So there are going to be 14 more Transformers movies, which means we’ll be seeing the Autobots all the way until 2031! That is, unless there’s a movie about the Decepticons, “Suicide Squad” style. In any case, every film has brought a new villain for Optimus Prime and the Autobots to fight. Megatron was, of course, the final boss of the first movie. But “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” saw the titular Fallen (now known as Megatronus), “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” saw Sentinel Prime, and “Transformers: Age of Extinction” saw Lockdown and a giant spaceship versus the Autobots.
Admittedly, Lockdown was not… the most imposing of villains. And it seemed like they were scraping the bottom of the barrel with Lockdown right? Besides Megatron (and Galvatron, who was also in “Transformers: Age of Extinction”), it seems like there are no more villains left besides Unicron and the Quintessons (who are rumoured to be the main foes of “Transformers: The Last Knight”), and a possible Nemesis Prime appearance (which is why I’m also omitting him).
But if we look a little deeper, we can find 14 more Emperors of Destruction and other villains who would make amazing antagonists, like:
1. Deathsaurus
Deathsaurus is a personal favourite here. The big bad of Transformers: Victory, Deathsaurus had a multitude of weapons at his disposal. A scimitar, his spiked flail(a neat callback to Megatron’s own energy mace), his Tigerbreast bow and Eaglebreast gun, and his all-powerful Living-Metal-Destroying Cannon.
Plus, we actually got to see some backstory about how he rose through the ranks, so we can actually see the evolution of his character. Remember how he gloated that no other Decepticon leader had come this close to destroying planet Earth as he had? That showed you so much about his character, and how his real rival wasn’t Star Saber, but legendary Decepticon leaders like Megatron.
He’d make an incredible villain in the movies. Plus, since they’re moving towards beast Transformers, he wouldn’t be too out of place.
2. Overlord
Overlord has always been one of the more impressive Transformers, with the right girth and mass to be a suitable threat to any Autobot. And in Transformers: Masterforce, he was nigh untouchable by anyone save God Ginrai. And even so, he beat the crap out of Super Ginrai in the first encounter.
Overlord could be an insidious villain for a Transformers movie. They might be confused at first – are they fighting a jet or a tank? – until both combine into one giant robot. Like the Titans Return one. Woo hoo!
3. Scorponok/Black Zarak
Since they are effectively the same character, I’ve opted to list them together. Headmaster technology could definitely fit in if Scorponok is involved. Of course, with Scorponok’s arrival, there must also be a Fortress Maximus. What could happen is that Scorponok could be defeated in Act One and utterly destroyed, but then be rebuilt in time for Act Three, where he returns as Black Zarak/Dark Scorponok/Zorponok?
That would be a refreshing change, since it’s not Optimus Prime or Megatron dying and getting revived for once.
4. Scrash
So he’s more commonly known as Skyquake, leader of the Predators subgroup (that came, I believe, a generation after Battlestars?). But his Japanese counterpart, Scrash, is so much more evocative. He’s the Führer of the Decepticons, with all the connotations that it brings. Nasty, right?
So imagine a Hitler-like Decepticon leader who wants nothing more than to persecute the Autobots for being what they are. It could transform (heh) the movie into a complex commentary about the horrors of war and oppression.
But probably not.
5. Magmatron
Magmatron (imho) was much cooler than Galvatron II because he split into 3 different forms and combined back for his robot form. Also, if Galvatron II were to be used, what would he be called? Not “Galvatron the Second” right? That would be a mouthful. Anyway, the Predacon leader from Beast Wars Neo would make a fine foe for the Autobots.
Also, with introduction of the Dinobots, Magmatron could be used as an ancient foe of the Dinobots and a battle royale of beastformers could ensue.
6. Gigatron
Gigatron is really just the Japanese name for Megatron from Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001). However, I consider him to be a different characters since his shtick was being a sixchanger, and then a tenchanger. Perhaps a movie version of Gigatron could portray him as a shapeshifter (since he has so many forms), one that would infiltrate the Autobots and take them all down.
That would make for a much more personal film, since they would be taken down by someone they thought they trusted.
