Hello again, dear readers!

And get ready, because we are about to witness a battle of legends. More specifically, a battle of dragons.

In one corner, we have a creature unlike any other. One genetically engineered to be the ultimate killing machine. Literally. This is Predaking!

In the other, we have a beast who laid low armies. One who commands the fear and respect of all who oppose him. The one and only Smaug!

Let's see how they stack up to each other, shall we?


Predaking:

The story of our first combatant begins in the early days of his home planet, Cybertron. At the start of this planet's history, two races of sentient robots ruled. These were the Cybertronians (regular Transformers), and the Predacons, much larger bots whose alt modes were massive draconic beasts.

These monsters kept to their own, showing absolutely no care for any other species, even going so far as to kill and devour Cybertronians at their leisure. Their leader, Predaking, was much the same, leading him into conflict with the Cybertronian leader, Prima. Eventually, the two of them came to blows, with Prima coming out on top. Both leaders then swore to leave their respective races be. Prima, unfortunately, was very true to his word, leaving Predaking and his people to die when the Great Cataclysm struck. While most Predacons were killed, a few, including Predaking himself, were able to escape this disaster by going underground. Sadly, though, they were never heard from again. Only their bones remained.

Many millions of years later, in the later days of the Autobot/Decepticon war, the Decepticons were on the verge of conquering Earth. All that stood in their way was a small team of Autobots who had been scattered around the world. Desperate to eliminate this threat and frustrated by his second-in-command, Starscream's, failures to do so, Megatron knew that the Decepticons needed an ace in the hole. A tactical advantage. This advantage came in the form of the Decepticon scientist, Shockwave, who had long been thought to be dead.

Shortly after his return, Shockwave revealed his latest and greatest creation: a cloned Predacon. Although it failed to kill them, this new superweapon proved to be more than a match for its prey, capable of taking on multiple Autobots at once and coming out on top. Originally believing it to be a mindless brute confined to its beast form, the Decepticons were quite surprised to learn that the new Predacon was much more. Within a fairly short amount of time, its intelligence skyrocketed and it learned how to speak and transform. Taking up the name of his ancestor (whether he knew it or not), the clone swore loyalty to Megatron and proved to be an incredibly valuable asset.

Over the course of his appearances throughout the series, the new Predaking proved that he was a force to be reckoned with. Standing almost 40 feet tall in robot mode, Predaking towered over all other Transformers in the series. Despite his size, he was surprisingly fast and agile, capable of jumping hundreds of feet into the air and keeping up with Autobot heavyweights like Ultra Magnus and the ninja warrior, Wheeljack. Not surprisingly, Predaking is also incredibly strong. He could send Optimus Prime flying with a flip kick, snap the legendary Forge of Solus Prime (a giant 30-foot mystical hammer) in two, break off Ultra Magnus's hand just by stomping on it, and use a massive 120-plus foot stalactite as a melee weapon moments after having it dropped on his head.

Predaking's beast form is nothing to scoff at, either. While no official size has been stated, it is a known fact that his wingspan is the length of two football fields (around 300 feet). After comparing that to the length of his body and his height to that of his robot form, it can be assumed that this draconic robot stands around 80 feet tall with a length of about 150 feet. This sheer size is one of the main reasons why Predaking can defeat whole teams of Autobots on his own, not to mention that he is just as powerful (if not more so) in this form as he is in robot mode. For example, while in beast mode, Predaking was shown capable of subduing two other cloned Predacons at once, defeating Optimus Prime in aerial combat, and destroying dozens of undead Predacons with his signature attack: his fire breath.

This attack is said to be hotter than the surface of Mercury, which can reach temperatures of up to 800 degrees Fahrenheit. Its explosive power is strong enough to send enemies flying with one blast and easily dispatch Decepticon soldiers. This attack can also be utilized in robot mode through cannons in Predaking's arms. This isn't the only weapon at Predaking's disposal, however. In robot mode, he possesses a set of large claws on his fingertips, perfect for gutting his enemies. His beast mode possesses claws as well, much larger ones, on all four feet. In addition, Predaking's dragon form also has a powerful set of toothy jaws and bladed projections on the end of his tail to slice up enemies. His huge wings are also retractable, allowing him to run through tight spaces unhindered.

