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:''The "Keepers Trilogy" is set of Transformers novels set in [[Dreamwave|Dreamwave's]] version of [[Generation One]] [[continuity family]].''
{{Comicstory
|seriesissue=''The Transformers Trilogy''
|title=
|image=Keepers trilogy.jpg
|caption=Cover of the 2004 omnibus Hardcover (SFBC exclusive)
|publisher=[[ibooks]], Science Fiction Book Club
|written by=[[David Cian]], [[Scott Ciencin]]
|date=[[2004]]
|illustrated by=
|continuity=[[Dreamwave Generation One continuity]]
|pagecount=565
|ISBN=ISBN 0739445626<br>
ISBN 978-0739445624
}}


[[Image:Keepers trilogy.jpg|thumb|Cover of the 2004 omnibus Hardcover (SFBC exclusive)]]
In [[2003]], capitalizing on the recent success of the [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] Transformers comic book ''[[Prime Directive]]'' (#1 in sales for the year), [[ibooks]] released '''''The Transformers Trilogy''''' of novels.


In 2003, capitalizing on the recent success of the [[Dreamwave]] Transformers comic book ''Prime Directives'' (#1 in sales for the year,) iBooks released a trilogy of Transformers novels.
The ''Trilogy'' includes:
*[[Hardwired]] by [[Scott Ciencin]]
*''[[Transformers: Hardwired]]'' by [[Scott Ciencin]]
*[[Annihilation]] by [[David Cian]]
*''[[Transformers: Annihilation]]'' by [[David Cian]]
*[[Fusion (novel)|Fusion]] by David Cian
*''[[Transformers: Fusion]]'' by David Cian
The three books form a continuous narrative that takes place in the missing year betwen ''Prime Directives'' and Dreamwave's follow-up miniseries ''War and Peace''.
 
The three books form a continuous narrative that takes place in the missing year between ''Prime Directive'' and Dreamwave's follow-up miniseries ''[[War and Peace]]''.


All 3 novels were collected into a hardbound omnibus in 2004 for the ''Science Fiction Book Club''.
All 3 novels were collected into a hardbound omnibus in 2004 for the ''Science Fiction Book Club''.


The short story ''[[Two for the Price of One]]'' by [[Brandie Tarvin]] in the 2004 anthology [[Transformers Legends]] seems to be set in the same continuity. Ironically, since this story takes place after [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron's]] return to power, which had just started when Dreamwave went belly-up, it represents the latest known point on the Dreamwave continuity timeline.
The short story "[[Two for the Price of One]]" by [[Brandie Tarvin]] in the 2004 anthology ''[[Transformers Legends (book)|Transformers Legends]]'' seems to be set in the same continuity. Since this story takes place after [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s return to power, which had just started when Dreamwave went belly-up, it represents the last known point on the [[Dreamwave timeline]].


==Events of the Keepers Trilogy==
==Plot Summary==
===Hardwired===
===Hardwired===
During a battle in [[Tokyo]], Japan, [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] and three Autobots ([[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] and [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]]) vanish in a beam of light, having been abducted by powerful aliens known as the [[Keeper (species)|Keepers]]. They are forced to battle each other and other alien creatures in gladiatorial games for the Keepers' amusement. During these skirmishes, Jazz is forced to kill Bluestreak to protect some humans who were also kidnapped from Earth.


Seeking to repair their relationship with humanity after the disaster in California, the Autobots [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], and [[Bluestreak]] are in Tokyo, Japan for a meet-and-greet. Their event is interrupted by [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], and a battle wages until a mysterious force suddenly strikes the city streets, spiriting away the four Transformers and over 200 humans present.
Back home, [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] has assumed control of the Decepticons and taken over the city of [[Las Vegas]]. By making some small deals with the human population, he secures their compliance with the new order. The [[United Nations]] declares a state of emergency and decrees that no one try to liberate Vegas from the Decepticons. [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] manages to gather a private army with the covert help of the [[President of the United States]], however, and recruits [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] to help him overthrow the Decepticons. Meanwhile, [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] has become involved with a secretive secret agent named [[Franklin Townsend]], and a series of spy games with a network of Transformer worshippers known as the [[Followers]].
 
In their absence, [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] makes his bid for leadership of the Decepticons. He begins by destroying [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] in an aerial duel, then gathers all the Decepticons who will follow him in assuming control of the human city of [[Las Vegas]]. Rather than outright conquering the town, Starscream instead makes a deal with the humans, offering them advanced technology, protection, and even the opportunity to make loads of cash starring in their own Reality TV stories about the occupation. The humans largely accept and, with few other options available to them, the American government reluctantly cedes the city to Decepticon control. Not willing to allow Starscream to consolidate a power base for himself, [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] join forces with the renegade [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] and his secret army of human allies to take back Vegas.
 
