History WesternAnimation / TransformersTheMovie

[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/transformers_the_movie_649.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:Killing all your favorite characters (except [[EnsembleDarkhorse Soundwave]]) for the new Fall toy line!]]

''Note: This is about the '''[[Franchise/TransformersGeneration1 Generation One]]''' original animated film. For the live-action films, see '''[[Film/{{Transformers}} Film/Transformers]]'''.''

[[AC:Beyond Good. Beyond Evil. Beyond Your Wildest Imagination.]]

->"80's hair metal and Transformers is the perfect marriage."
-->--[[http://cinemassacre.com/2007/06/09/transformers-1986/ James Rolfe]], ''WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd''

''The Transformers: The Movie'' (1986) was the first film to come out of the '''Franchise/{{Transformers}}''' franchise. It is rooted in the '''[[Franchise/TransformersGeneration1 Generation One]]''' plot centered on the original [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformers animated TV series]] and associated comics from the mid-1980s, and spawned major continuity changes in that timeline, including major series plot changes. It did not have as big of an impact on the comics, since the additional [[RecycledInSPACE space-based]] elements were largely inspired by ideas from the comics that had not made their way into the series, which up until then had been a relatively simple children's TV show.

The plot of the film takes us TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture to the far-off Year 2005, where the battle between Autobots and Decepticons has moved back to the mechanical world of Cybertron, presumably thanks to the humans apparently wising up and adopting Autobot technology in the interim, allowing regular space travel back and forth to the Transformers' home planet.

The animated film introduces, for the first time, the [[BiggerBad biggest bad]] in the Transformers multiverse, Unicron, who is en-route to [[PlanetEater gobbling up Cybertron]] after stopping off [[DoomedHometown for a snack]] [[ApocalypseWow on the way]]. In the course of battling him and the Decepticons, '''''[[AnyoneCanDie a lot]]''''' of Generation One robots [[DyingToBeReplaced die to make room]] for a [[MerchandiseDriven new line-up]], traumatizing many youngsters who had gotten used to the [[NeverSayDie lack of permanent death]] in the TV series.

'''Spoiler notice: There are unmarked spoilers in this article.'''

----
!!This film contains examples of:

