformation and misconceptions====
Other (in)famous instances of disinformation included an alleged sighting of both [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz's]] Pontiac Solstice vehicle mode and voice actor [[Darius McCrary]] on the Bethlehem set<ref name="jazzrumor">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/autobot-jazz-is-back-for-transformers-movie-sequel-165008/ TFW reporting on the alleged sightings of the Jazz Pontiac Solstice and voice actor Darius McCrary], May 2008</ref> (it's ''possible'' that someone mistook an [[Sideways (ROTF)|Audi R8]] or the [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Chevrolet Corvette concept car]] for a Pontiac Solstice, and McCrary ''might'' have genuinely visited the set out of sheer curiosity) and an "update" to a (legitimate) casting call that contained nothing but fake character names and descriptions,<ref name="fakecall">[http://spoilertv-movies.blogspot.com/2008/04/transformers-2.html Fake casting call at Spoiler TV], April 2008. Note: Everything up until "CNN Reporter" originates from another, legitimate casting call; everything from "Head of Sector 7" onward is made up.</ref> including a funeral director who would allegedly bury [[Seymour Simmons|Simmons]]. It's unclear whether any of these were instances of deliberate disinformation on behalf of Bay, or just attention-seeking fans coming up with made-up "scoops" on their own. Furthermore, three of [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade's]] Saleen Mustang prop vehicles were spotted on a truck bed in Culver City, California, in March 2008, more than two months before principal shooting for ''Revenge'' 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> It's unclear if this was an instance of deliberate disinformation, or just a genuine move of the vehicles with no further intention behind it.

==Notes==
*The official title of the film is ''Revenge of the Fallen'' (with a lowercase "t" in "the") even though it is referring to [[The Fallen]] (with a capital "T" in "The").
*Marketing for ''Revenge of the Fallen'' briefly used the tagline "Our World. Our War.", a play on the primary marketing tagline from the first live-action film, "Our World. Their War.".
*Leo's room features posters for ''{{w|Naruto}}'', ''{{w|Cloverfield}}'' (whose infamous first teaser debuted at screenings of the first Transformers film), and ''{{w|Bad Boys 2}}'' (another of Michael Bay's movies).
*During the scenes set in and around the deli in NYC, posters for the bands {{w|Catch 22 (band)|Catch Twenty-Two}} and {{w|Voodoo Glow Skulls}} are prominently featured.
*Even though ''Revenge'' features mostly domestic voice actors for the foreign market dubs, [[Frank Welker]] voiced [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] not only in English but also in a large number of foreign dubs, including the Italian and French versions. As a result, in the Italian dub of the movie, Soundwave speaks with a strange, foreign accent. Welker is also credited for an unspecified voice role in the Latin Spanish dub, most likely Soundwave again. Furthermore, Welker is ''incorrectly'' credited for voicing Soundwave in the German dub, even though German dubbing insiders insist that the voice heard in the actual movie has been provided by someone else ([[Horst Lampe]], who also dubbed ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Animated]]'' [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]]), presumably as a last-minute decision because Welker's "German" performance was considered sub-standard.<ref name="germandub">[http://215072.homepagemodules.de/t511643f11775323-Transformers-Die-Rache-Transformers-Revenge-of-the-Fallen-7.html German dubbing board thread about ROTF, with a discussion about Soundwave's voice]</ref> Welker described the entire process of dubbing Soundwave in different languages as "very hard".<ref name="welkernewsarama">[http://www.newsarama.com/tv/090915-Animated-Shorts-Welker.html Newsarama interview with Frank Welker], September 2009.</ref>
*Both the European French dub and the Canadian French dub took a few liberties during the last fight. In both versions Megatron tells The Fallen "The machine is ready to fire", an absent line from the original version, which modifies slightly The Fallen's phrase which becomes an answer: "''Shoot, and'' this planet will die forever" ("Sink this planet into darkness forever" in the Canadian dub). When Optimus Prime and The Fallen are fighting, Megatron says "I will kill you myself" while flying at Optimus, another absent line from the original. Finally, after Megatron gets thrown through the wall by Optimus, he is silent in both French dubs, while he is calling Starscream in the original version. The Canadian dub changed the line "Give me your face" to "Your time has come".
*The prequel novel introduced other Autobots into the ranks of [[NEST]]—[[Longarm (Movie)|Longarm]], [[Salvage (Movie)|Salvage]], and [[Knock Out (ROTF)|Knockout]]. They were present up until the events directly leading into the Shanghai incident but were not present for any of the events featured in the film or adaptations. {{storylink|Transformers: The Veiled Threat|The Veiled Threat}}
*While ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' used 20 terabytes of disk space for visual effects, ''Revenge of the Fallen'' used 154 terabytes<ref>Robertson, Barbara (2009). Weighty Matters. Computer Graphics World, 32(7), 20-29</ref> (thanks in no small part to the titanic Cybertronian giants).
*The Chinese name for ''Revenge of the Fallen'' was "[[wikia:starwars:Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back|Decepticon Strikes Back]]" for a while before the title was changed into "The War of Revenge" in theaters and media in Taiwan around mid to late 2008.
*During a promotion for ''[[Batman|The Batman]]'' in early 2022, actor {{w|Robert Pattinson}} once recalled how he once lost an audition for ''Revenge of Fallen'' after botching out an American accent with him just saying "Hi, I’m from Michigan".<ref>[https://www.gq.com/story/robert-pattinson-march-cover-profile The Metamorphosis of Robert Pattinson — GQ]</ref> On a similar note, during a promotion for his memoir "Yearbook" in 2021, actor/filmmaker {{w|Seth Rogen}} revealed that he encouraged {{w|Jonah Hill}} to pursue other endeavors for acting starting with Hill turning down a role that would then later be Leo. With Rogen's concluding statement "You want to make a movie about fightin' robots? Make your own movie about fightin' robots. You can do that. That's on the table now."<ref>[https://www.insider.com/seth-rogen-encouraged-jonah-hill-to-turn-down-transformers-2021-4 Seth Rogen told Jonah Hill to turn down 'Transformers' and make his own movie about fighting robots - Insider]</ref>
*For fourteen years, ''Revenge of the Fallen'' held the record for the biggest five-day opening at $200 million, until being beaten by ''{{w|The Super Mario Bros. Movie}}''{{'}}s $204.6 million opening in 2023.<ref>{{cite social|quote=‘THE SUPER MARIO BROS MOVIE’ has set the record for the biggest five-day (Wednesday-Sunday) opening of all-time with its $204.6 million debut, overtaking 2009’s 'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen' at $200 million.|link=https://twitter.com/ToonHive/status/1645440426063568898|name=Toon Hive|website=Twitter|day=10|month=04|year=2023}}</ref> Later that same year, its record for the best opening weekend for a toyline-based film was beaten by ''{{w|Barbie (film)|Barbie}}''{{'}}s $162 million opening.<ref>[https://edition.cnn.com/2023/07/23/opinions/barbie-movie-right-wing-opposition-obeidallah/index.html Opinion: 'Barbie' breaks box-office records while crushing right-wing outrage — CNN]</ref>
*Around fifteen years after the film's release, the controversy surrounding the twins was referenced in a not-so-subtle way on [[Amazon (website)|Prime Video]]'s ''{{w|The Boys (TV series)|The Boys}}'' television series.<ref>[https://www.vulture.com/article/the-boys-recap-season-4-episode-3-well-keep-the-red-flag-flying-here.html ''The Boys'' Recap: Popularity Is Power - Vulture]</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''''Transformers/Revenge''''' (トランスフォーマー/リベンジ ''Toransufōmā Ribenji'')
*''Cantonese:'' (變形金剛: 狂派再起, "Transformers: The Return of the Decepticons")
*''Finnish:'' '''''Transformers: Kaatuneiden kosto''''' ("Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Ones")
*''French:'' '''''Transformers 2 : La Revanche''''' (France, "Transformers 2: The Revenge"), '''''Transformers : La Revanche''''' (Canada, "Transformers: The Revenge")
*''German:'' '''''Transformers: Die Rache''''' ("Transformers: The Revenge")
*''Italian:'' '''''Transformers 2: La Vendetta del Caduto''''' ("Transformers 2: The Revenge Of The Fallen")
*''Polish:'' '''''Transformers: Zemsta Upadłych''''' ("Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Ones")
*''Portuguese:'' '''''Transformers: Retaliação''''' (Portugal, "Transformers: Retaliation"), '''''Transformers: A Vingança dos Derrotados''''' (Brazil, "Transformers: The Vengeance of the Defeated")
*''Mandarin:'' '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng: Fùchóu Zhī Zhàn''''' (Taiwan, 變形金剛: 復仇之戰, "Transformers: War of Revenge"), '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng: Juǎn Tǔ Chóng Lái''''' (China, 变形金刚：卷土重来, "Transformers: The Comeback (of the Decepticons)")
*''Russian:'' '''''Transformery: Mest' Padshikh''''' (Трансформеры: Месть падших, "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Ones")
*''Serbian:'' '''''Transformersi: Osveta Poraženog''''' (''Transformers: The Revenge Of The Fallen'')
*''Spanish:'' '''''Transformers: La Venganza de los Caídos''''' (''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Ones'')
*''Swedish:'' '''''Transformers: De Besegrades Hämnd''''' (''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Ones'')
*''Turkish:'' '''''Transformers: Yenilenlerin İntikamı''''' (''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Ones'')
*''Czech:'' '''''Transformers: Pomsta Poražených''''' (''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Ones'')

==External links==
*[http://www.transformersmovie.com Dreamworks/Paramount's ''Transformers'' Movie website]
*[http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/ Hasbro's ''Transformers'' homepage]
*Designer portfolios: [http://www.joshnizzi.com/ Josh Nizzi], [http://www.ryanchurch.com/images/tf2/04PRO_TF2.htm Ryan Church], [http://skulboyfilmwork.blogspot.com/2009/07/transformers-revenge-of-fallen.html Duncan Crawford], [http://www.paulozzimo.com/ Paul Ozzimo], [http://www.stevejung.net/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=4 Steve Jung], [http://conceptartworld.com/?p=2772 Ben Procter], [http://www.seanhaworth.com/SH_Design/Portfolio/Portfolio.html Sean Haworth]
*[http://www.collider.com/entertainment/interviews/article.asp/aid/10866/tcid/1 Interview with Michael Bay 02/09/2009] — Collider.com

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

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

Mission City

2026-03-19T18:28:28Z

Zenphia: /* Notes */

[[Image:Mission City.JPG|right|300px|thumb|City motto? Life is pain.]]

'''Mission City''' is a city in the [[United States of America]]. It may rival [[San Francisco]] as "worst place to live", because it's the kind of place where [[Dispensor|Mountain Dew machines]] thirst for human blood, [[Xbox 360 robot|Xbox 360s]] play with the lives of their owners, and [[Steering wheel robot|steering wheels]] tend to [[kiss]] their drivers. It also had the poor fortune to be the location where the [[Autobot]]s and the [[Decepticon]]s threw down for control of the [[AllSpark]].

It's located 22 miles north of the [[Hoover Dam]].<ref>[[William Lennox]] explicitly states their distance from the dam in [[Transformers (film)|the 2007 movie]].</ref> Its downtown has lots of Classically-detailed buildings from the early 20th Century which tend to shatter spectacularly when [[Transformer|giant robots]] smash into them. [[Interstate 95]] runs through it, somehow.<ref>[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] follows [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] along Mission City's Interstate 95 in "[[Cyber Missions 3]]." The real world's Interstate 95 runs up and down the United State's east coast.</ref>

==Fiction==
===''Transformers'' film===
After [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] converted the AllSpark to a more portable form, [[William Lennox|Captain Lennox]] suggested that they hide the [[AllSpark]] in Mission City and rendezvous with military airlift to take it to safety. Defense Secretary [[John Keller]] agreed with him. Bumblebee and a military escort, soon augmented by the [[Autobot]]s, left for the city.

En route, three [[Decepticon]]s caught up to them and gave chase. [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]] and [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] began fighting through traffic, while [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] left the escort to hold them off. Bonecrusher engaged with the Autobot leader, while the other Autobots continued into downtown Mission City. Their human allies still inside [[Hoover Dam]], meanwhile, had summoned F-22 Air Force fighters to provide aerial support.

[[Image:Movie MissionCityBattle1.jpg|left|250px|thumb|[[Dark Star|Ironhide is the first person in some twenty years to consider Starscream a serious threat... with good reason for once.]]]]
Captain Lennox procured several short-wave radios from a nearby Pawn shop to contact the hoped-for aerial support, intending to summon Black Hawk helicopters for extraction of the AllSpark. They soon sighted a lone F-22 overhead and called for support, marking their location with green smoke. Too late, [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] realized that the incoming fighter was in fact [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]]. He ordered the humans and other Autobots to fall back, as he and Bumblebee lifted a ''[[Furby]]'' delivery truck to shield them from Starscream's attack. The resulting explosion crippled Bumblebee, severing his legs below the knees.

Meanwhile, contact with incoming Black Hawks was made, but the Autobots and soldiers came under fire from [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]]. [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]], [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] and Ironhide all rushed in to combat the mighty Decepticon as the human soldiers fell back. [[Mikaela Banes|Mikaela]] spotted a tow truck nearby and ran to procure it, while the crippled Bumblebee handed the AllSpark over to [[Sam Witwicky|Sam]].

[[Image:Movie MissionCityBattle2.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Yeah, let's triple-team the guy who is suffering an identity crisis. That's fair.]]
Between the three Autobots and the human soldiers, Brawl suffered the loss of one of his missile launchers and his left arm (courtesy of Ratchet's [[saw]]) before being knocked off his feet. soon after, [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] landed in the city streets, prompting the Autobots to call a retreat. Jazz stayed behind to hold off Decepticon leader, getting blasted aside for his efforts.
[[Image:Movie2007 Jazz fighting Megatron.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Autobots, attack! ...Guys?]]

Mikaela successfully hotwired the tow truck and drove it over to Sam and Bumblebee. As the same moment, Megatron carried Jazz into the air before slamming him into a building. Despite the Autobot's defiance, the Decepticon leader tore him in half, killing him.

On the ground, Captain Lennox's troops observed Brawl getting back to his feet, as well as the arrival of Blackout, who transformed and landed atop a building behind them. Under sporadic hostile fire, Lennox led his troops back to Bumblebee's position as Sam and Mikaela worked to hook Bumblebee to the tow truck. Lennox handed a flare to Sam and ordered him to take the AllSpark to a nearby rooftop, while [[Robert Epps|Sergeant Epps]] summoned their Black Hawk support to pick him up. Ratchet and Ironhide promised Sam that they would protect him as he carried out the mission. After a quick farewell to Mikaela, Sam fled.

Megatron ordered the Decepticons to attack, prompting Ratchet and Ironhide into providing cover fire as Sam ran. As Brawl advanced on one side, Blackout dropping to the ground, attacked from the other, engaging with Ironhide. Blackout bashed aside the car that Ironhide tossed at him, then transformed and flew away. Mikaela finished securing Bumblebee and drove him off, as Brawl fired at them.

[[Image:Movie MissionCityBattle4.jpg|right|250px|thumb|This is the only time Prime and Megs got to use their signature weapons. You fail us yet again, Michael Bay.]]
Optimus Prime arrived after his delay on the freeway, transforming and challenging Megatron. Still perched atop his building, Megatron tossed away the remains of Jazz and transformed. He scooped up Prime and took him for a dizzying ride through the streets and buildings of the city, smashing through an entire office building at one point before crashing to the street. The two exchanged their respective views on humanity and fisticuffs. Prime managed to get in a shot at Megatron, but a blast from Megatron's [[fusion cannon]] hurled Prime down the street and into the side of another building leaving him incapacitated.

With Ratchet and Ironhide alongside him, Sam continued sprinting for the building. Blackout slashed at Sam with his rotor weapon but missed, while Starscream managed to bring down both Ratchet and Ironhide before pulling back and returning to the skies. Sam was forced to continue onward alone.

Megatron, having left Optimus injured in another part of the city, flew down from the sky and transformed, demanding that Sam give up the AllSpark. As Sam darted through traffic, a near-collision with an SUV made him drop the cube, unleashing a pulse of its power. The pulse brought [[AllSpark Mutation|several machines to life]], including [[Steering wheel robot|part of the SUV]] and a [[Dispensor|Mountain Dew vending machine]].

[[Image:Movie Brawl dies.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Gah! Heartburn!]]
Sam sprinted into the abandoned building, pursued by Megatron, who smashed through a floor practically on Sam's heels but failed to stop him from entering a fire stairwell.

Mikaela and Bumblebee stopped in an alley, while the fighting continued. After mustering her courage with Bumblebee's wordless support, Mikaela backed the tow truck into the street so that Bumblebee was facing forwards, then drove it full speed in reverse towards Brawl. Under heavy attack from two directions, Brawl suffered heavy damage before a final shot from Bumblebee hit him in the chest, bringing him down for good. He collapsed into the building where Lennox's troops had taken shelter.

[[Image:Movie Megatron Samonroof.jpg|right|250px|thumb|It depends...how well do you take care of your pets?]]
As the Black Hawks closed in, Sam reached the rooftop and activated his flare. Starscream transformed and landed on a nearby building as the helicopters pulled up to the rooftop. Sam was inches away from handing off the AllSpark when Starscream shot the waiting Black Hawk out of the sky. Optimus Prime sprinted toward the building, determined to save Sam. Starscream continued watching from nearby while Megatron bashed his way onto the rooftop. Cornering Sam, Megatron demanded the AllSpark, but Sam defiantly refused. Megatron then unsheathed his barbed flail and bashed the building out from under Sam's feet. Optimus Prime, suspended most of the way up the building, caught the falling human. Prime then vaulted/fell down to street level, with Megatron diving close behind. The two metal titans smashed into the street, scattering more panicked humans, [[Michael Bay|one]] of whom got himself flicked aside by Megatron.

Optimus Prime ordered Sam to take shelter behind him and to push the AllSpark into his chest if he was unable to defeat Megatron. As the two leaders laid into one another a second time, both Lennox's troops and Blackout moved in on their position. Epps called in a full air strike on Blackout and Megatron, advising that the targets would be marked. The troops then marked Blackout with green laser light as the F-22s closed in.

[[Image:Movie MissionCityBattle5.jpg|left|250px|thumb|WWWWHHHHEEEEEEEE!!!]]
Blackout was to fire when he noticed the lasers lighting him up, so he instead turned to engage the soldiers, opening fire. Lennox raced at him on a procured motorcycle, evading Blackout's blasts and purposefully going into a long skid/slide along the ground. As Blackout was hit by fire from the F-22s, Lennox slid past and under him, firing several rounds directly up into the Decepticon's underside. Blackout fell dead to the pavement. Lennox urged his troops onward as Megatron appeared to be getting the upper hand over Optimus.

[[Image:Movie Prime Jazz Ironhide Ratchet battleaftermath.jpg|right|250px|thumb|"Prime, could we maybe discuss this some time when you're not holding a corpse?"]]
As a second wave of F-22s approached the city, Starscream appeared in their midst, destroying three of them before the pilots realized what was happening. The surviving pilots attempted to engage the Decepticon, but Starscream escaped. The remaining F-22s made an attack run on Megatron, firing on him even as Lennox's troops also attacked, damaging his chest armor. Megatron advanced on Sam, but the injured Optimus managed to trip him over. As the weakened Megatron crawled towards Sam, Prime urged the human to push the cube into Prime's chest. Instead, Sam rammed the cube into Megatron's now partially exposed spark, killing him and destroying the AllSpark.

The Autobots and soldiers regrouped. Ironhide had recovered the remains of Jazz and handed them over to Optimus Prime. Optimus, saddened by the loss of a great comrade, thanked the humans for their effort and sacrifice. Bumblebee requested to stay with Sam, and Prime agreed.

Initial media reports called the attack "so-called alien activity" but the US government denied aliens had caused the Mission City destruction. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}}

===''Transformers'' novel===
The battle took place in [[Las Vegas]] instead. {{storylink|Transformers (novel)|Transformers}}

===Titan movie comics===
The battle took place in [[Los Angeles]] instead. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 7|Starscream's Militia}}

Two years on, and Starscream is still unclear about why Optimus lured the Decepticons to this heavily populated city when he claims to like humans. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 22|#22's Star Screams}}

===IDW movie comics===
In the aftermath of the battle, Lennox's soldiers became acquainted with the Autobots whilst they hunted [[Xbox 360 robot|mutated]] [[Dispensor|transformers]] created by the released All Spark energies. Optimus Prime requested Lennox's help in allowing the Autobots to transport Jazz's remains out of Mission City whilst evading untrustworthy humans such as those from Sector Seven. When a suitable abandoned truck trailer found, the assembled soldiers had a moment of silence as Ironhide placed Jazz's body inside. Soon after the Autobots left, [[Seymour Simmons|Agent Simmons]] and Sector Seven arrived to take away the dead Decepticons. {{storylink|Alliance issue 1|Alliance #1}}

===''The Veiled Threat''===
According to ''[[The National Enquirer]]'', the battle was caused by [[Elvis]]'s robot alien offspring. {{storylink|Transformers: The Veiled Threat|The Veiled Threat}}

===The Real Effing Deal===
The official story is "several biomechanical prototypes by [[Mendelson Robotics]]" went haywire by accident; the government cleared Mendelson of any wrongdoing. The leaked Department of Defence reports also said that the tales of giant robots fighting are ''completely'' unfounded, even though their official story is ''it was big robots''. No wonder certain bloggers worked out the cover story was crap. {{storylink|The Real Effing Deal}}

===''Revenge of the Fallen''===
See above, except replace "Mendelson" with [[McClaren Robotics|''McClaren'' Robotics]].

Except when it's [[McClaren Robotics|Massive Dynamics]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|Revenge of the Fallen (novel)}}

[[Fassbinder|Some]] of which claimed the battle took place in [[Los Angeles]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen (film)}}

The terrifying thing is that this half-arsed cover-up actually ''worked''.

===''Cyber Missions''===
[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] pursued [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] through Mission City when Lockdown set off some explosives which caused some damage to the roadway that would have to be explained by [[NEST]]. Lockdown got away with Ratchet's [[Electromagnetic pulse|EMP]] blaster. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 3}}

===''Classified'' novels===
[[Hyperdynamix]]'s main laboratory was located in Mission City. It was attacked by three Decepticons deployed to cover up the theft of the prototype tanks they were developing. {{storylink|Transformers Classified: Battle Mountain|Battle Mountain}}

==Related characters==
===Kid on freeway===
:''Actor:'' [[Chip Hormess]]
This young man was riding on the freeway to Mission City when [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|two]] [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|robots]] suddenly fell off the overpass and landed in their lane. His mother barely skidding their car to a halt, the kid watched in shock as one of the robots was struck so hard one of its [[Sensor#Optical_sensors|eyes]] popped out and it was knocked off the overpass on which they were sitting. As the other robot jumped after it, the kid said that the whole thing was cool.

===SUV driver===
[[File:Movie_socialite_victim.jpg|thumb]]
:''Actor:'' [[Odette Yustman]]
{{voiceactor|[[Sílvia Goiabeira]] (Brazilian Portuguese dub)|[[Marina García Guevara]] (Castilian Spanish dub), [[Virginie Méry]] (European French)}}

This young woman and two of her friends were driving around in her SUV when [[Sam Witwicky|some kid]] nearly ran into her car. Failing to noticed the panicked bystanders running in the opposite direction, the woman asked if "that jerk" had dented her car. This was quickly forgotten as she noticed her [[Steering wheel robot|steering wheel]] had come to life. It proceeded to wrap itself around her face. Her fate is unknown, but things are not looking good.

===Woman in blue===
[[File:Movie Ironhide shootground.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2]]
This woman had the unfortunate circumstance of being caught in the middle of [[Brawl (Movie)|a tank]] firing shells at [[Ironhide (Movie)|a truck]]. As the truck [[Transformation|changed]] into a giant robot, it proceeded to do some questionably useful (but fun to see) somersaults over the missiles being shot at it, landing right near the woman and totally scaring the crap out of her. Of course, this raises another question: If a tank was shelling something, why did she stop right in its line of fire?
{{-}}

===Xbox 360 owner===
[[File:Movie_Xbox_360_robot.JPG|thumb|right|upright=1.2]]
:''Actor:'' [[Bob Stephenson]]

This man was proudly carrying a newly purchased [[Xbox|Xbox 360]] down the street (as you do) when some sort of [[energon|energy]] surged from some [[AllSpark|object]] that a kid was carrying. He heard the Xbox turn on and saw it [[Xbox 360 robot|sprout arms]] that began to harass him. Despite the fact that it probably cost a great deal of money, he threw the Xbox away, deciding that it wasn't worth his life.

Remember that, people: Gaming is not worth your life!

==Notes==
*[[Roberto Orci]] confirmed they had considered having the film climax at the [[Grand Canyon]], which is close to the [[Hoover Dam]] and would've endangered a lot less civilians. [http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/180451-welcome-mr-roberto-orci-you-may-ask-him-questions-221.html#post3399075]
*At [[BotCon 2007]], at one of the movie's writers' panels, they explained that the original intent behind taking the All Spark to the city was not to "hide" it there, but simply to use the city as a rendezvous point, someplace relatively near the dam that might have a working radio they could use to call for help.
* [[Transformers: The Junior Novel]] set the final battle in the ostensibly non-fictional city of [[Las Vegas]] instead of Mission City, since it was set there in early drafts of the script. [http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/180451-welcome-mr-roberto-orci-you-may-ask-him-questions-220.html#post3395250]
* Most of the city skyline shots clearly show Los Angeles. The downtown street scenes were primarily filmed there as well. No wonder [[Fassbinder]] was confused.
* The abandoned building that Sam runs into, however, is actually the long-abandoned {{w|Michigan Central Station}}, located in [[Detroit]].
* And because things weren't muddled enough, the Mission City diorama backdrop in the [[Longarm (Movie)|Final]] [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Stand]] Screen Battles set is actually a Photoshopped version of Scranton, Pennsylvania.<ref>[http://www.oafe.net/yo/tfm_sbfs.php OAFE review of The Final Stand Screen Battles set]</ref>
* The battle of Mission City, portrayed in ''Transformers'', contains several editing and plot errors, as well as some confusing editing choices (over and above Michael Bay's characteristic Shakey Cam point of view):
** There's a short period at the beginning of the fight where Jazz and Ratchet are sitting around in vehicle mode. When Ironhide notices that the F-22 flying above the city is Starscream, they stay in vehicle mode. When Ironhide and Bumblebee pick up a Furby delivery truck for cover, they ''still'' remain in vehicle mode. When Starscream blasts them, and Sam discovers that Bumblebee has lost his legs, all Jazz does is pull back a few feet to give Bumblebee space to crawl. Sam even yells to Ratchet to aid Bumblebee and he still just sits there in vehicle mode.
**When Brawl first shows up to the battle, Sam is standing next to Mikaela watching as the Decepticon tank approaches and then he takes off running. The next shot cuts back to Mikaela spotting the abandoned tow truck she's about to use to transport Bumblebee out of the city. The shot after that shows Sam is sitting in the rubble next to the AllSpark as Bumblebee crawls over to him. The last shot cut in with the previous shots makes it look as if Sam ran away just to sit down in the middle of the battlefield. Come on, Sam, where's your head at?
** It's not entirely clear what most of the Decepticons' intentions are during the battle:
*** Blackout first appears on top of a building before being ordered by Megatron to attack. He then joins the fight, firing at Ironhide, then takes off again. He comes back a while later and slices up the street outside the diner but disappears again afterwards, not reappearing until Megatron and Optimus begin their final fight.
*** Starscream also defeats Ratchet and Ironhide, but then flies away instead of finishing them off or making a grab for Sam and the AllSpark. Though this is likely due to him knowing the Black Hawks are on their way to extract the AllSpark. This is further reinforced when he appears later to shoot them down.
*** Barricade, meanwhile, never shows up ''at all''. Apparently having the road blocked in front of him is all it takes to scare this Decepticon off.
** Also unclear is why the military thought they could smuggle the AllSpark out of town on a slow-moving helicopter, when fast-flying guys like Starscream and Megatron were around and well aware of the cube's location.
** Fans have speculated that Starscream actually participated in the F-22 attack run on Megatron. While there's no concrete evidence either way, it doesn't make much sense for him to be destroying the jets beforehand if he's just going to turn around and help them in their mission a few seconds later. When asked about it, screenwriter Roberto Orci explicitly refused to address this theory since it would pose a plot thread for the sequel. This turned out not to be the case, and it was never addressed in ''Revenge of the Fallen'' or ''Dark of the Moon''. Meanwhile, IDW's [[The Reign of Starscream issue 1]] has Starscream consider this an option, but soon has the decision taken from his hands.
** Epps emphatically states that F-22 pilots would ''never'' fly between buildings, as they'd just observed Starscream doing. Yet a few minutes later, that's ''exactly'' what the real F-22s do.
*** It's possible that with the giant robots currently battling in the streets, protocol was waived for the missile strikes.
** The denizens of Mission City are ''remarkably'' well-composed considering that global communications networks have been shut down. You'd think there'd be a bit more panic in the streets... especially with all the audible explosions, and people fleeing from previous battlegrounds. Yet nobody ''ever'' panics until those freaking giant robots come literally crashing into the next nearby building. You'd think the girl whose steering wheel is brought to life by the Allspark would have bigger problems than Sam "denting her car"... such as those giant robots fighting everywhere. This goes even beyond your average [[tvtropes:Main/WeirdnessCensor|weirdness censor]].
** [[Center City (Movie)|Center City]] replaced Mission City in the [[Transformers The Game (PSP)|2007 PSP game]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Battles]]
[[Category:Cities in the United States]]
[[Category:Movie locations]]

Mission City

2026-03-19T18:27:21Z

Zenphia: /* Xbox owner */

[[Image:Mission City.JPG|right|300px|thumb|City motto? Life is pain.]]

'''Mission City''' is a city in the [[United States of America]]. It may rival [[San Francisco]] as "worst place to live", because it's the kind of place where [[Dispensor|Mountain Dew machines]] thirst for human blood, [[Xbox 360 robot|Xbox 360s]] play with the lives of their owners, and [[Steering wheel robot|steering wheels]] tend to [[kiss]] their drivers. It also had the poor fortune to be the location where the [[Autobot]]s and the [[Decepticon]]s threw down for control of the [[AllSpark]].

It's located 22 miles north of the [[Hoover Dam]].<ref>[[William Lennox]] explicitly states their distance from the dam in [[Transformers (film)|the 2007 movie]].</ref> Its downtown has lots of Classically-detailed buildings from the early 20th Century which tend to shatter spectacularly when [[Transformer|giant robots]] smash into them. [[Interstate 95]] runs through it, somehow.<ref>[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] follows [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] along Mission City's Interstate 95 in "[[Cyber Missions 3]]." The real world's Interstate 95 runs up and down the United State's east coast.</ref>

==Fiction==
===''Transformers'' film===
After [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] converted the AllSpark to a more portable form, [[William Lennox|Captain Lennox]] suggested that they hide the [[AllSpark]] in Mission City and rendezvous with military airlift to take it to safety. Defense Secretary [[John Keller]] agreed with him. Bumblebee and a military escort, soon augmented by the [[Autobot]]s, left for the city.

En route, three [[Decepticon]]s caught up to them and gave chase. [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]] and [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] began fighting through traffic, while [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] left the escort to hold them off. Bonecrusher engaged with the Autobot leader, while the other Autobots continued into downtown Mission City. Their human allies still inside [[Hoover Dam]], meanwhile, had summoned F-22 Air Force fighters to provide aerial support.

[[Image:Movie MissionCityBattle1.jpg|left|250px|thumb|[[Dark Star|Ironhide is the first person in some twenty years to consider Starscream a serious threat... with good reason for once.]]]]
Captain Lennox procured several short-wave radios from a nearby Pawn shop to contact the hoped-for aerial support, intending to summon Black Hawk helicopters for extraction of the AllSpark. They soon sighted a lone F-22 overhead and called for support, marking their location with green smoke. Too late, [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] realized that the incoming fighter was in fact [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]]. He ordered the humans and other Autobots to fall back, as he and Bumblebee lifted a ''[[Furby]]'' delivery truck to shield them from Starscream's attack. The resulting explosion crippled Bumblebee, severing his legs below the knees.

Meanwhile, contact with incoming Black Hawks was made, but the Autobots and soldiers came under fire from [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]]. [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]], [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] and Ironhide all rushed in to combat the mighty Decepticon as the human soldiers fell back. [[Mikaela Banes|Mikaela]] spotted a tow truck nearby and ran to procure it, while the crippled Bumblebee handed the AllSpark over to [[Sam Witwicky|Sam]].

[[Image:Movie MissionCityBattle2.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Yeah, let's triple-team the guy who is suffering an identity crisis. That's fair.]]
Between the three Autobots and the human soldiers, Brawl suffered the loss of one of his missile launchers and his left arm (courtesy of Ratchet's [[saw]]) before being knocked off his feet. soon after, [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] landed in the city streets, prompting the Autobots to call a retreat. Jazz stayed behind to hold off Decepticon leader, getting blasted aside for his efforts.
[[Image:Movie2007 Jazz fighting Megatron.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Autobots, attack! ...Guys?]]

Mikaela successfully hotwired the tow truck and drove it over to Sam and Bumblebee. As the same moment, Megatron carried Jazz into the air before slamming him into a building. Despite the Autobot's defiance, the Decepticon leader tore him in half, killing him.

On the ground, Captain Lennox's troops observed Brawl getting back to his feet, as well as the arrival of Blackout, who transformed and landed atop a building behind them. Under sporadic hostile fire, Lennox led his troops back to Bumblebee's position as Sam and Mikaela worked to hook Bumblebee to the tow truck. Lennox handed a flare to Sam and ordered him to take the AllSpark to a nearby rooftop, while [[Robert Epps|Sergeant Epps]] summoned their Black Hawk support to pick him up. Ratchet and Ironhide promised Sam that they would protect him as he carried out the mission. After a quick farewell to Mikaela, Sam fled.

Megatron ordered the Decepticons to attack, prompting Ratchet and Ironhide into providing cover fire as Sam ran. As Brawl advanced on one side, Blackout dropping to the ground, attacked from the other, engaging with Ironhide. Blackout bashed aside the car that Ironhide tossed at him, then transformed and flew away. Mikaela finished securing Bumblebee and drove him off, as Brawl fired at them.

[[Image:Movie MissionCityBattle4.jpg|right|250px|thumb|This is the only time Prime and Megs got to use their signature weapons. You fail us yet again, Michael Bay.]]
Optimus Prime arrived after his delay on the freeway, transforming and challenging Megatron. Still perched atop his building, Megatron tossed away the remains of Jazz and transformed. He scooped up Prime and took him for a dizzying ride through the streets and buildings of the city, smashing through an entire office building at one point before crashing to the street. The two exchanged their respective views on humanity and fisticuffs. Prime managed to get in a shot at Megatron, but a blast from Megatron's [[fusion cannon]] hurled Prime down the street and into the side of another building leaving him incapacitated.

With Ratchet and Ironhide alongside him, Sam continued sprinting for the building. Blackout slashed at Sam with his rotor weapon but missed, while Starscream managed to bring down both Ratchet and Ironhide before pulling back and returning to the skies. Sam was forced to continue onward alone.

Megatron, having left Optimus injured in another part of the city, flew down from the sky and transformed, demanding that Sam give up the AllSpark. As Sam darted through traffic, a near-collision with an SUV made him drop the cube, unleashing a pulse of its power. The pulse brought [[AllSpark Mutation|several machines to life]], including [[Steering wheel robot|part of the SUV]] and a [[Dispensor|Mountain Dew vending machine]].

[[Image:Movie Brawl dies.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Gah! Heartburn!]]
Sam sprinted into the abandoned building, pursued by Megatron, who smashed through a floor practically on Sam's heels but failed to stop him from entering a fire stairwell.

Mikaela and Bumblebee stopped in an alley, while the fighting continued. After mustering her courage with Bumblebee's wordless support, Mikaela backed the tow truck into the street so that Bumblebee was facing forwards, then drove it full speed in reverse towards Brawl. Under heavy attack from two directions, Brawl suffered heavy damage before a final shot from Bumblebee hit him in the chest, bringing him down for good. He collapsed into the building where Lennox's troops had taken shelter.

[[Image:Movie Megatron Samonroof.jpg|right|250px|thumb|It depends...how well do you take care of your pets?]]
As the Black Hawks closed in, Sam reached the rooftop and activated his flare. Starscream transformed and landed on a nearby building as the helicopters pulled up to the rooftop. Sam was inches away from handing off the AllSpark when Starscream shot the waiting Black Hawk out of the sky. Optimus Prime sprinted toward the building, determined to save Sam. Starscream continued watching from nearby while Megatron bashed his way onto the rooftop. Cornering Sam, Megatron demanded the AllSpark, but Sam defiantly refused. Megatron then unsheathed his barbed flail and bashed the building out from under Sam's feet. Optimus Prime, suspended most of the way up the building, caught the falling human. Prime then vaulted/fell down to street level, with Megatron diving close behind. The two metal titans smashed into the street, scattering more panicked humans, [[Michael Bay|one]] of whom got himself flicked aside by Megatron.

Optimus Prime ordered Sam to take shelter behind him and to push the AllSpark into his chest if he was unable to defeat Megatron. As the two leaders laid into one another a second time, both Lennox's troops and Blackout moved in on their position. Epps called in a full air strike on Blackout and Megatron, advising that the targets would be marked. The troops then marked Blackout with green laser light as the F-22s closed in.

[[Image:Movie MissionCityBattle5.jpg|left|250px|thumb|WWWWHHHHEEEEEEEE!!!]]
Blackout was to fire when he noticed the lasers lighting him up, so he instead turned to engage the soldiers, opening fire. Lennox raced at him on a procured motorcycle, evading Blackout's blasts and purposefully going into a long skid/slide along the ground. As Blackout was hit by fire from the F-22s, Lennox slid past and under him, firing several rounds directly up into the Decepticon's underside. Blackout fell dead to the pavement. Lennox urged his troops onward as Megatron appeared to be getting the upper hand over Optimus.

[[Image:Movie Prime Jazz Ironhide Ratchet battleaftermath.jpg|right|250px|thumb|"Prime, could we maybe discuss this some time when you're not holding a corpse?"]]
As a second wave of F-22s approached the city, Starscream appeared in their midst, destroying three of them before the pilots realized what was happening. The surviving pilots attempted to engage the Decepticon, but Starscream escaped. The remaining F-22s made an attack run on Megatron, firing on him even as Lennox's troops also attacked, damaging his chest armor. Megatron advanced on Sam, but the injured Optimus managed to trip him over. As the weakened Megatron crawled towards Sam, Prime urged the human to push the cube into Prime's chest. Instead, Sam rammed the cube into Megatron's now partially exposed spark, killing him and destroying the AllSpark.

The Autobots and soldiers regrouped. Ironhide had recovered the remains of Jazz and handed them over to Optimus Prime. Optimus, saddened by the loss of a great comrade, thanked the humans for their effort and sacrifice. Bumblebee requested to stay with Sam, and Prime agreed.

Initial media reports called the attack "so-called alien activity" but the US government denied aliens had caused the Mission City destruction. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}}

===''Transformers'' novel===
The battle took place in [[Las Vegas]] instead. {{storylink|Transformers (novel)|Transformers}}

===Titan movie comics===
The battle took place in [[Los Angeles]] instead. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 7|Starscream's Militia}}

Two years on, and Starscream is still unclear about why Optimus lured the Decepticons to this heavily populated city when he claims to like humans. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 22|#22's Star Screams}}

===IDW movie comics===
In the aftermath of the battle, Lennox's soldiers became acquainted with the Autobots whilst they hunted [[Xbox 360 robot|mutated]] [[Dispensor|transformers]] created by the released All Spark energies. Optimus Prime requested Lennox's help in allowing the Autobots to transport Jazz's remains out of Mission City whilst evading untrustworthy humans such as those from Sector Seven. When a suitable abandoned truck trailer found, the assembled soldiers had a moment of silence as Ironhide placed Jazz's body inside. Soon after the Autobots left, [[Seymour Simmons|Agent Simmons]] and Sector Seven arrived to take away the dead Decepticons. {{storylink|Alliance issue 1|Alliance #1}}

===''The Veiled Threat''===
According to ''[[The National Enquirer]]'', the battle was caused by [[Elvis]]'s robot alien offspring. {{storylink|Transformers: The Veiled Threat|The Veiled Threat}}

===The Real Effing Deal===
The official story is "several biomechanical prototypes by [[Mendelson Robotics]]" went haywire by accident; the government cleared Mendelson of any wrongdoing. The leaked Department of Defence reports also said that the tales of giant robots fighting are ''completely'' unfounded, even though their official story is ''it was big robots''. No wonder certain bloggers worked out the cover story was crap. {{storylink|The Real Effing Deal}}

===''Revenge of the Fallen''===
See above, except replace "Mendelson" with [[McClaren Robotics|''McClaren'' Robotics]].

Except when it's [[McClaren Robotics|Massive Dynamics]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|Revenge of the Fallen (novel)}}

[[Fassbinder|Some]] of which claimed the battle took place in [[Los Angeles]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen (film)}}

The terrifying thing is that this half-arsed cover-up actually ''worked''.

===''Cyber Missions''===
[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] pursued [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] through Mission City when Lockdown set off some explosives which caused some damage to the roadway that would have to be explained by [[NEST]]. Lockdown got away with Ratchet's [[Electromagnetic pulse|EMP]] blaster. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 3}}

===''Classified'' novels===
[[Hyperdynamix]]'s main laboratory was located in Mission City. It was attacked by three Decepticons deployed to cover up the theft of the prototype tanks they were developing. {{storylink|Transformers Classified: Battle Mountain|Battle Mountain}}

==Related characters==
===Kid on freeway===
:''Actor:'' [[Chip Hormess]]
This young man was riding on the freeway to Mission City when [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|two]] [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|robots]] suddenly fell off the overpass and landed in their lane. His mother barely skidding their car to a halt, the kid watched in shock as one of the robots was struck so hard one of its [[Sensor#Optical_sensors|eyes]] popped out and it was knocked off the overpass on which they were sitting. As the other robot jumped after it, the kid said that the whole thing was cool.

===SUV driver===
[[File:Movie_socialite_victim.jpg|thumb]]
:''Actor:'' [[Odette Yustman]]
{{voiceactor|[[Sílvia Goiabeira]] (Brazilian Portuguese dub)|[[Marina García Guevara]] (Castilian Spanish dub), [[Virginie Méry]] (European French)}}

This young woman and two of her friends were driving around in her SUV when [[Sam Witwicky|some kid]] nearly ran into her car. Failing to noticed the panicked bystanders running in the opposite direction, the woman asked if "that jerk" had dented her car. This was quickly forgotten as she noticed her [[Steering wheel robot|steering wheel]] had come to life. It proceeded to wrap itself around her face. Her fate is unknown, but things are not looking good.

===Woman in blue===
[[File:Movie Ironhide shootground.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2]]
This woman had the unfortunate circumstance of being caught in the middle of [[Brawl (Movie)|a tank]] firing shells at [[Ironhide (Movie)|a truck]]. As the truck [[Transformation|changed]] into a giant robot, it proceeded to do some questionably useful (but fun to see) somersaults over the missiles being shot at it, landing right near the woman and totally scaring the crap out of her. Of course, this raises another question: If a tank was shelling something, why did she stop right in its line of fire?
{{-}}

===Xbox 360 owner===
[[File:Movie_Xbox_360_robot.JPG|thumb|right|upright=1.2]]
:''Actor:'' [[Bob Stephenson]]

This man was proudly carrying a newly purchased [[Xbox|Xbox 360]] down the street (as you do) when some sort of [[energon|energy]] surged from some [[AllSpark|object]] that a kid was carrying. He heard the Xbox turn on and saw it [[Xbox 360 robot|sprout arms]] that began to harass him. Despite the fact that it probably cost a great deal of money, he threw the Xbox away, deciding that it wasn't worth his life.

Remember that, people: Gaming is not worth your life!

==Notes==
*[[Roberto Orci]] confirmed they had considered having the film climax at the [[Grand Canyon]], which is close to the [[Hoover Dam]] and would've endangered a lot less civilians. [http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/180451-welcome-mr-roberto-orci-you-may-ask-him-questions-221.html#post3399075]
*At [[BotCon 2007]], at one of the movie's writers' panels, they explained that the original intent behind taking the All Spark to the city was not to "hide" it there, but simply to use the city as a rendezvous point, someplace relatively near the dam that might have a working radio they could use to call for help.
* [[Transformers: The Junior Novel]] set the final battle in the ostensibly non-fictional city of [[Las Vegas]] instead of Mission City, since it was set there in early drafts of the script. [http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/180451-welcome-mr-roberto-orci-you-may-ask-him-questions-220.html#post3395250]
* Most of the city skyline shots clearly show Los Angeles. The downtown street scenes were primarily filmed there as well. No wonder [[Fassbinder]] was confused.
* The abandoned building that Sam runs into, however, is actually the long-abandoned {{w|Michigan Central Station}}, located in [[Detroit]].
* And because things weren't muddled enough, the Mission City diorama backdrop in the [[Longarm (Movie)|Final]] [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Stand]] Screen Battles set is actually a Photoshopped version of Scranton, Pennsylvania.<ref>[http://www.oafe.net/yo/tfm_sbfs.php OAFE review of The Final Stand Screen Battles set]</ref>
* The battle of Mission City, portrayed in ''Transformers'', contains several editing and plot errors, as well as some confusing editing choices (over and above Michael Bay's characteristic Shakey Cam point of view):
** There's a short period at the beginning of the fight where Jazz and Ratchet are sitting around in vehicle mode. When Ironhide notices that the F-22 flying above the city is Starscream, they stay in vehicle mode. When Ironhide and Bumblebee pick up a Furby delivery truck for cover, they ''still'' remain in vehicle mode. When Starscream blasts them, and Sam discovers that Bumblebee has lost his legs, all Jazz does is pull back a few feet to give Bumblebee space to crawl. Sam even yells to Ratchet to aid Bumblebee and he still just sits there in vehicle mode.
**When Brawl first shows up to the battle, Sam is standing next to Mikaela watching as the Decepticon tank approaches and then he takes off running. The next shot cuts back to Mikaela spotting the abandoned tow truck she's about to use to transport Bumblebee out of the city. The shot after that shows Sam is sitting in the rubble next to the AllSpark as Bumblebee crawls over to him. The last shot cut in with the previous shots makes it look as if Sam ran away just to sit down in the middle of the battlefield. Come on, Sam, where's your head at?
** It's not entirely clear what most of the Decepticons' intentions are during the battle:
*** Blackout first appears on top of a building before being ordered by Megatron to attack. He then joins the fight, firing at Ironhide, then takes off again. He comes back a while later and slices up the street outside the diner but disappears again afterwards, not reappearing until Megatron and Optimus begin their final fight.
*** Starscream also defeats Ratchet and Ironhide, but then flies away instead of finishing them off or making a grab for Sam and the AllSpark. Though this is likely due to him knowing the Black Hawks are on their way to extract the AllSpark. This is further reinforced when he appears later to shoot them down.
*** Barricade, meanwhile, never shows up ''at all''. Apparently having the road blocked in front of him is all it takes to scare this Decepticon off.
** Also unclear is why the military thought they could smuggle the AllSpark out of town on a slow-moving helicopter, when fast-flying guys like Starscream and Megatron were around and well aware of the cube's location.
** Fans have speculated that Starscream actually participated in the F-22 attack run on Megatron. While there's no concrete evidence either way, it doesn't make much sense for him to be destroying the jets beforehand if he's just going to turn around and help them in their mission a few seconds later. When asked about it, screenwriter Roberto Orci explicitly refused to address this theory since it would pose a plot thread for the sequel. This turned out not to be the case, and it was never addressed in ''Revenge of the Fallen'' or ''Dark of the Moon''. Meanwhile, IDW's [[The Reign of Starscream issue 1]] has Starscream consider this an option, but soon has the decision taken from his hands.
** Epps emphatically states that F-22 pilots would ''never'' fly between buildings, as they'd just observed Starscream doing. Yet a few minutes later, that's ''exactly'' what the real F-22s do. (However, it's possible that with Megatron and the other Decepticons currently battling in the streets, protocol was waived for the missile strikes.)
** The denizens of Mission City are ''remarkably'' well-composed considering that global communications networks have been shut down. You'd think there'd be a bit more panic in the streets... especially with all the audible explosions, and people fleeing from previous battlegrounds. Yet nobody ''ever'' panics until those freaking giant robots come literally crashing into the next nearby building. You'd think the girl whose steering wheel is brought to life by the Allspark would have bigger problems than Sam "denting her car"... such as those giant robots fighting everywhere. This goes even beyond your average [[tvtropes:Main/WeirdnessCensor|weirdness censor]].
** [[Center City (Movie)|Center City]] replaced Mission City in the [[Transformers The Game (PSP)|2007 PSP game]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Battles]]
[[Category:Cities in the United States]]
[[Category:Movie locations]]

Mission City

2026-03-19T18:24:03Z

Zenphia: /* Titan movie comics */

[[Image:Mission City.JPG|right|300px|thumb|City motto? Life is pain.]]

'''Mission City''' is a city in the [[United States of America]]. It may rival [[San Francisco]] as "worst place to live", because it's the kind of place where [[Dispensor|Mountain Dew machines]] thirst for human blood, [[Xbox 360 robot|Xbox 360s]] play with the lives of their owners, and [[Steering wheel robot|steering wheels]] tend to [[kiss]] their drivers. It also had the poor fortune to be the location where the [[Autobot]]s and the [[Decepticon]]s threw down for control of the [[AllSpark]].

It's located 22 miles north of the [[Hoover Dam]].<ref>[[William Lennox]] explicitly states their distance from the dam in [[Transformers (film)|the 2007 movie]].</ref> Its downtown has lots of Classically-detailed buildings from the early 20th Century which tend to shatter spectacularly when [[Transformer|giant robots]] smash into them. [[Interstate 95]] runs through it, somehow.<ref>[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] follows [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] along Mission City's Interstate 95 in "[[Cyber Missions 3]]." The real world's Interstate 95 runs up and down the United State's east coast.</ref>

==Fiction==
===''Transformers'' film===
After [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] converted the AllSpark to a more portable form, [[William Lennox|Captain Lennox]] suggested that they hide the [[AllSpark]] in Mission City and rendezvous with military airlift to take it to safety. Defense Secretary [[John Keller]] agreed with him. Bumblebee and a military escort, soon augmented by the [[Autobot]]s, left for the city.

En route, three [[Decepticon]]s caught up to them and gave chase. [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]] and [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] began fighting through traffic, while [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] left the escort to hold them off. Bonecrusher engaged with the Autobot leader, while the other Autobots continued into downtown Mission City. Their human allies still inside [[Hoover Dam]], meanwhile, had summoned F-22 Air Force fighters to provide aerial support.

[[Image:Movie MissionCityBattle1.jpg|left|250px|thumb|[[Dark Star|Ironhide is the first person in some twenty years to consider Starscream a serious threat... with good reason for once.]]]]
Captain Lennox procured several short-wave radios from a nearby Pawn shop to contact the hoped-for aerial support, intending to summon Black Hawk helicopters for extraction of the AllSpark. They soon sighted a lone F-22 overhead and called for support, marking their location with green smoke. Too late, [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] realized that the incoming fighter was in fact [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]]. He ordered the humans and other Autobots to fall back, as he and Bumblebee lifted a ''[[Furby]]'' delivery truck to shield them from Starscream's attack. The resulting explosion crippled Bumblebee, severing his legs below the knees.

Meanwhile, contact with incoming Black Hawks was made, but the Autobots and soldiers came under fire from [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]]. [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]], [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] and Ironhide all rushed in to combat the mighty Decepticon as the human soldiers fell back. [[Mikaela Banes|Mikaela]] spotted a tow truck nearby and ran to procure it, while the crippled Bumblebee handed the AllSpark over to [[Sam Witwicky|Sam]].

[[Image:Movie MissionCityBattle2.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Yeah, let's triple-team the guy who is suffering an identity crisis. That's fair.]]
Between the three Autobots and the human soldiers, Brawl suffered the loss of one of his missile launchers and his left arm (courtesy of Ratchet's [[saw]]) before being knocked off his feet. soon after, [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] landed in the city streets, prompting the Autobots to call a retreat. Jazz stayed behind to hold off Decepticon leader, getting blasted aside for his efforts.
[[Image:Movie2007 Jazz fighting Megatron.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Autobots, attack! ...Guys?]]

Mikaela successfully hotwired the tow truck and drove it over to Sam and Bumblebee. As the same moment, Megatron carried Jazz into the air before slamming him into a building. Despite the Autobot's defiance, the Decepticon leader tore him in half, killing him.

On the ground, Captain Lennox's troops observed Brawl getting back to his feet, as well as the arrival of Blackout, who transformed and landed atop a building behind them. Under sporadic hostile fire, Lennox led his troops back to Bumblebee's position as Sam and Mikaela worked to hook Bumblebee to the tow truck. Lennox handed a flare to Sam and ordered him to take the AllSpark to a nearby rooftop, while [[Robert Epps|Sergeant Epps]] summoned their Black Hawk support to pick him up. Ratchet and Ironhide promised Sam that they would protect him as he carried out the mission. After a quick farewell to Mikaela, Sam fled.

Megatron ordered the Decepticons to attack, prompting Ratchet and Ironhide into providing cover fire as Sam ran. As Brawl advanced on one side, Blackout dropping to the ground, attacked from the other, engaging with Ironhide. Blackout bashed aside the car that Ironhide tossed at him, then transformed and flew away. Mikaela finished securing Bumblebee and drove him off, as Brawl fired at them.

[[Image:Movie MissionCityBattle4.jpg|right|250px|thumb|This is the only time Prime and Megs got to use their signature weapons. You fail us yet again, Michael Bay.]]
Optimus Prime arrived after his delay on the freeway, transforming and challenging Megatron. Still perched atop his building, Megatron tossed away the remains of Jazz and transformed. He scooped up Prime and took him for a dizzying ride through the streets and buildings of the city, smashing through an entire office building at one point before crashing to the street. The two exchanged their respective views on humanity and fisticuffs. Prime managed to get in a shot at Megatron, but a blast from Megatron's [[fusion cannon]] hurled Prime down the street and into the side of another building leaving him incapacitated.

With Ratchet and Ironhide alongside him, Sam continued sprinting for the building. Blackout slashed at Sam with his rotor weapon but missed, while Starscream managed to bring down both Ratchet and Ironhide before pulling back and returning to the skies. Sam was forced to continue onward alone.

Megatron, having left Optimus injured in another part of the city, flew down from the sky and transformed, demanding that Sam give up the AllSpark. As Sam darted through traffic, a near-collision with an SUV made him drop the cube, unleashing a pulse of its power. The pulse brought [[AllSpark Mutation|several machines to life]], including [[Steering wheel robot|part of the SUV]] and a [[Dispensor|Mountain Dew vending machine]].

[[Image:Movie Brawl dies.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Gah! Heartburn!]]
Sam sprinted into the abandoned building, pursued by Megatron, who smashed through a floor practically on Sam's heels but failed to stop him from entering a fire stairwell.

Mikaela and Bumblebee stopped in an alley, while the fighting continued. After mustering her courage with Bumblebee's wordless support, Mikaela backed the tow truck into the street so that Bumblebee was facing forwards, then drove it full speed in reverse towards Brawl. Under heavy attack from two directions, Brawl suffered heavy damage before a final shot from Bumblebee hit him in the chest, bringing him down for good. He collapsed into the building where Lennox's troops had taken shelter.

[[Image:Movie Megatron Samonroof.jpg|right|250px|thumb|It depends...how well do you take care of your pets?]]
As the Black Hawks closed in, Sam reached the rooftop and activated his flare. Starscream transformed and landed on a nearby building as the helicopters pulled up to the rooftop. Sam was inches away from handing off the AllSpark when Starscream shot the waiting Black Hawk out of the sky. Optimus Prime sprinted toward the building, determined to save Sam. Starscream continued watching from nearby while Megatron bashed his way onto the rooftop. Cornering Sam, Megatron demanded the AllSpark, but Sam defiantly refused. Megatron then unsheathed his barbed flail and bashed the building out from under Sam's feet. Optimus Prime, suspended most of the way up the building, caught the falling human. Prime then vaulted/fell down to street level, with Megatron diving close behind. The two metal titans smashed into the street, scattering more panicked humans, [[Michael Bay|one]] of whom got himself flicked aside by Megatron.

Optimus Prime ordered Sam to take shelter behind him and to push the AllSpark into his chest if he was unable to defeat Megatron. As the two leaders laid into one another a second time, both Lennox's troops and Blackout moved in on their position. Epps called in a full air strike on Blackout and Megatron, advising that the targets would be marked. The troops then marked Blackout with green laser light as the F-22s closed in.

[[Image:Movie MissionCityBattle5.jpg|left|250px|thumb|WWWWHHHHEEEEEEEE!!!]]
Blackout was to fire when he noticed the lasers lighting him up, so he instead turned to engage the soldiers, opening fire. Lennox raced at him on a procured motorcycle, evading Blackout's blasts and purposefully going into a long skid/slide along the ground. As Blackout was hit by fire from the F-22s, Lennox slid past and under him, firing several rounds directly up into the Decepticon's underside. Blackout fell dead to the pavement. Lennox urged his troops onward as Megatron appeared to be getting the upper hand over Optimus.

[[Image:Movie Prime Jazz Ironhide Ratchet battleaftermath.jpg|right|250px|thumb|"Prime, could we maybe discuss this some time when you're not holding a corpse?"]]
As a second wave of F-22s approached the city, Starscream appeared in their midst, destroying three of them before the pilots realized what was happening. The surviving pilots attempted to engage the Decepticon, but Starscream escaped. The remaining F-22s made an attack run on Megatron, firing on him even as Lennox's troops also attacked, damaging his chest armor. Megatron advanced on Sam, but the injured Optimus managed to trip him over. As the weakened Megatron crawled towards Sam, Prime urged the human to push the cube into Prime's chest. Instead, Sam rammed the cube into Megatron's now partially exposed spark, killing him and destroying the AllSpark.

The Autobots and soldiers regrouped. Ironhide had recovered the remains of Jazz and handed them over to Optimus Prime. Optimus, saddened by the loss of a great comrade, thanked the humans for their effort and sacrifice. Bumblebee requested to stay with Sam, and Prime agreed.

Initial media reports called the attack "so-called alien activity" but the US government denied aliens had caused the Mission City destruction. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}}

===''Transformers'' novel===
The battle took place in [[Las Vegas]] instead. {{storylink|Transformers (novel)|Transformers}}

===Titan movie comics===
The battle took place in [[Los Angeles]] instead. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 7|Starscream's Militia}}

Two years on, and Starscream is still unclear about why Optimus lured the Decepticons to this heavily populated city when he claims to like humans. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 22|#22's Star Screams}}

===IDW movie comics===
In the aftermath of the battle, Lennox's soldiers became acquainted with the Autobots whilst they hunted [[Xbox 360 robot|mutated]] [[Dispensor|transformers]] created by the released All Spark energies. Optimus Prime requested Lennox's help in allowing the Autobots to transport Jazz's remains out of Mission City whilst evading untrustworthy humans such as those from Sector Seven. When a suitable abandoned truck trailer found, the assembled soldiers had a moment of silence as Ironhide placed Jazz's body inside. Soon after the Autobots left, [[Seymour Simmons|Agent Simmons]] and Sector Seven arrived to take away the dead Decepticons. {{storylink|Alliance issue 1|Alliance #1}}

===''The Veiled Threat''===
According to ''[[The National Enquirer]]'', the battle was caused by [[Elvis]]'s robot alien offspring. {{storylink|Transformers: The Veiled Threat|The Veiled Threat}}

===The Real Effing Deal===
The official story is "several biomechanical prototypes by [[Mendelson Robotics]]" went haywire by accident; the government cleared Mendelson of any wrongdoing. The leaked Department of Defence reports also said that the tales of giant robots fighting are ''completely'' unfounded, even though their official story is ''it was big robots''. No wonder certain bloggers worked out the cover story was crap. {{storylink|The Real Effing Deal}}

===''Revenge of the Fallen''===
See above, except replace "Mendelson" with [[McClaren Robotics|''McClaren'' Robotics]].

Except when it's [[McClaren Robotics|Massive Dynamics]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|Revenge of the Fallen (novel)}}

[[Fassbinder|Some]] of which claimed the battle took place in [[Los Angeles]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen (film)}}

The terrifying thing is that this half-arsed cover-up actually ''worked''.

===''Cyber Missions''===
[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] pursued [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] through Mission City when Lockdown set off some explosives which caused some damage to the roadway that would have to be explained by [[NEST]]. Lockdown got away with Ratchet's [[Electromagnetic pulse|EMP]] blaster. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 3}}

===''Classified'' novels===
[[Hyperdynamix]]'s main laboratory was located in Mission City. It was attacked by three Decepticons deployed to cover up the theft of the prototype tanks they were developing. {{storylink|Transformers Classified: Battle Mountain|Battle Mountain}}

==Related characters==
===Kid on freeway===
:''Actor:'' [[Chip Hormess]]
This young man was riding on the freeway to Mission City when [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|two]] [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|robots]] suddenly fell off the overpass and landed in their lane. His mother barely skidding their car to a halt, the kid watched in shock as one of the robots was struck so hard one of its [[Sensor#Optical_sensors|eyes]] popped out and it was knocked off the overpass on which they were sitting. As the other robot jumped after it, the kid said that the whole thing was cool.

===SUV driver===
[[File:Movie_socialite_victim.jpg|thumb]]
:''Actor:'' [[Odette Yustman]]
{{voiceactor|[[Sílvia Goiabeira]] (Brazilian Portuguese dub)|[[Marina García Guevara]] (Castilian Spanish dub), [[Virginie Méry]] (European French)}}

This young woman and two of her friends were driving around in her SUV when [[Sam Witwicky|some kid]] nearly ran into her car. Failing to noticed the panicked bystanders running in the opposite direction, the woman asked if "that jerk" had dented her car. This was quickly forgotten as she noticed her [[Steering wheel robot|steering wheel]] had come to life. It proceeded to wrap itself around her face. Her fate is unknown, but things are not looking good.

===Woman in blue===
[[File:Movie Ironhide shootground.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2]]
This woman had the unfortunate circumstance of being caught in the middle of [[Brawl (Movie)|a tank]] firing shells at [[Ironhide (Movie)|a truck]]. As the truck [[Transformation|changed]] into a giant robot, it proceeded to do some questionably useful (but fun to see) somersaults over the missiles being shot at it, landing right near the woman and totally scaring the crap out of her. Of course, this raises another question: If a tank was shelling something, why did she stop right in its line of fire?
{{-}}

===Xbox owner===
[[File:Movie_Xbox_360_robot.JPG|thumb|right|upright=1.2]]
:''Actor:'' [[Bob Stephenson]]

This man was proudly carrying his newly purchased [[Xbox|Xbox 360]] down the street (as you do) when some sort of [[energon|energy]] surged from some [[AllSpark|object]] that a kid was carrying. He heard the Xbox activate, he saw that it had [[Xbox 360 robot|sprouted arms]] that were trying to attack him. Despite the fact that it probably cost a great deal of money, the owner threw the Xbox away, deciding that it wasn't worth his life.

Remember that, people: Gaming is not worth your life!

==Notes==
*[[Roberto Orci]] confirmed they had considered having the film climax at the [[Grand Canyon]], which is close to the [[Hoover Dam]] and would've endangered a lot less civilians. [http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/180451-welcome-mr-roberto-orci-you-may-ask-him-questions-221.html#post3399075]
*At [[BotCon 2007]], at one of the movie's writers' panels, they explained that the original intent behind taking the All Spark to the city was not to "hide" it there, but simply to use the city as a rendezvous point, someplace relatively near the dam that might have a working radio they could use to call for help.
* [[Transformers: The Junior Novel]] set the final battle in the ostensibly non-fictional city of [[Las Vegas]] instead of Mission City, since it was set there in early drafts of the script. [http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/180451-welcome-mr-roberto-orci-you-may-ask-him-questions-220.html#post3395250]
* Most of the city skyline shots clearly show Los Angeles. The downtown street scenes were primarily filmed there as well. No wonder [[Fassbinder]] was confused.
* The abandoned building that Sam runs into, however, is actually the long-abandoned {{w|Michigan Central Station}}, located in [[Detroit]].
* And because things weren't muddled enough, the Mission City diorama backdrop in the [[Longarm (Movie)|Final]] [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Stand]] Screen Battles set is actually a Photoshopped version of Scranton, Pennsylvania.<ref>[http://www.oafe.net/yo/tfm_sbfs.php OAFE review of The Final Stand Screen Battles set]</ref>
* The battle of Mission City, portrayed in ''Transformers'', contains several editing and plot errors, as well as some confusing editing choices (over and above Michael Bay's characteristic Shakey Cam point of view):
** There's a short period at the beginning of the fight where Jazz and Ratchet are sitting around in vehicle mode. When Ironhide notices that the F-22 flying above the city is Starscream, they stay in vehicle mode. When Ironhide and Bumblebee pick up a Furby delivery truck for cover, they ''still'' remain in vehicle mode. When Starscream blasts them, and Sam discovers that Bumblebee has lost his legs, all Jazz does is pull back a few feet to give Bumblebee space to crawl. Sam even yells to Ratchet to aid Bumblebee and he still just sits there in vehicle mode.
**When Brawl first shows up to the battle, Sam is standing next to Mikaela watching as the Decepticon tank approaches and then he takes off running. The next shot cuts back to Mikaela spotting the abandoned tow truck she's about to use to transport Bumblebee out of the city. The shot after that shows Sam is sitting in the rubble next to the AllSpark as Bumblebee crawls over to him. The last shot cut in with the previous shots makes it look as if Sam ran away just to sit down in the middle of the battlefield. Come on, Sam, where's your head at?
** It's not entirely clear what most of the Decepticons' intentions are during the battle:
*** Blackout first appears on top of a building before being ordered by Megatron to attack. He then joins the fight, firing at Ironhide, then takes off again. He comes back a while later and slices up the street outside the diner but disappears again afterwards, not reappearing until Megatron and Optimus begin their final fight.
*** Starscream also defeats Ratchet and Ironhide, but then flies away instead of finishing them off or making a grab for Sam and the AllSpark. Though this is likely due to him knowing the Black Hawks are on their way to extract the AllSpark. This is further reinforced when he appears later to shoot them down.
*** Barricade, meanwhile, never shows up ''at all''. Apparently having the road blocked in front of him is all it takes to scare this Decepticon off.
** Also unclear is why the military thought they could smuggle the AllSpark out of town on a slow-moving helicopter, when fast-flying guys like Starscream and Megatron were around and well aware of the cube's location.
** Fans have speculated that Starscream actually participated in the F-22 attack run on Megatron. While there's no concrete evidence either way, it doesn't make much sense for him to be destroying the jets beforehand if he's just going to turn around and help them in their mission a few seconds later. When asked about it, screenwriter Roberto Orci explicitly refused to address this theory since it would pose a plot thread for the sequel. This turned out not to be the case, and it was never addressed in ''Revenge of the Fallen'' or ''Dark of the Moon''. Meanwhile, IDW's [[The Reign of Starscream issue 1]] has Starscream consider this an option, but soon has the decision taken from his hands.
** Epps emphatically states that F-22 pilots would ''never'' fly between buildings, as they'd just observed Starscream doing. Yet a few minutes later, that's ''exactly'' what the real F-22s do. (However, it's possible that with Megatron and the other Decepticons currently battling in the streets, protocol was waived for the missile strikes.)
** The denizens of Mission City are ''remarkably'' well-composed considering that global communications networks have been shut down. You'd think there'd be a bit more panic in the streets... especially with all the audible explosions, and people fleeing from previous battlegrounds. Yet nobody ''ever'' panics until those freaking giant robots come literally crashing into the next nearby building. You'd think the girl whose steering wheel is brought to life by the Allspark would have bigger problems than Sam "denting her car"... such as those giant robots fighting everywhere. This goes even beyond your average [[tvtropes:Main/WeirdnessCensor|weirdness censor]].
** [[Center City (Movie)|Center City]] replaced Mission City in the [[Transformers The Game (PSP)|2007 PSP game]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Battles]]
[[Category:Cities in the United States]]
[[Category:Movie locations]]

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)

2026-03-19T18:22:41Z

Zenphia: Less spoilery plot synopsis

{{nav-rotf}}
{{movie|
|seriess=[[Live-action film series]]
|prev=Transformers (film)
|next=Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)
|title=''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen''
|image=ROTFteaserposter.jpg
|caption=You have controlled your fear. Now, release your anger. Only your hatred can destroy me.
|production companies=[[DreamWorks]] [[Hasbro]] [[Lorenzo di Bonaventura|di Bonaventura Pictures]]
|distributor=[[Paramount Pictures]]
|executive producer=[[Steven Spielberg]]
|producer=[[Lorenzo di Bonaventura]] [[Tom DeSanto]] [[Don Murphy]] [[Ian Bryce]]
|written by=[[Ehren Kruger]] [[Roberto Orci]] [[Alex Kurtzman]]
|directed by=[[Michael Bay]]
|cinematography by=[[Ben Seresin]]
|edited by=[[Roger Barton]] [[Paul Rubell]] [[Joel Negron]] [[Thomas A. Muldoon]]
|music by=[[Steve Jablonsky]]
|release date=[[June 24]], [[2009]]
|continuity=[[Live-action film series]]
|runtime=150 minutes
|budget=$200–210 million
|box office=$836.3 million
}}
{{quote|We had three weeks to get our story and, really, we were going into the movie without a script. It’s tough to do that.|[[Michael Bay]], [http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2011/01/14/michael-bay-ready-to-make-you-forget-transformers-2-it-was-kind-of-a-mess/ LA Times interview]}}

'''''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen''''' is the second film in the [[live-action film series]], a sequel to ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]''. It was released in North America on [[June 24]], [[2009]].

