Rumor has it that Megatron installed a control chip in each Combaticon, forcing them to be loyal to the Decepticons. Some of the Combaticons themselves even believe this to be true. There might even be fake control chips installed. The reality is more complicated. According to the canon cartoon, Megatron programmed Bruticus to be loyal only to him. When merged, Bruticus is under Megatron's direct control.
The effect on the individual Combaticons when demerged, however, is more subtle. Individually, until perhaps recently, the Combaticons feel they have free will. Onslaught continues to dream and scheme. Blast Off feels he fights by choice. Brawl gets into fights with other Cons. Swindle fleeces his fellow Cons out of their energon stipend. Vortex is... Vortex.
However, woven deep into their subconscious through the shell program overlay that is Bruticus are aspects of Megatron's programming. While they can generally act according to their individual natures, when they get a direct order from Megatron, they have to follow it, however they justify it to themselves. And when they try to plan rebellion... somehow it's hard to focus too long on thoughts to act against Megatron himself. Other Decepticons, yes. But not Megatron.
Why doesn't Megatron do this for all Decepticons? For one thing, the programming is difficult to craft for most Cybertronians. It's simpler for a combiner entity, because their cobbled-together personalities are more vulnerable. Also, as something that runs in the background of each Combaticons' mind, it slows them down slightly and makes them less effective in combat -- pretty much the only reason the Combaticons haven't fully dominated on the field.
Why don't the Combaticons just have it removed? First, the programming is VERY complex... you'd need a genius like Megatron or Starscream, and/or a dedicated programmer like Chromedome or Lightspeed, to even attempt such a thing. Plus, you'd need a calm or unconscious Bruticus on which to work -- it can't be removed piecemeal in each Combaticon. Finally, such a thing WOULD bring down the murderous wrath of Megatron - a strong deterrent.
History[]
The Transformers cartoon[]
"Bruticus crush... Bruticus destroy human who draw Bruticus wrong!"
In 1986, Starscream and the Combaticons were banished from Earth on an asteroid, and the group quickly had a falling-out. After Starscream left, the Combaticons attacked Cybertron, easily defeating Shockwave and his drones. Thirsting for revenge, the Combaticons reprogrammed the space bridge to pull Earth closer to the Sun, in the hopes of destroying it and every Transformer there. The Autobots and Decepticons temporarily joined forces to retake Cybertron and prevent Earth's destruction, and with Starscream's help, they deactivated the Combaticons once they formed Bruticus through a failsafe device built into the treacherous giant's back. Optimus Prime and Megatron agreed that Bruticus must be destroyed, but the Decepticon leader fooled the Autobots by using Shockwave's holographic simulator to make it appear as though Bruticus was destroyed, when in reality the combiner was reprogrammed to be loyal only to Megatron. The Revenge of Bruticus
MUX History[]
In 2020, Chromedome tried to remotely free the Combaticons of their loyalty programming, with unexpectedly mixed results.
OOC Note[]
Players are welcome to TRY to remove the programming, although whether they succeed or fail is up to the admin. Be prepared to fail -- it's a difficult task. Also, it's a good idea for the Combaticon players to first to discuss with the admin what would happen next if it DOES work -- the Combaticons leave Cybertron, for example, would remove most of their ability to RP. We want to allow players free agency, but we don't want to break the Combaticons as PCs. Thanks.