"Transformers: Rise of the Beasts" introduces an army of Autobots and Terrorcons to wage a
new war for Earth. From Optimus Primal to Arcee, here are some of the best.
Optimus Prime won't be the only Optimus in "Rise of the Beasts":
The film also features Optimus Primal, the mighty and intelligent leader of the Maximals,
who are robots that can transform into animals rather than vehicles. Primal essentially acts
as the Transformers version of King Kong, since he transforms into a hulking gorilla. In previous
incarnations, Primal is seen growing into his role as the Maximals' leader,
often acting rashly. In this film, though, it seems like he's going to be depicted as
a seasoned leader who guides Prime and the Autobots on Unicron's power and arrival.
Compared to Prime in the trailer, who already seems battle-ready,
Primal comes across as much more calm and level-headed as he works alongside the
Autobots. Plus, Ron Perlman's voicework presents the tone of a strong leader.
"I'm not the one to fear, Prime."
As a prequel, maybe Prime's time with Primal helps him become the fearless and determined leader fans
know and love. Either way, Primal is sure to be a pivotal force in "Rise of the Beasts."
While fans are used to seeing Bumblebee team up with human protagonists, "Rise of the Beasts"
has its central protagonist work alongside Mirage. Mirage is an Autobot spy who can transform into a
sleek silver/blue Porsche and project holograms. He's mainly tied to ex-military electronics
expert Noah as a fun and slightly rebellious force within the Autobot ranks. Having Mirage
voiced by Pete Davidson might give the impression that the character will simply be comic relief.
"The name's Mirage. Come on. Kill tap!"
However, there are plenty of ways that the Autobot could be much more than a simple jokester.
Mirage's transformation abilities seem to be much more extensive than his fellow Autobots,
which could make for an incredible visual showcase. The sequence of Mirage transforming
around Noah while in the middle of a chase is visually jaw-dropping. And the idea of the
character being able to project holograms could be utilized for unique action sequences. With
Mirage tied to the main character of the film, he could also be a part of some big character
moments that show the robot's heart. And yes, there will definitely be plenty of one-liners
from Davidson that will make Mirage one of the funniest Transformers brought to the big screen.
Although Arcee has had brief cameos in other films like "Bumblebee" and "Revenge of the
Fallen," she plays a much bigger role in "Rise of the Beasts." Arcee is a female
Autobot with sharpshooting skills who can transform into a fast-moving Ducati
motorcycle. While most Transformers are big and bulky, Arcee is much more lean and mobile,
making her a versatile threat in battle. Arcee's fighting skills are shown off in the trailer
when she skates across a road like she's on rollerblades and dodges missiles with ease.
Given that Arcee is such a prominent character from the 1984 animated series and is the most
iconic female Autobot, it's surprising that she hasn't been utilized more in
the live-action films. However, the wait for Arcee's big debut seems like it was worth it.
The film's visual depiction of the character draws
heavy inspiration from her original look and with someone like Liza Koshy voicing Arcee,
she's sure to have a memorable and funny personality that'll make her a fan-favorite.
One of Optimus Primal's top soldiers and closest confidants is Airazor, a Maximal scout who can
transform into a giant falcon. Normally, Airazor is known for working with another
Maximal named Tigatron, who can transform into a tiger. The two have even been able to merge to
become the mighty Tigerhawk. However, Tigatron seems to be absent in "Rise of the Beasts,"
so Airazor will likely take on a new kind of role that fans aren't used to seeing her in.
Based on the trailers, Airazor seems to be a unique part of action sequences as
a terror in the sky for enemies. She also seems to
be close with Optimus Primal and helps him make pivotal decisions.
"Optimus, we must trust each other to protect the home we all share."
Fans could be looking at a much more seasoned and mature Airazor
who has taken on a prominent leadership role in the Maximals,
and with the voice of recent Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh behind Airazor, she could be
a very memorable supporting character that acts as a force of reason with the Maximals.
While Unicron played a silent role in "The Last Knight," the destructive planet-sized
being seems to be the main villain of "Rise of the Beasts." And hopefully, we'll be able
to see his true form. Unicron is the master of the Terrorcons who seeks to destroy and devour
Earth to grow his immense power. He can transform into a mechanized death machine that's the size of
a planet as well as a standard Transformers bot fitted with sharp, evil-looking horns.
Throughout the trailers, Unicron has been shown in his planet form, and it's a bit concerning.
Whether or not we'll see Unicron in his epic robot mode remains unclear. Could "Rise of the
Beasts" make the same unsatisfying choice with its larger-than-life antagonist that "Rise of
the Silver Surfer" and "Green Lantern" did with Galactus and Parallax? Either way, "Rise of the
Beasts" seems to be unleashing the "Transformers" franchise's biggest baddie for a destructive
world tour, and Unicron's presence means that the finale fight has a ton of epic potential.
Scourge is the vicious right-hand robot of Unicron, and will cause the Autobots and Maximals
trouble keeping Earth safe. Scourge is a deadly bounty hunter who is known for being a devastating
force in battle with his destructive combat abilities, but he can be foiled by his arrogance.
He can transform into a mighty semi-truck like Optimus Prime. Even though he's often subordinate
to more powerful Transformers, like Galvatron and Unicron, he's also been known to lead a
clan of robot hunters known as the Sweeps. While it seems like Scourge won't have the Sweeps at his
disposal, he's still going to be a formidable enemy for the Autobots and Maximals to face.