Two years after the [[Mission City#Transformers film|Battle of Mission City]], the Autobots have found a home in "NEST", a secret military unit created to eliminate the remaining Decepticons, and Sam is starting college and trying to leave his Transformer-laden past behind. However, the Decepticons have regrouped under the command of Megatron's mysterious master, the Fallen, who schemes to activate an energon-producing Star Harvester on Earth, which will destroy the Sun and provide them with enough energon to raise an army. The Harvester's location, and the means to activate it, are hidden within Sam's mind, leading the Decepticons to wage war across the Earth as they hunt down Witwicky, forcing him to turn to some unlikely allies to escape and survive.

Director [[Michael Bay]] set out to greatly expand the film's scope with settings ranging across the globe, and a much larger cast of Transformers, with over 40 robots in all.

::::::::::::::::::::{{bigquote|Revenge is mine!|The Fallen}}

==Synopsis==
In 17,000 B.C., a group of human hunters discover Transformers already on Earth, building [[Star Harvester|a machine]]. [[The Fallen|One of the Transformers]] notices the humans, and his reaction is less than friendly.

Two years after the battle of [[Mission City]], the Autobots have teamed up with the American soldiers, including [[William Lennox|Lennox]] and [[Robert Epps|Epps]], in a secret team named [[NEST]] under the command of the [[United States military|US military]], but also incorporating soldiers from other countries such as the United Kingdom. Officially, the US government still keeps the Transformers' existence a secret.

[[File:ROTF-Arceethree.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Well, I guess you don't know everything about women yet.]]

NEST is hunting down the Decepticons on Earth. A region of [[Shanghai]], [[China]] is evacuated to allow NEST to deploy with a cover-up of a toxic chemical spill occurring. As soldiers probe the region, they find the heat signature of the Decepticon [[Demolishor (ROTF)|Demolishor]], who transforms and wreaks havoc on the roadways. His discovery prompts his partner, [[Sideways (ROTF)|Sideways]], to escape as well. Sideways is pursued by [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]], [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]], although [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]], waiting for the Decepticon, eventually slices him lengthwise in half. [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] is airlifted to Shanghai and chases Demolishor through the city with [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]]. Optimus shoots Demolishor several times in the head, while Ironhide shoots out his wheels, causing him to crash and fall off a bypass, badly injuring himself in the process. Before Optimus kills him, Demolishor delivers the cryptic message: "The Fallen will rise again."

[[File:ROTF Sam Cube fragment.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|You will go to the Dagobah system. There you will learn from Yoda.]]

Meanwhile, [[Sam Witwicky]] is preparing for his move to college and dealing with his bipolar mother. His father is looking forward to enjoying a holiday in Paris, and [[Mojo]] has a new canine companion named [[Frankie]]. Sam is on the phone to his rather snarky girlfriend, when he finds a splinter of the [[AllSpark]] lodged in his "D-Day shirt". He experiences a brief flash of images before the splinter burns him. Dropping it, Sam sees the floor catch fire as the splinter burns its way down to the kitchen, where it brings numerous kitchen devices to life. These [[appliancebot]]s make their way to Sam's room and attack. He escapes to the garden, where the bots pin Sam and his father behind the water fountain. After [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] has destroyed the kitchen robots (and part of the Witwickys' house with them), Sam hands the AllSpark shard to [[Mikaela Banes|Mikaela]]. His mother demands Bumblebee leaves. Sam then tells Bumblebee to join the other Autobots, as both of them need to move on. Sam and Mikaela have a slight scuffle over who should say the words "I love you" first, but they kiss and move on. Sam leaves for college, and no one notices a [[Wheelie (ROTF)|toy car]] in the lawn. It detects the splinter and signals [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]], who is stationed in orbit around Earth, disguised as a satellite, and Soundwave orders the truck to follow the girl.

Meanwhile, NEST is in a video briefing with [[Morshower|General Morshower]], Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, when they are visited by National Security Adviser [[Theodore Galloway]], who has been dispatched to relay the President's concerns over the casualties in Shanghai. As Optimus relays the warning of "the Fallen", Soundwave takes control of the satellite transmitting the message. Galloway dismisses the threat, convinced that the only reason the Decepticons are interested in Earth is because of the presence of the Autobots. Therefore, he suggests that they may leave the planet. Optimus says that, yes, they will, but also warns Galloway that he may be wrong. During the conversation, Galloway reveals the location of the AllSpark shard Optimus Prime had picked up after killing [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], and the location of Megatron's remains in the [[Laurentian Abyss]].

Sam arrives at college with his parents and meets his roommate, [[Leo Spitz]], who operates a [[The Real Effing Deal|conspiracy website]] and is convinced that alien robots are hiding on Earth. Sam feigns ignorance and goes to see if he can get another room, but his hunt is interrupted by his father and mother, the latter of whom has unwittingly purchased some marijuana-laced brownies. In the corridor, Leo points out [[Alice (ROTF)|Alice]], another student he has the hots for. Sam is more concerned with tracking down his mother, who by now is roaming the school, informing random people about the state of Sam's virginity.

Soundwave dispatches his minion [[Ravage (ROTF)|Ravage]] to Earth, where he infiltrates the NEST base on [[Diego Garcia]]. Ravage horks a swarm of [[Microcon (ROTF)|microcons]] into an ventilation outlet, and they swarm down to the chamber where the AllSpark shard is being held. There they combine into [[Reedman]], who steals the shard and joins Ravage in a rapid escape.

Although he's due to have a webcam date with Mikaela, Sam is dragged to at a frat party by Leo. He suffers some sort of attack, seeing [[Cyberglyphics|alien glyphs]] which he is trying to write on a table with cake icing when he's approached by Alice, who attempts to seduce him. When Bumblebee shows up, she takes a ride with Sam, but Bumblebee does everything he can to convince her to leave, up to and including spraying her with an [[lubricant|unidentifiable yellow liquid]]. Bumblebee then takes Sam to Optimus Prime, who tells him of the theft of the AllSpark shard and asks Sam to speak with the government on their behalf. Sam refuses, saying that he has his own problems and does not believe that he is the right person for this task.

[[File:TheFallen-ROTFNemesis.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|What is thy bidding, my master?]]

At the Laurentian Abyss, Ravage meets up with several [[Constructicon (ROTF)|Constructicons]], who have placed themselves aboard a cargo ship, then dives with them to the bottom of the ocean, where the US military has dumped Megatron's remains. Using the shard and spare parts from [[Scrapmetal (ROTF)|one of the Constructicons]] (who is presumably killed), [[Scalpel (ROTF)|"the Doctor"]] is able to revive Megatron, who promptly travels to one of Saturn's moons, where the ''[[Nemesis (ROTF)|Nemesis]]'' is being used as a base by the Decepticons. He is awaited by [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]], who is overseeing the spawning of a new army of Decepticons. After beating Starscream for leaving him to die, Megatron presents himself to his master, [[The Fallen|the Fallen]]. Although Megatron believes he has failed, the Fallen reveals that when the Cube was destroyed, the knowledge within the AllSpark was instead transferred to Sam, and with it the means to locate a device capable of creating vast amounts of Energon. The Fallen commands Megatron to capture Sam and kill Optimus, who is the last [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] and the only transformer who can defeat the Fallen.

As he sits in [[Colan|Professor Colan]]'s astronomy class, Sam suddenly reads through the entire reference book in a matter of seconds, before interrupting the Professor's lecture to scrawl more of the strange symbols on a blackboard and deliver a speed lecture on higher physics. After the Professor throws him out, he realises that the effects he's been experiencing may be linked to touching the AllSpark shard. When he calls Mikaela to warn her not to touch it, the [[Wheelie (ROTF)|toy-truck Decepticon]] tries to steal the shard, but Mikaela captures the tiny Decepticon. Mikaela promptly boards a plane to see Sam.

Alerted to multiple Decepticon contacts, NEST mobilises, but the Autobots are already on their way somewhere, and refusing to answer calls from their human comrades.

[[File:ROTF Optimus death.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|You are beaten. It is useless to resist.]]

Leo and Alice find Sam in the dorm room, freaking out and covering the walls with glyphs. Alice pushes Leo outside, and when Mikaela arrives, she finds Sam and Alice in what appears to be an intimate moment. It soon turns out, however, that Alice is a Decepticon as well. Mikaela, Sam and Leo flee as Alice hunts them, devastating the campus library; Mikaela eventually defeats her by slamming her into a tree with a hotwired car. The three humans try to get away but are captured by [[Grindor (ROTF)|Grindor]] and delivered to the waiting Megatron in an abandoned building. Megatron orders "the Doctor" to remove Sam's brain in order to access the information from the AllSpark shard, but Optimus Prime and Bumblebee arrive to free the three humans. Prime takes Sam and flees, but is soon overtaken by Megatron, Starscream and Grindor. In the subsequent battle, Prime injures Starscream and kills Grindor by tearing his head apart. However, Optimus is eventually impaled by Megatron and dies. The other Autobots arrive, saving Sam and causing Megatron and Starscream to retreat.

With the Decepticons unable to locate Sam on their own, Megatron decides that a show of force is in order to compel the humans to turn Sam over to him. Soundwave relays the mobilization order to the ''Nemesis'' and then tracks down [[Ron Witwicky|Ron]] and [[Judy Witwicky]] in Paris. Decepticons, joined by the Fallen, enter Earth and cause massive damage in their transition forms, destroying a [[United States Navy|naval carrier]] in the [[Atlantic Ocean]] and attacking Paris, kidnapping Sam's parents. In a hijacked TV broadcast around the world, the Fallen reveals his existence to the world's public and demands Sam be surrendered to him or else the Decepticons will destroy the world. As a result, manhunt for Sam is launched.

[[File:Rotf t2 simmonsclassified.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Ready are you? What know you of ready?]]

Sam, meanwhile, is hiding out with Mikaela, Leo, Bumblebee and the Autobot twins, Skids and Mudflap. Leo complains loudly about the strange turn his life has taken of late, and Sam rightly tells him to shut the hell up.

The Autobots return to the NEST base, where they are surrounded by the military. Galloway tells them that he has placed in charge of NEST, which is to cease all activities relating to the Decepticons. NEST is being stood down, and they are all to return to Diego Garcia, while the military draws up a coordinated multinational strategy, buying time by negotiating with the Decepticons. Though Lennox tries to argue, it's futile as Galloway pulls rank. Ratchet says the Autobots should leave Earth altogether, but Ironhide points out that it's not what Optimus would want.

Feeling guilty for Prime's death, Sam decides to solve the mystery of the symbols he's been seeing. The Autobots identify the symbols as Cybertronian, but since the language predates their existence, they cannot translate them. Leo eventually suggests they may ask his rival, "[[Robo-Warrior]]", owner of a [[GiantEffingRobots.com|competing website]], for help. To everyone's surprise, Robo-Warrior turns out to be none other than [[Seymour Simmons]], former agent of [[Sector Seven]]. Simmons reveals that the Transformers were on Earth some time ago, as symbols similar to those Sam is obsessed with have been found on numerous excavation sites around the world, and that Sector Seven discovered evidence that several Transformers stayed on Earth for some time. However, in order to read the symbols, they may need a Decepticon. Mikaela then interrogates Wheelie, who identifies the symbols as the Language of the Primes, and suggests they may track down one of the ancient [[Seeker (ROTF)|Seekers]], the Transformers believed to be on Earth. Wheelie identifies one as being nearby, in [[Washington, D.C.]]

[[File:ROTF behold Jetfire.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Looking? Found someone you have, I would say, hmmm?]]

At the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, they discover an old Decepticon named [[Jetfire (Movie)|Jetfire]], disguised as an SR-71 Blackbird. After some initial confusion on his part, Jetfire explains he has defected to the Autobots, inspiring Wheelie to follow suit. When Sam finishes writing down the symbols, Jetfire says that they were part of the Seekers' mission, and he opens a [[space bridge]] and teleports himself as well as Sam, Mikaela, Leo, Simmons, Bumblebee and the Twins to [[Egypt]]. He explains that thousands of years ago, the Transformers arrived on Earth on an exploratory mission under their original leaders, the [[Dynasty of Primes|Primes]]. The Primes had come to build a Star Harvester, a device which can create [[Energon]], the Transformers fuel, by destroying suns. The Primes had a single rule of never destroying a star with a living bearing world, but one of the Primes, forever known as the Fallen, despised the humans and tried to activate the machine. The Primes were unable to defeat their brother, but instead stole the [[Matrix of Leadership]], the key needed to activate the harvester, and gave their lives to seal it in a tomb made of their own bodies. Jetfire further explains that only a Prime can hope to defeat the Fallen, and with the death of Optimus, they are doomed. Sam suggests that they may use the Matrix to revive Optimus Prime, which is backed up by Jetfire. They head towards Giza, dodging Egyptian police on the way.

In New Jersey, NEST are loading up to return to Diego Garcia when Simmons contacts Lennox to relay information about the new quest, and coordinates where they can drop Optimus's body. Lennox and Epps decide to trust the new information and go against their orders. Sam's group passes through a checkpoint, allowing Soundwave to pinpoint their location, but they reach the Pyramids of Giza, where they pick up the next clue, pointing to [[Jordan]].

On the NEST aircraft, Lennox tricks Galloway into bailing out of the plane. Back in the US, General Morshower receives a communique from Lennox, and arranges to have assets in the target area.

In Petra, Sam's group discovers the [[Tomb of the Primes]]. Inside, Sam finds the Matrix, which instantly crumbles into dust into his hands. Sam collects the dust regardless, and he and Mikaela return outside where Simmons and Leo have spotted the NEST team parachuting into Egypt to begin preparing for battle near the pyramids.

[[File:ROTF movie BumblebeevsRampage.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|This baby's got a few surprises in her.]]

Before Sam and the others can get back to Lennox and his people, the Decepticons start their attack. Bumblebee, Simmons, Leo, and the Twins draw their fire while Sam and Mikaela make a break for the soldiers. The Constructicons merge into [[Devastator (ROTF)|Devastator]], who proceeds to swallow Mudflap. Mudflap, however, is able to free himself, together with Skids, they try to slow Devastator down. While the Autobots and NEST fight the Decepticons, Starscream leads several other Constructicons in a search for Sam, and intending to use Sam's parents to lure him into a trap. Falling into the trap, Sam offers to hand over the Matrix dust to the Constructicon [[Rampage (ROTF)|Rampage]], but only to stall for time until Bumblebee is able to attack and destroy the Decepticon. Ravage attacks Bumblebee from behind, but is killed as well. Sam then orders Bumblebee to get his parents to safety while he and Mikaela try to reach Optimus Prime's body. A remote drone relays pictures back to Morshower, who launches [[Operation: Firestorm]], ordering an immediate launch of pretty much everything they can muster.

[[File:ROTF Devastator Mudflap swallow.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|How you get so big eating food of this kind?]]

In the meantime, Devastator has begun to take apart the pyramid that has been built around the Harvester. Simmons calls a navy ship off the coast of Egypt and orders the use of a railgun. Meanwhile, Sam finally meets up with Lennox and Epps, but they're pinned down by [[Mixmaster (ROTF)|Mixmaster]]. Jetfire arrives and kills Mixmaster and [[Scorponok (Movie)|Scorponok]], but is mortally wounded by the smaller Decepticon. Simmons relays Devastator's coordinates to the Navy, who score a direct hit on the giant with their railgun. Devastator is torn to pieces and topples from the pyramid. After an air strike takes out most of the other Decepticons, Sam makes a dash for Prime's body, but is caught in the blast of a shot fired by Megatron. While paramedics try to reanimate him, the Matrix dust gets spilled across his hand, and Sam encounters the dead Primes in a vision. The Primes tell him that he was destined to find the Matrix and save the life of the last Prime. Sam returns to life, which is enough to get him and Mikaela to admit that they love each other, and the dust in his hand turns back into the Matrix, which he is able to revive Optimus Prime.

[[File:TheFallen-ROTFfacegotten.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|Perhaps you are not as strong as the Emperor thought.]]
Just then, the Fallen arrives by teleportation, steals the Matrix, and teleports himself to the pyramid, where he uses the Matrix to activate the Harvester. The soldiers and armored vehicles begin firing on the pyramid, but the Fallen raises the heavy weaponry with his telekinetic powers and destroys it all. Dying, Jetfire offers his parts to Optimus Prime, and then rips out his own Spark. [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] and [[Jolt (ROTF)|Jolt]] then proceed to fuse Jetfire's remains with Optimus Prime, making him extremely powerful with flight capabilities. Optimus Prime is then able to destroy the Harvester, then faces the Fallen and Megatron. After a short, but fierce battle, Optimus defeats Megatron and finally kills the Fallen. Horrified at the demise of his master, the severely injured Megatron follows Starscream's suggestion and retreats, but vows that the war isn't over.

[[File:ROTF Optimus Sam ship.JPG|thumb|200px|Take care, you two. May the Force be with you.]]

With the battle won, the Autobots, NEST, Sam and his friends return to the USA on board an aircraft carrier. Upon his return, Sam continues to attend college, while Optimus Prime sends another message detailing recent events, so the shared past of Humanity and the Autobots will not be forgotten as it was before.
{{-}}

==Main cast==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] ([[Mark Ryan]])*
*[[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] ([[Tom Kenny]])
*[[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] ([[Reno Wilson]])
*[[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] ([[Jess Harnell]])
*[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] ([[Robert Foxworth]])
*[[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] ([[André Sogliuzzo]])
*[[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]] ([[Grey Griffin]])
*[[Chromia (ROTF)|Chromia]] (Grey Griffin)
*[[Elita-One (Movie)|Elita-One]] (Grey Griffin)
*[[Jolt (ROTF)|Jolt]]

'''[[Decepticon|Ex-Decepticons]]'''
*[[Jetfire (Movie)|Jetfire]] (Mark Ryan)
*[[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] (Tom Kenny)

|c2=
*[[The Fallen]] ([[Tony Todd]])
*[[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] ([[Hugo Weaving]])
*[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] ([[Charlie Adler]])
*[[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
**[[Ravage (ROTF)|Ravage]] (Frank Welker)
**[[Reedman]] (Frank Welker)
***[[Microcon (ROTF)|Microcons]]
**[[Scalpel (ROTF)|Scalpel/The Doctor]] ([[John Di Crosta]])
*[[Alice (ROTF)|Alice]] ([[Isabel Lucas]])
*[[Grindor (ROTF)|Grindor]] (Frank Welker)
*[[Sideways (ROTF)|Sideways]]
*[[Scorponok (Movie)|Scorponok]]
*[[Insecticon (Movie)|Insecticon]]
*[[Buffalo MPV Decepticon]]
*[[Hatchling]]s
*[[Protoform]]s
*[[Scalpel's assistant]]s
*[[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy's]] head

'''[[Constructicon (ROTF)|Constructicons]]'''
*[[Devastator (ROTF)|Devastator]] (Frank Welker)
**[[Mixmaster (ROTF)|Mixmaster]]
**[[Long Haul (ROTF)|Long Haul]]
**[[Scrapper (ROTF)|Scrapper]]
**[[Hightower (ROTF)|Hightower]]
**[[Overload (ROTF)|Overload]]
**[[Scavenger (ROTF)|Scavenger]]
**[[Skipjack (ROTF)|Skipjack]]†
**[[Unknown Constructicon dump truck]]
**[[Unknown Constructicon shovel]]
*[[Demolishor (ROTF)|Demolishor/Wheelbot]] ([[Calvin Wimmer]])
*[[Rampage (ROTF)|Rampage/Skipjack]] ([[Kevin Michael Richardson]])
*[[Scrapmetal (ROTF)|Scrapmetal]]

|c3=
*[[Sam Witwicky]] ([[Shia LaBeouf]])
*[[Mikaela Banes]] ([[Megan Fox]])
*[[Leo Spitz]] ([[Ramon Rodriguez]])
*[[Seymour Simmons]] ([[John Turturro]])
*[[Judy Witwicky]] ([[Julie White]])
*[[Ron Witwicky]] ([[Kevin Dunn]])
*[[Theodore Galloway]] ([[John Benjamin Hickey]])
*[[Colan|Professor Colan]] ([[Rainn Wilson]])
*[[Fassbinder]] ([[Jonathon Trent]])
*[[Sharsky]] ([[Walker Howard]])
*[[Tova Anael Fischer|Tova Simmons]] ([[Annie Korzen]])
'''[[United States Army|US Military]]/[[NEST]]'''
*[[William Lennox|Major William Lennox]] ([[Josh Duhamel]])
*[[Robert Epps|Master Sergeant Epps]] ([[Tyrese Gibson]])
*[[Graham|SASF Agent Graham]] ([[Matthew Marsden]])
*[[Morshower|General Morshower]] ([[Glenn Morshower]])

|c4=
*[[Mojo]] ([[Chester the Chihuahua]])
*[[Frankie]] ([[Paris (dog)|Paris]])
*[[Bonecrusher (dog)|Bonecrusher]] (himself)
'''[[Appliancebot]]s'''
*[[Dickbot the blender guy]]
*[[Ejector]]
*[[Dyson vacuum cleaner]]
*[[Microwave bot]]
*[[Waffle iron]]
*[[Cappuccino bot]]
*[[Disposalcon]]
*[[Hand mixer]]
*[[Mixercon]]
*[[CISCO Aironet]]
'''[[Dynasty of Primes]]'''
*Prime #1 ([[Michael York]])
*Prime #2 (Kevin Michael Richardson)
*Prime #3 ([[Robin Atkin Downes]])
|nonumbering=true
}}
<nowiki>*</nowiki> Bumblebee's lines as spoken by Ryan were cut from the final movie, but one scene where his voice could be heard was in a promotional video created for ShoWest 2009.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRIfbFpe_sg Preview footage] from ShoWest 2009 showing Bumblebee "speaking" a line not used in the final cut.</ref>

† The individual known as "Skipjack" (not to be confused with Rampage who went by the name "Skipjack" in early production and even had this name carry over into the end credits), could possibly be the yellow bulldozer seen in the film that forms Devastator's left leg. The identity of this Constructicon was brought into question via what could be considered a minor [[Retcon|retcon]].<ref>[https://old.hasbropulse.com/blogs/unboxed/behindthedesign-transformers-devastator Behind the Design on Hasbro Pulse]</ref> ''(See: [[Skipjack (ROTF)]] for more details on this).''

==Quotes==





"Gotta wonder... if God made us in his image, who made ''him?''"
:—'''Epps''', as Galloway first witnesses Optimus's transformation.

"We've shed blood, sweat, and precious metal together." 
"Soldier, you're paid to shoot, not talk." 
[muttering] "Don't tempt me."
:—'''Epps''' is not really happy with '''Galloway'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s plan to get rid of the Autobots.

"So let me ask: If we ultimately conclude that our national security is best served by denying you further asylum on our planet, will you leave peacefully?" 
"Freedom is your right. If you make that request, we will honor it. But before your President decides, please ask him this: What if we leave, and you're ''wrong''?"
:—'''Galloway''' makes the U.S. government's position on the Autobot refugees clear, while '''Optimus Prime''' counters with a pointed argument of his own

"No, uh, it's just this friend of mine went to get you a tighter shirt." 
"There isn't a [[tightest shirt|tighter shirt]]! We ''checked''!"
:—'''Sam''' tries to deflect a pair of '''frat boys'''

"Sam, fate rarely calls upon us at a moment of our choosing."
:—'''Optimus Prime''', trying to convince Sam Witwicky to become involved in the conflict once again

"I know you’re pissed. I know you’re pissed because I tried to kill you and it's completely understandable. If somebody tried to kill me, I’d be upset, too."
:—'''Sam Witwicky''' tries to relate with Megatron, to no avail.

"Is the future of our race not worth a single human life?" 
"You'll never stop at ''one''. ''[Unsheathes his left blade]'' '''I'll take you all on!'''"
:—'''Megatron''' tries to justify killing Sam, but '''Optimus Prime''' disapproves based on the potato chip theory. The most epic beatdown of the film ensues.

'''Sam''': "These symbols gotta mean something. Like a message... or a map. A map to an energon source. Can you guys read this?" 
'''Skids''': "''Read?''" 
'''Mudflap''': "Nu-uh, w-no. We don't really do much reading."
:—Literacy with '''Skids''' and '''Mudflap'''.

"Beginning. Middle. End. Facts. Details. Condense. Plot. Tell it."
:—'''Simmons''' demands more coherent exposition from Jetfire.

"One man, alone..." 
"Stop saying that!" 
"...Betrayed by the country he loves." 
"Oh, my goodness, I'm in the car okay, you're not alone!"
:—'''Simmons''' being, well, himself, much to '''Leo Spitz'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s distress.

"Now I claim your sun!"
:—'''The Fallen''' does the standard "I claim victory before I have actually won" bit.

"You picked the wrong planet! Give me your ''face!''"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' warns the Fallen of his violent fetish.

"Not to call you a coward, master, but, sometimes, cowards do survive."
:—'''Starscream''' pitches his usual battle plan to an unusually receptive Megatron.

"Our races united by a history long forgotten and a future we shall face together. I am Optimus Prime, and I send this message so that our pasts will always be remembered. For in those memories, we live on."
:—'''Optimus Prime'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s closing narration.

==Continuity notes==
*With the AllSpark's destruction at the end of ''Transformers'', the Autobots had accepted Earth as their new home. The AllSpark fragment that is stolen from Diego Garcia and used to revive Megatron was the same fragment that Optimus took out of Megatron’s exposed spark chamber.
*While getting the entire AllSpark shoved into Megatron's chest for an extended time overloaded his spark and killed him, a tap from a shard of it was able to bring him back to life, similar to the multiple instances of machines being brought to life by quick bursts of the AllSpark's energy in the first film.
*During the past two years, the Autobots have formed an alliance with Earth's militaries. While Bumblebee is seen living with Sam per his request, Optimus, Ratchet, and Ironhide have joined up with NEST full-time. Optimus' message at the end of the film requesting the Autobots to join them on Earth has been answered by Sideswipe, Arcee, the Twins, and Jolt.
*Mikaela's reason for not being able to move near Sam's college is because she has to help her fresh out-of-prison father reintegrate back into society. In the first film, Sam made a request to get her father released.
*Starscream is shown working for the Fallen when first introduced in the film, and Megatron accuses him of abandoning him to die in Mission City, acknowledging the fan theories that Starscream managed to sneak back into the F-22 Raptor fleet that fired on Megatron.
*Scorponok makes a quick cameo returning after retreating following his defeat at the hands of Lennox and Epps's squad midway through the previous film, only to be quickly killed by Jetfire.

==Errors==
===Filming / editing / technical errors===
[[File:ROTF filmcrewinsideplane.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Goddamn paparazzi get ''everywhere!'']]
*In the opening scene of the movie, when the Fallen lands to inspect the tribe of humans, he lifts up his right foot to stomp on them. However, when the scene switched to an overhead view, it is suddenly his left foot that stomps.

*When the Twins crash during their pursuit of Sideways, the pairs' voices are switched, with Tom Kenny's voice coming from Mudflap as he announces he is okay, and Reno Wilson delivering the admonishments as Skids punches him.

*During the Shanghai battle, when the ramp on the NEST C-17 transport is lowering to reveal Optimus Prime in the cargo bay, a filming crew (including director Michael Bay) can be seen inside the plane on the left side of screen.

*The vehicle modes the Twins scan already have personalized [[license plate]]s on them. Furthermore, despite sporting a "SKIDS" license plate in vehicle mode most of the time, Skids sports a license plate stating his vehicle model, "BEAT", in an establishing shot during the scene in New York City. Since this would also make the Twins' fighting over which car they get pointless, as they have already been assigned a specific car determined by the plate, the most likely explanation is that either the wrong prop vehicles were used by accident, or the filming crew didn't properly keep track of which license plates were used in which scene (i.e. the cars they scanned were ''supposed'' to have just their vehicle models on their license plates, and the cars used as the Twins' alternate modes were ''supposed'' to have their names on their license plates).

*Despite the minor cosmetic changes to his Camaro vehicle mode (i.e. new car prop) and the corresponding changes to his robot mode (i.e. modified CG model), Bumblebee still sports the same license plate''s'' as in the previous film. That is, his license plate is ''still'' inconsistent between both modes, alternating between "900 STRA" in vehicle mode and "4NZZ454" in robot mode.

*Similarly, despite still sporting his license plate from the previous movie, "4PCI382", on his robot mode chest, Ironhide no longer ''has'' a license plate in vehicle mode.

*When Sam jumps from the second story of his house to escape the kitchen robots, a stuntperson who does not look much like Shia LaBeouf performs the stunt.

[[File:ROTF Optimus missing cheek glyph.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Cybertronian tattoo removal is expensive.]]
*Optimus Prime is missing one of [[Ben Procter]]'s [[Cybertronian language|Cybertronian "tribal tattoo" characters]] on his cheek during the scene in the hangar.

*During the scene in which Alice meets Sam at the party, Sam gets a drink and the glass is full, then the camera angle changes and the glass is half full/empty, then the angle changes again and the glass is full again.

*Bumblebee picks up Sam at the frat party in the evening. He then takes him to a graveyard where it's dawn. In real life, the graveyard is located in [[Philadelphia]], while the frat party is set a hundred miles north, in Princeton. Still, even in [[New Jersey (Earth)|New Jersey]] traffic, the trip wouldn't take ''all night.''

*During Sam's campus freak-out, when he drops his notes on the steps, a blonde woman in a suit can be seen coming down the steps to his left, nearly reaching him. However, when the camera angle shifts, the woman is suddenly at the top of the stairs again.

*As Alice attacks Sam, part of the window behind them is taken up by a fan. When Mikaela throws the tool box, it smashes through a glass pane where the fan had been moments before, with the fan itself now resting against the wall under the ''Bad Boys II'' poster.

*When the Autobots are driving to Sam's college shortly before the Decepticons attack him, Arcee is completely absent from the group, while previously-unseen Jolt shows up in one shot ''in front'' of the others, then when the camera angle changes, he disappears.

[[File:ROTF Constructicons ship continuity.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Wait, were you here a moment ago?]]
*In the flyover shot of the barge on which the four Constructicons sit, a red bulldozer, a concrete mixer, a green dump truck and a yellow front-end loader are visible. After the flyover shot, the four Constructicons are now a yellow bulldozer (in place of the red one), a concrete mixer, a green dump truck and a yellow Volvo excavator (in place of the yellow front-end loader). Additionally, the space between the containers where the Constructicons are parked has expanded considerably: During the flyover shot, the concrete mixer barely fit in, with the truck cab positioned behind the bulldozer; but in the subsequent shot, there is a considerable gap between the front of the concrete mixer's truck cab and the bulldozer that's almost wide enough to fit a second concrete mixer in!

*During the North Atlantic sequence, on the submarine [[USS Topeka|USS ''Topeka'']]'s sonar, there are "five contacts" diving down to Megatron's body's location, and "six contacts" coming up after his resurrection. Although this is dramatic, since [[Scrapmetal (ROTF)|one Constructicon]] was killed to repair Megatron, shouldn't there be only five contacts going up as well? Keep in mind, Scalpel is too small to register on sonar, but Ravage is just large enough.

*When the [[USS Theodore Roosevelt|USS ''Theodore Roosevelt'']] is sunk by Decepticon [[transition form]]s, its hull number of 71 can be seen on the bridge island. However, when it sinks, a hull number of 7'''4''' can clearly be seen on the bow of the landing deck. CVN-74 belongs to the [[USS John C. Stennis|USS ''John C. Stennis'']], a carrier that shows up later in the film and was also the carrier used for filming.

*Tasers do not cause those tased to go into convulsions. Even if they get tased in the nuts.

*There is a spiderweb in a tomb that explosively decompressed after being opened to the air for the first time in thousands of years.

*While the NEST team and Director Galloway are on the C-17 headed to Egypt, Prime's body appears and disappears from shot to shot.

*When an aide to Morshower shows him a map indicating that Lennox's NEST team have airdropped in Egypt, the location marked is actually on the eastern side of the Red Sea, in Jordan. ''Oops.''

*In the scene where Bumblebee, Skids and Mudflap are attacked by Starscream, Bumblebee's prop car door can be seen flailing open when Starscream fires a missile from the ground.

*In the quarry when Devastator forms, the Twins go from grimy and dust covered to showroom floor clean within two shots.

*When Sam and Mikaela are running at the same moment Megatron spots them, you can see Sam is holding Mikaela's arm, but his jacket is nowhere to be seen. In the next shot, he has his jacket on his arm.

*Once again, the [[w:General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper|MQ-9 Reaper]] drone is referred to as the more well-known [[w:General Atomics MQ-1 Predator|MQ-1 Predator]]. The drone is powered by a propeller, which can be seen when the (real) drone takes off. However, due to the usage of footage from the 2007 ''Transformers'' movie, when the (CGI) drone approaches the battlefield, the propeller is absent, replaced by a jet engine (which would be consistent with a ''third'' related drone, the [[w:General Atomics Avenger|Avenger]]) . Also unfortunate is the fact the real drone with the propeller is white, while the CGI drone is black. ''Oy.''

*Ravage tears off Bumblebee's back kibble... but in the next shot it's back.

*As the humans and Autobots run from the bombs being dropped on the Decepticons, a damaged Ironhide ejects the cannon on his left arm. In later shots, the cannon is back on his arm.

*Megatron's head clips through his torso and shoulder several times after Optimus defeats him in Egypt.

*In the scene where Sam tells Mikaela that she said that she loves him first, very briefly Mikaela is shown to be wearing her vest and white jacket that she lost earlier in the movie and which she wasn't wearing at this point. Likewise Sam's seem to be in better shape in the shots focused on him and he doesn't have the ashes on his face from when Megatron blasted him.

===Story / continuity errors===
*Most of the [[NEST]] and [[United States military|American]] soldiers are seen using small-calibre arms such as assault rifles, machine guns, and sniper rifles against the Decepticons, despite the previous film establishing very clearly that such weapons were useless against Cybertronians, and that "high-heat" sabot rounds were the only human weapons capable of penetrating Decepticon armour. Even if they somehow figured out how to make small calibre ammunition achieve the "high heat" required to damage Decepticon armour, it is ''extremely'' unlikely that such low-powered weapons would do any meaningful damage that warrants such widespread usage. After all, in real life, you can't kill a tank with a machine gun. Well, unless you're in [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]... ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon]]'' offers up the explanation that small-arms fire hitting Decepticon armor "scrambles their circuits" and disorients them.

*The notion that a big metal box (containing a complex electronic mechanism shouting to be released) would ''ever'' make it through post-9/11 airport luggage screening is a bit on the implausible side. The novelization of the film attributes this to Mikaela's Epic Hotness distracting the guard into just letting her through; she also claims that the box contains expensive mechanic's tools which might look strange in an x-ray. Neither explanation is present in the film itself, however.

*When Alice attacks Sam and his friends, the box Wheelie is imprisoned within is taken along, and the box is not seen when Mikaela and Leo escape from the foundry in Bumblebee. The box ''should'' still be inside the wreckage of the car Mikaela hotwired at the college, but Wheelie nonetheless continues to appear in the film, despite there being no indication that anyone returned to the foundry after the battle.

*While this may be a minor nitpick, why did the [[Constructicon (ROTF)|Constructicons]] have to kill one of their [[Scrapmetal (ROTF)|own]] to repair [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] when the [[Decepticon]] corpses from the last film were also dumped in the [[Laurentian Abyss]]? Couldn't they have still had some useful parts left? After all, the film later establishes that [[Jetfire (Movie)|corpse parts]] are still useful for [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|upgrades]]. Is this the films way of telling us these guys are evil? Also, even though Scrapmetal had been an unwilling donor for parts, Megatron's color scheme and parts do not reflect this at all, even Megatron's tank treads are of Cybertronian design, rather than what would have been present on Scrapmetal's [[Alternate mode|alternate form]]. Must be something along the lines of [[Scanning|scanning]] [[Trans-scan|and replicating]].

*Given that the Autobots are part of NEST, and are dependent on the US Air Force for transportation around the world, it is not clear why Major Lennox had to be alerted to the fact that the Autobots were on the east coast of the United States. Do the Autobots normally go on unexplained joyrides?
**The next film suggests that it's not entirely uncommon for the Autobots to sneak out like "teenage kids" to go do their own thing.

*Where does Mikaela get the padding and gauze to bandage up Sam's hand? They were in the middle of a desert!

*When Jetfire teleports to Egypt, Wheelie is seen landing by him, but disappears until the group reaches the border guards. After they arrive at the pyramids, Wheelie is seen rolling in with the quartet of humans, but is never seen again.

*While running to get to Optimus' corpse, Sam meets a lot of Autobots: Bumblebee, Ironhide, the Arcee sisters... so why doesn't he simply get in one of them and ''drive'' all the way to Lennox's team instead of running?

*There's no rational reason for Simmons to climb the pyramid after Devastator. It looks like he's enabling the Navy ship to "fire on his position", which is useful when the firer can't see the target. However, as we find out just before the railgun is fired, the ship ''can'' see the pyramid. (And railguns are line-of-sight weapons, anyway.) So, Simmons didn't need to climb; he could have stayed someplace safe, called the ship, and told them, "Take a look at the pyramid, and shoot the giant robot tearing it up." It's also hard to believe he wasn't crushed by the flood of pyramid stones, which at one point are raining down on all four sides of the structure.

===Geographic discontinuities===
{{note|The on-film splicing together of disparate filming locations is a common movie phenomenon; however, we wouldn't be good pedants if we didn't point out a few of the more glaring disconnects.}}
*The [[Shanghai]] "industrial district" is... interesting, to say the least. There's a company sign that translates as "Empire Import and Export" (which would be the Chinese equivalent of a US company named "Soviet Import and Export") right next to a huge ironworks, dozens of people not even remotely dressed like workers are being evacuated... and at least [[Demolishor (ROTF)|Demolishor]] thought that a giant mining excavator wouldn't be terribly out of place there.

*The aerial view of [[Princeton University]] is immediately followed by a ground shot of the dormitories at the University of Pennsylvania.

[[File:ROTFcap-closestone.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"The closest one's in Washington." Washington... New Jersey?]]
*After Lennox is alerted to the Autobot operation on the US east coast, he orders NEST to move out. By the time Optimus Prime is killed in battle with Megatron, it appears Lennox's transport planes are already over the United States, and by the end of the day, the NEST troops are at a US air base. Given the great distance between [[Diego Garcia]] and the United States, the short time it took them to arrive is implausible.

*[[Grindor (ROTF)|Grindor]] drops the car with [[Sam Witwicky|Sam]], [[Mikaela Banes|Mikaela]] and [[Leo Spitz|Leo]] inside into a factory just outside a huge city. Yet when [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] rescue them and flee, they almost immediately reach a huge forest that was nowhere to be seen in the aerial shot of the factory.

*In the basement of Simmons' deli, in New York City, Wheelie projects laser dots onto a map of the United States to indicate where the Seekers are located. One dot hovers over Syracuse, New York. Another hovers over Trenton, New Jersey. Yet Simmons inexplicably says the closest one is in Washington.
**There ''is'' no dot over Washington.

[[File:ROTFcap-Pyramidsocean.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|The foreshortening is amazing.]]
*When the cast goes after Jetfire, they presumably travel to Washington, D.C., where the {{w|National Air and Space Museum|Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum}} is located - but in reality, they arrive at the {{w|Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center}}, an annex of the Air and Space Museum in Virginia situated a good 23 miles away from its main Washington location. This alone might not seem like much, but the geography of this scene keeps on getting more bizarre: when Jetfire leaves the exhibition center, he exits into the desert location of the {{w|309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group}} (aka "the Boneyard"), which is in Tucson, Arizona. When Jetfire breaks out of the building, we can see a composited image of the Boneyard's rows of planes, so it's arguable that in this universe, the center of "Washington, D.C." happens to be a desert full of old planes, and no buildings and... you get the point. Michael Bay actually admits this to be a deliberate choice in his audio commentary for the movie, and suggests that "most people in Taiwan" would probably never notice the error.
**Interestingly, [[wikipedia:Dulles International Airport|Dulles International Airport]] is located next to and, in fact, directly connected to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center by a taxiway, going to the very same hangar door that Jetfire destroys - but nonetheless, the exterior scenario is evidently very different from what the film depicts, being mostly surrounded by woodland instead.

*The movie gives the impression that Giza in Egypt and Petra in Jordan are in close proximity to each other — within eyeshot, even. In reality, the two locations are about 416 kilometres (258 miles) apart. What makes this even more problematic is the fact that Egypt and Jordan don't share a common border — the country of [[Israel]] is in-between them, whose existence isn't even mentioned in the movie. At one point, Simmons displays a map of the Gulf of Aqaba (aka "the Dagger's Tip") - on which Egypt and Jordan are labeled in English, but Israel is not.

*Optimus, Megatron, Starscream and The Fallen take their fight from the Pyramids of Giza to the Temple of Luxor, which are ''more than 300 miles away''.

*Furthermore, the movie gives the impression that the Pyramids of Giza are located near the coast — the soldiers and tanks deployed from hovercraft arrive at the battle site almost immediately. In reality, the closest sea shore, the tip of the Red Sea, is still over 70 miles away from the Pyramids. Worse, when the [[rail gun]] is fired, a monitor screen on board the ''U.S.S. Kidd'' shows footage of the pyramids with the ''ocean in the foreground'', making it appear like they're no more than a mile or two away from the shore. Worse still, this is ''immediately'' followed by a shot of the pyramids that shows ''nothing but desert'' in the direction the rail gun shot is coming from.
{{-}}

==Transformers references==
In addition to carryovers from the previous film, various concepts and characters are derived from previous iterations of Transformers:
*The whole concept of "Transformers disguised as a human" used for [[Alice (ROTF)|Alice]] is inspired by the [[Pretender]]s. Roberto Orci even used the term "Pretender" during an interview before the movie's release.<ref name="pretender">[https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/01/14/transformers-2-rumor-confirmed IGN interview with Roberto Orci]</ref> However, a Transformer with an "organic" alt-mode instead of an external shell is a concept more reminiscent of the [[Beast Era]].
*The Generation 1 iteration of [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] is frequently portrayed as switching from Decepticon to Autobot (he's usually a young and technologically up-to-the-minute 'bot, however.)
*[[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] and his ejectible minion [[Ravage (ROTF)|Ravage]] both have [[Soundwave (G1)|Generation 1]] [[Ravage (G1)|counterparts]]. Movie Soundwave even has the same voice actor as 1984 cartoon Soundwave, using the same voice, though without the synthetic vocal processing that made the cartoon voice so distinctive.
*[[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] bears little physical resemblance to his [[Sideswipe (G1)|Generation 1 namesake]], but is a vaguely similar character archetype.
*Generation 1 [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] was the first [[female Transformer]] with a starring role, and was likewise a pink-colored girlbot. The idea of Arcee the pink girlbot as a motorcycle dates back to ''[[Transformers: Energon (franchise)|Energon]]''.
*[[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], the combined form of the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]], was the first [[combiner]] robot in Generation 1 (unless you count [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]]).
*The characters are new, but the names "[[Sideways (disambiguation)|Sideways]]", "[[Demolishor (disambiguation)|Demolishor]]", "[[Mudflap (disambiguation)|Mudflap]]", "[[Skids (disambiguation)|Skids]]", "[[Jolt (disambiguation)|Jolt]]", "[[Rampage (disambiguation)|Rampage]]" and "[[Wheelie (disambiguation)|Wheelie]]" are not. Likewise for the concept of "[[Seeker (disambiguation)|Seekers]]".
*[[Optimus Prime (disambiguation)|Optimus Prime]] dying and coming back to life has been done [[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|times beyond counting]].
*Prime combining with another 'bot to form a [[Super Mode]] which increases his power (and often gives him flight capabilities) is a trope that has occurred in many recent Transformers series (''Robots in Disguise'', ''Armada'', ''Energon'', ''Cybertron''.) In ''Armada'', a different [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] was his most frequent combination partner. This is the first time the other 'bot had to die for it to happen, though.
*[[The Fallen]] is based on a comic book character that made his debut in the 2004 miniseries [[Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages|The War Within: The Dark Ages]]. In fact, according to Hasbro, he is ''the exact same iteration'' of the [[character]]! ([[Multiversal singularity|It's needlessly complicated]].)
*The [[Matrix of Leadership]] is one of the franchise's oldest MacGuffins.
*[[Energon]] (mentioned though never seen) is the Transformers' power source in numerous incarnations, beginning with the original cartoon.
*The concept of a [[protoform]] as the first stage of a Transformer is a reference to the same concept introduced on the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' cartoon.
*Though it is almost certainly not an actual ''reference'' (it's a pretty generic and predictable sci-fi trope), the [[Star Harvester]] is quite similar in function to the [[Solar Needle]] from the Generation 1 episode "[[Changing Gears]]", sucking energy from the [[Sun]] to produce energon. Both devices would have destroyed the Sun if allowed to fulfill their function.
*The same is true for Sam having Cybertronian knowledge pumped directly into his brain via a sacred Transformer talisman, which is reminiscent of [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]]'s similar situation in the [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] G1 comics.
*In the factory battle, Optimus Prime performs a overhead leap while firing at Megatron that is strongly reminiscent of his G1 counterpart's iconic leap into battle from ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''.
*A newspaper is sucked into Devastator that headlines a photograph and accompanying article about a mysterious appearance by [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]].
*When Mudflap and Skids first appear in their ice cream truck disguise, they play the Transformers [[theme song]] in a very "ice-creamish" way.
*Jetfire isn't the only [[Landmine (Energon)|Transformer]] to call Earth [[Inferno (episode)|'Dirt Planet']].

==Other editions==
[[File:ROTF Skids Mudflap popsicle.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|right|The theater-specific lighting variant.]]
*A slightly longer edit was shown in IMAX theaters, which featured some brief additional scenes filmed with special IMAX cameras.<ref name="bayimax">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5003 Michael Bay's own announcement of the IMAX version]</ref> An exclusive deal with [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] resulted in ''{{w|Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)|Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince}}'' not being shown in IMAX theaters until two weeks after the movie's regular theatrical launch.<ref name="imaxpotter">[http://www.collider.com/2009/06/08/transformers-will-keep-harry-potter-off-imax-for-two-weeks/ Collider reporting on the Paramount/IMAX/Harry Pottter deal]</ref>
*A rumor claims that there exists a censored version of ''Revenge of the Fallen'' in which the rude "[[File:Symbol decept reg.png|15px]] suck my popsicle!" decal on the side of [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]]'s ice cream truck [[alternate mode]] is edited to remove the words "suck my", resulting in the somewhat nonsensical version "[[File:Symbol decept reg.png|15px]]           popsicle!" This version was supposedly shown in some theaters in several countries, even though other theaters in the those very same markets apparently showed the "uncensored" version.<ref name="popsicle">[https://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/decepticon-popsicle.254257/ Contemporary discussion] of the allegedly "censored" decal on the ice cream truck seen in ''Revenge of th Fallen'' at TFW2005.</ref> In reality, the most likely explanation for this is much more mundane: Whereas the Decepticon insignia and the word "popsicle" are both rendered in white, resulting in a high color contrast with the dark background of the decal, the words "suck my" are instead kept in dark red. Depending on the specific brightness and color contrast settings of a particular theater, this, combined with the overall darkness of the scene (which was shot "day for night"), could easily lead to those two words becoming pretty much "invisible" by pure coincidence, with no actual intention of "censorship" behind it.
{{-}}

==Prequel material==
===Titan movie comics===
While the Decepticons were disgusted with the pro-Autobot propaganda of Bay's first documentary {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 13|#13's Star Screams}}, they were quite optimistic about the second film. [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] took a strong interest in it, going to the trouble of personally convincing [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] to be in the film {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 15|15's Star Screams}}.

The Decepticons promised this new documentary would show a glorious Decepticon victory {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 10|#10's Star Screams}}—whether it was in the script or not. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 18|#18's Star Screams}}

Shockingly, even ''they'' were under a non-disclosure agreement regarding the script; Starscream fearfully referred to a greater power keeping him quiet. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 22|#22's Star Screams}} Talking about it could even undermine the Decepticon war effort! {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 23|#23's Star Screams}}

In the same week the film came out, the Decepticons suddenly became unhappy with it and the detente period ended. Bay, Kurtzman, and Orci are once again marked for extermination for their propaganda films. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.1|#1's Law and Disorder}}

===Novels===
*''[[Transformers: The Veiled Threat]]''
A prequel novel in the same vein as [[Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday]] chronicling the first missions of [[NEST]].

===IDW ''Transformers'' movie comics===
*''[[Transformers: Destiny]]''
A prequel series consisting of two four-issue minisseries:
**''[[Transformers: Alliance]]''
A four-issue limited miniseries picking up after the events of ''[[Transformers: The Reign of Starscream|The Reign of Starscream]]'' and tying into ''The Veiled Threat'' novel, leading up to ''Revenge of the Fallen'' itself.
**''[[Transformers: Defiance]]''
A four-issue limited miniseries set on Cybertron in the past, setting the stage for ''Revenge of the Fallen''.
*''[[Transformers: Tales of the Fallen]]''
A series of spotlights for six ''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'' characters, five stories are set before the events of the movie, while one in particular is set after the film itself.

===Titan Comics ''Revenge of the Fallen'' movie comics===

*[[Transformers (Titan Magazine)|''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'']]
A monthly title by Titan in the [[United Kingdom|UK]] (a rebranding of their existing comic).

The sinister, unseen figure of the Fallen is secretly gathering a Decepticon army on Cybertron. Skids and Mudflap, slacking off there at the time, accidentally discover this and flee to Earth to warn the other Autobots. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.1|Training Day}} An attempt to kill them fails {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.2|Dogfight!}}, but due to their rep of telling tall tales, no one believes them. It doesn't help when they accidentally help Grindor escape capture. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.3|Learning Curve}} The Fallen's agent Soundwave decides to use this, and first frames the twins as turncoats {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.5|Reversal of Fortune}}, then has them freed by their 'Decepticon allies' so they'll be hunted down.

After a few days of this, the twins began to regret ever getting involved, and Soundwave offered them sanctuary in the Decepticon army and the embrace of the Fallen: an offer they were eager to accept... {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.6|Outlaw Blues}}

==Adaptations==
*''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen]]''
The film novelization by [[Alan Dean Foster]].
*''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Official Movie Adaptation]]''
IDW Publishing's comic adaptation.

'''Children's adaptations'''
*''[[Revenge of the Fallen: The Junior Novel]]''
The film novelization for kids.
*''[[The Last Prime]]''
The film novelization for younger kids.

==Sequels==
Two sequels to the first ''Transformers'' movie were greenlit in the wake of its success, with ''Revenge'' being the first. Although Michael Bay had previously stated that he might need a break from giant space robots before tackling a third film, he confirmed a [[July 1]], [[2011]] release date on his blog.<ref>[http://michaelbay.com/2009/10/01/transformers-3-july-1st-2011/ Official confirmation of third movie release date from michaelbay.com]</ref>

{{main|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|Bumblebee (film)}}

*''[[Transformers: Cyber Missions]]''
A sequel for the film produced by [[TG Studios]] as a thirteen-episode CGI webcartoon.

*''[[Transformers: Nefarious|Nefarious]]''
A six-issue comic sequel published by IDW in a similar vein as ''The Reign of Starscream'' which was lead into by [[Tales of the Fallen issue 5]].

*''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: Unite for the Universe]]''
A five-part [[Japan|Japanese]] manga sequel to ''Revenge of the Fallen''.

==Soundtrack==
{{main|Revenge of the Fallen: The Album}}

==Score==
{{main|Revenge of the Fallen: The Score}}

==Home video releases==
{{main|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)/home video}}
''Revenge of the Fallen'' was released by [[Paramount Pictures]] on DVD (as both a 2-disc special edition and a regular single disc version) and Blu-ray on [[October 20]]th in the United States,<ref name="comingsoon">[http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=58245 Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Hits Blu-ray and DVD Oct. 20!]</ref> and [[November 30]]th in the UK.

==Theatrical posters==
<center><gallery perrow="3">
File:ROTFteaserposter.jpg|Teaser poster
File:ROTF Theatrical poster.jpg|Theatrical poster
File:ROTF International poster.jpg|International poster
File:ROTF Prime poster.jpg|Prime poster
File:ROTF bumblebee poster.jpg|Bumblebee poster
File:ROTF Starscream poster.jpg|Wait...Starscream gets a poster but Megatron doesn't? That's just wrong.
</gallery></center>

==Reception==
{{quote|Transformers: ROTF has mostly gotten pretty hideous reviews, but that's because people don't understand that this isn't a movie, in the conventional sense.|[http://io9.com/5301898/michael-bay-finally-made-an-art-movie Michael Bay Finally Made An Art Movie], Charlie Jane Anders|[http://i09.com i09.com,] [[June 24]], [[2009]]}}
{{quote|[The critics] never seem to understand that I make movies for people to take a ride and escape.|[http://tinyurl.com/nyscnv forum post] by Michael Bay|[http://shootfortheedit.com shootfortheedit.com,] [[June 25]], [[2009]]}}
{{quote|Rarely have critics been more disconnected from what audiences want and love.|John Horn, [http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-bay29-2009jun29,0,6806652.story The Los Angeles Times], [[June 29]], 2009}}
{{quote|I'll take some of the criticism... They're [the Twins] basically gone.|Michael Bay, [http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2010-06-11-Transformers11_ST_N.htm USA Today], [[June 11]], 2010}}

''Revenge of the Fallen'' had its world premiere on [[June 8]]th, 2009, in Tokyo, Japan. Michael Bay, Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Isabel Lucas and Ramon Rodriguez attended.<ref>[http://michaelbay.com/2009/06/08/revenge-of-the-fallen-japan-premiere-photos/ Japanese Premiere photos at Michael Bay.com, June 8, 2009]</ref> Other countries such as South Korea,<ref>[http://michaelbay.com/2009/06/09/bay-and-co-invade-seoul/ Korean Premiere photos at Michael Bay.com, June 9, 2009]</ref> the United Kingdom and Germany followed over the course of the next few days. The United States premiere was held on [[June 22]]nd, 2009, in Westwood, California, during the {{w|Los Angeles Film Festival}} for the second time.
[[File:Devastator-ROTFenemyscrotum.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Judge me by my size, do you?]]
In the week leading up to the United States release, while the film had been released in Japan and the United Kingdom, ''Revenge of the Fallen'' was ranking 38% fresh on [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_revenge_of_the_fallen/ Rotten Tomatoes.com]. As American reviews were added into the ranking on June 24, the movie's freshness slipped slowly to 22%. Today, the film's freshness rating sits at 20%, while its audience score is at 57%. The movie was primarily criticized for its crude portrayal of women, black people, and little people, but it was beaten for its long-winded action scenes, unfunny adult humor, dialogue, acting from the film's human cast, as well as its confusing plot. The film's long runtime proved to be a widespread issue among professional critics. These factors helped to dethrone ''{{w|Pearl Harbor (film)|Pearl Harbor}}'' (generally considered to be Michael Bay's worst movie prior to his involvement with the ''Transformers'' franchise), and gave the live-action ''Transformers'' films their terrible reputation among film critics. However, some of the film's more positive reviews noted that the film had impressive CGI and special effects.

RottenTomatoes.com's consensus was that "''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'' is a noisy, underplotted, and overlong special effects extravaganza that lacks a human touch." Roger Ebert, who had given the ''first'' Transformers film three stars,<ref>[http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070705/REVIEWS/70620006/1023 Roger Ebert's ''Transformers'' review]</ref> gave Revenge one star, and remarked that "if you want to save yourself the ticket price, go into the kitchen, cue up a male choir singing the music of hell, and get a kid to start banging pots and pans together." <ref>[http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090623/REVIEWS/906239997 Roger Ebert's ''Revenge of the Fallen'' review] on RogerEbert.com</ref> Todd Gilchrist of Cinematical.com said Michael Bay "has exceeded even the possibilities of sequel-driven 'moreness,' combining his own muscular, high-gloss sensibility with the conventions of blockbusters past, present, and probably future to create a monolithic action masterpiece that feels destined to be the biggest movie of all time." <ref>[http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/22/review-transformers-revenge-of-the-fallen/ Review: Transformers Revenge of the Fallen] on Cinematical.com</ref> Michael Phillips from the Chicago Tribune said "the first, comparatively lucid ''Transformers'' was a headache, but I sort of enjoyed it....''Revenge of the Fallen'' is more like listening to rocks in a clothes dryer for 2½ hours." <ref>[http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/chi-tc-mov-transformers-0623-0624jun23,0,7350387.story 'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen' stars Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel] on chicagotribune.com</ref> Roger Ebert went back for more in a second article, declaring not only that ''Revenge of the Fallen'' was awful, but that it'd [[Ruined FOREVER|ruined action films FOREVER]].<ref>[http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2009/06/the_fall_of_the_revengers.html "The Fall of the Revengers"] on suntimes.com</ref> In the face of many harsh responses to his own critique, Mr. Ebert went back a third time, not just deconstructing the film but also declaring that fans who claimed to perceive it as "great" were simply wrong.<ref>[http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2009/07/i_am_a_brainiac.html I am a Braniac]</ref>

Despite the overwhelmingly negative reviews, ''Revenge of the Fallen'' poised itself quickly as a blockbuster maelstrom. It grossed $16 million in its opening midnight showings alone, an all-time record for Wednesday openings and a second-best for openings on any day of the week behind ''The Dark Knight''. After the full Wednesday was over, ''Revenge of the Fallen'' had grossed $55 million in domestic ticket sales, surpassing the previous Wednesday release record, held by ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'', by over $10 million.<ref>[http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1614673/story.jhtml 'Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen' Breaks Wednesday Box-Office Record] on MTV.com</ref> By the end of the first five days, ''Revenge of the Fallen'' had taken an estimated $201.2 million in the United States, just shy of ''The Dark Knight's'' record $203.8 million 5-day US total. In the same period, international markets took in $186.1 million, bringing the 5-day worldwide total to $387.3 million.<ref name="bomjdebut">[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=2601&p=.htm BoxOfficeMojo.com - Weekend Report: ‘Revenge of the Fallen' Rises with Optimal Debut, June 28, 2009]</ref>

Paramount's U.S. exit polling revealed several intriguing facts: While the 2007 ''Transformers'' movie viewership skewed 60-40% toward men over women, the split for the new film was more even at 54% male, 46% female. More than 90% of those surveyed stated that ''Revenge of the Fallen'' was as good as or better than the first ''Transformers'' movie. Surprisingly, about 67% said the film was "excellent", an even better score than for Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman's critically acclaimed 2009 ''Star Trek'' movie.<ref name="exitp">[http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-bay29-2009jun29,0,6806652.story "'Transformers' director Michael Bay as audience darling" by John Horn, Los Angeles Times, June 29, 2009]</ref>

After two weeks in most markets, ''Revenge'' continued to defy critics and dominate the U.S. box office, narrowly defeating ''Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs'' on the Fourth of July weekend, finishing with upwards of $300 million in the U.S. and a similar figure in international markets.<ref name="reutjul7">[http://www.reuters.com/article/filmNews/idUSTRE5671DB20090708 Reuters reporting on Revenge of the Fallen's success around the world, July 7, 2009]</ref> Ultimately, ''Revenge'' grossed more than $836 million worldwide (versus $708 million for ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]''), including $402 million from US box offices alone (versus $319 million for the first movie).<ref name="bomjrotf">[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=transformers2.htm ''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'' at Box Office Mojo]</ref>

On [[October 20]], ''Revenge'' sold 2 million copies of its DVD/Blu-Ray release in the first 24 hours.<ref>[http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/business/Transformers-Sequel-Transforms-Hollywood-Revenues-65589247.html Transformers Sequel Transforms Hollywood Revenues]</ref>

On April 3, 2010, Shia LaBeouf stated that he was confused about many things in ''Revenge of the Fallen'' and in fact, hated the movie. However, he noted that one of the major problems the film faced was working during the writer's strike without a script, and that he had faith that the third film would be an improvement.<ref>[http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/shia-labeouf-confused-by-transformers_1137755 Shia LaBeouf comments on ''Revenge of the Fallen'' at contactmusic.com, April 3, 2010]</ref>

In a June 11, 2010 article about the third Transformers film, Bay and producer [[Lorenzo di Bonaventura]] now said they'd taken onboard some of the criticism, and cited the writer's strike and the rushed production as a problem; Bonaventura said "we tried to do too many things in the second movie, which didn't give enough time in any one of them". Bay also said he was getting rid of the "dorky comedy", like the Twins, for the third film, and called the Fallen "kind of a (expletive) character".<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2010-06-11-Transformers11_ST_N.htm?csp=usat.me USA Today, "Next 'Transformers' is due for a switch"]</ref> And later, in the April 2011 dated issue of ''Empire'', Bay would again blame the strike and also cite the inclusion of "mystical" plots as a flaw in the film.<ref>''Empire'' April 2011, page 64 - released end of February</ref>

As of {{CURRENTYEAR}} ({{#expr: {{CURRENTYEAR}}-2009}} years after its release), ''Revenge of the Fallen'' is considered by the ''Transformers'' fanbase to be one of the weakest works in the franchise, on par with ''[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Combiner Wars (cartoon)|Combiner Wars]]'', for many of the same reasons as professional critics; most of the complaints revolve around the story, characters and overall filmmaking, with the creative liberties and deviations from past ''Transformers'' incarnations (themselves more divisive than universally hated) seen as the icing on the turd cake rather than a core criticism. Even fans of the other Michael Bay-helmed movies have been known to use ''ROTF'' as a scapegoat for why the movies have so many flaws and/or why critics hate ([[Transformers (film)|the]] [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|most]] [[Bumblebee (film)|of]]) the entire series as a whole so much.

===Awards and recognition===
On February 1, 2009, it was announced that ''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'' was nominated for seven {{w|Golden Raspberry Award}}s.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Movies/02/01/razzie.award.nominations/index.html 'Transformers,' 'Lost' lead worst movie nominees], cnn.com (February 1, 2009) retrieved 02-01-2009</ref> It was awarded three of them, for Worst Picture, Worst Director, and Worst Screenplay.<ref>[http://enewsi.com/movies/190-16933.html 30th Annual Golden Raspberry Award Winners @ENI]</ref> This presumably represents an improvement from the 2007 film, which received only one nomination ([[Jon Voight]] in the Supporting Actor category) and no wins.

On February 2, 2009, it was announced that ''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'' was nominated for an {{w|Academy Award}} for Sound Mixing.<ref>[http://oscar.go.com/ Oscar.com]</ref> On March 7, it lost to ''The Hurt Locker''.

