Having debuted on September 17, 1984, The Transformers was the first of many TV shows to be inspired by the toyline of the same name. Though the original show only lasted until 1987, hundreds of episodes have been made since its initial run, a few of which transcend the cheap commercial leanings of the franchise.
Despite the variety of episodes that have been produced, ranging from space battles against Unicron to random races on Earth, there are some scripts and ideas which never made it to the screen. Whether they would've made for quality television is subject for debate, but several intriguing pitches remain unproduced.
Trial of Megatron - Transformers: Animated
The opener to the proposed 4th season of Transformers: Animated, "Trial of Megatron" would have been written by show-creator Marty Isenberg and focused on Megatron's trial and escape from Cybertron. Additionally, the B-plot would have seen Sentinel Prime try to hold on to power as Optimus is treated as a hero.
Though this story was never put to animation, as noted in Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II, the script outline was given a cast reading at TFNation 2019. Two years later, the recording was released to YouTube with accompanying artwork, proving that the episode would have been stellar.
B*tch Wars - Beast Wars
Alluded to by writers Bob Forward and Larry DiTillio during BotCon 1998, "B*tch Wars" would have seen the characters of Airazor and Blackarachnia leave their respective factions in the titular Beast Wars to join up and form their own team. The episode never made it past the conceptual stage of production due to the writers' struggles with pinpointing the tone.
Given the derogatory title - which would have almost certainly been changed had the episode been produced - it's a good thing this script didn't go anywhere. It would have been nice to have had a female-centered episode of Beast Wars, but not one that would have played the pairing of Airazor and Blackarachnia for a tasteless joke.
The Eye of the Beholder - The Transformers
One of the only known scripts not to be produced from the original Transformers cartoon, "The Eye of the Beholder" was pitched by writer Greg Weisman, who created one of the greatest non-Marvel or DC superhero cartoons of all time.
The plot would have followed the Quintessons manufacturing a cosmic work of art to get the Autobots and Decepticons to fight each other. While an intriguing concept, it was likely rejected due to its similarities to the episode "Carnage in C-Minor." Still, it would have been interesting to see Weisman take on an episode of Transformers.
This Is Why I Hate Organics - Transformers: Animated
A sequel to the season 3 episode, "This Is Why I Hate Machines," "This Is Why I Hate Organics" would have found the character of Rattletrap stranded on Earth, surrounded by the thing he fears most. The episode would have also seen him chased by the Autobots and Decepticons for some unspecified reason.
While the episode never developed beyond that of a basic pitch due to Transformers: Animated's untimely cancellation - as noted in Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club #71 - the choice to focus on the character of Rattletrap would have resulted in some wonderful comedic hijinks. One need only watch his scant appearances during the show's third season to understand why.
Untitled Second Episode of Transformers: Zone
For those unaware, Transformers: Zone was a 1990, Japanese OVA that followed the Autobots after the events of Transformers: Victory. In the episode, the heroic bots are hunted down by the Decepticons led by Violengiguar, who nearly succeeds in wiping them out.
Based on an interview in Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: The Comics, Transformers: Zone was supposed to receive another episode, but was cancelled due to low toy sales. While details about the second episode's plot are elusive, it probably would've involved "the new beast warriors" who were featured in the OVA's intro sequence but not the episode itself.
Turf War - Transformers: Animated
Another episode from Transformers: Animated's canceled fourth season, "Turf War" would've seen the Constructicons abduct Bulkhead to form Devastator. From there, they would've started the titular turf war with the Decepticons to gain control of Detroit's Energon deposits.
Though Transformers: Animated's Constructicon-led episodes are among the weaker ones in the series, Turf War would still have been an interesting episode to watch, if only to see how the production team tackled Devastator, one of the most powerful Transformers villains, it would've been a delight to see him reek carnage across the city.
A Greater Ape - Beast Wars
One of three episodes known to have been rejected for Beast Wars, per a BotCon Q&A panel, the "Greater Ape" would have seen Optimus Primal lose his memory after a blow to the head and believe himself to be a gorilla. Much of the episode would have focused on his attempts to romance a female gorilla before an attack by Magatron brought him back to his senses.
While Optimus Primal is a great Transformers character, and an episode centered around the Maximal leader would have been appreciated, the script was ultimately rejected by Mainframe because it would have required too many new gorilla models to animate. Given the quality of the animation during Beast Wars' first season, this is probably for the better.
Trukk vs. Munky - Transformers: Animated
Taking its title from an infamous forum complaint about Beast Wars, "Trukk vs. Munky" would have seen Blackarachnia make a botched clone of Optimus Prime who transforms into a gorilla. No doubt, comedic hijinks would have ensued as a result.
While Transformers: Animated had previously played around with characters from the Beast era, this episode would have marked the first adaptation of a protagonist from the show in the form of Optimus Primal, at least according to art director Derrick J. Wyatt at Auto Assembly 2010. The fact that the voice actor for Beast Wars' Megatron might have voiced Primal in the show would've made the episode that much more provocative and exciting.
Megatron Must Be Destroyed - Transformers: Animated
The proposed finale for Animated's 4th season, according to Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II, "Megatron Must Be Destroyed" would've seen the Autobots team up with various Decepticon offshoots to stop Megatron from terraforming Earth. Along the way, Sari's backstory would have been further explored.
Considering Animated's track record with season finales, it seems this episode would have been just as explosive as the previous ones, though one wonders if it would've topped "Endgame." Regardless of what might have been, it likely would have offered some resounding moments of excitement, satisfaction, and inspirational quotes from Optimus Prime.
Dark Glass - Beast Wars
Perhaps the most famous script from any Transformers show to never be produced, "Dark Glass" was set to air during Beast Wars' third season. The story would have seen Rattrap attempt to install Dinobot's memories into Dinobot II in order to bring the original Maximal back to life.
According to story editor Larry DiTillio, the reason the script was rejected was because of the dark tone and lack of action. Rattrap would have failed in his endeavor to bring back Dinobot, who would've sacrificed himself to kill Megatron before Dinobot II regained control of his body. Considering the events of "Nemesis Part 2," it's a shame this episode was never produced.