The most despicable cartoon character in TV history – Part 1

Megatron was not even the most despicable of the Decepticons, never mind the most despicable cartoon character. He earned his role as a Decepticon general and after they crashed on earth he naturally became leader of the Decepticons on earth despite repeated attempts by otehrs to dethrone him. Later repeated defeats by Optimus Prime and other’s drove Megatron insane and only then did he become the truly ruthless monster that appears in the original TV series and the first animated movie. Megatron tolerated the very unsubtle attempts by Starscream to undermine his leadership for a long time in the comics, partially because he was the most powerful of the decepticon jets and very useful but primarily because he was a member of the decepticon army. Megatron had a sense of Honor, before he was driven mad their were several opportunity’s in the original comic series and associated stories when he could have killed Optimus Prime and other Autobots but chose not to because it broke his own code of Honor or because he saw it as unnecessary, the first being in the very first issue of the transcormers comic.

In one story in a transformers annual released in the UK we see the origin of the rivalry between Megatron and Optimus Prime and we also see Megatron when he first joined the Decepticons, along with Ravage. The Decepticon rebellion on Cybertron has just started and Megatron and Optimus Prime are escorting an Autobot elder from one city to another along with two of the elders bodyguards, one of which is Ravage. At this point Megatron and Optimus Prime are friends, their is a continuous philosophical discussion throughout the story which ends with the death of the elder, killed by decepticons despite the best efforts of Megatron, Optimus Prime and Ravage, he dies from lack of energy due to his old age. Optimus Prime is injured and Megatron and Ravage refuse to give the old transformer energy to preserve his life, they declare that the old order should be allowed to die and that they are going to join the Decepticons.

This shows that Megatron had a code of Honor, he was a loyal autobot until he became disillusioned by them and even after choosing to join the decepticons he remained loyal to the mission. This demonstrates personality traits which are far from despicable!

Examples of despicable Decepticons:

Starscream

Soundwave

Shockwave

Among many others!