When I watched the episode "Sea Change" not too long ago, I thought to myself about how if Sparks had been established at that point, the sense of drama in the scene when Seaspray goes into the mystic pool likely would've been different. I'm also curious if there was ever anything dealing with an extracted Spark transplanted into a new Protoform eventually facing rejection from the new body. (I had this thought of Megatron or another character facing that consequence.)
Remember how in Beast Wars, after Optimus Primal was killed, Rhinox used a contraption to separate his consciousness from his body/spark in order to cross the Matrix and find Primal’s spark, bringing it back to Earth and transferring it into a stasis pod that was holding a blank, TransMetalized protoform thus bringing Optimus back to life? Also, damaged protoforms, certain choices in beast modes, and forced reprogramming seemed to corrupt certain sparks/personalities or made them lose their previous memories, like Tigatron, Blackarachnia and Inferno experienced. And what about Protoform X’s creation and his indestructible spark? 🤔 It seemed certain Maximals were doing very immoral experiments on Cybertron, and it was implied on Beast Wars that Primal was involved in that. And Transmutate was an interesting concept, as well as Fuzors that were introduced. And Tigerhawk, whose spark was the combination of Airazor’s and Tigatron’s forced together by the Vok’s doing. I still have so many questions after this very thorough and well-researched video. Beast Wars! ✊
@@leandraferesthogar7249 well, it'd primarily focus on the toy lines, and the various themes and gimmicks they used, along with how they influenced the shows. For example, how energon themed tools and items were used for transformers energon. Or the cyber keys of cybertron
This line will forever stick with us as fans. Because it cemented Transformers much bigger than just robots in disguise. I will always be thankful for Beast Wars because of this line.
@@beLIEve77 sparks leave the well of allsparks to become a transformer then one day return to advance the knowledge so screamy would have left with that mutation to begin with, so I guess the well of allsparks doesn’t want that back any time soon
I love that with the concept of Sparks, a Transformer’s lifecycle is sort of a mechanical form of reincarnation, which rather perfectly for their race. For what is reincarnation, if not a form of transformation.
We don’t know. All are reborn a new after all. For all we know some characters we see can be reincarnations of old characters we wouldn’t know. Such is mystery of life unless a story or outside source clarifies
For all the changes in the Transformers franchise over the years it's so nice to have something like this added years later take such prominence and even have relatively simple retcons that help it be brought into the stories that came before.
Chris, this is probably my favorite episode of the basics. Thank you! I always liked in Beast Wars how Blackaracnia had a Predacon shell programs implanted by tarantulas in her protoform overriding her Maximal programming. And to think of it in the G1 cartoon Megatron tragically reprogrammed Omega Supreme’s friends, the Constructicons.
I love sparks. To me, adding this organic, metaphysical element was the big step that started the trend of Cybertronians being not just robots like they were in the comic and cartoon, but the mechanical lifeforms they are now, which even now to this day, with a glut of imitators and just…alien robots in general, makes Cybertronians and therefore Transformers as a franchise even feel unique.
This is probably the most educational episode I've ever seen ,I've always wanted to know about these sparks in transformers, thank you so much for doing this topic Chris ❤️😊👍👏
That line is dumb, but I have a headcanon that makes it work. Since Megatron had the AllSpark jammed in his chest in the 2007 movie, he absorbed its energies. The fragment he was revived with in ROTF was the missing piece needed to bring him back online, and ever since then he’s had the AllSpark keeping him online no matter what. There is no way to kill Bayverse Megatron- and for that, he has become even more proud and fearless.
Being a Springer fanboy (as if the userpic wasn't clue enough) I quite liked the plot point that Mesothulas / Tarantulas generated Ostaros / Springer's spark artificially. One can only imagine how that revelation could have upset the Primus-botherers. That's got to be borderline blasphemous by a lot of Cybertronian standards!
In a way, even if we are organic and the Transformers are synthetic, electrical impulses still run through us, as our thoughts are driven by little "sparks" of our own. It's no wonder we represent great thinkers and big ideas with the lightbulb, one tiny spark is all it takes to turn a man into a genius and a robot into a living being. Thanks Chris! You really know how to "spark" someone's interest! LOL
It’s amazing how spiritual Transformers can be. Like when Megatron was denied the All Spark after using Dark Energon. Literally denying himself the afterlife.
It's a special kind of hell, as you will no longer be one with all who came before you or those to come after you. The ultimate incompleteness and exclusion.
The spark is the greatest aspect of the mythos of the Transformers, since the mind and soul are regarded as the epicenter of emotions, the key component that makes the Transformers have actual life, and not just "mindless" machines.
