Editing Quintesson

{{factions|quintesson}}
{{disambig2|the Generation 1 alien race|their home planet which is called "Quintesson" in the Marvel Comic UK continuity|Quintessa (planet)}}
[[File:Quint.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"Hahahaha—[whir]<br>—hahahahaha—[whir]<br>—–hahahahaha—[whir]<br>——hahahahahaha—[whir]<br>——–hahahahahaha!"]]

The '''Quintessons''' are a bizarre and ancient race, whose dark history and shadowy machinations are bound up with the history of the [[Transformer]]s, with connections to both [[Primus]] and [[Unicron]]. They are known galaxy-wide as traders, entrepreneurs and businessmen, but their dealings are very rarely on the level, often laced with intrigue and betrayals. They prefer subtle manipulation, scheming, and advanced technology over brute force, but if those don't work, they can fall back on the legion of deadly [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]] and [[Allicon]]s at their command and a fleet of battle-ready [[Quintesson spacecraft|spaceships]] as well. However, the Quintessons themselves have zero fighting abilities and are absolute cowards if they have nothing to hide behind. For example, they are seen to be powerless against a Sharkticon revolt.

{{quote|[We] are ''Quintessons''! ''Arrogance'' is our life’s blood, ''ambition'' is our food and drink, but most of all, ''hubris is the air we breathe!!''|[[Al-Badur]] dissin' his peeps|"[[Wreckers: Finale Part II]]"}}

{{quote|Deceivers! Betrayers! Five-faced slime of the nebula!|[[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] on the Quintessons|"[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]"}}

==Types of Quintessons==
The Quintessons appear to be mostly (if not entirely) mechanical beings. They come in several distinct forms, some of which are identified by their place in the Quintessons' bizarre court system.
*[[Quintesson Judge]]
*[[Quintesson Bailiff]]
*[[Quintesson Executioner]]
*[[Quintesson Prosecutor]]
*[[Quintesson Scientist]]

[[File:Quint two faced.jpg|125px|thumb|My tentacles are on fire!]]
The Judges are not the only Quintessons to have multiple faces, though the only known exception is the '''three-faced scientist''' who was the primary creator of the [[Trans-Organic]]s. One of his faces was grievously damaged, a scar left by the [[Dweller (G1)|Dweller]], which he covered with a mask.

This scientist instigated a plan to get the [[Decepticon]]s to unwittingly release the trans-organics from their prisons deep within [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] so they would wipe out all Transformer life. The plan ultimately backfired; the Dweller killed the other trans-organics, and was launched into space by the [[Autobot]]s... where it smashed into the scientist's ship, which was en-route to Cybertron. Presumably, the scientist finally met his end as the Dweller drained the energy from the ship and everyone within it. {{storylink|The Dweller in the Depths}}

[[File:Quint rentacops.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb|"Game over, man! Game over!"]]
'''Security officers''' appear to have been an ancient model of Quintesson, and possibly the only kind with built-in offensive capabilities, some having one set of arm-tentacles replaced with over-sized blasters. These blasters availed them naught, however, against the Trans-Organic beasts. It is unknown if any of this model of Quintesson exist in "modern" times. {{storylink|The Dweller in the Depths}}

[[File:Quint humanoid.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|No one remembers we exist.]]
Non-bailiff, non-executioner '''Humanoid''' Quintessons are exceedingly rare. One accompanied [[Inquirata (G1)|Inquirata]] on his mission to use a [[Time Window]] to change Cybertron's history, stopping the slave revolt that drove the Quintessons off-planet. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming (episode)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}}

And then there's [[Mirdane]]. A rarity among Quintessons, in that he has a name, and that's ''it''. He has only ever been mentioned by others, never seen, so what body type he has/had is unknown. {{storylink|Madman's Paradise}} {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}
{{-}}

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 continuity family===
====Generation 1 cartoon continuity====
=====''The Transformers'' cartoon=====
{{voiceactor|[[Regis Cordic]], [[Roger C. Carmel]] and [[Jack Angel]] (English, primary recurring voices, see [[#Notes|Notes]]), [[Dick Gautier]] ("[[The Killing Jar (episode)|The Killing Jar]]"), [[Tony Pope]] ("[[Forever Is a Long Time Coming (episode)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming]]" and "[[The Dweller in the Depths]]"), [[Paul Eiding]] ("[[The Quintesson Journal]]"), [[Charlie Adler]] ("[[The Big Broadcast of 2006 (episode)|The Big Broadcast of 2006]]"), [[Corey Burton]] ("[[Madman's Paradise]]"), [[Aron Kincaid]] ("[[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1|The Return of Optimus Prime]]")}}
{{quote|We Transformers have looked into the face of our creators... and seen the face of an enemy.|[[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]]|"[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]"}}

[[File:FFOD4 Early Quintessons.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|The new Powerpuff Girls series never really got off the ground.]]
In ages long past, a race of aliens called the Quintessons existed on the planet-sized factory known as [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}} Some of their early experiments in creating artificial life resulted in the [[Trans-Organic]]s. {{storylink|The Dweller in the Depths}} Some Quintessons turned to forbidden arts, and were banished to other dimensions. {{storylink|Madman's Paradise}} The Quintessons eventually created two lines of sentient robots: one was a line of robots designed for domestic duties and labor (known as [[Autobot]]s), and the other was a line designed for military use (known as [[Decepticon]]s). {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}} The Quintessons were exceptionally cruel to their creations, eventually leading to wide-spread rebellion, a rebellion started by the Autobot [[Alpha Trion (G1)|A-3]]. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming (episode)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}} Forced to flee the planet, the Quintessons eventually settled on the small, twisted planet of [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]], but fostered an undying hatred of all Transformers for the next eleven million years. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}}

They also spent this time productively, selling technology to other races, and often manipulating the political and military climate of regions of space to increase their sales, all the while diligently keeping track of their work by recording it in [[Quintesson Journal|journals]]. {{Storylink|The Quintesson Journal}} Occasionally a race as the [[Zamojin (species)|Zamojin]] would arise that could potentially threaten the Quintessons, and they would deal with it by sealing off whole sections of space with [[quadrant lock]]s. {{storylink|The Face of the Nijika}}

[[File:FFOD2 Quintesson court.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Believe it or not, you really do have better chances in Texas.]]
In 2005, they were shown to capture prisoners for trial and feeding to their army of [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]]. The mock trials held by the Quintesson Court seemed to have no purpose at all, except maybe for the Quintessons' amusement, as defendants were still immediately fed to the ravenous Sharkticons even when the Judge determined them to be innocent. However, the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] managed to rescue the pair of Autobots the Quintessons had captured. Worse, [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] inspired the Sharkticons to rebel... by stomping his foot on the ground and telling them to do so. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}
{{note|The Quintessons' involvement in these events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the comic mini-series "[[Transformers: The Animated Movie]]" and the storybook "[[Transformers the Movie (Ladybird adaptation)|Transformers the Movie]]."}}

One year (or possibly five years, [[Generation 1 cartoon timeline (Japan)|depending on whom you ask]]) after the defeat of [[Unicron]], the Quintessons reappeared. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}} They first sent a commando team of Sharkticons to abduct various Autobots (as well as [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]], though that may have been unintentional). Upon capturing the 'bots, the Quintessons seemed more interested in interrogating their prisoners than feeding them to the Sharkticons. However, they eventually did find the captured Transformers to be guilty of the crime of... being Transformers (Spike was guilty by association). {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2}}

[[File:FFOD4 Quintessons raised tentacles and Galvatron.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|"Look out, it's Galvatron! Quick, make yourselves look big and maybe he'll leave us alone!"]]
After [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus]] and the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] mounted a rescue for their captive friends, the Quintessons attempted to kill the would-be rescuers by destroying the entire planet of Quintessa. After this plan failed, the surviving Quintessons approached the currently leaderless Decepticons, offering them [[energon]] in exchange for attacking the Autobots who had fled to the planet [[Goo 8739B|Goo]]. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3}} When the newly revived [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] arrived intending to reclaim his army, the Quintessons made an alliance with him to attack Cybertron in return for the [[Decepticon Matrix|Decepticon Matrix of Leadership]], an object which didn't actually exist outside the Quintessons' fertile imaginations. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}}

