How A Transformers Spin-Off About A Mysterious Autobot Could Absolutely Win Audiences!

The Transformers universe is ever growing and Bumblebee shouldn't be the only autobot with his own movie. Let me tell you who deserves their own movie.

The world of the Transformers is expansive. The characters that have flooded the screens, comics, video games, and other many forms of media have always intrigued the minds of many. Its no surprise that, with the success of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, more spin-off ideas have been thrown around.

However, the biggest question we have now as a fandom is this: who should get the spinoff treatment? Characters like Optimus Prime and Bumblebee have long held the spotlight in the Transformers films, with Bumblebee even launching the idea of Transformers Spinoffs into the stratosphere with his successful 2018 spinoff.

But with ROTB finally out, a new character has really had a chance to shine.

“The name’s Mirage!”

Enter Mirage. Coming to live-action in the latest installment, Mirage quickly took the fandom by storm. Replacing Bumblebee as the kid-appeal character was probably the best decision Hasbro could make at this point, if you ask me. And Pete Davidson, while not the first to voice the character, brought him to life in ways no one could have expected.

Does Mirage have the chops as a character to carry a Transformers Spinoff? Absolutely. If you want proof, let me turn you to the fan-favorite The Transformers: Generation 1 episode “TRAITOR”, an episode that shone the spotlight on the character for the first time and is easily his most iconic appearance.

The Traitor

Let me take you back to 1985. The Transformers has launched into its second season and is premiering every new episode every weekday just when you get home from school. You get your snack, plop down in front of the TV, and suddenly you hear rumors of an Autobot betraying the others to the Decepticons! “It’s not true!” you cry out. And yet, it is.

TRAITOR follows Mirage (voiced by Frank Welker) as he attempts to clear his name following an accusation from Cliffjumper (voice by Casey Casem). In the episode, the Decepticons begin constructing a super evil device right where Mirage was supposed to be watching. After a battle with the Decepticons leads to an Autobot retreat, Cliffjumper continues to make accusations, leading Mirage to go off on his own to end the threat himself.

Mirage plans to pit the Decepticons against one another, using their collective lack of comraderie to his advantage. He also uses his holographic technology to go about undetected. However, Mirage didn’t plan on the Insecticons, a group of insect-themed Decepticons. Lead by Hardshell, the group disable Mirage.

Using a mind-control device, Mirage is indeed made into a traitor and willingly leads Optimus, Cliffjumper, and Ratchet into an ambush, but Optimus finds the mind-control device and frees Mirage, successfully defeating the Decepticons and convincing Cliffjumper he was wrong, learning the message of the episode was not to assume things without hearing all the evidence. The episode ends on a high note with Mirage and Cliffjumper as friends once more.

How to use this for a Live-Action Spinoff

Now, you may be wondering “where is Josh going with this?” Well, worry no more, as now it’s time to reveal my master plan!

Transformers: Mirage would be a spinoff sequel to Transformers: Rise of the Beasts featuring the core duo of Noah Diaz (Anthony Ramos) and Mirage (Pete Davidson) facing off against a new threat that could dismantle the Autobots at their core.

Here’s how my film would go:

The movie begins with Mirage and Noah on a secret mission working with G.I. Joe, attempting to retrieve some advanced human weaponry to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. Noah is still new to the crusade while Mirage is eager to go. However, upon returning from the mission, Mirage, and Noah are apprehended by G.I. Joe.

The two are shown footage of what appears to be Mirage handing off the device to the enemy, with the two being labeled as traitors by the G.I. Joe lead commander. Optimus arrives to dispute Mirage’s innocence, but before that can happen, Mirage and Noah escape.

Mirage and Noah need allies to find out who framed them, so they go to find an old friend of Bumblebee’s, Charlie Watson (Hailee Steinfeld). Now an auto-mechanic, Charlie agrees to assist the two in the hopes of meeting up with Bumblebee. However, Noah needs some military equipment, and the trio head out to find Jack Burns (John Cena) to ask for help.

Upon arriving, Mirage splits off to send a secret communique to Optimus for assistance, which is tracked back to them. Noah, Charlie, and Jack discuss what they can do, and Jack agrees to join them. Jack tracks the device to Brazil. Mirage returns and a chase ensues, with John Cena and Charlie fighting back against the G.I. Joes. Bumblebee sees footage of the chase and leaves.

Mirage and company contact Optimus Primal for any assistance, however, the Maximals are unable to assist at this point due to their own problems. However, Primal does give Mirage the info he needs to find the device.

Upon arriving in Brazil to find the device, they find Bumblebee standing in the middle of a battlefield. Speaking for the first time, Bumblebee reveals he isn’t Bee but is a covert agent named Downshift, a Terrorcon who arrived searching for Scourge and the others. Finding himself with a group of terrorists known as Cobra, he agreed to assist the group should they allow him to dismantle the Autobots.

Mirage and Downshift get into a one-on-one battle while Jack, Charlie, and Noah attempt to disable the device and prevent Downshift from making contact with Unicron. Mirage succeeds in destroying Downshift but the group fails to stop the device from sending the message. They collectively hope that the message wasn’t enough.

G.I. Joe arrives and attempts to arrest Mirage, Noah, and Charlie but Jack stops them, revealing himself as the leader of G.I. Joe, codename “Duke”, and clears things up. Mirage and Noah are cleared and Charlie meets up with Bumblebee and is formally introduced to Optimus Prime. In the end, however, Unicron now knows the location of Earth, setting up the next major Transformers film.

Reality…

As of now, Transformers fans will just have to enjoy the basic synopsis I provided for entertainment. With Hasbro and Paramount already building ideas for the follow-up to ROTB and with Transformers: One releasing next September with its all-star cast, we’re being spoiled, or as the kids say, “We’re eating good”.

Did you like what you read? What would your Transformers movie look like? Be sure to let us and follow us on Twitter for future news about the Transformers! We’re always watching.