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Starscream (G1)

2011-10-16T13:48:28Z

24.189.5.114:

{{picsneeded|Some pics of Starscream when he was merged with the Warworld}}

{{factions|decepticon|decepticong2|unicron|hofsilver|predacon}}
{{disambig3|Starscream}}{{suite}}
:''Starscream is a [[Decepticon]] and briefly a [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Starscreamg1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Let me guess. You're gonna attempt to overthrow Megatron, fail, cry, then repeat the cycle.]]
'''Starscream''' is the treacherous Decepticon [[Air Commander]] and the deadliest of the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]]. The self-proclaimed pride of the [[Cybertron War Academy]], he's famous not only for his incredible skill, but also for his limitless (and troublesome) ambition. Starscream believes that he is more suited for command than [[Decepticon leader]] [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]. Thankfully for Megatron, Starscream's mutinous, power-grabbing plots are almost always transparent, and he can never muster up enough patience to complete a grandiose power play. Even on the few times he has taken control of the Decepticons, he quickly loses control of a situation, but is too arrogant to realize when he's in over his head. He never learns from his mistakes, but then again, Megatron doesn't either, seeing as how he's never turned Starscream into [[Slag (slang)|slag]]. Despite his constant failures, Starscream believes it is only a matter of time before he prevails—his destiny is inevitable.

Starscream's never give up attitude extends even to the afterlife: unlike most Transformers, he has a mutant, indestructible [[Spark]]. His life-force cannot be destroyed and can persist even without a body to contain it. However, there is no indication that Starscream (or anybody else) was aware of this fact prior to his destruction.

{{bigquote|''Why?'' That's what they ''all'' asked me. Why him... why ''Starscream''? Why, of all the Decepticons, did I decide to revitalize the one whose record of deceit and betrayal is ''legend''? Because I'm an ''idiot'', that's why!|Megatron on Starscream|"[[Total War!]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}
[[Image:Introdump decepticons marvelus01.jpg|left|300px|thumb|He's the nigh-identical jerk on the right.]]
''Millions of years ago, on the troubled planet Cybertron, Starscream acted as the figurehead leader for the controlling dictators of the city-state of [[Vos]]. Following a botched attempt at igniting war between [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] and [[Tarn]], Vos itself went to war with Tarn, and both cities were destroyed by an exchange of [[Photon missile|photon missiles]]. The survivors of both cities—presumably including Starscream—were gathered together by the ex-gladiator [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]], who used their bitterness towards Iacon to unite them under his control as the Decepticons.'' {{storylink|State Games}}

Four million years ago, Starscream was part of Megatron's attack raid on the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]. After its crashlanding on [[Earth]], Starscream was revived and rebuilt into an Earthen form in 1984, along with the other survivors. After a Decepticon roll-call, they fled the Ark. When the Autobots were spotted near a native settlement, aka a drive-thru movie theater, Starscream and the other Decepticons were commanded to attack. While Starscream extolled the use of guile and stealth, [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] saturated him with his [[glass gas]] gun, which coated Starscream, making his metal brittle and breakable as glass. As his chassis shattered, Starscream ordered his fellow jets to flee. {{storylink|The Transformers (issue)|The Transformers}}

Megatron led his Decepticons to a perch above the half-constructed [[Harrison Nuclear Power Plant]], with intent to take it with brute force. Starscream suggested that [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]] scout the area first. Megatron reluctantly agreed with Starscream, choosing [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] to scout in Buzzsaw's stead. It wasn't until Ravage's report that Megatron realized it was the [[human]]s who created the machines in their midst, and thus they must have the technology to convert their fuel to a form they could use. Starscream quietly acknowledged Megatron's shrewdness, and felt that he must never let his eagerness to take over the Decepticons blind him to Megatron's cunning. The Decepticons attacked, and when they had achieved victory, Starscream and the others each hauled off chunks of the plant's machinery to construct their own [[Fortress Sinister|base of operations]] atop a harsh cliffside. Starscream and the other Decepticons next attacked the auto repair shop of [[Sparkplug Witwicky]], a friend of the Autobots whom the Decepticons suspected could convert fuel for them. Once Starscream abducted Sparkplug, the Decepticons retreated. {{storylink|Power Play!}}

[[Image:Addstarscreamtothedamagereport.jpg|right|250px|thumb|He'd better get used to this.]]
Starscream and the others returned to their cliffside headquarters with Sparkplug Witwicky, as Starscream found humor in the role reversal of this planet's human domination over machines. He continued to boast of his successful kidnapping in front of Megatron and the others, a ploy that did not go unnoticed by Megatron. Their captive, Sparkplug, needed materials to aid him in converting Earth fuel to Transformer fuel, so Starscream and [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] were dispatched to bring back a tanker truck full of fuel for Sparkplug to work on. The Decepticons' actions did not go unnoticed, and the human media and military crowded around their headquarters. But it wasn't until the Autobots arrived that Starscream and the other two jets were unleashed upon the crowd. {{storylink|Prisoner of War!}} Though the human escaped, it was not before he had successfully done their work for them. Regardless, Starscream berated Megatron for allowing the human to be rescued, to which Megatron responded with a blast from his [[fusion cannon]]. {{storylink|The Last Stand}}

Starscream was one of a group of Decepticons who were sent to the [[United Kingdom]] to investigate tales of the [[Man of Iron (Autobot)|Man of Iron]], who was in reality an Autobot sent from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to Earth to look for the missing Ark. Starscream destroyed him. {{storylink|Man of Iron (story)|Man of Iron}} ''Meanwhile, Megatron had begun to grow weary of Starscream's constant attempts to undermine his authority, and he sent Ravage to follow Starscream, hoping he would uncover enough damning evidence to permit Megatron to destroy Starscream once and for all. But when Starscream failed to rally the Decepticons behind him by staging a conflict with the Autobots, he tried to kill [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] to keep this secret. When caught, he demanded a trial-by-combat and was pitted against [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]], a fight which he won, until Starscream was shot down and deactivated by Ravage.'' {{storylink|The Enemy Within!}}

When it was discovered that Sparkplug had failed to convert fuel for the Autobots, Megatron ordered an attack on the Ark to destroy them once and for all, showing them what lay in wait for those who dared to defy him. Starscream meekly agreed. Despite the Autobots' dangerously low fuel levels, Starscream was amazed at [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s commanding power. But just as victory was about to be handed to the Decepticons, Starscream and the others doubled over in pain. Sparkplug Witwicky had poisoned their converted fuel. If not for the sudden appearance and intervention by the long-lost [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], the Decepticons surely would have been defeated. {{storylink|The Last Stand}} Shockwave, having defeated the entire Autobot army, save the Autobots' medic [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]], set up a base of operations inside the Ark and began rehabilitating Starscream and the others. {{storylink|The New Order}} When Megatron awoke and rebelled against Shockwave, the former Decepticon leader was humiliated in his still-weakened state, and paraded in front of Starscream and the others as a warning to those who would cross Shockwave. The Decepticons hailed Shockwave as their new leader. {{storylink|The Worse of Two Evils!}}

[[Image:Starscreamdisintegratedcircuits.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Starscream's treachery is a little more subtle when he's allowed to have thought balloons.]]
When Megatron went missing, leaving control of the Ark back in the hands of the Autobots, Starscream disparaged Megatron's failure in front of Shockwave. The Decepticons had in the meantime taken control of one of [[Blackrock Industries]]' aerospace plants, and [[G.B. Blackrock]] had constructed a superweapon to retaliate. Starscream convinced Shockwave to let him and [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] destroy the weapon to boost morale (or maybe allow him to steal the superweapon and use it to destroy Shockwave and take command). There, Starscream and Frenzy not only encountered the Autobots [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] but also a super-powered human who was determined to destroy all robots, [[Circuit Breaker]]. Starscream suffered few injuries, but had to drag Frenzy's body from the conflict. {{storylink|DIS-Integrated Circuits!}}

''Shockwave went missing as well, and with both him and Megatron gone, [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] assumed command. Soundwave wasted no time in telling Starscream why he would never lead the Decepticons—he's just "a missile with a mouth". Soundwave orchestrated [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]'s capture, and challenged Optimus Prime to fight his way through the Decepticons to rescue him. Although Starscream loudly boasted of being a "leader killer", once he faced Optimus Prime alone, he stammered and hesitated, and was quickly defeated.'' {{storylink|Crisis of Command!}}

Shockwave returned, and none too soon! Starscream and the other jets had been standing watch over their captured Blackrock Industries oil rig for weeks. Shockwave unveiled the [[power siphon]] he had built during his absence, which Starscream and the others would soon use to convert sound energy from a [[Brick Springhorn|Brick Springstern]] concert into [[Energon cube|Energon cubes]]. Their plot was stopped abruptly when they were defeated by Bumblebee and a group of new Autobot recruits. {{storylink|Rock and Roll-Out!}} Starscream soon agreed with Shockwave that Bumblebee would be a perfect candidate for them to add to their own ranks. They waited until Bumblebee was alone, and then hunted him relentlessly. It wasn't until human authorities and the Autobots arrived to rescue Bumblebee did the Decepticons abandon their hunt. {{storylink|Plight of the Bumblebee!}}

