#And not yet become the worthy to be chosen by the Matrix

[halenhusky309]

I will make a compilation of idw2 Orion Pax/Optimus Prime panel, because he's now my favorite character.

[gayemeralds]

what do you think of Optimus and Hot rods relationship, yknow if he gets to hang out with hot rod before kicking the bucket

oooh thats a good question. in my mind i don’t think optimus thinks that much of hot rod. i think he LIKES hot rod and obviously he’s nice to him etc etc but i dont think optimus would have ever guessed hot rod would be his successor. they’re fundamentally opposed in opinions and personality.

like optimus CHOOSES ultra magnus to carry the matrix of leadership. he doesn’t know hot rod is the one who can open it- if he did, surely he would have just given it to hot rod, and saved them all lot of grief. but during the movie, hot rod continuously proves himself worthy of the matrix, listening and learning from the people around him, and i think that’s why optimus gives him the name rodimus when he finally unleashes the matrix- optimus recognized him as worthy.

but when they’re alive, i don’t think optimus would think twice about hot rod. he’s a great kid but not the next prime. that’s his unruly leaps before he looks fun loving low on the chain of command hot rod. that’s his friend, surely, but not who he would have picked.

as for hot rod, i think he has an amicable relationship with optimus. probably tries to get him to lighten up more and teases him a lot. also doesn’t hesitate to disobey one of his orders if he thinks it’s wrong, which can lead them to butting heads. but hot rod also has a great deal of respect for optimus, which is why taking on the mantle after him is such an enormous burden. the shadow that he lives under is HUGE. hot rod is terrified of not living up to him, not only because everyone else’s thinks he should be like optimus, but because he ALSO thinks he should be like optimus, because he also respects and admired him and feels so much dread and guilt when he believes himself guilty of getting him killed.

i think the idea of them having a mentor-mentee relationship is fun but ideally i actually don’t want that. i think it’s more interesting when they don’t have a particularly strong relationship beyond a bit of hero worship from hot rod (that skyrockets after optimus dies), that optimus doesn’t view hot rod as his successor, that they’re amicable friends but if it had been optimus’s decision he would have never chose hot rod. optimus will choose someone else to carry on his legacy but in the end it isn’t his choice- it’s the matrix’s.

[lets-try-some-writing]

Death and Taxes

The Thirteenth is death, he is its herald and its warden. He is a divine being greater than any mortal with a purpose so specific that no other could fulfill it. He only took on a mortal frame for the sake of searching for a potential living Prime to set things straight. He was not at all prepared for the mess that is being a mortal.

In light of his oddities, mecha who work in customer service across Kaon both fear and adore him.

Previous part here.

━━━━━━ ⊙ ❖ ⊙ ━━━━━━━━━━━━ ⊙ ❖ ⊙

Death, or rather Orion Pax, was not unfamiliar with mortal customs. He had seen enough in his long eternities within the void to have a basic understanding of how mortals worked. Combined with Alpha Trion and Ratchet's dutiful teachings, things made even more sense for him. But of course, there are simply some things one must experience to really comprehend. One of those things was bureaucracy and domestic affairs.

While serving under Alpha Trion, Orion had no need to bother with things such as buying his own energon, dealing with housing, or otherwise interacting with mecha aside from Ratchet on a regular basis. Alpha Trion took care of anything that required serious interaction and the Archives were always stocked with enough to get by. When not wandering the void, Orion resided with datapads in a small dark corner with a singular pillow and that was all he needed. There was no interaction and no bothersome affairs. If he needed something, it was provided.

That all changed when he finally found someone worthy of the Matrix.

Megatronus was most certainly worthy, but he resided all the way in Kaon. That was initially not an issue for Orion since he would leave for extended periods of time anyway and return to the archives as needed to collect data or otherwise restock on supplies. However after he began to bend the rules a little too much in the optics of his fellow Primes, he had to become more... conservative with how he used his abilities. No longer could he travel between the archives and Kaon every half a groon to get something or other. Now his trips needed to be with purpose and taken with greater care. Not to mention he could not longer leech off Alpha Trion on a regular basis, not when he spent much of his time so far from archives.

The issue was small at first for Orion as he brought a stock of energon and shanix with him down to Kaon in order to get by. He hung around in the pits largely loitering in corners when he wasn't conversing with his chosen Champion. However that quickly grew to be highly suspicious as other gladiators glared and those in charge of the pits started to take notice of him. Megatronus even reached out in concern, wondering if he was alright and if he needed somewhere to recharge. It was at that point that Orion realized he needed to get a proper base of operations down in Kaon if he was to continue operating and going back to the archives in a timely manner. He wasn't supposed to be drawing any serious attention.

And so after contacting Ratchet, Orion went hab hunting. According to what he read in the archives and online, it should have been an easy task. He had the required rank to get a reasonable residence, and Ratchet dealt with all the actual talking, yet Orion found himself struggling to find a place he actually liked.

Ratchet: What about this one? It has a sizable living space and a nice patio.

Orion: No, it is too bright for the void that I am fond of to pierce the veil of this reality.

Ratchet: That's fair enough. I like it a bit darker too. How about this one then? Its a bit quaint but its less bright.

Orion: The sounds from the railway will drown out the calls of the lost. My duty will be left unfulfilled. It is insufficient.

Ratchet: Alright, I understand. Then this one seems better, right? Its quiet, away from the most obnoxious lights, and is within a compound for Iaconian citizens.

Orion: My spark will weaken surrounded by those who serve the corrupt. Their sins will weigh heavy on my mind.

Ratchet: Well then what do YOU have in mind?

Orion: This one is far from the obstructions of mortal make. I will be able to see through the veil without difficulty and none shall break me from my reverie.

Ratchet: ...

Orion: ...

Ratchet: Its on the outskirts of Kaon. That's bad territory Orion. Gangs and all sorts of other unsavory types tend to live out in the boondocks.

Orion: They shall not touch me. I shall ensure it.

Ratchet: ... I believe you.

Eventually, against Ratchet's warnings and Alpha Trion's questioning, Orion moved to the outskirts of Kaon with his singular box of belongings. His hab was in the most seedy part of Kaon that was still within walking distance of the arenas. Ratchet was not at all pleased, especially once he noticed the shady individuals who lived in the area. Of course Ratchet was far less concerned for his friend and more worried about those who would be interacting with him. But Orion was totally unconcerned as he marched right into his hab without greeting anyone, put down his singular box of things, and set up a desk by the window so that he could work for the archives from a distance.

Ratchet was left to become more and more concerned as Orion proceeded to put his small collection of datapads on his desk and sit down, the rest of his hab completely empty. It took quite a while for the medic to explain to Orion that he needed to have something decorative in his hab to not be seen as unusual. And thus within the next few cycles, a small gathering was hosted at Orion's new residence where a few associates gave him things to decorate his hab with and offered to help him set it up. Ratchet ended up giving Orion a small blaster and assisting him in painting every single wall various shades of black, blue, and purple, all in dark varieties. Megatronus dropped by for a little while with a set of officers at his sides to ensure he didn't run off and he then proceeded to pass Orion a bottle of high grade before leaving. Soundwave also made an appearance before leaving, but it was a quick in and out situation where he handed Orion some Shanix with a card attached that said to buy what he wanted.

