User:Daytonjhammon/Sandbox
Just as Star Wars wouldn't be the same without its titular wars, Transformers wouldn't be Transformers if it didn't have a Cybertronian Civil War or two. While the brand began by introducing the Great War on Cybertron, over the years new types of civil wars have been introduced outside of the Autobot-Decepticon conflict.
Types of Wars
Great Wars
The most well-known type of Cybertronian Civil War, the Great War is always almost always the conflict between the Autobots and Decepticons. Its exact beginnings vary from continuity to continuity: sometimes it's because of Energon supply shortages, sometimes it's started by the Decepticons wanting to establish a new Decepticon Empire across the universe, sometimes it's a war for powerful relics, and in many universes, the war begins after a long period of oppression or stagnancy on Cybertron. Optimus Prime and Megatron are usually the leaders of the Autobots and Decepticons, although occasionally other leaders step up to lead.
While the war always starts on Cybertron, the Great War tends to expand across the galaxy, and eventually finds its way to Earth, getting humans involved. While most children tend to become important allies to the Autobots, a few humans have allied themselves with the Decepticons. In a few universes, the Great War ends after the Autobots and Decepticons team up to defeat Unicron in the Unicron War, and in one universe, the Great War takes place before Optimus Prime and Megatron's teams battle each other on Earth.
Beast Wars
The conflict continues as two opposing factions renew their struggle for control of the universe.
Once again, on a new battleground, "The Beast Wars" have begun...Opening blurb for Beast Wars, from the official website BeastWars.com.
In an era long after the Great War, the Beast Wars is the conflict between the Maximals and Predacons, descendants of the Autobots and Decepticons. While the Beast Wars initially tends to play out similarly to the Great War, with both sides vying for Energon, it's usually started by Megatron's desire to alter history so that the Decepticons become the victors of the Great War. Notable aspects of the Beast Wars include its setting on prehistoric Earth, the use of beast modes, and the occasional presence of a non-Cybertronian third party: a mysterious race of energy-based aliens known as the Vok.
Optimus Primal and Megatron are usually the leaders of the Maximal and Predacon teams on prehistoric Earth. However, in one universe, the Beast Wars involves the Decepticons on Animatron during the Great War.
Other Civil Wars
- Thirteen Primes' Civil War
- See Also: War of the Primes and First Cybertronian Civil War
Toward the beginning of the timeline is the Thirteen Primes' Civil War. Known as the War of the Primes in the Aligned continuity family and the First Cybertronian Civil War in the 2005 IDW continuity, it is the tragic conflict that brings the Age of Primes to a close. Depictions of this civil war have drastically varied between universes, but the deceptions of certain members of the Thirteen, and the The Fallen's murder of Solus Prime, tend to be defining aspects of the war.
- Other Animated Civil Wars
- See Also: Second Cybertronian War and Third Cybertronian War
In one universe, there were two other civil wars prior to the Great War.
In many universes, the Combiner Wars were a series of conflicts, usually taking place in the post Great War-era, linked to the development and implementation of combiner technology. It tends to involve the Enigma of Combination, an artifact of Nexus Prime. The Council of Worlds is usually involved in picking up after the combiners' mess.
In one universe, the Mini-Con Civil War pitted the Mini-Con Council of Sages against a group of insurgents led by the malicious Thrust and his Sky Terror Team.
Among the Decepticons, there is one guiding principle: rule of the strong. Of course, when Megatron isn't in charge, this tends to lead to conflict among entire groups of Decepticons, each led by a potential Decepticon leader.
The first civil war in the 2005 IDW continuity, the God War is the defining event that introduced information creep to the Transformers. It was a conflict between the members of the Guiding Hand, who were the first five Cybertronians: Primus, Mortilus, Solomus, Epistemus, and Adaptus.
Fiction
Generation 1
Unicron Trilogy
Cartoon continuity
Unlike G1 or any of the future continuities that followed, the Unicron Trilogy does not refer to the Autobot-Decepticon conflict as a "Great War". This civil war, beginning millions of years ago, would include the Unicron Battles of 2010, the Powerlinx Battles of 2020, and a quest for the Cyber Planet Keys in 2030. Another unique aspect of this continuity's civil war between the Autobots and Decepticons was introducing the Mini-Con race, who played an important role throughout the war.
