Marvel Comics timeline

A timeline for the events of the Generation 1 Marvel Comics universe(s). Thanks to time-travel stories and a continuity break between the later UK and US strips, it has multiple 'branches' leading out of it.

Events from the UK-only comic stories are in italics.

The Dawn of Time

The universe is created. According to one source, it was born from the remains of the old universe which some greedy bugger had eaten. The Void!

Prehistory

Life gradually evolved throughout the cosmos, eventually and miraculously bringing forth sentient beings. Organic life evolved through carbon-bonding while mechanical life (including Transformers and Quintessons) evolved through the interaction of naturally occurring gears, levers, and pulleys. The Transformers The Big Broadcast of 2006 (US)

The above origin story has been effectively retconned into obscurity. See below.

Now this part, they all agree on.

At some point, the beings Primus and Unicron have a punch-up.

Accounts differ on the background and the entities involved. One account is they were leaders of the Light Gods and the Dark Gods respectively, leading their forces into battle with each other; The Legacy of Unicron! another that they were the last of their pantheons (Unicron's being the Lords of Chaos) and Primus needed to beat Unicron to join the Omniversal Matrix; Primal Scream another that Primus was called forth by the universe itself as a unique entity to prevent Unicron from destroying it. The Void!

In any case, Primus could only win by tricking Unicron into trapping his spirit in a barren asteroid—Primus was trapped in a second. Unicron turned his into a new body, while Primus turned his into the planet Cybertron and birthed the Transformers to battle Unicron in his place. The Transformers were led by PRima, the first bearer of the Primus-born Creation Matrix.

At some point, Demons inhabited Cybertron, but they were eventually imprisoned by Primus in the planet's depths.

Simon Furman intended that the Demons were botched attempts to create Transformer life, but it was never clarified in-universe until the Regeneration One sequel.

Overlords

From an unknown point of time, Cybertron was ruled by the Overlords, a governing council of absolute rulers. Over time, their power and number dwindled, until Cybertron was composed of multiple city-states who were constantly clashing with each other; the key three powers were Vos, Tarn and Iacon.

State Games

They think it's all over... it is now!

In an attempt to lessen growing hostilities caused by the splintering governments and the dwindling resources on Cybertron, the last Overlord started the Games: an inter-city gladiatorial tournament. This allowed the population to exorcise their hostilities, and soon the vicious athlete Megatron had a cult of personality based around him and his feats.

Vos — ruled by a Starscream-headed criminal syndicate — sent its athletic team to bomb Tarn (ruled by Shockwave) and finger Iacon as the culprit. As with all plans by Starscream, this cocked up — Tarn realised Vos had attacked it, and war broke out that devastated both cities. Iacon happily let its rivals beat on each other. During the conflict, Megatron ensured the death of the Overlord; once it was over, he used his fame and charisma to convince the war's survivors that Iacon was at fault for not stepping in to prevent the war, and that Iacon was the enemy. This angry mass became the first Decepticons. State Games

War on the Horizon

File:Megatrong1marvelarmy.jpg

Caaaaan yoooooou dig it?!

The Decepticons were considered harmless cranks to be humored, but ultimately ignored. Megatron crafted the malcontent group into a more formidable organization Legion of the Lost!, and they soon had bases in Autobot cities. In secret, the Decepticons armed themselves and were given the ability to transform into war machines — and then hit an unprepared Cybertron without warning! The Transformers (comic issue)

Early Great War

Megatron leads the Decepticons, gaining more and more ground while the Autobots continue to fall; simultaneously, his opposite number Optimus Prime, another former gladiator, rises in the ranks. He starts off as head of the six-strong Elite Flying Corps. He clashes with his subordinate Divebomb The Icarus Theory, made worse when he saves Divebomb from being killed by a Decepticon who pinches his name.(Divebomb changes it to "Swoop" and never talks about being saved) Grudge Match! Later, Prime is transferred to the Autobot Fourth Computerized Division and is swiftly promoted to Lieutenant Commander. The Flames of Boltax! Other war legends include the Magnificent Six, who end up reduced to five traumatised wrecks after being captured by Megadeath at Yuss.The Magnificent Six!

Megatron and Optimus first clash in battle over the powerful Underbase, the creation of the neutral scientist Boltax. In order to prevent this mighty database being captured, Optimus launches it into space. The Flames of Boltax!

Prime rallies the troops by firing at nothing.

Eventually Megatron has pushed the Autobots to Iacon itself, and Optimus Prime — now a general — leads a successful defensive that turns him back. During that battle, Emirate Xaaron has the Iacon government grant Optimus full control of the armed forces and the ability to do what he wants without needing to go to them — which he was doing anyway! And There Shall Come...a Leader!

The war becomes a battle between two evenly matched sides. Megatron, desiring to turn Cybertron into a cosmic dreadnought, builds planet-engines and triggers one that sends the planet off its orbit. Legion of the Lost!

1st Cycle 931 (Cybertronian dating)

This eventually takes it far too close to an asteroid belt, which will destroy it utterly; Optimus leads a team of the Autobots' finest in the Ark to clear the path of rocks. Following this, he intends to make peace gestures to the Decepticons... who then attack in force and board the Ark, causing Optimus to crash the ship into some uninhabited planet to end Megatron's threat. The Transformers

Post-Arklaunch

The Autobots are left distraught and leaderless by the loss of the Ark , and send Navigator to find it (he gets lost). Man of Iron The Decepticons quickly gain a new leader in the brutal Trannis, and the war begins going their way once again. Eventually Trannis just gets bored and has Iacon bombed to slag. The Autobots only survive due to Emirate Xaaron having prepared for the army to go underground, and a long-lasting insurgency begins. The commando group the Wreckers kill Trannis, but this just leaves Straxus in charge Cybertron: The Middle Years! to start chucking all Autobots, neutrals, empties, failed Decepticons and the postman into the Smelting pool. The Smelting Pool!

Hope you weren't eating when you looked at this page...

Meanwhile, a bunch of Decepticons unlock the key to biomorphic reproduction, a pre-Matrix way of reproducing. The Power and the Glory This new second generation of Decepticons, including Jhiaxus, happily throw themselves into the war but eventually become bored with it; they leave Cybertron behind to colonise space (exterminating any organic life on said colony worlds in the process) under the aegis of the Cybertronian Empire. Neither the Autobots nor Straxus's Decepticons notice this, carrying on a war Jhiaxus and Co believe is irrelevant. War Without End!