That was Orion's house warming party of a sorts, and so after a rundown of how normal mecha function from Ratchet, Orion was left to his own devices. It did not take long at all for him to garner a reputation. Most of his cycles consisted of spending the early groons doing work for the archives, namely handling files from a distance and digitizing texts from nearby and far smaller archives. Afterwards he would proceed straight to the arena to speak with Megatronus in an attempt to not bend the rules and possibly be left with a greater punishment. This alone was fine. It was when he deviated from his normal routine that his reputation formed and was reiterated.

Orion did not generally need to consume energon. In fact it was more unsettling when he did consume it due to how half of it bled out from his plating throughout the course of the cycle. Despite that, Ratchet told Orion again and again that normal mecha consumed some energon and kept a stock of it. Thus Orion was forced to go to the store and buy some semi-regularly. The first time he did so at the local store, he stared the cashier down in total silence until his groceries were scanned and he paid. The cashier was scared stiff but ultimately waved it off, thinking Orion a one time costumer. The cashier was wrong.

Once a deca-cycle on the dot, Orion would return to the store to buy the exact same thing, over and over again. Not a word would be exchanged, but Orion had a tendency to overpay and not a spark was willing to try and give him his change with how... cold he was. He came in, bought his energon, and left without a word. What was at first unsettling came to be appreciated by the mecha working at the store. When Orion came in, other less civil customers left and Orion would stroll along the aisles without comment. It was a break for the overworked employees and his abundant overpaying was a welcome reward for their efforts. It reached the point of becoming a ritual of sorts, one where Orion came by on one appointed cycle once a deca-cycle. All employees would fall silent and relax as Orion would spent exactly half a groon wandering and taking his time observing before buying the same thing he always did. Then he would quietly ring up his items and the employees would have a silent battle over who got to be the one to serve him. The winner promptly assisted him and in return received the extra Shanix that came from Orion's overpaying habit.

The employees did not ever dare comment on the fact that Orion looked like he crawled out of some pit and simply never returned. New employees were all trained in the delicate art of being respectful of the favored customer from Iacon and not a spark dared to interrupt his routine. The singular mech who tried to ask Orion if he needed help received a frigid gaze and a quiet but terrifying answer.

Employee: Sir, can I help you? You seem to be a little lost.

Employee 2: NO! You idiot! Leave Mr. Pax alone!

Orion: I require no aid from that which will wither and die. The offer is quaint and appreciated, but useless.

Employee: Y-Yes Sir. Please continue what you were doing.

Employee 2: You glitch, you've ruined his routine.

Nothing particularly bad happened when Orion's routine was messed with, but there was always an aura of potential danger when it was. Not to mention he tended to not leave extra Shanix behind when he paid. The employees were totally unaware of the fact that their interactions with him merely made him more prone to focus and thus actually count out the correct amount of shanix to be given for his purchases. But of course they didn't know that and simply assumed he was an oddball who liked the quiet and paid generously to have it while shopping.

Orion's reputation at the store was unique, but it did not reach the legendary reputation he held amongst the neighborhood he moved into. Much like with his purchases of energon, Orion did not tend to do anything out of his hab very often. But there were instances where it was required, and from those experiences, Orion learned and was rewarded with wary gazes for it.

Once a stellar cycle Orion was required to take his trash out to the incinerators since he had not paid for any sort of garbage disposal services. This was not a hard task for a mech who produced little waste and who had strength that exceeded the normal bounds of mortality. But of course initially his newfound neighbors found themselves eager to scout him out and see if he was a viable target. Gang members were sent to watch him and talk to him if possible to assess the danger he posed. All returned to their organization with the same consensus.

Orion Pax was not to be touched.

The first few times he was observed, the information gleaned told his observers that he was a scrappy but well funded mech. A difficult target, but not impossible considering he lived alone and was an archivist. This led to his hab being broken into a handful of times before any sort of confrontation. Only instead of finding swaths of shanix or useful material, what greeted the invaders was a space straight out of a horror film. Orion's hab was pitch black, with all sorts of anatomy notes, drawings, and prints covering the walls like some sociopathic killer lived in the space. His space was frigid at all times and his few shelves were filled with datapads and each were labeled with the name of some important mech up on the political ladder. His ceiling was covered with strange murals that were hardly able to be processed but showed images of things not meant for mortals to see. And to top it all off, the further one went into his hab, the more empty it became. Only his living room had furniture in it. Every other room was bare save for his berth which was a single slab of metal and stacks of energon cubes all around. It was terrifying, especially when the invaders noted the many various drawings of mecha and the weapons laying around.

The singular time one of the local gang members tried to bother Orion and shank him for some cash, it ended horribly. Orion turned toward his would-be-attacker and proceeded to shift before his very optics. Wings made of blades sprouted from his back, optics formed where there shouldn't be any, and his limbs grew longer, sharper, and unnaturally spindly. The air chilled but Orion did not move. This was the story told by the one who claimed to have tried to rob Orion, and despite not having any additional witnesses, not a spark dared to claim it was lies. Orion was a cryptid and it would not surprise any of the local gang members if he really was a monster from the pits or a shapeshifter enjoying screwing with them.

He was in their minds, an aspiring serial killer. Thus his danger level skyrocketed and rumors spread of the strange rich mech who lived in the hab a short walk away from the store. What frightened Orion's observers even more was the simple fact that his lights were never on, not once did he turn them on. That only served to emphasize his terrifying optics and partially exposed spark chamber whenever he at by the window late at night, watching, staring, never moving. They thought he was vetting out potential targets, totally unaware of the fact that Orion was merely trying to learn to be more normal. In light of this, he took in the fearful and aggressive behavior of his peers and thought that was the correct manner in which to act. He prowled around as they did when near his hab or travelling through Kaon, his field was always held like a shield, and he stared down anyone who dared come too close. He held no anger toward anyone, but he was almost certain what he was doing was normal.

It was not, and his habit of picking up behaviors only gave him an even more startling reputation when he observed a drug deal happening from his window. Orion did not order things too often, but when he did he paid the delivery mech and went on his way. But as he watched the drug deal go down, unaware of its nature, he saw how it worked and mimicked the behavior. Those involved in the deal gave copious amounts of shanix or interesting objects to one another in exchange for the offered goods. Not knowing any better, Orion was quick to pick up the habit when he ordered things.

His orders only came a few times a stellar cycle, but when they did, delivery mecha all across Kaon rushed to answer the call. To them, Orion Pax was both the most terrifying mech on the planet, and also the best paying one. Much like the employees at the store, they uttered not a word when they came with his packages, but each bore their determination and prayed to Primus as the door unlocked and the terror within accepted the package. It was a ritual, or rather a rite of passage for delivery mecha. Those who could withstand the terror Orion posed were truly devoted to their craft, especially since they had to maintain a straight face. It was the ultimate test of will, and it was one even veteran delivery mecha who were accustomed to gang wars and drug deals struggled to withstand.

Orion never hurt any of them, but he learned from what he saw, and based on what he saw, he needed to show his aggression to a degree when receiving anything and be as suspicious as possible. Thus when delivery mecha arrived at his door, he held the door open just wide enough to stick out an arm and that was it. His field was constantly held at an uncomfortable wavelength and he stared down whoever was outside his door in total silence. The ritual was simple for delivery mecha with enough skill and will to withstand the fear. They would knock three times, one after the other before stepping back to a comfortable distance. They would keep their gazes low and wait for the click of the door and the chill of frigid air to touch their plating through the crack in Orion's door. At that point they would offer the package and papers for Orion to sign and the door would close for exactly a klik. If the delivery mech didn't pass out, they would swiftly be returned signed papers and anything from straight shanix to objects of increadible value before the door would shut, the ritual complete.

