Previous part here, since apparently posts can't have more than 2000 characters. Spoiler: 21:45-27:43 RS: And related to WB in a different avenue, how excited are you to possibly utilize, but not necessarily, use the colony worlds established in that mini series? JR: Oh yeah! If anything which, I think it's become a good time, to me, establishing the existence of these worlds, it opens up the IDW transformers univerese again and it potentially steers us in a different direction, and I'm speaking on a macro level here. I mean we're talking nine years of stories in the same continuity. I think it's the longest running--okay, let me look again--G1 was 84 to 94 if you count the G2 series. Anyway but I think it's the largest body of work around a single continuity, I think, starting with next year. And there are almost different movement, different epochs, different gear shifts within the IDW storyline. We started off, they were at war. But it wasn't the warfare we were used to, it was a sort of stealth warfare, based around infiltration, cyberforming. And then with all how Megatron had more classic G1 style skirmishes and so on. And then the war finished and it's still finished, and now it's time for another sort of seismic change. And I think that change is in the endless possiblities around the countless colony worlds, containing who knows which characters. It's great. The transformers universe has been for better or worse quite closed, for quite a long time. Even with DOP, when John and I brought the NAILS back, we wanted to say there's more Cybertronian, there's civilians and all that entails, there's not just your good guys and your bad guys fighting, there's a third faction, your noncombatants, and then the colonists are another variation on that theme. And the worldbuilding in MTMTE the exploration of Cybertronian society in pre-war and post-war, that's more about coloring in the background in this 9, 10-year continuity, that's about trying to keep it fresh and moving forward, and not reversing back to the status quo, which I said before is a strength of the IDW continuity. There isn't this inexorable gravitational pull to the default setting of Autobots versus Decepticons on Earth. We still find ways to create the tensions between the factions and there's still skirmishes and there's still battles, but hopefully we've mixed it up and churned it up more, creating different types of stories in the process. The WB worlds will just open in more avenues for exploration. And you if you think of the Spotlights as vehicles for telling more self-contained stories focusing on individual characters, you might find that the colony worlds perform a similar function. Like if you wanted to know what would otherwise be seen as another continuity, like a Beast Wars (BW) colony, or I don't know, I'm not hinting at anything, I don't know what the plans are, but that's my take on it. RS: Gosh. I got back into Transformers partly because of the IDW series and partly because of Wreckers, which you will never escape. JR: [laughs] There are worse things. So that's good, so when did you lapse, then? When was your, prior to IDW, what did you grow up with? RS: Beast Machines (BM), actually, and Robots in Disguise 2001 (RID). JR: Oh wow, okay, okay, I still just assume that everybody is a G1-er, but I forget that people age, and I age, and I remember we had my step-daughter had a boyfriend around, this was a couple years ago, 3-4 years ago? I don't know. Had her boyfriend around for tea, when I say it it sounds very English, and I must have been writing Transformers then because this came up in conversation and he said "Oh, yeah, I'm a huge Transformers fan," he said, "I grew up with them. You know, Optimus Primal, and Dinobot and all that stuff." And I felt very old then, you know? I thought "Yep, that happened, didn't it." When you say "BM" and particularly "Car Robots (CR)" that's, um, wow. That's a niche. RS: I am very young. It's very exciting to see some of the CR characters like Sky Byte in exRID and WB as well and of course Waspinator and it's been very fun to see the reinterpretations. Gosh, um, it is funny that you mentioned growing up with G1 and the relation to age. I have a friend who grew up in India during the 90s but it was almost like a timewarp for her because she had BW toys but she watched episodes of the G1 cartoon. JR: Oh, okay, and funny enough there is the link in the end, isn't it, between BW and G1 but if she wasn't watching the series then that wouldn't have become apparent. Thirty years old, there's going to be ever more opportunities to mix and match when it comes to characters and