The new film "Transformers: Origins," now in theaters, commemorates the 40th anniversary of the Transformers franchise and is the first animated movie since the 1986 "Transformers: The Movie." Set on the planet Cybertron 3 billion years ago—before the era of the Autobot-Decepticon war—it primarily tells the story of how Optimus Prime and Megatron transitioned from comrades to enemies, and how they forever altered the fate of their home planet.
Official poster for "Transformers: Origins" in mainland China
Director Kure drew inspiration from several well-known tales of brotherhood gone awry within popular culture while crafting this storyline. The original concept for the movie was to portray Megatron as a gladiator, similar to his portrayal in IDW comics, with Optimus Prime emerging from different backgrounds. Since G1, the two have held distinctly different identities: Optimus, originally Orion, started as a warehouse loader; in the Dreamwave comics, he was characterized as a librarian within the Cybertron capital of Iacon, while Megatron presented as an outright villain from the get-go. Due to time constraints, the different identity concepts were abandoned in favor of portraying them as miner roommates.
Mining buddies
This film features no human characters, truly redirecting the focus back to the Transformers themselves. The robotic character designs are predominantly inspired by G1, spanning from the four main characters to supporting figures like Starscream. The character of Unicron in G1 did not have a humanoid form; this film’s design echoes his planet-destroyer form from the 2005 series "Transformers: Cybertron." The design of Scourge was heavily influenced by the 2008 animated series "Transformers: Animated" and the third live-action film "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," where the former’s color scheme and the latter’s wings and double-bladed sword are notable. His battle mask was also inspired by IDW comics. Ultimately, he remains that familiar menace, a common adversary to both Optimus Prime and Megatron. The leadership module (the AllSpark) can be dismantled by those unworthy of its possession, a concept inherited from the live-action sequel "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen."
At the very start of the film, there's a nod to the original animated series. Alita informs Orion, D-16, and B-127 that they are a bunch of GoBots. GoBots, the transforming robot toys from Japan's Bandai and America's Tonka, were the main rivals of Transformers 40 years ago; Tonka was acquired by Hasbro in 1991, and Hasbro owns the toy rights today. This is clearly a dual tribute to the 40th anniversaries of both transforming robot franchises. The relationship dynamics between Optimus and Megatron actually mirror the connection between the leaders of the GoBots, Leader-1 and the rebel leader Cy-Kill, transitioning from close friends to sworn enemies. The roles of the supporting characters are also well-defined: Alita takes on an instructional, encouraging role; Bumblebee reverts to the comedic chatterbox of G1; and Ratchet assumes the mentor role. The antagonist, Scourge, arguably plays one of the most notorious roles in Transformers history, having killed the original Primes, stolen the gears of the newly awakened Transformers, and deceived the Cybertronians into supplying energy crystals to the Terrorcons.
Megatron's true name
Although the film does not establish Orion as the librarian of the archives, the story begins with him searching the archives for the original Primes and the AllSpark. The writers cleverly introduce the audience to the history and current state of Cybertron through a scene where Optimus and others illegally access the archives. Following this, viewers experience the alien world through the protagonist's perspective. The introduction to the world is straightforward, avoiding a lengthy narration or verbose dialogue to explain the film’s universe; instead, it is delivered through the protagonists' action sequences. This approach is notably friendly to new audiences unfamiliar with the Transformers lore.
"Origins" follows a classic hero's journey narrative structure. As a prequel, it does not present Optimus and Megatron as established faction leaders right off the bat, as seen in G1. Instead, the protagonists begin as ordinary beings, relatively unknown. Megatron and Bumblebee don’t even have recognizable names initially; they are known only as codenames D-16 and B-127. As miners, they are not even ordinary Transformers. Lacking the necessary gears, they cannot transform; this gear concept originates from G1's third season, where Autobots needed transformation gears to become the mighty Megatron.
However, the protagonist's fate, driven by a personal motto of "We shape our own destiny," propels the plot. At this point, the film introduces the mentor character, Ratchet, aiding them in a transformational leap to tackle greater missions. A stirring segment occurs when the protagonist discovers the Thirteen Primes, accompanied by the theme music from the 2010 series "Transformers: Prime." Renowned as one of the best scores in Transformers history, this exhilarating theme music weaves seamlessly with the narrative, varying in tone from somber to uplifting.
Ratchet grants the transformation gears
The relationship between Optimus and Megatron, along with their tragic fallout, lies at the emotional core of the film. For Kure, it was vital to depict Megatron not merely as a villain. He hoped that audiences first encountering the Transformers wouldn't immediately discern who was the hero and who was the antagonist. Over time, the philosophies of Optimus and Megatron began to diverge; Optimus advocates for peace and harmony, firmly believing all conflicts can be resolved through peaceful means, while Megatron gravitates more towards strength and supremacy. His previous admiration for Scourge was profound; the deeper the love, the more painful the eventual hatred, leading him down a darker path. One of the Thirteen Primes, Primus (whom Megatron idolizes), takes on special significance during this descent. The storyline of his fall is largely inspired by IDW comics such as "The Transformers: Megatron Origin" and "The Transformers: Regeneration." This character transformation is crafted similarly to that of Anakin’s experience, with a logically structured buildup. However, due to the film's length, this descent was too hurried.
Megatron dons the Decepticon insignia
The movie also features several emotionally charged moments as a tribute to the G1 series, aimed at longtime fans. For example, classic lines like "Transform and roll out," "United we stand," and "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings." Optimus activating the AllSpark to revive the planet and restore strength to the gear-less Autobots honors the act of the Matrix of Leadership illuminating the darkest times in the 1986 film.
Classic line from Optimus Prime
If there is a downside, "Origins" suffers primarily from its brevity, running for less than two hours. This not only leads to Megatron's accelerated downfall but leaves many questions inadequately addressed. How could Scourge single-handedly eliminate the Thirteen Primes? Why do popular Decepticon characters like Starscream, Soundwave, and Shockwave seem to waver in their allegiance? Why does the five-faced creature appear in the film’s finale but remain uninvolved in the final battle? These unanswered questions may need to be clarified in a potential sequel.
Many longtime fans expressed online after watching the film that it redefined the origins of Transformers, diverging from G1 and many G1-inspired comics. Nonetheless, with the numerous tributes to G1 throughout the film, we can still regard it as a G1 prequel and a celebratory gift for the 40th anniversary of Transformers.