Cybertronian

The Cybertronians (more commonly known to the Human race as Transformers) are a species of autonomous robotic life forms originating from the artificial planetoid Cybertron.

Physiology
"I take great pleasure, and indeed pride, in noting how varied we are throughout the cosmos and beyond. Organic Cybertronians, modular Cybertronians, Cybertronians binary-bonded to other Cybertronians, Cybertronians binary-bonded to organic life, Cybertronians with organic shells, Cybertronians who combine their sparks with other Cybertronians, Cybertronians who can split their sparks in twain, Cybertronians who become cities, or insects, or starships, or even planets... it makes my spark pulse brighter."

- Vector Prime

The vast majority of Cybertronians are built along a humanoid frame, generally referred to as their "robot mode:" two arms, two legs, a torso, and one head. This is not to say that all Cybertronians are human-like. Some have unconventional limbs, their hands (or whole arm) replaced with tools, claws, weapons, or some other form of manipulator (like a beast mode's head).

Though most Cybertonians possess a pair of human-like legs, others have opted for more exotic forms of locomotion. These Cybertronians might possess digitigrade legs, wheels or tractor treads instead of feet, or no discernible legs at all, floating on antigravity. Some Cybertronians have more or less than the normal number of limbs altogether, such as the six-armed Octus. A Cybertronian's face runs the gamut of design, from looking like a metal human in a helmet, to faces consist of little more than a single glowing eye (ex. Shockwave and Whirl), or more animalistic designs (ex. Waspinator).

While humanoid forms are the norm, they are certainly not the rule. It is not at all uncommon for a Cybertronian to possess a primary mode based on an animal or vehicle. For instance, Ravage, Grand Slam, and Raindance transform from cassette tapes into a panther, a tank, and a jet, respectively. These are considered to be their "robot modes" and while they are definitely inhuman, they are at least capable of independent movement.

Cybertronians are generally large in comparison to Earth lifeforms, standing roughly four times the height of a human depending on its size and shape. However, great variances in form are common. Mini-Cons, Micromasters, and Beast Era Cybertronians are approximately human sized whereas Real Gear Robots and BotBots are small enough to fit in a human's palm.

On the other end of the scale, some Cybertronians are large enough to dwarf other Cybertronians. A major example of this is the colossal Titans, who transform into entire cities for smaller Cybertronians to inhabit. Particularly large Cybertronians such as Unicron and Primus might transform into entire planets. The Cybertronian colony Gigantion is populated by both extremes: Gigantions who tower over "normal"-sized Cybertronians, aided by their tiny Mini-Con partners. For the most part, however, the "average" Cybertronians ranges from about 15 to 40 feet in height.

Variance
Various subspecies of Cybertronians exist, most of which have been known to inhabit colony worlds sponsored by the Thirteen Primes. These include:


 * Velocitronians from Velocitron, which is associated with Amalgamous Prime
 * Cityspeakers, Torchbearers and other Camiens from Caminus, which is associated with Solus Prime
 * Animatronians from Animatron, which is associated with Onyx Prime
 * Gigantions from Gigantion
 * Aquatronians and Aquatron
 * Combatronians from Combatron
 * Mutacons from Neutronia, which is associated with Amalgamous Prime
 * Micromasters from Micro and Gorlam Prime, the latter of which is associated with Quintus Prime
 * Micromaster Combiners sometimes from Devisiun, which is associated with Nexus Prime
 * Mini-Cons sometimes from Prion, which associated with Micronus Prime
 * Omnicons from Omnitron
 * Terrorcons from Planet Q
 * Noisemazes, Laserbeaks, and Unknowns from Planet X
 * Junkions from Junkion (occasionally)
 * Sharkticons from Quintessa, New Quintessa, and Aquatron (occasionally)
 * Allicons from Quintessa and New Quintessa (occasionally)
 * Terrans, BotBots, AllSpark Mutations, undead Terrorcons, and Unknowns from Earth, which is associated with the Thirteenth Prime/The Arisen

Various unnamed subspecies of Cybertronians have been confirmed to exist on, or are at least affiliated with, other colony worlds including Antilla (associated with Alpha Trion), Archon, Arduria (associated with Alchemist Prime), Athenia, Carcer (associated with Liege Maximo), "Colony Omicron", Elba, Elonia (associated with Prima), Hub, Lucifer, LV-117 (associated with Vector Prime), Master, Mayalx, New Kaon, Opulus, Paradron, Probat, Theophany, Tsiehshi (associated with Megatronus Prime/The Fallen), and Vehicon. Additionally, these colonies include an unnamed asteroid prison colony and some unnamed plants associated with Garnak and the Titan Croaton.

In addition to Micromasters, Micromaster Combiners, Mini-Cons, Noizemazes, Sharkticons, and undead Terrorcons, other subspecies of Cybertronians are commonly found on Cybertron. Most, if not all, of these subspecies are also regarded as subgroups of the various Cybertronian factions.

Cybertronian subspecies that also qualify as Autobot and/or Maximal subgroups include: Dinobots, Aerialbots, Protectobots, Technobots, Throttlebots, regular Monsterbots, Omnibots, Trainbots, Brainmasters, Combatibots, Duobots, Hydrobots, Lightformers, Multiforce, Triggerbots, Turbomasters, Motorvators, Anibots, Jointrons, Insectrons, Buzzsaws, and Caretakers.

Cybertronian subspecies that also qualify as Decepticon and/or Predacon subgroups include: Seekers, ancient Seekers, Insecticons, Stunticons, Combaticons, Constructicons, regular Terrorcons, modern Predacons, Seacons, Firecons, Horrorcons, Chompazoids, Lobstercons, Buffaloids, Snaketicons, Corvicons, Amphiboids, Skunkticons, Croctobots, Orangucons, Shrimpticons, Dreads, Photons, Duocons, Pretender Monsters, Trakkons, Triggercons, Autorollers, Combatrons, Torpedos, KSI Sentries, KSI Bosses, Junkheaps, Guardians, and "Two Heads".

Cybertronian subspecies that also qualify as subgroups for multiple factions include: Mini-Cassettes, Headmasters, Targetmasters, Action Masters, Pretenders, Triple Changers, Combiners, Titans, Shifters, Six Changers, Vehicons, Combi-Micromasters, Deployers, Cyclones, Mini-Con Weaponizers, full-sized Weaponizers, Modulators, Fossilizers, Activators, Transmetals, Fuzors, Technorganics, Omega Sentinels, Cloakers, Leapers, and other Multi-Component Transformers.

Cybertronian subspecies that are considered independent groups from any known faction include: Transcendent Technomorphs, ancient Predacons, technorganic Predacons, subterranean Monsterbots, Guardian Knights, Infernocons, Sparkless, Arachnicons, Scorponoks, L.M. Units, MorBots, Overcharges, and other Terrorbots.

Construction
"(Jack: You're a motorcycle, Arcee. Shouldn't you know how to build a motorcycle engine?) (Arce: You're a human, Jack. Can you build me a small intestine?)"

- Jack Darby and Arcee

Though their metal bodies were shown to be easily built by other Cybertronians from conventional materials, even the very earliest recorded universal streams showed that Cybertronians could feel pleasurable and painful sensations—physically "alive" in body, not just mind. This "living metal" was described as having a cellular structure in Primax 785.06 Alpha (aka the G1 World), a fact independently reiterated in Primax 984.0 Gamma (aka the Excelverse), which also established that Cybertronians possessed "genetic material" (useful when "budding").

It was the Excelverse which first introduced the idea that the Cybertronians originally emerged from the very fabric of the planet Cybertron itself, an idea that has become the dominant "origin" story for the species in other universes, and the means by which new Cybertronians come into being even in the present day. Following its introduction in Primax 496.22 Alpha, the first stage of Cybertronian life, prior to taking on an alternate mode, has come to usually be depicted as the raw, featureless "protoform". As living matter, a Cybertronian's body is even capable of being ravaged by disease.

Being mechanical creatures, Cybertronians possess a number of distinct parts that make up their anatomy. Some are largely analogous to human components, but many others serve exotic purposes: complex fuel reactors and ammunition storage are among them. Significant components include the transformation cog, which controls a Cybertronian's ability to change shape, and the brain module and/or personality component, which houses a Cybertronian's mind and controls the functions of the body.

Transformation
"Why do you transform into cars and things? Simple. Disguise! Besides, it sure beats walking."

- Spike Witwicky and Trailbreaker

The most iconic component of the Cybertronian race, and the source of their eponymous nickname "Transformers", is their characteristic ability to transform from one shape to the other. In most cases, this involves changing from a humanoid robot mode into an alternate mode that is usually some kind of vehicle or creature. Cybertronians across the multiverse have assumed unconventional forms. In addition to the aforementioned Titans, examples of this phenomenon include Botanica, a Maximal whose alternate mode is based on sapient vegetation native to Regalis V; the Appliancebots, AllSpark Mutations born from household appliances; and the Hunger Hubs, a tribe-like "Squad" of BotBots that can transform into human food.

