(Redirected from Transformers Universes)
'Transformers' are
fictional alien robots and the titular characters of a popular
[1] Hasbro toy line and its
spin-offs. They come from the planet
Cybertron and are divided into the heroic
Autobots, led by
Optimus Prime, and the evil
Decepticons, led by
Megatron. They are able to "transform", rearranging their bodies into a common and innocuous form, such as vehicles, devices or animals, which is reflected by the taglines "More Than Meets the Eye" and "Robots in Disguise". Beyond that, they can
displace mass, combine, or apply synthetic flesh.
All incarnations have been based around this core concept since their debut in
1984 in various media. The largest continuity, retroactively known as '', is an umbrella term for both continuities of the
TV series and
Marvel comic, which further divided into Japanese and UK spin-offs respectively. Sequels followed, such as the '' comic book and ''
Beast Wars'' TV series which became its own mini-universe. Generation 1 characters underwent two
reboots with
Dreamwave in 2002 and
IDW Publishing in 2006. There have been other incarnations of the story based on different toy lines during the 2000s. The first was the '' series, followed by ''/'' and ''. A
live-action film was also released in 2007, again distinct from previous incarnations.
Generation One (1984–1992)
Main articles: Transformers: Generation 1
''Generation One'' (G1) is a
retroactive term for the characters that appeared between 1984 and 1992, and this is the only defining aspect of the multiple
fictional universes based on this era of the franchise. The Transformers began with the 1970s Japanese toy lines
Microman and
Diaclone. The former utilized varying humanoid-type figures while the middle presented robots able to transform into vehicular modes, with the latter robots mimicking everyday electronic items or replica weapons.
Hasbro, fresh off the success of the '' toyline, which utilised the Microman technology to great success, bought the Diaclone toys, and partnered with
Takara.
[2] Jim Shooter and
Dennis O'Neil were hired by Hasbro to create the backstory, the latter of whom christened
Optimus Prime.
[3] Afterwards,
Bob Budiansky created most of the Transformers characters, giving names and personalities to many unnamed Diaclone figures.
[4] The primary concept of G1 is that the heroic
Optimus Prime, the villainous
Megatron, and their finest soldiers crash land on
pre-historic Earth in the ''
Ark'' and the ''
Nemesis'' before awakening in 1984.
The Marvel comic was originally part of the main
Marvel Universe, with an appearance from
Spider-Man and
Nick Fury[5] as well as a visit to the
Savage Land.
[5]
''The Transformers'' TV series began around the same time. Produced by
Sunbow Productions, from the start it contradicted Budiansky's backstories. The TV series shows the
Autobots looking for new energy sources, and crash landing as the
Decepticons attack.
[7] Marvel interpreted the Autobots as destroying a rogue
asteroid approaching
Cybertron.
[5] Shockwave is loyal to Megatron in the TV series, keeping Cybertron in a stalemate during his absence,
[7] but in the comic book he attempts to take command of the Decepticons.
[5] The TV series would also differentiate wildly from the origins Budiansky had created for the
Dinobots,
[5][7] the Decepticon turned Autobot
Jetfire,
[5] known as Skyfire on TV,
[7] the
Constructicons (who combine to form Devastator),
[15][5] and
Omega Supreme.
15[5] The Marvel comic establishes early on that Prime wields the
Creation Matrix, which gives life to machines. By the second season, the TV series introduced the ancient
Vector Sigma computer and its guardian
Alpha Trion as having that role.
In 1986, the cartoon became a film titled , which is set in the year 2005. It introduced the Matrix as the "Autobot Matrix of Leadership", as a fatally wounded Prime gives it to
Ultra Magnus.
Unicron, a transformer who devours planets, fears its power and recreates a dying Megatron as
Galvatron. Eventually,
Rodimus Prime takes up the Matrix and destroys Unicron.
[18] In the
United Kingdom, the weekly comic book interspliced original material to keep up with US reprints,
[19] and ''The Movie'' provided much new material. Writer
Simon Furman proceeded to expand the continuity with movie spin-offs involving the
time travelling Galvatron.
[20][21]
The third season followed up ''The Movie'', with the revelation of the
Quintessons having used Cybertron as a factory. Their robots rebel, and in time the workers become the Autobots and the soldiers become the Decepticons. It is the Autobots who develop transformation.