* AbsenteeActor: Though nearly all of the 1984 and 1985 Decepticons from the cartoon are in the film, a large number of Autobots are missing, including nearly every season 2 Autobot. Only Perceptor and Blaster have prominent roles; Grapple only gets a cameo and Inferno is credited despite not being in the movie. Out of the season 1 Autobots, Jetfire/Skyfire is the only one who was not meant to be in the movie at all. Many of these were planned to be included but got cut.
* AcidPool: Unicron's body has giant acid vats that can melt a Transformer down [[HollywoodAcid in mere seconds]].
* AdaptationExpansion: Massive introduction of new backstory, continuity, and other worlds, to a series that had been about 'bots blowing each other up in the US outback.
* AffirmativeActionGirl: Arcee is introduced as the sole female Autobot for no apparent reason.
* AgonyBeam: Unicron causes Galvatron unimaginable pain through their link whenever Galvatron fails him or steps out of line.
* AliensStealCable: The Junkions get their entire culture from intercepted TV shows.
* AllThereInTheManual: Where were Omega Supreme and the other combiners? The 2006 comic adaptation reveals that they were fighting each other outside the Ark. Also in this adaptation are the deaths of Shockwave and Beachcomber (though he lives in the cartoon). For the combiners, this can be justified since they didn't exist when the script was written, and if Omega Supreme was there, there'd be no drama!
* AlmostDeadGuy: Both Megatron and Optimus are left barely alive after their battle. Optimus gasps out a last message before expiring, and Megatron is unceremoniously booted out of Astrotrain by Starscream and left for dead.
* AmuletOfConcentratedAwesome: The Autobot Matrix of Leadership is the receptacle of the power of the Primes and is the one thing in the entire universe that Unicron fears.
* AnimationBump: The film easily contains the highest quality of animation out of the entire G1 series. In fact, the animation is so high quality that it was reused for the commercial for ''Anime/TransformersArmada'' Unicron 17 years later, and the scenes from the movie were better looking than the actual footage of Unicron from ''Armada''.
* AnyoneCanDie: Done intentionally to clear the decks for a new round of characters/toys in the franchise. This proved a bit startling for a generation of latchkey kids used to worshiping Optimus Prime, and to their parents who were used to animated TV shows where nobody dies. The full list of characters who are confirmed to die or are reformatted beyond recognition in the movie is [[spoiler: Optimus Prime, Megatron, Starscream, Prowl, Ironhide, Brawn, Ratchet, Wheeljack (debatable, as the Japanese extension of the G1 series was ignorant of this and accidentally had Wheeljack reappear alive and well in a continuity error), Windcharger, the Insecticons, Skywarp, Thundercracker, Gears, Shockwave, Bluestreak, and Huffer.]] That's almost half of the cast. More deaths were planned but left out including Red Alert and Smokescreen.
* ApocalypseWow: The opening scene featuring the destruction of an entire planet by Unicron. There are [[MechanicalLifeforms baby robots]] down there!
* ArcWords:
** "Light Our Darkest Hour", first said by Optimus, is the mantra by which the Matrix is finally opened.
** More humorously, the 'Universal Greeting' - "Bah Weep Grah Na Weep Ninny Bong", first used by Kup in a failed attempt to befriend the Sharkticons, is later used successfully by Hot Rod to befriend the Junkions.
* ArtEvolution: ToeiAnimation's finest work in the series after their big break with ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'''s film adaptation in the same year[[note]]''Fist of the North Star'' was released in Japan in March 8th, 1986. This film was released in August 8th, 1986 in North America[[/note]], and it shows. Afterwards, Toei worked part-time for this series after the movie.
* ArtShift: A fairly minor (and possibly also intentional) one. During Starscream's coronation on Cybertron, he, Astrotrain and Ramjet are drawn in a style not to dissimilar to that of a series like ''Anime/BlueCometSPTLayzner'' as opposed to the other Decepticons, who are drawn normally.
* AsLethalAsItNeedsToBe: In some scenes Transformers die from one hit by pistol-sized laser guns, but in other scenes they are just knocked down (like Starscream during the battle for Autobot City) or even simply shrug them off (like Optimus Prime in the same battle). HandWaved by the fact the Decepticons are fully powered with Energon, and grow progressively weaker as they fight.
* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: After shoving an injured Megatron into space, the Decepticons promptly have an all-out brawl to determine who gets to be the new leader. Starscream apparently wins, but then Galvatron takes the job by showing up and atomizing him. WordOfGod is that Starscream "won" by hiding quietly in a corner while all the other Decepticons fought, then shot the exhausted winner of the actual brawl in the back.
** This also appears to be the way of the Sharkticons. When it becomes clear they can't beat the Dinobots, they relent, and obey Grimlock instead of the Quintesson magistrate.
-->'''Magistrate:''' "Sharkticons, execute them!"\\
'''Grimlock''': [''re: the Quintessons''] Me Grimlock say execute ''them''!
* AutobotsRockOut: Plenty of rock music when the Autobots are kicking ass, best exemplified by "The Touch".
** {{Inverted|Trope}} during Megatron's assault on the Autobot shuttle, when the Decepticons annihilate its occupants while "Instruments of Destruction" plays in the background.
* AvoidTheDreadedGRating: "Oh '''''shit''''', what're we gonna do now?!" Hilariously, this one was done so the parents would ''have'' to accompany their children to the film and [[MerchandiseDriven know which toys to buy their kids.]] Didn't matter in the UK where the film got a U certificate anyway.
* BadassBoast:
** Galvatron, upon first being created from the body of Megatron.
---> '''Galvatron:''' "I'll rip open Ultra Magnus, and every other Autobot, until the Matrix has been destroyed!"
** Unicron, to Galvatron, when announcing the punishment for attempting to betray him.
---> '''Unicron''': "For a time I considered sparing your wretched little planet Cybertron. But now you shall witness... its DISMEMBERMENT!"
* BigDamnMovie: This was much more epic in scale than the majority of the cartoon.
* BigNever: The conclusion to Optimus Prime and Megatron's fight, when it looks like Megatron would be the winner:
-->'''Megatron''': I would have waited an eternity for this! ''It's over, Prime!''\\
'''Optimus Prime''': *throwing a two-handed punch* '''''NEVER!!'''''
* BigNo: Galvatron's horrified reaction to Unicron declaring that Cybertron is now on the menu.
* BigOlEyebrows: Unicron's forehead ridge resembles something along these lines.[[note]]Him being originally designed by [[Manga/OutlawStar Takehiko Ito]] helps.[[/note]]
* TheCameo: Huffer, Sunstreaker, Bluestreak, Hound, Gears, and Grapple appear in quick crowd shots. Wheeljack and Windcharger's dead bodies are seen on the ground. Reflector appears in three crowd shots but, due to an animation error, has Ironhide's colour scheme in one of them.
* CatchPhrase: The Junkions are full of recycled catch phrases from other TV series and commercials. ("Kill the grand poobah! Eliminate even the toughest stains!")
* TheCavalry: Who's there to save Hot Rod and Kup on Quintessa? The Dinobots!
* CharactersDroppingLikeFlies: Over a dozen bite the dust.
* CoolOldGuy: Kup, who [[RememberTheNewGuy shows up out of nowhere]], is an ancient Autobot who's SeenItAll and is not shy about telling everyone.
