| NOTE: This page is only about the Live-Action Original Continuity incarnation of Megatron. For a list of other incarnations, see the disambiguation page. |
You still fight for the weak. That is why YOU LOSE!Megatron swears revenge on Optimus Prime during their fight in the first movie.
Optimus Prime: You have no soul!
Galvatron: That is why I have no fear!Galvatron while fighting Optimus in Age of Extinction, also his most famous quote in that film.
Megatron's to Optimus during their fight in The Last Knight, also the last time they spoke each other.Megatron: We were BROTHERS once!
Optimus Prime: Once.
Megatron, briefly known as Galvatron, is the main antagonist of the original continuity of Paramount Pictures‘ Transformers film series.
He is an extremely powerful, destructive, and warmongering Decepticon hell-bent on ruling over humankind and the Earth. His cause has led to him come in conflict with his former brother-in-arms and archenemy, Optimus Prime. Once a former student of Sentinel Prime, he appointed to be Cybertron's Protector and commander of it's Defense Force. However, Megatron resented Optimus, knowing he was a Prime and therefore Sentinel's favored student.
This anger allowed The Fallen to ensnare him and led to the revival of the Decepticons. Following the demise of both the Fallen and Sentinel Prime respectively, Megatron was brought back to life thanks to the machinations of Cemetery Wind, KSI, and Lockdown, and eventually teamed up with Quintessa to revitalize Cybertron by destroying the Earth after learning that the planet is in fact Unicron.
In the first three films, he was voiced by Hugo Weaving who also played Agent Smith in The Matrix film series, V in V for Vendetta, Noah the Elder in Happy Feet, Red Skull in Captain America: The First Avenger, David Melrose in Patrick Melrose, Thaddeus Valentine in Mortal Engines and Billy in The Royal Hotel. In the latest two films, he was voiced by Frank Welker who also played most of his incarnations in the G1 Cartoon and the Aligned Continuity, Soundwave in the G1 cartoon, the live-action films and the Aligned continuity, the Kandarian Demon in The Evil Dead, Dr. Viper in S.W.A.T. Kats, the Red Death in How to Train Your Dragon and Unicron (while possessing Megatron) in Transformers Prime Beast Hunters: Predacons Rising.
Quick Answers
What is the most famous quote of Megatron in the Transformers Original Films?
Who does Megatron swear revenge on in the first Transformers movie?
What is Megatron's relationship with Optimus Prime in the Transformers films?
Why was Megatron briefly known as Galvatron in the Transformers films?
What is the last thing Megatron says to Optimus in The Last Knight?
Physical Appearance (2007)
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Physical Appearance (ROTF)
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Physical Appearance (DOTM)
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Physical Appearance (Galvatron/AOE)
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Physical Appearance (TLK)
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Personality
Megatron is a ferocious, egomaniacal and warmongering warlord, feared for his sadism, brutality and destructive behavior, all aspects that made even Optimus Prime growing wary of him. He was completely megalomaniacal, authoritative, and power-hungry, as when he wanted to control over Cybertron but ended up destroying it after countless year war with the Autobots and Decepticons and then wanted the subjugation of the universe by attempting to seize power over the AllSpark. Megatron was somewhat of a social darwinist, especially towards humans whom he considers insects and would have destroyed the entire Earth just to fulfill his goals. When he was resurrected for the second time in his life, and unleashed by KSI, he became extremely violent and uncontrollably aggressive, massacring every human who came close to him.
Like The Fallen himself, Megatron despised the human race as he considered them as fleshlings, insects and an inferior race. Megatron shown his disgust of a human when he fling a man. Despite of his dislike for humans, he is willing to either spare them to make them as his "pets" such as Sam Witwicky, or to give them what they want in exchange for their help if they're power-hungry like him such as Dylan Gould.
