The Energon Pub

Ok. Who can fill me in? I'm reading All Hail Megatron and there is a reference made by Tracks? about Perceptor ("When did Perceptor become scary?")becoming scary when he uses a sniper rifle against the oncoming swarm. What changed him?

I haven't read all the back stories that led up to this series. Isn't he with the Wreckers now too?

Thanks!

He was captured and wounded by Decepticons, then Drift saved him which prompted him to become what he is now.
You'll have to read Spotlight Drift.

Thanks. I'll hunt it down on eBay.

Dead Metal wrote:You'll have to read Spotlight Drift.

Not really recommended.

Long story short: Shane McCarthy decided it would be superkewl awesome-o to make Perceptor a badass sniper, and decided to write him thus in AHM proper, thus necessetating AHM #15 and SL: Drift (both done after the fact) to explain it.

Yeah. I completed All Hail Megatron graphic novels and I thought that scene was a little glossed over. I was hoping there was a more in depth explanation.

mechabooks wrote:Yeah. I completed All Hail Megatron graphic novels and I thought that scene was a little glossed over. I was hoping there was a more in depth explanation.

Hoping for a more "in depth explanation" from anything written by Shane McCarthy is a pointless exercise. Just look at the four issue "Coda" arc, which basically only exists because AHM had plot holes so big you can fit a battleship through with lots of room left over.

I'll say...I am liking Perceptor as a bad-ass sniper!

mechabooks wrote:I'll say...I am liking Perceptor as a bad-ass sniper!

Seconded. With his background he looked like the professor in BttF 3 when he appeared in AHM.

Ooh, so they are linked, I always thought Perceptor bought the farm when he took that head shot in SL: Drift.

As for Perceptor's new look, I like him better as a nerd, the Autobots have plenty of "kick arse" bots, leave the geeks alone.

Chaoslock wrote:

mechabooks wrote:I'll say...I am liking Perceptor as a bad-ass sniper!

Seconded. With his background he looked like the professor in BttF 3 when he appeared in AHM.

I thought the same.

Honestly while it does make sense for him to be the "professor", with the natural features he already possessed, the idea of him as a long-range sniper does work quite well.

What makes sniping work for Perceptor is he can apply physics to this, take every vector/degree/wind change/ricochet...alla that hullabaloo, and at the end of the day he will shoot you so efficiently...HE WILL HIT YOU.

Imagine a Decepticon getting owned by the Autobot's resident book nerd--no one will let him live it down.

Hairball178 wrote:What makes sniping work for Perceptor is he can apply physics to this, take every vector/degree/wind change/ricochet...alla that hullabaloo, and at the end of the day he will shoot you so efficiently...HE WILL HIT YOU.

Imagine a Decepticon getting owned by the Autobot's resident book nerd--no one will let him live it down.

Yea but that seems to be the problem here, it looks like he can only snipe now as he's no-longer the guy he used to be, I think he lost his sciency side when he turned badass. I think Ratchet mentioned that "I need the old Perceptor back to help me here", I think those where his words.

My only complaint about badass super-sniper Perceptor is the fixed targeting reticle over his right optic. Great for sniping, not so great for up-close examinations. They could have easily had it be retractible if his bookworm skills were needed.

I hate the idea of 'badass' Perceptor. We've got badasses already in the Autobots, but not that many science types like Perceptor.

Dead Metal wrote:

Hairball178 wrote:What makes sniping work for Perceptor is he can apply physics to this, take every vector/degree/wind change/ricochet...alla that hullabaloo, and at the end of the day he will shoot you so efficiently...HE WILL HIT YOU.

Imagine a Decepticon getting owned by the Autobot's resident book nerd--no one will let him live it down.

Yea but that seems to be the problem here, it looks like he can only snipe now as he's no-longer the guy he used to be, I think he lost his sciency side when he turned badass. I think Ratchet mentioned that "I need the old Perceptor back to help me here", I think those where his words.

Nah, he still does super-sciency stuff... Last Stand of the Wreckers, and also in Kup's CODA.

tigertracks 24 wrote:Nah, he still does super-sciency stuff... Last Stand of the Wreckers, and also in Kup's CODA.

Course, the thing about those is that those are written by someone who understand's Perceptor's character, not someone who decided to make someone a certain way because he felt like it.

Darth Bombshell wrote:

tigertracks 24 wrote:Nah, he still does super-sciency stuff... Last Stand of the Wreckers, and also in Kup's CODA.

Course, the thing about those is that those are written by someone who understand's Perceptor's character, not someone who decided to make someone a certain way because he felt like it.

That said DB, everything we know about any of the characters that have received attention in any kind of fiction, has been due to what was done by the writer of the time.

Honestly if the original Marvel run was currently being produced now instead of the 80's, how much bitching would be done because certain characters are nothing like the G1 Cartoon? Just look at Grimlock and Blaster between the two.

It all comes down to the writers prerogative, and the general public reaction. After all, the only constant is change. Look at many of the ways the characters in the ongoing book are being dealt with, and how they were portrayed in the fictions 25+ years ago.

Every character is at the mercy of "someone who decided to make someone a certain way because he felt like it. Personally I prefer a Perceptor with the ability to snipe from a distance, than a Prime that gives up, Sunstreaker as a Headmaster, Autobots forgetting about any of the order rankings and making Bumblebee leader, or tons of other (what I believe to be asinine moves IDW has done.

Some people are going to hate what was done during AHM, and some people will see it as the best stuff IDW has released so far. Like it? Buy it. Hate it? don't give them your money. In the end, that is all that matters.