#Earthspark rewrite

[perish-the-creator]

What Earthspark Could've Been

Back at it again ranting about this show like it's a parasite that keeps gnawing at my brain. And yes, this will ignore season two because DUH

Anyway, one of the biggest missed potentials the show fumbled hard was actually exploring what a war means to the children who come after it.

I had foolishly assumed that half the terrans would stay with the Maltos and the other half would somehow end up raised by the Decepticons.

The Malto Terrans would be on the side of the "winners". Raised on stories of glory and taught that Decepticons are these wholly evil beings that are rarely able to be reasoned with if at all. You'd still get the typical cute little episodes like in season one with them learning about the world, but the big shift would be the "birth" of the others.

Hashtag and Nightshade would now be found and taken in by the Decepticons. Jawbreaker going with the Maltos (probably accidently wandered off first).

Now, if you SUCK at writing, you could just have Hashtag and Nightshade in this story basically pull this scene from Megamind. (Police = Autobots, Burglar = Decepticons)

Instead, they're raised on pure survival. Of course each gaining a guardian who, instead of being written as these assholes who don't give a shit, legit care about these new terrans and want to bring back Cybertron, avenge their comrades, and provide them with a future that isn't under the thumb of the Autobots or humans.

From there you'd get the conflict from the new generation, both given only biased ideas of the other side. Twitch, Thrash and Jawbreaker seeing the Con Terrans as schemers who are just bitter and uninformed about the truth of their side's interest. And Hashtag and Nightshade seeing the Malto Terrans as these authoritarian enforces who don't care about their species and their plight to get Cybertron fixed.

This isn't perfect and there are plenty of flaws, but like in real life there are children born after wars who have to navigate the world whether or not their side won or lost and try to find their place within it.

[cityzenshark]

Ice Mirror | Terrans Around the World

Ice Mirror | Kites | Kindle & Ember | Leaflet | Stardeep | Eggling

Cut off from any communication, Ice Mirror is the least liked Terran by the Malto Terrans due to his wild animalistic nature. Bringing him to Witwicky to meet Terratronus stresses him so much as he had just started to understand himself and learn how the world is more than an endless snow.

Thrash - Ice Mirror follows Thrash around because of his white paintjob, infuriating him because Thrash does not forgive him yet for attacking him and Jawbreaker when they first met. Unfortunately, due to Thrash being the first one to converse with him via the cyberlink, he has become Ice Mirror's mentor of sorts.

Jawbreaker - JB doesn't like him. Full stop. Even though he understands the reasons Ice Mirror is like so, he doesn't want to be anywhere within his vicinity unless if they have to butt heads again (literally). He hates how Ice Mirror "stole" his big brother from him.

[spikezonebby]

Step one of the es s2 rewrite is figuring out what has to go. No time skip, no Decepticons as the big bad again, and no chaos terrans (unless I can think of something better to do with them but the Terran cast is already pretty solid rn). Cosmos can stay because I think he's cute but I'll figure out something more to do with him. And yes, we're getting prowl fs. Ratchet and drift too if I can make them fit. They will be gay and married

[scribe-of-hael]

Tell me about Jett!

Oh boy,  where do I start !

Well Jennette Jasper,  aka Jett Jasper, before anything to do with Cybertronians or the war. Was raised by her grandparents on a farm after her parents went through a nasty divorce. Neither parent was capable of taking care of her, so her grandparents adopted her.

During her younger years, around 20 when she joined the air force being apart of ROTC . She saw the conflict happening with the Cybertronian war (i imagine they have been on earth for quite a while) and wanted to help.

Jett showed skills of a very intelligent/skilled  pilot they only down side was she wasn't very kin on orders. In the air Jett could see opportunities that on ground wouldn't be seen. This lead to her almost being dishonorable discharge do to "negligence" and " endangerment" of herself and fellow pilots. She was stubborn but good at what she did .

This caught the attention of none other Than Optimus Prime who had been trying have collaborations with the government. At the time where the only Air support they had was Jetfire (cause I added him in here) and he wanted to add to that to help distract the seekers. (He didn't want them to combat but at least lure them away from the fight) .

Despite the warnings from her commanders Optimus insisted to at least give her an opportunity to which she accepted. This lead to a human driven Autobot Flight Support Squadron.

Now Jett is a stubborn woman always has been and has never ever been afraid of Bots no matter how big or scary. That I included Jetfire who she bumped heads with alot because at the time Jetfire was expected to lead this squad. They didn't always see eye to eye. But this bitterness and frankly rivalry,  turned into a understanding and Friendship. You could say Jetfire and Jett are Amica by the time the war ends!

But all this and where is Starscream? Well, being autobot air support means encounters with the seekers. At first Optimus wanted them to just lire them away, but that wanst going to happen. Tye seekers are elite flyers with millions of year worth of experience. That is why when a mere human challenges the GREAT Starscream he takes offense. "How could a human keep up with me?!". But because Starscream had underestimated her she was able to doop him ALOT. She didn't fly like a human pilot she was unpredictable with her movements after Starscream felt he knew all the capabilities of a human pilot and their machines. But she was pushing limit of herself and the plane just to get shots in.

Their Dog fights were intense and Starscream became more and more furious that a human was keeping up with him. They were also equals. She'd get him down, he'd get her down. It came to a point out of emotional outrage that Starscream would abandon whatever fight he was having just to go attack her because he knew if he didn't someone was going to mess up.

Now Jett is called Jett because that's her Call sign, but Starscream had a call sign for her of his own. J-Bird. More of a mocking because of how small she was and how defenseless she would be without her "wings".

Come down he did knock her out of the sky, they finally got to see each other face to face. Starscream was intrigued and amazed she showed zero signs if fear depsite being injured. This was his opponent and she didn't back down.

It runs into the classic trope. Yeah Jett has been yonked by Decepticon a few times. Bot for spy work and just purely by accident because they wanted to use her for information or as a hostage. When this happened she got more of a glimpse into their world. Oddly enough depsite the military aspect , she saw they were …People. just people following orders, just like her, just like the autobots.

