MediaWiki - User contributions [en]

Ravage (SG)

2011-02-02T08:23:56Z

193.200.150.137: this is User:Abates undoing a hater's work

{{factions|sgDecepticon}}
{{disambig3.5|the heroic Decepticon mini-cassette|his evil counterpart|Ravage (G1)|Ravage}}
:''Ravage is a heroic [[Decepticon]] [[Decepticon Mini-Cassette|Recordicon]] from the "[[Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass]]" [[continuity family]].''
[[Image:SGRavage-EvanGauntt.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Hi! Do you see me? I'm waving!]]
Hi, I'm '''Ravage'''!<ref>I'm like a saboteur! Totally! I break stuff, srsly!</ref> I'm a white jaguar! I'm the one that's waving! Can you see me? <ref>Old crummy [[Steeljaw (SG)|Steeljaw]] never sees me! I jump all around but he keeps sleeping. He is the worst best friend ever!!! #bffs</ref> I love micro-blogging, so I talk in less<ref>Guys keep telling me that it's technically "fewer" and not "less" because whatevs, but that's what it says on the website!</ref> than 140 charact

{{quote|Hey im right over u do u see me? Im the metal cat waving at u on the big rock!|posted by ravagekitteh via [[Yatter]] mobile web feed}}

==Fiction==
===Shattered Glass===
When the ''[[Ark (SG)|Ark]]'' launched for a second time, Ravage accompanied [[Soundwave (SG)|Soundwave]] to [[Earth]] in the pursuit on the ''[[Nemesis (SG)|Nemesis]]'', and his escape pod landed near Soundwave's after the ship was shot down by the [[human]]s. He then joined in on the search for the ''Nemesis''. {{storylink|The Desert Heat!}}

When Soundwave, [[Heatwave]], Ravage, and [[Frenzy (SG)|Frenzy]] finally located the ''Nemesis''<nowiki>'</nowiki> crash site, they noticed a team of scientists snooping around. Ravage decided to have fun with two of them, [[Will Hayes|Will]] and [[Rick Ottman|Rick]], by chasing them around playfully, waving at them, quipping at them in [[wikipedia:Lolcat|LOLspeak]], and [[Yatter|text-messaging them]] so they'd notice he was sneaking up behind them. Eventually Soundwave and Heatwave transformed to deal with and calm down the panicked humans. When Frenzy arrived with the other two, [[Professor Arkeville]] and [[Sephie Beller|Sephie]], he told Ravage things would have gone more smoothly if he hadn't acted like, well, himself. Ravage reacted indignantly to the chastisement.

[[Image:BlitzwingBop-Ravage.jpg|left|thumb|200px|I totally look like a dog here LOL!!!! but I am a CAT :3]]

Ravage ended up getting along famously with Sephie, who understood his odd Netspeak and internet obsessions (both of which merely baffled the other [[Decepticon]]s), and happily purred at and snuggled up to her attentions. When the Decepticons made their attack to free [[Burpleson Air Force Base]] from the [[Autobot]]s' control, [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] paired them together since Sephie was the only one who could "shut [Ravage] up".

The two were among the ones able to sneak into the base while riding in Soundwave, with the help of a cover story from Will and Rick. They then all split up, with Sephie and Ravage heading towards the control room. Before they could get there, however, they ran into [[Wheeljack (SG)|Wheeljack]], who Ravage cheerfully waved at from the middle of the hallway. However, when the crazy inventor started ranting and pounding the walls, he sensibly took off running with Sephie.

They eventually managed to lose Wheeljack, but by that point Heatwave had already managed to talk the base's transmitter into evacuating the base in preparation for destroying it with the [[Global Orbital Defense Satellite]], so Sephie and Ravage opted for getting out of there themselves. {{storylink|Eye in the Sky}}

When Soundwave was busy trying to find where [[Blitzwing (SG)|Blitzwing]] had run off to, Ravage informed him that someone had posted on their Yatter account that there was a giant robot near their house, enabling Soundwave to arrive just in the nick of time to save the wayward Decepticon from [[Blaster (SG)|Blaster]]. {{storylink|Blitzwing Bop}}
{{--}}

===Recordicons===
{{charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|Recordicons|Recordicons #1}} {{storylink|Recordicons|Recordicons #2}}{{-}}

==Toys==
===Kiss Players===
[[Image:Glittoy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|If I wave I fall over. :~(]]
*'''Cassettron Set Kiss Players Position''' (Multi-pack, 2006)
**''Accessories'': Left & right "multifunctional medical tool boxes"

: ''[[Kiss Players (toyline)|Kiss Players]]'' [[Glit]] was officially [[repurposing|repurposed]] as ''Shattered Glass'' Ravage. A [[redeco]] of the original [[Ravage (G1)/toys|Ravage]] mold, he transforms from a microcassette that can fit into the tape door of the [[Soundwave (G1)/toys|Soundwave]] and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] toys to a robot jaguar. He was available only in an [[e-Hobby]] [[exclusive]] set with [[Rosanna (KP)|Rosanna]] and [[Sundor]], which also came with a bonus music CD. The Cassettron set was released during the second week of March 2007.

: This mold was also used to make [[Howlback]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2006/Destron/Glit/glit.htm More information on Glit at TFU.info]
::*''[http://www.transformertoys.co.uk/content.php?/transformers-toys/toy-gallery/1131/Kiss-Play/Glit.html Glit toy gallery at Transformertoys.co.uk]
{{--}}

===Timelines===
[[Image:Timelinestoy-SGRavage.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Glit who, lol!!!]]
*'''Double Punch and Turbomaster''' (BotCon 2010 souvenir set)

: An honest-to-god nonrepurposed ''Shattered Glass'' Ravage toy, a redeco of ''[[Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' [[Ravage (G1)/toys#Universe (2008)|Ravage]], transforms into a "cassette", or "capture mode" according to the original version of the mold's instructions. This mode fits onto the back of his mold-partner "[[Scorch (G1)|Turbomaster]]" via a pair of clips on the vehicle mode that fit into the tape spools. In this mode, Ravage is compatible with either the original [[Soundwave (G1)/toys|Soundwave]] (and similar toys), and in jaguar mode, the [[5mm post|5mm holes]] can accommodate Glit's weapons or those of the original Ravage (even though there are tiny versions of the weapons above his hips).

:He was sold in a [[BotCon 2010]] souvenir set along with [[Double Punch]] and "Turbomaster". Unlike those two, Ravage didn't come with a bio card, probably because we know way too much about Ravage already! ''Shattered Glass'' Ravage, like his set-mates, is limited to 1500 pieces.

::*''[http://tfu.info/2010/Decepticon/BCRavage/ravage.htm More information on Shattered Glass Ravage at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

==Notes==
*''Shattered Glass'' Ravage was [http://shortpacked.com/comic/book-8/04-guest-strips-and-miscellany/sgravage/ conceived] as a humorous fan-character by [[David Willis]], as a silly inversion of [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]]'s role as a quiet, stealthy spy. The character gained a bit of a following when Willis set up Twitter and Facebook pages for him as part of the joke, leading to his being officialized with a profile in [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 26|issue 26]] of the [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club (magazine)|Transformers Collectors' Club magazine]].

* The blue-and-white jaguar whose corpse appears in "[[Drift issue 2|Drift #2]]" was drawn into the issue by [[Alex Milne]] at the apparent urging of a friend, who envisioned it as ''Shattered Glass'' Ravage and sought to annoy David Willis (who was more mortified than anything) by killing him.<ref>[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=204657#204657 markerguru's post in "Transformers Drift #1: Reactions, Reviews, Spoilers" from the IDW Publishing Forums]</ref> Because we're a bunch of backpedaling nerds who take fictional events way too seriously, we've listed it as an appearance of [[Glit|Generation 1 Glit]] since "Drift #2" is a Generation 1-based story and not a ''Shattered Glass'' one.

*He's the one that's waving!

==Footnotes==
<references/>

==External links==
*[http://twitter.com/ravagekitteh SG Ravage's Twitter feed]
*[http://www.facebook.com/people/Ravage-Sg/1178801320 SG Ravage's Facebook profile]
*[http://www.formspring.me/sgravage SG Ravage's Formspring.me account]

[[Category:Mini-Cassettes]]
[[Category:Repurposed toys]]
[[Category:Saboteurs]]
[[Category:Shattered Glass Decepticons]]

Talk:Dirge (Animated)

2010-01-05T00:16:48Z

193.200.150.137:

==US release==

"Part of the fifth wave of Activators along with Cliffjumper, both bots saw regular release in European markets, but as of this writing(Apr-17-09), have received hardly any US release." 
Are you sure? I live in Philadelphia and saw them at K-mart a few months back. I don't think my area would've been the only one. {{unsigned|98.235.18.165}}
: K-mart, huh? Well, you're probably one of the very very few who've ever seen any! I had to get mine shipped from New Zealand. --[[User:ItsWalky|ItsWalky]] 21:12, 19 April 2009 (EDT)
I saw two of each at my Wal-Mart. --[[Special:Contributions/206.253.51.107|206.253.51.107]] 17:25, 16 May 2009 (EDT)
: They are starting to hit the United States in number. --[[User:ItsWalky|ItsWalky]] 17:58, 16 May 2009 (EDT)

The non-show character has a model sheet? --[[User:Thylacine 2000|Thylacine 2000]] 13:47, 8 December 2009 (EST)
:If it did, it would have been in the Almanac. --[[User:Jimsorenson|Jimsorenson]] 13:54, 8 December 2009 (EST)
::If I recall, Hasbro/Cartoon Network did up all sorts of color schemes for those Starscream clones before settling on the ones they eventually used. That's where Dirge came from. --[[User:ItsWalky|ItsWalky]] 14:15, 8 December 2009 (EST)
:::That is certainly possible. However, I have no direct evidence of it from their archives or from the personal files that Derrick has shared with me.--[[User:Jimsorenson|Jimsorenson]] 14:44, 8 December 2009 (EST)
::::Well, maybe I am a doofus. --[[User:ItsWalky|ItsWalky]] 14:48, 8 December 2009 (EST)
someone says he saw recolored models of starscream into dirge and thrust, labeled envious starscream and gluttonous starscream. maybe derrick wyatt knows about them?

Optimus Prime (G1)

2009-06-03T01:26:04Z

193.200.150.137: Undo revision 304919 by 66.216.5.82 (Talk)

{{factions|autobot|autobotg2}}
{{disambig3|Optimus Prime}}
:''Optimus Prime is the leader of the [[Autobot]]s from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Optimusg1.jpg|right|350px|thumb|I'm that guy everyone remembers. No, not the tape guy, the other guy.]]
'''Optimus Prime''' is the awe-inspiring [[Prime (rank)|leader]] of the [[Autobot]] forces. Originally a mere civilian, he was chosen by the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] to command, the first in a number of heavy burdens he has been forced to bear. Another is his bringing of the Transformers' conflict to Earth. The complete opposite of his mortal enemy [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], every casualty, [[human]] or [[Transformer|Cybertronian]], weighs heavily on his [[spark]]. He does not show this side to his soldiers, and he never succumbs to despair. The Autobots need a decisive, charismatic leader, and that is what he gives them. It was that leadership which turned the tide of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]].

On the battlefield, there are few who rival Optimus Prime's prowess. He is easily the strongest of any Autobot his [[Scale|size]], and his [[ion blaster]] and his [[energon-axe]] are deadly weapons. He would sacrifice his life to protect his fellow Autobots or those under their care, and [[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|does so on a regular basis]]. His compassion for other sentient beings is his only real weakness, and one the Decepticons have taken advantage of time and again... though it's also the source of his strength!

Prime carries within him the [[Matrix of Leadership]].

Before being rebuilt into a [[Powermaster]] his robot mode split into three components:

*A sentient robot module, the [[Brain Center]].
*A wheeled drone module known as [[Roller]].
*A [[Combat Deck]].

Although Optimus Prime can function as three independent modules, injury to any one module is felt by the other two.

{{bigquote|Freedom is the right of all sentient beings.|Optimus Prime's most common [[bio]] quote}}

:''Japanese name:'' '''Convoy''', '''Battle Convoy''' (Laser)
:''French-Canadian & Chzech name:'' '''Optimus Primus'''
:''Hungarian name (The Movie):'' '''Optimusz Fővezér''' / '''Optimusz Prájm'''
:''Italian name:'' '''Commander'''
:''Portuguese name (Portugal comics):'' '''Optimus Supremo''' ("Optimus Supreme")
:''Portuguese name (Brazil cartoon):'' '''Líder Optimus''' ("Leader Optimus")
:''Portuguese name (Brazil comics):'' '''Supremus Absolutus'''
:''Taiwanese name:'' '''Tīh-ghŭ''' (鐵牛, literally "Iron Ox" or "Iron Bull", a kind of vehicle in early days and rural area)
:''Chinese name (Taiwan):'' '''Jr-tsūn''' (至尊, "Prime")
:''Cantonese name:'' '''O Baak Man''' (柯柏文)
:''Chinese name (China):'' '''Qing Tian Zhu''' (擎天柱, "Pillar Towering into Sky")

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}
[[Image:Optimusprimeg1preearthmarvel2.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Optimus Prime's Cybertronic truck mode, along with a Cybertronic Grumman X-29, a Cybertronic Earth motorcycle, and a Cybertronic Porsche 962.]]
Before the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] broke out on Cybertron, Optimus Prime was a Transformer of note, displaying his skills in the [[Intra-Formers Sharpshooting Competition]]. {{storylink|Sureshot (G1)|Sureshot's ''Transformers Universe'' entry}} As a serious-minded individual, he also spoke out against [[Needlenose]]'s faddish "[[Chic Chips]]" line of hardware accessories. {{storylink|Needlenose|Needlenose's ''Transformers Universe'' entry}}

''Gladiator games were commissioned between the City-States to increase good will as the planet's population outpaced its resources. Optimus was the gladiator champion of [[Iacon]], and he shared a sporting rivalry with a young champion from [[Tarn]] called [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]. But sabotage plunged Tarn and [[Vos]] into an inter-city war. An [[Overlord (rank)|Autobot Overlord]] was damaged while trying to sort it out, so Optimus Prime left to get help. However, the Overlord mysteriously perished while under the care of Megatron and Overlord's bodyguard, [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]]. {{storylink|State Games}} Following the destruction of Tarn and Vos, Prime had planned to become a medical officer, but enrolled in the Autobot army as soon as the Decepticons declared war. He was immediately put in charge of the [[Elite Flying Corps]]. {{storylink|Transformers Annual 1987|Optimus Prime datafile}}''

''Optimus Prime saved the life of an Autobot named [[Swoop (G1)|Divebomb]] from another [[Divebomb (G1)|flying Decepticon]] who had previously beaten him and taken his name. "Divebomb" hated Prime with a passion, and was humiliated by his rescue, and so he kept this to himself. {{storylink|What's in a Name?}}''

Optimus Prime quickly made a name for himself as a combat leader. On a mission with the [[Triggerbot]]s to stop Megatron from claiming the [[Underbase]], Prime was forced to jettison the massive databank into space to prevent anyone acquiring its power, but with this action he first proved his wisdom and skill. {{storylink|The Flames of Boltax!}} ''As Optimus Prime's reputation became known, he was promoted to field commander of the entire Autobot army, but regrettably, the [[Council of Autobot Elders]] still pulled the strings. Unknown to the Elders, Optimus Prime began orchestrating unsanctioned military actions. {{storylink|Transformers Annual 1987|Optimus Prime datafile}} As the Great War intensified, Autobot territories began 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 [[Emirate Xaaron|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. {{storylink|And There Shall Come...a Leader!}} ''

[[Image:Optimusprimeg1marvelfirst.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Prime had to go through an experimental "box with a gun on top" phase before he could commit to the truck thing.]]
After over a thousand years of war, 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 his most powerful Autobot warriors on the Autobot starship, the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], on a mission to destroy the asteroids. Although the Autobots were 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's computer, [[Auntie]], from the Decepticons, Prime set the craft on a suicide course, crashing it into the prehistoric planet Earth. After lying dormant for four million years, the Ark was awakened by the eruption of [[Mount St. Hilary]] in 1984, and Optimus Prime was rebuilt so that he could reconfigure his body into a semi truck. As the Decepticons fled, Optimus Prime called for a roll call of his own troops. Suspecting that after all this time, Cybertron probably no longer existed, Optimus Prime began studying the planet upon which they had landed; he was startled to realize that this planet did have sentient life! He swore that the Autobots would hide themselves from Earth's natives, so that they would be spared the horrors of the Transformers' war. {{storylink|The Transformers (issue)|The Transformers}}

[[Image:PowerPlay-Optimustransforms.jpg|left|thumb|250px|In the live-action movie's version of this scene, Sparkplug was replaced with some hot chick.]]

Optimus Prime and the other Autobots were all dangerously low on fuel, but thankfully [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] had befriended some humans who could help—[[Sparkplug Witwicky]] and his son, [[Buster Witwicky]]. Leading the Autobots to Sparkplug's auto shop, Optimus Prime introduced himself to the humans. Unfortunately, the Decepticons had the same idea, and the warring factions met in battle. But while Prime was busy shooting Decepticons out of the air, Megatron grabbed Sparkplug, and so Prime was forced to face his nemesis one-on-one. Despite Prime's apparent victory, Sparkplug was snatched away by [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], and the Decepticons retreated. Optimus Prime acknowledged Buster's sorrow at the kidnapping of his father, but noted that without fuel, retrieving him would be impossible. {{storylink|Power Play!}} Carrying [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] and [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] in his trailer, Optimus Prime and the other Autobots returned to the Ark, where [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] awaited. With the mysterious [[Spider-Man]]'s help, Sparkplug was rescued from the Decepticons' [[Fortress Sinister|cliffside headquarters]], but not before Sparkplug had converted fuel for the Decepticons! {{storylink|Prisoner of War!}} Unfortunately, Optimus Prime couldn't stop the Autobots from overreacting to this bad news, and their actions caused Sparkplug Witwicky to suffer a heart attack. {{storylink|The Last Stand}}

[[Image:Boulderdamfight.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Better get used to seeing this scene.]]

''When the Ark alerted Optimus Prime of a power surge at [[Sherman Dam]], he and his Autobots weren't surprised to find the Decepticons behind it. Afraid of the dam crumbling under the stress of the Decepticons' manipulations, he faced off against Megatron on the top of the dam, brandishing his energy ax. As he trash-talked Megatron, Prime was suddenly distracted by [[Hound (G1)|Hound]]'s defeat. Megatron used this moment to his advantage, knocking Prime off the dam and firing his cannon into the dam itself. Prime quickly assembled his troops, directing them to divert the waves by digging trenches and elevating the neighboring humans. Mirage was angered when the humans still vilified them, despite their hard work, but Prime calmed him. {{storylink|Decepticon Dam-Busters!}}''

''Meanwhile, Optimus Prime sent a team of Autobots to investigate the [[Man of Iron]], a local legend in the [[United Kingdom]]. After befriending [[Sammy Harker]], and tangling with the Decepticons over the remains of the Man of Iron's ship, Optimus Prime and [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] were forced to destroy the ship and its inhabitants, not realizing that its [[Navigator]] knew the location of Cybertron. {{storylink|Man of Iron!}} Back at the Ark, after [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] suffered some sort of psychotic break and had ran off, Optimus Prime decided that hunting Brawn down was crucial, before he could harm any humans! After cornering Brawn, he threatened them with death, but he was quickly overwhelmed, and Optimus Prime carried Brawn's defeated body back to the Ark. In order to prove Brawn's loyalty, a showdown was orchestrated between him and the traitorous Decepticon, [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]. With the help of [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]]'s holograms, once Brawn had proved himself his death was faked, and the two factions returned to their respective bases. {{storylink|The Enemy Within!}} The Decepticons did not stay there for long, and suddenly a full-scale attack was launched on the Ark! Unfortunately, the Ark's computer systems, "[[Auntie]]", went berserk, and it fell to Optimus and Megatron to team up against the malfunctioning program. Megatron used his ability to tap into the power of a black hole, freeing them, [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] destroyed Auntie, and the Decepticons were forcibly ejected from the Ark. {{storylink|Raiders of the Last Ark}}''

[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] alerted Optimus Prime to information that Ratchet had uncovered from the Ark's databanks: millions of years ago, the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] battled [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] to a standstill. This raised some questions, but there was little Optimus Prime could do with this knowledge now. With a Decepticon attack imminent, and the Autobots dangerously low on fuel, Optimus Prime had a desperate gamble. Using the [[Tubes of Transference]], the combined remaining fuel was compiled into five of the strongest Autobots, himself, [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], Huffer, [[Bluestreak]], and [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]]. Sure enough, the Decepticons descended quickly upon them, but even though Prime was still low on fuel, he was still quick enough to grab Starscream out of the air! It was not enough to defeat Megatron, however, and his nemesis hoisted Prime's body over his head in complete victory. ...That is, until Megatron and the other Decepticons doubled over in pain. Sparkplug had poisoned the Decepticons' fuel! Unfortunately, Optimus Prime's subsequent speech was short as he and the other Autobots were blasted into pieces. Shockwave had awakened and returned. {{storylink|The Last Stand}}

[[Image:NewOrder-OptimusPrimehead.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Buster regretted the low volume on his Optimus Prime voice changer helmet.]]

Though the Decepticons had taken over the Ark, Ratchet was able to sneak Buster Witwicky inside, and the young human was startled to find Optimus Prime's decapitated head attached to machinery. {{storylink|The New Order}} Optimus Prime, in this weakened state, pleaded with Buster to detach two power cords and attach them to either side of the human's head. This released a tremendous amount of energy, transferring Optimus Prime's [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]] to the human, and Buster blacked out. After Buster awoke, he returned to Ratchet to tell him of Optimus Prime's defeat. {{storylink|The Worse of Two Evils!}} Ratchet had to see this for himself, and he was saddened to find out that Buster was correct. The Autobots were defeated, even including the mighty Optimus Prime! But Optimus would not let Ratchet give up or despair. He pushed Ratchet to action, telling him that even though Ratchet was nothing more than a doctor, now was the time for him to learn to be a warrior. {{storylink|Warrior School!}} Since Shockwave's return, he had wrested leadership of the Decepticons from Megatron, and so the former Decepticon leader was ordered by Shockwave to prepare to move Optimus Prime's head from the Ark to the Decepticons' base of operations within a [[Blackrock Industries]] aerospace plant. {{storylink|Repeat Performance!}}

Shockwave planned to use the Creation Matrix energies within Optimus Prime's head to give life to a new Decepticon army, despite Optimus Prime's obvious objections. Shockwave didn't know that he had transferred most of the energy to Buster Witwicky, so Optimus Prime took quiet solace in the fact that the last of his remaining energies would be used on only six new warriors. ''{{storylink|The Wrath of Guardian!}}'' {{storylink|DIS-Integrated Circuits!}}

[[Image:PrimeTime-Primewantsyou.jpg|thumb|right|250px|He's mad as hell, ain't he ain't gonna take your orders anymore!]]

Optimus Prime's head watched helplessly as Shockwave brought his [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] to life using the rest of Prime's stored Creation Matrix energies. But Shockwave realized something was wrong when Prime failed to give life to his next creation, [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]]. {{storylink|The Next Best Thing to Being There!}} Shockwave deduced what had happened, and so he sent Jetfire (who was still little more than a drone) out to capture Buster. Optimus Prime realized he had put Buster in tremendous risk, but thankfully Buster prevailed. However, with the Matrix energy spent, Prime was useless to Shockwave, and so the Decepticon leader made plans to dispose of the head. {{storylink|Brainstorm!}} In actuality, the head Shockwave disposed of was an impostor. Shockwave had learned that his headquarters were bugged, and so when the Autobots came to retrieve the head from a nearby swamp, the impostor head took control of Prime's body and turned on the Autobots. The day was saved only by the efforts of Buster, who was able to wrest control of Jetfire so that he could deliver the real head to its body. Once again whole, Prime retaliated against the Decepticons battling at the swamp, and one by one, they were destroyed. Shockwave himself arrived to battle Prime, but after they grappled, Shockwave was thrown into the swamps and disappeared. Instead of delivering a final blow, Optimus Prime rushed back to the plant to assure Buster's safety. The nightmare over, Prime transferred the Creation Matrix energies from Buster back into himself. {{storylink|Prime Time!}}

[[Image:Arkchristmastree.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Prime may reconsider his return to the Autobots.]]

''Optimus Prime's dignity restored with his head once again reunited with his body, Prime immediately dressed as Santa Claus to appease Buster's strong sense of [[Christmas]] spirit. {{storylink|Christmas Breaker!}}''

''Optimus Prime questioned his ability to lead after his recent series of trials when a fight broke out amongst the Autobots on whether to use the Creation Matrix to create an army of unstoppable robot monsters. His introspection was interrupted by the intrusion of Ravage. The spy was captured, but it was not known by the Autobots that this was part of a larger Decepticon plot. Ravage escaped easily, and when Bumblebee gave chase, the Autobot was captured by the Decepticons. His disembodied arm was dropped in front of the Ark by [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]], a gauntlet cast. Prime decided to go alone to Decepticon headquarters to rescue Bumblebee, despite the other Autobots' objections. Indeed, Prime bested the Decepticons one-by-one, felling them all, until he arrived, heavily damaged, in the chamber where Bumblebee was held. After making short work of Soundwave, Optimus Prime returned to the Autobots, determined to do things right from then on. {{storylink|Crisis of Command!}}''

''After Optimus Prime visited Bumblebee in the repair bay, the Autobots were surprised to attacked by the Dinobot [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]], who was thought to be dead. After reclaiming Swoop's mind from [[Professor P. Morris]], Swoop went berserk and left once more. After learning that the Dinobots all would suffer the same involuntary rage, Optimus Prime called for a Dinobot Hunt! {{storylink|The Icarus Theory}} Optimus Prime briefed the Autobots on the Dinobots and their nature and sent them to find the Dinobots in groups. Later, Optimus Prime traveled via [[Ark shuttlecraft]] to put a stop to a fight between Grimlock and Sludge that had claimed several Autobot and human injuries. Prime neutralized the rampaging Dinobots, but was saddened to hear that the Decepticons had seized the opportunity to steal large quantities of energy from the humans while the Autobots were kept busy. With the Dinobots in ruin and the Decepticons fueled, Optimus Prime's Autobots had suffered a major defeat. {{storylink|Dinobot Hunt!}} Optimus Prime later checked in with Ratchet, who was monitoring the comatose Dinobots. He implored Ratchet to find a way to save them from their constant nightmares. {{storylink|Victory!}}''

With the Autobot ranks drastically depleted, Optimus Prime gave life to Jetfire using the Creation Matrix, and performed on him the [[Rite of the Autobrand]]. He guided Jetfire through the Ark; first into Ratchet's repair bay, and next into [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]'s lab, where additional troops were being assembled. Optimus Prime assigned Bumblebee to train these new recruits, but ordered them not to engage the enemy. When the group stumbled onto a Decepticon plot to siphon energy from a [[Brick Springhorn]] concert, Optimus gathered every able Autobot to assist. However, Bumblebee had disobeyed orders and his rookies had successfully thwarted the Decepticons. {{storylink|Rock and Roll-Out!}}

When a human named [[Donny Finkleberg|Robot-Master]] appeared on television, claiming he controlled all Transformers, Optimus Prime led a team of Autobots into the [[Powder River Basin]] to prevent the human from getting hurt. Megatron, who had frozen, deactivated, at the bottom of the basin, was subsequently re-energized by Soundwave and his minions, and the combined might of their firepower and the human military's drove away Optimus and the Autobots in defeat. {{storylink|I, Robot-Master!}} Afterward, Bumblebee felt he had failed Optimus Prime due to his relative lack of size and strength, and so he ran away. When Optimus discovered that Bumblebee had become a target of interest for the Decepticons, Optimus hurriedly led another team of Autobots to rescue, an act that helped prove Bumblebee's worth to himself. {{storylink|Plight of the Bumblebee!}}

[[Image:RobotBuster-outofyourminds.jpg|right|thumb|250px|"There's ''no slaggin' way'' Mary-Kate is the cutest Olsen Twin!"]]

''Optimus Prime was absolutely appalled to discover that Wheeljack and Ratchet had built Buster Witwicky an armored suit to aid him in the battle against the Decepticons, asking them out right if they had lost their minds. Though Buster protested, noting that since he was trusted with holding the Creation Matrix he should be trusted with the suit as well, Optimus Prime ordered the armored suit destroyed. But Buster stole the armored suit under cover of night and attacked the Decepticon headquarters, plowing through the Decepticons until he reached Shockwave. Shockwave bested the human, but the arrival of Optimus Prime and the Autobots convinced Shockwave to spare his life. {{storylink|Robot Buster!}} Following this incident, Buster began having strange nightmares, and Optimus Prime suspected that these nightmares were induced by the Creation Matrix. {{storylink|Devastation Derby!}} Wanting to investigate these Creation Matrix-induced dreams, Optimus Prime and Buster were hooked up to machinery so that the human could share them. Optimus Prime and Buster witnessed strange five-robot combiners from each faction named [[Special Teams]], and awoke shouting their name. They had seen a vision of the next generation of Transformers... {{storylink|Second Generation!}}''

Meanwhile on Cybertron, a group of Autobots were happy to learn that Optimus Prime and his Autobots still lived. {{storylink|The Smelting Pool!}}

[[Image:CommandPerformances-Autobotsattack.jpg|left|thumb|300px|"Year Two toys, attack!"]]