I absolutely love the fact that all media now depicts Transformers as living beings, that they just happen to be made of metal (Thus, their Techo-organic Nature), and that the sparks are responsible for that! And even the point where Transformers don't fully understand the relationship between mind and soul just like we humans don't understand ours either is THE BEST. Transformers truly feel even more alive after knowing that fact ❤️
14:15 When I heard you say that I got a Full Metal Alchemist vibe from it. Now I want to see a Cybertronian alchemist that’s obsessed with their equivalent of gold.
before Beast Wars coincidentally Takara with the first Brave series in 1990 Brave Exkaiser had a concept similar to Sparks with the robots being originally a race of alien energy beings that came to Earth and inhabit Earth's machinery such as cars and vehicles in order to survive Earth's environment essentially turning Earth's machines into their mech suits.
Kinda funny that the concept of a Spark appears to be present before even Beast Wars. Heck, isn't the Brave mecha franchise technically canon to the Transformers multiverse?
Sparks and Brain Modules..... While the Spark is akin to the soul, the Brain Module is the mind. If there is one thing I have always appreciated about this idea, it's that it not only blurs the line between human and machine, but truly makes the Transformers stand out from any other media robots, save for ones like "Mega Man" , where the robots were more human and made by humans. It is also part of the reason I love this brand so much. It shows that robots don't need to be unthinking machines or made by man to be so interesting.
In two episodes of G1, "Divide and Conquer" and "The Autobot Run", they mentioned something called a "Laser Core". Which presumably serves has their hearts. I'm not sure if they were retconned as Sparks.
The amount Steven Universe's Gems matches up to later Cybertronian lore, is really amusing to me. Honestly I think they'd make for a good comics crossover.
In the crossover gems could be something like another rogue quintesson product line as if I remember correctly the white diamond's origins are unknown but someone had to make her for her to make the rest of the gems right?
I think mentions of sparks predate Beast Wars but before it was something immaterial, like the human soul it had no physical proof but the Cybertronians had faith that it existed.
I've always loved the idea of Sparks in the Beast Wars and Beast Machines cartoons. I remember as a kid watching BM that when Megatron had his generals extracting Sparks I used especially Jetstorm taking Black Arachnia's I got so pissed that he literally took their lifeforce.
The origin of the Sparks is really mind-blowing as I had no idea how it works. Either way, that was a surprisingly complicated Basics I've ever watched.
Wow, for me Sparks been always fascinating thing in TF lore, so i'm greatly glad this video show up and happy re-heard about balls of living light even when as long-time fan i'm know already much. It's useful work Thank you, Chris McFeely ❤❤❤
14:21 omg i just noticed bulkheads the only sad one in the group!! i didnt know he felt that way when optimus died, then turned happy when he saw all the sparks come to life
_Beast Wars_ was a great show that expanded the lore of the franchise, but it is this, the introduction of the Spark, that has by far the greatest, furthest reaching impact on every single iteration of _Transformers_ from that point onward.
An awesome video! I noticed a comment mentioned about the Pit, but I also remember in an episode of Beast Wars where, in one of his arguments with Rattrap, Dinobot mentions that being shot in the back by Rattrap "wouldn't get him a seat in Predacon Valhalla." It seems that in Cybertronian society, there are various interpretations of the afterlife which I think should be explored more often!
Beast Wars was the Transformers series I grew up on, and Sparks have gotta be my favorite piece of Transformers lore there is. Adding a spiritual element to the largely sci-fi status quo of the Transformers universe is, well, beautiful, and I would argue borders on the poetic. It's sort of like the opposite of adding midichlorians to Star Wars, and I know THAT decision isn't as loved by fans as Sparks are, but I personally like both.
Of all the things in transformers lore the concept of Sparks is definitely one of the most fascinating to me. Love you video mate, can you do Depth charge next
Nice Hitchhiker's reference, Chris! Amazing how what was originally cars and trucks and guns and cassettes has evolved into this giant world building mythology in the last 40 years.
I do have a theory as to why certain bots can have their sparks placed in new bodies, but still have the programming of a Cybertronian Brain Unit. Sparks not only give life, but they are also shaped by the programming of the bot they give life to, and take on that programming as a part of themselves, to evolve the collective AllSpark. When placed in a new body that isn't preprogrammed, the Spark fills in that programming itself. When placed in a body that is preprogrammed, or when new programming is made to override existing programming, it also affects the Spark as it continues to evolve with the experience given to it. The original programming will still exist as part of the Spark's experience, but it can be affected by newly introduced programming. We see this especially with Rhinox and Silverbolt in Beast Machines as even when their original programming has been brought to the forefront, they are still affected by the Vehicon programming.
I didn't realize Beast Wars was the first time Sparks were introduced. They handled it so well I thought it was how it was before. Thanks for that info, never realized how much Beast Wars expanded the transformers lore, it was what got me into Transformers.
I'm a big fan of and proponent of that personality component concept. There's alot that can be don with that. In my opinion. That G1 toon about the Combaticons was interesting. In my opinion.
