Unicron: The Chaos Bringer

Unicron is a fictional character from the Transformers universes and toyline. He was introduced in The Transformers: The Movie as the film's main villain. Neither Autobot nor Decepticon, [1] he is able to transform from a metallic planet into a colossal robot and roams the galaxy, devouring other worlds in his path, similar to the Marvel Comics character Galactus.

Unicron is a planet-sized transformer being whose ability to eat planets distinguished him. He had a vulnerability to the Autobot Matrix, which he was well aware of.

Function: Lord of Darkness, Universal Dominator and The Chaos-Bringer

Partner: Dead End (Armada and Energon)

Motto: "That which does not become a part of the one, shall become one with the void."
"Even in outer space, the darkness becomes a part of you."

Profile: Known as the "chaos bringer" Unicron was created shortly after the dawn of time. He is the most massive and deadly of all Transformers. His goal is to absorb the Universe; planet by planet, solar system by solar system. With each world he devours, he grows in size, strength, energy, knowledge and power. He carries out the assimilation these worlds with total ambivalence to the lives of those he destroys. His origin is quite mysterious and yet somehow absolutely connected to the planet and inhabitants of Cybertron. The exact nature of this connection has not yet been fully explored. In the G1, season 3 episode "Call of the Primitives" we learn that a small organic genius-being named "Primacron" played some part in his creation, presumably as a force for good... Although my interpretation being he took part only in the creation of his most recent physical form, considering the eternal nature of Unicron's spark. Also in this episode, we get a glimpse of the Matrix rising from the ashes of Unicron's creation... What we do know, is that the true source of power to affect Unicron contained within the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, is due, at least in part, to it's connection to Primus. This god-like force of good whose dormant spark lies within Cybertron itself, is the true nemesis of Unicron and anthesis of all that he has become. It is our hope and belief that this connection will be further explained in the tales of TF Cybertron.

Abilities: The size of a large planet, Unicron derives sustenance from digesting planets, moons, and even stars, thus making him larger and increasing both his power and his appetite. When it serves his interest, he has been know to make pacts with lesser beings, offering them stronger bodies and greater powers in exchange for their total allegiance. Woe be it to the would be betrayer, for Unicron possesses the ability to to both give and take way. With the mere thought of treachery, the slave will find his body involuntarily twisting into painful contortions. Among his numerous subjects are the Quintessons, who hunt down anyone who escapes his wrath. The deadliest secret of all is that this rumbling juggernaut when threatened, can transform into the goliath of robots, capable of swatting armadas to dust and tearing whole planets apart with his bare hands.

The Transformers: The Movie - August 1986

Directed by Nelson Shin
Produced by Joe Bacal, Tom Griffith, Margaret Loesch (executive) and Lee Gunther (executive)
Written by Ron Friedman
Released: August 8, 1986

Voice Casts:

• Norman Alden as Kranix
• Jack Angel as Astrotrain | Ramjet
• Michael Bell as Swoop | Scrapper | Junkion
• Gregg Berger as Grimlock
• Susan Blu as Arcee
• Arthur Burghardt as Devastator
• Corey Burton as Spike | Brawn | Shockwave
• Roger C. Carmel as Cyclonus | Quintesson Leader
• Victor Caroli as the Narrator
• Regis Cordic as Quintesson Judge
• Scatman Crothers as Jazz
• Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime | Ironhide
• Paul Eiding as Perceptor
• Ed Gilbert as Blitzwing
• Dan Gilvezan as Bumblebee
• Eric Idle as Wreck-Gar
• Buster Jones as Blaster
• Stan Jones as Scourge
• Casey Kasem as Cliffjumper | Bluestreak | Teletran 1
• Chris Latta as Starscream
• David Mendenhall as Daniel
• Don Messick as Scavenger
• John Moschitta as Blurr
• Judd Nelson as Hot Rod - Rodimus Prime
• Leonard Nimoy as Galvatron
• Hal Rayle as Shrapnel
• Clive Revill as Kickback
• Neil Ross as Bonecrusher | Hook | Springer | Slag
• Robert Stack as Ultra Magnus
• Lionel Stander as Kup
• Frank Welker as Megatron | Soundwave | Rumble | Frenzy | Wheelie | Junkion
• Orson Welles as Unicron

