Editing Megatron (section)

==Transformers Cinematic Universe==
{{Infobox character
| name = Megatron
| series = [[Transformers]]
| image = 
| alt = 
| caption = Megatron in ''The Last Knight''.
| voice = 
'''English''':
{{ubl
 |[[Hugo Weaving]] (''Transformers'', ''Revenge of the Fallen'', ''Dark of the Moon'' and leader class figures)
 | [[Frank Welker]] ([[Transformers: The Movie Prequel|animated prequel]], [[Transformers: The Game|2007 video game]], [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (video game)|2009 video game]] and ''The Last Knight'')
 | [[Brian Tyree Henry]] (''Transformers One'')
 | [[Fred Tatasciore]] ([[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (video game)|2011 video game]])
 | Tony Gialluca II (Cyber Missions)}}
'''Japanese''':
{{ubl|Kotaro Nakamura}}
| affiliation = Decepticon
| lbl21 = Sub-group
| data21 = Fast Action Battlers, Leaders, Micro Vehicles, Voyagers, Triple Changers, Voyager Class, Fast Action Battlers, Deluxe Vehicles, Transformer Knights
| lbl22 = Function
| data22 = Decepticon Leader, Decepticon Overlord, New Emperor of Destruction<ref>[http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/Battle-Bios.cfm Hasbro.com – Transformers Battle Bios] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100427172841/http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/Battle-Bios.cfm |date=April 27, 2010 }}</ref>
| lbl23 = Rank
| data23 = 10
| lbl31 = Partner
| data31 = Quintessa, Nemesis Prime, The Fallen, [[Starscream]], [[Soundwave (Transformers)|Soundwave]], [[Blackout (Transformers)|Blackout]], [[Barricade (Transformers)|Barricade]], [[Onslaught (Transformers)|Onslaught]], Long Haul, Mixmaster, Rampage, Scrapper, Dylan Gould, [[Sentinel Prime (Transformers)|Sentinel Prime]], [[Shockwave (Transformers)|Shockwave]], Lockdown, and Stinger<!-- See Toys section -->
| lbl32 = Motto
| data32 = {{ubl
 |''Peace through Tyranny.''
 |''Everything is fodder.''
 |''Lesser creatures are play things in my will.''
 |''We were brothers once.''
 }}
| lbl33 = Alternate modes
| data33 = Cybertronian jet/Cybertronian flying tank/[[Mack Titan]] [[Tank Truck]]/2014 [[Freightliner Argosy]] cab over truck (as [[Galvatron]])
}}
In the 2007 [[Transformers (film)|live-action ''Transformers'' film]], Megatron's alternate mode is a Cybertronian jet. The apparent explanation for the departure from his gun form is that director [[Michael Bay]] does not want to include any sort of size changing in the transformations, which the writers described as "cheating".<ref>{{cite web|author=Tformers.com |url=http://www.tformers.com/article.php?sid=6374&mode=flat |title=''Transformers'' Movie Webcast – The Recap – Transformers Toys News Reviews |publisher=TFormers.com |date=2006-08-18 |access-date=2013-11-04}}</ref> (This significant change in size is known in Transformers fan communities as "mass shifting" and "mass displacement".) In one of the special features on the DVD, G1 Megatron's transformation is likened to [[Darth Vader]] turning into his own [[lightsaber]] to be wielded by another person. Additionally, Bay states in the DVD that Megatron's face was originally different from the one shown in the film, but he asked it to be redesigned due to fans reacting with strong opposition to it once Megatron's design was unveiled before the film was completed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://powet.tv/powetblog/wp-content/uploads/2006/08/TFMovie_Megatron_04.jpg |title=Comparison between CGI models of Megatron's original face design and the design used in the film. |access-date=2013-11-04}}</ref>

