Final Activation

[Denyer]

LIFE SPARK: Mortally wounded on Earth in 2006, reformatted as Cyclonus by Unicron ["Target: 2006"]

*cough*It'sinthesamefontusedforemphasis,notjustfornames,andCycisspeakinginthethirdperson*cough*

Was the inference that Octane got blown to bits off panel at the end of 'Manouvres' (UK 283)?

Yeah, though it's questionable whether leadership would've accepted such a waste of resources.

[Denyer]

Cyclonus wasn't so lucky.

Cyc's also no longer of Cybertronian construction. Galvatron may have a similar weakness, which is an interesting thought...

[Guest]

Cyclonus wasn't so lucky.

Cyc's also no longer of Cybertronian construction. Galvatron may have a similar weakness, which is an interesting thought...

Stupid Unicron! Giving his creations handles on their heads that are perfect for decapitation!

[Legion]

Was the inference that Octane got blown to bits off panel at the end of 'Manouvres' (UK 283)?

oooh, how could i have forgotten about that story? yeah, i'd buy that if that wasnt him in G2 getting wasted, then that's because he'd already been blown to bits in "Manouvres"...

[Metal Vendetta]

Cyclonus wasn't so lucky.

Cyc's also no longer of Cybertronian construction. Galvatron may have a similar weakness, which is an interesting thought...

Stupid Unicron! Giving his creations handles on their heads that are perfect for decapitation!

Now hang on, we've seen this situation before in Agenda Pt. III, when Optimus had his head blown off by Megatron. In that instance, immediately following the (almost) decapitation, the Maximals tried to repair Optimus, thus saving their space/time universe. In "Dry Run", Scourge cuts and runs, and neither Shockwave nor Megatron has any intention of re-attaching Cylonus's head to his body, so the timestream is irrevocably altered. It's possible that Cyclonus could have survived the head-ripping had anyone tried to bother trying to repair him in the first place.

[Cliffjumper]

LIFE SPARK: Mortally wounded on Earth in 2006, reformatted as Cyclonus by Unicron ["Target: 2006"]

*cough*It'sinthesamefontusedforemphasis,notjustfornames,andCycisspeakinginthethirdperson*cough*

Now, we're not getting into that again... it can be taken either way, and it don't matter a jot what Simon said at some convention a decade later, so ner Anyway, I was a good boy and did the name as conjecture...

On a serious note, there's no reason anyone should take my opinions on this or any other date as gospel

[Cliffjumper]

Octane... Hmmm, I'm still not sure on Manouveres either. I don't take it as an inference that he gets taught anything more than a lesson...

Right, updated version: -
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/terminus/book_dead.html

Anyone who wants to use it can do so, but if they modify it, please take my name off it

[spiderfrommars]

Top work.

Just thinking... what about the movie deaths? Did the same bunch die in the comic adaptation?

And Seaspray must have copped it at some point (see issue 250) as well as the Perchance to Dream gang. Not that we see it.

And Rhythms of Darkness?

I'm glad Galvatron II's not on there. A little tumble in a lake's not gonna finish him off!

[Cliffjumper]

Ah, ****, Seaspray should be in there... And the RoD gang too

Movie deaths... hmm, I'd do a subsection for them personally, as I've always argued that the Movie events in regard to the comic are subtley different to both the animated version, and the mini... hang on, I'm trying to update my comic FAQ right now, so I'm going to be lazy and cut 'n' paste my bit from that

The basic events of Transformers the Movie are vital towards the 21st century setting introduced from #113 onwards. However, it is a mistake to assume that Transformers the Movie as constructed by the UK comic stories [which I will call 'the Comic Movie'] is the same as the film, or the comic book adaptation. There are several points which don't gel with the former - aside from several contradictory characterisations [the Dinobots, Soundwave, Ratbat, Ravage] there are a few direct differences - the Comic Movie happens in 2006, and the Decepticon turned into Cyclonus is named Life Spark [I don't care what permutations you can put on the word since seeing 'Beast Wars' - read in context, the guy's name is Life Spark, no doubt due to the fact the script Furman was working on named generic Decepticons as those used], who definitely isn't thrown from Astrotrain in the film. The comic adapatation, already debatable for UK canonicity as it was only printed as a Special outside of the comic itself, can be similarly discharged because there's nowhere that Hot Rod, Kup and Blurr can time-jump. So what does happen in the Comic Movie?

- The battle at Autobot City takes place in 2006, with Megatron leading the Decepticons.
- Megatron and Optimus Prime fight to the death.
- Optimus passes the Matrix to Ultra Magnus.
- After being thrown out into space, Megatron, Lifespark and someone else are turned into Galvatron, Cyclonus and Scourge respectively.
- Galvatron kills Starscream.
- Galvatron, Cyclonus and Scourge time-jump to 1986.
- Kup, Hot Rod and Blurr time-jump to 1986.
- The Autobots meet Wreck-Gar and the Junkions on Junk, and Wheelie on Quintesson.
- Hot Rod battles Galvatron inside Unicron, opening the Matrix, becoming and destroying the Chaos Bringer.
- Rodimus hurls Galvatron into space.