As the leader of the Decepticons, Megatron faced no problems while in command, his followers possessed the utmost loyalty towards him and his cause. In fact, the only Decepticon that Megatron did not trust was his second-in-command, Starscream, who had opted for his command, but Megatron is able to keep his loyalty in check using violence and intimidation. He also did not tolerate failure from Starscream and would brutally beat him and even just insult him if he was easily irritated by his second-in-command's sycophantic groveling. But despite this, Megatron himself answered to a higher power and was a willing servant to his master, the Fallen, who he was very loyal and respectable towards on Cybertron; the renegade Prime was able to heal him when Megatron had been badly injured (this gets subverted in the novelization and comic adaptation of Revenge of the Fallen after he found out that the Fallen lied to him about making him a Prime, however). Also, when he discovered Starscream's head, he mourned him, showing despite the abusive treatment on him, he genuinely liked him.
However, Megatron wasn't always a belligerent and militaristic warmonger; back on Cybertron he co-ruled his native planet with his brother-in-arms and future rival Optimus Prime, but after hearing word of an ancient alien race known as the Ejoornians coming to their planet to seize the Allspark and after their force was unearthed he was left severely injured, though was later healed by the Fallen who was in the artifact and was able to manipulate Megatron with the promise of power and then began to desire the AllSpark which began him to create an army of Cybertonians called Decepticons. Megatron is extremly determined in his objectives, pursuing them with great perserverance. Even after being killed and revived, he does not renounce and is willing to restore Cybertron at all cost.
Megatron is above all narcissistic, overconfident, egotistical, and arrogant. When he first fought Optimus Prime in the first film, and Optimus said it was just the two of them in this fight, Megatron retorted, "No, it's just me, Prime!". Also, after being killed by Sam Witwicky, Starscream his first lieutenant took command of the Decepticons in his absence, he was enraged and came close to actually killing Starscream while claiming, "Even in death, there is no command but mine.". This also shows when Megatron savagely beat Sentinel Prime half to death as when he was goaded by Carly Spencer by being called Sentinel's "b****" and claimed that the Earth was his and wanted to be in charge of the Decepticons once more.
As revealed in Age of Extinction, Megatron is also extremely intelligent and manipulative; after being decapitated by Optimus Prime, KSI used his head to hack Cybertronian encryptions but this ended up reactivating him and this allowed Megatron to trick KSI into building him a body called Galvatron and an entire army of Cybertronians so that he could seize the Seed and arise a larger one. But despite this high IQ, Megatron can also be single-minded and pertinacious at times. For all of his faults, the only thing that Megatron loved throughout his life was his home world Cybertron, so much so that he struck a deal with Sentinel Prime to revive it if only so he could be the one who ruled it. As shown in The Last Knight, he's even willing to make deals with humans if it means returning home and possibly rebuilding Cybertron despite his extreme hatred for humanity. Also in the novelization and comic adaptation of Dark of the Moon, Megatron proposed a truce to end the war, showing that he's willing to leave humanity alone if it means he and all surviving Decepticons can leave the Earth in peace.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Cybertronian Physiology: As a Cybertronian, who are naturally large, physically imposing and powerful race of machines with the characteristics of transforming into their alternate modes, and appear god-like to the human race. Being the vicious leader of the Decepticons, Megatron is one of the most powerful Cybertronian in Cybertron's history. with seemingly only Optimus Prime, formerly his brother-in-arms, and as well both his masters, Sentinel Prime and The Fallen, one of the original Primes, to be his only equals. Following his resurrection as Galvatron he was nearly invincible as he used his heat core chest to burn parts of his body to have a higher heat than usual. In the chest it has a particle weapon that disintegrates anything that goes trough it, including Optimus’s Energon Swords. He also was able to release the KSI Drones by transferring his essence into them.
