TFs: DARE TO BE STUPID

Oh no, I'm really sorry, I'm going to wax eloquent about porn, but I figure I can at least do it in a thread where this is kind of relevant >_<

Spoiler: I'm pretty sure this will be long

So the funny thing is, normally authority figures secretly liking to be dominated is my JAM. And that applies to almost... every leader figure I can think of in the transformers comics? Optimus Prime, Prowl, Megatron, Tarn, Starscream, Soundwave, Rodimus, Overlord. Each with their own distinct flavor. Optimus Prime likes to be dommed because he's exhausted, and it's a relief for him to sit back and let someone else make decisions for a change. Prowl kind of... pushes back against being dommed, but if you can take the reins and really mean it and not give him the space to angle for power, it's one of the only ways he ever relaxes. Megatron won't sub, not unless he really trusts you, but if he does, he enjoys being able to sit back and watch the person domming him do their thing, just really observe and think and all. Tarn is a total fanboy copycat and likes being dommed the same way as Megatron does, with the added flavor that he's really had his personality remolded to make him who he is now and he quietly soaks in that extra reassurance that he is wanted for who he's become.

Starscream and Rodimus aren't that dissimilar in how they like being dommed. They want to be the center of attention, they want everything to revolve around them, they want to be drowning in sensation and affection and have the other person's focus devoted to them. And quietly, it's because they're both super insecure and feel hella unwanted and this helps quiet the ugly little voices saying that nobody would miss them if they were gone. Soundwave is similar to Megatron in that he likes to observe, but also he's used to most people finding him uncomfortable, or just tolerating him. The closest personal relationships he had were with Megatron and his cassettes, and that's a bit different from someone liking you, and especially with his mind reading powers, I could go on forever and ever with him. And Overlord will dom if you give him half a chance, but he loves being forced to submit.

And I could write an entire paragraph on each of those characters! I could write an entire 10k fic for each of those characters! Practically my favorite fandom thing to do is come up with d/s scenarios for characters and see how the emotions fall out. But then it comes to the Megatron from Transformers Animated and... I just can't....

I don't know what it is. Or, I kind of do. The IDW characterization is especially rich. Even for characters who are short on screen time, you usually get a good idea of their strengths and vulnerabilities. For TFA, well... it's a kids show. Which doesn't mean characterization has to be flat, but... characterization is kind of flat. Not for everyone, characters like Ratchet and Optimus get some really interesting moments. And it's always possible to build around the limited canon, that's half the fun of fandom. But Megatron? He's effortlessly in control, holds everyone to a strict hierarchy (kind of. mostly just that he's the only one at the top), and he never expresses any discomfort with his leadership role or tries to get away from any of his responsibilities. When he's removed from power, he spends all his time and effort trying to get that power back again, and he never looks back.

Now, I could still see him subbing forrrrrrrrr... let's say Optimus, Ratchet, or Ultra Magnus. There's enough recent and/or historical baggage there to bring some interesting stuff to the table for any of them, and they're not in the habit of letting Megatron have power over them in the first place. But Blitzwing, Blitzwing is Megatron's loyal subordinate, obeys his orders without any issues, doesn't really question Megatron, doesn't even really sass him. Sure

And I just really don't see anything on screen to make me think that Megatron sees anything in Blitzwing beyond 'yep, just another loyal soldier, marginally more intelligent than Lugnut, equally few actual successes'. There's nothing personal there! Maybe Blitzwing's crazy face talks back to him once or twice on screen, but does Megatron even... appreciate Blitzwing's weird personality shit? He always seemed vaguely annoyed by it to me. I like bumbleblitz a lot because it feels like Bumblebee would roll with the personality thing and be like 'ha! that's hilarious and awesome, I enjoy you.' Megatron seems like he'd just be like 'fantastic, this nonsense again. this is a waste of time.'

I mean, color me crazy, but my biggest factor in figuring out why a ship works is seeing why the people would enjoy each other. I can't see that here. I'm sure I could convince myself into it, if I put in the time to build rounded personalities for these two specifically designed to be compatible with each other. But what's the point where I've already got ships for them where the 'why do I like you?' seems much more obvious and intense.

