Ask Vector Prime A Question Archives
  August 10th, 2007  

Steamhammer, from Marvel UK Annual 1990

BotCon Exclusive Alpha Trion's Minicon as finally been named - Beta Maxx ( scroll down a bit to see. ) The second 'x' means he's 'extreme'. By which I mean 'purple'.

Q: Who do you think are the 3 most famous Decepticons and Autobots from G1 to where we are now?
A: I got out of bed for this? Optimus Prime, Megatron, and Starscream. Next question.

Q: Vector Prime I have 5 questions about the first transformers movie.
1: What do you think of the Decepticons killing so many Autobots with such ease?
2: What do you think of Megatron’s brutal execution of Ironhide?
3: What do you think of Optimus Prime going “Terminator,” and killing so many Decepticons so he can get to Megatron?
4: Would Optimus really of killed Megatron if that gun wasn’t there and Hot Rod didn’t get in the way?
5: Did Optimus know that Megatron was going for that gun and was just playing dumb to catch Megatron off guard?
PS Thanks for taking so much of your time to answer fan questions. You’re the best.

A: 1) They finally noticed their phasers had a setting that wasn't 'miss'. Technically, killing with ease is what a nine million year old genocidal robot should be doing, but such are the conventions of daytime television.

2) It still isn't the scariest death in the movie. I would give that one to Prowl and his Fallen impression.

3) It's something he should have done long ago were the universe not a cartoon, see previous related answer about the Decepticons.

4) Optimus never killed Megatron. He injured him badly, but in the end, if anyone killed Megatron, it was Unicron. Optimus didn't manage to kill anyone, come to think of it. He injured them, but ... wait. Thrust got a face full of truck grill! Ramjet and Soundwave took similar hits to Thundercracker! Optimus shot Dirge! Shrapnel was run over and shot, so that covers him, but how are Thrust, Dirge, Ramjet, and Soundwave still undamaged on Astrotrain? Gah. Human writers.

5) It doesn't appear that Optimus realised that Megatron was reaching for a weapon.

Q: Greetings Vector Prime,
It seems that I have watched one sci-fi show too many. Last night I somehow ended up in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, and somehow bumped into the generals of my table-top armies (why they didn’t kill each other on the spot is beyond me). They wanted me to ask you a few questions. I’m terribly sorry; it was this or be turned into a combat servitor.

Hail and well met, traveller of time.
I send you this message of peace on behalf of the glorious Tau Empire. We would like to propose an alliance with your Autobot civilisation. Our combined strength, knowledge and wisdom would only further the Greater Good. The scientists of the Earth Caste have highly advanced weaponry, and our commanders are already familiar with the deployment of the powerful Tau Battlesuits. The glorious expansion of the forces of the Tau Empire would be inevitable. So would the Autobots accept the honour of joining us?
Aun’usia, honourable Ambassador of the Water Caste

Construct with the identification of ‘Vector Prime’
Specie: Transformer
Faction: Autobots
Our archives list that this subject is knowledgeable about the ‘Transformers’.
Studies show that each Transformer houses a ‘Spark’ in its frame.
Query: What is a ‘Spark’? Is it a manifest version of the soul, the mind or both?
Techpriest Nagil Hierymir, faithful servant of the Machine God and the Adeptus Mechanicus

HUNGER…HUNGER….what does Energon cubes taste like?...HUNGER
The Tyranid Hivemind

Dear Vector Prime,
Would Megatron ally with me to destroy the foul servants of the False Emperor? Perhaps he could be persuaded with gifts, daemonic or otherwise?
Garrick the Insidious, Warmaster of Chaos Undivided

A: Aun’usia - The Autobots would likely go for it, were they in the same universe as you.

Nagil Hierymir - Closer to a soul than a mind. Sparks seem to hold our most basic traits. Programming ca be changed, but sparks cannot.

Tyranid Hivemind - Unless you are a machine, I couldn't describe the flavour. I've been told by organics that it tastes like warm, staticy water, but they haven't the right sensors to appreciate it.

Garrick - He might. Of course, he would later turn on you.

Q: Dear One Who Answers Questions
Now that we have, at least three different forms of Arcee (with a fourth supposedly on the way), which one is your favorite? Generation 1, Energon, or the unused Movie form (which exists only as a toy and concept imagery)? Also, what's up with Classics Megatron? The lines on his face look like he's going Goth. He's cool and all, but it's a really odd design choice.

A: As far as Arcee goes, so far I prefer the G1 version, since I prefer ladies with four wheels. 'Goth' is a new descriptor for Megatron's warpaint. I didn't realise that goths were into unibrows.

Q: Dear Old Coot,
HI! I finnally managed to get some more questions for you outta my processor. Would you belive that my head is just filled with ash and sawdust? Makes things terrible when it comes to remembering what I'm supposed to be doing.......uh oh. I did it again. Anyways...QUESTIONS!
1. Would you consider exploding then respawning a form of time travel?
2. Can you see the stars?
3. If I were to go back in time and be my own grandpa, do you think I could end up in the year 3000 and save the universe from the Brain Spawn?

A: 1) Only in the sense that living is a form of time-travel where you move at one second per second.

2) From here? No.

3) Given that it's you, that would be entirely likely.

Q: If after a battle you got stuck on some remote planet with Thundercracker, Ransack, and Crumplezone and you had lost your sword during that battle do you think you could get along with them? They don’t seem bad just the typical goofballs that anybody could get to like after awhile.
A: Oh, yes, being stuck without weapons with three Decepticon thugs who think with their fists. I don't see cookies and cake and finding common ground, I see getting beaten to scrap.

Q: Dear Vector Prime,
What is your favorite real life band? I love The Beatles *huggles john's ashes*. I hope you get music on Cybertron.