- Cybertronian Strength: Due to his imposing size and stature, Megatron possess immense superhuman levels of strength, able to completely dominate any other lesser beings such as Humans, destroying large structures and skycrapers with relative ease. Even among Cybertronians, Megatron's strength is unparelled, as he could physically overpower any Autobots, including ripping one in two pieces. In the first film, he was able to physically dominate Optimus Prime in a fight, forcing his opponent to his knees. In the second film, despite being resurrected in an inferior body, he was still able to somewhat contend with a much more experienced and stronger Optimus, even killing him though admittedly in an unfair way. However, at the end of the movie, he was outclassed and brutally mauled by Optimus. In the third film, due to his injuries, he largely distance himself from physical confrontration from Optimus, knowing he is far too strong. Despite this, he caught Sentinel Prime off guard and viciously beaten his former master in response to his betrayal however he was killed by very injured Optimus Prime with little difficulty. In the fourth film, Megatron was rebuilt by KSI, in the form of Galvatron. In his new body, reminiscient of his original design, he became vastly stronger than before, and later even match and overpower Optimus Prime. In the fifth film, Megatron again changed his appearance, though still possessing extreme levels of strength, still able to overpower the Autobots in the majority of their fights. In the final battle, even with his arm being cut off, he still dominates Optimus, with Optimus barely able to defeat him after Megatron was caught off guard.
- Cybertronian Speed: Megatron posses considerable superhuman speed in his Cybertronian form, to the point he is able to match Optimus in combat speed in their confrontation. In his Cybertronian alternate mode, Megatron in the form of a jet move at immense speed, as he was able to traverse through the stars alone from Cybertron in his search for the Cube. In the second film, his alternate mode which seems to be a hybrid of a jet and a tank, was able to caught up with Optimus in his alternate mode when the latter was driving at full speed. In the third film he manage to move so quick that he also manage to catch Sentinel off guard, allowing him to deliver a strong and fast beat form to his former master.
- Cybertronian Healing: Due to his cybertronian physiology, Megatron's body is composed of living transformium metal, which has the ability to regenerate and heal itself, even after a serious wound to a certain extent. Optimus inflicted numerous blows and cuts into Megatron with his blade, which while it inflict significant harm on Megatron, he was able to fully recover later on. However, there are limits to this as when Megatron was badly mauled by Optimus at the battle in Egypt, he wasn't able to fully recover as there are many visible wounds on him.
- Cybertronian Durablity: Megatron is extremely durable. Megatron's body is virtually immune to small arms fire from human weapons. He is able to take numerous punches and blows from other cybertronians such as Optimus during their confrontations with relative ease considering a punch from a cybertronian would be on the level of superhuman to a degree. More impressively, in his encounters with the Military, Megatron was still able to fight on despite being bombarded by missile strikes by F-22 Raptor fighter jets, and concentrated fire from Main Battle Tanks, however his armor and body became a shattered mess and the prolonged engagement contributed to his first death.
- Transformation: As a Cybertronian, he is able to switch into his Cybertronian alternate mode. In the first film, his alternate mode is a Cybertronian jet, while in the second film, it's a mixture of both a jet and a tank. In the third film, in order to blend in on Earth, his alternate mode is that of a rusty Mack Titan 10 wheeler fuel tank truck. In the fourth film, his alternate mode seems to be in the form of Freightliner Argosy truck. In the fourth film while in his new form Galvatron he was able to split into Molecules to change appearance. In the fifth film, he return to his first film's alternate mode of a Cybertronian like jet.
- Molecular Manipulation: As Galvatron, Megatron's body was constructed out of Transformium, a human-made variety of programmable matter derived from the living metals that Cybertronians are comprised of. Having spread his own code throughout every molecule of Transformium like a virus, Megatron was theoretically capable of transforming into anything he wished, though his only alternate mode in this body was that of a 2014 Freightliner Argosy cab over truck. He is also capable of transmitting his own code to other Transformium-based devices; this allowed him to seize control of every robot KSI had built from the material.
Abilities
- Master Hand-to-hand Combatant: Being formerly the leader of Cybertron's military forces and later, leader of the Decepticons for thousands of years, Megatron possess extreme skills in martial arts and combat prowesness. He was feared by both Decepticons and Autobots alike, not just due to his cunning and power hungry nature, but also as a warrior. Megatron is one of the most skilled cybertronian combatants in history with only a few was able to match with him, such as Sentinel Prime and more prominently, Optimus, his rival.
