A '''franchise''', for lack of a better term, is an incarnation or "generation" of the [[Transformers brand]]. The word is used here to refer to the collection of not just [[toy]]s, but also media, merchandise, and ideas that surround each of these incarnations. Because of these other elements, the word "toyline" would not be broad enough; the toyline is just the toy component of the whole thing.
{{note|"Flagship" lines—generally those containing the bulk of new-mold toys and supported by an animated cartoon and other marketing—are listed in '''bold'''. Many of the minor "franchises" are little more than toylines, either with little or no fiction, or else new iterations of previous franchises, primarily ''Generation 1''.}}
==Hasbro franchises==
==Conceptual history==
===Generation 1===
[[File:BattleForCybertron-TheArk.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Early ''Transformers'' stories established that Transformers needed to be physically rebuilt by an external force to change their alternate modes.]]
{{main|Generation 1 continuity family}}
: The original franchise, and the one from which most other incarnations of the brand are ultimately derived, the "Generation 1" umbrella covers a vast array of disparate stories and toylines, beginning in 1984 and largely continuing into the present day in one form or another. By far the most "recognizable" incarnation of the brand, it's also the one with the most amount of franchises, fiction, and characters.
The earliest ''Transformers'' stories, including the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon]], [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|comic]], and various ancillary storybooks, depicted [[transformation]] not as an innate ability of the species; rather, it was portrayed as a sort of "upgrade" that allowed a Cybertronian to transform. As a result, the process of "scanning" as it is understood today did not exist ''per se'' in these early stories; rather, Transformers who wished to adopt a new shape would have to be manually rebuilt, generally involving a variety of shipboard facilities to do so. In some tales, such as "[[Battle for Cybertron]]," Cybertronians did not transform ''at all'' until their rebuilding at the hands of the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s repair protocols after crash-landing on [[Earth]], an unexpected side-effect.
It was the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' cartoon, however, that first detailed a specific mechanism by which a Transformer could change their alternate mode: shipboard [[DNA scanner]]s allowed the various [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon]]s to adopt the forms of native organisms while marooned on prehistoric [[Earth]], using an external [[CR chamber]] to finalize the procedure. The sequel series, ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'', would lay the groundwork for the finalization of this concept through the character of [[Nightscream]], revealed in the episode "[[Survivor]]" to have directly integrated all of the necessary hardware directly into his chassis—the in-universe explanation being that this was a product of the "[[Quantum Cycle Upgrade]]" that occurred while [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] and company were away from Cybertron. With this, Nightscream could directly scan any compatible lifeform and instantaneously make the necessary alterations to his body, though this ability was never displayed on-screen as a result of him becoming a [[technorganic]] shortly thereafter. Japanese-original Beast Era fiction would follow through on this idea, unanimously depicting their casts of characters as able to pick up new altmodes "on the fly."
;''The Transformers'' (1984~1991, 2001~present)
The next series, ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)|Robots in Disguise]]'', would take the concept to its logical conclusion by unanimously depicting ''all'' Transformers as having this built-in ability. It is in this form that the concept of "scanning" has more-or-less persevered into the present day, and would be most famously depicted in the [[live-action film series]] as the means by which both Autobots and Decepticons assumed their terrestrial alternate modes after landing on Earth.
[[File:TheTransformers_Logo.jpg|right|300px]]
{{main|The Transformers (franchise)}}
: For the first eight years of the ''Transformers'' brand, there was no "franchise" as such; the brand of "'''[[The Transformers (franchise)|The Transformers]]'''" alone was used on the toyline and associated media. Following the rise of "Generation 2" in the early 1990s, and subsequent reboots in the early 2000s, the line was retroactively dubbed "'''''Generation 1'''''." As the root of the ''Transformers'' franchise, new Generation 1 stories and toys continue to be produced to this day.
*[[The Transformers (cartoon)|Cartoon]] and [[The Transformers: The Movie|animated film]]
*[[List of Generation 1 comics|Comics]]
*''[[Classics (Europe)|Classics]]''
*''[[The Transformers: Generation One Commemorative Series|Commemorative Series]]''
}}
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{{-}}
;''Transformers: Generation 2'' (1993~1995)
[[File:G2Logo.jpg|right|300px]]
{{main|Transformers: Generation 2 (franchise)}}
: In the early 1990s, the ''Transformers'' brand had largely faded from the American consciousness and was nearing dormancy. Based on the line's overseas success, however, Hasbro launched '''''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (franchise)|Transformers: Generation 2]]''''', a relaunch of the toyline that mixed Generation 1 [[redeco]]es with some brand-new molds. In support of this new franchise, Marvel published a short-lived continuation of their ''Generation 1'' comics that pitted the Autobots and Decepticons against the evil [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]], and while no new television show was produced, ''Generation 2'' would re-edit and rebroadcast a version of the original cartoon.
: Though ''Generation 2'' largely failed to achieve its goals, the line is fondly remembered by fans; a child of the "xtreme" marketing of the early 1990s, ''Generation 2'' will forever be remembered for its usage of endearingly terrible rap music and CG in its commercials, while the clashing, eye-searing color schemes of many ''Generation 2'' toys have received occasional homages.
==Fiction==
===Generation 1 continuity family===
====Marvel Comics continuity====
[[File:Toaster ark.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]
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Autonomous systems aboard the Autobot starship ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' gathered data on native lifeforms using autonomous probes, and its shipboard facilities could manually disassemble and rebuilt Cybertronians into a new configuration to disguise themselves. It first did this four million years ago, shortly after its crash on prehistoric [[Earth]]; detecting [[Shockwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Shockwave]] in the [[Savage Land]], the ''Ark'' obtained information on the region's ancient creatures and reconstructed [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] and four other warriors into [[Dinosaur (dinosaur)|dinosaur]]s. {{storylink|The Last Stand}}
During the [[1984]] eruption of [[Mount St. Hilary]], the reactivated ''Ark'' mistook human machines for the dominant life-form, and rebuilt all of the [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s aboard the ship into suitable Earth forms. {{storylink|The Transformers (issue)|The Transformers}} Through a similar process, [[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]]'s Cybertron-bound Decepticons rebuilt [[Spanner (G1)|Spanner]] into a [[space bridge]]. {{storylink|The Bridge to Nowhere!}} Future arrivals on Earth would adopt suitable altmodes through manual rebuilds. Some Transformers bypassed the process by encoding their minds onto [[crystalline containment vessel]]s; once [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] decided they needed reinforcements, the ''Ark'' simply constructed a suitable Earth body for the Transformers in question, at which point the Autobots uploaded the mental engrams of their comrades into these new forms. {{storylink|Rock and Roll-Out!}}
;''Beast Wars: Transformers'' (1996~2001, 2006)
[[File:BWlogo.jpg|right|300px]]
{{main|Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)}}
: Following the end of ''Generation 2'', Hasbro opted to move its boy's toys division to the recently acquired [[Kenner]] and tasked them with revitalizing the ailing ''Transformers'' brand with a fresh new direction. '''''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars: Transformers]]''''' was the end result of this creative process, a new line that recast the heroic [[Maximal]]s and evil [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s in the roles of the Autobots and Decepticons: organic animals that changed into sleek, ''{{w|Bio Booster Armor Guyver|Guyver}}''-styled robots. The toyline was primarily supported by a [[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|CGI animated series]], which would flesh out the universe and eventually establish the characters as the descendants of the Autobots and Decepticons of yore. Though a radical, and sometimes [[Trukk not munky|controversial]] reinvention, ''Beast Wars'' would also reinvigorate the ''Transformers'' brand, and many fans would come to regard the tie-in cartoon as one of the best ''Transformers'' shows of all time.
: A small, strange franchise that briefly ran alongside the more popular ''Beast Wars'', '''''[[Machine Wars: Transformers]]''''' took advantage of the success off ''Beast Wars'' to return a handful of redecorated ''Generation 2'' toys to store shelves, featuring a mixture of new characters and returning faces. No concurrent fiction was ever released to explain their place in the ''Transformers'' mythos other than some vague on-package bios; years later, however, [[BotCon 2013]] would incorporate the characters into a convention-exclusive toyline, supported by a [[Termination|single comic]] that slotted the characters into the distant future of [[Fun Publications]]' "[[Wings Universe]]."
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* [[Machine Wars: Transformers|Toyline]]
* [[Termination|Comic]]
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;''Beast Machines: Transformers'' (2000~2001)
[[File:BeastMachines Logo.jpg|right|300px]]
{{main|Beast Machines: Transformers (franchise)}}
: '''''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Machines: Transformers]]''''' continued the story of ''Beast Wars'', returning the action to the Transformer homeworld of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. The franchise pitted the [[technorganic]] Maximals against the new [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon]] faction, who transformed into science-fiction vehicles, in a battle between the forces of nature and technology. ''Beast Machines'' was supported by an animated series, a direct sequel to ''Beast Wars''. However, the cartoon's dark, high-concept approach to its story divided fans, and combined with the odd, "alien" aesthetic of the toys, it's safe to say that ''Beast Machines'' proved a mixed bag amongst fans.
