A BOWL! I GOT A BOWL! GOOD FOR ME

off the top of your head: notes for characterization? what are the most essential traits of this character to you (personality traits, important connections/dynamics, voice)?

Look. I like my Soundwave to be an unredeemable piece of shit who manipulates people with blackmail and doesn't care about anyone besides himself. That's it. Is it flatter than ex-slave-turned-fascist-turned-Marxist-commune-leader Soundwave? Yeah, sure. But that's my underrated preference. There are thousands of loyalist Soundwaves and millions of directions to take his character in. But actual dipshit Sounders fits with my own idea of how the Decepticon high command should be.

adjacently—do you think fandom does the above traits justice? why or why not?

I already answered this one. Do not go to the Soundwave tag if you respect your intelligence.

throw this character at any other character of your choice to bounce off each other as outsider pov to each other— regardless of timeline or logistics (crossovers allowed if you're interesting about it). why this combination? what insights would they have on each other?

It's gotta be Devastator.

Is anyone here listening to me? Because there's no movement to make Soundwave's and Devastator's dynamic a thing. I'll say I see them as Madelyn Stillwell and The Homelander from The Boys. Soundwave controls the strongest guy around to be dependent on her and fucks with his mind while she's at it.

how do you think you would react to this character in real life and vice versa? would you prefer be a million miles out of range, be amicable classmates, or fall desperately in love? (bonus: arrange a hypothetical date between yourself and this character. getting silly with it is encouraged (fakedate them! escape a dinner date through a bathroom window!))

⚱️

ideal flavor of rotating for this character? crack them open and dissect them— do you want them tormented, pining, or being loved + comforted? do you have any specific scenarios you like to think about?

I like seeing Soundwave winning and humiliating everyone while he's at it. Power fantasy thingy. It's his destiny after all; he becomes the future Decepticon leader through his merit and hard work (it's a one-off thing, but I pretend it's a big deal.) While Starscream, Shockwave and Soundwave are busy dicking around, Soundwave is hustling his deceit game.

weave a web of dynamics through the cast for this character: which dynamics are you most interested in? both canonically and through extrapolation/speculation— which dynamics are the richest to you, and why?

The Decepticon high command. He should be equally as shit and terrible as they are, but he keeps quiet about it. I do see instances of him spiraling, trying to control them and put a stop to their plans so they don't interfere with his schemes. AND that's why I prefer his bio-personality. 'nuff said.

Soundwave is also kind of a chameleon. He can fit with any group of Decepticons and work under any leader. He doesn't care who's given the orders at any given time; in fact, he doesn't care for anyone. *H-bomb drop*

Also, I forgot to mention his cassettes... Ok, now that I mentioned them, we can move on!

do you have particular niche takes on this character? defend those takes. (openly controversial takes are permitted, but also: hyper-specific headcanons which you believe in and no one else has considered enough to disagree with yet. pick a hill to die on.)

>Most, if not all, G1 Soundwave ships require a fuck ton of extrapolation to make the dynamic palatable to Tumblr-taste-buds. Even if Sunbow Soundwave is the baseline for the "Megatron's favorite guy" interpretation.

>He doesn't READ minds, he HEARS mind, he has crazy good hearing and deciphers the electrical impulses.

>Should be more music-themed to contrast better with Blaster

off the top of your head: notes for characterization? what are the most essential traits of this character to you (personality traits, important connections/dynamics, voice)?

Elita-1 is one of the most interesting and versatile characters in the franchise, and I feel many people don't realize that.

The concept of an Autobot leader who's been left on Cybertron for four million years after Optimus' "death" and has to somehow ensure the survival of the remaining Autobots on Cybertron is so good.

To me, Elita-1 has to be influenced by her conditions; she's fighting a war with no perceivable end, so the best she can do is keep her Autobots alive. She's not afraid to risk her own life (frankly, she's not afraid of anything) or make hard calls; if it's for the good of Cybertron, she'll do it.

I think her role can be a little more lighthearted, like G1, but I personally prefer her conditions being taken more seriously, like SKB. I also really like sporty go-go Elita-1, so cute.

As for her relationship with the blue and red guy, uh... I mean, I like Oplita, but she doesn't necessarily need that. She's not there to be completed by Optimus; she's a compliment to him and should be his equal.

adjacently—do you think fandom does the above traits justice? why or why not?

*sigh*

I'll preface this by saying if she were named Elitron-1 and were a guy, she would be a fan favorite, woobified to hell, and obviously would not be a victim of highly misogynistic takes.

Like, I think most of us remember that woman on Tumblr who insisted on Elita's role as Optimus's wife and how she hated interpretations that made her "violent" towards him (she's probably still out there, but I blocked her ass a LONG time ago). And we've all seen the comments dudebros made on her since the moment she appeared on Skybound and how they are so quick to call her a b* for going against their cool boy robot guy.

Special mention to the megoplita ppl. You guys are not progressive, and you're closer to the cuck Optimus fetish guy than you imagine.

This is about fandom, but canon has been mishandling her recently. I'm already not a fan of GIRLBOSS Elita-1, so when people go ahead and make her the MOM of the group, I just ???. No Elita-1 should be a mom, but with those versions of the characters, specifically... I get kinda impressed by the sheer level of fanon brainrot people are able to spit out. Also, do I even need to talk about "mom's home" or issue #30 of SKB? No, right?

throw this character at any other character of your choice to bounce off each other as outsider pov to each other— regardless of timeline or logistics (crossovers allowed if you're interesting about it). why this combination? what insights would they have on each other?