- Swordsmanship: Although largely inferior to Optimus, Megatron still possess a degree in the skill of a blade, primarily in his second body after his resurrection in the second film, although he use it in a minimal way. He was able to temporary kill Optimus when he snuck behind him and pierce his spark with his blade. As Galvatron in the fourth film, he possessed wrist blades which he used during his fight with Optimus in the highway and was quite proficient in them. In the fifth film, he acquired an Ikakalaka sword, which he used with the same level of proficiency as the wrist blades.
- Master Marksman: Megatron is quite proficient in handling firearms, most notable his signature and dreaded weapon, the Fusion Cannon. With the use of his extremely potent weapon, he was able to blast Optimus Prime in point blank range, sending him to fly away and crash into the building. He would continue to use his Fusion Cannon throughout the films with potent results.
- Expert Driver: Naturally having being created with an alternate mode, Megatron is proficient in utilizing his vehicle modes whether in the form of aircrafts or ground vehicles.
Equipment
- Spear (2007; flashback only)
- Cybertronian Mace (2007)
- Fusion Hand Gun (2007)
- Fusion Canon Claw Mode (ROTF)
- Fusion Canon Gun Mode (ROTF)
- Fusion Shotgun (DOTM)
- Wrist Blades (AOE)
- Fusion Hand Gun (AOE)
- Fusion Cannon (TLK)
- Ikakalaka sword (TLK)
Quotes
Transformers
Megatron escaping his cryostasis prison in the first film.I am Megatron!
Starscream: I live to serve you, Lord Megatron.
Megatron: WHERE IS THE CUBE!?!
Starscream: The humans has taken it!
Megatron: You failed me yet again, Starscream. Get them!Megatron to Starcream.
Jazz: That's all you got, Megatron?!
Megatron: Come here, little cretin!
Jazz: You wanna piece of me?! You wanna piece...
Megatron: NO! I want TWO!Megatron when killing Jazz.
Megatron before engaging Optimus.PRIME!!
Megatron: Humans don't deserve to live!
Optimus Prime: They deserve to choose for themselves!
Megatron: Then you will die with them! Join them in extinction!Megatron fighting Optimus.
Give me that Cube, boy!Megatron when chasing Sam Witwicky.
Megatron continually chasing Sam after entering the building.I SMELL YOU, BOY!!!
Megatron: Is it fear or courage that compels you, fleshling? Give me the AllSpark and you may live to be my PET!
Sam: I'm never giving you the AllSpark!!!
Megatron: Oh... so unwise.Megatron demanding the AllSpark from Sam, before attacking him out of spite for being denied.
I'll kill you! Mine... AllSpark!Megatron, moments before his first death.
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Megatron: Starscream, I'm home.
Starscream: Lord Megatron, I was so relieved to hear of your resurrection.
Megatron: You left me to die on that pathetic insect planet.
Starscream: Only to help spawn our new army. The Fallen decrees it! After all, in your absence, someone had to take command.
Megatron: [grabs Starscream by the neck and crushes him against a hatchling cucoon] So disappointing.
Starscream: Hatchlings! Hatchlings! Careful, fragile!
Megatron: Even in death, there is no command but mine.Megatron to Starscream after finding out he took over the Decepticons in his death.
My master, I failed you on Earth. The AllSpark is destroyed. And without it, our race will perish.Megatron to the Fallen of his failure.
Megatron: Come here, boy. Mmm... closer. You remember me, don't you?
Sam: I did what you said, okay? Just don't hurt us.
Megatron: SHUT UP! [drops Sam off the platform] It feels good to grab your flesh! I am going to kill you! Slowly, painfully. But first, we have some delicate work to do.Megatron takes Sam and his friends hostage to extract the information on the Cybertronian symbols, while admitting that he doesn't lack the urge to take revenge on Sam.
Megatron: Ohh, there they are. These symbols can lead us to the Energon source.
Scalpel: Ve must haff ze brain on ze table! Chop-chop!
Sam: Brain? What does he mean by my "brain"?!
Megatron: Well you have something on your mind, something I need.Megatron observing Scalpel probing Sam's mind.