Watch The Transformers: The Movie Official Trailer

The Plot:

The opening scene shows Unicron, a space-roaming artificial planet, grinding and consuming the peaceful robot planet Lithone, along with the vast majority of its civilians. Only two ships escape, with Arblus and Kranix as its only survivors, though both of them are later executed by the Quintessons. A third ship almost escapes, but is sucked into Unicron. Following the opening credits, the narrator states that the evil Decepticons control the Transformers' homeworld, Cybertron. The heroic Autobots are readying themselves on two of Cybertron's moons for a strike against the Decepticons, preparing a supply shuttle for launch to Autobot City on Earth. Their transmission is intercepted by the Decepticons, who ambush the shuttle and kill its crew to use the ship to infiltrate Autobot City on Earth without being detected.

Meanwhile, on Earth, Daniel Witwicky and Hot Rod race to greet the shuttle. They notice its damaged exterior and spot Decepticons aboard the damaged shuttle, upon which Hot Rod fires at the stowaways. After a brief battle pitting Hot Rod and Kup against the Decepticons Blitzwing and Shrapnel, the Decepticons begin their attack on Autobot City. The outnumbered Autobots, including Autobot City Commander Ultra Magnus, Blurr, Springer, Perceptor, and female Autobot Arcee, fare poorly. Ultra Magnus sends orders to alert Blaster to radio for assistance from their commander and leader Optimus Prime. An attempt to thwart the transmission by Decepticon Soundwave fails, and the broadcast reaches Moon Base One where Optimus is stationed. Optimus Prime and the Dinobots arrive to successfully repel the Decepticon invaders, including the unstoppable Devastator. Optimus faces Megatron in a battle that leaves Optimus mortally wounded and Megatron severely damaged. The Decepticons retreat with Megatron and their other war-wounded loaded aboard Astrotrain for transport back to Cybertron, on the orders of Starscream.


Inside Autobot City's walls, Perceptor alerts the other Autobots that the wounds that Optimus Prime has suffered during his battle with Megatron are fatal. The dying Optimus Prime calls on Ultra Magnus to assume command of the Autobots and bestows him with the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, which Optimus extracts from his chest. Optimus asserts that the Matrix one day will light the Autobots darkest hour, right before he dies. Back in space, Astrotrain's shortage of fuel prompts the Decepticons to eject the dead weight of their injured — including the protesting Megatron. This leaves the remaining Decepticons to bicker among themselves for leadership.

Drifting aimlessly, the Decepticon castoffs encounter Unicron, who offers to give Megatron and the others new bodies on the condition that they destroy the Autobot Matrix, which, Unicron says, is the only thing that can stand in his way. Megatron reluctantly agrees, and Unicron uses his power to kill Megatron off, recreate, and reformat him as Galvatron, with his damaged underlings fashioned anew into Cyclonus, Scourge, and the Sweeps. Unicron provides them with a craft on which they travel to Cybertron, where Galvatron confronts and obliterates the treacherous Starscream and takes command of the Decepticons, as his alter-ego Megatron did before him.

Back on Earth, the Autobots are alerted as Unicron consumes Cybertron's two moons, along with Autobots Jazz, Bumblebee, Cliffjumper and Daniel's father Spike (who are ultimately rescued). Galvatron leads the Decepticons in another assault on Autobot City. The Autobots board a pair of shuttles and flee toward their threatened planet of Cybertron. Hot Rod, Kup and the Dinobots are shot down over the planet Quintessa, while Ultra Magnus and company evade their pursuers and set down on the planet of Junk for repairs.