* CreepyMonotone: Orson Welles was in poor health (it was a few months before he died) and couldn't really deliver to his full potential (plus, he didn't really like the role). His bored sounding voice combined with the works of the sound engineer however, makes his bored sounding voice ''work''.
%% All Crowning Moments, Music, etc. go on the appropriate subpages.
* CruelAndUnusualDeath: Averted in post-production; as originally animated, Ultra Magnus was supposed to have been pulled apart by the Sweeps. The final movie shows them shooting rope-like lasers, cutting to Ultra Magnus being gunned down and exploding into pieces when he falls. The (original) comic adaptation depicts the storyboarded drawn-and-quartered scene.
* CultSoundtrack:
** The synthesized score by Music/VinceDiCola, and notable songs such as "Dare To Be Stupid" (by Music/WeirdAlYankovic) and "The Touch" (by Music/StanBush) have received a certain cult status among pop culture.
** The resurgence of ''Transformers'' popularity in the 1990s helped renew interest in both Vince [=DiCola=] and Stan Bush. Both have publicly expressed gratitude to the fans' support and make regular appearances at ''Transformers'' conventions.
** Lion is best known for the movie's theme; though they signed with Scotti Brothers soon after its release, they soon faded into obscurity.
** [[Film/BoogieNights And you won't believe where "The Touch" showed up after that...]]
* DarkerAndEdgier: Unicron destroys an entire planet with virtually all of its occupants ''in the opening scene''. Ironhide, Prowl, Ratchet and Brawn are killed a few moments later, and it doesn't exactly end there. And this movie was based on a ''kid's show''.
* DeadlyEuphemism: see Not Quite Dead.
* DeadpanSnarker: Unicron is unimpressed with Megatron's boasting, and lets him know this in a disinterested, almost casual way.
--> '''Megatron:''' Nobody summons Megatron!\\
'''Unicron:''' Then it pleases me to be the first.\\
\\
'''Megatron:''' You have nothing to fear. I have crushed Optimus Prime with my bare hands!\\
'''Unicron:''' You exaggerate.
* DealWithTheDevil: Unicron offers to rebuild Megatron in return for servitude; thus is born Galvatron.
* DefiantToTheEnd:
** Megatron stands over the fatally wounded Optimus Prime, about to deliver the finishing blow.
--->'''Megatron''': "[[TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou I would have waited an eternity for this]]... It's over, Prime."\\
'''Optimus''': "'''[[BigNever NEVER]]!'''"
** On Quintessa, when Hot Rod and Kup are facing the Quintessons' KangarooCourt, and either verdict results in execution.
--->'''Hot Rod:''' (facing execution) "I have nothing ''but'' contempt for this court!"
** When Galvatron confronts Ultra Magnus, and it is clear that the latter is outnumbered and about to be killed. Ultra Magnus is deliberately echoing Optimus' earlier BigNever, but since he isn't TheChosenOne, it falls short.
--->'''Galvatron''': "Magnus, I want the matrix."\\
'''Ultra Magnus''': "'''NEVER!'''"
* DemotedToExtra: Several characters have this happen to them. Bluestreak, Sunstreaker, Huffer, Thundercracker, Skywarp, and Bombshell appear in cameos with no lines, Shockwave appears in two scenes and is implied to die, Shrapnel and Kickback are reduced to {{Butt Monkey}}s and then rebuilt, Mixmaster, Scavenger and Long Haul do not speak, Blitzwing gets one scene for himself, Ironhide, Wheeljack, Brawn, Prowl, Ratchet and Windcharger are killed off and Sludge, despite being a major character, has no lines. Spike and the three major Autobots who survive the movie (Bumblebee, Jazz, and Cliffjumper) have more minor roles. Perceptor and the four other Dinobots (Snarl mysteriously receiving this treatment) are the only pre-movie characters to do much of anything in the post-Autobot City scenes. Even Optimus Prime is only around for the first half of the movie. Plus, some characters don't appear in the movie at all, leaving their fates uncertain.
* TheDogBitesBack: Given the utter glee with which the Sharkticons go after the Quintessons when Grimlock tells them to, one gets the idea that the Sharkticons didn't like the Quintessons very much.
* DoomedHometown: Any planet that Unicron devours; a survivor of Lithone is encountered (briefly) on Quintessa.
* TheDreaded: Unicron. While the Cybertronians have no knowledge of him, he's apparently feared through the rest of the galaxy as his approach to Lithone is met with cries of "It's Unicron!" and Kranix manages to relate the tale of Unicron to Kup and Hot Rod.
* DyingToBeReplaced: Optimus Prime is yesterday's toy. Arise, Rodimus Prime!
* DynamicEntry:
** Galvatron knows how to do it. Fly in so low that the whole crowd runs for cover. Leap from your insertion aircraft (which conveniently transforms into a buddy your size who can stand behind you menacingly). Throw a PreMortemOneLiner. Blow away the guy you came to blow away. Claim the prize.
** The Dinobots aren't too bad at it either, [[BigDamnHeroes busting in to break up Hot Rod and Kup's aborted trial]] and flattening the bailiff in the process.
--->'''Slag:''' [to bailiff] Excuse me!
* EatenAlive:
** This primal fear of what Unicron can do to your world, along with EVERY man, woman, and child on it, is what makes him so scary.
** The Sharkticons appear to devour Transformers alive.
* EverythingTryingToKillYou: The Quintessons' home planet, Quintessa, is filled with robotic wildlife that attacks anything foreign.
* EvilGloating: Galvatron is even better than Megatron in showing pure pleasure over killing Autobots.
--> '''Galvatron''': First Prime, then Ultra Magnus, and now...''you''. It's a pity you Autobots die so easily, or I might have a sense of satisfaction now!
* EvilLaugh: The Quintesson judge, after issuing the first verdict we see, laughs with each of his five faces in succession as the hapless "innocent" is fed to the Sharkticons.
* EvilSoundsDeep: Galvatron's voice is deeper than Megatron's, reflecting his more pure evil, and Unicron's voice is a resonating, almost disinterested bass, reflecting his incredible age and malevolence.
* ExpansionPackWorld: The show to this point had featured only Cybertron and Earth as significant locations. The film adds Quintessa, Lithone, and the planet of Junk, and implies that the universe is teeming with robotic lifeforms.
* ExpositoryThemeTune: Even more so than the cartoon's theme. The extended version of the movie theme over the ending credits pretty much sums up the whole of the movie.
* EyeLightsOut: The concept of a Cybertronians' eye's blinking out as they die was first introduced in the film, along with the idea that they would lose their coloring and become grey (though only Optimus does it here).
* EyeScream: Hot Rod crashes a spaceship through one of Unicron's eyes; later, the Autobots collectively drive through his other eye.
* FacingTheBulletsOneLiner:
** Kranix makes a final defiant gesture before [[KangarooCourt judgement]] is passed, exclaiming "Spare me this mockery of justice!"
** Hot Rod, when he and Kup are also on "trial", is threatened with [[StockLegalPhrases contempt of court]], and retorts, "I have nothing ''but'' contempt for this court!"
* FamilyUnfriendlyDeath: Most of WesternAnimation/TheTransformers [[KillEmAll first two seasons]]' cast is killed in graphic ways, not counting those who die offscreen.
