Bayformer



The term Bayformer is a tongue-in-cheek derogitory term used by certain members of the fandom in reference to the Transformers of the 2007 movie. It is usually used in a negative manner toward Michael Bay and the physical designs of the Transformers in the film, as well as their personalities, unique attributes, and other aspects that some claim to make the Michael Bay movies worse. The term is used widely to describe or express distaste regarding the less than perfect nature of the Michael Bay Transformers, and is also used in broader terms to express distaste for the Bay films altogether.

Most of the Bayformers have a lot of parts that spin. Megatron, also known as the Pineapple-former, is a typical example of a Bayformer. One design element common to the atypical Bayformer is that, although still alien in appearance, the Autobots have decidedly more human faces than their Decepticon foes, while the Decepticons are far more reptillian/insectoid in appearance. This is most likely used to make the Autobots appear more friendly and reliable, and the Decepticons more evil and dangerous. Unlike their original designs, the Bayformers have some type of blood, and saliva making them appear more alien than machine, and some of them even possesses tentacles.

In most other forms of media that the Transformers have appeared in, such as the first Transformers film made in 1986, the Transformers have presumably had better armor, since human-manufactured weapons such as bullets and rockets didn't effect them in the slightest, whereas in Michael Bay's movies they damage the Bayformers easily. When Bayformers die, their heads always fall off- no matter how they're killed. For example, in one of Michael Bay's films a Bayformer is shot in the chest, yet it's head falls down, and head snaps off for no logical reason. While this observation may be a coincidence, it certainly detracts from the film itself. The weapons the Bayformers use in the films are usually weapons that fire more conventional types of ammunition, such as bullets, rockets, and more recently what may be a shotgun equivalent, while in every other appearance, the Transformers have primarily used weapons that fire lasers, or some other type of condensed energy instead.

While some fans prefer the more complex designs of the Transformers from Michael Bay's films because they offer a more intricate, detailed and modern appearance, others dislike them because of their lack of individual character. Older fans of Transformers, or those who have watched the original Generation One Transformers show are more familiar with the likenesses of the characters in the Michael Bay movies, and are usually subsequently dissapointed with the way in which they are displayed in the Bay films, as opposed to their original characteristics. For example, Bumblebee, who was originally depicted in G1 as soft spoken, kind, and humble, the Bayformer equivalent in the first Bay film was sarcastic, erratic and occasionally crude for the sake of 'humor.' Some fans are also dissapointed with the vehicle forms that the Bayformers take, as opposed to their original forms from G1. Some examples include:

-Ratchet, who was originally a onebox ambulance, but who's Bayformer equivalent took the form of a Humvee.

-Optimus Prime, who originally took the form of a cab-over-engine red Freightliner truck, but takes the form of a Peterbilt truck in Michael Bay's movies that was not a cabover, and with an unconventional flame paint scheme that annoyed many Prime fans.

-Jazz, who originally transformed into a Martini Racing Porsche 935, was represented by a modified Pontiac Solstice, which many argue is too lackluster to represent Jazz.

-Bonecrusher, originally a Constructicon, was represented as an MRAP Buffalo military vehicle, which strays from not only his original vehicle form, but also his character altogether.

-Bumblebee, who was a VW Beetle in G1, was changed into a Camaro for the Bay films, and while the Beetle is an understandably uncool car, many argue that a Porsche would have better fit the character.

-Mirage, who not only lost his original vehicle form of an F1 car to a red Ferrari 458 Italia -a vehicle more suited to Sideswipe should he have appeared- but also was given (of all things) a Spanish accent.

-Soundwave, who -originally being a tapedeck- needed a vehicle form that would in some way display the fundamentals of being able to record and relay information (which was the tapedeck form's primary function), like, say... a News van, or a mobile satellite communications vehicle, or... a Mercedes SLS AMG. (Yes, he was a satellite for a time- that isn't the criticism, here.)

Devastator, who was originally a massive, Green and Purple two legged Decepticon, was represented in the films as a four legged multi-colored monstrosity, with (again, for the sake of bad humor... testicles. Yup.)

And many, many others suffer from similar issues.

Fans also become irritated when Transformers in the Bay films do very out-of-character things, for the sake of a one liner or action scene. A perfect example can be found in Transformers 3, when Optimus Prime is in combat with Sentinel Prime at the end of the film. Remember back in the original film from the eighties when Optimus is fighting Megatron, his arch nemesis, and when Megatron is nearly defeated by Prime and begging for mercy? Optimus was willing to spare him, even after he had destroyed a city, killed Autobots and fought him in intense combat. However, in the third Bay film, Dark of the Moon, Optimus nearly loses his life to Sentinel Prime, to be saved by Megatron, desiring to stay in power. Prime, for some ludicrous reason, goes completely out of character and kills Megatron, after he didn't fight him, but saved him. Not only that, but after leaving Megatron in a state of dismemberment, he returns to the now-battered nearly destroyed Sentinel Prime, and -acting more like the Decepticon he just deactivated than the Prime most know and love, Bayformer Optimus levels his weapon, and shoots the wounded, defenseless Sentinel through the head. Many who criticize the film argue that if there ever was a less "Optimus Prime" thing to do, it would be killing A. Someone who saved your life, or B. Someone who could not fight back.

Many others still find it upsetting that the Transformers in the films have to "share the spotlight" with popular human characters. For example, in the first film, it isn't Optimus Prime who vanquishes Megatron, but Sam Witwicky- a human boy. Furthermore, in every Bayformers film, there tends to be a female character who is a stereotypical model who wears revealing clothing and says suggestive things. While this may please some people, it displeases many Transformers fans, and for a film series marketed towards children, many see that particular role as unfit for such an audience.

Fans also become annoyed at the fact that Michael Bay seems to make the same mistakes in every Transformers film he has made. Many thought that after the first film, if Bay was directing it, he would hear the pleas from the Transformers fanbase, and make changes. Yet, to this day the same shortcomings have not yet been fixed in any of the films.

It is primarily for these reasons that the Transformers films have become increasingly unpopular among some Transformers fans.