“Transformers One:” A Nostalgic Movie for a New Generation
Written by Grayson Adams
!WARNING! – This article contains both major and minor spoilers for the Transformers: One movie; please steer away from this article if you want to watch it without knowing the plot.
Most people can agree that there have been multiple pop culture figures from the 80s and 90s that are still popular to this day. Hasbro and the Japanese toy company Takara Tomy developed the entire “Transformers” franchise. The main storyline typically consists of the war between the Autobots (The good guys, typically transforming into trucks or vehicles), and the Decepticons (The bad guys, transforming into jets or sometimes weapons themselves). This concept, and the toys that came with it, swept across the nation and became extremely popular among children, sparking the very first “The Transformers” cartoon, with the first episode airing on September 17th, 1989.
The popularity gave this franchise the opportunity to create multiple different series, almost like ‘parallel universes,’ of the same characters doing the same (or similar) things: The Autobots and Decepticons fighting each other. Which is why “Transformers One” is such a great movie, and I highly suggest it if you want an easy yet unique introduction to the franchise. “Transformers One,” unlike every other Transformers movie or series, is a prequel instead of a present-day retelling of the war. It shows the story of Orion Pax (a.k.a Optimus Prime, after he gets the Matrix of Leadership, which gives him the title of a “Prime”) and D-16 (Megatron) before they became sworn enemies.
The movie has the two of them both start out without a transformation cog (the device that gives the ability to transform), which forces them to mine energon, the lifeblood and main food source for the Transformer’s race. From the very beginning of the movie, it is shown that they are not treated kindly by those who are above them, as well as those with transformation cogs (T-Cogs).
For those of us who are Transformers fans, this concept was completely new. We have grown used to Transformers, which always have the ability to transform; it’s part of the reason why they look the way they do. So, taking that ability away, especially for iconic characters like Optimus Prime, Megatron, Elita-1, and BumbleBee, was very different.
The concept that these characters are without such a fundamental part of themselves was so distinctive, and it drew a lot of people to the movie, other than it being an origin story for two of the most popular characters in the franchise.
However, the movie in itself was very fun. It was interesting to see Orion Pax, who was seen as a troublemaker, sarcastic, and much more immature compared to the more stoic and withdrawn version of Optimus Prime that so many fans are used to. D-16, or Megatron later on, was the same way. He was much more introverted and more focused on following the rules rather than breaking them. It was interesting seeing him become the brutal dictator of the Decepticons, knowing that that used to be his personality.
The movie was devastating to watch when you had the background knowledge that these two would have such a massive falling out that it would cause a war.
Orion and D-16 stick with each other through thick and thin. They’re constantly communicating, touching each other, defending each other, and are attached at the hip. It’s so clear that they care deeply about one another, even if Orion’s antics often cause D-16 to end up getting hurt.
Regardless, even when the two of them do gain T-Cogs and their falling-out starts, Orion and D-16 consistently still defend one another.
The movie also goes into darker topics in a simple way, such as manipulation and how not questioning authority can lead to your own downfall. One of the characters and the main antagonist of the movie is Sentinel Prime, the leader of Iacon City. In the beginning of the movie, both Orion and D-16 love him; they think that he’s greater than gold, and that being a miner is worth it if he benefits from it.
However, they find out that Sentinel Prime is the bad guy. After a Transformer is born, he will take out their T-Cogs in order to force them into being an energon miner, despite that not being what they were not built for. It forces these individuals to mine energon since they have no other choice. This angers everyone, and when this information is shared with the public, everyone rejects Sentinel Prime’s leadership.
Eventually, Megatron kills Sentinel Prime brutally, along with Orion, when he tries to stop him. This is the final nail in the coffin, where Orion, now Optimus, banishes Megatron and his Decepticons from Iacon.
The movie has a clear message after these events occur. You can be angry about being mistreated and about others being mistreated as well, but using violence as a method in order to solve your problems doesn’t always work; it has the potential to just make it worse.
Regardless of the message behind the movie, it is great for both new and old fans. Old fans will recognize other iconic characters, such as Jazz, Arcee, Blurr, and Ratchet, in the background. There are references to other forms of media as well, touching upon a few songs used in other iconic Transformers movies/shows by directly referencing lyrics or naming places that older fans would recognize.
However, since this movie is an origin story, it is also friendly for newer fans. It introduces some of the most important characters of the entire franchise in a way that makes them relatable and likable. Some of these characters include Starscream, Soundwave, Shockwave, and Arachnid.
Overall, the story is about hardship and how important communication is with your peers. It encourages empathy and thinking about others and how your actions could affect them. The movie has a great combination of serious elements, lore for new fans, callbacks for older fans, and humor.
Images by Paramount
