Transformers: The Legacy of the Thirteen is a bold title for a fan project of mine, which was/is supposed to involve a fan comic, other fan art and a stop motion animation series, which was on the works, but... Yeah, it's one of those "buts." In any case, I've been planning to bring the story project back to life via this thread, Instagram page and possible stopmotion videos (and other features) on YouTube. The basic idea is, as it is with surprisingly many incarnations of Transformers mythos, to combine various elements from the lores of Transformers universe, add something own to it and hope that the result is the "Ultimate Transformers Story;" debatable as it always is, I think that the basic concept is good enough mixture of some of the core TF mythos, combining essential elements of Simon Furman's stories to "aligned continuity" (we can just call it Prime, really) and Bay/movieverse - which influence is mainly on the visual side of things, but I think that they brought some good stuff to the table nonetheless. My things-got-out-of-hand post in "What should the next Transformers movie be about" thread actually borrowed a lot of things from Legacy of the Thirteen story arc, especially the basic setting; the war has pretty much worn everybody out, which makes the remaining transformers relatively easy target for bigger cosmic forces and a lot of things eventually come down to what kind of a legacy did their "ancestors" leave and what will their leader(s) make out of it; can they, in the end, move past old struggles and conflict and what is the thing that keeps the conflict alive in the first place? Is Optimus Prime, the last Prime himself, the one who shall lead them to a new golden age or is he just a tired relic of an old war, a living memory of thousands, even millions of years filled with hatred, anger and battle whose existence alone is enough the keep old wounds bleeding? Does Megatron, deep down inside, still have reason and vision in him, or is he thoroughly blinded by hatred and power, ready to take the one final step towards the perfect corruption? Dramatic as it might sound, my intention is not to make things too wannabe deep & psychological, just to create a setting to a story. One of the reasons why I wanted to start the story from such situation and with seemingly random cast is that I deliberately want to leave room for other stories to fill in the gaps between the dawn of the Great War and where this particular story starts out. I shall actually post some real content here and expand the visions, ideas, characters and stuff with text, pictures, videos and stuff. In other words, this isn't really a "here's several chapters of fan-fiction" type of thing but more of a collection of different media related to the story project, which I hope will grow to be very enjoyable one, for myself and others fans too. For starters, here's a little summary of the whole thing and main cast: Plot summary: Optimus Prime and Megatron have both left Earth, Prime to find and rescue remaining autobots scattered across the galaxy and Megatron to discover secrets that might finally turn the tide of the Cybertronian civil war - and the history itself. The conflict rises it's head on Earth once more, as the Autobot team there makes a worrying discovery. All along, greater cosmic force has been slowly awakening... Can the fighting factions hear the closing footsteps of doom in time? Main cast sneak-peeks: Autobots Optimus Prime Rodimus - or Hot Rod, as he was called when younger Nightbeat Ironhide Ratchet Decepticon Megatron Soundwave Shockwave Starscream Darksteel All feedback is naturally most welcome!
Here's part of the "script" for the old, possibly dead, possibly upcoming stopmotion/fan comic thing; it's the very beginning of the story. It's pretty rough outline, I pretty much put it together a moment ago on top of the basic layer I've had in mind, but I hope it's not too bad. The result here is a random combination of a script, notes and a short story; I hope it's tolerable for those might end up reading it. All feedback is, obviously enough, most welcome! The outline of the story is clear enough, but nuances can be changed even drastically; as implied, this mythos and story overall is a framework for different kinds of media tied to it, not the other way round. The Legacy of the Thirteen: Prologue Music: Prime (Jablonsky, ROTF score)/Sentinel Prime (Jablonsky, DOTM score)/Knighship (Jablonsky, AOE score) Optimus Prime (narrating): War. There's only a few of us left who really remember the time before it. Our world and our people prospered; we charted some of the most uncharted territories of space, we build beautiful cities and discovered many mysteries... Having survived invasions [note: Quintessons] and internal struggles, our people cherished the wonder of life and protected it, setting up colonies and bases across the galaxy, watching as the life stirred in the reaches of it. But as our knowledge and might grew, so did our hunger for power. Over time, the old conflict that caused the dispute among our Ancestors, the First Thirteen, resurfaced; some of us wanted to became conquerors and control the worlds and beings that might potentially become threats - others just seemed to enjoy playing god by enslaving and killing beings they considered lesser and use their resources. [Images from the Dawn of Time and Golden Era of Cybertron] Over time, the turbulent era and growing dispute, empowered by charismatic leaders, led us to devastating civil war which brought doom to our home; mighty planet as it was, even Cybertron proved to be just another fragile world, unable to withstand the devastation that the Great War brought upon it. In the end, it couldn't provide anymore energon to us and what remained of it was poisoned, all the way to the planet's core. [Clashing armies, devastation of Cybertron, symbols of Autobots and Decepticons] Cybertron fell. We were forced to leave. [devastated surface of Cybertron, dead transformers laying on the ground] But the war raged on. My name is Optimus Prime and I'm the leader of the Autobots, who still fight for freedom of all sentient beings. Wrong is the one who says we haven't made any mistakes over the ages; I have made some grave ones myself. We have saved many lives, even whole civilizations from ultimate doom in the hands of Decepticons... but we have also brought terror, death and destruction upon many worlds, with countless innocent