34 Reasons Why Transformers Is More Than Meets The Eye

In 1984, an animated series named The Transformers was created to sell toys. But, there is so much more to the 30-year old franchise than meets the eye - here are 34 reasons why it is more than just a toy brand.

1. The First Episode

The Transformers / Via Transformers Wiki

The world was introduced to the Transformers back in 1984 with the opening pilot "More Than Meets the Eye". The Autobots and Decepticons crashland on Earth and continue their battle for galactic dominance. Trucks and cassette tapes became cool.

2. The Dinobots

The Transformers / Via Transformers Wiki

How do you make Transformers more cool? Add robots that transform into dinosaurs. Grimlock, Slag, Sludge, Snarl, and Swoop stomped their way into the battlefield after being created by Wheeljack and Ratchet as reinforcements. Destructive and powerful, the Dinobots even gave Optimus Prime a run for his money in terms of awesomeness, with Grimlock naming himself king and wanting to stomp on Prime.

3. The Touch

The Transformers: The Movie / Via Transformers Wiki

Stan Bush's "The Touch" is the theme song for the 1986 animated movie, and played during Optimus Prime and Megatron's final battle, and again when Rodimus Prime ascends as leader of the Autobots to destroy Unicron. The theme is so awesome, Stan Bush re-released it several times. Now if only one will put it in the live action movies.

4. Optimus Prime vs. Bonecrusher

Transformers (2007) / Via Google Images

One of the few times the movies actually focused on the Transformers duking it out. Bonecrusher rips up the highway to get to Optimus, body-checking a bus in two, before tackling Prime off the road. But he wasn't smart enough to know when to quit, so Optimus turned his head into scrap metal.

5. Lockdown

Transformers Animated / Via Transformers Wiki

Transformers Animated introduced us to Lockdown, a neutrally-aligned Transformers who worked as a bounty hunter. Voiced by Lance Hendriksen, and notorious for taking trophies from his victims, Lockdown made himself an enemy of all the Autobots for various reasons, and played a big hand in shaping both Ratchet and Prowl into their present selves. Also was the main badguy of Age of Extinction.

6. Blitzwing Turns Good

The Transformers / Via Transformers Wiki

No one expected any of the Decepticons to turn good, but that all changed when Blitzwing showed an honourable side. In "Five Faces of Darkness", Blitzwing learnt the evil Quintessons plotted to annihilate all Transformers rather than just the Autobots. After Galvatron didn't listen, Blitzwing turned to Rodimus Prime for help to stop the attack. Though it works, Galvatron still tried to end the Autobots, only for Blitzwing to aim his gun at his master. Galvatron was so shocked that he ordered a ceasefire, but exiled Blitzwing forever. No good deed goes unpunished.

7. Megatron's Master Plan

The Transformers / Via Transformers Wiki

Humanity are very stupid indeed in this two-parter episode. The Decepticons and a sinister businessman frame the Autobots for causing trouble, and they are promptly exiled from Earth, while Megatron and co. are praised as celebrities. And then when the Decepticons reveal their treachery, everyone is shocked. They are called "Decepticons" for a reason.

8. Drunk On Energon

The Transformers / Via Transformers Wiki

Being robots, Transformers don't really have to worry about getting ill or hurt. But that doesn't mean they can't get tipsy. In the episode "Microbots", the Decepticons celebrate a victory against the Autobots and have a toast, drinking down raw Energon. Then they immediately get wasted, culminating in a happy Megatron rambling about the good old days back on Cybertron.

9. Transmutate

Beast Wars / Via Transformers Wiki

Beast Wars had a small cast of characters, so it allowed for a bit more personal drama than G1. The psychotic serial killer Rampage revealed a humane side when he views the oddball Transmutate as a kindred spirit and tries to protect her. The ever chivalrous Silverbolt tries to teach his fellow Maximals to embrace what is different, but they are more concerned about destroying Transmutate. The episode ends in tragedy, but for a moment unifies two enemies as brothers.

