Swarm (Transformers)
Encyclopedia
The Swarm is a creature in the fiction
al world of the Transformers: Generation 2 comic by Marvel Comics
.
The Swarm is a large, amorphous, black mass of particulate sized, corrosive organisms that travel from planet
to planet, seeking out cybernetic life forms. Upon contact with other life forms, the Swarm devours them, leaving behind only lifeless husks. Small portions of the Swarm can be destroyed, but it grows faster than anything can get rid of it. Energy shields have little effect on it, as it put intense strain on them until they collapse. The Swarm can also pick up small amounts of information from computers that it eats.
At the end of the Great War, after Optimus Prime and Megatron had left Cybertron for Earth, a group of Decepticons also abandoned their home world for deep space. They went about conquering other planets and terraforming them into "little Cybertrons". At some point, these "Generation 2"(G2) Decepticons rediscovered the process of binary reproduction and used it as a tool to expand their armies.
Each split produced a small flying mass of Cybertronian genetic material that was not unlike cancer. In low levels, the flying cancer dissipated on its own. Unfortunately, the use of the binary reproduction was far more regular than Primus had originally ordained. The cancerous by-product formed into a massive cloud, and eventually gained some appearance of an overall sentience, despite no true central intelligence. At this point, the mass of robotic organisms descended on various worlds, consuming all metallic and organic materials, leaving only dead husks behind.
The Swarm, after attacking and devouring several Gen 2 Decepticon groups, absorbed their last orders - to head to Earth. Jhiaxus
's command to attack Earth undid the last chance of stopping the Swarm peacefully, which then proceeded to attack all combatants, whether G2 Decepticon or G1 Transformers, devouring Jhiaxus himself. Optimus Prime realised the only way to stop it was to purify it with the power of the Matrix and the peaceful intentions stored within. Prime willingly offered himself to it, and his desire for peace, along with the power of the Matrix, purified the Swarm of its aggressive intentions, giving it a purpose. The Swarm is last seen traveling off into space, having rebuilt Optimus Prime as a parting gift.
It has been implied by Beast Wars story editor Larry DiTillio
that the mysterious Vok
from Beast Wars
are an evolution of the Swarm, resulting from the power of the Matrix.
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al world of the Transformers: Generation 2 comic by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
.
The Swarm is a large, amorphous, black mass of particulate sized, corrosive organisms that travel from planet
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
to planet, seeking out cybernetic life forms. Upon contact with other life forms, the Swarm devours them, leaving behind only lifeless husks. Small portions of the Swarm can be destroyed, but it grows faster than anything can get rid of it. Energy shields have little effect on it, as it put intense strain on them until they collapse. The Swarm can also pick up small amounts of information from computers that it eats.
History
The origin of the swarm was revealed in the Generation 2 comic series. When the Transformers were first created by the god of light, Primus, they originally had the ability to undergo binary division, to split into two separate organisms. After the Cybertronian population reached a certain size, a command implanted by Primus caused them to lose the ability to reproduce and to forget that they had ever been able to.At the end of the Great War, after Optimus Prime and Megatron had left Cybertron for Earth, a group of Decepticons also abandoned their home world for deep space. They went about conquering other planets and terraforming them into "little Cybertrons". At some point, these "Generation 2"(G2) Decepticons rediscovered the process of binary reproduction and used it as a tool to expand their armies.
Each split produced a small flying mass of Cybertronian genetic material that was not unlike cancer. In low levels, the flying cancer dissipated on its own. Unfortunately, the use of the binary reproduction was far more regular than Primus had originally ordained. The cancerous by-product formed into a massive cloud, and eventually gained some appearance of an overall sentience, despite no true central intelligence. At this point, the mass of robotic organisms descended on various worlds, consuming all metallic and organic materials, leaving only dead husks behind.
The Swarm, after attacking and devouring several Gen 2 Decepticon groups, absorbed their last orders - to head to Earth. Jhiaxus
Jhiaxus
Jhiaxus is a fictional character in the Transformers universes. He is an evil Decepticon jet.-Transformers: Generation 2:Unlike most of the notable characters in the Transformers comics, Jhiaxus is not based on a toy...
's command to attack Earth undid the last chance of stopping the Swarm peacefully, which then proceeded to attack all combatants, whether G2 Decepticon or G1 Transformers, devouring Jhiaxus himself. Optimus Prime realised the only way to stop it was to purify it with the power of the Matrix and the peaceful intentions stored within. Prime willingly offered himself to it, and his desire for peace, along with the power of the Matrix, purified the Swarm of its aggressive intentions, giving it a purpose. The Swarm is last seen traveling off into space, having rebuilt Optimus Prime as a parting gift.
It has been implied by Beast Wars story editor Larry DiTillio
Larry DiTillio
Lawrence G. "Larry" DiTillio is an American film and TV series writer. He is most famous for his role as executive story editor of the science-fiction series Babylon 5, and for writing or co-writing most of the episodes in the animated series Beast Wars...
that the mysterious Vok
Vok
The Vok are a race of fictional aliens from the Transformers universe.-Beast Wars:In Transformers history, the Vok were mysterious and powerful aliens who had evolved beyond the corporeal world. Their base of operations—be it another planet, location in space, or entire dimension—is dubbed "Nexus...
from Beast Wars
Beast Wars
Transformers: Beast Wars is a Transformers toyline released by Hasbro between 1995 and 2000, and a Daytime Emmy Award winning full-CG animated television series spawned by it that debuted in 1996...
are an evolution of the Swarm, resulting from the power of the Matrix.