Blank
From Transformers Wiki
A blank is a protoform which lacks a spark. A blank represents two parts of the three-part protoform system, lacking only a motivating life-force. Blanks are used to provide replacement bodies when a Transformer is so badly damaged they cannot be repaired; a complete transplant of the injured's spark core will bring a Blank to life, shaping it in accordance to their hard-coded design schematics.
Blanks appear to be a by-product of the protoform-creation process, as they are also identified as "duds." (see Notes)
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Fiction
Beast Wars cartoon
The Maximals recovered yet another of their lost stasis pods, and were disappointed to find it marked as containing a blank. Coming of the Fuzors (Part 1) Rhinox entered an out-of-body experience of sorts to recover Optimus Primal's recently departed spark, which brought life to the protoform as Primal's first Transmetal body. Coming of the Fuzors (Part 2)
Megatron used another blank protoform in one of his genetic experiments. Imbuing it with fragments of Dinobot's DNA, energy from a Transmetal driver, and a portion of Rampage's spark, the protoform became Dinobot II. Feral Scream Part 1
Animated cartoon
It appears that all protoforms are created as blanks, as the large nest guarded by Master Yoketron's Cyber-Ninja Corps—and subsequently stolen by Lockdown on behalf of the Decepticons—contained only blank protoforms, but were spoken of by Yoketron in terms of what they would become. Five Servos of Doom
Many of the stolen blanks would be used by Starscream to create clones of him A Fistful of Energon A Bridge Too Close, Part I, along with at least one new body. The inactive clones would be destroyed by Megatron and most of the remaining blanks used to create clones of Omega Supreme. Endgame, Part I
Only three remained to be recovered by the Autobots. Endgame, Part II
Notes
- Rhinox easily identifies the Stasis pod as a blank because it's labeled as such; the Cybertronian lettering reads "DUD" in Maximal.
- The script for the Beast Wars episode "Coming of the Fuzors", where blanks first appeared, identified them using the Cybertronian terms "Roc-shaan." This was a reference to Transfan Raksha, who was not a fan of the Beast Wars series. The reference didn't make it into the finished episode, possibly because producers realized that calling your main critic "a soulless thing" was perhaps a bit tacky.
