Should Megatron be able to fly?

[Shockprowl]

Primarily thinking of G1 Megatron here, but the question could apply to any 'ground-based' Megatron.

Obviously in the Sunbow cartoon he could always fly, as all the Decepticons could. But in the comics they stuck to God Bob's non-flyingness.



I think, he SHOULD be able to fly. It makes him more threatening. It should have been in his techspecs, "Has flying range of 1000 miles" or something.

[Pinwig]

I like the idea that before the war the Decepticons improved themselves to demonstrate technical superiority over the Autobots - using that as a way to impress and sucker weak-willed Autobots into joining their ranks. Flying is an obvious and desirable upgrade for an impressionable Autobot. I think that vibe came across in some stories - the idea of Autobots joining the Decepticon ranks because they were the new, cool thing before finding out that wasn't necessarily the case.

I also think there's something in the ubermensch idea too, Megatron wanting his forces to be the perfect embodiment of what a Transformer is, the next superior generation. Better than the Autobots.

So yeah, Cons fly is a good narrative point for me.

[blueshift]

As a cartoon boi, Megatron flying in the cartoon always looked dumb.

[Pinwig]

Why? It just shows his immense power.

[The Huff]

I like Megatron being able to fly.
Although is there a reason he has to stretch his arms forward, Superman style, to do this?

[Pinwig]

Aerodynamics? You reach forward to dive effectively?

[Toph]

I've a theory about superhero style flight tropes (IE: extending your arms out before you)

When Superman was created, he couldn't fly. He lept arpund with his super strong legs, like a cricket. This is fact, not theory.
He would jump often with one arm extended, one tucked back. One leg lifted up and one stretched behind him, as well. That's kind of a natural pose to take for a really big jump.

Here's where my theory comes in. Future writers/artists misunderstood Superman's leaping as full out flight. That typical pose became his flying pose, and eventually with both arms outstretched.
And as Superman is the original superhero, all others followed suit, and that became the stereotype for all humanoid flyers that don't have wings on their arms.

It's a bit out of vogue, today. But the eighties were all about following tropes.

[Toph]

And Megatron was stupid enough to chose a handgun as his alt mode, and think a giant purple griffon is a great way to kill the autobots. Being smart enough to figure out how to fly seems like it'd be beyond his level of cleverness.

[Pinwig]

Megatron's the leader though, he wouldn't develop tech. Shockwave built a time machine and a space bridge, he could make Megatron fly.

[The Doctor]

Jan 29, 2019 19:18:39 GMT Pinwig said:

Why? It just shows his immense power.

It breaks the concept of some Transformers having alternate modes that give them flight powers (ie planes) if any of them can just fly by jumping up in the air. It is the most ridiculous idea in Transformers. There's no point in them having alternate forms then.

As for the poll question: if Megatron can turn into something that can fly ie a plane then fine but if turns into a gun or tank no he cannot fly.

I am sure Phil will appear with his insane 'Decepticons fly' theory.

-Ralph

[Fortmax2020]

Samson cannot fly. And he was the first superhero.

[The Doctor]

SAMSON.

-Ralph

[Shockprowl]

....they all attacked him one. at. a time....

[The Huff]

Jan 29, 2019 21:10:30 GMT Toph said:

And Megatron was stupid enough to chose a handgun as his alt mode, and think a giant purple griffon is a great way to kill the autobots. Being smart enough to figure out how to fly seems like it'd be beyond his level of cleverness.

He didn't choose the gun - it was the Ark/Teletran 1/Auntie.

And I still think it's the absolute best altmode & disguise ever! If you are a giant robot with a fusion canon, that can fly, open black holes and commands an entire army what else is there to make you even better? To be able to shrink down to a tiny human sized hand gun and practically disappear from view. It's the ultimate disguise!

The purple griffin however was just for a laugh and to win a bet with Skeletor over his masterplan of the week.

[Llama God]

Freedom of movement by flight is the right of all sentient beings!

But, really, the ability for *all* Decepticons to fly in robot mode in the cartoon always bugged me. If they could do that, what was the point of alt modes? What made any of the jets any better than any other Decepticon? It didn't make any sense.

But then neither did a lot of the rest of it, so you know...

[Shockprowl]

I just always assumed that in a jet mode, the Decepticon could fly much faster than robot-mode flight. Robot-mode flight was the advanced tech the Decepticons invented, making themselves much more dangerous in the process.

The Autobots flying in More than Meets the Eye really scuppers the whole idea though...

[Benn]

Yeah, but they had to stop doing that because it wasn't environmentally friendly.

[shadowynne]

I'm in the all cons fly boat. And I'm with shockprowl, the alt modes provide faster more effecient flight, Greater maneuverability. I have always thought that transformers should have 2 sets of stats, one for bot and one for alt.


**edit**

Flying handgun though, flying handgun is beyond daft.

[Toph]

At least it isn't as bad as Energon's cars that drive in space.

[Shockprowl]

OHMYGOD I'D LOVE A CAR THAT DRIVES INTO SPACE!!!!

[Grand Moff Muffin]

The Marvel comics are the best and Megatron cannot fly in them, nor in his TFU entry or tech-specs, so the answer is no. Unless you count flying inside a Strike Plane. Or on his Action Master search-and-destroy jet throne.

Martin

[Grand Moff Muffin]

Jan 30, 2019 21:02:08 GMT Grand Moff Muffin said:

The Marvel comics are the best and Megatron cannot fly in them, nor in his TFU entry or tech-specs, so the answer is no. Unless you count flying inside a Strike Plane. Or on his Action Master search-and-destroy jet throne.

Or the time in the comic when he got beaten up by Windcharger.

Martin

[Llama God]

Jan 30, 2019 21:11:39 GMT Grand Moff Muffin said:

Or the time in the comic when he got beaten up by Windcharger.

And Shockwave.

[The Doctor]

And snow.

-Ralph

[The Doctor]

And (sort of) Joey Slick.

-Ralph

[Toph]

He's not G1 Megatron if he doesn't get his tailpipe kicked by everyone imaginable, up to and including the toddler he thought would be a good idea to steal candy from.