Optimus Prime (Transformers)

This refers to the original character. For other uses see Optimus Prime (disambiguation)

Optimus Prime (known as Convoy in Japan) is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Transformers universes. He is the heroic leader of the Autobots. Optimus has become the most well-known character of the series.

Transformers: Generation 1

Template:Transformers character Optimus Prime is a character in the Transformers universe. He is the commander of the Autobots, a faction of heroic Transformers from the planet Cybertron who wage their battles against the evil forces of the Decepticons for control of their homeworld, and by extension, peace in the universe. Optimus Prime is depicted as a heroic, brave and compassionate character who puts all his talent to use to improve the world around him. Optimus has a strong sense of justice and righteousness, and has dedicated himself to the protection of all life, particularly the inhabitants of Earth; he will battle his foes with unyielding resolve to uphold this belief.

The original Optimus Prime transforms into a cab over semi truck. The truck's cab transforms into the robot mode of Prime himself, with vast strength and armed with a laser rifle. Contained within his chest is the mystic talisman known as the Autobot Matrix of Leadership (or Creation Matrix), carried by all Autobot leaders and passed down through the ages. The truck's trailer disconnects and transforms into the Combat Deck, a mobile battle-station/command headquarters with an "Auto-Launcher" robot armed with assorted artillery and beam weapons. It can also serve as a radio antenna for battlefield communications between the Autobots. The Combat Deck can launch Prime's third component, Roller, a mobile scout buggy that can easily slip behind enemy lines. Optimus' senses are tied into Roller's, and can perceive what Roller does. Injury to one component is felt by each of the others, and while Prime could survive the destruction of either, despite the slight degree of autonomy they possess, the Combat Deck and Roller would not be able to survive without him.

Additional powers included (somewhat inconsistently) in the animated series and comics are short-range optic blasts, holographic map projections, a palm mounted, triangle-shaped repulsor projector (similar in function to the Marvel Character Iron Man) and deployable hydro-foils designed by Wheeljack which allowed Prime and the other Autobots to traverse bodies of water with ease. One of Prime's more memorable abilities from the animated series was the ability to retract his right hand and replace it with a glowing energon axe; although used only once, the axe proved popular enough to be rendered in toy form several times in recent years, and made further appearances in both the Dreamwave Productions and Devil's Due Publishing comic series, and in the 2007 live action feature film.

Across the assorted continuities of the original Transformers universe, there have been various interpretations of Optimus Prime. One of Prime's most notable characteristics in any form was his adamant commitment to leadership by example, and avoidance of any hypocrisy in his command, but beyond this, the animated series leaned towards Optimus Prime as a straightforward, wise and essentially upbeat battlefield general. The Marvel Comics series, on the other hand, in addition to these more obvious characteristics, suggested a Prime secretly plagued by self-doubt and, more importantly, a conflicted sense of pacifism that often made him an extremely reluctant warrior. It was occasionally implied that the conflict with the Decepticons lasted as long as it did primarily because of his unwillingness to take a more aggressive stance.

The animated series revealed other minor details about Optimus Prime's personality and personal life - for example, his hatred of rap music ("Blaster Blues" and "Quest for Survival"), which set him at odds with music-loving characters like Blaster and Jazz. Prime also enjoys televised sports, most notably basketball which he even plays ("The Master Builder"), as well as setting up a basketball court outside the Ark. Though Prime's personality is like that of a human man age 40-50, he is not above watching afternoon soap operas (in the episode "Prime Target", he is heard groaning out loud when the soap opera he is watching with the other Autobots gets interrupted for a news report).

Animated series

As seen in the episode "War Dawn", Optimus Prime began his life as a robot named Orion Pax, a mostly defenseless dock worker during the Golden Age of Cybertron nine million years ago, with a girlfriend named Ariel, and a best friend named Dion. At the time, a new breed of robot had recently appeared on the planet with new flight capabilities in robot mode that made Orion idolize them. Unfortunately for Orion, when Megatron, the leader of the new group robots, approached him with inquiries about using one of the dock warehouses, Orion was swayed by Megatron, and he and Ariel were severely wounded when Megatron and his forces then attacked in order to claim the energy stored there. Searching for someone to help them, the time-displaced Aerialbots took Orion and Ariel to the ancient Autobot, Alpha Trion, who used them as the first subjects for the new reconstruction process he had developed - rebuilding the frail Autobot frames into battle-hardy configurations. With this reconstruction, Orion Pax became Optimus Prime, the first of the Autobot warriors.

Optimus took the mantle of leadership as the civil war against the Decepticons erupted, and would remain in that position for the next four million years. Ariel was rebuilt into Elita One, the commander of the Autobot resistance on Cybertron.

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Optimus Prime's energon axe

As leader of the Autobots, Prime headed up the Autobots' mission to search out new worlds with new sources of energy to revitalize the depleted Cybertron. Optimus vowed to Elita that he would return from his mission for her, but just before the launch of the Ark, Optimus was mistakenly led to believe Elita was killed. Shortly after its launch, the Autobots' craft was attacked by the Decepticons' space cruiser, the Nemesis, and boarded by Megatron and the Decepticons. In the ensuing struggle, the G-forces of a nearby planet pulled both craft down, and the Autobots' ship crashed into a volcano, thrusting all the occupants into emergency stasis. Four million years later, in the Earth year A.D. 1984, a volcanic eruption jarred the ship's computer, Teletraan I back to life, and it reactivated the Decepticons, programming them with new Earth-based disguise modes. As a parting gesture, Starscream fired upon the Autobot ship, creating a landslide. The vibrations from that landslide knocked Prime into the path of the computer's restoration beam, restoring him to life, and beginning the war anew on Earth.

Prime was perpetually at the forefront of the action throughout the early years of the war on Earth, usually confronting Megatron, and, in some rare instances, being forced to team up with him for the greater good (or the lesser evil) - such as against the Insecticon controlled Decepticons or the Combaticons. He has suffered his fair share of battlefield scrapes, almost meeting his end when his vital cosmotron component was critically damaged by the Decepticon jets and Laserbeak, having his body be disassembled and turned into Decepticon trophies (such as turning much of his body into a pet "alligaticon" and one of his arms into a defense laser), and suffering a severe - though unfair - defeat when Megatron challenged him to one-on-one combat while imbued with the different abilities of all the Decepticons. The loser would leave Earth. However, Teletraan I discovered the deception in time and the Autobots were able to drive the Decepticons off. In "Prime Problem", Megatron created a clone of him, which cause confusion with the other Autobots which lead to tests. But the Autobots choose the cloned after he destroyed a cloned Starscream. However, Windcharger and Spike were able to identify the clone before it led the Autobots into their demise.

In the episode "Prime Target", the big game hunter Lord Cholmondeley captured a secret Soviet jet, leading to panic of possibly war. Cholmondeley then set his sights on the ultimate trophy, the head of Optimus Prime. In order to lure Optimus in, Cholmondeley captured the Autobots Tracks, Bumblebee, Jazz, Beachcomber, Grapple, Blaster and Inferno. Windcharger and Huffer were able to avoid being trapped. When Cosmos learned of the location Cholmondeley was keeping the captured Autobots, Optimus Prime accepted Cholmondeley's challenge to meet him alone. Although interrupted by the Decepticons Astrotrain and Blitzwing's attempt to ally the Decepticons with Cholmondeley, Optimus defeated the big game hunter and freed the Autobots. Cholmondeley and the stolen jet were handed over to the Soviets by the Autobots as punishment for his actions.

Throughout the first two season Optimus Prime has led the Autobots to many victories, like stopping Megatron from controlling the crystal of power ("Fire On the Mountain"), stopping the Dinobots rebellion by saving Grimlock ("War of the Dinobots"), defeated Devastator with his detach arm ("City of Steel"), helped capture Nightbird (Enter the Nightbird), rescued Blaster and Cosmos from the Decepticons on the Moon with the help Omega Supreme ("Blaster Blues"), and help saved Perceptor and the other Autobots from the cosmic rust disease ("Cosmic Rust").

Over the course of the next twenty years, the Decepticons succeeded in seizing control of all of Cybertron, forcing the Autobots to operate from their new city on Earth, and from two bases on Cybertron's moons. In the Earth year A.D. 2005, Prime was stationed on Moonbase One, and dispatched troops to Earth to acquire energy for an upcoming strike on Cybertron. The Decepticons, however, got wind of the plan and used the shuttle run to attack Autobot City; a distress call summoned Prime and support troops to Earth, and in the fearsome ensuing fight with Megatron, Optimus Prime sustained fatal injuries, but not before turning the tide of battle and forcing the Decepticons to flee. Despite the efforts of Perceptor, Optimus Prime died. The Matrix, and with it leadership of the Autobots, fell into the hands of Ultra Magnus, Galvatron, and subsequently to Rodimus Prime. His last words were "Until that day...'till all are one."