The Quintessons rule Cybertron. They were driven off "centuries ago". The Big Broadcast of 2006 (US)

Kup grows weary of the war and leaves Cybertron, but an encounter with the boisterous Hot Rod revives his spirits. Kup's Story!

20th and 21st centuries

1984/5

A volcanic eruption reactivates Teletraan I, the internal computer of the Ark. The Autobots and the Decepticons awaken, and restart the Great War. The Transformers

The Decepticons kidnap the mechanic Sparkplug Witwicky, and force him to adapt their systems to earthen fuel. Prisoner of War!

After some battles, Man of Iron The Enemy Within! Raiders of the Last Ark the Decepticons launch a final attack on the Autobots. When the Decepticons have the upper hand, they fall due to Witwicky making the fuel poisonous for them. However, the Autobots' victory is short-lived, because of the arrival of Shockwave, who defeats the remaining Autobots. The Last Stand

Shockwave assumes command of the Decepticons (beating the snot out of Megatron to cement this) and deactivates all of the Autobots except Ratchet, who was absent at the time of the attack, and Optimus Prime, who is kept alive as a disembodied head. Prime secretly passes the Creation Matrix, a life-giving power, onto human ally Buster Witwicky. The New Order The Worse of Two Evils!

Ratchet retrieves the Dinobots from the Savage Land and, with their help, takes down Megatron. Repeat Performance! With their help, the Ark is secured and the Autobots reactivated (sans Prime who's a prison of Shockwave), but at the seeming cost of Swoop's life. The Dinobots go AWOL. The Wrath of Guardian! The Wrath of Grimlock!

Jazz secures a mutual-benefit alliance with G.B. Blackrock, solving the Autobot fuel concerns. DIS-Integrated Circuits! Shockwave uses Optimus's Creation Matrix to give life to the Constructicons, The Next Best Thing to Being There! but later the Autobots recover their commander despite severe injuries. Shockwave is left MIA, and the Matrix returned to Optimus; he uses it to bring life to Decepticon construct Jetfire, who joins the Autobots. Prime Time!

Buster Witwicky introduces the recovering Autobots to the concept of Christmas, which Prime takes a bit too far. Christmas Breaker!

1986

EPIC WIN.

Optimus briefly suffers from doubts and second-guessing due his ordeal, recovering in time to end Autobot divisions. Soundwave assumes Decepticon command. Crisis of Command! Swoop is recovered and reactivated by disgruntled scientist Professor Morris, leading to the discovery that the Dinobots are suffering mental deterioration. The Icarus Theory The Autobots begin a Dinobot Hunt, in which Jetfire proves himself as an Autobot, but Soundwave's interference leads to multiple Autobots being injured and an unopposed fuel raid—a major Decepticon victory. Dinobot Hunt! Wheeljack almost makes a deal with Ravage out of desperation over the wounded, ...Perchance to Dream and the Dinobots remain offline even when repaired. Victory! Meanwhile, small-time criminal Joey Slick finds Megatron (locked in gun-mode) and briefly becomes a notorious super-criminal. Megatron is reactivated. Shooting Star!

Shockwave returns and retakes command. The Autobots, desperate to bolster troop numbers due to the mass of injuries, activate five new warriors. Rock and Roll-Out! Government agency Intelligence and Information Institute attempts to calm public fears by creating a "Robot-Master" figure who they pretend really controls the Transformers. Megatron, now backed by Soundwave and his cassettes, captures the Robot Master (Donny Finkleberg) and uses him to spread anti-Autobot propaganda. I, Robot-Master! Soon after, Shockwave attempts (and fails) to capture Bumblebee. Plight of the Bumblebee!

Buster Witwicky tries to prove his worth to the Autobots by trying to fight the Decepticons in robot armour, and is nearly killed by Shockwave. Robot Buster! Shockwave determines that affection for Buster is an Autobot weakness to exploit, but an attack on Buster is called off when it becomes clear the lad is having visions from the Matrix he once carried. Devastation Derby! The Autobots try to decipher the visions, with the Decepticons tapping in; both sides see the Matrix's vision of Special Teams. This prompts Megatron to make a play for Decepticon command again; Soundwave is forced to step in, getting Megatron and Shockwave to share command. A new Decepticon base is established in Wyoming. The Dinobots are reactivated. Second Generation!

On Cybertron, both an Autobot resistance cell and Decepticon leader Straxus pick up a signal from Earth, becoming aware of the war there. Straxus builds the space bridge to link the two planets, using information taken from scientist Spanner, but the Autobots prevent the Decepticons crossing in force and destroy Straxus's body, at the cost of being stuck on Earth. The Smelting Pool! The Bridge to Nowhere! They are rapidly captured by RAAT, and Circuit Breaker. Heavy Traffic!

Meanwhile, the Earth Autobots and Decepticons deal with the effects of the PARD device. To a Power Unknown! Deciding to go on the offensive, Optimus has Omega Supreme built and steals combiner technology from the Decepticons; the Decepticons suffer heavy losses, though Megatron regains full command, while the Autobots lose Skids. Command Performances! He is tempted to remain AWOL and avoid the war, but eventually rejoins—taking Finkleberg with him to inform the Autobots about the arrivals from Cybertron. Showdown! The Dinobots, bored from lack of action, assist journalist Joy Meadows in blowing open the Robot Master hoax; both Triple-I and the Decepticons attempt to prevent this. While the Dinobots are helped by Centurion (really controlled by Professor Morris), the Decepticons still succeed. In the National Interest The Dinobots go AWOL with Centurion.

The Cybertron resistance, led by Emirate Xaaron, plan Operation: Volcano—a major strike on the Decepticon. But the arrival of time-travelling Decepticons Galvatron, Cyclonus and Scourge, which causes Optimus, Ratchet and Prowl to be sent to Limbo and Megatron to be offlined, throws the Autobots into a command crisis and has Volcano upset as Xaaron sends Ultra Magnus to Earth to investigate. The confused Autobots suffer a humiliating defeat and turn to Megatron and Soundwave for leadership. Despite this, they lose again and Ultra Magnus has to step in to assist. Galvatron is eventually tricked into returning to the future by other time travellers, and Magnus goes home; a number of Autobots remain wounded. Volcano is called off when the Insecticons are seconded to Earth under Megatron's orders, ruining Volcano's first strike; Autobot Wreckers leader Impactor is killed, however. Target: 2006 The six Transformers stuck in Limbo, fall prey to the native parasites. They eventually escape them. Distant Thunder!

