State of the Decepticons in the 'Hasbroverse' · 4:55pm Dec 11th, 2012
This will be the first in a series of blogs which will establish some world-building outside Equestria. Please refer to the Transformers wiki for specific names and such.
And before anyone asks about 'Beast Wars', please note it was never defined which version of G1 that is the future of. Also, this is mostly based off of the G1 animated series, but characters/locations/minutiae will undoubtedly drift in from the Marvel, Dreamwave and IDW comics, among other sources.
In the season three episode Ghost in the Machine, Starscream gains a new body and is quite alive at the end of it. By early 2007, a number of Decepticons were fed up with Galvatron's special brand of insanity. Starscream took advantage of this, broadcasting a signal to Chaar, asking them to abandon 'the axe-crazy loon' and join him. A number took him up on his offer and left the planet behind.
Starscream's Faction
Starscream's group has one main colony and several small outposts/refueling depots. The following Decepticons are among the members:
Starscream himself
Soundwave and all his cassettes.
Dirge
Ramjet
Thrust
Octane
Astrotrain
Blitzwing on a freelance basis
The Constructicons
Swindle of the Combaticons
The Micromaster Constructor Squad
Shockwave
Their status is... surprisingly good. They are united by one simple fact, that all acknowledge; the Decepticons have lost the Great War. There are tens of thousands of new Autobots being given life weekly, while the Constructor Squad are the only new Decepticons since Cybertron was lost, and at great cost. Their strategy is to not fight Earth or Cybertron, because they know at this point, a cencerted effort by either group and they'd be annihilated. Instead Starscream has been making attempts at diplomatic negotiations. They've had limited success, but have managed to engage in limited trade with outlying colonies, mostly drop-offs. They are in good repair and have a relatively good supply of energy.
Galvatron's Faction
Still engaged in war with the Autobots and humans, still based on Chaar, losing badly. Galvatron's begun to lose what little sanity he had left. The Nebulon 'Master' partners are uneasy at best, and there's grumbling from everyone... at least. They're low on fuel, spare parts and morale.
Members are any Decepticons not listed under Starscream's faction, but that can change.
Dead
The following Decepticons have been confirmed dead, although the list may grow.
Onslaught
Vortex
Blast-Off
Brawl
The Combaticons were wiped out in an ambush by a combined Dinobot/Wrecker team on some airless moon in 2009. Swindle had long left by that point. No survivors.
Please note this is mostly off the top of my head, too. ;)
Actually, Beast Wars is pretty well established as being the future of both versions of G1, taking elements of both iterations as needed, so you can probably pick and choose which points to bring in at any time.
Wait, no survivors?
Please tell me the dinobots are still alive, PLEASE tell me Grimlock at least is alive...
599130
I think they meant there were no DECEPTICON survivors.
599130 Yeah, my bad there.
As 599173 pointed out, I meant no Decepticon survivors.
Speaking of the Hasbroverse, what series aside from Ponies and Bots are included? I can think of only GI Joe atm. (And the idea of Cobra moving operations to Equestria makes me giggle in very unhealthy ways)
599194 From what I've been able to tell it also includes the D&D animated series from that era, as well as Jem and the Holograms.
599194 GI Joe, Jem and the Holograms, Dungeons and Dragons and Inhumanoids. As well as the backstory for COPS.
Also...I admit I haven't followed the Transformers closely in years--a combination of RK's Hasbroverse and my discovery of the 360 game "War for Cybertron" on the cheap (AWESOME game and treatment of the G1 characters and their backstory, by the way) have recently conspired to renew my interest after the old 80s animated movie killedi t for me--but the idea of Starscream trying to make nice and be diplomatic strikes me as...terribly in-character in a worrying way.