The Quintessons betrayed Galvatron almost immediately after the battle had been won, sending the Sharkticons to pull a [[Large switch|switch]] which would cause all Transformers the galaxy over literally to freeze where they stood. Though the Sharkticons were fought off, Galvatron pulled the lever anyway. The Quintessons landed on Cybertron, intending to reclaim the planet, however Spike destroyed the switch and the Quintessons were forced to abandon the planet in an escape pod. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5}}

Later plots by the Quintessons were no less nefarious. A rogue Quintesson scientist abducted three Transformers and a [[Marissa Faireborn|human]] for behavioral study, a scheme that nearly killed the entire group after they drifted into a black hole. {{storylink|The Killing Jar (episode)|The Killing Jar}} Later, the Quintessons revived the deceased [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] in an attempt to lure all the Autobots into a trap and destroy them with a supernova. However, the Quintessons did not count upon Hot Rod forcing Optimus Prime to overcome his programming, nor Optimus Prime's ability to sacrifice himself to save the Autobots. {{storylink|Dark Awakening (episode)|Dark Awakening}}

[[File:ForeverLongTimeComing various Quintessons.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|"Damn it! Who ate my yogurt?!"]]
Later still, the Quintessons attempted to rewrite history by preventing their loss of Cybertron, creating a [[Time Window]] on an asteroid, directed at Cybertron eleven million years in the past. The Autobots attacked the asteroid, occupying it as several of their number passed through the Time Window and resulting in the very fabric of reality starting to unravel the longer the window remained open. The Quintessons made several desperate attempts to retake the asteroid before convincing Rodimus Prime to shut the Time Window down, though their plans were still ruined as the time-displaced A-3 returned to the past to take his part in the rebellion. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming (episode)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}}

After a Quintesson journal was lost on [[Junkion (planet)|Junk]], the Quintessons began inserting subliminal messages into the Junkions' [[television]] in an attempt to make them tidy and instill a distrust of other life forms. Unfortunately the equipment sending the subliminal signal was damaged during an attempt to retrieve the journal, resulting in the Junkions transmitting subliminal messages to the rest of the galaxy. In the ensuing battle, the Quintessons again tried to retrieve the journal, only to lose it when a stray shot knocked it loose from their tractor beam. {{storylink|The Big Broadcast of 2006 (episode)|The Big Broadcast of 2006}} The journal resurfaced again in the [[Angarrix sector]] at the same time that the Autobots were conducting peace talks with [[Xetaxxis]] and [[Lanarq]], two planets whom the Quintessons had manipulated into war so that they could sell weapons. Despite the Quintessons' best attempts the journal reached the conference where their interference was exposed, and the Autobots destroyed the Quintesson ship as it tried to deliver two [[omega bomb]]s intended to destroy the planets. {{storylink|The Quintesson Journal}}

The Quintessons would try other schemes to destroy the Autobots. One involved kidnapping [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] and hooking him to a device which manifested his dreams in real life. Unfortunately the dream constructs turned on them when Rodimus was able to reach Daniel's sleeping mind. {{storylink|Nightmare Planet}} Another was to manipulate Galvatron into releasing the Trans-Organics. Though Galvatron succeeded, releasing the [[Dweller (G1)|Dweller]], the Autobots managed to expel the creature into space, where it attacked the Quintesson ship. {{storylink|The Dweller in the Depths}}

[[File:MadmansParadise Mara-Al-Utha.jpg|thumb|left|240px|''"Why not Zoidberg?!'']]
Finding Galvatron interfering with the quadrant lock sealing [[Quadrant X]], the Quintessons entered the lock, taking a number of Transformers through with them. Unfortunately their [[isolator key]], needed to reopen the lock, was damaged, forcing them to obtain [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]]'s [[universal emulator]]. Perceptor was able to program the emulator so that when the Quintessons used it, it disabled the quadrant lock for good. {{storylink|The Face of the Nijika}} In another dimension on [[Menonia]], the Autobots found the rogue Quintesson scientist [[Mara-Al-Utha]], and defeated him with the help of local wizard named the [[Golden One]]. {{storylink|Madman's Paradise}}
 
[[File:ReturnOptimusPrime Quintesson holding tool.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.45|"Right, where am I sticking this?"]]
The Quintessons suggested to Cyclonus that he take Galvatron to [[Torkulon]], believing the experience would prove fatal for the Decepticons. It didn't. {{storylink|Webworld}} A group of Quintessons based on [[Titan (moon)|Titan]] made a deal with [[Dirk Manus]] to deliver them the [[Recreator]], while also sending the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] to attack him. Multiple double-crosses ensued until in one final double-cross, Manus set [[Computron (G1)|Computron]] on the Quintessons and they retreated without the Recreator. {{storylink|Money Is Everything (episode)|Money Is Everything}}

When Rodimus asked [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] to find him a Quintesson, Sky Lynx complained that the Quintessons had gone into hiding in the farthest reaches of the galaxy and would be difficult to find. Nonetheless Sky Lynx managed to find [[Klementia|one being chased]] by [[Hate Plague]] infected Sharkticons, and took him to Earth to restore life to the body of Optimus Prime. {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1}} The lone Quintesson also restored a number of other Autobots to help Optimus retrieve the Matrix from Rodimus. He did his best to hold off the infected Transformers while Optimus journeyed into the Matrix and found a way to cure the Hate Plague. {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2}}
{{--}}

=====Japanese cartoon continuity=====
======''Legends'' comic======
Millions of years ago, the Quintessons arrived on the planet that would become Cybertron and discovered the essence of the [[Oracle (G1)|Oracle]] as well as the [[Matrix of Leadership|vessel]] that had once kept it. They subjugated the Oracle by encasing him within [[Vector Sigma]] and creating the [[Key to Vector Sigma]] to control his powers, which they used to transform the planet into a metallic world. They went on to use Cybertron as a factory for [[Transformer|robotic slaves]] until their creations rebelled and drove them off the planet, claiming the Oracle's vessel and finding it full of malicious energy after years of accumulating the wisdom of its Quintesson owners. They promptly dumped out the Quintesson wisdom, which would one day go on to become [[Devil Z]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Grand Maximus)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}}

In need of new territory after being driven off Cybertron, the Quintessons opened a portal to another dimension, the [[Legends World]], and invaded it with an army of [[Overcharge (G1)|Overcharges]] led by a lone Quintesson. They were beaten back by [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], leading to the Quintessons labeling the Legends World dangerous and sealing away its creators, the [[Zamojin (species)|Zamojin]], with a [[quadrant lock]]. However, the Quintessons were unaware that their portal had in fact spanned time as well as space and led to the far future, and the Legends World would only be created ''after'' the Zamojin were released from the lock. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 59|Bonus Edition Vol. 59}}

======''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010'' story pages======
Teaming up with the Decepticons, the Quintessons began developing new warriors for their "allies". {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (story page)|2010 Part 2}} The [[Predacon (G1)|Predacon]]s were constructed by the Quintessons during this alliance. The Sharkticons, also considered to be part of the Predacon faction, were leased to the Decepticons to bolster their ranks. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (story page)|2010 Part 3}} The Quintessons evidently consider the Sharkticons to be "the Pride of the Quintessons" and developed [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]] specifically to outdo all previous Decepticon [[combiner]]s. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (story page)|2010 Part 4}}

During [[Dark Awakening (episode)|the time they had Optimus Prime's corpse in their clutches]], the Quintessons copied his schematics. They also received schematics of Megatron from their alliance with the Decepticons and developed the Colossal Cannon Soldier [[Gilthor]]. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (story page)|2010 Part 4}} 

======''The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers'' manga======
[[File:2010manga04-title.jpg|left|thumb|200px|"Great Guns", "Colossal Cannons", it's all semantics.]]