7. Thunderwing
Thunderwing isn’t one of my personal favourites, but his impact on Transformers lore can’t be denied. I mean he keeps becoming super powerful, whether it’s via the Matrix or some other reason. Thunderwing grabbing the Matrix would be so awesome, because we can see what the effects of the Matrix on a Decepticon would be.
I mean, jamming the AllSpark into Megatron’s chest killed him, so we know what happens with that artifact.
8. Jhiaxus
Besides being a pun (“gee, axe us”), Jhiaxus was also significantly more powerful than Optimus Prime, swatting him around in their final encounter. It’s not every day that you find someone capable of smacking Optimus Prime around, seriously. He’s not as powerful as the Fallen (and neither is he on the same level as him), but he leads his own faction and all.
9. Liege Maximo
I think the Liege Maximo is one of the coolest bad guys around simply because he has no toy… yet. Then again, Prima doesn’t have a toy…. okay well fine he does. So anyway, the Liege Maximo’s disciple is Jhiaxus, who was granted the title Liege Centuro. That sort of means that Liege is equivalent to Prime for the Decepticons, since the Decepticons are descended from the Liege Maximo.
See, he’s not even Liege Maximo – he’s the Liege Maximo. Even his name is conceptually similar to Optimus Prime. This also means that on some level, Megatron might even have had the full name “Liege Megatron”. I can’t remember where I read this, but I thought it was a pretty incredible concept.
10. Tripredacus
The Tripredacus Council would require at least the appearance of Magmatron or some other beastformers before they can emerge as the true mastermind (yet another “true mastermind” behind events) behind the evil beastformers. Even though the origins of the Tripredacus Council are a mystery, what made them awesome is that they combined into one giant menacing Predacon.
Just like Magmatron, in a way. Thematically, they’re quite similar.
11. Steeljaw
Steeljaw is described as “charismatic” in almost any of his bios, and to his credit, he is. He’s a little bit oily in Transformers: Robots in Disguise, but he’s got a really nice voice (Troy Baker). I’d say he’s more manipulative and scheming than charismatic, seeing as how he managed to work his way up the chain of command on Decepticon Island in Season 2.
He’d also be a good change from the usual brutish and loutish Decepticon leaders, in that he would be a true manipulator of events.
12. Shattered Glass Optimus Prime
If we ever get to see Shattered Glass Optimus Prime on the big screen… well. That would be totally awesome. It would involve alternate realities and the resulting plot might be a little unwieldy, but it would be so satisfying to see Shattered Glass Optimus Prime coming face to face with our world’s Optimus Prime. Or even to see him teaming up with our world’s Megatron.
By then, the Transformers movie mythos should have expanded quite a fair bit, and it’d be safe to say that we’d have a great film series on our hands.
13. Shattered Glass Rodimus
I abhor Rodimus, our world’s one at least, because Optimus Prime died as a result of his stupidity. Also, Rodimus became the new leader as a direct consequence of his actions. What sort of message does that send to kids?
Anyway, Shattered Glass Rodimus has that ridiculous moustache and goatee, which makes him so much more hatable. The Transformers film universe would have to be very advanced by this point to have Shattered Glass Rodimus appear. But given that his Autobot counterpart has yet to appear, we might have to see how it all pans out.
14. Trypticon
Since Trypticon is getting a new toy in the Titans Return line, isn’t it fitting that he also becomes the villain of a new Transformers movie? Remember that there could probably be some massive ancient Transformers ships on Earth. In Transformers: Prime/Fall of Cybertron/War for Cybertron, Trypticon was turned into the Nemesis, so it is conceivable that a movie version of him would, too.
And a movie version of Trypticon – can you imagine? Can you imagine the toy that would result? We would have two Trypticons after years of no Trypticons!
Or we might get a movie redeco of Titans Return Trypticon with some new accessories. That would be a pretty cool use of the mould, too.
I deliberately left out non-Transformers villains, like Tornedron, Devil Z, Violenjiger and so on – I felt they would be a little esoteric for new fans.
So who would your picks be for villains in future Transformers movies?
Marcus Goh is a Transformers enthusiast and avid pop culture scholar. You can find him on social media as Optimarcus and on his site.
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