Actor [[Hugo Weaving]] provides the voice of Megatron in the first three films. His voice in the series (as well as those of the other voice actors) seems to have been modulated to give it a deeper, growling tone. The original voice of Megatron, [[Frank Welker]], provides his voice for the 2007 and 2009 [[video game]]s, the exclusive animated prequel and ''[[Transformers: The Last Knight|The Last Knight]]''.<ref>[http://kotaku.com/gaming/transformers/original-megatron-prime-actors-to-voice-tf-game-250141.php ''Transformers'': Original Megatron, Prime Actors To Voice TF Game] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090802052133/http://kotaku.com/gaming/transformers/original-megatron-prime-actors-to-voice-tf-game-250141.php |date=August 2, 2009 }}</ref>

Like all characters in the film, Megatron was redesigned for purposes of realism and focus on the alien aspect of the Transformer race. However, he still retains some minor aspects of his ''Generation 1'' design. As shown in the first film, he can transform his right hand into his iconic fusion cannon and his right arm into a steel flail. He can also combine both of his hands to form a more powerful, long-barreled variation of his fusion cannon that functions akin to a [[sniper rifle]]. In the second film, after his resurrection, he can transform his right arm into a fusion cannon, coupled with a [[lobster]] claw-like blade. In the third film, he uses a handheld version of his fusion cannon, which resembles a human shotgun, specifically a [[Lupara]]. In the fourth and fifth film, Megatron (or Galvatron in the fourth film) once again uses a fusion cannon integrated into his right arm, as well as utilizing a handheld sword resembling a Congolese short sword in the fifth film.{{original research inline|date=February 2014}}

According to an early interview with Michael Bay, Megatron stands at {{convert|41|ft}} tall,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.latinoreview.com/news.php?id=907 |title=''Transformers'' Set Visit Preview! – Movie News – Latest Movie Reviews and trailers |publisher=Latinoreview.com |access-date=2013-11-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070606165218/http://www.latinoreview.com/news.php?id=907 |archive-date=June 6, 2007 }}</ref> but according to his profile in the second issue of the ''Transformers UK'' comic Megatron stands "{{Convert|35|ft}} tall" and weighs 8.6 tons. Additionally, the magazine and the ''Movie Guide'' state he is powered by a self-regenerating dark matter power core. Hasbro has now said that Megatron officially stands 35 feet and weighs in at 5.7 metric tons.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}}

===Films===
Megatron appears in ''[[Transformers (2007)|Transformers]]''. Megatron was the leader of the Decepticons in a war against the Autobots. Megatron has located the AllSpark on [[Earth]], but he crash lands during the [[Ice age|Ice Age]] and becomes frozen due to the Earth's magnetic field interfering with Megatron's [[telemetry]]. Megatron's body was discovered by Captain [[Archibald Witwicky]] and is transported to the [[Hoover Dam]] guarded by Sector 7, a secret government organization that studies Non-Biological Extraterrestrials (N.B.E.), as well as other alien-related activities.

Megatron was studied, and his technology was reverse-engineered to advance human technology. Megatron's location, as well as the AllSpark's, is located by a group of Decepticons led by Starscream. [[Frenzy (Transformers)#Transformers|Frenzy]] thaws out Megatron, who escapes outside and learns from Starscream that the humans and the Autobots have taken the Allspark. Megatron pursues the Autobots and their allies where he kills [[Jazz (Transformers)|Jazz]] before battling Optimus Prime. After being weakened by human fighter jets, Megatron attempts to seize the AllSpark, but [[Witwicky family#Samuel James Witwicky|Sam Witwicky]] shoves it into his exposed spark chamber, killing him. Megatron's body is later dumped into the [[Laurentian Abyss]], along with the other dead Decepticons.

In ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen]]'', he is revealed to be the Fallen's disciple, the first Decepticon. Megatron is revived by [[Scalpel (Transformers)#Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen|Scalpel]] and the [[Constructicons#Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen|Constructicons]] with an AllSpark shard. He then flies to the [[Nemesis (Transformers)|Nemesis]], where he is greeted by [[Starscream]] and then reunites with the Fallen, telling of the AllSpark's demise before being told by his master that its knowledge (which has been passed on to Sam) is the key for providing Energon, which the Decepticons need to awaken their protoform armies. Sam, his girlfriend [[Mikaela Banes]], and his dorm mate Leo Spitz are abducted by [[Grindor#Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen|Grindor]]. Before the Decepticons can extract Sam's brain, the Autobots rescue them. Megatron chases after Optimus and Sam in a forest, with Starscream and Grindor joining the battle. Megatron kills Prime but then is forced to escape due to the intervention of Autobot reinforcements.

Megatron and Starscream soon arrive in [[Egypt]], and he commands his Decepticons to prevent Sam from getting the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to Optimus and retrieve it for the Fallen's machine. He then summons [[List of The Transformers (TV series) characters#Constructicons|Devastator]], who destroys the top part of the [[Great Pyramid of Giza]], revealing the Star Harvester. The Fallen soon arrives and takes the Matrix from a recently revived Optimus. [[Jetfire#Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen|Jetfire]] sacrifices himself to give Optimus his parts, and then Megatron, and the Fallen battle Optimus. Optimus severely wounds Megatron and kills the Fallen. With his master dead, Starscream advises that they should retreat. Megatron does so but vows that the war isn't over.

Megatron returns in ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon]]''. In the four years since the events of ''Revenge of the Fallen'', Megatron has been hiding out in [[Africa]] healing his wounds, and taking care of the hatchlings.<ref>{{cite web|last=Bierly |first=Mandi |url=http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/02/11/transformers-3-hasbro-toys |title='Transformers' 3 clues found in new Hasbro toys – EXCLUSIVE |publisher=Insidemovies.ew.com |date=2011-02-11 |access-date=2013-11-04}}</ref> In the film, it is revealed that Megatron allied himself with [[Sentinel Prime (Transformers)|Sentinel Prime]] in an attempt to revitalize Cybertron. Soundwave and [[Laserbeak]] inform him of the Autobot's discovery of the ''Ark'' ship on the moon and orders them to kill their human allies. When Sentinel betrays the Autobots, he transport Decepticon forces from the Moon to Earth and invade [[Chicago]]. Sentinel overthrows Megatron and becomes the leader of the Decepticons. Megatron is convinced by [[Carly Spencer]] that Sentinel will take all of the power and credit for himself. Angered, Megatron turns on Sentinel and severely damages him. When Cybertron is destroyed by the Space Bridge, Megatron proposes a truce to Optimus. Knowing that Megatron would betray him, Optimus refuses and finally kills him.

In ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction]]'', despite being destroyed, Megatron's mind is still alive inside his severed head. Megatron's remains are acquired by KSI, who attempts to forge their own Transformers with "transformium". Their CEO, Joshua Joyce, forces [[Brains (Transformers)|Brains]] to download information from Megatron's head, which the Decepticon leader silently allows so Joshua will gain the information needed to succeed, which will grant Megatron access to a new body. Megatron then infects and possesses the unit '''[[Galvatron#Transformers: Age of Extinction|Galvatron]]'''. He then pretends to obey orders, only to finally defy his creators at the film's climax and accept his new identity as Galvatron and rebirth.

Megatron returns in ''[[Transformers: The Last Knight]]'', having discarded his identity as Galvatron. He is in league with Quintessa, the creator of Cybertronians. When Barricade reports that Cade Yeager has received the talisman from the Cybertronian knight Steelbane, he decides to use the TRF (Transformers Reaction Force) to lead him to Cade. Megatron then goes after Cade, but Cade and his companions lure Megatron into a trap, killing all the Decepticons except him, Barricade, and Nitro Zeus. Forced to retreat, Megatron later sends Barricade after Cade and Bumblebee, but his plan is thwarted, and he instead follows Cade, Bumblebee, and Viviane Wembly to the submerged ship of the Knights of Iacon, where Quintessa's Staff of Life, once wielded by Merlin, is hidden. When Optimus Prime steals the staff as Nemesis Prime, Megatron steals it himself and takes it to Stonehenge, where he uses it to open a portal that will allow Quintessa to destroy the Earth and face off against the Autobots and Optimus. Megatron is defeated by Optimus and is kicked out of Quintessa's chamber.

