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Ayumi-chan 3rd happiest man in Connecticut from Iacon City (Experienced Trainee) Relationship Status: I like big bots and I can not lie
3rd happiest man in Connecticut
#9676: Jun 15th 2025 at 10:09:14 AM

I knew that some continuities portrayed the Autobots as morally grey but I always thought they were a La Résistance fighting oppression.

She/Her | Currently cleaning: N/A
Kaiseror Since: Jul, 2016
#9677: Jun 15th 2025 at 10:44:15 AM

The corrupt nobility thing is kinda weird when you consider that Autobot traditionally turn into civilian cars while Decepticona typically turn into military vehicles. Since when does that scream "oppressed working class"?

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#9678: Jun 15th 2025 at 10:46:48 AM

I think it was like the Autobots weren't corrupt nobility but it formed around protecting the old order and system out of the belief things could change through less violent methods.

While the Cons condoned a burn it all down revolution.

So the conflict was the bots who wanted to change things from the inside like Optimus vs those who wanted to burn it all down like Megatron.

It's like how in IDW Optimus was a super cop who communicated with all the higher ups, politicians, and was even groomed by the then Prime to take after him.

Edited by slimcoder on Jun 15th 2025 at 10:47:49 AM

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
HandsomeRob Leader of the Holey Brotherhood from The land of broken records Since: Jan, 2015
Leader of the Holey Brotherhood
#9679: Jun 15th 2025 at 10:53:17 AM

Hmmm.

I think people have lost a lot of faith in Internal Reformist.

Fiction in particular, often shows it to be massively ineffective due to there being too much drama to mine out of on the wrong side, but thinks he can fix things if he sticks with it, so the Internal Reformist is constantly failing to internally reform anything.

One Strip! One Strip!
chasemaddigan I'm Sad Frogerson. Since: Oct, 2011
I'm Sad Frogerson.
#9680: Jun 15th 2025 at 11:14:50 AM

I want to say maybe Beast Wars was the first continuity to have the idea that the Autobots (or rather Maximals in this case) were upholding an oppressive status quo while the Decepticons (or Predacons) were the underclass trying to break free.

It's not a huge part of the story, since so much of the action is isolated from what's going on Cybertron. But there are hints across the series that the Maximal High Council is corrupt, what with their experiments on Rampage and withholding information of the Great War from its citizens. You also had Megatron briefly comment how the Predacons suffer under the rule of the Maximals when he first enters the Ark.

Granted, the main Maximals don't seem to really profit from this status quo. The Axalon crew was just a group of scientists that were roped into cleaning up the High Council's mess, and most of the Predacons we do see are mostly self-serving opportunists. Beast Machines shows what would happen if Megatron got his way and it's obvious he doesn't care about helping his fellow Predacons, and the Tripredacus Council (the only glimpse we see of Predacon society on Cybertron) are also self-serving bastards who are willing to sacrifice most of their race to get what they want.

I think it would've been interesting if the show explored that angle a bit more, but Beast Machines went in a very different direction.

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#9681: Jun 15th 2025 at 11:22:39 AM

The irony of the whole nobility issue is that it makes the war pointless after a point.

As at some point usually all the nobles and politicians die in the war meaning the original reason foe them fighting is no longer a thing. But they keep going out of pure inertia and cause the Cons at that point have fully given into bloodshed.

[up] I would love a series that actually explores what the Maximal/Predacon world is like in the present day.

Closest we got to that is the Beast Wars Gathering/Rising comics which starred all the extra Beast Wars bots who never got into the main show.

I always found it funny how the Tripedecus Council and their Combiner got a character profile but to my knowledge I don't think there's an in canon moment of them combining since the Council has never taken center stage in anything.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
EmeraldSource Since: Jan, 2021
#9682: Jun 15th 2025 at 12:55:51 PM

Trying to depict a planetary civil war with Black-and-White Morality is a flawed approach regardless of the origins of the war. Even if the Decepticons started as manual laborers thrown into gladiator fights for the upper class, Megatron's uprising is never depicted as a solution but an angry monster who wants to be the one doing the oppressing. G1 had a few hints towards more complex motivations for individuals such as Jetfire, but Beast Wars of course had both Dinobot and the Predacon shell programs show that there are a variety of reasons why someone would join either side. A couple works like DOTM and TF: Prime hint at a Megatron who reconsiders the entire conflict and just wants it to end, but rarely explore those implications further.