And especially for a Megatron who doesn't just accept power, or passively enjoy it, but who seeks it out, for a Megatron this conscious of power dynamics, this assertive and in control, why on earth would he submit to someone if he didn't like them?

Okay, by way of alternate examples:

Megatron subs for Optimus because Optimus amuses him. Look at the young, inexperienced soldier trying to play in the big leagues - and against all odds, succeeding. That's charming. That's adorable. You still doesn't think Optimus could really take you out, so it's safe to let the balance of power shift that way. He's new and refreshing and after so long alive, he's interesting. You want to see what he'll do with you.

Megatron subs for Ratchet because old man soldier respect fistbump. He's old-- not as old as you, but there aren't many people left who even remember the original war. And here he still is. Even if you disagree with his principles, you can respect that kind of commitment. Perhaps, after so long, he's even come to understand the corruption in Autobot high command, the rot running through the roots of everything he fought to uphold. Plus, how can it hurt you to submit to him? He's a medic, he's kind. Even if he pretends he isn't, you know better. Part of you wants to see how cruel he can be. If you don't stop him, if you encourage him, what kind of interesting things would he be willing to do?

Megatron subs for Ultra Magnus because old man rival spades. Now here's a mech you can understand. Even if he's at the center of the Autobots, even if you disagree with everything he stands for on a deep, fundamental level, the two of you understand each other. You both know what it's like to have power. You know what it's like to seize power and to keep it. You wonder what morals he's had to compromise to get himself where he is today. You know he's done it, betrayed himself in a thousand little ways, you can see it in his optics. What kind of things will he do to you if you provoke him? How far can you push him before he loses himself?

Blitzwing: ??????????????

This bothers meeeeeeeeee. I could write a fic for each of those three other ships, no problem, but I can't see Blitzwing unless I do all the character-building work myself. And I love rarepairs. I love them so, so much, there's nothing more exciting than reading about why a new pair of people would totally fall in love with each other. It's like mini-mini romance novels, with lots more heart and variety and emotional investment than you usually get out of those things. I've got plenty of rarepairs myself! And because I'm me, most of them involve some measure of d/s dynamics. I can write an essay on why the ship sails and why the d/s works (maybe even multiple essays for different flavors of d/s I enjoy), even for weird ships with no decent canon grounding, like Starscream/Optimus, Megatron/Tailgate, Fort Max/Tailgate, etc.

Blitzwing domming Megatron isn't out of the question, but it's so frustrating when he's like 'duh, it's obvious' and is too lazy to give any reasons to ship it whatsoever or justify that particular d/s dynamic! Just. GAH. This frustrates me. I have lots of feelings about porn, apparently (not really 'apparently', I already knew that, but it's... kind of weird to write lots of long, passionate essays about how to write about fictional characters getting jiggy with it). This is so frustrating. I guess if Ray ever develops the ship, then I'm more likely to be on board, which means oh nooooooo~ a rape kinkster in my safe space. But this is like serving a half-microwaved bowl of batter and being like 'look, I made you a cake, you ought to eat it now.'

 

I don't have a fic at hand, and I'm probably reading more spades into it than was the original intent, but I have this (nsfw) fanart!! :DDDD

 

Ohhhhhhhhhh my god, that Tarn/Deathsaurus fic. OH MY GOD.

THOSE PIERCINGS! THAT EVERYTHING! ALL OF IT!!!

Holy shit I was not expecting to be hit in the face with something so insanely hot today

 

Spoiler: mtmte 52

Okay but just look at her precious adorable face, you can't convince me that she's not about to propose to Brainstorm somebody

 

To be fair, if you don't subscribe on comixology, it can be really easy to miss that extra content (I assume you're talking about the old prose extra from llllllllike around 16/17?). I don't get to see that stuff in person until the dead tree compilations come out, and sites like viewcomic don't even make it apparent when there is a prose section you missed. But yeah, that is annoying.

 

(also darn it, after reading that fic, the only thing I want to do is draw valve(/spike) piercings. which are harrrrrrrrrrd because anatomy is hard and making sexy bits look good is extra hard and also art takes forever and a half. I tried scratching some of the itch with fic, but it's not the saaaaaaaaaame and I want to draw like the entire cast with a variety of sexy piercings in their nethers)