=== ''Transformers One'' ===
{{Blockquote|I trusted [[Sentinel Prime|Sentinel]], with everything! I will never follow a so-called leader ever again.|D-16 in ''[[Transformers One]]''}}
In ''[[Transformers One]]'' (2024), Megatron reappeared as D-16, voiced by [[Brian Tyree Henry]]. As D-16, he is a Energon mining robot with his best friend Orion Pax, and admires the legendary Megatronus Prime. They secretly enter a race organized by Cybertron's leader, Sentinel Prime, but lose. While Sentinel is impressed by their stunt, a jealous guard Darkwing, reassigns them to garbage incineration, where they meet B-127. The three discover a chip among the junk containing a distress message from Alpha Trion, one of the Primes, revealing coordinates to his location on the surface.

Accidentally taking Elita-1 with them, they find Alpha Trion alongside the corpses of the other Primes. Alpha Trion reveals that Sentinel betrayed the Primes and has been secretly working for the Quintessons, giving them regular supplies of Energon in exchange for letting him rule Cybertron while removing the miners' transformation cog to keep them subservient. D-16 is outraged that Sentinel lied to him, and receives his cog to transform into a silver tank. D-16 and his team manage to escape from Sentinel's guards, but they are captured by the High Guard, Cybertronians rebelling against Sentinel. D-16 refuses to take orders from anyone else and seizes command of them by defeating their leader, Starscream, with a new fusion cannon he transforms. D-16 grows increasingly aggressive since learning the truth, before Sentinel's guards attack and capture D-16, B-127 and half of the High Guard being taken to Iacon for public execution.

D-16 is tortured by Sentinel, upon learning that he took the cog of his idol, Megatronus Prime, before being branded with his symbol. After being rescued by Orion and showing Sentinel evidence of his betrayal, D-16 refuses to spare Sentinel and attempts to execute him in revenge, but is stopped by Orion, who is then mortally injured after taking the shot meant for Sentinel instead. Though initially horrified, D-16 is overcome by anger and betrays Orion, dropping him to his death. After killing Sentinel, D-16 announces his new rule over Cybertron after taking Megatronous' cog inside Sentinel, renames himself Megatron, and commands the High Guard to destroy Iacon. Megatron fights against Elita and B-127, and before he could kill them, Orion Pax is resurrected as Optimus Prime and confronts him. Megatron is enraged that Optimus is given the [[Matrix of Leadership]] and fights him, but in a single combat, is defeated. He is then called out for using his new powers to destroy Iacon instead of what Alpha Trion intended, and as punishment, Optimus exiles him and the High Guard. Megatron swears revenge against Optimus before leaving Iacon with the rest of the High Guard. Despite being defeated, Megatron vows to rule Cybertron, renames the High Guard as the Decepticons, and declares war on Optimus and the newly-christened Autobots.

===Animated series===
After the events of the ''Revenge of the Fallen'' film, Megatron goes into hiding, orchestrating the events from [[Soundwave (Transformers)#Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen|Soundwave]] getting into NEST headquarters to [[Lockdown (Transformers)#Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen|Lockdown]] being pursued by Ratchet. Megatron finally reveals himself in ''Cyber Missions 4'', when Optimus and [[Sideswipe (Transformers)|Sideswipe]] track his spark's signal, which leads them to an abandoned warehouse. The two realize that Megatron is always one step ahead of them, and Megatron slashes at Sideswipe from behind. Megatron starts dueling Optimus, then Sideswipe joins in with him. Realizing that he is outnumbered, Megatron transforms into tank mode and shoots the roof, which collapses on Optimus and Sideswipe. Megatron gets away but leaves a trail of tank tread marks that lead out of the warehouse.

