Who Was Second In Command of the Autobots?

Dayton3 · Post by **Dayton3** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 3:33 am

I know in the later shows such as Transformers Armada, Energon, and Cybertron Primes Second in Command was supposed to be Jetfire.

In the original Transformers I've seen others suggested.

The first several episodes of the cartoon indicates that Jazz was second in command. Prime is shown delegating tasks to him that require him to exercise authority.

But the comic books tended to identify Prowl as Second in Command.

So who was Primes Second in Command?

The Last Autobot · Post by **The Last Autobot** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 4:05 am

Both.

Jazz is the 2nd in command in the series -at least in MTMTE. Then anybody could be 2nd in command -even Chip Chase.

Prowl is the 2nd in command in the comic.

Dead Head · Post by **Dead Head** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 8:58 am

It's a mess.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:54 am

In the UK comic, according to the Autobots' Who's Who, Prowl and Jazz were joint second in command.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 1:21 pm

We need a Prowl vs. Jazz death match.

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 1:24 pm

its an odd one that - I always think Jazz's fighting style would be flowing and complex, like kung-fu or somthing but prowl can calculate millions of possible outcomes all at once, so it sort of counters Jazz's fighting style...or somthing.

Guess Prowl knew he was dead when Megatron bust on to the shuttle in TF:M...

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 1:29 pm

Despite his being anal, Prowl strikes me as being quite courageous. Then again, so does Jazz.

But I think if we're talking overall competency, Prowl makes for the better leader. He's not one to let emotion get in the way, and let's face it, he's a hell of a lot times smarter than Jazz.

rusty_herring · Post by **rusty_herring** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 1:51 pm

We need a Prowl vs. Jazz death match.

Jazz > Prowl

Prowl seems like a more 'stay at the base and calculate' kind of second in command while Jazz was the 'espionage and squad leader' kind of guy.
I like the idea of them having a joint command since they're both so different, but personally I'd vote for Jazz.

I think Jazz is smart, he's just not afraid to say what everyone else is thinking, even if it sounds ridiculous

Dead Head · Post by **Dead Head** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 2:37 pm

Rodimus was second to Optimus.

rusty_herring · Post by **rusty_herring** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 3:09 pm

F**K Rodimus Prime.
Seriously

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 3:28 pm

Dead Head wrote:Rodimus was second to Optimus.

Based on what, precisely?

Dead Head · Post by **Dead Head** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 3:54 pm

Brendocon wrote:
Dead Head wrote:Rodimus was second to Optimus.
Based on what, precisely?

The Alphabet.

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 4:23 pm

Prowl would probably dispute that.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 8:06 pm

Impactor returns 2.0 wrote:its an odd one that - I always think Jazz's fighting style would be flowing and complex, like kung-fu or somthing but prowl can calculate millions of possible outcomes all at once, so it sort of counters Jazz's fighting style...or somthing.

"Complements" is probably the better word, and also tidily explains why both were listed as 2IC.

Then again, in a world where Prime, Prowl and Ratchet get apparently vaped due to the arrival of Galvatron, Cyclonus and Scourge, it's interesting that Jetfire takes control and Jazz ends up doing the zombie dance.

Then again, in that world, Megatron was acting Autobot Leader at one point so who knows?

mikebot · Post by **mikebot** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 12:31 am

Personally I like Grimlock as second in command. Ultra Magnus would be second.

man-with-the-dogs · Post by **man-with-the-dogs** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 3:55 am

In the original cartoon Jazz was "the indespensable right hand man to Optimus Prime" according to his Toy Bio. He seemed to be second-in-command in the first two seasons. Ironhide also seemed to hold a high rank. As for Rodimus, Ultra Magnus seemed to be his go-to guy. In RID it seemed to be X-Brawn. In Armada it at first appeared to be Red Alert, but later Jetfire. In the new movie it seemed to be Jazz.

Dayton3 · Post by **Dayton3** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 5:24 am

I liked how Prime appeared to be really torn up over Jazz's death in the movie.

some have even suggested that Perceptor was a high ranking autobot.

In the comics he was the leader of a certain band of them on Cybertron.

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 10:20 am

man-with-the-dogs wrote:In the original cartoon Jazz was "the indespensable right hand man to Optimus Prime" according to his Toy Bio.

Toy Bio and cartoon are two completely seperate things. Just compare the Dinobots for an illustration.

BB Shockwave · Post by **BB Shockwave** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 11:31 am

Dayton3 wrote:I liked how Prime appeared to be really torn up over Jazz's death in the movie.

You kidding, right?

You mean he felt torn up like this?

http://www.shortpacked.com/d/20070801.html

Legion · Post by **Legion** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 1:06 pm

Brendocon wrote: Toy Bio and cartoon are two completely seperate things. Just compare the Dinobots for an illustration.

