It's always fun too look up & read all the different ways Transformers are made & designed. It's even more fun seeing all the gimmicks & subgroups.

Headmaster/Titanmaster, Powermaster, Targetmaster, Brainmaster, Turbomaster, Actionmaster, Getmaster, Godmaster, man that's alot!

What are your opinions on all the plentiful "Master" forms & characters?

I enjoy having so many, but I feel like a couple are redundant/pointless. Actionmasters? Really? And why rename Headmasters as Titanmasters? How is a Getmaster or Godmaster any different from a Powermaster? Etc.

Thanks in advanced!

 

I came in here thinking this was about the Quintessons.

I like the diversity it adds to the toys.

 

I love them all.
But the Powermaster gimmick would have been better if you didn't need the engine to transform the toy.

 

The [Insert type] masters were an interesting bunch with a lot of.... gimmicks.

Gimmicks everywhere.

 

Indeed! I'm a big fan of gimmicks & subgroups, but some party-poopers don't like 'em as much.

Technically Titanmasters are supposed to be different from Headmasters, but I'm with you in considering the two the same. You forgot Power Masters (as opposed to Powermasters), Powered Masters (different from both of the previous ones), Cannonmasters, Scopemasters, Triplemasters, and Micromasters. I'd never heard of a Getmaster (or Triplemaster) until just now, so I read about them on the TFwiki. Kooky stuff!

I have a grand unified theory of TF Masters. I'll go into it a little later on.

No no, Actionmasters a verrrrrry interesting. Titanmasters, oddly, are not quite the same as Headmasters -- at least, not officially. I'm with you, I consider them the same, but I also have ideas on how they should be different. The Getmaster and Triplemaster ideas I'm still wrapping my head around, but the Godmasters are different from the Powermasters. Basically, Titanmasters grant extra abilities, while Godmasters are superhumans. More on that later too.

 

Interesting how some gimmicks get an 'all inclusive word' (i.e., you can get both Autobot and Decepticon Targetmasters), but for other stuff it was done on a faction-by-faction basis (e.g. Triggerbots/Triggercons and Sparkabots/Firecons).

The 'Master' suffix only really exploded in 1987, by which time the Transformers as a brand was declining in popularity after its peak in 1985. More so than any other piece of Transformers terminology used in the comics or cartoons, the Master suffix strikes me as pure marketing-speak, rather than something which the Transformers would have actually come up with themselves, in-fiction.

On the plus side, at least the terms 'Targetmaster' and 'Micromaster' at least have some nod towards the actual toy gimmick. 'Action Master', on the other hand, is an awful term, essentially meaningless, that doesn't really convey much of anything.

Also, the word 'headmaster', in British English, is the equivalent of what Americans would call a school principal, which made the whole thing doubly weird for us Brits.

 

Because they are not the same. Headmasters, to Hasbro, are organic aliens that are binary bonded to Transformers to give themselves an advantage in battle.

Titanmasters are tiny Transformers who pair up with larger Transformers to give them a power boost or special ability.

The original Japanese Headmasters series splits the difference, in that they are tiny Transformers using transformable vehicles for larger bodies.

A Powermaster is a human/alien paired with a Transformer to give a fuel/power boost. Some Powermasters are often hungry as a result in the G1 comic.

Godmasters are humans that use Transtectors to power transformable vehicles. Each human has something like Gaia power within them that, when paired with Cybertronian tech, makes them more powerful than standard Transformers.

Spoiler

Mind you, eventually the Gaia power imbues life into the Transtectors and they run off without their humans in the end. Except for Buster and Hydra, who eschew their humanoid form to become pure Transformers.

At least, that's how I recall it. It's probably even more confusing than that. Just go watch Masterforce...

 

I understand the need for gimmicks to sell toys, but, the fact that they transform was enough for me to get into them in the first place.

 

Alright, now I have a chance to put my thoughts down in a more coherent fashion. The "Masters" are an interesting subject for a number of reasons. Among them: the terminology is inconsistent. There are two kinds of Masters (well, three, as I'll point out):

"True Masters" (miniature figures)
Headmasters, Targetmasters, Powermasters, Godmasters, Brainmasters, Micromasters, Powered Masters, Titanmasters, Getmasters, and Triplemasters are all "true" Masters (as I see it). My baseline definition or classification for a "true" Master is that the toy uses a small-size figure -- as a partner or integrating component of a larger figure, or as the standalone toy -- and is named a [something]Master, natch. These I see as the denizens of planet Master (aka Master Star, planet Rebirth, and/or Nebulos, depending on the continuity), planet Micro (aka Zone, planet Z, Devisiun, etc), and some other places. I tend to refer to these types of transformers as "Integrators," since that's what they do.

