THE STUDENT

The student waits to recieve the 'Baton of Evil' in the 'Relay of Destruction!'


Appearances:

UK Transformers

#223 (Aspects of Evil -- Scorponok)

#224 (Aspects of Evil -- Galvatron)

#225 (Aspects of Evil -- Shockwave)

#226 (Aspects of Evil -- Megatron)

#227 (Apsects of Evil -- Unicron)

 

Quote:  

"Well get this Autobot fool! I'm going to find Unicron for myself, and when I do... you'll really understand the meaning of evil!"

 

Alt-Mode:  

Unknown.

 

Description:  

The Student is a strange character. He is clearly a 'story foil' like most Obscure Characters. Most obscures are created for a precise purpose in a story, then disposed of, usually in a very permanent way. Some obscures, like Emirate Xaaron or Alpha Trion are created for a precise purpose in a story, but just keep coming back and thereby become fully-fledged characters in their own right. Sometimes, though you have a character who is created for a singular purpose, but who are developed in such a way that they feel like fully-fledged characters, Scrounge, Straxus and Jhiaxus are excellent examples of this.

 

The student is somewhere between being  fully-fledged character and simply a story-foil that was disposed of instantly. He has very little to do in the story, but slowly develops in such a way that at the end of the story you're actually wondering what might happen when he returns.

 

If this description just confuses you, perhaps you should move on to his biography.


"Perhaps if I grope your breasts I shall learn to true meaning of evil..."

 

Biography:  

It was the year 2356. Rodimus Prime was now bed-bound, consumed by an internal struggle with the force of evil which is Unicron. At this time he was approached by an Autobot student, curious to learn about the Autobots' past and to understand what this thing people call 'evil' is.

 

The student pressed Rodimus Prime for stories that might explain the nature of evil. First he listened to a tale of Scorponok and the way he once manipulated the Autobots into doing his dirty work. Then a story of Galvatron's pure evil. Then he heard a story about Shockwave trying to sabotage the opening of Autobot City Earth. Finally he heard a story of Megatron and the way he treated his own troops like dirt to find a traitor.

 

After all these students the student's desire to understand evil wasn't quenched, it had simply grown. In fact, his demands for tales were now much more forceful and even angry. He demanded a tale of the ultimate manifestation of evil. Unicron.

 

So Rodimus Prime told him the tale of how Unicron had come back to Cybertron, attacking without reason. Rodimus himself had faced Unicron, then defeated him, drawing his evil into the creation Matrix where it was made inert. The Student didn't believe this story for a second. In fact rather than helping him understand evil, Rodimus' stories made him want to BECOME evil. 

 

The student ripped off his own Autobot insignia and threw it to the ground, then stormed off, vowing to find Unicron himself and show Rodimus Prime the true meaning of evil.

 

Rodimus himself realised that the student had been turned evil by his words. The force of evil inside him, Unicron, was growing slowly stronger, and having an influence on those around him. The Student was one of those victims.

 

 

Tech Specs/TFU:  

Really hard to imagine what kind of stats the student might have had. His role in Transformers (that we saw) was purely to sit around listening to stories. That doesn't even require a high Intelligence stat.

The Student denounces his Autobot heritage.

 

Toy:  

Again, I can't imagine a toy of this character. The student was a non-descript nothing of a generic. He was drawn by multiple artists, but the basic design was lacking. For a generic or obscure Transformer to look like it might make a good toy it needs alt-mode features on the robot mode. Things like tyres or the front of a car or wings. It doesn't matter, as long as it's got features which suggest it might have really had another mode.

 

For a good example of this check out Chameleon. For a bad example, just look at all the pictures of the Student.

 

 

Over All:  

The most intriguing thing about the Student is the idea that he was actually going to go look for Unicron. Unicron didn't just turn him evil, he made him an acolyte. Imagine if the Student had done his research and discovered that Unicron really was tucked away safely inside Rodimus Prime.

 

Would he have resorted to murder to free Unicron and discover true evil? Ironically, if he did do this he'd probably end up becoming Unicron's first meal as well.

 

Something to think about.

 

Gallery:

UK Issue #227

The Student looking disbelieving.  The student looking cocky.  The student throwing away his Autobot insignia. 

 

 

 

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