==Controversies==
[[File:ROTF movie SkidsMudflap bigmother.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.3|Who's scruffy-looking?]]
*A huge flap revolved around the characters of the "Twins", [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]]. Many critics and viewers believed them to be racist stereotypes of poorly educated black American teenagers. Much evidence points to the pair actually being stereotypes of poorly educated ''white'' American teenagers, trying their best to sound like hardcore black urban gangsters... though it's ''still'' a racist stereotype of dubious taste. Director Michael Bay, when confronted with these accusations, claimed that the personalities of the two characters had been primarily created in the recording studio by voice actors [[Tom Kenny]] and [[Reno Wilson]]. Wilson, who is African-American himself, claimed to have been surprised the characters were taken as stereotypes and explained they were described when he first took the role as "wannabe gangster types" whose understanding of human culture was filtered through the internet, comparing them to "posers" like {{w|Kevin Federline}}.<ref name="jive"/> Screenwriters Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci confirmed that this portrayal of the characters hadn't been in the script, and admitted that they could understand the controversy.<ref name="racism">[http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/news/orci-and-kurtzman-respond-to-claims-of-racism-in-transformers-2.php Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman respond to accusations of racism]</ref>

*At least one reviewer claimed to find a repellent "anti-Arab subtext" to the movie's climactic scenes, which involved the damage or destruction of various Middle Eastern landmarks.<ref name="antiarab">[http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/MovieTimes?oid=978078 Chicago Reader review by Andrea Gronvall]</ref>

*Along the same lines, Chinese viewers reportedly criticized the depiction of Shanghai in the opening scene of the movie. Apparently, depicting an ''industrial area'' as "very shabby" is an "insult" to an entire country, as is the destruction of parts of the city during a battle between alien robots.<ref name="insultchina">[http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90782/6686502.html English-language article from People's Daily Online reporting on the alleged criticism against the movie in China, including rebuttals]</ref> Regardless, ''Revenge'' topped the box office in China, dethroning 1997's ''Titanic'' as the most successful movie of all times there.<ref name="recordchina">[http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118006144.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 Variety reporting on the success of ''Revenge'' in China.]</ref>

*Both professional critics and amateur bloggers noted that the film presents the [[Barack Obama|Obama]] administration as endangering Earth by being wussy, bureacratic, and ignoring the Brave Soldiers.<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1906689,00.html Time's review of "Revenge of the Fallen"]</ref><ref>[http://hubpages.com/hub/Transformers-2-Revenge-of-the-Fallen--A-Political-Message A blogger's specific focus on the politics]</ref><ref>[http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/screen/reviews/Transformers-Revenge-of-the-Fallen-49559047.html Philadelphia Weekly's review of ''Revenge of the Fallen'']</ref><ref>[http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2009/06/24/turnabout-transformers-2-takes-a-shot-at-president-obama/ Big Hollywood: Turnabout]</ref> Some right-wing bloggers and critics were quite happy about this. As Bay had added Obama's name and image to the film as a ''tribute'' to the President after the two of them met and had a mutually-complimentary conversation,<ref>[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a160272/michael-bay-obama-likes-my-movies.html Michael Bay: 'Obama likes my movies'] at Digital Spy, and [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfT7ZF_AUk8 Bay telling the story at a press conference.]</ref> and the writers are known Democrats,<ref>[http://www.wilshireandwashington.com/2009/06/transformers-a-swipe-at-obama.html Variety: "Transformers, a Swipe at Obama?"]</ref> the implications are probably unintentional and meant to be a [[Autobot High Council|genre trope]] rather than a deliberate dig.

*The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, a lobbyist group that already complained about the [[Transformers (film)|first film]], is currently trying to lobby the Federal Communications Commission into tightening regulations for marketing movies rated "PG-13" and associated merchandise to children. The basic reasoning behind their complaints is that ''Revenge'' contains "intense sequences of sci-fi action violence, brief sexual humor, and language" and "would have been rated R fifteen years ago", and yet Hasbro's [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|associated toys]] are advertised during TV programs aimed at children.<ref name="fccfilter">[http://arstechnica.com/media/news/2009/08/transformers-movies-get-caught-in-fcc-content-filtering-inquiry.ars Ars Technica article on the CCFC/FCC story.]</ref> Hasbro themselves appear to be still undecided about their official position regarding the more "mature" tone of the movies and its ramifications for the [[Transformers brand|brand's]] public image, having left several questions to this effect unanswered.<ref name="allsparkqa">[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=61539 July/August 2009 edition] of the Allspark [[Hasbro Q&A]]</ref><ref name="tformersqa">[http://tformers.com/transformers-hasbro-answers-your-burning-questions-part-v/12149/news.html July/August 2009 edition] of the TFormers Hasbro Q&A</ref>

==Technical details==
'''Length:''' 149 minutes
'''Audio:''' Dolby Digital / DTS / SDDS 
'''Content Rating:'''
{{collist|4|
*PG-13 (USA/MPAA)
*G (Japan)
*12A (United Kingdom)
*PG (Canada; British Columbia)<ref>''Transformers'' received a "14A" rating in British Columbia, but an appeal by the studio successfully reduced it to PG.</ref>
*G (Canada; Quebec)
*PG-12 (Taiwan)
*PG13 (Singapore)
*PG-13 (Philippines/MTRCB)
*IIA (China)
*PG-13 (Malaysia)
*M (Australia)
*M (New Zealand)
*10 (Brazil)
*K-11 (Finland)
*11 (Sweden)
*12 (Germany)
*12A (Ireland)
*12 (Netherlands)
*M/12 (Portugal)
*12 (South Korea)
*B (Mexico)
*12+ (Russia)}}

==Production staff==
*Writers [[Roberto Orci]] and [[Alex Kurtzman]] recruited [[Ehren Kruger]] to help them write the screenplay. [[Michael Bay]] and producers [[Don Murphy]], [[Tom DeSanto]], and [[Lorenzo di Bonaventura]] also returned.<ref>[http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=6372 Transformers 2 Writers Confirmed]</ref>
{{stub}}

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

===Locations department===
{{stub}}

==Development details==
===Cast and crew signing on===
On May 30, 2007, a month before the official release of ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'', [[DreamWorks]] announced that two sequels were already being planned.<ref name="spy">[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a58430/two-transformers-sequels-in-pipeline.html Digital Spy article from May 2007, confirming that two sequels were being planned]</ref> [[Megan Fox]] had already been confirmed for the first of those sequels twelve days earlier,<ref name="foxcon">[http://www.mtvmoviesblog.com/2007/05/18/megan-fox-confirmed-for-transformers-sequel/ MTV confirming Megan Fox for the sequel]</ref> while [[Shia LaBeouf]] had already confirmed his participation in an—at that time still theoretical—sequel in November 2006.<ref name="shias">Rebecca Murray: [http://movies.about.com/od/bobby/a/bobbysl111006_4.htm Interview with Shia LaBeouf from 2006, confirming his participation in a theoretical sequel]</ref> Director [[Michael Bay]], meanwhile, only once briefly questioned his involvement in a sequel in August 2007, when [[Paramount Pictures]] announced that ''Transformers'' would be released on HD DVD, but not on Blu-ray Disc.<ref name="bayhd">[http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/08/21/michael-bay-responds-to-paramounts-abandonment-of-blu-ray-no/ One of many sites reporting Michael Bay's announcement that he would not direct the sequel if the first movie wouldn't be released on Blu-ray]. Bay deleted his original post after changing his mind.</ref> Bay quickly changed his mind, however, and Paramount would later release the first movie on Blu-ray anyway, after the HD DVD had been abandoned.

In September 2007, Paramount officially announced the first sequel for June 2009.<ref name="reldat">[http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117972852.html?categoryid=1236&cs=1 Variety reporting Paramount's official announcement of the first sequel]</ref> Bay was given a budget of $200 million, and ultimately managed to come in $4 million below that.<ref name="showest">[http://www.collider.com/entertainment/interviews/article.asp/aid/11461/tcid/1 Michael Bay talking the ''Transformers'' sequel at ShoWest“]</ref>

The ''Transformers'' screenwriters, [[Roberto Orci]] and [[Alex Kurtzman]], initially hesitated writing the sequel, but ultimately had a change of mind.<ref name="sciforc">[http://scifiwire.com/2009/03/orci-kurtzman-reveal-tran.php Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman talking to Sci Fi Wire.]</ref> In October 2007, [[Ehren Kruger]] was confirmed as a third writer, who, according to Kurtzman, brought in a "fresh perspective",<ref name="kickoff">[http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/01/14/kicking-off-2009-with-writers-alex-kurtzman-and-roberto-orci-part-two-transformers-2/ Another interview with Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci]</ref> and who reportedly impressed both director Michael Bay and [[Hasbro]] CEO [[Brian Goldner]] with his knowledge of ''Transformers'' mythology.<ref name="writersr">[http://www.zap2it.com/movies/news/zap-transformers2writers,0,1938976.story Zap2it story about the ROTF writers]</ref>

In April 2009, Roberto Orci confirmed that cartoon voice actor [[Frank Welker]] would voice Soundwave.<ref name="welkers">[http://www.cinemablend.com/new.php?id=12917 Roberto Orci confirming Welker as Soundwave]</ref> Welker had previously been considered as [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron's]] voice actor in the first movie, but ultimately Michael Bay had given that part to [[Hugo Weaving]] instead. Both Bay and the writers were also hoping that [[Leonard Nimoy]] could voice a character in the movie.<ref name="sciforc">Bay later stated that he was nervous of asking his relative Nimoy to voice The Fallen for fear of offending him with the relatively low pay allotted to voice actors.<ref name="nimoy1">[http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/04/21/michael-bay-afraid-to-offend-leonard-nimoy-with-transformers-family-reunion-offer/ ''Michael Bay Afraid To Offend Leonard Nimoy With ‘Transformers’ Family Reunion Offer'', MTV.com Movies blog, April 21, 2009]</ref> Even though Nimoy openly asked Bay to simply give him a call,<ref name="nimoy2">[http://www.latinoreview.com/news/leonard-nimoy-to-michael-bay-call-me-6682 Leonard Nimoy To Michael Bay: "Call Me!"], Latino Review</ref> it ultimately never worked out: after watching his guest appearance as Asteroth on ''{{w|Batman: The Brave and the Bold}}'', Bay selected [[Tony Todd]] - whom he worked with on ''The Rock'' - for the voice of The Fallen instead.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaN2g5i2k2E Interview with The Fallen himself - Tony Todd]</ref>

===Writing and production===
For the movie, Orci and Kurtzman searched the various ''Transformers'' comics and cartoons for "the most elemental bad guy", and eventually found one in [[The Fallen]].<ref name="sciforc"/>

In addition to that, they wanted to include many things in the sequel that hadn't made it into the first movie, including the Decepticon [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. Likewise, the [[Matrix of Leadership]] had initially been intended to be used in the first movie, but for fear of confusion with the ''Matrix'' movies, the cube had been renamed into the [[AllSpark]]. In return, the Matrix in ''Revenge of the Fallen'' bears more resemblance to the [[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]] Matrix.

In late 2007, during pre-production for the then-untitled ''Transformers'' sequel, the {{w|2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike|Writers Guild of America went on strike}}, but according to all parties involved, this didn't slow down preparations of the movie much in the long run. Screenwriters Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci turned in their first outline of the script the night before the strike officially began. During the strike, director Michael Bay used the script as a basis for preparing the movie. After the strike had ended, Kurtzman, Orci and Ehren Kruger continued their work on the script, based on Bay's changes.<ref name="kickoff"/> One consequence of this development was that Michael Bay and Hasbro had selected some of the new Transformers characters that were to appear in the movie during the strike, because of the long production run of the toys, while they had legally not been allowed to consult with the screenwriters.<ref name="sciforc"/> The "Twins", [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]], are Bay's creation.<ref name="jive">[https://web.archive.org/web/20090626132026/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/24/transformers-jivetalking-_n_220005.html Transformers' Jive-Talking Robots Raise Race Issues - The Huffington Post]</ref>

In early June 2008, DreamWorks, Paramount, and Hasbro officially confirmed the movie's title to be ''Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen''.<ref name="titleann">[http://www.reserveresult.com/2008/06/transformers-2-revenge-of-fallen.html One of the first announcements of the title, still with a "2" in it]</ref> A few weeks later, Roberto Orci confirmed that there would be no "2" in the title.<ref name="no2orci">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/180738-no-2-transformers-2-a.html#post2173364 Roberto Orci confirming that there will be no "2" in the movie's title]</ref>

Principal shooting began in June 2008 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.<ref name="pennlive">[http://blog.pennlive.com/lvbreakingnews/2008/06/shooting_starts_today_on_trans_1.html Pennlive story about the beginning of ROTF's principal shooting in Bethlehem]</ref> Other shooting sites were Philadelphia, the campus of Princeton University, Long Beach, the Holloman Air Force Base and the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. Some scenes were also shot in other countries, at the {{w|Egyptian pyramids|Pyramids of Giza}} and in Luxor, Egypt, in Jordan and in Paris.

According to director Michael Bay, ''Revenge'' is the first movie in about 30 years to be given permission to shoot at the Pyramids of Giza, and the first movie ''ever'' to film on top of {{w|Petra}}.<ref name="bayclub">[http://www.transformersclub.com/tfrof-intv09.cfm Transformers Collectors' Club interview with Michael Bay]</ref> He obtained permission to film in Egypt by contacting Zahi Hawass, secretary general of Egypt's council of antiquities, who turned out to be a fan of the 2007 ''Transformers'' movie.<ref>[http://www.collider.com/entertainment/interviews/article.asp/aid/10866/tcid/1 The Collider article and video interview with Michael Bay, February 9, 2009]</ref>

During the time of shooting, actor Shia LaBeouf suffered a severe injury of his left hand in a car accident. Ultimately, however, filming was only briefly halted, and his injury worked into the film, thereby not adversely affecting the filming schedule.<ref name="TheList2008">[http://www.list.co.uk/article/10788-shia-labeoufs-transformers-hand/ The List 1 August 2008]</ref> For the movie, director Michael Bay earned himself an entry in the Guinness Book of Records for the "biggest explosion on film with actors present".<ref name="guiness">[http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10579085 New Zealand Herald article mentioning Bay' Guinness Book entry]</ref>

===Sponsors and partners===
====Hasbro====
[[Hasbro]] once again acted both as a licensor and actively participated in the development of the movie. Together with the first ''Transformers'' movie, the ''[[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]'' movie ''Rise of the Cobra'' and several other planned movie projects such as ''Monopoly'', ''Stretch Armstrong'' and ''Battleships'', ''Revenge of the Fallen'' marks the beginning of a new company policy for Hasbro, believing that the new "the movie of the toy" strategy will be more lucrative than the old "the toy of the movie" concept, which involves hefty licensing fees.<ref name="brandweek">[http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/jun2009/db20090611_333306.htm Brandweek article on Hasbro's new movie-related business strategy]</ref> Still, director [[Michael Bay]] receives an 8% cut of all toy sales from the ''Transformers'' movies.<ref name="forbesbay">[http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2009/0622/celebrity-09-transformers-michael-bay-making-movies-enemies-money.html Michael Bay article on Forbes.com June 4, 2009]</ref> During the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, when nobody was legally allowed to consult with the screenwriters, Hasbro and Bay selected several of the new Transformers characters that were to appear in the movie.<ref name="sciforc"/>

====US military====
The [[United States military]] also supported the movie again, providing vehicles, shooting locations and military personnel that appear as extras in the movie.<ref name="milit">[http://www.military.com/entertainment/movies/movie-news/military-unites-with-hollywood-on-transformers?wh=entertainment American Forces Press Service press release about the US military's contribution to ROTF]</ref> Due to scheduling coincidences, ''Revenge of the Fallen'' was given a larger support by the [[United States Department of Defense]] than ''G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra'', which was produced at the same time.<ref name="dod">Jeff Schogol: [http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=62955 Stars and Stripes article about DOD support for ''revenge of the Fallen'' and ''G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra'']</ref> Initially, Bay had intended to include German Bundeswehr soldiers in the movie (presumably as members of [[NEST]] or on board the AWACS plane), but even though the soldiers were eager to participate, the German government denied the request.<ref name="szpremiere">[http://newsticker.sueddeutsche.de/list/id/657558 Report from the German press conference (in German language)]</ref>

====General Motors and other car manufacturers====
American car manufacturer General Motors once again provided vehicles that were used by the Autobots as their [[alternate mode]]s. Returning from the first movie were the GMC Topkick ([[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]]), the Hummer H2 ([[ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]]) and the new Chevrolet Camaro ([[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]), the latter this time as a slightly updated Z/28 model as compared to the first movie's concept car model. Newcomers for ''Revenge of the Fallen'' are all from the Chevrolet brand, namely the Chevrolet Beat ([[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]]), the Chevrolet Trax ([[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]]), a new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray concept car ([[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]]) and, as a last minute addition, the new Chevrolet Volt electric car ([[Jolt (ROTF)|Jolt]]).

In total, General Motors provided 67 vehicles, 52 of them being prototypes not intended for sale.<ref name="chevytroubles">[http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2009-06-15-gm-transformers_N.htm USA Today story on Chevrolet's participation in the movie]</ref> As a consequence of the 2007-onwards financial crisis, however, General Motors reduced their financial support for ''Revenge'' in April 2009.<ref name="horsep">[http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-cotown-transformers6-2009apr06,0,5419006.story LA Times story on General Motors cutting their support for ''Revenge of the Fallen'']</ref>

Director Michael Bay estimates that, without the support of General Motors and the military, production of the movie would have cost $10 million more than the $195 million ultimately spent.<ref name="forbesbay"/> Coinciding with the release of ''Revenge of the Fallen'', General Motors reported that sales of the new Chevrolet Camaro were so strong that orders were outrunning the supply, even though the car was being sold above MSRP in many places. A direct connection to the movie, however, could not be proven.<ref name="camarosells">[http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aZCnXEtqqTcc Bloomberg reporting on strong sales for the new Chevrolet Camaro]</ref>

As the only car manufacturer besides General Motors, Audi was able to place its R8 in the movie, as the Decepticon [[Sideways (ROTF)|Sideways's]] alternate mode. The cooperation was arranged by Propaganda Global Entertainment Marketing.<ref name="propaganda">[http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/09_28/b4139068367113.htm "Hollywood's Blockbuster Role for Product Placement"], Bloomberg Businessweek, July 2009.</ref>

====Product placement====
As in the first movie, numerous companies signed a deal with the filmmakers which allowed for their product being featured in prominent places in the movie. A Mountain Dew vending machine can be seen in [[Leo Spitz|Leo's]] room, computer screens feature visible Cisco logos, [[Sam Witwicky|Sam]] and [[Mikaela Banes|Mikaela]] intend to communicate via iChat, a huge HSBC logo is seen at Times Square in New York City, a Budweiser bottle is prominently featured in one of the Paris scenes, CNN is everyone's preferred news channel, and a giant IMAX logo is seen inside the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. In return, Mars heavily advertised ''Revenge of the Fallen'' with their chocolate candy brand [[M&M's]].

===Changes before, during and after production===
*The three Autobot motorcycles were at one point meant to combine into a larger robot, but this was ultimately abandoned for unknown reasons. Concept artwork for this combined mode has surfaced, and this feature was mentioned in the novelization and appears to remain in the toys.

*According to comic book writer [[Simon Furman]], the [[Dinobot (AOE)|Dinobots]] had been in an early draft of the movie's plot, but were dropped from the cast very early in development.<ref>[http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/01/29/no-dinobots-in-transformers-2-revenge-of-the-fallen-original-film-consultant-explains-why/ MTV Movie Blog interview with Simon Furman, January 29, 2009.]</ref>

*Due to licensing issues with Audi and the writers' strike, Sideways' role was dramatically altered and he was nearly taken out of the script entirely. Originally, Sideways was going to escape the first wave of his Autobot pursuers by using Demolishor as a distraction. After Demolishor's death, Sideways would have been cornered and engaged by Sideswipe in robot mode. At this point, it would have been Sideways, not Demolishor, who would have dropped the Fallen's name when he threatened Sideswipe during the fight. Ultimately, the scene was never finished. Audi backed out of the licensing agreement and the scene was rewritten to focus on Demolishor. Audi later decided that they DID want their product featured, so a pre-visualization animation of Sideswipe bisecting a Lamborghini (included in the movie DVD's and Blu-ray Disc's bonus material) was reworked to feature an Audi R8 being sliced in half instead. Interestingly, some toys still referenced the deleted fight. Most of Sideways' toys feature a chainsaw weapon that he did not have in the film, and Human Alliance Sideswipe's box art depicts a diorama scene of Sideways attacking him in robot mode.

*[[Springer (ROTF)|Springer]], an Autobot who transforms into a V-22 Osprey, was to be a character in the movie, but was dropped from the cast during production.<ref name="procterdesigns">[http://conceptartworld.com/?p=2772 Ben Procter's movie designs for ROTF]</ref> However, he was dropped so late during production that Hasbro still released [[Legends Class (2005)|Legends]] and [[Robot Heroes (toyline)|Robot Heroes]] versions of the character based on the abandoned movie design–in the first waves of their respective assortments, no less.

*Likewise, the Deluxe Class [[Breakaway (ROTF)|Breakaway]] and Scout Class [[Depthcharge (ROTF)|Depthcharge]] and [[Ransack (ROTF)|Ransack]] toys are based on designs [[Ben Procter]] had originally created for the movie. Breakaway had the early working name "Firestorm", while Ransack was originally conceived as a [[Ford Model T Seeker|Ford Model T]].<ref name="procterdesigns"/>

*[[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] was originally intended to come to Earth and scan a black Chevrolet Silverado pick-up truck as his new [[alternate mode]]. The Deluxe Class Soundwave toy still retains some elements of this abandoned concept in robot mode, particularly a Cybertronian version of the Chevy grill and small headlights on the lower torso.

*Several plot points about the [[Dynasty of Primes]] were dropped from the final version of the film, but feature prominently in the adaptations. In the original version, the Dynasty was founded by [[Thirteen|Thirteen Primes]], eleven of whom were killed by The Fallen, with [[Prima|the sole survivor]] sealing the Matrix in the Tomb of the Primes by himself. The Fallen returned to Cybertron and killed all the Primes' descendants, save the one hidden from him who had no knowledge of his ancestry: Optimus. Additionally, The Fallen would have been revealed to have promised Megatron the powers of a Prime, which Optimus would expose as impossible during the final battle around the harvester, causing Megatron and Starscream to leave The Fallen to his death.

*The Fallen was originally supposed to be trapped inside a triangular sarcophagus as seen in ''[[Transformers: Defiance|Defiance]]''. ''Defiance'' writer [[Chris Mowry]] reportedly nearly spilled his coffee when he watched the movie for the first time and saw The Fallen just sitting in a chair inside the [[Nemesis (ROTF)|Nemesis]].<ref name="mowryallsp">[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=64301&view=findpost&p=1387145 Comments by Chris Mowry at the Allspark], November 2009</ref> Exactly how this was supposed to inter-connect with The Fallen surviving his battle with the Primes and returning to Cybertron is unclear. Further, if he ''had'' been sealed in a sarcophagus, then, uh, who would have sent the Seekers to Earth to look for the Matrix?

*One scene that didn't make it into the final movie would have explained [[Alice (ROTF)|Alice]]'s sorta-human disguise: In it, [[Leo Spitz|Leo]] watches a TV ad featuring an Alice in Wonderland animatronic from an amusement park, which heavily resembles Alice. The scene was featured in the [[Revenge of the Fallen issue 2|comic adaptation]] and the [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|novelization]]. It's unclear if the scene has actually been filmed; however, the movie still features the follow-up scene in which Leo shows up to tell Sam ''something'' about Alice, only to see her robot tongue strangle him.

*Sam was to have been established as a new vessel for the AllSpark, absorbing its knowledge, which would have explained how he managed to get a scholarship to Princeton. When he was dying in Egypt, the knowledge of the AllSpark would then have transferred to the dust within the Matrix of Leadership, which was created by the AllSpark. The movie would have ended with Optimus showing Sam that he'd recovered the Matrix, which now replaced the Cube as the AllSpark's physical form.

*Another possibly dropped plot point involved an explanation for the government's cover-up of the [[Mission City]] battle in the [[Transformers (film)|first movie]]. The robots would have been declared the creations of a company either named [[McClaren Robotics]] or [[McClaren Robotics|Massive Dynamics]], which allegedly had gone rogue by accident. This is referenced in [[Alan Dean Foster]]'s [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|novelization]] of the movie (where the company is named "Massive Dynamics"), the junior novelization ''[[The Last Prime]]'' and [[IDW Publishing]]'s [[Revenge of the Fallen issue 1|comic adaptation]] (where the company is named "McClaren Robotics"). A McClaren sign is also briefly seen in IDW's [[Transformers: Alliance|''Alliance'' issue 4]]. An extensive casting call list leaked to the internet in April 2008 listed a "Massive Dynamics CEO" as one of the new characters.<ref name="iesbcall">[http://www.iesb.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4663&Itemid=99 Casting call at IESB, April 2008]</ref> Presumably, actor Steve Tom was originally intended to play the character in the movie. His official website is listing him as appearing in ''Revenge'' ever since July 2008,<ref name="stevetom">[http://stevetom.com/picsandresume.html Resume of actor Steve Tom]</ref> even though he isn't actually listed in the film's credits. Back in July 2008, IMDB also listed Tom as playing the role of McClaren Robotics' CEO,<ref name="tfwimdbtom">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-revenge-of-the-fallen-casting-steve-tom-as-robotics-ceo-katie-lowes-as-ra-165438/ TFW2005 referencing an (unarchived) IMDB entry for Steve Tom and his alleged role in ''Revenge'']</ref> whereas Theiapolis Cinema listed him as the CEO of Massive Dynamics at the same time.<ref name="theiarotf">[http://cinema.theiapolis.com/movie-2RLF/transformers-revenge-of-the-fallen/cast.html Theiapolis Cinema entry for ''Revenge'']</ref> It's unclear if the scenes featuring Tom were cut or dropped from the script before they were even filmed.

*[[Robert Epps|Epps]]'s wife, [[Monique Epps|Monique]], was also supposed to appear in the movie together with [[William Lennox|Lennox's]] wife [[Sarah Lennox|Sarah]]. The casting call from April 2008 lists her under the working name "Theresa".<ref name="iesbcall"/> The original plan was that [[Sam Witwicky|Sam]] would contact Epps and Lennox by calling their wives and asking them to pass on information to their husbands. This scene appears in the [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|novelization]] and in IDW's [[Revenge of the Fallen issue 3|comic adaptation]]; in the movie, the wives are never seen, and instead of Sam, it is [[Seymour Simmons|Simmons]] who contacts Epps and Lennox directly.

*[[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] was originally intended to appear in this film but was cut for unknown reasons.<ref>http://massiveblack.com/mbwp/?p=1368</ref>

===Leaks and disinformation===
====Persistent fake IMDB synopsis====
In July 2007, only a week after after ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' had premiered in the USA, nearly two years before ''Revenge of the Fallen'' was to premiere and half a year before a ''script'' would actually be written, a "synopsis" for the (at that point still untitled) sequel to ''Transformers'' was posted on IMDB,<ref name="imdbsum">[https://web.archive.org/web/20081218042602/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1055369/synopsis Fake "synopsis" for ROTF on IMDB]</ref> containing vague guesses for a potential plot direction based on the first movie ([[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] returning to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and taking command of the remaining Decepticons–which would actually happen in [[IDW Publishing|IDW's]] ''[[Transformers: The Reign of Starscream|The Reign of Starscream]]'' comic–and "[[Scorponok (Movie)|Skorpinox]]" [sic] stealing [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron's]] body from a military base, in contrast to the first film's actual ending), including several glaring spelling and grammar errors. The "synopsis" was eventually exposed as the work of ''Next'' and ''xXx: State of the Union'' director Lee Tamahori, who wanted to use it as a pitch to offer himself to [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] as a cheaper alternative for [[Michael Bay]].<ref name="tamahori">[http://defamer.gawker.com/hollywood/a-more-personal-kind-of-transformation/breaking-transformers-2-plot-synopsis-revealed-278307.php Gawker's Defamer reporting on the fake "synopsis" from IMDB, and updating with information about its true origins]</ref> Regardless, the "synopsis" was still heavily featured by other websites, including foreign theaters and media,<ref name="prosieben">[http://www.prosieben.de/kino_dvd/previews/film/ German TV station feature about ROTF using the fake IMDB "synopsis"]</ref> despite multiple evidence (trailers, official information provided by Paramount, leaked information about the involvement of a character named "[[The Fallen]]") suggesting that the alleged "plot" was pretty much bunk. The fake synopsis ''still'' persisted in some places long after ''Revenge'' had already hit theaters, despite being directly refuted by the film itself.

====Fake treatment====
In October 2007, an alleged treatment for the (at that point still unnamed) ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' sequel surfaced on the internet.<ref name="treat">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2007/10/transfomers-2-leaked-script.html The Transformers Live Action Movie Blog reporting on the alleged treatment], October 2007.</ref> While producer [[Don Murphy]] soon claimed that it wasn't real,<ref name="murphyfake">[http://www.donmurphy.net/board/showpost.php?p=1052166&postcount=52 Don Murphy denies the authenticity of the leaked treatment], October 2007.</ref> [[Michael Bay]]'s website administrator Nelson Lauren countered by suggesting that it wasn't a fan creation,<ref name="nelsonfake1">Nelson's deliberately misleading comments regarding the alleged treatment at the [http://boards.transformersmovie.com/showpost.php?p=435346&postcount=26 official Live Action Movie boards] and at [http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?&showtopic=37905&st=20&p=759450&#entry759450 The Allspark], October 2007.</ref> then referred to an ambiguous post he had made a few days earlier, in which he had hinted that information might be spread that would not be entirely reliable.<ref name="nelsonfake2">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1590&postcount=1 Nelson's ambiguous "telling the truth in a false way" post] at the official Michael bay forums, October 2007.</ref> What followed was a brief back-and-forth with Murphy accusing Nelson of "stirring shit up",<ref name="murphynelson">[http://www.donmurphy.net/board/showthread.php?t=22721 Don Murphy's response to Nelson's statements], October 2007.</ref> which prompted Nelson to counter that he had better sources than Murphy.<ref name="nelsonsources">[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=37905&st=60&p=761181&#entry761181 Nelson's counter to Don Murphy...] No, we stop here. You get the idea.</ref>

====Michael Bay's alleged disinformation campaign====
In April 2008, director Michael Bay claimed he had initiated a huge disinformation campaign in order to prevent content details from the movie being revealed to the public before he wanted them to.<ref name="misinf">[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a94406/bay-tries-to-fool-transformers-fans.html Mirrored copy of Michael Bay's original claims about his alleged "disinformation campaign"]. Bay apparently deleted his original post from his official message board.</ref> Ultimately, Bay himself turned out to be the main source of genuine disinformation, despite claiming that ''only'' what he said was 100% true. Therefore, the disinformation campaign mostly hinged on fans believing in its existence, and rejecting any genuinely "leaked" information, including set photos, statements by third parties such as [[Hasbro]] or [[IDW Publishing]] and stolen toy [[prototype]]s, as "disinformation". Screenwriter Roberto Orci eventually admitted that the disinformation campaign wasn't really working.<ref name="orcicampaign">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/180451-welcome-mr-roberto-orci-you-may-ask-him-questions-150.html#post2437185 Roberto Orci confirming Michael Bay's biggest fear: The disinformation campaign doesn't work!]</ref>

In June 2008, when principal shooting had just begun, a call sheet was leaked to the internet,<ref name="bethcall">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2008/06/bethlehem-call-sheet-cast-tf-and-next.html Leaked call sheet at the Transformers Live Action Movie Blog], June 5, 2008</ref> which revealed the casting of [[Ramon Rodriguez]] as a character named "[[Leo Spitz|Leo]]", the appearance of an [[Sideways (ROTF)|Audi R8]] and [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]] as well as a character with the working name "[[Sideswipe (Movie)|Stinger]]". Furthermore, an ice cream truck that had just been spotted on the Bethlehem set a day earlier<ref name="bethfirst">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-2-bethlehem-images---update---ironhide-on-set-165046/ Set photos from the Bethlehem shoot at TFW2005], June 4, 2008</ref> was hinted to be two characters only referred to as "[[Twins (ROTF)|The Twins]]". Lastly, the call sheet revealed that the next shooting location would be the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, where an SR-71 Blackbird would be revealed to be a Decepticon named [[Jetfire (Movie)|Jetfire]]. A character named "[[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheels]]" was also supposed to appear in that scene. In July 2008, Bay then claimed that fake scripts, treatments, "wrong schedules and call sheets with fake scenes on them" had been deliberately leaked to the internet.<ref name="bayfakescript">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showpost.php?p=44729&postcount=2 Michael Bay's forum post claiming that only he and the writers had seen the script]</ref>

For the longest time, Bay upheld the position that [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] would ''not'' return in ''Revenge of the Fallen''. After concept designs of Megatron's new [[alternate mode]] had surfaced (some of which would later turn out to be designs for the [[Robot Powered Machines|RPM]] Megatron toy, while the first ones that surfaced were far too advanced for mere "toy" designs<ref name="megsleak">Various leaks of the new Megatron design for ROTF mirrored at the Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, September 2008: [http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2008/09/tf2-megatron-image.html Robot mode design], [http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2008/09/megatrons-alt-mode.html concept art for the alternate mode], [http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2008/09/megatron-toy-pictures.html control drawings for Megatron's RPM vehicle toy]</ref>), Bay insisted that this was "just Hasbro coming up with a new toy", and Megatron would not appear in the movie.<ref name="EmpireFeb2009">''Empire'' magazine issue 236, dated February 2009, pages 68 and 69, article entitled "20 to watch in 2009", written by Nick de Semelyn</ref> Following ''officially released'' evidence to the contrary (including Megatron's brief appearance in the February 1 Super Bowl TV spot and the February teaser trailer), screenwriter [[Roberto Orci]] confirmed that Megatron would indeed return.<ref name="mreturns">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/180451-welcome-mr-roberto-orci-you-may-ask-him-questions-211.html#post3333713 Roberto Orci confirming Megatron's return on TFW2005.com - February 22, 2009]</ref> Shortly afterwards, Bay retracted his claims, but not entirely, suggesting that Megatron would only appear in a flashback scene "from the long lost past", despite the fact Megatron could be seen pinning [[Sam Witwicky]] to the ground in the aforementioned TV spot and teaser trailer. He also denied that Megatron would transform into a tank.<ref name="catoutbag">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showpost.php?p=66825&postcount=4 Bay retracting from his claims about Megatron on his forum - March 6, 2009]</ref>

====General Motors and the Chevrolet Volt====
In August 2008, after a Chevrolet Volt vehicle had been spotted on the set of ''Revenge'', General Motors reluctantly admitted having provided the car to the production crew, and that the car would indeed appear in the film, but claimed that it was no production vehicle (i.e. some details may differ from the final car, similar to Bumblebee's Concept Camaro in the first movie). Chevrolet also claimed that the Volt was only used for one or two days of shooting, and that it would only "appear in the movie very briefly", and "not as a Decepticon or Autobot", so it would "not have a Transformer nickname".<ref name="edmundsjolt">[http://web.archive.org/web/20090129105851/http://edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=131426 Edmunds Inside Line article on the Chevrolet Volt spotted on the set], August 2008</ref> (While it's true that [[Jolt (ROTF)|Jolt]] was a last-minute addition to the movie, the car was spotted again later at a different set.<ref name="joltwhite">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2008/09/chevy-volt-at-white-sands-set.html Set photos from White Sands Missile Range] including the Chevrolet Volt, September 2008.</ref>)

====Edited IDW interviews====
Bay and/or Paramount also tried to have information prematurely revealed by third parties contained after the fact: During [[San Diego Comic-Con]] 2008, in an interview on July 25, comic book writer [[Simon Furman]] revealed that the film would feature a character named [[The Fallen]], which was a character they had created for [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]]'s ''[[Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages|The War Within: The Dark Ages]]''.<ref name="furmancbr">[http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=17412Simon Furman interview with Comic Book Resources], edited version.</ref> Three days later, [[IDW Publishing]] writer [[Chris Mowry]] corroborated the claim in an interview with MTV Splash Page, calling "The Fallen" the main villain of ''Revenge''. [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]] was also confirmed in the same interview.<ref name="mowrymtv">[http://splashpage.mtv.com/2008/07/28/exclusive-transformers-2-prequel-comic-gives-inside-scoop-on-2009-movie/ MTV Splash Page interviews Chris Mowry], edited version.</ref> Less than a week after this, however, Michael Bay reiterated that everything leaked thus far was part of his alleged disinformation campaign, and that only a handful of people involved with the production of ''Revenge of the Fallen'' had actually seen the script, contradicting IDW's interviews where their representatives confirmed that they had the script. Additionally, Bay claimed the only truth about the film revealed up to that point was Sam going to college.<ref name="bayfakescript"/> Curiously, on August 5, 2008, after a fan had pointed out the contradiction to Bay, all references to The Fallen (and Arcee) were removed from the aforementioned interviews, as well as any references to IDW Publishing having the script.<ref name="interviewsoriginal">[http://tfwiki.net/~fortmax/movie/index.html Mirrored copies of the unedited versions of the interviews.]</ref>

====Other (minor) instances of disinformation and misconceptions====
Other (in)famous instances of disinformation included an alleged sighting of both [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz's]] Pontiac Solstice vehicle mode and voice actor [[Darius McCrary]] on the Bethlehem set<ref name="jazzrumor">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/autobot-jazz-is-back-for-transformers-movie-sequel-165008/ TFW reporting on the alleged sightings of the Jazz Pontiac Solstice and voice actor Darius McCrary], May 2008</ref> (it's ''possible'' that someone mistook an [[Sideways (ROTF)|Audi R8]] or the [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Chevrolet Corvette concept car]] for a Pontiac Solstice, and McCrary ''might'' have genuinely visited the set out of sheer curiosity) and an "update" to a (legitimate) casting call that contained nothing but fake character names and descriptions,<ref name="fakecall">[http://spoilertv-movies.blogspot.com/2008/04/transformers-2.html Fake casting call at Spoiler TV], April 2008. Note: Everything up until "CNN Reporter" originates from another, legitimate casting call; everything from "Head of Sector 7" onward is made up.</ref> including a funeral director who would allegedly bury [[Seymour Simmons|Simmons]]. It's unclear whether any of these were instances of deliberate disinformation on behalf of Bay, or just attention-seeking fans coming up with made-up "scoops" on their own. Furthermore, three of [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade's]] Saleen Mustang prop vehicles were spotted on a truck bed in Culver City, California, in March 2008, more than two months before principal shooting for ''Revenge'' 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> It's unclear if this was an instance of deliberate disinformation, or just a genuine move of the vehicles with no further intention behind it.

==Notes==
*The official title of the film is ''Revenge of the Fallen'' (with a lowercase "t" in "the") even though it is referring to [[The Fallen]] (with a capital "T" in "The").
*Marketing for ''Revenge of the Fallen'' briefly used the tagline "Our World. Our War.", a play on the primary marketing tagline from the first live-action film, "Our World. Their War.".
*Leo's room features posters for ''{{w|Naruto}}'', ''{{w|Cloverfield}}'' (whose infamous first teaser debuted at screenings of the first Transformers film), and ''{{w|Bad Boys 2}}'' (another of Michael Bay's movies).
*During the scenes set in and around the deli in NYC, posters for the bands {{w|Catch 22 (band)|Catch Twenty-Two}} and {{w|Voodoo Glow Skulls}} are prominently featured.
*Even though ''Revenge'' features mostly domestic voice actors for the foreign market dubs, [[Frank Welker]] voiced [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] not only in English but also in a large number of foreign dubs, including the Italian and French versions. As a result, in the Italian dub of the movie, Soundwave speaks with a strange, foreign accent. Welker is also credited for an unspecified voice role in the Latin Spanish dub, most likely Soundwave again. Furthermore, Welker is ''incorrectly'' credited for voicing Soundwave in the German dub, even though German dubbing insiders insist that the voice heard in the actual movie has been provided by someone else ([[Horst Lampe]], who also dubbed ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Animated]]'' [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]]), presumably as a last-minute decision because Welker's "German" performance was considered sub-standard.<ref name="germandub">[http://215072.homepagemodules.de/t511643f11775323-Transformers-Die-Rache-Transformers-Revenge-of-the-Fallen-7.html German dubbing board thread about ROTF, with a discussion about Soundwave's voice]</ref> Welker described the entire process of dubbing Soundwave in different languages as "very hard".<ref name="welkernewsarama">[http://www.newsarama.com/tv/090915-Animated-Shorts-Welker.html Newsarama interview with Frank Welker], September 2009.</ref>
*Both the European French dub and the Canadian French dub took a few liberties during the last fight. In both versions Megatron tells The Fallen "The machine is ready to fire", an absent line from the original version, which modifies slightly The Fallen's phrase which becomes an answer: "''Shoot, and'' this planet will die forever" ("Sink this planet into darkness forever" in the Canadian dub). When Optimus Prime and The Fallen are fighting, Megatron says "I will kill you myself" while flying at Optimus, another absent line from the original. Finally, after Megatron gets thrown through the wall by Optimus, he is silent in both French dubs, while he is calling Starscream in the original version. The Canadian dub changed the line "Give me your face" to "Your time has come".
*The prequel novel introduced other Autobots into the ranks of [[NEST]]—[[Longarm (Movie)|Longarm]], [[Salvage (Movie)|Salvage]], and [[Knock Out (ROTF)|Knockout]]. They were present up until the events directly leading into the Shanghai incident but were not present for any of the events featured in the film or adaptations. {{storylink|Transformers: The Veiled Threat|The Veiled Threat}}
*While ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' used 20 terabytes of disk space for visual effects, ''Revenge of the Fallen'' used 154 terabytes<ref>Robertson, Barbara (2009). Weighty Matters. Computer Graphics World, 32(7), 20-29</ref> (thanks in no small part to the titanic Cybertronian giants).
*The Chinese name for ''Revenge of the Fallen'' was "[[wikia:starwars:Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back|Decepticon Strikes Back]]" for a while before the title was changed into "The War of Revenge" in theaters and media in Taiwan around mid to late 2008.
*During a promotion for ''[[Batman|The Batman]]'' in early 2022, actor {{w|Robert Pattinson}} once recalled how he once lost an audition for ''Revenge of Fallen'' after botching out an American accent with him just saying "Hi, I’m from Michigan".<ref>[https://www.gq.com/story/robert-pattinson-march-cover-profile The Metamorphosis of Robert Pattinson — GQ]</ref> On a similar note, during a promotion for his memoir "Yearbook" in 2021, actor/filmmaker {{w|Seth Rogen}} revealed that he encouraged {{w|Jonah Hill}} to pursue other endeavors for acting starting with Hill turning down a role that would then later be Leo. With Rogen's concluding statement "You want to make a movie about fightin' robots? Make your own movie about fightin' robots. You can do that. That's on the table now."<ref>[https://www.insider.com/seth-rogen-encouraged-jonah-hill-to-turn-down-transformers-2021-4 Seth Rogen told Jonah Hill to turn down 'Transformers' and make his own movie about fighting robots - Insider]</ref>
*For fourteen years, ''Revenge of the Fallen'' held the record for the biggest five-day opening at $200 million, until being beaten by ''{{w|The Super Mario Bros. Movie}}''{{'}}s $204.6 million opening in 2023.<ref>{{cite social|quote=‘THE SUPER MARIO BROS MOVIE’ has set the record for the biggest five-day (Wednesday-Sunday) opening of all-time with its $204.6 million debut, overtaking 2009’s 'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen' at $200 million.|link=https://twitter.com/ToonHive/status/1645440426063568898|name=Toon Hive|website=Twitter|day=10|month=04|year=2023}}</ref> Later that same year, its record for the best opening weekend for a toyline-based film was beaten by ''{{w|Barbie (film)|Barbie}}''{{'}}s $162 million opening.<ref>[https://edition.cnn.com/2023/07/23/opinions/barbie-movie-right-wing-opposition-obeidallah/index.html Opinion: 'Barbie' breaks box-office records while crushing right-wing outrage — CNN]</ref>
*Around fifteen years after the film's release, the controversy surrounding the twins was referenced in a not-so-subtle way on [[Amazon (website)|Prime Video]]'s ''{{w|The Boys (TV series)|The Boys}}'' television series.<ref>[https://www.vulture.com/article/the-boys-recap-season-4-episode-3-well-keep-the-red-flag-flying-here.html ''The Boys'' Recap: Popularity Is Power - Vulture]</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''''Transformers/Revenge''''' (トランスフォーマー/リベンジ ''Toransufōmā Ribenji'')
*''Cantonese:'' (變形金剛: 狂派再起, "Transformers: The Return of the Decepticons")
*''Finnish:'' '''''Transformers: Kaatuneiden kosto''''' ("Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Ones")
*''French:'' '''''Transformers 2 : La Revanche''''' (France, "Transformers 2: The Revenge"), '''''Transformers : La Revanche''''' (Canada, "Transformers: The Revenge")
*''German:'' '''''Transformers: Die Rache''''' ("Transformers: The Revenge")
*''Italian:'' '''''Transformers 2: La Vendetta del Caduto''''' ("Transformers 2: The Revenge Of The Fallen")
*''Polish:'' '''''Transformers: Zemsta Upadłych''''' ("Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Ones")
*''Portuguese:'' '''''Transformers: Retaliação''''' (Portugal, "Transformers: Retaliation"), '''''Transformers: A Vingança dos Derrotados''''' (Brazil, "Transformers: The Vengeance of the Defeated")
*''Mandarin:'' '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng: Fùchóu Zhī Zhàn''''' (Taiwan, 變形金剛: 復仇之戰, "Transformers: War of Revenge"), '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng: Juǎn Tǔ Chóng Lái''''' (China, 变形金刚：卷土重来, "Transformers: The Comeback (of the Decepticons)")
*''Russian:'' '''''Transformery: Mest' Padshikh''''' (Трансформеры: Месть падших, "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Ones")
*''Serbian:'' '''''Transformersi: Osveta Poraženog''''' (''Transformers: The Revenge Of The Fallen'')
*''Spanish:'' '''''Transformers: La Venganza de los Caídos''''' (''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Ones'')
*''Swedish:'' '''''Transformers: De Besegrades Hämnd''''' (''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Ones'')
*''Turkish:'' '''''Transformers: Yenilenlerin İntikamı''''' (''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Ones'')
*''Czech:'' '''''Transformers: Pomsta Poražených''''' (''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Ones'')

==External links==
*[http://www.transformersmovie.com Dreamworks/Paramount's ''Transformers'' Movie website]
*[http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/ Hasbro's ''Transformers'' homepage]
*Designer portfolios: [http://www.joshnizzi.com/ Josh Nizzi], [http://www.ryanchurch.com/images/tf2/04PRO_TF2.htm Ryan Church], [http://skulboyfilmwork.blogspot.com/2009/07/transformers-revenge-of-fallen.html Duncan Crawford], [http://www.paulozzimo.com/ Paul Ozzimo], [http://www.stevejung.net/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=4 Steve Jung], [http://conceptartworld.com/?p=2772 Ben Procter], [http://www.seanhaworth.com/SH_Design/Portfolio/Portfolio.html Sean Haworth]
*[http://www.collider.com/entertainment/interviews/article.asp/aid/10866/tcid/1 Interview with Michael Bay 02/09/2009] — Collider.com

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

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

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)

2026-03-19T18:19:04Z

Zenphia:

{{Nav-dotm}}
{{movie|
|seriess=[[Live-action film series]]
|prev=Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)
|next=Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)
|title=''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''
|image=DOTM-OPportraitposter.jpg
|caption="Of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|my friend]], I can only say this: of all the souls I have encountered, he was the most... human."
|production companies=[[Allspark (company)|Hasbro Films]] [[Lorenzo di Bonaventura|di Bonaventura Pictures]]
|distributor=[[Paramount Pictures]]
|executive producer=[[Steven Spielberg]]
|producer=[[Lorenzo di Bonaventura]] [[Tom DeSanto]] [[Don Murphy]] [[Ian Bryce]]
|written by=[[Ehren Kruger]]
|directed by=[[Michael Bay]]
|cinematography by=[[Amir Mokri]]
|edited by=[[Roger Barton]] [[William Goldenberg]] [[Joel Negron]]
|music by=[[Steve Jablonsky]]
|release date=[[June 29]], [[2011]]
|continuity=[[Live-action film series]]
|runtime=154 minutes
|budget=$195 million
|box office=$1.124 billion
}}
'''''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''''' is the third film in the [[live-action film series]]. It was released in 3D and IMAX at 9PM on [[June 28]], [[2011]]<ref name="open3D">[http://michaelbay.com/2011/06/18/see-dark-of-the-moon-one-day-earlier-on-imax-3d/ See Dark Of The Moon One Day Earlier on IMAX 3D | MichaelBay]</ref> and in wide release on [[June 29]], [[2011]]<ref name="open">[http://www.deadline.com/2011/05/paramount-moving-up-transformers-3/ Paramount Moving Up ‘T’formers 3′ Release – Deadline.com]</ref> in the United States, and between [[June 29]] and July 1 for other markets.

Three years after [[Operation: Firestorm]] and the defeat of [[The Fallen]], the Autobots continue to work for NEST, but no longer in secret, and for the goal of keeping peace between humans by taking out volatile overseas political targets. But after discovering a strange artifact during a mission in Chernobyl, it becomes apparent to Optimus Prime that the United States government has been less than forthright with them.

And SCENE!

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

==Synopsis==
[[File:Dotm-Arkreflection.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"Wha... this is the finest engine room in the whole Starfleet!"]]

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

[[File:DOTM - ShockwaveDriller.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|"When I swing around, I mean to deprive you of your life."]]
In the present day, the Autobots are still part of [[NEST]], cooperating with the [[United States military|US Armed Forces]]. They have also begun to help humanity in its local conflicts, as [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]], [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]], [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]], and [[Dino]] destroy an illegal [[Iran]]ian nuclear facility. On a mission to the [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]], a NEST team led by [[William Lennox|Lt. Col. Lennox]], [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] discovers an unknown alien fuel cell which had led to the {{w|Chernobyl disaster}}. While trying to secure the cell, they are attacked by the Decepticon [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] and his "pet", the [[Driller]], who are eventually forced to retreat by Optimus. Meanwhile, [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] kills [[Alexi Voskhod]], who had called NEST to Chernobyl and was secretly working for him. After securing the fuel cell and identifying it as part of the ''Ark'', Optimus is angry at the humans for not following through with their agreement of sharing all known information relating to Cybertron and its inhabitants. Despite this, he eventually informs his allies and [[Charlotte Mearing]], the {{w|Director of National Intelligence}}, about the space bridge technology the ''Ark'' contains. Together with Ratchet, Optimus travels to the Moon, where they find Sentinel Prime inside the ship. Retrieving him along with four pillars of the space bridge and the accompanying control pillar, they return to Earth, where Optimus uses the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to reactivate Sentinel Prime. In [[Africa]], Decepticon leader [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] (still recovering from wounds [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|suffered]] in [[Egypt]]) meets with his lieutenants [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] and [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. Upon learning that the Autobots have recovered Sentinel and the pillars, Megatron orders Soundwave and Laserbeak to terminate their "loose ends".

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

[[File:DOTM-Sentinelendofyourworld.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66|"There's a man out there I haven't seen in fifteen years who's trying to kill me."]]

Locked out of participating in the investigation by Mearing, Sam turns to [[Seymour Simmons]] for help. Simmons, who has become a millionaire as a writer, and his aide, [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]], help Sam find out that the Soviets have taken photos of Decepticons removing hundreds of space bridge pillars out of the ''Ark'' even before Apollo 11 had landed on the Moon. Sam and Simmons conclude that the Decepticons had left Sentinel Prime behind on purpose, knowing that only he would be able to activate the space bridge, and only Optimus Prime could reactivate him. Sam is able to warn the Autobots in time so they can protect Sentinel from a Decepticon attack and escort him back to the NEST headquarters. Upon arriving there, however, Sentinel Prime betrays them, revealing that he made a deal with Megatron to ensure Cybertron's survival. After killing [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] and most of the NEST soldiers, Sentinel claims the remaining pillars and escapes. The other Autobots track him down to [[Washington, D.C.]], but before Optimus can stop him, Sentinel activates a space bridge to the Moon. The portal allows dozens of Decepticon troops which had remained hidden under the Moon's surface to reach Earth, forcing the Autobots to retreat.

[[File:DOTM-Moonspacebridge.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|"We are one big, happy fleet! Ah, [[James T. Kirk|Kirk]], my old friend, do you know the [[Klingon]] proverb that tells us revenge is a dish that is best served cold? It is ''very'' cold in space."]]

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

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

[[File:DarkoftheMoon-Chicago.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|left|"Let them eat static. "]]
Dylan takes Carly to [[Chicago]], informing her that the Decepticons do not intend to return to Cybertron; instead, they want to transport the planet into Earth's orbit, because Earth not only has the necessary resources, but also six billion slaves to rebuild the Transformers' home planet. With the Autobots seemingly out of the way, the Decepticons arrive and lay waste to the city and its population before setting up the control pillar for the space bridge and sending the other pillars around the world.

Sam decides to go to Chicago, accompanied by [[Robert Epps]], who now works for NASA, and other former NEST members. They are promptly attacked by the Decepticons, but are rescued by Optimus Prime and the other Autobots. Having never intended to leave Earth, they had hidden themselves inside a modified rocket booster that was jettisoned before Starscream destroyed the ''Xantium''.

[[File:DOTM Driller vs Prime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|"From Hell's heart, I stab at thee!"]]

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

In the meantime, Lennox and the rest of NEST have managed to make their way into the city using [[wingsuit]]s, and Sam destroys Starscream with Lennox's help using weapons provided to him by the Autobot scientist Que. Meanwhile, the Decepticons have taken several Autobot prisoners, but Dylan convinces them to execute them on the spot. [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] kills Que, and Soundwave moves to take Bumblebee next, but the Autobots Wheelie and Brains have managed to make one of the Decepticons' ships crash, thereby distracting Soundwave long enough for Bumblebee to overpower and kill him, freeing the other Autobots. Most of the remaining Decepticons are slaughtered by the Autobots and human soldiers. Optimus kills Shockwave and uses the Decepticon's arm cannon to topple over the space bridge's control pillar, deactivating the bridge.

[[File:DOTMCybertrontransit.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.55|"Earth was created in six days. Now, watch out! Here comes Genesis! We'll do it for you in six minutes!"]]

Optimus Prime then confronts Sentinel Prime and the two engage in a ferocious battle of Student vs Master, but Optimus can't get past Sentinel's shield. Not wanting to take any chances, Sentinel calls in an airstrike, which is soon destroyed by long-range missiles. With Optimus reinforced by the other Autobots and humans, Sentinel tries to make a run for it only for Optimus to knock him off his wheels on a bridge. Meanwhile, Carly stumbles across Megatron outside the main battle zone. Having previously witnessed a violent argument between him and Sentinel, she appeals to his pride and makes him realize that he will never be able to rule over Cybertron as long as Sentinel is alive.

Sentinel gains the upper hand over Optimus and severs his right arm, but before he can execute his former pupil, an infuriated Megatron attacks and severely damages him, declaring that Earth is ''his'' planet to rule. Meanwhile, Dylan manages to reactivate the toppled pillar, but is attacked by Sam and hurled against the pillar, which kills him. Subsequently, Bumblebee destroys the pillar for good, thus destroying the space bridge and, presumably, Cybertron with it. Seeing this, Megatron half-heartedly offers Optimus Prime a truce on the condition that he will remain in charge of the Decepticons, questioning what Optimus would be without him. Realizing that the offer is less than sincere, Optimus refuses and attacks Megatron, decapitating him with an axe. The weakened Sentinel Prime tries to excuse his actions, but Optimus executes the treacherous Prime with Megatron's shotgun.

[[File:DOTM Autobots NEST victorious.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|"Live long... and prosper..."]]

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

[['Til all are one|'Til all are]] [[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|one?]]
{{--}}

==Main cast==

{{featuredcharacters|
h1=[[Autobot]]s|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] ([[Leonard Nimoy]])
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]
*[[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] ([[Jess Harnell]])
*[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] ([[Robert Foxworth]])
*[[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] ([[James Remar]])
*[[Dino]] ([[Francesco Quinn]])<ref group=note name="credits">Mirage and Wheeljack, known by those names in the toyline and essentially all supporting media, are respectively named "Dino" and "Que" in the film. While Dino is simply credited as such, Que is listed in the credits as "Que/Wheeljack".</ref>
*[[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que/Wheeljack]] ([[George Coe]])<ref group=note name="credits"/>
*[[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] ([[Tom Kenny]])
*[[Brains]] ([[Reno Wilson]])

'''[[Twins (ROTF)|Twins]]'''
*[[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] (cameo)<ref group=note name=skidsandmudflap>Skids and Mudflap only appear during the convoy scene at the beginning of the film.</ref>
*[[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] (cameo)<ref group=note name=skidsandmudflap/>

'''[[Wreckers]]'''
*[[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] ([[Ron Bottitta]])<ref group=note>Roadbuster is listed as "Roadbuster/Amp" in the credits, a reference to his car mode's sponsor. His name is not used in the film, but he is called "Roadbuster" in the toyline and supporting media.</ref>
*[[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]]
*[[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]] ([[John DiMaggio]])<ref group=note>Leadfoot is listed in the film's end credits as "Leadfoot/Target", a reference to his car mode's sponsor. His name is not spoken in the film, but he is called "Leadfoot" in the toyline and the supporting media.</ref>

|h2=[[Decepticon]]s|c2=
*[[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] ([[Hugo Weaving]])
*[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] ([[Charlie Adler]])
*[[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
**[[Driller]]
*[[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
**[[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] ([[Keith Szarabajka]])
*[[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] (''Frank Welker'')<ref group=note>Barricade doesn't ''technically'' speak in the movie, 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.</ref>
*[[Loader]]
*[[Devcon (DOTM)|Devcon]]
*[[Igor]] ([[Greg Berg]])
*[[Hatchling]]s
*[[Audi R8 Decepticon]]
*Two [[M1 Abrams Decepticon]]s
*[[Garagebot]]
*[[Lensmeter Decepticon]]s
*[[Protoform]]s
*[[Watch-bot]]<ref group=note>Repeatedly referred to as the "Watch-bot" (proper noun) in the ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel]]''</ref>
*[[Pickup Decepticon]]
*[[Police car Decepticon]]

'''[[Constructicon (ROTF)|Constructicons]]'''
*[[Scrapper (ROTF)|Scrapper]] type Decepticon
*[[Long Haul (ROTF)|Long Haul]] type Decepticon

'''[[Dread (DOTM)|Dreads]]'''
*[[Crankcase (DOTM)|Crankcase]]
*[[Crowbar]] (''[[Jimmie Wood]]'')<ref group=note>During the highway battle scene where Crowbar flips over a sign, recycled screams and grunts from Jimmie Wood's [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]] performance in ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' can be heard.</ref>
*[[Hatchet (DOTM)|Hatchet]]

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

|nonumbering=true
}}
<references group=note/>

==Quotes==

"We were once a peaceful race of intelligent, mechanical beings. But then came the war, between the Autobots who fought for freedom and the Decepticons who dreampt of tyranny. Overmatched and outnumbered, our defeat was all but certain. But in the war's final days, one Autobot ship escaped the battle. It was carrying a secret cargo, which would have changed our planet's fate. A despearate mission. Our final hope. A hope that vanished."
:—'''Optimus Prime's''' opening narration.

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

'''Dino''': "He's in a bad mood. He's not talking to anybody today." 
'''Mearing''': "What is this, the silent treatment?" 
'''Ironhide''': "We've seen that and this is ''not'' that." 
'''Que''': "Definitely not." 
'''Ironhide''': "This is ''worse''. Prime! Make something of yourself! (Ironhide taps Optimus's roof) He's pissed."
:—'''Ironhide''' discusses '''Optimus Prime's''' foul mood.

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

"My poor, poor master, how it pains me to see you, so wounded... so weak..."
:—'''Starscream''' jeering at a wounded Megatron

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

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

"Woah! Little Mexican standoff we got here!"
:—'''Sideswipe''', talking to Ironhide and the Dreads.

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

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

[[File:DOTM-MegatronLincoln.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"I'll give him this: [[Atlantis, Arise!|he]]'s [[Transformers The Game (console)|consistent]]!"]] 
"Here we are. Fight us ''now''."
:—'''Megatron''', pulling the evil overlord cliché on us while sitting atop the [[Abraham Lincoln|Lincoln Memorial]]

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

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

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

"I bring you Cybertron, your home—and still you choose humanity." 
"You are the one who taught me [[Bio|freedom is everyone's right]]."
:—'''Sentinel''' VS '''Optimus Prime'''.

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

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

"Optimus. All I ever wanted...was the survival of our race. You must see why I had to betray you..." 
"You didn't betray me. You betrayed yourself..."
:—'''Optimus Prime''''s final exchange with '''Sentinel Prime''' before effectively ''double-tapping'' him.

"In any war, there are calms between storms. There will be days when we lose faith. Days when our allies turn against us... but the day will never come that we forsake this planet and its people."
:—'''Optimus Prime's''' closing narration, [[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|which predicts what will]] [[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|happen to them years later]].

==Continuity notes==
*Sam has since graduated from college, being three months out of school, and is currently looking for a job. Since the events of ''Revenge of the Fallen'', Sam and Mikaela had broke up (despite having to spend an entire film of Sam needing to say the L-word). Prior to the events of this film, he started a relationship with Carly Spencer.
*Megatron's camp is full of salvaged artifacts from the previous film, along with several Decepticon corpses laying around the area. While most are unrecognizable, one of them is a headless Long Haul; his head was presumably used to create Igor. Megatron's new right hand appears to be salvaged from a fallen Decepticon, as the matching left hand can be seen laying around the campsite.
*The Wreckers, according to Charlotte Mearing arrived on Earth aboard the ''Xantium'' and brought the second wave of Autobots with them. The Wreckers were not seen in ''Revenge of the Fallen'', which is given an in-universe explanation that their bloodthirsty attitudes mean they are usually confined to base.
*Barricade makes a surprising return during the final battle in Chicago, last seen driving alongside Bonecrusher on the highway before the latter engaged the Autobot Leader in the first film.
*Megatron is still critically wounded after the final battle of ''Revenge of the Fallen'', notably still missing half of his head.
*Optimus Prime's main moral compass that "freedom is the right of all sentient beings", is revealed to have been taught to him by his predecessor and mentor, Sentinel Prime.
*Introduced in the second film, Optimus uses The Matrix of Leadership to revive Sentinel Prime, having retrieved it from the remains of the Star Harvester sometime following the climax of the second film. In the same previous film, Megatron had suspected the Matrix could be used to revive Optimus and was proven right when Sam succeeded, a fact Megatron exploits in his master plan enacted this film.
*Sentinel Prime was first mentioned in the previous film, by Sam Witwicky during one of his many Allspark induced exposition dump.
*In the previous film, [[Theodore Galloway]] asked Optimus that if humanity asked the Autobots to leave whether they'd cooperate, and Optimus promised to do so. This film sees them seemingly comply with such demands, only to reveal themselves to have stayed behind anyway to defeat the Decepticons.
*Ironhide no longer has his cannons, having lost them in the final battle of the previous film.

==Errors==
===Filming, animation and technical errors===
*When Sam is holding Brains in his hand after catching him spying on him and Carly, there is a short shot in which Sam is briefly seen in the background, holding nothing in hand, Brains is missing. In the next shot, Brains is back in the hand.
*After killing Ironhide, while Sentinel Prime is storming the NEST base, Sentinel Prime, Ironhide and most likely Bumblebee are all missing in a short shot in which we see two cars projected by an explosion, supposed to be a result of one of Sentinel's gun shots.
*Ironhide in alt-form appears in a short shot among the Autobots in Chicago, riding ahead of Optimus, at 01:43:21-01:43:22, but after that he disappears completely.
*Bits of Megatron's right shoulder clip through each other in the shot where he's demanding a truce.

===Astronomical and historical errors===
*The Moon does not rotate with respect to Earth, and Mare Tranquillitatis is near the middle of the near side. Therefore, Tranquility Base could never be described as being on the far side, and Earth is never as close to the horizon as shown in the movie.
*The Apollo 11 Command/Service Module is seen flying to the Moon without the Lunar Module. The Lunar Module is attached when the vehicle is orbiting the Moon, however.
*When the modern day site of the Apollo 11 landing is seen, the ascent module (the cabin Buzz and Neil flew back to orbit in) is still there.
*In real life, Apollo 11 did not land on the far side of the Moon. Tranquility Base is on the near side of the Moon.
*One of the directors of NASA says that all six Apollo missions recovered parts of the Ark but this not possible as the six missions all had different landing sites which were all a significant distance apart.
*Cybertron is apparently several times the size of Earth, yet the characters talk of bringing it "into Earth's atmosphere"; at that size, it would be more like bringing ''Earth'' into ''Cybertron's'' atmosphere, but see below for the problem with that.
*The Space Bridge starts to bring Cybertron amazingly close to Earth - less than one Earth-diameter away. Assuming Cybertron's mass is proportional to its size, Cybertron's gravitational field would [[The Ultimate Doom|tear the Earth apart]] at that distance.

===Geographic discontinuities===
*The [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]] is shown to be located ''inside'' of, or at least right next to the abandoned city of {{w|Pripyat}}, and the human characters access it through nearby buildings. In reality, the power plant is situated on the outskirts of the city. Even worse, [[Alexi Voskhod]] ''explicitly'' says that the entrance leads through a ''school''. Who builds a ''school'' right next to a ''nuclear power plant''?
*Furthermore, Pripyat's infamous Ferris wheel as shown in the movie is not only the wrong model (the real one's passenger cabins have canopies), but the real one is also located in an open field far away from any buildings.<ref name="ferris">[http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pripyat_-_Ferris_wheel.jpg Photo of the Pripyat Ferris wheel] showing the closest nearby buildings.</ref> But hey, at least it's the right color!
*Also, why exactly is the Sputnik mission case inside the Chernobyl reactor building? Did the Soviets never bother to discard the packaging of their toy after starting to play with it?
*When Megatron transforms for the first time, he's in a grassy savannah. In the next shot, he's standing in the middle of a desert... and in the establishing shot of the Decepticon camp, it's back in the savannah.
*{{w|Mount Kilimanjaro}} is seen in the background of many of the scenes in Namibia; in reality, the mountain is located in Tanzania, more than three thousand kilometers away.
[[File:DOTM-Wreckers-Prime-Cables.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Chicago's own [[knockoff]] of a prominent Chinese building.]]
*In a [[Atlantis, Arise!|fairly common cinematic contrivance]], the film depicts multiple skyscrapers in the background of many scenes set in Washington, D.C., while the real-life city has no skyscrapers.
*Also, Washington, D.C. almost entirely lacks old industrial buildings that could be converted into lofts, and likewise doesn't have the kind of densely urban streets that Sam is shown to live on.
*NEST Headquarters, supposedly in Washington, is actually Chicago's abandoned Main Post Office.
*Likewise, Dylan's auto collection museum, also set in (land-locked) Washington, is actually the Milwaukee Art Museum. [[Lake Michigan]] is even visible through the windows!
*When Optimus Prime (using his jetpack) gets himself caught in wires below an under-construction building, that building bears a striking resemblance to the {{w|China Central Television Headquarters}} in [[Beijing]], [[China]]... a far shot from [[Chicago]]. Since construction for the CCTV building was finished in 2008, long before ''Dark of the Moon'' was even ''conceived'', this appears to be an intentional instance of a "cool building" being inserted just for the sake of it.

