This Transformers Anime Turned One Of The Franchise’s Worst Villains Into A Hero

There are dozens of Transformers characters, but a select few always appear from cartoon to cartoon, such as Optimus Prime, the heroic leader of the Autobots, and his nemesis Megatron, leader of the Decepticons. Megatron follows his brash air leader, Starscream.

Starscream’s name is synonymous with the word “traitor”, as he is always looking for ways to stab Megatron in the back and seize control. Even though Starscream is an underdog, that doesn’t make him an underdog good. He is a coward, a sadist, an egotist, and a snake. He doesn’t want to reform the Decepticons into something better; He envies Megatron’s power.

However, there is an exception in the 2003 anime “Transformers: Armada” (“Micron Legend” in the original Japanese). Starscream (Gin Yamanoi/Michael Dobson) starts out in a familiar place, but his conflict with Megatron unfolds differently.

“Transformers: Armada” is a flawed series. It adds a new faction to the Autobot/Decepticon war: the Mini-Cons, diminutive mutants who can bond with larger mutants to enhance their powers. (See the upcoming game Origins?) The Mini-Cons left the Transformers’ home world of Cybertron to hide out on Earth millions of years ago, and the Autobots and Decepticons are coming to collect them. This leads to a lot MacGuffin chase episodes. The animation is often substandard, as is the English dub.

However, the writing of the characters and themes of “Armada” has some surprising nuances. The greatest example of this is how sympathetic this series made Starscream. To appreciate its description, watch the original Japanese version with subtitles. It’s annoying to miss the performances of Garry Chalk as Optimus and David Kaye as Megatron, but the overall quality is higher. The scripting and characterization in “Micron Legend” is more nuanced and introspective. While “Armada” fills every moment with dialogue as if kids would lose interest otherwise, “Micron Legend” leaves out quiet moments.

“Armada” Starscream is a proud and brave warrior with a personal code of honor, no Sneaky back stabbing. In most “Transformers” shows, Starscream’s bad luck and cowardice often turn him into a comedic character, but not in “Armada.” Here he is a more dignified character, prone to calm thinking and angry outbursts.

There are Japanese cultural themes of honor and camaraderie among warriors in the Armada. Starscream is an archetype samurai. His primary weapon is a sword (which consists of one of its separate wings). He follows Megatron out of commission for the oath he swore as a Decepticon, and wants Megatron to repay that loyalty by acknowledging his power and skill.

Some “Transformers” fans have wondered, since “Armada” Starscream is so different, does he even deserve the name “Starscream”? Is he even the same character? Yes, because it is built on the same foundation. he It seems Just like classic Starscream (red color scheme, turning into a jet, etc.) Starscream’s character has always been defined by Megatron. What “Armada” does is distort the causes of that conflict with the question Why Starscream wants to kill his leader.

At the beginning of “Transformers: Armada”, Starscream is arrogant and arrogant – so self-confident that he ponders whether he is stronger than Megatron. (It’s not.) This arrogance culminates in Episode 17, “The Conspiracy,” where the Decepticons obtain a powerful sword, the Star Saber, which Starscream is chosen to use in battle. A jealous Megatron manipulates Starscream into giving up the sword to him, and their relationship deteriorates from there.

“Transformers: Armada” Episode 23, “Rebellion,” is where Starscream’s character comes into focus. Frustrated by the Decepticons’ increasing failures, Megatron becomes angry with Starscream and beats him up. Starscream spends the episode contemplating his place in the world and then challenges Megatron to a duel – he loses, not just because his leader is the stronger fighter, but because he’s not. truly You want to kill Megatron. His warrior pride hinders, rather than fuels, his ambition, while Megatron says he must achieve victory by any means.

In most “Transformers” media, Megatron physically abuses Starscream. This is usually due to Starscream testing his nerve, to punish Starscream for betraying him, etc., and it can vary from comedic slapstick to something more dramatic. In “Amada”, Megatron’s anger towards Starscream was undeserved, but did not arise from hate, also.

Megatron recognizes Starscream’s potential and considers him a potential successor (especially since he took office) last The lieutenants, Demolishor and Cyclonus, are bumbling idiots.) When they fight in “Rebellion”, Megatron taunts Starscream, saying that he could become the leader of the Decepticons if he beat him. Megatron wouldn’t just do that Condescend The power that Starscream possesses, though, will throw every bit of brutality and punishment his way to test it. If Starscream died, he wasn’t the worthy enemy Megatron thought he might be.

In Episode 33, “The Sacrifice”, Megatron gives Starscream the Star Saber and entrusts him with leading the Decepticons into battle. Starscream, finally getting the validation he’s been craving, seizes the opportunity…until he realizes the other Decepticons have abandoned him. It was a diversion so that other Decepticons could attack the unguarded Autobot base. Starscream thought he was Megatron’s knight, when in reality he was the pawn she was sacrificing for a greater victory.