In the comic adaptation, for the record: -

* The same shuttle crew die. No glimpse of Windy or Wheeljack, though.
* Prime and Megatron both die, though interestingly Hot Rod isn't involved, Megatron just does for the gun and shoots him. Also, Megatron just collapses from his wounds instead of being batted off a convenient cliff.
* Who, bar Megatron, is lobbed off Astrotrain is unclear... IIRC, it changes from frame to frame, and includes at least one conehead. I think also the text explicictly states they're all blended together for Cyke, Scourge and the Sweeps - we definately don't have a 'clear' indication of who becomes who, as in the film.
* Magnus is drawn and quartered by the Sweeps, instead of blown up.
* Only Bumblebee from the Moonbase crews definately escapes - the acid bath section is pretty much excised.

[Ozz]

And Rhythms of Darkness?

You can cut n' paste these, if you want.

http://tfarchive.com/community/showthre ... post233442

http://tfarchive.com/community/showthre ... post233783

[Cliffjumper]

Link updated Ozz, j00 R teh r00xxxx00000000r!

[Denyer]

it don't matter a jot what Simon said at some convention a decade later

That's not what I'm basing the reading on—as you say, he's more than revisionist at times. "Spark of life" is a common metaphor, and both the character and Furman are overblown enough to use it.

From the writer's point of view, he lacks notes and doesn't want to commit himself to a particular 'Con being transformed. From Cyc's point of view, he very likely doesn't remember too much from before being brought back from the brink of death, and wouldn't give anyone that power over him if he did.

Main objection I really have is that there's no Life Spark character anywhere else—it's like pulling miscolourings out of the cartoon and making toys for them, except in this case it's because there's more than one way a fairly throwaway line can be read.

It's possible that Cyclonus could have survived the head-ripping had anyone tried to bother trying to repair him in the first place.

Now that really is an interesting thought... any decent fic writers in the audience?

Giving his creations handles on their heads that are perfect for decapitation!

Well, he did give them big guns to stop people doing it. Doesn't hurt to give your evil minions a few weak spots, though...

[spiderfrommars]

Ah, the TF:TM adaptation... thanks for clearing that up... the only TF comic I've never read to the end!

Anyhow, if a 'Comic Movie' means we excise the dancing scene, I'm all for it.

Well, he did give them big guns to stop people doing it. Doesn't hurt to give your evil minions a few weak spots, though...

Like neural clusters?

[Cliffjumper]

That's not what I'm basing the reading on—as you say, he's more than revisionist at times. "Spark of life" is a common metaphor, and both the character and Furman are overblown enough to use it.

From the writer's point of view, he lacks notes and doesn't want to commit himself to a particular 'Con being transformed. From Cyc's point of view, he very likely doesn't remember too much from before being brought back from the brink of death, and wouldn't give anyone that power over him if he did.

Main objection I really have is that there's no Life Spark character anywhere else—it's like pulling miscolourings out of the cartoon and making toys for them, except in this case it's because there's more than one way a fairly throwaway line can be read.

Aye, all good points, and the FAQ bit needs rewording to reflect that, but it's still, in my mind, a possible conjecture, and can't be completely ruled out as the character's name. It's as worth mentioning as the name of the generic who gets chomped at the start of City of Fear, who was names as Chuffer and then Steamer, both times in a non-canon source [the letters page].

[spiderfrommars]

both times in a non-canon source [the letters page].

Its funny you say that actually... I pretty much take most of what 'Soundwave' and 'Grimlock' said as canon - the editorial team seemed so in tune with what was going on in the writing then (of course, Furman apparently did some letters pages).

With Dreadwind (who made the Steamer comment) and Blaster... well, they seemed to know less about TFs than my mum.

[Cliffjumper]

Aye, but I find it a lot easier to just draw a line meself and say "If it's not in the comic strip, it's not in the comic strip". One of the problems is that we don't know for a fact when exactly Furman wrote the letters page - consensus is Grimlock and some of Dreadwind, but no-one really agrees on a cut-off point... If we count the letters page, surely we have to count Robot War too, which means "Man of Iron" & co somehow have to fit between #6 and #7. Way I see it, we can't say "this thing that came from another source counts, but this one doesn't", so none of them are cold facts

[spiderfrommars]

Thats fair comment. And some Transformations are right on the money whilst some clearly aren't (Underbase set before Time Wars??)

I also personally get the impression that Furman jumped ship before the Dreadwind thing. Some of Grimlock's later answers aren't too hot - I wouldn't be surprised if by the time of the new look Transformations (issue 183) that there was a new editor. Furman was also immersed in Dragon's Claws and Death's Head by that time.

[Cliffjumper]

I also personally get the impression that Furman jumped ship before the Dreadwind thing.

Aye, right from the start Dreadwind goes for the petty, bitchy cover-up-the-lack-of-knowledge right away... Furman's too much in lurve with the money to basically insult the readership...

[Best First]

....i wouldn't mind Scorpy back.

Got to agree with Denyer on the life spark front. Plus, what kind of freaking name is Life Spark?

then again, in terms of its actual impact on anything ever, meh.

