Transformers Deviations: In A World... Where Optimus Prime Never Dies

[Andrew T]

IDW comics released their first Transformers-themed "What If" issue yesterday, and it was probably the biggest potential POD in all of TF fandom -- "What If Hot Rod hadn't interfered in Optimus and Megatron's fight in Transformers: The Movie?"

Unfortunately, I just can't recommend paying $5 for this. It's 46 pages, but of those, less than half (~20) are devoted to the actual story; the rest is padded out with ads and (an admittedly funny) GI Joe what-if where Cobra Commander is ill-prepared for the task of governing after a Cobra victory. (Actually, that story might be better than the main TF story.)

As for what we get: I'm okay with the artwork for the first 12 pages or so, but after that, it gets *really* lazy, particularly on this alt-Starscream, who seems to have extra blue fins in robot mode (?) along with two fusion cannons. In altmode, he's bristling with bombs, with no real practical way to convert between the two. Oh, and the "big reveal" is incredibly muddled and hard to make out who's who.

In terms of the story: eh. It actually hews fairly close to the movie, even including a completely pointless trip to Quintessa that robs the already-short story of three pages of length. There are Kup-isms. Everyone is really, really obnoxious to Hot Rod in a way that's fourth-wall-breaking. And then it ends exactly the way you'd expect it to end, even if the actual consequences are a bit different.

As an alt-history fan and a TF comics fan -- and I love the stuff IDW is doing with their main comic lines -- I ran out and bought this on Day 1. I can't honestly recommend anyone else do the same.

 

[Fenrir_Angerboda]

On one hand, Megascream's combiner form was pretty cool.

the rest of it was bad comedy.

Did you look at the TMNT or Ghostbusters one?

I heard the Ghostbusters one was the best of the bunch.

Honestly, the current G.I. Joe vs the Transformers is much better as an ASB AH.

 

[CT23]

Where can this be purchased?

 

[Andrew T]

On one hand, Megascream's combiner form was pretty cool.

See, I couldn't even get behind that, primarily because I just can't imagine Starscream voluntarily trusting anyone else enough to combine with them. Starscream is an absorb-the-Underbase-and-become-absurdly-powerful villain; he's not a combiner.

Also, Thrust as a limb?? Thrust got the living crap kicked out of him during the attack on Autobot City. In an alternate universe where that goes even worse, I'd expect him to be one of the "nays" jettisoned out of Astrotrain on the way out.

 

[KN1]

Haven't read it, but everything I've heard about it indicates that its pretty dumb. It sounds like it was written by someone with a hate-on for Hot Rod and fan-ficcy ideas about how they'd do the movie BUT COOLER.

 

[Fenrir_Angerboda]

Haven't read it, but everything I've heard about it indicates that its pretty dumb. It sounds like it was written by someone with a hate-on for Hot Rod and fan-ficcy ideas about how they'd do the movie BUT COOLER.

Part of the problem is the fella who read it was part of the fandom before IDW started to really take off with their takes on the characters.

So he's stuck in the pre-2005 "Everything is Hot Rod's fault" Mindset that has died off in the rest of the fandom.

 

[Andrew T]

Haven't read it, but everything I've heard about it indicates that its pretty dumb. It sounds like it was written by someone with a hate-on for Hot Rod and fan-ficcy ideas about how they'd do the movie BUT COOLER.

To be honest, that would have been much, much better than what we got, which was essentially TF:TM with slight differences for no clear reason.

Here, let's play this for fun. Post your best alt-movie plot starting with this comic's POD, where Hot Rod is tackled by Kup and not used as a human shield by Megatron, resulting in Optimus Prime executing Megatron and surviving the battle of Autobot City. (Leave aside reasonable arguments that it might not have been that way.)

Here's mine, which I literally am making up while I type this:

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1. Optimus presses the counter-attack, decimating more of the invading Decepticon forces. Perceptor transforms to gun emplacement/tank mode, and shoots down Astrotrain and the remaining Decepticons who are trying to escape. Ultra Magnus is sent with a mop-up squad (Hot Rod, Blurr, and Kup) to go arrest the survivors and imprison them in Autobot City.

2. Meanwhile, Unicron, watching the events unfurl on his omniscient-vision screens, screams in frustration as he watches Optimus Prime, keeper of the Matrix, rout the Decepticon forces. To keep a safe and undetected distance from "the one thing, the only thing that can stand in [his] way," Unicron alters his path away from Cybertron while still carefully monitoring events. Unicron eats another plant (Junkion, perhaps)?

3. Optimus Prime continues his original mission from the opening scenes of the movie, loading the shuttles with energon and returning to the "secret staging grounds" on Moonbases 1 and 2 to coordinate the Autobots' assault against the remaining entrenched Decepticon forces on Cybertron. Simultaneously, he places Springer in charge of the Dinobots, ordering them to wait on his signal and then come through the Decepticons' abandoned space bridge, opening up a second front on Cybertron. The Dinobots are Not Happy about being part of the pincer movement (instead of the head-on assault), with plenty of hilarious quips between the dinos and Springer.

