Reproduction in the Transformers universe is a complex process and there isn’t just one answer to the question of how do Transformers reproduce. Below we’ve broken down all six known ways in which it can occur:
- Mechanical Reconstruction
- Spark Infusion
- Forging
- Budding
- Cloning
- Sexual Reproduction
Continue reading for a breakdown on all of these methods.
Mechanical Construction
In the Transformers franchise, there was a time when Transformers were portrayed as ordinary robots that could be built and brought to life with the right parts and technical knowledge. However, as the franchise developed, the idea of more mystical means of creation became more prominent and permutations on the original concept continued to appear. Some stories depict mechanically built Transformers as drones, lacking a spark and operating on preprogrammed directives rather than a conscious mind. In other stories, human organizations have reverse-engineered alien techno-biology to create their own Transformers, which can range from mindless drones to fully-sentient Autobots like Optimus Prime.
Spark Infusion
In later stories in the Transformers franchise, Transformers were depicted as living beings that were infused with a life-force or “spark.” This spark could come from various sources, such as the Creation Matrix or Vector Sigma in the Marvel comic and cartoon, respectively. The AllSpark, introduced in the 2007 Transformers film and carried over into the Transformers Animated cartoon, had similar life-giving powers and could bring any machine to life, though the results could vary. In some cases, substances like energon or Angolmois Energy could also give mundane objects or animals Cybertronian forms.
Forging
In some Transformers stories, the creation of new sparks is tied to the health of Cybertron, which must be thriving in order to naturally create new sparks for the next generation of Cybertronians. The Well of All Sparks and sacred artifacts like Vector Sigma and the AllSpark can serve as the physical mechanism for imbuing new sparks into a mass of living metal known as a protoform. This protoform develops into a fully-fledged Transformer with a unique personality and alternate mode through a process called “forging,” which is similar to birth in humans.
Budding
In the Transformers: Generation 2 comic, it is revealed that early Transformers reproduced asexually through a process called “budding,” in which they generated a mass of energized liquid metal from within their body that would then split off and become a new Cybertronian. This process was eventually stopped by Primus and all memory of it was erased. When the Cybertronian faction rediscovered the process millions of years later, the successive generations of budded Transformers became increasingly less sentient and emotional. Transformers who have undergone the budding process retain a primal link to their offspring, and may experience pain or other effects when their offspring are destroyed.
Cloning
Transformers possess genetic material that can be copied and manipulated to create clones. These cloned Transformers may be identical to the donor Transformer or they may have different names, color schemes, personalities, and alternate modes. Despite being created through cloning, these cloned Transformers are essentially new individuals with little connection to the original beyond the circumstances of their creation.
Sexual Reproduction
Most Transformers universes feature male and female Transformers who understand love, but do not reproduce sexually, viewing it as alien to their mechanical nature. Some stories depict Transformers organizing into human-like family units that may imply organic reproduction, but little information is given beyond mentions of parents and odd innuendo thrown in. Examples include Wheelie’s backstory, Deathsaurus’s family in the Japanese Victory manga, and references to parents and father-son relationships in Revenge of the Fallen and The Last Knight. There is even a mention a sibling relationship between Optimus Prime and Megatron.
Conclusion
So there you have it. The answer to how do Transformers reproduce. In conclusion:
- Mechanical Reconstruction
- Spark Infusion
- Forging
- Budding
- Cloning
- Sexual Reproduction