The more time she spent combating them the more she got to know them indirectly. That included Starscream and witnessing first hand Megatron's abuse towards him and other bots.

So much so, one day it earned her looking at the end of a barrel of Megatron's fusion Canon. All because she called the leader of the Decpeticons out infront of all of them that he was striaght up, a bully to people only trying to help him. It took Starscream to persuad him that they need her to information did he hesitate.

Jett's bias aginst Megatron only grows when a special plot point happens called the Artic Attack.

Tldr: they both crash, they both almost die and they only had each other. Words were exchanged, hopes, dreams, philosophy,  life and even ideology.  A conversation in so many year aof fighting each other never heard. While both survived and no one knows what they talked about but them. There was clearly somthing different. To where the two started to actively avoid each other in combat or make hits that only temporarily incapacitated.  This lead to having conversation in no man's land behind both their backs of their leaders. And a conversation of both trying to convince the other to either stand down or join the opposing side. Neither of these things happened.

Jett became a commander of a base, with he releite Squadron. Taking the freidnshio of Dorothy, who later down the line after the fight of the battle of the bay brought Megatron who had decided to join forces with The Autobots.

This, pissed Jett of to no end. Depsite the help he'd bring this war was as much his fault as it was the Autobot. Needless to say for years Megatron knows Jett doesn't like him and its VERY clear why. ALOT more stuff happens that is Pre-Earthspark. So if you'd like to ask more you can - i just feel like this is alot to read AHHHH.

But I am currently writing a Pre-squeal Story called Transformers: AllSpark that involves Jett, building the world, exploring the fights and leading into Earthspark! Which I am doing a re-write called TF: Earthspark Ignited ! Which redose s2 and add some new characters,  some we know, some we don't!

[cardboardmoon]

Guys hear me out but Earthspark x Prime crossover

This is after Jack meets the bots so he’s about to lose his absolute shit

Next Page ->

[redsea8me]

Soundwave, Ratchet, and their horrible no good kids

they adopt Spitfire bc I NEED her to be happy but with people who can properly understand her outbursts and mentality (this family will heal TOGETHER)

[lara-prism-light]

Who do you think should be the villain of the second season of Earthspark?

This is a question to help me with my rewriting of season 2, originally I thought of Shockwave because he is the one who showed the most disgust at Megatron's betrayal in addition to not liking the idea that the war is over.

But I don't know if that would be good or not. on the one hand, this would show that not all Decepticons want peace, and that Shockwave wouldn't be the type to be easy to redeem(in my head, at least, that makes more sense than Starscream being the villain), and Swendl would work for him because one; he doesn't trust humans or autobots, and two; he was promised freedom for him and his brother if they just helped Shockwave with what he had in mind.

But again, I don't know if this would be the best option, can you tell me what I can do? Who should be the season's central villain or antagonist?

[whatudottu]

All this new Earthspark content (i say with a sigh, not liking what i see), just makes me think more about it? Season 1, so good I didn’t need to think about… give or take Shockwave and the rushed end. Season 2? God- and I’m hearing the bloody ‘Decepticon Dome’ is still around for I guess this is season 3 instead of 2b??

I feel like I wanna share my notes for a season 2 rewrite or at least some concepts for one (with some Shockwave edits from season 1) that I had written on… *looks at the date* 28th July just before I started my shift-

Let’s see what happens then :P

First of all, Shockwave.

What do you mean the fucking unethical science guy has issues with what he immediately labels as cybrids? TFP Father-of-Predacons guy? IDW Literally-Becomes-Onyx-Prime guy?

So you’d think my first idea is to turn him not-racist right? Make him curious about the terrans like (using my main Shockwave experience) his Prime’s equivalent interest in predacons, right?

But what if I didn’t, what if he still has that speciesism but… reflavoured it into something more fitting? Say the ‘medical exploitation’ variant of racism that TFES Shockwave can openly claim that ‘I know I’m doing all these unethical experiments to one specific group, but I would do the same for any cybertronus’ to use Mandroid’s scientific name, but really he doesn’t actually desire to experiment on others he might consider the ‘default’. The kind of racism that treats others as scientific wonders in need of full study.

Heh, TFP Shockwave got off lucky, his obsession was predacons and he only knew they were sapient after reviving one from the dead AND discovering it he could transform; something about archeology vs graverobbing :P

Shockwave in the season 1 finale thus has more willingness to work with people who he considers in some way to be lesser, at least different; what’s a good test for a species’ intelligence than watching them problem solve against a corrupt government organisation?

Now onto the actual fucking season 2 notes then shall we?

With GHOST and Mandroid gone we are lacking threats that aren’t the fucking Decepticons again. The Quintessons of course take Mandroid’s role of the active antagonist, the one or ones that act their own agenda divorced from a wider perspective, but who fills GHOST’s role as the passive background threat? Well, as GHOST was the only company/organisation that had extended their hand to establish a proper post-war cybertronian-human alliance, and they seemed to be pretty tied in to either the government or with heavy media scrutiny, in its place could be filled by the actual American government now labelling any and all cybertronian (and terran) presence as criminal behaviour and thus officially rendering them as illegal literal aliens.

I’m not saying this is what the show should’ve done because that is a fucking stretch, but if I’m gonna rewrite Earthspark that’s who I’d want to fill the slot, fanfiction (maybe bayverse) kinda stuff. Maybe for a ‘kid friendly’ ‘not-so-anti-american’ way to make it just a special task force that’s still paramilitary enough to not get conservatives to freak; but let it be known the original idea :P

Back to Mandroid, considering the type (and aesthetic) of his final cybernetics - as well as his sharkticon guards (?) that he from what I remembered freed from somewhere (like a fucking shark pit???) - what if he had in fact made contact with the quintessons and, learning that he was from Earth, they had assumed that humanity and the Malto children were the children of Quintus, they were in fact assumed kin by His abandonment. When Mo ends up waking the executioner, it is still however her cybersleeve that draws it’s attention, yet it is also the terrans that draw its ire as they seem kin to the cybertronians Quintus oh so favoured over them, but also because they are filled with Quintus’ energy and ‘getting in the affairs’ or ‘robbing the power’ of humanity by their disturbance.