4. Optimus's attack, while well-planned, fails against Shockwave's automated defenses. Prime orders Springer not to advance through the space bridge and instead regroup on Earth; however, the hard-headed Dinos (and the swashbuckling Springer) disobey and attack anyway. It's a trap! Once the Dinobots are through, they're captured in a force field by Shockwave, and we see Ratbat perched on Shockwave's arm, indicating that he was able to escape capture and reveal the Autobots' secret plans. Springer manages to escape, promising to return to free the Dinobots.

5. On board one of the fleeing shuttles, Hot Rod pleads with Ultra Magnus to turn back and rescue Springer, but the by-the-book Magnus refuses. Hot Rod tricks the other Autobots into the back "three-quarters" of the shuttle and detaches the front section, flying off by himself to go rescue Springer. Kup spouts several Kup-isms about Hot Rod's lack of respect for authority, but there is quiet admiration for the young Autobot's bravery and convictions.

6. Hot Rod rescues Springer, but the two are unable to shake their pursuers (who are, I dunno, tetrajets or something?). A nearly-offline Springer mans the shuttle's turret while Hot Rod conducts some truly impressive evasive maneuvers, earning Springer's respect. ["Dare" plays.] Still, the pursuers eventually overwhelm the two brave Autobots, destroying the shuttle and leaving the two for dead, adrift in space...

7. ...Where, of course, they are taken up by Unicron, who offers Springer and Hot Rod "the power to defeat your enemies and retake your homeworld." Springer accepts, under the condition that he agree to "destroy anyone who stands in your way." Hot Rod, despite the fact that "his bargaining posture is highly dubious," refuses, and is sentenced to "proceed on [his] way to oblivion." Springer is built into a larger, more powerful form, given a spaceship, and flies off to Cybertron, with Unicron slowly changing course and trailing behind his new herald. His lust for power will destroy the Autobot Matrix of Leadership -- the one thing... the only thing... that can stand in my way.

8. On Cybertron, the Unicron-powered Springer easily shreds Cybertron's remaining defenses, and begins slaughtering the Decepticons indiscriminately. Shockwave takes cover behind the Dinobots' force-field prison, and Springer fires, shattering the field and fatally wounding Snarl. Springer is startled for a moment, clutching his head in his hands and muttering, "What have I done?" Grimlock pleads with Springer to hold his fire. Springer is quickly wracked with pain from Unicron. Stop them. They protect your enemy. They must all be destroyed. Remember, you must destroy anyone who stands in your way. Springer, corrupted and tortured, turns his full firepower on the Dinobots, killing all of them except Grimlock, who staggers away. Springer is about to fire another blast at poor Grimlock, when he hears a commanding voice behind him. "Springer, this is not the Autobot way!"

9. Springer turns, unleashing the full fury of his firepower on Optimus Prime, who collapses, his chest shattered and smoking, and the Matrix dislodged from its compartment. Springer collapses, distraught at what he's done. Meanwhile, just outside, Unicron transforms. You have done well, my herald. Springer screams in agony and fires at Unicron as excruciating agony wracks his body. He collapses to one knee, still vowing to fight back against his erstwhile master, while suffering extreme torture. He fires again at the goliath that is Unicron's robot mode, to little effect.

10. ["Dare" plays again.] Hot Rod shatters Unicron's eye, having survived the ordeal of being swallowed, and races over to his one-time friend. Springer, pulsing with pain, fires one last blast at Unicron's injured eye, causing visible pain to the formerly-unstoppable juggernaut. "Forgive me, Hot Rod," he murmurs, before collapsing. "'Til all are one, Springer," Hot Rod whispers in reply. "'Til all are one." Unicron fixes his good eye on the two Autobots, firing a green laser that Hot Rod manages to dodge, although the blast vaporizes the prone Springer. Hot Rod's manuevers bring him close to the fallen form of Optimus Prime, where the Matrix seems to call out to him....

11. ["The Touch" plays.] "Now, light our darkest hour." Hot Rod grabs the Matrix, transforms into Rodimus Prime, opens it, and vanquishes Unicron. We see a brief epilogue in which Rodimus delivers a speech to the few remaining living Cybertronians -- both Autobots and Decepticons -- "'til all are one."

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Okay, so that wasn't very good, but I promise you it was better than "Deviations." Share yours!

 

[Fenrir_Angerboda]

-Prime slays Megatron, Battle of Autobot City continues with a few more casualties.
This means Thrust and maybe Skywarp are dead-dead and left behind.

The technically-canon-but-only-retroactively bit of Omega Supreme, Superion and Defensor Battling Menasor and Bruticus still plays out.

Eventually, the Decepticons are routed and flee on Astrotrain.