Prime's body was entombed in a massive deep-space mausoleum with the many other fallen Autobots, but his corpse was desecrated by the Quintessons in 2006, when they reanimated it as part of an attempt to destroy the Autobots by using Prime to lure their space fleet into a trap. However, the Matrix was able to purify Prime of the Quintesson influence, and he ordered the other Autobots to clear out while he piloted his flagship into the Quintessons' detonator, triggering the explosion of a nearby sun. Prime was believed to have been destroyed in the explosion. According to "The Return of Optimus Prime", Prime's body was recovered from the craft by two human scientists, Jessica Morgan and Gregory Swofford, just minutes before the explosion. However, as their ship departed, it was coated with solar spores released by the explosion of the sun. Jessica's father, Mark Morgan, loathed the Transformers (both Autobot and Decepticon), and his hatred only grew when an attempt by the Decepticons to steal a heat-resistant alloy he had developed resulted in Jessica being paralyzed. Swofford and Morgan reconstructed Optimus Prime's body in an attempt to use it as a delivery system for the spores, which induced enmity and madness in every sentient being they came into contact with, in order to destroy the Transformers.

However, when they could not reanimate him, they used his body as a lure instead, bringing the Autobots to their lab, where they were infected. As this "Hate Plague" proceeded to spread across the galaxy, Sky Lynx retrieved a Quintesson, who fully restored Optimus Prime to life. Coating himself in Morgan's heat-resistant alloy, Prime reclaimed the Matrix from Rodimus and unleashed its concentrated wisdom to destroy the Hate Plague. In 2007, Prime began to suffer from visions following the release of the Matrix's energy, which foretold a great transformation for Cybertron. Events began with the Decepticons' theft of the key to the Plasma Energy Chamber, which forced Prime to consult Alpha Trion within Vector Sigma, and Prime learned that the mega-computer had orchestrated events in order to restore Cybertron's Golden Age. When the Plasma Energy Chamber was opened and threatened to drive Earth's Sun supernova, Spike Witwicky and the Nebulans who had become involved in the conflict as a result of these events were able to drain off the excess solar energy and revitalize Cybertron. With the Decepticons driven off Cybertron, and Nebulon free from tyranny, Cybertron enters into a Golden Age of peace and prosperity under the leadership of Optimus Prime and the Autobots. The seldom-seen fifth season of the show featured previous episodes' stories retold by a stop-motion Powermaster Optimus Prime to the live-action youngster Tommy Kennedy. No real back story was ever established for Prime becoming a Powermaster, but the new sequences were said to take place after the four previous seasons, indicating that in the original Sunbow continuity at least, Prime became a Powermaster at some point. Although the animated series ended in the U.S. after The Rebirth, Optimus Prime continued to appear in animated sequences in the Transformers toy commercials, progressing from Powermaster to Action Master, and even appearing as a CGI Combat Hero Optimus Prime.

Transformers: The Headmasters

In the beginning of the series it generally shows Optimus Prime alive again. While the Transformers animated series came to an end in America with The Rebirth in 1987, across the Pacific, in Japan, it was decided to continue production of three new, exclusive animated series to continue the story. The first of these series, Transformers: The Headmasters, supplanted the events of The Rebirth, picking up one year after the events that saw Optimus Prime's return to life.

In the interim year, with the Decepticons not having been heard from, the Autobots had entered into an even closer relationship with Earth, and had begun the colonization of other worlds, the first of which was the planet Athenia, where Optimus Prime was stationed. It soon became apparent, however, that when Prime had released the energy of the Matrix to cure the Hate Plague, the consequences were more far-reaching than he had anticipated - without the energy of the Matrix to act as a balancing factor, Vector Sigma had become destabilized, and the Decepticons suddenly returned to exploit this, assaulting Cybertron in order to seize control of the mega-computer. Prime took a squad of troops to aid in the battle on the planet, and when the arrival of the Autobot Headmasters tipped the battle in their favor, Prime broke off from the main attack and headed down into the depths of the planet, planning on stabilizing Vector Sigma at any cost.

Guided through the dangers of the planet's catacombs by the spirit of Alpha Trion while the other Autobots searched for the Matrix on Earth, Prime eventually arrived at the computer, only to find his way barred by Cyclonus and Scourge. Hot Rod then arrived with the Matrix, with which Alpha Trion merged, re-energizing it and transforming Hot Rod back into Rodimus Prime; for the first time, the two Primes fought side-by-side and defeated Galvatron.

Before Rodimus could implement the Matrix to stabilize Vector Sigma, however, Optimus Prime sacrificed himself to perform the task, merging with the computer and restoring its balance to save the planet - dying again only a few short episodes after his rebirth.

Super-God Masterforce/Victory

Main article: Ginrai

The second of the Japanese-exclusive Transformers series, 1988's Transformers: Super-God Masterforce did not actually feature Optimus Prime himself, but it did feature one of his bodies. This series sees human truck driver Ginrai merge with and control a Transtector, a lifeless Transformer body, which bears a striking resemblance to Optimus Prime. Although not revealed in the main forty two episodes of the series, an additional clip show episode produced after the series explained that this was because the body was intended to be used by Prime, only to be stolen and hidden on Earth by the series antagonist, Devil Z. Ginrai was killed off during the second half of the sequel anime Transformers Victory (1989), and reconstructed as Victory Leo.

Marvel Comics

In Marvel Comics' comic series, before the Great War broke out on Cybertron, the robot who would be Optimus Prime (before he received the Matrix of Leadership from Sentinel Prime) was a Transformer of note, displaying his skills in the Infraformers Sharpshooting Competition. Subsequently, when the war began, Prime quickly made a name for himself as a combat leader of the Autobots. On a mission with the Triggerbots to stop Megatron from claiming the Underbase, Prime was forced to jettison the massive databank into space to prevent anyone from acquiring its power, but with this action, he proved his wisdom and skill to the Autobot Council of Elders; this led to even more rapid advancement, eventually leading him to field command over the Autobot armies. The outbreak of the Great War saw Autobot territories falling under Decepticon dominion, one City-State at a time. The last City-State to be taken was the Autobot capital of Iacon. As Decepticons besieged Iacon, the Council of Elders prepared to surrender. Councillor Xaaron suggested that High Councillor Traachon step down and allow a military officer to assume Autobot leadership. Traachon then used his powers of veto and effectively elected himself out of office, allowing Optimus Prime to assume supreme command of the Autobots, becoming the first soldier to ever hold the mantle of Autobot leadership. Following this Optimus Prime gradually halted the Decepticon advance turning the Autobots into a force that could realistically resist the Decepticons.

Four million years ago, Cybertron - shaken from its orbit and drifting through space - came under threat when it floated into the path of a massive asteroid swarm that could potentially devastate the planet. Prime led a group of elite Autobot warriors on the Autobot starship, the Ark, on a mission to destroy the asteroids, and although successful, in the aftermath of this mission the Ark was attacked by Decepticons, hoping to overcome their weakened foes. Intent on keeping the secrets of the Ark from the Decepticons, Prime set the craft on a suicide course, crashing it into the prehistoric planet Earth.

In 1984 A.D., a volcanic eruption re-activated the Ark, which in turn brought the Transformers back on-line. Prime led the Autobots in their opening battles to prevent the Decepticons from plundering Earth's resources, but following their initial victory, the Autobots were all deactivated by Shockwave. Prime was decapitated by Shockwave, and had the energy of the Creation Matrix leeched from his mind to give life to Shockwave's creations, the Constructicons (although Shockwave was unaware that the Matrix was not merely a program in Prime's mind, but a physical object in his chest). Before Shockwave could give life to his next Decepticon, Jetfire, Prime transferred the Matrix energy into the mind of Buster Witwicky, who used the energy to turn Jetfire on Shockwave, allowing Prime to reclaim his body and retake leadership of the Autobots, giving Jetfire true life as a reward. Around this time, he would even meet Ronald Reagan in a story in the 1985 UK annual.

Meanwhile, however, on the other side of the Atlantic, the U.K. offices of Marvel Comics were producing their own storylines which were interspersed throughout the U.S. material. Here, writer Simon Furman offered a different take on Prime, one that was weary of the war he had been forced to fight. In the "Prey" storyline beginning in UK #96 Prime arranged for a Wheeljack built copy of himself to be destroyed to see how the Autobots could cope without him. Unfortunately the plan was derailed by Megatron and the Predacons, who attacked him. In the ensuing chaos the Predacons, in reality working for Shockwave, also tried to kill Megatron. The two leaders were then transported to Cybertron. Thanks to misinformation spread by Megatron and the local Decepticon leader Straxus Prime was targeted as a Decepticon spy and hunted down by Ultra Magnus and the Wreckers. Eventually convincing them he was the real thing because of his compassion toward an injured Autobot, Prime then led the Autobots against Megatron - now in the throes of possession by Straxus, who threatened to blow them all up with his anti-matter powered fusion cannon. Prime, Megatron and Magnus were transported to Earth - with Prime accidentally interrupting his own funeral service. This theme of war-weariness would again come to the fore in the UK strips detailing Prime's U.S. death.

After a period of effective leadership which saw the activation of several new Autobots including the Aerialbots, who Prime infused with life using the Matrix, Prime engaged Megatron in a video game duel for possession of a super fuel. Prime was victorious, but Megatron implemented a cheat code, allowing him to re-enter the game. Prime was able to defeat him yet again, but in doing so, he also destroyed several of the game sprites, and refused to accept his victory, as he had performed an action that compromised his beliefs about the preservation of life, which he would never have done, had the duel been real. In accordance with the rules of the game, Prime's body exploded and he died. Autobot surgeon Ratchet's subsequent efforts to restore him were unsuccessful, and his body was launched into space, the Autobots unaware of the presence of the physical Matrix object within the corpse. The funeral barge eventually crashed on a giant moon; as it lay there for an untold time, the Matrix reached out to nearby living organisms, studying and recreating them. One such recreated being became known as Death Bringer.

Prime's personality had been copied onto a floppy disk by the technician running the game, Ethan Zachary, who employed him in various video game scenarios he developed. Prime's damaged mind led him to believe that he himself was a video game character, and in an attempt to bring him back to life, Goldbug, Joyride, Slapdash and Getaway took the disk to the planet Nebulos. They built a new body for Optimus Prime, and even upgraded it with the ability to combine with the trailer to form a larger robot. In an effort to keep Transformers off their planet, however, the Nebulans had poisoned their fuel, and the sensation of dying convinced Prime that he was truly alive, and not a game character. To save his life, the Nebulan scientist Hi-Q bonded with him, creating Powermaster Optimus Prime. A UK story set around this time in UK #198 would see Prime as the star of his own Christmas special, as he returned to Earth and tried to rekindle his feeling for the planet. After a battle between his own forces and an advance force from Cybertron ruined a small town's Christmas festivities he realized bringing the Autobots to Earth was far worse than anything his troops could have done and vowed to protect its inhabitants from Decepticon aggression.

Optimus Prime's first actions as leader were to ally the Autobots with Scorponok's Decepticons in defeating Starscream when the later gained the power of the Underbase. When Starscream gained cosmic power from a brief exposure to the Underbase, it was Optimus Prime's idea to let Starscream absorb so much power from the Underbase that it destroyed him. However, the casualties were immense, with most of the Autobots who had come to Earth with Prime being deactivated. His guilt over this was only heightened when his friend Ratchet sacrificed himself to stop a returned Megatron from escaping once again.

In the UK Transformers stories, Prime and his Autobots later battled a murderous mechanoid named Death Bringer, which Prime recognized as a creation of the Matrix. When Death Bringer proved invulnerable to conventional attack, Prime was able to convince it to self-destruct in accordance with its primary function. But most importantly, the battle alerted Prime to the fact that his old body was still out there somewhere in space, and more importantly, that the Matrix that it carried was also with it. With a war to win, the location of the Matrix was not a high priority. Prime was later given a sliver of Matrix energy by the Autobot Longtooth, who had carried it secretly for millions of years. Prime used this to restore a rain forest destroyed during a battle between the Autobot Rescue Patrol and the Decepticon Air Strike Patrol member Whisper.

With the subsequent threat of Unicron looming, priorities quickly changed and Prime began a quest to locate his old body and the physical Matrix object within it. After losing the Matrix to Thunderwing Prime began to make a series of questionable decisions, including ordering the separation of the recovered Ratchet/Megatron hybrid monstrosity, even though it would mean that Megatron would be saved as well. Shortly after this Prime would surrender to Scorponok in a bid to convince him of the threat of Unicron, an action that dented his troops faith in him. When the Transformers were all transported to Cybertron by Primus to battle Unicron, Prime managed to successfully reacquire and purify the Matrix after Unicron killed Thunderwing and his taint upon it. Prime then sacrificed his life one more time to destroy Unicron by plunging the Matrix into his maw. However, the Powermaster process had been working to fully bond Prime and Hi-Q, and with Prime now destroyed, the process completed itself in Hi-Q's body, and the two minds and souls became one. Hi-Q's biomechanical body was stripped down and reconstructed by the Last Autobot, resurrecting Optimus Prime once more with the two minds now one. Prime joined with the other Autobots on the planet Klo and routed Bludgeon's Decepticons.

Generation 2

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Generation 2 Optimus Prime

An undisclosed period of time later, at the beginning of the Transformers: Generation 2 comic book sequel series, Prime was restored to a form resembling his original body, and he and the Autobots found themselves caught in the schemes of a "second generation" of Cybertronians led by the icy Jhiaxus, who were colonizing and cyber-forming other worlds. Plagued by nightmarish visions of a life-destroying entity called "the Swarm," Prime looked into Cybertron's past and discovered that Jhiaxus and his kind were the result of further unintentional Transformer reproduction, their nature and intent distilled to the purest, most unemotional form of conquest, and that the Swarm was the by-product of this process. Entering into an alliance with the recreated Megatron's Decepticons to combat the Swarm and Jhiaxus, Prime was consumed by the abomination and destroyed, but at the last moment, unleashed the energies of the Matrix into the Swarm, purifying it. In parting, the Swarm recreated Prime in a new form, (based on his "Hero" toy), and he and Megatron set out to lead the united Autobots and Decepticons into a new age.

Fun Publications

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Classics Optimus Prime goes into battle

Based on the Transformers Classics toy line, the Timelines 2007 story is set 15 years after the end of the Marvel Comics story (ignoring all events of the Marvel UK and Generation 2 comics). Megatron survived the crash of the Ark on Earth, reformatted himself into a new form and now leads Ramjet, Skywarp, Soundwave, Starscream and the Constructicons. Optimus Prime has also returned to Earth commanding Bumblebee, Cliffjumper, Grimlock, Jetfire, Mirage and Rodimus (formerly Hot Rod).

In Crossing Over when the Cybertronians Skyfall and Landquake arrive on Earth unexpectedly Megatron attempts to destroy them, but Optimus Prime and his Autobots are able to drive Megatron away.

Transformers Battle Circuit

The Classic line appeared in a simple Flash-based video game on the Hasbro web site. In this one-on-one fighting game you press the right and left arrow keys to try to overpower your opponent. In the game you can play Rodimus, Bumblebee, Grimlock, Jetfire, Starscream, Astrotrain, Trypticon or Menasor. Optimus Prime and Megatron each appear as the boss you must defeat to win the game.

Convention Comics

During Simon Furman's 'Alignment,' a text story available through the British Transformers convention called 'Transforce,' it is mentioned Prime fell during what was intended to be the final conflict with the Decepticons at Pinea Omicron, long after the events of the Generation 2 comic book. He managed to defeat Galvatron II but in doing so was damaged such that Grimlock had to engage a stasis field around him to save his flickering Spark, making Prime a "living war monument."

Though Prime's ultimate fate is unknown, in a story entitled 'The Last Days of Optimus Prime,' also from Transforce, Prime laments the new Transformers age without war and it seems he passes on to a Transformers afterlife referred to as 'J'nwan.' However the story is vague and may be a metaphor for Prime rejoining the Matrix as his time had come. In this realm, he was approached by the Predacon Sandstorm, who tried to plead for the help of Prime and the other legendary Transformers in dealing with a Unicron/Predacon hybrid named Shokaract. Prime refused, but later led a group of Transformers (including Megatron, Grimlock and Soundwave) to distract the creature while Primus dealt the killing blow.

Audio books

Optimus Prime was featured in the 1985 Transformers audio books Autobots' Lightning Strike, Megatron's Fight For Power, Autobots Fight Back, Laserbeak's Fury and Satellite of Doom. He also appears in Decepticons Underground and Autobot Hostage from the 1988 series.

Beast Wars

Optimus Primal, leader of the Maximal faction in the Beast Wars animated series and toy line, is not Optimus Prime - Primal is one of the Maximal descendants of the Autobots, who took the name to honor the Autobot leader. The same applies to the Megatron of this era. However, before the animated series began, Hasbro did actually envision Prime and Megatron as their beast counterparts - design elements such as Prime's mouth-plate (slitted to add an actual mouth for the animated series) suggest it, and the first mini-comic that came packaged with the toys makes it clear. However, once the animated series began, this had already been changed. Nonetheless, Optimus Prime and Megatron were a major reason the Beast Wars began.

The Beast Wars were waged on prehistoric Earth, eventually leading to the discovery of the buried Ark. Megatron, following the original Megatron's instructions in a desperate gambit, decided to attempt to change history by killing Optimus Prime, who was still lying in The Ark in stasis lock. Megatron hoped that this would result in the Decepticons winning The Great War and eventually the rule of Cybertron by the Predacons, the descendants of the Decepticons. Megatron unleashed a full-power weapon blast at Optimus Prime's face, near-fatally injuring him. However, Optimus Primal proceeded to take Prime's spark into his body to protect it from surgical trauma while his injuries were repaired. The subsequent power increase caused by Prime's spark's connection to the Matrix augmented Primal into the large, transmetal "Optimal Optimus" form with three alternate modes (jet, land vehicle, and transmetal gorilla). Then, with the repairs complete, Prime's spark was restored, and he briefly activated before sinking back into normal stasis.

