Optimus Prime (Transformers)

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Optimus Prime (G1)

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Truck mode (G1)

In the Transformers television and comic series, Optimus Prime is the leader of the Autobots by right of his possession of the Matrix of Leadership. In some versions of Transformers continuity, he is only the most recent Autobot leader ("Prime" is akin to a title, not a surname). In Japanese, he is known simply as "Convoy". Optimus was voiced by Peter Cullen in the United States and Tesshou Genda in Japan.

In the original U.S. television series (known as "Generation One" or "G1"), Prime transformed into a semi-trailer. His comrades included Jazz, Ironhide, and Bumblebee. His mortal enemy is Megatron, the leader of the Decepticons.

In subsequent editions of the Transformers toy line, Optimus Prime has become the traditional name for the Autobot leader. There have been some variations on this name, for example, Optimus Primal (see Beast Wars below). In Japan, the traditional name of the Autobot leader is some variation on the word Convoy.

Optimus Prime has died and been resurrected multiple times, owing to his fortitude, or perhaps his popularity among fans.

Canon or Semi-Canon Incarnations of Optimus Prime

Gen 1 (Television series)

Originally, A Cab-Over 1980s style tractor/trailer. Prime was made up of three components: Optimus who held the matrix, Command Deck, his trailer/mobile command headquarters, and Roller, a mobile scout. Injury to one component was felt by each additional component.

He began life as a robot named Orion Pax. Orion naively admired Megatron and his Decepticons partially because of their air superiority, and while attempting to get to know him was fatally wounded by Megatron who had planned all along to raid the energon depository at which Orion Pax worked. He was rebuilt by Alpha Trion (A3) to become Optimus Prime. It isn't clear whether or not the matrix of leadership was passed to him at this point or not; a metamorphosis was never shown, nor did the cartoon writers think that far ahead; the matrix was never mentioned until the movie.

In Transformers: The Movie, Prime sustained terminal injuries in battle with Megatron, and leadership of the Autobots fell to Ultra Magnus, and later to Rodimus Prime. During the outbreak of the Hate Plague, Prime was resurrected through the offices of the Quintessons and he resumed leadership of the Autobots.

Headmasters

This Japanese cartoon series followed on more or less from the G1 television series, ignoring the events of the 4th season. Optimus Prime, known as Convoy in the original language, sacrificed himself to save Vector Sigma, leaving the Matrix with Hot Rod once again. He was reborn using Zone Energy as Star Convoy (American equivalent unknown). In this mode he first took on the appearance of a conventional (as opposed to Cab-Over) tractor with a mobile battle station.

Marvel comics

Optimus Prime emerged as leader of the Autobots on Cybertron. He led a group of his most powerful Autobot warriors on the Autobot starship the Arc on a successful mission to save the planet from being destroyed by asteroids. In the aftermath they were attacked by Decepticons, where Optimus ordered the Arc to crsh into the planet Earth. After four million years of being deactivated they were revived in a volcanic eruption. Prime led the Autobots in their battles to prevent the Decepticons from plundering Earth's resources.

In a video game duel in which he defeated the Decepticon leader Megatron twice, he claimed to be the loser and allowed himself to be destroyed, based on an agreement made before the duel. He came to this decision after killing several of the characters in the video game in order to defeat Megatron the second time. The irony is that it was in fact Megatron who had cheated using a backdoor in the computer program. However his personality had been copied onto a floppy disc and was later installed in a new Powermaster body on the planet Nebulos. Prime then returned to lead the Autobots.

He sacrificed his life one more time to destroy the planet eater Unicron but a part of him had survived in his Nebulan companion Hi-Q and the two's souls merged. A new body was created for Prime and he once more resumed command.

His body was destroyed yet again when he confronted the mysterious Swarm, but upon releasing the energy of the Matrix into it, he turned its purpose and as part of its new function it rebuilt him. At the end of the comics Prime’s dream of reuniting the two races of Transformers into a single force for good seemed to be a possibility when the Autobots and Decepticons fought side by side against a common foe.

Super God Masterforce

This Japanese series chose to interpret the Powermaster Optimus Prime toy in a radically different way to the West and the story of the Marvel Comics - here, it was a lifeless body originally intended to be used to bring Optimus Prime back to life, only to be stolen by the evil energy entity, Devil Z, who hid it and many other Transtectors away on Earth. This Transtector was eventually bonded to a human truck driver named Ginrai, who could don Powermaster (Godmaster in Japan) armour and combine with the Transtector, powering and piloting it. Eventually, all the Transtectors gained sentience, and in the sequel series, "Transformers: Victory," the now-sentient Ginrai is fatally injured and rebuilt as Victory Leo.

Beast Wars

It is important to note that Optimus Primal was not Optimus Prime, though he took the name to honor the Autobot leader. In fact, near the end of the second season of Beast Wars, Optimus Primal and the rest of the beast warriors found the G1 Ark. Megatron (also not the original Megatron) had seriously injured Prime, who was already in stasis lock. Primal removed what appeared to be the matrix (which was later stated by Beast Wars writer Larry DiTillio to simply be Prime's "spark holder") from Prime's chest and placed it near his own chest cavity - The spark holder emptied itself (thus transferring Prime's spark to Primal for safe keeping) and a metamorphosis took place, altering Optimus Primal into Optimal Optimus, and giving him two non-beast modes.

Robots in Disguise/Car Robots

Called Fire Conoy in the Japanese version. In this continity, Optimus Prime's alternate mode is a fire engine. His main body tranforms into the cab section of the fire engine, while the rest of the vehicle tranforms into a small base station and additional armor that attached to Prime to form his super mode. He is the brother of the hot headed Ultra Magnus (God Magus), who resents the fact that Prime was given the Matrix and leadership of the Autobots. Both robots are able to combine into the super robot Omega Prime (God Fire Convoy in Japan).

Armada/Micron Legend

Returning to the original Semi-truck idea, he is now a generic conventional cab & trailer. The cab may combine with the trailer to enter Super-Mode, with Jetfire to form JetConvoy, and furthermore combine with Overload (Ultra Magnus) which increases his firepower. Transformed, the cab can carry the trailer linked with overload, which can carry Jetfire.

Armada Optimus Prime died while standing purposefully in the path of the Hydra Cannon bult by Megatron. He was resurrected using the Matrix, with a little help from the Minicons.

Energon/Superlink

Called Grand Convoy in Japan. A futuristic cab/trailer combination. The trailer holds four components that form the arms and legs of Super Optimus Prime: A driller, a submarine, helicopter, and fire engine. He could also combine with either Wing Saber to form Wing Optimus{Wing Convoy} or with Omega Supreme to form the powerful Optimus Supreme (Omega Convoy).

Dreamwave comics

In the New Continuity established by Dreamwave Comics, Orion Pax (Optironix Pax) was an accountant of sorts, taking note of a battle in which the Autobot leader Sentinel Prime had been defeated by Megatron. He was summoned to the council of elders to receive the Matrix of Leadership shortly thereafter.

See Also

There is also an Optimus Prime in the U.S. Army Ohio National Guard. He had his name legally changed to Optimus Prime in March of 2003, on his 30th birthday. His former name has not been disclosed.

External links

• Transformers On-Line Encyclopedia
• tfu.info's page on the original toy. Other variations/editions of the Optimus Prime namesake are listed at the bottom.