[Cliffjumper]

Got to agree with Denyer on the life spark front. Plus, what kind of freaking name is Life Spark?

Yeh, but I could beat both of you in a fight [well, at GP2 anyway]. Rar.

And Life Spark is a stupid name, isn't it? But then we have guys like Octopunch, Fangry, Doubledealer [I mean, would you trust him?], Wideload ["Hmmm, let's call him... FAT BASTARD!"], Horri-Bull, Apeface, Catilla...

In all seriousness, Life Spark as a) something that can't be ruled out without the script for the issue and b) just a handy skateboard to throw under the feet of any tedious "Who became Cyclonus?" topics...

[BB Shockwave]

Was the inference that Octane got blown to bits off panel at the end of 'Manouvres' (UK 283)?

Well, I was always thinking about this.. I mean, if Jazz would've shot him, he'd ve went up like a nuke, killing all those soldiers too. - no sensible Autobot would do that. I rather think he was captured by Earthforce. But then,Earthforce is totally out of continuity already, so does it matter?

[Best First]

Got to agree with Denyer on the life spark front. Plus, what kind of freaking name is Life Spark?

Yeh, but I could beat both of you in a fight [well, at GP2 anyway]. Rar.

You say that, but i suspect Denyer would nail you from a distance with a very big dictionary.

And Life Spark is a stupid name, isn't it? But then we have guys like Octopunch, Fangry, Doubledealer [I mean, would you trust him?], Wideload ["Hmmm, let's call him... FAT BASTARD!"], Horri-Bull, Apeface, Catilla...

true, but at least they have some kind of sense behind them given alt modes or abilities. What would life spark have transformed into? A heart rate monitor?

Beep Beep Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.[/Casualty]

I often wonder (once, just now) whether Squeezeplay feels left out as he is the only one of the three wwithout a crap pun name. poor crab thing.

In all seriousness, Life Spark as a) something that can't be ruled out without the script for the issue and b) just a handy skateboard to throw under the feet of any tedious "Who became Cyclonus?" topics...

aye.

Octane - unless its on camera or very explicitly stated i'm inclined to think they should be given the benefit of the doubt.

Does look a bit like him in G2 tho, plus his general crapness might explain how the G2 lot somehow managed to so easily capture the 'world.

[BB Shockwave]

In all seriousness, Life Spark as a) something that can't be ruled out without the script for the issue and b) just a handy skateboard to throw under the feet of any tedious "Who became Cyclonus?" topics...

I never understood all this hype about Life Spark... since all the letters in the comic are in capitals, it's obviously a typo, Cyclonus wanted to say "mylife spark" but the 'my' was left out... And the term spark was already in use at the time by Simon, if I recall right.

About thelist, I've started writing and realised it's easier to simply go by the names of all TF's and check who's alive. I considered using these conditions:

-deactivated: killed but repair is possible. That includes people who have their brain modules intact (so yes, even Cyclonus could be repaired, except I don't think Galvy fixed him after returning to 2007) and pretty much everyone killed by Starscream (since about 50% came back anyway)

-destroyed: utterly annihilated without hope of revival. Like Brainstorm, or Highbrow,Bomb-Burst, Brawn (in G2), future Shockwave. It means the character is atomised, gone without a trace (melted down like SCrounge) or having his brain module destroyed (which I guess happens when a planet-size TF steps on ya)

-presumably deactivated: now, I always thought that Starscream killed much more TFs then was shown. After all, they didn't even show Prowl die whom we know did die as shown in an UK strip later. Or why would Prime be in need of another medic if First Aid would be alive? or why doesn't SCorpy commands the Combaticons or Constructicons? So those guys who simply dissapear after Dark Star and are not seen again although logically should be, are considered that. Oh and Flywheels, too - although he might have joined SCorponok when he gave the Pretender Beasts their shells, who knows.

-presumably alive: well, these guys weren't around when catalysmic events struck, or were around but were never seen again (TRiggerbots, many pretenders, etc) Let's be optimistic and assume they survived.

-alive: not many... IE everyone who was alive at the end of G2.

I also plan on including those annual stories that fit into continuity... and what do you think, should we count Aligment in?

-One more thing, there'll be many versions of characters. Like, for example, there are 3 Shockwave's:present time, future, and Earthforce - since, after Perchance to dream, the stories are totally out of continuity.

I often wonder (once, just now) whether Squeezeplay feels left out as he is the only one of the three wwithout a crap pun name. poor crab thing.

He gets even considering he's called Cancer in japan... Which type of cancer, I often wondered...

[Legion]

Octane - unless its on camera or very explicitly stated i'm inclined to think they should be given the benefit of the doubt.

Does look a bit like him in G2 tho, plus his general crapness might explain how the G2 lot somehow managed to so easily capture the 'world.

Soundwave : "Damn, they've beaten the Combaticons, quick, abandon ship!"
All (including Octane): "Yay"
Soundwve : "Except you Octane, you cover us."
Octane : "Damn."

Sorry, should explain, i have, for some not completely understood reason, have a pathalogical hatred for Octane.

Anyway, back on topic:
Nice work Cliffy!