Is Starscream Actually Evil? No, and here is why: Character Analysis as Defence

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  • Опубліковано 28 лис 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 1,5 тис.

  • @Cobra-Commander83
    @Cobra-Commander83 4 роки тому +2885

    In other words, Starscream is a representation of the victims of the civil war on Cybertron, the ones who had to join a faction so that they could survive. Heck, Knock Out is another example of this. He only joined the Decepticons because he didn't have a choice, and because he wanted to be on "the winning team".

    • @thegreeter1476
      @thegreeter1476 4 роки тому +41

      @@BasedVegeta ok dorito >:3

    • @nil981
      @nil981 4 роки тому +207

      That same reason is what makes both starscream and knockout somewhat cowardly.
      Neither of them really believe in the decepticon cause (whatever that was). And that was mostly due to the fact that neither of them had a reason to do so. Starscream was a well-off elite seeker commander and arguably benefitted from the functionist caste system before the war broke out. Knockout isn't even from cybertron (he and breakdown are from velocitron) so he doesn't completely understand or care about the decepticon cause because the cause wasn't a part of his life experiences.
      When you really think about it, starscream joined the decepticons out of spite for sentinel prime's cowardice and leadership. Knockout joined for his own personal survival.

    • @pistolpoppop6350
      @pistolpoppop6350 4 роки тому +6

      If anything I would have done the same

    • @albertrex6851
      @albertrex6851 3 роки тому +18

      @@nil981 wait Knockout is from Velocitron ? Though that was from IDW .

    • @RequiemPoete
      @RequiemPoete 3 роки тому +64

      Except both Starscream AND Knockout express clear sadistic streaks, and have no regard for human life as being equal to their own. Heck, they have no problem killing the Autobots which are their own kind. Then there's Starscream's obvious lust for power. And if Starscream didn't believe in the Deception cause, why not take Optimus's offer up when Megatron was AWOL? Starscream had a chance to be a real leader and end the war, but didn't because of his own bloated sense of pride.

  • @Froggyman145
    @Froggyman145 4 роки тому +2839

    "Soundwave is Soundwave..."
    e x a c t l y

    • @swaminaik2680
      @swaminaik2680 4 роки тому +86

      On that we agree

    • @韭菜-b1q
      @韭菜-b1q 4 роки тому +54

      Yep I agree

    • @GeometricalPhur
      @GeometricalPhur 4 роки тому +37

      100%

    • @notabot3236
      @notabot3236 4 роки тому +96

      Correction soundwave is " The best around, no one's ever gonna bring you down"

    • @tommyv.4226
      @tommyv.4226 4 роки тому +113

      Soundwave superior, everyone else inferior

  • @Breadn
    @Breadn 4 роки тому +2339

    I love him as a character, especially his Prime character. The way he acted in Prime was so entertaining.

    • @Breadn
      @Breadn 4 роки тому +90

      I just wish that they kept a similar design for him in RID. I hate RID personally, but only watch it for his character.

    • @ymir8619
      @ymir8619 4 роки тому +51

      @@Breadn agreed his rid design is honestly a pure disappointment. wish they keep the old design and make him a tiny bit bulky it would be awesome

    • @lunamoona466
      @lunamoona466 4 роки тому +18

      Brenonon well he said he wanted to look as powerful as he felt. I guess he wanted to match the color scheme of his G1 version while doing it 😂

    • @lunamoona466
      @lunamoona466 4 роки тому +7

      Ymir nooo I love his slim figure!! I really like it! (I tolerate to heels)

    • @Monotoros
      @Monotoros 4 роки тому +11

      I swear starscream was always hilarious XD

  • @omegasynth2775
    @omegasynth2775 4 роки тому +626

    Another thing that shows Starscream's skills: Every time he transforms.
    Ever noticed how flashy his transformations are, with agile moves and pretty much insane dives and stunts?

    • @occam7382
      @occam7382 2 роки тому +96

      Of course. He himself said that he transforms with a certain sense of style. Megatron didn't seem to be all that impressed, though.

    • @Yonster781
      @Yonster781 2 роки тому +10

      @@occam7382 Megatron is trash he let those traitors live after betraying him

    • @eeveeofalltrades4780
      @eeveeofalltrades4780 Рік тому +35

      His flying skills are pretty much the only thing he's confident on

    • @ShockInazuma
      @ShockInazuma Рік тому +34

      @@Yonster781 Don’t forget that Megatron dedicated himself to being high on space crack

    • @ishashifar
      @ishashifar Рік тому +13

      Ofc he is he was an elite seeker commandor before the war and was said to be one of the best flyers in all of Cybertron

  • @ladyvoso6392
    @ladyvoso6392 4 роки тому +1283

    People not understanding how unhealthy dependence works in the comments section are actually truly entertaining. Like, no, it’s not that easy to just shake off the Decepticons and call it that, because one, Megatron, and two, Starscream was used to it. In a very toxic way, he already views himself as beneath Megatron, and it’s especially clear in Season 3 that he truly believed that the abuse given to him by Megatron was justified. Even in the earlier seasons, there were many instances where this mentality shows up even though I can’t remember any right now. The truth is that it’s not easy to leave something like the Decepticons behind, and I sincerely doubt that Hasbro would want to invest the time and effort into coming up with a substantial character arc for Starscream, which is truly saddening because he is, IMO, the most interesting and complex character in the entirety of TFP.

    • @ladyvoso6392
      @ladyvoso6392 4 роки тому +21

      Dank Starscream oh primus, ikr. It’s entertaining but annoying. I love your username.

    • @WhyTho525
      @WhyTho525 4 роки тому +38

      @@ladyvoso6392
      Yes the Starscream viewing himself beneath Megatron does show up in the episode where Megatron almost kills him the mine, but thanks to Arcee he escapes. When Starscream escapes successfully he begins to laugh and gloats about Megatron possibly being crushed under the rocks, and then he remembers that Megatron has survived far worse (Space Bridge explosion) and began to list the many reasons why he SHOULDN’T abandon Megatron, and one of those is approval for Megatron's rescue. Then he goes after Megatron in the mine and as he holds a big ass rock to save himself and is found by Megatron, Starscream is (or acts as if he feel genuinly happy) glad that Megatron still lives. And what does he get ? Megatron begins to smile sadistically as Starscream is nearly crushed by the rock.

    • @ladyvoso6392
      @ladyvoso6392 4 роки тому +27

      @@WhyTho525 Primus I know. Why people would ship megastar remains beyond me because they truly have an abuser-victim dynamic that just never sits right with me. Starscream deserves so much better than Megatron.

    • @WhyTho525
      @WhyTho525 4 роки тому +8

      @@ladyvoso6392
      Yeah, shipping Megatron and Starscream is like shipping Harley Quinn and Joker....Completely idiotic, nonsensical and outright sick.
      Megatron loaths Starscream, and the Starscream hates Megatron to the core too. However, Starscream is so damaged mentally that he has a NEED to prove himself to others, esspecially Megatron and no...not romantically. Everyone who thinks otherwise needs help.
      The same can be said for Harley's and Joker's relationship. Joker doesn’t love Harley, in his eyes Harley is just a puppet and Harley just can't really escape Joker's influence in many versions.
      These relationships are toxic, abusive and not romantic at all. Also Megatron is not gay and neither is Starscream. Fanfic writers can go wherever they want and rethink their life choices about this topic.

    • @gamersinacontainer
      @gamersinacontainer 3 роки тому +14

      Sadly we’ll never get a Starscream like the one in Armada

  • @Tengu125
    @Tengu125 4 роки тому +744

    He seems to be the most realistic character in the series actually.
    True neutral personality, if not bordering on neutral good with his willingness to seek prosperity for all of Cybertron, even if it's to reassure himself of his own safety and worth.
    It's much easier to live a happy and content life if you have no enemies, and thus he'd rather be adored by his kind than respected.

  • @kaiserdashawn5219
    @kaiserdashawn5219 4 роки тому +1582

    He must have been wearing nikes or something to outrun 3 predacons

  • @kormaclodgin5121
    @kormaclodgin5121 4 роки тому +1905

    You forgot about the scene when he was pumped up by red energon and could have killed all of them but did not

    • @mayawolf8452
      @mayawolf8452 4 роки тому +178

      That is true

    • @tayojones9460
      @tayojones9460 4 роки тому +116

      He was taking his time. He would gave killed them eventually

    • @DalekOfTheMoon
      @DalekOfTheMoon 4 роки тому +147

      Dank Starscream We don’t need to be sure. Starscream is practically gleaming about how freely he’s going to slit their throats after he’s already grabbed the keys. Arcee closing the ground bridge is the only thing that stops him. I guarantee you, had Arcee not been as close as she was, Starscream would’ve gleefully gutted them.

    • @DalekOfTheMoon
      @DalekOfTheMoon 4 роки тому +75

      Dank Starscream No, I did pay attention to the entire video. I found it very interesting, even if i ultimately disagreed with the main point of it. But yeah, on this point of “Was Starscream really going to kill the Autobots during his Omega Heist?” The answer is yes. Go rewatch the scene and see for yourself as I did. Look at his mannerisms and eagerness. He would’ve gladly done it had Arcee not been cutting off his escape route.

    • @darthwrath20
      @darthwrath20 4 роки тому +20

      Thats because the red energon was fading and he knew he didn't have time

  • @CommanderBohn
    @CommanderBohn 4 роки тому +797

    Prime Starscream ain't evil, but he is a jerkticon. Though yeah, he kinda was the chew toy and him going renegade for a time was simply because of his mistreatment.

