ROTF Devastator a Hexocon?

[Tiby]

Okay. I have been thinking about this for a while. I think ROTF Devastator is a Hexocon, like a Duocon, but made out of six. That is, he is one robot which turns into multiple vehicles. A similar example is Magmatron.

While this is not perfect, consider this:
[SPOILERS, I guess]

1. The specific vehicles are not seen in robot modes.
2. At the same time as Devastator's fight, Rampage is named by Starscream in the battle in the village, and seen in robot mode.
3. Mixmaster is seen in the battle at the village in his robot and third "weapon" mode (consistent with the Voyager toy).
4. Long Haul is seen in the village battle in robot mode.
5. When Devastator gets hit, he comes apart and stays that way, when from the look of the hit parts of him (if they indeed had robot modes) could get up and continue as they were not hit directly.
6. I think the names ascribed to them on the toy are just to try and connect to G1, nothing more.
7. I would be more comfortable with this if the cement truck part of Devastator (in the movie) did not have the Decepticon logo on the barrel and the Decep-dog on the bonnet. The toy does not have the logo (neither the Devastator toy nor the Voyager of Mixmaster/cement truck have the Decep-dog), which works for me.

What do you think?

[Paulbot]

Yes, totally agree, the movie suggests nothing else.

[jaydisc]

+2

[shokwave2]

So the only "live" decepticon in Devastator would be Scavenger. He was the one who transformed and grabbed the other construction equipment. So in reality, he is controlling Devastator, or in fact, becomes Devastator after combining with other vehicles. Does this sound right?

[BigPenney]

100% agree.

[STL]

+2

+3.

[Tiby]

So the only "live" decepticon in Devastator would be Scavenger. He was the one who transformed and grabbed the other construction equipment. So in reality, he is controlling Devastator, or in fact, becomes Devastator after combining with other vehicles. Does this sound right?

Possible. Not quite how I thought of it, but "Scavenger" could be the main control unit, or "brain" of Devastator with the others being subservient. If "Scavenger" came alone into a group of the other vehicles and "All-Sparked" them somehow, I would be more convinced that he was in charge. But most of the vehicles (except the off-highway truck/"Long Haul" I think) entered the area together with "Scavenger".

Using the Magmatron analogy, each of the beasts have Magmatron's consciousness, rather than individual brains like the G1 Constructicons. Another example might be G1 Optimus Prime, with Prime, Roller and the trailer all sharing Prime's consciousness. I understand this is how the Duocons work too.

Where the "Scavenger" part of ROTF Devastator looks to be in control in the way he combines on screen, I think has more to do with being a "realistic" merging, rather than all the parts floating or flying into place, like they do in the cartoons. The cables etc mean there does not have to be any anti-gravity or energy beams involved.

In summary then, I prefer the Optimus Prime/Magmatron model, where ROTF Devastator's consciousness in vehicle mode(s) is spread between them all.

Thanks everyone for responding! I was starting to spend an unhealthy amount of time going over this over and over again in my head! :)

[GoktimusPrime]

I did think about this after watching the movie - and I thought that it was a cheesy way to justify the Constructicon Devastator toy (not enough to make me wanna buy it though). Of course, it doesn't rule out that the component Constructicons could be separate Transformers too - just that we didn't see them transform to robot mode in the movie. Either way is possible... go with whatever makes you happy. :)

[griffin]

I think a precedent example of this is Energon Optimus. You have the main concious unit (Optimus/Scavenger) which uses several drones to form the robotic mode. The only difference is that the Scavenger toy doesn't have its own robot mode, and the Energon drones were a lot more simplistic.

[Tober]

So the only "live" decepticon in Devastator would be Scavenger. He was the one who transformed and grabbed the other construction equipment. So in reality, he is controlling Devastator, or in fact, becomes Devastator after combining with other vehicles. Does this sound right?


I did think about this after watching the movie - and I thought that it was a cheesy way to justify the Constructicon Devastator toy (not enough to make me wanna buy it though). Of course, it doesn't rule out that the component Constructicons could be separate Transformers too - just that we didn't see them transform to robot mode in the movie. Either way is possible... go with whatever makes you happy. :)

Pretty much the way I imagined it too. There was one 'master' robot and the rest were made slaves once gestalt transformation began. I would have to watch it again but I seem to remember Scavenger chaining in the other constructicons to merge them together across the entire body rather than having one robot for each limb etc as in G1. The other constructicons didn't seem to happy about it. Would explain why the separate units couldn't get up after being hit by the rail-gun too.