Mech-animals avoided Orion's hab like the plague, neighbors feared him and never met his gaze, those who worked at placed he frequented both loved and were terrified of him, and amongst mail mecha he was a cryptid of untold power. None bothered him, none questioned him. They simply watched him go from his hab to the arena, all wondering what he was. He was the rich archivist from Iacon and that was all that needed to be said. Despite that, there were still rumors, none of which ever reached Orion's audials despite his ability to walk the void.

The most prolific rumors were popular enough to reach Megatronus and Ratchet, both of which nearly died of laughter upon hearing them. Evidently Orion was either a cryptid who served the Unmaker, a rogue experiment, a ghoul, a sparkeater, or most hilariously, a servant of the council come to put fear into the sparks of the locals. Neither Ratchet nor Megatronus ever saw fit to tell their odd companion of the fearful reputation he garnered. It was more hilarious watching him roll with it without even knowing he was playing into the stories weaved about him

[destroyer-of-aglets]

Arise, Sonus Prime (1: The Matrix Flame)

When he first witnessed the evils brought about by the Primacy and the Senate, Soundwave swore he would never serve a Prime. Now, after Optimus Prime's death, he believes finally has a chance to end the Primacy for good- but Primus works in mysterious and irritating ways, and He's been looking everywhere for someone willing to bear such a mighty burden...

(Contains death and dubiously death-seeking behavior.)

Ratchet had been friends with Optimus Prime long enough to know the prophecy by spark. That one day, an Autobot would rise from their ranks, and use the power of the Matrix of Leadership to light their darkest hour. Optimus had believed the story with his whole spark; not surprising, considering that spark was directly connected to the Matrix in question. Ratchet had his doubts, though. Especially now.

Now, the damned picky-choosy artifact seemed content to bring the Autobots their darkest hour yet. Optimus Prime was dead- buried beneath a collapsing power station in the middle of a raging battle, he bled out before anyone could even start digging. The frame they pulled out would have been unidentifiable, if not for the fragging Matrix of Leadership shining and shimmering away without a care in the universe. But, the Autobots were tough. Optimus’ passing hurt like nothing else, but at the same time, his memory gave them strength. They didn’t fall into despair quite yet.

Prowl took charge after Optimus died. He’d been organizing the fight against the Decepticons while the command team tried to find the mech who would become the next Prime. And then? Then, the Autobots started to despair.

Because apparently, the Matrix of Leadership- the Conduit of Primus, the Wisdom of the Primes, the Chooser of the Chosen One, et cetera- was completely slagging unpleasable!

Prowl and Jazz tried first, but it rejected them. Then Blaster tried and failed. Then Ratchet, then Ironhide, then Red Alert, and so on, and so on…

The Ark’s crew were a perceptive bunch, and they spread rumors and gossip at lightspeed. So when each and every Autobot on the ship was brought before the Matrix and rejected, they were quick to cotton on to the truth. Or, one of several ‘truth-inspired’ ideas.

The religious types thought that Primus had forsaken them; Mirage was positively morose as he spun poems about how the war had made their people unsalvageable. More hopeful Autobots, like Bumblebee, took the situation as a sign to adapt; the Primacy had never been perfect, they reasoned, maybe it was time to transition to a democracy or something. The commanders were all left floundering. Leading the Autobots through depression and despair was always Optimus’ job.

Ratchet, for his part, took to wandering the halls near the Matrix’s new holding chamber, deep inside the Ark. He made a circuit around the chamber, again and again and again, and he would wait for an Autobot to come and grieve in person. He wasn’t Optimus; he couldn’t make any grand speeches to soothe the sparks of the masses. But he could offer them an ear or a shoulder or something. That’s what Optimus would have done, at least in spirit.

That made it hurt less, for him.

--- --- ---

Defenses at the Ark had never been weaker. Grieving Autobots slunk through the halls at a technosnail’s pace, giving more attention to shadows in their sparks than shadows in the halls. Those not occupied with lackluster ‘patrols’ or other duties sequestered themselves in habsuites or kept each other company in common rooms, speaking in hushed tones about this or that.

Soundwave moved through all of them carefully, more driven than ever before. He’d be caught eventually, of course. The Autobots- especially grieving and angry Autobots- wouldn’t let him complete this mission and escape alive. That was… fine, really. A worthy sacrifice.

Primus, but he missed his symbiotes. Any one of them could infiltrate the Ark in ways Soundwave himself could only dream of. But the war had taken so much. The battle that had claimed Optimus Prime had also claimed Laserbeak, Soundwave’s last surviving family. As his grief slowly ebbed away, however, Soundwave saw this opportunity for what it was.

The Matrix of Leadership had yet to choose a new Prime. The Autobots it had sequestered away, deep in the Ark with no bearer.

No defender.

This was Soundwave’s chance to destroy the accursed artifact that had caused so much pain and suffering for the Cybertronian people. He could rid Cybertron of the Primacy, now and forever; finally making good on the oath he had sworn to the Decepticons so many years ago.

Even now, you believe the Primes to be evil?

Soundwave shook his helm as he moved deeper into the ship, trying to clear himself of his second thoughts. The Primes were evil; either by intention or ignorance, the Primes had done more harm to Cybertron than good. Even Optimus Prime, who claimed to hold the freedom of all sentient beings in high regard, waged war to defend a system that would strip that freedom from his own people.

And does Megatron defend the freedom of his own people?

Soundwave was venting hard, now. He was growing closer to where he knew the Matrix to be held, and the temperature in the Ark only seemed to climb and climb. Yes,he pushed back at his own mutinous thoughts. Soundwave did not always agree with Megatron’s interpretation of the Decepticon cause, but his writings were almost single-handedly responsible for starting the Decepticon movement. He had to believe in his own writings. He had to. 

Soundwave cursed to himself as he nearly bumbled into an Autobot. He was letting the turmoil in his processor distract him. It was normal to have second thoughts on such a blatantly suicidal mission, but really. He was supposed to be a professional. 

You would put your spark on the line for this mission? 

Soundwave fought to stay standing as another blast of almighty heat washed over him. He knew the forward decks of the Ark got hot- it was lodged into an active volcano after all- but didn’t the Autobots have heat shielding on their ships? Or air conditioning? Soundwave was fully willing to die for this, but he thought it would be at the hands of an Autobot, not overheating.

He needed to get to the Matrix before he succumbed. The idea beat through his spark and brain with sublime intention. Get to the Matrix. Get to the Matrix.

His own life would be such a small price to pay in comparison. His symbiotes were all dead now. He had no one who needed his protection, no one who really needed him alive like they did. He could die confident in the knowledge that he had prevented another generation of Cybertronians from falling to such a corrupt system. They would be free- free from functionism and the caste system and everything else- in a way they never had been before. 

The Decepticons would honor him for this, he knew. Megatron would honor this sacrifice. Even the Autobots would grow to understand why he did this, in time. Once the Primacy was truly gone, and they held the power to shape their own future, they would understand.

You would sacrifice your life for the freedom of your people.

