Torkulon

Galvatron's insanity is contagious.

Torkulon is a living, semi-sentient planet which serves as an enormous psychiatric ward for patients from all races and reaches of the galaxy. It is composed of web-like layers of organic circuitry material, spun by the bug-like Alya. The planet's dominant species is the ape-like Torkuli, who can control both the Alya and the flow and movement of the living planetary circuitry.

Check-in procedures for new patients are exhaustive, requiring filling out multiple redundant forms. The care provided is top-notch, but make sure to read the fine print: If permanent care is required, payment will be made in "consciousness units" rather than conventional currency.

Fiction

The Transformers cartoon

Cyclonus was tricked by a Quintesson into committing the terminally insane Galvatron to Torkulon's care. The Torkuli successfully diagnosed the cause of his insanity (embrittlement of his logic circuits after being submerged in the plasma baths of Thrull), and at first attempted basic treatments: talking with a therapist, arts and crafts, and "exo-drama" primal scream techniques. Galvatron first nearly killed his therapist, then somehow built a gun in the crafts shop, and threatened all the other patients in the drama session.

The Torkuli were unable to heal Galvatron in a conventional sense and chose instead to solve the problem by altogether removing what remained of his mind: The Alya bugs would drill into his head and "eat his madness", consuming his thought processor and weaving it into one small, new piece of the planetary network—and effectively lobotomizing him. However, Galvatron's unprecedented level of dementia was more than Torkulon could handle; during the mental interface, the planet itself was "infected" with Galvatron's madness and driven hopelessly insane. The Torkuli lost control of their planet, and Galvatron escaped.

Torkulon was already falling apart in madness-induced tremors before Galvatron found the planetary memory core and destroyed it, apparently killing it. The Decepticons then razed the entire surface of the planet, ruining Torkuli civilization such that it would take the survivors centuries to rebuild. Webworld

Animated cartoon

Torkulon was part of the Quintesson Pan Galactic Co-Prosperity Sphere in the Milky Way. The Complete AllSpark Almanac Swindle picked up a powerful decompression pump from Torkulon. Do we really want to know how this is used in their treatments? Everything Must Go

Regeneration One

The machine planet Torkulon, located in the Greater Qyorik System, was invaded by forces led by the Decepticon Bludgeon. Its native brain-like insectile inhabitants attempted to activate the planetary defenses but they were slaughtered as the Decepticon strike team came to strip out and assimilate their mainframe. Loose Ends, Part 3

Notes

• According to the Quintessons, there exist other worlds besides Torkulon that are also devoted to psychiatric therapy.
• It is generally accepted that Torkulon, its therapists, and their practices are largely intended to satirize the Western psychiatric medicine industry, as well as traditional images of lunatic asylums (à la One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest).

Foreign names

• Japanese: Torkulon (トーキュロン Tōkyuron)
• French: Torkulan (Europe)
• Russian: Torkhulon (Торхулон)