Line #14 Franchise/TransformersTimelines


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/transformers_timelines.png]]
2
3	->''"Do you know that there are [[TheMultiverse more than fifteen quadrillion concurrent universes]]? It's true!"''
4	-->--''Bug Bite. Yes, ''[[WesternAnimation/ChallengeOfTheGobots that]]'' Bug Bite, in "Games of Deception"''
5
6	In 2005, when Fun Publications took over the official ''{{Franchise/Transformers}}'' convention and fanclub, they put most of their "Transformers" fiction under the ''Transformers Timelines'' label.
7
8	Storywise, the ''Timelines'' storylines are separate from each other, although the events of different stories ''do'' influence each other (sometimes [[IntercontinuityCrossover across different continuities]]). Also, the stories are not even all in the same ''medium''. Instead, the storylines are all told via serial installments spanning multiple mediums--mainly ComicBooks and WebOriginal [[ShortStory short prose stories]]--which are available for members at [[http://www.transformersclub.com the official fan club website]].
9
10	There's also the official fan club [[http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Hasbro_Transformers_Collectors%27_Club_%28magazine%29 magazine]]. The magazine issues contain a main serial comic and minicomics which ''aren't'' part of the ''Timelines'' brand. Despite that, the stories within the magazine are interrelated with the ''Timelines'' stories. Events within a ''Timelines'' story would influence or lead to a story in the magazine, and vice versa. Thus, this page is for tropes regarding ''both'' ''Timelines'' and the fan club magazine. (Confused yet?)
11
12	Fun Publications lost the club and convention rights to ''Transformers'' at the end of 2016, which included the ability to produce original fiction. The last material to be produced, the ''Spatiotemporal Challengers'' finale, was posted on New Year's Eve along with a NYE-themed ''[=TransTech=]'' storyline on their Facebook pages.
13
14	!!Fun Publications ''Transformers'' fiction involves these continuities/universes that originated in previous fiction:
15	* The ''Anime/TransformersRobotsInDisguise'' continuity
16	* The Anime/UnicronTrilogy (at least the ''Anime/TransformersCybertron'' portion)
17	* The ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'' continuity
18	* The ''WesternAnimation/ChallengeOfTheGobots'' universe (no, really)
19	* The ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'' continuity
20
21	!!Continuities/universes original to the fanclub have also been introduced:
22	* ''Transformers Classics'', a [[AlternateTimeline splinter timeline]] that ignores ''ComicBook/TransformersGeneration2'' to continue the US version of ''ComicBook/TheTransformersMarvel'' in a different manner.
23	[[index]]
24	* ''ComicBook/TransformersTransTech'', a universe populated by highly advanced Cybertronians and a [[CityOfAdventure multidimensional hub city]]; apparently the only known universe where Cybertron never experienced a civil war.
25	* ''ComicBook/TransformersShatteredGlass'', a universe where [[MirrorUniverse the Autobots are evil and the Decepticons are heroic]].
26	* ''ComicBook/TransformersWingsOfHonor'', a continuity similar to the original ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'' cartoon, but with various differences. Most notably, characters having different appearances, the existence of a [[WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated Cybertron Elite Guard]] before the Great War, and after it a "second generation" of Earth-born kiddie Transformers with superpowers.
27	* ''ComicBook/BeastWarsUprising:'' A dark future, where the Autobots and Decepticons have become too decrepit to continue fighting, and have built the Maximals and Predacons to fight in their stead. However, some of their creations have their own ideas, and start a rebellion, and an all new war breaks out on Cybertron.
28	[[/index]]
29	* ''Of Masters and Mayhem'': A bleak universe where Cybertron has been utterly razed by [[GoneHorriblyRight the ultimate combiner]] and the Transformers are an endangered species scattered across the cosmos.
30
31	!!Tropes across continuities
32	* AlternateContinuity: A lot of them, as shown above.
33	** AlternateUniverse
34	*** TheMultiverse: Might not contain as many universes as the quote on top of the page suggests. Unicron has been stated to have been destroyed at least 20% of it.
35	* ApocalypseHow: Class Z. The [[Anime/TransformersCybertron Unicron Singularity]] threatened to destroy the entire ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'' multiverse. According to the [=TransTechs=], destruction of universes happen ''a lot''. The [[spoiler:WesternAnimation/ChallengeOfTheGobots universe]] (seriously) apparently is also under this threat.
36	* ArmCannon: Landquake has one on each arm. Classicsverse Megatron has a large one. Megatron of ''[[ComicBook/TransformersShatteredGlass Shattered Glass]]'' carries around a ''tank'' on his arm.
