Transmetal Two's...how powerful are they?

[Razor One]

I voted 2, definitely more powerful.

Though the loss of a vehicular tertiary mode was a bit of step backwards, in regards to power TM2's definitely seem to be more powerful on the whole.

In addition to the already existing transmetal goodness, there is definitely some supernatural hocus pocus going on, what with fast regenerative powers, telekenisis and so forth.

TM2's seem to be more durable as well, being able to take somewhat more punishment then their regular TM brethren.

IMHO though, TM2's and Season 3 simply didnt run long enough to give us all a good and consistent bearing on just how powerful TM2's were. Cheetor is an example of this. In his TM2 metamorphosis episode, he kicked Rampage, DB2, AND Megatron single handedly. In the episode where Tigerhawk is introduced, he gets one-shotted by Tarantulas.

There are simply not enough episodes sporting the features and fighting prowess of TM2's to make a clearcut decision. All we can really do is conjecture.

Had Season 4 been authorised (NO! NOT BEAST MACHINES!) then I think we definitely would have seen TM2 power coming more clearly into play. The unfortunate thing with season 3 is that it feels rushed, both storywise and how TM2's were portrayed.

Insofar as marketing a new set of toys to add too the BW line, they did rather well, as for a storyline/consistency angle, things would have gone better had they had more time on their hands.

[VelociBerg]

????????????

When I said transformation, perhaps I should have said metamorphosis. Transitioning from Transmetal to Dragon form. Lava softened him up, and then he hardened. Like, live smelting!

Ah.

And here's a radical theory from me:

Maybe it had something to do with how Optimus/Megatron felt when taking in the sparks of their G1 ancestor/namesake.

Optimus was being heroic, trying to save the lives of all transformers who were to come afterwards. As a result he became like Optimus Prime--huge, with several alternate modes.

Megatron on the other hand, wanted power. Add hatred towards Tarantulas and Quickstrike into the mix, along with G1 Megatron himself, and it creates an evil creature form--aka--the dragon.

Cheetor is an example of this. In his TM2 metamorphosis episode, he kicked Rampage, DB2, AND Megatron single handedly.

Whoawhoawhoa. Let's not give Cheetor too much credit here. Remember, Rampage and DB2 shot each other, taking them out of the picture and leaving poor Megatron alone against an unknown thing.

In the episode where Tigerhawk is introduced, he gets one-shotted by Tarantulas.

I knew I forgot something. Thanks! And just to add onto the concept of individual power, (and I know people are going to get sick of me using this example, but I can't think of another one) I didn't see Inferno getting put out by a simple web. Nooo. He broke through that sucker to avenge his colony!

Had Season 4 been authorised (NO! NOT BEAST MACHINES!) then I think we definitely would have seen TM2 power coming more clearly into play. The unfortunate thing with season 3 is that it feels rushed, both storywise and how TM2's were portrayed.

Curse Hasbro for wanting to put their toys on the show at the cost of story! Curse them I say!

[Jagna]

R1, im not so sure about the tigerhawk thing. like i said before, its always the intro sessions that do characters good, but in his case i think itys coz he was a) distracted and b)had been introduced and kicked butt previously as tigatron and air razor....tht sounds silly but its the only way i can justify it to fit my theory lol

as for everything else............uhhhhhhh..........nope. i got nothin. yet

[VelociBerg]

R1, im not so sure about the tigerhawk thing. like i said before, its always the intro sessions that do characters good, but in his case i think itys coz he was a) distracted and b)had been introduced and kicked butt previously as tigatron and air razor

Razor was talking about Cheetor, Jag. Not Tigerhawk.

[Jagna]

uh....no he was.....


"tigerhawk got one-shotted by tarantulas" or sumthin like tht

[Razor One]

Cheetor is an example of this. In his TM2 metamorphosis episode, he kicked Rampage, DB2, AND Megatron single handedly. In the episode where Tigerhawk is introduced, he gets one-shotted by Tarantulas.

I was talking about Cheetor, not Tigerhawk, though I can see where some confusion might arise as it is slightly ambigious.

