• Have you ever analyzed the transformations of the bots from one mode to the other? This is something that I've done a few times. However, they occur so fast at times that it's hard to see exactly how the parts shift around and produce their alternate forms. The only bot whose transformation I can visualize clearly is Bumblebee's; in the second film, he, Sam, Mikaela, and Leo are in a garden at nightime and Bumblebee transforms from his robot-mode to his vehicle mode. It's shown very clearly how the transformation occurs. I've tried doing this with Optimus, but his is just way too complicated. For example, the frames of the front tires in his truck-mode are his ankles in robot-mode, and the frame of his rear wheels are his legs. However, I've never been able to get a good glimpse as to how these particular parts shift around to their positions when in robot-mode. Anyhow, do any of you guys do this?
• Did you notice that in Dark of the Moon, Optimus' abdomen looks different from the way it looks in the first film and Revenge of the Fallen. Here are two pictures to show you the difference:
  
  Design used in first two films
  
  
  Design used in Dark of the Moon
  
  
  What's the explanation for this difference? I initially thought that perhaps a change to his anatomy was made after he combined parts of Jetfire to his body in ROTF, but at the end of ROTF you see that he looks as he did before the combination.

 

The change was either to hide the big ass hole in his chest,or to store the matrix

 

acctually rotf optimus prime's face was slightly different that the first film's face

 

It wasn't really a hole. It was a cavity within which is the container of his spark. Also, if it was made to store the matrix, it would have been nice for the filmmakers to have written an explanation into the script. Anyhow, did you ever notice the difference? If so, when did you notice it?

 

Really? I guess I'm going to have to analyze some pictures.

 

I noticed when we saw images of the new chest...

 

On that note, where'd Ron Witwicky's beard come from?

 

That is the most likely explanation. Optimus was stabbed in the back by Megatron, who then blasted a ruddy great hole through his torso. It makes sense his chest looks a little different now.

 

Yes, but at the end of ROTF, his chest looks the same as it did before it was blasted through by Megatron. Later on, when I'm back at my dorm, I'll make a screen capture of Optimus at the end of ROTF and post it (that's allowed on this site, right?)

 

The abs were added to make Justin Bieber fangirls attracted to Optimus Prime as well

 

Win

 

The reason for Optimus' chest modification in DOTM was because of the plot and also because of functionality.

The first reason being the intent of showing Optimus more mature, to show time has passed since the first movie.

And second, because of the Matrix.

Thats what the designers said prior to the release of DOTM

 

Yea, the six abs do look like as if they can converge or diverge from one another to expose some hidden chamer.

 

Can we get some comparisons of the other bots and cons that have been there for more than 1 movie?

 

The only other change in character design I can think of is Ironhide's. I don't believe he has his arm-mounted cannons in Dark of the Moon. I just read on the Transformers Wiki that he ejects them as he's evading fire from enemy Decepticons In ROTF; I'm guessing their weight was slowing him down. However, the last time I saw ROTF, I noticed that he still has his arm-mounted cannons after the shot in which he's evading the blasts from the Decepticons. I'm going to have to watch the sequence in which he's running, again when I get back to my dorm.

 

Bumblebee's vehicle mode also changed a lot throughout the trilogy.

 

Oh, I hate the Prime abs. It annoys me even more that you eye gets drawn to them quickly.

 

Why do you hate them? I think they look awesome.

 

I've noticed that no-one has addressed my first question about analyzing the transformations.

 

i always thought the abs were a g1 nod, as it reminds me of the grill belly prime had in g1.