Long ago, a new race was created by Unicron Drift, which caused the Transformers' war to escalate. Prehistory These beings, the Mini-Cons, would attain sentience and eventually try to escape Cybertron via the spaceship Exodus, but the Decepticons attack the ship, causing it to split in two - half of the ship crashing on the Moon, and the other half crashing on Earth. First Encounter
In 2010, the war comes to Earth when Rad White and Carlos Lopez discover the remains of the Exodus, which leads to the revival of the Mini-Cons. Megatron promptly leads a small team of Decepticons to Earth via warp gate, while Optimus Prime pursues him with his own contingent of troops, and these Autobots befriend Rad, Carlos and their friend Alexis Thi Dang, who have developed a telepathic bond with the Street Action Mini-Con Team. First Encounter The Autobots and Decepticons begin gathering more Mini-Cons, many of whom form three powerful weapons. The weapons ultimately fall into the Decepticons' hands Credulous Sacrifice Crack, and are used to power the Hydra Cannon. Crisis
Throughout the war, it becomes clear that both sides are being played by Sideways and Thrust, who are minions of Unicron. Gale Chase Dash Sideways and Thrust steal the Mini-Con weapons Dash and use them to reactivate Unicron's dormant body inside Cybertron's moon. Portent Unicron is eventually defeated Origin, but a battle between Megatron (now Galvatron) and Optimus Prime threatens to reactivate Unicron. Galvatron sacrifices his life to stop Unicron's return, and the two disappear in a flash of light. Mortal Combat
In 2020, seeking to use the power of energon to recreate Planet Q, Alpha Q creates the Terrorcons out of Unicron and sends them to attack the Cybertron Cities and gather the mineral for his plan. Cybertron City The Autobots fight back using the new combination powers given to them by Primus, and in retaliation, Alpha Q creates Scorponok and the Energon Sword to turn the Decepticons to his side, beginning the Powerlinx Battles. Scorpinok Megatron's Sword The plan works, but soon, Megatron—his body trapped within Unicron's dormant husk—steals enough of Alpha Q's energon to engineer his own resurrection. Megatron Resurrected Megatron takes control of most of Unicron's body, and co-opts Alpha Q's plan as his own, intending to use Unicron as a weapon. Megatron Raid Unicron's full body would eventually be restored, and Alpha Q would be killed. A Heroic Battle
After various battles in space and on various planets, the Autobots are joined by Omega Supreme, Omega Supreme who combines with Optimus Prime to combat a restored Unicron, ultimately destroying Unicron's body. The Power of Unicron Unicron Perishes Unicron's consciousness manipulates Megatron into finding the Super Energon Temple, and Megatron - now transformed into Galvatron again, Wishes begins a new plan involving moving Cybertron. Formidable Galvatron and Unicron struggle for control over Galvatron's body, and Galvatron eventually plunges himself into a sun created from the Super Energon and Unicron's spark, preferring to die than be a servant. The Sun
After another ten years of peace, the war resumes again with the threat of a black hole threatening Cybertron, and the return of Galvatron Megatron and Starscream, who now seek the power of the Cyber Planet Keys to empower the black hole and remake the cosmos. The Autobots are aided by Vector Prime and new human allies Coby, Bud Hansen, and Lori Jiménez, who sense the Omega Frequency. Fallen
Ultimately, the Autobots acquire the Keys of both Velocitron and Jungle Planet, at which point the existence of Earth's own Cyber Planet Key is revealed. Trap Starscream makes his power play and overthrows Megatron, stealing the Omega Lock and all three keys from the Autobots and using them to grow in size and power. Starscream The Autobots defeat Starscream United, return to Cybertron, and use the Omega Lock and Cyber Planet Keys to awaken the spirit of Primus, causing Cybertron to transform into the god's body. Cybertron
Starscream attempts to tap the power of Primus and grows to planetary size, only to be defeated by Primus himself. Titans Soon, the Autobots identify the location of Gigantion, while the Decepticons have to be led there by Soundwave. Warp Bested by the planet's leader Metroplex, Giant Megatron taps the key's power to become Galvatron yet again, Fury and blasts Starscream, Sideways and Soundwave into another dimension to acquire the Lock and Keys for himself. Guardian and the five planet leaders confront Galvatron within the black hole and defeat him. With all the Cyber Planet Keys now in his possession, Primus uses their power to finally seal the black hole, ending its threat. End As the planet's various civilizations attempt to return to life as normal, Galvatron attacks the Autobots for one final time. Without any troops to call his own, Galvatron engages Optimus Prime in a one-on-one duel, and is finally destroyed for good. Unfinished With this final victory, Optimus Prime begins a new space bridge initiative, and the Transformers set sail for the four corners of the universe. Beginning
Live-action film series
The movie continuity family features two civil wars: a conflict involving the Dynasty of Primes and The Fallen, and the war between the Autobots and Decepticons.
