The Top 25 Transformers - IGN (2024)

Transformation: Convertible, Motorcycle

Being robotic lifeforms, Transformers don’t exactly have genders. But that didn’t stop one rogue scientist from tinkering around and creating a female Autobot anyway. Luckily, Arcee isn’t your typical damsel in distress, but a fierce warrior more than capable of holding her own alongside her fellow Autobots.

Arcee played a small role in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, where she was re-imagined as a hive mind controlling a trio of motorcycles. But her big rise to prominence came when she was positioned as a major player in the animated series Transformers: Prime.

24. Omega Supreme

Transformation: Rocket base, tank, and space shuttle

When all else fails, the Autobots rely on Omega Supreme to get the job done. This hulking warrior is one of the most powerful Transformers ever created, capable of blasting enemies to slag and shattering mountains with one powerful arm. But as always, with great power must come great responsibility. Omega Supreme can be a bit of a Debbie Downer, because he knows that he’s the last, best defense in the war against the Decepticons.

While he’s appeared in various Transformers media, Omega Supreme has yet to make his debut in the live-action films.

23. Waspinator

Transformation: Wasp

Every team needs a designated comic relief member - someone to lighten the mood when the fighting gets fast and fierce. And in the Beast Wars universe, that responsibility fell to Waspinator. This bumbling Predacon isn’t very bright or well-spoken. And rare was the episode that didn’t result in him being blown up or otherwise destroyed. It’s little wonder his catchphrase quickly became “Why universe hate Waspinator?”.

But to his credit, this Transformer takes a licking and keeps on ticking. He follows orders and keeps everyone amused in the process. There’s a lot to be said for that sort of dedication.

22. Laserbeak & Ravage

Transformation: Cassette Tapes

Part of the reason everyone loves Soundwave so much is that he has a whole host of miniature Decepticon minions to assist with his schemes. There’s just something fascinating about the idea of miniature Decepticons who can transform from feral beasts into microcassette tapes and hide in plain sight. Laserbeak and Ravage in particular are mainstays of the franchise alongside Soundwave himself, and both have appeared in previous films. Laserbeak can transform into a robotic eagle, while Ravage morphs into a panther and easily ranks among the coolest-looking bots in the movies.

The cynic may call the Dinobots a shameless attempt to wring more toy money out of the Transformers franchise. And these new additions to the lineup certainly sold like gangbusters in the ‘80s. But we think the Dinobots just serve as proof that the only thing better than a transforming robot is a transforming robot that can turn into a dinosaur.

The Dinobots are a faction of Autobots that includes leader Grimlock (more on him later), and Slag, Sludge, Snarl, and Swoop. Though fierce fighters, the Dinobots are prone to breaking away from the pack and furthering their own ends. And from time to time, they even form up, Voltron-style, to create a massive and uncontrollable beast simply called Dinobot. What’s not to love?

20. Mirage

Transformation: F1 racer

In the war between Autobots and Decepticons, Mirage would just as soon not take a side. Depending which version of the mythos you consult, that could be linked to his elitist, snobby nature. But most takes on the character present him as more of a quiet pacifist. Mirage is simply a robot who wishes to return home to Cybertron. When he does fight, Mirage’s speed makes him better suited for stealth and reconnaissance than direct combat.

Mirage made his live-action debut in Transformers: Dark of the Moon as a Ferrari named Dino. And sort of like Shaak Ti in Star Wars: Episode III, there were several potential deaths planned for the character, but he wound up surviving to fight another day.

19. Cyclonus

Transformation: Fighter jet

Cyclonus started out with humble origins. He was just one of several generic Decepticons who were captured along with Megatron by the massive villain Unicron. This nameless Decepticon was transformed into something far cooler and more memorable.

One of Cyclonus’ more memorable traits is the fact that Unicron’s upgrades caused an identity crisis in his mind. Perhaps fittingly, his voice was notorious for changing drastically between episodes of the animated series. All the poor guy ever wanted to do was commit great acts of evil. Is that so much to ask?