Early depictions of this ability were portrayed as something that the Cybertronian race as a whole was not created with. It was either a wartime innovation designed to disguise themselves from their opponents, or an unexpected side effect as a result of their rebuilding at the hands of the Ark on Earth. However, it would not take long for this ability to be cemented as a natural extension of Cybertronian biology. Later depictions would, for the most part, establish that Cybertronians are born with a functioning alternate mode, or at least the ability to assume one.

Certain universes have established that the complex mechanical "organ" known as the transformation cog (or T-cog for shot) allows a Cybertronian to transform. Most can change their alternate modes at will (e.g., changing their Cybertronian vehicle mode into a suitable Earth disguise) through a process known as scanning. Some Cybertronians possess unique forms of transformation, such as transforming much faster than "regular" Cybertronians or assuming multiple alternate modes.

In rare instances, Cybertronians may lose the ability to transform over their lifetimes. Several Gamma-type Primax universes depict this as a symptom of inducing mutagenic Nucleon as a fuel source, sacrificing transformation for enhanced durability and power. Primax 1005.19 Gamma (aka the Crest World) alternatively portrays the decision to give up one's alternate mode was a religious choice which involved voluntarily removing the Transformation cog.

Sparks
"(Optimus Prime: We call it a 'Spark'. It contains our life force and our memories.) (Cade: Yeah, we call that a 'soul'.)"

- Optimus Prime and Cade Yeager

Though their bodies and minds are robotic in nature, Cybertronians are not mere automatons. Most Cybertronian lifeforms are living, sentient, emotional, and fully intelligent beings. This animating, semi-mystical "life-force" that sets them apart from simple machines is traditionally referred to as the "spark".

Carried inside their bodies, a Cybertronian's spark is a specially charged mass of positrons that resides in, and energizes, their mechanical frames. Though the concept was first introduced in Primax 496.22 Alpha, it has gone on to inform every universal cluster and has even been retroactively applied to the earliest Primax universes.

A spark can be thought of as the "soul" of the Cybertronian in question. A Cybertronian life effectively begins with the ignition of a new spark. As long as this spark endures and remains intact, that Cybertronian can be rebuilt regardless of how much damage they have sustained. But if the spark is extinguished or otherwise destroyed in some way, the Cybertronian cannot be rebuilt and their life will end, signifying a permanent death.

The spark's relationship to the rest of the Cybertronian is somewhat nebulous and varies across universes. In some universal streams, a spark is the sum totality of a Cybertronian. It can be extracted from the body of one Cybertronian and implanted into the frame of another, effectively "uploading" the memories and personality encoded in that spark into a new body. In other universal streams, the spark's presence in the body is harder to define. It coexists with other components crucial to Cybertronian life, such as the brain module, making it harder to define where certain aspects of Cybertronian life begin or end.

Some Cybertronians are created without sparks. As such, these Cybertronians are generally referred to as "drones", deriving sentience from their programming. While their appearance and programming may allow them to adopt a convincing imitation of life and intelligence, most Cybertronians generally do not consider these beings to be truly "alive".

Combination
"(Side Burn: Wow, how come we can't do that?) (Prowl: I don't know, I think they're double-jointed.)"

- Side Burn and Prowl on Rail Racer

Some Cybertronians have displayed the ability to physically unite with one or more other unit to assume a single, unified shape. These unusual Transformers are known as "Combiners". The exact nature of this combination depends on the individuals. For example, Mini-Cons are capable of undergoing a unique form of combination known as "powerlinking", where the smaller partner is able to imbue their "bulk" partner with extra powers and/or new weaponry.

In rare cases, two Cybertronians may combine to form a single alternate mode, such as the Micromaster Combiners. In other situations, teams of Cybertronians may unite to form weapons or tools, such as the Aurex Cluster's interpretation of the Star Saber, which is formed from the Mini-Con Air Defense Team. Generally, though, the most famous and memorable combiners are those Transformers who unite into a single "super robot", an exponentially larger and more powerful being than any of its components.

This super robot (or "gestalt") may be made up of as few as two Cybertonians like the Duocons, or as many as six. Multiple Tyran incarnations of Devastator are formed from either six, seven, eight, nine, or even ten Constructicons. In most cases, this combined form is essentially their own character, possessing a unique personality and consciousness that is more than just the sum total of their parts.

The origins of combination are not particularly clear when explored. The earliest recorded universe treated it as a unique trait that only these Transformers could possess through nebulous means. But as more universes emerged, they would introduce various supernatural artifacts, such as the Spark of Combination or the Enigma of Combination, which could instantaneously change any group of Cybertronians into a functional combiner.

Genetics
"(Cheetor: So, what are we? Robots or animals?) (Optimus Primal: Both... and neither.)"

- Cheetor and Optimus Primal on their technorganic forms.

Despite appearing to be outwardly 100% machine, Cybertronians possess a genetic material akin to organic DNA known as "CNA", which stands for either Cyber Nano Algorithms or Cybernueclic Acid.

Cybertronians are a constantly developing race known to harness the potential of organic life in response to making contact with non-mechanical intelligences. These upgrades are used both as weapons of war and to advance their own development as a species. Though these upgrades are powerful and frequently coveted by other Cybertronians, not all Cybertronians are convinced of the soundness of this so-called "evolutionary leap." Certain Cybertronians view the prospect of carbon-based life as repulsive, and these technologies as revolting or downright heretical.

The fusion between organic and mechanical takes many forms across the vast multiverse. One of the most common are simple binary-bonded partnerships in which a Cybertronian develops a symbiotic partnership with a smaller creature, to the point where they may telepathically merge into a single entity. Another common example is the advanced Pretenders, who conceal their true mechanical shape beneath a specially tailored armor-like "shell" that incorporates organic matter.

In those future universes where the Great War gives way to the Beast Era, the Maximals and Predacons will go on to develop advanced DNA scanners. Thanks to advancements in both Micromaster and Pretender technology, these alternate future Cybertronians are able to copy genetic material and directly integrate organic components into their structures, allowing them to disguise themselves as organic life without the need for an external Pretender shell. Even this arrangement can be enhanced, as exposure to the energies of the Oracle can unite both forms of life at the cellular level to create "Technorganics", a form of Cybertronian life said to be neither organic nor technological.

Gender
"Female Autobots?! I thought they were extinct!"

- Shockwave

Most universes have established that Cybertronians employ decidedly asexual methods of reproduction. This quirk of their reproductive biology originally, at least in part, stemmed from a preliminary vision of the Cybertronians being a mono-gendered, male-only race. Female Cybertronians would eventually be introduced in Primax 984.17 Alpha (aka OG001 Spacetime), the most famous examples being Arcee, Elita-1, and the Sheild of Solus. Although great strides have been made in terms of representation across universes, the male-to-female ratio generally remains skewed greatly in favor of the former.

Historically, most universal streams have not touched on what gender really means in a civilization of alien robots. Some universes presented them as an aberration "outside" the Cybertronian norm, their femininity the result of alien interference or malevolent genetic experimentation. A Cybertronian text known as the Covenant of Primus has tied them to the mythical Solus Prime by explaining that their use of feminine pronouns denoted "key feature differences" related to information processing they had inherited from their spiritual progenitor, though this detail never really caught on. More recent universes have led to a more inclusive approach that simply depicts female Cybertronians and their gender presentation as a natural aspect of their species that does not require any kind of convoluted explanation.

"(Nightshade: Ooh, may I be the bobblehead?) (Optimus Prime: Of course. Morgan, can you switch... um...) (Mo: Nightshade's pronouns are "they/them".) (Nightshade: "He" or "she" just doesn't fit who I am.) (Optimus Prime: My apologies. Please switch their piece.)"

- Mo Molto and Nightshade explaining the latter's nonbinary status to Optimus Prime.

Several universes began tackling deeper issues relating to gender and gender identity by introducing a number of transgender characters such as Anode, Lug, and varients of Arcee. A brief mention in others have led to an incarnation of Archadis that would become the first transmasculine Cybertronian. A handful of non-binary Cybertronians have introduced in later years, the first intentional example being the Terran Nightshade.

While the first crop of female Cybertronians generally resembled human women in armour, with only the faintest of nods towards any kind of workable transformation scheme, later examples have diversified in both appearance and personality. Several female Cybertronians would even share similar body-types with male Cybertronians. For example, Glyph shares the same body-type as Bumblebee and Cliffjumper whereas several variants of Slipstream depict the character as a female Seeker.

Birth
"The sparks give rise to sentience. The metal gains form... and the protoforms emerge. A generation new."

- Trypticon

The vast majority of universes have firmly established that the Cybertronians reproduce asexually, though the individual mechanisms of just how a new Cybertronian comes to life can vary even within the same universe. The creation of a new Cybertronian generally begins with the ignition of a spark, which is then infused into a suitable body. Whether this spark comes from the living computer Vector Sigma or a sacred implement such as the Matrix of Leadership and its Primal Program depends on the story.

In some instances, such as those Cybertronian brought to life directly by the AllSpark, this body can be a mundane Earth machine, its structure supernaturally altered to become the living metal that makes up all Cybertronian. But for the most part, most universes have established that new Transformers begin as a "protoform", a humanoid mass of liquid metal that requires the infusion of a spark to become a full-fledged Cybertronian.