A: 'Real life' means 'human', doesn't it? I'm partial to orchestras.

Q: Dear Vector Prime:
My qeustions today concern female robots and yourself.
1) Have you ever concidered starting a Hugh Heffner styled mansion and having a bunch of Fembot molds in it?
2) If Hasbro where to repaint/remold a voyager of Your choice into a Female charecter, what mould would you choose? Would it be an Origonal charecter or one already existing?
3)Aside from Overide, have you ever sought the companionship of another female transformer.
4) Finally, this ones for Overide. As one of the first Female leaders of an Autobot planet. What did you find you enjoyed most about your position, did you have many challengers? Proteges? Who would you consider best suited to lead Acceleron after yourself?

A: 1) I don't need one, since I know the location of the Planet of Open-Minded Supermodels.

2) Voyager specifically? Hm. I'd prefer a new mould, since I like cars and most tend to be smaller than Voyager-class. But anything with wheels is fine. I wouldn't be adverse to a truck lady. Come to think of it, I can only name two Voyager-class females existing - Transmetal Blackarachnia and Antagony.

3) Yes. And once in a while, I get it.

4) Override says: 'Velocitron', honey. Or 'Speed Planet'.

What I liked best about being the leader of the Speedians was knowing that I was, unarguably, the fastest car on the planet. And challengers? Everyone on the planet was a challenger! I don't think there was anyone who didn't try to beat me, but, hey, that's the job.

I never had a protoge - I'm pretty young myself. I haven't got enough experience to think I've got words of wisdom for anyone. Besides, a protoge is just a way of designing your own worst competition, so why do it? Maybe in a few million years I'll see it differently.

Well, at the end of the Cybertron series, I stepped down and Hot Shot took over in the traditional way - he won a race. If he can stay ahead of everyone else, I'll be glad. He's not exactly experienced leadership-wise, but a Speedian ruler doesn't really need to do much leading anyway. We're an independant people and tend to solve any dispute by racing. If Hot Shot's doing it wrong, he'll be told. And he's a good kid - I'd never even heard of altruism before I met him. If that rubs off on the rest of them, it'll be a good thing for everyone.

Q: In Armada was Thundercracker a better fighter than Skywarp and Starscream? Or did one of his students surpass him?
A: Heh. According to his tech specs, Thundercracker has a Skill rating of 6. This lines up with his toy bio, but not with his MTMTE bio. Going by the MTMTE bios, Skywarp is "easily a match" for Starscream, and Starscream is "one of the toughest Decepticon flyers." Thundercracker "commands an extensive knowledge of a wide range of Cybertronian martial arts and combat techniques". So that could go either way. By tech specs, Starscream as a Skill of 8 and Skywarp has no toy bio that I can find.

Q: What would Cybertron Scourge and Thundercracker think if they ever found out that G1 Scourge was made from G1 Thundercracker?
A: Since it doesn't affect them in any way, shape, or form, I doubt they'd care.

Q: Vector Prime, since female transformers tech specs are so hard to find for some reason I have to ask you this. Out of ALL the female transformers which one is the toughest?
A: All of them ever? But I suppose you mean in canon. All things being equal ( such as making the Predacons and Vehicons twenty feet tall instead of six so they couldn't just be stepped on, ) in a knock-down drag-out pudding-optional, I am uncertain. Override is strong, fast, and has held her own against Scourge. Blackarachnia, with her Transmetal II form, would have the power to back up her cunning. Strika is powerful and a brilliant general, though she's better at leading armies than getting into close combat.

Since I cannot decide, I decree this must be solved with a mass pillow fight.

Q: Who do you think is more annoying, Ransack or Rattrap? Tough question huh?
A: Only because you didn't leave my options open. But Rattrap has annoyed me less than Ransack has.

Q: How come Cybertron Thundercracker was a good fighter against Mudflap in the beginning of Cybertron and later on Giant planet he was good against Jetfire (he actually BEAT Jetfire) but all the other times he fought he was a poor fighter?
A: His combat skill changes as the plot requires.

Q: Since Cybertron wasn’t a sequel to Energon in Japan does that mean that when Starscream and Galvatron went into the energon sun that was their REAL deaths for Armada and Energon? And the Startscream and Megatron/Galvatron from Cybertron are completely different from the Armada/Energon versions?
A: It means that Galvatron and Starscream from Galaxy Force aren't the same ones as the ones from Superlink, but the Galvatron and Starscream in Cybertron are the same ones from Energon. Somehow. That's all.

Q: First of all, I just want to thank you, Wayward and your other house mates for giving me something to smile about. Life is as life is and it's a great help.
Now onto pestering you!
1) Transformers are beings that have been at war with one another with untold eons in many realities, constantly developing new ways to inflict harm on one another, why havn't you lot thought of better close-quarter weapons then swords, axes, fists, knives, and what have you by now? Spears/polearms are awesome but underused.
2) Does Wayward MUSH or even know what MUSHing is? If so, where? If not, could I plug one and invite her on down?
3) In a dark room, how do the various Optimi (Optimuseses?), and Megatrons tell themselves apart?
4)Do the femme's have.. 'that-time-of-cycle', if so where do the mechs hide to weather the storm?"
Thank you for humoring me.

A: 1) A fellow from the old Annuals named Steamhammer had, yes, basically an automatic hammer. That was interesting. But, on the whole, we stick with long range guns because they're rather more useful than melee weapons when it comes to making one's opponant dead. The person who brings a gun to a knife-fight is generally what is known as 'the winner', thus we don't put much effort into creating close-quarter weapons.

2) She knows what it is, but has no interest in doing it. Putting a certain number of hours in a week sounds more like 'job' than 'fun'.

3) Glow-in-the-dark nametags.

4) We have no biological cycles, thus our females do not PMS.

 

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