There are more Transformers out there than meets the eye. But which one packs the
biggest punch? Here are the top picks for the most powerful Transformers out there.
Arcee has popped up in many incarnations over the decades since her initial appearance in
1986's "The Transformers: The Movie," making her one of the more difficult characters to
track without flying fully off the rails. Noting how complicated its chronology can be,
Hasbro launched an attempt at bringing various takes on "Transformers" together under a shared
continuity in 2010. This soft reboot saw what is perhaps the most definitive take on
Arcee in "Transformers: Prime," where fans saw her stepping into more of a
main character role for the first two seasons. As that take on Arcee
blended a few details from the past and reimagined her in other ways,
it seems likely that will be the basis of her character in "Rise of the Beasts."
Arcee is considered one of the least physically intimidating Transformers, but her intense
willpower makes her one of Optimus Prime's most trusted allies. In the "Prime" series,
Arcee can transform into a blue motorcycle, projecting a hologram named "Sadie" as the driver
to be less easily identifiable by humans and Decepticons. She can turn her hands into blades
or blasters like many of her fellow Autobots, but her greatest strength might be the ability
to achieve great things under pressure. Having lost friends in battle before, she's committed
to making sure it never happens again, and that resolve is what makes her such a formidable foe.
Another character hailing from the first generation of Autobots, the original form
of Mirage was a bit different than the one in "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts." Although
he's undergone several iterations at this point, he remains one of the most complicated Autobots.
Coming from wealth, he joined the group in the fight against the Decepticons but has
long-held sympathies across the board. Despite knowing that the Decepticons
are wrong and must be stopped, he likewise disagrees with the methods of the Autobots.
It makes him a bit of a wild card. With an arrogant but charming demeanor to top it all off,
he remains one of the most interesting characters in Transformers' history.
Along with that unique personality, Mirage has a highly individualized skillset. Per his namesake,
he can cast projections of himself to confuse enemies. He also has the
ability to turn invisible and even emulate other Autobots. Mirage previously appeared
in the form of a Ferrari 458, but for "Rise of the Beasts," he's a Porsche.
Though this design harkens back to prior incarnations, it is worth noting that
fellow Autobot Jazz was the one designed after a Porsche. Whether this means the film franchise
will be merging these two fan favorites, or has more to do with behind-the-scenes technicalities,
is unclear. Regardless, Mirage's subterfuge makes him a powerful asset to the Autobots.
Eagle-eyed viewers might have noticed a lightning-fast glimpse of Nightbird in
the "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts" trailer. Appearing in only one episode of the original
cartoon, this is the kind of deep-cut they live to spot. "Enter the Nightbird" introduced viewers
to Doctor Fujiyama, who created Nightbird for the dubious purpose of proving how great technology
is and how helpful it can be to humanity. The cartoon showed surprising foresight by explaining
that this "helpful" tech was immediately hijacked by Decepticons and used for evil.
Though the Autobots ultimately defeat her, she remains in stasis, returning for "Universe:
The Wreckers" and other brief appearances down the line, particularly in the IDW comics.
While some might assume that there will be changes in Nightbird's origin with a
new take on the character, it'll be hard to improve much on the perfect concept
of a ninja robot bent on destruction. Not a Decepticon or an Autobot but simply a robot
programmed with the skills of a ninja, most of Nightbird's abilities lie in her hand-to-hand
combat skills. Besides the throwing stars, she also wields a powerful beam katana.
This grizzled weapons expert of the Autobots is one of the franchise's longest-running characters,
dating back to that opening three-parter, "More Than Meets the Eye." One of Optimus
Prime's oldest friends, his tenacity has seen him survive countless conflicts.
More to the point and gruff than the others, it would be easy to dismiss him as a curmudgeon
if he wasn't a true softie at heart. He's a fan favorite who has shown up in just about
every "Transformers" adaptation to date, adding a serious dose of down-to-earth
mentality to the crew. Though his specific continuity has shifted over the decades,
he remains one of the tried and true believers in Optimus Prime's fight against the Decepticons.
"Let's blast their tail rudders out of there."
Though Ironhide might not be the most powerful in a direct attack,
he is the go-to of the Autobots when it comes to protection. Sporting Trithyllium-steel skin
that makes him essentially invulnerable, he often serves as the bodyguard of Optimus Prime,
stepping in to deflect attacks while the others leap into action.
He is equipped for battle with a special gun, which can blast targets with any kind of liquid,
favoring liquid nitrogen. Still, there is little denying that his
greatest strength is an inability to call it quits, regardless of what challenges arise.