Protoforms quickly develop into new Cybertronians after accepting a spark. Although the specifics are rarely elaborated upon, this process is generally understood to be very fast, occurring in a matter of days, hours, or even minutes, depending on the universe. In Cybertronian society at large, "protoform" is often used as a shorthand equivalency for childhood or infancy. As such, many Cybertronians are frequently said to have been "forged", which can be interpreted as a synonym for "born".

In other circumstances, a spark may bypass the protoform stage entirely and is implanted into a pre-constructed body. After this infusion, the new Cybertronian simply springs to life. Still, other universes have established that Cybertronians are capable of "budding", a mitosis-like process in which a Cybertronian sacrifices some of its own essence to create a new protoform.

The Cybertronians of the Tyran Cluster appear to be the exception to this rule. Multiple Cybertronians have alluded to possessing fathers and mothers, the implications of which have never been explored. Other new Cybertronians begin as feral "hatchlings", who spend their early days nourishing themselves in egg sac-like "pods" of Energon. This certainly seems to point towards Cybertronians having some kind of familial relationships, though how exactly these concepts tie into the Tyran Cluster's overarching mythology of the AllSpark and the enigmatic "Creators" is something of a mystery.

Early life
"But back then, I was just a kid. I had to learn to talk, and interact with people. By my fifth solar cycle, I was... considerably bigger than my classmates."

- Stardrive

While human children might take years to master the various skills required of them in later life, Cybertronians are brought online as more-or-less independent lifeforms, their personalities ranging anywhere from early adolescence to full maturity. These new Cybertronians are essentially adults, capable of making decisions and fending for themselves without any kind of parental guidance. It is for this reason that most Transformers do not possess, or even have any concept, of parental units or familial bonds.

The sole exception to this rule is the nature of twins. Akin to the splitting of a human zygote, Cybertronian twins are generally depicted as the product of a "split spark", granting them a unique, quasi-telepathic "sibling bond", and occasionally manifesting the power to combine with one another. Although many depictions of Cybertronian "childhood" tend towards the comedic and are thus of dubious veracity. For instance, a Viron varient of Side Burn claimed that he had been a non-transforming tricycle in his youth. Some more recent universes have presented a more detailed look at the lives of young Cybertronians as they mature.

The personality and traits of a Cybertronians also seem to be established rather quickly after coming online. This can occasionally lead to strange situations, where the deep-voiced, chivalric hero Fuzor Silverbolt is in fact younger than the excitable, childlike Cheetor. Similar oddities occur across the multiverse.

As a consequence of their unusual life cycle, most Cybertronians do not have much of a concept of "childhood" as humans know it, perhaps explaining why the Autobots are so prone to taking human children into harm's way. As a war story first and foremost, generally taking place long after the collapse of any functioning society, few universes have explored how young Cybertronians are formally socialized and educated. Indeed, most newborn Cybertronians are immediately thrust into the front lines to continue the war.

Those scant references to early life do depict young Cybertronians learning life skills in a group setting, whether this is through primary programming such as that glimpsed in Aurex 802.23 Alpha, or a more military-flavored education such as the Autobot boot camp featured in Malgus 1207.26 Alpha (aka the TH World). More specialized institutions such as the Cyber-Ninja Dojo, Ultirex Technoversity, or the Rescue Bot Training Center suggest that some Cybertronians may choose to focus on specific academic or military fields as part of their vocational path.

Lifespan
"You can be glacially slow, because you live with an abundance of time. Yet you can be impetuous and careless, because error and consequence seem transitory. You expect to outlive them. When you imagine the far future, you imagine your individual selves in it. You know you will be there. And some of you think that gives you ownership over it."

- Pra'tyne

As mechanical beings, most Cybertronians are an incredibly long-lived, and even "young" members of the race may be older than any living thing on planet Earth. Though the specifics may vary, Cybertronians measure time in terms of millions of years and generally exist on a fundamentally different timescale than humanity.

The precise age of Transformer civilization differs from one continuity to the next, from twelve million years to claims of "over ten billion years". But across all of these universal streams, it has been made clear that Cybertronians are not bound to the fleeting lifespans of short-lived organic beings. Their histories, empires, and wars playing out over a period of geological epochs.

A conservative estimate would put the average Transformer lifespan at four to seven million years. However, some universes such as the Cyberverse Universe has suggested that Cybertronians are more than 65 million years old, with the Autobots having landed on Earth during the end of the Late Cretaceous era.

An individual Cybertronian might grow to a venerable age, outlasting entire civilizations in the process, but they are not truly immortal beings. Though one might assume that, as robotic lifeforms, a Cybertronian could simply replace worn-out parts indefinitely, it is clear that Cybertronians do age, many indeed become "elderly". In some cases, this manifests as a variety of memory and mobility-related problems. As such, they can die from age-related complications, such as cybercrosis.

The precise nature of Transformer aging is not well-understood, though several universes such as Primax 509.28 Epsilon and the Tyran Cluster have linked the process to a prolonged period of fuel depletion. These sorts of "natural" deaths are very rare for a race that partakes in civil war first and foremost. As such, it is far more common to have Cybertronian lives simply cut short for one reason or another.

Death
"He lived a warrior... and died a hero. Let his spark join the Matrix, the greatest of Cybertron."

- Optimus Primal eulogizes Dinobot

Though long-lived, powerful, and able to quickly recover from even grievous injuries, Cybertronians are not invincible, and can be killed like any other lifeform, as has been demonstrated again and again by their endless wars. Exactly what it takes to bring down a Cybertronian varies from one universe to the next. But for the most part, the death of a Cybertronian is accompanied by the extinguishment of its spark.

Cybertronians can be killed through ways that are analogous to human causes of death. They can be shot, stabbed, blown to bits, or otherwise damaged by weapons to the point where their body can no longer function, their heads and torsos can be mutilated beyond repair by decapitation or simple blunt impact trauma, or their physical structures can be broken down by toxic compounds designed to damage their living metal.

A Cybertronian can be "poisoned", sometimes lethally so by ingesting the wrong kind of fuel. They can also simply "starve" to death if they are unable to refuel for long enough. Cybertronians may also die from uniquely robotic causes. Long-term exposure to exotic forms of radiation may short out their circuitry, while exotic diseases like Cosmic Rust or Scraplets can destroy their mechanical bodies from within. In those universes where science and sorcery coexist, Cybertronians have also displayed a glaring vulnerability to magic. As a story of war, all of these fates and worse have befallen various Cybertronians across the multiverse.

Afterlife
"(Rhinox: Am I back?) (Rattrap: Well, the machine said so. Oh, but you had me worried for a second. Where'd ya go, anyway?) (Rhinox: Where all are one.) (Rattrap: Oh, where all are– what?!)"

- Rhinox and Rattrap

Unlike humans, however, who may or may not profess a belief in an afterlife without any concrete evidence, the various afterlives are generally regarded as real. When a Cybertronian's spark is extinguished, it merely returns to the metaphysical dimension alternately referred to as the "Allspark" or "Afterspark", supposedly connected to the entirety of the Cybertronian race across the multiverse, where it can commune with the other spirits of the departed.

Death does not necessarily mark the end for a Cybertronian, however. It is possible that a Cybertronian may return to life if the spark can be plucked from the afterlife and safely transferred into a new vessel. In other cases, the spark itself may choose to re-enter the physical world if the need is great and resume life as a mortal Cybertonian.

A handful of Cybertronians, most infamously Starscream, have displayed the ability to survive the complete physical destruction of their body and continue existence as a spectral "ghost". As such, they display typically ghostly skills such as intangibility and the power to possess the bodies of other Cybertronians. Various sources have flagged this ability as a rare spark-based "mutation," and as such it is the exception, not the rule.

In still other instances, Cybertronians may be resurrected as zombies such as undead Terrorcons and Sparkless. In most cases, these are dead Transformers whose physical shells have merely fallen under the control of another and lack the sparks that characterize Cybertronians as truly "alive".

Ecology
Cybertronians primarily consume a rare substance called Energon, which serves as both a fuel and their "life force". In its raw form, Energon is actually harmful to them, although not to organic life. In its processed form, Energon is essential to a Cybertronian's survival.

Cybertronians are sometimes preyed on by Scraplets. Strangely, both Unicron and Primacron are classified as "uberpredators" of the Cybertronian race.

Fuel
"No more artificial energon derivatives, no more scrabbling for micro-ergs of some foul local brew. This... is the real thing!"

- Starscream

Unlike humans, who require food, air, and water to survive, the only substance Cybertronians require to assure their continued functioning is a fuel source. Though for a species as large and powerful, the average Cybertronian consumes a significant amount of fuel on a regular basis. This desire for energy has led to many wars, and the frequent depletion of their home planet's energy sources.

Early Primax universes suggested that Cybertronians could directly convert human energy sources like oil and gasoline into a nebulously defined Transformer fuel. Primax 984.17 Alpha would introduce the aformentioned concept of "Energon", a Cybertronian fuel that could be created by processing other fuel sources into an energon cube. Energon generally became the default form of Cybertronian fuel going forward.

