Fanfic / Transformers Animated: Cybertronian Genesis

"If that's what your idea of a hero is, then I'll be glad to get rid of the title."

Transformers Animated: Cybertronian Genesis by Darth T-Rex is a TFA continuation fic detailing the events after Season 3.

Summary on fanfiction.net: Fanfiction picking up where Season 3 left off, dealing with the aftermath of the last great battle and the impact it has on the Autobots, the Decepticons and Cybertron. Carries on into a new story with familiar characters and expanding others.

Finished on June 10, 2010. There is an in-progress sequel called Transformers Animated: The Mercy of Prime, detailing the renewed Autobot-Decepticon war.

Warning: spoilers for the last season of Transformers: Animated!

Tropes:

• 11th-Hour Ranger: In the climax of Mercy of Prime, the AllSpark makes a projection of Prowl (who remained a Posthumous Character for both stories), who kills Gigatron for good.
• Achilles' Heel: When questioned on how he was going to take care of Optimus at the Siege of Polyhex by Starscream, Megatron succinctly replies that everybot has one fatal weakness. His optics then shift slightly towards the oblivious Blackarachnia.
  Starscream: "Ah. Hello, weakness."
• All Love Is Unrequited: Both Optimus and Sentinel had feelings for Elita. While it seemed at the time that Elita had only platonic feelings for both of them (though it's implied she reciprocated Optimus's feelings, if only a little bit), she ended up with Sentinel because he asked her out first. Now, as Blackarachnia, she hates both of them, while Optimus is still hopelessly in love with her, and hopes that she can be redeemed.
• Arch-Enemy: Optimus and Megatron's relationship from the show has now evolved into this, much like how they are in the rest of the franchise.
• Assimilation Plot: In his timeline, Gigatron succeeded in absorbing the sparks of every Cybertronian (including Sari), Vector Sigma and the AllSpark. And now that he's in the present, he intends to do it all over again.
• Back from the Dead:
  • Starscream. He couldn't stand all the peace and harmony within the AllSpark and skedaddled at the earliest opportunity. Noticeably averted with Prowl.
  • Blurr, who Sari reconstitutes from his cube after everyone learns what Shockwave did to him. According to Ultra Magnus after the fact, he finds the whole affair more of an annoyance than anything.
  • Soundwave, after succumbing to wounds inflicted on him by Grimlock, is quickly revived by Sari in a moment of empathy for Slipstream.
  • Megatron is revived by Isaac Sumdac via an Allspark fragment that Wreck-Gar found while doing his daily trash pickups in Detroit.
• Battle Trophy: Megatron has collected a large number of helmets belonging to prominent Autobot warriors he's slain over the years, all of which are arranged on a number of shelves in his throne room. Among them are several Primes and two Magnuses, with the most prized possession, the helmet of his predecessor Galvatron, kept beneath a secret compartment underneath his throne. In the last chapter of the first story, an empty spot is purposely left between the helmets of the Magnuses, clearly meant for Optimus, as an indication of how badly he's gotten to Megatron.
• Big Bad: Megatron for Cybertronian Genesis. His insane alternate timeline future self Gigatron for the sequel.
• Big Damn Heroes: The Steelhaven's appearance at Polyhex is a godsend to the Autobots as they prepare to make their escape.
• Bizarre Alien Senses: The Quintesson facilities are bathed in lights that appear pure white to Cybertronians but are projecting colors that are only visible in the spectrum that the Quintessons see the world in.
• Breaking the Fellowship: At the start of Mercy of the Primes, Team Prime has been more or less been disbanded and reassigned to various fronts of the Second Great War. They all get back together to aid in the Siege of Polyhex.
• Brought Down to Normal: Starscream comes back to life, but he has no AllSpark fragment keeping him immortal this time. Megatron lampshades this.
• But for Me, It Was Tuesday:
  • Megatron has no memory of Kup's stand against him at Kaiba-3 due to how many planets he's conquered over the years.
  • Optimus was supposed to be this to Megatron. The events of the show enraged Megatron to such an extent that one of Megatron's major goals in Cybertronian Genesis is to kill him so he can finally forget his name and make him just another Prime he's killed over the years. When Optimus evaded death at his hands again, that's when Megatron left a space between the helmets of the two Magnuses he had defeated, specifically for him.