Meanwhile, [[Spike Witwicky]] is approached by a clandestine figure named [[Franklin Townsend]], who claimed to represent the NSA. Franklin informs Spike that he "of interest" to certain underground parties (including the zealous Transformers groupie cult known as the [[Followers]]), and that his help is needed on matters of national security. He also informs Spike that his family has been placed in protective custody to ensure their safety from these dangerous individuals, but is none too subtle in implying that their safety is entirely contingent on Spike's cooperation. Franklin reveals he is an augment, one of a select group of human cyborgs that have been enhanced by Transformer technology. Their first stop is to see a naval officer named [[Hugo Fortuna]], who recently reported seeing a phenomena much like the one in Tokyo, and Franklin sends Spike in first as bait to confront the man about what he knows. The officer tries to kill Spike almost on sight instead, and is executed in a murder-suicide by a traitor in Franklin's team before he can explain why. Franklin and Spike find a massive collection of Transformer artifacts in the man's basement as well.
 
Optimus Prime and the others are, of course, not dead. Instead, they have been transported across the known galaxies by a race of seemingly all-powerful beings known as the [[Keepers]], who apparently wish to study them and their reactions to stimuli. The Transformers are forced to fight opponents in arena style combat, with the human captives' lives at sake if they refuse. Among the battles, Optimus Prime is compeled to execute a helpless opponent, and later confronts a recreation of his own predecessor, [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]]; Jazz is forced into killing Bluestreak in single combat; and Megatron fights a series of matches against various alien opponents. Megatron initially believes he has entered into an alliance with the Keepers, but soon realizes they have no intention of keeping their bargain with him.
 
Back on Earth, Spike and Franklin continue their search for answers. They come to realize that Spike contains information in his mind from a time years ago when he was briefly transplanted into the body of Transformer. The details of this information are vague at best, but seems to be highly valuable to the Followers. On the other side was Fortuna and his group of "Anti-Followers", who wish to kill Spike before the information in his brain can be harvested. A group of augments attempt to assassinate the pair, but Spike's latent knowledge enables him to completely disable the cyborgs. Franklin then decides they need to head for Las Vegas, following a signal that was being beamed at the augments during the skirmish.
 
All roads lead to Vegas. Grimlock and his allies battle the Constructicons on the outskirts of the city, and begin moving inwards to confront more Decepticons. Spike and Franklin are picked up trying to enter the city by Followers working for [[Darren Norbert]], who apparently made some sort of deal with the Keepers allowing them to snatch the Transformers from Tokyo in the first place. He taunts Spike with the gateway key briefly before the battle between the Autobots and Decepticons reaches his penthouse, and Darren is killed by flying debris, allowing Spike to retrieve the key.


In the Keepers' realm, Megatron and the Autobots have joined forces to save the remaining humans from the Keepers' games. In order to secure Megatron's cooperation, Prime is forced to grant Megatron a favor to be named at a later date. The Transformers learn that the Keepers, who had previously seemed to be merely bodiless voices, were actually leviathan sized techno-organics creatures. The conflict with the Keepers grows fierce, and Optimus Prime begins to unleash the power of the [[Creation Matrix]], in an effort to destroy the Keepers' stronghold and all of them with it. Before this suicidal ploy can be completed, the gateway back to Earth opens, and Optimus returns to the human planet with the others. Unfortunately, the Keepers travel to Earth as well, including one who has taken Bluestreak's corpse as a host body.
In Vegas, Spike and Franklin confront a human agent of the Keepers just as a crystal key is activated to bring the Keepers to Earth. The lost Transformers return, along with the missing humans and an assortment of aliens. Unfortunately, the Keepers themselves also arrive on Earth, and Bluestreak is being used as one of their host bodies.


===Annihilation===
===Annihilation===
The war for Las Vegas is only barely interrupted by the alien invasion, and Optimus Prime unites his Autobots to retreat to a safe distance outside of town. In his weakened condition, Megatron also finds it more difficult than usual to retake his throne from Starscream, and he is forced to relinquish command of the Decepticons. This doesn't stop him from going into exile, however, and convincing half of Starscream's forces to join him. Knowing the danger the Keepers pose, Megatron and Prime meet outside of Las Vegas to formulate a plan of attack.


