#driftwing

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I’ve posted this image before, so excuse the heart (I like all my pics to be different, even if slightly), but I didn’t acknowledge how amazing Wing looked here.

I don’t know what it is about this particular image - maybe it’s the angle, maybe it’s the shading… I don’t know, but he’s looking absolutely gorgeous <3333

Don’t get me wrong he is anyway, but the way he’s drawn here?? It’s just made that tenfold. Honestly it’s no wonder why Drift folded, one look at Wing and you should understand <33

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Protective/possessive DriftWing but it’s deeper than that.

Drift clinging onto Wing because he’s the first good thing he’s had in years. Clinging onto him tightly so he doesn’t lose him like he lost Gasket (though, ultimately, he would). He treasures Wing, but also keeps a protective hold on him, because Wing may be a shining jewel, but he’s Drifts jewel.

Living on the streets taught him to cling and hold onto the things he wanted to keep, things he wanted/needed to own: energon, allies, shelter. Even though he’s now in a more comfortable place, where he’s safe, he still hasn’t unlearned the behaviours he picked up to survive, and instead of energon, the thing he needs most, the thing he needs to live, is now Wing.

Wing keeping a tight leash on Drift because he’s the first person who’s made him feel alive in years, the normalcy, the safety of the City had made him restless, and now Drift - complicated, difficult, beautiful Drift - is here in the city, challenging him and making his circuits light up and buzz. A feeling, a high, he doesn’t wish to let go off, and he’ll do almost anything to keep it.

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I’ve been busy virtually all day so enjoy this photo of Drift and Dai Atlas I screenshotted during my IDW read.

Look at them. Son-in-Law and Father-in-Law goals 💞 (let’s just ignore issues 1-3, yes? Though I suppose it does make sense, if Dai Atlas was seen as an overprotective father…/j)

Will forever mourn what could have been with these two 💔. A dynamic that could have given us many heavy emotional scenes. They could have spoke of Wing, talked about how his death affected them, how they healed from it, bond over a shared loss of someone they loved… we could’ve had it all </3

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I wonder if the plating on the side of Wings helm moves. Like if he’s surprised does it flare outwards, or if he’s shy/embarrassed does it close up against his head?

It looks like there are hinges on them, so they do seem to have the potential to move, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility. Would bring a lot more to the table when writing/drawing his character in terms of emotions.

Would they be sensitive??? I know Drifts finials being sensitive is sort of universally agreed/understood, but I think having Wings side helm plating be sensitive would be great.

Just think of the possibilities. The plating flaring in happiness when Wing is around Drift. It falling against his helm when he has serious conversations with Drift. Them flaring out in shock/surprise when Drift does something unelected, whether it’s in a good or bad way. The plating pinned down when Wing is fighting and is concentrated and/or angry. When Wing gets shy/embarrassed/pleased when Drift does something nice for him, touches them, or when Drifts being affectionate.

They’re probably too thin to really have any functionality, or they could just be clips to attach the two together, but that’s no fun to think about.

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So since Drift had a reframe when the MTMTE comic run started, do you think he struggled being in a new frame? I mean it’s completely different.

His old one was probably sentimental to him, the last piece of Wing and the City that he was truly connected to by (bar the sword), and to then have the frame stripped and changed to something else probably made him emotional.

Sure, the new frame would give him more chance to move on without mourning (as I imagine looking at himself for a while made him upset because he reminded himself of Wing), but the change was probably a bit jarring, at least for a little while.

I mean there isn’t really any similarity at all bar the helm design and colour scheme. I imagine, to Cybertronians, reframing isn’t that much of a big deal, but surely they’ve got to have a frame they get attached to, no? Something of sentiment?

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‘Helping another is the highest calling one can aspire to’ - Wing, Drift (2010) Issue #1

…and Drift took that to heart.

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Imagine the betrayal Wing would have felt at this moment. Although he didn’t show it, would never had dared to show it to Drift, I imagine it would have hurt him to have Drift go behind his back like that. To sneak out and make a deal despite the trust the two had slowly created between them.

Like yeah, Drift immediately did a turn around and helped them, proving to Wing that he did change, but for that moment, that split second, I’m sure Wing couldn’t help but feel betrayed, even just a tiny bit.

The relief he probably did feel when Drift showed that he regretted his deal, that he was going to help them, that Wing didn’t misplace his trust, was probably, well, a relief to feel.

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I like how far Drift came in terms of his opinion of the Circle Of Light. I can’t speak of the time the Circle were involved in MTMTE (I haven’t read that yet), but Drift willingly being referred to as a Knight later and being subordinate with Dai Atlas really shows his change.

His time with Wing, spending time talking to him, training with him, changed him in ways he probably doesn’t want to admit, at least during the time of the change. He definitely got mellowed out and slowly started to learn that the Circle weren’t cowards, were so much more than Drift originally thought, which is one of the reasons why he ultimately chose to tell Dai Atlas of his deal with the Decepticons.

Spending time with Wing allowed his opinion of the Circle be changed positively. Wing probably took him sight-seeing around the City, allowing him to see the inter workings of it, maybe even learning of its history, which helped changed his opinion. I think Wing also being able to beat him in a fight bruised his ego, but also made him respect Wing and the other Knights in a way. After all, would cowards learn to fight so well? Drift himself, or rather Deadlock, was already a skilled warrior in the Decepticons, and here a whole part of a society could beat him? It was impressive but probably also a huge shock.

The fact that the Knights, that Wing, were willing to sacrifice their lives for the sake of the City supported his growing opinion that they were weren’t cowardly for leaving, in fact they were incredibly brave. The fact of the city being raised and all of its civilians (non-combatants mind you) were ready to give their lives implemented his opinion even more.

He gave the Circle a hard time about them leaving for the war, but I think deep down he knew that many of the Decepticons and Autobots were cowardly in their own way. I mean, most of the Decepticons joined because of their own sadistic reasons, and many of the Autobots were previous senate members, both of which I imagine wouldn’t give their life for their cause. The fact that these scientists and civilians were willing to do what his own warriors wouldn’t? Willing to give their life because of a strangers, a previous enemy’s, mistake? It was a truth he couldn’t fully face yet.