To survive the constant fuel shortages, various Cybertronians across the multiverse have attempted to find means of either reducing or circumventing their reliance on Energon. Alternate fuel sources such as Nucleon, Angolmois Energy, or even the dreaded Dark Energon can fulfill most of the energy needs of a Cybertronians at the expense of unpredictable side effects. Some universal streams have expanded on this idea and asserted that while Cybertronians can synthesize a usable fuel substitute from local energy sources, this Energon derivative is largely inefficient and offers poor fuel efficiency, making it a poor substitute for the genuine article.

In other instances, Cybertronians may upgrade themselves into more fuel-efficient bodies, capable of functioning on exponentially less energon than others. The most famous of these are the Micromasters, who derogatorily refer to other Cybertronians as "guzzlers". The Maximals and Predacons of the Beast Era would follow in their footsteps. By their time, three hundred years after the end of the Primax Cluster's interpretation of Great War, the entire Cybertronian race had downsized to the point where they were only slightly taller than an average human.

Not all Transformers exclusively rely on energon, however, and some Transformers have developed various solutions to cheaply convert organic material into energy. For example, the Insecticons of the Primax Cluster can sustain themselves by eating both organic and inorganic matter. Meanwhile, the Powermasters can binary-bond with specially augmented biological partners. From there, they can use these smaller lifeforms' metabolism as a battery to fuel their systems in the absence of energon. In universes such as Primax 215.19 Epsilon, the Maximals and Predacons have displayed the power to directly process food into Energon by using their beast modes, though this is not a universally established ability.

Powers and abilities
A Cybertronian's primary ability is the "art" of transformation, in which they assume an alternate mode that grants them increased mobility. Alternate modes can also be used for stealth, as they can disguise themselves as unassuming machinery.

With the necessary equipment, Cybertronians can alter their appearance by scanning different vehicles. Technically speaking, nearly all Cybertronians possess this ability.

Because they do not need to breathe, Cybertronians can survive underwater and in the vacuum of space.

Cybertronians possess superhuman strength while in robot mode and superhuman speed while in vehicle mode.

Cybertronians possess enhanced agility and reflexes in both robot and vehicle mode. These abilities can be enhanced by the Headmaster binding process.

A Cybertronian's body has natural armor made from a special alloy that allows them to withstand most conventional attacks and certain alien technologies. They also have a limited self-repair system to fix minor damage.

Most (if not all) Cybertronians have access to a devastating variety of built-in weapons. They can also or alternatively utilize external weaponry. Their targeting accuracy can be enhanced by the Headmaster binding.

Cybertronians with aerial vehicle modes are capable of flying in robot mode using kibble from their alternate mode, such as jet thrusters and helicopter rotors. Similarly, Cybertronians who can transform into birds, insects, and avian reptiles can fly in robot mode using their beast mode's wings.

Cybertronians may possess rare abilities that, while they may not have a directly offensive use, set them apart from their comrades. Depending on the universe, these may be the result of either natural upgrades to their bodies or a sort of "genetic mutation" that distinguishes them from other Cybertronians. Examples include Skywarp's teleportation or Windcharger's ability to generate magnetic fields.

Because they are not exactly natural lifeforms, Cybertronians do not have what would commonly qualify as a natural predator. For example, Archa Seven Arachnids are not considered a natural predator to Cybetronians.

Weaponry
"Have a mechanical malfunction, courtesy of my concussion cannon!"

- Breakdown

Even the most peaceful Cybertronian is far from harmless. While the sheer bulk of their massive mechanical bodies poses an inadvertent threat to smaller life-forms, Cybertronians also have access to a devastating variety of weapons as stated above. The earliest recorded universes have depicted Cybertronians with unique handheld weapons, such as Cliffjumper's signature glass gas. Other weapons such as Prowl's shoulder-mounted cannons are directly incorporated into their physical form.

Like humans, Transformers may display a proficiency with long-ranged artillery weapons, medium-ranged rifles and pistols, or melee weapons like axes and swords. Individual weapons display varying levels of sophistication: melee weapons may be made out of solid metal alloys or pure energy, while their guns may fire bullets, slugs, chemical compounds, or exotic laser bolts.

Where exactly Transformers store these weapons when not wielding them was something of a mystery for many years. Some obscure universes would later declare that the majority of Cybertronians have access to a "subspace storage pocket", a miniature dimension capable of storing matter. It is here where weapons and other accessories (the most famous example being Optimus Prime's trailer) would go when not in use.

Later universes, most prominently Tyran 707.04 Delta, would drop this concept entirely. Rather, these universes depicted the various weapons of any given Cybertronian as "built-in" extensions of their natural bodies, depicting their weapons as physical transformations for their hand and forearm. This treatment carried over into Uniend 911.05 Alpha (aka the AM World), though it would be dropped in later years.

Weaknesses
Not all Cybertronians can transform, as those predating the Second Cybertronian Civil War may not have this ability. There is also a limit to what kind of alternate modes a Cybertronian can assume, as they cannot assume a form larger than their robot mode.

Cybertronians are vulnerable to unnatural diseases such as Cosmic Rust, the Hate Plague, and transformation viruses. They are also vulnerable to "uberpredators" such as Scraplets, Unicron, and Primacron.

Cybertronians from the Malgus Cluster are unable to safely become a Triple or Six Changer because adopting multiple alternate modes would strain their bodies to the point of affecting their mental state. The most famous example of this inevitability is Blitzwing.

Cybertronians are vulnerable to, and can be affected by, exotic forms of power such as magic and reality manipulations.

Cybertronians are vulnerable to being controlled by parasitic life forms.

Cybertronians are sensitive to electromagnetic projections. They can also be either disabled or restrained by Cybertronian stasis cuffs.

There is a limit to a Cybertronian's durability, as their armor is vulnerable to the most extreme temperatures. As such, this armor can be damaged or breached with either sufficient pressure or special materials and weapons. Similarly, their internal workings and other functions are vulnerable to being hacked, damaged, or overloaded.

Custom-forged and augmented Cybertronians can have trouble fighting against sufficiently powerful opponents and forces, indicating a limit to their physical strength.

Cybertronians can be immobilized or hampered in both vehicle mode and robot mode if they receive severe damage to either of their forms.

Despite being machines, Cybertronians are still susceptible to exhaustion. Similarly, if they either receive enough damage or go too long without refueling, they will shut down and possibly enter stasis lock.

Culture and society
Throughout the multiverse, the most distinctive facet of Cybertronian society has been its near-continuous state of planetary civil war between the many factions of the race. The conflict is mostly defined by what each faction believes is the "destiny" of the Cybertronians.

Heroic factions such as the Autobots and Maximals believe in a peaceful society where Cybertron is a place of culture and justice, whereas the evil factions such as the Decepticons and Predacons believe in a "might makes right" philosophy where Cybertron would be the center of a mighty empire. The fact that the vast majority of what is known about Cybertronians has been shaped by this constant, corrosive warfare should not be overlooked.

"Everyone's Shape Serves A Purpose"

- A Functionist slogan

Individual depictions of life on both pre-war and post-war Cybertron have varied wildly from one universe to the next, but most have established that Cybertronians organized themselves into societies comparable to most modern human civilizations, with many of the same hallmarks: a written language, clear division of labour, an organized government, complex social hierarchies, and education systems designed to pass on knowledge and culture to newly forged Transformers.

Individual career paths on Cybertron are largely analogous to many human jobs: soldiers, teachers, construction workers, miners, journalists, professors, scientists, bartenders, and sanitation engineers, to name a few. Other facets of society are similarly Earth-like, with fads and fashions, theater, film, aristocracy, poverty, and so on. Millions of years old, life on Cybertron is very much guided by ancient traditions and millennia-old schools of thought, and many Cybertronians regard their forebears with great reverence and respect, even if a cursory analysis of the history books reveals that those "ancestors" were not particularly upstanding individuals themselves.

Unlike humans, however, Cybertronians place great importance on the value of their shapeshifting abilities and alternate modes, and have been known to divide themselves into social groupings based on this premise. Depending on the universe, those Cybertronians who share a similar alternate mode or profession (ex, becoming aircraft, working in Cybertron's various scientific fields) may be lumped together under a single, inflexible social group or caste. The rigidity of this system varies by universal stream, but some universes have taken this concept to the extreme, such as the Uniend Cluster's depiction of its caste system or the concept of Functionism as the defining trait of pre-war Cybertron.

In many universes, pre-war Cybertron has been depicted as something of a dystopia. Whether this is due to energy shortages, an oppressive government, and simple cultural stagnation, these realities portray the planet and its culture as crumbling, highly stratified between "haves" and "have-nots," and overseen by a bloated and corrupt government in the final years before the rise of the Decepticons. For course, not all universes discovered in recent years. An example can be found in Primax 319.13 Gamma, in which pre-war Cybertron is portrayed as an enlightened, largely egalitarian utopia.

