The Energon Pub

So with IDW wrapping up soon, the movies about to be rebooted with the Bumblebee movie, and Cyberverse about to kick off, now seemed as good a time as ever to come up with ideas for hypothetical new TF fiction. So basically; post your ideas for new stories, continuities, crossovers, spinoffs or whatever here.

I've had a few ideas myself, notably:

"Transformers except a Mahou Shoujo series"- I had an idea of blending the Masterforce "humans become Transformers" concept with the magical girl format (Sailor Moon, Cardcaptor Sakura and countless others). So simply put, small team of girls find/are given Master Braces or whatever, and can use them to temporarily become Transformers themselves and fight Decepticons. IMO, blending Transformers with Mecha Musume and Mahou Shoujo would make for a really interesting concept, would appeal to a wide audience (young girls and older fans alike) and would potentially allow for really cool designs; I don't know about you but I'd buy a Transformer with a magical girl inspired robot mode in a heartbeat. Plus it would allow for a more human-centric story without skimping on robot action.

"Transformers: 2088"- I've talked about this one before, but in summary, a Transformers series set in a retro-futuristic 80s themed future, where the Transformers find themselves in 2088 Japan searching for a hidden weapon of extreme power. Of course this being 2088, human tech has come a long way, making human weaponry an actual threat this time around. So basically RID 2001 meets Bubblegum Crisis. Also starring former Kissplayers characters Atari Hitotonari (turned from spineless jellyfish into shy but excitable mecha otaku) and Shaoshao Li (now the owner of the Happy Dragon diner...which gets trashed every single episode, much to her fury. Essentially Kelly/Junko except angry instead of scared).

Anyway, your thoughts?

Diggin' the magical girl concept, not gonna lie. If they ever do something with a Jem and TF crossover (a real one, not "yep totally the same universe they just don't run into each other") I could see that using similar elements in its premise.

Some of the not-fully-fleshed-out ideas in my head for TF stories:
"Realistic"/"Gritty"/"3Edgy5me"-style ideas

• Straight-up war story - In some of the Marvel backstory it's implied (or maybe stated directly, it has been awhile) that Megatron is able to gain a great tactical advantage by introducing the concept of transformation to the Cybertronian race. This reminds me a lot of Zeon's introduction of the mobile suit in the Universal Century Gundam timeline. That could be the premise for a series that focuses on the war, what led to it, the reasons why transformation was a tactical advantage, why the Autobots similarly adopted it, what tactics it drives, which it made obsolete, and so on.
• Autobot Intelligence Unit - The idea is, more or less, an expansion into the depths of concepts explored in IDW about Prowl and his secret-squirrel stuff. Morally grey anti-heroes, back alley dealings, and Skids as a good-cop doing bad-cop stuff for the greater good. Half film noir, half steampunk, half pig.
• Megatron consolidates power - Kinda like the first three seasons of Game of Thrones but it's Megatron defeating, through violence or other non-scrupulous means of subjugation, other Decepticon warlords to take complete control of the faction. Also there would be no random softcore sex scenes thrown in because that's not appropriate here.

"Traditional" cartoon/anime-like ideas

• Prehistoric upheaval - Take one part Beast Wars with Transformers crashing on Earth in prehistoric times, another part Shockwave-like meddling, mix with Dino Riders, the Flinstones (not exactly that, just the idea of it), Battle Beasts, and some galactic scope and let's get weird.
• Galaxy Force Zero - Landmine crashes on Earth, but lands in Western North Carolina and no one notices. Look, if that one guy could evade the cops there for how many years we're going to pretend it could happen because this is all pretend anyways. For some reason he's being pursued, minor conflict ensues (I'm thinking small cast), and maybe there could be some elements of Budiansky's Skullgrin story in here too. Landmine eventually ends up discovering Atlantis and almost recovers it but fails, however succeeds at alerting the other Autobots to its location and/or the Omega Lock's in the process. Or maybe he succeeds, who knows. That would then lead-in to a remixed Cybertron/Galaxy Force, or a new telling of it that would be better - or at least have less racing. Let's be honest, a really good use of the "Cybertronian Colonies" idea has still yet to be realized despite the amazing potential within it.
• Masterforce 2040 - basically a modern update using the general idea from Masterforce, but potentially, use the concept to tell something that remains character-based throughout. Shounen tropes galore, btw.
• Masterforce 2020 - the above with less Shounen and more Hasbro Universe. G.I. Joe's special M.A.S.K. unit has succeeded in repelling the Transformers' presence on Earth using technology reverse engineered from the Cybertronians (this part is not an original concept!) Or at least they thought. Metalhawk, in human disguise, searches for actual humans that have a special potential/"gift"/mutation/latent magic power/etc which makes them candidates for the Autobots' new "Binaltech" program. One day while traveling to pick up one of these candidates, a coincidental incident occurs and the candidate is killed by a blast from terrorist group Metal Snake (COBRA/V.E.N.O.M. hybrid, duh.) In the ensuing chaos, Metalhawk rescues <young protagonist(s) go here>, only to find that their Binaltech potential was so strong, it could turn the tide of the entire galactic struggle threatening to destroy the Cybertronian race for good.
• Dragonball, except it's Armada - don't tell me what to do. It's my robot adventure.