Despite all this, Predaking's greatest attributes are his insane durability and endurance. He's survived rock slides, cave-ins, an energon mine explosion supposedly big enough to be seen for miles, and being partially buried under a glacier. He also survived a barrage of laser blasts from Optimus Prime, whose arm cannons could blow holes through Insecticons, Decepticon soldiers known for their strength and durability. He also showed little, if any, signs of pain after being stabbed in the arm by Wheeljack's swords and showed no visible damage after being struck by Megatron's sword, which could behead Insecticons and slice normal Transformers in two. He was somehow able to maintain a firm grip on the hull of the still-moving Decepticon warship for the duration of the final battle with the Autobots, the flight to Cybertron, and the restoration of the planet. With this immense power, its no wonder the only being capable of defeating Predaking in a fair fight was a literal god.

Despite all this, Predaking is not without his flaws. Like all Transformers in the series, he is shown to have a particular weakness for freezing temperatures, as he was frozen solid just moments after being teleported to the Arctic. He is also quite reckless, preferring to go in guns blazing and never taking the time to strategize or analyze the situation. To be fair, in almost all his fights, he didn't need to, but that doesn't mean he can't fall victim to a more experienced or level-headed opponent. This is how he lost his fight with Megatron, who took advantage of a brief distraction and led Predaking into a trap. When he battled the evil god, Unicron, who was possessing Megatron's body, he had no idea what he was up against, which, combined with his rage, recklessness, and arrogance, eventually led to his defeat. He still survived, however, and we last see Predaking preparing to take revenge on Starscream for his poor treatment of him and his two subordinates.

Think he'll win this fight? Well, let's just see what the competition looks like.


Smaug

In the mystical land of Middle Earth, 231 years before the events of "Lord of the Rings", the Dwarven kingdom of Erebor had amassed a treasure trove of riches unlike any other. One that put all others to shame and jealousy. One that attracted unwanted attention.

From the mountains to the north flew a harbinger of death. A monster who, in one savage attack, decimated Erebor and the neighboring human town of Dale. One who burned and devoured all who stood in his way and ravaged the surrounding countryside. This was no ordinary beast. It was a dragon. A dragon named Smaug.

As a dragon, Smaug valued gold and wealth above all else and jealousy guarded the dwarves' treasure trove. For 171 years, Smaug was the undisputed King Under the Mountain, with the sheer death and destruction he caused being more than enough to drive most away. The few, if any, who tried to challenge him or steal from him would've been in for a nasty surprise.

While no official size has been given for Smaug in the Hobbit novel, it is made very clear that he is absolutely massive. The most recent film adaptation is quite faithful in this regard. In the second and third Hobbit movies, Smaug is shown to stand at around 60 feet in height (though he could rear up a good bit higher), with an overall body length of 427 feet and a wingspan of 360 feet. Far larger than his opponent and easily large enough to send entire armies packing.

Smaug didn't just rely on his size when he took over Erebor, though. He is also incredibly strong, capable of crushing wood and stone, bursting through mountain walls with ease, and casually knocking over a huge stone pillar that likely stood between 80 and 100 feet tall if not more. His armor is also incredibly strong, capable of deflecting almost any weapon used against him. In the book, however, his underbelly wasn't near as tough, which is why he reinforced it with gold from his treasure hoard, save for a small spot he missed on the left side of his chest. For this matchup, though, we will continue to use his film adaptation, which showed his entire body being impenetrable, save for a single missing scale, knocked loose by dragon slayers during his attack on Erebor and Dale. The toughness of his hide was proven when arrows were shown to bounce off of him and when he survived being engulfed in freshly melted gold, which would've been around 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. It is also worth mentioning that said gold was melted by Smaug's own fire breath, implying that it is also around 2,000 degrees. As for physical weapons, Smaug himself compared his teeth to swords, his claws to spears, his tail to a thunderbolt, and his wings to a hurricane. The only one of these we see in action, however, is his wings, and his assessment of them is proven in the film, seeing as how he was able to generate near hurricane-force winds just by flying overhead.