Is the future of our race not worth a single human life?Megatron attempting to demotivate Optimus during the forest battle.
Megatron as he kills Optimus Prime during the forest battle.You're so weak.
The boy must have the Matrix. We cannot let him reach Optimus! DECEPTICONS!, BEGIN OUR ASSULT!Megatron on the Pyramid.
A severely injured Megatron calling for Starscream.STARSCREAM!!
Megatron: No... NO!
Starscream: Not to call you a coward, master. But sometimes, cowards... do survive.
Megatron: This isn't over...Megatron witnessing the Fallen's death before retreating per Starscream's suggestion.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Megatron returning to his base of operations.All hail Megatron!
Now, don't be greedy, my fragile ones.Megatron when feeding the hatchlings.
Starscream: Oh my poor master, how it pains me to see you so wounded, so weak.
Megatron: Spare me, you gaseous sycophant! You know what you are told, which is nothing!Megatron deflecting Starscream's hollow pity.
He was meant to rendezvous with me here on Earth, before fate waylaid us both. The only way to revive him, we needed Prime... and his Matrix.Megatron explaining his plan with Sentinel Prime, and how the Matrix of Leadership could revive him due to it serving as a vessel for the AllSpark.
Megatron answering Starscream's question if Sentinel was his partner.He is my greatest triumph.
Megatron after Sentinel Prime opens the Space Bridge in Washington D.C.Here we are... Fight us now!
Be gone, insect operative! Your work is done!Megatron to Dylan Gould after the Space Bridge Pillars are brought to Chicago.
Decepticons, defend the pillar! Raise the bridges! Find them!Megatron after Dylan informed him of the Autobots' survival.
Cybertron, you were saved... At last!Megatron witnessing the return of his home planet.
Megatron: Well, have you come to surrender?
Carly: Was it all worth it?
Megatron: Obviously.
Carly: All your work to bring Sentinel back, and now clearly he has all the power. It's actually almost tragic!
Megatron: You dare lecture me, slave?!
Carly Your Decepticons are finally conquering this planet, and yet their leader won't be you!
Megatron: It will be ME! It will ALWAYS be me!
Carly: At any minute now, you'll be nothing... but Sentinel's b*tch.Megatron's conversation with Carly, where he realizes that Sentinel is usurping him as leader of the Decepticons.
This is my PLANET!Megatron beating up Sentinel Prime.
Megatron: Now... We need a truce, all I wanted is to back in charge. Besides, who would you be without me, Prime?
Optimus Prime: Time to find out.Megatron, moments before his second death.
Transformers: Age of Extinction
Megatron gaining full control over the Galvatron drone.I am Galvatron!
My brothers! Today, I grant you your freedom. And from now on, you are commanded by me. Rise up! Go find my seed, detonate the seed in the largest city!Galvatron freeing the other KSI Drones and starting his plan.
We shall meet again, Prime, for I am reborn.Galvatron before getting away.
Transformers: The Last Knight
Megatron on what he wants from the TRF in exchange for the liberation of the CIA agents he kidnapped.I want my crew.
What we all want, human: to go home.Megatron's answer to Lennox's question.
Megatron to his crew before hunting down Cade Yeager and the Autobots.Today we hunt.
The end is near, my old treacherous friend. What a shame you'll be unable to see it.Megatron to Starscream's severed head.
Nitro Zeus: You blew your chance to kill Unicron!
Megatron: I knew you couldn't do it. Your time is over, Prime. You failed. You turned your back on Cybertron. Now you will watch Earth die!Megatron taunting Optimus for causing the fall of the Earth.
Trivia
- The earliest concept designs of Megatron gave him a look very much inspired by his Generation One counterpart. Unlike the Cybertronian jet seen in the first movie, this Megatron was intended to transform into an army tank (see the Gallery page).