In front of all the active Autobots, Optimus Prime and [[Grapple]] unveiled their secret project: [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]! Designed to be their last line of defense, Prime planned to leave Omega Supreme to guard the Ark while Prime led the Autobots to the Decepticon river basin headquarters to steal combiner technology from Devastator and promptly leave. The Dinobots scoffed at this plan, refusing to start a battle in which they were required to run away from, and so Grimlock and his Dinobots seceded from the Autobots. Though [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] raised concerns, Optimus Prime maintained that he had allowed for this. In fact, he allowed for everything save the interference of the humans, and after the mission was successfully pulled off, one human came after Skids for revenge. Optimus Prime regretfully had to leave Skids behind. {{storylink|Command Performances!}}

''Learning of the Dinobots' disastrous solo adventures, Optimus Prime wanted to disown them, but reluctantly acknowledged that they were necessary muscle for the team. Tragically, while speaking to the Autobots about their war thus far on Earth, he, Prowl, and Ratchet mysteriously vanished in a flash of light! {{storylink|Target: 2006}} They found themselves in a strange dimension called [[Limbo]], where they battled violent creatures. They soon allied with Shockwave, [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]], and [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]], who were also shunted into this dimension. The creatures' attack stopped only when Prime realized that they fed on their negative emotions. {{storylink|Distant Thunder!}} Upon his return, Optimus learned that they had been displaced by Autobots and Decepticons traveling from the future. {{storylink|Time Wars}}''

As Ratchet sealed up one of Prime's wounds, the Autobot commander was delighted to see Skids was alive, having returned to him along with [[Donny Finkleberg]] (previously the Robot-Master). They had news for him regarding the arrival of Autobot reinforcements from Cybertron, but they were interrupted by a news bulletin. [[Hoover Dam]] was being attacked by Decepticons, so Optimus Prime lept from the repair bay despite Ratchet's objections to call the new [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] into service. {{storylink|Aerialbots over America!}} Later Ratchet was able to finish sealing Prime's wound, but not before the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticon]] [[Bombshell]] was able to implant a [[cerebro-shell]] within Prime's body. Through this link, the Decepticons would be able to share use of the Creation Matrix to give life to new troops! The Aerialbots hadn't done well on their first outing, so as Optimus Prime reformatted them, Megatron gave life to the [[Stunticon]]s! {{storylink|Heavy Traffic!}}

''Optimus Prime observed the records of how poorly the Autobots performed in his absence in Limbo, specifically how they went so far as to seek leadership from Megatron out of sheer desperation. Optimus Prime began to consider whether he was too important to the Autobots, and if they could carry on should he fall. To alleviate his doubts, he and a reluctant [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] plotted to fake Prime's death to teach the Autobots how to fend for themselves. While Prime was setting up an impostor version of himself to leave behind destroyed for the Autobots to find, Megatron sent the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] to attack Prime. {{storylink|Prey!}}''

[[Image:HarderTheyDie-Iaconno.jpg|right|thumb|300px|You can't go home again.]]

''During the scuffle, Optimus and Megatron were transported to Cybertron, while Prime's counterfeit body, torn apart, was found by the Autobots. Optimus Prime surveyed Cybertron for the first time in four million years, and he couldn't believe how terrible it had fallen. Cities and buildings were cut to the ground, and even his beloved [[Iacon]] was in shambles. After Prime saved [[Outback]] from a roving Decepticon, the tiny Autobot followed him despite Prime's wishes to be alone. Unfortunately, Megatron (in league with [[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]]) had spread rumors that an imposter Optimus Prime had infiltrated Cybertron, which were readily believed due to Prime's four-million-year absence. Before too long, Prime was surrounded and shackled by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] and the [[Wrecker]]s! {{storylink|The Harder They Die!}} With Outback's help, Prime was able to escape, but not without Outback suffering mortal wounds. {{storylink|Under Fire!}} As Outback began to die in his arms, Prime told Outback of the time he, Prowl, and Ratchet were stuck in Limbo. His words were overheard by the Wreckers, but hearing Prime's words convinced [[Emirate Xaaron]] that this was in fact the real Optimus Prime! {{storylink|Distant Thunder!}}''

[[Image:Primefuneralnumberone.jpg|left|thumb|200px|He approved of it ''so much'' that when he died for real the next day, they instead shot him into space.]]

''The return of Optimus Prime was a welcome boost to the Autobot underground resistance. Not only did Autobot morale increase, but Decepticons were spooked at his very appearance! But after a few strategic victories, Prime knew he had to return to Earth. Prime and Ultra Magnus planned one last raid—they would siege [[Polyhex]] and destroy Megatron! But Megatron's "eccentricities" had become too much for Cybertron's Decepticons to handle, and in the middle of their battle, all three were whisked away to Earth by the [[space bridge]]. Optimus Prime appeared before the Autobots just as they had finished their Earth-inspired burial of the impostor body he had left behind. {{storylink|Resurrection!}}''

[[Image:Afterdeath-gameoverman.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Game over, man! Game over!]]

The Autobots had been monitoring the humans' creation of [[Power Station Alpha]], and Optimus Prime, sensing its completion would need closer inspection, sent Bumblebee to its unveiling. {{storylink|Blood on the Tracks}} Optimus Prime met an anticlimactic end in a gambit for [[Energy Futures Industries]]' [[Hydrothermocline]]. He and the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] agreed to fight Megatron and the [[Combaticon]]s in a simulated, virtual world named ''[[Multi-World]]''. But when Megatron cheated, Prime resorted to killing virtual beings to gain the upper hand, and despite his victory Prime believed he had truly lost. Before their eyes, the human [[Ethan Zachary]] detonated Optimus Prime's body, as was previously agreed. In secret, Ethan secured away a [[floppy disk]] that held a copy of Optimus Prime's mind. {{storylink|Afterdeath!}} Meanwhile, [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] had been sent to investigate Bumblebee's destruction at the hands of [[G.I. Joe]], but he was recalled in the middle of this altercation when it was discovered that Optimus Prime had been "assassinated". {{storylink|Power Struggle}}

Optimus Prime's death unhinged Megatron further. The Decepticon leader simply couldn't believe that his eternal foe was truly dead, and he began blowing up random trucks. Megatron's paranoia grew so much that he blew up the Space Bridge with himself on it. {{storylink|Gone but Not Forgotten!}} Ratchet's subsequent efforts to restore Optimus Prime were unsuccessful, and after much grieving, Optimus Prime's body was launched into space as per Cybertronian custom. Omega Supreme presided over his funeral, and both he and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] gave eulogies. {{storylink|Funeral for a Friend!}} {{storylink|Ashes, Ashes...}}

In front of a holographic image of Optimus Prime's head, the surviving Autobots tried to choose a new leader. Optimus Prime's replacement would be like him: a great warrior, wise, compassionate, kind, and courageous. As luck would have it, Grimlock chose exactly that moment to show all of those qualities for the first and only time in his life. {{storylink|King of the Hill!}}

Optimus Prime's funeral barge eventually crashed on a giant moon of [[VsQs]], where it lay for untold time. {{storylink|Dark Creation}}

[[Image:Ethanzacharypretendertothethrone.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Reaching level 70 was a momentous occasion.]]

Years passed as [[Ethan Zachary]], who still possessed the floppy disk that contained a copy of Optimus Prime's mind, tried to coax it into full sentience. This copy of Optimus Prime believed he was a video game character and nothing more, despite Ethan Zachary's constant prodding. Ethan thought he finally had a chance to jolt Prime back to his old self when he was investigated by [[Bumblebee (G1)|Goldbug]]. The two put Optimus Prime in charge of a real team of Autobots, the [[Pretender]]s, and the disk copy Prime led them in battle against Decepticon Pretenders. Prime's delusions were unshaken. {{storylink|Pretender to the Throne!}} Goldbug took the disk with him, and attempts to rebuild Optimus Prime ended in failure. An argument over supreme Autobot leadership erupted between Grimlock's earthbound Autobots and a group of Autobots who had just arrived from [[Nebulos]] under the leadership of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. Ultimately, Fortress Maximus realized that Optimus Prime was the true leader of the Autobots, not anyone else, and so he sent Goldbug, [[Joyride (Autobot)|Joyride]], [[Slapdash]], and [[Getaway]] back to Nebulos where the technology existed to fully restore Optimus Prime to life. {{storylink|Totaled!}}

[[Image:PeoplePower-reprogrammed.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Seriously, Prime's been playing WoW waaaay too long.]]

It wasn't quite so simple, however. Fortress Maximus's Autobots had left Nebulos in ruin, and the planet poisoned its fuel supply so that robots could never return and wage war. A loophole was found, however, in the [[Powermaster]] process, created by the scientist [[Hi-Q]]. As luck would have it, Hi-Q was the exact person Goldbug was searching for to rebuild Optimus Prime, but the scientist refused on the grounds that he would be reintroducing the war to his planet—and he didn't believe the Transformers were any more than clever yet unsentient machines. Optimus Prime was rebuilt anyway, even though he wouldn't live very long at all without unpoisoned fuel. Hi-Q changed his mind on the sentience of Transformers when he saw the rebuilt Optimus Prime (shocked out of his video game persona delusions) interact with Goldbug. Hi-Q underwent the Powermaster process himself to save Optimus Prime's life, and Powermaster Optimus Prime was able to defeat two Powermaster-enhanced Decepticons, [[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]] and [[Darkwing]]. Optimus Prime and his crew left Nebulos with their new Nebulon partners. {{storylink|People Power!}}

Prime quickly proved himself to be a fool, for he dared to ignore [[Rorza, the Rocket-cycle Racer from Rigel III]]. {{storylink|The Cosmic Carnival!}}

''Before reuniting with the other Earthbound Autobots, Optimus Prime and the other Powermasters took a [[Ark shuttlecraft|shuttle]] to Earth on [[Christmas]] Day. Optimus Prime, seeing Earth's frozen wasteland, wondered why he even cared about the Earth in the first place, much less fought desperately to defend it. But after recalling the events that first brought him there, he remembered that it was his fault that the Ark crashed there four million years ago, and so any pain and suffering caused by the Transformers' war was his burden. {{storylink|Cold Comfort and Joy!}}''

Once Optimus Prime had assumed command of the Autobots orbiting Earth aboard the Ark, he learned via television about the Decepticons' baffling island vacation resort, [[Club Con]]. Optimus Prime sent Blaster to investigate. {{storylink|Club Con!}}

[[Image:TimeWars-OptimusPrimeentersthefray.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Enter a new challenger!]]

''Despite a mysterious disruption in time and space that threatened all reality, due to [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]'s adventures in his own past (which was Prime's present), Optimus Prime halted a conference on the matter to rescue [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]]. While Highbrow apologized for interrupting more important matters, he, Optimus Prime, and a few other Autobots were displaced to Limbo once again, allowing [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] and other Autobots from the future to investigate the mysterious disruption. The other present-day Autobots thought Optimus Prime and the others had been disintegrated, and so attacked the "impostor" Autobots under Rodimus Prime's command, but Optimus spoke to them through Rodimus Prime's Matrix and calmed them down. A crazed yet seemingly unbeatable Galvatron attacked them, and Optimus Prime debated whether he should leave Limbo and team up with Rodimus against him, even though two Matrix-bearers coexisting at the same time would accelerate the timestorm's destruction of reality. Eventually, Optimus decided to ignore the dangers, and he materialized through Rodimus Prime's Matrix, but even he was unable to defeat Galvatron. Finally, Galvatron himself was eaten by the timestorm, and Scourge and the body of Cyclonus were also fed to it, which caused the timestorm to subside temporarily. Rodimus Prime promised to Optimus Prime that he would destroy all time machines when he returned to the future. {{storylink|Time Wars}}''

[[Image:Fortmaxboat.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Prime's not back five minutes and he's already using the previous leader as his personal boat.]]

Optimus Prime and Fortress Maximus accompanied Blaster to where Club Con used to be located, but it had been relocated by then. Prime assured [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] that the search for his brother Buster, who had been kidnapped by the Decepticons, would continue. {{storylink|Cold War!}} Sure enough, a distress signal in the Arctic led the Autobots to Buster, but also to a Decepticon ambush! After several Autobots were incapacitated, the battle stopped when it was discovered that this had all been arranged by Starscream, who had launched into space to seize the powers of the long lost [[Underbase]]. As the Autobots and Decepticons formed a loose alliance to stop Starscream, Optimus Prime warned that he learned when he was young that fully possessing the Underbase led madness or death. Starscream was stopped before he could absorb all of the Underbase, but he had absorbed enough of it to be able to destroy the Decepticons' island spacecraft in which the two factions were traveling. Thankfully, Optimus Prime had thought ahead and had the Ark follow them there in case of an emergency.

Several teams of allied Autobots and Decepticons followed Starscream to Earth to stop him, but Optimus Prime insisted that he stay behind on the Ark to work on a plan on his own. [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] and [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] had growing suspicions that the Autobot leader was really trying to claim the rest of the Underbase for himself, and they snuck on board as the Transformers on Earth were being shut down en masse by Starscream. Unfortunately for Optimus, they caught him while Hi-Q was disconnected from him, and so he was drastically overpowered. Optimus revealed to Scorponok that he was not trying to possess the Underbase... rather, he had been working on a rocket to deflect the Underbase towards Earth. He knew Starscream would try to absorb the rest, and sure enough, Starscream did—growing in size and power before their eyes. But possession of the Underbase resulted in madness ''and'' death, and Starscream's massive body exploded. Scorponok apologized for his bad appraisal of Optimus Prime's intentions, and the two commanders resolved to cease fighting so that they could gather their wounded and resume the fight another day. {{storylink|Dark Star (issue)|Dark Star}}

Now that Buster had been reclaimed from the Decepticons, Spike told Optimus Prime that he felt his obligation to the Autobots was over. Prime reluctantly let Spike go, but told him that he was more attached to Fortress Maximus than he knew. {{storylink|The Man in the Machine!}} Not only was now Fortress Maximus out of commission, but the Autobots had suffered incredible losses at the hands of the Underbase-powered Starscream. Optimus Prime assigned [[Cloudburst]] and [[Landmine (G1)|Landmine]] to purchase microchips on the black market at [[Grand Central Space Station]], knowing their Pretender shells would allow them to hide their robotic forms from the robotophobic aliens there. {{storylink|Guess Who the Mecannibals Are Having for Dinner?}} Cloudburst and Landmine reached an ethical impasse involving the microchips, and so Optimus Prime reached out to Cybertron for reinforcements. He called upon the [[Micromaster]]s, specifically the [[Race Car Patrol]] and [[Off Road Patrol]], to investigate some Decepticon-originated weather problems in [[New York City]]. Hi-Q worried that the Micromasters were unreliable punks, but they were able to prove themselves against the Decepticons in the end, though they refused to join the Autobots proper. {{storylink|King Con!}}

[[Image:Doubledealerofthecentury.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Optimus Prime is also corresponding with a cash-strapped Nicaraguan prince...]]

''The Race Car Patrol accompanied Prime on a more rural mission: receiving stolen Autobot resistance plans couriered by [[Chainclaw]]. But a Decepticon, [[Doubledealer|Dealer]], abducted Chainclaw before he could deliver them, and offered the plans back to Prime as a ransom. Optimus Prime accepted, and a new Autobot named [[Doubledealer|Double]] offered to deliver the Energon payment himself. But Double never made it, and he returned to Optimus defeated with Chainclaw's injured form, having been "ransacked" by "the Decepticons". {{storylink|(Double) Deal of the Century!}}

''Optimus Prime lamented that he could no longer use the Creation Matrix to heal his fallen troops, as the Matrix was inside his old body which had been shot into space; the Autobots did not know the Matrix was in Optimus Prime's chest to remove. On cue, a being who called himself [[Deathbringer]] appeared on Earth, and it was seemingly powered by a piece of the Creation Matrix! Death Bringer proved to be invulnerable, but Optimus Prime couldn't bring himself to harm something that held the essence of the Matrix anyhow. But after enough destruction, Optimus Prime was finally able to defeat it with help from [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]], who convinced it to self-destruct in concordance with its primary function. {{storylink|Deathbringer (issue)|Deathbringer}}'' {{storylink|Dark Creation}}

''Thunderwing led a seemingly suicidal assault on the Ark, entirely for the purpose of seeking revenge against his defeat at the hands of Nightbeat, [[Siren]], and [[Hosehead]]. Optimus Prime took Thunderwing on, berating him for having more courage than sense. True to Prime's words, Thunderwing's own troops dragged him away. {{storylink|Assault on the Ark!}}''

Optimus Prime ordered Ratchet to get some downtime, fearing his overworked medic (and friend) was losing his grip on sanity. Soon after, Optimus Prime saw news reports of the Micromaster [[Air Strike Patrol]] holding [[MacDill Air Force Base]] hostage, so he took the largest ensemble of troops down to Earth he could muster, given the Autobots' depleted ranks. {{storylink|Back from the Dead}} As he told the Micromasters to surrender or face the consequences, he received a transmission from Ratchet, back at the Ark, but [[Storm Cloud (G1)|Storm Cloud]] fired at Prime's communicator before the message could be completed. This enraged Optimus Prime, who began to suspect grander, more sinister things at work behind the scenes. Optimus Prime had been led to a staged battle, but before he could leave, Scorponok and his Decepticons also arrived, itching for a fight! But after the circumstances of the day, Optimus Prime wasn't about to deny them the opportunity, and he fought back with shocking, cold fury that baffled even Scorponok. The humans at the Air Force base called out Prime on his reckless violence, and Prime apologized for his outburst. {{storylink|The Resurrection Gambit!}}

Since Optimus Prime knew the battle was staged, he scaled back his troops accordingly, and ordered them to return to the Ark and leave him behind. [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] refused and stayed behind, helping Optimus Prime fend off the hordes of Decepticons who had attacked him. But Optimus Prime stopped Hot Rod short of firing on [[Zarak (Nebulan)|Lord Zarak]], as Optimus Prime had begun to appeal to his sense of logic. Someone was pulling the strings! Scorponok hesitated, but before an agreement could be reached, they were confronted by an old enemy thought defeated—Starscream! {{storylink|All the Familiar Faces!}}

Though Starscream's performance started out impressive, he soon began to show his true cowardly colors, and so both factions again parted ways. Once again Optimus Prime turned his thoughts towards Ratchet... {{storylink|Skin Deep}}

[[Image:YesterdaysHeroes-Whyyyy.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Meanwhile, nobody mourns poor [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]].]]

...but it was too late! Ratchet had sacrificed himself to destroy Megatron, the orchestrator behind the events at MacDill Air Force Base. Optimus Prime was overcome with grief, and he decided to stop fighting altogether. After parking the Ark on Earth's moon, he walked out on its surface, apparently never to return again. This, of course, caused the Autobots to worry about the future of their cause, and Hot Rod quickly threw together a risky plan to win Prime back. He plotted a "rampage" by an "out-of-control" [[Mark V Guardian Droid]] to whisk Prime back into fighting shape, but when the droid truly went out of control, the plan worked just a little too well. Prime came to his senses, returned to the Ark, and destroyed the droid, but not before several Autobots suffered genuine injury. {{storylink|Yesterday's Heroes!}}

Meanwhile, their creator, [[Primus]] had awakened within Cybertron, alerting his enemy [[Unicron]] to its location. Since the only thing that could stop Unicron was the Creation Matrix, and the Creation Matrix had been shot into space inside Optimus Prime's funeral barge, Prime and Emirate Xaaron assembled several teams of Autobots to scour a specific star system in which the funeral barge likely would have landed. {{storylink|Bird of Prey!}} Though Optimus Prime was never very comfortable with the mystical side of the Creation Matrix, he approached an altar aboard the Ark and was given a vision of a Matrix corrupted by evil and imminent oblivion! {{storylink|Kings of the Wild Frontier}} After several dead ends, the Prime's funeral barge and the Creation Matrix were found on the barren moon of [[VsQs]]. Optimus Prime and Hot Rod went together to meet the [[All-Terrain Turbo-Transport]] as it landed, but were shocked to realize that Autobots were not delivering the Matrix at all! No, they were face to face with Lord Thunderwing, the Creation Matrix's next vessel! {{storylink|Dark Creation}}

[[Image:AllFallDown-andweshallwin.jpg|left|thumb|300px|"The sky will open. The lights will come down. Celestial choirs will be singing and everyone will know we should do the right thing and the world will be perfect!"]]

Powered by the corrupted energies of the Matrix, Thunderwing was unstoppable. Even so, Optimus Prime pleaded for his troops to avoid trying to damage Thunderwing, for the Matrix was their only chance to destroy Unicron! After numerous losses were incurred, however, Optimus Prime decided to forgo the soft touch, and the Autobot leader let loose his full fury on the possessed Decepticon leader. More and more, the Matrix assumed control of Thunderwing, even taking control of his mind, but Prime could not make Thunderwing notice he was losing control of his own body. Thunderwing was not stopped by Prime's strength or by logic or reason, but by the cunning of Nightbeat. Nightbeat harpooned Thunderwing to the All-Terrain Turbo-Transport, shut off the artificial gravity systems, and Thunderwing and the transport were flung out into space. Thunderwing and the Matrix were presumed destroyed when the transport's self-destruct activated. Despite this seemingly catastrophic loss, Optimus Prime vowed to never give hope or give in to evil. With good on their side, they would ultimately prevail! {{storylink|...All Fall Down!}}

[[Image:PriceofLife-Icannot.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Optimus Prime is firmly against the Right to Die movement.]]

With the Matrix out of the picture, Optimus Prime fell to another prophecy, one that claimed that Unicron could be destroyed if all Transformers worked together as one. That would be impossible so long as the war continued, so Prime announced his intentions to surrender the Autobots to the Decepticons on Earth. Unsurprisingly, this was met with hostility. Optimus Prime was also still hung up on Ratchet's death, and had assigned Nightbeat to investigate it. Nightbeat suggested that Ratchet and Megatron may still be alive in [[Unspace]], the dimension that serves as a middleman between transdimensional portal openings. Nightbeat was correct, but there were complications. He was able to pull Ratchet out of Unspace, but Ratchet had been fused molecularly with Megatron into one frightening creature! {{storylink|Eye of the Storm!}} Optimus Prime refused to let anyone harm the creature. This caused even more complications when the creature, unchecked, began to tear apart the Ark's engine systems. [[Kup (G1)|Kup]], Prime's security officer, warned him that if he didn't put the creature down, he would personally remove Prime from command. Optimus Prime reluctantly approached the creature, intending to kill it, but when the half that was Ratchet put the barrel of Prime's gun to its own head, begging Prime to kill it, Optimus Prime had second thoughts. He ordered [[Fixit]] to separate the two, even though Megatron would survive. Worse, one could not survive without the other. This did not please Kup and the others. {{storylink|The Price of Life!}}

True to his word, Optimus Prime surrendered his Autobots to Scorponok's Decepticons, stationed in the [[New Jersey (Earth)|New Jersey]] swamps. The Decepticons were enjoying this turn of events a little too much, which drew an outburst from Kup. Optimus Prime tried to tell Kup to have patience, but Kup reminded him that the Optimus Prime he knew would never back down, never surrender, no matter what the cost! But no matter, the deed was done, and Optimus Prime and the Autobots were escorted into cells. After a while, Optimus Prime began to suspect that Scorponok didn't really want to talk about an alliance against Unicron at all, and was ignoring the long term to satisfy his short term problems with commanding respect amongst his troops. Optimus Prime knocked aside Soundwave, his guard, and found Kup and Hot Rod. Unfortunately, Kup wouldn't be so easily rounded up, citing Prime's recent problems. But Prime pleaded to him at length, noting that for a warrior race, perhaps surrender took the most courage of all! Kup quietly admitted Prime was right, and the three Autobots burst into Scorponok's quarters, where Scorponok's body had been stowed, leaving Lord Zarak and Bludgeon mostly vulnerable. Zarak and Hot Rod grabbed a hostage each, but Prime ordered both sides to stand down. They had to begin trusting each other, if they were to team up against Unicron. Optimus Prime and Scorponok were once again about to reach an agreement when they were once again interrupted! A splinter team of Decepticons, led by Shockwave and Starscream, attacked the Decepticons' underground base, causing it to implode. {{storylink|Surrender!}}

Optimus Prime's immediate concern was damage control—and not just towards the humans in nearby New York City, but to the fragile alliance that was nearly formed! He and Nighbeat left to keep Scorponok and Shockwave's feud from reaching New York, but the fight was accelerated with the arrival of [[G.B. Blackrock]]'s new superhuman team, the [[Neo-Knights]]! {{storylink|...All This and Civil War 2}} Their best chance at securing the alliance was keeping Scorponok alive, but [[Circuit Breaker]] was making it very difficult. Finally, once Shockwave was out of the picture, Optimus Prime and Scorponok once again (again) went to shake hands... {{storylink|Out of Time!}} when all Earthbound Transformers were all whisked away by Primus to Cybertron. Primus spoke to them through the glowing body of Emirate Xaaron, telling them of the eternal conflict between himself and Unicron. Primus also selected Optimus Prime to be the Transformers' leader, which caught the attention of a hidden sect of [[Unicron cultist]]s. While Scorponok confided in Prime that he was scared, the two were jumped by the cultists. Scorponok, the Autobots, and even the rest of the Decepticon army came to Prime's rescue, and it seemed the alliance was finally forged. ...Till, at least, Kup pointed out that Unicron himself was hovering over the planet, ready for attack. Prime took the opportunity to double over in debilitating pain, a condition he had been hiding from the Autobots for some time. {{storylink|The Void! (US)|The Void!}}

[[Image:EdgeofExtinction-sothatallmaylive.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Prime's been reading his [[Jesus|New Testament]].]]

Kup and Getaway tried to push Prime along, but the force of Unicron's claws punching into the surface of Cybertron sent them reeling. Just the sheer impossible size of Unicron paralyzed Optimus Prime and Scorponok with fear and awe. Primus, still using Emirate Xaaron's body as an avatar, tried to intervene, but was destroyed; Optimus Prime cried out in loss. Optimus Prime was not shaken into action until a [[Galvatron II|brave, unidentified soldier]] attacked Unicron singlehandledly and was swatted away. The Autobot leader charged into action, but their attacks had little effect. Scorponok was among the casualties, and Optimus Prime waited with the melted body of his former foe until death. Scorponok, having martyred himself, asked Optimus Prime if he "did good". Optimus Prime nodded, called him his friend, and finally Scorponok passed away. Unfortunately, it was Optimus Prime's turn. A Matrix-possessed Thunderwing had suddenly returned, but although Thunderwing's body was completely disintegrated by Unicron, that left the Matrix itself unaccounted for. Prime ejected Hi-Q from his chest, knowing this next act would kill him. He seized the Matrix, fought its corruption, and plunged himself and the Matrix into Unicron's maw. Unicron exploded. {{storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}}

[[Image:EndOfTheRoad-itcanitis.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Gotta sell that one last toy!]]

The Transformers' ultimate battle was won, but the cost was high! What was left of Optimus Prime's body was found, and he was amazingly still holding on to life, thanks to the Matrix energy that he'd absorbed. But he hadn't much longer, so he pulled Prowl close to him and told him that Grimlock would lead the Autobots. Prime died (again), and Prowl screamed in agony. But before too long, after the Powermaster absorbed [[Nucleon]] energy from Grimlock, Hi-Q announced that ''he'' was Optimus Prime! {{storylink|Still Life!}} Since Cybertron was threatening to break apart after the stress of Unicron's attack, Hi-Q and the other Neo-Knights were packed up on a ship meant to escape the planet. But Hi-Q had other ideas. {{storylink|Exodus!}} He persuaded the Neo-Knights to stay on the dying planet and search for the [[Last Autobot]], explaining that the pains Optimus Prime were feeling before he died were the start of a larger metamorphosis. If Prime had lived, the Powermaster process would have eventually merged the two into one, but it continued on even with Prime dead. Thankfully for the Neo-Knights, Hi-Q was not crazy, and they stumbled across the storage chamber for the Last Autobot. {{storylink|The Last Autobot?}}

The Last Autobot set in motion the planet's healing process and took interest in Hi-Q. A new robotic body was forged around Hi-Q's, and he and Optimus Prime were truly combined into one being! Optimus Prime, fully reborn as an [[Action Master]], took the Neo-Knights and the Last Autobot to [[Klo]], where the final battle was taking place. The Autobots had been dwindled to just five of their number, and the Decepticons were approaching total victory, when Optimus Prime miraculously returned. Optimus Prime ushered in a new age of peace and harmony by shoving his fists through the Decepticons' heads and torsos, and with some resurrection help from the Last Autobot, the dead Autobots were restored and the Decepticons were forced to flee. The war finally over, Optimus Prime told his fellow Autobots that they'd help Klo rebuild... and then they'd finally go home! {{storylink|End of the Road! (US)|End of the Road!}}
{{-}}

=====Marvel UK future timelines=====
''In an alternate timeline, Optimus Prime still maintained his Powermaster body in 1995. When a feminist group on Earth raised complaints that all the Autobots seemed to fit male archetypes, Optimus tried to appease them in the name of public relations. Unfortunately, his "appeasement" came in the form of a powder pink token Autobot female named [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]]. That...didn't go over well. {{storylink|Prime's Rib!}}''

''Years later, in 2004, Prime was back in his original Earthen appearance. While attending the grand opening of Autobot City on Earth, the Autobots came under fire from Shockwave and his Decepticons. Optimus Prime and the Autobots bravely used their bodies as shields to protect their human guests until the Decepticons were driven off. {{storylink|Aspects of Evil!}}''

=====Earthforce=====
{{earthforcefiction}}
[[Image:Primevsgrimlockbreakaway.jpg|left|200px|thumb|That's got to be theraputic.]]
''While dealing with the oncoming threat of Unicron, Optimus Prime came under a great deal of stress and began actively berating [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] and his newly reactivated Dinobots for their more brutal methods of combating the enemy. {{storylink|Two Steps Back!}} This reprimand prompted Grimlock to offer his resignation from the Autobot army. Tempers got heated, and the two Autobots actually started brawling with one another in the conference room. After a few minutes of furious fighting, however, Prime and Grimlock effectively beat some sense into each other. Optimus Prime decided to take the Ark and its crew out into space, leaving Grimlock behind to command an "Earthforce" of Autobots, dedicated to protecting the planet in his absence. {{storylink|Break-Away!}}''

''Optimus Prime returned briefly for an inspection after the Autobot Earthbase was completed, and the Dinobots barely managed to keep him from learning about the berserker rages which plague [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] every few million years. {{storylink|The 4,000,000 Year Itch!}} He also oversaw the reconstruction of [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] in Wheeljack's repair bay, leaving the vain Autobot under Grimlock's command before returning to space. {{storylink|Makin' Tracks!}}''
{{-}}

=====Another Time and Place=====
{{note|This text story was later [[Retcon|retconned]] away by the events of ''[[Generation 2 (Marvel Comics)|Generation 2]]''.}}

[[Image:TFAnnual1991rip.JPG|left|thumb|200px|They will keep each half in separate BFF lockets.]]