Las Vegas is in chaos, as everyone present begins reacting to the sudden appearance of the missing Transformers and the awe-inspiring Keepers. Optimus Prime and Jazz are attempting to preserve the lives of the various assorted aliens who also arrived from the Keepers' world. Megatron is searching for Starscream to reclaim his throne, and the other Autobots and Decepticons present continue to battle as best they can. Unnoticed to most anyone, the human hostages from the Keepers' world also begin trickling back into population, including [[Paul Chateris]] and [[Melony Harcourt]], two of the Followers.
Starscream's rule comes to a quick end as the Keepers set themselves up inside of Vegas, and scoop out his mind to make him another host body for their essence like Bluestreak. The remaining Decepticons are taken prisoner by the Keepers. The united Autobots and Decepticons lay siege to the Keepers, freeing their comrades and attacking the aliens. Spike learns that Franklin has been a sleeper agent for the Keepers all along, and is heavily wounded fighting for possession of the crystal key.


Megatron confronts Starscream and learns the extent of his traitorous ex-lieutenant's plans. However, due to his own severe injuries battling against the Keepers, Megatron finds that he is in no position to quash Starscream's rebellion at this time. Megatron is reluctantly forced to cede leadership of the Decepticons to Starscream, but he refuses to bow before the new "leader". Instead, he tears off his insignia and officially quits the Decepticon forces, planning to seek his own means of dealing with the threat of the Keepers. Many other Decepticons follow suit, splitting their ranks in two: [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]], [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]], [[Rumble]], [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]], [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]], Devastator and the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticon]]s remain with Starscream, while Soundwave, [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]], [[Ravage]], [[Reflector|Spyglass]], [[Reflector|Viewfinder]] and the [[Omega Sentinel (G1)|Omega Sentinel]] leave with Megatron.  
A chance uncovering of pure liquid [[energon]] underneath Las Vegas gives Optimus Prime the opportunity to end the conflict. He feeds the energon directly into the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], and unites his power with the other Autobots, diverting an American-fired nuclear strike and apparently destroying the Keepers and Franklin Townsend entirely. This happy ending is interrupted by Megatron, who demands payment on a favor Prime owed him from the Keepers' world. His price? The Matrix itself.


With the aliens properly cared for, Optimus Prime confronts the Keepers in the new humanoid and semi-humanoid host bodies they have taken for themselves. A spokesperson for the group, referred to only as [[The Voice]], informs Prime of their intention to conquer the entire planet within three days' time, if it is not surrendered to them beforehand. When Optimus physically assaults the Voice for his arrogance, the Keepers unleash a wave of nullfying darkness over the city of Los Angeles, apparently destroying it and all who live in its boundaries.
===Fusion===
 
Optimus Prime reluctantly gives the Matrix over to Megatron, knowing it will weaken the Autobots tremendously but also believing there is no way a Decepticon can use its power against them. Megatron outsmarts Prime, however, by giving the Matrix to his reprogrammed [[Omega Sentinel (G1)|Omega Sentinel]], a Cybertronian robot far closer to an Autobot by design than a Decepticon. Using Omega Sentinel he lays waste to the White House and confronts the President over his attempted nuclear strike on Las Vegas and the Transformers.
Throughout these games and powerplays, Grimlock's army had been continuing their fight with the Decepticons to retake Las Vegas. Recognizing the threat of the Keepers and the consolidated Decepticon forces, Optimus Prime orders a retreat to outside the city before any further action could be taken. Grimlock was locked in combat with Devastator and could not be evacuated, but Optimus Prime, Jazz, Bumblebee and Prowl, along with Spike Witwicky leave Vegas to regroup with the other Autobots. Spike's ally Agent Franklin remains behind to guard their escape.
 
Meanwhile, Paul and Melony are taken hostage again, this time by the LVPD operating under Starscream's discretion. Starscream is interested in sending a message to the Followers, inviting them to flock to his city and truly become "Followers" of the Transformers. He has Melony scheduled for execution when she speaks out of turn, but lets Paul go free to convey the message to his superiors. That superior would be [[Allister Greaves]], founder of the Followers, who was already aware of the message thanks to Franklin, his double agent in the NSA who observed Paul's confrontation with the Decepticons. Franklin approaches Paul on the street and invites him back to Greaves' base of operations to discuss what the Followers should do next.
 
Starscream's offer is quickly rendered moot, though, as he has a confrontation with the Keepers. The Keeper formerly known as Bluestreak approaches Starscream under a flag of truce, but then overloads the Decepticon leader's circuitry with a surge of energy, leaving him on the brink of death and a perfectly-fitting host for another of the Keepers to possess. The other remaining Decepticons attempt to flee, but are caught in an impenetrable energy barrier cast by the Keepers, and held prisoner.
 
