#Transformers: Autocracy

[spectra-bear]

late night storyboarding

[moustawott]

Done! I can’t believe so many people liked my Blackarachnia/Elita One design. Here she is rendered alongside Optimus :D

In my Court of Order and Autocracy AU, Blackarachnia is one of Optimus’ main opponents until her somewhat… anticlimactic death at the end of the first act. This is where Ariel from another universe is reincarnated into Blackarachnia’s body and seeks to change this poorly written villainess’ fate.

Text box content and before/after comparisons under the cut:

Optimus

Optimus Prime was born from Orion Pax's almost dead frame after the greatest Quintesson attack in recent history. Surrounded by destruction and having lost his partner, Elita, he was found injured and grieving by the Matrix of Leadership and was offered a second chance: the strength to protect and rescue those he cared about.

Blackarachnia

After the Quintesson attack, Elita One was believed dead. Truth is that her body was retrieved by the Quintessons and experimented on. After being reformatted into a techno-organic weapon, little of her cheerful personality remains. Now, she only carries pain and bitterness, especially towards Orion, who never answered her last call for help.

Blackarachnia was rebuilt with the ability to dramatically alter her appearance so she can act as an infiltrator. As such she can also, transform into two alt-modes: a helicopter and a spider. Her organic half also enhances her instincts, giving her better reflexes and predictive abilities than the average Transformer, which is a huge asset in combat. However, the poor integration between her two halves causes her constant pain.

[windamp]

obviously since hot rod doesn't know starscream knows him, i can only assume starscream just like tried to do it w/ like swindle who promptly realized he could make a buck so he was like w/e how about you buy things from me. i have bombs. ;) instead of doing any sort of recruitment

but now im imagining a hilarious reality where starscream did in fact try to recruit hot rod personally.

[singingcicadas]

Some personal favourite panels from the Autocracy trilogy :

The Autobot standard:

Iacon's pretty skyline:

The art style works great for atmosphere and panoramic scenery, not so much for the individual characters. The way it does the faces is just... unflattering lol.

I also find it a bit hard on the eyesight with how dark most of the pictures are.

[jaybirdscoffee]

underutilized old man yaoi

[gardenofchrome]

Foreshadowing at its finest

(Also can we talk about this scenery like 👀)

[somerandomcockroach]

Okay-okay-okay, I really need to put out some silly thoughts from "Autocracy" IDW and sleep peacefully Of course I liked it ha-ha, it is filled with revolution, double revolution, triple revolution Autocracy spoilers, I guess?

• They call each other old-timers if they are older pffht • Firstly, help, Soundwave's kids are CRAZY, I mean I saw them fighting good against autobots but when Soundwave was running away, he was just "Go, my pokemon", and his kids were absolutely destroying everyone on his tail • OH I ABSOLUTELY LOVED all dialogues between Megatron and Orion Pax, from future I got that they were friends, so they know each other, but somehow Megatron is much better at guessing how Orion will act. Megatron thinks as a real tactician, using bots as his weapon, having a backup plan even if it required lifes of other bots. Orion, even from his origin, never seemed a person of "plan b", he improvise but he relies a lot on his comrades, they are a strong team, they are his plan b, and while this whole corruption situation was irritating him more and more, he became more violent and less considerable about proper plans, it goes as it goes. I guess that's why Megatron was underestimating him plus added the fact of how much power he got. Yeeeet~ Orion is using what Megatron did write, quotes it, and I'm sure he meant it in the right way, while Megatron's way is violent. "Criminal posing as a revolutionary and revolutionary posing as a cop" is my fav ship. He is using Orion in his plans in pretty curly and good ways ○ OKAY, a little note, but Megatron finds Starscream as very useful and trustful liege, it started amazing me from Megatron's origin where they were coming up with plans on spot without discussing. Then Sterscream really is good with his talking, responsible for many-many things and achieves them successfully. It is so surprising for me after all the jokes about them pfffht

(Megatron in his happy dreams happily holding hands with Orion and destroying autocracy together, but then he wakes up because remembers he will have to kill him then)

I'm cackling again. "Protect autobots at all cost!". Decepticons "Huh, how worthy these bots must b- "*sees Orion* "Ah, no more questions"