• Cessation of Existence: Gigatron's ultimate fate.
• Cliffhanger: Chapter 32 of Mercy of Prime ends with Megatron deciding to absorb the AllSpark.
• Clones Are People, Too: Slipstream gets the most attention of all the clones here. In the story, she is shown to have a very stable and complete personality and begins as a bit of a cynical jerk but develops a more caring personality through the companionship of her fellow Decepticons and her relationship with Soundwave. Thundercracker and Skywarp also begin to develop distinct personalities beyond the traits of Starscream they personify ^note  Specifically, Thundercracker develops a more empathetic side, feeling sympathy for the humans who the Decepticons terrorize, while Skywarp develops an evil sense of humor and joy for spreading fear. Not coincidentally, both of these are traits of their G1 counterparts.
• Composite Character: Gigatron is a combination of Galvatron and the Megatron from Beast Machines. From Galvatron he takes being an upgraded version of Megatron going by a new name that's time travelled from the future as well also suffering from Sanity Slippage. From Beast Machines Megatron he takes the motivation to wipe out all sentience of Transformers and to Ascend To Godhood once he merges with a powerful Cybertronian artifact. In addition "Gigatron" is the name of the Megatron from the Japanese version of Transformers: Robots in Disguise
• Consummate Liar: Gigatron. He tells Soundwave that Slipstream abandoned him when Gigatron came for their sparks in the alternate timeline. Megatron's visions reveal that Slipstream stood and fought by his side to the end.
• Continuation Fic: Cybertronian Genesis picks up near immediately after the final battle of the series finale.
• A Day in the Limelight: Everybody in the main cast, both Autobot and Decepticon, get some of the spotlight.
• Deader than Dead: The AllSpark was so furious with Gigatron's actions that it opts to obliterate him from existence entirely, not even allowing him to join other deceased Cybertronians in the Well of AllSparks.
• Decomposite Character: Rather than be a future upgraded version of Megatron, Galvatron is established in the fic's lore to be the Decepticon leader prior to Megatron taking over.
• Determinator: You can take Optimus down, but you can't keep him down — much to Megatron's ire.
• Defiant to the End: Megatron thinks Optimus is being this after being defeated at the Lost Planet. It's only as his blade is descending does he realize that it's not defiance, but triumph.
• Disney Death: Blackarachnia, who gives up her spark during the climax but comes back to life during the aftermath due to having both a spark and a heart.
• The Dreaded: Megatron is the obvious one, but Optimus also incites this reaction as his reputation grows. It's to the point that even Starscream (who noticeably had no issue taking on the entire crew during the pilot) makes it a point not to antagonize Optimus directly without some backup or something separating them. Only Megatron is willing to take him on one-on-one, and vice versa.
• Driven by Envy: Sentinel's motivation for partnering up with Starscream and throwing in his lot with Gigatron. Within fifty stellar cycles, Optimus goes from being an Academy washout and captain of a simple maintenance crew to the Hero of Cybertron and Ultra Magnus' chosen successor — the latter being a goal that Sentinel had worked tirelessly for since his Academy graduation, and had been nearly his until Ultra Magnus managed to recover from Shockwave's attack. Sentinel is understandably bitter.
• Duel to the Death: The last leg of the Siege of Polyhex is Optimus and Megatron fighting to the death, while the Decepticons are content to stand by and watch while the Autobots prepare to evacuate to the Steelhaven.
• Earn Your Happy Ending: Waspinator makes peace with Bumblebee, gets his name cleared, and is reunited with Ironhide. Soundwave finally gets to be happy with Slipstream after being alone for so long and going through so much trauma.
• Enemy Mine: Once it becomes clear that Gigatron is a threat to all of them, Optimus and Megatron establish a ceasefire and a temporary alliance between the Autobots and the Decepticons.
• Even Evil Has Loved Ones:
  • In addition to Lugnut and Strika's long-standing relationship, Soundwave and Slipstream (of all bots) develop strong feelings for each other.
  • In a platonic version, Megatron knew that one of his high ranking officers would probably turn on him for the Autobot/Decepticon alliance, but he despairs that it had to be Shockwave.
• Even Evil Has Standards: Megatron is thoroughly afraid and disgusted of the idea of becoming someone like Gigatron, to the point that he was snapped out of his Sanity Slippage once he saw how much of a monster his alternate-timeline self became after absorbing the Allspark's power for himself.
