The Energon Pub

While I understand that people like him, but I don't get it why so many people belive he is a superior Megatron. I mean LOL, he's alt-mode is completly unpractical and humiliating, most of the time he's butt is kicked by Prime with ease. He once was defeated by by a can of spray paint. Pretty much all of he's plans in original cartoon end with failure. Actually, the only time he seems to be a ruthless warrior and good tactician is in Transformers: Movie. I don't undersand why he supossed to be any bether than other Megatrons...

Because G1 Megatron is the personification of death itself. I mean, the guy turns into a gun.
His Gun-mode is a propaganda tool, it makes people fear him. But deep down, I don't think G1 Megatron is truly evil, other-wise his plans would not fail so often.

His alt mode is perfect for a commander. It allows him to use his tremendous firepower while being able to concentrate on the battle.

TurboMMaster wrote:While I understand that people like him, but I don't get it why so many people belive he is a superior Megatron. I mean LOL, he's alt-mode is completly unpractical and humiliating, most of the time he's butt is kicked by Prime with ease. He once was defeated by by a can of spray paint. Pretty much all of he's plans in original cartoon end with failure. Actually, the only time he seems to be a ruthless warrior and good tactician is in Transformers: Movie. I don't undersand why he supossed to be any bether than other Megatrons...

It wasn't until I joined this site only a few months ago that I realized how many TF fans don't like him! I am still shocked and disheartened.

You said "he's alt-mode is completly unpractical and humiliating", I'm sorry, but that is 100% incorrect. I am not going into a bash-fest here, but it's just plain wrong and shows a lack of understanding who he is, so I'd like to hear why you said what you did.

As to why he's so awesome, first of all what should be amazingly obvious: that guy carries around a cannon on his arm that's almost bigger than him! This is just an amazing show of that potential brutality he carries around n one arm.

Now, of course, in the show the good guys have to win so we could really see (until the '86 movie) how brutal he could be.

I consider him the perfect bad guy. From his look, to his sound, to his alt mode; everything about him is just pure win.

tfparodies wrote:You said "he's alt-mode is completly unpractical and humiliating", I'm sorry, but that is 100% incorrect. I am not going into a bash-fest here, but it's just plain wrong and shows a lack of understanding who he is, so I'd like to hear why you said what you did.

Well for him to function in his alt-mode he kinda needs someone to give him a cuddle ...

Burn wrote:

tfparodies wrote:You said "he's alt-mode is completly unpractical and humiliating", I'm sorry, but that is 100% incorrect. I am not going into a bash-fest here, but it's just plain wrong and shows a lack of understanding who he is, so I'd like to hear why you said what you did.

Well for him to function in his alt-mode he kinda needs someone to give him a cuddle ...

That's another thing. Why didn't Starscream just smash him in gun mode? Its gotta be a trust thing, right? Sure he'll betray me now and then, but he's the only one I trust with that sensitive area...

BeastProwl wrote:

Burn wrote:

tfparodies wrote:You said "he's alt-mode is completly unpractical and humiliating", I'm sorry, but that is 100% incorrect. I am not going into a bash-fest here, but it's just plain wrong and shows a lack of understanding who he is, so I'd like to hear why you said what you did.

Well for him to function in his alt-mode he kinda needs someone to give him a cuddle ...

That's another thing. Why didn't Starscream just smash him in gun mode? Its gotta be a trust thing, right? Sure he'll betray me now and then, but he's the only one I trust with that sensitive area...

Would you want to crush something that is basically a small nuclear reactor?

Burn wrote:

tfparodies wrote:You said "he's alt-mode is completly unpractical and humiliating", I'm sorry, but that is 100% incorrect. I am not going into a bash-fest here, but it's just plain wrong and shows a lack of understanding who he is, so I'd like to hear why you said what you did.

Well for him to function in his alt-mode he kinda needs someone to give him a cuddle ...