-Unicron is observing events playing out and becomes interested in a particular scene:

-The Struggle for power continues on Astrotrain. Starscream as usual has declared he is the leader, however Soundwave is unwilling to let the opportunist make his power play and leads his cassettes against him.

Soundwave ultimately loses the struggle and is kicked out of the ship along with his mortally wounded cassettes and the insecticons.

-Unicron arrives. He appeals to Soundwave's distrust for the Autobots and Starscream, and hints he may have the power to revive the dead.

Soundwave agrees to become his herald in exchange for the revival of Megatron.

Soundwave is revived as Soundblaster (as a nod to his rebuilt form in Headmasters), while Rumble and Frenzy are reborn into larger bodies resembling Scrapmetal (as a nod to his Japanese Name).
Ravage is reborn into a form like his Beast Wars counterpart (specifically the remold of Transmetal 2 Cheetor).
The Insecticons, Laserbeak and Ratbat are reformatted into Battle Ravages, a horde of Big Cat bots with cannons.

-Starscream has arrived on Cybertron, but because Shockwave is also a Megatron loyalist, he declares that Starscream is lying, thus sparking a Decepticon Civil War.

-The Autobots on Moonbase 1 and 2 report this back to earth, where Autobot City is rebuilding and Prime has recovered.

Prime immediately forms two teams: Himself, Arcee, The Dinobots, Blaster and Perceptor, and Ultra Magnus, Springer, Kup, Hot Rod, Blurr and Arcee. Magnus' team may include some of the surviving bots but Prime orders most of them to remain behind to rebuild.

-Soundblaster orders Rumble and Frenzy to go with him to Cybertron, while he sends Ravage and his armada to take care of any autobot reinforcements that may arrive.

-the Armada battles both ships, forcing Prime's team down on the planet of Junk while Magnus' team escapes and witnesses Unicron devouring Quintessa (and Wheelie).

Horrified, Magnus reports back to Prime who orders them to Cybertron at fullspeed to prepare the remaining Autobot forces for combat.

-On Junk, Prime faces down and defeats Wreck-Gar gaining a Garbage armada to help.

-Back on Cybertron, Soundblaster has slain Starscream and united the battered Decepticons under his banner...just as Ultra Magnus arrives and warns the Decepticons of the Planet Eater.

Soundblaster slays Magnus, and demands that the decepitcons prepare for the arrival of their new leaders.

Shockwave and his loyalist, probably the Constructicons and Stunticons, flee as Unicron devours Moonbase 1.

Soundblaster orders Unicron to uphold his end of the bargin and revive Megatron.

the Planet eater obliges, resurrecting the beaten, worn frame of Megatron as an undead Monstrosity that Soundblaster is forced to kill.

-Enraged, he attempts to rebel against Unicron, but is forced into compliance and watches as Unicron begins to devour Cybertron. His first bite takes the paralyzed Soundblaster into his gullet.

-At this point, Prime and the Junkion fleet arrive and begin the assault on Unicron. Shockwave's loyalist rally as Devastator and Menasor join the battle.

During the battle many on both sides fall: Shockwave, Sunstreaker, Sludge, Bruticus, Springer and maybe Superion to name some.

Sometime during this Omega Supreme and reinforcements arrive, while Prime leads a new team into Unicron to find a way to stop the planet eater.

-Inside, Soundblaster has been brainwashed into obedience and the heralds battle against Prime and his allies.

During the battles, Prime's chest is blasted/torn open by Soundblaster, dealing near-fatal wound and causing the Matrix to fall.

Rumble/Frenzy and Hot Rod lunge for the Matrix, only for another to grab it:

Arcee.

As Soundblaster prepares to destroy the femme and the Matrix in a single blast, Arcee opens the Matrix and is transformed into Solus Prime (as a nod to the female member of the Thirteen) and destroys Unicron from within.

-The film ends as Solus visits the recovering Optimus and makes an attempt to return the Matrix to him.

Prime refuses, claiming that he has done his part and the Matrix will lead her as it led him.

Prime admits that he is stepping down as leader of the Autobots and believe Solus is the sort of leader they need in peacetime.

Solus goes to address the crowds on Cybertron: A mix of Autobots, Neutrals and Decepticons like Thundercracker, Blitzwing, Dirge, The Constructicons and others who are just sick of the fighting, and announces the return of peace and prosperity to Cybertron and the start of a New Golden Age.

The Stinger shows Rumble and Frenzy finding the wounded Soundblaster on a deserted planet. As Soundblaster sits up, he notices the decepticon horde behind them: Skywarp, the Stunticons, Reflector, Astrotrain, the remaining Combaticons (Brawl and Blast-off), and more.

 

[Gaius Julius Magnus]

Have to love the TF wiki's summation of it.

Did you want to read an embarrassing 1994-era alt.toys.transformers fanfic in official comic form? Good news!