settings and things. And the most popular ones will endure and it will just become richer, is the hope. And you know there'll be people now, there will be Bayformer (BF) fans. RS: There will. Oh, let's think about something happier. Spoiler: 27:44-37:58 RS: Speaking of reinterpretations, I did read Eugenesis a couple years ago, and I remember even back then, you were using the TF UK, or the Transmasters UK, rather, interpretation of Star Saber as a despot, taking some of that into your IDW thing. Could you address the creative process, like how much consideration you have for the original material versus your reinterpretations, and like all of the influences that you consider, just using Star Saber as an example, because I've seen some grumpy people about that, but I personally think yours is a valid interpretation. JR: Yeah, okay, Transmasters (TM) UK was an unofficial fanclub based in the UK, there was a TM fanclub in the US, this was an offshoot, based off of the Marvel UK continuity, and it really came into its own after the UK comic finished and fans like myself were really keen for the story to continue. And I think, remarkably, in hindsight, collaborated for many years on continuing the story. As I said, collaboratively, all of us cooperating within the same sandpit. And a few years into that, I don't know what you'd call that, Star Saber was a despot, he ruled a future Cybertron within the TF UK continuity. But I'm also respectful towards my one-time collaborators in TM UK so I wouldn't think "I'll take those ideas and put them in MTMTE because it wouldn't be fair to them." The use of Star Saber in Remain in Light, the season 1 story, was because I wanted a new Duly Appointed Enforcer of the Tyrest Accords, Tyrest needed a new right-hand man. And we've been here before, needing to find iconic G1 characters of a certain stature, with some power behind them that haven't been used yet, and Star Saber was one of the few who haven't been poached and used and established within the IDW continuity so he was going spare, he was going free. I would argue that the Star Saber of the IDW world is a fundamentalist, he's an evangelist, a psychotic evangelist, and so to me it's a different version. What they have in common is they're not nice, I mean, you are taking an Autobot character, indeed an Autobot character who was incredibly virtuous, almost Thunderclash-like in his perfection as a character, so you're taking an Autobot character and you're turning him bad, so I concede there is that difference. But the nature of his character, the nature of his evil was slightly different between the original TM UK and the MTMTE one. RS: Understood. I sincerely thought there was a connection there and thank you for the correcting. JR: No, it's okay. I mean, in terms of more broadly, the interpretations, I think it's an organic thing, you know? I don't think the current crop of writers will look at an established character, a known character like Skids or something, a character that exists as a toy and is known to fans and has that sort of recognition factor, I don't think we'll clinically think, "How can we reinterpret that person, how can we use him differently?" But, sometimes the situation will demand a certain type of character, and you'll think "actually you know what, a bit like Skids," that person would fit in there, and actually may be more interesting if we look at this person from a different angle or we reinterpret him. I know that for some people, the Rachet of MTMTE is different from the Rachet that came before in some of the earlier IDW stories. To a degree it's driven by the needs of the story if you're dealing with a character that doesn't have a strong presence already. Like I said, maybe Rachets an exception to that rule because that is pulling in a different direction. And I guess Drift as well, the Drift of MTMTE is not really the Drift that had come before, although I was careful to attribute that change to his near-death experience at the end of Chaos. So you know, he attempted to commit suicide, he survived, he changed his outlook on things, and the environment he found himself in thereafter, on the Lost Light with Rodimus and so on, encouraged his character development in a certain way, to the sort-of, uber-believer and optimist that he was during his time on the Lost Light. RS: I adored your Drift. I did not much care for Drift prior, but I did sincerely enjoy your interpretation of Drift, so I do appreciate that. JR: Well thank you, thank you. Hopefully we saw through MTMTE that he was very optimistic and upbeat and open on the outside but he still harbored some darkness within and this was really his way of coping. Which probably describes most of the characters on the Lost Light; they've all got different coping mechanisms, really. RS: I'm curious to see how Empire of Stone (ES) relates to MTMTE. I saw an interview with McCarthy, actually, how he's not going to be taking so much of the hippie portrayal in the series, and I'm a bit disappointed by that, and I am curious how much he's working with you about continuity, or at least, John Barber. JR: Yeah, I mean, well, with John sitting above us both, there's no risk of anything being out of continuity. But I mean Shane is familiar with MTMTE, he read up on Drift's appearances before he began work on ES, and it all fits in nicely. We've already established that Drift is out there, that Rachet is also in this mini-series as well, and that will be explained. And I can't really say too much right now without giving things away, but by way of reassurance, yes, it's all planned, it all fits. As I've said, there's different facets to Drift's character and I think the environment in which he operates is an influencing factor on how he acts. So it's great. RS: Excellent. JR: So go embrace it. [Laughs] RS: Alright. I'll absolutely give it a go. I try not to be blindly loyal, I try to critique the work as it were, but I do love it very much, I love what you guys have done with IDW, how fresh you've made the universe, how much new and great material you've come up with. JR: You know, it's funny, because it's been going for so long now, because there are so many books out, I imagine it can be kind of daunting to a non-Transformers fan, to a comics fan who wants to dip their toes into those waters to know where to start, and I don't blame them. But IDW are very good at packaging up the old stuff in ways that make sense, and if anyone's made it this far, if any non-Transformers fan has made it this far into the interview, then as I said a good jumping-on point remains MTMTE volume 1 because it's got the DOP in there, and from then you can go and follow the exRID trades and the MTMTE trades and WB and so on. And that's literally the beginning of what we're calling Phase 2 of the IDW universe. So you can absolutely start there. If you really want to get in at the beginning then you can get some good omnibus collections which package up about sixteen or so issues, and do so in as close to a recommended reading order as is possible. And TFWiki's also a really good resource if you just want to read very tightly-written preces of back-issues, that's where you start. I'm saying all that because I do wish, I do hope that a lot of people, non-Transformers fans would give it a go, and discover it for the richly populated fictional universe that it's become. RS: I personally recommend the series to everyone and anyone who enjoys compelling characterization and humor and a splash of horror, lately especially so. JR: Yes, we've taken a darker turn in series 2 so far. RS: But I have convinced at least a dozen people to check out MTMTE and exRID personally and about 20 people to read Wreckers I believe; I've loaned out my copy of the trade quite often. JR: Oh well done. Because every time we pick up a new reader, I get a thousand dollars, so it's definitely worth-while, and I give it all to charity. RS: I really want people to give this series a shot. It's well-done, it's welcoming, it is not merely a toy ad which is what turns a lot of people off, it is far from that. JR: Thank you, yes. You're a good ambassador for the series.
I think I've come up with a way around the issue of Hal/Titan in Megamind AU, sort of Spoiler: Windblade spoilers If Chromia is still Windblade's guard as opposed to a cameraperson, we already have canon events where she does dangerous things to try to get Windblade out of Cybertron for her own good. Not a perfect parallel for the Hal subplot, because Chromia is a hundred times less sleezy and already badass on her own, but by splitting it up into two separate things (Chromia blowing up stuff, possibly with a flushcrush on Windblade making her extra pissy about Starscream, and then the combiner as Starscream's terrible idea of how to replace OP) it might work