• Everyone Has Standards: Even Lugnut is forced to admit that Megatron forcibly kissing Blackarachnia to piss off Optimus Prime is nothing to praise about in any fashion after Blitzwing points out how scummy that action was.
• Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: Megatron has a hard time understanding why Optimus stood against him so many times — it's neither for glory or for justice or even for some convoluted sense of duty. Rather, Optimus stands against him for the sake of his friends, something that perplexes Megatron to the point of obsession.
• Expy: Gigatron is one for Megatron from Beast Machines. Being an upgraded version of a Megatron who wishes to purge away all sentience of Cybertronians, believing it his destiny to Ascend To Godhood.
• Future Me Scares Me: Gigatron manages to be this to Megatron, being completely and utterly insane. In fact, his mere existence is enough to snap Megatron out of his Sanity Slippage out of fear and disgust of becoming him. When he's given visions of the alternate timeline where he became Gigatron, he was so horrified by what he became that he begged Optimus to kill him.
• Go-Karting with Bowser: The sequel reveals that to pass the time, the Decepticons played poker, which the Autobots join them in playing after establishing their alliance. Apparently, Lugnut is a very good poker player, but folds on purpose so Megatron may win.
• Healing Factor: Gigatron's absorption of the All Spark from his timeline has given him an advanced version of the healing powers akin to what Sari's key could do. However, due to only absorbing half of the All-Spark, he soon learns it has limits when put under constant pressure.
• Hero-Worshipper: The ever faithful Lugnut is still present, and in the sequel, Optimus's heroics has sequestered him one in the form of Rodimus Minor. Megatron lampshades it by comparing Rodimus to Lugnut.
• Heroic Sacrifice:
  • Megatron stays behind to hold off Gigatron's Monocon forces so that Optimus and his team can get back to Cybertron with Blackrachnia, Lugnut, and Blitzwing through the Space Bridge in Sumdac Tower. He gets better.
  • Blackarachnia ultimately gives her life to merge her spark with the AllSpark, which allows it to kill Gigatron.
• Homage: Megatron's rescue of Optimus from Gigatron when battling over the AllSpark is one to Transformers: More than Meets the Eye with his rescue of the crew of the Lost Light, even giving off some of the same dialogue.
• Hidden Depths: The fics make it a point to show the Decepticons as more than just Always Chaotic Evil villains, but as three-dimensional beings with dreams, hobbies, even loved ones.
• Hive Mind: The Quintessons communicate through one.
• History Repeats: Megatron was dangerously close to following his predecessor Galvatron's footsteps into madness after Optimus thwarted him one too many times. Thankfully, learning just how far his future self fell set him straight.
• Hypocritical Humor: Rodimus's hero-worship grates on the nerves of his teammates, but none more so than Red Alert. Only for her to fall all over herself when she meets Ratchet.
• I Hate Past Me: Gigatron doesn't think much of his past time as Megatron, barely even remembering being called "Megatron" and belittling his lack of imagination with just wanting to conquer Cybertron.
• It's Personal: Optimus' continued struggle with Megatron has never truly been personal, at least on his side — his determination is ultimately fueled by his desire to protect his friends, never for personal glory or even for duty. Megatron in turn outright despises him for robbing him of his self-assuredness, his need for control over any given situation. So their conflict was only personal on one side. And then Megatron had to go and kiss Blackarachnia. Suddenly, Optimus had no issue trying to offline him by strangling him with his axe.
• Keystone Army: As Strika is forced to admit to herself, Megatron has effectively become the keystone to the entire Decepticon war machine due to how it stalls out the minute he disappears or is captured. She likewise feels that their intelligence department has become overly reliant on Shockwave's status as The Mole.
• Killed Off for Real: It's almost as bad as the third season of TFA. Cyclonus, Lockdown, Kup, and Perceptor are just a few of them.
• The Lost Lenore: A variation in Elita-1 for Optimus Prime. While she is still alive as Blackarachnia, it's all but stated that the Elita-1 Optimus and Sentinel knew is dead. Her metaphorical "death" is a significant influence on Optimus' ideals and actions throughout the narrative. When she finally does die during the climax of Mercy of Prime to kill Gigatron, Optimus is devastated and can only give a Howl of Sorrow.
