Trans-scan
- A trans-scan is a Transformer biological process in the live action movie continuity family.
Trans-scanning is the biological 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]
Perminance vs. Fluidity of Scans
How preminant a trans-scaned alternate form becomes, and how easily a Transformer can scan and adopt a new one, is 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 Camero 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 Transformers 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.[2]
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. mode as diverse as trucks and helicopters on the fly, but this was apparently the result of some form of enhancement (installed, in the case of the Autobot, by Wheeljack). More, 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.
The fact that these few are singled out as having the abillity 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.