When you want to get your beloved you must push to the very end pfffffht

• I KNOW RODIMUS. I know him from future series and AHAHHAH OH MY EMOTIONS WHEN I SAW THAT HE WAS THE BOMBER, and played a big part in this story, the absolute opposite side of his character! I remember reading fic by @/lush-specimen where Hot Rod was helping EVERY bot in need, decepticons or autobots, taking everyone in need. AND NOW I SO MUCH SEE IT. He was another kind of revolutionary, he was the middle, oppressed kind of bots. He is a pretty young one, he lived in golden era, in alive city, now bots are dying on his eyes yet he protects and stands for them. He DIDN'T join decepticons yet he was fighting against cops. BUT he saw that maybe Orion can help since he was against government. He helped decepticons to show the truth to the ones who could change something, because he saw that it can help them, not decepticons. He isn't that funny ha-ha boy I saw in mtmte and ll. He had to burst his own "family" so that they will not become the fuel for Zeta Prime's destruction tools. Their deaths were on him. He became the leader to get out his people and did bear their deaths on his shoulders. No wonder he became a good even if silly leader in the future, he knows the price of life.

Writers: "Let's leave a hint about him being the new ruler. BUT LITTLE DID THEY KNOW WHAT HIS CHARAcTER WILL BE AHAHHAHA"

• "Till all are one". The matrix. THIS IS WHAT KEPT ME IN CHOKEHOLD AHAH. This phrase come from here, the change of Orion come from here, it all is in here. LISTEN. THA MATRIX LET THE HOLDER FEEL SPARKS. HE FELT SPARKS OUTSIDE THE PLANET. I wonder if he feels when someone's spark fades/dies, does he feel something about it or he got so used to it. I was wondering how exactly and from what point Orion changed to his serious Prime. He could NOT NOT change. The matrix gave him an ability to feel everyone, gave him an understanding of the concept of what unity of bots is. He could never become his past again because he bears this burden of lifes that he will never be able to get rid of now. But what made me sad is that Metroplex recognised him as his "old friend". He didn't call him by name of that friend. I guess it is because he had decades of such friends. They all have pretty similar ideas and characters. They get matrix and the same idea gets in their head. They become someone who already was there, real side of you erasers even if not completely. PFhegfheg. Even the name he got. He himself can't get used to it, meaning he has to get used to it like he is forced to his new self

• Prowl ~ There are earlier times and I don't see that great tactician that I used to read about him. He is a good soldier, who follows orders, he trusts Orion, he follows his orders, he isn't the one coming up with plans. He still is more groundly on the "rule" side, but he understands what is bad for bots, he listens to Orion more, he is the one who gives final orders. He ends up going against government, siding with these dissidents, even siding with decepticons to get rid of what could have destroyed them all. It's just a bit unusual for me to see him be "in team", follow, don't have his own side plan, don't be beaten up wheeeeze

• That's a bit.... sad to see them like this, knowing who Shockwave was before. And now it is this.

• Oh, they yap at each other, shipped

• Don't look, kid, parents are fighting

Okay, ahaha, I feel like I've wrote something too messy to understand or too silly to be real, my only thoughts left are described by tsche-chu-chu-che-tsche

[enby-rodimus]

listen.

i'm aware the earliest example of where blaster stands when it comes to functionism is hinted at/shown in all hail megatron where he talks about how perceptor defiled himself to become a sniper.

however.

despite the autocracy trilogy being a huge mess, the blaster they introduced is my most favorite characterization in the continuity and to me it makes sense. blaster as a reporter who tries to bypass censorship, is at conflict with authority such as enforcers like orion pax, because while he may have stormed the senate and publicly called them out, he went right back to working for them under zeta, which blaster called out, and continues to question the newest iteration of a violent, flawed government interests me. he's not blind to the flaws of the institution and it's put him at odds with it. hell, it seems heavily implied he's even critical of functionism despite the writers failing to properly write the early days of the war and the motives of each faction.

basically, i wish blaster had his anti-autobot characterization from autocracy and circumstances forced him to join the autobots

[shardofsun]

The best part of Transformers One is that they referenced Autocracy, which is great news for me and the five other people who actually care about Autocracy

[grimxark]

if id written autocracy instead of shitty ass pacing i would have put emphasis on the artist making sure to show the cityscape in a way that makes it seem like it was once beautiful. instead of saying "legends say" like a stupid ass person id have prowl say "I heard that.." or "i read that.." bc why the hell would he say legends say. and also i would probably have written op in any other way and wouldve probably had hot rod do some more stupid shit and going "WHAT are you fucking talking about" at optimus. jesus christ

[kryptonitecore]

Re-Read: Autocracy, #1-12

Okay, how to respond to Autocracy… I will admit this is one of those books I had never read before. It’s a lot and I’m finding it quite difficult to decide whether I like it or not.

