#defcon transformers

Some of my fav non major transformers / Transformers I think are overlooked by the mainline shows so far I’d love to see more of!

so, a great benefit of g1 is that it was able to throw a lot of characters to the wall and build a big pool to pull from - which really shines in the comics. But in the shows so far after g1 that I really hope to see some characters utilized more! In later prime / the shows I haven’t seen yet!

I’m sure these characters have fans - like Xmen and mutants transformers has a great rich cast to latch onto , but these are def outside the major circles like the main 3; bumblebee, ratchet, Wheeljack, shockwave Soundwave blackarchnia etc - these characters generally haven’t gotten a shot at recurring roles in shows yet that I’ve seen or been main roster additions

Autobots

Hot Rod / Rodimus

It’s rly weird to call Hot Rod overlooked given he’s a pretty major character in the storylines he’s involved in - but somehow, he is! I know a lot of people were sore about him in the movie replacing Optimus, and while I think some of the OCs in the movie in a better world where the show could’ve set it up a little more could’ve set up these new additions / have one or two more existing characters in the movie roster , I really liked Hot Rod!

Maybe it’s his design, but big fan! And I’m a sucker for unprepared leaders , especially when you’ve got a lot to live up to as Prime / Rodimus having to guide a post war cybertron. But I know ppl were so sore that rly hate that they brought Optimus back in s3 to revoke Rodimus’s status - and they haven’t done anything with him since while Ultra Magnus and Arcee have! So hoping one of these shows give us some great Hot Rod content

I know he gets a sizeable chunk in the comics, and I’ve liked moments and it’s come close being a really great and interesting take - oh, he brings together autobots and decepitcons to work together and he’s the only autobot standing by it as the right desicion - he runs away from conflict and accidentally stumbles across starscream and the matrix in deep space and faces a catalyst for change and redemptive return - oh he leads those who can’t find a place on a post war Cybertron on a cool quest in the stars and leads his own title - but tbh, it’s been undermined every time by making the ‘cons betray him every time, giving the matrix up to Optimus, or just becoming immature again and relearning the same lessons

So hoping a show really runs with him he has a ton of potential I think! Was so excited to see him in animated … then he gets killed by rust rip

But don’t think I didn’t catch him in that final group shot in Cybertron ;)

Tracks

I love tracks! I love his design , I LOVE his voice, and his brief storylines and cast in g1 is great - I’m also a fan of blaster btw and I love his movie tweak of being like an anti Soundwave with his own cassettes - but I’d LOVE a spinoff comic or smth following “the New York crew” of tracks , blaster and Raul! Those episodes were highlights.

I think he’s a fun character who can hit a couple different niches for character plots - being more “street level” for those New York plots, but also one of the arrogant autobots as we see in the Hollywood plot alongside folks like sunstreaker (wonder what he’s up to in the comics, ohhhh)

That tbh a lot of it just comes from his voice cadence but I’d love to see more of him as part of an extended roster

DEFCON

He only appears in one episode as far as I recall in g1 - and I forget if he’s in the comics, I think his role is kinda co opted by Ultra Magnus there , and he’s later overshadowed by the likes of Lockdown in the bounty hunter niche - but defcon immediately hooked me in g1 when they’re on that casino planet!

An autobot who fled Cybertron after the war , unsure if any other autobots still survived after the ark went silent, and gets by by being a bounty hunter who leans good and tries to take down any rogue decepitcons he encounters? Love it! Love bounty hunters and an autobot bounty hunter is 10/10 - and he’s a great use in that episode, cool, and at the end it’s like he has his own spinoff brewing with that little alien going with him, so Defcon could certainly lead a galactic facing storyline !

Lockdown from animated rightfully looms large as a transformer bounty hunter, but I think there’s room for both - Lockdown is a prominent bounty hunter, but evil , and deception aligned - whereas DEFCON is good, and Autobot aligned. Having them as independent operators who tag into the sides occassionally but going on their own ventures and having a rivalry I think is a really natural story to try out! And he turns into a spaceship!

Decepiticons

Thundercracker

I know in its inception Thundercracker and Skywarp, and later to a lesser extent Dirge and Ramjet, etc were lazy copies of starscream - but call me weird , maybe it was playing a lot of smash melee growing up but idk I find clone / color swap characters a lot of fun and charming from a design perspective !

Plus it feels like despite being air commander, we don’t see too many named decepiticon airels reporting to starscream. Granted, they made a kind of appearance in animated - which I think was clever with all that - but as individual characters I’d love to see the starscream copies!

And one of the strengths of the comics is that it can give a wide range of characters highlights and characterization, and tbh I became a big fan of Thundercracker in IDW - and glad to see he’s being reincorporated in the Skybound series!

I think it’s funny and cool that Starscream can command a squad of strong personalities in that of the seekers, and keep them in line with his cunning and cruelty

But thundercracker’s color scheme is really cute and I love all the honor code stuff as a flavor of ‘con cause and I think he’s utilized well to highlight the best faith version of their cause, but also highlights how hypocritical and impossible it is to maintain any morality under Megatron and eventually he has to make a different choice.

That I think he as one of starscreams right and left hands that in a post Megatron world, a starscream vying for rule can find his elite seeker squad giving others legitimacy - so Thundercracker leaving, or even joining the autobots sends a clear message as does him backing say Soundwave; whereas Skywarp banking starscream or another cruel candidate can kinda give legitimacy to that successor

But yeah - I know it’s a tough sell in any show with a limited roster, and mostly shines in comics, but I Stan Thundercracker! Love his color, his name and personality! And contrasting to starscream, we can show what it takes for a ‘con to become good - or specifically what starscream could do, and chooses not to

Rumble!!!! Rumble forever!!!!

I love sound waves cassettes and that whole concept - and it makes sense for them to kinda be like pets and non intelligent like laserbeak or g1 ravage - but I think it’s hillariois to have a little dude (or dudes with frenzy) living in there too

I think his design is funny and cute and as the tiniest I was exposed to in g1 I love his little attack he does, but most of his all his personality is the highlight - he’s funny, and just having that accent is great, and “crack the shell then the nuts inside” to seeing vector sigma and going “you’re putting me on” and just having like independent prolonged relationships with other bots like Megatron even - rumbles just a funny little dude. He’s literally my dog

I know he does get love in some other mediums like the Great War for Cybertron games - which I love despite their more balanced and grounded characterizations throughout (see starscream - not too serious, not too cartoony) rumble still has his iconic accent and cadence . But I need more rumble !!!

Lugnut

A real highlight from animated - I’d love to see more Lugnut! He’s big and intimidating, but also gives a flavor of the decepticons that while no doubt prevelant in the fodder, we don’t really get a standout character to engage with it - except Lugnut - which is a ZEALOUS love and respect for Megatron.

Find that funny, and also just heightens his cool villain factor when he’s an effective destructive threat who’s also a fanatical zealot

Plus, helps Megatron’s characterization to show how little he respects Lugnut and often loathes his adoration. Sure, he wants to be feared - but not loved. And highlights why he values Starscream all the more - Lugnut, even Soundwave - they do everything they can for Megatron. But that’s boring. Starscream challenges Megatron, despite the disparity , starscream makes Megatron stronger by keeping him having to continuously thwart him - instead of growing a complacency in him

But Lugnut was a ton of fun in animated!

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