It’s not particularly too far off of the actual canon motivations to coming to Earth, as they already view humanity as fellow creations of Quintus even if literally untrue and prefer them to cybertronians and specifically to the maltos, but just imagine them being more anti-cybertronian rather than ‘pick me’ over Quintus’ chosen (one of the better things about 2b/3, the Judge actually acknowledged that the human Maltos were another set of child soldiers chosen for a destiny beyond their years, heh even Prowl agrees).

In a way, with this, both the human government and the quintessons can come to the idea that (for their own reasons and information provided) cybertronian affairs disrupt the human way of life and need to - in one way or another - be punished for their ‘chaos’.

Regardless though, the Emberstone is still shattered, and it’s not coming back (though the characters don’t know that… yet).

What doesn’t happen between it shattering and it’s… let’s say ‘pieces’ for now… is that the Decepticons don’t ‘do what they do best’.

Without GHOST in the way to arrest any Decepticon by virtue of them losing the war, the Autobots can actually begin to offer a genuine chance at armistice. Maybe not full on peace, their existence is a little too criminalised at the moment to immediately settle give or take a millennia worth of war in one sitting, but it is so much easier to prove to the Decepticons that they do in fact have a chance of rest against vorns of war and years of imprisonment and - as much as saying so word for word may begrudge the mecha - can ‘prove’ that they are worth as much freedom as the Autobots so prattle on about if neither of them have power over them in the ways GHOST provided.

What are their current goals? 1) do not get captured by government agents; there’s only so many cybertronians left even with a large concentration in Witwicky, and who knows if GHOST sent their technology back to their military. 2) do not let the government know of the terrans’ existence; with what Mandroid was invested in and what GHOST had intended to learn from him, neither faction nor any of the Maltos want to let the terrans become fugitives or pet projects (the craziest scientist they’ll even begin to consider studying the terrans would be Shockwave but even then they’d prefer even bloody Tarantulas more than him). And 3) gather the Emberstone shards before the government does; if Mandroid literally killed every cybertronian and terran on Earth with one blast of the full thing, what is the strength of one fragment actually measured by?

Given that apparently a shard with just a little bit of water is enough to make an entire spark (or at least, depending on what we learnt from 2a or the designs in 2b/3) act in replacement to a spark, probably decently powerful enough-

But to quote Brennan Lee Mulligan in his quite popular Game Changer, on a planet with 70% water coverage, weather patterns of a few sorts that scatter H2O in its many states to its surface, and all the time in the world between the Emberstone shattering and scattering, it is a “…statistical wonder…” that there were TWO (count them, 2) ‘’’’’’’’’Chaos’’’’’’’’’ terrans throughout - I’ll give it this - the entirety yet exclusively of the Americas.

First of all, FUCK THE TERM ‘CHAOS’ TERRAN! Let’s describe them as shard-spark for now, continuing to use Mandroid’s scientific terms we do not know if there’s a particular biomechanical difference beyond the Emberstone shard to sever the terrans AKA cybertronus terran from their new shattered siblings… or perhaps only cousins.

Second of all, shard-spark terrans are NOT born evil, just troubled in whatever relevant ways their circumstances cause them to be. Most often however without the conflict between the factions, a lot them if they do not happen upon a body of water in a location of dry weather conditions or even unluckily get stuck in a glass display would end up probably already being terrans by the time Autobots, Decepticons and 3rd or 4th party lock onto their signal to track them down from interesting community reports.

You know what was funny? Seeing everyone fall in love with Breakdown projecting a father-son relationship onto Aftermath who conversely didn’t give a shit, because y’all would just see Breakdown imposing that as just the cutest thing ever when he literally didn’t earn the right to think that way about a stranger that happened to be a child.

No, if Breakdown wants his ‘being a parent’ moment, he needs to put his back into it and make an effort to at least fucking try to be a parent? Hell, he can fucking suck at it and maybe even fall into a similar situation where he imposes the parent-child relationship onto a bad relationship, the main caveat being that it isn't supposed to be funny that Aftermath doesn't get it.

Breakdown can be the first contact with a shard-spark terran, maybe a few others or maybe alone, maybe he and Bumblebee took it upon themselves to race towards a shard only to discover a lost child. Instead of the fucking gang recruitment way 2a attempts to explain Aftermath going along with Breakdown, both the racers are mildly freaking out that there's a solitary kid who may or may not be a little fucking pissy right, just in the very spot both their scanners are saying IS the Emberstone shard they've been tracking. It takes a harsher more Decepticon standard demand to get Aftermath to follow either of them over a softer weaker Autobot plea; a force of habit for both of them, even if Breakdown starts actively avoiding Bee's responding glare.

Something about Breakdown associating harsh orders, reprimands and mutual hostility says more about him and his relationship to 'family' than it does on Aftermath sneering at squishy feelings that make him feel weird and preferring the worse treatment since it's the one thing he's got experience in. Something about how in fandom spaces every group of people is immediately turned into found family or just straight up family? Well- considering that Breakdown joined the Decepticons because the Stunticons also had done so (and changing Breakdown's association of Decepticons as family down to Stunticons as family), considering that most iterations of the characters 4 mentally ill soldiers and an abusive leader that actively preys on his team's weaknesses then... heh.