    • @tayojones9460
      @tayojones9460 4 роки тому +20

      He still murdered Cliff jumper in cold blood.

    • @CommanderBohn
      @CommanderBohn 4 роки тому +29

      @@tayojones9460 Yeah. So far his only truly evil thing...and resurrecting Skyquake as a Terrorcon. Well he's not PURE evil at least.

    • @billyboberson9129
      @billyboberson9129 4 роки тому +10

      He was mistreated because he tied to fucking kill megatron

    • @butter_akbar2688
      @butter_akbar2688 4 роки тому

      100th likes

    • @nil981
      @nil981 4 роки тому +2

      @Brendan McAteer since when do the decepticons care about giving prisoners of war decent treatment? Hell even the autobots are more consistent with treating captured enemy combatants better than the decepticons.

  • @zebjensen4251
    @zebjensen4251 4 роки тому +390

    to be fair I can understand why the autobots where so unwilling to help him. I mean he has a well known reputation for being ruthless and a trickster so to be fair they where probably worried it was just another scam at first. and to be fair the reason why in my opinion megatron lashed out at the end was becuase he was genuinly tired of fighting and just lashed out because he was angered at the thought of causing more harm to others and not truly mad at starscream. I think in this case star scream just happened to be unlucky enough to say it first.
    its amazing what the writers subtly put into the show.

  • @matthewmason7792
    @matthewmason7792 4 роки тому +502

    I find this analysation interesting because in a sense it makes Starscream out to be this Shakespearean tragedy.
    What was once this proud military fighter so skilled that he earned the title of the elite is now this grovelling, toxic and cowardly shell so unsure of his own skills that he crawls back to someone who would kill him unless he was useful to his own agenda for protection.
    We see glimpses of his abilities and honestly it’s the most badass I’ve seen Starscream besides the Armada and animated series (ya know the one where the autobots are superheroes for a few seasons… yeah that got better when the Decepticons showed up)
    There’s also a hint of real representation of a narcissistic personality in Starscream, I don’t know much about psychology but from what I do know Narcissists will often look for validation from those they respect the most, it’s why he acts the way he does around anyone, he thinks that it will please those he thinks are better than him while also lashing out at his own weaknesses.
    This is amplified once he encounters Predaking, to him the predacon was nothing more than a mindless beast, something he can bully so that he can feel big for once, it could also explain his hatred for human kind, again something smaller than him that he can exploit.
    Most of the times we see Starscream around human characters he’s always berating them or frightening them out of sheer enjoyment, he knows that if he really wanted to he could crush humans like bugs and so that shows something he can hold power over, something he can finally bully the same way Megatron bullies him in a sad attempt to make himself seem big.
    Just something I thought I’d say really maybe I’m overthinking this ya know.

    • @simmieautomatic8353
      @simmieautomatic8353 3 роки тому +48

      This is a good take. I would have liked to see his skills fully demonstrated too, because in the show he does show evidence of being a decent strategist and fighter. Like that episode where he sneaked onto the ship and pretended that he was still second in command to trick the vehicons, and when they chased him out the ship he transformed, landed on one, blasted it, and transformed back into a jet without missing a beat. Usually he seems pretty sneaky with the way he chooses to fight, but I wanna see him in action in an actual close combat fight.

    • @strahinjafilipovic9804
      @strahinjafilipovic9804 3 роки тому +33

      Starscream certainly isn't dumb or incompetent.I mean, if i 100% remember correctly, in one of the Branches of the Transformer's Franchise, after the civil war, when Starscream became one of Cybertrons leading Senators/Council Member's, he legit creater one of the, if not The *Greatest* Government's in the History of Cybertron.

    • @tfordham13
      @tfordham13 7 місяців тому +1

      With mech starscream was pretty friendly to the humans

    • @regularguy2807
      @regularguy2807 2 місяці тому

      @@tfordham13 That's because he had no one else.

    • @regularguy2807
      @regularguy2807 2 місяці тому

      Megatron "bullies" him because he tries to kill him.

  • @kaiserdashawn5219
    @kaiserdashawn5219 4 роки тому +737

    Idw starscream is pretty interesting with his relationship with Megatron and the ghost of bumblebee

    • @billyboberson9129
      @billyboberson9129 4 роки тому +30

      You know Starscream kills his political rival in that

    • @stirmagpie
      @stirmagpie 4 роки тому +18

      @billy boberson he owns up to all his actions in the till all are one annual

    • @pancho855
      @pancho855 4 роки тому +60

      He even gave up his position of power and gave it to Windblade, regretting everything wrong he had done to others. He lived an a-hole, but died a regretful man.

    • @stirmagpie
      @stirmagpie 4 роки тому +32

      @Francisco Lozano True. I wished they could have given him proper redemption arc, similar to megatron’s from MTMTE. But that was partially due to the IDW run ending phase 2 of the transformers universe way too abruptly. Had it continued, IDW Starscream would have been one of my favourite incarnations of his character.

    • @lowlyhollow
      @lowlyhollow 4 роки тому +2

      ghost of who now?

  • @DaJokaX
    @DaJokaX 4 роки тому +1146

    To me starscream was never evil, but just a really ruthless and cunning opportunist

    • @markz1831
      @markz1831 4 роки тому +36

      he killed cliffjumper in cold blood tho

    • @vothbetilia4862
      @vothbetilia4862 4 роки тому +47

      @@markz1831 Arachnid was no different, Star Scream was just duty his job.

    • @gyrrakavian
      @gyrrakavian 4 роки тому +26

      Greed and selfishness are the roots of all evil.

    • @DaJokaX
      @DaJokaX 4 роки тому +19

      Gyrre in starscreams case he can’t really be considered “evil” because he did everything in his best interest. If what was best for was killing all of mankind he’d do it to save his skin. If it was teaming up with the autobots he’d do that to

    • @matthewallen2273
      @matthewallen2273 4 роки тому +8

      Tht does sound a bit evil though

  • @DragonmanX90
    @DragonmanX90 4 роки тому +290

    Playing Devil's Advocate on behalf of the predacons here
    If I had to guess, I'd say Predacons might have some kind of inherent "Might makes right" mentality. They're apex predators in an ecosystem that no longer suits them, so their entire focus might be hardwired for survival at all costs. As a result of this, Predaking's experiences as he began to become more than just a beast framed his interpretation of the way the world worked. He'd listen to Shockwave and Megatron because both were smarter and potentially stronger than him despite him being larger; essentially recognizing both as potential "Alphas". Starscream however gives off no such aura of authority, not in terms of intellect or power. I'm not saying Screamer is dumb; but Predaking's only interactions with him are Screamer insulting him, attacking him (even if said attack was more of an annoyance than anything) and constantly underestimating and talking down to him. You don't walk up to something twice your size and has shown to have a poor disposition at the best of times, and start insulting it; especially if said entity gives you a lot of evidence that it finds this distasteful. Looking at it from an animal's perspective, behavior like that would warrant the thing being wiped out. It's like how Zebras will do nothing to help members of the herd that are brought down by a lion.
    As for thinking Predaking is a racist; I think it might be more about him literally having nothing else. He was "born" in a lab, had no experiences with his own kind, and is only brought to Earth to be a hunting dog. Then he discovers that info terminal and begins to research his lineage, potentially helping to awaken more of his sentience as he goes. He admires his ancestors because, really; what else does he have to feel any kinship with, any pride in? He didn't choose to be a Decepticon, he wasn't inspired by Megatron's rise from the arena, he has no reason to really care about Cybertron beyond it being his ancestral home. Pride at being a Predacon, the 1st Predacon in eons, and the strongest among them is all he can really claim for himself. Given his limited experiences to draw on; he might only have been able to see the differences between himself and other bots, and since so many were afraid of him, smaller than him, he decided they were also weaker than him. If I'm at all correct about that might=right mindset; it's not hard to imagine him linking the same power he has to all Predacons (past and future) and thus seeing anything that isn't a Predacon as less than him. A simplistic mindset; but one that would fit what we saw of Predaking in the series.

    • @emperorkumquat
      @emperorkumquat  4 роки тому +77

      Nice analysis mate! I'm not a die hard Starscream fan, since actually I love Predacons and the entire concept of them. If they weren't in Transformers Prime, I don't think I would like the show nearly as much! Gosh, it's so interesting to have different races trying to live together. This is why I love other concepts like Zootopia and Beastars

    • @electraxd9929
      @electraxd9929 3 роки тому +21

      Most of those what ya said here are correct except that Megatron and Shockwave were potentially stronger than PK. That's definitely incorrect

    • @blazingknight1276
      @blazingknight1276 3 роки тому +12

      @@electraxd9929 I agree, but for this I'll have to say that Predacons are social creatures it seems. They Measure out their "pack" and then try to fit in or dominate. Although they were raised By Decepticons, some of it has to be nature as it's consistent with all 3. Megatron was obviously the "alpha" and shockwave was seemingly #2 amongst Decepticons for Predaking. As for the other 2, Shockwave was #1 and Starscream was #2. It seems like they all respect Shockwave as a creator though.

