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| For the love of Primus |
I'm just going to put it out there and say I'm a big Transformers fan. I've been one since '02 and I've never looked back because being a fan of the series is pretty much normal.
Unfortunately, we have Michael Bay to thank for the transformers fandom becoming more popular in modern day. My best guess is that it's how New Jersey feels for the Jersey Shore making it more popular. It's a feeling of pride that what you love is becoming more popular mixed with shame because it's all for the wrong reason.
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| The exact same part of the writers that the script came from |
I'm here to talk about Transformers: Prime.
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| The only time Optimus Prime got mooned |
The series is split up between both the original series and Beast Hunters. Unfortunately, Beast Hunters was not as popular and was doomed to cancellation. Luckily we're getting a Prime movie, but that's only a band-aid that the next reboot's going to have to heal.
As I began to think, there are many reasons I love this and many why it will always be one of my favorite adaptations of the franchise.
So, here's the top ten that I could come up with:
10. The human children:
Seeing how the title of the series is "Transformers", they'd obviously fall short on the list. The fact that they even made it on the list is a tribute to why I love them.
Each with their own individual charm, I guess I'll just go right to left.
Rafiel is really my least favorite of the three. I find that most fans either don't like him or they don't like the girl of the trio (Miko). Raf is the youngest of the group and apparently a hacker who's smart enough to break through alien fire walls and create viruses. Honestly, I think this kid's going to grow up and be a cyber-terrorist of some sort, but I want to see another series that shows his slow decay into that.
His only notable relationships are with Bumblebee (who he can somehow understand in spite of the fact that he's basically speaking in R2D2-nese) and Ratchet (a mutual respect of the nerds of the groups).
But, on brighter news, we get my favorite of the human-kid trio, Miko.
Miko is what it'd be like if a fan of the series not only joined, but was a hardcore otaku. I love characters like this. She's hyper, tomboyish, plays electric guitar, and has the most decepticon-kills of all of the humans . . . 1.
The only annoying thing that I find about her is that she puts herself at risk a little too often. It's like she has no flight in the fight-or-flight response.
Her notable relationships are a best-buds relationship with the other human character (Jack) and that she has a bit of an annoying little sister relationship with Bulkhead.
After that, we have our final human child worth mentioning, Jack Darby.
Jack is basically the closest we have to a normal human character. He's somehow a big part in the war on Decepticons and manages to not flunk out of high-school and hold a job. How stressed do you think this kid's life is?
As I began to think, there are many reasons I love this and many why it will always be one of my favorite adaptations of the franchise.
So, here's the top ten that I could come up with:
10. The human children:
| Human characters I actually like? What madness is this? |
Each with their own individual charm, I guess I'll just go right to left.
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| All I see is evil, PURE EVIIIIIIIIIIL |
His only notable relationships are with Bumblebee (who he can somehow understand in spite of the fact that he's basically speaking in R2D2-nese) and Ratchet (a mutual respect of the nerds of the groups).
But, on brighter news, we get my favorite of the human-kid trio, Miko.
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| She's got a question to axe you |
The only annoying thing that I find about her is that she puts herself at risk a little too often. It's like she has no flight in the fight-or-flight response.
Her notable relationships are a best-buds relationship with the other human character (Jack) and that she has a bit of an annoying little sister relationship with Bulkhead.
After that, we have our final human child worth mentioning, Jack Darby.
| Somewhere out there, someone made a music video using this |
Well, when it's not the transformers, this kid's usually the main focus of the story. They even found a great way to explain why he's a part of this (instead of just buying his partner at a used-car dealership).
The decepticons saw him with the known autobot and he obviously needs some protection.
There are some story-lines that are similar to Sam's from the Bay-verse, but it's written amazingly better for people who write Friday night tv-shows instead of HIGHLY GROSSING FILMS, but what do I know that people that are paid way more for their work don't?
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| On Maguffin to rule them all |
One, it's on THEIR planet, not ours
Two, it's not just a guess that it'll work
Three, he isn't given another thing that can obviously do the same job, but is never used in the entire movie until later on where it's used on another thing that's just brought back for now real reason other than "aren't old people funny?" jokes
Jack's real relationships with the group is a sortof older brother one. He's basically the Optimus of his trio (the comparison is even brought up in the series).
Well, luckily the humans aren't as present in this series as others, meaning their levels of annoyance are compressed down, but there is one that rose above the others. One that easily deserves a spot on this list. One that gets the next on the list.
9. Agent Fowler
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| That's one badass middle-aged man |
The character known as Agent Fowler is easily one of the greater characters in the series for both the idea of the character and what he's capable of. First, let's inject some logic into the situation. Of course they're going to have to have some form of ambassador to the human race. So we get this guy.