** Unicron eats a planet on-screen that contains millions of robotic lifeforms.
** Scavenger shoots Prowl, the blast going inside him and reaching Prowl's insides, causing him to effectively ''burn from the inside out'' with fire blazing from his mouth endlessly and his optics glowing with the light of the flames. ''Directly at the camera.''
** Ironhide has his computer-brains blown out execution-style by Megs.
** Optimus gets blasted and stabbed a dozen times (supposedly the fatal wound was due to a stab) while Hot Rod is held hostage.
** Kranix and his friend Arblus are fed to the Sharkticons. Although mostly offscreen, we still get to hear him screaming in agony as he's eaten alive.
** Gears and several other captured Transformers inside Unicron are dissolved in an acid bath.
** The Conehead Seekers get chomped by Uni's robot form. (This one ends up being a continuity error)
** Starscream takes a direct hit from Galvatron's cannon mode, burning him to a cinder with a look of agony on his face, before disintegrating.
** Ultra Magnus gets blown to pieces (originally was going to be drawn and quartered), [[DisneyDeath although put back together shortly after]].
** Shockwave was supposed to be stomped by Unicron, but they cut out the shot.
** Red Alert was also supposed to die by being shot in the back by Devastator, but that scene was never animated. However, Wheeljack and Windcharger look as though this is what happened to them judging by the damage to vital areas on their chests.
** Megatron is beaten to a pulp by Optimus Prime and then left to die in space by Starscream - and probably would have died if Unicron hadn't found him.
* FoeTossingCharge:
** Optimus Prime trashes the Decepticons who are attacking Earth, complete with ThemeMusicPowerUp. He leaves Megatron ''crippled''.
** Rodimus Prime gets an identical treatment upon his Matrix-fueled promotion, [[CurbStompBattle curb stomping]] Galvatron in the process.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: [[spoiler: When Optimus tries to pass on the Matrix, it drops out of his hand and Hot Rod is the first to grab it. Not only that, but the Matrix glows when he holds it. All this is proof that he was destined to be the new Prime from the get-go.]]
* GenericDoomsdayVillain: Unicron. Later episodes and adaptations would explore his backstory and motivations, but the movie itself doesn't make him anything other than being the biggest threat the Autobots and Decepticons have ever faced.
--> '''Wiki/TFWikiDotNet:''' Unicron is given no backstory (until season 3) or justification; he simply exists, is very dangerous, and is afraid of the Matrix, all for no adequately explained reason.
* HotBlooded: Hot Rod, [[MeaningfulName true to his name]], gets in a lot of trouble due to his impulsiveness, including being indirectly responsible for Optimus' death.
* HulkSpeak: The Dinobots all speak in [[ThirdPersonPerson third person]].
--> '''Grimlock:''' Me Grimlock want to munch metal!
* IWantMyJetpack: TechnologyMarchesOn, but fans everywhere are still waiting for their jet-powered hoverboard.
* ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy: An unusual inversion. Even though the Autobots killed in the shuttle ambush are given enough time to turn around and start firing, none of them can hit anything. Even more unusual, the Decepticons, who in the [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformers previous series]] were the ones with the really bad target perception... are now able to score direct kills upon Autobots with only a single shot in some instances.
* TheJuggernaut: Blowing up a moon inside Unicron's maw doesn't even slow him down. He's not lying when he says that only the Matrix can stop him.
* KangarooCourt: Even if you're innocent, the Quintesson magistrate is dropping you in the Sharkticon pit. Primus only knows what they do to the guilty. ([[MortonsFork It's actually the same thing either way]], they just like to taunt the victim first.)
* KickTheSonOfABitch: The door landing on the prosecutor as part of the Quintessons' HumiliationConga.
--> '''Slag''': [''after crushing the prosecutor''] Excuse me.
* LampshadedDoubleEntendre: Apparently, sexual tension is a thing among the notionally genderless Autobots.
--> '''Arcee''': Stay close to me, Daniel!\\
'''Hot Rod''': And you better stay close to me!\\
'''Arcee''': [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything (pins Hot Rod against wall)]] No, ''you'' better stay close to ''me''.
* LargeHamAnnouncer: The absurdly overenthusiastic announcer for the (barely-seen) trailer. [-'''THE MOST INCREDIBLE [[RockAndRoll ROCK AND ROLL]] ADVEN-TURE IS HERE!'''-]
* LaserBlade: Hot Rod wields one while sparing with an Auto-Combatant. Megatron uses a very similar weapon, that he finds lying on the ground, against Optimus Prime in their duel.
* LastOfHisKind: Kranix tells Hot Rod and Kup that he's the last surviving native of the planet Lithone, which Unicron devoured in the opening. He is executed by the Quintessons, reducing that number to zero.
* LeftTheBackgroundMusicOn: During Starscream's coronation, the trumpet fanfare is cut off when he gets impatient with the ceremony and blasts them.
* LiteralAssKicking: Courtesy of Grimlock, to Unicron.
-->'''Grimlock:''' "Me Grimlock kick butt!"
* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: Between clearing out the old Transformers toy line (ahem, cast) and introducing an entirely new cast, the film does rack up an impressive character count.
* MagicalSecurityCamera: Unicron somehow has monitors showing the same footage the audience just saw of the Matrix being handed off.
* TheManBehindTheMan: Unicron is this to Galvatron. From the Autobots' perspective, they only know that Galvatron is a powerful Decepticon and have no idea until the climax that he's in league with the planet-eater that took out both of their moon bases. The Decepticons don't even know the details about Unicron so this trope applies even more directly to them.
* MechanicalLifeforms: Besides Earth, all planets seen in the film have robotic life.
* MessianicArchetype: Optimus Prime rescues the Autobots from certain death at the hands of the Decepticons, dies for his trouble, then passes on the mantle in the form of the Matrix of Leadership, wherein he resides in spirit.
* MerchandiseDriven: As noted above, in one of the more extreme examples, due to ExecutiveMeddling by Creator/{{Hasbro}}, a large number of characters are killed off or reformatted for the new assortment of characters and toys.[[note]]In one example, Perceptor is the only robot at Prime's funeral who ''isn't'' a new character, and even then he's pretty much there because Ratchet and Wheeljack aren't. This is despite a ton of other Autobots such as Blaster and the Dinobots being on Earth.[[/note]]
* MoodWhiplash:
** Megatron massacring all the Autobots to the tune of "Instruments of Destruction!" is followed by a quiet, peaceful scene of Hot Rod and Daniel fishing at a lake. And then the Decepticons show up and trigger the battle at Autobot City, which is more or less a typical battle out of the animated series, with character quirks and silliness like Starscream humiliating himself ... but then we see Wheeljack and Windcharger burnt and lifeless, and suddenly we realize this is just as serious as the battle on the shuttle, and more familiar characters are going to die before it's over.
** Of course, we then get Optimus Prime's death scene, which is then followed by Starscream throwing Megatron and other injured Decepticons into space -- which is then followed by a comic scene where Starscream, Soundwave and his cassettes, and the Constructicons fight over who is going to be the Decepticons' new leader. And then we have Megatron's meeting with Unicron and his conversion into Galvatron, followed by the ridiculousness of Starscream being 'crowned' in an absurd cape and crown. Galvatron shows up, and the scene becomes dark as he shoots Starscream and ''Starscream crumbles to dust''!
** The rest of the movie also has plenty of MoodWhiplash, with Kup and Hot Rod's being attacked by the Sharkticons (and the resulting 'demolition derby'), followed by a rather silly sequence with the Junkions featuring Music/WeirdAlYankovic's 'Dare to Be Stupid', and then the final confrontation with Unicron in which a few unnamed captured Autobots and Decepticons are dropped into a vat of acid (Bumblebee, Jazz, and Cliffjumper are saved, as is Spike), Unicron is destroyed, and the film abruptly ends with Rodimus making a speech on Cybertron (the Autobots apparently taking control of it off-screen).
** The sad fate of Kranix is immediately followed by a goofy scene with the Dinobots and the introduction of Wheelie. But at least that was a different scene. There's MoodWhiplash ''in the same scene'' when Kranix's friend Arblus gets killed: he hasn't even finished screaming before Hot Rod quips "We need a new travel agent."
** There's MoodWhiplash from the very beginning: Unicron shows up and devours Lithone as its inhabitants scream and try vainly to escape...then the camera pans away to the opening titles and the upbeat, over-the-top theme song starts up. Uh...yaaay?
* TheMovie: Right there in the title.