    • @electraxd9929
      @electraxd9929 3 роки тому +2

      @@blazingknight1276 A whole paragraph of justification but that proves nothing... Predaking is the strongest and there's definitely no denying. It would be safe to say that he would take down all 3 of these combined. Mate don't overcomplicate simple things. This is the reason why I don't like Emperor Kumquat when they are the probably the only content creator for TP

    • @strahinjafilipovic9804
      @strahinjafilipovic9804 3 роки тому +3

      Starscream certainly isn't dumb or incompetent.I mean, if i 100% remember correctly, in one of the Branches of the Transformer's Franchise, after the civil war, when Starscream became one of Cybertrons leading Senators/Council Member's, he legit creater one of the, if not The *Greatest* Government's in the History of Cybertron.

  • @LonkiDonki
    @LonkiDonki 3 роки тому +310

    "Did Starscream deserve any of the abuse?" No, point blank period. NO ONE deserves to be abused. Also it's nice to see credit where it's due, Starscream is more capable than he is shown to be on screen and was probably the closest to killing Optimus before Megatron when full joker and decided he should be the only one who gets to fuck with/kill OP

  • @starfieldproductions9282
    @starfieldproductions9282 4 роки тому +275

    0:15
    Cliffjumper: Yup that's me and if you're probably wondering how I got up in this situation...

    • @Monotoros
      @Monotoros 4 роки тому +19

      Cliffjumper’s death was sad af ;-;

    • @JethammerTakeoff
      @JethammerTakeoff 4 роки тому +10

      NEMESIS PRODUCTIONS well it all started in the summer of ‘83

    • @frenchsoldier8485
      @frenchsoldier8485 4 роки тому

      @@JethammerTakeoff I'm guessing that's when his character was first scene?

    • @brendathevehicon
      @brendathevehicon 3 роки тому +1

      that made me feel all kindsa emotions lol. When I started the series, with my previous knowledge and stuff of Transformers (specifically the g1 show) Cliffjumper was my second favorite character and so it hurt to see my favorite character straight up kill im.
      though tbf, i knew Cliffjumper would die (just not that early)
      poor guy dies every time v_v

    • @starfieldproductions9282
      @starfieldproductions9282 3 роки тому

      @@brendathevehicon I still feel bad for his death

  • @LadyCoyKoi
    @LadyCoyKoi 4 роки тому +438

    In other words, Starscream from Prime suffers from Stockholm' syndrome.

    • @WhyTho525
      @WhyTho525 4 роки тому +113

      And PTSD, I mean all those years of abuse by Megatron could leave a mark

    • @Greenkitten45
      @Greenkitten45 3 роки тому +71

      @@WhyTho525 Pretty sure all the Cybertronians have PTSD at this point, which I guess makes sense given how long their war has been going on for.

    • @WhyTho525
      @WhyTho525 3 роки тому +29

      @@Greenkitten45
      That is true

  • @thepathogenicruler1399
    @thepathogenicruler1399 4 роки тому +389

    Starscreams character reminds me a lot of Loki and I'm not sure how I feel about it.

    • @uberkirbeeh7954
      @uberkirbeeh7954 4 роки тому +21

      He IS known as baby's first Loki, but I prefer him more.

    • @ProtossTempest
      @ProtossTempest 4 роки тому +7

      Well given how he's apparently based on Leige Maximo, who looks and behaves similar to Loki, not too shocking

    • @absoluteecho6152
      @absoluteecho6152 3 роки тому +3

      @@uberkirbeeh7954 ....

    • @absoluteecho6152
      @absoluteecho6152 3 роки тому +5

      @@ProtossTempest he ain't based on anything the cowardly characters are not too tbh

    • @uberkirbeeh7954
      @uberkirbeeh7954 3 роки тому +3

      @@absoluteecho6152 What?

  • @Null24
    @Null24 3 роки тому +251

    "Starscream remembers kindness-
    And then returns it."
    Perfect ending line to sum up starscream

    • @keru6925
      @keru6925 5 місяців тому +5

      *Transformers: EarthSpark liked this*

  • @C.L.G._Artisa
    @C.L.G._Artisa 4 роки тому +580

    Wow... This is really mature, intelligent, & professional. Very impressive! I've actually thought about some of those scenes with Starscream as well, especially when he'd let Arcee go & definitely the episode with the zombies. He certainly is an intriguing character, that's for sure. So glad to have watched the whole video. Wonderful analysis! 👌

    • @vivimariefedorov7374
      @vivimariefedorov7374 4 роки тому +5

      Starscream and a few other characters have truly shined in that garbage dump of an episode! It was impressive how he rescued that brainless two wheeler clone Isenberg calls Arcee!

    • @C.L.G._Artisa
      @C.L.G._Artisa 4 роки тому +5

      @@vivimariefedorov7374 - Garbage dump? Brainless two-wheeler clone? Umm... I'm sorry, but what? ._.

    • @vivimariefedorov7374
      @vivimariefedorov7374 4 роки тому +4

      Crossfire! That crappy episode that portrayed Arcee as a dumbass in dustress!

    • @zemox2534
      @zemox2534 3 роки тому +3

      @@vivimariefedorov7374 I liked crossfire but yeah Arcee was an idiot, they never explained how the insecticons arrived on earth or why and Breakdown die

  • @henrywedekind5754
    @henrywedekind5754 4 роки тому +288

    Soundwave is Soundwave,
    Ah another Soundwave fan here...

    • @jsb6975.ah.crapbaskets
      @jsb6975.ah.crapbaskets 4 роки тому +38

      At this point Megatron is probably a Soundwave fan too.

    • @mica8701
      @mica8701 4 роки тому +19

      soundwave: superior

    • @WhyTho525
      @WhyTho525 4 роки тому +8

      @@jsb6975.ah.crapbaskets
      I think he was always a Soundwave fan, much like how Soundwave is a fan of Megatron too.

    • @joslyncarter4813
      @joslyncarter4813 3 роки тому +10

      I love Soundwave too. He's one of a kind and as Ratchet put it, "Not like any other Cybertronian inside or out."

    • @aidanedwards8931
      @aidanedwards8931 6 місяців тому

      Soundwave Superior
      Everyone Else Inferior

  • @SpearHeadTheAssault
    @SpearHeadTheAssault 4 роки тому +454

    Starscream sparing Arcee didn't make them even. Recall that Arcee would've killed him had Bumblebee not intervened, yet Starscream later spared her even though there would've been zero consequences had he chosen not to.
    I love it because Screamer displayed superior morality to Arcee in that scene. Hell, Starscream displayed superior morality to most of the autobots with this scene, save for Optimus and BB.

    • @emperorkumquat
      @emperorkumquat  4 роки тому +94

      Exactly~

    • @vivimariefedorov7374
      @vivimariefedorov7374 4 роки тому +5

      That was NOT Arcee!!! Arcee is a well trained autobot soldier! She would NEVER act so retarded to fall for such a trap!!! After all that character development and fights with Airachnid she got in Season 1, she WOULD be thinking things through!!! She's not like Miko who always goes looking for trouble!!! She may not be perfect, but she will learn from previous mistakes!What we saw in that cocoon was a shameless clone that is clearly a retarded poor man's version of Arcee!!! Damn you to hell Isenfuck!!!!!! 🔥

    • @47ratsinahoodie
      @47ratsinahoodie 4 роки тому +77

      @@vivimariefedorov7374 People can make mistakes. We know that Arcee always wanted revenge because Airachnid killed Tailgate. It's not that much of a stretch to think that she would fall into a trap while having tunnel vision. It's the same reason Optimus didn't let Arcee come along to the Harbinger because Airachnid would be there. Arcee risks missions and safety whenever Airachnid is involved so precautions must be taken. They weren't, and we got cocoon Arcee.

    • @fightingmedialounge519
      @fightingmedialounge519 2 роки тому +4

      Bumblebee didn't really intervine. I would say they weren't even because of the whole partner killing.

    • @seasonaltheology8314
      @seasonaltheology8314 Рік тому +4

      Starscream did kill Cliffjumper who was Arcee's partner. They escaped together from Cybertron, there was some kind of relationship going on between Arcee and Cliffjumper. And Cliffjumper is captured and later killed by Starscream. And he get stabbed with dark energon. And gets killed again. For Arcee to see his decapitated "zombified" body... wouldn't it make her mad for revenge? Starscream was a coward and at the start of the series he wanted to be the leader of the decepticons. He was always trying to plot against either Autobots or Megatron. He later conspired against Shockwave. He left him stranded with the predacon clones when Autobots attacked.
      Starscream was also incompetent. He let Wheeljack escape so many times. He lost the armour to Smokescreen. Arcee and Cliffjumper escaped from his custody. Meko beat the hell out of him. He lost his t-cog to mech. Also he ordered Knockout to inject dark energon to Sylus which led mass wipe out of the decepticon army.
      It's not he didn't believe in the decepticon cause, he was just terribly incompetent. When better, more competent cons arrived, they just sidelined him. Just the way Shockwave sidelined Knockout and Starscream.
      Starsream had incompetence and cowardice.

  • @wolfleader17
    @wolfleader17 4 роки тому +171

    Great analysis. Starscream is a pretty complicated character in this series, wrapped up in what he wants, abuse, the war, and what he wants others to think of him.

  • @ararepotato1420
    @ararepotato1420 4 роки тому +331

    I would have loved to see starscream briefly or even permanently be an autobot. It would have been a huge twist. I felt like Bumblebee when he saw Arcee attacking Starscream.
    Maybe have him bond with that one FBI agent. Make him fail the autobots and cower and beg Optimus for mercy only to have Optimus say: "we all make mistakes Starscream." And have Starscream confused and shocked by what Optimus did.
    But hey, that's just my opinion.

    • @sulphurous2656
      @sulphurous2656 4 роки тому +51

      Makes me wonder if there are any fan written story that attempt to do something along those lines.

