To put it bluntly, Mikaela is a perfect “Transformers” character. She functions perfectly in the requisite “human screaming and running from giant sentient machines” role when the plot requires, but unlike many other humans in the franchise, she also brings a lot to the table during quieter moments that don’t involve robot punch-ups.
Mikaela is an expert mechanic with a surprisingly tragic backstory, and she proves to be far more independent and capable than you might expect from a female character in a goofy blockbuster. She’s also a genuinely likable person with her own agency and the impressive ability to browbeat high-ranking government agents into submission. Her moments of frustration with Sam never come across as a female character nagging because the script requires a harpy, but as genuine insecurity and exasperation over his refusal to properly communicate and commit. Oh, and she’s by far the cooler action hero of the two, personally beating two separate Decepticons — not giant-sized ones, sure, but nevertheless.
In other words, Mikaela is precisely the kind of human character the “Transformers” franchise needs. As it happens, she’s also the kind of character her actor might need right now as well. Megan Fox’s career was never the same after “Transformers,” as she’s struggled with objectification and typecasting — as well as a lack of great roles. Perhaps a return as Mikaela would work wonders for both her and “Transformers.”
