I’ve noticed a pattern in Transformers: Prime where Soundwave leaves enemies alive when he could have killed them very easily.

Some examples:

• took a picture of the human children instead of trying to kill them (could have thought of them as future bargaining chip though?)
• ground-bridged Arcee to a snowy place instead of somewhere actually dangerous (like, I don’t know, above an active

  volcano)

• left Wheeljack unconscious but alive after fighting for that one relic (despite Wheeljack obviously trying to kill Soundwave there)
• zapped Smokescreen and Bulkhead before abducting Ratchet, but didn’t do any harm to them while they were out
• simply kicked agent Fowler out of the way, almost gently considering this is a “terrifyingly huge robot vs. squishy human” situation