Starscream, among others, escorted Megatron to the Space Bridge, where they were expecting reinforcements from Cybertron. Though only a team of Autobots had made it through the Space Bridge to Earth, their disappointment was brief. The Autobots had in the meantime launched a full-scale attack on the Decepticons' base, which Megatron reckoned meant that the Ark was unguarded. Indeed, the sole obstacle in their way to the entrance was a tank and a rocket. However, these elements soon combined into the impressive super robot [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. One by one, Megatron's troops fell before the titan, including Starscream. Only Megatron and [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] survived. {{storylink|Command Performances!}}

[[Image:Target 2006 fake Starscream dies.jpg|right|250px|thumb|*Contains 100% genuine Starscream substitute.]]
''The Autobots gathered up Starscream and the other deactivated Decepticons and placed them in life support capsules within the Ark, holding them imprisoned in stasis. Not long afterward, the Autobots were plunged into a state of disarray by the violent arrival of the enigmatic time-travelling Decepticon, [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], and [[Grapple]] was in such a rush to depart the medical bay and attend a mission briefing that he failed to notice an alert signifying the malfunction of Starscream's capsule. Starscream awoke and punched his way out of the capsule, and proceeded to steal out of the medical area and listen in on the Autobots' briefing. He was shocked to overhear that the Autobots had teamed up with Megatron to defeat Galvatron, and Starscream immediately decided to sneak off to join forces with this powerhouse from the future. Galvatron went along with Starscream's toadying, as the irony amused him; Galvatron was, in fact, a recreated future incarnation of Megatron, and would go on to kill Starscream twenty years in the future! When Galvatron and his men faced Megatron once again, Starscream shot Megatron in the back, but had to be stopped short of killing him by Galvatron himself, who knocked Starscream unconscious in order to secure his own future existence. Starscream's body was placed back into its stasis capsule by the future Autobots [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]], [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] and [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]], who then proceeded to trick Galvatron into returning to the future through a complicated plan that involved painting Skywarp to look like Starscream, and then duping Galvatron into destroying him. After killing "Starscream", Galvatron rationalized that he must have travelled back to a parallel timeline, since Starscream was not supposed to die until 2006, and returned to the future with his men.'' {{storylink|Target: 2006}}

[[Image:Starscreammerrychristmas.jpg|left|150px|thumb|His heart grew three sizes that day.]]
''Rather than do the smart thing and return Starscream the Ark, the future Autobots rather unwisely left his capsule lying in the middle of a field. As happenstance would have it, Starscream lay there, undisturbed, until he awoke at [[Christmas]] the following year. Desolate, he wished he could go home again, and was in mid-mope when he was chanced upon by a [[Christmas kid|a human]] who sought to inform him of the meaning of Christmas. Urged to help a busload of elderly humans who had become stuck in a snowdrift, Starscream wanted to know what would be in it for him. As Starscream debated this good deed, he was suddenly attacked by [[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]], who suspected him to be up to his usual do-baddery. After a brief battle, the human intervened to chastise Streetwise, and Starscream proceeded to show up the Protectobot by saving the bus, purely out of spite.'' {{storylink|Stargazing}}

{{note|Starscream never awoke in the American stories—his deactivated body remained captive within the Ark for years, and was not rescued until the events of "[[Totaled!]]", when [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]'s forces saved all the Decepticons aboard the craft. When this story was reprinted in the UK, Starscream's name was erased from the artwork. As far as the UK stories were concerned, Starscream sought out Ratbat's Decepticons to join up with them.}}

Starscream quickly ingratiated himself with Ratbat and helped run [[Club Con]], a human island resort that covered their attempt to uncover subterranean information on the legendary [[Underbase]]. {{storylink|Club Con!}} When a pair of Autobot audio and video tapes recording the loss of the Underbase were found, Starscream convinced Ratbat to let him watch the tapes with him. In the "[[Realvision]]" playback, he witnessed a young Optimus Prime thwart Megatron's early attempts to possess the Underbase by shooting the legendary database into space. {{storylink|The Flames of Boltax!}} Starscream then set about a chain of systematic betrayals in order to gain access to that power. He set loose [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]], whom the Decepticons had been holding prisoner, with equipment that would lure the Autobots to the Decepticon's Antarctic base. The ensuing battle served to distract his fellow Decepticons as he then stole a ship from [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] to look for the Underbase. {{storylink|Cold War!}}

[[Image:Underbaseallmine.jpg|right|250px|thumb|This is way more graphic than was needed.]]
Upon finding the ancient database, Starscream began absorbing its power but was unable to finish the task as he was blasted by Ratbat's ship, piloted by a temporary Autobot/Decepticon alliance. However, while the light of the Underbase had only shone on Starscream for a moment, that moment had been enough to fill him with its awesome power, and the now-cosmically-powered Air Commander survived the attack. Growing to monumental proportions, Starscream hurled his ship at Ratbat's craft, and promptly headed for Earth with the intention of proving his power by destroying [[New York City|New York]], [[Tokyo]] and [[Buenos Aires]]. The Autobots and Decepticons traveled to those locations to try and stop Starscream, but they ultimately failed, as a massive amount of the Transformers active on Earth were badly damaged and incapacitated by Starscream's Underbase-powered rampage. Starscream only stopped after intercepting a radio transmission between [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] and Optimus Prime, and realized that the great Autobot leader was elsewhere, plotting against him. Starscream fled back out into space to find Prime, and rediscovered the Underbase. Starscream attempted to finish absorbing its power, only to have the absolute knowledge overwhelm him, which resulted in his destruction. {{storylink|Dark Star (issue)|Dark Star}}

[[Image:ZombieScream1.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Braaaiiiinnnssss!]]
''Starscream's corpse crashed in South America, but the Decepticon still clung to some semblance of life, as his shattered husk was reanimated by the residual energy of the Underbase that still saturated it, and driven by Starscream's own murderous impulses into an insane rampage. After nearly killing [[Susan Hoffman]] and [[Susan Hoffman#Related characters|her Assistants]], the [[zombie]]-like Starscream was confronted by [[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]] and [[Darkwing]], who had been sent by Megatron to recover Starscream's body, and the Autobot [[Triggerbot|Triggerbots]]. Triggerbot [[Backstreet (G1)|Backstreet]] was able to appeal to the fraction of the Underbase that was still within Starscream and convinced it to try and regain control of itself, but as soon as it did, Dreadwind and Darkwing had their [[Powermaster]] partners [[Hi-Test]] and [[Throttle (G1)|Throttle]] siphoned all the Underbase's remaining power from the walking cadaver. Starscream's corpse returned to being an inanimate pile of scrap, which the pair quickly collected.'' {{storylink|Race with the Devil}}

Starscream's remains were delivered to Megatron [[Megatron's base|in his Cybertronian base]], who kidnapped [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] and forced him to rebuild Starscream with a powerful [[Pretender]] shell. Ratchet was shown three different shell prototypes, and a final design meant for Starscream. {{storylink|The Resurrection Gambit!}} As Ratchet worked on repairing Starscream, he feigned a friendly attitude towards Megatron, but this was a facade to cover Ratchet's true motives. Though Megatron had some tweaks in mind for Starscream's personality, Ratchet had something else in mind. After the Pretender shell had finished healing the body inside, Megatron sent Starscream to Earth, where Scorponok and Optimus Prime had clashed over a misunderstanding. As they were about to peacefully discuss the machinations that had gathered them there, Starscream's shell appeared! The Transformers and Nebulans below gaped in horror as the shell opened up to reveal the treacherous Starscream! {{storylink|All the Familiar Faces!}}

[[Image:Starscreamskindeep.jpg|right|300px|thumb|These are the Delboest panels ever.]]
Starscream's new form was powerful, but what gave him his true edge was how much he spooked his victims. He was believed to be a ghost, an invincible force of revenge, and most of Scorponok's troops quickly fled the battlefield. It wasn't until Hot Rod manned up and shot their attacker did they realize that this was no ghost at all, but rather a physical being that could [[Furmanism|feel pain and be destroyed.]] This was further sold by Starscream's sudden display of cowardice. Ratchet had arranged for Starscream's true personality to eventually surface, and Hot Rod's blast had knocked it free. Completely outmatched, he surrendered and begged Scorponok for forgiveness. {{storylink|Skin Deep}}

''Briefly after becoming a Pretender, Starscream began to wallow in self-pity, believing that all the other Decepticons considered him a joke for his many failed takeover attempts and defeats. His self-esteem crumbled every time the other Decepticons refused to speak to him or spoke about him behind his back. In reality, the other Decepticons were terribly frightened of Starscream (thanks to that whole Underbase thing) and were avoiding him so they wouldn't be killed. Starscream sulked about it for a while until he defeated and captured a few Autobots and his confidence began to return.'' {{storylink|Fallen Star!}}

[[Image:Ratchetjollies.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Ooooh, better leave this one off the resume.]]
Starscream was a source of dissention among the Decepticons, who were angry with Scorponok for letting him back in {{storylink|Primal Scream (issue)|Primal Scream}}—and it ''was'' pretty dumb, as Starscream tried to capture the mutant [[Dynamo]] and use him as a [[Powermaster]] so he could challenge Scorponok. He failed, but was then met by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], then believed to be dead. {{storylink|The Human Factor!}} Starscream joined his gang in a [[Decepticon Civil War]] against Scorponok, and pressganged [[Triggerhappy]] and [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]] into the group. {{storylink|Eye of the Storm}} Thanks to the Autobots and [[Neo-Knights]], it was a bust. {{storylink|Out of Time!}}

