I think initially the Autobots tried to manufacture frames that had two alternative forms, referencing combiner gestalts and their structure (both the frame itself and their T-cog), and found... middling results; turns out combiners - despite the shape of their T-cog allowing for a third-mode - only have the capacity to transform into that third-mode if another gestalt member did the same, seemingly needing another spark to bare the brunt of the form and a new combined identity to form it, all the while only having a portion of another root-mode rather than an additional alt-mode. That realisation spun off into its own combiner-centric research, the study of gestalts (which split off into the study of bondlinks in of themselves), and has recently ballooned in interest after the development of Safeguard and the formation of a gestalt bondlink POST-forge rather than during construction. Scientists have their own theories as to why and are *coughs in hand* 'considering subjects to research on' but haven't quite gotten Council approval yet-
But that's a side tangent and way too far into the future for the Triple-Changer Trials!
So yes, constructing a triple-changer frame didn't work; the mecha couldn't access one of their other forms, and upon autopsy found that the structures intended for the secondary alt-mode were partially reabsorbed into the proto-form as if deemed redundant, better used as materials to be consumed like a parasitic twin. On that front, they needed a new direction. Not wanting to construct a lone member of a gestalt that never existed - to have a triple-changer's third-mode be a detached limb - or for the alt-mode they had designed be absorbed by the growing proto-form, they turned their research to fully developed mecha.
There have been rumours of (illegal, backalley) surgeries that can change a mecha's alt-mode, the High Guard tracking cases of warframes and beastframes trying to infiltrate civframe districts (their words not mine), identity theft [REDACTED BY THE HIGH COUNCIL], and investigating the surgeons themselves following a line of corpses (ignoring the fact some mecha identified have been civframes trying to convert into warframe or beastframe bodies). If the researchers can get their hands on a couple of these infiltrators if not the surgeons themselves, then they may be able to *coughs into hand* 'pick their brains' about the operation if not find out themselves with a full-body inspection. Some surgeons were successfully paid off to work under them for the on-going project.
Combining (HAH) their research on combiner T-cogs and their learnt understanding of alt-framing (the reassignment of frame type), they found that unlike first-sparked proto-forms for newcons, a fully developed mecha's endoform does not view the replacement pieces of a different alt-mode as material to consume, rather it adapts and slots the new pieces along seams that reconstruct themselves to open and part in corresponding ways; the body is able to adapt to the replaced material rather than viewing it as redundant. The issues arise when certain sparks sputter under the strain of even just this so called 'simple' procedure of alt-framing, but you can't forge a tool without smelting a few scraps; they were criminals anyway, can't have that.
Before turning to untainted mecha, the researchers studied on T-cog mechanimals, testing first on frizz-rats and glitch-mice, attempting to give each respectively a pigeonoid and bolt-bat third-modes. They increased the size; combining a singlehorn with an alloygator; and even larger; a fusion between a buzz-boar and a sonicondor. They eventually were satisfied enough with the results, testing combinations left and right, making sure if each pair could work with A + B and B + A. Vitals were tested (those that survived measured from healthiest to least and the variables listed down to the minute differences), behaviours observed (does the mechanimal retain it's knowledge of it's original frame, does it's third-mode come with instincts to assist in use or does it need to learn everything from scratch, does the mechanimal desire to transform at all), and the effects of domestication were considered (is a dieselle still docile with a hellhound third-mode, can a hellhound be tamed with a dieselle third-mode). This period of testing came to an end and the mechanimals were put to rest.
With what they learnt, the scientists turned to the populace, and hand-selected a trial of 3 to start. This will be their undoing.