- The prototype photographs on the back of Fast Action Battler, leader, and voyager class Megatron's packaging show him with a completely different head based upon an earlier version of CGI design that was dropped after much negative fan reaction. Legends class Megatron retains this head shape, as do a few children's picture books (see the Gallery page). IDW later tried to canonize this design in Transformers: Defiance by showing it was how he looked like before The Fallen corrupted him. This was thrown away by Transformers: Foundation, which depicts Megatron in his finalized look all the ime throught the comic, even in parts that are set during the events of Defiance.
- His redesigned head was further modified for the final film. The finalized design retains the same basic shape as the interim design, but is more streamlined, is more expressive, and has uneven teeth. The interim design can be seen in the last batch of promotional CGI renders released for the movie as well as the introduction cutscene and campaign ending cutscenes in Transformers: The Game. The rest of the game utilizes the finished design.
- According to The Movie Guide, Megatron is one of the few Cybertronians capable of space travel without reverting to a Protoform state. This explains how he was capable of chasing the AllSpark immediately after it's launch.
- The opening paragraph of The Quest for the AllSpark's paperback says: "...Most revered were Optimus and Megatron. They were twin brothers of the Prime dynasty.", implying that Megatron may have also had the surname "Prime" at one time. Similarly, in the Transformers Autobots game for DS, it is noted that Megatron "took the spark" of his and Optimus' father. However, in the twelfth issue of Titan's Revenge of the Fallen comic, Barricade informed readers that Megatron and Optimus weren't related, the term "brother" was just because they'd known each other for so long. However, the Foundation comic series sheds more light on this, with Optimus and Megatron being like brothers and Sentinel being like a father to them and his supposed death on Megatron's order bringing the whole scenario full circle.
- Early script drafts and a children's picture book featured Megatron consuming the sparks of his fallen foes, but this didn't make it into the final film due to time constraints. The novelization and comic adaptation, on the other hand, sees him chow down on Jazz in the final battle; similarly, although not outright stated in dialogue, his animalistic pouncing on the fallen bodies of various characters (including Optimus Prime, Starscream, Jazz and the Decepticon Create-A-Bot) in the films Nintendo DS games, following by what appears to be rooting around in their innards, seems to suggest he's doing the same there.
- Detroit Lions American football player Calvin Johnson has earned the nickname Megatron, due to his large stature and unstoppability. Since he got the nickname around the same time as the movie was in theaters, we assume he was named for this Megatron. Johnson has worn a hat with the Decepticon logo on it. Nike came out with a limited edition line "Megatron" styled sports gear for the 2012 Thanksgiving Day game.
- The Megatron computer generated model consisted of 2411 individual pieces, 433,949 polygons, 8924 rig nodes, and 1437 texture maps. The pieces combined gave a volume of 10,325 cubic feet.
- The Milton Bradley Transformers Battling Card Game depicts a couple of unique attacks for Megatron's original form; one card gives him a pair of forearm-mounted blades as an "Arm Sword", and another shows him firing a swarm of missiles from his chest in a "Missile Attack".
- Blackout and Megatron are the only two Decepticons shown being dumped in the Laurentian Abyss at the end of the first film. Megatron is shown missing his left arm and his right leg, while Blackout has been dismantled entirely into smaller pieces.
- Producers of Revenge of the Fallen decided that Megatron would not rename himself Galvatron after his resurrection in said film so that general audience wouldn't get confused.
- While Revenge of the Fallen: The Movie Universe and the comic adaptation created the idea that Megatron is a Triple Changer that alternates between his robot, jet, and tank modes, there is absolutely nothing to support this in the movie. Throughout the entire film, he only transforms into a winged tank portrayed by the voyager figure and is more than capable of flying in said mode.
- According to his bio on the Hasbro sticker sheets, Megatron weighs in at 5.7 metric tons; is 35 feet tall; uses an "Ion-fused chain whip" for his primary weapon; has a "Strength power level" of 10; and changes into an "Interstellar jet". The mention of a chain whip and a jet mode seem to indicate the card's stats were based on his original form, rather than his Revenge of the Fallen tank mode. The card also surmises that Megatron's might will "make the Earth quake, and the stars fall from the sky". The two-disc special edition of the film's DVD also gives him a height of 35 feet.
