Vector Sigma
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In the fictional universe of the original Transformers animated series, Vector Sigma was the "mega-computer" that gave sentience ("Sparks" in later parlance) to non-sentient robots, and was used by the Quintessons to endow their robotic creations with the true life that eventually led to their rebellion. Vector Sigma attests that "before Cybertron was, I [it] was."
Vector Sigma requires a special circuit key to activate itself, which completes its power circuits. Additionally, should the key be lost, Vector Sigma's first-generation creations share his computation matrix, and are hence able to interface their power supply with it, reactivating it at the cost of their own life. The key itself possessed the ability to "de-energise matter," converting organic substances into "technomatter" (a mechanical and metal facsimilie of itself).
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[edit] Generation 1
In the Earth year 1985, in an attempt to contest the Autobots' control of the roads, Megatron constructed a new group of car Transformers dubbed the Stunticons, who he then brought to Cybertron in order to bestow life upon them. Stealing the key to Vector Sigma from Alpha Trion, he succeeded in reactivating the computer and giving his creations sentience. The Autobots then followed suit with the creation of the Aerialbots, and Alpha Trion gave up his own life to reactivate Vector Sigma so that they might be given life. Subsequently, Megatron discovered the additional properties of the key, and began to transform Earth into a new Cybertron, only to be stopped by the Aerialbots, and the key destroyed.
Vector Sigma was not revisited in the American series until the fourth and final season of the show, consisting of a three-part story entitled The Rebirth. Vector Sigma allowed Galvatron to become aware of the existence of the key to the Plasma Energy Chamber, the theft of which set in motion a chain of events that would restore Cybertron's Golden Age. Using the shell of the Matrix (its energies having been previously spent to cure the Hate Plague), Optimus Prime reactivated Vector Sigma, and conversed with Alpha Trion within the machine, learning of the computer's plans. Then, when the energy of the Plasma Energy Chamber threatened to overload Earth's sun, Spike Witwicky was able to redirect the excess solar energy into Vector Sigma, revitalising the entire planet.
[edit] Transformers: Headmasters
While The Rebirth brought the American animated series to an end, across the Pacific in Japan, it was decided to keep the series alive. Accordingly, The Rebirth was discarded, and a full 35-episode series exclusive to the country was created to take its place, titled Transformers: Headmasters. With the beginning of this series, Vector Sigma began to destabilise as a result of the aforementioned release of the Matrix's energy, throwing the balance of power on Cybertron out of equilibrium. This enabled the Decepticons to easily invade the planet, seeking to gain control of Vector Sigma and subvert it to their will, so that they might gain control of Cybertron again. While Hot Rod led a squad of Autobots to Earth to recover the Matrix, which was recharging there, Optimus Prime ventured into the planet's depths to reach the computer, so that he might stabilise it at any cost, even that of his life. As the instability continued to grow, threatening the continued existence of Cybertron, Optimus Prime was forced to merge with the computer to stabilise it, leaving Rodimus Prime to once again lead the Autobots in his stead. Not long after, Cybertron was devastated in a series of explosions instigated by the Decepticons, but as Vector Sigma would later reappear in various Japanese Transformer series', it is apparent that it survived this devastating assault.
[edit] Beast Machines
Following on from either of the above continuities, Vector Sigma later reappeared in Beast Machines. Since we had last seen the computer, it had been equipped with an external shell program known as the Oracle, which allowed receptive Transformers to commune with the Allspark, the well of all Transformer life that Vector Sigma was connected to (a retroactive explanation for how Vector Sigma could bestow life). When the renegade Maximal-turned-Vehicon Tankor discovered the existence of the Oracle and its Vector Sigma core, he was able to access Vector Sigma and recreate its key as part of a plan to trick this era's Megatron into using it on a massive scale to purge all traces of organic life from the planet. Optimus Primal countered with the force of the Plasma Energy Chamber and the meshing of the two energies apparently cancelled each other out. Subsequently, Megatron sought to activate the key at the core of Cybertron, but Primal defeated him, and the two enemies were destroyed together.
Beast Machines proved a controversial series that introduced concepts many fans disliked, and one repercussion of this was the storyline of the exclusive comic book published for the Official Transformers Collectors Convention, The Wreckers, in which it is attested that the Oracle was nothing more than a manipulative creation of the Quintessons. This act of writing virtually redefines the entire Beast Machines storyline, and was repellent to fans of the series, as it twists and undoes the original intent of the series author. Like most of the "expanded universe" material created for Transformers, is generally viewed as a separate continuity or "non-canon" by most fans (not least of all due to its clumsy, fan-oriented attempt to blend the cartoon origin of the Transformers with the more popular comic book version).
[edit] Beast Wars Neo
In this series Vector Sigma is the Cybertron computer that each leader of an Autobot/Maximal group is connected to.