===Continuity errors===
*Like in ''Revenge of the Fallen'', Ironhide sports his [[license plate]] from the [[Transformers (film)|first movie]], "4PCI382", on his robot mode chest, but doesn't have a license plate in vehicle mode. (According to set photos, his license plate in vehicle mode is mostly black, with a NEST logo on it.)
*Speaking of inconsistencies between robot and vehicle mode: Bumblebee's updated Chevrolet Camaro alternate mode no longer has pinstripes bordering his black racing stripes, but the CG robot model still has the pinstripes.
[[Image:DOTM-SoundwaveMercedesStar.jpg|thumb|upright=1.9|right|Is this the reverse of hidden faction insignias in vehicle mode?]]
*Soundwave has [[kibble]] from his [[Mercedes-Benz|Mercedes]] alternate mode while he is in Africa, but his chest has only a blank grille. The Mercedes star is only added to his chest from the scene where he reveals himself to be Carly's car onward. This is most likely a deliberate choice made to avoid spoiling the plot twist.
*After Megatron pulls out his shotgun for the first time, he holsters it on the right side of his back. In the next scene it is on his left side.
*In the highway battle scene with the [[Dread (DOTM)|Dreads]], Crowbar smashes into some traffic signs and knocks them over. In the next shot when the other two Dreads use them as ramps, the angle at which the signs fell has changed. After Hatchet and Crankcase transform, the signs revert into their original position.
*Also in the highway battle, Bumblebee enhances only his front wheels to evade Hatchet, yet in the next shot he's fully in Stealth Force mode.
*When Hatchet is killed by Bumblebee and Dino, the last shot shows him being thrown onto a car (using footage recycled from Michael Bay's 2005 film ''{{w|The Island (2005 film)|The Island}}'', as elaborated on below), with Dino's grappling hook cables still attached to Hatchet, which would imply that Dino is still in robot mode at this point. However, the very next shot shows Dino in the far background, driving behind Bumblebee in vehicle mode.
*Immediately after crashing into Ironhide, two of Crowbar's hair strands fall to the ground, but he has all six strands from the next shot onwards.
*During Ironhide and Sideswipe's "Mexican standoff" with Crankcase and Crowbar, all combatants drop their firearms, but when Ironhide is speared, his guns are on his back again. They disappear in subsequent shots.
*In addition, the spear impaled in Ironhide disappears when he shoots Crowbar, only to reappear in subsequent shots.
*Despite being captured by Soundwave in her evening gown, Carly is somehow able to change into more convenient clothes (but still wearing high heels!) after arriving at Dylan's place, and has yet another outfit following the attack on Chicago the following day. Not only that, she changes her earrings, too!
*When the Autobots are boarding the ''Xantium,'' Simmons mentions that nine Autobots are leaving. Former Decepticons Wheelie and Brains apparently don't count. Poor little guys!
*The Wreckers claim they had been hiding inside a rocket booster that was jettisoned from the ''Xantium'' before Starscream destroyed it. The boosters are only seen to be detached after Starscream destroys the ship, after it has barely taken off from the ground.
*Though it's a standard action movie contrivance, it sure is convenient that the glass windows inside skyscrapers are extremely fragile when needed, and glass shards are as dangerous as bread crumbs so nobody suffers a single cut from sliding across them.
*Shortly after everyone jumps through the window and starts sliding down, a downwards shot of the building shows all of the windows behind them are intact.
*As everyone tumbles through a lower floor of the building, [[Stone]] is shown to fall right through and out the other side with a collection of office furniture, but not long after is back with Epps's squad.
*Despite the Decepticons taking over Chicago and killing a whole bunch of people, there seem to be a lot of people continuing to go about their daily lives. The skyscraper Epps's team goes into to launch a rocket from still seems to have plenty of office workers in it when the Driller attacks it. When Sam's being thrown around on the end of the grapple glove rope while fighting Starscream, he crashes through a wall into a dry-cleaning business where a woman appears to be calmly hanging up a shirt. Did they all just not get the memo?
*The sequence beginning with Sam, Carly, Epps and the rest of the soldiers jumping out of the windows of the tilted skyscraper is one giant continuity headache: First they jump out of the windows, then slide down several stories, then the camera angle changes and they're sliding down several more stories, and ''then'' a wide shot shows the top of the skyscraper from an angle where the characters cannot be seen, then slowly pans around and eventually shows them all sliding down from one of the topmosts floors all over again! Eventually, they crash back into one of the lowest floors near the break. After the Driller has toppled the top portion of the skyscraper over, the group is ''again'' shown to escape from one one of the topmost floors to the neighboring building!
*Though it is Barricade who kicks and shoves Que along before executing him, the voice heard is Soundwave's. Presumably, this was an artifact of the early alternate version of the scene, in which Soundwave was to kill Dino, and they just re-used the audio.
*While fighting the Autobots at the end of the film, Sentinel Prime's cape disappears for a brief scene before reappearing on his back when the camera angle changes.
*When Sam and Dylan are fighting, the clock behind them changes to different times every shot. It starts at 00:40, then 02:25, 00:15 and 11:00 in the following shots.
*When Sam and Carly are reunited after the final battle, Carly's hands keep changing the position on every cut, sometimes on Sam's neck, sometimes on his shoulders.
*[[File:SkidsMudflap in Chicago.jpg|thumb|upright=1.9|right|Skids & Mudflap in Chicago]]Not intentional: Skids and Mudflap appear for a brief few seconds in the film in their vehicle modes. This leaves questions as to what happened to them. They weren't seen departing from Earth or taking part in the Chicago battle. However footage filming in Chicago confirms were involved in the Battle of Chicago.<ref name="transformerslive.blogspot.com">[https://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2010/07/mpea-busway-set-pics-explosions-and.html]</ref>
*It's said that four Autobots were captured by the Decepticons in Chicago, but actually five Autobots were captured. (Unless this observation was made ''before'' Bumblebee arrived after saving Sam and Lennox), possibly a leftover from an earlier draft of the script in where [[Dino]] and/or [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]] were supposed to already be dead by this point.
*When Que is about to be executed, the "cardboard head on a stick" prop used for Dino during the shooting of the movie (a common method used for the movies to give the actors ''something'' to react to) can be spotted in the final edit of the film,<ref name="headprop">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/494618-movies-errors-mirage-prop-final-movie-edit.html "Movies Errors - Mirage prop in final movie edit"] at TFW2005</ref> as noted above possibly a leftover from an earlier draft of the script where Soundwave mocked Bumblebee with Dino's disembodied head.
*Megatron's head wound alternates between "moderately repaired" and "extra mangled" from scene to scene after Sentinel tears another chunk of his scalp off.

==Transformers references==
In addition to recurring elements from the previous films, ''Dark of the Moon'' bases a number of elements on previous versions of the ''Transformers'' mythos, including plot elements based on older stories, something fairly rare in the other two movies:
*New characters [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] are heavily based upon their Generation 1 counterparts. [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]] is derived from G1 character [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]. [[Sentinel Prime (disambiguation)|Sentinel Prime]] is the name of Optimus's predecessor in many continuities, and in this instance, he continues his [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|predecessor]]'s [[Sentinel Prime (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|legacy]] of being a giant jerk.

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

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

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

*[[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] and [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]] being members of the Wreckers recalls their original G1 counterparts being likewise part of the Wreckers.

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Megatron's first line—a weary "[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All hail Megatron]]"—is the title of IDW's direction-changing comic maxi-series, which had just wrapped up when production on the film was beginning.

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

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

*The technique of shooting at a skyscraper until it breaks in half and the top falls horizontally on other buildings has been done by [[Megatron (BW)|another Megatron]] in [[Endgame Pt. III: Seeds of the Future|another city]].

==Real-world references==
*When Brains and Wheelie are watching ''{{w|Star Trek: The Original Series}}'', the screen features [[Spock|Mr. Spock]], portrayed by Leonard Nimoy—who voices Sentinel Prime. Wheelie comments that it is "the one where Spock goes nuts," which foreshadows Sentinel's heel turn. The episode itself is the famous ''TOS'' episode "{{w|Amok Time}}", although for some inexplicable reason, the first of the two clips shown on-screen is mirrored.
*Sentinel Prime says "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." The voice actor said the same line in the 1982 film ''{{w|Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan}}'' as Mr. Spock. However, in that movie, Nimoy's character dies a hero.
*To finish the Spock trifecta, when Bumblebee says his goodbyes to Sam, he uses a clip of Leonard Nimoy, as Spock, saying "I will always be your friend," another line from ''Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan''.
*[[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]] and his fake girlfriend's name, "India", are a reference to {{w|Dutch India}}.
*[[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]]'s name is a reference to {{w|Q (James Bond)|Q}} from ''{{w|James Bond}}'' novels and films. Que also gives weapons to NEST soldiers while explaining the advantages and abilities for the weapons much like Q does for James Bond.
*When Bumblebee is being dragged around by Soundwave to be executed, he plays a clip of Matt Damon saying "Get off me!" from ''Saving Private Ryan.''
*When Bumblebee brings forth "rings" for Sam and Carly, he "hums" the {{w|Wedding March}} (or, more correctly, the {{w|Bridal Chorus}} from {{w|Richard Wagner}}'s 1850 opera ''{{w|Lohengrin (opera)|Lohengrin}}'').
*Before Sentinel gets attacked by Megatron, he says "There can only be one", a popular misquote of the line "There can be only one" from the film Highlander. Sentinel is also modeled after one of the film's lead stars Sean Connery.

==Other editions==
*The version of the film available for streaming on Star+ removes all scenes that include humans being killed by Decepticon laser fire, significantly cutting down the initial invasion of Chicago.
{{stub}}
{{--}}

==Prequel material==
*''[[Transformers: Sector 7]]''
A five-issue limited mini-series chronicling the foundation of [[Sector Seven|Sector 7]] leading up to ''[[Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday|Ghosts of Yesterday]]''.
*''[[Transformers: Foundation]]''
A four-issue limited mini-series set during the events of ''[[Transformers: Defiance|Defiance]]'' telling the events that lead-up to the original ''[[Transformers: Movie Prequel|Movie Prequel]]''.
*''[[Transformers: Rising Storm]]''
A four-issue limited mini-series set after ''[[Transformers: Nefarious|Nefarious]]'' cronicling Shockwave's arrival and the task given to him by Megatron.
*''[[Cyberglyphics pack-in comics]]''
A six-issue miniseries by IDW, produced in cooperation with [[Target]], available only in printed form as [[pack-in material]] with a small Target-[[exclusive]] [[Target#Dark of the Moon|range of toys]], following [[Space Case (DOTM)|Space Case]]'s encounters with the Autobots and the Decepticons and leads up to ''Rising Storm''.
*''[[Transformers: Convergence]]''
A four-part prose story exclusive to the individual issues of IDW Publishing's ''Dark of the Moon comic adaptation'', chronicles both the Simmons lineage in the aftermath of ''Sector 7'' and Soundwave's activites on Earth, tying the remaining loose ends and setting the stage for ''Dark of the Moon''.
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)]]''
A video game developed by [[High Moon Studios]] for [[Xbox 360]] & [[PlayStation|PS3]].
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Stealth Force Edition]]''
A [[Wii]] & [[Nintendo 3DS|3DS]] port of the game developed by [[Behaviour Interactive]] focusing only on [[Stealth Force]].
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Autobots/Decepticons]]''
A [[Nintendo DS]] port of the game also developed by Behaviour Interactive, with each factions separated in two titles.
*''[[Transformers (Titan Magazine)#Dark of the Moon|Transformers (Titan Magazine)]]''
A monthly title by Titan in the [[United Kingdom|UK]] (another rebranding of their existing comic).
*''[[Transformers Classified]]''
A prequel novel trilogy in the same vein as ''Ghosts of Yesterday'' and ''[[Transformers: The Veiled Threat|The veiled Threat]]'' that was published after the movie, composed by ''[[Transformers Classified: Switching Gears|Switching Gears]]'', ''[[Transformers Classified: Battle Mountain|Battle Mountain]]'' & ''[[Transformers Classified: Satellite of Doom|Satellite of Doom]]'', later published together as ''[[Transformers Classified: The Complete Mission]]'' it cronicles how the Autobots & Decepticons fight against each other on Earth in the aftermath of [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|The Fallen's death]].

==Adaptations==
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)|Transformers: Dark of the Moon]]''
The novelization of the film by [[Peter David]].
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation]]''
IDW Publishing's comic adaptation of the movie.

'''Children's adaptations'''
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel]]''
The movie novelization for kids.

==Sequels==
{{main|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|Bumblebee (film)}}

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

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

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

===Additional Information===
*Close Captions in English
*Audio Description as Audio Description in English <ref>http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B005G4TJUC/audiodescriin-20</ref>

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

==Reception==
{{quote|Time will tell whether Transformers: Dark of the Moon really is the final Transformers film for both director Michael Bay and star Shia LaBeouf, but it's certainly the best one in this hugely successful, but widely loathed franchise.|[https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/06/27/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-review They've Fallen, but can the Transformers get up?], Jim Vejvoda|[https://www.ign.com ign.com] [[June 27]] [[2011]]}}

{{quote|Rarely has a movie had less of a soul and less interesting characters.|Richard Roeper, [http://www.richardroeper.com/reviews/transformersdarkofthemoon.aspx richardroeper.com] [[June 28]], [[2011]]}}

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

The official release date was moved up from July 1 to June 29 to allow breathing room between its release and ''{{w|Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2}}''. On June 28, 2011, the film was released in 3D and IMAX in the US.

The film received a generally mixed critical reception, who praised the visual effects, action sequences, musical score, voice acting, and use of 3D, while criticizing the runtime, storyline, the performances of [[Shia LaBeouf]] and [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]], and screenplay. ''Dark of the Moon'' was considered at least an improvement from ''Revenge of the Fallen'', receiving a tomatometer score of 35% and an audience score of 55% on Rotten Tomatoes.<ref>https://rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_dark_of_the_moon</ref>

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

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

''Dark of the Moon'' ended its theatrical run in the #5 spot for highest worldwide gross of all time.

Upon its' release, the ''Transformers'' fanbase generally had a warmer reception to the film over its' predecessor, with praise going to the action, score, and particularly [[Leonard Nimoy]]'s performance and role as [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]]. Several moments in the film caused no shortage of discussion, with Optimus Prime's more ruthless, violent actions ([[Peter Cullen]] himself disliked the "we will kill them all" line) and the handling of the deaths of major franchise characters being notable sore spots for the film's detractors. Over a decade since its' release, ''Dark of the Moon'' still retains the warmest reception to a Bay film outside of the first film, though those more ambivalent towards the series don't consider it that different from the lesser films.

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

On February 25, 2012, it was announced that ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' was nominated for eight {{w|Golden Raspberry Award}}s. Unlike ''Revenge of the Fallen'', however, it did not receive the awards for Worst Picture, Worst Screenplay, & Worst Director, losing all of its nominations to ''{{w|Jack & Jill (2011 film)|Jack & Jill}}''.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-is-safe-from-razzies-174726/]</ref>

==Technical details==
'''Length:''' 154 minutes
'''Audio:''' Dolby Digital / DTS / SDDS 
'''Content Rating:'''
{{collist|4|
*PG-13 (USA/MPAA)
*G (Japan)
*12A (United Kingdom)
*PG (Canada; Ontario)
*G (Canada; Quebec)
*PG-12 (Taiwan)
*PG13 (Singapore)
*PG-13 (Philippines/MTRCB)
*IIA (China)
*PG-13 (Malaysia)
*M (Australia)
*M (New Zealand)
*12 (Brazil)
*K-11 (Finland)
*12 (Germany)
*12A (Ireland)
*12 (Netherlands)
*M/12 (Portugal)
*12 (South Korea)
*B (Mexico)
*12+ (Russia)}}

==Production staff==
{{stub}}

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

===Locations department===
{{quote|The Decepticons' decision to attack Chicago<ref>http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-471495</ref> seems inexplicable, until you take into consideration the generous tax credits offered by the Illinois Film Office.|film critic Roger Ebert|[http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2011/07/on_the_origin_of_transformers.html On the Origin of Transformers]}}

==Development details==
===Cast and crew signing on===
[[File:TF3-licensingPrime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Featuring a surprise appearance by Optimus Prime!]]
On May 30, 2007, a month before the official release of ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'', [[DreamWorks]] announced that two sequels were already being planned.<ref name="spy">[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a58430/two-transformers-sequels-in-pipeline.html Digital Spy article from May 2007, confirming that two sequels were being planned]</ref> On March 16, 2009, over three months before the premiere of ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] announced the third movie for July 1, 2011.<ref name="3release">Pamela McClintock: [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118001280?refCatId=13 Variety article from March 2009], confirming Transformers 3 for July 2011.</ref> Director [[Michael Bay]] promptly backpedaled, as he had intended for the third ''Transformers'' movie to be released in 2012.<ref name="baywait">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?3947-Wait-a-minute! Michael Bay's reaction to Paramount's July 2011 date for ''Transformers 3''], March 2009.</ref> He officially changed his mind in October 2009, agreeing to the release date set by Paramount.<ref name="bay3-2011">[http://michaelbay.com/2009/10/01/transformers-3-july-1st-2011/ Michael Bay officially confirms the 2011 release date], October 2009.</ref>

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

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

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

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

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

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

[[Leonard Nimoy]] was confirmed as the voice actor for [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] in March 2011.<ref name="nimoysent">[http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/03/31/leonard-nimoy-transformers-dark-of-the-moon Entertainment Weekly announces Leonard Nimoy's involvement], March 2011]</ref> Nimoy, who had previously voiced [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] in 1986's ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' and was married to Michael Bay's cousin Susan, had previously been under consideration for [[The Fallen]]'s voice in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', but Bay had been hesitant for fear of offending his relative with the relatively low pay allotted to voice actors.<ref name="nimoy1">[http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/04/21/michael-bay-afraid-to-offend-leonard-nimoy-with-transformers-family-reunion-offer/ ''Michael Bay Afraid To Offend Leonard Nimoy With ‘Transformers’ Family Reunion Offer''], MTV.com Movies blog, April 2009.</ref> Even though Nimoy openly asked Bay to simply give him a call,<ref name="nimoy2">[http://www.latinoreview.com/news/leonard-nimoy-to-michael-bay-call-me-6682 Leonard Nimoy To Michael Bay: "Call Me!"], Latino Review, April 2009.</ref> it ultimately never worked out, and The Fallen was voiced by [[Tony Todd]] instead. For ''Dark of the Moon'', Bay finally overcame his anxiety and hired Nimoy, who accepted the offer.<ref name="nimoy3">[http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/03/31/leonard-nimoy-transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ "Leonard Nimoy joins 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' voice cast -- EXCLUSIVE"], Entertainment Weekly, March 2011.</ref> In return, screenwriter Ehren Kruger included several nods to Nimoy's well-known character as Mr. Spock from ''[[Star Trek]]'' in the movie.<ref name="nimoystartrek">[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666643/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-star-trek-references.jhtml "'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon': Behind The 'Star Trek' Nods"], MTV.com, July 2011.</ref> ''Dark of the Moon'' would be Nimoy's final performance in the ''Transformers'' franchise before his death in early 2015.

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

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

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

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

Over 500 cars were destroyed in the making of ''Dark of the Moon'', all of them damaged property from insurance companies intended for destruction.<ref name="baych"/>
[[Image:ROTFvsDOTMUSNavyHollenbeck.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|right|Wherever General Morshower goes, I go.]]

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

Another (brief) instance of recycled footage occurs during the Chicago battle: When the Navy fires several Tomahawks at the Decepticons, the mission control room scene was previously used to depict the interior of the [[USS Kidd]] in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''. The most obvious similarity is the [[Hollenbeck|same operator]] saying "Target acquired" both times.<ref name="recycled">[https://youtube.com/watch?v=6tSMdR8vH0s YouTube video] featuring brief clips from ''Dark of the Moon'' and ''Revenge of the Fallen'', highlighting the recycled footage.</ref>

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

===Changes before, during and after production===
[[File:DOTM Skids, Mudflap, Que and Sideswipe.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|Eat this, Megan Fox.]]
*In an interview with the Los Angeles Times in June 2009, Michael Bay suggested that [[Ramon Rodriguez]] would reprise his role as [[Leo Spitz]] from ''Revenge of the Fallen'' for the third movie.<ref name="bayramon">[http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2009/06/30/ramon-rodriguez-will-have-bigger-role-in-third-transformers-movie-bay-hints/ "Ramon Rodriguez will have bigger role in third ‘Transformers’ movie, Bay hints"], Los Angeles Times, June 2009.</ref>

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

*In January 2010, actor James Avery claimed in an interview that he would be playing a new Autobot named "Silverbolt".<ref name="avery">[http://web.archive.org/web/20120401095240/http://unscripted.ca/episodes/show/136 James Avery interview on Unscripted], January 2010</ref> In June 2010, representatives of James Avery, responding to a bizarre rumor that he had passed away, confirmed that the actor was indeed alive and would be playing Silverbolt in ''Transformers 3''.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20151107012047/http://www.examiner.com/article/uncle-phil-james-avery-isn-t-dead-after-all James Avery isn't dead after all], The Examiner, June 2010.</ref> Despite this, neither Avery nor Silverbolt ultimately appear in ''Dark of the Moon''.

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

[[File:DOTM-SentinelPrimetrailer.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Colour me your colour, baby Colour me your car Colour me your colour, darling I know who you are]]
*Shockwave's original voice actor, [[Corey Burton]], expressed that he had no interest in voicing him for ''Dark of the Moon'', explaining "[I] have practically no interest in that kind of mega-budget movie enterprise involvement" and that the inspiration for his Shockwave voice, {{w|David Warner (actor)|David Warner}}, was rumored to have been considered.<ref>[http://www.coreyburton.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=2707&highlight=#2707 Corey Burton's message board post.]</ref> In the end, Shockwave's almost-entirely-wordless-snarl-based role would have been something of a waste of Warner; the role ultimately went to Frank Welker. There's a nice touch of symmetry in the casting, with Welker taking over a Burton-originated role not long after Burton took on a Welker-originated character in [[Megatron (Animated)|''Animated'' Megatron]].

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

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

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

*A scrapped death for Wheeljack/"Que" involved the Autobot being run off of a Chicago street and into a river by the [[Driller]], where he would have been torn to pieces by Decepticon troopers lying in wait in the river.

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

[[File:DOTMSuperBowlvsTrailer.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|So does this qualify as a retcon?]]
*Another plot point that was apparently dropped was an anti-Autobot sentiment among the human populace. Graffiti with a crossed out Autobot [[insignia|logo]] with the words "go home" below it showed up in several set photos.<ref name="gohome1">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2010/05/transformers-3-filming-with-twins.html Photos from the set in Sherman Oaks, California] at the Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, May 2010.</ref><ref name="gohome2">[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/possible-tf3-plot-point-revealed-autobots-go-home/19188/ Photos from the Chicago set] at Seibertron.com, July 2010.</ref> In the movie, Congress instantly passes a law exiling the Autobots from Earth following Sentinel Prime's ultimatum.

*Early working names included "[[Ultra Magnus (disambiguation)|Ultra Magnus]]" for [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]],<ref name="chicagocall">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2011/06/chicgo-call-sheet-for-ultra-magnus.html "Chicago Call Sheet For Ultra Magnus"], Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, June 2011.</ref> "Enzo" (after {{w|Enzo Ferrari}})<ref name="callsheet2">[http://tilallaremine.wordpress.com/2011/07/01/dark-of-the-moon-call-sheets/ Dark of the Moon Call Sheets!] at Til All Are Mine blog, July 2011.</ref> and "Rush" for Mirage/"Dino", "[[Warpath (disambiguation)|Warpath]]" for both [[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] and [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]], "Tempest" for Topspin, "[[Flash (disambiguation)|Flash]]" for [[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]], "[[Dreadwind (disambiguation)|Dreadwind]]" for [[Crankcase (DOTM)|Crankcase]], "[[Hooligan (disambiguation)|Hooligan]]" for [[Crowbar]], "[[Dirtbag]]" for [[Hatchet (DOTM)|Hatchet]], "[[Blitzwing (disambiguation)|Blitzwing]]" for [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]], "[[Breakdown (disambiguation)|Breakdown]]" for Soundwave's new vehicular design, "[[Clench (G1)|Colossus]]" for the [[Driller]],<ref name="nizzi">[http://www.joshnizzi.com/TF3.htm Josh Nizzi DOTM concepts.]</ref> "Buzzard" for [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]], "[[Undermine (Cybertron)|Undermine]]" for [[Igor]] and "[[Steeljaw (disambiguation)|Steeljaw]]" for Wheeljack/"Que". However, it's quite possible a few of these were code names used to keep character identities a secret during production as images of Megatron's new cloak obscured face refer to the character as "[[Cyclonus (disambiguation)|Cyclonus]]".<ref name="wburt">[http://conceptartworld.com/?p=8388 Wesley Burt DOTM concepts.]</ref>

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

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

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

*Megatron was originally supposed to appear in his ''Revenge of the Fallen'' form.<ref>http://joshnizzi.com/images/TF3/JoshNizzi_TF3_56.jpg</ref>

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

*In the original announcement trailer for ''Dark of the Moon'' that was released in December 2010, the opening scene that featured [[Neil Armstrong]] and [[Buzz Aldrin]] investigate the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'' on the moon had Sentinel Prime sport a gold and silver color scheme. For the final movie, his base color was changed to red, his left shoulder was lowered, his facial expression was changed to look more droopy, and the whole scene was given a considerable blue tint.

*Similar to the announcement trailer, the Super Bowl spot also features footage that contains unfinished CG effects. Most notably, the shot that depicts Optimus Prime, equipped with his flight pack, swooping down on the Decepticons before starting his epic rampage on the ground was changed by the time the first full trailer was released: Optimus himself and the first [[M1 Abrams Decepticon]] are both rescaled and moved to different positions on-screen; a Decepticon using the same [[body-type]] as [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] and [[Grindor (ROTF)|Grindor]] is removed entirely; and a Decepticon using the same body-type as Long Haul, as well as other [[generic]]s, are added. The final movie uses pretty much the same version as seen in the trailer.
{{-}}

===Leaks and disinformation===
[[File:DOTMgameSoundwave.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|What you're about to see is totally classified.]]
The movie's title, then "Transformers: ''The'' Dark of the Moon", was first discovered on October 6, 2010 via listings for childrens' books on [[Amazon (website)|Amazon]]. The title was further confirmed by a whois check for "www.transformersdarkofthemoonmovie.com".<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-3-title-revealed-170697/ Transformers 3 Title Revealed?] @ TFW2005.com</ref> On October 31, the official website for all three movies, [http://www.transformersmovie.com/ transformersmovie.com], was updated to show the ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' logo as well as international release dates.

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

[[File:TF3HasbroSoundwaveBio.JPG|thumb|upright=1.66|left|If you breathe a word of what you see in here, you will do time for treason.]]Michael Bay and other official parties tried ''really'' hard to suppress the plot twist of the silver Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG given to [[Carly Spencer|Carly]] by [[Dylan Gould|Dylan]] turning out to be the new [[alternate mode]] of [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. After the Mercedes had been spotted on the set, with [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]] exiting it,<ref name="mercedesset">[http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=67518 DOTM Set Photos], ComingSoon.net, July 2010.</ref> the first hint that it was more than meets the eye came with the trailer for the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)|video game]], which showed Soundwave's robot mode with car [[kibble]] such as wheels that heavily resembled those of the Mercedes. In addition, [[Rising Storm issue 2|issue 2]] of ''[[Transformers: Rising Storm]]'' depicted Soundwave's robot mode not only with car kibble, but with a Mercedes star on his chest, yet in [[Rising Storm issue 3|issue 3]], he appeared in his ''Revenge of the Fallen'' design again. Despite this, director Michael Bay insisted that the Mercedes was simply Carly's car, claiming that "Mercedes would never let us make their car into a bad Decepticon. Car company's {{sic}} really frown on that. I can't say what the game company and comics do that's their own thing. They don't have the same constraints movies do. It's Carly's car."<ref name="baynomerc">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?8724-Update-Is-Soundwave-the-silver-Mercedes-on-set-of-DOTM&p=169598&viewfull=1#post169598 Michael Bay's response to the fan theory that Soundwave is the Silver Mercedes.], April 2011.</ref> On April 19, 2011, an event for promoting the ''Spider-Man: Edge of Time'' and ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' video games was held in London. As part of this, [[High Moon Studios]] released promotional stills from the ''Dark of the Moon'' game, one of which depicted Soundwave's new robot mode, again with Mercedes parts. However, a news embargo was enforced on the attending press, which was broken by South African video game site [http://egamer.co.za egamer].<ref name="egamera">[http://egamer.co.za/2011/05/exclusive-hands-on-transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ egamer's preview of the ''Dark of the Moon'' video game]</ref> The site was soon asked to take down the article and images, as were various ''Transformers'' fan sites that had reported on the article and mirrored the images. On May 2, 2011, Hasbro's [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/ official Transformers website] was given a massive overhaul, including the addition of the new [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/cybertronian-database.cfm Vector Sigma database]. The entry for Soundwave initially identified his alternate mode as a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, but was soon changed to "satellite". On May 3, 2011, the embargo for the video game article and promotional stills was finally lifted, allowing sites to freely show the image of Soundwave's new robot mode.

On May 5, 2011, six days before the trade paperback collection's official release, preview pages from [[IDW Publishing|IDW]]'s [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation|''Dark of the Moon'' comic adaptation]] were discovered at [[Amazon (website)|Amazon]]. Through some bizarre system error, ''several dozen pages'' were made available, which included the major plot twist of Sentinel Prime showing his true colors and killing [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]]. Unsurprisingly, this discovery was quickly posted on several major Transformers [[fandom|fan sites]], often without a spoiler warning. The fact that, even without this leak, the trade paperback of the comic adaptation was released well over a month before the film's theatrical release probably didn't help matters either.

==Notes==
*A 126-page script for the movie was leaked in December 2009,<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/content/view/6435/20/ The Allspark: Transformers News Movie Comics Animated - Script Treatment for Transformers 3? Bogus or Not, Here You Go!]</ref> causing much discussion among the fandom. It was later confirmed as fake.<ref>[http://shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6532 Script]</ref>
*In April 2010, shortly before on-set production began, the Andersen Air Force Base in Guam ran a security drill on detecting phishing scams as part of their operational readiness exercises. However, the base's security team decided to make the phishing email appear to be a casting call for US airmen to appear as extras in the then-untitled ''Transformers 3'' film. One airman thought it was an actual casting call and shared the phishing link to ComicBookMovie.com, which was then picked up by several fan forums and websites that shared the link even ''further''.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=We all know how much Michael Bay loves to use the military in his movies and Transformers 3 will be no different. But this time he is coming to Guam and Andersen AFB. I'm an Airman in the worlds greatest air, space and cyberspace force on Guam. I received an email stating that Dreamworks is looking for 20 airmen for Andersen to be extras.|link=https://comicbookmovie.com/transformers/transformers-3-shooting-in-guam-a17457|title=Transformers 3 Shooting in Guam|site=ComicBookMovie.com|name=Andersen Air Force Base airman "supershaggy"|day=25|month=04|year=2010}}</ref> After local news media in Guam contacted the air base for information, the exercise was immediately ended by Anderson AFB, hoping this exercise showed everyone the danger of phishing scams.<ref>[https://www.postguam.com/news/local/movie-deal-false-alarm/article_ce7aa728-3c16-516a-ba1a-1a24acdf2ca3.html The Guam Daily Post - Movie deal false alarm]</ref> Mission accomplished!
*When word hit that [[Megan Fox]] was off the picture, [https://youtube.com/watch?v=3VTs5ESycpY Heidi Montag] put an "audition" for her part on YouTube. [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/114ce28ddd/sir-ben-kingsley-shows-up-heidi-montag Sir Ben Kingsley] and [https://youtube.com/watch?v=N4FZeucBO0c Ashton Kutcher] made fun of her, because life is rad.
*Several concepts that had been established by the [[Transformers (film)|first movie]] were (more or less) dropped with ''Dark of the Moon'' in favor for a more traditional, ''[[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]]''-esque approach:
**In the 2007 movie, the Autobots arrive on Earth in "[[Protoform]]" entry modes (which was subsequently used as the basis for the Decepticons' arrival in [[Planetfall (Movie)|Planetfall]]). Prior to the release of the movie, screenwriter [[Roberto Orci]] defended this choice over the use of a spaceship such as the ''Ark'' by asking why "aliens who moonlight as vehicles need other vehicles to travel".<ref name="orcitravel">[http://tformers.com/Ark-Not-Making-An-Appearance-In-the-Movie/6513/news.html TFormers quoting Roberto Orci], because Don Murphy's board can only be read by registered members.</ref> He somewhat changed his mind after the movie had been released, however.<ref name="orciship">[http://boards.transformersmovie.com/showpost.php?p=388596&postcount=271 Roberto Orci on the Transformers Live Action Movie Boards], July 2007.</ref> After the Decepticons' ship, the ''[[Nemesis (ROTF)|Nemesis]]'', had made an appearance in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', ''Dark of the Moon'' not only introduces the movieverse version of the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'', but also reveals that all the new Autobots who have been on Earth since before ''Revenge of the Fallen'' had arrived in their own spaceship, the ''[[Xantium (DOTM)|Xantium]]'', making the notion of individual Transformers traveling through space as "comets" an exception rather than the rule. ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction]]'' would also later depict the Autobots as stranded on Earth after the destruction of the ''Xantium'' in this film, further pointing towards the "comet" transportation as an abandoned concept. ''[[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight]]'' would also show this idea when the Autobots again declare themselves stranded, as they don't know where the [[Knight Ship]] is, only being able to finally go home after they acquired it.
**Furthermore, ''Dark of the Moon'' largely abandons the idea of Transformers having all their weapons integrated into their bodies in favor of more traditional, separate weapons. For example, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], who had blades and hooks emerging from his forearms in the previous two movies now stores all his weapons (including an axe) as accessories inside his trailer (though he still carries some on his person). Also, Ironhide, whose cannons were previously affixed to his arms, now sports handheld firearms instead. Even Megatron, whose [[fusion cannon]] previously grew out of his arms, now has a hand-held shotgun. Though it can be argued that Optimus still has his swords in his arms during the Chicago battle, and both Ironhide and Megatron lost their integrated weapons in the previous film, the general change is still noticeable. The only ones who still seem to have the same converting arm cannons as in the previous movies are Bumblebee, Ratchet, and Starscream.
*Another change from the previous movies (though not rooted in ''Generation 1'') is that Transformers that take damage in battle now spill a red liquid that is very obviously meant to resemble human blood.
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] finally achieves a certain consistency between his two primary modes: Ever since his upgrade to a modern Camaro in ''Transformers'' (2007), his [[license plate]] had alternated between "900 STRA" in vehicle mode and "4NZZ 454" in robot mode. ''Dark of the Moon'' finally uses "900 STRA" for the robot mode as well. Hasbro's toys, which had previously favored the CG robot model's "4NZZ 454" (barring the occasional "4NZZ'''Z''' 454" flub), follow suit.
*Speaking of license plates: [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]]'s Maybach 62S Landaulet sports a German license plate, "'''S MM 6201'''", registered in the city of Stuttgart. In reality, that plate is registered to the manufacturer and used for promotional photos.<ref name="maybach">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/update--transformers-3-rumor--who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire-170533/ Set photos and promo photos of the Maybach 62S Landaulet] at TFW2005.</ref>
*Michael Bay's private Gulfstream Aerospace G-1159A jet (registration number N4500X) has a cameo in the movie as [[Charlotte Mearing]]'s plane.
*For eleven years, ''Dark of the Moon'' held the record for the biggest Independence Day opening weekend at $115.9 million, until it was beaten by ''{{w|Minions: The Rise of Gru}}'', ranking in $128 million.<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2022/07/03/box-office-minions-the-rise-of-gru-breaks-records-with-128-million-holiday-weekend/ Box Office: ‘Minions 2’ Breaks Records With $128 Million Holiday Weekend - Forbes]</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''''Transformers/Darkside Moon''''' (トランスフォーマー/ダークサイド・ムーン ''Toransufōmā Dākusaido Mūn'')
*''Arabic:'' '''''Almtahawilun: Aljanib Almuzlim Lilqamar''''' (المتحولون: الجانب المظلم للقمر, "Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Cantonese:'' (變形金剛: 黑月降臨, "Transformers: The Arrival of the Black Moon")
*''Croatian:'' '''''Transformeri: Tamna strana Mjeseca''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Czech:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Finnish:'' '''''Transformers: Kuun pimeä puoli''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''French:'' '''''Transformers 3 : La Face cachée de la Lune''''' ("Transformers 3: The Hidden Side of the Moon")
*''German:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Greek:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Hebrew:'' '''''Rvvvtrkm 3. Flt hrch''''' (רובוטריקים 3: אפלת הירח, "Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon")
*''Hindi:'' '''''Traansaphormars: Chaand ka Andhera''''' (ट्राँसफॉर्मर्स: चांद का अंधेरा, "Transformers: Darkness of the Moon")
*''Hungarian:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Italian:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Korean:'' '''''Teulaenseupomeo 3''''' (트랜스포머 3, "Transformers 3")
*''Latvian:'' '''''Transformeri 3: Mēness no otras puses''''' ("Transformers 3: The Moon on the Other Side")
*''Lithuanian:'' '''''Transformeriai: tamsioji Mėnulio pusė''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Mandarin:'' '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng 3''''' (Taiwan, 變形金剛３, "Transformers 3"), '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng: Yuè Hēi zhī Shí''''' (China, 变形金刚：月黑之时, "Transformers: When the Moon Becomes Black")
*''Polish:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Portuguese:'' '''''Transformers: O Lado Oculto da Lua''''' (Brazil, "Transformers: The Hidden Side of the Moon"), '''''Transformers 3''''' (Portugal)
*''Romanian:'' '''''Transformers: Fața ascunsă a Lunii''''' ("Transformers: The Hidden Face of the Moon")
*''Russian:'' '''''Transformery 3: Tjomnaja storona Luny''''' (Трансформеры 3: Тёмная сторона Луны, "Transformers 3: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Serbian:'' '''''Transformers 3: Tama Meseca''''' ("Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon")
*''Spanish:'' '''''Transformers: El Lado Oscuro de la Luna''''' (Latin American, "Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon"), '''''Transformers 3''''' (Spain)
*''Swedish:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Tamil:'' '''''Ṭirāṉsḥpārmas: Ṭārk op ti mūṉ''''' (டிரான்ஸ்ஃபார்மஸ்: டார்க் ஒப் தி மூன், "Transformers: Dark of the Moon")
*''Thai:'' '''''Thrāns̄̒ fxr̒m me xr̒s̄ 3''''' (ทรานส์ฟอร์มเมอร์ส 3, "Transformers 3")
*''Turkish:'' '''''Transformers: Ayın Karanlık Yüzü''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''''Transformery: Temnyy bik Misyatsya''''' (Трансформери: Темний бік Місяця, "Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon")

==External links==
*[http://www.transformersmovie.com/ Transformersmovie.com]
*[http://www.imdb.com/tt1399103/ ''Dark of the Moon'' at IMDB.com]
*{{w|Transformers: Dark of the Moon|''Dark of the Moon'' film on Wikipedia}}
*[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_dark_of_the_moon/ ''Dark of the Moon'' on RottenTomatoes.com]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

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

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

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)

2026-03-19T17:57:03Z

Zenphia: /* Other editions */

{{Nav-dotm}}
{{movie|
|seriess=[[Live-action film series]]
|prev=Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)
|next=Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)
|title=''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''
|image=DOTM-OPportraitposter.jpg
|caption="Of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|my friend]], I can only say this: of all the souls I have encountered, he was the most... human."
|production companies=[[Allspark (company)|Hasbro Films]] [[Lorenzo di Bonaventura|di Bonaventura Pictures]]
|distributor=[[Paramount Pictures]]
|executive producer=[[Steven Spielberg]]
|producer=[[Lorenzo di Bonaventura]] [[Tom DeSanto]] [[Don Murphy]] [[Ian Bryce]]
|written by=[[Ehren Kruger]]
|directed by=[[Michael Bay]]
|cinematography by=[[Amir Mokri]]
|edited by=[[Roger Barton]] [[William Goldenberg]] [[Joel Negron]]
|music by=[[Steve Jablonsky]]
|release date=[[June 29]], [[2011]]
|continuity=[[Live-action film series]]
|runtime=154 minutes
|budget=$195 million
|box office=$1.124 billion
}}
'''''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''''' is the third film in the [[live-action film series]]. It was released in 3D and IMAX at 9PM on [[June 28]], [[2011]]<ref name="open3D">[http://michaelbay.com/2011/06/18/see-dark-of-the-moon-one-day-earlier-on-imax-3d/ See Dark Of The Moon One Day Earlier on IMAX 3D | MichaelBay]</ref> and in wide release on [[June 29]], [[2011]]<ref name="open">[http://www.deadline.com/2011/05/paramount-moving-up-transformers-3/ Paramount Moving Up ‘T’formers 3′ Release – Deadline.com]</ref> in the United States, and between [[June 29]] and July 1 for other markets.

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

And SCENE!

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

==Synopsis==
[[File:Dotm-Arkreflection.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"Wha... this is the finest engine room in the whole Starfleet!"]]

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

[[File:DOTM - ShockwaveDriller.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|"When I swing around, I mean to deprive you of your life."]]
In the present day, the Autobots are still part of [[NEST]], cooperating with the [[United States military|US Armed Forces]]. They have also begun to help humanity in its local conflicts, as [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]], [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]], [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]], and [[Dino]] destroy an illegal [[Iran]]ian nuclear facility. On a mission to the [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]], a NEST team led by [[William Lennox|Lt. Col. Lennox]], [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] discovers an unknown alien fuel cell which had led to the {{w|Chernobyl disaster}}. While trying to secure the cell, they are attacked by the Decepticon [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] and his "pet", the [[Driller]], who are eventually forced to retreat by Optimus. Meanwhile, [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] kills [[Alexi Voskhod]], who had called NEST to Chernobyl and was secretly working for him. After securing the fuel cell and identifying it as part of the ''Ark'', Optimus is angry at the humans for not following through with their agreement of sharing all known information relating to Cybertron and its inhabitants. Despite this, he eventually informs his allies and [[Charlotte Mearing]], the {{w|Director of National Intelligence}}, about the space bridge technology the ''Ark'' contains. Together with Ratchet, Optimus travels to the Moon, where they find Sentinel Prime inside the ship. Retrieving him along with four pillars of the space bridge and the accompanying control pillar, they return to Earth, where Optimus uses the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to reactivate Sentinel Prime. In [[Africa]], Decepticon leader [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] (still recovering from wounds [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|suffered]] in [[Egypt]]) meets with his lieutenants [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] and [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. Upon learning that the Autobots have recovered Sentinel and the pillars, Megatron orders Soundwave and Laserbeak to terminate their "loose ends".

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

[[File:DOTM-Sentinelendofyourworld.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66|"There's a man out there I haven't seen in fifteen years who's trying to kill me."]]

Locked out of participating in the investigation by Mearing, Sam turns to [[Seymour Simmons]] for help. Simmons, who has become a millionaire as a writer, and his aide, [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]], help Sam find out that the Soviets have taken photos of Decepticons removing hundreds of space bridge pillars out of the ''Ark'' even before Apollo 11 had landed on the Moon. Sam and Simmons conclude that the Decepticons had left Sentinel Prime behind on purpose, knowing that only he would be able to activate the space bridge, and only Optimus Prime could reactivate him. Sam is able to warn the Autobots in time so they can protect Sentinel from a Decepticon attack and escort him back to the NEST headquarters. Upon arriving there, however, Sentinel Prime betrays them, revealing that he made a deal with Megatron to ensure Cybertron's survival. After killing [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] and most of the NEST soldiers, Sentinel claims the remaining pillars and escapes. The other Autobots track him down to [[Washington, D.C.]], but before Optimus can stop him, Sentinel activates a space bridge to the Moon. The portal allows dozens of Decepticon troops which had remained hidden under the Moon's surface to reach Earth, forcing the Autobots to retreat.

[[File:DOTM-Moonspacebridge.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|"We are one big, happy fleet! Ah, [[James T. Kirk|Kirk]], my old friend, do you know the [[Klingon]] proverb that tells us revenge is a dish that is best served cold? It is ''very'' cold in space."]]

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

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

[[File:DarkoftheMoon-Chicago.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|left|"Let them eat static. "]]
Dylan takes Carly to [[Chicago]], informing her that the Decepticons do not intend to return to Cybertron; instead, they want to transport the planet into Earth's orbit, because Earth not only has the necessary resources, but also six billion slaves to rebuild the Transformers' home planet. With the Autobots seemingly out of the way, the Decepticons arrive and lay waste to the city and its population before setting up the control pillar for the space bridge and sending the other pillars around the world.

Sam decides to go to Chicago, accompanied by [[Robert Epps]], who now works for NASA, and other former NEST members. They are promptly attacked by the Decepticons, but are rescued by Optimus Prime and the other Autobots. Having never intended to leave Earth, they had hidden themselves inside a modified rocket booster that was jettisoned before Starscream destroyed the ''Xantium''.

[[File:DOTM Driller vs Prime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|"From Hell's heart, I stab at thee!"]]

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

In the meantime, Lennox and the rest of NEST have managed to make their way into the city using [[wingsuit]]s, and Sam destroys Starscream with Lennox's help using weapons provided to him by the Autobot scientist Que. Meanwhile, the Decepticons have taken several Autobot prisoners, but Dylan convinces them to execute them on the spot. [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] kills Que, and Soundwave moves to take Bumblebee next, but the Autobots Wheelie and Brains have managed to make one of the Decepticons' ships crash, thereby distracting Soundwave long enough for Bumblebee to overpower and kill him, freeing the other Autobots. Most of the remaining Decepticons are slaughtered by the Autobots and human soldiers. Optimus kills Shockwave and uses the Decepticon's arm cannon to topple over the space bridge's control pillar, deactivating the bridge.

[[File:DOTMCybertrontransit.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.55|"Earth was created in six days. Now, watch out! Here comes Genesis! We'll do it for you in six minutes!"]]

Optimus Prime then confronts Sentinel Prime and the two engage in a ferocious battle of Student vs Master, but Optimus can't get past Sentinel's shield. Not wanting to take any chances, Sentinel calls in an airstrike, which is soon destroyed by long-range missiles. With Optimus reinforced by the other Autobots and humans, Sentinel tries to make a run for it only for Optimus to knock him off his wheels on a bridge. Meanwhile, Carly stumbles across Megatron outside the main battle zone. Having previously witnessed a violent argument between him and Sentinel, she appeals to his pride and makes him realize that he will never be able to rule over Cybertron as long as Sentinel is alive.

Sentinel gains the upper hand over Optimus and severs his right arm, but before he can execute his former pupil, an infuriated Megatron attacks and severely damages him, declaring that Earth is ''his'' planet to rule. Meanwhile, Dylan manages to reactivate the toppled pillar, but is attacked by Sam and hurled against the pillar, which kills him. Subsequently, Bumblebee destroys the pillar for good, thus destroying the space bridge and, presumably, Cybertron with it. Seeing this, Megatron half-heartedly offers Optimus Prime a truce on the condition that he will remain in charge of the Decepticons, questioning what Optimus would be without him. Realizing that the offer is less than sincere, Optimus refuses and attacks Megatron, decapitating him with an axe. The weakened Sentinel Prime tries to excuse his actions, but Optimus executes the treacherous Prime with Megatron's shotgun.

[[File:DOTM Autobots NEST victorious.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|"Live long... and prosper..."]]

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

[['Til all are one|'Til all are]] [[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|one?]]
{{--}}

==Main cast==

{{featuredcharacters|
h1=[[Autobot]]s|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] ([[Leonard Nimoy]])
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]
*[[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] ([[Jess Harnell]])
*[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] ([[Robert Foxworth]])
*[[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] ([[James Remar]])
*[[Dino]] ([[Francesco Quinn]])<ref group=note name="credits">Mirage and Wheeljack, known by those names in the toyline and essentially all supporting media, are respectively named "Dino" and "Que" in the film. While Dino is simply credited as such, Que is listed in the credits as "Que/Wheeljack".</ref>
*[[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que/Wheeljack]] ([[George Coe]])<ref group=note name="credits"/>
*[[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] ([[Tom Kenny]])
*[[Brains]] ([[Reno Wilson]])

'''[[Twins (ROTF)|Twins]]'''
*[[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] (cameo)<ref group=note name=skidsandmudflap>Skids and Mudflap only appear during the convoy scene at the beginning of the film.</ref>
*[[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] (cameo)<ref group=note name=skidsandmudflap/>

'''[[Wreckers]]'''
*[[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] ([[Ron Bottitta]])<ref group=note>Roadbuster is listed as "Roadbuster/Amp" in the credits, a reference to his car mode's sponsor. His name is not used in the film, but he is called "Roadbuster" in the toyline and supporting media.</ref>
*[[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]]
*[[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]] ([[John DiMaggio]])<ref group=note>Leadfoot is listed in the film's end credits as "Leadfoot/Target", a reference to his car mode's sponsor. His name is not spoken in the film, but he is called "Leadfoot" in the toyline and the supporting media.</ref>

|h2=[[Decepticon]]s|c2=
*[[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] ([[Hugo Weaving]])
*[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] ([[Charlie Adler]])
*[[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
**[[Driller]]
*[[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
**[[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] ([[Keith Szarabajka]])
*[[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] (''Frank Welker'')<ref group=note>Barricade doesn't ''technically'' speak in the movie, 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.</ref>
*[[Loader]]
*[[Devcon (DOTM)|Devcon]]
*[[Igor]] ([[Greg Berg]])
*[[Hatchling]]s
*[[Audi R8 Decepticon]]
*Two [[M1 Abrams Decepticon]]s
*[[Garagebot]]
*[[Lensmeter Decepticon]]s
*[[Protoform]]s
*[[Watch-bot]]<ref group=note>Repeatedly referred to as the "Watch-bot" (proper noun) in the ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel]]''</ref>
*[[Pickup Decepticon]]
*[[Police car Decepticon]]

'''[[Constructicon (ROTF)|Constructicons]]'''
*[[Scrapper (ROTF)|Scrapper]] type Decepticon
*[[Long Haul (ROTF)|Long Haul]] type Decepticon

'''[[Dread (DOTM)|Dreads]]'''
*[[Crankcase (DOTM)|Crankcase]]
*[[Crowbar]] (''[[Jimmie Wood]]'')<ref group=note>During the highway battle scene where Crowbar flips over a sign, recycled screams and grunts from Jimmie Wood's [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]] performance in ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' can be heard.</ref>
*[[Hatchet (DOTM)|Hatchet]]

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

|nonumbering=true
}}
<references group=note/>

==Quotes==

"We were once a peaceful race of intelligent, mechanical beings. But then came the war, between the Autobots who fought for freedom and the Decepticons who dreampt of tyranny. Overmatched and outnumbered, our defeat was all but certain. But in the war's final days, one Autobot ship escaped the battle. It was carrying a secret cargo, which would have changed our planet's fate. A despearate mission. Our final hope. A hope that vanished."
:—'''Optimus Prime's''' opening narration.

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

'''Dino''': "He's in a bad mood. He's not talking to anybody today." 
'''Mearing''': "What is this, the silent treatment?" 
'''Ironhide''': "We've seen that and this is ''not'' that." 
'''Que''': "Definitely not." 
'''Ironhide''': "This is ''worse''. Prime! Make something of yourself! (Ironhide taps Optimus's roof) He's pissed."
:—'''Ironhide''' discusses '''Optimus Prime's''' foul mood.

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

"My poor, poor master, how it pains me to see you, so wounded... so weak..."
:—'''Starscream''' jeering at a wounded Megatron

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

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

"Woah! Little Mexican standoff we got here!"
:—'''Sideswipe''', talking to Ironhide and the Dreads.

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

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

[[File:DOTM-MegatronLincoln.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"I'll give him this: [[Atlantis, Arise!|he]]'s [[Transformers The Game (console)|consistent]]!"]] 
"Here we are. Fight us ''now''."
:—'''Megatron''', pulling the evil overlord cliché on us while sitting atop the [[Abraham Lincoln|Lincoln Memorial]]

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

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

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

"I bring you Cybertron, your home—and still you choose humanity." 
"You are the one who taught me [[Bio|freedom is everyone's right]]."
:—'''Sentinel''' VS '''Optimus Prime'''.

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

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

"Optimus. All I ever wanted...was the survival of our race. You must see why I had to betray you..." 
"You didn't betray me. You betrayed yourself..."
:—'''Optimus Prime''''s final exchange with '''Sentinel Prime''' before effectively ''double-tapping'' him.

"In any war, there are calms between storms. There will be days when we lose faith. Days when our allies turn against us... but the day will never come that we forsake this planet and its people."
:—'''Optimus Prime's''' closing narration, [[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|which predicts what will]] [[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|happen to them years later]].

==Continuity notes==
*Sam has since graduated from college, being three months out of school, and is currently looking for a job. Since the events of ''Revenge of the Fallen'', Sam and Mikaela had broke up (despite having to spend an entire film of Sam needing to say the L-word). Prior to the events of this film, he started a relationship with Carly Spencer.
*Megatron's camp is full of salvaged artifacts from the previous film, along with several Decepticon corpses laying around the area. While most are unrecognizable, one of them is a headless Long Haul; his head was presumably used to create Igor. Megatron's new right hand appears to be salvaged from a fallen Decepticon, as the matching left hand can be seen laying around the campsite.
*The Wreckers, according to Charlotte Mearing arrived on Earth aboard the ''Xantium'' and brought the second wave of Autobots with them. The Wreckers were not seen in ''Revenge of the Fallen'', which is given an in-universe explanation that their bloodthirsty attitudes mean they are usually confined to base.
*Barricade makes a surprising return during the final battle in Chicago, last seen driving alongside Bonecrusher on the highway before the latter engaged the Autobot Leader in the first film.
*Megatron is still critically wounded after the final battle of ''Revenge of the Fallen'', notably still missing half of his head.
*Optimus Prime's main moral compass that "freedom is the right of all sentient beings", is revealed to have been taught to him by his predecessor and mentor, Sentinel Prime.
*Introduced in the second film, Optimus uses The Matrix of Leadership to revive Sentinel Prime, having retrieved it from the remains of the Star Harvester sometime following the climax of the second film. In the same previous film, Megatron had suspected the Matrix could be used to revive Optimus and was proven right when Sam succeeded, a fact Megatron exploits in his master plan enacted this film.
*Sentinel Prime was first mentioned in the previous film, by Sam Witwicky during one of his many Allspark induced exposition dump.
*In the previous film, [[Theodore Galloway]] asked Optimus that if humanity asked the Autobots to leave whether they'd cooperate, and Optimus promised to do so. This film sees them seemingly comply with such demands, only to reveal themselves to have stayed behind anyway to defeat the Decepticons.
*Ironhide no longer has his cannons, having lost them in the final battle of the previous film.

==Errors==
===Filming, animation and technical errors===
*When Sam is holding Brains in his hand after catching him spying on him and Carly, there is a short shot in which Sam is briefly seen in the background, holding nothing in hand, Brains is missing. In the next shot, Brains is back in the hand.
*After killing Ironhide, while Sentinel Prime is storming the NEST base, Sentinel Prime, Ironhide and most likely Bumblebee are all missing in a short shot in which we see two cars projected by an explosion, supposed to be a result of one of Sentinel's gun shots.
*Ironhide in alt-form appears in a short shot among the Autobots in Chicago, riding ahead of Optimus, at 01:43:21-01:43:22, but after that he disappears completely.
*Bits of Megatron's right shoulder clip through each other in the shot where he's demanding a truce.

===Astronomical and historical errors===
*The Moon does not rotate with respect to Earth, and Mare Tranquillitatis is near the middle of the near side. Therefore, Tranquility Base could never be described as being on the far side, and Earth is never as close to the horizon as shown in the movie.
*The Apollo 11 Command/Service Module is seen flying to the Moon without the Lunar Module. The Lunar Module is attached when the vehicle is orbiting the Moon, however.
*When the modern day site of the Apollo 11 landing is seen, the ascent module (the cabin Buzz and Neil flew back to orbit in) is still there.
*In real life, Apollo 11 did not land on the far side of the Moon. Tranquility Base is on the near side of the Moon.
*One of the directors of NASA says that all six Apollo missions recovered parts of the Ark but this not possible as the six missions all had different landing sites which were all a significant distance apart.
*Cybertron is apparently several times the size of Earth, yet the characters talk of bringing it "into Earth's atmosphere"; at that size, it would be more like bringing ''Earth'' into ''Cybertron's'' atmosphere, but see below for the problem with that.
*The Space Bridge starts to bring Cybertron amazingly close to Earth - less than one Earth-diameter away. Assuming Cybertron's mass is proportional to its size, Cybertron's gravitational field would [[The Ultimate Doom|tear the Earth apart]] at that distance.

===Geographic discontinuities===
*The [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]] is shown to be located ''inside'' of, or at least right next to the abandoned city of {{w|Pripyat}}, and the human characters access it through nearby buildings. In reality, the power plant is situated on the outskirts of the city. Even worse, [[Alexi Voskhod]] ''explicitly'' says that the entrance leads through a ''school''. Who builds a ''school'' right next to a ''nuclear power plant''?
*Furthermore, Pripyat's infamous Ferris wheel as shown in the movie is not only the wrong model (the real one's passenger cabins have canopies), but the real one is also located in an open field far away from any buildings.<ref name="ferris">[http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pripyat_-_Ferris_wheel.jpg Photo of the Pripyat Ferris wheel] showing the closest nearby buildings.</ref> But hey, at least it's the right color!
*Also, why exactly is the Sputnik mission case inside the Chernobyl reactor building? Did the Soviets never bother to discard the packaging of their toy after starting to play with it?
*When Megatron transforms for the first time, he's in a grassy savannah. In the next shot, he's standing in the middle of a desert... and in the establishing shot of the Decepticon camp, it's back in the savannah.
*{{w|Mount Kilimanjaro}} is seen in the background of many of the scenes in Namibia; in reality, the mountain is located in Tanzania, more than three thousand kilometers away.
[[File:DOTM-Wreckers-Prime-Cables.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Chicago's own [[knockoff]] of a prominent Chinese building.]]
*In a [[Atlantis, Arise!|fairly common cinematic contrivance]], the film depicts multiple skyscrapers in the background of many scenes set in Washington, D.C., while the real-life city has no skyscrapers.
*Also, Washington, D.C. almost entirely lacks old industrial buildings that could be converted into lofts, and likewise doesn't have the kind of densely urban streets that Sam is shown to live on.
*NEST Headquarters, supposedly in Washington, is actually Chicago's abandoned Main Post Office.
*Likewise, Dylan's auto collection museum, also set in (land-locked) Washington, is actually the Milwaukee Art Museum. [[Lake Michigan]] is even visible through the windows!
*When Optimus Prime (using his jetpack) gets himself caught in wires below an under-construction building, that building bears a striking resemblance to the {{w|China Central Television Headquarters}} in [[Beijing]], [[China]]... a far shot from [[Chicago]]. Since construction for the CCTV building was finished in 2008, long before ''Dark of the Moon'' was even ''conceived'', this appears to be an intentional instance of a "cool building" being inserted just for the sake of it.

===Continuity errors===
*Like in ''Revenge of the Fallen'', Ironhide sports his [[license plate]] from the [[Transformers (film)|first movie]], "4PCI382", on his robot mode chest, but doesn't have a license plate in vehicle mode. (According to set photos, his license plate in vehicle mode is mostly black, with a NEST logo on it.)
*Speaking of inconsistencies between robot and vehicle mode: Bumblebee's updated Chevrolet Camaro alternate mode no longer has pinstripes bordering his black racing stripes, but the CG robot model still has the pinstripes.
[[Image:DOTM-SoundwaveMercedesStar.jpg|thumb|upright=1.9|right|Is this the reverse of hidden faction insignias in vehicle mode?]]
*Soundwave has [[kibble]] from his [[Mercedes-Benz|Mercedes]] alternate mode while he is in Africa, but his chest has only a blank grille. The Mercedes star is only added to his chest from the scene where he reveals himself to be Carly's car onward. This is most likely a deliberate choice made to avoid spoiling the plot twist.
*After Megatron pulls out his shotgun for the first time, he holsters it on the right side of his back. In the next scene it is on his left side.
*In the highway battle scene with the [[Dread (DOTM)|Dreads]], Crowbar smashes into some traffic signs and knocks them over. In the next shot when the other two Dreads use them as ramps, the angle at which the signs fell has changed. After Hatchet and Crankcase transform, the signs revert into their original position.
*Also in the highway battle, Bumblebee enhances only his front wheels to evade Hatchet, yet in the next shot he's fully in Stealth Force mode.
*When Hatchet is killed by Bumblebee and Dino, the last shot shows him being thrown onto a car (using footage recycled from Michael Bay's 2005 film ''{{w|The Island (2005 film)|The Island}}'', as elaborated on below), with Dino's grappling hook cables still attached to Hatchet, which would imply that Dino is still in robot mode at this point. However, the very next shot shows Dino in the far background, driving behind Bumblebee in vehicle mode.
*Immediately after crashing into Ironhide, two of Crowbar's hair strands fall to the ground, but he has all six strands from the next shot onwards.
*During Ironhide and Sideswipe's "Mexican standoff" with Crankcase and Crowbar, all combatants drop their firearms, but when Ironhide is speared, his guns are on his back again. They disappear in subsequent shots.
*In addition, the spear impaled in Ironhide disappears when he shoots Crowbar, only to reappear in subsequent shots.
*Despite being captured by Soundwave in her evening gown, Carly is somehow able to change into more convenient clothes (but still wearing high heels!) after arriving at Dylan's place, and has yet another outfit following the attack on Chicago the following day. Not only that, she changes her earrings, too!
*When the Autobots are boarding the ''Xantium,'' Simmons mentions that nine Autobots are leaving. Former Decepticons Wheelie and Brains apparently don't count. Poor little guys!
*The Wreckers claim they had been hiding inside a rocket booster that was jettisoned from the ''Xantium'' before Starscream destroyed it. The boosters are only seen to be detached after Starscream destroys the ship, after it has barely taken off from the ground.
*Though it's a standard action movie contrivance, it sure is convenient that the glass windows inside skyscrapers are extremely fragile when needed, and glass shards are as dangerous as bread crumbs so nobody suffers a single cut from sliding across them.
*Shortly after everyone jumps through the window and starts sliding down, a downwards shot of the building shows all of the windows behind them are intact.
*As everyone tumbles through a lower floor of the building, [[Stone]] is shown to fall right through and out the other side with a collection of office furniture, but not long after is back with Epps's squad.
*Despite the Decepticons taking over Chicago and killing a whole bunch of people, there seem to be a lot of people continuing to go about their daily lives. The skyscraper Epps's team goes into to launch a rocket from still seems to have plenty of office workers in it when the Driller attacks it. When Sam's being thrown around on the end of the grapple glove rope while fighting Starscream, he crashes through a wall into a dry-cleaning business where a woman appears to be calmly hanging up a shirt. Did they all just not get the memo?
*The sequence beginning with Sam, Carly, Epps and the rest of the soldiers jumping out of the windows of the tilted skyscraper is one giant continuity headache: First they jump out of the windows, then slide down several stories, then the camera angle changes and they're sliding down several more stories, and ''then'' a wide shot shows the top of the skyscraper from an angle where the characters cannot be seen, then slowly pans around and eventually shows them all sliding down from one of the topmosts floors all over again! Eventually, they crash back into one of the lowest floors near the break. After the Driller has toppled the top portion of the skyscraper over, the group is ''again'' shown to escape from one one of the topmost floors to the neighboring building!
*Though it is Barricade who kicks and shoves Que along before executing him, the voice heard is Soundwave's. Presumably, this was an artifact of the early alternate version of the scene, in which Soundwave was to kill Dino, and they just re-used the audio.
*While fighting the Autobots at the end of the film, Sentinel Prime's cape disappears for a brief scene before reappearing on his back when the camera angle changes.
*When Sam and Dylan are fighting, the clock behind them changes to different times every shot. It starts at 00:40, then 02:25, 00:15 and 11:00 in the following shots.
*When Sam and Carly are reunited after the final battle, Carly's hands keep changing the position on every cut, sometimes on Sam's neck, sometimes on his shoulders.
*[[File:SkidsMudflap in Chicago.jpg|thumb|upright=1.9|right|Skids & Mudflap in Chicago]]Not intentional: Skids and Mudflap appear for a brief few seconds in the film in their vehicle modes. This leaves questions as to what happened to them. They weren't seen departing from Earth or taking part in the Chicago battle. However footage filming in Chicago confirms were involved in the Battle of Chicago.<ref name="transformerslive.blogspot.com">[https://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2010/07/mpea-busway-set-pics-explosions-and.html]</ref>
*It's said that four Autobots were captured by the Decepticons in Chicago, but actually five Autobots were captured. (Unless this observation was made ''before'' Bumblebee arrived after saving Sam and Lennox), possibly a leftover from an earlier draft of the script in where [[Dino]] and/or [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]] were supposed to already be dead by this point.
*When Que is about to be executed, the "cardboard head on a stick" prop used for Dino during the shooting of the movie (a common method used for the movies to give the actors ''something'' to react to) can be spotted in the final edit of the film,<ref name="headprop">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/494618-movies-errors-mirage-prop-final-movie-edit.html "Movies Errors - Mirage prop in final movie edit"] at TFW2005</ref> as noted above possibly a leftover from an earlier draft of the script where Soundwave mocked Bumblebee with Dino's disembodied head.
*Megatron's head wound alternates between "moderately repaired" and "extra mangled" from scene to scene after Sentinel tears another chunk of his scalp off.

==Transformers references==
In addition to recurring elements from the previous films, ''Dark of the Moon'' bases a number of elements on previous versions of the ''Transformers'' mythos, including plot elements based on older stories, something fairly rare in the other two movies:
*New characters [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] are heavily based upon their Generation 1 counterparts. [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]] is derived from G1 character [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]. [[Sentinel Prime (disambiguation)|Sentinel Prime]] is the name of Optimus's predecessor in many continuities, and in this instance, he continues his [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|predecessor]]'s [[Sentinel Prime (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|legacy]] of being a giant jerk.

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

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

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

*[[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] and [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]] being members of the Wreckers recalls their original G1 counterparts being likewise part of the Wreckers.

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Megatron's first line—a weary "[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All hail Megatron]]"—is the title of IDW's direction-changing comic maxi-series, which had just wrapped up when production on the film was beginning.

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

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

*The technique of shooting at a skyscraper until it breaks in half and the top falls horizontally on other buildings has been done by [[Megatron (BW)|another Megatron]] in [[Endgame Pt. III: Seeds of the Future|another city]].

==Real-world references==
*When Brains and Wheelie are watching ''{{w|Star Trek: The Original Series}}'', the screen features [[Spock|Mr. Spock]], portrayed by Leonard Nimoy—who voices Sentinel Prime. Wheelie comments that it is "the one where Spock goes nuts," which foreshadows Sentinel's heel turn. The episode itself is the famous ''TOS'' episode "{{w|Amok Time}}", although for some inexplicable reason, the first of the two clips shown on-screen is mirrored.
*Sentinel Prime says "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." The voice actor said the same line in the 1982 film ''{{w|Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan}}'' as Mr. Spock. However, in that movie, Nimoy's character dies a hero.
*To finish the Spock trifecta, when Bumblebee says his goodbyes to Sam, he uses a clip of Leonard Nimoy, as Spock, saying "I will always be your friend," another line from ''Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan''.
*[[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]] and his fake girlfriend's name, "India", are a reference to {{w|Dutch India}}.
*[[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]]'s name is a reference to {{w|Q (James Bond)|Q}} from ''{{w|James Bond}}'' novels and films. Que also gives weapons to NEST soldiers while explaining the advantages and abilities for the weapons much like Q does for James Bond.
*When Bumblebee is being dragged around by Soundwave to be executed, he plays a clip of Matt Damon saying "Get off me!" from ''Saving Private Ryan.''
*When Bumblebee brings forth "rings" for Sam and Carly, he "hums" the {{w|Wedding March}} (or, more correctly, the {{w|Bridal Chorus}} from {{w|Richard Wagner}}'s 1850 opera ''{{w|Lohengrin (opera)|Lohengrin}}'').
*Before Sentinel gets attacked by Megatron, he says "There can only be one", a popular misquote of the line "There can be only one" from the film Highlander. Sentinel is also modeled after one of the film's lead stars Sean Connery.