After Klo, the Autobots returned to Cybertron in an effort to rebuild the planetary government and resources. Optimus Prime naturally took the lead in these endeavours, but matters weighed heavily on his spark. The [[Nucleon]]-soaked Hi-Q at the core of his new body was one thing, reducing Prime to a non-transforming "[[Action Master|Actionmaster]]" like many of his fellow Autobots. But more importantly, Optimus Prime feared that the newfound peace on Cybertron would not last. He desperately wanted his soldiers to stop being soldiers, yet was petrified that something might come along and disturb their inactivity. This trepidation kept Optimus from stopping Grimlock from jetting off on an ill-advised mission to [[Hydrus Four]] in search of a way to reverse the Nucleon process, and he even refused to listen to Prowl when he reported that Grimlock took off to Hydrus Four anyway. Prowl struck a chord, however, when he pointed out that if he could track Grimlock's destination, so could the Decepticons. Shamed by Prowl's rebuke, Optimus Prime soon pushed aside his recalcitrance and assembled a strike team to go after the Dinobots.

On Hydrus Four, the Autobots discovered the Decepticons had taken over the medical facility with the Nucleon supply, and taken the Dinobots hostage. It seemed Bludgeon had a plan for the Nucleon, using it to recreate Megatron himself. With a surgical strike, however, they managed to free the Dinobots and take the fight to the enemy. Optimus confronted Bludgeon himself in battle, but was saved when Grimlock suddenly charged through and struck the Decepticon leader in dino-mode. It turned out the Nucleon process could be reversed after all! After that, all Prime and Grimlock had to do was tear apart the zombie-like, half-revived Megatron. Piece o' cake. {{storylink|Another Time and Place}}
{{-}}

====''Generation 2''====
[[Image:Optimusprime-g2.jpg|right|250px|thumb|More apocalyptic visions than you can shake a covenant at.]]

As time passed, with the Decepticons supposed in exile and Cybertron at peace, the Autobots functionally disbanded. They scattered across the galaxies, with many retiring in peace while others continued to fight for peace among other civilizations they came across. The time came when Optimus Prime was called back into the skirmish, alongside his honor guard of [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] and [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]], when Grimlock and his combat unit discovered a greater [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronian Empire]] that had sprouted up without their noticing it. These next generation Decepticons, led by the Liege Centuro [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]], would conquer world after world using terraforming and exo-structuring processes to remake raw materials into a new Cybertron for their use. Optimus Prime, Grimlock and their "Dirty Dozen" of Autobots began a small resistance movement against Jhiaxus and his people, but realized they were out of their depth. As the call went out to reassemble the Autobot army en masse, Prime worried that they were still missing some greater threat—he had begun experiencing visions of an unknown peril that was heading their way, and wasn't sure if even the united Autobots would be enough to deal with it. {{storylink|War Without End!}}

Until he could identify this secondary threat, Prime ordered the Autobots to remain inactive at an Autobase built into a small asteroid belt. But certainly Grimlock was having none of that. He grabbed a sizeable percentage of their displaced warriors who had already arrived and headed out after Jhiaxus and his flagship, [[Twilight]]. Naturally, they got in over their heads. Prime grabbed some of his personal soldiers (Hot Rod, Kup, Prowl, [[Hound (G1)|Hound]]) and hijacked a strike ship to get close enough to Twilight for a rescue mission. Once Grimlock and his men were sent out on a prison vessel, Optimus blasted the ship just enough to cause chaos, and give Grimlock enough time to overtake the crew. {{storylink|Devices and Desires! (Marvel)|Devices and Desires!}}

Surprisingly enough, he gave Grimlock no rebuke once they met up again—in fact, Prime put the Dinobot commander in charge of the entire army! In order to fully understand the visions of impending doom he was receiving, Optimus Prime decided he needed to return to Cybertron itself, to help "cut through the static" that was garbling whatever message the Matrix was trying to send him. Engaging in a quasi-mystical ritual to expand his psychic boundaries, Optimus cast himself mentally back through time to witness the birth of the first Transformers, [[Prima]], as he rose from the living structure of Cybertron itself. What he saw next, however, was astonishing—Cybertronians birthing new Cybertronians themselves, causing living metal to burst forth from them in a bio-morphic reproduction process called "[[Reproduction#Budding|budding]]". Primus had apparently allowed this only up till a point, allowing the race to evolve in stages before discontinuing the ability and the memory of it from his progeny. Jhiaxus and his new Cybertronians, however, were the end result of some Decepticons somehow relearning the budding process. They were stronger, yes, and perhaps more evolved physically, but their souls, their sparks, were distilled too many times over. Optimus Prime awoke from his trance, believing he had come to understand the threat he sensed: the fractioning of his species. Little did he know that the threat was far less philosophical, and far more tangible, than he realized. {{storylink|The Power and the Glory}}

When word reached Prime that Megatron had resurfaced on Earth, he jumped at the idea of joining forces with the original Decepticons to face off against the Cybertronian Empire. Travelling to Earth alone, Optimus approached Megatron with the intent to talk. Instead, Megatron blasted him from behind, beat him to a pulp, ionized his every circuit, and then ripped out his chest and siphoned away the power of the Matrix. So no, the talking didn't go too well. Prime only survived due to Grimlock's talent for insubordination, as the Dinobot leader brought a massive strike team down to save their fallen leader before Megatron finished him off. Still, as the Autobots dragged Prime away to receive repair treatment, he knew Megatron would be back—Optimus had stuttered out enough information about "new Decepticons" to pique his old foe's interest, and once Megatron went after them and bit off more than he could chew, they'd meet again. {{storylink|The Gathering Darkness}}

In this, at least, Optimus Prime knew Megatron all too well. Only days later a heavily battered and bruised Megatron wandered into Autobase: Earth, looking for that alliance Prime had offered. {{storylink|Escalation!}} With new allies, things were looking up for Prime until the unthinkable happened. His visions of death and apocalypse finally came true as the Autobots came across a devastated world looking almost identical to the images he had been experiencing. Optimus now realized his visions were not metaphorical in nature, and almost drew the conclusion himself before [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]]'s science team completed their analysis of the genocide—it was their fault. More specifically, some by-product of the Cybertronian race had been formed by the budding process which created Jhiaxus and the Cybertronian Empire, an animate entity that scoured the cosmos of its own design. Before more data and analysis could be had, however, Jhiaxus and his troops arrived on Earth seeking to end their ancestors once and for all. {{storylink|Swarm (issue)|Swarm}}

[[Image:Megatrong2idiot.jpg|left|thumb|250px|No, no, shoot at ''each other''!]]

Once again seeking compromise, Optimus Prime took Megatron in an attempt to reacquire the Decepticon [[Warworld]] and use it to force Jhiaxus to see reason, that they faced a common and perhaps unbeatable foe in this "[[Swarm (G2)|Swarm]]". His efforts were more than a little delayed, however, by the ever-treacherous [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]. That Decepticon schemer had sold them out to Jhiaxus in the first place, but then came aboard Warworld and merged with it and the power of the Creation Matrix Megatron had been housing there. {{storylink|Total War!}} Still, Optimus Prime managed to reach a communications console, and begged Jhiaxus for an audience to discuss the impending threat which was bearing down on them all. As badly as Prime's last attempt to "just talk" with an enemy went, this time it went much worse, as Jhiaxus responded by ordering the orbital bombardment and destruction of the human city of San Francisco. Millions of lives wiped out in an instant. And before Prime could even attempt to respond or try again, the Swarm itself arrived in orbit. {{storylink|Dark Shadows!}}

[[Image:Jhiaxusyouhavedestroyedme.jpg|right|thumb|200px|"Do you like me? Check (yes) or (no)."]]

As bad as things were, a silver lining did develop—Starscream proved too much of a "pedestrian villain" to actually corrupt the Matrix as had happened in the past. Instead, it was actually turning him more heroic, giving him selfless and self-sacrificing urges! Not wanting to be a hero, much less a dead hero, Starscream willingly relinquished the Matrix to Optimus Prime. In yet another effort at unity and compromise, Prime took a skysled over to Jhiaxus's flagship, Twilight, in order to talk the Liege Centuro into working with the Autobots and Decepticons to commune with the Swarm.

[[Image:RageInHeaven-HeroPrime.jpg|left|thumb|100px|He really does like to push the new toy at the last possible moment.]]

Instead, Jhiaxus tore off his face.

The formerly icy Cybertronian had been driven completely off his rocker by the extended conflict with his ancestors, and was now little more than a mad dog pounding away at Optimus Prime. The brutality only ended when the Swarm entered Twilight and consumed Jhiaxus utterly. At this point, Optimus had reasoned that the Swarm was merely a void, searching for something to complete the emptiness inside it. With desperate reasoning, Prime allowed the Swarm to assail him, hoping that he (and the Matrix inside him) would prove to be what it was searching for. His body ravaged to the point of total disintegration, Optimus Prime still managed to make mental contact with the Swarm as it consumed him, and expose it to the will of Primus. Having successfully purified the Swarm, Optimus Prime rematerialized in a new, more powerful body. In the aftermath, in front of the cheering masses, Prime declared a new age of peace and enlightenment.

Privately, however, Prime knew that [[Furmanism|it never ends]]... {{storylink|A Rage in Heaven!}}
{{-}}

====''Classics''====
{{note|The Classics comic takes place after the end of the original Marvel Comic, but in a new timeline that does not include the events of the Marvel UK-exclusive stories or ''Generation 2''.}}

[[Image:Classicscomicautobots.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"All right, do-over. This time I'll skip the visions of doom, and you won't get yourself tangled up with Cobra. Deal?"]]

After the war ended on Klo, Optimus Prime returned to Cybertron exhausted. Since the war had gone on for so long, Prime had all along resigned himself to an inevitable death, and so finding the war at an end, Prime simply withdrew from society. No civilian job satisfied him. Now that peace was finally here, he had no idea what to do! Fifteen years later, he was somewhat relieved that Megatron had resurfaced on Earth. Though it shamed him, he once again had a purpose. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club (magazine)|''Classics'' Optimus Prime profile}}

Optimus Prime returned to Earth commanding [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]], [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]], [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]], [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] and [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus]] (formerly Hot Rod) to counter the return of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]. When Transformers from another reality, [[Skyfall (Cybertron)|Skyfall]] and [[Landquake (Timelines)|Landquake]], arrived on Earth unexpectedly, Megatron stumbled upon them, only to find himself under attack by Prime and his Autobots. {{storylink|Crossing Over, Part 1}} Overwhelmed, Megatron managed to escape with Landquake, while the Autobots returned to Autobot headquarters with Skyfall. {{storylink|Crossing Over, Part 2}}

Optimus Prime took his Autobots and Skyfall to [[South America]], where the Decepticons were investigating a mysterious energy source that was similar to the radiation readings of their new dimension-traveling companions. After Prime left Jetfire in mid-transit to help [[Armored Robot Hunters|RUNT]] fight the [[Seeker]]s, he and the remaining Autobots arrived at their destination and battled the rest of Megatron's forces on the ground. {{storylink|Crossing Over: Part 3}} As the battle raged, Optimus Prime took on Megatron in a one-on-one battle. Megatron tried repeatedly to escape Prime so that he could discover the location of the energy readings, but Prime made it difficult. {{storylink|Crossing Over: Part 4}} As Megatron's troops were eliminated from the fight, the Decepticon leader realized his gambit was up. He swore the next time he and Prime met, it would be different! Optimus Prime told him to leave before he lost his patience, and the Decepticons withdrew. {{storylink|Crossing Over: Part 5}}

The battle won, but the energy source still a mystery, Prime and his Autobots returned to their headquarters heavily damaged, and seemingly having lost Skyfall and Cliffjumper (along with Landquake). Later, he was pleased to have been visited (seemingly very quickly, if really at all) by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] when their paths crossed while the latter was hunting [[Bug Bite (G1)|Bug Bite]]. {{storylink|Games of Deception}}

===S.T.A.R.S. pack-in flyers===
The Autobots were outnumbered and outgunned on Earth from the start, though Optimus was confident (and correct) that reinforcements from Cybertron would arrive. {{storylink|Reinforcements from Cybertron!}}

However, the situation was still so desperate that Optimus not only decided to recruit human allies {{storylink|The battle is far from over!}}, but aggressively tried to recruit and ''deputise'' human children, including giving them the power to co-ordinate Autobot teams in battles. He wouldn't even make a final move on the Decepticons until he had enough child soldiers on his side. {{storylink|Earthlings: THE S.T.A.R.S. need your help now!}} {{storylink|Have the Decepticons defeated us once and for all?}} In at least one case, this likely led to the ''death'' of a small boy at Decepticon hands. {{storylink|Can one boy, alone, hold back the evil Decepticons?}}

Optimus later led a convoy in search for a building site for [[Autobot City]], which ran into a Decepticon ambush. {{storylink|Rodimus Prime remembers the Transformers greatest battle on Earth.}} He sent off several Autobots to get help, knowing this was the only chance of victory. {{storylink|Transformers Combat Data}} Those several Autobots were seen again, but Prime... wasn't.

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====Generation 1 cartoon====
:''Voice actors:'' [[Peter Cullen]] (Optimus Prime, English), [[Laurie Faso]] (Orion Pax, English), [[Tesshō Genda]] (Japanese), [[Francis Lax]] (French), [[Hubert Gagnon]] (French Canadian), [[Willi Röbke]] (German), [[Thomas Rau]] (German ''Generation 2'')

[[Image:Orionpax.jpg|right|225px|thumb|Ariel spends a lot of time hanging around the docks.]]

Optimus Prime began his life as an Autobot named '''Orion Pax''' during the [[Golden Age]] of Cybertron nine million years ago. Together with his girlfriend [[Elita One|Ariel]] and his best friend [[Dion]], Orion was a dock-worker who had the simple job of unloading and storing shipments of energy that came from a power planet up-river. But the times in which Orion lived were strange ones: a new breed of robot had recently appeared on the planet, with strange robot-mode flight powers that led Orion and Dion to idolize them. Ariel wasn't so sure, having heard rumors that the flying robots' leader had recently perpetrated an attack on an outer city.

[[Image:Wardawn_orion_dies.jpg|left|210px|thumb|Better get used to dying horribly, buddy.]]

One day, Orion was going about work as usual when an unfamiliar group of [[Aerialbot (G1)|five robots]] arrived on the docks, and Orion, wondering if they were new workers, introduced himself and his friends. At that moment, all attentions turned skyward as a group of the flying robots soared by overhead. Both Ariel and the newcomers urged caution in dealing with the fliers, but Orion waved off their concerns, and returned to work. Before long, Orion was shocked when he was approached by Megatron, leader of the flying robots, who claimed to be looking for a place to store his wares. Overcome, Orion showed Megatron around the warehouses and explained that they were used for story energy... at which point Megatron ordered his followers, the Decepticons, to attack and steal it all! When Orion took a shot to the shoulder from the Decepticon leader, Ariel rushed to his defense, but was hit by another blast from Megatron. The enraged Orion lunged at Megatron, but was shot down by yet another blast from the Decepticon's cannon.

[[Image:Sfat prime and elita fb.jpg|right|thumb|"No girls allowed"]]

While Megatron and the Decepticons set about pillaging the warehouses, the five robots Orion had met earlier carried his body away, in hopes of finding someone to repair him. They came upon the Cybertronian machinesmith [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], who reluctantly decided to subject Orion to a new reconstruction process he had developed, which would rebuild the Autobots' frail bodies into battle-hardy configurations so that they could battle the Decepticons on even footing. Thus is was that Orion Pax became Optimus Prime, the new leader of the Autobots, and was given the [[Matrix of Leadership]], which Alpha Trion had kept safe since Megatron had killed its [[U-Haul Robot|previous holder]]. While Alpha Trion set to work on rebuilding Ariel into "[[Elita One]]" using Prime's schematics as a basis, Prime confronted Megatron, introducing himself as the Decepticon's "worst nightmare". A mighty battle ensued, which came to an end when the warehouse's fuel stockpiles were blown up by the five enigmatic Autobots, who disappeared. {{storylink|War Dawn}}

Over the following five million years, Optimus Prime led the Autobots in a steady war of attrition that gradually drained Cybertron of almost all of its energy. In order to continue the fight, Prime arranged for an interstellar expedition to search for energy on other planets. Loading his best and brightest aboard a huge [[Ark (G1)|spacecraft]], Prime was the last to board, but was stopped by a cry from Elita One, who came running up to the launch platform. Prime told her that he would return for her as soon as he could, but Elita was intent on joining Prime on the mission. No debate was to be had, however, as a Decepticon attack on the platform caused an explosion that seemingly destroyed Elita. Crestfallen, Prime boarded the spacecraft and ordered a take-off, unaware that Elita had, in fact, survived. {{storylink|The Search for Alpha Trion}}

[[Image:Mtmte1 prime controls.jpg|left|thumb|The Transformers spent four million years in stasis lock because Prime never learned to turn INTO the skid.]]

The Autobots' spacecraft had a troubled flight. After navigating a treacherous asteroid field, the ship was caught in a tractor beam from a [[Nemesis (G1)|Decepticon space cruiser]] that had been shadowing them, under the command of Megatron himself. Megatron's forces swarmed the Autobot ship, and the two leaders grappled until the G-force of the nearby planet Earth took hold of the craft, and dragged it down. Although Prime tried valiantly to pull the ship up, it collided with a [[Mount St. Hilary|mountain]] so violently that all the Autobots and Decepticons were knocked offline.

[[Image:Mtmte2_witiwickys_saved.jpg|215px|right|thumb|Water-boarding is unconstitutional]]

Four million years later, in 1984, a volcanic eruption jarred the ship's computer, [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]], back online, and it set about reviving the Transformers indiscriminately, beginning with the Decepticons. The evil robots soon departed the Ark, but thanks to tremor caused by a petty parting shot upon the ship from Starscream, the inactivate form of Optimus Prime was jostled into the path of Teletraan I's restoration beam. Reconfigured by the computer to transform into a tractor trailer, Prime thanked Teletraan for its efforts with a thumbs-up, and quickly saw to the reactivation of all his fellow Autobots. Wasting no time, Prime led the Autobots in pursuing the Decepticons, who were in the process of attacking an oil rig. Prime and Megatron faced off, but Prime was promptly set upon by [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]], allowing Megatron to break off the fight and collapse the oil rig with a few well-placed blasts. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1}} Prime quickly rescued a pair of rig workers—Sparkplug Witwicky and his son Spike—and introduced himself and the Autobots to the two grateful humans, who volunteered to help the Autobots learn more about Earth.

[[Image:Mtmte2_shermandam.jpg|left|250px|thumb|"Hey, Megatron! Lemme axe you a question!"]]

Next, the Decepticons targeted [[Sherman Dam]], and Prime led the Autobots in an attempt to stop them, battling Megatron atop the dam with his retractable [[energon-axe]]. Distracted by a cry for help from Spike, Prime was knocked off the dam by Megatron, and the Decepticons escaped to carry out their next raid, this time on the [[Ruby Crystal Mines of Burma]]. When the Autobots arrived at the mines, Sparkplug and Bumblebee were sent in to plant an explosive charge that would entomb the Decepticons. When the pair did not return, Prime drove up to the mineshaft and deployed Roller to investigate. No sooner had Roller entered the mine, however, than the charge went off, and Prime was caught in the blast and hurled off the cliff. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 2}} Prime and Roller both survived the explosion, but unfortunately, so did the Decepticons, who blasted their way free of the collapsed mine took to the air. Prime tried to stop [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] from pursuing the villains, but his old friend would not listen and was shot down. Prime was happy that Ironhide was okay, but reminded him that there was a thin line between being a hero, and being a memory.

[[Image:Mtmte3_prime_combatdeck.jpg|right|225px|thumb|In mere moments, the gun would be destroyed, but the finger would keep right on firing.]]

After the Autobots' attempt to use a phony holographic rocket base to dupe the Decepticons failed, Megatron stood poised to return to Cybertron. Prime called for volunteers for the dangerous mission to stop the Decepticons' blasting off in their new [[Decepticon Headquarters|space cruiser]], and all the Autobots stepped forward, including Spike and Sparkplug. With all his soldiers behind him, Prime led the Autobots into battle once more, and once again faced off with Megatron, this time using the additional firepower of his [[Combat Deck]] against his enemy. When the combat shifted to hand-to-hand, however, Prime was blindsided by [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], affording Megatron the opportunity to call of the fight and instruct the Decepticons to board the cruiser. As the craft took off, emotion got the better of Prime, and in a rare display of short-temperedness and anger, he roared at [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] to hand over his rocket pack. With the pack's additional boost, Prime achieved escape velocity and followed the cruiser into space, but a blast from its artillery hatch sent him plummeting back to Earth. His anger fading to despair, Prime declared that the Decepticons had won... before noticing that Mirage was missing. In fact, the invisible Autobot had stowed away aboard the Decepticons' cruiser and sabotaged it from within, causing it to crash back to Earth, into the ocean. Believing the Decepticons aboard destroyed, Prime ordered the Autobots back to the ship, so that they could continue rebuilding it and return to Cybertron themselves. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 3}}

[[Image:Too_prime_truckmode.jpg|left|thumb|225px|The smokestacks were filed down for your safety, kids.]]

One night, months later, before rebuilding was complete, Prime and Ironhide stood looking out at the ocean, and Prime confessed he was not entirely convinced that the Decepticons were gone for good. And he was right: before long, Teletraan I reported an emergency at a solar power plant, and Optimus discovered to his horror that Megatron still lived. Prime led a team of Autobots to drive the villains off, and while they were successful, the Decepticons escaped with a large quantity of energy to send to Cybertron with their new intergalactic "[[space bridge]]" transport system. Spike was captured and nearly sent across the bridge with the energy, but at the last moment, Prime blasted him free of the transport pod and then hurled Megatron into the bridge in his place. {{storylink|Transport to Oblivion}} Megatron was not gone for long, however, and when Prime next faced his eternal enemy, it was for possession of an anti-matter energy formula. {{storylink|Roll for It}}

[[Image:Divide and conquer.jpg|right|225px|thumb|He was recovering nicely until Bumblebee tripped while carrying his dynamite collection.]]

While searching for any trace of where the Decepticons' space bridge would next materialize, Prime received word of a Decepticon attack on a weapons factory and sped to the scene. In the battle that followed, Prime was badly injured by an exploding computer bank when he shielded the human workers with his body, and was taken back to Autobot Headquarters for repair. Alas, Laserbeak followed the Autobots back to their base, and while Prime was lying on a medical table with his internal mechanisms exposed, the crooked cassette struck, destroying Prime's vital [[cosmotron]] component. A team of Autobots were dispatched to Cybertron recover a replacement cosmotron, but in their absence, the Decepticons initiated an all-out attack on the Autobots. At the last moment, the cosmotron arrived, and the repaired Prime made a dramatic entrance onto the battlefield, challenging Megatron to one-on-one combat and soundly defeating him. {{storylink|Divide and Conquer}}

After leading the Autobots on a mission to the Arctic to stop the Decepticons from draining the energy of the Earth's core, {{storylink|Fire in the Sky}} Optimus Prime okayed [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] and Ratchet's project to create robotic dinosaurs to bolster their forces. Unfortuantely, when the three "[[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]]" turned out to be dangerous, simple-minded monsters, Prime ordered them destroyed. Wheeljack was able to talk him down to merely deactivating the Dinobots and sealing them in a cavern in their volcano headquarters... and a good thing, too, since soon after, when Prime and the Autobots were defeated in battle with the Decepticons at the [[Great Falls]], Wheeljack was able to bring the Dinobots back online to save the day. Realizing that "even the wisest of men and machines can be in error", Prime overruled his previous order, and allowed the Dinobots to remain part of the Autobot ranks. {{storylink|S.O.S. Dinobots}}

[[Image:War of the dinos 7.jpg|left|250px|thumb|"Someday, my large friend, [[Grimlock (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|the tables will be turned]]."]]

Following a mission to Peru, {{storylink|Fire on the Mountain}} Prime was so impressed with the Dinobot trio's improved performance that he ordered the creation of two more. Unfortunately, Prime would soon learn that the Dinobots were not perfect; left alone to guard a strange energy-rich meteorite, the Dinobots were approached by Megatron, who exploited their simple brains to turn them against Optimus Prime. Soon after, when Prime discovered that the meteorite was unstable and set to explode, he rushed out to warn the Dinobots, only to be attacked by them and taken to Megatron. The Decepticons had also stolen the meteorite, unaware of its impending detonation, and when the space-rock finally exploded, Prime dove into action and shoved the Dinobot leader Grimlock to safety. Realizing that Optimus Prime was on the side of the angels, Grimlock apologized, and he and Prime shook hands. {{storylink|War of the Dinobots}}

[[Image:SurfsUp.jpg|right|225px|thumb|There is no way it could be cooler than this...]]

When the Decepticons constructed a massive "space pyramid" in order to bring Cybertron into Earth's orbit, that they might exploit the energies released in the chaos that would ensue, Prime attempted to stop Megatron from activating the third and final pylon in the system. Megatron merely laughed, and informed Prime that ''he'' would be the one to activate the pylon – for if he did not, Cybertron would be utterly destroyed! {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 1}} Prime was forced to comply and brought the pylon online, but he did not linger on the moral repercussions of his decision, and instead led the Autobots in combating the environmental terrors that Cybertron's orbit unleashed. On top of all this mayhem, the Decepticons had also used [[hypno-chip]]s to mind-control human slaves into helping them gather energy, including Sparkplug Witwicky. Learning that Sparkplug had been taken to work on Cybertron, Prime felt that it would be best if Spike did not find out, only for the boy to overhear him discussing it. Prime permitted Spike to join a team of Autobots that were heading for Cybertron to investigate the source of the Decepticons' mind-control. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 2}} Prime then led another team of the Autobots on a mission to stop the construction of a Decepticon hydro-electric generator, cruising into battle on Transformer-sized surfboards. Things came to a head in a huge firefight on a tropical island, during which the Autobots returned from Cybertron with a device that undid the effects of the hypno-chips. Megatron cut his losses and fled with the energy he had gathered, but Prime then opened fire on his craft, blowing up the energy within and creating an explosion powerful enough to thrust Cybertron back out of orbit. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 3}}

[[Image:CountdownToExtinction.jpg|left|thumb|... I stand corrected.]]

In the wake of Cybertron's orbit, Optimus Prime and the Autobots set about repairing the damage done to Earth, when an even greater threat emerged: Starscream set an [[Exponential Generator]] to overlord and destroy the planet. For the first time – but not the last – Prime and Megatron were forced to team up for the greater good (or the lesser evil), as Megatron transformed into pistol mode and allowed Prime to wield him so that they could shoot the exponential generator into space and save Earth. {{storylink|Countdown to Extinction (episode)|Countdown to Extinction}}

[[Image:Tanker throw.jpg|right|225px|thumb|Eat your heart out, Superman.]]

Hearing reports of giant robotic insects in Bali, Optimus Prime led a team of Autobots to investigate. The team discovered that the insects in questions were a trio of "Insecticons" who had allied themselves with Megatron, and pursued them to an oil refinery the Decepticons were in the process of plundering. In one of his most impressive feats of strength ever recorded, Optimus Prime hoisted an entire oil tanker over his head and hurled it at Megatron. The Insecticons were so awed by this display of strength that they decided to consume the gathered energon and flee, earning them Megatron's ire. Although he considered the day a victory, Prime worried that the Insecticons would inevitable ally themselves with Megatron again. {{storylink|A Plague of Insecticons}}

[[Image:Primedefeated.gif|left|thumb|"I... fell on my keys.. ow."]]

