[ba-matorangirl]

The sequel to the Signalis drawings of the Replikas. This time I drew all the humans, or Gestalts as they're called in the game.

The first two are the twins, Isolde "Isa" Itou, and Erica "Eri" Itou. The third and fourth are the main characters of the game, Ariane Yeong and an Elster replika, LSTR-512, who is Ariane's partner. The fifth, sixth, and seventh ones are Alina Seo and the human who the Elster replikas are cloned after, and another Elster, LSTR-S2301, who is a close friend of Alina's.

Isa, Erica, Ariane, Alina, and the Elster's human all lived under the rule of the Eusian nation.

First, the Itou twins. The twin on the left is Isolde Itou, or Isa. The twin sister on the right is Erica Itou, or Eri. They were born on the watery planet of Venita and were raised on the snowy planet of Rotfront where they worked part time at their parents bookstore that illegally sold questionable literature. It's also where they met Ariane in high school. One evening, Isa fell asleep waiting for Erica, as they were going to pick up some books on the way home. She stumbled into a classroom where Ariane was being bullied by three other classmates. She and Erica intervened, and became close friends with Ariane ever since. Isa and Erica would also end up in the hospital quite often, as Isa really loved playing sports. But Isa was also too reliant on others, which is what lead to the twins having a falling out. In spite of everything, Isa's come to S-23 Sirpinski to look for her twin sister. She's the only human Elster actually meets while she's looking for Ariane.

Second, Ariane Yeong. Ariane was born on the snowy planet of Leng and raised on the other icy and snowy planet of Rotfront. She spent her childhood alone in the mountains at the radio station she called home with only her mother, Iris Yeong. Her mother was a radio officer, and the two would often listen to the radio together as she wrote down and decoded the messages transmitted. It was also at this time where Ariane found her love for painting and music. She would also often get sick, and from a young age, her hair slowly turned white.

Ariane spent her adolescence in the city, in Rotfront Sektor-C where she lived with her aunt Kamilla and uncle Foto, worked part time at a photo store, and would go to high school. There, she was surrounded by fake smiles and whispers behind her back. She was bullied by her classmates and chastised by her teachers, thinking her love of art was nonsense, no longer acceptable, and remarkably odd. However, she at least had two friends, the Itou twins, who showed her the literature that was questionably sold at their parents bookstore. She loved to buy and read the banned Imperial serials sold there. One day, she spotted a peculiar book in the shop's window; "The King In Yellow". When she saved up enough money to buy it, however, it was gone. The twin sisters told her the Replikas confiscated it. Ultimately, her school could not break her.

Neither could military service. Ariane spent her early adulthood in military service and training to be a radio officer like her mother. She was sick of life in the city, where nothing she did or made meant anything to anyone. She wanted to join the Penrose Program to run away and leave all of that behind. To be the person that she wanted to be and do the things she wanted to do. Maybe even find new planets to explore or aliens to meet. If she couldn't find a suitable job soon, she would be sent to work in the mining facility of S-23 Sierpinski. She was accepted into the Program, paired with an Elster replika, LSTR-512, and sent to space on the Penrose 512.

Onboard the Penrose 512, Ariane was finally happy. She could at last be herself and do what she wanted. And while she didn't like having the Elster replika around, at least she was quiet and didn't approach her outside of business-oriented interactions. However, as the days turned into years, Ariane began to miss having someone to talk to. So she began talking to the Elster more outside of work. And while she was a tough and stoic loner like any other Elster, she didn't seem to fit in either. And so, even though it was decided for the Elster that she be her partner, it felt as though she had run away and left the Eusian Nation behind with Ariane.

By the time of the second phase of their expedition, 1500 cycles, or days, or 4 years, had passed, and Ariane and Elster began to fall in love with each other.

[ba-matorangirl]

Elemental Children

Heavily inspired by Pokemon, the anime of Made in Abyss, and the Rabbizorgs from this: https://twiman.net/user/1048108917597732865/1330135601941794816#google_vignette

The first page are children of wood/tree, water, and fire.

The second page are children of earth, ice, and air/wind.

The third page are of children of light, darkness, and a human child who's not an elemental, but his mechanical arms, legs, and eye are built into a similar fashion of the elemental children.

[ba-matorangirl]

Not only the characters don't care...

The people who made the film don't care either.

