Transformation
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Transformation (also known as conversion) is the process by which a Transformer alters their form between modes. The term "transformation scheme" refers specifically to the way in which the parts of an individual Transformer move and shift in relation to each other during transformation. These should not be confused with reformatting, a type of full-body upgrade.
The technical details of transformation, as well as the manner in which the art was introduced to the Transformers themselves, vary between continuities. When the issue is addressed at all, transformation is usually treated as an innovation from some point early in Cybertronian history rather than something that was literally always with them. The Transformers were, at the time of their genesis, simply Cybertronians — mechanical life-forms — and became "Transformers" only later. However, just as often in Transformers fiction the "origin" of transforming is simply not discussed.
In most continuities, transformation is not a trait limited to Cybertronians. Both sentient alien races (such as Junkions and some portrayals of the Lithones) and animals (such as the lightpole on Jupiter's moon Io or the parasitic scraplets) exhibit the same ability. The Quintessons also incorporated transformation into some of their later creations including the Sharkticons, Allicons, and Overcharge drones. Some examples of transforming robotic aliens, however, can be traced to colonization in the distant past by Cybertronians. The G1 planet Paradron, as well as the main planets in the Cybertron franchise are examples of this.
Special transformation types
High-speed transformation
Some Transformers, specifically the Autobot Jumpstarters and the Decepticon Battlechargers, are specifically designed to transform much faster than ordinary Transformers, usually taking less than half of an Earth second to switch from robot to alt mode or vice versa. How much this ability depends on physical versus mental capabilities is unknown. In the Dreamwave Generation One continuity, Triple Changers were also stated to have unusually fast transformations (roughly twice the normal speed, whatever that is).
Multiple alternate modes
Robots with multiple transformations (Triple Changers, et al.) are a special case. Though there seems to be some aspect of natural aptitude at play in one's ability to master multiple forms (for example, Transformers: More than Meets the Eye referred to a "genetic potential" within the sparks of such robots), and of course the special physical construction granting those forms, the balance of the matter seems to be one of training. Most Six Changers, like Sixshot and Quickswitch, are said to have mastered their plethora of transformations through rigorous study. Similarly, the Rescue Bots cartoon showed Heatwave going through an extensive training regiment to adopt an aquatic alt-mode in addition to his firetruck form. This was later addressed again when all of the Rescue Bots acquired their Dino forms.
Not counting the Shifters capable of changing into any shape, the largest number of modes exhibited by any single individual to date is RID Galvatron, who had ten. That's as many modes as a Stentarian Decabot!
Adaptable bodies
Some groups of transforming lifeforms such as the Go-Bots use a process similar to reformatting to more radically alter their forms while transforming. This ability to start with one robot and alternate form and transform easily to entirely different variations without extensive mechanical work comes from unique metals in the Go-Bots' bodies, and does not apply to most Transformers.
In the Movie continuity family, Bumblebee seems to demonstrate this ability in the prequel novel Ghosts of Yesterday. He descends to the desert planet in his cometary Transition form and transforms to robot mode. Upon realizing he needs to travel quickly, Bumblebee transforms into a very basic four-wheeled all-terrain vehicle. The narration explains that he created this altmode from an internal memory database of vehicle forms. The entire process seems to take practically no time at all, as if he were just transforming into his alt mode as all Transformers do. The narration does not imply that this ability is only possessed by Bumblebee, and indeed the movie suggests that all Transformers in this continuity can switch altmodes almost at will.