When an unarmed Megatron appeared in front of Autobot Headquarters claiming that he had come only to talk, Optimus Prime agreed to hear him out, and found himself challenged to a one-on-one duel in accordance with Cybertron law. The loser of the duel and his troops would be forced to vacate Earth forever, but Prime confidently and honorably accepted the challenge. Little did Prime realize that Megatron had found a way to imbue himself with the different powers of all his Decepticon troops, and when the battle began, Prime was defeated with shocking speed. Believing that he had simply been unaware of the number of powers at Megatron's command, Prime sorrowfully agreed to leave Earth, much to the other Autobots' chagrin. When they returned to Autobot Headquarters to prepare for their departure, they discovered Megatron's newest warriors, the Constructicons, in battle with the Dinobots, but Prime refused to get involved, citing the law despite Ironhide's protests. Spike friend [[Chip Chase]] had his suspicions about the battle and used Teletraan I to scan Prime's injuries, revealing Megatron's deception. As the battle had been unlawfully won, Prime was able to disregard the law and lead the Autobots into the battle raging outside. Prime was able to blast the Constructicons' merged form of Devastator apart with his laser rifle, and the Autobots ganged up on the Decepticons and forced them into a lava-filled crevasse. Prime and Megatron faced off once more, and Prime sent Megatron to join his troops in the magma below. Spike asked if the Decepticons were gone forever, prompting Optimus to wonder aloud... in the vast universe, was anything truly forever? {{storylink|Heavy Metal War}}

[[Image:Autobotspike_prime_vs_autobotx.jpg|215px|right|thumb]]

As 1985 rolled in, Optimus Prime found himself on the receiving end of the fury of "Autobot Spike", as he struggled to bring the young Witwicky back to his right mind after his consciousness was implanted in a [[Autobot X|robot body]]. {{storylink|Autobot Spike}} Later, when Megatron threatened the stability of the [[sun]] with his [[Solar Needle]], Prime was caught off guard by the Decepticon leader and wound up staring down his fusion cannon. Megatron ordered the other Autobots to lay down their weapons, but Prime told them to leave him to his fate and destroy the needle. Refusing to risk their commander's life, the Autobots complied with Megatron's wishes, but Prime found a way out of the situation by requesting a last wish: he asked [[Gears]], who had been rendered totally subservient by the removal of one of his circuit cards, to destroy the Solar Needle for him, and the deed was done before Megatron could do anything about it. {{storylink|Changing Gears}}

[[Image:Cos prime disassembled.jpg|left|225px|thumb|"The seller promised he was mint!"]]

Responding to reports of Decepticon activity in New York City, Optimus Prime was captured by the evil robots and disassembled into his component parts by [[Hook (G1)|Hook]]. The Autobots were able to recover their leader's head, but the other parts of his body had been rebuilt into an [[alligatorcon]] that the Autobots were forced to defeat and disassemble in order to restore him. Even after his body was rebuilt, Prime was still missing his right arm, which had been mounted as a laser turret on the top of the [[Empire State Building]]. Luckily, Prime was able to remote-control his arm, and used it to blast Devastator off the building, after which the Autobots reclaimed and re-attached Prime's errant limb. {{storylink|City of Steel}} The Decepticons were not done trying to manipulate Prime for their own ends, however; for their next evil scheme, they attacked his mind instead of his body, using a [[personality destabilizer]] to turn Prime and his fellow Autobots to the side of evil. Sparkplug was able to rig up [[attitude exchanger]]s to restore the Autobots to normal, but Prime was able to avoid being tagged by the devices by splitting up into his three components and bedeviling the Autobots on three fronts. Finally, Bumblebee took it upon himself to charge into Prime, and succeeded in restoring his leader's mind. {{storylink|Attack of the Autobots}}

[[Image:Dotm_prime_vs_torq3.jpg|right|215px|thumb]]

Numerous crazy gadgets formed the backbone of Prime's next few adventures, as he battled the Decepticons for control of [[electro-cell]]s, {{storylink|Traitor}} had to convince Ironhide to remain with the Autobots when his old friend botched a mission involved Wheeljack's new [[Immobilizer]], {{storylink|The Immobilizer}} and found himself temporarily trapped in truck mode by the [[Transfixatron]] when he and the other Autobots participated in the "Autobot Run" charity race. {{storylink|The Autobot Run}} Later, when the Decepticons allied themselves with the [[Sub-Atlantica]]ns and attacked [[Washington, D.C.]], Prime was felled by a blast from an anti-Transformer disruptor ray created by the Sub-Atlantican king, [[Nergill]]. Prime's diodes were pulled out of the laser fire by the fortunate arrival of Grimlock and the Dinobots, and the Dinobot leader didn't hesitate to point out that fact. Prime then transported the Dinobots to Sub-Atlantica in his trailer, and unleashed them upon the fish-men with the order to "act prehistoric!" {{storylink|Atlantis, Arise!}}

When Megatron took control of the super computer [[TORQ III]], Prime gave a particularly good account of himself, duping and defeating the addled computer almost single-handedly, besting Megatron in hand-to-hand combat and destroying his remote control device, and saving [[Hound (G1)|Hound]], [[Jetfire (G1)|Skyfire]] and Spike from a sinking oil platform. {{storylink|Day of the Machines}} The Decepticons struck back with another plot that involved controlling an Earth machine; even Optimus Prime found himself outmatched by the robotic ninja [[Nightbird (G1)|Nightbird]], and his attempts to reason with the lifeless construct fell on deaf ears. {{storylink|Enter the Nightbird}}

[[Image:Primeproblem prime and clone.jpg|left|215px|thumb|"Oh noes! If only there were some way to tell them apart! [[Matrix of Leadership|Sacred lifeforce]]? What?"]]

As part of a plot to lead the Autobots to their doom in a crevasse of [[korlonium crystal]]s, Megatron created a [[Optimus Prime clone|perfect clone of Optimus Prime]], which he could remote control from a distance. Despite the Prime clone's blatantly odd behavior, the Autobots were unable to tell the difference between the two Primes, so they staged several contests in hopes of identifying the true Prime through his skills. Unfortunately, a sharp-shooting test and a race yielded no results, and the Autobots were forced to table the debate and go into battle against the Decepticons with both Primes. To fully complete the illusion, Megatron proceeded to create a clone of Starscream, which his Prime clone then destroyed, convincing the Autobots that it was the genuine article. Unfortunately, Megatron promptly blew his ruse by dismissing Spike's safety as unimportant, and all of the Autobots immediately turned on the clone and blew it to smithereens. {{storylink|A Prime Problem}}

[[Image:Dinobotisland jetpacks.jpg|right|215px|thumb]]

Next, Prime found himself allying with Megatron on two separate occasions, first to prevent the destruction of the Earth with a Decepticon attempt to drill to the planet's core went awry {{storylink|The Core}}, and then again when the Insecticons drained the [[Nova Power Core|power core]] of the [[Nova Power Station]] and grew in size and power. In the latter instance, Prime again wielded Megatron in gun mode to shoot capsules of antidote into the Insecticons, shrinking them back to normal before they exploded. {{storylink|The Insecticon Syndrome}}

After another disastrous Dinobot rampage in Autobot Headquarters, Optimus Prime ordered the Dinobots to relocate to [[Dinobot Island (G1)|Dinobot Island]], a strange prehistoric paradise the Autobots had just recently discovered. Unfortunately, the Decepticons followed the Dinobots there and began draining the island's rich sources of energy, disrupting the fabric of space and time and causing humans and other creatures from throughout time to materialize in the present day. {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 1}} Prime put his trailer to use as a holding pen for a herd of woolly mammoths, and after the prehistoric pachyderms were returned to their home time, he donned a jetpack and led a team of Autobots to Dinobot Island to stop the Decepticons' plan. {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 2}}

[[Image:Master builders prime basketball.jpg|left|215px|thumb|Red bots can't jump.]]

In the midst of some basketball lessons from Spike, Prime was approached by Grapple with a design for a solar power tower, but was forced to forbid its construction on the basis that it had no means of defense against a Decepticon attack. Consumed with a desire to build the tower, Grapple and [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] wound up allying with the Constructicons to construct the tower, only to be promptly turned on and entombed within it once it was complete. Prime and the Autobots rescued them, and while Prime accepted their apologies, he still had them clear up the wreckage of the tower as punishment. {{storylink|The Master Builders}}

Optimus Prime later helped test Wheeljack's new [[Negavator]] weapon and had to deal with a paranoid [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], {{storylink|Auto Berserk}} then found himself faced with a super-powered Megatron when the Decepticon leader boosted his systems with the [[Heart of Cybertron]]. {{storylink|Microbots}}

[[Image:Masterplan2_autobots_on_trial.jpg|right|215px|thumb]]

After helping to save [[Central City (G1)|Central City]]'s new solar energy facility from Decepticon attack, Optimus Prime and the Autobots were honored at city hall, but the ceremony turned sour when the mayor's rival, [[Shawn Berger]], framed the Autobots for raiding an oil field using a video tape faked by the Decepticons (which featured a costumed Starscream playing the role of Prime). Prime and the Autobots were called to trial and found guilty of crimes against Earth, and Prime reluctantly accepted the court's ruling that they leave Earth and return to Cybertron aboard a craft supplied by Berger. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1}} Prime soon regretted his decision and ordered Cliffjumper to turn the rocket around, only to discover that Megatron had set it to collide with the sun and destroy them all. Thanks to [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]]'s force field, Prime and the Autobots survived the explosion of their rocket, and returned to Earth to clear their names. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2}}

When Optimus Prime attended [[Professor Greene]]'s demonstration of his new [[Ultra-Plane]], the Decepticons attacked and destroyed the new weapon. In the battle that resulted, the Autobots and Decepticons began to suffer sudden system malfunctions that were quickly deduced to be a result of the [[cybertonium]] in their systems degenerating after four million years on Earth. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1}} Spike and his girlfriend [[Carly]] braved a perilous journey to Cybertron, recovering enough cybertonium to repair the Autobots, and were appointed honorary Autobots by Prime for their efforts. {{Storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2}}

[[Image:Goldenlagoon_prime_perceptor.jpg|left|225px|thumb]]

Optimus Prime was particularly exasperated with Blaster when he broadcast a rock concert back into the Autobot base, partially because of the ungodly noise, but mostly because it meant that the Autobots failed to receive a distress call from [[Professor Haley]], whose [[Voltronic Galaxer]] device had been stolen by the Decepticons. It was with Blaster's help, however, that Prime then bested Megatron in a battle on the [[Moon (moon)|Moon]], and so he allowed Blaster to turn Megatron's moonbase into a radio station that he could broadcast from. {{storylink|Blaster Blues}}

Prime later led the Autobots in battle for control of the [[electrum|golden lagoon]], {{storylink|The Golden Lagoon}} then found himself playing the role of tech-support as he talked [[Talaria]] through the activation of [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]]'s signal beacon via a communications channel when the space-faring Autobot was stranded on [[Titan]]. Prime intended to go to Titan and rescue Cosmos himself, but Red Alert urged against it, and Jazz wound up going in his place.{{storylink|The God Gambit}} Prime later agreed to help the NYPD bust a carjacking ring headed up by the [[Geddis brothers]], leading to another confrontation with the Geddis's secret allies, the Decepticons. {{storylink|Make Tracks}}

[[Image:Childsplay_aron_and_prime.jpg|right|thumb]]

When the Decepticons attempted to turn a baseball stadium into a new space bridge, the mechanism malfunction, teleporting Prime, Bumblebee, [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]], [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]], [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] and a quartet of Decepticons to an alien planet inhabited by giants. Prime took the diplomatic approach, introducing himself and the Autobots to [[Aron]], the alien boy into whose room they had been transported, and Aron then helped his new friends evade capture and dissection by the planet's authorities. Following a riotous sewer-surfing journey back to Aron's house, the Autobots departed the planet in a toy rocket ship Perceptor had rewired. {{storylink|Child's Play (episode)|Child's Play}} On the return journey to Earth, however, the Autobots were captured by the alien gambler [[Bosch]], who brainwashed them all, save Smokescreen, and sold them to [[Lord Gyconi]] on the asteroid resort of [[Monacus]]. Prime was pitted against an [[animalian]] in a gladiatorial battle for Gyconi's patrons' amusement before Smokescreen and Bosch secured the Autobots' freedom and restored their minds. {{storylink|The Gambler}} Upon his return to Earth, Optimus Prime faced the menace of the [[Morphobot]]s. {{storylink|Quest for Survival}}

When reports came in of the Constructicons mining an asteroid out in space, Optimus Prime requested that Omega Supreme investigate. The asteroid proved to be an egg containing an [[asteroid bird alien|alien bird monster]], which emerged and began attacking [[San Francisco]], but Omega ignored Prime's orders to intervene and shut off his communicator in mid-battle, preferring to seek revenge against the Constructicons. Prime was forced to intervene, getting between Omega and his quarry and finally convincing the giant Autobot to help dispose of the alien, on the basis that there were more important things in life in than revenge. {{storylink|The Secret of Omega Supreme}}

Outfitted with a special coating of insulation to protect himself, Prime led a small team of Autobots to Japan to stop Megatron's latest creation, the demented energy imp known as [[Kremzeek]]. When the Autobots finally got the better of the crazy creature, Prime had to regretfully order his destruction. {{storylink|Kremzeek!}}

[[Image:Primetarget_beast_of_borneo.jpg|left|thumb|Bad touch!]]

After receiving a distress signal from the planet of [[Tlalakan]]s, Prime ordered a team of Autobots to investigate, but was unable to go himself as he was too large for Cosmos to carry. {{storylink|Sea Change}} Later, when Megatron, Starscream, [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] and [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] began feuding for Decepticon leadership, Prime was greatly amused by the whole thing, calling it a "domestic squabble" and taunting Megatron by dismissing him so he could fight the "real" leaders of the Decepticons. Prime kept the other Autobots from getting involved in the battle, and sure enough, the Decepticons wound up knocking the fight out of each other. The other Autobots agreed there was only one leader for them, and formed a throne out of their bodies for Prime to sit upon, but Prime said he preferred to roll. {{storylink|Triple Takeover}}

Optimus Prime 's fame and prowess loon led him to become the target of the demented big-game hunter, [[Lord Chumley]], who sought Prime's head to go along with his other rare trophies. Chumley captured several Autobots in order to lure Prime to his estate, and of course, the Autobot leader no choice but to comply. Battling his way through a mock-up of Cybertron itself against all kind of bizarre traps and creatures, from a ferocious [[dragon]]-like beast, to several robotic arachnids, to the interfering Astrotrain and Blitzwing, Prime succeeded in freeing his Autobot comrades, capturing Chumley, and delivering him to the authorities. {{storylink|Prime Target|Prime Target}}

[[Image:Sfat_powertransfer.jpg|right|220px|thumb|Oh look. Optimus Prime is having robo-sex with his sister. Better get used to seei- whoa, wait a minute.]]

Prime received the shock of his life when Megatron contacted him to inform him that Elita One was still alive, and had been captured by his Decepticons on Cybertron. Prime immediately departed for Cybertron to rescue her, but walked straight into the trap that had been laid for him, and was trussed up by the Decepticons and dangled above a vat of acid. Just as Prime was dropped, Elita used her secret power to stop time, freezing Prime in mid-air and pulling him to safety. Unfortunately, the use of her power drained almost all of her life-force, leaving her on the brink of death, so Prime loaded her aboard his trailer and set out in search of Alpha Trion, in the hope that the ancient Autobot could heal her. In the process, Prime rediscovered his own forgotten connection to his creator, when Alpha Trion shocked him with intimate knowledge of his and Elita's systems by telling him that only his own power supply could properly interface with Elita's. Prime gave Elita the power transfusion necessary to save her life, and the two lovers then joined the other Autobots in fighting off the Decepticons. Prime regretted that they had to part ways again, but Elita knew that she had to continue the fight against the Decepticons on Cybertron. {{storylink|The Search for Alpha Trion}}

[[Image:Ktvs_prime_and_trion.jpg|left|215px|thumb]]

Optimus Prime had little to do in the mission to rescue [[Astoria Carlton-Ritz]] from the Decepticons, merely offering theories and passing along information to Powerglide, {{storylink|The Girl Who Loved Powerglide}} but took to the fore again when Megatron created the Stunticons to combat the Autobots on the roads. Realizing that Megatron would have to use the Cybertronian mega-computer [[Vector Sigma]] to bring the Stunticons to life, Prime took a team of Autobots to Cybertron, where they sought the aid of Alpha Trion in navigating the planet's catacombs to find the way to the computer. {{storylink|The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1}} Unfortunately, Megatron made it to the computer first and brought the Stunticons online, so Prime proposed the creation of the Aerialbots as a countermeasure. With Vector Sigma's [[Key to Vector Sigma|activation key]] in Megatron's clutches, Alpha Trion proposed that he merge with Vector Sigma to bring the computer back online. Prime refused, knowing it would mean the end of his creator's life, but Alpha Trion insisted that he be allowed to sacricice himself so that the Aerialbots could live. The Autobots and Aerialbots returned to Earth, where they stopped Megatron from using the key to Vector Sigma to convert the planet into a metal sphere. {{storylink|The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2}}

[[Image:Cosmicrust_prime_and_perceptor.jpg|right|215px|thumb]]

When Megatron attempted to send the Aerialbots back to the dawn of time using the [[kronosphere]] time machine, Optimus Prime blasted the device before it could complete its evil work, depositing the Aerialbots nine million years in the past. Prime and the other Autobots fended off a Decepticon attack while Wheeljack rebuilt the kronosphere, and the five airborne Autobots were returned to the present just in time to turn the tide of battle. In the aftermath of the conflict, when the Aerialbots were able to refer to him with his old name of Orion Pax, Prime realised that it had been the time-tossed Aerialbots who have saved him from Megatron and brought him to Alpha Trion to be rebuilt all those millions of years ago. {{storylink|War Dawn}}

When Perceptor was kidnapped by the Decepticons and infected with the contagious [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]] , Prime risked his own safety to single-handedly rescue the scientist, and wound up being infected in the process, just as Megatron had planned. Even infected, Prime met Megatron in battle while the Autobots retrieved the cure to the disease, and the Autobots won the day yet again. {{storylink|Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust}}

[[Image:RevengeofBruticus Primefiringguns.jpg|left|thumb|Being a hero is all about dramatic lighting. And two-fisted violence.]]

When another power struggle between Megatron and Starscream erupted, Prime was once again quite happy to ignore the whole messy affair until Starscream and his newly-built Combaticons attacked the unveiling ceremony for a [[Optimus Prime Memoria|memorial]] to Optimus Prime himself (rather oddly being built while he was still alive) and kidnapped Jazz and Cliffjumper. In the midst of a battle between Megatron and Starscream's force, Prime led the Autobots in rescuing their teammates. Starscream and the Combaticons were subsequently defeated and exiled from Earth, {{storylink|Starscream's Brigade}} but that just made matters worse, as they headed for Cybertron, conquered the planet, and used the space bridge to alter Earth's orbit and send it spiralling towards the sun. Both Autobots and Decepticons needed to use the space bridge to travel to Cybertron and stop Starscream's plan, but the Insecticons damaged the control panel, requiring Prime to donate some of his own circuitry to the repair effort, on the condition that Megatron did the same. With the bridge restored, Prime and Megatron lead a united team of Autobots and Decepticons to stop Starscream and the Combaticons and save the Earth. Prime was led to believe that he had destroyed the Combaticons at the battle's end, but in reality, had been duped by a holographic projection so that Megatron could reprogram the new Decepticons to serve him. {{storylink|The Revenge of Bruticus}}

[[Image:Masquerade_prime_vs_mmaster.jpg|right|230px|thumb|You re-enacted this scene countless times as a kid. You know you did.]]

After leading a team of Autobots to save the Aerialbots from a Combaticon attack in the Middle East {{storylink|Aerial Assault}} Prime led another effort to stop the Stunticons from stealing the components Megatron needed for his latest super-weapon. Prime survived a head-on collision with [[Motormaster]] (although he definitely decided it was something he would prefer not to go through again) and then disguised himself as the Stunticon leader in an effort to learn what Megatron's plan was. Accompanied by a team of four other Autobots disguised as the other Stunticons, Prime was able to infiltrate the Decepticon camp, but had not counted on the real Stunticons escape Autobot capture and exposing their deception. The Autobots abandoned their disguises when Megatron assembled the components into his new laser weapon, but it turned out that Optimus had sabotaged the device, and it blew up in Megatron's face. {{storylink|Masquerade}}

In his final recorded adventure in the 20th century, Prime dispatched Ironhide, Gears and Bumblebee to investigate a disturbance at [[Benjamin Franklin Pierce High School]], where a group of students had stumbled onto a Decepticon plot to attack the Autobots with a gravity disruptor beam. Prime rallied the Autobots to fight off the Decepticons, and thanked the humans for their help. {{storylink|B.O.T. (episode)|B.O.T.}}

[[Image:Tftm_prime_megs_finalblow.jpg|left|260px|thumb]]

Over the course of the next twenty years, the Decepticons turned their attentions away from Earth, and succeeded in seizing control of all of Cybertron. The Autobots were forced off the planet and founded [[Autobot City]] on Earth, in addition to two staging bases on Cybertron's moons. At some point during this period of time, Prime was known to have battled Megatron in a laboratory on Earth, causing an explosion that scarred scientist [[Gregory Swofford]]. {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1}}

In the Earth year 2005, Optimus Prime was stationed on [[Moonbase One]], and dispatched troops to Earth to acquire energy for an upcoming strike to take back Cybertron. The Decepticons, however, got wind of the plan and attacked the shuttle, killing its occupants. Their scheme was to use the shuttle to stage a [[Battle of Autobot City|surprise attack on Autobot City]]; an attack which would have succeeded, if not for a distress call which summoned Optimus Prime and support troops to Earth. Declaring that Megatron would have to stopped, "no matter the cost", Prime bravely plowed through the remaining Decepticon ranks before confronting Megatron in a climactic one-on-one battle. Despite a gash being torn in his side, Prime gained the upper hand in the battle and was poised to deliver a killing blast when the young Autobot [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] leapt into the middle of the fight, having spotted that Megatron was reaching for a gun. Unfortunately, Megatron overpowered the youth and used him as a shield, preventing Prime from taking his shot, and opening fire with the gun, blasting Prime in his wound. Prime fell, and Megatron stood over him, about to deliver the final blow, but at the last moment, Prime summoned up all his strength and hurled Megatron off the platform on which they battling. With Megatron bested, the Decepticons fled, as the other Autobots flocked to the side of the wounded Prime.

[[Image:Optimusg1passingthematrix.jpg|right|thumb|"Oh, hey, I have this in me now, by the way."]]

Despite the efforts of Perceptor, Optimus Prime's wounds were fatal. Knowing his time had come, Prime passed the Matrix of Leadership, and with it leadership of the Autobots, into the hands of his old friend, the city's commander, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]. With his last ounce of energy, he muttered "[['Til all are one]]", then died, his lifeforce becoming one with the ancient wisdom contained in the Matrix, joining the other formers bearers within it. Soon after, when Hot Rod opened the Matrix within the body of the planet-eater, [[Unicron]], Prime 's voice was heard once more, dubbing the transformed Hot Rod "Rodimus Prime", new leader of the Autobots. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}

When Rodimus Prime voyaged into the Matrix in search of answers to the mysteries of the alien [[Quintesson]]s, Optimus Prime was among the "spirit guides" who appeared to him and led him on his journey through the origin and history of the Transformer race. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}}

[[Image:Optimusg1zombie.jpg|left|215px|thumb|"WHERE IS SARAH CONNOR?"]]
Optimus Prime's body was entombed in a massive deep-space mausoleum with the many other fallen Autobots, but his corpse was desecrated by the [[Quintesson]]s in 2006 when they reanimated it as part of an attempt to destroy the Autobots. Pursued by the Decepticons through space, a team of Autobots led by Rodimus Prime took refuge in the mausoleum, where they were confronted by the seemingly-reborn Optimus Prime. Optimus dispatched the pursuing Decepticons, and Rodimus – never truly comfortable with the burden of leadership – happily relinquished the Matrix to his predecessor. At that point, the reprogrammed Optimus turned on the Autobots, stranding them on the mausoleum and blowing it up. The zombie Prime returned to the main Autobot force and reassumed command, intending to lure the Autobot space fleet into a trap that would destroy them all. Hot Rod's Autobots, however, were revealed to have survived the explosion of the mausoleum, and Hot Rod engaged Prime in battle. In the course of the fight, the Matrix began to overpower the Quintesson influence in Prime's mind, and he returned the talisman to Hot Rod, then ordered the rest of the Autobots clear while he piloted his flagship into the Quintessons' trap. As the Autobots watched from a distance, the flagship collided with the booby-trap detonator the Quintessons had placed on an asteroid, triggering the explosion of a nearby sun that apparently took Optimus Prime from them once more. {{storylink|Dark Awakening|Dark Awakening}}

Prime's lifeforce returned to the Matrix, and he was among the spectral figures whose ethereal forms emerged from the talisman when it was stolen by [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], warning him to return it to its rightful holder. Galvatron was suitably convinced. {{storylink|The Burden Hardest to Bear}}

[[Image:Roop1_prime_revived.jpg|right|220px|thumb|Optimus Prime was reborn in the electric chair for our sins.]]

While the other Autobots believed that Prime's body had been destroyed in the supernova, in actuality, just before the flagship impacted with the detonator, his remains had been recovered from the craft by two human scientists, [[Jessica Morgan]] and Gregory Swofford, who still blamed Prime for the explosion that scarred him years beforehead. Jessica's father, [[Mark Morgan]], shared Swofford's loathing of the Autobots, and his hatred only grew when, some months later, an attempt by the Decepticons to steal a heat-resistant alloy he had developed resulted in Jessica being paralyzed. Seeking revenge, Swofford and Morgan reconstructed Optimus Prime's body in an attempt to use it as a delivery system for the mysterious spores that had been released from the exploding sun, which induced hatred and madness. However, when they could not reanimate Prime, they used his body as a lure instead, bringing the Autobots to their lab, where they were infected by the spores directly. Rodimus Prime was able to escape infection and made off with Optimus Prime's body, then ordered [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] to find him a Quintesson to fully restored Prime to life. Rodimus succumbed to the "[[Hate Plague]]" before Sky Lynx returned, but the airborne Autbot succeeded in his mission, recovering a Quintesson who finally brought Optimus Prime back to life. {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1}}

[[Image:Roop2_prime_vs_prime.jpg|left|210px|thumb]]

The resurrected Prime led a team of Autobots to the Decepticons' base on [[Chaar]] to recover the heat-resistant alloy they had stolen, so that Prime could coat his body in it and make himself impervious to the Hate Plague. Thus protected, Optimus confronted Rodimus and defeated him in battle, reacquiring the Matrix so that he could consult the lifeforces of the ancient Autobots within it for a way to defeat the Hate Plague. Informed by "[[It]]" that the only way to cure the disease was with wisdom, Prime unleashed the concentrated wisdom of the Matrix itself to wipe out the plague. {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2}}

In 2007, Optimus Prime began to suffer visions following the release of the Matrix's energy, which foretold a great transformation for Cybertron. Prime realized that the events he had foreseen had begun when the Decepticons' theft of the key to the [[Plasma energy|Plasma Energy Chamber]]. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}} Prime was forced to consult the spirit of Alpha Trion within [[Vector Sigma]], who informed him that the mega-computer had set these very events in motion in order to restore Cybertron's Golden Age. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}} When the Plasma Energy Chamber was opened and threatened to drive Earth's Sun supernova, Spike Witwicky and the other organic [[Nebulos|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. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

[[Image:Puppetpmprime.jpg|right|thumb|Prime's legal troubles began after he gave Tommy "the Touch". Strangely, the prosecution never even noticed the double entendre.]]

At an undetermined point in time, through unknown circumstances, Optimus Prime was upgraded into a [[Powermaster]] body, and began associating with a human boy named [[Tommy Kennedy]]. Tommy, apparently a resident of Autobot City, interviewed Prime on a variety of topics related to Cybertronian history and lore, sometimes for school assignments, sometimes for historical reference, and sometimes simply for the heck of it. Prime regaled young Tommy with tales of the Autobots' greatest battles; [[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1|their arrival on Earth]], [[The Transformers: The Movie|Prime's own death and the struggle against Unicron]], [[Five Faces of Darkness|the return of Galvatron and the Quintessons' role in Transformer history]], Prime's [[Dark Awakening|brief revival at the hands of the Quintessons]] as well as his [[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1|return during the Hate Plague crisis]]. He also recounted the [[The Rebirth|the origins of the Headmasters and Targetmasters]] and, inexplicably, a tale of [[Surprise Party|Ultra Magnus's birthday]].

At this point in his career, Prime 's role seemed to be more of a goodwill ambassador, as he spent much of his time aiding fellow Autobots with minor tasks, like helping [[Joyride (Autobot)|Joyride]] repair a space bridge, refueling [[Sky High (Pretender)|Sky High]], and helping [[Cloudburst]] redesign his retro-rockets.

At one point, a problem with Prime's [[Memory chip|memory chip]] left him incapable of recalling specific details of various historical events. This issue was short-lived, as Tommy Kennedy managed to fix it with a small amount of effort and encouragement. Once, before leaving to attend an intergalactic peace conferences, Prime showed Tommy an informational [[The Touch|music video]] depicting the events surrounding the battle with Unicron. {{storylink|The Transformers (cartoon)|Season 5}}
{{-}}

====Madman ''The Transformers'' comic====
[[Image:Madman comic PrimeHotrod.jpg|left|200px|thumb|-Or maybe you're just hepped-up on goofballs, kid.]]
In 2001, Optimus Prime led the Autobot evacuation from the Decepticons' successful conquest of Cybertron, standing as the unflinching rearguard for his fleeing Autobots. Before he left, he secretly met with Ultra Magnus at the site of the future Autobot City to discuss hiding the Matrix of Leadership, against the possibility of Prime's capture or death. Unfortunately, Soundwave had secretly recorded this clandestine meeting and moved to capture the powerful Autobot relic. To the surprise of all, the young Hot Rod managed to defeat Soundwave and secure the Matrix. When the Autobots arrived back on Earth, Optimus Prime learned of Hot Rod's deeds, and as he was handed the Matrix, a mysterious energy from the artifact passed through both Autobots. However, Prime only cryptically stated that perhaps Hot Rod's destiny was greater than the young 'bot himself knew. {{storylink|The Transformers (Madman)|The Transformers}}
{{-}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
{{note|The events of the American animated series occur in Japanese continuity as noted above, except that the events of Season 3, which took place in 2006 in America, were moved back to 2010, and "The Rebirth" and subsequent events do not occur. Japanese animated continuity inserts a large number of additional storylines, told through various different media, into the timeline (in particular, between Season 2 and the movie, and between the movie and Season 3), as detailed below.}}

=====''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' comic=====

[[Image:FightSuperRobotLifeTransformersManga.JPG|right|275px|thumb|From ''AMERICA!'']]

