Megatron (BW)


 * Megatron is a Predacon, a Vehicon, and a Decepticon in the Beast Era portion of the Generation 1 continuity family. He's a busy villain. Yessss.



Megatron has one goal -- restoring glory and power to the Predacon race, with himself at the helm. What distinguishes Megatron from the countless others who share this goal is his chutzpah. He is willing to risk everything &mdash; time, space, himself &mdash; if need be.

Megatron is skillful at orchestrating vast schemes by manipulating others into doing them for him -- an idle suggestion here, a conspicuously-planted object of interest there. He knows his enemies inside and out and exactly how to provoke them. He has no friends, only pawns. Because of this attitude, this superiority complex, he despises working with the very troops he needs to carry out his plans. His hubris does not make him very popular, and so he must rely on power and fear to rule them.

Megatron is a gambler and can sometimes be a ham. (His manner of saying "Yesss..." is practically vaudevillian.) He has a twisted sense of humor and an over-developed sense of drama which rule everything he conceives, both long and short term. When he destroys you, he wants you to know that it was he who did this, and just how badly you were had. This is his greatest weakness. Like a Bond villain, he'll gladly boast to the hero at length about how smart and clever he was, giving his victim time to formulate a counterattack (he admits the Predacons sometimes gloat too much). He often sabotages himself by neglecting the quick and easy solutions for the bigger, meaner, and more complex.

Prior to the signing of the Pax Cybertronia, Megatron was a field commander in the Predacon army, where he learned much about strategy and tactics. Upon ratification of peace with the Maximal Imperium most Predacons laid down their arms. Megatron refused and went rogue.

Japanese name: Megalligator (alligator) European-market name: Dragone (Transmetal 2), Metal T-Rex (Transmetal)

Beast Wars II catalog


On planet Cybertron, Megatron once disagreed with Galvatron over opinions on galactic conquest, and engaged him in battle over it. At the time, Megatron momentarily let his guard down, and was defeated. Galvatron declared "Your era is over, Megatron!"

Later, Megatron noted that while Galvatron was ambitious, he cared for his underlings - and although he was loathe to admit it, he acknowledged that Galvatron probably had all the regal bearing of a new Emperor of Destruction.

Dreamwave comics continuity
After stealing the Golden Disk (wrongly drawn as the Alien Disk), Megatron broke into Vector Sigma along with Dinobot and reviewed historical files on many of the Autobots and Decepticons from the Generation 1 era. He told Dinobot to refer to him henceforth as Megatron.

Timelines: Dawn of Futures Past
On Cybertron, Megatron wore removable transformable armor, which transformed into a missile-launching armored platform, over his basic bodyframe (which transforms into a hovertank). This quickly-discarded outer shell was possibly used to comply with the ratification of the Pax Cybertronia, which required Predacons to lay down their arms. A Predacon field commander before the peace, Megatron refused to comply with these new regulations and struck out on his own to destroy the Maximal Imperium.

With some help from various sources, he assembled a crew of ragtag criminals and miscreants for the purpose of stealing the Golden Disk and using it to find Earth. Succeeding in stealing the disk, he, his lieutenant, and another accomplice fought their way out of the Archives, eliminating one guard and dodging another. They were swiftly picked up by the Darksyde, a ship stolen by the rest of their crew.

Megatron instructed Tarantulas to study the disk for the coordinates of Earth while the Darkside battled its several pursuers. Although they were followed by the Maximal ships Axalon and the Chromia 10, the Darksyde ' s mission was also aided by a third ship crewed by the Predacon agents Laserbeak and Buzzsaw. Though the Chromia 10 and the Predacon ship were destroyed, the Darksyde was still followed by the Axalon. Megatron removed his transformable armor and patched a video feed through to the Axalon's captain, Optimus Primal. Declaring himself the leader of the Predacons, Megatron opened a transwarp portal through which both ships travelled.

