On why Megatron is Megatron.
Damn Lien for making me think about this with that post.
Short answer: I don't know.
Longer and more nuanced answer: Transformers animated never got deep into the back story and history of Cybertron. They established quite a lot of it, billions of years of civilization that we will sadly never see. Somewhere deep in that murky unseen territory is a tale of how one spark went so very very wrong. The earliest we see Megatron has him already as the nigh victorious conqueror on the very precipice of conquering his shattered home world.
Thing is, I'd kinda like to know how it happened. So since cannon cannot provide, Megatron is going to lie about his origins and motivations. A lot.
1. Crafted as a prototype by an earlier group of warriors, making him the first true Decepticon.
2. Gladiator from the city of Tarn. Or Kaon. First Decepticons from fellow gladiators, and the disaffected of Cybertron's population who hungered for control of their own destinies.
3. Energon miner, and leader of an violent worker strike. See above.
4. Minor commander of former hostile force against the Autobots. Refused to surrender after the end of the war.
5. Former commander of Autobot military gone bad. Decepticons likewise repainted autobots.
6. Member of a disenfranchised minority of lower efficiency 'bots who rose up to end their unjust treatment by the Autobots.
7. Sought to end the unfair limitations placed upon Cyberton's economy in the name of protecting other life forms.
8. Objected to corruption of the Autobot Council and recognized that the system was impossible to reform from the inside.
9. Megatron fought in a war against a genuinely hostile species. He then persecuted it beyond all reason, and lashed out at the Autobots who tried to stop him. He spins this as premptive strikes against internal and external enemies of Cybertron.
But the real reason? The reason why Megatron is going to crush all the autobots and take Cybertron? He wants to be in charge, rule with his literal iron fist and that's it. Ultimately, it doesn't matter what his real motivations were. To quote the original; "That's because everything I touch is food for my hunger. My hunger for power!"
Short answer: I don't know.
Longer and more nuanced answer: Transformers animated never got deep into the back story and history of Cybertron. They established quite a lot of it, billions of years of civilization that we will sadly never see. Somewhere deep in that murky unseen territory is a tale of how one spark went so very very wrong. The earliest we see Megatron has him already as the nigh victorious conqueror on the very precipice of conquering his shattered home world.
Thing is, I'd kinda like to know how it happened. So since cannon cannot provide, Megatron is going to lie about his origins and motivations. A lot.
1. Crafted as a prototype by an earlier group of warriors, making him the first true Decepticon.
2. Gladiator from the city of Tarn. Or Kaon. First Decepticons from fellow gladiators, and the disaffected of Cybertron's population who hungered for control of their own destinies.
3. Energon miner, and leader of an violent worker strike. See above.
4. Minor commander of former hostile force against the Autobots. Refused to surrender after the end of the war.
5. Former commander of Autobot military gone bad. Decepticons likewise repainted autobots.
6. Member of a disenfranchised minority of lower efficiency 'bots who rose up to end their unjust treatment by the Autobots.
7. Sought to end the unfair limitations placed upon Cyberton's economy in the name of protecting other life forms.
8. Objected to corruption of the Autobot Council and recognized that the system was impossible to reform from the inside.
9. Megatron fought in a war against a genuinely hostile species. He then persecuted it beyond all reason, and lashed out at the Autobots who tried to stop him. He spins this as premptive strikes against internal and external enemies of Cybertron.
But the real reason? The reason why Megatron is going to crush all the autobots and take Cybertron? He wants to be in charge, rule with his literal iron fist and that's it. Ultimately, it doesn't matter what his real motivations were. To quote the original; "That's because everything I touch is food for my hunger. My hunger for power!"