Breakdown finding the bickering and the fighting and the unspoken assumptions of that meaning family... it DOES mean more for Breakdown than it does for Aftermath doesn't it? :P

I don't think I got a good order with this but :P With GHOST gone the Autobots don't have a main base anymore, and by don't I fucking MEAN IT they don't go back to GHOST headquarters after all is said and done; it would be the first place to look for cybertronian activity after the government finds out the closest thing humanity had for bot sympathisers went belly up after all. Between them and the newly freed Decepticons, there is only one neutral ground between them on the Malto farm, but it would be Starscream to bring up stink over it (if even in his mischaracterisation in 2a he labels Autobots as oppressors) siting that the Malto's are functionally civilian and shouldn't - whether or not they could at all in the first place - be responsible for the housing of all these soliders; it's a farm, not a warbase, there is no need to bring more children into their squabble especially with the likelihood of crossfaction shared quarters he'd say.

There is one fortification left to stand against potential government hunting, even if it means to repair defense systems and cloaking devices, even signal scramblers just to hopefully allow rest to those tired of running. None of the Autobots would be happy about it - the Decepticons might disagree seeing it as potentially a little bit funny and as a little bit of petty revenge - but that base may or may not happen to be quite purple in it's paintjob, Decepticon base. To offer the curtsy that none of the 'Cons were given however, the Autobots in addition to the betrayer Megatron would be allowed free reign of the base, give or take a few zones off-limits even to lower ranked Decepticon forces. It's not like the Autobots would have left the base unraided in their time under GHOST's thumb, so there's no doomsday weapons to be wary of anyone activating.

Actual base life doesn't feel horrible for the Decepticons who, thanks in all due part to Megatron's aggressive leadership and hostile work environment, are already particularly used to being near permanently on guard even at rest; if the Autobots still had a base of their own in the local area the Decepticons would've made an easy transition even if still incredibly tense. It takes an extremely disciplined trigger for the Autobots not to snap under the tension, everyone save for Megatron who is used to being on edge, unfortunately for him the Decepticons give him shit constantly and tends to skew towards aggravating him than any of the 'Bots.

However, at the very least the remaining scientists have access to Shockwave's lab, which he might be more willing to share if it helps Wheeljack and Tarantulas to agree to run some tests on the terrans and actually begin to study them to get the full picture, at least as full as they can without dissection which is one of the compromises Shockwave would have to contend with especially if Nightshade wants to be science team buddies with at least the other 2. Either way, probably the least hostile section in the crosshabitation Decepticon base? Mostly because of the fact they're all agreeing to science together rather than punch each other.

But not everyone actually remains in the base, some take off to find better opportunities or because they find the base environment more stiffling than usual real free spirit types, AKA Breakdown. And also why I don't think I ordered this the right way- but I suppose from Emberstone to 'chaos' terran to Aftermath to Breakdown may break if I went no GHOST to no Autobot base to 'don't hide warriors in civilian homes' to Decepticon base to Breakdown to Aftermath... actually no... because then I can go to 'chaos' terran again and bring up Spitfire and others.

So, speaking of...

Shard-spark terrans, while not guaranteed to be trouble-kids so to speak, they are more predisposed to such given the circumstances of their creation in addition to the presence of the shard they are aptly named after. Aftermath is of course a bit of a destruction lover, it feels so good to break things it's often quite the shame that to have a broken thing, you must destroy something that may or may not have a use when it is unbroken. Breaking trees, breaking roads, breaking armour (even if it's a little baby dent to a soldier who's dealt with worse from a kid who didn't even exist up until a week ago), all the same to Aftermath who loves the thrill of it and hates things that make that thrill go away.

Can't even make a dent in that annoying Jawbreaker's armour! Ugh, he'll just have to teach JB to break something for him to make these gross feelings stop AKA JB discovers 'breaking things' stim and (with a bonus quick rewrite of his altmode episode where HE'S the one wreaking havoc on town because 'STOP BABYING HIM' 'WHY WON'T YOU LIKE ME' 'I HAVE AN ALTMODE NOW WHY DON'T YOU PAY ATTENTION TO ME' feelings) feels like really bad about it when he wants to break more things and scream :P good thing his mum's a veteran she can probably get him to do a war cry!

Spitfire kinda immediately did a gifted kid speedrun I think instead, Twitch 2.0 with a better drone model with better and more capabilities and the speed to out fly the out-mode, only up until it is Twitch who is preferred for her softer attitude and willingness to give up all that lets her win for someone else. Look Megatron, if you introduce a 'non-deadly' version of the Polyhex Protocol, maybe make fucking sure there is literally no fucking way for someone to be in immense 'death by falling' danger? Look look look look look- you put a newborn into her first race (btw, created while falling and thus having first hand experience that falling isn't deadly), say it's not to the death, and expect her not to assume that the giant cliff beneath the flying fox was also safe?? And that you had initially planned the Malto CHILDREN to run the course also and yet failed to create a proper safety net, literally or not you have a flight mode you could've played spotter!

Is Spitfire without fault? No, but what do you expect a newborn storm child to know about safety especially with a competitive streak like the one she's fast to develop! You all told her how she has the better altmode and 'better than this' why are you all looking at her like she'd suddenly BROKEN!?

And all these fuckers think they can all hug it out while she stands out in the rain biting and gnawing for attention?! Gross!

:P AKA Spitfire is like 12 (minutes) old and already fallen from grace, no wonder she gets a kick out of mutual 'want to bite people' sibling Aftermath :P

I think these thoughts are spiraling though to be fair my notes are also at this point spiraling-

Spitfire and Aftermath love to brawl with each other, it's too wild to be called sparring but it's not particularly deadly enough to call a battle, though it does get out of hand in ways that Breakdown - if he's still trying for parenthood - isn't even prepared to deal with (bumblebee voice: first time?). During one such brawl, Breakdown alternating between chasing the pair and backing off as they throw in more hits on each other, the kids accidentally run into Skullcruncher and - instead of backing down like someone more in the know - end up dragging him out of his listless reverie when Spitfire dodges Aftermath's double hammerfist after he threw her into the Decepticon.