Around 17000 B.C.E., a Star Harvester had been built to convert Earth's Sun into Energon, but the Primes disagreed with using it, believing that life (in this case, human life) was sacred. The one dissenter, whose name would later become The Fallen, waged war against his brothers, intent on activating the device. The Primes stole the Matrix of Leadership from The Fallen and sealed it away in a tomb made of their bodies. Revenge of the Fallen
Thousands of years later, the last Prime, Optimus, led the Autobots in "the war" against the Decepticons, led by The Fallen's disciple, Megatron. Megatron sought control of the AllSpark until it became lost to the stars and Cybertron was ruined. The Cube landed in the Colorado river around 10,000 B.C.E., while Megatron himself crashed and became entombed in the Arctic before he reached it. Both factions reached Earth in 2007, with humanity becoming involved in the war by forming an alliance with the Autobots called NEST.
After the destruction of the AllSpark and the Fallen's death, Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Megatron orchestrated the revival of long-lost ally and Autobot traitor Sentinel Prime, leading to the invasion of Chicago. A particularly devastating event, the invasion would end after the destruction of the space bridge pillars and the deaths of Megatron and Sentinel Prime. Dark of the Moon After the Invasion of Chicago, tensions between humans and Cybertronians led to the creation of Cemetery Wind, an elite CIA unit that began killing all Transformers, regardless of faction. They would ally themselves with the neutral bounty hunter Lockdown. At the same time KSI would use the abundance of Transformium to create Galvatron, the new body of a resurrected Megatron. Age of Extinction Cemetery Wind would be replaced by the Transformers Reaction Force as more Cybertronians came to Earth, while Megatron would ally himself with Quintessa in a new plot involving the Staff of Merlin and Unicron, but the Autobots would also stop this plot. The Last Knight
Some unique things of note in this continuity family include the introduction of the AllSpark relic and its role in the Great War to the Transformers mythos, and the first media depiction of a conflict among the Primes, a concept that would be further explored in the Aligned continuity family.
Animated
The AllSpark Almanac II introduced the concept of Cybertron having not one... not two... but three Cybertronian Civil Wars. The first civil war, known as the Second Cybertronian War, was fought four billion years ago by the Malignus and Guardians. Unlike most continuities, this non-Autobot/Decepticon-involved war brought about the end of Cybertron's Golden Age. Three billion years later, the Third Cybertronian War was fought between the Protectobots and the Destrons. These factions were ancient predecessors to the Autobots and Decepticons, who emerged as sub-factions before taking prominence during an Age of Expansion.
Ten million years before Earth's 22nd Century, the Great War for the AllSpark began as tensions between the new leaders, Megatron and Ultra Magnus, reached a breaking point. Lasting eight million stellar cycles; it ended with the Decepticons being driven from Cybertron by the Autobots, although they were granted amnesty. The AllSpark Almanac II Dispatches The Autobot's victory was attributed to three vital strategies: control over the space bridges, the creation of the Omega Sentinels, and throwing the AllSpark through a space bridge. Transform and Roll Out TransWarped A Bridge Too Close, Part II
Unique to this Great War were several "mini-wars" taking place across various worlds in the Autobot Commonwealth. These wars include:
- The Atlas War on Combatron
- The War of the Dunes on Praun
- The Energon Wars on Paradron
- The Asphalt Wars on Velocitron
- The Beast Wars on Animatron
- The Data Wars on Bk'n
- The Lava Wars on Magma
- The Machine Wars on Vehicon
- The Pangea Wars on Gigantion
- The Software Wars centered around Polyhex, a polity of Cybertron
- The Time Wars in the Salvvatan System
- The War of the Waves on Antilla The AllSpark Almanac II
Aligned continuity family
The Cybertron of this continuity family experienced two civil wars: the War of the Primes, which ended the Age of Primes, and the Great War, which began at the end of the Age of Rust.