: Ultimately, Hasbro would wind up cancelling the next [[Transtech|sequel franchise]] entirely in anticipation of a total rework of the ''Transformers'' brand to bring things back on track, importing ''Robots in Disguise'' to buy time while they developed the [[Unicron Trilogy]]. Despite this, later fiction, most notably the ''Universe'' franchise, would occasionally revisit the post-''Beast Machines'' universe to tell stories.
: '''''[[Transformers: Alternators]]''''' combined licensed, 1/24th-scale replica vehicles with complex transformations with ''Generation 1'' characters, marking the return of many Generation 1 characters to mass-market release for the first time in decades. Though only a modest success in the West, the toys would see a great deal more success in Japan, where it was marketed as ''Binaltech.'' ''Binaltech'' toys were packaged with bios and short stories that fleshed out the line's place in continuity, and spawned a sequel series, ''[[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)|Kiss Players]]''.
: The American franchise, by contrast, received little to no accompanying fiction, outside of a brief summary of the original setting of the Japanese ''Binaltech'' story revealed through a promotional Mazda website, and a single toy bio that was never officially released.{{-}}
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*[[Transformers: Alternators|Toyline]]
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;''Transformers: Classics'' (2006~2007)
[[File:TF Classics.png|right|300px]]
{{main|Transformers: Classics (franchise)}}
: When the first live-action movie was pushed back from 2006 into the summer of 2007, Hasbro rolled out the short-lived '''''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]''''' line to bridge the gap between the end of the [[Unicron Trilogy]] and the start of the first movie franchise. ''Classics'' built on the nostalgic approach of ''Alternators,'' using modern toy-engineering technology to create new toys of various Generation 1 characters while throwing in a handful of [[Mini-Con]]s intended for the tail end of the ''Cybertron'' toyline. Its success prompted Hasbro to continue it as the "Classic Series" under the 2008 ''Universe'' line.
: Though no comics or cartoons were intended to accompany its release, [[Fun Publications]] would take the initiative by establishing the "''Classics''-verse" as one of several potential future timelines of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel Comic]]s universe, and eventually taking part in a crossover with FunPub's own ''[[Transformers: Shattered Glass|Shattered Glass]]'' franchise.
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*[[Transformers: Classics#Toys|Toyline]]
*[[Transformers: Classics#Fiction|Comics]]
}}
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;''Titanium Series'' (2006~2009)
[[File:TitaniumSeries Logo.jpg|right|300px]]
{{main|Titanium Series}}
: The '''''[[Titanium Series]]''''' was aimed specifically at adult fans, with a range of characters from older franchises and more obscure corners of the fiction, and die-cast metal designs. As the characters are all based on previous franchises, fiction consisted solely of on-package bios. The line effectively ended in 2007, with a few delayed releases coming out as [[exclusive]]s as late as 2009. Later releases were [[co-branding|co-branded]] as part of the ''Movie'' line, ''Universe'' or ''Revenge of the Fallen''.{{-}}
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* [[Titanium Series|Toyline]]
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;''Universe'' (2008~2010)
[[File:Universe2008Logo.jpg|right|300x120px]]
{{main|Transformers: Universe (2008 franchise)}}
* 2008–2009: Running alongside the ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Crossovers|Crossovers]]'' toylines, '''''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 franchise)|Transformers: Universe]]''''' was a spiritual successor to ''Classics'', moving beyond the G1 umbrella to incorporate remakes of ''Beast Wars'' and ''Beast Machines'' characters. The series received little in the way of fiction beyond a duology of online Flash-animated shorts with dubious production values.
[[File:MTMtE Part1 Prime repair.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"Wake up, Prime! Don't make me use this to wake you up."]]
{{-}}
Transformers possess "[[idento-computer]]s," which help Cybertronians adapt to unfamiliar conditions; in the case of the ravenous [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticon]]s, who crash-landed in [[Bali]] four million years ago, their idento-computers somehow modified their bodies so that they transformed into mechanical insects and gave them the power to metabolize organic matter. {{storylink|A Plague of Insecticons}}
;''Generations'' (2010~present)
:[[File:TF-Generations-logo.jpg|right|300px]]
{{main|Transformers: Generations}}
: '''''[[Transformers: Generations]]''''' began as a continuation of 2008's ''Universe'' line, a "catch all" for products that didn't fit under the then-current ''Prime'' or 2010 ''[[Transformers (2010 toyline)|Transformers]]'' toylines. From there, ''Generations'' evolved into a continuous celebration of the ''Transformers'' franchise, focusing largely on remakes of older characters from across the brand. As other ''Transformers'' toylines since 2014 have focused on simplification and accessibility for children, ''Generations'' has become the ''de facto'' banner for most of Hasbro's more complicated and collector-oriented ''Transformers'' toys, including the toys that constitute the "[[Prime Wars Trilogy]]" and even non-''Generation 1'' sublines such as 2018's ''[[Studio Series]]''.
: Some Japanese toys, most notably the ''[[The Transformers: Masterpiece|Masterpiece]]'' figures, are released in the West under the ''Generations'' banner.
The other Transformers aboard the ''Ark'' went into [[stasis lock]] after their starship crash-landed on Earth; in 1984, volcanic activity stirred the half-buried Ark and awoke [[Teletraan I]]. Teletraan I sent out a [[Sky Spy]] satellite to reconnoiter the new world and scanned terrestrial machinery in order to repair the Transformers, blasting them with an energy beam that not only repaired and re-energized the fallen Cybertronians, but also reformatted them into new alternate modes. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1}}
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* [[Transformers: Generations|Toyline]]
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;''Combiner Wars'' (2015~2016)
:[[File:Combiner Wars logo.png|right|300px]]
{{main|Combiner Wars (franchise)}}
: The first installment in Hasbro's "[[Prime Wars Trilogy]]," a subline imprint of "Generations," '''''[[Combiner Wars (franchise)|Combiner Wars]]''''' hit store shelves in early 2015, featuring a variety of combiner characters and their components. To advertise the toyline, IDW Publishing would launch the ''Combiner Wars'' event that year in their [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|ongoing comics continuity]], bringing several ''Combiner Wars'' characters to the fore in a storyline involving the planet [[Caminus]] and the [[Council of Worlds]]. This comic, in turn, was ''very'' loosely adapted into an animated miniseries produced by [[Machinima]]; however, a variety of factors meant that the series debuted more than a year later—after ''Combiner Wars'' had largely ended in favor of ''Titans Return''— and the inept writing and production of the show was largely met with derision.
: '''''[[Titans Return (franchise)|Titans Return]]''''', the second installment of the Prime Wars Trilogy featured the return of the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] [[gimmick]] from the original ''Transformers'' toyline, represented by tiny [[Titan Master]] figures who could form the head of any compatible ''Titans Return'' toy. The toyline also saw the release of ''Generations'' [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/toys|Fortress Maximus]], currently the largest Transformer toy of all time. On the media side of things, IDW once again published a tie-in that wove through all three of its ongoing titles; this arc was more modest than ''Combiner Wars'', however, only featuring the Titan Masters [[Sovereign]] and [[Infinitus]] as antagonists. As the line wrapped up in late 2017, Machinima released a its own animated tie-in, a direct sequel to ''Combiner Wars''.
[[File:BeastWarsPart1-DNAscanner.gif|thumb|right|250px|The ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[DNA scanner]] gathers information on Earth wildlife for the benefit of its crew.]]
;''Power of the Primes'' (2018)
Three hundred years after the conclusion of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], the descendants of the Autobots and Decepticons were known to use '''[[DNA scanner]]s''' while on other worlds to blend in with the native lifeforms. These devices analyzed and copied the genetic material of native wildlife, and the Transformer in question could then use a [[CR chamber]] to adopt a potential [[beast mode]] based on the indigenous fauna. {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 1)}} DNA scanners could also extract a sufficient amount of genetic data from inorganic remains, such as fossils. {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 1)}} {{storylink|Survivor}} {{storylink|In Darkest Knight}}
:[[File:Power of the Primes logo.png|right|300px]]
{{main|Power of the Primes (franchise)}}
: '''''[[Power of the Primes (franchise)|Power of the Primes ]]''''' tied a bow on the Prime Wars trilogy, featuring the [[Thirteen]] original Primes and a mish-mash of gimmicks. Combining the play features of ''Combiner Wars'' and ''Titans Return,'' ''Power of the Primes'' introduced some new [[combiner]] teams and the [[Prime Masters]], who could combine with the "Prime Armor" included with each figures. Machinima returned once more to round off their animated trilogy, introducing ''Power of the Primes'' poll winner [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] into the series. Though IDW Publishing did not publish a direct tie-in to the line, the ''[[Optimus Prime (comic)|Optimus Prime]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Unicron|Unicron]]'' comics would—by coincidence or design—explore the secret history of the Thirteen and their legacy as the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity]] reached its finale.
