The Energon Pub

[AllNewSuperRobot]

This guy, gave me the idea for this thread. To talk about the characters that, upon being introduced, generally have nothing done with them. Those that typically receive no character development, beyond a gimmick and their overall aesthetic never changes. The further question being should they be expanded on?

So aside from looking/sounding cool, what's the point of Blurr?

[blackeyedprime]

to generally die brutally in the shows aimed at younger audiences be it squished by shockwave or catching cosmic covid, plus he looked cool in animated. Also I think he was a crossover character for RID2015 and rescue bots so he gets around.

[AllNewSuperRobot]

To be fair, that Animated death was a highlight of the series. The backpeddling after the fact, was a bit pathetic though.

But, as you've described, that's kind of the point. Other than being the Transformers equivalent of this guy:



Where is the fleshed out characterisation? What are his defining arcs?
For one of the new characters introduced via The Movie, he is arguably the most underutilised. Even Wheelie has had more done with him.

[Rodimus Prime]

Yeah you would think that someone with crazy speed would merit a few of his own spotlight episodes. I don't even remember him doing anything in the G1 comics either, I'm not sure about IDW, I didn't start reading until 2012.

He's basically the Quicksilver of Transformers, it would have been awesome to see him in Bayverse doing similar stuff to Cons that Quicksilver did in X-Men.

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

His point is his speed and sounding very annoying.

[Sculyblast]

I do think this is a more interesting question in general.

We want to escape a world where there are only 4 Transformers (Megatron, Starscream, Bumblebee and Prime).
Now we can scale that up a little, but you get stuck with the problem that a New Transformers series will not be interesting if it is just another iteration of the 12 characters we already know.

Especially for toysales we therefore need to introduce new characters. But a show with over 50 characters becomes unwieldy. I sincerely cannot describe a difference in personality between the protectobots Streetwise and Groove.

I personally would like to see more of what Transformers Animated tried to do. Make Optimus prime the president of all autobots (In Animated this was Ultra Magnus), and focus the storyline on a younger subcommander and his Team.

But yeah, What is the use of Cosmos, Skids, Hoist, Dirge, Reflector #2, Predacon Raserclaw?

[AllNewSuperRobot]

Getting into the wider world, it is easy to just point to a character and say "new toy", "redesign of an old toy", "new gimmick".

But when it comes to the headliners. I think that poses the real food for thought. Kicking off 2022 with This guy, for example:



So he's "cool". But what else? Some fiction he dies, most he doesn't. But for one of the original cast, he has been sidelined by more new media than many other big names. Similar to Blurr, Jazz' character development and noteworthy arcs are ...limited. He mostly seems to be a wallflower, a visual cameo. So why is he considered a fan favourite or is it just for being "cool"?

[Rodimus Prime]

I can only give you my take on it, I don't speak for other fans. I think it's because he's an original and memorable character. He's 1 of whom I consider the "top 10" of OG Autobots: Prime, Ironhide, Ratchet, Jazz, Bumblebee, Cliffjumper, Sideswipe, Prowl, Mirage and Wheeljack. You might consider others, but to me when someone says "G1 cast," these guys pop into my head. Basically, I think to most fans Jazz is a made bot. Add to that his personality and memorable appearance in TF:TM, and you got a character that lives forever, even if he doesn't get used much.

[AllNewSuperRobot]

I can only give you my take on it, I don't speak for other fans. I think it's because he's an original and memorable character. He's 1 of whom I consider the "top 10" of OG Autobots: Prime, Ironhide, Ratchet, Jazz, Bumblebee, Cliffjumper, Sideswipe, Prowl, Mirage and Wheeljack. You might consider others, but to me when someone says "G1 cast," these guys pop into my head. Basically, I think to most fans Jazz is a made bot. Add to that his personality and memorable appearance in TF:TM, and you got a character that lives forever, even if he doesn't get used much.

That's what I find so confusing. I read that a lot. But Hasbro and Takara have consistently used him less and less. Unlike the other names you mentioned.
Was that because of the passing of Scatman Crothers? Did Sunbow have a plan for Post-Movie Jazz?? He's never established in canon or toy as being upgraded into a Head/Target/Powermaster. So maybe, maybe not??

As an aside, beyond a cancelled Laser Cycle, his entire line has an almost unparalleled level of consistency.

Even IDWverse seemed to not know what to do with him and just slowly phased him out. The last time I can think of he was effectively used onscreen was Animated. But again they didn't do much with him.