Optimus oversees the creation of the Aerialbot Special Team, who battle the Insecticons and new Decepticon jets over the Hoover Dam; it's a near failure due to flaws with Superion. Aerialbots over America! Still, the Aerialbots are sent on another mission to test them once more—their phobias and flaws cause disaster, but Jetfire didn't witness this and so they're forced to struggle with their problems on their own. The Return of the Transformers Because of these flaws, Optimus KILLS AND REMAKES THEIR MINDS (bloody hell!) to fix them. Bombshell lands a cerebro-shell in Prime's wound, and channels Matrix energy from him to make the Stunticon Special Team. Skids and Finkleberg are sent to investigate the lost "Cybertron Seven", getting caught in an Aerialbot-Stunticon-RAAT battle. Finkleberg betrays Skids to RAAT for money. Heavy Traffic!

Back on Cybertron, rebel leader Fortress Maximus has grown tired of the constant warfare and takes his squad, and anyone else who wishes to join, to the peaceful planet of Nebulos where they can avoid war. Unfortunately, the first encounter with a native goes badly wrong and the paranoid Lord Zarak begins stirring up the population for a pre-emptive attack on the 'invaders'. Conflict almost breaks out but is defused when Fortress Maximus not only surrenders to World Watchers leader Galen, he and five others remove their heads as a gesture of complete faith in Nebulan mercy. Ring of Hate!

After two tricky missions over the Christmas holidays, Jetfire visits Buster for some advice. The Gift

1987

RAAT continues to hunt down Autobots while Megatron enlists the Battlechargers to Earth. Their nationwide rampage forces Circuit-Breaker to cut a deal with RAAT's Autobot prisoners; in return for their help defeating the Battlechargers, they're released. Donny Finkleberg also cuts his RAAT ties. Decepticon Graffiti!

Optimus Prime, worried how badly the Autobots did without him against Galvatron, works with Wheeljack to fake his own death as a test. However, when Megatron enlists the Predacons to Earth to kill Optimus — and they actually try to kill him too, on Shockwave's behalf — both leaders end up warped by Space Bridge to Cybertron, leaving the Autobots believing Optimus dead.Prey! Insult to injury, Megatron uses the Cybertronian Decepticon's spy networks to spread a rumour of an Optimus impersonator; Prime is thus targeted by the Wreckers and Ultra Magnus, only surviving because they witness his concern for a wounded Outback and realise he's the real deal. Megatron, meanwhile, is undermining Lord Straxus' command with his presence and madness, but Straxus is plotting to swap his mind with the crippled Lord's, giving Straxus a new body. ...The Harder They Die! Under Fire! Distant Thunder!

GAAAAH MY SPINE!!

Back on Nebulos, Zarak continued to try and stir up trouble, but got more than he bargained for when he calls for aid against the Autobots and gets a Decepticon brigade under the command of Scorponok. The Decepticons take advantage of the Autobot's surrender and attempt to conquer the planet, forcing Galen and Fort Max into a compromise: scientist Arcana creates the binary bonding process, where five Nebulans (including himself and Galen) will become cyborgs that can transform into the heads of the five Autobots. The Decepticons are routed, with the "Headmaster" technology turning out to increase Autobot reaction speed and processing power. Unfortunately, now the war has spread to another planet. Broken Glass!

On Earth, Galvatron has returned to the 1980s once more — displacing Skids into Limbo. He viciously damages Centurion and gives the Cybertron Seven and Dinobots a pasting before the Decepticons drive him off: Shockwave does not want the competition. Fallen Angel Blaster's crew arrive at the Ark to find the Autobots in mourning, while Prime himself rejuvantes the Cybertronian resistance and leads them to new victories. Straxus makes his move — and it goes wrong, as Megatron fights him off but is left mentally deranged. When Optimus returns to Earth by space bridge, Straxus' right-hand man Ratbat makes sure Megatron is sent away with him (and, accidentally, Ultra Magnus is sent too). Resurrection! Straxus' defeated consciousness flees into a cloned Megatron body, his elaborate contingency plan, and waits his chance. Two Megatrons! The Autobots celebrate Prime's return Resurrection! but in a cruel twist of fate, Optimus dies shortly after on a mission with the newly built Protectobots.

Prime dies so much he died before he died!

To prevent a destructive battle, the Autobots, Megatron and the new Combaticons agree to have a proxy fight in the video game Multi-World, with the losing leader being destroyed by explosives. When Optimus wins the game by sacrificing the "lives" of its characters, he is left distraught at abandoning his principles and considers himself the loser. Unknown to the Transformers, game creator Ethan Zachary made a back-up copy of Prime's mind. Afterdeath! This comes in handy for Shockwave when his next attempt to kill Megatron — who is still mentally fragile and violently paranoid that Optimus faked his death — fails. A bluff causes Megatron to realise Optimus was backed up and he flees across the space bridge in a panic, blowing it up as he goes and seemingly dying. Gone but Not Forgotten! Instead he ends up in Cybertron in an amnesiac state, wandering around for years as an Empty. The Resurrection Gambit! Shockwave is now in charge of Earth but quickly finds himself dependent on Ratbat, a more hands-on Cybertronian leader. King of the Hill!

The Autobots hold Optimus's funeral, launching his body into space Funeral for a Friend! (not realising the Matrix is still in it) Deathbringer and a group of top officers try to work out who should replace him. Grimlock and his Dinobots make a return to the Ark, intent on taking the job; he is initially repulsed, but shows the skills necessary for leadership when he fights off Trypticon. King of the Hill!

During all this, Galvatron has been working on a new plan: a power siphon over an active volcano (Mount Verona), which will draw the energy off the Earth's core into himself — devastating the North America west coast. Ultra Magnus is drawn into this when he tries saving a human, Cindy Newell, from Galvatron's fire barrier and gets himself beaten into submission. Luckily, a team of future Autobots under Rodimus Prime have arrived. Burning Sky! Unfortunately, so did a 2007 mercenary called Death's Head, looking for the reward money on Galvatron; he blew up Bumblebee to cover his tracks. Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!

And every British person browsing this page just shivered and felt dirty inside.

Time-traveller Wreck-Gar rebuilds the Autobot into a new, stronger form named Goldbug. Death's Head and Rodimus Prime both end up battling Galvatron for their own reasons, allowing Ultra Magnus to sabotage the siphon as a delaying action, and the Autobots rig a time-jump override to force Galvatron back to their own timeline. Unfortunately, Galvatron had a countermeasure in place: only the Autobots and Death's Head are sent, leaving Goldbug Hunters Fire on High! and Magnus alone against him. Magnus is forced to sacrifice himself to stop the siphon, and he and Galvatron are entombed in Mount Verona. Vicious Circle!

