Transformers: Energon (franchise)
| The name or term "Energon" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Energon (disambiguation). |
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The Energon franchise is a followup to Armada. Its fiction is set in the same Unicron Trilogy universe, and it features many returning characters.
- Japanese name: Super Link (トランスフォーマー スーパーリンク)
The Energon franchise featured the following primary components:
- A toyline
- A cartoon series
- A comic book series from Dreamwave Productions
- A series of mini-comics that came packaged with toys.
Homages
Energon was saturated with frequent and obvious Generation 1 references and homages, presumably intended as a celebration of the Transformers' 20th anniversary year. Among them are:
- Arcee is based on the Generation 1 character of the same name.
- Beachcomber shares colors and an alternate mode with the Generation 1 character.
- Inferno and his retool Roadblock are conceptually based on the Generation 1 characters Inferno and Grapple, who were likewise a red firetruck retooled into an orange construction crane.
- Omega Supreme is conceptually based on the giant Generation 1 Autobot of the same name. His transformable head Omega's robot mode is based upon that of the Action Master Omega Spreem, and the very concept of a detachable, transforming head is based on the original Headmaster concept from Generation 1,
- Prowl continues the string of blue Formula-1 race cars which are normally named Mirage. Like his Generation 1 namesake, he's also a police car. (Yes, a Formula-1 police car.) Interestingly, Machine Wars Prowl's alternate mode is also a Formula-1 race car.
- Rodimus is heavily based on Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime.
- Scorponok is based on the Generation 1 character of the same name.
- Shockblast is heavily based on Shockwave.
- Slugslinger shares a double-cockpit jet alternate mode with his Generation 1 namesake.
- Starscream continues to resemble his Generation 1 namesake, and has a transformation scheme similar to that of the Generation 2 Decepticon Smokescreen (which, interestinly enough, was redecoed into a different starscream).
- Tow-Line's design draws heavily from the original toys of Ratchet and Ironhide. His colour scheme is based upon Generation 1 Skids.
- Ultra Magnus' colors are loosely based on the Generation 1 character.
- The concept of the Powerlinx combination is similar to the Multiforce from Victory.
- The three combiner teams are conceptually based on some of Generation 1's more famous combining teams. Specifically:
- And, of course, there's Optimus Prime.
A somewhat less convincing case can be made for Megatron = Thunderwing, but really now, who cares about anything after 1986, right?
New characters
A recurring theme in Energon is that of old characters getting new bodies, often ones with only tangential relation to their former appearance. This has led to fan speculation that Hasbro originally intended these toys—specifically, Snowcat, Mirage, and Demolishor—to be new characters, only to have that intent overridden by Takara and/or the producers of the cartoon, who made them into new versions of old characters.
The notion is not without precedent. Roadblock was treated by the cartoon as an upgraded Inferno—yet Hasbro issued a character bio which established him as a new and separate character.
Likewise, following in the footsteps of Armada redeco Thundercracker (who was cast as a powered-up Starscream by the cartoon), the redecos Landquake and Beachcomber were treated by the cartoon as powered-up versions of characters the molds were originally created for.
