Narrator

The narrator, an atheist, pushes his evolutionary agenda overPrimus.

From time to time, thenarratorwill take the time to tell the audience more of what they need to know to understand the events happening in a given piece of fiction. There is no reason to believe what he is saying is ever not true, so his words are treated ascanon.The narrator often has the distinct privilege of being the first to reveal the first facts regarding the strange and alien robotic creatures known asTransformerseven before we see them in action.

Occasionally, acharacterfrom the story will take on narration duties and directly tell the audience certain things. It is often unclear when or why the character took the time to record such messages. Perhaps it is some kind of diary, or memoir dictated after the character's adventures have ended. In any case, these narrations can't quite be automatically accepted as absolutely true, since they presumably depend on the knowledge of the character narrating, and his trustworthiness in relaying the events to the audience accurately.

Sometimes the historical record in the form of recordeddata tracksare used to supply narration for a story, indicating the adventure happened some time in the past. These, too, are only as accurate as the data that was used to create the historical record.

Fiction

Generation 1 continuity family

MarvelThe Transformerscomics

The narrator could be counted on to provide bits of necessary information to the reader at any point in a comic story.

The narrator opened the series by briefly describing the planetCybertronin orbit aroundAlpha Centauri,the robotic life that evolved there, and the thriving civilization they created there, and the actions ofMegatronand hisDecepticonsthat led to a devastatingcivil war.The TransformersHe would go on providing pertinent information at various points throughout the series.

Generation 1 cartoon continuity

The Transformerscartoon

Voice actor:Victor Caroli(English),Issei Masamune(Japanese),Gregg Berger(English, "Transformers 40th Anniversary Event"),Chen Chun(Chinese),Willi Röbke(German),Arnim André(German,Atlantis, Arise!),Fabian von Klitzing(German, firstThe Moviedub),Albert Augier(European French),Francis Lax(European French,Autobot Spike,Atlantis, Arise!and season 3),Serge Lhorca(European French, "The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2" ),Jean-Claude Michel(French,The Movie),Michel Barbey(European French,The Rebirthepisodes),Gabriele Carrara(Italian, first TV series dub),Giuliano Santi(Italian, firstThe Moviedub),Toni Orlandi(Italian, second dub),Stefano Alessandroni(Italian,40th Anniversary Eventdub),Sílvio Navas(Portuguese),Mauro Castro(Portuguese, DVD dub),Válter Santos(Portuguese,The MovieFox Kids dub),Choi Heul(Korean,The Movie,KBS dub)

The narrator introduced the audience to the intelligent robotic life on Cybertron, how they were separated into two factions, and how one faction, the Decepticons, were intent on destroying the peacefulAutobots.This caused a global war of good vs. evil that drained the planet's resources and caused desperate energy shortages felt on both sides.More than Meets the Eye, Part 1He would go on providing pertinent information at various points throughout the series.

The narrator bridged the gap in time between the second season of the television series andThe Transformers: The Movie,explaining that the year was now 2005. In some versions (notably the European version), the opening credits were replaced with a scrolling text ( "Star Warsstyle ") which provided backstory, accompanied by narration. In some versions (notably the European version), the film ended with the narrator reassuring the audience that Optimus Prime would return.

The Headmasterscartoon

Voice actor:Issei Masamune(Japanese),Rik Thomas(English, Omni Productions dub),Mario Brusa(Italian)

He never,evershut up.

Super-God Masterforcecartoon

Voice actor:Keiichi Noda(Japanese),Rik Thomas(English, Omni Productions dub),Orlando Mezzabotta(Italian)

Victorycartoon

Voice actor:Masashi Hironaka(Japanese),Rik Thomas(English, Omni Productions dub)

Zonecartoon

Voice actor:Keiichi Noda(Japanese)

Beast Warscartoon

Voice actor:Banana Ice(Japanese)

Beast Wars IIcartoon

Voice actor:Tetsuo Komura(Japanese)

Beast Wars Neocartoon

Voice actor:Monster Maezuka(Japanese)

Robotmasterscartoon

Voice actor:Kenji Utsumi(Japanese)

Unicron Trilogy cartoon continuity

Voice actor:Jim Conrad(English),Show Hayami(Galaxy Force,Japanese),Lu Jianyi(Armada,Chinese),Arto Nieminen(Armada,Finnish),Fredrik Beckmann(Armada,Swedish),Michael Brennicke(Armada,German),Wolf Frass(Cybertron,German),Michel Dodane(Armada,French),Sergio Fiorentini(Armada,Italian),Salvador Serrano(Armada,Castilian Spanish),Dario de Castro(Armada,Brazilian Portuguese),Seong-ho Shin(Galaxy Force,Korean)

The narrator introduced the audience to Transformers, explaining how, eons ago, they were sent out by a "unique digital entity"as explorers. He explained the conflict caused byMini-Conson one of the planets they settled called Cybertron.First EncounterHe would go on providing pertinent information at various points throughoutArmada,Energon,andCybertron.

Rad Whitenarrated information during the opening credits in some episodes ofArmada.

InTransformers: Super Link,the Japanese release ofEnergon,Alpha Qwould narrate over the previews at the end of each episode. A running gag involved him telling viewers not to miss each episode, as "something cool might happen!"; this was paid off in the preview for thefinal episode,in which he declared that "something cool finally happened!"

Universecartoon

The entirety ofAction Blast 1is a narration byOptimus Prime.

Live-action film continuity family

Voice actor:Peter CullenOptimus Prime(English) andAnthony HopkinsSir Edmund Burton(English),Tesshō Genda(Japanese),Li Lihong(Chinese)

Cyber Missions

Episodes ofCyber Missionswere typically introduced by the historicaldata tracksof the incident recorded byOptimus Prime.

Aligned continuity family

Voice actor:Mark Hamill

An aerialVehiconserved as the narrator for an installment ofDecepticon's Storytime Theater.Decepticon's Storytime Theater - The Story of Stumble Bee

Prime Wars Trilogycartoons

Voice actor:Victor Caroli(English)

The narrator recounted the events ofCombiner Warsbefore the events ofTitans Return,probably because most people tried to forgetCombiner Warshappened.Aftermath and RebirthHe later recapped the events ofTitans Returnbefore the events ofPower of the Primes.

Games

The Transformers(PS2)

Voice actor:Robert Belgrade(English)

ThroughoutThe Transformers: Call of the Future,the narrator filled in backstory elements and character information, as well as explaining events presently taking place.

War for Cybertron

Voice actor:Steve Blum(English),Patrick Borg(French),David García Vázquez(Spain-Spanish),Jacek Lecznar(Polish)

The narrator described what happened previously and what was about to happen before each chapter of the game in theXbox 360, PS3, and PC versionsofWar for Cybertron,in a voice homaging Victor Caroli's narration of the G1 cartoon. It is possible this narrator was actuallyShockwave,archiving the events as they unfold.

Transformers: Galactic Trials

Voice actor:Bill Millsap(English)

Notes

Foreign names

• Japanese:Narrator(ナレーターnarēta),narration(ナレーションnarēshon)