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The scanning process was known to play an integral part in the creation and activation of new Transformers; the [[stasis pod]]s that housed newborn [[protoform]]s during offworld expeditions were equipped with a built-in DNA scanner. Once a pod had touched down on a planet, the scanner would immediately attempt to locate a nearby animal and copy its characteristics onto its protoform occupant to bring the Transformer to life. {{storylink|The Spark}} {{storylink|Spider's Game}}
|title=Titans Return
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* [[Power of the Primes (toyline)|Toyline]]
*[[Transformers: Power of the Primes (cartoon)|Cartoon]]
}}
===Go-Bots===
: Not to be confused with [[GoBots|the similarly-named transforming robot franchise of the 1980s]], ''1-2-3'' Transformers and ''Go-Bots'' represented the Transformers franchise's early forays into the preschool market, featuring a variety of large, simple toys aimed at younger children. Though not directly connected, some later stories would [[retcon]] the two similar franchises into a single shared [[continuity family]], so for simplicity's sake we've opted to arrange them together here.
====''Beast Machines'' cartoon====
[[File:HomeSoil-DNAScanner.gif|thumb|left|200px|Upgraded DNA scanners allowed Maximals to quickly adopt new shapes on the fly and rendered [[stasis pods]] obsolete.]]
During the [[Quantum Cycle Upgrade]], which took place while [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] and his crew were off-planet fighting the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]] on prehistoric [[Earth]], DNA scanners were directly integrated into the bodies of all Maximals, allowing Cybertronians to adopt new beast modes without the need for stasis pods or CR chambers. {{storylink|Survivor}} [[Botanica]] and her crew of explorers used these new DNA scanners to blend in with the lifeforms on [[Regalis V|a distant world of ambulatory plants]]. {{storylink|Home Soil}}
; ''1-2-3 Transformers'' (2001~2002)
Shortly after [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] and his [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon]]s invaded Cybertron, the young Maximal [[Nightscream (BM)|Nightscream]] knocked himself unconscious after fleeing into the depths of Cybertron and falling into a [[fossil chamber]], and his onboard DNA scanner somehow activated and scanned the bones of an extinct bat-like creature. {{storylink|Survivor}} [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] was later able to return [[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]] to his old self, breaking [[Jetstorm (BM)|Jetstorm]]'s [[shell program]] in the process, by forcing the [[Vehicon General]] to scan a fossilized bird while submerging him in liquid from Cybertron's [[organic core]]. {{storylink|In Darkest Knight}} Additionally, the mystical Oracle displayed the ability to instantaneously "reformat" any Cybertronian life-form into a highly evolved "[[technorganic]]" form,a mystical hybrid of the organic and technological; {{storylink|The Reformatting}} through proper discipline, Optimus Primal was able to channel this power as needed, using it to reformat several other Transformers into new technorganic shapes. {{storylink|Forbidden Fruit}} {{storylink|Home Soil}}
{{main|1-2-3 Transformers}}
[[File:123tflogo.jpg|right|300px]]
: ''[[1-2-3 Transformers]]'' was a short-lived line of large, simple toys aimed at younger children. No tie-in fiction exists.
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*[[1-2-3 Transformers]]
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;''Go-Bots'' (2002)
====''Beast Wars II'' cartoon====
{{main|Transformers: Go-Bots (franchise)}}
[[File:BWIITasmaniaKidScanning.gif|thumb|right|250px|[[Tasmania Kid (BW)|Tasmania Kid]]'s internal systems were able to instantaneously scan the DNA of a local creature and make the necessary alterations to his body in a matter of seconds.]]
: 2002–2005: ''[[Transformers: Go-Bots (franchise)|Transformers: Go-Bots]]'', which also went by the names ''[[Playskool]] Big Adventures: Transformers'' and just ''Go-Bots'', followed up on ''1-2-3 Transformers'', featuring more toys aimed at toddlers too young for the main ''Transformers'' brand. The toyline was supported by a short-lived [[Go-Bots (cartoon)|cartoon]], which featured a group of heroes from the city-planet [[Botropolis]] and their adventures on Earth.
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*[[Transformers: Go-Bots (toyline)|Toyline]]
*[[Go-Bots (cartoon)|Cartoon]]
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===''Robots in Disguise'' (2001)===
[[File:RIDlogo.png|right|300px]]
{{main|Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)}}
: '''2001–2002''': Coming off the controversial ''Beast Machines'' franchise, ''Robots in Disguise'' was a stopgap: originally intended to be a Japanese-exclusive anime series, the need to buy time and retain a presence on store shelves while Hasbro and Takara collaborated to create the [[Unicron Trilogy]] led to Hasbro hastily importing and dubbing the ''Car Robots'' anime, giving rise to the odd beast known as ''Robots in Disguise''. A transition of sorts away from the Beast Era and back to an age of vehicular Transformers, ''Robots in Disguise'' incorporated a mixture of new molds and a handful of ''Beast Wars'' toys, featuring heroic, vehicle-mode Autobots and evil, beast-mode Predacons.
: Of all of the "main" ''Transformers'' franchises, ''Robots in Disguise'' is perhaps the most forgotten; following the conclusion of the series and the debut of ''Armada'', ''Robots in Disguise'' recieved a single acknowledgement in the form of a [[Ultra Magnus...to the Rescue?|Dreamwave comic story]] before largely slipping into oblivion.
{{chapters
|title=''Transformers: Robots in Disguise''
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*[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 toyline)|Toyline]]
*[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)|Cartoon]]
:'''2002''': '''''[[Transformers: Expanded Universe]]''''' based its name off the old {{w|Star Wars Expanded Universe}}, while also tying into the concurrent 3H [[Transformers: Universe (comic)#Transformers Universe: Featuring The Wreckers|''Wreckers'' storyline]]. This extremely short-lived toyline ultimately encompassed a mere four figures— one [[CatSCAN|original character]] and three remakes of fan-favorites—all of which saw exclusive release at [[BotCon 2002]].
{{chapters
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|style=2
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* [[Transformers: Expanded Universe|Toyline]]
}}
Thousands of years in the future, all Transformers would come to possess a set of optical DNA scanners and bodies that coiuld instantly adapt to new alternate modes, be they organic creatures or more conventional machinery. During the Maximal-Predacon conflict on the post-apocalyptic planet [[Gaia]], [[Tasmania Kid (BW)|Tasmania Kid]] accidentally scanned a Tasmanian devil shortly after landing, {{storylink|The New Forces Arrive!}} while the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s were able to obtain suitable vehicular modes by accessing [[Mother Computer|an ancient computer]] and downloading information on the dead civilization's machines. {{storylink|White Lion, Run!}}
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[[File:Universelogo.jpg|right|300px]]
====2005 IDW continuity====
{{main|Transformers: Universe (2003 franchise)}}
* '''2003–2008''': Building off the concept of ''Expanded Universe'', 2003's '''''[[Transformers: Universe (2003 franchise)|Transformers: Universe]]''''' was conceived as a line made up entirely of [[redeco]]es of older toys, some of them returning faces while other redecoes represented entirely new characters. This cross-continuity hodgepodge of ''Beast Wars'', ''Armada'', ''Robots in Disguise'', and even some Generation 1 toys was explained by the toy's packaging blurb, which described [[Unicron]] as having abducted these heroes and villains from across the [[multiverse]] to aid in his restoration. ''Universe'' supplemented the wildly successful ''Armada'' toyline, with a series of convention-based comics exploring the multidimensional conflict and its ramifications. ''Universe'' largely ended in 2005, but toys in the line reportedly continued to trickle into discount stores as late as 2008.
====''Hearts of Steel''====
{{chapters
====''Universe'' (2008) promotional video====
|title=''Transformers: Universe''
Shortly after he awoke on Earth, Optimus Prime used his built-in optical beams to scan a passing truck. {{storylink|Action Blast 1|Action Blast 1 Part 1}}
While developing the [[Beast mode|Beast Upgrade]], [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] devised a modified scanner for use on Cybertron's native [[mechanimal]]s. The experimental process led to many horrific failures until the Predacon criminal secured [[Leatherhide]]'s knowledge; testing the scanning procedure on a newborn [[protoform]] led to [[Inferno (BW)|Formikon]]'s creation, the first successful mechanimal Transformer. {{storylink|Not All Megatrons}} Once Megatron had perfected the technology, his mass-produced [[Beast Pod]]s came with pre-existing options for beast modes and did not require external scanners. {{storylink|Cultural Appropriation}}
{{-}}
====''Star Trek vs. Transformers''====
===The Unicron Trilogy (2002~2006)===
====2019 IDW continuity====
{{main|Unicron Trilogy}}
In this continuity, Transformers are not born with a natural alternate mode; rather, they are given the opportunity to choose a suitable vehicle form at some point after their forging. This choice may indeed tie into their future vocation, {{storylink|The World In Your Eyes Part Three}} though it is possible for a Transformer to change alternate modes multiple times over the course of their long lifespans. {{storylink|The World In Your Eyes Part One}}
: The end result of extensive collaboration between Hasbro and Takara, the "[[Unicron Trilogy]]"—so named for the role that [[Unicron]] plays in each installment—dominated the ''Transformers'' franchise for most of the mid-2000s, its success due in no small part to the turn-of-the-millennium anime boom.
