Fool's Energon

Invented by Quickmix on Cybertron, Fool's Energon saps the strength of a Transformer, leaving them physically weaker than normal. It is in actuality however, a placebo, being nothing more than standard energon with an altered color and foul taste.

Fiction

IDW Generation 1 continuity

Side effects may include mood shifts and, in extreme cases, total personality alteration. How Bright Their Frail Deeds

As a condition of his continued freedom of movement following his trial on Luna 2, Megatron was forced to refuel using only Fool's Energon Predestination: A Beginner's Guide which he found less than palatable. Towards Peace

After Trailcutter got blind drunk in Swerve's he decided to break into the Lost Light's medibay to steal Megatron's personal stash of energon, not knowing that it was tainted. As a punishment, Megatron permanently reactivated his fuel intake moderation chip so that he would never be able to get drunk again and promoted him to head of security aboard the Lost Light. Words Hang in the Air

When a handful of the Lost Light crew, including Megatron, were marooned on the Necrobot's home planet and faced with certain death against an alliance of Decepticons lead by the Decepticon Justice Division, Ratchet was forced to admit to Megatron that there was in fact no such thing as Fool's Energon. Due to the fact Megatron's innards had been so severely mangled by Shockwave's machinations, a genuine sedative chemical would have proved fatal, thus Fool's Energon was concocted as a means of judging wether or not the former Decepticon would stick by his newly found ideals should he stop taking it.

Notes

• Its name derives from Fool's Gold, a common type of iron sulfide that looks like gold but isn't.