• Love Triangle: There was one between Optimus, Elita, and Sentinel prior to the events of Archa Seven. Both Optimus and Sentinel had a thing for Elita, while Elita wasn't interested in any romance (though it's implied that, despite being in a relationship with Sentinel, Elita did feel something for Optimus). Slipstream briefly develops a crush on Cyclonus despite the fact that she clearly has feelings for Soundwave.
• Loving a Shadow: Elita-1 was Optimus Prime's One True Love, hence his fixation on her new identity Blackarachnia, whose organic form repulses everyone else, including potential suitors. However, as far as Blackarachnia and everyone else is concerned, Elita-1 is dead. And some, including Megatron, believe that the Elita Optimus loved may have never existed in the first place.
• Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane:
  • Starscream's resurrection. Was he able to come back to life due to the unusual nature of his death or was it just because his sheer determination allowed him to hightail out of the afterlife when Optimus "opened the doors to the afterlife" while communing with the AllSpark? Starscream doesn't even know which one it was.
  • Ultra Magnus' Sanity Slippage. Was it due to Sigma Supreme's death (Magnus having been bonded with Sigma like Ratchet was with Omega) or did he just snap due to the chaos of Optimus' radical decisions? Sentinel thinks it's the former while Optimus thinks it's the latter.
• The Mourning After: Played with in regards to Optimus and Blackarachnia/Elita-1. While it's true both are still alive, any hopes of a relationship died a long time ago. Optimus has never gotten over Elita regardless, and has sworn off romance as a result.
• Myth Arc: While Sari's origins are resolved fairly early into the first story, there is still a mystery surrounding her powers and her connection with the AllSpark.
• Mythology Gag: Many, a noticeable one is that Gigatron's speech in Mercy of Prime is almost identical to Megatron's in Beast Machines.
• I Never Said It Was Poison: Inverted. When Gigatron is extracting Optimus' Spark, he gloats about how it's now going just the way he wants it. Optimus is able to deduce that something went wrong in Gigatron's original timeline through this statement.
• Not-So-Harmless Villain: Blitzwing is the one who kills Lockdown by torching the mercenary.
• Official Couple: Ratchet/Arcee is a given, and of course, Lugnut/Strika, but this fic is also popular for creating the Crack Ship Soundwave/Slipstream.
• Not-So-Omniscient Council of Bickering: The Decepticon Council of Generals. Officially, they only exist to aid Megatron in running his military campaigns, but unofficially exist to act as a check on him should be end up like Galvatron. Unfortunately, they lack the power to ever seriously challenge him as a group thanks to its members having wildly different goals from each other.
• One True Love: Played with in regards to Optimus Prime and Elita-1/Blackarachnia. Optimus regards Elita as the love of his lifecycle and some part of him still sees her in Blackarachnia, which is why he can't let go of her, no matter how hard he tries. It's implied that in another life, one where Elita-1 never became Blackarachnia, the sentiment would've been mutual — but in this life, Blackarachnia refuses to reciprocate his feelings, even though some part of her feels the same. Ultimately, after Gigatron is defeated and the Autobots and the Decepticons are on the path to peace, she decides to stay with Optimus.
• The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: Megatron's obsession with Optimus is one of the major plot points of the sequel. There's a spot between the helmets of the two Magnuses Megatron has personally defeated reserved especially for Optimus. The obsession grows to the point that Megatron arranged a battle on a planet with a heavily fortified fortress that resulted in heavy casualties on both sides. Since the planet was well-known for having a large amount of protoform matter, it was assumed that was why he attacked it. It wasn't. After the battle is over, in which Optimus escapes him once more, Megatron cites the operation as a failure, despite conquering the fortress, stating that they didn't complete their primary objective for the assault. He won't even let a version of himself from an alternate future kill Optimus.
• Out of the Inferno: Downplayed. Gigatron emerges from the wreck of one his capital ships crashing on him, courtesy of Starscream and Sentinel Prime, but he's horrifically damaged and his AllSpark-induced healing factor can only heal so much of his mangled body.
• Pietà Plagiarism: After Blackarachnia dies, Optimus only has just enough strength to make it to her ashen body and cradle it in his grief, even as it seems Gigatron is posed to finally conquer the universe.
• Properly Paranoid: Megatron was very right to install an override command in Protoform X in case the Quintessons tried to backstab him.
