Transformer romance
Some will vehemently hold up it does not exist. Others really don't care about the brand beyond it. Regardless of opinions, Transformers engaging in or pursuing interaction of a romantic nature is a well-established element in pretty much every continuity. For the most part, Transformers are observed searching for partners amongst their own kind, but attraction to either organic lifeforms or non-living objects is documented as well.
It is at times wondered why a species that does not reproduce sexually would participate in behavior that in other creatures exists as a means to promote sex and thereby new life. While a definitive answer to this has yet to be given, the question as to why Transformers become romantically involved with one another can be approached from a different angle. Transformers are a highly social species. This is shown through their ability to form a society, many examples of interaction and even the common practice of co-dependent body-types. If it is not frowned upon that such relations exist among them, then why should the romantic kind be regarded much differently, if at all? As much as there is no reason for them to engage in romance, there is equally no reason for them not to.
Though rather obscure, there is even a term for two Transformers in a relation: "sparkmates". A fan term mostly, it has surprisingly been used in two official sources, namely the end-of-game bio for Airazor, in reference to her and Tigatron, in the Nintendo 64 version of the Beast Wars Transmetals video game[1] and again in Venus.
Orientation
The most common observation of Cybertronian romance is between a male and a female Transformer. Considering the general scarcity of female Transformers, and perhaps the absence of sexual reproduction, this is a rather interesting if odd situation. Second to that are the number of noted relations between a Transformer and an organic, equally so almost solely between a (nominally) male and female. These become more frequent as the gender balance becomes less even, even if that is a direct result of Transformers allegedly being genderless. Third in line come "couples" that consist of a Transformer fawning over a not-living object, not rarely regarding it as of the opposite gender.
Though not nonexistent, same gender interests are extremely rare. The Japanese version of Beast Wars had Airazor as a male, making his relation with Tigatron the only known instance of a homosexual Transformer couple.[2] At a distance follow Energon Mirage, who had the (unrequited) hots for Galvatron and Generation 1 Sunstreaker, who may have been gay in the Dreamwave continuity.[3] Transformer/organic relations are not any richer in this regard. Paddles had a clear fondness of the humans Randall and Ed, and Magnificus and Ga'mede might have something going between them, but that's about it. A note could be made on the fair chance that Tigatron's beast mode represents a female tiger and was scanned from his partner Snowstalker, yet that is speculation at best.
The real world-explanation for the overall lack of anything specific between two of the same gender is that Transformers above all exists to sell toys to children and so has to play in on the wishes and expectations of the general audience. Even if attitude is improving, heterosexuality is still the default assumption and favoured option. A few same-gender relations may have appeared in fiction over time, at least the most prominent one by accident,[2] but for the moment, writers still prefer to haul up Arcee or insert a new female (Transformer) to fill the romance niche than play up that sort of interaction in same gender context.
Sex
The hints are few and far between, but Transformers is not devoid of the possibility Transformers might engage in sexual activities (for recreational purposes). Beast Wars first picked up the subject: in the episode "The Agenda (Part 1)", Rattrap offers to take Silverbolt to what sounds like a Cybertronian version of a strip club, and later slyly makes a double entendre regarding Silverbolt's suspected kinky activities with Blackarachnia. Meanwhile, the Japanese dub has Rattrap, thinking himself about to be stabbed by Dinobot, asks him to "be gentle, because I've heard the first time can hurt."
In the Dreamwave issue "Infestation", one remark of Sunstreaker might suggest the existence of Transformer S.T.D.'s.
And that's about it as far as canon is concerned. If you wish to know any more on the matter of Transformer sex, go ask a random fangirl. Chances are well she has written or read a good number of fan stories exploring the subject. Do note doing so will be at your own risk.
Transformer - Transformer
Most commonly, Transformers stick to their own kind when becoming romantically entangled.
Cases
Generation 1
- Elita One (Ariel) - Optimus Prime (Orion Pax)
- Arcee - Springer
- Arcee - Chromedome The Headmasters
- Arcee (she gets around) - Bumblebee The Art of War
- Octane once tried to tune in an image of a disturbingly sexualized unnamed female robot. Make of that what you will. Starscream's Ghost
- Devcon found himself some pleasant company on Spaceport CSSB-16. Disclosure
- San D-Go once had plans to marry Discharge, apparently directly inspired by that aspect of human culture. Whether there was an actual romantic relationship involved is unknown. San D-Go's Micromaster Collection toy bio
- Overkill is planning on getting himself a whole harem of girl-bots. Keep dreaming, little perv, keep dreaming! The Art of War issue 5
- Jackpot is obsessed (but very unlucky) with fembots. Among his unsuccessful projects are Roulette and Airazor. Gone Too Far
Beast Era
- Cheetor, Quickstrike and Waspinator all had crushes on Blackarachnia.