Good point on DB2 and Rampage blasting each other, but we've both seen that they can be intelligent and formidabble enemies in their own right (well, maybe not rampage... he did play dumb at times). I suppose we could discount that episode as it was cheetors introduction episode and they tend to overpower the new or underpower the old.

[Jagna]

ummmm.....well i was on about tigerhawk regardless. i dunno how this confusion started but anyway....

basically i stand by what i said before. the first eps for the noobs and/or new bodies almost always kick all ass and then seem to be depleted of any skills at all....ish....thts an exxageration but im tired so think of it yourselves

[Lyxwal]

Ok then, lemmie propose some stuff.
First on the subject of Tarantulus. He used a web on inferno and he broke free, while Cheetor went down for the count. The big difference is that Tarantulas was Transmetal, meaning his venoms and webs could not only have gotten much more powerful, they could also be blended together!

As for him taking out Tigerhawk, remember that no matter how powerful, a bot is still a bot. Those little bug-bots were probably designed for one of two purposes, a) Incapacitate a bot, or b) Disrupt Vok devices. Seeing as to some extent Tigerhawk was both, I can understand him going down.

Oh, and a pox on you for saying Rampage played it dumb! There is a fine line between playing dumb and simply not caring. Rampage was a lot of things, but stupid isn't one of them.

Now, as for Cheetor wasting megs Dinobot and Rampage, I have a simple solution. He was fast as all get out! Stealth and speed tends to conquer over brute force. If it had been light out, he might not have gotten so lucky because they could see what they were doign better, but because it was dark, he had an advantage.

and Quickstrike was comic relief there.

[Razor One]

Of course rampage played it stupid! We all know he's as intelligent as they come, but I think he was playing it stupid so as to, in some small way, evade being a highly effective soldier for Megs.

Of course, one could say he played it dumb AND didnt care. Had he been somewhat more... motivated... I think he'd be a far more effective soldier then he had been in BW.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some kind of Pox building up on my arms **cough** I think I may **heated sweat** need **red flushing of cheeks** a doctor... **faints**

[VelociBerg]

basically i stand by what i said before. the first eps for the noobs and/or new bodies almost always kick all ass and then seem to be depleted of any skills at all....ish....thts an exxageration but im tired so think of it yourselves

Very true, almost always.

Ok then, lemmie propose some stuff.
First on the subject of Tarantulus. He used a web on inferno and he broke free, while Cheetor went down for the count. The big difference is that Tarantulas was Transmetal, meaning his venoms and webs could not only have gotten much more powerful, they could also be blended together!

Judging by the way that Inferno was getting shocked by one web, while the other one was simply thrown on Cheetor like a warm, fuzzy blanket I think Tarantulas's web was deadlier the first time around.

As for him taking out Tigerhawk, remember that no matter how powerful, a bot is still a bot. Those little bug-bots were probably designed for one of two purposes, a) Incapacitate a bot, or b) Disrupt Vok devices. Seeing as to some extent Tigerhawk was both, I can understand him going down.

I'll lean towards option A, considering how Megatron roasted Tarantulas in the prior episode.

Now, as for Cheetor wasting megs Dinobot and Rampage, I have a simple solution. He was fast as all get out! Stealth and speed tends to conquer over brute force.

But the brute in brute force, Dinobot 2 and Rampage, didn't even take him on.

If it had been light out, he might not have gotten so lucky because they could see what they were doign better, but because it was dark, he had an advantage.

This is true, but since this was his first episode as a TM2, he also got a subsequent power-up.

and Quickstrike was comic relief there.

Quickstrike is comic relief everywhere.

[Lyxwal]

Shocking inferno was damage. Venom is quiter, and can be more lethal.

Of course, considering his obsession with the vok, and using the Transmetal virus on Optimal Optimus (There he is, my little boy. Isn't he cute? LMFAO) I wouldn't be surprised if he could take down transmetals easier then basics. They have Vok energy in them, so thats my guess anyway.

