Mikaela Banes
From Transformers Wiki
- Mikaela is an Autobot-allied human from the live-action film continuity family.
Mikaela Banes (born 1990) is a beauty with brains, with a penchant for fixing cars, and looks strong enough to make Sam Witwicky offer to "ride" her home in his new car.
She does not seem to mind making out on top of an alien car while other alien cars watch.
Contents |
Fiction
Movies
Transformers film
- Actor: Megan Fox
- Voice actor: Kanako Tōjō (Japanese dub), Ji Guanlin (Mandarin dub), Sylvia Salustti (Portuguese dub), Liliana Barba (Latin American Spanish dub), Graciela Molina (Spain Spanish dub), Caroline Anglade (European French dub), Catherine Proulx-Lemay (Canadian French dub), Luise Helm (German dub), Alessia Amendola (Italian dub), Mona Ghosh Shetty (Hindi dub), Mehpare Özlük Divrik (Turkish dub, theatrical and home media), Seda Özelsoy (Turkish dub, VOD)
Mikaela learned how to fix cars from her father, a long-time car thief who has presumably been single for some time. When he couldn't find a babysitter, he'd bring young Mikaela along, and she learned his trade. She hid her automotive knowledge from her boyfriends, for fear that they will be insecure around a girl who knows more about cars than they do.
She went to school with Sam Witwicky since first grade, but had failed to notice him at all during that entire time. After a spat with her boyfriend Trent, she dumped him, and Sam gave her a ride home in his new car. When the car suffered engine trouble, she took a look at the engine and was very impressed with the layout. Sam was more impressed with her. After Sam drove her home, Mikaela asked him if he thought she was "shallow", to which Sam awkwardly replied that he thought that there was "more than meets the eye...with...you".
The next day, Mikaela was having lunch with her friends when Sam passed by on his mother's bike, saying that his car was following him. Concerned, she followed him on her moped, but just as she caught up, Sam knocked her off. Angry, she demanded to know what his problem was...at which point a monster cop car came charging out from under the bridge where Sam had just been. Sam's Camaro knocked the monster down and then urged them to get in. After a hectic chase, the two teens arrived at a deserted chemical plant, where the Camaro transformed into a giant robot. However, the monster unleashed a wild abomination that went after Sam and pantsed him. Heading to an abandoned tool shed, Mikaela found a power saw and attacked the smaller robot, decapitating it. Mikaela then watched with trepidation as Sam tried to communicate with his now-bipedal car, learning that it could only speak through the radio and that it was an alien who had summoned others of its kind to Earth. Mikaela remained unsure about re-entering the vehicle, but then Sam asked her a simple question: "Fifty years from now, when you're looking back at your life, don't you wanna say you had the guts to get into the car?" Mikaela reluctantly agreed...unaware that the decapitated robot had slipped into her purse.
She still refused to sit in the driver's seat, as the car was driving, so Sam argued that since he had the only other seatbelt, she should sit in his lap. Safety first, after all. Mikaela agreed, then admitted that it was a smooth move on Sam's part. She then asked why the car turned back into a piece-of-crap Camaro if it was such a super-advanced robot. Insulted, the car forced the two teens out, only to return moments later as a sleek and shiny 2009 model. The car then took them to a local observatory, where they could see four meteors entering Earth's atmosphere. Mikaela instinctively reached for Sam's hand as this spectacle took place. The Camaro then brought them to an abandoned alley, where four more cars joined them, then transformed into robots. After inquiring Sam's identity, the lead robot introduced himself as Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots, a race of sentient robots from Cybertron. Prime introduced Jazz, his first lieutenant; Ironhide, his weapons expert; Ratchet, their medical officer (who revealed that Sam's pheromone levels indicated that he wanted to mate with Mikaela, something that embarrassed both teens); and identified the Camaro as Bumblebee, Sam's guardian. When Mikaela asked their intentions, Optimus explained their mission to find the AllSpark, the betrayal of Megatron and the Decepticons, and how Archibald Witwicky's glasses played a role in finding their target.