When the Decepticons turned their attention to pillaging the energies of Japan in the late 1980s, Optimus Prime and the Autobots met up with a young Japanese boy named [[Kenji]], whose inventive mind helped them to defeat [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] during an energy raid on [[Tokyo]]. As a token of thanks, Optimus Prime granted Kenji a special communications helmet and made him an official Autobot ally. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 1|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #1}}

During a Decepticon attack on Autobot Headquarters, Ratchet noticed that Soundwave and his cassettes were nowhere to be seen, so Prime dispatched a unit to Japan to search for them. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 2|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #2}} Not long after, Prime oversaw the early stages of the construction of the Autobots' new transforming battle fortress, [[Metroplex (G1)|Scramble City]]. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 3|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #3}}

While showing Kenji around the Autobots' new Tokyo base, Optimus Prime lamented that he wished his "kid brother" [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] would hurry up and arrive with his trailer upgrade. As he pondered the whereabouts of his sibling, the Decepticons attacked Yokohama. The Autobots hurried to the scene only to encounter an over-powered Megatron in his newest form: the Super Megatron Gun. The Autobots' defeat seemed assured until Magnus arrived with Prime's trailer upgrade, the [[Scramble Power Buster]]. The Scramble Power Buster trumped the might of the Super Megatron Gun, leaving Prime and Magnus to vanquish the Decepticon forces with their combined attack: the Double Cross Kick (basically, them jump-kicking the Decepticons in the spine at the same time). {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 4|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #4}}

When the Decepticons created their own counter to Scramble City, [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], Prime ordered the Aerilabots into battle against the monster on an island utopia. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 6|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #6}} Later, Prime and Magnus again teamed up again to battle the Stunticons and [[Combaticon]]s when the two Decepticons teams posed as Autobots and besmirched the two commanders' good names. Although Menasor and [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]]'s [[Decepticon Trailer Brigade|Decepticon Great Wheel]] attack proved a challenge, Prime and Magnus's "Finish Double" attack (suspiciously similar to their Double Cross Kick) soon won the day. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 7|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #7}}

=====Scramble City cartoon=====

[[Image:Prime_magnus_scramblecity.jpg|left|thumb|"I'm a white you under here."]]

As the 1980s rolled on, the Autobots began an initiative to construct a new battle fortress known as [[Metroplex (G1)|Scramble City]]. The facility to construct the fortress was concealed within a cavern and overseen by Ultra Magnus, but when it was discovered by Decepticon spy [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]], Megatron ordered the Decepticons to destroy it. Prime led an Autobot counter-offensive, and helped to blast [[Wildrider]] free when the evil Stunticon managed to link up to Superion in an attempt to disable the Aerialbot combiner, but things were looking bleak for the Autobots until the construction of Scramble City was completed. Ultra Magnus activated the battle fortress, which transformed into its robot mode of [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] to send the Decepticons fleeing. As Prime thanked Ultra Magnus for his quick work, however, Megatron unleashed Trypticon upon the assembled Autobots. {{storylink|Scramble City}}

{{note|This storyline was never concluded, as a second installment of "Scramble City" was never produced.}}
{{-}}

=====Full Throttle Scramble Power!=====
[[Image:MegatronMangaEnergonMace1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|This is why you have that axe, Prime, remember?]]
After Megatron and the Decepticons threatened humanity with their latest death ray, the [[Omega Whip]], Optimus Prime dispatched [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] and his human partners, [[Toru]] and [[Jenny (G1)|Jenny]] to follow the electromagnetic trail and find the Decepticons' hidden base. Hound, Toru and Jenny were then swiftly captured.

Contemplating what to do next, Prime reluctantly dispatched the still-wet-behind-the-ears [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] to deal with the [[Stunticon]]s, who were trashing a power plant. The burning justice of [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] ensured his victory.

Prime and a small unit of Autobots then stormed the Decepticon base to rescue their friends. As Hound, Toru and Jenny destroyed the Omega Whip and escaped, Prime and Megatron squared off yet again (with Megatron unleashing his seldomly seen [[energon mace]]). Megatron quickly gained the upper hand in battle...until [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] and ''every single Autobot soldier'' arrived as back-up. Megatron and the Decepticons immediately fled.

Toru and Jenny celebrated their success with a public display of affection. Curious, Optimus began to ask them embarrassing questions, swatting Toru in the bottom with his mighty robot finger. {{storylink|Full Throttle Scramble Power!}}
{{-}}

=====''The Stargate Battles''=====

[[Image:Stargatebattles_prime_cx_slice.jpg|left|thumb|225px|right]]

In the late 1990s, continued interaction between the Autobots and humankind led to a formal alliance being forged with the American government. Using technology supplied by the Autobots, the government funded the creation of "[[Warp Gate|The Trigger]]", a huge interstellar teleportation system, and Prime participated in a goodwill press conference to announce the creation of the Trigger to the world. Unfortunately, the Trigger soon became a target for the Decepticons, who had allied with a foreign power and used a human agent to gain access to the station. The Autobots were quick to repel the Decepticon attack, but only one member of the Trigger's crew survived. This man, [[Makoto (Stargate Battles)|Makoto]], offered to help the Autobots in any way that he could, and Prime told him that his kind of strength was what the Autobots needed the most. {{storylink|First Contact}}

[[Image:Stargatebattles_prime_megs.jpg|right|225px|thumb]]

Three months later, Optimus Prime helped [[Professor Adle]] test his new [[C-X]] drone, which were designed to resemble Prime himself, by sparring with the remote-controlled robot so that the Professor could gather data on its performance. In the midst of the test, however, the C-X ran amok (in actuality, it had been possessed by the time-tossed ghost of Starscream), and Prime was forced to crush it beneath his trailer and sever its head with his energon-axe to stop it. The grisly scene did little to dissuade the mass of anti-Transformer protestors that had sprung up in recent months, but Prime attempted to placate the crowd by telling them that he did not ''want'' the power he wielded—he ''needed'' it, in order to protect those that could not protect themselves. {{storylink|Divided Views}}

When the Decepticons terrorized Japan with a series of powerful earthquakes, Optimus Prime confronted Megatron amdist the chaos caused by the most powerful tremor yet. The battle ended when a blast from Megatron's fusion cannon sent Prime plummetting to the depths of the ocean, apparently destroyed. {{storylink|Activation}} Subsequently, Starscream's ghost fused with the rebuilt Trigger in an attempted coup, and it was during the monumental space battle that resulted that Prime returned from his seeming demise, borne into space on [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]]'s back. After saving Makoto's escape pod from burning up in re-entry, Prime was forced to join when Megatron to defeat the greater threat posed by Starscream, channelling the power of the Matrix through gun-mode Megatron to destroy Starscream and the Trigger in one mighty blast. The Transformers were all caught in the backwash of the explosion, and their flaming bodies were sent tumbling back down to Earth. Although they were not heard from again for many months, Prime and Megatron survived the experience, and their war continued. {{storylink|The Stargate Battles (issue)|The Stargate Battles}}
{{-}}
=====''Binaltech''=====
In 2003, the Decepticons attacked the Autobots on Earth with a plague of [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]], leaving many of them injured. Consequently, Earth was all but defenseless when Megatron made his big push to fully take over Cybertron in 2004, and Optimus Prime found that he could not spare any troops currently fighting by his side on the Transformers' home planet to send to Earth. To resolve this situation, the Autobots on Earth worked closely with the governments of the world and various car companies on the Binaltech Project, creating advanced new "Binaltech" bodies for the various Autobot warriors damaged by the Cosmic Rust.

In the midst of the Binaltech conflict, the time-travelling [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] attempted to alter history by using the [[Kronosphere]] to teleport Megatron and the Decepticon armada outside of time during a turning-point battle with Prime and the Autobots. This left the Autobots to face the looming threat of [[Unicron]] alone, but as Prime and Ultra Magnus coordinated a last-chance attack against the chaos bringer, Prime dispatched [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] into the past to undo the change made to the timeline. Although Skids was successful in his mission, and the original timeline was restored, the intervention of a mysterious time-travelling entity known as "[[Optimus Primal|the Protector]]" led to the altered, "Binal-Time" timeline also being preserved, as an alternate universe. This, the Protector attested, was due to the fact that the existence of the Binaltech warriors was necessary to preserve the future from which he came.

Unfortunately, this meant that the Autobots of this parallel timeline still had to deal with Unicron, and during the final showdown with the chaos-bringer, Optimus Prime was badly injured. Fearing that he would die, he passed the Matrix to Ultra Magnus, who used it to destroy Unicron, but as chance would have it, Prime recovered from his injuries and resumed leadership. Under the Protector's direction, the Autobots began conducting experiments that would ultimately lead to the future the Protector spoke of, where Transformers would evolve into multiversal-spanning abstract entities known as the "[[Alternity (species)|Alternity]]". When the Protector's spark was stolen by the new Decepticon leader—an evil clone of Optimus known as [[Nemesis Prime (G1)|Nemesis Prime]]—Prime engaged his evil doppelganger in battle in Australia. During the fight, the Protector's spark fused with Prime—an experience that Prime found [[Optimal Situation|strangely familiar]]—giving him the power to destroy Nemesis Prime.

=====''Robot Masters''=====
[[Image:Robotmasters_four_great_commanders.jpg|left|thumb|275px]]

Also in 2004, the Scramble City project was expanded through the use of the newly-discovered element [[Solitarium]] to involve the construction of a fully-fledged Autobot City on Earth. This coincided with the opening of a dimensional fissure known as the [[Blasty Zone]], which transported the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] through time to the present day. This "Beast Megatron" seized control of the Decepticons, left leaderless by the mysterious absence of the original Megatron, and went up against Optimus Prime and the Autobots for control of the world's solitarium. Uniting with a team of Autobot and Maximal leaders from throughout time and space who also came through the Blasty Zone, Optimus Prime gained the power of an [[Energon Matrix]] and eventually returned all the Transformers to their home time.

{{-}}
{{note|''Robot Masters'' is explicitly placed in the Japanese cartoon continuity by [[Generation 1 cartoon timeline (Japan)|Takara's 2007 Transformers timeline]]. However, none of the three pieces of actual ''Robot Masters'' fiction tells the story of the line in its entirety, and each of them relate certain events in notably different ways. Precisely ''which'' of the three—covered individually below—should be considered the [[canon]] one for the cartoon timeline is unknown.}}

======Pack-in comic======

[[Image:Starsaber robotmasters minicomic.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

When a creature that seemed to be a ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' appeared just outside Autobot City, Optimus Prime and Mirage investigated, and were shocked when the dinosaur transformed into a robot mode and introduced itself as "Beast Megatron". Almost immediately, [[Optimus Primal]] appeared through the Blasty Zone, and he and Optimus Prime charged into battle against Megatron side-by-side. {{storylink|The New Battle Begins!}}

Later, the two Optimuses found themselves in battle against the huge Decepticon warrior, [[Gigant Bomb]], but were unable to hurt him because he had supercharged his armor with Solitarium. The two heroes were flattened by a powerful punch from Gigant Bomb, at which point [[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]] and [[Victory Leo]] appeared to join the fray. The two future heroes merged into Victory Saber and defeated Gigant Bomb, after which Prime and Primal welcomed him to the fold. {{storylink|The Victory Warriors Enter!!}}

======Online comic======

When a mysterious purple dinosaur led the Decepticons in an attack against the Autobots, Optimus Prime demanded to know the identity of the foe he was facing. The creature transformed into robot mode and introduced itself as "Beast Megatron", but Prime did not falter, and bombarded the new villain with heavy fire. Declaring Prime to be "quite the monkey", Megatron announced that the battle had merely served as a introduction, and promptly departed. {{storylink|Robot Masters (online comic)|Robot Masters online comic #1}}

Optimus Prime, Optimus Primal and [[Road Rocket (G2)|Road Rocket]] were later exploring a large crevase filled with Solitarium when they were attacked by Megatron and [[Sideways (RID)|Sideways]]. The two villains detonated the crystals around the Autobots, and while Primal was able to shield them with a huge slab of rock, they were unable to stop the Decepticons escaping with a huge load of Solitarium. {{storylink|Robot Masters (online comic)|Must Defend the Solitarium!}}

[[Image:Robotmasters_prime_vs_megses.jpg|left|thumb|300px]]

When new arrival [[Lio Convoy]] was tricked into battling Victory Saber by Megatron, it was Optimus Prime who got between the two combatants and convinced Lio Convoy that they were all on the same side by revealing his Energon Matrix, which glowed in tandem with Lio Convoy's own. The four great commanders teamed up to dispose of the Decepticons lurking nearby, and then they all welcome Lio Convoy to the team. {{storylink|Robot Masters (online comic)|Gathering, 4 Great Supreme Commanders}}

Discovering an unconsious robot outside Autobot City, Prime and the Autobots brought the enigmatic newcomer inside for medical attention. The robot introduced himself as [[Reverse Convoy]] of the planet [[Vehicon (planet)|Vehicon]]. {{storylink|Robot Masters (online comic)|Strategic Meeting: The Mysterious New Warrior}} Before long, however, Prime's goodwill proved to be misplaced when "Reverse Convoy" captured him, Mirage and Optimus Primal, and revealed himself to actually be the original Megatron, inhabiting Reverse Convoy's body by means of his black hole interlink system. Although the Autobots were saved from the clutches of "Rebirth Megatron" by Victory Saber and Lio Convoy, Prime's greatest enemy had returned. {{storylink|Robot Masters (online comic)|Revive, Dark Emperor of Destruction}}

Prime led Primal, Victory Saber and Lio Convoy in a mighty battle against the two Megatrons, Starscream, Skywarp and Thundercracker, during which he had much of his right forearm torn off by Beast Megatron. As both Megatron rushed the injured Prime, he summoned his energon-axe to take the place of his lost fist and slashed the two Decepticons, claiming victory. {{storylink|Robot Masters (online comic)|Robot Masters online comic #13}}
{{-}}
======Cartoon======

:''Voice actor:'' ? (Japanese)

[[Image:Robomasters g1convoy.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Check out my taint!]]

Optimus Prime sped into action to help Victory Saber in battle against Starscream and [[Wingstun]], blasting Wingstun with a sneaky shot from below. Prime then transformed into robot mode and opened fire on Starscream, but was shocked when the plummetting form of the Air Commander was snatched out of the sky by a ''tyrannosaurus rex''. Transforming to robot mode, the dinosaur introduced himself as "Beast Megatron", and revealed that he came from a different dimension, causing Optimus Prime to fear for the integrity of the space-time continuum. Before he could fret any more on the subject, Prime came under attack from Gigant Bomb and [[Smokesniper]], but quickly took refuge in a nearly canyon while Victory Saber handled the twin troublemakers. Prime then engaged Megatron in battle, but was quickly laid low by the newcomer, who called for Gigant Bomb and Smokesniper to finish him off. Instead, however, another strange new Transformer descended from the sky: Optimus Primal! Following Primal's lead, Prime united his energy with Primal's own, and together, they created the powerful "Double Convoy Tornado", which sent Megatron flying. In the aftermath of the battle, Prime thanked Primal for his help, and told him that they would definitely need his power when the Decepticons next attacked. {{storylink|Fight! The Group of the Strongest Commanders!}}

Beast Megatron would not relent, and eventually discovered a massive deposit of solitarium beneath [[New York City]]. The Decepticons razed the city in search of the element until Prime and his forces arrived to save the day, this time aided by Lio Convoy and the enigmatic Reverse Convoy. Prime battled Gigant Bomb, Smoke Sniper and Megatron once more, with a little extra firepower courtesy of Victory Saber's V-Lock Cannon, and things were going smoothly until Reverse Convoy revealed himself to actually be the ''real'' Megatron in disguise. Now going by the name Rebirth Megatron, Prime's nemesis teamed with Beast Megatron to conquer their mutual foes. Again, Prime and Primal united their power in the Double Convoy Tornado, but the Megatrons countered it with a tornado of their own. It seemed that the Decepticons' power would overcome the heroes, until Lio Convoy added his energy to the mix, becoming a shining "Lio Typhoon Arrow" that took down the two Megatrons. While the battle was over, however, the war raged on... {{storylink|The Lio Convoy Typhoon Enters (episode)|The Lio Convoy Typhoon Enters}}

=====''15 Go! Go!''=====
[[Image:TGGStarConvoy.jpg|right|180px|thumb|"Hot Rod?! Did you shrink in the wash?"]]
[[Image:TGGLaserPrime.jpg|left|180px|thumb|"How do you think I'd look in black?"]]
Shortly before the [[Battle of Autobot City]] in 2005, an unknown saboteur badly damaged [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]]'s databanks. Optimus Prime notified his Autobots of the attack and issued a command that the information be recovered as soon as possible. "[[Ravage (G1)|Black Panther Man]]", stationed on the artificial Earth satellite [[Nana]], volunteered for the important task and assigned [[Teletraan 15]] to the case.

Teletraan 15 proceeded to travel through time and space on her mission, and encountered future incarnation of Optimus Prime on several occasions. First, she travelled into the future, where [[Micromaster]] [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] saved her from a [[Novaroid]]. As Dark Nova and Ultra Megatron prepared to merge, Prime, in his "Star Convoy" form, arrived and asked Hot Rod to aid him in the coming fight. But before they could start the battle, an interruption came from an unexpected source: [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] emerged from a [[Transwarp]] portal and attacked!

On another mission even further into the future, Teletraan 15 and her companion [[Steeljaw (G1)|Steeljaw]] were aboard [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] as he was attacked by the [[Decepticon]] jets [[Smokescreen (G2)|Smokescreen]] and [[Dreadwing (G2)|Dreadwing]] on his way to his commander. Fortunately for them, Optimus Prime—now in his [[Laser Rod]] body—appeared and severed Dreadwing's wing with a single mighty slash of his sword. Teletraan 15 thought that he looked sad and wondered if he had learned his sword skills during his [[Kiss Player]] days.
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=====''Kiss Players''=====
{{note|[[Kiss Players (franchise)|Kiss Players]] takes place between ''The Transformers: The Movie'' and the third season of the animated series. While there is no particularly large time-gap between these stories in American animated continuity, in Japan, since the third season was moved to 2010 but the movie remained set in 2005, there was a five-year milieu that made room for plenty of new stories to be told.}}

[[Image:Illust.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Optimus is the one on the left. With the dignity.]]

Following Optimus Prime's death in the Battle of Autobot City, Tokyo was devastated when [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] crash-landed on the city after being hurled out of Unicron's body by Rodimus Prime. The death and destruction that resulted caused a massive anti-Transformer sentiment to spring up, epitomized by the formation of the government organization known as the [[Earth Defense Command]], who forced any remaining Transformers on Earth off the planet. Dissatisfaction with the EDC's extreme actions resulted in the formation of an underground resistance group for whom the death of Optimus Prime was a rallying point. Among these commandoes was a young woman [[Marissa Faireborn]], who had been rescued by Optimus Prime back in 1996 when a mission that her [[Flint (G.I. Joe)|soldier father]] had been on had gone bad. Marissa had formed a great friendship with Prime in her childhood, and came to see him as a surrogate father figure, and perhaps a little bit more.

[[Image:Marissa convoy stack.jpg|right|150px|thumb|She prefers the Japanese version's longer stacks.]]
When Prime's corpse was covertly flown to Japan by the EDC, Marissa's commandos attacked the convoy transporting the Autobot leader's body. Believing that they had secured Prime's body, the commandos were taken by surprise and slaughtered by the [[Ne squad]] [[Kiss Player]] [[Ringo Chikuma|Ringo]] and her [[Autrooper]] partner, who burst out of the torso of the decoy Prime body that had been atop the flatbed truck. As the sole surviving member of the squad, Marissa discovered that the true body was being transported within Prime's own trailer nearby. Slicing the trailer open, she was too late to prevent an EDC Autrooper from partially fusing with Prime. Reflecting on her childhood memories of playing with the kindly Autobot leader, Marissa lovingly kissed his faceplate. In an explosion of energy that destroyed the trailer, the two [[ParasiTech|fused]] and Prime was reborn in a new, living body. The pair had become Kiss Players! {{storylink|Kiss Players issue 2|Kiss Players #2}}

As fugitives from the EDC, Prime and Marissa spent their days on the run and their nights hanging out at the beach. He longed for the day when he would be able to see her bathing in the sun, rather than the moonlight, although he also thought that all the soft-serve ice cream she was eating was making her a little fat. One night while Marissa was surfing, she had a squid latch onto her. Then a [[Legion]] that had infused itself with both an octopus and shipwreck attacked her. With tentacles. Prime fought it off and saved Marissa, but the EDC [[Autrooper]]s were soon dispatched to the scene, and the two had to beat a hasty retreat. {{storylink|List of Kiss Players radio drama episodes|Someday, Under the Sun}}

[[Image:PrimeKP.jpg|left|225px|thumb|"And THIS is for TRAILBREAKER, who DESERVED to have GOTTEN this MOLD INSTEAD!"]]
Over the months that followed, Prime and Marissa battled Legions, led Legions (due to the Galvatron-infused cells inside Prime's new body, which sometimes overcame him with nightmares about his old enemy Megatron), fled from Hot Rod, who believed Prime to be an impersonator of his dead commander, and both fought and fled from the EDC.

Finally, teaming up with Hot Rod and his Kiss Player partner [[Shaoshao Li]] (who had adored Marissa since childhood and hated Prime for "stealing" her friend's affections), and the EDC Kiss Player [[Atari Hitotonari]] with her Autrooper partner, Prime and Marissa entered the secret experimental facility beneath the Tokyo headquarters of the EDC and discovered the sinister truth behind the shadowy organization. Everything that had occurred was part of an attempt by EDC commander [[Hitoshizuku Amaō]] to resurrect her daughter, who had been killed in the 2005 catastrophe. Finding Galvatron's headless corpse imprisoned in the facility, the Kiss Players realized that the only way to repair things was to return the [[Unicron]]-created Decepticon's cells. Galvatron's body absorbed the Legions, the Autroopers, and the cells inside Prime and Hot Rod, who were returned to their former forms... which meant that Prime was once again dead. {{storylink|List of Kiss Players radio drama episodes|You, I, and the Spinning Earth}}

Marissa did get a few chances to see her friend again—in 2007, she and her friends were transported back through time to 1984 where they witnessed Prime's battle with Megatron atop [[Sherman Dam]], {{storylink|List of Kiss Players radio drama episodes|Kiss Players radio play #40}} and then later, ''forward'' in time, to 2010, where Prime (and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Goldbug]]) helped her once more by rescuing her and her friends from the [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticon]] pit on [[Quintessa]]. {{storylink|List of Kiss Players radio drama episodes|Tokyo Toy Festival 2007 live script-reading}}
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=====''The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers''=====

[[Image:2010_manga_primes.jpg|right|thumb|275px|And eat your greens or no dessert!]]

After boarding a Decepticon spaceship, [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] became trapped by the schemeing Galvatron. Galvatron quickly bested him in combat and Rodimus, badly injured, was ready to give up. Lucky for him, the spirit of Optimus Prime reached out to him from within the Matrix and encouraged him to get up and keep fighting. Inspired by his predecessor, Rodimus Prime outwitted Galvatron, escaped and destroyed their spaceship. {{storylink|The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers issue 1|The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers #1}}

When the Quintessons reactivated Optimus Prime as a rampaging zombie {{storylink|Dark Awakening}}, they made it a point to copy his schematics while they had the opportunity. Teaming with the Decepticons, they then obtained the schematics of Megatron. Combining the best aspects of both, they created the Colossal Cannon Soldier [[Guiltaur]]. {{storylink|Transformers 2010 (story page)|Transformers 2010 Part 4}}

Guiltaur was then unleashed upon Rodimus Prime and, eventually, Galvatron. The two enemies teamed up and defeated the powerful warrior, with Rodimus swearing to do it in the name of Optimus Prime's honor. With Guiltaur destroyed, it was revealed the behemoth had been controled by the ghost of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] all along. {{storylink|The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers issue 4|Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers #4}}

=====''The Great Transformer War''=====

Following his resurrection, in the year 2011, Optimus Prime and [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] engaged in a battle against [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] and the Decepticons in deep space. Galvatron fled the battle, leaving Hot Rod to request pursuit. Optimus told him not to, and instead to regroup back at [[Athenia]], as he suspected the Decepticons had a much greater scheme in mind. Indeed, Optimus was correct, as Galvatron was preparing for his full-blown invasion of planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 3|The Great Transformer War #3}}

=====''The Headmasters'' cartoon=====

[[Image:Headmasters_prime_death.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Rodimus finally receives his Nemesis Prime RealDoll.]]

One year after Prime's resurrection, in 2011, the Autobots had entered into an even closer relationship with Earth and began 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. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} Prime took a squad of troops to aid in the battle on the planet, and when the arrival of the Autobot [[Headmaster (technology)|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. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}}

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 (G1)|Cyclonus]] and [[Scourge (G1)|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. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}}

=====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon=====

[[Image:Ginrai_1stapp.jpg|thumb|right|"Well tonight, Matthew, I'm going to be..."]]

Once they had defeated the Decepticons, the Autobots had planned to somehow resurrect their fallen leader, using the technology developed on the planet [[Master (Headmasters)|Master]] to give him a new body. However, shortly after it had been built, the [[Transtector]] intended for Optimus was among those stolen by the self-proclaimed "Decepticon god" [[Devil Z]]. It was then hidden on Earth where it was eventually found by, and [[Godmaster|bonded with]], a human named [[Ginrai]]. {{storylink|You Too Use the Masterforce to Transform|Shūta and Grand's Masterforce Super Secrets}} The Transtector later gained sentience of its own, which meant that it ultimately could not be used for its intended purpose. {{storylink|A Battle... and Then...}} The Autobots didn't bother to build another one.

=====''Victory'' cartoon=====

Occupying the body of Optimus Prime comes with [[the many deaths of Optimus Prime|its drawbacks]], and it seems that even if the bot in question doesn't actually happen to be Prime, it doesn't mean they should be an exception. After a scuffle with the Decepticons' new [[Emperor of Destruction]] [[Deathsaurus]], the sentient Transtector Ginrai accepted his fate and [[death|bought the energon farm]]. {{storylink|Ginrai Dies!!}} Quick to act, the Autobots built him a fresh new body, and Ginrai was reborn as [[Victory Leo]]. {{storylink|Fight!! Victory Leo}} They still didn't bother to build another body for Optimus, though. By then, they'd already moved on and found [[Star Saber (Victory)|someone new]] to settle down with.

=====''The Battlestars'' story pages and comic=====
[[Image:PrimeZodiak.jpg|left|thumb|''You got the--'' No, hang on... Nevermind.]]

Over 15 years after his merging with Vector Sigma, Optimus Prime's lifeless body was spirited away in a sinister plot to destroy the Autobots by [[Dark Nova]], the big bad guy du jour. Nova duplicated Prime's body, using the copy to create the evil [[False Convoy]]. {{storylink|The Battlestars (story page)|The Battlestars story page #3}} The elite Autobot team, the [[Battlestars]], defeated False Convoy and retrieved the real Prime's body from Planet [[Lucifer]], and then used the mysterious energy source known as the [[Zodiac]] to restore Prime to life. Transformed into '''Star Convoy''', Prime was also reunited with [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]], who became his [[Micromaster]] partner. {{storylink|The Battlestars (story page)|The Battlestars story page #4}}

[[Image:Starconvoy magami.jpg|right|thumb|"Occasionally you meet a nice one—Star Convoy, E.T. ... but usually they just turn out to be some kind of big lizard!"]]

