Hasbro Transformers Q&A Answers returned!, Questions from 9/13 Answered Options

[NightViper]

1) It has been recently revealed that Megatronus (The Fallen) will be in Transformers Prime story line. Is the Fallen from "Prime" the same Fallen that was in the movie and the same that was in the original Dreamwave comic? Basically, are they a multiversal singularity or are the all "different" Fallens?

The official story of the original 13 and specifically The Fallen has not been explored in the modern continuity that Transformers War for Cybertron, Exodus, and Prime are a part of. Anything you know from past generations of the brand may or may not be factual in the new continuity. Going forward in the modern continuity there is 1 Fallen.

2) In a previous QandA it was revelaed that one of the original 13 Transformers was female, this raises the question, does the Hasbro TF creative team have a stance on what the difference between Male and Female Transformers are? Aside from asthetics and characterization that is? Is it physical at all or related to the nature of their sparks?

Yes the Hasbro team that has been charged with creating the Modern continuity have built into the story plan what creates “Female” styled Transformers. The whole explanation will be explored further in future comics, novels, and entertainment.

[NightViper]

War for Cybertron, Exodus, and Prime NOT part of the multiverse?

[Nevermore]

Hasbro: "Thank you for your interest in TRANSFORMERS ® brand fiction! TRANSFORMERS ® brand fiction is diverse and differs from medium to medium while still being consistent to the core of the brand."

[LV!]

Yes the Hasbro team that has been charged with creating the Modern continuity have built into the story plan what creates “Female” styled Transformers. The whole explanation will be explored further in future comics, novels, and entertainment.

Dear Hasbro: I would not like to see the explanation of what makes male and female Transformers different "explored" in your vaguely-worded "entertainment".

[mignash]

So the answers were "you don't know and we may tell you some day, bye!"

[Somebody]

War for Cybertron, Exodus, and Prime NOT part of the multiverse?

Sure they are. What I think we've just had is an explicit rejection of the Lee/FP *model* of the multiverse, in favour of a multiverse where multiversal singularities don't exist, and they just have counterparts - meaning there's one Fallen in the Prime ["modern"] continuity, unrelated to DW Fallen and Movie Fallen, because the writers of WfC, Exodus and Prime don't want to write around stuff that happened in earlier fiction.

[Bass X0]

Probably should have asked about the toys...

[Master Fwiffo]

That first one sounds like a pretty important answer - the death knell for Multiversal Singularities (except maybe Unicron and Primus). IMO, that's a very good thing, as now we don't have to argue about Alpha Trion anymore.

[Lukeblast]

Well now, this is interesting and unexpected. Turns out that this mythology they've been building doesn't necessarily retcon into everything after all.

Extrapolating a bit from this, some continuities may honestly, actually lack the Multiversal Singularity characters... this might be used to explain how Alpha Trion, for example, fits into the Thirteen despite it not making sense in respect to some of the more... unique versions of the character. WWI Fallen is not necessarily ROTF Fallen. Animated may indeed be without Unicron and Primus, as was intended. Cybertron does not always have to be Primus.

So apparently "Multiversal" literally means "in multiple universes" rather than "in every universe." The real question now is whether Hasbro's intention is "it applies unless we say it doesn't" or "it applies if we say it does"... That determines how much of a wrinkle this turns out to be.

[SkyQuake]

Q: Does this multiverse concept exist? A: What color is their money?

[ZacWilliam1]

Those answers are vague enough to mean anything.

They don't negate a multiverse necessarily, as they don't really address it...

But they said that they don't feel beholden to past versions of things (The Fallen) which could maybe negate the Multiversal singularity idea...

Yet they also say that going forward there is only 1 Fallen, which could be interpreted as saying that his IS a multiversal singularity after all.

Not super illuminating. IMO.

[Blade Raider]

Yes the Hasbro team that has been charged with creating the Modern continuity have built into the story plan what creates “Female” styled Transformers. The whole explanation will be explored further in future comics, novels, and entertainment.