* MuggingTheMonster: The Quintessons really have no idea what they're up against when it comes to Hot Rod and Kup. Sure, as long as the two are kept from transforming using those stasis ring things, they can push them around all they like. Their fatal mistake was setting the rings to deactivate once the two were dumped into the Sharkticon pool, because the ''second'' the two Autobots can transform, it becomes alarmingly apparent that ''this'' execution is not going to go according to plan...
* NeverTrustATrailer: The original trailer is 4 minutes of footage that was deleted or changed. Nothing in the trailer makes it into the movie without some change made to it.
* NoHonorAmongThieves: Had Galvatron just given the Autobot Matrix of Leadership to Unicron as ordered, the story would have ended with the planet eater's victory. Furthermore, as mentioned previously in BadassBoast, had everything gone according to plan, Unicron was planning on giving Cybertron to Galvatron (or at least not making it a meal). The dominoes that brought about their mutual defeat were knocked down by the backstabbing.
* NothingIsTheSameAnymore: Post-movie episodes of the cartoon feature an almost completely different cast of characters in a vastly different setting. The show doesn't even ''look'' the same anymore--pre-movie episodes were usually animated by Creator/ToeiAnimation, while many post-movie episodes are the work of Korean studio Creator/{{AKOM}}. The Japanese dub branded the post-movie episodes as a sequel series.
* NotQuiteDead: A number of the defeated Decepticons are clinging to the edges of life after they escape in Astrotrain, and are cast adrift to "lighten the load".
-->'''Megatron:''' "...I still ''function!''"
-->'''Starscream:''' "Wanna bet?"
* TheObiWan: Optimus' death serves as a call to heroism for the other Autobots, and in particular Hot Rod. He also manages to [[SpiritAdvisor stick around in spirit]] thanks to the Matrix.
-->'''Optimus Prime's voice:''' ''(from the Matrix)'' Arise, Rodimus Prime.
** Kup, being a mentor of Hot Rod.
* OffscreenMomentOfAwesome: As mentioned under AllThereInTheManual, the battle between Omega Supreme and the Autobot gestalts versus the Decepticon gestalts [[http://tfwiki.net/w2/images2/a/a8/TAM_TPB_Gestalt_Fight.jpg is pretty amazing]].
* OhCrap: Both Ultra Magnus and Galvatron attempt to open the Matrix at pivotal moments in an attempt to use it against their foes. In both cases, they fail, because they aren't TheChosenOne. In Galvatron's case, this prompts Unicron's decision to destroy Cybertron. Oops.
* OmnicidalManiac: Unicron's purpose is to eat everything in the universe. Depending on which canon continuity you follow, he was either created to fulfill that role in a cosmic duality with Primus (who doesn't appear in this film) or chose it for himself. [[TakeAThirdOption Or]] was [[MultipleChoicePast designed]] to do it by an [[ItsAllAboutMe egomaniac]] [[MadScientist scientist]] who wanted to [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans remake the universe from scratch]].
* TheOmniscient: Unicron seems to know what's happening in all corners of the universe as it happens. Comes with the territory of being a PhysicalGod.
* OneHitKill: Galvatron reasserts his leadership of the Decepticons by [[spoiler:vaporizing Starscream]]. More generally, Transformers (Autobot and Decepticon alike) die easily from single shots, whereas they had been very resilient in the cartoon.
* OutOfCharacterMoment: No Decepticons, even ones established as [[UndyingLoyalty blindly loyal]] to Megatron such as Soundwave, object to having him ThrownOutTheAirlock to lose dead weight, and instantly make their claims to his spot afterwards. It's particularly glaring with Soundwave, who went to the trouble of going back for Megatron and carrying him aboard in the first place.
* PepTalkSong: Music/StanBush's uplifting and inspirational theme song ''The Touch'', which serves as the theme song of the noble and heroic Optimus Prime and later Rodimus Prime.
* PlanetEater: Unicron is a planet that eats other planets to fuel his cosmic rampage of destruction.
* [[PrecisionFStrike Precision S-Strike]]: See AvoidTheDreadedGRating.
* PreAsskickingOneLiner: Rodimus Prime, who had (as Hot Rod) been getting choked to death by Galvatron, tells him in no uncertain terms that the tide has turned.
-->'''Rodimus:''' "This is the end of the road, Galvatron."
* PreMortemOneLiner:
** Megatron, before putting Ironhide out of his misery:
--->'''Megatron:''' "Such heroic nonsense!"
** Galvatron, to show how much he's changed, doesn't waste any time confronting Starscream upon his return.
--->'''Starscream:''' "Megatron? Is that you?"\\
'''Galvatron:''' "Here's a hint!"
* PunctuatedForEmphasis: Unicron talks very slowly and deliberately, but some of his lines stand out.
-->'''Unicron:''' "But now. You shall witness. Its DISMEMBERMENT!"\\
\\
'''Unicron:''' "Destiny...You... cannot... destroy... my... destinyyy!"
* RecycledInSpace: Film critics at the time tut-tutted the movie as "Star Wars with Giant Robots", since, although a number of sci-fi, anime and comics had re-introduced SpaceOpera, planet-eaters and the like into relatively simple stories, Star Wars was basically the TropeCodifier in the 80s. Forgotten somewhat, since now, everybody does it.
* RememberTheNewGuy: Ultra Magnus is Optimus Prime's old friend, who was never seen or mentioned before. Kup comes off this way too, considering he's supposed to be such an "old-timer."
* RobotKid: New KidAppealCharacter Wheelie. He looks like a child, speaks in {{rhyme|sOnADime}}, and even has a [[BratsWithSlingshots slingshot]].
* RRatedOpening: To show this is DarkerAndEdgier, the opening has a planet (with robotic children, no less) being eaten by Unicron. Shortly thereafter we have the Decepticons boarding the Autobot shuttle, which has the most brutal on-screen deaths in the movie (Prowl's death in particular is gruesome, as his insides seem to explode and smoke pours out of his eyes and mouth).
* SacrificialPlanet: At the beginning of the movie, Unicron devours Lithone, a planet full of robotic lifeforms before threatening to do the same to Cybertron.
* ScavengerWorld: The Planet of Junk appears to be the trash heap of the universe, where the aptly named Junkions make their home and use all the stuff to build spaceships and such. There is no indication of how all the trash gets there in the first place.
* SceneryPorn: All of the [[http://imgur.com/a/q3jwo set pieces]] in this film are varied, bright, vibrant, and exquisitely detailed. Whether it be in space, The Planet of Junk, the beautiful forest shots seen early in the movie, or the murky yellow and brown underwater segment with Hot Rod and Kup later in the film, your eyes will never get bored.
* SceneryGorn: Pretty much any scene involving Unicron eating a planet.