I recall the Marvel run, one of my favourite stories: Rhythms of Darkness. He's in it. So although an alt-future, Furman tells us he survives into the post Movie years. But, once again, he's just there.

[Rodimus Prime]

Honestly I was most surprised by IDW not using him much. He should have bern 1 of those characters that was in like every issue. I would have liked to see him be on the Lost Light as part of Rodimus's inner circle their personalities were a lot alike.

[Blastback]

Beast Wars Scorponok. Great toy, and the role of dumb loyal second in command would be fine if there wasn't one tinsy winey little problem..... Inferno comes along in the first season and fills that same role soooooo much better. And felt much more dangerous, at least for the first season and some of season 2. If your gonna have the two guys fill the same role, at least havethem compete for their place in the pecking order.


And jeez, hadn't really thought about it until reading this thread but yeah, Jazz has kinda been sidlined alot.... Lame.

[AllNewSuperRobot]

I think when it comes to Inferno. They had some ideas that were likely originally intended for Scorponok. But due to time etc This led to them being the basis for a new character instead. Which, as noted, made Scorponok redundant for most of Season One.

Jazz. Makes me question what it means to be a "fan favourite" character? That descriptive in itself doesn't guarantee HasTak (and/or comic publishers) will abide by the demand.

[Rodimus Prime]

Yeah it seemed that for some reason the BW writers abandoned Scorponok, even if he wasn't really featured much to begin with. Inferno got more lines and more screen time, but his character was more lively and engaging to begin with. I think any character can be made interesting and memorable, all it takes is some dedication from good writers. And Beast Wars had great writing.

I think he and Terrorsaur getting killed off unceremoniously is 1 reason I resented the fuzors. Also because I found both Silverbolt and Quickstrike annoying.

[AllNewSuperRobot]

To me, Quickstrike is the single worst character in Beast Wars. Silverbolt wasn't too much better. It is funny to read some lament the loss of Terrorsaur in the first episode of Season Two. But not Scorponok. While Terrorsaur was just essentially the token Starscream of the show. Much like how Megatron's character was vastly enhanced by Season Two. I think Terrorsaur could have been developed to being far more interesting and unique than he was.

[Rodimus Prime]

I think Terrorsaur could have been developed to being far more interesting and unique than he was.

Yeah the episode "Power Surge" gave us a taste of what Terrorsaur could be if he had more Starscream traits in him. It was a missed opportunity. As for Scorponok, scorpions are arachnids, so I always thought he could have ended up as a flunky/muscle/protection for Tarantulas.

[AllNewSuperRobot]

As for Scorponok, scorpions are arachnids, so I always thought he could have ended up as a flunky/muscle/protection for Tarantulas.

That could have worked with the alternate 'budget is no obstacle' Beast Wars show. All the mold variants depicted onscreen. Terrorsaur could have grown into his own leadership with a brigade of his own pterosaurs. Likewise, Scorponok could have been part of a desert army. They could have even had the (superior) toy sculpt in the mix too. He was often cited as being strong. But they never put that into practice really.

[Rodimus Prime]

Scorponok could have been used better with tbe budget they had. If the fuzors never came around, that screen time and animation budget could have gone to already existing characters. The fuzors were a stupid concept.

[MaximalNui]

Yeah you would think that someone with crazy speed would merit a few of his own spotlight episodes. I don't even remember him doing anything in the G1 comics either, I'm not sure about IDW, I didn't start reading until 2012.

He's basically the Quicksilver of Transformers, it would have been awesome to see him in Bayverse doing similar stuff to Cons that Quicksilver did in X-Men.

He had his own Spotlight issue, and I think he was a prominent recurring character in the post-war Cybertron, particularly the Windblade series and the (surprise, surprise) Velocitron arc.

I can only give you my take on it, I don't speak for other fans. I think it's because he's an original and memorable character. He's 1 of whom I consider the "top 10" of OG Autobots: Prime, Ironhide, Ratchet, Jazz, Bumblebee, Cliffjumper, Sideswipe, Prowl, Mirage and Wheeljack. You might consider others, but to me when someone says "G1 cast," these guys pop into my head. Basically, I think to most fans Jazz is a made bot. Add to that his personality and memorable appearance in TF:TM, and you got a character that lives forever, even if he doesn't get used much.

