Trans-scan
- A trans-scan is a Transformer mechanical process from the live action movie continuity family.
Trans-scanning is the mechanical process by which a Transformer's built-in sensors choose and examine a new alternate mode. The process of disguising themselves, camouflaging their robotic natures, is as ingrained and natural in Transformers as changing color is in chameleons. Immediately after arriving on a new world in its transition form, a Transformer begins trans-scanning to choose and generate a new exostructure/disguise appropriate to both its size/body mass and its new locale.[1]
Permanence vs. Fluidity of Scans
How permanent a trans-scanned alternate form becomes, as well as how easily a Transformer can scan and adopt a new one, are somewhat open to debate. There is much evidence to suggest they are quickly able to adopt new forms at will. Certainly Bumblebee was able to alter the features of his Camaro mode from an older to newer model with ease, but this is not the same as taking an entirely new form.
According to one source, any Transformer can trans-scan a new, appropriately massed alternate form at will, and their inner protoform core will generate a new exostructure or alter an existing one to that new appearance almost instantaneously.[1]
However, other sources seem to disagree. The main evidence against this ease in switching forms being universal is the fact that it is treated as a "special power" for several Transformers. The Autobot and Decepticon Create-A-Bots, for instance, were able to switch between alt modes as diverse as trucks and helicopters on the fly, but this was apparently the result of some form of enhancement (installed by Wheeljack, in the case of the Autobot), though this seemed more like being able to remember multiple alt-modes at once, rather than the usual one. Moreover, the Decepticon spy Frenzy possesses a similar ability, being equipped with a special "hyper-reactive" trans-scanning and reformatting processor, which allows him to scan and transform into anything at any given moment. Skids and Mudflap possess a similar aptitude for changing disguises, though whether this is the result of some upgrade or just part of their hyperactive personality is debatable.
The fact that these few are singled out as having the ability to re-trans-scan at will would seem to suggest that once your average Transformer has selected an alternate mode, they can't take on an entirely new one under their own power. However, this is again contradicted in the prequel novel, Ghosts of Yesterday: Bumblebee transforms to a previously scanned mode on an empty alien world to escape an attack by Starscream, and he does so "hastily", indicating that his change from protoform was extremely swift. Prime himself transforms to cometary form on board the transport ship before launching down to aid his subordinate; again, this is indicated to be swift and not requiring a lot effort. Neither of these Transformers are noted with the above-named "special ability". Also, Laserbeak is shown taking several different altmodes, from a computer to a photocopier machine to a pink, door-kibble-less human-sized Bumblebee to a plasma television set (but never the vehicle his toy turns into), but since he is a case of reengineered Cybertronian wildlife rather than a true Transformer, it isn't clear if this applies to all Transformers.
It gets contradicted again in Titan's Transformers title (#11 and #12). In one instance, Ratchet and Ironhide trans-scan Payload, using his alternate mode as a disguise. Here, however, they sacrifice their weaponry in the process and have to absorb nearby iron ore to rebuild them.
To further muddy the matter, Age of Extinction demonstrates that Cybertronians can at least partially control the nature of a scanned altmode; Optimus Prime scans a white truck but alters his corresponding paint scheme so that his new truck shape possesses the blue-and-red flames of his previous forms.
Ultimately, no precise conclusions can be made, but traditionally, the Transformers mythos has long been peppered with such contradictions as this.
Behind the scenes
One piece of metatextual evidence which could be argued to support the fluidity argument indirectly is the fact that in the actual film, no two transformations by the same character were ever remotely identical. Although the vehicle and robot mode models were obviously always consistent, ILM animators have admitted that the actual transformations from mode A to B (and vice-versa) were unique every time they were performed, with the thousands of transforming parts moving around in significantly different orders and via different internal and external routes around the body each time a transformation took place. This was largely due to the fact that the transformations were not automated, but had to be "manually" animated each time, with the main focus being what part of the Transformer in question was facing the virtual camera and what would look interesting and "believable", rather than maintaining the consistency of any transformation method.
Thus, unlike most past depictions of Transformers (or, for that matter, all Transformers toys) individual Movieverse Transformers actually have no fixed "transformation scheme". This could be argued to support the suggestion that Cybertronians from the Movieverse have such fluid transformational abilities that they do not require set patterns or methods by which to change form, but rather move their parts around in an almost instinctive manner, possibly as determined by factors such as their current speed, terrain, or intent of action at the moment of transformation. The ultimate extension of this logic is that some of their additional transformational abilities (such as Bumblebee's previously unseen shoulder-mounted missile launchers used against Devastator) may not even be "designed in" when they trans-scan and reformat, but might even be spontaneously generated as needed.
Toys
Trans-Scanning
Japanese-only releases, these figures are spindly skeletons referred to as "Core Bodies". To these skeletons, two sets of armor pieces can be attached to create one of two forms for either character: their protoform mode or their Earth mode.
The Scan Series
Exclusive to Toys"R"Us' Mission Earth, these redecoes represent each character trans-scanning their vehicle mode. As such, nearly all of their vehicle mode parts (and thus, most of their robot modes) are cast in translucent clear plastic, with the rear of their vehicle modes being left unpainted, their middle portions having painted scan lines, and their fronts having a heavy amount of paint operations in order to cover the clear plastic.
Notes
See also: Scanning