Transformation cogs
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In the G1 animated series, the city Transformers Metroplex and Trypticon are both specifically stated to possess devices known as transformation cogs that somehow control their transformation processes, and are essential to allow them to transform at all. Such cogs were rarely mentioned in contemporary fiction — even in other continuities — so it is not clear if all Transformers required them, or if Metroplex and Trypticon were special cases, perhaps because of their size. More recently, the 2005 IDW continuity has incorporated them in a more prevalent manner, together with the spark and the brain module the transformation cog was part of the "Rossum's Trinity" principle of Cybertronian biology. Enough damage to one of the three would cause the other two to shut down, killing the Transformer in question, The Chaos of Warm Things though they can be purposefully removed, making the subject a Monoformer no longer able to transform. Life After the Big Bang The Aligned continuity also features T-Cogs as present in all transformers. Loss of a T-cog can lead to reversion to robot mode. Operation Bumblebee, Part 1 Operation Bumblebee, Part 2
One mention of transformation cogs outside of those continuities is that Nitrostreak ("Unit One" of the Maximal Command Security Force) had his cog damaged in a firefight with Megatron's henchmen. Dawn of Future's Past
Fiction
Generation 1 continuity family
Marvel Comics continuity
Marvel The Transformers comic
Unicron was the first Transformer, fashioning his metal prison into a robotic semblance of his original form. Primus, watching from a distance, was all like, "Oh snap, robots that turn into things? Why didn't I think of that?" and quickly trained his own children to do the same thing. The Primal Scream
Some accounts credit the development of transformation to Megatron and the Decepticons, with the Autobots later copying the technique. The Transformers This, perhaps, implies that the potential for transformation instilled by Primus was dormant until Megatron realised it, or that it was forgotten and rediscovered at some point.
It would appear that neglecting to transform between alt mode and robot mode at least on occasion had physical feedback consequences: whilst battling Flame, Emirate Xaaron was well aware that, having failed to transform for hundreds of years, the shock to his system upon transforming to combat mode had a good chance of killing him. Which just goes to show that Continuing Physical Exercise Is Important For Everyday Health. Meltdown!
Just as importantly, neglecting to have all one's body parts connected at the time of attempting transformation was also a very painful, if not impossible, process. Deadly Games!
Grimlock eventually lost his ability to transform after using Nucleon for fuel. Still Life!
Regeneration One
Grimlock's ability to transform was restored when Scorponok transplanted his spark into a new body, one with transformative capabilities. Natural Selection, Part Two
Generation 1 cartoon continuity
The Transformers cartoon
Transformation was an Autobot innovation, developed during their first war with the Decepticons when it became apparent that they could not match their firepower and strength. The art of transformation allowed the Autobots to disguise their forms, thereby allowing for stealthy attacks on their enemies. This strategy met with great success, and the Decepticons were defeated, allowing the era of peacetime known as the Golden Age of Cybertron to settle in. The Decepticons subsequently adopted transformation technology themselves, coupled with robot mode flight powers, and re-ignited the civil war. War Dawn
Transformers generally seem able to shift modes at will, although in cases where they have suffered severe physical injuries, transformation is sometimes a strain. More than Meets the Eye, Part 3 Transformation also seemed to require a sufficient amount of energy, Warpath once reverting to robot mode when he found his alternate mode to be too much on his energy stores. A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court
When the Earth-bound Transformers began malfunctioning due to Cybertonium depletion, uncontrollable transformation was one of the symptoms, Cybertronians either partially transforming, unable to fully manifest attachments or involuntarily changing modes. Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1
The Headmasters cartoon
With the introduction of the Headmasters, transformation was established to be quite a rigorous task that, at least initially, required intense physical and mental concentration to accomplish, honed over a period of in-depth training. These small robots left Cybertron during the wars millions of years ago, but were so young that they had not actually learned how to transform yet. To survive the harsh climate of the planet they crash-landed on, they developed Transtectors—normal-sized Transformer bodies that they would be able to connect to—and underwent a period of prolonged, intensive training so that they could learn to transform and link up with them. Even the most promising candidates struggled when they first connected with their Transtectors, spasming and becoming stuck between modes as they attempted to trigger the conversion. The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery
Action Master toy packaging blurb
Transformation is achieved by a Transformer's Figure Alteration Systems. Nucleon use converts these systems into Energy Storage Reactors, eliminating the ability to transform.