They're all happy, celebrating without care there's no reason to celebrate, without caring that Optimus Prime and Megatron rising isn't something someone should want, without care that the Autobots and Decepticons forming isn't something someone should want, without mourning D-16, Orion Pax, or the High-guard. The director doesn't care, the writers don't care, the screenplayers don't care, the animators don't care, the cinematographers don't care, the camera people don't care, the lighters don't care, the composer for the score doesn't care, the sound designers don't care, the voice actors don't care, the voice actors don't care... none of them care.

None of the filmmakers ever made it seem sad that D-16... is gone.

And if they really don't care that D-16 is gone, that Megatron has turned to the dark side... then what is even the point of making him a sympathetic villain, what is the point of making Transformers One a dark and nuanced film, where both the hero and the villain are both at fault for the downfall of their planet, what's the point of telling a story of love and when love just isn't good enough, about four people who did their best to save their world and their best just wasn't good enough?

What is the point of making an allegory for abuse? What's the point of making Bee best friends with Megatron? One of the first and only friends he had no less? What's the point of making Optimus, Megatron, Elita, and Bee friends, a little family?

Oh, and when Elita's last words to Megatron were "stop it, it's over!" She didn't even attack him, and just grabbed him by the arm.

It just doesn't make any sense.

And also the hypocrisy of Optimus' hope. And the possible theme of healthy vs. toxic masculinity. They want him to be human, but they want him to be a paragon. They want him to be apart of them, yet they want him to be above them. Yet Megatron being apart of them is what lead to his villainy.

Because of Optimus being kind and hopeful no matter what.

They really want him to be divine.

Or they want him to be human, but they only want the desirable human traits. Not any of the undesirable human traits that Megatron has. I mean Megatron has desirable human traits too, but...Especially when that same attitude Optimus has is what lead D-16 to becoming Megatron.

Such a harmful and unhealthy message to teach children.

That's my theory anyway.

I'm starting to forget why I even loved this film, or Optimus Prime, or Megatron, or Elita-1, or B-127... or the Autobots, or the Decepticons, or the Primes, or Cybertron...

Please... I don't want this. I never wanted any of this. I don't want to lose my love for this film... I don't want to lose faith... But even the filmmakers didn't seem to truly love or care about what it was they're actually making.

[ba-matorangirl]

Some time in early January, I started playing a video game called Signalis.

It's like if Silent Hill, anime, Star Wars, and cosmic horror had a baby... and it's gay.

It takes place in a retrofuturistic world where humans, or as they're caleed in this game, Gestalts, and biomechanical clones of humans called Replikas coexist. The earth has colonized another solar system, and is being fought over by two powers, the Eusian Empire and the Eusian Nation. It's like Star Wars, but if the rebels were evil and the Galactic Empire were the good guys. The Nation is authoritarian dystopia for those who live under its rule.

I just had to draw all the different types of Replikas that are shown in the game. They all have all of their own unique personalities and wants and needs.

For the first page, there's the Aras, Euels, Kolibris, and Elsters.

The first one with the boat-shaped hat is the ARAR, or Ara, or Mccaw. She's a worker of the construction and repair industry, such as making industrial goods and construction working. Strong and heavy, she also knows how to construct tunnels within walls and floors, which she likes to do so she can have secret places to hide out in. Ara doesn't talk much, and she prefers to not express her emotions. She silently harshly judges those who are rude and unkind and will quietly gossip about it to her other Ara sisters. She loves taking care of plants, especially colorful flowers and trees.

The second one with the little hat is the EULR, or Eule, or Owl. She is a multipurpose worker, and does domestic tasks, like cooking, cleaning, and simple medical or office work. Elegant and lightweight, she gets along well with her other Eule sisters and most of the other types of Replikas due to how highly social she is. She is patient, and can even read the emotions on the expressionless faces of Aras. Eule has the tendency to gather in large groups of her other Eule sisters to sing and dance. She loves music, whether it's listening to music on a tape recorder, or playing an instrument. She needs to have at least one mirror in her room, because she checks up on her appearance often. She loves to keep up a tidy appearance, and regularly talk to people. Euels usually gather in groups of 10 and give each other nicknames.

The third one with the diamonds on her forehead is the KLBR, Kolibri, or Hummingbird. She and her other Kolibri sisters aid a type of Replika called the Falke. They do this by amplifying her bioresonance signals, and can produce their own. Because of her bioresonance powers, she can directly influence the minds of both Replikas and Gestalts alike, can probe people's minds, and can talk to her Kolibri sisters mentally. However, because of her bioresonance, Kolibri can be just as easily influenced by others. She can create emotional feedback loops, imitating and broadcasting her feelings to anyone near her. She is trained to not engage in this kind of behavior, as she exchanges memories and emotions with her other Kolibri sisters, and once a majority of a group of Kolibris start to go off the deep end, they will drag the rest of the group down with them. She loves to keep a library with plenty of books to read.

