I'm in agreement with darkspellmaster and JoeHavok so I won't quote them or repeat their points. I will say that what's happening to Megatron (I almost wrote Magneto there), had to happen in order to make him a "real" character.

The "rehabilitation" of Megatron's character started with Megatron Origin and was further expanded when Roberts and Costa further explained the different causes for the war. It went from "G1 Megatron is a genocidal universe conquering tyrant" to "leader in a civil war that stemmed from issues of class, disenfranchisement, oppression and liberty." Megatron could no longer be the evil one-dimensional villain because the Cybertronian civil war suddenly became a very complex issue.

Megatron's character could also not function in the settings that Roberts and Costa have created in their books. If you look at what Roberts and Costa have been doing in their books you can see they work very hard at making very relatable characters. It's why MTMTE is so successful-- the characters are very relatable and you become invested in them. A one dimensional villain would not work in that book.

So, IMO, you have to sort of "hand-wave" Megatron's past or at least retcon it. I personally enjoyed All Hail Megatron but that Megatron was a complete villain and a totally different character then what we got in Dark Cybertron and MTMTE. It's kind of hard to reconcile this change. The character was a crazy genocidal villain-- that's getting tossed out and the history attached to that may or may not be retconned.

 

Actually, it´s Whirl´s fault.

And for a "charade", the Yes vote is beating the No vote so hard it´s not even funny. To quote Yahtzee:

Sometimes, things are popular for a reason."

 

Even through he has been depowered and a captive, I'm sure Megatron is slowly working on a plan to return to his former strength. Ravage has secretly delivered one of Brainstorm's briefcases to him. Thats bound to be a plot point later.

The thing to know about Megatron is that he lies. He lies to Starscream. He lies to the Autobots and he lies to himself. He may well truthfully believe what he thinks he believes about himself right now, but it will be undone sooner or later.

 

Keep him as co-captain, what's the worst that could happen?

I would say Rodimus has a higher chance of getting everyone killed but then again Optimus Primes optimistic ways has put the whole crews life on the line based on Megatrons word and trust for what either of those are worth as all counter measures against Megatron are metaphorically paper chains.

 

I'm not sure if anyone on The Lost Light is aware or not of that. If they are, i'm surprised they aren't more pissed at Whirl.

Man that would be sad.

 

I would imagine that Megatron would return to his uh greatness. I think Megatron is not lying to the Autobots not being completely honest with them. I don't think it would be easy for Megatron return the Decepticons but becoming a neutral is more likely.

He may be a prisoner but I get the feeling they need each other. They may hate that fact....Megatron makes Lost Light a bit more interesting.

 

Yeah, I don't think Megatron is being dishonest. The way he's been written recently conveys that he's genuine about his intentions.

If his original intention for participating in the civil war was to upend the power structure in Cybertron, didn't that happen? His mission is over.

My memory is fuzzy but was "modern" Megatron also interested in conquering the universe in order to protect Cybertronians from organics? I guess that mission is still unresolved.

I guess he could return to "villainy" if he thought current Cybertronian leadership was failing at protecting the population from organics.

 

And I think a lot of you are forgetting the Decepticon method of operation for millions of years: the six phase infiltration plan, carried out under Megatron's leadership. Infiltrate a planet, destabilize it, strip it of resources, then bring in a phase-sixer and commit genocide on the inhabitants. Megatron is guilty of monstrous crimes that are in no way mitigated by the crimes of others.

 

And that's why he used a legal loophole to turn things to his favour, at a time when for the autobot establishment being law abiding was key. The LL crew can't just LYNCH him, he's under legal protection of delayed sentence, and if anything happened to him the neutrals would see it as Autobot tyranny. Megatron's certainly expected to be attacked (Whirl said he was waiting to be attacked) but most won't because they've been ordered not to. Hell, people CONSTANTLY remind him they hate him and Rewind tried to MURDER him. And in the process killed an innocent person.