==Other editions==
*The version of the film available for streaming on Star+ removes all scenes that include humans being killed by Decepticon laser fire, significantly cutting down the initial invasion of Chicago.
{{stub}}
{{--}}

==Prequel material==
*''[[Transformers: Sector 7]]''
A five-issue limited mini-series chronicling the foundation of [[Sector Seven|Sector 7]] leading up to ''[[Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday|Ghosts of Yesterday]]''.
*''[[Transformers: Foundation]]''
A four-issue limited mini-series set during the events of ''[[Transformers: Defiance|Defiance]]'' telling the events that lead-up to the original ''[[Transformers: Movie Prequel|Movie Prequel]]''.
*''[[Transformers: Rising Storm]]''
A four-issue limited mini-series set after ''[[Transformers: Nefarious|Nefarious]]'' cronicling Shockwave's arrival and the task given to him by Megatron.
*''[[Cyberglyphics pack-in comics]]''
A six-issue miniseries by IDW, produced in cooperation with [[Target]], available only in printed form as [[pack-in material]] with a small Target-[[exclusive]] [[Target#Dark of the Moon|range of toys]], following [[Space Case (DOTM)|Space Case]]'s encounters with the Autobots and the Decepticons and leads up to ''Rising Storm''.
*''[[Transformers: Convergence]]''
A four-part prose story exclusive to the individual issues of IDW Publishing's ''Dark of the Moon comic adaptation'', chronicles both the Simmons lineage in the aftermath of ''Sector 7'' and Soundwave's activites on Earth, tying the remaining loose ends and setting the stage for ''Dark of the Moon''.
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)]]''
A video game developed by [[High Moon Studios]] for [[Xbox 360]] & [[PlayStation|PS3]].
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Stealth Force Edition]]''
A [[Wii]] & [[Nintendo 3DS|3DS]] port of the game developed by [[Behaviour Interactive]] focusing only on [[Stealth Force]].
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Autobots/Decepticons]]''
A [[Nintendo DS]] port of the game also developed by Behaviour Interactive, with each factions separated in two titles.
*''[[Transformers (Titan Magazine)#Dark of the Moon|Transformers (Titan Magazine)]]''
A monthly title by Titan in the [[United Kingdom|UK]] (another rebranding of their existing comic).
*''[[Transformers Classified]]''
A prequel novel trilogy in the same vein as ''Ghosts of Yesterday'' and ''[[Transformers: The Veiled Threat|The veiled Threat]]'' that was published after the movie, composed by ''[[Transformers Classified: Switching Gears|Switching Gears]]'', ''[[Transformers Classified: Battle Mountain|Battle Mountain]]'' & ''[[Transformers Classified: Satellite of Doom|Satellite of Doom]]'', later published together as ''[[Transformers Classified: The Complete Mission]]'' it cronicles how the Autobots & Decepticons fight against each other on Earth in the aftermath of [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|The Fallen's death]].

==Adaptations==
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)|Transformers: Dark of the Moon]]''
The novelization of the film by [[Peter David]].
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation]]''
IDW Publishing's comic adaptation of the movie.

'''Children's adaptations'''
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel]]''
The movie novelization for kids.

==Sequels==
{{main|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|Bumblebee (film)}}

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

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

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

===Additional Information===
*Close Captions in English
*Audio Description as Audio Description in English <ref>http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B005G4TJUC/audiodescriin-20</ref>

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

==Reception==
{{quote|Time will tell whether Transformers: Dark of the Moon really is the final Transformers film for both director Michael Bay and star Shia LaBeouf, but it's certainly the best one in this hugely successful, but widely loathed franchise.|[https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/06/27/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-review They've Fallen, but can the Transformers get up?], Jim Vejvoda|[https://www.ign.com ign.com] [[June 27]] [[2011]]}}

{{quote|Rarely has a movie had less of a soul and less interesting characters.|Richard Roeper, [http://www.richardroeper.com/reviews/transformersdarkofthemoon.aspx richardroeper.com] [[June 28]], [[2011]]}}

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

The official release date was moved up from July 1 to June 29 to allow breathing room between its release and ''{{w|Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2}}''. On June 28, 2011, the film was released in 3D and IMAX in the US.

The film received a generally mixed critical reception, who praised the visual effects, action sequences, musical score, voice acting, and use of 3D, while criticizing the runtime, storyline, the performances of [[Shia LaBeouf]] and [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]], and screenplay. ''Dark of the Moon'' was considered at least an improvement from ''Revenge of the Fallen'', receiving a tomatometer score of 35% and an audience score of 55% on Rotten Tomatoes.<ref>https://rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_dark_of_the_moon</ref>

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

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

''Dark of the Moon'' ended its theatrical run in the #5 spot for highest worldwide gross of all time.

Upon its' release, the ''Transformers'' fanbase generally had a warmer reception to the film over its' predecessor, with praise going to the action, score, and particularly [[Leonard Nimoy]]'s performance and role as [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]]. Several moments in the film caused no shortage of discussion, with Optimus Prime's more ruthless, violent actions ([[Peter Cullen]] himself disliked the "we will kill them all" line) and the handling of the deaths of major franchise characters being notable sore spots for the film's detractors. Over a decade since its' release, ''Dark of the Moon'' still retains the warmest reception to a Bay film outside of the first film, though those more ambivalent towards the series don't consider it that different from the lesser films.

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

On February 25, 2012, it was announced that ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' was nominated for eight {{w|Golden Raspberry Award}}s. Unlike ''Revenge of the Fallen'', however, it did not receive the awards for Worst Picture, Worst Screenplay, & Worst Director, losing all of its nominations to ''{{w|Jack & Jill (2011 film)|Jack & Jill}}''.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-is-safe-from-razzies-174726/]</ref>

==Technical details==
'''Length:''' 154 minutes
'''Audio:''' Dolby Digital / DTS / SDDS 
'''Content Rating:'''
{{collist|4|
*PG-13 (USA/MPAA)
*G (Japan)
*12A (United Kingdom)
*PG (Canada; Ontario)
*G (Canada; Quebec)
*PG-12 (Taiwan)
*PG13 (Singapore)
*PG-13 (Philippines/MTRCB)
*IIA (China)
*PG-13 (Malaysia)
*M (Australia)
*M (New Zealand)
*12 (Brazil)
*K-11 (Finland)
*12 (Germany)
*12A (Ireland)
*12 (Netherlands)
*M/12 (Portugal)
*12 (South Korea)
*B (Mexico)
*12+ (Russia)}}

==Production staff==
{{stub}}

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

===Locations department===
{{quote|The Decepticons' decision to attack Chicago<ref>http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-471495</ref> seems inexplicable, until you take into consideration the generous tax credits offered by the Illinois Film Office.|film critic Roger Ebert|[http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2011/07/on_the_origin_of_transformers.html On the Origin of Transformers]}}

==Development details==
===Cast and crew signing on===
[[File:TF3-licensingPrime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Featuring a surprise appearance by Optimus Prime!]]
On May 30, 2007, a month before the official release of ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'', [[DreamWorks]] announced that two sequels were already being planned.<ref name="spy">[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a58430/two-transformers-sequels-in-pipeline.html Digital Spy article from May 2007, confirming that two sequels were being planned]</ref> On March 16, 2009, over three months before the premiere of ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] announced the third movie for July 1, 2011.<ref name="3release">Pamela McClintock: [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118001280?refCatId=13 Variety article from March 2009], confirming Transformers 3 for July 2011.</ref> Director [[Michael Bay]] promptly backpedaled, as he had intended for the third ''Transformers'' movie to be released in 2012.<ref name="baywait">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?3947-Wait-a-minute! Michael Bay's reaction to Paramount's July 2011 date for ''Transformers 3''], March 2009.</ref> He officially changed his mind in October 2009, agreeing to the release date set by Paramount.<ref name="bay3-2011">[http://michaelbay.com/2009/10/01/transformers-3-july-1st-2011/ Michael Bay officially confirms the 2011 release date], October 2009.</ref>

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

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

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

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

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

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

[[Leonard Nimoy]] was confirmed as the voice actor for [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] in March 2011.<ref name="nimoysent">[http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/03/31/leonard-nimoy-transformers-dark-of-the-moon Entertainment Weekly announces Leonard Nimoy's involvement], March 2011]</ref> Nimoy, who had previously voiced [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] in 1986's ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' and was married to Michael Bay's cousin Susan, had previously been under consideration for [[The Fallen]]'s voice in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', but Bay had been hesitant for fear of offending his relative with the relatively low pay allotted to voice actors.<ref name="nimoy1">[http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/04/21/michael-bay-afraid-to-offend-leonard-nimoy-with-transformers-family-reunion-offer/ ''Michael Bay Afraid To Offend Leonard Nimoy With ‘Transformers’ Family Reunion Offer''], MTV.com Movies blog, April 2009.</ref> Even though Nimoy openly asked Bay to simply give him a call,<ref name="nimoy2">[http://www.latinoreview.com/news/leonard-nimoy-to-michael-bay-call-me-6682 Leonard Nimoy To Michael Bay: "Call Me!"], Latino Review, April 2009.</ref> it ultimately never worked out, and The Fallen was voiced by [[Tony Todd]] instead. For ''Dark of the Moon'', Bay finally overcame his anxiety and hired Nimoy, who accepted the offer.<ref name="nimoy3">[http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/03/31/leonard-nimoy-transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ "Leonard Nimoy joins 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' voice cast -- EXCLUSIVE"], Entertainment Weekly, March 2011.</ref> In return, screenwriter Ehren Kruger included several nods to Nimoy's well-known character as Mr. Spock from ''[[Star Trek]]'' in the movie.<ref name="nimoystartrek">[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666643/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-star-trek-references.jhtml "'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon': Behind The 'Star Trek' Nods"], MTV.com, July 2011.</ref> ''Dark of the Moon'' would be Nimoy's final performance in the ''Transformers'' franchise before his death in early 2015.

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

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

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

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

Over 500 cars were destroyed in the making of ''Dark of the Moon'', all of them damaged property from insurance companies intended for destruction.<ref name="baych"/>
[[Image:ROTFvsDOTMUSNavyHollenbeck.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|right|Wherever General Morshower goes, I go.]]

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

Another (brief) instance of recycled footage occurs during the Chicago battle: When the Navy fires several Tomahawks at the Decepticons, the mission control room scene was previously used to depict the interior of the [[USS Kidd]] in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''. The most obvious similarity is the [[Hollenbeck|same operator]] saying "Target acquired" both times.<ref name="recycled">[https://youtube.com/watch?v=6tSMdR8vH0s YouTube video] featuring brief clips from ''Dark of the Moon'' and ''Revenge of the Fallen'', highlighting the recycled footage.</ref>

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

===Changes before, during and after production===
[[File:DOTM Skids, Mudflap, Que and Sideswipe.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|Eat this, Megan Fox.]]
*In an interview with the Los Angeles Times in June 2009, Michael Bay suggested that [[Ramon Rodriguez]] would reprise his role as [[Leo Spitz]] from ''Revenge of the Fallen'' for the third movie.<ref name="bayramon">[http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2009/06/30/ramon-rodriguez-will-have-bigger-role-in-third-transformers-movie-bay-hints/ "Ramon Rodriguez will have bigger role in third ‘Transformers’ movie, Bay hints"], Los Angeles Times, June 2009.</ref>

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

*In January 2010, actor James Avery claimed in an interview that he would be playing a new Autobot named "Silverbolt".<ref name="avery">[http://web.archive.org/web/20120401095240/http://unscripted.ca/episodes/show/136 James Avery interview on Unscripted], January 2010</ref> In June 2010, representatives of James Avery, responding to a bizarre rumor that he had passed away, confirmed that the actor was indeed alive and would be playing Silverbolt in ''Transformers 3''.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20151107012047/http://www.examiner.com/article/uncle-phil-james-avery-isn-t-dead-after-all James Avery isn't dead after all], The Examiner, June 2010.</ref> Despite this, neither Avery nor Silverbolt ultimately appear in ''Dark of the Moon''.

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

[[File:DOTM-SentinelPrimetrailer.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Colour me your colour, baby Colour me your car Colour me your colour, darling I know who you are]]
*Shockwave's original voice actor, [[Corey Burton]], expressed that he had no interest in voicing him for ''Dark of the Moon'', explaining "[I] have practically no interest in that kind of mega-budget movie enterprise involvement" and that the inspiration for his Shockwave voice, {{w|David Warner (actor)|David Warner}}, was rumored to have been considered.<ref>[http://www.coreyburton.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=2707&highlight=#2707 Corey Burton's message board post.]</ref> In the end, Shockwave's almost-entirely-wordless-snarl-based role would have been something of a waste of Warner; the role ultimately went to Frank Welker. There's a nice touch of symmetry in the casting, with Welker taking over a Burton-originated role not long after Burton took on a Welker-originated character in [[Megatron (Animated)|''Animated'' Megatron]].

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

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

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

*A scrapped death for Wheeljack/"Que" involved the Autobot being run off of a Chicago street and into a river by the [[Driller]], where he would have been torn to pieces by Decepticon troopers lying in wait in the river.

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

[[File:DOTMSuperBowlvsTrailer.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|So does this qualify as a retcon?]]
*Another plot point that was apparently dropped was an anti-Autobot sentiment among the human populace. Graffiti with a crossed out Autobot [[insignia|logo]] with the words "go home" below it showed up in several set photos.<ref name="gohome1">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2010/05/transformers-3-filming-with-twins.html Photos from the set in Sherman Oaks, California] at the Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, May 2010.</ref><ref name="gohome2">[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/possible-tf3-plot-point-revealed-autobots-go-home/19188/ Photos from the Chicago set] at Seibertron.com, July 2010.</ref> In the movie, Congress instantly passes a law exiling the Autobots from Earth following Sentinel Prime's ultimatum.

*Early working names included "[[Ultra Magnus (disambiguation)|Ultra Magnus]]" for [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]],<ref name="chicagocall">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2011/06/chicgo-call-sheet-for-ultra-magnus.html "Chicago Call Sheet For Ultra Magnus"], Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, June 2011.</ref> "Enzo" (after {{w|Enzo Ferrari}})<ref name="callsheet2">[http://tilallaremine.wordpress.com/2011/07/01/dark-of-the-moon-call-sheets/ Dark of the Moon Call Sheets!] at Til All Are Mine blog, July 2011.</ref> and "Rush" for Mirage/"Dino", "[[Warpath (disambiguation)|Warpath]]" for both [[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] and [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]], "Tempest" for Topspin, "[[Flash (disambiguation)|Flash]]" for [[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]], "[[Dreadwind (disambiguation)|Dreadwind]]" for [[Crankcase (DOTM)|Crankcase]], "[[Hooligan (disambiguation)|Hooligan]]" for [[Crowbar]], "[[Dirtbag]]" for [[Hatchet (DOTM)|Hatchet]], "[[Blitzwing (disambiguation)|Blitzwing]]" for [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]], "[[Breakdown (disambiguation)|Breakdown]]" for Soundwave's new vehicular design, "[[Clench (G1)|Colossus]]" for the [[Driller]],<ref name="nizzi">[http://www.joshnizzi.com/TF3.htm Josh Nizzi DOTM concepts.]</ref> "Buzzard" for [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]], "[[Undermine (Cybertron)|Undermine]]" for [[Igor]] and "[[Steeljaw (disambiguation)|Steeljaw]]" for Wheeljack/"Que". However, it's quite possible a few of these were code names used to keep character identities a secret during production as images of Megatron's new cloak obscured face refer to the character as "[[Cyclonus (disambiguation)|Cyclonus]]".<ref name="wburt">[http://conceptartworld.com/?p=8388 Wesley Burt DOTM concepts.]</ref>

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

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

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

*Megatron was originally supposed to appear in his ''Revenge of the Fallen'' form.<ref>http://joshnizzi.com/images/TF3/JoshNizzi_TF3_56.jpg</ref>

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

*In the original announcement trailer for ''Dark of the Moon'' that was released in December 2010, the opening scene that featured [[Neil Armstrong]] and [[Buzz Aldrin]] investigate the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'' on the moon had Sentinel Prime sport a gold and silver color scheme. For the final movie, his base color was changed to red, his left shoulder was lowered, his facial expression was changed to look more droopy, and the whole scene was given a considerable blue tint.

*Similar to the announcement trailer, the Super Bowl spot also features footage that contains unfinished CG effects. Most notably, the shot that depicts Optimus Prime, equipped with his flight pack, swooping down on the Decepticons before starting his epic rampage on the ground was changed by the time the first full trailer was released: Optimus himself and the first [[M1 Abrams Decepticon]] are both rescaled and moved to different positions on-screen; a Decepticon using the same [[body-type]] as [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] and [[Grindor (ROTF)|Grindor]] is removed entirely; and a Decepticon using the same body-type as Long Haul, as well as other [[generic]]s, are added. The final movie uses pretty much the same version as seen in the trailer.
{{-}}

===Leaks and disinformation===
[[File:DOTMgameSoundwave.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|What you're about to see is totally classified.]]
The movie's title, then "Transformers: ''The'' Dark of the Moon", was first discovered on October 6, 2010 via listings for childrens' books on [[Amazon (website)|Amazon]]. The title was further confirmed by a whois check for "www.transformersdarkofthemoonmovie.com".<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-3-title-revealed-170697/ Transformers 3 Title Revealed?] @ TFW2005.com</ref> On October 31, the official website for all three movies, [http://www.transformersmovie.com/ transformersmovie.com], was updated to show the ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' logo as well as international release dates.

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

[[File:TF3HasbroSoundwaveBio.JPG|thumb|upright=1.66|left|If you breathe a word of what you see in here, you will do time for treason.]]Michael Bay and other official parties tried ''really'' hard to suppress the plot twist of the silver Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG given to [[Carly Spencer|Carly]] by [[Dylan Gould|Dylan]] turning out to be the new [[alternate mode]] of [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. After the Mercedes had been spotted on the set, with [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]] exiting it,<ref name="mercedesset">[http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=67518 DOTM Set Photos], ComingSoon.net, July 2010.</ref> the first hint that it was more than meets the eye came with the trailer for the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)|video game]], which showed Soundwave's robot mode with car [[kibble]] such as wheels that heavily resembled those of the Mercedes. In addition, [[Rising Storm issue 2|issue 2]] of ''[[Transformers: Rising Storm]]'' depicted Soundwave's robot mode not only with car kibble, but with a Mercedes star on his chest, yet in [[Rising Storm issue 3|issue 3]], he appeared in his ''Revenge of the Fallen'' design again. Despite this, director Michael Bay insisted that the Mercedes was simply Carly's car, claiming that "Mercedes would never let us make their car into a bad Decepticon. Car company's {{sic}} really frown on that. I can't say what the game company and comics do that's their own thing. They don't have the same constraints movies do. It's Carly's car."<ref name="baynomerc">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?8724-Update-Is-Soundwave-the-silver-Mercedes-on-set-of-DOTM&p=169598&viewfull=1#post169598 Michael Bay's response to the fan theory that Soundwave is the Silver Mercedes.], April 2011.</ref> On April 19, 2011, an event for promoting the ''Spider-Man: Edge of Time'' and ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' video games was held in London. As part of this, [[High Moon Studios]] released promotional stills from the ''Dark of the Moon'' game, one of which depicted Soundwave's new robot mode, again with Mercedes parts. However, a news embargo was enforced on the attending press, which was broken by South African video game site [http://egamer.co.za egamer].<ref name="egamera">[http://egamer.co.za/2011/05/exclusive-hands-on-transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ egamer's preview of the ''Dark of the Moon'' video game]</ref> The site was soon asked to take down the article and images, as were various ''Transformers'' fan sites that had reported on the article and mirrored the images. On May 2, 2011, Hasbro's [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/ official Transformers website] was given a massive overhaul, including the addition of the new [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/cybertronian-database.cfm Vector Sigma database]. The entry for Soundwave initially identified his alternate mode as a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, but was soon changed to "satellite". On May 3, 2011, the embargo for the video game article and promotional stills was finally lifted, allowing sites to freely show the image of Soundwave's new robot mode.

On May 5, 2011, six days before the trade paperback collection's official release, preview pages from [[IDW Publishing|IDW]]'s [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation|''Dark of the Moon'' comic adaptation]] were discovered at [[Amazon (website)|Amazon]]. Through some bizarre system error, ''several dozen pages'' were made available, which included the major plot twist of Sentinel Prime showing his true colors and killing [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]]. Unsurprisingly, this discovery was quickly posted on several major Transformers [[fandom|fan sites]], often without a spoiler warning. The fact that, even without this leak, the trade paperback of the comic adaptation was released well over a month before the film's theatrical release probably didn't help matters either.

==Notes==
*A 126-page script for the movie was leaked in December 2009,<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/content/view/6435/20/ The Allspark: Transformers News Movie Comics Animated - Script Treatment for Transformers 3? Bogus or Not, Here You Go!]</ref> causing much discussion among the fandom. It was later confirmed as fake.<ref>[http://shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6532 Script]</ref>
*In April 2010, shortly before on-set production began, the Andersen Air Force Base in Guam ran a security drill on detecting phishing scams as part of their operational readiness exercises. However, the base's security team decided to make the phishing email appear to be a casting call for US airmen to appear as extras in the then-untitled ''Transformers 3'' film. One airman thought it was an actual casting call and shared the phishing link to ComicBookMovie.com, which was then picked up by several fan forums and websites that shared the link even ''further''.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=We all know how much Michael Bay loves to use the military in his movies and Transformers 3 will be no different. But this time he is coming to Guam and Andersen AFB. I'm an Airman in the worlds greatest air, space and cyberspace force on Guam. I received an email stating that Dreamworks is looking for 20 airmen for Andersen to be extras.|link=https://comicbookmovie.com/transformers/transformers-3-shooting-in-guam-a17457|title=Transformers 3 Shooting in Guam|site=ComicBookMovie.com|name=Andersen Air Force Base airman "supershaggy"|day=25|month=04|year=2010}}</ref> After local news media in Guam contacted the air base for information, the exercise was immediately ended by Anderson AFB, hoping this exercise showed everyone the danger of phishing scams.<ref>[https://www.postguam.com/news/local/movie-deal-false-alarm/article_ce7aa728-3c16-516a-ba1a-1a24acdf2ca3.html The Guam Daily Post - Movie deal false alarm]</ref> Mission accomplished!
*When word hit that [[Megan Fox]] was off the picture, [https://youtube.com/watch?v=3VTs5ESycpY Heidi Montag] put an "audition" for her part on YouTube. [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/114ce28ddd/sir-ben-kingsley-shows-up-heidi-montag Sir Ben Kingsley] and [https://youtube.com/watch?v=N4FZeucBO0c Ashton Kutcher] made fun of her, because life is rad.
*Several concepts that had been established by the [[Transformers (film)|first movie]] were (more or less) dropped with ''Dark of the Moon'' in favor for a more traditional, ''[[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]]''-esque approach:
**In the 2007 movie, the Autobots arrive on Earth in "[[Protoform]]" entry modes (which was subsequently used as the basis for the Decepticons' arrival in [[Planetfall (Movie)|Planetfall]]). Prior to the release of the movie, screenwriter [[Roberto Orci]] defended this choice over the use of a spaceship such as the ''Ark'' by asking why "aliens who moonlight as vehicles need other vehicles to travel".<ref name="orcitravel">[http://tformers.com/Ark-Not-Making-An-Appearance-In-the-Movie/6513/news.html TFormers quoting Roberto Orci], because Don Murphy's board can only be read by registered members.</ref> He somewhat changed his mind after the movie had been released, however.<ref name="orciship">[http://boards.transformersmovie.com/showpost.php?p=388596&postcount=271 Roberto Orci on the Transformers Live Action Movie Boards], July 2007.</ref> After the Decepticons' ship, the ''[[Nemesis (ROTF)|Nemesis]]'', had made an appearance in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', ''Dark of the Moon'' not only introduces the movieverse version of the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'', but also reveals that all the new Autobots who have been on Earth since before ''Revenge of the Fallen'' had arrived in their own spaceship, the ''[[Xantium (DOTM)|Xantium]]'', making the notion of individual Transformers traveling through space as "comets" an exception rather than the rule. ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction]]'' would also later depict the Autobots as stranded on Earth after the destruction of the ''Xantium'' in this film, further pointing towards the "comet" transportation as an abandoned concept. ''[[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight]]'' would also show this idea when the Autobots again declare themselves stranded, as they don't know where the [[Knight Ship]] is, only being able to finally go home after they acquired it.
**Furthermore, ''Dark of the Moon'' largely abandons the idea of Transformers having all their weapons integrated into their bodies in favor of more traditional, separate weapons. For example, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], who had blades and hooks emerging from his forearms in the previous two movies now stores all his weapons (including an axe) as accessories inside his trailer (though he still carries some on his person). Also, Ironhide, whose cannons were previously affixed to his arms, now sports handheld firearms instead. Even Megatron, whose [[fusion cannon]] previously grew out of his arms, now has a hand-held shotgun. Though it can be argued that Optimus still has his swords in his arms during the Chicago battle, and both Ironhide and Megatron lost their integrated weapons in the previous film, the general change is still noticeable. The only ones who still seem to have the same converting arm cannons as in the previous movies are Bumblebee, Ratchet, and Starscream.
*Another change from the previous movies (though not rooted in ''Generation 1'') is that Transformers that take damage in battle now spill a red liquid that is very obviously meant to resemble human blood.
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] finally achieves a certain consistency between his two primary modes: Ever since his upgrade to a modern Camaro in ''Transformers'' (2007), his [[license plate]] had alternated between "900 STRA" in vehicle mode and "4NZZ 454" in robot mode. ''Dark of the Moon'' finally uses "900 STRA" for the robot mode as well. Hasbro's toys, which had previously favored the CG robot model's "4NZZ 454" (barring the occasional "4NZZ'''Z''' 454" flub), follow suit.
*Speaking of license plates: [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]]'s Maybach 62S Landaulet sports a German license plate, "'''S MM 6201'''", registered in the city of Stuttgart. In reality, that plate is registered to the manufacturer and used for promotional photos.<ref name="maybach">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/update--transformers-3-rumor--who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire-170533/ Set photos and promo photos of the Maybach 62S Landaulet] at TFW2005.</ref>
*Michael Bay's private Gulfstream Aerospace G-1159A jet (registration number N4500X) has a cameo in the movie as [[Charlotte Mearing]]'s plane.
*For eleven years, ''Dark of the Moon'' held the record for the biggest Independence Day opening weekend at $115.9 million, until it was beaten by ''{{w|Minions: The Rise of Gru}}'', ranking in $128 million.<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2022/07/03/box-office-minions-the-rise-of-gru-breaks-records-with-128-million-holiday-weekend/ Box Office: ‘Minions 2’ Breaks Records With $128 Million Holiday Weekend - Forbes]</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''''Transformers/Darkside Moon''''' (トランスフォーマー/ダークサイド・ムーン ''Toransufōmā Dākusaido Mūn'')
*''Arabic:'' '''''Almtahawilun: Aljanib Almuzlim Lilqamar''''' (المتحولون: الجانب المظلم للقمر, "Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Cantonese:'' (變形金剛: 黑月降臨, "Transformers: The Arrival of the Black Moon")
*''Croatian:'' '''''Transformeri: Tamna strana Mjeseca''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Czech:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Finnish:'' '''''Transformers: Kuun pimeä puoli''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''French:'' '''''Transformers 3 : La Face cachée de la Lune''''' ("Transformers 3: The Hidden Side of the Moon")
*''German:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Greek:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Hebrew:'' '''''Rvvvtrkm 3. Flt hrch''''' (רובוטריקים 3: אפלת הירח, "Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon")
*''Hindi:'' '''''Traansaphormars: Chaand ka Andhera''''' (ट्राँसफॉर्मर्स: चांद का अंधेरा, "Transformers: Darkness of the Moon")
*''Hungarian:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Italian:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Korean:'' '''''Teulaenseupomeo 3''''' (트랜스포머 3, "Transformers 3")
*''Latvian:'' '''''Transformeri 3: Mēness no otras puses''''' ("Transformers 3: The Moon on the Other Side")
*''Lithuanian:'' '''''Transformeriai: tamsioji Mėnulio pusė''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Mandarin:'' '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng 3''''' (Taiwan, 變形金剛３, "Transformers 3"), '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng: Yuè Hēi zhī Shí''''' (China, 变形金刚：月黑之时, "Transformers: When the Moon Becomes Black")
*''Polish:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Portuguese:'' '''''Transformers: O Lado Oculto da Lua''''' (Brazil, "Transformers: The Hidden Side of the Moon"), '''''Transformers 3''''' (Portugal)
*''Romanian:'' '''''Transformers: Fața ascunsă a Lunii''''' ("Transformers: The Hidden Face of the Moon")
*''Russian:'' '''''Transformery 3: Tjomnaja storona Luny''''' (Трансформеры 3: Тёмная сторона Луны, "Transformers 3: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Serbian:'' '''''Transformers 3: Tama Meseca''''' ("Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon")
*''Spanish:'' '''''Transformers: El Lado Oscuro de la Luna''''' (Latin American, "Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon"), '''''Transformers 3''''' (Spain)
*''Swedish:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Tamil:'' '''''Ṭirāṉsḥpārmas: Ṭārk op ti mūṉ''''' (டிரான்ஸ்ஃபார்மஸ்: டார்க் ஒப் தி மூன், "Transformers: Dark of the Moon")
*''Thai:'' '''''Thrāns̄̒ fxr̒m me xr̒s̄ 3''''' (ทรานส์ฟอร์มเมอร์ส 3, "Transformers 3")
*''Turkish:'' '''''Transformers: Ayın Karanlık Yüzü''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''''Transformery: Temnyy bik Misyatsya''''' (Трансформери: Темний бік Місяця, "Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon")

==External links==
*[http://www.transformersmovie.com/ Transformersmovie.com]
*[http://www.imdb.com/tt1399103/ ''Dark of the Moon'' at IMDB.com]
*{{w|Transformers: Dark of the Moon|''Dark of the Moon'' film on Wikipedia}}
*[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_dark_of_the_moon/ ''Dark of the Moon'' on RottenTomatoes.com]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

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

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

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)

2026-03-19T17:56:28Z

Zenphia: /* Other editions */

{{Nav-dotm}}
{{movie|
|seriess=[[Live-action film series]]
|prev=Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)
|next=Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)
|title=''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''
|image=DOTM-OPportraitposter.jpg
|caption="Of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|my friend]], I can only say this: of all the souls I have encountered, he was the most... human."
|production companies=[[Allspark (company)|Hasbro Films]] [[Lorenzo di Bonaventura|di Bonaventura Pictures]]
|distributor=[[Paramount Pictures]]
|executive producer=[[Steven Spielberg]]
|producer=[[Lorenzo di Bonaventura]] [[Tom DeSanto]] [[Don Murphy]] [[Ian Bryce]]
|written by=[[Ehren Kruger]]
|directed by=[[Michael Bay]]
|cinematography by=[[Amir Mokri]]
|edited by=[[Roger Barton]] [[William Goldenberg]] [[Joel Negron]]
|music by=[[Steve Jablonsky]]
|release date=[[June 29]], [[2011]]
|continuity=[[Live-action film series]]
|runtime=154 minutes
|budget=$195 million
|box office=$1.124 billion
}}
'''''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''''' is the third film in the [[live-action film series]]. It was released in 3D and IMAX at 9PM on [[June 28]], [[2011]]<ref name="open3D">[http://michaelbay.com/2011/06/18/see-dark-of-the-moon-one-day-earlier-on-imax-3d/ See Dark Of The Moon One Day Earlier on IMAX 3D | MichaelBay]</ref> and in wide release on [[June 29]], [[2011]]<ref name="open">[http://www.deadline.com/2011/05/paramount-moving-up-transformers-3/ Paramount Moving Up ‘T’formers 3′ Release – Deadline.com]</ref> in the United States, and between [[June 29]] and July 1 for other markets.

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

And SCENE!

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

==Synopsis==
[[File:Dotm-Arkreflection.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"Wha... this is the finest engine room in the whole Starfleet!"]]

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

[[File:DOTM - ShockwaveDriller.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|"When I swing around, I mean to deprive you of your life."]]
In the present day, the Autobots are still part of [[NEST]], cooperating with the [[United States military|US Armed Forces]]. They have also begun to help humanity in its local conflicts, as [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]], [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]], [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]], and [[Dino]] destroy an illegal [[Iran]]ian nuclear facility. On a mission to the [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]], a NEST team led by [[William Lennox|Lt. Col. Lennox]], [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] discovers an unknown alien fuel cell which had led to the {{w|Chernobyl disaster}}. While trying to secure the cell, they are attacked by the Decepticon [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] and his "pet", the [[Driller]], who are eventually forced to retreat by Optimus. Meanwhile, [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] kills [[Alexi Voskhod]], who had called NEST to Chernobyl and was secretly working for him. After securing the fuel cell and identifying it as part of the ''Ark'', Optimus is angry at the humans for not following through with their agreement of sharing all known information relating to Cybertron and its inhabitants. Despite this, he eventually informs his allies and [[Charlotte Mearing]], the {{w|Director of National Intelligence}}, about the space bridge technology the ''Ark'' contains. Together with Ratchet, Optimus travels to the Moon, where they find Sentinel Prime inside the ship. Retrieving him along with four pillars of the space bridge and the accompanying control pillar, they return to Earth, where Optimus uses the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to reactivate Sentinel Prime. In [[Africa]], Decepticon leader [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] (still recovering from wounds [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|suffered]] in [[Egypt]]) meets with his lieutenants [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] and [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. Upon learning that the Autobots have recovered Sentinel and the pillars, Megatron orders Soundwave and Laserbeak to terminate their "loose ends".

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

[[File:DOTM-Sentinelendofyourworld.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66|"There's a man out there I haven't seen in fifteen years who's trying to kill me."]]

Locked out of participating in the investigation by Mearing, Sam turns to [[Seymour Simmons]] for help. Simmons, who has become a millionaire as a writer, and his aide, [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]], help Sam find out that the Soviets have taken photos of Decepticons removing hundreds of space bridge pillars out of the ''Ark'' even before Apollo 11 had landed on the Moon. Sam and Simmons conclude that the Decepticons had left Sentinel Prime behind on purpose, knowing that only he would be able to activate the space bridge, and only Optimus Prime could reactivate him. Sam is able to warn the Autobots in time so they can protect Sentinel from a Decepticon attack and escort him back to the NEST headquarters. Upon arriving there, however, Sentinel Prime betrays them, revealing that he made a deal with Megatron to ensure Cybertron's survival. After killing [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] and most of the NEST soldiers, Sentinel claims the remaining pillars and escapes. The other Autobots track him down to [[Washington, D.C.]], but before Optimus can stop him, Sentinel activates a space bridge to the Moon. The portal allows dozens of Decepticon troops which had remained hidden under the Moon's surface to reach Earth, forcing the Autobots to retreat.

[[File:DOTM-Moonspacebridge.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|"We are one big, happy fleet! Ah, [[James T. Kirk|Kirk]], my old friend, do you know the [[Klingon]] proverb that tells us revenge is a dish that is best served cold? It is ''very'' cold in space."]]

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

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

[[File:DarkoftheMoon-Chicago.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|left|"Let them eat static. "]]
Dylan takes Carly to [[Chicago]], informing her that the Decepticons do not intend to return to Cybertron; instead, they want to transport the planet into Earth's orbit, because Earth not only has the necessary resources, but also six billion slaves to rebuild the Transformers' home planet. With the Autobots seemingly out of the way, the Decepticons arrive and lay waste to the city and its population before setting up the control pillar for the space bridge and sending the other pillars around the world.

Sam decides to go to Chicago, accompanied by [[Robert Epps]], who now works for NASA, and other former NEST members. They are promptly attacked by the Decepticons, but are rescued by Optimus Prime and the other Autobots. Having never intended to leave Earth, they had hidden themselves inside a modified rocket booster that was jettisoned before Starscream destroyed the ''Xantium''.

[[File:DOTM Driller vs Prime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|"From Hell's heart, I stab at thee!"]]

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

In the meantime, Lennox and the rest of NEST have managed to make their way into the city using [[wingsuit]]s, and Sam destroys Starscream with Lennox's help using weapons provided to him by the Autobot scientist Que. Meanwhile, the Decepticons have taken several Autobot prisoners, but Dylan convinces them to execute them on the spot. [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] kills Que, and Soundwave moves to take Bumblebee next, but the Autobots Wheelie and Brains have managed to make one of the Decepticons' ships crash, thereby distracting Soundwave long enough for Bumblebee to overpower and kill him, freeing the other Autobots. Most of the remaining Decepticons are slaughtered by the Autobots and human soldiers. Optimus kills Shockwave and uses the Decepticon's arm cannon to topple over the space bridge's control pillar, deactivating the bridge.

[[File:DOTMCybertrontransit.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.55|"Earth was created in six days. Now, watch out! Here comes Genesis! We'll do it for you in six minutes!"]]

Optimus Prime then confronts Sentinel Prime and the two engage in a ferocious battle of Student vs Master, but Optimus can't get past Sentinel's shield. Not wanting to take any chances, Sentinel calls in an airstrike, which is soon destroyed by long-range missiles. With Optimus reinforced by the other Autobots and humans, Sentinel tries to make a run for it only for Optimus to knock him off his wheels on a bridge. Meanwhile, Carly stumbles across Megatron outside the main battle zone. Having previously witnessed a violent argument between him and Sentinel, she appeals to his pride and makes him realize that he will never be able to rule over Cybertron as long as Sentinel is alive.

Sentinel gains the upper hand over Optimus and severs his right arm, but before he can execute his former pupil, an infuriated Megatron attacks and severely damages him, declaring that Earth is ''his'' planet to rule. Meanwhile, Dylan manages to reactivate the toppled pillar, but is attacked by Sam and hurled against the pillar, which kills him. Subsequently, Bumblebee destroys the pillar for good, thus destroying the space bridge and, presumably, Cybertron with it. Seeing this, Megatron half-heartedly offers Optimus Prime a truce on the condition that he will remain in charge of the Decepticons, questioning what Optimus would be without him. Realizing that the offer is less than sincere, Optimus refuses and attacks Megatron, decapitating him with an axe. The weakened Sentinel Prime tries to excuse his actions, but Optimus executes the treacherous Prime with Megatron's shotgun.

[[File:DOTM Autobots NEST victorious.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|"Live long... and prosper..."]]

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

[['Til all are one|'Til all are]] [[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|one?]]
{{--}}

==Main cast==

{{featuredcharacters|
h1=[[Autobot]]s|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] ([[Leonard Nimoy]])
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]
*[[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] ([[Jess Harnell]])
*[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] ([[Robert Foxworth]])
*[[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] ([[James Remar]])
*[[Dino]] ([[Francesco Quinn]])<ref group=note name="credits">Mirage and Wheeljack, known by those names in the toyline and essentially all supporting media, are respectively named "Dino" and "Que" in the film. While Dino is simply credited as such, Que is listed in the credits as "Que/Wheeljack".</ref>
*[[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que/Wheeljack]] ([[George Coe]])<ref group=note name="credits"/>
*[[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] ([[Tom Kenny]])
*[[Brains]] ([[Reno Wilson]])

'''[[Twins (ROTF)|Twins]]'''
*[[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] (cameo)<ref group=note name=skidsandmudflap>Skids and Mudflap only appear during the convoy scene at the beginning of the film.</ref>
*[[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] (cameo)<ref group=note name=skidsandmudflap/>

'''[[Wreckers]]'''
*[[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] ([[Ron Bottitta]])<ref group=note>Roadbuster is listed as "Roadbuster/Amp" in the credits, a reference to his car mode's sponsor. His name is not used in the film, but he is called "Roadbuster" in the toyline and supporting media.</ref>
*[[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]]
*[[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]] ([[John DiMaggio]])<ref group=note>Leadfoot is listed in the film's end credits as "Leadfoot/Target", a reference to his car mode's sponsor. His name is not spoken in the film, but he is called "Leadfoot" in the toyline and the supporting media.</ref>

|h2=[[Decepticon]]s|c2=
*[[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] ([[Hugo Weaving]])
*[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] ([[Charlie Adler]])
*[[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
**[[Driller]]
*[[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
**[[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] ([[Keith Szarabajka]])
*[[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] (''Frank Welker'')<ref group=note>Barricade doesn't ''technically'' speak in the movie, 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.</ref>
*[[Loader]]
*[[Devcon (DOTM)|Devcon]]
*[[Igor]] ([[Greg Berg]])
*[[Hatchling]]s
*[[Audi R8 Decepticon]]
*Two [[M1 Abrams Decepticon]]s
*[[Garagebot]]
*[[Lensmeter Decepticon]]s
*[[Protoform]]s
*[[Watch-bot]]<ref group=note>Repeatedly referred to as the "Watch-bot" (proper noun) in the ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel]]''</ref>
*[[Pickup Decepticon]]
*[[Police car Decepticon]]

'''[[Constructicon (ROTF)|Constructicons]]'''
*[[Scrapper (ROTF)|Scrapper]] type Decepticon
*[[Long Haul (ROTF)|Long Haul]] type Decepticon

'''[[Dread (DOTM)|Dreads]]'''
*[[Crankcase (DOTM)|Crankcase]]
*[[Crowbar]] (''[[Jimmie Wood]]'')<ref group=note>During the highway battle scene where Crowbar flips over a sign, recycled screams and grunts from Jimmie Wood's [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]] performance in ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' can be heard.</ref>
*[[Hatchet (DOTM)|Hatchet]]

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

|nonumbering=true
}}
<references group=note/>

==Quotes==

"We were once a peaceful race of intelligent, mechanical beings. But then came the war, between the Autobots who fought for freedom and the Decepticons who dreampt of tyranny. Overmatched and outnumbered, our defeat was all but certain. But in the war's final days, one Autobot ship escaped the battle. It was carrying a secret cargo, which would have changed our planet's fate. A despearate mission. Our final hope. A hope that vanished."
:—'''Optimus Prime's''' opening narration.

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

'''Dino''': "He's in a bad mood. He's not talking to anybody today." 
'''Mearing''': "What is this, the silent treatment?" 
'''Ironhide''': "We've seen that and this is ''not'' that." 
'''Que''': "Definitely not." 
'''Ironhide''': "This is ''worse''. Prime! Make something of yourself! (Ironhide taps Optimus's roof) He's pissed."
:—'''Ironhide''' discusses '''Optimus Prime's''' foul mood.

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

"My poor, poor master, how it pains me to see you, so wounded... so weak..."
:—'''Starscream''' jeering at a wounded Megatron

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

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

"Woah! Little Mexican standoff we got here!"
:—'''Sideswipe''', talking to Ironhide and the Dreads.

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

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

[[File:DOTM-MegatronLincoln.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"I'll give him this: [[Atlantis, Arise!|he]]'s [[Transformers The Game (console)|consistent]]!"]] 
"Here we are. Fight us ''now''."
:—'''Megatron''', pulling the evil overlord cliché on us while sitting atop the [[Abraham Lincoln|Lincoln Memorial]]

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

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

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

"I bring you Cybertron, your home—and still you choose humanity." 
"You are the one who taught me [[Bio|freedom is everyone's right]]."
:—'''Sentinel''' VS '''Optimus Prime'''.

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

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

"Optimus. All I ever wanted...was the survival of our race. You must see why I had to betray you..." 
"You didn't betray me. You betrayed yourself..."
:—'''Optimus Prime''''s final exchange with '''Sentinel Prime''' before effectively ''double-tapping'' him.

"In any war, there are calms between storms. There will be days when we lose faith. Days when our allies turn against us... but the day will never come that we forsake this planet and its people."
:—'''Optimus Prime's''' closing narration, [[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|which predicts what will]] [[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|happen to them years later]].

==Continuity notes==
*Sam has since graduated from college, being three months out of school, and is currently looking for a job. Since the events of ''Revenge of the Fallen'', Sam and Mikaela had broke up (despite having to spend an entire film of Sam needing to say the L-word). Prior to the events of this film, he started a relationship with Carly Spencer.
*Megatron's camp is full of salvaged artifacts from the previous film, along with several Decepticon corpses laying around the area. While most are unrecognizable, one of them is a headless Long Haul; his head was presumably used to create Igor. Megatron's new right hand appears to be salvaged from a fallen Decepticon, as the matching left hand can be seen laying around the campsite.
*The Wreckers, according to Charlotte Mearing arrived on Earth aboard the ''Xantium'' and brought the second wave of Autobots with them. The Wreckers were not seen in ''Revenge of the Fallen'', which is given an in-universe explanation that their bloodthirsty attitudes mean they are usually confined to base.
*Barricade makes a surprising return during the final battle in Chicago, last seen driving alongside Bonecrusher on the highway before the latter engaged the Autobot Leader in the first film.
*Megatron is still critically wounded after the final battle of ''Revenge of the Fallen'', notably still missing half of his head.
*Optimus Prime's main moral compass that "freedom is the right of all sentient beings", is revealed to have been taught to him by his predecessor and mentor, Sentinel Prime.
*Introduced in the second film, Optimus uses The Matrix of Leadership to revive Sentinel Prime, having retrieved it from the remains of the Star Harvester sometime following the climax of the second film. In the same previous film, Megatron had suspected the Matrix could be used to revive Optimus and was proven right when Sam succeeded, a fact Megatron exploits in his master plan enacted this film.
*Sentinel Prime was first mentioned in the previous film, by Sam Witwicky during one of his many Allspark induced exposition dump.
*In the previous film, [[Theodore Galloway]] asked Optimus that if humanity asked the Autobots to leave whether they'd cooperate, and Optimus promised to do so. This film sees them seemingly comply with such demands, only to reveal themselves to have stayed behind anyway to defeat the Decepticons.
*Ironhide no longer has his cannons, having lost them in the final battle of the previous film.

==Errors==
===Filming, animation and technical errors===
*When Sam is holding Brains in his hand after catching him spying on him and Carly, there is a short shot in which Sam is briefly seen in the background, holding nothing in hand, Brains is missing. In the next shot, Brains is back in the hand.
*After killing Ironhide, while Sentinel Prime is storming the NEST base, Sentinel Prime, Ironhide and most likely Bumblebee are all missing in a short shot in which we see two cars projected by an explosion, supposed to be a result of one of Sentinel's gun shots.
*Ironhide in alt-form appears in a short shot among the Autobots in Chicago, riding ahead of Optimus, at 01:43:21-01:43:22, but after that he disappears completely.
*Bits of Megatron's right shoulder clip through each other in the shot where he's demanding a truce.

===Astronomical and historical errors===
*The Moon does not rotate with respect to Earth, and Mare Tranquillitatis is near the middle of the near side. Therefore, Tranquility Base could never be described as being on the far side, and Earth is never as close to the horizon as shown in the movie.
*The Apollo 11 Command/Service Module is seen flying to the Moon without the Lunar Module. The Lunar Module is attached when the vehicle is orbiting the Moon, however.
*When the modern day site of the Apollo 11 landing is seen, the ascent module (the cabin Buzz and Neil flew back to orbit in) is still there.
*In real life, Apollo 11 did not land on the far side of the Moon. Tranquility Base is on the near side of the Moon.
*One of the directors of NASA says that all six Apollo missions recovered parts of the Ark but this not possible as the six missions all had different landing sites which were all a significant distance apart.
*Cybertron is apparently several times the size of Earth, yet the characters talk of bringing it "into Earth's atmosphere"; at that size, it would be more like bringing ''Earth'' into ''Cybertron's'' atmosphere, but see below for the problem with that.
*The Space Bridge starts to bring Cybertron amazingly close to Earth - less than one Earth-diameter away. Assuming Cybertron's mass is proportional to its size, Cybertron's gravitational field would [[The Ultimate Doom|tear the Earth apart]] at that distance.

===Geographic discontinuities===
*The [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]] is shown to be located ''inside'' of, or at least right next to the abandoned city of {{w|Pripyat}}, and the human characters access it through nearby buildings. In reality, the power plant is situated on the outskirts of the city. Even worse, [[Alexi Voskhod]] ''explicitly'' says that the entrance leads through a ''school''. Who builds a ''school'' right next to a ''nuclear power plant''?
*Furthermore, Pripyat's infamous Ferris wheel as shown in the movie is not only the wrong model (the real one's passenger cabins have canopies), but the real one is also located in an open field far away from any buildings.<ref name="ferris">[http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pripyat_-_Ferris_wheel.jpg Photo of the Pripyat Ferris wheel] showing the closest nearby buildings.</ref> But hey, at least it's the right color!
*Also, why exactly is the Sputnik mission case inside the Chernobyl reactor building? Did the Soviets never bother to discard the packaging of their toy after starting to play with it?
*When Megatron transforms for the first time, he's in a grassy savannah. In the next shot, he's standing in the middle of a desert... and in the establishing shot of the Decepticon camp, it's back in the savannah.
*{{w|Mount Kilimanjaro}} is seen in the background of many of the scenes in Namibia; in reality, the mountain is located in Tanzania, more than three thousand kilometers away.
[[File:DOTM-Wreckers-Prime-Cables.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Chicago's own [[knockoff]] of a prominent Chinese building.]]
*In a [[Atlantis, Arise!|fairly common cinematic contrivance]], the film depicts multiple skyscrapers in the background of many scenes set in Washington, D.C., while the real-life city has no skyscrapers.
*Also, Washington, D.C. almost entirely lacks old industrial buildings that could be converted into lofts, and likewise doesn't have the kind of densely urban streets that Sam is shown to live on.
*NEST Headquarters, supposedly in Washington, is actually Chicago's abandoned Main Post Office.
*Likewise, Dylan's auto collection museum, also set in (land-locked) Washington, is actually the Milwaukee Art Museum. [[Lake Michigan]] is even visible through the windows!
*When Optimus Prime (using his jetpack) gets himself caught in wires below an under-construction building, that building bears a striking resemblance to the {{w|China Central Television Headquarters}} in [[Beijing]], [[China]]... a far shot from [[Chicago]]. Since construction for the CCTV building was finished in 2008, long before ''Dark of the Moon'' was even ''conceived'', this appears to be an intentional instance of a "cool building" being inserted just for the sake of it.

===Continuity errors===
*Like in ''Revenge of the Fallen'', Ironhide sports his [[license plate]] from the [[Transformers (film)|first movie]], "4PCI382", on his robot mode chest, but doesn't have a license plate in vehicle mode. (According to set photos, his license plate in vehicle mode is mostly black, with a NEST logo on it.)
*Speaking of inconsistencies between robot and vehicle mode: Bumblebee's updated Chevrolet Camaro alternate mode no longer has pinstripes bordering his black racing stripes, but the CG robot model still has the pinstripes.
[[Image:DOTM-SoundwaveMercedesStar.jpg|thumb|upright=1.9|right|Is this the reverse of hidden faction insignias in vehicle mode?]]
*Soundwave has [[kibble]] from his [[Mercedes-Benz|Mercedes]] alternate mode while he is in Africa, but his chest has only a blank grille. The Mercedes star is only added to his chest from the scene where he reveals himself to be Carly's car onward. This is most likely a deliberate choice made to avoid spoiling the plot twist.
*After Megatron pulls out his shotgun for the first time, he holsters it on the right side of his back. In the next scene it is on his left side.
*In the highway battle scene with the [[Dread (DOTM)|Dreads]], Crowbar smashes into some traffic signs and knocks them over. In the next shot when the other two Dreads use them as ramps, the angle at which the signs fell has changed. After Hatchet and Crankcase transform, the signs revert into their original position.
*Also in the highway battle, Bumblebee enhances only his front wheels to evade Hatchet, yet in the next shot he's fully in Stealth Force mode.
*When Hatchet is killed by Bumblebee and Dino, the last shot shows him being thrown onto a car (using footage recycled from Michael Bay's 2005 film ''{{w|The Island (2005 film)|The Island}}'', as elaborated on below), with Dino's grappling hook cables still attached to Hatchet, which would imply that Dino is still in robot mode at this point. However, the very next shot shows Dino in the far background, driving behind Bumblebee in vehicle mode.
*Immediately after crashing into Ironhide, two of Crowbar's hair strands fall to the ground, but he has all six strands from the next shot onwards.
*During Ironhide and Sideswipe's "Mexican standoff" with Crankcase and Crowbar, all combatants drop their firearms, but when Ironhide is speared, his guns are on his back again. They disappear in subsequent shots.
*In addition, the spear impaled in Ironhide disappears when he shoots Crowbar, only to reappear in subsequent shots.
*Despite being captured by Soundwave in her evening gown, Carly is somehow able to change into more convenient clothes (but still wearing high heels!) after arriving at Dylan's place, and has yet another outfit following the attack on Chicago the following day. Not only that, she changes her earrings, too!
*When the Autobots are boarding the ''Xantium,'' Simmons mentions that nine Autobots are leaving. Former Decepticons Wheelie and Brains apparently don't count. Poor little guys!
*The Wreckers claim they had been hiding inside a rocket booster that was jettisoned from the ''Xantium'' before Starscream destroyed it. The boosters are only seen to be detached after Starscream destroys the ship, after it has barely taken off from the ground.
*Though it's a standard action movie contrivance, it sure is convenient that the glass windows inside skyscrapers are extremely fragile when needed, and glass shards are as dangerous as bread crumbs so nobody suffers a single cut from sliding across them.
*Shortly after everyone jumps through the window and starts sliding down, a downwards shot of the building shows all of the windows behind them are intact.
*As everyone tumbles through a lower floor of the building, [[Stone]] is shown to fall right through and out the other side with a collection of office furniture, but not long after is back with Epps's squad.
*Despite the Decepticons taking over Chicago and killing a whole bunch of people, there seem to be a lot of people continuing to go about their daily lives. The skyscraper Epps's team goes into to launch a rocket from still seems to have plenty of office workers in it when the Driller attacks it. When Sam's being thrown around on the end of the grapple glove rope while fighting Starscream, he crashes through a wall into a dry-cleaning business where a woman appears to be calmly hanging up a shirt. Did they all just not get the memo?
*The sequence beginning with Sam, Carly, Epps and the rest of the soldiers jumping out of the windows of the tilted skyscraper is one giant continuity headache: First they jump out of the windows, then slide down several stories, then the camera angle changes and they're sliding down several more stories, and ''then'' a wide shot shows the top of the skyscraper from an angle where the characters cannot be seen, then slowly pans around and eventually shows them all sliding down from one of the topmosts floors all over again! Eventually, they crash back into one of the lowest floors near the break. After the Driller has toppled the top portion of the skyscraper over, the group is ''again'' shown to escape from one one of the topmost floors to the neighboring building!
*Though it is Barricade who kicks and shoves Que along before executing him, the voice heard is Soundwave's. Presumably, this was an artifact of the early alternate version of the scene, in which Soundwave was to kill Dino, and they just re-used the audio.
*While fighting the Autobots at the end of the film, Sentinel Prime's cape disappears for a brief scene before reappearing on his back when the camera angle changes.
*When Sam and Dylan are fighting, the clock behind them changes to different times every shot. It starts at 00:40, then 02:25, 00:15 and 11:00 in the following shots.
*When Sam and Carly are reunited after the final battle, Carly's hands keep changing the position on every cut, sometimes on Sam's neck, sometimes on his shoulders.
*[[File:SkidsMudflap in Chicago.jpg|thumb|upright=1.9|right|Skids & Mudflap in Chicago]]Not intentional: Skids and Mudflap appear for a brief few seconds in the film in their vehicle modes. This leaves questions as to what happened to them. They weren't seen departing from Earth or taking part in the Chicago battle. However footage filming in Chicago confirms were involved in the Battle of Chicago.<ref name="transformerslive.blogspot.com">[https://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2010/07/mpea-busway-set-pics-explosions-and.html]</ref>
*It's said that four Autobots were captured by the Decepticons in Chicago, but actually five Autobots were captured. (Unless this observation was made ''before'' Bumblebee arrived after saving Sam and Lennox), possibly a leftover from an earlier draft of the script in where [[Dino]] and/or [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]] were supposed to already be dead by this point.
*When Que is about to be executed, the "cardboard head on a stick" prop used for Dino during the shooting of the movie (a common method used for the movies to give the actors ''something'' to react to) can be spotted in the final edit of the film,<ref name="headprop">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/494618-movies-errors-mirage-prop-final-movie-edit.html "Movies Errors - Mirage prop in final movie edit"] at TFW2005</ref> as noted above possibly a leftover from an earlier draft of the script where Soundwave mocked Bumblebee with Dino's disembodied head.
*Megatron's head wound alternates between "moderately repaired" and "extra mangled" from scene to scene after Sentinel tears another chunk of his scalp off.

==Transformers references==
In addition to recurring elements from the previous films, ''Dark of the Moon'' bases a number of elements on previous versions of the ''Transformers'' mythos, including plot elements based on older stories, something fairly rare in the other two movies:
*New characters [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] are heavily based upon their Generation 1 counterparts. [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]] is derived from G1 character [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]. [[Sentinel Prime (disambiguation)|Sentinel Prime]] is the name of Optimus's predecessor in many continuities, and in this instance, he continues his [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|predecessor]]'s [[Sentinel Prime (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|legacy]] of being a giant jerk.

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

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

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

*[[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] and [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]] being members of the Wreckers recalls their original G1 counterparts being likewise part of the Wreckers.

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Megatron's first line—a weary "[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All hail Megatron]]"—is the title of IDW's direction-changing comic maxi-series, which had just wrapped up when production on the film was beginning.

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

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

*The technique of shooting at a skyscraper until it breaks in half and the top falls horizontally on other buildings has been done by [[Megatron (BW)|another Megatron]] in [[Endgame Pt. III: Seeds of the Future|another city]].

==Real-world references==
*When Brains and Wheelie are watching ''{{w|Star Trek: The Original Series}}'', the screen features [[Spock|Mr. Spock]], portrayed by Leonard Nimoy—who voices Sentinel Prime. Wheelie comments that it is "the one where Spock goes nuts," which foreshadows Sentinel's heel turn. The episode itself is the famous ''TOS'' episode "{{w|Amok Time}}", although for some inexplicable reason, the first of the two clips shown on-screen is mirrored.
*Sentinel Prime says "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." The voice actor said the same line in the 1982 film ''{{w|Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan}}'' as Mr. Spock. However, in that movie, Nimoy's character dies a hero.
*To finish the Spock trifecta, when Bumblebee says his goodbyes to Sam, he uses a clip of Leonard Nimoy, as Spock, saying "I will always be your friend," another line from ''Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan''.
*[[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]] and his fake girlfriend's name, "India", are a reference to {{w|Dutch India}}.
*[[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]]'s name is a reference to {{w|Q (James Bond)|Q}} from ''{{w|James Bond}}'' novels and films. Que also gives weapons to NEST soldiers while explaining the advantages and abilities for the weapons much like Q does for James Bond.
*When Bumblebee is being dragged around by Soundwave to be executed, he plays a clip of Matt Damon saying "Get off me!" from ''Saving Private Ryan.''
*When Bumblebee brings forth "rings" for Sam and Carly, he "hums" the {{w|Wedding March}} (or, more correctly, the {{w|Bridal Chorus}} from {{w|Richard Wagner}}'s 1850 opera ''{{w|Lohengrin (opera)|Lohengrin}}'').
*Before Sentinel gets attacked by Megatron, he says "There can only be one", a popular misquote of the line "There can be only one" from the film Highlander. Sentinel is also modeled after one of the film's lead stars Sean Connery.

==Other editions==
*The version of the film available for streaming on Star+ removes all scenes that include humans being vaporized by Decepticon laser fire, significantly cutting down the initial invasion of Chicago.
{{stub}}
{{--}}

==Prequel material==
*''[[Transformers: Sector 7]]''
A five-issue limited mini-series chronicling the foundation of [[Sector Seven|Sector 7]] leading up to ''[[Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday|Ghosts of Yesterday]]''.
*''[[Transformers: Foundation]]''
A four-issue limited mini-series set during the events of ''[[Transformers: Defiance|Defiance]]'' telling the events that lead-up to the original ''[[Transformers: Movie Prequel|Movie Prequel]]''.
*''[[Transformers: Rising Storm]]''
A four-issue limited mini-series set after ''[[Transformers: Nefarious|Nefarious]]'' cronicling Shockwave's arrival and the task given to him by Megatron.
*''[[Cyberglyphics pack-in comics]]''
A six-issue miniseries by IDW, produced in cooperation with [[Target]], available only in printed form as [[pack-in material]] with a small Target-[[exclusive]] [[Target#Dark of the Moon|range of toys]], following [[Space Case (DOTM)|Space Case]]'s encounters with the Autobots and the Decepticons and leads up to ''Rising Storm''.
*''[[Transformers: Convergence]]''
A four-part prose story exclusive to the individual issues of IDW Publishing's ''Dark of the Moon comic adaptation'', chronicles both the Simmons lineage in the aftermath of ''Sector 7'' and Soundwave's activites on Earth, tying the remaining loose ends and setting the stage for ''Dark of the Moon''.
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)]]''
A video game developed by [[High Moon Studios]] for [[Xbox 360]] & [[PlayStation|PS3]].
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Stealth Force Edition]]''
A [[Wii]] & [[Nintendo 3DS|3DS]] port of the game developed by [[Behaviour Interactive]] focusing only on [[Stealth Force]].
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Autobots/Decepticons]]''
A [[Nintendo DS]] port of the game also developed by Behaviour Interactive, with each factions separated in two titles.
*''[[Transformers (Titan Magazine)#Dark of the Moon|Transformers (Titan Magazine)]]''
A monthly title by Titan in the [[United Kingdom|UK]] (another rebranding of their existing comic).
*''[[Transformers Classified]]''
A prequel novel trilogy in the same vein as ''Ghosts of Yesterday'' and ''[[Transformers: The Veiled Threat|The veiled Threat]]'' that was published after the movie, composed by ''[[Transformers Classified: Switching Gears|Switching Gears]]'', ''[[Transformers Classified: Battle Mountain|Battle Mountain]]'' & ''[[Transformers Classified: Satellite of Doom|Satellite of Doom]]'', later published together as ''[[Transformers Classified: The Complete Mission]]'' it cronicles how the Autobots & Decepticons fight against each other on Earth in the aftermath of [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|The Fallen's death]].

==Adaptations==
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)|Transformers: Dark of the Moon]]''
The novelization of the film by [[Peter David]].
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation]]''
IDW Publishing's comic adaptation of the movie.

'''Children's adaptations'''
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel]]''
The movie novelization for kids.

==Sequels==
{{main|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|Bumblebee (film)}}

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

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

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

===Additional Information===
*Close Captions in English
*Audio Description as Audio Description in English <ref>http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B005G4TJUC/audiodescriin-20</ref>

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

==Reception==
{{quote|Time will tell whether Transformers: Dark of the Moon really is the final Transformers film for both director Michael Bay and star Shia LaBeouf, but it's certainly the best one in this hugely successful, but widely loathed franchise.|[https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/06/27/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-review They've Fallen, but can the Transformers get up?], Jim Vejvoda|[https://www.ign.com ign.com] [[June 27]] [[2011]]}}

{{quote|Rarely has a movie had less of a soul and less interesting characters.|Richard Roeper, [http://www.richardroeper.com/reviews/transformersdarkofthemoon.aspx richardroeper.com] [[June 28]], [[2011]]}}

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

The official release date was moved up from July 1 to June 29 to allow breathing room between its release and ''{{w|Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2}}''. On June 28, 2011, the film was released in 3D and IMAX in the US.

The film received a generally mixed critical reception, who praised the visual effects, action sequences, musical score, voice acting, and use of 3D, while criticizing the runtime, storyline, the performances of [[Shia LaBeouf]] and [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]], and screenplay. ''Dark of the Moon'' was considered at least an improvement from ''Revenge of the Fallen'', receiving a tomatometer score of 35% and an audience score of 55% on Rotten Tomatoes.<ref>https://rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_dark_of_the_moon</ref>

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

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

''Dark of the Moon'' ended its theatrical run in the #5 spot for highest worldwide gross of all time.

Upon its' release, the ''Transformers'' fanbase generally had a warmer reception to the film over its' predecessor, with praise going to the action, score, and particularly [[Leonard Nimoy]]'s performance and role as [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]]. Several moments in the film caused no shortage of discussion, with Optimus Prime's more ruthless, violent actions ([[Peter Cullen]] himself disliked the "we will kill them all" line) and the handling of the deaths of major franchise characters being notable sore spots for the film's detractors. Over a decade since its' release, ''Dark of the Moon'' still retains the warmest reception to a Bay film outside of the first film, though those more ambivalent towards the series don't consider it that different from the lesser films.

