Was Transformers' Main Character Dead All Along, And We Just Ignored It?
Seriously, after all these years... what happened to the guy?
Sam Witwicky, portrayed by Shia LaBeouf, is the iconic character of the Transformers franchise — no matter what one thinks of the movies. However, the fate of LaBeouf's character has remained vague, even though many fans conclude that he is most likely... dead.
In Transformers 5, Oxford professor Vivian Wembley (Laura Haddock) is informed that she is in fact the last of the "Witwiccan" line descended from Merlin. The movie then shows the pictures of the Witwiccan line members, with Sam's photo being the last one.
In the fourth movie, Age of Extinction, Optimus Prime was heard telling Sam to "run" because they were ambushed and Sam apparently tried to protect them. That could have been the moment when the iconic Transformers human character died.
If so, why didn't the franchise address the death properly? With the issue arising on Twitter once again after pop culture influencer Matt Ramos brought it up, fans wondered why the franchise appeared to have simply brushed one of its most important characters under the rug without even a proper tribute.
But some people appear to doubt the common belief that Sam is dead.
"First: There is no evidence or reason to think so.
Secondly: Prime never says Sam run. That's just an interpretation of the mumbles prime was saying." - @ROTBTrailer
The "Sam, run" line is not an official confirmation of Sam's death still, and neither are the fifth movie's vague hints. Naturally, this leads to many people believing that Sam might be alive.
After all, many fans prefer to think that he just settled down with his girlfriend and has enjoyed a happy calm life ever since.
The decision to leave the Transformers' franchise was LaBeouf's. He announced that he won't be coming back as Sam during the press tour for Transformers: Dark Of The Moon. According to the actor, Sam has already finished his path in the franchise and further pushing his narrative forward would only ruin it.
Currently, fans expect a new Transformers movie, titled Rise of the Beasts, to hit theaters on June 9, 2023. Next year, a "CG animated Transformers theatrical film" will follow.