This could transform history!
A draft of the Transformers Animated movie script by Ron Friedman has been making the rounds recently. It has been scanned and placed page by page into a pdf file for all to see. The script is long, clocking in at around 180 pages, not everyone is going to have the dedication to read the whole thing (myself included!) Download the script yourself from the Disciples of Boltax blog.
There have been some incredible revelations about the plot after reading this script. A lot of the gaping holes in the story are filled in by this initial script such as the fate of Blaster, the significance of the Decepticon coronation ceremony location, and the first premature indication that the Transformers had something called “sparks.”
So to start off, the wonder Air Hammer from Bottalk has allowed me to share his incredible outlined summary of the original script, which is far more digestible than reading the entry yourself. Here ’tis, part one of Air Hammer’s TFTM First draft script summary.
* Unicron is an actual planet, with an atmosphere, plants, etc… No planet eating at the beginning.
* Cybertron has 5 moons, not 2. The Autobots have set up a munitions base on the third moon, and are preparing a shuttle filled with weapons, not energon.
* The Decepticons are actually seen watching as the shuttle leaves then fly off after it. Laserbeak doesn’t spy on the Autobots.
* Daniel has a bike and not a jet board.
* There are two different versions of the shuttle attack in this draft.
-First one Megatron blasts the side of the shuttle in gun mode. He enters while the Insecticons make the hole bigger. Megatron destroys Brawn splitting him in half. Scavenger melts Prowl. Then Megatron and Kickback pretty much annihilate Ironhide and Ratchet with their parts splattering across the walls.
-Second version Megatron crashes through a window as the shuttle is entering Earth’s atmosphere. He destroys Ironhide. The Insecticons then tear through the side of the ship. Constructicons enter the shuttle. Prowl is destroyed by Scavenger. Ratchet not present.
In both it seems that the Insecticons eat the shuttle as they enter above Autobot air space. Hotrod doesn’t fire on the shuttle.
* Hotrod and Daniel are attacked by Constructicons before Blitzwing shows up.
* The city battle is radically different. Some elements the same but many changes. The initial gathering of the Autobots is the same, except Blurr is not present. Ultra Magnus shouts out for the city to transform rather than Springer and Arcee doing it manually. Hotrod and Kup still enter the city the same way. They confront Ultra Magnus before going to battle stations. UM talks with Wheeljack and they release the Ani-bots! Simba, a lion. Pardo, a leopard. Shriek, an eagle. Thump, a buffalo, and Clump, a rhino. They attack the Constructicons. Blaster fires on Insecticons from the crows nest. Blaster’s cassettes consist of Cubbie the lion, Stripes the tiger, Stinger the scorpion, and Bolts (who I’d assume looks similar to Eject and Rewind). Powerglide and Warpath attack Blitzwing. As the Decepticons rip and tear at the walls, Bluestreak, Hound and Sunstreaker use laser blades to cut off the Con’s legs. When Devastator starts his assault, Wheeljack has the Ani-bots merge into Dragon Beast, and the combiners brawl.
* There’s dialog between Optimus, Jazz, Cliffjumper, Bumblebee and Grimlock prior to them lifting off for Earth. No Spike. The Dinobots don’t want to go but Bumblebee persuades Grimlock by saying his great intelligence is needed to make a battle plan. Jazz and CJ are left to watch the base while the others leave.
* Astrotrain was left behind and he attacks Optimus’ shuttle. As they approach Earth the Dinobots get out and blast Astrotrain away. Then they help guide the battered shuttle through the atmosphere so Optimus can land, and finally go help Dragon Beast tackle Devastator. They rip Devy apart and bash the seekers around.
* Both factions stop to watch the battle between Optimus and Megatron. Hotrod still dives in but Megatron uses him as a hostage rather than a shield. Megs then tosses Hotrod at Prime and fires on Prime’s wound. The battle ends the same, and Astrotrain shows up battered and bruised but still gets the Cons off the planet. Daniel urges the Autobots to attack while the Cons retreat but Arcee says they must focus only on Optimus.
* It’s interesting to note that Sparks are indeed mentioned here. There is no Matrix of Leadership. Instead Optimus plans to….if I read this right, merge his “life spark” with Ultra Magnus. Prime dies, and Ultra Magnus gets everyone right to work on repairing the city before they go after the Decepticons and finish them off before they can appoint Megatron’s successor. Hotrod exclaims how it was all his fault but Arcee says it was brave of him, and Kup reassures him.
