Transformers: G1 Returns! is an animated series made by Fanatic Films
with Jamar Miller and Chris Mackay as producers on YouTube as an independently made continuation of The Transformers. Picking up with episode 99, right where the events of "The Rebirth Part 3" left off, this series is comprised of scenes from the original U.S. cartoon, edited/remixed with footage from the Japanese-exclusive series: Transformers: ★Headmasters and Transformers: Super-God Masterforce plus original dialogue to create new episodes.
It premiered on July 12, 2025 and it can be watched here.
Fanatic Films also created the New Secret Files of Teletraan-2 which features various Autobots and Decepticons involved in G1 Returns and it can be watched here.
It premiered on July 8, 2025.
Tropes featured in this series include:
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Main Story
- Adaptational Expansion: In Episode 4 of G1 Returns, Megatron was once a noble military warrior named Giga Major before he underwent his first reformatting into Megatron, leader of the Decepticons.
- Adaptational Relationship Overhaul: In the G1 cartoon, Optimus Prime and Megatron have been enemies for millennia because Megatron shot down the former when he was Orion Pax and Optimus Prime opposes his tyranny in every step of the way. Here, they used to be friends with bonds of brotherhood as Orion Pax and Giga Major. They share a mutual goal of freeing Cybertron from the Quintessons. However, this bond does not last after Giga reformatted into Megatron and became power hungry.
- Adaptational Species Change: In G1 Returns, Giga and Mega are the Minicons who possesses the personality components of Giga Major and Megatron to serve as the basis of Gigatron when combining together. In Super-God Masterforce, Giga and Mega are humans who are The Dragon to Devil Z as his "Ambassador of Destruction" with the ability to merge together with the largest Transtector, Overlord.
- Apologetic Attacker: Optimus is this as he apologizes to Giga Major before firing a missile that seemingly destroyed Gigatron who is held by the Giga personality fighting against the Mega personality.
- Ascended Extra:
- Zarak has more prominence as the leader of his own faction composed of the Hive, a group of evil Nebulon telekinetics who are Targetmasters and Headmasters, and several disillusioned Decepticons who side with him. In the G1 cartoon that ended with The Rebirth, Part 3, Zarak is last seen bickering with Galvatron over their defeat after fleeing from Cybertron.
- Sixshot appears in Episode 3 of G1 Returns where he leads a rally of Decepticons who are all sick and tired of Galvatron's scrap to pledge their support to Zarak. In the G1 cartoon, he briefly appeared to shoot down the Aerialbots one by one while showing off his five forms as a Six Changer and then disappeared.
- Bad Boss: Unsurprisingly like his canon self, Galvatron is this to the Decepticons whenever they fail him or annoy him. Predictably, the Decepticons are split between leaving for Zarak or staying with Galvatron.
- Composite Character:
- Twofold; Ginrai's Transtector form from Transformers: Super-God Masterforce becomes the new Super Mode of Optimus Prime while Spike Witwicky is the one who combines with Optimus in Ginrai's place in Episode 4 of G1 Returns.
- Twofold for Gigatron whose body is based from Overlord, and Giga and Mega, the Decepticon Godmasters, are the personality components of Giga Major and Megatron in the bodies of Minicons to combine into Gigatron.
- The Dark Side Will Make You Forget: After reformatting into Megatron, Giga forgets his friend Orion Pax when they meet again and he shot him, Ariel and Dion for getting in his way. Not only that, his desire for peace has been warped into "peace through tyranny".
- Didn't Think This Through: Zarak and his loyalists fail to note that while they are able to convince the Autobots for a truce and help them take down Galvatron's Decepticons, they really thought the Autobots would be finishing off Galvatron himself, which would leave Earth vulnerable to Zarak's Decepticons to plunder their resources and energy for themselves. As Optimus Prime lampshades this when ambushing them, he points out that the Autobots are actually going after Zarak's faction next for being a threat to Earth.
- The Dragon: Sixshot becomes Zarak's right-hand man after joining his faction to overthrow Galvatron and help enact Zarak's plans in motion.
- Emergency Transformation: In Episode 4 of G1 Returns, Optimus Prime suffers severe drain of Energon due to the fact his body is attuned with the Matrix of Leadership, which he had passed it on to Rodimus Prime, for so long it begins to breakdown without it. Ratchet, Wheeljack and Spike Witwicky save Optimus by combining him with his trailer and Spike volunteering to use Headmaster suit as a new power source of Optimus's new form.
- Enemy Civil War: The Decepticon Empire suffers this between the loyalists of Galvatron and the rebels under Zarak. The only time they stop fighting each other is when they are ambushed by the Autobots trying to take them down in one place at the Moon.
- Enemy Mine: Zarak contacts Optimus Prime, stating that his followers and the Autobots should form a temporary alliance to topple down Galvatron together with exchange of leaving Earth alone. Optimus reluctantly agrees but tells the Autobots to keep an eye on Zarak's followers just in case.
- From Nobody to Nightmare: Giga Major goes from a freedom fighter who oppose the Quintesson rule of Cybertron to the dreaded leader of the Decepticon as Megatron.
- Fallen Hero: Giga Major used to be the leading figure of Cybertronian rebellion against the Quintessons. Now he's Megatron, leader of the Decepticons who plunged the planet into war for millennia.
- Full-Circle Revolution: The Cybertronian military fought off the Quintessons to free Cybertron from their rule... Only to become the oppressors themselves as the Decepticons led by Megatron and the civilians of Cybertron become the Autobots led by Optimus Prime to stand up against their tyranny.
- Gone Horribly Wrong: Giga Major underwent an experimental process to become the ultimate fighting machine, Megatron, and gain the power he needed to destroy the Quintessons, ending their rule on Cybertron. Unfortunately, he developed a lust for power and turned his guns at everyone on Cybertron to attain his "peace through tyranny".
- Hero with Bad Publicity: The Autobots still retains this with the people of Earth who are conflicted between being grateful that they saved their lives from the Decepticons and upset that their homes are trashed in the crossfire. Although the more pragmatic ones do everything they can to not alienate their protectors after learning their lesson to not trust Decepticons again after the events of "Megatron's Master Plan Parts 1-2''.
- Know When to Fold 'Em: When the Decepticon factions of Galvatron and Zarak are ambushed by Optimus Prime and his Autobots on the Moon, they decide to cut their losses and flee away back to Chaar.
- Militaries Are Useless: Whenever Decepticons rampage, the human military forces are unable to stop them despite their firepower. Gigatron lampshades this when easily brushing off their tanks and jets, calling them as "worthless human toys".
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here!: In Episode 1 of G1 Returns, the evil Nebulons under Zarak chose to withdraw after seeing the battle has been lost and Galvatron calls them cowards for it.
- The Starscream:
- Zarak desires to take over the Decepticons by supplanting Galvatron after the events of The Rebirth, Part 3 where he manages to gain enough followers who are dissatisfied of Galvatron's leadership and forms his own Renegade Splinter Faction.
- Like his canon self, Starscream is always seeking to find a way to become the new leader of the Decepticons. He manages to convince Galvatron to let him rejoin them by revealing he has the personality components of Giga Major and with the Decepticons' resources, he would be able to create Gigatron made out of two Minicons that contain Giga Major and Megatron's personality to combine together into one being for the purpose of destroying Optimus Prime.... And being loyal to Starscream only so that he will have a powerful tool by his side to depose Galvatron.
- This Cannot Be!: Optimus Prime is shocked when he realizes that Giga Major is his enemy when facing Gigatron and tries to get through his former friend.
- Undying Loyalty: Despite suffering the abuse and ridicule from Galvatron, Cyclonus remains loyal as ever and would shoot at anyone who dare think of betraying his leader.
- Unfinished, Untested, Used Anyway: Starscream is forced by an impatient Galvatron to unleash the recently completed Giga and Mega on Earth where they will begin their mission to combine into Gigatron and destroy Optimus Prime. Starscream warns Galvatron that he will not be held responsible if anything happens to Gigatron because of the irate Decepticon leader threatening him.
- Voice Changeling: Sixshot is able to mimic the captured Soundwave of his vocals and mannerisms to fool Galvatron into sending his forces into a trap.
- We ARE Struggling Together: The Decepticons are this as they bicker among themselves and even the Nebulons they're supposed to be allies with.
- We Used to Be Friends: Orion Pax and Giga Major were like brothers who want the same goal of freeing Cybertron from the Quintessons. And now they are sworn enemies as Optimus Prime and Megatron.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Sixshot calls out the Autobots for breaking the truce when they are supposed to take down Galvatron's followers together in a temporary team up.
- The Worf Effect:
- In Episode 4, the four Decepticon Pretenders are on the receiving end of this by Optimus Prime who recently attained his Super Mode by merging with his trailer and Headmaster Spike Witwicky and had forced the trio to retreat after failing to damage his new armor.
- On the other hand however, in Episode 5, Optimus Prime suffers this at the hands of Gigatron who is recently finished by Starscream creating them and deployed at Galvatron's insistence. Gigatron proves himself to be a far dangerous foe Optimus has ever faced. This forces Optimus to get another new upgrade from Wheeljack, Ratchet and Perceptor in form of a jetpack mode and a new shoulder cannon that fires a special round to aim for Gigatron's weak spot they found on his alloy.
New Secret Files of Teletraan- 2
- Adaptational Sapience: Zazorigun is a Cybertronian and one of the Scorponok Tribe here than a flying carrier-converted-into-a-giant-robot.
- Adaptational Villainy: Downplayed as Impactor was once a Decepticon who switched sides to the Autobots and formed the Wreckers as their leader.
- Ascended Extra:
- Elita-1 in G1 appears in only two episodes "War Dawn" and "The Search For Alpha Trion". Here, she is the Rebel Leader of the Autobot Resistance on Cybertron, opposing Shockwave and Straxus and she works with the Wreckers. It is mentioned that in G1 Returns, she reunites with Optimus Prime after Cybertron is free from Decepticon rule.
- Roadbuster and Whirl make their respective appearances in the New Secret Files of Teletraan-2 as it uses the footage of Mugen Calibur and Oberon Gazette from Special Armored Battalion Dorvack anime series. In the original G1 franchise, the two aforementioned Wreckers were not in the G1 cartoon because their toys were imported from Takatoku Toys, a different Japanese company. Due to Takara, the makers of the bulk of the Transformers toy line, bankrolling the cartoon, only Takara toys (and Shockwave, Omega Supreme and Jetfire) ended up on TV unless Takara promotes the toys that belonged to their competitors.
- Death Cobra gets more prominence here compared to his counterpart in Victory where he was killed by Hellbat, one of the Chestforce, a group of six Decepticons whose chestplates can turn into beast partners or weapons, in his debut.
- Blood Knight: Roadbuster stands out among his fellow Wreckers as war is truly his life where he shines the most as a charismatic soldier and when he's not fighting Decepticons, he becomes quiet, reserved and unable to do something without combat. This worries the Autobots of what will happen to Roadbuster when the war is finally over.
- Bounty Hunter: Devcon is this in the Autobots as he hunts down every Decepticon he can find during the war.
- Bowdlerise: Downplayed but it is mentioned that the Breastforce from Transformers: Victory is renamed as "Chestforce" here in New Secret Files of Teletraan-2.
- Canon Immigrant:
- From the Autobots:
- Bulkhead from Transformers: Prime is part of the Wreckers in this series just like his canon counterpart.
- Impactor from Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy is the leader of the Wreckers who founded the military unit after being saved by Ratchet and he returns the favor by protecting him from the Seekers' attack.
- Rack'n'Ruin from Transformers: Cyberverse are members of the Wreckers just like their canon selves.
- Topspin and Twin Twist from The Transformers (Marvel) are members of the Wreckers just like their canon counterparts.
- Delta Magnus from Transformers: Generation One is a Diaclone of the previous Delta Magnus like his counterpart from "The Night of the Combaticons" who was created as a clone of Ultra Magnus by Shockwave in a laboratory.
- Emirate Xaaron from The Transformers (Marvel) is a member of the Autobot Resistance who coordinates with Elita-1 and he vouches for Impactor despite his past as a former Decepticon with multitude of grudges that worries other Autobots.
- From the Decepticons:
- Blue Bacchus and Black Shadow from Transformers Victory are the Crossformers mercenaries in service to the Decepticons like their canon counterparts.
- Death Cobra from Transformers: Victory is a Consummate Professional soldier in the Decepticons.
- Zazorigun from The Brave of Gold Goldran is the last member of the Scorponok Tribe who fled from Cybertron after his people were decimated by the Autobots and the Decepticons.
- From the Autobots:
- Clone Angst: Delta Magnus feels inadequate of himself for being a clone of the original Delta Magnus after learning the truth. However, Optimus Prime tells him that he is worthy of the name and inspires him to chart his own destiny.
- Defector from Decadence: Impactor used to be a member of the Decepticons until he has grown disillusioned with the cause that brought nothing but pointless death and destruction, and was left for dead by his supposed comrades in the failed ambush on the Autobots before he was later attacked by the Seekers. He sides with the Autobots after Ratchet saved his life and he returns the favor by protecting him. He becomes the Decepticons' worst nightmare as the leader of the Wreckers he founded.
- Dented Iron: Impactor has sustained many wear and tear injuries throughout the battles against the Decepticons as leader of the Wreckers, forcing him to spend extended periods of time at the CR chamber. But it still doesn't stop him from kicking Decepticon tailpipe.
- The Dreaded:
- The Wreckers are this to the Decepticons whenever they encounter the Autobot elite unit about to ruin their day.
- Devcon is this to the Decepticons as he relentlessly hunts them down to take their offline processors.
- The Scorponok Tribe is this to Cybertron due to their immense size and firepower and they're a danger to anyone standing in their way.
- Enemy Civil War: With the disappearance of Megatron, the Decepticons on Cybertron began to fight among themselves as they become warlords vying for control of the planet and Shockwave is hard pressed to keep them together.
- Enemy Mine: Elita-1 and Shockwave, both mortal enemies fighting over the control of Cybertron after Optimus Prime and Megatron disappeared when the Ark and the Nemesis left, agreed to temporarily team up together to drive out Straxus and take down the Scorponok Tribe due to being a major threat they pose to Cybertron.
- Last of His Kind:
- Blue Bacchus and Black Shadow hail from a former Cybertronian-settled world outside the Milky Way galaxy that was destroyed by a cataclysmic event, leaving them as the only two Crossformers in existence.
- Zazorigun is the last of the Scorponok Tribe after they were wiped out on Cybertron and he fled from the planet. He is eventually found by Zarak who uses Headmaster technology to revive him from stasis and place him under his control.
- Military Maverick: The Wreckers are this, being composed of rowdy and reckless Autobots who take any dangerous mission against the Decepticons, and they do not follow the normal chain of command, which worries the Autobots. Nevertheless, they have proven themselves to get the job done in the battlefield.
- Not in This for Your Revolution:
- Downplayed as while Impactor may have defected to the Autobots and formed the Wreckers, he doesn't think highly of Autobot High Command. But his dedication in fighting against the Decepticons is genuine and Emirate Xaaron vouched for him that the Wreckers are an invaluable part of the Autobot forces.
- The Crossformers work for the Decepticons because not only they get paid, they are allowed to plunder and cause mayhem as they please.
- I Work Alone: Devcon is this as he refuses Impactor's offer to join the Wreckers due to his disagreements of how they fight. Although this bites him when there are situation that he needs allies.
- Only in It for the Money: Blue Bacchus and Black Shadow will only fight if someone pays them, which is why the Decepticons do not trust them and keep an eye on the two if they receive a better offer and turn their guns on them.
- Smug Super: The Crossformers are proud of their unique abilities that stood them out from other Cybertronians and never fail to show it off to their enemies during combat.
- Spared by the Adaptation:
- Impactor in Transformers War For Cybertron Trilogy dies from his mortal wounds after using his body as a shield to protect Ratchet. Here, he survives to join the Autobots and formed the Wreckers unit.
- Death Cobra survives an assassination attempt on his life compared to his canon counterpart who dies to Hellbat.