Outside the city, Autobot reinforcements have arrived in the form of [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], [[Sunstreaker]], [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]. At Soundwave's approach, Optimus Prime leaves to make contact with Megatron, and the two agree to join forces against the Keepers. Elsewhere, Allister Greaves and the Followers make their plans as well. Contacts from inside the government have informed Greaves that a two-stage military assault is being planned against the Keepers, with a wave of combat vehicles to be followed by an all-out nuclear strike if the first strike is unsuccessful. Horrified, Greaves sends Paul back to Las Vegas to try to save Melony and evacuate as many of their people as possible, while directing Franklin to reconnect with the Autobots and offer any assistance he can to their inevitable counter-strike as well.
 
The Keepers were hardly idle all this time, though, and were more than aware that various factions were conspiring against them. They make an attempt at "shock and awe" to cow the planet's populace into submission by grotesquely mutilating and transforming Melony into a new Keeper, casting her soul into the same endless void that Bluestreak and Starscream have been reduced to since giving up their forms.
 
As Optimus Prime and Megatron enter the city with their troops and the first wave of US miltiary forces, they join up with Skywarp and the remaining Decepticons from Starscream's faction, and so the war with the Keepers begins. Spike is still trying to reactivate the gateway key, in the hopes of sending the Keepers back where they came from. As the other Transformers strike out at the aliens, Bumblebee and Agent Franklin remain with Spike until the key can be activated. Devastator and Omega Sentinel begin fighting with Keeper-Starscream and Keeper-Bluestreak, as the others fall in behind them.
 
Then a bunch of things start to happen at once.
 
First, the US government deliberately steps up their timetable, launching the nuke at Las Vegas early in the hopes of obliterating the Transformers along with the alien threat. The Keepers controlling Bluestreak and Starscream are suffering damage in their battles, and so physically and mentally join forces to become a more powerful gestalt being. The other Keepers are busy, however, as Melony Harcourt manages to retake control of her physical body and begins violently lashing out at the Keepers. Grimlock re-emerges as well, having found a vein of pure [[energon]] running underneath Las Vegas after his climactic fight with Devastator a day earlier. And, as a final twist, Franklin Townsend reveals himself as a triple agent who was been working for the Keepers all along, and threatens to kill Spike if he doesn't hand over the gateway key his masters' desire.
 
As Optimus Prime comes upon the pool of energon, he conceives a plan to manipulate the Matrix to use against the Keepers. Infusing himself and the Matrix with pure energon to temporarily become super-powerful, Optimus then asks his fellow Autobots to give up the majority of their own life-energies to merge with his own. Bumblebee, who had left Spike's side to inform Optimus of the energon pool, realizes his mistake and returns just in time to stop Franklin from murdering Spike. Still, Franklin recovers the gateway key and brings it to his masters in the hopes of escaping. Time, however, has run out. The nuclear warhead strikes earth, and the massive radioactive shockwave begins to race over the land. Devastator, Omega Sentinel and Bumblebee are too far away, but the super-charged Prime manages to protect the other Autobots and Decepticons from the onslaught. He then gathers the nuclear fire up in a net of Matrix energy, casting it all back at Franklin and the Keepers just as they open the gate, blasting them to atoms and out of our solar system.


In the aftermath, those outside Prime's protective bubble are heavily damaged, including Spike Witwicky who was hiding under Bumblebee and needs to be rushed for medical treatment. Devastator and Omega Sentinel may never be reactivated. Bluestreak and Starscream had combined mental force at the last moment and overwhelmed the Keeper who controlled them, destroying their captor and shattering their bodies back into separate pieces, with the possibility of revival still open. Paul Chateris and the Melony-Keeper both apparently died fighting against the Keepers before the blast. And, as the dust settles, Megatron calls Prime on the favor he is honorbound to grant from their time on the Keepers' world:
Before the Great War can truly start up again, it becomes clear that the Keepers are not truly dead. Their agent, Franklin Townsend, returns and takes control of the former hosts, Bluestreak and Starscream. He then confronts [[Allister Greaves]], the genius inventor behind the Followers, and forces him to help construct a portal with the crystal key to bring the Keepers back to Earth from beyond the Void. This threat, combined with the President's clearly hostile intentions towards all Transformers, force Megatron and Optimus back into an alliance yet again. The united Cybertronians battle the American military in the Nevada desert and, despite their [[deconstructionite]] weapons, the humans are unsuccessful in deactivating the Transformers.


