(OT)Transformers

[Wikidogre]

Ok, with the recent release of poly, with Mecha d20 rules, and Noonan refering to Transformers, i am interested to know, are Transformers true sentiant beings, can they grow, do they have souls, I know they can die.....well get really messed up and shut down, like Optimus prime did. But what i really want to know is how are they created.........I guess this seems like silly questions, but oh well. So you transformers buffs out thier, any info would be cool, and or web sites!

*Just for referance, i ask these questions, based off of Optimus Primes famous quote; "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings."


thnx ahead of time

Peace

 

[Teflon Billy]

I don't really have any comments to add here, but I just wanted to say that I was the first 13 year old in my crew to figure out that Starscream had the exact same voice as Cobra Commander.

Thank you, thank you...you are too kind ...*takes a bow*

think of this as a bump I guess.

 

[Jeremy Ackerman-Yost]

bwtf.com is mostly about the toys, but it does have a history section.

From an article there:

The role of the Matrix grew into a sentient entity formed from the combination of Transformers Sparks in Beast Machines. There, Optimus Primal explained that the Matrix let Sparks out as Transformers so that they can learn and grow to return to the Matrix, thus adding to its strength and knowledge.

There's some other history and what not there, but I really haven't looked around very much.

 

[Tonguez]

Yes the Transformers are living beings.

The Transformers were originally created by a super advanced race (Quintessons iirc) as robotic slaves - Autobots as Workers and Decepticons as Military.

However the Matrix of Leadership was able to give the transformers life by imbuing each of them with a spark of its own essence.

When Megatron created the stunticons they were lifeless droids which could only be run by remote control), he returned to Cybertron and used the Matrix to give the Stunticons life.

Now Cybertron was once an organic planet but was transformed by the Quentessons into a gigantic factory. Before this happened a being named Primus merged himself with the planet - it is possible that the Matrix is the Essence of Primus and thus the whole planet. Each new Autobot gains part of this essence and as they mature and learn the Matrix grows and learns.
We also know that when a Transformer dies its essences returns to the Matrix and that each Autobot Leader is chosen to hold the Matrix (thats how Rodimus Prime came to be)

 

[Wikidogre]

Ok,,,i understand now, but one thing, the autobots and decepticons, are they created by others, simply i ansewer myself(how do robots reproduce), but i want a clarification, just incase thier is some zany way transformers can "naturally" reproduce.


thanks alot!

 

[Jeremy Ackerman-Yost]

"Natural" Reproduction was never addressed. The only reproduction that ever took place on screen occured when they made the Stunticons and Aerialbots using the Oracle on Cybertron. At that time, there were only male transformers running around. They added females later, and then never again got around to addressing reproduction.

Of course, I would posit that there's no reason to have gendered robots unless there's the possibility of reproduction. Especially considering that several characters have shown evidence of relationship-ish behaviors since they added female characters.

Of course, this is a cartoon...

btw- Doesn't sound like you're familiar with Beast Wars. If you want to see a GREAT transformer death scene, you have to see the Beast Wars episode "Code of Hero." Stunning. Unfortunately, while I'm sure BW episodes are available on line somewhere (what isn't?) I haven't a clue where to find them.

 

[Tonguez]

Yeah it was never really addressed as to whether female transformers were different to males in anyway other than chasis model

However a possibility that does exisit is energy transfer.
Temporary transfer of a Transformers 'energy/essence' to another host has been achieved in the past and this gives rise to the possibility that Transformers are able to permanently transfer part of their essence to new host bodies as well.

Perhaps females are designed as conduits of this essence - a male transfers part of his essence to a receptor chamber in the female where it is processed and then channeled on to the new juvinile host-body effectively creating a child.

As to construction of host bodies I can't imagine a system for the 'organic' reporduction of such bodies other than by building them...

 

[Whodat]

Hmm… Let me start this off with a big IMO.

I agree that the Transformers are sentient creations, but sentience alone does not qualify them as living beings. “Sentient” simply means that they are self-aware, not controlled like mindless automatons in a factory.

Look to other Sci-Fi venues to see what I mean:

Mr. Data from ST:TNG is an artificial construct, yet he is self-aware.

R2-D2 and C-3PO are artificial constructs, yet are self-aware.

Mr. Data and the droids from Star Wars are sentient. They are not, however, alive. They do not reproduce. They do not grow. They were created. They are not alive in the "traditional" sense.

Transformers…same thing.

 

[Whodat]

Given the extreme difference in sizes – especially the larger Transformers like Optimus, I cannot imagine that the diminutive females have anything to do with reproduction. In fact, I believe BumbleBee was larger than Arcee (the female Autobot from the movie).

My theory: If the Autobots were supposed to be workers and The Decepticons military, perhaps the females were factory assembly workers. They were responsible for assembling new models. Since they are classified as “workers” this would explain why so many of them are Autobots.
Working around that machinery in a crowded factory might also explain why they are so small.

 

[Jeremy Ackerman-Yost]

Hmm… Let me start this off with a big IMO.

I agree that the Transformers are sentient creations, but sentience alone does not qualify them as living beings. “Sentient” simply means that they are self-aware, not controlled like mindless automatons in a factory.

Look to other Sci-Fi venues to see what I mean:

Mr. Data from ST:TNG is an artificial construct, yet he is self-aware.

R2-D2 and C-3PO are artificial constructs, yet are self-aware.

Mr. Data and the droids from Star Wars are sentient. They are not, however, alive. They do not reproduce. They do not grow. They were created. They are not alive in the "traditional" sense.

Transformers…same thing.

But, ever since Transformers: The Movie, they injected quite a bit of mysticism to the shows, including the existence of sparks, or souls. If they are self-aware, and they have souls, that suggests that they are alive in every sense that matters. Of course, for all of me, so was Data, whether he had a soul or not. And, if you want to be a stickler about it, we've seen both the Transformers and Data reproduce. Data's "daughter" didn't last that long, but she was another self-aware creature derived from Data himself, so I think it counts.