The Cybertronians are a naturally expansionistic race, and their development has been punctuated by the periodic colonization of other planets throughout the universe. What this colonization entails depends on the intentions of the Cybertronians. In some cases, they may change their worlds to fit their needs through cyberforming, strip-mining and rebuilding the planet into a miniature copy of Cybertron. In others, Cybertronians may adapt by changing themselves, leaving the planet in a more-or-less natural state.

Many universes have established that this period of colonization and expansion occurred in the distant past, with the various colonies cut off from Cybertron in the present day. In the interim, these isolated Transformer outposts may develop over time to become entirely new kinds of Cybertronians, with their own unique societies.

Wartime Cybertronian society is portrayed as heavily polarized between factions such as the Autobots and the Decepticons. Neutrality is rare, and when neutrals do exist, they generally fare poorly, becoming victims of Decepticon abuse and destruction or being otherwise forced to flee the planet. Those rare universes where the Great War is allowed to come to an end feature reconciliation and reconstruction efforts aimed at rebuilding a wounded planet and otherwise move on from a dark era of death and destruction.

However, some Cybertronians are incapable of letting go of their grudges. Armed pockets of resistance may hold out for years on backwater planets, while more clever individuals may gather like-minded dissidents to plot revenge from the shadows. Years after the ratification of an official armistice, even the most open-minded of Cybertronians may still continue clinging to old allegiances, with post-war society developing along strict factionalist lines.

Some Cybertronians refer to the ideal outcome of Cybertronian civilization as the "Pax Cybertronia", ushering in a prosperous future for the galaxy by bringing lasting peace to Cybertron itself and beyond.

Warfare
"Unity would give way to discord... civil war begat a Golden Age which begat a new civil war. "Why" is the question. Why... is Cybertron locked in this cycle?"

- Shockwave

The history of Cybertron is the history of a planet wracked by brutal civil wars, interspersed with comparatively brief "Golden Ages" of peace and prosperity. Not unlike humanity, the process of war and reconciliation tends to be depressingly cyclical: the outcome of one war leads to a disaffected group of individuals who inevitably spark the next great war. Though the most famous war in the multiverse tends to be the so-called "Great War," between the (generally) heroic Autobots and the (usually) villainous Decepticons, many other equally destructive conflicts can and have occurred. Events such as the First Cybertronian Civil War, the Machine Wars, or the Grand Uprising have similarly pitted millions of Cybertronians against one another for control of Cybertron and sometimes the entire galaxy.

The longevity and power of the Cybertronian race means that their wars tend to be brutal, drawn-out affairs, frequently lasting for millions of years and potentially stretching across dozens of planets. These may be Cybertronian colonies, or "neutral" worlds populated by primitive organics. In many of these conflicts, Cybertron itself is rendered uninhabitable, forcing the war off-world.

Cybertronians at war do not seem to follow any kind of rules of engagement analogous to humanity's Geneva Conventions. Civilians, noncombatants, and wounded soldiers are considered to be viable targets, and the inhabitants of neutral planets may be exterminated, their homes cyberformed, to expand the aegis of a potential Decepticon Empire. Wide-scale atrocities and ever-more elaborate weapons of war are common, and even many Autobot leaders across the multiverse have found themselves making morally questionable decisions in the name of victory.

The constant wars of the Cybertronian race have greatly stunted their potential development as a species. For example, Nexus 208.0 Epsilon is one of the few universes where Cybertron never collapsed into civil war. As such, the Cybertronians of that universe gradually evolved into a highly advanced breed of life known as the Transcendent Technomorphs and devised a system of cross-dimensional travel.

Factions
As stated above, Cybertronians are divided into multiple factions, as listed below. Various subgroups of these factions exist; as mentioned before, most (if not all) of them as considered subspecies of the larger Cybertronian race.

Several subspecies of Cybertronians are occasionally affiliated with the Quintessons including Sharkticons, Allicons, Infernocons, modern Predacons, and Terrorcons from both Cybertron and Planet Q.

Autobots
"Few beings think of themselves as evil. Many justify their actions as good, even if they are not. But if you believe the 'good guys' would not harm any life-form, then you may consider me a member of that team."

- Gears

Autobots are one of the primary factions of Cybertronians, most commonly portrayed as being generally heroic and honorable. They tend to be dedicated to peace and feel a need to protect other races (especially Humans) from their enemies, the Decepticons.

Autobots usually transform into domestic, civilian-oriented vehicles such as cars, trucks, and rescue vehicles. However, this is not always the case, as the necessities of war have led many ne'er-do-wells, malcontents, and unsavory types that are certainly present in their ranks to adopt more combat-oriented alternate forms.

While they have usually found themselves outnumbered by the Decepticons, the Autobots have always had home-field advantage as they have the humans' military support. There are also more places on Earth to fall back on whereas the Decepticons are entirely unwelcome on Earth.

A key concept that is present throughout most universes include the use of the name Prime (or a variation thereof) to denote Autobot leadership, the most common being Optimus Prime. Another key concept is the existence of an artifact of great life-giving power that is traditionally held by their leader, usually referred to as a "Matrix". Autobots are also commonly considered to be ancestors of the Maximals.

Decepticons
"Sometimes deception is necessary, when those who should listen to the truth will not, and will only understand once they have been lied to and forced to see their own lies."

- Megatron

Decepticons are one of the primary factions of Cybertronians, most commonly portrayed as the villainous enemies of the Autobots. They are typically concerned with conquering Cybertron, defeating the Autobots, amassing large quantities of energon, developing powerful weaponry, and beating people up, though not necessarily in that order.

Decepticons generally transform into transform into military attack vehicles and weaponry, though can also assume less combat-oriented alternate forms when stealth is required.

Decepticons are led by the most powerful of their ranks, the founder of which is a member of the Thirteen known as Megatronus Prime, also known as "The Fallen" In modern times, the Decepticons are most commonly led by a disciple of The Fallen known as Megatron. This tends to cause some conflict, given how generally every Decepticon thinks that they are the most powerful. Decepticons are also commonly considered to be ancestors of the Predacon faction.

Decepticons are not exactly the most compassionate beings in the universe, but not all fight for greed. More than a few have a sense of honor, while others believe that Cybertron would be better protected by aggressive expansion. Ultimately, the Decepticons desire to protect their homeworld, even if it is at the expense of others.

In the Viron cluster, the Decepticons are classified as a subgroup of Predacons with vehicular alternate modes.

Maximals
"I'm a Maximal. I have to give peace a chance, no matter how unlikely it seems."

- Optimus Primal

Maximals are one of the primary factions of Cybertronians, most commonly portrayed as the heroic descendants of the Autobots. Arising from the ashes of the Great War, they control Cybertron under the Pax Cybertronia and owe their origins to the Great Upgrade, which provided the downsized, fuel-efficient bodies that became the hallmark of both them and the Predacons.

Maximals generally transform into mammals, birds, and aquatic life. However, this is not a hard-and-fast rule as certain Maximals transform into insects, reptiles, or dinosaurs. Similar to other Cybertronians of their time, Maximals utilize activation codes when converting between robot and alternate mode, the most common being "Maximize".

In many ways, the Maximals share traits with their Autobot counterparts. Primarily a "civilian" race, they are committed to upholding the peaceful, democratic values of their forebears. The Maximals are generally led by a successor of Optimus Prime known as Optimus Primal. All this said, Maximals are not perfect as they still have their jerks. Additionally, Maximal science has occasionally resulted in the odd unethical scientific horrors.

The most distinctive factor of Maximal physiology is their development of pseudo-organic beast modes, allowing them to adopt alternate modes that blend in seamlessly with the organic lifeforms found elsewhere in the universe. This technology, an offshoot of earlier Pretender tech, sheathes a beast mode in an artificial organic skin, integrating its natural instincts directly into the Maximal form.

Predacons
"You do not know the Predacons. We—they live for the glory of conquest."

- Dinobot

Not to be confused with various subspecies of the same name, Predacons are one of the primary factions of Cybertronians, most commonly portrayed as the evil descendants of the Decepticons. This is evident by them taking their moniker from the Predacons of their ancestors' time. Nevertheless, they owe some of their origins to the Great Upgrade, which provided the downsized, fuel-efficient bodies that became the hallmark of both them and the Maximals.

Predacons generally transform into dinosaurs, other reptiles, insects, and amphibians. However, this is not a strict rule as certain Predacons transform into aquatic life, mythical beasts, or even military vehicles. Similar to other Cybertronians of their time, Predacons utilize activation codes when converting between robot and alternate mode, the most common being "Terrorrize".

Combining brute strength and bestial cunning, the Predacons follow in the footsteps of their Decepticon counterparts by seeking power at any cost. Driven by resentment and hatred for Maximals and Autobots alike, they aim to usurp their enemies and claim what they see as their rightful place in the universe. Though some Predacons hold to a strange sense of honor, others have no qualms with lying and cheating to claw their way to the top. The Predacons are generally led by a successor of Megatron who not only shares his name but regards himself the descendent of the original Decepticon leader.

The most distinctive factor of Predacon physiology is their development of pseudo-organic beast modes, allowing them to adopt alternate modes that blend in seamlessly with the organic lifeforms found elsewhere in the universe. This technology, an offshoot of earlier Pretender tech, sheathes a beast mode in an artificial organic skin, integrating its natural instincts directly into the Predacon form.

