I wouldn't see it as a necessary evil. To label RotF as 'evil' implies that there was no way it could have been better-which it could have been. The first film, while not perfect, was better in many ways. This proves that it's not simply a case of just 'oh this is as good as we can be' as it is a case of a big drop in quality.

Even without RotF, the franchise would still be going on-it survived for nigh-on 20 years without a blockbuster film (I don't count TFTM as one since it didn't open in enough cinemas to count, and so had a limited cultural impact outside of Transfandom).

The unfortunate thing about RotF is that while it rakes in the cash (and so benefits whatever the next TF project Hasbro is working on), it really screws with the popular image of the franchise.

Quote Originally Posted by Tober View Post
It's a kid's movie, that their dad who liked TFs as a kid, takes them along to see... So the US military* can recruit them when they flunk school.
A kid's movie? Since when did a kid's movie have many uses of explicit language, near-rape, Skankatron, and, well, stuff like that?