"Ageing" Transformers

Discussion in 'Transformers Animated Discussion' started by thekryle, Mar 17, 2008.

  1. thekryle

    thekryle Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 24, 2005
    Posts:
    84
    Trophy Points:
    81
    Likes:
    +0
    Is it just me or do some Transformers in Animated seem to look as if they're older then others? The most prominent example would be Ratchet although I'm sure a lot of people would just elude that to battle damage like his antennae(I don't think it's an antennae but whatever) and how it's missing a piece. But his facial features seem to be older especially when compared to his flashback self. Also with Ultra Magnus. He looks as if he's "older" then the others. What do you think? Do you think Transformers in this series can actually age in just looks or also in functionality i.e. they could die from old age? Or do you think it's nothing worth thinking about?
     
  2. Julliant

    Julliant This space for rent.

    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2007
    Posts:
    1,356
    Trophy Points:
    177
    Likes:
    +8
    After years their individual face parts start to be loose and 'sag'?
     
  3. General Tekno

    General Tekno Lugnut Supremor & Arkivist

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2006
    Posts:
    11,757
    News Credits:
    242
    Trophy Points:
    382
    Location:
    The Teknodrome
    Likes:
    +5,532
    Well, the Autobots DID beat the 'cons centuries ago.

    Maybe some of the vets lapsed in their self-diagnostics.

    Whereas the 'cons have been on the periphery, biding their time and maintaining their physical conditions.
     
  4. SMOG

    SMOG Vocabchampion ArgueTitan

    Joined:
    May 13, 2006
    Posts:
    23,092
    Trophy Points:
    412
    Location:
    Robot Narnia, Quebec
    Likes:
    +9,242
    I think it's very clear that TFs show "age" in Animated. Magnus has a certain aged look to him, and Ratchet obviously is supposed to be old.

    However, the "age" we see on them seems to be minor facial touches that reflect human aging... but it never really explains what that is.

    Is it denting? Corrosion? Metal fatigue? What the heck are their faces made out of anyway?

    And on the same topic, I asked this same question in another thread... why do Ratchet and Magnus (who have both been through the Great War) seem so old, while Megatron, Lockdown, and most of the other Decepticons look pretty much normal? They've all been around just as long as the others after all...

    (obviously Blackarachnia is the exception, being of the same generation as Optimus)

    zmog
     
  5. Julliant

    Julliant This space for rent.

    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2007
    Posts:
    1,356
    Trophy Points:
    177
    Likes:
    +8
    I believe TF's faces were always, since G1, supposed to be made of small individual pieces like in the 2007 movie, but being cartoons there's no need to draw out those pieces.


    Glad they didn't do 'liquid metal' again, that's such a half assed and cliched answer to a problem.
     
  6. Valkysas

    Valkysas Attack Buffalo

    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2003
    Posts:
    21,641
    News Credits:
    19
    Trophy Points:
    412
    Likes:
    +2,687
    Lots of reasons. magnus and ratchet may be older than any of the decepticons. it's not rare for a single autobot to be leader for a few million years, after all.

    their aging could also be a result of stress. anything, even metal, put under physical stress for a long time shows signs of advanced aging. add in the emotional stress and how that may effect transformers, and you have another possibility. fighting wouldnt be that stressful for decepticons. they're more powerful, less likely to be beaten down, they enjoy fighting.

    The only decepticons alive today that we know were active in the great war are Megatron and Lockdown. Lockdown modifies himself, we've seen it. it's very possible that he repairs himself if any parts are getting worn out. I don't think Megatron would take to aging either, and has probably been upgrading himself extensively over the years to keep at the top of his game. The other decepticons could very well be new recruits for all we know.
     
  7. shroobmaster

    shroobmaster Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2007
    Posts:
    13,627
    News Credits:
    30
    Trophy Points:
    262
    Likes:
    +52
    You know maybe the Decepticons are like... the main alien race from DBZ? They aged way slower than other alien races, and considering the Decepticons are to Autobots what wolves are to dogs, it could work.
     
  8. SMOG

    SMOG Vocabchampion ArgueTitan

    Joined:
    May 13, 2006
    Posts:
    23,092
    Trophy Points:
    412
    Location:
    Robot Narnia, Quebec
    Likes:
    +9,242
    Except I believe dogs probably have a longer life expectancy than wolves... but I get what you're saying. :) 

    The question as to whether Autobots and Decepticons are actually racial distinctions, or merely political ones, has been handled differently across the various series and canons. It would seem so far that in Animated, Decepticons are fundamentally different than Autobots... certainly bigger, and with a superstitious fear attached to them. Again, Blackarachnia would be the obvious exception.

    Bearing this in mind, Cons might just have more longevity, as a built-in improvement or evolution. They may be the "master race" of Cybertron, as it were.

    True... Ratchet may have been old before the war even started... but I didn't get that impression in the flashback episode.

    This is possible... but I suspect we'll see more evidence that the core team of Decepticons have been with Megs since the War. It makes more sense. I can't see them picking up that many fresh recruits while wandering space in exile/defeat.

    But yeah... it could be as I mentioned earlier, that Decepticons do like to upgrade themselves, while Autobots believe in the integrity of working, aging, and finally earning their rest when they rejoin the Allspark. Or something.

