TF Views

Well said.
The decisions we make as individuals exercising free will are based on our knowledge, experience and emotions. Megatron warping the original personalities and then deleting memories from his generals on a whim denies them the ability to make any real choices. Would Silverbolt ever have tried to harm Blackarachnia if his mind and emotions hadn't been twisted so much? No, not ever. Rhinox would never have betrayed his friends, and indeed, in "Mercenary Pursuits" when the real Rhinox momentarily fights through the reprogramming, you'll notice that he's willing to go with the Maximals. That's a far cry from the warped individual he became later on, bent on destroying all his former friends.
I've often read the complaint that Rhinox shouldn't have denounced what he was trying to do as Tankorr in "Aftermath" before his spark rejoined the Allspark. I disagree. We saw, at long last, the real Rhinox freed from Megatron's reprogramming and the real Rhinox disagreed with everything he had done as Tankorr.

You can't promote free-will and then carve away people's memories until they conform to your desires. That's enslavement.

I've often read the complaint that Rhinox shouldn't have denounced what he was trying to do as Tankorr in "Aftermath" before his spark rejoined the Allspark.

That is likely an out-growth of the "that was not really Rhinox" arguement. Why should Rhinox renounce actions that were never his?

I look at the first 3 generals as sort of karmic custom jobs. Megatron effectively used Rhinox, Silverbolt and Waspinator to make 3 new guys with decision making powers. Obviously Megatron wanted their decisions to favor him.

Dom
-how many Tankors were there....really?