The Transformers has always been a franchise best known for its gimmick of having vehicles and animals become robots. However, as the decades have continued, the lore has evolved far beyond its gimmick and even farther beyond the war between the Autobots and Decepticons. In fact, the story has spanned universes and countless retellings in everything from comic books to video games. Now, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts looks to forge its own path with a villain that could span the universe's countless realities.
In the trailer for Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, the overarching antagonist was revealed to be none other than the planet-eater Unicron. However, the Autobots and Maximals will instead have to contend with Unicron's heralds, the Terrorcons. With the franchise's lore in mind, Unicron's presence could open the door to a multiverse similar to the Marvel Cinematic Universe's.
Unicron Is an Important Character in Transformers Lore
Unlike Optimus Prime or Megatron, who have been mainstays in countless iterations of The Transformers, Unicron was always a multiversal constant. Unicron was the other half of the benevolent Primus, Gods of Order and Chaos. As multiversal singularities, Primus could exist in every reality at once while Unicron had to travel to each individually. Nevertheless, he could cross these realities with ease, which better suited his ravenous hunger and destructive reason for existing.
Unlike Primus, who strived for peace, Unicron wanted to literally devour the Multiverse. However, his existence also meant that balance was maintained in the universe. As a result, it was important to keep him at bay where possible. While Primus couldn't always be there to stop him, his essence, which existed in the Matrix of Leadership, had the power to repel Unicron. This was best shown in Hot Rod's hands in The Transformers: The Movie. However, in the live-action movies, Unicron's presence could expand the franchise outwardly in all directions.
His Presence Could Allude to a Greater Multiverse
With Unicron appearing in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, it's hard to believe he could be defeated quickly, especially when the Terrorcons are also creating problems. As a result, it's possible that Unicron could instead be an overarching nemesis in which stopping him would take the unified effort of multiple Autobots and Maximals. But the longer Unicron remains functioning, the more opportunities to explore the Multiverse could arise.
By opening the door to other realities in the Transformers universe, everything from spinoff movies to shows could set up appearances from realities like the Shattered Glass universe. In this continuity, the Autobots are the villains and the Decepticons are the heroes. However, in the spirit of continuity, the door could also open for a revisit of Michael Bay's Transformers universe, which also introduced its own version of Unicron. In the end, Unicron's character promises big reveals and even greater stakes for the Transformers. But for all the danger he presents, the odds of the franchise exploring its own Multiverse are higher than ever.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts hits theaters on June 9, 2023.