Heading to Sam's house, Mikaela was told to stay and watch the Autobots, though they eventually headed to Sam's backyard and proceeded to cause some havoc. Losing patience with Sam's inability to locate the glasses within a couple of minutes, Optimus gave Mikaela a boost up through Sam's window so she could help. Further difficulties arose when Ratchet accidentally hit some powerlines, causing a blackout. The blackout and their shuffling around attracted the unwanted attention of the parents, and Mikaela hid before they came in. This led to some awkward conversation as Sam tried to explain what was going on, until Mikaela finally stood up, revealing her presence as a "a friend" of Sam's. This genuinely delighted his parents, and his mother rather awkwardly apologized for their family discussion. Mikaela commented that she thought Mrs. Witwicky was nice.
When Sector Seven forcibly detained Mikaela and Sam's family, Agent Simmons revealed that she had a police record, confirmed that she was hot, and threatened her father's upcoming parole hearing. This strategy nearly made Mikaela cry...until Optimus Prime ripped off the roof of their SUV and demanded that the agents get out of the car and release the two teens. After the Autobots rescued the pair, Sam expressed misgivings about Mikaela's history. She huffily confided to him that her record stemmed from her refusal to turn her father over to the authorities. Sector Seven soon recaptured both teenagers (along with Bumblebee) and brought them to Hoover Dam. There Sam negotiated with Simmons to have Mikaela's criminal record expunged as part of his reward for helping Sector Seven with the information he had about the Transformers. Mikaela was pleased with and grateful for Sam's change in attitude toward her.
Inside Hoover Dam, the teens, along Defense Secretary Keller, two hackers, and some soldiers, were shown the frozen body of N.B.E.-1, which Sam and Mikaela recognized as Megatron, as well as a demonstration of the AllSpark. However, the robot hiding in Mikaela's purse had slipped away and contacted the other Decepticons. Sam, with some help from one of the soldiers, managed to convince Sector Seven to release Bumblebee, who reformatted the cube.
They group fled to Mission City, soon joined by the Autobots. During the Decepticon attack at Mission City, Bumblebee was injured by Starscream, and Mikaela strapped the injured Bumblebee to an abandoned tow truck. Sam told her to get Bumblebee (and herself) away from the battle, while he took the AllSpark to a building to be extracted by the military. They left, but Mikaela was soon overcome with guilt and frustration for having left. Looking at Bumblebee, the injured robot gave a simple nod, and Mikaela decided to go back. She drove the tow truck backwards through the battle while Bumblebee shot at the tank, destroying the Decepticon.
After the death of Megatron, Sam and Mikaela began dating, even making out on Bumblebee while the Autobots watched. That's kinky Transformers
Revenge of the Fallen film
- Actor: Megan Fox
- Voice actor: Kanako Tōjō (Japanese dub), Ji Guanlin (Mandarin dub), Sylvia Salustti (Portuguese dub), Liliana Barba (Latin American Spanish dub), Graciela Molina (Spain Spanish dub), Caroline Anglade (European French dub), Catherine Proulx-Lemay (Canadian French dub), Alessia Amendola (Italian dub), Luise Helm (German dub), Mona Ghosh Shetty (Hindi dub), Mehpare Özlük Divrik (Turkish dub)
Two years after the battle of Mission City, Mikaela was working at a garage, owned a bulldog named Bonecrusher and was tending to her recently bailed manchild of a father. Her relationship with Sam had complicated as neither had summoned the courage to say to one another "I love you." As Sam was packing for college, she called to announce that she was breaking up with him, mostly so she wouldn't have to say goodbye. Sam, however, had already gotten her a long-distance relationship kit, including a webcam. This convinced her not to dump him, though she was grossed out to learn that he offered to leave her his Mission City shirt. While they were talking, Sam discovered a shard of the AllSpark in the preserved clothes he wore the day he destroyed it, and it brought his kitchen appliances to life. Mikaela arrived after Bumblebee destroyed the Appliancebots, and as Sam bid farewell to his car, she got changed in an effort to impress him into saying the magic words: unfortunately, as he left, he could only say that he adored her. She was then entrusted with the AllSpark fragment.