lives lost when drawn into our conflict. Among bitter defeats, many victories have also been achieved... [Devastator falling] but far too often with a terrible price. [Bumblebee is shown being shot trough the chest by Shockwave] Of all the worlds we have visited and occupied, Earth proved to be the one I considered my second home... We all did. But it came terribly close for Earth to suffer Cybertron's fate. War has consumed us all. Megatron has left Earth. There's no recent reports of notable decepticon activity. I have gathered a small team onboard our ship, Ark, to find and rescue Autobots still scattered across the galaxy... For whatever is closing us, more battles or long-awaited peace, we need to face it together. [Space, Ark II] Optimus Prime stands on the command bridge of the autobot flagship, Arc II, staring into deep darkness of space. He has a worried look in his eye... He can sense it. Something's drawing near; something he can't quite comprehend, but it's always been there... but now, for the first time, it feels like it has really become part of the world he lives in. It's a very distant presence, but presence nonetheless. Over the eons, Optimus Prime has learned to feel the power of the Matrix of Leadership he carries in his chest chamber; sometimes it's more vague, almost non-existent, sometimes it's stronger presence, but it has always felt like it's thinking, being conscious of itself and world around it. A silent companion that is constantly breathing information, thoughts, feelings... But this was something different. Optimus felt like Matrix of Leadership got a grip on something and it refuses to let go. And just when Optimus thought that the feeling was growing to be overwhelming, it was over. Perhaps it let go of whatever it was possibly reaching... For now. Optimus shook is head as if he was trying to drop all the worries, thoughts and fears he carries, but he was merely trying to clear his head, for his subordinates - which was his family at the same time - needed him now. "Prime, we're receiving!" shouted Ratchet behind one of the monitors he was overseeing. "It's a decoded message and... the sender is using the old Autobot emergency frequency..." The rest of the sentence faded into a murmur as Ratchet was pondering the origins of the message. "We trace and follow it, shall we, Prime?" asked Ironhide who had arrived from the lower deck in surprisingly quiet manner. "This is excatly what we've been waiting for" he added, as if he thought that Optimus Prime would even consider not helping an autobot comrade transmitting emergency message - even with a slight possibility for it being a decepticon trap. "Yes, we will", Optimus Prime answered and whatever worries and deep thoughts he might have been sunk in just a moment before he showed no signs of it now. There was a trace of a familiar commanding tone in his answer, but his overall presence was as calm and gentle as always, even if a little tired as well. "Ratchet, do what you can to trace it and set our course towards it. Even if it is a trap set by our enemies, I doubt they've managed to gather a force we couldn't deal with in these parts... It's not like they have any more troops to spare than we do. Optimus' words brought smile to Ironhide's scarred and rugged face: "Hah! That almost makes me wish for a decepticon trap... They wouldn't expect to meet Team Prime so far from Earth, would they" Ratched smirked but said nothing, as he was busy with his monitors. Prime didn't bother to add anything. And he didn't laugh.
Desperately trying to keep this more or less alive... Oh well, I acknowledge it's more of a structure and mythos for a story rather than an actual thoroughly written fan fiction story anyway, but I have some rather detailed plans and "storyboards" for most of it. Some details, like the relation between Megatron's story arc and... some more ancient Enemy/Enemies still require some work, but the most prominent one for me has been the concept taken from ROTF era comics and if I haven't terribly misunderstood, was considered for the film too, but more of that later on... Here's sort of a timeline/rough run-through of the part one of the first story arc. Some very corny working titles included! All kind of feedback and thoughts are welcome, I gladly take criticism too! The Legacy of the Thirteen I - Rising Chaos - Scarred and somewhat ragged Megatron explores his now abandoned and dangerous home planet; the surface has been cracking for ages which provides easier access towards the depths of the planet and secrets it might hold within... Following an old tunnel Megatron finds what he's been looking for: a Prison Chamber of one of the Original Thirteen, the one who betrayed the others, who's been sealed and imprisoned since the Early days... The Fallen. - Optimus Prime and his team (Ironhiden and Ratchet) are onboard their ship Arc II. They receive an encrypted distress signal and decide to follow it into a planet where they find seemingly abandoned decepticon base... Obviously enough, it's not quite empty yet, but Prime and co. manage to defeat the guards and make an surprising yet sad discovery: an ancient autobot warrior, Strafe, tortured and imprisoned and now the only survivor of the legendary Knights, or Dinobots, as they were known after visiting Earth long ago... The autobots learn from Strafe that all of his fellow Dinobots were hunted down by Megatron and some of his most deadly warrios; they were questioned about their - assumingly - secret mission, led by two of the Thirteen, Vector Prime and Alpha Trion, during the early days of Cybertronian civil war. Acknowledging Optimus as a true Prime, Strafe reveals that their mission was to smuggle The Omega Lock out of Cybertron. The Dinobots/Knights served as it's guards during their journey to... yes, Earth, and that's when they acquired their dinosaur modes for the first time. The Omega Lock is a powerful device made by the Thirteen and it's capable of releasing an immense amount of energon and even to reactivate the living core of Cybertron, should it get damaged... However, such impulse of pure energon and power of Primus himself would leave a signature that would not go unnoticed by the Ancient Enemy, the Chaos Bringer... For the Lock was made to be used for restoration of Cybertron, should it get damaged by the Chaos Bringer, but after the civil war erupted and the planet and it's ecosystem started to collapse it had to be taken