Beast Wars

 * Voice actor: David Kaye (Canadian), Shigeru Chiba (Japan)

After stealing the Maximal relic, the Golden Disk, and a ship, he and his crew were followed through a transwarp portal by the Axalon. After crashing on a planet that was supposed to be Earth, yet seemingly wasn't, both the Maximals and the Predacons took organic beast forms to protect themselves against the massive amount of Energon radiation. Megatron now transformed into a purple Tyrannosaurus rex.

Dinobot chastised Megatron, accusing him of leading the Predacons to the wrong planet and challenged Megatron for leadership of the Predacons. Megatron simply ignored the challenge and had Scorponok dispose of him.

Despite the loss of a formidable crony, Megatron positioned himself on the new world and the "Beast Wars" began. Being on a world filled with Energon allowed Terrorsaur to find a superhorde, and power himself to great levels. With this power, Terrorsaur was able to demolish Megatron in battle and take over the Predacons. However, through the Maximals' actions, the superhorde was destroyed. Terrorsaur was eventually ridden of his newfound power and returned to an angered Megatron, who was rebuilt by Scorponok.

Again, Terrorsaur tried to usurp Megatron, this time using an apparently-turned Rattrap, who used a device to paralyze Megatron. The Predacons argued over who would be leader, but agreed to put Rattrap and Megatron away for the time being. Megatron was able to easily escape using his secret voice commands, leaving Rattrap to his fate. Revealing himself to have escaped, Megatron allowed Terrorsaur to lead the Predacons in battle with the Maximals. Terrorsaur failed miserably, showing his ineptitude to the Predacons, which was Megatron's plan all along.

Megatron later formulated a plan to get off Earth. First, he had the other Predacons act dissatisfied with his leadership, causing a battle that apparently destroyed the Predacons, using a Maximal spy camera that he was aware of to play out the trick. Then, the Maximals scavenged the Darksyde for parts to repair the Axalon ' s stardrive. Dinobot discovered the deception and rushed to warn the leaving Maximals. In the scuffle, Megatron snuck aboard. In the Axalon, he managed to knock out every Maximal on the ship but Rattrap, who he started crushing to death. An angered Rhinox woke up and threw Megatron off the Axalon. However, Megatron's tail weapon was stuck in the console, causing the Axalon to crash. Again.

Later, Megatron caught wind of the return of the Vok and called a ceasefire between the two factions, realizing he had more important things to worry about. The Vok did indeed return, and planned to destroy the planet the Transformers were on with their massive Planet Buster (cleverly disguised as the Moon). Optimus Primal managed to stop the planet buster after flying close to it within a modified stasis pod. Megatron added a little surprise for Primal within the pod, though; locking the door so that Primal could not escape and was destroyed when the planet buster exploded.

The quantum surge from the exploding planet buster bathed Megatron in quantum energies, upgrading him into a transmetal. Megatron quickly rallied his forces and attempted an all-out attack on the leader-less Maximals. Megatron and the Predacons took the upperhand in battle until a transmetal Optimus Primal (brought back online by Rhinox) saved the day.

With both factions now aware that the planet they were stranded on was really prehistoric Earth, Megatron was free to put his full plan into motion. Locating the crashed Ark, Megatron attempted to alter history by assassinating the unconscious Optimus Prime. By doing so, he intended to ensure the defeat of the Autobots and thus the victory of the Decepticons and Predacons. (For unknown reasons, he showed no concern that such a drastic change to the timestream might erase his own existence.)

The Maximals managed to save Prime's life by having Teletraan-1 repair his body while Optimus Primal kept his spark within his own structure, transforming his body into a more powerful form. The Maximals defeated Megatron and returned Prime's spark to its proper place.



Megatron was not to be outdone. He managed to sneak inside the Ark (which was now the new Maximal base) and take the spark of the original Megatron, seeking to replicate the effect Optimus Prime's spark had on Primal's body. He placed his namesake's spark within his body, transforming himself into a powerful dragon. With this newfound body, Megatron was able to give Optimus Primal a sound beating, until chased away by the entire Maximal group.