Captured by Quintessa guardsmen, Hot Rod and Kup witness the sentencing and execution of Orbilus and are then subjected to a trial by Quintesson executioners. Before the trial, they see Kranix, now Lithone's last survivor, who then tells them about Unicron, before he's taken away by the Quintessa guardsmen to be fed to the Sharkticons. At the trial, Hot Rod and Kup battle the Sharkticons with difficulty, but luckily, they are rescued only by the arrival of the Dinobots. Grimlock intimidates the Sharkticons to rebel against the Quintessons with ease, while the Autobots escape. With help from the Dinobots' new ally, Wheelie, the group locate a ship and depart for the planet of Junk to join the other Autobots.

Meanwhile, Galvatron finds and hunts down the Autobots on Junk. Ultra Magnus tries but fails to awaken the Matrix's powers, and then is obliterated to pieces by the Sweeps. Galvatron steals the Matrix, stating that he intends to use it to make Unicron his slave. The remaining Autobots are harassed by hostile Junkion natives, led by Wreck-Gar, until Hot Rod's party touches down to befriend them. The Junkion allies repair Ultra Magnus and volunteer a vessel to help the Autobots fight against Unicron.

Back in space, Galvatron attempts to subjugate Unicron using the Matrix but is unable to unleash its power. Unicron, seeing that Galvatron is underestimating him, transforms into a huge planet-sized robot and attacks Cybertron. As protest against this, Galvatron opens fire on Unicron, but Unicron simply swallows him up. Decepticon defenders scramble to counter Unicron's attack, but he destroys each one of them, including Shockwave, Dirge, Thrust, Ramjet, and countless others. As the Autobots reach the scene, Hot Rod crashes his ship into through the giant's eye and finding themselves separated within Unicron's body. At that time, Wreck-Gar and his Junkions fight back against Unicron, but Unicron crushes their only ship, although they survived.

Inside, Hot Rod fights the recently consumed Galvatron. Hot Rod secures his grip on the Matrix, and the power of The Matrix is unleashed, transforming him into Rodimus Prime. Rodimus unleashes its power to destroy Unicron from within, but not before he throws Galvatron deep into space, landing on the volcanic planet Thrull. Rodimus leads the other Autobots out of Unicron's body before it explodes, sprawling parts of the giant across the galaxy. Reclaiming Cybertron, the victorious Autobots declare the beginning of a new age of peace and happiness while the defeated Decepticons scramble away to a burned world called Chaar. Ultra Magnus decided to step down his position as leader of the Autobots, handing it over to Rodimus. The movie ends with Unicron's monstrous head circling Cybertron, a dark replacement for the two moons that once existed. The movie ends, the screen freezes, the credits roll as an extended version of the movie's theme song plays, then everything stops, followed by a fadeout.


Character deaths:

An intention of the movie was to rid the Transformers cartoon universe of the majority of characters from Seasons 1 and 2. Story consultant Flint Dille elaborated:
“ In the next season , we were going to have all these new characters, and people are going to be wondering what happened to the old characters that they liked so much. What we knew, in a business sense, is that they had been discontinued, because they were the 1984/1985 (toy)line – but, we needed to tie them off. So, we had this one scene where the Autobots basically had to run through a gauntlet of Decepticons. Which basically wiped out the entire '84 product line in one massive "charge of the light brigade". So, whoever wasn't discontinued, stumbled to the end. That scene didn’t make it into the finished movie. But if you think kids were locking themselves in the bedroom over Optimus Prime, basically in that scene they would've seen their entire toy collection wiped out. ”
The movie was produced by Sunbow/Marvel simultaneous to G.I. Joe: The Movie. The writers of the G.I. Joe film asked for permission from Hasbro to kill a character, Duke. Hasbro not only approved the request but "insisted" that the writers of Transformers: The Movie adopt the same fate for Optimus Prime. However, Optimus Prime's death sparked some controversy which later caused the writers to make changes so that Duke simply ended up in a coma.