In the US run, a G.I. Joe crossover occurs simultaneously with the events of "Afterdeath!" through "King of the Hill!" — literally so, with Optimus and Megatron's deaths happening between issues of the miniseries. In it, Cobra steal the prototype Power Station Alpha which the Decepticons also covet; the two decide to team up, though Shockwave plans to modify Alpha and use it to suck Earth dry of natural energy. The Autobots and G.I. Joe have already teamed up — after a brief misunderstanding destroys Bumblebee, but the Joes rebuild him into Goldbug to make up for it — and when Cobra joins forces as well, the Decepticons lose. However, the Decepticon upgrades made Power Station Alpha partially sentient. The Autobots knew this and were disgusted when Cobra destroyed it anyway. (All of this is ignored by the US/UK run, as the UK hadn't got to that part of the Joe run yet.

Goldbug goes back to the Ark to find Grimlock is not handling power well, to the extent of wearing a crown. The new commander orders Grimlock and Blaster to recover stolent Autobot tech from a human supervillain called the Mechanic, authorising the loss of human lives if necessary. When the Mechanic escapes, the Autobots decide to go AWOL rather than stay with Grimlock Mechanical Difficulties! and decide to fight Decepticons on their own. Their first solo mission leads them to a crashed Decepticon ship which is infected with Scraplets. Both they and the Decepticon Triple Changers are infected, with Goldbug and a human ally fleeing for a cure. Luckily, the cure turns out to be water. Even more luckily, Ratbat intervened by forcing the rebel Throttlebots to go to Earth and kill all the infected (so he won't have to scorch the whole planet). With the extra numbers, the Scraplets are defeated and the fugitives now have a larger gang. Unfortunately, the ship's cargo has survived and the Decepticons brainwashed G.B. Blackrock into Crater Critters using it to create car washes that brainwash humans into handing their fuel over to the Decepticons. Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom Back at the Ark, the Autobots are getting more and more disgruntled at Grimlock's command, and especially with the Dinobot wasting so many Autobot's time by sending them after the fugitives. Ancient Relics!

Word reaches Straxus' cloning team that Megatron is dead, so they send Straxus in his cloned body down to Earth (under London) to take advantage. Unfortunately for Straxus, his consciousness was 'infected' with Megatron's: the clone believes he's Megatron and suppresses Straxus within himself. Two Megatrons! This Megatron goes on a rampage, opposed by both the human Action Force counter-terrorists and a handful of Autobots, thanks to Blades and Grimlock mistaking Megatron's signal for Goldbug and Blaster. The battle is only won when Centurion sacrifices himself to keep Megatron in the path of a missile strike. Ancient Relics!

He'd have gotten away with it, if not for that meddling kid!

Ratbat arrives on Earth and takes full command away from Shockwave, while his car wash plan is rolled out across the United States; the second phase is to permanently brainwash all the patrons. Luckily, the Autobot's old friend Buster Witwicky discovers the plot by accident and is able to free Blackrock from mind control. Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom

The Dinobot Swoop and the Predacon Divebomb duke it out once more, but the humiliation of having to be saved by the others causes Swoop to man up and admit to his friends that he'd had to be saved by Prime the first time round. (Grimlock has known for months but deliberately kept quiet) Grudge Match! In Oregon, Galvatron's remains are found and Shockwave orders him destroyed by the Combaticons; Cindy Newell recruits Joy Meadows and archaeologist Susan Hoffman to help her stop them and save the vulnerable Magnus, with last-minute aid from the Throttlebots. Nobody realises the battle woke Galvatron up. Ladies' Night

Over at Nebulos, the increasingly destructive war is causing the people and the Council of Peersto grow disgruntled with the Autobots as well as the Decepticons. Zarak makes a deal with Scorponok: in exchange for his life and in the hope of making Nebulos safe, he will help the Decepticons replicate the Headmaster process (and become Scorponok's own partner). Unprepared for this and concerned with protecting the Nebulans, the Autobot Headmasters are captured and the planet convinced that Zarak had saved the Peers. Love and Steel! Scorponok's more brutal instincts begin to override Zarak's own, and his war against the Autobots only increases the destruction. Brothers in Armor!!

Out for revenge the Combaticons chase Blaster and the Throttlebots across the country, with RAAT (who've worked out the Autobot-Blackrock link) setting ambushes at every Blackrock petrol station. The fugitives take refuge at a used car lot but are betrayed by the owner, who sells them out to RAAT. The Throttlebots are all captured, while the Protectobots intervene to 'save' Blaster for his court martial at the Ark. Used Autobots They then leave him in mode-lock while they engage the Combaticons. A group of human children find and save Blaster, and with their help Blaster saves the Protectobots. A grateful Hot Spot decides to let Blaster "escape", and the rebel lets the humans take a ride on a mode-locked Blast Off. That turns out to be a mistake: it's noticed by the Ark Child's Play and Blast Off, with the young "Spacehikers", is captured. The Autobots are willing to rebel against Grimlock now, as long as Blaster is willing to lead them, but he's forced to surrender rather than let the children be hurt. Spacehikers!

A wandering Starscream learns the meaning of Christmas but doesn't care. Stargazing

1988

Livin' the thuk life

Galvatron tricks Shockwave into attacking him first by acting as shifty as possible, then lies to the Decepticons that he'd only been coming to talk but now they've made him an enemy: thus undermining his rival. A rattled Shockwave decides to find Megatron's body and use him as a disposable anti-Galvatron asset. (The Cybertron Decepticons try to recruit Galvatron and the Sparkabots try to stop this happening, but Galvatron doesn't give a toss about either of them) Enemy Action! Ratbat, meanwhile, is getting things done: the Decepticons no longer have any Autobots on Earth to stop them and he's having them openly loot whatever they want. RAAT, still refusing to notice factions exist, threaten to execute the Throttlebots unless the Decepticons stop (so of course they don't). Walter Barnett realises the truth and smuggles their processors out in toy cars, and turns to Buster Witwicky for help in contacting the Autobots. Buster and Goldbug reach Mount St. Hilary and use the abandoned equipment to send out an SOS, but Ratbat catches up with them and gleefully captures his old enemy. RAAT have publicly learned the difference in factions and take a public beating Toy Soldiers!, and now Buster is used as a hostage to prevent them attacking the Decepticon island base. The Desert Island of Space! The government scraps them for their failures. The Human Factor!