away; the divided people would not have been capable of dealing with the threat that would follow it's activation and in the wrong hands it could be used to a terrible effect against other beings... Also, it was the power of Primus that rests within the Lock that was used to create the "Seal" that imprisoned Fallen and only a Prime by activating the Lock may break it... - The Fallen and Megatron strike a deal. The Fallen, unable to act outside his Prison Chamber, grants Megatron a portion of his power which restores the damaged decepticon leader and gives him the ability to sense and detect The Omega Lock, which was taken away from Cybertron long ago, for The Fallen, despite being an outcast, has a connection to it as one of the Thirteen. In exchange, Megatron agrees to leave Cybertron to be devoured as the eventual activation of the Lock would bring the Chaos Bringer near but he's free to create his empire elsewhere with the resources the Lock will provide him. Megatron contacts the Decepticons... - Decepticons on Earth receive a message from Megatron - the first one for some years - and not all of them are exactly too impressed, since there has been some dispute among them; Starscream tries to take advantage of the situation, but can't quite overcome the influence of always intimidating Shockwave. The decepticons rally their troops and start securing locations Megatron provided them information about... but, fortunately, the Autobot scouts manage to notice the sudden mobilization of their enemies who've kept low profile for some time. - Optimus Prime contacts the Autobots from Arc II, with Strafe also onboard now, and they set course to Earth, praying it's not too late... - The decepticons manage to find the lock, thanks to information their leader provided and Soundwave decoded... but the aubotos ambush them. - As the battle rages on, Megatron approaches the Earth, pondering if he's done the right thing... but as the memories from his latest defeat kick in, he realizes - blinded by his rage and hatred towards Prime - that ruling other beings and worlds with last surviving decepticons, even with the cost of total annihilation of their home planet and most of their kind, is preferable to the chance of ultimate humiliation and defeat... [This is sort of a sad conclusion of Megatron's journey from an idealistic populist with some good intentions - even if his means were rather tyrannical - and pragmatism to a narcissistic warlord who's became so attached to power and his superior position that he just can't imagine life without it; Megatron may have started as bit of a MCU Thanos-like intentions, but as the latter would "rest and watch the sun rise on a grateful universe", Megatron isn't capable of giving up his way of life and egocentric view of the world he eventually adopts.] - The autobots fight valiantly, but Shockwave and Starscream prove to be more than capable of holding them off and some of them are injured rather seriously... And finally, Megatron himself arrives to the battlefield, laying waste on everything around him with his new-found might, showing the decepticons who might have been in doubt that he's the one true leader of their people... - Arc II arrives to the atmosphere and Strafe, being a flier, and Optimus, equiping DOTM style flight-tech, prepare to join the battle before it's too late. Optimus and Strafe jump out and Ratchet and Ironhide rush to the battleflied after rather rough landing, providing cover fire as Optimus Prime and Strafe dive from the skies to take out decepticon fliers... Strafe, using his beast mode, savages a couple of seekers rather badly and Optimus Prime lands and orders everyone to retreat, now that all the enemy fliers, save Megatron who he tries to hold off himself, are taken down and cannot follow.... Prime makes ROTF Forest Battle style standoff and does his best but gets overpowered by sheer numbers of the enemy forces. However, he has bought enough time for others to get to safety so he manages to escape, thanks to Ratchet deploying some tactical missiles from the Arc II, but he's badly injured and couldn't secure and acquire the Omega Lock... their clock is ticking. - Megatron, who's also taken some heavy damage, but is confident as ever, proclaims himself as the leader of all Transformers and orders surviging decepticons to fortify the city nearby while he contacts the humans. He's got a plan to get the Matrix and Prime to him. - The autobots, who got separated when retreating, are returning to their base one by one... Ratchet starts patching them up. - Somewhere in the rather dystopic looking landscape, Optimus Prime leans to a cliff, with a somber look on his face. He transforms, rather painfully, as he got some injures as well, and rides to sunset. There's not much time left... My intention is to give all the characters some depth, naturally some get more than others, but from the start it was pretty clear that very prominent part of the story is how far the two faction leaders have come. Megatron, who had rather patriotic approach to his home planet and roots, is now willing to sacrifice it and his original ideas for power and personal victory over Prime. Optimus, on the other hand, hasn't changed that much when it comes to his values and actions, but his growing role as a Prime is also becoming more and more of a burden, as he's the one who's willing to sacrifice himself for others, but he also acknowledges his crucial position as the Matrix-keeper. While the burden has become heavier and heavier, he's also more determined when it comes to eliminating his enemies. What also weights him down is the circle of hate between him and Megatron: should they win in the end, would he be able to lead the remnants of their race to a better future, or would he always be just another relic of war whose ideals, mistakes and actions brought them into such dire situation in the first place? As the story progresses, Optimus tires harder and harder to separate himself from the autobot vs decepticon mentality and goes further than ever before when thinking about compromises and approach to negotiation, but ironically enough, the harder he tries, the more heavily the responsibility as a Prime comes apparent. And that is also one of the many meanings of the story title, The Legacy of the Thirteen; what is the legacy they're left with - just two fighting factions destroying their own culture and history, or is there still something more to it?