Spoiler: exRid 4 ohhhh swindle. swindle you blabbermouth "I'm just sayin' - Starscream's a Spawn of a Glitch, but he's our Spawn of a glitch." nawww? oh my god that is a corpse stabbed with a decepticon flag. Okay. Starscream just steamrolls Bee. Just talks him into the ground. Starscream has some real political skill is what I'm sayin. Ohhhh free elections, huh? Prowl and Arceehave this mutually sort-of-tolerant-but-pulling-nno-punches relationship that I really like "Send Streetwise. I don't have time for a dead Decepticon, Wheeljack." how 'bout you make time, Prowl. Rude ass. Oho, the witness is acting weird? Well at least prowl is pretty good at barking orders. "Dirge- this is the second time I've found you next to a dead aerialbot!" "Seriously they just happen to have the same name." pfffff Blurr poor Dirge D: that sure is a bug Bombshell has a really cute face i think. Just adorable. (I might be weird) holy shit Arcee I have to agree with Prowl. Didn't have to immediately kill a dude. welllll those sure are a bunch of cons. Blurr's in trouble! Well those sure are the constructicons :D Arcee keeps running headlong into fights and i'm not sure if I'm impressed or shaking my head. "... Which one of you Poppet Valves is next?" idek what exactly that's supposed to be an insult about but i still went "ohhhhhh" "the three most important words in cybertronian" are apparently "Wheeljack, Wheeljack, Wheeljack" and I am laughing so hard. Wheeljack ur a delight. jfc prowl chill. stop whining about how much you've done wrong and how you're conspiring with monsters (someone should stop being judgemental me thinks). Seriously, just fuckin try to DO BETTER MAYBE? IF IT BOTHERS YOU SO MUCH? WTF PROWL oh good at least Arcee let Dirge get out. this entire panel just reads to me as: "YOU RISKED MY LIFE WITHOUT AT LEAST WARNING ME ABOUT IT" "chill blurr we achieved something" just fUCK YOU PROWL Poor Blurr i think trying to talk sense into Prowl is a lost cause Yeah wow Prowl, no. BEE I LIKE U BUT THAT IS WAY LATE WITH GETTING INVOLVED YOU SHOULDA BEEN TRYING TO GET PROWL TO CALM HIS TITS LIKE FIVE ISSUES AGO Arcee perching somewhere high up on walls in the background remains really funny. PROWL NO, NOT "no matter who gets in our way", you fUCKING ZEALOT
Poppet valves control pressure and fluid-flow, usually within an engine. My first instinctive translations are "dick," "asshole," and "leaky shit".
Spoiler: exRiD 5 so Bee is avoiding everything and Starscream is in top form about making himself into a spectacle and Metalhawk is around and a reasoable guy. No surprises here about who has how much influence. that is one SHARKY guy. I love Arcee so much I LOVE ARCEE SO MUCH haha Prowl she ditched you :P Sky-Byte is just not okay with how fucked up everyone is. SKY-BYTE WTF THAT'S A HEAD DUDE NO I THOUGHT YOU'D BE A COOL DUDE Ohhhhh okay just some random corpses he found then (i can't believe i just typed this) Ironhide is surprisingly chill about the whole "composing a poem over a dude detached head" thing huh now i wanna know who ironhide used to hang with that wrote poems, but I suspect that's sad backstory stuff wait Ironhide missed a couple million years too? And sky-byte used to be a decepticon but he arrived as a NAIL? I'M CONFUSED NOW? "You're a good friend, but a lousy liar" aww Blurr. Does your leg still hurt? :c omgosh i LOVE THE SIMULTANEITY WITH SWERVE'S I AM HAVING FEELS ABOUT THIS AHHHHH yes THANK you metalhawk. also don't think i didn't see your shit-eating grin starscream, you just LOVE seeing Bee getting confronted, don't you? wow Bee you are not in a good mood. WOW bee, sure call your co-leaders "Idiots". especially when your muscle ain't actually around. Huh. Shit you guys look like messes. Poor Dirge, poor Needlenose. Swindle now is not the time for puns. Okay wtf Ironhide that's pretty shitty of you. I might have a big fat weak spot for Decepticons in terrible situations helping eachother stay afloat but in my defense, this comic keeps kicking me in the weakspot. what in fuck are you even trying to ARREST them for Prowl, seriously wtf Sky-Byte hates you now, just in case you didn't know. Like, okay Prowl, this kind of shit? You are singlehandedly ruining the chances of a freely elected Autobot regime, bc the Neutrals hate both of the warring factions but they can feel bad for how the Decepticons are being treated right now and the Autobots do not have the benefit of that compassion. holy shit what is even... what that's a fucking riot you got there. yes bless u ironhide GOOD MORE PEOPLE TO STOP PROWL FROM DOING THE PROWL-THING Prowl: *tries to flip table*, Blurr: MY BAR IS A PEACEFUL PLACE YOU STOP THAT IMMEDIATELY Ironhide just gives no shits. He just tells them they'll be dead in his future vision. Just like that. "Next: The new adventures of Orion pax" don't wannaaaaaaa :I
