Unicron

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Unicron is a recurring villain in the Transformers franchise, having been introduced in The Transformers: The Movie as the primary antagonist. His depiction varies between branches of the franchise; while he is often depicted as a massive Transformer with a planet alternate mode that devours worlds, different series feature him as either the creation of a mad scientist or an ancient evil that exists in opposition to Primus, creator of the Transformers.

History

Generation 1

Animated series

In The Transformers: The Movie Unicron first appears as a monstrous mechanical planet that devours the world of Lithone before setting his course for Cybertron. Apparently possessed of great powers of perception that extended far beyond his physical location, he soon learned of the death of Optimus Prime and the passage of the Matrix of Leadership to Ultra Magnus. He then intercepted Megatron and several other fallen Decepticons in space and recruited them to destroy the Matrix, naming it as the only thing that could stand in his way. He thus upgraded the villainous Transformers into his minions Galvatron, Cyclonus, Scourge, and the Sweeps, whom he followed to Cybertron where he consumed two of the planet's moons. He then reminded Galvatron of his mission, and would later punish the Decepticon leader again when Galvatron presumed that Magnus had perished.

Galvatron resented Unicron's control and quickly set out to free himself from Unicron's influence by seizing the Matrix for himself, only to find that he was unable to open it and unleash it's power. Enraged by his impudence, Unicron transformed into his massive robot mode and began attacking Cybertron, easily defeating the Decepticon defense forces and enduring the attacks of the arriving Autobots with little difficulty. Having swallowed Galvatron, he forced him to attack Hot Rod when the Autobot entered Unicron in search of the Matrix, but Hot Rod's ascension to the rank of Prime saw Galvatron's defeat and expulsion. The newly rechristened Rodimus Prime then opened the Matrix, unleashing a storm of energy that ripped Unicron's body apart, with only his head surviving the blast and going into orbit around Cybertron. In "The Five Faces of Darkness" Cyclonus and Scourge traveled to Unicron's head in order to learn what had become of Galvatron after his defeat, and were able to use Unicron's recorded surveillance to chart their leader's course.

Later, the ghostly Starscream approached Unicron for help in regaining a physical form, which Unicron agreed to in exchange for Starscream helping him regain his own. To that end, Starscream used various Decepticons to steal Metroplex's eyes and Trypticon's Transformation cog, before attempting to connect him to Cybertron so that Unicron could possess it as a new form. However, when Starscream's most recent host fled, he demanded that Unicron restore his body; Unicron did so only to be abandoned by his accomplice, though both of them were then blasted into space by explosives. The Decepticons and Autobots would visit Unicron's head again in "Grimlock's New Brain" in search of anti-electrons, but Grimlock was able to use Unicron's components to construct a new team, the Technobots. "Call of the Primitives" later revealed that Unicron had apparently been created by the alien scientist Primacron, who later unleashed a monstrous creature known as Tornedron to finish what Unicron had been unable to do.

Unicron didn't appear for the rest of the third season or in the short-lived "fourth" season of The Transformers, and he was also absent from Transformers: The Headmasters, Transformers: Super-God Masterforce, Transformers: Victory, and Transformers: Zone. However, he would be featured or mentioned in all of the Beast Wars animated series, with Starscream claiming that Unicron had destroyed him rather than Galvatron and the Vok later using his form as an avatar to communicate with Optimus Primal. Beast Machines also featured a passing mention of him, with Rattrap noting that he was undoubtedly the inspiration for Vehicon Megatron's Grand Mal flying fortress. Unicron himself featured in Beast Wars Second and Beast Wars Neo, where the competing teams of Maximals and Predacons were seeking canisters containing his scattered life energy. The latter series saw his eventual return due to the Blendtrons infusing most of his life energy into the body of Galvatron, and he finally succeeded in taking control of Cybertron before being repulsed by Big Convoy and his allies.