Starscream was transported to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to take part in the fight against [[Unicron]]. "Take part" as in "ran away". Along with Shockwave, he hijacked and repaired the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] so they could escape the dying planet. Shockwave and Starscream found Megatron and Ratchet awakening from the [[Nucleon]] on board the ship, both very confused and addled due to their mind-link. Starscream tried to kill Ratchet and got [[:Image:Ratchetjollies.jpg|totally beaten up]], before the medic directed one of Starscream's null-rays into the Nucleon storage tanks, causing enough of a chain reaction to send the Ark into a crash-landing on Earth, once again resulting in Starscream's deactivation. {{storylink|A Savage Circle}}

=====Earthforce=====
{{earthforcefiction}}
''In an alternate series of events, Starscream and Shockwave's army grew much larger, and their main competition was not Scorponok, but a revived Megatron and his group of Decepticons. As Shockwave's second-in-command, Starscream had few responsibilities, and even less power. The final indignity came when he was assigned to mere monitor duty at their undersea base. Still, even that ignoble assignment presented an opportunity, as Starscream caught Megatron's spies, the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]], trying to tune in to Shockwave's war room. After incapacitating the bugs, Starscream surprised them by offering to let them go free, if they would report back to Megatron that Shockwave would be alone at a certain spot the next day, ensuring that Megatron would go out to battle him alone.'' {{storylink|Bugged!}} ''With the trap baited, Starscream contacted his opposite number, Megatron's second-in-command Soundwave, and proposed an alliance. Soundwave had already been playing both sides by feeding information to him, and so the two of them conspired to join the Decepticon factions under their joint rule. Sure enough, after Megatron and Shockwave's private battle came under Autobot fire (Autobots who had been anonymously tipped off by Starscream), they radioed their respective bases only to hear that the Decepticons no longer considered the two of them leaders.'' {{storylink|Internal Affairs!}}

''Starscream's first major action as Decepticon leader was the ol' "bait and switch"—sending Soundwave and a Decepticon strike force to keep the Autobots busy at their Earthbase, while he personally attended to stealing a supply of oil from a tanker in the [[Gulf of Mexico]]. It seemed, however, that Starscream's plan hadn't accounted for Earthforce's newest recruits: the [[Survivors]]. A quick 1-2-3 by [[Carnivac (G1)|Carnivac]], [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] and [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] took the fight out of Starscream, and so he retreated, radioing his troops to do the same.'' {{storylink|Divide and Conquer!}}

''Sometime later, returning to the [[Decepticon Louisiana bayou base|Decepticon base in the Louisiana bayous]], Starscream suddenly found himself fighting for his life against [[Louisiana bounty hunters|several mismatched bounty hunters and mercenaries]]. Believing his co-commander Soundwave must have been responsible for the contract, Starscream stormed back to their headquarters to confront him.'' {{storylink|Assassins}} ''He wasted no words in confronting his "treacherous" partner, but fortunately Soundwave had had the foresight to prerecord an explanation. While trading blows and dodging laser fire in person, Soundwave's recording outlined how the situation was clearly a set-up to make them fight each other. Fortunately, Starscream believed him. Unfortunately, [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] and the [[Mayhem Attack Squad]] stormed in at that moment, having been paid by the true contractors, Megatron and Shockwave, to eliminate anyone left standing.'' {{storylink|External Forces!}} ''The two Decepticons would have been overwhelmed if they hadn't received aid from an unlikely source: Earthforce. It seemed the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]] [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] was dying of [[Corrodia Gravis]], a wasting disease which required an energy transfer from a compatible Transformer, and Starscream fit the bill. After driving off Megatron, Shockwave and the Mayhems, Starscream made a deal with Earthforce to help Snarl in exchange for their aid against any future uprising by the former Decepticon leaders.'' {{storylink|The Lesser Evil!}}

''Soon afterwards, Starscream and Soundwave engaged in Project: Smear, a campaign to ruin the Autobots' good name among the humans, and ensure they received no additional aid in the war. A straight-forward attempt to brainwash [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] into wrecking a human settlement didn't pan out,'' {{storylink|Inside Story!}} ''so a more subtle plan was engineered. Starscream had [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] use his [[Cerebro-shell|cerebro-shells]] to subvert the will of a human reporter, [[Irwin Spoon (G1)|Irwin Spoon]], and compel him to write a story bashing the Autobots and portraying them as kidnappers, or worse.'' {{storylink|End of the Road! (UK)|End of the Road!}}

====''Generation 2''====
{{Note|Starscream likely first appeared in the Marvel Generation 2 continuity in the [[G.I. Joe (comic)|G.I. Joe issue]] "[[Unfoldings!]]", in which the silhouettes of [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] and a [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] were seen talking about the [[Silent Castle|possibility that there was another Decepticon left]] on [[Earth]]. Since the Seeker didn't show up again in the G.I. Joe comics and Megatron was seen repairing Starscream at the start of the Transformers: Generation 2 comics, it can be assumed the scene was retconned... Or Megatron saw the very first opportunity for a replacement lackey as a good excuse to deactivate the traitor. Whatever keeps the continuity going.}}

[[Image:Starscreamtongue.jpg|left|100px|thumb|Who have you been talking to, Starscream?]]
Starscream had been damaged to the point of stasis lock when the Ark crashed on Earth for a second time. Megatron, apparently the only one to recover from the crash more or less unscathed, decided to revive Starscream. {{storylink|All or Nothing!}} He would later question his own judgement in doing so, but in his defense, the only other Decepticons involved in the crash had been Shockwave and Galvatron (and Galvatron had walked away from the crash anyway), so his options for loyalty were slim.

[[Image:Starscream uscomics.png|right|150px|thumb|"I am only saving you so that I may punish you later."]]
Predictably, though, Starscream would indeed betray Megatron and the Decepticons once again, this time by giving [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] and his troops information that allowed them to take control of the Decepticon flagship ''[[Warworld]]''. {{storylink|Total War!}} Starscream then doublecrossed Jhiaxus, stole the [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]] (which Megatron had stolen from Prime earlier) and used its powers to merge himself with the ''Warworld'', becoming an unstoppable force of destruction. As Optimus Prime and Megatron entered the possessed ship to try and stop him, Starscream exhibited a startling control over the physical nature of the vessel, turning the ''Warworld'' into an ever-shifting maze of horrors to torment the two leaders. {{storylink|Dark Shadows!}} But when they confronted him face-to-face, he found that the Matrix was having a disagreeable effect on his own mind. He found himself wanting to be, in his own words, "good". He desperately gave the Matrix back to Prime in the hopes that the effect would be temporary. This reverted Starscream to his ordinary form, presumably severing his connection with the ship. {{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''.}}
Starscream reappears alongside several other Decepticons restored by Megatron fifteen years after the Ark crash-landed. He still appears to enjoy making snide remarks at Megatron's expense.

{{storylink|Crossing Over}} {{storylink|Games of Deception}}

When Megatron prepared his final strike against the pretender to his throne, [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], he sent out three warships to menace the skeletal warrior, commanded by Starscream, Thundercracker and [[Octane]]. Somewhat reluctantly, Starscream did nothing but languish in his command chair in space above Bludgeon's headquarters, as the [[Seacon (G1)|Seacon]]s acted on Megatron's order to betray and eliminate Bludgeon from within. Starscream just waited for Astrotrain and Soundwave to inform him the deed was done, and the Decepticons below were surrendering and powering down their weapons. A bit cleaner than he would've liked it, but Starscream still had to admire Megatron's skill at deception. {{storylink|At Fight's End}}

{{charstubfiction}}

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
{{main|Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity}}
[[Image:Tud3_starscream_smirkiest.jpg|left|thumb|220px| "So if I beat [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|you]], will I become the chief Decepticon?"
"More people have said that and were sent offline than there are Energon decay products."]]
A former scientist who joined the Decepticons with gusto after the loss of his friend [[Jetfire (G1)|Skyfire]], Starscream quickly decided that Megatron's leadership was old and outdated, and that he was the one who should be in charge. Cue nine million years of backstabbing, treachery, cowardice, coups and general disobedience, which continued when the war moved from Cybertron to Earth. In fact, it was Starscream's refusal to listen to Megatron that kept the war going, when a petty parting blast that he delivered to the Autobot's crashed starship jostled the body of Optimus Prime into the path of [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]]'s restoration beam. Starscream's scheming was a constant throughout the Earth conflict, and it culminated in his expulsion from the Decepticon ranks, following which he created the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] to serve as his personal army, only to have them turn on him, forcing him to rejoin Megatron's ranks.