Megatron returns 8 episodes later in ''Cyber Missions #12'', where he and Starscream scheme in the Arctic. He reveals to Starscream that he is aware of his ambitions and will punish him if he ever shows it again. Optimus Prime, who tracked them, soon arrives and combats them. When the rest of Optimus's team arrives, Megatron orders Starscream to take care of them, which Starscream agrees to, but not without complaint. Megatron and Starscream are simultaneously defeated, and the Decepticon commander flees after Optimus grants him mercy.

Most of the Decepticons return for the final mission, ''Decepticons Attack.'' After receiving a signal from Soundwave emitting from a bullet train, Megatron arrived on the other side of the tunnel the train was emerging from and derailed it. Ripping open one of the cars, Megatron berated Soundwave for being captured so easily, until it was revealed it was simply a hologram of his communications officer. Megatron declared it a trap, to which Optimus replied that it was a moment later. The Autobots and Decepticons battled for one last time, with Optimus telling Megatron that his alliances were made out of fear, not friendship. The Decepticons are then cornered by the human troops. Optimus Prime then demands that all Decepticons leave Earth. All of the Decepticons, including Megatron, leave Earth, but not before the commander declares that he ''will'' return.

===Books===
Megatron appears in the prequel novel ''[[Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday]]'', where it is revealed that reverse-engineering of his body has produced a spacecraft called ''Ghost-1''. The spacecraft is sent into space in 1969, where the humans on board encounter Megatron (here referred to throughout as the "ice man"), who is briefly reanimated in the middle of a battle between the Americans and the [[Soviet]]s. However, he is placed in cryo-stasis once again.

The children's book ''Transformers – Meet The Decepticons'', by [[Jennifer Frantz]], has a slightly different ending than the movie. This book has all six Decepticons leaving Earth together after being defeated by the Autobots, instead of having most of their numbers die.

The novelization for ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' ends with Megatron laying down his weapons and calling for a truce in earnest. Optimus Prime spares him and the Decepticons leave Earth to rebuild Cybertron.

In the novel, comic, and [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (video game)|video game]] adaptations of ''Revenge of the Fallen'', the slightly different ending gives more depth to Megatron's relationship with the Fallen. The Fallen prepares for the final battle with Optimus Prime, it is revealed that the Fallen's promises of power to his apprentice were lies. Out of anger, Megatron betrays the Fallen and allows Optimus to kill him for good. He then flies back aboard the ''Nemesis'' to take command of the remaining Decepticon army.
In the novel version of ''Dark of the Moon'', Optimus and Megatron work together and defeat Sentinel Prime. Though a fight was teased, Megatron reveals to Optimus he is tired of fighting and is suing for peace. He declares he will work to restore Cybertron to its previous glory and will send for the Autobots, so that they may rebuild their planet, as brothers.

===Comics===
====IDW Publishing====
The back story of Megatron is told in both ''Transformers: Defiance'' and issue #1 of the ''[[Transformers: Movie Prequel]]'' comic. In the comics, Megatron is revealed to have co-ruled Cybertron together with [[Optimus Prime (other incarnations)#The Transformers|Optimus Prime]], serving as Lord High Protector. Megatron and Optimus learned of an alien force coming to their planet for the Allspark, just as a mysterious artifact was unearthed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/0901/15/idwfirsts.htm |title=Comics Continuum |publisher=Comics Continuum |date=2009-01-15 |access-date=2013-11-04}}</ref> Megatron is gravely injured, but the artifact (containing the Fallen) awakens and heals him, swaying him with promises of power. Megatron soon desires power over the Allspark, and under the Fallen's influence, forms the [[Decepticon]]s, sending the bulk of his soldiers in a craft, the ''[[Nemesis (Transformers)|Nemesis]]''.