Question; is this inspired by the comics, or the actual Covenant of Primus? I have not read the previous installment of comics, but from what I understand they turned the Primes into communist despots; monsters. That is NOT the way I pictured the Primes, at least not those who were worthy of carrying the Matrix of Leadership. Okay, apologies beforehand, but I am about to stand up on a HUGE soap box, here. My views and ideas are a far cry from that of anyone else's, but I hope that they do still hold value. That there is some logic to them. The comics, and in some cases, previous installments of the Transformers franchise, handled the Matrix rather clumsily and inconsistently. Not every continuity fit together and not every continuity featured Primus as the creator of the Transformers. Originally, it was the Quintessons but what if it was a combination of both? What if the Quintessons built the first Transformers, including the first of the Primes, but it was Primus whose spark gave them sentience, a sense of self? And in the case of the Matrix of Leadership, if it is indeed a portion of Primus, why is it handled by anyone other than the chosen Prime at all? If it is Primus's goodwill and nature, then whenever pricks like Megatron and Starscream try to get their hands on it - they would get their arms blown off at the very least. The Matrix would also be that still, quiet voice to guide the new Prime along his duties and perhaps even comfort him and give him that extra bit of strength he needs when he feels he is failing. See, with Optimus, the comics turned him into some damned drama king with a chip on his shoulder. He was agnostic which I DID NOT appreciate. Some things they got right was that he was snarky, like in G1, but he lacked humility. He was a hard-ass ... forgive my french. In Transformers Prime he had a lot more of the regality I would expect of a Prime. He was still gentle and kind and very, VERY slow to anger which I also liked. But in G1 he was snarky; he would make jokes at Megatron, he LAUGHED alongside his Autobots and even frickin' played basketball with them! Basketball! Too many of the latter installments of Optimus treat him like a cold, indifferent warrior, which he isn't. He is the most approachable of any of the Primes in my personal opinion. I will never acknowledge Rodimus... EVER! In any case, the way I saw the 13 original Primes . . . well, they weren't despots. They weren't monsters. They were the first leaders of Cybertron struggling to understand themselves, their new world and the role they carried. I see them as compassionate and wise, though naive and certainly not perfect. Perhaps it was their confrontation with Unicron in the beginning that began warping them, and maybe there were some that fought their darker inner natures. Those that didn't, like Leige and Megatronus, fell away and would instigate the War of the Primes as recorded in history. I foresee sorrow and regret in that fall-out, partially because of how it affected them and also because of they way it affected their people and their world. I'm not sure how things worked in the comics, but if Prima survive - which he did in the Covenant because he was the one to battle the original Predaking and win from him a promise to cease hunting the people of Cybertron, he could have lived long enough to seek out the next Prime. Both in G1 and the comics, there is an entire line of Primes that were worthy of being Matrix Bearers which is, I think, a cool idea. Cybertron has lived through eons upon eons and it gives a much broader scope to have different leaders for different eras. The Age of the Cataclysm could have been lead by IT; the first Prime EVER in G1, who was represented as nothing more than a head, a graph, in the episode Return of Optimus Prime. I'm sure you've seen it, but quick recap; in those episodes, a Hate Plague was released upon the Earth and Cybertron when spores are discovered after a star went supernova. Nothing seems to disrupt it EXCEPT the wisdom contained within the Matrix of Leadership. What I didn't like about that episode is that the Wisdom was suddenly gone from within the MAtrix, but I DID like the idea that some of that wisdom was now bestowed upon everyone. Cool idea, but the way I see it, the Matrix of Leadership will never be fully empty. Yes, it is now their duty to 'refill' it as Optimus stated, but . . . well, just look at Transformers Prime; go Vector Sigma! Right? But I think it was more than just wisdom that was released. I think there was compassion and kindness, as well. Wisdom alone does not dispell hate. And in my personal opinion, and I could be completely wrong, I think it was Optimus as well as the portion of Primus that lives within the MAtrix, the extended that kindness. Not to say other PRimes were not also kind and that some of their kindness also was added to the MAtrix, but cannonically - and again I could be wrong, Optimus was the leader that we as audience at least, see as kind and wise. In the comics, some of those who were chosen as Matrix Bearers should not have carried the MAtrix at all. IT doesn't make sense to me. The writers were smoking something, I think. Like, weed, maybe? Anyway, Nova Prime had a cool design but he really was a despot! Wanting to conquer the universe? Doesn't sound like someone Primus would invest his trust in, right? The comics made Primus TOO robotic I think, not AT ALL really aware of the pain his people were in. He was indifferent. I think having some evil Primes is a good idea though, but it has to be CLEAR that NONE of them EVER carried the Matrix. Creating a false MAtrix to fool the masses, though it is a good idea. Ummm...I have more notes, especially in regards to the weight on Optimus's shoulders as you mention, but I need to leave for school. Last day of finals so .... lotsa work to do. Everything considered though, I think you're coming up with a solid story. I've heard people call Optimus 'boring' and it really bothers me. He is NOT boring. He is charismatic and kind, and the one who could turn history around. He is NOT or should not be burdened with the way other Primes have lived and led. He can break the mold. MAybe have someone come along who extends wisdom to HIM, granting him confidence and relief. Allow him to be the kind warrior we know he really is. Let him be snarky, but let him calm, as well. That is something I have always loved about his character. He is kind, gentle, calm and honest. And he's fun to be around. Transformers Prime messed that up big time because of the movies and Lorenzo who doesn't know or CARE who he is. Doesn't care about the franchise AT ALL really, but that's neither here nor there. But . . . yeah.
