Handicapped Transformers, nonsense or reasonable?

[JediTricks]

In a different thread, Gomess comments that perhaps having a Cybertronian who is handicapped isn't a bad idea, that there's nothing wrong with it. But this isn't an all-inclusive reflection of humanity, these aren't thinly veiled references to how all humans are worthwhile in their own way, these are machines whose bodies are robotics, not organic flesh and blood. Yet the movieverse has Bumblebee who starts the series with an injured voicebox and ends it similarly, making precedent for the idea, but at the same time it's the movieverse so it's not a terribly well-thought-out precedent (Prime doing the same thing doesn't count because it's just copycatting the movies and it's the same writers).

So, on the "nonsense" side of the argument, we have:
- machines are relatively easy to fix;
- they've been fighting this war a really long time, so they should be pretty adept at repairing injuries;
- there really aren't that many soldiers overall, so they need all the help they can get.

And on the "reasonable" side of the argument, there is:
- perhaps spare parts and tools are scarce, other resources are;
- it may be time-consuming to repair every problem;
- not everybody can be first in line for the mechanic.

I dunno, I'm still leaning on the "handicapped robots are nonsense" side of things, but I am curious to hear what you guys think.

[Dominic]

Define "handicapped" for a Cybertronian.

What are they supposed to be able to do?

Might Action Master's be handicapped? They cannot transform. But, they are very fuel efficient.
Being a Target Master has certain advantages. But, what are the costs?
Power Masters are more able to find fuel/food, a handy adaptatioin. But, if they lose their "engine", they are in trouble. (A real world example would be the genetic trait for anemia also lending itself to immunity to malaria. It is a handy trait to have immunity to a known disease, but at a very high potential cost to one's off-spring.)

Some TFs can fly. Some cannot.


I would say that having an long-term crippled/disabled character is pretty well non-sense. Autobots would be more likely to keep a permanently damaged comrade alive, (and would be more likely to be squeemish about getting new parts from unwilling donors). But, even so, (as seen in the old comics), they could only do so much. Immobilized Autobots spent more time in crates or repair bays than out and about.

Decepticons were likely less squeemish about getting spare parts, (hence guys like Soundwave making a faster return after the Underbase battle). And, how likely would they be to keep a permanently damanged member around?

Given the duresss that most Cybertronians live under, (in combat and/or away from their civilization), being significantly hobbled (less-able) would not lend itself to longevity. Skalor, (one of the Seacons), was specifically described in his character profile as only being tolerated because he was useful. But, if he was not a member of a merge team, he likely would have been abandoned the first time he stalled underwater.


So, yeah, I am going to agree with JT.

Nonsense.



Dom
-and screw the focus groups.

[Onslaught Six]

What about someone like BM Rattrap, who (functionally) became a paraplegic, i.e. in a wheelchair?

For a while, I kind of got into the idea that a TF was only functionally able to perform things that its toy could do. This only really came up with the idea of Cybertron Backstop, a toy whose character was ostensibly supposed to be a "martial arts master" but whose toy featured almost no articulation. I thought it'd be funny if his body was actually functionally unable to do any more than his toy could--he might be able to shuffle around and walk, and move his arms up and down, but complicated martial arts moves? Out of the question, for sure. He would be a walking encyclopedia of martial arts, but functionally unable to perform them. I thought it was hilarious. (Given that he came from Beast Planet, and not Cybertron, it's entirely possible for him to exist in their society, since it was so much different than the regular TF one.)

EDIT: Dom also brings up a great point that different TFs may be designed for different specialties, so a TF who is "handicapped" as a soldier could actually be quite useful in a different setting. For example, a TF who has a stationary altmode (Perceptor, Soundwave, Blaster, Reflector) could arguably be "handicapped" compared to a car TF like Sideswipe or Jazz, but they're designed to perform different functions.

[JediTricks]

There are, of course, a lot of different ways a Cybertronian can be handicapped. TM and Gomess were talking about Metroplex's carrier Earth altmode being "disabled" because it was a wheeled vehicle too large to use its wheels much of anywhere on planet Earth. The Action Masters and Rattrap examples are both good at showing how "handicapped" can be "differently abled" rather than "disabled", but there are still handicaps for them, Action Masters cannot disguise which can be a handicap in a war focused on disguise for survival. Rattrap sucked at climbing once he was a wheelbot. And what about Megatron in the movies? He's clearly handicapped in 2 and 3 yet still is treated as a viable threat (then again, the movies are really worthless here, how are ROTF Constructicons Rampage and Demolishor not considered handicapped based on their ludicrous botmodes?

[Tigermegatron]

Some of the 1980's Combiners become Mentally Handicapped as the merger of 5 minds/sparks create Gestalts that have are slow thinking,low intelligence,temper tantrums & symtoms of Autism.

[JediTricks]

Some of the 1980's Combiners become Mentally Handicapped as the merger of 5 minds/sparks create Gestalts that have are slow thinking,low intelligence,temper tantrums & symtoms of Autism.

I suppose that's an accurate way of looking at it, although the handicap there is merely temporary as the gestalt's members return to average Cybertronian intelligence when separated.

[Tigermegatron]

Some of the 1980's Combiners become Mentally Handicapped as the merger of 5 minds/sparks create Gestalts that have are slow thinking,low intelligence,temper tantrums & symtoms of Autism.

I suppose that's an accurate way of looking at it, although the handicap there is merely temporary as the gestalt's members return to average Cybertronian intelligence when separated.

I suspose G-1 Season 3 Galvatron could be defined as Mentally Handicaped as the head injury Rodimus gave him & that lava bath fried his logic circuits. G-1 Season 3 Galvatron definately portrayed symtoms of Autism due to his temper tantrums,not being able to think clearly. Depending on the season 3 writer writing the episode,Galvatron's autism would go from severe to mild. Worse case was in that Episode called "Web world."

As far as finding more Transformers who are physically handicapped,I think Primus & Unicron are decent examples depending on the alternate universe story their in. Unicron became physically handicapped after the 1986 movie & was just a floating head. Unicron wasn't dead,was still alive & could still think in season 3. Primus in various alternate Universe has his body trapped inside cybertron. Primus's body is still their but it can't move. primus needed to rely on his mental powers to create extensions of himself by giving each of his creations a small portion of his spark to make them become alive. in the case of the AEC universe both Unicron & Primus are able to transform from planets into robots but most of the time this requires a huge energy source or repairs are needed. this transformation into the bigger robot is only Temporary. So when AEC Primus & Unicron are low on energy or need extreme repairs their bodies are in Physically handicapped positions until they get repaired or get that huge energy given to them.

[Onslaught Six]

And what about Megatron in the movies? He's clearly handicapped in 2 and 3 yet still is treated as a viable threat

In 3, I'd agree, but in 2? He seems like he's in good shape there. (You might be thinking of some of the toys, which gave him a gimp arm, but that got removed from the movie.)

Taking off on Deathy's post a little bit, Wheelie's rhyming has occasionally, in various comics, been portrayed as a symptom of PTSD.

[BWprowl]

One example that hasn't been mentioned yet is Emirate Xaaron. Remember how because he was so old and hadn't used his altmode in so long, transforming was more or less out of the question for him? The idea was that the strain transforming would put on his body would kill him. Not sure how 'handicapped' it would count as, but it could be likened to...having a joint antrophy from lack of use, or something.

Also, how has no one mentioned the IDW Ongoing yet? That's the series that gave us hobbled Bumblebee with a cane, and Sunstreaker in a wheelchair complete with a service animal! I think in both cases the reasoning given was that there just weren't enough resources at the time to 'fully' repair either of them.

[Dominic]

Bumblebee and Sunstreaker were clearly operating below spec. But, they were more "damaged" than "disabled". (The latter typically implies a permanent hobbling.)

Xaaron is a good example though. He was operating below spec and recieving no apparent "traded benefit" for it.