The 25 Greatest Transformers Moments in the World— EVER!

 

Introduction

 

There are only a handful of toylines that can boast the lifespan of Transformers. Most, even the more successful, will have a good two or three years before fading and making sporadic, often nostalgia-driven comebacks with decreasing frequency as the original fans gradually head towards senility . Transformers on the other hand has managed some sort of new release, be it in Japan, America or Europe, every year of its 25. Though the toys themselves have a central gimmick that gives them an instant appeal to children ("It's a robot! It's a car!") a large part of that success is down to the tie-in fiction. And hasn't there been a lot of it? Hundreds of TV episodes, hundreds of comics and three motion pictures. Not to mention novels, colouring books and audiotapes.

 

It's fairly easy for fandom to be negative about a lot of this. Because things you liked as a child can often seem crap when revisited as an adult, because the people behind the current cartoon/comic/movie/colouring book can seem like money grabbing hacks who don't give a toss. It's easy to forget there's a huge amount of stuff out there that was put together by people who cared, who made something that wasn't (and isn't) just good, but brilliant. The sort of Transformers moments you want to shove in the faces of non-fans whilst shouting "See, look what you're missing!" before shuffling off and singing that song about a goblin.

 

This feature is a celebration of the best of those moments, the things that brought us here in the first place. It was compiled by the Archive staff from suggestions by our forum members, and without any sort of agenda or quota it covers pretty much the entire quarter century and shows that quality moments can be found even in the least likely of places. Obviously there's a degree of subjectivity here, and your favourite moment might be missing. We could have included 25 moments you hate. But debating and discussing is part of the fun of fandom, so come to the forums and tell us what you think should have been on here, and in another 25 years we'll do it all again.

 

Without further ado, and in no particular order...

 

Brought to you by:

 

Blackjack, Cliffjumper, Halfshell,
Inflatable Dalek, Terome, Zigzagger.

 

 

1: Inferno Goes Out With a Bang

From: The Legacy of Unicron Part 4, Transformers #149 [Marvel UK, 1988]

By: Simon Furman and Dan Reed.

 

Why It Rocks:

Smokescreen and a badly injured Inferno, having barely escaped from Unicron and a possessed Death's Head on Junk, make it back to Cybertron with vital information, only to get jumped by Cyclonus and Scourge, who cripple the shuttle. Inferno's response? To lob Smokescreen out of the shuttle so that he can get the information back to Rodimus Prime, before making sure the blazing ship crashes into the attacking Decepticon army. A blaze of glory indeed. [By Cliffjumper]

 

2: Trailbreaker vs. Grimlock

From: Transformers Volume 1 #4 [Dreamwave, 2002]

By: Chris Sarracini and Pat Lee.

 

Why It Rocks:

A bizarre moment in such a dire series. Grimlock had spent two issues spouting cod lone wolf sentiments and trying to tick all the "Manufactured Badass" boxes. He ended up one-on-one with that most workmanlike of Autobots, Trailbreaker, who promptly battered Grimlock with an I-bar for acting like an arse. Intelligent readers cheered at the surprising moment of common sense, but alas normal service soon resumed and Grimlock kept being a cheap Wolverine knock-off. [By Cliffjumper]

 

 

3: Optimus vs. SUV

From: Transformers [Paramount, 2007]

By: Robert Orci and Alex Kurtzman.

 

Why It Rocks:

An early sign that live action film Optimus was going to be a much tougher, one might even say borderline psychotic, character than many of his predecessors. Sam and his family have been taken in for questioning by the incompetent and trigger-happy men-in-black group Sector 7, and it's the Autobots' fault. You can see, for example, Marvel comics Prime have an eight word-balloon speech about the deep burden of his responsibility for bringing the war here and how it never ends, before driving off sadly knowing he must not interfere.

 

The film version of the character, on the other hand, smashes up Reggie Simmons' soccer-mom-mobile in a startling bit of pragmatism, delivering the immortal line "Taking the children was a bad move." So good Furman reused it in Devastation. [By Cliffjumper]

 

4: Ultra Magnus vs. Galvatron, Round 1

From: Target 2006 Part 8, Transformers #86 [Marvel UK, 1986]

By: Simon Furman and Geoff Senior.

