Spoiler: MTMTE Season 2 So I misread the interview? Alright. Because I would agree that Whirl is never going to be the person he was before the Senate brutalized him, although I'm holding out for him being happy, but I didn't think shadowplay was involved.
Spoiler Yeah, that part of the interview wasn't terribly clear on what happened. The intended message was that Whirl's agency was removed by the Senate, but through physical violence and coercion rather than mental intrusion. But since neither of them are willing to talk in sentences, that came out a bit garbled.
I'm sorry, Spock, but you said Nautica, so I went and read issues 23-27 anyways. (Also because I had the feeling that if I start skipping shit now I'll never make sense of it. And by "read" I mean "binged". Holy fuck. Glad I did, honestly, but you'll never know that before you do it. (I think I also need to take a break from the computer, I'm seeing transformers faces in the way the letters shape words) Will give details in the next post. It was a good idea to tackle that after sleeping, though, but it was just the breather I needed. ETA: ... when Ivy told me they'd give me rundowns, it triggered my petulant child reflex, I think...
Spoiler: MTMTE 44/50-52 So in the RP thread we got to talking about Censere's planet and the way he ascribes guilt for the deaths of other on specific bots. There's flowers that aren't clustered around specific statues, which would indicate accidents or something like them, but there are also flowers given to command officers (like Megatron) for their orders which directly led to the deaths of others despite not pulling the trigger. I imagine there are times where he decides between two people based on which seemed to have the most intent. So here's what I'm wondering: how many flowers are under Drift's statue? (Is the name on his statue Drift or Deadlock?) How many under Cyclonus's? And does the blame of Nyon fall onto Rodimus or Zeta? Because I'm inclined to say that it falls on Rodimus, because he pulled the trigger essentially. Even if it felt as if Zeta had given him no choice, I think it's significant the he killed everyone left behind before Zeta could. Which makes me wonder if there's a specific reason why Rodimus didn't go looking for his own statue.
actually... i wonder how the flowers work if fault could be ascribed to more than one person? like if megatron gets credit for all the people he indirectly killed, what about the person who directly killed them? do they both get +1 kill? does everyone in the chain of command that lead up to that one guy dying get +1 kill? it doesn't really make sense for just megatron to get credit/blame for the kill. how does this work.
This is a mixture of what i remember from my initial reactions to the bingeread, and stuff that came up later / on second read Spoiler: Dark Cybertron 1 we've seen this face there before, havent we. heh. hi senator shockwave! havent seen you in a while. you look a teensy bit different! no, no, dont tell me, let me guess. new haircut? a-ha! the ominous ore. pink bot with lips, urgh. i am so glad arcee doesnt stay the only female bot. also, hi arcee i wanna say i absolutely dig the artist from mtmte 22. it just strikes the perfect balance of gritty that is just not yet grimdark. so beautiful. hi cyclonus! man, you got around. cy what happened to your divine cheek bones? (aka urgh this artist) ominous secret evil lab, take a shot i... i am not going to comment on the, uh, unfortunate shape of that tower "But today, the sun rises, not on an age of gold -- but on an era of rust. And my greatest fear is that one morning... the sun shall not rise at all." "But a burning ball of gas and fire", eh? I am sorry for probably messing up the Pterry quote here, whoops. starscream. starscream plz. someone get starscream a watch. oh starscream youre such. an. idiot. is that... is that an organic on op's ship? who is in the same size ballpark as the giant space robots? garnak, youre cool also, suddenly big ship "dont come near here this is trouble" rodimus: lolnope its such a rodimus reaction and i love him swERVE hardhead, you dont know half of it rodimus got a friend! ::D oh come on hardhead, give cyclonus a break. "He and I are very similar, really: Two reformed characters struggling to make our way in life. He just has less violent coping strategies." WHIRL I LOVE YOU <33 "Assuming command...?" oh rodimus bby i can just hear the terror in your voice op, your precious bumblebee failed. dinobots. honest do god dinotbots. THEY LOOK LIKE DIGIMON. I WANT TWENTY. welp thats one massively oversized bot there rodimus, i have said it before, and i will say it again, but damn youve got some fine lines going on. youre a very beautiful robot. bumbles, youre really not made for this kinda situation. arcee, i like your attitude. like, seriously. its a wonderful no-nonsense-approach "and other words i havent even made up yet" oh brainstorm. <3 but yeah, sounds like a doomed timeline brainstorm i bestow upon thee another name, and that name shalt be "macguyver" oh starscream swerve you lovely oppotunist "it's the unraveling of all things, a smiling god" wait wrong story that was a beautiful "my friends and zoidberg" moment there "What do you make of events on Cybertron? If we'd known Starscream was going to take over we'd have... what would we have done, Rodimus?" - "Something." - "We'd have done something." FIRST OF ALL that beautiful 'something' there. Second, Magnus asking for Rodimus opinion. Third, rolling with it even though the answer was basically 'fuck if i know' OP mostly thought about Megatron, eh?