The Energon Pub

I've been thinking about something lately. Does the color scheme of a TF character have a direct effect on who the character is?

I mean, let's use Optimus for an example. The common color scheme of the Optimus character is primarily red with some blue and gray/white/silver. This is how it's normally been and its what we're used to.

But let's say that there's a new Optimus out there. He's got the normal iconic Optimus body shape and form. Blue helmeted head with mouthplate. Two-windowed torso. Blue legs. Grilled stomach. Truck altmode. A Peter Cullen-esque voice. Why, let's even throw in some (tall) smokestacks on the shoulders. Bottom line is, this guy looks, sounds, and acts the Optimus Prime part...

...except for one key detail. He isn't red. He's green. Yes, a deep shade of forest green (like emerald or jade, not lime/puke green) is his main color, with the only red on him being from his Autobot insignia and his altmode tail lights. This isn't some powered up form or a special version of Optimus. He's a naturally green bot instead of a naturally red bot.

Would this color change be too radical of a change for the Optimus character, or could he still be just another Optimus like all the others?

Interesting question!

I feel it really depends on what's important to the individual.
For some, the importance may lie more on how the character acts, i.e. if he's still the same old Optimus we all know and cherish, then that would be enough and he could be green or purple etc.
However, to others, colour can matter very much. Colour affects us all in varying ways, because that is how we perceive our world, and it can represent and embody our deepest beliefs and values, often without realizing it. The way they are arranged can also serve to modify and enhance those beliefs and values too.

Red can be seen as an aggressive and authoritative colour depending on how it's used and it can also symbolize blood, which can also be indicative of life, unity or death. Blue on the other hand is commonly viewed as a benevolent and serene colour. The way these colours are balanced on the classic rendition of Optimus is actually quite telling. In this view, he's crowned in benevolence, his eyes radiate benevolence, yet his core is emblazoned in the colour of aggression and authority. However, the aggressive red of his core and arms is regulated by the benevolent blue of his hands, and he's further grounded in benevolence in his feet.
And is this not the Optimus we all know and love? A benevolent leader, who is also devastatingly powerful, and yet whose powers are still governed by benevolence and whose being is grounded in benevolence?

Another interesting example would be Thundercracker; while he sports a commonly benevolent colour on his body, his head is crowned in black, commonly symbolic of death. Death is further symbolized on his hands, and he's grounded in death in his feet. Also, his eyes, the window to his essence glow with aggression and authority.
Sideswipe; he sports the colours/ hues of aggression and death, but his eyes glow with benevolence.
The Autobot symbol is still wholly fitting as red, because they are still warriors. However, what they stand for modifies the red as being more about blood, unity, life. Purple can be seen as authority as well, and as the Decepticon symbol it is indeed fitting.
So, in this way, colour and it's arrangement and use can tell you a lot about someone or something, but it also tell you about yourself. There are no absolutes in this of course, but it can still be revealing in some ways. Breaking down what colours may symbolize to you can be a fascinating study.

Again, it really up to the individual, and no pov would be wrong. Either way, we humans can be 'interesting' shall we say, when it comes to icons that we love and cherish, because, again, what they look like can embody what we believe and value.

Huh, when you bring up the Green it doesn't feel like Optimus...
However you have guys like Megatron/Galvatron who can jump colors...
I think it depends on the character.

Rodimus The Prime, that's an outstanding post, Man!

I think the Megatron color jumping statement has already shown to be acceptable, tho sometimes moreso (purple) than others (green).Armada Red alert is another example-his colors and G1 Red alerts colors could be swapped between molds with little trouble...except for the sudden threat to the existence of G1 Clampdown.

In terms of Optimus, well:

In my reality, TFs get killed off or done over at less than a whim by Hasbro, which to me is spitting on a personality that, as a kid, I was busy trying to keep alive against the Decepticons etc etc. My keeping an eye and ear open to the survivability of many characters is an old habit that will die hard, and is more natural to me, as is my AGGRESSIVE response when I catch them in danger, since I've begun entering the realm of parenthood.As a result, any color change would have to meet my very exacting standards in regards to the respect given towards the character.

