Transformers

Transformers: A History - Icons and Cataclysms

The Bearers of the Void use all of their resources to try to break up the unity spreading across Cybertron. They exploit the Ultimate Warrior's tenet of spreading Decepticon rule, and taking the final battle to Unicron, by pitting Decepticon rulers against Autobot leaders that advocate staying on Cybertron and preparing for the Chaos Bringer's coming.
The Bearers convince the Decepticon leaders to utilize the ancient colossal Quintesson rocket engines to make Cybertron a mobile weapon. The Autobots vehemently oppose this action, so the Decepticon armies take control of the rocket boosters by force. They restore the engines, but are stopped from igniting the boosters, by the Guardian robots, led by a consortium of Autobot leaders.



This is the final straw for Decepticon tolerance.

Liege Maximo has three new Decepticons created and takes them to Vector Sigma to give them life. They declare themselves: "Soundwave", "Shockwave" and the largest and strongest "Megatron". These Decepticons were also given the newly developed and top secret ability of personal flight, as well as each possessing either strange abilities and/or massive firepower.



These Decepticons were the first of a new army that would plunge Cybertron into the most destructive war yet, The 3rd Cybertronian War, also known as The Great War. Megatron slays Sentinel Prime, in hopes to steal the Matrix for himself, but the Matrix knowns of Megatron's plan, and is secreted away by the oldest living Autobot, Alpha Trion.



During the early stages of this war Megatron injures a young Autobot named Orion Pax. Orion is taken to Alpha Trion for repairs, who discoveres that Orion Pax is the heir to the Matrix. After extensive reconstruction and merging with the Matrix, Orion Pax becomes Optimus Prime.



Megatron rises in power and popularity among the Decepticons, surpassing or eliminating all that stand between him and complete control of the Decepticon military forces. No leader before has inspired or united the Decepticons as he does. Megatron forges the Decepticons into a single fighting entity bent on one goal: Peace through tyranny.

Optimus Prime and Megatron clash again at the Temple of Boltax. The Temple of Boltax is the gatherplace of the Underbase; a database of information gathered from the collective unconscious of every Transformers, as well as information gathered from sources from all over the universe. The information contained within is recorded on beams of conecntrated light, which are contained within the body of Boltax. Boltax, known as the Grand Circuitmaster, has changed and adapted his body tobe the receptacle of the Underbase, though he must be careful, for incomplete downloading of the Underbase can cause madness, and if a Cybertronian were to try to download the complete Underbase, death will result.

Optimus Prime seeks out Boltax for wisdom concerning the war. He vetures across the treacherous terrain that has protected Boltax from outside influence, unaware that Megatron follows him. Optimus arrives and greets Boltax, who allows Optimus to safely load portions of the Underbase, but while Optimus bathes in the light of the Underbase, Megatron arrives and attacks. Optimus is injured in the attack, but doesn't stay down. Knowing that Megatron will be unstoppable if he is allowed to load the Underbase, Optimus triggers a chain reaction within Boltax, destroying the mystic, and launching the Underbase into space. Optimus views this act with shame, but it is this act that begins his great reputation among the Autobots.



Elsewhere, two brilliant Cybertronian scientists, Skyfire and Starscream, leave Cybertron to explore a previously uncharted planet in a nearby star system. During the expedition Skyfire is lost. Starscream searches the planet, but never finds Skyfire. Upon his return, Starscream forsakes his quest for knowledge and fully commits himself to the Decepticon Cause, becoming one of the most vile and murderous soldiers in the Decepticon fleet. Eventually he rises to Aerospace Commander, second only to Megatron.



Optimus Prime teaches the Autobots to fight back, even as the Guardians are exterminated one by one. The Autobots are gradually rebuilt into battle ready bodies and are able to fight the Decepticons to a stalemate.

Megatron, ever plotting to fulfill his destiny in the Decepticon Cause, leads a successful raid on the colossal rocket boosters. The Decepticons fire up the engines, and move the Planet out of its orbit, destroying one of Cybertron's moons in the process. An Autobot attempt to override the Decepticon computer systems running the rockets to return Cybertron to its orbit fails miserably and the planet spins out of control into space. The rockets eventually burn themselves out, leaving Cybertron drifting aimlessly through space.