* SeenItAll: Pretty much any situation they're in reminds Kup of some old war story, much to Hot Rod's continued annoyance. This is PlayedForLaughs for most of the film, until they see Unicron standing ''astride'' Cybertron.
-->'''Hot Rod''': Doesn't this remind you of anything, Kup?\\
'''Kup''': ''(quietly)'' Nope. Never seen anything like this before...
* SesquipedalianLoquaciousness: Perceptor, enough that even his fellow robots get fed up with it.
-->'''Perceptor:''' Gamma waves in this sector of space create marginal navigation probabilities, however...\\
''(Ultra Magnus leans on the console with his head in his hands looking frustrated and bored)''\\
'''Perceptor:''' Ahem... Yes, I think I can.
* ShamCeremony: Galvatron certainly thought this of [[TheStarscream Starscream's]] [[ShootTheDangerousMinion short-lived]] AwesomeMomentOfCrowning.
* SharkPool: In a world with oceans full of robot sharks, the Quintessons also have a more traditional pool filled with those same sharks for dramatic executions.
* ShesAManInJapan: In the French dub of the movie, which used a very different dub team from any regional French dub of the TV series, both Starscream and Shrapnel were turned into women.
* ShoutOut:
** In one scene, Grimlock asks Kup to "tell Grimlock about petro-rabbits!", a clear reference to the classic ''Literature/OfMiceAndMen''.
** There's no less than three references to other animated productions:
** The two other robots[[note]][[AllThereInTheManual named]] [[Theatre/{{Hamlet}} Rosencrantz and Guildenstern]], appropriately enough[[/note]] in Hot Rod and Kup's jail cell, are actually [[http://tfwiki.net/mediawiki/images2/a/ad/Tftm_rosencrantz-and-guildenstern.jpg pieced together]] from various suits used in ''Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam''.
** While [[FreezeFrameBonus only visible for a split second]], [[PropRecycling backgrounds]] from ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'' can be [[http://tfwiki.net/mediawiki/images2/2/26/TFTMUnicronSkyscrapers.jpg seen within]] Unicron after he eats Lithone.
** When Sludge gets hammer punched by Devastator during the battle at Autobot City, his eyes pop out in a similar fashion to the classic ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes''[=/=]Creator/TexAvery shorts.
* TheSmurfettePrinciple: Arcee, the only female Autobot to appear in the film.
* SophisticatedAsHell: Much of the dialogue. "Me Grimlock say you full of cesium salami!"
* SoundtrackDissonance: [[Music/WeirdAlYankovic "Dare To Be Stupid".]]
* SpaceX: Take any normal word and add "-ion" or "-ticon" to the name, and you've got a Transformer "species".
* SpaceOpera: Although the premise was always there, this was the first time they extensively used it.
* SpeaksInShoutOuts: Wreck-Gar and the Junkions speak entirely in 20th century Earth advertising lingo.
* TheStarscream: Starscream gets his wish, finally getting rid of Megatron and being crowned Leader of the Decepticons... for about 20 seconds, before Galvatron shows up and vaporizes him. Then Galvatron plays the same role against his new master, Unicron.
* StrangeSyntaxSpeaker:
** Wreck-Gar and the Junkions speak entirely in 20th century advertising lingo.
** Wheelie speaks exclusively in rhyme. Though it's sometimes hard to tell with all the post-processing done to his voice.
* TakingUpTheMantle: Ultra Magnus is given the Autobot Matrix of Leadership upon Prime's death. However, it's Hot Rod who truly winds up taking up the role of Prime.
* TechnologyPorn: Unicron's transformation and Autobot City's transformation.
* ThatsNoMoon: That's no ginormous, weird-looking planet -- [[Film/{{Spaceballs}} it's a Transformer]]!
* ThemeMusicPowerUp: "The Touch" by Music/StanBush is played during Optimus' and Rodimus' finest moments. Other contenders are ''Dare to Be Stupid'' for the Junkions, and ''Instruments of Destruction'' for the Decepticons.
* ThisCannotBe: Unicron's reaction when he's finally beaten.
--> '''Unicron''': Destiny...you...cannot...destroy...my...DESTINY!!!
* TrailersAlwaysSpoil:
** The original trailer proudly boasts, "The final confrontation between Optimus Prime and Megatron." (Of course, given the initial reaction to said confrontation, fans assuredly thought it would play out far differently.)
** Commercials for the movie had the narrator say "Does Prime die?" over footage of Optimus getting blasted, followed by Megatron's line: "It's over, Prime!" Some viewers may have thought "LikeYouWouldReallyDoIt", but...
* TransformationIsAFreeAction: Unicron is one of the few cases in which this trope is justified; he's so massive, it's not like any of the Transformers could do anything about his TransformationSequence. Galvatron tried to subvert this after having an OhCrap moment but failed miserably at it.
* TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture: "It is the year 2005." The movie came out in 1986. Interestingly, most of the new Autobots' alt-modes are considered futuristic Earth vehicles, even though they resemble Cybertronian vehicles.
* VerbalTic:
** Grimlock and the Dinobots talk entirely in HulkSpeak.
** The Junkions talk in nothing but [[AliensStealCable 1970s television cliches]] and phrases.
* TheVoiceless: Prowl, the Seekers (with the exception of Starscream), Bombshell, and Ratchet appear with no lines, and Sludge never speaks at all despite being a major character.
* WackyWaysideTribe: The Junkions are apparently an offshoot of the Autobots who speak almost exclusively in lines [[AliensStealCable taken from TV transmissions]].
* WarIsHell: Almost as if apologizing for [[NonLethalWarfare trivializing an affair as tragic as battle with the TV-Series]], this movie dragged an entire generation of children kicking-and-screaming by the ears into visceral horror, death and sorrow that is ''actual'' warfare. Special mention goes to a scene featuring Arcee pointlessly dragging the blackened corpses of Windcharger and Wheeljack to safety.
* WeAllDieSomeday: Galvatron invokes this to try to coerce Hot Rod out of hiding. Hot Rod's response? "Not today, Galvatron!"
* WhamEpisode: The first battle scene shocked an entire generation of moviegoers with the fact that Autobots could die.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse:
** Cyclonus's "Armada" (really just one guy) is only seen being created, and is replaced by another Sweep for the rest of the movie. Blaster vanishes after receiving Jazz's transmission, and Ratbat appears in only one scene.
** What happened to Sunstreaker, Snarl, Hound, and Grapple? (The deaths of Bluestreak and Huffer were {{retcon}}ned in the "Dark Awakening" episode)
** A number of characters introduced in Season 2 were nowhere to be found due to the script being written concurrently. The comic based on the film retconned [[http://tfwiki.net/wiki/File:TAM_TPB_Gestalt_Fight.jpg this]] with the Combiners in the Autobots' side facing Decepticon combiners.
* WorldWreckingWave: Considering Unicron ''is'' a planet (and then a planet sized transformer), the Matrix's energy wave that cripples and ultimately destroys him qualifies as one of the few times this is a good thing.
* YourSizeMayVary: Scale and Transformers have never mixed well, but when you bring in a guy the size of a planet...
** Unicron tears the scale of things asunder; no matter what he is interacting with in planet mode, it's about the same size as his mouth, be it a planet, a moon, a shuttle, or just Megatron on his own. Once he transforms, a spaceship carrying a dozen characters goes through one eye, and just fits. Its dozen crew transform to ride out the other eye one at a time, and they just fit as well.
** Astrotrain carries the entire lineup of surviving Decepticons (including a fully formed Devastator) comfortably inside his space shuttle alt-mode.

