TF Views

"Transformers" is dominant as it is both the reason for Skynet, and the reason for the time-travel.

Skip "Dark Fate". It is so much worse than you are expecting. ("Salvation" was better.)


Issue 4:

I flipped through this. Most of the Transformers end up dead. The T-800 manipulates Bumblebee in to using it as a weapon to kill/stop Megatron, allowing it to somehow co-opt Megatron.

The ending shows Skynet being brought online using influence from Megatron. (A lot seems to happen between panels.) IDW is clearly hoping for a sequel.

Dominic wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 5:18 pm "Transformers" is dominant as it is both the reason for Skynet, and the reason for the time-travel.

Those are still elements directly from the Terminator franchise though. That doesn't change just because this story attributes the reason for it happening to the Transformers. As I already pointed out, the reasons behind how things happen really isn't all that important, given they are fluid in the Terminator franchise to begin with. Constant changes to the timeline in those films cause those reasons to change from film-to-film, but Skynet is still created at some point causing a war that devastates the Earth, and time travel sending a Terminator into the past to alter events still happens... Those are core elements to the Terminator franchise, that is the dominant franchise here.

Skip "Dark Fate". It is so much worse than you are expecting. ("Salvation" was better.)

Honestly, I wouldn't really say there has been a good Terminator film since T2. I have seen Salvation, and that was the last film I've seen in the franchise. I skipped Genisys and Dark Fate, since it sounded like the franchise just kept going downhill.

The T-800 manipulates Bumblebee in to using it as a weapon to kill/stop Megatron, allowing it to somehow co-opt Megatron.

The impression I got was that the Terminator had become melted/fused inside Megatron's chest after it destroyed his spark. Not so much co-opting Megatron, but essentially giving scientists both Megatron and the Terminator to study in their development of Skynet and the Terminators... Basically what happened with the remains of the first T-800. And what we saw became of Megatron in "Age of Extinction". It's exactly the ending I was expecting them to take, which is a bit disappointing. I'd hoped they might find a more... original ending.

"Genisys" is not ad. It is not "Judgement Day". But, it is under-appreciated.

Constant changes to the timeline in those films cause those reasons to change from film-to-film, but Skynet is still created at some point causing a war that devastates the Earth, and time travel sending a Terminator into the past to alter events still happens... Those are core elements to the Terminator franchise, that is the dominant franchise here.

But, having the Transformers be the causation makes TF too dominant. It is not as clumsy or obnoxious as the "Primate Directive" (Star Trek/Planet of the Apes). But, the same dynamic applies.

And, in this case, the changes to Terminator go beyond "changes to the timeline".

Aside from Windblade (visible in the background), the Transformers were 84-86 characters that were consistent with their "evergreen" visuals and characterization.

The Terminators looked and acted much differently than they are generally recognized as. (The jabbering T-800 for example.)

Dominic wrote: ↑Tue Oct 13, 2020 8:40 amBut, having the Transformers be the causation makes TF too dominant. It is not as clumsy or obnoxious as the "Primate Directive" (Star Trek/Planet of the Apes). But, the same dynamic applies.

And, in this case, the changes to Terminator go beyond "changes to the timeline".

How does it make the Transformers "too dominant"? Again, the causation isn't so important as you're making it out to be. As I keep pointing out, the Transformers being the cause doesn't really matter, given the circumstances of exactly how/when the war happens in the Terminator franchise have changed with the changes to the timeline in the first place. The war is fated to happen one way or another, regardless of the exact circumstances that cause it. And you have yet to offer anything that explains why you seem to think it is. How does it change Terminator? The war that devastates Earth still happens. A Terminator is still sent back in time to change history in Skynet's favor, as they are the loosing side. This is a predominantly Terminator based story.

Aside from Windblade (visible in the background), the Transformers were 84-86 characters that were consistent with their "evergreen" visuals and characterization.

Not sure why you think this is relevant here, but regardless, it is not accurate. The "evergreen" visuals are more generic looking variations, this comic is clearly more G1 based for the Transformers. Bumblebee's "evergreen" form is a generic sports car for example, but in this comic he's a VW bug. Although, Arcee's character was clearly not based on the 80's or "evergreen" version, they made her character more like the IDW version, and she got a new design in this comic (considering she didn't show up until the film, and never had an 80's Earth vehicle mode). And you're forgetting Velocity, an original IDW character, is in this comic.

The Terminators looked and acted much differently than they are generally recognized as. (The jabbering T-800 for example.)

While I don't think the art accurately reflected Arnold, I'd say that's more a shortcoming on the artists part when it comes to drawing human characters. The T-800 exoskeleton on the other hand is spot on. The characterization was off... in terms of a Terminator that's supposed to be a standard Skynet model. The one's reprogrammed by humans on the other hand were more chatty, which seems to be the characterization for the Terminator they were going for. And this seemed to be something the comic even acknowledge, by having the T-800 telling another T-800 practicing talking in English was to prepare for his mission, suggesting perhaps, Skynet wanted this Terminator to blend in for this mission better than it would normally program for.