• The Resenter: Sentinel resents Optimus for becoming the Hero of Cybertron. It only grows when Optimus is declared Ultra Magnus's chosen successor. It eventually culminates in him betraying the Autobots and joining Starscream in service to Gigatron.
• Restraining Bolt: When Starscream rejoins the Decepticons, the very first thing Megatron does is install a shatter bomb in Starscreams spark chamber. Starscream gets around this by fishing his old body out of Lake Michigan, and has his new partner Sentinel transplant his head onto said old body.
• Rewarded as a Traitor Deserves: After learning about how Lockdown sold out the Decepticons to the Autobots, Megatron puts his stabilizing servo down and declares him a traitor to be hunted down and destroyed. Come Mercy of a Prime, Lockdown ends up torched by Blitzwing.
• Sanity Slippage:
  • By the time the sequel rolls, it becomes obvious that Megatron's obsession with Optimus is gradually making him more unhinged, which, in an alternate future, eventually facilitated him into becoming Gigatron. It becomes so bad that Starscream, of all 'bots, calls him out on it.
  • Megatron's predecessor and mentor, Galvatron, also fell off the wagon as a result of his obsession. For millions of stellar cycles, he had led the Decepticons on a successful campaign in the southern half of Cybertron; however, he had become so self-assured of his victory that he started diverting resources to the conquest of other planets, despite not having conquered Cybertron yet. As he descended into insanity, the Decepticons gradually lost their foothold on Cybertron, and eventually, Megatron was forced to slay Galvatron himself for the sake of the Decepticon cause.
• Shadow Archetype: Gigatron is what Megatron would have become if he lets his obsession with besting Optimus Prime, as well as his own greed and callousness, completely consume him.
• Shout-Out:
  • Cybetronian Genesis:
    • When Arcee tries to save Sari from Blackarachnia:
    Arcee: Get away from her, you glitch!
    • When Bumblebee and Bulkhead are trying to regroup with the others, they find Soundwave...sort of:
    Bumblebee: I think this was Soundwave.
    Bulkhead: I think this was too.
  • Mercy of a Prime:
    • When Straxxus first meets Optimus and voices his incredulity, he paraphrases Oogie Boogie.
    • When he and Lugnut are chasing the escape pod they think is containing Jazz, crazy!Blitzwing sings a snippet of the Goblin Town song.
    • Megatron uses Hot Shot and Hupcap to recreate the messenger scene from Mulan.
• Single-Target Sexuality: Optimus doesn't even entertain the idea of starting a romantic relationship with anyone else besides Elita-1/Blackarachnia. He outright states that she was the love of his lifecycle, and it becomes very clear that Optimus would rather spend his life alone than with someone that isn't her. As for her, while she did date Sentinel, it's all but stated that the only bot she ever felt attracted to on both a physical and emotional level was Optimus.
• The Sociopath:
  • Even before she became Blackarachnia, Elita-1 showed hints of this, which Megatron comments on during his duel with Optimus at the end of Cybertronian Genesis. Kup named her Elita-1 due to her high opinion of herself, and she would've graduated already on her own before the Archa Seven incident had she not been enjoying her time with Optimus and Sentinel, a development she didn't expect to happen. At the very least, she was very self-absorbed and had issues forming meaningful attachments beyond simple companionship. As noted above, it's implied that she felt nothing for Sentinel during their relationship, and it seems her closest emotional connection was actually with Optimus, who was in love with her — in fact, he was the only bot she seemed to feel anything for. That's why she is much harsher on him than she is with Sentinel, as Optimus is the one who ultimately left her behind.
  • Gigatron is a straighter example, as he ultimately cares about himself and nobody else. Anything and everything is expendable to him, including his own allies.
• Spotlight-Stealing Squad: As you can see by the sheer number of tropes mentioning them here, Optimus and Megatron all but function as the main protagonists, regardless of the fact that they are bitter enemies on opposing sides. The only characters who get close to the amount of introspective focus they get is Sari (thanks to the overarching Myth Arc surrounding her powers) and Blackarachnia (and that is only by proxy of her relationship with Optimus, the underlying romantic tension offset by her resentment and pride, and his lingering guilt).
• The Starscream:
  • Take a guess. And for bonus points, he partnered up with Sentinel to go off and join Gigatron.