Beast Wars cartoon continuity
As recounted by Optimus Primal, the first Cybertronians had to learn how to transform, a process that took discipline, purity of spark and years of practice The Reformatting before onboard computers reduced the process to a simple command code. Master of the House
Beast Wars cartoon
Three centuries after the Great War, Cybertronians transformed via a simple activation code that could be spoken either aloud or mentally for the onboard computer. Beast Wars (Part 1)
Fully organic in nature, Clone One was unable to transform. Double Dinobot
Megatron considered Transmutate to be useless because it couldn't transform. Transmutate
Beast Machines cartoon
When Megatron landed on Cybertron ahead of his Maximal captors, he unleashed a virus that paralyzed his kind. When the Maximals reached Cybertron, the Transmetals proved partially immune to it, retaining their mobility at the cost of their upgrades, Revelations Part II: Descent but found that they could not transform back to their robot modes. The Reformatting
Reformatted into technorganic bodies by the Oracle, the Maximals discovered that transformation was now only possible through attaining an emotional centre. Master of the House Struggling to attain this centre, Rattrap eventually discovered the laboratory when Megatron had developed the virus, discovering a counter-virus only for it to cause him to uncontrollably shift between robot and beast mode. Mercenary Pursuits
2005 IDW continuity
The historical origin of transformation is unknown but the Transformers associate it with the god Adaptus. Life After the Big Bang Forged Cybertronians naturally grow their alt-modes in the protoform stage Silent Light Shining Armor #1 The Dead Come Home, Part 2 whereas the alt-modes of "constructed cold" 'bots are determined by their pre-built chassis. Stet Your First Mistake
Before energy rationing, some Transformers could mass-shift when transforming into smaller modes. Escalation #3
Depending on your alt mode, transforming is a key part of combat. In a fight, Kick-Off accused his opponent of being a wimp for switching to alt mode and not staying in humanoid form. Last Stand of the Wreckers #1
Some Transformers can become addicted to transforming. This is a dangerous problem: too much transforming in too short a space of time will burn out your transformation cog. While transformation cogs can be replaced, Transformers will die if a substitute cog isn't quickly found. How to Say Goodbye and Mean It How Ratchet Got His Hands Back Following the Great War, a treatment for this condition was available. How Ratchet Got His Hands Back Shortly after expiring, corpses have rigor morphis, where dead bodies will reflexively transform into their preferred shape. This is sometimes the alt mode. Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It The Sensuous Frame
The Autobot known as Chromedome can identify an Autobot just by their transformation sound. Rewind can do the same and hear their emotional state. Among his data is a field recording of an ancient, ten-minute-long transformation sequence. Interiors Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations
In the past, the political philosophy known as Functionism employed a strict social hierarchy based on alternate modes; Cybertronians were expected to fill vocations appropriate to their alternate mode with little social mobility. Life After the Big Bang "Everyone's Shape Serves a Purpose" became a popular Functionist slogan, though many Transformers with beast modes and members of the "disposable class" were looked down upon: the former because their alternate modes served no purpose, The Crucible and the latter because their overwhelmingly common alternate modes made them useful tools for other Cybertronians. Before & After
Members of the Militant Monoform Movement symbolically reject Adaptus by removing their transformation cogs; this got them demonised in the past and even in the present, when everyone claims to be more relaxed about Monoformers, prejudice still exists and a Monoformer may be the victim of shape-hate crimes. Chaos Theory Part 2 Life After the Big Bang
Even after the Great War, alternate modes were seen as a big deal by some Transformers, who may feel shame How Ratchet Got His Hands Back or get defensive if their alt mode is something that's considered useless. How to Say Goodbye and Mean It
The colonists of the planet Devisiun had evolved in such a way that they were all twins who each formed one half of a combined alternate mode. Windblade vol. 2 # 6 As a result of Oiler's death, Future Glories Lost his sister Slide could no longer transform. The Next Day, and the Next Exposure to the energies of the Enigma of Combination later allowed her to transform into Victorion's new leg. Ceremony
The ability to transform was not exclusive to Cybertronians. The Stentarians, Little Victories and Sharkticons were also gifted with the ability. Future Glories Lost
Beast Wars: Uprising
Post-war Cybertron had such a high premium on energon that most Builders lacked the power reserves necessary to transform. Broken Windshields Head Games While most remained in robot mode, some, such as Black-Out, were locked in their vehicle modes. Derailment
Smaller and much more energy efficient, the Maximals and Predacons retained the ability to transform. Alone Together
My Little Pony/Transformers
As a result of their ability to transform, the Cybertronians were victim to Queen Chrysalis' magic spell to find more Changelings. When they landed in Equestria, Bumblebee demonstrated their ability to transform to Twilight Sparkle who thought it a magical ability while also noting that disguising oneself as a motor vehicle was of questionably utility for hiding in Equestria but that ponies weren't the judgemental type. Transformation Is Magic
Live action film series continuity
