When I think of my personal Decepticon ideology, I think of Soundwave at the end of the first IDW continuity, the last true Decepticon, finding refuge in an alien solar system (our solar system, that is) after Megatron's betrayal. It took much contemplation, but he found a way to reconcile his loyalty to Megatron (who had joined the Autobots) and his loyalty to the Decepticon cause - he reached the same conclusion on his own as Megatron did in the Functionist Universe: the true Decepticon calling is Peace Through Empathy, and freedom ought to be the right of ALL sentient beings, regardless of altmode, outlier ability, mechanical or organic. The Decepticon cause has always been about empowerment of marginalised groups, but so often in fighting monsters, we become the monsters we originally so loathe. To be a Decepticon is to stand side-by-side with those who, like you, are put down as a result of factors beyond one's control. and forcibly re-seize power in a manner which a broken society will tell you is impossible and wrong. As a poet myself, Megatron's original method of speaking out strongly resonates with me. With Decepticons, it's not about who's the strongest or most brutish, but neither is it about who's the most educationally privileged and intelligent. The well-spoken and clever Constructicons break expectations and unify as Devastator, a force of mindless destruction and indulgent violence whom no-one would dare tell to point his pinky as he sips his energon-tea. The Decepticon's mighty airforce's command trine has Skywarp and Thundercracker, two formidable outliers, and other trines such as the Rainmakers and Sunstorm's bunch are even more terrifying in both power and intellect and yet the only Seeker among those most famous trines with no outlier ability is the one who not only commands the airforce, but is second in command of all Decepticons, and aspires for leadership unwaveringly, without being deterred by or even giving second thought to his lack of outlier ability, cold-constructed body (and according to the IDW character specs Starscream is also smaller and slighter in frame than the others, inexplicably). The leader of the Decepticons himself has been shown to be a poet (IDW), childrearer (Bayverse), Respected Senator (Prime/IDW2) and charismatic spokesperson (Cyberverse) and yet also a gladiator, a warrior, a strategist and warlord. Being one thing does not exclude you from being another, as the Decepticons can be anything and everything. The most successful and intelligent combiner is known to be Predaking, yet he is composed of ruffians, monsters and animals. Whether thrown together as a different species, race or having 'faulty programming' as in the Unicron Trilogy, Animated, Beast Wars/Machines and G1, or forged as an alliance against injustices and a crumbling society such as in IDW1/2, Prime, Cyberverse etc. the Decepticons are about finding solidarity in not meeting the standards of a broken society, not allowing others to disempower oneself and staying true to whatever you believe in, whether that be freedom and peace or mindless destruction. It's a faction of inconsolably different personalities, thinkers and warriors, monsters and idealists, and that's what makes it beautiful.