When he was first introduced, I thought he was just some G-man that's a complete hardass, beurocratic, paper-pusher. After seeing this guy in action, I was proven dead wrong.
Having worked his way up the corporate ladder to the point where he gets to be the AMBASSADOR TO AN ALIEN RACE, this former ARMY RANGER is an expert fighter-pilot with enough experience to not only hold his own against decepticons, but win in aerial dogfights with them.
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| Ok kids, tonight's subject is General Badassery 101 Please turn your textbooks to page 5 |
Fowler provides the human element you always want to see in transformers. An awesome former-soldier that knows enough about military strategy to easily outwit beings 4x his height.
On top of that, he gets some humanizing elements of his own. You'd expect this guy to be middle-aged and built like Stallone at the least, right? Nope, he's got a beer-gut. You'd expect him to be too grizzled to really care about any relations with adults outside his work, right? Nope, he has a friendship (and possible romantic relationship) with Jack's mother.
Overall, this character makes me rethink the inclusion of humans in the series. He's not exaggerated to the levels of the soldiers in the Bay-verse, but that's what makes him more awesome than them. I'd compare it to rooting for superman to batman. Of course you can root for the guy that can shrug off collision with every nuke on the planet taking out guys armed with puny handguns, but the guy that would easily be ended by the bullets and still continues to fight against those who'd obviously use them against him is just more inspiring and amazing.
8. The opening movie:
| This scene wouldn't be nearly as epic if Optimus wasn't being struck by lightning |
The opening movie (really, a 5 part tv event) was epic beyond belief. It introduced our characters and proved they were all badass in their own way. It even gets incredibly real when one of the autobots gets killed
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| Fatality! Finish him! |
Yep, one of the autobots dies at the BEGINNING of the series. It even haunts another autobot throughout prime's run & drives several events forward.
Megatron's power is revealed & it is EPIC. He got this new energy source that turns dead transformers and electronics into zombies and turns him (and some others) into beings with the power to control them . . . and to glow purple.
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| Oh please, just admit your using LCD lights. I've seen gaming computers do the same thing. |
Well, the movie ends with a shock twist. It's fitting, seeing how we started with a shocking twist. The big deal is that Megatron dies . . . AND STARSCREAM TRIES TO STOP IT!!!!
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| Bitch, you gon' get yo' ass blown up |
Yeah. Starscream's actually loyal until the end of the movie. At the end, he turns into the same evil bastard we all grow to love.
Up next is something that isn't really appreciated in these kinds of things, but is just an intangible you don't think about unless you try to add some sense of realism into this.
7. Transformer Biology and Anatomy
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| If you can't tell by now, I'm a huge nerd |
Well, the transformers have long been known for inconsistencies in how these things can change their size and shape. These designs did follow one of the few things that the Bay-verse did right. It gave them a look like they actually transformed from their vehicle modes. They even have parts that look like the parts of the vehicles folded into their places. They explain that energon acts like blood, but it's non-renewable and that they have certain parts for certain functions (like computers).
I guess it's the inner science-nerd in me that appreciates this as much as I do, but I can't help but smile when I see this. Up next is another thing that hopefully makes other smile as well.
6. Human enemies:
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| Rule #1 for joining M.E.C.H. Everyone gets tight spandex and over-sized guns |
There have been past incarnations that have tried to introduce human-villains to the Autobots that were supposed to be viewed as threats, and yet they're more easily viewed as someone you could probably take out with a baseball bat.
They never even began to think about the awesomeness that is M.E.C.H.
What is M.E.C.H.? An organization of alien-chasers that dissect first and ask questions later. They're even led by a badass former Spec Ops turned traitor, Silas. What's more, he's voiced by CLANCY BROWN!!! The guy that voiced Lex Luthor in DCAU!!! He's basically the same character too
Why are they a threat? They've got tons of guys constantly looking for either weapons of mass destruction or aliens. So, they're armed with lasers and numbers. Bonde villains would kill for that (literally).
What else do they do in the series (other than harass our heroes at every turn?) Well, they manage to build a functioning transformer of their own that was capable of taking on Optimus, and they somehow find a way to make the body of a DECEASED transformer connect to the barely-living body of a human and act as both super-armor and life support.
| We can rebuild him. We have the technology. We don't want to look at his ugly face anymore. |
What does Silas do after becoming the first human-decepticon hybrid? Not much. He just steals a satellite-laser and fires it at one of the HUMAN KIDS' houses to both kill him & get invitation to joining the decepticon cause. Unfortunately for him, he's basically killed off after that . . . until much later where it's revealed that he was just being used for horrible guinea-pig tests.