The fourth one with the white armor is the LSTR, or Elster, or Magpie. She is a combat engineer, working for orbital service as either a sapper or a scout. Tough, stoic, and a loner, she usually wears heavy, bullet proof white and blue armor, and has technical knowledge and combat capabilities.

On page 2 are the Mynahs, Stars, and Storches.

The first one, and the largest, is MNHR, or Mynah, or Myna. She's the biggest and strongest out of all the Replikas because she has the most armor, and high-power armor at that. She works in the most dangerous tasks such as mining, handling dangerous cargo and heavy machinery, and working in hazardous environments such as radioactive areas, crushing pressure, and places with zero gravity. She is calm and collected no matter what. Mynah is submissive and motherly, so she gets along well with most of the other types of Replikas. She loves stuffed animals, though it's not a good idea to give her stuffed cats, or else it will trigger memories of the Gestalt she was cloned from.

The second one with the black armor is STAR, or Star, or Starling. She is a security technician. With her heavy armor and long swift stride, she has a cool detached personality, and can analyze situations objectively and use force when applied. She is trained in close combat and riot control, and works best in a small squad led by an officer Star with a ballistic shield. Star is laid back, but she and her other Star sisters have an internal hierarchy. If a respected Star isn't promoted to officer, or a low-ranking Star is promoted, it will cause tension between her Star sisters. She and her sisters may also sometimes make rules in their group, and will be physically punished for breaking. Officers love to have military weapons to keep.

The third one with the lighter armor is STCR, or Storch, or Stork. She is a controller unit of security technicians. She keeps a bird's eye view on everything going on in the facility so she'll know when to direct and coordinate the security technicians. She's tough and no-nonsense, even brutal and cruel, maintaining order. Storch has a short temper, and if she isn't trained to be patient, or at least paired with an older Star to keep her in check, she will become volatile, prone to cruelty and violence. She likes showers or taking baths, and loves reading books about history or mythology.

And on page 3, there's the Alders, Falkes, and a bonus doodle of the two main characters.

The first one, and only male is Adler. He works as an administrator. Each facility has just one Adler, so he alone can manage all the administrative tasks for an entire facility. He's the counterpart and assistant for the Falke, so he can take care of all the paperwork and calculations. Adler works best alone, and doesn't get along with his other Adler brothers. However, he'll become dependent with his Falke partner on an emotional level. One with bioresonance powers can control him fairly easily. He easily gets bored, and often needs new possessions to stay happy.

The second one with the halo is Falke. She works as the commander and leader of the Replikas. A superweapon, she is the security chief and a figure of authority never to be questioned. She has bioresonance powers that let her control weak-minded people, read their emotions and intentions mentally, and even pick up objects with her mind from a short distance. She looks similar to the leaders of the Eusian Nation, that being the Great Revolutionary and her daughter.

And finally, a bonus drawing of the main character that we play as, an Elster Replika, and her partner, a Gestalt named Ariane.

One of the jobs Elsters have is working as technicians on the spaceships of the Penrose Program. It's where cheap spaceships are launched into space so they can find and colonize planets for the Eusian Nation. There are only two people on the ship; a gestalt who pilots the ship, and an Elster replika who is the ship's technician. One ship, the Penrose-512, had the gestalt pilot, Ariane Yeong, and the ship technician, LSTR-512. Elsters are chosen for this line of work because of how reliable and how well they can adapt to being isolated for so long. They are stoic, reserved, and have basic needs. And this particular Elster is no exception to this. Ariane was told to leave the Elster alone and interact with her as little as possible, and when she did interact, to not talk about the war. She was also told not to show the Elster photographs, especially of soldiers during the war, or else it would trigger memories of the gestalt she was cloned from; to let her listen to music, watch movies, or try to befriend her.

However, Ariane became friends with Elster. They would watch whatever movies they had, most of them being either war films or propaganda dramas, and would dance to music together. Elster doesn't like war movies, and they would watch a certain movie many times. Ariane not only befriended Elster... she fell in love with her. And Elster loved her in return.

But one day, Elster wakes up to find their ship having crash landed on one of the planets in the solar system they came from, the snowy planet of Leng... and Ariane missing. She finds herself in the mining facility of S-23 Sierpinski, which is plagued by a mysterious illness. But as she explores deeper into the facility and the mines, she learns that this is not a normal disease, and that there's something supernatural at play.