After Star Convoy and [[Sixliner]] defeated a swarm of Dark Nova's [[Novaroid|Great Novaroid]] drone warriors, {{storylink|The Battlestars (story page)|The Battlestars story page #5}} the mysterious creature decided to resurrect Prime's oldest nemesis, and plucked [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] from the icy grave he had been cast into years beforehand by the Autobot Headmasters, recreating him as [[Megatron (G1)|Super Megatron]]. {{storylink|The Battlestars (story page)|The Battlestars story page #6}} The two old foes clashed in battle at the North Pole, with Star Convoy emerging victorious {{storylink|The Battlestars}} but Super Megatron soon returned with an army of [[Galaman|Great Galaman]] drones to back him up. {{storylink|The Battlestars (story page)|The Battlestars story page #7}} Defeated by the "[[Triple Combination Battlestar Attack]]" that combined all the power of Star Convoy, [[Sky Garry (G1)|Sky Garry]] and [[Grandus (ROC)|Grandus]], Super Megatron was again upgraded by Dark Nova into Ultra Megatron. Star Convoy and the Battlestars met him in battle once again, and again, they claimed victory. {{storylink|The Battlestars (story page)|The Battlestars story page #8}}

His pawn having failed him, Dark Nova absorbed Ultra Megatron into his body, transforming them both into the gargantuan "Star Giant". {{storylink|The Battlestars (story page)|The Battlestars story page #9}} Star Giant proved to be virtually indestructible from the outside until Star Convoy got the bright idea of giving the villain [[Furmanism|the worst case of indigestion he'd ever had]]. Holding Star Giant's massive mouth open, he ordered Sky Garry and Grandus to move in. After all three were swallowed, they began taking Star Giant down from the inside while simultaneously fighting off his various defensive systems. As soon as the trio escaped from Star Giant's interior, the monster exploded, leaving only his head slightly intact. As it happens, Megatron was housed inside Star Giant's noggin and survived the attack. {{storylink|The Battlestars (story page)|The Battlestars story page #10}}

=====Nucleon Quest Convoy bio=====
Following the defeat of Star Giant, the restoration of Cybertron (following its devastation in 2011) began, but the planet was in the throes of a chronic energy shortage. In order to re-energize the struggling planet, Optimus Prime upgraded himself into a Powermaster by fusing with the Nebulan scientist Hi-Q. Protecting his body with a Phase Modulation Shield, Prime ventured into a black hole to obtain the super-energy Nucleon, which was used to restore Cybertron to its former glory.
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=====''G-2'' story pages and pack-in comic=====
[[Image:BlasterG2.jpg|left|thumb|The alliance would have lasted if they'd gotten more than one chair.]]
With Cybertron restored, Optimus Prime upgraded himself into a new [[Action Master]] body. Megatron eventually recovered from his defeat and with his sanity circuit fully restored at last, joined with Prime to form the [[Cybertron Alliance]]. Things were good for a little while, as Megatron's attempts at peace were genuinely sincere, and the alliance ushered in what would be called the Second Generation of the Transformers. However, after human soldiers killed one of his dearest comrades, Megatron adopted a new tank body and started the war anew, believing he could bring a more stable peace to the galaxy by ruling it with an iron fist. {{storylink|G-2 (story page)|Autobots vs. Decepticons: Combat Secrets }}

To counter Megatron, Optimus Prime upgraded his body into a new Missile Trailer mode. Rallying a new wave of Autobot warriors, Optimus diligently repelled Megatron and the Decepticons. In one early encounter, Prime managed to rescue [[Electro]] and [[Volt]] from Megatron by firing his "Matrix Saturn" attack. He immediately recommended that Megatron and all his Decepticons leave the area at once. {{storylink|G-2 (pack-in comic)|G-2 #1}} Megatron, of course, refused, and continued his attack. Prime, Electro and Volt combined their firepower, leaving Megatron in a smoke-filled crater. As Electro moved in to administer the killing blow, Megatron emerged from the smoke unscathed, effortlessly plucking Electro up by his head. {{storylink|G-2 (pack-in comic)|G-2 #2}} Against Prime's orders, Volt immediately rushed Megatron from behind to free his captured friend. {{storylink|G-2 (pack-in comic)|G-2 #4}}

At one point, the secrecy of the Autobot field base became a priority, leaving Megatron to order warriors such as [[Jolt (G2)|Jolt]] to tail other Autobots and locate Prime. {{storylink|G-2 (pack-in comic)|G-2 #5}} Prime's location was eventually compromised when [[Skyjack]] slipped past all Autobot radar. Astonished at the Decepticon's stealth, Prime was unable to stop Skyjack from returning to Megatron with his location. {{storylink|G-2 (pack-in comic)|G-2 #7}} Meanwhile, [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] and [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] began to study the [[Matrix of Leadership]] and discovered a new property within it called the [[Reconfiguration Matrix]] which could grant Autobots new powers. {{storylink|G-2 (story page)|Optimus Prime of the Autobots has Fallen!}}

[[Image:G2PrimeJustice.jpg|right|thumb|"SHALOM!"]]

Prime and Megatron eventually met to do battle, with Prime coming out on top as Megatron slowly ran low on fuel. Prime offered Megatron one last chance to surrender, but was caught off-guard by [[Hooligan (G2)|Hooligan]], who blasted him in the back with his missile attack, destroying Prime's back-mounted weaponry unit. {{storylink|G-2 (pack-in comic)|G-2 #9}} Megatron then ordered [[Dreadwing (G2)|Dreadwing]] and [[Smokescreen (G2)|Smokescreen]] to swoop in and finish Prime off before he could recover. The pair of Decepticons proceeded to bomb Prime mercilessly before turning him over to Megatron for the kill. {{storylink|G-2 (pack-in comic)|G-2 #10}} With a surprising lack of satisfaction, Megatron blasted Prime to pieces, killing his ancient foe at last. Victorious, Megatron offered Prime a final prayer, only to be interrupted by...Prime! The essences of the previous Autobot Supreme Commanders within the Matrix of Leadership activated the Reconfiguration Matrix to forge him a new body. Optimus Prime became '''Battle Convoy''' and easily trumped Megatron's power. {{storylink|G-2 (pack-in comic)|G-2 #13}} {{storylink|G-2 (story page)|Birth of the New Supreme Commander Battle Convoy!}}

Prime and Megatron then agreed to a one-on-one duel following the "Law of Cybertron": total banishment to the defeated and his forces. After a lengthy and painful battle, Prime narrowly managed to best Megatron, forcing him and the Decepticons to retreat into deep space. Prime was last seen wounded, being aided off the battlefield by Volt and Electro. {{storylink|G-2 (story page)|The Autobots Triumph in the Battle of Good Vs. Evil!}}
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=====e-Hobby ''Generation 2'' storyline=====

[[Image:Black_hybrid_prime_manga.jpg|left|thumb]]

When the universe came under threat from an [[Galvatron II|alternate-reality incarnation of Galvatron]], Prime used his [[Reconfiguration Matrix|Reconfiguration Matrix]] to once again transform his body into a form resembling his original. Armed with powerful solar-powered missile launchers created by the Decepticons that were so energy-consumptive that Prime required a sunlight-absorbing [[wikipedia:Black_body|black body]] coating to operate them at full power, Prime put his new body to use rescuing Laser Ultra Magnus from Galvatron's clutches. {{storylink|Hybrid Style Convoy Black Version}}
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===Kid Stuff Talking Story Books===
:''Voice actor:'' Unknown

Optimus Prime is a "metallic nemesis". Megatron said so.

{{charstubfiction}}

===Big Looker Story Books===
[[Image:KidsPrime1.jpg|right|150px|thumb|And the fluffy kitten played with that yarn all gosh-darn night.]]

When a 2-part race was being held with a massive supply of oil and gasoline as the prize, both the Decepticons and the Autobots badly wanted to win it. Megatron entered the race by hiding himself inside a hollowed-out car and harassed [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] all throughout the contest. When Prime discovered the car was being driven by his arch foe, he swiftly pulled a telephone pole out from the ground and used it to bash the mortal hell out of the cheating Decepticon. Thanks to Prime's violent intervention, Cliffjumper was able to win the race. Afterward, Optimus Prime celebrated the Minibot's victory with a gargantuan smile as all the Decepticons starved to death. {{storylink|The Great Car Rally}}

{{charstubfiction}}
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===Ladybird Books continuity===
{{storylink|Autobots' Lightning Strike}} {{storylink|Megatron's Fight for Power}} {{storylink|Autobots Fight Back}} {{storylink|Laserbeak's Fury}} {{storylink|Autobot Hostage}} {{storylink|Decepticons Underground}}
{{charstubfiction}}

===''Transformer PD Type'' comic===

[[Image:PDtype-Matrixattack.jpg|left|thumb|250px|This is the highlight of this entire page.]]

When a horde of time-displaced Decepticons joined forces to hunt down the five [[Blackball]]s, a super energy source, Optimus Prime gathered a team of time-displaced Autobots to help stop them.

In one encounter with his arch-foe [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], they reenacted their epic struggle from the [[Battle of Autobot City]]. However, this time around, Prime avoided dying by launching his "Matrix Attack"...''literally'' launching the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] from his chest, bonking Megatron on the head. {{storylink|Transformer PD Type|You're Great! Optimus Prime!}}

Later, Optimus Prime and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] concocted a cunning strategy. They disguised a round, black cartoon explosive as a Blackball and gave it to [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]. Starscream promptly brought it to Megatron, where it blew both of them up. Optimus and Magnus were astounded their plan actually worked. {{storylink|Transformer PD Type|Don't Cry! Megatron!!}}

In one of his less impressive moments, after running out of ammo during a battle with [[Deathsaurus]], Optimus Prime ordered his fellow Autobots to improvise and hurl everything that wasn't nailed down at their enemy. This included the Blackball, unfortunately. Catching it, Deathsaurus began to fantasize about his inevitable galactic conquest, all the while being pelted with rocks and litter. Frustrated, Deathsaurus accidentilly hurled the Blackball back to the Autobots in a fit of rage. {{storylink|Transformer PD Type|Good Job! Deathsaurus!!}}
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===''Comic Bom Bom G-2'' comic===
[[Image:G2Hero.jpg|right|200px|thumb|GAH, HE'S LOOKING AT ME!]]
In the year 199X, the Decepticons had learned of a powerful new energy source known as [[forestonite]] which just happened to be located (surprise surprise) on [[Earth]]. Megatron sent his trio of [[Cyberjet]]s to Earth first to draw out the enemy Autobots. The Cyberjets made quick work of [[Electro]] but were soon halted by the appearance of Optimus Prime.

Megatron then entered the fray and fired his Black Hole Burn attack from his fusion cannon, narrowly missing Optimus Prime but vaporizing [[Hooligan (G2)|Hooligan]] in the process. Prime fought fiercely but Megatron began to take the upper-hand in battle.

However, Prime was encouraged to keep fighting by the cheers of a human boy named [[Junpei]]. Megatron, surprised at Prime's resilience, attempted to finish his foe off with his Tornado Axe attack. Prime countered with his Double Wheel-Torque Mega-Ton, which trumped Megatron's attack and injured the Decepticon badly. Megatron teleported back to his ship and left Earth's atmosphere, vowing to return.

Optimus Prime addressed Junpei, asking if the boy was injured. Junpei revealed he was alright but presented concern about the Decepticons returning to Earth. Optimus Prime swore that the Autobots would remain on Earth until the threat of the Decepticons was finished and asked for Junpei's help in making that future a reality. {{storylink|The New Battle!!}}

===''Beast Wars'' cartoon continuity===
====''Beast Wars'' cartoon====
[[Image:G1Prime BWMegs.jpg|left|180px|thumb|You have to get up preeeeetty early in the timestream to beat Optimus Prime!]]

The [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]] raged on prehistoric Earth, eventually leading to the discovery of the buried Ark sometime after its crash on prehistoric Earth. [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]], following his namesake's instructions in a desperate gambit, decided to attempt to change history by killing 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 [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] control of Cybertron. Megatron unleashed a full-power weapon blast at Optimus Prime's face, near-fatally injuring him. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part III)}} 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 mutated Primal into a large, [[Transmetal]] "Optimal Optimus" form. Then, with the repairs complete, Prime's spark was restored, and he briefly activated before sinking back into normal stasis. {{storylink|Optimal Situation}}

Sometime after the Autobots and Decepticons awoke in the 1980s, the original Megatron gained access to one of Earth's ''Voyager'' spacecraft and inscribed a message on the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|disk]] on board. In the event that he lost the War, Megatron left instructions for the descendants of the Decepticons to use [[transwarp]] technology to travel to Prehistoric Earth, locate the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], and change history by killing Optimus Prime. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 2)}}

====''Beast Machines'' cartoon====
[[Image:Sparkwar2_Optimus_hologram_primal.jpg|right|200px|thumb|]]
:''Voice actor'': [[Garry Chalk]] (English), [[Tilo Schmitz]] (German)

An enormous statue of Optimus Prime, bearing two [[Golden Disk (disambiguation)|Golden Disks]], could be seen on Cybertron in front of the Hall of Archives. The statue was subsequently blown to pieces by the [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon forces]]. {{storylink|Fires of the Past}} Later, Megatron beamed a hologram of Optimus Prime down to the ruins of [[Iacon]] to confront [[Optimus Primal]]. Primal mistook the hologram for the real thing and shared with it the code for the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]]. Megatron quickly revealed his ruse. Primal explained to his Maximals that he knew the image was fake, but he needed the location of the missing [[spark]]s from Megatron's mind. {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. II: The Search}}

{{note|Writer [[Bob Skir]] claims that neither the statue nor the golden disks in its hands were mentioned in the script. However, he suggested that they were either the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|disks]] from the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 probes, or that Optimus won them in the 2,395,989th Annual Cybertronian spelling bee.<ref>[http://bigbot.com/beast-machines-transformers-bob-skir/Beast-Machines-FAQ/Tue_12_Oct_1999.html Q&A from Bigbot's "bobskir.com"]</ref> We're betting on the latter.}}

====''Universe: Primeval Dawn''====
[[Image:Sparkholderprimevaldawn.jpg|left|190px|thumb|"Oh, I also have this in me now, too."]]
The Vok took the Matrix of Leadership from an unconscious Optimus Prime, used it to create [[Primal Prime]], then gave the Matrix to their new creation. {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 1}}

{{note|In the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon, Prime's spark was shown to be contained in a Matrix-like vessel. In [[Universe (2003 comic)|Primeval Dawn]], that vessel was shown to be merely a container for his spark, and the actual Matrix was hidden underneath.}}
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===''Beast Wars Metals'' comic===
[[Image:CheetasManga1.jpg|right|100px|thumb|Cheetor, that's Prime's Spark, not a toy.]]
Optimus Prime was blasted into pieces by Dragon Megatron. Fortunately, his spark remained perfectly intact—in the remains of his [[Optimal Situation|Matrix-shaped spark chamber]]. Megatron was going to destroy Prime's spark, but [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] (now in his Transmetal body) saved it. Prime's spark was eventually swallowed by Optimus Primal, who was upgraded into Optimal Optimus by doing so.

After Megatron was killed by Optimal Optimus, Primal and his crew said it would be troublesome to fix Optimus Prime's body.
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===Dreamwave comics continuity===
{{cleanup|April 2009|Needs general expansion and STORYLINKS TO INDIVIDUAL ISSUES. Links to the series are not acceptable.}}

[[Image:Optronix optimus.jpg|left|180px|thumb|What? OPTRONIX is evolving!]]
Optimus Prime started life as '''Optronix''' (Orion to his friends<ref>The [[Keepers Trilogy]] novels set in Dreamwave continuity</ref>), a data archivist. After taking note of a battle in which the Autobot leader [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] had been defeated 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 Matrix of Leadership shortly thereafter, gaining a powerful new body in the process, 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. Some time into his role as leader, Prime disappeared in a [[space bridge]] explosion along with Megatron, but returned some time later, having spent a period of time on [[Quintessa]]. {{storylink|The War Within}}

Following the awakening of the Transformers on Earth, the Autobots protected the planet from the Decepticons. Over the next fifteen years, the Autobots befriended the humans, particularly the [[Witwicky|Witwicky family]]. The Autobots finally 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]]'', along with seven humans, including Witwicky patriarch [[Sparkplug Witwicky|Sparkplug]]. Before the ship departed, Prime gave a piece of the Matrix to [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]], Sparkplug's son and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]'s closest human friend. 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. Spike was forced by the product chief, General [[Robert Hallo]], to use the piece of the Matrix 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]]. {{storylink|Prime Directive}}

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 a 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 (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] arrived and bested him. The injuries Prime took in this conflict necessitated a prolonged restoration period in stasis. {{storylink|War and Peace}}

{{note|...which turned out to be the remainder of Dreamwave's existence. Bummer.}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
[[Image:GIJoevsTFcobraprime.jpg|right|275px|thumb|G.1. Joe-the real universal hero!]]

Several Autobots and Decepticons, including Optimus Prime, were reformatted into will-less war machines under the control of [[Cobra]]. During an initial attack on a human peace conference, Cobra's remote control of Optimus mysteriously failed. Later at Cobra's island headquarters in the Caribbean, Cobra scientists pulled Optimus apart to find out what was impeding their commands. As this analysis took place, Optimus reverse hacked into Cobra computers until they shut him down in a panic. Despite this, Prime sent a viral message out to hundreds of email addresses that included the coordinates of Cobra's base. The message was intercepted by [[G.I. Joe]] who teamed up with Wheeljack and Bumblebee. After Wheeljack broke the remote control over the Transformers, Prime went after [[Cobra Commander]]. More than a bit frightened of a giant robot gunning for him, the human released Megatron, who was trapped in gun model. Megatron transformed and fought Prime to a standstill until other Autobots came to back him up.

Although he was weak and low on [[Energon (fuel)|energon]], Prime made a last-ditch effort to save the day when he rammed through the wall of Megatron's energon-producing lab. After a quick recharge, Optimus single-handedly smashed the Decepticons, pounded Megatron to the ground, and ripped his [[fusion cannon]] off his arm. Prime then teamed up with the Joes and used Megatron's cannon to shoot down the [[SPS satellite]] that had gone rogue and was destroying the island.

With the battle over, Prime and the Autobots boarded a new ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' ship built by G.I. Joe and returned to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers}}

[[Image:GIJoevstfIIprime1930s.jpg|left|275px|thumb|War Convoy: TRANSFORM!!!]]
On a Cybertron dominated by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and the Decepticons, Optimus Prime and the Autobots took on the roles of resistance fighters. Cobra experimentation transported a contingent of Cobras and G.I. Joes to Cybertron and destabilized [[Teletran 3]]. The computer then sent several Transformers to [[Earth]] across different time periods. A team made up of Joes and Cobra agents were sent back and found Optimus Prime and the [[Stunticon]]s in 1930s-era Chicago, disguised as period cars and trucks. The Stunticons chased Prime and the Joes around the city until everything was wrapped up with bullets, a collapsed bridge and some dynamite.

After the Transformers and humans were returned to present-day Cybertron and the Decepticons were vanquished by the recently-arrived [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], Prime made an agreement with the Joes to destroy the technology that started the whole mess in order to protect Earth. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II}}

On Cybertron, Optimus Prime kicked back to do a little bit of paperwork and reminisce. With Shockwave defeated, Cybertron was enjoying a new era of peace. He was interrupted by Hot Rod, who reported that a group of "pesky humans with their peashooters" were giving an Autobot team on Earth a hard time. Prime suspected Cobra's involvement and counseled Hot Rod not to be so dismissive of the humans.

Later, at a peace celebration, Prime was watching a procession of Autobots when Decepticons attacked. Optimus ordered Omega Supreme into action but the huge Autobot was quickly overcome by Menasor, Piranacon and Predaking. Prime hopped into the fray, saved a female Autobot from getting smushed by the falling Omega, rode a flying Decepticon into Piranacon's face, smashed another Decepticon into the ground, and carried a wounded Autobot out of danger.

[[Image:Primevsserpentor.jpg|right|175px|thumb|Serpent O.R. soon realized that "This I command!" doesn't work on Optimus Prime.]]
Menasor cut off Prime's escape and confronted him with a hologram of [[Serpentor|Serpent O.R.]] The new Decepticon leader carried Megatron's memories and information downloaded from Soundwave, from which he learned of the Matrix of Leadership. Serpent O.R. offered Optimus a trade: hostages and peace if he handed over the Matrix. Optimus agreed.

In his stronghold, Serpent O.R. questioned Prime about his own worthiness to carry the Matrix, but Optimus broke free of his chains and aggressively ordered him to surrender. A group of Decepticons broke in and nearly took Prime apart, but not before Serpent O.R. took the Matrix for himself and changed into the massive Serpentor Prime. The Matrix showed Serpentor Prime the error of his ways but as he was about to commit suicide Cobra Commander tripped a device and took over Serpentor Prime's body. Moments before he crushed Arcee, a severely damaged Optimus Prime threw Hawk toward the Matrix but warned the human not to touch the artifact. Hawk did so anyway and through a quasi-mystical transfer of power Serpentor Prime was vanquished.

Later repaired by a female nursebot, Optimus went back to finishing his paperwork. A leader's job is never done. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers: The Art of War}}

Sensing a new, yet old, danger to planet Earth, Prime elected to send himself to earth on an investigation, and gave Hot Rod a glare when the young Autobot accused his leader of taking an unnecessary risk to atone for the death of a close friend.

Optimus Prime landed in the Himalayan Mountains with G.I. Joes [[Flint (G.I. Joe)|Flint]] and [[Hawk (G.I. Joe)|Hawk]]. As they searched the area, the trio was attacked by [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] in his [[Pretender]] shell. Prime whacked him with his [[energon-axe]] and in return Bludgeon bearhugged him and coated him in metal-eating slime. Hawk, still carrying power from the Matrix, helped Prime break free. Optimus then shot his way into the hidden kingdom of [[Cobra-La]].

While they wandered through the tunnels, the Joes and Prime found cave paintings that described the last visit to Earth by the planet-eating god [[Unicron]]. They were attacked again by Bludgeon and Cobra-La minions, but were led away by a ragged [[Joe Colton]], prisoner of Cobra-La for the last 25 years. Bludgeon managed to find them again and during a second battle Prime tore open the Pretender's shell, revealing Bludgeon's robot form inside. Bludgeon tripped and dangled dangerously over a chasm, but rather than let Optimus Prime save him, Bludgeon forced Prime to drop him to his death laughing all the way down.

The Joes discovered a cavern where the people of Cobra-La were growing metal-eating spores as a last defense against Unicron. Flint and [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] took a load of the spores into space just as Unicron appeared in Earth orbit. Prime, Hawk and Colton headed deeper into Cobra-La to rescue [[Firewall]] and kick butt. Prime was tackled and pinned by a giant bug creature, but made a dramatic recovery and tossed the bug aside. He then took the machine-hating Cobra-La leader [[Golobulus]] to task with a single punch. Flint and Cosmos released the spores, which devoured Unicron from the inside and defeated the giant Transformer before he could harm [[Earth]].

With the threat of Unicron gone, Prime relaxed with [[Eject]] and Firewall by watching some reality TV, and sighed at the banality. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers: Black Horizon}}

===''Transformers/G.I. Joe''===
{{charstubfiction}}
=== IDW comics continuity ===
{{ongoing}}

{{note|[[Megatron Origin]] depicted that before the war, a robot that's a hybrid of the "Orion Pax" and "Optronix" designs appears listening to [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]]'s speech at the funeral of [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]] and [[Fastback]]. He is standing with [[Elita One]], [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], and a white version of himself (presumably [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], possibly even [[Dion]]). Whether this is truly the [[IDW continuity]]'s version of pre-Prime Optimus or not remains unrevealed.}}

[[Image:SpotlightBlurr-Optimus.jpg|left|thumb|200px|There's something missing...]]

Galvanized by the death of Sentinel Prime, Optimus joined the Autobot forces under his successor [[Zeta Prime]], and was assigned to a unit commanded by the veteran [[Kup (G1)|Kup]]. During his tour of duty his unit intercepted a message reporting of a planned attempt on the Prime's life. He approached former racer [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] as a reliable means of getting the news to Zeta Prime in a hurry. The former celebrity balked, but ultimately the young soldier helped Blurr find what really drove him to race, and thus recruited him to the Autobot cause. {{storylink|Spotlight: Blurr}}

[[Image:IDWOptimus.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Freedom is the right of all sentient and heavily-armed beings.]]

An undisclosed amount of time later, Optimus would be chosen as the next Prime, and commanded the Autobot armed forces spread across the galaxy from the [[Autobot Orbital Command Hub]]. He was directly involved in the cataclysm ([[IDW timeline|just under 450 years ago]]) that reduced [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to a dead husk, fighting alongside [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] in an attempt to stop [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]'s rampage. Their efforts were futile, and they only survived due to Cybertron itself swallowing Thunderwing at [[Thunderhead Pass]]. Megatron was unconvinced that Thunderwing was dead, and advocated that Cybertron be destroyed to better insure that the mad Decepticon was forever destroyed. Optimus Prime refused, and threatened to stop any effort that Megatron attempted. Megatron agreed to spare the planet, but warned Prime that anything which happened afterward was on his head.

In the present, Prime received a pulsewave from [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], who was stationed under [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]]'s team on Earth, saying that the Decepticon infiltration cell under [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] had broken their infiltration methods and enacted [[Infiltration protocol|siege mode]] prematurely. Soon afterward, the Autobot science vessel ''[[Calabi-Yau]]'' sent a distress signal from above Thunderhead Pass, and he ordered the [[Wrecker]]s to withdraw from [[Varas Centralus]] and meet him on Cybertron. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 2|Stormbringer #2}} Thunderwing had been restored by [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] and his followers, and though the Wreckers made short work of them, the real fight would be met with Thunderwing. After the Wreckers, [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] and [[Centurion droid]]s were unable to destroy the monster, Prime took to the field, firing massive amounts of energy at Thunderwing, forcing it to exhaust its last reserves of [[Ultra-Energon]] and, ultimately, its life. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 4|Stormbringer #4}}

[[Image:IDWPrime Earth.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Don't crush the cameraman!]]
[[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] discovered information in Bludgeon's files about the mysterious new form of Energon found on [[Earth]]. Linking it to the pulsewave transmission from Ironhide, Prime diverted his spacecraft to Earth and called [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] in to assist him. {{storylink|Spotlight: Nightbeat}}. Shortly after arrival, and having undergone alteration so that he could disguise himself as an Earth truck, he slowly began to realize how unusual the situation Prowl's unit had found itself in was. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}} Not only had the Decepticons broken their own infiltration protocols over what Starscream had dubbed [[Ultra-Energon|Ore-13]], but after attempting to recover what appeared to be [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]]'s remains, it was also evident that some of the planet's native sentient lifeforms—[[human]]s—posed a threat possibly equal to that of their old enemies. {{storylink|Escalation issue 2|Escalation #2}}

Optimus Prime, now fully filled-in on Earth's happenings, decided that they needed reinforcements. He called Nightbeat, [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]], and [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] to come when they could. When Prowl pointed out that Megatron, in his new gun-based Earth mode, was in the breakaway Soviet state of [[Brasnya]] stirring up trouble, Prime ordered them into action.

[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] almost got the drop on Prime, but [[Roller]] was right behind him and took out Blitzwing with a single shot. Megatron returned to his full-size robot mode and disagreed with the quality of Prime's tea and crumpets. At last, the two rivals were going to go at it.

[[Image:Escalation5 Primedies enlightning.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Rule of thumb, Megs—if he don't turn gray, he's A-OK.]]
The fight went well at first, with Prime blowing Megatron's [[fusion cannon]] clean off. Megatron, however, tireless thanks to Ore-13, prevailed, almost beating Prime into [[stasis lock]]. {{storylink|Escalation issue 5|Escalation #5}}

However, Prime transferred his consciousness into his trailer, leading Megatron to believe him dead. Realizing that Ore-13 was the same as Ultra-Energon, Prime returned to his body in time to save his forces from the relentless Megatron, blasting him point blank in the face and dealing enough damage to the Decepticon leader to drain his power reserves, just as he did against Thunderwing. The victory was narrow, however, leaving Optimus with the daunting task of fending off an increasing enemy force without his last ace in the hole. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}}

This near-death experience had left Prime somewhat unsettled. While his consciousness was in [[infraspace]] downloading to his trailer, he sensed a presence of dread—the visage of his long-missing predecessor, [[Nova Prime]]. Looking for answers, Optimus Prime left Earth temporarily to seek an audience with [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] for answers. Once there, he found out about Nova's beliefs of how Transformers were a superior race and should remake the universe in their image, and faced down the rampaging [[Monstructor]], a legacy of Nova's tenure locked away by Omega Supreme. Then he gave his "you shouldn't have done that" speech to Omega, handed Monstructor's limbs over to Jetfire's team, and went on to have angst-ridden introspection about himself and the tarnished legacy of the [[Prime (rank)|Prime lineage]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Optimus Prime}}

After returning to Earth, Nightbeat discovered that a human group was aware of the base's location and recommended to Prime that they move the ''[[Ark-19]]''. As preparations were underway, Prime received a message from [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] saying that Thunderwing had been stolen. [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]], eager to search for Sunstreaker, suggested that they be reassigned to Earth, and Prime agreed. However, the thrashing that Prime gave Megatron had so embarrassed the Decepticon leader that he ordered in the Decepticons' living weapon, [[Sixshot]]. While moving the ''Ark-19'', Prime and the others came under fire by Sixshot, who severely damaged their ship. {{storylink|Devastation issue 1|Devastation #1}}

[[Image:Devastation4 PrimeSixshot hyperbole.jpg|left|180px|thumb|"And THAT'S for killing my brother in another timeline!"]]
Ordering [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] to get [[Jimmy Pink]] and [[Verity Carlo]] to safety, Optimus then instructed Nightbeat to upload all of ''Ark-19''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s data to ''[[Ark-32]]'' and for Prowl to activate the self-destruct sequence. {{storylink|Devastation issue 2|Devastation #2}} When ''Ark-19'' exploded, it was assumed that Optimus was on board, but all was good at the end when he appeared with [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and the others—ready to take on Sixshot. {{storylink|Devastation issue 3|Devastation #3}} Optimus and the Autobots held Sixshot at bay, but the U.S. military ordered an air strike to destroy the alien robots. The battle was a stalemate, as Sixshot had to return to the Decepticons while the Autobots [[orbital jump]]ed just in time to avoid destruction. {{storylink|Devastation issue 4|Devastation #4}} On ''Ark-32'', after a conversation with Jetfire, Prime informed Prowl that they needed to retrieve [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]], Hot Rod and Ironhide, and leave Earth to see to another crisis. The secure facility on [[Garrus-9]] had been breached, and Prime and company needed to make sure that some of the "recent inmates" there didn't end up "in enemy hands". {{storylink|Devastation issue 5|Devastation #5}} Before leaving Earth, Optimus Prime redirected Hound's unit to rendezvous with ''Ark-32'' at Garrus-9, and told Hound to impress upon Sideswipe the importance of their mission and how he didn't leave Earth or Sunstreaker behind lightly. {{storylink|Devastation issue 6|Devastation #6}}

[[Image:DarknessPrimes.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Think he can go one series without having a near-death experience?]]
Optimus Prime and Prowl met with [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] and Jetfire on Garrus-9 and discussed the prisoners' breakout, and that a surviving Decepticon had been tortured. Maximus and Jetfire gave each other a guilty glance. Prime left Maximus in charge and returned with Prowl to the ''Ark-32''. Meanwhile, [[Dead Universe]] resident [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] attacked Hound's crew, but they received help from Ultra Magnus and drove Cyclonus to escape to [[Corata-Vaz]]. There, he activated the [[Nega-Core]] and fought with Magnus and Hound's crew, whom had followed him. In desperation, Cyclonus activated the Nega-Core's guardian—Thunderwing. Using the distraction, Cyclonus escaped but Magnus sent another tracker after him. All this was reported to Optimus Prime on the ''Ark-32'', who recognized that this had something to do with his infraspace encounter in Brasnya. Prime ordered Jetfire to summon the Wreckers to find out what Thunderwing is guarding. {{storylink|Spotlight: Cyclonus}}

The prison soon came under attack from Nova Prime. Rather then watch his soldiers be slaughtered by the undead monster, Optimus Prime ordered a retreat and faced Nova alone. Announcing his new title of Nemesis Prime, Optimus's predecessor explained the nature of the [[Darkness (G1)|Darkness]] before unleashing a portion on the Autobot leader. Shattered, Prime collapsed onto his hands and knees as Nemesis loomed. {{storylink|Spotlight: Doubledealer}}

[[Image:OptimusdeadNemesis.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"Optimus! I've come to help y- oh. Sorted, then?"]]

