roblinb wrote:As someone who used to be in the U.S. military (I still work for them as a civilian) I always thought that Bay is a hard core supporter of the men and women in uniform. While that's very cool, I also agree with the original poster that he (Bay) greatly exaggerates the power of the U.S. military. Rail guns do exist, but the way it one-shotted the most bad ass Transformer was pretty lame. If you recall from the cartoon series Autobot laser fire just bounced off Devastator... but in the movie a single shot from a human weapon is all it takes. Not only that, but they made Skids and Mudflap look good by doing so!

Devastator been taken down in one hit a couple times in G1. In his first appearance Hound made a hologram of a bigger bot, and confused and frightened devastator, which Prime shot him once and they fell apart. Broadside flew into the air in jet mode, then turned into an aircraftcarrier and crushed devastator. In same episode Perceptor knocked them apart in a single blast. (I suppose he knew where him then like computron does against abominus at one point.)
Plenty of combiners been taken down in short order, as Sky lynx has manhandled predaking. Mensor one hit bruticus from behind. Galvatron blasted superion and caused him to disasemble.
I was curious how devastator was stopped in the movie before I saw it. I found him too big and clumsy really be all that effective, which isnt actually bad take on him since hes been shown be one of the slowest dumbest combiners in G1. (only one dumber was Abominus) While on some lvl I thought Mudflap should been toast, but him surviving redeemed him as a character in my eyes. The twins likely didnt do much damage, but the fact they didnt die horribly like I expected proved they werent total screw ups.
While Id prefer they didnt get as Air strike bombardment happy near end, but it is realistic that humans that are well prepared can put up a heck of a fight against transformers.(and would unlike the autobot city fight in the 86 film, humans were no where in sight despite the battle spanning atleast a day or 2.) Not saying they d win as the Fallen proved be too much for them.
I felt the first movie did a good job of showing how decepticons could feasibly knock us on out butts without the autobots help, as without global comunications we d be screwed. They used their stealth to pick us apart, which had the autobots never gotten involved, we wouldnt have lasted. While I dont think the cons could openly attack and just hang out visibly and expect survive, but if they hit and run while picking key targets, they could mess up the world badly as the first movie showed. The idea of a nearly invisible weapon system that can just sneak up and unleash hell is a scray thought as Id hate been at the base when Blackout rolled up heh. (which how the General managed survive to be in the second movie I dont know since they said no survivors before.)
"The question that once haunted my being has been answered. The future is not fixed, and my choices are my own. And yet, how ironic...for I now find that I have no choice at all! I am a warrior...let the battle be joined." —Dinobot