Megatron's next evil scheme involved the legendary Decepticon battleship, the Nemesis. After finding the ship deep beneath the ocean, Megatron intended to pilot it back to the future and lay waste to the Maximals on Cybertron. First, however, he planned to annihilate the Ark on prehistoric Earth. Primal infiltrated the Nemesis and kept Megatron busy until Rhinox could fly a shuttlecraft through the bridge and take the Predacon out. The Nemesis crashed a second time and thus preserved history.

After returning the original Megatron's spark to its proper body, the Maximals headed back to Cybertron with the incarcerated Megatron shackled to the outside of their ship.

Robot Masters (Japan-only)
Voice actor: Toshitsugu Takashina (Japan)

Taking advantage of the Blasty Zone as a means of time travel (and apparently size-enhancer), Megatron journeyed to a point in history where the original Megatron had gone missing, leaving the Decepticons without a leader. "Beast Megatron" took command of the Decepticons, leading them on a quest to collect a powerful element, solitarium, from within the Earth. Beast Megatron's plans were quickly thwarted by Optimus Prime and a troop of time-displaced Autobots and Maximals, including Star Saber, Victory Leo, Lio Convoy and Beast Megatron's arch nemesis, Optimus Primal.

Beast Megatron later discovered a large deposit of solitarium beneath New York City, and along with Starscream, Smokesniper, Gigant Bomb and Wingstun, laid waste to the Big Apple. The Autobots, accompanied by Reverse Convoy, arrived and dealt with Beast Megatron's forces quickly. However, Reverse Convoy revealed himself to be the original Megatron in disguise and betrayed them. Now going by the name Rebirth Megatron, he teamed up with Beast Megatron and the pair made trouble for the Autobot commanders. However, the Autobots were able to defeat the two Megatrons, sending the villains into retreat.

Beast Wars Metals manga
(Note: although it picks up after the events of the first season, the Beast Wars Metals manga is not in-continuity with the television series.)

Megatron is a bumbling oaf constantly leading the Predacons against the forces of the Maximals.

IDW Beast Wars comics


After dispatching Rampage and Inferno to oversee the installation of Sentinel into the Darkside, Megatron was attacked by Magmatron, who had been assigned to arrest him by the Tripredacus Council. Although Megatron kicked Magmatron's ass, he was ambushed and paralyzed by Iguanus and Drill Bit. Magmatron intended to use a transwarp shunt to transport his prisoner back to Cybertron. Thanks to the intervention of Grimlock, Optimus Minor, and Razorbeast, Magmatron was sent home empty-handed. Razorbeast was tempted to dispatch the prone Megatron, but released him instead, due to his desire to avoid interfering with the timeline.

Beast Machines
Voice actor: David Kaye (US), Shigeru Chiba (Japan)

Breaking free from his constraints on the Autobot shuttle while it traveled through transwarp space, Megatron arrived back home on Cybertron well before the Maximals did. Using technology of his own devising and of Cryotek's, he took over the entire planet, and stored the spark of every last inhabitant under his citadel. At some point in this period, Megatron became convinced that beast modes and other vestiges of the organic were an abomination that should be scoured from Cybertron, leaving only technological purity. (Whereas before he had seemed perfectly pleased with his dinosaur and dragon beast modes.) Additionally, Megatron seemed to have undergone a change. Gone was the ham who sought conquest for the sake of glory and power. He now spoke as if a god, almost reminicent of his quotes from the Covenant of Primus. His actions were based not on the thirst for revenge on Maximals but in hopes of becoming a grand liberator for their kind. in addition where as recently as the final battle of the beast wars, he would flatten a subordinate for even mentioning "the H word" he now would keep his word even at the risk of future losses. This was a new and even madder Megatron.

When the Maximals arrived in their shuttle, they found the planet empty aside from countless mindless drones controlled by Megatron. Megatron's drones immediately bombarded the Maximals with devolving gas to revert their powerful Transmetal bodies to normal beast mode bodies, and they were also affected by a transformation lock virus which Megatron had used to help him conquer the planet in the first place.

