War for Cybertron - How I would have done it

As the first toys from War for Cybertron: Siege start to trickle into the shops for Christmas, I've been thinking a lot about the way Hasbro chose to approach the narrative (such as it is, so far).

Personally, I think the idea of setting it before the Autobots launch the Ark and, pursued by the Decepticons in the Nemesis, crash land on Earth, is a huge mistake. Like the Star Wars prequels Rogue One and Solo, that is a point in the story that doesn't need to be explored and which, I'd guess, no-one was really asking for. Also like those films, dwelling on this period could do more harm than good to established canon (which, obviously, Hasbro are free to reboot as often as they like, as it's their property... but they've already rebooted G1 from 1986 onward through the Prime Wars trilogy). It's too brief a time period, for one thing, unless you're starting it at the very beginning of the Decepticon uprising and giving everyone alternate modes that aren't built for war, but appear to have had weapons bolted on. What we're actually getting is a series of toys that seem to have futuristic Earth modes rather than alternate modes that look as though they come from an ancient planet populated by sentient, shape-shifting robots.

The more I've thought about it, though, the more I realise the fault isn't with the toyline at all - unimaginative as it seems to be, and likely having no place in my collection aside from a handful of exceptions - it's really just the choice of setting. Given the right setting, they could use exactly the same toys and it'd make a whole lot more sense.

So here's how I'd play it - based on all the toys we've seen so far, but with a few strategic additions...
(plus addendum following IDW's announcement of the upcoming comics series)

For starters, I'd make it a direct follow-on from the Prime Wars series, rather than a reboot almost designed to lead into its predecessor. Instead, it would reboot everything from the events of the 1986 animated movie onward. Megatron, rather than leading a crew of Decepticons in an attack on Autobot City on Earth, has grown disillusioned - the Cybertron he sought to rule over is a burnt-out husk, while the Autobots thrive on Earth and on Cybertron's moons - and left the war, possibly the planet as well. Scarcity of Energon is a serious problem for both sides, but the Autobots at least have supply runs to and from Earth, with the assistance of humans, while Cybertron has to make do with the dubious results of Shockwave's research into synthetic Energon, while Starscream, Overlord, Dezarus, Straxus (or Darkmount, if they still can't use his proper name) vie for leadership in Megatron's absence, battling each other as much as they do the Autobots.

Optimus Prime is readying his forces - both on Earth and on Cybertron's moons - for a war to re-take their home planet, beginning with a seige (see what I did there) on Shockwave's base of operations (Kaon, perhaps? Or maybe an occupied Iacon?). He and the Autobots who have been with him on Earth adapt their alternate modes for a return to Cybertron (neatly explaining why the toys don't look alien enough, and mostly look as if they could still accommodate human drivers), while those on Cybertron's moons refit and upgrade for a long war.

As the assault begins, Shockwave unleashes his latest creation - smaller, more Energon-efficient warriors named Micromasters, which can combine to form weapons for his forces. To ensure the Autobots can have Micromasters of their own, some of them could defect, or they could simply be reverse-engineered by Wheeljack, Ratchet, Hoist and Perceptor (though this presumes that, for example Ironhide will be repainted into Ratchet, and at least some of the others will turn up in the toyline). When Shockwave unleashes Brunt on the battlefield, the Autobots refit Cog to counter him both as an individual robot/vehicle and as a mobile arsenal for other robots.

Powered by Shockwave's synthetic Energon, the Decepticons manage to hold their ground against the Autobots... until a long-absent warrior returns to the Battlefield.

Megatron.

Autobot Megatron (because I like the idea from the IDW comics, just not enough to actually read them)

And so we move onto part 2 of the War for Cybertron trilogy, in which Starscream and Straxus form an uneasy alliance - as Air and Ground Commanders of the Decepticons, respectively, but Overlord and Dezarus form a new faction. All the while, Shockwave secretly pulls the strings behind each of them, making his own play for dominance. Other colonies - Autobot, Decepticon and nonpartisan - would seek to return home, bringing the opportunity for greater variety in the toys. Rather than just Cybertronian and Earth-influenced vehicles, you could have robotic beasts, machine/plant hybrids, robots that are so low-tech, they're almost clockwork, those that learned to disguise themselves as organic humanoids, etc. It'd also be interesting to see a few more characters switching sides, like making Thundercracker an Autobot (putting him on Starscream and Skywarp's hit list) and Mirage (tired of war and believing that Shockwave's plans and synthetic Energon are the way back to his former life of luxury) becoming a Decepticon.

Part 3 could then be the resolution of the war, with Megatron taking leadership of the Autobots after Optimus Prime's death (because he has to die sooner or later), with Optimus Primal as his lieutenant. Shockwave has claimed leadership over both factions of Decepticons, with Starscream, Straxus, Overlord and Dezarus reimagined as mere upgrades to his synthetic Energon-fuelled TransTech form. All ties with Earth and other planets are cut, to prevent the war spreading back to them. Cybertron has to find a way to accommodate its disparate tribes, giving rise to a techno-organic revolution, a move away from Energon as the primary energy source for all robots... and, finally, peace.

In this way, the toyline actually lives up to the 'War for Cybertron' name - it's a war to reclaim and rebuild Cybertron, rather than a last ditch battle before the Autobots' retreat. It retains the familiar characters like Optimus Prime and Megatron, but gives them a spin that's new to the toyline even if it's not new to the associated fiction, and offers an explanation for the sudden appearance Micromasters and Battlemasters which is otherwise lacking from the line... And which just so happens to be very much in line with the original G1 explanation.

Essentially, I'm a bit fed up with G1... we've already had G2 (which was, let's face it, just a retread of G1 with lurid repaints and new weapons)... so isn't it about time, with our much-lauded improved toymaking technology and engineering genius, we started moving toward Generation Three? And what better way to start that process than a war to rebuild Cybertron after millions of years of Autobot/Decepticon conflict?

Addendum 19/12/18: I was out last night when the announcement of the upcoming War for Cybertron comic came out and, while very little is said about the story, it's clearly stated that it will be the tale of the very start of the war - not, as Hasbro stated about the toyline, the point just before the Autobots' departure in the Ark. It's gives a very punchy summary: "Cybertron’s Golden Age of Peace and Prosperity, Shattered by a Single Death"... So, at this point, I'm more interested in IDW's narrative than Hasbro's toyline. One little phrase brings me no end of dread, though: "Through the eyes of young Bumblebee and his friends, fans will witness conspiracies forming, harmony giving way to conflict, and the very fabric of Cybertronian civilization tearing itself apart". So we're still focused on Bumblebee, are we? He's absolutely the entry point to every TransFormers franchise, is he? I guess this means there's an as yet unannounced WfC2019 Bumblebee toy on the way...

I still think Hasbro made a mistake in turning this into a prequel - how many times can we retread different aspects of Generation 1? - and that the potential for a continuation into Generation 3 would have been better, but it seems like IDW are making the best of a bad situation... and, with a whole new creative team at the helm, the possibilities are endless (within the limits of Hasbro's brand guidelines, of course).

Of course, it can't go without saying that there's a significant error in the published image of Optimus Prime and Megatron. Megatron looks just like his toy (which, to me, isn't necessarily a good thing)... but Optimus Prime is clearly based on the Ultra Magnus toy. Miscommunication, perhaps? Or just a hint that the artist felt that was the stronger toy?