The Energon Pub

I had dropped off my car this morning at a local auto shop to have some body work done. While I was there, I saw a Peterbilt truck in the exact shade of dark blue that the Diaclone Powered Commander had on its cab. That sight sparked off a thought that Ultra Magnus could be used in Transformers 3 as an opportunity for expanding the role of the Autobots/Decepticons in the film and allow character development for those characters.

Now I'm not suggesting we significantly reduce the "human element" in the live action movies but I felt that RotF put much more emphasis on the humans to the detriment of the Cybertronian characters. The Sam/Bumblebee dynamic is fine but for the next movie, I'd like to see the "robot element" increased with Optimus Prime in more of a central role on the robot side of things and BB could maintain his role with Sam on the human side of things. This is where Ultra Magnus could come in.

I'm mostly familiar with the G1 UM. I've seen bits of episodes of RiD where that version of UM plays a more antogonistic role. For TF3, I'd like to take elements from those two UMs as well as good elements from any other incarnation of the character and incorporate them into the live action movie version. I'm leaning more towards using UM as an antagonistic character by combining some elements from G1 UM and RiD UM.

At the end of RotF, The Fallen is defeated in battle, Megatron is seriously wounded, and the Decepticon forces who went to Earth have been routed. At this point, what's next? I speculate that Megatron will recover and re-organize the Decepticons under his rule(as it should have been in my opinion, I'm not a fan of The Fallen taking away a lot of Megatron's steam in RotF). If that is the direction the writers take TF3's story, I think several years should pass between RotF and TF3. During this time, groups of Cybertronians spread across the known universe reconvene with their own factions.

Among the Autobots, Ultra Magnus could be one of the field commanders who didn't come to Earth because Optimus Prime personally requested that UM remain in the field to command the Autobots that had to take care of the Decepticons that were spread out. A loyal soldier, UM obeyed but with the Cybertronian equivalent to "gritted teeth". Rodimus/Hot Rod could be UM's second-in-command if you want to incorporate that character as well into TF3.

The portrayal of OP, UM, and Rodimus could be like brothers, not necessarily literal siblings. OP could be the Autobot Supreme Commander that all Autobots respect and follow willingly. UM could be the ultimate field commander, feared by all Decepticons for his flawless tactics and strategy. Rodimus could be the daring "young" soldier, known as the "little brother" to Prime and Magnus. Their relationship with each other could be a bit rocky to add depth.

UM could resent OP's command to remain in the field while other Autobots were allowed to join the main fight on Earth during RotF. His feelings obscuring the fact that OP only asked him to remain in the field because he felt that no other Autobot could be up to the task of basically being the second-in command of the Autobots and command the bulk of the Autobot forces spread out across worlds. OP doesn't realize UM's resentment and UM doesn't realize OP's great respect and trust in UM's abilities. Rodimus, as the "youngest brother" idolizes both OP and UM and sees the truth but isn't able to get the two commanders to see eye to eye. Perhaps OP is too distanced and burdened with the duties of leadership to notice UM's growing dissent. UM stubbornly doesn't speak to OP about much beyond what his commands and duties in the field are, keeping his resentment bottled up. Like many brotherly relationships that become strained, lack of communication is a significant cause of problems.

UM doesn't even want to take higher command or anything, he just feels hurt(I know, calm down, this isn't a suggestion for a sappy or soap opera approach to Transformers) that OP, someone he respects and admires and would willingly follow into battle, would ask him of all Autobots to remain behind after all he sacrificed for their cause. UM could eventually reveal in an outburst to OP, "I believed in you, I shed metal and oil for you in our wars with the Decepticons, and when it came down to ending it once and for all with the Decepticons, with The Fallen, you order me to stay behind? I deserved to fight alongside with you! I deserved my part in the war!". Yet UM doesn't realize how important his part ultimately was by keeping the spread out Autobots unified under his command in the field.

So this kind of strained relationship between UM and OP could be a central piece of plot in TF3 to develop the "robot element" but also humanize the non-human characters for the audience. It sort of kills two birds with one stone. You get more development for the Transformers but you also add to the humanistic element of the story so that it's not just about world threatening crisis that must be solved by having giant robots fight.