The adjective for "of or pertaining to the Predacons" is Predaconial, though it is extremely common to simply substitute 'Predacon'.

In the Viron cluster, the Predacons are alternatively portrayed as the primary opponents of the Autobots as opposed to the Decepticons.

Star Seekers
Star Seekers are one of the primary factions of Cybertronians, most commonly portrayed as sharing a culture similar to Earth pirates. As such, they are generally led by captains such as Thundertron, who claims to be "the mightiest freebooter on the spaceways"; and Cannonball, a Decepticon whose name has been passed down as a mantle for a lineage of great pirates. They also travel around in massive spaceships, most prominently the Tidal Wave.

Aside from being merciless pirates, the inadvertent destruction of their home planets by Cybertronian neglect has given Star Seekers an unquenchable hatred and a desire for revenge. They have vowed to hunt down and slaughter anyone who comes from Cybertron, and are equally brutal with anyone else who would get in their way.

The Dread Pirate Crew are Star Seekers based on the blueprints of Decepticons Pounce and Wingspan that form the backbone of Cannonball's crew aboard the Tidal Wave. They may not be the sharpest cutlasses in the block, but they at least get the pillaging and plundering done.

Mercenaries
"There are no factions out here."

- Doubledealer

Mercenaries are one of the primary factions of Cybertronians, most commonly portrayed as dangerous yet skilled operatives. Compared to other factions, their only allegiance is to whichever side they find most beneficial at any given time. Mercenaries are often regarded as one of the few unforeseen dangers ahead of the Autobots and Decepticons in their civil war.

Mercenaries are quite vengeful those clients that double-cross them, such as when the crew of the Fool's Fortune retaliated against the Quintesson Judge Deseeus for refusing to pay Doubledealer. They are also intolerant of failure, such as when Trypticon fired Soundblaster's team after they were defeated by a team of Dinobots lead by Grimlock.

Unlike other Cybertronian factions, Mercenaries do not have a single leader. Instead, they are comprised of several teams, or crews if they own a spaceship. These units are led by elite individuals including Soundblaster, Doubledealer, and Trypticon. While its membership generally includes Cybertronians, other species such as the Thraals can join the Mercenaries.

A number of confirmed Mercenaries include Coneheads, Mini-Cassettes, Horrorcons, and Junkions that are portrayed in other universes as being affiliated with the Autobots or Decepticons.

Terrorcons
"Of all the threats to your past and future, you've never faced anything like this."

- Optimus Primal on the Terrorcons

Not to be confused with various subspecies of the same name, Terrorcons of the Tyran Cluster are a faction of Cybertronians portrayed as common enemies of both the Maximals and Predacons, having followed them across time to the era of their Autobot and Decepticon ancestors.

These Terrorcons appear to be a neo-Decepticon faction, as Battletrap and Transit both have prominent Decepticon insignias on his foreheads. It is also speculated that they share some sort of connection to Unicron due to the unique design of their insignia.

Wreckers
"Never a dull moment when you're a Wrecker."

- Boradside

The Wreckers are a special task force of Cybertronians, generally composed of the best and the toughest die-hard fighters around. Its ranks include a veritable who's-who of the obscure, mechs no one ever hears much about. This is mostly because the Wreckers are often called in to fight when the odds of success are slim. Bluntly, they tend to burn through their roster at a frightening rate.

The Wreckers are a close-knit group that is more concerned with bursting in, guns-blazing, and doing their Thing, than they are concerned with, say, strategy. Despite their disregard for planning and the body count their team mounts, the Wreckers are amazingly successful. If it is a lost cause, the Wreckers will be there, winning the day with sheer guts and determination.

The Wreckers are generally associated with the Autobots and Maximals. Their most celebrated leader would be Springer, though the memory of his former leader Impactor hangs over his head. Other notable leaders include Ultra Magnus, Thunderclash, Apelinq, and Primal Prime. When times get really desperate, they will grab anyone from humans and newly modified Autobots to even renegade Decepticons and Predacons.

Cybertron Elite Guard
The Cybertron Elite Guard (most commonly known as simply the Elite Guard) is the pinnacle of the Autobot military force, reserved for only the most distinguished graduates of the Autobot Academy. Its members are specialists, masters in their fields, and the unit is only called upon in the direst of situations.

Though the organization reports directly to the Autobots' Supreme Commander, the Elite Guard occasionally engages in some pretty shady business from time to time. This ranges from experimenting on other Autobots to create Combiners, to manufacturing Omega Sentinels and other weapons of mass destruction, all the way to hiring unscrupulous bounty hunters.

Lightning Strike Coalition
"That's terrible."

- Cliffjumper disagreeing with the Lightning Strike Coalition's name

The Lightning Strike Coalition (sometimes known as the Lightning Strike Coalition Force) is a brutal sub-faction of the Autobots led by Grimlock. As such, they commonly evolve into Dinobots.

Knights of Cybertron
The Knights of Cybertron (alternatively known as the Cybertronian Knights) are a legendary group of elite warriors tasked with defending Cybertron. The original generation has since disappeared, leaving little traces of their existence. Luckily, their memory would lead to the emergence of a new group of Knights formed in their honor. Headed up by the great sage Alpha Trizer (formerly known as Cheetor) and led into battle by the legendary soldier Ginrai, the Cybertronian Knights respond to any threat to Cybertron, no matter the size.

Politics
"Oh, great system, your "democracy"! No mechanism to break a tie!"

- Dinobot

Most Cybertronian governments are non-democratic in nature, overseen by one or more particularly wise or experienced individuals. This government may be oligarchic in nature, such as the various "High Councils" present throughout the multiverse, monarchic, such as the ancient Overlords, or an outright dictatorship—benevolent or not. All of them seem to wield a great deal of power over both military and civilian institutions. During wartime situations, command over a faction generally falls to a single autocratic leader, occasionally known as the Supreme Commander. Though they may seek counsel and consent from their followers, ultimately wartime decisions are theirs and theirs alone to make. Very few universes have ever depicted a free or open electoral process on pre-war Cybertron.

On the planetary level, Cybertron is generally organized into a series of autonomous city-states with their own independent governments. Some universal streams have established that this present-day state of events is the result of the fracturing of larger empires during the earliest days of the Cybertronian race. Depending on the universe, these city-states may be represented by Senators, who meet to discuss international issues as part of the planetary governing body known as the Senate.

Particularly noble or otherwise pious Cybertronians such as Autobots may gravitate to leadership under a single powerful individual known as a "Prime", who serves as a head of state, spiritual leader, and commander-in-chief all in one. As mentioned above, a Prime serves leader of the Autobots and their leadership is demonstrated by their ability to wield the Matrix of Leadership, which is generally passed from one successor to the next. Several universes have demonstrated that Autobot leaders can be removed by the Crisis Act (essentially a vote of no confidence), but this law is not universal. In the Malgus Cluster, the supreme commander of Autobot civilization is known as a Magnus, who answers to Cybertron's civilian and military guilds.

Those Cybertronians who rally under the flag of the Decepticons, however, bow only to the supremacy of the most powerful Decepticon leader and normally have no mechanism for peaceful handover of power. Power struggles within the faction have occasionally erupted in the form of a Decepticon Civil War.

By the Beast Era, Cybertron is dually ruled by both the Maximal Council of Elders and the Tripredacus Council, each seeming to hold jurisdictions over their respective factions. Both appear to be composed of war veterans from the Great War, Autobot and Decepticon veterans who have retired from an active role in Cybertronian life in favor of guiding a new generation of Cybertronians. It has been suggested that Maximal society is democratic in nature, though later developments would namedrop the Maximal Imperium as the name of their government.

Technology
"This ship is literally out of this world! Even the Fantastic Four's brilliant leader, Reed Richards, would feel like a kid at his first science fair in here!"

- Spider-Man

As robotic beings who predate the earliest humans by millions of years, it should come as no surprise that Cybertronian technology far outstrips the sum total of humanity's scientific development. Exotic technologies that defy our conventional understanding of physics have developed to the point where they can convert most forms of energy into Energon are treated as commonplace.

For example, Cybertronian starships (and the aforementioned Cybertronians who become starships) are capable of faster-than-light travel and able to traverse vast distances in a short period of time. Space bridge technology goes even further than that, allowing travelers to instantaneously warp billions of lightyears, completely bypassing the need for an interstellar voyage. Artificial intelligences of varying levels of sophistication coexist alongside their sentient creators, and exotic chemical compounds are commonplace in both military and civilian uses.

When it is portrayed at all, academia on Cybertron is very much akin to its Earthen counterparts. Cybertronians may choose to specialize in one or more scientific disciplines with physics, engineering, and biology being the most common. Perhaps as a result of their biological immortality, scientific progress seems to occur far more slowly for Cybertronians than it does for humanity. Outside of minor innovations and development of weapons, Cybertron has been known to have technology largely stagnate for millions of years, whether within or outside of wartime. Indeed, Vector Prime has noted that in certain universes, technology developed more in the few decades following the Cybertronians' first contact with Earth than it did for millions of years beforehand. This would imply that humanity's own rapid development in later years could act as a "catalyst" for the Cybertronians' advancements.

