Transformers: War For Cybertron Makes Bumblebee The New [SPOILER]

WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Transformers: War For Cybertron – Siege.

Transformers: War For Cybertron – Siege saves one of its key storylines for Bumblebee: making him the bearer of the Alpha Trion Protocols and the heir to the legacy of Ultra Magnus. The decision will likely have ramifications down the road for the fan-favorite character. The diminutive yellow bot is usually portrayed as an Autobot scout and one of Optimus Prime’s most trusted soldiers. However, as Siege begins, Bumblebee is unaffiliated with the Autobots and Decepticons, a simple energon scavenger trying to survive in the shadow of a raging civil war. Even after a short term alliance with Autobot Wheeljack, Bumblebee is more eager to find cover than to take up arms.

That’s likely to change, however: When Ultra Magnus is executed by the Decepticons, it’s revealed that he was the holder of the Alpha Trion Protocols, a vast database of knowledge named after the former Autobot commander (and in some continuities, the guy who created Optimus Prime), Alpha Trion. With Magnus dead, the protocols sought out a new bearer, like a Green Lantern ring picking a worthy wielder. Bumblebee is chosen as that bearer, irrevocably pulling him into the war, despite his wishes.

The purpose and nature of the Alpha Trion Protocols are kept somewhat vague — this is only the first part of a trilogy, after all — but the fact that they would choose Bumblebee as their bearer seems to confirm the pint-sized Autobot will be a major player in the War For Cybertron saga.

This creates an interesting dynamic going forward for Bumblebee. Despite his eyebrow raising decision to surrender to the Decepticons, Ultra Magnus was one of Optimus Prime’s most revered allies and fierce soldiers. This version of Bumblebee is essentially a stranger to Optimus and the other Autobots, but wields Magnus’ legacy in a way that will likely engender some level of trust, even if Bumblebee has shown none of his usual good natured heroism as of yet.

The Alpha Trion Protocols themselves are a new element to the Transformers mythos. They share some of the same DNA as other franchise MacGuffins, like the Matrix of Leadership, Vector Sigma, and the Allspark. The Matrix, in particular, seems an apt comparison — the original G1 Matrix of Leadership was a repository of wisdom from all of Cybertronian history. The power of the Matrix was eventually unleashed by Optimus Prime to cleanse the Earth of a virulent plague that threatened to topple not only humanity, but the entire galaxy. Audiences don’t yet know if the Alpha Trion Protocols have that kind of power, but this version of Bumblebee will have to grow up fast to live up to the legacy of the fallen Ultra Magnus.

About The Author

Dusty Stowe
(587 Articles Published)

Dusty Stowe has been writing for Screen Rant since 2016. A native of Yorktown, Virginia, he moved to Los Angeles in 2010 to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. He currently writes lists, features, and news articles covering movies, comics, and television. He is a devoted fan of Doctor Who, DC Comics, and whatever David Lynch deems us worthy of viewing. Star Trek: The Next Generation lit up his five year-old brain like a firework, ensuring he’d be a progressive nerd for the rest of his life. His current focuses are on covering the Arrowverse, Star Trek: Discovery, and the DC Cinematic Universe. He is also a trained audio engineer with a degree from the Los Angeles Film School, and manages multiple corporate social media accounts. He really, really wants a new Green Lantern movie. You can talk to him about football, politics, and his weird nerd takes on Twitter @dustystowe.

See also  How The Black Panther Movie Pitch Meeting Went

More From Dusty Stowe