Nah, he`s just a stereotypical angsty weeaboo. Unfortunately, teen girls tend to like these sorts of character cuz they think that someone constantly whining "Leave me alone! Nobody understands me!" makes them deep and complex.
honestly starscream’s just.... fun? he doesn’t make much SENSE, but he’s a walking talking conflict machine made entirely of character flaws. I love him.
He made of so many that Transformers animated was able to make several characters each with just one of Starscream’s flaw, and only scratched the surface.
The best thing about G1 Starscream is how he will claim leadership at any opportunity, even if Megatron is just mildly inconvenienced. He does it once when Megatron can't finish a sentence properly
Luke Jones yeah that sort of thing always confused me, cuz it's like any minor thing that happens to Megatron causes starscream to just leap on the chance to take over. it's like on the one hand starscream can be really smart, but other times just really stupid, it's like his impatience and his ambitions supercede his common sense.
I think the point is that Megatron was malfunctioning. If a human stumbles on their words, it happens all the time (if it didn't, my kids would have overthrown me many times over). But a highly advanced robot doesn't have problems finishing a sentence without some kind of glitch. Or Starscream will do and claim anything to become leader... Or maybe it's just a silly kids' show....
When I was a kid I drew a big heart in my diary and wrote in it “Starscream is my transformer boyfriend” and my mom and brother found it. I’m glad I’m not the only one who loved him 😂
277imperator I like to think my tastes have evolved these past ten years (but then again I guess not too much, I got cheated on in my last relationship lmao)
Megatron keeps backstabber Starscream around, because all Decepticons are backstabbers; they are called "Decepticons" after all. All of them would kill Megatron to become leader if a good opportunity presents itself, Starscream is just a lot less subtle about it. So by keeping him around Megatron reminds himself that he always needs to be vigilant. Also, every other Decepticon who wants to be leader has to get rid of Starscream first, because Starscream would shoot them in the back the moment they manage to kill Megatron. So by keeping Starscream around, Megatron only needs to worry about one Decepticon and not all of them.
Reminds me of something a certain pirate once said. Namely: "...[A] dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly. It's the honest ones you want to watch out for, because you can never predict when they're going to do something incredibly...stupid.”
There are probably other characters with the same shtick that came before but he's definitely the clearest and most popular so it's fair that the trope would be named after him
@@mechamonkeymancityboat7785 Indeed. Before and after Starscream, there have been lots and lots of fictional characters and even real people who always have wanted to betray the boss and take command, some succesful, some others not. But as a teacher of mine says: "Is not always about being the first, sometimes is about being the one who makes the most noise about." Starscream is so iconic in that cathegory he's probably is the one who popularized the type of character and even helped it to codify it in modern types.
@@clownplayer7265 Honestly the whole concept sounds pretty Shakespearean, especially if you consider something like a political power struggle ala Titus Andronicus. It’s really more of an extension of the “weedy little parasite kissing up to the head honcho” trope.
@@clownplayer7265 Honestly the whole concept sounds pretty Shakespearean, especially if you consider something like a political power struggle ala Titus Andronicus. It’s really more of an extension of the “weedy little parasite kissing up to the head honcho” trope.
There actually IS a good reason Starscream is second in command, and it's touched on A TINY BIT in the original cartoon, and elaborated on in the comics: Basically, Megatron knows EXACTLY how duplicitous Starscream is, and Megatron keeps him there to keep his own skills as leader of the Decepticons as sharp as possible. Basically, a continual trial by fire, and if the day ever comes when Starscream succeeds, that will simply mean Megatron's own skills will have dulled to the point where he's no longer fit to rule anyway. I mean, it's kinda duct-taped together and doesn't make much sense on retrospect, but as far as G1 Megs/Starscream, that's the best we've got. Again, the more recent comics elaborate on this to much greater effect
I think I preferred that time when Megatron lampshaded it in the comics. "*Why?* That's what they all asked me. Why him... why *Starscream?* Why, of all the Decepticons, did I decide to revitalize the one whose record of deceit and betrayal is *legend?* Because I'm an *idiot*, that's why!"
To me, the dishonesty and craving for power seemed very descriptive of decepticons as a whole (it's IN THEIR NAME), so it stood to reason that Megatron, who is simply stronger and more ruthless than others, would keep the most... deceptive one as his second in command. But then i was probably 7 back then. Also there is a saying "keep your friends close and enemies closer", so at least someone has their eye on that loose cannon.
*Decepticon Mook 1*: "Megatron, why do you keep Starscream around when he's obviously trying to usurp you?" *Megatron*: "Because he's got a little thing called 'Initiative', something about which you know nothing!!"
Sometimes I feel cartoon villains on a personal basis. Surrounded by idiots, i keep even the guys that try to remove me from my position because at the very least they're working towards a goal. Tried to fire idiots, only to replace them with other idiots. Tried to work on idiots so they can become decent, so they actually just leave with their newly found skills. Tried to work on other idiots, they just feel like they can manage all of the place now.
Why would Megatron have serial backstabber Starscream as his second in command? BECAUSE HE'S SO VERY BAD AT IT! Seriously, would you really want to replace him with someone who might actually be competent enough to stab you in the back successfully?
[Starscream approaches Megatron carrying a tea set on a platter] Starscream: MORE POISON, I MEAN TEA? Megatron: Don't mind if I do! [Megatron grabs a cup and brings it to his lips to drink, he stops in a moment of contemplation] Megatron: Heh, you almost had me there! [Megatron grabs an umbrella from beside his chair and whacks Starscream on the head. Starscream makes several noises of distress before toppling over. Laugh track, roll credits.]
I'm pretty sure Megatron keeps Starscream because: 1. He is less threatening on the inside than outside or, Primus forbid, with the Autobots. 2. He basically is a living shield from other traitors, since the second you managed to get rid of Megatron, Starscream will materialize right behind you with a gun pointed at you and since you wouldn't want that, you have to try harder to take over and Megatron only has to deal with Screamer now, who he knows not to trust too much.
Prime Starscream immediately caught my attention. His design was great, his voice was amazing, overall he was a threat and an idiot at the same time. He's still one of my favorites.
Sometime, when re-watching G1 as an adult, I had an epiphany to what might be another of Starscream's appealing aspects and the "subtle cleverness" of G1 that you referred to. Starscream, almost functions like a constant in-joke to the Saturday Morning Cartoon formula itself. And by that formula, I mean the ol' "good guys always win, bad guys always lose". He must have been the only character in almost any cartoon I can think of (that follows that classic formula), who essentially questions "why are we all following the guy who always leads us to defeat?".
yeah, he's like that in a few versions. Armada's version also thought that Megatron was wasting resources and troops on the war, while the prime version straight-up asked Megatron if he'd lost his mind when he started messing around with Dark Energon and Terrorcons.
The problem is that Megatron is the strongest Decepticon and can kill everyone else. It gets worse when Galvatron comes back after the movie where the only thing saving the Decepticons from complete collapse and basically dying from starvation in Kaon is Galvatron's brutal might and Cyclonus being superior to Starscream as a second in command.
More politicians need to yell "You're either lying, or you're stupid!" more often when presenting facts to rebut blatantly false assertions made by their opponents.
Starscream has an embarrassing little brother called Icescream. Before the war on Cybertron, Icescream sold the best solid coolant cones on the planet. His transformation was an ice cream van. I wish this was cannon.
I like to think Slipstream (Female Starscream from Animated) represents his self-loathing. She's always the first to backtalk him, when she sees Optimus and thinks it's Starscream her first reaction is to try and blow him out of the sky, and her form is the most different from his, meaning she rejected his base form.
Peteman12 A lot of people I know see Slipstream is the fact that StarScream has always seemed a little femine. So that's where she comes from I dont know if I believe that but it does seem to match
I think if she was the self-loathing side of him she would be more to herself than to Starscream, just like his egocentric side was only egocentric to himself and not to the other clones, I always thought about she being the most perfect clone except by gender but I think she is the backstabber side of him because she would constantly backstab him, who was supposed to be the "leader" of them.