5. Optimus:
Optimus is by far one of my favorite Autobots in the series. They did everything right. Why is he so awesome?
He's leading a small army of only five against the decepticons hordes. He's able to take on Megatron and nearly beat him even with a massive difference in who has more supplies to blow. He's able to keep his team together despite suffering from both loss and in-fighting. He's able to rally the troops and take on impossible odds.
As badass as he sounds, Optimus is not the killer that the movie version is.
Optimus is still the negotiator. He tries multiple times to get Megatron to stop the fighting, but it's obvious that Megs won't stop trying to get everything he needs to rule Cybertron until he wins.
When Megatron is shown to have been replaced by Starscream, Optimus is willing to subject himself to some personal humiliation in the name of peace.
The thing that I have to like the most is the back story they gave for him. Originally an archivist, Orion Pax joined alongside the gladiator, Megatronus, in order to try and change the ways of Cybertron. Megatronus' ideas are rejected whereas Orion's ideas are rejoiced, leading to Megatronus becoming the decepticon known as Megatron and Orion allowed to become a Prime through the Matrix of Leadership (basically a source of information that stores the spark of fallen Primes). They even do some awesome sacrifice for him TWICE.
The first one comes at the end of season one where he one shots UNICRON!!!
The ultimate bad guy in the transformers, the one that can easily destroy planets, ohk'd by Prime himself. AWESOME!!!
Unfortunately this leads to him losing his memories (he got better). And his final sacrifice comes at the end of the next season. The Decepticons are attacking their base, he just sent every other Autobot across the planet using their teleporter and what does Optimus do to save his team?
HE STABS THE TELEPORTER AND IS BLOWN UP!!!
Of course this leads to a death scene reminiscent of the G1 transformers, but it's also averted at the end of the season 3 opening-set of episodes where we see he's not only alive, but he's better than ever.
Having been brought back to life with both a gatling gun and a jet pack, Optimus is clearly voted most likely to kick ass in season 3.
Unfortunately we only get one season and a TV-movie with the new Optimus, but I know I enjoyed him while he lasted.
4. Wheeljack and Dreadwing:
Wheeljack is the Autobot friend of Bulkhead. An epic samurai armed with two swords and a grenade. Why? THAT'S ALL HE NEEDS!!!
He was a member of the Wreckers (a special group of Autobot commandos) and the first character shown to have his own personal ship. Most of the emotional writing for him revolves around a feeling of betrayal at Bulkhead for leaving the wreckers for team-prime and a feeling of growing friendship with Miko.
The only other character that awesome enough to tie with Wheeljack in my eyes is a Decepticon of epic proportions. The one, the only, Dreadwing.
Being the Decepticon's version of Wheeljack, Dreadwing is another epic samurai armed with explosives, a sword, and a GATLING GUN!!! Being the brother of a character that was killed off in a previous episode, Dreadwing is shown as an honorable fighter who not only shows that he can hold his own against Optimus himself!
He's also shown to have some emotional struggle with his loyalty to the Decepticons and his honor. He joined so he could avenge his brother's death at the hands of Optimus and let him go after they teamed up against an at-the-time freelancer Starscream. Near the season 2 finale, he finds out that Starscream tried reviving his brother. In his disillusionment towards the Decepticon cause, he arms the Autobots with a macguffin that allowed them to turn the tables on their enemies, but he also tries killing Starscream.
I don't want to spoil everything about them, but I will leave the record saying that these characters have INCREDIBLY badass moments at the end of season 2.
3. Knockout:
Knockout is easily an enjoyable character for a few reasons. He's vain, he's a street racer, he's a doctor, and he's one hell of a hot rod.
The main humor with his character is over how proud he is of his paint job and finish and gets INCREDIBLY pissed when someone's messed that up.
There's also alot of fan speculation that he & Starscream have a thing, but I found no video exploiting that more than this
| He stares into your soul |
He's leading a small army of only five against the decepticons hordes. He's able to take on Megatron and nearly beat him even with a massive difference in who has more supplies to blow. He's able to keep his team together despite suffering from both loss and in-fighting. He's able to rally the troops and take on impossible odds.
As badass as he sounds, Optimus is not the killer that the movie version is.
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| Let's hope we all forget this fever-nightmare and that the person responsible gets a sledgehammer to the balls |
When Megatron is shown to have been replaced by Starscream, Optimus is willing to subject himself to some personal humiliation in the name of peace.
The thing that I have to like the most is the back story they gave for him. Originally an archivist, Orion Pax joined alongside the gladiator, Megatronus, in order to try and change the ways of Cybertron. Megatronus' ideas are rejected whereas Orion's ideas are rejoiced, leading to Megatronus becoming the decepticon known as Megatron and Orion allowed to become a Prime through the Matrix of Leadership (basically a source of information that stores the spark of fallen Primes). They even do some awesome sacrifice for him TWICE.