Ramondelli’s art works quite well here, with some shots being atmospheric, and I’ve always liked how he draws winged characters. The darkness and scale of his art suits the tone of the story, as I think this amps up the edge more than the previous instalments, and we see far more places. I also think this book does a more effective job of establishing the scale of the pre-war conflicts, especially recognising just how much of the population is ‘neutral’. The pace also means that there is always movement, without necessarily being frantic - the 12 issues gave this book more room to breathe.

It’s interesting character-wise for Hot Rod/Rodimus, though I’m going to have to keep an eye on how this is integrated going forward. His approach to leadership earlier on in the book, an opposition to ‘big picture’ idealism of the kinds practiced by Megatron and Optimus, is rather interesting - though that seems to drop off towards the end, as he falls in line with Optimus more. Starscream’s growing irritation with Megatron is a sudden jump from Origin, but also makes quite a lot of sense, as this is a fairly self-indulgent version of Megatron.

Some of the continuity issues were there even for me, though, and that’s with a fairly incomplete knowledge of the continuity. The little thing is Springer knocking about pre-war, but I think Roche’s Sins of the Wreckers backstory came later, so that’s not avoidable. No, the big thing is Starscream being a Senate delegate despite the… events of Megatron: Origin, which is very jarring. I think that could have done with a bit more explaining, also just when Starscream got into politics, as I don’t remember that coming up previously? (I’m starting to realise how little concrete backstory I have even for some relatively major characters…). I can probably find in-story reasons to justify it if I reach hard enough, but it would be difficult and I suspect it was just a miscalculation.

Speaking of characters, this book is a mixed bag. You get a lot of characters, but on the other hand if you were hoping for gradual character arcs happening on page, then this is not the story for you. By the time this book gets going both Megatron and Zeta Prime have gone off the deep end and Orion Pax is most of the way there, too. This is particularly bad for Megatron and Zeta in the sense that it cuts short the time they get to be more grounded characters, which could have been narratively valuable. Rodimus’ characterisation is interesting, but I also went back and forth about whether it’s going to add texture as my re-read goes or, or whether this is a characterisation that was largely dropped by later writers. In a way, it felt like I was reading a character who was already at the end of a character arc that we didn’t get to see.

This comic fell off for me towards the end, especially when the Matrix reappeared. I have very mixed feelings about the Matrix in IDW1, which might become a bit of a theme... The book shifted from the rather edgy tone it had earlier to go more optimistic (?), which I found a bit jarring. The jump from early story Orion Pax to Optimus Prime thinking it’s a good idea to line up all of Megatron’s challengers in a tightly-knit column outside the defended walls of Megatron’s new base, seemingly because of the symbolic value of those panels rather than any in-story decision, was weird, not simply because it makes the Autobots look silly, but also because it’s like I could feel the author’s hand trying to pull me towards a more hopeful version of the narrative. 

My feelings are still mixed, but it was certainly interesting. Spotlight: Wheelie comes next, and I think I I remember it being in rhyme?

[moustawott]

Did Orion had a big crush on Elita in your AU? Did he wanted to confess his felling to Elita but didn't have a chance because of mission gone wrong? Did anyone knew about Orion's crush? Did Elita liked him back and did she knew Orion had a crush on her? Does Optimus bears survivor guilt and trauma of not saving Elita and almost dying on mission?

Thanks for the ask! :D (Oops, this sat in my inbox for a while lol)

Orion had a crush on Elita for sure! But he couldn’t find the courage to confess. Elita noticed and was open to date him, but was waiting for him to ask first—she wanted him to overcome his shyness. Unfortunately, they never had the time to figure it out

After Elita was gone, Optimus felt completely lost and broken. In a way, he caused her death: when the Quintessons were attacking, he rushed inside a heavily damaged building and Elita followed. Despite Elita’s warnings, Orion stayed inside to find survivors to save, and that’s when the building collapsed on them. Orion managed to crawl out, but not Elita. She called for him to save her, but Orion was too damaged to do that. An explosion sends Orion falling down into the depths of Cybertron and that’s where he gets the Matrix of Leadership!

