Stasis cuffs

A pair of stasis cuffs

Stasis cuffs are Transformer-sized handcuffs with a rigid block between the individual cuffs, which holds an extendible belt for use when placing the unit.

They place the Transformer they are used on into a form of stasis lock, which leaves the victim fully conscious and capable of speech, but—once active—unable to move in any other way or use any special powers they may possess.

Fiction

Animated cartoon

When Optimus Prime refused to agree to cover up recent events with Megatron and the AllSpark, Sentinel Prime arrested him, and threatened to use a pair of stasis cuffs on him. When he later tried to use them on Optimus, however, he quickly found them on his own wrists. Optimus would get the chance to use the same pair on Starscream later the same day.

Lots of pairs of stasis cuffs, but much thinner than seen before

When the Cybertron Elite Guard departed Earth, they left a box of stasis cuffs for Optimus' crew to use on any Decepticons they would encounter. Mission Accomplished

These cuffs were soon put to good use when it was shown that the brig of the Elite Guard's ship could not hold the rogue Decepticon. Prowl, eager to prove himself, took a pair to the moon once he tracked the signature of Starscream's AllSpark fragment there. During the scuffle between Prowl and the bounty hunter Lockdown, Starscream escaped. It is unknown if the cuffs were ineffective against Starscream's unique mechanical makeup, or if one of his clones freed him. Given his ability to break out of the Elite Guard's brig, either is quite possible - but after recovering from Prowl's EMP, Starscream seemed to have his movement limited only by the physical device, as with a human in handcuffs, rather than the statue-like state Sentinel Prime was left in.

A pair Lockdown supplied seemed to be effective enough to restrain another clone, but it was later revealed that this was Starscream's intent. Their true usefulness against Starscream or his clones is presently quite uncertain. A Fistful of Energon

Generation 1

Wings Universe

Stasis cuffs were in use by the Elite Guard. Older generation models merely disrupted aggressive subroutines, while newer models caused complete immobilization. The Stealth Team used some older stasis cuffs on Gutcruncher and his gang before locking them in the Darklon brig. As it turned out, Charger was way too psychologically unstable for the cuffs to work on him, and he used the brig's energy bars to burn out Gutcruncher's stasis cuffs. The other stasis cuffs were disposed of when they found the armory. A Team Effort

Mars Attacks: The Transformers

Plot details for Mars Attacks: The Transformers follow. Spoilers have expired, you may remove this tag

Wheeljack invented stasis cuffs which were used to restrain Megatron and his Decepticons after a mid-city battle. The Decepticons managed to break free from them during the subsequent Martian invasion. Mars Attacks: The Transformers