Unexpectedly for Nemesis Prime, the Darkness seemed to be more interested in the younger Prime and sought to be passed onto Optimus. Nemesis wasn't about to let go of the power he commanded, and savagely attacked Optimus Prime, whose attempts to reason fell on deaf ears. Just as Nemesis Prime seemed victorious, [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] attacked the fallen Prime from behind, killing him. Nemesis's death allowed the Darkness to finally enter Optimus, who tried to fight against its evil to no avail. Galvatron offered the Autobot a choice: kill himself by plunging into the [[Solar pool]], or pass on the Darkness to Galvatron, who had coveted the Darkness for so long. Optimus seemed to willingly do so, but just as he passed on the Darkness, he threw the surprised Galvatron into the solar pool. As Optimus gazed upon the dead body of Nemesis, he told himself he could not mourn the elder Prime's death, as Nova truly died long ago. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}}

[[Image:AHMPrimecritical.jpg|right|250px|thumb|So he's dying. [[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|This shouldn't be a problem by now]].]]
A year later, Optimus Prime combined his Autobot squad with another squad. Having received word of a supposed Decepticon power struggle, Prime led the Autobots to a location where Starscream's "group" was, only to be ambushed by a unified Decepticon force. Though they managed to briefly turn the tide, Devastator's appearance made the difference, which enabled Megatron to rip the Matrix of Leadership from Prime's chest. Prime was dealt another blow (mentally) when the Autobots were told that they were sold out to a traitor in their ranks (who was later revealed to be [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]]). {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 8|All Hail Megatron #8}} The Autobots were led to a space bridge, where Prime, who was the last to go, used his remaining energy to destroy the machine. Unfortunately, this heroic act left Prime in critical condition. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} With this defeat, the Autobots were forced to leave Earth to the Decepticons. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1|All Hail Megatron #1}}

After Prime's unit met up with Kup's unit, and after dealing with the Swarm and Sideswipe's sacrifice to save them, Ratchet and Wheeljack managed to bring Prime back online (with the Energon from the ''[[Trion|Trion]]'') in time to smooth over an Autobot argument. As the others excitedly welcomed him back, Prime makes a speech about how he was proud of them, and that he wanted to win the war. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 9|All Hail Megatron #9}}. After the Autobots recovered and prepared for a final stand against the Swarm, Prime had a brief chat with Ironhide (to which Ironhide admitted to secretly hating him at first sight at the start of the Great War), then prepared for the Swarm's onslaught. When they came, the Autobots fought back, but they were quickly outnumbered by the thousands. Thankfully, Omega Supreme arrived and saved them from certain doom. After Omega briefly told them about his arrival, Prime orders him to transform and transport the Autobots back to Earth. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10|All Hail Megatron #10}}

{{charstubfiction}}

{{note|The events of ''Spotlight: Mirage'' possibly take place in an alternate/unknown continuity.}}

Optimus Prime commanded one of the last remaining pockets of Autobot resistance, hiding out in the [[Pegasus Star Cluster]]. While awaiting the arrival of Bumblebee's team, he and Hound tried to work out how to convert the [[Zodiac Energy]] for their consumption. "Bumblebee's" arrival proved to be their downfall, as it was really the self-serving mercenary [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]], who destroyed the bunker security systems, allowing the Decepticons inside. Optimus Prime refused to surrender during the ensuing struggle, until Mirage used the critically-injured Jetfire as a hostage, forcing the Prime to back down. When Megatron betrays Mirage's word and orders the execution of the Autobots, Optimus Prime tried to reason with the mercenary, appealing to his former friendship with Hound... until Mirage killed Hound in defiance. Furious, Optimus Prime broke free of his captors and tackled Mirage into the Zodiac Energy chamber. {{storylink|Spotlight: Mirage}}

===''Hearts of Steel''===
[[Image:HeartsofSteel_1_Prime_Bumblebee.jpg|thumb|left|200px|]]

The Autobots and the Decepticons came to [[Earth|a distant world]] in the grip of an ice age. Assuming alternate modes based upon the [[Dinosaur|dominant (though doomed) indigenous creatures]] of this planet, they continued their ancient, unending war. However, the Autobots, with their energy levels dangerously low, withdrew from combat as the world grew colder. They sought refuge in a deep cavern and entered [[stasis lock]], awaiting the day when surface conditions changed to better suit their operation. Millions of years later, Bumblebee was awoken by the hammering of humans working on a rail line. He briefly considered awakening Optimus Prime, but thought better of it. After discovering the world had changed significantly, Ratchet thought there was no reason to awaken Prime. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 1}} When Bumblebee discovered the Decepticons were once again active on this world, Ratchet and Prowl agreed that the Autobots must intervene, but again decided out of rousing Optimus from his slumber. {{Storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 2|Hearts of Steel #2}}

{{Note|Optimus Prime appears very briefly in the first few pages, in his "Ice Age Wars" body (we only see him in robot mode, but his altmode is a brachiosaurus<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?s=d5d311674e796c81d010d26ac751389b&showtopic=10074&st=20&p=266183&#entry266183 Allspark forums post] by [[Guido Guidi]], August 15th, 2006</ref>. He spends most of the story in stasis lock. [[:Image:Opthos.jpg|Unused concept art]] depicts him as transforming into a locomotive engine.}}
{{-}}

===''Henkei! Henkei!'' pack-in comics===

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===''Comic Bun bun Henkei! Henkei!'' comic===

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===Commercial appearances===
Optimus Prime has appeared in more [[Commercial|television commercials]] than any other Transformer... just like with everything else. He has been voiced by Peter Cullen in every animation segment in which he's had a speaking role.

[[Image:Toycommercial-firstPrime.jpg|right|thumb|My wheels don't disappear!]]

* He was one of the featured characters in the first ever appearance of the Transformers anywhere, an advertisement for the first issue of [[The Transformers (Marvel Comics)|the Generation 1 comic]]. He arrives in the midst of a desert battle as the Decepticons attacked a power plant on Earth, driving to back up his troops in defending it. He strikes a rather iconic pose as he transforms and fires, which would be replicated and copied numerous times in the early years of the franchise. This first commercial used nonfinal versions of the characters' [[character model]]s; Optimus Prime, for example, still had wheels on his legs. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9-7RjhFzpM]

* In a commercial for the [[Triple Changer]]s, Optimus confronts Astrotrain on a desert battlefield, but the Triple-Changer escapes under fire from other Autobots. Shortly afterward, Prime uses Perceptor's microscope mode to examine a fragment of Decepticon battle armor. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WssZjIsUIU]

* Prime and Jazz are shown fighting Megatron in the desert in an ad for the 1985 cars, whom he summons to help out with the battle. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WssZjIsUIU]

* Prime narrates two commercials around the time of ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', describing the action as [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] battles [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]], and [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] and [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] take on the [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]]. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5X-10pud7DY]

[[Image:Toycommercial-PowermasterOptimusPrime.jpg|right|thumb|An integral part of Powermaster Prime's transformation is Joyride shooting lightning bolts through his pointed finger.]]

* Prime was prominently featured in the ad for the first comic issue featuring the [[Powermaster]]s. On the rocky plains where practically every Transformer battle ever seems to happen, Prime arrives in his Powermaster body to back up three of his troops against Dreadwind and Darkwing. He's shown combining with [[Hi-Q]] and transforming, attacking with his trailer's battle station mode, then combining with the trailer to continue the attack. Who wins? Find out in [[People Power!|Marvel Comics]]! [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voX_KNNxNCI]

[[Image:OptimusQuickswitchCommercial.jpg|right|thumb|Optimus Prime is so giving, he even gives other Transformers time in his commercials.]]

* Prime also features briefly in [[Quickswitch]]'s ad; in a battle on the moon, Quickswitch transforms to gun mode and is wielded by Powermaster Optimus Prime.

* An abbreviated ad for Powermaster Prime uses footage from both the Marvel Comic and Quickswitch commercials.

* Prime's Powermaster body shows up yet again in the [[Classic Pretender|Pretender Classic]]s ad. He comes under attack in the darkened streets of the city, prompting the narrator to explain that he needs the greatest Transformers ever! Prime then welcomes back Bumblebee and Jazz in their Pretender forms. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mahbq-FnSPY]

* Powermaster Prime and [[Piranacon]] are the representatives from each faction that [[Doubledealer]] doublecrosses! Everyone wonders who that guy is that Prime's talking to... He looks kinda suspicious!

* Optimus features prominently in the first [[Action Master]] commercial; he's shown surrounded by a circle of his troops, and challenges them to give up their transforming powers to become faster, stronger, more alive! [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeNf3jQ1zdw]

* A stock intro was used for several Micromaster commercials, with Optimus opening his fist to reveal a Micromaster city within.

[[Image:Hotrodpatrolcommercial.jpg|right|thumb|Prime wants to know if they can transform, because he sure can't!]]

* A similar sequence in another Micromaster has Prime opening his fist to find the [[Hot Rod Patrol]] inside. He and Jazz check them out, and Optimus wonders if they can transform.

* In an ad for the Micromaster micro bases, a battle rages outside an Autobot base, and Prime watches impassively as Bumblebee and Jazz pull two [[Interstellar shuttle|captured]] [[Attack Copter|vehicles]] into the base. Prime is the first to notice that the vehicles are transforming and shooting things.

* Prime and [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] are the stars of the first ''[[Generation 2 (franchise)|Generation 2]]'' commercial, animated with [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI]]. Prime is shown driving down a road in his ''Generation 2'' colored truck mode. He rocket-launches up into the air to transform, then has a brutal fight with Ramjet. Despite getting a hole blasted in his chest, he wins the fight and fires his gun into the air in triumph. Non-speaking.

* Prime also is shown briefly in a commercial for the new Megatron tank toy. He transforms and finds his head in a target crosshairs. In the subsequent toy segment, Prime's toy is shown getting completely trashed by that of Megatron. Non-speaking.

* And finally, Prime got his own rap segment. He's shown in his Combat toy body, waiting for Megatron as he attacks a human subdivision. Prime converts to robot form, blows up Megatron's weapon at point blank range, and slugs it out with him. Apparently emerging victorious, is next shown sitting next to an identical truck, which the live-action kid mistakes for the real thing. The real Prime then transforms and picks up the kid, inspecting the human with his cold, lifeless, flashing red optics. Prime is once again voiced by Peter Cullen in this commercial.

Prime also appeared in commercials for ''Transformers'' products other than the toys themselves...

* In the ad for [[Coleco]]'s [[Power Cycle]], Optimus Prime shoots ''at'' a child riding the titular cycle, but misses. This footage is recycled from the advertisement for the comic.

* Prime delivers a load of shoes to schoolchildren in a South American ad for [[Bata]]'s licensed ''Transformers'' footwear.

==Toys==
{{main|Optimus Prime (G1)/toys}}

==Merchandise==
:''Main article: [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Merchandise|Merchandise]]''

==Notes==
* According to [[Bob Budiansky]], longtime comics writer [[Denny O'Neil]] named Optimus Prime prior to Budiansky being brought on to the ''Transformers'' project.

* Optimus Prime's Japanese name is "Convoy", which is named after his original name "Battle Convoy" in the [[Diaclone]] toyline, because the name "Optimus Prime" is difficult for Japanese kids to remember and pronounce. <ref>'''Figure-Oh''' No. 114</ref>

*According to an early ''[[Transformers Universe (Marvel comic)|Universe]]''-style profile published in ''[[The Transformers Comics Magazine]]'', Optimus Prime's "official" nicknames were at one point considered to be "Autobot Commander", "Chief", "Big Boss" and "Roller". As far as it is known, no piece of fiction has ever purposely addressed him using these nicknames, though it's a fair bet he's been called "chief" at least once or twice anyway.

* He [[Letters page (Marvel UK)|allegedly]] hates the music of [[wikipedia:Mötley_Crüe|Mötley Crüe]].

* According to the staff of ''[[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'', Optimus Prime became a space explorer in the [[Beast Era]].<ref>[[Beast Wars Universe]] ISBN 978-4766938005</ref>

[[Image:Optimusprime-mom.jpg|right|125px|thumb|Prime's mom knows how to write in cursive.]]
* By the time Optimus Prime appeared in ''[[Beast Machines (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'', his 3D model from ''Beast Wars'' had apparently been lost, leading the animators to use a faceplated Optimus Primal head as a quick replacement to save time and budget.

* Aside from occasionally having Alpha Trion as a father figure, Optimus Prime may have a mother! In an advertisement for [[Pepsi Convoy]] that shows him in a refrigerator (along with [[Destron Pizza]]), a note attached to a nearby piece of Tupperware reads:

:''Dear Convoy''
:''Warm it before you eat''
:''Mom''

:Although the ad itself is for Pepsi Convoy, he is a separate character, and it can be assumed that the note was left for Convoy/Optimus Prime himself.

* The first wave of Dreamwave posters in 2001 identified Optimus Prime as [http://www.comicden.com/merch/posters.htm "Captimus Primus"], which is tantalizingly close to making some sort of sense.

* According to EJ Su, Optimus Prime's [[Holomatter|Holomatter avatar]] is modeled after [[wikipedia:Ulysses_S._Grant|Ulysses S. Grant]].<ref>[http://www.protodepot.com/archive/2007_11_01_archive.html Idea: Holomatter Projection]</ref>

==External links==
* [http://www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/OptimusPrime/optimusprime.htm Optimus Prime on TFU.info]

* [http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Optimus_Prime Optimus Prime's Universe profile at NTFA.net]

* [http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Optimus_Prime_PM Powermaster Optimus Prime's Universe profile at NTFA.net]

* [http://www.toybin.org/search.php?q=1984+Autobot+Optimus+Prime ToyBin Optimus Prime Toy gallery]

== Footnotes ==
<references />

[[Category:Action Masters]]
[[Category:Alternators]]
[[Category:Attacktix]]
[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Autobot leaders]]
[[Category:Beast Wars characters]]
[[Category:Classics characters]]
[[Category:Combiners]]
[[Category:Convention exclusives]]
[[Category:E-Hobby]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Generation 2 characters]]
[[Category:Ghosts]]
[[Category:Go-Bots]]
[[Category:Headmasters characters]]
[[Category: Henkei! Henkei! characters]]
[[Category:Kiss Players characters]]
[[Category:Machine Wars characters]]
[[Category:Mail order exclusives]]
[[Category:Matrix bearers]]
[[Category:Powermasters]]
[[Category:Return of Convoy characters]]
[[Category:Robot Heroes]]
[[Category:Robot Masters characters]]
[[Category:Rulers of Cybertron]]
[[Category:Titanium Series]]
[[Category:Toys "R" Us exclusives]]
[[Category:Zombies]]

Prime Directive issue 2

2009-06-02T08:30:09Z

193.200.150.137: Undo revision 304473 by Dead Metal (Talk)

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=[[Prime Directive|''The Transformers: ''Generation 1'']]
|prev=Prime Directive issue 1
|next=Prime Directive issue 3
|title=''The Transformers: ''Generation 1'' #2
|image=G1_Vol.1_Issue2_1.jpg
|caption=
|publisher=[[Dreamwave Productions]]
|date=May 8, 2002
|coverdate=May, 2002
|writer=[[Chris Sarracini]]
|penciler=[[Pat Lee]]
|inker=[[Rob Armstrong]]
|colorist=[[Ramil Sunga]], [[Gary Yeung]], [[Alan Wang]]
|letterer=[[Dreamer Design]]
|editor=[[Roger Lee]]
|continuity=[[Dreamwave Generation One continuity|Dreamwave continuity]]
|chronology=[[Dreamwave timeline|Modern era]]
}}

'''Spike brings back an old friend, Transformers go berserk, and Lazarus gets a surprise.'''

==Synopsis==
With the prone body of Optimus Prime laying before them, General Hallo and Spike stand over the Autobot leader's opened chest. Spike sorrowfully muses about Prime's promise to bring his [[Sparkplug Witwicky|father]] back safe and sound from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. He takes a strange bobble from a chain around his neck, places it into the empty Matrix chamber, and then squints at the radiant light that eminates from inside.

At the [[Smitco Oil Refinery]] in the Arctic, an unexpected delivery by helicopters draws the refinery workers' attention. From inside the huge metal box bursts forth [[Ravage (G1)|a]] [[Bumblebee (G1)|hoard]] [[Rumble (G1)|of]] [[Soundwave (G1)|silent]] [[Starscream (G1)|giant]] [[Prowl (G1)|robots]] who smash everything in sight, and maim or murder members of the refinery crew.

Meanwhile, Lazarus and a multi-national group are watching the attack [[Laserbeak (G1)|remotely]]. When finished, Lazarus turns to the group and asks what the assembled outlaws and criminals will bid for his war machines. As bidding reaches a feverish pitch Lazarus unveils his first lot -- Megatron. Before he has his hands on the cash, he learns that the Decepticon leader wasn't quite deactivated.

General Hallo, his staff and Spike stand on a glacial shelf at the feet of the newly resurrected Optimus Prime. Prime removes the [[Matrix of Leadership]] from his chest and holds it aloft. The mystical device raises Jazz, Mirage, Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, Wheeljack, Trailbreaker and Superion from the depths of the frigid ocean. Nearby, the helicopters are returning to Lazarus' headquarters with their Transformer cargo, but as they try to land an explosion rips the building apart and out bursts Megatron.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (3)
* [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (4)
* [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (5)
* [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (10)
* [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (14)
* [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (15)
* [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (16)
* [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] (17)
* [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (18)
* [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (19)
* [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] (20)
|c2=
* [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] (6)
* [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] (7)
* [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (8)
* [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (9)
* [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (11)
* [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] (13)
|c3=
* [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (1)
* [[Robert Hallo|General Hallo]] (2)
* [[Lazarus]] (12)
}}

==Errors==
* None yet identified.

==Quotes==
"Perfect killing machines. Reliable and ruthless. Packaged and ready to meet all your...political aspirations." 
:'''—Lazarus'''

"Eighty-two [million] and a harem of wives!" 
:'''—One bidder''''s top bid for Megatron

==Items of note==
* The middle of the comic contains a two-page spread by [[James Raiz]] and [[Alan Wang]] with [[Kenny Li]] featuring a group of [[Generation 1]] Autobots.
* Following the story is a two-page spread by [[Pat Lee]] and [[Alan Wang]] with [[Kenny Li]] featuring a group of [[Generation 1]] Decepticons and members of [[Cobra]]. A corresponding Autobot/[[G.I. Joe]] spread was published in the pages of Image's ''G.I. Joe'' #6 as a cross-promotion.

===Covers (3)===
{{picsneeded|Reissue cover}}
''—All covers by [[Pat Lee]]''
* '''Cover A:''' Autobots
* '''Cover B:''' Decepticons
* '''Reissue Cover:''' Prime and Megatron
<gallery>
Image:G1_Vol.1_Issue2_1.jpg|
Image:G1 Vol.1 Issue2 2.jpg|Are you... bluish?
Image:G1 Vol.1 Issue2 reissue.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* ''[[Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'' 2002 calendar
* Soundwave poster
* [[Titan Books]] G1 reprints
* ''Devil Hunter Yohko'' DVDs
* ''Warlands: Age of Ice'' #6
* ''Banished Knights'' #4
* [[Prime Directive issue 3|''Prime Directive'' #3]]
* [[Dreamwave Armada issue 1|''Armada'' #1]]
* ''Armada'' 2002 calendar (back interior cover)
* ''Generation 1'' 2002–2003 calendar (back cover)

[[Category:Dreamwave Generation 1 issues]]

File:ROTF Fallen headchop.jpg

2009-06-02T08:29:00Z

193.200.150.137:

{{tobedeleted|HORRIBLE quality!}}
[The Fallen]] beheads a human soldier in [[Transformers Revenge of The Fallen (Movie)|Revenge of The Fallen]]
{{screencap}} {{C}} Hasbro, Dreamworks

All Hail Megatron issue 11

2009-06-02T08:03:11Z

193.200.150.137: /* Quotes */

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=''[[All Hail Megatron]]'' #11
|prev=All Hail Megatron issue 10
|next=All Hail Megatron issue 12
|image=
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[May 20]], [[2009]]
|coverdate=May 2009
|written by=[[Shane McCarthy]]
|art by=[[Guido Guidi]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]] and [[Felix Serrano]]
|letters by=[[Chris Mowry]]
|edits by=[[Andy Schmidt]] and [[Denton J. Tipton]]
|continuity=[[IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|All Hail Megatron]]
}}

'''The Autobots return to Earth to save it from the Decepticons.'''

== Synopsis ==
In an abandoned building, Cmd. Spike Witwicky warns Bridge, Sarah and Charles that he seriously doesn't need their help, but the three came this far and want to help him, anyways. Bridge says that with the European Union about to drop their nukes, they want to go out either way by helping Spike with the defeat of the giant robots. Spike agrees on their help, and move out of the building, just as European jets fire upon Devastator.

While fending off the invaders, Starscream tells Megatron that this seemed a little convenient. Megatron replies that this is the humans' last ditch effort to destroy them, and he knew all along. He goes on to say that everything in the beginning was planned with meticulous effort. When the [[Great War]] started, Megatron needed an army ruthless enough to overthrow a planet. With the rise of the [[Autobots]], the [[Decepticons]] had to be much more - a ruthless machine capable of winning at ''any'' cost. Their goal? Defeat the Autobots, no matter what.

Once they were defeated, Megatron would killed what he created to eliminate his enemies in the first place. Once they were remolded and recreated into what Megatron originally intended, the Decepticons's reign would begin, with no in-fighting and no dissent, but perfectly controlled peace through unparalleled space, and that nothing comes as a surprise to him. Suddenly, a barrage of laser fire from the sky hits them. Megatron looks up and does not like what he sees... the Autobots arrive and begin attacking the Decepticons.

This was something Megatron never planned, and he thinks that the Autobots are trying to overwhelm them with the size of their army. He then proceeds to tell Starscream that one day, he '''will''' lead the Decepticons, and rule them as he always wanted, but it must be taken, not given. But today, Megatron leads the Decepticons, and that Starscream's time will come, and if he helps Megatron bring about a new age, then he can rule. After some consideration, Starscream gives out the orders to the Decepticons, and, looking at Megatron, cries "All Hail Megatron" before joining them.

The two sides continue fighting, but Devastator advances slowly towards the Autobots, but Optimus Prime has a plan; he orders Blaster to block the Decepticon's communications, then he orders the whole Autobots to split into two groups and they flee. Astrotrain thinks they're cowards for running, but Cliffjumper retorts that they're making room, as Omega Supreme appears and slams Devastator against several buildings. However, Optimus, fearing that the battle between the two would further damage the city, orders Omega to take their battle elsewhere. Omega obeys, grabs Devastator in a bearhug, and takes off.

In Central Park, "Sparkplug" Witwicky and Colonel Hawke see the two fly off. Hawke thinks that the one flying is one of the good guys, that the radio interference has been cleared and that the "rocket ship" that appeared had more robots, but ones that would help the army. Witwicky says that it doesn't make any sense, and orders the evac to continue. When Hawke protests, Witwicky says that the appearance of more robots changes nothing. With an EU plane carrying a nuclear bomb (one in which they had no control over) on the way, they need to continue evacuation and move to a safe distance from the blast. He also doesn't know where the new robots came from, but he thinks that they could come after the humans just like the others.

Roadbuster tackles Astrotrain, but gets shot down by Megatron. Suddenly, Optimus Prime calls out Megatron and the two come face to face again. Megatron asks Prime how he survived and returned to Earth, then thinks that Prime came back for the [[Matrix of Leadership]] only, not caring about the planet, and asks why he would risk the lives of his soldiers to return. Prime angrily tells Megatron to leave Earth and its people alone, but Megatron asks why he suddenly cared about Earth, to which he once abandoned. To him, this isn't like Optimus to accept losses of his soldiers. Prime says that everyone differs in all regards and that he'll no longer start a war that destroys innocent races, ancient cultures and civilizations. Megatron says that Prime's newly-found conscience was bad timing, and that the "innocent" race he wanted to protect are about to kill millions of their kind to destroy them. Prime doesn't believe him, but Megatron retorts that the EU plane carrying the nuke is heading their way. The humans think that the Decepticons can't control it, but they're wrong, and once Megatron finishes Prime off, he'll use it to kill every single human.

[[Image:AHM11-specialgueststar.jpg|left|thumb|200px|[[Shane McCarthy]] is a shoe-in for this year's Best Use of Chronic [[Shelfwarmer]] award.]]

The evac continues, but one soldier has trouble moving his rocket system tank. Suddenly, it transforms into a Decepticon and proceeds to fire upon the soldiers. Hawke says that the alien robots had been playing them all along and that they didn't know about it until now. A very angry "Sparkplug" Witwicky believes that the aliens can be anything and they can't ever tell which is which, then believes that they're hiding something else. Little does he know that the EU plane is actually a Decepticon...
{{-}}

== Featured characters ==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] (14)
*[[Kup (G1)|Kup]] (15)
*[[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (16)
*[[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (17)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (18)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (19)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (20)
*[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (21)
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (22)
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (23)
*[[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (25)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (26)
*[[Roadbuster]] (27)
*[[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (30)
*[[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] (31)
|c2=
*[[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] (5)
*[[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] (6)
*[[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] (7)
*[[Astrotrain]] (8)
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (9)
*[[Viewfinder]] (10)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (11)
*[[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] (12)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (13)
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (24)
*[[Shrapnel (G1)|Sharpnel]] (28)
*[[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] (29)
*[[Dropshot (Universe)|Dropshot]] (34)
*[[Octane]] (35)
|c4=
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (1)
*[[Bridge]] (2)
*[[Sarah]] (3)
*[[Charles]] (4)
*[[Daniel "Sparkplug" Witwicky]] (32)
*[[Colonel Hawke]] (33)
}}

== Quotes ==
"Freedom is the right of all..." 
"Oh, ''shut up''."
:-'''Optimus Prime''' gets silenced from saying his catchphrase.

"None of this makes any sense!"
:-'''General Witwicky''' pretty much sums up All Hail Megatron for us.

== Errors ==
* When Dropshot reveals himself and starts destroying stuff, Hawke mistakenly gets a word bubble clearly meant for Colonel Witwicky. ("Where else...")

* The Decepticons already have nukes and other WMDs, enough to shatter whole planets according to [[Stormbringer]]. Why would Megatron need the French's bombs?

* The Decepticons have ''always'' been this ruthless and nasty, Meggy. You should know, you raised them [[Megatron Origin issue 3|out of murderous pit fighters and dissidents]].

== Items of note ==
* Megatron refers to Optimus briefly pulling the Autobots [[Devastation issue 6|away from Earth in Devastation]]. He forgets they came back apparently.

* The missile tank shown in [[All Hail Megatron issue 5]] is now revealed to have been Dropshot all along. For a guy who loves to fight all the time, he sure kept quiet a long time.

* Megs sure is lucky the EU force used that specific bomber and not either a different one, ''more'' than one, or a nuclear submarine.

* The theme of Autobots and Decepticons both having been twisted into something wrong and needing to change has been previously raised in [[All Hail Megatron issue 9|#9]] and [[Spotlight: Drift]]. This seems to indicate the IDW Transformers are going to stop following the infiltration/phases model and change to something <strike>closer to the 1980s</strike> more moral. How Megatron intends to change the Decepticons by having them fight humans again is not specified.

== Covers ==
*'''Cover A:''' Omega Supreme vs. Devastator; art by [[Casey Coller]] with colors by [[Joana Lafuente]].
*'''Cover B:''' Marching Autobots; art and colors by [[Trevor Hutchison]].

== Advertisements ==

[[Category:IDW Generation 1 issues]]

Pat Lee

2009-06-01T11:35:05Z

193.200.150.137: /* Commemorative Series */

{{disambig2|Pat Lee, the superstar comic book artist|the uncredited artist who actually draws all his stuff for negligible pay|Alex Milne}}
[[Image:Patlee.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Strength and Honor.<ref>[http://patleeart.deviantart.com/ PatLeeArt] at deviantART</ref>]]
'''Patrick C.K. "Pat" Lee''' (ミチヤメノテヒフナナ ''Michiyamenotehi Funana'') is a Canadian artist. He was the president of [[Dreamwave Productions]] and drew some of their ''Transformers'' comics, until most of his employees noticed he wasn't paying them. Subsequently, he was also the president of Dream Engine until all its employees noticed he wasn't paying them either. He's currently the president (?) of Pat Lee Productions, where it remains to be seen if he notices he isn't paying himself.