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

On February 25, 2012, it was announced that ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' was nominated for eight {{w|Golden Raspberry Award}}s. Unlike ''Revenge of the Fallen'', however, it did not receive the awards for Worst Picture, Worst Screenplay, & Worst Director, losing all of its nominations to ''{{w|Jack & Jill (2011 film)|Jack & Jill}}''.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-is-safe-from-razzies-174726/]</ref>

==Technical details==
'''Length:''' 154 minutes
'''Audio:''' Dolby Digital / DTS / SDDS 
'''Content Rating:'''
{{collist|4|
*PG-13 (USA/MPAA)
*G (Japan)
*12A (United Kingdom)
*PG (Canada; Ontario)
*G (Canada; Quebec)
*PG-12 (Taiwan)
*PG13 (Singapore)
*PG-13 (Philippines/MTRCB)
*IIA (China)
*PG-13 (Malaysia)
*M (Australia)
*M (New Zealand)
*12 (Brazil)
*K-11 (Finland)
*12 (Germany)
*12A (Ireland)
*12 (Netherlands)
*M/12 (Portugal)
*12 (South Korea)
*B (Mexico)
*12+ (Russia)}}

==Production staff==
{{stub}}

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

===Locations department===
{{quote|The Decepticons' decision to attack Chicago<ref>http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-471495</ref> seems inexplicable, until you take into consideration the generous tax credits offered by the Illinois Film Office.|film critic Roger Ebert|[http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2011/07/on_the_origin_of_transformers.html On the Origin of Transformers]}}

==Development details==
===Cast and crew signing on===
[[File:TF3-licensingPrime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Featuring a surprise appearance by Optimus Prime!]]
On May 30, 2007, a month before the official release of ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'', [[DreamWorks]] announced that two sequels were already being planned.<ref name="spy">[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a58430/two-transformers-sequels-in-pipeline.html Digital Spy article from May 2007, confirming that two sequels were being planned]</ref> On March 16, 2009, over three months before the premiere of ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] announced the third movie for July 1, 2011.<ref name="3release">Pamela McClintock: [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118001280?refCatId=13 Variety article from March 2009], confirming Transformers 3 for July 2011.</ref> Director [[Michael Bay]] promptly backpedaled, as he had intended for the third ''Transformers'' movie to be released in 2012.<ref name="baywait">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?3947-Wait-a-minute! Michael Bay's reaction to Paramount's July 2011 date for ''Transformers 3''], March 2009.</ref> He officially changed his mind in October 2009, agreeing to the release date set by Paramount.<ref name="bay3-2011">[http://michaelbay.com/2009/10/01/transformers-3-july-1st-2011/ Michael Bay officially confirms the 2011 release date], October 2009.</ref>

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

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

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

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

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

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

[[Leonard Nimoy]] was confirmed as the voice actor for [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] in March 2011.<ref name="nimoysent">[http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/03/31/leonard-nimoy-transformers-dark-of-the-moon Entertainment Weekly announces Leonard Nimoy's involvement], March 2011]</ref> Nimoy, who had previously voiced [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] in 1986's ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' and was married to Michael Bay's cousin Susan, had previously been under consideration for [[The Fallen]]'s voice in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', but Bay had been hesitant for fear of offending his relative with the relatively low pay allotted to voice actors.<ref name="nimoy1">[http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/04/21/michael-bay-afraid-to-offend-leonard-nimoy-with-transformers-family-reunion-offer/ ''Michael Bay Afraid To Offend Leonard Nimoy With ‘Transformers’ Family Reunion Offer''], MTV.com Movies blog, April 2009.</ref> Even though Nimoy openly asked Bay to simply give him a call,<ref name="nimoy2">[http://www.latinoreview.com/news/leonard-nimoy-to-michael-bay-call-me-6682 Leonard Nimoy To Michael Bay: "Call Me!"], Latino Review, April 2009.</ref> it ultimately never worked out, and The Fallen was voiced by [[Tony Todd]] instead. For ''Dark of the Moon'', Bay finally overcame his anxiety and hired Nimoy, who accepted the offer.<ref name="nimoy3">[http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/03/31/leonard-nimoy-transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ "Leonard Nimoy joins 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' voice cast -- EXCLUSIVE"], Entertainment Weekly, March 2011.</ref> In return, screenwriter Ehren Kruger included several nods to Nimoy's well-known character as Mr. Spock from ''[[Star Trek]]'' in the movie.<ref name="nimoystartrek">[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666643/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-star-trek-references.jhtml "'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon': Behind The 'Star Trek' Nods"], MTV.com, July 2011.</ref> ''Dark of the Moon'' would be Nimoy's final performance in the ''Transformers'' franchise before his death in early 2015.

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

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

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

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

Over 500 cars were destroyed in the making of ''Dark of the Moon'', all of them damaged property from insurance companies intended for destruction.<ref name="baych"/>
[[Image:ROTFvsDOTMUSNavyHollenbeck.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|right|Wherever General Morshower goes, I go.]]

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

Another (brief) instance of recycled footage occurs during the Chicago battle: When the Navy fires several Tomahawks at the Decepticons, the mission control room scene was previously used to depict the interior of the [[USS Kidd]] in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''. The most obvious similarity is the [[Hollenbeck|same operator]] saying "Target acquired" both times.<ref name="recycled">[https://youtube.com/watch?v=6tSMdR8vH0s YouTube video] featuring brief clips from ''Dark of the Moon'' and ''Revenge of the Fallen'', highlighting the recycled footage.</ref>

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

===Changes before, during and after production===
[[File:DOTM Skids, Mudflap, Que and Sideswipe.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|Eat this, Megan Fox.]]
*In an interview with the Los Angeles Times in June 2009, Michael Bay suggested that [[Ramon Rodriguez]] would reprise his role as [[Leo Spitz]] from ''Revenge of the Fallen'' for the third movie.<ref name="bayramon">[http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2009/06/30/ramon-rodriguez-will-have-bigger-role-in-third-transformers-movie-bay-hints/ "Ramon Rodriguez will have bigger role in third ‘Transformers’ movie, Bay hints"], Los Angeles Times, June 2009.</ref>

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

*In January 2010, actor James Avery claimed in an interview that he would be playing a new Autobot named "Silverbolt".<ref name="avery">[http://web.archive.org/web/20120401095240/http://unscripted.ca/episodes/show/136 James Avery interview on Unscripted], January 2010</ref> In June 2010, representatives of James Avery, responding to a bizarre rumor that he had passed away, confirmed that the actor was indeed alive and would be playing Silverbolt in ''Transformers 3''.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20151107012047/http://www.examiner.com/article/uncle-phil-james-avery-isn-t-dead-after-all James Avery isn't dead after all], The Examiner, June 2010.</ref> Despite this, neither Avery nor Silverbolt ultimately appear in ''Dark of the Moon''.

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

[[File:DOTM-SentinelPrimetrailer.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Colour me your colour, baby Colour me your car Colour me your colour, darling I know who you are]]
*Shockwave's original voice actor, [[Corey Burton]], expressed that he had no interest in voicing him for ''Dark of the Moon'', explaining "[I] have practically no interest in that kind of mega-budget movie enterprise involvement" and that the inspiration for his Shockwave voice, {{w|David Warner (actor)|David Warner}}, was rumored to have been considered.<ref>[http://www.coreyburton.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=2707&highlight=#2707 Corey Burton's message board post.]</ref> In the end, Shockwave's almost-entirely-wordless-snarl-based role would have been something of a waste of Warner; the role ultimately went to Frank Welker. There's a nice touch of symmetry in the casting, with Welker taking over a Burton-originated role not long after Burton took on a Welker-originated character in [[Megatron (Animated)|''Animated'' Megatron]].

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

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

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

*A scrapped death for Wheeljack/"Que" involved the Autobot being run off of a Chicago street and into a river by the [[Driller]], where he would have been torn to pieces by Decepticon troopers lying in wait in the river.

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

[[File:DOTMSuperBowlvsTrailer.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|So does this qualify as a retcon?]]
*Another plot point that was apparently dropped was an anti-Autobot sentiment among the human populace. Graffiti with a crossed out Autobot [[insignia|logo]] with the words "go home" below it showed up in several set photos.<ref name="gohome1">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2010/05/transformers-3-filming-with-twins.html Photos from the set in Sherman Oaks, California] at the Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, May 2010.</ref><ref name="gohome2">[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/possible-tf3-plot-point-revealed-autobots-go-home/19188/ Photos from the Chicago set] at Seibertron.com, July 2010.</ref> In the movie, Congress instantly passes a law exiling the Autobots from Earth following Sentinel Prime's ultimatum.

*Early working names included "[[Ultra Magnus (disambiguation)|Ultra Magnus]]" for [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]],<ref name="chicagocall">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2011/06/chicgo-call-sheet-for-ultra-magnus.html "Chicago Call Sheet For Ultra Magnus"], Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, June 2011.</ref> "Enzo" (after {{w|Enzo Ferrari}})<ref name="callsheet2">[http://tilallaremine.wordpress.com/2011/07/01/dark-of-the-moon-call-sheets/ Dark of the Moon Call Sheets!] at Til All Are Mine blog, July 2011.</ref> and "Rush" for Mirage/"Dino", "[[Warpath (disambiguation)|Warpath]]" for both [[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] and [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]], "Tempest" for Topspin, "[[Flash (disambiguation)|Flash]]" for [[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]], "[[Dreadwind (disambiguation)|Dreadwind]]" for [[Crankcase (DOTM)|Crankcase]], "[[Hooligan (disambiguation)|Hooligan]]" for [[Crowbar]], "[[Dirtbag]]" for [[Hatchet (DOTM)|Hatchet]], "[[Blitzwing (disambiguation)|Blitzwing]]" for [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]], "[[Breakdown (disambiguation)|Breakdown]]" for Soundwave's new vehicular design, "[[Clench (G1)|Colossus]]" for the [[Driller]],<ref name="nizzi">[http://www.joshnizzi.com/TF3.htm Josh Nizzi DOTM concepts.]</ref> "Buzzard" for [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]], "[[Undermine (Cybertron)|Undermine]]" for [[Igor]] and "[[Steeljaw (disambiguation)|Steeljaw]]" for Wheeljack/"Que". However, it's quite possible a few of these were code names used to keep character identities a secret during production as images of Megatron's new cloak obscured face refer to the character as "[[Cyclonus (disambiguation)|Cyclonus]]".<ref name="wburt">[http://conceptartworld.com/?p=8388 Wesley Burt DOTM concepts.]</ref>

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

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

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

*Megatron was originally supposed to appear in his ''Revenge of the Fallen'' form.<ref>http://joshnizzi.com/images/TF3/JoshNizzi_TF3_56.jpg</ref>

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

*In the original announcement trailer for ''Dark of the Moon'' that was released in December 2010, the opening scene that featured [[Neil Armstrong]] and [[Buzz Aldrin]] investigate the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'' on the moon had Sentinel Prime sport a gold and silver color scheme. For the final movie, his base color was changed to red, his left shoulder was lowered, his facial expression was changed to look more droopy, and the whole scene was given a considerable blue tint.

*Similar to the announcement trailer, the Super Bowl spot also features footage that contains unfinished CG effects. Most notably, the shot that depicts Optimus Prime, equipped with his flight pack, swooping down on the Decepticons before starting his epic rampage on the ground was changed by the time the first full trailer was released: Optimus himself and the first [[M1 Abrams Decepticon]] are both rescaled and moved to different positions on-screen; a Decepticon using the same [[body-type]] as [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] and [[Grindor (ROTF)|Grindor]] is removed entirely; and a Decepticon using the same body-type as Long Haul, as well as other [[generic]]s, are added. The final movie uses pretty much the same version as seen in the trailer.
{{-}}

===Leaks and disinformation===
[[File:DOTMgameSoundwave.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|What you're about to see is totally classified.]]
The movie's title, then "Transformers: ''The'' Dark of the Moon", was first discovered on October 6, 2010 via listings for childrens' books on [[Amazon (website)|Amazon]]. The title was further confirmed by a whois check for "www.transformersdarkofthemoonmovie.com".<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-3-title-revealed-170697/ Transformers 3 Title Revealed?] @ TFW2005.com</ref> On October 31, the official website for all three movies, [http://www.transformersmovie.com/ transformersmovie.com], was updated to show the ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' logo as well as international release dates.

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

[[File:TF3HasbroSoundwaveBio.JPG|thumb|upright=1.66|left|If you breathe a word of what you see in here, you will do time for treason.]]Michael Bay and other official parties tried ''really'' hard to suppress the plot twist of the silver Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG given to [[Carly Spencer|Carly]] by [[Dylan Gould|Dylan]] turning out to be the new [[alternate mode]] of [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. After the Mercedes had been spotted on the set, with [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]] exiting it,<ref name="mercedesset">[http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=67518 DOTM Set Photos], ComingSoon.net, July 2010.</ref> the first hint that it was more than meets the eye came with the trailer for the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)|video game]], which showed Soundwave's robot mode with car [[kibble]] such as wheels that heavily resembled those of the Mercedes. In addition, [[Rising Storm issue 2|issue 2]] of ''[[Transformers: Rising Storm]]'' depicted Soundwave's robot mode not only with car kibble, but with a Mercedes star on his chest, yet in [[Rising Storm issue 3|issue 3]], he appeared in his ''Revenge of the Fallen'' design again. Despite this, director Michael Bay insisted that the Mercedes was simply Carly's car, claiming that "Mercedes would never let us make their car into a bad Decepticon. Car company's {{sic}} really frown on that. I can't say what the game company and comics do that's their own thing. They don't have the same constraints movies do. It's Carly's car."<ref name="baynomerc">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?8724-Update-Is-Soundwave-the-silver-Mercedes-on-set-of-DOTM&p=169598&viewfull=1#post169598 Michael Bay's response to the fan theory that Soundwave is the Silver Mercedes.], April 2011.</ref> On April 19, 2011, an event for promoting the ''Spider-Man: Edge of Time'' and ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' video games was held in London. As part of this, [[High Moon Studios]] released promotional stills from the ''Dark of the Moon'' game, one of which depicted Soundwave's new robot mode, again with Mercedes parts. However, a news embargo was enforced on the attending press, which was broken by South African video game site [http://egamer.co.za egamer].<ref name="egamera">[http://egamer.co.za/2011/05/exclusive-hands-on-transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ egamer's preview of the ''Dark of the Moon'' video game]</ref> The site was soon asked to take down the article and images, as were various ''Transformers'' fan sites that had reported on the article and mirrored the images. On May 2, 2011, Hasbro's [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/ official Transformers website] was given a massive overhaul, including the addition of the new [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/cybertronian-database.cfm Vector Sigma database]. The entry for Soundwave initially identified his alternate mode as a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, but was soon changed to "satellite". On May 3, 2011, the embargo for the video game article and promotional stills was finally lifted, allowing sites to freely show the image of Soundwave's new robot mode.

On May 5, 2011, six days before the trade paperback collection's official release, preview pages from [[IDW Publishing|IDW]]'s [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation|''Dark of the Moon'' comic adaptation]] were discovered at [[Amazon (website)|Amazon]]. Through some bizarre system error, ''several dozen pages'' were made available, which included the major plot twist of Sentinel Prime showing his true colors and killing [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]]. Unsurprisingly, this discovery was quickly posted on several major Transformers [[fandom|fan sites]], often without a spoiler warning. The fact that, even without this leak, the trade paperback of the comic adaptation was released well over a month before the film's theatrical release probably didn't help matters either.

==Notes==
*A 126-page script for the movie was leaked in December 2009,<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/content/view/6435/20/ The Allspark: Transformers News Movie Comics Animated - Script Treatment for Transformers 3? Bogus or Not, Here You Go!]</ref> causing much discussion among the fandom. It was later confirmed as fake.<ref>[http://shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6532 Script]</ref>
*In April 2010, shortly before on-set production began, the Andersen Air Force Base in Guam ran a security drill on detecting phishing scams as part of their operational readiness exercises. However, the base's security team decided to make the phishing email appear to be a casting call for US airmen to appear as extras in the then-untitled ''Transformers 3'' film. One airman thought it was an actual casting call and shared the phishing link to ComicBookMovie.com, which was then picked up by several fan forums and websites that shared the link even ''further''.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=We all know how much Michael Bay loves to use the military in his movies and Transformers 3 will be no different. But this time he is coming to Guam and Andersen AFB. I'm an Airman in the worlds greatest air, space and cyberspace force on Guam. I received an email stating that Dreamworks is looking for 20 airmen for Andersen to be extras.|link=https://comicbookmovie.com/transformers/transformers-3-shooting-in-guam-a17457|title=Transformers 3 Shooting in Guam|site=ComicBookMovie.com|name=Andersen Air Force Base airman "supershaggy"|day=25|month=04|year=2010}}</ref> After local news media in Guam contacted the air base for information, the exercise was immediately ended by Anderson AFB, hoping this exercise showed everyone the danger of phishing scams.<ref>[https://www.postguam.com/news/local/movie-deal-false-alarm/article_ce7aa728-3c16-516a-ba1a-1a24acdf2ca3.html The Guam Daily Post - Movie deal false alarm]</ref> Mission accomplished!
*When word hit that [[Megan Fox]] was off the picture, [https://youtube.com/watch?v=3VTs5ESycpY Heidi Montag] put an "audition" for her part on YouTube. [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/114ce28ddd/sir-ben-kingsley-shows-up-heidi-montag Sir Ben Kingsley] and [https://youtube.com/watch?v=N4FZeucBO0c Ashton Kutcher] made fun of her, because life is rad.
*Several concepts that had been established by the [[Transformers (film)|first movie]] were (more or less) dropped with ''Dark of the Moon'' in favor for a more traditional, ''[[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]]''-esque approach:
**In the 2007 movie, the Autobots arrive on Earth in "[[Protoform]]" entry modes (which was subsequently used as the basis for the Decepticons' arrival in [[Planetfall (Movie)|Planetfall]]). Prior to the release of the movie, screenwriter [[Roberto Orci]] defended this choice over the use of a spaceship such as the ''Ark'' by asking why "aliens who moonlight as vehicles need other vehicles to travel".<ref name="orcitravel">[http://tformers.com/Ark-Not-Making-An-Appearance-In-the-Movie/6513/news.html TFormers quoting Roberto Orci], because Don Murphy's board can only be read by registered members.</ref> He somewhat changed his mind after the movie had been released, however.<ref name="orciship">[http://boards.transformersmovie.com/showpost.php?p=388596&postcount=271 Roberto Orci on the Transformers Live Action Movie Boards], July 2007.</ref> After the Decepticons' ship, the ''[[Nemesis (ROTF)|Nemesis]]'', had made an appearance in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', ''Dark of the Moon'' not only introduces the movieverse version of the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'', but also reveals that all the new Autobots who have been on Earth since before ''Revenge of the Fallen'' had arrived in their own spaceship, the ''[[Xantium (DOTM)|Xantium]]'', making the notion of individual Transformers traveling through space as "comets" an exception rather than the rule. ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction]]'' would also later depict the Autobots as stranded on Earth after the destruction of the ''Xantium'' in this film, further pointing towards the "comet" transportation as an abandoned concept. ''[[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight]]'' would also show this idea when the Autobots again declare themselves stranded, as they don't know where the [[Knight Ship]] is, only being able to finally go home after they acquired it.
**Furthermore, ''Dark of the Moon'' largely abandons the idea of Transformers having all their weapons integrated into their bodies in favor of more traditional, separate weapons. For example, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], who had blades and hooks emerging from his forearms in the previous two movies now stores all his weapons (including an axe) as accessories inside his trailer (though he still carries some on his person). Also, Ironhide, whose cannons were previously affixed to his arms, now sports handheld firearms instead. Even Megatron, whose [[fusion cannon]] previously grew out of his arms, now has a hand-held shotgun. Though it can be argued that Optimus still has his swords in his arms during the Chicago battle, and both Ironhide and Megatron lost their integrated weapons in the previous film, the general change is still noticeable. The only ones who still seem to have the same converting arm cannons as in the previous movies are Bumblebee, Ratchet, and Starscream.
*Another change from the previous movies (though not rooted in ''Generation 1'') is that Transformers that take damage in battle now spill a red liquid that is very obviously meant to resemble human blood.
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] finally achieves a certain consistency between his two primary modes: Ever since his upgrade to a modern Camaro in ''Transformers'' (2007), his [[license plate]] had alternated between "900 STRA" in vehicle mode and "4NZZ 454" in robot mode. ''Dark of the Moon'' finally uses "900 STRA" for the robot mode as well. Hasbro's toys, which had previously favored the CG robot model's "4NZZ 454" (barring the occasional "4NZZ'''Z''' 454" flub), follow suit.
*Speaking of license plates: [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]]'s Maybach 62S Landaulet sports a German license plate, "'''S MM 6201'''", registered in the city of Stuttgart. In reality, that plate is registered to the manufacturer and used for promotional photos.<ref name="maybach">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/update--transformers-3-rumor--who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire-170533/ Set photos and promo photos of the Maybach 62S Landaulet] at TFW2005.</ref>
*Michael Bay's private Gulfstream Aerospace G-1159A jet (registration number N4500X) has a cameo in the movie as [[Charlotte Mearing]]'s plane.
*For eleven years, ''Dark of the Moon'' held the record for the biggest Independence Day opening weekend at $115.9 million, until it was beaten by ''{{w|Minions: The Rise of Gru}}'', ranking in $128 million.<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2022/07/03/box-office-minions-the-rise-of-gru-breaks-records-with-128-million-holiday-weekend/ Box Office: ‘Minions 2’ Breaks Records With $128 Million Holiday Weekend - Forbes]</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''''Transformers/Darkside Moon''''' (トランスフォーマー/ダークサイド・ムーン ''Toransufōmā Dākusaido Mūn'')
*''Arabic:'' '''''Almtahawilun: Aljanib Almuzlim Lilqamar''''' (المتحولون: الجانب المظلم للقمر, "Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Cantonese:'' (變形金剛: 黑月降臨, "Transformers: The Arrival of the Black Moon")
*''Croatian:'' '''''Transformeri: Tamna strana Mjeseca''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Czech:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Finnish:'' '''''Transformers: Kuun pimeä puoli''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''French:'' '''''Transformers 3 : La Face cachée de la Lune''''' ("Transformers 3: The Hidden Side of the Moon")
*''German:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Greek:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Hebrew:'' '''''Rvvvtrkm 3. Flt hrch''''' (רובוטריקים 3: אפלת הירח, "Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon")
*''Hindi:'' '''''Traansaphormars: Chaand ka Andhera''''' (ट्राँसफॉर्मर्स: चांद का अंधेरा, "Transformers: Darkness of the Moon")
*''Hungarian:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Italian:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Korean:'' '''''Teulaenseupomeo 3''''' (트랜스포머 3, "Transformers 3")
*''Latvian:'' '''''Transformeri 3: Mēness no otras puses''''' ("Transformers 3: The Moon on the Other Side")
*''Lithuanian:'' '''''Transformeriai: tamsioji Mėnulio pusė''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Mandarin:'' '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng 3''''' (Taiwan, 變形金剛３, "Transformers 3"), '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng: Yuè Hēi zhī Shí''''' (China, 变形金刚：月黑之时, "Transformers: When the Moon Becomes Black")
*''Polish:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Portuguese:'' '''''Transformers: O Lado Oculto da Lua''''' (Brazil, "Transformers: The Hidden Side of the Moon"), '''''Transformers 3''''' (Portugal)
*''Romanian:'' '''''Transformers: Fața ascunsă a Lunii''''' ("Transformers: The Hidden Face of the Moon")
*''Russian:'' '''''Transformery 3: Tjomnaja storona Luny''''' (Трансформеры 3: Тёмная сторона Луны, "Transformers 3: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Serbian:'' '''''Transformers 3: Tama Meseca''''' ("Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon")
*''Spanish:'' '''''Transformers: El Lado Oscuro de la Luna''''' (Latin American, "Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon"), '''''Transformers 3''''' (Spain)
*''Swedish:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Tamil:'' '''''Ṭirāṉsḥpārmas: Ṭārk op ti mūṉ''''' (டிரான்ஸ்ஃபார்மஸ்: டார்க் ஒப் தி மூன், "Transformers: Dark of the Moon")
*''Thai:'' '''''Thrāns̄̒ fxr̒m me xr̒s̄ 3''''' (ทรานส์ฟอร์มเมอร์ส 3, "Transformers 3")
*''Turkish:'' '''''Transformers: Ayın Karanlık Yüzü''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''''Transformery: Temnyy bik Misyatsya''''' (Трансформери: Темний бік Місяця, "Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon")

==External links==
*[http://www.transformersmovie.com/ Transformersmovie.com]
*[http://www.imdb.com/tt1399103/ ''Dark of the Moon'' at IMDB.com]
*{{w|Transformers: Dark of the Moon|''Dark of the Moon'' film on Wikipedia}}
*[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_dark_of_the_moon/ ''Dark of the Moon'' on RottenTomatoes.com]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

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

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

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)

2026-03-19T10:42:39Z

Zenphia: /* Synopsis */

{{Nav-dotm}}
{{movie|
|seriess=[[Live-action film series]]
|prev=Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)
|next=Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)
|title=''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''
|image=DOTM-OPportraitposter.jpg
|caption="Of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|my friend]], I can only say this: of all the souls I have encountered, he was the most... human."
|production companies=[[Allspark (company)|Hasbro Films]] [[Lorenzo di Bonaventura|di Bonaventura Pictures]]
|distributor=[[Paramount Pictures]]
|executive producer=[[Steven Spielberg]]
|producer=[[Lorenzo di Bonaventura]] [[Tom DeSanto]] [[Don Murphy]] [[Ian Bryce]]
|written by=[[Ehren Kruger]]
|directed by=[[Michael Bay]]
|cinematography by=[[Amir Mokri]]
|edited by=[[Roger Barton]] [[William Goldenberg]] [[Joel Negron]]
|music by=[[Steve Jablonsky]]
|release date=[[June 29]], [[2011]]
|continuity=[[Live-action film series]]
|runtime=154 minutes
|budget=$195 million
|box office=$1.124 billion
}}
'''''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''''' is the third film in the [[live-action film series]]. It was released in 3D and IMAX at 9PM on [[June 28]], [[2011]]<ref name="open3D">[http://michaelbay.com/2011/06/18/see-dark-of-the-moon-one-day-earlier-on-imax-3d/ See Dark Of The Moon One Day Earlier on IMAX 3D | MichaelBay]</ref> and in wide release on [[June 29]], [[2011]]<ref name="open">[http://www.deadline.com/2011/05/paramount-moving-up-transformers-3/ Paramount Moving Up ‘T’formers 3′ Release – Deadline.com]</ref> in the United States, and between [[June 29]] and July 1 for other markets.

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

And SCENE!

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

==Synopsis==
[[File:Dotm-Arkreflection.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"Wha... this is the finest engine room in the whole Starfleet!"]]

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

[[File:DOTM - ShockwaveDriller.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|"When I swing around, I mean to deprive you of your life."]]
In the present day, the Autobots are still part of [[NEST]], cooperating with the [[United States military|US Armed Forces]]. They have also begun to help humanity in its local conflicts, as [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]], [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]], [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]], and [[Dino]] destroy an illegal [[Iran]]ian nuclear facility. On a mission to the [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]], a NEST team led by [[William Lennox|Lt. Col. Lennox]], [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] discovers an unknown alien fuel cell which had led to the {{w|Chernobyl disaster}}. While trying to secure the cell, they are attacked by the Decepticon [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] and his "pet", the [[Driller]], who are eventually forced to retreat by Optimus. Meanwhile, [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] kills [[Alexi Voskhod]], who had called NEST to Chernobyl and was secretly working for him. After securing the fuel cell and identifying it as part of the ''Ark'', Optimus is angry at the humans for not following through with their agreement of sharing all known information relating to Cybertron and its inhabitants. Despite this, he eventually informs his allies and [[Charlotte Mearing]], the {{w|Director of National Intelligence}}, about the space bridge technology the ''Ark'' contains. Together with Ratchet, Optimus travels to the Moon, where they find Sentinel Prime inside the ship. Retrieving him along with four pillars of the space bridge and the accompanying control pillar, they return to Earth, where Optimus uses the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to reactivate Sentinel Prime. In [[Africa]], Decepticon leader [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] (still recovering from wounds [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|suffered]] in [[Egypt]]) meets with his lieutenants [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] and [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. Upon learning that the Autobots have recovered Sentinel and the pillars, Megatron orders Soundwave and Laserbeak to terminate their "loose ends".

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

[[File:DOTM-Sentinelendofyourworld.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66|"There's a man out there I haven't seen in fifteen years who's trying to kill me."]]

Locked out of participating in the investigation by Mearing, Sam turns to [[Seymour Simmons]] for help. Simmons, who has become a millionaire as a writer, and his aide, [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]], help Sam find out that the Soviets have taken photos of Decepticons removing hundreds of space bridge pillars out of the ''Ark'' even before Apollo 11 had landed on the Moon. Sam and Simmons conclude that the Decepticons had left Sentinel Prime behind on purpose, knowing that only he would be able to activate the space bridge, and only Optimus Prime could reactivate him. Sam is able to warn the Autobots in time so they can protect Sentinel from a Decepticon attack and escort him back to the NEST headquarters. Upon arriving there, however, Sentinel Prime betrays them, revealing that he made a deal with Megatron to ensure Cybertron's survival. After killing [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] and most of the NEST soldiers, Sentinel claims the remaining pillars and escapes. The other Autobots track him down to [[Washington, D.C.]], but before Optimus can stop him, Sentinel activates a space bridge to the Moon. The portal allows dozens of Decepticon troops which had remained hidden under the Moon's surface to reach Earth, forcing the Autobots to retreat.

[[File:DOTM-Moonspacebridge.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|"We are one big, happy fleet! Ah, [[James T. Kirk|Kirk]], my old friend, do you know the [[Klingon]] proverb that tells us revenge is a dish that is best served cold? It is ''very'' cold in space."]]

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

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

[[File:DarkoftheMoon-Chicago.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|left|"Let them eat static. "]]
Dylan takes Carly to [[Chicago]], informing her that the Decepticons do not intend to return to Cybertron; instead, they want to transport the planet into Earth's orbit, because Earth not only has the necessary resources, but also six billion slaves to rebuild the Transformers' home planet. With the Autobots seemingly out of the way, the Decepticons arrive and lay waste to the city and its population before setting up the control pillar for the space bridge and sending the other pillars around the world.

Sam decides to go to Chicago, accompanied by [[Robert Epps]], who now works for NASA, and other former NEST members. They are promptly attacked by the Decepticons, but are rescued by Optimus Prime and the other Autobots. Having never intended to leave Earth, they had hidden themselves inside a modified rocket booster that was jettisoned before Starscream destroyed the ''Xantium''.

[[File:DOTM Driller vs Prime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|"From Hell's heart, I stab at thee!"]]

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

In the meantime, Lennox and the rest of NEST have managed to make their way into the city using [[wingsuit]]s, and Sam destroys Starscream with Lennox's help using weapons provided to him by the Autobot scientist Que. Meanwhile, the Decepticons have taken several Autobot prisoners, but Dylan convinces them to execute them on the spot. [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] kills Que, and Soundwave moves to take Bumblebee next, but the Autobots Wheelie and Brains have managed to make one of the Decepticons' ships crash, thereby distracting Soundwave long enough for Bumblebee to overpower and kill him, freeing the other Autobots. Most of the remaining Decepticons are slaughtered by the Autobots and human soldiers. Optimus kills Shockwave and uses the Decepticon's arm cannon to topple over the space bridge's control pillar, deactivating the bridge.

[[File:DOTMCybertrontransit.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.55|"Earth was created in six days. Now, watch out! Here comes Genesis! We'll do it for you in six minutes!"]]

Optimus Prime then confronts Sentinel Prime and the two engage in a ferocious battle of Student vs Master, but Optimus can't get past Sentinel's shield. Not wanting to take any chances, Sentinel calls in an airstrike, which is soon destroyed by long-range missiles. With Optimus reinforced by the other Autobots and humans, Sentinel tries to make a run for it only for Optimus to knock him off his wheels on a bridge. Meanwhile, Carly stumbles across Megatron outside the main battle zone. Having previously witnessed a violent argument between him and Sentinel, she appeals to his pride and makes him realize that he will never be able to rule over Cybertron as long as Sentinel is alive.

Sentinel gains the upper hand over Optimus and severs his right arm, but before he can execute his former pupil, an infuriated Megatron attacks and severely damages him, declaring that Earth is ''his'' planet to rule. Meanwhile, Dylan manages to reactivate the toppled pillar, but is attacked by Sam and hurled against the pillar, which kills him. Subsequently, Bumblebee destroys the pillar for good, thus destroying the space bridge and, presumably, Cybertron with it. Seeing this, Megatron half-heartedly offers Optimus Prime a truce on the condition that he will remain in charge of the Decepticons, questioning what Optimus would be without him. Realizing that the offer is less than sincere, Optimus refuses and attacks Megatron, decapitating him with an axe. The weakened Sentinel Prime tries to excuse his actions, but Optimus executes the treacherous Prime with Megatron's shotgun.

[[File:DOTM Autobots NEST victorious.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|"Live long... and prosper..."]]

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

[['Til all are one|'Til all are]] [[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|one?]]
{{--}}

==Main cast==

{{featuredcharacters|
h1=[[Autobot]]s|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] ([[Leonard Nimoy]])
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]
*[[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] ([[Jess Harnell]])
*[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] ([[Robert Foxworth]])
*[[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] ([[James Remar]])
*[[Dino]] ([[Francesco Quinn]])<ref group=note name="credits">Mirage and Wheeljack, known by those names in the toyline and essentially all supporting media, are respectively named "Dino" and "Que" in the film. While Dino is simply credited as such, Que is listed in the credits as "Que/Wheeljack".</ref>
*[[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que/Wheeljack]] ([[George Coe]])<ref group=note name="credits"/>
*[[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] ([[Tom Kenny]])
*[[Brains]] ([[Reno Wilson]])

'''[[Twins (ROTF)|Twins]]'''
*[[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] (cameo)<ref group=note name=skidsandmudflap>Skids and Mudflap only appear during the convoy scene at the beginning of the film.</ref>
*[[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] (cameo)<ref group=note name=skidsandmudflap/>

'''[[Wreckers]]'''
*[[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] ([[Ron Bottitta]])<ref group=note>Roadbuster is listed as "Roadbuster/Amp" in the credits, a reference to his car mode's sponsor. His name is not used in the film, but he is called "Roadbuster" in the toyline and supporting media.</ref>
*[[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]]
*[[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]] ([[John DiMaggio]])<ref group=note>Leadfoot is listed in the film's end credits as "Leadfoot/Target", a reference to his car mode's sponsor. His name is not spoken in the film, but he is called "Leadfoot" in the toyline and the supporting media.</ref>

|h2=[[Decepticon]]s|c2=
*[[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] ([[Hugo Weaving]])
*[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] ([[Charlie Adler]])
*[[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
**[[Driller]]
*[[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
**[[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] ([[Keith Szarabajka]])
*[[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] (''Frank Welker'')<ref group=note>Barricade doesn't ''technically'' speak in the movie, 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.</ref>
*[[Loader]]
*[[Devcon (DOTM)|Devcon]]
*[[Igor]] ([[Greg Berg]])
*[[Hatchling]]s
*[[Audi R8 Decepticon]]
*Two [[M1 Abrams Decepticon]]s
*[[Garagebot]]
*[[Lensmeter Decepticon]]s
*[[Protoform]]s
*[[Watch-bot]]<ref group=note>Repeatedly referred to as the "Watch-bot" (proper noun) in the ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel]]''</ref>
*[[Pickup Decepticon]]
*[[Police car Decepticon]]

'''[[Constructicon (ROTF)|Constructicons]]'''
*[[Scrapper (ROTF)|Scrapper]] type Decepticon
*[[Long Haul (ROTF)|Long Haul]] type Decepticon

'''[[Dread (DOTM)|Dreads]]'''
*[[Crankcase (DOTM)|Crankcase]]
*[[Crowbar]] (''[[Jimmie Wood]]'')<ref group=note>During the highway battle scene where Crowbar flips over a sign, recycled screams and grunts from Jimmie Wood's [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]] performance in ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' can be heard.</ref>
*[[Hatchet (DOTM)|Hatchet]]

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

|nonumbering=true
}}
<references group=note/>

==Quotes==

"We were once a peaceful race of intelligent, mechanical beings. But then came the war, between the Autobots who fought for freedom and the Decepticons who dreampt of tyranny. Overmatched and outnumbered, our defeat was all but certain. But in the war's final days, one Autobot ship escaped the battle. It was carrying a secret cargo, which would have changed our planet's fate. A despearate mission. Our final hope. A hope that vanished."
:—'''Optimus Prime's''' opening narration.

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

'''Dino''': "He's in a bad mood. He's not talking to anybody today." 
'''Mearing''': "What is this, the silent treatment?" 
'''Ironhide''': "We've seen that and this is ''not'' that." 
'''Que''': "Definitely not." 
'''Ironhide''': "This is ''worse''. Prime! Make something of yourself! (Ironhide taps Optimus's roof) He's pissed."
:—'''Ironhide''' discusses '''Optimus Prime's''' foul mood.

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

"My poor, poor master, how it pains me to see you, so wounded... so weak..."
:—'''Starscream''' jeering at a wounded Megatron

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

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

"Woah! Little Mexican standoff we got here!"
:—'''Sideswipe''', talking to Ironhide and the Dreads.

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

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

[[File:DOTM-MegatronLincoln.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"I'll give him this: [[Atlantis, Arise!|he]]'s [[Transformers The Game (console)|consistent]]!"]] 
"Here we are. Fight us ''now''."
:—'''Megatron''', pulling the evil overlord cliché on us while sitting atop the [[Abraham Lincoln|Lincoln Memorial]]

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

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

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

"I bring you Cybertron, your home—and still you choose humanity." 
"You are the one who taught me [[Bio|freedom is everyone's right]]."
:—'''Sentinel''' VS '''Optimus Prime'''.

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

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

"Optimus. All I ever wanted...was the survival of our race. You must see why I had to betray you..." 
"You didn't betray me. You betrayed yourself..."
:—'''Optimus Prime''''s final exchange with '''Sentinel Prime''' before effectively ''double-tapping'' him.

"In any war, there are calms between storms. There will be days when we lose faith. Days when our allies turn against us... but the day will never come that we forsake this planet and its people."
:—'''Optimus Prime's''' closing narration, [[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|which predicts what will]] [[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|happen to them years later]].

==Continuity notes==
*Sam has since graduated from college, being three months out of school, and is currently looking for a job. Since the events of ''Revenge of the Fallen'', Sam and Mikaela had broke up (despite having to spend an entire film of Sam needing to say the L-word). Prior to the events of this film, he started a relationship with Carly Spencer.
*Megatron's camp is full of salvaged artifacts from the previous film, along with several Decepticon corpses laying around the area. While most are unrecognizable, one of them is a headless Long Haul; his head was presumably used to create Igor. Megatron's new right hand appears to be salvaged from a fallen Decepticon, as the matching left hand can be seen laying around the campsite.
*The Wreckers, according to Charlotte Mearing arrived on Earth aboard the ''Xantium'' and brought the second wave of Autobots with them. The Wreckers were not seen in ''Revenge of the Fallen'', which is given an in-universe explanation that their bloodthirsty attitudes mean they are usually confined to base.
*Barricade makes a surprising return during the final battle in Chicago, last seen driving alongside Bonecrusher on the highway before the latter engaged the Autobot Leader in the first film.
*Megatron is still critically wounded after the final battle of ''Revenge of the Fallen'', notably still missing half of his head.
*Optimus Prime's main moral compass that "freedom is the right of all sentient beings", is revealed to have been taught to him by his predecessor and mentor, Sentinel Prime.
*Introduced in the second film, Optimus uses The Matrix of Leadership to revive Sentinel Prime, having retrieved it from the remains of the Star Harvester sometime following the climax of the second film. In the same previous film, Megatron had suspected the Matrix could be used to revive Optimus and was proven right when Sam succeeded, a fact Megatron exploits in his master plan enacted this film.
*Sentinel Prime was first mentioned in the previous film, by Sam Witwicky during one of his many Allspark induced exposition dump.
*In the previous film, [[Theodore Galloway]] asked Optimus that if humanity asked the Autobots to leave whether they'd cooperate, and Optimus promised to do so. This film sees them seemingly comply with such demands, only to reveal themselves to have stayed behind anyway to defeat the Decepticons.
*Ironhide no longer has his cannons, having lost them in the final battle of the previous film.

==Errors==
===Filming, animation and technical errors===
*When Sam is holding Brains in his hand after catching him spying on him and Carly, there is a short shot in which Sam is briefly seen in the background, holding nothing in hand, Brains is missing. In the next shot, Brains is back in the hand.
*After killing Ironhide, while Sentinel Prime is storming the NEST base, Sentinel Prime, Ironhide and most likely Bumblebee are all missing in a short shot in which we see two cars projected by an explosion, supposed to be a result of one of Sentinel's gun shots.
*Ironhide in alt-form appears in a short shot among the Autobots in Chicago, riding ahead of Optimus, at 01:43:21-01:43:22, but after that he disappears completely.
*Bits of Megatron's right shoulder clip through each other in the shot where he's demanding a truce.

===Astronomical and historical errors===
*The Moon does not rotate with respect to Earth, and Mare Tranquillitatis is near the middle of the near side. Therefore, Tranquility Base could never be described as being on the far side, and Earth is never as close to the horizon as shown in the movie.
*The Apollo 11 Command/Service Module is seen flying to the Moon without the Lunar Module. The Lunar Module is attached when the vehicle is orbiting the Moon, however.
*When the modern day site of the Apollo 11 landing is seen, the ascent module (the cabin Buzz and Neil flew back to orbit in) is still there.
*In real life, Apollo 11 did not land on the far side of the Moon. Tranquility Base is on the near side of the Moon.
*One of the directors of NASA says that all six Apollo missions recovered parts of the Ark but this not possible as the six missions all had different landing sites which were all a significant distance apart.
*Cybertron is apparently several times the size of Earth, yet the characters talk of bringing it "into Earth's atmosphere"; at that size, it would be more like bringing ''Earth'' into ''Cybertron's'' atmosphere, but see below for the problem with that.
*The Space Bridge starts to bring Cybertron amazingly close to Earth - less than one Earth-diameter away. Assuming Cybertron's mass is proportional to its size, Cybertron's gravitational field would [[The Ultimate Doom|tear the Earth apart]] at that distance.

===Geographic discontinuities===
*The [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]] is shown to be located ''inside'' of, or at least right next to the abandoned city of {{w|Pripyat}}, and the human characters access it through nearby buildings. In reality, the power plant is situated on the outskirts of the city. Even worse, [[Alexi Voskhod]] ''explicitly'' says that the entrance leads through a ''school''. Who builds a ''school'' right next to a ''nuclear power plant''?
*Furthermore, Pripyat's infamous Ferris wheel as shown in the movie is not only the wrong model (the real one's passenger cabins have canopies), but the real one is also located in an open field far away from any buildings.<ref name="ferris">[http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pripyat_-_Ferris_wheel.jpg Photo of the Pripyat Ferris wheel] showing the closest nearby buildings.</ref> But hey, at least it's the right color!
*Also, why exactly is the Sputnik mission case inside the Chernobyl reactor building? Did the Soviets never bother to discard the packaging of their toy after starting to play with it?
*When Megatron transforms for the first time, he's in a grassy savannah. In the next shot, he's standing in the middle of a desert... and in the establishing shot of the Decepticon camp, it's back in the savannah.
*{{w|Mount Kilimanjaro}} is seen in the background of many of the scenes in Namibia; in reality, the mountain is located in Tanzania, more than three thousand kilometers away.
[[File:DOTM-Wreckers-Prime-Cables.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Chicago's own [[knockoff]] of a prominent Chinese building.]]
*In a [[Atlantis, Arise!|fairly common cinematic contrivance]], the film depicts multiple skyscrapers in the background of many scenes set in Washington, D.C., while the real-life city has no skyscrapers.
*Also, Washington, D.C. almost entirely lacks old industrial buildings that could be converted into lofts, and likewise doesn't have the kind of densely urban streets that Sam is shown to live on.
*NEST Headquarters, supposedly in Washington, is actually Chicago's abandoned Main Post Office.
*Likewise, Dylan's auto collection museum, also set in (land-locked) Washington, is actually the Milwaukee Art Museum. [[Lake Michigan]] is even visible through the windows!
*When Optimus Prime (using his jetpack) gets himself caught in wires below an under-construction building, that building bears a striking resemblance to the {{w|China Central Television Headquarters}} in [[Beijing]], [[China]]... a far shot from [[Chicago]]. Since construction for the CCTV building was finished in 2008, long before ''Dark of the Moon'' was even ''conceived'', this appears to be an intentional instance of a "cool building" being inserted just for the sake of it.

===Continuity errors===
*Like in ''Revenge of the Fallen'', Ironhide sports his [[license plate]] from the [[Transformers (film)|first movie]], "4PCI382", on his robot mode chest, but doesn't have a license plate in vehicle mode. (According to set photos, his license plate in vehicle mode is mostly black, with a NEST logo on it.)
*Speaking of inconsistencies between robot and vehicle mode: Bumblebee's updated Chevrolet Camaro alternate mode no longer has pinstripes bordering his black racing stripes, but the CG robot model still has the pinstripes.
[[Image:DOTM-SoundwaveMercedesStar.jpg|thumb|upright=1.9|right|Is this the reverse of hidden faction insignias in vehicle mode?]]
*Soundwave has [[kibble]] from his [[Mercedes-Benz|Mercedes]] alternate mode while he is in Africa, but his chest has only a blank grille. The Mercedes star is only added to his chest from the scene where he reveals himself to be Carly's car onward. This is most likely a deliberate choice made to avoid spoiling the plot twist.
*After Megatron pulls out his shotgun for the first time, he holsters it on the right side of his back. In the next scene it is on his left side.
*In the highway battle scene with the [[Dread (DOTM)|Dreads]], Crowbar smashes into some traffic signs and knocks them over. In the next shot when the other two Dreads use them as ramps, the angle at which the signs fell has changed. After Hatchet and Crankcase transform, the signs revert into their original position.
*Also in the highway battle, Bumblebee enhances only his front wheels to evade Hatchet, yet in the next shot he's fully in Stealth Force mode.
*When Hatchet is killed by Bumblebee and Dino, the last shot shows him being thrown onto a car (using footage recycled from Michael Bay's 2005 film ''{{w|The Island (2005 film)|The Island}}'', as elaborated on below), with Dino's grappling hook cables still attached to Hatchet, which would imply that Dino is still in robot mode at this point. However, the very next shot shows Dino in the far background, driving behind Bumblebee in vehicle mode.
*Immediately after crashing into Ironhide, two of Crowbar's hair strands fall to the ground, but he has all six strands from the next shot onwards.
*During Ironhide and Sideswipe's "Mexican standoff" with Crankcase and Crowbar, all combatants drop their firearms, but when Ironhide is speared, his guns are on his back again. They disappear in subsequent shots.
*In addition, the spear impaled in Ironhide disappears when he shoots Crowbar, only to reappear in subsequent shots.
*Despite being captured by Soundwave in her evening gown, Carly is somehow able to change into more convenient clothes (but still wearing high heels!) after arriving at Dylan's place, and has yet another outfit following the attack on Chicago the following day. Not only that, she changes her earrings, too!
*When the Autobots are boarding the ''Xantium,'' Simmons mentions that nine Autobots are leaving. Former Decepticons Wheelie and Brains apparently don't count. Poor little guys!
*The Wreckers claim they had been hiding inside a rocket booster that was jettisoned from the ''Xantium'' before Starscream destroyed it. The boosters are only seen to be detached after Starscream destroys the ship, after it has barely taken off from the ground.
*Though it's a standard action movie contrivance, it sure is convenient that the glass windows inside skyscrapers are extremely fragile when needed, and glass shards are as dangerous as bread crumbs so nobody suffers a single cut from sliding across them.
*Shortly after everyone jumps through the window and starts sliding down, a downwards shot of the building shows all of the windows behind them are intact.
*As everyone tumbles through a lower floor of the building, [[Stone]] is shown to fall right through and out the other side with a collection of office furniture, but not long after is back with Epps's squad.
*Despite the Decepticons taking over Chicago and killing a whole bunch of people, there seem to be a lot of people continuing to go about their daily lives. The skyscraper Epps's team goes into to launch a rocket from still seems to have plenty of office workers in it when the Driller attacks it. When Sam's being thrown around on the end of the grapple glove rope while fighting Starscream, he crashes through a wall into a dry-cleaning business where a woman appears to be calmly hanging up a shirt. Did they all just not get the memo?
*The sequence beginning with Sam, Carly, Epps and the rest of the soldiers jumping out of the windows of the tilted skyscraper is one giant continuity headache: First they jump out of the windows, then slide down several stories, then the camera angle changes and they're sliding down several more stories, and ''then'' a wide shot shows the top of the skyscraper from an angle where the characters cannot be seen, then slowly pans around and eventually shows them all sliding down from one of the topmosts floors all over again! Eventually, they crash back into one of the lowest floors near the break. After the Driller has toppled the top portion of the skyscraper over, the group is ''again'' shown to escape from one one of the topmost floors to the neighboring building!
*Though it is Barricade who kicks and shoves Que along before executing him, the voice heard is Soundwave's. Presumably, this was an artifact of the early alternate version of the scene, in which Soundwave was to kill Dino, and they just re-used the audio.
*While fighting the Autobots at the end of the film, Sentinel Prime's cape disappears for a brief scene before reappearing on his back when the camera angle changes.
*When Sam and Dylan are fighting, the clock behind them changes to different times every shot. It starts at 00:40, then 02:25, 00:15 and 11:00 in the following shots.
*When Sam and Carly are reunited after the final battle, Carly's hands keep changing the position on every cut, sometimes on Sam's neck, sometimes on his shoulders.
*[[File:SkidsMudflap in Chicago.jpg|thumb|upright=1.9|right|Skids & Mudflap in Chicago]]Not intentional: Skids and Mudflap appear for a brief few seconds in the film in their vehicle modes. This leaves questions as to what happened to them. They weren't seen departing from Earth or taking part in the Chicago battle. However footage filming in Chicago confirms were involved in the Battle of Chicago.<ref name="transformerslive.blogspot.com">[https://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2010/07/mpea-busway-set-pics-explosions-and.html]</ref>
*It's said that four Autobots were captured by the Decepticons in Chicago, but actually five Autobots were captured. (Unless this observation was made ''before'' Bumblebee arrived after saving Sam and Lennox), possibly a leftover from an earlier draft of the script in where [[Dino]] and/or [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]] were supposed to already be dead by this point.
*When Que is about to be executed, the "cardboard head on a stick" prop used for Dino during the shooting of the movie (a common method used for the movies to give the actors ''something'' to react to) can be spotted in the final edit of the film,<ref name="headprop">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/494618-movies-errors-mirage-prop-final-movie-edit.html "Movies Errors - Mirage prop in final movie edit"] at TFW2005</ref> as noted above possibly a leftover from an earlier draft of the script where Soundwave mocked Bumblebee with Dino's disembodied head.
*Megatron's head wound alternates between "moderately repaired" and "extra mangled" from scene to scene after Sentinel tears another chunk of his scalp off.

==Transformers references==
In addition to recurring elements from the previous films, ''Dark of the Moon'' bases a number of elements on previous versions of the ''Transformers'' mythos, including plot elements based on older stories, something fairly rare in the other two movies:
*New characters [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] are heavily based upon their Generation 1 counterparts. [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]] is derived from G1 character [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]. [[Sentinel Prime (disambiguation)|Sentinel Prime]] is the name of Optimus's predecessor in many continuities, and in this instance, he continues his [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|predecessor]]'s [[Sentinel Prime (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|legacy]] of being a giant jerk.

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

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

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

*[[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] and [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]] being members of the Wreckers recalls their original G1 counterparts being likewise part of the Wreckers.

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Megatron's first line—a weary "[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All hail Megatron]]"—is the title of IDW's direction-changing comic maxi-series, which had just wrapped up when production on the film was beginning.

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

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

*The technique of shooting at a skyscraper until it breaks in half and the top falls horizontally on other buildings has been done by [[Megatron (BW)|another Megatron]] in [[Endgame Pt. III: Seeds of the Future|another city]].

==Real-world references==
*When Brains and Wheelie are watching ''{{w|Star Trek: The Original Series}}'', the screen features [[Spock|Mr. Spock]], portrayed by Leonard Nimoy—who voices Sentinel Prime. Wheelie comments that it is "the one where Spock goes nuts," which foreshadows Sentinel's heel turn. The episode itself is the famous ''TOS'' episode "{{w|Amok Time}}", although for some inexplicable reason, the first of the two clips shown on-screen is mirrored.
*Sentinel Prime says "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." The voice actor said the same line in the 1982 film ''{{w|Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan}}'' as Mr. Spock. However, in that movie, Nimoy's character dies a hero.
*To finish the Spock trifecta, when Bumblebee says his goodbyes to Sam, he uses a clip of Leonard Nimoy, as Spock, saying "I will always be your friend," another line from ''Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan''.
*[[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]] and his fake girlfriend's name, "India", are a reference to {{w|Dutch India}}.
*[[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]]'s name is a reference to {{w|Q (James Bond)|Q}} from ''{{w|James Bond}}'' novels and films. Que also gives weapons to NEST soldiers while explaining the advantages and abilities for the weapons much like Q does for James Bond.
*When Bumblebee is being dragged around by Soundwave to be executed, he plays a clip of Matt Damon saying "Get off me!" from ''Saving Private Ryan.''
*When Bumblebee brings forth "rings" for Sam and Carly, he "hums" the {{w|Wedding March}} (or, more correctly, the {{w|Bridal Chorus}} from {{w|Richard Wagner}}'s 1850 opera ''{{w|Lohengrin (opera)|Lohengrin}}'').
*Before Sentinel gets attacked by Megatron, he says "There can only be one", a popular misquote of the line "There can be only one" from the film Highlander. Sentinel is also modeled after one of the film's lead stars Sean Connery.

==Other editions==
*The version of the film available for streaming on Star+ cuts all scenes where humans are desintegrated to the bone by the Decepticons. As a result, the initial invasion of Chicago is cut significantly short.
{{stub}}
{{--}}

==Prequel material==
*''[[Transformers: Sector 7]]''
A five-issue limited mini-series chronicling the foundation of [[Sector Seven|Sector 7]] leading up to ''[[Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday|Ghosts of Yesterday]]''.
*''[[Transformers: Foundation]]''
A four-issue limited mini-series set during the events of ''[[Transformers: Defiance|Defiance]]'' telling the events that lead-up to the original ''[[Transformers: Movie Prequel|Movie Prequel]]''.
*''[[Transformers: Rising Storm]]''
A four-issue limited mini-series set after ''[[Transformers: Nefarious|Nefarious]]'' cronicling Shockwave's arrival and the task given to him by Megatron.
*''[[Cyberglyphics pack-in comics]]''
A six-issue miniseries by IDW, produced in cooperation with [[Target]], available only in printed form as [[pack-in material]] with a small Target-[[exclusive]] [[Target#Dark of the Moon|range of toys]], following [[Space Case (DOTM)|Space Case]]'s encounters with the Autobots and the Decepticons and leads up to ''Rising Storm''.
*''[[Transformers: Convergence]]''
A four-part prose story exclusive to the individual issues of IDW Publishing's ''Dark of the Moon comic adaptation'', chronicles both the Simmons lineage in the aftermath of ''Sector 7'' and Soundwave's activites on Earth, tying the remaining loose ends and setting the stage for ''Dark of the Moon''.
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)]]''
A video game developed by [[High Moon Studios]] for [[Xbox 360]] & [[PlayStation|PS3]].
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Stealth Force Edition]]''
A [[Wii]] & [[Nintendo 3DS|3DS]] port of the game developed by [[Behaviour Interactive]] focusing only on [[Stealth Force]].
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Autobots/Decepticons]]''
A [[Nintendo DS]] port of the game also developed by Behaviour Interactive, with each factions separated in two titles.
*''[[Transformers (Titan Magazine)#Dark of the Moon|Transformers (Titan Magazine)]]''
A monthly title by Titan in the [[United Kingdom|UK]] (another rebranding of their existing comic).
*''[[Transformers Classified]]''
A prequel novel trilogy in the same vein as ''Ghosts of Yesterday'' and ''[[Transformers: The Veiled Threat|The veiled Threat]]'' that was published after the movie, composed by ''[[Transformers Classified: Switching Gears|Switching Gears]]'', ''[[Transformers Classified: Battle Mountain|Battle Mountain]]'' & ''[[Transformers Classified: Satellite of Doom|Satellite of Doom]]'', later published together as ''[[Transformers Classified: The Complete Mission]]'' it cronicles how the Autobots & Decepticons fight against each other on Earth in the aftermath of [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|The Fallen's death]].

==Adaptations==
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)|Transformers: Dark of the Moon]]''
The novelization of the film by [[Peter David]].
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation]]''
IDW Publishing's comic adaptation of the movie.

'''Children's adaptations'''
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel]]''
The movie novelization for kids.

==Sequels==
{{main|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|Bumblebee (film)}}

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

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

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

===Additional Information===
*Close Captions in English
*Audio Description as Audio Description in English <ref>http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B005G4TJUC/audiodescriin-20</ref>

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

==Reception==
{{quote|Time will tell whether Transformers: Dark of the Moon really is the final Transformers film for both director Michael Bay and star Shia LaBeouf, but it's certainly the best one in this hugely successful, but widely loathed franchise.|[https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/06/27/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-review They've Fallen, but can the Transformers get up?], Jim Vejvoda|[https://www.ign.com ign.com] [[June 27]] [[2011]]}}

{{quote|Rarely has a movie had less of a soul and less interesting characters.|Richard Roeper, [http://www.richardroeper.com/reviews/transformersdarkofthemoon.aspx richardroeper.com] [[June 28]], [[2011]]}}

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

The official release date was moved up from July 1 to June 29 to allow breathing room between its release and ''{{w|Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2}}''. On June 28, 2011, the film was released in 3D and IMAX in the US.

The film received a generally mixed critical reception, who praised the visual effects, action sequences, musical score, voice acting, and use of 3D, while criticizing the runtime, storyline, the performances of [[Shia LaBeouf]] and [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]], and screenplay. ''Dark of the Moon'' was considered at least an improvement from ''Revenge of the Fallen'', receiving a tomatometer score of 35% and an audience score of 55% on Rotten Tomatoes.<ref>https://rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_dark_of_the_moon</ref>

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

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

''Dark of the Moon'' ended its theatrical run in the #5 spot for highest worldwide gross of all time.

Upon its' release, the ''Transformers'' fanbase generally had a warmer reception to the film over its' predecessor, with praise going to the action, score, and particularly [[Leonard Nimoy]]'s performance and role as [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]]. Several moments in the film caused no shortage of discussion, with Optimus Prime's more ruthless, violent actions ([[Peter Cullen]] himself disliked the "we will kill them all" line) and the handling of the deaths of major franchise characters being notable sore spots for the film's detractors. Over a decade since its' release, ''Dark of the Moon'' still retains the warmest reception to a Bay film outside of the first film, though those more ambivalent towards the series don't consider it that different from the lesser films.

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

On February 25, 2012, it was announced that ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' was nominated for eight {{w|Golden Raspberry Award}}s. Unlike ''Revenge of the Fallen'', however, it did not receive the awards for Worst Picture, Worst Screenplay, & Worst Director, losing all of its nominations to ''{{w|Jack & Jill (2011 film)|Jack & Jill}}''.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-is-safe-from-razzies-174726/]</ref>

==Technical details==
'''Length:''' 154 minutes
'''Audio:''' Dolby Digital / DTS / SDDS 
'''Content Rating:'''
{{collist|4|
*PG-13 (USA/MPAA)
*G (Japan)
*12A (United Kingdom)
*PG (Canada; Ontario)
*G (Canada; Quebec)
*PG-12 (Taiwan)
*PG13 (Singapore)
*PG-13 (Philippines/MTRCB)
*IIA (China)
*PG-13 (Malaysia)
*M (Australia)
*M (New Zealand)
*12 (Brazil)
*K-11 (Finland)
*12 (Germany)
*12A (Ireland)
*12 (Netherlands)
*M/12 (Portugal)
*12 (South Korea)
*B (Mexico)
*12+ (Russia)}}

==Production staff==
{{stub}}

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

===Locations department===
{{quote|The Decepticons' decision to attack Chicago<ref>http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-471495</ref> seems inexplicable, until you take into consideration the generous tax credits offered by the Illinois Film Office.|film critic Roger Ebert|[http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2011/07/on_the_origin_of_transformers.html On the Origin of Transformers]}}

==Development details==
===Cast and crew signing on===
[[File:TF3-licensingPrime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Featuring a surprise appearance by Optimus Prime!]]
On May 30, 2007, a month before the official release of ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'', [[DreamWorks]] announced that two sequels were already being planned.<ref name="spy">[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a58430/two-transformers-sequels-in-pipeline.html Digital Spy article from May 2007, confirming that two sequels were being planned]</ref> On March 16, 2009, over three months before the premiere of ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] announced the third movie for July 1, 2011.<ref name="3release">Pamela McClintock: [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118001280?refCatId=13 Variety article from March 2009], confirming Transformers 3 for July 2011.</ref> Director [[Michael Bay]] promptly backpedaled, as he had intended for the third ''Transformers'' movie to be released in 2012.<ref name="baywait">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?3947-Wait-a-minute! Michael Bay's reaction to Paramount's July 2011 date for ''Transformers 3''], March 2009.</ref> He officially changed his mind in October 2009, agreeing to the release date set by Paramount.<ref name="bay3-2011">[http://michaelbay.com/2009/10/01/transformers-3-july-1st-2011/ Michael Bay officially confirms the 2011 release date], October 2009.</ref>

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

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

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

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

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

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

[[Leonard Nimoy]] was confirmed as the voice actor for [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] in March 2011.<ref name="nimoysent">[http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/03/31/leonard-nimoy-transformers-dark-of-the-moon Entertainment Weekly announces Leonard Nimoy's involvement], March 2011]</ref> Nimoy, who had previously voiced [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] in 1986's ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' and was married to Michael Bay's cousin Susan, had previously been under consideration for [[The Fallen]]'s voice in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', but Bay had been hesitant for fear of offending his relative with the relatively low pay allotted to voice actors.<ref name="nimoy1">[http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/04/21/michael-bay-afraid-to-offend-leonard-nimoy-with-transformers-family-reunion-offer/ ''Michael Bay Afraid To Offend Leonard Nimoy With ‘Transformers’ Family Reunion Offer''], MTV.com Movies blog, April 2009.</ref> Even though Nimoy openly asked Bay to simply give him a call,<ref name="nimoy2">[http://www.latinoreview.com/news/leonard-nimoy-to-michael-bay-call-me-6682 Leonard Nimoy To Michael Bay: "Call Me!"], Latino Review, April 2009.</ref> it ultimately never worked out, and The Fallen was voiced by [[Tony Todd]] instead. For ''Dark of the Moon'', Bay finally overcame his anxiety and hired Nimoy, who accepted the offer.<ref name="nimoy3">[http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/03/31/leonard-nimoy-transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ "Leonard Nimoy joins 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' voice cast -- EXCLUSIVE"], Entertainment Weekly, March 2011.</ref> In return, screenwriter Ehren Kruger included several nods to Nimoy's well-known character as Mr. Spock from ''[[Star Trek]]'' in the movie.<ref name="nimoystartrek">[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666643/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-star-trek-references.jhtml "'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon': Behind The 'Star Trek' Nods"], MTV.com, July 2011.</ref> ''Dark of the Moon'' would be Nimoy's final performance in the ''Transformers'' franchise before his death in early 2015.

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

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

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

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

Over 500 cars were destroyed in the making of ''Dark of the Moon'', all of them damaged property from insurance companies intended for destruction.<ref name="baych"/>
[[Image:ROTFvsDOTMUSNavyHollenbeck.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|right|Wherever General Morshower goes, I go.]]

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

Another (brief) instance of recycled footage occurs during the Chicago battle: When the Navy fires several Tomahawks at the Decepticons, the mission control room scene was previously used to depict the interior of the [[USS Kidd]] in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''. The most obvious similarity is the [[Hollenbeck|same operator]] saying "Target acquired" both times.<ref name="recycled">[https://youtube.com/watch?v=6tSMdR8vH0s YouTube video] featuring brief clips from ''Dark of the Moon'' and ''Revenge of the Fallen'', highlighting the recycled footage.</ref>

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

===Changes before, during and after production===
[[File:DOTM Skids, Mudflap, Que and Sideswipe.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|Eat this, Megan Fox.]]
*In an interview with the Los Angeles Times in June 2009, Michael Bay suggested that [[Ramon Rodriguez]] would reprise his role as [[Leo Spitz]] from ''Revenge of the Fallen'' for the third movie.<ref name="bayramon">[http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2009/06/30/ramon-rodriguez-will-have-bigger-role-in-third-transformers-movie-bay-hints/ "Ramon Rodriguez will have bigger role in third ‘Transformers’ movie, Bay hints"], Los Angeles Times, June 2009.</ref>

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

*In January 2010, actor James Avery claimed in an interview that he would be playing a new Autobot named "Silverbolt".<ref name="avery">[http://web.archive.org/web/20120401095240/http://unscripted.ca/episodes/show/136 James Avery interview on Unscripted], January 2010</ref> In June 2010, representatives of James Avery, responding to a bizarre rumor that he had passed away, confirmed that the actor was indeed alive and would be playing Silverbolt in ''Transformers 3''.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20151107012047/http://www.examiner.com/article/uncle-phil-james-avery-isn-t-dead-after-all James Avery isn't dead after all], The Examiner, June 2010.</ref> Despite this, neither Avery nor Silverbolt ultimately appear in ''Dark of the Moon''.

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

[[File:DOTM-SentinelPrimetrailer.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Colour me your colour, baby Colour me your car Colour me your colour, darling I know who you are]]
*Shockwave's original voice actor, [[Corey Burton]], expressed that he had no interest in voicing him for ''Dark of the Moon'', explaining "[I] have practically no interest in that kind of mega-budget movie enterprise involvement" and that the inspiration for his Shockwave voice, {{w|David Warner (actor)|David Warner}}, was rumored to have been considered.<ref>[http://www.coreyburton.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=2707&highlight=#2707 Corey Burton's message board post.]</ref> In the end, Shockwave's almost-entirely-wordless-snarl-based role would have been something of a waste of Warner; the role ultimately went to Frank Welker. There's a nice touch of symmetry in the casting, with Welker taking over a Burton-originated role not long after Burton took on a Welker-originated character in [[Megatron (Animated)|''Animated'' Megatron]].

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

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

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

*A scrapped death for Wheeljack/"Que" involved the Autobot being run off of a Chicago street and into a river by the [[Driller]], where he would have been torn to pieces by Decepticon troopers lying in wait in the river.

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

[[File:DOTMSuperBowlvsTrailer.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|So does this qualify as a retcon?]]
*Another plot point that was apparently dropped was an anti-Autobot sentiment among the human populace. Graffiti with a crossed out Autobot [[insignia|logo]] with the words "go home" below it showed up in several set photos.<ref name="gohome1">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2010/05/transformers-3-filming-with-twins.html Photos from the set in Sherman Oaks, California] at the Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, May 2010.</ref><ref name="gohome2">[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/possible-tf3-plot-point-revealed-autobots-go-home/19188/ Photos from the Chicago set] at Seibertron.com, July 2010.</ref> In the movie, Congress instantly passes a law exiling the Autobots from Earth following Sentinel Prime's ultimatum.