[ba-matorangirl]

Four million years (I missed you).

[ba-matorangirl]

This picture takes place after the film. One night, while Iacon is sleeping, a piece of Optimus Prime's soul slips away, and starts to sing. Little does he know, a piece of Megatron's soul has slipped away and listens.

He sings for Optimus, for Megatron, for D-16, for Elita, for B-127, for the Autobots... he sings for Starscream, for Soundwave, for Shockwave, for the Deceticons... he sings for the people of Iacon... he sings for Alpha Trion, for the Primes... he sings for all of them... because... he thought they were all the children of Primus. He thought all the children of Cybertron were one.

Primus help the outcasts...

... the children... of Cybertron...

I don't know if you can hear me, or if you're even there

I don't know if you'd listen to a ghost's prayer

I know I'm just an outcast, I shouldn't speak to you

Still, I see your face, and wonder, were you once an outcast too?

God help the outcasts, hungry from birth

Grant them the mercy they don't find on earth

God help my people, they look to you still

God help the outcasts, or nobody will

I ask for wealth, I ask for fame

I ask for glory to shine on my name

I ask for love I can obtain

I ask for God and his angels to bless me

I ask for nothing, I can get by

But I know there are those less lucky than I

Please help my people, the poor and down-trod

For I thought we all were the children of God

God help the outcasts...

The children of...

...God...

[ba-matorangirl]

Whenever I think about the ending of Transformers One, I think about what the Toa would've done.

Vakama especially.

I first think about the Metru Nui stories, especially the Hordika stories.

And sometimes, even some of the other stories.

Like when the Toa Mata fought the shadow Toa, or Takanuva's inter-dimensional torture and battle in Karda Nui.

And as much as I love Optimus Prime (TFO Optimus at least), as similar as he is to the Matoran, Toa, and Turaga... there's one key difference that separates him from them. One quality that they have that he doesn't, that elevates them higher to a whole other level, makes them better than him, or any other hero or superhero for that matter.

Something that also puts them up above Megatron too.

That being... None of them seem to be paragons. They're all human enough to be pushed past the breaking point.

They're all equally capable of acts of great evil as they are great acts of good.

I wonder how much the Toa would see themselves in Optimus Prime, and how much they would see themselves in Megatron.

Because there seems to be a theme in Bionicle about accepting the worst parts of yourself.

And I think... I think that's what Megatron needs. I think Optimus Prime needs that too.

[ba-matorangirl]

Primus Help the Outcasts

Primus...

Primes...

How are things down there?

I don't know if you can hear me, or if you're even there... But if you can, if you're down there...

I know Megatron has done some terrible things, and the High-Guard have too...

But he's still good at heart. He still wants to bring justice to Cybertron...

Megatron and the the Decepticons need you right now! They're lost without you...

So please... keep an eye on them... keep an eye on Optimus and the Autobots too, okay? Keep an eye on all of them...

...please...

[ba-matorangirl]

After my... crashout a few days ago, I had the urge to listen to this song, although it had been lingering in the back of my mind for quite a while. So I watched the clip of Esmerelda singing that song in the Notre Dame cathedral. I own the dvd, but I haven't watched it in quite a few years, and I've never listened to this song by itself. But when I finally listened this song again for the first time in years... I actually cried.

But, it's not just the song. What really got me was when I was listening to the lyrics. As I was listening to what Esmerelda was singing, putting it in the context of the end of the film, and all that is yet to come for them. When she was singing for god to help the outcasts, like her people, and Quasimodo... as I was thinking about Megatron and the high-guard/Decepticons... it just made the song hit that much harder. It just... really resonated with me.

When I saw Optimus raising the Matrix in front of Elita and Bee in front of that mural of the Primes, the energon was flowing again, the cogless bots watching and cheering cogs flying back to their owners, without Megatron and the high-guard there, how nobody cared or missed him, that the one person who needed that hope the most never got it... and as I watched Esmerelda singing her song... as I was crying, I silently asked Primus and the late Primes to help Megatron and the Decepticons. Primus help the outcasts, the ones who turned to the dark side, the ones who were cast out of Primus and the Primes' light, who were never given a chance to change.

Because nobody else will help them, not Optimus, not Elita, not Bee, not the cogless or cogged bots, nobody in Iacon or the surface, not even Primus himself or the souls of the late Primes. Because, just like Esmerelda thinks aren't they all supposed to be the children of God, aren't all the children of Cybertron supposed to be one?