Hi Chris even though you're Asleep, Great video about Transformers: The Basics on Sparks, keep them coming, Also your latest video was outstanding, Also " When a Spark goes online, there's is great joy. When one is extinguished, the universe weeps" Also The only reason i can still think is why Starscream has an indestructible spark is that the well of allsparks doesn't want him back.🙂 I too love but also like that with the concept of Sparks, a Transformer's lifecycle is sort of a mechanical form of reincarnation, which rather perfectly for their race. For what is reincarnation, if not a form of transformation. Also, Optimus "you have no soul" Galvatron "That's why I have no Fear" Also For all the changes in the Transformers franchise over the years it's so nice to have something like this added years later take such prominence and even have relatively simple retcons that help it brought into the stories that came before. Also Sparks really have evolved over the years, Chris this is probably my favorite episode of the basics Thank you! I always like in the G1 cartoon Megatron tragically reprogrammed Omega Supreme's friends The Constructicons with the Robo Smasher. That Machine was probably the precursor or the inspiration for Tarantulas Shell Program. Also The Spark is the greatest aspect of the mythos of the Transformers, since the mind and soul are regarded as the epicenter of emotions, the key component that makes the Transformers have actual life, and not just " Mindless machines. Also This is probably the most educational episode I've ever seen, I've ever seen, I've always wanted to know about these sparks in Transformers, thank you so much for doing this doing this topic Chris all i can say is: keep up the good work stay safe out there and have a goodnight and until next time TILL ALL ARE ONE.🙂🟢🦸🏋️💪👍 2:28pm.
This is one of your best videos yet! The way you link the vagueness of the Spark to human souls was genius, and the information was laid out super well. A+ work here, Chris.
Surprised that he didn’t mention Animated Starscream, when he died by Megatron’s hands, and then was able to come back to life with a fragment of the Allspark in his head, while his spark chamber was empty.
falls more in the realm of fanfiction (or the very unlikely chance of a crossover if somehow transformers lands in Super Robot Wars) but I wonder how the idea of giving sparks could be handled when a machine is already considered alive for instance, the Brave Series and their various sentient giant robots, sure half are spirits of some kind possessing machines to become their bodies but what about ones like Might Gaine or J Decker who are manmade and either were designed with or developed their own consciousness, heck the Super Mechanoids of GaoGaiGar as well as they too have a consciousness some even said to be using real human brainwaves as a shortcut instead of allowing the AI to develop naturally (ongoing conflict would necessitate something like that). heh, imagine if say the allspark from animated of the movies interacted with them, would it convert their AI into actual sparks? would they somehow overwrite their personality as now a new life is inside the circuitry? heck kinda falls with another thing I wonder, what if a transformer was made from some thing that was already a giant robot, what if a transformer has a giant robot as their alt mode. Transformers crossing over with other mecha makes one ask so many questions of how they would interact
Yuusha Brave series has different energy soul For some brave series robots that were made on earth brave police J decker was built with advanced AI sentient robot
Apparently some people don’t like the spark concept. Thought it ruined things for G1. Like the Microbots episode, were Perceptor, Bumblebee, and Brawn were inside Megatron.
Beautiful work with this Chris, simply beautiful. Your video also gave some solidity for some of my own theories of how the Sparks and the minds are linked. Especially how the Minds and body blueprints seem to originate from Vector Sigma while the soul is from the Sparks and the overall bodies seem to originate from the Plasma Energy Chamber before the Quints came and ruined it.
I honestly prefer the idea that the G1 era had no clue or was only partially knowledgeable about the existence of spark, and they learned more about it after hundreds of years of scientific advancement leading to the Beast Wars era.
That's the offiical position of Japanese continuity - the image you see at 6:10 is Wheeljack cracking open his personality component and discovering the existence of the spark inside!
G1 Laser Core! ... When beast wars came out I assumed the Laser Cores must be the containment unit that holds the spark (since sparks have limited longevity outside a body)
The idea that the All Spark is where every Transformer's spark is fused into a single mass makes the "Til All Are One" mantra a bit ominous, since it seems that would require all Transformers to die in order to reunite with the All Spark.
I've always assumed it's similar to how in Christianity there is the belief that the world as we know it will one day end and all souls will be resurrected and joined along god together with the living in a new paradise, one where death doesn't exist anymore.
Hahah, made me think if SG Primus's goal will be in make all living bots ( or even all aliens ) across universe to eventually merge in one entity. Then phrase " Till All Are One " will getting very threating tone. Cool concept, isn't it ?
"Above all, do not lament my absence...for in my spark, I know that this is not the end. But merely...a new beginning. Simply put, another transformation."
I always saw sparks as the heart of Cybertronians before I got into the more mystical side of the series Though I guess both “heart” and “soul” can apply here
I wish they would take it easy on the religious themes, especially when promoting concepts such as an afterlife and invisible intangible souls and ghosts. I'm fine with the sparks as these real constructs of energy that unlock free will in artificial bodies. And if these sparks go cold or dormant upon death, or zoom off into space, great, but I have to see it. We have to see this place in the core of Cybertron where sparks emerge. It can't be ethereal or ambiguous. Only then would I let a kid watch the show. I know I'm being obnoxious, it's just that I was indoctrinated with religion as a kid and I'm still undoing all that brainwashing.