: As was common for the era, the Unicron Trilogy was unafraid to mix and match character designs and personalities from "Generation 1" lore and beyond; while [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]], [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]], and [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] were more-or-less faithful reimaginings of their Generation 1 counterparts, other characters, like ''Armada'' [[Wheeljack (Armada)|Wheeljack]], had little to do with their Generation 1 namesakes.
====''Transformers/Ghostbusters''====
===2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon===
;''Transformers: Armada'' (2002~2003)
===Unicron Trilogy===
[[File:Armadalogo.jpg|right|300px]]
{{main|Transformers: Armada (franchise)}}
: The first true coproduction between Hasbro and Takara, '''''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Transformers: Armada]]''''' marked a new beginning for the toys and fiction, heralded by the addition of the [[Mini-Con]] faction. This toyline was supported by a variety of ancillary media, including comics, storybooks, and a tie-in cartoon series, all of which established a brand new ''Transformers'' universe and the first true "reboot" of the franchise.
{{-}}{{chapters
|title=''Transformers: Armada''
|style=2
|content=
*[[Transformers: Armada (toyline)|Toyline]]
*[[Transformers: Armada (cartoon)|Cartoon]]
*[[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|Dreamwave comic]]
*[[Transformers (PS2)|Video game]]
*[[Built to Rule]]
}}
{{-}}
;''Transformers: Energon'' (2003~2005)
[[File:Energonlogo.jpg|right|300px]]
{{main|Transformers: Energon (franchise)}}
: '''''[[Transformers: Energon (franchise)|Transformers: Energon]]''''' was a direct sequel to ''Armada'', picking up where the first franchise left off and continuing its story. Released in 2004, the 20th anniversary of the ''Transformers'' franchise, ''Energon'' featured several homages to fan-favorite Generation 1 characters, and featured the return of concepts such as [[combiner]] teams. As with other franchises, ''Energon'' was supported by several pieces of ancillary media; however, the abrupt collapse of [[Dreamwave Productions]] during this time meant that the comic was cancelled, and the infamously poor quality of the ''Energon'' anime soured many fans on the line as a whole.
{{-}}{{chapters
|style=2
|title=''Transformers: Energon''
|content=
*[[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|Toyline]]
*[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Cartoon]]
*[[Transformers: Energon (comic)|Comic book]]
}}
{{-}}
;''Transformers: Cybertron'' (2005~2006)
[[File:Cybertron-Logo.jpg|right|300px]]
{{main|Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)}}
: '''''[[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)|Transformers: Cybertron]]''''' completed the arc begun by ''Armada'', taking the Unicron Trilogy beyond Earth and Cybertron and introducing four all-new [[Cybertronian colonies|colony planets]]. Generally considered a return to form after ''Energon'', toys were notable for featuring a franchise-wide "[[Cyber Key]]" gimmick that could unlock additional play features. Unlike its predecessors, ''Cybertron'' did not feature any kind of comic-tie in, due in part to the ''Transformers'' license having been then-recently acquired by [[IDW Publishing]].
{{-}}{{chapters
|title=''Transformers: Cybertron''
|style=2
|content=
*[[Transformers: Cybertron (toyline)|Toyline]]
*[[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|Cartoon]]
}}
===Live-action film series===
===Live-action film series===
{{main|Live-action film series}}
[[File:Bumblebeescanningcamaro.gif|thumb|right|250px|Cybertronians in this continuity family display a unified ability to switch alternate modes almost instantaneously.]]
:Debuting in 2007, [[Michael Bay]]'s first live-action ''Transformers'' film was a watershed moment in the history of the brand, almost singlehandedly responsible for revitalizing the flagging franchise, turning the ''Transformers'' brand into one of [[Hasbro]]'s most profitable lines while ensuring that the Transformers would remain a household name. Though subsequent sequels were largely panned by critics for a variety of reasons, the series remained financially viable for almost a decade until the disappointing box office results from ''[[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight]]'' caused the ''next'' film, ''[[Bumblebee (film)|Bumblebee]]'', to become a "soft reboot" of sorts.
'''Trans-scanning''' is the mechanical process by which a [[Transformer]]'s built-in sensors choose and examine a new [[alternate mode]], immediately generating a new exostructure around the [[living metal|ultra-dense liquid metal]] that constitutes the base Cybertronian [[protoform]]. After arriving on a new world, a Cybertronian searches for local machinery, then chooses a new form appropriate to its body mass and locale. Depending on the size and mass of their desired alternate mode, Cybertronians may absorb raw minerals from their surroundings to generate an appropriate disguise; in extenuating circumstances, a Cybertronian may have to effectively sacrifice their own weapons to complete the process, breaking them down into base metals. {{storylink|Transformers: The Movie Guide}}
;''Transformers'' (2007~8)
The trans-scanning process replicates every last detail of a Cybertronian's shape, including rust and faded paintwork when imitating old or run-down vehicles. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}} {{storylink|Bumblebee (film)|Bumblebee}} At the same time, however, Cybertronians do have the ability to control, at least in part, the nature of their disguise, and have been known to alter the paint jobs or appearances of their new vehicle modes from the template from which they were scanned. {{storylink|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction}} Every Cybertronian maintains a databank of previously assumed alternate modes, from which they can alter their bodies without having to scan that shape again. {{storylink|Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday}}
[[File:TF2007 Logo.jpg|right|300px]]
{{main|Movie (franchise)}}
:The "'''[[Movie (franchise)|Movie]]'''" franchise marked a turning point for the ''Transformers'' franchise, built around the [[Transformers (film)|''Transformers'']] film and arriving amidst a blitz of tie-in merchandise and promotions, the likes of which have never been seen in the franchise before or since. The success of this franchise paved the way for the five sequels that make up what the wiki calls the "[[live-action film series]]", as well as 2008's ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]]'' franchise, taking advantage of the resurgence of the Transformers in the pop culture consciousness. Indeed, the first movie's toyline proved so popular that it would delay the release of ''Transformers Animated''<nowiki>'</nowiki>'s ''own'' toyline by several months, well after the cartoon had first premiered.
{{-}}{{chapters
|title=''Transformers''
|style=2
|content=
* [[Transformers (film)|Film]]
* [[Movie (toyline)|Toyline]]
* [[Movie (books)|Books]]
* [[Movie (comics)|Comics]]
* [[Movie (video games)|Video games]]
}}
{{-}}
Some Transformers, like [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]], [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]], and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]], have been noted to possess a specific aptitude for changing disguises. Frenzy, for instance, is specifically noted to possess a "hyper-reactive" trans-scanning and reformatting processor, which allows him to transform into anything at any given moment. Given the incredible ease and fluidity in changing forms that Transformers in this[[continuity family]] display, it's not particularly clear what this entails, or how it distinguishes them from other Cybertronians. {{storylink|Transformers: The Movie Guide}}
;''Revenge of the Fallen'' (2009)
[[File:Revenge fallen logo.jpg|right|300px]]
{{main|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (franchise)}}
:'''''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (franchise)|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen]]''''' continued the direction begun by its predecessor, featuring a greater variety of Transformers—both on and off-camera—and an international theme, expanding the war between the Autobots and Decepticons into far-flung countries.
{{-}}{{chapters
|title=''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen''
|style=2
|content=
*[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Film]]
*[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Toyline]]
*[[Revenge of the Fallen (books)|Books]]
*[[Revenge of the Fallen (comics)|Comics]]
*[[Revenge of the Fallen (video games)|Video games]]
{{main|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (franchise)}}
: '''2011''': The third installment of the series, '''''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (franchise)|Transformers: Dark of the Moon]]''''' is built around the third live-action feature film, with the themes of human-Autobot cooperation carrying over into the film's toyline and other ancillary media. ''Dark of the Moon'' would be the last of the five Bay-directed movies to receive tie-in comics, due to Bay's displeasure at the fact that several adaptations of the film spoiled the movie's central plot twist months in advance.
{{-}}{{chapters
|title=''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''
|style=2
|content=
*[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Film]]
*[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (toyline)|Toyline]]
{{main|Transformers: Age of Extinction (franchise)}}
:'''''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (franchise)|Transformers: Age of Extinction]]''''' hit theaters with a smaller amount of merchandise than usual, due to a variety of factors; most notably, concerns over the growing complexity and budget of Hasbro's ''Transformers'' line led to a smaller, less collector-oriented line than prior outings. Due to Bay's new policy over spoilers due to the ''Dark of the Moon'' fiasco, both this film and ''The Last Knight'' received no tie-in comics or book adaptations, outside of a few side stories in [[Titan Magazines]]' ''Transformers'' magazine and a [[How to Ride a Dinobot!|a lone online comic]] by IDW.