The SOS reaches Nebulos, right as the war ramps up with the creation of the next binary bonded partners: the Targetmasters, Nebulan freedom fighters who turn into weaponry. The first battle sees the destruction of the Nursery, forcing Zarak to realise he's being changed for the worse. Aghast, he releases the Autobot Headmasters. Brothers in Armor!! After another brief battle Worlds Apart! Galen/Fort Max decide they should answer the SOS in the hope that, if the Autobots leave Nebulos, the Decepticons will follow. Brothers in Armor!! When they arrive at Earth, they encounter Spike Witwicky: Buster's older brother, out to find his sibling. When the Decepticons follow, Galen is killed in battle against Scorponok; Spike's bravery and resourcefulness in the battle see him chosen to be Maximus' new Headmaster partner. Trial by Fire!

His first mission is to rescue Buster from the Earth Decepticon's base. He fails but defeats Shockwave, sending the villain plummeting through the atmosphere. Ratbat allows Shockwave to be lost The Desert Island of Space! but Shockwave survives, gathers some troops at the abandoned Fortress Sinister, and has 'Megatron's' body salvaged. Straxus's consciousness battles Megatron's for control, and loses. The Sparkabots simultaneously dig Ultra Magnus out of Mount Verona; the warrior is traumatised by his experiences but recovers in time to force Galvatron into retreat, the first time he's ever won that battle. Salvage! Maximus's Autobots learn about Ethan Zachary and his back-up of Optimus Prime's mind: while the back-up is sentient, it believes it's a video game character. The backup is used to help the Autobots steal Scorponok's new Pretender technology, giving both sides a Pretender squad. Pretender to the Throne!

Mindless, ancient corpses have risen and they're buying He-Man!

The mad scientist Flame reactivates Megatron's old planetary engine under Kalis. In order to protect his plan, he turns every corpse in the city in a zombie; Kalis is abandoned and the Wreckers and Xaaron captured. Three weeks later, the Sparkabots and Magnus — unaware of the crisis — return to Cybertron and, with the help of both their fellow rebels and the Decepticons, defeat Flame before his experiments can destroy Cybertron.City of Fear! Legion of the Lost! Meltdown! Magnus intends to return to Earth with the Wreckers to stop Galvatron, but he's distracted bby shutting down alien-run deathmatches in Tyrest. Deadly Games! Making matters worse, the Wreckers warp to Earth to find Galvatron in a human city, with Cyclonus and Scourge — who want his time-jump device so they can go home — present. They're forced to withdraw. Cyclonus and Scourge, worried about Galvatron, seek sanctuary from Shockwave. Wrecking Havoc

Unable to rebuild Optimus Prime, Maximus decides to approach Grimlock for aid. Grimlock refuses to give it or share any command, and it's arranged for him to fight Blaster (standing in for Maximus) to decide leadership. Instead, the two are forced to work together when Ratbat's army attacks mid-fight, almost wiping out the Autobots. Grimlock agrees to work with others and Maximus has Goldbug go to Nebulos for help with Prime. Totaled! The Nebulans have poisoned all fuel sources to keep the Transformers out, but the bitter scientist Hi-Test created the Powermaster process — a form of binary bonding where a Nebulan becomes an engine — and Darkwing and Dreadwind ravage the planet. Goldbug's three teammates become Autobot Powermasters to compensate, thanks to Hi-Q; more importantly, Optimus Prime is successfully resurrected but, out of necessity, has to be turned intn a Powermaster. People Power! On their way back to Earth, the Autobots rescue the Spacehikers and their friend Sky Lynx from the Cosmic Carnival. The Cosmic Carnival

A Wreckers recon team is sent to Earth in advance of a second attack on Galvatron. Firebug! Unfortunately, things spiral out of control when Shockwave learns that Cyclonus and Scourge will kill him in 2008. He sics the brainwashed Megatron on them and has Cyclonus killed: dying before he was created is a paradox that damages space-time itself. Dry Run! Megatron is then sent after Galvatron... just as Galvatron wanted. He convinces his past self to team up with him. Altered Image! Meanwhile, Shockwave's attempts to understand the paradoxes and his death cause him to go steadily insane. Dry Run!

While the Autobots are stranded on the moon, Scorponok's faction increase their operations on Earth. They create the Z Foundation front to raise money for anti-Transformer activity and spread anti-robot hate Ca$h and Car-nage!, and send the Pretender Skullgrin to scout for energy. Skullgrin achieves this by (we're not joking) becoming a media celebrity. Both plans go wrong when Circuit-Breaker blows Skullgrin's cover Monstercon from Mars! and the Z Foundation's hired mercs, the Roadjammers, blow that cover. Ca$h and Car-nage! Things go even worse when the Autobots do get back to Earth and Scorponok targets Highbrow: the Autobot is able to successfully rip off his head, leaving a paralysed Zarak in his custody. All in the Minds!

1989

"NO! NO! YOU ARE NOT MAKING ME WORK OUT THE BLOODY CONTINUITY OF THIS!!!"

The original Megatron, wandering half-dead and insane around the Dead End, regains his mind when he sees Autobots cornering Blackjack. The Resurrection Gambit!. At this point, the Straxus-clone Megatron is suffering a breakdown as Straxus's mind tries to take over again; Megatron arrives in a moment of weakness. When the clone realises the truth, he kills himself to defeat Straxus, leaving Megatron secretly in charge. Two Megatrons! A battle at the centre of Cybertron wakes up Primus: an action that alerts Unicron to Cybertron's whereabouts, years earlier than he would have otherwise learned it. The Primal Scream

1991

With the help of the Last Autobot, the Autobots force the Decepticons into exile. End of the Road!

1991-3

With the war over, the Autobots begin to repair and resurrect many of their dead. Many Autobots, however, grow bored of the peace and form little gangs to go out into space, searching for new conflicts. (Why yes, Grimlock formed one of those gangs!) War Without End! Unknown to the Autobots, this peace is just a temporary thing: Bludgeon's army are quietly reorganising and building a horrific battleship called the Warworld! Primal Fear!

Meanwhile, on Earth, Spike Witwicky continues to check up on Fortress Maximus' body now and again. Final Transformations He's sadly not around when a half-dead Megatron wakes up... Unfoldings!

1993-94

Anything X-Force can do, we can do better!