Even in death, Starscream was unstoppable. Following Megatron's climactic battle with Optimus Prime in 2005, Starscream set his commander's battered body adrift in space and promptly appointed himself the new Decepticon leader. In the midst of a grandiose coronation ceremony, however, Megatron returned, recreated as [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] by the power of [[Unicron]], and promptly blasted Starscream to ashes. Surprisingly, Starscream's lifeforce persisted as a ghost, which continued to bedevil the Transformers, even across the gulf of time.
{{--}}

===Big Looker storybooks continuity===
[[Image:DecepticonsCarShow.jpg|right|200px|thumb|I have no idea what colors I am!]]
Starscream and his fellow Seekers performed a threatening flyby over the Autobots' headquarters in order to distract the heroic robots while the other Decepticons stole a tanker of oil that would give them the power to rule the world. Thanks to [[Shooting Star]], the Autobots got wise to the Decepticons' tactics and [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] blew up the villains by dropping missiles on them. Starscream arrived on the scene to spitefully blow up the oil tanker so that no one could have it, then he and his fellow airborne Decepticons carried off the remains of their fallen comrades. {{storylink|Decepticon Hijack}}

Starscream was part of the battle that resulted when the Autobots came to rescue the mind-controlled [[Grapple]] from the Decepticons' clutches. When Grapple was freed from the effects of the [[cerebro-shell]] controlling him, he kicked Megatron over on top of Starscream and Skywarp, winning the day. {{storylink|Insecticon Attack!}}

At some point in the future, when Galvatron had taken leadership of the Decepticons, Starscream suggested to his leader that he create a city of his own to gather energy, as the Autobots did with their Autobot City. Galvatron decided to go about it in the most circular way possible, by stealing a robot car on display at a car show that night and duplicating its circuitry to create an army of drones to build said city. While investigating the Decepticons' presence at the show, Kup was captured by Starscream. When the Autobots arrived in response, Starscream threatened Kup's life to stay their hands, but luckily, Hot Rod soon saved Kup, and the Decepticons were defeated. {{storylink|Car Show Blow Up}}

===Ladybird Books continuity===
[[Image:Starscream ladybird books.jpg|right|215px|thumb|Toy-accurate art makes Starscream ANGRY!]]
A brash and aggressive character, Starscream is constantly running up against the older, smarter Megatron. He once convinced Rumble to help him attack and destroy an Autobot tower (believed to be for communications) against Megatron's orders. In the process, he caused Megatron and the other Decepticons to come get him back. (They arrived ''just'' as he was slagging off Megatron.) Since that tower was actually used for channeling lightning storms into power, the entire Decepticon team was viciously injured by an electric surge due to his disobedience. {{storylink|Autobots' Lightning Strike}}

Starscream later tried to overthrow Megatron when the commander was off on a mission and requested the other Decepticons rendezvous with him. Starscream's act of rebellion was to blow up the building he thought Megatron was in and declare himself leader. Megatron turned out to be standing behind him, and he gave Starscream a valuable lesson on leadership (i.e., told him how dumb that was whilst punching him). {{storylink|Megatron's Fight for Power}}

When [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] time-travelled to the 20th Century and took command, Starscream served under him. He'd learnt his lesson since the early days, not trying to overthrow his commander ''once''. {{storylink|Galvatron's Air Attack}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers PD Type''===
[[Image:Starscream pd type.jpg|left|190px|thumb|HaHA! I have caught the Golden Snitch!]]
As various [[Decepticon|Decepticons]] from across the timestream joined forces to track down the all-powerful [[Blackball|Blackballs]], Starscream proved most effective at the hunt. Discovering a Blackball, he immediately carried it over to [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] for some praise. Unfortunately, the "Blackball" turned out to be a cartoon bomb, which promptly exploded in their faces. From a distance, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] and [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] were astounded that their plan actually worked. Inside the smoking crater, a badly singed Megatron strangled Starscream, frustrated at his consistent failures. {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##3 "Don't Cry! Megatron!!"|Don't Cry! Megatron!!}}

Later, Starscream uncovered another Blackball. For a moment he considered giving it to Megatron, but then decided that if he kept it for himself, he could use the power to seize command of the Decepticons. He then immediately became suspicious that the Blackball might be another bomb, but dismissed the suspicion just as quickly. Then it exploded. {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##10 "Good Luck! Starscream!!"|Good Luck! Starscream!!}}
{{-}}

===''Beast Wars'' cartoon===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Doug Parker]] (English), [[Kazuki Yao]] (Japanese), [[Alfonso Obregon]] (Latin American Spanish), [[José Padilla]] (Castilian Spanish)

[[Image:Starscream ghost BW.jpg|right|250px|thumb|EBENEZER SCROOGE...!]]
After the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] Crashed on [[Earth]] Starscream's body lay in [[stasis lock]] next to his [[Megatron (G1)|leader]] along with [[Soundwave (G1)|the other]] [[Skywarp (G1)|Decepticons]].{{storylink|The Agenda (Part III)}}

Little was known about Starscream among the [[Maximal|Maximals]], as the [[Maximal Elder|Maximal Elders]] had classified most of his information. At some point in time the Elders had attempted to duplicate Starscream's mutant indestructible spark effect, which led to the origin of the monstrous [[Rampage (BW)|Protoform X]].{{storylink|Bad Spark}} [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]], a student of military history, was familiar with Starscream's record of deceit and betrayal. It is possible that [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] was also aware of his history, as he ordered [[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]] to keep an eye on Starscream when he arrived on Earth.

Starscream's ghost traveled through time and space to the prehistoric earth of the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]], where he possessed [[Waspinator]]'s body during an electrical storm. He ingratiated himself with Megatron, claiming that he had been destroyed by [[Unicron]] while protecting [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. After leading a successful raid on the [[Axalon (BW)|''Axalon'']], he was left in command of the captured Maximal ship, along with Scorponok and [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]]—the latter having sufficiently impressed Starscream by seeing through his historical deception that he took her on as a "protégé". When the defeated Maximals surrendered to him, he took Dinobot and [[Optimus Primal]] hostage and ordered the remaining Maximals to attack the ''[[Darksyde]]''. Scorponok objected, but he was very forcefully overruled. Shortly after the attack began, the two captive Maximals broke out and drove the Predacons out of the ''Axalon''. Starscream fled, pursued by Primal, and abandoned Blackarachnia to her fate. After a spirited chase, Primal cornered Starscream at an [[Energon (fuel)|energon]] deposit, paralyzing him. As he tried to bargain his way out of his predicament, his vengeful ex-partner Blackarachnia detonated the energon, blowing Waspinator to scrap and forcing Starscream's spark out of his body. Waspinator was restored back to normal by Megatron, and Blackarachnia explained her betrayal as an attempt to find Starscream's true motives, and at that point, Megatron pardoned her.

Adrift in space once more, Starscream's ghost screamed vengeance into the void. {{storylink|Possession}}

====IDW Beast Wars Comics====
After his defeat at the hands of the Maximals, Starscream's immortal spark wandered through space and time, until it found an alternate timeline with another Waspinator to possess. When the quantum surge hit prehistoric earth in this timeline, Waspinator was transmetalized, and Starscream, still inhabiting the Predacon's body, was somehow able to influence Waspinator's metamorphosis, giving him a third fighter jet mode resembling Starscream's own old alternate form. Although the two of them bicker over control of the body constantly, their two separate voices audible to whoever hears them argue, Waspinator secretly enjoys the enhanced skills Starscream grants him. {{storylink|Beast Wars Sourcebook}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers Legends'' anthology===
While Starscream lay [[stasis lock]]ed in the Ark, [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] broke in and implanted a fraction of the original Megatron's spark into the Air Commander, allowing the two Megatron's to control him. The Decepticon leader, whose spark had been implanted into Megatron, attempted to use Starscream to return to his own body, but was subdued in a battle of wills with beast Megatron. Starscream's services ultimately went unused until the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]] ended, at which point the [[Maximal]]s were able to extract the spark fragment. {{storylink|A Meeting of Minds}}

After a particularly harrowing fight with Megatron, Starscream went mountain climbing, and accidentally fell on his head. In this injured state, he was found by [[Hound (G1)|Hound]], [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]], who took him back to the Ark. [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] made repairs, having persuaded Prime to let them fiddle with Starscream's logic circuits if they found anything wrong. Starscream woke with amnesia.

As he slowly learned about the war and experienced the welcoming and forgiving nature of the Autobots, he found himself siding with his former foes. When Megatron turned up to reclaim his former lieutenant, Starscream refused to go, and was surprised when Optimus and [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] moved to protect him. Despite all this, the sight of [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] finally restored his memory, and he returned to the Decepticons, claiming that he had been faking amnesia as a ruse to gain access to the Autobot base. He later reflected that he had learned something from the Autobots — that a leader like Prime who could pull together the Decepticons as a team could lead more effectively than Megatron had, and Starscream could be that leader. {{storylink|Redemption Center}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
[[Image:Starscreamwarwithin.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Smirkier-than-thou.]]
{{notekeepers}}
''Hailing from the city of [[Centurion (polity)|Centurion]]'', {{storylink|Hardwired}} Starscream was a competitor in [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s underground gladiatorial matches, the breeding ground for what would eventually become the Decepticons. He enjoyed baiting his fellow combatant, [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]; in fact, he was a master at it. Once war broke out, he kept taunting his old friend, which eventually backfired when he told Grimlock exactly where the Seekers were going to attack, giving Grimlock time to set a massive bomb. Starscream's life was saved only by the fast action of Skywarp. {{storylink|The War Within Preview}}

In typical fashion, Starscream tried to seize power. While Megatron was deep within the bowels of Cybertron, Starscream instructed [[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] to initiate the planet's long-hidden transformation sequence, hoping Megatron would be crushed in the process. Some people never learn. {{storylink|The War Within issue 5|The War Within #5}}

[[Image:Predaconstww.jpg|left|200px|thumb|My... people.]]
A few millennia later, after the apparent death of Megatron, Starscream created a splinter group of Decepticons called [[Predacon (War Within)|Predacons]]. However, when your smartest subordinates are [[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]], [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] and [[Octane]], you can't expect much of your forces. {{storylink|Fragmentation}}

