Predacon (Transformers)
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- This article is about the use of the Predacons as the evil faction of Beast Wars and Transformers: Robots in Disguise. For the original subgroup and the Transformers: Armada character of the same name see Predacons
Predacons are a faction in the fictional Transformers universe created by Hasbro. Previously the name Predacon had been associated with the Transformer group which combined to form Predaking. The faction made their first appearance in the Beast Wars toyline and animated series, and have been represented in various Transformers animated series, comic books and toylines since. A Predacon is most commonly represented as a Decepticon descendant with a new smaller, more energy-efficient body. Though the Decepticons and Predacons share many similarities, several important differences exist, such as leadership and ideals (for example, choosing a pretense of peace with the Maximals rather than maintain a war at all costs). It is not completely known as to how the faction gained predominance over all the other various Decepticon factions, although the comic book miniseries Beast Wars: The Gathering has provided hints that their heritage may be found in the original combiner team Predacons, hints confirmed by the subsequent Timelines: Dawn of Futures Past, which confirmed that Razorclaw, Divebomb and the other Predacons had been working behind the scenes.
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[edit] Beast Wars
[edit] Animated series
The Predacons first appeared in the animated series Beast Wars in a transwarp equipped ship known as the Darkside. Megatron (named after the original Decepticon Megatron who became Galvatron), the leader of a small group of Predacons, stole the Golden Disk from Cybertron in an attempt to travel back in time and locate pre-historic Earth so that he might acquire a large amount of energon and destroy the Autobots before the Great War began, leading to history being re-written with the Decepticons as conquerors.
Megatron reveals as early as the second episode that though the Maximals and Predacons have been at peace for some time, the Predacons have merely been biding their time, waiting for right moment to begin a new war and reclaim Cybertron as their own. During a story arc called The Agenda a conversation between the members of the Tripredacus Council reveals Megatron is acting as a renegade, and though he plans ultimately what the Council intends to carry out itself, he is acting without their authority.
At first all Predacons had beast modes (usually reptiles, insects or arachnids) which made the link to the original Predacons simply that of name and appearance (that is, both had animal alternate modes). However, as time has passed it has been seen that Predacons are actually another faction, meaning they may have vehicle, or any other number of possible modes and the link to the original Predacons may be more than simply a name but in fact that these Cybertronians are the direct descendants of this Decepticon faction, later confirmed in the comics by IDW Publishing and Fun Publications.
In this series the Predacons used the activation code "Terrorize" to transform.
Ravage made an appearance during the series and though reformatted into a Predacon body still maintained a loyalty to the Decepticons.
[edit] Alignment
The BotCon tale Alignment, written by Simon Furman and following on from Transformers: Generation 2, would reveal the origins of the group as a splinter faction that had arisen after the death of Galvatron in battle with Optimus Prime. Seemingly even in the absence of an outright defeat this faction argued that a peace with the Autobots, then destroying them from within was the only way to win the war. Although the group was regarded as an annoyance, events beyond their control proved their way was the only way. The Liege Maximo and his second generation Transformers attacked the Decepticon homeworld, forcing a resurrected Megatron to destroy the world itself. The subsequent battle to destroy the Maximo cost them so many resources, as well as Megatron himself, that the Predacon solution became the only way that the Decepticons and their descendants could win. obtaining peace through the Pax Cybertronia, downsizing into smaller, more energy-efficient bodies and biding their time. However, this tale may not be canonical with the overall Transformers universes.
[edit] The Gathering
Magmatron led a group of Predacons to prehistoric earth to apprehend Megatron and reprogram Maximal protoforms as Predacons to create an army.The series also revealed that other Predacons have a similar mindset to Megatron, with Magmatron managing to recruit many followers who were dissatisfied with the Council's slow rearmament policy.
It is revealed in the series that the Tripredacus Council have minimal influence on Cybertron, with the Maximal Council of Elders the leading body on the Transformer's home planet. Though Predacon representatives exist in a joint council the Predacons have little political power and Predacons are treated as second-class citizens, many not choosing to live on Cybertron. It is also hinted, through symbols seen in Magmatron's time-travel chamber, that the original Predacons were involved in the formation of the Beast Wars era Predacons.