Transformation requires an alternate mode which is generally of similar mass to the Transformer's robot mode. Once taking the form, however, the Transformer appears to be able to reorder their physical structure, causing some of the outward appearances of the vehicle mode to disappear. For example, Optimus Prime displays an incredibly complex Transformation where some of his alternate mode's appearances seem to be absorbed into his body or outright disappear. This may be due to the self-regenerating molecular armor's possibly fluid trans-scanning abilities. Out of universe, it was confirmed by Industrial Light & Magic that each transformation is unique, created specifically for that shot, and a lot of cheating is involved.<ref>Behind the Magic - "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" - Transformations</ref>
Human-created Transformers change forms by disassembling into the Transformium particles of which they are composed and reconstituting into their alternate form. As with Cybertronian Transformers, this process does not allow arbitrary forms to be taken, as each must have its forms programmed into them. Age of Extinction
Animated continuity
Transforming is something that can be done for exercise. In "Autoboot Camp", Sentinel Minor had recruits perform transform-ups, rapidly switching from their robot to their vehicle form while in a [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}prone position|{{#if:||prone position}}]].
Shattered Glass
Transformation was invented by the rebel leader Megatron to counter the numerical superiority of the Autobots. As a result of their ability to hide in plain sight, his followers dubbed themselves the Decepticons. The Autobots eventually acquired the blueprints to this technology and replicated it among their own troops, with Optimus Prime wanting to use its camouflage potential to conquer other planets. Shattered Glass
Aligned continuity
The Covenant of Primus
The original Thirteen all possessed the ability to transform but when the Cybertronian race was born, Alpha Trion overrode Prima's desire to inform the newborn species about their potential for transformation. The rogue creations of Quintus Prime, the Quintessons, were aware of this dormant power. Upon landing on Cybertron, they "bestowed" this gift upon the awed Cybertronian race, claiming it was part of the Quintessons' benevolent intentions to "uplift" the Cybertronian race, when in reality, they were remotely activating the T-Cog. As the rule of the Quintessons grew crueler and more decadent, the resistance intercepted the newborn Silverbolt from the Well of All Sparks with an examination of him revealing that the T-Cog, and thus the ability to transform, was a natural part of Cybertronian biology.
The legendary T-Cog of Amalgamous Prime was eventually found in orbit of a black hole by a group of refugees fleeing the destruction of Neutronia. Exposure to the energies of the artifact gave the colonists the potential for infinite transformation and they rebranded themselves as the Mutacons. The Covenant of Primus
Aligned novels
After emerging from the Well of All Sparks, newborn Cybertronians had to learn how to transform. Exodus A rare sub-species of Cybertronians, the Shifters, were able to transform into others of their kind, an ability which made them highly valued as spies. Exiles
Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
After reformatting the Lightning Strike Coalition Force with alien alternate modes, Shockwave deliberately barred Grimlock's ability to transform, wanting the Autobot to figure that he could now transform only when sufficiently angry. The other members of the group still retained their full transformation potential however. Fall of Cybertron
Prime cartoon
A Cybertronian's ability to transform was controlled via their T-Cog. Damage to, or loss of, the T-Cog left Cybertronians unable to transform. Operation Bumblebee, Part 1
After MECH had determined the purpose of the organ, they baited a trap for any Cybertronian and harvested Bumblebee's T-Cog, depriving him of his ability to transform or even access his internal weapons. Operation Bumblebee, Part 1 After the scout reclaimed his T-Cog, MECH harvested Starscream's leaving the Seeker stuck in his robot mode. Operation Bumblebee, Part 2
After cloning himself, Starscream was shocked to find his CNA had provided the clones with working T-Cogs and transformation abilities. Armada In exchange for the Omega Keys and a return to the Decepticon ranks, Patch Megatron had Starscream's T-Cog reinstalled much to his delight. Regeneration
After witnessing several Vehicons transforming, Predaking began to wonder if he too could transform and access a robot mode. He could. This was little surprise to Shockwave who knew transformation to a be a fundamental aspect of Cybertronian biology. Nonetheless, this was enough for Megatron to terminate Project: Predacon in the fear the beasts would turn on him. Evolution Optimus Prime was equally troubled by Predaking's transformation. Minus One
Cyberverse cartoon
After the Quintessons had invaded Cybertron, they locked the populace in a virtual reality that could be broken if the subject transformed. The Dead End Using a simulated flock of Air Hammers, Perceptor managed to startle everyone into transforming, freeing them. The Scientist
Go-Bots comic
The GoBots were designed to transform as a means to solve the parking problem, originally being cars that could assume a robot mode so they could walk with their owners. Go-Bots #1
The noise
Technical description
Transformation is often accompanied by a distinct noise — an 8 Hz pulse, repeated five times, with each pulse lasting a roughly equal amount of time, whose pitch can be represented by the absolute value of a declining (for alt mode to robot mode) or increasing (for robot mode to alt-mode) sine wave. In the G1 series, the sine wave generally increased when a Transformer changed to their robot mode, and declined when they converted to vehicle form (or whichever mode was smaller/shorter.) In general, the larger the robot, the deeper the pitch of the sound, and the longer the duration of the pulses.