Marvel Comics

Unicron later featured in the Marvel Comics Transformers with an entirely different origin: here he was an ancient and powerful entity who existed in opposition to the noble Primus, creator of the Transformers. This Unicron had existed before the current universe and in fact had destroyed its predecessor along with numerous other beings like himself and Primus, but found Primus to be a match for him. As their battles endangered the universe, Primus tricked Unicron with a tactic that caused them both to become trapped within planetoids, with Primus shaping his into Cybertron while Unicron's became a world-devouring vessel of his evil. His history in the comics varies between US and UK versions; in the latter his domineering tactics led Galvatron to travel back in time in an effort to escape him, and his dismembered head later crashed on the planet Junkion which he took control of before his head was destroyed and his energies sealed with the Matrix of Leadership. Unicron later escaped briefly and attempted to turn Rodimus into his new body, but was defeated in a mental struggle with the Autobot leader.

In the US comics, Unicron learns of Primus' presence within Cybertron and moves to attack it, and to aid him in his efforts forcibly recruits a Galvatron from a possible future to serve as one of his minions. However, Primus was awakened by Emirate Xaaron, and together they fought against Unicron and were able to inspire a join Autobot-Decepticon attack against him, but Unicron was only defeated when Optimus Prime used the Matrix against him.

Dreamwave

In this continuity Unicron was opposed not only by Primus but by the Thirteen Primes, though one of them-Megatronus-sided with him against Primus before the pair were driven through a black hole. Megatronus would seek to awaken Primus so as to draw Unicron to him, but was thwarted and destroyed by his creator. Unicron would continue to search for Cybertron through his own devices, but this plotline was not seen through before Dreamwave went bankrupt.

3H Enterprises

Unicron would later return in Transformers: Universe, where his efforts to rebuild his body and restore his lost power led him to abduct Transformers from across the multiverse to either battle for his amusement or serve as his Decepticon minions.

BotCon/Fun Publications

Unicron also featured heavily in the Beast Wars related BotCon storyline Transformers: Reaching the Omega Point, in which it was revealed that much of his life force had apparently been transported through time to prehistoric Earth, where it was eventually found by the Predacon who became Shokaract. Fashioning the Matrix of Conquest to house it, Shokaract became a new embodiment of Unicron's power, seeking to conquer the entire universe. Fortunately, Primus had prepared for such an eventuality by creating the Covenant of Primus, a group of Transformers meant to face Unicron's evil in the battle known as Point Omega.

IDW Publishing

In Transformers: Dawn of the Predacus, Unicron's head is used as a base by the Tripredacus Council as they conduct experiments with transwarp and transmatter. Unicron would also feature in Beast Wars: The Ascending, in which he uses Shokaract as a host for his Angolmois energy with the intention of sacrificing the Predacon to enable his own return to physical form. However, he is thwarted by the efforts of an unlikely alliance of Maximals and Predacons, including Magmatron.

Abilities and Traits

Unicron is typically depicted as a massively powerful being with numerous abilities. In The Transformers: The Movie he is demonstrated as devouring planets and breaking down their elements and inhabitants to fuel himself, while also exerting a powerful gravitational force that draws all but the swiftest escapees back into his hungry maw. He is also virtually invulnerable, with the Matrix of Leadership being described as the only force capable of defeating him, and thus the only thing he fears in any regard. Unicron's powers also include the ability to manipulate matter and energy, such as drawing Megatron and several other fallen Decepticons to him and then reformatting them into new, more powerful bodies. He also demonstrates a psychic connection with such minions, which he uses to inflict pain upon Galvatron when the Decepticon leader disobeys him.

Upon transforming into robot mode Unicron gains in speed and mobility, as well as gaining the ability to unleash powerful energy blasts. These include eyebeams and a mouth blast in Generation 1 and a powerful chest cannon in the Unicron Trilogy. Even after most or all of his body is destroyed or rendered dormant he possesses power, such as granting Starscream a new body and reviving beings he'd previously consumed to serve as his minions.

A running trait in several series is Unicron's life force, which known alternatively by the names Angolmois, Dark Energon, and the Blood of Unicron. This substance is generally depicted as being corruptive, serving as both a narcotic and a strengthening agent among Cybertronians.