Thank you for taking time to say all that! A quick response to some of the quoted questions: Both, really. Probably I should write down some kind of a short run-through of the whole backstory to clarify the connections and small deviations from the official backstories. I definitely took some inspiration from various TF comics when it comes to some individual historical events and things like that, but the larger picture is pretty much following the Covenant; I really like how Quintessons, for example, are handled there and the concept of Primes creating some of the most miraculous devices in the universe. The title "Legacy of the Thirteen" emphasis on the beliefs and intentions of the original Primes and the ultimate purpose they served and how the latest, possibly the last, generation of Transformers cope with it now that the Chaos may be upon them. Being aware of the cosmic threat of Unicron, the Thirteen - save few individuals - were ultimately the protectors of life and their extensive research and discoveries made them appreciate the life stirring around them even more. Unlike the few "rotten apples", most of the Primes never wanted to meddle, interfere and govern other races and they took more of an observing role. Instead of governing the Cybertron themselves, they took a side step as the new generations of Transformers emerged and prospered. While some, like Alpha Trion, remained on somewhat prominent roles centered around guiding new Primes for many ages to come, the Thirteen didn't interfere the "every day life and politics" on Cybertron that much. This is one deviation from the more recent comics and something I like to think underlines the damage the civil war has done - and the frustration Optimus has about it all; the war has made their people more vulnerable than ever before and while now resurfacing "relics of the Thirteen" might provide a key to their survival, it's not like both factions can quite agree how to deal with them. I can also see your point about the divine nature of the Matrix - one of the issues I'm still on the road to actually solve when it comes to the story; as stated, it's still taking shape when it comes to some of the details, which also makes feedback like yours very valuable. Naturally, as probably expected, it's not like I'd change everything based on this or that comment, but it's good to see different sides of these things, especially since Matrix & the Primes are rather prominent part of the whole bigger story here.
I am doing the same thing with my own idea. In fact, it has been a work in progress for the past year or so. I MIGHT have had it completed a few months ago, but school has thrown a big hitch into everything. I graduate next year and with some free time opening up in the summer I hope to finish the rather extensive outline and start writing something. In fact, I have; it's a bit of a prologue. I want it to be as though Optimus and other prominent characters are recounting their lives, but the story itself is still set in a third-person view. The character Nova Prime in my story is not a despot. I was first introduced to his character through a video review of a third party production of his toy figurine and thought he was so impressive I turned him into the first Prime to be a good Prime after a few eons of not-so-good Primes. In the comics, however, after looking him up on Wiki - yeah, I was a little disappointed. He carried the Matrix and he was still a jerk? That didn't make sense. So, in my headcannon I left him as a hero-type but he still didn't carry the Matrix, and that was primarily to give Optimus more weight as the first Prime in eons to carry the Matrix of Leadership. I am also still utilizing Zeta as the quiet villain who stuns everyone with his sudden rise to power. I have toyed with the idea of using a fake Matrix like they did in the comics but I can't get the idea to sit or work, so I may not use that angle. But I am still adamant - and I wish they would do this with the franchise itself - with ensuring it is a symbol of some form of purity or goodness that not many mecha have, but is still something that is attainable for all of us. It is a symbol of not only greatness and power and wisdom and, of course, leadership, but it is also a symbol of gentleness, kindness - the very things that INSPIRED the voice that would become Optimus Prime. I leaned very heavily on Peter Cullen's words and beliefs when trying to establish Optimus's character in my own story line. I tried mixing and matching elements of the comics and especially G1 and TFP when writing the story. There is also, like your own story, a HEAVY reference to the Covenant of Primus. My way of handling Unicron will be different from the comics and hearken to the original 1986 movie - which I ABHOR with a vengeance! I watched that movie in the theaters when it came out . . . and I was furious! I will NEVER watch it again! But that is beside the point. The comics, the TFP cartoon and even the Covenant of Primus wrote the PRimes off as somewhat cold to each other and their people. That always kinda bothered me. I wanted to try writing them more as siblings, whether they were closely related or not. Certain siblings would be closer than others, of course, as that is the way everything is in life. All family units have varying strengths within their bonds and with certain members. One of the conundrums I have is with Megatronus. In the Covenant he was written as sort of the 'tragic' villain who was a villain. Liege was more the bad guy . . . and I went with that, but I am wondering if I should change things back to Megatronus truly becoming evil like he does in the comics or other continuities. I have this idea that he and Optimus - when Optimus was among the Thirteen - had developed a strong bond. Megatronus's betrayal would be particularly painful for Optimus but I keep envisioning Megatronus as the unsung hero who is trying to right his wrongs - and may eventually help Megatron redeem himself. I am rethinking that idea though and I am