The Quintessons feigned to have created Gilthor as a subordinate for Galvatron, but in reality they had allied themselves with the ghost of [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]], who gave the robot life. Gilthor quickly turned on Galvatron during an ambush on Rodimus Prime. He would have won, had Rodimus and Galvatron not worked together to defeat him, foiling the plans of the Quintessons. {{storylink|The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers issue 4|The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers #4}}
{{--}}

======''Macrocosmic Seekers''======
The [[Seeker (United)|Seeker]], during the enslavement of Transformers, realized the potential for Transformer evolution and noted that rebellion was imminent. He was laughed at, but the Seeker got the last laugh when he left Cybertron before the rebellion and evolved beyond his Quintesson origins. {{Storylink|A Treasure's True Worth}}

======Controverse======
When [[Primacron]] was taken into custody for unleashing [[Tornedron]] into the cosmos, the galactic council appointed the Quintesson judge [[Adveraros]] to preside over the scientist's trial. To guard the prisoner, the Quintessons brought along several Bailiffs and Sharkticons. Though Adveraros at first seemed to give a sensible ruling (acquittal by reason of insanity) in truth the Quintessons were planning to harvest Primacron's brain once he had been sent to [[Doruka III]], an asylum planet. The plot was foiled by Primacron himself, who fashioned a high-tech whistle out of his mechanical manacles, and took control of all nearby "[[Primitive]]" Transformers. Having restrained Adveraros with his own Sharkticon guards, Primacron revealed that he had once created bacterial machines, which he proposed was the Quintessons' distant ancestors. Adveraros loudly denounced this claim as the Autobots came in to take protective custody of Primacron. {{storylink|Controverse}}

======''Kiss Players''======
[[File:KPMaximus2.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Do cameos count as canon?]]
[[File:KPQuints.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|This is all kinds of crazy.]]
The [[Kiss Players (singing group)|Kiss Players]] [[Marissa Faireborn]], [[Atari Hitotonari]], and [[Shaoshao Li]], together with the [[Sparkbot]]s [[Angela]], [[Star Dust]], and [[Zangetsu]], were traveling through time aboard [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Brave Maximus]] when the space fortress suddenly went out of control.

The six found themselves on a strange, alien world in the year 2011. With their ship ensnared, they were herded by [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]] to the Space Tribunal, where the Quintessons put them on trial for time-traveling without their permission.

When Shaoshao asked if being cute was a crime, the Quintessons threatened to charge her with contempt of court. Atari suggested using their Kiss Play abilities to transform into cute costumes and ask the "octopusses" nicely to let them go. But turning into a swimsuit-clad elementary school girl and asking the judge's permission to go to the potty only resulted in Atari and her friends being found "not guilty" and dropped into the Sharkticon pit below.

Rescued by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Goldbug]], they fled back to Brave Maximus and re-entered the time portal. Sucked into the maelstrom along with them, the Quintessons demanded that the process stop, saying that they were the last of their kind. But it was too late, and the aliens were trapped inside the hole in space-time. {{storylink|Transformers: Kiss Players (radio drama)|Kiss Players Position}}
{{-}}

======''Generations Selects Special Comic''======
In [[2050]], thanks to humanity discovering and evacuating [[Earth]]'s [[Angolmois Energy]] and the unique temporal properties of [[Dinobot Island (G1)|Dinobot Island]], the Quintessons managed to escape from their dimensional prison and immediately set out to subdue the island's [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]] residents to sell as merchandise. The Dinobots weren't keen on this idea, and so the leading Judge released the [[Recreator]] {{storylink|Volcanicus comic 1}} to bring forth a reborn [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]] when the [[Allicon]]s weren't up to the task. Predaking had the Dinobots on the ropes, but they managed to tap into an [[Energon Matrix]] and Angolmois Energy to combine into [[Volcanicus (Generations)|Volcanicus]]. The Dinosaur combiner was able to easily defeat Predaking, although the Quintessons fled before they could be taken care of. {{storylink|Volcanicus comic 2}}

======Story of Binaltech======
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Outlier (comic)|Outlier}}}}

======''Alternity''======
As a result of a [[quadrant lock]] the Quintessons placed upon the [[BT World]] to trap the [[Binaltech]] Autobots, the planet was frozen in time until the [[Alternity]] were born and broke through it 900,000 years later. During the intervening time, however, a tragic fate befell the Quintessons. {{storylink|Alternation}}

=====''Wings Universe''=====
{{wingsnote}}
Very early in the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], the Autobot ship ''[[Van De Graaff]]'' was shot down over [[Beta-Nine]] while transporting a [[Matrix of Leadership|vital cargo]]. The Autobots initially believed that the crash was the result of a Decepticon attack, but [[Kup (G1)|Kup]], a crewmember of the rescue ship ''[[Eight Track (G1)|Eight Track]]'', discovered the truth when he found green tentacled remains alongside the corpses of the murdered ''Van De Graaff'' crew. {{storylink|Wings of Honor}}

The Quintessons created [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]] to lead a new generation of Sharkticons. In [[2010]], they sent Sky-Byte and several Sharkticons to Earth in an alliance with the [[Decepticon Syndicate]]. {{storylink|Generation 2: Redux}}

By [[2984]], Quintesson space had come under the control of the [[Mutant (BW)|Mutant]]s. In that year, the temporally-displaced pirates known as the [[Star Seeker]]s traveled near former Quintesson space on their way to find the immortal spark of the infamous Decepticon [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]]. The Star Seekers eventually gained access to a [[Shut-Up-Tornado-I'm-Trying-To-Think|planetoid]] existing in a pocket of space surrounded by black holes. In a chamber on the planetoid, they encountered a lone Quintesson who claimed to have been betrayed and marooned by Starscream on the planetoid some time earlier. The Star Seekers gave the Quintesson passage off of the planetoid in exchange for telling all that he knew of Starscream's last known destination. However as it turned out, the Quintesson was long dead, and Starscream's immortal spark had been using the Quintesson's body as a puppet. Forming an alliance with the Decepticon Star Seeker [[Flamewar (G1)|Flamewar]], Starscream discarded the Quintesson's body and hijacked Captain [[Cannonball (G1)|Cannonball]]'s body for himself, simultaneously allowing Flamewar to take control of the Star Seekers for herself. {{storylink|Tornado - Decepticon Saboteur}}

=====''Transformers: All Spark''=====
{{groupstub}}
{{storylink|Another Episode, Part 2}} {{storylink|Conclusion}}

=====Ask Vector Prime=====
In an unstable [[Iocus]] universe engineered by the machinations of [[Sideways (RID)|Sideways]] and [[Renegade#Gong|Gong]], the Quintessons on Quintessa were replaced by the [[Master Renegade]] and the [[Monster GoBot]]s on [[Antares 3|Antares III]] during the events of the [[Unicron War]]. {{storylink|Echoes and Fragments}}

=====''Deviations''=====
A group of Quintessons were presiding over the execution of Kranix when Optimus Prime and the Autobots intervened, forcing the Quintessons to abandon their kangaroo court and flee. Optimus noted a feeling of familiarity towards the aliens and their planet but could not place it. {{storylink|Transformers: Deviations|Deviations}}

=====Big Looker storybooks=====
[[File:Wildboyofquintessonbattle.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|Rarely do encounters with Autobots work out well for the Quintessons.]]
An Autobot ship crashed on Quintesson, with [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] the only survivor. The Quintessons captured him, throwing him in a dungeon. They intended to execute him, taking him to a Sharkticon pit, however he managed to evade them and escaped into the jungles of Quintesson. When Hot Rod's ship also crashed on the planet, the Quintessons tried to mount a sneak attack, only for Wheelie to appear and fight them off single-handed. The Quintessons returned with Sharkticon backup, stalking the Autobots as Wheelie tried to lead them away from the crash site, however as it turned out even with their Sharkticons, the Quintesson were no match for the Autobots and most of them were killed in the battle that ensued. {{storylink|The Story of Wheelie, the Wild Boy of Quintesson}}
{{--}}

====Beast Era====
=====''Beast Machines''=====
The [[Maximal]] [[Beast Rider]] [[Che]] was encased in a unique Quintessian{{sic}} alloy found in the lower levels of Cybertron.<ref>Che's packaging bio</ref>

=====3H comics=====
Millennia ago, the Quintessons were the minions of [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]], send out to locate [[Primus]]. The Quintessons succeeded, but rather than turn Primus over to Unicron, they instead constructed barriers around him, intending to make use of him to create consumer product lines. They eventually succeeded in doing so through [[Vector Sigma]], though some of their number such as [[Al-Badur]] warned of the danger of trying to control Primus's creations. {{storylink|Disclosure}}

Out on the arm of the Orion Cluster, [[New Quintessa]] sat awaiting the [[Mutant (BW)|Mutant Beast]]s, Cybertronians without [[robot mode]]s who had been dispatched by the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]] of [[Vector Sigma]] to regain what they had lost. [[Icebird]] believed they were on a sacred mission; in truth, it was a fool's errand. The Quintesson Supreme Imperial Magistrate [[Derodomontatus]] fed the Mutants to the Sharkticons before continuing his discussions with the free trader, [[Cryotek (Universe)|Cryotek]]. Plans proceeded apace, as both the Mutants and the [[Dinobot (BM)|Dinobot]]s were dealt with by this deadly alliance, and Cryotek assured Derodomontatus that the last Cybertronian team, the [[Wrecker]]s, would soon be extinguished as well. {{storylink|Betrayal}}

Meanwhile the Wreckers encountered Al-Badur on an icy world, and he filled them in on the origin of Cybertron and bargained for his departure from the planet in exchange for information about the [[Divine Light]]. {{storylink|Disclosure}}

The invasion of Cybertron soon began, and [[Snarl (BM)|Snarl]], [[Longhorn]], and [[Skydive (BM)|Skydive]] spotted Quintessons herding mass hordes of Sharkticons towards the Cybertronian settlements. 

