The Bay films (three so far) are a series of films that focus on Sam's life. His growth from a teenager to a college student to an adult is at the centre of the film, and is used as a real-world link and metaphor for the themes of duty, achievement, and growth that we see in the film. Whether saving the day, or getting a job, Sam's growth encompasses something every person must learn: how to make the right choices.

So you know what, let's take a look at those choices. Granted, these are fictional characters, and their actions are effectively pre-ordained by the direction the writers want them to move in, but still, their actions carry repercussions in the films (or at least, they should, if they're well-thought-out in the context of the film), but we can still look at these decisions the characters make, both the "turning-point" pivotal ones, and even seemingly mundane decisions, and try and speculate what would have changed down the road if done differently. A "Waspinator Effect", if you will.

Here's sort of what I mean:

In the first Transformers movie, Sam asks Mikaela, "Fifty years from now, when you're looking back at your life, don't you wanna say you had the guts to get into the car?" Pretty explicit examination of a decision, I'd say. And naturally, Mikeala, bold and sassy, gets in the car, and the story moves on. But what if she didn't? What if watching two cars have a boxing match, being harassed by the Men In Black, and decapitating an alien robot with a power saw was enough weirdness for her? How could things have turned out instead?

Well, for one, Frenzy-head would have likely had a harder time tagging along to Sector 7's secret site. Without that, he wouldn't have been able to regenerate from the cube, wouldn't have been able to alert Starscream to his location, and Starscream wouldn't have known which facility to attack (provided he wasn't able to track the Autobots), meaning Megatron/NBE-1 would still be on ice. It's possible the entire Decepticon attack in Mission City could have been averted, but this would probably have led to an extremely antagonistic relationship between the Autobots, who would want the cube and know where it was, and Sector 7, who would be unlikely to give it up and likely to be less than trusting of the Autobots. N.E.S.T. would probably never have formed, at least not in the short term, unless the Decepticons chose to reveal themselves anyway to try and draw out Sector 7.

It goes without saying that this would likely have meant Mikeala and Sam would never have had a romantic relationship. They would have never attempted a long-distance relationship while Sam was at college, which means he would have never dropped that Allspark shard while trying to chat with her, and she would never have been given possession of it as a result (and the resulting wave of appliancebots mean the Witwickys would not have gotten yet another renovation). It's possible that Sam would have made physical contact with the shard at another time, triggering his allspark memories, but let's assume that he didn't. Hell, let's assume that the Mission City battle never even happened, that the Allspark was never lost (and that Sam never had that shard from "D-Day" in the first place). The Autobots would have likely been pretty firm about taking possession of / murdering in his cold-sleep Megatron and using the Allspark to revitalize their shattered world. Maybe they'd take it by force, maybe they'd negotiate an alliance and a promise of technology in exchange. Either way, they'd have a massive tactical advantage, a method of quickly raising an Autobot army, and a relic of nearly supreme spiritual importance to their people. They could probably have ended the conflict on Cybertron, peacefully or otherwise, and begun the process of rebuilding. Of course, this probably wouldn't have been the end of contact between Earth and Cybertron...


If, for some reason (The Decepticons piecing together the location of the Allspark from gleaned data from Frenzy, or tracking the Autobots), the Mission City battle still happened, there would have been noone to think to tie Bumblebee's busted body to a towtruck, which would have at best removed his ability to fight as a mobile combatant, and at worst, left him completely vulnerable to being finished off by the Decepticons. In fact, Bumblebee would probably still be in his rusted-up '76 Camaro form, since Mikeala would have never been in the car to voice her disapproval of such a shape.

Sam would have still had the Allspark shard when captured by the Decepticons and the newly-resurrected Megatron, and it would likely have been used for some nefarious purpose. Alice might have survived, might have not, but otherwise the outcome would have been pretty much the same, since Megatron wanted Sam alive. Wheelie would have never been captured or "tamed" and would have remained a Decepticon, but it's possible Sam could have still pieced together going to try and see Jetfire, but without the shard, could he have woken him up? Assuming he could, the rest of Revenge of the Fallen turns out the same way, with slightly less moral support and eye candy for Sam.

And then Brains never learns how "mean" Mikeala was.







So that's pretty much what I had in mind. Couple of guidelines I think might make the thread move a little smoother:

- Try to limit yourself to the implications of a single "decision" at a time, otherwise things can get REALLY complicated. How closely the rest of people's actions stick to what happens in the "prime" timeline (pun intended) are up to you, of course.
- Try to really think the implications through. As we see above, seemingly small actions can have massive impacts that resonate throughout the movies, so I think the more detail and depth people go for in their speculations, the better things will turn out
- Totally analyze and debate the speculative posts of others, submit your own alternate interpretations, mull over probability, etc. But be civil and open to discussion (this should go without saying, but cmon, Movie Forum. =P)
- I can only speak for myself, but if you like the way of thinking a user uses, suggest some "decisions" or outcomes you'd like them to work with. I'll try to get to them if directed at me, but naturally there's no obligation for others to do the same.

Okay dudes, go nuts.

 

So this is one of those "Choose your own Adventure" threads, huh?

Cool.

 

 

I suppose if Prime wouldn't have come to life, the earth would be in ruins, and Cybertron would return to its former glory. Hm... That's a nice ending.

 

How about the moment the producers of the TF films chose Michael Bay to direct? The most disasterous moment in TF history. Hands down.

 

Please, please, PLEASE leave that garbage out of this thread.

 

That's some originality you've got there stud.

Under Decepticon rule. I suppose the Autobots remaining on the sun-less Earth could escape with the Xantium, maybe not. Maybe Megatron would have revived Sentinel (being a Prime) to kill The Fallen and then Megatron could overpower Sentinel, not being scarred and having an army at his disposal. Using reverse-engineered space bridge technology, Megatron rules the universe. Yay.

 

Please no more Bay talk! Can there be one thread without his name, please!!

 

In an alternate universe. Steven Spielberg directed and it was the one of the greatest movies ever made.

 

Carly never found Megatron in the alley, and thus, when the fatal moment came, Optimus Prime died under the blade of Sentinel, who managed to recover the control pillar via its levitation factor before the Autobots could destroy it, and thus completely pulled Cybertron through the space bridge, utilising his pillars control over the planet to manage its gravitational force, turning it into a superpower that rended whole cities with earthquakes and tsunamis. Seizing control of the remaining Decepticons and forcing both humanity and Autobot to surrender lest he tear the Earth apart, Sentinel began his reign.

But Megatron escaped Chicago when Sentinel seized control. Though alone, injured, and without an army, Megatron decides that a world with Sentinel in control was not a world he could tolerate, and thus, he is prepared to fight the new regime.

Where Optimus Prime failed, Megatron is determined to succeed.

 

In another universe My Little Pony and Transformers are the same thing o.o

Alternate universes are weird... lets never talk about them again? :3

 

As fantastic as that universe may be, we don't live there, and we'll have to make do with what we've got. At least Spielberg had a decent hand in the first movie, which made it that much better.

Anyway, I'm surprised this thread hasn't had more comments. I think this is a pretty interesting idea, and I'd love to contribute after I've mulled some things over. It'd be awesome to even try this with some other movies.

 

Shut and take my fucking money!


My big one is what if Megatron left Soundwave in his nigh untouchable position in space and directed him to infiltrate and take command of as many automated weapons systems as possible to sow seeds of dissent and mistrust all over the world:

Using drones situated in the Middle East to attack friendly nations such as Saudi Arabia and commit war crimes.

Take control of nuclear arsenals (I know those exist on largely independent networks with no hard lines to the outside, but movie logic)

Using naval missile ships to lay waste to any target in their range.

Enact cyber attacks and countermeasures to defenses everywhere in the world.


The Decepticons may have won Revenge of the Fallen had they done that.

 

During the attack on the Soccent Base, Captain Lennox and his team do not make it out alive. Thus, Scorponok does not track them down in the desert, and the the US government neither catches a glimpse of the enemy, nor finds the piece of his tail to study, and never learns (at least not immediately) that sable rounds are harmful to the Transformers' armor.

Two possible outcomes follow:

1. Without Lennox to threaten Simmons at Hoover Dam, Bumblebee remains trapped by the government, the Decepticons arrive first at the dam and awaken Megatron, who gets the Allspark and forms his machine army, slaughtering humankind in the process.

2. Someone else convinces Simmons to free Bumblebee. The Cube is taken to Mission City, but without a military escort, and thus the Autobots, Mikaela, and Sam are left to fend for themselves. Lennox never shoots down Blackout, who in turn aids Megatron in defeating Optimus Prime, in what I'd expect to be in similar fashion to the forest battle in RotF. Either Optimus sacrifices himself to destroy the Cube since he cannot defeat Megatron, or he is killed before he has the chance to, Megatron finds Sam, and the same ending happens as in number 1.

 

You know what?



Scenario 1:

The producers, wanting a director used to high-energy action, visual spectacle and sci-fi films (and save some money through multitasking), coax Luc Besson to both write the script and direct the film, feeling that this will yield a cohesive asesthetic and "universe" that they can build on if successful, and hedge their bets against with different aesthetic directions if not. After initial press releases announcing the casting of Jean Reno and Mila Jovovich, the buzz begins to die down as rumors of tension between the studio and Besson surround repeated delays. But once pre-production sketches of some of the Transformers and Cybertron begin to surface, long-time fans are agog at the slick, mobius-influenced designs, and hype reaches a fever pitch, even among reports of the film running over-budget.

The film is highly marketed, and has a spectacular opening. Fans praise its ability to leverage some of the best feelings and plot points of the original comic and recent animated serieses, and in bringing depth and humanity to both sides of the alien conflict, but many take issue with the use of the more obscure characterizations and relationships found in the comic, compared to the more well-known original cartoon. After a highly profitable, record-breaking opening weekend, revenues fall flat somewhat quickly, though the film remains highly profitable overall (especially in international markets). Critics praise the near-flawless comedic timing in Besson's cathartic scenes, and many of the performances of the CGI characters, but argue many of the special effects scenes are too cluttered, and that the special effects were simply not up to the task of the director's vision (an extended sequence in which Sam interacts with a virtual version of Cybertron in a sort of "mind-meld" with Optimus and Bumblebee is universally panned).

Toy sales do well, much better than in recent memory, and especially well in Europe and Asian markets. However, much of these sales are attributed to a narrow range of characters (Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, and to a lesser extent, Starscream), and many other characters shelfwarm. Similarly, much of the ancilliary merchandise ends up being liquidated at low prices, with disappointed licensers complaining of a lack of "marketable" production art to draw from. Still, the Transformers brand drives Hasbro profits for 2007-2008, and a sequel is greenlit, though the unforeseen costs of the first movie, along with waning interest for licensing and tie-ins, leads to a more modest marketing campaign and a new direction, with the relegation of Luc Besson to a producer/lead writer role in the making of "Transformers 2: Matrix Quest", while negotiations for a new director begin.



Scenario 2:

While some "80s revivals" have already done well at the box office, the failure of many "blockbusters" to yield returns in terms of brand equity with children and toy sales leads to a conservative approach by Hasbro and Paramount with their Transformers film, eventually hiring director McG as a cost-effective choice, while one still experienced in spectacle cinema (and a favorite of producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura). A cast of relative unknowns, led by veteran actor Nicolas Cage, are announced, with McG stating "I want the focus to be on the robots". After multiple drafts, a script is finalized and shooting begins, with set photos or "dailies" released at a regular pace (and taken by McG himself) whet the audiences appetite for more, as information regarding the Transformers themselves is closely guarded (not even being shown in the first trailer) until they are revealed instead through toy prototype photos and tie-in advertisements. While the fandom approves of the designs that highly resemble many iconic incarnations of the various characters, little attention is paid by the general public or the press to the photos of grey test shots gleaned from japanese patent applications and ads from the backs of comic books alongside hostess products.

On opening day, a last-minute marketing blitz leads to a strong showing at the box office, though far from the record-breaking numbers of other, more popular franchises (such as the Harry Potter series), and this healthy but far from noteworthy performance continues. Critics universally pan the film as "bland" and "soulless", calling the story meandering and thematically empty, and accusing McG of cribbing a style and many of the definitive scenes from other, more well-known directors. The fandom is disappointed at best, and livid at worst. Numerous threads on TFW begin about how director McG has "completely missed the point of the characters" and how he somehow managed to make transforming robots from outer space "boring", and how hasbro and paramount have "thrown the transformers franchise to the wolves". The term "McFormer" becomes ubiquitous for describing a completely bland, uninteresting character who shares a name with or copies aspects of a more iconic one, or any episode of the cartoon where the action is slow and sluggish.

Toy and merchandise sales, however, are respectable, and this success, combined with the performance of the first film, drive Hasbro to attempt to capitalize on this brand resurgence, investing heavily in the new sequel, as well as a live-action adaptation of the G.I. Joe franchise. It is decided that McG will be assigned to the G.I. Joe film, to attempt a repeat of his success on Transformers (and, many fans suspect, to open the door for a crossover movie down the road), while action-blockbuster veteran Stephen Sommers is brought in for the new, big-money sequel to Transformers. BOTH FILMS ARE UNMITIGATED DISASTERS.




Scenario 3:

In a move that surprises many, Hasbro and Paramount announce that the director of the Transformers film will be none other than Quentin Tarantino. Hollywood scuttlebutt seems to indicate Tarantino actively lobbied for the job, which further confuses people, as rumors surface regarding him loving the comics as a youth. Tarantino begins promoting the film almost immediately along the press junket, claiming he'll make it "a saturday morning for grown-ups" and "a love letter to the merchandised-to-hell 80s". He seems to follow through on his boasts, bringing back numerous members of the cast of the original cartoon, alongside a stable of 80s cinema stars. Slick trailers and posters soon follow, far in advance of the release, and a steady stream of production art is used for maximum marketing effect. The updated designs look rich and detailed, menacing and gritty, new while still evoking many of the design aspects of the original (Optimus' chest windows and Megatron's arm-cannon, for example). Anticipation is running high when the film is released.

The film is released to the strongest opening for an R-rated movie in history. It continues to perform well, but the rating limits its audience compared to more general-audience features, impacting it's overall revenues. Critics are baffled by the film, praising the style, using terms like "shiny as a chromed bumper" and "sharp as the metal edges on the robots", but are completely confused by the movement of a child's property to a completely adult audience, compared to other adaptations that have maintained a family feel. They applaud the celebration of nostalgia and jabs at consumerism in the film, but concede that many of the scenes featuring Tarantino's signature "cat-and-mouse" dialogue between the human characters detract from the overall story, and seem completely out of place for the partially-practical, partially-cgi Transformers.

The fandom is similarly conflicted. For some, this film is what they've been waiting for their entire life. A gritty, buckets-of-oil update of their beloved characters into a balls-to-the-wall action movie. Others lament the loss of innocence for the franchise, the transformation of even the more "lovable" Autobots into dark anti-heroes, while even the more sympathetic Decepticons become psychotic maniacs and sadists. They complain the concept has become less about good vs. evil, and more about survival of the fittest. The largest disappointment, however, comes from the toylines. Even with the surprising advances in engineering seen in the toys for this film, the cost and size limitations prevent anything close from what's seen on screen from being properly represented in figure format. Collectors are unimpressed, and it's years before the Japanese and 3rd Party market produces representations of many of the characters that are seen as up-to-snuff. Children are similarly non-plussed. Hasbro's gamble on the consumption habits tied to R-rated movie action figure lines of the early 90s crashes and burns, as the combination of "ugly" toys and a lack of brand knowledge (due to the age restrictions on the film) doom the toyline. As a result, Hasbro does not opt for a sequel, and while DVD sales of the film are brisk (and while it holds a special place in the hearts of many fans), very little is seen of the film in terms of influence on the future of the brand.





Your turn now, let's see you contribute something to the thread.

 

Possible Scenario; If Michael Bay never got into Transformers

"Do Transformers."

"I'll think about it," *Hangs up* "I'm not doing a toy movie."

"He's not doing a toy movie, he said. Then who would?"

*Cue JJ Abrams.*

"I would."

"Why? Aren't you doing Fringe? Star Trek?"

"I need another project."

"You have 20 already."

(8 months later)

"This film is faithful to the Transformers we all know and love, but sets aside its cheesyness for great humor." - Ebert.

"I like it. I never knew you can create robots on screen like that and it'd still turn out realistic." - Casual Fan.

"THIS FILM IS LIKE GEEWUN EXCEPT NOT. I HATE IT. NEEDS MOAR EXPLOSIONS." - Guy who never saw the movie.

"THIS IS THE SHIT!" - Nostalgia Critic

"OH MY GOD, THIS IS THE GREATEST MOVIE I EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE!" - Bum

Possible Scenario - Joss Whedon.

"It's like Michael Bay if he wasn't a horny neanderthal!" - Moviegoer.

"Waitaminute, we were going to get this guy for the Avengers!" - Marvel.

 

This thread is infected now.

 

In an alternate universe, Hasbro and Paramount decide to pick James Cameron and Steven Spielberg over Bay, after deciding that Bay's history of average-level films and tendency towards gratuitous panty shots (plus adult 'humor') would not make him an appropriate choice for this kind of film.

Both James Cameron and Steven Spielberg begin to make the film. They bounce ideas off of each other, and consider the other's feedback. Knowing that they will be producing a film that children will be watching, they know not to throw in lewd jokes and over-the-top violence. However, since they know that adults will be watching, they throw in some witty jokes that they know adults will get and also try to develop the characters so they can carry the story well enough. They also know to portray it as a war, so there is some violence and character death, but it is bloodless.

Being that both know how to portray aliens and horror as well as imbue their film 'worlds' with a sense of awe and wonder, they set many of the Autobots as heroes trying to save their dying planet. All of them have experienced loss of some sort because of the War, with Optimus Prime trying to find a way to bring both sides to a way of peace. However, instead of having the Decepticons being portrayed as simply shallow baddies, they try to give each a personality that fits with that character, but doesn't make what they do justifiable. Megatron thinks what he's doing is right, but his method of 'peace' and bettering the Cybertronian race is to conquer through brute force and rule absolutely, squashing all dissent that would lead to opposing factions and thus more war. His SIC Starscream feels that Megatron is going about it the wrong way, that yes it's good to rule absolutely and squash all dissent, but it should be done through manipulation and fear as they are more potent and last far longer. He secretly feels that he would be the better leader because of this and has been plotting with his own cronies, hoping to set a trap and dethrone him once the time is right.

Since the film is called 'Transformers,' Spielberg and Cameron try to keep them central. There are some humans, but they are there mainly to provide an Earthan perspective and provide suspense over their fates when the Decepticons attack.

As the film quite lacks gratuitous booty shots and foul humor, more parents feel comfortable buying the toys and taking the kids to see the movie. The kids see the robots and want the toys. Also since the movie isn't kiddified nor relies on poor humor, it gets a large adult audience since it had to rely on quality to keep it's grownup audience interested, and thus gets a better review overall.

Hasbro and Paramount make a profit, and decide to use these two directors for their sequels. Fans get a bunch of new toys, and a promise of good things to come for the future.

 

This is the best scenario that could have ever happened.

 

Considering this is the movie discussion, not likely.

 

MAKE THIS A STORY..........seriously you could do it!!!