[7] Due to popular demand,
[23] Optimus Prime is resurrected at the conclusion of the third season,
[7] and the series ended with a three-episode story arc. However, the Japanese broadcast of the series was supplemented with a newly-produced
OVA, ''
Scramble City'', before creating entirely new series to continue the storyline, ignoring the 1987 end of the American series. The extended Japanese run consisted of '', '', '' and '', then in illustrated magazine form as '' and ''Operation: Combination''. Just as the TV series was wrapping up, Marvel continued to expand its continuity. It followed ''The Movie's example by killing Prime
[5] and Megatron,
[5] albeit in the present day. Dinobot leader
Grimlock takes over as Autobot leader.
[5] There was a ''G.I. Joe'' crossover
[5] and the limited series '' which further expanded the scope to the planet
Nebulon.
[5] It led on to the main title resurrecting Prime as a
Powermaster.
[5]
Over in the UK, the mythology continued to grow.
Primus was introduced as the creator of the Transformers, to serve his material body that is planet
Cybertron and fight his nemesis
Unicron.
[5] Female Autobot
Arcee also appeared, despite the comic book stating the Transformers had no concept of gender, with her backstory of being built by the Autobots to quell human accusations of sexism.
[5] Soundwave, Megatron's second-in-command, also
broke the fourth wall in the letters page, criticising the cartoon continuity as an inaccurate representation of history.
[33] The UK also had a crossover in ''Action Force'', the UK counterpart to G.I. Joe.
[34] The comic book featured a resurrected Megatron,
[5] whom Furman
retconned to be a
clone[5] when he took over the US comic book which depicted Megatron as still dead.
[5] The US comic would last for 80 issues until 1991, and the UK comic lasted 332 issues and several
annuals.
Generation 2 (1992–1995)
Main articles: Transformers: Generation 2
It was five issues
[5] of the ''G.I. Joe'' comic in 1993 that would springboard a return for Marvel's Transformers, with a new twelve-issue series entitled '', to market a new toy line. The UK comic came back for five issues and an annual. This story revealed that the Transformers originally breed
asexually, though it is stopped by Primus as it produced the evil
Swarm.
[5] A new empire, neither Autobot or Decepticon, is bringing it back though. Though the year-long arc wrapped itself up with an alliance between
Optimus Prime and
Megatron, the final panel introduced the
Liege Maximo, ancestor of the Decepticons.
[5] This minor cliffhanger was not resolved until 2001 and 2002's Transforce convention when writer
Simon Furman concluded his story in the exclusive novella ''Alignment''.
[41]
Beast Wars/Machines (1996–2001)
Main articles: Beast Wars,
Beast Machines
Unlike the various contradictory and separate G1 universes, the 1996 TV series ''Beast Wars'' and its spin-offs form an extended and cohesive story. The story focused on a small group of
Maximals (led by
Optimus Primal) and
Predacons (led by
Megatron), 300 years after the "Great War". They crash land on a planet similar to Earth, but with two moons and a dangerous level of energon, which forces them to take organic beast forms.
[7] After writing this first episode,
Bob Forward and
Larry DiTillio learned of the G1 Transformers, and began to use elements of it as a historical backstory to their scripts,
[7] establishing ''Beast Wars'' as a part of the Generation 1 universe through numerous callbacks to both the cartoon and Marvel comic. By the end of the first season, the second Moon and the energon are revealed to be constructed by the
Vok.
The destruction of the second Moon releases mysterious energies that make some of the characters "
transmetal" and the planet is revealed to be prehistoric Earth, leading to the discovery of the ''Ark''. Megatron attempts to kill the original
Optimus Prime,
[44] but at the beginning of the third season, Primal manages to preserve his spark. In the two season follow-up, ''Beast Machines'', Cybertron is revealed to have organic origins, which Megatron attempts to stamp out. Although the organic origin of Cybertron, the presence of female characters and
Starscream's appearance hinting at his demise in ''Transformers: The Movie'' brought the series closer to the G1 TV series, the appearance of
Ravage's intelligent Marvel incarnation
44 and the comics only terms the ''Ark'' left the show in a grey area of "a" Generation One.