When animating the scene in which Primal removes Prime's spark, Mainframe's animators consulted The Transformers: The Movie for reference on the interior of Prime's chest. However, not realizing the importance of the Matrix of Leadership, they rendered it as a container for Prime's spark. Beast Wars writers Larry DiTillio and Bob Forward have since claimed that in their view, Prime had not received the Matrix from Alpha Trion at this point, but a later comic produced for Botcon indicated that the Matrix was in fact stored in a secondary compartment, hidden behind Prime's spark. In this comic, the alien Vok used the Matrix, the Transmetal Driver and a control suit once piloted by the Predacon Quickstrike to create Primal Prime.

Beast Machines

A giant statue of Optimus Prime holding two Golden Disks standing in front of the Cybertron Archives appeared on Cybertron in the Beast Machines series. The statue was destroyed by the Vehicons in the episode Fires of the Past. When show writer Bob Skir was asked what these two disks were he said that neither the statue nor disks were in the script, but he suggested that they were either the disks from Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 probes or that Optimus won them in the 2,395,989th Annual Cybertronian spelling bee.

Later in the series Optimus Primal discovered the ancient city of Iacon deep within Cybertron where he was approached by a hologram statue of Optimus Prime, but it ended up being Megatron in disguise, who used the opportunity to steal Optimus Primal's access to the Oracle. Obsidian also comments on how Optimus Primal is not as great a leader as Prime.

Dreamwave Productions

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War Within Optimus Prime

In the 21st century reimagining of the original continuity by Dreamwave Productions, Optimus Prime started life as Optronix (Orion to his friends), a data archivist. After taking note of a battle in which the Autobot leader Sentinel Prime had been killed by Megatron, he was summoned to the Council of Elders and informed that the Matrix had chosen him to be the next leader of the Autobots. He received the Autobot Matrix of Leadership shortly thereafter, and almost arranged for the Autobot evacuation of Cybertron, intending to leave the Decepticons to their own devices, until a battle with Megatron beneath the planet's surface, accompanied by visions from the Matrix, stirred him on to fight for the safety of his homeworld. It is interesting to note that in this reimagining, Optimus actually was physically changed in appearance and size by the Matrix during the events of the first volume of War Within.

Some time into his role as leader, Prime disappeared in a spacebridge experiment along with Megatron, but returned some time later, having spent a period of time on Quintessa. Events during this period have gone unrecorded as a result of Dreamwave's closure.

The actual events of the Autobots and Decepticon coming to Earth were never printed by Dreamwave comics, but flashbacks of the events were seen which suggest events similar to those in the three episode television series pilot, More Than Meets the Eye occurred in the Dreamwave storyline.

Following the awakening of the Transformers on Earth, the Autobots allied with humankind and eventually defeated the Decepticons at the turn of the century. They planned to return to Cybertron aboard the newly constructed Ark II, but the ship was destroyed as part of a military conspiracy to take control of the Transformers. However, a terrorist organization run by the enigmatic Lazarus was able to seize control of several of the Transformers that fell back to Earth, while the U.S. military located Prime's body. Before his departure, Prime had entrusted a small portion of the Matrix to Spike Witwicky, who was forced by the product chief, General Hallo, to use it to reactivate Prime. Functional again, Prime used the Matrix to reactivate more of his fallen comrades, and then faced off against Megatron in San Francisco.

Following this, Prime began to experience subconscious urgings, leading both the Autobots and the Decepticons to the Arctic Circle, where Shockwave arrived to greet them - and arrest them as war criminals. Shockwave had succeeded in ending the war on Cybertron, but Prime soon fell in with a rebel Autobot group that had discovered Shockwave had greater agenda. Rallying Autobots across Cybertron to the cause, Prime faced Shockwave in battle but was defeated and had the Matrix ripped from him and used to activate Vector Sigma. Before Shockwave could make full use of the mega-computer's data, however, Ultra Magnus (in this continuity, Prime's brother) arrived and bested him. The injuries Prime took in this conflicted necessitated a prolonged restoration period in stasis but Dreamwave's closure meant that Prime never appeared in their pages again.

Art from unreleased issues later showed Optimus Prime awakening from the cryo regeneration chamber and freeing Alpha Trion from Shockwave's lab.

Prime would make one further surprise appearance in Dreamwave's Transformers: Armada comic series, although it would not be the Prime of the Dreamwave first series. When the Optimus Prime of the Armada universe disappeared, pulled into another dimension by the power of Unicron, the Chaos-Bringer sent something back in his stead - a nearly dead Optimus Prime from that universe, who warned the Autobots of Unicron's coming into their universe before dying.

Devil's Due Publishing

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Optimus Prime as a Cobra SMS

Optimus Prime would also be a major character in Devil's Due Publishing's various G.I. Joe meets the Transformers series. Little is known about this Prime's early years, save that he survived an assassination attempt by Bludgeon soon after receiving the Matrix. From this point the traditional Ark storyline would leave the Transformers crashed on Earth. However, here they were not reactivated of their own accord: The Ark was discovered by the terrorist Cobra Organization, and all the Transformers inside were reformatted into Cobra vehicles remotely controlled by the Televipers. Prime was turned into a Cobra Sentry Missile System tank (a 1985 Sears store exclusive red repaint of the HISS tank). After an attack on a U.N. summit in Washington D.C. he was, however, able to get a message to Wheeljack, alerting G.I. Joe to where the Cobra base was hidden. Subsequently he and the other captive Autobots (and Decepticons) broke free, and he battled and defeated his enemy Megatron. The Autobots then returned to Cybertron in a second Ark Class vessel, but not before gifting their human allies with a surprising technological boon: The ability to build and use mecha based on Transformers technology.

Sadly, Prime's homecoming was not all he had hoped for: the Decepticon Shockwave had taken control of the planet. Prime and the other Autobots were forced to go underground, waging a guerrilla war against the Decepticons. Around this time Cobra would attempt to steal Teletran-3, but their attempt to teleport directly into the chamber would set off a catastrophic malfunction, one that threatened to crack open time itself. Optimus Prime and the Stunticons were amongst those who found themselves sent back in time. He was reformatted into a 1920s semi-truck. He was eventually rescued by Roadblock, Beachhead and the Baroness and helped to capture the Stunticons.

In the wake of this incident the Autobots managed to reclaim much of Cybertron. Mindful of the dangers of allowing humans like Cobra access to Cybertronian technology, Prime sent Perceptor, Grimlock, Arcee and Bumblebee on a mission to Earth. As it turned out Prime's fears were well founded: the U.S. government had used parts from Megatron to create Serpent O.R., a cyborg designed to be a perfect weapon. A raid by Cobra allowed it to escape and gather an army of Decepticons on Cybertron, killing Bumblebee in the process. Despite the grief of losing Bumblebee, Prime continued on and rallied his comrades to do the same. Attacking the Autobot capital city, Serpentor's forces proved overwhelming, and Prime voluntarily to surrender to ensure the Decepticons would cease fire. Realizing Serpentor wanted the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, Prime broke free as Serpentor was distracted, but was unable to kill him, promptly being attacked and beaten near death by Razorclaw and Motormaster. He was subsequently forced to watch as Serpentor opened the Matrix. The result was not what anyone expected - Serpentor was not only reformatted into a Transformers-size mechanoid but was shown the futility of the fighting by the Matrix. At this point Cobra Commander was able to take control of Serpentor's body, only being defeated by Hawk opening the Matrix, transforming him into a great leader and rendering Cobra Commander comatose. As the Joes prepared to head home, Prime promised to record the Hawk-led humans' future.

Prime appeared again in the fourth crossover 'Black Horizon'. With the Matrix afflicted Hawk receiving dire visions of a new threat, Prime journeyed to Earth personally, taking Hawk and Flint to Tibet to discover the source of the problem - only to encounter Bludgeon once again. The two battled, with Prime only being saved by Hawk's intervention. Fighting their way into a secret city beneath the Himalayas, the trio realized the extent of the threat - the impending destruction of humanity by Unicron, and the world being taken over by Cobra-La. However at that point they were discovered by Bludgeon and a group of Cobra-La troops. Prime defeated Bludgeon, although the warrior plummeted to his death despite Prime's best efforts. Prime, Hawk and Joe Colton (the original G.I Joe) then gatecrashed the Cobra-La ceremony to sacrifice Firewall to Unicron in Prime's truck mode. Prime was then mobbed by Cobra-La warriors, and pinned down by a monstrous insectoid creature. Prime demolished them in time to save Hawk from Golobulus. With Cobra-La arrested by G.I Joe, Prime checked his troops would recover - and then sat down to watch TV with Eject and Firewall.

In the third series both Prime and Serpentor indicate that the Matrix had transformed Prime from "a simple archivist" into a great warrior, indicating that the history of this incarnation of Prime is roughly in line with that of the Dreamwave version.

IDW Publishing

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Optimus Prime's pre-Earth appearance in IDW continuity.

When IDW Publishing received the comic rights to The Transformers, author Simon Furman was hired to oversee the line. Furman decided that the Generation 1 continuity "was in need of ... a contemporary restart" so that the comic could retain a modern audience. Furman's revised continuity establishes Optimus Prime as the present-day leader of an Autobot army spread across the galaxy in small units, waging a covert war against teams of Decepticon infiltrators over resource-rich worlds. The Stormbringer miniseries explains that the Transformer homeworld of Cybertron is a dead planet, ravaged by an ancient cataclysm caused by the Autobot-Decepticon War, one which forced Prime to ally with his arch-rival Megatron to eventually halt. In the series, the interference of Jetfire and the Technobots in a plot organized by the Decepticon Bludgeon alerts Prime to the possibility that the Cybertronian cataclysm might be re-ignited and spread to other planets. Prime calls in the Wreckers, meeting them on the surface of Cybertron in time to witness the return of the being called Thunderwing, the focal point of the apocalypse. The combined efforts of Prime, the Wreckers, Jetfire, Predacon-led Decepticons and a unit of aging Centurion drones are barely enough to render Thunderwing inert.

Bludgeon's recovered files bring Optimus Prime to Earth, where an Autobot detachment led by Prowl has discovered that a Decepticon infiltration unit led by Starscream has broken standard protocol after discovering a new form of Energon. This Ore-13 appears to be the same "Ultra-Energon" that Bludgeon used to restore Thunderwing, dormant for millennia after the apocalypse, to life, and Starscream has already used it to fuel a failed attempt to usurp Megatron's leadership (as detailed in the Infiltration miniseries).

The Escalation miniseries details Optimus Prime's command. He is immediately faced with two challenges: escalating tensions in the disputed Soviet state of Brasnya which fit the pattern of Decepticon activity and the apparent death of Sunstreaker at human hands. Prime directs his unit to recover Sunstreaker's remains, which are revealed to be fake. Although Sunstreaker may still be alive, Prime re-tasks his unit to Brasnya, deciding that the Decepticons are a greater threat.

Optimus' goal is the capture of a Decepticon facsimile construct, a clone of an actual human being of political clout programmed to follow Decepticon orders and destabilize native politics from within. The Decepticons attempt and fail to trap the Autobots, resulting in a pitched battle in the Brasnyan snow. Megatron himself engages Prime and, boosted by Ore-13, overcomes him. Believing their leader dead, the rest of the Autobots attempt to buy the newly-arrived Hot Rod time to collect the clone, but Prime - who has transferred his consciousness to a backup memory in his trailer command post - advises them to exploit Ore-13's weakness and assault Megatron all-out, catalyzing the Decepticon leader's Energon supply and crippling him.

Following this, and troubled by the vision of a Prime he saw in the void during his fight with Megatron, Prime leaves Earth and seeks an audience with Omega Supreme. Omega told him of the corrupt Nova Prime, but the two were attacked by Monstructor, an experiment left over from Nova's time. It was defeated, but Prime now knew that the Prime lineage was corrupt. Returning to Earth, he reslved to become proactive and moved the Ark-19 from its now compromised location, but en route to its new destination it was shot down by Sixshot.

New Avengers/Transformers

Bumblebee, Jazz, Optimus Prime, Prowl and Ratchet appeared in New Avengers/Transformers crossover by Marvel Comics and IDW Publishing in 2007.

Kiss Players

This Japanese spin-off of the Transformers: Alternators toyline (Binaltech in Japan), the Alternator version of Prime (see "Toys") is set in an alternate universe that branches off from the original animated series. Set in the year 2006 (which, in Japanese continuity, is one year after Prime's death in The Transformers: The Movie, but four years before the third season), it sees Prime's corpse covertly transported to Japan by the government organization, the Earth Defense Command. The convoy transporting his body was then attacked by a group of female commandos, led by Marissa Faireborn, who had known Prime years ago as a child. Believing they had secured Prime's body, the commandos were taken by surprise by EDC "Kiss Player" operative Ringo and her Autrooper mechanoid partner, who killed them all except Marissa. Marissa went to Prime's body, just as an Autrooper began to fuse with it; reflecting on her childhood memories of Prime, she gave his faceplate a final kiss, which initiated an amazing transformation - Marissa and Prime were fused together, and Prime was reborn with a new body, now transforming into a Dodge Ram SRT-10.

Marissa and Prime are now on the run from the EDC, and are also frequently opposed by the mysterious "Legion" Transformers. Faced with such foes, Marissa unleashes her "Kiss Player" ability by kissing Prime, fusing with him once again, and increasing his power so that he can best their opponents. Prime is armed with the "Surf Blade," a weapon formed out of Marissa's surfboard, wielded expertly thanks to the knife skills Marissa passes on to him when they merge.

Toys

Through the years, there have been many action figures representing the original incarnation of Optimus Prime, some of which have featured in fiction, others of which have not.

• Generation 1 Optimus Prime (1984)

The original Optimus Prime toy, with Combat Deck and Roller. Originally part of Takara's 1983 Diaclone line under the name "Battle Convoy," the figure was designed by Hiroyuki Obara and Shoji Kawamori. The figure's definitive mouth-plate has become a design element in most incarnations and variants of Optimus Prime down the years, let alone for a few exceptions, noted individually following. Integrated into the first year of the Transformers toy line, the toy was given its new name, Optimus Prime, by comic book writer/editor Dennis O'Neil. His removable fists are one of the most easily-lost parts of the figure, and have proven to be a step in transformation that future toys based on this body have striven to eliminate. Roller was included in many colors, including silver (matching his trailer), indigo (matching his fists and legs), and blue (matching the trailer legs on a unique variant).

A special promotional version of the figure was released in 1985, with a Pepsi sticker on the trailer. In Japan, the toy was released again twice within the original line, in multi-figure packs, both times with blue windows to more closely represent the cartoon.

The toy was reissued in Japan in 2000 in its original incarnation, but with Roller molded in indigo, covered in silver paint. At the same time, it was recolored almost entirely in black as an exclusive for the JAFCON convention. The toy was reissued again in Japan for New Year's Day in 2002 with blue windows, sky blue eyes (inspired by the cartoon), a die-cast Matrix accessory. It was reissued again in 2003 with a new energy axe accessory. Reissued in the west by Hasbro in 2002, the toy had to be modified for safety reasons, and features shorter smokestacks and longer missiles, as well as having Roller's spring-loaded launcher deactivated.

As a Diaclone mold, the toy features an opening "cockpit" in his chest where two Diaclone drivers can sit. Diaclone drivers can also sit in the cockpit of the missile launcher, as well as in Roller's 4 seats. The Matrix accessory which shipped with Galaxy Force/Cybertron Optimus Prime fits perfectly inside this compartment.

The cab of the toy was later redecorated into the cab of Ultra Magnus and Pepsi Convoy.

• Decoy Optimus Prime (1986)

A small, red rubber model of Optimus Prime, part of a large number of similar figures of other Transformers that were packaged as promotional items with figures in the 1986-87 toy line.

• Powermaster Optimus Prime (1988)

Two years after his original toy left store shelves after his death in The Transformers: The Movie in 1986, Optimus Prime was restored to life as part of the new Powermaster sub-group. As before, he transforms into a red truck cab with a grey trailer, and when his PowerMaster engine parter Hi-Q is plugged into place, the cab becomes a robot, while the trailer transforms into a battle station. The major new feature of the toy, however, is the ability of the cab and trailer to combine together to form a giant "super robot" version of Optimus Prime.

The head for the super robot is a separate piece which must be attached, and the original design for the toy was to have this be an upgraded Roller, who would transform from buggy, to robot, to head. This did not come to pass, however, and the head is left to sit separately with no function in any other mode (although it can be stored in the trailer in truck mode).

Another version of Powermaster Prime was released in Japan the same year and given the separate identity Ginrai. While the American version of his cab, is made of plastic with decals for windows, Ginrai's cab was cast in die-cast metal, with translucent plastic windows. His smokestacks were shortened and chromed, his small robot mode's eyes were painted sky blue, and the plastic used for his trailer and shoulder weapons was molded in a silver or metallic gray. In addition, the arms for Super Ginrai had retractable blue fists, as opposed to Optimus Prime's solid red arms. Ginrai, called Super Ginrai when combined with his trailer, was sold together and separately with a tandem trailer named Godbomber which turned into an additional robot, as well as combined with Super Ginrai to form a larger robot. Ginrai was reissued in Japan in 2001, in both his original color scheme, a red and orange "Fire Guts" eHobby exclusive, and in black as "Nucleon Quest Convoy." This reissue, in its original colors, was later released by Hasbro, branded as Powermaster Optimus Prime (the name of its American counterpart), with Godbomber renamed Apex Bomber.

