The Anime That Made Starscream A Tragic Autobot and Decepticon
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- Опубліковано 12 чер 2024
- I explore the deep psychology and trauma that Starscream suffered in the Transformers Armada anime series by Megatron. Armada A.K.A. Legend Of Micron is the start of the Unicron Trilogy. This is a breakdown of Starscream's backstory in all his key episodes leading up to his death scene. Let's GOOOO! - Thoughts On Twitter ► / cameronjohnh
"I tried to gain favor from you. But nothing was ever good enough. No matter how many battles I fought, you always found fault." - Starscream's last episode "Cramp"
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Chapters - TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Trapped Like A Rat
01:42 For The Glory
12:44 Momentary Peace
23:12 Like Thundercracker
32:37 A Painful War
38:38 All Hail Starscream
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⚫ Debriefing
In perhaps my biggest video yet I breakdown the entire character arc of one of Transformers Armada's most popular and most well-loved characters Starscream. Starscream (Voice By Michael Dobson) at the start is disillusioned by his leader Megatron (Voice By David Kaye). It took a while for Starscream to come to grips with Megatron's faults, but there's no turning back. Megatron doesn't respect him, doesn't appreciate him, and would casually toss Starscream's life away if it got him something he wanted. Over the anime we see Starscream join the Autobots under Optimus Prime's (Voice By Garry Chalk) command. We see Starscream make friends with the Autobot's human allies most importantly Alexis to which he forms a close bond/friendship with her and she teaches him the meaning of friendship, kindness and peace. He has difficulty throughtout the series figuring out if he wants to join the Autobots quest for peace or defeat Megatron and claim leadership of the Decepticons. He learns and discovers a lot about himself that make him stand out more than any other character. A tratious Decepticon with glorious pupose no more we have a Starscream that's more than meets the eye.
I cover key episodes that explore his entire backstory such as "Comrade", "Soldier", "Jungle", "Rebellion", "Sacrifice", "Regeneration", "Rescue", "Mars", "Crack", "Threaten", "Crisis", "Drift", "Portent" and his last episode "Cramp"
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Transformers: Armada, known as Chō Robot Seimeitai Transformers Micron Densetsu (超ロボット生命体トランスフォーマー マイクロン伝説 , "Super Robot Lifeform Transformers Legends of the Microns") in Japan, is a Transformers cartoon anime series that ran from 2002-2003, in support of the franchise of the same name. Animation for the series was produced by Actas Inc. (with animation for the Japanese title sequence being produced by Raretrick). The series initiated a total continuity reboot, setting up a brand new Transformers universe separate from any previous storyline. Together with its two sequels, Energon and Cybertron, this continuity family is now known as the Unicron Trilogy. - SOURCE: tfwiki.net/wiki/Transformers:...)
#transformers #starscream #anime - Розваги
I worked hard on making this my best video so thank you for your comments. Check out my biggest video yet a full retrospective on all episodes of G1! ua-cam.com/video/TNEZAKgBGcQ/v-deo.html
This video just makes me more hyped for the supposed Legacy Armada Starscream!
I don’t blame you, it looks like one of the more epic and underrated shows of both the decade and brand! Starscream was one of the more complex characters in Armada, he’s just a good bot that wants to do good by his leader.
@@soundwavedoesthings I’ve got my sights set on him, hope Hasbro don’t deviate too much from his original design.
Armada, energon 10/10 genuinely an emotional masterpiece. Only true TF armada/energon fans know about Starscream truly.
That error joke legit made me lol 😆
In his final moments, StarScream actually lived up to his namesake. A scream heard amongst the stars. Best soldier, Best warrior.
oh my ~-~
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
I am not an english speaker, like it’s not the tong spoken in my country, so when I was a kid, I was very confuse as why he was named Stars Cream…
@@kcrabe243 😭😭💀💀
“Traitor got what he deserved”
As a kid seeing this Starscream first, then growing up and finding out about the actual "mainstream" Starscream was a real low blow.
Same he was my favorite character.
Same here. It was baffling to see that Armada has the only incarnation of Starscream who isn't a complete joke. And the only incarnation of Starscream to get a character arc that was emotionally investing and respectful.
My thoughts exactly, but then there's the Bayformers Decepticons DS game version of him that was a pretty good take on that cliché Starscream
Litterally describing my thought process when I watched other versions as Armada was the first I was introduced too. I was like "wtf that's really Starscream" looked up and really made me sad for days
Honestly tho
The only thing I can say for Armada Starscream that hasn’t already been said is this:
He 100% had the Touch.
And the power
You've got the touch
He's got the the touch . Like the music 🎶
He's got the touch . I know that 🎵
Sometimes starscream could be kind of harsh , hot-headed, and kind sometimes,
This is the Starscream i will never forget. But G1 Starscream lives rent-free.
Megatron:
Starscream: M E G A T R O N H A S
F A L L E N
Starscream: I, STARSCREAM IS NOW YOUR LEADER
HAIL STARSCREAM!!!
(time alarm goes off)
(Throws energon cube at screamer)
Megatron: _"you disgust me"_
@@northernalpine4350 I just imagine the thickest bonk coming form that energon cube making contact, like a Lawbringer attack in For Honor meme videos (Which I now recommend you must see for context) I just love the idea that the reason Megatron actually survives any damage is that he just comes out of a giant oven like a conveyor line, too good - But this one just *had* a cube on the ready to yeet at him.
Megatron literately just like, tripped over a rock, and Starscream just shouting about taking over.
"I tried to gain favor from you. But nothing was ever good enough. No matter how many battles I fought, you always found fault. Then I saw how Optimus treated his men, and I realized he was a leader of integrity. Unlike you."
_-Starscream to Megatron/Galvatron, Transformers Armada_
Right there, Armada Starscream did something his other cartoon selves could never understand: speaking honestly, respectfully _and_ peacefully to the 'bots he once hated more than anything. Absolutely epic.
When did starscream say that?
