In late December 2023, I stumbled across a little series called Transformers: Prime. Instantly hooked, swayed by its unadulterated epicness and lovable characters, I knew I had found a missing piece of myself. It was so unique and so intriguing, and now it's a universe I hold close to my heart. I delved deep into this world following a species much unlike my own. It was so amazing. I began exploring other TF media, which only emboldened my love for a story all about found family, survival, and hope. In January of 2024, I thought to myself, "Where have you been all my life!" as I began thinking endlessly about the poor-fortuned Decepticon commander. I got to know him through many continuities, watching him fail and thrive in many universes. He's brought so much light and hope to my life that I can't quite explain. He's larger than life, and persistent, refusing to back down no matter what; he doesn't care what anyone thinks of him, and I've learned from all of that. I also learned that I am indeed attracted to robots! And he was also my final push into declaring myself ficto after considering it for many years. He's my angel, my snugglebug, and my lucky star (even if he isn't so lucky, himself).
he's a cat lover, just like me!
My favorite Screamer is from Prime,
but G1 is VERY close behind!
Then Earthspark then Cyberverse then One!
(So far...)
From his introduction in "The Transformers," AKA "G1" (1984), Starscream had always been a ruthless yet slightly flamboyant sycophant with a snide sense of humor. His two-faced nature rarely gains him sympathy, as this identity follows him through multiple continuities with few exceptions. He's commonly portrayed as a spineless weakling whose aims outshine his actual potential, with his consistent efforts to overthrow Megatron as leader of the Decepticons -- a rogue faction of Cybertronians at war with the noble Autobots in the name of a stable Cybertron (and Earth, subsequently). (The catalyst and underlying themes surrounding this seemingly eternal war differ by continuity.)
But no matter how pathetic Starscream may seem from the outside (or within his own clan), his pursuit of absolute power is so fun to follow and he, along with the G1 series itself, is an absolute gem from an era of cartoons I don't usually gravitate toward.
The biggest difference in portrayal from G1 to Prime all comes down to stakes. He's significantly more dangerous and cold in Prime, but still retains his charm. He's wonderfully diabolical. He's like a trainwreck you can't look away from and I love it so much ^w^
From the beginning I could tell how alienated he was from even his own team, and I just felt that he needed some love. He's an outcast even with his own kind, and being the black sheep of my family and in many spaces I'm in, I can relate. What really solidified my appreciation and love for him was empathizing with his (unfortunate) secondary role as Megatron's punching bag, and particularly how this unfortunate throughline was handled in Earthspark season 1, with evidence that Starscream grapples with PTSD because of his past with Megatron. I also always have a soft spot for characters who are usually the butt of the joke, but I also completely related to him there; it was vindicating because I had always been sympathetic toward him. ES's portrayal made me see other iterations of him differently (if not said what I already thought), even if they weren't as outwardly sympathetic.
In TF One, he had a humiliating fall from grace, with Megatron revoking any and all influence he had over the High Guard, and this humiliation continued once the Decepticons were formed. It puts a lot of Scream's efforts to thwart Megatron into a new perspective (even though all these continuities are separate; I mean just from a character perspective).
Reason #128309448 i'm a robot fucker (but saving myself for this specific robot):
His smile is everything. . .
