Flux Convoy wrote:I'm shocked so much time is spent discussing gender, sexuality and gender roles. I don't care who's in love with you. The question is, was it poignant? Did it stir a reaction for you? Did it make sense for the characters? Optimus Prime could be ga ga for Megatron for all I care. As long as it were handled with respect to the characters, I couldn't care less. These robots, autonomous beings or whatever you want to call them are as human in their personalities as can be. Why is emotion or even love such a taboo thing here? These aren't your fathers Transformers indeed. Thank God for that.
![Autobot :BOT:](./images/smilies/smiley-autobot.png)
Respectfully, I'd say that the topic has always been a discussion point since female Transformers were introduced in S2 of G1.
It has never been a simple or quiet issue with a lot of how and why questions remaining unanswered.
To complicate the matter further, gender and gender identity is a topic this very comic line tackles in a very strange fashion, leaving more questions than answers in its wake.
So when we have a new theme, the possibility of what might be"Romantic Love", it most certainly is a topic worth discussing at length and should not be simply taken at face value.
I don't think anyone on the cast would argue that the plot "moment' was poignant.
The questions that arise from it are, "Does this fit within the existing framework?" "Is it expanding the story framework?" "Will it have lasting relevence?"
On the gender matter, the writer has set up a few questions that really do need answers. "Are Transformers gender neutral? (This one solves almost every issue or point of discussion...)" "What does Arcee's engineered gender mean? Were the rest male? Were the rest genderless and 'females' are the only gender? Does any of it matter since gender is not a necessary element of procreation?"
Of course, even putting these questions out there is somewhat of a matter in embarrassing nerd analysis. However, this is a podcast, a discussion show, so when the fandom begins to discuss these matters, we try to do so openly and honestly.