History WesternAnimation / TransformersAnimated

* AnAesop: Most episodes have one of the Autobots learning an important lesson, such as Bumblebee learning the importance of stillness and stealth in "Home is Where the Spark Is".
** Don't sacrifice yourself for someone who wouldn't do the same for you. While it does mean that you're a LoveMartyr, if you continue to let people walk all over you, it'll ruin your own life.
** Fix your mistakes/resolve your problems before it's too late, or else you'll live the rest of your life regretting that you didn't do more.
** Bad things happen. When all else fails, the best thing you can do is move on with your life and learn from these mistakes so that it doesn't happen again.
** No matter how hard you try, sometimes, you can't save everyone. While you can offer your help, it's ultimately up to them to choose whether or not to take it and better themselves.

* IneffectualLoner: Prowl keeps trying to be antisocial and self-reliant, but is inevitably beaten down by [[AnAesop the power of Aesop]].

* EvilIsBigger: Most of the Decepticons (with a few exceptions, such as [[TheNapoleon Dirt Boss]]) tower over most of the Autobots, actually taking into account how much bigger having flying alt modes would make them. [[spoiler:Emphasis on ''[[SapientShip most]]'' of the Autobots.]]

** Bumblebee is essentially a combination of G1 Bumblebee and Armada Hot Shot. This is perhaps not surprising given that during development, the show's KidAppealCharacter was planned to be an incarnation of Hot Shot, until ''{{Film/Transformers}}'' thrust characters called Bumblebee back into the spotlight, and the character was reworked into being the first incarnation of Bumblebee to appear in any of the cartoons since ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers''.

* DropTheHammer: Ultra Magnus and Sari. Shockwave, briefly.
** [[spoiler:And now Optimus himself.]]

* {{Animesque}}: From the same folk who worked on ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'', ''WesternAnimation/{{Ben 10}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/SuperRobotMonkeyTeamHyperforceGo''. And of course, the overseas Creator/MookDLE, Creator/Studio4C and Creator/TheAnswerStudio[[note]]as well as Creator/AjiaDo (who went uncredited) [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCWd60YVgAw and later]] {{Creator/Diomedea}}[[/note]] ''are'' Japanese-based animation houses...

* DistressedDamsel:
** Arcee is metaphorically StuffedIntoTheFridge multiple times.
** Also, Elita-1.
** Also, as Blackarachnia she ''keeps'' having to be saved from her own attempts at evil schemes. Even the one exception to this rule was retroactively made one (after Megatron Rising, it was the Dinobots who pulled her to the island.) That's ''three'' female 'bots ([[CompositeCharacter for the price of two]]) who were quite badass in previous incarnations whose roles have been reduced to "helpless victim who is either saved, or not saved as part of a male 'bot's backstory." You ''really'' expect the 2008 series to be ''more'' progressive than the 80s/90s ones... but in the writers' favor, there ''is'' Sari.

The animation style of the series is quite unique, being very fluid, simplistic and organic-looking for robot characters. This separates it from more rugged designs of other parts of the franchise, while also allowing for some really stylistic {{animesque}} action scenes.

The show overall received positive reviews for storytelling and dynamic characterization, but suffered criticism for its initial art style and more SliceOfLife adventures. This criticism faded quickly as the show settled into its own tone and built up its own storyline. The show has gone on to become a beloved fandom darling; even more than a decade after its pre-emptive finale, many fans continue to call for a ''Young Justice'' style resurrection. It's influence also looms large on later incarnations; in particular, it's [[CanonForeigner original characters Bulkhead, Lugnut, Lockdown, and Slipstream]] enjoy such popularity that they became part of the larger recurring character roster the franchise pulls from.

* AbortedArc: While the show does have a conclusive ending, it does leave more than a few plot threads hanging as a result of the premature cancellation it recieved. Some of these leftover plot threads include...

* AdaptationalBadass: The Decepticons in general. While individual Autobots can defeat Deceptions on their own in other continuities, it takes a team of Autobots defeat just ''one'' of them here. Many of them also tend to be a head than bots with Optimus Prime's size.