    • @rightyplayz1910
      @rightyplayz1910 4 роки тому +10

      @@sulphurous2656 samee

    • @simmieautomatic8353
      @simmieautomatic8353 3 роки тому +49

      I would actually like to see that. I've noticed in some fanfics that that idea is played around with. Having a Decepticon or two join the Autobots and being able to see the stark difference between how Optimus deals with them and how they were treated by Megatron would be cool to see.

    • @Darthvegeta8000
      @Darthvegeta8000 3 роки тому +25

      They already did that in Armada sorta.

    • @ronaldolson6553
      @ronaldolson6553 3 роки тому +40

      There actually is a story on Fanfiction.net called the Good, the Bad, and the Starscream, a Transformers Prime fanfic where he joins the Autobots (due to actually keeping his big mouth shut on Cliffjumper) and has a lot of character development. Sadly, it seems to have been dropped, though it does get to Season 3 at least.

  • @blackout_ct1013
    @blackout_ct1013 4 роки тому +85

    He really is such a deep character. It's rare to see a character with the mindset that he has. He puts up with all the abuse and even thinks he deserves it. He is stuck in the situation where he feels he must stay with the Decepticons for energon, medical attention, and an actual home even though it's a abusive unhealthy environment. He is abused physical and mentally and he is just so hungry for attention and approval, sometimes it really shows how is soul is just so broken and he is mentally a slave to the abusive Megatron. He's such a broken bot and that's what makes me love him. I struggle with depression, anxiety, and mental and emotional abuse from my dad who I don't have a choice to visit or not so I have alot of empathy for a character like Starscream. You said (and I'm sure you just meant it as a question that viewers may ask as you were pretty clear that, no, he doesn't) "does he deserve any of his abuse?" Of course not!! No one deserves to be abused. I think he deserves to be punished meaning put on jail for a time or demoted but I also think most, if not everything, he does, he just does to try to get approval & attention from Megatron. I do think, if he were properly shown love, he could fully turn good. No one deserves to be abused ever. Anyways I really love Prime Starscream and this was an absolutely amazing analysis. Your videos are always so thorough and well made. I really enjoy watching your videos and I'm sure once I run out of new ones I'll just go back and watch your other videos as they are just so relaxing and enjoyable. Thank you so much!!

    • @emperorkumquat
      @emperorkumquat  4 роки тому +21

      I am going to make another video, a more in-depth explanation especially now that I have a microphone and can do better quality. I want to explain how exactly Megatron is able to control Starscream, and how he ends up becoming loyal and attached to Megatron. It is pretty disturbing how Starscream does not leave no matter what things happen to him. What many people don't understand is how freaked out WE would be if any one of these things happened to us (Shockwave almost impaling his face/eye). Yet Starscream has even recommended (in Patch) that Megatron beat him, anything just to not be terminated. And this is not just us fans making up things- Fowler in the show was even aware, and he described Starscream to another person as being insecure, torn between taking Megatron's job and getting his approval. In season 3, Starscream does so much for attention, and his bad behaviour comes from that. He is almost scavenging for care, pushing no matter how everyone else treats him

    • @blackout_ct1013
      @blackout_ct1013 4 роки тому +6

      @@emperorkumquat yeah he's such a tragic character but I really appreciate the writing and how they show him. He is just such a sweet character but it's so sad how he is treated and how his mind has been so screwed over by Megatron 😔

    • @clownplayer7265
      @clownplayer7265 Рік тому +3

      What seems interesting is that Starscream's sense of honor is a much more acceptable compromise between "warrior honor" that ammounts to be unpragmatic but not precisely "heartless bastard".
      In a fight he fights dirty to survive because when lives are at stake, a lot of chances cannot be taken; he's constantly uses tricks to get the upper hand, as if other autobots and decepticons hans't done the same against him; is called a coward for running away, assuming getting himself as well as entire squadrons obliterated being a more is preferable (spoiler alert: anyone with a brain aknowledges total anihilation for you and your cause is a terrible idea).
      Starscream's honor is pragmatic but ironically honest, he repays kindness, doesn't arbitrarily kills his own troops nor let them to die senselessly, always chooses bargains and talks before violence, has focused goals like gathering energon without missing his head on the idea of Cybertron's survival rather than openly engaging and so on.
      He's honorable, he just simply not honorably stupid.

  • @comradepeggyhill9085
    @comradepeggyhill9085 4 роки тому +236

    I always loved the Decepticons most. I can even feel empathy for Megatron, because he started his faction for good reasons. Starscream has been a favorite of my for a while. Love the video!

    • @Vash-The-Stampede
      @Vash-The-Stampede 4 роки тому +54

      Yes. Megatron started the Deception faction out of good intent because he wanted to get rid of the caste system on Cybertron, but then over time he slowly became a corrupt leader.

    • @brendathevehicon
      @brendathevehicon 3 роки тому +22

      Yeah. I actually quite like Megatron, at least to some degree. Is he a good person? hell no, heeeecckkkk to the no. He's an awful trash man. But is he an interesting, fun character? yeah 🌟

    • @StarryInkArt
      @StarryInkArt Рік тому +6

      Agreed.

  • @joslyncarter4813
    @joslyncarter4813 3 роки тому +74

    I love this analysis of Starscream. He really is a broken individual in need of a chance to redeem himself - a real chance.
    I keep thinking about what he says to Bumblebee in Robots in Disguise when he tells him about the minicons. He wants the power they can give him, "so that [he] can repay Megatron for all he did to [him]". To me, that statement came from a place of hurt and resentment. There's been no retribution or redemption for Starscream. It would be interesting to see what would have happened if Starscream could have been rehabilitated, so to speak. Possibly by Optimus Prime. I wonder if a true redemption arc will ever be given to him. He's such a complex and endearing character, yet a lot of the possibilities for him are overlooked, ignored, or untouched.

    • @pepita2437
      @pepita2437 2 місяці тому +1

      For what it's worth, Starscream had his redemption arc in the IDW comics. (and it was a damn good redemption arc)

    • @joslyncarter4813
      @joslyncarter4813 2 місяці тому +1

      @@pepita2437 Yes.

  • @kardonis8937
    @kardonis8937 4 роки тому +76

    He's definitely my favorite from TFP, and one of my all-time favorite characters in general. He's definitely a case where, he just needs a hug...

  • @madmaddie1702
    @madmaddie1702 4 роки тому +49

    I'm extremely thankful that in IDW1, they did acknowledge Megatron's abuse toward Starscream
    They acknowledged that Starscream was an abuse victim and he needed help
    As well as that he is capable of change when given the chance
    And like his Prime counterpart, Starscream wanted to make Cybertron a great place to live and he was willing to do anything
    In the end, he was a true hero to not only his own race, but to many others as well

  • @i_am_jarvistm7220
    @i_am_jarvistm7220 4 роки тому +119

    Yeah, I personally figure that the hate on Starscream was unjust as well, especially when it comes to his apparent "uselessness". In case no one ever noticed, Starscream was always "that one guy", the odd one out that always gave Megatron a reason to stay on his toes, maybe not because of Starscream himself, but from other things that he may cause down the line, yet ALMOST always, such things weren't something that they couldn't live through. Practically forced active training, if you think about it, and that sort of hidden benefit is something that's always piqued my interest.