- In the Revenge of the Fallen: The Movie Universe guidebook, it states that Megatron possesses an internal self-regenerating dark matter power core which is possibly of alien origin.
- Megatron's story was altered significantly during development of Revenge of the Fallen: the climax of the film would have revealed Megatron served the Fallen under the pretense of becoming a Prime, which Optimus exposes a lie, explaining Primes are born, not made. An angered Megatron refused to aid the Fallen in his final battle, and returned to Soundwave's Nemesis via the Fallen's Space Bridge to raise an army of hatchlings. In the final film, he is removed from the battle by having Optimus disfigure him with his own cannon, which would lead to his introduction in the third film.
- The headshot image on the package art for Megatron's toys uses the design of his head from the first movie rather than the updated design for Revenge of the Fallen.
- The comic book cover art used for his page on TFWiki was originally drawn by Josh Nizzi with his Revenge of the Fallen design (see the Gallery page), but he was asked to redo the artwork with the 2007 design to avoid spoilers.
- A similar thing happened with the comic book cover art for the 4th issue of Defiance, though that one was repurposed as the final issue of the film's comic adaptation (see the Gallery page).
- His weatherbeaten Mack tanker truck mode and Cybertronian sawed-off shotgun as seen in Dark of the Moon are fairly straightforward nods to the 1981 film Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior.
- The whole notion of him even being a tanker truck in the third film in the first place might be a nod to executive producer Steven Spielberg's first movie, Duel, where a similar truck is the main "bad guy".
- An early concept art for Dark of the Moon showed that Megatron would maintain his ROTF form during the film's events (see the Gallery page). Early concept arts of Megatron's design in the film called him "Cyclonus" in an attempt to curb leaks and spread misinformation.
- A concept art for "Galvatron" was created by Massive Black artist Bruno Gore (see the Gallery page). It's unknown if Galvatron was intended to be an upgraded Megatron or a separate character.
- In both the semi-canon prequel video game prequel of same name for the third film and Transformers: The Ride – 3D, Megatron appears in his DOTM body, but with the "murder arm" used in ROTF. The reason for this was most likely Megatron prefers his built-in Fusion Cannon over the handheld Fusion Shotgun.
- Ideas from the earlier version of the script for the film, which were kept in the novelization and comic adaptation, significally changed Megatron's story in said film:
- Megatron was originally going to be falsely accused by Sentinel Prime of doing nothing to prevent Optimus Prime from shooting at the Control Pillar and, after calling Sentinel out for not allowing him to fight Optimus, Megatron would be knocked from the top of 35 East Wacker, thus explaining why he was on the alley when Carly found him.
- Megatron was going to redeem himself by helping Optimus kill Sentinel for his betrayal, and offer a much more sincere truce which Optimus agress, allowing him and all surviving Decepticons (presumably including those from the tie-in novels and comics such as the Crab Spy, Flatline, Space Case, etc.) to leave Earth in peace to rebuild Cybertron. According to Michael Bay's website administrator Nelson Lauren, the ending was changed because the studio didn't want the adaptations to share the same ending with the film.
- In Age of Extinction, the "axe wound" in Megatron's head has shrunk considerably since the previous film; although, if Megatron was alive, then he may have been able to heal his wounds to some degree.
- Galvatron's toy bio claims that he's a new adversary the Autobots have to face following the Battle of Chicago, essentially portraying Galvatron as a separate character from Megatron just like his original IDW G1 continuity incarnation. It was presumably done to hide spoilers from the film.
- The creation of Galvatron as a counterpart to Optimus Prime takes cues from Nemesis Prime's incarnation in the Aligned continuity. This is even more supported by a concept art which represents Galvatron with a modified Prime-like head (see the Gallery page).
- Hasbro's website says that Galvatron's chest contains a Vortex Grinder just like Devastator, thus explaining why Optimus Prime's Energon Sword shattered inside of Galvatron's chest.
- Attinger's playing card of Megatron was revealed in a prop auction for the original film series held in 2019.