{{Note|The following is unofficial material for the intended script to the Wreckers #4, never published.}}

Derodomontatus cheered on the advancing troops with his fellow Quintessons, before proceeding with Cryotek and [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] to complete his part of their bargain. The fighting intensified on the surface as [[Devcon (G1)|Devcon]] and the Dinobots arrived, shortly before the Wreckers returned to Cybertron as well. [[Primal Prime]] and [[Apelinq (BM)|Apelinq]] led a contingent after Cryotek and the Quintessons deeper into Cybertron's core. They arrived in time to see Cryotek had successfully mutated himself into a god-like being with the power of the [[Divine Light]]. {{storylink|The Wreckers: Finale Part 1}}

{{note|And now, back to the official material.}}
Derodomontatus, realizing the extent to which Cryotek had now surpassed the Quintessons, begged the free trader to remember their contract and honor it. In response, Cryotek sent his pet [[Chro]] to rip the Quintesson's faces off.

As their Imperial Magistrate faced a hostile takeover beneath the planet's surface, the Quintesson troops on open ground found their advancement equally stymied. Expecting the newly reformatted Cybertron to be filled with docile and disoriented cattle, the Quintessons were ill-prepared for the resistance they faced from all corners of the globe and all sectors of the populace. In [[Ankmor Park|Ankmor]], Judge [[Brinn]]'s patrol were stalked by the Maximal techno-organic, [[Night Viper]]. In a deserted city, a contingent led by Overseer [[Rexian]] were overcome by Decepticons criminals recently restored to their bodies. Overseer [[Vashik]] and [[In-Saba Nur]] assaulted the new Predacon capital of [[Darkmount (Cybertron)|Darkmount]] with predictable results, as Lord [[Galvatron (BWII)|Galvatron]] squashed them beneath his heel ([[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] helped). Oh yes, and then there were ''Dinobots''. Admiral [[Krahulik]] was prepared to initiate orbital bombardment from the ''Paradigm'' hovering over [[Polyhex]] before [[Strika (BM)|Strika]] and [[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]] brought down the Quintesson warships as well. The Quintessons began to retreat in hordes, returning to their landing ships and launching out into space...right into the path of the planetary defense systems, recently brought back on-line.

All in all, the invasion of Cybertron was an unmitigated disaster. Judge [[Heirodyus]] watched the annihilation from New Quintessa with a mixture of horror and smugness, silently congratulating himself for escaping the fate of his brothers. He hadn't. The Mutant Beasts Icebird and [[Poison Bite]] had survived their dip in the Sharkticon pools, and returned imbued with the light of Primus himself. Heirodyus and the Quintessons were soon wiped from the surface of New Quintessa. Icebird and Poison Bite assumed control of the planet, spreading the techno-organic plant life made from Cybertron's reformatting, and teaching the Sharkticons the ways of peace. {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

=====''Beast Wars: Uprising''=====
Several millennia ago, the Cybertronians bought some surplus [[Terrorbot]] drones from the Quintessons, including the cumbersome and inefficient [[Overcharge (G1)|Overcharge]] drones. {{storylink|Burning Bridges}}

Following the failed [[Great Push]] of [[2033]], a Quintesson court found Galvatron and his compatriots guilty of their many war crimes, sentencing them to death. {{storylink|A Brush With Infamy–Prologue}} By the 24th century, the Quintessons were among the few species still allowed to travel in and out of the [[Allowed Zone]] due to pre-existing contractual relationships with Cybertron; the [[Human Confederacy]] regarded the Quintessons with suspicion.<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/forums/topic/133737-beast-wars-uprising-ama/?p=3361342 Post by Jim S on the Allspark Forums]</ref>

====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
=====Marvel UK future timeline=====
{{noteukonly}}
Like those creepy little pilotfish that swarm behind sharks, snapping at stray scraps, the Quintessons were vile enforcers for [[Unicron]], savagely hunting down and picking off those who attempted to escape his maw. {{storylink|The Transformers Universe#Issue .234|Transformers Universe}}

In an alternate future of 2005, the Quintessons took Hot Rod, Kup and several other Autobots hostage on their homeworld and chucked them into the Sharkticon pits for punishment. The Autobots were able to escape, however, and the Sharkticons quickly turned on their cruel masters. {{storylink|Judgment Day!}}

''In 2008, Quintesson scientists realized that their planet, Quintesson, was threatened with destruction by a time rift that was caused by [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]], and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]]'s time-traveling. Though they scoped out several other worlds to move their civilization to, the [[Quintesson Journal|journal]] containing the records on these planets was lost on the planet [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]].'' {{storylink|Space Pirates!}} ''In an attempt to retrieve it, they captured [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] and had him interrogated by the [[Mister Regan|Galaxy's greatest torturer]]. After being left to the torturer's tender mercies for some time, Wreck-Gar "confessed," in an elaborate story, that the journal was lost in the void of space. The Quintessons quickly deduced that whole tale had been nothing but [[Quintesson#The Big Broadcast of 2006|a fabrication]], and executed the torturer for failing to deliver the journal's true location.'' {{storylink|The Big Broadcast of 2006 (issue)|The Big Broadcast of 2006}}

''Desperate for their race to survive, they launched a surprise attack on Autobot City, capturing it for themselves. Most of the Autobots were deactivated, except for [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Rodimus Prime]], who was outside the city at the time of the attack, and [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]], [[Ramhorn (G1)|Ramhorn]] and [[Steeljaw (G1)|Steeljaw]], who were hidden inside [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]'s cassette compartment.''

''Using [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] as bait, the Quintessons captured the [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]] from Rodimus, and he reverted to Hot Rod. Out of options, Hot Rod activated the core of Autobot City, a giant Autobot called [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], who transformed and drove the Quintessons off but caused massive damage to the city in the process.''

''The Quintessons fled, but were ordered by Lord Kledji ''not'' to return to Quintesson, but to roam the stars instead to rebuild their forces and seek revenge on the Transformers, since their home planet was doomed beyond hope. How that went for them is unknown, but as they'd managed to cheese off most of the known metallic species by that point, it probably didn't go too well.'' {{storylink|Space Pirates!}}

=====The Big Broadcast of 2006=====
{{NoteMarvelBB2006}}
After a [[Quintesson Journal|journal]] of great importance to the Quintessons was lost on the planet Junkion, the Quintessons sent down a school of [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]] planet-side to retrieve it. Though the Sharkticons came close to completing their mission, they were chased off at the last moment by the planet's natives, much to the Quintessons' frustration. Deciding to make another attempt at its retrieval through more surreptitious means, the Quintessons sent down a television set the next day, knowing of the Junkions' fondness for Earth broadcasts. Their television set, however, also broadcasted a subliminal message, which caused the Junkions to act aggressively towards all outsiders, and made compelled them to clean up their planet. The Quintessons hoped this would allow them to more easily find their journal amidst Junkion's heaps of garbage, while keeping any other parties who might interfere at bay.

