Line #13 Franchise/TransformersAlignedUniverse


1	The Transformers Aligned Universe is an experiment developed by Creator/{{Hasbro}} in an attempt to consolidate the modern Franchise/{{Transformers}} brand into a collective whole, rather than juggling a new ContinuityReboot every 2-3 years. All of the new sub-franchises of Transformers will be connected together in BroadStrokes to give a reinforcement to the themes that have been with Transformers since 1984 and provide some sense of backstory continuity between the different series. The stated intention was to be an AdaptationDistillation of everything people love from the series while [[UltimateUniverse stretching off into new story possibilities]], there is a large 354 page SeriesBible that was to have guided different projects for the future called the "[[http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Binder_of_Revelation Binder of Revelation]]." It officially began with the launch of the book ''Literature/TransformersExodus'' in June 2010 with the "primary" fiction being appropriately named ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime.'' So far the universe includes:
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3	[[index]]
4	* '''Literature/TransformersExodus''' - Novel
5	** '''Literature/TransformersExiles''' - Sequel to ''Exodus''
6	** ''Transformers: Retribution'' - sequel to ''Exiles''.
7	* '''VideoGame/TransformersWarForCybertron''' - Video Game
8	** '''VideoGame/TransformersFallOfCybertron''' - Sequel to WFC
9	** '''VideoGame/TransformersRiseOfTheDarkSpark''' - The Cybertron half is an interquel set between the events of the above two games
10	** [[/index]]Fall of Cybertron, Rage of the Dinobots, and Beast Hunters - Comic books by Creator/IDWPublishing, expanding on the depiction of the Dinobots in FOC and meant to "converge" with Prime.[[index]]
11	* '''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime''' - AllCGICartoon airing on Creator/DiscoveryFamily, then called The Hub.
12	** '''[[VideoGame/TransformersPrimeTheGame Transformers: Prime – The Game]]''' - A video game for the Wii, Nintendo 3DS and the Nintendo DS.
13	* '''WesternAnimation/TransformersRescueBots''' - Another, non-CGI [[note]]Made in MediaNotes/ToonBoom, and later MediaNotes/AdobeFlash[[/note]] cartoon, aimed at a younger audience.
14	* '''Anime/TransformersGo''' - Direct-to-DVD anime, although Hasbro has yet to recognize this series due to being Japan-only.
15	* '''Literature/TransformersTheCovenantOfPrimus''' - The "[[AllThereInTheManual story bible]]" for the Aligned Universe, written in-character by [[PhysicalGod Alpha Trion]].
16	* '''VideoGame/TransformersUniverse''' - A cancelled MMO game
17	* '''Transformers Online''' - Another short-lived MMO game, but only marketed in China.
18	* '''WesternAnimation/TransformersRobotsInDisguise2015''' - A sequel to ''Prime''.
19	* '''WesternAnimation/TransformersRescueBotsAcademy''' - A sequel to ''Rescue Bots''.
20	[[/index]]
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22	As far as more background information, the decision to create this new expansive universe came not only because of the frequent continuity reboots but because there has been a massive ContinuitySnarl in the Transformers Mythos with regards to the [[AlternateUniverse Multiverse]]. The comics had established that all of the Transformers Series we have seen up to that point are connected, with certain characters like Unicron, Primus, Vector Prime and The Fallen as being universal constants (existing within all the different [[TheVerse Universes]]).
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24	Problems have risen because the actual multi-verse story has been largely contained within the comics, and many other continuities are written without any intent of following that story. Even with the idea of {{Alternate Universe}}s it is difficult to keep any sense of consistency with all of the projects being written independently. Thus the Aligned Continuity (an unofficial term, used loosely by Hasbro but adopted by the fans to describe the continuity family) is merely providing a core to work from while the individual projects still have room to move, they have openly stated that the story takes presidence over the details. While there are some descrepencies already between the various series, they are still working off the same themes coming from the bible.
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26	These themes include the following:
27	* The primordial [[PhysicalGod gods]] of Primus and [[GodOfEvil Unicron]], who waged a battle between each other long ago. The entire Cybertronian race is descended from Primus, as well that Primus embodies the core of the planet Cybertron itself.
28	* The Thirteen Original Primes- Warriors created by Primus to tip the balance of the battle against Unicron. Originating in the comics, the exact backstory and personality of these characters were vague and undefined until now. Incredibly powerful, they have descended into myths and legends by the time of the main characters. The current title of "Prime" is a respect to those original beings.
