
When you’re trying to write something serious and ‘angsty’ but you just can’t help yourself.

When you’re trying to write something serious and ‘angsty’ but you just can’t help yourself.
While most of them are grumpy as they were spurred on by aggression/’salt’ I think I’m going to tag all of my observations about Galvatrons character with “Galvastudy” so they can be used as advice for anyone who wants to write Galvatron.
And y’know.
Portray him closer to canon rather than the “fandumb version” people seem to have accepted as canon when it’s not.
Okay, so in the movie Unicron literally did that flashy-torture thing if Galvatron so much as talked back at him (the moon scene) and even tortured him for falling for a trick.

Yet he did not torture him when Galvatron vocally declared that instead of destroying the Matrix he was going to use it against Unicron.
I didn’t think much of the ‘why’ of that happening until I had a realisation… A terrible one.
He let Galvatron come to him, knowing full well that he could not open or use the Matrix against him.
“For a time… I considered sparing your wretched little planet Cybertron…”
Considering he already ate one of it’s moons and tortured Galvatron for being upset about that and the “CONSIDERED” part of that quote it’s pretty likely that Unicron NEVER intended to spare Cybertron AT ALL.
Yet he waited until his abused and tortured puppet tried to cut his strings and be free to attack.
He waited to do it in front of Galvatron, he waited to do it until after Galvatron failed to free himself and defeat him.
HE DELIBERATELY DID IT IN FRONT OF GALVATRON TO “BLAME” HIM.
TO LAYER THE GUILT OF IT ON HIM.
AS IF UNICRON WAS TELLING GALVATRON
“LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO”
I never noticed or realised it before but goddamn…

“This planet must be Purgatory! It has to be if I’m seeing your wretched visage!”
“My years of solitude must have made me crazy in order to hallucinate your ugly mug!”
Friends.
G1 Galvatron: Abuse survivor (honestly look at how Unicron treated him and tell me I’m wrong), canon mental health issues, canonly implied self-confidence/belief issues, living in a stressful environment unsympathetic to his health issues and no doubt making them worse prompting said issues to manifest in violent outbursts. Also canonly showed some care towards his soldiers (Well, Cyclonus).
TF Fandom: …
TF Fandom: Boy look at this guy who is only violent and has no personality traits beyond that. Wow.
TF Fandom: Hey Hasbro, when can we have more sympathetic villains and characters with mental health issues again?
I am also working on a Galvatron playlist! There’s 23 songs on it so far!.

Well Cyclonus certainly does.
Yes, I bought the malteasers pack purely for this.

So I had a flash of inspiration for what Armada!Cyclonus would look like in ‘my style’ and I had to draw it out now I’m simply in love with this goofy Heli-gremlin.

