Intro

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Over the years, canon has provided us with a number of scenarios as to when and how our two favorite Decepticons first met. The two essential points seem to be that Starscream is not only one of Megatron's earliest followers, but also quickly assumes a key position within the Decepticon hierarchy. So, if we leave strategical reasons aside, what could have prompted Megatron to let a lofty, impatient Seeker come that close to him, next to such level-headed mechs as Soundwave or Shockwave?

Let's start with a basic fact about Capricorns: These people are the big realists of the zodiac. Being an Earth sign, two of their greatest assets are practicality and common sense. And still, the traditional zodiac depicts the Capricorn as a hybrid creature with the upper body of a goat and the tail of a fish or snake, both of which symbolize emotions and inner wisdom. Buried under all that pragmatism, Capricorn people usually harbor an imaginative, romantic core, and they tend to be drawn to more outgoing, playful characters who can help them uncover and explore this hidden side of themselves. In Megatron's case, this draw may be amplified by his Virgo traits, since Virgos, being Earth signs themselves, lean towards reacting in similar ways when it comes to their relationships. So I don't find it hard to imagine that this feature may have played a role in Megatron's decision to get involved with Starscream. Scorpios are renowned for their passion and emotiveness, and we have been provided with countless examples for Starscream possessing those traits in abundance, sometimes up to the point where one may get the impression that he lets his feelings cloud his better judgement. A Capricorn character would surely be fascinated by so much fervor.

The combination also works the other way round. Like all Water signs, Scorpios tend to gravitate towards the consistency and stability the Earth signs can provide to counterbalance their own impulsiveness. In the IDW story line, Starscream first met Megatron when the latter was undergoing surgery, totally unfazed by the fact that he was currently missing an arm (The Transformers "Megatron Origin" part 3). While this tower-of-strength attitude would certainly impress anybody, the impact may be even stronger on a Scorpio person. Remember how silver-tongued Starscream began to stutter when he addressed Megatron in this situation?

At this point, one of Starscream's Aries characteristics may have come into play, too. Among the zodiac signs, Aries is the "knight in shining armor"-archetype. These people are always looking for the Round Table they can be part of, and a king for whom they can embark on adventures. Megatron's whole demeanor, combined with how clearly in charge he is, could have directly catered to the part of Starscream that was longing for a noble lord to serve.

It is not a contradiction to the Capricorn's renowned imperturbability that we see Megatron lose his cool on a regular basis. The main difference between Capricorns and Scorpios is that the latter thrive on their vivid emotions. One of their basic attitudes is: I have to feel it, otherwise it's not real. In contrast, it is possible to bring a Capricorn to the point of an emotional outburst, but they will most likely find it more disturbing than enjoyable. With an ascendant like Virgo, this characteristic will probably be even more pronounced, since one of the things the down-to-earth Virgo absolutely can't stand is emotional outbursts. It is my strong impression that Megatron is always happiest when things go smoothly and fuss-free. Starscream, on the other hand, is frequently portrayed as someone who actively looks for a confrontation with his commanding officer. All Scorpios love to indulge in histrionics from time to time, and since one of their ruling planets is Mars, the ancient god of war, they need an "enemy" they can match with. Scorpio people are not above creating a crisis if none is available. The same goes for Aries: The knight in shining armor needs something - or someone - he can crusade against. Fittingly, Starscream occasionally seems to pick fights with Megatron solely for the benefit of getting his attention. The Transformers ep. 62, "Starscream's Brigade" gives us a nice illustration of such an occurrence when he screams at his commander: "Nobody turns his back on me!"

I am also certain that Megatron's short temper is a result of him acting out the more negative aspects of his Capricorn qualities. I will come back to this in detail in the following chapter.

Closely connected to the Capricorn's fascination with emotions and intuition is a trait which may be called the "mystery solver". Deep down, most Capricorn people have a profound desire to get to the bottom of the secrets of life, and for these down-to-earth people, the vast realm of emotions and sentiments often proves to be the biggest secret life has to offer. I suspect that Megatron feels this longing even more strongly, for Virgos usually possess a natural affinity for analyzing, dissecting and categorizing whatever new experience they come across. Could the proud, fiery Seeker pledging his allegiance to him simply have posed an intriguing enigma Megatron decided to solve?

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We have seen some possible explanations as to why Starscream joined the Deceptions in the first place. What about his rank? Why would Megatron afford him a position which literally made him the second-most important person in the whole Decepticon movement?

As a rule, Capricorns are very target-oriented people. No matter if it's about completing their stamp collection or dominating the universe, having a goal, and working to reach that goal, is their elixir of life - an endeavor Starscream can surely relate to, since all Aries people need (to stay in the picture) their personal Quest for the Grail. And because Capricorns attach so much importance to their chosen objectives, allowing someone to share in their ambitions is often a highly intimate act for them, a way to express their appreciation and/or affection towards said person.

Canon gives us a prominent example for this in the form of Shockwave: A mech held in such high esteem by Megatron that he not only publically commends him (The Transformers ep. 62, "Starscream's Brigade"). He also assigns him the stewardship of Cybertron (The Transformers ep. 1, "More Than Meets the Eye, Part 1"), meaning that he expects Shockwave to handle things in his interests while he himself is busy on Earth. And note that he chooses Shockwave for that position, and not, as it would stand to reason, his Second-in-Command Starscream. A logical decision for a Virgo character, who, if in doubt, will always pick the "safe" partner over the "glamorous" one.

So, "rewarding" people with key positions in his agenda seems to be Megatron's way of expressing his appreciation. We can assume that he would apply this method to Starscream as well. It's not a bad strategy when dealing with a Scorpio. As is typical for a Water sign, Scorpios crave approval and appreciation, and they thrive on the sensation of being needed. As long as a relationship provides them with those things, they will move heaven and earth to make their partner's wishes come true. The same concept applies to Aries people. The virtuous knight doesn't fight his battles to be rewarded. All he wants when he returns victorious is a little recognition and admiration. We may have found here a very personal reason why Starscream so jealously guards his position, and why Megatron, even after all his transgressions, never took it away from him. Starscream being Second-in-Command creates an emotional bond between them, and neither of them seems willing to let that go.

There is another prominent Capricorn feature which I believe had an impact on Starscream's quick promotion. We have established the importance of success and achievement for Capricorns. They are people of action who strive to change and improve their little corner of the world (or, in Megatron's case, the universe). Coupled with a Virgo's innate need to plan for the future, this makes for a deep-seated desire to pass on the fruits of their labor to a worthy heir.

Starscream certainly does possess leadership qualities: He's ambitious, ruthless, cunning, and a staunch supporter of the Decepticon Cause. It can't have taken Megatron long to recognize him as a potential successor. And now he does something which ranks among the less likable traits of Capricorn people. He demands that Starscream adapt to his values and put his advice into practice. We occasionally get glimpses of him trying to teach Starscream (in his own special way) what he considers to be qualities of an accomplished leader, e.g., when he tells him: "Power flows to the one who knows how. Desire alone is not enough." (The Transformers ep. 2, "More Than Meets the Eye, Part 2"). The hidden message is: Since I am the one with the power, you'd be wise to learn from me.

While this may be a viable strategy in some partnerships, the one thing Scorpios absolutely can't stand is to be forged in someone else's image. And that leads us right to question two: Why is their relationship not working?