Rampage didn't play dumb. Not in my opinion anyway. I think he just really didn't care about anyone other then Depth Charge, who he took seriously in a sick and twisted sort of way.

And yeah, first appearences tend to have more UMPH to them.

I wonder how different Rampage would have been if Transmutate had lived? Would he keep her hidden and safe from the beast wars? Used her to destroy their opressors? Or maybe even run away and endure the relentless torment Megatron would surely visit upon him when he failed to return?

[VelociBerg]

Shocking inferno was damage. Venom is quiter, and can be more lethal.

Lethal? There was nothing wrong with Cheetor when Tigatron/Airazor woke him up. No pain no gain.

Of course, considering his obsession with the vok, and using the Transmetal virus on Optimal Optimus (There he is, my little boy. Isn't he cute? LMFAO)

Guy, not boy. Sorry. Just love that quote. An awesome Optimus moment.

I wouldn't be surprised if he could take down transmetals easier then basics. They have Vok energy in them, so thats my guess anyway.

How, when basics are that much weaker (ratio-wise) than transmetals? Vok energy or not?

Rampage didn't play dumb. Not in my opinion anyway. I think he just really didn't care about anyone other then Depth Charge, who he took seriously in a sick and twisted sort of way.

And Transmutate. Megatron too, you know he cared about him. [size=0]In a hateful way.[/size]

I wonder how different Rampage would have been if Transmutate had lived? Would he keep her hidden and safe from the beast wars?

My guess? Only tempoarily, training up her skill and control of her power so that...

Used her to destroy their opressors?

...Megatron's days would be numbered.

Or maybe even run away and endure the relentless torment Megatron would surely visit upon him when he failed to return?

...

Nahhhhhh.

[Lyxwal]

A bot is a bot, but bots are different.

Think about it like this,
The sorcerer who practices all fields is powerful, but the sorcerer infused with fire spirits or something if even more powerful. However, the fire-infused can't stand frost spells, and is taken down.

While the analagy is REALLY flawed, it does work. Tarantuals might be able to take down Transmetals easier by turning Vok power against its self.

Of course, someone like him would have a method for taking down anyone in a given situation.

I wonder: After seeing Megatron create a TM2 Dinobot using half of rampage's spark, and what happened when Optimus Primal merged his spark with Optimus Prime's, did Tarantulas ever think of subdueing TM2 Dinobot long enough to steal his half-spark, and merge it with his own, not only to gain more power, but also possibly partial immortality AND maybe even control over Megatron's most powerful unit.

Actually, now that I think about it, I wonder how powerful Rampage would have been if he went TM2? Kind of a scary though, actually.

[VelociBerg]

A bot is a bot, but bots are different.

Yes, individual power is the main factor now.

Think about it like this,
The sorcerer who practices all fields is powerful, but the sorcerer infused with fire spirits or something if even more powerful. However, the fire-infused can't stand frost spells, and is taken down.

While the analagy is REALLY flawed, it does work. Tarantuals might be able to take down Transmetals easier by turning Vok power against its self.

Ehhh. I dunno. This worked on Tigerhawk (if he did indeed do that and not a general capture procedure) because he had two Vok infused inside of him. Quite the Vok-powered battery. On the other hand...

Of course, someone like him would have a method for taking down anyone in a given situation.

Yes, this is what I was going to say. Good thing I read further.

I wonder: After seeing Megatron create a TM2 Dinobot using half of rampage's spark, and what happened when Optimus Primal merged his spark with Optimus Prime's, did Tarantulas ever think of subdueing TM2 Dinobot long enough to steal his half-spark, and merge it with his own, not only to gain more power, but also possibly partial immortality AND maybe even control over Megatron's most powerful unit.

Its a good plan, but it probably never crossed his mind. Fear factor and all. Cuz, y'know, the regular one kicked his ass all the time.

Actually, now that I think about it, I wonder how powerful Rampage would have been if he went TM2? Kind of a scary though, actually.

That depends on which definition of TM2 we're talking about. In this thread, some have classified it as the next step, but overrated. And some say it isn't the next step after all, just a failed experiment.