Key to Vector Sigma

The name or term "Key to Vector Sigma" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Key to Vector Sigma (disambiguation).

Not a DirecTV remote, so don't think about changing the channel.

The Key to Vector Sigma is an ancient device connected to Vector Sigma and allows a Transformer to activate the ancient intelligence. It appears as a small remote with an overdeveloped power circuit and has the ability to control the robotic Centurion droids that remain in the lower levels of Cybertron and defended Vector Sigma.

By itself, the Key to Vector Sigma has the power to mechanize organic matter.

Fiction

Generation 1 cartoon continuity

The Transformers cartoon

Oh damn... we'll let the cleaners sort that out.

By the 20th century, the Key was present in the hands of Alpha Trion on Cybertron until his home was attacked by the Decepticons who gave the key to Megatron in his quest to imbue five cars with intelligence. Megatron would face some resistance from the guardians below but learned that the Key could reprogram them. He would activate Vector Sigma and give life to the Stunticons. The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1

When he returned to Earth, Shockwave informed him that the Key possessed a different power on Earth which was capable of destroying it. Megatron accidentally learned, while studying the Key, that it was capable of transforming matter into metal. He began the process of transforming Earth into another Cybertron but was defeated by the Autobots. Silverbolt would later destroy the Key after he forced Megatron to drop it which reversed its effect on Earth. The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2

Legends comic

The Key to Vector Sigma was created by the Quintessons to control the power of the Oracle contained within Vector Sigma. They used it to transform Cybertron from a regular planet into a metallic world. LG-EX Grand Maximus

Beast Machines cartoon

Suddenly everyone realized how those trees on Earth had suffered.

Using the Diagnostic Drone, Tankor was able to obtain the code that formed the basis for the Key and materialize copies of it. He shot Nightscream with it, which caused the Maximal to turn to technomatter and go insane. The condition was contagious, as anyone Nightscream touched also became technomatter. Pleased with the results, Tankor faked his own death, knowing that Megatron would find the decoy corpse and plunder the Key program from it. The Key Tankor hoped that Megatron would use it to destroy all organic and technorganic life on Cybertron—including Megatron himself, who still possessed his dragon beast mode. Megatron had the key duplicated and added to his Vehicon drones, who used them to zap a huge vine grown from the Maximals' orchard. The Maximals were able to sever the vine before the effects of the technomatter reached the rest of their plants. The Catalyst

Eventually, after Tankor gave Optimus Primal the key to activate the Plasma Energy Chamber in an attempt to force Megatron's hand, both Megatron and Primal activated their doomsday weapons, apparently disintegrating all three of them, but (thanks to a last-second change of mind from Primal) leaving Cybertron intact. End of the Line

Primal would be resurrected by the Oracle shortly afterward, while Megatron would survive in a purely organic form. Rhinox, however, was lost to the Allspark. Fallout

Megatron later attempted to use the key to turn Cybertron into a technomatter planet but was stopped by Optimus Primal. Endgame Pt. III: Seeds of the Future

Shell Game

Beta Maxx's vehicle mode could replace the Key of Vector Sigma. Beta Maxx bio

The AllSpark Almanac

The Key was one of ten figures that made up the Cybertronian zodiac. Its associated aspect was "secrets" and assigned orbital cycle was Rokuneon. Its constellation forms a key. The AllSpark Almanac II

Aligned continuity family

Aligned novels

When the Ark left Cybertron, Alpha Trion covertly slipped the Key to Vector Sigma onto Optimus Prime. When Shockwave found Vector Sigma, he captured Alpha Trion, using the Prime as a substitute key. Having anticipated this, Alpha Trion had looped a false access code around his necrocortex. Undeterred, Shockwave began pumping Dark Energon into the computer to try and override its security but the supercomputer managed to fight off the infection and remained locked. Retribution

Prime cartoon

The Key was within the possession of Optimus Prime when he led Team Prime on Earth. When Unicron was awakening within the planet's core, he decided to team up with Megatron to defeat this threat. Before departing through a GroundBridge to Earth's core, he gave Jack Darby the Key, calling it "the key to the GroundBridge power supply" and stating that Jack had shown enough maturity to be entrusted with the device (the Key transformed into a smaller version of itself as it passed from one to the other). One Shall Rise, Part 2 Ratchet later noticed the Key and asked Jack where he got it from; upon being told Optimus had given him the item Ratchet explained that there was no "key to the GroundBridge" and that the artifact was the Key to Vector Sigma, describing it as "one of Cybertron's most important relics." When Jack asked why Prime would entrust him with it, Ratchet answered that it was because Optimus did not expect to survive his confrontation with Unicron. One Shall Rise, Part 3