10. Omega Supreme

Transformers: War For Cybertron / Via Transformers Wiki

Omega Supreme: Awesome.

An enormous Autobot who transforms into a rocket / space shuttle, grim-minded, and entirely focused on obliterating the enemy, Omega Supreme is a force to be reckoned with.

11. The Weak Component

Beast Machines / Via Transformers Wiki

Beast Machines, the darker sequel to Beast Wars, has its fair share of backlash from fans for what it does with certain characters. Rattrap goes down a dark road when he turns to Megatron for weaponry after discovering he has none, and faces being turned into a charity case by his friends. And when they come to quietly assassinate Megatron, Rattrap has to make a choice between friends and protecting his powerless enemy.

12. Code of Hero

Beast Wars / Via Transformers Wiki

What a character. A former Predacon turned Maximal, Dinobot is a warrior through and through, driven by a Shakespearean-styled code of honour but conflicted by loyalties. But he finally finds his true heroic side in "Code of Hero". When the Predacons try to exterminate the protohumans on Earth, Dinobot goes on a suicidal rampage to save the future allies of the Autobots at the cost of his own life. He slowly dies surrounded by his friends, departing with these lines: "Tell my tale to those who ask. Tell it truly, the ill deeds, along with the good, and yet be judged accordingly. The rest...is silence."

He lived a warrior, and died a hero.

13. Darkest Hour

Transformers Prime / Via Transformers Wiki

The dramatic finale of Transformers Prime's second season raised the stakes and threw some curveballs. Optimus Prime destroys Cybertron's last chance to be revived, and Ratchet doesn't take it very well. Then the Decepticons target the Autobots' base, forcing the heroes to split up and flee, while a guilt-stricken Prime decides to go down with the ship. The base is obliterated, and the Decepticons win. As Starscream puts it: "United we stand, divided they fall."

14. Wreck-Gar

Transformers Animated / Via Transformers Wiki

One of the kookiest characters to grace our screens, Wreck-Gar is a looney Autobot who is all about garbage and randomness. His '80s version was voiced by Eric Idle and spoke entirely in TV slogans, while his Animated incarnation was an easily-led buffoon voiced by Weird Al Yankovic - an appropriate casting choice after Weird Al's song "Dare To Be Stupid" was used in the 1986 movie.

15. Galvatron On the Couch

The Transformers / Via Transformers Wiki

Galvatron, Megatron's second identity, was always pretty nuts. So much that unfortunately for him and everyone involved, Cyclonus attempted to get his leader some help. In "Webworld", Galvatron is taken to a planet dedicated to helping the insane. It is a madhouse and Galvatron wants out. In a hilarious moment, he is asked to rebuild his broken psyche via building something - he builds a working blaster and starts shooting the place up. Galvatron eventually realises the planet itself is sentient, and decides to drive it mad with his own insanity: "I am Galvatron, I am your destruction!"

16. Sky-Byte

Transformers: Robots in Disguise / Via Transformers Wiki

No one really remembers the Robots in Disguise series beyond this guy. A Predacon who enjoys poetry and transforms into a shark, Sky-Byte was devoted to serving and pleasing his version of Megatron (who transformed into a giant hand).

17. Shockwave

Marvel UK / Via Transformers Wiki

Shockwave is one of the franchise's most iconic and awesome character. This cycloptic scientist is driven entirely by logic, but while in most cartoons he is loyal to Megatron, in the Marvel Comics, he is a ruthless usurper and dictator who is even more vicious than Megatron.

18. Metroplex

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron / Via Transformers Wiki

How to top Omega Supreme? Bring in Metroplex. An enormous Transformer who actually is the city of Iacon. He made an epic appearance in the trailers for the video game "Fall of Cybertron", summoned by Optimus to blow away the Decepticons.

