How would you rank the strength of the Autobot and Decepticon commanders from the Marvel run of Transformers? Including splinter timelines like the UK comics, G2, Classics if you want (never read it myself) and Regeneration One. My understanding, from strongest to weakest- Galvatron (UK) >= Ultra Magnus (UK) Galvatron II =< Optimus Prime (G2) >=< Jhiaxus > Megatron (G2) Fortress Maximus >=< Optimus Prime (Powermaster) > Thunderwing (w/ Matrix) > Optimus Prime (Action Master) > Rodimus Prime >= Optimus Prime = Megatron >= Thunderwing (w/o Matrix) Scorponok >= Shockwave > Grimlock (Action Master) > Straxus > Grimlock >= Blaster By the time of Time Wars Galvatron is nigh-unstoppable. That said, Magnus was the only one to really whoop his ass. Galvatron II didn't show the same level of strength as his namesake (who out-muscled Piranacon for God's sake), but he still clobbered Megatron and Shockwave, then Fortress Maximus for a while after walking off the Ark's crash into Earth. In Alignment (post-G2) Optimus defeats Galvatron II, and in the G2 comics he held his own against Jhiaxus when he fought seriously. Jhiaxus is portrayed as physically superior to Rodimus Prime in Regeneration One. G2 Megatron was man-handled by Jhiaxus in the comics and destroyed by Galvatron II in Alignment. Fortress Maximus I wasn't sure where to place. He got trashed by Tron in Time Wars but he defeated Galvatron II, fought Rodimus Prime in Time Wars, took out Shockwave, et cetera. In Regeneration One his possessed form clobbered Optimus. He did lose to G2 Megatron but that could be written off as him being in bad shape from the start. Powermaster Optimus is stated to be 4x his regular form, and I don't think anything suggests the Action Master form is that level of increase from the base power. In fact, Powermaster Optimus had the advantage in a brawl with Thunderwing who had the Matrix at the time. I imagine Rodimus as Optimus' successor would be no weaker than him, and Optimus and Megatron are equals. Thunderwing I view without the Matrix as being leader-class in power. Even without the Matrix Thunderwing didn't even feel a punch from Pretender Grimlock and quickly dispatched him, which is something to expect from a Megatron-level character. Scorponok and Shockwave, unlike in IDW, seem to be fairly equal with Scorponok having a slight advantage over Shockwave. Shockwave is just under Megatron in power and has held his own against him in the UK comics. In Marvel Grimlock is pretty much a jobber, let's be honest. All five Dinobots got beaten by Megatron and by Shockwave. I don't know the power difference between Grimlock's basic form and his Action Master form but I imagine Shockwave would take the majority of fights regardless. Straxus lost to Blaster and even serves Thunderwing in a Japanese comic offshooting from Marvel. I think Straxus was more talk than bite but he seemed to have a true physical advantage over Blaster. Blaster gave Grimlock a tough fight. How do you rank Marvel commanders?
For the Decepticons I would say: Thunderwing w/ the Matrix > Jhiaxus > Galvatron (UK) > Scorponok = Shockwave > Galvatron II > Megatron > Thunderwing w/o the Matrix = Bludgeon > Ratbat Thunderwing with the Matrix was essentially a demi-god and was only defeated by pure luck. Jhiaxus was essentially in an entire different class than the G1 Transformers. Future Galvatron mopped the floor with everyone other than Ultra Magnus, who also got lucky in my opinion. Scopronok and Shockwave were both powerhouses that were almost equal, Megatron pre Ark crash probably rivaled them, but I don't think he ever recovered after using the poisoned fuel from Sparkplug. Bludgeon only lead because he was the strongest survivor of the Unicron battle and Ratbat was just a bureaucrat. For the Autobots: Rodimus Prime (Future) > Powermaster Optimus Prime > Ultra Magnus = Fortress Maximus > Optimus Prime = Grimlock >Blaster Rodimus had future Galvatron on the run, so I would imagine he was superior to him. PM Prime was pretty powerful when he got his upgrade, although I think he held back a lot. Magnus and Fort Max were both heavy hitters in a league above Optimus Prime and Grimlock. Blaster was more of a political rival to Grimlock, I don't think he would have lasted very long in that fight they had on the moon.