Bumblebee not rating higher on this list might seem like a snub,
but it's not. The character has survived a franchise that a lot of characters haven't,
so this entry is made with the utmost respect to 'Bee. What he lacks in the
overwhelming strength of characters like Optimus Prime, he makes up for in sheer determination,
which has shown him capable of overpowering much stronger foes.
Appearing early on with the first generation of "Transformers" characters, he has long been
considered the heart of the Autobots, making him indispensable for the group's morale in
ways that would be difficult to quantify. There's no denying that his ability to stay optimistic,
even in the most upsetting of situations, is practically a superpower in and of itself.
"Optimus Prime, I know you're not evil! I believe in you!"
While he first appeared in the form of an adorable yellow Volkswagon Bug,
he's been redesigned to incorporate more of a muscle car look, now appearing as a yellow Camaro
with bee-like racing stripes. He has many of the same basic weapons as the other Transformers,
including body separation abilities, an energy shield, plasma rifles, and rockets. Yet,
Bumblebee's true power comes from within. While his upbeat attitude is infectious among the
occasionally dour Autobots, Bumblebee is just as determined as the rest of them on the battlefield.
They have regularly relied on his scouting abilities, as well as his superior marksmanship.
All of the major Decepticons are powerful, including heavy hitters
like Lockdown and Soundwave. At the top of Megatron's list of cronies is Shockwave,
one of the main antagonists of 2011's "Dark of the Moon."
Rumored to be capable of defeating even Megatron in combat, this deadly scientist creates a cult
of personality. He gains followers like "The Last Knight" villain Nitro Zeus who commits
acts of terror in his name even after his demise.. Ultimately, his body was used by KSI to create the
less-intimidating but still scary Two-Head, who died via hand grenade. That's probably the last
we'll see Shockwave, but at this point, his resilience is a superpower in and of itself.
Though his adherence to "logic" is a built-in character flaw that leads to his undoing,
his misdeeds have had surprising longevity in the franchise. Shockwave's ability to influence others
is put into play at various times, including when he uses his powers to create subservient clones
of himself to fight for him during battles. He can transform into a tank, redirect blasts
by opening portals, and fight Autobots to a standstill through hand-to-hand combat.
Yet, the threat he poses is primarily in his ability to develop great
weapons for the Decepticons, heading up nefarious schemes like Project Predacon,
creating Cybermatter, and the restoration of the Omega Lock.
Grimlock is a big, scary dude with a big, scary sword who can also turn into a big,
scary T-Rex. He's a pretty solid fighter as well. He leads the Dinobots, a relatively
small team that packs a pretty nasty punch. The Dinobots value strength and intensity,
so it takes an extremely powerful leader to claim dominance over the rest of the
group. Grimlock has shown off his fighting prowess on several occasions, and has held
his own against and even defeated some of a veritable "Who's Who" list of Transformers.
"Me Grimlock no bozo. Me king!"
However, he loses more often than not when he tangles with any of the big timers,
and his prickly, instinctive nature makes it so he often
gets in over his head when battling against physically superior foes.
"Me Grimlock need new strategy."
If it just came down to purely physical and mental ability,
Megatron might be able to jump a few spots on this list. As the leader of the Decepticons,
Megatron has proven time and time again that he can go toe to toe against any Transformer
out there. He's powerful and strategic, and he truly believes in what he's fighting for.
That said, Megatron often fails when he should succeed because his arrogance and disdain for
others come back to haunt him. Megatron believes that Transformers are the superior lifeforms in
the universe, and any other creature that he deems "inferior" is barely worth recognizing.
This arrogance has led to countless plans failing due to Megatron overlooking a small detail. If he
was able to see the big picture or recognize the threat that others pose to his plans,
it's possible the Decepticons would have achieved their goals of universal domination long ago.
Depending on which timeline and version of "Transformers" you're looking at,
Galvatron's power level can fluctuate wildly. Sometimes,
he's little more than a modified version of Megatron. Other times, he has gained
near omnipotence through a combination of outside forces, cunning, and force of will.
When Megatron was destroyed, he made a deal with Unicron to be reborn as
Galvatron. Though Galvatron possesses all of Megatron's memories, the rebirth changed the
Decepticon forever. After his defeat by the Autobots, Galvatron was driven insane. His
new quest as leader of the Decepticons was to do whatever it took to gain more power for himself.
Galvatron's quest for domination has led him to some extremely powerful,
mythical artifacts that have made him almost invincible, even when battling
the most dangerous beings in the universe. When he hits his highest levels of strength, even entire
forces of the most powerful Transformers can do little to stop him. Like Megatron's arrogance,
Galvatron's lust for power is his biggest downfall. He will throw his companions aside
and break ancient taboos to achieve his goals, meaning almost everyone is allied against him.
