Stasis lock

Stasis lock or just stasis is a critical state of being for Cybertronians. Stasis lock is a sort of coma that allows a Transformer to stay alive, running at the lowest level of power despite energy loss or damage. Stasis lock can come about in a few different ways.

The first way is from a shock of massive damage. When the Ark crashed on Earth all of the occupants on board were retconned into emergency stasis lock. At various times during the Beast Wars combatants had to be returned to their respective bases due to going into stasis lock after being badly damaged.

The second way seems to be a more gradual process and can come about from damage and energy depletion. Dinobot was told by his internal computer to go into stasis lock or risk losing his spark. This method is a conscious decision and the Transformer can choose to override stasis lock, unlike the first way which seems to be an unconscious action by the Transformer's on-board computer.

Sometimes it can benefit Cybertronians, especially if they are tired or injured.

Note: The concept of stasis lock was first introduced in the Beast Wars TV series. Stasis lock was retconned into being a Generation One term and has since been applied to nearly all subsequent versions of the Transformers story.

Fiction

Transformers Animated

The term is used in a different sense here – through the use of Stasis Cuffs a Cybertronian can be prevented from moving or using special abilities without being rendered unconscious or incapable of speech. Sentinel Prime referred to the condition as stasis lock. Mission Accomplished

Transformers Cinematic Universe

Transformers

Megatron ended up in stasis lock after crash-landing on Earth in search of the AllSpark where he was found by Archibald Witwicky; Witwicky unfortunately briefly reactivated Megatron's tracking systems which burned a map to the AllSpark on his glasses, partially blinding him and rendering him insane.

Megatron was still in stasis lock at Hoover Dam under the watch of Sector Seven before Starscream took out the dam's power supply and Frenzy disabled the cooling ventilation keeping Megatron frozen. When Megatron woke up after thawing out he was not happy and proceeded to trash the room he was in before transforming and escaping his makeshift prison.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Jetfire, an ancient ex-Decepticon Seeker entered stasis lock on Earth while in the form of the SR-71 Blackbird and ended up in the Air and Space Museum. It is unknown exactly why he entered it but it is probably because of his old age. When Samuel James Witwicky, Mikaela Banes, Leo Spitz and Seymour Simmons found him an AllSpark shard revived him and brought him out of stasis lock; Jetfire displayed no injuries that could have sent him into it (the Allspark shard could have healed that), but had a very hard time getting around and fell apart due to a lack of energon. Despite this he proved to be a very useful source of information and even in his weakened state, proved to be an effective fighter killing both Mixmaster and Scorponok although his ranged weapons apparently didn't work (and one was shown malfunctioning) as he used his fists and Cybertronian Axe.

In the novel Optimus wasn't killed but simply sent into stasis lock for a very long time by Cybertronian standards. In that version he was also only stabbed through the back and not blasted also. When Sam brought him back all he did was bring Optimus out of stasis lock, not resurrect him.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Sentinel Prime entered stasis to protect himself and the Pillars. Optimus Prime brought him out using the Matrix of Leadership.

Transformers: Age of Extinction

After escaping from Lockdown and the Cemetery Wind, Optimus Prime entered stasis due to the damage his sustained until he was awakened by Cade Yeager.

Transformers: The Last Knight

When searching for his Creators, Optimus went into stasis in cold space until he crash landed on the destroyed Cybertron.

The Covenant of Primus

To defeat Unicron, the Thirteen concocted a plan where the youngest of their number, Optimus Prime would enter the Chaos-Bringer and expose his Primus-like Spark to Unicron's Anti-Spark, the resulting interaction knocking both into stasis lock. While Optimus was revived by Quintus Prime's Emberstone, Vector Prime created a time-loop around Unicron with the intent of leaving him comatose forever.

When the Great Cataclysm struck Cybertron the few Primes left rounded up as many survivors as they could and led them underground to wait out the out cataclysm in protective caves where they instructed their followers on how to enter stasis. Left on the surface by Prima, the Predacons attempted to fly to safety before vague instinctual knowledge of stasis lock kicked in and they attempted to seek shelter underground.

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron

After being attacked by a swarm of Insecticon, Sludge was badly damaged and forced to enter stasis lock. His body was discovered by Jazz and Cliffjumper.

Transformers Prime

"Masters and Students"

Skyquake was in stasis until Starscream and Soundwave awakened him by placing an Energon Cube inside his stasis pod. When Starscream found Megatron floating in space he had no choice but to bring his master to the Nemesis where his body was immediately put into stasis.

"Scrapheap"

Scraplets were in stasis until they were brought into the Autobot base. They eventually broke out of their pod and would've nearly destroyed the base if wasn't for the humans saving their friends.

"T.M.I."

Bulkhead was put in stasis by Ratchet to examine the data that was stored in his head. Ratchet examined Bulkhead again after the data was gone from his mind. Bulkhead woke up from stasis when Miko played their favorite song on her guitar.

" One Shall Rise, Part 1"

Unicron awakens from stasis inside Earth when the planetary alignment aligns planets in a straight motion.

"One Shall Rise, Part 3"

Unicron was put back in stasis after Optimus used the Matrix of Leadership on his spark.

"Orion Pax, Part 2"

An Insecticon awakens from its stasis pod and follows Jackson Darby and Arcee around on Cybertron.

Operation: Bumblebee, Part 2

Bumblebee awakens from stasis after he fell off a cliff.

"Armada"

Arcee traps Airachnid in an Insecticon stasis pod.

Flying Mind

The possessed Nemesis uses its Stasis Beam to put Bumblebee, Arcee, Bulkhead, Optimus Prime, Megatron, Dreadwing, Soundwave, Knock Out and the Vehicons in stasis. They were pulled out of it when the humans stopped the possessed warship.

"Hurt"

Bulkhead was put in stasis by Ratchet when he was severely injured by Hardshell and exposed to Tox-En.

"New Recruit"

Smokescreen explained to Optimus Prime, Ratchet, Arcee and Bumblebee that he arrived on Earth in a Decepticon escape pod because he was captured aboard and went into stasis. He woke up from stasis when they found him.

"Darkmount, NV"

After Optimus was crushed by the Decepticons blowing up the Autobot base he went into stasis after he was saved by Smokescreen from capture.

"Rebellion"

Optimus went into deep stasis and saw Alpha Trion in the AllSpark. Alpha Trion tried to convince Optimus to join the AllSpark, but Smokescreen was able to use the Forge of Solus Prime to revive Optimus in a new body.

"Thirst"

Airachnid awoke from her stasis pod before Leland Bishop infected her with a mix of Synthetic Energon and Dark Energon, turning her into another Terrorcon.

"Evolution"

The Predacon clones in Shockwave's lab on Earth were in C.N.A.-filled stasis pods until Wheeljack used a bomb to destroy them with Ultra Magnus's approval.

"Minus One"

Soundwave went into stasis when he was captured by the Autobots after erasing his memory banks. Laserbeak eventually tracked down William Fowler and attached himself to Soundwave's chest thus waking him up.

"Predacons Rising"

Unicron awoke from stasis again and used Megatron's body as a vessel to destroy Cybertron.

Transformers: Robots in Disguise 2015

The prisoners aboard the Alchemor were kept in stasis lock by Stasis Pods until Megatronus caused the ship to break apart and crash, freeing the captive Decepticons. Pilot, Part 1 Decepticon Island, Part 1

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