Recently, I introduced a friend of mine to TAAO (RIP; the series, not the friend) and I mentioned that one of the colony planets in it were Transformers that all turned into animals. My friend idly wondered, "If Optimus Prime turned into an animal, what would he turn into?" That got us talking about redesigning the IDW cast so they all had beast modes. (Characters with beast modes keep their beast modes). We looked at the character's personalities, as well as their original forms.

We're actually thinking about making an AU fic based on this; would you like to help us fill in the gaps? All the blanks were where we ran out of ideas.

Optimus Prime – Lion. This was the most obvious one; the lion is the king of beasts and all that.
Prowl –
Ironhide – A rhino. I just had this image in my head of Ironhide turning into a rhino; it just fit the character incredibly well.
Jazz –
Bumblebee –
Ratchet –
Sideswipe – Presumably a stag, to match his brother; however, of a smaller species of deer (maybe a fallow deer), to show his resentfulness (initially) about being in his brother's shadow.
Sunstreaker – My friend suggested a stag red deer. Stags are often portrayed as majestic and brave, but also prideful; much like Sunstreaker.
Wheeljack –
Arcee - A spotted hyena. Spotted hyenas are very powerful, aggressive predators (which fits Arcee's personality very well), are female-dominated and (my friend pointed this out) were once thought to be hermaphrodites; which fits Arcee's origin very well.

Lost Light Crew
Rodimus -
Ultra Magnus -
Drift -
Chromedome - Some kind of snake (possibly a python). This is because Chromedome is a mnemosurgeon and snakes have always been associated with hypnosis.
Rewind - A burrowing owl; because owls are supposed to be all-observing and all-knowing. Rewind is an archivist who records everything he sees.
Brainstorm -
Perceptor -
Tailgate -
Cyclonus - Either a Utahraptor or a wolf; both are badass, rugged-looking predators, like Cyclonus.
Whirl -
Skids -
Trailcutter -
Riptide -
Nightbeat -
Getaway -
Nautica -
Anode -
Lug -

Wreckers
Impactor -
Springer -
Kup -
Topspin -
Twin Twist -
Pyro -
Rotorstorm - My friend suggested a peregrine falcon for Rotorstorm. Rotorstorm is a very skilled aerial combatant; peregrine falcons are the fastest recorded birds and are deadly aerial predators (they kill their prey on the wing).
Ironfist -
Guzzle -

Decepticons

Megatron – Dragon. The reason why is a dragon is an incredibly large, intimidating beast mode, which would fit Megatron (even after he turns good) very, very well.
Starscream – Pterosaur (possibly a Quetzalcoatlus, to differentiate from Swoop)
Skywarp – Same pterosaur as Starscream
Thundercracker – Same pterosaur as Starscream
Soundwave –
Shockwave –

Constructicons - I had the idea for an ant/termite theme with them (due to the fact that ants and termites build structures)

Combaticons - (I wanted a theme for them, but I couldn't think of one)
Onslaught –
Brawl –
Blast Off –
Vortex –
Swindle –

Decepticon Justice Division (wanted a theme for the DJD, but couldn't think of one)
Tarn –
Kaon – I don’t know why, but I had an idea, somewhere in my head, about Kaon turning into a gigantic snake (possibly a cobra).
Vos –
Helex –
Tesaurus –

Colonies (with the exception of Eukaris, obviously. I wanted a theme for all of them in their beast modes, but my friend and I couldn't think of one)

Velocitron
Knock Out -
Moonracer -

Carcer
Elita One -
Obsidian -
Strika -

Devisun
Vanquish -
Fireshot -

Caminus
Windblade -
Chromia -
Mistress of Flame -

Do you have any ideas for the rest or for beast modes for any characters we left out?

 

Mirage a fox
Hound an Irish Wolfhound
Moonracer Gazelle
Knock Out a peacock
Trailbreaker a black bear

 

Oh wow, that's super cool!

I know I'm certainly not the most frequent poster here, but if you'd like to hear them, I have some suggestions that I think might work? (They're pretty obvious, though, so I don't know how useful they are.)

Prowl- very cliché, but a German Shepard. To be honest, Prowl is the perfect canine: he's obsessive, loyal, and sharp. Plus cop dog.
Jazz- maybe a leopard? Flashy but powerful, and its flashy nature actually helps it blend in.
Wheeljack- Troodon, chimpanzee or squirrel. A troodon was one of the smartest dinosaurs around, and they have a vibe of being fast and agile (and you know Wheeljack would love being a dinosaur.) Chimpanzees are builders and tool users, and Wheeljack certainly "monkeys around". Squirrels are quick, playful, and generally seen as clever, plus Wheeljack is known for his agility in alternate mode anyway.