Megatron wants to be named the new [[Prime (rank)|Prime]].
Optimus Prime and Megatron bring [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] and the Omega Sentinel to Greaves' farm to stop construction of the gateway. They manage to break Franklin's hold over Bluestreak and Starscream, but the gateway is ultimately opened anyway. His mind cleared by the Matrix, the Omega Sentinel sacrifices his life to press the Keepers back through the portal, giving his allies time to once and for all destroy the crystal key, leaving the gateway to the Void permanently closed.


===Fusion===
The alliance comes to a close, with Optimus Prime reclaiming the power of the Matrix. And the war...continues...
Though absolute disaster was narrowly averted, the Keepers' allies on Earth attempt to open a gateway to bring them back.  Intrigue abounds between the American government, Transformers enthusiasts, and secret societies to determine who will possess the manifold advantages of alien technology.
 
==Characters==
The Keeper's trilogy pioneered the use of fake-sounding names, which would later be used in IDW's Infiltration series.


==Human Characters==
''Listed in order of appearance''
''Listed in order of appearance''


* Isolde Holden
{{collist|4|
* Hugo Fortuna
*[[Isolde Holden]]
* Franklin Townsend
*[[Hugo Fortuna]]
* Candyce Simmons
*[[Franklin Townsend]]
* Chris Killah
*[[Candyce Simmons]]
* Joe Chuckry
*[[Chris Killah]]
* Tom Hyroon
*[[Joe Chuckry]]
* Rhona Jay
*[[Tom Hyroon]]
* Iolus Monk
*[[Rhona Jay]]
* Craig
*[[Iolus Monk]]
* Janie Whitmore
*[[Craig (G1)|Craig]]
* Paul Whitmore
*[[Janie Whitmore]]
* Hendry Whitmore
*[[Paul Whitmore]]
* [[Paul Charteris|Paul Charteris]]
*[[Hendry Whitmore]]
* [[Paul_Charteris#Wendy|Wendy]]
*[[Paul Charteris]]
* Melony Dodds/Harcourt
*[[Wendy]]
* [[Uberhogs#Vic Mellors|Vic Mellors]]
*[[Melony Dodds]]/Harcourt
* [[Uberhogs#Vern Fox|Vern Fox]]
*[[Uberhogs|Vic Mellors]]
* [[Uberhogs#Antoine Debussy|Antoine Debussy]]
*[[Uberhogs|Vern Fox]]
* [[Uberhogs#Dave Langer|Dave Langer]]
*[[Uberhogs|Antoine Debussy]]
* [[Ben Fellows]]
*[[Uberhogs|Dave Langer]]
* Paul Buckley
*[[Ben Fellows]]
* Joe Torres
*[[Paul Buckley]]
* [[Ryan O'Brien]]
*[[Joe Torres]]
* [[Ryan O'Brien#Ginny O'Brien|Ginny O'Brien]]
*[[Ryan O'Brien]]
* [[Ryan O'Brien#Butch|Butch]]
*[[Ginny O'Brien]]
* [[Phil Brodaker]]
*[[Butch (G1)|Butch]]
 
*[[Phil Brodaker]]
* [[Real Life—Transformers Style#Glynnis|Glynnis]]
*[[Glynnis]]
* [[Real Life—Transformers Style#Kimberly|Kimberly]]
*[[Kimberly]]
* [[Real Life—Transformers Style#Jamal|Jamal]]
*[[Jamal]]
* [[Real Life—Transformers Style#Bethann|Bethann]]
*[[Bethann]]
 
*[[Buckingham]]
* [[Buckingham]]
*[[Bernie Kalus]]
* [[Bernie Kalus]]
*[[Simon]]
* [[Paul_Charteris#Father Simon|Father Simon]]
*[[Jenny Dodds]]/Harcourt
* Jenny Dodds/Harcourt
*[[Chuck Cherwonowitz]]
* [[Chuck Cherwonowitz|Chuck “Chubby” Cherwonowitz]]
*[[Darren Norbert]]
* [[Darren Norbert]]<!--Endbook1-->
*[[Sheila Thompsom]]
* Sheila Thompsom
*[[John Kelly]]
* [[John Kelly]]
*[[Carl Lomax]]
* Carl Lomax
*[[Allister Greaves]]
* Allister Greaves
*[[Stuckey]]
* [[Stuckey]]
*[[Elisa]]
* [[President of the United States#Elisa|Elisa]]
*[[William Backes]]
* William Backes
*[[Wolfe]]
* Captain Wolfe<!--Endbook2-->
*[[Betsy (G1)|Betsy]]
* Betsy
*[[James (G1)|James]]
* James  
*[[Christoff]]
* Christoff  
*[[Michelle Grajkowski]]
* Michelle Grajkowski
*[[Susan (Dreamwave)|Susan]]
* [[President of the United States#Susan|Susan]]
*[[John (human)|John]]
* [[President of the United States#Bill|John]]
*[[Bill (soldier)|Bill]]
* [[President of the United States#Bill|Bill]]
*[[Andrews]]
* Captain Andrews
}}