  • @summanus4437
    @summanus4437 4 роки тому +55

    It makes sense that the Predcons have such an ego-centric view of things. They're a very young, primal species. As shown with Predaking's interaction with Ratchet, they're not quite at the stage where they utilise more complex thinking. Starscream = pain therefore he is bad. Autobots = death therefore they are bad. This is why Predaking rules as he does, because if he didn't what he does to others would be done to him. They don't realise its a self-fulfilling circle yet, that this is only the case because they make it so. Thus they're not likely to see anything from Starscream or anyone else's perspective, simply because they haven't developed that skill yet. Predaking starts to develop it after Ratchet teaches him, but he still hasn't gotten that far. In terms of the brutality of the Predacons, that too is simply due to their youth as a species. The way Darksteel and Skylynx decimate Smokescreen and Ultra Magnus is shocking to lifeforms who live in a more advanced age, but for them that's just how it is. It's not strictly an exercise in sadism, but rather them just doing all they know. They're still very in tune with their instincts, and their instincts tell them that if they don't do this to others, it will happen to them. I don't think Predaking's view of other Cybertronian races is driven by racist views per sey, but rather just an extension of this mindset, to a degree. I mean, it is pretty much a fact; there are very few Autobots or Decepticons who could match a Predacon, let alone Predaking himself. It took a God empowered bot who was already pretty strong to beat him.
    I always took his line of "I'll never bow to you Prime." as an expression of anger regarding the destruction of his brothers, which he thought Prime was responsible for at the time, rather than because he sees him as an inferior being. He accepted Megatron very quickly, despite being more than capable of beating the crap out of him just as much as Optimus.
    It runs as a strong parallel to the Decepticons. Megatron's way of running things is extremely unhealthy and counterproductive. Starscream's worse aspects flourish because if they didn't then he'd be abandoned or worse, however its because of those aspects that he fails. Knockout also directly addresses this when he says to Optimus "I never reallly had any good role models." It makes Optimus' words to Megatron in the prequel novels even more powerful "There are gladiators now that see you the way you saw the council." Megatron doesn't care about anyone under his command, he only cares about what they can offer him. He's become so wrapped up in the conflict and his ideals that he doesn't see any distinction between himself and those said ideals or the Decepticons as a whole. This is an interesting difference between the Prime Megatron and G1 Megatron, who for all his faults always referred to the Decepticons as something separate from himself, "I do what I do now for the sake of my Decepticons." I'd even go so far as to say Soundwave is the only exception to this. And even then, it's dubious.
    Many of the Decepticons and Predacons absolutely have the potential to be better. In the small amount of time they spend around better influences their behaviour changes, sometimes subtly, sometimes noticeably. Starscream's sadism isn't actually that strong to be honest. At the very least it doesn't exceed any of his comrade's levels of sadistic behaviour. And though he expresses disdain for humans, it's interesting to note just how quickly that disdain falls away when he actually gets to interact with some of them. It's unfortunate he ended up with Mech though. Imagine how he'd be if he'd met a human who shared his love of flying. We always saw Agent Fowler in a jet. I could totally see him becoming Starscream's human partner. With the fact Starscream once tortured him being used for banter or comic relief, or light-hearted guilt tripping when Fowler wants something lol. I would hazard a guess his view on organics is mostly down to how Megatron sees them (and other people in general for that matter). How he's been told to see them. All in all Starscream is a socialite who is literally the "just wants to be loved" trope. Unfortunately thanks to the individuals around him, he doesn't know (or has forgotten) how to earn that love in healthy, non-toxic ways.
    Like Breakdown I think it's one of the shows major flaws that Starscream didn't join the Autobots. That has, to my knowledge, never been done before in any continuity. And not just as a means of espionage, but fully joining them and upholding their cause. That would have cut him out of the later Season 3 parts where he's much less impressive. From a narrative standpoint, there was no reason why Shockwave couldn't have taken his place. It would have also been an interesting development, to have had two Decepticons abandon Megatron because his ways function so poorly, only to have them replaced with two even bigger, greater threats; Shockwave and Predaking. I understand why they didn't go in this direction, but I do feel it would have been more rewarding to have done so.
    Well, that turned out longer than I intended haha. Good job on this video, it's very thought provoking. I knew Starscream always had the capability to be more, but I didn't realise just how deep that ran until I watched this and your prequel novel videos. Makes me even more annoyed at what they did with him in RiD. Though his 180 change in attitude towards Megatron makes a lot of sense in retrospect.

    • @ruinaderoma
      @ruinaderoma 4 роки тому +4

      Spot on I agree with your analogues

    • @justicedreams
      @justicedreams 4 роки тому +8

      Fanfic Writers looking at this comment: *WRITING DOWN NOTES INTENSIFIES*

    • @simmieautomatic8353
      @simmieautomatic8353 3 роки тому +8

      Yeah, I mean Transformers Prime did a good job in showing a lot of gray areas concerning the Autobot and Decepticon factions. It has always either one side or this other, or Autobots = good and Decepticons = bad. Transformers Prime did a good job introducing new concepts and showing the many sides of morality and reasons why the characters do the stuff they do. They had Decepticons assist the Autobots and vice versa but I do wish they had taken it a step further and actually made a Decepticon or an Autobot switch sides. Dreadwing would've been the PERFECT candidate for this. I HATE what happened to him! At least he could have went neutral.

    • @user-tz4do7tj8j
      @user-tz4do7tj8j 3 роки тому +2

      He didn't mean to hurt anyone

  • @snedbag1727
    @snedbag1727 4 роки тому +47

    I love how you describe soundwave’s usefulness to Megatron as just because he’s soundwave🤣 so true

  • @TempestGhost
    @TempestGhost 4 роки тому +46

    To be fair with Predaking, he has no idea how things work. The only rule he knows are dominance among others, which are Predacon instincts. They existed in prehistoric Cybertron.

  • @ArcTrooper269
    @ArcTrooper269 4 роки тому +64

    *BUT THE FINAL REASON OF WHY HIS REPRESENTATION IS PERFECT:*
    *_-HIS HIGH HEELS & HIS HIPS CURVED_*
    *_-STEVE BLUM PERFORMANCE_*

  • @RaptorofRex07
    @RaptorofRex07 4 роки тому +193

    One may say that Starscream is a victim of Megatron “peace through tyranny” Meg is more entitled then Prediking. PK has a alpha predator mentality, While Meg is a megalomaniac who does not care who gets hurt be it Autobot or con as long as he has power. It took Unicron to give him a taste of his own medicine to get Meg to change.

    • @noterenyega9158
      @noterenyega9158 4 роки тому +27

      Right !! Remember that scene when he threw a decepticon who was actually a car and not a plane....

    • @Elemento0420
      @Elemento0420 3 роки тому +18

      While Starscream is a narcissist who like to be the center of attention and be the big boss. He constantly brags about killing a wounded prisoner(which is a war crime) and got super jealous when he had to share the rank of first lieutenant with Shockwave. He even abuses his own soldiers more than Megatron would've. He used the energon harvester on a trooper for no reason and slapped another that was trying to fix the ship's cloaking system. And the fact that his clone tried to betray him really shows how greedy he is since he can't even be equal with himself.

    • @electraxd9929
      @electraxd9929 3 роки тому +5

      @@Elemento0420 and they say he isn't evil lol...UA-camrs can present anything for content

    • @HOLDENPOPE
      @HOLDENPOPE Рік тому +4

      That honestly makes Unicron more terrifying in context. Megatron was already severely oppressed, along with so many others, by the Caste System, and yet what Unicron did to him was literally *worse.*
      All because Megatron recklessly stabbed himself with Dark Energon.
      So in a way, Megatron defeated himself.

    • @clownplayer7265
      @clownplayer7265 Рік тому +2

      It worths nothing it's clear from the get go Starscream is not properly made nor trained to handle the predacons at all.
      He's obviously scared and tries to talk his way out to not avail, and Starscream is a good commander, just not a beast master, but no, they had to let him the job of getting Predaking inside despite the fact they know predacons are rather hard nosed by nature and way bigger than him, and Starscream's nervousness that he seems to be rather self-aware about makes him even worse at a job that requires a cold blood and physical strenght, something the conniving and more brash yet calculative Starscream is not really suited for.
      Anyone who dislike animals personally but are not malicious about it would have some sympathy for the character, specially since those animals are dangerous. Starscream is shocking him is because if not Predaking, then he would get Megatron's wrath, essentially a lose-lose situation.

  • @nil981
    @nil981 4 роки тому +232

    "No spark born of primus is born evil."
    Airachnid: hold my energon.
    Seriously, airachnid is genuinely evil. She has all the hallmarks of psychopathy and is even more sadistic than starscream.
    I mean, except for that ONE time where she showed concern about the vehicons being affected by dark energon.
    Edit: while it can be argued that starscream has some traits of psychopathy, what separates starscream from airachnid is that starscreams sadism is more goal-directed as opposed to airachnid who literally kills autobots and even organics because she takes great joy in doing so.

    • @noterenyega9158
      @noterenyega9158 4 роки тому +9

      She reminds me of Azula, ppl will argue that she was raised in diff. conditions but still.

    • @nil981
      @nil981 4 роки тому +36

      @@noterenyega9158 azula and airachnid are not at all alike. Azulas cruelty and manipulation is primarily goal directed. She has a motive to do the things she does. Whereas airachnid is a true psychopath she kills for kicks and is cruel simply for the sake of it as she has clearly demonstrated.
      That and cybertronians don't have childhoods they are forged as adults and are functionally immortal until they are killed.

    • @Elemento0420
      @Elemento0420 3 роки тому +22

      Airachnid was a murdering psychopath while Starscream was just a narcissist.

    • @knightsotl796
      @knightsotl796 3 роки тому +18

      @@Elemento0420 with sadistic tendencies and a habit of repaying shown gratitude

    • @little_pretty_little_dead
      @little_pretty_little_dead 3 роки тому +5

      You DO realize that most psychopaths are not sadists, right? They just don't empathize with others. Sadism is just a personality trait...

  • @miiatagtstrom1578
    @miiatagtstrom1578 4 роки тому +165

    This made me rethink about my toughts about Starscream. I saw him as a total shitlord when I was younger. Some real people do try to look tough and scary to make them be safe towards those who hurt them but benefits safety with an army and amount of gun power. Hm. This just made me want to go watch transformers prime again and again and again 😂

  • @maximumrpm1868
    @maximumrpm1868 4 роки тому +176

    I've always felt hes been a rather pathetic and character but I've never taken the time to take a step back and realized just how he Is treated by megatron In all of them in Transformers 2 revenge of the fallen he steps on star screen and uses his tank track to grind him into the ground There's just one example hes always been rough with him that's why I see him as such a coward but at the end of the day he is a good Warrior

    • @g1starscream01.
      @g1starscream01. 4 роки тому +4

      Thx

    • @maximumrpm1868
      @maximumrpm1868 4 роки тому +4

      @@g1starscream01. hahaha no problem Sorry about your head getting shot off and one of the last movies I did give you a heads up though

    • @g1starscream01.
      @g1starscream01. 4 роки тому +3

      @@maximumrpm1868 wow u gonna play me like that. Stepping out of my character in all honesty starscream did really go out stupidly in TF DOTM. Literally had rockets and machine guns but no "I'm going to kick you" I really wished they would have readded him because megatron died 3 times and came back. I died once and only came back as a head

    • @maximumrpm1868
      @maximumrpm1868 4 роки тому +2

      @@g1starscream01. ya. I can agree famous last words I'm going to kick you Well when it comes to the score you are always a head

    • @Dualbladedscorpion7737
      @Dualbladedscorpion7737 4 роки тому +3

      @@g1starscream01.
      Gotta hand it to junkheap for fixing your head though.