Lost Light Autobots
Rodimus- I like a phoenix, actually. Even though it's a mythical creature, who else but Rodimus would choose an animal which regularly bursts into flames? Plus Rodimus has a theme of death/rebirth and redemption in general.
Ultra Magnus- what about a massive dinosaur, like a Brachiosaurus? Ultra Magnus is powerful and mighty, but he often seems behind the times and stuck in his ways? Something powerful and ancient seems appropriate. If you think that sort of steps on Sludge's toes, an elephant might also work.
Perceptor- this might be odd, but maybe a dog-faced baboon? In Egyptian mythology, baboons were associated with the god of wisdom and science, Thoth, and served as his scribes. They often showed up in work where Thoth was depicted as the god of measurement (e.g. measuring the water levels of the Nile), an aspect very appropriate to the cautious Perceptor. In addition, monkeys in general have an inquisitive vibe that sort of gels with Perceptor's curiosity. and Perceptor is certainly very limber and agile-- he snipes people while hanging by his legs, for goodness sakes.
Brainstorm- for a nice contrast, maybe an African sacred ibis? Ibises were the other animal associated with Thoth, and their curved beaks and slender build really visually resemble Brainstorm's weird jet mode. There's a nice parallel to Perceptor there, with them representing the two sides of intellect and science.
Nautica- this is pretty cliché, but maybe some sort of dolphin? They're generally perceived as sociable, friendly, and communicative, and they're one of the smartest animals on the planet. Plus they keep the aquatic theme, and they're sort of shaped like hovercrafts anyway. (Of course, most dolphins are assholes, so idk, but the symbolism is still there.) I also like an octopus for Nautica, because they're also really really smart and creative, and they also keep the sea theme. Plus you can make them purple because they change colors.

Decepticons
Shockwave- if you don't do octopus for Nautica, I think it would suit Shockwave very well. A shark might also work in the sense that Shockwave is independent, goal focused, and relentless.

That's all I have for now, but I think I could definitely come up with more later (though again, these are really cliché, so I don't know how well they work.)

 

Ultra Magnus- an elephant. Minimus Ambus is an oxpecker on its shoulder.
Drift - a Fox for their connection to japanese mythology.

 

These are all really great, guys! Keep them coming!

Don't worry, any suggestion is a good one.

1. This is pretty good; it also serves as a contrast for Optimus Prime; Prowl is obsessive, loyal and sharp (typically canine traits), whilst Optimus Prime is brave, majestic and noble (traits often attributed to lions in fiction).
2. Jazz as a leopard would work because, as you said, it's flashy but powerful (leopard spots are a very striking pattern). Also it works because of Jazz's name; jazz slang for a stylish or admirable person was a "cool cat".
3. A Troodon would work because it was a very intelligent dinosaur and was quite fast (which fits Wheeljack's altmode; a fast car). A chimp would also work because chimps are highly intelligent and dextrous animals that have even been known to use tools; perfect for an inventor like Wheeljack. I don't know about the squirrel, though.

1. Given Megatron turns into a dragon, a phoenix for Rodimus isn't really a stretch of the imagination.
2. I think an elephant would work for UM. Elephants are powerful and mighty creatures that can live for a very long time (comparatively); they are also often portrayed as honourable and stoic (just like UM).
3. I like the Egyptian mythology reference, and a baboon would work as an altmode for Perceptor, given monkeys are very intelligent creatures. The agility that baboons also have also works for Perceptor as a sniper.
4. That would fit their contrasting personalities; Brainstorm and Perceptor are the two sides of intelligence. Also, Brainstorm's jet mode does resemble a bird's head and beak.
5. An octopus would actually be great for Nautica; octopi are really intelligent creatures (like Nautica). Also, Nautica's altmode is spaceworthy over short distances (even though it's a hovercraft); certain kinds of octopus can move on land over short distances.

I did have an idea for Shockwave as a spider (given he spends a lot of time making intricate plots, like a spider making its web), but I realised that (since Tarantulas exists in this AU) it might be confusing. A shark works pretty well for Shockwave; sharks are focused, patient and relentless creatures (great whites hunt by ambushing their prey, seriously injuring it and then following it until it dies). This'd fit patient, long-range plotter Shockwave pretty well.

Again, any idea is a good one. Yours are interesting and I'd love to see more!

 

I mean, clearly the Need for speed means Cheetahs, Gazelles, Falcons and the like.

As for some stray thoughts:

Cyclonus: Wolf. more a direwolf than a modern wolf.

Stunticons: Mostly solo hunters.
Motormaster is a bear
Wildrider is a Hyena
Dragstrip is a cheetah
Breakdown is a Coyote
Dead End is a Wolf
Offroad is also a wolf.
Menasor is a horrific merging of spare animal parts and too many teeth.

The Combaticons are war beast and attack animals.
Onslaught is an elephant
Brawl is a Boar.
Vortex is a Warhorse
Swindle is a dog.
Blast off is, weirdly a Dolphin. because those were actually trained and the Russians apparently built guns for them.

Bruticus is a horrific beast, snorting, biting, stabbing and ....dolphining.

The Aerial bots are obviously birds.