What? Where had that thought come from?

It was true, Soundwave supposed- that was exactly what he was doing. But the thought… resonated strangely, in a way he couldn’t really describe. 

The temperature was culprit number one. Overheating had a way of sneaking up on you, or so Soundwave had heard. He pinged his sensor net for a more accurate temperature analysis.

Ambient Temperature: 33°C, it provided dutifully, Systems temperature: Nominal.

That didn’t make any sense. Or, actually, it made perfect sense; that’s about how hot the front of the Ark would be on any other day. The Autobots’ human allies often whined about it, but it was perfectly comfortable to the average Cybertronian.

So why did Soundwave feel as if he was going to melt?

You would work to correct the evils of the past.

Soundwave didn’t realize he had reached his destination until the brilliant light of the Matrix burst through the open doorway, consuming everything before him. 

Belatedly, he realized he wasn’t having second thoughts.

You would claim all Cybertronians as your people.

Because these weren’t his thoughts at all.

He should have destroyed it. That’s what he came here for. But the Matrix pulled him in, yanked him forward, and the thought of destroying it was… inconceivable. The security measures Soundwave had developed painstaking plans to breach and circumvent slid away and deactivated, like they were never there. 

Soundwave reached for the Matrix of Leadership. To claim it, or to destroy it? He didn’t know, couldn’t tell.

Nearby, someone was shouting. He couldn’t tell who or why.

You would be perfect.

And Soundwave was consumed by the heat.

--- --- ---

More chapters are up right now on AO3! Tell me if you want more here on tumblr, also.

[justawayninja]

Why IDW Starscream deserved his redemption arc (Pt. 2)

Pt. 1: A small hint of ‘goodness’

Pt. 2: The different IDW Starscreams

In the last part I talked about how the original G1 cartoon left us with a hanging question about Starscream’s moral capacity for ‘goodness’, the possibility of a little ‘something more’. 

In this part, I want to talk about: actual, ‘good’ traits of Starscream. 

Obviously, Starscream is a well-established bad guy of the franchise, whatever the continuity. 

The traits most easily associated with him are also largely, if not all, negative. Traitorous. Cowardly. Self-centred. Egotistical. Brash. Opportunistic. And that’s only what distinguishes him from the other Transformers villains. Add on the standard Decepticon ‘values’ of ‘cruel, ruthless warmonger’ and a sadistic penchant for violence and murdering people... 

Yeah. Not a good guy. Tick. 

But just because a person has bad morals or values, does NOT invalidate any of their strengths, competences, or positive traits in general. Just because they use their strengths to further a bad cause does NOT mean those traits are now invaluable, or useless, or ‘evil’. 

Writers who are able to take this into consideration, who can recognise that not all personality traits need to be portrayed as purely ‘good’ or ‘bad’, are writers who can create interesting, perhaps even likeable bad guys - despite, or even because of their badness. 

And, here, I would argue that, for most writers of an IDW G1 Starscream, there is an acknowledgement of Starscream’s actual competences and ‘positive’ traits - even though interpretations of these ‘positive’ traits do differ somewhat between writers. 

And if we are able to build on these interpretations, we will find ourselves with an image of Starscream that feels much more hopeful, and is certainly much more nuanced and complex than... others. (*cough cough John Barber cough*)

(Spoiler alert: Transformers: All Hail Megatron, Transformers: ‘Til All Are One, The Transformers (2009))

Shane McCarthy’s Starscream (Transformers: All Hail Megatron, 2008-2009)

Without outright portraying Starscream as a character worthy of moral redemption or sympathy, Shane McCarthy’s Starscream is one of the more positive portrayals of the character. 

While this Starscream exhibits the same petty, almost childish competitiveness reminiscent of the original G1 Starscream - getting very riled up when Skywarp suggests he’s unable to inspire as much fear and destruction as Megatron could - he is also highly competent. 

Firstly, he challenges Megatron with valid, meaningful criticisms of his plans after conquering Earth. He correctly points out that Megatron has lost his sense of purpose, and his vision for the future. They are questions to which Megatron has no answers.

And once Megatron failed to step up to the bar, Starscream organises a coup which poses an actual threat to Megatron’s position as leader of the Decepticons.

If it wasn’t for the Autobots’ arrival, I believe the Starscream VS Megatron coup could at least have a 50-50 chance of success. Not only did he manage to sway a significant number of Decepticons to his side, but he also surprised Megatron by taking over Devastator, Megatron’s then most powerful soldiers and the only Combiner team (I believe). 

What’s more, his capabilities and power are openly acknowledged and respected by Megatron. 

This respect for Starscream is something which very few later IDW writers choose to incorporate into their interpretations of Megatron. Many, instead, favour the more G1-esque Megatron-Starscream dynamic of bickering and insulting with a darker twist which borders abuse. (In later parts, I will also explore how re-interpretations of the G1 Megatron and Starscream dynamic affects the interpretation of both characters). 

And, indeed, there is something honourable about McCarthy’s Starscream, who, in issue 12 of All Hail Megatron, chooses to save Megatron from the Autobots so that he may earn his leadership of the Decepticons. 

Granted, I think this happens more out of plot convenience, so that Megatron can continue as the leader of the Decepticons in later series. But still, this has important implications for our understanding of Starscream’s character - and Shane McCarthy’s Starscream is a respectable character, even if he is on the ‘wrong side’. 

Mike Costa’s Starscream (The Transformers, 2009-2011)

The first thing Mike Costa’s Starscream does is... Throw Shane McCarthy’s Starscream’s sense of honour out of the window. Almost immediately, he’s torn between keeping Megatron’s husk alive and repairing him to function, or snatching Decepticon leadership during the power vacuum and killing Megatron off in the process. Which makes you wonder why he saved Megatron in the first place. 

But despite the inconsistency, Costa’s Starscream forms an interesting, tragic character. Although his Starscream does not necessarily exhibit competence or positive strengths in the same way as McCarthy’s Starscream, he certainly experiences and goes through feelings which readers can be sympathetic towards. 

One of which is guilt. 

This is Starscream in issue 13 of All Hail Megatron, shortly after lying to the other Decepticons that the Autobot’s Matrix of Leadership has chosen him as a leader. It’s a valid political move, using religion to aid your support.  

But here, you get the sense that this a Starscream who does not enjoy the deception. He does not blindly rejoice in power, and he feels no joy despite finally obtaining what he has desired for so many millions of years. 

Instead, he is filled with fear, paranoia, doubt, feelings of inadequacy, and a horrible, horrible sense of disappointment. 

This is a Starscream who recognises his own incompetence. 

In contrast to the original G1 Starscream, who is something of a bumbling fool too happy to self-indulge in his power for his own ego rather than actually using it to practical purpose, this is a Starscream who is finally confronted with the realisation that he cannot lead, cannot fulfil his grand ambitions in the way Megatron could. 

And it crushes him. 

This is NOT a fear that would occur to a shallower, simple-minded character who cared only about titles, egos, and their own glory. A Starscream like that would never even consider it. 

Because both McCarthy and Costa’s Starscream are legitimately, and reasonably, disappointed in Megatron’s reign. Both aspire for power not for the sake of power, but for a higher purpose. 

The Decepticon cause. 