  • @annad1132
    @annad1132 2 роки тому +32

    I am genuinely sad that Starscream turned out this way. I remember wishing wholeheartedly that the autobots would accept him.

  • @Elite04232
    @Elite04232 4 роки тому +15

    I honestly love how you keep your tone very soft and calm and almost unfazed. Like your tone doesn't seem to change its attitude or energy.

  • @gispyprime1017
    @gispyprime1017 4 роки тому +63

    7:01 and few seconds before ,Starscream is like a cornered animal scared but angry

  • @brhmn4309
    @brhmn4309 4 роки тому +73

    Thanks for making this!
    I want to add that I always thought Starscream, Breakdown, and Dreadwing shared some traits. This includes that they know to give some form of kindness back when given, like with their interactions with the Autobots, and that they have the potential to change. Also I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed that Starscream staggered and was legitametly sad when Megatron 'died', when he didn't have to. In Season 3 he tried as much as he can to please Megatron to get back to his rank. From their point of view, Megatron was dead, there was no reason for him to act up and pretend he cared, but he did.
    Congrats, you just have a new subscriber! ☆

  • @jeralhowe2780
    @jeralhowe2780 2 роки тому +16

    In most iterations of Stars Starscream, he's actually depicted as a character that could change, if given the chance. A great example is Transformers Armada. He actually acts as a kind of anti-hero and occasionally an actual autobot. Heck, he sacrifices himself to convince Megatron to team up with Prime to take on Unicron.

  • @tahraanisa642
    @tahraanisa642 4 роки тому +37

    Oh my... i love this video. Great job! Now i have more perspectives about Starscream. I really want to hug him and give him all kindness :"

  • @speedyplayz23
    @speedyplayz23 4 роки тому +37

    Love his character and how he is badass at times

  • @phantomchain3020
    @phantomchain3020 4 роки тому +323

    My take on Starscream is that honestly? He’s probably one of the smartest bots there. But he can’t bring himself to act upon his ideas because he is constantly broken, abused, and generally tormented and bullied by everyone around him. And I don’t care if you’re evil or generally a bad person, no one deserves physical abuse like the shit Starscream goes through.
    He’s really, really traumatized, and I think that’s the most relatable part about him. He knows his own role in the story, is to inevitably lose, but he’s trying to just be the winner for once in his life. To be good at something, anything.
    And he’s also definitely gay but I love him so much it hurts.

    • @truexenith8596
      @truexenith8596 4 роки тому +53

      @@BasedVegeta
      You're gonna tell me that scene with Knockout didn't have any sexual tension in it? To be fair, everybody's gay for Knockout.

    • @truexenith8596
      @truexenith8596 4 роки тому +18

      @@BasedVegeta
      You can't run from fax Screamer! >:)

    • @truexenith8596
      @truexenith8596 4 роки тому +19

      @@BasedVegeta
      Lol, are you really this triggered over memes?

    • @jonathanshapiro6593
      @jonathanshapiro6593 4 роки тому +4

      Astroblaze the Reality Traverser I believe that he his living his persona of Starscream.

    • @truexenith8596
      @truexenith8596 4 роки тому +14

      @@BasedVegeta
      I don't know what slash is, but I can't believe you got baited so damn hard. Stop embarrassing yourself over nothing, lmao

  • @WildArmACF
    @WildArmACF 4 роки тому +52

    Starscream has always be a favorite bot of mine. The fact that even his own clones hate him in a series shows just how much he needs a friend. He's lonely, he's doing everything he can to survive... and all he needs is a chance and some time to warm up to someone. He'd be a pretty good friend.. a but rough, but still. And if he has the immortal spark... it just means his lonelyness will be prolonged.

  • @lordtumaux971
    @lordtumaux971 4 роки тому +38

    why do i feel like starscream all my life :( even more so lately

    • @kratkartan1486
      @kratkartan1486 4 роки тому +3

      I feel, man. Probably the reason we all love Starscream. 'Cause we know what it's like.

    • @andrewbrown5370
      @andrewbrown5370 3 роки тому

      Same here

  • @RavensaursRex
    @RavensaursRex 4 роки тому +19

    I still have to lean to evil when I think of this Starscream, though a bit loose. He had the capability to change and become a better person, reflecting and ultimately coming to terms with who he is, was and who he wanted to be. The 'ends justify the means' argument is a hard pill to swallow. Because you have a very, very good reason for what you did which makes perfect sense for someone in your situation and background, that does not really erase the nature of the act itself. It's a situation where pretty much no one was in the right. Starscream should not have been treated as he had by either side of the show nor should he had intended to doom billions of innocent lives. In the end it all sort of just rounds out to everyone needing some good faceslapping.

    • @Eelectrik
      @Eelectrik Місяць тому

      YES! A TRUE NEUTRAL OPINION! Thank you

  • @nicolesimke9812
    @nicolesimke9812 2 роки тому +10

    You touched on points regarding gun why Starscream is the way he is that I think few people are aware of, and it felt so satisfying to hear someone bring them up. If I could, I’d shake your hand and say, “You. You get Starscream.” Thank you for this.

  • @123garci6
    @123garci6 4 роки тому +20

    9:16 soundwave is soundwave xD

  • @starsilent3429
    @starsilent3429 4 роки тому +16

    This is exactly what I would say about Starscream. Despite his personality he is my favourite character.

  • @dynamoterror18
    @dynamoterror18 4 роки тому +66

    I really wish Starscream got a redemption arc in this series.

    • @joslyncarter4813
      @joslyncarter4813 3 роки тому +22

      You know, it actually bothers me that Megatron was given a redemption arc, but not Starscream. Starscream's evil is a result of his self-preservation. Crazy as it may sound, I think that if Optimus Prime had been able to reach Starscream, he could have been redeemed.

    • @SarahGambill-sl9dl
      @SarahGambill-sl9dl Рік тому +2

      Starscream is not evil 😠

    • @ishashifar
      @ishashifar Рік тому +1

      Yeah it was a missed opportunity, 😕 even in the sequel series they had a chance to do a redemption because of the whole dark star saber rejecting the evil in him, but instead in both series they chose to make him an evil person towards the end and then he ended up in a possibly permanent coma

    • @arju2l
      @arju2l 5 місяців тому

      @@ishashifar what do you mean by because of the whole dark star saber rejecting the evil in him? I don't know anything like that in prime series

  • @lasercraft32
    @lasercraft32 2 місяці тому +8

    NOBODY _deserves_ abuse, and its depressing that anyone would think that about anyone.

  • @teknicron1080
    @teknicron1080 4 роки тому +16

    To be fair, when watching G1 Transformers, I always saw him an an opportunistic coward with delusions of grandeur . . . but perhaps, he was the abused child who suffers from Personality Disorder. He probably does want things to improve, but because of all the abuse and neglect, not to mention being in Megatron's shadow, he's craving attention, approval, and acknowledgement of his existence. Looking at his plans, a lot of them are solid in concept, with a huge payoff if they work . . . but, the bigger, more complex the plan, the more than can go wrong. In a way, that kinda makes him like Marvel's Loki, disillusioned by upbringing in the shadow of others' achievements. A Naruto story of sorts, but if Naruto had gone rogue, or joined a rogue nation.

  • @malord6686
    @malord6686 4 роки тому +12

    Now I'm intrigued. I wish to make a character similar to Starscream. With the difference that he learns and regains confidence over time and stands his ground.

  • @Talon1124
    @Talon1124 2 роки тому +10

    This arc of a 'redeemed' Starscream was looked at in Armarda. It didn't last long but it kind of proves that he is fully capable of changing his life trajectory.

  • @TheMicmarj
    @TheMicmarj 4 роки тому +15

    I always wondered if he was truly sincere about joining the autobots and I wonder how the show would have played out if he had... When I saw it for the first time I thought he would, like in the show Armada. But my dreams were crushed :(

    • @user-tz4do7tj8j
      @user-tz4do7tj8j 3 роки тому +2

      I starscream for getting his redemption and becoming autobot again ☺😢

    • @SarahGambill-sl9dl
      @SarahGambill-sl9dl Рік тому

      😢I'm sad about him too!

    • @clownplayer7265
      @clownplayer7265 Рік тому +5

      Probably genuine. Granted maybe not inherently heroic, what he wanted was to escape from Megatron's abuse more than anything and only went back because being alone left him unfed and unprotected.
      But considering how desperate he was then, and under the idea that he can return the good you give to him, it is likely he really would have joined the autobots if not for accidentally blurting Cliffjumper's death.

  • @fins1099
    @fins1099 4 роки тому +25

    I like your opinion this is usually where some people disagree but I love your opinion I think transformers prime star scream had to be the best star scream of them all if he can survive Megatron/ being on his own for most of season 2/ 3predacons / and the auto bots he is there for the best star scream ( I do love this character a lot but he killed cliffjumper so I would say it’s 50/50 on how I feel)

    • @ulty1472
      @ulty1472 4 роки тому +1

      fins1099 eh idw starscream is better and armada Starscream was the dinobot of it

    • @tayojones9460
      @tayojones9460 4 роки тому +3

      Aninated Scream was more successful even if he wasn't as sympathetic

  • @adelinasandru8384
    @adelinasandru8384 3 роки тому +9

    39:00 that conclusion was a "drop the mic" one
    Plus the music at the end really fits
    Now (as I am older) I când sympathyies with starscrem
    Great analysis 👍

  • @sulphurous2656
    @sulphurous2656 4 роки тому +17

    Ever since the episode 'Partners' I've always been left wondering what things could have looked like had Starscream committed to defecting towards the Autobots. I think it could have made for a very interesting alternate timeline.