I don't think it'll go well, saeklin. If a transformers series focuses on the cybertronian religion and use real world religions, like let's say a maximal chinese zodiac it could cause fights fans against religious figures. I'm a Christian, and if I put transformers before my faith, it will go against it. Remember, the last thing transformers should be religious and different fans from diverse faiths will be against eachother.
@@blueraccoon1088 I think you misunderstood. I'm saying that the writers should ease up on such religious theming. So no phrases like "Thank Primus!" or "Till all are one." because these are spiritual idioms. I'm not saying they should ease up to avoid offending other religions, I'm saying that children are easily indoctrinated and that such themes may seem so appealing that a child might actually believe it. I'm not advocating for external intervention in what the writers write about, just that this isn't the medium for religious discourse, it's a kids' show. I believe it is a parents' responsibility to choose what media their children are exposed to, and if Transformers were to promote religious ideology, I'd be inclined to not let young impressionable minds watch it alone.
Slight alteration because this has been a sore spot for me and one of the reasons I don't like Furman's takes on Transformers: The Creation Matrix started out as simply a computer program that gave Transformers life, implanted in the Autobot leader at the time, the last of which being Optimus Prime. Before the Spark was invented in fiction the Transformers were living machines thanks to what's essentially a computer code that programmed them with emotions and personalities the Transformer itself would form over time. Furman retconned it into a physical object because for him the Movie adaptation was canon to the comic universe, for a bunch of reasons, and the Creation Matrix was the same as the Autobot Matrix Of Leadership seen in the movie. So that's a different pre-Spark explanation for Cybertronian life, just one that was retconned out of continuity.
"When a Spark goes online, there is great joy. When one is extinguished, the universe weeps."
I had this soundclip in the video, but it was setting off the copyright ID bot so I had to ditch it rather than delay release!
@@ChrisMcFeely RIP
Wait if a spark is basically a heart for transformers,does this mean I had my spark broken…….
Famous quote from Professor Rhinox
@@ChrisMcFeelyStupid copyright
When I watched the episode "Sea Change" not too long ago, I thought to myself about how if Sparks had been established at that point, the sense of drama in the scene when Seaspray goes into the mystic pool likely would've been different.
I'm also curious if there was ever anything dealing with an extracted Spark transplanted into a new Protoform eventually facing rejection from the new body. (I had this thought of Megatron or another character facing that consequence.)
I think if you watch the episode on protoforms He answers that question
Late in the IDW comics Megatron complains about how his new body (built for him by the Autobots) doesn't "graft to the spark" like previous ones.
I loved how Beast Wars introduced this concept
I love your channel! It's a reliable source of information on the Transformers franchise!
" Until that day...til all are one..."
-Optimus Prime
Transformers sparks are so unexplainable just as the human soul, very, very interesting
Remember how in Beast Wars, after Optimus Primal was killed, Rhinox used a contraption to separate his consciousness from his body/spark in order to cross the Matrix and find Primal’s spark, bringing it back to Earth and transferring it into a stasis pod that was holding a blank, TransMetalized protoform thus bringing Optimus back to life?
Also, damaged protoforms, certain choices in beast modes, and forced reprogramming seemed to corrupt certain sparks/personalities or made them lose their previous memories, like Tigatron, Blackarachnia and Inferno experienced.
And what about Protoform X’s creation and his indestructible spark? 🤔 It seemed certain Maximals were doing very immoral experiments on Cybertron, and it was implied on Beast Wars that Primal was involved in that.
And Transmutate was an interesting concept, as well as Fuzors that were introduced.
And Tigerhawk, whose spark was the combination of Airazor’s and Tigatron’s forced together by the Vok’s doing.
I still have so many questions after this very thorough and well-researched video.
Beast Wars! ✊
I’m here for the cool new thumbnail!
Great video!
👏👏👏👏👏 on a great video on such a complex subject to do.
This was rad!
Just remember that Cybertronians are people like us.
have you already done Sari Sumdac?
I doubt youd take a suggestion from the comments, but do you think you could do an episode on the basics of gimmicks?
How exactly would this be turned into a vid
@@leandraferesthogar7249 well, it'd primarily focus on the toy lines, and the various themes and gimmicks they used, along with how they influenced the shows. For example, how energon themed tools and items were used for transformers energon. Or the cyber keys of cybertron
@@stevesamuals2651 I see the potential. It seems suited for its own mini-series rather than a one stop episode
“When a spark comes online, there is great joy.” - Rhinox
When one is extinguished, the universe weeps
This line will forever stick with us as fans. Because it cemented Transformers much bigger than just robots in disguise. I will always be thankful for Beast Wars because of this line.
The only reason I can think why starscream has an indestructible spark is that the well of allsparks doesn’t want him back 🤣
So basically he pulled a DCs Lobo? Scary
Thought it was about mutation
@@beLIEve77 it’s satire but I guess it failed
@@beLIEve77 sparks leave the well of allsparks to become a transformer then one day return to advance the knowledge so screamy would have left with that mutation to begin with, so I guess the well of allsparks doesn’t want that back any time soon
When you’re so evil not even the after life wants you
"Raw energon! Right through your twisted spark! Take it! Take it straight to the pit, you SICKENING PIECE OF SLAG!"