{{-}}{{chapters
|title=''Transformers: Age of Extinction''
|style=2
|content=
*[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Film]]
*[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (toyline)|Toyline]]
{{main|Transformers: The Last Knight (franchise)}}
:After a decade of profitability, the fifth and final Michael Bay-directed film in the series, '''''[[Transformers: The Last Knight (franchise)|Transformers: The Last Knight]]''''' debuted with little fanfare, receiving the smallest amount of publicity and tie-in merchandise of any of the five Bay-directed films. This franchise followed up on the format established by its predecessor; like ''Age of Extinciton'', ''The Last Knight'' franchise featured no print adaptations, with its tie-in toyline focusing largely on simpler, kid-friendly toys. The disappointing financial reception to the movie led to the indefinite shelving of [[Transformers 7|its sequel]], while the already-in-production ''Bumblebee'' was hastily reworked into a "soft reboot" for the franchise.
{{-}}{{chapters
|title=''Transformers: The Last Knight''
|style=2
|content=
*[[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|Film]]
*[[Transformers: The Last Knight (toyline)|Toyline]]
}}
{{-}}
;''Bumblebee'' (2018~19)
[[File:Bumblebeelogo.jpg|right|300px]]
{{Main|Bumblebee (franchise)|}}
:'''''[[Bumblebee (franchise)|Bumblebee]]''''' represented a fresh start for the film franchise, helmed by [[Travis Knight|a new director]] and featuring a nostalgic, 1980s-influenced approach that proved popular with critics and audiences alike. ''Bumblebee'' saw the return of ancillary comics and storybooks, including an IDW miniseries that served as an ostensible prequel to the film; last-minute changes to the final cut, however, meant that the two were mutually incompatible. As with the two preceding movies, the ''Bumblebee'' toyline consisted mostly of simpler, kid-friendly toys, with the more complex-collector-oriented figures folded into the ''Generations'' ''[[Studio Series]]'' line. {{-}}
:'''''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]]''''' was the first American-written cartoon franchise in just under a decade, a movie-inspired reinvention that adopted the same design sensibilities as other contemporary [[Cartoon Network]] shows such as ''Ben 10'' and ''Teen Titans''. A radical departure at the time from the "traditional" ''Transformers'' design aesthetic, the cartoon reimagined old characters while also introducing new faces into the ''Transformers'' mythos, and proved popular with fans despite its relatively short run——enough to get ''two'' postmortem guide books to the universe in the form of [[IDW Publishing]]'s extensive ''AllSpark Almanac'' compendiums.
{{-}}{{chapters
|title=''Transformers Animated''
|style=2
|content=
*[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Cartoon]]
*[[Transformers Animated (toyline)|Toyline]]
*[[Transformers Animated (comic)|Comics]]
*[[Transformers Animated (books)|Books]]
}}
===Aligned continuity family===
===Aligned continuity family===
{{Main|Aligned continuity family}}
: The "Aligned" continuity represented Hasbro's first serious attempt to create a series-wide "mythos" for the ''Transformers'' franchise, drawing on three decades' worth of lore in the hopes to create a functioning, cohesive universe for future creators to tell stories in through the "[[Binder of Revelation]]". For a variety of reasons, this plan almost immediately fell through; though the Aligned universe would eventually grow and forge stronger links between its disparate components, the original vision for the universe remains almost entirely unfulfilled.
{{main|Transformers: War for Cybertron (franchise)}}
: '''''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (franchise)|Transformers: War for Cybertron]]''''' was the first installment in the universe, a prequel that explored the height of the Autobot-Decepticon war. This tale was told in two radically different mediums: the ''War for Cybertron'' video game told one story, while the novel ''[[The Transformers: Exodus|Exodus]]'' and its recursive [[Transformers: War for Cybertron (comic)|comic adaptation]] featured a slightly different version of events. This kind of disparity would continue throughout the history of the Aligned continuity family.
: ''War for Cybertron'' also received a small toyline, which was folded in with the ''Generations'' line.
{{-}}{{chapters
|title=''War for Cybertron''
|style=2
|content=
*[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (games)|Video games]]
: '''''[[Transformers: Prime (franchise)|Transformers: Prime]]''''' was the first television installment in the "Aligned" continuity and by far its the most popular, the first fully computer-animated ''Transformers'' television show since ''Beast Machines''. ''Prime's'' character designs blended elements from the live-action films, Generation 1, and ''Animated'', and the franchise took a "cinematic" approach to the Transformers mythos, unafraid to touch on mature subjects of war and loss.
: Despite ''Prime's'' popularity, the release of the franchise's toyline was fraught with repeated delays, and it would not see a full release until almost a year after the show's debut. ''Prime'' followed up on some of the plot threads seeded by ''War for Cybertron'', such as [[Dark Energon]], but the radically different way that the two franchises approached these and other topics mean that they are not strictly connected to each other.
: A prequel video game of sorts, ''[[Transformers Universe]]'', would have been set in the continuity, but shut down before ever leaving development.
: Featuring a young team of rescue-oriented Autobots and their adventures on the high-tech island of [[Griffin Rock]], '''''[[Transformers: Rescue Bots (franchise)|Transformers: Rescue Bots]]''''' was not originally intended to be a part of the "Aligned" universe, but the concurrent development cycle led to the studio making the decision, not Hasbro. The franchise comprised a television show—the longest-running show in the history of the brand, in fact— an extensive toyline designed for little hands, and some miscellaneous storybooks and educational games. ''Rescue Bots'' proved popular enough to spawn a sequel-slash-spinoff, ''Rescue Bots Academy'', which debuted in 2018.
: '''''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron]]''''' was a sequel to the ''War for Cybertron'' game, telling the story of the Autobot's desperate escape from a dying Cybertron and the creation of the [[Dinobot (FOC)|Dinobot]]s. No official toyline was released, though several ''Fall of Cybertron''-inspired toys saw release under the ''Generations'' banner.
{{-}}{{chapters
|title=''Fall of Cybertron''
|style=2
|content=
*[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (game)|Video game]]
*[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (comic)|Comic]]
*[[Transformers: Generations|Toys]]
}}
{{-}}
; ''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' (2015~2017)
{{main|Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 franchise)}}
: The second franchise named '''''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 franchise)|Transformers: Robots in Disguise]]''''' was not connected to the 2001 series; rather, it served as a loose sequel to the ''Prime'' franchise, focusing on the continuing adventures of [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] on Earth as he assembled a new team of Autobots to capture Decepticon fugitives loose on Earth and clashing with the upstart Decepticon leader [[Steeljaw (RID)|Steeljaw]]. The series was notable for jumping on the then-popular "{{w|toys-to-life}}" marketing fad; every toy featured a scannable [[insignia]], which could then be uploaded into a [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (mobile game)|mobile game]] to unlock new characters and content.
{{-}}{{chapters
|title=''Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015)''
|style=2
|content=
*[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 toyline)|Toyline]]
*[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)|Cartoon]]
*[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (mobile game)|Mobile game]]
*[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 comic)|Comic]]
[[File:Transformers- Rescue Bots Academy logo.jpg||right|300px]]
: '''''[[Transformers: Rescue Bots Academy (franchise)|Transformers: Rescue Bots Academy]]''''' is the sequel to the original ''Rescue Bots'', passing the torch to a new team of recruits as they train under the auspices of the original four Rescue Bots.
{{-}}{{chapters
|title=''Transformers: Rescue Bots Academy''
|style=2
|content=
*[[Transformers: Rescue Bots Academy (toyline)|Toyline]]
*[[Transformers: Rescue Bots Academy (cartoon)|Cartoon]]
}}
{{-}}
===Kre-O===
; ''Kre-O'' (2011~2017)
[[File:Kre-O Transformers logo.png|right|250px]]
{{main|Kre-O}}
: The second brick-based building toy after 2003's [[Built to Rule]] toyline, '''''Kre-O''''' recreated various Autobots and Decepticons from various continuities in interlocking plastic bricks, similar but legally distinct from any other kind of construction toy you might have heard of. The line would expand to include a staggering range of "Kreons," minifigure-like toys that depicted a mixture of old, new, and entirely original characters, with various larger playsets trying into concurrent goings-on elsewhere in the ''Transformers'' brand. Additionally, Kre-O was supported by a modest amount of tie-in media, including comics, online stop-motion animations, and a surprisingly long-running Japanese manga. The line fizzled out of mass release sometime around 2015, with future releases finding their way into discount chains in non-US markets until 2017.
Several ''Transformers'' franchises do not fit cleanly into any one category; this may because they encompass a wide variety of characters from multiple continuities, because they crossover with outside intellectual properties, they can't be slotted neatly somewhere into the ''Transformers'' [[multiverse]], or simply because they never grew beyond a handful of toys.
