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How do you permanently kill a Transformer? In other words, "kill" a Transformer such that it cannot be "revived."

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    I removed the strikeout markdown because it doesn't seem needed and made the question hard to read. Also not that on SE questions should only have one questions inside of them, you currently have at least three so this will be closed as too broad. I suggest you edit this to focus on a single question.
    – TheLethalCarrot
    Commented Jun 14, 2019 at 8:37
  • @Northside If you're open to it, just change the three questions you have to one question as How to kill a Transformer without having the ability to restore later?, Other than being too broad, this could be a good question
    – Vishwa
    Commented Jun 14, 2019 at 9:32
  • As you all can see, I am new to Stackexchange and cannot title/write questions appropriately.
    – Northside
    Commented Jun 15, 2019 at 5:03
  • That's perfectly understandable, we all have to start somewhere. I'm glad you took our advice. I'll happily vote to re-open this, it looks much more answerable now.
    – F1Krazy
    Commented Jun 15, 2019 at 7:33
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    The previous version of the question needed to be more concise. The question itself in my opinion was clear, namely, “why are some characters easily killed and others not, can a transformer die permanently?” The listing of inconsistencies is a good method of giving evidence to the question that characters within the films apparently at random and with little to huge effort depending on their rank within the plot hierarchy. I don’t feel the current version of the question sums up what the OP intended to ask.
    – DrMrstheMonarch
    Commented Jun 15, 2019 at 8:53

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The complete and utter lack of consistency in death within a story (besides being a Micheal Bay movie) is the common trope of “Plot Armour”

Sometimes referred to as "Script Immunity" or a "Character Shield", Plot Armor is when a main character's life and health are safeguarded by the fact that he's the one person who can't be removed from the story. Therefore, whenever Bob is in a situation where he could be killed (or at the least very seriously injured), he comes out unharmed with no logical, In-Universe explanation.

I will add in this case it doesn’t have to be a main character, just any character that is relevant to the story being told and not just cannon fodder.

Because of this, without falling back on the comics or old cartoon, and sticking solely to the movies canon, there is no explanation as to why some characters die easier than others, besides plot armour.

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  • Hi! Interesting answer! Are there "permanent" deaths?
    – Northside
    Commented Jun 15, 2019 at 5:07
  • @Northside in regards to the previous version of your question...you mentioned yourself it seemed there was no consistency in how easy it was to kill or who stayed dead. Again this is because of plot armour. Characters who die are revived when the plot needs them to be. As such there is no cinematic in universe explanation for who stays dead. Within the comics/cartoons Ones Spark may not be extinguished its the bare minimum for a transformer to live. There was an entire plot about Starscream and his immortality, as his spark was inextinguishable. But this for good reason was not in the films.
    – DrMrstheMonarch
    Commented Jun 15, 2019 at 8:47
  • I see! You mean there is no "permanent" death because when somebody needs reviving, there will always be a way. Starscream died in the films... If only he was immortal there too!
    – Northside
    Commented Jun 15, 2019 at 19:33

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