Live action TV
Description
The Fallen, the primary antagonist of the 2009 film, is a being of immense age and power, originating as one of the first Transformers. He was originally known as Megatronus Prime, one of the seven original Primes, the first leaders of their race. In the distant past, the Primes traveled across the universe creating devices called Sun Harvesters to absorb the energy from stars to power their civilization, but they held to a strict rule: never destroy a star that had a planetary system containing life. The Fallen, driven by a hunger for greater power and a belief that his brothers' compassion would doom their race, sought to defy this rule. He attempted to use a Sun Harvester on Earth, a planet teeming with life, which led to a war among the Primes. He was ultimately defeated and sealed away for millennia by his brothers, who sacrificed themselves to hide the Matrix of Leadership, the key to activating the Harvester.
As a character, the Fallen is defined by his rage, arrogance, and a deep-seated hatred for humanity. He views other beings, especially humans, as insignificant obstacles to his plans. His personality is not one of a complex schemer but rather a being of pure, destructive will, driven by a desire for vengeance against the descendants of his brothers and a conviction that he is entitled to the power of the Earth's sun. He is deceptive and manipulative, having long ago corrupted Megatron to become his disciple and the leader of his Decepticon forces, promising him power and status in exchange for loyalty. The Fallen sees himself as the true emperor of the Decepticons, with Megatron acting as his primary enforcer, a dynamic likened to the relationship between an emperor and his chief lieutenant.
In the narrative of the film, the Fallen serves as the hidden mastermind behind the Decepticons' actions. Having been imprisoned in another dimension, he communicates with and commands Megatron from afar. After Megatron's death in the first film, the Fallen instructs his followers to resurrect him. Upon Megatron's revival, the Fallen reveals his plan: to use the information stored in the mind of a human, Sam Witwicky, to locate the Matrix of Leadership. With the Matrix, he can activate the Sun Harvester hidden within an ancient pyramid in Egypt and destroy the sun, thereby providing him with a vast source of energy. The Fallen's role is that of the ultimate threat, a primal force from the Transformers' own mythic past that forces the Autobots and their human allies into a desperate final battle.
Key relationships define his actions. His relationship with Megatron is one of master and servant; the Fallen is the superior authority to whom even the feared leader of the Decepticons must kneel. He also has a deep, personal hatred for Optimus Prime, who is the last descendant of the original Primes and the only being capable of defeating him. The Fallen also betrayed his original follower, Jetfire. When Jetfire questioned the morality of destroying inhabited worlds, the Fallen abandoned him on Earth. In a turn of events, Jetfire would later defect to the Autobots, providing them with the knowledge and the parts needed to defeat his former master.
The Fallen shows very little development or change throughout the film. He begins and ends as a relentless, power-hungry tyrant. His only significant arc is his transition from a disembodied presence commanding from the shadows to a physical, active participant in the conflict on Earth. He is a static villain, serving as a formidable obstacle for the heroes to overcome rather than a character who evolves. His defeat comes when Optimus Prime, having been revived and enhanced with the parts of the defecting Jetfire, overpowers him. In a brutal confrontation, Optimus tears the Fallen's face from his head and then rips out his spark, or heart, finally destroying him.
The Fallen possesses a number of notable abilities that set him apart from other Transformers. He has the power of teleportation, allowing him to appear and disappear at will, often creating a powerful shockwave upon his arrival. He also demonstrates powerful telekinesis, which he uses to hurl large objects like chunks of a collapsed pyramid to destroy attacking military jets. He is an extremely powerful hand-to-hand combatant, wielding a fearsome shock-spear as his primary weapon. His transportation method and fighting style are said to be unlike those of any other robot, making him a visually distinctive and formidable adversary.
As a character, the Fallen is defined by his rage, arrogance, and a deep-seated hatred for humanity. He views other beings, especially humans, as insignificant obstacles to his plans. His personality is not one of a complex schemer but rather a being of pure, destructive will, driven by a desire for vengeance against the descendants of his brothers and a conviction that he is entitled to the power of the Earth's sun. He is deceptive and manipulative, having long ago corrupted Megatron to become his disciple and the leader of his Decepticon forces, promising him power and status in exchange for loyalty. The Fallen sees himself as the true emperor of the Decepticons, with Megatron acting as his primary enforcer, a dynamic likened to the relationship between an emperor and his chief lieutenant.
In the narrative of the film, the Fallen serves as the hidden mastermind behind the Decepticons' actions. Having been imprisoned in another dimension, he communicates with and commands Megatron from afar. After Megatron's death in the first film, the Fallen instructs his followers to resurrect him. Upon Megatron's revival, the Fallen reveals his plan: to use the information stored in the mind of a human, Sam Witwicky, to locate the Matrix of Leadership. With the Matrix, he can activate the Sun Harvester hidden within an ancient pyramid in Egypt and destroy the sun, thereby providing him with a vast source of energy. The Fallen's role is that of the ultimate threat, a primal force from the Transformers' own mythic past that forces the Autobots and their human allies into a desperate final battle.
Key relationships define his actions. His relationship with Megatron is one of master and servant; the Fallen is the superior authority to whom even the feared leader of the Decepticons must kneel. He also has a deep, personal hatred for Optimus Prime, who is the last descendant of the original Primes and the only being capable of defeating him. The Fallen also betrayed his original follower, Jetfire. When Jetfire questioned the morality of destroying inhabited worlds, the Fallen abandoned him on Earth. In a turn of events, Jetfire would later defect to the Autobots, providing them with the knowledge and the parts needed to defeat his former master.
The Fallen shows very little development or change throughout the film. He begins and ends as a relentless, power-hungry tyrant. His only significant arc is his transition from a disembodied presence commanding from the shadows to a physical, active participant in the conflict on Earth. He is a static villain, serving as a formidable obstacle for the heroes to overcome rather than a character who evolves. His defeat comes when Optimus Prime, having been revived and enhanced with the parts of the defecting Jetfire, overpowers him. In a brutal confrontation, Optimus tears the Fallen's face from his head and then rips out his spark, or heart, finally destroying him.
The Fallen possesses a number of notable abilities that set him apart from other Transformers. He has the power of teleportation, allowing him to appear and disappear at will, often creating a powerful shockwave upon his arrival. He also demonstrates powerful telekinesis, which he uses to hurl large objects like chunks of a collapsed pyramid to destroy attacking military jets. He is an extremely powerful hand-to-hand combatant, wielding a fearsome shock-spear as his primary weapon. His transportation method and fighting style are said to be unlike those of any other robot, making him a visually distinctive and formidable adversary.