 

Why It Rocks:

An obvious one, yes, but some things are cliché for a reason. For two months the "New Leaders" Ultra Magnus and Galvatron had been on a collision course for a massive smackdown. We'd had the strength and power of each constantly built up more and more (in the case of Galvatron by him beating the hell out of all the other characters, in the case of Magnus by having Transformers already established as heavy hitters, like Cyclonus and Impactor, deferring to or running away from him). The result of all this build up could have been hugely anticlimactic, living up to the hype an impossibility.

 

Instead what we got was an epic, sprawling fight scene that takes up pretty much an entire issue (of a series that was typically densely worded) and hits all the right buttons, with Magnus at the peak of his form. It worked even better in context, showing just how terrifying the Marvel UK Galvatron was. [By Cliffjumper]

 

5: Scorponok's Death

From: On The Edge of Extinction! Transformers #75 [Marvel US, 1991]

By: Simon Furman and Geoff Senior.

 

Why It Rocks:

Originally written as a potential last-ever-issue of the Marvel comic, On the Edge of Extinction! is arguably the best single issue they ever did (and so when presented with the perfect capstone Marvel kept the comic going for five more "Are we still here?" issues before ending it) You could easily fill this entire list with moments from this story, from the comedy of Hardhead and Bomb Burst's last words through the shock of Emirate Xaaron's death into the upbeat ending where Prime understands that goodness will prevail. But one moment above all sums up the genius of the story, the death of Decepticon leader Scorponok.

 

Scorponok had been all over the place character-wise in his four years in the comic, starting as a sympathetic tormented character then going through a nutty super villain phase before Furman coming on the American comic restored him to being more in line with his original portrayal. Over the previous few months Scorponok (or more accurately his Nebulan partner Lord Zarek) had developed a great deal of respect for Optimus Prime in the face of the looming Unicron crisis and the Decepticon civil war.

With Unicron now attacking Cybertron and Optimus Prime briefly taken out of the action by an explosion, Scorponok is faced with leading their combined forces— but is terrified. He's not just a giant metal monster but also a weak man of flesh who doesn't want to die for a war that isn't his. It's a beautiful little moment of humanity (Nebulanity?) that leads into him manning up and deciding to face his responsibilities and take the fight to Unicron. Tearing at the Chaos Bringer's foot with his claws, all he gets is fried to death.

 

This leads us into the most genuinely emotional moment the original comic ever managed, the recovered Optimus crouching over the melting Scorponok and offering him some comfort as he dies. Excuse me, I think I have something in my eye— [By Inflatable Dalek]

 

6: Hardhead caps Nightbeat

From: Transformers Spotlight Revelation: Hardhead [IDW, 2008]

By: Simon Furman and Nick Roche.

 

Why It Rocks:

So it's starting to look as if all these moments involve someone doing the practical thing and killing, or attempting to kill, someone else with little fuss or pretence. After 25 years of coming to these moments every so often, Furman nails it in Spotlight: Hardhead, when a mind-controlled comrade is not reasoned with or coaxed out of enemy control, but cleanly shot through the brain. Also, the quick-wrap of Revelation and following year of 'brand new direction' euphemisms at IDW mean that Furman probably won't be able to go back and pick at this particular scab, leaving the moment perfectly preserved in an amber of editorial about-turns. [By Terome]

 

7: Evil Zombie Optimus Prime.

From: Transformers: Dark Awakening [Sunbow Productions, 1986]

By: Antoni Zalewski.

 

Why It Rocks: Though it's probably probably more of a heart-tugger than an awesome there's still two things about this episode featuring Optimus' return from beyond the grave as a mind controlled zombie that really were fantastic.

Firstly, the high-powered panel-beating the undead Optimus gives Hot Rod is great fun if you don't like Hot Rod much (the best part being "I don't want to hurt you!" while delivering a flurry of two-handed punches to Hot Rod's torso... unconvincing, Op), and secondly the unflinching piloting of the shuttle as it's blown from underneath him and he loses body parts left, right and centre. Another reason The Return of Optimus Prime disappoints in many ways... [By Cliffjumper]

 

8: Blitzwing Saves the Day

From: Five Faces of Darkness Part 5 [Sunbow Productions, 1986]

By: Flint Dille.

 

Why It Rocks:

The third and final full length season of the original cartoon starts with the Decepticons in a bad way. Galvatron is mad and his troops desperately Energon-starved, making them easy prey for a Quintesson plot to deal with all of the Transformers in one go.

 

Only Blitzwing sees through the deception, and in a surprise act of intelligence and nobility helps Rodimus Prime save them all, even though it pisses of Galvatron and results in his exile from the Decepticons. Arguably hugely out–of-character for the American-football-loving moron of the previous season (though the twenty-year time jump allows for a Educating-Rita-style transformation), but it doesn't matter because the way the script makes him a decent likeable character without turning him into a Autobot goody two shoes wannabe is wonderful. "Sometimes it's better to be known for one's enemies" is a motto for any workplace. [By Inflatable Dalek].

 

9: Roller Rolls Out

From: Transformers:  Escalation Issue #4 [IDW, 2007]

By: Simon Furman and E.J. Su.

 

Why it Rocks:

Not only because it's laugh-out-loud funny to see Roller blast the crap out of Blitzwing, not only because it's a sensible use of an often-forgotten ability Prime has but also because the use of Roller and the Combat Deck remind the reader of them and their link to Prime just before it becomes important in a way that doesn't scream "This is Checkov's gun!!!" Actual proper plotting instead of having Omega Supreme fall out of the sky to save the day in a random fashion. [By Inflatable Dalek]

 

10: Death's Head vs. Shockwave

From: The Legacy of Unicron Part 2, Transformers #147 [Marvel UK, 1987]

By: Simon Furman and Geoff Senior.

 

Why It Rocks:

The best moment from the best multi-part story the comic ever did may well make this the greatest moment of the entire Marvel run. In turns tense (the cat and mouse hunt amongst the dummies) and funny (Scourge and Cyclonus having a panic attack as Menasor starts bashing on the door) before becoming even a little sad as Shockwave ultimately falls to someone who really doesn't want to be doing it. With an excellent use of continuity in crushing the brain module to emphasise "He ain't coming back" and the perfect payoff in DH walking into the throne room with Shockwave's head and bluffing (or is he?!) about the explosives in his sled, and with Soundwave's reaction being the icing on the cake. True, the idea of the Decepticons using actual mannequins of the Autobots for target practice might seem a little quaint (unless you're Brad Mick doing a homage to Rebirth) but that's more than made up for by the frankly terrifying sight of Shockwave with half his guts hanging out after he gets shot. [By Inflatable Dalek]

 

11: Beast Wars Megatron Shooting Generation 1 Optimus in the Head and Destroying History

From: Beast Wars: The Agenda Part III [Mainframe Productions, 1998]

By: Bob Forward.

 

Why It Rocks:

It was obvious from the moment he booted the treasonous Dinobot out of the gang in his first appearance that this Megatron was a completely different animal to the original, but it wasn't just by the presence of a competent and charismatic villain that Beast Wars took on a shape entirely unprecedented in the franchise.

Season 1 ended on a massive cliffhanger of perceived victory for the Predacons, but Season 2 accomplished the handsome feat of outstripping even that, producing one of the greatest stories in Transformers history — the Agenda trilogy.

Guest-starring a character from Generation 1, the drama and stakes were upped with every twist, finally culminating in the revelation of the Ark, and the knowledge that we weren't just nodding to the original series - we were right in its backstory. And that laid out the threat posed by the first credible Megatron on an even bigger scale than ever before.

With his plans to manipulate the future gradually falling apart, his loyal minions defeated, the odds stacking up and his back well and truly against the wall, he goes for the ultimate gamble. Seeming to cut and run, he easily escapes the Maximals. But retreat is not this Predacon's style; instead he breezes into the Ark, monologues like a Transmetal Hans Gruber and – pursuing good guys utterly helpless to prevent it – proceeds to shoot the dormant Optimus Prime in the head before the Autobot leader has a chance to awaken on Earth, thus changing the entire history of the war.