;''Animorphs'' (1999)
[[File:AniLogo.png|right|300px]]
{{main|Animorphs}}
:'''''[[Animorphs]]''''' tied in with the {{w|Animorphs (TV series)|television show}} and {{w|Animorphs|book series}}, consisting of a small line of toys that featured the Animorphs and their [[Yeerk]] enemies. Despite a brief promotion with Taco Bell, the line folded within the year, and four leftover molds were hastily retooled and shunted into the ''Beast Wars'' line as part of the "''[[Transformers: Mutant Beast Wars|Mutant Beast Wars]]''" subline.
: The second crossover with an outside intellectual property, '''''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars Transformers]]''''' combined the ''Transformers'' play pattern with the characters and vehicles from the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Fiction was limited to on-package bios, which suggested that the Transformers in this universe were non-sentient mechs piloted by the human characters. In 2008, the line was reworked into ''[[Transformers: Crossovers]]'', but when ''Crossovers'' ended, ''Star Wars Transformers'' would make a brief return.
: In 2018, Takara would remake several characters, bringing them in line with modern ''Transformers'' engineering techniques.
: Tying in with the release of the 2007 movie, the ''Robot Heroes'' line features [[super-deformed]] soft plastic statues of movie characters, with subsequent waves branching out into other corners of the ''Transformers'' franchise, though the line was eventually cancelled before it could incorporate some ''really'' obscure characters.
{{-}}{{chapters
|title=Crossovers
|style=2
|content=
*[[Robot Heroes|Toyline]]
}}
{{-}}
;''Transformers: Crossovers'' (2008~2011)
[[File:Crossovers Logo.png|right|300px]]
{{main|Transformers: Crossovers}}
: Following their acquisition of the Marvel license, Hasbro expanded the scope and scale of ''Star Wars Transformers'' by throwing Marvel characters into the mix to create the '''''[[Transformers: Crossovers|Crossovers]]''''' branding. Featuring a mixture of Transformer-ized goodies and baddies from the worlds of {{w|Marvel Comics}} and ''Star Wars'', ''Crossovers'' ran for three years before the Marvel toys were phased out, with several proposed new molds and redecoes never seeing release. The next year, Hasbro would release three Marvel toys under the "[[Transformers: Mech Machines|Mech Machines]]" banner to coincide with the release of the first {{w|The Avengers (2012 film)|''Avengers'' film}}, but this temporary revival also marked the end for ''Crossovers'' as a whole.
: Originally a convention theme for [[BotCon 2008]], ''Shattered Glass'' became one of the best known stories from the [[Fun Publications]] era, riffing off the old sci-fi trope of a "mirror universe" where evil Autobots battled good Decepticons. The series consists of a variety of text stories and a "virtual toyline" that mixes specifically-designed convention exclusives with [[Repurposing|repurposed]] toys from around the franchise. As time went on, FumPub would use the ''Shattered Glass'' universe to wrap up several dimension-hopping stories, tying up loose ends before they finally lost the ''Transformers'' license at the end of 2016.
*[[Transformers: Shattered Glass (fiction)|Prose stories and comics]]
}}
{{-}}
;''Power Core Combiners'' (2010)
[[File:PCCLogo.jpg|right|300px]]
{{main|Power Core Combiners}}
: An experimental attempt to bring [[combiner]]s back into the franchise before '''''[[Combiner Wars (franchise)|Combiner Wars]]''''', ''Power Core Combiner'' toys were built around a single Autobot or Decepticon, who could transform into a torso, while a bevy of [[Autotransformation|autotransform]]ing vehicles would automatically morph into arms or legs. Hasbro has stated that the ''Power Core Combiner'' characters do not fit into any one [[continuity]],<ref name=continuityqa>"...they basically exist on their own." [http://www.cybertron.ca/boards/showthread.php?t=27064 October Hasbro Transformers Q&A Answers for Cybertron.ca]</ref>, though several would play bit parts in various [[Movie continuity]]-based ancillary media.
{{-}}{{chapters
|title=Power Core Combiners
|style=2
|content=
*[[Power Core Combiners]]
}}
;''Transformers/Hunt for the Decepticons/Reveal the Shield'' (2010~2011)
[[File:HFTD logo.jpg|right|200px]]
{{main|Transformers (2010 toyline)}}
: Though it began as an unambiguously movie-inspired toyline, 2010's '''''[[Transformers (2010 toyline)|Transformers]]''''' toyline is a bit of an animal to define. ''Transformers'' led in with the ''Hunt for the Decepticons'' subline, which continued on from 2009's [[N.E.S.T. Global Alliance]] [[subline imprint]], featuring various movie-inspired Autobots and Decepticons. From there, however, the line mutated into a broader ''Transformers'' franchise, featuring a mélange of G1-and-beyond characters through the ''Reveal the Shield'' subline. Adding to the confusion, ''Transformers'' also ran alongside the unambiguously G1-inspired ''Generations'' franchise. As a result, oddball characters introduced into the brand like [[Lugnut (TF 2010)|Lugnut]], based off the ''Transformers Animated'' [[Lugnut (Animated)|character of the same name]], didn't cleanly fit into any one franchise.
{{-}}{{chapters
|title=Transformers
|style=2
|content=
*[[Transformers (2010 toyline)|Toyline]]
}}
{{-}}
;''Construct-Bots'' (2013~2014)
[[File:Construct-Bots logo.jpg|right|300px]]
{{main|Construct-Bots}}
: Another building-based toyline, '''''[[Construct-Bots]]''''' were buildable action figures that encompassed a variety of G1, Movie, and Aligned characters, with the latter half of the franchise tying into ''Age of Extinction''.
{{-}}{{chapters
|title=Construct-Bots
|style=2
|content=
*[[Construct-Bots|Toyline]]
}}
;''Hero Mashers'' (2014-2015)
[[File:HeroMashersLogo.png|right|300px]]
{{main|Hero Mashers}}
: 2014's '''''[[Hero Mashers]]''''' toyline depicted a variety of characters from G1, ''Age of Extinction'', and the 2015 ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon as non-transforming modular action figures, which could be combined with other ''Hero Masher'' toys to make some zany combinations.
: Based off other collectible toys like ''Shopkins'', '''''[[Transformers: BotBots]]''''' features a variety of blindbagged soft-plastic robots, who transform into mundane items such as electronic devices, plants, or even food.
{{-}}{{chapters
|title=Transformers: BotBots
|style=2
|content=
*[[Transformers: BotBots|Toyline]]
}}
==Takara franchises==
Beginning in 1986, (the second year of the franchise in Japan), [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] got into the habit of annually [[rebranding]] the ''Transformers'' property. Moreover, 1987's ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (franchise)|Transformers: The Headmasters]]'' kicked off a trend in which Takara's toylines and fiction branched off from [[Hasbro]]'s versions to increasingly significant degrees. Notably, almost all of Takara's fictional output ties into the [[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]; over the years, this has led to a sprawling, incredibly convoluted universe which the wiki refers to as the "[[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]."
{{-}}
;''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' (1985~1990)
[[File:Japanese_tf_logo.jpg|right|300px]]
{{main|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers}}
: '''''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]''''' was released a year after the franchise had been released in Hasbro's markets, combining the 1984-85 franchises into a larger line and releasing a dubbed version of the cartoon, augmented by a handful of new clip shows and the direct-to-video special "[[Scramble City: Mobilization]]." In 1986, the third season was broadcast under the name ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (franchise)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010]]'', though the toyline continued under its original title until 1990.
{{-}}{{chapters
|title=Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers
|style=2
|content=
* [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (toyline)|Toyline]]
* [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Cartoon]]
* [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (manga)|Manga]]
}}
{{-}}
;''Transformers: The Headmasters'' (1987~1988)
[[File:Headmasters jplogo.jpg|right|300px]]
{{main|Transformers: The Headmasters (franchise)}}
: In 1987, Hasbro wrapped up production on the ''Transformers'' cartoon with season four: a three-part story titled "[[The Rebirth]]," which featured that year's [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] toys and brought the story of the universe to a conclusive ending. With the franchise still running strong in Japan, however, Takara chose not to import and dub "The Rebirth," and created '''''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (franchise)|Transformers: The Headmasters]]''''' to continue the tale. Set in an alternate universe that ignored "The Rebirth" and picked up from where "[[The Return of Optimus Prime]]" left off, ''The Headmasters'' featured the eponymous characters as the next generation of Autobots and Decepticons, hailing from the planet [[Master]]. Though the franchise was not imported Stateside, [[Omni Productions]]' legendarily incompetent English dubs quickly reached memetic status in the English-speaking fandom.
{{-}}{{chapters
|title=Transformers: The Headmasters
|style=2
|content=
* [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (toyline)#1987 (The Headmasters)|Toyline]]
* [[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|Cartoon]]
: After ''The Headmasters'' ended, wrapping up most of its loose plot threads in the process, writer [[Masumi Kaneda]] sought to start anew. Thus was born '''''[[Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (franchise)|Transformers: Super-God Masterforce]]''''', which featured an all-new cast of characters, focusing on the [[Headmaster Junior]]s and "[[Godmaster]]s:" human beings who could temporarily ''become'' Transformers. While an ostensible sequel to ''The Headmasters'', (and by extension ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'') the show dropped many of the futuristic conceits from these two series.
