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Megatron

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Character
Name: English: Megatron
Japanese: メガトロン (Megatron)
(more on TFWiki.net)
Occupation: Decepticon leader
Relationships: varies by series
Fandom: Transformers
Other:
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Megatron is a prominent and popular character in the Transformers franchise. He leads the villainous Decepticons in the majority Transformers continuities.

Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots, is seen as his arch-enemy and moral opposite.

Canon Background

Megatron's origins changes depending on the Transformers continuity he's written in, but each one typically has him found the Decepticons (Predacons in Beast Wars,) which operates like an army and whose primary goal is to take over entire worlds, such as Cybertron, home of the Transformers, and Earth. Some series specify that although the Decepticons originally aimed to only overthrow the government of Cybertron, it eventually got out of hand and morphed into what's considered the villainous faction compared to the Autobots.

His personality varies drastically across the different series, ranging from the controlled, cultured Megatron of Animated to the vicious, bloodlust-filled Megatron of the movies by Micheal Bay. His alternate mode, which is what he can transform into, has also changed over time, going from a Transformer-sized gun in the original series to some form of Cybertronian flying vehicle in Prime or Animated, with Beast Wars contributing a Tyrannosaurus rex and Robots in Disguise (2001) providing everything from a hand to a two-headed dragon. This is primarily because his original toy, from 1984, when the Transformers were created, was a replica of an actual pistol from The Man from U.N.C.L.E. TV show and future pistol replica toys couldn't be sold in America after 1988.

Major Appearances

See Megatron (disambiguation) on TFWiki.net for more of his appearances.

Popular Tropes & Fanon

  • Parent Megatron: where Megatron is seen as a father/mother/parent figure. This is most often seen in Optimus Prime/Megatron mpreg/mechpreg works. Megatron's taking to the role ranges from being very serious about it, being there to raise his sparkling, if not very tired along the way, to being neglectful and a terrible parent. Some fans describe him jokingly as an "A+ Parent", both in mpreg works and to all of the Decepticons as a whole.
  • Gladiator Megatron: his former profession in G1 and Prime before the war. May be explicitly tagged in pre-canon works. Related is Miner Megatron, which was his profession before that.
  • Megatron Needs A Hug: common in angst and hurt/comfort works.
  • Protective Megatron: where Megatron's possessive of his lovers, (namely Optimus Prime.)
  • Lord High Protector Megatron: comes from the Bay films tie-in comics, where it's established Megatron and Optimus Prime are brothers and used to co-rule Cybertron. Megatron was "Lord High Protector" and ruled the military, while Optimus was "Prime" and ruled over civilian/spiritual duties. The titles have been applied to other canons, mostly Prime, and is common in Royal AU and arranged marriage works pre-and-post war where Megatron and Optimus rule Cybertron together. Them being brothers is often interpreted as a brother-like bond rather than actual relation.
  • Megatron is Bad at Feelings: seen in fluffy works.
  • Megatron Dies: has happened many times throughout canon. Used to warn.
  • Megatron Being An Asshole: used to warn. Sometimes seen in hurt/comfort works, with Megatron doing the hurting. Starscream often gets the brunt of it.
  • Autobot Megatron: where Megatron becomes an Autobot. Canonically happened in the Transformers Generation One IDW Comics, though works for this Autobot Megatron are rarely given this tag since it's assumed based on the canon.
  • Megatron and Optimus Prime are Brothers: seen mostly in the Bay films and Transformers One fandoms, where canon implies they were part of the same bot batch or were literally related.

Subjects of Fannish Interest & Meta

Megatron usually comes from a disadvantaged background within Transformers canon -- common ones being that he was originally a miner, gladiator, or both. He had a strong belief that the Cybertronian government was corrupt when founding the Decepticons and started a revolution to overthrow them. He usually has a strong sense of justice for the disadvantaged. Some fans relate strongly to the revolutionary side of Megatron, and some have read the Decepticons as misunderstood on both a Watsonian and Doyalist level.

An example of this was the "Megatron for President" perennial US election season joke campaign in 2012.[1]

Megatron's redemption arc in the second-half of the Transformers Generation One IDW Comics was also controversial. After ending the war, he became an Autobot and joined the Lost Light ship. Many thought the execution was bungled and/or he shouldn't have had one. In one poll asking "If you don't like Megatron's redemption arc in IDW1, why?", only around 1/3 of respondents said they liked it.[2]

Relationships

Popular pairings with Megatron are Megatron/Starscream, which pairs him with traitorous Decepticon second-in-command Starscream, and Megatron/Optimus Prime, which pairs him with Optimus Prime. These are the two most popular pairings in the entire fandom, only Jazz/Prowl coming close in terms of fanworks. Megatron/Starscream became popular first and was Megatron's most popular pairing for many years, but as of 2024, Megatron/Optimus Prime is more popular due to recent TF media generally focusing on their relationship over Megatron and Starscream's -- especially in the 2024 Transformers One movie.

