Energon radiation
From Transformers Wiki
Energon radiation is a form of radiation given off by energon...go figure. Though energon has been seen to give off radiation enough to track while being stored, the radioactve output of energon seems to skyrocket when in use or, even more so, before it has been processed.
Raw or unprocessed energon tends to be the most radioactive form and little is definitively known about the refining process or its effects on energon's radioactivity in most universal streams. What is known is that, in high enough concentrations, energon radiation poses a significant danger to a Transformer's spark. Without a protective measure, excessive energon radiation will cause a Cybertronian to be overcome by crippling surges of energon within minutes, with stasis lock and, eventually, spark-death following if they cannot find a way to protect themselves.
To avoid such a gruesome and unpleasant end, some Transformers have developed technology to allow them and associated machines to survive in areas of high concentration. The most common way to survive in such dangerous areas is to change one's alternate mode into a quasi-organic alternate mode based on the local life-forms, as they are unaffected by the dangerous radiation.
In some stories, close physical contact with Transformers will render anything around them noticeably radioactive. Fortunately energon radiation usually has no effect on humans or other organic life.
Depending on the universe, energon radiation may also:
- Be the key to reviving a dark god.
- Cause electrical devices to spontaneously come to life.
Contents |
Fiction
Generation 1 continuity family
Beast Wars cartoon
The energon crystals planeted on Earth by the Vok were known to give off particularly large amounts of energon radiation.
Both Optimus Primal and Megatron's crews were able to shield themselves from excessive energon radiation by adopting organic beast modes, which was seemingly not common practice. Beast Wars (Part 1) Energon radiation could also be blocked or filtered by rectifier coils, which Maximal and Predacon starships were often equipped with Call of the Wild, as well by an unknown component of Maximal stasis pods. Of these, rectifier coils, appeared to offer the most complete protection, as both stasis pods and organic beast modes needed to completely enclose a Transformer to screen out energon radiation. Transmetalization has also been shown to protect Transformers from energon radiation to an unknown but superior degree, effective even in robot mode. Tangled Web Bad Spark
Primal's Maximals were once afflicted by a related condition called energon poisoning, following a massive energon explosion. The condition left them blind and badly damaged, as well as accelerating the usual risk of stasis lock. Dark Voyage Though energon poisoning was not explicitly tied to the element's radiation, the afflicted Maximals gave off enough of the stuff that Scorponok was able to track them by it.
Classics
When their reality of origin was destroyed, the Graviton and the Talon were pulled into a nearby parallel reality. When they made planetfall, they discovered that the world was giving enough energon radiation to send a Cybertronian into stasis in two breems. Shattered Time
2005 IDW Continuity
A true renaissance bot, Shockwave was an expert on energon and its radiation. In the course of his Regenesis Program Shockwave created several new forms of energon. At least one, Ore-8, explicitly gave off a distinct radiation that had severe detrimental effects on the Cybertronian mind. Spotlight: Kup
Another Regensis variant, Ore-13, gave off its own energon radiation, though its variety induced energy fluctuations. While Shockwave insulated himself against it, the Dynobots scanned local fossils and generated artificially synthesized flesh to protect themselves from the radiation. Spotlight: Shockwave
2021 IDW Beast Wars comic
After the Axalon and the Darksyde had crashed, the AIs of both ships reconstructed their crews with fabricated techno-organic material that matched the native organics on a molecular level to protect the Cybertronians from harmful levels of energon radiation. Savage Landing Part 1
Live-Action Film Series
Energon was extremely radioactive but harmless to both Cybertronians and humans in its processed form. This is very good, as several hours inside Bumblebee made Sam Witwicky so radioactive he was giving off 14 Rads of energon radiation, which means Mikaela was getting the equivalent of ~450 chest x-rays when they make out![1][2]
Prime Cartoon
Energon radiation was apparently harmful to humans. Raf Esquivel was badly injured as a result of exposure to Dark Energon and fell into a coma due to it lingering within his body. Medical officer Ratchet initially misdiagnosed the cause as an energon blast and stated that, under normal circumstances, that exposure to energon, even medicinally, could have catastrophic effects on the human body. One Shall Fall
BotBots
A mysterious cloud of "Energon power" covering the contents of a closed-for-the-night shopping mall brought life to the non-mechanial merchandise inside the stores, turning them into miniature Transformers.
References
- ↑ Simmons mentions Sam's radiation reading in the movie.
- ↑ Transformers The Game establishes the radiation in question is energon radiation.