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*[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (toyline)#1988 (Super-God Masterforce)|Toyline]]
;''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory'' (1989)
[[File:Victory Logo.JPG|right|300px]]
{{main|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (franchise)}}
: A return to basics of sorts after the experimental ''Masterforce'', '''''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (franchise)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory]]''''' brought the Autobots and Decepticons back to the fore. The franchise followed the adventures of [[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]], the [[Brainmaster]]s and the [[Multiforce]] and their battles against the new Decepticon leader [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]], the bumbling [[Dinoforce]], and the [[Breastforce]]. As per the norm, fiction included both a cartoon and tie-in manga, with the toyline seeing release under the ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' banner.
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*[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (toyline)#1989 (Victory)|Toyline]]
*[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (cartoon)|A cartoon series]]
*[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (manga)|A manga series]]
}}
;''Transformers: Zone'' (1990)
[[File: Zone logo.jpg|right|300px]]
{{main|Transformers: Zone (franchise)}}
: '''''[[Transformers: Zone (franchise)|Transformers: Zone]]''''' signaled the wane of the ''Transformers'' franchise in Japan, a short-lived franchise that saw [[Dai Atlas (Zone)|Dai Atlas]] take command of the Autobots in a battle against [[Violen Jiger]]. The smallest of the Japanese-original franchises, ''Zone'' consisted of a single {{w|original video animation|OVA}}, a manga adaptation of said OVA, and a toyline, with a series of story pages expounding somewhat on the story.
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*[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (toyline)#1990 (Zone)|Toyline]]
*[[Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!|OVA]]
*[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Zone (manga)|Manga]]
*[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Zone (story page)|Story pages]]
}}
*1991: ''[[Transformers: Return of Convoy (franchise)|Transformers: Return of Convoy]]''
*1992: ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Operation Combination (franchise)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Operation Combination]]''
===Beast Wars===
To fill the sometimes-lengthy gap between the seasons of the ''Beast Wars'' television show, Takara decided to augment that series with two Japanese-exclusive franchises.
*1998: ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers]]'', with a toyline mostly consisting of redecorated existing ''Beast Wars'' toys.
*1999: ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (franchise)|Beast Wars Neo: Super Lifeform Transformers]]'', numerous new molds with additional redecos.
===Post-Beast Wars===
* 2000: ''[[Transformers: Car Robots]]'' was a mixed line of complex new molds and redecorated toys from previous lines. An expanded version was later marketed in America as ''Robots in Disguise''.
*2002–2004: ''[[The Transformers: Micromaster|Micromaster]]'' re-released the various Japanese-exclusive Micromaster combining teams from late in the Generation 1 era.
*2002-2006: ''[[The Transformers Collection]]'' consisted of book-boxed reissues of toys from the early years of Generation 1. Many of the same toys would subsequently be reissued in the United States in the ''Commemorative Series'' line.
*2003: ''[[Smallest Transforming Transformers]]'' (often mislabeled "World's Smallest Transformers") reworked early Generation 1 toys at extremely small scale.
*2003–2008: ''[[Binaltech]]'', Japan's version of ''Alternators''. Originally ended in 2006, later reanimated.
*2003– : ''[[The Transformers: Masterpiece]]'' is a collector-oriented series of "ultimate" versions of classic Generation 1 characters, with great complexity and high prices.
*2004–2005: ''[[Robotmasters (franchise)|Robotmasters]]'' was a line of mixed heritage, collecting characters from several continuities. Most of its toys were redecos or new designs based on larger toys reduced in scale.
*2006–2007: ''[[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)|Transformers: Kiss Players]]'' picked up the tail end of the ''Binaltech''/''Alternators'' toyline, but with an all-new, all-creepy storyline.
===Ask Vector Prime===
One cautionary Cybertronian folk tale concerns a contest between a [[Titan (group)|Metrotitan]] and a prideful [[Malignus (G1)|Malignus]], each seeking to outdo the other by scanning the perfect shape. When the Malignus tried to scan the concept of entropy as his alternate mode, however, the effort involved disintegrated him beyond any hope of repair: an allegorical warning for 'bots not to scan more than they can handle. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/07/15}}
*2007: The ''[[Transformers: Beast Wars Telemocha Series]]'' was Japan's expanded equivalent of the ''Beast Wars 10th Anniversary'' line.
==Notes==
[[File:Cheetor-beastmodescan.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|The {{w|People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals|PETA}} gonna SUE!!]]
*In an advertisement of PSX version of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (video game)|Beast Wars: Transformers]]'' in the [[United Kingdom]] [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] grabs and scans a cheetah by the scan beam emitted from his optics.
*2007– : ''[[Transformers Encore]]'' revives the trend of reissuing older Generation 1 toys, including many not previously available in Japan.
===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Scan''' (スキャン ''skyan'')
*2007– : ''[[Henkei! Henkei! Transformers (franchise)|Henkei! Henkei! Transformers]]'' uses the molds created for the 2007 ''Classics'' and 2008 ''Universe'' lines and gives them color schemes more accurate to the original Generation 1 cartoon. Fiction exists in the form of a pack-in comic.
==References==
<references/>
*2013– : ''[[Triple Combination: Transformers Go! (franchise)|Triple Combination: Transformers Go!]]'' is a Japanese sequel to ''Transformers: Prime''.
==Toys==
===Trans-Scanning===
[[Image:TransScanningOptimusPrime.jpg|right|150px|thumb|The Optimus Prime of your nightmares.]]
* '''[[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#Trans-Scanning|Optimus Prime]]'''
Japanese-only releases, these figures are spindly skeletons referred to as "Core Bodies". To these skeletons, two sets of armor pieces can be attached to create one of two forms for either character: their [[protoform]] mode or their Earth mode.
===Other franchises===
===The Scan Series===
*2003: ''[[Kids' Transformers: Rescue Hero Go-Bots (franchise)|Kids' Transformers: Rescue Hero Go-Bots]]'' is Takara's answer to Hasbro's ''1-2-3 Transformers'' and ''Transformers: Go-Bots'' lines, using molds from both to create a separate line.
[[Image:DOTM_Deluxe_Scan_Ironhide_toy.jpg|thumb|150px|Toys"R"Us exclusive Scan Series Ironhide]]
*'''[[Ironhide (Movie)/toys#Deluxe Class toys 2|Ironhide]]'''
[[Exclusive]] to [[Toys"R"Us]]' Mission Earth, these [[redeco]]es represent each character trans-scanning their vehicle mode. As such, nearly all of their vehicle mode parts (and thus, most of their robot modes) are cast in translucent clear plastic, with the rear of their vehicle modes being left unpainted, their middle portions having painted scan lines, and their fronts having a heavy amount of [[paint operation]]s in order to cover the clear plastic.
Several lines of non-transforming figures have been released, capitalizing on the popularity of the ''Transformers'' characters.
* 2000–?: [[Super Collection Figure]], a Japanese line of PVC figures based on character models from the Generation 1 cartoon. It was later marketed in America as ''Heroes of Cybertron'', with some minor alterations.
==Notes==
* 2002–2003: [[MyClone]], a Transformers iteration of a super-deformed figure line in Japan.
''See also:'' '''[[Scanning]]'''
* 2007: ''[[Robot Heroes (toyline)|Robot Heroes]]'', adorably cute figurines of various characters. It started out under the ''Movie'' banner (despite originally containing toys based on Generation 1 characters), then continued under ''Universe'' (2008) and ''Revenge of the Fallen''.
Early Transformers stories established that Transformers needed to be physically rebuilt by an external force to change their alternate modes.
The earliest Transformers stories, including the cartoon, comic, and various ancillary storybooks, depicted transformation not as an innate ability of the species; rather, it was portrayed as a sort of "upgrade" that allowed a Cybertronian to transform. As a result, the process of "scanning" as it is understood today did not exist per se in these early stories; rather, Transformers who wished to adopt a new shape would have to be manually rebuilt, generally involving a variety of shipboard facilities to do so. In some tales, such as "Battle for Cybertron," Cybertronians did not transform at all until their rebuilding at the hands of the Ark's repair protocols after crash-landing on Earth, an unexpected side-effect.
It was the Beast Wars cartoon, however, that first detailed a specific mechanism by which a Transformer could change their alternate mode: shipboard DNA scanners allowed the various Maximals and Predacons to adopt the forms of native organisms while marooned on prehistoric Earth, using an external CR chamber to finalize the procedure. The sequel series, Beast Machines, would lay the groundwork for the finalization of this concept through the character of Nightscream, revealed in the episode "Survivor" to have directly integrated all of the necessary hardware directly into his chassis—the in-universe explanation being that this was a product of the "Quantum Cycle Upgrade" that occurred while Optimus Primal and company were away from Cybertron. With this, Nightscream could directly scan any compatible lifeform and instantaneously make the necessary alterations to his body, though this ability was never displayed on-screen as a result of him becoming a technorganic shortly thereafter. Japanese-original Beast Era fiction would follow through on this idea, unanimously depicting their casts of characters as able to pick up new altmodes "on the fly."