----
[[AC:Till All Are One!]]

----

** Of course, we then get Optimus Prime's death scene, which is then followed by Starscream throwing Megatron and other injured Decepticons into space -- which is then followed by a comic scene where Starscream, Soundwave and his cassettes, and the Constructicons fight over who is going to be the Decepticons' new leader. And then we have Megatron's meeting with Unicron and his conversion into Galvatron, followed by the ridiculousness of Starscream being 'crowned' in a ridiculous cape and crown. Galvatron shows up, and the scene becomes dark as he shoots Starscream and ''Starscream crumbles to dust''!

* SceneryPorn: All of the [[http://imgur.com/a/q3jwo set pieces]] in this film are varied, bright, vibrant, and exquisitely detailed. Whether it be in Space, The Planet of Junk, the beautiful forest shots seen early in the movie, or the murky yellow and brown underwater segment with Hot Rod and Kup later in the film, your eyes will never get bored.

** [[InvertedTrope Inverted]] during Megatron's assault on the Autobot shuttle, when the Decepticons annihilate its occupants while "Instruments of Destruction" plays in the background.

** The synthesized score by [[Music/VinceDiCola Vince DiCola]], and notable songs such as "Dare To Be Stupid" (by Music/WeirdAlYankovic) and "The Touch" (by Music/StanBush) have received a certain cult status among pop culture.
** The resurgence of ''Transformers'' popularity in the 1990s helped renew interest in both [[Music/VinceDiCola Vince DiCola]] and Music/StanBush. Both have publicly expressed gratitude to the fans' support and make regular appearances at ''Transformers'' conventions.

** When Galvatron confronts Ultra Magnus, and it is clear that the latter is outnumbered and about to be killed. Ultra Magnus is deliberately echoing Optimus' earlier BigNever, but since he isn't the ChosenOne, it falls short.

* EyeLightsOut: The concept of a Cybertronians' eye's blinking out as they die was first introduced in the film.

** WordofGod has it that Soundwave had every intention of rescuing Megatron and only tried to take command of the Decepticons because he felt he needed their help in rescuing and repairing him, but this did not make it into the movie.

* OutOfCharacterMoment: No Decepticons, even ones established as [[UndyingLoyalty blindly loyal]] to Megatron such as Soundwave, object to having him ThrownOutTheAirlock to lose dead weight, and instantly make their claims to his spot afterwards. It's particularly glaring with Soundwave, who went to the trouble of going back for Megatron and carrying him aboard in the first place.

* BullyingADragon: The Quintessons really have no idea what they're up against when it comes to Hot Rod and Kup. Sure, as long as the two are kept from transforming using those stasis ring things, they can push them around all they like. Their fatal mistake was setting the rings to deactivate once the two were dumped into the Sharkticon pool, because the ''second'' the two Autobots can transform, it becomes alarmingly apparent that ''this'' execution is not going to go according to plan...

** Starscream kicks Megatron when the Decepticon leader is ''literally'' down after getting a {{Superman}} level kill shot punch from Optimus Prime.