  • @derekdrake8706
    @derekdrake8706 3 роки тому +9

    There's a movie called "A Silent Voice" and it really made me question what people deserve. Things are almost never black and white. Looking back and examining the motivations of what were villains to me as a child has been enlightening. I'm glad the writers were able to flesh out the story of a kids cartoon with some actual depth.
    ..now if only Disney could hire writers that good..

  • @ZACKRISTIC
    @ZACKRISTIC 4 роки тому +34

    This really made me sad, Starscream is such a sad character, he has no friends, he's constantly abused, and the reason he is coward and afraid of dying is because of his PTSD.

  • @hadesdogs4366
    @hadesdogs4366 3 роки тому +9

    Also notice how starscreams behavior changes as soon as predaking shows intelligence and transformation

  • @Jan_Iedema
    @Jan_Iedema 4 роки тому +11

    Can we have a video like this about megatron? I really enjoyed the journey he made trough the story. They really turned the guy who screamed retreat at everything into a genuinely terrifying antagonist.

  • @ryan_the_rizza2571
    @ryan_the_rizza2571 4 роки тому +10

    Thank you for the entirely new perspective on his character

  • @bumblebee4me4ever
    @bumblebee4me4ever 4 роки тому +14

    Hi! A few things I’d like to share: I randomly stumbled upon this video a few days ago. As a fellow Starscream fangirl, I agree with everything you said in this video. I read your description and seen you had a link to a fanfiction you written. As a Starscream fangirl and a BIG reader of fanfics, I had to read it! And, oh my Primus... IT WAS WONDERFUL!!! It took me about two days to get through it but I was smiling the whole time! A few points I was on the verge of tears (won’t spoil when for others who read this comment but you will know the parts). It was written beautifully and believably and true to the characters. MY POOR SCREAMER DON’T DESERVE THAT! Wait, OH HELL YES, HE’S GETTING HIS REVENGE! Ooh, the Megatron and Shockwave scene was delicious!! Oh no, Shockwave, what have you done?!? Is he about to...?! YAS STARSCREAM IS FREE! Fuck, Airachnid is back? NO NO NO! *and they lived happily ever after while attending a car race with Doc Knock* I’m sorry for rambling but *TLDR:* “Shattered Silence” was one of the best fics I’ve ever read. Thank you so much for keeping a smile plastered on my face this past two days ☺️

    • @bumblebee4me4ever
      @bumblebee4me4ever 4 роки тому +1

      PS: And you’re also a great artist on deviantart?? I seen the Starscream/Predaking picture you made, and it is sad, heartbreaking but great work! You are apparently very talented. Do you have a twitter?

    • @emperorkumquat
      @emperorkumquat  4 роки тому +1

      @@bumblebee4me4ever Oh my goodness, thank you for everything! And I'm not so good of an artist yet, but it is so nice to have your support as I get better! No Twitter, just Tumblr, UA-cam, Deviantart, and Fanfiction.net

    • @emperorkumquat
      @emperorkumquat  4 роки тому +1

      @@BasedVegeta Yes! I have two story ideas that I am planning. I posted some information on my profile on fanfiction.net. Both of them are much more adventurous and humorous, of course with serious moments, but not like the other fics where I straight up murdered Starscream and his friends.
      As I work on timelines mentally, I am spending some time improving my art.
      Whoa, t'is an honour that Dank Starscream is a follower of mine!

    • @emperorkumquat
      @emperorkumquat  4 роки тому +1

      @@BasedVegeta Thanks a lot. Yes, there are basically no Transformers stories out there that are not sexual in some way. It clashes head on with the asexual canon. I would never write slash because I like to set up my stories as things that could happen in the same timeline as tfp. And I try to keep looseness in my writing instead of forcing characters to do what I want. When starting a scene, I think things like "how would this character react?" and then follow that truthfully. It leads to surprising new scenes for me, but the results feel right.

    • @bumblebee4me4ever
      @bumblebee4me4ever 4 роки тому +1

      Emperor Kumquat You’re very welcome! If you ever decide to post more stories I’ll definitely read them! Also, I run a twitter account in which I link some of my favorite fanfics I stumble upon. I run it in hopes of bringing attention to those great pieces of work but I don’t have many followers yet 😕 I bring this up because here’s your tweet! twitter.com/kotafanficsrecs/status/1226993977850826754?s=21 ❤️

  • @6thlibrary794
    @6thlibrary794 4 роки тому +7

    Super interesting!!! I watched this show as a kid and Starscream is my favorite character. I didnt notice the relationship he had with the predacons and i learned a lot from your video! The first time i understood Starscream's abuse from Megatron was when i read the comic collection "till all are one" volume 3 as an adult! If you haven't read the Windblade comics and volumes 1,2 and 3 of "till all are one", 110% recommend!!!! Starscream is AWESOME in those comics!!!!

  • @gyrrakavian
    @gyrrakavian 4 роки тому +14

    Doesn't this all come down to how one defines evil? Starscream commits a fair bit of it by some definitions.
    _'Evil is an action taken that puts those around you in a state of tribulation.'_

  • @EiswolfZero
    @EiswolfZero 4 роки тому +18

    really neat points! I highly enjoyed this
    thank you!

  • @gladiatorgigan7048
    @gladiatorgigan7048 4 роки тому +5

    Well to add to the Predacons case, in the episode Evolution when the decepticons are questioning the chances of a possible predacon revolution in which they planned to destroy the clones, starscream even suggests to get the autobots to do the dirty work for them so settling scores could be avenging his unborn brothers

    • @emperorkumquat
      @emperorkumquat  4 роки тому +2

      GladiatorGigan Predaking doesn’t know this though

  • @spinjitzumasterfalcon
    @spinjitzumasterfalcon 4 роки тому +10

    I never thought the day would come. I actually feel bad for Starscream.
    But it's so hard to trust him. He's Starscream!

  • @ANP4158
    @ANP4158 3 роки тому +8

    Optimus saving him in RID was one of the only good things the auto bots did to him other the healing his wounds in prime

  • @kotek5301
    @kotek5301 4 роки тому +5

    Oh my
    I loved Starscream's character, but now I see how much I didn't realise about his character. This whole video makes me love him even more and really good job on analysis

  • @gooner03
    @gooner03 4 роки тому +20

    Good video, interesting take. I've always liked Starscream.

  • @thedude3065
    @thedude3065 4 роки тому +10

    "I'm not evil, I'm just treated that way."

  • @DrMostlySane
    @DrMostlySane 4 роки тому +65

    Is Starscream evil? Absolutely yes, considering the lows he'll easily dive down to if it means progressing his or the Decepticon's goals and his incredibly selfish, self-serving nature.
    Starscream is a character who was treated like shit over and over again, but fact of the matter is each time it happened he brought it on himself, from joining the Decepticons in the first place to his various actions over the series. The minute he had the chance he immediately tried to kill his leader, and were it not for Soundwave and other outside factors would've finished the job right on board the Nemesis. The resulting beating and subsequent ones were just karma coming back in full force.

    • @DominoParadox
      @DominoParadox 4 роки тому +1

      You get a cookie.

    • @emperorkumquat
      @emperorkumquat  4 роки тому +6

      Hi, just curious, what is your opinion on Megatron then?

    • @DrMostlySane
      @DrMostlySane 4 роки тому +18

      @@emperorkumquat Tyrannical and pretty much diabolical being whose sudden turn towards good at the end of series made absolutely no sense.
      The Decepticon cause may have started out with good intentions but he quickly twisted it into something far darker due to his lust for power, and in every situation in the series was quite clearly in the wrong.
      Megatron was harsh and abusive towards Starscream, even when it wasn't earned, but just because he was evil doesn't mean Starscream wasn't either. Both were bad and wrong in their actions, and both arguably deserved a far worse end for the blood on their hands.

    • @emperorkumquat
      @emperorkumquat  4 роки тому +13

      @@DrMostlySane I like your consistency. I guess we just won't agree, however, since even I have empathy for Megatron. I think there are always at least these two sides when we look at the antagonists in shows/movies/books. Of course many are going to agree with you, and you can expect quite a few likes.
      Now I know I am boring and need voice work, but did you happen to watch the whole video? I'm only wondering about all the naysayers here, if they only came because of the title to put in their opinion. Only curious again!

    • @DrMostlySane
      @DrMostlySane 4 роки тому +13

      @@emperorkumquat To be honest I do want to empathize with Megatron, but my issue with most of his incarnations is that they never really go far into adding depth into his character outside of MAYBE adding a "noble" warrior aspect to him (such as the Animated series).
      IDW and comic series being long-running allowed them to really dive deep into his character and backstory, painting the picture of a freedom fighter who lost his way during a bloody civil war, and when presented with his sins and deeds actually went forward to redeem himself through his own actions.
      The various television series tend to not really allow that to happen, with the only notable exception (that I can think of) being Armada when he and the Decepticons allied with the Autobots to take on Unicron. (Which the Prime version did as well, but did it as more a matter of convenience rather than the deep impactful bond the Armada series has.)
      Megatron is a great and complex character, but viewers never really get to see the deeper sides of him given how the television series usually plays out, with most of his origin and such just briefly glossed over, which usually keeps him painted as a one-note tyrant.