• Action Master Optimus Prime (1990)

Part of the new sub-line of Transformers figures which did not actually transform, Action Master Optimus Prime is a poseable action figure resembling a composite of the original toy and his animated appearance. The Action Masters' articulation was based in part on that of 3¾" G.I. Joe figures. Instead of transforming himself, he came packaged with the "Armored Convoy," a large truck which could transform into a battle station and an aircraft. This body was the basis for the new form the Last Autobot reconfigured Hi-Q/Prime into at the conclusion of the original U.S. Marvel Comics series.

In 2000 Takara released L-20 Micro Trailer with Secret Breaster Pilot Edison in Japan, which was a recolor of Optimus Prime's Armored Convoy truck in green and white, with a Microman pilot named Edison.

• Star Convoy (1992)

A Japanese-exclusive from the final year of the toy line, Star Convoy is the reborn form of Optimus Prime, and comes with a Micromaster version of Hot Rod. He transforms from a truck into a robot (without the usual cab/trailer separation), and can also become a battle station for Micromasters. His electronic "Tread Unit," apparently a new form for Roller, allows him to roll forward or backward in vehicle or robot mode, and becomes a conveyor to roll out Micromasters in base mode. These electronics can also be linked with Star Convoy's fellow Autobot Grandus, to operate that toy's base-mode elevator. A third Autobot, Sky Garry, can also connect in base mode, and the three can link up in vehicle mode, with Grandus hitched to the rear of Star Convoy, and Sky Garry atop him, in a combination called the "Battlestars."

Star Convoy was reissued in Japan in 2005, his white parts replaced with metallic silver, and his yellow chest cross in chromed gold.

• Generation 2 Optimus Prime (1993)

A redecorated and slightly remolded version of the original Optimus Prime toy, this is the form to which Prime is returned at the beginning of Marvel's Generation 2 comic. With his trailer now black instead of gray, Prime is also equipped with an electronic sound box which emits various laser noises, and the phrase "I am Optimus Prime!" Two firing missile launchers can plug into the side of this box, which can be wielded in Prime's robot fists, while the box itself mounts either on the front of the trailer, or on Prime's back.

• Generation 2 Combat Hero Optimus Prime (1994)

This new figure's primary feature was a bellows-operated cannon; by slamming your hand down on the small plastic bellows attached to the toy by a hose, a jet of air blasted a rubber-tipped missile through the air. This figure is the form into which the Swarm reconfigured Prime at the conclusion of Marvel's Generation 2 comics, although there, it was rendered with his traditional color scheme, instead of the toy's more novel one. Prototypes of a recolor of Combat Hero Optimus Prime were made in a dark blue color were made, but the toy was never sold in that color.

Hero Prime was released in Europe as a different character named "Sureshot," changing the chest stickers which displayed Optimus's name. The toy was later redecorated in black, gray and teal and released as Destructicon Scourge for the Transformers: Robots in Disguise line in 2002.

• Generation 2 Laser Optimus Prime (1995)

Part of the "Laser Rod" sub-group of 1995 (hence leading him to often be incorrectly referred to as "Laser Rod Optimus Prime"), this incarnation of Prime had a light-up electronic fist which illuminated his clear plastic sword, and light-up heads for his tanker truck vehicle mode. In traditional fashion, the cab became Prime himself while the trailer transformed with spring-loaded action into a very heavily armed battle station with missile launcher, disk launcher and bellows-operated cannon. Highly poseable for the time, this toy was for a long period viewed as one of the best Transformers toys created.

Laser Prime was later redecorated in black, gray and teal as Black Convoy for Takara's 2000 Car Robots line, who was then in turn imported and turned into Scourge for Transformers: Robots in Disguise in 2001. In 2006, the figure was redecorated again into the Japanese eHobby exclusive, Laser Ultra Magnus.

• Generation 2 Go-Bot Optimus Prime (1995)

As part of the large sub-line of free-wheeling, simplistic "Go-Bots," this was an unusual Optimus Prime figure, a redecoration of an earlier figure named Firecracker which transformed into a red Lamborghini Diablo. Go-Bot Prime was the first Optimus Prime figure to lack the character's distinctive mouth plate, but was the first Optimus Prime to score a perfect set of 10s in his tech spec numbers. Additionally, the toy's tech spec gave an explanation for the large number of bodies Prime had been going through during the Generation 2 toy line, crediting an "Internal Reconfiguration Matrix" with the transformations. The US version of the toy came with no Autobot symbol and a plain chest, whereas the Japanese version has a blue Transformers logo on it.

• Generation 2 General Optimus Prime (unreleased)

There were plans and prototypes to release a toy called General Optimus Prime, a re-coloration of a Decepticon Autoroller in white and gray camouflage deco, but the toy was never released. The figure could be seen, along with Sgt. Hound, and Road Block and Dirtbag, in a picture from the 1995 Hasbro Toy Fair Boy's Toys Catalog. It appears that the repaints are incorrectly listed, because of the colors of the two figures.

• Optimus Primal (1996)

Although the later storyline of Beast Wars would go on to depict Optimus Primal as a different character than Optimus Prime, the comic which shipped with the original Beast Wars toy versions of Optimus Primal and Megatron depicted them as new incarnations of Optimus Prime and Megatron. Presumably these forms - Primal as a bat, Megatron as a crocodile - were their new bodies after Generation 2.

This toy was redecorated into the BotCon 1996 exclusive toy, the black and gray Onyx Primal, and the Japanese-exclusive Convobat, in traditional red and blue Prime colors.

• Machine Wars Optimus Prime (1997)

The short-lived Machine Wars toy line from Hasbro featured an Optimus Prime figure that was a recolored version of Thunderclash, a 1992 Turbomaster - part of a line of Transformers exclusive to Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Thunderclash was not well-suited to the job, given that he was a truck with a cab that became a robot and a trailer that became battle station. As a repaint of an existing character, this incarnation of Prime also lacked the characteristic mouth-plate, although the toy's box art depicted him with one, being as it was retooled art from Laser Optimus Prime's packaging. He continued the trend of perfect 10s in his tech specs, but was for a long period regarded as one of the worst Prime toys, not because the toy itself was bad by some fans, but because it was visibly un-Prime-like.

• Transtech Optimus Prime (unreleased)

With the absence of the original Optimus Prime from the main Transformers toy line through Beast Wars and Beast Machines, the proposed Transtech toy line would have brought him back in a new and unusual way. Hasbro's initial plans for the series would feature familiar characters in more organic-looking bodies, except with vehicular alternate modes instead of the animal forms which had dominated the two recent series. Although the idea was eventually scrapped in favor of Transformers: Armada (with Transformers: Robots in Disguise being imported for the "filler" year in between), Toronto-based design studio Draxhall Jump produced many concept sketches (from which even a few toy prototypes were produced), including, naturally, a new incarnation of Optimus Prime, which essentially fused the alternate modes of Prime and Primal by transforming into a semi truck with a stylized, ape-like face sculpted into its front.

• Smallest Transformers Optimus Prime (2003)

A miniature, two-inch-high version of the original Optimus Prime figure sold in the first wave of the blind-packaged "Smallest Transformers" series (often incorrectly called "World's Smallest Transformers," or "WSTF"). His trailer was available separately, and the figure was later recolored into a cartoon-based paint job for another release in 2004, alongside a white version of the figure, dubbed "White Mode," but clearly a reference to the shared mold of the original toy and Ultra Magnus.

• 20th Anniversary Optimus Prime, with Megatron (2004)

Released in 2004 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Transformers franchise, this 12" tall, 3 pound version of Optimus Prime strove to reproduce his cartoon appearance in the most intricate detail, going so far as to feature a particularly complex torso transformation in the name of featuring a different design of grill for truck and robot modes. Featuring several die-cast metal parts, working suspension with rubber tires, a removable light-up Matrix of Leadership and flip-up wrist communicators, this highly-poseable Prime was armed with his traditional ion blaster (originally released in grey, later amended to the correct black), his energy axe, and even a gun-mode Megatron with stock, scope and silencer.

This toy was featured on page 18 of the book Transformers: The Fantasy, The Fun, The Future by Erin Brereton published by Triumph Books.

In Japan, the toy was released as "Masterpiece Convoy," and was able to feature longer smokestacks because of different safety regulations. The Japanese version of the toy also lacked the painted "battle damage" scorch marks. The packaging could be folded up to create a cardboard trailer to hitch up to the back of the cab. Takara held a mail in contest where ten people won gold plated versions of this toy and they later redecorated the figure in white in 2005 as "Masterpiece Ultra Magnus."

In honor of the 20th anniversary of The Transformers: The Movie, this figure has been re-released with a new electronic display base which speaks re-recorded phrases from the film. The new release of this figure is in the cartoon-correct colors, without the "battle damage" scorch marks from the 2004 version.