*Early working names included "[[Ultra Magnus (disambiguation)|Ultra Magnus]]" for [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]],<ref name="chicagocall">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2011/06/chicgo-call-sheet-for-ultra-magnus.html "Chicago Call Sheet For Ultra Magnus"], Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, June 2011.</ref> "Enzo" (after {{w|Enzo Ferrari}})<ref name="callsheet2">[http://tilallaremine.wordpress.com/2011/07/01/dark-of-the-moon-call-sheets/ Dark of the Moon Call Sheets!] at Til All Are Mine blog, July 2011.</ref> and "Rush" for Mirage/"Dino", "[[Warpath (disambiguation)|Warpath]]" for both [[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] and [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]], "Tempest" for Topspin, "[[Flash (disambiguation)|Flash]]" for [[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]], "[[Dreadwind (disambiguation)|Dreadwind]]" for [[Crankcase (DOTM)|Crankcase]], "[[Hooligan (disambiguation)|Hooligan]]" for [[Crowbar]], "[[Dirtbag]]" for [[Hatchet (DOTM)|Hatchet]], "[[Blitzwing (disambiguation)|Blitzwing]]" for [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]], "[[Breakdown (disambiguation)|Breakdown]]" for Soundwave's new vehicular design, "[[Clench (G1)|Colossus]]" for the [[Driller]],<ref name="nizzi">[http://www.joshnizzi.com/TF3.htm Josh Nizzi DOTM concepts.]</ref> "Buzzard" for [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]], "[[Undermine (Cybertron)|Undermine]]" for [[Igor]] and "[[Steeljaw (disambiguation)|Steeljaw]]" for Wheeljack/"Que". However, it's quite possible a few of these were code names used to keep character identities a secret during production as images of Megatron's new cloak obscured face refer to the character as "[[Cyclonus (disambiguation)|Cyclonus]]".<ref name="wburt">[http://conceptartworld.com/?p=8388 Wesley Burt DOTM concepts.]</ref>

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

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

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

*Megatron was originally supposed to appear in his ''Revenge of the Fallen'' form.<ref>http://joshnizzi.com/images/TF3/JoshNizzi_TF3_56.jpg</ref>

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

*In the original announcement trailer for ''Dark of the Moon'' that was released in December 2010, the opening scene that featured [[Neil Armstrong]] and [[Buzz Aldrin]] investigate the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'' on the moon had Sentinel Prime sport a gold and silver color scheme. For the final movie, his base color was changed to red, his left shoulder was lowered, his facial expression was changed to look more droopy, and the whole scene was given a considerable blue tint.

*Similar to the announcement trailer, the Super Bowl spot also features footage that contains unfinished CG effects. Most notably, the shot that depicts Optimus Prime, equipped with his flight pack, swooping down on the Decepticons before starting his epic rampage on the ground was changed by the time the first full trailer was released: Optimus himself and the first [[M1 Abrams Decepticon]] are both rescaled and moved to different positions on-screen; a Decepticon using the same [[body-type]] as [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] and [[Grindor (ROTF)|Grindor]] is removed entirely; and a Decepticon using the same body-type as Long Haul, as well as other [[generic]]s, are added. The final movie uses pretty much the same version as seen in the trailer.
{{-}}

===Leaks and disinformation===
[[File:DOTMgameSoundwave.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|What you're about to see is totally classified.]]
The movie's title, then "Transformers: ''The'' Dark of the Moon", was first discovered on October 6, 2010 via listings for childrens' books on [[Amazon (website)|Amazon]]. The title was further confirmed by a whois check for "www.transformersdarkofthemoonmovie.com".<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-3-title-revealed-170697/ Transformers 3 Title Revealed?] @ TFW2005.com</ref> On October 31, the official website for all three movies, [http://www.transformersmovie.com/ transformersmovie.com], was updated to show the ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' logo as well as international release dates.

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

[[File:TF3HasbroSoundwaveBio.JPG|thumb|upright=1.66|left|If you breathe a word of what you see in here, you will do time for treason.]]Michael Bay and other official parties tried ''really'' hard to suppress the plot twist of the silver Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG given to [[Carly Spencer|Carly]] by [[Dylan Gould|Dylan]] turning out to be the new [[alternate mode]] of [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. After the Mercedes had been spotted on the set, with [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]] exiting it,<ref name="mercedesset">[http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=67518 DOTM Set Photos], ComingSoon.net, July 2010.</ref> the first hint that it was more than meets the eye came with the trailer for the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)|video game]], which showed Soundwave's robot mode with car [[kibble]] such as wheels that heavily resembled those of the Mercedes. In addition, [[Rising Storm issue 2|issue 2]] of ''[[Transformers: Rising Storm]]'' depicted Soundwave's robot mode not only with car kibble, but with a Mercedes star on his chest, yet in [[Rising Storm issue 3|issue 3]], he appeared in his ''Revenge of the Fallen'' design again. Despite this, director Michael Bay insisted that the Mercedes was simply Carly's car, claiming that "Mercedes would never let us make their car into a bad Decepticon. Car company's {{sic}} really frown on that. I can't say what the game company and comics do that's their own thing. They don't have the same constraints movies do. It's Carly's car."<ref name="baynomerc">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?8724-Update-Is-Soundwave-the-silver-Mercedes-on-set-of-DOTM&p=169598&viewfull=1#post169598 Michael Bay's response to the fan theory that Soundwave is the Silver Mercedes.], April 2011.</ref> On April 19, 2011, an event for promoting the ''Spider-Man: Edge of Time'' and ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' video games was held in London. As part of this, [[High Moon Studios]] released promotional stills from the ''Dark of the Moon'' game, one of which depicted Soundwave's new robot mode, again with Mercedes parts. However, a news embargo was enforced on the attending press, which was broken by South African video game site [http://egamer.co.za egamer].<ref name="egamera">[http://egamer.co.za/2011/05/exclusive-hands-on-transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ egamer's preview of the ''Dark of the Moon'' video game]</ref> The site was soon asked to take down the article and images, as were various ''Transformers'' fan sites that had reported on the article and mirrored the images. On May 2, 2011, Hasbro's [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/ official Transformers website] was given a massive overhaul, including the addition of the new [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/cybertronian-database.cfm Vector Sigma database]. The entry for Soundwave initially identified his alternate mode as a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, but was soon changed to "satellite". On May 3, 2011, the embargo for the video game article and promotional stills was finally lifted, allowing sites to freely show the image of Soundwave's new robot mode.

On May 5, 2011, six days before the trade paperback collection's official release, preview pages from [[IDW Publishing|IDW]]'s [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation|''Dark of the Moon'' comic adaptation]] were discovered at [[Amazon (website)|Amazon]]. Through some bizarre system error, ''several dozen pages'' were made available, which included the major plot twist of Sentinel Prime showing his true colors and killing [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]]. Unsurprisingly, this discovery was quickly posted on several major Transformers [[fandom|fan sites]], often without a spoiler warning. The fact that, even without this leak, the trade paperback of the comic adaptation was released well over a month before the film's theatrical release probably didn't help matters either.

==Notes==
*A 126-page script for the movie was leaked in December 2009,<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/content/view/6435/20/ The Allspark: Transformers News Movie Comics Animated - Script Treatment for Transformers 3? Bogus or Not, Here You Go!]</ref> causing much discussion among the fandom. It was later confirmed as fake.<ref>[http://shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6532 Script]</ref>
*In April 2010, shortly before on-set production began, the Andersen Air Force Base in Guam ran a security drill on detecting phishing scams as part of their operational readiness exercises. However, the base's security team decided to make the phishing email appear to be a casting call for US airmen to appear as extras in the then-untitled ''Transformers 3'' film. One airman thought it was an actual casting call and shared the phishing link to ComicBookMovie.com, which was then picked up by several fan forums and websites that shared the link even ''further''.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=We all know how much Michael Bay loves to use the military in his movies and Transformers 3 will be no different. But this time he is coming to Guam and Andersen AFB. I'm an Airman in the worlds greatest air, space and cyberspace force on Guam. I received an email stating that Dreamworks is looking for 20 airmen for Andersen to be extras.|link=https://comicbookmovie.com/transformers/transformers-3-shooting-in-guam-a17457|title=Transformers 3 Shooting in Guam|site=ComicBookMovie.com|name=Andersen Air Force Base airman "supershaggy"|day=25|month=04|year=2010}}</ref> After local news media in Guam contacted the air base for information, the exercise was immediately ended by Anderson AFB, hoping this exercise showed everyone the danger of phishing scams.<ref>[https://www.postguam.com/news/local/movie-deal-false-alarm/article_ce7aa728-3c16-516a-ba1a-1a24acdf2ca3.html The Guam Daily Post - Movie deal false alarm]</ref> Mission accomplished!
*When word hit that [[Megan Fox]] was off the picture, [https://youtube.com/watch?v=3VTs5ESycpY Heidi Montag] put an "audition" for her part on YouTube. [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/114ce28ddd/sir-ben-kingsley-shows-up-heidi-montag Sir Ben Kingsley] and [https://youtube.com/watch?v=N4FZeucBO0c Ashton Kutcher] made fun of her, because life is rad.
*Several concepts that had been established by the [[Transformers (film)|first movie]] were (more or less) dropped with ''Dark of the Moon'' in favor for a more traditional, ''[[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]]''-esque approach:
**In the 2007 movie, the Autobots arrive on Earth in "[[Protoform]]" entry modes (which was subsequently used as the basis for the Decepticons' arrival in [[Planetfall (Movie)|Planetfall]]). Prior to the release of the movie, screenwriter [[Roberto Orci]] defended this choice over the use of a spaceship such as the ''Ark'' by asking why "aliens who moonlight as vehicles need other vehicles to travel".<ref name="orcitravel">[http://tformers.com/Ark-Not-Making-An-Appearance-In-the-Movie/6513/news.html TFormers quoting Roberto Orci], because Don Murphy's board can only be read by registered members.</ref> He somewhat changed his mind after the movie had been released, however.<ref name="orciship">[http://boards.transformersmovie.com/showpost.php?p=388596&postcount=271 Roberto Orci on the Transformers Live Action Movie Boards], July 2007.</ref> After the Decepticons' ship, the ''[[Nemesis (ROTF)|Nemesis]]'', had made an appearance in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', ''Dark of the Moon'' not only introduces the movieverse version of the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'', but also reveals that all the new Autobots who have been on Earth since before ''Revenge of the Fallen'' had arrived in their own spaceship, the ''[[Xantium (DOTM)|Xantium]]'', making the notion of individual Transformers traveling through space as "comets" an exception rather than the rule. ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction]]'' would also later depict the Autobots as stranded on Earth after the destruction of the ''Xantium'' in this film, further pointing towards the "comet" transportation as an abandoned concept. ''[[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight]]'' would also show this idea when the Autobots again declare themselves stranded, as they don't know where the [[Knight Ship]] is, only being able to finally go home after they acquired it.
**Furthermore, ''Dark of the Moon'' largely abandons the idea of Transformers having all their weapons integrated into their bodies in favor of more traditional, separate weapons. For example, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], who had blades and hooks emerging from his forearms in the previous two movies now stores all his weapons (including an axe) as accessories inside his trailer (though he still carries some on his person). Also, Ironhide, whose cannons were previously affixed to his arms, now sports handheld firearms instead. Even Megatron, whose [[fusion cannon]] previously grew out of his arms, now has a hand-held shotgun. Though it can be argued that Optimus still has his swords in his arms during the Chicago battle, and both Ironhide and Megatron lost their integrated weapons in the previous film, the general change is still noticeable. The only ones who still seem to have the same converting arm cannons as in the previous movies are Bumblebee, Ratchet, and Starscream.
*Another change from the previous movies (though not rooted in ''Generation 1'') is that Transformers that take damage in battle now spill a red liquid that is very obviously meant to resemble human blood.
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] finally achieves a certain consistency between his two primary modes: Ever since his upgrade to a modern Camaro in ''Transformers'' (2007), his [[license plate]] had alternated between "900 STRA" in vehicle mode and "4NZZ 454" in robot mode. ''Dark of the Moon'' finally uses "900 STRA" for the robot mode as well. Hasbro's toys, which had previously favored the CG robot model's "4NZZ 454" (barring the occasional "4NZZ'''Z''' 454" flub), follow suit.
*Speaking of license plates: [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]]'s Maybach 62S Landaulet sports a German license plate, "'''S MM 6201'''", registered in the city of Stuttgart. In reality, that plate is registered to the manufacturer and used for promotional photos.<ref name="maybach">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/update--transformers-3-rumor--who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire-170533/ Set photos and promo photos of the Maybach 62S Landaulet] at TFW2005.</ref>
*Michael Bay's private Gulfstream Aerospace G-1159A jet (registration number N4500X) has a cameo in the movie as [[Charlotte Mearing]]'s plane.
*For eleven years, ''Dark of the Moon'' held the record for the biggest Independence Day opening weekend at $115.9 million, until it was beaten by ''{{w|Minions: The Rise of Gru}}'', ranking in $128 million.<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2022/07/03/box-office-minions-the-rise-of-gru-breaks-records-with-128-million-holiday-weekend/ Box Office: ‘Minions 2’ Breaks Records With $128 Million Holiday Weekend - Forbes]</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''''Transformers/Darkside Moon''''' (トランスフォーマー/ダークサイド・ムーン ''Toransufōmā Dākusaido Mūn'')
*''Arabic:'' '''''Almtahawilun: Aljanib Almuzlim Lilqamar''''' (المتحولون: الجانب المظلم للقمر, "Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Cantonese:'' (變形金剛: 黑月降臨, "Transformers: The Arrival of the Black Moon")
*''Croatian:'' '''''Transformeri: Tamna strana Mjeseca''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Czech:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Finnish:'' '''''Transformers: Kuun pimeä puoli''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''French:'' '''''Transformers 3 : La Face cachée de la Lune''''' ("Transformers 3: The Hidden Side of the Moon")
*''German:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Greek:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Hebrew:'' '''''Rvvvtrkm 3. Flt hrch''''' (רובוטריקים 3: אפלת הירח, "Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon")
*''Hindi:'' '''''Traansaphormars: Chaand ka Andhera''''' (ट्राँसफॉर्मर्स: चांद का अंधेरा, "Transformers: Darkness of the Moon")
*''Hungarian:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Italian:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Korean:'' '''''Teulaenseupomeo 3''''' (트랜스포머 3, "Transformers 3")
*''Latvian:'' '''''Transformeri 3: Mēness no otras puses''''' ("Transformers 3: The Moon on the Other Side")
*''Lithuanian:'' '''''Transformeriai: tamsioji Mėnulio pusė''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Mandarin:'' '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng 3''''' (Taiwan, 變形金剛３, "Transformers 3"), '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng: Yuè Hēi zhī Shí''''' (China, 变形金刚：月黑之时, "Transformers: When the Moon Becomes Black")
*''Polish:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Portuguese:'' '''''Transformers: O Lado Oculto da Lua''''' (Brazil, "Transformers: The Hidden Side of the Moon"), '''''Transformers 3''''' (Portugal)
*''Romanian:'' '''''Transformers: Fața ascunsă a Lunii''''' ("Transformers: The Hidden Face of the Moon")
*''Russian:'' '''''Transformery 3: Tjomnaja storona Luny''''' (Трансформеры 3: Тёмная сторона Луны, "Transformers 3: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Serbian:'' '''''Transformers 3: Tama Meseca''''' ("Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon")
*''Spanish:'' '''''Transformers: El Lado Oscuro de la Luna''''' (Latin American, "Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon"), '''''Transformers 3''''' (Spain)
*''Swedish:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Tamil:'' '''''Ṭirāṉsḥpārmas: Ṭārk op ti mūṉ''''' (டிரான்ஸ்ஃபார்மஸ்: டார்க் ஒப் தி மூன், "Transformers: Dark of the Moon")
*''Thai:'' '''''Thrāns̄̒ fxr̒m me xr̒s̄ 3''''' (ทรานส์ฟอร์มเมอร์ส 3, "Transformers 3")
*''Turkish:'' '''''Transformers: Ayın Karanlık Yüzü''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''''Transformery: Temnyy bik Misyatsya''''' (Трансформери: Темний бік Місяця, "Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon")

==External links==
*[http://www.transformersmovie.com/ Transformersmovie.com]
*[http://www.imdb.com/tt1399103/ ''Dark of the Moon'' at IMDB.com]
*{{w|Transformers: Dark of the Moon|''Dark of the Moon'' film on Wikipedia}}
*[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_dark_of_the_moon/ ''Dark of the Moon'' on RottenTomatoes.com]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

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

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

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)

2026-03-19T10:42:08Z

Zenphia: /* Synopsis */

{{Nav-dotm}}
{{movie|
|seriess=[[Live-action film series]]
|prev=Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)
|next=Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)
|title=''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''
|image=DOTM-OPportraitposter.jpg
|caption="Of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|my friend]], I can only say this: of all the souls I have encountered, he was the most... human."
|production companies=[[Allspark (company)|Hasbro Films]] [[Lorenzo di Bonaventura|di Bonaventura Pictures]]
|distributor=[[Paramount Pictures]]
|executive producer=[[Steven Spielberg]]
|producer=[[Lorenzo di Bonaventura]] [[Tom DeSanto]] [[Don Murphy]] [[Ian Bryce]]
|written by=[[Ehren Kruger]]
|directed by=[[Michael Bay]]
|cinematography by=[[Amir Mokri]]
|edited by=[[Roger Barton]] [[William Goldenberg]] [[Joel Negron]]
|music by=[[Steve Jablonsky]]
|release date=[[June 29]], [[2011]]
|continuity=[[Live-action film series]]
|runtime=154 minutes
|budget=$195 million
|box office=$1.124 billion
}}
'''''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''''' is the third film in the [[live-action film series]]. It was released in 3D and IMAX at 9PM on [[June 28]], [[2011]]<ref name="open3D">[http://michaelbay.com/2011/06/18/see-dark-of-the-moon-one-day-earlier-on-imax-3d/ See Dark Of The Moon One Day Earlier on IMAX 3D | MichaelBay]</ref> and in wide release on [[June 29]], [[2011]]<ref name="open">[http://www.deadline.com/2011/05/paramount-moving-up-transformers-3/ Paramount Moving Up ‘T’formers 3′ Release – Deadline.com]</ref> in the United States, and between [[June 29]] and July 1 for other markets.

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

And SCENE!

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

==Synopsis==
[[File:Dotm-Arkreflection.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"Wha... this is the finest engine room in the whole Starfleet!"]]

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

[[File:DOTM - ShockwaveDriller.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|"When I swing around, I mean to deprive you of your life."]]
In the present day, the Autobots are still part of [[NEST]], cooperating with the [[United States military|US Armed Forces]]. They have also begun to help humanity in its local conflicts, as [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]], [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]], [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]], and [[Dino]] destroy an illegal [[Iran]]ian nuclear facility. On a mission to the [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]], a NEST team led by [[William Lennox|Lt. Col. Lennox]], [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] discovers an unknown alien fuel cell which had led to the {{w|Chernobyl disaster}}. While trying to secure the cell, they are attacked by the Decepticon [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] and his "pet", the [[Driller]], who are eventually forced to retreat by Optimus. Meanwhile, [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] kills [[Alexi Voskhod]], who had called NEST to Chernobyl and was secretly working for him. After securing the fuel cell and identifying it as part of the ''Ark'', Optimus is angry at the humans for not following through with their agreement of sharing all known information relating to Cybertron and its inhabitants. Despite this, he eventually informs his allies and [[Charlotte Mearing]], the {{w|Director of National Intelligence}}, about the space bridge technology the ''Ark'' contains. Together with Ratchet, Optimus travels to the Moon, where they find Sentinel Prime inside the ship. Retrieving him along with four pillars of the space bridge and the accompanying control pillar, they return to Earth, where Optimus uses the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to reactivate Sentinel Prime. In [[Africa]], Decepticon leader [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] (still recovering from wounds [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|suffered]] in [[Egypt]]) meets with his lieutenants [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] and [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. Upon learning that the Autobots have recovered Sentinel and the pillars, Megatron orders Soundwave and Laserbeak to terminate their "loose ends".

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

[[File:DOTM-Sentinelendofyourworld.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66|"There's a man out there I haven't seen in fifteen years who's trying to kill me."]]

Locked out of participating in the investigation by Mearing, Sam turns to [[Seymour Simmons]] for help. Simmons, who has become a millionaire as a writer, and his aide, [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]], help Sam find out that the Soviets have taken photos of Decepticons removing hundreds of space bridge pillars out of the ''Ark'' even before Apollo 11 had landed on the Moon. Sam and Simmons conclude that the Decepticons had left Sentinel Prime behind on purpose, knowing that only he would be able to activate the space bridge, and only Optimus Prime could reactivate him. Sam is able to warn the Autobots in time so they can protect Sentinel from a Decepticon attack and escort him back to the NEST headquarters. Upon arriving there, however, Sentinel Prime betrays them, revealing that he made a deal with Megatron to ensure Cybertron's survival. After killing [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] and most of the NEST soldiers, Sentinel claims the remaining pillars and escapes. The other Autobots track him down to [[Washington, D.C.]], but before Optimus can stop him, Sentinel activates a space bridge to the Moon. The portal allows dozens of Decepticon troops which had remained hidden under the Moon's surface to reach Earth, forcing the Autobots to retreat.

[[File:DOTM-Moonspacebridge.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|"We are one big, happy fleet! Ah, [[James T. Kirk|Kirk]], my old friend, do you know the [[Klingon]] proverb that tells us revenge is a dish that is best served cold? It is ''very'' cold in space."]]

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

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

[[File:DarkoftheMoon-Chicago.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|left|"Let them eat static. "]]
Dylan takes Carly to [[Chicago]], informing her that the Decepticons do not intend to return to Cybertron; instead, they want to transport the planet into Earth's orbit, because Earth not only has the necessary resources, but also six billion slaves to rebuild the Transformers' home planet. With the Autobots seemingly out of the way, the Decepticons arrive and lay waste to the city and its population before setting up the control pillar for the space bridge and sending the other pillars around the world.

Sam decides to go to Chicago, accompanied by [[Robert Epps]], who now works for NASA, and other former NEST members. They are promptly attacked by the Decepticons, but are rescued by Optimus Prime and the other Autobots. Having never intended to leave Earth, they had hidden themselves inside a modified rocket booster that was jettisoned before Starscream destroyed the ''Xantium''.

[[File:DOTM Driller vs Prime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|"From Hell's heart, I stab at thee!"]]

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

In the meantime, Lennox and the rest of NEST have managed to make their way into the city using [[wingsuit]]s, and Sam destroys Starscream with Lennox's help using weapons provided to him by the Autobot scientist Que. Meanwhile, the Decepticons have taken several Autobot prisoners, but Dylan convinces them to execute them on the spot. [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] kills Que, and Soundwave moves to take Bumblebee next, but the Autobots Wheelie and Brains have managed to make one of the Decepticons' ships crash, thereby distracting Soundwave long enough for Bumblebee to overpower and kill him, freeing the other Autobots. Most of the remaining Decepticons are slaughtered by the Autobots and human soldiers. Optimus kills Shockwave and uses the Decepticon's arm cannon to topple over the space bridge's control pillar, deactivating the bridge.

[[File:DOTMCybertrontransit.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.55|"Earth was created in six days. Now, watch out! Here comes Genesis! We'll do it for you in six minutes!"]]

Optimus Prime then confronts Sentinel Prime and the two engage in a ferocious battle of Student vs Master, but Optimus can't get past Sentinel's shield. Not wanting to take any chances, Sentinel calls in an airstrike, which is soon destroyed by long-range missiles. With Optimus reinforced by the other Autobots and humans, Sentinel tries to make a run for it only for Optimus to knock him off his wheels on a bridge. Meanwhile, Carly stumbles across Megatron outside the main battle zone. Having previously witnessed a violent argument between him and Sentinel, she appeals to his pride and makes him realize that he will never be able to rule over Cybertron as long as Sentinel is alive.

Sentinel gains the upper hand over Optimus and severs his right arm, but before he can execute his former pupil, an infuriated Megatron attacks and severely damages him, declaring that Earth is ''his'' planet to rule. Meanwhile, Dylan manages to reactivate the toppled pillar, but is attacked by Sam and hurled against the pillar, which kills him. Subsequently, Bumblebee destroys the pillar for good, thus destroying the space bridge and, presumably, Cybertron with it. Seeing this, Megatron half-heartedly offers Optimus Prime a truce on the condition that he will remain in charge of the Decepticons, questioning what Optimus would be without him. Realizing that the offer is less than sincere, Optimus refuses and attacks Megatron, decapitating him with an axe. The weakened Sentinel Prime tries to excuse his actions, but Optimus executes the treacherous Prime with Megatron's shotgun.

[[File:DOTM Autobots NEST victorious.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|"Live long... and prosper..."]]

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

[['Til all are]] [[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|one?]]
{{--}}

==Main cast==

{{featuredcharacters|
h1=[[Autobot]]s|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] ([[Leonard Nimoy]])
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]
*[[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] ([[Jess Harnell]])
*[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] ([[Robert Foxworth]])
*[[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] ([[James Remar]])
*[[Dino]] ([[Francesco Quinn]])<ref group=note name="credits">Mirage and Wheeljack, known by those names in the toyline and essentially all supporting media, are respectively named "Dino" and "Que" in the film. While Dino is simply credited as such, Que is listed in the credits as "Que/Wheeljack".</ref>
*[[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que/Wheeljack]] ([[George Coe]])<ref group=note name="credits"/>
*[[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] ([[Tom Kenny]])
*[[Brains]] ([[Reno Wilson]])

'''[[Twins (ROTF)|Twins]]'''
*[[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] (cameo)<ref group=note name=skidsandmudflap>Skids and Mudflap only appear during the convoy scene at the beginning of the film.</ref>
*[[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] (cameo)<ref group=note name=skidsandmudflap/>

'''[[Wreckers]]'''
*[[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] ([[Ron Bottitta]])<ref group=note>Roadbuster is listed as "Roadbuster/Amp" in the credits, a reference to his car mode's sponsor. His name is not used in the film, but he is called "Roadbuster" in the toyline and supporting media.</ref>
*[[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]]
*[[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]] ([[John DiMaggio]])<ref group=note>Leadfoot is listed in the film's end credits as "Leadfoot/Target", a reference to his car mode's sponsor. His name is not spoken in the film, but he is called "Leadfoot" in the toyline and the supporting media.</ref>

|h2=[[Decepticon]]s|c2=
*[[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] ([[Hugo Weaving]])
*[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] ([[Charlie Adler]])
*[[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
**[[Driller]]
*[[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
**[[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] ([[Keith Szarabajka]])
*[[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] (''Frank Welker'')<ref group=note>Barricade doesn't ''technically'' speak in the movie, 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.</ref>
*[[Loader]]
*[[Devcon (DOTM)|Devcon]]
*[[Igor]] ([[Greg Berg]])
*[[Hatchling]]s
*[[Audi R8 Decepticon]]
*Two [[M1 Abrams Decepticon]]s
*[[Garagebot]]
*[[Lensmeter Decepticon]]s
*[[Protoform]]s
*[[Watch-bot]]<ref group=note>Repeatedly referred to as the "Watch-bot" (proper noun) in the ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel]]''</ref>
*[[Pickup Decepticon]]
*[[Police car Decepticon]]

'''[[Constructicon (ROTF)|Constructicons]]'''
*[[Scrapper (ROTF)|Scrapper]] type Decepticon
*[[Long Haul (ROTF)|Long Haul]] type Decepticon

'''[[Dread (DOTM)|Dreads]]'''
*[[Crankcase (DOTM)|Crankcase]]
*[[Crowbar]] (''[[Jimmie Wood]]'')<ref group=note>During the highway battle scene where Crowbar flips over a sign, recycled screams and grunts from Jimmie Wood's [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]] performance in ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' can be heard.</ref>
*[[Hatchet (DOTM)|Hatchet]]

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

|nonumbering=true
}}
<references group=note/>

==Quotes==

"We were once a peaceful race of intelligent, mechanical beings. But then came the war, between the Autobots who fought for freedom and the Decepticons who dreampt of tyranny. Overmatched and outnumbered, our defeat was all but certain. But in the war's final days, one Autobot ship escaped the battle. It was carrying a secret cargo, which would have changed our planet's fate. A despearate mission. Our final hope. A hope that vanished."
:—'''Optimus Prime's''' opening narration.

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

'''Dino''': "He's in a bad mood. He's not talking to anybody today." 
'''Mearing''': "What is this, the silent treatment?" 
'''Ironhide''': "We've seen that and this is ''not'' that." 
'''Que''': "Definitely not." 
'''Ironhide''': "This is ''worse''. Prime! Make something of yourself! (Ironhide taps Optimus's roof) He's pissed."
:—'''Ironhide''' discusses '''Optimus Prime's''' foul mood.

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

"My poor, poor master, how it pains me to see you, so wounded... so weak..."
:—'''Starscream''' jeering at a wounded Megatron

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

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

"Woah! Little Mexican standoff we got here!"
:—'''Sideswipe''', talking to Ironhide and the Dreads.

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

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

[[File:DOTM-MegatronLincoln.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"I'll give him this: [[Atlantis, Arise!|he]]'s [[Transformers The Game (console)|consistent]]!"]] 
"Here we are. Fight us ''now''."
:—'''Megatron''', pulling the evil overlord cliché on us while sitting atop the [[Abraham Lincoln|Lincoln Memorial]]

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

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

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

"I bring you Cybertron, your home—and still you choose humanity." 
"You are the one who taught me [[Bio|freedom is everyone's right]]."
:—'''Sentinel''' VS '''Optimus Prime'''.

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

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

"Optimus. All I ever wanted...was the survival of our race. You must see why I had to betray you..." 
"You didn't betray me. You betrayed yourself..."
:—'''Optimus Prime''''s final exchange with '''Sentinel Prime''' before effectively ''double-tapping'' him.

"In any war, there are calms between storms. There will be days when we lose faith. Days when our allies turn against us... but the day will never come that we forsake this planet and its people."
:—'''Optimus Prime's''' closing narration, [[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|which predicts what will]] [[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|happen to them years later]].

==Continuity notes==
*Sam has since graduated from college, being three months out of school, and is currently looking for a job. Since the events of ''Revenge of the Fallen'', Sam and Mikaela had broke up (despite having to spend an entire film of Sam needing to say the L-word). Prior to the events of this film, he started a relationship with Carly Spencer.
*Megatron's camp is full of salvaged artifacts from the previous film, along with several Decepticon corpses laying around the area. While most are unrecognizable, one of them is a headless Long Haul; his head was presumably used to create Igor. Megatron's new right hand appears to be salvaged from a fallen Decepticon, as the matching left hand can be seen laying around the campsite.
*The Wreckers, according to Charlotte Mearing arrived on Earth aboard the ''Xantium'' and brought the second wave of Autobots with them. The Wreckers were not seen in ''Revenge of the Fallen'', which is given an in-universe explanation that their bloodthirsty attitudes mean they are usually confined to base.
*Barricade makes a surprising return during the final battle in Chicago, last seen driving alongside Bonecrusher on the highway before the latter engaged the Autobot Leader in the first film.
*Megatron is still critically wounded after the final battle of ''Revenge of the Fallen'', notably still missing half of his head.
*Optimus Prime's main moral compass that "freedom is the right of all sentient beings", is revealed to have been taught to him by his predecessor and mentor, Sentinel Prime.
*Introduced in the second film, Optimus uses The Matrix of Leadership to revive Sentinel Prime, having retrieved it from the remains of the Star Harvester sometime following the climax of the second film. In the same previous film, Megatron had suspected the Matrix could be used to revive Optimus and was proven right when Sam succeeded, a fact Megatron exploits in his master plan enacted this film.
*Sentinel Prime was first mentioned in the previous film, by Sam Witwicky during one of his many Allspark induced exposition dump.
*In the previous film, [[Theodore Galloway]] asked Optimus that if humanity asked the Autobots to leave whether they'd cooperate, and Optimus promised to do so. This film sees them seemingly comply with such demands, only to reveal themselves to have stayed behind anyway to defeat the Decepticons.
*Ironhide no longer has his cannons, having lost them in the final battle of the previous film.

==Errors==
===Filming, animation and technical errors===
*When Sam is holding Brains in his hand after catching him spying on him and Carly, there is a short shot in which Sam is briefly seen in the background, holding nothing in hand, Brains is missing. In the next shot, Brains is back in the hand.
*After killing Ironhide, while Sentinel Prime is storming the NEST base, Sentinel Prime, Ironhide and most likely Bumblebee are all missing in a short shot in which we see two cars projected by an explosion, supposed to be a result of one of Sentinel's gun shots.
*Ironhide in alt-form appears in a short shot among the Autobots in Chicago, riding ahead of Optimus, at 01:43:21-01:43:22, but after that he disappears completely.
*Bits of Megatron's right shoulder clip through each other in the shot where he's demanding a truce.

===Astronomical and historical errors===
*The Moon does not rotate with respect to Earth, and Mare Tranquillitatis is near the middle of the near side. Therefore, Tranquility Base could never be described as being on the far side, and Earth is never as close to the horizon as shown in the movie.
*The Apollo 11 Command/Service Module is seen flying to the Moon without the Lunar Module. The Lunar Module is attached when the vehicle is orbiting the Moon, however.
*When the modern day site of the Apollo 11 landing is seen, the ascent module (the cabin Buzz and Neil flew back to orbit in) is still there.
*In real life, Apollo 11 did not land on the far side of the Moon. Tranquility Base is on the near side of the Moon.
*One of the directors of NASA says that all six Apollo missions recovered parts of the Ark but this not possible as the six missions all had different landing sites which were all a significant distance apart.
*Cybertron is apparently several times the size of Earth, yet the characters talk of bringing it "into Earth's atmosphere"; at that size, it would be more like bringing ''Earth'' into ''Cybertron's'' atmosphere, but see below for the problem with that.
*The Space Bridge starts to bring Cybertron amazingly close to Earth - less than one Earth-diameter away. Assuming Cybertron's mass is proportional to its size, Cybertron's gravitational field would [[The Ultimate Doom|tear the Earth apart]] at that distance.

===Geographic discontinuities===
*The [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]] is shown to be located ''inside'' of, or at least right next to the abandoned city of {{w|Pripyat}}, and the human characters access it through nearby buildings. In reality, the power plant is situated on the outskirts of the city. Even worse, [[Alexi Voskhod]] ''explicitly'' says that the entrance leads through a ''school''. Who builds a ''school'' right next to a ''nuclear power plant''?
*Furthermore, Pripyat's infamous Ferris wheel as shown in the movie is not only the wrong model (the real one's passenger cabins have canopies), but the real one is also located in an open field far away from any buildings.<ref name="ferris">[http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pripyat_-_Ferris_wheel.jpg Photo of the Pripyat Ferris wheel] showing the closest nearby buildings.</ref> But hey, at least it's the right color!
*Also, why exactly is the Sputnik mission case inside the Chernobyl reactor building? Did the Soviets never bother to discard the packaging of their toy after starting to play with it?
*When Megatron transforms for the first time, he's in a grassy savannah. In the next shot, he's standing in the middle of a desert... and in the establishing shot of the Decepticon camp, it's back in the savannah.
*{{w|Mount Kilimanjaro}} is seen in the background of many of the scenes in Namibia; in reality, the mountain is located in Tanzania, more than three thousand kilometers away.
[[File:DOTM-Wreckers-Prime-Cables.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Chicago's own [[knockoff]] of a prominent Chinese building.]]
*In a [[Atlantis, Arise!|fairly common cinematic contrivance]], the film depicts multiple skyscrapers in the background of many scenes set in Washington, D.C., while the real-life city has no skyscrapers.
*Also, Washington, D.C. almost entirely lacks old industrial buildings that could be converted into lofts, and likewise doesn't have the kind of densely urban streets that Sam is shown to live on.
*NEST Headquarters, supposedly in Washington, is actually Chicago's abandoned Main Post Office.
*Likewise, Dylan's auto collection museum, also set in (land-locked) Washington, is actually the Milwaukee Art Museum. [[Lake Michigan]] is even visible through the windows!
*When Optimus Prime (using his jetpack) gets himself caught in wires below an under-construction building, that building bears a striking resemblance to the {{w|China Central Television Headquarters}} in [[Beijing]], [[China]]... a far shot from [[Chicago]]. Since construction for the CCTV building was finished in 2008, long before ''Dark of the Moon'' was even ''conceived'', this appears to be an intentional instance of a "cool building" being inserted just for the sake of it.

===Continuity errors===
*Like in ''Revenge of the Fallen'', Ironhide sports his [[license plate]] from the [[Transformers (film)|first movie]], "4PCI382", on his robot mode chest, but doesn't have a license plate in vehicle mode. (According to set photos, his license plate in vehicle mode is mostly black, with a NEST logo on it.)
*Speaking of inconsistencies between robot and vehicle mode: Bumblebee's updated Chevrolet Camaro alternate mode no longer has pinstripes bordering his black racing stripes, but the CG robot model still has the pinstripes.
[[Image:DOTM-SoundwaveMercedesStar.jpg|thumb|upright=1.9|right|Is this the reverse of hidden faction insignias in vehicle mode?]]
*Soundwave has [[kibble]] from his [[Mercedes-Benz|Mercedes]] alternate mode while he is in Africa, but his chest has only a blank grille. The Mercedes star is only added to his chest from the scene where he reveals himself to be Carly's car onward. This is most likely a deliberate choice made to avoid spoiling the plot twist.
*After Megatron pulls out his shotgun for the first time, he holsters it on the right side of his back. In the next scene it is on his left side.
*In the highway battle scene with the [[Dread (DOTM)|Dreads]], Crowbar smashes into some traffic signs and knocks them over. In the next shot when the other two Dreads use them as ramps, the angle at which the signs fell has changed. After Hatchet and Crankcase transform, the signs revert into their original position.
*Also in the highway battle, Bumblebee enhances only his front wheels to evade Hatchet, yet in the next shot he's fully in Stealth Force mode.
*When Hatchet is killed by Bumblebee and Dino, the last shot shows him being thrown onto a car (using footage recycled from Michael Bay's 2005 film ''{{w|The Island (2005 film)|The Island}}'', as elaborated on below), with Dino's grappling hook cables still attached to Hatchet, which would imply that Dino is still in robot mode at this point. However, the very next shot shows Dino in the far background, driving behind Bumblebee in vehicle mode.
*Immediately after crashing into Ironhide, two of Crowbar's hair strands fall to the ground, but he has all six strands from the next shot onwards.
*During Ironhide and Sideswipe's "Mexican standoff" with Crankcase and Crowbar, all combatants drop their firearms, but when Ironhide is speared, his guns are on his back again. They disappear in subsequent shots.
*In addition, the spear impaled in Ironhide disappears when he shoots Crowbar, only to reappear in subsequent shots.
*Despite being captured by Soundwave in her evening gown, Carly is somehow able to change into more convenient clothes (but still wearing high heels!) after arriving at Dylan's place, and has yet another outfit following the attack on Chicago the following day. Not only that, she changes her earrings, too!
*When the Autobots are boarding the ''Xantium,'' Simmons mentions that nine Autobots are leaving. Former Decepticons Wheelie and Brains apparently don't count. Poor little guys!
*The Wreckers claim they had been hiding inside a rocket booster that was jettisoned from the ''Xantium'' before Starscream destroyed it. The boosters are only seen to be detached after Starscream destroys the ship, after it has barely taken off from the ground.
*Though it's a standard action movie contrivance, it sure is convenient that the glass windows inside skyscrapers are extremely fragile when needed, and glass shards are as dangerous as bread crumbs so nobody suffers a single cut from sliding across them.
*Shortly after everyone jumps through the window and starts sliding down, a downwards shot of the building shows all of the windows behind them are intact.
*As everyone tumbles through a lower floor of the building, [[Stone]] is shown to fall right through and out the other side with a collection of office furniture, but not long after is back with Epps's squad.
*Despite the Decepticons taking over Chicago and killing a whole bunch of people, there seem to be a lot of people continuing to go about their daily lives. The skyscraper Epps's team goes into to launch a rocket from still seems to have plenty of office workers in it when the Driller attacks it. When Sam's being thrown around on the end of the grapple glove rope while fighting Starscream, he crashes through a wall into a dry-cleaning business where a woman appears to be calmly hanging up a shirt. Did they all just not get the memo?
*The sequence beginning with Sam, Carly, Epps and the rest of the soldiers jumping out of the windows of the tilted skyscraper is one giant continuity headache: First they jump out of the windows, then slide down several stories, then the camera angle changes and they're sliding down several more stories, and ''then'' a wide shot shows the top of the skyscraper from an angle where the characters cannot be seen, then slowly pans around and eventually shows them all sliding down from one of the topmosts floors all over again! Eventually, they crash back into one of the lowest floors near the break. After the Driller has toppled the top portion of the skyscraper over, the group is ''again'' shown to escape from one one of the topmost floors to the neighboring building!
*Though it is Barricade who kicks and shoves Que along before executing him, the voice heard is Soundwave's. Presumably, this was an artifact of the early alternate version of the scene, in which Soundwave was to kill Dino, and they just re-used the audio.
*While fighting the Autobots at the end of the film, Sentinel Prime's cape disappears for a brief scene before reappearing on his back when the camera angle changes.
*When Sam and Dylan are fighting, the clock behind them changes to different times every shot. It starts at 00:40, then 02:25, 00:15 and 11:00 in the following shots.
*When Sam and Carly are reunited after the final battle, Carly's hands keep changing the position on every cut, sometimes on Sam's neck, sometimes on his shoulders.
*[[File:SkidsMudflap in Chicago.jpg|thumb|upright=1.9|right|Skids & Mudflap in Chicago]]Not intentional: Skids and Mudflap appear for a brief few seconds in the film in their vehicle modes. This leaves questions as to what happened to them. They weren't seen departing from Earth or taking part in the Chicago battle. However footage filming in Chicago confirms were involved in the Battle of Chicago.<ref name="transformerslive.blogspot.com">[https://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2010/07/mpea-busway-set-pics-explosions-and.html]</ref>
*It's said that four Autobots were captured by the Decepticons in Chicago, but actually five Autobots were captured. (Unless this observation was made ''before'' Bumblebee arrived after saving Sam and Lennox), possibly a leftover from an earlier draft of the script in where [[Dino]] and/or [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]] were supposed to already be dead by this point.
*When Que is about to be executed, the "cardboard head on a stick" prop used for Dino during the shooting of the movie (a common method used for the movies to give the actors ''something'' to react to) can be spotted in the final edit of the film,<ref name="headprop">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/494618-movies-errors-mirage-prop-final-movie-edit.html "Movies Errors - Mirage prop in final movie edit"] at TFW2005</ref> as noted above possibly a leftover from an earlier draft of the script where Soundwave mocked Bumblebee with Dino's disembodied head.
*Megatron's head wound alternates between "moderately repaired" and "extra mangled" from scene to scene after Sentinel tears another chunk of his scalp off.

==Transformers references==
In addition to recurring elements from the previous films, ''Dark of the Moon'' bases a number of elements on previous versions of the ''Transformers'' mythos, including plot elements based on older stories, something fairly rare in the other two movies:
*New characters [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] are heavily based upon their Generation 1 counterparts. [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]] is derived from G1 character [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]. [[Sentinel Prime (disambiguation)|Sentinel Prime]] is the name of Optimus's predecessor in many continuities, and in this instance, he continues his [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|predecessor]]'s [[Sentinel Prime (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|legacy]] of being a giant jerk.

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

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

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

*[[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] and [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]] being members of the Wreckers recalls their original G1 counterparts being likewise part of the Wreckers.

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Megatron's first line—a weary "[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All hail Megatron]]"—is the title of IDW's direction-changing comic maxi-series, which had just wrapped up when production on the film was beginning.

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

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

*The technique of shooting at a skyscraper until it breaks in half and the top falls horizontally on other buildings has been done by [[Megatron (BW)|another Megatron]] in [[Endgame Pt. III: Seeds of the Future|another city]].

==Real-world references==
*When Brains and Wheelie are watching ''{{w|Star Trek: The Original Series}}'', the screen features [[Spock|Mr. Spock]], portrayed by Leonard Nimoy—who voices Sentinel Prime. Wheelie comments that it is "the one where Spock goes nuts," which foreshadows Sentinel's heel turn. The episode itself is the famous ''TOS'' episode "{{w|Amok Time}}", although for some inexplicable reason, the first of the two clips shown on-screen is mirrored.
*Sentinel Prime says "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." The voice actor said the same line in the 1982 film ''{{w|Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan}}'' as Mr. Spock. However, in that movie, Nimoy's character dies a hero.
*To finish the Spock trifecta, when Bumblebee says his goodbyes to Sam, he uses a clip of Leonard Nimoy, as Spock, saying "I will always be your friend," another line from ''Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan''.
*[[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]] and his fake girlfriend's name, "India", are a reference to {{w|Dutch India}}.
*[[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]]'s name is a reference to {{w|Q (James Bond)|Q}} from ''{{w|James Bond}}'' novels and films. Que also gives weapons to NEST soldiers while explaining the advantages and abilities for the weapons much like Q does for James Bond.
*When Bumblebee is being dragged around by Soundwave to be executed, he plays a clip of Matt Damon saying "Get off me!" from ''Saving Private Ryan.''
*When Bumblebee brings forth "rings" for Sam and Carly, he "hums" the {{w|Wedding March}} (or, more correctly, the {{w|Bridal Chorus}} from {{w|Richard Wagner}}'s 1850 opera ''{{w|Lohengrin (opera)|Lohengrin}}'').
*Before Sentinel gets attacked by Megatron, he says "There can only be one", a popular misquote of the line "There can be only one" from the film Highlander. Sentinel is also modeled after one of the film's lead stars Sean Connery.

==Other editions==
*The version of the film available for streaming on Star+ cuts all scenes where humans are desintegrated to the bone by the Decepticons. As a result, the initial invasion of Chicago is cut significantly short.
{{stub}}
{{--}}

==Prequel material==
*''[[Transformers: Sector 7]]''
A five-issue limited mini-series chronicling the foundation of [[Sector Seven|Sector 7]] leading up to ''[[Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday|Ghosts of Yesterday]]''.
*''[[Transformers: Foundation]]''
A four-issue limited mini-series set during the events of ''[[Transformers: Defiance|Defiance]]'' telling the events that lead-up to the original ''[[Transformers: Movie Prequel|Movie Prequel]]''.
*''[[Transformers: Rising Storm]]''
A four-issue limited mini-series set after ''[[Transformers: Nefarious|Nefarious]]'' cronicling Shockwave's arrival and the task given to him by Megatron.
*''[[Cyberglyphics pack-in comics]]''
A six-issue miniseries by IDW, produced in cooperation with [[Target]], available only in printed form as [[pack-in material]] with a small Target-[[exclusive]] [[Target#Dark of the Moon|range of toys]], following [[Space Case (DOTM)|Space Case]]'s encounters with the Autobots and the Decepticons and leads up to ''Rising Storm''.
*''[[Transformers: Convergence]]''
A four-part prose story exclusive to the individual issues of IDW Publishing's ''Dark of the Moon comic adaptation'', chronicles both the Simmons lineage in the aftermath of ''Sector 7'' and Soundwave's activites on Earth, tying the remaining loose ends and setting the stage for ''Dark of the Moon''.
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)]]''
A video game developed by [[High Moon Studios]] for [[Xbox 360]] & [[PlayStation|PS3]].
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Stealth Force Edition]]''
A [[Wii]] & [[Nintendo 3DS|3DS]] port of the game developed by [[Behaviour Interactive]] focusing only on [[Stealth Force]].
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Autobots/Decepticons]]''
A [[Nintendo DS]] port of the game also developed by Behaviour Interactive, with each factions separated in two titles.
*''[[Transformers (Titan Magazine)#Dark of the Moon|Transformers (Titan Magazine)]]''
A monthly title by Titan in the [[United Kingdom|UK]] (another rebranding of their existing comic).
*''[[Transformers Classified]]''
A prequel novel trilogy in the same vein as ''Ghosts of Yesterday'' and ''[[Transformers: The Veiled Threat|The veiled Threat]]'' that was published after the movie, composed by ''[[Transformers Classified: Switching Gears|Switching Gears]]'', ''[[Transformers Classified: Battle Mountain|Battle Mountain]]'' & ''[[Transformers Classified: Satellite of Doom|Satellite of Doom]]'', later published together as ''[[Transformers Classified: The Complete Mission]]'' it cronicles how the Autobots & Decepticons fight against each other on Earth in the aftermath of [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|The Fallen's death]].

==Adaptations==
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)|Transformers: Dark of the Moon]]''
The novelization of the film by [[Peter David]].
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation]]''
IDW Publishing's comic adaptation of the movie.

'''Children's adaptations'''
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel]]''
The movie novelization for kids.

==Sequels==
{{main|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|Bumblebee (film)}}

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

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

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

===Additional Information===
*Close Captions in English
*Audio Description as Audio Description in English <ref>http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B005G4TJUC/audiodescriin-20</ref>

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

==Reception==
{{quote|Time will tell whether Transformers: Dark of the Moon really is the final Transformers film for both director Michael Bay and star Shia LaBeouf, but it's certainly the best one in this hugely successful, but widely loathed franchise.|[https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/06/27/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-review They've Fallen, but can the Transformers get up?], Jim Vejvoda|[https://www.ign.com ign.com] [[June 27]] [[2011]]}}

{{quote|Rarely has a movie had less of a soul and less interesting characters.|Richard Roeper, [http://www.richardroeper.com/reviews/transformersdarkofthemoon.aspx richardroeper.com] [[June 28]], [[2011]]}}

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

The official release date was moved up from July 1 to June 29 to allow breathing room between its release and ''{{w|Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2}}''. On June 28, 2011, the film was released in 3D and IMAX in the US.

The film received a generally mixed critical reception, who praised the visual effects, action sequences, musical score, voice acting, and use of 3D, while criticizing the runtime, storyline, the performances of [[Shia LaBeouf]] and [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]], and screenplay. ''Dark of the Moon'' was considered at least an improvement from ''Revenge of the Fallen'', receiving a tomatometer score of 35% and an audience score of 55% on Rotten Tomatoes.<ref>https://rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_dark_of_the_moon</ref>

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

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

''Dark of the Moon'' ended its theatrical run in the #5 spot for highest worldwide gross of all time.

Upon its' release, the ''Transformers'' fanbase generally had a warmer reception to the film over its' predecessor, with praise going to the action, score, and particularly [[Leonard Nimoy]]'s performance and role as [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]]. Several moments in the film caused no shortage of discussion, with Optimus Prime's more ruthless, violent actions ([[Peter Cullen]] himself disliked the "we will kill them all" line) and the handling of the deaths of major franchise characters being notable sore spots for the film's detractors. Over a decade since its' release, ''Dark of the Moon'' still retains the warmest reception to a Bay film outside of the first film, though those more ambivalent towards the series don't consider it that different from the lesser films.

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

On February 25, 2012, it was announced that ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' was nominated for eight {{w|Golden Raspberry Award}}s. Unlike ''Revenge of the Fallen'', however, it did not receive the awards for Worst Picture, Worst Screenplay, & Worst Director, losing all of its nominations to ''{{w|Jack & Jill (2011 film)|Jack & Jill}}''.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-is-safe-from-razzies-174726/]</ref>

==Technical details==
'''Length:''' 154 minutes
'''Audio:''' Dolby Digital / DTS / SDDS 
'''Content Rating:'''
{{collist|4|
*PG-13 (USA/MPAA)
*G (Japan)
*12A (United Kingdom)
*PG (Canada; Ontario)
*G (Canada; Quebec)
*PG-12 (Taiwan)
*PG13 (Singapore)
*PG-13 (Philippines/MTRCB)
*IIA (China)
*PG-13 (Malaysia)
*M (Australia)
*M (New Zealand)
*12 (Brazil)
*K-11 (Finland)
*12 (Germany)
*12A (Ireland)
*12 (Netherlands)
*M/12 (Portugal)
*12 (South Korea)
*B (Mexico)
*12+ (Russia)}}

==Production staff==
{{stub}}

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

===Locations department===
{{quote|The Decepticons' decision to attack Chicago<ref>http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-471495</ref> seems inexplicable, until you take into consideration the generous tax credits offered by the Illinois Film Office.|film critic Roger Ebert|[http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2011/07/on_the_origin_of_transformers.html On the Origin of Transformers]}}

==Development details==
===Cast and crew signing on===
[[File:TF3-licensingPrime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Featuring a surprise appearance by Optimus Prime!]]
On May 30, 2007, a month before the official release of ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'', [[DreamWorks]] announced that two sequels were already being planned.<ref name="spy">[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a58430/two-transformers-sequels-in-pipeline.html Digital Spy article from May 2007, confirming that two sequels were being planned]</ref> On March 16, 2009, over three months before the premiere of ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] announced the third movie for July 1, 2011.<ref name="3release">Pamela McClintock: [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118001280?refCatId=13 Variety article from March 2009], confirming Transformers 3 for July 2011.</ref> Director [[Michael Bay]] promptly backpedaled, as he had intended for the third ''Transformers'' movie to be released in 2012.<ref name="baywait">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?3947-Wait-a-minute! Michael Bay's reaction to Paramount's July 2011 date for ''Transformers 3''], March 2009.</ref> He officially changed his mind in October 2009, agreeing to the release date set by Paramount.<ref name="bay3-2011">[http://michaelbay.com/2009/10/01/transformers-3-july-1st-2011/ Michael Bay officially confirms the 2011 release date], October 2009.</ref>

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

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

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

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

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

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

[[Leonard Nimoy]] was confirmed as the voice actor for [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] in March 2011.<ref name="nimoysent">[http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/03/31/leonard-nimoy-transformers-dark-of-the-moon Entertainment Weekly announces Leonard Nimoy's involvement], March 2011]</ref> Nimoy, who had previously voiced [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] in 1986's ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' and was married to Michael Bay's cousin Susan, had previously been under consideration for [[The Fallen]]'s voice in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', but Bay had been hesitant for fear of offending his relative with the relatively low pay allotted to voice actors.<ref name="nimoy1">[http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/04/21/michael-bay-afraid-to-offend-leonard-nimoy-with-transformers-family-reunion-offer/ ''Michael Bay Afraid To Offend Leonard Nimoy With ‘Transformers’ Family Reunion Offer''], MTV.com Movies blog, April 2009.</ref> Even though Nimoy openly asked Bay to simply give him a call,<ref name="nimoy2">[http://www.latinoreview.com/news/leonard-nimoy-to-michael-bay-call-me-6682 Leonard Nimoy To Michael Bay: "Call Me!"], Latino Review, April 2009.</ref> it ultimately never worked out, and The Fallen was voiced by [[Tony Todd]] instead. For ''Dark of the Moon'', Bay finally overcame his anxiety and hired Nimoy, who accepted the offer.<ref name="nimoy3">[http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/03/31/leonard-nimoy-transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ "Leonard Nimoy joins 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' voice cast -- EXCLUSIVE"], Entertainment Weekly, March 2011.</ref> In return, screenwriter Ehren Kruger included several nods to Nimoy's well-known character as Mr. Spock from ''[[Star Trek]]'' in the movie.<ref name="nimoystartrek">[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666643/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-star-trek-references.jhtml "'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon': Behind The 'Star Trek' Nods"], MTV.com, July 2011.</ref> ''Dark of the Moon'' would be Nimoy's final performance in the ''Transformers'' franchise before his death in early 2015.

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

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

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

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

Over 500 cars were destroyed in the making of ''Dark of the Moon'', all of them damaged property from insurance companies intended for destruction.<ref name="baych"/>
[[Image:ROTFvsDOTMUSNavyHollenbeck.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|right|Wherever General Morshower goes, I go.]]

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

Another (brief) instance of recycled footage occurs during the Chicago battle: When the Navy fires several Tomahawks at the Decepticons, the mission control room scene was previously used to depict the interior of the [[USS Kidd]] in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''. The most obvious similarity is the [[Hollenbeck|same operator]] saying "Target acquired" both times.<ref name="recycled">[https://youtube.com/watch?v=6tSMdR8vH0s YouTube video] featuring brief clips from ''Dark of the Moon'' and ''Revenge of the Fallen'', highlighting the recycled footage.</ref>

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

===Changes before, during and after production===
[[File:DOTM Skids, Mudflap, Que and Sideswipe.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|Eat this, Megan Fox.]]
*In an interview with the Los Angeles Times in June 2009, Michael Bay suggested that [[Ramon Rodriguez]] would reprise his role as [[Leo Spitz]] from ''Revenge of the Fallen'' for the third movie.<ref name="bayramon">[http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2009/06/30/ramon-rodriguez-will-have-bigger-role-in-third-transformers-movie-bay-hints/ "Ramon Rodriguez will have bigger role in third ‘Transformers’ movie, Bay hints"], Los Angeles Times, June 2009.</ref>

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

*In January 2010, actor James Avery claimed in an interview that he would be playing a new Autobot named "Silverbolt".<ref name="avery">[http://web.archive.org/web/20120401095240/http://unscripted.ca/episodes/show/136 James Avery interview on Unscripted], January 2010</ref> In June 2010, representatives of James Avery, responding to a bizarre rumor that he had passed away, confirmed that the actor was indeed alive and would be playing Silverbolt in ''Transformers 3''.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20151107012047/http://www.examiner.com/article/uncle-phil-james-avery-isn-t-dead-after-all James Avery isn't dead after all], The Examiner, June 2010.</ref> Despite this, neither Avery nor Silverbolt ultimately appear in ''Dark of the Moon''.

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

[[File:DOTM-SentinelPrimetrailer.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Colour me your colour, baby Colour me your car Colour me your colour, darling I know who you are]]
*Shockwave's original voice actor, [[Corey Burton]], expressed that he had no interest in voicing him for ''Dark of the Moon'', explaining "[I] have practically no interest in that kind of mega-budget movie enterprise involvement" and that the inspiration for his Shockwave voice, {{w|David Warner (actor)|David Warner}}, was rumored to have been considered.<ref>[http://www.coreyburton.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=2707&highlight=#2707 Corey Burton's message board post.]</ref> In the end, Shockwave's almost-entirely-wordless-snarl-based role would have been something of a waste of Warner; the role ultimately went to Frank Welker. There's a nice touch of symmetry in the casting, with Welker taking over a Burton-originated role not long after Burton took on a Welker-originated character in [[Megatron (Animated)|''Animated'' Megatron]].

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

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

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

*A scrapped death for Wheeljack/"Que" involved the Autobot being run off of a Chicago street and into a river by the [[Driller]], where he would have been torn to pieces by Decepticon troopers lying in wait in the river.

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

[[File:DOTMSuperBowlvsTrailer.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|So does this qualify as a retcon?]]
*Another plot point that was apparently dropped was an anti-Autobot sentiment among the human populace. Graffiti with a crossed out Autobot [[insignia|logo]] with the words "go home" below it showed up in several set photos.<ref name="gohome1">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2010/05/transformers-3-filming-with-twins.html Photos from the set in Sherman Oaks, California] at the Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, May 2010.</ref><ref name="gohome2">[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/possible-tf3-plot-point-revealed-autobots-go-home/19188/ Photos from the Chicago set] at Seibertron.com, July 2010.</ref> In the movie, Congress instantly passes a law exiling the Autobots from Earth following Sentinel Prime's ultimatum.

*Early working names included "[[Ultra Magnus (disambiguation)|Ultra Magnus]]" for [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]],<ref name="chicagocall">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2011/06/chicgo-call-sheet-for-ultra-magnus.html "Chicago Call Sheet For Ultra Magnus"], Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, June 2011.</ref> "Enzo" (after {{w|Enzo Ferrari}})<ref name="callsheet2">[http://tilallaremine.wordpress.com/2011/07/01/dark-of-the-moon-call-sheets/ Dark of the Moon Call Sheets!] at Til All Are Mine blog, July 2011.</ref> and "Rush" for Mirage/"Dino", "[[Warpath (disambiguation)|Warpath]]" for both [[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] and [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]], "Tempest" for Topspin, "[[Flash (disambiguation)|Flash]]" for [[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]], "[[Dreadwind (disambiguation)|Dreadwind]]" for [[Crankcase (DOTM)|Crankcase]], "[[Hooligan (disambiguation)|Hooligan]]" for [[Crowbar]], "[[Dirtbag]]" for [[Hatchet (DOTM)|Hatchet]], "[[Blitzwing (disambiguation)|Blitzwing]]" for [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]], "[[Breakdown (disambiguation)|Breakdown]]" for Soundwave's new vehicular design, "[[Clench (G1)|Colossus]]" for the [[Driller]],<ref name="nizzi">[http://www.joshnizzi.com/TF3.htm Josh Nizzi DOTM concepts.]</ref> "Buzzard" for [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]], "[[Undermine (Cybertron)|Undermine]]" for [[Igor]] and "[[Steeljaw (disambiguation)|Steeljaw]]" for Wheeljack/"Que". However, it's quite possible a few of these were code names used to keep character identities a secret during production as images of Megatron's new cloak obscured face refer to the character as "[[Cyclonus (disambiguation)|Cyclonus]]".<ref name="wburt">[http://conceptartworld.com/?p=8388 Wesley Burt DOTM concepts.]</ref>

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

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

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

*Megatron was originally supposed to appear in his ''Revenge of the Fallen'' form.<ref>http://joshnizzi.com/images/TF3/JoshNizzi_TF3_56.jpg</ref>

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

*In the original announcement trailer for ''Dark of the Moon'' that was released in December 2010, the opening scene that featured [[Neil Armstrong]] and [[Buzz Aldrin]] investigate the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'' on the moon had Sentinel Prime sport a gold and silver color scheme. For the final movie, his base color was changed to red, his left shoulder was lowered, his facial expression was changed to look more droopy, and the whole scene was given a considerable blue tint.

*Similar to the announcement trailer, the Super Bowl spot also features footage that contains unfinished CG effects. Most notably, the shot that depicts Optimus Prime, equipped with his flight pack, swooping down on the Decepticons before starting his epic rampage on the ground was changed by the time the first full trailer was released: Optimus himself and the first [[M1 Abrams Decepticon]] are both rescaled and moved to different positions on-screen; a Decepticon using the same [[body-type]] as [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] and [[Grindor (ROTF)|Grindor]] is removed entirely; and a Decepticon using the same body-type as Long Haul, as well as other [[generic]]s, are added. The final movie uses pretty much the same version as seen in the trailer.
{{-}}

===Leaks and disinformation===
[[File:DOTMgameSoundwave.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|What you're about to see is totally classified.]]
The movie's title, then "Transformers: ''The'' Dark of the Moon", was first discovered on October 6, 2010 via listings for childrens' books on [[Amazon (website)|Amazon]]. The title was further confirmed by a whois check for "www.transformersdarkofthemoonmovie.com".<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-3-title-revealed-170697/ Transformers 3 Title Revealed?] @ TFW2005.com</ref> On October 31, the official website for all three movies, [http://www.transformersmovie.com/ transformersmovie.com], was updated to show the ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' logo as well as international release dates.

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

[[File:TF3HasbroSoundwaveBio.JPG|thumb|upright=1.66|left|If you breathe a word of what you see in here, you will do time for treason.]]Michael Bay and other official parties tried ''really'' hard to suppress the plot twist of the silver Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG given to [[Carly Spencer|Carly]] by [[Dylan Gould|Dylan]] turning out to be the new [[alternate mode]] of [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. After the Mercedes had been spotted on the set, with [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]] exiting it,<ref name="mercedesset">[http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=67518 DOTM Set Photos], ComingSoon.net, July 2010.</ref> the first hint that it was more than meets the eye came with the trailer for the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)|video game]], which showed Soundwave's robot mode with car [[kibble]] such as wheels that heavily resembled those of the Mercedes. In addition, [[Rising Storm issue 2|issue 2]] of ''[[Transformers: Rising Storm]]'' depicted Soundwave's robot mode not only with car kibble, but with a Mercedes star on his chest, yet in [[Rising Storm issue 3|issue 3]], he appeared in his ''Revenge of the Fallen'' design again. Despite this, director Michael Bay insisted that the Mercedes was simply Carly's car, claiming that "Mercedes would never let us make their car into a bad Decepticon. Car company's {{sic}} really frown on that. I can't say what the game company and comics do that's their own thing. They don't have the same constraints movies do. It's Carly's car."<ref name="baynomerc">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?8724-Update-Is-Soundwave-the-silver-Mercedes-on-set-of-DOTM&p=169598&viewfull=1#post169598 Michael Bay's response to the fan theory that Soundwave is the Silver Mercedes.], April 2011.</ref> On April 19, 2011, an event for promoting the ''Spider-Man: Edge of Time'' and ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' video games was held in London. As part of this, [[High Moon Studios]] released promotional stills from the ''Dark of the Moon'' game, one of which depicted Soundwave's new robot mode, again with Mercedes parts. However, a news embargo was enforced on the attending press, which was broken by South African video game site [http://egamer.co.za egamer].<ref name="egamera">[http://egamer.co.za/2011/05/exclusive-hands-on-transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ egamer's preview of the ''Dark of the Moon'' video game]</ref> The site was soon asked to take down the article and images, as were various ''Transformers'' fan sites that had reported on the article and mirrored the images. On May 2, 2011, Hasbro's [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/ official Transformers website] was given a massive overhaul, including the addition of the new [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/cybertronian-database.cfm Vector Sigma database]. The entry for Soundwave initially identified his alternate mode as a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, but was soon changed to "satellite". On May 3, 2011, the embargo for the video game article and promotional stills was finally lifted, allowing sites to freely show the image of Soundwave's new robot mode.

On May 5, 2011, six days before the trade paperback collection's official release, preview pages from [[IDW Publishing|IDW]]'s [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation|''Dark of the Moon'' comic adaptation]] were discovered at [[Amazon (website)|Amazon]]. Through some bizarre system error, ''several dozen pages'' were made available, which included the major plot twist of Sentinel Prime showing his true colors and killing [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]]. Unsurprisingly, this discovery was quickly posted on several major Transformers [[fandom|fan sites]], often without a spoiler warning. The fact that, even without this leak, the trade paperback of the comic adaptation was released well over a month before the film's theatrical release probably didn't help matters either.