As soon as the Junkions found the Quintessons' journal, the latter moved in. But the Autobots and Decepticons had caught wind that something was amiss on Junkion by this time, and both factions also became involved, forcing the Quintessons to attack them. The Autobot [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] proved too mighty for them however, and the Quintesson were forced to retreat without their prize in hand. Worse yet, during the Autobots' and the Decepticons' scuffle in Junkion's orbit, the Quintessons' transmitter was damaged, ultimately resulting in its broadcast being sent all around the galaxy. Various species gathered around the planet to duke it out between themselves as a result. Seeing another opportunity to seize their lost journal, the Quintessons sent down a shuttle-craft to retrieve it while everyone else was distracted in the melee. But as the journal was captured in the shuttle-craft's tractor beam, a wild shot hit it, sending the journal off into the void of space, and out of the Quintessons' reach. The Quintesson tasked with retrieving the journal was sentenced to death for failing to fulfill his mission. {{storylink|The Big Broadcast of 2006 (issue)|The Big Broadcast of 2006}}

====''The Invisibility Factor''====
{{notemultipath}}
In one possible scenario, the Quintessons, currently allied with the Decepticons, sent a messenger craft to Earth. They informed Galvatron that they were ready to send in troops to help in a full-scale invasion of the Earth. Without any Autobots around to interfere with the messages they were relaying the Quintessons and the Decepticons soon turned Earth into one giant refuelling station.{{storylink|The Invisibility Factor}}

====''Transformers in 3-D''====
A Quintesson sent two [[Observer|aliens]] to spy on the Autobots and Decepticons, and download the contents of their databases. The two aliens were puzzled, but the Quintesson remained cagy about what the data was for. {{storylink|The Test (issue)|The Test}}

====Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity====
The Quintessons were an alien race which appeared to have conquered Cybertron at some point, but were driven off. However, they continued to maintain watch over Cybertron, eventually coming to manipulate the [[Council of Ancients]]. [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] claimed this was the reason that he started the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]. {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}} 

Megatron's animosity towards the Quintessons did not stop him from making a deal with the aliens, who provided him with the [[Air Warrior|Aerospace Extermination Squadron]] and a bunch of [[Piranacon (Quintesson)|Piranacons]]. Knowing Megatron and the Quintessons, both were planning to betray each other when the time was right. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath Pt.2}}

{{Unreleased WW comic}}
Megatron had promised to deliver Cybertron's core to the Quintessons in exchange for the army they had provided him, but Megatron forestalled on completing the deal once he had conquered Cybertron. The Quintessons grew annoyed, and began to rightly suspect that Megatron planned to renege on their transaction. Little did they know that [[Flash (G1)|Flash]], having been accidently been transported to Quintessa, was eavesdropping on their conversation, learning the true nature of Cybertron's conquest. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath Pt.4}} The Quintessons discovered Flash spying on them, but he escaped thanks to his superior speed. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath Pt.5}} The Quintessons then attempted to remotely extract Cybertron's core, only for their efforts to be thwarted by Starscream. Though their plans ended in failure, the Quintessons learned that the power they sought was also contained within Optimus Prime, a target much more attainable than Cybertron's core. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath Pt.6}}

The Quintessons began plotting further in earnest against Cybertron after a totalitarian regime headed by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] was toppled by the Autobots. {{storylink|Generation 1 issue 0|Generation 1 #0}} Noting that [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] might stand in their way, the Quintessons readied to put into use one of their agents on Cybertron, [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], who they could use to "distract" him. {{storylink|Lost and Found (issue)|Lost and Found}} When Arcee informed that Hot Rod would soon be put in a mostly isolated position, the Quintessons excitedly put their plans of conquest in motion ahead of schedule. They called upon [[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]] to ready herself {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}} and her [[Female Autobots|extraction team]] to invade Cybertron. {{storylink|Unreleased Dreamwave issues|Generation One #11}}

{{Unreleased DW G1 comic}}

Under the Quintessons' supervision, the extraction team successfully knocked out Hot Rod and retrieved the unconscious Autobot. {{storylink|Unreleased Dreamwave issues#Issue 11|Generation 1 #11}}

====''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''====
[[File:Historyofcybertron.jpg|upright=0.9|thumb|What order is this read in?!]]
When [[Serpentor|Serpent O.R.]] downloaded information on Cybertron's history from [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]'s databanks, he saw the Quintessons create the [[Trans-Organic|transorganics]] and the Transformers. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 1|The Art of War #1}}
{{-}}

====2005 IDW continuity====
An enigmatic Quintesson historian named [[Pentius]] was shipwrecked on [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]] for centuries until he was freed by [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]], who needed a guide to get off the planet. {{storylink|Faces of Darkness}} During their time together, the Quintesson nurtured Megatron's evil ambitions in order to shape him into a true monster, though his motives for doing so were clouded in mystery. The Decepticon eventually killed Pentius to use his [[spark]]'s energy as fuel, but he was content with his death as it proved Megatron's training was complete. {{storylink|Prey (issue)|Prey}} After inserting Pentius's spark into [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], Megatron accessed the giant's jumbled memories and saw other Quintessons, which he described as "devils" that preyed upon and destroyed entire civilizations. {{storylink|Primacy issue 1|Primacy #1}}

Some time after [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]]'s [[Ore-1]] [[Regenesis]] missiles struck the planet [[LV-117]], someone painted the Death face of a Quintesson Judge on top of the [[Decepticon]] insignia adorning it. {{storylink|Syndromica (2)}} A strange inscription of a Quintesson judge was also present inside the ruins of some unknown ancient civilization on the planet. Through the cracks in the stone it was carved into, its eerie eyes glowed... {{storylink|Spotlight: Wheelie}}

As [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] began consuming LV-117, [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] and [[Varta]] planned to flee the planet on a [[Quintesson Cruiser|familiar screw-shaped ship]]. {{storylink|Syndromica (2)}} {{storylink|Our Darkest}} After crashing the ship on [[LV-118]], Wheelie claimed to have stolen it from someone, but didn't specify who. {{storylink|Space Opera Act 2: Out of the Silent Planet|Out of the Silent Planet}}

A similar ship - this one chock full of Sharkticons - was used by Wreck-Gar and [[Rum-Maj|Rum-Maj's]] group of Junkions to travel to Earth. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}}

When a trio of Autobots entered Unicron's internals, they found the remains of the Quintesson engraving. [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] questioned its significance only for [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] to point out the painting's presence meant they were nearing Unicron's core. {{storylink|Last Stand (Unicron)|Last Stand}}

====''Kre-O'' online comics====
[[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] attacked a Quintesson and spun it around by the tentacles during his rampage. {{storylink|Enter the New Emperor of Destruction!? Stop Galvatron's Rampage!}}

====''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''====
The mysterious fifth dimensional beings known only as "the Makers" created the universe and with it [[Daiakuron]], a living planet which they imbued with the power to create life on its own. They went on to merge together, five at a time, into [[combiner|gestalt]] forms, becoming the Quintessons. {{storylink|Earth: R.I.P.}} Taking up residence in the [[Transwarp|Void]], the Quintessons were displeased that the life spawned from Daiakuron had developed sentience, something they had not intended. They seized [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimal Prime]], [[Snake-Eyes]], and [[Duke (G.I. Joe)|Duke]], putting them all on trial for theft of the body and the soul. Reviewing their memories, acquiring the [[Matrix of Leadership]] from [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], being trained by the Blind Master in martial arts and living at odds with his step-father, respectively the trio was found guilty! Before persecution could be passed they escaped back into reality. {{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}} After learning the identity of their creators, the Autobots and [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] sent a joint crew to [[Quadrant X]] to find the Quintessons. {{storylink|The War Never Ends}}

====''Transformers/Ghostbusters''====
When [[Gozer]] appeared on Cybertron, the [[Temple of Gozer|temple]] it summoned was adorned with Quintesson visages. {{storylink|Ghosts of Cybertron Part 1}}

===''Energon'' cartoon===
[[File:Alpha Q Faces.jpg|thumb|150px|left|"Show all five faces? With our budget?"]]
:''See [[Alpha Quintesson]]''

===''Animated'' cartoon===
Three hundred million years ago, give or take, the Autobots, engaged in a major colonization push, had border skirmishes with the [[Quintesson Pan Galactic Co-Prosperity Sphere]]. This conflict ended the Age of [[Expansion]]. The [[Autobot Commonwealth]] and the Co-Prosperity Sphere still border each other, as well as the [[Nebulon Republic]]. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}}

[[Swindle (Animated)|Swindle]] received his [[Sonic Jammer 3000]] from the Quintessons. According to him, they are nice folks that give you a good deal and all the oil you can drink. {{storylink|Decepticon Air}}

===''Shattered Glass''===
[[File:Quintesson aquarius.jpg|right|upright=0.85|thumb|Dude.]]

{{quote|We are all one or we are all gone.|[[Aquarius (SG)|Aquarius]]|[[Transformers: Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass]]}}

This universe's Quintessons are an enigmatic and benevolent species holding sway over a large section of space known as the '''Quintesson Collective'''. They share technology and cooperate with many other species, whether organic, [[technorganic]], or mechanical, using culture as a unifying notion instead of evolutionary origins. They long ago perfected zero-point energy engines, food and parts replication technologies, and advanced biomedics, allowing any individual to change features, organs, and overall designs, eliminating such things as [[Exclusive|scarcity]], and thus material value, "mortality", and even the concept of "species". These technological advances are shared and freely available to all those who join their "ultra-species".

