In a society built around a grand Cybertronian taxonomy that is obsessively revised and reinterpreted, the one thing that never changes—the one that must never change—is the system itself. Every revision, every reinterpretation takes place within a rigid framework of social stratification. Nothing must threaten the Functionists’ core philosophy: utility as an organizing principle.

If you could step outside the system you would recognize it for what it is: a prison. Worse that that, it is a prison full of willing prisoners. And not only are you a prisoner within the system, you are a prisoner within your own body. Whether you were born or made, forged or constructed cold, you are trapped inside your alt mode. The Functionists built the lock and the Senate holds the key; but most of are unaware that we are locked in.

Make no mistake: your life is mapped out in front of you are, as clear as the grooves in your transformation cog. You can no more choose to change jobs than Cybertron can choose to stop orbiting the Sun. You can no more acquire a skill unrelated to your vocation than the sky can acquire a conscience.

In denying you the ability to reject your alt mode—in preventing you from pursuing a path of your own choosing—both the Senate and the Council say they are acting in your best interests. They have a responsibility, they say, to ensure that you make best use of your god-given form. If you turn into a drill, that is because Primus knows that Cybertron needs drills. To deviate from your function is to risk invoking the wrath of god and brings the world to its knees.

In truth, it is about control. Multi-skilled population is an empowered population. And if you reject your alt mode, what next? Could you reject your class? Would you reject your government?

The Functionists don’t rely solely on the theology when rebutting arguments for change. Working outside your alt mode would be confusing, they say. Imagine being treated by a medic with tank treads; you would question their competence. And they extend the same question to the minors. “Would you feel comfortable working alongside a microscope?” And to the military: “Would you put your life in the hands of a soldier who turns into a data slug?”

And it is true. People would be unnerved—at first. But the Functionists—enabled by the Senate—have created the conditions that have given rise to the culture of suspicion; and they have done so deliberately, because it reinforces the status quo. Moreover, it fosters division, and division is another means why which they can control the population. The more walls you can put up between people, the easier it is to contain them, and the stronger the structural integrity of the system.

And that is why when you see a stranger you don’t think, “What are they like?” You think, “What are they for?” You don’t think, “What are their hopes, dreams, aspirations?” You think, “What do they do?” and then you think, “Where are they positioned in relation to me? Do they sit above, alongside, or below? Are they better than me, or I them?”

Even if you believe in the grand Cybertronian taxonomy, ask yourself this: who decides on that order? And then: why should there be an order? And that is the question the Senate and the Functionists fear the most, because they know that their world would collapse if people arrived at the answer. Why should there be an order? I’ll tell you: there shouldn’t be.

Be happy in your work, they say, for it enriches you. Be grateful for your alt mode, for it defines you. Be thankful for the system—it protects you. Be mindful of your betters—they think for you. I say enough. Reject your work. Reject your alt mode. Resist the system. And your “betters”? You have none. We are all equal. And we have a right to decide how to live our lives.

source:

OOC
Name: Emmy
Contact: gravenrose
Other characters: n/a

IC
Name: Megatron of Tarn
Canon: The Transformers IDW
Canon point: Post-Lost Light Issue #25
Age: ~5 million years

History: TF Wiki history

Personality:

Intelligent - Despite being built as a mech designed for manual labor, Megatron is a deeply, sharply intelligent person whose mind has served him just as much if not more than the sheer brute strength he possesses in his frame. He is a planner, being noted by Ravage as planning for anything he wants--and anything he might want. His plans within plans have lead his Decepticons to the brink of victory in the war against the Autobots, have also proved useful in saving the lives of his new crew about the startship Lost Light. He is a deeply philosophical and thoughtful person, though you could be forgiven for thinking him a simple brute monster at some points in his past.

Sentimental - It's weird to think this applies to a warlord who unleashed a horrendous war and caused untold death, but it's true. Megatron cares deeply, whether that is about his cause or otherwise. It was his deep desire for something better that he began his efforts to change Cybertron for the better. He adheres to new causes just as tightly, and with few exceptions refuses to take up arms ever again. Despite eons of war, at his core Megatron cares. It's why he finds it within himself to stop his war, realizing that he had sheds oceans of blood and yet was no closer to building a better Cybertron. He writes poetry. He remembers the names of even obscure soldiers, surprising the Scavengers by knowing their nicknames when he meets them. For all his other faults and crimes, Megatron cannot be said to be apathetic. He holds onto his grudges as tightly as his wistful dreams for a better world.