-Depth Charge
*Maniacle laughter
-Rampage
David Sobolov is the GOAT. Also loved him as Shockwave in Transformers: Prime and Reaper Squad Leader “J” from Armored Core: Verdict Day.
It can't be understated how much the writers were a pack of frustrated Shakespeareans in the Beast Wars series lol.
Has any media ever expanded on "the pit" which i always assumed was transformer hell
@@murakumo65 *BOOM!*
I love that with the concept of Sparks, a Transformer’s lifecycle is sort of a mechanical form of reincarnation, which rather perfectly for their race. For what is reincarnation, if not a form of transformation.
What is beef, if not cow perservering?
But do they usually reincarnate, or do most of them permanently return to the well in a kind of eternal pantheist oneness?
We don’t know. All are reborn a new after all. For all we know some characters we see can be reincarnations of old characters we wouldn’t know. Such is mystery of life unless a story or outside source clarifies
I agree, that does fit perfectly.
For all the changes in the Transformers franchise over the years it's so nice to have something like this added years later take such prominence and even have relatively simple retcons that help it be brought into the stories that came before.
You forgot that in Transformers Prime, Dreadwing said he FELT the death of his "brother" Skyquake because the two shared a split spark.
Chris, this is probably my favorite episode of the basics. Thank you!
I always liked in Beast Wars how Blackaracnia had a Predacon shell programs implanted by tarantulas in her protoform overriding her Maximal programming. And to think of it in the G1 cartoon Megatron tragically reprogrammed Omega Supreme’s friends, the Constructicons.
I remember the Robo-Smasher. That machine was probably the precursor or the inspiration for Tarantulas' Shell Program.
I love sparks. To me, adding this organic, metaphysical element was the big step that started the trend of Cybertronians being not just robots like they were in the comic and cartoon, but the mechanical lifeforms they are now, which even now to this day, with a glut of imitators and just…alien robots in general, makes Cybertronians and therefore Transformers as a franchise even feel unique.
"You Flare, you Flicker, you Fade. Till all are One."
This is probably the most educational episode I've ever seen ,I've always wanted to know about these sparks in transformers, thank you so much for doing this topic Chris ❤️😊👍👏
Beast Wars introduction of the Spark really goes to show how much ummm soul that show had. And why years later it is still a great watch.
Optimus: "you have no soul"
Galvatron: "Thats is why i have no FEAR!"
That line is dumb, but I have a headcanon that makes it work. Since Megatron had the AllSpark jammed in his chest in the 2007 movie, he absorbed its energies. The fragment he was revived with in ROTF was the missing piece needed to bring him back online, and ever since then he’s had the AllSpark keeping him online no matter what. There is no way to kill Bayverse Megatron- and for that, he has become even more proud and fearless.
@@EternityKingdomsHeadHoncho so it's like transformers animated starscream
@@EternityKingdomsHeadHoncho despite "the is dumb" It's still canon ?!
Being a Springer fanboy (as if the userpic wasn't clue enough) I quite liked the plot point that Mesothulas / Tarantulas generated Ostaros / Springer's spark artificially. One can only imagine how that revelation could have upset the Primus-botherers. That's got to be borderline blasphemous by a lot of Cybertronian standards!
Beast Wars really was the turning point for all Transformers media going forward.
In a way, even if we are organic and the Transformers are synthetic, electrical impulses still run through us, as our thoughts are driven by little "sparks" of our own. It's no wonder we represent great thinkers and big ideas with the lightbulb, one tiny spark is all it takes to turn a man into a genius and a robot into a living being.
Thanks Chris! You really know how to "spark" someone's interest! LOL
This comment reminded me of the original Journey Into Imagination at the opening of Epcot. The attraction's song "One Little Spark" fits this.
It’s amazing how spiritual Transformers can be. Like when Megatron was denied the All Spark after using Dark Energon. Literally denying himself the afterlife.
It's a special kind of hell, as you will no longer be one with all who came before you or those to come after you.
The ultimate incompleteness and exclusion.
Sparks really have evolved over the years
The spark is the greatest aspect of the mythos of the Transformers, since the mind and soul are regarded as the epicenter of emotions, the key component that makes the Transformers have actual life, and not just "mindless" machines.
The lasting influence the Beast Wars series has contr8buted can't be understated enough.
The entire Transformers mythos owes a lot to Beast Wars
I absolutely love the fact that all media now depicts Transformers as living beings, that they just happen to be made of metal (Thus, their Techo-organic Nature), and that the sparks are responsible for that!
And even the point where Transformers don't fully understand the relationship between mind and soul just like we humans don't understand ours either is THE BEST.
