Headmaster Don returns to talk about fans jumping to conclusions before the facts are in. He and John DeLuna use the half-seen Combiner Wars Devastator photo and early Robots in Disguise reactions as case studies. Don explains why Beast Machines is still his low watermark while Beast Wars stays a favorite. Both ask fans to give the new Robots in Disguise series time and an open mind. The talk stays spoiler-free.

Jumping to Conclusions

Don brought the topic. He thinks every fandom judges whole stories from scraps, and that Transformers fans have gotten worse about it lately.

The Half-Seen Devastator

Don points to the first photo of Combiner Wars Devastator, partly hidden behind a person and shot through a window. Fans called the feet wrong and the toy terrible with no sense of scale. Don notes that Toy Fair photos about two weeks later told a different story. He thinks many fans were disappointed because it did not match the toy they had pictured. John agrees the internet rarely allows a measured response.

Robots in Disguise, Spoiler-Free

Don has seen clips and reviews, and is frustrated by claims that it is a kiddie show and that Hasbro does not care. He reminds older fans that Transformers Prime was their show. He also points out that Hasbro makes a kids’ brand, and he enjoys Rescue Bots. John adds that lines like Combiner Wars are built squarely for older collectors. The two discuss whether tying the show to Prime while changing the tone adds baggage. Don wants to watch the Prime ties unfold before judging.

Beast Machines, Then and Now

John notes Beast Machines has gained more fans in hindsight. Don still calls it the franchise’s low watermark. He respects the cast and crew but disliked the changes to Rhinox and Rattrap and Optimus Primal becoming a religious zealot. He still loves Beast Wars. John recalls early Beast Wars fans trying to match each character to a G1 counterpart before the show revealed its ties.

Resistant to Change

John calls it ironic that a fandom about shape-changing robots resists change. Don says a lot of advance hype, like the long run-up to Star Saber, builds expectations before anything ships. Don sees Optimus Prime as a spirit mentor and Bumblebee leading the team as one of the biggest breaks in years. John calls it shades of Beast Machines.

Give It a Chance

Don has good vibes because the Rescue Bots team knows the Prime fans. He loved the Prime kids and Sari from Transformers Animated. He went into Age of Extinction with no expectations and calls John Goodman’s Hound the highlight. His advice is to watch the clips, skip the preconceptions and let the show prove itself.

Contributors: John DeLuna, Don

The RFC Mini-cast

Brian Kilby

Your snack-size Transformers podcast every week. Get in-depth reviews, commentary and more in 30 minutes or less!

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