Yesterday I got to thinking about something that we tend to overlook in the TF mythos: the 13 original Transformers. Every now and then a new thread will pop up about these guys, and I felt that it was time for another. Only a few have been confirmed by Simon Furman as being part of the 13, and they nearly all come from various TF continuities. So what if, borrowing on the idea that there are many universes but only one Unicron and only one Primus, these 13 come from various continuities? Radical, maybe, but here is my list of the 13, with reasons why I feel they are on the list: 1. Prima (confrimed) --The first Transformer, as noted by Simon in the Ultimate Guide. 2. Alpha Trion (confrimed) --A "first generation product." 3. Vector Prime (confirmed) --Primus' guardian of time and space; exists outside of any one continuity. 4. The Liege Maximo (confirmed) --Supposedly created at about the same time as Prima. 5. The Fallen (confirmed) --The Judas Iscariot of the 13, betrayed Primus and joined the legions of Unicron. 6. Vector Sigma (confirmed) --While not necessarily a Transformer, Vector Sigma is alive. So I suppose that's where the confrimation comes from. 7. Alpha Prime --The first Prime (in Dreamwave continuity). Makes sense to me that Prima was created to start a race, while Alpha Prime was created to be the first true soldier for Primus. 8. Beta --The female Autobot leader in the cartoon (seen in 'Forever Is a Long Time Coming'). Jesus needed a Mary Magdalene, would it not stand to reason that Primus would need a Beta? Her name alone suggests she may have been one of the first TFs. 9. Leonicus --In the BotCon continuity, the first TFs were based on the Zodiac signs. Leonicus was their leader. It seems to me that he should be included on this list, as the beasts and organics clearly play an important role in the TF saga. Perhaps he was the first beast and later created the other 11 Zodiac TFs seen in the BotCon comics. 10. Majin Zarak/Devil Z --I have always thought that these two (seen in Beast Wars II: The Movie and Masterforce, respectively), were one in the same. My Japanese is stiff, but I seem to recall Majin loosely meaning Devil. Either way, Devil Z's power is great in Masterforce. He is the first of the "Destruction Emperors," all of whom I think belong on this list because of their power. So what if, Majin Zarak was pulled from his time by Galvatron, then his body was destroyed by Lio Convoy and Optimus Primal, but his spark endured, allowing him to travel through time and space (ala Starscream) to the events that unfolded through the Masterforce saga? He clearly has the power to grant life, bringing alive the Godmasters, so I think he deserves to be on this list. 11. Violenjiger --The second such Destruction Emperor, seen in Zone. Like Devil Z, he seldom is seen with a true body, but rather like a spirit that guides the 9 Decepticon generals, whom he himself resurrected, through the series. Again, his power is immense, and his close resemblance to the Quintessons may hint of his ancient origins. 12. Dark Nova --Decepticon leader in Battlestars, who closely resembles Unicron. For that reason alone I think he belongs on this list. Again, like his two predecessors, he lacks a physical body, perhaps destroyed millenia earlier as punishment by Primus or Prima. 13. The Last Autobot (confirmed) --As seen in the old Marvel comic, he is the last Transformer created by Primus himself. Nuff said. Any thoughts? Who would your 13 be? I like the idea of the old Destruction Emperors on the list because I think it stands to reason that not all the TFs made by Primus himself would be good guys. Maybe I just have too much time on my hands.
Alpha Trion isn't one of the 13. He's a very old Transformer, but not one of the originals. That "first generation" thing is from the cartoon, which didn't have a concept of Primus or the 13. Vector Sigma I'd also discount, as it's not a Transformer, but a different form of intelligence.
I seem to recall Alpha Trion and Vector Sigma being confirmed by someone as two of the 13. Nevermore, am I jus drunk or did that really happen?
You are, kind of, intermingling the continuities. The Fallen was only in the DW continuity, similarly the Last Autobot and Liege Maximo are only part of the Marvel continuity. Not only that but Primus, the creator of the 13, doesn't exist in the Sunbow cartoon continuity. There is simply no way of reconciling most of the continuities, so it's really best, as it was originally intended, to regard them as seperate.
One thing about your listing of the 13 that doesn't sit well with me is you have an awful lot of "evil" characters in there. As far as I know, only The Fallen and later the Liege Maximo turned evil. The other 11 stayed true to their creator. Plus, Violonjaeger was actually a Quintession (Tritesson??), not a Transformer, implicit in his head switching and his ability to repair the older TFs after their various defeats. Although he later gained the ability to transform, so maybe there was more to him?
Which TF universe are the '13' from? I'm extremely familiar with G1 Marvel Comics Universe and the G1 Rainbow Productions (TV Cartoon) Universe, but not as fluent with the other ones. RedOktobre