Transformers truly feel even more alive after knowing that fact ❤️
6:31 This speech was just absolutely beautiful and was said perfectly by the descendant of Optimus Prime, rather fitting actually
14:15 When I heard you say that I got a Full Metal Alchemist vibe from it. Now I want to see a Cybertronian alchemist that’s obsessed with their equivalent of gold.
Well there's alchemist prime...
@@gabrielchee8470 yes but he wasn’t obsessed with their equivalent of gold, or even making their version of the Philosopher’s Stone.
@@Dragon66898 well if you want a crazy chemist, I guess G1 Quickmix.
@@Dragon66898I guess there's G1 Quickmix
before Beast Wars coincidentally Takara with the first Brave series in 1990 Brave Exkaiser had a concept similar to Sparks with the robots being originally a race of alien energy beings that came to Earth and inhabit Earth's machinery such as cars and vehicles in order to survive Earth's environment essentially turning Earth's machines into their mech suits.
Kinda funny that the concept of a Spark appears to be present before even Beast Wars.
Heck, isn't the Brave mecha franchise technically canon to the Transformers multiverse?
or brave police j-decker, where we have universal life force between humans, ai robots and multiple aliens
Rhinox: Where... all are one
Sparks and Brain Modules.....
While the Spark is akin to the soul, the Brain Module is the mind.
If there is one thing I have always appreciated about this idea, it's that it not only blurs the line between human and machine, but truly makes the Transformers stand out from any other media robots, save for ones like "Mega Man" , where the robots were more human and made by humans.
It is also part of the reason I love this brand so much. It shows that robots don't need to be unthinking machines or made by man to be so interesting.
In two episodes of G1, "Divide and Conquer" and "The Autobot Run", they mentioned something called a "Laser Core". Which presumably serves has their hearts. I'm not sure if they were retconned as Sparks.
The amount Steven Universe's Gems matches up to later Cybertronian lore, is really amusing to me.
Honestly I think they'd make for a good comics crossover.
Indeed. I never made the connection before. But now, i cannot unsee it.
In the crossover gems could be something like another rogue quintesson product line as if I remember correctly the white diamond's origins are unknown but someone had to make her for her to make the rest of the gems right?
I bet the crystal gems and the autobots would join forces to protect humanity
I think mentions of sparks predate Beast Wars but before it was something immaterial, like the human soul it had no physical proof but the Cybertronians had faith that it existed.
Beast Wars was so phenomenal for giving us the concept of the sparks!
I've always loved the idea of Sparks in the Beast Wars and Beast Machines cartoons. I remember as a kid watching BM that when Megatron had his generals extracting Sparks I used especially Jetstorm taking Black Arachnia's I got so pissed that he literally took their lifeforce.
The choice to have the ending of Transformers Prime be the ending footage for this video is genius. I love it. 😍❤️
“That is why I have no fear” goes hard 🤘🏻
The origin of the Sparks is really mind-blowing as I had no idea how it works. Either way, that was a surprisingly complicated Basics I've ever watched.
Wow, for me Sparks been always fascinating thing in TF lore, so i'm greatly glad this video show up and happy re-heard about balls of living light even when as long-time fan i'm know already much. It's useful work
Thank you, Chris McFeely ❤❤❤
14:21 omg i just noticed bulkheads the only sad one in the group!! i didnt know he felt that way when optimus died, then turned happy when he saw all the sparks come to life
"Til All Are One" needs to be the chant of peace this world needs!
Sparks: what REALLY makes Transformers "More Than Meets The Eye".
_Beast Wars_ was a great show that expanded the lore of the franchise, but it is this, the introduction of the Spark, that has by far the greatest, furthest reaching impact on every single iteration of _Transformers_ from that point onward.
An awesome video! I noticed a comment mentioned about the Pit, but I also remember in an episode of Beast Wars where, in one of his arguments with Rattrap, Dinobot mentions that being shot in the back by Rattrap "wouldn't get him a seat in Predacon Valhalla." It seems that in Cybertronian society, there are various interpretations of the afterlife which I think should be explored more often!
Beast Wars was the Transformers series I grew up on, and Sparks have gotta be my favorite piece of Transformers lore there is. Adding a spiritual element to the largely sci-fi status quo of the Transformers universe is, well, beautiful, and I would argue borders on the poetic. It's sort of like the opposite of adding midichlorians to Star Wars, and I know THAT decision isn't as loved by fans as Sparks are, but I personally like both.
Of all the things in transformers lore the concept of Sparks is definitely one of the most fascinating to me.
Love you video mate, can you do Depth charge next
Nice Hitchhiker's reference, Chris! Amazing how what was originally cars and trucks and guns and cassettes has evolved into this giant world building mythology in the last 40 years.