==Oddities/Errors==
==Oddities/Errors==
While the nuclear explosion in ''Prime Directives'' took place in [[San Francisco]], the Keepers Trilogy moves it to Los Angeles for no apparent reason.
*While the nuclear explosion in ''Prime Directive'' took place in [[San Francisco]], ''The Transformers Trilogy'' moves it to [[Los Angeles]] for no apparent reason.
*Several parts of the novel would later become continuity errors as the Dreamwave universe was fleshed out by later comics. In particular, the Decepticons' ranks on Earth swelled considerably in the novels to include references or appearances by Shockwave, the Insecticons, Reflector, and Omega Sentinel. The third novel, ''Fusion'', did some damage control by destroying Omega Sentinel and tossing in a quick explanation for Reflector's presence, but the (albeit brief) references to Shockwave and the Insecticons on Earth were never dealt with.
*Starscream referred to his home city-state on Cybertron as [[Centurion (polity)|Centurion]], making his Las Vegas stronghold "Vegas Centurion". In the Marvel comics, Starscream came from the city-state of [[Vos (polity)|Vos]].
*Similarly, Megatron's home city is said to be [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]], while he came from [[Tarn (polity)|Tarn]] in the Marvel comics.


==Fan Reaction==
==Fan Reaction==
Most Transformers fans were disappointed by these novels.
Most Transformers fans were disappointed by these novels.


Scott Ciencin (writer of the first book and part of the second, though uncredited) left many readers cold with a mix of sex, gore (''Her severed spine jutted from her torso, and entrails uncoiled and slowly snaked out from her body, slippery and eager to stretch out and relax.'') and faux-edgy pop culture references. In addition, Ciencin's actual knowledge of Transformers was visibly limited, consisting of what appeared to be hasty perusals of some sources - his description of [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]], for instance, was clearly derived from a cursory glance at his Marvel ''[[Transformers Universe (Marvel comic)|Transformers Universe]]'' profile, presenting him to be blue and yellow (a result of the limited colour palette of the comics), rather than the correct black and yellow. Energon is described as a silvery-gold liquid (before the ''[[Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'' series depicted it as such), and presented as the power source of the Matrix.
Scott Ciencin (writer of the first book and part of the second, though uncredited) left many readers cold with a mix of sex, gore (''Her severed spine jutted from her torso, and entrails uncoiled and slowly snaked out from her body, slippery and eager to stretch out and relax.'') and faux-edgy pop culture references. In addition, Ciencin's actual knowledge of Transformers was visibly limited, consisting of what appeared to be hasty perusals of some sources — his description of [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]], for instance, was clearly derived from a cursory glance at his Marvel ''[[The Transformers Universe]]'' profile, presenting him to be blue and yellow (a result of the limited colour palette of the comics), rather than the correct black and yellow. Energon is described as a silvery-gold liquid (before the ''[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'' series depicted it as such), and presented as the power source of the Matrix.


David Cian's half of the trilogy, which dropped the shock tactics and seemed better-researched, was much more positively received.
David Cian's portion of the trilogy, which dropped the shock tactics and seemed better-researched, was much more positively received.


The Trilogy takes much of its tone from the first Dreamwave miniseries ''Prime Directives,'' which was also featured gratuitous gore, nuclear missiles, government conspiracies, a vague sense that Transformers had little sense of free will, and an angsty, indecisive Optimus Prime under the illusion he's engaged in a cosmic struggle of ''robot vs self''. He uses the Matrix twice.
{{quote|I was really proud of the two TF's novels I wrote - not because they aspired to be great literature (they weren't), not because they were error free (they weren't), but because the fans reacted so badly to the first book and seemed to like what I did with the next two. I had helped, in my mind, "save" a series of novels involving characters and a universe I cared about.|[[David Cian]]|February 13, 2007 [[http://www.donmurphy.net/board/showpost.php?s=021b38d4cdae41d71e5d02254beeebaa&p=860103&postcount=13 message board post]]}}


The Keepers baffled fans by being extremely, ''extremely'' similar to the [[Quintessons]] in method, technology, outlook, relationship to the Transformers, and (to some degree) appearance. Ciencin seems to have simply been unaware of the Quintessons' existence when he created them.
The Trilogy takes much of its tone from the first Dreamwave miniseries ''Prime Directive,'' which also featured gratuitous gore, [[Nuclear weapon|nuclear missiles]], government conspiracies, a vague sense that Transformers had little sense of free will, and an angsty, indecisive Optimus Prime under the illusion he's engaged in a cosmic struggle of ''robot vs self''. He uses the Matrix twice.