Spoiler: mtmte 10 48 hours is a pretty harsh deadline, espc for a party that has large working-class contingent give it a week or two at least you douche "population augmentation program". sounds ominous. im sure it will never crop up again. chromedome. chromedome are you reenacting the chase with toys and making battle noises you dork are those mnemosurgery scars showing up on red alert's neck that are being highlighted bc i vaguely recall those only show up under ultraviolet light prowl you look silly like that. dork. how did none of you idiots notice that bot when coming in and why is that bot not bolting through the front door like someone who doesnt want to be seen and i am 97.8 percent sure it wasnt cyclonus jegus fuck not everything is cyclonus fault ugh magnus thank you for being halfways reasonable also, drift? chill i love how cyclonus defense isnt "dude ive got an alibi and why would i even do this" but "bitch i dont do sloppy work like that" tailgate this is a universe in which people just fall from the sky. get used to it. also is that the superhero landing i can get behind that, swerve interesting how they have the concept of 'devil'. hm. you'd think you'd recognize orion pax on sight, but apparently not. also i can't put my finger on it but that sounds like a backhanded compliment there orion pax but interesting how the anti-decepticons are utilizing suicide missions, that's usually desperate extremist who got nothing to lose any more territory "well i hope i never got to be as jaded and cynical as you, orion pax" fast forward four million years the notion of hugeass robots with itty bitty flipphones still amuses me. why not an internal comm system? well someone doesnt want op there it seems "pretending they dont like each other" tsundeeeeeeres THAT'S NOT A MOON megatron you petty asshole whirl dont think i missed the "wreck n rule" there in the back also, free in 63? "i want my hands back" im not crying its raining on my face swerve you DORK at least skids knew when to fold it "free in 63" again, this time below the decepticon slogan speaker dude whoever you are thats not how politics work. but i kinda agree on the ploy thing. but more like, painting a target on yourself. just let your intellectuals register themselves and run the politics while you do you prowl. whats it like, being wrong about almost everything for 4 mil years straight rewind: chromedome honey stop talking about your awful ex "interesting hands youve got there" well those look like mnemosurgery hands. who was shown to have mnemosurgery scars this very issue? on the other hand, that was pretty blatantly obvious, so i suspect misdirection chromedome take no shit waste not, want not, i guess prowl you idiot thats the point where you call in backup and tell people where you are earlier semi-called it and wow, my suggestions was terrible im going to steal the declaration of independence wait, wrong film optimus: -serious face- chromedome: just another tuesday prowl: ... did you just red alert: the FUCK roller: roadtriproadtriproadtrip ???? bot who hasnt been named yet: oh fuck yeah i just love those expressions
oh my god. so, i often get little phrases stuck in my head – just little collections of words that i latch onto because they're beautiful or resonant or clever or just pleasing in that way that words can be. i kept thinking about the phrase "our steps will always rhyme", and i really loved the sound of it but i couldn't remember where I'd seen/heard it. so i googled it and was like oh, right, that's the title of mtmte #40, and more importantly it is a line from Leonard Cohen's "hey, that's no way to say goodbye." and. I mean. listen, i have shipper goggles at the best of times, but. for an issue ending with ratchet going off to find drift to take its title from a song with lyrics like this? Spoiler: lyrics "Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye" I loved you in the morning, our kisses deep and warm, your hair upon the pillow like a sleepy golden storm, yes, many loved before us, I know that we are not new, in city and in forest they smiled like me and you, but now it's come to distances and both of us must try, your eyes are soft with sorrow, Hey, that's no way to say goodbye. I'm not looking for another as I wander in my time, walk me to the corner, our steps will always rhyme you know my love goes with you as your love stays with me, it's just the way it changes, like the shoreline and the sea, but let's not talk of love or chains and things we can't untie, your eyes are soft with sorrow, Hey, that's no way to say goodbye. I loved you in the morning, our kisses deep and warm, your hair upon the pillow like a sleepy golden storm, yes many loved before us, I know that we are not new, in city and in forest they smiled like me and you, but let's not talk of love or chains and things we can't untie, your eyes are soft with sorrow, Hey, that's no way to say goodbye.
