Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is finally in theaters, kicking off a new trilogy that is supposed to reboot the Transformers cinematic universe. As expected, the movie features some fan-favorite robots in disguise, including Optimus Prime (voiced by Peter Cullen) and Bumblebee. However, to breathe fresh air into the franchise, Rise of the Beasts also marks the cinematic debut of two Transformers factions, the Maximals and the Terrorcons, each with its fair number of warriors. Finally, there are a few new Autobots added to the mix. With so many new and returning characters, it can be overwhelming to remember what each Transformer is fighting for. So, now that Rise of the Beasts is available let’s break down the movie’s main factions and explain who each Transformer is.

The Autobots

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Image via Paramount Pictures

The heroes of the Transformers cinematic universe remain the Autobots. For those needing a reminder, the Autobots are honorable warriors who fought to save their home planet Cybertron from the tyranny of the Decepticons, their sworn enemies. Most of the stories in the Transformers franchise revolve around the never-ending war between Autobots and Decepticons, but Rise of the Beasts doesn’t feature those classic enemies. Still, the fan-favorite heroes return to protect Earth from a new cosmic threat, a planet-devouring Transformer known as Unicron (voiced by Colman Domingo).

As expected, the leader of the Autobots in Rise of the Beasts is Optimus Prime. Prime is the one who sends Bumblebee to Earth in the 1980s, during the events of 2018’s Bumblebee. His goal was to use our tiny blue planet as a refuge for Autobots, where they could regroup before returning to Cybertron to fight the Decepticons. However, while Bumblebee manages to establish Earth as an Autobot base, Rise of the Beasts reveals the faction has been stranded on our planet for seven years.

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Joining Optimus Prime and Bumblebee are Arcee (voiced by Liza Koshy) and Mirage (voiced by Pete Davidson). Arcee is known for taking the shape of motorcycles and had a brief cameo in the introduction scene of Bumblebee, where she fought alongside Optimus Prime in Cybertron. In the Michael Bay era of the Transformers Cinematic Universe, Arcee has also appeared in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Mirage favors expensive vehicles as his alternate form, and in Rise of the Beasts, he shows up as a Porshe. In the Bay era, Mirage's only appearance in the Bay era happened in Transformers: Dark of the Moon.

As the movie unfolds, the Autobots will also get two additional backups. First, we have Stratosphere (voiced by John DiMaggio), who transforms into a carrier plane and help the Autobots to travel around the world. Then, there’s Wheeljack (voiced by Cristo Fernandez), who takes the shape of a van to spread peace and love whenever he goes. Rise of the Beasts marks the first cinematic adventure of Stratosphere, while Wheeljack had a cameo in Bumblebee.

Unicron and the Terrorcons

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Image via Universal
 

While the Decepticons are nowhere to be seen in Rise of the Beats, Optimus Prime and his Autobots will still have to fight for their lives after the Terrorcons come to Earth. In the movie, the Terrorcons are elite warriors controlled by Unicron, a Transformer so powerful that he’s often described as a dark god. Unicron needs to devour planets rich in Energon to fuel himself. However, since Unicron is bigger than a planet, he needs the Transwarp Key to travel and find new targets to satiate his hunger. The Transwarp Key is an artifact capable of creating portals in space and time.

Unicron has the power to corrupt other Transformers' souls, and he uses this power to keep a short leash on his Terrorcons, brutal warriors who do the bidding of their dark master. Leading the Terrorcons in the search for the Transwarp Key is Scourge (voiced by Peter Dinklage), who likes to take trophies from his victims and add them to his armor. Scourge travels to Earth with Nightbird (voiced by MJ Rodriguez) and Battletrap (voiced by David Sobolov). Nightbird looks like a ninja wielding double swords, can fly, and turns into a jet plane. Battletrap disguises himself as a construction vehicle, using heavy weights to overthrow his enemies.

The Maximals

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Image via Universal
 

The final faction of Transformers introduced in Rise of the Beasts is the Maximals. These Transformers come from a distant planet where there were no vehicles. So, they take the shape of giant metallic animals. When Rise of the Beasts begins, the Maximals are led by Apelinq (voiced by David Sobolov), a gorilla-based Maximal. After the Maximals decide to hide the Transwarp Key from Unicron in order to protect the universe, Apelinq stays behind to delay Scourge while his friends escape through a space-time portal. After Apelinq’s sacrifice, the Maximals are led by Optimus Primal (voiced by Ron Perlman), another Transformer who looks like a gorilla.

When they reach Earth, the Maximals split the Transwarp Key in two, hiding each half in a different corner of the planet. Half the Transwarp Key is taken to Sudan by Airazor (voiced by Michelle Yeoh), a Maximal resembling a giant eagle. The second half stays with Optimus Primal, who takes it to Peru. These events happened at least five thousand years before Rise of the Beasts. But by the time the Autobots get to Peru, we learn Optimus Prime lives in the jungle with two other Maximals, Cheetor (voiced by Tongayi Chirisa) and Rhinox (voiced by David Sobolov). As their names betray, Cheetor is shaped after a cheetah, while Rhinox takes the form of a rhinoceros.

In the original Transformers mythology, the Maximals are distant descendants of the Autobots. The Maximals emerged after the Great War, which ended the Autobots and Decepticons' conflict. They resemble animals because their bodies evolved to the point where they emulate organic matter. Rise of the Beasts doesn’t explain the origins of the cinematic version of the Maximals, but the movie teases they traveled through time to escape Unicron. For starters, we know the Transwarp Key allows travel through space and time. Then, Airazor tells the Autobots the Maximals are their past and future. Finally, Optimus Primal was named after Optimus Prime. The Maximals will undoubtedly return for the sequel to Rise of the Beasts. Hopefully, this upcoming film will better explore the faction’s origins.