Should Optimus have shown mercy?

After watching the movie last night, I was left wondering: did Sentinel really deserve to die? He was only doing what he believed needed to be done to save Cybertron, a sympathisable turncoat, an Autobot leader that lost his way. Seeing how Optimus executed him was a little shocking at first, even rather un-Optimus-like. Surely Optimus would hesitate to kill his former mentor and predecessor regardless of what he did? Of course I guess there were a couple of reasons why Sentinel could not be allowed to live: betrayal of the Autobots and danger to Earth and humanity and all, but could Optimus not have simply taken him as prisoner or exiled him away from Earth? Was cold execution too far? Sentinel may have deserved the final punishment he got for his betrayal and crimes against Earth, but does that mean Optimus should have delivered it?

I don't think there's necessarily a right or wrong answer to this controversial point, but it's interesting to debate.

Sentinel had said to Optimus before something along the lines of: "Always the bravest of us, but you never could make the tough choices." I imagine killing Sentinel must have been one of the toughest things Optimus had to decide to do. So I guess he proved Sentinel wrong on that in the end.

The choice Optimus made was probably for the best; he probably knew that if he let megatron and sentiniel go that they might come back for what ever resources they need from earth. soo killing them would bring an end to most of their conflicts.

Megatron and Sentinal killed many Autobots and humans. They also planned to and almost did do their plan of enslaving the entire human race. In any society that would be a death sentence. So i think that its fair, especially on Megatrons part since all Megatron knows is evil.

I think that every deserves another chance, they should have at least keep megaton alive and put him in some sort of jail. Some goes with Sentinel Prime. I really felt for sentinel begging for his life. Its sorta sad that he had to die by optimus' gun

I think they could have had a little more forgiveness, buuutttt they do deserve a harsh consequenses for the threat the have made.

He planned on enslaving an entire race, he killed an Autobot and humans. Yeah, it was a tough choice but it had to be done. Bullets are cheaper than keeping him alive in jail

good point

how come do you take transformer so serious?

Jaz wrote:

how come do you take transformer so serious?

because we are fans? lol

asking why we like transformers so much is like asking why someone doesn't like transformers as much. There is no answer its just their personal preference

ok know i know

well its good to see that you leanred something new today jaz