"Master-mades" (full-size TFs with no miniature figures)
Actionmasters, Turbomasters, Cannonmasters, Scopemasters, Power Masters, and Robotmasters are not "true" Masters, in my view. I tend to flip-flop on whether to keep their names in my headcanon or not. When I think the names should be kept, I think of these as Transformer who are built using technologies developed BY Masters, but are not themselves Masters (hence "Master-mades"). When I think their names should be changed, I go with Actionformers, Turbobots, Cannonforce, Opticons, Powerformers, and Robotforce. In the case of Actionmasters, I sometimes think that maybe they're supposed to be human-sized (they're the same size as GI Joe figs, and even have the same size holes in their feet). If that's the case, I'm cool with them being called Actionmasters. I think. :-/

"Master family" (anyone with "master" in their name)
I'm not sure what to think about this. Missile Master and Blast Master are Micromasters, so yeah, they're Masters. Turbomaster is an Actionmaster, so he might or might not be a Master. Hard to say. Motormaster ain't no Master. It has to be on a case-by-case basis. But I don't like that they have "master" in their name, I feel like it disrupts the logic. Oh well!

The difference between Powermasters (the little engine dudes), Powered Masters (the "big three" toys from Zone and from Return of Convoy), and Power Masters (the crappy Generation 2 toys) is frustrating. But interesting!

Ow, my brain(master)...

 

Another couple of Masters thoughts...

While only the "big three" from TF Zone are identified as Powered Masters, Return of Convoy's "big three" -- the Battlestars -- follow much the same toy format. This leads me to consider them Powered Masters as well.

Now the question is: are Powered Masters "True Masters" or are they "Master made"? (See my previous post.) Personlly, I think of Star Convoy (Battlestar Optimus Prime) as Master Made, and the others as True Masters. Optimus Prime and Hot Rod(imus) are clearly separate characters. The others, though, are total ciphers -- we've never seen them before. I like to think of the larger Powered Masters as Transtectors, and their Micromaster partners as their true selves. (I'm aware that Speeder is supposed to be Dai Atlas' son, but... Eh. Either Dai Atlas is also a True Master, or just phooey on the whole father-son idea here.)

What I'm imagining is, for example, that Micromaster Drillbuster would be the actual character; Roadfire would be a much larger Transtector which Drillbuster can board, integrate with, and inhabit as a more powerful incarnation.

Incidentally, this is also how I imagine Metroplex, Metrotitan, and Trypticon working. (In the case of Metroplex, Scamper would be the actual character; Metroplex would be a much larger Transtector which Scamper can board, integrate with, and inhabit as a more powerful incarnation.)

I know I've drifted into fanwanky headcanon here, but it's all part of my thoughts on Masters.

 

Masters of the Universe!  

 

I really enjoy the new Titan Masters we're getting and see them as a combination of the old masters we got. That's why I think the new name instead of just headmasters because they homage so many previous "master" gimmicks.

They are headmasters because they turn into heads
They are powermasters because they provide power boosts (a stretch maybe)
They are targetmasters because they also form a weapon
They are actionmasters because they have transforming drones
They are micromasters because they are tiny
They are also minicons because they impart extra abilities

 

Innocent.

 

Hmmm. You know? That is a REALLY good point. They incorporate the gimmicks of many different Masters of the past. Titanmasters are ALL-Masters!

Also worth noting that several previous Masters of different types have been turned into Titanmasters:

Most of the Headmasters have been redone as Titanmasters
Several Targetmasters have been turned into Titanmasters
At least two Powermasters has been turned into Titanmasters
At least one Actionmaster has been turned into a Titanmaster

Have any Micromasters been turned into Titanmasters? I can't remember...

Jeez, they should be called "Omnimasters" or even "Mastermasters"!

 

It irks me that continuity has drifted so that any TF who turns into a gun is a "Targetmaster." I think that's BS. You're telling me Megatron is a Targetmaster? I don't think so.

 

What continuity are you referring to?

 

Lots of them!

 

I'm not sure if you're being facetious or not

I don't know of any continuity that's pacifically states that any character with a gun mode is called a target master

 

I enjoy the various 'master' gimmicks, including Action masters.

 

But Megatron doesn't turn into a gun. Hasn't in a long time.