A Cybertronian with the ability to turn into literally anything, regardless of logic (Laserbeak).

Leaserbeak SPEAKING ENGLISH.

 

Yep, as seen above, the tapes COULD speak in some other continuities, such as the comics (where Ravage speaks as well).

As for Laserbeak, I think I addressed the "trans-scanning" thing earlier as a new and really interesting concept, but in this case, it felt more like Laserbeak was a multi-changer like 6-shot, relying heavily on a library of alt-modes talked about in some of the supplementary material. Still, it was an interesting take on the infiltration aspect of the character.

 

Human allies with Decepticons (that weren't Supervillains) and a traitorous Sentinel Prime.

I had always wanted these thing for a while.

Bayverse did have some good ideas too bad they were executed poorly.

 

We addressed this stuff earlier, in that the Decepticons had used human collaborators in the past (such as Donnie Finkelberg), and that Sentinel's betrayal was a new idea (while him being a jerk is rooted in the past), but yeah, I agree with you, the films, for the most part, seemed to execute many of their ideas poorly.

The question of where to lie the blame, with the writers, directors, etc. is a tough one, though I wonder more what happened between the first and second film so as to result in such a profound shift in the plot structure (as DOTM structurally was so similar to ROTF). I suppose its a moot point to try and lay blame, however, and we can just try to analyze the finished product.

 

This.

 

is that real?

 

In that is it a real image? Yep, its the cover of the Marvel G1 series from the US, issue #58.

 

What about Megatron having a shotgun?

 

Hmm... Well, Megatron is certainly more known for having massive beam cannons or shell cannons or missile launchers or swords...

Reverse Convoy / Robot Masters Megatron had a battery of multiple missiles that fired out in a spray Macross-style, and he was pretending to be a Convoy like Optimus Prime (which sort of ties into DOTM Megatron being a truck like Optimus). They called it his "Reverse Blaster"

Reverse Convoy - Transformers Wiki

Megatron could use a shotgun in War For Cybertron, but it wasn't explicitly stated in his toy bio.

Cybertron/Galaxy Force Megatron also had a Gatling Gun, but that's not really the same thing, though it looks somewhat similar to DOTM Megatron's gun.



Interestingly enough though, the gun on DOTM Megatron's toy is referred to as a Fusion Cannon (which is basically the quintessentially Megatron weapon), and the Sawed-Off in the movie is generally considered to be a reference to the Mad Max franchise, along with Megatron's "beaten up oil tanker" form. So that's something as well, I guess.

 

I think the concept of Megatron becoming rusty [in the literal sense of the word] may be new.

 

Oh my no.

I've talked several times about how DOTM would have been a great chance to really showcase Megatron as a "fallen leader" having to come to terms with not being at the top of the heap, and I really wish they'd have done more in terms of that kind of character development. I say it hasn't been done MUCH, but it has been done before, in the marvel G1 comics (I swear, there's something for everyone in them).

Megatron fought the Predacons mad with grief (?) (maybe just crazy) over the death of Optimus Prime, eventually blowing himself up in the space bridge (leaders sure did kill themselves a lot in that comic). Anyway, he disappears for like 2 years, and when he shows up again, he tells Ratchet about how he was shambling around the slums of Cybertron, insane and heavily damaged, missing half his face and covered in rust and grime, just like DOTM Megatron!

http://boltax.blogspot.com/2010/06/review-marvel-g1-57-resurrection-gambit.html

 

No, no, I mean visually, as in, literally his metal rusting and he starting to crumble.

 

Like I said, this Megatron in the comics was missing half his face and had rust and grime all over him. When metal rusts, its crumbles. I wish I had a picture to show you, but I couldn't find one.

 

Are you thinking of when Richard Branson pulled Megs and Centurian out of a load of water? They were frozen in battle and there was a lot of crud on them which could be rust.

 

No, but that's another instance. Im thinking of when he comes back and

Spoiler

forces ratchet to rebuild Starscream as a pretender

and he's telling Ratchet his "why Im not actually dead" story.

 

Your situation sounds more like "having rust OVER him" than "rusting away"

 

Well, he was more or less rusting away until he regained his memories and told the stunticons to help him get repaired in the one situation, and rusting away deactivated in the second situation until he was reactivated.

Was Megatron actually rusting away to death in DOTM, or was he just in poor shape and unable to really repair himself due to giving his resources to the hatchlings?

 

The movie never specified, I always assumed to be both.

 

Was it ever explicitly stated that Megatron was dying (and knew he was dying?), other than after his... altercation with Optimus? Because that would have been a really interesting place to take the character (not that they really did), and I think it would have been a completely new direction for Megatron.