One of Reddit's most common jokes: how do you hide a twenty-metre robot? Answer — turn it into an ordinary car. But where did the idea come from?
The in-story reason
The Autobots arrive on an alien planet and don't want to frighten its inhabitants or drag them into the war. Disguise lets them live among humans, travel the roads and stay unseen by enemies. The Decepticons disguise themselves for the same reason — to attack by surprise.
The real-world reason
Even simpler: the franchise began with toys that turned into cars, jets and cassette players. The cartoon and comic had to explain why robots had such forms — and the disguise idea was born.
The limits of disguise
Fans love spotting the holes: why doesn't a driverless car attract attention? Why did the classic Decepticons often turn into Cybertronian vehicles that don't exist on Earth? Later stories play with this for laughs — Bumblebee in his own film nearly gets caught because of how he behaves.
The meaning behind it
Disguise is a metaphor: a true nature can hide behind an ordinary shell. That's why the slogan 'More than meets the eye' became the face of the franchise.