Art
"Destruction is the highest form of art."

- Slog

The Cybertronians have been shown to have a very active musical tradition. The Matrix itself has an archive of 11 million traditional Cybertronian songs. Many Cybertronians such as Jazz and Blaster have shown great interest in music while Squawkbox is one prominent example of a Cybertronian musician.

Furthermore, sculpture seems to be one of the primary art forms of Cybertron, with many Cybertronians dedicated to it. One notable (and gruesome) school of sculpture, practiced by a startling number of Cybertronians involves making art out of the bodies of other Cybertronians. The Slogism movement is a part of this school.

Filmmaking is also practiced on Cybertron, though most examples seen are either documentaries or straight-up propaganda. Attempts by Cybertronians have also been made to produce films more inspired by the human art of cinema, but the results tend to be lacking.

Linguistics
"You must realize that our actual "names" are communicated in an alien language wholly orthogonal to the human experience, and we often translate not just words but concepts. Since these are sometimes culturally dependent, our algorithms use sophisticated "best-fit" methodologies to ensure that even if a translation is not literal, it is resonant."

- Vector Prime

Nothing if not adaptable, Cybertronians can quickly adapt to life on a new planet by instantaneously learning the local languages, allowing them to fluently and easily communicate with native lifeforms. The process by which this is done so is not always so clear-cut. The Tyran Cluster credited this skill to the Autobots' ability to access the Internet, while the Primax Cluster suggested that it was a natural ability, albeit one that that required time to unscramble and synthesize the language for Cybertronians. Various Cybertronians have referred to their names as "code-names," suggesting that their names as humans understand them are not their real names, but merely translated to get a similar idea of their true name across.

It can be safely assumed that events set exclusively on Cybertron or setting otherwise devoid of humans have "translated" dialogue, though the implication is certainly that these Cybertronians are "really" speaking in their native tongue. What spoken Cybertronian language exactly sounds like is something of a mystery. The Tyran Cluster at the least has established that the native tongue of Cybertronians is a collection of garbled electronic noises, its pitch and speed depending on the size of the 'bot in question. Cybertronians who are either unable or unwilling to speak may use nonverbal languages, such as chirolinguistics or Cybertronian Sign Language.

Our knowledge of written languages is more concrete. Over the years, a variety of Cybertronian calligraphies have surfaced, depending on era and faction. Maximals use a different language than Predacons, both of which differ from the languages of Autobots and Decepticons. From another angle, these "written languages" tend to be rather simple 1-1 cyphers of the English alphabet. As a result of this, many have taken the opportunity to interpret and locate various "Easter eggs" in the form of hidden messages.

Medecine
"Miko, a T-cog is a biomechanism, not a scrapyard find. If it were that easy, don't you think I would have replaced Bumblebee's voice box by now?"

- Ratchet

Cybertronians are an adaptable and robust race, able to survive even grevious injuries. However, seriously injured or ailing Cybertronians may turn to members of Cybertron's medical community for assistance. The robotic nature of their bodies means that a Cybertronian "doctor" is a combination mechanic, roboticist, and physician, who must be able to accurately assess and repair damage to their patient's mechanical form. Individual specializations exist, such as "blacksmiths" (which is essentially a Cybertronian obstetrician). Most Cybertronian forms of medicine are presented as on-the-ground battlefield repairs, designed to get wounded soldiers back on their feet and into the fight as quickly as possible.

Different educational institutions on Cybertron have been known to offer courses in medicine, and the realities of war mean that their services are in generally high demand. Some particularly deranged medics may fall in with the Decepticons or other unsavory sorts, developing exotic and oftentimes gruesome "treatments" to perform on both friends and foes, or concocting exotic new disease-based bioweapons designed to wreak havoc on their enemies.

Generally, Cybertronian physicians choose to transform into ambulances and other "first responder" vehicles. And even those who do not often sport red-and-white color schemes.

Romance
"Nudge nudge, wink, wink - know what I mean?"

- Wreck-Gar

Although their means of propagation tend towards the asexual, the Cybertronian psyche is not dissimilar enough to a human's that they do not crave the same kinds of long-term social bonds that we do. Despite war being active on a near-regular basis, various universal streams have established that Cybertronians are also capable of the same kind of romantic affection that humans regularly engage in.

This behavior dates back to the revelation that Optimus Prime and Elita One have held one another in high regard since before the Autobots' war with the Decepticons. With similar implications would continue throughout the years through portrayals of both the "swashbuckling hero" Springer and the distinctly feminine Arcee. Some instances of romance are depicted as serious, while others are distinctly played for laughs, such as Scylla's emphatically one-sided crush on Ikard.

In rarer cases, Cybertronians may fall in love with humans or aliens, though their feelings may not always be reciprocated. Meanwhile, particularly clueless Cybertronians may develop an attraction to inanimate objects, such as Side Burn's inexplicable romantic attraction to red sports cars. Other Cybertronians may consider this behavior to be strange, but there do not seem to be any explicit taboos against it either.

Though one would assume that (as basically sexless lifeforms) the average Cybertronian would not display any real kind of preference when it comes to the already vague concept of gender for their species, many Cybertronians have been largely displayed in "straight" relationships, with "male" Cybertronians falling in love with "female" Cybertronians and vice versa. Only comparatively recently as this situation begun to change, as the Chromedome and Rewind of Primax 1005.19 Gamma would become the first definitively identified same-sex couple, with many more following in their footsteps. Many individuals in this kind of relationship would be dubbed "Conjunx Endurae", the first official name for the concept and the term that would become the standard terminology to describe romantically intertwined Cybertronians of any gender.

Religion
"You gotta wonder: if God made man in his image, who made him?"

- Robert Epps to Theodore Galloway on Optimus Prime

Across the multiverse, different universes have introduced a wide range of potential belief systems for the Cybertronian race that have an alarming tendency of eventually being revealed as more-or-less true. Very rarely are Cybertronians or their society writ large depicted as atheistic. Most seem to hold at least some religious beliefs, though the nature of their faith is not always clearly outlined.

For example, most Autobots and even some Decepticons view the Matrix of Leadership to be a divine artifact, a combination sacred talisman and symbol of office. Sacred texts such as the Covenant of Primus and various religious rituals are common enough to be considered largely unremarkable in Cybertronian society.

Just like humans, groups of Cybertronian may choose to worship various deities, or differing aspects of the same deity. In most universes, worship of Primus is the most predominant of these faiths, though permutations of Primus-worship take many different shapes. For example, Primax 1005.19 Gamma conflated Primus with the benevolent pantheon of deities known as the Guiding Hand.

Beginning with the Uniend Cluster, Cybertronians have been known to worship a group of 13 ancient Cybertronians known as the Thirteen, treating them as infallible demigods. Commonly designated as Primes, the Thirteen is assocuated with many Cybertronian colonies. Some particularly pious individuals may choose to deify all those Cybertronians who hold the rank of Prime or carry the Matrix of Leadership.

Other religions are more sinister in nature, as particularly malevolent Cybertronians may choose to partake in illicit rites aimed at channeling arcane forces such as "dark science". Others may still choose to forsake Transformer society entirely by worshipping the dreaded Unicron. Among their number are the evil member of the Thirteen known as Megatronus Prime (aka "The Fallen") and a number of different incarnations of Bludgeon, both of whom have pledged to actively spread chaos and disharmony across the universe in service of their new master.

A handful of Cybertronians have displayed the ability to manifest paranormal powers outside the scope of natural Cybertronian science. They may have gained these powers as part of a dark pact with arcane forces, or they may be the result of studying mystical disciplines, like magic. These rare Cybertronians may be able to weave illusions, cast spells, fire bolts of mystical energy, commune with or resurrect the deceased, or even divine the future.

General
The Cybertronian species is an old race with an odd and murky tale that is their origin. Various accounts claim they created by either the Quintessons or a deity known as Primus, while others claim that they came into existence by a relic known as the AllSpark. Some accounts even say Cybertronians naturally evolved like most organic species, which is most likely true for the inhabitants of Cybertron's colonies.

Primax Cluster
The earliest records we have of Cybertronian history is during a point when they were enslaved by the Quintessons, the future divided factions were originally sold in two product lines, the Autobots were sold as consumer products and the Decepticons were military hardware. After fully achieving sapience, the Cybertronians rose up against their oppressors and became more than just "robots".

Unfortunately, the two sides just did not see eye to eye, and so began the many Cybertronian Civil Wars. During the second of these civil wars, the Cybertronians had a micro-evolution which gave them their most notable ability: the power of transformation. With this new ability at their fingertips, their people began a Golden Age, both for themselves and their planet. However, this age came to a screeching halt when some Decepticons created their new leader, Megatron.

