MovieChat Forums > Transformers (1984) Discussion > When was it decided that the Autobots co...

When was it decided that the Autobots couldn't fly?

posted 11 years ago by Superfloyd
6 replies | jump to latest

I remember in the first story the Autobots were able to fly, making their transformation into driving vehicles rather redundant for anything other than disguise.

I also remember an episode with a young Optimus being impressed at Megatron because he could fly. I'm not criticising the continuity error but I was just wondering when their powers were altered and whether there was anything said in-show to clarify it.

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[–] Vihktor-24 11 years ago

After the three-part pilot, when the show got picked up for a full season, they changed a bunch of things (Spike didn't have a diary anymore, he hung out with Bumblebee instead of Hound, the Autobots didn't go home), so the flying thing probably got axed around this time as well. That didn't stop some of the Autobots from being able to fly in some of the later eps (Wheeljack might be an exception -- I think he was meant to have a flying ability, not sure about it though).

[–] jokerz77 11 years ago

Sideswipe had a rocket pack which enabled him to fly.

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[–] blackheart981 11 years ago

The Dinobots could fly apparently. I guess because they were earth born. If Wheeljack and Ratchet can build them to fly, why couldn't they build something for the autobots to fly. Then again that is where Skyfire, Cosmos, and Omega Supreme comes in.

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[–] ignatius-james 10 years ago

For dramatic/story reasons, it gives some credence to the autobots being more consumer goods, as well as making them have a disadvantage when fighting the Decepticons.

If they could all fly, the battles would be more lopsided.
Plus, they outnumbered the Deceps anyway, so this balances it out in a sense.

[–] TwoThousandOneMark 10 years ago

I always figured that Autobots used up more energy to fly than Decepticons.

[–] EmperorGalvatron 10 years ago

The Autobots had superior numbers so the Decepticons were given the ability to fly to try and balance that out. The Autobots would have/should have had too big of an advantage if they could fly and have more members. Tracks had a flight mode as part of his alt mode.