TL;DR, referencing combiner physiology, they discover that a third-mode is supported predominantly by a gestalt bondlink rather than their frame/T-cog. This has unintended side-effects unobserved from mechanimal testing, which serves as a biomechanical risk factor to certain system forming related mental disorders :)
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Would you believe it! I have no idea how a masterpost works
*thumbs up* Let's go- Now it's up-to-date (at 2026)
Altered Loyalties
The Conception of Altered Loyalties
Megatron vs Starscream
Skyquake and EHP Guardians
Commanders and Their Dead (hypothetical)
Autobots and the Army (+ hypothetical Jazz)
Cliffjumper the Not Dead POW (yet)
Last Words (AKA explosion practise) [art]
F-35 Data Link [short post]
Accidental Zombie Apocolypse [short post]
Makeshift Mention (episode changes of ep1-5, 6, 8 and 20)
You CYLASed the Wrong Mech [art]
MECH and the New CYLAS
Raf and the Haunted Radio
Bot Experiment Triple Changers (BETCs)
Gritsandbrits Original Post [reblog]
Octane and Astrotrain
Wasp
Friendship Ended with Blackarachnia
Omega Sentinels First Encounter
TFA Season 4 Pitch Document
First vs Second Gen TC
Scientists' Leftovers (AU within an AU)
Introjects
How do Octane and Astrotrain Front
Surgery 2: Electric Boogaloo
Blitzwing-Blackarachnia-Waspinator Dynamics
Giving TCs Pronouns
Gritsandbrits Meme [reblog]
Confronting Blackarachnia
Blitzwing = Malware?
BETC Blitz and Shattered Glass
Alternate Techno-Organic Dynamics
Private
The 4th Penguin (Private)
BETC Blitz vs Mike Squad
Unicron Spawn Random
BETC General Headcanons
Blue/Orange Morality Random
Defender Hothead
Design Struggles [tag rambling]
Fanfiction Permission
Fic Snippet ~ via Anonymous
Fic Snippet of Antagonist Blackarachnia ~ via Anonymous
How are Triple-Changers Made
Chronic Pain, Redemption and Suicide
Blitznut Real (or is it?)
Shockwave: The Sanest Decepticon
Mmm Yummy Parallels
Ben 51
Area 51
Behaviors and Opinions
Three Fun Activities to do at Area 51
Freyd, Bellicus, and Serena
Alien Names
ZsâSkayr
Omnitrix Life Support
(These next three AU don't contradict one another, so assume they run concurrently with future headcanons)
Age Accurate Transformations
10 Year Old Aliens [reblog chain]
A Galvan and a Piscciss Volann at 10 [art]
No Matter the Size of Your Opponent [art]
Mutants and Magic
Ben 10 Should Have More Mutants and Magic
I Totally Didnât Just Use Kariachiâs Necromancer Argit Fic and Make it Canon to My Mutants and Magic AU Absolute Not No [reblog]
How Kariachiâs Necromancy Works [reblog]
Mutant AND Magic Raâad
Pseudo-humanity
Kariachiâs Necromancer Wards
Therapist Suggests YOU are Magic [art]
Raâad is Learning How to Cast Protective Spells [art]
Bureau of Metaphysical Phenomena
Mike Trio in the B10CU
The Introduction of the BMP into the B10CU
What is Susie?
TV World and the Mikes
Chapter 5
Okay, conspiracy theory time: if Blitzwing being an Autobot experiment was indeed the original backstory planned for him, it ended up being revised into Malwareâs backstory
I mean, a specimen with unique abilities amongst their species associated with machinery created by supposed good guy scientist(s) who âcame out wrongâ in a sense and was driven mad by the mental strain of it, turned rogue as a result of being mistreated by their creators, became a homicidal maniac hellbent on revenge, AND the same guy worked as a character designer on their respective shows? It just makes too much sense.
I mean with how much canon that Derrick J. Wyatt had creative input on, it would certainly not be too farfetched for some older unexplored ideas to be actually put into practice haha. I do love me some morally grey (and like, genuinely grey regardless of how bright or dark the shade) allies and protagonists, even if it has to come at the cost of the mental and physical health of certain antagonists /hj-
Blitzwing may not have had that much focus as a 'character plagued by the narrative' to have explored the implied trauma beyond him serving as one of the main villains with a unique triple changer feature, Malware being rather explicitly that 'someone you should care about' mixed in with the whole 'irredeemable asshole' schtick was very much a little dicey yeet- he deserved a redemption arc if he was to be written as much of a victim of circumstance and ensuing abandonment as he was đ
Hello! Just here to say that I love all of yours and anon's DID Blitzwing related thoughts!! I adore Blitzwing and they're (he?) what got me researching DID again after so long (my little autistic brain loves them <33). I'm not a system (or if I am, everyone else is really well hidden!!), but I love learning about all the things minds are capable of doing to protect themselves and I think it's fascinating - though I know that obviously I'll have some misconceptions so I'm always very happy to learn more :)
Do you have any other ideas/ headcannons about them? I would love to hear them /gen
Oh I'm not infallible either, not a system myself but I am fascinated with psychology (looks at my therapist Ben 10 character). Besides Blitzwing is an interesting character to have DID because they're not human and so with our human (and audience) perception, it can be easy to connect Blitz to DID even if that's not what the TFA writers intended- the added bonus is my intrigue in xenobiology/psychology so... Blitz's the perfect sample for that asjdhgblsjfkl-!