Since then, the saga has been increased. After the first season of Beast Wars (comprising 26 episodes) aired in Japan, the Japanese were faced with a problem—the second Canadian season was only 13 episodes long, not enough to warrant airing on Japanese TV. So, while they waited for the third Canadian season to be completed (thereby making 26 episodes in total when added to season 2), they produced two exclusive cel-animated series of their own, ''
Beast Wars II'' (also called ''Beast Wars Second'') and ''
Beast Wars Neo,'' to fill in the gap. Dreamwave
retroactively revealed ''Beast Wars'' to be the future of their G1 universe,
53 and the 2006 IDW comic book '' eventually confirmed the canonicity of the Japanese series with appearances of the Japanese characters
[5] within a story set during Season 3.
[46]
Dreamwave Productions (2002–2005)
In 2002,
Dreamwave Productions began a new universe of comics adapted from Marvel, but also included elements of the cartoon. The Dreamwave stories followed the concept of the Autobots defeating the Decepticons on Earth but their 1999 return journey to
Cybertron on the Ark II
[5] is destroyed by
Shockwave, now ruler of the planet.
[48] The story follows on from there, and was told in . The series also added extra complexities such as not all Transformers believing in the existence of
Primus,
[49] corruption in the Cybertronian government that first lead
Megatron to begin his war
[50] and Earth having an unknown relevance to Cybertron.
The three '' limited series were also published. These are set at the beginning of the Great War, and identify Prime as once being a clerk named Optronix.
[5] ''Beast Wars'' was also
retroactively stated as the future of this continuity, with the profile series ''More than Meets the Eye'' showing the
Predacon Megatron looking at historical files detailing Dreamwave's characters.
[53] In 2004, this fictional universe also inspired three novels
[54] and a
Dorling Kindersley guide, which focused on Dreamwave as the "true" continuity when discussing in-universe elements of the characters. In a new twist, Primus and Unicron are siblings, formerly a being known as The One. '', set after the ''Ark''s disappearance, was also published. The fictional universe was disrupted when Dreamwave went bankrupt in 2005.
[55] This left the ''Generation One'' story hanging and the third volume of ''The War Within'' half finished. Plans for a comic book set between ''Beast Wars'' and ''
Beast Machines'' were also left unrealised.
[56]
G.I. Joe crossovers (2003 onwards)
Throughout the years, the G1 characters have also starred in crossovers with fellow Hasbro property
G.I. Joe, but whereas those crossovers published by Marvel were in continuity with their larger storyline, those released by Dreamwave and G.I. Joe publisher
Devil's Due Publishing occupy their own separate fictional universes. In Devil's Due, the terrorist organization
Cobra is responsible for finding and reactivating the Transformers. Dreamwave's version remagines the familiar G1 and G.I. Joe characters in a
World War II setting, and a second limited series was released set in the present day, though Dreamwave's bankruptcy meant it was cancelled after a single issue. Devil's Due had Cobra re-engineer the Transformers to turn into familiar Cobra vehicles, and released further mini-series that sent the characters travelling through time, battling
Serpentor and being faced with the combined menace of
Cobra-La and
Unicron.
IDW Publishing have expressed interest in their own crossover.
[57]
IDW publishing (2005 onwards)
Main articles: The Transformers (IDW Publishing)
The following year,
IDW Publishing rebooted the G1 series from scratch within various
limited series and . This allowed long time writer of Marvel and Dreamwave comics
Simon Furman to create his own universe without continuity hindrance, similar to
Ultimate Marvel.
[58] Furman's story depicts a Cybertron that the rogue
Pretender Thunderwing destroys,
[5] so the
Autobots and
Decepticons have to infiltrate various planets for their resources.
Earth comes under particular scrutiny due to a particularly potent form of
energon which
Shockwave seeds millions of years ago,
[5] with the Decepticons escalating political tensions by replacing people with clones.
[5] The Ark origin is absent in this series, and females do not exist either, as Furman felt that "Every time I try and rationalize gender in giant robots it makes my head hurt."
[62] The continuity was also the first to acknowledge the existence of in transformations, such as when Megatron downsizes himself into a gun.
[5]
Alternative stories
In January 2006, the ''Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club'' comic wrote a story based on the '' toyline, set in the Marvel Comics universe but excluding the ''Generation 2'' comic. Fifteen years after
Megatron crash lands in the ''
Ark'' with
Ratchet, the war continues with the characters in their ''Classics'' bodies.
