Energon



Energon is the preferred fuel/energy source of Transformers. It has also been shown as food, intoxicating drink, ammunition, even currency. More, it has been described as the basic building block of all Transformers' bodies and sparks.

Typically, energon is highly volatile. Even a small impact can cause energon to detonate explosively.

The safest way to transport Energon is when it is condensed into the form of an energon cube. In this form energon is more stable, but still quite dangerous.

Conceptual history
When originally introduced, energon was a liquid fuel developed by the Decepticons and stored in cubes, which was created by processing virtually any available energy resource from fuel-burning to electricity. It was very rarely overtly stated, but episodes such as “Attack of the Autobots” and “Traitor” made it clear that energon was simply not employed by Autobots at this point in time.

However, somewhere between the end of season two and The Transformers: The Movie, the Autobots also began using energon (the original script for the movie explained that Autobot City had been built to harness renewable, natural energy sources, thus supplying the Autobots with energon), and they continued to do so. It was used by both Autobots and Decepticons, and was created by processing natural resources such as oil, magma and even sonic energy.

Cartoon canon
Energon is at first the specific power source of choice of the Decepticons exclusively, with the Autobots never using the material in their recorded adventures in the late 20th Century. By 2005, however - by choice or necessity - the Autobots had adopted energon as their fuel also. Energon has also been used as currency, mostly by entities that do not use it as sustenance, such as on the gambling asteroid of Monacus.

Energon is "refined" or created out of other energy sources, sometimes through machinery, but most often simply by attaching an empty energon cube, or placing one next to, the energy source which will be converted. The cube then goes to work automatically, converting the power source into liquid energon which fills the cube. Liquid energon has a glowing pink color. When cubes are compressed, they takes on an iridescent rainbow effect.

Energy sources refined into energon have included electricity, magma, oil and steam — all pillaged from Earth by the Decepticons on a regular basis. When the Autobots began using energon, on the other hand, they set up Autobot City to harmlessly harness Earth's many renewable resources and acquire the energy that way. The level of power any energon possesses appears to be related to the original base material from which it was converted — the especially pure oil of Carbombya, for example, yielded a particularly potent "super-energon" that created an instantly perceptible increase in vigour and strength in those who consumed it.

Trivia

 * Drinking Liquid Energon makes robots get drunk "overcharged", shout "Energy! Energy!", talk about the "good ol' days", then pass out when the enemy attacks them.