Technically I think Slipstream is kind of a reminder that Starscream was originally meant to be female. Bud Budiansky said he had given genders to the first Transformers and that some (not just one) were females (like Ratchet where it is written She on the original bio) but then was ordered to take out that idea since the direction wanted no girls. Starscream' original bio had the nickname Pretty Poison written on it (still visible in one of Shout! Factory's DVD featurettes) before they altered it to the less feminine Silver Snake. In the early eighties, for an american toy, Pretty Poison was pretty much a female nickname and they probably changed it once they took out the genders (and only put the genders back for the Movie but they didn't give it back to those who were originally created like that, except for Starscream's French version of the Movie where Starscream is a female). So I'm not sure what side of Starscream's personnality it's supposed to represent but the fact they made that one female comes from that story I think.
My favourite Starscream Megatron moment comes from the relatively recent comic series, during the crossover between Transformers: Robots in Disguise and Transformers: More than Meets the Eye. SPOILERS Around 30 issues in, the premise is basically AUTOBOTS WIN. VICTORY. After millennia of fighting, they score a decisive victory and Megatron is put on trial. Starscream at this point is the ruling king of Energon and is, relatively, on the good guys' side. Anyway, the trial begins and Megatron agrees (with Optimus) to not just denounce the Decepticons so that no stragglers will pick up where he left off, he also agrees to whatever fate the court system will put him to. Which, due to being on the losing side and killing so many, will obviously result in his death, but he's resigned to it. He's lost, nothing left to fight for, no point dragging this out for the winners. The trial begins and various bots all make a list of Megatron's war crimes, and he's just dejected and sort of regretting everything that he's done and the scale he's done it for. One by one named and unnamed characters make a list of his crimes. Cue King Starscream, who's like, I GOTTA GET IN ON THIS. He starts gloating about how he's so much better out of the Decepticons, that Megatron was a shit leader, that life will finally be good with him gone, etc etc etc. Megatron pauses, then asks for a recess. He goes to discuss with Optimus. "I changed my mind I want to repent." "What? Why?" "I want to honestly say that I regret things, and I kind of do, but mostly, I just don't want Starscream to have the last word over my life." AND SO MEGATRON'S AN AUTOBOT SINCE THEN and his adventures continue in the excellent More than Meets the Eye, where he's playing the wizened, regretful yet really dangerous former genocidal leader of the enemy. And it's a dynamic that works. Meanwhile Starscream is in the less good Robots in Disguise finding out that being a king kind of sucks and trying to be a genuinely good guy in his Starscream way. (More than Meets the Eye in particular is a good read, check it out if you can)
Seeker Starscream of Vos I stand up top in Vos proudly. I couldn’t handle all of Cybertron. I already get through one week slowly enough, I wouldn’t get through one day well. 😅
The movies are unmitigated junk. Every single thing about them is wrong. Only - bizarrely - the presence of Megan bloody Fox makes any sense, from the 80s authenticity side of things; "Hey, we're going to need an objectifiable chick, because money and because the 80s". "Why did you just specifically reference that decade? It was weird and clunky." "I just felt like, in case someone was reading a transcript of this conversation, sometime in the future, say a decade and a half from now... they might need some context to help out." "How did you get in here?"
Speaking of reconciling the silliness of Megatron tolerating Starscream's constant attempts at a coup, I liked the comic All Hail Megatron's take on it. The explanation there was that Megatron sees potential in Starscream and that he believes one day Starscream will be a worthy Decepticon leader, but that it'll be a position Starscream must earn through being stronger than Megatron, as opposed to simply by stabbing him in the back.
Starscream is hilarious, and I always thought that it was possible that the writers for Adventure Time took some inspiration from him in their conceptualization of Lemongrab, especially with his voice and mannerisms.
Rewatching this years after seeing it initially debut- and I didn't understand the hype as a 16 year old over Starscream? Now I'm in my 20s and I'm like. "Oh, I get it now. He's a giant loser." Easily my favorite of the decepticons, he's just trying his best.
@@ramenlover1696 I recently got back into the franchise after 10 years, and while Screamer is not my top favorite Decepticon (it's Soundwave for me), he's definitely a character I love and (playfully) hate at the same time.
Megatron has broken his fingernail! I, Starscream, am now your Leader! Decepticons, FOLLOW ME! LOLOLOLOL. For me, at least, what appealed most especially the early season 1 G1 cartoon, was the dynamic between Megatron and Starscream where Starscream would warn Megatron that something wasn't going to work, and Megatron did it anyway, and wonder of wonders, it didn't work. If I were Starscream and saw Megatron pigheadedly doing whatever just because reasons or spite, ignoring the Cassandra-warning, I'd want to take over (and think I'm vastly more competent than ol' buckethead), too!
69th like! And indeed! I told him in that one episode that they went to Cybertron, when Prime was dying. Me: “Hey let’s go in! We’ll win for sur-” MT: “Nah. We’ll be fine for now.” Me: “Ooohh-kaaayyy...” Later... Buckethead - Oh sorry; Megatron- : “Actually Starscream. Let’s do that thing you said we should do like, 20 takes ago, 30-45 minutes ago, was it?” Me: “We’re gonna get our afts handed to us, y-” BH: “Nonsense. We’re doing it, and we’ll be juuuusssstt fiiinne.” Me: “Is there even a name for what the fuck is *WRONG WITH YOU* ?!?”
When I was a little girl star scream was always my favourite, my mother’s as well. I had no idea he was such a chick magnet, but it all makes sense now.
In the Bay movies Megatron is more like Starscream than Starscream, sense he always tries to help stronger villains in exchange for power and he keeps coming back to life.
Exactly. You don't need to see the movies in order to know that the movie Transformers look like trash. I saw one of Michael Bay's Transformers movies.
Megatron: This guys a genius. He's captured most of our autobot enemies in just 2 days. Starscream: He's done more in 2 days than you've done in 2 years. Perhaps he should lead us. Megatron: GLOMP SMASH. HA HA HA LOL from the g1 cartoon.
Why Megatron keeps career backstabber Starscream as his second in command... you know, all Megs ever had to do was say something along the lines of "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer" to justify it.
Henry Hammond That is more or less the reasoning we get in Prime. Starscream has his uses when he's on your side, and while it's a dangerous game, it's even MORE dangerous to have him as your enemy as he's so unpredictable.
Well. that statement was gay, so i think you were correct in your figures lol Just fuckin with you, just not in a gay way! but in a happy gay way yes! I wish what i said was cannon.
When my son was aged 7 he was very clever and independent, always wanting to be in charge. We were watching G1 and he says to me "I'm like Starscream aren't I? Because I always want to be the boss but I'm not". Eight years later he's still clever and still trying to be the boss. My Masterpiece Starscream arrived in the post today. I wonder if there will be a power struggle.
4:41 I think Megatron not only keeps Starscream around, but as his second in command, BECAUSE he is honest about his backstabing ... and so very bad at it. Megatron can safely trust Starscream to be untrustworthy.
I think a Megatron (if I recall correctly, the one from your 'best' Starscream) once responds to his Decepticons asking him outright "Why do you keep him around?" and he answers "Because I KNOW he wants to try and double-cross me, as my second in command I can keep my eye on him." ... A bit paraphrased but it basically boiled down to Megatron just figuring that this is less hassle than having to have someone keep tabs on Starscream. And if I recall my old 80's box text for Starscreams toy right, he's also the most intelligent. He was a scientist or something in his past, he built the combaticons by hand and designed them to be a combiner team, and had the foresight to build in an escape-button... So yeah... Starscream aweseomeness.
Also I like IDW's explanation why Megs keeps Screamer around. He reminds him that he can't trust anyone around him. Its a nice bit of accidental foreshadowing for Megs realization that the cons have failed.
I always felt like Megatron keeps Starscream around to constantly make an example out of him, in-front of all the other Decepticons. (G1) With Megatron's megalomaniacle ego, he never for a second thinks Starscream could ever actually over power and/or over throw him. When you're the leader of a faction of powerful sentient robots whose very name is derived from the word "Deception", it's best to keep one nearby to kick around as a constant reminder to the others of what would happen if they were to decide to follow their inner thoughts. Because.....bad guys XD Great video btw. You're awesome. keep it up :D
There were fairly believable fan theories as to why Megatron was willing to keep Starscream around despite repeated betrayals, which hinged on the detail that Starscream wasn't particularly effective in his betrayals. Ultimately, at least until the movie, Starscream was a "safe" traitorous second-in-command, as he wasn't capable of holding power or loyalty and would also immediately buckle when faced by Megatron. Theory 1 was that Starscream, offscreen, was one the Decepticon's technical and/or scientific geniuses, who was potentially too valuable to cut despite his disloyalty. This theory in part comes from the belief that the original toys for the Decepticon jets had their Tech Specs mistakenly swapped, and that Starscream was meant to have been rated as having a 9 (out of 10) Intelligence. Theory 2 focuses more on that idea of being a "safe" traitorous second-in-command. Megatron knew that Starscream wasn't capable as a traitor. At the same time, Starscream was effectively be "loyal" in either controlling or usurping acts of disloyalty by others, as obviously Starscream didn't want others taking over the Decepticons. Starscream functioned as a magnet for discontent, and also as a deterrent (in that other Decepticons didn't necessarily *want* to align themselves with such a self-serving traitorous jerk.)