Now why am I bringing up Skullcruncher is he secretly my favourite character? No, no he really isn't. But considering he's been used as a tool to not only display Mandroid's mind control technology as well as the visible consequences of that technology being used by GHOST, I feel as though he'd been left in the dust to kinda... regress? To disappear into his head? Some fucked up torture coping really, just in a literal brainwashing sense since :P GHOST wanted a pet project test subject. The aforementioned science team, with the help of everyone that was mind controlled and able to tell of it, have been trying to work through the brainfog it seems to have left Skullcruncher with. Regardless of the actual care they have for him specifically, they want to know if there's any actual lingering corruption on a mecha's processor all in due part because of it, to see if it would affect them physically as it had done mentally.

Between Shockwave's calculated response only providing his own experience in cold logic, Hashtag's experience (Shockers listing her under 'confounding variable' because of her status as a terran) having been used to connect her to Starscream when it counted the most whether or not she was good at playing therapist as a child full of fears and no wisdom, and Megatron nearly gunning down a kid he believed to be the hope of all cybertronian kind (all of the science team is reminded of how he has changed, how he now feels guilt over the future he could've failed instead of snuffing it out himself without mind), there may be a few networks rewired via the cybertronian equivalent of neuroplasticity... but the results so far are inconclusive and it's looking more and more likely to just be biopsychological placebo and coping mechanism Skullcruncher invariably got himself stuck in.

But getting dragged into the antics of laughing yet snarling children, going around beating each other around base not out of malice but out of pure enjoyment and glee, being chased around by someone who has the time and freedom - if not, the ability to be panicked about something so relatively small - to try and deal with the situation? Sure, the first strike is always surprising, and maybe he panicked with something violent in response. But the shard-spark siblings were already in the ebb and flow of their fight, if they got caught or grazed by jaws, if they got hit or dodged a sweep of claws, they'll fight like they always enjoyed. Skullcruncher may not be fully present, may not ever be, but hey... maybe those kids can help fight away the monotony and get him out of his head, out of the past the same faces of over a million years couldn't get to sooner.

Something like that?

And to give more love to other side characters that don't even get voices, why not some more Insecticon content- hell, why not a shard-spark terran who becomes an Insecticon, or at least has a bug altmode that caters to their personality. The 'sit alone inside the tube of a playground set all recess' type, the 'uses thoughts to give themselves company' type, the 'weird loner' type who's non-verbal and asocial? A very patient praying mantis, who takes the bugs outside when they're in and wants to show others the cool little creatures? To BE a bug?

Breakdown, who's willingly tied himself down to who he immediately claimed as his kid... his kids now? He... let's Spitfire decide for herself if she wants to be that but... Aftermath calls him 'old man', that's... that's what humans call their 'dad' right? They both make his spark ache and he's growing more and more confused at why he doesn't just run, take to the streets and drive away where his spark can be free again. But the idea sends his systems into a stronger more whole-body version of the feeling, shooting through his chest down through his arms and legs, in ways that feel familiar but... warmer than with any of the Stunticons.

Bumblebee, who was more or less stuck with the Maltobots as Optimus changed his mission, having gotten to actually learn from them as they learnt from him; he knows the feeling, he knows it strongly. And if they get to hang out more now that they aren't actively fighting each other - though I guess it's still a mutual 'hiding from the government' thing isn't it - they might get to talking about it.

"Yeah, that's just classic worry for you." "Bee, I KNOW what worry feels like, we've been at war for Primus knows how long!" He hated the way it sounded like Bumblebee was brushing him off, emphasised with waving of his hand like he was dusting his plating. If his 'cool' slipped well, the 'Bot didn't press him on it. "Always worrying about dying, worrying about energon. Pit! Worried about shrapnel to the wheels, can't keep beating you in races if my tires blow." Maybe not the best thing to bring up considering... "This is different." It has to be, because he knows he worried about the Stunticons, and they were his family. But... "Breakdown," When did he look away? Breakdown turned back to face Bee, "it's worry FOR them. It's... it's a worry because you care? I care about the Maltos, for the humans AND the terrans, and... I feel worried about them?" He can't help it, Breakdown laughs. A quiet chuckle really, turned snickers as Bumblebee's expressions twist. "HEY! What's so funny about that!?" Just in time to feel a fist beat against his shoulder - right on that afformentioned wheel, hah - even though his optics are narrowed and dentae bared, Bee vents out a laugh he tried and failed to hide. "Mr Never-Settle-Down hiding some wisdom I missed?" He squints at the name but doesn't let that stop his smirk. "Hah, come on Bee, you said it like you were such an expert before! But look who's confused now, right? Because 'classic worry' is so hard to explain." Bumblebee shoves against Breakdown's chassis, venting out another huff. "Okay sure, I'm not perfect at explaining it but!" "You care about them, these new... shard-spark terrans?" Aftermath, Spitfire, almost instantly that burst of 'classic worry' runs his systems wild. "I'm not an expert, so don't quote me on anything but..." He offered up his hand, beckoning for Breakdown to take it in one bold move. "I can help with what I do know, yeah? You've got one handful of kids don't you." With another pulse of his spark, the 'classic worry' - that 'worry FOR them' emotion - shivers down his wires and back up to his chest. Wordlessly, Breakdown takes up the offer with a small quick nod of acknowledgement, and feels the residual tingle simmer. It's not the same feeling with the Stunticons, this kind of worry but... maybe that's a good thing. "Good talk, Feelings-Expert, now why don't I the Winning-Expert take you up on that race?"

Can you tell I hate the first episode of season 2b/3?

Get prepared for a mood shift, we'll be talking about GHOST again!

Obviously because GHOST going defunct and maybe so suddenly it's hard for anyone to corral it under control of the next in rank, it IS an entire organisation after all, there would be quite a few lingering resources within the building itself that the government may be interested in let alone the mecha that would be at a disadvantage to those who would access such resources. Mind control technology and research (definitely don't want the government having that), anti-cybertronian weapons and restraining tools, the fucking GHOST harddrives that were placed in the fucking public recycle centre A YEAR AFTER GHOST FUCKED OFF AND DIED!? Yep that's all getting scavenged, at least as best as they can be while the government is extracting as much resources they can without needing to be sneaky about it.