Starscream was among the Decepticon boarding party that attacked the Autobot flagship Ark, causing its crash-landing on Earth and putting all Autobots and Decepticons alike in emergency stasis. In 1984 a volcanic eruption awakened the Ark's computer, Teletraan-I, and it repaired all on board. Starscream's actions over the next fifteen years are largely unrecorded, but he probably did what he did best: strafe the Autobots and fleshlings and attempt to betray Megatron, smirking all the while. In 1998, the combined forces of the Autobots and Earth defeated and captured the Decepticons. Starscream was secured on board the ''[[Ark II]]'' along with the other Decepticons when the ship exploded, killing the human crew and scattering the Transformers across the ocean. Arms dealer Adam Rook (aka. [[Lazarus]]) recovered several of the Autobots and Decepticons and used them as a reprogrammed weapons for hire for terrorists and despots. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 1|Prime Directive #1}} As part of a demonstration to prospective buyers, Rook had Starscream join an assault against the Smitco Oil Refinery alongside half a dozen Transformers. When Megatron eventually broke free of Rook's control, he freed the other Decepticons. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 2|Prime Directive #2}}

The reactivated Starscream, along with his Seeker brothers Thundercracker and Skywarp, took a particular pleasure in dismantling the Autobot Minicars. When Megatron complained that he didn't rewire them so they could sit around and do nothing, Starscream playfully said they were only having some fun with their new "toys". Megatron ordered the three Decepticons to follow him, and when Skywarp asked Starscream what their leader's plan was this time, the air commander casually tossed [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]'s head over his shoulder and said that he didn't care, as it was going to be evil, and evil is ''always'' fun. Soon afterwards, the Autobots arrived and attacked. As Starscream attempted to choke [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]], [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] paid him back with a nice throat punch. All the combatants were then bombed by rogue members of the U.S. military. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 3|Prime Directive #3}}

The Decepticons escaped and attacked [[San Francisco]]. When [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] appeared to stop [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], Starscream led the other Seekers in bombing the Autobot giant, forcing the Aerialbots into their component team member forms and putting them at the mercy of Devastator. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 5|Prime Directive #5}} Starscream and the other Decepticons secured the Autobots after Optimus Prime defeated Devastator. The Autobot leader managed to free his comrades after humans distracted the Decepticons, and the battle was rejoined. Fellow F-15 [[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] punched Starscream in the face, repaying him for the earlier defeat. After the Aerialbots, as Superion, sacrificed their lives to save San Francisco from [[Robert Hallo|General Hallo's]] unauthorized nuclear strike, Starscream and the other Decepticons escaped. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 6|Prime Directive #6}}

[[Image:Starscreamshhhhhh.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Holy crap! Expressions!]]
Starscream led the Decepticons in joining Shockwave's Cybertronians after Megatron was defeated and was the first to recognize the mind-altering techniques being employed. Starscream escaped the CR chambers long enough almost to succeed in assassinating Megatron. Punishment didn't deter him, and Starscream was almost immediately creating a small sect of separatist Decepticons on Cybertron. He used the cover of Menasor's release to steal the incapacitated Combaticons to form his own army. If only he hadn't tried to hijack [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]]. Yet another rebellion defeated by bad planning. Some people never learn. {{storylink|War and Peace|War and Peace}}

[[Image:Starscreamdaydream.jpg|right|200px|thumb|There but for the grace of a fusion cannon go I.]]
After returning to Earth, Starscream unleashed the Decepticons on the Autobots under the leadership of [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]]. Unfortunately, most of the Decepticons were incapacitated. Worse, Starscream's clone [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]] arrived on some bizarre mission. Starscream was forced to ally with the Autobots in exchange for getting his forces freed. After the misadventure, Starscream took the Combaticons for some practice against Sky Lynx. This also ended in disaster, for [[Predaking]] soon arrived, and Starscream discovered that Soundwave, his cassettes, and the other Seekers had allied with Predaking's master... Megatron! Starscream was again forced into a subservient position, with Megatron preparing to lead the Decepticons in the conquest of Earth... {{storylink|Generation One (Dreamwave comic)|Generation One (ongoing)}}

{{note|...at which point [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] self-destructed.}}
{{-}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
[[Image:JoeVsTF1 Starscream transforms.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Even when Starscream's nothing more than a mindless drone, he still manages to smirk.]]
When the nascent terrorist organization known as [[Cobra]] uncovered the buried hulk of the Ark, they removed the bodies of numerous Transformers with the intention of using them as weapons of war to threaten America. Cobra scientist [[Doctor Mindbender]] hacked the brain functions of the captive Transformers, reducing them to the level of remote-controlled drones, and dubbed them "[[Battle Android Trooper|Battle Android Troopers]]". Starscream was reconfigured to transform into a jet plane known as a "Night Raven", and was selected for use by the [[Cobra Commander]] as his personal aircraft.

Starscream was among the Transformers deployed during Cobra's opening attack on world freedom, when they targeted the [[United Nations]] Headquarters. Starscream transformed to robot mode and was punching his way through the building when a U.S. Military soldier code-named [[Snake-Eyes]] opened fire on him with a machine gun. Although unharmed by the attack, Starscream returned fire with his lasers, blowing up the missile tank upon which the soldier was perched and horribly scarring his face. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 1|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #1}} Returning to Cobra's island base, Cobra Commander began his meeting with [[Destro]] by having Starscream dramatically fly by overhead and transform, for no reason other than to impress the arms dealer. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 2|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #2}}

Meanwhile, Autobot scientist Wheeljack had been able to avoid capture by Cobra, and had allied himself with America's newly-formed special mission force [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]. Hacking into Cobra's system, he was able to shut off the terrotists' control of the Transformers, liberating their minds and bodies. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 3|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #3}} Naturally, the first thing Starscream did once he was free was to interrupt a battle between Optimus Prime and Megatron by shooting Megatron in the chest in a bid for leadership. Megatron returned the sentiment, blasting him with his fusion cannon, and Starscream slunk away as Megatron returned to more important matters. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 4|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #4}}

[[Image:Starscream snakeeyes eye gouge.jpg|right|350px|thumb|"You've got something in your eye. Let me get it out."]]
Lurking in the island's jungle, Starscream crossed paths with Snake-Eyes, who took revenge for his disfigurement by shattering the unsuspecting Starscream's eye with his sword and shoving a grenade into the socket. Clawing at his face, Starscream tumbled over a cliff and was badly damaged in the fall. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 5|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #5}} His still-operational body was soon happened across by Cobra Commander, who was attempting to flee the escalating battle between the Autobots, Decepticons, Joes and Cobras that was engulfing the island, and Starscream made the human proposition: help him remove the grenade, and he would get him off the island. Naturally, the commander agreed. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 6|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #6}}

[[Image:Starscream gijoe energyropes.jpg|left|180px|thumb|Starscream is allergic to glow stick ropes.]]
Starscream and Cobra Commander resurfaced two years later, when Cobra Commander learned that human scientists had created an interstellar wormhole to Cybertron. With Starscream forced to do his bidding (via unspecified means), he used the portal to travel to Cybertron with the intention of gaining control of the wormhole technology by stealing the super-computer [[Teletran 3]]. However, a G.I. Joe ambush that struck just as they were carrying out their plan caused a catastrophic malfunction in Teletran 3, scattering numerous Transformers through the wormhole network across space and time. Starscream was not among those scattered, but he was promptly bound with [[energon chains]] by Perceptor and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] while they assessed the severity of the situation. It transpired that the chronal disruption caused by the time-lost Transformers would destroy the Earth, and teams of Joes and Cobras were soon dispatched through the timestream to retrieve the robots and save the planet. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 1|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #1}}

While the Joes and Cobras were off on their time-tossed mission, the forcefield protecting Magnus, Perceptor and Teletran 3 collapsed, at which point Decepticon commander Shockwave struck. Shockwave freed Starscream and reprogrammed Teletran 3 to prevent Transformers from being able to return to their proper times, so that Earth would be destroyed and he could invade it, as he had always planned to—it was Shockwave who had leaked the wormhole technology to humans in the first place. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 3|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #3}} When a small team of Joes and Cobras that remained on Cybertron tried to undo his programming, Starscream spotted [[Lady Jaye]] modifying Teletran 3 and shouted a warning, but it came too late. The Transformers were returned, and Starscream escaped in the midst of the chaotic battle that resulted.

In the aftermath of the battle, Shockwave accused Starscream of deliberately trying to foil his scheme by trying to steal Teletran 3. Starscream denied any treacherousness on his part, and Shockwave was just starting to come around when a recording Cobra Commander had programmed into Starscream began to play, informing the Decepticon leader of Starscream's general uselessness. At that point, Starscream promptly exploded, taking out the Decepticon headquarters in the process, courtesy of forty-five pounds of plastic explosives that Cobra Commander had lined his housing with, in case the Decepticon had ever escaped his clutches. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 4|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #4}}

===''Transformers/G.I. Joe''===
[[Image:Starscream gijoe ww2.jpg|right|180px|thumb|"Pathetic fools! There's no escape!"]]
When the foundling terrorist organization known as Cobra discovered the Ark buried in the [[Fera Islands]] in [[1938]], they inadvertently awoke the Decepticons from their stasis. The evil robots entered into an alliance with the organization's leader, Cobra Commander, to conquer the world and strip it of its energy, but Megatron's true goal was to take the Matrix of Leadership—stolen from the body of Optimus Prime—from around Cobra Commander's neck. Starscream adopted the alternate form of a P-51 Mustang aeroplane.