Grimlock's militia start running into the Cybertronian Empire's cyberforming crews: to their horror, they find seventeen planets have been wiped out and reformatted into little Cybertron's. They're able to save Nexus Seven through extreme violence and Grimlock puts out a call to Optimus Prime. The Empire's Liege Centuro Jhiaxus, however, is hunting for them and Optimus is suffering recurring nightmares of a corpse-strewn wasteland. War Without End! Meanwhile, on Earth, Megatron is cutting a deal with Cobra: they give him a new body and let him 'borrow' weapons designer Sidney Biggles-Jones, and he'll grant them Cybertronian tech. Megatron's involvement is spotted by G.I. Joe and they put out a call to Cybertron; Optimus dispatches a squad to investigate Realignments Goin' South while he meets Grimlock at a liberated planet.

Unfortunately, Jhiaxus swiftly captures the Autobots. He attempts to 'reason' with Optimus, declaring the Autobot-Decepticon war was a minor squabble that Empire have moved on from, and that they've left behind destruction for construction (except for all the organics they call but organics don't count, right?). The Autobots have none of it and escape, pursued by the Cybertronians; Optimus is left worried that he's still having the nightmares, believing it to be a warning of a new apocalyptic threat on the way. War Without End! Simultaneously on Earth, the Autobots under Hot Spot intervene in the Megatron/Cobra/Joe battle and it goes horribly wrong: four dead, the Ark taking off under Megatron's control, and Biggles-Jones captured. Final Transformations Hot Spot himself kills himself in an all-or-nothing raid to destroy all of Cobra's Cybertronian parts. Luckily, Skydive had been smuggled onto the Ark and finds Spike Witwicky, better late than never, is also onboard and reactivating Fortress Maximus. Only able to hold back Megatron so Skydive and Biggles-Jones can escape, Spike and Maximus make the supreme sacrifice to blow up the Ark (and themselves with it). All or Nothing! Megatron will survive though: he rebuilt Starscream and was able to make his escape...

Optimus' small band try to raid an ancient alien weapons cache to use against Jhiaxus, having a fight with Bludgeon's Decepticons who want the same thing; both bands are chased away by a powerful alien guardian. Ghosts With that a bust, they try to lose Jhiaxus in the K'tord Nebula and they do manage it! Though that's because the place is seething with psychic parasites that drive you psychotically insane and everyone has to stop fighting in order to escape. Jhiaxus is left permanently rattled by the incident, as it removed his icy control and reminded him that he was a sadistic butcher. Speaking of sadistic butchers, Bludgeon has finally completed his Warworld and has constructed a 'second generation' of Decepticons: all he needs is the Matrix to activate them. Primal Fear!

The Autobots set up a new Autobase on a remote asteroid and call in reinforcements, but Optimus decides to wait until he deciphers his visions before any action is taken. Grimlock does as Grimlock does and goes AWOL with a strike force to blow up Jhiaxus' flagship: Red Alert and Mirage are killed as a direct result and the Autobots captured. Optimus is able to save them from being deported to "the Liege Maximo" and, believing Grimlock has learned better, leaves him in charge Devices and Desires! while he goes to Cybertron. There, the Venerable Ones help him commune with the Matrix and see visions of the Cybertronian Empire's origin, and the 'budding' process they used to replicate. Optimus ends the vision early and doesn't see the key bit: the replication also created a form of dark energy, the Swarm. The Power and the Glory

Unknown to the Autobots, Bludgeon had decided the best way to lure out Optimus and steal the Matrix is by attacking Earth. The Warworld rains down indiscriminate fire and the Pretender leads a raiding party in sacking the city, and lures out... Megatron and Starscream, wanting Decepticon leadership back! Bludgeon fights back and is killedTales Of Earth Part OneTales of Earth Part Two, and insult to injury is that Megatron co-opts his plan. (With an army back, he's thinking Starscream has outlived his usefulness - as is every other Decepticon!) Earth's superpowers are routed and Skydive, working with G.I. Joe, calls out for Autobot aid. That aid, however, is just Optimus Prime: to Hawk's horror, he wants to talk to Megatron and convince him to unite against the Cybertronian Empire, rather than fight him off. Megatron instead sucker-punches Prime and tears the Matrix from him, and in an ironic role reversal Prime is saved by Grimlock, who disobeyed orders and took an Autobot force down to Earth after all.

2006

The UK version of The Big Broadcast of 2006 is given as a fiction made up by Wreck-Gar based losely on real events.

The Autobots, under the command of Rodimus Prime have made their base on Cybertron. The Decepticons are now under the leadership of Galvatron have a base on Chaar. The Big Broadcast of 2006 (US)

Marvel UK future timelines

Events in the Marvel UK future timelines represent three alternate futures.

Original future

1986-9

Various big events take place, including the rise to prominence of the Decepticon general Scorponok and the creation of Autobot hero Ultra Magnus; the war reaching Nebulos; and the development of the binary-bonding and Pretender technology.

A smaller scale event is the death of Firebolt, Hot Rod's Nebulan partner, on Earth. Headhunt

1990

Megatron was in command of a large number of Decepticons. He undercovered and executed Autobot deep-cover agent Warmonger. Aspects of Evil!

A Decepticon Civil War - between Megatron, Shockwave and Scorponok - kicks off here. Aspects of Evil!

1991

The Civil War raged on before ending with Megatron victorious. While Shockwave would be absorbed into Megatron's army, Scorponok was left wounded, alone and hunted; he only survived by forcing the Autobots to intervene against his pursuers. Aspects of Evil!

1995

To improve relations with human feminists, Optimus Prime creates Arcee, the first Female Transformer. It... doesn't work very well. Prime's Rib!

2003

Plans are drawn up for an Autobot City on Earth, funded with help from Earth's governments. Ultra Magnus is commanding the Ark at this point. Ark Duty

2004

Autobot City is completed. Shockwave attacks the opening ceremony, intending to shatter Autobot-human relations and use this victory to usurp control from Megatron. It fails badly. Aspects of Evil!

2006

By this point, the Decepticons rule Cybertron; the Autobots reside in moon bases and Autobot City . Time travel technology is possessed by both factions. Earth has weather control systems.

Megatron starts the Battle of Autobot City. As a result, Optimus Prime is killed and Ultra Magnus becomes the new Autobot Commander; the monstrous Unicron turns up, reformatting a dying Megatron into Galvatron. The Transformers: The Movie

Deciding he doesn't want to work for Unicron, Galvatron, Cyclonus and Scourge time-travel back to 1986 inadvertently creating a new parallel timeline. Unicron mentally steers Hot Rod, Kup and Blurr to bring him back, and tortures Galvatron back into obedience when they have. Target: 2006

Unicron attacks Cybertron. Hot Rod opens the Matrix and becomes Rodimus Prime, who hurls Galvatron into space, destroys Unicron, and leads the Autobots in reclaiming Cybertron. The Transformers: The Movie Shockwave takes command of the shattered Decepticons, while Galvatron is missing (he crosstime-jumped to 1986 at the moment of defeat). Rodimus, concerned about Galvatron, sends the Autobots searching across space to find the guy. Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!