Mikaela got ready for her first webcam date with Sam, but he was absent, having been taken by his new roommates to a party. The day after, she got a call from Sam saying he had a nervous breakdown in class and was seeing Cyberglyphics everywhere, and asked her to bring the AllSpark fragment to him. Mikaela overheard noises and found a Decepticon named Wheelie trying to crack the safe with the shard in it. She grabbed him with a pair of tongs and burnt out his optic with a blowtorch before chaining him inside a box. She flew to Princeton University with Wheelie and the fragment, entering Sam's room to find symbols scribbled all over the walls, and Alice on top of Sam. Mikaela left, proclaiming their relationship was over. She burst back when she overheard struggling noises, as did Leo Spitz, and found Sam being strangled by Alice's long mechanical tongue. Mikaela threw the box containing Wheelie at Alice, but she was too quick and ducked, making the box go through the window. Seeing the girl transform, she ran with Leo and her shrieking boyfriend into the library. Mikaela snapped at Sam for what had happened, but he protested he had not enjoyed Alice's seduction due to her unnatural strength. The organic Decepticon burst in, blasting at any movement the three of them made, eventually blowing a hole in the library wall. The trio broke into someone's car that Mikaela hotwired, with Leo complimenting on her skills, she got it started just in time to pin Alice to the hood and run the villainess into a lightpost before taking off and running over her.
As they fled, Grindor dropped a hook into Mikaela's car and dropped them at an abandoned factory. Starscream sawed the car in half, and Megatron raised his head up behind Mikaela. The resurrected and clearly vengeful commander threw Sam to the floor. Mikaela was distressed as Megatron grasped at him, professing his desire to kill him painfully, but he had work to do. Scalpel came, creating a projection of the symbols in Sam's mind, and decided to remove his brain. Optimus Prime and Bumblebee burst in, ending the experiment. Mikaela and Leo were driven away by Bumblebee, while Optimus took Sam to a forest where he sacrificed himself to protect the boy. Sam, Mikaela and Leo were driven to an abandoned factory by Bumblebee, Skids and Mudflap, as The Fallen broadcast a demand for Sam's head.
Leo suggested they figure out Sam's hallucinations by meeting his online rival Robo-Warrior, who turned out to be Seymour Simmons, now working in a deli in New York City. Simmons was aggressive towards Sam and Mikaela, blaming them for the loss of his job, but was intrigued by his problems and revealed similar symbols had been spotted in ancient sites across the world, indicating Transformer activity. Mikaela decided to free Wheelie, who was in Bumblebee's trunk, promising not to harm him if he decoded the symbols. Wheelie recognized them as the language of the Dynasty of Primes, but needed a Seeker to read them. The group found their Seeker, Jetfire, at the Smithsonian. When Jetfire revealed he was once a Decepticon, Wheelie was pleased to understand one could defect, and humped Mikaela's leg in joy. Sam was disgusted, but she didn't mind, joking he was more faithful than her boyfriend.