The Quintessons usually rely on [[Federation|cautious observation before making first contact]] with other unenlightened peoples, demanding years of study and careful cultural guidance before even considering allowing membership into the Collective. They rarely use direct means to steer a culture onto the enlightened path, but have been known to occasionally take [[Fortress Maximus (SG)|more direct action]] to protect their interests, doing the "dirty work" themselves. {{storylink|Transformers: Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass}}
{{-}}

====Shattered Expectations====
When [[Starscream (SG)|Starscream]] and [[Razorclaw (SG)|Razorclaw]] confronted the evil Autobots [[Goldbug (SG)|Goldbug]], [[Jazz (SG)|Jazz]], and [[Grimlock (SG)|Grimlock]], Starscream ordered the Autobots to surrender in the name of the '''[[Quintesson Federation]]'''. {{storylink|Shattered Expectations (SG)|Shattered Expectations}}

===Aligned continuity family===
The Quintessons were small, organic, squid-like creatures. Physically frail, easily injured, and extremely cowardly, the Quintessons themselves were rarely seen, and did most of their dirty work through various proxies, willing or unwilling. When the Quintessons did need to expose themselves to further their own ends, they frequently encased themselves in mechanical suits styled after their various slave races, often claiming to be representatives of other races. 

At some point after the creation of the first Transformers, [[Quintus Prime]] left Cybertron to seed other worlds in the universe with life with the [[Emberstone]], in the hopes that other peaceful, space-faring civilizations would one day contact Cybertron to form friendly alliances. Among his earliest creations were the Quintessons. So that didn't work out too well. 

After creating the Quintessons, Quintus Prime was never heard from again; [[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] idly speculated that the Quintessons may have killed their creator. {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}}

The Quintessons developed interstellar travel before the Transformers. At some point in the past, the Quintessons stole and reverse-engineered [[space bridge]] technology from an unknown source. They eventually discovered Cybertron toward the end of that planet's Age of Origins. As the first alien beings ever to make contact with the planet, the arrival of their ships awed the young Cybertronian race. {{storylink|Transformers: Retribution|Retribution}} {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}} The Quintessons claimed to be benevolent entities sent to "uplift" the Cybertronians from their primitive existence, so that they could join the galactic community. By giving Cybertronians the "gift" of transformation and the power to assume [[alternate mode]]s, the Quintessons won Cybertron's public support. In reality, though, the Quintessons had simply learned to manipulate the dormant [[transformation cog]]s present in every Transformer. The dispersal of Quintesson technology and tutelage turned the feudal, tribe-based planet into a sophisticated spacefaring civilization almost overnight. The Quintessons established rule of law and eventually a global order overseen by the [[Elite Guard]] member [[Sentinel Zeta Prime]] and the [[Autobot High Council|High Council]].

Secretly, the Quintessons aimed to slowly rob the Cybertronians of their individuality, then sell them into slavery as mindless drones. To further this goal, they began implanting various Cybertronians, such as the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]], with cockpits intended to house Quintesson pilots. {{storylink|Transformers: Retribution|Retribution}} {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}} {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}} The Quintessons organized other Cybertronians into working collectives and attempted to tamper with the Well of All Sparks itself; newborn Transformers began emerging without names or identities, and instead received alphanumeric designations. The Quintesson's twisted, bizarre sense of justice led to the construction of the [[Supreme Court]] on Cybertron, a kangaroo court where innocents could be sentenced to life imprisonment or death. {{storylink|Transformers: Retribution|Retribution}} {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}}

Eventually, a resistance movement formed, and the Quintessons were defeated in a rebellion led by Sentinel Prime, who led Cybertron into a subsequent [[Golden Age]]. Traces of their rule, such as the cockpits implanted in many Cybertronians, would remain even as Cybertron slowly rid itself of their influence. Some of the Cybertronians who had lived through this disturbing period- including a young librarian named [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Orion Pax]]- suppressed their traumatic memories of Cybertron's occupation, and eventually forgot about the Quintessons almost entirely. {{storylink|Transformers: Retribution|Retribution}} {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}} Generations later, Orion Pax claimed Sentinel and the [[Autobot High Council|High Council]] had enslaved Cybertron with the [[caste system]] instead of having it forced on them by the Quintessons. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}}

The Quintessons never forgot about their humiliating rout at the hands of their former servants, and for many centuries the embittered race enviously regarded the planet and its inhabitants as rightfully theirs. At some point after Cybertron's [[Golden Age]], the Quintessons discovered and colonized the Transformers's ex-colony world of [[Aquatron]], modifying the bodies of its inhabitants to produce techno-organic monstrosities such as the [[Gamekeeper]] and the [[Hydratron]]. Aquatron was eventually subsumed into the Quintesson Imperium, and the Quintessons used their new [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticon]] slaves as aquatic shock troopers. 

When the ''[[Ark (WFC)|Ark]]'' entered the Aquatron system during Optimus Prime's search for the [[AllSpark]], the Quintessons awakened [[Inquirata (Prime)|Inquirata]] and his associate [[Xeros]] to carry out their deception that would eventually lead to the second invasion of Cybertron. Manipulating both Optimus and [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] to the planet's surface under the guise of a peace treaty, the Quintessons were eventually able to place both Autobots and Decepticons under arrest and take them to court. During the trial, the Quintessons claimed that they had colonized Cybertron and literally built the first Transformers; Optimus quickly saw through their deception and maintained that all Cybertronians were creations of [[Primus]] alone. The Quintesson judges found Optimus innocent, and forced him to duel to the death with Megatron; siphoning energy from the two leaders, they powered a Space Bridge to Cybertron and launched a second invasion force to re-colonize and enslave Cybertron. Their genetically engineered leader [[Tyrannicon]] spearheaded the Sharkticon invasion and was able to swiftly overwhelm the weakened planet. The invasion was only defeated after Megatron, forced into a temporary truce with his archenemy, discovered the [[Sharkticon Matrix of Leadership]] and used it to override Tyrannicon's hold on his troops. In the ensuing fight, Xeros, Tyrannicon, and Inquirata were all killed, and Aquatron itself was freed of Quintesson control. {{storylink|Transformers: Retribution|Retribution}}

The [[Mutacon]]s knew of the Quintessons but considered the law-bound Quintesson way of life to be boring and a worse fate than death. {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}}

===''Cyberverse'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Jeremy Levy]] (Death, English), [[Saskia Marx]] (Judgement and Cruelty, English), [[Dick Terhune]] (Chaos and [[Scientist (Cyberverse)|Scientist]], English), [[Mike Rose]] (Ego, English), [[Billy Bob Thompson]] (Starscream, English), [[Sophia Isabella]] (Gray, English), [[Ryan Nicolls]] (Velgrox, English)}}
The Quintessons were a strange race of aliens, interdimensional beings who travelled the [[multiverse]] using their [[multiverse drive]] and passed judgement on which universes deserved to live or be destroyed. {{storylink|The Trial}} To do so, the Quintessons would create "[[Judge (Cyberverse)|Judges]]", hybrid beings based on the native lifeforms of that universe; if the universe was found guilty, then the Judge would oversee the destruction of the universe by using [[Transwarp|unspace]] to obliterate all matter. {{storylink|The End Of The Universe I}} The [[Scientist (Cyberverse)|Scientist]] traditionally oversaw the process, and in his travels developed a fondness for collecting various iterations of [[Soundwave (Cyberverse)|Soundwave]] he plucked from the various doomed universes his kind had passed judgement upon. {{storylink|The Scientist}} 

When exactly it is that the Quintessons found this particular universe is not clear; hieroglyphs inside the [[Titan (group)|Titan]] [[Croaton]] suggested that the aliens had invaded his colony and abducted his inhabitants long before the present day, {{storylink|Ghost Town}} with [[Wheeljack (Cyberverse)|Wheeljack]] referencing the Quintesson reputation for engineering when affecting repairs to a disused [[space bridge]]. {{storylink|The Crossroads}}

