Transformers
Since the initial conception of the Transformers in the late 1970s and early '80s, various stories have been written or imagined set in a universe where they exist. These universes existed in a very fragmented way; Early story writers were not concerned with continuity, their audience was too young to understand a deeply interwoven storyline; that issue was taken hold of by the Japanese and later the Dreamwave comic writers.
The Primary universes are:
Generation 1 (or G1)
- Original American 1980s More than Meets the Eye Series
- Transformers The Movie
- Beast Wars but NOT Beast Wars Neo
- Beast Machines
Japanese Generation 1 (or G1)
- Original American 1980s More than Meets the Eye Series, excluding Season 4
- Transformers The Movie
- Japanese Follow-Up series Headmasters, Masterforce, Victory...
- Beast Wars but NOT Beast Wars Neo
- Beast Machines
Generation 1 mini-series American Headmasters
- A different route than the Japanese headmasters, including here the Nebulons inhabiting the Transformers.
Marvel Comics Generation 1
- Included the Nebulon storyline
- Included Liege Maximo and other backstory
Marvel Comics Generation 2 (G2)
- Both MCG1 and MCG2 existed in the Marvel Comics universe and took a different route in telling various stories, such as the powermaster process, than the Japanese series.
The Dreamwave G1 Comic Continuity
- A very detailed storyline involving transformers history pre-Earth to present day, incorporates most of the generation one storylines and attempts to fix incongruities in the initial universe.
The "Robots in Disguise" Universe
- A stand-alone universe with no current ties or reprocussions to any other storyline. In this version, Optimus Prime was a fire engine and Megatron/Galvatron a dragon.
The Modern Cartoon Universe
The reasons for the incongruities are manifold; including letting marketing have complete hold over the story (a trend which will continue), and several writers given a blank slate on which to work.
Differences within the universes include, but are definitely not limited to:
- The different origins of the planet Cybertron (Formed by Primus (MCG1)) or created by the Quintessons (MTMTE).
- The origin of the headmasters (Nebulons in MTMTE, a subset of Transformers in the Japanese series "Headmasters")
- Within the G1 MTMTE series, different origins for the Constructicons (Created Megatron, then created BY Megatron)
- The sudden appearance of such important plot devices as the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, the Key to Vector Sigma, the Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber, all of which were incorporated into the Dreamwave Comics storyline and books;
- The creation of Optimus Prime (Rebuilt from Orion Pax by Alpha Trion (MTMTE), or evolved from Orion Pax in the Dreamwave Continuum).
Dreamwave, as the current holder (as of 2004) of the comic/novel license, has taken it upon themselves to adapt Transformers for young adult readers and incorporate a deeper storyline, rewriting the generation one universe in a single, unified style and filling in gaps in Transformers history.