Combiner teams have been shown to transform one component at a time, or simultaneously, into their gestalt forms. When transforming simultaneously, the pulses may sound as though they are looping over each other for one or more cycles, depending on how quickly the team members complete their combination. One-at-a-time combinations are usually accompanied by a metal "clank" when each component makes a connection. Electrostatic discharges, though rare, are also possible during such combinations.
Continuity locations
Within the early years of the G1 Cartoon, almost all transformations were accompanied by the Noise in some manner, generally lasting the duration of the transformation sequence and being the only noise made by transformations. The Headmasters began with most Transformers still retaining the Noise, but around a third of the way into the series, its use became more intermittent, particularly for the Autobot Headmasters themselves. Super-God Masterforce still used the sound for the Pretenders' transformations in robot mode, but the Autobot Headmaster Juniors and Autobot Godmasters had new sounds, with most of the Decepticons retaining the original. The Noise was dropped completely for Victory and Zone. By the era of the Beast Wars, however, most characters made more complicated mechanical-sounding noises when transforming. In spite of this, the rebuilt Ravage still made only the Noise when transforming.
The Noise was in fact first heard in the initial Transformers commercial for #1 of the Marvel Comic, but only as part of the Transformers music track, the actual transformations being depicted with a series of generic mechanical sounds. The Noise was subsequently shown to occur the same as the animated series during television commercials throughout the rest of Generation 1 and all the way through Generation 2. It appeared in the first commercials for the Beast Wars toyline, featuring a CGI clip of Optimus Primal (bat) vs Megatron (alligator) two-pack, but was dropped once the commercials started using footage from the Beast Wars cartoon.
The Noise did not appear again until the 2001 Robots in Disguise cartoon, where the Noise was heard uniformly among all Transformers at the very beginning of transformation sequences, rather than lasting the duration of the transformation like in the past.
Two new versions of the Noise were heard in Armada, and then the second version of the Armada Noise was used in Energon (though not in Cybertron). As with RiD, the timing of the Noise did not seem to correspond to the transformation sequence, instead playing at a random point during the sequence. The original version of the Noise was heard briefly in Armada as part of one of the background music tracks, and in Energon on occasion whenever part of the Japanese sound effects track was not completely dubbed over (the Noise being more prominent in Super Link).
In the 2007 movie, the original Noise could be heard accompanying a portion of both Blackout's first transformation, and the conversion of the Nokia-bot, though in both instances, a foreground object blocked the view of the robot at that instant, leaving it unclear if the Noise corresponded with any specific moving parts. The Noise could be heard during Bumblebee's off-screen transformation as he saves the kids while escaping Sector Seven, and a new, mixed and appropriately slowed version of the Noise also accompanied Ironhide's later slow-motion transformation. In Dark of the Moon, the noise plays rather clearly at the end of the film as Bumblebee transforms from Alt Mode to Robot Mode.
