The Transformers One Trailer Shows What Megatron Turns Into - But You Likely Missed It
As the trailer for the animated origin story "Transformers One" reveals, the movie will explore Optimus Prime's (Chris Hemsworth) and Megatron's (Brian Tyree Henry) lives at a time when they're still known as Orion Pax and D-16, two lowly Cybertronian worker bots who can't yet transform. While they eventually acquire the iconic shape-changing ability, it's not 100% smooth sailing from there. And while the trailer doesn't hesitate to show Prime's truck form, it's not immediately obvious what Megatron changes into.
But suppose you pay extremely close attention to the trailer. In that case, it's possible to glimpse Megatron's vehicle form near the 2:20 mark as he, Bumblebee (Keegan-Michael Key), and Elita-1 (Scarlett Johansson) skid across some rough terrain while testing the limits of their new powers. Judging by this brief moment, it appears that Megatron transforms into a tank of some kind, which would be in line with various toy versions of the character and has also been seen in the "Transformers" movies.
However, Megatron is the most prominent antagonist of the entire "Transformers" timeline, and as befits his stature, he's had many different transformations over the years. Interestingly, though, he's the only member of the main quartet whose vehicle shape the trailer only briefly hints at, a deliberate obscuring that might mean the movie will debut a completely new design ... or perhaps dig deep into the character's history in a way that the marketing isn't yet ready to give away.
The many modes of Megatron
In the Generation 1 line of Transformers toys, Megatron can be transformed into an eerily realistic-looking firearm. This works well enough for a toy-sized robot but — let's face it — can only get you so far when your nemesis is one of the most powerful Transformers and can turn into a massive truck. Interestingly, Megatron's "Transformer One" design is relatively close to how he looked in this era. Could the movie feature the character's gun transformation, as either an offhand joke or something far more sinister?
Tanks have also crept into Megatron-adjacent toy designs, first as an accessory vehicle the Decepticon leader could pilot and then as his actual vehicle form when Generation 2 toys rolled in. Since then, various tanks have been a mainstay in Megatron's arsenal of transformations, and they're among his most prominent vehicle forms. Judging by what the trailer shows, his "Transformers One" transformation might draw inspiration from the Cybertronian tank – one of his vehicle forms in the live-action movies.
Speaking of his live-action vehicle forms, other Megatron toys transform into jet planes. He's also been known to turn into a sports car on occasion. Meanwhile, the "Transformers: Beast Wars" toy line has versions of Megatron that can turn into an alligator and a Tyrannosaurus rex. Perhaps most amazingly, a 2007 collaboration between the toy line and Nike turned him into a 1:2 scale black sneaker. While it remains to be seen precisely what the character will turn into in "Transformers One," it likely won't be that.