I do have a theory as to why certain bots can have their sparks placed in new bodies, but still have the programming of a Cybertronian Brain Unit. Sparks not only give life, but they are also shaped by the programming of the bot they give life to, and take on that programming as a part of themselves, to evolve the collective AllSpark. When placed in a new body that isn't preprogrammed, the Spark fills in that programming itself. When placed in a body that is preprogrammed, or when new programming is made to override existing programming, it also affects the Spark as it continues to evolve with the experience given to it. The original programming will still exist as part of the Spark's experience, but it can be affected by newly introduced programming. We see this especially with Rhinox and Silverbolt in Beast Machines as even when their original programming has been brought to the forefront, they are still affected by the Vehicon programming.
I didn't realize Beast Wars was the first time Sparks were introduced. They handled it so well I thought it was how it was before.
Thanks for that info, never realized how much Beast Wars expanded the transformers lore, it was what got me into Transformers.
I'm a big fan of and proponent of that personality component concept. There's alot that can be don with that. In my opinion. That G1 toon about the Combaticons was interesting. In my opinion.
That ending transition was 👌
As always thanks for these amazing analysis on TF lore, this franchise have indeed an incredible mythology.
“Above all. Do not lament my absence. For in my *Spark* I know it’s not the end.” - Optimus Prime final speech (TF Prime)
7:01 Imagawa can use the Mattel, Nintendo, and Type-Moon version of Matrix Of Leadership.
Yet another banger in the BOOKS!! 😉🥃
Hi Chris even though you're Asleep, Great video about Transformers: The Basics on Sparks, keep them coming, Also your latest video was outstanding, Also " When a Spark goes online, there's is great joy. When one is extinguished, the universe weeps" Also The only reason i can still think is why Starscream has an indestructible spark is that the well of allsparks doesn't want him back.🙂 I too love but also like that with the concept of Sparks, a Transformer's lifecycle is sort of a mechanical form of reincarnation, which rather perfectly for their race. For what is reincarnation, if not a form of transformation. Also, Optimus "you have no soul" Galvatron "That's why I have no Fear" Also For all the changes in the Transformers franchise over the years it's so nice to have something like this added years later take such prominence and even have relatively simple retcons that help it brought into the stories that came before. Also Sparks really have evolved over the years, Chris this is probably my favorite episode of the basics Thank you! I always like in the G1 cartoon Megatron tragically reprogrammed Omega Supreme's friends The Constructicons with the Robo Smasher. That Machine was probably the precursor or the inspiration for Tarantulas Shell Program. Also The Spark is the greatest aspect of the mythos of the Transformers, since the mind and soul are regarded as the epicenter of emotions, the key component that makes the Transformers have actual life, and not just " Mindless machines. Also This is probably the most educational episode I've ever seen, I've ever seen, I've always wanted to know about these sparks in Transformers, thank you so much for doing this doing this topic Chris all i can say is: keep up the good work stay safe out there and have a goodnight and until next time TILL ALL ARE ONE.🙂🟢🦸🏋️💪👍 2:28pm.
This video shows that Cybertronians are humans from another planet ❤️❤️
This is one of your best videos yet! The way you link the vagueness of the Spark to human souls was genius, and the information was laid out super well. A+ work here, Chris.
I like Beast Machines. Don't care about how other people hate it, it was a good sequel.
Surprised that he didn’t mention Animated Starscream, when he died by Megatron’s hands, and then was able to come back to life with a fragment of the Allspark in his head, while his spark chamber was empty.
falls more in the realm of fanfiction (or the very unlikely chance of a crossover if somehow transformers lands in Super Robot Wars) but I wonder how the idea of giving sparks could be handled when a machine is already considered alive for instance, the Brave Series and their various sentient giant robots, sure half are spirits of some kind possessing machines to become their bodies but what about ones like Might Gaine or J Decker who are manmade and either were designed with or developed their own consciousness, heck the Super Mechanoids of GaoGaiGar as well as they too have a consciousness some even said to be using real human brainwaves as a shortcut instead of allowing the AI to develop naturally (ongoing conflict would necessitate something like that).
heh, imagine if say the allspark from animated of the movies interacted with them, would it convert their AI into actual sparks? would they somehow overwrite their personality as now a new life is inside the circuitry? heck kinda falls with another thing I wonder, what if a transformer was made from some thing that was already a giant robot, what if a transformer has a giant robot as their alt mode. Transformers crossing over with other mecha makes one ask so many questions of how they would interact
Excellent video Chris, pulling a great selection of sources. I have to say I forgot all about the Beast Machines "Matrix"!
Can you do a basics on the witwicky family in the transformers series
Witwicky also had Spark.....plug that created Spike. No Sparkplug, no Spike, therefore no life.
Yuusha Brave series has different energy soul
For some brave series robots that were made on earth brave police J decker was built with advanced AI sentient robot
My name is Sparks and today is my birthday! Great timing. Love this channel!
Happy Cake Day, Sparks!
Apparently some people don’t like the spark concept. Thought it ruined things for G1. Like the Microbots episode, were Perceptor, Bumblebee, and Brawn were inside Megatron.
Beautiful work with this Chris, simply beautiful.
Your video also gave some solidity for some of my own theories of how the Sparks and the minds are linked.