-waggles eyebrows- Brainstorm is so beautiful in that style... -fans self- Rodimus, he hesitated because he's technically newly wed and wants to spend some time with his husband. SHUT THE FUCK UP HARDHEAD oh whirl <333 and rodimus just... stares into the camera "I'm allergic to hostile environments" is a beautiful excuse, Brainstorm, and I'm going to steal it. Magnus and Rodimus have such a beautiful relationship -sheds single tear- Whatd you expect, Starscream? Sunshine and Rainbows? "I'm getting a little sick of explaining to people what betrayal means, but okay." Starscream. Starscream. are you trying to redefine what words mean so they do/dont apply to you by your convenience well golly where have we seen this face before? "i had thought the two of you had... issues with one another." - "heated battle forges a stronger alliance" that sounds pitch. considering the power imbalance and the following panels a very imbalanced kismesistude, but... ahahaha, its all 'look, but dont touch' superhero landing OH MY GODS THOSE ARE ADORABLE I WANT TWENTY OF THEM for a species of mechanical creatures, you do some fascinatingly organic things like bleeding and puking KITTYBOT starscream... thats kind of not what happened is that... is that megatron basically on display starscream, for some operations that is very sound advice, in terms of knowing wtf you actually want to accomplish, but, sometimes, you just need to grit your teeth and jump into the fray and roll with the punches LASERTAG "Like da guys dat say [...] dat Ultra Magnus is just a little guy in armor." rattrap, i got news for you is that a billboard as much as i hate to say it, prowls right, bumbles. you gotta act. or, idk, give command to someone who will "... My friends down there, I'm pretty sure they -- they're gonna start shooting at me, pretty soon. You know how friends are." oh starscream ... those are some seriously goth tears youve got there, mr titan of course youre not feeling right arcee youre missing limbs aaaaand another corpse rising from death. sheesh get a priest in here SUPERHERO FLIGHT POSE all thats missing is the cape "and everything comes back to haunt you" ominous words are ominous hi megatron! -waves- (that was my initial reaction, btw. on readthrough, that page kinda looks like an ominous three evulz) also the artist forgot the pretty swirls on megatrons chest party banter gives me life ultra magnus you dork <3 bumbles, what could starscream have done against the titan, tho? aint his fault hes there either, technically magnus, i hope the bridge had an airlock. rodpod.jpg rodimus. rodimus. i love you. no seriously this thing is complete and utter fucking glory and perfectly explains the general mood of the ship in one single sight. the supercombiners kinda look like the gnomes from gravity falls. since transformers has been around longer, i wonder if the gnomes from gravity falls are a homage ... ... lets just say the placement of those things is... uh... unfortunate no, wait, i need to ask this question: why does it hurt a mechanical lifeform to scratch on their casing why ok, the whole concept of spacebridges made from people is kind of freaky "You're staring at my forehead like you've never seen a fatal gunshot wound before" oh nightbeat loving the banter rodimus bby ok, major part why im glad i read this? the reading. as intrustive as it is, it sheds light on cyclonus. and, if you're looking for it, even in issue 21, you can see that one of cyclonus eyes glows dimmer than the other gods i love the details in this series (and, in case you haven't noticed, i am drowning in cygate hell. like, ow, my heart. it hurts in all the best ways and i ship it SO MUCH) rodimus, didnt one of your crew say something about the laws of reality being fucked and generally all topsy-turvy in the dead universe? cyclonus no. you dont get to die now that tailgate is gonna be ok. "typical dinobot stuff" rocks fall everyone dies / snafu? or are we in tarfun territory already? "Well something's not right." - "Easy on the Jargon, Ratchet. We didn't all go to medical school." - "Sarcasm: The first sign of a damaged brain module. Other symptoms include my hitting you in the face." aSFDGFHSFJHG also whirls face Whirl also looks very beautiful in that style, I gotta say There's a wonderful piece of misdirection here, or rather, a detail that comes up way later: Brainstorm is technically dead. But because we're assuming he's alive, we also assume the seventh signature belongs to him, and the eighth to the ammonite hanging off the rodpod. welp that looks like someone has been disconnected! that was just a minor setback! also, same, cyclonus, same whirl's keeping a list of potential triggers. thats... probably a good thing? NOOOOOOOOOOOOO NOT THE ROD POD thank you, captain obvious iiiits half past 2 now, im gonna do the other issue tomorrow.
