NEST

NEST is a military organization in the live-action film series continuity family.



Following the disbanding of Sector Seven, NEST was set up under William Lennox to create a combined United States Military/Autobot defense force against Decepticons. Though originally an American-Autobot military alliance, it soon expanded to include armed forces from the United Kingdom and other nations.

IDW Transformers movie comics


Approximately one month after the events in Mission City, Sector Seven inadvertently reactivated the Decepticon Wreckage and simultaneously attracted the attention of Starscream, and the subsequent battle leveled Sector Seven's Nevada bunker, costing dozens of lives. Secretary of Defense Keller immediately terminated the clandestine group's operations upon learning of the incident.

In the aftermath, Captain Lennox tried to convince his dubious and hostile superiors at the Pentagon that the Autobots were indeed trustworthy and would be a valuable asset. His superiors impressed upon him that in order for the military to provide full disclosure, the Autobots must cooperate fully, and that the unit was Lennox's responsibility now. After the burial-at-sea of Jazz, Optimus Prime and Lennox agreed that for the protection of their mutual homeworld, they must trust each other and work together as a single team. Sometime later, the newly formed NEST command commenced training at the military base on Diego Garcia.

NEST had a baptism of fire against the Decepticon scouts Swindle and Dead End in San Francisco: the mission was successful although Lennox was criticized for allowing the Autobots to transform on the Golden Gate Bridge. NEST expanded to a multinational force and began taking on Decepticon agents across Earth: Fracture and Overcast were destroyed in Europe, while Dropkick and Incinerator were defeated in Florida. NEST's victories were tempered with the ultimate sacrifice, such as when Salani died battling Jetstorm. When Bumblebee redeployed back to the 'States as Sam Witwicky's guardian, NEST received a much-needed boost in Transformers ranks when Sideswipe, Arcee, Skids and Mudflap came to Earth. This joy was short-lived, however: the Decepticon Demolishor had been sighted in Shanghai, China.

The Veiled Threat prequel novel
As Starscream was spotted in Zambia, gaining control over local rebel groups by using his internal synthesizers to create gold coins, NEST was deployed to the Zambezi River to battle Dropkick, Macerator, and Payload. Beachbreak was killed by Starscream while helping Optimus Prime not fall to his death at Victoria Falls. Starscream's Decepticons attempted to destroy a series of dams, but Prime killed Macerator, while Payload was drowned when the humans entered the dam and opened the flood gates.

Epps, Russian scientist Petr Andronov, Longarm and Knockout went to Peru, while Lennox, Kaminari Ishihara, Prime, Ironhide, and Salvage arrived in the Western Australian Outback. Epps' team fought off Ruination and Blademaster, while Lennox's group encountered Kickback, Tread and Trample. Before dying, Kickback revealed he was part of a Decepticon faction not under Starscream's command, which were trying to gather enough energy to revive Megatron.

At Diego Garcia, a small crab Decepticon infiltrated the base and hacked into the NEST computers before sneaking back into the sea. Despite the break-in, the NEST team continues their usual business, hunting Swindle and Deadend in Rome. Unexpectedly, Starscream challenged Prime to single combat inside the Coliseum. There, Prime fell through a trap door to a subway tunnel extension and into a strong set of restraints arranged by Italian criminal Bruno Carrera - who was promised rule of Europe once Starscream conquered Earth - where he was attacked by Barricade. The humans rescued Prime though, and Barricade and Starscream fled.

Revenge of the Fallen movie
NEST arrived in Shanghai, where Sideswipe took out Sideways and Optimus defeated Demolishor. Returning to their US base, Lennox and Optimus met Theodore Galloway, who was appointed their new Director by the President of the United States, and held a video conference with General Morshower. Galloway noted President Obama's horror at the destruction during the Shanghai battle, and voiced his own opinion that the Decepticons only remained because the Autobots did. Optimus said he respected the humans if they wished them to leave, but also requested Galloway answer what if they left, and the Decepticons kept coming.

Little did they know, Soundwave was listening in on their conversation, overhearing details such as Megatron's location in the Laurentian Abyss, and the last All Spark fragment in storage at Diego Garcia. Ravage was deployed to steal the fragment, which Scalpel used to revive their leader. The reborn Megatron went after Sam Witwicky, and Optimus died protecting him. Following Optimus' death, the Decepticons arrived in greater numbers during bolder attacks under the leadership of Megatron's master, The Fallen, and Galloway ordered the termination of NEST and that the Autobots retreat to Diego Garcia.

But Seymour Simmons contacted Lennox, revealing he had travelled to Egypt with Sam to unravel the Decepticons' plot. During their flight to Diego Garcia, Lennox had the pilots fake landing trouble so Galloway would parachute off the plane, so they could land outside the pyramids instead. Soundwave blocked off NEST's radio signals to the United States military, but Simmons was able to use a radio from a Jordanian helicopter to request backup from the nearby United States Navy. NEST held off the Decepticons until Sam arrived with the Matrix of Leadership, which he used to resurrect Optimus, and the Autobot leader subsequently defeated The Fallen.

Humans

 * Technical Sergeant Robert Epps (United States Air Force)
 * Captain/Major William Lennox (United States Army Rangers)
 * Burke
 * Salani
 * Kaminari Ishihara — Cyberneticist
 * Petr Andronov — "AI genius"
 * General Marks
 * Graham
 * All those who complete the NEST missions

Autobots

 * Optimus Prime
 * Ironhide
 * Ratchet
 * Bumblebee
 * Longarm
 * Salvage
 * Beachbreak
 * Knock Out
 * Sideswipe
 * Mudflap
 * Skids
 * Arcee
 * Jolt
 * Breakaway
 * Dune Runner

Trivia

 * What NEST stands for is not mention on screen. Depending on who you ask, it means:
 * Networked Elements: Supporters and Transformers 
 * Nonbiological Extraterrestrial Species Treaty 
 * Nonbiological Extraterrestrial Species Team LG promotional tie-in website


 * NEST troopers appeared on Cover B of the Revenge of the Fallen prequel comic "Alliance #2", but were nowhere to be seen in the story inside. This is because most of the covers illustrated by Revenge concept artist Josh Nizzi were meant to allude to scenes or situations in the actual Revenge of the Fallen movie itself.


 * The native population of Diego Garcia were expelled from the island to make way for the joint United Kingdom/United States military bases. The Autobots are led by Optimus Prime, who believes freedom is the right of all sentient beings. Err...


 * There is a real US Government agency known as NEST. The Nuclear Emergency Support Team.  Of course, it could just be a cover for joint operations with alien robots...


 * ROTF Voyager Class Ironhide features a different NEST symbol on his alt-mode doors; a white Autobot symbol wearing a red beret with 'special program' written underneath.


 * The badge on one of the NEST OPS soldiers says "If I Tell You, I Will Kill You" in a circular logo, and enclosed is an upside-down medieval broadsword with hilt. (Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen)