Dive into your creative stream
I would be best friends with you over and over again
I don't care how, where, or when
No matter how long it's been, you're mine
Don't tell me you're not the same person
You're always my hero and I've been waiting for you
This is probably a cold take, but when it comes to Transformers I tend to prefer fanon over canon, mainly with how they deal with societal issues. Including the war.
I understand the franchise is innately made for children, or at most teenagers, so many topics need to be watered down for the sake of clarity and understanding. (I know IDW and other continuity’s are an exception to this, but I’m mainly talking about cartoons and the more widely known about media) War isn’t black and white, that’s a given and something everyone should know and consider. This is a very simplified generalization of my opinions, and it very much varies depending on the context, but when a conflict escalates to a war, more often than not, both sides have their reasoning, and both sides commit immoral acts for the sake of their cause. Transformers is no exception. My favorite backstory’s of the war is Megatron, a bottom class worker turned revolutionary fighting for equality in an unfair system, and Optimus, a middle class worker slowly becoming aware of the injustices in his society, wishing to do something and make a difference. When you start the characters as that, it’s obvious that they are both fighting for a common and righteous cause. Their paths are often split when it comes to methods, and what their end goal is. While they both fight for a similar purpose, their experiences greatly affect how they see their would and laws, and how they need to be changed. Megatron is from the lowest of the low, where violence and abuse is commonplace towards those deemed lower than others. Optimus comes from a world of comparative privilege, able to choose wha the does in his free time, how he associates with, and has power over his own life. Of course Megatron feels that a more radical and total change is necessary when the system in place has killed and mistreated him and countless of his peers. Yes, Optimus can see why the system is wrong and a general idea of what needs to be changed, but seeing it is different from living it. Whether that is a detriment or positive depends on how your mindset is molded by it.
This post has just devolved into a brain dump of all the thoughts in my brain. I don’t even know what the original purpose pf writing this was. If I got something wrong, or you have differing opinions, please share and or correct me because I am more than willing to listen and learn. This is simply my two cents on what I know and how I see it.