** Starscream, of sorts. In G1, anyone could pick a fight with Starscream, and they very rarely lost. He is a transparent strategist with poor fighting skills, and his silver tongue is his only positive. In this version, while Starscream occasionally shows signs of cunning, he resorts using his brute strength first to defeat his enemies. In the first episode, it takes at least five Autobots to defend Detroit against his constant attacks, and at a later point, he incapacitates Ultra Magnus in one go. Starscream is half of what Megatron is regardless, but if it takes half of a race just to arrest him, Starscream has earned his right to be his second-in-command.

* AlienArtsAreAppreciated: Bulkhead winds up with a museum show in one episode, although his "masterpiece" was an accident. Still his art is a hit with human audiences.

*** ''The Allspark Almanac II'' contains lots of hints of what happened after the series, more detail about life on Cybertron (including how protoforms are developed), and more behind-the-scenes information about the show itself.

* AndroclesLion: Grimlock, complete with thorn in his foot for those who might miss the connection.

* AscendedExtra: While he's got less appearances than in the original series, Shockwave manages to do much more notable things in this series.

** What's clever is that when Sentinel first came to Earth, there was a snow-storm, he didn't stand out and his alt mode was very useful. But when he comes back the next time, it's a blistering summer. He's just far too stubborn to scan something more suitable.

* BigGood: Ultra Magnus is the highest Autobot authority and is actually honest and compassionate unlike Sentinel Prime.

* BorderOccupyingDecorations: In Japan, the show was aired with a border depicting several of the characters alongside the series logo thanks to the aspect ratio. It's part of the reason the Japanese DVD releases are considered [[BadExportForYou an inferior version]], since not only are the live action Otoboto Family skits cut out (resulting in OrphanedPunchline and OrphanedSetup situations), the aspect ratio still wasn't fixed for the DVD releases.

* BreakTheCutie: [[spoiler:Sari in Season 2. First her dad goes missing, then her dad's company gets taken out of her control by [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Porter C.]] [[{{Jerkass}} Powell]] who reveals with the subtlety of a brick that she doesn't exist in any form of legal documentation. If it weren't for the Autobots helping her cope over all of this, Sari could very easily have [[BewareTheNiceOnes snapped]] upon the [[TomatoInTheMirror revelation that she was part Cybertronian]] instead of [[TookALevelInBadass taking a level in badass]]]].

** From Season 2 onward, Starscream also becomes a Butt Monkey in this series. It starts with the infamous [[Funny/WesternAnimation "Starscream Death Montage"]] with [[spoiler:Megatron killing him over and over again (with the [=AllSpark=] fragment on his head being the only thing keeping him alive).]] All of his plans always fail and in the finale, [[spoiler: his clones (with one heavily implied to represent his self-loathing) betray him for Megatron.]] He spends the majority of Season 3 [[spoiler: as a disembodied head trapped with Megatron aboard Omega Supreme,]] and just when he [[spoiler: fnally gets a new body, [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness Megatron blasts him (He recovers).]]]] And in the finale, [[spoiler:the [=AllSpark=] fragment that was keeping him alive is pulled out, thus killing him (although he would have been revived by Slipstream in a scene that was cut for time).]] And if you count the comic adaptation, he [[spoiler: gets humiliated and blackmailed by Professor Princess.]] One can't help but feel a bit sorry for him.

* CanonDiscontinuity: Both shorts "Starscream Heckles Megatron" and "Starscream's Fantasy" don't seem to be in line with the show. The Decepticons are in a mine after Megatron came back from the first season finale, but Starscream is with the team despite being rogue throughout the secon season. Also Blackarachnia shows up despite leaving the Decepticons at the start of the show.
* CapedMecha: Lockdown's space poncho and Alpha Trion's traditional cape. Red Alert's design makes her look like she's wearing a labcoat, but at least that's clearly a part of her alt mode.

* CombatStilettos: [[MeaningfulName Stiletto]], a comic-only human supervillain, uses experimental Sumdac weapons in her heels (she's also a kickboxer). Blackarachnia, for some reason, only gained high-heels after becoming part-organic. Sari sort-of lampshades this in ''Bee in the City'' by asking who designs a robot with high heels: Flareup doesn't know either, but when she finds him...

* CreatorCameo: In "Human Error, Part 1," one of customers at the burger place is Marty Isenberg.

* DarkActionGirl: Slipstream, the Female Starscream, as treacherous as her progenitor ''and'' her fellow trope examples. Blackarachnia sometimes fills this role as well, though she's more often a FemmeFatale.