- The customized 2014 Freightliner Argosy used as Galvatron's alternate mode would later be reused as Dr. Robotnik's mobile base in the 2020 Sonic the Hedgehog film.
- There are a few moments in the fourth film that foreshadows Galvatron being controlled by Megatron's consciousness:
- When Joshua Joyce explains that he wants to base Galvatron on Optimus Prime but it keeps looking like Megatron, he states this is the fifth time this happened with the Galvatron drone while all the other drones came out the way he wanted with no problems. This means that Megatron was tempering on Galvatron's creation so it could look like him.
- The purple image of Megatron in cryogenic hibernation that can be seen on screens in the background inside Hoover Dam in the 2007 film appears on a screen in the background at KSI Headquarters when Cade first gets chased by security guards. While this seems as either a continuity nod/call-back to the previous films or the production team re-using stock footage instead of creating original ones out of lazyness on first glance, it actually means that Megatron based Galvatron's design on his original body.
- When Galvatron transforms for the first time during the chase, the way it does seems deliberate, down to the point it causes collateral damage.
- While fighting Optimus, Galvatron speaks. Later dialogue in the film reveal that no KSI Drone are programmed to do so.
- The red "scar" on Megatron's face came about one day when Michael Bay went into ILM and asked the animators to add red markings to Optimus Prime and Megatron's faces and come up with an in-universe explanation for them. Visual effects artist Chris Zammit came up with the idea that the markings were the use of Dark Energon due to it's mind-control abilities and the presence of Unicron in the film. The idea was scrapped, leaving the red markings as some kind of "paint".
- The simple fact his optics were still red instead of purple like Optimus/Nemesis' suggests he was working with Quintessa by his own accord.
- Megatron is the only character appearing in all five installments of the original continuity of the film series to have received a distinctly different body design and alternate mode for each film. While each of the changes he undergoes in prior films is given an explicit in-universe explanation, his body in The Last Knight is left unexplained. However, there are enough context clues in the film (from the red markings to his knowledge of the Talisman and Unicron) to figure out that Quintessa may be responsible for his latest body change.
- This might even have something to do with why he's calling himself "Megatron" again instead of "Galvatron", or why he no longer transforms via a cloud of Transformium.
- Concept art for The Last Knight reveals that Megatron was originally planned to transform into a Cybertronian Dragon resembling his Beast Era incarnation, with his Ikakalaka sword forming his tail and the ability to breath fire in robot mode (see the Gallery page). Both this ability and the alternate mode were eventually scrapped in favor of shooting flames from his Fusion Cannon and a new jet mode, which was originally designed as a fighter jet for one of the Guardian Knights. This could explain why he has virtually no jet kibble in his final design.
- Megatron has an engraving of himself in his 2007 body wielding a sword and commanding an army on the right side of his head. While unseen in the film itself, similar artwork of Optimus Prime is engraved on the opposite side of his head. The full artwork can be seen on an IMAX poster for the film.
- In Shadows Rising, Megatron returns in his second form with his Cybertronian Tank vehicle form after being brought back to life by KSI.
- This incarnation of Megatron is arguably among few whose reformation/evolution into Galvatron is at the hands of another party besides Unicron.
- Additionally, this is one of two incarnations of Megatron to revert from Galvatron back to Megatron, alongside his Unicron Trilogy incarnation.
- Megatron is the only villain in the original film series to have appeared in all five films.
- This is the only incarnation of Megatron who uses a battle mask.
- Megatron's design and roles from the films and tie-in novels and comics by IDW shares some similarities with his Aligned continuity incarnation, which no surprising as the former being one of two inspirations for the latter (the other being his G1 counterpart):
- Both possessing a Cybertronian jet mode.
- Both being armed with Fusion Cannons in their arms.
- Both being armed with a powerful sword (in the live-action, it is handheld, while in the Aligned, it is built-in).
- Both being responsible for causing Bumblebee to become mute by damaging his voice box.
- Both revealed to be Optimus Prime's former brother-in-arms.
- Both have massive sharp teeth.