Yeah, the Toy Bios have decent characterisation...

I love the tech specs, they're great.

rusty_herring · Post by **rusty_herring** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 1:33 pm

Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 5:31 am Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dayton3 wrote:
I liked how Prime appeared to be really torn up over Jazz's death in the movie.

You kidding, right? You mean he felt torn up like this?

http://www.shortpacked.com/d/20070801.html

Ha ha ha ha ha
I felt exactly the same way.

Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 7:06 am Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Brendocon wrote:

Toy Bio and cartoon are two completely seperate things. Just compare the Dinobots for an illustration.

Yeah, the Toy Bios have decent characterisation...

I love the tech specs, they're great.

This has always bugged me about the tech specs - did they mess up Starscream and Skywarp by switching them?

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 2:30 pm

Prime showed emotion in the film? anyhows...

Perceptor always seemed more of a hard-core warrior when we first meet him on cybertron, but when he comes to earth he sort of melts into the background, hell, at one point hes on a cover with stratux, clearly being show as his counterpart, echo'ing OP & Megatron as leaders of cybertron.

Legion · Post by **Legion** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 3:36 pm

rusty_herring wrote:

Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 7:06 am Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Brendocon wrote:

Toy Bio and cartoon are two completely seperate things. Just compare the Dinobots for an illustration.

Yeah, the Toy Bios have decent characterisation...

I love the tech specs, they're great.
This has always bugged me about the tech specs - did they mess up Starscream and Skywarp by switching them?

Just the stats, not the bio, if i remember correctly... which i might not, because i'll still hungover from yesterday...

BB Shockwave · Post by **BB Shockwave** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 6:18 pm

Prowl is clearly Prime' right-hand Bot in Marvel. Jazz never did many command decisions, he was more like a semi-independent special agent (see Disintegrated Circuits, for example). Kinda like James Bond...

Although there was a time, while Prime's head was taken, when Ratchet says more then one time that "under my leadership" or "while I'm the leader, no-one will take any fuel from the humans!"... odd as later clearly Prowl is in command in the very same issue.

Perceptor was more like a scientist forced into a command position as a leader of a resistance cell... I think he was happy to give that position up. Then again he didn't had as many appearances in the comic as in the cartoon.

The Last Autobot · Post by **The Last Autobot** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 6:48 pm

BB Shockwave wrote:Prowl is clearly Prime' right-hand Bot in Marvel. Jazz never did many command decisions, he was more like a semi-independent special agent (see Disintegrated Circuits, for example). Kinda like James Bond...

Although there was a time, while Prime's head was taken, when Ratchet says more then one time that "under my leadership" or "while I'm the leader, no-one will take any fuel from the humans!"... odd as later clearly Prowl is in command in the very same issue.

That issue showed the Ratchet and Prowl were the joint leaders instead. Prowl was giving orders to Jazz. But the decisions were taken by Ratchet/Prowl together.

Dayton3 · Post by **Dayton3** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 1:47 am

I always liked Jazz better as the second in command.

One thing being that he seemed very much an "unlikely" and "not an obvious" choice for such a position.

rusty_herring · Post by **rusty_herring** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 4:32 pm

Same here.
But Prowl also seems to be in some position of authority, at least comic wise. In the original cartoon he seemed more of a strategic advisor.

Luisito · Post by **Luisito** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 12:32 am

Blaster made a cool leader in the comics. He kicked psychopathic Grimlock's ass during the battle on the moon. Although the fight was decided a draw, Blaster got the better of Grimlock. He also killed Lord Straxas, one of the most powerful Decepticons and he did a good job against all 3 of the Decepticon Tripple Changers! He's brave, (he dived into the Smelting Pool just to save the considered 'useless' Scrounge), he's inteligent - (Helped Prowl to understand what was happening to Cybertron after the war with Unicron) and he's an excellent warrior - (he only lost against the Underbase Powered Starscream - oh and Galvatron). But hey, not many people fare better against Galvatron.

I would say Blaster would make a goo 2IC, although it was clearly Prowl in the comics. Check Marvel comic number one, where Optimus Prime calls Prowl, "most trusted of my advisors"

man-with-the-dogs · Post by **man-with-the-dogs** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 5:13 am

Dayton3 wrote:I liked how Prime appeared to be really torn up over Jazz's death in the movie.

some have even suggested that Perceptor was a high ranking autobot.

In the comics he was the leader of a certain band of them on Cybertron.

Well, this is dependant on what continuity you're following. I'm talking about the original Jazz, not the new movie. Though it really does depend on what story-line you're talking about even with regard to the differences between the old comics and cartoon. But I'm always going to be biased towards Jazz. I love that bot!