* DrivesLikeCrazy: Sentinel, although it's more to do with his contempt for human traffic laws (he also can't figure out how to drive in the rain). All of the "Automen" in ''Human Error'', where they have to actually work their vehicle modes from the inside instead of just thinking about it.

** ''[[http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Magnus_Hammer Whoever holds this hammer, if they can deal with that now, shall posses the power of the Magnus...]]'' One could say the Magnus Hammer is basically an Expy of [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Mjolnir]], and Animated Ultra Magnus is basically Thor for wielding it. Also, the hammer is the symbol of office for the Magnus, since in this continuity the suffix "Magnus" is a military rank, and they must have the hammer in their possesion at all times to be considered the Magnus similar to Mjolnir only granting the power of Thor to whom it deems worthy.

* ForcedFromTheirHome: Season 2 opens with Sari Sumdac attempting to run her father's company after he disappeared during the season 1 finale, much to the ire of corporate raider Porter C. Powell. When Powell discovers there's actually no government record proving Sari exists [[spoiler: because she's actually a Cybertronian protoform Isaac found eight years prior]], he wastes no time not only ousting her from the company, but from her own room, giving it to the villain Headmaster. He even goes so far as to withhold her robot dog and tutor as being Sumdac Systems property, leaving the girl with no recourse but to spend the season crashing with the Autobots. When Isaac Sumdac returns in season 3, he is absolutely LIVID with Powell and very nearly throws HIM out via the penthouse window.

** In the first episode, Optimus tries to activate a defensive system aboard Teletraan-1 codenamed "Omega", but his command is denied. At the time, it could be written off as a simple MythologyGag to Omega Supreme among the shows many such gags, but then we see the system activated two seasons later and Teletraan actually ''is'' Omega Supreme.

* ForgottenSuperweapon: Omega Supreme was the Autobots' ship the whole time, which raises the question on why Ratchet didn't reactivate him before the events of the second season finale.

* FourFingeredHands: Strika, Scrapper, Grimlock, Oil Slick and Waspinator - although the last one isn't meant to be anything close to human.

* GeniusDitz: Bulkhead is revealed to be the most qualified space bridge technician in the galaxy in spite of his clumsiness and laid back attitude.

--->''' "Joe":''' Oh ''please'', what do I look like, Creator/ScottMcNeil?!? [[note]]David Kaye voices Animated Optimus, Grimlock and Lugnut, as well as "Joe". Scott [=McNeil=] previously voiced Rattrap, Dinobot, Silverbolt, and Waspinator on Beast Wars.[[/note]]

* GottaCatchThemAll: In the beginning of the second season the All-Spark shatters into umpty-nine pieces each which affects Future-Detroit's technology as well as the giant robots in different ways. The cast has to find them. The similarity to Manga/{{Inuyasha}} didn't go unnoticed by the fans.

* HeKnowsTooMuch: Blurr was able to piece together that Wasp could not have been the traitor in the Autobot camp, as his voice did not match that of Shockwave, who was hiding under an Autobot alias. He reported this to his boss, Longarm (head of Autobot Intelligence) and told him that a simple voice scan through the data archives could determine the identity of the traitor. Unfortunately for him, he also knew too little, as Longarm was the only 'Bot he had spoken to about this... and Longarm was Shockwave's alias. Shockwave then killed him to silence him, [[spoiler:though the script reading "The Return of Blurr" brings the speedy Autobot back.]]

** Ultra Magnus is also one to a lesser extent. While he's the head of the Elite Guard and and doesn't always agree with the decisions of Optimus' team, he ultimately understands that they know what they're doing and are doing the right thing.

** During "Decepticon Air", [[spoiler:Sari's hands splits apart into many smaller robotic fingers to operate a keyboard quickly, very much like is done by various computer operating cyborgs in ''Franchise/GhostInTheShell''. Also, her "palm blast" hands in ''Transwarped'' bear a remarkable resemblance to the design of ComicBook/IronMan's repulsors that was used in the movie.]]

** Mainframe is ''such'' an homage to the original G1 character that, like the original (an altmodeless Action Master), he never transforms. The writers say is that he ''does'' have an altmode, but it's an immobile supercomputer.

* HulkSpeak: Grimlock has limited vocabulary and always refers to himself as "Me Grimlock".