curious of your thoughts. In the Covenant, the All Spark played a huge role, as it did in the movies - which I both like and dislike. One of the views I have adapted myself is that the All Spark is more of a burial ground for all Transformers, although it does still nurture 'newsparks' and contains new life within it when Optimus jettisons into space. I was inspired by a scene form Revenge of the Fallen and created something called 'Birthing Wells' where sparklings are hatched from egg-like coccoons similar to the film. In TFP it is the whole reason they left Cybertron to begin with, while in G1 it was to find new resources. In regards to your idea of MEgatron freeing the Fallen - I am a bit confused. Earlier in your notes you stated that only a Prime could free him, or did I misinterpret that? Megatron is not a Prime so how did he break the seal? Was it just weakened and susceptible to any force breaking it by that point? It would be interesting to see how Optimus manages to win the Omega Lock. I am trying to figure out how to use it in my own story - though I may opt to follow along with TFP has already laid out. It created good drama, but at that point of the story - I am not sure yet. The thing is, war is terribly violent and immensely depressing. One of the things I liked about TFP and the movies was that it showed the darker side of war. In G1 everything was so lighthearted. In some ways, those elements are needed, but I would like to see a bit of Optimus's more optimistic side come out. I want to see him drop his guard a bit to laugh and joke with the other Autobots, but I like that his responsibilities and his kind heart have left him in a sort of depression. At least that was the way it seemed to me. I get the feeling he is a bit like that in your own idea; trying to figure out if he is doing the right thing, wondering about the past and if it affects the future. I could imagine that because there have been SO many Primes that have led Cybertron astray, he is being judged heavily by many of his own kind. Is he REALLY the Prime that was promised, that he appears to be? Or is it all an act? I imagine it could be very draining for him. One of my biggest hopes is that you give him someone to fall back on, a character that was TERRIBLY mishandled in the comics, NEVER hinted at in Prime - and is being turned into a despot AGAIN in the new 'era' comics just released. I am talking about Elita One. When I learned of her existence and her relationship with Optimus - I was hooked! I wanted so badly to see her return and fight alongside him. But she's turned into an even worse character than Megatron in some ways! What the hay!!!! Maybe bring her into the story as a sort of voice of wisdom and love when he can't see the answers. Optimus is NOT a relic. He IS the Prime chosen of Primus. The past can sometimes be repeated if lessons are not learned from it, but while responsibilities may increase - he is still a good leader who loves his world and his people. At some point something HAS to happen where he is given hope and learns he is not the product of his predecessors or the past. Events happen because some mecha - like Megatron - lose their way and others suffer for it. False Primes have created a dilemma for him, but in the end I firmly believe that he will be seen as the PRime he is. Megatron will do something that will help elivate Optimus whether he means for it or not. Evil always falls on its own face. I would love to see Optimus live on to guide Cybertron into its truest era of peace ever conceived. Ignore the comics all together - Rodimus should not take his place. In Rebirth - the G1 multi-part episode - Optimus is said to lead Cybertron into a new era, but it is never seen because the series was cancelled. Too big a back lash over Optimus Primes' death - which I TOTALLY agree with. Even so . . . I am not sure I made very good points this time. Just rambled. But I hope I said something that made sense or even helped. But a tired brain forgets half of what it intends to say when I'm still trying to catch up on sleep from a busy week of finals. Yay!
I didn't write those sections too well, so it might be a bit confusing. I'm kind of borrowing the idea from ROTF prequel comics and the script drafts where Fallen is indeed sealed in a "sacrophagus" by the "power of Primes." My initial idea was that in my story, the Seal that imprisons him can be broken by... 1. a Prime capable of releasing the raw power of the Matrix 2. Activating the Omega Lock, which would create a surge of cosmic power capable of "melting" or "undoing" the seal 3. The Chaos Bringer - sort of a contradictory opposite to the Primes (Edit 20th May: 4. By destroying Megatron's spark, as it's now infused with the Seal, enabled by Cybertron being unstable and incapable of holding the Ancient Designs by Primes perfectly anymore) So in the end, Fallen has nothing to lose: should Megatron win, the "cosmic beacon" for The Chaos Bringer would be created by the activation of the Omega Lock and Optimus Prime would most likely be dead and the Matrix either destroyed or taken by Megatron (who's unable to wield it anyway) and should Megatron lose the lock would probably be used in any case; Fallen's ultimate plan is, after all, to make Omega Lock resurface and get the bigger cosmic play going... In a nutshell, Fallen provide a portion of his powers to Megatron but isn't really capable of doing that much more, since he's still pretty much contained by the Seal. So while he isn't actually freed yet, he acts through Megatron, to some extent. In a way, it's a bit similar to how Sauron used Saruman in Lord of the Rings, especially in the movie adaptions where it's (unlike in Tolkien's books) stated that Sauron can't physically act or take form outside his tower. While being used as a tool of sorts, both Megatron and Saruman are strong personalities and individual threats to our heroes even without their eventual "masters." This is something I like to point out and a deliberate deviation from the plot of ROTF.