For the second successive year, Megatron has won. Time itself starts to unravel; the Maximals begin to fade in and out of existence... "The Autobots lose! Evil triumphs! And you... you no longer exist!"

Cut to black. [By Halfshell]

 

12: Trypticon as Noel Coward

From: Transformers War Within: The Dark Ages #3 [Dreamwave, 2003]

By: Simon Furman and Andrew Wildman.

 

Why It Rocks:

An excellent subversion of the usual cliché that the bigger a Transformer is the more stupid they are, which is somewhat baffling as – if taken to its logical conclusion – Rumble would be a criminal mastermind.

 

Instead Tryp spends what would otherwise be a unmemorable fight against a mass of Autobots going around quipping and metaphorically wearing a elegant silk dressing gown as he completely owns everyone. Plus he gets to join the elite club of people who've done bad things to Skids. Only let down by the stock "I shall now kill you my great foe... oh bugger, I've been called away by my superior and must go immediately rather than just take five seconds to kill you" seen in places as diverse as Target: 2006, Devastation and King of the Hill (the latter suggesting it's a Trypticon speciality). [By Inflatable Dalek].

 

13: Galvatron On The Couch

From: Transformers: Webworld  [Sunbow Productions, 1986]

By: Len Wein.

 

Why It Rocks:

So, Galvatron is crazy and poor Cyclonus is just beside himself. Following a friendly suggestion by the Quintessons, Cyclonus leads his beloved leader to the planet-sized mental ward Torkulon under pretence, where we watch Galvatron go through ineffectual therapy to cure him of his madness. The planet's residents (Torkuli?) try to get him to "talk about his feelings", cobble together objects to "repair his damaged psyche" (which he shapes into a gun), and put him through "exo-drama", something that involves a bouncing, screaming alien-thing. And when he didn't behave, he'd receive a bit of a shock before being wrapped up in mysterious purple goo and carried off to his next session. After determining that he is incurable, the planet, revealed to be living, proceeds to try to lobotomise Galvatron. Naturally, his madness is too much for it to handle and he's able to free himself from his captors, find his way to the living-computer core of the planet and destroy it.

For an episode that spotlights the Decepticons, it's a fairly light-hearted parody that doesn't really answer any important questions that the discerning viewer couldn't have figured out themselves. What do we actually learn? We learn that Galvatron is an inept leader because he's crazy, and that's about it. Still, while it's indeed silly, it's also quite clever. What makes Webworld so special – aside from the fact that Decepticon-centric episodes were a rare occurrence in the original series – is Cyclonus and Galvatron's characterizations. It's interesting to watch how these established personalities (well, as "established" as the cartoon characters got) respond to an unfamiliar and bizarre situation, and they shine well because of it. A few notable examples of this are when Galvatron expresses his annoyance towards his therapists and later showing vulnerability when he begs his lieutenant to rescue him and, likewise, Cyclonus' sympathy for his leader. I find myself actually cheering on the "bad guys", finding the Torkuli's punishment deliciously suiting. Besides, the therapy sessions are hilarious, containing some of the most (irritatingly) abused quotes in Transformers history. A strange affair, this one, Webworld is very charming and is still a joy to watch. [By Zigzagger].

 

 

14: Rampage Shows His Sensitive Side
From: Beast Wars: Transmutate. [Mainframe Productions, 1998]
By: Christy Marx.

Why It Rocks:
Whilst Transmutate is the tragedy of the character of the same name, this is also one of Rampage's finer moments. In summary, Transmutate is a newly born Cybertronian, misshapen due to a stasis pod malfunction. The being holds tremendous potential, but lacks the capacity to use it efficiently. Rampage and Silverbolt spend the majority of the episode trying to convince their respective factions of Transmutate's worth, only to be met with opposition. While Silverbolt's stance isn't terribly out of character, Rampage is portrayed in a slightly different light than usual. He's dark, and the story never fails to ignore that fact, but also sympathetic. With a fragment of his spark in Megatron's possession and forced to side with the Predacon leader, Rampage finds a kinship in Transmutate. He goes to some length to save his friend from both the Maximals and Megatron, who want the creature either put in stasis lock or destroyed. It's rather touching, and certainly a far cry from the psychopathic monster of the episodes prior.

