i know you said in the comments of this post that Megatron isn’t that much taller than D-16 (and that Optimus had a growth spurt before he got eeby deebied into the past) but i think there is something to be said for that image. tiny runt of the litter D-16, who’s maybe half the size of his fellow miners, who’s only a head taller than a civilianframe, growing up so big that he towers over even other warframes. i don’t know, i just think there’s something powerful about that.
While absolutely not short now, I can imagine him being the shortest protoform of his group. Needing extra fuel and materials to grow into his mold, which —thankfully for him— was provided by his caretaker.
My worldbuilding headcanon is that, while mostly finished, Cold Constructs still have a growing period. It's extremely brief when compared to the rest of their function, but it's certainly there, and it's necessary to provide everything the protoform needs to successfully complete their growth.
Also, because it made me chuckle, have this:
