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The '''"robot universe"''' is the name given<ref>By [[the Doctor]] in {{Marvel|Incomplete_Death's_Head_Vol_1_12|''The Incomplete Death's Head'' issue 12.}}</ref> to the reality dominated by the war between the [[:Category:Autobots|Autobots]] and the [[:Category:Decepticons|Decepticons]]. It is also home to the superhero [[Spider-Man]], the international peacekeeping team [[Action Force]], and just about any robot or somebody in an iron suit.
The '''"robot universe"''' is the name given<ref>By [[the Doctor]] in {{Marvel|Incomplete_Death's_Head_Vol_1_12|''The Incomplete Death's Head'' issue 12.}}</ref> to the reality dominated by the war between the [[:Category:Autobots|Autobots]] and the [[:Category:Decepticons|Decepticons]]. It is also home to the superhero [[Spider-Man]], the international peacekeeping team [[Action Force]], and just about any robot or somebody in an iron suit.
<div style="float:right;">__TOC__</div>

==Timeline==
==Timeline==
{{Note| Unless otherwise stated, stories are taken as occurring in their year of publication.}}
{{Note|Unless otherwise stated, stories are taken as occurring in their year of publication.}}
===Nearly two thousand years ago===
After being exiled from both Norway and Iceland, [[Erik the Red]] and his family sailed west with a few of his most faithful friends. Following the legend of [[Gunnbjorn]], Erik discovered Greenland, where they set up a colony. His exile expired three years later, and Erik returned to Iceland to persuade more settler to join them. Many years later, Erik's son [[Leif Eriksson|Leif]], who had grown into a man, led an expedition southwards, exploring North America years before [[Christopher Columbus]]. {{storylink|The Saga of Erik the Red}}
<hr style="height:4px">

===11th Century===
====1017====
{{TF|Godwin_the_Strongarm|Godwin the Strongarm}} and his men sacked the {{TF|Stansham_Castle|Castle of Stenshame}} and the surrounding village. Their assault was only stopped by the unearthly apparition of the {{TF|Man_of_Iron_(G1)|"Man of Iron."}} The Man of Iron made two further appearances in medieval history. {{tfstorylink|Man_of_Iron_(issue)|Man of Iron}}

====1066====
Early in 1066, [[Edward the Confessor]], King of England, died without leaving an heir. He was succeeded by [[King Harold]], an arrangement that upset [[William, Duke of Normandy]]. By autumn, Duke William had raised an army of 60,000 men to cross the Channel and take the crown by force. They landed on '''26th of September'''. On or around the '''13th of October''', Harold and William's forces fought, resulting in the death of Harold and the eventual ascension of William to the English throne. {{storylink|The Battle of Hastings – The True Story.}}

====1070====
1070 saw the completion of an illuminated manuscript telling the story of Stenshame's history with the {{TF|Man_of_Iron_(G1)|Man of Iron.}} {{tfstorylink|Man_of_Iron_(issue)|Man of Iron}}
<hr style="height:4px">

===16th Century===
The unnamed island that would become [[Alcatraz]] was on the map by the end of the 16th Century. {{storylink|The Truth About Alcatraz!}}
<hr style="height:4px">
===18th Century===
====1775====
The island that would become [[Alcatraz]] was named "Isla de Alcatraces" by a Spanish-speaking captain after the "alcatraces" – pelicans – that called it home. {{storylink|The Truth About Alcatraz!}}

====1793====
The cathedral of [[St. Gabriella of the Highlands]] was founded, complete with what would become a famed golden bell. {{storylink|Baron Brimstone and his Sinister Satan Squad!}}

====1798====
German immigrant [[Ludwig Anderson]] built a stately manor in [[New York City#Locations nearby|Westchester County]]. {{storylink|Byte of the Binary Bug!}}
<hr style="height:4px">
===20th Century: 1930s===
====1934====
After a period of being a prisoner-of-war camp, the buildings on [[Alcatraz]] became a federal penitentiary on '''January the 1st'''. The inmates arrived a few days later, and within a few months, [[Joe Bowers]] made the first documented escape attempt. {{storylink|The Truth About Alcatraz!}}

====1935====
In 1935, before his incarceration in [[Alcatraz]], [[Joseph Cretzer]] was considered by the F.B.I. to be public enemy no. 5. {{storylink|The Truth About Alcatraz!}}

====1937====
On the '''16th of December''', [[Theodore Cole and Ralph Roe]] attempted to escape [[Alcatraz]]. While they managed to leave the facility, they were never heard from again, and may have been claimed by the troubled waters of San Francisco bay. {{storylink|The Truth About Alcatraz!}}

====1939====
On '''23rd May''', the U.S. Navy submarine ''[[Squalus]]'' suffered a malfunction during a regular test and sank to the sea floor off the coast of Porstmouth, New Hampshire. After 27 hours underwater, the crew was eventually rescued by the diving bell of [[Commander McCann]]. {{storylink|Trapped Beneath the Waves!}}
<hr style="height:4px">

===20th Century: 1940s===
====1941====
According to the education module of [[Planet Terry]]'s [[life ship]] in the far future, [[w:Ted Williams|Ted Williams]] batted .406 in 1941. {{storylink|Some Answers}}

====1943====
The former ''Squalus'', after being renamed ''Sailfish'', operated in the Pacific Ocean during the Second World War. In '''December''' 1943, it destroyed a Japanese cargo ship, which by coincidence was carrying crew members from ''[[Sculpin]]'' who had previously aided in ''Squalus''{{'}} rescue. {{storylink|Trapped Beneath the Waves!}}

====1946====
In [[Alcatraz]], a party of mutineers consisting of [[Coy]], [[Hubbard]], [[Shockley]], [[Thompson]], [[Carnes]], and their leader [[Joseph Cretzer]] attempted to exchange hostages for their freedom. Their defences were breached three days later; three men including Cretzer were killed, with Shockley and Thompson sentenced to death and Carnes given life imprisonment. {{storylink|The Truth About Alcatraz!}}
<hr style="height:4px">

===20th Century: 1960s===
The curator of the modern day {{TF|Stansham_Castle|Stansham Castle}} discovered an illuminated manuscript telling the story of the village's history with the {{TF|Man_of_Iron_(G1)|Man of Iron}} around twenty-five years before {{TF|Sammy_Harker|Sammy Harker}} had his own encounter with a [[Jazz|giant robot]], {{tfstorylink|Man_of_Iron_(issue)|Man of Iron}} which must have been around 1959 or 1960.

====1963====
The high council of penitentiary administration decided [[Alcatraz]] was a waste of taxpayer money. The prison was shuttered; the final prisoners were transferred out on '''15th May'''. {{storylink|The Truth About Alcatraz!}}

====1964====
On the '''8th of March''', a group of five Native Americans occupied [[Alcatraz]] to protest their treatment by the U.S. government. On the '''9th of November''', another group of Native Americans led by [[Richard Oakes]] invaded the island. {{storylink|The Truth About Alcatraz!}}
<hr style="height:4px">

===20th Century: 1970s===
====1971====
The Native American occupation of [[Alcatraz]] was ended by a sudden outbreak of fire on the '''11th of June'''. {{storylink|The Truth About Alcatraz!}}

====1973====
President [[Nixon]] signed a plan worth $119 million to turn [[Alcatraz]] into a tourist attraction. {{storylink|The Truth About Alcatraz!}}
<hr style="height:4px">

===20th Century: 1980s===
The robot X-51, later known as [[Machine Man]], was created as part of the X project {{storylink|Introducing Machine Man}} three or more years before his tussle with [[Khan]], {{storylink|Xanadu!}} putting his birth in 1980 or 1981.

====1984====
{{TFWiki|Marvel_Comics_timeline|Marvel Comics timeline}}
{{TFWiki|Marvel_Comics_timeline|Marvel Comics timeline}}
The '''February 7''', 1984 edition of the ''[[Daily Bugle]]'' reported a "stop press" story on the sudden eruption of {{TF|Mount_St._Hilary|Mount St. Hilary}} in {{TF|Oregon|Oregon}}–an eruption which, unbeknown to the general public, had reawakened the ''{{TF|Ark_(G1)|Ark}}'' and restarted the conflict between the dormant Autobots and Decepticons.<ref>[[Soundwaves]], {{TF|Source:Soundwaves#Issue_29|issue 29}}</ref> Once word of the giant rampaging robots in Oregon spread, ''Bugle'' editor-in-chief [[Robbie Robertson]] dispatched photographer Peter Parker to the scene, leading to his alter ego [[Spider-Man]] becoming involved in the Transformers' conflict. {{tfstorylink|Prisoner_of_War!|Prisoner of War!}}
===1984===
The February 7, 1984 edition of the ''[[Daily Bugle]]'' reported a "stop press" story on the sudden eruption of {{TF|Mount_St._Hilary|Mount St. Hilary}} in {{TF|Oregon|Oregon}}–an eruption which, unbeknown to the general public, had reawakened the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' and restarted the conflict between the dormant Autobots and Decepticons.''<ref>{{TF|Source:Soundwaves#Issue_29|Soundwaves, issue 29}}</ref>


1984 was a busy year for Machine Man. His civilian identity, Aaron Stack, gained a job at [[Delmar Insurance]] in [[New York City]]. Throughout the year he stopped the [[Binary Bug]]'s crime spree, {{storylink|Byte of the Binary Bug!}} created the [[Ethical]]s, {{storylink|Where Walk the Gods!}} defeated the mad crime lord [[Khan]], {{storylink|Xanadu!}} and cleared himself of a crime he didn't commit. {{storylink|The Man Who Could Walk Through Walls}} The latter was due to the influence of Senator [[Miles Brickman]], a recurring thorn in Machine Man's side who sought to demonise him in order to gain victory in the U.S. presidential election.<ref name=Brickman/> {{storylink|Byte of the Binary Bug!}} {{storylink|The Man Who Could Walk Through Walls}}
{{tfstorylink|Prisoner_of_War!|Prisoner of War!}}