Especially how the Minds and body blueprints seem to originate from Vector Sigma while the soul is from the Sparks and the overall bodies seem to originate from the Plasma Energy Chamber before the Quints came and ruined it.
The basics on Sparks?
"This town ain't big enough for the both of us!"
(OK, you definitely need to be of a certain age to appreciate that).
I could see that last line “…more than meets the eye” coming from a mile away.
I honestly prefer the idea that the G1 era had no clue or was only partially knowledgeable about the existence of spark, and they learned more about it after hundreds of years of scientific advancement leading to the Beast Wars era.
That's the offiical position of Japanese continuity - the image you see at 6:10 is Wheeljack cracking open his personality component and discovering the existence of the spark inside!
Another reason to love beast wars. It gave us the spark!
Protoform X/Rampage also had an immortal spark
Beast wars created so many things we take for granted now
G1 Laser Core! ... When beast wars came out I assumed the Laser Cores must be the containment unit that holds the spark (since sparks have limited longevity outside a body)
A Spark ✨ is a little bit of Heart ♥ and Soul 👻 🎶
I still remeber Energon's Megatron's comment on human sparks. We really are poorly designed.
I wonder if chaos can get their spark
What about Dinobots, Technobots, Nightbird (Ninjabot), Trypticon, and Metroplex?
They weren't brought to Vector Sigma to make them alive.
The sparks ("chispas" in spanish and "centelhas" in portuguese) are a concept between soft ci-fi and sword and sorcery.
Soundwave has no spark.
The idea that the All Spark is where every Transformer's spark is fused into a single mass makes the "Til All Are One" mantra a bit ominous, since it seems that would require all Transformers to die in order to reunite with the All Spark.
I've always assumed it's similar to how in Christianity there is the belief that the world as we know it will one day end and all souls will be resurrected and joined along god together with the living in a new paradise, one where death doesn't exist anymore.
Hahah, made me think if SG Primus's goal will be in make all living bots ( or even all aliens ) across universe to eventually merge in one entity. Then phrase " Till All Are One " will getting very threating tone. Cool concept, isn't it ?
Gotta admit, I’m jealous of the Transformers for having an actual soul. I’m ginger you see, so I had no such blessing 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
The answer is 42
"Above all, do not lament my absence...for in my spark, I know that this is not the end. But merely...a new beginning. Simply put, another transformation."
I always saw sparks as the heart of Cybertronians before I got into the more mystical side of the series
Though I guess both “heart” and “soul” can apply here
Are you gonna do Chromia one day? Especially this month since it’s women’s history month? And Chromia was one of the original female transformers?
Nimeis prime till All are none
I wish they would take it easy on the religious themes, especially when promoting concepts such as an afterlife and invisible intangible souls and ghosts. I'm fine with the sparks as these real constructs of energy that unlock free will in artificial bodies. And if these sparks go cold or dormant upon death, or zoom off into space, great, but I have to see it. We have to see this place in the core of Cybertron where sparks emerge. It can't be ethereal or ambiguous. Only then would I let a kid watch the show. I know I'm being obnoxious, it's just that I was indoctrinated with religion as a kid and I'm still undoing all that brainwashing.
I don't think it'll go well, saeklin. If a transformers series focuses on the cybertronian religion and use real world religions, like let's say a maximal chinese zodiac it could cause fights fans against religious figures. I'm a Christian, and if I put transformers before my faith, it will go against it. Remember, the last thing transformers should be religious and different fans from diverse faiths will be against eachother.
Might I ask what religion you were and are now? If you don't want to answer I'll respect.
@@blueraccoon1088 I think you misunderstood. I'm saying that the writers should ease up on such religious theming. So no phrases like "Thank Primus!" or "Till all are one." because these are spiritual idioms. I'm not saying they should ease up to avoid offending other religions, I'm saying that children are easily indoctrinated and that such themes may seem so appealing that a child might actually believe it. I'm not advocating for external intervention in what the writers write about, just that this isn't the medium for religious discourse, it's a kids' show. I believe it is a parents' responsibility to choose what media their children are exposed to, and if Transformers were to promote religious ideology, I'd be inclined to not let young impressionable minds watch it alone.
Do THE BASICS on HEATWAVE next!
Maybe someone will request it.
Slight alteration because this has been a sore spot for me and one of the reasons I don't like Furman's takes on Transformers: The Creation Matrix started out as simply a computer program that gave Transformers life, implanted in the Autobot leader at the time, the last of which being Optimus Prime. Before the Spark was invented in fiction the Transformers were living machines thanks to what's essentially a computer code that programmed them with emotions and personalities the Transformer itself would form over time. Furman retconned it into a physical object because for him the Movie adaptation was canon to the comic universe, for a bunch of reasons, and the Creation Matrix was the same as the Autobot Matrix Of Leadership seen in the movie. So that's a different pre-Spark explanation for Cybertronian life, just one that was retconned out of continuity.
so if a spark is extracted and given a new body with a pre=programed personality and memories...is that the Transformers equivalent to Reincarnation?