G1 ended after The Rebirth

[Shepp]

The series could have ended with Optimus Prime returning at the end of season 3 (which would have been logical, since Galvatron actually shook his hand and seemed very sane), but instead we got a reasonably entertaining series that introduced a few new concepts, solved Cybertron's energy crisis, and left enough room for possibly more.

Rather than merely the end, I see Rebirth as more of an encore to the series.

I, for one, am glad that we got an entire series with 4 (really more like 3+) seasons. Look at Robotix, seemed pretty decent and only got it's pilot and only one comic issue.

If things in the past were different, all we might have had were the first 4 comic issues and the MTMTE pilot.

[Zenith27]

Originally Posted by Sir Prime A Lot

There is one single reason why Transformers died off so suddenly in 1987........Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Seriously, when they came out, kids went crazy for them and ditched their current toys to get them. Kevin Eastman single handedly killed Generation 1 Transformers.

I agree with this as only a secondary reason. The main reason my friends and I (11 in 1986) and my younger brother and his friends gave up on Transformers was that they sucked starting with the 3rd year and really going into the toilet in the 4th. They all turned into neon monstrosities, ages 3 and under Transformations or animal figures. Throttlebots? Terrorcons? Duocons? A giant scorpion base? No thanks! (Predaking and Sky Lynx were real dogs as well as far as we were concerned)

I switched to Joes since Turtle toys seemed more for little kids, my brother went for Turtles then to Joes a year later.

Who wants to play as a wolf, a neon yellow and orange car, or a monkey guy named ApeFace?

[Sun Swipe Prime]

For me, I was still eager for more TF action after Rebirth. But other than Fort Max, the Headmaster gimmick didn't interest me. Didn't care for action masters, pretenders, and was only mildly interested in G2.

Didn't really replace TFs in my life with anything else. Definitely not Turtles. Got into GiJoes a bit more, and hockey cards.

But then Beast Wars came along, but I was sceptical until a friend told me it was good so I checked it out and boy was he right.

So for me it just goes G1 then right to BW.

[Ironwave]

I understand that would have been impossible, but the series could have ended after the Pax Cybertronia was created, how the Decepticons surrendered, and how both factions entered the Great Upgrade, with the creation of the Maximum Imperium and the Triperdacus Council, leading to the Beast Wars cartoon

[Shockwave 75]

Originally Posted by Ironwave

I understand that would have been impossible, but the series could have ended after the Pax Cybertronia was created, how the Decepticons surrendered, and how both factions entered the Great Upgrade, with the creation of the Maximum Imperium and the Triperdacus Council, leading to the Beast Wars cartoon

None of which existed in 1987.
Also, the writers had nothing to do with cancelling the series.

At the time, I expected new episodes to follow "The Rebirth", and was disappointed when they didn't.

But now I can see what David Wise did ending it the way he did. Because the Transformers as a toy line were going to continue past 1987, the whole ending part with Galvatron and Zarak plotting stuff was meant to be kind of an "and the adventure continues...." kind of ending.

The popularity of Transformers as a toy line was dropping off, and I do agree that TMNT has a little to do with it. People who weren't there don't know what a monster TMNT was at the time. They were everywhere! Hell, they were on Oprah for cripe's sake!

I felt, starting with the '87 line, that TF's were falling down the gimmick rabbit hole. Every new year brought a new gimmick or two, and it just kind of had a reek of desperation.

[Ironwave]

Hasbro made a shit load of money back in 80's, with Transformers, GI.JOE, My Little Pony