The next series, Robots in Disguise, would take the concept to its logical conclusion by unanimously depicting all Transformers as having this built-in ability. It is in this form that the concept of "scanning" has more-or-less persevered into the present day, and would be most famously depicted in the live-action film series as the means by which both Autobots and Decepticons assumed their terrestrial alternate modes after landing on Earth.
Autonomous systems aboard the Autobot starship Ark gathered data on native lifeforms using autonomous probes, and its shipboard facilities could manually disassemble and rebuilt Cybertronians into a new configuration to disguise themselves. It first did this four million years ago, shortly after its crash on prehistoric Earth; detecting Shockwave in the Savage Land, the Ark obtained information on the region's ancient creatures and reconstructed Grimlock and four other warriors into dinosaurs. The Last Stand
During the 1984 eruption of Mount St. Hilary, the reactivated Ark mistook human machines for the dominant life-form, and rebuilt all of the Autobots and Decepticons aboard the ship into suitable Earth forms. The Transformers Through a similar process, Straxus's Cybertron-bound Decepticons rebuilt Spanner into a space bridge. The Bridge to Nowhere! Future arrivals on Earth would adopt suitable altmodes through manual rebuilds. Some Transformers bypassed the process by encoding their minds onto crystalline containment vessels; once Optimus Prime decided they needed reinforcements, the Ark simply constructed a suitable Earth body for the Transformers in question, at which point the Autobots uploaded the mental engrams of their comrades into these new forms. Rock and Roll-Out!
"Wake up, Prime! Don't make me use this to wake you up."
Transformers possess "idento-computers," which help Cybertronians adapt to unfamiliar conditions; in the case of the ravenous Insecticons, who crash-landed in Bali four million years ago, their idento-computers somehow modified their bodies so that they transformed into mechanical insects and gave them the power to metabolize organic matter. A Plague of Insecticons
The other Transformers aboard the Ark went into stasis lock after their starship crash-landed on Earth; in 1984, volcanic activity stirred the half-buried Ark and awoke Teletraan I. Teletraan I sent out a Sky Spy satellite to reconnoiter the new world and scanned terrestrial machinery in order to repair the Transformers, blasting them with an energy beam that not only repaired and re-energized the fallen Cybertronians, but also reformatted them into new alternate modes. More than Meets the Eye, Part 1
The Axalon's DNA scanner gathers information on Earth wildlife for the benefit of its crew.
Three hundred years after the conclusion of the Great War, the descendants of the Autobots and Decepticons were known to use DNA scanners while on other worlds to blend in with the native lifeforms. These devices analyzed and copied the genetic material of native wildlife, and the Transformer in question could then use a CR chamber to adopt a potential beast mode based on the indigenous fauna. Beast Wars (Part 1) DNA scanners could also extract a sufficient amount of genetic data from inorganic remains, such as fossils. Beast Wars (Part 1)SurvivorIn Darkest Knight
The scanning process was known to play an integral part in the creation and activation of new Transformers; the stasis pods that housed newborn protoforms during offworld expeditions were equipped with a built-in DNA scanner. Once a pod had touched down on a planet, the scanner would immediately attempt to locate a nearby animal and copy its characteristics onto its protoform occupant to bring the Transformer to life. The SparkSpider's Game
Upgraded DNA scanners allowed Maximals to quickly adopt new shapes on the fly and rendered stasis pods obsolete.
During the Quantum Cycle Upgrade, which took place while Optimus Primal and his crew were off-planet fighting the Beast Wars on prehistoric Earth, DNA scanners were directly integrated into the bodies of all Maximals, allowing Cybertronians to adopt new beast modes without the need for stasis pods or CR chambers. SurvivorBotanica and her crew of explorers used these new DNA scanners to blend in with the lifeforms on a distant world of ambulatory plants. Home Soil
Shortly after Megatron and his Vehicons invaded Cybertron, the young Maximal Nightscream knocked himself unconscious after fleeing into the depths of Cybertron and falling into a fossil chamber, and his onboard DNA scanner somehow activated and scanned the bones of an extinct bat-like creature. SurvivorBlackarachnia was later able to return Silverbolt to his old self, breaking Jetstorm's shell program in the process, by forcing the Vehicon General to scan a fossilized bird while submerging him in liquid from Cybertron's organic core. In Darkest Knight Additionally, the mystical Oracle displayed the ability to instantaneously "reformat" any Cybertronian life-form into a highly evolved "technorganic" form,a mystical hybrid of the organic and technological; The Reformatting through proper discipline, Optimus Primal was able to channel this power as needed, using it to reformat several other Transformers into new technorganic shapes. Forbidden FruitHome Soil
Tasmania Kid's internal systems were able to instantaneously scan the DNA of a local creature and make the necessary alterations to his body in a matter of seconds.
Thousands of years in the future, all Transformers would come to possess a set of optical DNA scanners and bodies that coiuld instantly adapt to new alternate modes, be they organic creatures or more conventional machinery. During the Maximal-Predacon conflict on the post-apocalyptic planet Gaia, Tasmania Kid accidentally scanned a Tasmanian devil shortly after landing, The New Forces Arrive! while the Predacons were able to obtain suitable vehicular modes by accessing an ancient computer and downloading information on the dead civilization's machines. White Lion, Run!
While developing the Beast Upgrade, Megatron devised a modified scanner for use on Cybertron's native mechanimals. The experimental process led to many horrific failures until the Predacon criminal secured Leatherhide's knowledge; testing the scanning procedure on a newborn protoform led to Formikon's creation, the first successful mechanimal Transformer. Not All Megatrons Once Megatron had perfected the technology, his mass-produced Beast Pods came with pre-existing options for beast modes and did not require external scanners. Cultural Appropriation
In this continuity, Transformers are not born with a natural alternate mode; rather, they are given the opportunity to choose a suitable vehicle form at some point after their forging. This choice may indeed tie into their future vocation, The World In Your Eyes Part Three though it is possible for a Transformer to change alternate modes multiple times over the course of their long lifespans. The World In Your Eyes Part One
Cybertronians in this continuity family display a unified ability to switch alternate modes almost instantaneously.
Trans-scanning is the mechanical process by which a Transformer's built-in sensors choose and examine a new alternate mode, immediately generating a new exostructure around the ultra-dense liquid metal that constitutes the base Cybertronian protoform. After arriving on a new world, a Cybertronian searches for local machinery, then chooses a new form appropriate to its body mass and locale. Depending on the size and mass of their desired alternate mode, Cybertronians may absorb raw minerals from their surroundings to generate an appropriate disguise; in extenuating circumstances, a Cybertronian may have to effectively sacrifice their own weapons to complete the process, breaking them down into base metals. Transformers: The Movie Guide
The trans-scanning process replicates every last detail of a Cybertronian's shape, including rust and faded paintwork when imitating old or run-down vehicles. TransformersBumblebee At the same time, however, Cybertronians do have the ability to control, at least in part, the nature of their disguise, and have been known to alter the paint jobs or appearances of their new vehicle modes from the template from which they were scanned. Age of Extinction Every Cybertronian maintains a databank of previously assumed alternate modes, from which they can alter their bodies without having to scan that shape again. Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday
Some Transformers, like Frenzy, Skids, and Mudflap, have been noted to possess a specific aptitude for changing disguises. Frenzy, for instance, is specifically noted to possess a "hyper-reactive" trans-scanning and reformatting processor, which allows him to transform into anything at any given moment. Given the incredible ease and fluidity in changing forms that Transformers in thiscontinuity family display, it's not particularly clear what this entails, or how it distinguishes them from other Cybertronians. Transformers: The Movie Guide
One cautionary Cybertronian folk tale concerns a contest between a Metrotitan and a prideful Malignus, each seeking to outdo the other by scanning the perfect shape. When the Malignus tried to scan the concept of entropy as his alternate mode, however, the effort involved disintegrated him beyond any hope of repair: an allegorical warning for 'bots not to scan more than they can handle. Ask Vector Prime, 2015/07/15
Japanese-only releases, these figures are spindly skeletons referred to as "Core Bodies". To these skeletons, two sets of armor pieces can be attached to create one of two forms for either character: their protoform mode or their Earth mode.
Exclusive to Toys"R"Us' Mission Earth, these redecoes represent each character trans-scanning their vehicle mode. As such, nearly all of their vehicle mode parts (and thus, most of their robot modes) are cast in translucent clear plastic, with the rear of their vehicle modes being left unpainted, their middle portions having painted scan lines, and their fronts having a heavy amount of paint operations in order to cover the clear plastic.