And if we remember that, in the IDW-verse, the Decepticons are depicted as activists responding to genuine oppression who gradually lose their way in bloodbath and war, then Starscream’s determination to remember and return to the original Decepticon ideals definitely highlights something more than ‘just’ a sadistic, self-centred, sociopath. 

(Of course, there is no guarantee that Starscream’s own visions of the Decepticon ideals haven’t been skewed by war and bloodshed. The important thing is that he still remembers that their brutality should serve a purpose, which most other Decepticons rarely ever consider). 

Costa’s Starscream is tragic - tragic because he must face the reality that he is the reason that he cannot achieve his dream. Because he is not Megatron. Because he lacks the charisma. The ability. The determination. The strength. 

And that is something readers can sympathise with. Dreams being crushed. Ideals turning to ash. Fantasy morphing into bitter reality. This is the story of Costa’s Starscream - a broken idealist, someone who could have been something better than Megatron, but ultimately wasn’t. 

Mairghread Scott’s Starscream (Transformers: ‘Til All Are One, 2016-2017)

Scott’s Starscream offers a very interesting, brave interpretation of his character - because it is her Starscream, after all, who takes the journey of redemption. 

A lot of it comes down to the mechs Starscream is mainly surrounded by, as Supreme Leader of Cybertron. Bumblebee, Windblade, Ironhide, Wheeljack, and delegates from different colonies. Autobots, or else people who never knew him as the ruthless Decepticon Second-in-Command he once was. He has a chance to start with a clean slate. 

And this is when things get interesting. Whereas most Starscreams pretend to have compassion, and sympathy, and morality, in order to profit from the latest scandal or betrayal, Scott’s Starscream is the complete reverse. (Particularly in TAAO).

Similar to Mike Costa, in TAAO, we see a Starscream who plots and schemes not because he necessarily enjoys behaving this way, but because when everything happens exactly the way he wants things to, when he has a chance to start completely anew with his legally established power, he realises that deception, violence, and manipulation are all he knows. 

It’s what he expects of himself, and what others expects of him. 

Look at that expression. That is NOT the expression of someone who is proud of what he has done, or the expression of someone who feels no remorse. It’s bitter. It’s ironic. It’s a look of self-loathing. 

Scott’s Starscream has given up on himself. He carries on the despair of Costa’s Starscream, albeit with a subtle difference. Because while Costa’s Starscream despaired over the realisation that he cannot fulfil his dream as leader of the Decepticon Empire. Scott’s Starscream despaired over his inability to do good, to be a better person. 

Scott’s Starscream, in short, has a conscience. 

At some point, his plotting and scheming have become farcical. A ‘mask’, as Bumblebee puts it, which he can no longer put down. 

This can be seen most clearly when he releases Chromia from prison. Note how all his ‘official’, surface excuses for freeing her are all to do with establishing his own political power and influence. Entirely self-serving, as most people would expect. 

And yet, when Chromia sees through all of this, and asks him for the real reason, he answers with this: 

Unlike most other carnations, the self-serving, power-hungry Starscream had become the mask. Underneath it all, is a true Starscream who is attempting to atone, in some way, for his earlier faults (such as convicting an innocent Badgeless). 

It’s funny how things can work out sometimes. How an innocent, almost naive faith can produce the greatest change in a way which violence and power never could. 

Scott’s Starscream lives a tragedy, much like Costa’s Starscream, his story full of the could-have-beens and the sadness of someone who has lost themselves in the painful turns of war and its deceit. But it is in Scott’s Starscream where we see the greatest possibility for goodness - an awareness of right and wrong, a feeling of guilt, doubt, and conflict. And it is Scott’s Starscream who ultimately, chooses what would have been otherwise unthinkable for any other Starscream. He sacrifices himself, his ambitions, and his dreams - so that the world can do better without him. 

To summarise, while most writers show Starscream to be manipulative, deceptive, and conniving - they rarely depict him as someone who enjoys these betrayals. What’s more, he is not usually depicted as self-centred purely for the sake of being self-centred. Self-preservation, and the need to come out on top, are certainly a large part to his motivations, but they are never his sole motivations. They are usually accompanied by a genuine ambition to fulfil a certain ideology or vision of leadership, visions which are ultimately hampered by his own insecurities and inadequacies in the face of overwhelming responsibility. From this, we can see that IDW’s Starscream is a fairly nuanced, complex character, who is much more morally grey, much more competent, with a much greater capacity for good, than the G1 counterpart from whom he is inspired. 

........ Aaaaand then John Barber came along with Robots in Disguise, smashed a sledgehammer into all those subtleties and character development, called him a ‘sociopath’, and created the least likeable, redeemable version of IDW Starscream possible. 

Which brings me on to Part 3: Barber’s Biased Starscream

[zombified-queer]

The Octopus Game

This is a really long love letter to Odo that I wrote recently.

How do you change your forms, I wonder? I watch, silently raptured by each change: A new limb, a completely different body, a new colour, a change in the resonance of your voice. How much energy does each change, each transmutation of yourself cost? I always wonder how you do it how you can be so fluid in your expression. I wish, sometimes, I could be as fluid and as compensating as you.

All species need to regenerate. This I know. From the hulking man-machines I watch march down hallways on LED screens—always seeking to perfect their code through whatever means are necessary to—to me—curled around a stuffed rabbit and vaguely purring in the warmth of my own alcove. I know you need rest too, but I always wonder what your sleeping nook looks like. Is the bucket you reside in placed on the ground, easy for you to compact into and no-nonsense like you? Or do you place it on a side-table, high up enough that no one will spill you across the floor, a spreading puddle of you-ness? Were you a thing to be preyed upon, slurped up by some beast with dull eyes and sharp teeth? Did your herd mentality make you a lonely creature? Did you ever have a herd? I want terribly to watch you sleep and make notes and make sure you rest properly.

Your eyes are not the same as mine. I know this for a fact, staring into your deep-blue, deep-set eyes. Can you see colour? Can you see anything? Is it just vague shapes moving and making noise that resonates, vibrates the exterior membrane of you that makes you look like you? I would like nothing more than to see things the way you do, to close my eyes at your command and, when I open them again take in the world the way you drink it in, your sight granted to me on a small-time trial basis. Would you even be able to describe it to me, who is nothing more than a simple human thinking about things in human ways? Would I even understand an explanation?

From the ocean you came and from the ocean you will return. I never know when you will return from the primordial womb of your impossible development or if you will stay there permanently. But I do know socialization comes hard to captive-raised creatures. Were the scientists good to you, I wonder? Did you imagine the labs as being just as much a home as that ocean? Do you still feel the electricity coursing through you?

There is something wrong with you. Not to be blunt to the point of being cruel or unkind, since I hold you so dear, but I do notice you can't mimic people perfectly. Most of your species can impersonate and perfect their disguise by learning. They mimic speech and looks until you have a perfect replica. But you, dearest little one, cannot perfect your disguises. Was it a cruel trick your forebears played, never teaching you to survive on your own? Or was it a stray jolt of electricity that skewed your perceptions, skewed your disguises, skewed the data of you?

I've heard it said, in files and in amused whispers, that your first act of sentience was to extend a single limb and slap your founder, force him to realize he had been mistreating you in your infancy, force him to realize that by the gods you were sentient,that you were—and still are—a lifeform worthy of respect and dignity. How strong you must be for an infant-you to show such great defiance! How strong you must be to still show the defiant streak. Watching you move, the intelligence in your posture and voice and eyes, the lines between predator and prey blur until I no longer know how to classify you. Would you extend the same kindness to me and my research of you?