On the positive note; the Keepers Trilogy is one of the few stories to explore the long-term impact of Transformers' interaction with human society.
The Keepers baffled fans by being extremely, ''extremely'' similar to the [[Quintesson]]s in method, technology, outlook, relationship to the Transformers, and (to some degree) appearance. Ciencin seems to have simply been unaware of the Quintessons' existence when he created them.


On a positive note, ''The Transformers Trilogy'' is one of the few stories to explore the long-term impact of Transformers' interaction with human society.


[[Category: Generation 1]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Transformers Trilogy}}
[[Category: Books]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>
[[Category:Generation 1 books]]
[[Category:Novels]]
[[Category:Dreamwave Generation 1 issues]]

Latest revision as of 05:13, 17 January 2022

The Transformers Trilogy

Cover of the 2004 omnibus Hardcover (SFBC exclusive)
Publisher ibooks, Science Fiction Book Club
First published 2004
Written by David Cian, Scott Ciencin
Continuity Dreamwave Generation One continuity
ISBN ISBN 0739445626

ISBN 978-0739445624

Page count 565

In 2003, capitalizing on the recent success of the Dreamwave Transformers comic book Prime Directive (#1 in sales for the year), ibooks released The Transformers Trilogy of novels.

The Trilogy includes:

The three books form a continuous narrative that takes place in the missing year between Prime Directive and Dreamwave's follow-up miniseries War and Peace.

All 3 novels were collected into a hardbound omnibus in 2004 for the Science Fiction Book Club.

The short story "Two for the Price of One" by Brandie Tarvin in the 2004 anthology Transformers Legends seems to be set in the same continuity. Since this story takes place after Megatron's return to power, which had just started when Dreamwave went belly-up, it represents the last known point on the Dreamwave timeline.

Plot Summary

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Hardwired

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During a battle in Tokyo, Japan, Megatron and three Autobots (Optimus Prime, Jazz and Bluestreak) vanish in a beam of light, having been abducted by powerful aliens known as the Keepers. They are forced to battle each other and other alien creatures in gladiatorial games for the Keepers' amusement. During these skirmishes, Jazz is forced to kill Bluestreak to protect some humans who were also kidnapped from Earth.

Back home, Starscream has assumed control of the Decepticons and taken over the city of Las Vegas. By making some small deals with the human population, he secures their compliance with the new order. The United Nations declares a state of emergency and decrees that no one try to liberate Vegas from the Decepticons. Grimlock manages to gather a private army with the covert help of the President of the United States, however, and recruits Bumblebee and Prowl to help him overthrow the Decepticons. Meanwhile, Spike Witwicky has become involved with a secretive secret agent named Franklin Townsend, and a series of spy games with a network of Transformer worshippers known as the Followers.

In Vegas, Spike and Franklin confront a human agent of the Keepers just as a crystal key is activated to bring the Keepers to Earth. The lost Transformers return, along with the missing humans and an assortment of aliens. Unfortunately, the Keepers themselves also arrive on Earth, and Bluestreak is being used as one of their host bodies.

Annihilation

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The war for Las Vegas is only barely interrupted by the alien invasion, and Optimus Prime unites his Autobots to retreat to a safe distance outside of town. In his weakened condition, Megatron also finds it more difficult than usual to retake his throne from Starscream, and he is forced to relinquish command of the Decepticons. This doesn't stop him from going into exile, however, and convincing half of Starscream's forces to join him. Knowing the danger the Keepers pose, Megatron and Prime meet outside of Las Vegas to formulate a plan of attack.

Starscream's rule comes to a quick end as the Keepers set themselves up inside of Vegas, and scoop out his mind to make him another host body for their essence like Bluestreak. The remaining Decepticons are taken prisoner by the Keepers. The united Autobots and Decepticons lay siege to the Keepers, freeing their comrades and attacking the aliens. Spike learns that Franklin has been a sleeper agent for the Keepers all along, and is heavily wounded fighting for possession of the crystal key.

A chance uncovering of pure liquid energon underneath Las Vegas gives Optimus Prime the opportunity to end the conflict. He feeds the energon directly into the Matrix, and unites his power with the other Autobots, diverting an American-fired nuclear strike and apparently destroying the Keepers and Franklin Townsend entirely. This happy ending is interrupted by Megatron, who demands payment on a favor Prime owed him from the Keepers' world. His price? The Matrix itself.