    On the other hand, Cons take what they want, rather than toiling away as workers, and probably tweak themselves to the max... preferring immortality to sticking to the "circle of life".

    I find the tendency to use "liquid metal" and nanotechnology are HUGE co-outs in Transformer lore. I prefer the idea of them being fundamentally mechanical machines, on a visible scale. And the rubbery "skin" that some artists have suggested in the past... don't get me started. :) 

    I also always kind of interpreted TF faces as containing tiny joints or seams that were just simplified for the sake of animation. I guess I kind of see those more humanoid faces as being somewhat mask-like. Is that creepy? :) 

    zmog
     
  9. Lockdown

    Lockdown Bootey Hunter

    Joined:
    Nov 27, 2007
    Posts:
    455
    News Credits:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    76
    Likes:
    +1
    I think its simply one of those suspension of disbelief things where your not meant to put too much thought into cause its a detail that when inspected too closely brings up all kinds off issues.

    Magnus and Ratchet have and aged look to them cause well it helps to reinforce the kinds of character they represent, Ratchet is the Old guy character so he looks kinda old, Magnus is a Veteran the Autobot supreme Commander he has experience (epsecially in contrast to Optimus and Sentinel) thus its shown in his appearance.

    The Decepticon characters are meant to put across very different concepts that giving them an aged look inst useful.

    I know alot of fan types like to have explainations that work for them but honestly so much is simply done to fit the story AND THAT IS ALL
     
  10. Fort Max

    Fort Max Too many is never enough. Veteran

    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2003
    Posts:
    21,008
    News Credits:
    27
    Trophy Points:
    422
    Location:
    England
    Likes:
    +41,193
    It's just for the sake of the character's look. Same as Ratchet's gut and Lugnut's crazy mouth.

    Not everything has to or can be explained. ;) 
     
  11. McBradders

    McBradders James Franco Club! Veteran

    Joined:
    Sep 17, 2002
    Posts:
    34,126
    Trophy Points:
    356
    Likes:
    +12
    Kup started it way back in the day for real yo, this is nothing new.

    No, I lie, Alpha Trion did.
     
  12. KA

    KA Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 23, 2003
    Posts:
    23,436
    News Credits:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    412
    Likes:
    +359
    was g1 scourge supposed to old? I mean, its not like thundercracker or whoever was old or nuthin'. it was like unicron was like, ok dude you get a goatee or summat.
     
  13. Prime's Pappa

    Prime's Pappa Animated Forever

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2007
    Posts:
    315
    Trophy Points:
    127
    Location:
    Tampa, Florida
    Likes:
    +4
    It also looks like Ironhide my have some aging on his face from a picture i have seen. G1 had aging too. Along with beards so it is not that far fetched for the transformers world
     
  14. Julliant

    Julliant This space for rent.

    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2007
    Posts:
    1,356
    Trophy Points:
    177
    Likes:
    +8
    I actually want to see nanobots in TF. Blitzwing mentioned it in Lost & Found but that's about it so far, I want to see nanotechnology in work, probably as a medical tool.

    Facial hair is a definite no.
     
  15. SMOG

    SMOG Vocabchampion ArgueTitan

    Joined:
    May 13, 2006
    Posts:
    23,092
    Trophy Points:
    412
    Location:
    Robot Narnia, Quebec
    Likes:
    +9,242
    Well yeah... that's the REAL reason. True enough. I was pointing it out as kind of an error/sloppiness in the world design. Ratchet looks old, others don't. I actually kind of doubt that there will ever be an explanation for this.

    I don't mind the facial hair too much. I mean, I also don't believe that faceplate TF's all have faces behind their "helmets". I see TF faces as aesthetic designs, masks that represent who they are, where they're from, or how they present themselves. A goatee as on Scourge is an aesthetic and superficial design as much as Bumblebee's horns or Bombshell's "grill".

    I know that presents questions too... like why do they make themselves look like flesh-and-blood people with hair and noses and stuff. Never thought too deep on that one, honestly. :) 

    zmog
     
  16. Gingerchris

    Gingerchris Telly-headed Tyrant

    Joined:
    Feb 17, 2005
    Posts:
    16,013
    News Credits:
    11
    Trophy Points:
    387
    Likes:
    +2,239
    Bumblebee's face could actually be a television screen. :) 
     
  17. Legless Pete

    Legless Pete Chairman Kaga

    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2005
    Posts:
    406
    Trophy Points:
    111
    Likes:
    +0
    Too bad, Wreck-Gar has facial hair.
     
  18. McBradders

    McBradders James Franco Club! Veteran

    Joined:
    Sep 17, 2002
    Posts:
    34,126
    Trophy Points:
    356
    Likes:
    +12
    How soon they forget.
     
  19. Julliant

    Julliant This space for rent.

    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2007
    Posts:
    1,356
    Trophy Points:
    177
    Likes:
    +8
    I though it was just black lines suggesting facial hair.

    BTW I just rewatched Along Came A Spider and Sentinel said the Decepticons hoarded Energon, so if it's going to be explained officially then I suppose the Decepticons keeping in shape unlike the Autobots makes sense.
     
  20. thekryle

    thekryle Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 24, 2005
    Posts:
    84
    Trophy Points:
    81
    Likes:
    +0
    I like that one. But do you guys think they could die of "Old Age"?