Maximal

The Maximals are a faction from the Beast Era portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.

Woof woof!

Arising from the ashes of the Great War, the Maximals are the descendants (at least in part) of the Autobots, controlling Cybertron under the Pax Cybertronia.

Typically, they're the good guys, but they still have their jerks, and the occasional unethical scientific horrors.

When Maximals take on a beast mode, they tend to be mammals, birds or fish, although this is not a hard-and-fast rule. Sometimes they are insects or dinosaurs.

I'm a Maximal. I have to give peace a chance, no matter how unlikely it seems.Optimus Primal, "Before the Storm"

History

Dreamwave's The War Within depicts a Maximal symbol in Cybertron's prehistory, although the implications of this are unclear.

IDW continuity presents the Maximals as a splinter group of Autobots, emerging during the end of the Great War. 2016's Dawn of the Predacus comic depicts Maximals in full-sized guzzler bodies, fighting alongside their Autobot ancestors against the Decepticons and Predacons. The Beast Wars Sourcebook places its versions of Beast Wars II and Beast Wars Neo in this pre-Pax Cybertronia era. Additionally it indicates that Predacons (specifically BB) were being "re-educated" in Maximal prisons during the Great War.

Vector Prime claimed that in some realities, the Maximals were founded by Fortress Maximus, who presumably survived the war. Ask Vector Prime, 9/8/2015

At some point, possibly after the Pax Cybertronia had restored peace to Cybertron, the Maximal Upgrade program was introduced. The program emphasized fuel efficiency through downsizing. Many of the surviving Autobots eventually upgraded via bio-tech overhaul and cloistered themselves away, but some few stayed active in Cybertronian society to guide the emerging Maximal faction into the future. The Maximal Elders locked away much information about the Great War (and especially the location of Earth) from the young population, fearing it would re-ignite old grudges or inspire Predacon insurgents to rewrite history using transwarp technology.

The theft of the Golden Disk by Megatron, which set in motion the "Beast Wars," occurred approximately 300 years after the end of the Great War.

Specific dating for this has been suggested in ancillary material, but in the Beast Wars cartoon itself this date is fairly indistinct, as 1) there's no way to know when exactly the Great War ended, and 2) it's not clear if those are Cybertronian or Earth years.

Beast Wars: Uprising depicts both the Maximals and Predacons as creations of the Builders, intended to carry on the Cybertronian race, only to be used by the Builders old Autobot-Decepticon war via the Games for their own endless amusement. The Maximals in particular took their name from Fortress Maximus, who had long ago ground into immobility, and from Maxima, the first Cybertronian given life by the Energon Matrix.

Physiology

Bloody yanks.

The Maximals retained many similarities to their Autobot ancestors, and many of the Autobots who underwent the Great Upgrade basically took on smaller, newer versions of their old bodies. The downsized Maximal body was apparently intended mainly for better fuel efficiency and greater durability. There has been some hinting that this was an offshoot of Micromaster technology, which had a similar goal. As was the case with the Autobots before them, Maximal robot modes frequently lack a robot-form flight option, unless a flight mechanism is specifically included or unless the Maximal has an airborne alternate mode.

The greatest and most common innovation of the Maximal era is the development of pseudo-organic Beast Forms, which allow Maximal alternate modes to blend in seamlessly with the organic lifeforms found elsewhere in the universe. This technology, an offshoot of earlier Pretender tech, sheathes the Maximal's alternate form in an artificial organic "skin" and integrates the beast modes instincts into the Maximal's form. While still primarily using Energon for fuel, such Maximals have been shown to be able to eat food like organic creatures, though it is unknown if they require such food to survive or merely as an alternate energy source. The beast mode instincts are integrated to such a degree that they have been able to dominate — if not override — logic circuits on occasion.

At the time of the theft of the Golden Disk, the technology to adopt such forms was reliant on external mechanisms situated in stasis pods and CR chambers. They were mainly used for explorers and military personnel, while the general Maximal population retained classic mechanical body forms. Some time after the Axalon and Darksyde left the planet, an upgrade was instituted that incorporated DNA scanners and the ability to adopt beast forms directly into the mechanical-style bodies of the general populace. This move suggests a likely intent to increase exploration or colonization programs in the near future. In all likelihood the subsequent planetary conquest by Megatron derailed these plans.