37	* AuthorityEqualsAssKicking: ''Shattered Glass'' Optimus Prime and ''[=TransTech=]'' Megatron.
38	* BadassCrew: The Elite Guard, which shows up in ''[[ComicBook/TransformersShatteredGlass Shattered Glass]]'' and ''[[ComicBook/TransformersWingsOfHonor Wings Of Honor]]'', albeit in two very different forms.
39	* BeardOfEvil: There's Unicron and ''[[ComicBook/TransformersShatteredGlass Shattered Glass]]'' Rodimus [[spoiler:and Alpha Trion]]. Also ''[[ComicBook/TransformersWingsOfHonor Wings of Honor]]'' Scourge.
40	* BigBad: Different stories and continuities have different ones. Some are from earlier series, including Unicron, WesternAnimation/BeastWars Megatron, and even [[Anime/TransformersVictory Deathsaurus]]. There's also [[ComicBook/TransformersShatteredGlass Shattered Glass]] Optimus Prime.
41	* CombiningMecha: Skyfall, Landquake, Breakaway, Topspin, and Heatwave although [[spoiler:they originally ''were'' one being]].
42	** ''Of Masters and Mayhem'' features two, Thunder Mayhem and Wreckage, with the latter meant as a way of fighting the former.
43	* CrapsackWorld: The Beast Wars: Uprising universe kinda freaking sucks. The Autobots and Decepticons are still at war, but most of them are too decrepit to fight, and made the Maximals and Predacons to fight in their place. By the time we first see this universe, Silverbolt and Rhinox are already K.I.A. and Optimus Primal was murdered by Blackarachnia and Nightscream.
44	* GuardianOfTheMultiverse: Vector Prime
45	* HealingSerpent: In the ''Transformers: The Wreckers'' series, the Maximal Night Viper transforms into a cobra and has the ability to heal himself by shedding his skin.
46	* HomoeroticSubtext: Alpha Bravo and Offroad's relationship in ''Of Masters and Mayhem'' has extremely strong romantic undertones, including some very flattering descripions in Alpha Bravo's narrative when they first meet, their respective pilots being a couple, and [[spoiler:a tragic MurderSuicide ending with heavy doses of CradlingYourKill and TogetherInDeath]]. Due to an official NoHuggingNoKissing policy, however, they are only ever referred to as friends in-text.
47	* IAmWho: From the comic of the fan club magazine: Skyfall, Landquake, Breakaway, Topspin, and Heatwave turn out to be [[spoiler:parts of Nexus Prime, one of the Thirteen Original Transformers]]. This was actually revealed ''before'' Topspin and Heatwave were introduced.
48	* IntercontinuityCrossover: Quite a lot. As of 2010, ''every'' subseries of the fanclub magazine has done this in some form:
49	** ''[[ComicBook/TransformersShatteredGlass Shattered Glass]]'' had Cliffjumper from the ''Classics'' universe.
50	** Pretty much every story related to the [[http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Transcendent_Technomorph [=TransTechs=]]].
51	** [[spoiler:Nexus Prime and Aquarius]] travel from the ''[[ComicBook/TransformersShatteredGlass Shattered Glass]]'' universe to briefly spend time in the present day of the ''[[ComicBook/TransformersWingsOfHonor Wings Of Honor]]'' universe.
52	** Shattered Glass Ultra Magnus invades the Classicverse.
53	* KentBrockmanNews: The ShowWithinAShow minicomic "[[http://rid-nightviper.deviantart.com/gallery/ Around Cybertron]]", which involves the exploits of the journalists in a news program that so far spans three different universes.
54	* MacGuffin: The Dark Heart of Sandokan in a ''Unicron Trilogy'' story, [[WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated Sari's key]] in [[ComicBook/TransformersTranstech "Bee in the City"]].
55	* MerchandiseDriven: Quite a bit of the fiction either was produced to promote, or sprang from said promotions for, the annual toysets made for [=BotCon=]. There was also fiction meant to tie in with the yearly Membership Incentive Figure, the Figure Subscription Service, and/or other club-exclusive figures.
56	* {{Prequel}}/{{Sequel}}: A lot of the ''Timelines'' fiction consists of either stand-alone stories intended to either predate or continue existing continuities, or entire new continuities that use existing continuities as branching-off points.
57	* SenselessSacrifice: In ''Of Masters and Mayhem'', [[spoiler:Alpha Bravo kills himself and Offroad to keep the Wreckers from being able to Wreckage ever again, but replacements are found in the next story and Wreckage goes on its merry way.]]
58	* TimeAbyss: Some of the more ancient Transformers.
59	* TransformingMecha

Context Franchise / TransformersTimelines