The Energon Pub

IGN has posted an article summarizing today's Transformers Prime panel discussion from NYCC. The full article can be viewed by clicking here, the highlights are listed below. Naturally spoiler warnings are in effect, especially if you haven't watched yesterday's season finale "One Shall Rise" part three.

The panel was made up of:

• Mike Vogel
• Jeff Kline
• Duane Cappizi
• Teresa Gruber
• Jose Lopez
• Walter Gatus

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Optimus Prime/Orion Pax with the Decepticons story will be fleshed out, expect the unexpected, Prime will receive a Decepticon symbol (we witnessed this in the season two teaser posted earlier today)
  
• Unicron is not the Earth, rather the Earth formed around Unicron's body (we pretty much already knew this from the season one finale)
  
• Bumblebee's lack of voice and why it's never been repaired will be explained in two episode arc early in season two. They would not commit to Bumblebee regaining his voice.
  
• Expect existing characters to get upgrades and gain new abilities
  
• Storyline will leave Earth at some point in season two
  
• New Autobots and Decepticons will be introduced. Expect characters that don't necessarily turn into vehicles
  
• Starscream and Wheeljack will return
  
• Dinobots are "definitely on the radar"
  
• The Tony Todd voicing Dreadwing rumor is confirmed in what they refer to as a "compelling character arc"
  
• Expect a higher body count in season two, and "anyone" can die

Sounds promising. Bring it on!

4 part season finale?

i thought it was just a 3 part finale? i guess what played on teletoon today wasnt the season finale afterall because this orion pax stuff is new and news to me. lol

so that means we in canada still have one more part to go then...fun.

"Anyone" can die? Does that mean they might actually kill off one of the regulars?

that pisses me off that they need to say that starscream will return.. he should never have left.

it's just as annoying as when this type of thing happened in animated. starscream is supposed to be up megatrons ass.. while making snide comments behind his back.. if starscream is going to all out revolt.. wait 'til like season three. i'm sorry.. but having it the way it is sucks.

also.. transformers that don't transform.. that sounds like laziness. i don't mind figures that don't transform.. like dmk prime.. but to have them on the show is unacceptable. they'd just be taking up room that otherwise more well known characters could be using. but then again.. the bullet point sounds a bit vague.. so maybe they transform into something. in which case.. i'm okay with it. but i'd still rather see some more well known characters. i mean.. there are SO many to pull from, why create them at this point.

dinobots would be cool

decepticon prime sounds interesting.

and bumblebees two episode arc seems like it would be cool.

i really just hope this season has more prime. .. we finally get cullen voicing prime in a tv series again.. and he just seemed underutilized throughout most of the first season.

on more thing i don't like about the series is ratchet being the grumpy old a-hole.. it's annoying. i loved ratchet when i was younger,.. and now he looks awesome, but he's a dick

oh well. all in all i really like the series i absolutely LOVE the designs. i think jack and raph are cool.. especially jack.. miko on the other hand i could TOTALLY do without. .. but, what is a transformers cartoon these days without a completely annoying human.

hopefully the series keeps getting better.

TimothyR wrote:
also.. transformers that don't transform.. that sounds like laziness. i don't mind figures that don't transform.. like dmk prime.. but to have them on the show is unacceptable. they'd just be taking up room that otherwise more well known characters could be using. but then again.. the bullet point sounds a bit vague.. so maybe they transform into something. in which case.. i'm okay with it. but i'd still rather see some more well known characters. i mean.. there are SO many to pull from, why create them at this point.

They didn't say that they wouldn't transform.

Expect characters that don't necessarily turn into vehicles

AKA, Animal modes and the like.

@TimothyR
They said that the new characters would not transform into vehicles not that they wouldn't have an alt mode. Meaning that we'll probably see BeastWars type characters added. Or that they're just repeating the news about the addition of the Dinobots.

TimothyR wrote: the bullet point sounds a bit vague.. so maybe they transform into something. in which case.. i'm okay with it.

i guess you guys decided not to read the rest of the paragraph.

That all sounds really cool, like they're really turning it up to eleven on the next season. The episodes that focused on the Cybertronians were easily the best in my opinion. Is there any word on when the next series will begin?

TimothyR wrote:

TimothyR wrote: the bullet point sounds a bit vague.. so maybe they transform into something. in which case.. i'm okay with it.

i guess you guys decided not to read the rest of the paragraph.

You did devote most of that paragraph to complaining about a concept of your own assumption. If you realised how vague the point was then your initial mini-rant seems rather pointless.

Apologies. I'm not trying to be rude, I'm simply highlighting that it appeared you were slightly distressed about the idea of characters who wouldn't transform, but then you take issue with the people who attempted to allay those fears.

Must.... watch.... nnnnnnnnnngggg.......