@@josemorales-is6uv Right before he died
@@SoundwaveSC in what series ? I wanna watch it just based on that lil bit of dialogue alone
@@josemorales-is6uv In this one, Transformers Armada
when starscream said "it's time to finish this once and for all! you're all mine, unicron!", he was absolutely right. he was the one reason galvatron really allied with the autobots. he was the one reason unicron was defeated.
His spark was the one to light their darkest hour.
Here! Here!
👍
Even in G1 is Starscream who foils Unicorns plan for a round 2.
@@kratkartan1486 Starscream is also somehow the only transformer besides Optimus and Megatron that has an ever present spark.
I've always felt that this Megatron and Starscream, and In TF prime, had a lot of "the sith rule of two" relationship. Megatron grooms Starscream, but is never willing to give up command. Thats why unlike other decepticons defectors, he teaches him lessons in brutal ways after many betrayals, instead of scrapping him. Megatron desires for Starscream to become stronger, smarter, and more cunning with his treachery, but everytime he gains confidence/arrogance he must again be beaten into submission. Megatron is definitely toxic, but lets be honest, if it were any other bot that betrayed him, he would kill him/her on the spot.
I wish Starscream in TF Prime took the same route.
Imagine seeing the littreal culture shuck. After a millenia of warfare under megatron, joining Optimus and actually operating with him.
Imagine Starscream acidently calling him Lord Optimus or something, or flinching, and showing signs of the abuse.
The culture shock part would be sick.
We also already saw how Starscream worked with Mech.
Imagine if Starscream basically said "fuck the war" and became a "defence consultant" like he did with Mech.
I honestly see something like that happening.
Imagine the dude becomes a pacifist halfway through.
@@honkhonk8009 "Wait, so you're saying I can just not get the shit beat out of me and emotionally abused if I just sell out BOTH sides? Fuck this war shit ima do that."
@@honkhonk8009 he even almost joined the autobots in the show, he didn't mean it but it still almost happened
@@SuperDababy2 I think he did mean it before Arcee nearly killed him and he realized he had no place on either side.
@@honkhonk8009 He did show signs of possible change, but abuse is hard to break away from. Plus his ego was also getting in the way of actual change on his own. Honestly, if Arcee didn't try and kill him, he'd have probably stuck around with the Autobots and would have probably changed for the better.
Alexis breaking down and crying “why?!” After finding out of his death always stuck with me and was something that showed me how Armada Starscream deep down was a genuinely good person....bot
Just imagine how heartbreaking it would be if she met him again in Energon and Cybertron
@@kidprime6863 “Starscream? Your alive!”
And Screamer over there is just like “who are you organic?”
@@bladezoidz Transformers: the Winter Solider
Alexis: Starscream?!
Starscream: Who the hell is Starscream?
@@chaoticneutral7976 so true. The Starscream in Energon and Cybertron is not the same one. He was made from the same blueprint, but disassociates himself from the hero who died to save his home.
I chose to ignore energon and view Cybertron as a separate series.
"He lived a warrior... and died a hero. Let his spark join the Matrix, the greatest of Cybertron." -Optimus Primal's eulogy for Dinobot fits this scene pretty damn well
Except Starscream canonically has an immortal spark.
Till All Are One.
@@CornBreadtm1 The Unicron Trilogy Starscream isn't immortal though, at least as far as I know. The only reason he's around in Energon and Cybertron is because the Alpha Quintesson tried and somewhat failed to revive him with Energon, leaving him incomplete and amnesiac.
@@calebporter3735 And we call that shit non-canon, HE DIED A HEROIC DEATH
anybody still remember the time starscream got *DESINTIGRATED*
Armada Starscream is right up there with Beast Wars Dinobot. First a enemy, then one of the greatest allies. Then they would lay down their lives.
That's what I was thinking
We need more transformers like them in shows
Perfect
@@Gyrokaenzo212 Yup
"Tell my tale to those who ask. The ill deeds along with the good, let me be judged accordingly. The rest is silence."
Fun Fact: Thundercrackers bio was supposed to be Starscreams bio back in G1, but this was changed during the toys production back in G1
Armada Starscream is my no. 1 favorite incarnation mainly because he was taken seriously as a threat and as a character. It felt so unique to see a Starscream that wasn't just there to serve as comic relief but an actual pivotal point of the story.
he's one of the few itirations of a decepticon understanding the folly of the decepticon cause and turning on them
"I can't help but hate that he destroyed the trees... bad Starscream."
Gotta admit however that that moment had one of the coolest laser beam sound effects ever.
Very ominous sounding.
Armada Starscream's remarkably 'human' journey of discovery, not just of who he was (or rather, who he wanted to be), but of those around him is definitely the shining highlight of Armada. He went from blind loyalty to Megatron, to a grudge, to actively wanting to kill his leader, to setting it all aside in the face of the enemy of all life. He went from a simple soldier, to an aspiring second in command, to seeking power for himself, to surrendering that power to his former enemies in the Autobots, to sacrificing his own life just to make a point. He went from an underling and a Decepticon to a traiter and an Autobot, from a member of a squad to a loner to a confused friend of humans and Minicons like few others. Of all the Transformers in the series, none of them formed as close a bond with any of the humans as Starscream did with Alexis (excluding the Minicons, but that's a bit of a different story.) His long arc showing him discovering emotions that would sound foreign to any self-respecting Decepticon, his journey from reckless abandon to self-control and selfless service, is a singularly remarkable one in the entire franchise.
This Starscream resonated with me as a kid, first watching the show. I was the second and last of two sons in my family, and I grew up trying to gain recognition and favor, applying my skills and my will to learn, to grow, to create, to contribute. Much like Starscream, I felt like the only things anyone ever pointed out to me was my flaws, failures, mistakes, and everything good I tried to do was downplayed or ignored. I knew Starscream was a 'villain', yet there was so much of myself I saw reflected in this character, and nothing was more inspiring than watching him proudly march to certain death. I still remember the chills when he fired the proton cannon with that last shout of defiance against a literal multiverse-eating chaos monster planet.