Some combo of the above: All Serve Megatron (ok that's not a catchy title, it's a terrible title, but it describes the idea)
This would start with the general premise of the first part of All Hail Megatron - the Decepticons invade, the Autobots are either helpless or fail to stop them, and things get very bad for Earth. This time, there would be no Thundercracker saving the day, no Mirage making things right, no Spike being the worst. Earth is entirely subjugated by Megatron, the process of Cyberforming begins, and he moves on. Pluck ideas from earlier in this post on how your resistance happens, and maybe have the Autobots come in at some point. Or maybe other galactic forces help said resistance and at some point the remnants of the Autobots makes an impact? Lots to play with here and it doesn't necessarily need to have a happy ending. Plus, it leaves open possibilities to go with more realism, more weird/cosmic/magical stuff, or both.

I think something like Transformers needs to and can carry that important balance of character vs. plot. Some of these ideas are better suited for that than others, but regardless, I think there's so much variety in what can be done that hasn't been explored - at least not fully - that with the right ideas and people Transformers fiction has many more fun roads to traverse.

I'm liking these ideas, especially the masterforce themed ones.

I've got a couple.

My first is again, a sort of take on game if thrones but by throwing in maximals and predacons in the mix making it a fatal four way for Cybertron. In my head I had the original megatron already dead so his name could be usurped by bw megs who plotted to bind both the cons and the preds to his will, then to crush the others. There would be some dramatic changes in lore to accommodate this idea.

My other ideas are very similar to the above in terms of humans having much better military hardware (we have our own giant robots, which I would name diaclone...somehow, in order to homage the original concept) in fact I just want to see tf crossover with gundam/macross/mazinger etc oh and gaogaigar...just because.

I've had some pretty specific plotlines over the almost ten years of being in the TF fandom, but for now I'm gonna focus on a few details.

Human allies for the Decepticons: Why do the Autobots get to have all the fun? Human kids could bring out the more tender side to a few cons (like how Solon Kitakaze was to Deathsaurus) while it could also be an interesting character study on how screwed up you'd have to be to ally yourself with genocidal, imperialistic robots.

Star Saber as Optimus and Elita's son: Okay, this is purely self-indulgent, but I've always loved the idea.

The Decepticons win the war: While Animated had the war end in an Autobot victory right from the start, this hypothetical cartoon would have it inverted. The best part is that they could show that, while pre-war Cybertron was bad, this new, Decepticon controlled Cybertron is worse. The good guys have lost and are slaves on their own planet--let's see how they will light their Darkest Hour.

Isn't your first idea there just super god masterforce after all there was eight humans working with the cons in that.

As for the last idea, we did see glimpses of that in beast machines and IDW All Hail Megatron. Though in that last example, things weren't going to be great for some cons as megs wanted to start to build his ideal society which meant getting rid of some loose cannons on his side.

The idea only works though if there is enough demand for such a dark idea and it's clear that it's got a story to tell without being dark for darkness sake. Basically it's a good idea as long as we know that the cons lose in the end.

Avensis-Mahiya wrote:Human allies for the Decepticons: Why do the Autobots get to have all the fun? Human kids could bring out the more tender side to a few cons

So basically a subversion of what the Decepticons actually are ala Shattered Glass? Those kind of ideas tend to have a very limited shelf life and appeal.


Moving on

ZeroWolf wrote:The idea only works though if there is enough demand for such a dark idea and it's clear that it's got a story to tell without being dark for darkness sake. Basically it's a good idea as long as we know that the cons lose in the end.

A talented enough writer can sell any story, regardless of the nature of the subject matter. Not everyone loves books that resonate as "Super Friends" and/or the naff unrealistic trope that good always wins in the end. History is written by the winners, good or evil is entirely subjective in that.