Unicron's severed head goes on to crash on Junk, where he mind-controls the Junkions into building him a new body... The Legacy of Unicron!

2007

Justice comes at a price. That price is freedom of the rights of all sentient beings.

With the Autobot army stretched, Shockwave was able to re-organise the Decepticon army and retake half of Cybertron. Stalemate ensured; Rodimus, out of desperation, puts a dead-or-alive bounty on Galvatron's head, something that backfires when it causes Death's Head to crosstime-jump to 1987 looking for the bounty. Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive! Rodimus, Kup, Blurr and (accidentally) Wreck-Gar went after him Burning Sky! and brought him back, but failed to secure Galvatron.

Shockwave, wanting to cement his power, set it up so Death's Head would kill Rodimus, Cyclonus and Scourge. All three lived, but the latter two would be fleeing Death's Head for the rest of the year. Headhunt

2008

Death's Head catches up with Cyclonus and Scourge on Junk in the New Year, but all three end up mentally enslaved by Unicron. He has them kill Shockwave and send the entire Decepticon army at the Autobots, a pointless battle that'll decimate both sides in advance of his arrival. Rodimus, however, has been alerted of Unicron's presence, and leads a strike-team to stop him. Thanks to Rodimus, Wreck-Gar, and Death's Head, Unicron's head is destroyed and his mind trapped in the Matrix, while Scourge and Cyclonus end up sent back in time. Soundwave takes command of the Decepticons and ends the battle. The Legacy of Unicron!

A time rift appears in 2008, causing the destruction of the Quintesson homeworld. They investigate many mechanical planets for emergency colonisation, eventually settling on Cybertron; Wreck-Gar comes into possession of these plans. The Quintessons launch a devastating attack on Autobot City on Earth, drawing out Rodimus so they can steal the Matrix; simultaneously, they trick the Decepticons on Cybertron into heading into an ambush. The Earth forces are slaughtered by Metroplex and the Cybertron force undone by Soundwave calling in the Autobots to help. Wreck-Gar broadcasts the Quintessons plans to every planet on their list, forewarning them and ensuring the surviving Quintessons will be hunted fugitives. Space Pirates!

The rift gets worse, now threatening Earth and Cybertron. Time Wars

2009

On New Year's Day, the Terrorcons attack Earth with the intention of draining its energy before it was destroyed; the Autobots wrecked that plan. The Autobots also became aware that the source of the time rift was 1989, and a small team was sent back to that year to end the crisis. Time Wars

Post-Time Wars future

1989

Megatron - well, his Straxus clone - seizes control of a large number of Decepticons. Knowing he will become Galvatron, he decides to work more patiently. The Fall and Rise of the Decepticon Empire.

A Decepticon Civil War - between Megatron, Shockwave and Scorponok - kicks off, with all factions having an Earth-bound presence. Megatron is actively working with his future-as-Galvatron in mind. Trigger-Happy!

Grimlock does something to bring the Dinobots back from the dead at some point.

1992

Snarl has contracted the wasting disease Corrodia Gravis at some point. The Dinobots head for the Savage Land, where (due to no other option) they have to transfer Snarl's mind into a real Stegosaurus. Destiny of the Dinobots!

At a pinch, this story also could fit in the later Earthforce run. As it was written before then and was set in "the future", we're placing it with the other future stories.

2006

Megatron starts the Battle of Autobot City. As a result, Optimus Prime is killed and Ultra Magnus becomes the new Autobot Commander; the monstrous Unicron turns up, reformatting a dying Megatron into Galvatron. The Transformers: The Movie

This time, Galvatron doesn't go back in time but sticks around to remain being Decepticon Commander after Unicron's destruction. He leads a conquest of Cybertron. Aspects of Evil!

2009

I've got your Touch RIGHT HERE!

Rodimus Prime and his team return home from the Time Wars to find the present day for them is altered. Galvatron has conquered Cybertron. Aspects of Evil!. They either join or establish a resistance group on Cybertron, which is quickly defeated; Galvatron uses Rodimus's rage to give the Matrix-trapped Unicron an opening. Aspects of Evil! The Autobot forces — numbering 430 — flee Cybertron to the stronghold of Autobot City on Earth, with a goodwill gesture of Energon. The Void! Edge of Impact

2010

On New Year's Day, as the Autobots are in transit to Earth, Unicron uses the Matrix to possess Rodimus's body. The possessed Rodimus first sabotages the ship and then tries to kill all the Autobots; Prime is able to defeat Unicron within the Matrix, but it is taken from him before he can exorcise the being. The Void! Edge of Impact Shadow of Evil White Fire As a result, Unicron later possesses Rodimus again-this time he recreates his old body and tears through Cybertron (seemingly killing Galvatron) before being stopped. Aspects of Evil!

2356

The war is over, but Rodimus and the Matrix still contain Unicron. Rodimus has physically decayed and is kept in a medbay in Autobot City. Rodimus is visited by a student, whom Unicron's presence is able to corrupt towards evil; Prime realises the Chaos-Bringer is making another bid for freedom. Aspects of Evil!

This story was never resolved, so tens of thousands of kiddies last saw the hero Rodimus infected and dying due to possession by SATAN, who is WINNING. Bloody hell, Simon Furman!

Earthforce timeline

1989 and early 1990

Following the Underbase debacle, Megatron makes his big play involving the Classic Pretenders but is somehow beaten. He's still hanging around afterwards and eventually ends up on Earth, forming a splinter group of Decepticons; Shockwave makes his move as well, also on Earth. Scorponok at some point leaves the planet. Carnivac's comrade Catilla is killed by the Mayhem Attack Squad. A Savage Place! Grimlock does something to bring the Dinobots back from the dead, and Shockwave and Megatron rebuild some Decepticons, while the Constructicons lose the power to combine. Something causes the Primal Scream that alerts Unicron to Cybertron's whereabouts. Unicron summons Galvatron II to this timeline.