The first one comes at the end of season one where he one shots UNICRON!!!
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| I am Iron man! |
Unfortunately this leads to him losing his memories (he got better). And his final sacrifice comes at the end of the next season. The Decepticons are attacking their base, he just sent every other Autobot across the planet using their teleporter and what does Optimus do to save his team?
HE STABS THE TELEPORTER AND IS BLOWN UP!!!
Of course this leads to a death scene reminiscent of the G1 transformers, but it's also averted at the end of the season 3 opening-set of episodes where we see he's not only alive, but he's better than ever.
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| Heavy weapons guy, eat your heart out |
Unfortunately we only get one season and a TV-movie with the new Optimus, but I know I enjoyed him while he lasted.
4. Wheeljack and Dreadwing:
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| Gotta get back, back to the past Samurai Wheeljack |
He was a member of the Wreckers (a special group of Autobot commandos) and the first character shown to have his own personal ship. Most of the emotional writing for him revolves around a feeling of betrayal at Bulkhead for leaving the wreckers for team-prime and a feeling of growing friendship with Miko.
The only other character that awesome enough to tie with Wheeljack in my eyes is a Decepticon of epic proportions. The one, the only, Dreadwing.
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| All beware the cock-gun!!! |
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| I have no words to describe how awesome this is |
I don't want to spoil everything about them, but I will leave the record saying that these characters have INCREDIBLY badass moments at the end of season 2.
3. Knockout:
| Oh, I SAW what you did there |
The main humor with his character is over how proud he is of his paint job and finish and gets INCREDIBLY pissed when someone's messed that up.
There's also alot of fan speculation that he & Starscream have a thing, but I found no video exploiting that more than this
In many ways, Knockout tops my next favorites, but there's just something about him that makes him the winner between the three of them.
2. Megatron and Soundwave:
| I will eat your hard drive and crap out your soul |
Megatron is nearly ALWAYS consistently the most badass character, but this series puts a twist on it. Originating as a gladiator, Megatronus tried gaining political power in the Autobot government. Having been denied and his own follower being made a political figure in his place, Megatronus became Megatron and started the Decepticon rebellion that lead to the destruction of Cybertron.
He even gets a special darkness-theme because his power source is DARK energon. What is dark energon made of? THE BLOOD OF UNICRON!!!
So he's got dark powers as well as a legion of followers loyal enough to die for him. He's even willing to go to extremes to get what he wants. He cut off his BLASTER ARM just so he could make a sword that would let him beat Optimus.
The only character in the series that could even dare to share this spot with him is none other than one of his second in commands.
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| You're one UUUGLY motherfucker |
Soundwave's character redesign is one of the most radical in the series. While Megatron has gone from a gun (I'm serious), to a T-rex, to a tank, to a chopper, to this; Soundwave's nearly always been some form of boom box. In this he's a plane and he is the most BADASS design of them all.
For the only character without a face or a voice, he knows how to express himself in a variety of ways. He's by far Megatron's most loyal, he's able to take most any of the other Transformers in one-on-one combat (even Megatron in their backstory), and his creepy design is beyond anything I could imagine.
In some ways he's like the predator. He doesn't use his own voice, instead he plays back clips of others speaking. Instead of a face, he has a reflection of whoever he's fighting. The most badass thing about him though is the fact that he doesn't have a SINGLE weapon in his design.
He fights mainly through blocking and letting the robot UAV that he stores in his chest attack his opponents for him. When that fails, he usually just zaps them with some tasers he keeps in these strange robot-tentacles that he has and by just punching everyone out. When that fails, he has the most devastating weapon of them all. Using the teleporters on the ship, he has the perfect defense. If he ever catches you, he'll send your ass straight out of there.
There's only ONE talking scene he has, but holy crap is it EPIC
For those of us who loved Soundwave & Megatron in previous generations, I think these renditions are more than fair. In spite of the fact that the #2 spot is held by two, only one has the pure levels of awesome to rise to #1. Only one, and that one is
1. Starscream:
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| Did I do that? |
Okay, I made this list as an incredibly biased fan. Starscream is and always will be my favorite transformer of all time for several reasons & the fact that this character is this generations version of him is the main reason he has this spot.
When we first see him, he's established as a legitimate threat and a loyal second-in-command (one of three) to Megatron. He's able to blend both an air of pure dread, a threatening feel, and some pretty hilarious comedy all in one character. He's given several characters a run for their money and is given several character arcs leading to season 3 that I'd rather not spoil. There's really only one video I want to show & it shows some of his & Knockout's best moments. Enjoy
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