Scourge of the Solar Seas of the Ghaargalax; It’s Cyclonus!
Info under the cut!
Name: Cyclonus
Nicknames: Well, he’ll do his best to make you refer to him as “Captain”.
Faction: Predacons
Alt mode: Palm Cockatoo
Attacks:
Crush claw – Cyclonus will put pressure on and attempt to crush whatever he has in his claws, in beast mode this ability is replaced.
Beak drum – The replacement ability for his ‘Crush claw’, his beak will become energised and he will harshly peck or ‘beat’ an enemy with it.
Feather shot/slash – This can be used in both forms. When it is Feather shot Cyclonus will fire/fling one of the blade-feathers at the end of his wings at a foe, if it is slash the blade will not detach and he will simply try to slice an enemy in passing
Tidal wings – This can be used in both forms as well. His wings gather an energy that predominantly pools at the bladed-tips but still coats the entirety of the wings, when the power is at optimal/maximum levels Cyclonus will recklessly charge at his enemies in a combination of speed, brute force, blades and energy. His ability to change direction is minimal however and he often tends to give himself a nasty knock by doing this.
History:
Cyclonus is a renowned pirate with a bounty on his head in at least five systems! And he’s happy to tell you of that fact too!.
Following his latest treasure map Cyclonus ended up on Earth just waiting to scour the planet for this new item of worth! Instead his ship had been detected upon entry and despite initially being too distracted to notice them at first Cyclonus realised he had a welcoming party.
Not too impressed with Sky-Byte at first, a irate cough drew his attention to the actual head of the operation here on Earth.
His reaction was enough to confuse most people as he threw his map away and rejoiced at finding “The booty”.
Being the ‘new guy’ was the only thing that saved Cyclonus from being punted half way across the galaxy by a rather displeased Galvatron, utterly unimpressed at the formers loud and vocal praising of his posterior. That and a few words from Sky-Byte trying to rationalise the behaviour as both a ‘special’ way of ‘praise’ and that he might just be woozy from low energy, yes, that must be it.
Cyclonus’s ship was docked within the Megastar base and energetic parrot was moved in.
And was quickly at odds with just about everyone.
His endless innuendo’s and lewd remarks upset the Predacons greatly and his insistence on being referred to as ‘Captain’ particularly grated on the Decepticons.
Not to mention being the source of the innuendo’s and receiver of the dirty remarks, Galvatron wasn’t having the best time of it either.
He only really began getting a footing around the base when he showed off nautical prowess and plundered many human crafts for their energy sources keeping the Megastar functional and the converted Energon cubes even managing to sate Galvatrons ‘vampiric’ side.
He also wasn’t above launching many a insult at the Autobots and sharing from his stash of high grade.
It was after sharing out this high-grade that Dark Scream made a slurred angry rant at Cyclonus and his sexual jokes, specifically stating their distaste at them being aimed at “their mama”.
Actually with a clue of what’s going on now, Cyclonus swore not to make another dirty pass at Galvatron.
At least while they’re around. His passes at the ‘saucy siren’ leading them merely being toned down and more sparingly placed.
Although after the hangover from that one eventful drink the Predacons were very confused at the small pirate now referring to them as “Laddies” or his “Crew” rather than by name or as ‘associates’, then again the four of them shrugged and let the parrot carry on; unaware the pirate had truly figured out the actual reasoning behind their distaste for his lewdness beyond general distaste.
Cyclonus also found himself getting more on the Predacons side, becoming antagonistic towards Scourge and the Decepticons, heckling them whenever he got a chance and deliberately snarking at Ro-Tor, as they both had aerial capabilities, and distracting him.
When the Predacons were successful Cyclonus started nudging Galvatron more and more, giving gentle reminders to praise them more, which began resulting in more effective results off the bestial bots.
It was a change, a shift, those at the base almost seemed to be different.
This along with Cyclonus lessening on his ‘randy’ nature drew a curious Galvatron whose sudden… odd pensive state was curious to the bird who, with some effort, he managed to hold back on flirtatious remarks.
Galvatron was strange talking about the new change in people, the different air around the place. Cyclonus wondered if this might just be something to do with his weird power and vampire-sensory system acting up or, just maybe, picking up on something else.
He seemed extra changed when Cyclonus made a remark about the fate of the Decepticons being changed from their Autobot past.
Either way that night ended with Cyclonus willingly allowing Galvatron’s bat mode to take a small meal from his energy banks.
He did let slip some dirty talk when he awoke next to Galvatron who had apparently fallen asleep after his meal.
Enraged again at his return to the lewd remarks Galvatron confronted him about this. With a cheeky grin Cyclonus held up a recording of the drunken Predacons and Dark Screams admission of their feelings about Galvatron and the general agreement of the Predacons.
Galvatron had a hard, confusing time trying to get his processor around the revelation something Cyclonus found hilarious and took the time to take advantage of his confusion and plant one right on the confused leaders face, fleeing with a giggle.
It was more surprising that Galvatron’s mood improved after that and he actually made a return pass at Cyclonus, almost like he was getting out of his rigidity and began distributing his time out better.
Cyclonus had many more bite marks on his neck.
He promised not to do so in front of the Predacons, not the Decepticons so he gladly decided to tell them how he wanted to try and get more of them all over his body much to Scourge’s disgust.
Cyclonus was there for Galvatron after Scourge and the Decepticons made an attempt on his life and stood by as the group got reprogrammed, and happily watched at how the Predacons were thrilled at the now non-threatening Decepticons and Galvatrons praise.
He managed to evade Autobot capture when he returned to the Megastar to retrieve weaponry to try and aid his brethren and rescue his ‘siren’ from his ‘death match’ only to discover all but one were captured.
The base was very lonely and even plundering a vessel or two felt a bit of a waste.
Fuck, he even missed all of the Predacons too.
Hijacking the Megastar’s sensors and equipping them to his own ship Cyclonus flew out and zeroed in on a prime target and using his beast modes claws he yanked Sky-Byte out from the water and dragged the singing fish to his craft.
He was enlisted for a mission now under a new Captain.
Cyclonus’s ship was catapulted across the galaxy, the Asteroid Prison Colony, easily the first place to go as Fortress Maximus’s energy signature was not hard to track now he was active and given it’s function, it was the only destination.
Sky-Byte promptly requested a ‘retirement form’ when he realised where they were heading and what the intentions were.
He was denied as this would be a wonderful “Bonding experience” whatever the kooky pirate was on about…
The Asteroids put Fort Max largely out of the fight but it was just a question of avoiding Ultra Magnus.
A few burnt feathers and scales never hurt anyone though and after crashing the main bulk of his craft into the colony’s side and using it’s cramped escape pod to flee at least got them back to Earth.
Sure, the Autobots were now aware they were back on the planet but they still didn’t know where the Megastar was now so it was all free game for now.
Sky-Byte was close to leaving once again but ended up staying, and it totally wasn’t because the still trapped-in-crystal Predacons bawled happily about how they knew he’d come for them and one maybe let slip a “bro” during that and it also absolutely wasn’t because Galvatron gave him a long thank you either.
Nope.
No Siree.
Amused at his blatant and badly hidden lie Cyclonus smashed the crystals and freed their comrades laughing happily at the big mess of limbs that constituted a hug pile afterwards.
Notes/Extra: