Shrinking causes more density. Like a neutron star.
Also not Earth elements, but Cybertronian.
No way it'll snap.

 

Talking purely 80's cartoon/comic here, but we don't really know what Megatron turned into on Cybertron, except in the UK Marvel comic where it was revealed he turned into a huge flying cannon like Shockwave and Straxxus (which seemed to be a thing for Decepticon leaders). It was the Ark that gave him the small gun mode as it must have decided it was the most suitable match. (Which brings me on to my dislike of scanning altmodes on the fly - they were just stuck with what the Ark gave them).

 

As a leader, soldier and figurehead, Megatron needs to become something that inspires power and strength and conquest, just as Optimus is almost always a red vehicle (truck, and occasionally tank).

Soundwave is more suited for major mass-shifting, as he's a spy and he's got underlings to carry around. Miniaturization is more his thing (speaking of which, G1 Perceptor used it in his spotlight episode)

 

Shouldn't the increased density make them heavier? As I recall, Soundwave was carried by humans easily sometimes...

 

Yes, but can't Starscream lift Megatron when full-sized? Bots toss bots quite a bit.

 

One handed, like he didn't weight much? Less likely.

The decepticons could float too, so maybe they have anti-grav and that enters into consideration, but with humans lifting decepticons in alt-mode mass-shifting seems more likely than miniaturization.

 

In the marvel comics atleast Shockwave could fly around while in giant-ass gun mode. He flew from cybertron to earth in gun mode if i remeber right looking for the lost decepticon ship. Later he finds the autobots and decepticons fighing and just blasts everybody and names himself ruler of all.

I dont remeber any mention of Megatron's alt form before the Ark changed him to a handgun. There was a funny issue where he lost his memory and some random dude picked him up on gun mode and went on a crime spree.

 

In retrospect, I concur. Especially, given G1 Starscream's back-stabbing, power-hungry nature. Starscream sure got what was coming to him in TFTM, though, after his very short-lived coronation, when Galvatron and Cyclonus showed up. . .

 

On his shoulders and in his shins. The guy in charge of adapting the toys decided it would be a good idea to remove as much kibble as possible from the season 1 and 3 guys.

Myself and many other G1 fans are usually referring to the toy/show hybrid designs used for the early Masterpieces and some of the comics when talking about G1 designs being really good.