Questions that need Answering

[Verno]

You've got to watch yourself there, Gok. You should be give a heads up as to which BW continuity your referencing. For example, there is absolutely no evidence of Optimus Primal having a Matrix in the US cartoon. Absolutely none.

[Paulbot]

Obviously those closest to the heartbeats of the Autobot/Decepticon Wars would largely remain involved in some sort of Military, Political or Advisory role with the new Maximal/Predacon feuds but I'm curious as to what happened to the innocent bystanders, civilians and those who had simply had enough.

I think it'd be really interesting to see how these "Guzzlers" would assimilate into this new world or maybe even how they didn't fit into it? - How their cultures grew and assimilated or if one simply gave way to the other?
(A parallel of sorts to Australia's own Imagrational history in a way )

Hey that's a great idea for a comic book series. In fact IDW is publishing a comic book that is pretty much about that, just with less Maximals and Predcaons, starting next week.

[Hursticon]

Hey that's a great idea for a comic book series. In fact IDW is publishing a comic book that is pretty much about that, just with less Maximals and Predcaons, starting next week.

Just to quickly jump this train's lines for a sec , which one is it? - Autocracy or one of the new Ongoings?
(I find it hard to keep up with all the new media, trying to stay abreast of what has already been produced is hard enough )

[Paulbot]

Just to quickly jump this train's lines for a sec , which one is it? - Autocracy or one of the new Ongoings?
(I find it hard to keep up with all the new media, trying to stay abreast of what has already been produced is hard enough )

The other new ongoing: "Robots In Disguise".

And now back to Beast Wars...

[Verno]

What about: How are Cybertronians paying off the damage caused to Earth during the War?

Or a big one: Where do Spark come from?

[Hursticon]

What about: How are Cybertronians paying off the damage caused to Earth during the War?

Hasn't Earth been destroyed though?; or are we talking immediately after the end of the Autobot/Decepticon conflict/s?

Or a big one: Where do Spark come from?

My mind is still a pile of mush after trying to tackle that subject, annoyingly I just don't know enough about Biology of species to be able to suggest a possibly credible explanation.

[Verno]

I think it's just 'off limits' in BW times according to canon, with it's location kept secret. But I blew it up in Vernoverse. No more fleshlings ruining TF stories!

As for Spark, yeah, if a Prime controls the Matrix, who is an Autobot, how can new Decepticons come online?! It needs a definitive answer once and for all! Not some conglomeration of every different continuities theory smudged together and passed off as a working model.

[Paulbot]

I think it's just 'off limits' in BW times according to canon, with it's location kept secret. But I blew it up in Vernoverse. No more fleshlings ruining TF stories!

As for Spark, yeah, if a Prime controls the Matrix, who is an Autobot, how can new Decepticons come online?! It needs a definitive answer once and for all! Not some conglomeration of every different continuities theory smudged together and passed off as a working model.

You're approaching the question of nuture vs nature. Does a Transformer come online evil or does it become evil? And does being a Decepticon mean evil or is it a different philisophy (yes there are Decepticons that do evil things, but does not caring about a race of hairless monkeys on a pathetic mudball when your home is dying and needs energy... make you evil?). All the new Transformers the AllSpark creates in the movieverse are bad, so perhaps that's the natural state and the Autobots are unnatural.

Beast Wars was more explicit than most other series on this, since all the newborn characters were 'Maximals' unless reprogrammed as 'Predacons' (Blackarachnia) or dominated by agressive animal instincts (Inferno, Quickstrike).

Both G1 cartoon and comic showed us explicity how new Decepticons came to be, both involved stealing the Matrix/Vector Sigma power.

The bigger unsolved question is how did any new Transformers come online during the 4 million years the Ark was lost? (Cartoon: none did, Comic: G2 budding? The Matrix Flame?)

[Verno]

Beast Wars was more explicit than most other series on this, since all the newborn characters were 'Maximals' unless reprogrammed as 'Predacons' (Blackarachnia) or dominated by agressive animal instincts (Inferno, Quickstrike).

I can't comment on the G1 stuff but I do enjoy reading your responses.

As for all new arrivals in BW being Maximals, I can't bite at that at all. No one would choose to be a Predacon on Cybertron after the Great War, because they were treated as 2nd class citizens. They would have to be created as Preds right from the off. I've got nothing to back up my theory from canon, but I could theorise on the subject until the cows either come home or transform

It all comes down to programming. A Spark when it comes minty fresh from the AllSpark the first time would have no personality and such, and is in essence a blank, all it does is power the body it enters. If it enters a body designed as a Predacon it takes on those programmed personality traits. If it enters a maximals', the same thing.

If you apply that to the instances of this kind of thing happening in G1, how else could a new troop coming online be guaranteed to be an Autobot or Decepticon? The Decepticons go to all that trouble to steal the Matrix to bring new troops online, they build a powerful body, and when it starts up - its an Autobot?! That wouldn't work at all. It has to be programmed.

[Hursticon]

If you apply that to the instances of this kind of thing happening in G1, how else could a new troop coming online be guaranteed to be an Autobot or Decepticon? The Decepticons go to all that trouble to steal the Matrix to bring new troops online, they build a powerful body, and when it starts up - its an Autobot?! That wouldn't work at all. It has to be programmed.

Ah but you see, I don't believe it's purely down to programming at all.

IMO, I believe that all Sparks are predominantly neutral but obviously have their own feelings towards things, now, throw in a shell program of either Maximal/Predacon or Autobot/Decepticon manufacture and you've got yourself a far more influenced entity towards your specific cause.

I believe that all Sparks are created equal until they are influenced; there are some on the Predacon/Decepticon sides who really have a more Maximal/Autobot leaning (Or vice-versa) when it comes to outlooks, mannerisms and actions but they choose to remain on that particular side purely out of choice, for whatever reason.

I dunno, I think I just don't like the idea of Sparks being created on one side or the other, from inception, as it seems far too limiting to me on both a character's personality & narrative standpoint; I like the idea of a character that has spent time on both sides of the fence (Physically or Metaphorically) and through their own experiences decide which allegiance they prefer, but invoke aspects of the opposite where necessary.