What If.......

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GPrime2011
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What If.......

Post by GPrime2011 »

I like thinking about 'What If?'s its like creating an alternate reality......wierd I know but I like to keep the mind working.

Heres one....,

What if, there had been know complaints and backlash from Optimus Primes Death in Transformers The Movie in 1986? No crying kids and letters, no 'Bring Back Prime!!' campaigns etc lol.

Surely, Hot Rod would have remained as Rodimus Prime? As there would have been no pressure to get Optimus back......so surely he would have become a Targetmaster or a Headmaster, and the end of season 3 would have been a totally different story..........Kinda makes Hotrod a redundant character, as we would never have seen him again after the movie......
I can swear I was conned as a child....cos no matter how hard I try, I just CAN NOT get my entire Decepticon army into the back of Astrotrain....
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Post by Roadbuster »

First, Hot Rod DID become a Targetmaster in Season 4: Rebirth. And even without the negative backlash from his death, I wouldn't be so sure on Optimus Prime staying out of the picture. He was an iconic character after all...Case in point: Starscream also died in the '86 movie and due to him being so influential to the series he was brought back in Season 3 a few times as well.
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Blackjack
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Post by Blackjack »

I would think that there was even more negative backlash to Starscream's death considering his fanbase is massive. He's probably the most loved Transformer of all time. Don't believe me, go to the latest episode of TF Prime on Youtube and read the comments. My God.

I honestly don't think Hasbro would have done things too differently than they did. The point of G1 after all was to sell toys. They could have had the Targetmasters show up earlier, but they probably would have kept Rodimus Prime around so that there was good incentive to buy his toy. I haven't given this much thought though.
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Post by Galvatron »

I do like the "what if" senario. It does make you think a bit..

"what if" Prime never came back?
Hot Rod would remain as Rodimus and not return to Hot Rod.
If he don't return to Hot Rod, then they don't make him a Targetmaster.
Rodimus would be written as a strong leader. Still trying to fill the Optimus Prime shoes. But more willing to do so.
There would be no bond with the Quintessons either.

Yes Hot Rod would be a very sought after figure!!
He would rank up with Fort Max in value and be a very hard to find item. Being such an important character in the movie and then converted into Rodimus Prime, then never seen again.
That was the original plan before they decided to bring back Prime.

The love between Hot Rod and Arcee would not be viewed after the movie.
Unless she went after Rodimus Prime. Then it would only make her look like a power hungry gold digger.

Who's to say about future series as well? Would they bring Optimus back or Rodimus? Or would they keep upgrading Optimus into a Rodimus?
Like they did with Megatron / Galvatron.
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Post by Rhymus »

If fans were not emotionally invested enough to protest the demise of such iconic characters as Optimus Prime, Starscream, and Generic Sweep #3 in the 1986 movie, the Transformers brand would have fizzled out long before the 2007 movie.

...Having made this feeble joke, i now find myself questioning it. The "Star Wars" brand remains popular even though MINOR SPOILER ALERT they never brought back Biggs Darklighter, or Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru, or Alderaan. (Actually, they kind of did, via prequels, Expanded Universe, etc.) END SPOILER

i guess i know that death is to be expected in war, and therefore any fictitious depiction of war must also include deaths, and from a literary perspective, i can understand and accept the use of some characters' deaths as character development for the survivors. In fact, it sometimes bothers me that Transformers fiction so frequently kills off characters and so easily resurrects them--it detracts from the emotional significance of any deaths which do occur, and even the possibility of death becomes less threatening. No, it's worse than that--it's inconsistent. Why are TFs so afraid of dying if being resurrected is so easy? and if resurrection is so easy, why don't they do it for everyone who dies?

Of course, a lot of it has to be that whole "to sell toys" bit, so...

Speaking of toys, have you noticed that sometimes Hasbro/Takara give an existing TF's name to a completely new and often completely different TF, in order to preserve/reclaim the trademark? "Optimus Prime" is simply too awesome a name NOT to reuse, even if nobody liked the character(s). Consider Jetfire--G1, Armada, and ROTF have three very dissimilar guys running around all with that same name. (Aside: But isn't "Skyfire" a much cooler name? and much better fitting for the guy who turns into a space shuttle and not a jet. Why don't they reuse that for a new character? Heck, give each Jetfire a twin brother and sell twice the toys using molds you already have!)

(Another aside: i'm REALLY surprised that the live-action movies' Megatron never became a Galvatron.)

Have i drifted far enough off-topic yet? Okay. So, if Rodimus Prime never reverted back to Hot Rod... Well, Optimus Prime came back AS a Powermaster, so Rodimus Prime might still have binary bonded with a Headmaster/Targetmaster/Powermaster/somethingmaster partner, it just wouldn't be the Targetmaster Hot Rod toy we all know and... know.

