"Starscream" wasn't the original Starscream, but a clone.
One of many complaints this show has is that after the complex character whose loyalty was conflicted throughout the show's run and ultimately died a hero in Armada, that Starscream returned as more of a loyal lieutenant to Megatron in Energon, and then went classic Starscream but more competent and more evil in Cybertron. My theory therefore is that "Starscream" was in fact a clone of the original, with a new spark and an incomplete copy of Starscream's mind, to provide Megatron and us, a useful Lieutenant back.- This may have some merit, as in the Japanese version, not only does he have a completely different name, but his previous identity is never stated, before Alpha Q renames him.