==Notes==
*A 126-page script for the movie was leaked in December 2009,<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/content/view/6435/20/ The Allspark: Transformers News Movie Comics Animated - Script Treatment for Transformers 3? Bogus or Not, Here You Go!]</ref> causing much discussion among the fandom. It was later confirmed as fake.<ref>[http://shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6532 Script]</ref>
*In April 2010, shortly before on-set production began, the Andersen Air Force Base in Guam ran a security drill on detecting phishing scams as part of their operational readiness exercises. However, the base's security team decided to make the phishing email appear to be a casting call for US airmen to appear as extras in the then-untitled ''Transformers 3'' film. One airman thought it was an actual casting call and shared the phishing link to ComicBookMovie.com, which was then picked up by several fan forums and websites that shared the link even ''further''.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=We all know how much Michael Bay loves to use the military in his movies and Transformers 3 will be no different. But this time he is coming to Guam and Andersen AFB. I'm an Airman in the worlds greatest air, space and cyberspace force on Guam. I received an email stating that Dreamworks is looking for 20 airmen for Andersen to be extras.|link=https://comicbookmovie.com/transformers/transformers-3-shooting-in-guam-a17457|title=Transformers 3 Shooting in Guam|site=ComicBookMovie.com|name=Andersen Air Force Base airman "supershaggy"|day=25|month=04|year=2010}}</ref> After local news media in Guam contacted the air base for information, the exercise was immediately ended by Anderson AFB, hoping this exercise showed everyone the danger of phishing scams.<ref>[https://www.postguam.com/news/local/movie-deal-false-alarm/article_ce7aa728-3c16-516a-ba1a-1a24acdf2ca3.html The Guam Daily Post - Movie deal false alarm]</ref> Mission accomplished!
*When word hit that [[Megan Fox]] was off the picture, [https://youtube.com/watch?v=3VTs5ESycpY Heidi Montag] put an "audition" for her part on YouTube. [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/114ce28ddd/sir-ben-kingsley-shows-up-heidi-montag Sir Ben Kingsley] and [https://youtube.com/watch?v=N4FZeucBO0c Ashton Kutcher] made fun of her, because life is rad.
*Several concepts that had been established by the [[Transformers (film)|first movie]] were (more or less) dropped with ''Dark of the Moon'' in favor for a more traditional, ''[[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]]''-esque approach:
**In the 2007 movie, the Autobots arrive on Earth in "[[Protoform]]" entry modes (which was subsequently used as the basis for the Decepticons' arrival in [[Planetfall (Movie)|Planetfall]]). Prior to the release of the movie, screenwriter [[Roberto Orci]] defended this choice over the use of a spaceship such as the ''Ark'' by asking why "aliens who moonlight as vehicles need other vehicles to travel".<ref name="orcitravel">[http://tformers.com/Ark-Not-Making-An-Appearance-In-the-Movie/6513/news.html TFormers quoting Roberto Orci], because Don Murphy's board can only be read by registered members.</ref> He somewhat changed his mind after the movie had been released, however.<ref name="orciship">[http://boards.transformersmovie.com/showpost.php?p=388596&postcount=271 Roberto Orci on the Transformers Live Action Movie Boards], July 2007.</ref> After the Decepticons' ship, the ''[[Nemesis (ROTF)|Nemesis]]'', had made an appearance in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', ''Dark of the Moon'' not only introduces the movieverse version of the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'', but also reveals that all the new Autobots who have been on Earth since before ''Revenge of the Fallen'' had arrived in their own spaceship, the ''[[Xantium (DOTM)|Xantium]]'', making the notion of individual Transformers traveling through space as "comets" an exception rather than the rule. ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction]]'' would also later depict the Autobots as stranded on Earth after the destruction of the ''Xantium'' in this film, further pointing towards the "comet" transportation as an abandoned concept. ''[[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight]]'' would also show this idea when the Autobots again declare themselves stranded, as they don't know where the [[Knight Ship]] is, only being able to finally go home after they acquired it.
**Furthermore, ''Dark of the Moon'' largely abandons the idea of Transformers having all their weapons integrated into their bodies in favor of more traditional, separate weapons. For example, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], who had blades and hooks emerging from his forearms in the previous two movies now stores all his weapons (including an axe) as accessories inside his trailer (though he still carries some on his person). Also, Ironhide, whose cannons were previously affixed to his arms, now sports handheld firearms instead. Even Megatron, whose [[fusion cannon]] previously grew out of his arms, now has a hand-held shotgun. Though it can be argued that Optimus still has his swords in his arms during the Chicago battle, and both Ironhide and Megatron lost their integrated weapons in the previous film, the general change is still noticeable. The only ones who still seem to have the same converting arm cannons as in the previous movies are Bumblebee, Ratchet, and Starscream.
*Another change from the previous movies (though not rooted in ''Generation 1'') is that Transformers that take damage in battle now spill a red liquid that is very obviously meant to resemble human blood.
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] finally achieves a certain consistency between his two primary modes: Ever since his upgrade to a modern Camaro in ''Transformers'' (2007), his [[license plate]] had alternated between "900 STRA" in vehicle mode and "4NZZ 454" in robot mode. ''Dark of the Moon'' finally uses "900 STRA" for the robot mode as well. Hasbro's toys, which had previously favored the CG robot model's "4NZZ 454" (barring the occasional "4NZZ'''Z''' 454" flub), follow suit.
*Speaking of license plates: [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]]'s Maybach 62S Landaulet sports a German license plate, "'''S MM 6201'''", registered in the city of Stuttgart. In reality, that plate is registered to the manufacturer and used for promotional photos.<ref name="maybach">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/update--transformers-3-rumor--who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire-170533/ Set photos and promo photos of the Maybach 62S Landaulet] at TFW2005.</ref>
*Michael Bay's private Gulfstream Aerospace G-1159A jet (registration number N4500X) has a cameo in the movie as [[Charlotte Mearing]]'s plane.
*For eleven years, ''Dark of the Moon'' held the record for the biggest Independence Day opening weekend at $115.9 million, until it was beaten by ''{{w|Minions: The Rise of Gru}}'', ranking in $128 million.<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2022/07/03/box-office-minions-the-rise-of-gru-breaks-records-with-128-million-holiday-weekend/ Box Office: ‘Minions 2’ Breaks Records With $128 Million Holiday Weekend - Forbes]</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''''Transformers/Darkside Moon''''' (トランスフォーマー/ダークサイド・ムーン ''Toransufōmā Dākusaido Mūn'')
*''Arabic:'' '''''Almtahawilun: Aljanib Almuzlim Lilqamar''''' (المتحولون: الجانب المظلم للقمر, "Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Cantonese:'' (變形金剛: 黑月降臨, "Transformers: The Arrival of the Black Moon")
*''Croatian:'' '''''Transformeri: Tamna strana Mjeseca''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Czech:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Finnish:'' '''''Transformers: Kuun pimeä puoli''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''French:'' '''''Transformers 3 : La Face cachée de la Lune''''' ("Transformers 3: The Hidden Side of the Moon")
*''German:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Greek:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Hebrew:'' '''''Rvvvtrkm 3. Flt hrch''''' (רובוטריקים 3: אפלת הירח, "Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon")
*''Hindi:'' '''''Traansaphormars: Chaand ka Andhera''''' (ट्राँसफॉर्मर्स: चांद का अंधेरा, "Transformers: Darkness of the Moon")
*''Hungarian:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Italian:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Korean:'' '''''Teulaenseupomeo 3''''' (트랜스포머 3, "Transformers 3")
*''Latvian:'' '''''Transformeri 3: Mēness no otras puses''''' ("Transformers 3: The Moon on the Other Side")
*''Lithuanian:'' '''''Transformeriai: tamsioji Mėnulio pusė''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Mandarin:'' '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng 3''''' (Taiwan, 變形金剛３, "Transformers 3"), '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng: Yuè Hēi zhī Shí''''' (China, 变形金刚：月黑之时, "Transformers: When the Moon Becomes Black")
*''Polish:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Portuguese:'' '''''Transformers: O Lado Oculto da Lua''''' (Brazil, "Transformers: The Hidden Side of the Moon"), '''''Transformers 3''''' (Portugal)
*''Romanian:'' '''''Transformers: Fața ascunsă a Lunii''''' ("Transformers: The Hidden Face of the Moon")
*''Russian:'' '''''Transformery 3: Tjomnaja storona Luny''''' (Трансформеры 3: Тёмная сторона Луны, "Transformers 3: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Serbian:'' '''''Transformers 3: Tama Meseca''''' ("Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon")
*''Spanish:'' '''''Transformers: El Lado Oscuro de la Luna''''' (Latin American, "Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon"), '''''Transformers 3''''' (Spain)
*''Swedish:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Tamil:'' '''''Ṭirāṉsḥpārmas: Ṭārk op ti mūṉ''''' (டிரான்ஸ்ஃபார்மஸ்: டார்க் ஒப் தி மூன், "Transformers: Dark of the Moon")
*''Thai:'' '''''Thrāns̄̒ fxr̒m me xr̒s̄ 3''''' (ทรานส์ฟอร์มเมอร์ส 3, "Transformers 3")
*''Turkish:'' '''''Transformers: Ayın Karanlık Yüzü''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''''Transformery: Temnyy bik Misyatsya''''' (Трансформери: Темний бік Місяця, "Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon")

==External links==
*[http://www.transformersmovie.com/ Transformersmovie.com]
*[http://www.imdb.com/tt1399103/ ''Dark of the Moon'' at IMDB.com]
*{{w|Transformers: Dark of the Moon|''Dark of the Moon'' film on Wikipedia}}
*[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_dark_of_the_moon/ ''Dark of the Moon'' on RottenTomatoes.com]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

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

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

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)

2026-03-19T10:39:35Z

Zenphia: /* Synopsis */ Heavy rewriting

{{Nav-dotm}}
{{movie|
|seriess=[[Live-action film series]]
|prev=Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)
|next=Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)
|title=''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''
|image=DOTM-OPportraitposter.jpg
|caption="Of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|my friend]], I can only say this: of all the souls I have encountered, he was the most... human."
|production companies=[[Allspark (company)|Hasbro Films]] [[Lorenzo di Bonaventura|di Bonaventura Pictures]]
|distributor=[[Paramount Pictures]]
|executive producer=[[Steven Spielberg]]
|producer=[[Lorenzo di Bonaventura]] [[Tom DeSanto]] [[Don Murphy]] [[Ian Bryce]]
|written by=[[Ehren Kruger]]
|directed by=[[Michael Bay]]
|cinematography by=[[Amir Mokri]]
|edited by=[[Roger Barton]] [[William Goldenberg]] [[Joel Negron]]
|music by=[[Steve Jablonsky]]
|release date=[[June 29]], [[2011]]
|continuity=[[Live-action film series]]
|runtime=154 minutes
|budget=$195 million
|box office=$1.124 billion
}}
'''''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''''' is the third film in the [[live-action film series]]. It was released in 3D and IMAX at 9PM on [[June 28]], [[2011]]<ref name="open3D">[http://michaelbay.com/2011/06/18/see-dark-of-the-moon-one-day-earlier-on-imax-3d/ See Dark Of The Moon One Day Earlier on IMAX 3D | MichaelBay]</ref> and in wide release on [[June 29]], [[2011]]<ref name="open">[http://www.deadline.com/2011/05/paramount-moving-up-transformers-3/ Paramount Moving Up ‘T’formers 3′ Release – Deadline.com]</ref> in the United States, and between [[June 29]] and July 1 for other markets.

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

And SCENE!

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

==Synopsis==
[[File:Dotm-Arkreflection.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"Wha... this is the finest engine room in the whole Starfleet!"]]

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

[[File:DOTM - ShockwaveDriller.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|"When I swing around, I mean to deprive you of your life."]]
In the present day, the Autobots are still part of [[NEST]], cooperating with the [[United States military|US Armed Forces]]. They have also begun to help humanity in its local conflicts, as [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]], [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]], [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]], and [[Dino]] destroy an illegal [[Iran]]ian nuclear facility. On a mission to the [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]], a NEST team led by [[William Lennox|Lt. Col. Lennox]], [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] discovers an unknown alien fuel cell which had led to the {{w|Chernobyl disaster}}. While trying to secure the cell, they are attacked by the Decepticon [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] and his "pet", the [[Driller]], who are eventually forced to retreat by Optimus. Meanwhile, [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] kills [[Alexi Voskhod]], who had called NEST to Chernobyl and was secretly working for him. After securing the fuel cell and identifying it as part of the ''Ark'', Optimus is angry at the humans for not following through with their agreement of sharing all known information relating to Cybertron and its inhabitants. Despite this, he eventually informs his allies and [[Charlotte Mearing]], the {{w|Director of National Intelligence}}, about the space bridge technology the ''Ark'' contains. Together with Ratchet, Optimus travels to the Moon, where they find Sentinel Prime inside the ship. Retrieving him along with four pillars of the space bridge and the accompanying control pillar, they return to Earth, where Optimus uses the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to reactivate Sentinel Prime. In [[Africa]], Decepticon leader [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] (still recovering from wounds [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|suffered]] in [[Egypt]]) meets with his lieutenants [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] and [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. Upon learning that the Autobots have recovered Sentinel and the pillars, Megatron orders Soundwave and Laserbeak to terminate their "loose ends".

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

[[File:DOTM-Sentinelendofyourworld.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66|"There's a man out there I haven't seen in fifteen years who's trying to kill me."]]

Locked out of participating in the investigation by Mearing, Sam turns to [[Seymour Simmons]] for help. Simmons, who has become a millionaire as a writer, and his aide, [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]], help Sam find out that the Soviets have taken photos of Decepticons removing hundreds of space bridge pillars out of the ''Ark'' even before Apollo 11 had landed on the Moon. Sam and Simmons conclude that the Decepticons had left Sentinel Prime behind on purpose, knowing that only he would be able to activate the space bridge, and only Optimus Prime could reactivate him. Sam is able to warn the Autobots in time so they can protect Sentinel from a Decepticon attack and escort him back to the NEST headquarters. Upon arriving there, however, Sentinel Prime betrays them, revealing that he made a deal with Megatron to ensure Cybertron's survival. After killing [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] and most of the NEST soldiers, Sentinel claims the remaining pillars and escapes. The other Autobots track him down to [[Washington, D.C.]], but before Optimus can stop him, Sentinel activates a space bridge to the Moon. The portal allows dozens of Decepticon troops which had remained hidden under the Moon's surface to reach Earth, forcing the Autobots to retreat.

[[File:DOTM-Moonspacebridge.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|"We are one big, happy fleet! Ah, [[James T. Kirk|Kirk]], my old friend, do you know the [[Klingon]] proverb that tells us revenge is a dish that is best served cold? It is ''very'' cold in space."]]

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

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

[[File:DarkoftheMoon-Chicago.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|left|"Let them eat static. "]]
Dylan takes Carly to [[Chicago]], informing her that the Decepticons do not intend to return to Cybertron; instead, they want to transport the planet into Earth's orbit, because Earth not only has the necessary resources, but also six billion slaves to rebuild the Transformers' home planet. With the Autobots seemingly out of the way, the Decepticons arrive and lay waste to the city and its population before setting up the control pillar for the space bridge and sending the other pillars around the world.

Sam decides to go to Chicago, accompanied by [[Robert Epps]], who now works for NASA, and other former NEST members. They are promptly attacked by the Decepticons, but are rescued by Optimus Prime and the other Autobots. Having never intended to leave Earth, they had hidden themselves inside a modified rocket booster that was jettisoned before Starscream destroyed the ''Xantium''.

[[File:DOTM Driller vs Prime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|"From Hell's heart, I stab at thee!"]]

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

In the meantime, Lennox and the rest of NEST have managed to make their way into the city using [[wingsuit]]s, and Sam destroys Starscream with Lennox's help using weapons provided to him by the Autobot scientist Que. Meanwhile, the Decepticons have taken several Autobot prisoners, but Dylan convinces them to execute them on the spot. [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] kills Que, and Soundwave moves to take Bumblebee next, but the Autobots Wheelie and Brains have managed to make one of the Decepticons' ships crash, thereby distracting Soundwave long enough for Bumblebee to overpower and kill him, freeing the other Autobots. Most of the remaining Decepticons are slaughtered by the Autobots and human soldiers. Optimus kills Shockwave and uses the Decepticon's arm cannon to topple over the space bridge's control pillar, deactivating the bridge.

[[File:DOTMCybertrontransit.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.55|"Earth was created in six days. Now, watch out! Here comes Genesis! We'll do it for you in six minutes!"]]

Optimus Prime then confronts Sentinel Prime and the two engage in a ferocious battle of Student vs Master, but Optimus can't get past Sentinel's shield. Not wanting to take any chances, Sentinel calls in an airstrike, which is soon destroyed by long-range missiles. With Optimus reinforced by the other Autobots and humans, Sentinel tries to make a run for it only for Optimus to knock him off his wheels on a bridge. Meanwhile, Carly stumbles across Megatron outside the main battle zone. Having previously witnessed a violent argument between him and Sentinel, she appeals to his pride and makes him realize that he will never be able to rule over Cybertron as long as Sentinel is alive.

Sentinel gains the upper hand over Optimus and severs his right arm, but before he can execute his former pupil, an infuriated Megatron attacks and severely damages him, declaring that Earth is ''his'' planet to rule. Meanwhile, Dylan manages to reactivate the toppled pillar, but is attacked by Sam and hurled against the pillar, which kills him. Subsequently, Bumblebee destroys the pillar for good, thus destroying the space bridge and, presumably, Cybertron with it. Seeing this, Megatron half-heartedly offers Optimus Prime a truce on the condition that he will remain in charge of the Decepticons, questioning what Optimus would be without him. Realizing that the offer is less than sincere, Optimus refuses and attacks Megatron, decapitating him with an axe. The weakened Sentinel Prime tries to excuse his actions, but Optimus executes the treacherous Prime with Megatron's shotgun.

[[File:DOTM Autobots NEST victorious.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|"Live long... and prosper..."]]

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

[['Til all are one]].
{{--}}

==Main cast==

{{featuredcharacters|
h1=[[Autobot]]s|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] ([[Leonard Nimoy]])
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]
*[[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] ([[Jess Harnell]])
*[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] ([[Robert Foxworth]])
*[[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] ([[James Remar]])
*[[Dino]] ([[Francesco Quinn]])<ref group=note name="credits">Mirage and Wheeljack, known by those names in the toyline and essentially all supporting media, are respectively named "Dino" and "Que" in the film. While Dino is simply credited as such, Que is listed in the credits as "Que/Wheeljack".</ref>
*[[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que/Wheeljack]] ([[George Coe]])<ref group=note name="credits"/>
*[[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] ([[Tom Kenny]])
*[[Brains]] ([[Reno Wilson]])

'''[[Twins (ROTF)|Twins]]'''
*[[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] (cameo)<ref group=note name=skidsandmudflap>Skids and Mudflap only appear during the convoy scene at the beginning of the film.</ref>
*[[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] (cameo)<ref group=note name=skidsandmudflap/>

'''[[Wreckers]]'''
*[[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] ([[Ron Bottitta]])<ref group=note>Roadbuster is listed as "Roadbuster/Amp" in the credits, a reference to his car mode's sponsor. His name is not used in the film, but he is called "Roadbuster" in the toyline and supporting media.</ref>
*[[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]]
*[[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]] ([[John DiMaggio]])<ref group=note>Leadfoot is listed in the film's end credits as "Leadfoot/Target", a reference to his car mode's sponsor. His name is not spoken in the film, but he is called "Leadfoot" in the toyline and the supporting media.</ref>

|h2=[[Decepticon]]s|c2=
*[[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] ([[Hugo Weaving]])
*[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] ([[Charlie Adler]])
*[[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
**[[Driller]]
*[[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
**[[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] ([[Keith Szarabajka]])
*[[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] (''Frank Welker'')<ref group=note>Barricade doesn't ''technically'' speak in the movie, 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.</ref>
*[[Loader]]
*[[Devcon (DOTM)|Devcon]]
*[[Igor]] ([[Greg Berg]])
*[[Hatchling]]s
*[[Audi R8 Decepticon]]
*Two [[M1 Abrams Decepticon]]s
*[[Garagebot]]
*[[Lensmeter Decepticon]]s
*[[Protoform]]s
*[[Watch-bot]]<ref group=note>Repeatedly referred to as the "Watch-bot" (proper noun) in the ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel]]''</ref>
*[[Pickup Decepticon]]
*[[Police car Decepticon]]

'''[[Constructicon (ROTF)|Constructicons]]'''
*[[Scrapper (ROTF)|Scrapper]] type Decepticon
*[[Long Haul (ROTF)|Long Haul]] type Decepticon

'''[[Dread (DOTM)|Dreads]]'''
*[[Crankcase (DOTM)|Crankcase]]
*[[Crowbar]] (''[[Jimmie Wood]]'')<ref group=note>During the highway battle scene where Crowbar flips over a sign, recycled screams and grunts from Jimmie Wood's [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]] performance in ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' can be heard.</ref>
*[[Hatchet (DOTM)|Hatchet]]

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

|nonumbering=true
}}
<references group=note/>

==Quotes==

"We were once a peaceful race of intelligent, mechanical beings. But then came the war, between the Autobots who fought for freedom and the Decepticons who dreampt of tyranny. Overmatched and outnumbered, our defeat was all but certain. But in the war's final days, one Autobot ship escaped the battle. It was carrying a secret cargo, which would have changed our planet's fate. A despearate mission. Our final hope. A hope that vanished."
:—'''Optimus Prime's''' opening narration.

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

'''Dino''': "He's in a bad mood. He's not talking to anybody today." 
'''Mearing''': "What is this, the silent treatment?" 
'''Ironhide''': "We've seen that and this is ''not'' that." 
'''Que''': "Definitely not." 
'''Ironhide''': "This is ''worse''. Prime! Make something of yourself! (Ironhide taps Optimus's roof) He's pissed."
:—'''Ironhide''' discusses '''Optimus Prime's''' foul mood.

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

"My poor, poor master, how it pains me to see you, so wounded... so weak..."
:—'''Starscream''' jeering at a wounded Megatron

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

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

"Woah! Little Mexican standoff we got here!"
:—'''Sideswipe''', talking to Ironhide and the Dreads.

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

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

[[File:DOTM-MegatronLincoln.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"I'll give him this: [[Atlantis, Arise!|he]]'s [[Transformers The Game (console)|consistent]]!"]] 
"Here we are. Fight us ''now''."
:—'''Megatron''', pulling the evil overlord cliché on us while sitting atop the [[Abraham Lincoln|Lincoln Memorial]]

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

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

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

"I bring you Cybertron, your home—and still you choose humanity." 
"You are the one who taught me [[Bio|freedom is everyone's right]]."
:—'''Sentinel''' VS '''Optimus Prime'''.

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

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

"Optimus. All I ever wanted...was the survival of our race. You must see why I had to betray you..." 
"You didn't betray me. You betrayed yourself..."
:—'''Optimus Prime''''s final exchange with '''Sentinel Prime''' before effectively ''double-tapping'' him.

"In any war, there are calms between storms. There will be days when we lose faith. Days when our allies turn against us... but the day will never come that we forsake this planet and its people."
:—'''Optimus Prime's''' closing narration, [[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|which predicts what will]] [[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|happen to them years later]].

==Continuity notes==
*Sam has since graduated from college, being three months out of school, and is currently looking for a job. Since the events of ''Revenge of the Fallen'', Sam and Mikaela had broke up (despite having to spend an entire film of Sam needing to say the L-word). Prior to the events of this film, he started a relationship with Carly Spencer.
*Megatron's camp is full of salvaged artifacts from the previous film, along with several Decepticon corpses laying around the area. While most are unrecognizable, one of them is a headless Long Haul; his head was presumably used to create Igor. Megatron's new right hand appears to be salvaged from a fallen Decepticon, as the matching left hand can be seen laying around the campsite.
*The Wreckers, according to Charlotte Mearing arrived on Earth aboard the ''Xantium'' and brought the second wave of Autobots with them. The Wreckers were not seen in ''Revenge of the Fallen'', which is given an in-universe explanation that their bloodthirsty attitudes mean they are usually confined to base.
*Barricade makes a surprising return during the final battle in Chicago, last seen driving alongside Bonecrusher on the highway before the latter engaged the Autobot Leader in the first film.
*Megatron is still critically wounded after the final battle of ''Revenge of the Fallen'', notably still missing half of his head.
*Optimus Prime's main moral compass that "freedom is the right of all sentient beings", is revealed to have been taught to him by his predecessor and mentor, Sentinel Prime.
*Introduced in the second film, Optimus uses The Matrix of Leadership to revive Sentinel Prime, having retrieved it from the remains of the Star Harvester sometime following the climax of the second film. In the same previous film, Megatron had suspected the Matrix could be used to revive Optimus and was proven right when Sam succeeded, a fact Megatron exploits in his master plan enacted this film.
*Sentinel Prime was first mentioned in the previous film, by Sam Witwicky during one of his many Allspark induced exposition dump.
*In the previous film, [[Theodore Galloway]] asked Optimus that if humanity asked the Autobots to leave whether they'd cooperate, and Optimus promised to do so. This film sees them seemingly comply with such demands, only to reveal themselves to have stayed behind anyway to defeat the Decepticons.
*Ironhide no longer has his cannons, having lost them in the final battle of the previous film.

==Errors==
===Filming, animation and technical errors===
*When Sam is holding Brains in his hand after catching him spying on him and Carly, there is a short shot in which Sam is briefly seen in the background, holding nothing in hand, Brains is missing. In the next shot, Brains is back in the hand.
*After killing Ironhide, while Sentinel Prime is storming the NEST base, Sentinel Prime, Ironhide and most likely Bumblebee are all missing in a short shot in which we see two cars projected by an explosion, supposed to be a result of one of Sentinel's gun shots.
*Ironhide in alt-form appears in a short shot among the Autobots in Chicago, riding ahead of Optimus, at 01:43:21-01:43:22, but after that he disappears completely.
*Bits of Megatron's right shoulder clip through each other in the shot where he's demanding a truce.

===Astronomical and historical errors===
*The Moon does not rotate with respect to Earth, and Mare Tranquillitatis is near the middle of the near side. Therefore, Tranquility Base could never be described as being on the far side, and Earth is never as close to the horizon as shown in the movie.
*The Apollo 11 Command/Service Module is seen flying to the Moon without the Lunar Module. The Lunar Module is attached when the vehicle is orbiting the Moon, however.
*When the modern day site of the Apollo 11 landing is seen, the ascent module (the cabin Buzz and Neil flew back to orbit in) is still there.
*In real life, Apollo 11 did not land on the far side of the Moon. Tranquility Base is on the near side of the Moon.
*One of the directors of NASA says that all six Apollo missions recovered parts of the Ark but this not possible as the six missions all had different landing sites which were all a significant distance apart.
*Cybertron is apparently several times the size of Earth, yet the characters talk of bringing it "into Earth's atmosphere"; at that size, it would be more like bringing ''Earth'' into ''Cybertron's'' atmosphere, but see below for the problem with that.
*The Space Bridge starts to bring Cybertron amazingly close to Earth - less than one Earth-diameter away. Assuming Cybertron's mass is proportional to its size, Cybertron's gravitational field would [[The Ultimate Doom|tear the Earth apart]] at that distance.

===Geographic discontinuities===
*The [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]] is shown to be located ''inside'' of, or at least right next to the abandoned city of {{w|Pripyat}}, and the human characters access it through nearby buildings. In reality, the power plant is situated on the outskirts of the city. Even worse, [[Alexi Voskhod]] ''explicitly'' says that the entrance leads through a ''school''. Who builds a ''school'' right next to a ''nuclear power plant''?
*Furthermore, Pripyat's infamous Ferris wheel as shown in the movie is not only the wrong model (the real one's passenger cabins have canopies), but the real one is also located in an open field far away from any buildings.<ref name="ferris">[http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pripyat_-_Ferris_wheel.jpg Photo of the Pripyat Ferris wheel] showing the closest nearby buildings.</ref> But hey, at least it's the right color!
*Also, why exactly is the Sputnik mission case inside the Chernobyl reactor building? Did the Soviets never bother to discard the packaging of their toy after starting to play with it?
*When Megatron transforms for the first time, he's in a grassy savannah. In the next shot, he's standing in the middle of a desert... and in the establishing shot of the Decepticon camp, it's back in the savannah.
*{{w|Mount Kilimanjaro}} is seen in the background of many of the scenes in Namibia; in reality, the mountain is located in Tanzania, more than three thousand kilometers away.
[[File:DOTM-Wreckers-Prime-Cables.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Chicago's own [[knockoff]] of a prominent Chinese building.]]
*In a [[Atlantis, Arise!|fairly common cinematic contrivance]], the film depicts multiple skyscrapers in the background of many scenes set in Washington, D.C., while the real-life city has no skyscrapers.
*Also, Washington, D.C. almost entirely lacks old industrial buildings that could be converted into lofts, and likewise doesn't have the kind of densely urban streets that Sam is shown to live on.
*NEST Headquarters, supposedly in Washington, is actually Chicago's abandoned Main Post Office.
*Likewise, Dylan's auto collection museum, also set in (land-locked) Washington, is actually the Milwaukee Art Museum. [[Lake Michigan]] is even visible through the windows!
*When Optimus Prime (using his jetpack) gets himself caught in wires below an under-construction building, that building bears a striking resemblance to the {{w|China Central Television Headquarters}} in [[Beijing]], [[China]]... a far shot from [[Chicago]]. Since construction for the CCTV building was finished in 2008, long before ''Dark of the Moon'' was even ''conceived'', this appears to be an intentional instance of a "cool building" being inserted just for the sake of it.

===Continuity errors===
*Like in ''Revenge of the Fallen'', Ironhide sports his [[license plate]] from the [[Transformers (film)|first movie]], "4PCI382", on his robot mode chest, but doesn't have a license plate in vehicle mode. (According to set photos, his license plate in vehicle mode is mostly black, with a NEST logo on it.)
*Speaking of inconsistencies between robot and vehicle mode: Bumblebee's updated Chevrolet Camaro alternate mode no longer has pinstripes bordering his black racing stripes, but the CG robot model still has the pinstripes.
[[Image:DOTM-SoundwaveMercedesStar.jpg|thumb|upright=1.9|right|Is this the reverse of hidden faction insignias in vehicle mode?]]
*Soundwave has [[kibble]] from his [[Mercedes-Benz|Mercedes]] alternate mode while he is in Africa, but his chest has only a blank grille. The Mercedes star is only added to his chest from the scene where he reveals himself to be Carly's car onward. This is most likely a deliberate choice made to avoid spoiling the plot twist.
*After Megatron pulls out his shotgun for the first time, he holsters it on the right side of his back. In the next scene it is on his left side.
*In the highway battle scene with the [[Dread (DOTM)|Dreads]], Crowbar smashes into some traffic signs and knocks them over. In the next shot when the other two Dreads use them as ramps, the angle at which the signs fell has changed. After Hatchet and Crankcase transform, the signs revert into their original position.
*Also in the highway battle, Bumblebee enhances only his front wheels to evade Hatchet, yet in the next shot he's fully in Stealth Force mode.
*When Hatchet is killed by Bumblebee and Dino, the last shot shows him being thrown onto a car (using footage recycled from Michael Bay's 2005 film ''{{w|The Island (2005 film)|The Island}}'', as elaborated on below), with Dino's grappling hook cables still attached to Hatchet, which would imply that Dino is still in robot mode at this point. However, the very next shot shows Dino in the far background, driving behind Bumblebee in vehicle mode.
*Immediately after crashing into Ironhide, two of Crowbar's hair strands fall to the ground, but he has all six strands from the next shot onwards.
*During Ironhide and Sideswipe's "Mexican standoff" with Crankcase and Crowbar, all combatants drop their firearms, but when Ironhide is speared, his guns are on his back again. They disappear in subsequent shots.
*In addition, the spear impaled in Ironhide disappears when he shoots Crowbar, only to reappear in subsequent shots.
*Despite being captured by Soundwave in her evening gown, Carly is somehow able to change into more convenient clothes (but still wearing high heels!) after arriving at Dylan's place, and has yet another outfit following the attack on Chicago the following day. Not only that, she changes her earrings, too!
*When the Autobots are boarding the ''Xantium,'' Simmons mentions that nine Autobots are leaving. Former Decepticons Wheelie and Brains apparently don't count. Poor little guys!
*The Wreckers claim they had been hiding inside a rocket booster that was jettisoned from the ''Xantium'' before Starscream destroyed it. The boosters are only seen to be detached after Starscream destroys the ship, after it has barely taken off from the ground.
*Though it's a standard action movie contrivance, it sure is convenient that the glass windows inside skyscrapers are extremely fragile when needed, and glass shards are as dangerous as bread crumbs so nobody suffers a single cut from sliding across them.
*Shortly after everyone jumps through the window and starts sliding down, a downwards shot of the building shows all of the windows behind them are intact.
*As everyone tumbles through a lower floor of the building, [[Stone]] is shown to fall right through and out the other side with a collection of office furniture, but not long after is back with Epps's squad.
*Despite the Decepticons taking over Chicago and killing a whole bunch of people, there seem to be a lot of people continuing to go about their daily lives. The skyscraper Epps's team goes into to launch a rocket from still seems to have plenty of office workers in it when the Driller attacks it. When Sam's being thrown around on the end of the grapple glove rope while fighting Starscream, he crashes through a wall into a dry-cleaning business where a woman appears to be calmly hanging up a shirt. Did they all just not get the memo?
*The sequence beginning with Sam, Carly, Epps and the rest of the soldiers jumping out of the windows of the tilted skyscraper is one giant continuity headache: First they jump out of the windows, then slide down several stories, then the camera angle changes and they're sliding down several more stories, and ''then'' a wide shot shows the top of the skyscraper from an angle where the characters cannot be seen, then slowly pans around and eventually shows them all sliding down from one of the topmosts floors all over again! Eventually, they crash back into one of the lowest floors near the break. After the Driller has toppled the top portion of the skyscraper over, the group is ''again'' shown to escape from one one of the topmost floors to the neighboring building!
*Though it is Barricade who kicks and shoves Que along before executing him, the voice heard is Soundwave's. Presumably, this was an artifact of the early alternate version of the scene, in which Soundwave was to kill Dino, and they just re-used the audio.
*While fighting the Autobots at the end of the film, Sentinel Prime's cape disappears for a brief scene before reappearing on his back when the camera angle changes.
*When Sam and Dylan are fighting, the clock behind them changes to different times every shot. It starts at 00:40, then 02:25, 00:15 and 11:00 in the following shots.
*When Sam and Carly are reunited after the final battle, Carly's hands keep changing the position on every cut, sometimes on Sam's neck, sometimes on his shoulders.
*[[File:SkidsMudflap in Chicago.jpg|thumb|upright=1.9|right|Skids & Mudflap in Chicago]]Not intentional: Skids and Mudflap appear for a brief few seconds in the film in their vehicle modes. This leaves questions as to what happened to them. They weren't seen departing from Earth or taking part in the Chicago battle. However footage filming in Chicago confirms were involved in the Battle of Chicago.<ref name="transformerslive.blogspot.com">[https://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2010/07/mpea-busway-set-pics-explosions-and.html]</ref>
*It's said that four Autobots were captured by the Decepticons in Chicago, but actually five Autobots were captured. (Unless this observation was made ''before'' Bumblebee arrived after saving Sam and Lennox), possibly a leftover from an earlier draft of the script in where [[Dino]] and/or [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]] were supposed to already be dead by this point.
*When Que is about to be executed, the "cardboard head on a stick" prop used for Dino during the shooting of the movie (a common method used for the movies to give the actors ''something'' to react to) can be spotted in the final edit of the film,<ref name="headprop">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/494618-movies-errors-mirage-prop-final-movie-edit.html "Movies Errors - Mirage prop in final movie edit"] at TFW2005</ref> as noted above possibly a leftover from an earlier draft of the script where Soundwave mocked Bumblebee with Dino's disembodied head.
*Megatron's head wound alternates between "moderately repaired" and "extra mangled" from scene to scene after Sentinel tears another chunk of his scalp off.

==Transformers references==
In addition to recurring elements from the previous films, ''Dark of the Moon'' bases a number of elements on previous versions of the ''Transformers'' mythos, including plot elements based on older stories, something fairly rare in the other two movies:
*New characters [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] are heavily based upon their Generation 1 counterparts. [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]] is derived from G1 character [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]. [[Sentinel Prime (disambiguation)|Sentinel Prime]] is the name of Optimus's predecessor in many continuities, and in this instance, he continues his [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|predecessor]]'s [[Sentinel Prime (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|legacy]] of being a giant jerk.

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

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

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

*[[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] and [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]] being members of the Wreckers recalls their original G1 counterparts being likewise part of the Wreckers.

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Megatron's first line—a weary "[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All hail Megatron]]"—is the title of IDW's direction-changing comic maxi-series, which had just wrapped up when production on the film was beginning.

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

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

*The technique of shooting at a skyscraper until it breaks in half and the top falls horizontally on other buildings has been done by [[Megatron (BW)|another Megatron]] in [[Endgame Pt. III: Seeds of the Future|another city]].

==Real-world references==
*When Brains and Wheelie are watching ''{{w|Star Trek: The Original Series}}'', the screen features [[Spock|Mr. Spock]], portrayed by Leonard Nimoy—who voices Sentinel Prime. Wheelie comments that it is "the one where Spock goes nuts," which foreshadows Sentinel's heel turn. The episode itself is the famous ''TOS'' episode "{{w|Amok Time}}", although for some inexplicable reason, the first of the two clips shown on-screen is mirrored.
*Sentinel Prime says "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." The voice actor said the same line in the 1982 film ''{{w|Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan}}'' as Mr. Spock. However, in that movie, Nimoy's character dies a hero.
*To finish the Spock trifecta, when Bumblebee says his goodbyes to Sam, he uses a clip of Leonard Nimoy, as Spock, saying "I will always be your friend," another line from ''Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan''.
*[[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]] and his fake girlfriend's name, "India", are a reference to {{w|Dutch India}}.
*[[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]]'s name is a reference to {{w|Q (James Bond)|Q}} from ''{{w|James Bond}}'' novels and films. Que also gives weapons to NEST soldiers while explaining the advantages and abilities for the weapons much like Q does for James Bond.
*When Bumblebee is being dragged around by Soundwave to be executed, he plays a clip of Matt Damon saying "Get off me!" from ''Saving Private Ryan.''
*When Bumblebee brings forth "rings" for Sam and Carly, he "hums" the {{w|Wedding March}} (or, more correctly, the {{w|Bridal Chorus}} from {{w|Richard Wagner}}'s 1850 opera ''{{w|Lohengrin (opera)|Lohengrin}}'').
*Before Sentinel gets attacked by Megatron, he says "There can only be one", a popular misquote of the line "There can be only one" from the film Highlander. Sentinel is also modeled after one of the film's lead stars Sean Connery.

==Other editions==
*The version of the film available for streaming on Star+ cuts all scenes where humans are desintegrated to the bone by the Decepticons. As a result, the initial invasion of Chicago is cut significantly short.
{{stub}}
{{--}}

==Prequel material==
*''[[Transformers: Sector 7]]''
A five-issue limited mini-series chronicling the foundation of [[Sector Seven|Sector 7]] leading up to ''[[Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday|Ghosts of Yesterday]]''.
*''[[Transformers: Foundation]]''
A four-issue limited mini-series set during the events of ''[[Transformers: Defiance|Defiance]]'' telling the events that lead-up to the original ''[[Transformers: Movie Prequel|Movie Prequel]]''.
*''[[Transformers: Rising Storm]]''
A four-issue limited mini-series set after ''[[Transformers: Nefarious|Nefarious]]'' cronicling Shockwave's arrival and the task given to him by Megatron.
*''[[Cyberglyphics pack-in comics]]''
A six-issue miniseries by IDW, produced in cooperation with [[Target]], available only in printed form as [[pack-in material]] with a small Target-[[exclusive]] [[Target#Dark of the Moon|range of toys]], following [[Space Case (DOTM)|Space Case]]'s encounters with the Autobots and the Decepticons and leads up to ''Rising Storm''.
*''[[Transformers: Convergence]]''
A four-part prose story exclusive to the individual issues of IDW Publishing's ''Dark of the Moon comic adaptation'', chronicles both the Simmons lineage in the aftermath of ''Sector 7'' and Soundwave's activites on Earth, tying the remaining loose ends and setting the stage for ''Dark of the Moon''.
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)]]''
A video game developed by [[High Moon Studios]] for [[Xbox 360]] & [[PlayStation|PS3]].
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Stealth Force Edition]]''
A [[Wii]] & [[Nintendo 3DS|3DS]] port of the game developed by [[Behaviour Interactive]] focusing only on [[Stealth Force]].
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Autobots/Decepticons]]''
A [[Nintendo DS]] port of the game also developed by Behaviour Interactive, with each factions separated in two titles.
*''[[Transformers (Titan Magazine)#Dark of the Moon|Transformers (Titan Magazine)]]''
A monthly title by Titan in the [[United Kingdom|UK]] (another rebranding of their existing comic).
*''[[Transformers Classified]]''
A prequel novel trilogy in the same vein as ''Ghosts of Yesterday'' and ''[[Transformers: The Veiled Threat|The veiled Threat]]'' that was published after the movie, composed by ''[[Transformers Classified: Switching Gears|Switching Gears]]'', ''[[Transformers Classified: Battle Mountain|Battle Mountain]]'' & ''[[Transformers Classified: Satellite of Doom|Satellite of Doom]]'', later published together as ''[[Transformers Classified: The Complete Mission]]'' it cronicles how the Autobots & Decepticons fight against each other on Earth in the aftermath of [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|The Fallen's death]].

==Adaptations==
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)|Transformers: Dark of the Moon]]''
The novelization of the film by [[Peter David]].
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation]]''
IDW Publishing's comic adaptation of the movie.

'''Children's adaptations'''
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel]]''
The movie novelization for kids.

==Sequels==
{{main|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|Bumblebee (film)}}

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

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

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

===Additional Information===
*Close Captions in English
*Audio Description as Audio Description in English <ref>http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B005G4TJUC/audiodescriin-20</ref>

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

==Reception==
{{quote|Time will tell whether Transformers: Dark of the Moon really is the final Transformers film for both director Michael Bay and star Shia LaBeouf, but it's certainly the best one in this hugely successful, but widely loathed franchise.|[https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/06/27/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-review They've Fallen, but can the Transformers get up?], Jim Vejvoda|[https://www.ign.com ign.com] [[June 27]] [[2011]]}}

{{quote|Rarely has a movie had less of a soul and less interesting characters.|Richard Roeper, [http://www.richardroeper.com/reviews/transformersdarkofthemoon.aspx richardroeper.com] [[June 28]], [[2011]]}}

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

The official release date was moved up from July 1 to June 29 to allow breathing room between its release and ''{{w|Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2}}''. On June 28, 2011, the film was released in 3D and IMAX in the US.

The film received a generally mixed critical reception, who praised the visual effects, action sequences, musical score, voice acting, and use of 3D, while criticizing the runtime, storyline, the performances of [[Shia LaBeouf]] and [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]], and screenplay. ''Dark of the Moon'' was considered at least an improvement from ''Revenge of the Fallen'', receiving a tomatometer score of 35% and an audience score of 55% on Rotten Tomatoes.<ref>https://rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_dark_of_the_moon</ref>

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

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

''Dark of the Moon'' ended its theatrical run in the #5 spot for highest worldwide gross of all time.

Upon its' release, the ''Transformers'' fanbase generally had a warmer reception to the film over its' predecessor, with praise going to the action, score, and particularly [[Leonard Nimoy]]'s performance and role as [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]]. Several moments in the film caused no shortage of discussion, with Optimus Prime's more ruthless, violent actions ([[Peter Cullen]] himself disliked the "we will kill them all" line) and the handling of the deaths of major franchise characters being notable sore spots for the film's detractors. Over a decade since its' release, ''Dark of the Moon'' still retains the warmest reception to a Bay film outside of the first film, though those more ambivalent towards the series don't consider it that different from the lesser films.

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

On February 25, 2012, it was announced that ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' was nominated for eight {{w|Golden Raspberry Award}}s. Unlike ''Revenge of the Fallen'', however, it did not receive the awards for Worst Picture, Worst Screenplay, & Worst Director, losing all of its nominations to ''{{w|Jack & Jill (2011 film)|Jack & Jill}}''.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-is-safe-from-razzies-174726/]</ref>

==Technical details==
'''Length:''' 154 minutes
'''Audio:''' Dolby Digital / DTS / SDDS 
'''Content Rating:'''
{{collist|4|
*PG-13 (USA/MPAA)
*G (Japan)
*12A (United Kingdom)
*PG (Canada; Ontario)
*G (Canada; Quebec)
*PG-12 (Taiwan)
*PG13 (Singapore)
*PG-13 (Philippines/MTRCB)
*IIA (China)
*PG-13 (Malaysia)
*M (Australia)
*M (New Zealand)
*12 (Brazil)
*K-11 (Finland)
*12 (Germany)
*12A (Ireland)
*12 (Netherlands)
*M/12 (Portugal)
*12 (South Korea)
*B (Mexico)
*12+ (Russia)}}

==Production staff==
{{stub}}

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

===Locations department===
{{quote|The Decepticons' decision to attack Chicago<ref>http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-471495</ref> seems inexplicable, until you take into consideration the generous tax credits offered by the Illinois Film Office.|film critic Roger Ebert|[http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2011/07/on_the_origin_of_transformers.html On the Origin of Transformers]}}

==Development details==
===Cast and crew signing on===
[[File:TF3-licensingPrime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Featuring a surprise appearance by Optimus Prime!]]
On May 30, 2007, a month before the official release of ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'', [[DreamWorks]] announced that two sequels were already being planned.<ref name="spy">[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a58430/two-transformers-sequels-in-pipeline.html Digital Spy article from May 2007, confirming that two sequels were being planned]</ref> On March 16, 2009, over three months before the premiere of ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] announced the third movie for July 1, 2011.<ref name="3release">Pamela McClintock: [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118001280?refCatId=13 Variety article from March 2009], confirming Transformers 3 for July 2011.</ref> Director [[Michael Bay]] promptly backpedaled, as he had intended for the third ''Transformers'' movie to be released in 2012.<ref name="baywait">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?3947-Wait-a-minute! Michael Bay's reaction to Paramount's July 2011 date for ''Transformers 3''], March 2009.</ref> He officially changed his mind in October 2009, agreeing to the release date set by Paramount.<ref name="bay3-2011">[http://michaelbay.com/2009/10/01/transformers-3-july-1st-2011/ Michael Bay officially confirms the 2011 release date], October 2009.</ref>

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

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

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

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

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

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

[[Leonard Nimoy]] was confirmed as the voice actor for [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] in March 2011.<ref name="nimoysent">[http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/03/31/leonard-nimoy-transformers-dark-of-the-moon Entertainment Weekly announces Leonard Nimoy's involvement], March 2011]</ref> Nimoy, who had previously voiced [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] in 1986's ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' and was married to Michael Bay's cousin Susan, had previously been under consideration for [[The Fallen]]'s voice in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', but Bay had been hesitant for fear of offending his relative with the relatively low pay allotted to voice actors.<ref name="nimoy1">[http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/04/21/michael-bay-afraid-to-offend-leonard-nimoy-with-transformers-family-reunion-offer/ ''Michael Bay Afraid To Offend Leonard Nimoy With ‘Transformers’ Family Reunion Offer''], MTV.com Movies blog, April 2009.</ref> Even though Nimoy openly asked Bay to simply give him a call,<ref name="nimoy2">[http://www.latinoreview.com/news/leonard-nimoy-to-michael-bay-call-me-6682 Leonard Nimoy To Michael Bay: "Call Me!"], Latino Review, April 2009.</ref> it ultimately never worked out, and The Fallen was voiced by [[Tony Todd]] instead. For ''Dark of the Moon'', Bay finally overcame his anxiety and hired Nimoy, who accepted the offer.<ref name="nimoy3">[http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/03/31/leonard-nimoy-transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ "Leonard Nimoy joins 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' voice cast -- EXCLUSIVE"], Entertainment Weekly, March 2011.</ref> In return, screenwriter Ehren Kruger included several nods to Nimoy's well-known character as Mr. Spock from ''[[Star Trek]]'' in the movie.<ref name="nimoystartrek">[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666643/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-star-trek-references.jhtml "'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon': Behind The 'Star Trek' Nods"], MTV.com, July 2011.</ref> ''Dark of the Moon'' would be Nimoy's final performance in the ''Transformers'' franchise before his death in early 2015.

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

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

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

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

Over 500 cars were destroyed in the making of ''Dark of the Moon'', all of them damaged property from insurance companies intended for destruction.<ref name="baych"/>
[[Image:ROTFvsDOTMUSNavyHollenbeck.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|right|Wherever General Morshower goes, I go.]]

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

Another (brief) instance of recycled footage occurs during the Chicago battle: When the Navy fires several Tomahawks at the Decepticons, the mission control room scene was previously used to depict the interior of the [[USS Kidd]] in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''. The most obvious similarity is the [[Hollenbeck|same operator]] saying "Target acquired" both times.<ref name="recycled">[https://youtube.com/watch?v=6tSMdR8vH0s YouTube video] featuring brief clips from ''Dark of the Moon'' and ''Revenge of the Fallen'', highlighting the recycled footage.</ref>

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

===Changes before, during and after production===
[[File:DOTM Skids, Mudflap, Que and Sideswipe.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|Eat this, Megan Fox.]]
*In an interview with the Los Angeles Times in June 2009, Michael Bay suggested that [[Ramon Rodriguez]] would reprise his role as [[Leo Spitz]] from ''Revenge of the Fallen'' for the third movie.<ref name="bayramon">[http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2009/06/30/ramon-rodriguez-will-have-bigger-role-in-third-transformers-movie-bay-hints/ "Ramon Rodriguez will have bigger role in third ‘Transformers’ movie, Bay hints"], Los Angeles Times, June 2009.</ref>

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

*In January 2010, actor James Avery claimed in an interview that he would be playing a new Autobot named "Silverbolt".<ref name="avery">[http://web.archive.org/web/20120401095240/http://unscripted.ca/episodes/show/136 James Avery interview on Unscripted], January 2010</ref> In June 2010, representatives of James Avery, responding to a bizarre rumor that he had passed away, confirmed that the actor was indeed alive and would be playing Silverbolt in ''Transformers 3''.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20151107012047/http://www.examiner.com/article/uncle-phil-james-avery-isn-t-dead-after-all James Avery isn't dead after all], The Examiner, June 2010.</ref> Despite this, neither Avery nor Silverbolt ultimately appear in ''Dark of the Moon''.

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

[[File:DOTM-SentinelPrimetrailer.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Colour me your colour, baby Colour me your car Colour me your colour, darling I know who you are]]
*Shockwave's original voice actor, [[Corey Burton]], expressed that he had no interest in voicing him for ''Dark of the Moon'', explaining "[I] have practically no interest in that kind of mega-budget movie enterprise involvement" and that the inspiration for his Shockwave voice, {{w|David Warner (actor)|David Warner}}, was rumored to have been considered.<ref>[http://www.coreyburton.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=2707&highlight=#2707 Corey Burton's message board post.]</ref> In the end, Shockwave's almost-entirely-wordless-snarl-based role would have been something of a waste of Warner; the role ultimately went to Frank Welker. There's a nice touch of symmetry in the casting, with Welker taking over a Burton-originated role not long after Burton took on a Welker-originated character in [[Megatron (Animated)|''Animated'' Megatron]].

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

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

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

*A scrapped death for Wheeljack/"Que" involved the Autobot being run off of a Chicago street and into a river by the [[Driller]], where he would have been torn to pieces by Decepticon troopers lying in wait in the river.

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

[[File:DOTMSuperBowlvsTrailer.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|So does this qualify as a retcon?]]
*Another plot point that was apparently dropped was an anti-Autobot sentiment among the human populace. Graffiti with a crossed out Autobot [[insignia|logo]] with the words "go home" below it showed up in several set photos.<ref name="gohome1">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2010/05/transformers-3-filming-with-twins.html Photos from the set in Sherman Oaks, California] at the Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, May 2010.</ref><ref name="gohome2">[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/possible-tf3-plot-point-revealed-autobots-go-home/19188/ Photos from the Chicago set] at Seibertron.com, July 2010.</ref> In the movie, Congress instantly passes a law exiling the Autobots from Earth following Sentinel Prime's ultimatum.

*Early working names included "[[Ultra Magnus (disambiguation)|Ultra Magnus]]" for [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]],<ref name="chicagocall">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2011/06/chicgo-call-sheet-for-ultra-magnus.html "Chicago Call Sheet For Ultra Magnus"], Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, June 2011.</ref> "Enzo" (after {{w|Enzo Ferrari}})<ref name="callsheet2">[http://tilallaremine.wordpress.com/2011/07/01/dark-of-the-moon-call-sheets/ Dark of the Moon Call Sheets!] at Til All Are Mine blog, July 2011.</ref> and "Rush" for Mirage/"Dino", "[[Warpath (disambiguation)|Warpath]]" for both [[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] and [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]], "Tempest" for Topspin, "[[Flash (disambiguation)|Flash]]" for [[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]], "[[Dreadwind (disambiguation)|Dreadwind]]" for [[Crankcase (DOTM)|Crankcase]], "[[Hooligan (disambiguation)|Hooligan]]" for [[Crowbar]], "[[Dirtbag]]" for [[Hatchet (DOTM)|Hatchet]], "[[Blitzwing (disambiguation)|Blitzwing]]" for [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]], "[[Breakdown (disambiguation)|Breakdown]]" for Soundwave's new vehicular design, "[[Clench (G1)|Colossus]]" for the [[Driller]],<ref name="nizzi">[http://www.joshnizzi.com/TF3.htm Josh Nizzi DOTM concepts.]</ref> "Buzzard" for [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]], "[[Undermine (Cybertron)|Undermine]]" for [[Igor]] and "[[Steeljaw (disambiguation)|Steeljaw]]" for Wheeljack/"Que". However, it's quite possible a few of these were code names used to keep character identities a secret during production as images of Megatron's new cloak obscured face refer to the character as "[[Cyclonus (disambiguation)|Cyclonus]]".<ref name="wburt">[http://conceptartworld.com/?p=8388 Wesley Burt DOTM concepts.]</ref>

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

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

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

*Megatron was originally supposed to appear in his ''Revenge of the Fallen'' form.<ref>http://joshnizzi.com/images/TF3/JoshNizzi_TF3_56.jpg</ref>

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

*In the original announcement trailer for ''Dark of the Moon'' that was released in December 2010, the opening scene that featured [[Neil Armstrong]] and [[Buzz Aldrin]] investigate the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'' on the moon had Sentinel Prime sport a gold and silver color scheme. For the final movie, his base color was changed to red, his left shoulder was lowered, his facial expression was changed to look more droopy, and the whole scene was given a considerable blue tint.

*Similar to the announcement trailer, the Super Bowl spot also features footage that contains unfinished CG effects. Most notably, the shot that depicts Optimus Prime, equipped with his flight pack, swooping down on the Decepticons before starting his epic rampage on the ground was changed by the time the first full trailer was released: Optimus himself and the first [[M1 Abrams Decepticon]] are both rescaled and moved to different positions on-screen; a Decepticon using the same [[body-type]] as [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] and [[Grindor (ROTF)|Grindor]] is removed entirely; and a Decepticon using the same body-type as Long Haul, as well as other [[generic]]s, are added. The final movie uses pretty much the same version as seen in the trailer.
{{-}}

===Leaks and disinformation===
[[File:DOTMgameSoundwave.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|What you're about to see is totally classified.]]
The movie's title, then "Transformers: ''The'' Dark of the Moon", was first discovered on October 6, 2010 via listings for childrens' books on [[Amazon (website)|Amazon]]. The title was further confirmed by a whois check for "www.transformersdarkofthemoonmovie.com".<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-3-title-revealed-170697/ Transformers 3 Title Revealed?] @ TFW2005.com</ref> On October 31, the official website for all three movies, [http://www.transformersmovie.com/ transformersmovie.com], was updated to show the ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' logo as well as international release dates.

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

[[File:TF3HasbroSoundwaveBio.JPG|thumb|upright=1.66|left|If you breathe a word of what you see in here, you will do time for treason.]]Michael Bay and other official parties tried ''really'' hard to suppress the plot twist of the silver Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG given to [[Carly Spencer|Carly]] by [[Dylan Gould|Dylan]] turning out to be the new [[alternate mode]] of [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. After the Mercedes had been spotted on the set, with [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]] exiting it,<ref name="mercedesset">[http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=67518 DOTM Set Photos], ComingSoon.net, July 2010.</ref> the first hint that it was more than meets the eye came with the trailer for the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)|video game]], which showed Soundwave's robot mode with car [[kibble]] such as wheels that heavily resembled those of the Mercedes. In addition, [[Rising Storm issue 2|issue 2]] of ''[[Transformers: Rising Storm]]'' depicted Soundwave's robot mode not only with car kibble, but with a Mercedes star on his chest, yet in [[Rising Storm issue 3|issue 3]], he appeared in his ''Revenge of the Fallen'' design again. Despite this, director Michael Bay insisted that the Mercedes was simply Carly's car, claiming that "Mercedes would never let us make their car into a bad Decepticon. Car company's {{sic}} really frown on that. I can't say what the game company and comics do that's their own thing. They don't have the same constraints movies do. It's Carly's car."<ref name="baynomerc">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?8724-Update-Is-Soundwave-the-silver-Mercedes-on-set-of-DOTM&p=169598&viewfull=1#post169598 Michael Bay's response to the fan theory that Soundwave is the Silver Mercedes.], April 2011.</ref> On April 19, 2011, an event for promoting the ''Spider-Man: Edge of Time'' and ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' video games was held in London. As part of this, [[High Moon Studios]] released promotional stills from the ''Dark of the Moon'' game, one of which depicted Soundwave's new robot mode, again with Mercedes parts. However, a news embargo was enforced on the attending press, which was broken by South African video game site [http://egamer.co.za egamer].<ref name="egamera">[http://egamer.co.za/2011/05/exclusive-hands-on-transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ egamer's preview of the ''Dark of the Moon'' video game]</ref> The site was soon asked to take down the article and images, as were various ''Transformers'' fan sites that had reported on the article and mirrored the images. On May 2, 2011, Hasbro's [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/ official Transformers website] was given a massive overhaul, including the addition of the new [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/cybertronian-database.cfm Vector Sigma database]. The entry for Soundwave initially identified his alternate mode as a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, but was soon changed to "satellite". On May 3, 2011, the embargo for the video game article and promotional stills was finally lifted, allowing sites to freely show the image of Soundwave's new robot mode.

On May 5, 2011, six days before the trade paperback collection's official release, preview pages from [[IDW Publishing|IDW]]'s [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation|''Dark of the Moon'' comic adaptation]] were discovered at [[Amazon (website)|Amazon]]. Through some bizarre system error, ''several dozen pages'' were made available, which included the major plot twist of Sentinel Prime showing his true colors and killing [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]]. Unsurprisingly, this discovery was quickly posted on several major Transformers [[fandom|fan sites]], often without a spoiler warning. The fact that, even without this leak, the trade paperback of the comic adaptation was released well over a month before the film's theatrical release probably didn't help matters either.

==Notes==
*A 126-page script for the movie was leaked in December 2009,<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/content/view/6435/20/ The Allspark: Transformers News Movie Comics Animated - Script Treatment for Transformers 3? Bogus or Not, Here You Go!]</ref> causing much discussion among the fandom. It was later confirmed as fake.<ref>[http://shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6532 Script]</ref>
*In April 2010, shortly before on-set production began, the Andersen Air Force Base in Guam ran a security drill on detecting phishing scams as part of their operational readiness exercises. However, the base's security team decided to make the phishing email appear to be a casting call for US airmen to appear as extras in the then-untitled ''Transformers 3'' film. One airman thought it was an actual casting call and shared the phishing link to ComicBookMovie.com, which was then picked up by several fan forums and websites that shared the link even ''further''.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=We all know how much Michael Bay loves to use the military in his movies and Transformers 3 will be no different. But this time he is coming to Guam and Andersen AFB. I'm an Airman in the worlds greatest air, space and cyberspace force on Guam. I received an email stating that Dreamworks is looking for 20 airmen for Andersen to be extras.|link=https://comicbookmovie.com/transformers/transformers-3-shooting-in-guam-a17457|title=Transformers 3 Shooting in Guam|site=ComicBookMovie.com|name=Andersen Air Force Base airman "supershaggy"|day=25|month=04|year=2010}}</ref> After local news media in Guam contacted the air base for information, the exercise was immediately ended by Anderson AFB, hoping this exercise showed everyone the danger of phishing scams.<ref>[https://www.postguam.com/news/local/movie-deal-false-alarm/article_ce7aa728-3c16-516a-ba1a-1a24acdf2ca3.html The Guam Daily Post - Movie deal false alarm]</ref> Mission accomplished!
*When word hit that [[Megan Fox]] was off the picture, [https://youtube.com/watch?v=3VTs5ESycpY Heidi Montag] put an "audition" for her part on YouTube. [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/114ce28ddd/sir-ben-kingsley-shows-up-heidi-montag Sir Ben Kingsley] and [https://youtube.com/watch?v=N4FZeucBO0c Ashton Kutcher] made fun of her, because life is rad.
*Several concepts that had been established by the [[Transformers (film)|first movie]] were (more or less) dropped with ''Dark of the Moon'' in favor for a more traditional, ''[[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]]''-esque approach:
**In the 2007 movie, the Autobots arrive on Earth in "[[Protoform]]" entry modes (which was subsequently used as the basis for the Decepticons' arrival in [[Planetfall (Movie)|Planetfall]]). Prior to the release of the movie, screenwriter [[Roberto Orci]] defended this choice over the use of a spaceship such as the ''Ark'' by asking why "aliens who moonlight as vehicles need other vehicles to travel".<ref name="orcitravel">[http://tformers.com/Ark-Not-Making-An-Appearance-In-the-Movie/6513/news.html TFormers quoting Roberto Orci], because Don Murphy's board can only be read by registered members.</ref> He somewhat changed his mind after the movie had been released, however.<ref name="orciship">[http://boards.transformersmovie.com/showpost.php?p=388596&postcount=271 Roberto Orci on the Transformers Live Action Movie Boards], July 2007.</ref> After the Decepticons' ship, the ''[[Nemesis (ROTF)|Nemesis]]'', had made an appearance in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', ''Dark of the Moon'' not only introduces the movieverse version of the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'', but also reveals that all the new Autobots who have been on Earth since before ''Revenge of the Fallen'' had arrived in their own spaceship, the ''[[Xantium (DOTM)|Xantium]]'', making the notion of individual Transformers traveling through space as "comets" an exception rather than the rule. ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction]]'' would also later depict the Autobots as stranded on Earth after the destruction of the ''Xantium'' in this film, further pointing towards the "comet" transportation as an abandoned concept. ''[[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight]]'' would also show this idea when the Autobots again declare themselves stranded, as they don't know where the [[Knight Ship]] is, only being able to finally go home after they acquired it.
**Furthermore, ''Dark of the Moon'' largely abandons the idea of Transformers having all their weapons integrated into their bodies in favor of more traditional, separate weapons. For example, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], who had blades and hooks emerging from his forearms in the previous two movies now stores all his weapons (including an axe) as accessories inside his trailer (though he still carries some on his person). Also, Ironhide, whose cannons were previously affixed to his arms, now sports handheld firearms instead. Even Megatron, whose [[fusion cannon]] previously grew out of his arms, now has a hand-held shotgun. Though it can be argued that Optimus still has his swords in his arms during the Chicago battle, and both Ironhide and Megatron lost their integrated weapons in the previous film, the general change is still noticeable. The only ones who still seem to have the same converting arm cannons as in the previous movies are Bumblebee, Ratchet, and Starscream.
*Another change from the previous movies (though not rooted in ''Generation 1'') is that Transformers that take damage in battle now spill a red liquid that is very obviously meant to resemble human blood.
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] finally achieves a certain consistency between his two primary modes: Ever since his upgrade to a modern Camaro in ''Transformers'' (2007), his [[license plate]] had alternated between "900 STRA" in vehicle mode and "4NZZ 454" in robot mode. ''Dark of the Moon'' finally uses "900 STRA" for the robot mode as well. Hasbro's toys, which had previously favored the CG robot model's "4NZZ 454" (barring the occasional "4NZZ'''Z''' 454" flub), follow suit.
*Speaking of license plates: [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]]'s Maybach 62S Landaulet sports a German license plate, "'''S MM 6201'''", registered in the city of Stuttgart. In reality, that plate is registered to the manufacturer and used for promotional photos.<ref name="maybach">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/update--transformers-3-rumor--who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire-170533/ Set photos and promo photos of the Maybach 62S Landaulet] at TFW2005.</ref>
*Michael Bay's private Gulfstream Aerospace G-1159A jet (registration number N4500X) has a cameo in the movie as [[Charlotte Mearing]]'s plane.
*For eleven years, ''Dark of the Moon'' held the record for the biggest Independence Day opening weekend at $115.9 million, until it was beaten by ''{{w|Minions: The Rise of Gru}}'', ranking in $128 million.<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2022/07/03/box-office-minions-the-rise-of-gru-breaks-records-with-128-million-holiday-weekend/ Box Office: ‘Minions 2’ Breaks Records With $128 Million Holiday Weekend - Forbes]</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''''Transformers/Darkside Moon''''' (トランスフォーマー/ダークサイド・ムーン ''Toransufōmā Dākusaido Mūn'')
*''Arabic:'' '''''Almtahawilun: Aljanib Almuzlim Lilqamar''''' (المتحولون: الجانب المظلم للقمر, "Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Cantonese:'' (變形金剛: 黑月降臨, "Transformers: The Arrival of the Black Moon")
*''Croatian:'' '''''Transformeri: Tamna strana Mjeseca''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Czech:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Finnish:'' '''''Transformers: Kuun pimeä puoli''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''French:'' '''''Transformers 3 : La Face cachée de la Lune''''' ("Transformers 3: The Hidden Side of the Moon")
*''German:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Greek:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Hebrew:'' '''''Rvvvtrkm 3. Flt hrch''''' (רובוטריקים 3: אפלת הירח, "Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon")
*''Hindi:'' '''''Traansaphormars: Chaand ka Andhera''''' (ट्राँसफॉर्मर्स: चांद का अंधेरा, "Transformers: Darkness of the Moon")
*''Hungarian:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Italian:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Korean:'' '''''Teulaenseupomeo 3''''' (트랜스포머 3, "Transformers 3")
*''Latvian:'' '''''Transformeri 3: Mēness no otras puses''''' ("Transformers 3: The Moon on the Other Side")
*''Lithuanian:'' '''''Transformeriai: tamsioji Mėnulio pusė''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Mandarin:'' '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng 3''''' (Taiwan, 變形金剛３, "Transformers 3"), '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng: Yuè Hēi zhī Shí''''' (China, 变形金刚：月黑之时, "Transformers: When the Moon Becomes Black")
*''Polish:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Portuguese:'' '''''Transformers: O Lado Oculto da Lua''''' (Brazil, "Transformers: The Hidden Side of the Moon"), '''''Transformers 3''''' (Portugal)
*''Romanian:'' '''''Transformers: Fața ascunsă a Lunii''''' ("Transformers: The Hidden Face of the Moon")
*''Russian:'' '''''Transformery 3: Tjomnaja storona Luny''''' (Трансформеры 3: Тёмная сторона Луны, "Transformers 3: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Serbian:'' '''''Transformers 3: Tama Meseca''''' ("Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon")
*''Spanish:'' '''''Transformers: El Lado Oscuro de la Luna''''' (Latin American, "Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon"), '''''Transformers 3''''' (Spain)
*''Swedish:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Tamil:'' '''''Ṭirāṉsḥpārmas: Ṭārk op ti mūṉ''''' (டிரான்ஸ்ஃபார்மஸ்: டார்க் ஒப் தி மூன், "Transformers: Dark of the Moon")
*''Thai:'' '''''Thrāns̄̒ fxr̒m me xr̒s̄ 3''''' (ทรานส์ฟอร์มเมอร์ส 3, "Transformers 3")
*''Turkish:'' '''''Transformers: Ayın Karanlık Yüzü''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''''Transformery: Temnyy bik Misyatsya''''' (Трансформери: Темний бік Місяця, "Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon")

==External links==
*[http://www.transformersmovie.com/ Transformersmovie.com]
*[http://www.imdb.com/tt1399103/ ''Dark of the Moon'' at IMDB.com]
*{{w|Transformers: Dark of the Moon|''Dark of the Moon'' film on Wikipedia}}
*[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_dark_of_the_moon/ ''Dark of the Moon'' on RottenTomatoes.com]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

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

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