* As expected the Decepticons fight on board Astrotrain, but they don’t discard Megatron, and they didn’t bring any near-death Cons back with them. Instead they land on Cybertron at the ceremony site. They continue to fight while Megatron crawls around trying to get their attention. Remember those gold statues? Well these are actual tombs of past fallen Decepticon leaders and warriors, not just memorials. Each tomb contains their spark. As the Cons continue to fight, they manage to break several of the tombs releasing the sparks, and one of the statues falls on Megatron finally killing him, his spark rising up and joining the others as they travel through space.
* The sparks drift through space. Megatron’s, still sentient vows revenge if he ever got a chance, and says he’ll do anything. Overhearing, a voice calls out to Megatron. The planet Unicron appears, but that’s all it appears to be. The voice is from the being controlling the planet. It’s name is Ingestor. Similar talk takes place. Megatron not as angry but tries his best to barter. Afraid that he’ll float through space forever if he doesn’t agree, but knowing he’ll get a new body and his revenge, goes through with it.
* Megatron’s spark is reformatted into Galvatron, and funny enough he’s happy about it. Sheding his former self away. The other sparks are converted into Scourge, the Sweeps, Cyclonus, and the “armada” which is in fact more Cyclonus bots in similar fashion to the Sweeps. Ingestor tells Galvatron to go gather his troops.
* Starscream, having apparently won the fight now stands tall. Smoldering Decepticons at his feet. Dirge reads a passage of their history in accordance with the crowning of a new leader as Astrotrain crowns Starscream. Galvatron and his forces arrive. Starscream saying Galvatron looks familiar and argues with him before Galvatron destroys him in the same manner, but with his arm cannon.
* Unicron then appears and eats the third moon. Jazz and Cliffjumper getting away in their shuttle, only to get sucked up. Ingestor orders Galvatron to Earth so they can finish off the Autobots and gather energy for him. Galvatron annoyed that a moon was destroyed shouts out that the galaxy belongs to him. Ingestor makes him suffer, etc…off to Earth.
* Blurr now randomly shows up saying he has scans he’s been reading from Cybertron. One of the moons was swallowed by a giant planet, and an invasion force has left for Earth and is here…….NOW!
* The second Earth battle is much more intense. Alot more destruction. Galvatron actually ordering they melt down the city and do so. The city ablaze in flames as the fighting continues. Warpath and Powerglide getting in on the action again. Cyclonus bombs Gears to pieces. The armada use their wings to slice up Windcharger. Blaster fleeing with Mirage and Trailbreaker. The Dinobots still refusing to enter the shuttles at first. Decepticons firing on them as they lift off.
* Kup’s story to the Dinobots is extended. Hotrod takes a break from fighting the sword bot and answers a hologram call from Arcee and Daniel who speak to him. The Decepticons then attack and destroy Kup and Hotrod’s ship, rather than it crashing. The Autobots inside hurled through space. Magnus’ ship again splitting up and the bigger half getting destroyed. Galvatron orders them back to Earth so they can collect the energy.
* Scourge and the Sweeps still on Earth preparing energon cubes. The energy being sent directly to Ingestor through a beam. The shuttle picking up the signature, Perceptor tracks where it’s going, then they detect a planet to set down on.
* Meanwhile back on Earth, Blaster, Sunstreaker, Wheeljack and other Autobot survivors are in hiding, waiting for a chance to strike at the Sweeps. Wheeljack indicates that if they don’t stop the Con’s from taking Earth’s energy then the planet with blow up within 2 days. Scourge and the others then leave to join the Decepticons.
So there you have it. Up to the point where Galvatron first chases the Autobots off of Earth. Some important things to notice is that Earth is feeding energy to Unicron now. Wheeljack is still alive! Autobot City is completely destroyed by Galvatron and his crew. Simply amazing. The brutality of the deaths is quite pronounce and I’m not surprised this script had to be heavily modified. The base story is here though and helps paint the bigger picture for all of us.
I myself have always wondered what would’ve been the consequences of Unicron reaching Earth… Perhaps we will never know!
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