Also remember that Megatron is the leader simply because he was the strongest. The only time Starscream was successful at his betrayal was when Megatron was significantly weaker. In fact, the Decepticons as a whole turned on him because he was unfit to rule.
So, I was never into Transformers in any iteration, but watching this, I get the impression that people like Starscream because he's funny and pathetic. We love characters who make us laugh, and if they're so non-threatening and terrible at what they're doing, they become kind of cute, like a frustrated child.
"We love characters who make us laugh, and if they're ... terrible at what they're doing, they become kind of cute, like a frustrated child." Some people like politicians for the same reason.
Yes. I assume the joke is how Starscream angrily orders the Mino-cons to piss off, and then he gets broody and pouts "Even they have abandoned me now." Yeah no shit dummy, you just told them to leave you alone, what did you think was gonna happen?
Dude, you're nothing more than the punching bag of the Transformers franchise, people have been making fun of you for 3 decades, mainly cuz your're hopelessly incompetent, a giant pussy with shit aim and you tend to sound like a shrill old woman (or like an evil Spongebob). It's hard not to make fun of you ;)
And you evidently can't see when a person is joking around ;) And I actually like Starscream as a character for the very reasons I mentioned, since they are the main reasons people find him entertaining. And why are you talking like we have some kind of history or like you're giving yourself advice on how to "deal with trolls"? XD I don't think I'm the dense one here XD
He's an emotional pubescent child who doesn't understand why people don't like him when he tries to drive them off. I bet he collects fake swords and writes fan fiction about him basically being Goku and Neo at the same time.
Originally Starscream was intended to be voiced by a woman too but given the dynamic with Megatron they decided even in the 80's that the domestic abuse idea wasn't a good route to go...
I recall once Megatron asked himself why he keeps Starscream around after he always betrays him, to which he answers, "Why? Because I'm AN IDIOT that's why!"
My favourite Starscream is actually Tom Kenny's from Animated. He has the best balance between being a successful schemer and as comedy relief. He's also the most successful by default since he deposed of Megatron for the entire fist season. And I love that in this version Megatron basically gets rid of him immediately after coming back and doesn't take any shit from him. Steve Blum's Starscream from Prime would be my favourite if it wasn't for how inconsistent his depiction was. It was all good in the first season but by the time the second season came around it felt like the writers didn't know how to continue his arc from the first season where he left the Decepticons. So he'd go from extremely clever and devious in one episode to being completely incompetent and stupid the next. And then they wrote him back into the Decepticon team with the most contrived reason possible. That said he's still second best if only for how good the voice actor is, and it was great to see him return in the sequel show RID.
Beemanq Yeah while some of the writing for TFP Starscream could've been better, he's the only Starscream (bar Armada) to have underwent character development and actually grown as a character, especially by season 3 when he stopped trying to usurp Megatron, actually saved his life twice, and was legitimately anguished and upset when Megatron was killed. Also they did explain why TFP Starscream can be a moron at times-He is often overconfident in his abilities and lets his ego get to him (as Agent Fowler put it: Starscream's his own worst enemy) TFA Starscream on the other hand, while he's alright as far as TFA characters go (nowhere near as good as TF Optimus, Megatron, Jazz, Lockdown, and Swindle, but not terrible like TFA Bumblebee, Blackarachnia post her debut episode, TFA Bulkhead post season 1, Blitzwing, etc.) never underwent much (if any development), and by season 3 they clearly ran out of ideas for him when they kept him around as a shrieking hood ornament throughout the season and then finally gave him not one but two bodies in the finale, only to lose them both quickly and die.
Personal opinion i was actually line of mad with his story in RID. I mean yeah, his revenge is fine i guess, but killing off the predacons to try to keep things consistant like that was such a cheesy move. But... At least they broight him back. Just wish it had been in a better quality show i suppose.
"I've allowed you to carry on this long because I took a certain delight in witnessing your continous string of failures. But you've finally become tiresome. Predictable. You've hit rock bottom." "Master, please! Give me one more chance! I beg of you!" I will never stop loving that show.
I'm curious, after watching this I went back and started watching Transformers Prime. Would you ever consider going back and doing a retrospective look at Transformers Prime, especially in the ways it updated the content for a new audience whilst maintaining what made it what it was?
The design of the transformers in the movies is offensively unmemorable. This colour palette. This overcomplicated design. It hurts my eyes. You can't distinguish any of them from any of the others.
Honestly, when I saw still images of them, I thought “it’s not that bad. That new one, blackout, looks pretty cool.” And then a big fight scene would happen and I couldn’t tell which Decepticon was which half of the time.
I dunno, I kinda feel that Armada Starscream had a lot of character growth in any series. His relationship with Alexis kinda gave a degree of depth that kinda is a step above most other human/bot relationships in the majority of other media or iterations.
I once read the theory that Megatron keeps Starscream as his Second-in-Command because he is so incompetent. He knows, that even if Starscream usurps him when he is weakened, he can easily reclaim his position once he recovers and the Decepticons don't really respect Starscream enough to hold on to him. Any other Decepticon as Second-in-Command might probably be too successful and too popular as new leader and therefore a pain in the ass to fight.
But that directly contradicts Aligned canon. He explicitly lets Starscream because he's good at his job and implicitly because he's a convenient punching bag.
I'm a bit surprised she didn't take this chance to speak of the new StarScream in Robots In Disguise. He is technically a continuation of StarScream from Prime (Basically the same bot but not as fabulous looking as in Prime.) but still the same character.
DeathgGod Maybe but in the last year we had Robots In Disguise a new transformers show that had been on for almost a year it's already done its first season and is into the second season. All I'm saying that's alot to analyze and add to this discussion since she did not choose to discuss the DWI comics or Energon
He had a character arc! Development! Growth! He went from a preteen sulky gothboi to a conniving mastermind who outmaneuvered Megatron, Optimus, Unicron, and _Primus._
I love the armada starscream. He wanta to become the new leaderr of the decepticons but honourably by surpassing megatron . Meaning he is more of the next in line to lead instead of him wanting to take it. Also he becomes a autobot at the end for a short time because he became friends with a girl. Had the most character development in that show
Soundwave is awesome in Prime-verse. Every time he came on-screen in Prime, l smiled because I knew he was going to do something awesome. I think he probably could have led the 'cons if he wasn't so loyal to Megatron. Same of Shockwave (Shockwave is my absolute fave; perfect mix of badass and brilliant, if totally twisted.)
+Iaz kar I do not know about that; my favorite character was Arcee, (the blue Autobot who from the video who let Starscream go) but everybody has his own opinions
My favorite Starscream was the one in Transformers Cybertron. Where he took on all the Autobots by himself, used Optimus own weakness against him (by trying to kill some humans) to get the omega lock, and then grow to the size of a planet and fought against Primus, the god of all transformers.
Transformers prime was just a well done show period. The story holds up and the ending to the series was probably one of my favorite endings to an animated series of all time. It was just wrapped up really well, many shows either don't get the chance or don't even try to develop a good story and ending, transformers prime does
But...nothing even happened tho. Yeah events occured but none of them mattered. No one changed and no relationships developed in any meaningful way that wasn't "well i guess we're best friends now".
@@bluemonster5235 That didn't really matter too much at first because everyone knew each other. When the new guys came along they did build relationships with each other.
@@koolmckool7039 but it does matter, why were the autobots and the humans friends without anything to show for it? Is it just something thats supposed to be accepted as fact and thats it? Is that how transformer cartoons work: sometimes things happen in the show for no reason? And the new guys didnt even get all that much development either.
My theory for the ladies love for, stars cream because of the relationship between stars cream and Megatron, like a old married couple, I mean, Megatron never killed him, I think they complete each other.
I used to love transformers prime, it was kinda a big-ish part of my childhood. I ADORED starscream in that series, I always felt perpetually... sympathetic for him. I understood that he was a not-so-good person, but I still always felt a twinge of sympathy for his character.