Hah, considering the lows GHOST is willing to go, one such section - another where the cybertronians can't seem to access one way or another - ends up leading to a morgue of cybertronians, Autobot AND Decepticon. Some of course were known casualties, others are now confirmed dead rather than missing, but missing is an apt term. Missing limbs, missing parts, missing heads. Open chests, open sparks, open processors. Cybertronians were only machines to GHOST, only machines to Mandroid, only machines to manipulate and not even mind control... reprogram would be the term more accurate.

With a well of supply for how cybertronian brains may work, of course someone could eventually slap a remote control onto them and pilot them like a puppet on strings, and it's something something pretty horrific yada yada robot corpse desecration is like nothing on human TV screens.

Hmm... as I said I did like that Prowl acknowledge that hey maybe kids shouldn't get involved with war (even if it might've been framed as 'are we sure children are capable of doing adult responsibilities), so I wonder if I should continue with what my July 28th notes say about him or not... hmm...

Okay! MAYBE! I think it could work?

ANYWAY! Villain Prowl who is a stickler for the rules, villainous only in the way a lawmaker is (read: maker) and collaborating with the government to work cybertronians into the system so that they may be apart of the judicial system, which uh fittingly reflects the quintesson motivation and probably would be really cool to parallel the two. Prowl finds out about human war crimes and goes 'hoo boy some if not a whole fucking many of these laws have been violated by the cybertronian war' and resolves to fix it, but under American government cannot do anything official nor fair while the law only considers humanity. Something something 'cybertronians shouldn't be held to human standard law' yada yada 'so you think yourself above it!?'

Maybe not VILLAIN Prowl per say, more antagonist Prowl who wants to atone for the crimes committed on Earth's surface and give back justice to the people but doing so in the only way he knows how, like a cop. Or at least like a second in command/high ranking Autobot commander and advisor, doing his 'due diligence' to make sure that justice is served and that crimes are punished, which I mean ACAB and all he's still a bastard about it by doing it AS FUCKING SOON as GHOST collapses or at least working actively after the fact but :P

Hah and yeah, Prowl would be stiff lipped about children engaging in conflict. For all the bastard cops that oh so value the punishment part of crime fighting, there are laws in other areas (especially around war) that are to the benefit of the innocent. It's just that war crimes seem to really be listed down after the war has official come to an end and the cybertronian war is still in armistice as of now, in due part because Prowl has committed to atoning NOW of all times :P

This was a bit of a mess, I hope you derive some enjoyment out of this

[sonicasura]

Transformers Earthspark: Personal Changes

I figured I should write this as I plan to write stuff on it. Transformers Earthspark, an show with interesting concepts despite the mixed execution. I honestly like some of the ideas proposed by it in Season 1 as they aren't actually bad. We rarely get a post war setting for the series since most writers prefer the standard formula and the Terrans hold potential when you remember that Cybertronian are an endangered species whose numbers have only decreased due to war.

This is mainly a simplified list on what changes you'll see in my work involving Earthspark. Points with an asterisk * are new.

Dot doesn't allow her kids to become child soldiers. She wouldn't have a problem if it was self defense lessons as there are people who don't like Cybertronians or will harm her family for the Terrans' nature. Otherwise, the Maltobots are allowed to learn about Cybertron's history and culture.

Megatron is a rogue with the personality of an asshole cat. (Murderous nature partly fizzled out for causing problems to people he dislikes.) The Decepticons had fallen apart after a nasty dispute and gone their own ways. Megatron vanished once GHOST began to hunt any bot not aligned with them. He hides out at the Maltos upon discovering a massive plot that would put all Cybertronian life in danger.

Bumblebee remains rogue as his trust in Optimus is in tatters. He gets involved with the Maltos under the same reason Megatron does and is responsible for the Terrans' self defense training. (Megs handles their history/culture.) Tendency to have war flashbacks.

No Emberstone saves or Prime reverence. Mo is traumatized by Quintus' false reality dream and doesn't like the Cyber Sleeves anymore. Jawbreaker alongside Thrash help with her trauma. Scars are prone to occur alongside the chance of life changing injuries for everyone.

GHOST Autobots have a tense relationship revolving Optimus. This only grows once Bumblebee's current location becomes known. Optimus often questions if he made the right choice as he looks at the unanswered orders involving his rogue Autobots.

Decepticons begin to reform under a new cause. The preservation and protection of the Cybertronian race as GHOST attacks intensify. Starscream leads them under an anti-hero alignment since they will do things the Autobots won't to keep themselves alive. (Think Venom or A-Team.)

Fighting between siblings specifically Robby vs Mo, Twitch vs Thrash, and Jawbreaker finally snaps. I seen potential conflict involving these five that no way in hell is gonna be ignored under my watch. Nightshade and Hashtag act like mediators at times but some fights can't be dissolved so easily.

More enemies for each respective group alongside painful clashes such as Bumblebee vs Optimus. Flora/fauna mutated by Energon, bad Autobots like Pharma/Sunder, and more volatile Decepticons like Astrotrain. No one is having fun when shit hits the fan.

