The Energon Pub

This is a question that has been bugging me for twenty years. Although it's widely recognized that Starscream's Decepticon symbol is upside-down on his robot mode, I never really understood why. It was never that way on the G1 figure, yet it seems to have established itself as one of Starscream's characteristic traits, even being faithfully reproduced on the Henkei and Walmart Masterpiece figures. How can 'mistakes' like this become so iconic?

Maybe they don't think it's that bad of a mistake...

If you applied the G1's stickers as directed, they showed up upside-down in robot mode, because of the way the transformation works. It could have something to do with the placement of insignias on real jets as well, I don't know. Anyway, the upside-down insignias seem to have been reflected in the animation model, which would be why it carried over onto the Masterpiece.

The instructions show them upside-down? Odd, every picture I've seen of G1 Starscream shows them the right way up.

Most people tend to apply them right-side up, despite the instruction's having them upside down.

Yeah, eah time I have the chance a Seeker has the logo right side up in bot mode and reversed in alt.

Realy, in alt it can work either which way, but bot mode....

I do have to tip my hat though at official scources constantly honoring this typo, and can't help but wonder sometimes if it's a nudge towards Screamers userping attitude?

kirbenvost wrote:If you applied the G1's stickers as directed, they showed up upside-down in robot mode, because of the way the transformation works.

Sorry to inform you but your mistaken.



As you can see the instructions have them placed right side up in robot mode.

You can look up other instruction sheets here.

http://www.utdallas.edu/~cwr042000/inst ... index.html

The movie figure has it facing the same way G1 SS has (see instruction pic above). Even in the original series, his insignias were right-side up in robot mode, and were oriented the way as the picture above. The upside-down is the mistake. All the seekers of G1 were like SS as well, except for I think Dirge{?}.

It appears this trend was established in the first TF episode.

Starscream on the left—his first appearance in More Than Meets the Eye.
On the right—later in the episode, the other two seekers have the same upside-down symbol.

And so it carries on into the movie.

Liege Evilmus wrote:I do have to tip my hat though at official scources constantly honoring this typo, and can't help but wonder sometimes if it's a nudge towards Screamers userping attitude?

Userping attidtude indeed.

I always presumed that the insignia's were upside down in robot mode because when he transforms they are rightside up in jet mode.


Examples:
http://blogs.zdnet.com/green/images/jet.jpg

http://www.sz-wholesale.com/uploadFiles/ELECTRIC%20MODE%20PLANE%20MODE_812.jpg

sto_vo_kor_2000 wrote:

kirbenvost wrote:If you applied the G1's stickers as directed, they showed up upside-down in robot mode, because of the way the transformation works.

Sorry to inform you but your mistaken.

Oh, my mistake. I guess I have no idea why they're upside-down then, other than what Stormrider said.