The crowning moment here, of course, is the episode's conclusion. During a scuffle between Silverbolt and Rampage, Transmutate flies in-between them pleading for them to stop. Unable to hold off their projectiles with its energy field, Transmutate overloads and is destroyed. As the mutant utters a few last words, Rampage cradles his friend's head as its spark fades, bellowing out an anguished cry. Optimus Primal and Cheetor arrive on scene, but Silverbolt intervenes, urging them to leave Rampage be – in that moment, they are brothers. It really is quite heartrending. It's also a pity that, as a filler episode, it isn't followed up on, let alone mentioned, in the following episodes. [By Zigzagger]

 

 

15: Super Megatron Vs. Optimus Prime

From: Transformers: Heavy Metal War. [Sunbow, 1984]

By: Donald F. Glut.

 

Why It Rocks:

Heavy Metal War is full of moments of genius, from the Constructicons casually ripping up a power plant to Starscream's fourth-wall-breaking moment of pointing out Megatron always does the same thing every week and the Dinobots' casual reaction to new Decepticons ("You no see again either because we dinomight them to pieces!") But above all that it has the best Optimus/Megatron fight of the entire original cartoon.

Forget your Sherman Dam, here we have Optimus valiantly trying his very best but constantly being outclassed by a Megatron who toys with him whilst making sarcastic gags. As best shown by Optimus struggling to pick up a giant boulder (complete with heroic Optimus Prime Theme) and chuck it at Megatron only for his foe to gleefully teleport out of the way. Even Starscream's "Look what characters toys have these powers, kids!" commentary can't ruin it, and Optimus having to let Huffer take his trailer before ordering everyone to "Transform and roll out... perhaps for the last time" is one of only a couple of genuinely emotional moments the cartoon ever did (along with Dark Awakening). [By Inflatable Dalek]

 

 

16: Dinobot's death

From: Beast Wars: Code of Hero. [Sunbow Productions, 1998]

By: Ian Weir.

 

Why It Rocks:

"The rest is silence." Dinobot stands his ground against the entire Predacon army to defend a group of protohumans. Almost the entire last act of the show is given over to the complete destruction of Dinobot one piece at a time (after all, the Beast Warriors had been shown to be very hard to kill by this point), with him constantly standing his ground against overwhelming odds to do what he thinks is right, because he does have a choice after all.

 

Whilst it's very much Dinobot's show we should also give props to Megatron briefly loosing his veneer of sophistication to show the real monster beneath when his plan is thwarted; the full volume "I WAS SOOOOOO CLOSE" is terrifying, even in defeat.

 

Dinobot's final moments, however, remain the centrepiece, and this would be the greatest display of honour in Transformerdom. A perfectly done exit. [By Blackjack]

 

17: Optimus Charges the Decepticons

From: Transformers the Movie. [Sunbow Productions, 1986]

By: Ron Friedman.

 

Why It Rocks:

It's hard not to make this an Optimus Prime list, but he did get all the best bits, such as dropping half the Decepticon army without even breaking a sweat in his desperate charge through Autobot City in order to face his final battle with Megatron. Sadly the following fight scene sees him make a poor choice that ultimately kills him, but the charge itself is still cartoon Prime at his most effective. [By Cliffjumper]

 

18: Megatron wins! Fatality!

From: Beast Wars: Other Voices Part 2 [Mainframe Productions, 1997]

By: Larry DiTillio.

 

Why It Rocks:

It's judgement day. The vague alien race who've been in the background all season have finally come down in person, and they're not happy that a bunch of Cybertronians have been messing with their carefully laid out experiments. So unhappy, in fact, that they're just going to flash-fry the planet using their secret moon-sized death ray and leave it at that.