    • And then, during the climax, both Sentinel and him turn on Gigatron and side back with the Autobots and the Decepticons.
  • Amusingly, it's revealed Megatron was this to Galvatron, the previous Decepticon leader, when the latter's growing insanity caused the Decepticons to go on the backfoot during the war.
• "Take That!" Kiss: Megatron gives one to Blackarachnia in order to drive Optimus into accepting his offer and join the Decepticons. All it did was piss him off.
• Thrown Out the Airlock: Shockwave's ultimate fate.
• Took a Level in Badass: While it was never truly highlighted in the show (barring Prowl's mastery of Processor over Matter), the team has obviously grown during their time on Earth. None more so than Optimus, who is now acknowledged as the Hero of Cybertron and one of, if not the only, Autobot (let alone Cybertronian) that can go one-on-one with Megatron.
• Underestimating Badassery: When Straxxus first meets Optimus, he's beyond amused that such an obvious greenhorn is one of-if not the- biggest thorns in the side of Megatron and the Decepticons. By the end of their meeting, he's been badly scarred and his one of his shipyards blown up.
• Undying Loyalty: Strangely, Starscream of all 'bots was incredibly loyal to Megatron. His greatest desire was for his efforts to be acknowledged by his lord — and they were, when Megatron named him as his second-in-command and successor. However, Greed and Ambition over the realization that the entire Decepticon empire would one day be his turned him into, well, The Starscream.
• Unresolved Sexual Tension: Optimus and Blackarachnia. Despite their history and being on opposing sides, there is still obviously something between them, as much as Blackarachnia would like to deny it.
• Villain Episode: The fic focuses almost as much on the Decepticons as it does the Autobots. Optimus's antagonistic relationship with Megatron is one of the main focus points of the narrative, and the story frequently delves into the mind of Megatron in order to illustrate how Optimus's continued defiance slowly begins to deteriorate his psyche. Some other examples include Team Chaar, Seekers, Soundwave, and more.
• Villains Want Mercy: Gigatron pleads to the AllSpark projection of Prowl that he was only trying to become powerful enough to ensure Cybertron would be protected against some vague threat he's claimed to have visions of. The Allspark takes none of Gigatron's bullshit and promptly wipes him from reality.
• Villainous Breakdown:
  • Megatron has a minor one when he requests an upgrade from Scalpel, only to learn that he's already so powerful that he can't be upgraded further. Megatron then loses control of his anger and demands the doctor give him a way to defeat Optimus.
  Megatron (to Scalpel): Forge my armor from Korlonium! Drench me in atomic fire! Do whatever must be done to give me the power I need to defeat Optimus Prime!
  • Gigatron is already insane, but is still mostly functional. But once his Near-Villain Victory is stopped and it becomes clear he's about to be killed by the Autobots and Decepticons, he's reduced to a ranting lunatic.
• What You Are in the Dark:
  • When push comes to shove, Sentinel betrays Gigatron and chooses to side with Optimus in the end, and apologizes to his friend. Optimus accepts the apology and forgives him in turn.
  • After so much debate over Blackarachnia's true character, including the sociopathic characteristics she displayed during her time as Elita-1, Optimus' faith in her is ultimately rewarded. Blackarachnia willingly sacrifices her life to merge her spark with the AllSpark, empowering it and allowing it to evolve, adapt, and finally kill Gigatron for good.
• With Great Power Comes Great Insanity: He was already suffering from Sanity Slippage as Megatron with Optimus constantly besting him, but directly absorbing his timeline's All Spark has clearly driven Gigatron past the brink of insanity.
• Worthy Opponent: Megatron has acknowledged Optimus as such several times, regarding him to the best 'bot he's ever fought. During one of the Villain Episodes, he acknowledges that the reason he hates Optimus so much is because he respects him so much, and that he respects him so much because he hates him so much. By the end of the first story, the fact that the designated spot for Optimus' helmet in Megatron's trophy room is between the two Magnuses he personally defeated indicates that Megatron views Optimus as his greatest enemy, and (hopefully) his defeat as his greatest triumph. This is shown when, after his Underestimating Badassery moment with Optimus, Straxxus isn't allowed to have the scars of the scuffle repaired, with the message being clear; if he considered Optimus weak enough to underestimate, what does that say about his opinion of Megatron?

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