Thoughts on Age and Experience

[Nachtsider]

We all know that Optimus' team of Autobots were initially a bunch of untried rookies - a lowly space bridge repair team - with the exception of Ratchet, who's a aged veteran of the Great War. We also know the following facts:

(a) Arcee, Megatron, Ultra Magnus and Lockdown are akin to Ratchet in that regard.

(b) Optimus, Elita and Sentinel are of the same generation and were in the same cadet school.

(c) Elita (as Blackarachnia) definitely hooked up with the Decepticons long after the Great War was over.

(d) Oil Slick trained with Prowl, and it's possible that both characters also trained with Jazz.

(e) Bumblebee, Bulkhead, Ironhide and Wasp enlisted together, long after the end of the Great War, and trained under Sentinel.

But what about the other characters? What about Megatron's regular crew - Starscream, Blitzwing and Lugnut? Swindle? Blurr? Shockwave? Of what generation are they, how long have they served their respective factions, and what of their experience?

[Lockdown]

We all know that Optimus' team of Autobots were initially a bunch of untried rookies - a lowly space bridge repair team - with the exception of Ratchet, who's a aged veteran of the Great War. We also know the following facts:

(a) Arcee, Megatron, Ultra Magnus and Lockdown are akin to Ratchet in that regard.

(b) Optimus, Elita and Sentinel are of the same generation and were in the same cadet school.

(c) Elita (as Blackarachnia) definitely hooked up with the Decepticons long after the Great War was over.

(d) Oil Slick trained with Prowl, and it's possible that both characters also trained with Jazz.

(e) Bumblebee, Bulkhead, Ironhide and Wasp enlisted together, long after the end of the Great War, and trained under Sentinel.

But what about the other characters? What about Megatron's regular crew - Starscream, Blitzwing and Lugnut? Swindle? Blurr? Shockwave? Of what generation are they, how long have they served their respective factions, and what of their experience?


Its never really been made clear how long between the great war and the 'current generation' that didnt serve in the war.

The impression I got was that Prowl and Jazz didnt know each other based on their interaction in the episodes that Jazz appeared so its unlikely they trained togethor.

Ratchet recognized Starscream when he first appeared in the show and since Ratchet would be unlikely to recognize a 'newer' Decepticon I think its safe to say that SS was a participant in the great war indeed Id say its a safe bet that the majority of Decepticons are great war vets with the occasional trinkle of Autobot traitors defecting.

[Legless Pete]

I'd also venture to say Swindle is around the same age as Lockdown, since he knows both Megs and Lockdown and megs had to be buying from him for a while to be his favorite customer.

[Julliant]

I think Starscream is young by Decepticon standards. He said so himself, and the achievements (2nd in command) he's made in his time is probably the reason why he's become so egoistical.

[knook]

We all know that Optimus' team of Autobots were initially a bunch of untried rookies - a lowly space bridge repair team - with the exception of Ratchet, who's a aged veteran of the Great War. We also know the following facts:

(a) Arcee, Megatron, Ultra Magnus and Lockdown are akin to Ratchet in that regard.

(b) Optimus, Elita and Sentinel are of the same generation and were in the same cadet school.

(c) Elita (as Blackarachnia) definitely hooked up with the Decepticons long after the Great War was over.

(d) Oil Slick trained with Prowl, and it's possible that both characters also trained with Jazz.

(e) Bumblebee, Bulkhead, Ironhide and Wasp enlisted together, long after the end of the Great War, and trained under Sentinel.

But what about the other characters? What about Megatron's regular crew - Starscream, Blitzwing and Lugnut? Swindle? Blurr? Shockwave? Of what generation are they, how long have they served their respective factions, and what of their experience?
Swindle is a bounty hunter - like Lockdown
Shockwave/Longarm Prime - Enlisted in the Elite Guard program with Bumblebee, Bulkhead, Ironhide and Wasp. He succeeded and became Prime of tele-communications, He was always a double agent on the side of the Decepticons but framed the Autobot wasp for the crime, Wasp escaped from Autobot captivity and soon went crazy vowing to get revenge on Bumblebee for turning him in [although wrongly accused] to the Elite Guard

There, if that helps :D

[SPLIT LIP]

Swindle isn't really a Bounty Hunter. He sells weapons, not hunts people. He is (by his account) just on good terms with Lockdown. (Unsurprising. Their two careers are bound to overlap more than once in a while)

[knook]

Swindle isn't really a Bounty Hunter. He sells weapons, not hunts people. He is (by his account) just on good terms with Lockdown. (Unsurprising. Their two careers are bound to overlap more than once in a while)
I meant weapons dealer but was about to mention his association with Lockdown and got confused :p

[Nachtsider]

Bump.