• Spy Changer Optimus Prime

A repaint of the Spy Changer Scourge from the Robots in Disguise line, painted to resemble the original Optimus Prime. Two packaging versions of this toy existed - a Kaybee version which did not attribute the toy to Universe and was packaged in vehicle form, and a version for discount stores which did and was packaged in robot mode. His function is Leader and his motto is "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings." Dedicated to protecting all life, Optimus Prime leads the Autobots in unceasing battle against the evil Decepticons. His courage and wisdom know no bounds, and he is respected throughout the universe as a powerful champion of peace. Carries a blaster rifle as well as the ancient Autobot Matrix of Leadership.

• Robot Masters G1 Convoy (2004)

The Japanese Transformers: Robot Masters toy line naturally featured a new toy of Prime, here referred to as G1 Convoy in order to distinguish him from the also-appearing Optimus Primal, also called Convoy in Japan, and here equipped with the qualifier of "Beast Convoy." Designed to look like a small version of the 20th Anniversary figure, the Robot Masters incarnation of Prime featured an overly simplistic transformation that resulted in an unimpressive truck mode, but came with his gun and axe. The figure was redecorated in black as a Dangeki Hobby exclusive in 2005.

• Orion Pax and Barrelroller (2005)

A redecoration of the 2005 reissue of Kup as Orion Pax, available exclusively through the Japanese online retailer, eHobby. Kup's Targetmaster partner Recoil was included as Barrelroller, a droid who transformed into a loading tool, intended as an earlier form of Roller.

• Transformers: Alternators Optimus Prime (2006)

Originally, Hasbro intended for the Dodge Ram toy they had created for the licensed vehicle line, Transformers: Alternators to be a different character, but Takara insisted on the toy's identity as Optimus Prime, as pick-up trucks are an uncommon sight on Japanese roads, and Prime's character would help to sell the toy. This toy features a vanity license plate featuring the Autobot logo and the word "PRIME". Although it stylistically resembles the California license plate, Optimus Prime's plate identifies him as being registered in "Cybertron".

This toy was featured on page 7 of the book Transformers: The Fantasy, The Fun, The Future by Erin Brereton published by Triumph Books.

Oddly, however, when originally solicited, the Japanese version of the toy (the line known there as "Binaltech") was named Ginrai, after the Prime lookalike from Masterforce, but this solicitation was cancelled. When it appeared again, as part of the "Binaltech Aterisk" line - which featured small PVC figures of girls that could ride in the vehicles - it was as "Black Convoy." This too vanished, and Prime was finally released as himself, with different paint applications, in the "Kiss Players" line, with Marissa Faireborn, though on the box her name is listed as Melissa.

Alternators Prime was redecorated into Nemesis Prime for the 2006 San Diego Comic Con. Only 3000 of these were produced, and are highly sought after by collectors. It was also redecorated into Binaltech Black Convoy for Wonder Festival 2007 and released in even fewer numbers, regularly selling for more than US$200. Black Convoy is the only version of the Optimus Prime Dodge Ram mold which features diecast components.

• Hybrid Style Optimus Prime(2006)

Better known by its obtuse Japanese classification of "T.H.S.-02 Convoy", this version of Prime, based on his original form, follows on from T.H.S.-01, a highly poseable version of Transformers: Cybertron Optimus Prime. Redesigned by noted mecha creator Shoji Kawamori of Macross fame, this Prime included die-cast metal parts and interchangeable hands including his energy axe, rifle, Matrix and a replica of Sideswipe's jetpack, as used in More Than Meets the Eye, Part 3. As with the original figure, the trailer opened into a battle station, and came with Roller. The toy has divided opinions among collectors, praised for its high level of articulation and innovative new ways to represent Prime's classic transformation, but likewise derided for its lackluser truck mode, looking like nothing so much as Prime's torso balanced on a set of wheels.

• Titanium 6 inch War Within Optimus Prime (2006)

Based on Optimus Prime's Cybertronian mode from Dreamwave's Transformers: The War Within comic book series, this transforming figure is part of the 6" "Cybertron Heroes" size class of Transformers Titanium Series figures. This figure was initially released by itself, and later in a Toys-R-us exclusive 2-pack with War Within Megatron. A repaint of this figure in white as Ultra Magnus was announced by Botcon 2006.

• Titanium 3 inch War Within Optimus Prime (2006)

Based on Optimus Prime's Cybertronian mode from Dreamwave's Transformers: The War Within comic book series, this non-transforming figure is part of the 3" "Robot Masters" size class of Transformers Titanium Series figures.

• Titanium 3 inch Optimus Prime (2006)

Based on Optimus Prime's original form, but actually his 20th Anniversary/Masterpiece figure, this non-transforming figure is part of the 3" "Robot Masters" size class of Transformers Titanium Series figures.

• Transformers Classics Optimus Prime (2006)

Intended to update classic characters into modern forms, Transformers: Classics included in its first wave a new version of Optimus Prime, who once again transforms into a red COE truck cab, though modernized and more aerodynamic than the original. This Optimus Prime does not have a trailer, and the attachment point for one is awkwardly rectangular. The exhaust stacks convert into a Laser Cannon with the appearance of two Submachine guns grouped side-by-side, though they are not intended to be separated. The air deflector atop the cab converts into an Ion Blaster. Connecting the exhaust stacks to the air deflector makes it into dual shoulder cannons.

This toy was featured on page 16 of the book Transformers: The Fantasy, The Fun, The Future by Erin Brereton published by Triumph Books.

This figure was redecorated in white and blue as Ultra Magnus, sold in a two-pack with Skywarp.

A later released 2-pack included Classic Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus.

This toy was featured in bus stop add for Hill Side Mall in Canada.

• Ultimate Battle Optimus Prime vs. Megatron (2006)

Part of the Classics line. This toy is Deluxe sized and is made in the style of his original toy, but with "Power punch action!". Also includes an Ultimate Battle Megatron and a DVD narrated by Optimus Prime. The disk features a photo gallery slide show with photos of the wave 1-2 Classics figures. It also features 22 minutes of clips starting with the Cybertron theme song over a montage of various Cybertron scenes and a story of who the Transformers are, what they can do, what Mini-Cons and Planet Keys are, etc.

Later releases of this pack included two random bonus Mini-Cons chosen from Cybertron Longarm, Overcast and Deepdive.

In late 2007 this set was repackaged in Transformers: Universe packing without the DVD available at Dollar General stores.

• MP-04 Complete Masterpiece Convoy (2006)

The figure is exactly the same as the original MP-01 but comes with the trailer. The trailer unfolds into a repair bay/mobile base and can hold an alternator while closed. Another change are the images on the arm comlinks, which now show Megatron and Grimlock on the left and right wrists, respectively. However, to many a fan's chagrin, a Roller figure was not included.

• Revoltech Convoy

Based on, what primarily seems to be, Pat Lee's interpretation of Optimus Prime from the Dreamwave comic series, Revoltech Convoy is the 19th of the Revoltech line, using the key Revolver Joint which gives the figure incredible poseability for numerous dynamic poses. The figure included three optional hands apart from the regular clenched fists, including a right hand to hold the gun or to give a "Come hither" finger movement, a pointing right hand, and an open left hand used to hold the Matrix or for more choices in posing. Accessories include Prime's characteristic rifle, with the handle held to the main cannon by a peg to enable it to rotate, and the Matrix which cannot be held in the fists or put into the chest but can be held with the aforementioned open hand. However, this is a purely display figure and although it does bear the Transformers name it does not actually transform.

• Attacktix Optimus Prime (2007)

Part of a 4 pack starter set for Attacktix, Optimus comes with the original Megatron, Energon Landquake and San Diego ComicCon inspired Skywarp.

• Pepsi Optimus Prime (2007)

A prize in the Mountain Dew-sponsored "Transform Your Summer" contest, Pepsi Optimus Prime is, for all practical purposes, nearly identical to Pepsi Convoy, but packaged in an English-language box that identifies him as the original Prime and having shorted mufflers on the arms (for U.S. toy safety laws). He was later sold at BotCon 2007 and then on the Hasbro Toy Shop web site. His package style places him with the Classic line, although it does not specifically mention the Classics in the text.

• Softimus Prime (2007)

A plush doll version of Optimus Prime that transforms into truck mode by simply folding the upper body inside out. [2]

• Optimash Prime (2007)

A Mr. Potato Head doll with parts and accessories to dress him up like Optimus Prime. Also includes a mini Optimus Prime truck. [3]

• Convoy feat. Nike Free 7.0 (2007)

A special collaboration with Nike and Takara Tomy called "Transformers: Sports Label" features both Optimus Prime and Megatron with the ability to transform into life sized versions the "Nike Free 7.0" shoe. Optimus' shoe form is colored white, red, and black but manages to retains his classic red, blue, white colors in robot form. Keeping with the shoe theme, he is come packaged in a Nike shoebox and his feet are patterned after the very shoe he transforms into.

This figure would be redecoed into Ultra Magnus, with the shoe colored white, black, and yellow and the robot with the standard white and royal blue.