After trying to help a [[Ion|metamorphosed scientist]], {{storylink|Kill Me or Cure Me}} Machine Man encountered [[Baron Brimstone]] in '''May'''. Brimstone perpetrated a crime spree over subsequent weeks before finally being apprehended. {{storylink|Baron Brimstone and his Sinister Satan Squad!}} Immediately after their final bout, Machine Man discovered his arm had been stolen, leading him into the web of [[Madam Menace]]. {{storylink|Arms and the Robot!}} Barely a week later, he faced her once again, concurrent with an [[Alpha Flight]] investigation that saw Senator Brickman's presidential ambitions thwarted before he became his party's nominee.<ref name=Brickman>If we tie Miles Brickman to real-world politics, the nearest U.S. presidential election was [[w:1984 United States presidential election|in November 1984]], placing all ''Machine Man'' stories before then. This doesn't quite gel with him still hoping to become the party's nominee in "[[Alone Against Alpha Flight!]]", which takes place shortly before the Halloween adventure "[[Jolted by Jack O'Lantern!]]", but maybe the robot universe's nomination race ended a little later than the real world's August 1984 timescale. See [[Miles Brickman#Notes]] for more information.</ref> The encounter with Menace's henchmen left Machine Man's face heavily damaged. {{storylink|Alone Against Alpha Flight!}} Mechanic [[Gears Garvin]] fixed him up a suitable replacement the week before '''[[Halloween]]''', when Machine Man came into conflict with [[Jack O'Lantern]]. A brush with death gave Aaron a new lease on life, {{storylink|Jolted by Jack O'Lantern!}} and he chose to leave Delmar to find his fortune elsewhere. He learned love, and loss, from [[Jocasta]]. {{storylink|The New Machine Man}}
===1985===


[[Matt]] and [[Humph]] were kidnapped by alien robots {{storylink|The Transformers issue 7/Matt and the Cat|''Matt and the Cat'' issue 7}} {{storylink|The Transformers issue 8/Matt and the Cat|Issue 8}} on a Friday evening {{storylink|The Transformers issue 5/Matt and the Cat|Issue 5}} presumably in 1984. Though the duration of their space adventure is unknown, they were eventually returned to the same night they left by [[Octus Alpha]]'s [[time disc]]. {{storylink|The Transformers issue 72/Matt and the Cat|Issue 72}} {{storylink|The Transformers issue 73/Matt and the Cat|Issue 73}}
===1986===

====1985====
In 1985, {{storylink|The Transformers issue 21/The Chromobots|''The Chromobots'' issue 21}} the life of young comics reader [[Dudley]] was turned upside down by the arrival of the [[Chromobot]]s, {{storylink|The Transformers issue 12/The Chromobots|Issue 12}} {{storylink|The Transformers issue 13/The Chromobots|Issue 13}} a team of interstellar policemen tracking down an escaped criminal by the name of [[Predator]]. {{storylink|The Transformers issue 16/The Chromobots|Issue 16}} Two weeks after Dudley's first meeting with [[Mikros]] and [[Transmute]], the trio encountered Predator in the process of kidnapping nuclear arms designer [[Tessa Stone]], with the plan of using her knowledge to destroy the Chromobots' home planet, [[Chromos Five]]. {{storylink|The Transformers issue 17/The Chromobots|Issue 17}} {{storylink|The Transformers issue 18/The Chromobots|Issue 18}} After a late night tip-off from the [[Chromatic Star Federation]], {{storylink|The Transformers issue 21/The Chromobots|Issue 21}} the third member of the squad, [[Shield]], took Dudley, Transmute, and Mikros out to the countryside, a location where Predator's distinct teleportation pattern had been detected. {{storylink|The Transformers issue 22/The Chromobots|Issue 22}} There, they fell through a time shift to the year [[#2535|2535]], where Earth was an apocalyptic wasteland. {{storylink|The Transformers issue 23/The Chromobots|Issue 23}} This timeline was prevented by Dudley's theft of Predator's [[time modulator]] and subsequent return to 1985, where Shield destroyed it. {{storylink|The Transformers issue 26/The Chromobots|Issue 26}}

On Saturday '''September 12''', 1985, the ''Bugle''{{'}}s headline news story was "GIANT ROBOTS ON RAMPAGE! Invasion from Space". By this point, the press was speculating that the Transformers were an alien invasion, or controlled by a foreign power. {{tfstorylink|The_Icarus_Theory|The Icarus Theory}} (By early 1986, {{TF|Intelligence_and_Information_Institute|Triple-I's}} {{TF|Walter_Barnett_(G1)|Walter Barnett}} would run the cover story that the Transformers were all controlled by Robot-Master, a supervillain played by [[Marvel Comics#In fiction|Marvel Comics]]' {{TF|Donny_Finkleberg|Donny Finkleberg.}} {{tfstorylink|I,_Robot-Master!|I, Robot-Master!}})

====1986====
{{storylink|Man of the Year}}
{{storylink|Man of the Year}}


===1987===
====1987====
{{tfstorylink|Wanted:_Galvatron_—_Dead_or_Alive!|Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!}}
{{tfstorylink|Wanted:_Galvatron_—_Dead_or_Alive!|Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!}}
{{tfstorylink|Hunters|Hunters}}
{{tfstorylink|Hunters|Hunters}}
{{tfstorylink|Fire_on_High!|Fire on High!}}
{{tfstorylink|Fire_on_High!|Fire on High!}}
{{tfstorylink|Vicious_Circle!|Vicious Circle!}}
{{tfstorylink|Vicious_Circle!|Vicious Circle!}}
<hr style="height:4px">
===20th Century: 1990s===


===2007===
===21st Century===
====2007====
{{tfstorylink|Wanted:_Galvatron_—_Dead_or_Alive!|Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!}}
{{tfstorylink|Wanted:_Galvatron_—_Dead_or_Alive!|Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!}}
{{tfstorylink|Headhunt|Headhunt}}
{{tfstorylink|Headhunt|Headhunt}}


===2008===
====2008====
{{tfstorylink|The_Legacy_of_Unicron!|The Legacy of Unicron!}}
{{tfstorylink|The_Legacy_of_Unicron!|The Legacy of Unicron!}}


===2015===
====2020====
{{storylink|Man of the Year}}
{{storylink|Man of the Year}}

===2020===
{{storylink|If This Be Sanctuary?!}}
{{storylink|If This Be Sanctuary?!}}
{{storylink|Rime of the Ancient Wrecker!}}
{{storylink|Rime of the Ancient Wrecker!}}
<hr style="height:4px">

===24th Century===
===24th Century===
{{storylink|What Fools These Immortals Be!}}
{{storylink|What Fools These Immortals Be!}}
<hr style="height:4px">
===26th Century===
====2535====
After kidnapping [[Tessa Stone]] in [[#1985|1985]], the rogue [[Chromobot]] [[Predator]] teleported to the future using his [[time modulator]]. {{storylink|The Transformers issue 19/The Chromobots|''The Chromobots'' issue 19}} Predator used her knowledge to create a weapon that hybridised Chromatic technology and nuclear weaponry. By the year 2535, he had successfully destroyed [[Chromos Five]] and eliminated all life on Earth, starting again with his loyal [[Chromatic Mutant|Mutants]]. {{storylink|The Transformers issue 25/The Chromobots|Issue 25}} {{storylink|The Transformers issue 24/The Chromobots|Issue 24}} He used Tessa as bait {{storylink|The Transformers issue 23/The Chromobots|Issue 23}} to lure the Chromobots (and their human ally [[Dudley]]) to the nuclear wasteland. {{storylink|The Transformers issue 22/The Chromobots|Issue 22}}

The Chromobots were confronted by the Mutants, who were expecting them based on Predator's predictions. {{storylink|The Transformers issue 24/The Chromobots|Issue 24}} Predator himself arrived to brag about what he'd achieved with the time modulator. {{storylink|The Transformers issue 25/The Chromobots|Issue 25}} Dudley snatched the device from Predator, and he and the Chromobots returned to 1985. [[Shield]] destroyed the modulator, causing Predator's timeline to fold in on itself, erasing the Chromatic criminal and his achievements from existence and allowing future history to run its unaltered course. {{storylink|The Transformers issue 26/The Chromobots|Issue 26}}
<hr style="height:4px">

===Undated future events===
====Planet Terry's future====
[[Planet Terry]] was born at a time when humans travelled the stars in the [[Confederation Astro Patrol]]. [[Planet Terry's parents|Terry's parents]] served on the ''[[Space Warp]]''; he was separated from them as an infant in a [[life ship]] incident. {{storylink|Some Answers}} By the time he was a boy, Terry wandered the universe searching for his long lost family {{storylink|The Search}} in [[Planet Terry's ship|a ship]] he'd been given by the [[Wazir of Uranus]]. {{storylink|A Clue}} Earthlings at this stage seemed to be considered a nuisance or a punchline. {{storylink|The Search}} {{storylink|Malt Shop Menace}} Terry himself had a poor reputation on planets he frequented. {{storylink|The Search}}

After saving [[Bznko]] from the [[Yungmun]], Terry met [[Robota]], {{storylink|The Search}} who joined him on his quest. After crash landing on a nearby planetoid, they met former ''Space Warp'' crewman [[Enoch Diggs]], {{storylink|A Clue}} who provided them with their next lead: his old colleague [[Squink]], who could be found at the [[Milk Toast Malt Shop]]. {{storylink|Some Answers}} Finding the malt shop on [[Asteroid 43KX]], they located Squink and retrieved him from a bar brawl, also picking up the rough-edged but fair-minded alien [[Omnus]]. {{storylink|Malt Shop Menace}}


==Westphalling==
==Westphalling==
Line 43: Line 138:
*The ''Transformers'' story {{TF|Prisoner_of_War!|"Prisoner of War!"}} prominently features Spider-Man, as well as [[Robbie Robertson]] and the ''[[Daily Bugle]]''.
*The ''Transformers'' story {{TF|Prisoner_of_War!|"Prisoner of War!"}} prominently features Spider-Man, as well as [[Robbie Robertson]] and the ''[[Daily Bugle]]''.
**Spider-Man fought [[Iron Man 2020]] in "[[Man of the Year]]", while namedropping [[Iron Man]] and [[Captain America]].
**Spider-Man fought [[Iron Man 2020]] in "[[Man of the Year]]", while namedropping [[Iron Man]] and [[Captain America]].
***Iron Man and Captain America appeared in ''[[Matt and the Cat]]''.
***Captain America appeared in ''[[Matt and the Cat]]'', alongside [[Thor]].
***Iron Man 2020 fought [[Machine Man]] in "[[Rime of the Ancient Wrecker!]]"
***Iron Man 2020 fought [[Machine Man]] in "[[Rime of the Ancient Wrecker!]]"
**''Transformers'' crossed over with ''[[Action Force (comic)|Action Force]]'' in {{TF|Ancient_Relics!|"Ancient Relics!"}}.
**''Transformers'' crossed over with ''[[Action Force (comic)|Action Force]]'' in {{TF|Ancient_Relics!|"Ancient Relics!"}}.
*Spider-Man appeared in a number of ''[[Combat Colin (comic)|Combat Colin]]'' strips. Colin also prominently fought [[Doctor Doom]], and once met the Autobot [[Blaster]].
*Spider-Man appeared in a number of ''[[Combat Colin (comic)|Combat Colin]]'' strips. Colin also prominently fought [[Doctor Doom]], and once met the Autobot [[Blaster]].
**[[King Nonose]] and [[the Robot Inventor]] of ''[[Robo-Capers]]'' once tussled with Colin.
**[[King Nonose]] and the [[Robot Inventor]] of ''[[Robo-Capers]]'' once tussled with Colin.
**Colin and Steve also fought the [[Gwanzulum]]s, which cropped up to trouble [[the Doctor]], the [[ThunderCats]], and [[the Real Ghostbusters]].
**Colin and Steve also fought the [[Gwanzulum]]s, which cropped up to trouble [[the Doctor]], the [[ThunderCat]]s, and the [[Ghostbuster]]s.
*''Transformers'' also gave the world [[Death's Head]], meaning that some or all [[Death's Head (comics)|''Death's Head'' comics]] are in some way canonical. His career saw him face the Doctor, {{Marvel|Dragon's_Claws_(Earth-5555)|Dragon's Claws,}} the {{Marvel|Fantastic_Four_(Earth-616)|Fantastic Four,}} Iron Man 2020, {{Marvel|Jennifer_Walters_(Earth-616)|She-Hulk...}} though straying too far down this route yields the retcon that D.H. wasn't originally from the "robot universe" at all!
*''Transformers'' also gave the world [[Death's Head]], meaning that some or all [[Death's Head (comics)|''Death's Head'' comics]] are in some way canonical. His career saw him face the Doctor, {{Marvel|Dragon's_Claws_(Earth-5555)|Dragon's Claws,}} the [[Fantastic Four]], Iron Man 2020, {{Marvel|Jennifer_Walters_(Earth-616)|She-Hulk...}} though straying too far down this route yields the retcon that D.H. wasn't originally from the "robot universe" at all!


===From outside sources===
===From outside sources===
*Received wisdom tells us that both [[Rocket Raccoon]] and [[Planet Terry]] are Earth-616 characters, which means for our purposes, their stories are in the "robot universe".
*Received wisdom tells us that both [[Rocket Raccoon]] and [[Planet Terry]] are Earth-616 characters, which means for our purposes, their stories are in the "robot universe".
*A version of [[Hercules]] also exists in Earth-616, though the Hercules in ''[[Hercules (comic)|Hercules]]'' is classified as {{Marvel|Hercules_Panhellenios_(Earth-829)|a version from Earth-829}} as part of the general categorisation of all depictions of the future as alternate realities.
*A version of [[Hercules]] also exists in Earth-616, though the Hercules in ''[[Hercules (comic)|Hercules]]'' is classified as {{Marvel|Hercules_Panhellenios_(Earth-829)|a version from Earth-829}} as part of the general categorisation of all depictions of the future as alternate realities.
*{{Marvel|Planet_Terry_Vol_1_4|Issue 4 of ''Planet Terry''}} opens with the caption "The time: a far-off day in the future!" Because of [[Planet Terry]]'s knowledge of Earth culture, Occam's razor suggests that he is a far future human. An adult Terry appeared in Earth-616 in the present day in {{Marvel|Drax_Vol_1_7|''Drax'' issue 7,}} retconning Terry's adventures as occurring roughly when they were published. This appearance leaned in to the familiar design of Terry's suit by revealing him to be a pink {{Marvel|Kree|Kree.}}

