Audiences have finally gotten a first look at Transformers One, which already shows off a slew of new abilities the Autobots and Decepticons have never seen used in the films, even after 17 years. Breaking the mold of the Michael Bay Transformers movies, Transformers One will be completely animated with no humans in sight, telling the story of a young Optimus Prime and Megatron’s time on Cybertron before the schism between them would erupt into a war. The prequel story has been given license to make use of many new Transformers powers that have long lied dormant in the movies.
Being completely based on Cybertronian technology, Transformers One has free rein to go hog wild with the Transformers’ arsenals and abilities, no longer beholden to the physical limitations of live-action filmmaking or even Earth-based vehicle forms. Now, the sleek cybernetic vistas of the Transformers home planet are the only environment the heroes will need to hide in, opening up the possibilities for mayhem in the film’s action scenes. Of course, the designs of Orion Pax, D-16, and company are all similar to the animated Transformers cartoons, meaning some powers from the shows will make a movie debut.
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Bumblebee’s Arm Blades
Make a long-awaited movie appearance
Bumblebee has sported many powers throughout the live-action Transformers films, from arm blasters to war hammers to hand-held shurikens. But one signature weapon in Bumblebee’s arsenal that has been curiously absent for the last 17 years of Autobot action are his signature arm blades, which never got a chance to be unsheathed in a Michael Bay movie. Interestingly enough, these edged weapons are most famously used in a video game rather than a show or comic, Transformers: War for Cybertron, in which they were the preferred melee choice for Bumblebee’s scout class.
A completely Cybertronian setting is as good a place as any to finally bring back Bumblebee’s blades, which Keegan-Michael Key’s Bee excitedly refers to as knife hands. In the Transformers One trailer, he gets carried away with using them, needlessly slicing up a whole room only to learn he’s among allies. At long last, this power of Bumblebee never used in the movies gets to make its big-screen debut, with Bumblebee himself having more enthusiasm for them than anyone else.
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Cybertronian Jetpacks
Allow any Transformer to become a flier
Previously, the greatest divide in physical capabilities in Transformers was between the fliers and non-fliers. Being able to instantly configure into an airborne alternate mode, an ability traditionally regulated to Decepticons only, is a true game changer. Luckily, Transformers One seems to be introducing a kind of Cybertronian jetpack, which Orion ends up strapping to a hesitant D-16’s back early on in the trailer. This device could level the playing field for the Autobots in the inevitable ensuing battle for the planet.
In the past films, Optimus Prime has had a turbulent relationship with flight. In Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, it took a sacrifice from turncoat Decepticon Jetfire for Optimus to be able to take to the skies, using the ancient Cybertronian’s wings as a limited-time upgrade. Inexplicably, Optimus later seems to be able to fly on his own in Transformers: The Last Knight, jettisoning himself into space in search of the Transformers’ creator, Quintessa. The Cybertronian jetpacks will be a more consistent way for Transformers One to grant and take away the power of flight that hasn’t yet been seen.
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Cybertronian Vehicle Alternate Modes
From sleek cyberpunk cars to high-tech war machines
Previously, the robots in disguise of the Transformers franchise were forced to live up to their title, scanning various earth-based vehicles in order to transform inconspicuously. A few Decepticons, such as Megatron and Soundwave, eschewed the need for stealth, using jagged Cybertronian ships as their alternate modes of choice. But the Autobots and the majority of their enemies were limited to real-world cars, planes, and other various devices, never giving a glimpse as to what a Cybertronian car might look like.
Now Transformers One‘s vision for Cybertron seems to be introducing audiences to a fresh suite of alien vehicles for Orion Pax and company to transform into at their own leisure. Bumblebee gets to shift into a sleek cyberpunk car, whereas veteran Autobot Elita One takes the form of a strange two-wheeled vehicle, a sort of riderless motorcycle. Of course, Orion himself gets to present a Cybertronian take on his classic red truck mode. It remains to be seen as to whether Megatron will Transform into a Cybertronian pistol, paying homage to his original alternate mode in the Generation 1 cartoon.
5
Megatron’s Fusion Cannon
Will be part of Transformers One’s new arsenal
Despite having such a lengthy history in the live-action Transformers movies, Megatron has always been shockingly unfaithful to his many cartoon and comic iterations. This single most definitive weapon in Megatron’s arsenal, the Fusion Cannon, sometimes known as the Ion Cannon, is a staple of the character’s silhouette. Forming the scope of his alternate gun mode in the original animated series, the powerful energy blaster usually sits on Megatron’s right arm, striking fear into the hearts of Autobots and Decepticons alike with its vast destructive capabilities.