One year later, in [[1939]], the American military formed a special mission force to counter the Cobra-Decepticon alliance named "G.I. Joe". Laserbeak spied upon the first meeting of this team and reported the information to Cobra; Starscream stood nearby as Cobra Commander vowed to kill the Joes, and opined that heroes were ''born'' to die. G.I. Joe's first attack came soon after, and Starscream distracted their aircraft in his jet mode while Megatron attacked them from above and downed them. {{storylink|The Line|The Line}} As it happened, the Joes bailed out and landed near to the buried Ark, where they wound up awakening the Autobots within the craft. Starscream watched as the ship sent out a repair drone to scan for alternate modes, aware of what it meant and seeing it as a threat to Megatron's leadership that he could exploit. Megatron happened upon Starscream as he was monologuing about taking the power of the Matrix for himself, and witnessed the drone going about its business. Knowing he would need the scheming Starscream for the coming battle, he ordered the Air Commander to help him move their stockpiled energon cubes to safer location. {{storylink|Transformed|Transformed}}

Megatron proceeded to mass the Decepticons for a major battle with the Autobots, save for Starscream, who was left to languish within their base. Unfortunately for Megatron, this merely left Starscream with an opportunity to conspire with Cobra Commander's own traitorous second, [[Destro]], and together the pair prepared to unleash the newly-constructed giant robot, Bruticus, upon everyone. {{storylink|Wolves|Wolves}}

[[Image:Starscream gijoe ww2 weakspot.jpg|left|250px|thumb|"I...will...keep reaching...uuuhh."]]
Even this conspiracy proved to be a deception on Destro's part, however, when he had his lover, the [[Baroness]], shoot Starscream in his weak spot: an inch below his right ear, just behind his jaw hinge. Starscream's head flared with electricity and he collapsed, while Destro loosed Bruticus upon all his assembled enemies. G.I. Joe member Snake-Eyes ended the threat when he plucked the Matrix from Cobra Commander's clutches, and at Optimus Prime's direction, hurled it at Bruticus. The resultant explosion of creation energy destroyed Bruticus, but apparently killed all the Transformers in the process. {{storylink|The Iron Fist|The Iron Fist}}

Forty-six years later, in [[1985]], Starscream was revealed to have survived his injuries and the destruction of the Matrix through unexplained means. Discarding his archaic alternate mode for the form of an F-15, Starscream was performing a flyby over Cobra Island, seeking a means to return to Cybertron, when he intercepted a communication about an alien starship (actually a Cybertronian craft containing Blaster and Perceptor) crashing in [[Oregon]]. Starscream saw the craft as his ticket home, and while he was too low on energon to claim the ship for himself, he was content to let Cobra take it and then steal it from them later. {{storylink|Targets of Opportunity|Targets of Opportunity}}

{{note|Due to Dreamwave's bankruptcy, how Starscream survived, and his subsequent actions, remain a mystery.}}

===IDW comics continuity===
{{ongoing}}
Starscream and his comrades, Skywarp and Thundercracker, were recruited by Soundwave when Megatron requested fliers. They believed they had been called to join Megatron's gladiatorial team, but accepted the offer to join the Decepticons. Starscream immediately proclaimed his allegiance and declared how much of an honor fighting alongside Megatron would be. After going through some upgrades to boost their firepower, the Seekers' first duty was to capture a senator, who would be executed at Megatron's recruitment rally. He was also informed by Megatron of confidential plans in which he would play a key role. When the security forces intervened, Starscream was captured, and—surprise, surprise—offered to reveal Megatron's plans to save his own neck. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}} However, this turned out to have ''been'' Megatron's plan—Starscream, together with Soundwave, executed the council questioning him, then freed every prisoner in the building, solidifying his loyalty to Megatron... until such time as Starscream felt like betraying his leader. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 4|Megatron Origin #4}}

Starscream ended up as Megatron's bodyguard, a position largely for show, and developed a mutual hatred with Sixshot. {{storylink|Devastation issue 5|Devastation #5}} He would also appear to settle with Megatron instead of carrying on being an attempted traitor. Megatron viewed this as them moving on from such things but it was actually because Starscream feared him—a fear he initially thought was respect. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}}

Another one of his duties appears to have been recruitment, as he made a very pointed effort to convince [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] to join the team {{storylink|Spotlight: Blurr}}

[[Image:Infiltration6 takeyourpunishment.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Starscream, seen here actually getting off easy!]]

{{bigquote|Thanks to Ore-13, Megatron, I have evolved... beyond you! I am the ''future!''|Starscream|[[Infiltration issue 6]]}}

Millions of years later, Starscream was the leader of a Decepticon [[Infiltration protocol|insurgent cell]] that had operated covertly on [[Earth]] for at least four years, working to destabilize Earth's governing organizations and create global anarchy. However, since the discovery of the mysterious, Energon-like substance known as [[Ultra-Energon|Ore-13]], Starscream had stepped outside standard procedure, establishing a second command bunker in [[Oregon]] above a richer seam of the ore than the one in [[Nebraska]]. Unfortunately, the abandoned Nebraska bunker had been infiltrated by a human named [[Stoker]], who had managed to obtain data on Starscream's operations, forcing Starscream to have the human eliminated, though he didn't count on [[Verity Carlo|another human]] obtaining Stoker's [[SM-40]] computer and an [[Ratchet (G1)|Autobot counter-insurgency agent]] bringing the evidence to the Autobots. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 1|Infiltration #1}} Meanwhile, Starscream had ordered [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] and [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] to cover his tracks by destroying all evidence of Stoker's travels and what remained of the Nebraska bunker. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 5|Infiltration #5}} Starscream intended to use Ore-13 to challenge [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] for leadership of the Decepticons, but when the moment of truth finally arrived, the energy source proved insufficient to destroy the Decepticon leader, and Megatron blasted Starscream with his fusion cannon at point-blank range, virtually obliterating him. Megatron told the other Decepticons, "See to the remains. If he lives, then I'll decide what to do with him." {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}}

[[Image:Starcasm idw dev6.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Sarcasm from Starscream?? NO!]]
As it turns out, Starscream survived and was placed in a [[CR chamber]] for extensive repairs. The other Decepticons were worried that Megatron was jumping the gun by calling in [[Sixshot]] early, and Astrotrain realized Starscream might be the only one of them willing to tell Megatron this. {{storylink|Devastation issue 1|Devastation #1}} During an attack on Decepticon headquarters by the [[Reaper|Reapers]], Starscream completed his recovery and was confident that he would prevail in the upcoming battle. {{storylink|Devastation issue 4|Devastation #4}}

[[Image:AHM3Starscream.JPG|right|150px|thumb|Hey, I just spotted the janitor from ''Futurama''!]]
When [[Sixshot]] arrived, he initially attacked the Reapers, but they insisted he join them or die. Starscream then emerged from base calling out Sixshot—his hatred of Starscream caused the living weapon to decide to switch sides after all, at which point Starscream promptly activated Sixshot's shutdown command, sending him crashing to the ground. Starscream then proceeded to bomb the Reapers, causing Megatron to agree to take the fight to the Reapers. (Based on the timing of his emergence and his co-plotter Astrotrain immediately going "look at brave Starscream, Megatron!", it seems having an excuse to take out Sixshot and thus force Megatron to go against the Reapers was all planned by Starscream) {{storylink|Devastation issue 5|Devastation #5}} Starscream once again accepted Megatron as his liege, and together they teamed up to destroy the alien invaders. {{storylink|Devastation issue 6|Devastation #6}}

At some point during the following year, Starscream (now an F-15 for [[To sell toys|some]] [[GEEWUN|reasons]]) met with [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] and persuaded him to lead the rest of the Autobots into an ambush (under the pretence that Megatron would be defeated, the Autobots could leave Earth, and the 'Cons would get Earth to themselves) {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 8|All Hail Megatron #8}}, where they were promptly defeated. Optimus was rendered almost offline, and Starscream watched in glee as Megatron delivered the news of a [[Sunstreaker (G1)|traitor]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}}

Some time later, Starscream, was back in a subordinate position under Megatron and getting increasingly annoyed with it. He joined in Megatron's attack on [[New York City]], quite enjoying that whole "killing humans who can't fight back" thing. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1|All Hail Megatron #1}}

Starscream personally shot down the fleeing [[Air Force One]] in [[Washington, D.C.]], after which he returned to join Megatron in New York City. Upon his arrival, Megatron mused that it was fitting to have Starscream beside him, as a Decepticon who had been with the cause since the start. Starscream, believing Megatron to be sarcastic, retorted that he'd been there before even Megatron. A somewhat weary Megatron clarified, congratulating him and complimenting his skills. He further explained that Starscream was very nearly the living embodiment of the Decepticon ideal, but a step short of realizing it. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 3|All Hail Megatron #3}}

With the conquest completed, Starscream stood at Megatron's side as he addressed the gathered Decepticons. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 4|All Hail Megatron #4}} However, he soon reverted to type when he noticed Megatron didn't have a proper plan now that he'd won and the fun on Earth was a distraction for the troops. He taunted Megatron with the knowledge that he knew this and told him other Decepticons would start getting restless, so Megatron's position would soon be challenged by hordes of bored sociopaths whom Megatron had indoctrinated to be violent and take things. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}}