18. Hot Rod

Transformation: Sports car

Hot Rod wasn’t originally one of the big players in the Transformers universe. As one of those characters whose name pretty much sums up his personality, he mainly played the role of the brash, hotheaded rookie among the Autobots.

But fate had bigger plans in mind for Hot Rod. He was forced to step up and become the new leader of the Autobots in Transformers: The Movie accepting the Matrix of Leadership from a dying Optimus Prime. That transformed him into Rodimus Prime (and skirted a pesky legal snafu with the name “Hot Rod”).

Despite being a mainstay of the Transformers mythos these days, Hot Rod has yet to appear in any of the live-action films. Probably because he would come across as too similar to Bumblebee.

17. Blackarachnia

Transformation: Giant spider

We credit Arcee for opening the door for female Transformers and ensuring there’s at least a shred of gender equality among Cybertronians. But in terms of character appeal, Arcee can’t beat Blackarachnia, one of the stars of the Beast Wars universe.

Like any good spider, Blackarachnia is cunning, deadly, and willing to wait for her prey to stumble their way into her web. In many ways, Blackarachnia was Beast Wars’ answer to Starscream, willing to manipulate even Megatron to serve her own needs.

But Blackarachnia also has a sympathetic side. Her unlikely attraction to her enemy Silverbolt gave her a nice sense of conflict and turmoil throughout the show.

16. Unicron

Transformation: Giant planet

Unicron is Galactus and the Death Star rolled into one. He’s far more massive than your typical Autobot or Decepticon, and he can transform into mechanical planet as he goes about his job of devouring reality. Plus, he was voiced by Orson Welles (in one of his final acting roles). That certainly helped Unicron leave an impression when he debuted in Transformers: The Movie.

Since that debut, Unicron’s backstory has been fleshed out a great deal more. We now know that he is no less than the god of chaos, locked in an eternal struggle with his twin, the god of order named Primus.

The live-action movies have so far resisted using Unicron as a villain, but we can’t imagine that’ll last much longer as the sequels keep coming and the scale keeps increasing.

15. Wheeljack

Transformation: Rally racer

Wheeljack is essentially the Donatello to the Autobots' Ninja Turtles. He's the brilliant scientist who spends much of his time churning out crazy new inventions. However, whereas Donatello's inventions could usually be counted on to work, Wheeljack's experiments are far more unpredictable. It's not at all uncommon for one of Wheeljack's science projects to blow up in his face, figuratively and sometimes literally.

Wheeljack was a mainstay of the original Transformers cartoon, and was even the first Transformer to actually be glimpsed in the show. While he’s not quite as ever-present these days, he did finally appear in the movies with Dark of the Moon.

14. Dinobot

Transformation: Raptor

Not to be confused with the Dinobots, Dinobot singular is perhaps the single most memorable character from the Beast Wars animated series. Part of that simply boils down to his fighting style Like Darth Maul, Dinobot is a fierce warrior who fights with spinning blades.

But it's also Dinobot's firm code of honor that makes him such a great character. Fr him, it's the gory of battle that motivates his life, not the promise of conquest. And that honor motivated him to switch sides and fight for his former enemies, the Maximals. Luckily for them, Dinobot proved a valuable ally.

13. Prowl

Transformation: Police cruiser

Of course the Autobot that transforms into a police cruiser is going to be a stickler for authority and following the rules. Prowl is basically the Autobots’ equivalent of Mr. Spock. He’s obsessed with logic and order. That can make him a prickly customer, but it also means that Prowl is a great strategist and tactical commander. It’s a tradeoff.

Surprisingly, those skills haven’t earned Prowl a spot in the movie roster yet (unless you count some of the tie-in comics). We suppose no one likes a know-it-all. But we’re still pulling for Prowl.

12. Skywarp

Transformation: Fighter jet

Skywarp’s transformation isn’t what makes him unique. Several Decepticons can transform into fighter jets. They’re not the most creative bunch. But Skywarp supplements his transformation with the ability to teleport over long distances. That’s a useful skill, one that more or less makes up for the fact that Skywarp isn’t the brightest bot on Cybertron.