  • @who_cares2247
    @who_cares2247 4 роки тому +5

    I am thoroughly impressed by this analysis. I never thought about Starscream like that but seeing this was really interesting.

  • @jonathanshapiro6593
    @jonathanshapiro6593 4 роки тому +3

    I can’t lie, I’m really loving your narration style. The pairing of content, ideas, humor, and music is absolutely perfect. Really liked the music at the end bit. It was a great matching and made some feels. I can’t get enough of this to be honest, and I’m psyched for the next book summary. Hope quarantine is treating you well!

  • @abbasiautomotive
    @abbasiautomotive 4 роки тому +13

    Starscream is the type of person who acts respectful to the teachers, but is a jerk to everyone else.

  • @ovidiudante
    @ovidiudante 8 місяців тому +5

    Predaking - was made from the dna of an extinct species -appreciated and praised only for his strength and noticed that it was trully great
    -came to appreciate and value his heritage and was ready to be loyal to the decepticons although they were weaker, -found out the same decepticons killed his new brothers and sisters before they were born
    -gets called racist.........
    Wouldn't the decepticons who killed them be more worthy of that considering Predaking actually showed willingness to co-operate when he was not treated like a dumb animal?
    The guy was treated like a weapon since he was born, yet was a loyal and dedicated individual, calling him racist and being so fixated on calling him one means you're missing the bigger picture

  • @Galvatron_Studios
    @Galvatron_Studios 4 роки тому +7

    I’ve always had a crazy theory about him being an Autobot spy

  • @ikhomega9102
    @ikhomega9102 4 роки тому +7

    You forget that Starscream was the one who had the idea to destroy the predecon clones at Shockwave's off-site laboratory. I'd say they have a good reason to want revenge.

    • @emperorkumquat
      @emperorkumquat  4 роки тому +6

      I think I mentioned that they don't actually know that he did that.

  • @lordrj4203
    @lordrj4203 2 роки тому +5

    The moment I like the most is when
    He saves Arcee from Airachnaid like a true badass and makes her run for money
    All the while like a badass and not doubting in himself or cower on fear
    I do think the worst enemy of him is himself always holding himself in fear

  • @shyandnameless9919
    @shyandnameless9919 4 роки тому +8

    You could literally work on Game Theory with that observation skills

  • @blackbolt578
    @blackbolt578 4 роки тому +4

    Your videos going into depth about the characters in prime are making me appreciate the show even more than I ever have before.

  • @shadeskitsune7830
    @shadeskitsune7830 4 роки тому +4

    I like this video, this didn't change my opinion on starscream but has given me some interesting things to think about.
    I do have somethings to add not really counter points or defense but something worth talk about:
    Firstly for Predaking taking role as leader is because he believes sense he was created first and the most experience in the world he lives in he should lead his predacons, also remember they're more animalistic or instinct driven so it would make sense why predaking had to force Skylynx and Darksteel to follow him, their form of hierarchy is more like an wolf pack where the strongest is the leader of the pack and Predaking is the strongest of the living predacons. Predaking's superiority complex for his race may stem from what starscream said when he, Megatron and the others were planing to scrap the predacon project "evolution leads to revolution" knowing he's consider to be the most quote on quote "intelligent" one of his species means he knows with brains and brawn combine he is a dangerous foe and should be shown respect or caution. As for attacking Starscream, it's kinda obvious, he may not be as smart as shockwave but he is very cunning knowing he could sway either the Autobots or deceptions that haven't disbanded to hunt and eradicate them. Predaking just saw starscream as a threat if left to his own devices.
    Two: Megatron's constant abuse towards Starscream is simply (at least how I see it) a reminder if he even considers trying to stab him in the back again he can easily do what ever he wants to him, he knows how crafty he is, even when he actually pledges his undying loyalty to him will sabotage others in his rank to make him look better, coasting much time and resources for Megatron who wants and end to this war. I can't say I condone Megatron's morals but Starscream did rack up his reputation for being traitorous, especially after his fail attempt to remove Megatron from the picture, whether by rumors or his actions is beyond me.
    I believe this is why some people see him as evil cause of his cunning persona he has, he tries to manipulate situations to benefit himself whether it's to keep his position as lieutenant or to get out of a bad situation. But I think that's what make Starscream so interesting, I'm not a huge fan of his but its fun to watch him be so crafty only for it to blow up in his face or even guess when he is being "Deceptive" (boo) or being actually genuine with his emotions.
    Either way I wanna hear what others think, I'm curious what others think.

    • @shadeskitsune7830
      @shadeskitsune7830 4 роки тому +1

      @@BasedVegeta Don't worry he's not the only one, my sense of humor is how you say "rather dark". I just love seeing karma work their magic on some people who really deserves it. Starscream may not be evil in your eyes but sometimes he does get what coming to him whether you agree or not. Others include Cinder fall from rwby ( but that series fandom is a bag of snakes that I rather not get into.)

    • @shadeskitsune7830
      @shadeskitsune7830 4 роки тому

      @@BasedVegetaheh, well to each their own.

  • @knexgirlnightress194
    @knexgirlnightress194 4 роки тому +5

    Ligit this is like the best explanation I've seen for starscream and since he is one of my faves it's nice to see that I'm not just crazy lol awesome vid very interesting to see the kinda phsycological side

  • @lizardship5321
    @lizardship5321 4 роки тому +9

    Bayverse starscream:
    DIE DIE DIE *pukes for some reason*
    AH MY EYE
    *Micheal Bay explosion*

  • @MG-tl1hy
    @MG-tl1hy 4 роки тому +6

    This was a really well structured video I love it!

  • @josephcoon5809
    @josephcoon5809 3 роки тому +6

    24:30 “I am my own master.”
    That perfectly sums Starscream up for most of his manifestations. He seeks power to ensure others cannot make him feel small, and that smallness manifests whenever he acquires any sort of power. He thinks that power should be feared because he fears it so he does his best to instill fear when he gains power.
    I liked Machinima’s depiction of him and Megatron, but that is a small sliver of his personality through most repressions that I have seen. Again, I love a great redemption arc, and the more vile Starscream is, the greater his redemption is.
    Same for Megatron. The rivalry between Optimus and Megatron is mirrored in the rivalry between Goku and Vegeta. Redemption arcs are so powerful because most people can identify as being failures. It is inspiring to see somebody who is a bigger failure achieve greater success and evolution.

  • @raventhemagnificent7697
    @raventhemagnificent7697 4 роки тому +19

    Wow. I love Starscream even more now. ^^

  • @moncayo912
    @moncayo912 Місяць тому +3

    This sounds like the stuff Starscream's lawyer would say
    "Your honor, the predacons should consider they were born looking very scary, and maybe they should consider that if they were born looking different he wouldnt have constanly tased them"

  • @kaiserdashawn5219
    @kaiserdashawn5219 4 роки тому +24

    I honestly don't blame the predacons for wanting to kick Starscream's ass after getting tazed

  • @ericgorman9942
    @ericgorman9942 4 роки тому +5

    I just came across your video, and I gotta say...I'm convinced. I'm also a little upset at myself because I never gave any of this the consideration that you have. You have made me want to revisit the series (Which I loved from the first season to the last movie) and see better these truly mythic and wonderful characters. Thanks for reminding me of the magic of this series. Be well.

  • @RC-Upsilon
    @RC-Upsilon 3 роки тому +5

    "Starscream doesn't do much other than shock and insult them."
    Starscream came up with the idea of killing all of Shockwave's Predacons by using the Autobots
    In this way, Starscream is responsible for the death of Predaking's brothers
    Predaking must have deduced this while in exile and told Darksteel and Skylynx
    That was the score to settle

  • @imthemultifandomfreak
    @imthemultifandomfreak 3 роки тому +24

    I always knew Starscream is just lost... he was never evil... He was just scared and lost. Sometimes when Starscream was bitten up by Megatron, I was pausing the episode and go to calm myself... I felt sorry for him, that he had to even risk his life, just to be saved... He got really stressed because he had no free time, as he had to always think or do something to keep hiself safe & don't die, even if he usually got hard beaten after it...
    I remember the scene where after getting REALLY hurt by Megatron, he gone away, ignoring Knockout telling him to stay, rest and heal... He still go away saying, that "He's fine"... (I literally almost shout at my laptop, that he have to stay and heal, when I was first watching that episode... =w= )

    • @SarahGambill-sl9dl
      @SarahGambill-sl9dl Рік тому

      I don't give a damn about knockout🤬

    • @imthemultifandomfreak
      @imthemultifandomfreak Рік тому +1

      @@SarahGambill-sl9dl er, plz no hate on anyone nor any character here... It's unnessesary & sounds mean

  • @LoveNitaa
    @LoveNitaa 4 роки тому +17

    Starscream is the unsung hero in tfp I believe. The in between character of good versus evil. He is my favourite because he tied the show together even though he kept saying he wasn’t a human fan yet he displayed human traits quite a number of times. He is funny too had a sense of humour. I enjoyed watching this segment about him and I agree with what you say. TFP is such a great series.

  • @jessebrucepinkman9834
    @jessebrucepinkman9834 3 роки тому +16

    He probably just troubled and only killed Cliffjumper to show his allegiance to the Decepticons and attacked Arcee because she was threatening him. Also because Megatron constantly beats him.

  • @MrAJMan12
    @MrAJMan12 Рік тому +4

    I still think about Prime Starscream on a daily basis all these years later