The Soapbox XIII: Necessary Evils

[Robzy]

I really don't think ROTF was "necessary" at all! I don't think it added anything to the fandom. In response to your suggestions (just my opinion btw)...

The concept of a combiner has been turned on its head with the ROTF Devastator. The discussions and the paradigm that a combiner must be individual robots has all been but turned on its head. ROTF Devastator is a giant who is a combination of a whole lot of vehicles that form one sentient being. In turn this raises questions as to sentience though. Do each of the vehicles have a sentience of their own? Or is it collective?

I see your point but it wasn't really that innovative... Energon Optimus Prime combined with his Prime Force back in 2004/05. They were drones!

Plus we had Shockwave's "mindless" drones and sentinels in G1 anyway, and they seemed to function okay...

The Matrix.

Yeah, so now all the Matrix is supposed to do is blow up suns... Brilliant Mr Bay!

The 13.

Do you mean the seven?


This review on Toplessrobot summs it up perfectly for me...

If they wanted to protect Earth, why did they leave the Matrix on the planet? They're a space-faring race, they could have hid it anywhere in galaxy! Second of all, what the **** does making a tomb of their own bodies do? Shouldn't they have stayed alive to protect the Matrix? Or finish off the Fallen? Or just not die and leave Earth and the entire Transformer race in jeopardy?

And why hide the Matrix at all? Don't they need Energon to survive? Didn't they say they go to other lifeless planets? These idiot Primes just doomed their whole species for no ****ing reason whatsoever! No wonder the Decepticons are so p!ssed.

I don't think we should ever remember these guys!

The Seekers. The explorers who sought out different worlds.

So, basically, it's the same term we've always had but it's just changed context... so one could argue the 1984 wave of G1 Autobots were in fact called Seekers?

Can TFs be grown from little cocoons as Starscream did?

Aren't they just protoforms? Seen them before too.

TF history. How long have the TFs been on Earth? Who else is out there?

Well, we know when all the main characters from TF1 arrived on earth, including Megatron. Who else is out there?... Well, whatever other crappy robot Michael Bay dreams up and wants to include I guess?!

Twins.

G1 had Sideswipe & Sunstreaker

The Matrix's own sentience. Sacrificing of sparks.

I don't think the Matrix was self-aware... it seemed to be a device for operating the Solar Harvester... and, when not inside a sock, bringing Optimus back to life (which Sam's Allspark shard could have already done anyway )

Certainly, the story doesn't bring it together effectively but one cannot deny those elements and layers being added to the TF mythos and that's certainly a win for us.

Sorry, I really don't see it. What exactly did Michael Bay give us that were new, layered additions?

It's pretty damn inexcusable to be honest. The core characters to a movie yet there's so little of their character. That's an unqualified fail if I've ever seen one. Sure, it might be a soulless Michael Bay movie but surely at some affording some of your characters with a bit of personality and lines couldn't have hurt. Really why is that Mark Ryan guy even needed to do Bumblebee's voice. He never even says a word.

100% agree!!

The longevity of TFs is critical to its success as a franchise. What ROTF does is make Transformers big. It makes the brand big. It keeps in the minds of a generation. Much like you still see Matrix or Pirates of the Carribean still on the shelves, it will keep TFs on the shelves.

Sorry, I don't agree. TFs would be on the shelves with or without ROTF.

As for making TFs "Big"... I think it made it big and stupid! It really hurts me to say this. I love Transformers, but I am utterly ashamed of that movie. It's not even a movie - it has no story or continuity whasoever. It's a commercial made by a Director who doesn't know/understand/give a sh!t about the product!

Worst of all, it's made us Transfans look like idiots! I feel really sad when I read a review of another Sci-Fi film (District 9) and the opening sentence is this...

It is universally acknowledged (at least by those who don't play with Transformers toys) that the best science fiction stories are those that use the devices of aliens, robots, and space ships to illustrate some greater truth.

We've all been lumped in to the same stupid bin as Michael Bay!

As a Transformers franchise, the 200X movies save me a lot of money. I don't buy a year's worth of toys, DVDs, merchandise, comics - heck, for ROTF I didn't even have to pay to see the film or for my popcorn or drink. The entire movie universe is a triviality to me

100% agree! ROTF has been fantastic for my G1 Transformers, MOTUC, & DCUC collecting! I'm not spending any more on ROTF - not even buying the DVD!!!