Under this new leadership, the Decepticons rose up, and took most of the planet for themselves. Along the way, Megatron nearly killed a dock worker known as Orion Pax, who later became a prime and led the Autobots off the planet in search of more energy. Little did they know, the Decepticons were in pursuit of their spacecraft. Following the short confrontation, the Autobot ship with the Decepticons still inside crash-landed into a mountain on Earth where they remained in a vegetative state for millions of years before awakening in 1984 and continuing their battles.

Eventually by the year 2005, the Autobots had established a permanent base on Earth and outposts on Cybertron's two moons, whereas the Decepticons had fully conquered Cybertron itself. Unfortunately, before both moons were devoured by Unicron. After the battle with the monster planet, the Autobots had finally reclaimed their home and the surviving Decepticons fled to the planet Charr. After more conflicts involving Galvatron's Decepticons, the Quintessons, and the Nebulons, they Autobots finally won the war and all was well.

In certain universe, there were some smaller conflicts in Earth's prehistoric past between Maximals and Predacons, time-travelling descendants of the Autobots and Decepticons. This period was known as the "Beast Wars" due to the combatants of both factions possessing the alternate modes of animals.

Beast Era Factions

 * The term "Maximal" is a combination of "Maxima", the Nissan car driven by Hasbro team marketing coordinator Vincent D'Alleva; and Manimals, a scrapped toyline for the G.I. Joe franchise. This name came from a last-minute attempt by D'Alleva to figure out a name that would represent the protagonist faction for the franchise, clear trademark checks, and please the executive group.
 * During the production of Beast Wars: Transformers, the Maximals went by the early working name Cyberbeasts.
 * Across the first two seasons of the Beast Wars animated series, the Predacons as a people underwent some major development changes. In the series' production bible, the Predacons were described as "a race of feral conquerors who believe they alone have the right to rule Cybertron (and any other planet they can train their lasers on)", with Megatron stated to be "the most feared leader of the Predacons."
 * This characterization was very much reflected in the cartoon's first season, whenever Megatron would wax poetic about acquiring enough Energon to conquer the galaxy and whenever treacherous Predacons such as Terrorsaur and Blackarachnia would speak of overthrowing Megatron as the means to rule the Predacons as a whole. At the time, the context behind these factors implied that Megatron was the leader of all Predacons, rather than just the few stranded with him on prehistoric Earth.
 * However, the second season would introduce new concepts like the Predacon Alliance, the Tripredacus Council, and the Pax Cybertronia, reinventing the Predacons as merely second-class citizens to the greater Maximal government during a centuries-old peacetime, with Megatron instead considered a rogue criminal even by his own people.
 * Due to the pushed-back release of the second and third seasons of Beast Wars in Japan, the two spin-off series Beast Wars II and Beast Wars Neo evidently took inspiration from the first season's "galactic conquerors" depiction of Megatron and his crew, as both Predacon leaders Galvatron and Magmatron each sought to conquer the whole universe and even had the resources to do so: Both of them were well known by the general Maximal populace as an "Emperor of Destruction" who answered to no higher Predacon authority (which initially seemed to be the case for Megatron in Season One of Beast Wars), and each captained their own crews aboard powerful space vessels that roamed the cosmos in search of great energy sources (likely inspired by Megatron's own quest for energon in Beast Wars season one).
 * However, with the later repositioning of Beast Wars II and Neo to instead take place in the far distant future after Beast Machines, the depiction of the Predacons being at war in open conflict with the Maximals in the two Japanese series is one that is set long after the Pax Cybertronia.
 * International packaging used different names for the Predacons. Depending on the market, those names either were or were not used consistently throughout the Beast Wars and 2001 Transformers: Robots in Disguise toylines' runs. European packaging was comparably straightforward:
 * The trilingual European Beast Wars packaging variant that featured texts in English, Spanish and Italian (easily identified by the double title "Beast Wars/Biocombat") consistently called the faction "Predacon", or "Predacons" for the plural form.
 * Meanwhile, the trilingual European Beast Wars packaging variant that featured texts in French, Dutch and German (easily identified by the double title "Beast Wars/Ani Mutants") consistently called the faction "Predator", or "Predators" for the plural form.
 * European Robots in Disguise packaging, which existed in two multilingual packaging versions alternatively featuring texts in English, French, Dutch and German, or in French, Spanish, Italian and German, called the faction "Predacons" for the English, Spanish and Italian portions, and "Predators" for the French, Dutch and German portions.
 * Canadian/Latin American packaging is where it gets really confusing:
 * For the 1996 and 1997 Beast Wars releases, the French-Canadian name was consistently "Pr é dacon", or "Pr é dacons" for the plural form, with an accent above the "e". This name was still used for early 1998 releases such as Quickstrike, Sky Shadow, Transmetal Tarantulas, and Transmetal Megatron.
 * But then, in mid-1998, Hasbro decided to apply the French European faction name to the Canadian figures as well, but again spelled it with an accent above the "e", "Pr é da tor ". This spelling was used for Terragator, Injector, and Transmetal Waspinator.
 * But then, for the late 1998 releases, Hasbro suddenly decided to spell the French Canadian name "Prédator e ", with an additional "e" at the end. This spelling was used for Buzzclaw, Transmetal Terrorsaur, Scavenger, and Rampage.
 * By 1999, Hasbro had reversed that second decision, and all figures now consistently featured the spelling "Prédator", which was used for the remainder of the Beast Wars line, as well as the 2001 Robots in Disguise line.
 * The Spanish name for Latin America was similarly inconsistent:
 * Beast Wars toy packaging consistently identified the individual figures as "Predac ó n", with an accent above the "o".
 * However, the Spanish translation of the franchise summary on the back referred to them by the plural form "Predac o ns", without an accent, just like on the trilingual European packaging variant that featured Spanish as one of its languages, even though the French translation of the franchise summary featured on the very same packaging did make heavy use of accents, so it's not like there was a problem with that particular font used that couldn't display accents.
 * The Spanish translation of the franchise summary on 2001 Robots in Disguise toy packaging, toy bios for both Bruticus and Megatron's toys, and Megatron's Tech Spec card, referred to the faction by the plural form "Predac o n e s", with an additional "e", and no accents.
 * But then Bruticus's Tech Spec card referred to the singular form as "Pr ea c ó n", with an accent and misspelled without a "d".
 * According to Randolph Heard, the Transformers: Cyberverse creative team considered including Blackarachnia in the first two seasons of the show. Unfortunately, she was unable to make the cut because the crew never found a spot to add her in that made sense.
 * Despite her exclusion from the animated series, Blackrachnia would appear in the Tiny Turbo Changers assortment of the Cyberverse toyline.

Star Seekers

 * Thundertron's status as a captain of an independent ship, his apparent peg leg, and his unending quest for vengeance harken back to Captain Ahab from the classic novel Moby-Dick.
 * According to Rik Alvarez, the original plan for the third season of Transformers: Prime was to introduce the Star Seekers, referred to by the creative team as simply "pirates", as threats on a rejuvenated Cybertron. However, these early plans were scrapped in favor of the Beast Hunters season and the Star Seekers were replaced with the ancient Predacons.
 * It was these original plans that prompted both the release of the Transformers: Prime Voyager Class Thundertron toy and the seeds of their backstory being incorporated into the "Aligned" novels.
 * One such concept for this season would have involved the Autobot Cosmos appearing as an unwilling scout for the Star Seekers, having been forcefully recruited by Thundertron after the pirates invaded and destroyed his home planet GoBotron.
 * The creative team wanted to resurrect an idea from the unproduced fourth season of Transformers Animated for Cosmos' design and the circumstances to his arrival on Earth by having his alternate mode be a "cool spaceship" based on his traditional "flying saucer UFO" form. This choice of vehicle mode would have been acquired after scanning a prop from a B-movie set.

Terrorcon Faction

 * It was first revealed on Steven Caple Jr.'s Instagram account that Scourge's vehicle mode would be a black Peterbilt 359 logging semi-truck whereas Nightbird's vehicle mode would be a Nissan Skyline GT-R R33.
 * Several months later, Cuscopolita's reports on the vehicles with the film's Peru crew would identity the orange 1980s GMC TopKick C7000 tow truck Terrorcon as Battletrap.
 * Freezer was first revealed as a Studio Series-original character before being confirmed to appear in the film by Sam Smith in his Instagram account.
 * Transit was first confirmed to be appearing in the film on an Entertainment Weekly article published to promote the release of the teaser trailer. However, the character's faction remained unknown until a Rise of the Beasts update to TakaraTomy's website in March 2023 identified him as a Terrorcon.
 * Scourge's black semi-truck mode evokes both his 2001 Transformers: Robots in Disguise counterpart, who was also a dark mirror of Optimus Prime; and Megatron's design in Transformers: Dark of the Moon, due to the Mad Max-inspired aesthetics on the vehicle.
 * Scourge's grill is decorated with insignia "trophies" taken from his slain enemies including Autobots, Decepticons, Maximals, Mercenaries, and Wreckers.
 * The Wrecker insignias specifically use the two-hammer symbol first seen in the 2019 IDW continuity.
 * The idea of Scourge collecting insignias from his victims may be a reference to the 1971 film Duel, which featured a similar evil truck with "trophies" along the grill in the form of license plates.