** At one point there was a fan theory that Ultra Magnus may actually be Dion, an Autobot Optimus Prime identified as his best friend back when he was still a runt named Orion Pax, who was then rebuilt and reformatted into a bigger, stronger, more powerful robot just like Prime and Elita One (who was originally known as Ariel).

* TookALevelInBadAss: The Decepticons thanks to the film being DarkerAndEdgier.
* TrailersAlwaysSpoil: The original trailer proudly boasts, "The final confrontation between Optimus Prime and Megatron." (Of course, given the initial reaction to said confrontation, fans assuredly thought it would play out far differently.)

* KangarooCourt: Even if you're innocent, the Quintesson judge is dropping you in the Sharkticon pit. Primus only knows what they do to the guilty. ([[MortonsFork It's actually the same thing either way]], they just like to taunt the victim first.)

* BullyingADragon: The Quintessons really have no idea what they're up against when it comes to Hot Rod and Kup. Sure, as long as the two are kept from transforming using those stasis ring things, they can push them around all they like. Their fatal mistake was setting the rings to deactivate once the two were dumped into the Sharkticon pool, because the ''second'' the two Autobots can transform, they prove to their would-be killers that they're not going to just quiet get eaten, and with the help of the [[BigDamnHeroes timely arrival]] of the Dinobots, unleash a massive and well-deserved HumiliationConga against the Quintessons.

* OmnicidalManiac: Unicron's purpose is to eat everything in the universe. Depending on which canon continuity you follow, he was either created to fulfill that role in a cosmic duality with Primus (who doesn't appear in this film) or chose it for himself.

* SacrificialPlanet: At the beginning of the movie, Unicron devours a planet full of robotic lifeforms before threatening to do the same to Cybertron.

* TheDreaded: Unicron. While the Cybertronians have no knowledge of him, he's apparently feared through the rest of the galaxy as his approach to Lithone is met with cries of "it's Unicron!" and Kranix manages to relate the tale of Unicron to Kup and Hot Rod.

** Kranix and another Lithonian are fed to the Sharkticons. Although mostly offscreen, we still get to hear him screaming in agony as he's eaten alive.

** The rest of the movie also has plenty of Mood Whiplash, with Kup and Hot Rod's being attacked by the Sharkticons (and the resulting 'demolition derby'), followed by a rather silly sequence with the Junkions featuring Music/WeirdAlYankovic's 'Dare to Be Stupid', and then the final confrontation with Unicron in which a few unnamed captured Autobots and Decepticons are dropped into a vat of acid (Bumblebee, Jazz, and Cliffjumper are saved, as is Spike), Unicron is destroyed, and the film abruptly ends with Rodimus making a speech on Cybertron (the Autobots apparently taking control of it off-screen).

* MerchandiseDriven: As noted above, in one of the more extreme examples, due to ExecutiveMeddling by Creator/Hasbro, a large number of characters are killed off or reformatted for the new assortment of characters and toys.[[note]]In one example, Perceptor is the only robot at Prime's funeral who ''isn't'' a new character, and even then he's pretty much there because Ratchet and Wheeljack aren't. This is despite a ton of other Autobots such as Blaster and the Dinobots being on Earth.[[/note]]

* [[GogglesDoNothing Optics Do Nothing]]: Unicron's eyes. They're little more than windows.

** Red Alert was also supposed to die by being shot in the back by Devastator, but that scene was never animated.

** The Conehead Seekers get chomped by Uni's robot form.

** Scavenger shoots Prowl, the blast going inside him and reaching Prowl's insides, causing him to effectively ''burn from the inside out'' with fire blazing from his mouth endlessly. ''Directly at the camera.''

* AsLethalAsItNeedsToBe: In some scenes Transformers die from one hit by pistol-sized laser guns, but in other scenes they are just knocked down (like Starscream during the battle for Autobot City) or even simply shrug them off (like Optimus Prime in the same battle).

* AnyoneCanDie: Done intentionally to clear the decks for a new round of characters/toys in the franchise. This proved a bit startling for a generation of latchkey kids used to worshiping Optimus Prime, and to their parents who were used to animated TV shows where nobody dies. The full list of characters who are confirmed to die or are reformatted beyond recognition in the movie is [[spoiler: Optimus Prime, Megatron, Starscream, Prowl, Ironhide, Brawn, Ratchet, Wheeljack (debatable, as the Japanese extension of the G1 series had forgot Wheeljack reappear alive and well in a continuity error), Windcharger, the Insecticons, Skywarp, Thundercracker, Gears, Shockwave, Bluestreak, and Huffer.]] That's almost half of the cast. More deaths were planned but left out including Red Alert and Smokescreen.

* AnyoneCanDie: Done intentionally to clear the decks for a new round of characters/toys in the franchise. This proved a bit startling for a generation of latchkey kids used to worshiping Optimus Prime, and to their parents who were used to animated TV shows where nobody dies. The full list of characters who are confirmed to die or are reformatted beyond recognition in the movie is [[spoiler: Optimus Prime, Megatron, Starscream, Prowl, Ironhide, Brawn, Ratchet, Wheeljack (debatable, as the Japanese extension of the G1 series seemed to forgot Wheeljack was dead), Windcharger, the Insecticons, Skywarp, Thundercracker, Gears, Shockwave, Bluestreak, and Huffer.]] That's almost half of the cast. More deaths were planned but left out including Red Alert and Smokescreen.

* AnyoneCanDie: Done intentionally to clear the decks for a new round of characters/toys in the franchise. This proved a bit startling for a generation of latchkey kids used to worshiping Optimus Prime, and to their parents who were used to animated TV shows where nobody dies. The full list of characters who are confirmed to die or are reformatted beyond recognition in the movie is [[spoiler: Optimus Prime, Megatron, Starscream, Prowl, Ironhide, Brawn, Ratchet, Wheeljack, Windcharger, the Insecticons, Skywarp, Thundercracker, Gears, Shockwave, Bluestreak, and Huffer.]] That's almost half of the cast. More deaths were planned but left out including Red Alert and Smokescreen.