Skywarp’s fanatical devotion to Megatron also made the character stand out in the old cartoon, as did his ongoing feud with Starscream. Skywarp was among the Decepticons betrayed and left for dead in Transformers: the Movie, and he may actually be the one that Unicron transformed into Cyclonus.

11. Rumble

Transformation: Cassette tape

Like Laserbeak and Ravage, Rumble is one of the smaller Decepticons that make up Soundwave's entourage. Rumble can also morph into a cassette and use stealth to his advantage. However, this particular villain stands out because his reach so often exceeds his grasp.

Rumble would like nothing better than to become top dog among the Decepticons. At the very least, he'd like to be shown a little more respect. Thanks to his small stature, though, Rumble is rarely an asset on the battlefield. That's not to say his vibrating, Earthquake-inducing arms didn't have their uses.

Unfortunately, Rumble hasn’t made the cut in the live-action films yet. We would much rather have seen him appear in the first transformers rather than his far more obnoxious cousin, Frenzy.

10. Jazz

Transformation: Porsche

Another Transformer whose name describes his personality, Jazz is the coolest of the Autobots. This funky bot is a big fan of music and modern slang. He keeps his cool no matter how dangerous the situation, which makes him an ideal candidate for the tougher, more dangerous missions Optimus Prime has on his plate.

A mainstay of the classic Transformers comics and cartoon, Jazz was also among the Autobot crew in the first live-action film. True to form, Jazz mouthed off to Megatron and got himself ripped in half. It was a heroic death, perhaps, but we would have liked to see the coolest Transformer hang around these movies a little longer.

9. Grimlock

Transformation: Tyrannosaurus Rex

We already spotlighted the Dinobots, but we had to reserve an extra slot for their fearless leader, Grimlock. You’re not likely to find a more fearsome warrior on either side of the Autobot/Decepticon feud. Grimlock is without equal on the battlefield, which gives him a bit of a superiority complex. He doesn’t think much of the puny humans the Autobots are trying to defend, and is even known to butt heads with Optimus Prime.

Grimlock is always among the most in-demand Transformers to appear in the live-action films. And fans will finally get their wish with Age of Extinction. The sight of Optimus Prime wielding a sword and riding a roaring Grimlock into battle is enough to convince us this will be the best of the franchise.

8. Shockwave

Transformation: Laser gun

Serving as Megatron's eyes and ears on Cybertron, Shockwave became the key source for most of the devices Megatron would employ to conquer Earth. Failure to succeed with those inventions rests more with Megatron's game plan than with Shockwave's engineering, as Shockwave has proven himself to be one of the smartest, and most powerful transforming guns in the Decepticons' arsenal – perhaps even more powerful than Megatron. He's definitely smarter than his master, yet Shockwave remains ever loyal.

While originally planned to appear among the Decepticons in the first Transformers movie, Shockwave was held back until Dark of the Moon.

7. Devastator

Transformation: Construction vehicles

The Constructicons first popularized the idea of Transformers pooling together to form even bigger Transformers. Separately, these Decepticons (Bonecrusher, Hook, Long Haul, Mixmaster, Scavenger, and Scrapper) are responsible for designing and building whatever the Decepticons need. But together, they can combine to form Devastator, one of the largest and most powerful Transformers there is.

While a Decepticon named Devastator appeared in the first live-action film, the true Devastator didn’t appear until the first sequel, Revenge of the Fallen. There no less than nine Constructicons merged in the Egyptian desert and proceeded to inhale sand, buildings, Autobots, and anything else in their path. Not a bad debut, although we’d like to see future sequels do more with this impressive villain.

6. Ironhide

Transformations: Astrovan, Pickup truck

Ironhide is the old warhorse of the Autobot crew, having seen his fair share of battle and then some. He’s also the only being in the universe capable of making a minivan seem cool and threatening. That said, we weren’t necessarily disappointed when the movies replaced his Astrovan transformation with a more rugged pickup truck. What matters is the firepower he brings to the fight.