I could see how Optimus, through the Matrix, could become golden or jet black as the History of the Autobots gets written before us,and I could see how Megzy could vanish for yonks and then reappear with a new alloy body that is a new color due to the alloy, but if all the seekers were one color, they'd just be sweeps 1 through 100.
I guess it's a G1 thing: the original TFs were irreplaceable,which is why their deaths in the original film had so much impact on us.Now they're just cameo actors in semi retirement, rocking up in any old show with any old wardrobe and any old lines.That's why BOTH the latest versions of Thrust are so special-because there's no question as to whether or not it's Thrust,and there's no question as to what G1 Thrust would be doing today:It's been answered.

Sometimes, new designs are the best thing for an old bot, and sometimes (most times, I reckon), the new designs should be a new character through and through.

The alternative is for Hasbro to SAY that the TFs switch colors at will.That's different,and gets approached differently.

It shouldn't be a big deal for TFs to switch colors-some purposefully did so when immersed in water-but it can be a big deal in a lot of instances.

Most of the times it does matter. I thought about this too, but red white and blue feel like Optimus to me. Maybe its programed in our minds that the hero color is red. Look at Spiderman, Ironman, Optimus, they're all red. (most of them anyway.) And Bumblebee he has to bee yellow and black or else his name would mean nothing. Megatron, it doesnt matter with him, but I want to see a black Megatron in the future, all shiny black. Starscream doesnt care. But Shockwave, I was so happy when they decided to use grey instead of purple in Animated, but then they had to crush my dreams and make him purple in the third to last episode.

So, I think it depends on who it is.

@Autobot Smoketreader: thanks for the compliment, eh! I echo your sentiments about G1 and colour, and what those characters meant to us, wholeheartedly! I too remember feeling somewhat traumatized at the deaths in TF: the Movie, and have taken a special joy in seeing these characters revived in the classic colours .

@Blurrz...Drift's colour symbolism is actually right on the money, and quite telling of his character too if you take into account Japanese cultural views on colour. In Japan white can be associated with death, whereas in Shinto, red is a colour associated with warding off bad spirits. Also, in ancient Japan, as in centuries before the Samurai, warriors were said to paint pale red stripes on their faces before battle.

See, I've noticed Starscream's color scheme includes the primary colors: red, yellow, and blue (as a group), which makes me think of young children learning their first colors (red, yellow, and blue form the basis of all colors). That color scheme, then, can attest to his high level of immaturity and his whining (just like young kids--maybe preschool age). And, as we all know, Starscream is really a fearful and vulnerable kid on the inside. So why not give him a color scheme that harkens back to early life?

To give him credit, his eyes are red, representing the aggressive facet of his personality and his lust for power.

Ha ha, I think I just went off-topic. Sorry, the English major in me took this as a chance to take my analytical skills. I have to remember I'm not in class, LOL!

Interestingly,

G1 twins Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were both red and yellow, as were the...cousins..(???)...Bumblebee and Cliffjumper.

Red Alert, the redo of the twins, was white (primarily), but there was a redo of Bumblebee as well...I totally forget now, but wasn't it Hubcap? and wasn't he white as well?

Mirage and Beachcomber, both blue and white/near white, were written up in their tech specs as loners and soul searchers, tho only Mirage was untrustworthy enough to be cautious around, both questioned the nature of their involvement in the war.(The Tech specs in question were purely Budianskys' work as opposed to the molds above).

For me, a major color change has to be justified by the situation or the alt mode.

I would not accept a green Optimus if he transformed in a regular semi. Now, If he transformed into an off road military tractor trailer type alt mode, then I would fully accept and embrace the drastic color change. Like wise the Animated "Elite Guard" toys which are coming out have a justifiable canon reason for the color change, which is fine by me!