As for headcanons, those may need to be under the cut they got a bit much haha-!
You can take some of these headcanons as little hints towards a canon!Blitzwing, but because I've been rambling with the anons about Bot Experiment Triple-Changers these are kinda more focused on that little au rather than the original-
I like to imagine Random would totally eat organic (non-metal) food if given the chance/no one else fronts to stop him. With the power of fire and ice, he at least has assurances for the others that Random can and will ingest flaming fuel and liquid nitrogen just to get rid of any residue of authentic Italian cuisine. It seems to really be his thing idk- Probably doesn't help that Octane would totally be on his side if she ever fronted (certainly eggs him on when they're both in the headspace).
There's a pretty common headcanon that Blitzwing sculpts, but I like to pin the sculpting hobby onto Hothead because metal sculpting would work far easier with a little heat. As a bonus BETC!Blitz exclusive I like to say that Private actually had a passion for carving, his little area of the headspace decorated with what he remembers making, so Hothead took a little bit of a peak at that and got interested in it's complement; building something from nothing as opposed from revealing something from another something.
And Icy I feel is just really intrigued by alien cultures (that little commentary on how fascinating human cities are like nano-bots WILL NOT ESCAPE ME), perhaps a little more so than being interesting in Cybertron itself. I mean he's not gonna say that OUT LOUD with Decepticons around, but he finds the different ways different planets and different countries ON those planets create homes and lifestyles unique to their own individual circumstance. Astrotrain would feel a kinship to that, considering the bot had previously worked in cargo transport across Cybertron and getting to experience the different cultures of it's citystates, but Astrotrain also understands VERY WELL why Icy might not have the best connection to 'home'.
I also think that, out of the hosts, Hothead is the most affectionate towards Private and despite not having any wings in their headspace, Hothead speaks to Private like an older warframe does to a young(er) war bot. Random when not fronting fucks around with Octane if Astrotrain's covering Private's six, the two of them being chaotic little gremlins that spells disaster for any bot unlucky enough to be around the next time Random fronts with a prank idea. And to round this off if Octane is being the wine aunt to Private (or about as responsibly irresponsible like one), Astrotrain and Icy take a moment to sit and breathe, talking about traveling and other more silent contemplations.
And I think that might be all from the top of my head? Only saw this ask about nearly 12 hours after the timestamp says I got it so hopefully you weren't waiting to long asjdhfgaslkfkl-! But nah, I love Blitzwing, just needed to sit on my thoughts haha-
I feel like if BETC!Blitzwing was in the Shattered Glass universe (either the original who got transported there somehow or his actual SG counterpart) he'd chuck SG!Sumdac's ass into a space bridge (if he was feeling merciful, at least) immediately upon seeing how he treats SG!Sari, and then he would adopt SG!Sari
Bot Experiment Triple Changer AU? More like 'Blitzwing adopts every experimented upon child All Universes'-
If original verse BETC!Blitz found themselves in SG!Sumdac's 'graces' there would be no advising to hold still and punt the prick to pluto if the nearest available space bridge isn't available, picking up another 'not like other kids (literally)' child to adopt. I can't exactly say what SG!Blitzwing would specifically do, but they're a war bot with a lot of trauma because that BETC thing and would invariably go 'not this again' and at the very least threaten the human in perhaps a far more dangerous way, and probably have a better time overall being a parental figure than OG verse. But I haven't much a clue about a Shattered Glass BETC!Blitzwing before haha- this is some thinky thoughts-
As a sidenote TFA Shattered Glass is an interesting concept to me because the canon Autobot elite, society, and scientific higher ups are already implied to be kinda not the best, what would it mean for the wider Shattered Glass Animated world?
