Age of Rust
The Age of Rust (also known as the Rust Age) was one of the designated periods of Cybertronian history recorded in the Covenant of Primus. It was marked by social and societal atrophy, as a demoralized Cybertron sought to recover from the failure of the Golden Age. The final days of the Age of Rust would act as a prelude to the Great War.
Fiction
The Covenant of Primus
The Golden Age of Cybertron came to an abrupt conclusion when the colonies became infected with a Rust Plague. Possibly a deliberate attack by unknown parties, the plague was incredibly virulent and apparently incurable. Sentinel Zeta Prime and the council of thirteen on Cybertron made the heavy decision to destroy the Space bridge network for maximum quarantine, cutting off the colonies from Cybertron and abandoning them to their fate to prevent the plague from spreading to the homeworld.
By rust they fell and to rust they came. The global optimism brought about by the space exploration and colony programs was irrevocably lost. The people of Cybertron felt they no longer had anything to strive for, and merely went through the motions of existence. This malaise only intensified when nameless bots began emerging from the Well of All Sparks en masse, just as they had during the Age of Wrath. The general consensus was that these new bots saw existence as too pointless to even bother choosing a name, or have things to look forward to. They merely went about their appointed role in life, no more or less.
Sentinel Zeta Prime managed to hold on to power during the Age of Rust, but accomplished little else. The rest of his council was too gun-shy and lacked the drive to begin new social programs or expeditions to reignite the people's spirit. The one exception was councilor Soundwave, who abandoned the council in disgust for their failures.
As one of the last Primes left on Cybertron, Alpha Trion could see that something needed to happen, to change, so that the populace could have hope again. Seeking an audience with the sentiment supercomputer Vector Sigma, Alpha Trion asked for the Matrix of Leadership, believing it could usher in a new age. Vector Sigma denied his request but provided the Badge of Vector Prime as a small token to be given to Sentinel. While the Badge did nothing to stir Sentinel to new action, it did interact with the Covenant of Primus and the Quill, the artifacts of Alpha Trion. Alpha Trion came to realize that change would take place, but not as he would expect.
Within Kaon, one growing "industry" was emerging: ruthless, merciless gladiatorial combat. The bloodsport seemed to momentarily bring Cybertronians back to life, whether they fought in the gladiator pit themselves or watched from afar. It was in these games that a miner designated D-16 claimed the title of Megatronus, before the exuberant crowds shortened his name to Megatron.
Megatron was a visionary as well as a warrior, and began addressing his audience of fans about the possibility of social change, even revolution. Indeed, Megatron ultimately brought about the end of the Age of Rust, but not how he expected. Megatron and his allies received an audience before Sentinel and the council to address their concerns, but the council sidestepped Megatron and presented the title of Prime to one of his less extreme advisors, the archivist Orion Pax. As Pax rose to become Optimus Prime, Megatron rejected his former friend and began open warfare in the streets of Cybertron. These two leaders and their factions, the Autobots and Decepticons, began the Great War that shook the rust from Cybertron's society, for good or ill. Covenant of Primus
Aligned novels
During the era of the caste system, D-16 became a gladiator, an intellectual, and a debater with his fellow miners. He took control of Kaon and Slaughter City, and declared himself Megatronus. fter hearing his preaching on the Communication Grid against the Guilds of Cybertron, the concerned Sentinel Prime sent Bumper and Fastback to investigate. Megatronus killed them, believing two lives were worthless compared to the millions doomed by the castes Sentinel created.
After a victorious battle with the Insecticons, in which the crowd redubbed him Megatron, the gladiator was contacted by the Iaconian records monitor Orion Pax, whose task was to read and index information from the Communication Grid. The two began a secret correspondence, having intense but friendly debates about free will and their beliefs. As Orion began training with Jazz to learn how to fight, Megatron's movement took on the name Decepticons. Terrorists began bombing in Megatron's name, but Orion trusted Megatron, believing that Megatron would have associated himself with them if he were truly involved.
Thanks to Starscream, Sentinel Prime would be kidnapped. Orion requested Alpha Trion arrange an audience with High Council for him and Megatron. During their hearing in the High Council Tower, they protested involvement in Sentinel's disappearance. When Halogen revealed Megatron's followers had been trying to locate the Matrix of Leadership, Orion rigorously defended their ideals, even reviving the ancient philosophical phrase "Autobots" to describe the autonomy his brethren sought. It was then Councilor Halogen declared Orion the new Prime: Optimus Prime. An outraged Megatron accused his brother of treachery and then murdered Halogen. When Optimus ordered the Elite Guard to not harm Megatron, Megatron declared Optimus had fallen into the trappings of power the High Council had foisted upon him. Those in attendance dispersed, the planet became divided into Autobots and Decepticons, and the Great War began. Transformers: Exodus
Prime cartoon
In the waning years of the Golden Age of Cybertron, Megatronus was a gladiator who fought in the Kaon arena. Observing a disparity in freedom among the classes of his race, and that the ruling class was corrupt and all-powerful, Megatron turned rhetorician, trying to effect change. Meanwhile, Orion Pax was a clerk in the Iacon Hall of Records, One Shall Rise, Part 3 mentored by Alpha Trion. New Recruit His interests lay with the tales of ancient Cybertronian history, but the more he learned about the past, the more he grew concerned about the present. One Shall Rise, Part 3 Orion Pax and Megatron began corresponding with each other and joined forces to end corruption and bring equality to the masses. One Shall Rise, Part 3 Orion and Megatronus became close allies, almost like brothers. Masters & Students
Megatronus shortened his name to Megatron before he and Orion Pax appeared before the High Council. Megatron threatened the council, promising to overthrow them and instate himself as the next Prime—a declaration of hostility that shocked Orion, and moved him to an impassioned speech in favor of autonomy that successfully swayed the council where Megatron had failed. Jealous, Megatron left the council and Orion behind and assembled his followers—including perennial loyalist Soundwave and scheming second-in-command Starscream—into an army he would name "Decepticons", beginning the war for Cybertron and vowing to find the Matrix of Leadership which was denied to him by the council. One Shall Rise, Part 3