===The letters pages and metafiction===
The general policy of ''The Transformers'', from about issue 29 onwards, was that the comic itself was a close adaptation of the "real" Autobot/Decepticon conflict that happened in real life. This was a blanket policy to explain away the comic's inconsistency with the original cartoon, as well as provide a rationale for how these apparently "fictional" robots could respond to fan mail on the letters page. This results in incongruities such as...
*[[Grimlock]] going to see {{TF|The_Transformers:_The_Movie|''The Transformers: The Movie''.}} {{storylink|The Transformers issue 91/Robo-Capers|''Robo-Capers'' issue 91}}
*[[Combat Colin]], [[Dudley]], and [[Humph]] all being readers of ''The Transformers'', and Terry reading ''Spider-Man''.
*{{TF|Anthony_Duranti|Anthony Duranti}} of ''{{TF|G.I._Joe_and_the_Transformers_(comic)|G.I. Joe and the Transformers}}'' having a toy of [[Bumblebee]]. {{tfstorylink|Power_Struggle#Continuity_notes|Power Struggle}}
*And, though not quite in our purview, the G.I. Joe Slip-Stream owning a toy of {{TF|Jetfire_(G1)|Jetfire}} (albeit one drawn as [[Megatron]]).<ref>{{Joe|Showdown!|"Showdown!"}}</ref>
So just because a story on {{SITENAME}} depicts ''The Transformers'' (or similar) as fiction, doesn't mean it can't also be in canon with the events of ''The Transformers''.


==References==
==References==
[[Category:Robot universe]]

Latest revision as of 10:08, 14 June 2024

The "robot universe" is the name given[1] to the reality dominated by the war between the Autobots and the Decepticons. It is also home to the superhero Spider-Man, the international peacekeeping team Action Force, and just about any robot or somebody in an iron suit.

Timeline

 Unless otherwise stated, stories are taken as occurring in their year of publication.

Nearly two thousand years ago

After being exiled from both Norway and Iceland, Erik the Red and his family sailed west with a few of his most faithful friends. Following the legend of Gunnbjorn, Erik discovered Greenland, where they set up a colony. His exile expired three years later, and Erik returned to Iceland to persuade more settler to join them. Many years later, Erik's son Leif, who had grown into a man, led an expedition southwards, exploring North America years before Christopher Columbus. The Saga of Erik the Red

11th Century

1017

Godwin the Strongarm  and his men sacked the Castle of Stenshame  and the surrounding village. Their assault was only stopped by the unearthly apparition of the "Man of Iron."  The Man of Iron made two further appearances in medieval history. Man of Iron 

1066

Early in 1066, Edward the Confessor, King of England, died without leaving an heir. He was succeeded by King Harold, an arrangement that upset William, Duke of Normandy. By autumn, Duke William had raised an army of 60,000 men to cross the Channel and take the crown by force. They landed on 26th of September. On or around the 13th of October, Harold and William's forces fought, resulting in the death of Harold and the eventual ascension of William to the English throne. The Battle of Hastings – The True Story.

1070

1070 saw the completion of an illuminated manuscript telling the story of Stenshame's history with the Man of Iron.  Man of Iron 

16th Century

The unnamed island that would become Alcatraz was on the map by the end of the 16th Century. The Truth About Alcatraz!

18th Century

1775

The island that would become Alcatraz was named "Isla de Alcatraces" by a Spanish-speaking captain after the "alcatraces" – pelicans – that called it home. The Truth About Alcatraz!

1793

The cathedral of St. Gabriella of the Highlands was founded, complete with what would become a famed golden bell. Baron Brimstone and his Sinister Satan Squad!

1798

German immigrant Ludwig Anderson built a stately manor in Westchester County. Byte of the Binary Bug!

20th Century: 1930s

1934

After a period of being a prisoner-of-war camp, the buildings on Alcatraz became a federal penitentiary on January the 1st. The inmates arrived a few days later, and within a few months, Joe Bowers made the first documented escape attempt. The Truth About Alcatraz!

1935

In 1935, before his incarceration in Alcatraz, Joseph Cretzer was considered by the F.B.I. to be public enemy no. 5. The Truth About Alcatraz!

1937

On the 16th of December, Theodore Cole and Ralph Roe attempted to escape Alcatraz. While they managed to leave the facility, they were never heard from again, and may have been claimed by the troubled waters of San Francisco bay. The Truth About Alcatraz!

1939

On 23rd May, the U.S. Navy submarine Squalus suffered a malfunction during a regular test and sank to the sea floor off the coast of Porstmouth, New Hampshire. After 27 hours underwater, the crew was eventually rescued by the diving bell of Commander McCann. Trapped Beneath the Waves!

20th Century: 1940s

1941

According to the education module of Planet Terry's life ship in the far future, Ted Williams batted .406 in 1941. Some Answers

1943

The former Squalus, after being renamed Sailfish, operated in the Pacific Ocean during the Second World War. In December 1943, it destroyed a Japanese cargo ship, which by coincidence was carrying crew members from Sculpin who had previously aided in Squalus' rescue. Trapped Beneath the Waves!

