The Best Transforming Sequences on Transformers!

02.05.2014 – Age of Extinction the fourth installment of the Transformers live action films directed by Michael Bay has become hated and loved franchise featuring the robots in disguise in his own vision. It has spawned three previous films that featured more robot action. There’s one YouTube user compiles all of that transforming sequence in into a 10 minute clip!

A Closer Look at the Autobot Ark!

Presenting from the Transformers Dark of the Moon Toy Line, the Autobot's Ark with the Autobot Roller.

If you've watched the movie, then you've seen the DOTM Ark as the vehicle used by Sentinel Prime to break free of Cybertron. The Ark was damaged and drifted for ages before crashing into the moon. The discovery of the Ark by the original Apollo 11 team helped kick off the creation of Sector 7. The Decepticons eventually found the wreckage of the Ark and made off with hundreds of Space Bridge Pillars except for five Space Bridge Pillars and the Control Rod which were locked away with Sentinel Prime in the vault.




I've actually had the DOTM Ark for some time - all the way before Christmas where it's retail price dropped from over PhP 1,5000 (US$ 34) to PhP 700 (US$ 15) to PhP 500 (US$ 11.36) which it still retails for today in practically all Toy Kingdom and Toy's R' Us stores here in the Philippines. Kinda makes me feel sorry though for whoever bought him for PhP 700 because it was only at that price for a week before dropping to PhP 500.

I have wanted one ever since the previews for the DOTM Toy Line started appearing. But I always assumed - well, dreamed - that it would be bigger. So I was disappointed with the reality that it was meant for Legends Class Transformers and left it on the shelves. But when the price dropped to such a low, I had to grab it.

Transformers Dark of the Moon: Sandstorm

Presenting the Autobot Sandstorm and Private Dedcliff from the Transformers Dark of the Moon toyline. At first glance, DOTM Sandstorm doesn't appear to be much - a potboiler figure meant to drain your pockets and a lot of people probably ignored him.

Personally I was also leaning towards ignoring this Scout Class DOTM figure had I not known the history behind the name "Sandstorm." In Transformers lore, Sandstorm (in the Marvel Comics continuity of the Transformers) is a Wrecker - one particularly nasty Wrecker who actually beat the crap out of Optimus Prime himself. He was again listed as a Wrecker in the Dreamwave and IDW comic continuities so I had to get him to help boost my fledgling Wreckers collection alongside other Scout class Wreckers like the Autobot Whirl.

As with his cartoon/comic versions, DOTM Sandstorm is a triple-changer - in the cartoons and the comic books he could transform into a dune-buggy, robot and helicopter - something which makes him akin to the Autobot Springer I suppose. More or less he maintained this... "trademark" through the years, though in 2010, the Autobot Beachcomer - who could transform into a sand buggy was released and a re-painted version was released named Sandstorm which did not have a third form - The helicopter mode was gone. Unfortunately, DOTM Sandstorm does not transform into a helicopter either. Instead he transforms into a mobile weapons chair - yes I said chair.

Transformers Dark of the Moon: DA-28 Striker Optimus Prime

Presenting Takara's Transformers DA-28 Striker Optimus Prime. I've actually had the Transformers Dark of the Moon Striker Prime for close to a month now, but I didn't want to open him till Christmas, so finally here he is.

At first glance, DA-28 Striker Prime seems to just be a colored variant of the Transformers Dark of the Moon Leader Class Optimus Prime and Takara's DA-15 Jetwing Prime.  I'm actually not quite sure what to make of it because he has distinctive parts from both variants.

We first broke news about the DA-28 Striker Prime in October. What I failed to realize back then was that in the movie, Optimus Prime was holding his shield with his right hand, not his left. Also, like DA-15 Jetwing Prime, Striker Prime's shield is not movie accurate. Watch the movie and you'll see that Prime's shield is closer to Sentinel Prime's shield than to the shield that DA-28 uses. Also in the movie, Optimus Prime wields his trademark wrist swords against Shockwave's Driller. DA-28 does not have the wrist swords.

Transformers Dark of the Moon: Fireburst Optimus Prime (Voyager Class)

Presenting the Fireburst Optimus Prime Voyager class from Hasbro's Transformers Dark of the Moon toy-line. I have to admit that the first time I saw the DOTM Voyager class Optimus Prime, I thought that it was one of the crappiest toys I've ever seen. I definitely didn't want it and I thought that it was an insult to fans - especially in light of how good the Decepticon Voyager Class toys looked - especially Shockwave.

I felt further justified after watching the movie. However when the Fireburst Optimus Prime hit the shelves, I thought that it was a colorful improvement of the existing Voyager class Optimus Prime and came with a battle axe which is something that Prime would actually use. So on a whim and a bad day, I got it and here he is.

