Transformers is a franchise that spans from 1980s to present day. It started as a toy line in the 80s, then became a comic series, animated TV shows and movies, and live-action films, all of which continue to be created, with the trailer for Transformers: Rise of the Beasts immediately garnering massive attention.

Transformers main plot concerns the titular “robots in disguise,” whose home planet was destroyed by a war between the Autobots (generally known as the good guys) and the Decepticons (generally known as the bad guys). This war rages over decades and across the star systems, eventually leading to earth, where the Autobots try to help defend the planet. The franchise has its fair share of characters, with the older G1 Transformers TV shows and comics providing more characters than today’s films, which generally only focus on a portion of the many robots.

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But are Transformers aliens, then? Or robots from an alien planet? Surely everyone has questions… Let’s discuss a few together.

Can Transformers Get Pregnant?

     Netflix

Not in the way we do. After the creation of Primus, early Transformers could reproduce using a mitosis-like ability, forming energized liquid metal from within their body. But once Primus deemed the population was high enough, he wiped this ability from their memories. As a result, their ability was rediscovered through time, but with consequences. The further down the generations being made with this process, the more machine-like they acted, with less emotional capability.

The exact way they reproduce has not been discussed in today’s lore, as most Transformers shows are made for children. But it’s generally assumed they still reproduce asexually in some way.

Fun fact: Transformers also have no gender but are often referred to as “he,” as their builds generally coincide with the human description of male (with the same viewer demographic), though a few Transformers over the series have been considered female by the humans.

What Is Their Religion?

     Paramount Pictures

The aforementioned Primus is the creator/god figure of the Transformers universe, whose origins typically date back to the creation of the universe itself. They also have religious themes as the Allspark, a dimension where all sparks (human equivalent to souls) exist, have existed, or are created. This also crosses over with the term “The Matrix,” where sparks of deceased Transformers go to exist forever.

Their religion, therefore, has a very similar structure to many other religions humans might know about.

What Do Transformers Eat? Do They Eat?

Kind of? But kind of not. They need Energon to survive. It’s a substance that, once mined into a liquid, is what pumps through the Transformers. It’s like their food, their blood, their energy source. It’s also said to be used to power their weapons and ships, so it’s a multifunctional mineral. So the search for Energon is a significant part of the Transformers series, in which whatever faction of the war has more Energon will be in better shape than the other.

What Is a Prime, and Why Is Optimus One?

In many iterations of Transformers, the title of prime is a high level of respect and authority one can be bestowed upon. It is technically also used to identify the leader of the Autobots and gives them the responsibility to take care of the matrix of leadership (another important relic from their past). In most lore, they are not born primes but given the title, but in some lore, they are born that way, so the true definition of born ability vs. earned title depends on which series in the franchise you are watching.

Do Transformers Sleep?

     IDW Publications

Again, yes and no. Many children’s animated features and series show the Transformers as sleeping, but in other lore, they do not necessarily sleep. However, as the lore gets closer to the present day, they are shown sleeping more and more in the media, perhaps using this tool to appear less alien to the audience.

Instead, they have something called “stasis lock,” a form of coma which a Transformer may fall into if heavily injured.

What Is The Average Age Length of a Transformer?

     Paramount Pictures 

Transformers can live up to seven million years old in most lore, though in the recent 2018 cartoon, it was hinted they had lived for more than 65 million years. Still, that is not canon throughout all franchise media. Though they live exponentially longer lives, their age ranges for different phases of life are also longer, as characters like Bumblebee are seen as younger, teen-like characters but are millions of years old.

In total, the Transformers were made to look very different from us, but their culture is not a far stretch away from those known on earth. Plus, even if their physical attributes are very different, as humans, we still understand machines and cars, which gives this idea of an alien species a more relatable quality. Still, Transformers lore has changed over the years, and as the franchise continues to expand, more changes will come.