#gobotron

[motodestructo]

In the digital art world it’s easy to forget how much more work it was to do it all analogue… my pits started to sweat so I need a break.

[askvectorprime]

What is the origin of the Autobot combiner known as Tonkanator? Why do its components all have such similar names among each other and the ones that form Devastator? Are they Autobot clones of them made through experiments?

Dear Tonka Tough Guy,

Although the Gobots successfully saved their home reality and ushered in a new era of peace and prosperity, not all the inhabitants of Gobotron were happy with this new status quo. Soon enough, the dastardly Master Renegade escaped captivity on New Earth and soon returned to his old tricks. In time, he made contact with Zero, newly-appointed leader of a small group of fanatics who’d renounced Cy-Kill after the Renegade leader abandoned his evil ways and set up a new base of operations, working out of Magmar’s abandoned fortress on Quartex.

Armed with some unique Cybertronian schematics purloined from a distant dimension, samples of cybernucleic acid, and whatever resources they could gather, the group set about creating six new Gobots—fusions of Transformer and Gobot technology, these entirely mechanical super lifeforms possessed hand blasters and the ability to fly, but their positronic brains were sustained by an artificially-induced “spark” of life. These six Renegades—modest Motor Load, put-upon Mega Hauler, destructive Mega Dozer, manic Motormix, insecure Power Digger, and the stuck-up Skyhook—inherited much from their genetic templates, including the ability to combine into a mighty, if dim-witted, form.

Zero’s Neo-Renegades attacked the Guardians during a routine goodwill mission on Quartex. The towering Tonkanator easily outpowered Leader-1’s Courageous combiner, and neither Puzzler nor Fossilsaurus could match Tonkanator’s unbridled fury. With no other options, Leader-1 and Cy-Kill were forced into an undignified retreat to lick their wounds. Fortunately, an unexpected ally presented himself: Steamer, an ex-Renegade with a construction vehicle alternate mode, believed that he could infiltrate Zero’s temporary headquarters and turn the Tonkanator Six against their creators—if nothing else, he could repay the debt that he himself owed Leader-1 and his allies when they helped him escape the Renegades. Leader-1 agreed, doubtfully, and sent Steamer on to try and reason with Motor Load and his minions. Although Motor Load initially doubted Steamer’s message of goodwill, Zero quickly realized the true nature of Leader-1’s plan and took Steamer prisoner.

Suspended over a boiling vat of molten magma, Zero and his followers broadcast a message to Leader-1, warning him that he had two hours to surrender Quartex to the Renegades or else Steamer would perish. Salvation, however, came from an unexpected source—unable to ignore the plight of a fellow construction vehicle, Motor Load and his fellows turned on their benefactors and sent the Renegades scattering; as they freed Steamer and took off, Skyhook took a moment to dismiss the Master Renegade as an “uncharismatic bore!”

In the end, Leader-1 allowed Motor Load and his fellows to join the Guardians. Together with Steamer, they now make up the “Auto-Bots”, a unique subgroup of Go-Bots who use their construction powers to assist in the rebuilding of Gobotron.

[evilhorse]

Giant insectoid life!

[askvectorprime]

Since the Go-bots & Gobotron are versions of the Transformers & Cybertron/Primus, and since they were once organic, were they the result of the organic life on Cybertron actually living for much longer?

Dear GoBot Gofer,

For someone with a lifetime of nine billion years, "longer" is something of a useless measurement. But yes, comparatively speaking, organic life did get to a much further stage of evolution on GoBotron than it tends to on Cybertrons that start out as organic worlds. Though you did not ask, the same is true of Skalorr and its Protecton and Terrakor inhabitants.

However, there is a notable difference between the organic inhabitants of various Cybertrons and those of GoBotron and Skalorr. Normally, the animals that exist on organic worlds that become Cybertron are those that had already evolved before Primus' presence. This is not true of the GoBeings of GoBotron, or the Protectons and Terrakors of Skalorr. They are of Primus' essence, their... what do you call them? Souls? The impulses that run through the electronic neurons in their brains are composed of the same energy as our sparks. I am not sure why my creator chose this route; perhaps their distance from the center of the multiverse prevented the formation of the living metal required for a Cybertronian body. Perhaps Primus simply chose to. There are some decisions I am not privy to.

Of course, for similarly unknown reasons, Primus's invisible hand ultimately set in motion events that would change this. The inspiration for the GoBot bodytype, the GoBeing that became the Last Engineer. The explosion of the Skallorrian sun, and the decision to make Robotix bodies. Now that I am thinking about these worlds, I find it quite funny—how different we are, and yet how alike! Already they are much closer to the technorganic goal than is normal for most Cybertronians, and yet they are still so far from it. Fascinating.

[askvectorprime]

Vector Prime, Guardian of Time, I have a question: I know that in most universes Transformers came from one source: Primus. But there are a few where there are similar species of Transformers on OTHER planets (Velocitron, Caminus, etc.) How did those species come to be?

Dear Camien Compatriot,

Although Transformers from the planets you describe would probably identify themselves as “Velocitronian” or “Camien”, they are descended from Cybertronians, who colonized these worlds millions of stellar cycles ago. Though we would still recognize them as members of the same species, this is not to say that these colonist populations have not diverged from their ancestors, physically or culturally—for instance, the Transformers of Caminus have adapted to a low-energy lifestyle, and their sparks and innermost energon pulse at a lower frequency then their ancestors. Meanwhile, a Velocitronian Transformer may incorporate exotic, lightweight materials into their frames, using alloys, polymers, and metallurgic techniques unheard of on Cybertron. The Transformers of Devisiun share a symbiotic bond with their twin siblings; the colonists of Eukaris can metabolize organic matter into fuel. I could go and on.

This is not to say that all mechanical beings in the multiverse are descended from Cybertronians, however. Indeed, the galaxy is full of beings who resemble my species—Lithonians, Elpasians, Catharsians, Recyclons, Stentarians—but bear no connection to the Cybertronian race, merely examples of convergent evolution in action. It is a well-known tenet of mechano-biologists that similar body plans will converge on similar engineering solutions, but this should come as no surprise to you. After all, do humans not resemble the Nebulans of Nebulos, the Femaxians of Femax, or the GoBeings of Old GoBotron?

[askvectorprime]

Vector Prime, what does it mean to achieve Complete Go-Bots Power?

Dear GoBot Guy or Gal,

Certainly, the inhabitants of Gobotron thought they had achieved complete GoBot power when the Last Engineer helped them make the great evolutionary leap from GoBeing to GoBot.

[evilhorse]

You and your monstrosity have disturbed our meditations.

[princessjetstream]

Jetstream's Nightmare!!!! O_O