Variations

• Transmetals - Beast-style Maximals hit by a Quantum surge have been shown to mutate in such a way that their physiology "reverses", so their "beast" forms take on mechanical properties while their "robot" forms become more organic. Often tertiary vehicular modes manifest. Such robots are undetectable to Vok technology.

• Transmetals 2 - Beast-style Maximals affected by the Vok's mysterious Transmetal driver became asymmetrical and monstrous in both forms, each of which incorporates mechanical and organic systems seemingly at random. These types of Maximals tend to possess odd extra "powers" such as healing or telekinesis.

• Technorganics - When reformatted by the Oracle, beast form Maximals become an entirely new type of being, merging true organic life and Cybertronian technology in every cell of their being.

Organization

Beast Machines era insignia.

The Maximal Imperium was the state that the Maximals formed. The term "imperium" would imply an empire, though the Maximals have never displayed any militaristic-expansionist inclinations, something more in line with the Predacons. However, it might be speculated that their exploration programs, referenced in Beast Wars and Beast Machines, were a precursor to an expansion-minded colonization program.

The Maximal Imperium appeared to invest both legislative and executive power in a bicameral legislature, the Maximal Elders and the High Council. It is unknown what the relationship and division of powers were between the two legislatures, although it appears the Elders were the more senior legislature. Like their Autobot ancestors, the Maximals had a strong belief in democracy, even going so far as to elect their military leaders when unable to communicate with the high command. This could cause problems when there was an even number of voters. Some evidence suggests that the Maximal Elders were more repressive and secretive than strictly necessary. Another powerful political body is the cross-factional Bi-Partate Committee for State Affairs, whose appointed members include both Maximals and Predacons.

The Maximals are by nature peaceful, but the realities of the universe still compel them to have armed forces. An elite force of security enforcers, the Maximal Command Security Force, was also established to help keep the peace. Another special group were the Imperial Peace Marshals. Usually the highest rank is Supreme Commander, awarded to Maximals of Convoy status, who are given an Energon Matrix linked to the Vector Sigma supercomputer. The Supreme Commanders answer to the Maximal Elders, and there is some evidence to indicate that the Maximal Elders included former Supreme Commanders.

Maximal society

Not much is known about the Maximal-led, post-Great War Cybertron. There does appear to have been commerce (holo-chips), entertainment (Six Lasers Over Cybertron), and industry.

The planetary capital is located in Cybertropolis, a city built over the ruins of old Iacon. The planet is shared with the remainder of the defeated Predacon faction. Many Predacons feel they are living as second-class citizens under a repressive rule. There is some evidence to suggest that Predacon presence on the planet was minimal but this is not confirmed. Regardless, a relative "Cold War" style peace prevailed, with much distrust simmering on either side. Maximals enforced the peace by means of groups such as the Imperial Peace Marshals and the Maximal Command Security Force.

We know that the Maximals focused heavily on exploration. Exploration vessels, filled with stasis pods containing newborn protoforms, would search out new planets and seed them with those protoforms, which would assume modes based on the native lifeforms and collect data. Post-war Cybertron experienced a visible boom in scientific and technological curiosity. Some of this curiosity, however, resulted in monsters such as the seemingly immortal and murderous Protoform X.

Fiction

Beast Machines cartoon

During the Quantum Cycle Upgrade, Maximals got rid of Stasis pods and took to using built-in DNA scanners. Survivor

After Megatron's return to Cybertron, the Maximals were nearly wiped out to a 'bot by his Vehicons, who hunted them across the planet and extracted their Sparks, with Megatron taking the Council Citadel in Cybertropolis as his seat of power. Master of the House Forbidden Fruit When Megatron was thwarted by Optimus Primal, the Maximals were restored with new techno-organic forms. Endgame Pt. III: Seeds of the Future

3H comics

The Maximals presumably took their name from the Maximal Upgrade, which was instituted after the end of the Great War and the signing of the Pax Cybertronia. Several prominent Autobots partook of the upgrade, including Rodimus Prime and Arcee. Departure

