10 References In Transformers: War For Cybertron To The Classic Cartoon You Might Have Missed
The first part of Netflix's Transformers: War For Cybertron is over, and it was a fitting start to the animated trilogy which saw the return of the Autobots and Decepticons in their original G1 bodies. An obvious nod to the classic 1980s cartoon series, War For Cybertron relies heavily on nostalgia to draw viewers in and tell its story.
It remains to be seen how the cliffhanger at the end of the last episode will play out, but fingers crossed for even more classic cartoon references than what's already been glimpsed.
11 Cybertronian Transformation Modes
Due to the time period in question when War For Cybertron takes place, it makes sense that the Autobots and Decepticons would take on their Cybertronian transformation modes, rather than the modern styles based on Earth vehicles and the like. The series depicts these alternate modes as per the original cartoon series which was originally glimpsed in the very first episode back in 1985.
There are a few notable exceptions such as Megatron, who transforms into a massive tank instead of his firearm mode. Whether the story will deviate into a retelling of original events which end up taking place on Earth is debatable, but seeing the Autobots and Decepticons take on Earth forms would be an even bigger nod to the original series.
10 Alpha Trion
The presence of Alpha Trion in the cartoon series was a constant one, but War For Cybertron makes the late character one of the central figures of the story. A particularly tragic event near the middle of the series ends up triggering a data wave that spreads throughout Cybertron before finding a home in Bumblebee's mind.
He even appears in astral form, exactly as depicted in the cartoon series. Fans recognize Alpha Trion as the Autobot who reformed the mortally wounded Orion Pax into the mighty Optimus Prime. His vast knowledge also helped fill the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, making him a powerful entity even after death.
9 Soundblaster
Fans of the classic toy line were undoubtedly surprised to see the presence of Soundblaster, a failed clone of Soundwave who rules an illegal energy smuggling ring in Cybertron's criminal underworld. The character made his cartoon appearance in the Japanese continuation of the show entitled The Headmasters.
Here, Soundwave met an untimely demise before being rechristened as Soundblaster. The War For Cybertron version adapted the character's origin story from the Dreamwave Comics continuity, to much better effect.
8 "Till All Are One"
Both Autobots and Decepticons utter this phrase several times throughout the series, but its roots date back to the 1986 animated film Transformers: The Movie. In the latter days of the Cybertronian Wars, the Autobots adopted the phrase as a mantra similar to that of "May the Force be with you" in the Star Wars universe.
The message was simple - the unification of Autobots and Decepticons as one people who would eventually put down their guns and learn to work together as a shared race. Megatron's use of the phrase was far more sinister, even if his intentions were noble.
7 Omega Supreme
Optimus Prime seeks out help from the Guardians in the middle of the season, and Transformers fans knew precisely what he was referring to. Cloaked in fog, only the silhouettes of these Cybertronian giants could be seen, but it was obvious that Omega Supreme was among them. He makes his grand appearance in the final episode after choosing to side with the Autobots for the sake of the planet.
Fans of the classic cartoon recognize Omega Supreme as an uber-powerful Autobot who was once friends with the Constructicons before Megatron corrupted and turned them to the Decepticon side. His massive presence and immense firepower struck fear into Decepticons far and wide.
6 The Gladiator Pits
War For Cyberton expands on the original concept of Megatron rebelling against Cybertron's unfair caste system, and he directly references the gladiatorial pits that he was forced to fight in along with his fellow Decepticons. It is the backbone of the entire struggle between the two factions.
What's left out is the reference to the Quintessons, the creators of the Transformers who originally held the games on Cybertron as a means to stave off boredom. It remains to be seen whether the series will reference the classic cartoon, or opt for an IDW Comics-style story.
5 Jetfire Vs. Starscream
The classic Transformers cartoon featured Jetfire early on in season one by featuring his origin story. There, both Jetfire and Starscream were men of science before the war broke out, but were later separated. Jetfire was thought to be lost for millions of years before being found by the Decepticons.
After reprogramming him, Megatron convinced Jetfire that the Autobots were the evil aggressors seeking to conquer Cybertron. He quickly realized he was being lied to, and switched sides, provoking Starscream's anger. In War For Cybetron, Jetfire starts out as the leader of the airborne Seeker division before switching sides. The show might continue to deviate from the classic cartoon as the story progresses.
4 Iacon
The city of Iacon is mired in confusion, as neither the classic cartoon series nor the original Marvel comics found common ground as to its origin. The cartoon references it as the Autobot's home base on Cybertron, while the comic book took a slightly different approach by integrating it into a larger cityscape.
War For Cybertron draws elements from both continuities and expands on them by mentioning the Hall of Records, which was erected inside of Iacon city. It's a solid nod to the classic cartoon and several other continuities that keep fans guessing.
3 The Allspark
For years, the cartoon and spinoff media mentioned countless power sources that fueled the Transformers, and Cybertron in general. The Autobot Matrix of Leadership was one such pivotal power source before the focus shifted to the concept of the Allspark, which has been featured in Michael Bay's Transformers continuity, as well as several animated series and manga.
Although the Allspark was never mentioned in the original cartoon series, it is tied to the concept of the Transformer afterlife. The idea first came into prominence following the death of Optimus Prime and his life force seemingly having been transferred to the Autobot Matrix of Leadership. Several episodes saw both Optimus and Rodimus Prime retreating into the Matrix itself, and receiving visions from Alpha Trion and the Autobot leaders of old. The Allspark would eventually tie into this as the source of all Transformer life.
2 Teletraan-1
Teletraan-1 was an important fixture in the first two seasons of the classic cartoon series, acting as the main computer and intelligence center for Autobot operations on Earth. Housed within the Ark spaceship, Teletraan-1 monitored the location of Transformer units, concocted battle strategies and performed R&D, among other tasks.
The computer is mentioned throughout the series, finally showing itself off in the final episode where it activates the Ark's main defenses and launches a devastating counterattack against Megatron's forces. It will no doubt play a major role in events yet to come.
1 The Space Bridge
Space bridges are nothing new to the Transformers universe, but it's nice to see them make a return in War for Cybertron. Here, the design of the space bridge has been inverted, but the effect is still the same. Prime uses the device to escape Cybertron and prevent Megatron from getting his hands on the Allspark.
The original space bridge in the cartoon series was a direct conduit between Earth and Cybertron, and was used several times throughout the first two seasons to expand the storytelling. Its presence helped bring Cybertron closer into the fan consciousness.