Spoiler: mtmte 11 is that a robot in a robe why "keep him out of this". that's a very interesting wording youve got there, prowl walking techno hazard in a technological world. nice. adsfdhgsfjgdfhhkj the snark nightmare fuel. nice. tailgate you precious whirl you jackass, that was just rude. youre playing with the comatose body of your proclaimed friend there that sounded wrong historical constant, huh? does that mean i have to backread and see if i can spot rung in the background in the narration? bluh. dont wanna. but will keep eye out from now on. it will only lead to more details, and possibly draw attention from other, more important details. NYAUGH how rewinds hand is on chromedome's shoulder when theyre talking about prowl and how chromedome never forgave prowl for ditching him the face of despair roller you precious hacker huh. huh. so mr senator there is playing the long game, and with many pawns. i... i should not be as surprised as i am. "spark splicing program", huh? oh orion pax you idiot rodimus, listen to the medic. he's got more brains than you, and knows his field. do we need to drag ratchet out of the history lesson so he can tell you the same oh rodimus what about dust? skids <3 welp that looks like a successful misdirection "cleanse and control" wow gee i sure never heard those words before PAX DID YOU JUST MADE ROADKILL OUT OF ONE OF YOUR FELLOW ROBOTS wait the false matrix was actually a bomb wtf you beautiful mess of misdirection you really blindsided me there fuck rewind. rewind. tailgate missed the last six million years. how was he supposed to know SKIDS zeta. gee i wondered what happened there (100 boonbucks on that zeta is responsible for the 'disappearance' of op's senator friend, OR that theyre the same person and he just switched bodies) ah, shockwave's his name (@IvyLB keeps whispering in my ear) ok, switched body theory is out the window, he's getting the brainwashing treatment instead welp ETA: BTW im caught up with what i had already read, i was halfways through 11 and @IvyLB wants me to speedrun to 14 at least in the next 3/4 hour but nope. i want to catch the details.
Spoiler: mtmte 12 ooooh, narrative structure/time/narrative order shenanigans, i like. one of my fave tropes rodimus, everyone just here for your butt, not for your voice poor rodimus also sth is going on. obv. (obv stands for obviously) but i see cyclonus is at least out on probation. good "ultra magnus informs me that running through the lost light shouting 'whos up for a fight' doesnt techically qualify as briefing' asdsgdfhj laughing so hard the name of the planet and the city are so damn obvious tho also damn i dont have that much training in recon work but thats not how you deal with an overrun city (going off my experience as playing a wh40k ordo xenos agent with a p good gm) (we did things differently) taao #5 tailgates happiest time is movie night omg you presh magnus you fucking overachiever and workaholic this is going to be a disaster isnt it ITS RAINING MEN, HALLELUJA @IvyLB next to me: "It's raining mechs, ok?" REWIND REWIND NO yikes, swerve doesnt look good either D:: SHIT IS GOING DOOOOOOWN magnus you bamf drift you bamf <3 drift did you just stab someone in the face yes you just stabbed someone in the face <3 im still amazed for expressive someone with chromedomes face can be also jegus fuck just trust first aid, first aid is awesome at his job ok that's the price of war, boys oh wait, you all know that already. dont you. hey rewind dont think i dont see you recording there cyclonus D:: DDDD:: IS THAT A DINOBOT AND IS THAT A SPHINXBOT ITS LIKE MOTHERFUCKING DIGIMON UP IN HERE those look organic ooh tailgate got his bomb disposal thing drawn on again "the doorframe will probably explode if we so much as rest our eyes on it" is such a beautiful turn of phrase "it still smells of new" asfgdhgfjhglkj SWERVE YOU MOTHERFUCKING IDIOT YOU DONT POINT SOMETHING LIKE THAT AT YOUR OWN SELF WHO TAUGHT YOU GUN SAFETY, THEY NEED TO BE STRUNG UP AND DISMANTLED. SLOWLY. backstory time! ah, luna 1 and the seething moon refer to the same thing voluntary suicide row? chromedome you presh aah, thats why he got the snuff movies. hes looking for someone specific, and if that person is still alive or when and where he died but, chromedome? he still put you down as his conjunx. shit thats bitter ooooh someones recruiting DONT LOOK IN THE BASEMENT whirl ;;_;; -all the hugs- tailgate cyclonus atent dead cyclonus you dick jegus you two motherfu-- JEGUS FUCK YOU FOUR whirl did you just yes, yes you did. you idiot CYCLONUS YOU MIGHT BE A JERK BUT YOU HAVE A HEART OF GOLD motherFUCK