You like Order, a by-product of the psychology of your species. Things being off by mere centimeters upsets you. I understand that this is both you and not you—one part psychoanalytics and one part your personal need for order. I promise not to move anything in our shared quarters but I cannot say the same for the rest of us who have taken an interest in you, who study and watch you like a rat running a maze. And I do wonder how your emotions work; if you would feel rage or shame the same way I do. I wonder if disorder inspires something new and alien in you. But I chose to set everything back when we are finished, not wanting to make you too terribly upset with me.

I understand you do not have organs in the traditional sense. Instead, you are a web of cells that switch their function based on necessity. And how sweet necessity must be since your entire matrix makes you a terribly handsome creature. I cup your cheek and feel the weight of you but you are only as warm as the room we are in. Do you have something like a brain under your membrane or does the entirety of you think and feel while I study you. Do you feel a great sadness at the repetition of being my scientific curiosity or do you feel a swell of pride at being chosen for study, a spokesman of your species?

Do you understand the binary of human gender, the black-or-white, the this-or-that, the x-or-y model of thinking? Or did you simply recognize patterns and mimic? Did they consider it a success when they imposed a binary on you, “Unknown Sample?” They also rate canine intellect based on the ability to follow commands. Can I truly call you male? Can I call my attraction to you the pure form of homosexual-homoerotic-homoromantic fascination with something that is like me and yet so distanced from me? I don't believe in a binary either and I wish you could be liberated from it. Or had they preferred to think of you as something sexless and alien, necessity demanding you become a man in the eyes of science? Do you keep that label of "man" to make others comfortable or to make yourself comfortable? What name would you pick for yourself, since the one you own now means, quite literally, Nothing?

[tae-cev-blog]

The next major Transformers IDW events

A summary of my theory: All of the recent story arcs in IDW are similar to 1986 Transformers: The Movie’s plot. 

Warning. This fan theory contains spoilers regarding major plot points in the following comics: Transformers Ongoing (2012), Till All Are One, Optimus Prime, More Than Meets the Eye, Transformers: Redemption, and Transformers: Salvation.

My first point: The appearance of new characters. 

The '86 movie introduced a huge new cast of characters never seen before in the TV show. The G1 cartoon was very different from the IDW comics, because it was basically a half hour long TV commercial for Transformers toys. The introduction then of these new characters were basically to promote their new toy line, and from a story perspective it wasn't well done- but it was an 80's TV show, so it was pretty par the course and no one thinks less of the series because of it.

In the new comic lines, though, Hasbro and IDW haven't shied away from tackling huge changes to Transformers. MTMTE's progressive characters and setting, for example, and even the very fact that they have been exploring a plot that takes place in a post-war era, whereas almost all previous continuities exclusively take place before and during the civil war. It's worked out well for them so far. The vast political drama that comes from exploring such a major change in faction standings was outstanding, and many people loved seeing things like the vote for leader of Cybertron between Autobot candidate Bumblebee, NAIL candidate Metalhawk, and Decepticon candidate Starscream. And in recently concluded title Till All Are One, everyone loved the introduction of the idea of Metrotitan Colonies.

There are two comics, Transformers: Redemption, and Transformers: Salvation, and long story short there's Trypticon and the Dinobots and Bludgeon, and they do things. But the story centers around a major in-world event: the first ever hot spot on Cybertron since hot spots stopped appearing during the beginning of the civil war. Trypticon took those sparks deep underground, and is now essentially acting as an incubator for these fledgling new sparks.

If we look at the IDW story thus far, there haven't been many new characters. Anode and Lug, for one, and, the fan-vote generated female characters from Caminus: Windblade, Victorion and the Torch Bearers, and a few of the other Camiens. But overall, through the years most continuities have introduced 'new' characters by redesigning and reintroducing old characters from past continuities: Eukarians are mostly Beast Wars characters, for example. But no continuities- at least not in recent times- have introduced a huge amount of new characters. Not in years, and not to the scale that the '86 movie did. Part of my theory is that the sparks from Trypticon end up becoming a whole wave of brand new Transformers characters.

This would be huge.

And going back to what I mentioned before, I think IDW and Hasbro together would be exactly the team-up to take a huge risk like that. It would certainly lead, from a business perspective, to an influx of new fans because of all the new characters that can have toys made out of them, as well as contribute new and interesting modern day stories to the comics.

Returning to the basis of my theories, similarities with the '86 movie, the introduction of a wave of new characters also meant that the movie killed off a lot of old characters. That may not be the case in IDW, but it's still a possibility because of a related item, which leads to my next point. 

The second aspect of my theory: Unicron.

It's no secret Unicron is coming to IDW with the recent announcement that he'll be given his own comic title, and we now know from the image of him that he will be a massive, planet-sized being, and possibly a planet-eater: just like his first ever appearance as the center point of conflict in the '86 movie. This is a huge ticket item, especially because the IDW comics have been in sort of a 'drought' as far as crossovers go. Their last one (not including recent crossovers with other Hasbro properties such as Revolution, First Strike, and Rom vs. Transformers) was in 2012-13, in Dark Cybertron. Since then Transformers characters have gotten a bit... scattered. Blitzwing is in M.A.S.K., Skywarp is in G.I. Joe, and half of the TF cast being split between those on Cybertron (formerly) in TAAO, and those on Earth in (formerly) Optimus Prime. So it would take a major, world-shattering event to gather everyone together in one major crossover event, which- rest assured- has to be coming sometime soon.

Who better to do that than Unicron?

His appearance in what we can assume will be his planet-eating deity form is a threat to all of Cybertron, which has still been recovering after its revival (as we can see evidence of from the aforementioned new hot spot igniting). And Cybertron is the one common denominator among all Transformers characters: no Cybertronian wants to see their home planet destroyed. It would be the most appropriate conflict to draw in ever Transformer possible from every Hasbro property for an exclusively Transformers comic crossover event. Additionally, tying it into the first part of my grand theory, we don't know when Trypticon's incubation of the new hot spot's sparks will be concluded. If it were, say, just in time for Unicron's arrival, that would be incredible.

1) It would inspire a new list of characters who are united by the threat of Unicron, 2) further putting the importance of the factions behind us in-world and letting the story move forward onto bigger and better things than the war, 3) which would also further differentiate the IDW story from previous continuities. And this all leads me to the final similarity to the '86 movie. The one that has yet to happen, but I wholly believe will.

My third point: The appointment of a new Prime.

This makes sense contextually because of the recent announcement that the comic presently titled Optimus Prime will soon be continued in a comic titled "Primeless." (Though I have no proof because I hadn't chosen to share my theories yet, I predicted the assignment of a new Prime before this announcement.) The recent Transformers comics have focused a lot on Optimus lately, and a lot of it has been very controversial.

