Sam Witwicky

Samuel James "Sam" Witwicky is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Transformers film series. He is portrayed by Shia LaBeouf. In early versions of the script, Sam had the nickname "Spike" (the name of the main character in the original Transformers series). This idea was later scrapped because, according to writer Roberto Orci, these nicknames were appropriate for a mechanic and an oil rig worker in the animated series, occupations in which the characters did not work in the film. He fights alongside the Autobots in the battle of Mission City, and ultimately defeats Megatron at the end of the first film. According to Roberto Orci, the character of Sam was written as a "2007 version of Marty McFly". Despite being the main character, the reaction to his presence in each movie is generally mixed from critics and fans.

IDW Publishing
Sam appears in Transformers: Tales of the Fallen #1 by IDW Publishing. Set between the 2007 and 2009 films Barricade kidnaps Sam in order to flush out Bumblebee and learn where the All Spark fragment is. Bumblebee saves Sam by fighting and defeating Barricade. However Barricade eventually escapes.

The drone calling itself Brains runs into Bumblebee and Sam Witwicky in Philadelphia.

Books
Sam appears as a character in the book Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel.

Movie plot
In Transformers, Witwicky is a social outcast who unintentionally buys Bumblebee as his first car. Sam is at first unaware of his car being a Transformer, despite the fact that Bumblebee was responsible for helping Sam to (somewhat) get close to his crush, Mikaela Banes. However, the first night, Bumblebee leaves the house, which caused Sam to follow believing his car had been stolen. Later that night, he becomes surprised to find that his car became a robot. After being saved from the Decepticon Barricade by Bumblebee, Sam learns the full story as he helps the Autobots by keeping the AllSpark away from the Decepticons until he uses it to kill Megatron.

In the sequel Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Sam is going to college and is trying to have a normal life and get away from the world savior status. But while getting ready, Sam finds a sliver of the Allspark on his jacket which give him visions similar to his great grandfather, causing him to suffer a mental breakdown as a result. Optimus turns to him for help in convincing the human government to allow the Autobots to stay. Sam refuses, saying he wants a normal life and Optimus doesn't need him anymore to which Optimus replies that they need Sam more than he knows. One of the girls in Sam's dorm who apparently likes him, Alice, turns out to be a Decepticon Pretender who attacks him. Sam is saved by Mikaela, who kills Alice. Sam is then later abducted by Decepticons to acquire the information in Sam's mind before Megatron can vent out his aggression on the boy. But after being saved by Optimus, who is killed during the fight, Sam ends up leading Mikaela, Bumblebee, his roommate Leo, the Twins: Skids and Mudflap, and Simmons in a quest to find the Matrix and use it to revive Optimus. During the final battle, Sam is killed by Megatron until he was revived by the Dynasty of Primes so he can resurrect Optimus, allowing him to kill the Fallen and save the Earth. With Earth saved once more, Sam finally admits he loves Mikaela. On an aircraft carrier later, he and Optimus thank each other, Optimus thanking Sam for saving his life and Sam for Optimus believing in him.

In the third film Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Sam has been dumped by Mikaela and has a new girlfriend named Carly Spencer whom he met after being given a Presidential Medal of Freedom by the President Barack Obama for his heroic accomplishments in the past. Sam lives with Carly Spencer, a pet dog and former Decepticon Wheelie, and his partner, Brains. Bumblebee no longer lives with him, working with the other Autobots on secret missions, forcing Sam to drive a rundown car that vaguely resembles a small Bumblebee, Sam ends up finding a job as a mail boy despite wanting to work with the Autobots, but is dragged back into the war by Decepticon collaborator Jerry Wang and Laserbeak. Sam, with the help of Simmons, figures out the Decepticons' plot and is forced by Dylan Gould into finding out the Autobots' plans for the Decepticons. Sam is devastated when the Autobots are exiled from the planet and then apparently destroyed and teams up with Epps and other former NEST soldiers to rescue Carly from Chicago. He later sees the Autobots returned after faking their death. Sam succeeds with help from Bumblebee and in the battle that follows, he kills Starscream and Dylan Gould who retriggers the space bridge after Optimus stops it. Sam reunites with Carly after the Decepticons are defeated and admits he loves her.

Toys

 * Transformers Deluxe Barricade with Frenzy Screen Battles: First Encounter (2007)
 * A mini-diorama gift set with Barricade and 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.


 * Revenge of the Fallen Human Alliance Bumblebee with Sam Witwicky (2009)
 * A larger (between Voyager Class and Leader Class size) figure than the Deluxe Class figure with a 2-inch-tall figure of Sam, which can ride inside Bumblebee.


 * Transformers Human Alliance Bumblebee with Sam Witwicky (2010)
 * A re-release of the Human Alliance figure with a remold of the Sam figure; this one wearing a white shirt instead of a black one. In addition, the Sam figure lacks the upper torso articulation of the previous version.


 * Dark of the Moon Human Alliance Stealth Bumblebee with Sam Witwicky (not yet released)
 * A redeco of the Revenge of the Fallen Human Alliance Bumblebee figure in reverse black/yellow colors.