"I am Galvatron!"
Optimus Prime doesn't edge out Megatron and Grimlock on battle prowess alone,
he's proven himself an extremely capable fighter time and time again,
and his status as the leader of the Autobots isn't a fluke. That said,
Optimus Prime's true power comes from those intangible characteristics that also make
him a good leader. He's courageous, thoughtful, strategic, and never underestimates his enemies.
"Autobots, transform and roll out."
These traits help Optimus Prime stand up to much more powerful forces. His drive
and compassion help him stay in fights much longer than he should be able to,
and he often demoralizes his foes simply because his will never breaks.
Optimus Prime is legendary in the Transformers universe for turning the tide of many conflicts
on his sheer will and courage. He has sacrificed himself on countless occasions,
and taken down many a "more powerful" foe by outmaneuvering them and relying on the help
of his friends and allies. Optimus Prime can never be counted out of any fight.
Defensor is the Combiner version of the five Protectobots: Hot Spot, First Aid,
Blades, Streetwise, and Groove. He isn't particularly strong on offense,
but he does flex his power levels in other ways. For one, Defensor is one of the most intelligent
and strategic minds on any battlefield. The Protectobots are all emergency responders,
so they need to be able to analyze situations quickly and effectively to save lives.
He's no slouch on the battlefield, certainly,
but Defensor has one other trick up his robotic sleeve: a massive,
incredibly strong force field that can be projected up to 50 feet away from his body.
Defensor's force field takes a massive amount of energy to maintain,
but it's an extremely powerful ability. The Autobots usually get in trouble when they're
stretched too thin trying to protect everyone. Defensor earns a spot on
the list because he bypasses that weakness entirely whenever he's on the battlefield.
Predaking is what is known as a "Combiner," which is a Transformer made up of other Transformers.
As such, his power level is significant. Predaking is a combination of the five other
Predacons: Divebomb, Headstrong, Rampage, Razorclaw, and Tantrum. He is massive,
extremely powerful, and one of the most dangerous hunters in the galaxy.
Predaking also has some other abilities that make him extraordinarily strong,
but one stands out that makes him unique among other Combiners.
One of the drawbacks when a Transformer shifts into its Combiner form is that all
of them have to work together. The different Transformers are still independent beings,
and if they disagree about which action to take, there isn't much they can do.
The five Transformers who become Predaking mold together into one consciousness,
preventing that drawback. It makes for an extremely dangerous foe,
capable of isolating and destroying his enemies. Predaking's main weakness is his lust for the
hunt. He has been lured into more than a few traps when he thinks he's already won.
Bruticus is the mirror of Defensor. He's made up of the five Combaticons: Onslaught, Vortex,
Brawl, Blastoff, and Swindle. Each of these Decepticons transform into military vehicles,
and when they join together, become the extremely powerful Bruticus.
Bruticus possesses all sorts of advanced weaponry and is nearly
impervious to attacks. Despite being a Combiner,
each of the five Transformers that make up this monstrosity is driven by similar instincts. Thus,
it isn't very hard for them to find a common purpose and work together in their Bruticus form.
Bruticus' central weakness is his intelligence. Being driven solely by aggression makes him
extremely suggestible and dumb. He's easy to trick and will follow any orders that
allow him to get into battle. His brute strength is unquestionable,
making him a terrible threat. He just needs someone else to pull the strings for him.
"Not this way you traitorous oaf!"
"I can't control it."
If Trypticon cared a bit more, he'd be practically unstoppable. He's what's known as a Titan. In one
form, he's a massive dinosaur, capable of defeating nearly any Transformer in
hand-to-hand combat. Even worse, his alternate form is a city-sized artillery platform,
capable of launching massive amounts of firepower in an incredibly short amount of time.
Very few can stand up to Trypticon's insane size and weaponry, and entire teams of Autobots will
generally use trickery and subversion to stand up to him. They know that a head-on assault would be
suicide. Despite being the ultimate weapon, Trypticon's heart is not often in the battle.
Trypticon hates the Autobots, but he also hates that he's used as a tool by the Decepticons.
He has accepted his role as a deadly weapon, but he frequently becomes jaded
or dispirited with the constant fighting he's involved in. This disinterest is one
of the few things that give the Autobots a chance against such a dangerous foe.
Metroplex is an Autobot Titan, like his Decepticon counterpart Trypticon.
His alternate form is a massive city, and his Autobot form is a towering,
intimidating figure that dwarfs almost any other Transformer in existence.
"This planet's not big enough for the both of us!"
