They were a triumvirate subservient to the Maximals. The Council of Elders had the real power.

 

And Megatron may have been exaggerating, but I'm betting Predacons didn't live the easiest lives under Maximal rule.

Tripredacus weren't "subservient" to the Maximal Council but they certainly did possess less political power and influence than the Maximals. For example, while many countries are not subservient to the United States, they do not possess the same amount of single political influence in the UN that the US does.

 

don't know why, but that picture's kinda creepy.

Interesting topic and thoughts.

I always got the impression that Megatron was just exagerating about the Slaves thing while talking over dramatically to himself. I think to him any thing that wasn't galactic conquest was slavery.

 

As for the Pred council It's not as if they weren't planning on starting a war again some day. I don't think Megs was even pissed because it was taking so long. He was pissed cuz he wasn't in charge.

I agree that Megatron's reference to the Maximal "enslavement" of the Predacons was just a hyperbole.

 

I don't agree that Megatron was merely mad just because he wasn't in charge - there's no canonical evidence to suggest that he was primarily motivated by that sentiment.