The Energon Pub

When it comes to the Transformers, there usually involves some kind of civil war that tends to be shifted onto Planet Earth. And usually, this war is either kept secret from society (a la RiD, Armada, most of Cybertron), or made publically known worldwide (a la G1, Energon, Movies, Animated).

Of these two kinds of wars, which do you prefer?

Do you prefer to have the war kept hidden from the general public, or made known everywhere?

(Though, there's also the third option of having the war completely unknown and unrecorded like what the various Beast Era series did, but that's another story. )

Realistically, I think it would be difficult to keep it a secret. The Autobots might want to, but I see the Decepticons getting leverage over having the Autobots grouped in with their carnage.

Well, they were able to hide the war for the most part in RiD, Armada, and Cybertron. Why, even that large Decepticon invasion led by Starscream in Cybertron was eventually dismissed by the public as nothing more than a large fleet of airplanes.

In fact, I think Armada was the only series that successfully fully hid their existence from society.

Sabrblade wrote:Well, they were able to hide the war for the most part in RiD, Armada, and Cybertron. Why, even that large Decepticon invasion led by Starscream in Cybertron was eventually dismissed by the public as nothing more than a large fleet of airplanes.

In fact, I think Armada was the only series that successfully fully hid their existence from society.

It wasn't until the Autobots and Deecepticons left Earth to go back to Cybertron to fight Unicron did the human race learn about them when a group of humans followed the kids and found the Autobots' base.

Back on topic: a public war or a secert war? Depends on how good the writers handle it.

I prefer a secret war but with the consideration that while the truth could be hid from the majority of the public, a government like that of the United States shouldn't be ignorant of such activities. It's just more plausible to me to have the U.S. government be aware of the Transformers. It would make sense for the government to take part in hiding this from the public in an attempt to prevent public panic. Obviously, there would be people who would know but mostly be looked at as conspiracy nuts. However, there should be an eventual reveal to change things up.

I think Convotron just called me a conspiracy nut. Ahem. We prefer "conspiracy aficionado".

As the kind of person who gets tingly at the thought that my government is hiding things from me (I KNOW you have the Ark of the Covenant!I saw _Raiders_!) (shifty eyes) I prefer the secret war with government coverup option.

Another reason pro-secret war is this: less lame fanfic storylines about fifteen year old girls who cut themselves who run into Barricade and fall in love. (Yeah, I actually read that one last night. I kept hoping Cade would finally kill her. Instead, I am merely filled with a kind of shame....) Seriously--the problem with Robots (may I remind you) IN DISGUISE is if they don't need to be IN DISGUISE what's the freakin' point of Earth alt-modes? They'd just be Robots Doing Their Thang. Which I'm not against, honestly--frankly, my *above all others* preference is for the continuities that take place entirely on Cybertron (no filthy humans), but...if we're on Earth, let's keep the 'disguise' part.

And seriously: you don't think if giant alien warbots showed up on Earth with such vastly superior weapons technology that *no one* would think--holy lugnuts! it's an invasion force!!

HK, lugnuts. I just like saying that word.

Secret war; which is why I loved Furman/Su's Infiltration. It took the concept of "robots in disguise" and made it meaningful.

hellkitty wrote:I think Convotron just called me a conspiracy nut. Ahem. We prefer "conspiracy aficionado".

I prefer to call you ConspiracyKitty.

i liked it in the g1 cartoon. people found out about giant robots, and civilization continued with a lil more technology.

I would prefer a secret war... but... the whole secret thing reminds me of a book called "Abduction" by Robin Cook involving a subterrean sister-species of humans. It is noted that they have been forced to scale back their observations of surface humans to prevent detection.

With all this modern technology - and just the stuff that we know about - would it even be possible for them to stay hidden for long?

Part of the reason that I've abandoned most of my "real world" fics in favor of a "neo 1950s" Earth look.

Secret with it escalating into an epic apocalyptic world wide war with the humans getting aware of it.

Oh I think it would start off as a secret war, but eventually it would get leaked to the public. The conflicts just get to big to be swept under the rug, especially with villains like Devastator and Menasor lurking about.