This, of course, is bad news for our heroes. Fortunately for everyone involved, Tarantulas saw it coming ages ago and hatched a plan that involved a stasis pod, a transwarp cell and a swift one-robot getaway. But things don't go quite to plan when Inferno takes Megatron's surveillance instructions to mean "set him on fire". Up steps Optimus Primal, brave noble hero, who seizes upon the remnants of Tarantulas' escape plan with the intent of piloting the pod into the weapon, ejecting and then detonating it, destroying the planet-buster and saving the day. Huzzah!

He wasn't to know, sadly, that Megatron (in a move that shows how many light years ahead of his namesake he really was) foresaw all of it too. Even down to Tarantulas' escape plan, and had hatched the exact same plot for dealing with the aliens – hijacking the spider's escape and steering the pod into the weapon for a controlled explosion. Unfortunately for Optimus, the Maximal only discovers this whilst en route, along with the one minor variation – in Megatron's plan, the pod is remotely sealed. In one spectacular transwarp explosion, the charismatic villain has vanquished the even greater alien threat and Saved The Day. With the added bonus of assassinating the hero of the piece in the same stroke.

In fact, so decisive was this victory that it took three episodes of season 2 for parity to be restored, with Primal's last minute return all that stopped the complete destruction of the Maximals, in a moment that could easily walk this list too. [By Halfshell]

19: Enter Shockwave

From: The Last Stand, Transformers #4 [Marvel US, 1984]

By: Jim Salicrup and Frank Springer.

 

Why It Rocks:
Exaggerated for years by fans relying on childhood memories (he doesn't take out all the Autobots, just the half-dozen still functional at that point), Shockwave's entrance is still a great twist – seemingly random and Brad Mick-esque, but somehow totally fitting – and you can imagine him watching the whole fight impassively, waiting for the logical moment to arise. The irony of the Autobots having their victory from the jaws of defeat (as indeed it would have been had the comic ended with the opening mini-series) pulled from under them is delicious as well. Plus he still takes out half a dozen Autobots with a single shot... [By Cliffjumper]

 

 

20: The Preceding Decade Turns Out to be the Sideshow

From: War Without End!, Transformers Generation 2 #1 [marvel US, 1994]

By: Simon Furman and Derek Yaniger.

 

Why It Rocks:

The first issue of the G2 comic had already added a liberal dose of grey with a preposterously violent raid on the Decepticon colony by Grimlock's team (if the comic hadn't been about robots, that scene wouldn't have made it into a Marvel comic). Cybertronian Commander and new villain Jhiaxus' unabashed exposition to Prime, however, calls for an even greater adjustment – it's all much, much bigger than we thought, and the characters we've followed for best part of a decade are a couple of splinter factions that the race has moved on without. Heady stuff by comparison to earlier simplicity. [By Cliffjumper]

 

 

21: I'LL TAKE YOU ALL ON!

From: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. [Paramount, 2009]

By: Robert Orci and Alex Kurtzman.

 

Why It Rocks:

A summary of Prime's utter determination to spare the innocent with his own life a minor price to pay. He takes on three guys bigger than him and gives them such a beating that Prime's own death at the end of the scene is rendered a minor detail. It's stunningly directed and full of so many little moments of awesome (hitting Megatron with a tree, slicing Starscream's arm off and beating him with it twice after dropping him on his head, the way Grindor's hand-blade just spins into the scenery after Prime's sliced a bit of his hand up, the way Prime's basically growling smack throughout the whole thing), making a mockery of two of the toughest Cons from the first film. And the way Sam's so ****ing terrified the whole way through is the icing on the cake – no idiots in hardhats sitting there like it's a boxing match yelling "Go Optimus, kick Decepti-tail!" [By Cliffjumper]

 

22: Soundwave Resigns Himself to War

From: Space Pirates! Part 6, Transformers #187. [Marvel UK, 1988]

By: Simon Furman and Lee Sullivan.