Despite TF: Energon and Cybertron not being regarded anywhere near as fondly in the community as Armada, I still found myself watching over Starscream's return and continued presence, and at the tail end of Cybertron, I also felt a sense of pride watching the Starscream that had so long ago failed to combat Unicron going toe-to-to with a fully powered Primus. Sure, he lost that fight too, and it's hard to see in the Starscream of the end of Cybertron the one we rooted for in Armada, but still; even in Armada, it took both sides working together in a grueling final battle to defeat Unicron, and here we saw Starscream literally taking on the literal creator of the Transformers in a one-on-one confrontation that saw friggin' moons being used as weapons. That's some Guren Lagann level stuff right there.
Armada Starscream's lingering contribution to the franchise is that, somewhere in all Transformers fans that know his story, there's always a great pleasure whenever another iteration of Starscream shows honor, tact, compassion, friendship, or other positive developments, times where he breaks away from the simple "bungling power-hungry second in command" stereotype. We love to see the faint hints of Starscream: The Hero bubbling back to the surface, and we hunger for it every time he's on screen. We want to see him with the good guys; we want to see him win; we want to see him finally get his happy ending. Because somewhere out there is a universe where he gets one, and he sure earned it.
Cybertron Starscream is definitely an underated one because he's basically if G1 starscream was actually competent and played the long game properly and I see him now like Cybertron Megatron as ghosts really, corrupted husks of what they used to be that need to be laid to rest all thanks to Unicron and those who would try to use his power
...also that one had the best day any starscream will ever have
All this poetic waxing makes me want to watch the show now.
He gets his happy ending or sort of in Transformers Prime Season 2 finale. It's the only one unfortunately.
Primus actually wasn’t at full power, he was only at 75% power
@@Xeno-The-Wanderer yeah. cybertron starscream wasn’t just a backstabber (like he is most of the time), he was smart and actually had the skill/power to back it up
I also love how his skills as a swordsman also improved. Early in series he was beaten by Hotshot with the starsaber but with his final confrontation with Galvatron, Starscream out skills him with his own blade.
It's been 20 years and seeing the death of Starscream still makes me feel sad.
Because he reminds me about Dinobot in Beast Wars…
I grew up with this Starscream and remember him fondly as well. I was so confused when I kept seeing the complete sinister traitor Starscream in later series. I get the appeal and love Tom Kenny and Steve Blume's performances in the role, but to this day I hope to see a Starscream as nuanced and interesting as Armada's.
Same happened for me. When I watched Prime it threw me off.
Same here, armada starscream was my first impression of him and I’m continuously disappointed by later iterations of him.
Same for me! This is my favorite Transformer of all time!
I agree... I wanna see another take on the noble version of Starscream that we got in Armada. Part of me wants to see him still be a usurper. But like Armada, he starts off loyal until his disillusionment and hatred of Megatron grows over time, to the point where he actually manages to overthrow him and become an even more competent leader than Megatron. But like Armada Starscream, he is no coward, and he has his honor to the point of respecting the Autobots' motives and drive. And of course, the dynamic of a human befriending a Decepticon... but I really doubt anything could top the friendship that Alexis had with Starscream.
Is it any wonder that for a long time, Starscream has always been my favorite Decepticon?
@@markwilson4686 Hated how that show dropped several interesting subplots with Starscream and in general, only to throw them away within a few episodes.
21:49 i actually get watery eyes hearing him say “we autobots” not “the autobots”. Really shows how far he’s come with just a little word change like that.
I think what makes Armada Starscream hit different is that he as an incarnation of Starscream is such a wild departure from OG Scheming Screamer, and his defection from the Decepticons is played totally straight; in most other Transformers series, defections aren't treated very seriously. At best, they take up a single episode and are never discussed again, or they're soft defections like Prime Dreadwing. When Armada Starscream leaves the Cons, it's a wild and haphazard escape, and he isn't immediately trusted by the Autobots. And even when Optimus takes him in, Hotshot still gives Starscream a hard time. And even after Starscream rejoins the Decepticons, he's on thin ice with Megatron. The best part is this all plays into Starscream's sacrifice, too, because when Starscream sacrifices himself, Megatron finally realizes that not only was Starscream a worthy Decepticon, he might have genuinely been a better Decepticon than Megatron Himself.
Edit: I also want to point out a tragic lining on Starscream's sacrifice; Starscream couldn't possibly have known Galvatron would have actually been moved by his death. For all intents and purposes, Starscream made a gamble that he'd never know the outcome of, especially since he had to have known Unicron would kill him.
This starscream longed for acknowledgement. He wasn't the back stabbing coward from G1. He was actually loyal to Optimus and the Autobots.
The man went out of his shield and died a warrior's death. He was my favorite version of the character outside the comics.
Star scream from beast wars was a savage. I loved that shows depiction of the character. Went out like a G.
You know, one thing that people should remember is that when we take a unique approach to a character, we should keep some things that make the character what he is, not just write a new character and slap on him tge name of a pre-existing character. Armada Starscream succeeded on that remark. Yes, he is very different from the usual Starscream, but at the end of the day muktiple ekements of Starscream's character are still in there (the treachery, the hunger for power, the ego), they just have a unique spin on them in order to fit with Armada Starscream's truly unique personality traits...and they fit. It truly feels that those negative traits are the result of Starscream being a victim of abuse who finally finds a chance to stand up to his abuser and give him a taste of his own medicine, making it all the more powerful when he eventually overcomes those negative aspects of his and confronts Galvatron as what he truly is, an honorable warrior.
Honestly, that's a major reason Armada Starscream stands out so much. Lots of writers seem to think that creating a new character that looks like an old one with that character's name is the same as actually re-working/improving on that character. It's a major reason a _LOT_ of people hate the Teen Titans Go! and PowerPuff Girls reboots; the characters are just poor fascimiles of their more iconic iterations and/or are just barely even recognizable.
Armada Starscream, of all instances, somehow got this _right._ Virtually every other animated Starscream is a one-dimensional traitorous coward, yet Armada remedied this by actually giving his character more depth and dimensions than pretty much any other incarnation. He's basically just the result of what would happen if the other backstabbing Starscreams were actually competent and had actual good reasons for their treason and ego. Armada Starscream having these traits is exactly what allows him to connect with Alexis and Optimus to gradually grow as a person. Honestly, Armada Starscream would most likely hate and look down on his other cartoon selves if he crossed universes to meet them, since those other Starscreams are basically the embodiments of Armada Starscream's lowest/worst traits. They are the worser versions of the person that Armada Starscream could've become if he didn't meet Alexis and his universe's Autobots, which made all the difference from a cowardly traitor to a selfless soldier. Not even Megatron, who knew Starscream's faults more than anyone, could deny him that much.
@@mrreyes5004 one main difference is that unicron trilogy starscream was never a coward even when he had the majority of traditional starscream traits
Woow
Exactly, look at literally any other franchise with reboots and they always keep atleast 3 elements of the character itself as well as their design
Makes me wonder if G1 Starscream was like this until Megatron broke him
While Dinobot and Starscream have similar arcs they are different from eachother:
Dinobot struggled more with his core programming while Starscream seemed to me be someone who was looking for something to fight for.
in the scene of the english version of armada when starscream is abandoned and screaming "why" to the sky,
in the japanese version he's not screaming at all, but just stands there and questions his existence, asking himself "what am i doing?"
So glad someone made a proper video on this version of Starscream. By far his best iteration. I wish more people remembered him this way.
To be honest I grew up with Beast Wars and Armada so this was how I always knew Starscream. When I started watching others like G1 I kinda was put off from Transformers when I found out this version was the exception, not the rule. Although the Bay films helped cement that for sure...
What do you think about his incarnations from Animated and Prime? Those 2 are also widely loved and are more threatening than you think.
The music from Starscream scene “painful war” is really good, you can hear the heroic brass coupled with the more intense violins as it slowly builds up. And in the scene where starscream gets obliterated the violins absolutely take over the scene with these tragic yet grandeur sounding notes. Its a short little segment in the song but i think that represents how little time it took for star-scream to prove his point, and the song quickly fades away just like his spark. He made his impact in just a couple seconds, and changed to course of the war with his sacrifice. With the violins then sounding quieter in the proceeding track, his spark and dust turned into ash flowing away with his place in the world sealed.
“Tell my tale to those who ask. Tell it truly, the ill deeds along with the good, and let me be judged accordingly. The rest... is silence."
"He lived a warrior... and died a hero. Let his spark join the Matrix, the greatest of Cybertron."
I've heard that first quote somewhere before. Can't remember where do
@@black97_0 transformers beast wars. When dinobot died
@@black97_0 Code of Hero
@@black97_0 Shakespeare, Hamlet
That error gag at 30:33 was perfect! The long silence really showed how thoroughly confused he was, and the sound of error pop-ups just wrapped it all up in a sudden "W h a t".
Top-tier comedy!
"Uh, crap. My processing computer just crashed. Hang on, let me reboot!"
Even the face as the errors came through! It's nothing but just
"H u h ?"
That boy was unicron's death knell. The scream of a banshee that denotes eminent death. The bell that tolled for the monster. I always found him to be the MC. Not a cringe "I'm the main character!!" But a "I want to be better, even if my leader wants to use me as a tool." He is more human then even the humans in the cast.
The track that plays during Starscreams final moments are literally called “A painful War” which I think is PERFECT
Armada was my first introduction to transformers. It will always hold a special place in my heart. And this has always been my favorite starscream.
Me too! I was shocked when I finally watched G1. I couldn't mesh these two completely different characters as the starscream in my head.
@@berilsevvalbekret772 I know right? They are definitely different.
@@berilsevvalbekret772 Same here
Same here !
Mine was cybertron i remember watching this code lyoco and power rangers every morning before school.
Armada was truly a timeless masterpiece and the best tf japanese stuff after cybertron-energon-the headmasters and has a great comedy-designs-characters,too bad hasbro totally forgor about this legend
That's unfortunately true.
You're very much accurate
The amount of character development that has surrounded Starscream for the past years is way larger than anyone else. Only true fans who have read the comics and such know that it isn’t about being a deception, or autobot for him. It’s not about him truly wanting a throne. He just wants respect, but doesn’t know, to go about life. There is much more, much more to be said…
They remember, it’s just the g1 bandwagon got out of hand after the 2nd movie that they put most of their effort into pleasing them, hell people are still into animated and prime but you rarely get anything aside from Easter eggs here and there
You must be joking. The writing and animation didn't get good until near the end of the series. Most of the series was unwatchable "gotta catch em' all" tripe.
I like this take on Starscream: he's still treacherous and self-serving, even toward the heroes who welcome him with open arms, but he wants respect and appreciation, which many of us can relate to.
Won't lie, I have never watched Armada before, but seeing that scene of Starscream's sacrifice -- for the first time in this video -- made me cry. Best Starscream
Despite it's rough start and early translation goofs Armada became an instant favorite of mine. I remember being impressed at how the show gradually improved with the characters and the animation. And I actually began to care about the human characters.
I keep forgetting there are humans in Transformers
I got annoyed by them constantly getting the Mini-Con's names mixed up
@@kidprime6863 yeah they butchered Leader 1's and Spark Plug's introductions.
@@RandomBlackGamer Big time
yea! Armada was the one show which had me clinching my fist and really scared for the characters...you feel like the characters were really at risk and could die at any moment, unlike the other kids' shows...gave me a lot of minor traumas haha
Honestly starscream was the reason people thought fondly of armada. Mostly because he was totally different in just being.
Seriously, out of all the possible breakout characters, I would _NOT_ have expected it to be Starscream. Yet somehow the writers actually took a character known for cowardice and treachery, and _believably_ developed him for a send-off as a selfless and honorable soldier. Armada Starscream's sacrifice is legit something that his other cartoon versions could _never_ pull off, let alone even understand or get behind, and that's honestly just incredible.
@@mrreyes5004 exactly
I just like the high tech stucc the unicron trilogy did
Armada Starscream is very much like Simon Furman Era Marvel G1 Scorponok in how he goes from a power-hungry Decepticon to a noble one in the end.
@@rayvenkman2087 neat, didn't know that
I was actually starting to cry after you explained his attack on Unicron was a glorified suicide to convince Megatron.
Out of all of Starscream's incarnations, his interpretation in Armada was one of, if not my favorite versions of him. And his death is right up there with Optimus in Transformers: The Movie & Dinobot in Beast Wars as the trinity of sad deaths in Transformers. Props to Michael Dobson for doing a good job voicing him as well.
I often thought the reason Megatron was so abusive to Starscream was a low key way of him trying to get Scarscream to surpass him and take his rightful place of the Decepticons afterall the strongest and most cunning lead the Decepticons.
That, or Megatron is a bastard.
The fact that i honestly feel the same cause of what i saw in IDW is so bizarre
@@501ststormtrooper9 Even if their relaitonship was abusive Megatron PUSHED Starscream. He WANTED to be suppased. Even if Megatron was also afraid of being overthrown. Do you think your enemies will coddle you? Do you expect people to care instead of taking advantage of you? So, yes, Megatron taught Starscream that the world can be a cold, uncaring place. That's megatron's perception of it. And as bad as that might seem... he's also correct.
What megatron lost sight of is that even if the world can be as cold and heartless as it is there's also the other side of it. Megatron is used to being detached. Distent. He doesn't want to be close to anyone. But Starscream? Starscream got Megatron's full attention. Only someone that sees potential in you would abuse you like that. Otherwise they wouldn't even give you the time of day at all.
Which is worse? To be challenged or to not even be worth killing at all? The later can be a fate worse then death. Worse then any physical blow. The two endrued all the hard times. And in the end Megatron himself respected Starscream. He knows he's a bastard. But if you was in his situation where the universe is against you from all sides you probably would be too.
Wherever that's a good thing or a bad thing can be pretty complicated. Where there's abuse there is care. Where there's care there is abuse. They call it getting through hard times for a reason. It's more important to keep challenging each other so people can improve. Otherwise the laziness and sloth will result in lack of self improvement.
So if you think about it... It's possible Starscream turned out the way he did "because" of the abuse in some ways. He was challenged. Pushed to breaking point. And he endured. He learned strength FROM weakness. That's perhaps one of the most important lessons anyone can ever learn.
Wherever Megatron intended to teach that lesson? Hard to say. I think it's part of what he attempts to demonstrate. Be strong if you want to beat him. Be weak and you lose. Yet at the same time the lessons come from such weakness. Learning how to play the game? That's the trick. In the end you can only really employ your own methods, even if it requires following the pattern of awareness and honesty. If one is too soft then you will be soft. If one is too hard then you too will be harder. I actually consider the harsher approch more effective. The results speak for themselves. You saw it in Starscream right here.
There's also other factors at play that Megatron doesn't employ. That's where he drops the ball. But hey, he's running a gang here. He's not fully committed to improving just you. At the same time he can if he will. As a result his teaching methods will be flawed. He just can't invest his full undivided attention to Starscream to that extent. Well, he could, but then the decepticons would become weaker for it. Which then threatens Megatron/Starscream themselves. In a sense it's a bit "political". The situation has to be viewed from a decepticon viewpoint in order to understand it.
@@taramaforhaikido7272 I wouldn’t say that he was pushed to the breaking point, starscream was pushed beyond that
@@taramaforhaikido7272 one time he get backstab by starscream, megatron sold his core to robo-planet and get revenge to starscream
This starscream was always my favourite. His story of going from a ambitious Decepticon to a tragic hero who was willing to not only put his life on the line he then sacrificed himself to show Megatron how powerful he was so that he would join the Autobots and protect the ones he cared about. One of my favourite Transformers series.
It’s a shame that this series was the only series to actually make this version of Starscream while the other Starscreams from other series have never come close to this version.
Star Scream is one of my favorite characters out of all Transformers media with Armada definitely being the gold standard but a close runner up being the Prime version. With him starting out as his usual traitor version only to slowly over the course of the series realize that he isn't a leader and that all his scheming is only harming himself in the long run. Not to mention it was refreshing to see Megatron actually be wise to Star Scream being a snake that is always trying to stab him in the back.
As someone who watched the series as a kid this portrayal of starscream stuck with me. I’ve only ever been a casual enjoyer of transformers media but even as a child I could tell that the story had struck something special with the arc of the character. I think it’s clear it resonated with a lot of people strongly and has stuck with them well into adulthood.
I'm not the biggest fan of the Unicron Trilogy, but I genuinely wish that that the later entries kept Starscream like this. He barely seems like the same character from that point onward and it's just saddening to see that, especially after all he's been through.
A consequence of the original Japanese versions not being connected.
@@LordTyph Energon was connected, Cybertron wasn't. I personally like to pretend that the former doesn't exist and that the latter is (like in the Japanese version) unconnected.
I remember when I watched Starscream's death on TV when I was 8 or so. It was the first time I'd seen a character die in a show, and I just bawled. My parents came into the room to ask me what was wrong and I couldn't even explain how I felt watching him just... Cease to exist like that.
Even now, watching it happen again in this recap, I get a little choked up. He went from a soldier trying desperately to prove himself, to a hero willing to stand up and die for his beliefs. If only we could all be so principled.
At that age, it's so hard to decipher between fiction and non-fiction. The feelings are real, so the characters are too, right? So confusing.
@@maxhydekyle2425 That is exactly how I felt tbh. This character that was for all intents and purposes *real* to me just fucking DIED and I was heartbroken.
Same Starscreams been my favorite cause of this show. This is my Starscream
I see Armada Starscream as an adaptation of Simon Furman Era Marvel G1 Scorponok, particularly in the Unicron Saga from he goes from a power-hungry Decepticon to a noble one that went against the grain of his fellow Decepticons and recognise the greater threat of Unicron. Like Armada Starscream, he’s siding with Optimus Prime over his badge because he knows his stance is the more correct one than the Decepticons’.
while watching it very recently (days ago), i was just laughing at the absurdity that a young child would be allowed to watch that kind of stuff; with the abuse and the deaths of characters and then just a "see you next week kids!" -leaving the poor tykes with the trauma.
granted; it wasn't until after i had watched through armada and it's dark stuff and straight up nightmare-fuel, that i looked up the age-rating and found out it was PG 13+, while i think all transformers seasons before it in both english and japanese were PG for all audiences.
Bro Armada Starscream was, literally and figuratively, built different
I had never watch this show and yet this Starscream made me feel something completely new. I felt deeply inspired, emotional, and proud throughout the whole video. Despite the show's clear mistakes, I'll gladly watch it just to truly experience Starscream's development. God damn I almost cried during the speech he gave before he died.
After being reminded how close Starscream was with the Minicons of the Starsaber, it really makes me sad that they didn't get a chance to react or share their thoughts on the matter. Instead they are just stuck in sword mode, held by Galvatron.
Just having the sword separate and then having Runway, Jetstorm and Sonar standing next to Swindle to mourn Starscream togethere would have been even more sad...
Not to mention being used to stab him
You have no idea how glad I am to have come across this video. I still go back and watch that scene where StarScream rips the blade out of his chest, and fires everything he has left toward Unicron, knowing it would be his last attack. This show was a glorious part of my childhood. Thank you for making this! Great job!
I honestly wish to see another Starscream or another transformers character (excluding Deadlock a.k.a Drift) go on a similar path. One of my favourite lines from this Starscream is when he tells Alexis and Hotshot that he’s not sure of anything anymore because it shows just how much his world of his duty and the world of those he cares about clashing against eachother
I watched an almost 40minute video on Starscream...
I don't regret it at all, that's just an awesome character arc.
I agree: would be nice to have another version of this starscream and totally agree: this starscream has the same sort of traits as beast wars dinobot and would be cool to have that sort of dinoscream combo in another story
I agree.
What's interesting to me was they made Starscream like Dinobot, but knew it would be a mistake to lack a Starscream-like character entirely, which I feel like is why Thrust was brought into the fold.
26:37 "He is a dumb boi"
Another reason why he is different compared to other Starscreams)
But I must say, he did something clever actually. When Megatron was about to finish Hotshot and Red Alert, Starscream offered to take them as hostages instead. He literally tried to save their lives.
he had another idea in hes head he tried to side them to decepticon side ...
he was in the persued autobots to join decepticon side ... was one of hes jobs
9:28 I can’t stop laughing at that scene, “Come back here you coward!”
Sometimes you forget Armada is an anime then something like that happens
Starscream: I don't need you! Leave me alone!
Starscream: Why am I alone?
I thought I was the only one who remembered this. I genuinely still have in the back of my head "that one time Starscream was an Autobot" as a fond memory.
I love this take on Starscream.
He pioneered on making a new take on Starscream, and being actually successful if you were to ask me.
He was such an integral part of the shows themes and story.
His death was not tragic for who he was, but for what he reveals about Armadas themes.
Armada focuses a lot on war and the deeper effects of it.
Only thanks to Starscreams sacrifice, its that Armadas cast is put in a spot to truely explore and end Armadas Story.
The one problem I have with it is that for what I expected when first watching the show, Starscreams arc was kinda short.
I wish he had spent more time with the Autobots, and that we actually got to see more of his side struggles.
I know Starscream’s story practically from memory but I love how in depth this video goes. I’ve watched it many times
This version of Starscream is the best version. A true anti-hero turned hero. This version is my absolute favorite.
Now with the 20th anniversary of Armada coming up I hope people can really appreciate it more.
Saying that made me feel old since am trying 29 so I was 9 when I watched that show.
Energon didn't ruin Starscream, Cybertron did. Energin had a running theme in it of Corruption, of what we thought was good and settled being dredged up and changed, and it felt delibrate. Inferno, Scorpanok, Megatron, they all felt Unicrons' presence in some way, and it started to corrupt them, some more than others. Megatron was able to shrug it off, but became a bit more unhinged. Scorpinok was defeated and brought back, a mindless thrall where a noble warrior once stood. Inferno fought a corrupting influence and barely made it back with his spark and mind intact. But the worst was Starscream. He was fully dead, gone, and nothing was left. Unicron brought him back as a Ghost, giving him one command: 'Sow Chaos'. Aimless, he was left to wander and wonder who he used to be. Not fully alive or dead, he was left shifting in and out of tangability. He knew two things; His name was Starscream, and he was a Master Swordsman. Everything else was bluster. In the end, he sided with Megatron not because he was a Decepticon, but because he had nowhere else to go, and he wasn't the same bot he'd died as anymore. That was taken away the moment the latent power of Unicron revived him.
Cybertron, being a soft continuity reset that was retroactively chalked up to the Unicron Singularity, was the killing blow to Armada Starscream, reverting the character back to a lying, Kinaiving, backstabbing jackbumper. Even them, you can still see the noble Swordsman buried somewhere within, the Bot who prides himself on his Skills, and this time he had the chance, the drive, the abiluty to overthrow Megatron. He won. He got what he wanted, but it took him becomung a worse person to do so... though we were all proud of him when he took the Omega Lock...
"I will return to the Allspark before I allow you to take the Omega Lock!"
"THEN PREPARE TO MEET PRIMUS!"
Still gives me chills.
While I respect your opinion and your long comment, I don’t think energon executed any of it’s themes it was going for at all, an ruined many of the elements that armada brought to the table, with its bad dialogue and lazy plotting that often ignored a lot of what it was going for, a lass when I think of the unicorn trilogy I only think of Armada as a solid stand alone story. That’s why I can’t blame the Japanese dub for wanting a fresh start and not even making Cybertron connected with the previous two with Galaxy force
Yeah, Starscream became very human, but then fell back into the darkness. However, I can't deny that Cybertron Starscream was still incredibly badass. Taking down every single Autobot singlehandedly, and even took on Optimus. Though he lost the battle against Optimus, he won the war by claiming the Omega Lock with 3 Cyber Keys.
