NRG
This is the safest form of Energon, used for transportation and storage.
Fiction[]
The Transformers cartoon[]
As originally introduced, Energon Cubes seemed as though they could only be created by Soundwave More Than Meets The Eye, Part 1, who generated the empty cube framework from his similarly-shaped chest, but later, several other Decepticons proved able to produce them as well. It seemed as if Energon cubes were a recent Decepticon invention -- precisely when they were conceived is unclear -- as the Autobots were apparently unaware of them until their reawakening on Earth in 1984, when Hound described them to Prime as simply "some kind of cube". (This is a little perplexing in light of the fact that energon cubes were also shown to have existed by the time of Optimus Prime's creation at the end of Cybertron's Golden Age. War Dawn) By 2005, however, the Autobots had begun to use Energon Cubes for power as well.
Soundwave creates an empty Energon Cube
Exactly how an Energon Cube operates is unclear, especially as their framework appears to be some sort of self-sustaining force field with no internal mechanisms. Most frequently, the empty cube is simply attached to or placed near the energy source from which it is to drain power, and the energy in question is automatically converted into liquid energon that fills the cube. Energon Cubes have proven able to transform a vast array of resources into energon, including electricity, magma, oil and steam. Energon seems to have a much higher energy potential than carbon-based fuel sources: 1000 barrels of oil are needed to fill a single energon cube Thief in the Night, and the electrical energy within the synapses of the human brain are insufficient to generate even a few drops The Ultimate Doom, Part 3.
The liquid Energon within Energon Cubes is a glowing pink color, although the cubes could also be compressed for easy storage and transport, causing them to take on an iridescent rainbow effect.
The stability of Energon cubes varies tremendously. Sometimes they can be hit by laser fire and merely evaporate More Than Meets The Eye, Part 1, other times they can survive being caught in a cave in More Than Meets the Eye, Part_2 and sometimes they tend to explode violently if even dropped on the floor. If enough are gathered together, the resulting explosion is powerful enough to throw a planet hundreds of lightyears across the galaxy. The Ultimate Doom, Part 3 Perhaps it's best to leave their construction to Soundwave...
Marvel Comics[]
Energon cubes come in Grande...
...and Venti!
Rock and Roll-Out! Guess Who the Mecannibals Are Having for Dinner?
Beast Wars[]
In Beast Wars, the naturally-occurring Energon on prehistoric Earth appeared only in an unstable, highly-explosive raw crystalline form. However, after the Planet Buster baked Earth's surface, the crystals were all either incinerated or somehow "converted" into more stable cubes. These cubes no longer emitted the dangerous radiation which prompted the Beast Warriors to adopt their beast modes in the first place. They were significantly smaller than G1 cubes and colored blue rather than pink. Rather than some sort of force field containing liquid energon, these smaller cubes may have simply been a different configuration of energon crystal, much as substances like salt can exist as cubical grains but can also grow into more traditional crystalline forms. Blackarachnia threatened to detonate an Energon cube near her head if Tarantulas would not remove the mind-link he had with her. The explosion would have killed them both via the link, so Tarantulas did remove it. Tangled Web
Transformers Animated[]
Pink is perfect.
Energon Cubes are evident in their classic glowing purple form in this continuity, along with statements that during the Great War the Decepticons hoarded them in mass quantities on their battleships.
They are also apparently delicious and nutritious to newborn giant spiders. They seem to be a natural resource native to some worlds, and Sentinel's statement ("...Allspark-infused energon-y goodness!") suggests that the Allspark energy goes through some unknown process to become Energon. Along Came a Spider
Energon cubes were stored in the Elite Guard ship. Optimus used nine of the cubes to keep the Decepticons away from him. Decepticon Air
War for Cybertron[]
This looks familiar...
A vending machine on Cybertron that deploys Energon cubes, among other things
Energon Cubes appear as clear cubes with glowing gold and blue markings on their surface. They can be seen in various locations in the game as static scenery. They also appear as the game's method of restoring health. The cubes that restore health can be found by breaking open certain crates.
A larger version of the standard Energon Cube is also seen in the Decagon where they are energized. These larger cubes are placed in large machines that release energy that is absorbed by the cubes.
Energon cube vending machines are found on several places. Most of them are located in Iacon.
Just like in Generation One Soundwave can form them from his chest.
Prime[]
Energon cubes appear similar to the original, however, they are now blue. Despite the energon cube being considered the safest way to store and transport energon, the Decepticons now place their cubes in boxes in order to transport or store them. The Autobots do not seem to share this use of transport.
There may also be a cubed version of Dark Energon as when Megatron attempted to repair his warship he used one of the transport boxes that contained dark energon. Though the cube inside is never seen, a purple glow was emitted vents where normal energon boxes emit a blue glow.
Things that look like Energon Cubes but aren't[]
- Personality components for some reason look like small Energon Cubes. Starscream's Brigade
- Refined Cybertonium looks like a green coloured Energon Cube. Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2
- The refined heat resistant alloy developed by Jessica Morgan's father resembles yellow coloured energon cubes. The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2
The reason why all share the shape of energon cubes is a mystery that plagues us to this day....
- Spider Alien eggs are the same color and size but are oval shaped. Along Came a Spider
Toy[]
Rubik, the Amazing Cube!
Energon Cubes were available with Takara's "TF Collection" reissue of the Insecticons, and the set's redeco, the Collector's Edition Insectron Clone Army (Shothole, Salvo and Zaptrap) box set released in Japan in 2004.
There were also "Energon Cube" accessories available with the fast-food kids meal premiums in European McDonald's restaurants. These cubes were little more than a cheap, battery powered gimmick (the battery couldn't be replaced; the triangle-headed screws used by McD's are notoriously impossible to remove) that would make sound or light the toy up. The cubes were interchangeable, but not all of them were "compatible," so to speak - Unicron's light-up feature didn't work on the more opaque plastic of the other toys.
Merchandise[]
Released alongside the Movie Preview protoform figures, Energon now takes on the delicious form of candy! Held inside clear, plastic containers, the "Energon" inside is more or less flavorless balls of condensed sugar with articial colors. The cubes are held together by stickers, depicting scenes from G1. The larger cube, made of 8 smaller ones, can be open and folded, in one direction, until it returns to its original position.
Out of the eight cubes, only two have candy in them. Most of the art on the cube is taken from Dreamwave art by Superstar Funana, with the exception of two parts that feature art by Don Figueroa.
Notes[]
- Thanks to the
offensively stereotypicalexalted leader of Carbomya, we know 1000 barrels of oil makes a single Energon cube. This means each cube contains the equivalent power of 42,000 US Gallons of crude oil. If refined into gasoline (with a conservative 30% yield ratio) that much oil would keep Bumblebee's Volkswagen alt-mode (with a rough value of 40MPG) going for approximately half a million miles without needing to refuel! That's enough to circumnavigate the Earth over seventeen times without stopping! No wonder a few cubes of the stuff got ol' Megsy drunk off his rocker!