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My Response to Raksha's Essay 'The Real Heroes Of The Story'
Topic Started: Feb 18 2018, 07:11 PM (18 Views)
Crystine
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February 16th, 2017, 04:49 pm

Here is the original article written by Raksha, the plumed serpent: The Real Heroes of the Story

My response is as follows:

Raksha begins by telling us that "heroic Autobots" is just a label, a prejudice designed to instil into the fan base this erroneous notion. 'Someone' is trying to manipulate the official Transformers canon so that we will accept this labeling without looking for alternative answers to discover 'what is really going on'. In addition, whoever this 'someone' is, has purposefully separated the characters into two distinct categories - the 'good guys' and the 'bad guys'. Well I, for one, would like to speak to this certain 'someone' just to let him know exactly what I think of his manipulative, Autobot-sympathizing tactics! In all seriousness, though, it is difficult to dispute that, in the officially accepted Transformers lore, the Autobots are the 'designated good guys', while the Decepticons are left with the short end of the stick, as the 'designated bad guys'. I think anyone can see that. However, I think we need to question the very validity of the canonical material itself as the only means by which we may justify our own viewpoints, which is no easy task especially in the face of an overwhelming and largely canon-accepting fan base. And it does appear to be a bit of an oxymoron, when you think about it. You can just hear the dissenters now: 'if it's the canon that actually makes Transformers, then how can you use it in an argument against the very thing that it creates?' But, the canonical material is certainly not without flaws and contradictions (not to mention the animation and voice-over errors that abound in the cartoon - must we accept such errors as official lore, then? Or, if not, where do we draw the line?).

You could also look at it another way and base the whole argument, of who really are the good guys, on conflicting interpretations of the canon based on individual perceptions or opinions. However, the problem with this is that it would form a very weak argument, as the majority view normally always wins. Plus, it still relies on canon as the ultimate Bible of Transformers lore. That's not to say that you won't find canonical references to the notion of "heroic Decepticons" - you will, I am sure - but for every piece of gem you do find to support this view point (like the time when Megatron "kindly" asked the humans to leave before fighting the Autobots, in the episode The Autobot Run. Now that was most "un-Decepticon-like", if we are to believe the 'propaganda'), there'll always be ten other references against it. Even if Transformers canon, as it very often does, contradicts itself! A good example of this is the Constructicons' origin inconsistency. Or, what about the infamous FIRRIB/FIBRIR debate? Or contradicting character profiles against their tech specs? The list goes on.

And that's the problem with the second paragraph in Raksha's essay. She uses canonical material (the cartoon episode War Dawn) as the basis for her own presumptions about what may have happened 'behind the scenes', so to speak. The problem is that any speculation, regardless of how reasonably it may fit into existing canon, will always be just that; speculation without any proof. So, perhaps the Autobots did glorify the "Golden Age" and rule the planet according to their own justifications. Perhaps they were clearly in control, and the Decepticons were in the minority. Perhaps, the Decepticons were unfairly treated as second-class citizens (this is my own view as well, by the way). But again, the problem of canonical authority still stands; right or wrong, there simply isn't enough proof for its opposing view point to stand firm, if that is all we can rely upon, even though if can be quite easy to interpret and explain or justify various canonical elements in a way that will suit our alternative view point (I do it all the time! Isn't that what fan fiction is for?), especially if one is creative enough.

The next example in Raksha's essay discusses Megatron as a heroic individual and, while I wholeheartedly support this notion, again the only basis for her claim is an idealistic, subjective interpretation of the existing canon. That said, however, I completely concur with the notion that Megatron is a true hero who beat the odds when he inspired his Decepticons to rise up against the opposition. In fact, I explore this very theme in my new series Rise of the Decepticons. So, yes, I can, and do, use the canonical elements that fit my fan fiction universe, and simply disregard, or change, the rest. And why not?

Raksha goes on to elaborate on the point of her essay's first paragraph, claiming that 'much of the Transformers story that we know, is pure propaganda.' Whilst I would more or less agree with this sentiment, my reasoning is based upon a far diffferent perspective than the one Raksha offers us. In fact, she does not really present us with any solid basis for her argument at all, which is a shame because there is so much that can be said about the different aspects of Transformers lore as 'propaganda'. The main point she brings across is, once again, a particular "interpretation" of the Transformers story based on her own feelings and observations. But, is it true that the Autobot/human perspective is pure propaganda? Possibly. Though, again, just saying that it is, is a weak argument indeed.

Unfortunately, her whole argument is further debased when, in the very next paragraph, she relies once again upon what happens in the cartoon. Now, I'm all for the Decepticons being heroic, but if I were to base my reasoning solely on the way that the Decepticons interact with one another on the "official" show, I could cry myself to sleep every night... no, seriously. It's quite the contrary; in fact, if anything we want to show that the Decepticons are not the way that they have been represented in the cartoon at all, rather than trying to use canon against itself to prove that it's false! Do you see our dilemma here?

The essay's concluding paragraph presents Raksha's philosophical view points, delving into what it truly means to be "heroic" and how that might apply to our beloved Decepticons. She goes on to point out many of our favourite heroes' virtues, including courage, loyalty, and honesty. Now, as I've said before I'll be the first to jump on that bandwagon because, to a few of us out there, at least, the real heroes of the story are the Decepticons! But while that's all well and good, who are we trying to convince and, more importantly, how?

In summary, the biggest problem that Raksha has with the foundation of her argument is that she is relying too much on canon to justify an unpopular (by canonical standards) view point. And I would say to her; rather than try to force the issue, feel free to just allow it to be. We need to tear down that 4th wall and then stand above the stage, if we are to achieve our objective. Canon isn't everything, because, in the end, each of us is in total control of our own personal universe and everything in it, whether we know it or not (you are the only person in the entire universe who sees and then manifests things according to your own unique perspective) - and I mean everything, including the canon! - so, if there is something in our experience of reality that we don't like then we, as creators of our own universe - literally, have the power to change it! That is, after all, Natural Law, pure and simple.

So, are the Decepticons the real heroes of our story? Well, of course they are! Why would we want it any other way?
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