Comics are just words and pictures. You can do anything with words and pictures.
Ayumi-chan 3rd happiest man in Connecticut from Iacon City (Experienced Trainee) Relationship Status: I like big bots and I can not lie
3rd happiest man in Connecticut
#9683: Jun 15th 2025 at 8:10:39 PM

Screw it, I'm dropping lore about my fan continuity as I conceptualize the rest of the story:

  • As with One, the starting members of the Autobots were regular citizens working menial tasks. Optimus starts of as miner who is tasked with mining energy and minerals who develops a love for organic life while another planet.
  • In Cybertron, there is a colony named Feithid (which means bug in Irish Gaelic), situated on vast open land with a variety of tunnels connecting it to Iacon and other parts of the planet. It's well-known for having a variety of insect motif-ed bots and machinery and for its study of organic life. Bumblebee and Cliffjumper were born in this colony.
  • Entertainment on Cybertron tales the form of recreational games and movies (in fact, in my continuity, Mirage is an actor before war). There is also a burgeoning game scene (based on the 80s PC boom of Japan).
  • Music takes the form of electronic music. I mean, they are robots, they probs never heard an actual instrument before coming to Earth.
  • Unicron doesn't exist in my continuity but the Vok from Beast Wars do.
  • Cybertronians have colonized its neighboring planets and forged new transformers there. As is canon, Blurr is from Velocitron while Windblade and Drift are from Caminus.

She/Her | Currently cleaning: N/A
mii-tis I want to be wanted, is that so wrong? from You tell me (Y2: Electric Boogaloo) Relationship Status: Longing for Dulcinea
I want to be wanted, is that so wrong?
#9684: Jun 16th 2025 at 4:01:56 AM

apperentaly, its confirmed in Cyberworld that Elita's alt mode is a Hovercraft.

lets just hope there wont be any eels on her...

I AM PREY TO NONE!
RAlexa21th Zettai Ryouiki Enjoyer from California (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I <3 love!
Zettai Ryouiki Enjoyer
#9685: Jun 16th 2025 at 11:39:36 AM

I have a thought. Fire truck is probably the best alt mode for Optimus Prime. It's a big "heroic" vehicle. It allows him to have the classic torso shape and transformation. It can disguise weapons as water cannons, so Optimus can fight in vehicle mode beyond ramming or sprouting missiles out of thin air. The firefighter motif also works well with Optimus' axe (though for some reason Animated Optimus is the only fire truck to use axe).

Edited by RAlexa21th on Jun 16th 2025 at 11:40:57 AM

Continue writing our story of peace.
Ghilz Perpetually Confused from Yeeted at Relativistic Velocities Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Barbecuing
Perpetually Confused
#9686: Jun 16th 2025 at 12:56:21 PM

Counterpoint a regular truck calls back to Optimus' everyman, working background as a miner/dockworker/blue collar type. A truck lacks any ostensible mark of prestige or authority which fits Optimus' general humble vibe, and it lets him literally carry things, including his own men, as a leader should.

Edited by Ghilz on Jun 16th 2025 at 3:56:46 PM

HandsomeRob Leader of the Holey Brotherhood from The land of broken records Since: Jan, 2015
Leader of the Holey Brotherhood
#9687: Jun 16th 2025 at 1:04:28 PM

[up][up]

Yeah!👍🏿

[up]

Shit. Also yeah.

I won't lie. I've been team fire truck for a long time, but the above post is a good argument for team regular Semi-truck.

Both honestly work pretty well.

One Strip! One Strip!
Ghilz Perpetually Confused from Yeeted at Relativistic Velocities Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Barbecuing
Perpetually Confused
#9688: Jun 16th 2025 at 1:10:01 PM

I like Optimus being a truck specifcally because a truck is so mundane. Especially compared to later versions who try to jazz it up by making him a fire truck or super space truck or other Autobots leaders who have those fantastic alt modes. That Optimus' alt mode isn't even something outwardly heroic fits the humility of the character, especially his G1 Team Dad self. Even compared to Rodimus' Space Winnebago, Optimus looks so normal it's part of the charm.

TMH-Sir-Iron-Vomit The clown of STEEL from Ichnusa Since: Mar, 2024
The clown of STEEL
#9689: Jun 16th 2025 at 1:13:03 PM

I'm also team fire engine. I guess there's some biases involved, since my first Transformers series were Robots in Disguise '01note  and Cybertron. But hey, it really fits Optimus' character and color scheme — on top of making cool toys.

And in the last decade, the only firetruck Optimuses we had were new figures for older Optimus incarnations (RiD'01, Cybertron, Animated) — it's been a long time since we last had an original firetruck Optimus, and I doubt we'll get a new one anytime soon.

Which, on the other hand, means that team normal truck will never run out of new figures and incarnations.

Oo oo ah ah
Ghilz Perpetually Confused from Yeeted at Relativistic Velocities Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Barbecuing
Perpetually Confused
#9690: Jun 16th 2025 at 2:33:48 PM

I still find the description of Cybertron Optimus as a "fire truck" funny. Like, based on what metric?

Firetrucks, well known for their giant fuckoff railguns.