Smaug is also shown to be quite intelligent. When the Dwarves sent Bilbo Baggins to retrieve the fabled Arkenstone from Smaug's treasure hoard, Smaug was able to deduce exactly who sent the Hobbit and why with very few clues. During their conversation, he attempts to psychologically torture Bilbo and takes great pleasure in doing it. He also attempts to do the same with Bard, the heir to the throne of Dale. Greedy, arrogant, ruthless, and malicious, Smaug takes great pleasure in killing and dealing pain, both physical and mental, onto others and is supremely confident in his ability to do so. So much so, in fact, that he clearly suffers from a superiority complex, believing himself to be the one true King Under the Mountain after destroying the original kings.

His sheer overconfidence can be a weakness, however. Much like Predaking, Smaug is absolutely certain that if he engages an enemy in battle, he will emerge victorious. This, combined with his intense rage, makes him quite reckless. A prime example of this is in the book, when he flew through an arrow storm without thinking to guard himself, leaving his weak spot open and giving Bard the chance to deal a fatal blow. We see this reckless behavior in the films when he blindly charges at the Dwarves, practically letting them trip him up more than once and not even considering that they may be luring him into a trap.

In both the book and the movies, this recklessness was Smaug's downfall, but will it happen again this time? It's time to find out. In this scenario, we find Predaking, before he left the Decepticons, passing through a Ground Bridge portal, which has been secretly sabotaged by Megatron in an attempt to kill him. Instead, however, Predaking emerges in a completely different universe, and what he finds is possibly his most powerful opponent yet. Who will prevail?


The Fight:

Predaking emerges from the portal just off the shore of a large lake partially surrounded by forest. Nearby, a town is engulfed in flames, its citizens screaming in terror. Before the Predacon can do more than ask where he is, a loud roar fills the air, and Smaug, having spotted the newcomer, appears from the smoke and lands on the closest rooftop. Predaking is both confused and awestruck at the sight, believing Smaug to be another Predacon.

"Magnificent!" he exclaims, walking closer.

"Hm, thank you, stranger", Smaug replies. "Now, who are you, and why have you come here?"

"I am Predaking, and I mean you no harm, my Predacon brother."

"I have no brothers, and I am no 'Predacon.' I am Smaug, last of the great Fire Drakes, slayer of armies, and King Under the Mountain of Erebor. These lands are my domain, creature, and you are trespassing. I am somewhat preoccupied at the moment, so I will give you a choice: leave now, or die." As Smaug said this, he crawled down from the rooftop and approached Predaking.

"I was sent here for a reason, and I refuse to come back to my liege empty-handed. If you want to destroy me, you're welcome to try."

The two legends glared at each other for a moment, then Smaug reared up to his full height in an attempt to intimidate the newcomer. Predaking didn't seem to care, though, and Smaug now knew that there was no other way to settle this. "Very well, then", he said as he whipped around, slamming Predaking with his tail. The impact sent the robot warrior flying, coming down hard in the shallow water near shore. He was mostly unfazed, however, and quickly sprang back up, seeing his opponent rapidly approach with open jaws.

Before Smaug could land a bite, a large metal fist struck him in the face, causing him to reel back. "You are strong, warrior," he started before swinging at his opponent with the clawed hands on his wings, once again sending him flying, "but not strong enough!" Predaking crashed down on shore, felling several trees. He stood up and once again turned to face Smaug. "There's more to me than meets the eye", he said as he transformed into his beast mode.