29	* The Cybertronian Civil War- Cybertron had become aggressively segregated into a caste system that kept the citizens oppressed. A gladiator calling himself Megatronus started gathering followers for his crusade to eliminate the caste system, joining his cause was a well respected data clerk named Optimus [[note]]one of the inconsistent details, Optimus either always had his first name or had his entire name changed from Orion Pax to Optimus Prime[[/note]]. But Optimus sought equality and freedom while Megatron's cause was largely a smoke screen for his rise to power. As Optimus gained favor with the ruling government Megatron's true intentions were revealed and the people of Cybertron split into two factions, the Autobots (for desiring individual autonomy) and the Decepticons (for their deception of their totalitarian nature).
30	* Cybertron as a Dead World- The Civil War eventually corrupted the core of Cybertron itself, requiring the planet to shut down for millions of years. This means the planet was slowly depleted of its once abundant energy resources and the majority of Cybertronians were forced to wander through space in exile. After time there was little reason for even a few pockets of civilization to remain, but the Cybertronian Civil War continues among the stars as resources become scarce.
31	* The Matrix of Leadership- An artifact from the time of the Thirteen Primes, it was given to Optimus by the core of Cybertron (Primus) to keep an element of their home planet with them wherever they go.
32	* Depleting Resources- All things Cybertronian run off a vital fuel called Energon (it's assumed other forms of energy like electricity and gasoline can be substituted, but are far inferior in all important respects). With the core of Cybertron shutting down Energon becomes more and more scarce, other planets have been used to seed raw energon crystals that can be grown over a long period of time and harvested, but it is a long and labor intensive process.
33	* The existence of Dark Energon, a powerful, unstable and corruptive form of the regular Energon, which is rumored to be the "blood of Unicron."
34	----
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36	!!Tropes common across the Aligned Universe
37	* AlternateSelf: When Hasbro reversed its decision to keep this seperate from the larger ''Transformers'' mutliverse and incorporate it into it, the original Thirteen became this in regards to the versions in the larger Multiverse as the ''Aligned'' versions' numbers included Alpha Trion and ''especially'' [[spoiler: Optimus Prime]], which would be incapatible with other versions, especially ''[[ComicBook/TransformersShatteredGlass Shattered Glass]]''. ''Ask [[Anime/TransformersCybertron Vector Prime]]'' explicitly has multiverse!Vector identify his ''Aligned'' incarnation as a distinct and separate entity.
38	* ApocalypseHow: A class 3A for Cybertron, most of the population and higher life-forms had to abandon the planet or die off, but some of the smaller scavenger lifeforms seem to survive in a small capacity, and in some cases there are a few, small population centers scattered across the planet. ''VideoGame/TransformersWarForCybertron'' depicts Megatron corrupting the core with Dark Energon, which is eventually purged but drives the core into shutdown.
39	* BroadStrokes: This is largely how the continuity of this universe is being handled. Hasbro has stated that they are open for the portrayal of artistic license, as long all the major plot-points are still present and the character backstories are consistent.
40	* CanonImmigrant: Much of the Aligned lore about the Thirteen was adapted for the IDW universe and subsequent continuities. Behind the scenes featurettes for ''Film/TransformersTheLastKnight'' make it clear that when the films' writer's room asked for lore to work with, Hasbro gave them the Aligned continuity's lore to copy-paste into the films.
41	* CerebusRollercoaster: ''Rescue Bots'' and its sequel ''Rescue Bots Academy'', lighter cartoon series aimed at little kids, takes place in this universe, which includes the older-targeted ''Prime'' and the ''Cybertron'' games, which are rated T. ''Prime''[='=]s sequel series, ''Robots is Disguise'', is also lighter than ''Prime'', though not to the same extend as ''RB'' or ''RBA''.
42	* TheChosenOne: Optimus is from the lineage of the Primes, and is something that you are neither born into nor can merely take. Megatron wanted to become a Prime but was denied. [[AllThereInTheManual According to]] ''The Covenant of Primus'', Optimus is in fact [[spoiler:the reincarnated Spark of the Thirteenth of the Original Thirteen Primes, who entered the Well of All-Sparks to be reborn to better serve their creations, the Transformers.]].
43	* ContinuitySnarl: From the beginning Hasbro has insisted that the Aligned universe is a new continuity ''family'' meaning they are based on the specific quirks of the same iteration, much like how the G1 comics and TV show were incompatible. This has not stopped some rampant complaints about the incongruities between them.
44	** That the comic books are meant to connect to both ''Fall of Cybertron'' and ''Prime'' does not help one bit.
