Anthony Bergamini
Transformers One follows the origin of the Autobot and Decepticon conflict in the Transformers franchise, kicking off a new continuity that rebuilds some classic elements while still maintaining the core story. Full of action, comedic moments, and a story more mature than the film’s aesthetic may convey, Transformers One is a great film for all ages, with its roots truly revolving around the relationship between two friends and their quest to save Cybertron’s citizens from its doomed fate. More than anything else, it is the film’s depiction of its ideological conflict that truly makes it stand out amongst other takes within the franchise, especially as the film’s third act takes form.
SPOILER ALERT
When the film starts, a few major plot elements are established within the first ten minutes:
- Cybertron was forged when Primus transformed into the planet, utilizing the Matrix of Leadership to produce Energon (the Transformers’ power source).
- After a great conflict between the planet’s protectors, The Primes, and The Quintessons, the Matrix was lost, forcing a class system into Cybertronian life where Transformers without cogs (the part of their system that allows them to transform) must work on a daily basis in mines to extract Energon from the planet’s core.
- Orion Pax and D-16 are two of the planet’s miners.
By establishing these fundamental parts of the story right away, Transformers One is able to focus on the elements that truly make this story worth telling: the relationship between Orion Pax and D-16, and their ultimate goal of seeing a Cybertron that does not rely on a working class of miners.
This is where the complexities of this film start to grow, starting with the two main characters crashing into a race that is viewed by all of the planet, attempting to prove that miners can do more than what society dictates. This is when the film’s first main theme starts to form, the idea that anyone should be capable of more than society dictates, with clear commentary about class systems and wage gaps that exist in the world today. Regardless of why this system is in place (something that is revealed later in the film), this core concept is what immediately shows that Orion Pax and D-16 are on a level playing field, starting with similar goals and status within this world.
What evolves from this core concept is more bleak comparisons to the world today, especially in the way that people view their leaders. Orion Pax and D-16 vehemently believe in their leader, Sentinel Prime, who promises to end the suffering of the miners as he is constantly searching for the Matrix on the planet’s surface. About half way through the film it is revealed that Sentinel Prime is actually not a Prime at all, and instead was the secretary to the Prime’s who, in a bout for power, formed a deal with the Quintessons, inadvertently losing the Matrix of Leadership, creating the class system, and lying to everyone about what is really going on. This cautionary tale highlights society’s overreliance and trust in their leadership, choosing to blindly follow systems that may be harmful to others. To double down on this comparison, the film shows that Sentinel Prime removed the cogs from the miners before they came online, similar to how fascist leaders in the world add special rules and restrictions to lower classes and minorities.
But, at the end of the day, this is all setup for the film’s true purpose, the depiction of how two individuals from the same background can learn two completely different lessons from the exact same situation. Upon learning of Sentinel Prime’s true intentions and deception, the film takes a dramatic turn. Up until this point, the end goal was clear to all, find the Matrix and fix Cybertron; however, the Matrix is revealed to have disappeared when Sentinel Prime tried to steal it, revealing that only the Transformer that Primus deems worthy is able to take that power. This leads to the split, where Orion Pax seeks to reveal Sentinel Prime’s deception to the masses; whereas D-16 simply wants to kill him.
So, let’s talk about D-16 for a second. Yes, he and Orion Pax came from the same background; however, he was always a bit more cynical. When Orion Pax challenged authority, D-16 chose to fall in line, full heartedly believing that Sentinel Prime was always looking out for him and the other miner’s best interests. This is highlighted early in the film when D-16 protects Orion Pax from a punch, only to quickly concede rather than fight back against his abuser. So, when he learns of Sentinel Prime’s deception, it turns into a lot more than just looking for a better future, he truly starts to learn hate. The system he wholeheartedly believed in and built his life around was always a life that was taken from him before he even knew anything else.
D-16’s fall through this mindset continues when the heroes meet a group of Transformers who have been acting as the resistance to Sentinel Prime and the Quintessons on the surface, the High Guard. This group practices a similar mindset to D-16, although they take it a bit further, choosing to believe that only the strongest Transformers should lead, further adding to the way that D-16 feels about this world. As someone who was so willing to fall in line because of his prior perception of this world, the complete betrayal of his greatest hero leads to almost a complete one-eighty in his personality, although it is done in the most organic way.
Ultimately, the heroes do get cogs after they learn the truth, with the thought dead Alpha Trion, setting them on the path of saving Cybertron from the Quintessons and Sentinel Prime. This leads to D-16 and various High Guard members being captured and a very intense scene where Sentinel Prime taunts and tortures D-16, solidifying his new world view. This is also helped by the way the film shows his eyes transition from yellow to red, visually signifying his transformation.
Circling back to Orion Pax, this hero’s mindset started in a very different spot from D-16. Whereas D-16 chose to fall in line and allow his leader to define his future, Orion Pax always wanted to prove that he and his fellow miners were more than society set them out to be, believing that he could prove this to Sentinel Prime by finding the Matrix and proving that he can do more than just a miner. Because of this, the Sentinel reveal only led to him continuing his original goal, proving that the miners could be more. In a way, the reveal was more of an affirmation of his core beliefs, giving him a clear path forward in a way to unite and better the rest of Cybertron.
As the film continues, Orion Pax’s vision continues to be his guiding light, inspiring the other miners through his passion and drive, leading to an all out assault on Sentinel Prime just as D-16 is about to be killed. What ensues is a fantastic action set piece, resulting in D-16’s intense and visceral beat down of Sentinel Prime, which is only stopped as Orion Pax finally arrives to explain that Sentinel Prime’s treachery has been revealed and that there is no more need for conflict. This results in D-16 unintentionally killing Orion Pax as the latter attempts to end the violence. This final solidification of the two friend’s split is when D-16 announces that he is done saving Orion Pax, tying back to when he stopped him from getting punched back in the mine.
With these two completely solidifying their future’s, the next scene shows them evolving into their more iconic forms simultaneously, as they both encounter their destinies. For D-16, this means the brutal assassination of Sentinel Prime. D-16 then steals his cog (revealed to be the cog of Megatronus Prime), announcing that he is now Megatron as he gives an emboldened speech to Cybertron, showcasing his twisted mindset about survival of the fittest. Meanwhile, Orion Pax’s lifeless body falls into the core of Cybertron where the spirit of Primus announces that he is worthy of the Matrix of Leadership, reviving him under his new name: Optimus Prime.
The final fight scene then ensues, showcasing the first of many battles between these two new personas, as Optimus Prime ultimately defeats Megatron, announcing that he will lead the people of Cybertron back to the planet’s former glory as the newly formed Autobots fight off the Quintessons from the planet. The post credit scene shows Megatron forming the Decepticons with the remnants of the High Guard, starting the war that is destined to destroy Cybertron.
And that is what this film is truly about, the way that two people from the same circumstances and life can evolve into completely different people. Ultimately, these characters lose their common goal, especially in the way they envision Cybertron’s future. As it compares to the world today, comparisons can clearly be made to the way that politics exist in the United States. What ultimately starts as people’s vision of a better future for all, turns into what that better future actually consists of. When it comes to Optimus Prime, that better future is the safety and freedom for all life forms; whereas Megatron chooses to fight for the survival of the strongest. Although the Transformers franchise makes it clear who is in the wrong, Transformers One’s focus on how this separation of ideology occurs makes it truly fascinating and one of the best entries that the franchise has ever had.