Ironhide is a major recurring Autobot in many versions of the franchise, featuring heavily in the first three live-action movies. Sadly, he always seems doomed to die a tragic death, whether it was tearing our hearts out in Transformers: The Movie or being betrayed by Sentinel Prime in Dark of the Moon.

5. Megatron

Transformation: Gun, Fighter jet

Megatron really is the Cobra Commander of the G.I. Joe franchise. He’s the central villain of pretty much every incarnation of the Transformers mythology. He rose from humble origins and became a charismatic leader of a terrorist group. His ambition for ruling the universe is boundless, but his reach often exceeds his grasp. Megatron is neither the smartest nor the powerful Decepticon, but he manages to maintain his grip and inspire loyalty all the same. Which is good, because the ability to transform into a giant gun is pretty useless without any minions to pull the trigger.

Naturally, Megatron has been a major player in the live-action films from the beginning, though not always as the biggest threat to humanity. He’ll return in his upgraded Galvatron form in Age of Extinction, which should make him a bigger thorn in the side of his nemesis, Optimus Prime, than ever.

4. Bumblebee

Transformations: Volkswagen Beetle, Chevy Camaro

Alongside Autobot leader Optimus Prime, Bumblebee qualifies as the central hero of the Transformers universe. He was one of the first Autobots to appear in the animated series and is one of the few to appear in every live-action film so far. Even without his good buddy Sam Witwicky in the driver’s seat, Bumblebee will be back in Age of Extinction.

It’s not hard to see what has made Bumblebee so popular and enduring over the years. This small, scrappy Autobot isn’t as old or experienced as many of his comrades. He’s always struggling to prove himself, making him a sympathetic and relatable character, as far as transforming robots go.

3. Soundwave

Transformation: Microcassette recorder

Soundwave deserves a high placement just for being one of the coolest and most unique Transformers toys. But he also quickly emerged as one of the most memorable villains in the original animated series. Whether it was his distinctive voice, his tendency to speak in the third person, or his army of pint-sized minions, Soundwave stood out from the crowd. He made his live-action debut in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, adding a second jet transformation to his usual repertoire.

Sure, when it comes to that phenomenon known as mass-shifting, Soundwave is one of the big offenders, but we can forgive him that little sin.

2. Starscream

Transformation: Fighter jet

Megatron may be the big baddie of the Transformers franchise, but everyone knows Starscream is really the king of the hill. Maybe it’s the fact that his transformation is cooler than his boss’. Maybe it’s his unbridled arrogance and obsession with overthrowing Megatron. Maybe it’s the fact that, for all his scheming and betraying, Starscream always escapes with nothing more than a slap on the wrist. Whatever the case, we like the cut of his jib.

Like Megatron, Starscream can be found in just about every incarnation of the Transformers franchise, including the first three live-action films. His ghost even appeared in Beast Wars, linking that show to the old Generation 1 continuity.

1. Optimus Prime

Transformation: 18-wheeler

In the end, evil is fun, but not even Soundwave or Starscream can beat out the most heroic Autobot of them all. No matter what version of the Transformers franchise you’re talking about, Optimus Prime is one of the central heroes. Prime is noble, selfless, and utterly dedicated to ensuring the survival of his people and defending their new home on Earth. And his ability to transform into a red and blue 18-wheeler makes him one of the most visually iconic Transformers.

Prime’s selfless streak has the unfortunate side effect of shortening his life span. His death was a traumatic moment in Transformers: The Movie and the main reason why some fans despise Hot Rod. The controversy also convinced Hasbro to rewrite G.I. Joe: The Movie so that Duke didn’t meet a similar fate.

Prime has so far survived the hectic bot-on-bot battles in the live-action series and will be one of the few returning Autobots in Age of Extinction, But we have to assume a heroic sacrifice is coming sooner or later.