The best part of the Transformers franchise is, of course, the Transformers themselves. With eight Transformers films currently released, each featuring a ton of new robots with unique traits that make them absolutely badass, these shape-shifting sentient machines are cool and always have been. Their presence further enhances the franchise's action-oriented approach that has made it so successful.

The Transformers series loves to create spectacle and awesome moments, which cannot be done without more than a few awesome characters. Whether they're a menacing villain that brings a threatening presence when they walk on screen or the leader of the Autobots who always finds a way to win, even in death, the Transformers franchise is filled to the brim with badass villains and heroes that make the movies all the more enjoyable to watch.

10 Devastator (Frank Welker)

First Appearance: 'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen' (2009)

Devastator (Frank Welker) is easily one of the most powerful Transformers in the series on raw physical power alone. Made up of eight different Constructicons, Devastator is a gigantic beast with practically a black hole for a mouth. He's a walking wrecking ball that literally destroyed part of the Pyramid of Giza.

Devastator's vortex grinder located in his mouth allows him to suck up pretty much anything like a vacuum and shred it into dust. Ruthless and destructive, Devastator is an unstoppable force that simply doesn't care about anything but, well, destroying things. He wasn't able to be stopped by anything but an incredibly powerful railgun shot from the military before it could completely destroy the Pyramid of Giza.

9 Megatron

First Appearance: 'Transformers' (2007)

The leader of the Decepticons is badass not only for his feats as a villain to the Autobots but for his sheer refusal to die or back down from being a consistent antagonist. Megatron (Hugo Weaving) has always been a great match for Optimus, providing great battles in the films.

Megatron is sly and cunning, always finding a way to betray or kill his way to victory, no matter who he is working with. Much like the other side of his coin, Megatron has also died and come back to life. Megatron's hate seems to never cease and is always fueling him to be a great villain for the Transformers films, making him a constant threat that should never be underestimated. It's hard not to call the leader of the source of evil in this world a badass.

8 Sideswipe (Andre Sogliuzzo & James Remar)

First Appearance: 'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen' (2009)

The former weapons specialist of the Autobots can be considered badass for multiple reasons. Sideswipe's (Andre Sogliuzzo & James Remar) design is sleek and cool in almost every way. Having wheels for feet allows him to swerve around the battlefield quickly while slicing and stabbing enemies with his swords in his hands.

Sideswipe's design grants him a unique fighting style that makes his action sequences feel dynamic and thrilling in ways few other scenes can. One of the best examples of his great action abilities is in the opening of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, when Sideswipe uses his unique movement abilities to slice Sideways in half before he can even transform out of his car form during a chase sequence.

7 Shockwave (Frank Welker)

First Appearance: 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' (2009)

If there's a Transformer that also caused a plethora of destruction and was a true antagonist for the Autobots, it is Shockwave (Frank Welker). During the events of Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Shockwave and his intelligence and control over Driller, a giant snake-like machine that burrows and destroys everything in his wake, allowed him to be one of the toughest villains in the film.

Shockwave's sheer lust for destruction and ability to bring down a skyscraper in just a few seconds makes him one of the most feared Decepticons in the Transformers franchise, with the ability to overtake Megatron himself. If there is a Decepticon that absolutely no one wants to mess with, it's Shockwave. After all, this ruthless robot was the primary destructive force in the Battle of Chicago in Transformers: Dark of the Moon, making him a force to be reckoned with.

6 Optimus Primal (Ron Perlman)

First Appearance: 'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' (2023)

With the introduction of the Maximals in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, audiences got to meet their heroic and badass leader, Optimus Primal (Ron Perlman). This wise robot can transform into a giant gorilla that can rip and pummel his way through a battlefield like no one else.