This is a super wordy post and there's more I could write about upping the roles of the other Autobots, how I would use Megatron's recovery as a segue into developing him into Galvatron and introducing the concept of Unicron in TF3 to be used as the primary antagonist in a possible TF4, and how I would further further develop Starscream to give further depth to the Decepticons in the movie. However, I'm under no illusion that this is something that will happen. I just needed to type these ideas out and it's all thanks to that damned dark blue Peterbilt I saw this morning.

I like this.
I really do.

Character development in Transformers by Michael Bay?
Why not just ask for less explosions?

id love for ultra mags to be in TF3

Sidewaysx79 wrote:Character development in Transformers by Michael Bay?
Why not just ask for less explosions?

Hehe, yeah, that's why I said I know that something like this will never happen. Unless there's a change in the main players of the film franchise, that is.

Incidentally, I saw the same blue Peterbilt this morning when I dropped my brother off at work. Those Transformers...they're everywhere!

I like the idea of having more specific characters, such as Ultra Magnus and Rodimus, but I can't see Michael Bay doing a good job of portraying them, sadly.

I feel the same way. It's not that I'm knocking Bay as a director but it's just that when I consider his history of work, it's just not something that is a strong point of his. It is what it is. I can always dare to hope he has a change of direction in his...well, direction.

Well Convotron, while I think your idea on Ultra Magnus is just downright perfect. I dont think these movies will ever get round to Character Development, I would love to see some development as much as the next person but I just simply dont see it happening in the movies

It doesn't hurt to hope, Skullgrin140. It probably won't happen but in my happy place, more character development happens in the TF live action movies.

Sidewaysx79 wrote:Character development in Transformers by Michael Bay?
Why not just ask for less explosions?

Wingz wrote:I like the idea of having more specific characters, such as Ultra Magnus and Rodimus, but I can't see Michael Bay doing a good job of portraying them, sadly.

Skullgrin140 wrote:Well Convotron, while I think your idea on Ultra Magnus is just downright perfect. I dont think these movies will ever get round to Character Development, I would love to see some development as much as the next person but I just simply dont see it happening in the movies

I like how people bash the movie just because its written Michael Bay.



And Convotron,2007 Nightwatch Optimus Prime is based on Diaclone Powered Convoy http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/ ... 1478/1/10/


No one wants Ultra Magnus,he is a douche,nobody likes him.

What i said above is a lie.

But seriously,Animated is the most cool version of Ultra Magnus,and if he ever appears in the movies,i hope he is basead on animated.


But stop getting so specific from what you want from the movies,or you disapointed more quickly.

TulioDude wrote:But seriously,Animated is the most cool version of Ultra Magnus,and if he ever appears in the movies,i hope he is basead on animated.

QFT
Animated Magnus was badass.

TulioDude wrote:And Convotron,2007 Nightwatch Optimus Prime is based on Diaclone Powered Convoy http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/ ... 1478/1/10/

No one wants Ultra Magnus,he is a douche,nobody likes him.

What i said above is a lie.

But seriously,Animated is the most cool version of Ultra Magnus,and if he ever appears in the movies,i hope he is basead on animated.


But stop getting so specific from what you want from the movies,or you disapointed more quickly.

Oh, I forgot about Nightwatch OP. Very cool colour scheme!

Animated Ultra Magnus was cool. It's nice to see UM in a Supreme Commander role.

As for getting specific from what is wanted in movies, that isn't it at all. My initial post was just a brainstorm from seeing a dark blue Peterbilt. My idea about Ultra Magnus is simply an example what could be done, not what should be done in future TF movies. Heck, if I, an average joe, can come up with a seed of an idea for further character development in the story then what professional writers will do for the next TF movie should blow away my modest effort at a plot idea.

If anything, I and others in the TF fan community basically want more character development. How that is achieved is up to the people involved with making the movie. The desire for more character development is not a very specific request, it's a fundamental part of good storytelling.

Jacob P. Galvatron wrote:

TulioDude wrote:But seriously,Animated is the most cool version of Ultra Magnus,and if he ever appears in the movies,i hope he is basead on animated.

QFT
Animated Magnus was badass.

Especially with his alternate mode:
http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Image:Ani_Ultra_Magnus_alt.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_Expa ... ical_Truck

http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Image:Leaderanim ... magnus.jpg

Convotron wrote:
Oh, I forgot about Nightwatch OP. Very cool colour scheme!

Animated Ultra Magnus was cool. It's nice to see UM in a Supreme Commander role.

As for getting specific from what is wanted in movies, that isn't it at all. My initial post was just a brainstorm from seeing a dark blue Peterbilt. My idea about Ultra Magnus is simply an example what could be done, not what should be done in future TF movies. Heck, if I, an average joe, can come up with a seed of an idea for further character development in the story then what professional writers will do for the next TF movie should blow away my modest effort at a plot idea.

If anything, I and others in the TF fan community basically want more character development. How that is achieved is up to the people involved with making the movie. The desire for more character development is not a very specific request, it's a fundamental part of good storytelling.

I know what you,i expected for TF 2,the USA with fear from Transformers would clone them or we would have a movie Beast Wars.
But i was far off,the writters amused me with the plot.

Well, I was just thinking. What role should Ultra Magnus play if he made his way into the films, I wouldnt want him in the superior role the same way Magnus was in Animated. I would want him back in the same way he was in G1, as a City Commander and doubting his leadership skills.

Skullgrin140 wrote:Well, I was just thinking. What role should Ultra Magnus play if he made his way into the films, I wouldnt want him in the superior role the same way Magnus was in Animated. I would want him back in the same way he was in G1, as a City Commander and doubting his leadership skills.

I totally agree. One of my main issues with the plot of RotF was that in the first movie, you basically get the overwhelming impression that Megatron is the Supreme Commander of the Decepticons, but when The Fallen is introduced into the movie storyline, all of a sudden Megatron becomes second fiddle. This itself wouldn't have been so bad had The Fallen been portrayed in a more impressive manner(or perhaps if Optimus Prime/Jetfire hadn't been portrayed so impressively).

If UM were to be introduced into the movie storyline in a similar fashion where he just shows up all of a sudden in the next movie as the Supreme Commander of the Autobots and trumps OP's authority, it causes unnecessary confusion, however briefly. An average audience member who has watched TF & TF:RotF will assume OP is the big boss bot and will likely think "Wait a minute...who's this guy and why is HE the leader that we've never heard of until this movie? I thought that was Optimus Prime.".

Convotron wrote:

Skullgrin140 wrote:Well, I was just thinking. What role should Ultra Magnus play if he made his way into the films, I wouldnt want him in the superior role the same way Magnus was in Animated. I would want him back in the same way he was in G1, as a City Commander and doubting his leadership skills.

I totally agree. One of my main issues with the plot of RotF was that in the first movie, you basically get the overwhelming impression that Megatron is the Supreme Commander of the Decepticons, but when The Fallen is introduced into the movie storyline, all of a sudden Megatron becomes second fiddle. This itself wouldn't have been so bad had The Fallen been portrayed in a more impressive manner(or perhaps if Optimus Prime/Jetfire hadn't been portrayed so impressively).

If UM were to be introduced into the movie storyline in a similar fashion where he just shows up all of a sudden in the next movie as the Supreme Commander of the Autobots and trumps OP's authority, it causes unnecessary confusion, however briefly. An average audience member who has watched TF & TF:RotF will assume OP is the big boss bot and will likely think "Wait a minute...who's this guy and why is HE the leader that we've never heard of until this movie? I thought that was Optimus Prime.".

Well Honestly, the idea of people thinking that Prime & Megs being the head honchos is beginning to stir abit. I dont think having Magnus as the supreme commander is a bad idea, its just I miss seeing him as the City Commander and being the one having doubts about his responsibility as leader. Even though he couldnt "deal with it" in animated, it will be interesting if he can deal with it in the movies.

I am starting to miss the Fallen now, because if Magnus was "Supreme Commander" it would have been nice to see him fight The Fallen...Oh well.

Oh, having Ultra Magnus isn't a bad idea at all but it's just that in the current movie storyline it's implied that OP is the big bot. The way that TFA established in the beginning that Optimus Prime was a field commander and Ultra Magnus was his superior avoided possible confusion. However, I could see introducing UM into the movie's storyline as a "retired" Supreme Commander, kind of like how Jetfire was basically in a dormant stasis lock state.

I would have liked to see the Fallen more competent in the movie and maybe have him grievously wounded but not outright slaughtered. That way, you could have him return in TF3 to fight UM. Two ancient Cybertronians in an epic battle.

as you may surmise from my icon UM is my favorite transformer i think it would be awsome if he was in number
three i heard some were that he was supposed to be in rotf but was cut out.
By the way good possible story line too

viewtopic.php?f=44&t=55078&start=100

In this thread we considered Ultra Magnus as one addition to the Autobot Line up for Film 3.


The International Lonestar became the favored Vehicle mode.

I like the idea you have about UM being left behind to run the Autobot cause, and the relationship and strain coming from this is very RiD.

Like I stated in my original post, it is a real shame that they made these primes based on birth right instead of by leadership and prowess.


I have rolled this round in my head a bit since then.

What if we took your UM idea. Made UM the Commander of the Autobot Forces on Cybertron while Prime is fighting on Earth.

Ultra Magnus and Grimlock (UM's 2nd) are fighting the War on Cybertron. Now these guys should be HUGE war machines. Grimlock from War within and Magnus from Animated both come to mind. They are getting annoyed now though. They are losing this war and are wondering why so many Autobots are leaving for Earth... they should be staying to help win this war, not protect some miserable planet that they have never even heard of...

Now, Megatron has no All Spark to get, nor does he now follow the Fallen (nor should he ever had but that is my opinion) returns to Cybertron to take Leadership of the Decepticon War effort. Currently ran by ...... (to be decided later - possibly Shockwave) who is doing an amazing job since he/she is pushing the autobots back in the droves. Megatron comes back and takes command and redoubles the efforts on the autobots.

Sooooooowah... Optimus prime takes alot of the Autobots back to Cybertron, leaving a small contingent on Earth for protection (with an international human garrison *). But since this means it is going to be more cybertron based, and the film writers want more humans in the damn film... lets steal Primus C-00's idea of adding a Headmaster/Targetmaster type human element.

That NEST (what a poopy name for a strike contingent) operation could provide Military personnel (10-15? for onscreen usage, but in essence a HUGE human army a good 50,000 odd men from all over the world) to be augmented with some form of Exosuit (GI Joe stylé). I don't think that having them turn into weapons is a good idea, nor having them turn into parts such as the head. But having them with the augmented suits with minor transformation abilities, such as weaponry and some booster jet systems or something will be a little bit more manageable.

* explained. Because of the public knowledge of the transformers and the threat from aliens, the human race has finally managed to band together and co-op peacefully with some form of united government (not with some dodgey american president though PLEASE!! Make it an Australian or South African... someone that usually doesn't get the spotlight.) So now that the humans are at peace, the autobots help them defend themselves with a garrison/base to defend the planet on each continent with humans using exosuit type armour.

Putting the humans back into the picture again for the sake of the writers... Prime is so impressed with a few of the human Generals willingness not to lose men with their strategic planning, he decides to take them back to Cybertron with the Combatants to help swing the war in their favour.


AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanyway...
Taking this force back with prime to cybertron, Ultra Magnus and Grimlock are not convinced, they think that this will just make the struggle worse. Too many cheifs, and with Prime been gone, UM and Grimlock have gotten used to fighting their way.
However, this massive increase in personnel helps the Autobots swing the War in their favour, and pushing the decepticons back. (Again causing massive unrest with the decepticons who were doing so well untill megatron came back to take command, decide to cause an uprising by none other than starscream)

But this push back with the humans makes Ultra Magnus and Grimlock understand why Prime was fighting for Earth. They put aside their anger with him and maybe do some good.

(how the story pans out from their with the arrival of unicron I have not worked out, but according to the hype unicron IS going to be in the next film... maybe the uprising of the decepticons cause them to deactivate megatron, since he is such a pansy already and shoot his lifeless body into space where he meets Unicron???)



This is the Hierarchy

Optimus Prime (Commander and Chief)
--Ultra Magnus (Viceroy)
----Grimlock (General)
----Jazz - Deceased (General)
----Human General from Russia
----Human General from America
----Human General from Japan
------Everyone Else.

Oh, and I know that none of this would happen... because of the massive costs of such CGI and the lack of funding from GM due to the lack of Vehicles modeled in an off-world film. But they could really put some of their concept vehicles to the test with outlandish off-world designs!!


What elements would you guys 'n' gals consider need work?