[edit] Beast Wars II
The Predacons were led by Galvatron. As this show is not exactly canon with the first Beast Wars show, it is unclear whether Galvatron was a renegade like Megatron, or whether he was operating with the Council's tacit approval, but Galvatron also recruited his own army of followers, including his brother Megastorm. Unlike Megatron, Galvatron waged open warfare on the Maximals, clashing with Maximal commander Leo Prime.
[edit] Beast Wars Neo
The Predacons were led by Magmatron after Galvatron's death. Again it is unclear whether Magmatron had gone rogue at this time, although if the events of The Gathering are set in continuity with Beast Wars Neo it is likely. Magmatron had a rivalry with Big Convoy and engaged in open warfare with his Maximals. However after Unicron was reborn Magmatron joined with the Maximals. After the Chaos-Bringer's defeat the Predacons and Maximals joined together to rebuild Cybertron.
[edit] Beast Machines
After the survivors of the Beast Wars returned to Cybertron, Megatron unleashed a plague on Cybertron, leaving only Optimus Primal, Cheetor, Rattrap and Blackarachnia functioning. While the Maximals were reformatted and so took on a new insignia, Megatron, disgusted with both Maximal and Predacon alike, created a new solely technological faction known as the Vehicons. Most Vehicon transformers are actually drones rather than sentient beings. Consequently, the Predacons did not make an appearance in Beast Machines (except for Waspinator), though the Tripredacus Council and Predacons not on Cybertron may have existed elsewhere. However it is most likely that they were destroyed (or captured) as well (as indicated by Beast Machines editor Bob Skir on his FAQ page).
[edit] Transformers:Timelines
The 2006 BotCon comic would confirm what The Gathering had implied - that the original Predacons had a hand in the creation of the new faction. Apparently unhappy with the direction the Council was taking, Divebomb was responsible for reformatting Ravage, Laserbeak and Buzzsaw into new Predacon forms, although Ravage later left. Seeing an opportunity to rewrite history when Megatron's plans became apparent, Divebomb dispatched the two former cassettes to covertly assist him, ensuring they departed to Earth, Later, seemingly after the conclusion of Beast Machines, Divebomb reported to his true master - Razorclaw, who announced that it was time to take back Cybertron from the Maximals, seemingly indicating that Maximal and Predacon will clash again in the post-Beast Machines future.
[edit] Robots in Disguise
Set in a Transformers universe unique to this series the Predacons were organiform (but not necessarily technorganic) transformers led by yet another incarnation of Megatron and used "terrorize" as their activation code. They were led to Earth by their universe's version of Megatron in a quest for power; in this case, they were in search of the Autobot battle station, Fortress Maximus, only to meet opposition in the form of a team of Autobots led by this universe's incarnation of Optimus Prime. Like his Beast Wars predecessor, this Megatron also kept his true goal hidden from his followers, dispatching them to acquire energy from Earth's natural resources while he used the mind and research of Doctor Kenneth Onishi to search for Fortress Maximus and the keys to his rebirth.
The Predacon forces were later bolstered by the addition of the six Decepticons (corrupted and converted Autobot protoforms) who fought side by side with the Predacons and Megatron himself was upgraded into Galvatron, reclassifying himself a Decepticon. After Galvatron was eventually defeated by Omega Prime, the Decepticons and Predacons were captured and returned to Cybertron for trial and imprisonment, save for Sky-Byte, who renounced his Predacon values and, as such, he was allowed to stay behind on Earth, to live in the planet's oceans.
Although Megatron/Galvatron often appears to be the ultimate Predacon authority, it is revealed late in the Robots in Disguise show that he had been sent to Earth by a Predacon Council. The Predacon leadership hierarchy is unknown beyond this.
[edit] Notes
- Due to the similarity in circumstances between Megatron, Ravage and the Tripredacus Council and Kurtz, Willard and the American's presence in Vietnam in the film Apocalypse Now the writers of Beast Wars used the classic line, "Terminate, with extreme prejudice" in the similar context.
