Transformers: Combiner Wars Web-Series

Transformers: Combiner Wars is a new animated web-series co-produced by Machinima and Hasbro Studios, based on the Combiner Wars toyline and comic book. There are eight episodes. Each is a little over five to six minutes long. It can be streamed online via go90 and on Machinima’s YouTube channel.

The series takes place forty years after the conclusion of the Great War on Earth with the war between the Autobot and Decepticons ended, when Optimus Prime defeats Megatron in single combat. They both are no longer leaders. Cybertron is at peace, ruled by the Council of Rodimus Prime, the Mistress of Flame and Starscream. But a new conflict has begun as the Combiner Wars devastates Caminus and comes to Cybertron, with the discovery of the Enigma of Combination. Will this ancient artifact bring an end to peace on Cybertron?

I finally got around to watching this series recently. The animation is pretty nice, much more updated and modern CGI style than the original Transformers animated series. The original G1 Transformers animated series was my favorite, along with the toyline from back then. I still have a bunch of those toys too.

Some of the story is a bit vague, due to fitting as much of the story into the run-time of each episode and the mini-series itself. Although the title of the series is Combiner Wars, very little is shown of this war with the Combiners. You do get to see a battle between Menasor and Computron in the first episode, with a very brief battle with Devastator and Victorion in the sixth episode.The series seems to focus more on Windblade than the story of the war between the Combiners and how it all began.

In addition to the eight episodes that make up the mini-series, there are four prelude episodes that are a little over two minutes long. Each episode focuses on a central character: Optimus Prime, Victorion, Starscream and Windblade. These episodes give you a little more backstory on the Combiner Wars and the motivation of each one as the story progresses.

There are characters in this series, that I have already mentioned, that are pretty recognizable, like Optimus Prime, Megatron, Starscream, and more than likely Devastator (my all-time favorite Combiner) from the original animated series/movies. But there are some that might be new and unfamiliar. Here are the characters that appear in the series.

• Optimus Prime – former leader of the Autobots
– Appears in the original animated series, comics and movies
• Megatron – former leader of the Decepticons
– Appears in the original animated series, comics and movies
• Starscream – Decepticon, member of the ruling Council
– Appears in the original animated series, comics and movies
• Windblade – Camien, Cityspeaker of Caminus
– Can communicate with the Titans
– Appears in the current comic series
• Rodimus Prime – Autobot, member of the ruling Council
– Appears in the original animated series and comics
• Mistress of Flame – Camien member of the ruling Council
– Spiritual leader of Caminus,
– Appears in the current comic series
• Computron – Autobot Combiner, Technobots
– Scattershot, Afterburner, Lightspeed, Nosecone and Strafe
– Appears in the original animated series and comics
• Devastator – Decepticon Combiner, Constructicons
– Scrapper, Longhaul, Scavenger, Hook, Bonecrusher and Mixmaster
– Appears in the original animated series and comics
• Menasor – Decepticon Combiner, Stunticons
– Motormaster, Drag Strip, Dead End, Wildrider and Breakdown
– Appears in the original animated series and comics
• Victorion – Autobot Combiner from Caminus, Torchbearers/Rust Renegades
– Pyra Magna, Skyburst, Dustup, Jumpstream, Stormclash and Rust Dust
– All-female group with a body design similar to the Combiner Defensor
– Appears in the current comic series
• Metroplex – Autobot city, Titan
– Appears in the original animated series and comics
• Maxima – Camien
– Only appearance so far is in this animated series

The timing of the release of the series is a bit off from the toyline and comic. The Combiner Wars toyline was released over a year ago and has already been replaced by the Titans Return series. Which is what is revealed in the final episode of the Combiner Wars mini-series, the Titans are returning. This means that we could be getting a sequel to this series based on the Titans Return. Hopefully it comes out while the toyline are on the shelves. These toys are reminiscent of the Transformers Headmaster series.

View the trailer here.

The mini-series recently finished and all episodes are available to view. Checkout it out on www.go90.com, or the free go90 app by downloading it on your mobile device, and Machinima’s YouTube channel.