IDW Beast Wars comics

The Maximals briefly continued the war, before the signing of the Pax Cybertronia. Lio Convoy and Galvatron fought on the planet Gaea during this conflict. In that time, the Maximals set up "re-education centers" in their prisons. BB was a "guest" of one such place, which severely traumatized him. Beast Wars: Sourcebook

Transformers Versus G.I. Joe

The Maximals existed alongside Autobots, Decepticons and Predacons in the 21st century AC. In the aftermath of the Earth / Cybertronian war, Maximal shepherds co-habited the plains of Uranus with Predacons. The War Never Ends

Beast Wars: Uprising

The Maximals were one of the two "Proto-races" created by Fortress Maximus using the Energon Matrix he acquired from humanity, in the aftermath of the Great War, in the mid-21st century. Head Games. They took their name from Maxima, "She Who Sang", basing their insignia on her luponoid steed. The Predacon Manifesto Smaller and more energy efficient than their precursors, the Maximals were initially used by the Builders of Cybertron to carry on the war in their stead, until it became clear this wasn't a possibility. The Maximals and Predacons inherited a ruined Cybertron ruled by a corrupt and selfish oligarchy, as the Builders oppressed their successors out of jealousy for their greater freedom of movement, making the proto-races second class citizens at best. Broken Windshield Some Autobots surreptitiously had their Sparks installed into proto-race bodies, and were treated no better by the Builders. Micro-Aggressions On what few extra-planetary ships there were that patrolled the Allowed Zone, Maximals served as command officers, subservient to their Micromaster political officers, a tactic of the Builders to ensure the proto-races didn't start getting along, and that they remembered who was still in-charge. Intersectionality Not that Maximals and Predacons needed help disliking one another, as there was always low-level tension between both races at the best of times. Burning Bridges Trigger Warnings The Maximals were supposedly governed by the Maximal High Council, but in practice the Council had little actual authority. Not All Megatrons

As a substitute for actual war, and as a way to further serve their pettiness, the Builders - inspired by human fiction - instituted a series of games, their most favored of which was gladiatorial combat, which any Maximal could be dragged into at any time, save those in the Maximal Command Security Force, who were exempt. Unknown to the proto-races, these games were rigged, to make sure once again that neither Maximals or Predacons got along. Broken Windshields

In the 24th century AC, thanks to the Resistance, an uprising against the Builders began, with many Maximals signing up in droves. Broken Windshields Four years into the war, the reputable Darksyder Inc. introduced the Beast Upgrade to Cybertron, granting proto-formers much more energy efficient beast-modes. During this time, the Maximal High Council began seizing more and more control of their people from the Builders. Not All Megatrons Within a year of the Beast Upgrade's appearance, the Maximal High Council seized the Targan Heights, declaring it was now the Maximal Nation, and was neutral so long as they were left alone. Cultural Appropriation When the Vehicon Apocalypse kicked off, the High Council eventually voted to join with the Resistance to bring an end to the Builders. In the aftermath of the war, the Maximals became part of the newly formed Cybertronian Parliament. Derailment

Somewhere in the thousand years after Unity Day, the Maximals were replaced by the Commandrons. The Inexorable March

Notes

• The "Maximal" faction name came from a desperate attempt by Vincent D'Alleva to figure out a new protagonist name that would represent the animal Transformers, clear trademark checks and please the executive group. He combined the name of a scrapped G.I. Joe line, Manimals, with the name of the car driven by the team marketing coordinator, a Nissan Maxima. Manimals + Maxima = Maximals. Ta-da!

Foreign names

• Japanese: Cybertron (サイバトロン Saibatoron)
• Latvian: Maksimāļi
• Mandarin: Chí-Hsièn Tòng-Wù (Taiwan, 極限動物 "Maximum Limit Animal), Ch'iá Dà Shòu (Taiwan, 強大獸 "Strong and Powerful Beast"), Jùwúbà (China, 巨无霸, "Extremely Gigantic")
• Polish: Maksimale ("Maximals")