Transformers facts for kids
Transformers are make-believe robots created by the toy company Hasbro. In their stories, these robots come from a planet called Cybertron. There are two main groups of Transformers. The good guys are called the Autobots. The bad guys are known as the Decepticons.
The leader of the Autobots is named Optimus Prime. The Decepticon leader is Megatron. Denny O'Neil created the name "Optimus Prime." Transformers can change into many different things. They can become cars, planes, guns, or even animals. The first Transformers toys were made in 1984. Since then, many different Transformers toys and stories have been created.
The First Transformers: Generation One (1984–1992)
Many people call the first Transformers toys, TV shows, and comic books "G1." This is short for "Generation One." The very first Transformers toys came from Japan. In Japan, these toys were part of different toy lines. They were called Microman and Diaclone.
Hasbro took some of these Japanese toys. They sometimes gave them new colors. Then, they called them Transformers. Hasbro asked a comic book writer named Bob Budiansky to help. He made up new names for the robots. Bob Budiansky also decided what each robot liked or disliked. He even gave them feelings. In Japan, the original robots did not have names. They were not alive. They were just machines driven by people. Bob Budiansky also wrote the Transformers comic book. This comic book was made by Marvel Comics. Even Spider-Man appeared in one of the early Transformers comics.
There was also a Transformers cartoon on TV. The TV show told a different story than the comic book. In the cartoon, the Autobots were looking for energy. The Decepticons chased them all the way to Earth. In the comic book, the Autobots had to stop a giant space rock. This rock, an asteroid, was going to crash into Cybertron.
Another difference was how characters were created. In the comic book, Optimus Prime used something called the Creation Matrix. This made new Transformers. In the cartoon, a computer named Vector Sigma made new robots. The stories for many robots were also different. This included characters like the Dinobots and Jetfire.
In 1986, a Transformers movie was released. It was called The Transformers: The Movie. This film told a story about the future. In the movie, it is the year 2005. Optimus Prime is killed by Megatron. A new Autobot named Ultra Magnus becomes the new leader. The Autobots must stop a planet-eating monster. This monster is called Unicron. Unicron can also change into a giant robot. Unicron meets Megatron and gives him a new body. Megatron then gets a new name, Galvatron. At the end of the movie, Unicron is destroyed.
The TV show also showed stories from the year 2005. We learned that the Transformers were once robot slaves. They had to work for aliens called Quintessons. The Autobots did not like being slaves. So, they chased the Quintessons away from Cybertron. Kids really liked Optimus Prime. They were sad when he died. So, the writers made a story where he came back to life. In Japan, the TV show continued with new cartoons. These were not shown in America.
The comic book kept being made even after the TV show ended. Many robots not seen in the cartoon appeared in the comic book. These included Darkwing and Skids. There was even a story where the Transformers met G.I. Joe. G.I. Joe was another toy line from Hasbro.
Animal Robots: Beast Wars and Beast Machines (1996–2001)
Beast Wars was a show about Transformers who could change into animals. They looked like real animals, but they were robots in disguise. The good guys were called Maximals. Their leader was Optimus Primal. The bad guys were called Predacons. Their leader's name was Megatron. This Megatron was different from the Decepticon leader.
In the story, the Maximals and Predacons crashed on Earth a very long time ago. They did not know where they were. Also, there was too much energy on the planet. This energy hurt their robot bodies. So, they changed into animals to protect themselves. They could only turn into robots for a short time. After that, the energy would start to hurt them again.
Later in the story, many robots became Transmetals. This meant they looked like robot animals instead of real animals. The Predacons found out they were on Earth. Megatron tried to find the Autobots and Decepticons. They were sleeping on a space ship called the Ark. Megatron tried to kill Optimus Prime, who was still sleeping. He wanted to change the future by doing this.
Another show called Beast Machines continued the story from Beast Wars. At the end of Beast Wars, the Maximals tried to catch Megatron. At the start of Beast Machines, he escapes. He then takes control over Cybertron. Only four Maximals are left. Megatron tries to stop them. Megatron creates new robots called Vehicons. These Vehicons try to catch the Maximals.
Later, we learn that the Vehicons are really Maximals or Predacons. Megatron had caught them and tried to control them. In the story, we also learn something important about Cybertron. Even though it is a dead, metal planet, it used to be a living planet. It was once like Earth.
See also
In Spanish: Transformers para niños