Just keep Furman away from it, okay?

Sure they are. What I think we've just had is an explicit rejection of the Lee/FP *model* of the multiverse, in favour of a multiverse where multiversal singularities don't exist, and they just have counterparts - meaning there's one Fallen in the Prime ["modern"] continuity, unrelated to DW Fallen and Movie Fallen, because the writers of WfC, Exodus and Prime don't want to write around stuff that happened in earlier fiction.

If that's true, I will personally hug every employee at Hasbro. I f'ing hate multiversal singularities.

[NightViper]

TFormers' Q&A:

http://tformers.com/transformers-hasbro-an...14593/news.html

In the case of recent series with supporting shows (e.g., Animated, Prime), do you feel that the 'cartoon first, toy line later' approach is the most viable and beneficial to fans, as well as sales of the product?

With the release of Animated Rodimus Minor and Ironhide, can you provide any insight for any of the other Animated figures that we have previously seen (e.g., Wingblade Optimus Prime, Blackout)?

[DeltaSeeker]

I see both as the same answer: "No clue, we're making it up as we go."

[Bass X0]

Why doesn't Hasbro release a few Animated toys in Generations or Reveal The Shield; like one every few waves or so?

[Blade Raider]

I see both as the same answer: "No clue, we're making it up as we go."

Worked for Bob Forward and Larry DiTillio.

Why doesn't Hasbro release a few Animated toys in Generations or Reveal The Shield; like one every few waves or so?

I know. There's only 2 1/2 molds left (almost forgot that BB), just slap 'em in a box already. I don't wanna pay $50+ for just armor bits.

This post has been edited by Blade Raider: Nov 1 2010, 12:19 PM

[Kil]

2) In a previous QandA it was revelaed that one of the original 13 Transformers was female, this raises the question, does the Hasbro TF creative team have a stance on what the difference between Male and Female Transformers are? Aside from asthetics and characterization that is? Is it physical at all or related to the nature of their sparks?

Yes the Hasbro team that has been charged with creating the Modern continuity have built into the story plan what creates “Female” styled Transformers. The whole explanation will be explored further in future comics, novels, and entertainment.

Ugh. Why do this? Well, I mean I know why, because the fandom keeps demanding it, but still... do not want.

Note how they're only suggesting they're going to be explaining "female styled Transformers." Because, you know, male styled Transformers don't need an explanation because male = neutral = default (= sexist bulljive).

War for Cybertron, Exodus, and Prime NOT part of the multiverse?

That first one sounds like a pretty important answer - the death knell for Multiversal Singularities (except maybe Unicron and Primus).

Whaaaa? I'm not reading anything like any of that into it.

Those answers are vague enough to mean anything.

Yeah, these are super vague, "look guys, we're just concentrating on building our new universe right now, okay? We're not really thinking about past stuff or the multiverse or whatever" answers. There's no negation or death knells in there, just indifference.

This post has been edited by Kil: Nov 1 2010, 12:24 PM

[Daggor]

Probably should have asked about the toys...

Precisely. I don't see the need to explore the "why?" behind male/female TFs. From a character point of view, TFs have to be human enough for the audience to relate to. If they were all emotionless, genderless drones speaking in monotone, there would be no story. I don't want a "where babies come from" explanation gumming up the fiction.

While I am a fan of Furman , the whole "budding" thing should be left in the gutter.

[NightViper]

Probably should have asked about the toys...

Precisely.

Check out when the questions were submitted. What question about the toys did you have back then that hasn't been answered by now?

Keeping in mind that the answers to those questions would have to be better than the fiction answers we got..

[Kil]

Also, I would add that this...

Going forward in the modern continuity there is 1 Fallen.

...is kinda the opposite of a death knell for multiversal singularties, because him being a multiversal singularty means there's only been one Fallen all along. And in the "modern continuity" there's still only one of him. So. Yeah. No change there.

This post has been edited by Kil: Nov 1 2010, 12:36 PM