And we even got Starscream to fight Galvatron once more, and almost best him. And even then, Starscream didn't die. As said, he had merely been blown to another dimension. Now the question remains whether he will try to take over, or if he will eventually relearn the lessons he had once forgotten. We won't know, but I like to believe that when he comes back, with Megatron/Galvatron gone, the Decepticon cause ultimately fallen, and Primus' Spark having been restored, Starscream basically has no cause left to fight for.
I wouldnt say it completely ruined as isnt that the whole point having his character revert back to his old self in Cybertron because he was 'revived' with no other knowledge other than what kind of being he was, hence he learned to be that same douchebag he was through being a decepticon again
Jackbumper?
Yeah i never got into Cybertron, and I thought Energon had some good moments though like usual the human characters are freaking insufferable
great way to take some of the more interesting human characters since the original from Armada and totally replace them with loud mouth edgy brats and annoying hangers on.
I realized something recently. This Starscream was basically Prince Zuko before Avatar The Last Airbender. He is a villain trying to earn the approval of an abusive parental figure who we gradually learn isn't as bad as he looks and works with the heroes just to betray them, before redeeming himself at the end of the series where he calls out his abuser.
In the japanese version after starscream dies megatron actually says himself that he believed that starscream would one day surpass him, possible meant that he was going to be the leader of the decepticons.
In this series I was very surprised to see that megatron actually had alot of faith in him, he just when about it the wrong way.
This is my favorite version of Starscream. I really wish they made a remaster of Armada, I want this starscream design to return
Agreed. Heck... I want to see a "noble demon" Starscream like this in a future Transformers continuity.
I will likely watch Armada after seeing this, as I was not aware it existed.
As for Starscream, his death is interesting in that he effectively embodied both Decepticon and Autobot ideals in his greatest moment. He was a true soldier, giving his life for a cause greater than his own- just as Megatron wanted. However, he sacrificed himself in order to make sure others lived and to do what was right for the future of Earth, Humanity, and the Transformers- an ideal Optimus respects. Starscream was not a good Autobot, and not a good Decepticon, but he was certainly a great Transformer in this series. I want Starscream to get more love like this, though it does not have to be limited to Starscream alone. It could be just as interesting with other characters, if done right.
this version of Starscream is my fav mostly because it feels like normal one, we know but also a what if.
What if instead trying kill megatron he instead joins Autobots to fight Decepticons as the ultimate back stab a back stab that help him become a better bot over all
also, in this version he gets approval he seeks from Autobots and from Megatron in end
Can you discuss Armada Hot Shot. He has such an interesting story, being similar to Starscream, trying to prove himself and getting actual development throughout the show. His defining moment is "All forces prepare for Battle." Except for Wheeljack, the rest of the Transformer command say do not attack, wanting to save their leaders. Hot Shot attacks Unicron, making himself out, also, with the color upgrades Armada's done, he goes from Bumblebee to Hot Rod in a sense.
Demolisher gets done dirty in transformers energon like they seem to have tried to do something with him having a moral dilemma with turning Kicker over to megatron when he rejoins the decepticons but after that with a single “upgrade” he becomes a mindless destruction focused brute with zero personality
It’s so bad I’d call it Energon Demolisher Syndrome.
@@rayvenkman2087 Energon Demolisher Syndrome?
@@kidprime6863 It’s when a character has a pretty interesting story arc but the series proceeds to nuke that plot thread from orbit and the character gets reduced to nothing metaphorically speaking. Usually happens in bad fiction like Transformers: Energon.
@@rayvenkman2087 Oh
30:32 It was at this moment, Screamer had experienced the biggest bluescreen of his life
I grew up on this version of starscream, and I remember becoming attached to him because like obviously he wasn't that bad of a person. It upset me greatly in the show when Megatron hit him and pretty much abused him. I was devastated near the ending of the show, I was upset for months. I felt really bad for him, he's a very interesting version of Starscream, and I will always love him. (anytime i rewatch Armada, I get very hostile towards megatron lmao)
Even as a kid, I understood Armada was way too good for my young brain and was sooo damn obsessed with it
The "Neo G1" Art Style of the characters for a New Millennium has maintained timeless praise to this day as well.
Not only were there CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT (thank you Anime), but Megatron /defended/ Starscream's "honor". This is the equivalent of Skeletor speaking well about Beastman, or frankly ANY other lead villain in 80s and 90s fiction speaking well of ANY subordinate.
Brave move, plot wise, and love it.
I ALWAYS SLEEP NEXT TO MY BLUE STARSCREAM ARMADA FIGURE
*HE'S MY GUARD ANGEL*
I loved the Armada/Energon/Cybertron series, regarding Starscream. They gave us quite a few interesting concept ideas for Starscream's storyline that were recuperated, later on, in games, comics and other series.
The most interesting one was the idea that Starscream wasn't an incompetent buffoon and a bad leader, but that those "facts" were just part of a smear campaign by Megatron to prevent Starscream from overthrowing him or for the Seekers to side with Starscream and desert, causing Megatron to loose an important chunk of his army.
I also loved that we got to see things from Starscream's perspective and to see in how difficult of a position he's in, both at the top of the Decepticon hierarchy, while also being constantly in danger of being backstabbed, executed or murdered. The series showed us a Starscream forced to work for someone he deeply hated and showed us what kind of toll it took on his sanity. Couple that with Megatron's constant bullying and manipulation to keep Starscream "in his place" and we get to see what an absolute mess Starscream's life actually is. This explains why he grabbed the "lifeline" that Alexis threw him, with her invitation of friendship, relationships with humans being something that were free of negative experiences, unlike Starscream's interactions with the Autobots.