 

Why It Rocks:

Soundwave is a bit of a unsung hero of the Marvel UK comics. Every time there was a vacancy in the Decepticon leadership – because of madness, disappearances, civil war, death or in extreme cases all four – he'd step in, do an excellent job (such as in Dinobot Hunt where he wins more for the Decepticons than Shockwave or Megatron had managed at that point) and then step aside when someone who really wanted the job came along on the grounds it's pretty much a death sentence and being second in command is much healthier.

 

By the time the future set stories had reached 2008 Soundwave was pretty much permanent leader on the grounds all the other candidates for the job were dead or lost in time. When the Quintessons launch a massive attack on Cybertron his Decepticons and Ultra Magnus' Autobots have to fight side by side to repel them. After the battle it looks as if we're going to get the standard ending to any Autobot/Decepticon team up: "Today we were allies but let us never mention this again and have a big fight next time!"

Instead Soundwave genuinely thanks Magnus for his help and acknowledges the two sides had fought well together. You then got a moment of deep thought where it's clear he's seriously thinking of a more permanent alliance— and then a weary face in hand followed by, "It just wouldn't work. Not for long anyway. Too much has happened between our races!"  It's a sad little moment, which bleakly shows the ultimate futility of the war in a very understated way. Which is Soundwave all over, understatedly brilliant. [By Inflatable Dalek]

 

 

23: Ratchet Takes Down Starscream

From: A Savage Circle! Transformers #78 [Marvel US, 1991]

By: Simon Furman and Andy Wildman.

 

Why It Rocks:

Fed up with Starscream's strutting pantomime villain shtick (Yay for Furman reverting the character to 'classic' form :\), Ratchet finally loses his temper and shatters the Decepticon's glass jaw while launching into the mother of all rants. It's a cathartic moment for the Autobot medic, who's been little more than the universe's punching bag almost since his first appearance. All the rage at being blown up, merged with Megatron, crippled with stress at having to restore his dead colleagues to life with poor equipment, being humiliated by the Mechanic, forced into alliance with Megatron— all of it released with one good punch, captured perfectly by Wildman, and (as with all his best art) finished brilliantly by the often unsung inker Stephen Baskerville. [By Cliffjumper]

 

 

24: Nightbeat Harpoons Thunderwing

From: All Fall Down! Transformers #66 [Marvel US 1990]

By: Simon Furman and Geoff Senior.

 

Why It Rocks:

Thunderwing is the most overrated Decepticon leader of all time, which considering his competition includes Megatron really is something. His roll of triumphs include being blown up by a dead cassette, trying to kill his own troops more often than the Autobots, attempting to destroy the Ark with only three other Decepticons and basically getting let off because Prime thinks he's funny and almost immediately turning into a mad zealot. He fulfils every Decepticon fanboy's wet dream and gets hold of the Matrix, only to use the thing as a laser cannon. The Matrix, having kept out of things for eight million years, gets fed up with his ineptitude and takes over his body, at which point the Autobots are in trouble.

Not to fear, however – Nightbeat has a wonderfully low-tech solution, simply firing a harpoon through Thunderwing's body and flushing him and the Matrix into space. While cracking one-liners. [By Cliffjumper]

 

 

25: Autobots Arrive

From: Transformers [Paramount, 2007].

By: Robert Orci and Alex Kurtzman.

 

Why It Rocks:

Even people who like the live action films tend to be disparaging of Michael Bay. He's loud, rude, likes blowing up things a bit more than is probably healthy and seems to be the US Army's chief PR guy. More often than not the things people like in the movies tend to get treated as working in spite of him rather than because of him. The arrival of the rest of the Autobots in response to Bumblebee's summons however is a near perfect combination of effects, score and, yes, even the direction, perfectly capped by Peter Cullen's first spine-tingling lines. For old fans it was like they'd come home, for new ones it was suddenly perfectly clear how awesome Optimus Prime must be to make saying Ebay cool.

 

Even a slightly forced Armageddon joke can't distract from a genuine sense of awe created as these giants walk amongst us for the first time, with the little girl managing to stay on the right side of sweet.

It's moments like this that make you realise that whatever else he may or may not be, Bay is an expert at action directing and deserves more credit than he gets. [By Inflatable Dalek].