Smaug was utterly perplexed by this, only managing to utter the word "what" before the smaller dragon pounced on him, knocking him on his back. Predaking roared and unleashed a torrent of flame. Utilizing his long, serpentine neck, Smaug headbutts the robot, disorienting him long enough to throw him to the side. Smaug then rolls over, gets back to his feet, and takes flight.

Predaking is quick to pursue, however, revealing his wings and darting after the dragon. As he did so, he peppered him with a volley of fireballs. While these blasts weren't hot enough to damage Smaug's hide, their explosive nature definitely got his attention. "This night is full of surprises," he began, "as are you." As he said this, Smaug flew upwards, then dropped straight down, forcing his opponent to turn and retreat.

Now the hunter, Smaug fires his own torrent of flame, singing Predaking's tail and causing him to cry out in pain. The latter then spins around, stops midair for a second, and shoots out another fireball, nailing his opponent in the face and sending him crashing down into the town below, decimating several buildings. As Smaug got back to his feet, he sees Predaking flying straight for him. In response, he fires another blast of flame. Seeing this coming, Predaking avoids the fiery attack, and as soon as Smaug stops firing, he transforms back into robot mode, dropping down like a meteor and delivering a Superman punch to Smaug's face.

The impact alone is enough bring down another nearby building and seemingly knock Smaug unconscious, sending him sinking down into the water. Predaking, however, managed to climb up onto the wooden founation holding the town in place. Some wood splinters under his weight, but he is able to get a footing. Unsure whether the fight had yet been won, Predaking peers down into the water, searching for any sign of Smaug. It is still very early in the morning, however, and, even with the surrounding fire, it is almost impossible to see down there. After a few moments, Smaug springs up, causing Predaking to stumble backward in surprise. Some burnt wood gives way under his foot, causing him to fall over and allowing Smaug to pin him in place.

"You will burn!!!" Smaug yells as he lunges at Predaking in an attempt to bite him. The latter manages to catch the dragon's jaws in his hands, however, and sees his throat begin to glow with flame. Adjusting his grip and converting his right hand into a cannon, Predaking sticks it in Smaug's mouth and rapidly fires several blasts, dealing critical damage to his opponent's soft innards. As flames erupt from his mouth, Smaug reels back, screeching and writhing in pain.

Predaking gets back to his feet and watches. After a few seconds, Smaug turns back toward Predaking, blood pouring from his jaws, and charges one last time, grabbing his opponent and dropping down into the lake. As they plunge toward the bottom, Smaug snaps at Predaking, who retaliates with a hard blow to the face before freeing himself from the dragon's grip. Transforming into beast mode, Predaking uses his wings to propel himself to the surface. Smaug attempts to follow, but a combination of blood loss and water filling his lungs prevents him from doing so. Within a few seconds, Smaug's movements slow, and his lifeless body sinks to the bottom.

About that time, a victorious Predaking breaches the surface, and, after a little struggle, takes flight. Landing a short distance from the lake, he turns to look over the battlefield and looses a triumphant roar. Reverting back to robot mode, he walks away and attempts to contact the Decepticon warship, unaware that he will not get a reply.


Fun Facts:

The original Predaking was capable of summoning a mystical sword only he could wield. Whether or not his clone could do this is unclear, but, given the implication that said clone possessed some form of ancestral memory, it is possible.

Also, in TFP's sequel series, "Robots in Disguise", it is said that Starscream managed to kill the cloned Predacons after accidentally activating an experimental Decepticon defense system. However, in the flashback images, Predaking himself is conspicuously absent, leaving it up in the air whether or not he met the same fate.


All right, that's it, everyone! I hope you enjoyed and thanks for stopping by! If you have any questions, battle suggestions, or if there's something I could've done better, feel free to let me know in a review or a private message.

In the next battle, we move on from fire-breathing flyers to amphibious ocean dwellers. It's the most feared of all Sea Beasts against the most hated Godzilla iteration of all time. This is the Red Bluster vs. Godzilla 1998 (aka Zilla)!

I'll see you there.