The Transformers franchise has been a part of pop culture for years now. The Cybertronians have been ruling the entertainment business with their toys, animations, and movies and they are back again with Transformers One, which will explore the early days of Cybertronians.
Transformers One will take the audience back to where it all began. It will show the origins of iconic characters like Optimus Prime and Megatron on their home planet of Cybertron. But as excitement builds for the film’s release, a new detail, or, as it can be said, a continuity error, has caught the eyes of fans.
Transformers Are Transforming to Vehicles Before Coming to Earth
The latest trailer for Transformers One showed a more detailed look at the film’s visuals and plot. There is young Optimus Prime who is voiced by Chris Hemsworth and Megatron, voiced by Brian Tyree Henry as allies on Cybertron, long before their rivalry. The trailer shows them as simple worker bots, not yet powerful leaders.
But the weird thing is that Optimus Prime and others are transforming into vehicle forms that are Earth-like. This leads to the question of how Cybertronians could mimic Earth vehicles thousands of years before human civilization.
This detail was noticed by sharp-eyed fans as netizens started pointing out the continuity error online after the second trailer of the movie was released.
Can a transformers nerd tell me why they're transforming into earth vehicles 3 billion years in the past in one tweet? https://t.co/ifqkWvPtjH
— Hamish Steele! DeadEndia 3 is OUT NOW! (@hamishsteele) July 25, 2024
According to GamesRadar+, director Josh Cooley has hinted at a larger story arc and a potential sequel at San Diego Comic-Con, saying, “There’s a lot more story, obviously, because they will eventually come to Earth.” But this doesn’t quite explain the Earth-like vehicle forms in the trailer.
However, the cast of Transformers One is impressive. Alongside Hemsworth and Henry, there are Scarlett Johansson as Elita, Keegan-Michael Key as a young Bumblebee, and Jon Hamm as Sentinel Prime. Amid such talent on board, this new detail has been stealing some of the spotlight.
How Can Transformers Transform?
The transformation of Transformers is not as simple as just willing themselves into a new shape. A Cybertronian’s ability to change form lies in a special component called the Transformation Cog, or T-Cog.
The T-Cog is a biomechanical organ that coordinates all the changes that are needed for a Transformer to switch between its robot and alternate modes. A Cybertronian is stuck in its robot form without a functioning T-Cog.
The Transformers One trailer shows Alpha Trion gifting these transformation abilities to the main characters. He is seen handing over orb-like objects to Optimus Prime, Megatron, Elita, and Bumblebee. After receiving these, they gain the power to transform, although they are seen struggling with it initially.
This raises even more questions. If they are just learning to transform, why are their alternate modes so Earth-like? Does it mean that Cybertron just happens to have vehicles that look exactly like Earth trucks and cars?
The trailer also teases D-16, who will become Megatron, starting his transformation. A glimpse of other familiar faces like Starscream, Shockwave, and Soundwave is also shown who are expected to be the villains in the movie.
Only time will tell whether this inconsistency of Earth-like vehicles will be addressed or simply ignored amid the origin story of the characters, friendship, and the birth of a legendary rivalry.
Transformers One will be released in theaters on September 20, 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What continuity error did fans spot in the Transformers One trailer?
Fans noticed that Cybertronian characters like Optimus Prime and Bumblebee transform into Earth-style vehicle forms, such as a semi-truck and a sports car, even though the film is set on Cybertron long before humans or Earth vehicles exist. Since the story takes place entirely before any contact with Earth, having alternate modes that resemble Earth machinery makes little sense within the prequel’s timeline.
How do the characters gain their transformation abilities in the film?
According to the article, Alpha Trion gifts orb-like objects containing transformation abilities to Optimus Prime, Megatron, Elita, and Bumblebee. These abilities come from a biomechanical organ called the Transformation Cog, or T-Cog, which coordinates a Cybertronian’s shift between robot and alternate modes. The characters are shown initially struggling to use this newly granted power.
Has director Josh Cooley addressed the Earth-vehicle inconsistency?
The article reports that director Josh Cooley hinted at San Diego Comic-Con that there is more story ahead, noting the characters will eventually travel to Earth, as cited by GamesRadar+. However, this comment does not directly explain why the Earth-like vehicle forms already appear in the prequel, so the inconsistency remains unresolved as of the trailer’s release.
