The Transformers franchise is bristling with amazingly cool and creative weapons, with the denizens of Cybertron all showing off their own unique way to wage war with their robotic bodies. As a cartoon franchise and toy line primarily aimed at young boys, it's no wonder that the many Transformers shows have all put forth some intriguing designs for tools of combat. Over the years, a handful of weapons in particular has stood out as particularly iconic or unique to the series, worthy of commendation in their own right.
Transformers use a wide variety of weapons throughout their many battles, from archaic melee weaponry to high-tech blasters and military firearms. The alternate modes of the Transformers allow for some awesomely clever weaponry to be hidden throughout their bodies, integrated directly into their robot modes, though some pieces of Cybertronian equipment stand alone as separate entities. Whether they're from the Michael Bay Transformers movies or the many animated shows, the franchise certainly knows how to design a cool weapon.
10
The Hydra Cannon
Transformers: Armada
The main gimmick of Transformers: Armada was the Mini-Cons, smaller Transformer sidekicks that, in addition to forming small vehicle modes of their own, could also combine with their larger counterparts to form important upgrades. Sometimes, the Mini-Cons could even combine together to form separate weapons all their own. The most famous of these were the Star Saber sword, the Requiem Blaster, and the Skyboom Shield. Each of these devices were known as the most powerful weapons in their class of the Transformers: Armada continuity, being made from a combination of three Mini-Cons each.
Even more amazingly, each of these separate armaments can further combine together to form the devastating Hydra Cannon, a literal starship with enough power to destroy a planet outright. The Hydra Cannon was used to awaken the mighty Unicron in the Transformers: Armada storyline, proof enough of its dramatic energy signature. From its slick jet-black design to its weighty importance in the lore, the Hydra Cannon is a memorable weapon indeed.
9
The Cosmic Rust Gun
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
The live-action Transformers movies might not be the most critically-beloved or high-brow film series, but for what they're worth, they at least could come up with some daring new weapon designs for the Transformers universe. One of the most insidious weapons introduced in Transformers: Dark of the Moon is Sentinel Prime's Cosmic Rust Gun, which is revealed at the same time as Sentinel's own treachery and status as the film's antagonist. Sentinel uses this gun to cruelly kill Ironhide when the Autobot weapon expert least expects it.
The Cosmic Rust Gun takes advantage of the Transformers' mechanical biology by firing projectiles loaded with a concentrated burst of deadly microorganisms. Upon contact with a Cybertronian, these microorganisms proceed to chew through metal, dissolving their victims into a pile of rusted scrap. Unique for being one of the few weapons in the entire series to specifically take advantage of the Transformers' metallic bodies, the Cosmic Rust Gun is behind one of the most deplorable attacks in Transformers history.
8
The Vortex Grinder
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Constructicon Devastator in Revenge of the Fallen
Another deviously clever yet terrifying weapon to come out of the Michael Bay Transformers universe, Devastator's Vortex Grinder made for one of the most show-stopping action setpieces in the entire franchise. Devastator is the first and most famous of the Transformers series' combiners, robots capable of joining together to form a single mighty unit. As Constructicons, Devastator is made up of construction vehicles, something Michael Bay uses to great effect with Devastator.
Using Mixmaster's cement mixer truck as a massive bestial head, Devastator's throat opens up into a terrifying maw that violently sucks up anything in the vicinity, mulching whatever it catches to shreds in the blender of grinders and sawblades in the center. This literally jaw-dropping weapon almost destroys the Pyramids of Giza in the final battle of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, leaving a huge impression all these years later. If nothing else, Michael Bay was certainly creative when it came to outfitting his robots with some absurdly cool weaponry.
7
The Fusion Cannon
The Transformers
Ever since the original cartoon The Transformers, commonly referred to as Generation 1, the Fusion Cannon has been a staple weapon of the Decepticons' insidious armory. Famously wielded by Megatron, bolted on to his right arm, the huge cannon forms the scope of Megatron's alternate gun mode, but acts as a powerful energy weapon feared by Autobots the universe over. Though its destructive capabilities remain somewhat inconsistent throughout the first show, the weighty blaster is an iconic focal point of Megatron's design.
In fact, nearly every version of Megatron wields some variation of the classic Fusion Cannon. The live-action movies made the curious choice to integrate the cannon into a giant crab claw, giving it some additional use in close-range combat as a powerful crushing tool. Meanwhile, Megatron's evolution into Galvatron in the Generation 1 continuity saw the cannon reforged into a Particle Cannon, which was strong enough to destroy Starscream in a single shot.
6
Shockwave’s Laser Gun
The Transformers
Megatron isn't the only Decepticon who could turn into a handheld pistol in the Generation 1 continuity. Enter Shockwave, the merciless Decepticon lieutenant and a cruel tyrant known for his particularly callous and emotionless attitude, even for an evil robot. Known for his striking design and lack of face in place of a single, ominous eye, Shockwave could turn into a nifty laser pistol that could easily be used by his fellow Decepticons and subordinates.