Either way, the Quintessons had established an outpost in a distant region of the galaxy at some point before [[2007]]. Having previously encountered the [[Velgrox]] and the [[Gray]], incorporating a member of both races into their latest Judge, the Quintessons discovered that Cybertronians existed in this universe after Croaton, in search of his missing citizens, flew past the outpost, taking the hapless [[Starscream (Cyberverse)|Starscream]] with him. Although the current Judge planned to simply judge and dispose of their new prisoner, the ambitious Seeker tried to win over his captors by revealing the existence of the [[AllSpark|Allspark]] on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Seeing this as a power source to fuel the creation of the new Judge, the Quintessons made for Cybertron and "rewarded" Starscream with their highest honor: assimilation into the next Judge. {{storylink|The End Of The Universe I}}

Arriving shortly after [[Megatron (Cyberverse)|Megatron]]'s defeat, the Quintessons quickly conquered the planet and ensnared the city of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] in the tendrils of their command tower. The Cybertronians were rounded up and placed in a virtual reality simulation designed to keep them happy and docile while the Scientist both drained their [[spark]]s and tapped into the Allspark's energy itself to fuel the creation of this new Judge. {{storylink|The Loop}} {{storylink|The Scientist}} Unfortunately, their machinations were upset by [[Hot Rod (Cyberverse)|Hot Rod]], who the Quintessons had overlooked during their conquest of the planet. The ad hoc Cybertronian resistance he assembled operated out of [[Maccadam's Old Oil House|Maccadam]]'s, invisible to Quintesson sensors, and threatened to undermine their control of the planet. Although the Quintesson forces eventually captured Hot Rod, the Autobot leader proved uncooperative and was found guilty. {{storylink|The Trial}}

Soon, the resistance infiltrated the command tower and clashed with the Scientist himself, their battle putting the unborn Judge at risk and severing their hostages' connection to the virtual reality loop. {{storylink|The Scientist}} Freed of their prison, [[Optimus Prime (Cyberverse)|Optimus Prime]], [[Megatron (Cyberverse)|Megatron]], and their respective forces rebelled against the Quintessons, with the conflict escalating into open war between the two forces. Despite their best efforts, the Cybertronians proved unable to breach the force field that protected the Quintesson headquarters, but the partial activation of [[Iaconus]] pushed their [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticon]] warriors into a retreat. {{storylink|The Alliance}}

The Quintessons eventually gained the advantage, primarily by the Judge's rage at Megatron's theft of their multiverse escape pod, disabling nearly all enemy combatants. However, the Judge was attacked and overwhelmed by the resistance leaders and, in their damage and frenzy, they crashed into the command tower, seemingly perishing as it exploded and collapsed. Although the prior Judge was killed, it had survived long enough for the gestation of their new Judge to finish. {{storylink|The Judge (episode)|The Judge}}

The new Judge Starscream rounded up nearly all his enemies, only to monologue over them while Optimus Prime and Megatron were being located. {{storylink|The End Of The Universe I}} Iaconus was soon awakened and battled the enslaved Croaton under Judge Starscream's command. {{storylink|The End Of The Universe II}} Despite the Scientist being killed off by Wheeljack, Judge Starscream used unspace to slay Iaconus. {{storylink|The End Of The Universe III}}

Despite his victory over Iaconus, Judge Starscream soon lost control of Croaton. As his enemies broke free and rallied, he was soon overwhelmed and seemingly destroyed by the dual [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrices]] of Optimus Prime and a returned Megatron. The Quintesson invasion was effectively overthrown, and the remainder of their forces were subsequently dealt with by the Autobots and Deceptions. No trace of their occupation remained by the time of the factions' split control of the planet. {{storylink|The End Of The Universe IV}}

====Alternate universe====
In the universe from which [[Megatron X (Cyberverse)|Megatron X]] hailed from, the tyrant used a [[laser snare]] to destroy the Quintesson flagship as it descended onto Cybertron before salvaging its technology for his own ends. {{storylink|The Other One}}

==Games==
===''Transformers Legends''===
[[File:TFLegends Quintesson.jpg|thumb|right|upright=2.2|You spin me right round baby, right round.]]
The Quintessons put [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus]] and [[Kup (G1)|Sergeant Kup]] on trial. Unfortunately [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] arrived and promptly turned the [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]] on their masters. {{storylink|Mockery of Justice}} Intending to disrupt the [[Galactic Olympics|Galactic Games]], the Quintessons allied with [[Slipstream (G1)|Slipstream]] and sent her in to cause trouble. {{storylink|The Galactic Games}} They also send [[Skuxxoid]]s to the games to kidnap [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], [[Kup (G1)|Kup]], and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]]. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness: Part 1}} When the trio were rescued post-sentencing by the other Autobots, the Quintessons destroyed their own home planet, Quintesson, in an attempt to eliminate them. The Quints then tried to enlist the help of the Decepticons to wipe out the Autobots, only for [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] to arrive and reclaim his troops. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness: Part 2}} They soon struck an alliance with Galvatron and attacked Cybertron, with the end result that they activated an ancient device to deactivate all Transformers. After the device was destroyed by Spike, the Quintessons were forced to retreat. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness: Part 3}}

The Quintessons observed from afar Ultra Magnus and his Autobots celebrated the activation of a new power core. Enraged by the sight, the Quintessons plotted to get revenge on both Autobots and Decepticons. They then approached Galvatron and gave the Decepticon leader false coordinates to a power core. The Quintessons had in truth led Galvatron to the location of their old creations, the Dweller and the Trans-Organics. After the ensuing battle that took place between the Autobots, the Decepticons and the Quintessons' ancient creations, a faint Quintesson cry for help was broadcast from deep underground... {{storylink|Dweller in the Depths (Legends)|Dweller in the Depths}}
{{--}}

===Transformers: Forged to Fight===
[[File:Quintessons-Forged-to-Fight.jpg|thumb|450px|Like a color-changing lamp!]]
{{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight}}
{{charstubgames}}

==Toys==
===''Energon''===
*'''[[Alpha Quintesson]]''' (Mega, [[2005]])
**''Accessories:'' Missile launcher, missile, base, three tentacles
[[File:Alpha Quintesson toy.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|I do hope you'll bring these gadgets back in one piece, 007.]]

:One of the last toys in the [[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|''Energon'' line]], Alpha Quintesson is fairly unique in that he is one of the only toys in the history of the main ''Transformers'' line that does not transform in any manner or even come with any kind of transforming accessory (like the [[Action Master]]s).

:Alpha Quintesson requires quite a bit of assembly out of the box, coming in six separate pieces: his main body, a solid "bed of tentacles" that serves as a wheeled base that the body plugs into, a firing missile launcher which plugs into his back (via a standard 5mm peg that also allows other characters to wield it) and points up over his head, and three rubber, wire-poseable tentacles which attach to the base. The tentacles end in a large yellow clamp, a red chainsaw, and a purple energy arc, and spin around via a gear-wheel system when the base is rolled back and forth. The figure features nine circular ports (three on each arm and three on the base), to which either [[Energon star|energon chip]]s or any weapons featuring 5mm pegs can be attached.

:The main body is notably very [[Show-accuracy|accurate]] to the CGI model from the animated series, save for its coloration and the addition of the missile launcher. As a toy that was entirely dull green from top to bottom would not have been a very interesting sight, the figure features several shades of green with yellow highlights, plus a red paint wash on its "underbelly" and arms. The main body contains its own gimmick, involving Alpha Q's spinning faces as seen in the cartoon. Opening the armor's jaws reveals Alpha Q's head, recessed within the body (though unable to move forward into a more prominent position as seen in the show), and pressing the trigger on the back of the body, disguised as one of the spinal fins, causes the head to spin from face to face. The toy only features the character's first three faces (Angry, Whiny and Crazy); the purple, calm face is not featured.

:As an allegiance was needed to brand the figure with for marketing purposes, Alpha Quintesson's toy is sold as a Decepticon, despite that faction not really being where his loyalties lie. There were also many reports of the toy coming misassembled, missing the hard point where the figure connected to the base, making it nigh impossible for the toy to stand up on its own.
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2005/Decepticon/AlphaQuintesson/alphaquintesson.htm More information on Alpha Quintesson at TFU.info]''

===''Cyberverse''===
*'''Quintesson Invasion''' (Multi-pack, [[2019]])
[[File:CyberverseQuintessonToy.jpeg|thumb|200px|The Big Surprise of 2019]]

:The Quintesson Judge included in this set is a new roughly deluxe-sized mold, with five different faces that rotate when the top of the body is pushed down and released. The molded tentacle base/body has 4 ball-jointed tentacles that can pose freely.