Same. I thought Starscream was a funny, yet intimidating villain at first (mostly because he was the first bad guy I saw actually kill a good guy on screen), then he was less intimidating, but still hilarious. Then I was rooting for him to join to Autobots. When that didn't happen, I still kept rooting for him to survive until the end. Starscream was and will be my all-time favorite Decepticon (in case you're wondering, my favorite Autobot is Arcee).
i love a lot of the different iterations, but honestly my fave has got to be g1 starscream. like, megatron trips and hes like IM THE LEADER instantly. madlad
I know this is a super old video at this point (and that you don't touch on the comics at all here, so it's not entirely relevant), but after reading a few volumes of More Than Meets the Eye, I'd say that that comic is definitely the example of why the story of the Autobots and Decepticons IS worth retelling.
Lindsay reads MTMTE/LL - she did an article on it for TOR books in Jan 2015: www.tor.com/2015/01/12/the-best-sci-fi-adventure-you-didnt-read-in-2014-transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye/
Transformers: Prime starscream was always my favorite. It felt like Megatron had a reason to keep him around, and without looking stupid. Starscream only tried to overthrow Megatron when he was dead or badly injured. Overall, I feel like they did Starscream the most justice.
Before I knew this was a series, I thought you were calling Starscream a loose canon. The idea of Starscream and Megatron as a buddy-cop duo made me laugh for hours.
Starscream is legit MMMHmm- My most favorite and pretty much a majority of the fandom is TFP Starscream- I friggEN lOVE hIM. Especially the voice actor like dAMN. TFP Starscream is simply papi Starscream X'D
I love how Lindsay gives reference to her Nostalgia Chick days with the glasses and pigtails when talking about something in a much lighter hearted manner.
4:57 It's been, somewhat confirmed that the reason Megatron kept Starscream around was because he either liked Starscreams ambition but also because he wanted starscream as close to him as possible (keep your friends close and enemies closer sort of deal)
Transformers Animated Starscream was the first one I saw, and I liked him, he made sense, he actually kinda managed to assassinate megatron at the start of the series. And we get to see starscream leading the decepticons for awhile. Fortunately, or, unfortunately, Megatron got better.
"Leave me alone!"
*the Minicons leave him alone*
"Even the minicons have abandoned me."
Starscream is brilliant. Great video, very entertaining
Nah, he`s just a stereotypical angsty weeaboo. Unfortunately, teen girls tend to like these sorts of character cuz they think that someone constantly whining "Leave me alone! Nobody understands me!" makes them deep and complex.
Dank Starscream Starscreams! So many Starscreams! Which is the real one?
starscreams, starscreams, calm down.
@@BasedVegeta you were better in Cybertron.
honestly starscream’s just.... fun? he doesn’t make much SENSE, but he’s a walking talking conflict machine made entirely of character flaws. I love him.
He’s such a little fucker, you can’t help but like him
He made of so many that Transformers animated was able to make several characters each with just one of Starscream’s flaw, and only scratched the surface.
The best thing about G1 Starscream is how he will claim leadership at any opportunity, even if Megatron is just mildly inconvenienced. He does it once when Megatron can't finish a sentence properly
You lost your voice. THAT MAKES ME LEADER OF THE DECEPTICONS!
megatron: *falls on his ass*
starscream: THAT MAKES ME THE NEW LEADER!!!
Luke Jones Megatron sneezed. Guess that makes Starscream the new leader
Luke Jones yeah that sort of thing always confused me, cuz it's like any minor thing that happens to Megatron causes starscream to just leap on the chance to take over. it's like on the one hand starscream can be really smart, but other times just really stupid, it's like his impatience and his ambitions supercede his common sense.
Megatron: needs help opening a pickle jar
Starscream: MEGATRON IS WEAK, I LEAD SHALL NOW LEAD THE DECEPTICONS
Megatron: **drops a book**
Starscream: _I LEAD THE DECEPTICONS NOW_
Megatron: Say sike right now
Kohl R. No!
Sounds like me as a sparkling. ✨ I have no shame. ÙwÚ
Kohl R. To follow the human trend on memes;
*Sike!*
Hi Milky way, How's the black hole inside you?
There's something hilarious but kind of charming in "he lost his voice I guess I rule the world now". Kid show logic is a beautiful thing
I think the point is that Megatron was malfunctioning. If a human stumbles on their words, it happens all the time (if it didn't, my kids would have overthrown me many times over). But a highly advanced robot doesn't have problems finishing a sentence without some kind of glitch. Or Starscream will do and claim anything to become leader... Or maybe it's just a silly kids' show....
Megatron would not be able to continue as the leader of the Decepticons if he cant communicate with anybody anymore.
Kids didn't write that drek; Adults who assume kids are blasted stupid wrote it.
I like when I was younger. It was funny.
Nate Schultz Adults who wrote for a toy commercial who didn’t assume they needed complex stories for said toy commercial
When I was a kid I drew a big heart in my diary and wrote in it “Starscream is my transformer boyfriend” and my mom and brother found it. I’m glad I’m not the only one who loved him 😂
But why would you want to be in a relationship with him? He would betray you!
277imperator I like to think my tastes have evolved these past ten years (but then again I guess not too much, I got cheated on in my last relationship lmao)
Ay ima man but i would date starscream as Well
Right? And now I am in a fictional relationship with Loki. Am I the only one who felt personally attacked by this video, lol?!?
*Stares at her Grimlock Pillow* Huh, I really DID like bimbos all along
Megatron keeps backstabber Starscream around, because all Decepticons are backstabbers; they are called "Decepticons" after all. All of them would kill Megatron to become leader if a good opportunity presents itself, Starscream is just a lot less subtle about it. So by keeping him around Megatron reminds himself that he always needs to be vigilant. Also, every other Decepticon who wants to be leader has to get rid of Starscream first, because Starscream would shoot them in the back the moment they manage to kill Megatron. So by keeping Starscream around, Megatron only needs to worry about one Decepticon and not all of them.
Schwarzer Ritter oh man, that's actually really clever, I hadn't thought of it that way
That is pure brilliance.
Schwarzer Ritter like the sith but sith masters are most deceptive unlike Megatron
That's always how I looked at it. Well, since I was old enough to look at it with more complexity than "Well, they're both in the bad guys' team."
Reminds me of something a certain pirate once said. Namely:
"...[A] dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly. It's the honest ones you want to watch out for, because you can never predict when they're going to do something incredibly...stupid.”
Funniest thing about Starscream is that he became a character type/trope.
Starscream is so popular he created a character type. Himself.
@@thejosesarangoproject5700 King Starscream.
King of the Starscream character trope
There are probably other characters with the same shtick that came before but he's definitely the clearest and most popular so it's fair that the trope would be named after him
@@mechamonkeymancityboat7785
Indeed.
Before and after Starscream, there have been lots and lots of fictional characters and even real people who always have wanted to betray the boss and take command, some succesful, some others not.
But as a teacher of mine says: "Is not always about being the first, sometimes is about being the one who makes the most noise about." Starscream is so iconic in that cathegory he's probably is the one who popularized the type of character and even helped it to codify it in modern types.
@@clownplayer7265 Honestly the whole concept sounds pretty Shakespearean, especially if you consider something like a political power struggle ala Titus Andronicus. It’s really more of an extension of the “weedy little parasite kissing up to the head honcho” trope.
@@clownplayer7265 Honestly the whole concept sounds pretty Shakespearean, especially if you consider something like a political power struggle ala Titus Andronicus. It’s really more of an extension of the “weedy little parasite kissing up to the head honcho” trope.
There actually IS a good reason Starscream is second in command, and it's touched on A TINY BIT in the original cartoon, and elaborated on in the comics:
Basically, Megatron knows EXACTLY how duplicitous Starscream is, and Megatron keeps him there to keep his own skills as leader of the Decepticons as sharp as possible. Basically, a continual trial by fire, and if the day ever comes when Starscream succeeds, that will simply mean Megatron's own skills will have dulled to the point where he's no longer fit to rule anyway.
I mean, it's kinda duct-taped together and doesn't make much sense on retrospect, but as far as G1 Megs/Starscream, that's the best we've got. Again, the more recent comics elaborate on this to much greater effect
Jebediah Humperdink "you will attack me when and where I least expect it."
I think I preferred that time when Megatron lampshaded it in the comics.