Disabilities like Dot's prosthetic leg are on display. Mandroid slowly gone insane due to Energon poisoning through his experiments as once neutral views regarding Cybertronians were corrupted. First exposure is creation of the Arachnamechs. His students' death amidst the friendly fire tips him over the edge. *

Experiments involving humans and Cybertronians herald by Mandroid. Most of his Energon induced is a result from trying to hybridize both in some way. He eventually forgets about Alex after the second confrontation. Examples: Synthetic blood that boosts healing, skin which repairs through Cybertronian nanites, etc. *

Karen and Agent Schloder are distant with each other. The former isolating herself despite the latter's attempts to reach out. He works at GHOST to keep an eye on her but soon realizes Croft is a lost cause. *

Alex begin to tone down his obsession involving Bumblebee after awhile. He realizes it makes the bot uncomfortable and bring back awful memories. Bumblebee is still Alex's favorite but it is on a healthy level. *

Dad #2 is addressed properly to the Terrans. They learn that not everyone would be okay with the term or might not be someone they can trust. Parental figures is a concept the kids want to understand better so any further issues and discomfort are avoided. *

Terrans are taught Escrima alongside various aspects of Filipino culture. Everyone has their own different style towards the martial art and interests in other cultures were broaden. Dot often picks up books for them. *

The Emberstone is a chaotic manifestation of evolution without proper containment. It often causes trouble for the Maltos by spawning monsters, mutate nearby wildlife or producing twisted visuals for them to adapt against. The last disturbance results in Wheeljack showing up to contain the artifact. *

After the season finale, Twitch remains half blind as her body rejects any replacements offered by both former factions. She learns to live with her disability and alters her Drone alt mode to add a visual guide to further help. It takes quite a while for Twitch to thrive after multiple mishaps. *

That's all I could think of at the moment but will expand the list should more be added or changes are needed.

[shockwavesmassivetit]

Remember how earthspark had a message (not perfectly executed mind you) but it had a message where did that go lol like wow anyone is capable of change and no one is inherently bad thrown out the fucking window

[king-starscreams-fics]

I'm working on Standing Up For Peace, but I want to rewrite the comedy chapter in the middle. I just didn't feel as though I did it right.

It's annoying, because I do think Megatron could be very funny without even having to try that hard. But I also think he'd be anxious enough to find it pretty difficult.

[cityzenshark]

Firsts to Grow Up - Earthspark rewrite

Alt. title: Sparks of the Earth

Fifteen years has passed since the forty-year Autobot-Decepticon War on Earth came to a close. Cybertronians on Earth cannot return to their home planet because the only way back there is through the Spacebridge that was destroyed in the final battle. Although the war was declared over, Decepticons still sow trouble meanwhile the Autobots have split up. Several join forces with G.H.O.S.T — an internationally recognised law enforcing unit where Cybertronians may join in – while the rest manage their lives independently.

For humanity, most of the global population are indifferent towards their alien “guests”. Many want them to leave yet many are fine with them staying. There are those who refuse to wait and take action to rid the Cybertronians from the face of Earth themselves. The big question is: would they risk casualties on innocent lives to achieve this or not?

Peace remains far away for planet Earth.

Then, one day, a new generation of Transformers-kind native to Earth is born. What happens the next two years since their birth will mark a historic moment for Earth and the Transformers-kind.

.

BOOK ONE: FAMILY

A family of four moves into their new home gets more than the calm life they desired. They found the new generation of Earthborn Transformers whom a mad scientist refers them as “Terrans”. Determined to protect the newborns Transformers from the uncertainties of a post-war world, the Malto family adopts and raises them with the help of Cybertronian friends and unexpected allies that would mark a historic moment for Earth and the Transformers kind.

BOOK TWO: UNITY

[story draft 1] | [full draft]

[first sketch of OC Terrans] | [info on the OC Terrans]

The Malto Terrans goes around the world to meet other Terrans and collect the Emberstones to restore Terratronus. Meridian have created his own Terrans to sabotage the Maltos and to manipulate humanity to turn against the Transformers kind for good. However, the real trouble is an ancient enemy from eons past, waiting for the perfect time to strike...

BOOK THREE: BELONGING

With the troubles caused by Meridian and the Quintessons solved, the Terrans now must face their hardest challenge: a court deciding the Cybertronians’ place on Earth. They know this is a losing battle, but they will do their best to defend their seniors regardless. Meanwhile, the New Council on Cybertron aims to make Earth its Colony, whether the natives like it or not.

.

.

.

[spikezonebby]

I think I'll include Hashtag getting her new alt mode in the rewrite continuity. It's a nice step for her character, I think. I'm debating what to do about the cyber suits too since its never explained where they came from.

[scribe-of-hael]

I'm sorry I needed an episode in ES 2 where maybe while the Cons were helping the autobots and Megs. They stumbled across a group of ppl who love tf and specifically Starscream.

Starscream pretends to love and adore the attention mostly because it bothers Megatron. But he's conflicted he's not a great person, but to feel love makes him feel nice. But also triggers him from the positive attention.

Megatron trys to point out all his flaws and what he's done. Starscream points out Megatron back.

"You're just angery I am the one having the attention! That people acutally appricate me!"

"They wouldn't if they knew what you were like!"

"What I was like?! What about what YOU were like?! Or do you think the humans coward from you because of how 'Friendly' you are? That human and her sparkling may be accustomed to how you are now. But you and I both know who you REALLY are."

"Starscream I'm warning you-"

"Or. What. You'll beat beat me down into a pile of scrap metal? Like every other time someone DARED disagree with you ?"

And Megatron does what shocks them both. He looks like he's going to hurt Starscream but he holds himself back and he simply walks away.

Only Hastag sees how shaken up Starscream is after he leaves and falls down to his knees shaking on the verge of tears.

[gelu-the-babosa-multiversal]

I must say that, as much as I love that Prowl is going to be in TFES I don't want to see any Tarantulas x Prowl content. The comics have been a bad ride for me...

Thought, maybe I could change my mind if they don't follow the comic version and the fact that we still do not have info about Prowl's role or if Tarantulas and Prowl know each other.

But, if he is the same as in the comics... I will just skip his parts.

I say this because I don't only dislike the ship (yes, I do dislike ships) but it also brings me nausea due to some past experiences...

That would be my only negative for TFES 2s take for now. Stupid of me for not saying my other negative takes but from 1s (╯▽╰ )

[capn-rikshu]

This is how I imagine 'Missed Connections' to play out with my version of the Terrans.

This is also copied from a conversation.

Well first off I think instead of just the disconnect being that Nightshade's siblings want to do vigorous activities and them wanting to just invent instead, the others may just find them a bit of a 'party pooper'. They always want to be responsible and listen to elders, tell other siblings to listen to their 'mother' (Nightshade shall call Dot mother instead of mom because it just fits) and that would make the others not want to hang out with them. Nightshade will feel a bit lonely and this is when Alex gives them the book 'Winged Sentinel'.