While Optimus did survive the battle with Unicron, his use of the Matrix of Leadership robbed him of his memories as a Prime, reverting him to his old persona as Orion Pax. Ratchet surmised that Optimus had left the Key with Jack as a failsafe in case this scenario played out, leaving Jack as both something of an honorary Prime, and the only one capable of restoring his memories using the Key. Team Prime resolved to commandeer the Decepticons' space bridge in order to transport Jack to Cybertron to download the knowledge of the Primes from Vector Sigma. Orion Pax, Part 1 Once the bridge had been seized, Jack and Arcee were bridged to Cybertron. They began using the key to try to track down Vector Sigma, and it began leading them towards Kaon. Orion Pax, Part 2

Within the Decepticon capital, the key triggered the rising of an ancient portal, which Jack entered while Arcee was otherwise occupied with an Insecticon. He followed the key's signal down to the chamber containing Vector Sigma itself and used it to activate the ancient computer. Despite an attack by scraplets, the Key received the contents of the Matrix of Leadership and Jack took it back with him to Earth, where he transferred his contents back into Optimus Prime's Matrix, restoring the Autobot leader's memory. The Key was then returned to Prime's possession. Orion Pax, Part 3

2005 IDW continuity

The Functionist Universe

When all twelve members of the Functionist Council combined, they formed the Key to Vector Sigma. It was for this reason that Nine-of-Twelve believed he was safe in Adaptica. Bad Moon Rising But the key itself was unnecessary to open Vector Sigma, prompting Rung to mock the Council as "the Useless Ones". Modes of Production

Games

Transformers Legends

After a battle between the Stunticons and the Aerialbots for control of the Vector Sigma supercomputer, the Decepticons made their escape in possession of the Key to Vector Sigma. The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1

Toys

Timelines

• Vector Sigma (BotCon 2007 Souvenir Add-on)

A hollow plastic Vector Sigma, came packaged with a removable Circuit Key and a clear "hovering effect" display stand, was produced by the Lukis Bros of Unicron.com as a special souvenir item offered exclusively at BotCon 2007.

• More information on Vector Sigma at TFU.info

Masterpiece

• Masterpiece Optimus Prime (2014)

The Key to Vector Sigma came as an exclusive with the Hasbro Asia re-release of the Hasbro version of Masterpiece MP-10 Optimus Prime. It contained a hollow plastic Vector Sigma, a removable Circuit Key and a cardboard stand.

• Megatron (2017)
  • Japanese ID number: MP-36

The second Masterpiece Megatron toy comes with a Key to Vector Sigma accessory. This version of the key is made of solid die-cast metal.

Legacy

Guess he really did have a key on him.

• A Hero Is Born (2-pack, 2022)

• Accessories: Key, stand
• Known designers: Evan Brooks (Hasbro), Takio Ejima and Takashi Kunihiro (TakaraTomy), Lenny Panzica (initial concept)

Revealed at San Diego Comic-Con 2022, Vector Sigma, along with its Key, are included in the "A Hero Is Born" box set with Alpha Trion and Orion Pax. Vector Sigma is perched atop a removable translucent stand, and has a slot in its top that allows the key to... well, key in.

The set was listed for sale as a Hasbro Pulse Con 2022 exclusive, and began appearing in Hong Kong stores shortly afterwards.

Merchandise

Diamond Select Toys

• Autobot Matrix of Leadership (2006)

The human-scaled Autobot Matrix of Leadership includes a human-scaled Key to Vector Sigma; when placed in the Matrix's display stand it activated the lights within it.

Notes

Foreign names

• Japanese: Vector Sigma no Kagi (ベクターシグマの鍵 Bekutā Shiguma no Kagi, "Key to Vector Sigma"), Vector Sigma no Key (ベクターシグマのキー Bekutā Shiguma no Kī)
• Mandarin: Mólì Shénqiú zhī Yàoshi (魔力神球之钥匙, "Key to Magic Ball"), Sigma Shǐliàng zhī Yàoshi (西格玛矢量之钥匙, "Key to Vector Sigma")

See also

• Key to Vector Theta