"*Why?* That's what they all asked me. Why him... why *Starscream?* Why, of all the Decepticons, did I decide to revitalize the one whose record of deceit and betrayal is *legend?* Because I'm an *idiot*, that's why!"
Jebediah Humperdink except when he killed starscream in movie but that's kinda justified
Kinda like the Rule of Two, actually. And not a lick more sensible.
To me, the dishonesty and craving for power seemed very descriptive of decepticons as a whole (it's IN THEIR NAME), so it stood to reason that Megatron, who is simply stronger and more ruthless than others, would keep the most... deceptive one as his second in command. But then i was probably 7 back then. Also there is a saying "keep your friends close and enemies closer", so at least someone has their eye on that loose cannon.
Megatron went to the restroom, I'm the leader now!
Love the original transformers cartoon have the dvds
Isn't that... his job??? He's the second in command... so when Megs isn't around... he's in charge??? Like that's how command structures work lol.
Lmfao
YES
Seriously, this was Starscream too many times. How did any Decepticon take him seriously?
*Decepticon Mook 1*: "Megatron, why do you keep Starscream around when he's obviously trying to usurp you?"
*Megatron*: "Because he's got a little thing called 'Initiative', something about which you know nothing!!"
Sometimes I feel cartoon villains on a personal basis. Surrounded by idiots, i keep even the guys that try to remove me from my position because at the very least they're working towards a goal. Tried to fire idiots, only to replace them with other idiots. Tried to work on idiots so they can become decent, so they actually just leave with their newly found skills. Tried to work on other idiots, they just feel like they can manage all of the place now.
Truth. Thank you. ✨✨✨
Why would Megatron have serial backstabber Starscream as his second in command?
BECAUSE HE'S SO VERY BAD AT IT!
Seriously, would you really want to replace him with someone who might actually be competent enough to stab you in the back successfully?
[Starscream approaches Megatron carrying a tea set on a platter]
Starscream: MORE POISON, I MEAN TEA?
Megatron: Don't mind if I do!
[Megatron grabs a cup and brings it to his lips to drink, he stops in a moment of contemplation]
Megatron: Heh, you almost had me there!
[Megatron grabs an umbrella from beside his chair and whacks Starscream on the head. Starscream makes several noises of distress before toppling over. Laugh track, roll credits.]
I'm pretty sure Megatron keeps Starscream because:
1. He is less threatening on the inside than outside or, Primus forbid, with the Autobots.
2. He basically is a living shield from other traitors, since the second you managed to get rid of Megatron, Starscream will materialize right behind you with a gun pointed at you and since you wouldn't want that, you have to try harder to take over and Megatron only has to deal with Screamer now, who he knows not to trust too much.
Leave that up to Shockwave.
I liked Starscream because he turned into a jet
Wasn't that like half the Decepticons? I seem to remember a lot of jets.
Curt Clark yeah but he had THE jet.
Curt Clark thundercracker skywarp starscream
kanga loo Thrust, Dirge, Cyclonus, Ramjet, etc
Acid storm, sunstorm, triggerhappy, misfire, slugslinger
Prime Starscream immediately caught my attention. His design was great, his voice was amazing, overall he was a threat and an idiot at the same time. He's still one of my favorites.
He has Heels, I love him 😂
If you think about it, Starscream helps every single faction and plays every angle by the end of the show.
Sometime, when re-watching G1 as an adult, I had an epiphany to what might be another of Starscream's appealing aspects and the "subtle cleverness" of G1 that you referred to. Starscream, almost functions like a constant in-joke to the Saturday Morning Cartoon formula itself. And by that formula, I mean the ol' "good guys always win, bad guys always lose". He must have been the only character in almost any cartoon I can think of (that follows that classic formula), who essentially questions "why are we all following the guy who always leads us to defeat?".
yeah, he's like that in a few versions. Armada's version also thought that Megatron was wasting resources and troops on the war, while the prime version straight-up asked Megatron if he'd lost his mind when he started messing around with Dark Energon and Terrorcons.
well said!
The problem is that Megatron is the strongest Decepticon and can kill everyone else. It gets worse when Galvatron comes back after the movie where the only thing saving the Decepticons from complete collapse and basically dying from starvation in Kaon is Galvatron's brutal might and Cyclonus being superior to Starscream as a second in command.
This guy gets it.
Son of a bitch.
More politicians need to yell "You're either lying, or you're stupid!" more often when presenting facts to rebut blatantly false assertions made by their opponents.
Starscream has an embarrassing little brother called Icescream. Before the war on Cybertron, Icescream sold the best solid coolant cones on the planet. His transformation was an ice cream van.
I wish this was cannon.
Hahaha! Actually that’s very funny! But, unlike many seekers, I’m an only child.
Transformers CoffeeShop!AU, anyone?
Lol
It is in my heart
Damn...
The line "Even the minicons have abandoned me now" about made me lose my mind laughing
I openly laughed at that. So funny! XD
Every time my mom tells me to leave her alone i immediately respond "...even the minicons have abandoned me now"
It makes more sense in the Japanese where Starscream doesn't say "leave me alone" but just tells them to be quiet.
The buildup of him constantly saying he wants to be left alone makes it even funnier.
Transformers: Prime Starscream
"They tried to put me in the cover of Vogue, but my legs were too long."
Megatron over sleeps
Starscream: MEGATRON IS DEAD!
I like to think Slipstream (Female Starscream from Animated) represents his self-loathing. She's always the first to backtalk him, when she sees Optimus and thinks it's Starscream her first reaction is to try and blow him out of the sky, and her form is the most different from his, meaning she rejected his base form.
Peteman12 A lot of people I know see Slipstream is the fact that StarScream has always seemed a little femine. So that's where she comes from I dont know if I believe that but it does seem to match
I think if she was the self-loathing side of him she would be more to herself than to Starscream, just like his egocentric side was only egocentric to himself and not to the other clones, I always thought about she being the most perfect clone except by gender but I think she is the backstabber side of him because she would constantly backstab him, who was supposed to be the "leader" of them.
Technically I think Slipstream is kind of a reminder that Starscream was originally meant to be female. Bud Budiansky said he had given genders to the first Transformers and that some (not just one) were females (like Ratchet where it is written She on the original bio) but then was ordered to take out that idea since the direction wanted no girls. Starscream' original bio had the nickname Pretty Poison written on it (still visible in one of Shout! Factory's DVD featurettes) before they altered it to the less feminine Silver Snake. In the early eighties, for an american toy, Pretty Poison was pretty much a female nickname and they probably changed it once they took out the genders (and only put the genders back for the Movie but they didn't give it back to those who were originally created like that, except for Starscream's French version of the Movie where Starscream is a female). So I'm not sure what side of Starscream's personnality it's supposed to represent but the fact they made that one female comes from that story I think.
Peteman12 makes sense
Peteman12
I always thought Slipstream representes Starscream's intelligence
Prime Starscream is my favourite, he’s got the greatest high heels I’ve ever seen
Same
Same here!
He was only out-fabbed by Knock Out.
@@affsteak3530 Your right
My favourite Starscream Megatron moment comes from the relatively recent comic series, during the crossover between Transformers: Robots in Disguise and Transformers: More than Meets the Eye.
SPOILERS
Around 30 issues in, the premise is basically AUTOBOTS WIN. VICTORY. After millennia of fighting, they score a decisive victory and Megatron is put on trial. Starscream at this point is the ruling king of Energon and is, relatively, on the good guys' side.
Anyway, the trial begins and Megatron agrees (with Optimus) to not just denounce the Decepticons so that no stragglers will pick up where he left off, he also agrees to whatever fate the court system will put him to. Which, due to being on the losing side and killing so many, will obviously result in his death, but he's resigned to it. He's lost, nothing left to fight for, no point dragging this out for the winners.
The trial begins and various bots all make a list of Megatron's war crimes, and he's just dejected and sort of regretting everything that he's done and the scale he's done it for. One by one named and unnamed characters make a list of his crimes.
Cue King Starscream, who's like, I GOTTA GET IN ON THIS. He starts gloating about how he's so much better out of the Decepticons, that Megatron was a shit leader, that life will finally be good with him gone, etc etc etc.
Megatron pauses, then asks for a recess.
He goes to discuss with Optimus.
"I changed my mind I want to repent."
"What? Why?"
"I want to honestly say that I regret things, and I kind of do, but mostly, I just don't want Starscream to have the last word over my life."