Optimus Primal is a noble and strong leader, willing to do anything to get the job done and do the right thing. Throughout the film, Optimus Primal gets some incredible moments to really prove himself. He is forced to kill his comrade and friend Airazor (Michelle Yeoh) when she is overcome by Scourge's (Peter Dinklage) virus and smashes the ever-living crap out of the Terrorcon known as Battletrap (David Sobolov) using his own wrecking ball weapon. Optimus Primal is a badass yet empathetic leader who inspires everyone who crosses his path.

5 Scourge (Peter Dinklage)

First Appearance: 'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' (2023)

The villain of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts needed to be pretty tough if they were going to pose a legitimate threat to both the Autobots and Maximals. They also needed to build on the suspense of the incoming threat of Unicron (Colman Domingo), serving as the big bad's infallible enforcer. Luckily, the movie found the perfect villain in the one and only Scourge.

Scourge is easily one of the best robots in the Transformers series, and a big part of that is because of the terrifying vibe he brings on screen and the sheer amount of trouble he causes for the Autobots and Maximals. He infects Airazor, leading to her eventual death, and kills Bumblebee with absolutely no mercy. Scourge is the very embodiment of the word "badass," a ruthless and cunning enforcer and one of the franchise's most memorable characters.

4 Lockdown (Mark Ryan)

First Appearance: 'Transformers: Age of Extinction' (2014)

Lockdown (Mark Ryan) is one of the toughest characters the Autobots have ever had to fight. Normally, a Decepticon villain is taken down by Optimus Prime alone, but Lockdown took Optimus, Bumblebee, and three Transformers human characters to successfully take down.

Lockdown is a hired gun sent from the Creators, which can only mean that he truly is the best of the best and must not be trifled with in the slightest. Lockdown also carries a distinctive and alluring aura that is almost unmatched, found in his entrance that brought 2014 audiences everywhere to a halt. Lockdown is still one of the best adversaries of the Autobots to this day, and it's a shame the wasn't more of him in the series.

3 Bumblebee (Dylan O'Brien, Mark Ryan & Ben Schwartz)

First Appearance: 'Transformers' (2007)

One could easily call Bumblebee the little Transformer that could. Being badass doesn't always come from looks or vibes; sometimes, it comes from how much one can endure and accomplish, no matter the odds stacked against them. This approach fits Bumblebee, one of the smallest Transformers in the franchise but no less impressive in battle.

Although he is incredibly small compared to the other Transformers around him, Bumblebee is one of the best allies a human could have, proving himself multiple times in numerous battles. Bumblebee has traded blows with the likes of Nemesis Prime himself and was even murdered. Even so, this spirited yellow robot still comes out on top as not only one of the primary Autobots who consistently helps win the day but also the main fan-favorite Autobot by a mile.

2 Grimlock

First Appearance: 'Transformers: Age of Extinction' (2014)

What's cooler than robots that can turn into cars or jungle animals? Robots that can turn into the greatest prehistoric predators, the dinosaurs. Grimlock, the leader of the Dinobots, is the coolest of them all, with his ability to turn into a Tyrannosaurus Rex that can ignite and shoot fire out of his mouth.

Grimlock is also a gargantuan Transformer, being one of the biggest in the franchise. He's so big that when Optimus Prime faced off against him in Transformers: Age of Extinction, Optimus had to physically climb Grimlock to get any good hits on him. A genuine titan of brute force, Grimlock is also one of the most vicious warriors in the Transformers universe, making him a deadly foe that should never be underestimated.

1 Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen)

First Appearance: 'Transformers' (2007)

As if anyone else could take the title as the most badass Transformer? No Transformer can compare to the leader of the Autobots, Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen). Inspiring but mighty, Optimus is a boss in battle while still quipping off some of the coolest lines in Transformers.

Optimus Prime is the epitome of a badass action hero. His ability to create many cool and unforgettable action sequences, say some genius lines of dialogue, and overall be a leader of the Autobots that audiences can find compelling inspires audiences to follow this gentle robot throughout every installment. Alongside Bumblebee, Optimus Prime is the consistent saving grace of the Transformers franchise, a true and selfless hero who, more often than not, single-handedly keeps things in order.