1990

Megatron ends up on Earth, joining a splinter group of Decepticons; Shockwave makes his move as well, also on Earth. Scorponok at some point leaves the planet. The Ark is deserted for reasons unknown; Galvatron II breaks in to find a number of Underbase-killed Autobots that he can rejuvenate and turn evil. Prowl, Ironhide, Sunstreaker, Wheeljack, and Silverbolt are awakened, and go on to take him down. ...Perchance to Dream Sometime after this, the other Aerialbots are also brought back online.

Shockwave attempts but fails to force Grimlock to reveal how he brought the Dinobots back. A disagreement between Optimus and Grimlock Two Steps Back! cause Grimlock to threaten to leave the Autobots, believing Optimus (concerned with Unicron) is not doing enough for Earth. It's decided to put Grimlock in charge of a separate Earthforce (numbering the revived Autobots, the Dinobots, and the Classic Pretenders) to handle the Decepticons here. Break-Away! Meanwhile, Megatron attempts to deploy a satellite that will alter Earth's temperature, but Prowl and Wheeljack interveneStarting Over!, calling for back-up from the other Autobots. Break-Away! After an initial pep talk to his new troops, Grimlock orders them into battle. Once upon a Time...

Prowl is left MIA after personally trying to bring the satellite down. Life in the Slow Lane Bumblebee and Ironhide, while looking for him, destroy the Decepticon's new Devastator. Desert Island Risks! The Autobots and Megatron and Shockwave's two Decepticon groups eventually find the satellite, and a battle over it starts a Decepticon Civil War; Prowl, alive, has in fact disarmed the satellite ages ago though. Life in the Slow Lane Prowl goes on to become Grimlock's second-in-command.

At some point, Wheeljack sets up a Body Shop based around an Automated Construction Unit: a top-of-the-line facility for repairing Autobots. Makin' Tracks!

Various minor incidents occur: The Dinobots inflict April Fools' Day on Grimlock, while Shockwave's Decepticons fail to find the Autobot base. Snow Fun! Prowl prevents Megatron from bolstering his forces by using time travel to alter the events of the Underbase battle. Flashback! The Aerialbots are brought back online somehow, and both Wheeljack and Skydive act really dumb. Mystery! The warring Decepticon groups call an Enclave to stop the struggle, but the Autobots sabotage it by faking that Shockwave tried to kill Megatron. The Bad Guy's Ball! The Decepticon Mindwipe, gone rogue from Scorponok's crew, is prevented from conquering the Earth by two Earthforce members. The Living Nightlights!

Carnivac gets brutal revenge on the Mayhem Attack Squad for killing Catilla, taking down three of them. The Survivors, trying to rescue Carnivac, unify with Earthforce in return for aid; as a result, Bludgeon, Octopunch, and Stranglehold are taken prisoner. Cry Wolf! Wolf in the Fold! Where Wolf?

Meanwhile, Soundwave is playing both sides of the civil war against each other, and frames Wildrider for it so as to avoid detection. Secrets Starscream finds out and uses that to get Soundwave to help him in a master plan: get both Shockwave and Megatron to fight each other and sic Earthforce on them, then seize command of the two Decepticon factions themselves, and unite them. (Both, of course, plan to backstab the other and seize sole command) Bugged! Internal Affairs! The Autobots complete their new base, but are forced to deactivate its security system The House that Wheeljack Built!, at which point the full Decepticon army attacks. Starscream carries out the second objective of seizing an oil tanker while the Autobots are occupied, but Prowl had the Survivors out on patrol and Starscream is driven off. Soundwave uses the defeat to rally support for him being sole commander. Divide and Conquer!

Optimus Prime inspects Earthforce, unfortunately at the same time Slag has gone insane; the Dinobots barely cover it up. The 4,000,000 Year Itch! During Prime's stay, he oversees the rebuilding of Tracks, not knowing Grimlock is desperately trying to keep him from being rebuilt; of course, Grimlock fails and Tracks is placed under his command. Makin' Tracks! The remaining Mayhems escape from their cells. Shut Up! Jazz takes action to stop Octane endangering humans for fun. Manoeuvres!

Megatron and Shockwave try to regain control of their armies by putting hits out on Starscream and Shockwave. Their attempt is defeated by Earthforce, who are forced to keep Starscream alive after Snarl contracts Corrodia Gravis and only the Seeker is a suitable transplant donor. Starscream agrees to donate, but only if Earthforce keep Megatron and Shockwave off his back. Assassins External Forces! The Lesser Evil!

Soon after that, the Decepticons take control of Superion and send him on a rampage; he's only stopped thanks to human journalist Irwin Spoon. Inside Story! In exchange, the Autobots let Irwin do a big report on the Earthforce. In order to prevent the Autobots being seen as human allies, the Decepticons abduct Iriwn Front Line!; the Autobots rescue him, but don't realise Irwin has had a cerebro-shell planted in his mind and will now only write smears about them. End of the Road!

With the Matrix irrecoverable and alliance impossible, Optimus sends six of the Earthforce - Prowl, Jazz, Sunstreaker, Wheeljack, Inferno, and Siverbolt - to Yuss to locate the former Underbase site, hoping to use it as a weapon as a last-ditch defence against Unicron. There, they came into conflict with the mad Decepticon known as Megadeath, who tortured and humiliated all bar Silverbolt in times past. Facing up to personal demons, they defeated him and continue on to the Underbase site. The Magnificent Six!

Rhythms of Darkness timeline

2006

Megatron starts the Battle of Autobot City. As a result, Optimus Prime is killed and Ultra Magnus becomes the new Autobot Commander; the monstrous Unicron turns up, reformatting a dying Megatron into Galvatron. The Transformers: The Movie

Hot Rod gains the Matrix and becomes Rodimus Prime, but not in time to stop Unicron from devouring Cybertron. Unicron grants Galvatron freedom to command the Decepticons and conquer Earth. Rhythms of Darkness!

2009

By this point, the Americas are under Decepticon control and much of them have been wiped out; the Autobots are mostly extinct, reduced to a mere handful, and Rodimus is dead. The European Crisis Coalition almost launch a nuclear assault (not realising the Decepticons will absorb the resulting energy) but the American human-Autobot resistance make a defiant public gesture, getting the attack called off. Galvatron is abducted by three unknown figures. Rhythms of Darkness!

Peace

2510

The war continues into the early 26th Century, when the penultimate Decepticon is finally killed. Rodimus Prime is in charge of a much reduced Autobot force (only the Wreckers, Ultra Magnus, and the Technobots are in evidence). When Prime tries to stand down, the actions of a Decepticon double agent and underlying tensions & friction among the Autobots spark off an Autobot civil war. Peace