Unless he underwent some major character changes that I never got to see, I can only imagine him trying to worm his way into the good graces of someone powerful again, like Hawk or Prime...with the intent of once again trying to backstab his way to the top. I mean, he couldn't take two breaths without trying to usurp Megatron, whether by failing to provide critical assistance or assuming the slightest little setback meant that Megatron had ceased to function and thus left Starscream as the only "rightful" leader.
It's hard for me to imagine him genuinely turning over a new...uh...circuit board?...and deciding to make peace with no deeper underlying ambitions.
599232 He has ambitions... to survive. He's a scientist, and raw numbers tell him that any overt action against either Cybertron or Earth and his faction would be wiped out. Every solar cycle he watches footage that he obtained of the Combaticons' demise and knows that could be him. Play nice, or die. Not much of a choice. He's king of his little hill, and right now that's enough for him.
599232
Actually, I am more surprised at Soundwave and Shockwave joining Starscream. Then again, they have always been the most loyal to MEgatron and Galvitron is quite clearly, not him. I can also assume that in this universe, the headmasters 4 parter happened?
599243 Ha! Fair enough. He does have his own little slice of Decepticon rule, now, which seemed to always be his priority more than actual total universal domination at all costs. And he is very, very fond of self-preservation.
599248 And yes, that also struck me as a bit odd--especially Soundwave, since I got to see a lot of him in WfC (Soundwave is best Decepticon. I could listen to that kickass voice for hours). But Soundwave, at least, is also a very scientific and logical mind. Like you said, he was loyal to Megatron, who usually at least had a plan, and never seemed to me to be all that violently anti-Autobot, so much as a loyal soldier following orders. Starscream's probably the closest he's gonna get to that regime anymore. Shockwave I know less about, but I'd imagine the same story could go for any of the 'cons under Starscream: a basic question of "do we want to remain functioning under an at least somewhat sane leader, or get put down like a bunch of rabid, feral space-dogs?"
I like it. And I'm looking forward to hearing more world-building.
... oh gods.. Gem and the Holograms? Dear lord..... and D&D the Cartoon? Inhumanoids I can understand, but will we be seeing hide or hair of any of the others in this Hasbroverse you are building?
599273
Well, Shockwave has always been know to stand at the side of MEgatron, but he was also known as the guardian of Cybertron because of how long he was staitioned there. So I guess he would put himself at the side of the one who would be less desctructive. Sadly in this case...its Starscream.
By the way, I am still geeking out over the DND characters being in this story, because I love that show so much!
599188
Ohthankkamina.
Hooray for worldbuilding! Also, I'm surprised Starscrems group is doing so well, considering he's... you know, incompetent at anything.
599307
...oh sweet Faust, Uni is Queen Majesty's long lost... Hair? Hare? ...to the throne!
Also, please tell me her speech has gotten better with age...
600180
Speech nothing, I hope her powers gotten better! (and its heir)
Starscream playing politician is also one of the major plot points of the current IDW "Transformers: Robots in Disguise" comic book series. It's set on a devastated Cybertron, with the victorious Autobots having won the war. Non-affiliated bots and Decepticons given clemency are arriving back on world, and it's all very, very uncomfortable. Great series!
The only thing I really hate about G1 is Grimlock being portrayed as an idiot. Virtually every other iteration of him (excluding Transformers animated) showed him as an intelligent, if brutal, leader justly feared by anybody that crosses him.
You know I just remembered something. According to official sources on the DVD for the original film, Shockwave died during Unicron's assault on Cybertron in G1.
610777Ah, but we never saw him die. ;) My view is, unless aired, it doesn't count.
613496
I received an announcement that there was a new blog entry giving more information on this subject, but I can't seem to find it. Care to enlighten me as to what I missed, 613496?
614564 I deleted it. I had some stuff to work out, but it's not yet time for me to post it. My bad!
I would have thought the Matrix of Leadership has cured Galvatron of his insanity in "The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2".
Starscream's faction reminds me of his Predacons from The War Within. Dirge, Octane, and Astrotrain were also members.