Mikaela Banes

Megan Fox as Mikaela Banes in Transformers
Autobot ally
Sub-group	Human Alliance
Partner	Arcee, Bumblebee, Longarm, Sam Witwicky, Skids
Series	Transformers Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Mikaela Banes is a fictional character from the Transformers universe. She is differentiated from "typical" women in her age group, having inherited mechanical skills from her father, Cal, a grease monkey and paroled car thief. The character is portrayed by Megan Fox in the 2007 and 2009 films and serves the role of Sam Witwicky's love interest. She is based on Transformers Generation 1 character Carly.^[1]

[edit] Character history

[edit] IDW Publishing

Mikaela was present shortly after the battle at Mission City in Transformers: Alliance issue #1.

[edit] Films

In the 2007 Transformers film, Mikaela is initially the girlfriend of football player Trent; however, she soon ditches him because of his snobbish attitude and how he treats her like a trophy wife. Sam offers her a ride home as he has a crush on her and Mikaela accepts Sam's offer, and she inspects Sam's broken-down 1976 Chevrolet Camaro (actually Bumblebee) in an empty lovers lane. Mikaela is astonished at the various modifications present in the engine bay. During this, Sam is excited as she is wearing a sleeveless midriff top, a short denim skirt and is gleaming from perspiration. She also surprises Sam with her knowledge about cars which he finds more attractive than the popular shallow girl she acts like around others. She keeps her intelligence about engines a secret because, "Guys don't like it when you know more about cars than they do." This scene is similar to Spike and Carly's first meeting in 1985, with Carly showing more interest in Bumblebee rather than in Spike. Mikaela criticizes the poor conditions of Bumblebee's vehicle mode, causing him to scan a passing 2007 Camaro and transform into the same model. She fights in the Battle of Mission City, initially pulling the seriously injured Bumblebee out of battle, then returning to it with him out of guilt and worry for her friends. With her help, Bumblebee rejoins the battle supported by a tow truck, and destroys Brawl. After the battle, she and Sam begin dating.

Mikaela returns in the 2009 film Revenge of the Fallen, carrying on a long-distance relationship with Sam. As he goes off to college, Sam entrusts her with a fragment of the Allspark, which he found in the jacket he was wearing when he killed Megatron. Mikaela hides the fragment in a safe at her father's motorcycle repair shop, but she is followed by the Decepticon spy Wheelie, who is intent on recovering the fragment. She catches the spy and interrogates him. After going to inform Sam, Mikaela saves him from the Decepticon Pretender Alice (whom she kills and also found kissing Sam), only to be captured by Grindor and taken to the recently repaired Megatron. Rescued by Optimus Prime, Mikaela and everyone escape, and on the recommendation of Sam's roommate, they seek help from a man who runs a robot conspiracy website. He is later revealed to be Agent Simmons. Simmons and Wheelie lead them to Jetfire, who uses a Space Bridge to transport the group to Egypt, where the Autobots and their allies battle the Decepticons and The Fallen. She is devastated when Sam apparently dies, but is ecstatic when he is revived and finally tells her he loves her. She survives the battle and returns home.

[edit] Video games

Mikaela made appearances in Transformers: The Game and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. In both games, she is a nonplayable character. Rather, several "missions" in the game revolve around the Transformers reaching her and Sam to either save them or get their help.

[edit] Titan Magazines

Note: The information in italics occurs in the alternate storyline where Megatron won the battle for the Allspark.

Mikaela was a member of the Autobot resistance to the Decepticon takeover in Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 1 by Titan Magazines. She snuck into the Sector 7 page in an attempt to free the frozen Optimus Prime. In part 3 Bumblebee attempted to take on Megatron in the Sector 7 base as Mikaela attempted to free Optimus Prime, but she was attacked by Frenzy. In part 4 Mikaela frees Optimus Prime and freezes Frenzy just as Bumblebee gets some unexpected help fighting Megatron by the arrival of Elita One, Skyblast and Strongarm.

[edit] Toys

• Transformers Deluxe Longarm and Bumblebee Screen Battle: Final Stand (2007)

Deluxe Longarm comes packaged in this mini-diorama with a legless version of Robot Replicas Bumblebee. Unlike the regular packaged version, this version of Longarm is decorated with "Mike's Towing" labels as seen on the film instead of "Orson's Towing." It also has a little driver figure of Mikaela inside.^[2][3]

• Transformers Deluxe Barricade with Frenzy Screen Battles: First Encounter (2007)

This toy later came in a pack called "Screen Battles: First Encounter" as a mini-diorama with figurines of Sam and Mikaela, along with an extra, non-poseable Frenzy figure.

The original "radiator" Frenzy available with Screen Battles: First Encounter Barricade was remolded in black (matching the car) but was installed with additional piece of plastic, preventing the black Frenzy figure from being removed -- due to redundancy -- without unscrewing the base of the Barricade's hood. This version of Frenzy has been referred to as "Restrictor Plate Frenzy" by collectors.^[4]

• Revenge of the Fallen Human Alliance Autobot Skids with Arcee and Mikaela Banes (2009)

A new mold, Skids comes with partners Arcee and Mikaela Banes.^[5]

[edit] References