[5]
IDW Publishing introduced '' in 2006, a collection of mini-series that reimagine and reinterpret the G1 characters in various ways. To date, only one miniseries has been published, ''Hearts of Steel'', placing the characters in an
Industrial Revolution-era setting. The series was delayed as
Hasbro did not want to confuse newcomers with too many fictional universes before the release of the
live-action film.
[65]
However, IDW and the original publisher
Marvel Comics announced a crossover storyline with the
Avengers to coincide with the film, entitled ''
New Avengers/Transformers''.
[66] The story is set on the borders of
Symkaria and
Latveria, and its
fictional universe is set between the first two ''
New Avengers'' storylines, as well in between the '' and '' phase of IDWs ''
The Transformers''.
[67] IDW editor-in-chief Chris Ryall hinted at elements of it being carried over into the main continuities,
[68] and that a
sequel is possible.
[69]
Robots in Disguise (2001–2002)
Main articles: Transformers: Robots in Disguise
Broadcast in 2001, ''Robots in Disguise'' was a single animated series from Japan, consisting of thirty-nine episodes. In this version, Megatron creates the Decepticons as a subfaction of the Predacons on Earth, a potential reference to the return to the vehicle-based characters following the previous dominance of the animal based characters of the Beast Era. It is a stand alone universe with no ties to any other ''Transformers'' fiction. Some of the characters from Robots in Disguise did eventually make appearances in ''Transformers: Universe'', including Optimus Prime, Side Burn and Prowl.
Armada, Energon and Cybertron (2002–2006)
Main articles: Transformers: Armada,
Transformers: Energon,
Transformers: Cybertron
These three lines, launched in 2002 and dubbed "The Unicron Trilogy" by ''Transformers'' designer
Aaron Archer,
[70] are co-productions between Hasbro and Takara, simultaneously released in both countries, each lasting 52 episodes. ''Armada'' followed the Autobots and Decepticons discovering the powerful
Mini-Cons on Earth, which are revealed by the end to be weapons of
Unicron. ''Energon'', set ten years later, followed the Autobots stopping the Decepticons from resurrecting Unicron with
energon.
In Japan, the series ''Transformers: Cybertron'' showed no ties to the previous two series, telling its own story. This caused continuity problems when Hasbro sold ''Cybertron'' as a follow-up to ''Armada/Energon''. Plot elements have been changed from the Japanese story into references to the previous shows to enhance continuity, but they largely only add up to mentioning Unicron once or twice.
Just as Marvel produced a companion comic to Generation One,
Dreamwave Productions published a comic entitled ''Transformers Armada'' set in a different continuity to the cartoon. At #19, it became ''Transformers Energon''. Dreamwave went bankrupt and ceased all publications before the storyline could be completed at #30. The Transformers Fan Club made it into the ''Cybertron'' era.
[71]
Transformers: Universe (2003–2006)
Main articles: Transformers: Universe
The storyline of '', mainly set following ''Beast Machines'' sees characters from many assorted alternate continuities — including existing and new ones — encounter each other. The story was told in an unfinished comic book exclusive to the Official Transformers Collectors' Convention.
Film franchise (2007)
Main articles: Transformers (film)
The 2007
live-action film ''Transformers'' was directed by
Michael Bay and written by
Roberto Orci and
Alex Kurtzman. The film focuses on the
Allspark, a large
cube of energy that has the ability to create mechanical life.
Megatron searched for it, and crash landed in the
Arctic Circle thousands of years ago. His frozen body was moved into a top secret government base underneath the
Hoover Dam, and modern technology was
reverse engineered from him. The Allspark is also kept in this facility. The Autobots and Decepticons race to find the Allspark and Megatron's unconscious body. The Transformers were depicted in the film as having complex physiologies that can reconfigure their disguises by simply touching or scanning nearby objects, though they cannot alter their mass, and are affected by extreme temperatures. The Allspark can instantly repair Transformers and mass-shift.
[7]
To market the film,
IDW Publishing published ''. The comic expanded upon
Optimus Prime's referral to Megatron as "brother", revealing they co-ruled
Cybertron before Megatron's corruption. Furthermore, Optimus sent the
Allspark into space in a last-ditch attempt to defeat Megatron. Megatron is responsible for
Bumblebee's
muteness in the film.