Jetfire opened a space bridge that teleported himself, Sam, Mikaela, Leo, Simmons, Bumblebee and the Twins to Egypt. Mikaela landed on Leo's crotch. Jetfire explained nineteen thousand years ago, The Fallen built a Star Harvester on Earth, but the necessary component—the Matrix of Leadership-was taken and hidden in the Tomb of the Primes. Sam suggested the Matrix be used to resurrect Optimus, and found its remains in Petra after decoding the only clue. Returning to the pyramids of Egypt,
Mikaela ran with her boyfriend and dodged Decepticons left, right and center to bring the Matrix to Optimus. Despite a successful strike by the United States Air Force, Megatron appeared and shot at Sam. As he drifted between life and death, Mikaela went out of control, finally proclaiming that she loved him. The sparks of the original Seven Primes came to Sam and revived him, and the Matrix was restored as they deemed him worthy of it. Optimus was restored, and defeated The Fallen. Mikaela and Sam cradled each other following the battle, as she slyly noted all it took for one of them to admit their feelings was an alien war. Revenge of the Fallen
Dark of the Moon film
Mikaela broke up with Sam sometime after the second wave of Autobot refugees arrived on Earth, leaving him with Bonecrusher, Wheelie, and the diminutive newcomer Brains. Sometime later, when Wheelie expressed concern that Sam's new girlfriend Carly Spencer would dump him like Mikaela did, Brains commented that he didn't like Mikaela, as she was mean, but Sam rebutted that Carly was somebody who appreciated him for who he was.
After Sam and Carly had an argument over his deepening involvement in the latest Transformers crisis, his mother Judy was in disbelief that after breaking up with a "world class hottie" like Mikaela, he would then break up with Carly. To his chagrin, she thought it was unlikely that he would find another beautiful girlfriend. Dark of the Moon
Titan movie comics
Mikaela likes to imagine a world where Sam took out Megatron at Mission City, but she doesn't live in that world: she lives in one where he died and North America fell to the Decepticon advances. Months later she was part of the resistance in the Decepticon-occupied United States. She's an experienced veteran of guerilla warfare and partnered with Bumblebee, who was an old friend by this point. She still grieved over Sam's death.
She and Bumblebee raided a Decepticon facility (the former Sector Seven base) to rescue Optimus Prime, Earth's last hope—only to find him frozen and offline—and to attract Megatron's attention. Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 1 While the tyrant hunted Bumblebee, Mikaela tried to thaw out Optimus with guidance from Tom Banachek. Unfortunately, Frenzy was watching her... Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 2 ...and when he shot at her, she dodged and grabbed a fire-axe, this time intending to finish him for good. Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 3 The Decepticon managed to evade her attacks and smacked her backwards into the liquid nitrogen tanks, but she appeared to have planned this: she avoided his finishing blow, allowing him to shatter the tank (freezing him to death in the process) while she escaped the area with a really cool slide under the door. Phase One was now complete and Optimus Prime was thawing out.
Phase Two involved entering a restricted area of the base with Banachek's help and locating an old Sector Seven experiment: Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 4 a nanovirus designed to block AllSpark operational frequencies. This caused the AllSpark's powers to consume Megatron from the inside, killing him for good. Which basically meant Mikaela single-handedly saved all of Earth and reversed the Autobots' fortunes. You go, girl! (Okay, Bumblebee helped.) Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 5
Following the liberation of America, Mikaela (who was optimistic that humanity would one day accept the Autobots) took a position of authority at an emergency medical shelter in Savannah, Georgia; a mysterious illness had begun sweeping through the area. To make matters worse, the Decepticons attacked the shelter, and Mikaela tried to evacuate the patients to a safer location. Aftermath Part 1 When human tanks joined in the assault on the Autobots, Mikaela called into Tom Banachek to get the attack stopped; when orders to stop were ignored, it became clear something was wrong and she and Bumblebee ran a gauntlet of hostile enemies to reach the tank commander and free him from Decepticon mind control. Aftermath Part 2
She was later summoned by President Theodore Allen to Washington, D.C.. The President was very interested in her unparalleled access to the Autobots - and so were the Decepticons and their human-controlling cerebro-strips... Return to Cybertron: Part 2 Following this, the Autobots left her to watch over their Savannah base while they went to Cybertron. It was the easiest Decepticon victory ever. Return to Cybertron: Part 3
Starscream enjoyed taunting her, hoping part of her mind still functioned and was screaming for help. Hard Target He also knew the Autobots would come back to rescue her, and set up an ambush for when they did. The Autobot's strategy succeeded though, freeing Mikaela from the control-chip and successfully evacuating her. She was overjoyed to be rescued, and very angry with Starscream. Based on her previous Con-killing record, he's doomed. The Decepticon Who Haunted Himself
Following this, she relocated to Falls Church, Virginia.