19. The Agenda

Beast Wars / Via Transformers Wiki

The exciting three-part finale of Beast Wars' second season, revealing just how close to the '80s cartoon was to Beast Wars. Soundwave's minion Ravage is sent to capture Megatron, who reveals the motive for his whole plan - go back in time and assassinate the slumbering Optimus Prime to alter the future. The Maximals race to stop Megatron, but they are too slow. The picture above indicates what happened.

20. Arcee Nearly Executes Starscream

Transformers Prime / Via Transformers Wiki

Poor Starscream really runs his mouth off a lot in Transformers Prime, bragging about how he killed Arcee's partner Cliffjumper right in her face - unaware that Arcee was talking about how Airachnid had killed another partner. Uh-oh. Arcee unleashes long withheld rage upon the hapless Starscream, and comes very, very close to murdering him until Bumblebee catches her in the act. Arcee's desire for payback costs the Autobots a victory and Starscream escapes punishment.

21. Bumblebee Gets His Voice Back

Transformers Prime / Via Transformers Wiki

Bumblebee has always been the kid appeal character, and spent the whole of Transformers Prime without a voice, communicating through weird noises. That was until three blasts from Megatron's energy cannon dropped him into a vat of cybermatter. Seconds later, he leaps back up and runs Megatron through with a sword, gaining his voice back. Yeah, Bumblebee took out Megatron.

22. Starscream Gets the Hint

The Transformers: The Movie / Via Transformers Wiki

The ever treacherous Starscream wanted to get rid of Megatron throughout the '80s cartoon. He finally got his dream when he chucks a crippled Megsy out into space to die, and takes the throne intending to become king. Complete with cape and crown, Starscream's goal is within his clutches until the revived Galvatron crashes the coronation and reduces Starscream to ash. Not that death seems to stop Starscream, coming back as a ghost, then got his body back, and then became immortal by the time Beast Wars rolled along.

23. Soundwave Resigns Himself To War

Marvel UK / Via Transformers Wiki

Soundwave had to pop up sooner or later. The ever robotic-voiced tape deck Decepticon took up the roll of leader in the Marvel Comics, but was practical enough to team up with the Autobots to stop an invasion from the Quintessons. However, when it looked like the two enemies could make peace, Soundwave declines, believing too much has happened between the Autobots and Decepticons to attempt peace. What a terrible fate.

24. Ratchet Punches Out Starscream

Marvel UK / Via Transformers Wiki

Poor Ratchet. The Autobots' resident medic has been through a lot of misery in many pieces of fiction. He takes all of his pent up fury out on Starscream after he mocks those he kills, receiving a brilliant right hook to his face as Ratchet bursts into an emotional rant about Starscream's cruelty. After being fused with Megatron, crippled from stress, lacking proper equipment to save friends, who wouldn't be enraged enough to beat up someone as horrible as Starscream?

25. Waspinator

Beast Wars / Via Transformers Wiki

The Kenny McCormick of the Transformers world, poor Waspinator spent every episode of Beast Wars getting shot, blown up, and dismantled by friend and foe. Similar to the comedic genius of the Road Runner cartoons, it wasn't when Waspinator would be destroyed but rather how.

26. Heavy Metal War

The Transformers / Via Transformers Wiki

In the episode "Heavy Metal War", we were introduced to the Constructicons, a group of Decepticons, who could combine together into the almighty Devastator. The whole episode is pretty exciting - Optimus and Megatron duke it out to decide who is better, the Constructicons try to dismantle the Autobots' supercomputer Teletraan I, only to face off against the Dinobots. The episode ended in the Decepticons being chucked into lava, with Megatron rising from it swearing revenge.