Charismatic - Megatron is an incredibly charismatic and magnetic personality. He has previously shown the ability to weld together a group of Cybertronian malcontents and working-class people into a horrifying army that's ravaged a good chunk of the galaxy and helped turn his homeworld, Cybertron, into a lifeless wreck. Even when not managing the revolution, Megatron possesses a cool, calm and collected demeanor that radiates authority. He knows how to speak to people on their own level and he is adept at reading others--at least if they're also Cybertronians. Notably, he's able to begin organizing leading yet another revolution in the Functionist Universe when he gets stuck there for eight hundred years. Organics have weird body language and he doesn't get them so much.

Arrogant - Less so now, but still the boy is pretty high on his on supply. You don't become leader of one side of a civil war by being a recluse or a wallflower. Megatron has had supreme confidence in himself and his abilities for most of his life and even though he is somewhat shaken by his self-reflection he still has an off-putting air of superiority about him once he defects. There is an unshakable and pig-headed belief in his own ability and his own mind that can make Megatron a pain to deal with at the best of times, especially since he's used to being a warlord in command and not always part of another's crew.

Angry - This bad boy can fit SO much anger in him. Megatron has been angry for a long, long time and that anger has been directed towards many people and many things. His temper is fierce and burns hot behind the façade of cold, clinical detachment. It was his anger that drove him to form the Decepticons and launch the revolution against the corrupt Senate that formerly ruled Cybertron. It is a trait he still struggles with--he spent much of his life using that anger and the resulting violence and physical menace to handle his problems. Now that he is striving to be better, he finds himself struggling to contain his temper and his natural instinct can still be to lash out, even though he knows that he should be better. Sometimes he wonders if it's really possible for him to properly change, after so long.

Guilt - Boy has more guilt than a Catholic school. Megatron carries the unique burden of having been one of the main instigators of the Great Cybertronian Civil War, which resulted in Cybertron becoming an uninhabitable wasteland, the scattering of his species across the galaxy, multiple genocides, and the deaths of quite possibly trillions. He feels a keen, deep sense of loss and guilt over all of it. It's this guilt which gnaws at him constantly as he tries desperately to be a better person today than he was yesterday. Realistically, he knows he can't atone for what he's done but he hopes somehow to try and leave the world a little better than it was yesterday. Even if there's no way for him to truly balance the scales.

Powers/Abilities:

Giant robot - Megatron, while smaller than he used to be, is still a giant robot that stands 9' tall and is inorganic. He's immune to a lot of stuff that hurts orga ics and can handle more extreme temperatures on top of not having any squishy meat bits which can suffer massive trauma. Megatron is noted to be exceptionally strong and hard to kill even by Cybertronian standards

Holoform - Like many other Cybertronians, Megatron is capable of projecting a form of solid light avatar which helps him blend in among organic populaces. It's capable of interacting with other objects and seems superficially human, though close inspection will reveal the oddities involved. It's also useful for allowing him to enter spaces his robot body can't fit in.

Medical Skills - Megatron spent 800 years in an alternate universe where he mastered Cybertronian medical care. He's able to provide repairs, check-ups and other services. Not really applicable to organics beyond the basics but possibly able to be applied to non-Cybertronian mechanical lifeforms (or non-living machines).

Hole in His Pocket - Thanks to the mad science of his subordinate, Shockwave, Megatron's inner workings contains a few strange wormholes thanks to a plot to use Megatron as a conduit to a dead universe to summon an even more evil guy. Megatron is able to store some stuff within his frame as a result and is shown to be able to siphon anti-matter from event horizon of a black hole. Admittedly this is a one time thing meant to be a suicide run, but he could probably do it again if the need arose.

Gun - While Megatron doesn't technically turn into a gun anymore, he still has the ability to displace excess mass into a subspace pocket and reduce his size. In canon he's shown to be able to make himself as small as a human sized handgun. This takes a significt amount of energy which he will be reluctant to us without a reliable source of fuel.

Transformer - Megatron has an alt more which he can turn into! He's had many over the years, but his current is a Cybertronian tank. Sadly a bit useless because he has no gun on it but it looks cool and despite being smaller than usual can still run stuff over.

Warlord - Though he refused to engage in direct violence now, Megatron still has a cunning strategic mind and has eons of combat experience and warfare to draw upon. He's a dangerous opponent in battle, whether physically or mentally.

Regret: Not joining the fight against the DJD earlier and by his inaction allowing Ravage to be killed.

Inventory:

Medical kit - a big tubular shaped Cybertronian doctor's bag full of his tools and spare parts. Kinda looks like a gun.

Sample: One Two