Later, Starscream met with the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]] (passing a depressed [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] on the way) and discussed the possibility of overthrowing Megatron. They agreed. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 8|All Hail Megatron #8}} He made his move a short while later, sending the Insecticons to attack Megatron. His allies were summarily defeated, however, and Megatron revealed that he had known about Starscream's plans all along. Starscream explained his reasoning behind the revolt: while he once idolized Megatron for teaching the Decepticons to fight the "old order" and take what they want, all he had done since was lead them into a war without end. He then revealed that the Insecticons weren't his only loyalists, as he had also managed to sway the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] to his cause. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10|All Hail Megatron #10}}

Starscream's uprising was suddenly cut short when the Decepticons came under attack, first from human jets arrived from [[Europe]], and then the returning Autobots. Starscream was forced to team up with Megatron, who assured him that someday he would get be in charge, someday after the Decepticons won... but not now. After giving this some thought, Starscream organized his troops to fight back, ending his orders with "All hail Megatron!" {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 11|All Hail Megatron #11}} When Megatron was eventually defeated, Starscream picked up his injured leader, refusing to let the Autobots finish him off. When Optimus Prime asked why, he replied that leadership of the Decepticons is to be ''taken'', not offered up by chance. Before retreating, he reminded Prime that the Decepticons still had the advantage in most parts of the galaxy. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12|All Hail Megatron #12}}

Along with a few other Decepticons, Starscream took off into space aboard Astrotrain. Despite what he had told Prime, he was not pleased that Soundwave was keeping Megatron on life support, but his attempts to dissuade the loyalist were met with failure. He considered just throwing his former leader out Astrotrain's airlock, but had a [[The Transformers: The Movie|nagging feeling]] that he'd "somehow return, [[Galvatron (G1)|even more powerful than before]]." Starscream was ready to give up, knowing that the Decepticons had no real reason to follow him, and that the faction would fall to infighting as soon as others challenged his rule. All he had was the Autobot [[Matrix of Leadership]], which Megatron had seized from Optimus Prime earlier, but he had failed to find any supposed "ultimate power" within it, and prepared to throw it away. When [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] stopped him, saying that the Matrix was used by the Autobots to choose their leaders, Starscream suddenly realized that it was just what he needed to rally people to his cause. Gathering his followers, he told them that he had unlocked the unlimited powers of the Matrix, and that he had been chosen to light their [[darkest hour]]. While the roused Decepticons started hailing his name, Starscream knew fully well that his newfound leadership was wholly reliant on a seemingly useless Matrix, and wondered if this was really the right thing to have done. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 13|Uneasy Lies the Head}}

{{charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|All His Engines}}

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

At the war's end, Starscream and a small team of Decepticons accompanied the mercenary [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] to the [[Pegasus Star Cluster]]. He led the Decepticons into the Autobot bunker after Mirage destroyed the Autobot security system, but stood back during the ensuing fight. After Megatron ordered the Autobot prisoners executed, Starscream held [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] back as Mirage prepared to kill [[Hound (G1)|Hound]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Mirage}}

===''Hearts of Steel''===
[[Image:Starscream HOS.jpg|left|180px|thumb|Ye olde Tyme treacherie.]]
Starscream is the nominal leader of the Decepticons on 19th-century Earth, while Megatron sleeps in [[stasis lock]]. He decides to conquer the Earth in this time, and use that power to overthrow Megatron when he should wake up. Posing as a benefactor to humanity, he enlists the help of inventor [[Tobias Muldoon]] to design new [[Alternate mode|altmodes]] for the Decepticons. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 2|Hearts of Steel #2}} In particular, Starscream builds (or reformats) [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] for an assault on [[New York City]], and the new electrical generators there. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 3|Hearts of Steel #3}} It all ends badly. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 4|Hearts of Steel #4}}

Starscream has three bodies through the course of these events. His initial "Ice Age Wars" body appears to be a prehistoric flying reptile. He then takes on two different biplane bodies, one with one engine per wing and bat-wing-shaped propellers (as seen at left), and one with two engines per wing and straight-bladed propellers<ref>[http://www.idwpublishing.com/titles/transformers/images/hos/decepticon_planes.jpg ''Hearts of Steel'' sketch at IDW Publishing]</ref>. No reason is given for him changing from one biplane body to the next. (The fact that planes are an anachronism in the 19th Century is lightly glossed over.)
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===''Henkei! Henkei!'' pack-in mini-comics===

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

Starscream was among the Decepticons who joined [[Megatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comics|Megatron]] in attacking the Earth in the 21st century. During an attack on Tokyo, Starscream got the drop on some human military operatives who were observing a fight between Megatron and [[Optimus Prime (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comics|Optimus Prime]], but before he could take them out, [[Bumblebee (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comics|Bumblebee]] got the drop on ''him'', spraying him with a fire engine's hose. This gave [[Grimlock (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comics|Grimlock]] the opening he needed to lash Starscream with his tail and send him crashing into Megatron, prompting the villains to retreat. {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 1}}

Starscream later concocted a plan to have [[Astrotrain (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comics|Astrotrain]] keep the Autobots busy while the Decepticons raided a power plant, but he had not factored in the Autobots' newest warrior, [[Hot Rod (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comic|Hot Rod]], who took them by surprise and blasted Starscream in the back. {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 2}} Seeking revenge, Starscream tried to return the favor, only for Hot Rod to dodge the blast, and cause Starscream to shoot Megatron instead! {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 3}}

Knowing that his friend [[Jetfire (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comic|Skyfire]] had been stranded on Earth tens of thousands of years ago, Starscream had [[Ramjet (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comic|Ramjet]] search for his body, which was eventually located frozen in a glacier. Starscream thawed out Skyfire and placed a mind-controlling helmet on him, to ensure that his kind-hearted old friend would serve the destructive Decepticon cause. Together, they attacked a power plant, but while they fought off the plant's Autobot defenders, Skyfire began to struggle against the helmet's influence, eventually overpowering it and turning on Starscream. Realizing he was outnumbered, Starscream fled, as Skyfire called after him to remind him that even thousands of years ago, they'd never gotten along that well anyway... {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 4}}

Following Megatron's use of energon cubes to power himself up into [[Galvatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comic|Galvatron]], Starscream attempted to repeat the process on himself, and had [[Ravage (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comics|Ravage]] steal a sack of cubes for him. Before he could put them to use, however, he was ambushed by [[Cheetor (BW)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comic|Cheetor]], who defeated him and reclaimed the cubes. {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 8}} Later, Starscream was led by [[Cyclonus (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comic|Cyclonus]] to a volcanic field, where Megatron was in the process of using the magma to again power up into Galvatron. Seething over his own inability to obtain the power Galvatron wielded, Starscream thought his chance to lead had finally come when a team of Autobots arrive and collapsed the volcano on top of Galvatron. His gloating was short lived, however, as Galvatron burst out from under the rubble, and, entirely unaware that a fight had even gone on, began berating Starscream and Cyclonus for being lazy idiots. {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 9}}

When [[Ratchet (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comic|Ratchet]] was trying to take a human girl to the hospital, Starscream arrived to take potshots at him. Ratchet's comrade [[Inferno (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comic|Inferno]] blocked Starscream's shots, and the enabled Ratchet to escape by blinding Starscream with a blast from his water cannon. {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 10}}
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===''Henkei! Henkei!'' Bun Bun manga===

[[Image:Henkei1_enter_starscream.jpg|left|220px|thumb]]

Years ago on Cybertron, Starscream was a scientist and explorer. Together with his friend [[Jetfire (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Skyfire]], he embarked on a search for energy on other planets, but when the duo visited Earth, Skyfire was caught in a blizzard and frozen in ice. Starscream subsequently returned to Cybertron and became a warrior, joining up with [[Megatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Megatron]]'s Decepticons.{{storylink|The Enemy from the Arctic}} Untold years later, when the legendary power source known as the [[Energon Cube]] was lost to the reaches of space, Starscream was among a small team of Decepticons who departed Cybertron in pursuit of it. The Cube crash-landed on Earth in the Japanese town of [[Hoshinochō]] and shattered into fragments, so Starscream and the other Decepticons took on the forms of local vehicles and machinery to remain hidden while searching for the shards. [[Optimus Prime (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Optimus Prime]] and his Autobots had also followed the Cube to Earth, and so the Transformers' war continued in secret on this new world. {{storylink|Kingdom of Giants}}

Eleven years after arriving on Earth, Starscream and [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] tracked Prime's Autobots to the human building known built over the Cube's impact crater called the [[Star Dome]], and launched an attack. Starscream was surprised to find a human boy, [[Wataru Hoshinoumi]], caught in the middle of the conflict, but gave the fleshling little thought and aimed his gun to destroy it. The human, however, had a protector: the littlest Autobot, [[Bumblebee (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Bumblebee]] came bursting out of nowhere to nail Starscream with a flying kick and save the boy. {{storylink|Enter! The Transformers}} Starscream didn't take kindly to this insult upon his person, and pinned Bumblebee beneath his foot, but before he could finish him off, Wataru blinded the Air Commander with a fire extinguisher! Unfortunately for Starscream, it was at that point that Megatron himself chose to arrive, and he violently berated Starscream for going behind his back, throttling him and using him as a shield to block Optimus Prime's fire. After some further shots were exchanged, Megatron's attention was piqued by Wataru, and he decided to call retreat. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Appears!}} Back at the Decepticons' underwater base, Starscream opined that Megatron was growing old, but Megatron simply replied with equal sarcasm that the weakest dog barks the loudest. Starscream stalked off, vowing to himself that he would be leader of the Decepticons, then summoned Ramjet to join him on a personal mission to the Arctic. {{storylink|Kingdom of Giants}}