He has three regular-sized Autobots, Scamper, Six-Gun, and Slammer, just to help him keep track
of everything happening around him; Metroplex is just too big to monitor it all himself.
Metroplex is a highly skilled marksman and hand-to-hand fighter,
capable of scrapping with nearly any foe. He's loyal, intelligent,
and courageous, and the Autobots frequently rely on his judgment.
Metroplex's greatest trait, however, is his humility. Despite his massive size,
fighting prowess, and intelligence, he never feels it is enough. He constantly wants to
do better and improve, and he's always looking for ways to overcome obstacles
and help make the world a better place. Even when the odds are against him, Metroplex is
constantly searching for ways to even things out and give the good guys the edge in battle.
Omega Supreme is millions of years old. He once served as the guardian
of Cybertron's biggest city. Currently, he's an intergalactic transport for the rest of the
Autobots. His alternate form is three different things: a huge tank and two military bases.
Omega Supreme is seemingly the largest Autobot in existence,
and he is overpowered beyond belief. His armor makes him invulnerable to
all but the most powerful attacks, and he has enough firepower in both of his
forms to defeat entire teams. In a one-on-one fight, he would crush nearly any opposition.
On top of all this, Omega Supreme has an incredible drive to protect and serve.
He despises the destructive attitude of the Decepticons and works tirelessly with Optimus
Prime and the other Autobots to safeguard those who are in danger. Generally viewed
as the final line of defense, he's powerful enough to handle most threats on his own.
You could put any of the "Primes" here, a group of the 13 original Transformers
created to become masters of different aspects of the universe. Each of these
beings commands almost godlike powers, but Vector Prime takes the cake for a few different reasons.
Vector Prime once held the Matrix of Leadership, but he left Cybertron to
become the guardian of time and space. He can warp both of these things with his powers,
and he can travel through and observe the multiverse at will. This allows him
to influence events across space, time, and alternate dimensions.
Like the rest of the Primes, Vector Prime is several billion years old,
and his existence outside of regular space and time has left him with a bit of a disconnect
from the universe. That said, his heart is in the right place and there is little
that other Transformers can do to stop him once he decides on a plan of action.
Appearing in 2017's "Transformers: The Last Knight" as one of the film's main antagonists,
Quintessa is a character with the potential to be the most powerful of all the Transformers.
"I am Quintessa, the Prime of life."
While there are plenty of claims she makes that may or may not be true, she certainly was one of
the most entertaining aspects of a movie that is regularly derided by fans of the franchise.
While the Autobots believe her to be deceased after Bumblebee's attack,
the film's final sequences indicated that she is alive and well, passing her
time in human disguise, presumably cooking up new nefarious schemes.
Quintessa's skillset is absolutely wild, even in a franchise full of immensely powerful characters,
but it's easy to feel that her most valuable asset is the ability to
play the long game. While the others get tangled up in battles, Quintessa tends to
be looking to the next conflict to gauge how the events will benefit her. This is
amplified by abilities like holographic camouflage, hypnosis, and telekinesis,
alongside her physical attacks like energy projection and redirection. However, her most
chilling talent is likely the power to transfigure the Cybertronians through her power of creation,
quite literally reverting Galvatron to Megatron form to suit her needs in "The Last Knight."
Most fans of "Transformers" will remember Unicron's appearance in the '80s animated
film. This godlike Transformer is the most terrifying being in the universe. His entire
reason to exist is to destroy everything until he is the sole remaining lifeform. He consumes
entire worlds, breaking down everything they have and using it to boost his capabilities.
Unicron can travel across the multiverse at will,
and his presence is seen as a plague on reality itself. His powers are unlimited,
and he can infiltrate and infest different aspects of the universe
in his never-ending quest to snuff out life. He also seduces other beings under his thrall,
granting them new powers in exchange for their sworn fealty. Because of the power he can bestow,
many accept his offers, despite knowing their destruction always lies at the end of the deal.
Brother to Unicron and the only being in the universe who can stand up to him, Primus is
the stand-in for God in the "Transformers" universe. Primus created the Transformers,
and a small part of him exists within all his creations. As the Transformers create and
maintain most other aspects of the universe, Primus has his hands in nearly everything.
He exists across time, space, and separate realities. His physical
manifestation exists as the Transformers' home planet of Cybertron. He has access
to nearly all of the information in existence through his mainframe computer, Vector Sigma.
This wealth of knowledge available to Primus is what helps him edge out
Unicron as the most powerful Transformer in existence. His ability to outthink and
strategize circles around his sibling keeps the universe intact. His ability
to exist across space and time gives him the edge whenever he's needed.