The draft/run-through of the story continues. It might be a bit messy, but once again, I'm merely laying out my previous plans and pondering about what to keep, what to ditch and what to chance. Naturally, the basic essence of the story is pretty much what it is, I'm quite fond of the general atmosphere and elements of it, but there's always something in need of a re-thinking. It's more or less Optimus-centric, but the supporting characters grow up to be more pivotal as the story progresses. Naturally, whatever format I'll end up using with the eventual final outcome, my intention is to really flesh out the cast, for they all have very different arcs and roles. I'll be doing some character profiles and background information type of stuff for the main cast, for it really helps to understand the world of the story when you look at the individual characters and what kind of journeys they've had. Anyway, here's run-through of the part two, with another corny working title. The Legacy of the Thiteen II - Dawn of Chaos - The Omega Lock is weakly pulsing with energy. Shockwave is guarding it. Megatron stands near, supervising as his troops make preparations. "Ah, I almost admire their spirit..." he says as remaining armies of the Earth try to take them down with yet another ineffective missile strike, thanks to Soundwave's brilliant radar tech and the firepower of Starscream and his subordinates. "Soon, we are ready... And I shall reward them for their persistent effort by giving them a chance to become part of something bigger. The new order. A new world." - Optimus Prime arrives to the autobot base. Ratchet patches him up, as he has already done with the others injured in previous battle. The situation looks grim. Ironhide even suggests that maybe, just maybe, the time has really come for the human race and that their future doesn't look too bright even if Autobots manage to defeat Megatron and stop the Omega Lock from releasing it's deadly energon burst. Optimus doesn't quite think so, however, and states that whatever future awaits the mankind, it's up for them to make and decide; all of the autobots agree that they won't let Megatron take over the planet and it's resources and it's time for them to make their final stand against him. "We win... or we die. But we will not stand by as the device of our Ancients is used to wipe out this civilization." - Optimus learns from the final scouting reports that the Decepticons and the Omega Lock are under constant fire by the united Earth armies and decides to gamble... assuming that the decepticons are rather busy with monitoring all kinds of message traffic by the human sources to be able to secure their operation from constant missile strike attempts, it might be that they have a blind (or deaf...) spot for other things... - Meanwhile in a fortified city, Megatron shoots down some fighter jets himself... The Omega Lock is radiating with Energon now, cyberforming small areas around it... Not much longer... - Optimus Prime sends a message to the space, declaring that they're going to make an all-out attack against the Decepticons on Earth and should any remaining Autobots hear it, now is the time to join the fight... for one last time. - Autobots make final preparations and Prime records one final message, adressed to human alliances, stating that they're going to make one final attempt to stop Megatron, makes his final apology for mankind, and wishes them all the best, regardless how the Autobots' attempt might end... And then, they roll out. - Soundwave reports about several targets getting closer... Meanwhile, Optimus Prime unfolds his trailer outside the city, launches some tactical missiles from it and arms himself... The missile strike does not harm a single decepticon, but does what it's supposed to do: draw some attention while the fastest autobots of the team - Sideswipe, Nightbeat and Rodimus - make their way to city through the sidelines. Ironhide, Brawn, Ratchet and Optimus provide heavy fire to tie decepticons to their positions while Strafe, hungry for vengeance, makes an epic dive to the city, drawing the Seekers after him, and it doesn't take too long for him to drop one or two of them. - Optimus equips his jetwings and takes some enemy fliers down himself, with Ironhide and co. providing coverfire while slowly pushing through. Optimus clears of the first line of defence and Ironhide and co. follow. Rodimus and co. make notable progress pushing through from the sidelines, but heavy fire by Shockwave is able to stop them. The decepticons, recovered from the first rush, regroup and Megatron himself steps forward... The Autobots and Decepticons clash. Strafe, now transformed, does some serious damage with his swords, but gets slaughtered by Megatron. Prime slices through the battlefield, trying to reach Megatron and the Omega Lock, which has already cyberformed quite a large area despite not being fully activated yet, and made the climate nearby unsustainable for organic life. - Ironhide shoots down Starscream. Shockwave and a couple of other decepticons are able to tie Rodimus' team to the sidelines, making them unable to help their allies. Brawn and Ironhide provide heavy fire and try to cover Optimus' passage through the enemy lines, but they're not able to make notable progress. - Fortunately, the "Calling all autobos" message by Optimus Prime didn't go unnoticed... A small team of "Autobot Nomads" led by Jetfire join the battle, paying their respect to the Last Prime... - Sideswipe, who's part of Rodimus' strike squad, makes an attempt to break through from the sidelines and dives through heavy enemy fire, breaking the enemy lines by his skill with blades and some well-aimed pistol