Other merchandise

As the figurehead of the entire Transformers franchise, Optimus Prime has been on more pieces of merchandise than one can comfortably count, with one of the most outrageous being the "Optimus Prime Oral Care Station". Several statues and busts of Prime have been released by various companies since the return of Transformers to prominence, and other figures released include various PVCs as part of Takara's "Super Collection Figure" line, which were later imported as part of Hasbro's "Heroes of Cybertron" series. Larger "Mega Collection Figure" PVCs were articulated and came with energy axe and gun figures. It is also assumed that multiple pieces of merchandise featuring Prime's new live-action movie incarnation (including an actual transforming figure) will be prominent come summer 2007, though no details about any planned merchandise have been revealed.

• In the Retro Starburst pack there is a flavor Called "Optimus Lime" which is remarked to optimus prime.

Optimus Prime cameos

• While a different version of Optimus Prime appears in Transformers: Cybertron, a figure resembling the original Optimus Prime is seen in a number of historical flashback sequences. He is depicted as one of the ancient Autobots who masterminded sending the Cyber Planet Keys to different parts of the galaxy.
• Homer Simpson appeared as Optimus Prime in one opening sequence to The Simpsons alongside the rest of the Simpson Family (Marge Simpson:Jetfire; Lisa Simpson:Hound; Bart Simpson:Jazz; Maggie Simpson:Bumblebee) rendered as Autobots.
• The Alaskan band Mr. McFeely released a ballad titled "The Death of Optimus Prime," telling the story of the character's first demise. Folk singer The Great Luke Ski also produced a song titled "The Ballad Of Optimus Prime."
• Optimus Prime has also appeared in vehicle mode in an episode of the online series Happy Tree Friends.
• The TV show Robot Chicken parodied Optimus Prime (voiced by Abraham Benrubi) and other Transformers characters. Optimus Prime develops prostate cancer in the associated show segment and then dies followed by a transformation into a casket. It is then revealed that the segment was "acted" by the Transformers, and a real and healthy Optimus Prime explains that Transformers don't have organic internal organs, and cannot get cancer, but "You do, and you can." The toy used in the show for Optimus Prime was from the Robot Masters line, and the last scene uses the Masterpiece Optimus Prime toy. This was probably due to their exceptional possibility and show accuracy. He appears later that episode after the Human Torch reveals to the doctor that it burns when he urinates, shouting "What did I JUST tell you?!" He briefly appears in "Dragon Nuts" kicking a sick Devastator.
• The music video for the Nizlopi song JCB features a brief appearance by Optimus Prime.
• Optimus Prime often appears in the online cartoon College University, where he acts as the campus chief of security.
• Optimus Prime features in the Internet meme, the Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny, losing his head to Godzilla in the third verse. Past experience says he will probably be brought back from the dead for a sequel. Further, true to character, Optimus Prime is seemingly the only participant who does not directly attack another participant, instead spending his time saving Batman, then attempting to shore up a building that Godzilla has tried to knock down.
• A forty foot (12.2 meter) statue of Optimus Prime has been found in Kunming a city in the Yunnan Province, China. It is located near several automobile dealerships. The Transformers cartoon was broadcast in China (PRC) from 1990 onwards and had a large following among youths of that generation.
• Optimus Prime (in his original form) is a regular character in the Nintendo GameCube and PlayStation 2 fighting game DreamMix TV World Fighters, along with other Takara, Hudson Soft and Konami characters, including Megatron.
• Megatron and Optimus Prime made a cameo on the television series Scrubs. In episode 19 of the 5th season J.D. and Turk paint a mural on the baby's room wall of PowerMaster Optimus Prime and the original Megatron fighting each other. Carla refers to Optimus as "The Big Ugly One", to which Turk responds, "That's Optimus Prime, and I don't think he'd appreciate you calling him 'The Big Ugly One'". J.D. agrees, "No, he wouldn't" to which Turk replies, "No, he wouldn't" and J.D. finally replying, "No, not Optimus".
• Optimus Prime and Grimlock make cameo appearances in the movie The Professional (also known as Léon), as clips of them are seen whenever Matilda watches TV in Leon's apartment.
• The 20th Anniversary figure was featured in a print ad for Nokia 6820 phones, stooped over and scratching his head with a slightly puzzled look on his face.
• Prime has also been advertising for the Newspaper Association of America.
• The comic book Wolverine vol. 2 #140 features a robotic look-alike of Optimus Prime. It attacks Wolverine and his teammate Nightcrawler under the orders of a similar mechanical look-alike of the X-Men's archenemy, Magneto.
• In the MMORPG City Of Villains, there is a truck found around the Rogue Isles that serves as a black market, The design of the truck is an homage to Optimus Prime.
• On the episode of The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy entitled "Wishbones", a truck hauling the world's largest pillow feature Optimus Prime's markings. It even includes a white decal that resembles the Autobot insignia on the driver side, where Optimus Prime's insignia is located. The truck reappears later in the video game based on the show.
• Optimus Prime's incarnation from the new 2007 live-action film appeared in a multiple movie spoof on the 2007 MTV Movie Awards, in a scene with host Sarah Silverman in cropped clips alongside star Shia LaBeouf. After Optimus Prime transforms, Sarah says to him: "Listen, I need a celebrity to present an award, do you know any?" To this, Optimus Prime, voiced by Peter Cullen, responds: "Why must it be a celebrity? Why not somebody who is, oh, I don't know...more than meets the eye?"
• A silhouette of Optimus appears in the opening of the anime Hayate the Combat Butler.
• Optimus' Truck mode appears in Superman/Doomsday. A driver who is driving a truck who looks very similar to Optimus is attacked by Doomsday.
• A semi that parodies Optimus Prime appears in the first season's finale of the G4 show Code Monkeys, an animated comedy series known for lampooning pop culture. In the episode, ninjas from the video game company, Protendo, leap from "Prime's" trailer section to kidnapped Benny Lee, a 10 year-old Korean child and video game tester for rival company, Game-A-Vision [episode "The Revenge of Matsui"].
• In the South Park trilogy "Imaginationland," Optimus Prime is one of the warriors who fight on the side of the good imaginary characters.
• Many gamers swear to the fact that Optimus Prime appears in the form of a pattern of windows and other markings on the background of the game Assassin's Creed.
• In the 1987 science fiction parody movie Spaceballs, the character Yogurt displays different merchandized products for Spaceballs one of which is "Spaceballs the Comic Book" which has Optimus Prime on the cover.

Trivia

• The idea of the character's name Optimus Prime came from the comic book writer Denny O'Neil.
• His original toy in Japan's "Diaclone" toyline is called "Battle Convoy" because he leads a convoy of vehicles.
• According to the staff of Beast Wars, Optimus Prime became a space explorer in the Beast Era.

Other incarnations of Optimus Prime

As the Transformers franchise has grown, more continuities separate from the original series and its subsidiaries have come into existence, each featuring Optimus Primes of their own. For the other two most prominent Primes, see:

Optimus Prime (Unicron Trilogy) for the Optimus Prime of Transformers: Armada, Energon and Cybertron.

Optimus Prime (other incarnations) for the Optimus Primes from various continuities.

Cultural influence

• In 2003, a National Guardsman legally changed his name to "Optimus Prime" on his 30^th birthday.
• In conjunction with the release of the 2007 live-action film, Hasbro made a Mr. Potato Head parody on the Autobot commander, named "Optimash Prime"Photo. They also released a transforming plush toy called "Softimus Prime".
• The current(10/2007) banner of the tdctrade.com (Hong Kong Trade Development Council's official web site) contains a small Optimus Prime toy in it. Photo
• A Seattle-area musician uses the stagename Optimus Rhyme.
• Powerpop/Ska Band Attila and the Huns has a hidden track on their 2007 Christmas Album "Christmas Socks" entitled "Optimus Prime (At Christmas Time)", about the Autobot leader's significance to the holiday season.
• In the 2006 comedy movie Clerks II, Elias states that his screen name is Optimus Prime.
• In Episode 38 of the anime Death Note, Near is holding an Optimus Prime action figure.
• In an episode of Family Guy, "When You Wish Upon a Weinstein", Peter says even Optimus Prime is Jewish.

External links

• tfu.info's page on the original toy and other variations/editions of Optimus Prime
• Collection and pictures of every Optimus Prime Toys
• Discovery of 40-foot Optimus Prime statue
• U.S. Patent 4,516,948, "Reconfigurable Toy Assembly," Optimus Prime toy patent by Takara.
• ToyBin Optimus Prime Gallery
• A Letter to Optimus Prime from His Geico Auto Insurance Agent, by John Frank Weaver
• Optimus Prime appearance in Sheldon: The Daily Comic Strip by Dave Kellett
• Transforce: Alignment by Simon Furman
• Optimus Prime Collection
• Transforce: The Last Days of Optimus Prime by Simon Furman
• Optimus Prime toy gallery at TransformerToys.co.uk
• Japanese Optimus Prime figures
• Transformers Animated Optimus Prime character page