It would start out secret, until Trypticon leveled a city.

How would the goverment hide that?

"Sorry, Cleveland disappeared because the Browns suck so bad they created a vacumm and the city imploded on itself. Ignore those giant T-rex feet, those are for a movie....."

Would the government work with the Transformers? I mean, while I do believe there are some good people in the government and the military the Transformers are a big technological breakthrough just waiting to be tapped. Even if the US government was honest and supportive of the Transformers, would other governments treat them the same?

Mythos wrote:Would the government work with the Transformers? I mean, while I do believe there are some good people in the government and the military the Transformers are a big technological breakthrough just waiting to be tapped. Even if the US government was honest and supportive of the Transformers, would other governments treat them the same?

Well, there was the whole Carbombya deal in G1. Abdul Fakkadi disliked the Autobots, and didn't like how Trypticon ate energon cubes made from his country's oil.

Sabrblade wrote:When it comes to the Transformers, there usually involves some kind of civil war that tends to be shifted onto Planet Earth. And usually, this war is either kept secret from society (a la RiD, Armada, most of Cybertron), or made publically known worldwide (a la G1, Energon, Movies, Animated).

Of these two kinds of wars, which do you prefer?

Do you prefer to have the war kept hidden from the general public, or made known everywhere?

(Though, there's also the third option of having the war completely unknown and unrecorded like what the various Beast Era series did, but that's another story. )

All I know is that I keep trying to write stories for Alternators using Secret war and it's killing me. How do the factions keep their base a secret! Damn ye writers' block!

SentinelA wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:When it comes to the Transformers, there usually involves some kind of civil war that tends to be shifted onto Planet Earth. And usually, this war is either kept secret from society (a la RiD, Armada, most of Cybertron), or made publically known worldwide (a la G1, Energon, Movies, Animated).

Of these two kinds of wars, which do you prefer?

Do you prefer to have the war kept hidden from the general public, or made known everywhere?

(Though, there's also the third option of having the war completely unknown and unrecorded like what the various Beast Era series did, but that's another story. )

All I know is that I keep trying to write stories for Alternators using Secret war and it's killing me. How do the factions keep their base a secret! Damn ye writers' block!

camoflaged/underground/hollowed out mountain/warehouse/abandoned (or captured)military base

N_V, I don't think if they captured a military base, they would be secretive for very long

Bloodlust wrote:N_V, I don't think if they captured a military base, they would be secretive for very long

let it happen in mexico or south america. we'd never hear about it. even in the U.S. we'd cover it up and never admit alien superiority. it would create too much mass hysteria.

Name_Violation wrote:

Bloodlust wrote:N_V, I don't think if they captured a military base, they would be secretive for very long

let it happen in mexico or south america. we'd never hear about it. even in the U.S. we'd cover it up and never admit alien superiority. it would create too much mass hysteria.

Unless we gave them Area 51, then no one would be the wiser

In the Movie the war is being kept secret but is obviously becoming known and that seems the most likely scenario. I prefer realism.

I would hit the middle o.o Maybe a try to avoid involving other races in their wars from the side of the Autobots, but the Decepticons are not going to ignore Civilists and try to keep them out of the fight. I really think that this is the best way. Try to hide it and get caught up XD

SentinelA wrote:All I know is that I keep trying to write stories for Alternators using Secret war and it's killing me. How do the factions keep their base a secret! Damn ye writers' block!

Are your stories in any relation to the Binaltech (and Alternity) fiction?

First it would have to be secret, as that is just expected. It only involves a few robots at first, with the Autobots trying to keep the whole 'Robots in Disguise' thing to avoid accidently scaring or involving the 'natives.' But eventually more robots come, and since the Decepticons don't really care about keeping their presence a secret, eventually the military finds out about them. Naturally the military likes the hush-hush business, so the robotic disturbances are explained away at first to the nascently aware public as secret military testing or acts of terrorism. The military monitors them, but the robots eventually become known once their activities exceed the military's ability to play 'damage control.'