[singingcicadas]

Autocracy Summary

Rodimus: Hey do you know why I joined the Autobots? Drift: Because you met Optimus? Rodimus: Not completely, no. Rodimus: Because I met Megatron.

[kesarijournal]

Deciphering Modi: The Saga of Triumphs and Tribulations in Indian Democracy

### In Praise of Narendra Modi: A Chronicle of Unprecedented GeniusIn an era where mediocrity often masquerades as competence, Narendra Modi stands as a beacon of unparalleled brilliance, guiding India towards a utopian future previously unseen by the lesser mortals of politics. With a wave of his magic wand, Modi has transformed the Indian economy, making the mythical Midas blush in the…

[createandchaos]

#god finally someone who Gets It #the fanon interpretation of haha himbo idiot rodimus passes me off so much #like part of it is jro's fault for playing it up #but there's so much nuance to rodimus that most of the fandom just skips #like read the rest of the comics #mtmte and ll were both good#but there's so much more to rodimus than that#read his spotlight#read primacy and autocracy #when I was still rping rodimus so much of his characterization came from the other comics #and I still got anon hate for being ooc bc “lmao roddy's too stupid and irresponsible for these things” #like ??? no??? he's not???? #he is just as traumatized and exhausted of war as the next mech#he's not some frat boy himbo #@ op sorry for the tag rant #I literally got so tired of this fanon interpretation it booted me from the rpc #and mostly tf in general

@ganonthot Do not apologize for this, this was a delightful read.

I will say that with James Roberts, I think it wasn't him purposefully portraying him that way in the actual canon but fans actually taking him too seriously on social media when he was clearly joking. Because the way he writes him in More than Meets the Eye and Lost Light shows he IS a competent leader, he's capable of doing far more than people give him credit for and the way he talked about him at the 2017 TFCon panel is really deep and considerate.

This lines up with what we see throughout MTMTE and LL!!! This isn't new, it just probably wasn't as intense as it is now because he was amplifying parts of his personality in small increments because they were still at war. To do it to the degree it was at in MTMTE/LL wouldn't just be dangerous, it'd have actually gotten people killed. So he likely only did enough to not be a liability.

It's also probably as bad as it is in MTMTE and LL because before the series starts he almost dies (or possibly did since Roche drew his spark being gone) at Megatron's hands, he's stranded on an alien planet with the Matrix fused to his chest, AND he discovers Ironhide and Sunstreaker are alive on Cybertron and what Galvatron plans to do with Vector Sigma. He has no time to amplify, he needs to warn the Autobots of what's happening. And when it's all done and the war's actually over he's left with four million years of trauma, his latest traumatic experience, and he's no longer in full-time survival mode.

It's at the end of the Remain in Light arc that Rodimus has stopped using this coping mechanism, instead trying to better himself during the entirety of The Sound of Breaking Glass and Dark Cybertron.

But then Optimus completely wrecks this, @decepticonsenual and @autisticthassarian having great posts on Rodimus' leadership and his regression here and here respectively. And personally, I think Autocracy also played a big role in his regression which JRo might've kept in mind.

Autocracy is where we get Rodimus' origins and see one of the most traumatic moments of his life: Nyon's destruction by his hands. Both Megatron and Optimus justify it but I think he took it deeply when Optimus justified it because he framed leadership as making hard choices, loneliness, self-doubt, and having the strength to do what needs to be done and make the hard choices. To Rodimus, who was an empty (destitute) and had just destroyed his home, killed his community, friends, and family to spare them from a far worse fate leaving only a handful of survivors he must've clung to this, placed all his trust, hopes, and wishes in the enforcer who tried to help only after the Omega Destructors arrivedCOUGH and told him at the end of Autocracy that maybe one day he'd carry the Matrix. So when he takes the initiative to make the hard choice and be honest with his crew and placed his fate in their hands, it's a slap to the face when his idol told him that no, it was the wrong choice and he's not fit at all to be a leader only to then later put Megatron on the Lost Light without consulting him at all. He finds out from Ratchet of all people that this is what's happening and he has no say in it because Optimus is the paragon of everything that is a "good leader."