I like to see what I am used to, but am more than willing to accept change if there is a decent reason behind it.

know what, sometimes in TFs, with there being so many of them that share body types/animation models, it's better to have them in recognisable colours. I mean, if Skywarp suddenly got all patriotic one day while the Cons were in France or somewhere, and decided he'd adopt the colours of their flag, well...it'd be the G1 cartoon all over again!

there are times when it works, and not even always because it makes sense, sometimes it just looks cool. Armada Starscream being more red than grey and using black instead of blue was kind of cool. BW Megs going red when he became a dragon. OTOH, while I like my Powerlinx Armada Prime, I usually think of him as someone else, because he's primarily blue. Thunderclash usually.

so, sometimes, a recolour is ok if it stays the same character, but I like some kind of reason for it. if that recolour evokes an entirely different character, it can be really bad. going back to Beast Wars, I think it was good that they gave the characters with similar names to G1 characters usually completely different colour schemes, as it helps separate them in my mind. Scorponok's dull grey in BW was quite opposite from his purple, green and orange G1 namesake. Primal did originally retain the blue, white and red, but in much less quantity, thanks to his alt mode, and Megatron's purple face and body set him apart from Megatron's grey, black and red...yeeeess.

Sabrblade wrote:I've been thinking about something lately. Does the color scheme of a TF character have a direct effect on who the character is?

I mean, let's use Optimus for an example. The common color scheme of the Optimus character is primarily red with some blue and gray/white/silver. This is how it's normally been and its what we're used to.

But let's say that there's a new Optimus out there. He's got the normal iconic Optimus body shape and form. Blue helmeted head with mouthplate. Two-windowed torso. Blue legs. Grilled stomach. Truck altmode. A Peter Cullen-esque voice. Why, let's even throw in some (tall) smokestacks on the shoulders. Bottom line is, this guy looks, sounds, and acts the Optimus Prime part...

...except for one key detail. He isn't red. He's green. Yes, a deep shade of forest green (like emerald or jade, not lime/puke green) is his main color, with the only red on him being from his Autobot insignia and his altmode tail lights. This isn't some powered up form or a special version of Optimus. He's a naturally green bot instead of a naturally red bot.

Would this color change be too radical of a change for the Optimus character, or could he still be just another Optimus like all the others?

Your choice of color is interesting, as Hasbro had intended to release Optimus as a green construction vehicle during G2. optimus Prime and Hound were going to be released as green repaints of the Autorollers.

adamassc wrote:Your choice of color is interesting, as Hasbro had intended to release Optimus as a green construction vehicle during G2. optimus Prime and Hound were going to be released as green repaints of the Autorollers.

Yet, that was going to be a special version of Prime called "General Optimus Prime". Special versions can have different color schemes so long as the normal version of the character maintains the correct color scheme (or at least, that's how certain fans tend to feel ).

I've been away for a few days but it seems like good conversation is coming back to Seibertron. That's awesome.
I think colors are really important, for most of the reasons mentioned here already. For some of us the colors are an iconic part of the characters we like or consider iconic, but it's not really a deal breaker. Megatron has been different colors in almost every series or line, but in the comics he's almost always the old silver and black, like in DW/IDW and stuff. Prime's always red and blue, and I think his "Powerlinx" Armada figure at least was just blue and red instead of red and blue.
The colors are just a part of how we represent the characters to ourselves. BW Megatron is purple, and most people remember him as the purple t rex Megatron which set him apart from Megatrons past, present and future. It's one of the reasons G1 fans love G1 repaints. The colors are just a part of that version of the character. It doesn't matter to some people but to others it does, and there's nothing wrong with either side.
I tend to like characters more than I like their looks. I love Starscream, and my vast Starscream collection is based on Starscream rather than any single or set of visual things, which is why I went out of my way to get Action Master Starscream. It's why I prefer older TF series to the live action movies, becuase the robots have zero character, and so there's really no reason for me to become attached to their looks, which are also bad in my opinion.
I mean, sometimes something just looks cool, and that's justification enough, but if you really like Optimus Prime, I wouldn't think that the coloration would totally ruin it for you. A green Prime would be different for sure, but for a lot of the fandom that doesn't mean bad.

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