Defensor is a mess of rescue animals
Hot Spot is the classic St. Bernard
Blades is a pigeon. A gigantic pigeon.
Groove is probably a dog of some sort. like a therapy type-dog or something like a golden retriever.
Streetwise is a German Shepard.
First Aid is probably a horse as well.
Rook is probably a hearty beast of Burden, or another police dog. Probably a Lab.

Defensor is a massive noble beast of rescue.

 

Shouldn't Cyclonus be something that can fly?

 

Maybe?

I sort of like Cyclonus as some noble animal from a bygone era, and there's not a lot of flying things.

Unless he's like a Haast eagle or something.

 

Ideally, yes. However, my friend and I liked the idea of Cyclonus being a noble warrior from a bygone era and we wanted an animal that would fit that; there's not a lot of flying things that fit that category (unless, of course, as the above poster said, he turns into a Haast eagle).

 

Bumblebee should turn into... well... a bee.
Prowl should be an owl. Prowl.

 

Plus, on the second point, a character named Prowl in the Beast Wars toyline turned into an owl.

 

DJD as weird deep sea creatures:

Vos as a pistol shrimp.
Tesarus as a Gulper eel.
Kaon as an anglerfish. Shoots lightning from the lure.
Helex as a giant squid. Head is the heating chamber.
Tarn as a goblin shark.

I feel I'm stretching for Tarn, but the others feel right.

 

Nautica as an otter.

 

Anode should be something that steal things. I would put down a possum or even a racoon. AS for Lug I would a sloth.
WheelJack could be a beaver.
Getaway I would put him down as weasel
Skids A Ferret

 

Rodimus as a lion (like Lio Convoy), Getaway as a rat (you know why), Atomizer as an eagle (he has a bow and arrow, I'm trying to draw parallels with the Assassin's creed games), Ultra Magnus as a Mammoth (it suits him), Tailgate as a monkey (just look at him jumping and climbing all around).

 

Imagining the intro to a cartoon where all the characters are robots that turn into owls.

Owlbots wage their battle to destroy the evil forces of... the Deceptowlcons.

 

Fulcrum - Camponotus saundersi (A species of Carpenter Ant where the workers can blow themselves up in an act of defense)

 

perceptor-orangutan
rodimus-pheonix
UM-mamoth(duh)

 

Lost light crew

Rodimus: a Phoenix or a Pegasus or something. Just something that does NOT provide any disguise at all. And is just super duper flashy
Ultra Magnus: something large and powerful. A Mammoth or Elephant or something. His original form is a car carrier truck something other animals ride on would work (birds riding on/grooming an elephant?)
Drift: I feel a Japanese Yokai(folk legend/ spirit) would work for Drift. So perhaps a kamaitachi, otherwise known as a Sickle Weasel fabled to arrive on whirlwinds and cut people with their sickle like claws
Tailgate: I'm tempted to say a Leemur, don't know why or maybe a sugar glider. Or a bunny
Cyclonus: a bat of some kind
Whirl: a vulture. An ugly predatory bird
Rewind: I like someone's earlier suggestion of an owl to mimic the fact he's always watching/recording. Alternatively like with Taulgate, some kind of small woodland creature, like a squirrel or chipmunk
Chromedome: I feel tempted to say a Lynx, moslty because the shape of their ears reminds me of Chrimedome's
head. Plus cats have retractable claws, which works with Domey's needles
Swerve: capybara. No particular reason why. Just feels like a good fit. A meerkat could also work
Pipes: another small woodland creature. Or maybe a small dog
Trailbreaker: an elephant or a steer or some other kind of large animal known for drinking a lot of water. I was initially going to say a turtle or armordilo to reference his forcefield abilities. But he's meant to be an outlier so there shouldn't really be a hint to his ability in his beast mode
Fort Max: braciosaur or something else huge and powerful
Perceptor: i like the suggestion of making Percy a simian of some kind
Brainstorm: I can't think of anything. So again I'll just echo the previous suggestion of a Ibis
Skids: a wolf. Moslty because I haven't used one yet and can't think of anything better
Rung: this is a hard one. Most likely some kind of mammal. Maybe an orangutan to keep his orange colour?
Red Alert: a deer, or something else that's easily frightened
Getaway: rat, snake, skunk, weasel, drop tail lizard
Nightbeat: some kind of canine. Maybe a hunting dog or something so he can sniff out clues
Riptide: shark
Nautica: a manta ray, it has a similar shape to her vehicle mode and maintains her aquatic theme
Megatron: he'd need to be something big, imposing and powerful. maybe a Rhino?
Anode: a magpie she maintains her ability to fly. Plus magpie are known to steal things (similar to Filch from the RiD cartoon)
Lug: a joey (baby kangaroo) or some other creature that rides on their parent's back or in their pouch or something (yes I know anode and lug are a couple not mother and daughter, but Lug is also Anode's backpack so I wanted to represent that somehow)

 

Optimus Prime - Tyrannosaurus
Bumblebee - Protoceratops
Windblade - Archaeopteryx
Ironhide - Ankylosaurus