To be fair, Megatron has probably personally killed a lot of people, if the way he goes murdercrazy mad with power says anything and how long the war lasted. --- Today, on "more feelings about russian robot music," I still headcanon Tetrahexian as old!Robot Russian accent, just based on what we know of Cyclonus and how his singing is described. ("Cyclonus was singing a traditional song for [Tailgate]!" "That was Old Cybertronian? I didn't know it sounded so... angry." "That's probably his accent. And the, uh. Volume.") So I present a bunch of old Russian songs for you to imagine Cyclonus (or other Old Robot of choice) singing, because Reasons. Or, y'know, co-opted for Decepticon reasons ("look at all the heritage we lost under the Bad Primes™"?) as Soviet government did to old Russian folk music. Either/or. (Disclaimer: translations are from internet sources I think are reputable, but my Russian is not yet good enough to be certain.) Spoiler: Evening Bells Evening bells Evening bells How many thoughts They arouse! O youthful days Where I was born and bred Where I first loved (dong, dong) Where father's house stands And now how I, On forever parting, Have heard the bells For my last time. Evening bells Evening bells How many thoughts They arouse! Spoiler: Dark Night Dark night, only bullets are whistling in the steppe, Only the wind is wailing through the telephone wires, stars are faintly flickering... In the dark night, my love, I know you are not sleeping, And, near a child's crib, you secretly wipe away a tear. How I love the depths of your gentle eyes, How I long to press my lips to them! This dark night separates us, my love, And the dark, troubled steppe has come to lie between us. * Death is not terrible, we've met with it more than once in the steppe... And here it looms over me once again, You await my return, sitting sleepless near a cradle, And so I know that nothing will happen to me! *This performance is the best-quality I can find, but is missing a verse in the middle! It's not a case of "Soviet editing" for once, because the full-length song was written welllll into Soviet control. Missing verse: I have faith in you, in you, my sweetheart. That faith has shielded me from bullets in this dark night... I am glad, I am calm in deadly battle: I know you will meet me with love, no matter what happens. Spoiler: Stenka Razin (((First off, let me say how fucking hard it is to find a recording of the full song. Provided video is the most complete I can find. Everyone chops out different verses, here's the lyric poem it originally was. From beyond the wooded island To the river wide and free Proudly sail the arrow-breasted Ships of Cossack yeomanry (Proudly sail the arrow-breasted Ships of Cossack yeomanry) On the first is Stenka Razin With his princess by his side. Drunk, he holds a marriage revel, Clasping close his fair young bride (Drunk, he holds a marriage revel, Clasping close his fair young bride) From behind there comes a murmur: "He has left his sword to woo! One short night and Stenka Razin Has become a woman, too!" Stenka Razin hears the murmur Of his discontented band And the lovely Persian princess He has circled with his hand And the lovely Persian princess He has circled with his hand. Now, with one swift mighty motion He has raised his bride on high And has cast her where the waters Of the Volga roll and sigh And has cast her where the waters Of the Volga roll and sigh "Dance, you fools, and let's be merry. What is this that's in your eyes? Let us thunder out a chanty To the place where beauty lies!" "Let us thunder out a chanty To the place where beauty lies!" From beyond the wooded island To the river wide and free Proudly sail the arrow-breasted Ships of Cossack yeomanry. --- Following songs are more definitely Decepticon/second war than Old Cybertronian. Spoiler: Blood Type It's a warm place here, but the streets Are waiting for our footprints Star dust on our boots sparkles and shines There's a cozy armchair with a checkered blanket The trigger hasn't been pulled in time Sunny days... in dazzling dreams My blood type is marked on my sleeve, My ordinal number is marked on my sleeve, Wish me luck in the fight, So I don't stay here in the grass Wish me luck... I can pay, but I don't want a victory at any cost I don't want to put my foot on someone's chest I would rather stay here with you, Just to stay here with you, But the star high in the sky is calling me on my way... My blood type is marked on my sleeve, My ordinal number is marked on my sleeve, Wish me luck in the fight, So I don't stay here in the grass Wish me luck... Spoiler: Soldier Third day on the road, wind, stones, rains, Still ahead and ahead, our company holds up Third day on the road, hey, brother, don't be sad - An order is an order, every one of us knows. Write a little letter, nothing is dearer for fighters. Write a couple of words, you girls, for your boys. And at sunrise ahead marches on the company of soldiers Goes on, to win and to not die; And you, give them a smoke out there, comrade chief sergeant, I believe in your spirit, soldier, soldier, soldier… Third day on the road, wind, stones, rains, At sunrise we to battle, the day shall begin with fire. Third day on the road, and who knows what awaits us, Third day on the road and sunrise comes. Write a little letter, how is our beloved home doing? From far-far away clouds shall carry it to me. And at sunrise the company goes on ahead. Earth fell, from the sky earth fell, Tearing the scream: "A bitch you are, war!" Armor melted, the machine gun choked breathlessly, You looked into the eyes of death, sergeant of the guard.