From handheld shotguns to weighty executioner’s swords to even terrifying pincer claws, Megatron has shown off a great number of insidious weapons throughout the live-action Transformers movies he’s been involved in. Yet the films have somehow always missed his most iconic armament, never giving Megatron the chance to lay waste to an Autobot with a blast from the powerful Fusion Cannon. Luckily, Transformers One seems to be rectifying this mistake, with the familiar weapon growing from D-16’s arm in a split-second shot in the trailer.
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Reactive Armor
The Transformers are gaining some new, fast-acting armor plating
The Transformers have always been incredibly durable, regularly tanking blows that would decimate entire crowds of unprotected humans. While their strength varies from individual to individual, the idea of additional protective armor covering their already hearty cybernetic bodies has never truly come up in the Transformers movies. In Transformers One, it seems as though the blessings of the T-Cogs won’t stop at transformation into a single vehicular mode, showing off some incredible armor growth over Orion and company’s bodies, as well.
One great example of this reactive armor in the Transformers One trailer is the rapid automatic deployment of Bumblebee’s faceplate, which protects him from a punch reflexively. This faceplate, as well as Optimus Prime’s mouth guard, have indeed featured heavily in the live-action movies, but they’re never actually seen doing much in terms of protection. Instead, the deployment of the faceplates has historically been more for the audience’s sake, only being there to let viewers know that Optimus and Bumblebee mean business. It’s a great touch to see this power getting use other than to simply look cool.
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Blackarachnia’s Spider-Form
The arachnid beast changer finally gets her time in the spotlight
The Michael Bay movies did a pretty decent job at giving every noteworthy Transformer from the cartoons at least some degree of presence, with one particularly glaring exception. A Predacon first appearing in the animated series Transformers: Beast Wars, Blackarachnia quickly became a fan-favorite villainess, being one of the few evil Transformers capable of deceiving Megatron himself. Once an unassuming Maximal protoform, Blackarachnia was captured by the evil Predacons, being twisted into her current arachnid self by the mad scientist Tarantulas. She would go on to become one of the Autobots and Maximals’ most beguiling villains.
At long last, Transformers One aims to give Blackarachnia her movie debut, being an incredibly popular side-character despite only appearing in two animated continuities. The brief spot of a spider-legged femme fatale confirms as much, although its possible the Transformer in question is actually Airachnid, a similarly wall-crawling former Decepticon from Transformers Prime. Either way, audiences will finally be treated to a Cybertronian arachnid prowling about on the big screen.
2
Jet-Boosters On Orion Pax’s Truck
Helps make up for his alternate mode’s lack of speed
Optimus Prime’s truck mode was never the quickest option around. Though the intimidating vehicle had bulk and raw power on its side, able to barrel through many imposing obstacles more fragile cars would have trouble with, speed has never been its strong suit. In Transformers One, it seems as though Orion Pax may have found a way to overcome this weakness of his transportation form of choice, adding a pair of powerful-looking jet boosters to the sides of his classic truck.
The closest Optimus Prime has gotten to wielding something like this in the movies is within the final climax of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, in which Noah, utilizing his new Transformer exoskeleton, is able to hang on to the back of the truck, providing a speed boost with the jets on his armor. It’s still unclear as to just how much control Orion Pax will have over the configuration of his new vehicle mode in Transformers One, but the presence of the jet boosters suggests a high degree of modularity previously unheard of.
1
The T-Cogs
The source of the Transformers’ power is finally revealed
Despite the on-the-nose name of the alien species, not all Transformers are actually capable of transforming. Contrary to popular belief, by the time beginning of Transformers One, most Cybertronians are not actually capable of turning into planes or cars at a moment’s notice. The ability to do so in many continuities is actually reliant on the presence of a Transformation Cog, also known as a T-Cog.
In the trailer for Transformers One, we see T-Cogs being gifted to Orion, D-16, Bumblebee and Elita One, granting them the ability to take alternate modes for the first time. It seems as though the T-Cogs will also be responsible for the Transformers’ ability to grow innate weaponry and armor into their bodies, re-shaping their basest forms with the power of the biomechanical organs. The previous Transformers movies never went into depth on the mechanics regarding the Cybertronians’ ability to transform, making Transformers One the first film to exemplify the ability to grant another being the power to do so.