I need to see her with the next generation of Autobots. I mean, how would she, who stagnated for years on Cybertron, react to such a drastic change in the status quo?

All that to say. Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime. I still haven't imagined how she would grieve Optimus, but I specifically need to see her grapple with a new, inexperienced Autobot leader. I feel she would NOT want to go anywhere near the role of mentoring Rodimus; at most, she would criticize him quickly or silently disagree with his behavior. I also think Rodimus would pester her with questions about Optimus, what would he do? What would he think? Did he ever go through something like this?

All in all, I think they'd have a very distant relationship at the beginning, marked by their connection to Optimus. There's no hate or contempt, but also, it would be better if he were alive (they both think that, btw).

how do you think you would react to this character in real life and vice versa? would you prefer be a million miles out of range, be amicable classmates, or fall desperately in love? (bonus: arrange a hypothetical date between yourself and this character. getting silly with it is encouraged (fakedate them! escape a dinner date through a bathroom window!))

Steven's Voice: "A robot woman :O"

Yeah, she's too cool for me, I'd be afraid of embarassing myself.

ideal flavor of rotating for this character? crack them open and dissect them— do you want them tormented, pining, or being loved + comforted? do you have any specific scenarios you like to think about?

Yk, G1 made me want to see her being happy with her girls... But DWJ's Elita-1 gave me a taste of Elita suffering, and I never let go after. I think the fun part of it is that even if she breaks, she'll pull herself together. My favorite idea is Oplita not being really good after Orion and Ariel died, but actually erupting after she went through hell and back for four million years. Optimus can't recognize her anymore and neither can she.

weave a web of dynamics through the cast for this character: which dynamics are you most interested in? both canonically and through extrapolation/speculation— which dynamics are the richest to you, and why?

It's got to be her girls. Sure, she's admired and respected by all Autobots, but the female Autobots on Cybertron... BOY. Let's just say unhealthy lesbian codependent things are happening on the base between some of them and Elita when Alpha Trion isn't watching.

do you have particular niche takes on this character? defend those takes. (openly controversial takes are permitted, but also: hyper-specific headcanons which you believe in and no one else has considered enough to disagree with yet. pick a hill to die on.)

I believe she'd have an easy time reintegrating into society after the war was completely over (even if it never is), but whether she would be happy is another question entirely.

off the top of your head: notes for characterization? what are the most essential traits of this character to you (personality traits, important connections/dynamics, voice)?

He's green.

He's green and he has a tow line.

OK, you know I disagree with James Roberts on MANY things, but the way he wrote Hoist on "Spotlight: Hoist" was absolutely perfect. That was it! He's a normal guy, and that's perfect. When you have your Bluestreaks, Hot Rods, and Grimlocks, a regular guy is all you can ask for to balance the cast.

Also, he's a genuinely good person—unlike the other regular guy archetype, the green one—he's good at his job, and he loves it. He cares about other people, and that's enough to melt my cold, cynical heart.

adjacently—do you think fandom does the above traits justice? why or why not?

You see, you need to have a certain level of popularity to even begin to be mischaracterized by the fandom at large. As it is... PLEASE MORE MOIST REP!!!

throw this character at any other character of your choice to bounce off each other as outsider pov to each other— regardless of timeline or logistics (crossovers allowed if you're interesting about it). why this combination? what insights would they have on each other?

aCTUALLY. This is the perfect moment to talk about the secret AU I have that I never shared. It started with me wanting to see Long Haul and Hook being in a monogamous relationship, then it snowballed into them living in an apartment complex next to Hoist and Grapple, where the whole premise is the exploration of the daily lives of two different couples who may not be so different after all.

With that being said. I think he and Hook would be really good friends after the first bad impression wears off (because Hook only makes bad first impressions).

While I do think Hook and Grapple COULD be friends... Their large egos would make them bristle and fight frequently (they make up later; it's a sitcom). I just think Hook needs company that keeps his feet on the ground and doesn't massage or "threaten" his ego... So Hoist, who is down-to-earth, reliable, and a realist, coupled with the fact that he's a great GP (so Hook respects him), would be the perfect unwilling friend for him!

how do you think you would react to this character in real life and vice versa? would you prefer be a million miles out of range, be amicable classmates, or fall desperately in love? (bonus: arrange a hypothetical date between yourself and this character. getting silly with it is encouraged (fakedate them! escape a dinner date through a bathroom window!))

"Hoist, could you give me Jazz's phone number? :D"

ideal flavor of rotating for this character? crack them open and dissect them— do you want them tormented, pining, or being loved + comforted? do you have any specific scenarios you like to think about?

I would say that thinking up scenarios where he's with Hook could be classified as "torturing the character".

weave a web of dynamics through the cast for this character: which dynamics are you most interested in? both canonically and through extrapolation/speculation— which dynamics are the richest to you, and why?

I do think his dynamic with Grapple is indispensable. They're married after all. I really like how they kind of complete each other; a moody artist and a down-to-earth GP are such a perfect pairing. Hoist is always there for him, and Grapple (even if he wavers) will always be by Hoist's side.

I also like Hoist with the Autobot medics. Mainly G1 Ratchet, even if Hoist can't bring the spark in his eye back, he can keep it alive. Ratchet, seeing someone with so much passion to care for others, would be comforted after losing a piece of himself to the war.

do you have particular niche takes on this character? defend those takes. (openly controversial takes are permitted, but also: hyper-specific headcanons which you believe in and no one else has considered enough to disagree with yet. pick a hill to die on.)

>I don't think the Constructicons ever wanted his ass, but a bear is a bear.