In reading this thread, based on my own comments thus far in other threads, clearly any idea involving Earth or an overt human presence into The Transformers (ala Bayformers' over indulgence of the importance and potency of humans and/or soldiers) to me flies in the face of what the series is supposed to be about. Just like in a Toho/Kaiju film, the role of humans is to go "AHH RUN!!" and nothing more.

Comic: The Final Battle - One thing I've always wanted to see is the last great battle of the Autobots and Decepticons. Give narration to Rodimus Prime, the defacto leader at this point in the timeline in most media. Make it a countdown, a mini series that builds towards an all out free for all. The Decepticons and Autobots reach a point of no return (have Galvatron blow up Earth or something, as a catalyst) with the last issue more brutal and conclusive than anything shown before.
Keep it outside of all existing continuities, yet evergreen at the same time. Along the lines of Marvel's THE END series, to show us the last days of these Cybertronian factions and lay the seeds for their descendants.

Cartoon: Transformers Beyond - Summarise and truncate Beast Machines and keep going forward. New leaders, new characters. No more poxy Primes or Megatrons. Ignore Transtech, as that never got a show, and build off the back of the new status quo of the Beast Machines finale.

ZeroWolf wrote:Isn't your first idea there just super god masterforce after all there was eight humans working with the cons in that.

As for the last idea, we did see glimpses of that in beast machines and IDW All Hail Megatron. Though in that last example, things weren't going to be great for some cons as megs wanted to start to build his ideal society which meant getting rid of some loose cannons on his side.

The idea only works though if there is enough demand for such a dark idea and it's clear that it's got a story to tell without being dark for darkness sake. Basically it's a good idea as long as we know that the cons lose in the end.

Obviously the darkness wouldn't be there just because--there is a thing called Darkness Induced Audience Apathy, which is something I'd avoid like the plague. Obviously the bots would win and cons would be overthrown, but the journey to get there won't be easy.

I'd like to see a bit more similar to SGMF in terms, but don't get me wrong; the Decepticons aren't going to start helping them sell Girl Scout cookies. They're still the bad guys and want to get rid of humans, but some of them will let their pets live.

I've has several of my own fanfic continuities but I'll just list some concept I used in several of them:

Megatron and Optimus Prime not being the founders of their factions, but rather, one in a long line of Decepticon and Autobot leaders.

Starscream not quite being a Decepticon. Instead, he has the same ability as G1 Punch and Double Dealer and can turn into Jetfire. He conceals his true identity from both factions and basically plays along with both to get as much benefit for himself as possible from the entire war, with the ultimate aim of one day leading both factions.

Galvatron and Megatron not being the same character. Ok this was done in IDW continuity and (I think) beast wars ii but it's still generally the case that Galvatron is a revived or upgraded Megatron.

Cybertron being Earth after humans went extinct and Quintessons cyberformed it.

Mirage betraying the Decepticons and not the Autobots.

Why not have a TF series that follows a monster-of-the-week formula(as with Yuusha and other super robot series)? It get’s really repetitive seeing the same old(sometimes new but still the same) guys fighting over each other every episode and usually for similar, albeit slightly different, reasons: Good guys stops the bad guys from something, same old characters over again, sometimes slightly different, rinse and repeat.

Why not have the Decepticons create a giant monster out of Earth’s resources keeping the Autobots distracted while formulating an evil plain in each episode and have the good guys find someways to defeat it(example: create new Autobots that combines and defeats it using a finisher. Upgrades and newer combinations)? It works for Yuusha and Sentai, surely it should work for TF, especially since it’s main purpose from the beginning was to sell toys.

Combat Zero wrote:Why not have a TF series that follows a monster-of-the-week formula(as with Yuusha and other super robot series)? It get’s really repetitive seeing the same old(sometimes new but still the same) guys fighting over each other every episode and usually for similar, albeit slightly different, reasons: Good guys stops the bad guys from something, same old characters over again, sometimes slightly different, rinse and repeat.

Why not have the Decepticons create a giant monster out of Earth’s resources keeping the Autobots distracted while formulating an evil plain in each episode and have the good guys find someways to defeat it(example: create new Autobots that combines and defeats it using a finisher. Upgrades and newer combinations)? It works for Yuusha and Sentai, surely it should work for TF, especially since it’s main purpose from the beginning was to sell toys.

Victory used this approach in places, most notably with the Breastforce/Liokaiser by focusing on one member of the team at a time.

A great deal of RiD (2015) is "monster of the week" as well.