With Unicron's power and influence guiding him,
Scourge has a massive advantage over his opponents, and his vicious nature could
lead to some unexpected and tragic deaths. Unicron is definitely a big threat in "Rise
of the Beasts," especially if the Sweep suddenly appear to aid him in battle.
Scourge has a second-in-command of his own in the form of Nightbird, a Terrorcon ninja who
utilizes a bunch of different weapons to be an absolute terror to fight. Although
Nightbird's name might make some think that she can transform into a flying vehicle,
she instead turns into a sporty Nissan Skyline GT-R. Not only does her dark purple color palette
help her blend into the dark sky for night missions, but her wide array of weapons,
including sharp swords and razor claws, makes her a formidable foe.
Nightbird is voiced by Michaela Jae Rodriguez, the first transgender actor to be a part of the
"Transformers" franchise. We haven't seen much of Nightbird in the trailers yet, but her incredible
fighting range and story potential working under Scourge could make her a fan-favorite villain.
Another pivotal Maximal within Optimus Primal's ranks is Rhinox, a Transformer that can turn into
a mechanized rhino with big brains to match his intense brawn. In previous incarnations,
Rhinox generally acts as the Maximals' main tech expert and is often seen helping Primal plot out
strategies as his second-in-command. Although Rhinox's appearance might make most think that
he's brutal and vicious, he can actually be a calming force for the Maximals. Yet his
ear-piercing roar, sharp horn, and damaging speed still make him a formidable fighter.
Based on what we've seen in the trailers, Rhinox takes more of a supporting role within
the Maximals, as Airazor seems more like a firm "number two" for Primal. It would
make sense since Yeoh is a more high-profile name than Rhinox's voice actor David Sobolov,
although he is a seasoned voice actor within the "Transformers" franchise. Still, Rhinox will be a
pivotal force for the film's heroes as his tech skills will likely aid everyone at some point,
and anybody that gets in his way will feel the power of his mighty horn.
The Maximals have their own scout in the incredibly fast-footed and fierce Cheetor,
who can transform into a mechanized cheetah. Cheetor is initially seen as
the team's ambitious and determined rookie before he rises through the ranks and excels
in battle with stunning agility and speed. Cheetor sneaks up on enemies
and launches surprise assaults thanks to his incredible speed. That's what makes
him one of the deadliest Maximals in the "Transformers" franchise.
"Stranger danger! Stranger danger!"
Outside of seeing Cheetor race Bumblebee in his vehicle form, there hasn't been much of Cheetor in
the released footage of the movie, so it's tough to say what kind of role he'll play. Will he be a
little more mature and integrated within the group by this point, or will he still be that energetic
rookie? What we do know is that he's going to be a part of some lightning-quick action sequences
that'll be thrilling to watch as he helps the Maximals and Autobots defeat Scourge's forces.
While we haven't seen the species of Transformers generally called Freezer
in the trailers and there isn't a voice actor listed for one, this species appearance in the
film's toy line suggests that one will appear in "Rise of the Beasts." It's worth delving into
what these small Terrorcon insect-like Transformers are and what they can do,
especially since it's vastly different from other Transformers mentioned so far. Rather
than transform into a vehicle or animal, Freezers transform into weapons that can attach to Scourge
and fellow Terrorcon soldiers in battle. Thus, a Freezer is the ultimate enhancement for fighting,
and can often help the Terrorcons turn the tide while waging war.
A small species with multiple arms for swift battlefield movement, Freezers will definitely
pose a formidable challenge. Scourge may command one Freezer or an entire army,
but either way, these quick weapon upgrades would make the Terrorcons
among the most powerful foes that Optimus Prime and the Autobots ever encountered.
Although it would be nice to believe that the Autobots can traverse the world
without some help, they're assisted in this globe-trotting adventure by another Autobot
named Stratosphere. Stratosphere is a gigantic Autobot that can transform into a cargo plane,
which is extremely helpful for chauffeuring the Autobots from place to place. Because of his
aerial abilities, Stratosphere generally prefers to be up in the sky and away from the action,
but that doesn't mean he's opposed to helping his fellow Autobots when they're in danger.
Not much has been seen of Stratosphere in the trailers aside from a quick shot of him flying,
but that's not too surprising. Stratosphere will likely play a supporting role in the film,
delivering some assistance when needed — and some good one-liners here and there.
Another Terrorcon who will fight for Unicron alongside Scourge and Nightbird is Battletrap.
Like Nightbird, Battletrap features an anime-inspired look and comes with some
unique weaponry and skills. He can transform into a tow truck and mainly uses a ball and
chain weapon to ensnare enemies or beat them down. Battletrap is a multi-faceted threat for
anyone who stands in his way and a key player for the Terrorcons in their bid to take over Earth.
It's unclear what kind of role Battletrap will have in "Rise of the Beasts," since he hasn't
been featured much in any of the trailers, but there's no doubt that he'll be by Scourge and
Nightbird's side once they come to Earth. He seems like the kind of warrior that Scourge
would want in his army, and will likely end up causing a lot of destruction. Battletrap
might only have a small role compared to other Transformers mentioned here, but he could be a
strong force within the Terrorcon ranks that makes them the most fearsome faction in the franchise.