That song, and the fact that Sentinal is the true villain, that all the pain and suffering the rest of the people of Cybertron have had to go through in the past, are going through in the film, and are yet go through is his fault... it reminded me of what's really important.

Unity. Duty. Destiny.

For all the people of Cybertron, Autobots and Decepticons alike, to be unified, so they can fulfill their duty, and complete their destiny.

No amount of power, no amount of energon, no amount of cog powers, no Matrix, no Prime, no deity, no god, no amount of cosmic destiny or divine choice can ever give the people of Cybertron unity... or take it away. It's something only they can do themselves, not as Transformers, not as divine beings, but as just people.

And even if Megatron did reject the Primes or if he didn't, even if the Primes rejected him, even though he done some terrible things, even if the souls of the late Primes no longer as one with Optimus, Elita, and Bee, no longer in charge of Cybertron's future with them... He's still meant to be one with them, to be put in charge of Cybertron's future. He and the Decepticons need the Primes the most. Because he's still good at heart. He still wants what's best for Cybertron. And because of that, he still deserves basic dignity and a chance to change. And if nobody wants to help Megatron, if nobody misses D-16, at least I do.

I want to make a Transformers One animatic of this song. I don't know who would sing in the animatic, but weirdly, I have visions of Orion, cogless Orion, or someone who looks like cogless Orion but actually isn't... or maybe even the ghost of Orion, like a piece of Optimus Prime's that slipped away. Maybe it'll be the ghosts of Orion Pax and D-16 in place of Esmerelda and Quasimodo. I don't know if making an animatic is what I should do. I don't know what I need to do, but I know I need to it... But no animatic or amv could really fit that, or capture that feeling, the horror of that situation, do this song justice, because there's nobody who wants to help the outcasts, or even greive them.

Maybe I will make an animatic. Maybe I won't. Maybe I'll watch Hunchback of Notre Dame again. Maybe not.

All I know is... I just want to cry over the loss of Orion Pax and D-16. And I want my love for this film back.

[ba-matorangirl]

When I watched Transformers One for the first time, I knew that Megatron was going to leave them and it would just be Optimus, Elita, and Bee in the end. But every time I see such, it just feels... incomplete, like a broken family. And I miss all four of them together so badly. I want to see them get back together so much, or at least miss each other.

...Was Optimus, Megatron, Elita, and Bee's family ever even real at all? I know it was short, but it was real... it had to be.

[ba-matorangirl]

Umm... guys. There's another thing about the ending of Transformers One that hurts me other than Optimus Prime's toxic posititivity... It's where the ending takes place.

They call it the Well of Sparks apparently.

One of the most terrifying and emotionally damaging images in this movie for me, is... is that fucking mural.

There's a mural on the front of the Well. It looks like a picture or photo of all the Primes together.And it's one of, if not, the most haunting images in the entire fucking movie of Transformers One.

Because... whenever I see someone standing above it or in front of it... like Megatron standing above it, or Optimus flying out of the pit right in front of it, or Optimus standing in front of it with his energon axe, or Optimus, Elita, and Bee standing in front of it as he was raising the Matrix, and the energon was flowing again, and the cogs were flying out of the refilled energon pool back to their owners, and Cybertron was turning back to normal......I know it means something.

And it's... it's just...

I don't know, man, every single time this fucking image shows up on screen makes me feel physically sick because of the implications it holds.

Remember, when Optimus' corpse was falling down, and when it went into that giant ball of energon at the center of the planet (which is actually the ghost of Primus), where he's given the Matrix. Did you see the ghosts of the dead Primes in that giant ball of energon? Primus and the dead Primes were watching over the people of Cybertron all along... Megatronus was watching over D-16/Megatron the entire time. Even after 50 years being dead, they haven't forgotten the people tgey left behind. They're down there... It's one of the only comforts I have... or at least... it used to. As a non-transformers fan, who's first experience was this film, I barely knew the Primes, but I was still sad that they died. As long as I knew the souls of the late Primes were watching over the people of Cybertron, I could handle it... But... ever since I noticed the mural, I began thinking of it's horrible implications rather than something more comforting, like how the souls of the late Primes were watching over the children of Cybertron.

Does the souls of the late Primes watching over the people of Cybertron hold any significance, even though they're dead, and in spite of that mural? I certainly think it does.

Because Megatron doesn't know that. The High-guard doesn't know that. Nobody else but Optimus knows that because he was the only one that's been down there... and he never told them... Now, they know Primus is down there, watching over them... but they don't know about the ghosts of the Primes themselves being down there, watching over them too.