27. Starscream's Sacrifice

Transformers Armada / Via Transformers Wiki

The Starscream that appeared in the "Unicron Trilogy" was one of a kind. Unlike most Starscreams, this one was not a self-obsessed, egotistical, backstabbing jerk but rather an honourable warrior seeking approval from Megatron. At one point, he sided with the Autobots and befriended the human girl Alexis but it wasn't long before he was tricked into rejoining the Decepticons, but now with the intent on killing Megatron. When Unicron came to be a threat, Starscream hopelessly tried to convince Megatron to team up with the Autobots to destroy the Chaos Bringer.

In a final act of defiance, Starscream called out Megatron on his cruelty and then opens fire on Unicron, only to be struck by lighting and disintegrated. His sacrifice inspires Optimus and Megatron to join forces. Too bad the two sequel series brought him back as a boring character.

28. Arrival of the Autobots

Transformers (2007) / Via Google Images

Michael Bay gets a lot of hatred for his work on the movies, but you can't deny he is good at making a spectacle. This is shown through the dramatic arrival of the Autobots on Earth in the 2007 movie. The use of scope, visuals, and particularly the music really make the sequence awesome, ending in the arrival of Optimus Prime, voiced by Peter Cullen for the first time in twenty years. That is how you make an entrance.

29. Unicron

The Transformers: The Movie / Via Transformers Wiki

What happens if you cross Galactus, the Death Star, and Orson Welles? You get Unicron. This cosmic horror is a giant robot who transforms into a planet and devours other planets. Oh, and he's voiced by Orson Welles in his final role. Known as the Chaos Bringer, Unicron is the brother of Primus, the Transformers' god and creator, and seeks to devour everything in the universe. And even if he is destroyed, he'll just transform into a black hole to devour the cosmos as he does in Transformers: Cybertron.

30. Behold, Galvatron

The Transformers: The Movie / Via Transformers Wiki

The scene in the 1986 movie where a dying Megatron encounters Unicron is an astonishing piece of animation. The use of animation, lighting and special effects to transform Megatron into Galvatron is amazing to watch. Unicron's iconic theme also helps out there too.

31. Optimus Prime vs. Megatron

The Transformers: The Movie / Via Transformers Wiki

Perhaps the most iconic moment of the '80s show was the feuding hatred between Optimus and Megatron. It all came to a close when the two fed for the final time in the 1986 movie. They pretty much beat each other to scrap while trash talking, until Megatron guns Optimus down after Hot Rod tries to distract him. Defiant to the end, Optimus punches Megatron, causing him to fall three stories and be crippled. The battle ends in a draw, but Optimus pays the ultimate price...

32. The Death of Optimus Prime

The Transformers: The Movie / Via Transformers Wiki

The Death of Optimus Prime was perhaps one of the saddest moments for kids who grew up in the '80s. Seeing the idol of a generation pass away must have been a very upsetting experience. Apparently, the character's death caused such an upset, that the G.I. Joe movie had to be rewritten so Duke didn't suffer the same fate. Of course, it has become a bit of a tradition for Prime to kick the bucket once in a while, but it was the first time that shocked everyone.

33. Zombie Prime

The Transformers / Via Transformers Wiki

Everyone knew Optimus was going to be brought back from the dead after the 1986 movie. Just not as an undead. The zombified Optimus is used by the Quintessons in an attempt to wipe out the Autobots, getting into a fist fight with Rodimus Prime for the coveted Matrix of Leadership. However, even his newfound zombification won't stop Optimus from doing good, and he sacrifices himself to save his friends from destruction.

34. The Return of Optimus Prime

The Transformers / Via Transformers Wiki

After dying and being a zombie, Optimus made his triumphant return in the final episodes of G1. In "The Return of Optimus Prime", a deadly hate plague is unleashed across the universe. Sky Lynx and a lone Quintesson decide they must resurrect Optimus to save the universe with the Matrix of Leadership, which is in the hands of the crazed Rodimus. He even teams up with Galvatron to save the day, battles Rodimus, and saves the universe while "The Touch" plays in the background. And that is why Transformers is so much more than a toy brand.

Till all are one.