#d-16

I just rewatched Transformers One, and J had a though. Did D-16 intend to become the new ruler after killing Sentinal, or was it an afterthought after getting high on power and triumph?

I don't think he actually planned that far ahead while fantasizing about how he would take down Sentinal. Think about it. Transformers typically tend to have REALLY long lifespans. Specifically in the Aligned Continuity, in Transformers: Prime, Optimus has lived for thousands apon thousands of years, and tells Raf that despite seemingly lived for a while already, Bumblebee still has a lot to experience. Now, the universe of Transformers One might not have the same principles, but it is still a reasonable assumption to make that Transformers live and mature for a very long time.

Now that we know this, Orion Pax and D-16 are less than 50 years old (assuming by "cycles" Sentinal means "years" in human terms). That is FREAKING YOUNG for a cybertronian. Our main cast are all literally teenagers if not younger at the time of the movie. They are irrational. They are naive. They are idiotic.

Now D-16 is having the worst couple of days of his life. All he can think about it Sentinal's smirking face. He will never trust another leader ever again. He is a hot mess, a ball of emotions and instability that is a disaster waiting to happen. With, might I add, a gun strapped to his back (and arm). He is not thinking very rationaly. He has been given power and he's gonna use it how he wants to. All he cares about anymore, his whole life at this point is killing that rusty metal blueberry.

Now he's finally done it, and what feels like the whole planet is rooting for him. Realistically, it's probably just the High Guard but he doesn't care. They want HIM. He has an army. Who else is gonna step up?

Now let me direct your attention back to the scene right before they get captured.

"I will never trust another so-called leader ever again."

"There's only one bot I know I can trust--"

What was he going to say there? There's two main options I can think of. He was either going to say, "and that's ME." or "and that's YOU."

If he meant "me," then he probably was planning on ruling since they were already talking about leaders.

song: 'I can't lose you' - Frozen the Musical