And Megatronus Prime... he was watching over D-16 the entire time... and he was there to tell Orion he was being given the Matrix. Was he sad-upset that he had to give the Matrix to Orion and not his biggest fan? Does he still love-care for him and watch over him?

Optimus never told Megatron or the High-guard about Alpha Trion. Or how the ghosts of the Primes are all down there, and even they don't approve of what Megatron and the High-guard are doing.

And when I think of how he told Optimus, Megatron, Elita, and Bee how the Primes were one, how the four of them are one, how all are one. Told them they were put in charge of Cybertron's future....and when he told Sentinal that they would be his downfall...Only for just Optimus, Elita, and Bee to be standing in front of that fucking mural... And Optimus' speech...Does Alpha Trion still think Optimus, Megatron, Elita, and Bee as one? Or that they're supposed to be one? That Optimus wasn't supposed to banish him, but let him stay and reform him? Because that mural...When I think of that mural, and what Alpha Trion said... I hope he wasn't lying. And he still thinks thw four of them as one, or supposed to be one.

That mural messes with me.

I really, really want to believe that Alpha Trion was being honest, and saw them as supposed to be one. And that he still does... Which isn't what Alpha Trion wanted for them. He wanted them to help their fellow cogless bots and take down Sentinel all together...

[ba-matorangirl]

The Ending of Transformers One is Not Optimistic or Hopeful

It is a lie that everybody else plays along with. It is the essence of toxic positivity.

It's a lie that everybody, the characters and the audience alike play along with.

Optimus, Elita, Bee, and even Megatron don't know or even seem to care of the hell that awaits them. Megatron has turned to the dark side now, they're gonna have another threat, his best friend, the one he loves more than anything now is his enemy now, and now he's forced to be a leader for an entire PLANET, there's Quintessons about, which will be a brutal conflict all on its own, and they're gonna start an eternal war. One of their friends, their family is gone, another one of their friends just came back from dying horribly and is now the leader of an entire planet, and ultimately, their attempt to save their planet only doomed their planet, left them divided, more divided then ever before. Optimus broke his promise to the Autobots, even if it wasn't a false one; the fight wasn't worth it. The better future he imagined never comes.

They all did their best to save their planet, but their best just wasn't good enough. They succeeded, but they also lost.

They tried so hard, and got so far, but in the end, it didn't even matter. It's not a new beginning for Cybertron. It's the beginning of the end.

They are not together as one, proving they all have the ower to transform, to become who they were destined to be, to right wrongs, or to make their world better. Because here, their unity is shattered, their duty unfulfilled, and their destinies incomplete. Here, not all are truly autobots.

And the audience, the fans especially, know all of this. Because they know that it's only going to get worse before it gets better, and that it may never even get better. They know the Autobots and Decepticons are going to start a fight that will be so brutal and so bloody that it will end in the destruction of their planet, needing to leave it, and find earth.

So... why is Optimus pretending that everything is always fine?!

WHY ARE THE FANS PLAYING ALONG WITH HIS LIES?!!???!!!!

How am I supposed to trust him with the future of Cybertron if he keeps lying to himself and everyone else?!

Not to mention Elita-1 is wrong too! Optimus is not inspiring, because literally cannot imagine a better future; it never comes! She said if he wanted to see D-16 again, that was the Orion Pax he needed to be... now he's gone! He broke his to the cogless bots; this fight wasn't worth it. He has no reason to be beyond grateful for Elita. He has no reason to say it's a new beginning for Cybertron.

Please... give me a sign that I shouldn't give up on him!

[physalia-prime]

2 Things I Gotta Point Out

Doesn't say a single word when Optimus lists his crimes, then when he finishes, just stands up and waits for whatever punishment Optimus deems fit.

You can see it all over his face. He KNOWS everything Optimus just said was true.

We know Optimus dropped his mask so Megatron knows he was speaking as Orion, and coupled with the tear stains, Megatron was convinced Orion was still in there somewhere.

So he faces him head on, fully prepared for anything EXCEPT banishment.

The faded optics say it all: This thing standing in front of him wearing his best friends face is not Orion Pax. He died when Megatron killed him, and the thing he just destroyed Cybertron to get rid of just told him to leave and not come back.

The second thing is the pause right after Optimus says this.

It only lasts about 3 seconds, but it's enough to make clear what Optimus ISN’T saying, "It STILL doesn't have to be this way."