That's what I find so confusing. I read that a lot. But Hasbro and Takara have consistently used him less and less. Unlike the other names you mentioned.
Was that because of the passing of Scatman Crothers? Did Sunbow have a plan for Post-Movie Jazz?? He's never established in canon or toy as being upgraded into a Head/Target/Powermaster. So maybe, maybe not??

As an aside, beyond a cancelled Laser Cycle, his entire line has an almost unparalleled level of consistency.

Even IDWverse seemed to not know what to do with him and just slowly phased him out. The last time I can think of he was effectively used onscreen was Animated. But again they didn't do much with him.

I recall the Marvel run, one of my favourite stories: Rhythms of Darkness. He's in it. So although an alt-future, Furman tells us he survives into the post Movie years. But, once again, he's just there.

Honestly I was most surprised by IDW not using him much. He should have bern 1 of those characters that was in like every issue. I would have liked to see him be on the Lost Light as part of Rodimus's inner circle their personalities were a lot alike.

Didn't he have a huge focus arc in the Optimus Prime series?

Regarding Scorponok and Terrorsaur, I think they both have the problem of becoming redundant compared to other characters, but in different ways. For Scorponok, he kept switching between different contradictory roles that other Preds played better - sometimes he was a dumb loyal brute, but Inferno's madness made him both more threatening and funnier; sometimes he was the tech wiz who devised their new technological weaponry, but Tarantulas was a lot more enigmatic and sinister and his designs actually worked. For Terrorsaur, he fulfilled the token "obvious treacherous minion" role, but most of the other Preds also fulfilled that role with their own unique, interesting twist - Dinobot was a honorable warrior and joined the Maximals early on, Tarantulas had his own mystery agenda and mad science, Blackarachnia was manipulative and competent (pretty telling that she was the one to deceive Starscream in Possession), and Season 2 just added more with Rampage and his Hannibal mannerisms.

Honestly, my biggest example of underused characters are combiner teams. Aside from the leader and one occasional character (Swindle comes to mind), most are pretty indistinguishable from one another (the Constructicons are particularly guilty of this) and even the combined mode, despite attempts at giving each their own personality, are rarely played as more than "giant unstable punchy robot". Heck, the Maximus teams from Energon barely transformed into individual robot mode; they just skipped from combiner to vehicle like Megazords!

[Cyberstrike]

Honestly, my biggest example of underused characters are combiner teams. Aside from the leader and one occasional character (Swindle comes to mind), most are pretty indistinguishable from one another (the Constructicons are particularly guilty of this) and even the combined mode, despite attempts at giving each their own personality, are rarely played as more than "giant unstable punchy robot". Heck, the Maximus teams from Energon barely transformed into individual robot mode; they just skipped from combiner to vehicle like Megazords!

From I remember in Energon it was the combiner was the character, there was no individual/separate characters. The 3 of them just happen to be transformers that could transform into 5 separate robots/alt modes.

[snavej]

Background characters do background work in the background, because their parents told them to do it so that then they would earn privileges!

[AllNewSuperRobot]

Scorponok could have been used better with the budget they had. If the fuzors never came around, that screen time and animation budget could have gone to already existing characters. The fuzors were a stupid concept.

The Fuzors were such an oddly context-specific thing that they can't really come back organically within another Transformers line. Beyond Duocon rebranding, perhaps?

Personally, being a fan of the weird and unconventional, I liked the concept. BUT! To be properly explored, it needed to consist of more than two characters. Stories such as Transmutate indicate where their plotline could have gone. Plus, they didn't even have a rivalry. After Coming of the Fuzors, Silverbolt and Quickstrike didn't even really acknowledge each other again, on a personal level.

[Rodimus Prime]

Exactly. We never got an explanation for why they were that way, nor did they have anything to do with each other afterwards. Wasted opportunity, making the concept pointless.

[AllNewSuperRobot]

Plus they were two of the lamest/safest designs they could have chosen for the show. I can think of a better two, immediately:

[Blastback]

Jazz. Makes me question what it means to be a "fan favourite" character? That descriptive in itself doesn't guarantee HasTak (and/or comic publishers) will abide by the demand.

Yeah fan favorite just means that there's a strong following to the character, not even necceasrily a big one. And it's never been a guarantee that the character will be used or well treated. Just look at some fan favorite characters from DC comics and how the've been treated for the last decade and a half, Wally West, Cass Cain, Stephanie Brown....