Season 2 is going to be EEPPPPPIIIIICCCCC

and it appears the new Monday-Thursday slot for Prime on the HUB is 6:30-7:30 (EST anyway). That means back to back episodes Who cares if they're reruns

Sodan-1 wrote:

TimothyR wrote:

TimothyR wrote: the bullet point sounds a bit vague.. so maybe they transform into something. in which case.. i'm okay with it.

i guess you guys decided not to read the rest of the paragraph.

You did devote most of that paragraph to complaining about a concept of your own assumption. If you realised how vague the point was then your initial mini-rant seems rather pointless.

Apologies. I'm not trying to be rude, I'm simply highlighting that it appeared you were slightly distressed about the idea of characters who wouldn't transform, but then you take issue with the people who attempted to allay those fears.

i'm just voicing my displeasure over the idea of non transforming characters. i covered both sides of my assumption.. after all.. no matter what opinion you have, it's going to be an assumption. there are different conclusions you can come to on the point. i covered both, one assumption required a rant, the other didn't.. i figured i'd cover all of my bases.

the way you're talking makes it seem like you can't make any assumptions about anything.. which i'm sure you don't mean.

i took issue with the fact that i had come to two conclusions and had two opinions on the matter, yet only one was focused on. i was just saying if this is what it means.. then i'll be unhappy, and if this is what it means then i'll be okay with it.

wouldn't it be cool if they added shockwave?

anyone can die. but not the kids right? yeah did not think so.

They got the line up wrong
Panel consisted of:
Mike Vogel - Exec VP of Development as moderator
Jeff Kline - Exec Producer
Duane Cappizi - Exec Producer
Therese Trujillo - Animation Producer
Jose Lopez - Lead Character Designer
Walter Gatus - Character Designer
Kirk VanWormer - Lead Storyboard Artist
All the rest of the information jives with what I heard. They also talked about that this is the point at which they have been working in order to show us more of Optimus' character, and mentioned that while Miko is an anime iconographic character who is supposed to embody exuberance and wild energy, she will have some big moments coming up adding depth to her character. Also much talk about what goes into character design and the strong support of Hasbro in helping with that and allowing Prime to put their own spins on designs.
Best part was the teaser showing the moment when Optimus is laying still while watching Knockout burn onto his shoulder, his new Decepticon symbol

YES OH MY GOD SO EXCITED!! please don't kill arcee.

TimothyR wrote:

Sodan-1 wrote:

TimothyR wrote:

TimothyR wrote: the bullet point sounds a bit vague.. so maybe they transform into something. in which case.. i'm okay with it.

i guess you guys decided not to read the rest of the paragraph.

You did devote most of that paragraph to complaining about a concept of your own assumption. If you realised how vague the point was then your initial mini-rant seems rather pointless.

Apologies. I'm not trying to be rude, I'm simply highlighting that it appeared you were slightly distressed about the idea of characters who wouldn't transform, but then you take issue with the people who attempted to allay those fears.

i'm just voicing my displeasure over the idea of non transforming characters. i covered both sides of my assumption.. after all.. no matter what opinion you have, it's going to be an assumption. there are different conclusions you can come to on the point. i covered both, one assumption required a rant, the other didn't.. i figured i'd cover all of my bases.

the way you're talking makes it seem like you can't make any assumptions about anything.. which i'm sure you don't mean.

i took issue with the fact that i had come to two conclusions and had two opinions on the matter, yet only one was focused on. i was just saying if this is what it means.. then i'll be unhappy, and if this is what it means then i'll be okay with it.

You make a valid point generally speaking. Perhaps even a little inspirational.

In this case, the bullet point was "expect characters that don't necessarily turn into vehicles." The specificity of this makes it hard to assume that they won't transform at all, so I think you'll be happy.

crashhcourse wrote:They got the line up wrong
Panel consisted of:
Mike Vogel - Exec VP of Development as moderator
Jeff Kline - Exec Producer
Duane Cappizi - Exec Producer
Therese Trujillo - Animation Producer
Jose Lopez - Lead Character Designer
Walter Gatus - Character Designer
Kirk VanWormer - Lead Storyboard Artist
All the rest of the information jives with what I heard. They also talked about that this is the point at which they have been working in order to show us more of Optimus' character, and mentioned that while Miko is an anime iconographic character who is supposed to embody exuberance and wild energy, she will have some big moments coming up adding depth to her character. Also much talk about what goes into character design and the strong support of Hasbro in helping with that and allowing Prime to put their own spins on designs.
Best part was the teaser showing the moment when Optimus is laying still while watching Knockout burn onto his shoulder, his new Decepticon symbol

Can't wait to see more of Miko and Jack. They need more camera time along with Ratchet.