D 16 - Blog Posts

Transformers: One - What's In A Kneel?

!!!!!MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!

With the responsibility of leadership and the dangers of pedestals and hero worship being such major themes, it only makes sense that all three of the film's leaders would show their true characters, and in doing so seal their fates, in moments where they have to kneel/bow.

Sentinel Prime essentially sets the entire second half of the film in motion when both the heroes and we as the viewer see him kneel to the Quintessons. It confirms everything that Alpha Trion was just telling them/us about him, and it's also the very thing that ends up getting broadcast to Iacon in order to finally expose Sentinel and turn the public against their False Prime.

For all his superficial charisma and his talk of looking out for the little guys, Sentinel himself is truly nothing more than a self-centred, spineless coward, who couldn't care less for the needs of the many and gladly bends to the will of bigger bullies/oppressors in order to keep himself in power.

After learning of Sentinel's betrayal and being subsequently captured with the High Guard, D-16 makes a point to stand while in custody and adamantly refuses to kneel. Even when Sentinel begins beating and torturing him, D-16 makes it abundantly clear that he has no intention of bowing to him or anyone else ever again.

In better circumstances this could be a heroic trait, a courageous defiance and the willingness to stand up in the face of injustice. But it just as becomes a negative one, and it's one of the last warning signs to the kind of leader that Megatron is going to be.

He may have started out with good and heroic intentions, but because of this Megatron sees himself as superior, and whether by choice or by force, he expects his fellow Cybetronians to rally behind him just as they did with Sentinel. While he sees himself as a revolutionary, in the end he's just going to become another tyrant.

And then we have Orion Pax. For much of the film, he's a far cry from the noble, legendary leader that we know and love from other iterations, but he starts to grow into it as he devises the rescue mission, and is tasked with rallying his fellow miners to help.

Having gotten a major upgrade since the last time he saw them, Orion now towers over his former peers and they're utterly awed by the sight of him. Rather than trying to take advantage of their admiration or even intimidate them with his new size and strength, Orion almost seems frustrated by the new height difference, and before beginning his speech he kneels down to literally speak to them on their level.

Orion doesn't make a point to do this, no one has to ask or prompt him to, in fact he himself doesn't even give that much thought to it, it's just his first instinct for how to best communicate. He may look larger and stronger now, but he still values the miners as his friends and his equals, and nothing is ever going to change that.

Gaining the Matrix later on may have gotten him the name, but it's this moment when Orion truly begins to embody the true core and heart of Optimus Prime. Powerful and inspiring, yet humble and caring. Or perhaps, as the legendary Peter Cullen himself has always said:

"Strong enough to be gentle."

People keep making fanarts of D-16 meeting TfP Optimus and being absolutely enamoured with him. And, honestly? Understandable, D-16, you poor, little mech.

And I've seen one of Orion also meeting Megatron and calling him ugly, which was hilarious.

But consider:

The four meet, just like in the fanart I mentioned, and D-16 is practically drooling at the sigh of Optimus while having a mayor internal freak out because somehow Orion went from chaotic and ridiculously pretty rebel to some sort of beautiful and incredible hero. At the same time he looks at Megatron, who appears so fearsome and angry, even hateful, and then at Orion, sweet, kind Orion, watching Megatron unblinking.

"You're incredible," breathed Orion, smiling up softly at the tall mech.

And both D-16 and Megatron flinched, stunned because how could he? How could Orion Pax say that? Worst of all, how could he mean it?

Megatron knew that tone of voice, he knew that look in the small mech eyes. He was being honest, he said what he thought, just the way he thought it. That awed note on his voice, the amazed spark on his optics, it was all so painfully truthful and Megatron didn't know what to do with it all.

Then he turned to his old self, the one who had finally stopped staring at Optimus to look at his best friend with confusion, paired with adoration and barely concealed longing.

Orion finally noticed D's yellow optics on him. He turned and smiled, bright and happy.

Megatron knew then that Orion hadn't understood. And it made sense, after all Pax would never expect D-16 to turn into... Into Megatron.

But maybe, the most surprising part was just how much it hurt, to realise that Orion could still look at him like this, and that if he could do it, then maybe...

Nah, that was impossible.