The primary example of this being his decision in the former ongoing Transformers title (originally named "Robots in Disguise," MTMTE's sister title) to annex Earth into the Council of Worlds- against the wishes of Earth's inhabitants. People thought this was a very un-Optimus thing to do, coming from the character that coined the phrase "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings." (Apparently freedom of choice isn't, huh Optimus?) And he's been a very controversial character ever since then. It's actions like these that have led to characters like Pyra Magna, the leader of the Torch Bearers: the Victorion combiner team, to question Optimus' status as Prime, and suggest that either themselves or others may be more worthy of bearing the Matrix. Individually, events like these seem strange, especially out of the norm for Optimus, himself, but fit in well enough that contextually they all make sense. But when combined? It makes sense, and I'm absolutely certain, that all these little events have been building up to the inevitable: Optimus either being removed as Prime or giving up the title willingly, and a new character becoming bearer of the Matrix and IDW's new Prime.

This could be done in any number of ways. Maybe Optimus dies, maybe not. Maybe an existing character (such as Starscream, the "Chosen One") becomes Prime, maybe one of the characters from the new wave becomes Prime. Whatever the case- IDW is clearly setting things up so that we get a change of pace, and Optimus is no longer the Prime of our continuity.

In conclusion, the similarities to recent events and the setup for nearing future events in IDW to the events that structured the 1986 Transformers: The Movie plot are striking. Whether intentional, using references to the original Transformers story as a gateway to changing the franchise's future forever, or just coincidence, it proves to be an interesting source of future story in the comics to come.

[quinncenteno-blog]

Are actually EBooks Much better Compared to Physical Publications?

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[lets-try-some-writing]

I wonder what the Matrix's opinions and attitudes towards the other Autobots are like. We know that Optimus loves and values all of them, but I wanna know what it thinks. (I love the idea of the Matrix being sentient, absolutely brilliant idea)

Loved this idea too much to wait to write about it! I might even make this a series or something if this turns out well. Although I did get a tad bit carried away with this thought since I can't just let anything be *anxious laughter*

The Musings of the Matrix

Prima was the first mecha the Matrix knew. It had been given to Prima by Primus when it was still new and unintelligent. During those days it was akin to a newspark, and could only watch and learn from the first of the Primes, absorbing power and collecting wisdom. It learned of much in those days, and slowly garnered more and more knowledge as Prima took it to each of his kin and allowed the Matrix to copy and collect what they knew.

The Matrix knew instinctually why Prima did this. Prima was merely the Matrix's guardian while it developed into its own being. The first of the Primes would not carry the Matrix forever, nor could the Matrix remain bound to its steward for all time. They had different functions, ones that only alligned for a time.

The Matrix needed to learn, to grow, to become greater. It was to be a collective, a well of knowledge meant to guide and strengthen in a future it had only been granted slight glimpses of by the creator god that made it. The Matrix was not a living being, not in the way the Primes were. It was intelligent, it could think and learn, but it was not its own entity, rather an amalgamation of data, morality, and duty all combined into something that resembled the spark of life that infused the true creations of Primus.

The Matrix did not mind this at all. It had a purpose, and it was satisfied with fulfilling it. For what was the point of it's existence if not to serve the duty it had been made to carry?

The Primes were so very full of data and knowledge, morality and intrigue. They each had a very specific purpose, and much like the Matrix, they were compelled to fulfill it. The Matrix learned all it could from them, but there was one of the Primes that caught the Matrix's interest on an instinctual level. The one Prime that had no purpose engrained into it so deeply that it could not stray, the one Prime that could be molded and still remain pure and untainted. The Thirteenth was, in the Matrix's view, perfect. The moment the Matrix saw the Thirteenth, it knew that one day the last born of the Primes would be its true vessel, the one it was created to serve and be served by in turn.

But the time to be bound to its chosen had not yet come, and so the Matrix let it be, allowing the Primes to fall, to fight, and then to separate within even trying to intervene, not that it could anyway. It watched and then it allowed its steward to pass it on to the recorder among the Primes, the one called Alpha Trion. The Matrix had little care for the recorder Prime, for he did little and only watched when so much needed to be done. Thankfully for the Matrix, Alpha Trion heeded its demands and helped it find a worthy mech to be its new steward, to help it protect the guide to lives on the surface until its true bearer could come for it.

For millennia the Matrix learned. It grew and changed, going from steward to steward and having each one of them fall despite the Matrix's efforts to offer them wisdom and keep them on track. But they were all impure, incapable, not worthy of being the Matrix's true bearer. The Matrix even had to kill one of its stewards when the mech who bore it, one who the Matrix gave the name of Sentinel, tried to rip the Matrix apart and force it to give him power.

The steward Prime did not last long under the Matrix's wrath. The Matrix was no toy, it was a guiding light, a tool used to forge heroes and champions for Primus's people. It hated what it had become, it hated that the council that ruled over the people limited the possible stewards for the Matrix to pick, forcing it to choose lackluster carriers who it could only do so much to sway. Eventually it saw the hopelessness of the situation and called out for the recorder Prime. There were no mecha that could bare the Matrix, it refused to be abused any further until its true bearer came for it. So when Alpha Trion collected it, the Matrix did not search for another steward and instead returned to Primus to wait until its bearer was ready for it.

When its bearer finally came for it, the Matrix did not even hesitate to reach out to him. There was no greater feeling of peace for the Matrix than when it bound itself to Orion Pax and rebuilt him lovingly, reshaping him to endure and to fulfill their shared purpose with pride. The Matrix put more effort into reforging Orion than it did with any other Prime. And when it had completed its work, having made Orion as perfect for his role as it could, it granted Orion his name, the one the Matrix had waited to give him since those early days.

Optimus Prime was forged, and he led the Autobots to war.

As the war raged, the Matrix guided Optimus, offering him wisdom and memories from its stewards and the twelve other original Primes. It kept its bearer's spark pure by guarding Optimus with every bit of power it had. The Matrix even went so far as to mold Optimus in such a way that his identity as Orion, while still present, was hidden beneath layers of wisdom and composure. The Matrix refused to watch its perfect bearer lose what made him so wonderful in its view. It kept Optimus calm, it focused his mind on the tasks at hand and only allowed him to deviate when he needed time to associate with others. The Matrix also took the trauma that would crush normal mecha and suppressed it, keeping its perfect bearer safe from the harm that the battlefield and the stress of war could inflict on him.

Of course the Matrix regularly had to fight against one particular mech when it came to keeping its bearer fit for their shared function. Ratchet was both the biggest pain and relief for the Matrix when it came to ensuring Optimus's mental wellbeing. The medic nurtured the spark of Orion, keeping Optimus from giving himself to the Matrix's grip, a fact that caused the Matrix no end of irritation. Why couldn't the medic see that it was only trying to protect its bearer? Emotions were dangerous, having too many and having to endure the trauma of war would harm Optimus. The Matrix didn't want that, and if it meant keeping Optimus calm and emotionless to keep him safe, the Matrix was willing. It would keep him on track, it would keep him safe.

Yet Ratchet could not speak to the Matrix, nor could the Matrix exactly stop the medic from giving Optimus affection when things got dark enough for the Matrix to clamp down on Optimus's emotions harder than usual. However Ratchet did do one thing that the Matrix appreciated, and that was the fact that Ratchet constantly asked the hard questions. When Optimus started to falter even with the Matrix urging him on, Ratchet was there to get Optimus back in action. For that alone the Matrix sometimes gave the medic a reward by allowing Optimus more emotional access when times were somewhat peaceful.