Fusion

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Optimus Prime reluctantly gives the Matrix over to Megatron, knowing it will weaken the Autobots tremendously but also believing there is no way a Decepticon can use its power against them. Megatron outsmarts Prime, however, by giving the Matrix to his reprogrammed Omega Sentinel, a Cybertronian robot far closer to an Autobot by design than a Decepticon. Using Omega Sentinel he lays waste to the White House and confronts the President over his attempted nuclear strike on Las Vegas and the Transformers.

Before the Great War can truly start up again, it becomes clear that the Keepers are not truly dead. Their agent, Franklin Townsend, returns and takes control of the former hosts, Bluestreak and Starscream. He then confronts Allister Greaves, the genius inventor behind the Followers, and forces him to help construct a portal with the crystal key to bring the Keepers back to Earth from beyond the Void. This threat, combined with the President's clearly hostile intentions towards all Transformers, force Megatron and Optimus back into an alliance yet again. The united Cybertronians battle the American military in the Nevada desert and, despite their deconstructionite weapons, the humans are unsuccessful in deactivating the Transformers.

Optimus Prime and Megatron bring Devastator and the Omega Sentinel to Greaves' farm to stop construction of the gateway. They manage to break Franklin's hold over Bluestreak and Starscream, but the gateway is ultimately opened anyway. His mind cleared by the Matrix, the Omega Sentinel sacrifices his life to press the Keepers back through the portal, giving his allies time to once and for all destroy the crystal key, leaving the gateway to the Void permanently closed.

The alliance comes to a close, with Optimus Prime reclaiming the power of the Matrix. And the war...continues...

Human Characters

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Listed in order of appearance

Oddities/Errors

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  • While the nuclear explosion in Prime Directive took place in San Francisco, The Transformers Trilogy moves it to Los Angeles for no apparent reason.
  • Several parts of the novel would later become continuity errors as the Dreamwave universe was fleshed out by later comics. In particular, the Decepticons' ranks on Earth swelled considerably in the novels to include references or appearances by Shockwave, the Insecticons, Reflector, and Omega Sentinel. The third novel, Fusion, did some damage control by destroying Omega Sentinel and tossing in a quick explanation for Reflector's presence, but the (albeit brief) references to Shockwave and the Insecticons on Earth were never dealt with.
  • Starscream referred to his home city-state on Cybertron as Centurion, making his Las Vegas stronghold "Vegas Centurion". In the Marvel comics, Starscream came from the city-state of Vos.
  • Similarly, Megatron's home city is said to be Kaon, while he came from Tarn in the Marvel comics.

Fan Reaction

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Most Transformers fans were disappointed by these novels.

Scott Ciencin (writer of the first book and part of the second, though uncredited) left many readers cold with a mix of sex, gore (Her severed spine jutted from her torso, and entrails uncoiled and slowly snaked out from her body, slippery and eager to stretch out and relax.) and faux-edgy pop culture references. In addition, Ciencin's actual knowledge of Transformers was visibly limited, consisting of what appeared to be hasty perusals of some sources — his description of Bumblebee, for instance, was clearly derived from a cursory glance at his Marvel The Transformers Universe profile, presenting him to be blue and yellow (a result of the limited colour palette of the comics), rather than the correct black and yellow. Energon is described as a silvery-gold liquid (before the Energon series depicted it as such), and presented as the power source of the Matrix.

David Cian's portion of the trilogy, which dropped the shock tactics and seemed better-researched, was much more positively received.

I was really proud of the two TF's novels I wrote - not because they aspired to be great literature (they weren't), not because they were error free (they weren't), but because the fans reacted so badly to the first book and seemed to like what I did with the next two. I had helped, in my mind, "save" a series of novels involving characters and a universe I cared about.David Cian, February 13, 2007 [message board post]

The Trilogy takes much of its tone from the first Dreamwave miniseries Prime Directive, which also featured gratuitous gore, nuclear missiles, government conspiracies, a vague sense that Transformers had little sense of free will, and an angsty, indecisive Optimus Prime under the illusion he's engaged in a cosmic struggle of robot vs self. He uses the Matrix twice.

The Keepers baffled fans by being extremely, extremely similar to the Quintessons in method, technology, outlook, relationship to the Transformers, and (to some degree) appearance. Ciencin seems to have simply been unaware of the Quintessons' existence when he created them.

On a positive note, The Transformers Trilogy is one of the few stories to explore the long-term impact of Transformers' interaction with human society.

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