- Scylla and Artemis both fancy Scuba. In turn, Bighorn has a crush on Scylla, while Artemis also likes Starscream.
Unicron Trilogy
- Downshift has a female "life partner" whose name has yet to be revealed. Downshift's Cyber Key code info
- Shortround fancies Thunderblast. Naturally, she does not reciprocate.
Unknown continuity
- Crystal Widow had an unnamed lover before becoming stuck in Axiom Nexus. Withered Hope
Movie Continuity
- Jetfire claims to have a mother and a father. Primus knows what that means, but we might as well try to be complete about this list. [citation needed]
Transformers Animated
- Sentinel Prime used to date Elita-1 until, well... The AllSpark Almanac
- Grimlock, Snarl, Swoop and Wasp/Waspinator each have (had) a one-sided crush on Blackarachnia.
- Strika is the consort of Lugnut. Strika's tech spec bio
- Ratchet has an unnamed girlfriend from Crystal City. The AllSpark Almanac
Shattered Glass
Transformer - organic
| “ | We don't have to be the same outside to share the same feeling inside. | ” |
—Alana speaks words every Autobot Commander dreads, "Sea Change" | ||
Though reproduction does not seem to be a motivation for Transformers to become romantically involved,
Cases
Generation 1
<--Rejudge these cases-->
- Sludge took a deep liking to Joy Meadows UK Marvel comics
- Lander once was in the middle of a date but unceremoniously ditched his partner after he got an emergency-call from Metalhawk. Rise Up!! Pretenders
- Starscream quite fell for Jenny's charms. Full Throttle Scramble Power!
- Glide is known to pick up cute human girls and give them rides on his motorcycle mode. Glide's Micromaster Collection toy bio
- Sunstreaker drives faster if he smells Junko Shiragami's marigold-scented hair. Make of that what you will. Sunstreaker Meets Junko
Beast Era
Unicron Trilogy
Movie continuity
- Wheelie thinks that Mikaela Banes is hot. Revenge of the Fallen
Transformer - not-living object
| “ | And when we get back home, I want Bumblebee to meet my brother's convertible. We call her Juanita, and I think the two of them will get along just fine. | ” |
—Luisa, quite likely one of the very few humans who does not find this an awkward subject, "Fire on the Mountain" | ||
Cases
Generation 1
- Luisa wanted to introduce Bumblebee to her brother's convertible "Juanita". Bumblebee seemed to appreciate that plan. Fire on the Mountain
- Iguanus and his own Pretender shell Iguanus's toy bio
Robots in Disguise
- Side Burn has a thing for pretty red sportcars.
Unicron Trilogy
Movie continuity
- Dialog from their trans-scan of new alternate modes may suggest Skids and Mudflap had sexual thoughts towards their new alternate modes. [citation needed]
Transformers Animated
- Scrapper and Mixmaster like sportcars almost as much as Side Burn does. Rise of the Constructicons
References
- ↑ Beast Wars Transmetals end-of-game bios - transcription
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The reason the Japanese Beast Wars dub had Airazor male was because Takara hoped to increase toy-sales that way. Therefore, the relationship with Tigatron was initially played off somewhat differently to avoid complaints of homosexuality. Tigatron was presented as a samurai retainer with protective feelings towards his young ward; their closeness addressed in a "brotherly" sort of way. Despite that, there was still enough innuendo left-over for the gender-bending to become noticeable. The end of the matter came with the sequence in "Other Visits (Part 1)" when Airazor and Tigatron stare into each others' eyes while holding hands and slowly leaning in for a kiss. Since little could be done with that scene, the dub team had Airazor fully "come out" and begin to express his affection for Tigatron just before the two of them were abducted by the Vok. Japanese magazine editors, responding to letters from confused young fans, gently explained that "some people are just like that".
- ↑ Matt Moylan reveals a little secret about Sunstreaker at tfw2005.com
- ↑ When Obsidian refers to Strika as his consort in Sparkwar Pt. I: The Strike he appears to have been using the less-common "associate" or "partner" definition. There are no displays of affection between them during Beast Machines, and secondary information sources describe them only as "cohorts".