Despite his best efforts, the Maximals escaped, and learned to transform again after Primal used the Oracle's power to reformat them. They began making short work of his Vehicons, so he removed three sparks from his collection to create Vehicon generals which could think on their feet in battle. For the generals he chose sparks of Transformers that the Maximals already knew, such that if they ever discovered the sparks' identities, they would be reluctant to destroy them: Silverbolt became Jetstorm, Rhinox became Tankor, and Waspinator became Thrust. After Jetstorm was reformated into Silverbolt and Rhinox reawakened and destroyed, Megatron used the sparks of Obsidian and Strika to replace them.

However, Megatron still retained his own beast mode, unwilling to take the momentary risk of transfering his spark to a new body. After releasing the energies of the Key to Vector Sigma and the Plasma Energy Chamber, Megatron attempted to transfer his spark to another body, but wound of stuck in Savage/Noble, a purely organic creature. Eventually, Megatron would transfer his spark to the Grand Mal, a vessel shaped in his own head. He attempted to consume the captured sparks, but Nightscream managed to depolarize his spark, causing it to jump between discarded shells and attack everyone in a zombie like fashion. Rattrap would use a spark extractor to repolarize his spark, allowing Megatron to regain his senses, but trapping him in a diagnostic drone.

Ultimately, Megatron succeeded in capturing the sparks of all the Maximals, leaving just Optimus Primal and himself as the only two Transformers on the entire planet. At the end of a fierce one-on-one fight, in which Megatron wore a copy of the powerful Optimal Optimus body, Megatron began consuming his amassed sparks, growing ever more powerful. However, when he attempted to use the Key to Vector Sigma to transform the planet's organic core into technomatter, Primal managed to dislodge them both. They plummeted into the planet's goopy core and, somehow, Primal was able to reformat the entire planet, destroying himself and Megatron completely, but freeing all the lost sparks to repopulate their newly redecorated planet.

Beast Wars Reborn text story
Both Megatron and Optimus Primal awoke inside a bizare temple-like spaceship which was hurtling through space. Neither had any memory of who they were or how they got there, only their own names and a feeling of discomfort between one another. The pair went about investigating the ship in search of answers. While Megatron's memory was lost, his personality remained mostly intact: he was more concerned with sezing control of the ship before Primal did in order to gain the upperhand.

They eventually found a data log and discovered that their sparks had been taken and they were reborn into new bodies (unbeknownst to them, bodies identical to their original forms). However, their memories were intentionally not uploaded into their new bodies. While searching the log they discovered that the ship's main power source was a Golden Disk lodged within a giant piller. Megatron immediately raced to obtain the Disk and Primal followed him. The closer they got to the disk the more the ship attempted to thwart their advance by manipulating its atmosphere conditions.

Once they reached the chamber the ship's environment suddenly morphed to that of a decaying planet littered with the corpses of robots. The corpses came to life and began shambling toward them, intent on eating their sparks. They made short work of the zombies, leaving Megatron to obtain the Golden Disk and Primal with a feeling that he shouldn't entirely trust Megatron.

From another dimension beyond time and space, Primus recognized that something was amiss and sent one of his messengers to meet Primal and Megatron within the spaceship.

Universe
When Optimus Primal's spark is revived from the within the Matrix to protect the multiverse, this action freed Megatron's spark as well. The reborn Megatron returned to the ranks of the Predacons, but this time, Optimus Primal found himself in an uneasy alliance with him against Unicron. Megatron traveled with his old nemesis from universe to universe, wherever the growing multiversal conflict had spread. But now with Unicron disappeared into the Unicron Singularity, it remains to be seen whether Megatron's insane ambition will resurface.

Prior to the Universe Conflict an alternate dimension's Megatron was killed by a Tigerhawk who was corrupted by the Vok. Yet another dimension's Megatron was killed by it's realities Obsidian and Tankor. All three Megatron-murderers were eventualy promoted to the rank of Unicron's General. It seems that killing Megatron may be part of Unicron's criteria for choosing a General.

Beast Wars

 * Optimus Primal vs. Megatron (Basic 2-pack, 1996)
 * Japanese ID number: D-6


 * The initial version of Beast Wars Megatron transformed into a green alligator. He was only availble in this two pack with the bat version of Optimus Primal.