YESSS BUT

another thought is that they have been through so much during those four months that they probably would have gone maybe a bit manic or smth like that idk

This AU has me thinking so much of the possibilities that could have taken place after

Sentinel wanted to keep them isolated so that they don't escape right? (My memory is a bit fogging rn idk why) SO he would have them locked up somewhere that only he and probably some others have access to. MAYBE they were kept in darkness for a long time to the point where their optics most likely don't work properly afterwards. Maybe they were locked up like shackled or smth. If that happens their limbs would have scratches where the shackles were at since they tried to escape.

WHAT IF Sentinel wasn't that possessive with them (like he would be but not where they would only be fragged by him) what if he lent (?) them to others for them to use??

What if after they successfully escaped, everything plays out as it did in canon. Megatron would want revenge and he got it but Optimus would want Sentinel to still get a fair trial so that EVERYBOT on Cybertron would see how cruel and brutal he was. (Not very likely but whatever)

What if afterwards, the both of them felt that Sentinel has ruined everything for them. They no longer can have sex without thinking about him and the thought alone sends them reeling. They can't be affectionate without thinking the Megatronus/Prima being captured by Quintessons and forced to be incubators role play since Sentinel wanted them to hold each other (another thing he ruined).

Time perception: another thought I just had was that maybe he DOES decide to inform them how long it has been and that gets them closer to spiraling. What do you mean it has only been 4 months?? Surely it hasn't? It leaves them with a sense of dread as they began to think that they are never getting out of here if it's been that long.

That's it but idk if I'm intruding on this soooo yea

Tho it's kinda fun thinking the possibilities😭

https://www.tumblr.com/yayasvalveplay/777775239530725376/in-the-playtoy-au-how-long-are-orion-dee-are?source=share

4 MONTHS??

This has me thinking that their perception of time probably got fucked up during that time (if they didn't have their chronometers) and thought that it had been more than that

Oh ya their time perception got fucked up when their chronometers were turned off, they think they were jut there for a month or two, but nope. It's been 4 months the moment Dee and Orion escape.

tfone humanformers headcannons

grumpy 😰

This took me 8 hours to draw😭 I love D-16❤️

I don’t know how to give a spoiler alert on this website but if I can warn you here it is. This is vague enough though it’s not too much??? Maybe????

Anyways, I saw Transformers: One yesterday and have been thinking about it nonstop ever since. It’s beautiful. Almost perfect. Sensational. 10/10 would recommend please go see it if you have any Transformers love in your bones and even if you don’t. It’s just a good story.

As for the spoilery part, don’t read ahead as I talk about this piece if you don’t want some spoilers.

What kills me about this movie is, yes, Orion and D-16’s friendship, but also Bee and Elita coming together as a team as the four of them. Bee particularly, as it would be assumed he is the youngest and the least experienced in their little group and needs them potentially the most.

I would say there’s a direct parallel you could make between Bee and D-16 throughout the movie. As both of them move from blind loyalty in the status quo to having to accept that the system they live in is set up against them and the power that they trusted is false and vile.

D-16 is a fascinating case of losing trust in anyone and anything because of that betrayal. The movie does a fantastic job of justifying (not excusing) the rise of Megatron and truly emphasizes how tragic of a character he really is, beyond just the violent rebel we’ve gotten used to.

Bee on the other hand shifts quickly to lean on the support and trust of his friends (maybe he is more inclined to as they are literally his only option), and to still hold his faith in Primus and the true Primes, ultimately following Optimus.

Anyways, this illustration I whipped up this evening is in the climax of the film when Sentinel Prime has captured much of the High Guard, as well as D-16 and Bee. D pulls the ballsy move of refusing to kneel to the false Prime. They discuss Megatronus Prime for a bit, Sentinel drawing attention to D’s Megatronus decal. Then Sentinel decides that D-16 should always have a reminder of that dead Prime, and brands a crude likeness of Megatronus on his chest with a laser gun.

Above all else I think that this is potentially the final turning point for D-16. This isn’t the point of no return (see end of film when Sentinel gets his due) but I see it as D-16 losing faith completely in both the true Primes of the past (Megatronus), and the false Prime of the present (Sentinel), leading him straight to the point later where he won’t trust his future to anyone but himself. Not even Orion. I wanted to explore this moment visually so while I was at work the composition for this piece slowly started forming in my head and I knew I wanted to bring both D-16 and Bee into the focal point.

this is what happened right

1 base 2 artist with @yinsayshello ♡

I'M READY NOW!!!🗯️

Poke Poke!!

WIP

[ 2/2 ] speedpaint

[ 1/2 tomorrow ]

I LOVE TFONE SO MUCH!!

is a popcorn...