And while the Matrix couldn't confirm it, the Matrix was 99% sure Ratchet knew that it was aware and sentient. More than once while Optimus was knocked out, Ratchet would talk to the Matrix and threaten it. Of course the Matrix often brushed it off, but it listened as sometimes Ratchet made valuable points in regards to Optimus's health. The Matrix and Ratchet had a tense relationship, one that constantly led them to clash, but it was functional. That was enough for the Matrix.

Ratchet: I know you are listening you slagging relic. So listen up.

The Matrix: We listen.

Ratchet: Orion was mine before you took him from me. He was my friend, my brother. I will not let you have him.

The Matrix: Optimus is ours. He is our perfect vessel. You can do nothing to stop us, not while you need us to guide your Prime.

Ratchet: No matter what you do to him, I will be here to drag him back. You will not keep him from me forever.

The Matrix: We shall see.

The Matrix could understand Optimus's attachment to Ratchet, after all, the medic was his closest friend before the Matrix made Optimus divine. But the Matrix struggled to comprehend why Optimus took every Autobot death so personally. It knew its bearer was kind and loving, the perfect one to lead and love the children of Primus. But every time great losses were sustained, the Prime wept and the Matrix struggled to keep him calm. It was confusing.

The Matrix cared, but only in the sense that it was its duty to keep the children of Primus safe and on the right path. It was its bearer's duty to love and to be the one to connect to the people on a more personal level. As such the Matrix had little guidance to give when Autobots wept for their losses and went to Optimus for guidance and hope. All the Matrix could do was offer what knowledge it had on the Cybertronian mind and what seemed to be the most convincing.

The Matrix cared... it just wasn't quite sure it cared in the same way Optimus did.

Then there came Bumblebee, the sparkling that truly garnered the Matrix's interest and gave it insight into just why Optimus cared so much. The Matrix had only been exposed to sparklings a handful of times prior. Its previous stewards were not fond of the little ones or rarely ever interacted with them. So when Optimus took in the orphaned newspark, the Matrix watched in interest, long dormant instincts rising to the surface.

The pure little ones needed to be protected at all costs, all the little ones did.

The Matrix loosed its grip on Optimus whenever he was with his sparkling. It grew to love the sparkling alongside its perfect bearer. Bumblebee was a wonder to watch as he grew and developed. The Matrix wanted to keep him safe, it wanted to be able to protect the pure one as it did with Optimus. But as it couldn't and wouldn't abandon its perfect Prime, it instead opted to heighten Optimus's emotional reactions to incidents involving Bumblebee. If the sparkling was hurt, both the Matrix and Optimus raged, their combined anger turning into something unholy. If the sparklings was treated well by a bot, the Matrix incentivized Optimus to give the bot in question some sort of reward. The pure little light needed to be protected, especially when Optimus couldn't be there.

Optimus: I will take care of you Bee... none shall harm you now.

The Matrix: We shall guard this pure one. He will be safe so long as we are bound to our Prime.

Bumblebee: You will be my Sire?

Optimus: That's right, and no harm will come to you so long as I function. You will live to see our home restored, this I promise.

The Matrix: The pure one will live. We will ensure it.

More than once the Matrix fed Optimus old songs to sing to his sparkling. It gave its Prime complete access to emotions of love and protectiveness and never once denied its Prime the chance to comfort and connect with the pure one. Bumblebee was special and gave Optimus hope, kept him on track, and gave him reason to fight. For that alone the Matrix liked the little one, even more so because of his innocent spark. Both the Matrix and Optimus flew into a rage when Bumblebee was harmed by Megatron. Where the Matrix had previously been neutral toward the warlord as it knew only that Megatron was a wayward child of Primus, it now hated him. No pure sparked one harmed the little one, as such those who did were instantly marked as kill on sight.

Every time Megatron came into view the Matrix urged Optimus on, amplifying anger but still trying to keep him composed. It was a fine line, especially with Orion's history with the mech. But if the Matrix could have its way, it would not suffer Megatron to live.

Ultra Magnus was a mech that the Matrix had no real views on. He was useful and lessened the workload the Matrix's bearer had, so for that the Matrix accepted his existence in Optimus's life. Of course Optimus's attachment to the mech was somewhat exhausting to the Matrix, but as usual the Matrix tolerated it as Ultra Magnus gave Optimus yet another reason to keep moving. Although more than once the Matrix found itself allowing Optimus to feel things when Ultra Magnus was involved since the Prime had taken to seeing the commander as kin.

Yet another bot to worry about and try to keep alive. Exhausting.

Jazz was more worrying than anything to the Matrix. Jazz loved Optimus, but the agent held no such attachment to the Matrix. More than once the Matrix worried for the life of its bearer when the agent came to Optimus and spoke to him in such a way that the Matrix could tell the words were directed at it. The Matrix wished it could get rid of the agent, but Jazz was useful and yet another irritant that Optimus was connected to from his time as Orion.

Jazz: Heyo! Brought some more reports from Prowl!

Optimus: Thank you Jazz.

Jazz: *staring directly at Optimus's chassis* Not a problem Op! But you better loosen up a bit, it wouldn't do for you to be so high strung you can hardly transform.

The Matrix: We know what you want, we are not obliged to listen to you.

Jazz: *grinning* Bee has been looking forward to seeing you all Joor!

The Matrix: ... You have won this round.

There were other like Prowl who the Matrix found useful enough to allow Optimus to feel around, if only a little. But as a general rule the Matrix was neutral to the other Autobots, albeit in the sense that is felt no particular attachment to them. They were wards to be guarded and guided, little else, at least to the Matrix.

Upon coming to earth though, that changed slightly. The team became adopted kin to Optimus, and as there were no others to worry about and actual names to go with faces, the Matrix inevitably developed opinions.

Cliffjumper was a pure one, not a sparkling, but pure all the same. The Matrix genuinely felt somewhat disappointed in itself for failing to keep him alive upon discovery of his death. Cliffjumper was the relief the team and its bearer needed, without him things were dimmer in base. And while the Matrix was not inherently an emotive being, it felt a degree of loss when there were no jokes directed toward its Prime. It could feel Optimus was upset too, and many a recharge cycle the Matrix needed to murmur reassurances and praise while blocking off nightmares.

Arcee was an interesting case that the Matrix couldn't decide it liked or not. She was useful and brought a certain set of emotions to the team that were sorely needed. She brought Optimus joy and gave the Prime someone to care for. She fought well and was fully devoted to their cause and loyal, that alone earned her the Matrix's acceptance. Still with time the Matrix grew to care enough, though mostly only because Optimus did, to allow its Prime to feel and be more emotive around the two wheeler.

Bulkhead and Wheeljack were troublemakers who the Matrix came to see as excitable loose cannons. They needed to constantly be corralled and moved around like chess pieces to be effective, at least to the Matrix. It impressed this general feeling to its Prime, but Optimus took it the wrong way and began coddling the duo like they were simply sparklings or younger brothers in need of guidance. An irritating reaction, but one that the Matrix should have expected from its ever loving Prime.

Truly the Matrix didn't understand its Prime's attachment to everyone he knew for more than two minutes, but the Matrix accepted it and focused its efforts on keeping its Prime on track. It tried not to mentally sigh when Optimus took on the human children as his own and when the Prime later took on Smokescreen. There was no stopping its loving Prime from caring, and it couldn't stop its Prime from feeling either, not with so many emotional triggers hanging around base.

The Matrix wanted to be exasperated, but at least with so many loved ones around, Optimus was more stable than ever before.