The Noise accompanies most or all transformation sequences in Transformers Animated, even minor ones including battle masks, Bumblebee's "stinger" pop-out weapons, Blitzwing's changing of faces, Ratchet's magnets, and Sari's shape-shifting Key. In the case of smaller, specific parts, the Noise is sometimes played sped up or higher pitched. It was in one particular episode of Animated that, for the first time ever, we see Transformers actually acknowledge the existence of the Noise in-universe, even going so far as trying to mimic it in their speech. Years later, The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye #6 featured a scene of Chromedome identifying his fellows based on just hearing their Noise.
In the Transformers: Fall of Cybertron game, each character was given a unique transformation noise that was personalised for them. For example, Optimus Prime's version of the noise was very similar to the original version while Jazz's version incorporates kick drums.<ref name="FOC">"Creating the Transformers Sound in Fall of Cybertron" on Game Informer's YouTube channel</ref>
For Transformers: Prime and 2015's Transformers: Robots in Disguise, the Noise reappears, although consistently in "ascending" style, even when transforming to alt/vehicle mode. The individual tones are also more continuous and less discrete, for an almost "swishing" of parts sound.
In Transformers: Rescue Bots, a more classic Noise is used, although like its Aligned siblings, the ascending sound is used in both transformation directions. The Noise is also accompanied by metallic clanking sounds for its duration.
Onomatopoeia
In "The Arrival", the noise is consistently spelled "whrr-tschzz-tschzz-tschzz-chk".
Manga released in Japan consistently uses the onomatopoeia "gi-go-ga-go-go" (ギゴガゴゴ) to represent the Noise.
In 2012, IDW's More Than Meets the Eye issue 1 and Autocracy issue 12 write it as 'Tsche-chu-chu-chu-tsche' and 'TSCHE-CHU-CHU-CHE-TSCHE' respectively. How to Say Goodbye and Mean It
In the Angry Birds: Transformers comic, the noise is spelled "whk-whek-whek-whk-whk".
Function
According to Soundwave, the sound is an energon tracking signal sent during the quantum-shift of their atoms' position and purpose. Decepticons Burn
The sound designers of Fall of Cybertron envisioned it as the sound of energon moving through their bodies.<ref name="FOC"/>
However, Cy-Kill has claimed that it is caused by the inferior engineering of Cybertronians, noting that Go-Bots make no such noise when they transform. Transformers: Renegade Rhetoric
"Transform" as a verb
For reasons relating to intellectual property law, and the need to preserve "Transformers" as a trademark, Hasbro and TakaraTomy do not use "transform" as a verb to describe this ability of Transformers in printed materials describing products. Instead synonyms such as "convert" and "morph" are used. Products that are not able to change modes are given a disclaimer such as "product does not convert". This disclaimer extends to the Kre-O Transformers and Kreon Micro-Changers, indicating that "convert" is used in a technical sense that does not apply to the "disassemble and rebuild" play pattern of Kre-O toys.
For some time, this restriction didn't extend to in-fiction dialogue. However, since 2010, Hasbro has preferred to err on the safe side; the novel Transformers: Exodus used "proto-form" and "alt-form" as verbs to describe transforming from vehicle to robot and vice versa, while James Roberts has said that Hasbro has asked that other terms be used when writing IDW comics such as More Than Meets the Eye. Exceptions have been made, though, when dialogue or drama strongly called for it, such as the NAIL who transformed himself to death. How to Say Goodbye and Mean It<ref>Transmissions podcast #94 - James Roberts MTMTE Elegant Chaos Interview</ref>
All this has proven troublesome given that one of the most famous phrases associated with the Transformers brand is "transform and roll out!". In Fall of Cybertron, Ratchet actually commands Bumblebee to "change form and roll out", and Optimus Prime only ordered his team to "transform and roll out" twice during the Prime cartoon, opting instead for a "roll out" for the majority of the series; sister series Rescue Bots and sequel Robots in Disguise had their protagonists use alternative catchprases, "roll to the rescue!" and "rev up and roll out!". Somewhat infamously, the 2022 LEGO Creator Expert Optimus Prime set just gave up and had "Autobots, convert and roll out!" in its instruction booklet.
See also
- Transformation (toys)
- Role of transformation
- Transformation paralysis
- Mode lock
- Suppressor (device)
- Transfixatron
- Transformation Lock Lens
- Transformation virus