As for will he switch back, I hope not. He's FINALLY settled into a character. The Roberts/Roche megatron flows. not perfectly but he flows. Since IDW's inception Megatron has been all over the place. He's finally been pinned down as a character. Not only that but as said...Megatron as we know him...doesn't work. Not in the current comic climate. Megatron in Galvatron's position? In charge of a rebel cell trying to find their own little slice of the universe? Not a chance in hell. He's had to be forced to realise that organics MIGHT have value. He's still Megatron, he's still using Deception leadership tactics ("remonstrating" at Perceptor) and he's playing the long game. I don't think him and the suitcase is as simple as "I'mma be evil sometime in the future", I think it's probably tied to the revelation that 1) he's a hybrid freak and 2) the universe does NOT want him.

Megatron has used a legal loophole to be put in a situation where you can actually use him, without starting the war again. And starting the war again would be the DUMBEST thing you could ever do atm. So literally the only thing you could do with Megatron instead of a maybe redemption, maybe not is to execute him. Otherwise you'd have to massively backstep just to write him as plausible.

 

Leave reigniting the war to Galvatron or Tarn.

They're about to do so anyway. And each of them fits this role better than Megatron.

 

I like him as Autobot but i agree with what you said as well.

 

So far the overwhelming majority is keep Megatron as an Autobot. I haven't seen any good arguments for him returning to the Decepticons, but some good ideas. This has been an interesting thread so far everyone. Are any hard core Megatron is Always a Decepticon fans going to argue his switch? Are there any speculations as to more plot developments?
Someone mentioned Megatron took possession of one of Brainstorms cases, hmmmmm. Very interesting

 

i would like for him at one point return to the decepticons for a time changed. then either direct the decepticons in a new path or return to the autobots. either way as long as he dose not return to his old self. not that i hate his old self, it's just that they have evolved his character so much right now i just do not want him to de-evolve.
what i would like to see is megatron fight his old self. that would be epic.

 

I think he needs to stay as an Autobot for quite some time, forge bonds of friendship and camaraderie, and then return to the Decepticons. He and Rodimus have a great dynamic that needs to be explored, and his eventual betrayal may be what it takes to have Rodimus step up and be the hero he needs to be.

I don't think the Decepticons should ever go back to being totally villainous, though. Fans love them as much as the Autobots, and being able to enjoy their mutual adventures together has been a real treat.

 

If Megatron stays as an autobot he has to start doing stuff. I mean actually do something meaningful and not just stand around and be there. He has to start really taking center stage and justify hasbros and IDWs decision to make him an autobot. Really be a co captain and drive the LL forward in their quest.

There are some terrific possibilities here but so far James hasnt really taken advantage of this. Its almost like hes unsure how to write him now hes done a U-turn. Yeah he could write him brilliantly as a Con and a revolutionary but as an Autobot not so much.

Dont waste this chance to really make Megatron shine.

 

Megatron will get his time to shine once the DJD return to the book. I think once that happens we'll get a better idea of what direction they want to take the character in.

Megs has already spoke with Ravage about quitting the cause. The conversations appeared sincere. Megs was not interested in restarting the war or in biding his time to betray the Autobots. He doesn't care that he's let the 'Cons down. He really does appear like he does not want to continue the past.

I think Hasbro has been smart enough to let IDW take risks like this one. Megs will always be the Big Bad in the toy franchise but this change in the comics allows some good fiction at the cost of corporate synergy-- which is fine by me.

 

Exactly. I feel we're on the way to a extremely compelling character, let's wait it out first.

Megatron in IDW before he became an Autobot was pretty damn irrelevant and always away or dead or something. I'm glad he's gotten some actual focus.

Now if only Optimus could stop feeling irrelevant, even in stories where he matters in this continuity.

 

Definitely stay as an Autobot. One thing IMO that IDW has done that I really like is they are moving the characters forward and developing them and not just periodically resetting to the status quo (AHM being the exception). Megatron's switching sides was unexpected but has also given him some great character development. I want to see how his quest for redemption plays out.

 

Yeah I didn't really care for Megatron in this continuity before he became an Autobot. I mean his origins were great but Present day villainous Megatron was boring.

 

Honestly he felt irrelevant in the series for the most part up until recently.