Thar be spoilers...
You would not believe how pissed I got when they added the little kid Robin to Batman The Animated series. I had read an article with one of the creators stating it was because a suit told them that kids like kids in their cartoons. Never mind the fact that the show had already been on the air for several years and was awesome.
I thought with DVD sales to adults that we'd be passed this stupidity but I suspect it still continues.
Now that I have kids of my own I see that it is true. Kids have an instinctual bond with other kids. I don't think I ever had this but I'm willing to accept that I'm weird (okay I'm bragging).
Over time cartoons have the foresight to add kids from the beginning instead of ruining a brilliant show later (the Robin episodes might not have been as bad as I remember but it was a significant step down). So for the last ten years we've had a bunch of shows with useless kids in them.
Digimon comes to mind right away. What the hell is the point of the kids on that show? Oh that's right they push the button to evolve the Digimon. Digimon are intelligent enough to talk but not enough to push a button apparently.
Unfortunately the new Transformers series they decided to add a bunch of useless kids. One of them is somehow 12 and better at computers than a bunch of robots, but they are basically useless. There is a fix to this but I have another trope to bitch about.
Drones, clones, and goons. In the sneak peak of Transformers Prime, the Decepticons have a seemingly endless supply of cronies that are almost as strong as an autobot (at least when we first see them). Yet the Decepticons complain that they are too few in number. The only thing these drones don't seem capable of is plotting against their leader. At least with Beast Wars that incarnation of Megatron realized what he had with the drones. In this show he abandons his army to replace them with one made of zombies. Though the zombies were cool. Very cool.
Transformers Prime obviously wants to be darker than previous series of the franchise. A well known character dies in the first episode of the miniseries. But they also want to have kids in the show so they can sell more toys. These two ideas don't have to be at odds.
Kids can handle darker stories than what they are usually offered. Visually this show offers that, but in the story they seem hesitant. Darker doesn't necessarily mean more adult. A good example of darker yet age appropriate is Ender's Game. If you haven't read it go ahead I'll wait...
It was good right? Transformers could do the same thing. Get the kids some head master (change the name) armor, have them join the Autobots to make up for the overwhelming numbers of Decepticons, and throw in a line about how only humans with developing neurology can properly learn to interface with the Cybertronian technology. done.
No need to make the kids goofy. No need to give them some stupid forced into the plot job.
In case you were wondering I'm not one of those people who think 'the kid' ruined episode one of Star Wars.
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