fire, but he gets killed by Shockwave... Rodimus and Nightbeat manage to join the Autonot main force, but are unable to kill Shockwave. - Optimus finally reaches Megatron and the two clash in an epic battle... - Severely injured Starscream crawls to cover... Soundwave tries to patch him up, but it doesn't look too good for the good-old ambitious Seeker. Starscream looks to the corner of the battlefield where Optimus and Megatron brawl near the Omega Lock: "to follow him... is to die with him..." - The Autobots manage to trap Shockwave's unit under heavy fire, but not without a cost: Brawn loses a leg and Ratchet takes some heavy beating too. - Optimus eventually defeats Megatron. Shockwave starts retreating, trying to take the Omega Lock with him but is caught under Autobot fire and is forced to leave without the lock... Soundwave, cursing the other 'Wave's lack of loyalty, gets killed by Rodimus and Nighbeat. - Optimus, with hand over a giant wound in his body, walks towards fallen Megatron, impaled by his energon sword. Still alive, Megatron gives Prime a look full of hatred and disgust, cursing that he has just doomed them all. Prime admits that there was a time when he thought that the two of them could still overcome their differences and work together once more... but those days are gone and one way or another, it's the end of the road for one of them. And now, it's for Megatron. Prime pulls the trigger, releasing a killing shot just after Megatron's almost desperate and mournful final words: "I... hate..." As Megatron passes away, Prime sees a flash of red and black... something that reaches him deep inside and just as he feels as if he's swallowed by it, it's gone. Prime looks tired - Starscream, still holding on for life, is found laying in the battlefield. He sees the pity and sorrow in Optimus Prime's face and for one little moment it's as if the two of them somehow understood each other... both seeing the fault in Megatron's leadership and both wishing that the decepticons would be something better. But as the moment passes by, Starscream grabs Prime's sword lying on the ground and stabs himself, sticking to his pride until the very end. - The Autobots take the Omega Lock, now damaged, but still pulsing weakly with energy. The energon infested clouds roll above them, making the battlefield an isolated Cybertronian isle on a distant planet. One last outpost. - Meanwhile on Cybetron, Fallen's eyes are lit... his secret plan worked... Cybertron has become so unstable that the energy that swarms around his Seal infused with Megatron's spark and now that it's destroyed... the Seal is broken as well, due to the ancient connection that passes all the know laws of space and time. The Age of Chaos has begun. - Optimus Prime and his autobots and a few injured and surrendered decepticons regroup and prepare to leave. The damaged Omega Lock is secured by Ironhide and Rodimus. - Optimus feels a sudden burst in the Matrix... it's like every single cell in his metallic, yet very alive, body infuse with the cosmic power of it. For a passing moment he feels like the very existence is ripped apart... and then it's gone. On the edge of the battlefield, he sees a figure standing. An ancient transformer. Vector Prime has arrived, now that the time and space are threatened. In the far reaches of the space there is a ripple. As if something is ripping a hole in the nothingness of it, but at the same time it's like it has always been there. From the void, something appears. Something that's neither here or there... and yet it is. And somehow, it takes shape, revealing itself, like a dark, demonic butterfly bursting from a cocoon. The very fabric of space is ripped apart as the call has echoed through space... through time... through dimensions. The Chaos Bringer has awaken. And it's hungry.
Before posting the plans for the third part of the story (which remains pretty intact in any case) I've come to think that parts I and II should be merged together a little bit. The plot rundowns and description above are, of course, more or less directive and not-too-exact anyway, but the story might require some changes to really flow well. So, the updated draft would go with the following changes: - Team Prime spends a bit more time out of Earth, discovering the remaining autobot groups; this would also give the arrival of reinforcement Autobots in the big battle between the factions a bit more background. - Instead of making an #ThorArrivesWakanda entrance, Team Prime join the other Autobots on Earth a good while after Megatron has already got the Omega Lock and secured it's location. - The background and motives of Megatron will be given a bit more focus, along with more or less extensive rethinking of Fallen's role in the story. The main story arc and the motives of three major players of the story stay the very same: Autobots (Optimus Prime) - To unite the scattered remains of their people and find peaceful ways to survive and co-exist with beings they've already more or less bonded with (humans, in this case) Decepticons (Megatron) - To restore their dominant position as supreme rulers - now united by the fresh chance to do so. Megatron's - yeat another - gamble does cause some doubts, however. The Fallen - To use Megatron's desperate ambition and pride as a tool to awoke the Chaos Bringer - whose arrival and eventual destruction of the lifeforce of Primus would finally set Fallen free and return his ancient powers to him. I also have some more or less big plans for another story, which relies much more on the classic elements - this one is, after all, quite movie-inspired. But more of that later on, better to get this one out of the way in at least some format...