When the brainwashed President Allen ordered the Autobots off American soil, as part of a "truce" with the Decepticons, Mikaela refused to accept this, reacting first with blind anger and then grief at the idea of losing her friend Bumblebee. He promised her he would come back, so it was a bit of a pisser when, seeing the Autobots off at Andrews Air Force Base, she witnessed an American nuclear missile hit their departing ship... Revolution Part 1
The day after, all she could do was sit at home watching the news and crying over her loss. Revolution Part 2
Having somehow managed to go to sleep during a nationwide Decepticon war, she was surprised to be woken by Tom Banachek at 4AM for a secret rendez-vous... and really surprised to learn he'd been secretly identifying Decepticon puppets for the Autobot's final strike... and really pissed to learn the Autobots had actually faked their deaths and Bumblebee hadn't told her, after all they'd been through. While Bumblebee protested otherwise, she believed they didn't trust her to not be captured and enslaved again.
She witnessed the final battle against the Decepticons—and an Autobot victory by teleporting all the Decepticons to Cybertron, leaving them trapped. To her shock, she realised the Autobots had just willingly trapped themselves on Earth this way.
Now there was just a lot of clean-up to do, with her and Tom having to sort out all the people brainwashed by the Decepticons. Quietly forgiving Bumblebee in the face of the Autobot sacrifice, she headed off with him to get all their work done—and to explore the brave new world that was waiting for them on a liberated Earth... Revolution Part Three
IDW movie comics
Shortly after the battle of Mission City, Sam and Mikaela were watching Ratchet reattach Bumblebee's legs when the transformed Mountain Dew machine suddenly attacked Sam. Fortunately, Ratchet crushed the creature before it could cause further havoc. Examining the liquid from its remains, Ratchet warned his human friends about the dangers in weight gain and tooth decay that the substance could cause to them. Amused, Sam and Mikaela promised to be careful. Alliance #1
Mikaela and Sam broke up. Wheelie would later note this. Rising Storm #2
I Can Read! books
Mikaela was enjoying a drive in the city with her friends Bumblebee, Wheelie and Sam when the group came under attack from Starscream! Bumblebee and Wheelie began to argue on how to defeat the Decepticon, forcing Mikaela and Sam to run for their lives as Starscream came gunning for them. Thankfully, Optimus showed up and knocked Starscream out with one punch. Optimus then chastised the other two Autobots for allowing their feelings get in the way of their mission to protect the humans. But Wheelie and Bumblebee were too stubborn to apologize to one another, and continued fuming despite Mikaela and Sam's attempt at having them reconcile. Optimus suggested the two teenagers allow Bumblebee and Wheelie some time to simmer down. But then Starscream regained consciousness and resumed his attack. Optimus took over protecting Mikaela and Sam and ordered his subordinates to take care of Starscream together. They did so, and Mikaela looked on with pride as Wheelie and Bumblebee later thanked one another for their part in defeating the Decepticon. Buddy Brawl
Toy bios
She teamed up with both Skids and Sideswipe, and was a better driver than the dudes who are cars! This allows Sideswipe to focus purely on his blades. Autobot Skids / Arcee / Mikaela Banes Sideswipe / Mikaela Banes
Games
Transformers The Game
- Voice actor: Megan Fox (English), Inma Gallego (Castilian Spanish), Céline Melloul (French)
She totally understands the frozen nemesis, robot lifeforce, and magic glasses parts, but she still has trouble understanding why the super scout turns into a beater. Women. Transformers The Game (console)
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - The Game
- Voice actor: Megan Fox (English), Céline Melloul (French)
Xbox 360/Sony PS3/PC
Autobot campaign
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)
Decepticon campaign
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)
Wii/PS2
- Voice actor: Megan Fox (English)
After The Fallen's defeat, Mikaela and Sam were heard talking to Optimus Prime. Revenge of the Fallen (Wii/PS2)
Toys
Transformers (2007)
- First Encounter (Screen Battles, 2007)
- Japanese ID number: SB-01
- This Screen Battles pack includes a figurine of Mikaela Banes holding the power saw she uses to attack Frenzy in the movie. Originally, Mikaela was supposed to come with a scooter that was likely dropped for budget reasons.[1]
- Final Stand (Screen Battles, 2007)
- Japanese ID number: SB-02
- This Screen Battles Longarm's interior features a non-removable figurine of Mikaela where the driver's seat would be, plugged into one of the screw holes in the dashboard piece. And due to the lack of flip-out gimmick to hide the figurine, Mikaela spends her entire time looking downwards if Longarm is in robot mode.
