Movie Jazz would like to have a word with you..

 

Why the hell was Jazz second in command as opposed to Ironhide?

 

Dead things don't talk...... at least they shouldn't....

 

Let's take a look at the orders given.
"It's Megatron, retreat! Move, fallback!" -Jazz. That is definitely Jazz.
"Autobots, attack!" -Made by Ironhide.
"Bumblebee, get them out of here!" -Made by Ratchet
"Ratchet, cover high!" -Sideswipe to Ratchet.
"Come on Que, we gotta move!" -Sideswipe, but Que just kinda blows him off.
"Get that bridge DOWN!" -Made by Ratchet to the humans.

I'd say they both make commands to the other Autobots. I'd say we just ask at the next BotCon or something.

 

Because the dialog pretty much says so 

 

If I wrote the movies,I would've made Ironhide Second in command at the start. Just make Jazz special ops

 

But why would you make the younger, less experienced Autobot second in command over the weapons specialist who has clearly been through many more battles?

 

Who knows?

 

A] we really dont know how old any of them are
B] being a "weapons specialist" alone may be good reason

In my opinion,a "second in command" needs to be more of a jack of all trades then a specialist in any one field.

 

IDK,Ironhide was pretty good at the job in the next two movies

 

If he was really given the job.

I dont think they really covered it.

 

After Prime dies he says "Autobots Attack!" then later Ratchet basically asks him if they can leave. I think it was him. They should have at least had a scene where he says that he'll take command after OP is dead. But no,all of the focus has to go to the humans  

 

I agree thats what they should have done.

 

Jazz dead in the first movie so move on

Optimus->Ironhide->Sideswipe seemed to be the chain of command

 

I mean through all three movies.

 

DOTM pretty much sums it up, Sideswipe is second in command now out of the surviving Autobots. But of course, the forth movie can bring in another flux of Autobots, and perhaps one of them will be the real second in command.

 

Who's second in command

I believe Jazz was in the first movie then Ironhide in the second and part of the third before Sideswipe took command. That person who says it was ratchet who said Autobots Attack is mistaken. For some reason Ratchet's voice is more aged and that order definately came from Sideswipe. But he may just be a battle lieutenant like Ratchet is a medical lieutenant.

 

Sideswipe is your man. Ironhide was always like a body guard for Optimus, as well as his best friend.

 

As has been argued, the general consensus seems to be that based off of scenes in Chicago during DOTM, Sideswipe seems to be the new 2IC. Ironhide and Ratchet seemed to be the left and right arms of Optimus, and now Sideswipe and Ratchet occupy the dual role. Think of it like the Goliath-Hudson-Brooklyn thing as far as command goes in Gargoyles. Hudson and Ratchet retain a level of say-so due to their seniority, but Sideswipe and Brooklyn actually lead when Optimus and Goliath aren't around.

 

Sideswipe was implied to have 'led' the Bots to surrender to Soundwave. Great leader. Also, what happened to comics are not canon? Ironhide is not Swipes's mentor. Sideswipe is just his lackey who carries extra guns for him for all we know. Then when no one was there to lead, he said to himself "Swipes, this is your time to shine!" and started barking orders that the Bots were already going to do anyways. Maybe if he's done well in TF4...

Bumblebee wouldn't need to lead, he'd kill every Con himself.

I like Ratchet.

Leadfoot being in command would be boss.