Out of all the various plot devices used in the history of the Transformers franchise, which would you say was the worst?

For me, I'd go with the Magnificence. It could answer literally any question asked with no consequences for whoever used it, but was only used twice and then it disappeared for ten years in the real world with no mention of what happened.

 

When ever the Matrix is used as the the "fix button" or upgrades the person who gets it in both body and character like in G1 or Prime. I like when the Matrix is kept in mystery on it's true purpose and is either used for knowledge or if it does have "mystical powers" they're discovered overtime.

 

For me, it's a lot of the stuff in TFA and TFP, especially the AllSpark, Sari and her key, Arcee and Omega Supreme in TFA and the various forms of Energon and relics in TFP. Heck, these are some of the many reasons why I feel these two shows are extremely overrated.

TFA Arcee in particular hurts me a lot, because she only is there to be part of Ratchet's past and be the one who has the codes inside her, but she just doesn't do anything for me. She is a glorified plot device without personality, and in fact, both Omega and Arcee are supposed to make me care about Ratchet, but they failed at it (especially considering that I already disliked Ratchet a lot).

 

The TFP Star Saber. It broke its own fucking rules. Only a prime can use it. Bumblebee used it. Is bumblebee a prime now? Fucking hate this thing.

 

Yes, all the garbage from Transformers Prime.

A good macguffin was the golden disk from Beast Wars.

 

I really wish TFA Arcee had been given a characterization other than "(barely) walking talking plot device". I think it would've been neat if she'd been as grouchy as Ratchet post-coma (or better yet, no coma at all); she's as old as him, after all. Something along these lines:

Disformer

 

I see. Personally, I don't think it would have been great to have two grouches there (especially since I don't like Ratchet as a grouch), but I guess the idea of Arcee becoming older instead of being in some sort of suspended animation could have worked somewhat if they had managed to use her properly. I like the idea of the suspended animation though (I actually used that once in my stuff with Windblade), but yeah, for this arc, I don't think they picked the right characters for it (in fact, there are other characters that work better as the grouch than Ratchet ever did, at least IMO).

 

By "only a Prime may use it" they mean "only a Prime can use the OP Lightsaber ability" rather than it being like Thor's Hammer

 

All of them. They're all bad.

I'm only half joking.

 

What episode was it stated? im curious

 

Pretty sure Bumblebee just used it as a regular sword. It is sharp and pointy, after all. I don’t remember it glowing. Would be less practical if no one except a Prime could carry it around, so it stands to reason that non Primes can do regular sword stuff with it, like lugging it and stabbing people.

 

In it's basic ass description on it's debut. The reason the cons couldn't take it out was because of a protective shield it was projecting, at no point it is said "only a Prime can lift it". If it was like Thor's hammer the Decepticons would never be able to life the mountain in the first place.

It's like King Arthur and Excalibur. If it's stored somewhere only one that is chosen (in this case a Prime) can take it out and wield it's power. After it's out anyone can wield the blade since it's now just a big fancy blade, but I Prime is the only one that can use it to cut a mountain in half with their wrist.

 

Makes more sense now. Its been 6+years since i watched prime so i needed context.

 

Pretty much any of an alien nature that's been on or in Earth for ages. Time to move on.

 

Bay films:

 

Every Macguffin in TFP. With some Macguffins in other TF media or just in other movies, atleast they use them to some extent to be amusing enough. In TFP they introduce a macguffin, do a wacky thing, next episode they completely forgot about them. I realize this is more of a TFP problem, but it's like they took literally the prominent criticism of the Bay films (which was, the over-usage of Macguffins from millions of years ago) and doubled that to be in every episode.

 

The Matrix of Leadership. We shouldn't choose our leaders based on the opinion of a magical trinket.

 

It could have been used to avoid AHM all together but it wasn't  

 

City speaking.

This has always been something that rubbed me the wrong way. First, it brought in the need for magical powers that have zero point being in a transformers series. The thing that aggravates me the most was the fact they were talking to a giant face, completely capable of speaking, but all of a sudden they can't and have to possess a bot to be able to speak through them. What? Am I watching the exorcist or Transformers? I get that some bots got cool gimmicks like Thundercracker and teleporting, but this just feels... out there... and in the worst way possible. Not to mention 100% pointless

You forgot
    

 

The tallesmen (idk how to spell it) from TLK. It did absolutely nothing, Cade gets a new sword and does absolutely nothing with it at all, it also has no use in the overall story and doesn’t even help any of the characters. At least in other media the maguffins help the autobots or decepticons in battle, but in TLK It’s barely used at all, and Cade just drops it and forgets about it.