The Autobots attempt to hide the Allspark, but Megatron sees through the ruse and launches a full-scale attack, during which the Allspark is launched into space. Megatron almost catches up with the Allspark as it lands on [[Earth]]. In his reckless desire to possess it, Megatron pursues it right into Earth's atmosphere and falls into the icy waters, resulting in his being frozen in stasis lock. In the late 19th century, Captain [[Archibald Witwicky]] discovers the Decepticon during an Arctic expedition. At the turn of the 20th century, a crew of men later take his body—dubbing him the "ice man"—and keep him in storage up until the present day, eventually relocating him to [[Hoover Dam]] in Nevada.

In a flashback in the movie sequel comic ''[[Transformers: The Reign of Starscream]]'', Megatron's negative relationship with [[Starscream]] is shown to be a result of Starscream failing on a mission.

====Titan Magazines====
All events that take place in the alternate reality where Megatron won the battle at Mission City are in italics.

In [[Titan Magazines]]' [[Transformers (comics)#Titan Magazines|''Transformers'']] magazine, the UK-originated strips (written by Simon Furman) reveal Megatron's actions between issues #1 and 2 of the IDW comic. Pursuing the Allspark into space following the events of ''Movie Prequel'' #1, Megatron is delayed in his pursuit by a tractor beam from Cybertron. Breaking free and attacking the culprits—Jazz, Ratchet, and Ironhide—Megatron realizes that if he engages them, he would be delayed further. Summoning [[Brawl (Transformers)#Transformers (film)|Devastator]] to deal with them, he resumes his pursuit—but the desperate gamble works and he (temporarily) loses the Allspark's trail.

The character profile the magazine provided sheds a little more light on Megatron's desire to possess the Allspark. He believes that while Cybertronians could already transform into other forms via a scanning process, the Allspark could allow Transformers to simply imagine the form they want and change accordingly. Interfacing with the Allspark directly, Megatron gains his deadly jet mode and begins his plans to obtain it permanently.

In "Twilight's Last Gleaming" part 3, [[Bumblebee (other incarnations)#Transformers|Bumblebee]] attempts to take on Megatron in the Sector 7 base as Mikaela attempts to free Optimus Prime, but she is attacked by Frenzy. In part 4, Mikaela frees Prime and freezes Frenzy just as Autobot reinforcements arrive and assist Bumblebee in fighting Megatron.

====Cybertron's Most Wanted====
Yet another version of Megatron was featured in BotCon's 2015 "Cybertron's Most Wanted" storyline. This version featured a history virtually identical to that of the Megatron of the films, up until the final battle of ''Dark of the Moon.'' At this point, some force intervened to save Megatron from Optimus's killing blow, allowing Megatron to kill not only Optimus but Sentinel Prime as well. After rebuilding himself and conquering Earth, Megatron set out to reclaim Cybertron, only to be forced to contend with a new Autobot leader who proved to be an even more dangerous foe than Optimus: [[Rodimus Prime]]. Defeated and left hanging from the edge of a spacebridge, Megatron chose to abandon himself to fate rather than allow Rodimus to kill him, and wound up in the interdimensional city of Axiom Nexus, despite restrictions put in place by the Transtech to prevent versions of Megatron from taking up residence there. He soon formed a new gang of criminals including [[Maximal (Transformers)|Maximal]] thief Packrat, Decepticon Triple-Changer [[Battletrap]], Shattered Glass Autobot Stepper, and a trio of Microns.

====Sector 7 Adventures: The Battle at Half Dome====
In the ''[[Bumblebee (film)|Bumblebee movie]]'' tie-in comic, Megatron was frozen at the [[Hoover Dam|Igloo]] foreshadowing his appearance in [[Transformers (film)|The 2007 film]]