* HybridizationPlot: Prometheus Black's biotechnology company was constantly outperformed by Isaac Sumdac's robotics, and when a last ditch attempt to sell his technology as a viable alternative failed he went into a rage and accidentally turned himself into the supervillain Meltdown. When he next appears, he's gotten it into his head that biotechnological hybrids might be powerful enough to battle even the likes of the Autobots, and demonstrates with a fish monster and a bat monster created from two of [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness his former employees]]. He intends to create even more, but is stopped by the Autobots and police captain Fanzone.

** Megatron initially has a body based on his monstrous, spikey look from the first Michael Bay film, including the alt-mode of an Cybertronian jet/spaceship. However, after being reduced to a head, Megatron‘s still functioning, partially repaired head gains a new shape similar to his G1 incarnation’s bucket-like helmet, then when fully repaired by the Allspark key, Megatron adopts a new blocky, G1 inspired body, but with a dual rotor gunship alt-mode.

** [[WordOfGod Marty Isenberg]] stated in an interview that he was suppose to sound like a {{beatnik}}.

* MundaneMadeAwesome: At the end of "Human Error," [[spoiler: Optimus and Soundwave have a guitar duel, done completely serious.]]

** Some of them go ''double'' meta. Starscream's clones have color schemes similar to the Seekers of G1, but are also a sly dig at the fact that most Seeker toys are [[PaletteSwap repaints of Starscream]]. The triceratops Dinobot in G1 was named Slag (which became an UnusualEuphemism in ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'' and later in this show) and this one is called Snarl. In the show Scrapper claims to have tried naming him Slag first, but the Dinobot took offense.

*** Blackarachnia, Wasp(inator) and Rattletrap. At the end of ''Predacons Rising'', Blackarachnia is dumped in front of a gorilla, a cheetah, a rhino and a rat. The way she says "You've got to be kidding," almost makes it sound like she's breaking the fourth wall.

** The first we see the Autobots is they're job was repairing space bridges, which is sort of a ShoutOut to Anime/TransformersCybertron to which Optimus Prime's plan was to build new space bridges.

*** in "Human Error Part 1", he announces "[[WesternAnimation/TransformersTheMovie Autobots inferior. Soundwave superior.]]"

** Jazz, Sentinel Prime and Ultra Magnus. Jazz is a NiceGuy who [[spoiler:eventually quits and becomes Team Prime's EleventhHourRanger after Sentinel's stunts during "This Is Why I Hate Machines"]]. Meanwhile, Sentinel is a {{Jerkass}} HateSink who enjoys berating and insult the heroes. Ultra Magnus is not a total jerk like Sentinel, but he's not as amiable as Jazz.

* NotSoHarmlessVillain: When most people heard that Waspinator was going to be in Season 3 most fans though he was going to be comic-relief like his ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'' counterpart, not an ex-JerkAss who's been mentally [[BreakTheHaughty broken past repair]], a hulking monster twice the size of Prime, and a completely insane ImplacableMan (as, like in ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'', blowing him up just annoys him).

** The Elite Guard get big one when, after insisting for the entire episode that there are no Decepticons on Earth, they face off with Starscream, who is more than willing to show the lot of them a taste of what Optimus has been up against.

* OverlyNarrowSuperlative: In "Mission Accomplished", the Autobots justify their decision of selecting Fanzone as Sari's new legal guardian in light of her father's disappearance and an order from the Elite Guard to leave Earth by informing Fanzone that he's number one on their list of the humans they trust the most. They then quickly add that the list isn't very long and that it includes Meltdown and Nanosec.

* ParentalSubstitute: While they mostly act like her older brothers (especially Bumblebee and Bulkhead), the Autobots take Sari's safety very seriously. It becomes more or less official at the start of Season 2 when the 'bots take her in after Sumdac's disappearance. The fact that the interactions the Autobots (namely Optimus) have with Sari regulary sound like the interactions between parents and their children only drives this plot home.

* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: Unlike other incarnations where he leads a group of trained warriors, this time Optimus leads a group of of bots that were a simple repair crew that just had to be in right place when the Allspark appeared.

** Also happens in the Season 3 premire (in the exact same place, no less) and provides the page quote.

* ThreeAmigos: Sentinel, Elita-1 and Optimus ''were'' this back in their cadet days, before things took a turn for the worse on one fateful day...