Megatron fought evenly with Shockwave in the UK story leading to their joint leadership. Later on Shockwave admits he'd be destroyed by Megatron's full power. Similarly, Optimus Prime decisively defeated Shockwave in their only real fight following Prime's return from captivity. Rodimus Prime, according to Galvatron, got the better of him during the Unicron battle because he was weakened. When Galvatron and Rodimus fight again in the UK stories Galvatron rolls Rodimus. There is a story in which Magnus and Optimus hunt down Megatron and Magnus pretty much smacks Megatron around with no effort. In Time Wars Megatron takes down Maximus fairly easily. In the UK comics Optimus' headless body (remote controlled by the Autobots) is shown out-muscling Grimlock, breaking his hand from gripping strength alone and trapping him in place.
Megatron was confused and disorientated from Straxus's attempt to take over his mind. Also, Ultra Magnus sucker punched Megaton. Finally during that encounter, he got the better of Magnus and Optimus when he put them down with his anti matter powers; if it were not for the intervention of the space bridge he would have killed both of them.
The way Budiansky wrote Blaster, he would have beaten Unicron! Blaster's whole thing was that he was able to use extreme skill to take down much stronger transformers. Had the fight continued Grimlock would have been defeated.
Grimlock's portrayal was very inconsistent. When he is first introduced he is shown to be somewhat powerful, but Megatron wipes the floor with all five dinobots at once and KO's Grimlock with one punch. That took place during the first 12 issues. Later, when Grimlock becomes "king" he suddenly seems more powerful, as shown when he and Blaster take down a mass of Decepticons during the moon battle. Also, the transformers universe entry for Grimlock says that his strength is second only to Optimus, and even that is debatable. I think it just depended on who was writing Grimlock. Simon Furman showed the dinobots a lot of love and Grimlock was pretty darn powerful when being written by Furman. I would add that I found the comic portrayal of the leaders to be very fascinating. In the cartoon the leaders are powerful but still not the most powerful fighters in their respective armies. The combiners can take them, as shown time and again. But in the comics the leaders often defeat the combiners. Galvatron took down piranhacon, Megatron took down Predaking. I kind of like the idea that the leaders are the most powerful, but it does seem a little odd when the leaders are taking down giant combiners that are at least twice their size.
Grimlock's power level varies WILDLY. Budiansky has him being unable to beat Blaster, Furman has him going toe to toe with Powermaster Optimus and fighting him to a draw. Currently, I beleive either Galvatron I or Thunderwing are the most powerful Decepticon commanders. Autobots more variable.
Scourge & Cyclonus both lead the Decepticons in the future, and Soundwave after them. I’d put the first 2 slightly ahead of non-matrix Thunderwing, based on their target 2006 power levels (they were portrayed as in the same league as Galvatron, just at the lower level of that league. It took Megatron and all the autobots to bring down Scourge and that was only after pinning him down in a warehouse ambush) They did appear a little depowered when fighting Death’s Head, also needing him to depose Shockwave, but then they got tough again in Time Wars, beating the stuffing out of Springer.
Jhiaxus is depicted as being VERY powerful, but I have to think Galvatron would have the edge. His stamina, for lack of a better term is coming from another source entirely. I'm sure Thunderwing is powerful and does have the benefit (?) of a Pretender shell, but I bet he's not as strong as Megatron going all out.
Shockwave was pretty weak for a leader. Lost every fight with someone of his own size save for Budiansky's underpowered dumb brute Dinobots by being overpowered or outsmarted, and was thumped by Furman's Earthforce Grimlock. He became less and less capable physically and mentally as the run progressed until he ended up as a pathetic failure halfway through.
Nope. Megatron was damaged from the poisoned fuel and way below his best. Even so, Shockwave was on the ropes until he conveniently landed near a water tower.
