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The Transformers G1 series finale concludes with a massive alteration; before the credits roll, some Autobots get a strange upgrade.
After three seasons and a film, the G1 era of The Transformers came to an end with a three-part fourth season known as “The Rebirth.” The season features a mix of classic, current and new characters from the series but focuses more on its newer characters like Hardhead and Chromedome. But one of the standout factors of the final season was how it fundamentally alters some Autobots forever.
The series follows a group of Autobots as they travel to a distant planet known as Nebulos. The planet has danger around every corner and is revealed to be commanded by a hive mind that kidnaps Hot Rod, Kup, Blurr and others. A group of freedom fighters takes the Autobots and their human partners, Spike and Daniel, the latter being gravely wounded. To keep Daniel alive, he is placed on life support, and the Autobot named Brainstorm works with Spike to seize the opportunity to create headmasters.
Headmasters are the combination of robot and organic lifeforms to create the ultimate warrior. To complete this vision, some of the freedom fighters and Daniel are retrofitted with an exoskeleton that allows them to transform into the head of their corresponding Autobot partner. However, when the heads are in human form, the Autobot must remain in vehicle mode. Thankfully, their memory banks are stored in their chest, so they still remember who they are.
This system is also used for weapons to create targetmasters for other Autobots to team up with. Theoretically, the pairing should allow for better strategies when combating Decepticons, who eventually create headmasters and targetmasters of their own. During the three-part season, the Nebulons take the fight to the hive and its leader, Zarak, while proving that their paring creates a better soldier. However, while the battle concludes with an Autobot victory, it’s hard not to notice the faults of the headmaster experiment.
It’s a genius method to bring into combat as it allows for offensive and defensive capabilities and makes a speedy getaway even more available. However, headmasters don’t have it as well as targetmasters or standard Autobots when it comes to quality of life. Being confined in vehicle mode while the headmaster does what they need to and vice versa can seem stifling, especially for the organic counterparts as they still need to eat and use the restroom. Sadly, with The Transformers series concluding following the ending of “The Rebirth,” no explanation of the pros and cons of being a headmaster is brought to light.
Nevertheless, the headmaster concept also became a clever toy gimmick that brought some variety to the premise of transforming vehicles. However, it was a gimmick that deserved to be explored further in the series. The capabilities of the headmasters could’ve created a brand new faction of Autobots akin to the Dinobots or Aerialbots, allowing for new and exciting adventures separate from the main cast. While their future will never be explored in G1, there’s no denying that the headmasters and targetmasters changed the Autobots forever.
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