IDW's Decepticons and autobots' greatest failure
Let's talk about the mtos. I tried to write a short fic about this but I also want to ramble about it because it's so fucking dark and tragic and I can't stop thinking about them.
IDW probably has the most violent and realistic depiction of the Cybertronians civil war, with terrible things being done, mostly in the deceptcon side, but also with by the autobots. But I think the mtos are probably the worst both side did
The Made to Order soldiers were constructed cold mechs built by both side during to continue the war effort. Contrary to other transformers, they weren't named by the city they come from, but by the military campaign they were built for (for example, Getaway of the Corscapia Incursion). According to Skids, the first MTO were given a pretty complete education program, but as the war progressed, the education program started getting cut short, going from 10 steps to 8 and eventually to 3. At this point, the test only ensured they knew how to kill fight
We learn from Getway that they were often immediately threw overboard in the fight after being onlined. Given Getway lack of fiabiliy or that he was trying to manipulate Tailgate at this moment, he was maybe exagerating, but I think he mostly said the truth.
Skids also said that MTO lives on average only three minutes. Again it's probably an exageration but I can believe their lifespan was extremely short. I mean they are just thrown in the battle without having any choice in it. They probably don't even know what having a choice is. They're just babies (well not literally bit you get it)
Something I've noticed is that despite the war going for 4 millions years and having ravaged the Cybertronians population, most charaters were born before the war, there's very few relevant MTOs: Getaway, Riptide, Ambulon and that's all. And they're pretty minor characters, in and out the story. It show well than there's either very few MTO still alive, or most of them never managed to become more than nameless footsoldier, basically canonfodder. It make Getaway's dream of becoming a Prime far more understandable, even if his methods are... Well you know if you read it. Honestly, I find his character fascinating because his motivations are so understandable but his actions so evil.
Another interesting element is that it's textbook functionalism. They are built for one function and they can't be anything else. I think it's even more the case with the Decepticons. I don't really know the politics of the Autobots for desertion, but I doubt it's too harsh. The probably just let the people become neutrals if they wish, so Autobots mtos still have some possibilities 'even if many probably died before even knowing they had this choice) but we know what happen with Decepticons deserters, and it's being put on the List. So Dececepticons mtos have no choice. They are created to be soldiers with next-to-no chance of survival, and will be tortured to death if they try to escape. It is the biggest proof that the Decepticons completely lost their way and became what they fought against and why, despite all the far bigger horors they committed I think it is their greatest failure. . The functionalist senate wouldn't have done better.