:''Known titles, aliases and nicknames:'' The '''[[Wikipedia:Transman|Transman]]''',<ref>[http://www.americandreamcomics.com/index.php?itemid=1490&catid=21 Dreamwave press release]</ref> '''Superstar Artist''', '''Mr. Talented'''<ref>[http://www.alivenotdead.com/rosannewong/A+MASTER+IN+DISGUISE-ANDREW+LIN+vs+PAT+LEE-MR.+TALENTED+(round+2-2)-profile-113669.html Rosanne Wong about Pat Lee painting a mural on her apartment wall]</ref>

{{bigquote|Over my dead body.|[[Simon Furman]] on if Pat Lee will do work for [[IDW]], [[BotCon 2008]]}}

==History==
===Before the Transformers===
[[Image:Dreamwave.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Chillingly prophetic.]]
Pat Lee was born in Montreal on [[June 28]], 1975<ref>[http://www.angelfire.com/pa/infrarred/infrarred2.html Pat Lee's own biography on his old Angelfire website]</ref>, and raised in Toronto. At the age of 16, right after graduating from high school, Lee was eager to find a job in the comic book industry, sending over 150 pages of sample aftworks to [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] and [[Wikipedia:DC Comics|DC]]. Unfortunately for Lee, both publishers realized what a shoddy artist he was. Unfortunately for the rest of the world, however, Lee eventually managed to catch the attention of infamous [[Wikipedia:Image Comics|Image Comic]] co-founder [[wikipedia:Rob Liefeld|Rob Liefeld]] at a Toronto convention in 1994, who would hire Lee (now aged 19) to work as a penciller on various titles for Liefeld's Image studio [[Wikipedia:Awesome Comics|Extreme Studios]]. After that, Pat Lee would also work for [[Wikipedia:Jim Lee|Jim Lee's]] Image studio [[Wikipedia:Wildstorm Productions|Wildstorm Productions]], as well as accepting work-for-hire assignments from Marvel (who had now apparently changed their mind regarding his artwork).

In 1996, Pat and his brother [[Roger Lee|Roger]] decided to start their own studio within Image Comics, [[Dreamwave Productions]], with Pat acting as the company's president. With Dreamwave, Lee would continue accepting contractual work for other publishers (such as the four-issue limited series ''Wolverine/Punisher: Revelation'' for Marvel), but also started to publish his own <strike>blatantly plagiarized</strike> originally created titles such as ''[[Wikipedia:Ghost in the Shell|Darkminds]]'' and ''[[Wikipedia:Record of Lodoss War|Warlands]]''. Collaborations with various magazines and advertising campaigns helped to further advance Dreamwave's reputation. Initially, the "hook" for Dreamwave's financial success was Pat's drawing style, which many readers viewed as "manga-like" (although readers of actual Japanese Mangas had a different opinion on this matter).

===Transformers by Dreamwave===
In 2001, Pat and Dreamwave submitted a contribution for a feature named "Big 80s" that was published in issue #111 of ''Wizard: The Comics Magazine'', depicting Pat's own take on one of his favorite properties from his childhood days, the ''Transformers''. Proving to be a huge hit among fans, [[Hasbro]] would consider the general art style a benchmark when they were offering the license for a new ''Transformers'' comic later that year.<ref>[http://www.comicbookresources.com/columns/index.cgi?column=litg&article=1365 Lying in the Gutters confirming that other publishers were interested in the Transformers license]</ref> Unsurprisingly, it was Dreamwave themselves who finally acquired said license, commemorating this as a turning point in the history of their company by officially cutting all ties with Image and becoming an independent publisher on their own.

[[Image:Fallenpatlee.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Why do Pat Lee's Transformers look like they're about to take a poop?]]
In addition to providing the art for various adverts, [[posters]] and covers, Pat would draw the first two ''Generation 1'' limited series, [[Prime Directive|Vol. 1]] (aka "Prime Directive") and [[War and Peace|Vol. 2: War and Peace]]. Subsequently, he would concentrate on controlling Dreamwave as its president and spend more time on his biggest hobby, fast cars, assigning art jobs to other artists (many of them hired directly out of the fandom) instead. Lee's only other major contribution in terms of art would ultimately be some of the character profiles published in the eight-issue [[More Than Meets The Eye (G1)|More Than Meets The Eye]] limited series.

Despite having dominated Diamond's sales charts for several subsequent months with the ''Transformers'', Dreamwave eventually ended up in dire financial circumstances. Coinciding with rumors of unpaid freelancers, Pat Lee started to accept contractual work for Marvel and DC again, such as issues of ''House of M'' or ''Superman/Batman''. Dreamwave eventually declared bankruptcy on January 4, 2005, blaming the weak Canadian Dollar and other scapegoats for the company's failure.<ref>[http://www.tformers.com/article.php?sid=4053 Dreamwave's final press release]</ref>

===After Dreamwave===
With Dream Engine, Lee would work on various projects such as an ''X-Men/Fantastic Four'' crossover for Marvel, issues for the ''Batman/Superman'' series for DC and a relaunch of [[Wikipedia:Cyberforce|Cyberforce]] for [[Wikipedia:Top Cow Productions|Top Cow]], another Image studio.

Eventually, Pat Lee parted ways with Dream Engine again and started his new enterprise, Pat Lee Productions.<ref>[http://www.patleeproductions.com/main.html Pat Lee Productions]</ref> Pat Lee is currently residing in Hong Kong.

===Return to official ''Transformers'' work===
In mid-2008, three and a half years since the collapse of Dreamwave, Lee was commissioned to do a series of illustrations for Hasbro Hong Kong to use for promotional purposes as part of their appearance at Ani-Con 2008.<ref>[http://www.alivenotdead.com/patlee/Transform+and+ROLL+OUT--profile-225643.html Pat Lee showcases his illustrations for Hasbro on his blog.]</ref> Let's hope that art stays in Hong Kong.

==Published Transformers works with Pat Lee credit==
===Comics===
* ''[[Prime Directive|Transformers: Generation 1 (vol. 1)]]'': [[Prime Directive preview|Preview]], [[Prime Directive issue 1|#1]], [[Prime Directive issue 2|#2]], [[Prime Directive issue 3|#3]], [[Prime Directive issue 4|#4]], [[Prime Directive issue 5|#5]], [[Prime Directive issue 6|#6]]
* ''[[War and Peace|Transformers: Generation 1 vol. 2: War and Peace]]'': [[New World Order|#1]], [[Brothers' Burden|#2]], [[Cold War|#3]], [[Passive Aggression|#4]], [[Countdown to Extinction (issue)|#5]], [[Revelation|#6]]
* ''[[More Than Meets The Eye (G1)|Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye (G1)]]'' #1, #3, #6 (assorted profiles)
* ''[[Armada (Dreamwave comic)|Transformers: Armada]]'': [[Dreamwave Armada issue 6|#6]], [[Dreamwave Armada issue 7|#7]]
* ''Transformers Armada: More Than Meets The Eye (Official Guidebook)'': #1, #2, #3 (assorted profiles)
* ''20th Anniversary Transformers Summer Special'': Individual story "[[Welcome to the Jungle]]"
* assorted covers for nearly all the Dreamwave Transformers series

{{note|With the revelation of [[Alex Milne]] ghosting for Pat Lee on Top Cow's ''Cyberforce'', artist Edwin Garcia being credited for "backgrounds" on the ''Generation 1'' titles and at least one of his covers actually being done by a ghost artist, it's uncertain how much of the art credited to Pat Lee has actually been his work at all.

''Various artworks originally created by Lee for the covers of the first ''Generation 1'' limited series were also used by both [[Hasbro]] and [[Takara]] for their [[Commemorative Series]] and [[Transformers Collection]] series of reissues. Following the demise of Dreamwave, Hasbro would also continue to use cover artwork drawn by Lee for promotional images and various pieces of merchandise, such as a [[Transformers Monopoly]] board game. The reason for this is simply because the art has already been paid for, and is therefore cheaper to use for Hasbro than newly solicited artwork.}}

===Packaging art===
====Alternators====
* [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]]
* [[Sideswipe (G1)|Side Swipe]]

{{note|The packaging artwork for [[Alternators]] Smokescreen was also used for the profile card of Takara's ''Binaltech'' counterpart.}}
====Commemorative Series====
* Series III [[Jazz (G1)|Autobot Jazz]]
* Series IV [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]]
* Series IV [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]]
* Series V [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]]
* Series V [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]]
* Series VI [[Grapple|Autobot Grapple]]
* Series VII [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]]
* Series VII [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]]
* Series VIII [[Sideswipe (G1)|Side Swipe]]

{{note|The artwork for Hoist, Inferno, Grapple, Rodimus Prime and Dirge was done specifically for these reissues; the rest was recycled from covers of Dreamwave's first ''Generation 1'' limited series.}}

====Transformers Collection====
* No.0 [[Optimus Prime (G1) toys|Convoy]] (Optimus Prime)
* No.1 Meister (Jazz)
* No.2 Prowl
* No.6 [[Megatron (G1) toys|Megatron]]
* No.7 Lambor (Sideswipe)
* No.10 [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]
* No.12 [[Mini Vehicle|Minibot Team]]
* No.16 [[Insecticon (G1)|Insectrons]] (Insecticons)

{{note|None of these artworks were created specifically for these reissues, but were instead recycled from old promotional posters or covers of Dreamwave's first ''Generation 1'' limited series.}}
===Other===
* Hasbro Hong Kong Ani-Con 2008 [[Movie (toyline)|Movie]] Commemorative boxset certificate

==Criticism and controversy==
===Art style===
[[Image:Patleehowtodrawoptimus.jpg|left|250px|thumb|1) Draw a circle. 2) Draw Optimus Prime. 3) Give him scraplets. 4) Give him leprosy.]]
Pat Lee's artwork has often been the target of criticism among fans. While he was initially praised by many fans for his "manga-like" drawing style (which is heavily inspired by the character designs and visual cues used by [[Studio Ox]]), others criticized his tendency for exaggerated proportions, emphasis on rounded robot body parts, making the characters look "inflated" and marshmallow-like, a general lack of sequential storytelling skills and the overall look of his human characters (see "[[dull surprise]]" for more on ''that''). Even his critics often admitted that his work for covers and posters was better than his actual comic book interior artwork; however, that would change soon when even his cover artwork saw a severe decline in quality starting with the [[War and Peace|second ''Generation 1'' limited series]]. The introduction of [[Don Figueroa|other]] [[Guido Guidi|artists]] who would draw Transformers characters in a similar style, while avoiding many of the problems Lee was criticized for, would further shift the public opinion against Lee's artwork.

[[Image:DWPrimewhatthe.jpg|right|200px|thumb|When you're being compared to Rob Liefeld, maybe it's time to quit]]
Lee's response to that was enforcing an internal "house style" that would force other artists to follow Pat Lee's own style more closely. [[Don Figueroa]] confirmed in an interview having received such requests from Dreamwave art director [[Rob Ruffolo]], a guideline which Figueroa declined.<ref name="dontrans">[http://transfans.net/interviews_figueroa.php Interview with Don Figueroa]</ref> Fellow artist [[Guido Guidi]] confirmed having received similar requests.<ref name="guidtrans">[http://transfans.net/interviews_guido.php Interview with Guido Guidi]</ref> Ruffolo himself also later confirmed the existence of an internal "house style", without specifically referring to Lee.<ref name="ruftrans">[http://transfans.net/interviews_ruffolo.php Interview with Rob Ruffolo]</ref>

Even though many fans preferred other artists over Pat Lee, official Dreamwave press releases and solicitations would often titulate the company's president as a "superstar artist".<ref name="dwadds">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/comics-16/dreamwave-adds-transformers-creators-2492/ The infamous "Dreamwave Adds Transformers Creators" press release]</ref>

===Business practices===
The demise of Dreamwave didn't come overnight. The first rumors of freelancers not getting paid date back as far as October of 2003.<ref name="litgffreel">[http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=14548 Lying in the Gutters reporting on early rumors of Dreamwave artists not getting paid]</ref> Following the closure of Dreamwave, former freelance writers [[Adam Patyk]] and [[James McDonough]] reiterated their claims that Dreamwave (not explicitly referring to Lee himself) had stopped paying them even before declaring bankruptcy. They had then filed a lawsuit against their former employer, and when that became public, they had allegedly also heard from other Dreamwave employees and freelancers who were supposedly also complaining about not being paid anymore.<ref name="patnram">[http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=39073 Interview with writers Adam Patyk and James McDonough]</ref>

Aside from Patyk and McDonough, no other former Dreamwave employees or freelancers were nearly as explicit on the issue. Artist Don Figueroa only stated that Dreamwave was "getting really behind with the check" and pointed out that he "was also assured everything was cool" when he met Pat Lee in person only a month prior to the closing of Dreamwave.<ref name="dontrans">[http://transfans.net/interviews_figueroa.php Interview with Don Figueroa]</ref> The latter complaint was also repeated by writer [[Simon Furman]].<ref name="furmtrans">[http://transfans.net/interviews_furman3.php Interview with Simon Furman]</ref> Likewise, artist [[Guido Guidi]] merely accused Dreamwave of a lack of "[g]ood communication", and even revealed an ambivalent attitude towards Pat Lee and his brother Roger.<ref name="guidtrans">[http://transfans.net/interviews_guido.php Interview with Guido Guidi]</ref> Artist James Raiz, meanwhile, claimed that he was "one of the very few who came out of Dreamwave with all [his] money.<ref name="raiztrans">[http://transfans.net/interviews_raiz.php Interview with James Raiz]</ref>

Prior to declaring bankruptcy, Pat and his brother Roger had spent four months secretly transferring most of Dreamwave's assets to a new company named Dream Engine, whose website domain was registered to Roger's name.<ref name="litgdreame">[http://www.comicbookresources.com/columns/index.cgi?column=litg&article=2059 Lying in the Gutters discovering the existence of Dream Engine]</ref> In addition, it would turn out that Lee had made sure to transfer ownership of his formerly company-owned Porsche to himself before giving up Dreamwave,<ref name="porsche">[http://www.comicbookresources.com/columns/index.cgi?column=litg&article=2184 Lying in the Gutters reporting on the Pat Lee Porsche story]</ref> and had spent half a million Canadian dollars on a new luxury apartment even before the Dreamwave bankruptcy.<ref name="apartment">[http://comicbooks.org/columns/index.cgi?column=litg&article=2203 Lying in the Gutters reporting on Pat Lee's new apartment]</ref> The overall amount of Dreamwave's debt was far over a million dollars.<ref name="litgmillion">[http://www.comicbookresources.com/columns/index.cgi?article=2102 Lying in the Gutters' list of Dreamwave's creditors]</ref>

In addition, Guido Guidi and Don Figueroa later confirmed that they were additionally charged by FedEx for having shipped artwork to Dreamwave prior to the company's closure.<ref name="fedex">[http://web.archive.org/web/20050507073425/http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/thread73039.html Archived TFW2005 thread with Guido Guidi and Don Figueroa confirming the FedEx story]</ref>

Pat Lee himself gave several interviews following the closing of Dreamwave, presenting himself as a victim of circumstance while completely dodging the issue of unpaid creators and the existence of Dream Engine.<ref name="patwiz">[http://web.archive.org/web/20061120012852/http://www.wizarduniverse.com/magazine/wizard/000230624.cfm Archived Wizard interview with Pat Lee]</ref><ref name="patnram">[http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=39073 Interview with writers Adam Patyk and James McDonough]</ref><ref name="jazma">[http://www.jazmaonline.com/interviews/interviews2.asp?intID=318 Jazma Online interview with Pat Lee, April 2006]</ref>

While working with Dream Engine, Pat Lee spent a significant amount of the company's funds on the campaign of his girlfriend [[Wikipedia:Aimee Chan|Aimee Chan]], who would eventually win the title of Miss Hong Kong in 2006. This ultimately resulted in Pat being asked by Dream Engine and his brother Roger to leave the company.<ref>[http://www.comicbookresources.com/columns/index.cgi?column=litg&article=2575 Lying in the Gutters reporting on Pat Lee's involvement with Aimee Chan]</ref> In the fall of 2007, Aimee Chan changed her status on her [http://www.alivenotdead.com/aimeechan/details.html alive not dead social networking page] to "single". Oops!

===Failure to give proper credit===
During the Dreamwave days, several artists confirmed that Pat Lee had only been drawing the robot characters, leaving the backgrounds entirely to (credited) assistants such as Edwin Garcia.

In 2007, it would turn out that Lee's personal involvement in his girlfriend's beauty pageant campaign had resulted in him being unable to meet deadlines for issues of Top Cow's ''Cyberforce'' series. As a consequence, Pat had asked [[Alex Milne]] to draw those issues in his stead. After a few issues, what little credit was initially given to Milne was dropped entirely, with Pat submitting the artwork under his own name instead, paying Milne merely a fragment of the money Top Cow was paying him.<ref name="litgmilne1">[http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=15355 Lying in the Gutters reporting on Alex Milne ghosting for Pat Lee]</ref> In addition, Lee later asked Milne to draw artwork for DC's ''Superman/Batman'' #34 as well, again giving his underpaid ghost artist no credit.<ref name="litgmilne2">[http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=15547 Lying in the Gutters reporting on Alex Milne ghosting for Pat Lee even more]</ref> Eventually, Top Cow found out, resulting in Pat Lee not paying Milne ''at all'' for over 20 pages of artwork.<ref name="deviantmilne">[http://hombreimaginario.deviantart.com/art/Interviews-06-Alex-Milne-64254823 Interview with Alex Milne on DeviantArt]</ref>

In late 2008, former Dreamwave editor [[Matt Moylan]] confirmed that the Silver Snail exclusive variant cover for Dreamwave's [[Generation One (Dreamwave comic)|''Generation One'' (ongoing)]] [[Night of the Combaticons|issue 1]] that had been credited to Pat Lee had actually been drawn by a ghost artist as well.<ref name="g1ghost">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/2407689-post83.html Matt Moylan confirming that the Silver Snail exclusive G1 vol. 3 #1 cover had been drawn by a ghost artist too.]</ref>

===Attempts at cover-up===
In March and April of 2008, a newly registered Wikipedia user repeatedly tried to remove any reference to the controversies surrounding Pat Lee in his own article, instead replacing them with more PR-friendly resume details.<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Contributions/Hyrocomics Contributions by Wikipedia user "Hyrocomics"]</ref><ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Contributions/219.78.200.95 Contributions by IP 209.70.200.95]</ref> (The critical content in the Wikipedia article ''was'' later purged for other reasons, but not reverted to the blatant self-advertising Pat's own version was.)

==Trivia==
* Before the launch of Dreamwave's ''Transformers'' comic books, Pat expressed a certain level of ignorance with regard to the brand's history. For example, he claimed that, in retrospect, the [[Generation 1 (cartoon)|Transformers cartoon]] was so amazing that it was only a matter of time before the [[The Transformers (toyline)|toys]] were made.<ref name="animefringe">[http://www.animefringe.com/magazine/01.03/feature/2/index.php3 Interview with animefringe.com]</ref> In the same interview, he also admitted liking [[Generation 1]] [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]], whom he considers a "wicked character", regretting that he "died" in the [[The Transformers: The Movie|movie]].<ref name="animefringe">[http://www.animefringe.com/magazine/01.03/feature/2/index.php3 Interview with animefringe.com]</ref>

* During Dreamwave's heyday, Dreamwave press releases would constantly titulate the company's president as a "superstar artist", even after the company had started hiring various other artists, including [[Don Figueroa]], most of whom would prove to be vastly more popular among fans than Lee.

[[Image:FuNaNa.jpg|right|216px|thumb|Those fancy Japanese characters look AWESOME. Too bad I can't read them.]]
* Fans discovered an old personal website Pat had set up prior to the big breakthrough with Dreamwave.<ref name="infrarred">[http://www.angelfire.com/pa/infrarred/ Infrarred] {{sic}} Pat Lee's Angelfire homepage</ref> In retrospect, many of the quotes and graphics featured on the site would prove to be either hilariously ironic or frighteningly prophetic, such as a promotional image depicting Pat, his brother Roger and then-Dreamwave exec Alvin Lee walking away from a nuclear explosion (see [[:Image:Dreamwave.jpg|Image:Dreamwave.jpg]]); or a header graphic that features his name, "Patrick Lee", replaced by random Katakana characters (ミチヤメノテヒフナナ), which read "''Michiyamenotehi Funana''". Soon, this would become his new nickname among fans, used exclusively in a mocking manner.
** The cause for this is almost certainly a character-replacement Katakana font, as used by someone who has no damn clue how Katakana works, nevermind ability to read it.
***If Pat Lee had any damn clue how to transliterate, the Katakana would be パトリックリー (''Patorikku Rī'').

* Pat Lee once set a hill on fire.<ref name="infrarred">[http://www.angelfire.com/pa/infrarred/ Infrarred] {{sic}} Pat Lee's Angelfire homepage</ref>

* After the launch of Dream Engine, Lee's resume at the company's website claimed that he was responsible for relaunching "X-Men, Batman and more", thereby implying that those franchises had long lingered in a near-dead state until Superstar Funana blessed them with his divine reanimating powers.<ref>Pat's resume at the now defunct Dreamengine website.</ref>

* All of the above is ''absolutely true''. We're not kidding.

==Memorable quotes by and about Pat Lee==
{{bigquote|It is a mistake to suppose that men succeed through success; they much oftener succeed through failures.|Pat Lee<ref>[http://www.jazmaonline.com/interviews/interviews2.asp?intID=318 Jazma Online Interview]</ref>}}

{{bigquote|If he ever wants out of comics, Pat Lee's got a heck of a career as an auto mechanic.|''Wizard Magazine''<ref>Verbatim quote from a <strike>[http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v472/dailyraider/patlee.jpg butt-kissing advert]</strike> article published in an issue of ''Wizard Magazine''.</ref>}}

{{bigquote|I remember working with Pat Lee and how kind of disappointed I was to find how little of the art was actually him. He gave me an original art page of Armada, and there’s so little art on it!|Simon Furman<ref>Talking about memorable experiences, [http://idwpublishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=42871#42871 http://idwpublishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=42871#42871]</ref>}}

{{bigquote|If Pat had been some faceless bureaucrat it maybe wouldn’t now seem such an acute betrayal, but he looked me square in the eye and said everything’s hunky-dory. That’s what still, even now, burns.|Simon Furman<ref>Online interview talking about the collapse of Dreamwave</ref>}}

{{bigquote|Probably the richest guy I know.|Don Figueroa <ref>Word Association with the name "Pat Lee" from an [http://transfans.net/interviews_figueroa.php interview] with TransFans.net.</ref>}}

{{bigquote|A guy that really knows how to pitch himself.|Guido Guidi<ref>Word Association with the name "Pat Lee" from an [http://transfans.net/interviews_guido.php interview] with TransFans.net.</ref>}}

{{bigquote|Cars are expensive.|Guido Guidi<ref>Word Association with the name "Dreamwave" from an [http://transfans.net/interviews_guido.php interview] with TransFans.net.</ref>}}

{{bigquote|Can we get our money?|Adam Patyk<ref>Patyk's response to the question "If you could talk to Pat directly right now, what would you ask of him?" in an [http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=39073 interview] with Newsarama.</ref>}}

==See also==
* [[Dull surprise]]

==Other external links==
* [http://www.angelfire.com/pa/infrarred/infrarred2.html Infrarred]
* [http://www.myspace.com/patleeart PatLeeArt] at MySpace
* [http://www.alivenotdead.com/patlee Pat Lee's alive not dead profile blog site]
* [http://patleeart.deviantart.com/ Pat Lee's deviantART page.]
* [http://www.youtube.com/user/PatLeeArt Pat Lee's Youtube account]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Pat}}
[[Category:Colorists]]
[[Category:Designers]]
[[Category:Dreamwave]]
[[Category:Executives]]
[[Category:Illustrators]]
[[Category:Pencillers]]

Blank

2009-06-01T10:34:04Z

193.200.150.137: /* Trivia */

:''Blanks are a type of protoform in many different continuities.
[[Image:Ani42 protoformblank.jpg|thumb|250px]]
A '''Blank''' is a [[protoform]] which lacks a spark. A blank represents 2 parts of the 3-part protoform system, lacking only a motivating life-force. Blanks are used to provide replacement bodies when a Transformer is so badly damaged they cannot be repaired, a complete transplant of the injured's [[spark core]] will bring a Blank to life, shaping it in accordance to their [[hard-coded design schematics]].

Blanks appear to be a by-product of the protoform-creation process, as they are also identified as "duds." (see trivia)

==Significant appearances in fiction==
==Beast Era==

{{stub}}

{{--}}
==Trivia==
[[Image:Bw28 itsablank.jpg|thumb|]]
*[[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] easily identifies the Stasis pod as a blank because it's labeled as such; the Cybertronian lettering reads "[[Wikipedia:dud|DUD]]" in [[Cybertronix#Letters|Maximal]].
*The script for the ''[[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' episode "[[Coming of the Fuzors (Part 1)|Coming of the Fuzors]]", where blanks first appeared identified them using the Cybertronian terms "[[Roc-shaan]]." This was a reference to Transfan [[Raksha]], who was ''not'' a fan of the Beast Wars series. The reference didn't make it into the finished episode, possibly because producers realized that calling your main critic "a soulless thing" was perhaps a bit tacky.

==Related topics==
* [[Protoform]]
* [[stasis pod]]

[[Category: Transformer anatomy]]

Talk:Rodimus Prime (Animated)

2009-05-31T16:31:44Z

193.200.150.137: /* Chosen One? */

It isn't a spoiler to say that Rodimus survived the cosmic rust attack and is recovering? What if a fan (who wasn't at TFcon2009) is waiting to see what happens to him? - [[User:Starfield|Starfield]] 12:34, 28 April 2009 (EDT)
:If it's something declared openly by a creator, then no, it's not a spoiler. [[User:Interrobang|—Interrobang]] 12:46, 28 April 2009 (EDT)
It's my fault, I asked him that question at TFcon just to put an end to people thinking HE IS DEAD. It's Rodimus Prime people, they won't nix him. [[User:Protoman|Protoman]] 20:23, 7 May 2009 (EDT)
:Now that it never happened, what do we do with it? - [[User:Starfield|Starfield]] 19:05, 23 May 2009 (EDT)
::He's in the lower right hand side of the crowd scene in Endgame, isn't he?--[[User:Rosicrucian|Rosicrucian]][[User Talk:Rosicrucian|Talk]] 19:53, 23 May 2009 (EDT)
:::Sorta hard to say; given the amount of other coloring errors/generics in the picture its hard to know if its really supposed to be him or not. It does appear to be his model, though, and it's colored mostly right (the solid orange forearms throw it off)... Probably a case of mentioning that he "might have appeared". - [[User:Chris McFeely|Chris McFeely]] 19:58, 23 May 2009 (EDT)
::::It's hard to say if he is there, I feel like Derrick said that only to not break my heart cause he knows how I am with Rodimus characters :P I dunno. I can't really make out anything that is 100% him in the crowd. Maybe we will get an IDW book that will answer the mystery (as well as other loose ends due to Endgame Part 2)[[User:Protoman|Protoman]] 20:59, 23 May 2009 (EDT)
::::If his forearm plating got rusted off, it would need to be replaced. Possibly with solid orange ones? - [[User:Starfield|Starfield]] 13:22, 24 May 2009 (EDT)
== Prime ==

Could we get a citation for Rodimus being a Prime? I think it's behind a firewall. - [[User:Starfield|Starfield]] 21:12, 23 May 2009 (EDT)
:Uh, the credits of "[[TransWarped]]" and [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 24|''Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club'' #24]]? [[User:Interrobang|—Interrobang]] 21:22, 23 May 2009 (EDT)
::The credits of TransWarped just say "Rodimus", and the club mag isn't publicly available for all to cite. - [[User:SanityOrMadness|SanityOrMadness]] 21:24, 23 May 2009 (EDT)
:::He's also the leader of his group of Autobots, which automatically makes him a Prime, since that's how rank works in Animated. --[[User:ItsWalky|ItsWalky]] 21:49, 23 May 2009 (EDT)

==Minor?==
Wasn't he revealed at the Hasbro panel to be Rodimus Minor? --[[User:Vicious|Vicious]] 17:51, 30 May 2009 (EDT)
:Yes, although I'd prefer we wait till we see the actual toy to confirm. The article's name will not be affected, as he's "Rodimus Prime" in the club bio. [[User:Interrobang|—Interrobang]] 17:55, 30 May 2009 (EDT)
::Of course, I suppose we do have to be open to the possibility Forrest Lee will take advantage of the blank slate the character represents and write a conflicting bio.--[[User:Rosicrucian|Rosicrucian]][[User Talk:Rosicrucian|Talk]] 18:27, 30 May 2009 (EDT)
:::Didn't Forrest have some involvement with the club bio? [[User:Interrobang|—Interrobang]] 18:28, 30 May 2009 (EDT)
::::No, those bios were written by people on Animated's staff. --[[User:Detour|Detour]] 19:20, 30 May 2009 (EDT)
:::::And some of 'em ended up being more than a little nonsensical in the long run. For example, Blackout's.--[[User:Rosicrucian|Rosicrucian]][[User Talk:Rosicrucian|Talk]] 19:31, 30 May 2009 (EDT)
::I don't see what we need to wait for. Everything else from botcon is official. - [[User:Starfield|Starfield]] 19:18, 30 May 2009 (EDT)

==Chosen One?==
Any idea where that line came from? I can't find anything about that blurb anywhere. Or is it just more of The Funny that I didn't get? [[Special:Contributions/76.252.20.175|76.252.20.175]] 12:29, 31 May 2009 (EDT)
:It's from his Club bio. --[[Special:Contributions/193.200.150.137|193.200.150.137]] 12:31, 31 May 2009 (EDT)