He's hanging by a thread, BEGGING Megatron to fight back, to argue, anything but what he actually does.

And even faced with that being the last thing he hears Megatron say before the war breaks out, he STILL does this.

If not blowing Starscreams face off with a fusion cannon is Megatron's form of mercy?

This is Optimus'.

Even after everything, he REFUSES to compromise what he's been fighting for: the right to autonomy for all Cybertronians, even the one that killed him.

[cartoonyhappyface]

Disagree with me. That's cool, but the blue stuff coming down of his face. People are saying that he is crying, which is fine. But for me, it's blood. I like that shit and their blood is blue in this universe. lol No, but seriously, i saw the 80s movie and did exactly the same, which is very cool. And also is it fucked up for me to say when megatron shots him i kinda want blood to spurs out...no...just me......ok. lol 😆

[ba-matorangirl]

Megatron did betray Cybertron or it's citizens. If anything, he was doing those things for Cybertron and its citizens. He thinks Optimus was betraying Cybertron and its citizens because he thought he was trying to save Sentinal. But I'm sure he feels regret all the same.

...but he did betray Optimus! ...he did! *sobbing*

And I always presumed that the flicker in his eyes also meant he was just lashing out. When he was trying to burn down Iacon, he was doing it out of the idea of tearing down the rotten world Sentinal made and rebuilding a new one (didn't think to evacuate everyone first?). Only to be banished from Iacon, his home.

The tears in Megatron's eyes show that, yes, he did some terrible things, but he didn't want to, that he doesn't want any of this.

And oh lord, from what you said, these too really can't communicate for shit! They love each other but they don't understand each other!

[ba-matorangirl]

Does anyone think that D-16/Megatron rejected the Primes entirely?

I never saw it that way. I mean, I never thought he rejected the Primes at all. When he said "the age of Primes has ended, no more false prophets", he only meant false Primes like Sentinal.

He was trying to avenge the Primes as much as anybody else. And the High Guard worked for them, worked with them too.

[ba-matorangirl]

D-16 is not selfish... at least, not before he learned the truth about Sentinal and started his decent into madness.

D-16/Megatron did some terrible things... he left his best friend to die, he nearly burned down Iacon, tried killing Elita and Bee, and overall became increasingly violent, destructive and self destructive behavior. But he did those things not because he's a bad person. Not because he's selfish, or violent, or power hungry. But because he was a good person at heart who was blinded by his hatred and rage, so he wound up hurting himself and others more than helping.

I always saw him as a good person who does bad things. I always believed he needed a different punishment, still deserved to be happy, because he did do some terrible things... but he is good at heart. Understanding his actions, and seeing the good in him... It always kept me from going completely over the edge. It always gave me hope.

What D-16/Megatron did was wrong, but... the idea that it's because he was selfish, or violent, or power hungry, or always just a bad person... I feel nauseous just thinking about it.

Especially because, well...

I think I found a world where D-16 can remain as D-16.

[ba-matorangirl]

Does anyone think that D-16/Megatron rejected the Primes entirely?

I never saw it that way. I mean, I never thought he rejected the Primes at all. When he said "the age of Primes has ended, no more false prophets", he only meant false Primes like Sentinal.

He was trying to avenge the Primes as much as anybody else. And the High Guard worked for them, worked with them too.

[ba-matorangirl]

The Ending of 9 is Cruel And Inhumane

Does anyone else feel like the ending of 9 is cruel and inhumane and completely dehumanizes the stitchpunks?

If you were sad or upset that five of the stitchpunks died but were happy that their souls were used, without their knowledge or consent to revitalize the earth, thinking it's beautiful, that it's life... you're not a human. You're a piece of shit. You're a schmuck. You're a monster. A true, selfish, soulless, monster. A machine. Because you would turn on their backs and slaughter their souls and use them to revitalize the earth, for your own personal gain, no matter the cost. Because you would happily bathe in their own blood. Because you don't care about the stitchpunks.

This is not life. This is death. This is sacrifice. This is not okay.

There is no rebirth or life following there after. Only cessitation of existence and death following thereafter.

After all, if the stitchpunks knew they weren't going to the afterlife, they were going to be used to revitalize the earth, at the destruction of their souls, they would never have left 9 and gone into those clouds.

But at what cost? How can you be so upset at the stichpunks dying, yet not care that they bascially ceased to exist just to revitalize the earth?

