Transformers Cybertron/YMMV

• Adaptation Displacement:
  • While the idea of Cybertronians having colonies on other worlds wasn't a new one, following Cybertron, all Cybertronian colonies were established in Cybertron's pre-War heyday with any new ones being founded after the Great War.
  • Likewise, while previous series had vehicle mode Cybertronians express occasional disdain for those with beast modes, this was the first show to offer the idea that beast modes are something primally different to vehicle mode Transformers whereas previous media had treated beast modes as just another option for an alternate mode. Following Cybertron, beast modes generally became a Cybertronian sub-species.
• Alternative Character Interpretation: Given that Megatron is wearing the Armor of Unicron, some have questioned if his Omnicidal Maniac attitudes might be some remnant of the Chaos Bringer's personality influencing Megatron.
• Awesome Music:
  • Cybertron has one of the greatest OSTs that the franchise ever produced. "Jet Black Land" has to be stand-out.
  • The English theme song qualifies, especially due to Optimus Prime's epic Opening Narration and Intro Dump, as well as that random dramatic announcer heard in the middle of it.
• Base Breaker: Starscream's Character Rerailment. To those who preferred Armada‍'‍s unique take on the character, it can really come across as a waste. In fairness, Galaxy Force was animated as separate from the previous two shows so the dubbers had to work with what they were given.
• Character Rerailment: Starscream is finally written as The Starscream.
• Evil Is Cool: Galvatron is on form as always.
• Fandom Rivalry: Galaxy Force or Cybertron? Which was better?
• Fanfic Fuel: The culture of the colony planets and what adventures the characters might have on the second colony mission.
• Growing the Beard: YMMV of course but when Optimus arrives on Velocitron, the series really starts to pick up and hit its stride.
• Harsher in Hindsight: In "Guardian", Vector Prime says he's seen brother rise against brother and how damaging the act can be. At the time, it was assumed that Vector Prime had just seen such horrors throughout his travels in space/time but with the later revelations that Vector Prime is one of the Thirteen Original Primes and how the group fell apart, it becomes clear that he's speaking from intensely personal experiences having seen his siblings tear themselves apart.
• Hilarious in Hindsight:
  • In the above speech, the image of a tidal wave towering over skyscrapers is eerily similar to a scene from Transformers Prime caused by Unicron's awakening.
  • The portal to Gigantion also looks nigh-identical to the Space Bridge from Prime.
• HSQ: Especially for those following Transformers since G1. And it would largely be of the And the Fandom Rejoiced variety.
• Magnificent Bastard: Megatron/Galvatron. AND Starscream.
  • Sideways tries.
• Rescued From the Scrappy Heap: Coby, Laurie, and Bud do this for the human children as a whole and are still regarded as some of the best humans in the whole franchise. Partly because they have interesting personalities, but mostly because they weren't Kicker.
• Surprisingly Improved Sequel: Well after Energon it wasn't hard.
• Toy Ship: Coby and Lori.
• Vindicated by History: At the time it ended, Cybertron was seen as a large contributor of the Primus/Unicron fatigue, given Primus' large role in the series. After the 2010s had Primus be Demoted to Extra, fans who wanted to see the Lord of Light began to look more fondly on Cybertron.
• Woolseyism: The dreaded "uh" and "gimme a break!" of Energon is gone, replaced with what constitutes playful romantic banter when both speakers are in their early teens. Homages and an all-new cast turned into known characters a la Transformers Robots in Disguise, as well.
  • But mainly, there's the phenomenon that the Transformers Wiki calls "Burning Justice". Galaxy Force was the most "Anime" of the Japan-original Transformers series by far, and the reality-bending powers of wanting something really really hard could make virtually anything happen, with no one treating it as unusual. For Cybertron, this is excised by tying the effects to artifacts that could actually do the things that happened for no reason at all when someone yelled or grunted in the original. It was done so perfectly seamlessly you'd be shocked if you knew the full extent.
• Win Back the Crowd: After Energon, this show reminded everyone that Transformers shows can be fun to watch.

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