1946

In Alcatraz, a party of mutineers consisting of Coy, Hubbard, Shockley, Thompson, Carnes, and their leader Joseph Cretzer attempted to exchange hostages for their freedom. Their defences were breached three days later; three men including Cretzer were killed, with Shockley and Thompson sentenced to death and Carnes given life imprisonment. The Truth About Alcatraz!

20th Century: 1960s

The curator of the modern day Stansham Castle  discovered an illuminated manuscript telling the story of the village's history with the Man of Iron  around twenty-five years before Sammy Harker  had his own encounter with a giant robot, Man of Iron  which must have been around 1959 or 1960.

1963

The high council of penitentiary administration decided Alcatraz was a waste of taxpayer money. The prison was shuttered; the final prisoners were transferred out on 15th May. The Truth About Alcatraz!

1964

On the 8th of March, a group of five Native Americans occupied Alcatraz to protest their treatment by the U.S. government. On the 9th of November, another group of Native Americans led by Richard Oakes invaded the island. The Truth About Alcatraz!

20th Century: 1970s

1971

The Native American occupation of Alcatraz was ended by a sudden outbreak of fire on the 11th of June. The Truth About Alcatraz!

1973

President Nixon signed a plan worth $119 million to turn Alcatraz into a tourist attraction. The Truth About Alcatraz!

20th Century: 1980s

The robot X-51, later known as Machine Man, was created as part of the X project Introducing Machine Man three or more years before his tussle with Khan, Xanadu! putting his birth in 1980 or 1981.

1984

Marvel Comics timeline on TFWiki.net, an external wiki

The February 7, 1984 edition of the Daily Bugle reported a "stop press" story on the sudden eruption of Mount St. Hilary  in Oregon –an eruption which, unbeknown to the general public, had reawakened the Ark  and restarted the conflict between the dormant Autobots and Decepticons.[2] Once word of the giant rampaging robots in Oregon spread, Bugle editor-in-chief Robbie Robertson dispatched photographer Peter Parker to the scene, leading to his alter ego Spider-Man becoming involved in the Transformers' conflict. Prisoner of War! 

1984 was a busy year for Machine Man. His civilian identity, Aaron Stack, gained a job at Delmar Insurance in New York City. Throughout the year he stopped the Binary Bug's crime spree, Byte of the Binary Bug! created the Ethicals, Where Walk the Gods! defeated the mad crime lord Khan, Xanadu! and cleared himself of a crime he didn't commit. The Man Who Could Walk Through Walls The latter was due to the influence of Senator Miles Brickman, a recurring thorn in Machine Man's side who sought to demonise him in order to gain victory in the U.S. presidential election.[3] Byte of the Binary Bug! The Man Who Could Walk Through Walls

After trying to help a metamorphosed scientist, Kill Me or Cure Me Machine Man encountered Baron Brimstone in May. Brimstone perpetrated a crime spree over subsequent weeks before finally being apprehended. Baron Brimstone and his Sinister Satan Squad! Immediately after their final bout, Machine Man discovered his arm had been stolen, leading him into the web of Madam Menace. Arms and the Robot! Barely a week later, he faced her once again, concurrent with an Alpha Flight investigation that saw Senator Brickman's presidential ambitions thwarted before he became his party's nominee.[3] The encounter with Menace's henchmen left Machine Man's face heavily damaged. Alone Against Alpha Flight! Mechanic Gears Garvin fixed him up a suitable replacement the week before Halloween, when Machine Man came into conflict with Jack O'Lantern. A brush with death gave Aaron a new lease on life, Jolted by Jack O'Lantern! and he chose to leave Delmar to find his fortune elsewhere. He learned love, and loss, from Jocasta. The New Machine Man

Matt and Humph were kidnapped by alien robots Matt and the Cat issue 7 Issue 8 on a Friday evening Issue 5 presumably in 1984. Though the duration of their space adventure is unknown, they were eventually returned to the same night they left by Octus Alpha's time disc. Issue 72 Issue 73

1985

In 1985, The Chromobots issue 21 the life of young comics reader Dudley was turned upside down by the arrival of the Chromobots, Issue 12 Issue 13 a team of interstellar policemen tracking down an escaped criminal by the name of Predator. Issue 16 Two weeks after Dudley's first meeting with Mikros and Transmute, the trio encountered Predator in the process of kidnapping nuclear arms designer Tessa Stone, with the plan of using her knowledge to destroy the Chromobots' home planet, Chromos Five. Issue 17 Issue 18 After a late night tip-off from the Chromatic Star Federation, Issue 21 the third member of the squad, Shield, took Dudley, Transmute, and Mikros out to the countryside, a location where Predator's distinct teleportation pattern had been detected. Issue 22 There, they fell through a time shift to the year 2535, where Earth was an apocalyptic wasteland. Issue 23 This timeline was prevented by Dudley's theft of Predator's time modulator and subsequent return to 1985, where Shield destroyed it. Issue 26

On Saturday September 12, 1985, the Bugle's headline news story was "GIANT ROBOTS ON RAMPAGE! Invasion from Space". By this point, the press was speculating that the Transformers were an alien invasion, or controlled by a foreign power. The Icarus Theory  (By early 1986, Triple-I's  Walter Barnett  would run the cover story that the Transformers were all controlled by Robot-Master, a supervillain played by Marvel Comics' Donny Finkleberg.  I, Robot-Master! )

1986

Man of the Year

1987

Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!  Hunters  Fire on High!  Vicious Circle! 