Not Technically Russian but help I'm having more Robot War feelings (loud video, be warned) Spoiler: lyrics Denying the lying A million children fighting For lives in strife For hope beyond the horizon A dead world A dark path Not even crossroads to choose from All the bloodred Carpets before me Behold this fair creation of God My only wish to leave behind All the days of the Earth An everyday hell of my kingdom come The first rock thrown again Welcome to hell, little Saint Mother Gaia in slaughter Welcome to paradise, Soldier My first cry neverending All life is to fear for life You fool, you wanderer You challenged the gods and lost Save yourself a penny for the ferryman Save yourself and let them suffer In hope In love This world ain't ready for The Ark Save yourself a penny for the ferryman Save yourself and let them suffer In hope In love Mankind works in mysterious ways Welcome down to my Planet Hell Save yourself a penny for the ferryman Save yourself and let them suffer In hope In love This world ain't ready for The Ark Save yourself a penny for the ferryman Save yourself and let them suffer In hope In love Mankind works in mysterious ways
"That's how you want to end this, Jhiaxus -- by cosplaying as me?" -- a real thing that was said in canon
I cannot keep up with conversations but I love all the talk and discussion and meta and everything. <3
Spoiler: Ultra Magnus MTMTE My brain: Nobody can claim Dominus Ambus is a child because of his short stature because Dominus Ambus has facial hair. Me: What the fuck? My brain: He has facial hair.
He really is that amazing, isn't he. Especially after you get bogged down in political shenanigans in early exRiD and the bad pacing in DC, and then... He's the light at the end of the tunnel. Who is beautiful like an F-22 jet fighter.
....you know what, I went to go roll around in Thundercracker, and I totally missed this detail. Those are totally anti-Cybertronian wanted posters and homeland security posters. That's awesome. I loved Thundercracker so much already, and I love him even more now that I know that's how he decorates his home.
Thundercracker: the most weirdly well-adjusted person to come out of a horrific civil war with a puppy and a passion for screenwriting that you'll ever meet In other news, I have realized that there is no reason to stop at unleashing an army of therapy dogs on Cybertron. Soundwave has therapy elephants who are far more size-appropriate. The Prowl beach therapy session just got upgraded to include swimming with therapy whales. The possibilities are endless and there is no way this can go wrong
He's so sweet and adorable and I'm so happy he was able to adjust well. Spoiler: for anyone who hasn't read it, mild late phase one stuff that I've probably said unspoilered elsewhere oops During AHM, because of reasons, NYC was going to be bombed (a nuclear bomb, maybe?). Thundercracker had finally had enough of how dishonorably the Decepticons were carrying on with their side of the war, so he flew the bomb away for it to explode. All well and good, but then Skywarp was all “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING YOU MOTHERFUCKER?!" and shot him point-blank. Thundercracker survived this, and holed up in a half-destroyed skyscraper. There was a lot of property damage in NYC, so he was pretty sure he'd be safe for a while before there was danger of being discovered (at this time, lynch mobs were brutally killing any injured cybertronians they found). He managed to scrounge up the materials to make a distress beacon, but nobody showed up. He managed to hook up a TV too. And then he waited. For a year and a half. Eventually, some roving Decepticons came to respond to his beacon, and they repaired him, thinking he'd be their new leader. But Thundercracker had already been sick of the war, and he'd just spent a year and a half falling in love with earth and humanity. There's some really interesting stuff where he tries on and off to take himself out of the conflict, but he keeps getting sucked back in. But he's one of the characters who starts trying to adapt himself to peace first, and who also does it best. He genuinely wants the war to be over and is ready to move on, and he's done such a good job of self-care and reshaping himself in positive ways. It's such a breath of fresh air compared to the giant traumatized cast who can't quite commit to peace and who don't have a fucking clue what to do with themselves. I love Thundercracker so much and his character arc makes me so happy. And GAH, this thread is bad for my fic-writing ways, but it's loading up my art to do list too. King Robot Chromedome (tonight? maybe tonight if I ever get off my butt and go shower) Therapy bugs Therapy elephants (Galvatron and Optimus made Soundwave so sad, I really truly need this in my life right now) Therapy whales (probably I can't draw whales at all, so more realistically, just constructicons+prowl sweetness)
In the grand tradition of cloying genre YA literature from the 80/90s, there must have been at least one where a Troubled Young Woman is forced to live with relatives by the coast after Serious Yet Relatable Teenager Issues occurred back home, and she finds a new understanding of herself through a deep, meaningful connection with the whales in the ocean while practicing her new Trope Hobby of photography/brooding by the beach, and with a Local Boy who teaches her about appreciating the little things in life Congratulations Prowl. This is the AU. These are your stories
Additionally - Ask and ye shall receive. Behold the fruits of my shitty photoshop labors: The fact that I can't be bothered to make this to scale is what makes this my one true masterpiece. It's all downhill from here folks