Starscream became angrier than ever at this betrayal. With Megatron proving how little he valued his life, he finally turned on him and joined the Autobots. He was received with guarded arms, and it was not long before he was engaged with his new companions. Remember, Starscream joins the Autobots as a way to get revenge on Megatron; He fights with the Autobots because they have a common enemy, not because he believes in the cause.

Starscream still thinks like a Decepticon: victory without completely crushing your opponent is no victory at all. When Optimus orders him to retreat without eliminating Megatron, he becomes angry. Although he develops some camaraderie with Autobot Hot Shot and the group’s human friends (especially the brave Alexis), Starscream leaves the Autobots as quickly as possible, deciding that he will defeat Megatron from within the Decepticons.

However, his brief experience as an Autobot means he can’t go back to the way things were before either. In the final arc of “Armada,” the planet-destroying mutant Unicron makes his presence known. Starscream pushes Megatron to join the Autobots against this enemy, but Megatron is confident that the Decepticons can defeat Unicron on their own and prefers to crush Prime first.

In Episode 48, “Convulsion”, Starscream’s arc and the Transformers War come to a head. During Optimus and Megatron’s battle, Starscream interrupts his leader and challenges him to a duel. If Megatron doesn’t do what the Decepticons need, Starscream will. He declares: “Megatron, I will defeat you and take command of the Decepticon army myself!” This sounds like something the classic prankster Starscream would say, but now he’s trying to take command for noble reasons. The final development still awaits the future.

Starscream proves to be the worthy opponent that Megatron thought he could be, but at a pivotal moment, he backs down and… Lets Megatron stabbed him. He repeats to a distraught Megatron that he never wanted to defeat him, only for Megatron to recognize him, and make a final plea for him to put aside his differences with Optimus – as someone who fought under Prime, Starscream knows he is a worthy leader.

To seal the alliance, Starscream gives Megatron as dramatic a presentation of the threat that awaits them as possible. Channeling all his remaining power, Starscream fires at Unicron, who responds and vaporizes Starscream with a single blast.

Words fail Megatron, because Starscream’s sacrifice touched even his cold heart. He remembers Starscream’s words to him and realizes this an act Leading Starscream to this. So, he offers his sword to Optimus, and for a moment becomes a leader worthy of Starscream’s loyalty.

Finally, the title “Armada” serves its purpose, as the Autobots and Decepticons unite against Unicron. Previous episodes have sometimes gaslighted the Transformers (including Starscream) about the nature of their war; How they’ve been fighting endlessly for millions of years, how they’re literally mutants to make For war and not knowing another way of life, and if there is a higher meaning to it all, and so on. Unicron himself feeds off the hatred of their conflict and draws strength from it. The only way to end this story and defeat Unicron is for the two sides to unite.

Unlike most other “Transformers” series, “Armada” shows the Autobots as driven by conflict as the Decepticons – including the greatest of them all, Optimus Prime.

In the original 1984 “Transformers” cartoon, the Autobots and Decepticons came to Earth to find new resources because their war had completely depleted Cybertron. They were just fighting to get the energy to continue fighting each other. They look for small negatives in a similar “fleet”. It is worth noting that when Optimus dies (briefly), Megatron is not overjoyed; frustrated; He lost his greatest enemy and his reason for being.

You can’t fight war for eons without learning how to enjoy it. Unicron mocks Optimus, saying that deep down in his heart he is just as bloodthirsty as Megatron. The only thing keeping him from indulging in this is the burden he carries as leader of the Autobots (embodied in the matrix he carries in his chest). In the final episode, “Mortal Combat”, it appears that Unicron has been defeated and Megatron has broken the alliance because he wants his final battle with Optimus.

Optimus casts the Matrix aside: “I’m no longer Supreme Commander of the Autobot forces. Just one Transformer, his name is Optimus Prime!” Translation: “I’m not fighting out of any noble duty, I’m fighting because I want to kill Megatron as much as he wants to kill me.” (The English dub completely ruins this point, and instead Optimus declares that he is fighting Megatron as “the leader of all Transformers.”)

Optimus is even the one to attack first, pulling off brutal moves like ripping off Megatron’s horns and using them as bo sticks. Unicron’s power turned Optimus’ frame from red to black, as if his rage had finally been unleashed, in the same way that Starscream’s paint turned a more heroic blue as his redemption reached its climax.

“Transformers: Armada” Good and evil cannot be clearly defined in war, even with a hero like Optimus Prime and a villain like Starscream.