Revenge of the Fallen
Human Alliance
- Autobot Skids / Arcee / Mikaela Banes (Human Alliance, 2009)
- Japanese ID number: RA-25
- Known designers: Hisashi Yuki (TakaraTomy)
- Included with Human Alliance Skids and Arcee, Mikaela Banes can fit inside in Skids's vehicle mode, plugging into either of his seats via a small hole in her back. In robot mode, Skids' seats end up on his arms, and Mikaela can still sit in either of them. Skids' right arm also features a spring-loaded missile launcher that can rotate into place in front of the seat, with flip-up firing controls for Mikaela to take charge of. Mikaela can also stand on a small flip-up platform behind Skids (via peg-holes on her feet), manning a small non-firing minigun that flips out over the top of Skids' head. Additionally, Skids' palms each contain a peg, meaning Mikaela can securely stand or sit on her big buddy's hands.
- Mikaela can also ride Arcee in vehicle mode. In fact, Arcee's motorcycle mode is based on the Aprilia 125 she is seen riding at one point in the film, with some elements made up.[2]
Transformers (2010)
Human Alliance
- Shadow Blade Sideswipe / Mikaela Banes (Human Alliance, 2010)
- Known designers: Andrew Scribner (deco artist)
- Part of the second and final wave of the 2010 Transformers toyline's Human Alliance toys, a new mold of Mikaela wearing a jacket and sporting a ponytail came with Shadow Blade Sideswipe. She can be seated inside Sideswipe in car mode or operate a weapon behind his head in robot mode, among many other things.
- Her ponytail tends to get in the way when the port on her back is pegged onto Sideswipe's action features.
Notes
- When Mikaela was hotwiring the tow truck, she stripped the wires with her teeth.[3]
- The real reason for Mikaela's off-screen departure (and the subsequent introduction of Carly) was due to the behind-the-scenes issues with actress Megan Fox.
- An early script for Transformers from February 2006 gives Mikaela more standout moments that show more of her personality and development compared to the final draft:[4]
- When she dumps Trent, Mikaela asserts herself by calling Trent out for his car being bought for him by his dad and tells him to find someone else to patronize, namely "another forest creature," since he called her his "little bunny."
- When riding in Bumblebee with Sam afterward, she tells him that besides wanting to go to college, she wants more out of life and for something "earth-shattering" to happen to her.
- After Sam learns about her juvie record, he calls Mikaela "totally screwed up," and she fires back at him, saying that he wouldn't like it if she called him a runt for not making the football team.
- An undated earlier screenplay for Transformers reportedly hinted at Mikaela's criminal background early on as she uses a paper clip to get into her locked house, and later again when she picks the lock while she and Sam break into their school to look for the glasses.
Foreign names
- Japanese: Mikaela Banes (ミカエラ・ベインズ Mikaera Beinzu)
References
- ↑ Hasbro checklist
- ↑ Hasbro December 09 Q&A, AllSpark
- ↑ Expert fingers and agile teeth stripped wires and brought them together, generating sparks. Del Rey Books, Transformers, p273, (2007)
- ↑ "Prime Directive" by John Rogers, Revision by Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman, February 28, 2006 Revision