They were not, AT ANY POINT trying to get bacterial organism to get the cycle going. They were just trying to live. There is no message of rebirth in 9! There is no life following thereafter. Because the stichpunks who died didn't get to go into the afterlife. They never got to continue to live, to think, to feel, to watch over those they left behind. They were used to bring back earth, without their knowledge or consent, and if they don't come back by the rain, or even live on as forest spirits (which would be actual rebirth) they will cease to exist. Their souls... splattered all over the clouds to nothing more than lifeless plant life. Plants can't think, can't feel, can't live. Those were 9's friends, his family! He'll mourn them, miss them, and for the rest of his life, it'll just be... a silent world. Not to mention he wasn't even trying to sell their souls off to to die, but to go into the afterlife! He had no knowledge or consent of this either. He'll probably never see them again, not even in the afterlife! If he finds out the truth... he'll be horrified, heartbroken.

It just goes to show that this world is not theirs... it never was to begin with. That's not kind or respecftul at all! It's cruel, disrespectful, and manipulative! The lesson that as long as the earth comes back, it doesn't matter how its done, or who gets hurt, killed, or how many lives are ruined. The real kindness and respect that came from 9... was that even in their bleak world and situation, they were still able to find happiness and life in their dead world, in themselves, and in each other. 5 was 9's best friend, his brother, his angel... 2 still loved this dead world in spite of it being... dead and saw the good in it. 3 and 4 too found happiness in books and loved to have fun, 6 was still funloving and easily amused, and all thorughout the film, there's surprisingly cute, happy or heartwarming scenes, and even a few instances, like when the cat beast is killed, or when they think the machine is killed, it shows that it's possible for them to live a happy nomral life in their dead world. That's true life, not lifeless plants, but the ability to think, feel, hate, and love in spite of if. True life is living in a dead world and there beings who live and feel like any other human, not a living world where there are no beings who live and feel at all.

When the stichpunks were alive, their world may not have had a body but it still had a soul. When the stitchpunks died, the world gained a body, but lost the soul. There is no dawn in the blackness... only blackness. The stichpunks being alive was their light.

But at what cost? How can you be so upset at the stichpunks dying, yet not care that they bascially ceased to exist just to revitalize the earth?

There is no message of rebirth in 9! There is no life following thereafter. Because the stichpunks who died didn't get to go into the afterlife. They never got to continue to live, to think, to feel, to watch over those they left behind. They were used to bring back earth, without their knowledge or consent, and if they don't come back by the rain, or even live on as forest spirits (which would be actual rebirth) they will cease to exist. Their souls... splattered all over the clouds to nothing more than lifeless plant life. Plants can't think, can't feel, can't live.

Those were 9's friends, his family! He'll mourn them, miss them, and for the rest of his life, it'll just be... a silent world. Not to mention he wasn't even trying to sell their souls off to to die, but to go into the afterlife! He had no knowledge or consent of this either. He'll probably never see them again, not even in the afterlife! If he finds out the truth... he'll be horrified, heartbroken. It just goes to show that this world is not theirs... it never was to begin with.

That's not kind or respecftul at all! It's cruel, disrespectful, and manipulative! The lesson that as long as the earth comes back, it doesn't matter how its done, or who gets hurt, killed, or how many lives are ruined.

The real kindness and respect that came from 9... was that even in their bleak world and situation, they were still able to find happiness and life in their dead world, in themselves, and in each other. 5 was 9's best friend, his brother, his angel... 2 still loved this dead world in spite of it being... dead and saw the good in it. 3 and 4 too found happiness in books and loved to have fun, 6 was still funloving and easily amused, and all thorughout the film, there's surprisingly cute, happy or heartwarming scenes, and even a few instances, like when the cat beast is killed, or when they think the machine is killed, it shows that it's possible for them to live a happy normal life in their dead world.

That's true life, not lifeless plants, but the ability to think, feel, hate, and love in spite of if. True life is living in a dead world and there still being beings who live and feel like any other human, not a world where there's plants but is empty of all life that can truly live.

9 is not going to enjoy or love the world that's eating his family. He's not going to watch the plants eat his friends' souls. He is not going to celebrate. Because that's not life coming back to earth. There is no hope. Not for 9, or 7, or the Twins, or 5, or 1, or 2, or 6, or 8. He is going to mourn them, lose the will to live when he finds out the truth, and live in hopelessness, despair, and regret. Knowing that he and his loved ones were pawns, cattle, pigs, lambs to a slaughter for humans.

You have betrayed the stitchpunks and their humanity. And you betrayed your own humanity.

Because I don't know about you, but I don't want to live in a world that commodifies sacrifice and suffering as a feature and not a bug.