Noah1 (It’s Ben 10) Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#9691: Jun 16th 2025 at 2:38:11 PM

A Kids' Meal Toy for Animated OP describes him as a "Fire Truck Cab", so maybe there's a way to amalgamate the two concepts...?

Nonetheless, I've settled on team semi-truck for two reasons: A, it's easier to retool into a car carrier for Ultra Magnus, and B, there are plenty other characters to fill the "heroic fire engine" niche, namely Heatwave, Hot Spot, Inferno, and so on.
If you ask me, the real debate over Optimus Prime's alt-mode is... flat-nose or long-nose?

I miss you.
TMH-Sir-Iron-Vomit The clown of STEEL from Ichnusa Since: Mar, 2024
The clown of STEEL
#9692: Jun 16th 2025 at 2:47:59 PM

[up]Technically there's already something like that: tiller trucks.

Oo oo ah ah
HandsomeRob Leader of the Holey Brotherhood from The land of broken records Since: Jan, 2015
Leader of the Holey Brotherhood
#9693: Jun 16th 2025 at 3:41:09 PM

Yeah. I admit, regular truck works well.

I will say, that if he's not a regular truck, a Fire Truck is still a good runner up choice.

One Strip! One Strip!
EmeraldSource Since: Jan, 2021
#9694: Jun 16th 2025 at 4:05:26 PM

I generally prefer Optimus to be a truck with a lean robot mode while using his trailer for base/weaponry/jetpack/etc. I'm not big on him combining with his trailer or being a top-heavy robot with a huge shoulders, backpack or gratuitous wings, which is more typical of his fire truck alt modes. Some versions even make him like a gorilla.

Comics are just words and pictures. You can do anything with words and pictures.
wanderlustwarrior Role Model from Where Gods Belong Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: What's love got to do with it?
Role Model
#9695: Jun 16th 2025 at 4:11:54 PM

And we can't have Optimus being a gorilla!

I never had a strong preference for fire engine vs truck, but after reading this page's comments, I'm leaning towards truck. There's other characters who can lean more into firefighter tropes, kind of like how Red Alert does for medical. Flat nose is the better truck version for Optimus, even if they aren't as common and kind of hinder the disguise. His robot mode torso is too iconic and kinda necessitates flat.

The sad, REAL American dichotomy
Kaiseror Since: Jul, 2016
#9696: Jun 16th 2025 at 8:55:13 PM

As of late, I've learned more towards firetruck myself. I also consider firefighter/EMT a blue-collar type job, so it still fits. It also works with his trademark axe.

I've also come to prefer Megatron transforming into some kind of osprey helicopter rather than a tank.

Edited by Kaiseror on Jun 16th 2025 at 11:03:20 AM

AlphaBrav0 Faraway's Sun from A pink apartment complex Since: Aug, 2016 Relationship Status: Wishing you were here
Faraway's Sun
#9697: Jun 16th 2025 at 9:02:03 PM

Yeah, Megatron as a helicopter gunship just feels appropriate given the Decepticons' air superiority while still retaining the "living weapon" theme he's known for... I'm surprised Hasbro has only done it twice.

Close your eyes, and you'll leave this dream~
Ghilz Perpetually Confused from Yeeted at Relativistic Velocities Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Barbecuing
Perpetually Confused
#9698: Jun 16th 2025 at 9:05:03 PM

Partial to Stealthbomber Megatron.

Fire Truck Optimus is fine, though IMHO it's too flashy. Optimus doesn't broadcast he's a heroic figure. It's why I like the regular truck. It's humble. No flashing light. No automatic adoration. No right of way. Like the alt mode is supposed to be a disguise (it's in the brand motto!) and it feels like Optimus wouldn't pick something ostentatious and that people consider traditionally heroic.

Optimus is the kind of dude who'd go on about how Firemen are the real hero and turning into a fire truck would almost be like... stealing valor or some such.

Edited by Ghilz on Jun 16th 2025 at 12:09:12 PM

Ayumi-chan 3rd happiest man in Connecticut from Iacon City (Experienced Trainee) Relationship Status: I like big bots and I can not lie
3rd happiest man in Connecticut
#9699: Jun 16th 2025 at 9:14:38 PM

While I do like Optimus as a semi-truck, I will admit that the Firetruck got on a chokehold. Like it makes sense you know. Firetrucks put our fires, Optimus saves people, like that.

She/Her | Currently cleaning: N/A
Kaiseror Since: Jul, 2016
#9700: Jun 16th 2025 at 9:15:00 PM

For me, I think it's more because if I made a Transformers story, I'd have Optimus start out as the Cybertonian equivalent of a firefighter/paramedic before he became a Prime. I'd also have him originally be a protégé of Ratchet, but that's more because I liked their relationship in Animated and Prime.

Edited by Kaiseror on Jun 16th 2025 at 11:20:47 AM


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