Exactly! What kind of evil overlord you are is you need someone else to even manifest you true power? Also, in Gun mode, he is... well tiny. He's alt mode is simply unspectacular, and very non overlord-ish. Lets' compare him with Optimus: Truck vs Gun. No doubt why he can't beat Prime.

BeastProwl wrote:That's another thing. Why didn't Starscream just smash him in gun mode? Its gotta be a trust thing, right? Sure he'll betray me now and then, but he's the only one I trust with that sensitive area...

Good question, also he could simply lock down Megatron's ability to Transform... For me it is kinda strange that nobody even consider this as an Megatron's weakness, since it is kina obvious.

In the first cartoon, Megatron, wasn't just fun/charismatic/entertaining - he was considered scary. Why? He was a threat, harming 'bots & humans alike. Among 80's US cartoon villains, Meg's was THE credible bad guy on kids TV. I know of only 2 that rival. This left an impression on us kids back then.

I can understand, 100%, why someone who looks back at G1 Megatron in the Sunbow/Marvel Studios production, & ask, what's so special? Don't forget the context of the character in the 80's on kids TV.

In fact, he was perceived as TOO scary, and after the TF the Movie which saw Galvatron, who was intensely scary for kids back then, they deliberately chose to make him, so inept, that he was not scary at all.



One might argue that Megatron is a classic hero character, translation, not being a good/moral hero. Mythology is filled with "heroes", however, most weren't good like we would think of a hero today.

If you look in Marvel comics in the US/UK, Megatron was truly awesome, & all the Galvatrons, [plural, no -'s, not possessive], who had more than one incarnation, Galvy was even more dangerous and threatening than Meg's.



I believe that DW writers understood this. They knew why G1 Meg's/Galvy left such an impression G1/G2 fans. Megatron "the Great", [like ancients viewed Alexander - great not being a positive], really started to hint his gravity, by Book 3 of TF G1, & the Armada finale. The black speech boxes, & G1 Galvatron invasion with other classics?

Given who the DW writers were in the 2000's, it's no surprise that Meg's was heading towards a super event, & his implied role. Many of these incredible writers are still involved, as they were in the 80's.

Burn wrote:

tfparodies wrote:You said "he's alt-mode is completly unpractical and humiliating", I'm sorry, but that is 100% incorrect. I am not going into a bash-fest here, but it's just plain wrong and shows a lack of understanding who he is, so I'd like to hear why you said what you did.

Well for him to function in his alt-mode he kinda needs someone to give him a cuddle ...

Yes, but so what? He is the leader of an entire evil group, he constantly has someone around to fire him. And that's even if he needed to be in gun mode at all. In robot form he has that huge cannon that can do quite a bit of damage itself. In both forms he is just a living weapon.

Exactly! What kind of evil overlord you are is you need someone else to even manifest you true power? Also, in Gun mode, he is... well tiny. He's alt mode is simply unspectacular, and very non overlord-ish. Lets' compare him with Optimus: Truck vs Gun. No doubt why he can't beat Prime.

Both forms read "brute strength" to me. For Prime, being a powerful truck fits like a glove. For Megagton, being a weapon that condensed and amplified all that raw firepower he had also fits the character perfectly.

And how does truck > gun? A gun is a weapon, a truck is... a truck. Not considering his trailer tranforming, Prime could run into things, sure, but what really can he do in truck mode? Megatron can truly destroy in gun mode.

tfparodies wrote:

Burn wrote:

tfparodies wrote:You said "he's alt-mode is completly unpractical and humiliating", I'm sorry, but that is 100% incorrect. I am not going into a bash-fest here, but it's just plain wrong and shows a lack of understanding who he is, so I'd like to hear why you said what you did.

Well for him to function in his alt-mode he kinda needs someone to give him a cuddle ...

Yes, but so what? He is the leader of an entire evil group, he constantly has someone around to fire him. And that's even if he needed to be in gun mode at all. In robot form he has that huge cannon that can do quite a bit of damage itself. In both forms he is just a living weapon.