They read it and love it. Then Hashtag comes in and swipes the book from them and she's like 'what is this'. They tell her about it and highly encourages her to read it. And she's like 'pfft im not reading a book' and starts walking away. Nightshade, not wanting to feel left out from their siblings again, tells her to wait and suggests that they should watch the movie adaption together. That piques Hashtag's interest.

They watch the movie. Hashtag thinks it was great but Nightshade is like 'the book is better'. Nightshade tries to influence her to read the book but she refuses again. Nightshade is frustrated with her refusal and then they argue. Which ends in Nightshade saying 'and I thought I found someone to connect with! Well, fine I suppose D.E O'Neil is the only one who will understand me!' They start walking away and Hashtag asks where they are going and they reply that they are going out to find D.E O'Neil. And Hashtag is like 'You don't even know where she lives.. But, maybe I can help with that'. Nightshade turns around.

[My friend suggests that maybe Hashtag wouldn't have an outright refusal and maybe she would be the one would bring up the movie, recognising it from the book. The argument would stem from Hashtag's lack of understanding of the stories themes and messaging which will lead to her making an insensitive comment that will anger Nightshade and lead to them saying 'and I thought I found someone to connect with!' I think I like my friend's edit better.]

As Nightshade walks through the cemetery they are starting to believe that this is one of Hashtag's pranks until they see a familiar owl statue and they discover the grave. They are upset now because their favourite author is dead.

The rest plays out quite faithfully of how Nightshade meets Tarantulas and how they talk. They are curious by him and feels drawn to him and when he talks about his invention they want to help. Tarantulas tells them he needs more materials for the project. Nightshade is like 'oh I know!' they then rush back to their house but on the way they have a dilemma in their mind. What they are doing is probably disobeying and breaking so many rules set up by their parents and mentor. They conclude they have a choice if they want to obey those rules or want to make a friendship with tarantulas. They choose Tarantulas.

[My friend also suggests that Nightshade should be actively looking for loopholes instead and yes! I like that way better. Better fit for the character I have in my head.]

They rush back, Hashtag is like 'you're back quick', but they have no time to talk as they grab their WIP invention and rush out. Twitch is also present and she is suspicious. They present Tarantulas their invention and they start working together on the holographic projector. They have the talk about alt modes but throw in Nightshade's struggle with their peers as well as a talking point, and also their love for the book they read. [Also throw in Tarantulas commenting how Cybertronians cannot move on from war]. They finish working and the scene of Tarantulas asking them to stay with him plays out. The responsible side of Nightshade takes over and they tell him they can't and they say goodbye.

At home everyone is waiting for them. Their parents and Bee don't look particularly pleased. They're like 'what happened'. Bee, Dot, and Alex scold them for sneaking out to a cemetery. Turns out Hashtag told Twitch about them sneaking out and Twitch in turn told the adults. Nightshade is in trouble.

Dot asks 'what were you doing in a cemetery?' Nightshade silently panics, they don't want to lie to their parents but they realise they can say a half truth, they tell them they are paying respects to a late author. Since Nightshade is a 'goody two shoes' they believe them and they just get away with a slap on the wrist. Though Dot still has lingering suspicions.

Now the scene where Dot and Alex talk discuss about Nightshade and gets kidnapped happens. It remains faithful, Tarantulas interprets the words the worst way possible, Dot and Alex gets kidnapped, and all the siblings come up to see what happened. Nightshade immediately knows and sneaks off. Now I'm debating whether Hashtag notices and follows them or not. But I feel her following would also make things a bit more complex. So the version without her following it is.

Nightshade finds Dot and Alex and demands Tarantulas to let them go. Tarantulas does not and then Nightshade causes the explosion to happen like in the show. They take Dot and Alex and start running. I imagine this interaction.

Dot: "Nightshade, you were working with a Decepticon?"

Nightshade: "I know I know, I'm such a disappointment!" [they are deprecating themself because the image of them being the most sensible Terran is broken]

Dot: "Nightshade, honey, you're not a-" And Tarantulas comes swooping in.

They all get captured and I dunno about what threat I want him to make, I don't like memory erasing devices and threatening death may be too extreme. Anyway Nightshade sees the statue again and is reminded of the book they love, they scan it and becomes an owl. Tarantulas and them fight, they talk while they battle each other. This version Nightshade actually loses against him but is able to talk him out and make him understand. Nightshade actually says the 'all of our work' line instead when the projector breaks, this makes Tarantulas realise what he's doing and backs off.

Nightshade is upset of fighting and says 'I thought I found someone who understands me' which will harken back to what they said to Hashtag. 'Likewise, little one... I'm sorry' Tarantulas will say full of regret. Tarantulas does some self reflection, he tells them that he is the perfect example of a Cybertronian who can't move on from war, he tells them that it would be best if he left. Nightshade begs him not to, he is their friend, they can give him a second chance, they don't want to be alone. But Tarantulas just says farewell and leaves and Nightshade is alone. And feels alone once more.

Soon their family arrives and they start picking up the pieces of the broken project them and Tarantulas worked on before. Everyone would've commented on their new alt mode but they can sense the melancholy aura around them so they just asks if they are okay. Now its Nightshade's turn to do some self reflection, they tell them all that they were seeking out someone who understands them, who can connect with them through hobbies and personality and that's how they met and became friends with Tarantulas, which proved to have ended sombrely. But they realise them, themself, were blind to the friends they already had in front of them - their family. Now onwards they are going to branch out and try to be more involved with their siblings, the other Terrans say the same. Hashtag is like 'alright maybe I'll try reading that book'. Nightshade smiles.

They all go home together, a bright new day looming.

The end.

I decided to not include GHOST tracking them because that would just rush things and I don't seeing them fit into this different interpretation of this scene.

Thoughts appreciated.