Or maybe I'm just over-reaching.:rolleyes:

[Vector Sigma 13]

Been thinking about the same concept- possible reason why the big fellas toy wont have robot forms? (other than the cost of the development and tooling).


There was one 'master' robot and the rest were made slaves once gestalt transformation began. I would have to watch it again but I seem to remember Scavenger chaining in the other constructicons to merge them together across the entire body rather than having one robot for each limb etc as in G1. The other constructicons didn't seem to happy about it. Would explain why the separate units couldn't get up after being hit by the rail-gun too.

After some examination I reccon i saw one of the feet transforming and waiting in position to merge - didnt seem reluctant to hook up? I could be wrong though.

Ill tell you one thing for sure- once i get the movie on dvd im going to be doing a lot of slow motion detective work. Every time i watch the movie i seem to find something new!:D

[TF76]

Not that it may mean anything, there is some info in the hardcover movie guide, I put on layby at Big w, borders have it. I think someone mentioned they got it on the board too.

I think it mentioned each construction has its own consciousness but as devastator they have no individuality. Or I could have remembered it wrong, I read it before seeing the movie.

Sorry im a bit tired.

[GoktimusPrime]

Ooh! Ooh! That's me! :)

If you don't want to be spoiled about what's in this book then look away now!














"The Constructicons are individually, maestros of mayhem and purveyors of panic and pandemonium. But when large-scale demolition is called for, Hightower, Long Haul, Mixmaster, Rampage, Scavenger and Scrapper team-up like never before - as Devastator! Together they are a rolling, crushing catastrophic crew, flattening everything in their path. Interlocked in the form fo a giant robot, this grunting, clanking engine of destruction will not rest until everything is rubble."

Also:
"Devastator is a creature of instinct, acting on basic programming that calls for mass destruction. The individual intellects of the six Constructicons are largely lost during the combination process."

So there you have it. Good call TF76. :)

[Tiby]

Ah yes. I too have that book, however the inconsistencies between that and the film mean I can't accept it. If nothing else, Rampage was at the village for sure, given Starscream addressed him.

[hound]

+4


+3.

[shokwave2]

Ah yes. I too have that book, however the inconsistencies between that and the film mean I can't accept it. If nothing else, Rampage was at the village for sure, given Starscream addressed him.

So does that mean that all Bulldozer's are named Rampage, all dump trucks Long Haul, etc? In other words, all clones of a certain vehicle all share the same name. It would explain why Rampage was battling Bumblebee and combined within Devastator at the same time.

[Tiby]

But then we have the Blackout / Grindor problem...

[jaydisc]

6. I think the names ascribed to them on the toy are just to try and connect to G1, nothing more.

That, and to continue to use and further protect their trademarks. Probably much easier than coming up with 5 new names, and trademarking them all.

[shokwave2]

Blackout/Grindor, Demolisher/Scavenger.

We don't actually hear anyone call him Grindor do we? Only in the ROTF game is he called Grindor. What about in the novel? Too many inconsistancies.

[Tiby]

That, and to continue to use and further protect their trademarks. Probably much easier than coming up with 5 new names, and trademarking them all.

Good point!

[Sky Shadow]

So does that mean that all Bulldozer's are named Rampage, all dump trucks Long Haul, etc? In other words, all clones of a certain vehicle all share the same name. It would explain why Rampage was battling Bumblebee and combined within Devastator at the same time.

Except that seems to contradict the individual names of Demolishor and Scavenger (or Rampage and Skipjack. Maybe Tread and Trample too.)

[Paulbot]

With the knowledge that Prime killed Demolisher at the start of the movie and that sometime during the movie Bumblebee killed Rampage, I had this theory:

Over the course of the movie the individual Constructicons would be defeated by the Autobots. At the end of the movie the fallen Constructicons would be rebuilt to combine into a giant robot so they could have their revenge. I also liked the idea that the central robot was renamed Scavenger as the Decepticons were using scavenged remains to build their ultimate weapon.

Turns out the Ultimate weapon was buried in a pyramid, The Fallen was the name of a Decepticon and Rampage was killed after Devastator was formed... but it was a good theory otherwise :o