The War of the Primes was a series of skirmishes among the Thirteen, with The Fallen, Liege Maximo, Prima, and Solus Prime playing key roles in the conflict. Caused by tension concerning Liege Maximo's farm and Prima's suspicions of The Fallen, the War of the Primes led to Solus Prime's and Liege Maximo's deaths. The Covenant of Primus However, a different account claimed that Liege Maximo survived the War of the Primes and fled Cybertron, and was pursued by Alchemist Prime. Exiles The Thirteen's civil war had immense consequences for the Cybertronian race, with Solus Prime's body creating the Well of All Sparks, and Onyx Prime's Triptych Mask being used to make Cybertronians more unique than the initial Primes. Another consequence of the War of the Primes was Quintus Prime leaving Cybertron, eventually creating the Quintessons, who would enslave Cybertron during the Age of Wrath. The Covenant of Primus
The Great War was a far deadlier civil war, spanning across the universe. After cycles of social stratification caused by the caste system, the bloated bureaucracy established during the Age of Wrath, and the trauma of the Rust Plague, The Covenant of Primus a gladiator named Megatron from Kaon gathered a following, which would eventually be known as the Decepticons. Megatron desired to become a Prime, but at a hearing in the High Council Tower, the High Council was inspired by the words of Megatron's Iaconian ally, Orion Pax. A humble archivist from the Hall of Records, Orion Pax became Optimus Prime, which led to the war between Decepticons and Autobots starting. Exodus War For Cybertron One Shall Rise, Part 3
Significant moments from the Great War include: Megatron destroying Bumblebee's voice box at Tyger Pax after the AllSpark is fired into deep space, Transformers: Exodus Bumblebee at Tyger Pax Operation Bumblebee, Part 1 Megatron poisoning Cybertron's core with Dark Energon, Optimus Prime receiving the Matrix of Leadership from the Core, Exodus War For Cybertron One Shall Rise, Part 3 the population's Great Exodus from the planet, Exodus War For Cybertron Fall of Cybertron and the war eventually making its way to Earth, whose core is eventually revealed to be the sleeping body of Unicron. Transformers: Prime The Covenant of Primus
Cyberverse
The Great War in Cyberverse was a civil war between the Autobots and Decepticons. Lasting over 66 million years, it began as a political response to corruption, but Megatron's lust for power plunged the planet into war. Megatron Is My Hero
Significant moments from the Great War include: Megatron murdering the High Council, Matrix of Leadership the AllSpark being launched from Cybertron after Megatron's plans for it were discovered, Megatron Is My Hero Allspark the war entering a "Cold War" period, Fractured Sabotage and the war's arrival on Earth. Sea of Tranquility
The Allspark's return to the Well of the Allspark was the de-facto end of the war, Battle For Cybertron IV with the signing of the Treaty of the Wall formally ending the conflict The Immobilizers.
In another reality, Megatron killed Optimus Prime in the early stages of the Great War and claimed the Matrix of Leadership. Without Prime leading the Autobots, the Decepticons quickly won the war with Megatron using the Allspark to create his Decepticon supersoldiers. The Other One
EarthSpark
The Great War in EarthSpark, also known as the "Transformers' War", began as a fight for equality on Cybertron that dissolved into civil war. Warzone Megatron initially led the "dastardly Decepticons" against the "heroic Autobots", with the war eventually spilling over to Earth on September 17, 1984 via spacebridge. Secret Legacy, Part 1 Unique to this universe, Megatron began to realize the error of his ways, and would defect to the Autobots. Shockwave would become the Decepticon leader, and the war would be declared over after the Allspark was sent through a spacebridge back to Cybertron, its final fate left unknown. Warzone Secret Legacy, Part 1