Transformers Dark of the Moon: Whirl

Presenting the Autobot Whirl from Transformers Dark of the Moon (Human Alliance) - accompanied by Major  Sparkplug.  Neither DOTM Whirl nor Major Sparkplug were in the movie unfortunately which is a pity because when the DOTM Transformers pics first started appearing on the web there was a lot of speculation about the "Human Alliance" and how it would affect the movie (Only to find out that the Human Alliance was never meant to be a part of the movie.)

Rude marketing gimmicks aside, DOTM Whirl is actually a member of the Wreckers - the elite Autobot Commando squad out to end the Cybertronian War through any means necessary - which puts him on the same team as Topspin and Roadbuster.

Whirl was actually also released in the ROTF line as a re-paint/model of Evac who was a re-paint./model of the Decepticon Blackout, but the DOTM Whirl - with skis for feet - is closer to how Whirl was first envisioned in Generation 1 of the Transformers.

In the IDW Generation 1 continuity of the Wreckers, DOTM Whirl is actually cited by Megatron as the "One to taught him how to hate and use violence instead of peaceful means." Apparently when Megatron was just a petty criminal and Whirl was a cop, DOTM Whirl beat the crap out of Megatron in an interrogation gone bad.

Transformers Dark of the Moon: Laserbeak

Presenting Transformers Dark of the Moon: Laserbeak. I purchased Laserbeak at the recently concluded Hasbro/Toys R' Us two day DOTM Toy launch at Robinson's Galleria. So I was able to get him at the retail price of PhP 699.75  (Roughly US$ 15, US$ 18.99 to US$ 21.45 on Amazon) - the price of a regular DOTM figure.

I have to admit I was quite impressed with Laserbeak's versatility in the movie. I'm quite sure he'll be quite an opponent in the video-game. Though I'm sadly disappointed at how whimpy the writers of DOTM wrote him when it came to something as simple as killing or capturing Sam Witwicky - who, by the way, I feel ruined the movie (It was like watching Lord of the Rings and wanting to forward all the parts with the Hobbit love scenes).

Transformers Dark of the Moon: Roadbuster

Presenting Roadbuster from Transformers Dark Side of the Moon. More commonly known as the "Common" released DOTM toy of the Wreckers.

Personally I do not know what to make of the Transformers Dark Side of the Moon and their portrayal of the cult-icon Wreckers. Rather than the frustrated Autobots who cleaned up after their pacifist companions, you instead had what appeared to be engineers strangely pumped up on steroids and who appear to have spent too much time playing video games that they've gone rude and battle crazy.

They were also quite ineffective in the movie despite packing a hell of a lot of hardware - even if they were taking on Shockwave - who was damaged more by humans than the firepower of all three Wreckers combined.

And strangely they all survived. Including DOTM Roadbuster. DOTM Roadbuster also has the most lines in the movie. 

Transformers Dark of the Moon: Topspin (DOTM)

Presenting Transformers Dark of the Moon's Topspin. For those unfamiliar with DOTM Topspin and who he is, Topspin is a member of an elite special-forces group of Autobots called the Wreckers.

The Wreckers are Autobots who decided that the pacifistic ways of Optimus Prime and company were not enough and that the only way to end the Cybertron War was to kill specific individuals within the Decepticon ranks. Think of them as Wolverine's X-Force to Cyclops' X-Men.

As a result the Wreckers have gained a cult standing among Transformers collectors. Partly because in certain continuities the Wreckers are let by Ultra Magnus or Rodimus Prime - mostly Ultra Magnus. Other known leaders include Springer and Impactor - the original leader who died.

Most of the Wreckers end up dead - including Topspin. So don't expect a long life span for Topspin who makes an appearance in Transformers Dark of the Moon. Chance does not favor his survival. Most of DOTM Topspin's fellow wreckers have already made their Transformers DOTM toy appearances namely: Roadbuster, Sandstorm and Whirl.

Transformers Dark of the Moon: Shockwave (DOTM)

Presenting from the upcoming Transformers Dark of the Moon movie: Shockwave (DOTM Shockwave). I've always been partial to Shockwave.

I mean seriously what's not to like? He's got one eye and dresses in purple. Shockwave is like putting Cyclops and Magneto into one character. Shockwave is cold, calculating and just as powerful - if not more powerful - than Megatron.

In fact in the original Marvel continuity of Transformers, Shockwave kills all the Autobots, makes a toy out of Optimus Prime's head, beats up Megatron twice and makes him swear fealty to him. So without a doubt, Shockwave rules!

And the DOTM Shockwave is just as scary. Shockwave's  fireblast has the maximum 10 rating. I am so looking forward to seeing him in action in the DOTM movie and I'm sincerely hoping he won't be a wuss.