 * Megatron (Ultra, 1996)
 * Japanese ID number: D-1




 * This Megatron transformed into a purple organic Tyrannosaurus dinosaur. He has limited articulation in beast mode, but his dinosaur head can shoot water. In robot mode, he has no hands, as his right arm ends with his dino head, and his tail, folded into a pincer, forms his left arm. The outer shells of his dinosaur thighs conceal spring-loaded missile launchers that fire anchor-shaped projectiles.


 * His robot head feature two bat-like wing adornments that fold to become a battlemask.


 * This mold was also used to make Beast Machines Dinobots T-Wrecks.


 * Convobat vs Megaligator (Basic 2-pack, 1997)
 * Japanese ID number: S-1


 * This figure is a purple redeco of Megatron's Gator form, and was sold with a red and blue redeco of Bat Primal. This may or may not be intended to be the same character as Megatron or G1 Megatron.


 * Megatron (Transmetal Mega, 1998)
 * Japanese ID number: D-40




 * The third Beast Wars Megatron toy transformed into a mechanical Tyrannosaurus. In beast mode he has some useful articulation, located in his legs, jaw and tail. As with all Transmetal toys, he has a 'third' vehicle mode, in this case a tyrannosaurus with rollerskates (which flipout from his legs) and jet engines on the sides on upper thighs.


 * Really.


 * In robot mode, he finally has two hands, with his tail becoming a flexible, segmented cutlass weapon, though it was depicted in most media as a new version of his main cannon. This cutlass/cannon weapon can be stored at his side on the connector piece it was attached to when it beast mode.


 * There are some color differences between this the American and Japanese versions: the American had a light purple-ish glittery plastic for the beast-mode hands, tail, and skates while the Japanese had simple light gray instead. This mold was retooled used to make Armada Predacon.


 * Megatron (Transmetal 2 Ultra, 1999)
 * Japanese ID number: D-47




 * The final version of Beast Wars Megatron transformed into a mostly mechanical dragon, with articulation in his legs, little dragon arms and his flexible, rubber neck with vacuum metalised overlapping plates attached on top. The neck was flexible able to be controlled and locked into position by a small lever located at its base. Two projectiles stored in his wings can be fired from a spring-loaded launcher inside his dragon's mouth.


 * In robot mode, Megatron resembles a winged demon, appropriate given his characterisation. His chest is dominated by a small cockpit with a control chair inside (see Trivia). Megatron's dragon neck and head replaces his left arm, with an additional missile launcher above his helmet.


 * Transmetal 2 Megatron has a third 'vehicle' mode, which appears to be an afterthought, as it basically involves the dragon sitting very low to the ground so the wheels mounted on the legs and body can make contact and roll.


 * This mold was also used to make Robots in Disguise Cryotek.

Beast Machines

 * Megatron (Mega, 2000)
 * Japanese ID number: BR-05




 * The first Beast Machines incarnation of Megatron is based on his Transmetal 2 dragon form, but with Beast Machines design style at a lower price point. The result was a weak copy of the larger, much more detailed predecessor.


 * Like his television counterpart, his wings can fold around himself to create the control armour/cloak.


 * Megatron (McDonald's Happy Meal, 2000)
 * Transforms from cloaked robot mode to a very weak dragon mode.


 * Megatron (Kids' meal, 2000)


 * The McDonald's Happy Meal Megatron was also released in Australia through the Red Rooster restaurant chain. Like the other three toys, it came in four color schemes. Strangely enough, the toy was labeled as "Nightscream" on the plastic baggy it came in.


 * Beast Changer (Deluxe, 2001)
 * Japanese ID number: BR-11


 * A toy version of Savage/Noble, he transforms from a wolf-creature to a dragon creature, with no robot mode.


 * It was later redecoed in show-accurate colours for the Japanese Beast Wars Returns toyline.