For some reason, I view Lugnut, Blitzwing and Starscream as being perhaps slightly older than Blackarachnia, Optimus and Sentinel - recruits who joined the ranks of the Decepticons only after the Great War, but took part in many a post-war border skirmish or ambush against the Autobots and proved themselves there. The same strikes me in the case of Blurr and Jazz where the Autobots are concerned. Ratchet's 'recognizing' Starscream in 'Transform and Roll Out, Part Three' could merely mean that he picked up a Decepticon energy signal emanating from Starscream.

Shockwave I find more hard to pin down. The fact that he infiltrated Autoboot Camp as the relatively young Longarm seems to indicate that he's pretty much like the aforementioned three Decepticons, although it can be argued that he disguised his true age as well.

Swindle and Lockdown, on the other hand, are definitely old hands in my book. They strike me as being of Ratchet, Megatron and Ultra Magnus' age group.

Just my thoughts. Time will tell as to whether I'm wrong, I guess.

[SPLIT LIP]

Shockwave sounds older to me. Not as old as Megs, but older than Starscream, Lugnut and Blitzwing. Though those guys must've been with Megs for a loooong time in order to be his crew. Though I've always seen every Starscream as the young upstart. (except movie Starscream, who seems a little more battle-hardened but equally skilled)

[shroobmaster]

Weeeeeeell if you go by the voices, I'm pretty sure the youngest Decepticons are Blitzwing, BA and Starscream, all the rest sound like the cybertronian version of 40 years old or older.

[Boy who screams]

...If you go by the voices, SS is like a 5yr old in every continuity...

[Autobot Blitz]

Part of me wants to say that Blitzwing and Starscream joined Megatron's crew around the same time, but that's probably only because jets (well...not entirely, in Blitzwing's case) seem to travel in packs in the TF universe. However, Starscream does seem like he's really young compared to the Decepticon crew, so I don't think he joined up a long time ago or anything.

Blitzwing appears to be around the same age as Blackarachnia, though guessing from his voice I'd say he's a little older. Once again, there's a part of me that wants to say that Blitzwing and Starscream joined up around the same time; neither of them seem to respect Megatron (though Starscream more than Blitzwing, obviously) as much as an older recruit would.

Lugnut...phft, well, I think it's pretty safe to say that he's the oldest of the Decepticons. That kind of loyalty doesn't grow overnight, after all, and he looks chunkier than the rest of them, which makes me think he's an older model.

I'd guess that Swindle, though technically not part of Meg's crew, is just as old (if not older) than Lugnut. As others have said before, he and Lockdown appear to be around the same age, and the bounty hunter is pretty old (honestly, what young guy would use the term 'kid' to describe Prowl? XD).

Blurr (*cries* I'm on my own on this one! XD) seems to be only a little older than Bumblebee. My guess is that he was in a group of cadets similiar to Bumbleebee and Bulkhead's just a year or two before them. I wish I could use the fact that none of the Autobots knew who he was as a bit of proof, but I don't think I can. Intelligence bots are sneaky. :sly2:

Shockwave/Longarm Prime is tricky, considering his ability to 'shapeshift'. It's easy to assume that he's the same age as Bumblebee, Bulkhead, and Ironhide since we saw them training together, but something about him makes me doubt that. Meg said that his plan had been in motion for years; perhaps that includes the time he spent training Shockwave up before sending him to the Autobots.

[Nocturn]

Okay then....

I think Blitzwing and Lugnut are both pretty old, considering the loyalty to Megatron, and the utter disrespect those two have for each other. Shockwave too, as Megatron seems to trust him more than anyone else.

Starscream seems considerably younger, about the same age as Optimus.

I'd say Jazz is somewhere between the age of Prowl and Optimus. Blurr's seems to be in there too.

Prowl, I'd like to believe is rather young, but very mature.

Swindle and Lockdown are both probably older than Optimus.

I'd say "Cliffjumper" Is as old as Sentinel and Optimus.

And of course, the "allspark" bots are all the youngest.

[Squints]

Shockwave/Longarm Prime is tricky, considering his ability to 'shapeshift'. It's easy to assume that he's the same age as Bumblebee, Bulkhead, and Ironhide since we saw them training together, but something about him makes me doubt that. Meg said that his plan had been in motion for years; perhaps that includes the time he spent training Shockwave up before sending him to the Autobots.

One important thing to take into account with Shockwave is that Longarm is entirely a manufactured persona. The face, the voice, even the body to an extent, are all completely different from the "real" Shockwave. Based on Longarm, one might guess he's about the same age as Bumblebee, Bulkhead, and the other recruits, but based on Shockwave, it's clear he's old and experienced. (Keep in mind that, courtesy of Corey Burton, Animated Shockwave has just about the same voice as Sark and the MCP in Kingdom Hearts 2. I realize that's not a very good comparison if you're not familiar with Tron (or KH2))