Actually, non-hypothetically, a lot of TransFans are buying a lot of TF prequel-type stuff--Dreamwave's "The War Within", the "War for Cybertron" video game and the toys based on its characters, toys of the protoforms of the 2007 movie characters, plus prequel comics and novels taking place before that movie...

So hypothetically, even if nobody protested Optimus Prime's death, he could still get a lot of screen time (page time?) and maybe some new toys out of prequels, flashbacks, etc., and so could Hot Rod, even if his evolution into Rodimus Prime was never actually reversed.
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--Rhymus (also known as STARS Commando 539, also known as transit)
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Post by Countdown »

Here is my perspective. If my perspective makes any sense at all, I assure you that it was unintentional.

If no complaints came to OP demise, then my question would be:

Would have G1 continued longer than it did? Would have we seen full seasons after the movie?

If the answers were yes. Then, unfortunately, I would have wrote Prime off. (good bye Prime!).

If it wouldn't have continued the series longer, then I guess I am happy with the life the series had.
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sto_vo_kor_2000
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Post by sto_vo_kor_2000 »

Countdown wrote:Here is my perspective. If my perspective makes any sense at all, I assure you that it was unintentional.

If no complaints came to OP demise, then my question would be:

Would have G1 continued longer than it did?
I dont think so.The "magic" of the show was fading.kids were loosing interest
Would have we seen full seasons after the movie?
we did, season 3 was a full season
Today is a good day to die.....but the day is not yet over!
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Post by Countdown »

I guess what I meant to say is, "would the series continue on longer?"

But, I appreciate your reply! :) Good to see you on the forums! It's been a long while.
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sto_vo_kor_2000
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Post by sto_vo_kor_2000 »

Countdown wrote:I guess what I meant to say is, "would the series continue on longer?"
I just dont think it would have.Kids were loosing interest in the line, and the move to "futuristic" toys hurt the line as wel.

bart of the "draw" the series had was lost

But, I appreciate your reply! :) Good to see you on the forums! It's been a long while.[/quote]thanks, I've been pretty ill., I dont always remember to check in everywhere
Today is a good day to die.....but the day is not yet over!
Countdown
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Post by Countdown »

You've spoken of that before. Hope you are getting better. How are you?
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sto_vo_kor_2000
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Post by sto_vo_kor_2000 »

Countdown wrote:You've spoken of that before. Hope you are getting better. How are you?
recently discharged from a 3 week stay ast the hospital

I'm afraid to say I'm not doing very well, but I keep fighting :D
Today is a good day to die.....but the day is not yet over!
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Post by Rhymus »

sto_vo_kor_2000 wrote:
Countdown wrote:You've spoken of that before. Hope you are getting better. How are you?
recently discharged from a 3 week stay ast the hospital

I'm afraid to say I'm not doing very well, but I keep fighting :D
_________________
Today is a good day to die.....but the day is not yet over!
Ominously appropriate sig, but still a good line. (i'm partial to the exchange between Galvatron and Hot Rod in the 1986 movie: "We all must die sometime." / "Not today, Galvatron!")

i'm not familiar with your situation, but i wish you well, and invite you to discuss or remain silent about your condition, whichever you prefer.

Now, operating under the theory that laughter is the very best medicine, would you like to come back to fight off a hate plague, or would you like to come back under the delusion that you're a video game character until we make you a Powermaster? Oh, and if you could take Unicron with you, that'd be great, and we can set you up as an Action Master afterwards.
One shall stand; one shall fall; and the one who stands shall help the one who falls to stand once again.
--Rhymus (also known as STARS Commando 539, also known as transit)
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sto_vo_kor_2000
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Post by sto_vo_kor_2000 »

transit wrote:
sto_vo_kor_2000 wrote:
Countdown wrote:You've spoken of that before. Hope you are getting better. How are you?
recently discharged from a 3 week stay ast the hospital

I'm afraid to say I'm not doing very well, but I keep fighting :D
_________________
Today is a good day to die.....but the day is not yet over!
Ominously appropriate sig, but still a good line. (i'm partial to the exchange between Galvatron and Hot Rod in the 1986 movie: "We all must die sometime." / "Not today, Galvatron!")

i'm not familiar with your situation, but i wish you well, and invite you to discuss or remain silent about your condition, whichever you prefer.

Now, operating under the theory that laughter is the very best medicine, would you like to come back to fight off a hate plague, or would you like to come back under the delusion that you're a video game character until we make you a Powermaster? Oh, and if you could take Unicron with you, that'd be great, and we can set you up as an Action Master afterwards.
thank you, you did indeed make me laugh.

I dont mind talking about my problems, but there are many.The most serious is kidney failure.

and I would like to come back as a game character
Today is a good day to die.....but the day is not yet over!
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