AND SO MEGATRON'S AN AUTOBOT SINCE THEN and his adventures continue in the excellent More than Meets the Eye, where he's playing the wizened, regretful yet really dangerous former genocidal leader of the enemy. And it's a dynamic that works. Meanwhile Starscream is in the less good Robots in Disguise finding out that being a king kind of sucks and trying to be a genuinely good guy in his Starscream way.
(More than Meets the Eye in particular is a good read, check it out if you can)
My lord that's brilliant! Kinda wish they'd make an OVA or something based on the story. I'll definitely check it out once I get the chance :)
I also liked Starscream in All Hail Megatron. The dynamic between him and Megs was really good, in my opinion.
My favourite moment was "I am the leader of the future" to which Megatron shoots him down with "You? You couldn't lead androids to a picnic!"
"I don't want that guy to have the final say over my life" is a redemption moment I think more stories should use because that is so relatable
Seeker Starscream of Vos I stand up top in Vos proudly. I couldn’t handle all of Cybertron. I already get through one week slowly enough, I wouldn’t get through one day well. 😅
Damn, did they ever take one of the sleekest looking character models and turn him into a slice of shrapnel pie for the movies.
The movies are unmitigated junk. Every single thing about them is wrong. Only - bizarrely - the presence of Megan bloody Fox makes any sense, from the 80s authenticity side of things; "Hey, we're going to need an objectifiable chick, because money and because the 80s". "Why did you just specifically reference that decade? It was weird and clunky." "I just felt like, in case someone was reading a transcript of this conversation, sometime in the future, say a decade and a half from now... they might need some context to help out." "How did you get in here?"
The movie designs are all so bad and anonymous.
Speaking of reconciling the silliness of Megatron tolerating Starscream's constant attempts at a coup, I liked the comic All Hail Megatron's take on it. The explanation there was that Megatron sees potential in Starscream and that he believes one day Starscream will be a worthy Decepticon leader, but that it'll be a position Starscream must earn through being stronger than Megatron, as opposed to simply by stabbing him in the back.
Starscream becomes freshly entertaining once you frame the teams of Transformers as children playing "robot war clubhouse" It explains so much.
?
YES.
Starscream is hilarious, and I always thought that it was possible that the writers for Adventure Time took some inspiration from him in their conceptualization of Lemongrab, especially with his voice and mannerisms.
Unacceptable!
Also that's a great idea.
UNACceptaBLEEEEE
Amy Evans yeah but where starscream was funny lemongrab was just annoying and sad
Rewatching this years after seeing it initially debut- and I didn't understand the hype as a 16 year old over Starscream? Now I'm in my 20s and I'm like. "Oh, I get it now. He's a giant loser." Easily my favorite of the decepticons, he's just trying his best.
Same, glad someone else came back to appreciate this
@@ramenlover1696 I recently got back into the franchise after 10 years, and while Screamer is not my top favorite Decepticon (it's Soundwave for me), he's definitely a character I love and (playfully) hate at the same time.
Megatron has broken his fingernail! I, Starscream, am now your Leader! Decepticons, FOLLOW ME! LOLOLOLOL. For me, at least, what appealed most especially the early season 1 G1 cartoon, was the dynamic between Megatron and Starscream where Starscream would warn Megatron that something wasn't going to work, and Megatron did it anyway, and wonder of wonders, it didn't work. If I were Starscream and saw Megatron pigheadedly doing whatever just because reasons or spite, ignoring the Cassandra-warning, I'd want to take over (and think I'm vastly more competent than ol' buckethead), too!
69th like! And indeed! I told him in that one episode that they went to Cybertron, when Prime was dying.
Me: “Hey let’s go in! We’ll win for sur-”
MT: “Nah. We’ll be fine for now.”
Me: “Ooohh-kaaayyy...”
Later...
Buckethead - Oh sorry; Megatron- : “Actually Starscream. Let’s do that thing you said we should do like, 20 takes ago, 30-45 minutes ago, was it?”
Me: “We’re gonna get our afts handed to us, y-”
BH: “Nonsense. We’re doing it, and we’ll be juuuusssstt fiiinne.”
Me: “Is there even a name for what the fuck is *WRONG WITH YOU* ?!?”
@@starscreamofvos6419 Very underrated.
When I was a little girl star scream was always my favourite, my mother’s as well. I had no idea he was such a chick magnet, but it all makes sense now.
In the Bay movies Megatron is more like Starscream than Starscream, sense he always tries to help stronger villains in exchange for power and he keeps coming back to life.
Those movies are so fucking bad I can't believe.
@@KrillLiberator They're basically CGI spectacles with annoying live action people in between. It's Michael Bay after all.
Damn. This reminds me of why I hated the Bay movies. The Decepticons mostly look the same, and they all look like garbage.
Exactly. You don't need to see the movies in order to know that the movie Transformers look like trash.
I saw one of Michael Bay's Transformers movies.
Travis Knight did better with his recent Bumblebee movie. It was pretty good from some one who did stop motion movies a lot.
"I'm stupid, I'm stupid!!!" Ha, love it
i need that clip, best quote ever
kcheaden T__T why just why I am not stupid
Megatron: This guys a genius. He's captured most of our autobot enemies in just 2 days.
Starscream: He's done more in 2 days than you've done in 2 years. Perhaps he should lead us.
Megatron: GLOMP SMASH. HA HA HA LOL from the g1 cartoon.
Well as why the Urban Dictionary describe Starscream, he known as; Megatron’s Bitch
Now I know why.....
Why Megatron keeps career backstabber Starscream as his second in command... you know, all Megs ever had to do was say something along the lines of "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer" to justify it.
Henry Hammond That is more or less the reasoning we get in Prime. Starscream has his uses when he's on your side, and while it's a dangerous game, it's even MORE dangerous to have him as your enemy as he's so unpredictable.
You've failed me for the last time, Starscream! Again!
I am the leader of the Decepticons now, Megatron! Again!
Haven't watched the video in full but i just want to say that Starscream made me realise I was gay
Like, gay in general, or gay specifically for giant robots?
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
"... Starscream made me realise I was gay"
I don't know what that means.
Are you male or female?
That’s just dumb
Well. that statement was gay, so i think you were correct in your figures lol
Just fuckin with you, just not in a gay way! but in a happy gay way yes!
I wish what i said was cannon.
wait, how were YOU playing with the toy?
When my son was aged 7 he was very clever and independent, always wanting to be in charge. We were watching G1 and he says to me "I'm like Starscream aren't I? Because I always want to be the boss but I'm not".
Eight years later he's still clever and still trying to be the boss.
My Masterpiece Starscream arrived in the post today. I wonder if there will be a power struggle.
4:41 I think Megatron not only keeps Starscream around, but as his second in command, BECAUSE he is honest about his backstabing ... and so very bad at it.
Megatron can safely trust Starscream to be untrustworthy.
Whoever added these subtitles is amazing
7:28 "Starscream star-screaming" lmao
Lol thanks. I had a lot of fun with the captions on Lindsay's channel
I think a Megatron (if I recall correctly, the one from your 'best' Starscream) once responds to his Decepticons asking him outright "Why do you keep him around?" and he answers "Because I KNOW he wants to try and double-cross me, as my second in command I can keep my eye on him." ... A bit paraphrased but it basically boiled down to Megatron just figuring that this is less hassle than having to have someone keep tabs on Starscream.
And if I recall my old 80's box text for Starscreams toy right, he's also the most intelligent. He was a scientist or something in his past, he built the combaticons by hand and designed them to be a combiner team, and had the foresight to build in an escape-button... So yeah... Starscream aweseomeness.
Also I like IDW's explanation why Megs keeps Screamer around. He reminds him that he can't trust anyone around him. Its a nice bit of accidental foreshadowing for Megs realization that the cons have failed.
hey, it's not just the ladies who love starscream!
Hey starscream!!!
Shouldn't you be leading the Decepticons? I hear Megatron lost a contact lense.
Dank Starscream I loooovvvee you Screamy! 😍😍😍💘
Try reading IDW's
"Till all are one"
You will start to feel sorry for star scream by the end of the comic.
What happens
Dude, I loved what IDW comics did with Starscream.
@@turtleanton6539 read it
I always felt like Megatron keeps Starscream around to constantly make an example out of him, in-front of all the other Decepticons. (G1)
With Megatron's megalomaniacle ego, he never for a second thinks Starscream could ever actually over power and/or over throw him.
When you're the leader of a faction of powerful sentient robots whose very name is derived from the word "Deception", it's best to keep one nearby to kick around as a constant reminder to the others of what would happen if they were to decide to follow their inner thoughts. Because.....bad guys XD
Great video btw. You're awesome. keep it up :D
He’s if Cersei Lanaster was Michael Scott.
There were fairly believable fan theories as to why Megatron was willing to keep Starscream around despite repeated betrayals, which hinged on the detail that Starscream wasn't particularly effective in his betrayals. Ultimately, at least until the movie, Starscream was a "safe" traitorous second-in-command, as he wasn't capable of holding power or loyalty and would also immediately buckle when faced by Megatron.
Theory 1 was that Starscream, offscreen, was one the Decepticon's technical and/or scientific geniuses, who was potentially too valuable to cut despite his disloyalty. This theory in part comes from the belief that the original toys for the Decepticon jets had their Tech Specs mistakenly swapped, and that Starscream was meant to have been rated as having a 9 (out of 10) Intelligence.
Theory 2 focuses more on that idea of being a "safe" traitorous second-in-command. Megatron knew that Starscream wasn't capable as a traitor. At the same time, Starscream was effectively be "loyal" in either controlling or usurping acts of disloyalty by others, as obviously Starscream didn't want others taking over the Decepticons. Starscream functioned as a magnet for discontent, and also as a deterrent (in that other Decepticons didn't necessarily *want* to align themselves with such a self-serving traitorous jerk.)
Also remember that Megatron is the leader simply because he was the strongest. The only time Starscream was successful at his betrayal was when Megatron was significantly weaker. In fact, the Decepticons as a whole turned on him because he was unfit to rule.
haha...jesus of the series... he died for our screams.
So, I was never into Transformers in any iteration, but watching this, I get the impression that people like Starscream because he's funny and pathetic. We love characters who make us laugh, and if they're so non-threatening and terrible at what they're doing, they become kind of cute, like a frustrated child.
Non-threatening? Starscream is a psychopath and a gleeful murderer. Is Joker from Batman non-threatening?
"We love characters who make us laugh, and if they're ... terrible at what they're doing, they become kind of cute, like a frustrated child."
Some people like politicians for the same reason.
@Beemanq Hardly, hes obviously talking about Trump. Kekistan loves him for the trolling aspects alone.
@The Dude Abides Sometimes, Starscream is literally more useful to the side he isn't on
Man do I love Screamboi
I DONT NEED YOUR SYMPATHY. LEAVE ME ALONE.
EVEN THE MINI-CONS HAVE ABANDONED ME NOW. was that meant to be funny?
Yes. I assume the joke is how Starscream angrily orders the Mino-cons to piss off, and then he gets broody and pouts "Even they have abandoned me now." Yeah no shit dummy, you just told them to leave you alone, what did you think was gonna happen?
Dude, you're nothing more than the punching bag of the Transformers franchise, people have been making fun of you for 3 decades, mainly cuz your're hopelessly incompetent, a giant pussy with shit aim and you tend to sound like a shrill old woman (or like an evil Spongebob). It's hard not to make fun of you ;)
And you evidently can't see when a person is joking around ;) And I actually like Starscream as a character for the very reasons I mentioned, since they are the main reasons people find him entertaining.
And why are you talking like we have some kind of history or like you're giving yourself advice on how to "deal with trolls"? XD I don't think I'm the dense one here XD
He's called 'Dank Starscream', so I know where my money is.
He's an emotional pubescent child who doesn't understand why people don't like him when he tries to drive them off. I bet he collects fake swords and writes fan fiction about him basically being Goku and Neo at the same time.
Starscream.... the original Assistant TO THE Regional Manager.
women like starscream because he has a woman-coded narrative and i think the genderbent starscream in animated was kinda a nod to that lmao
As much as people keep going on about whatever theory they have, I'm pretty sure Slipstream was supposed to be his feminine side.
@Jett Lucas Hayes Oh god I would love it so much if Starscream were a trans man this whole time. That would be amazing.
@Jett Lucas Hayes or starscream is a hermaphrodite. (It's stupid, I know 😑)
@@effluviah7544 I agree
Originally Starscream was intended to be voiced by a woman too but given the dynamic with Megatron they decided even in the 80's that the domestic abuse idea wasn't a good route to go...
I recall once Megatron asked himself why he keeps Starscream around after he always betrays him, to which he answers, "Why? Because I'm AN IDIOT that's why!"
My favourite Starscream is actually Tom Kenny's from Animated. He has the best balance between being a successful schemer and as comedy relief. He's also the most successful by default since he deposed of Megatron for the entire fist season. And I love that in this version Megatron basically gets rid of him immediately after coming back and doesn't take any shit from him.
Steve Blum's Starscream from Prime would be my favourite if it wasn't for how inconsistent his depiction was. It was all good in the first season but by the time the second season came around it felt like the writers didn't know how to continue his arc from the first season where he left the Decepticons. So he'd go from extremely clever and devious in one episode to being completely incompetent and stupid the next. And then they wrote him back into the Decepticon team with the most contrived reason possible.
That said he's still second best if only for how good the voice actor is, and it was great to see him return in the sequel show RID.
Starscream from Prime is without a shadow of a doubt my favorite Transformer EVER. Just loved following that character in his own adventures.
Really? What about Armada's?
Beemanq Yeah while some of the writing for TFP Starscream could've been better, he's the only Starscream (bar Armada) to have underwent character development and actually grown as a character, especially by season 3 when he stopped trying to usurp Megatron, actually saved his life twice, and was legitimately anguished and upset when Megatron was killed. Also they did explain why TFP Starscream can be a moron at times-He is often overconfident in his abilities and lets his ego get to him (as Agent Fowler put it: Starscream's his own worst enemy)
TFA Starscream on the other hand, while he's alright as far as TFA characters go (nowhere near as good as TF Optimus, Megatron, Jazz, Lockdown, and Swindle, but not terrible like TFA Bumblebee, Blackarachnia post her debut episode, TFA Bulkhead post season 1, Blitzwing, etc.) never underwent much (if any development), and by season 3 they clearly ran out of ideas for him when they kept him around as a shrieking hood ornament throughout the season and then finally gave him not one but two bodies in the finale, only to lose them both quickly and die.
Personal opinion i was actually line of mad with his story in RID. I mean yeah, his revenge is fine i guess, but killing off the predacons to try to keep things consistant like that was such a cheesy move.
But... At least they broight him back. Just wish it had been in a better quality show i suppose.
George Daugherty Nah soundwave from prime is the best
I love how prime megatron keeps screamer around because it’s entertaining. It just makes sense
"I've allowed you to carry on this long because I took a certain delight in witnessing your continous string of failures. But you've finally become tiresome. Predictable. You've hit rock bottom."
"Master, please! Give me one more chance! I beg of you!"
I will never stop loving that show.
Loose Canon: Shia LaBeouf?
it would be a mini canon of the character portrayed in media rather then the person himself right?
Yeah, I guess so. It's not like there is much film adaptations of him.
* Actual Cannibal Shia LaBeouf
Tom Smurf it's a Shia surprise.
I'm curious, after watching this I went back and started watching Transformers Prime. Would you ever consider going back and doing a retrospective look at Transformers Prime, especially in the ways it updated the content for a new audience whilst maintaining what made it what it was?
PLEASE. That show is so good, it deserves an analysis.
The design of the transformers in the movies is offensively unmemorable. This colour palette. This overcomplicated design. It hurts my eyes. You can't distinguish any of them from any of the others.
Honestly, when I saw still images of them, I thought “it’s not that bad. That new one, blackout, looks pretty cool.” And then a big fight scene would happen and I couldn’t tell which Decepticon was which half of the time.
He's the best because he's the most interesting...with lots of depth and dynamics to his personality....no one in the series is more fun to watch
*Bayverse*
This version of Starscream looks like a pointy dorito on roids
Me: Yup. Nailed it
Was that reaction afterward disgust or lust? Bit of both?
Kiss Players was a mistake.
When Miyazaki said that about anime, he SPECIFICALLY meant Kiss Players.
It's really a canon thing?
Oh man I used to be super into Transformers and I remember losing my "Transformers Animated" Starscream on the bus and I flipped out
I dunno, I kinda feel that Armada Starscream had a lot of character growth in any series. His relationship with Alexis kinda gave a degree of depth that kinda is a step above most other human/bot relationships in the majority of other media or iterations.
Before I knew anything about Transformers, I read someone's R-rated MegaStar fic... That is how I will forever picture the character.
Wait if you didn't know anything about Transformers how and why did you read it?
To be fair, I can see why people would ship them. Hell, people ship Morgoth x Sauron/Annatar, nothing is beyond the reach of fanfics.
I bet there's at least one fic which pairs Starscream with Sauron, in fact. Don't know for sure though.
I once read the theory that Megatron keeps Starscream as his Second-in-Command because he is so incompetent.
He knows, that even if Starscream usurps him when he is weakened, he can easily reclaim his position once he recovers and the Decepticons don't really respect Starscream enough to hold on to him.
Any other Decepticon as Second-in-Command might probably be too successful and too popular as new leader and therefore a pain in the ass to fight.
But that directly contradicts Aligned canon. He explicitly lets Starscream because he's good at his job and implicitly because he's a convenient punching bag.
haha.. I worked on Beast Wars way back in the day. Haven't really seen it in years so it's fun to see these clips.
That's cool! 😊👍
9:22
"You like Chins? W E G O T C H I N S"
FINALLY!!! SOMEONE SAYS IT!!!
Armada Starscream is still my favorite because his final sacrifice scene defined his entire character for me. Went out like a boss.
I always enjoyed him as Cobra Commander :)
Yeah
Perhaps the fault most imperial Serpentor lies not within us but within you.
THE _HUMANS_ HAVE _TAKEN_ ITTTTTT
Sometimes cowards do survive...
You fail me yet again, Starscream
God I love how cheesy G1 is. I could watch all day and be entertained.
I'm a bit surprised she didn't take this chance to speak of the new StarScream in Robots In Disguise. He is technically a continuation of StarScream from Prime (Basically the same bot but not as fabulous looking as in Prime.) but still the same character.
this video is ancient, she just dragged it off of one channel onto this one
DeathgGod Its not that old
+Halley Angel it's like 4 years old
DeathgGod Maybe but in the last year we had Robots In Disguise a new transformers show that had been on for almost a year it's already done its first season and is into the second season. All I'm saying that's alot to analyze and add to this discussion since she did not choose to discuss the DWI comics or Energon
+Halley Angel I'm saying
it's a reupload of an ancient video, not a redo
I'll hand it to starscream he knows how to rock heels
Armada was pretty much the only series I've seen most of (I loved the minicons as characters and concept)
Starscream is so good there imho
He had a character arc! Development! Growth! He went from a preteen sulky gothboi to a conniving mastermind who outmaneuvered Megatron, Optimus, Unicron, and _Primus._
I love the armada starscream. He wanta to become the new leaderr of the decepticons but honourably by surpassing megatron . Meaning he is more of the next in line to lead instead of him wanting to take it.
Also he becomes a autobot at the end for a short time because he became friends with a girl.
Had the most character development in that show
Wow!
Soundwave fans? Anyone?
Soundwave is awesome in Prime-verse. Every time he came on-screen in Prime, l smiled because I knew he was going to do something awesome. I think he probably could have led the 'cons if he wasn't so loyal to Megatron.
Same of Shockwave (Shockwave is my absolute fave; perfect mix of badass and brilliant, if totally twisted.)
+Iaz kar I do not know about that; my favorite character was Arcee, (the blue Autobot who from the video who let Starscream go) but everybody has his own opinions
Soundwave is a good boy.
I literally read through the comments hoping there would be a soundwave comment.
he transforms into a boombox! Lazerbeak, ravage, rumble, eject, eject, EJECT!
Megatron: * coughs *
Starscream: Megatron has AIDS! I'm the new leader of the Decepticons
Nirvana Gaming 😂
As a sparkling I definitely would have done this! Except I would said he was sick, or dying. I don’t even know what that is. Haha!
It’s funny because the rust disease that Megatron gets in one of the og episodes was actually supposed to be a metaphor for AIDS
THE OLD LOOSE CANONS ARE BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*SO MUCH HAPPY DANCING*
My favorite Starscream was the one in Transformers Cybertron. Where he took on all the Autobots by himself, used Optimus own weakness against him (by trying to kill some humans) to get the omega lock, and then grow to the size of a planet and fought against Primus, the god of all transformers.
Transformers prime was just a well done show period. The story holds up and the ending to the series was probably one of my favorite endings to an animated series of all time. It was just wrapped up really well, many shows either don't get the chance or don't even try to develop a good story and ending, transformers prime does
Still mad they killed the Smokescreen arc so pathetically though :(
What happened
But...nothing even happened tho. Yeah events occured but none of them mattered. No one changed and no relationships developed in any meaningful way that wasn't "well i guess we're best friends now".
@@bluemonster5235 That didn't really matter too much at first because everyone knew each other. When the new guys came along they did build relationships with each other.
@@koolmckool7039 but it does matter, why were the autobots and the humans friends without anything to show for it? Is it just something thats supposed to be accepted as fact and thats it? Is that how transformer cartoons work: sometimes things happen in the show for no reason?
And the new guys didnt even get all that much development either.
My theory for the ladies love for, stars cream because of the relationship between stars cream and Megatron, like a old married couple, I mean, Megatron never killed him, I think they complete each other.
Prime starscream: FEAR MY HIGH HEELS!!!!!!!!!
I used to love transformers prime, it was kinda a big-ish part of my childhood. I ADORED starscream in that series, I always felt perpetually... sympathetic for him. I understood that he was a not-so-good person, but I still always felt a twinge of sympathy for his character.
Same. I thought Starscream was a funny, yet intimidating villain at first (mostly because he was the first bad guy I saw actually kill a good guy on screen), then he was less intimidating, but still hilarious. Then I was rooting for him to join to Autobots. When that didn't happen, I still kept rooting for him to survive until the end. Starscream was and will be my all-time favorite Decepticon (in case you're wondering, my favorite Autobot is Arcee).
If only Nostalgia Critic actually knew there were so many TF Cartoons. The best cartoons are Animated and Prime, but the best Starscream is Armada.
One of my first cartoon crushes was on Starscream. In my mind I was the small anime girl he befriended.
Starscream kicking Megatron never gets old.
I loved Prime Starscream! He was the perfect example of what he was all about as a character.
So glad these videos are on your channel now, I felt bad viewing them on the other one. Keep up the awesome work!
i love a lot of the different iterations, but honestly my fave has got to be g1 starscream. like, megatron trips and hes like IM THE LEADER instantly. madlad
I know this is a super old video at this point (and that you don't touch on the comics at all here, so it's not entirely relevant), but after reading a few volumes of More Than Meets the Eye, I'd say that that comic is definitely the example of why the story of the Autobots and Decepticons IS worth retelling.
Lindsay reads MTMTE/LL - she did an article on it for TOR books in Jan 2015: www.tor.com/2015/01/12/the-best-sci-fi-adventure-you-didnt-read-in-2014-transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye/
"You're either lying or you're just stupid." - "I'm stupid! I'm stupid!" Lmao!!! Great video. I just subbed to your Channel. 👍
Really love your description of starscream as baby's first Loki. I'm definitely calling him that now. Great video
Transformers: Prime starscream was always my favorite. It felt like Megatron had a reason to keep him around, and without looking stupid. Starscream only tried to overthrow Megatron when he was dead or badly injured. Overall, I feel like they did Starscream the most justice.
Before I knew this was a series, I thought you were calling Starscream a loose canon. The idea of Starscream and Megatron as a buddy-cop duo made me laugh for hours.
Starscream is legit MMMHmm- My most favorite and pretty much a majority of the fandom is TFP Starscream- I friggEN lOVE hIM. Especially the voice actor like dAMN. TFP Starscream is simply papi Starscream X'D
I love how Lindsay gives reference to her Nostalgia Chick days with the glasses and pigtails when talking about something in a much lighter hearted manner.
4:57 It's been, somewhat confirmed that the reason Megatron kept Starscream around was because he either liked Starscreams ambition but also because he wanted starscream as close to him as possible (keep your friends close and enemies closer sort of deal)
Transformers Animated Starscream was the first one I saw, and I liked him, he made sense, he actually kinda managed to assassinate megatron at the start of the series. And we get to see starscream leading the decepticons for awhile.
Fortunately, or, unfortunately, Megatron got better.
Agree, I like when Starscream can be competent, yet pathetic at the same time.
Starscream was one of my first crushes as a kid, alongside James from Team Rocket.