You asked why his alt-mode was un-practical, I gave you a reason. His alt-mode could only function with the assistance of others. When virtually every other TF (well except maybe Rung) could turn into a practical alt-mode that could function on it's own, is it any wonder he spent so much time in robot mode?

That's why when G2 rolled around they obviously saw the silliness of it and turned him into a tank which was far more befitting for a character that was all about destruction.

You asked why his alt-mode was un-practical, I gave you a reason. His alt-mode could only function with the assistance of others. When virtually every other TF (well except maybe Rung) could turn into a practical alt-mode that could function on it's own, is it any wonder he spent so much time in robot mode?

That's why when G2 rolled around they obviously saw the silliness of it and turned him into a tank which was far more befitting for a character that was all about destruction.

Just because you need someone else it doesn't make his gun form unpractical. Every robot had a gun of some sort that they could fire (even Megatron came with a gun), the fact that a gun that can be fired at you is actually the powerful decepticon leader? That's a whole other level of power coming at you.

And a tank? Seriously? We've had multiple characters turn into tanks. Unoriginal. Nothing special about being a tank. And the green camo look was awful.

tfparodies wrote:Just because you need someone else it doesn't make his gun form unpractical. Every robot had a gun of some sort that they could fire (even Megatron came with a gun), the fact that a gun that can be fired at you is actually the powerful decepticon leader? That's a whole other level of power coming at you.

We're talking alt-modes here, not robot modes.

Megatron transforms into a gun and falls to the ground.

How is that practical?

Burn wrote:

tfparodies wrote:Just because you need someone else it doesn't make his gun form unpractical. Every robot had a gun of some sort that they could fire (even Megatron came with a gun), the fact that a gun that can be fired at you is actually the powerful decepticon leader? That's a whole other level of power coming at you.

We're talking alt-modes here, not robot modes.

Megatron transforms into a gun and falls to the ground.

How is that practical?

What good is a leader who is just another rifleman? A leader shouldn't be worried about engaging in personal combat, they should be worried about what their troops are doing and determining what the enemy is doing.

Burn wrote:We're talking alt-modes here, not robot modes.

Megatron transforms into a gun and falls to the ground.

How is that practical?

Since we are talking about his needing to be fired, we are talking about robot modes of those we need to fire him. Again, just because he needs someone to aim and pull a trigger doesn't make him unpractical. This would make every single gun unpractical.

njb902 wrote:

Burn wrote:

tfparodies wrote:Just because you need someone else it doesn't make his gun form unpractical. Every robot had a gun of some sort that they could fire (even Megatron came with a gun), the fact that a gun that can be fired at you is actually the powerful decepticon leader? That's a whole other level of power coming at you.

We're talking alt-modes here, not robot modes.

Megatron transforms into a gun and falls to the ground.

How is that practical?

What good is a leader who is just another rifleman? A leader shouldn't be worried about engaging in personal combat, they should be worried about what their troops are doing and determining what the enemy is doing.

I'm just answering his question about Megatron's alt-mode, nothing about his leadership abilities.

You said "he's alt-mode is completly unpractical and humiliating", I'm sorry, but that is 100% incorrect. I am not going into a bash-fest here, but it's just plain wrong and shows a lack of understanding who he is, so I'd like to hear why you said what you did.

Burn wrote:

njb902 wrote:

Burn wrote:

tfparodies wrote:Just because you need someone else it doesn't make his gun form unpractical. Every robot had a gun of some sort that they could fire (even Megatron came with a gun), the fact that a gun that can be fired at you is actually the powerful decepticon leader? That's a whole other level of power coming at you.

We're talking alt-modes here, not robot modes.

Megatron transforms into a gun and falls to the ground.

How is that practical?

What good is a leader who is just another rifleman? A leader shouldn't be worried about engaging in personal combat, they should be worried about what their troops are doing and determining what the enemy is doing.

