I noticed when Prime jumps out of the plane, and when Ironhide transforms in the beginning, they seem to breathe/grunt...why is that- just sound filler?

 

I rather assumed that it was operating as an air intake for cooling, that to a human observer would look very like breathing.

 

It appears that they do "vent" some sort of gaseous matter, since you can see steam coming out of Megatron and Starscream's mouths on the Nemesis. But I doubt it's actually breathing in the sense of taking in and converting oxygen for the purpose of circulation.

 

If they didn't, it would e harder for us humans to relate to them. That's also probably the reason they gave OP a mouth. To make him more expressive.

 

Its obvious they dont need oxygen to operate, as they are able to survive in planets with potentially lethal atmospheres to beings with aerobic biology.

Both in the live-actions and in the G1 cartoon, they dont seem to need oxygen to live.

They were able to survive in Mars, which is almost devoid of oxygen (0.02%), and they can also survive in space, where there is no trace of oxygen, Starscream returned on his own to Cybertron and Soundwave spent his 30 seconds of screentime floating like some dead fish in space.

Oxygen also tends to have a negative impact on most mettalic compounds, at least, a decrease in its quality to some degree, minimal most of the time.

Which means? They dont breathe. Theyre anaerobic beings. Or also, they re able to synthesize oxygen from their surrounding or to store it in an internal supply, much like divers oxygen tank. So the most likely option is that they dont breathe.

Thats my educated guess.

 

Their giant robots. Their systems are going to get hot. They need some kind of way to cool down.

Think of it like a game system

 

Agreed with you there.

 

Yeh, the 'game system' idea works for me. Cooling down, etc.

 

Duh! They tried to make them humanlike.
Trying to find a physical explanation for it is just dumb.
What is the reason for Starscream to spit, Ejector to fart and Jetfire's ass to itch?
Get over it.

 

I want to see a transformer smoking a cigar.

...What?

 

That is what I was thinking. They take in air for cooling, just like a air-cooled engine.

 

Way to be constructive there, sparky  

 

Way to be childish there, toddlers.  

When you're done finding you mechanically-plausible explanation for Ironhide's breath, I want mine for Jetfire's ass itching.

Thanks in advance.

 

Yes, sir. I'll just go and get over it now.

 

Do you people really think before making Ironhide's breath visible, filmmakers took the time to think about a physical explanation as to why a robot should or even could breathe?

This is the same as the people trying to find a logical reason for Barricade disappearing amid the first movie, as if the writers had intended to be one.

 

Kup is smoking in AHM.

 

That would actually be pretty cool. Imagine Megatron, stressed out at Starscream yet again, sitting on someone's car. Then, all of a sudden, he whips out a premium Cybertronian cigar and lights it with his cannon arm. Then he puts on a tuxedo and a hat and you know what.........forget it lol.

 

I would love to see the Autobots relaxing at NEST HQ after a mission in a cloud of Havana's best. Prime could ask Sam, "Am I inhaling correctly?"

 

Nah, he wouldn't ask Sam. He'd be a hardened cigar smoker. He'd just peruse the internet for ways on how to smoke it. He'd be like " Hey Boy, all we need now is bottle of Rum. You got any?" "My name is SSSSSSSAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!"

 

rust to transformers is the same as dead skin, or maybe poison ivy to humans, thus explaining the itch