Top 10 Brutal Deaths in Transformers

Top 10 Brutal Deaths in Transformers

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most horrific deaths in the various Transformers animated series.

Keep in mind we’ll be leaving out the comic books and the live action movies this time around, since they’ll get their own list.

#10: Bye, Bye, Blur

For the most part, Transformers Animated is one of the more lighthearted and cartoon-y series in the franchise. That simply makes this moment all the more gruesome to behold. There had been rumblings of a spy being within the autobot ranks, and when Blur came to realize that it was actually Longarm… or shall we say, shockwave, things took a more graphic turn. While making a desperate attempt to escape and inform the other autobots of the villain’s identity, Blur finds himself trapped in Shockwave’s ever-changing maze.

Once he’s trapped, the walls quickly begin closing in until Blur becomes the Cybertronian equivalent of a pancake.

#9: Cassette Carnage

Many of the fights in the transformers franchise conclude with one decisive blow to quickly end the opposition… But this one is grueling, leading to a drawn out fist fight with the two bots ripping each other apart piece by piece. Soundwave and Blaster finally having a one-on-one fight during the Headmasters series was beyond hype but none of us could’ve expected it to go down this way. While soundwave is ultimately the first one to unceremoniously explode to death, Blaster gets the classic drained-of-colours death we’ve come to expect from the franchise. Though the two would eventually get revived, Daniel’s breakdown at the loss of another one of his friends is sure to haunt you.

#8: Jumping to the Afterlife

The Prime series sent a message in its very first episode - no bot is safe. Afterall, Arcee’s partner looked to be a mainstay before he met his untimely demise. When the numbers game proves too much for the brahma bot, he is brought before the stand-in Decepticon leader, Starscream.

He may have forgotten how thin-skinned the seeker is, because by choosing to talk trash he ends up on the receiving end of a piercing strike right to his vitals. It’s quick and nasty.

As if that wasn’t disturbing enough, after Cliff has been revived by megatron with the dark energon, his now zombified corpse receives a second rather explosive death. Can’t the fella just rest in peace?

#7: A Brotherly Bond

There was a pretty good reason why Shockblast was kept behind bars in the Energon series - he was a loose cannon capable of causing terror! In an attempt to surpass the power of his leader, Shockblast looked to use Unicron’s energy as his own. Unsurprisingly, he couldn’t handle that kind of power and is soon driven insane. That’s not how he dies though. No, instead he ends up regaining his senses only to be crushed by the overwhelming force of Unicron’s fist. Gnarly.

Here’s the funny part though, his own brother Sixshot would meet an almost identical fate.

When Galvatron ends up in the super energon pool, he has a sudden growth-spurt. His first order of business? Take down the bot that betrayed him by grinding him under his foot like a pesky bug.

#6: A Beastly Burst

There were a surprising amount of brutal deaths back in the Beast Wars days, and though ones like Dinobot’s made us cry manly tears, the fate of Tarantulas left our jaws on the floor.

His plan was simple: extract the Vok from Tigerhawk’s body in order to harness their power. Well it turns out that simple plans are often stupid ones, as he soon finds himself screaming in terror as the now removed creatures approach his body. The extraction divide then flips towards him and he’s then on the receiving end of so much energy that his body has no other option than to explode.

#5: All Hail Starscream

Well, Starscream after all the scheming and snide remarks, you finally got what you wanted. Megatron is dead and now you are the leader of the Decepticon cause. Long live the emper—Oh.

Turns out Unicron has turned Megatron into the even mightier, and far less merciful, Galvatron. Starscream’s crowning ceremony is cut short by the arrival of his worst nightmare, who then proceeds to blast a hole in him so severe… It causes him to crumble into dust. You… can’t say he didn’t deserve it - but luckily for him he got off a little better than another of his incarnations…

#4: A Hero’s Goodbye

Starscream’s story in the Armada series stands as one of the greatest character arcs in the franchise. From an embittered soldier desperate for power, to an ally willing to sacrifice his life for the greater good - there’s plenty of reasons why he’s a fan favourite. But unfortunately, his heroic death was not as painless as what he deserved. Trying to smack some sense into Galvatron so that he realizes the threat of Unicron looming above, Starscream makes one last effort to get the autobots and Decepticons to break the bread. Aiming his sights at the planet sized terror above, he fires his strongest attack but makes sure to eject Swindle so that he’s not caught up in the hellish sight that is to follow. Unicron’s retaliatory strike doesn’t just kill starscream, it vaporizes his entire body bit by bit. Fortunately, Alexa didn’t witness this first hand or she’d be absolutely traumatized.

#3: Sentinel Gets Severed

D-16 was among the most loyal of miners on planet Cybertron, so it was going to get something pretty heinous to turn him into a monster hell-bent on revenge. Like, for example, betraying and killing all of the primes, allying with the Quintessons, and removing the cogs of every Cybertronian in order to keep them mining for energon. But surely no one would ever do that…right, Sentinel Prime? Oh. Well, when he finally gets an enfeebled Sentinel in his sights, he makes sure to make the most of it. He scoffs at seeing the traitorous bot begging for his life, and kills him in the most emphatic way possible - Ripping him in half. D-16 didn’t just get his revenge here, he sent a message to all who would oppose his vision.

#2: Thrust’s Comeuppance

The devious tactician of the Decepticons just wasn’t satisfied with his treatment from Galvatron, and so he decided to put all his chips in with the apocalyptic threat, Unicron. As we all know, the supreme commander does not take kindly to betrayal. Surprisingly, this doesn’t phase Thrust at all, who is now convinced that he’s invincible by working with a being as powerful as Unicron.

Well… that arrogance didn’t last long, as one small slip leads to him getting stuck in the ever-changing body of his new lord. Though he begs and pleads, Galvatron opts to not save him from getting crushed in one of the most disturbing visuals in the entire franchise.

#1: Childhood Ruined

Everyone remembers the iconic death of Optimus Prime in the Transformers The Movie, but while that scene was steeped in overwhelming sadness, the deaths of his comrades earlier in the film were far, far, more horrific. Ratchet and Ironhide getting riddled with holes, Prowl having his life literally burn out his mouth… it’s gory stuff. It’s almost as if their goals here were to both ruin everyone’s childhood and leave them mentally scarred for life. Thanks for the years of therapy, Hasbro!

Which of these deaths do you still see in your nightmares? What Transformers list do you want to see next? Let us know in those comments below.