Of course, Shockwave is also known for having the barrel of a gun in place of a hand on his left arm himself, ensuring that the terrifying Decepticon is always armed. In some cases, Shockwave was even somehow able to utilize a tiny version of his own alternate mode, firing upon enemies with a pistol that looks like himself. Famously, Soundwave uses Shockwave's alternate mode to execute the chronically-dead Cliffjumper in the Energon Universe comic.
5
The Energon Axe
The Transformers
Over the years, Optimus Prime has wielded a wide variety of different melee weapons, from swords and shields to knuckledusters and even vicious hooks. However, none of them compare in coolness or practicality to the venerated Energon Axe, first described in the original 80s Transformers cartoon. Using the pure Energon that courses through every living Transformers, some of the Cybertronians are able to fashion the dramatic energy of the stuff into the shape of a projected melee weapon somewhat akin to a lightsaber.
Rather than just being a simple column of light, however, the Energon Axe is a straight-up medieval implement of war, able to slice through heavily-armored opponents with ease. Strangely, the Energon Axe was one of the many powers Optimus hadn't used in the movies for a long time, but made a stunning re-appearance at long last in Transformers One. A glowing rallying beacon that inspires courage as much as a cut-and-dry weapon in its own right, the Energon Axe isn't just a means to an end, but a symbol for the Autobots.
4
Bulkhead's Wrecking Ball
Transformers: Animated
Transformers: Animated had some of the most unique designs of any Transformers cartoon series, dramatically re-interpreting the beloved robots to be more lean, sleek, and anime-inspired characters rather than blocky bots that were easy to make toys out of. Few characters exemplify the extremes this new art style could take the series to like Bulkhead, the Autobot's muscle, whose behemoth of a robot form was supplemented by his green SWAT truck vehicle mode. Bulkhead may not have been the sharpest tool in the shed, but he sure knows how to throw his weight around with his wrecking balls.
Not to be confused with Bay Devastator's more literal wrecking balls, Bulkhead's primary weapons of choice are a pair of flails, though he usually only uses one at a time. By retracting his hands into his arms, Bulkhead is able to extend mighty cables that end in a hyper-dense head, perfect for knocking Decepticons around. Impressive melee weapons with a good amount of range, the sight of Bulkhead swinging his wrecking ball with reckless abandon was one of the more beloved parts of Transformers: Animated.
3
Bumblebee's Stingers
Transformers: Animated
Transformers: Animated was also quite kind to more recognizable Transformers in the weapons department, especially Bumblebee. Other than being yellow and transforming into a Volkswagen Beetle, Bumblebee usually doesn't do much to earn his nickname in his various movie and TV show incarnations, with little in the way of bee-themed weaponry or abilities. Transformers: Animated fixed this by giving him a pair of "Stingers", which looked like literal insect abdomens weaponized and wielded from Bumblebee's hands.
These Stingers are capable of firing high-amperage bursts of lightning, dealing impressive damage despite their unassuming size and appearance. When combined with a suitable magnetic source, such as Ratchet's magnets, Bumblebee can even use them to generate a massive electromagnetic pulse, shutting down all electronics in a wide area. It's a shame that other versions of Bumblebee never carried over the plucky Stingers from Transformers: Animated.
2
The Forge Of Solus Prime
Transformers: Prime
For the most part, the Transformers franchise isn't keen on legendary weapons that get handed down from generation to generation, usually favoring armaments that are literally built into the bodies of its heroes and villains. Transformers: Prime presents a noteworthy exception with the Forge of Solus Prime, a legendary hammer also known as the Staff of Solus. True to its name, this hammer originally belonged to the legendary Prime, Solus, whose size may have used it more as a blacksmith's forging hammer rather than an actual weapon.
In the time Transformers: Prime takes place, the Forge of Solace Primeis a valuable melee weapon coveted by Autobots and Decepticons alike. Powered by a miniature neutron star, the Forge combines the forces of magic and science to converge into a single all-powerful artifact that packs one massive punch. Heavy enough to only be meaningfully wielded by a select few characters, this mythical hammer has far more properties beyond simply smashing heads.
1
Ironhide’s Cannons
Transformers
As the Autobots' resident heavy weapons' specialist, it's no wonder that Ironhide had some of the coolest armaments of any Transformer in the live-action movie series. Transforming into a jet-black GMC pickup truck, Ironhide has plenty of room in his alternate mode to store the weight of his two massive arm-mounted cannons. The pride and joy of Ironhide for good reason, these deafening guns are behind some of the best fight scenes in the Transformers movies.
With the two cannons, Ironhide is capable of firing a wide variety of ammunition. Physical projectiles like missiles, explosive shells, shotgun blasts, and huge slugs are all on the table, but the guns are also versatile enough to fire energy-based attacks as well, such as electrical charges and high-power laser beams strong enough for Ironhide to use as a form of transportation, flipping him upwards in the air through sheer recoil. In future Transformers iterations of Ironhide, the return of these impressive tools of the trade would be a welcome sight.
Custom Image by Yeider Chacon
Constructicon Devastator in Revenge of the Fallen
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