I have given up trying to remember whatever cybertronian language-thinks I had at work today, back to liveblogging. Spoiler: mtmte reread 11 "Even I think that password's immature, and I glued Tailgate to his recharge slab the other day." how dARE. (I kid, I am 100% sure Tailgate would get him back in equally hilarious ways.) A picture's worth a thousand words, but I want to know what ridiculous circumstances lead to this. "Hey! Tailgate's been taking notes, everyone!" "So what? The story's getting complicated. It's all "pro-vacationists" and "anti-functionaries" and people I've never heard of. I've had to do a special page so I can keep track of who's who." Tailgate is love, Tailgate is life f.lux's night settings kicked in just in time to give the flashbacks a nice sepia overtone. NICE™ "...all of them with orders to kill suspected troublemakers on sight-- emphasis on "kill" or "suspected," depending on which guard you talk to." "Either we're under attack or someone's trodden dirt into Ultra Magnus's office..." A+ Iiiiiiiiii forgot it was Shockwave. Welp. Nice reveal, writers! edit: I have remembered the vague important bits of what I was thinking, but no details. Spoiler: Cybertronian language headcanon ramblings -Old Cybertronian was the language of the Knights of Cybertron; after they left, it became associated with the legends/religion/etc that grew up around them. Most extant references on modern Cybertron are from religious relics, texts, and so on that were either hoarded by one side or the other OR lost and hidden away from most of combat, unearthed by science teams looking for other things. ---pictographic writing system -After the KoC leave, the Thirteen Primes rise to power, etc etc. Each of the Tribes develops its own language within its borders, obviously with some drift and loaning leaking in around the edges. ---writing becomes more generally abstracted, symbols and characters start to replace detailed pictographs -Priman (or whatever the followers of Prima spoke) became Novix under Nova Prime, eventually became Neocybex ---characters are further simplified, Neocybex runs on an alphabet rather than a massive library of one-symbol words -Descendants of the other 12 Primal languages survive in the colonies the other Primes/metrotitans founded; the occasional cognates (heh... COGnates...) remain between them, but by and large there's a bunch of translation issues involved whenever another ex-cybertronian colony gets rediscovered. -"universal translator" gadgets exist within the galactic council. These are about as useful as Google translate.
Reading the rp planning keeps making me want to make myself a transformers OC except the only bit of detail my brain will come up with is that apparently he spent some time on earth, because he wears a bandanna that used to be a sailing ship's sail.
@emythos Hahaha thank you. xP My brain also provides him being told 'you're gonna get that tangled in yourself when you transform one day' and him being like 'nah' and then at some very important moment actually doing just that and seriously hurting himself
@PRelations I am concerned that he might get on worryingly well with your Swiftwing actually. As a sort of enthusiastic hanger-on.
@PRelations HEY THIS GUY HAS COOL IDEAS AND IS COOL-LOOKING AND FUN AND I HAVE NO COMMON SENSE WE SHOULD HANG OUT EDIT: self his name cannot be Jetski
I kind of want to have not-Jetski be part of the TEAM crew now just because him and Swiftwing hanging out is an a+ idea.
Swiftwing: This is my friend!! He's way better than ALL MY OTHER FRIENDS and I like him a lot. Someone: So what's he like? Swiftwing: I don't know but he likes me and we can all agree that's the important thing here.
