Protoform

The future Maximal Airazor as a Protoform.

In the fictional world of the Transformers, protoforms are "basic frames" of a past or future transformer placed in stasis until a suitable form can be found. Protoforms played a major part in the Beast Wars saga, as the Axalon was carrying several dozen protoforms in stasis, which it ejected before crashing to Earth.

Protoforms are already inbued with a spark (self-awareness, life essence) before being placed into a stasis pod, although occasionally one is found without a spark, these are referred to as blanks. Since it makes little sense to put blanks among the crew of the Axalon, it's possible that the Quantum Wave destroyed these sparks while leaving the bodies intact.

Stasis pods are also rather delicate, and the slightest damage can erase the protoform's memories. As a result, of the protoforms activated during the Beast Wars, only Rampage (and Packrat in the comic series) has any memory of life before going into stasis. It is likely that the others also had lives on Cybertron, as all Transformers who emerge from the pods seem more mature than Cheetor.

It is unknown in what era of Cybertronian history protoform technology became available. In the Dreamwave comics protoforms are in the Micromasters series, which is set on Cybertron after The Ark and Nemesis were launched and lost in space.

It was implied in the television series and Wreckers comic book that some of the Cybertonians in the statis pods were criminals who were being shipped off planet. This was the case with Packrat (a master thief) and Protoform X (aka Rampage, a serial killer).

The Predacon Magmatron and his troops arrived on Earth on a mission following up Ravage. Magmatron had his own agenda to convert many of the unused protoforms in stasis pods into Predacon soldiers under his command, but the Maximal under cover agent Razorbeast sabotaged him, resulting in many of the protoforms emerging as Maximals. Magmatron also recovered the remains of Ravage and used a blank protoform to bring him back as a transmetal 2. Being displaced slightly chronogically Magmatron and Razorbeast's troops battled without the others noticing. At one point Megatron was captured by Magmatron to be sent back to Cybertron. Due to the intervention of Razorbeast, Optimus Minor and Grimlock, Magmatron was sent back to Cybertron instead. Razorbeast left the unconscious Megatron on Earth, fearing altering the time stream if he captured him (Beast Wars: The Gathering #1-4 by IDW comics).

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