20th Century: 1990s

21st Century

2007

Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!  Headhunt 

2008

The Legacy of Unicron! 

2020

Man of the Year If This Be Sanctuary?! Rime of the Ancient Wrecker!

24th Century

What Fools These Immortals Be!

26th Century

2535

After kidnapping Tessa Stone in 1985, the rogue Chromobot Predator teleported to the future using his time modulator. The Chromobots issue 19 Predator used her knowledge to create a weapon that hybridised Chromatic technology and nuclear weaponry. By the year 2535, he had successfully destroyed Chromos Five and eliminated all life on Earth, starting again with his loyal Mutants. Issue 25 Issue 24 He used Tessa as bait Issue 23 to lure the Chromobots (and their human ally Dudley) to the nuclear wasteland. Issue 22

The Chromobots were confronted by the Mutants, who were expecting them based on Predator's predictions. Issue 24 Predator himself arrived to brag about what he'd achieved with the time modulator. Issue 25 Dudley snatched the device from Predator, and he and the Chromobots returned to 1985. Shield destroyed the modulator, causing Predator's timeline to fold in on itself, erasing the Chromatic criminal and his achievements from existence and allowing future history to run its unaltered course. Issue 26

Undated future events

Planet Terry's future

Planet Terry was born at a time when humans travelled the stars in the Confederation Astro Patrol. Terry's parents served on the Space Warp; he was separated from them as an infant in a life ship incident. Some Answers By the time he was a boy, Terry wandered the universe searching for his long lost family The Search in a ship he'd been given by the Wazir of Uranus. A Clue Earthlings at this stage seemed to be considered a nuisance or a punchline. The Search Malt Shop Menace Terry himself had a poor reputation on planets he frequented. The Search

After saving Bznko from the Yungmun, Terry met Robota, The Search who joined him on his quest. After crash landing on a nearby planetoid, they met former Space Warp crewman Enoch Diggs, A Clue who provided them with their next lead: his old colleague Squink, who could be found at the Milk Toast Malt Shop. Some Answers Finding the malt shop on Asteroid 43KX, they located Squink and retrieved him from a bar brawl, also picking up the rough-edged but fair-minded alien Omnus. Malt Shop Menace

Westphalling

The official stance is that The Transformers is not canon to the mainstream universe of Marvel Comics.  However, the series' events take place in some kind of Marvel universe, due to the appearances of Spider-Man, Nick Fury,  Dazzler,  U.S. 1,  the Savage Land,  and others. As a result, Marvel considers the universe of Transformers U.S. to be Earth-91274 , and the universe of the UK version to be Earth-120185. 

This, however, isn't fun, and the stance of The Transformers UK Appendix is to take in-story events and crossover character cameos at face value, building up a shared universe in the style of the Tommy Westphall hypothesis (and flying in the face of Dwayne McDuffie's original intent when coming up with it).

From outside sources

  • Received wisdom tells us that both Rocket Raccoon and Planet Terry are Earth-616 characters, which means for our purposes, their stories are in the "robot universe".
  • A version of Hercules also exists in Earth-616, though the Hercules in Hercules is classified as a version from Earth-829  as part of the general categorisation of all depictions of the future as alternate realities.
  • Issue 4 of Planet Terry  opens with the caption "The time: a far-off day in the future!" Because of Planet Terry's knowledge of Earth culture, Occam's razor suggests that he is a far future human. An adult Terry appeared in Earth-616 in the present day in Drax issue 7,  retconning Terry's adventures as occurring roughly when they were published. This appearance leaned in to the familiar design of Terry's suit by revealing him to be a pink Kree. 

The letters pages and metafiction

The general policy of The Transformers, from about issue 29 onwards, was that the comic itself was a close adaptation of the "real" Autobot/Decepticon conflict that happened in real life. This was a blanket policy to explain away the comic's inconsistency with the original cartoon, as well as provide a rationale for how these apparently "fictional" robots could respond to fan mail on the letters page. This results in incongruities such as...

So just because a story on The Transformers UK Appendix depicts The Transformers (or similar) as fiction, doesn't mean it can't also be in canon with the events of The Transformers.

References

  1. ↑ By the Doctor in The Incomplete Death's Head issue 12. 
  2. ↑ Soundwaves, issue 29 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 If we tie Miles Brickman to real-world politics, the nearest U.S. presidential election was in November 1984, placing all Machine Man stories before then. This doesn't quite gel with him still hoping to become the party's nominee in "Alone Against Alpha Flight!", which takes place shortly before the Halloween adventure "Jolted by Jack O'Lantern!", but maybe the robot universe's nomination race ended a little later than the real world's August 1984 timescale. See Miles Brickman#Notes for more information.
  4. ↑ "Showdown!" 
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