What I would've like to see, either in the "Unicron Trilogy" or other media, would've been for someone to dig this idea of Starscream getting back his footing, thanks to his friendship/alliance with humans and begin to build his own "side" successfully with some humans... maybe clean his reputation that Megatron ruined... maybe get the Seekers to side back with him... or maybe Starscream could use his human friends to successfully hide from Decepticons and Autobots to go do his own thing... It's just fun to watch Starscream not being cartoonishly incompetent.
Starscream: "Lave me alone Minicons! I dont need your sympathy!"
*minicons leave*
Starscream: *surprised pikachu face*
This version of Starscream was actually my absolute favorite . He had a code of honor, the spirit of a true warrior and morale regrets he was trying to make up for. He did seem tragic but he did die like a true hero sacrificing only himself in the end and he refused to allow anyone else too make that sacrifice. He actually cared for others and did not have any goal of self worship or power. This Starscream was by far a huge change for the character. He went from being a sniveling, 2 faced, backstabbing coward to a true selfless warrior. But it took a huge fail to be humbled enough before he becomes a more heroic version of himself.
Armada was the first Transformers series I remember actively watching. I wish I had taken better care of my Armada Starscream back then but I was quite young. He was honestly my favorite character in all of Armada.
the Armada Starscream was rather refreshing, it was a good take on a classic character, it could have easily been a new direction for Starscream, for future renditions of Transformers.
I grew up around R.I.D, but armada was definitely one of my favorite series and that version of the series still makes me tear up today
Armada held a special place in my heart. Starscream was my favorite character downright, and his sacrifice made me cry as a kid.
This legit makes me want to binge the series... Excellent video.
Damn. i didn't grow up with him, but I miss this version of him
You died a hero, Starscream. No doubt about it.
In a lot of ways Armada Starscream could be considered the LEAST Starscream incarnation, but maybe that's why he's the BEST Starscream
After this video, I don’t care how much Armada fails at, I’m watching this anime, because of Starscream. Heck, I’ll even watch the other Transformer shows with him just being an evil traitor, I genuinely like his character now.
you might be a bit let down if you compare this one to the others
I remember as a kid watching Armada and then the Bayverse films - and being so disappointed Alexis wasn't cast as a character, and that Starscream was relegated to a few lines and no character arc. I loved the human/robot relationship they had and desperately wanted to see it on the big screen, but alas. I kinda reacted like you did with the blue starscream toy at Christmas XD
It would be my dream for the movieverse to one day explore a relationship between human and decepticon - but it feels like they're stuck on a more simple black and white characters where only the autobots can be developed and "good"(Bumblebee took a baby step in that direction). It's so unique and interesting! I guess at least there's always fanfics lol.
thanks for this video, was so nice to see someone give Armada Starscream the attention he deserves, I hope we see more iterations of him like that someday.
Considering Michael Bay's modus operandi with female casting, I think not bringing Alexis back should be considered a blessing in disguise.
@@morgant.dulaman8733 What a painful truth lmao
@@baronvonjo1929 Thank God Alexis wasn't Tessa'd.
They need to bring back this version of Starscream in future shows and media.
I've never heard of Armada but hearing how much of an amazing job they did with Starscream it makes me want to check it out. I've always liked Starscream but to hear they gave him a proper morally ambiguous, internal conflict and growth just tells me the writers really gave a damn about this character. I love seeing characters with sort of struggle.
I love this vid and all I gotta say is in the chapter 4 part about starscreen. To me at least what makes the scene that much more impactful rewatching it as an adult is that he literally removed one of the most powerful swords from his core with his bare hands. Showing he knows what he needs to do and is resolved to his very core to see it through even if that means death.
0:00 -0:12
Wow, looks like Megatron's about to kill HotShot. Holy crap...
0:13
What the---?
0:17- 0:18
WHAT THE---?! STAR SCREAM?! STAR SCREAM SAVED HOT SHOT?! :O
0:23- 0:32
Star Scream and Hot Shot knocked Megatron flat on his back?! HOLY CRAP!!! O_O
0:34
I need to finish Armada. I don't remember this.
Though real talk, this scene would garnered the same reaction from me had I seen that scene when I was 14, as it did now that I'm 33. BOI!!! Dx
Starscreams relationship with Alexis instantly makes me think of the Transformers comicbook where Starscream discovers the joy of Christmas with the help of a human.. :) (December 1987)
To be fair, "Cramp" is a pretty fitting title for Starscream's final episode, since our hearts likely cramped from watching him die.
A better title would have been "Heartbreak". 'Cause that's what happened to my heart when he died.
I grew up with transformers armada as well, i love armada starscream character so much, glad he was written with such a amazing internal struggle and how he came to overcome it
I still have armada thundercracker downstairs on display, this starscream even after 10 to 15 is the best in the entire series
I have all three versions permanently on display. I loved Armada Starscream for being different; he was treacherous, but only because... a bit like (dare I say it) the Earthrise Trilogy version.
@@clogs4956 my original one was thrown out and I bought another one and it's beautiful
This is epic the editing, emotion, and the story of character make it a perfect video
I want to see more versions of Armada Starscream. He was by far one of the most developed characters in any of the animated Transformers series in my opinion. Armada gave us something that isn’t all that often explored, which is a Decepticon having a crisis of conscience, and more relatable reasons for wanting to change allegiances, or in Starscreams case, the need to become leader.
If a dude named Demolisher has to step in and say “aye bro take it easy” you’re goin a lil too tuff😂👊🏽
Armada remains my all time favorite Transformers content ever!!!!!! Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo GOOD!! Starscream's struggle for acceptance and his duality was so beautifully portrayed, I just couldn't see him as a coward after all that he did in Armada. He was my favorite character from the series.
God the voice actor for megatron was amazing
David Kaye
Man I loved this show when I was a kid it’s what actually got me into transformers as a kid cliff jumpers still haunts me
Armada Starscream was always one of the most under appreciated versions of the character.
34:41 The animators are actually geniuses. The safe for kids blood spurt.
This Starscream is probably the only incarnation of him that ISN’T a treacherous bastard