I'm just answering his question about Megatron's alt-mode, nothing about his leadership abilities.

You said "he's alt-mode is completly unpractical and humiliating", I'm sorry, but that is 100% incorrect. I am not going into a bash-fest here, but it's just plain wrong and shows a lack of understanding who he is, so I'd like to hear why you said what you did.

I'm just backing up why I think Megatron's g1 alt mode is compatible with his leadership role.

njb902 wrote:I'm just backing up why I think Megatron's g1 alt mode is compatible with his leadership role.

Which is all well and good, but I'm talking about practicality. Do you believe his alt-mode is practical?

Burn wrote:

njb902 wrote:I'm just backing up why I think Megatron's g1 alt mode is compatible with his leadership role.

Which is all well and good, but I'm talking about practicality. Do you believe his alt-mode is practical?

Yes. While in battle Megatron can still lend his firepower while being able to monitor the whole situation. Sure he could be dropped, but he could be hit by a missile if he was a plane or he could be bombed if he's a tank, every alt-mode has it's downsides.

njb902 wrote:Yes. While in battle Megatron can still lend his firepower while being able to monitor the whole situation.

Alt-mode - Requires to be carried, can shoot things, can monitor the situation and give orders
Robot mode - Doesn't require to be carried, can shoot things, can fly above the battlefield, can dodge things, all the while monitoring the situation and giving orders.

Impractical alt-mode. What would be the purpose in him transforming ever?

Look man hate all you want, G1 Megatron was that dude. I mean for what it's worth in the '80s cartoon villains were silly and never really taken seriously. As much as I watched G1 from the time I was 11 in '84 until now, no cartoon villain is as feared as Megatron is. He was not a wimp. Optimus beat him in the '86 movie. However he went toe to toe with prime on many occasions. He proved to his own armies during the "Triple Takeover" Megatron is still king. Also lets not forget if Megs wasn't a bad ass why would BW Megatron take G1 Megs' namesake? Simple, because in the end of it all he was a bad ass.

He is still my no.1 villain for US cartoons. I quote him a lot at work.

Well I heard before they made Megatron to be the leader of the G1 Decepticons it was supposed to be Soundwave

Burn wrote:Impractical alt-mode. What would be the purpose in him transforming ever?

Because he's the ultimate weapon in that form, second only to his robot form. In reality (yes, I know talking about reality in the TF universe is pretty dumb), getting hit by gun-mode Megatron should be fatal to just about anyone, including Prime himself, though that's debatable. But, as stated, this is a kids cartoon and the good guys have to win, so we never got to see that brute power in full.

Again, saying a gun is not practical is just flat out wrong. Ask anyone who's been shot.

tfparodies wrote:getting hit by gun-mode Megatron should be fatal to just about anyone, including Prime himself,

I've often wondered if his gun mode actually increases his firepower. Take the movie for example, one shot kills on the Autobot shuttle. But in robot mode bots get up and keep fighting.

But then that doesn't make sense, he transforms into something smaller but his power is increased? I know, suspend my disbelief, it was a animated movie.

tfparodies wrote:Again, saying a gun is not practical is just flat out wrong. Ask anyone who's been shot.

As a giant alien robot, transforming into a gun is definitely impractical when your arch-nemesis transforms into a semi-truck capable of running over the little tiny gun.

Without getting into the "fannon" of things, I'll just point this out.

Megatron as a gun wasn't conceived from the ground up, but selected among a line of toys, intended to be a marketing tool for said toys.

After taking a look at the lineup of available Diaclone and Microman/Microchange toys that made up the first wave of G1 Transformers, the Gun Robo P-38 is the only possible choice for Megatron. Most of the line was made up of civilian cars, while the jet fighters looked too sleek and not all that intimidating in bot mode. And lastly there's a micro-cassette recorder.

A transforming gun was the best and only choice among the lot, under the circumstances. Now had there been a transforming tank or Howitzer in that line, they could well have went with that instead, but as history would have it....

Just saying.