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Given how Randomâs faceplate is unlike any Transformersâ weâve seen in the TFA universe (which is in stark contrast to Icy and Hothead, who both have faces typically of their species), I have a feeling that Random might not see himself as a Cybertronian, or at the very least, not a full Cybertronian, especially given how non-human alters arenât unheard of for people with DID or OSDD.
Seeing as how Transformers in the Animated Continuity are shown to believe in an afterlife, which implies that they have some form of religion, my personal headcanon is that he views himself as the Cybertronian equivalent of what humans might consider a demon (âspawn of Unicronâ, perhaps? There was a planned time travel episode taking place after the Unicron Wars, after all, meaning he wouldâve been canon to the TFA continuity) confined within a Transformerâs body and as such canât utilize the âfull extentâ of his power.Â
Maybe in headspace, he uses the form of a Transformer as his âdefaultâ since itâs the most convenient and the one everyone else is used to but he's capable of taking on a wide variety of forms whenever he chooses (as a fun little reference to the original concept of Blitzwingâs character being a âsuper-Transformerâ who could shape-shift into the form of anything mechanical but couldnât hold any form other than his vehicle mode for very long).
Demon/Unicron spawn Random is just a fascinating idea I am beaming this idea directly to my brain- probably took all that Autobot functionism and became what 'warframes are supposed to be' and is just having a fun time with it.
Whether Random is serious about eating bots or is acting on his no filter self by spurting what 'warframe predisposed' ideas so heavily propagandised by the elite, being this Unicron spawn (as opposed to Primus like the others) Random is 'what the Autobot's asked for', not being all that much discouraged with that whole war thing happening lmao. I like to think that Random's 'default' appearance is the Blitzwing body mostly because no one else is using it (as representation of themselves rather than as a tool to host), but Mr Jack O'Lanturn here is just as transformer as the other bots in their headspace and transform he does into whatever the fuck he feels like-
Me: Shadow Demon Unicron Spawn Random is totally a vibe, especially because of the bitch black face and completely lit up eyes and mouth, I should design how it looks in the headspace-
Also me, contemplating the horrifying idea of designing not 1, not 2, but 5 different cybertronian alter designs, including the 2 triple changers based on previous transformers media characters Octane and Astrotrain:
The idea of Hothead being the most affectionate towards Private is a bit unexpected but actually really wholesome to think about. The idea of this intimidating short-tempered thug who seems permanently on the lookout for a fight being really gentle and affectionate towards this soft-spoken and mild-mannered teenager/young adult (in Cybertronian years, that is) is absolutely precious and I am LIVING for it.
Also, I have no idea if this was intentional, but the idea of the two of them being close kind of gives me T-800 and John Connor from Terminator 2 vibes. Given how Hothead seems to be inspired by Arnold Schwarzenegger, it definitely fits regardless of whether or not it was deliberate.
Totally forgot the Schwarzenegger reference hah- the T-800 and John Connor vibe was just coincidence, lmao-
I mainly think Hotheadâs really affectionate with Private is because heâs as a previous (but not exactly recent) Blitzwing âwhat the faces actually expressâ reblog, Hothead is defensive when fronting; Him being sweet (in his own way) to Private just seems to complement that idea. Itâs not like heâs gonna coo over Private but their relationship is reflective of what Iâd like to think headcanonically a warframe to warframe mentor (parent/older sibling) relationship would be, more of a grounding source of affection that lets you know someoneâs got your back.
Besides, I think Hothead gets a little more sweet with his affection when he and Private get into talking about carvings and sculptures. Hothead pretty much knows that for Privateâs safety he shouldnât front (thanks to gatekeepers Octane and Astrotrain doing double shift it doesnât happen), so I guess to âlet Private createâ he becomes a bit of a sculptor. I guess these moments have that underlying bittersweet tone of âPrivateâs creative outlet is only within the headspaceâ but Hothead takes inspiration from the young carver and melts metal into shape with an idea for a sculpture next time he fronts.