45	** Hasbro themselves have admitted to not being as picky with minor continuity issues, so long as all the major plot points themselves line up, in order to allow the various writers some wriggle room when coming up with a story.
46	* LastOfHisKind: Optimus is the only Prime left. It is implied that Cybertron went through a period of "Prime" figureheads who had the title but are not part of the divine lineage; Optimus only ''truly'' became a Prime when given the Matrix of Leadership and not when given the title by the High Council.
47	* PhysicalGod: Both Primus and Unicron.
48	* APupilOfMineUntilHeTurnedToEvil: Inverted, Megatron was Orion Pax's ''mentor'' and the movement became violent when Orion became better favored than Megatron.
49	** Its a little different in ''Prime'': Megatron was a gladiator while Orion Pax was a clerk, but Orion was one of the first of Megatron's social change movement before he went extreme.
50	* {{Retcon}}: Hasbro had earlier stated that the Aligned universe isn't part of the larger Multiverse, but works like ''Rise of the Dark Spark'' and ''[[WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated The Complete AllSpark Almanac]]'' have since confirmed it is indeed part of the larger Multiverse, after all.
51	* SimpleSolutionWontWork:
52	** ''VideoGame/TransformersRiseOfTheDarkSpark'': When Swindle and Shockwave, bearing the titular Dark Spark, arrive at the gates of the Decepticon capital of Kaon they discover a huge Autobot army laying siege in order to stop them. Blast-Off, Swindle's fellow Combaticon, suggests he simply take the Dark Spark from Swindle and deliver it by air. Shockwave dismisses the suggestion as being too risky: if Blast-Off were to be shot down or otherwise drop the Dark Spark, for all they know it might explode and take all of Kaon with it. Combaticon commander Onslaught agrees with Shockwave's assessment and orders him to retreat to a safe location with the Dark Spark, while the Combaticons begin clearing a path.
53	** ''VideoGame/TransformersFallOfCybertron'': The Autobots have stolen an entire lake of Energon from the Decepticons and are transporting it aboard a gigantic transport vehicle. When Swindle manages to damage its drivetrain, it transforms into a flying mode and takes off. As he fights his way through, he wonders why the Autobots didn't just use the flight mode from the start, to which Onslaught replies that it probably takes so much Energon it'd eat up most of the fuel it was carrying. Unknown to the Combaticons, Ironhide had raised the same issue earlier, but Optimus decided it was worth the risk.
54	* TheSmurfettePrinciple: This continuity explicitly states that one thirteenth of all Cybertronians are female. This is because they are descended from Solus Prime, the only female among the original Thirteen Primes.
55	* TheStarscream: Of course, with a multitude of reasons given as to [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim why Megatron doesn't shoot him]] after a single bid for leadership, from appreciating his gift for fine details to Megatron believing if Starscream actually succeeded (Megs is a terrifyingly powerful former gladiator) he earned it.
56	* TakeUpMySword: Optimus is given the Matrix of Leadership by the Core of Cybertron, Primus himself.
57	* VictoryByFirstBlood: This is why [[BigBad Megatron]] leads the forces of the [[FullCircleRevolution Decepticons]]. He and Soundwave duelled for the leadership of the Decepticons during the faction's [[GladiatorRevolt inception]] in a fight that was explicitly first to ''wound''. Megatron himself has admitted that had the duel been to the death, Soundwave ''would have won'', and ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime'' makes it blindingly obvious that anyone [[TheStarscream thinking of overthrowing Megatron]] has second thoughts because even if Megatron is out of the way, Soundwave ''isn't'', his [[UndyingLoyalty loyalty to Megatron is undying]] as a [[DefeatMeansFriendship result of the first-to-wound duel]], and due to his role as information officer [[BigBrotherIsWatching he likely already knows what they're planning]].
58	* YouDontLookLikeYou: Often seen as one of the major oddities to the franchise even from the "continuity family" context. Usually, the main thing that stays consistent between families is the character designs and aesthetics, but the two most famous branches of the family (''VideoGame/TransformersWarForCybertron'' and ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime'') don't exactly have much in common. ''WFC'' characters draw most of their inspiration from G1, being very blocky and usually looking dead-on to their old designs, while ''Prime'' characters look more like a blend of ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'' and the live-action films, with lithe proportions and more jagged details, as well as considerably more significant redesigns. Compare the powerfully-built, heavily G1-esque Soundwave in ''WFC'' with the spindly, faceless Soundwave of ''Prime.''
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Context Franchise / TransformersAlignedUniverse