Thinking about how the mtmte/ll fandom tends to portray rodimus as a manchild and/or a himbo to such an exaggerated degree that he's unrecognizable in the way that it loses that his story is that of someone who's painfully flawed and coping in life post war and has made really terrible mistakes and tries so hard to make up for it and the refusal to acknowledge and incorporate these aspects into your fan creations hurts what he's supposed to be and makes him static. He was homeless, he was an insurgent, he joined the autobots, he lost friends because of it, they died right in front of him, he's lost people under his command, he's reckless, he's arrogant, he's caring, he prefers to work alone as to not drag anyone down with him, he puts his life on the line to help people, he continues to make mistakes, he hides them, he owns it, tries to be better, he falls back into the worst of himself when he's essentially told it doesn't matter, he inspires people around him, and he stands by them despite their flaws and welcomes them to his crew. There's just so many things about him that aren't explored that I wish would be, especially when you bring in conversations from panels at TFCon.

[alainamama17]

The Shadows of History: Parallels and Warnings in American Democracy

As a historian, I am acutely aware that while history does not repeat itself, it often presents echoes that serve as warnings for the future. The United States today stands at a crossroads, with certain elements reminiscent of 1930s Nazi Germany and the ambitious plans of Project 2025, raising concerns about the direction in which the country is heading.

The 1930s in Germany were marked by the rise of authoritarianism, a period where democratic institutions were systematically dismantled in favor of a totalitarian regime. The parallels drawn between that era and the current political climate in the United States are not to suggest an identical repetition of events, but rather to highlight concerning trends that, if left unchecked, could undermine the very foundations of American democracy.

**Project 2025 and the Unitary Executive Theory**

Project 2025, a conservative initiative developed by the Heritage Foundation, aims to reshape the U.S. federal government to support the agenda of the Republican Party, should they win the 2024 presidential election. Critics have characterized it as an authoritarian plan that could transform the United States into an autocracy. The project envisions widespread changes across the government, particularly in economic and social policies, and the role of federal agencies.

This initiative bears a resemblance to the early strategies employed by the Nazi Party, which sought to consolidate power and align all aspects of government with their ideology. The unitary executive theory, which asserts absolute presidential control over the executive branch, is a central tenet of Project 2025. This theory echoes the power consolidation that occurred under Hitler's regime, where legal authority was centralized to bypass democratic processes.

**The Erosion of Democratic Norms**

In both historical and contemporary contexts, the erosion of democratic norms is a precursor to the loss of liberty. The United States has witnessed a polarization of politics, where partisan interests often override the common good. The Supreme Court, once a non-partisan arbiter of the Constitution, has been accused of partisanship, with decisions increasingly influenced by political ideologies rather than constitutional law. This shift mirrors the way the judiciary in Nazi Germany became a tool for enforcing the will of the regime, rather than a protector of the constitution.

**The Role of Propaganda and Media**

Propaganda played a crucial role in Nazi Germany, shaping public opinion and suppressing dissent. Today, the media landscape in the United States is deeply divided, with outlets often serving as echo chambers that reinforce ideological beliefs. This division hampers the ability of citizens to engage in informed discourse and make decisions based on factual information, a cornerstone of a functioning democracy.

**Civil Liberties and Minority Rights**

The targeting of minority groups was a hallmark of Nazi policy, justified by a narrative of nationalism and racial purity. In the United States, there has been a rise in xenophobia and policies that discriminate against certain groups. The protection of civil liberties and minority rights is essential to prevent the kind of societal divisions that can lead to the marginalization of entire communities.

**Conclusion**

The parallels between the United States today, Project 2025, and 1930s Nazi Germany serve as a stark reminder of the fragility of democracy. It is imperative that as Americans, we remain vigilant against the forces that seek to undermine democratic institutions and principles. The lessons of history implore us to safeguard the values of liberty, equality, and justice, lest we allow the shadows of the past to shape our future.

As a historian and educator, I believe it is our responsibility to draw upon these parallels not to incite fear, but to inspire action. We must engage in civic education, promote critical thinking, and encourage participation in the democratic process. Only through collective effort can we ensure that the American experiment continues to be a beacon of hope and freedom for the world.