[5] Alan Dean Foster also wrote a prequel novel entitled ''. The novel shows
Starscream hated Megatron and wanted him to never be found, so he could remain as leader, explaining Megatron's line in the film "You failed me, yet again, Starscream".
Blackout is also depicted as deeply loyal to Megatron, explaining his line "All hail Megatron!" However, the novel contradicts the film with Megatron's body moved into the
Hoover Dam in 1969, instead of the 1930s.
[74] IDW will continue the film's fictional universe with additional prequels and sequels.
[75]
Animated (2008)
The
Cartoon Network-produced '' is a cartoon set to air in early 2008.
Originally scheduled for late 2007 under the title of ''Transformers: Heroes'',
[76] ''Transformers: Animated'' is set in near-future
Detroit,
[77] when robots and humans live side-by-side.
The
Autobots come to Earth and assume
superhero roles, battling evil humans with the
Decepticons having a smaller role.
[78]
References
1. The Transformers were voted the second most popular toys in a UK Toys 'R' Us poll: Coolest Toys
2. Hasbro Publishes Transformers Timeline to Movie
3. A Little Q&A With Bob Budiansky Matthew Karpowich
4. Bob Budiansky
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18. The Transformers: The Movie (1986)
19. The Rise and Fall of Transformers UK James Roberts
20. Simon Furman (w), Jeff Anderson, Geoff Senior, Will Simpson, Ron Smith (p), "" ''The Transformers (U.K)'' #78-88 1986-09-13 - 1986-11-22 Marvel UK
21. Simon Furman (w), Andrew Wildman, Robin Smith, Dan Reed, Lee Sullivan (p), "Time Wars" ''The Transformers (U.K)'' #199-205 1989-01-07 - 1989-02-18 Marvel UK
22.
23. Hasbro Can't Toy with Optimus Prime
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33. Sound waves Vs the Transformers cartoon
34. Simon Furman (w), Geoff Senior (p), "Ancient Relics!" ''Action Force'' #24-27 1987-08-15 - 1987-09-05 Marvel UK
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41. Alignment
42.
43.
44.
45.
46. Interview - IDWs Ryall & Furman Talk Beast Wars Comic
47.
48.
49. Brad Mick, Adam Patyk (w), Don Figueroa (p), "Original Sin" '' #5, May 2004, Dreamwave Productions
50. James McDonough, Adam Patykand (w), Don Figueroa (p), "The Route of All Evil" '' #10, December 2004, Dreamwave Productions
51. Brad Mick, Adam Patyk (w), Don Figueroa (p), "Atonement" '' #6, June 2004, Dreamwave Productions
52.
53.
54. The Transformers Trilogy
55. Immediate Press Release - Dreamwave will be ceasing operations!
56. STARTING THE BEAST WAR: DREAMWAVE TALKS TFORMERS: BEAST WAR
57. BotCon 2006 - Transformers Comics: Past, Present & Future
58. Simon Furman talks Stormbringer
59.
60.
61.
62. Caught in the Nexus: Simon Furman
63.
64.
65. IDW's Plans For Transformers Revealed At The 2006 San Diego Comic Con
66. New Avengers/Transformers
67. Stuart Moore Talks New Avengers/Transformers
68. Ryall answers fans' questions on TF/Avengers crossover
69. NYCC, DAY 2: MOORE, ROSEMANN AND RYALL TALK “NEW AVENGERS/ TRANSFORMERS”
70. Hasbro Cartoon Creation Panel
71. Transformers Comics For April 2007 From IDW
72.
73.
74. Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday, , Alan, Dean Foster, Del Ray, , ISBN 978-0-345-49798-7
75. SDCC '07: IDW PANEL REPORT
76. Next TF Cartoon Series: "Transformers Heroes"?
77. ‘TRANSFORMERS’ BACK TO TV
78. New Transformers Series Coming to Cartoon Network
External links
★
Transformers.com - Official Hasbro Transformers Site
★
Teletraan-1: The Transformers Wiki - A guide to the fictional aspects of the franchise
★
Transformer World 2005 - (2005 is a reference to the year ''Transformers: The Movie'' is set in)
★
Seibertron
★
The Transformers Archive
★
TFormers
★
Lukis Bros. Transformers Collector Site - Collector site with character bios from all universes.
★
Transformers World - Information, images, videos of the Transformers comics, cartoons and movies.
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