Header art by obfuscobble
Megatron: the Large Ham
(I went with Large Ham because DAMN does he have presence when he’s on the screen P: mmm ham)
I don’t really have a lot to say about Megatron that I haven’t either already brought up elsewhere or has already been discussed much more competently by others.
The only thing I’d really like to note is the parallels between Megatron and Optimus in-show with respects to selflessness versus selfishness. Optimus does everything for the good of a whole, Megatron does everything for his own benefit and demands others contribute to his benefit when he sees fit. Optimus has family members, Megatron has servants and subordinates. Optimus rarely does anything independently, Megatron does very little as part of a group. In fact, this might be the most “Do it Yourself and Never Delegate” Megatron we’ve had thus far.
One could potentially spread out all TFP characters along a spectrum of “selfless versus selfish” come to that. Of course, not all heroes and villains might end up on what feels like the “right” side, but I think that’s what makes this show neat.
I remember being surprised that it wasn’t a full Autobot-Decepticon team-up against Unicron, just Megatron and the Autobots. But it does work—Megatron doesn’t have to deal with the issue of getting the rest of his crew to follow his lead and any political fallout/aftermath over being forced to team up with their mortal enemies and perhaps providing ammunition against Megatron, more opportunity to question his authority; it fits Megatron’s arrogance, competence and pragmatism: he can do it himself—due to both his confidence and actual skill—and the plan against Unicron essentially just requires Megatron’s knowledge of where to find Unicron and navigating his insides. It’s kinda thrilling and LOL to see. ‘Wow Megs, you have all these guys at your disposal…and you’re just gonna leave them hanging, huh?’ (Well, they’re in Soundwave’s good hands.)