Happy Valentine's Day!

D 16 would go full fanboy mode on Tfp Optimus.

You made me this.

Storyboard by Ahmed Nasri

my head has been filled with nothing but possessive Dee.

Dee setting a big hand on Orion's shoulder, narrowing his eyes as he shoots a look at any mech trying to sweet talk his Pax. Dee casually looping an arm around Orion and pulling him closer when mecha's gazes linger for too long, tracing out the outline of his shoulder armor as he listens to Orion ramble on without a care in the world.

Dee leaving marks and dents on Orion after interfacing, an intimate sign that Orion is his. Bite marks in sensitive neck cabling and along the inside of his thighs, silver scuff marks on the inside of blue legs, black scrapes from where he wrapped his hands around Orion's thighs and tugged him onto his face. Every time Orion walks with a visible limp, Dee is preening like the cat that got the cream because it's marking Orion as taken by him.

One time, Jazz tried to get close, talk into Orion's panels. Dee didn't buy the excuse that it was on a bet. That night, he pins Orion chest down and hikes his hips up into the air and drills his spike into the ceiling node in his lover's valve, hissing that Orion is his, no one else's, just Dee's-! and all Orion can do is sob and writhe, gasping that- he's his, he's Dee's, please, Dee-!

Orion can barely walk the day after. Jazz laughs, gives Orion a high five, and passes 5 shanix to a smirking Prowl. Dee can't even be mad that he was apparently played by Jazz- he's staked a claim, and everyone can see it

Possessive Dee pounding Orions tight valve. Kissing, and biting at him to make sure everyone knows that ge belongs to Dee.

And it doesn't help that their friends keeps making Dee go feral on Orion. Because its funny, and really the only semblance of entertainment in the mines.

D-16 should get his valve eaten out and I feel like he would try really hard to be quiet (and he fails)

you just KNOW he's chewing a goddamn hole in that pillow trying to shut himself up.

meanwhile orion is in perfect box munching bliss

btw you should buy my zine

https://www.tumblr.com/yayasvalveplay/778573040520937472/sorry-to-bring-up-something-completely-unrelated?source=share

they get a rare day off and instead of resting or doing something productive dee ties orion up and reeeaaaaaally takes his time making orion fall apart for him

there's some edging, absolutely some overstimulation, dee fingers orion through enough overloads to make him cry before spiking him into a few more, and orion can only sit there and take it

after the fact, orion discovers he does in fact have a Thing for bondage. something about being restrained and helpless, at the whims and mercy of dee... he doesn't know what about it is doing it, but it's really revving him up

He wants to be restrained. He wants to be held down, restricted in his movements.

It gets him so reved up and wet for Dee. Dee can't help put take him. Again and again. Sometimes almost missing shifts because of the lovely moans he pulls from Orions mouth as he finger fucks him.

Or spikes him. Spilling his transfluid inside his forge. And locking his pannel to see it sometimes slipping free.

Elita is so done with them because she can see the pink of transfluid running down orions thigh. With you two stop fragging before work!?

yaya i've been losing my mind. i think dee needs to be externally very much against interfacing on the job, and orion keeps trying to convince him to do it. orion does not need to know that the thought of fragging orion into a strutless sobbing heap is haunting his recharge, keeping dee charged up near-endlessly.

how long will dee's resolve last before he drags orion into a little offshoot of the mine, pinning him to the wall and hissing that orion has ruined him even as he reaches down and palms at orion's panels with a command to open

orion's valve is still obscured, but dee can feel the warmth there, and all it takes is rough circles on his node for the petals to relax enough for him to sneak down and shove two fingers into his valve in the just-rough-enough way he knows gets orion revved up

he brings orion to the edge like that, grinding his palm into orion's node and shoving against internal nodes until orion is squealing and trembling as he grabs at dee's arm. as soon as he can feel orion's calipers start to flutter around his fingers in that familiar way, he's ripping away, roughly squeezing at the panel casing as he tells orion to close, now

orion tries to whine, rolling his hips, but dee shuts that down quickly. he's not going to be the only one charged up and ready to go from this whole deal

I don't think it'll take that long before Dee snaps and plows into that valve like he's trying to breed Orion.

But also edge play, Dee would, keeping him all nice and charge, seeing the way he moves uncomfortably while mining, trying not to paulm at himself because he knows that Dee is watching him.

d16 goon as you guys asked

stop being clingy Orion!