This is purposefully an incomplete list, as Megatron is shipped with many of the other Transformers. He's also popular for self-insert shipping.

Please add any notable relationships in fanworks if they are missing.

Primary Canon With... Who is a(n)... Full Label Type Ship Name(s) Information
various Optimus Prime Autobot Megatron/Optimus Prime M/M MegOP | MOP | メガコン | コンメガ | メガオプ | オプメガ Enemies and moral opposites; may start as rekindled friends
various Optimus Prime Autobot Megatron & Optimus Prime Gen (n/a) Often former friends both in canon and in fanworks
various Starscream Decepticon Megatron/Starscream M/M Megastar | Megascream | スタメガ | メガスタ Often an adversarial, but mutually beneficial, relationship
various Starscream Decepticon Megatron & Starscream Gen (n/a) Pre-slash or background, often, if focused on in fanworks
various Soundwave Decepticon Megatron/Soundwave M/M Megasound | 音メガ | 音メガ Loyalty Kink is common; Soundwave and Starscream may be romantic rivals
IDW Comics Rodimus Prime Autobot Megatron/Rodimus M/M Megarod | Rodimags | ロディメガ | メガロディ Both co-lead the Lost Light ship in that canon; Opposites attract
IDW Comics Ultra Magnus Autobot Megatron/Ultra Magnus M/M Minimegs | MagMeg | Magatron The Lost Light comic series has them be friendly; often seen together
Prime Ratchet Autobot Megatron/Ratchet M/M Megaratch Enemies in the Transformers Generation One Marvel Comics
Prime Bumblebee Autobot Bumblebee/Megatron M/M Megabee Opposites Attract enemies to lovers; crack-ish
IDW Comics Drift Autobot Drift/Megatron M/M Megadrift Both are former Decepticons
IDW Comics Rung Autobot Megatron/Rung M/M Megarung Rarepair; somewhat common due to the Banners from the Turrets[3] AU series
various Optimus Prime, Starscream Autobot, Decepticon Megatron/Optimus Prime/Starscream Poly Megastarop | Megopstar All three non-poly versions of this ship are popular
various Shockwave Decepticon Megatron/Shockwave M/M Megashock | レザメガ | メガレザ Loyalty Kink is common; may be one-sided on Shockwave's end
IDW Comics Tarn Decepticon Megatron/Tarn M/M Megatarn Loyalty Kink is common; often one-sided on Tarn's end
Earthspark Dorothy "Dot" Malto Autobot ally Dorothy "Dot" Malto & Megatron Gen (n/a) Close friends; fanworks may be pre-relationship
Transformers One Elita One, Optimus Prime Autobot x2 Elita One/Megatron/Optimus Prime Poly Megoplita Combines the popular Megatron/OP and Elita One/OP
IDW Comics Impactor Autobot Impactor/Megatron M/M Megaimpactor May start as rekindled friends or happen pre-war
Earthspark Prowl Autobot Megatron/Prowl M/M Megaprowl Enemies, but share touchy-feely scenes
Generation 1 Nightbird Decepticon ally Megatron/Nightbird F/M Megbird Enter the Nightbird introduced Nightbird and fueled the ship.
Prime Knock Out Decepticon/Autobot Knock Out/Megatron M/M Megaknock Rarepair; allies before Knock Out becomes an Autobot
Animated Lugnut Decepticon Lugnut/Megatron M/M (n/a) Loyalty Kink is almost always involved in fanworks
Animated Slipstream Decepticon Megatron/Slipstream F/M Megaslip (n/a)

See List of Transformers Relationship Names for more.

Notable Megatron-Centered Fanworks and Communities

Fan Communities/Fan Events

Wikis

Fan Fic

Fan Art

General Fanworks

Fan Mixes

Fic Collections

Fan Comics

Meta

IDW

Earthspark

Animated

References

  1. ^ A Facebook page supporting Megatron for president: "why vote for the lesser evil?" https://www.facebook.com/pages/Megatron-for-President/264156760315177
  2. ^ If you don't like Megatron's redemption arc in IDW1, why? by karlyanalora, Archived version (24 August 2024)
  3. ^ Banners from the Turrets by DesdemonaKaylose, neveralarch, towards_morning series on Archive of Our Own
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