In the first film Starscream was an efficient, ruthless, smart killer. He was able to take on Ironhide and Ratchet at the same time and bring them to their knees MEANWHILE only taking like two or three hits. He also almost single handedly brought down a group of F-22s. He got in, did his damage, and got out like a true air commander. ROTF comes along and for some reason *cough*writing*cough* Starscream can't do shit. In DOTM all he does is take out some ospreys, and the his mind is blown. Its like after the first film the writers were just like "you know what, the decepticons have been wining a war, and the autobots and decepticons on earth are evenly matched.... that makes no sense at all write the autobots as the alien badasses that they clearly are since they've only been losing a war for centuries, that will make much more sense". How are we supposed to believe that they were losing a war when like 4 or 5 of them(the ones that actually did shit) can take out hundreds? The movies would have been 10 times better if they had left them evenly matched, and not just buff up the autobots so that wheelie and brains could kill soundwave.... yeah i went there. Do note i love the movies and watch them all the time, but the writing is such bullshit with the autobots wining these massive battles. America.

 

 

Starscream was never a compentant soldier in the first movie. He failed Megatron easily. The only reason people didn't notice was the fact he had only two lines of dialogue and little screen time.

I do agree that he Autobots should be indestructible while the Decepticons die easily, It's one of the many things i always hated about Bayformers.

 

I think you need to rewatch the movie, bc Starscream was the only Decepticon who wasn't a total screw up.

Let's review.
Barricade: Got beaten by Bumblebee, and then went MIA during the final battle.
Bonecrusher: Got killed by Prime after a 30 second fight.
Frenzy: Killed himself.
Brawl: destroyed a coffee shop, got jumped by the Autobots, and then got killed by Bumblebee.
Blackout: Killed by humans.
Megatron: Went on a mindless rampage, and then got killed by a kid holding a box.
Starscream: Lead the Decepticons in Megatrons absence, took the Autobots by surprise during the final battle and wrecked havoc, took down enemy fighter craft using the advantage of his alt mode, and got away with his life after Megatron screwed everything up.

Yea, Starscream was without a doubt dumbed down for the other movies.

 

ROTF and DOTM turned my man Screamer into a sniveling wimp.

Yes, I mad.

 

+1

 

More like he sunk into his character. He didn't really have a personality first time around. He's still a menace to everyone except Megatron, except now he has a character. The only thing is that he hasn't gotten a chance to shine in combat since movie 1. (though he did show shades of his air-superiority in DOTM when he took down the Osprey)

So they turned Starscream into Starscream?

ROTF/DOTM did nothing new with his character. He's always been a whiney bitch.

 

In the first film, yeah he didn't get a whole lot of screen time. But what he did have he seemed to make good use of. Trashing everything he comes in contact with. In the second film he gets his arm torn off an beaten with it... twice. And doesn't seem to be that bothered by it, takes it in stride. In DotM he get jabbed in the eye an looses his mind. Yeah eyes are sensitive, but I'd think having your arm ripped off might be a more pressing injury. I'm not happy with how he was done in the films. Yes Scream is a backstabber and a coward. But in the movies he was more like a hunchback lackie type. All he needed was to drag his foot when he's following Megs around, 'Yes Massster." To me it seemd he got dumber with each movie. Sad.

 

while I love his fighting ability in the first movie , I have to say ROTF and DOTM made me care for him even less.

 

Sunbow G1 Starscream is a bastardization of how the character was originally meant to be portrayed.

 

I have to agree that he was just a hunchbacked ass kisser in the second film. He wa portrayed a little better in the third but still was in no way a threat. All he did in the sequels was shoot at things that couldn't shoot back accept when he thought Prime which didn't end well for anyone.

 

You forgot Brawl (though perhaps you meant to, since he was far, far from a "screw up". I'm pretty sure he took the most damage before suffering from extreme heartburn thanks to Bee.)

 

What i don't get is why does starscream have to be a wimp. If he is the decepticon #2 how did he get there. the short amount of time in movie one made him look like a proper 2nd in command.

 

The common problem some of you are having is understanding that he is an air commander and an extremely competent fighter. He's smart and knows when and where to strike his enemies to take them down. I like his character in ROTF and DOTM better for sure, but at least in the first film he actually DID SOMETHING other than get face-f---ed by Optimus and Sam. Is Starscream a warrior? Absolutely not. Can he fight if he wants? Hell f---ing yes he can. Could he take down two of the more experienced autobots( ironhide and ratchet)? Yes.

 

I think Starscream is a little underrated in the ROTF Forest Fight. He's "tanking" a lot of Optimus' damage whilst Megatron sits in the background trying to figure out how to use his fusion cannon. And remember, Starscream did destroy the Xanthium in DOTM and took down all those Ospreys.
But after also watching the Ratchet/Ironhide vs Starscream scene, I'm fairly certain he only won because he caught them at surprise. When Starscream lands he flips a bunch of cars, which I'm presuming knocks Ironhide to the ground (because throughout most of the fight, Ironhide is on the ground trying to back away) and Ratchet is just standing there right next to Starscream and is getting pummelled. Had Starscream not caught them both at such an inconvenient time, I don't think he would've won, or at least not that easily.

 

Oh god, all you butthurt G1ers need to realize that he didn't "Fall into his character". That doesn't happen to someone over the course of 4 years, 4 years to a Decepticon is like 5 seconds to us. It's just abysmal writing.

 

I think that Starscream was pretty badass in 1, but as the movies wen he just seemed like a massive kiss ass and just all round just seemed more weak.

But movie makers seem to always make the bad guys like cannon fodder

 

I think you may be right. Although I think it was a case of them running so fast they couldn't stop before they got too close but I do think Starscream took them by surprise. What I never understood is why Starscream flew of? He didn't take nearly as much damage as the Bots did.

I'll also point out that the Ospreys are only lightly armed and the Xanthium couldn't shoot back at all. also, It was explained in the comic that the Xanthium was "a bucket of bolts" and that they wouldn't have even made it out of the atmosphere in it.

 

I think starscream's case is a lot like scar's from lion king, he seems like a bit of a coward but when he fights, MAN CAN HE FIGHT!! as you would know if you've seen the ending battle in the lion king

 

It's almost like the writers forgot how he was written in the first movie.

The first movie Starscream can take on the best aircraft the humans can build as if it was child's play for him. Easily takes out the squad of F-22s because an air commander knows you need air superiority. The tone Ironhide uses makes it sound as if the Autobots fear Starscream. And once Megatron falls Starscream figures it's no use fighting a lost fight when I could take over the Decepticons.

But by Revenge of the Fallen he's totally forgotten how to be an air commander. When we do see him in the air he can't even hit the Twins even though Starscream has the drop on them. By Dark of the Moon he's so weak that Sam can kill him because somehow Sam has superhuman ligaments and his arm isn't ripped out of the socket by all that thrashing around.

I'm just going to have to say bad writing to have a villain with lots of potential and just throw it away like that.

 

In movie 1 he seemed strong and defiant and there's still debate as to if he shot megs in the final battle as it's probably likely after him leaving earth. Movie two he turned into a snivelling igor lackie as said above and it got worse from there. Movie 3's death still doesn't sit well with me, it should have been one of the autobots to off him imo, no need for sam to be involved.