Headmaster (Primax)

Headmasters are the early prototypes of a process known as binary bonding, in which a Transformer and another being are able to share their thoughts and sensations through an almost psychic link. In the case of a Headmaster, this other being is able to actually transform into the larger Transformer's head, usually replacing the original head - which is removed as part of the initial process. Although usually this bond is to a Nebulan, the species who invented the procedure, some Transformers have been known to bond with humans, Mini-Cons, and even other Autobots or Decepticons.

History
The first and original intent of the Headmaster process was to allow a Nebulan to control the body of a Transformer. This was initially done as a kind of enslavement, forcing Autobots to give up their heads and placing them completely under the power of their Nebulan partners (hence the term Headmaster). Since the Headmaster can provide all of the motivation for a Transformer to move and fight without the Transformer even needing to be conscious (or alive), and can so easily override the will of the Transformer he or she is bonded to, many Autobots and Decepticons find this technology disturbing. There are, however, many benefits to the procedure - enough so that after facing Autobot Headmasters in combat, the Decepticons realised that they needed to take advantage of this technology as well. Although the initial partners were Nebulans, several humans were also involved in this process, including both Daniel_Witwicky and Spike_Witwicky.

Headmaster partners are unique amongst their brethren (the Targetmasters and Powermasters) in that they have the power to take full control over the body they are connected to, often against that Transformer's will. Over time, both the Headmasters and their Transformer partners realised that they worked better when both sides had a say in things(two heads being better than one), and the relationship between them evolved from master/slave into a more equal partnership. Later generations of Headmasters eventually began to use Transtectors, robotic bodies that were devoid of sparks and non-sentient, therefore avoiding the messy argument over whether Headmastering was ethical by no longer partnering with living Transformers.

Terminology
In conversation, the term "Headmaster" can apply to both the primary partner (the head), and their signigant other (the body). To be called a "Headmaster", a Transformer needs to have an autonomous partner who changes into their head as part of their transformation sequence. The benefits of this procedure are many: the partner gains control of a larger, more powerful body, and the Transformer gains an extra perspective on the battlefield, being able to utilise both his own ideas and tactics as well as those created by his partner as quickly as if they were coming from his own head (since they are).

Technology
A mini-con or fellow Transformer, of course, has no problem changing their form into that of someone else's head, but some partners need a little help in pulling it off. Human and Nebulan Headmasters do this by use of a special suit of Headmaster armour that is not unlike the Exo-suit worn by Daniel_Witwicky. This armour can be passed on to other people in an emergency, or in the result of a Headmaster's death. The helmet seems to be the most important part of the overall design, since Spike_Witwicky has shown himself able to command the body of Fortress Maximus while wearing only that one part, but the entire suit is needed to transform oneself into the head and take full control.

It has been shown as well that while connected to a Transformer, a Headmaster partner can use their form as an extended kind of advanced life support - at least one Headmaster (Arcee) volunteered for the process in order to save the life of a human ally who had been severely wounded in battle.

Without their head, a Transformer Headmaster is at a severe disadvantage. Most Autobots and Decepticons are shown entering a kind of stasis lock when their heads disconnect from their robot modes, often seeming sluggish and able to perform only the most basic of functions. In their alternate modes, however, a Headmaster seems no different from any other Transformer: if, perhaps, a little more dangerous. With another intelligent being to help with the task of driving, flying, or shooting, the Headmaster is able to focus more clearly on tactics, strategy, or just the task at hand, freeing up considerable processing power from more mundane requirements. This makes a Headmaster capable of extreme multi-tasking and amazingly rapid decision-making, if the two partners have similar attitudes and mindsets.

Flaws
The main weakness in the design comes from conflicts of personality. Since there was never meant to be an equal partnership in the original Headmaster concept, very little attention was paid to how the Transformer and their partner would interact during the original bonding. As the prototypes of the binary bonding idea, the Headmasters suffered from a lack of knowledge on how important this interaction would be. Many early Headmasters simply did not get along with their own bodies, and vice-versa. Because of this, partners would often disagree or be at odds with each other, resulting in confusion in the Transformer as the voices in his head had extended arguments over what to do.

(Note: this was not an unexpected problem for the Transformers. Early combiner teams had similar issues, with the resulting gesatalt being much simpler and less intelligent than the sum of its parts because they did not get along. However, since the Nebulans failed to ask before starting the Headmaster plan, they were not able to avoid this problem)