:Also included in the set are the Spark Armor [[Prowl (Cyberverse)|Prowl]] and [[Shockwave (Cyberverse)#Battle Class|Shockwave]], now ''sans'' the spark armor and with new mind control helmet accessories. Additionally, the mind control helmets can plug into any Battle Class spark armor figure. Ironically, Shockwave and Prowl died before encountering the Quintessons in the actual cartoon.

:The set was [[exclusive]] to [[Target]] in the United States and [[Toys"R"Us]] in Canada, and appeared at retail in December 2019 with no prior announcement by [[Hasbro]].
{{-}}

===''Generations''===
====''War for Cybertron: Earthrise''====
[[File:TF-WFC-E-Voyager-Quintesson-Judge.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|"It is a day so long in coming that I am uncertain how to celebrate it."]]
*'''Quintesson Judge''' (Voyager Class, [[2020]])
**''ID number'': '''WFC-E22'''
**''Japanese ID number'': '''ER EX-08'''
**''Japanese release date'': '''[[August 29]], 2020'''
**''Accessories:'' Blaster, cage, seat, blast effect
:The first [[show-accuracy|G1-accurate]] Quintesson toy, released at the Voyager [[Size class|pricepoint]] as part of the ''[[War for Cybertron: Earthrise|Earthrise]]'' toyline. The Quintesson Judge converts into a modular battle station and prison in 16 steps. The prison cell is large enough to fit a Battlemaster, and the five faces have articulated mouths and a rotating gimmick. The included blaster resembles the welding / repair gun that a Quintesson Judge used in "[[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2]]". The order of the faces matches Transformers: The Movie, which means it does not match the order in the cartoon show or the comics, which had Rage and Doubt surrounding Death, rather than Bitterness and Laughter. 

:Two faces (Rage and Doubt) come detached in the package, requiring owners to plug them into their respective sides; strangely, there have been multiple reports from owners that Rage was far more difficult to plug in.  Promotional photos depicted a yellow levitation beam but production pieces were clear. 

:He was originally supposed to be released in the second wave, but was changed to the third wave, with Starscream replacing him. In Japan, the Quintesson Judge was released as a [[TakaraTomy Mall]] exclusive.
{{-}}

====''War for Cybertron Trilogy''====
[[File:QuintPitOfJudgment.jpeg|upright=1.66|thumb|They've got this case all wrapped up.]]
*'''Quintesson Pit of Judgment''' (Multi-pack, 2020)
**''Accessories:'' Judge's blaster, cage, seat, blast effect; Bailiff's staff; Sharkticon's tail/mace
:This [[giftset]] represents the "trial" of [[Kranix (G1)|Kranix]] during ''The Transformers: The Movie''. The set includes a Quintesson Judge (a brighter [[redeco]] of the ''Earthrise'' toy above); a Bailiff (a [[retool]] of the ''Earthrise'' [[Allicon#Toys|Allicon]] with a new head, chest, shoulders, and axe); a non-transforming Prosecutor; a Sharkticon (a redeco of ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' [[Sharkticon (species)#Generations|Sharkticon]]); and a non-transforming Kranix. The interior packaging forms the Sharkticon execution pit.

:This piece was [[exclusive]] to [[Hasbro Pulse]] in the United States. It was announced to the public before the "standard" versions of the Judge and Allicon were released, and was available first for people who attended the Hasbro Fans Expo in [[Hong Kong]] and preordered the set.
{{-}}

==Notes==
[[File:FloroDery originalquintesson.jpg|thumb|Touch the Rainbow, Taste the Rainbow!]]
*The Quintessons were named after a local restaurant.<ref>Flint Dille interview at TFcon 2016</ref>
*An early design for the Quintessons, described in an April 1985 draft of ''The Transformers: The Movie'', gave them spindly bipedal bodies with large heads. Per this draft, the Autobots would have been shocked to discover that, in reality, they were ''all head''; when Hot Rod grabbed one, its head would disconnect from its body, fly off, and link up to another body in waiting. Somewhere along the way, the body idea got dropped, but not before designer [[Floro Dery]] produced a design seemingly based on this early idea, seen at right, revealed through his [https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/FDartstudio?ref=l2-shopheader-name Etsy store] in October 2014. The idea did not disappear completely, however; the mini-series "[[Five Faces of Darkness]]" was produced before the movie's script was finalized, and contains a few references to ideas from this early draft, including a scene in which one of [[Deliberata]]'s faces detaches—seemingly derived from the idea of a removable head.
*When asked about the finalized Quintesson design in an interview, Dery stated they were based on a cylindrical toy he designed at some point.<ref>[http://transformersph.blogspot.com/2007/06/interview-with-floro-dery.html TransFormers Philippines: Interview With Floro Dery]</ref>
*In their first appearance in ''The Transformers: The Movie'', the two speaking Quintessons are voiced by [[Regis Cordic]] (who plays the judge) and [[Roger C. Carmel]] (the prosecutor). These two actors then became the primary recurring voices of the Quintessons in the third season of the cartoon, usually playing judges, with [[Jack Angel]] normally serving as a third in episodes where more than two speaking roles were required. In [[AKOM]]-animated episodes, Cordic's Quintesson (usually designated "Quintesson #1" in scripts) would commonly speak from the Face of Doubt, while Carmel's ("Quintesson #2") used the Face of Laughter; Angel's intermittently-appearing third Quintesson would most often use the Face of Death, but animation errors, and Quintesson face-rotating meant that these were not ''absolute'' rules. In [[Toei Animation|Toei]] episodes, judges usually spoke from the Face of Death regardless of actor, and prosecutors got more screen time, with Cordic, as the "lead" Quintesson actor, voicing most of them. Numerous guest actors also played assorted "guest" Quintesson roles in various episodes. 
*Since [[The Transformers: The Movie|the movie]] never explains what the characters are being charged with, and offers no logical progression to a verdict, it's usually interpreted that Quintesson justice simply operates on reverse terminology for the sake of humor—that the Quintessons ''say'' "innocent", but dohohoho, they're aliens, and to them, that ''means'' "guilty", so the accused is sentenced to death. This was certainly the assumption [[Simon Furman]] was working off of when he first used the Quintessons in the UK-only framing sequence of "[[The Big Broadcast of 2006 (issue)|The Big Broadcast of 2006]]" and had a Quintesson find [[Mister Regan|an interrogator]] to be "innocent" of things which he is unambiguously guilty of. The 2014 novel ''[[Transformers: Retribution|Retribution]]'' also followed this path, with the note that "innocent" must "mean something different" to the aliens, as the characters on trial are indeed entirely guilty of what they are being accused of. What is consistently overlooked, however, is the one instance in all Transformers canon of the Quintessons actually finding someone guilty, which happens to Kup and Ultra Magnus in "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2]]". And they ''are'' guilty of the charges put before them: being Autobots, the race who stole Cybertron from the Quintessons. While it may have started out that way at some point in the script process of the movie, the cartoon universe made clear very early on that Quintesson justice isn't supposed to operate on reverse terminology for humor's sake; the aliens know the difference between the two terms, and the trials are just trivial, for their own amusement, before they kill you anyway.
*In a Q&A, [[Simon Furman]] said he considered making the [[Epistemus|Magnificence]] a Quintesson artifact but changed his mind.<ref>[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?t=5032 SIMON FURMAN - Q&A Nov/Dec 2008 at IDW Publishing Forums]</ref>
*The ''Animated'' Quintessons are just off-screen mentions, but as their empire's name is near-identical to [[Japan|Imperial Japan]]'s {{w|Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere}}, we can assume they're ''very nasty''.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Quintessa-seijin''' (クインテッサ星人, "Planet Quintessa People"), '''Quintesson''' (クインテッサン ''Kuintessan'')
*''Italian:'' '''Quintessenziali''' ("Quintessentials")
*''Mandarin:'' '''Wǔ Miàn Guài''' (五面怪, "Five-faced Monster")

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Alien species]]
[[Category:Cyberverse species]]
[[Category:Generation 1 aliens]]
[[Category:Generation 1 factions]]
[[Category:Generation 1 species]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon species]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) species]]
[[Category:Kiss Players]]
[[Category:Marvel Generation 1 species]]
[[Category:Quintessons| ]]
[[Category:Shattered Glass species]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron species]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron: Earthrise subgroups]]
[[Category:Wings Universe species]]