 * Megahead Megatron (Beast Wars Returns, 2005)
 * Japanese ID number: BR-12


 * This is a Japanese-exclusive redeco of Robots in Disguise Megabolt Megatron. Megahead Megatron transforms into a head (its design based on the Grand Mal with scuttling spider-leg action, opening jaw for chip-eating action, and a hidden spring-loaded missile launcher in its mouth. In robot mode, the launcher swings over his head, placing a battle mask down over his face.


 * Note: If one removes the toy's spider-legs in head mode, it fits into the head socket to the Fortress Maximus main body. Though this is likely unintented, it is pointed out here as an extra play feature.

Robot Masters

 * Beast Megatron (2004)
 * Japanese ID number: RM-02




 * Beast Megatron is a simplified version of the 1996 Ultra Beast Wars Megatron. Much smaller, it had a very similar transformation and had a sculpt resembling the television series CGI model, but a paint scheme similar to the original toy. He also came with a small laser rifle.

Titanium Series

 * Beast Wars Megatron (3" Robot Master, 2006)




 * For the Titanium series, the initial 3" Megatron toy was based off his 1996 Ultra version. He's kind of squat.

Beast Wars 10th Anniversary

 * Megatron (Beast Wars 10th Anniversary, 2006)




 * For the 10th Anniversary of Beast Wars, Hasbro created an all-new Deluxe-size tooling based mostly upon his original 1996 Tyrannosaurus form, but with technorganic detailing. When a Cyber Planet Key is inserted into his tail, it opens up to reveal a missile launcher.


 * He is also packaged with a mini-comic-sized reprinting of IDW Publishing's The Gathering #1, a small Darksyde ship figurine, and a Jungle Planet style Cyber Planet Key without a Cyber Key Code stamped on it. On its packaging, "Predacon" is misspelled as "Preadacon," but a sticker was placed over it with the proper spelling.


 * This mold was redecoed and released as Cybertron Megatron. It's worth noting that the scuplt for both BW10 leader toys were intentionally designed to blend in with the Jungle Planet aesthetic, "in case" they didn't get a Beast Wars Anniversary release (according to Aaron Archer's statements at BotCon 2005).


 * Optimus Primal vs. Megatron (Ultra 2-pack, 2006)
 * Japanese ID number: BWR-01




 * For the 10th Anniversary of Beast Wars, Takara retooled the original 1996 Ultra-sized Megatron toy, giving him a new head sculpt and a new paint scheme based upon the appearance of the CGI model used in the Beast Wars television series.


 * The 1996 Ultra-sized Optimus Primal was also retooled and redecoed in the same manner.


 * Both figures were released in the US later as a 2-pack Toys-R-Us exclusive.


 * Megatron (Deluxe, 2007)
 * Japanese ID number: TM-02


 * A redeco of Robot Masters Megatron, with extensive paint details based upon the larger Ultra class Beast Wars Reborn reissue. He came packed with a DVD of an episode of the japanese Beast Wars dub.

Trivia



 * Originally, Transmetal 2 Megatron, along with Optimal Optimus and Tigerhawk were to have small driver-like figures sitting on control chairs located in cockpits on their bodies. These drivers were meant to represent their sparks. But Hasbro then later realized that kids might confuse these spark representations as drivers controlling the robots, so they were abandoned, but the cockpits remain.
 * However, the spark pilot was eventually used in the Japanese release of Cryotek.


 * The Japanese dub of Beast Wars chose to interject humor at every available opportunity. Due to this, Megatron's personality and character were taken on a complete U-turn.  Instead of being a smooth and charismatic leader, he was a screaming maniac and a bumbling oaf.  His most notable character-trait in Japan was that whenever he was fired-upon or startled he would let-out a high-pitched shriek like a little girl.''


 * Megatron's initial basic Beast Wars toy is a retool of Iguanus with new alligator and robot heads, and no frill. The screw hole for the frill bracket remains.  Both toys were released at roughly the same time.


 * The concept art for the original Ultra class figure was largely the same, except in one minor difference: The left arm would have housed an open three clawed hand. The idea of that wouldn't be revisited until the 10th anniversary Deluxe Megatron.