[[Image:Henkei4_starscream_and_skyfire.jpg|right|thumb|300px|*cue "ScreamerxSkyfire OTP" squeals*]]

Starscream and Ramjet located the glacier that Skyfire's body was trapped in, and released him from his frozen sleep. Skyfire was happy to see Starscream again, but Starscream soon proved how much he had changed when he sent a watching group of humans to their deaths by shooting the ice out from under them. Just as Skyfire demanded an explanation for his actions, Starscream slapped a helmet onto his head that took over his mind and co-opted him into the Decepticon ranks. Starscream proceeded to lead the brainwashed Skyfire in an attack on a power plant back in Hoshinochō, but through it all, Skyfire refrained from outright killing any human workers. Displeased with Skyfire's resistance to the helmet's control, Starscream set an example by opening fire indiscriminately. Just before he shot Wataru, who happened to be visiting the plant, Skyfire seized his arm at the last second, insisting they were researchers, not murderers. Luckily, this was enough of a delay to save Wataru's life, as Optimus Prime's Autobots then came blasting into the plant. {{storylink|The Enemy from the Arctic}} In the battle that followed, Skyfire continued to struggle against the helmet, shielding Wataru and Bumblebee from Starscream's attacks. Starscream was shocked to learn that Wataru was a "[[Booster]]", a being born with the ability to control energon, when Wataru used his powers to liberate Skyfire from the control helmet. Skyfire turned his guns on Starscream, blowing off his left null ray cannon, then informed him of one important fact he had remembered: they never actually got along that well in the first place. With no options left, Starscream was forced to retreat. {{storylink|Wataru's Power}}

When both Optimus Prime and Megatron were left badly damaged after a fierce battle, Starscream, Ramjet and [[Astrotrain (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Astrotrain]] exploited the Autobots' reduced manpower by raiding a hydroelectric power plant. Together, they made short work of the Autobots who did turn up to fight them, but just as they were preparing to leave with a haul of [[energon cube]]s, the revitalized Optimus Prime came speeding onto the scene. The three Decepticons beat a hasty retreat, but only Starscream got away, the other two taken down by a powered-up blast from Prime's [[ion blaster]]. {{storylink|Time of Resurrection}} With nothing to show for his efforts, Starscream returned to the volcanic caves were Megatron was recuperating from his injuries, bathing in a "bath" of molten energon cubes. Deeming it a waste of their energon resources, Starscream saw his chance when Optimus Prime and Bumblebee arrived in the caves, the Autobots having received a message that gave Megatron's location. Starscream greeted the two Autobots and gleefully led them to the chamber Megatron was in, serving them up the Decepticon leader in the hopes that they would destroy him and leave his throne free to be usurped. Starscream kept Megatron's newest soldier, [[Cyclonus (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Cyclonus]], busy so Prime could deliver the killing strike, but against everyone's expectations, Megatron did not die from Prime's sword slash, and was instead transformed by the power of energon into the deranged [[Galvatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Galvatron]]! {{storylink|Creation! The New Emperor of Destruction!!}}

[[Image:Henkei10_starscream_survives.jpg|left|220px|thumb]]

Galvatron immediately attacked Optimus Prime, and Starscream exploited the opened, attacking his former leader from above. Galvatron proved able to shrug his shots off, and destroyed the rocky outcrop on which Starscream was standing, bringing him tumbling into Galvatron's clutches. After being slammed around a bit, Starscream fired his jets and blasted from Galvatron's grip, looping back around to deliver a jet-powered kick, but the attack accomplished little other than to thoroughly tax Galvatron's patience. Powering up his cannon, Galvatron unleashed a single earth-shattering blast that appeared to reduce Starscream to atoms. {{storylink|The Threat of Galvatron}}

[[Image:Henkei10_starscreams_end.jpg|right|thumb]]

Starscream proved hardier than Galvatron expected, though: after Galvatron had torn his way through the assembled Autobots, Starscream re-appeared, broken and crippled, but nonetheless determined to bring Galvatron down. His weapons still proved ineffective, however, and so Starscream demanded that Wataru use his powers to give him a boost. Naturally, Wataru was hesitant, but saw the logic in Starscream's plan and acquiesced, providing the Decepticon with a forcefield and a powered-up gun. Starscream was only able to get off one shot before Galvatron destroyed the field and his cannon, but the blast successfully reopened the original wound Optimus Prime had torn in Galvatron's armor. Taking the opening, Prime repeated the tactic and plunged his energon sword into the gash, ripping Galvatron open. A catastrophic release of energy from Galvatron's body ensued, which began to the collapse the cavern. The Autobots raced for the exit, but Starscream did not move, and Wataru could only look back to see a smile form upon the Air Commander's lips as he watched Galvatron's defeat, seconds before he too disappeared beneath the tumbling rocks. {{storylink|Revenge (issue)|Revenge}}

Later, as Prime's Autobots prepared to return to Cybertron, Skyfire announced that he would be staying on Earth in order to search for Starscream, indicating that he believed his old friend was still alive. {{storylink|To the Sea of Stars}}
{{-}}

===Alternity===
[[Image:Alternity starscream boxart.jpg|left|thumb|200px| "Carscream"? Really, that's the best [[Fandom| you]] could come up with?]]

A Starscream from an unidentified [[universal stream]] was selected by [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity#Alternity|Megatron]] to become the leader of his team of cross-dimensional [[Questor]]s. Imbued with a small portion of the incredible powers over space and time that his leader had acquired from the god-beast [[Hytherion]], Starscream became incredibly powerful, equipped with an uncharacteristic sports car alternate mode, a [[Timaeus drive]] that allowed him to travel through dimensions, a "Retroactive Nullifer" capable of erasing victims from history, and four "Evil Optics" that can send an enemy into [[stasis lock]] with only a look. Despite all the new powers that this infusion of Hytherion power conveyed about him, Starscream was wary, wondering why Megatron would so empower him given his record of deceit. Despite fears that he might be the subject of some strange cosmic experiment that Megatron was conducting, Starscream still took to his new role with glee, seeking ways to put his new power to use overthrowing Megatron.

On a mission to Earth, Starscream confronted one of [[Optimus Prime (G1)#Alternity|Optimus Prime]]'s [[auto-avatar]]s. Surprising Prime with his sports car form, Starscream scored a hit with his Nullifer, which slowly began killing the Autobot. Starscream had heard other species call the [[Alternity]] "gods", but taunted Prime by telling him that any story of gods must end with a Ragnarök. However, Starscream did not expect Prime to tell him that the Alternity were already well aware of the time and circumstances of their prophesied end, and were already prepared. {{storylink|Foreshadows}}
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===''Wings of Honor''===
Starscream was the captain of [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]]'s Skyraider-Seeker Brigade until Deathsaurus used [[Falcon (G1)|Falcon]] to assassinate most of the other Warlords by suicide bomb. With the new opening, Starscream was promoted to the rank of lieutenant. {{storylink|A Team Effort}}
{{charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 5}}

Starscream was happy to report the success of the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticon]]s' success against the [[Cybertron Elite Guard|Elite Guard]] with their new form of [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]. He warned Deathsaurus that the five ex-Autobots were likely stab him in the back, but Deathsaurus told Starscream that it was ambition that made them the perfect Decepticons, and instructed him to tell [[Lyzack]] to ready the medibay for their return. Starscream passed on the message, and noted that Lyzack seemed overly formal, suggesting he would be able to get her out of her timid shell. {{storylink|Battle Lines, Part 1}}

As that repairs on the Combaticons proceeded, Starscream admired Deathsaurus's foresight in adding an override control to Bruticus, but admitted he bore bad news: Elite Guard forces were closing in on their base. Deathsaurus instructed him to deploy the troops. ''All'' of the troops. {{storylink|Battle Lines, Part 2}} Starscream led the initial wave of defenders, shooting [[Ricochet (Timelines)|Ricochet]] out of the sky. While he was still ranting at the barrage of missiles unleashed by [[Flak (G1)|Flak]], he was cut off mid-sentence by a missile strike which struck him square on. {{storylink|Battle Lines, Part 3}} When more Autobot reinforcements showed up, one of Starscream's subordinates asked if they should retreat, and Starscream's response was an emphatic order to counterattack. After belting [[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]], he was distracted by the sight of Lyzack savagely dealing to Magnum with a huge sword and could only stare open-mouthed. Starscream came to his senses after she was belted by [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]], but he was too late to avoid being blasted by [[Side Burn (Timelines)|Side Burn]]. {{storylink|Battle Lines, Part 4}}

==Commercial appearances==
[[Image:Starscreamg1early.jpg|thumb|right|200px|I'm the black one! ...wait.]]
[[Image:Commercial-PretenderStarscream.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Way to leave your shell stranded on the top of a skyscraper.]]
[[Image:Commercial-AMStarscreamsits.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Where's our [[BotCon]] exclusive of ''this'' deco?]]

Starscream's [[commercial]] appearances include:

* An appearance in the first Transformers animation, a commercial for [[The Transformers (issue)|Issue #1]] of Marvel's ''[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|The Transformers]]'' comic book. Alongside Thundercracker and Skywarp, Starscream attacks an Earth power plant, then defends himself against an Autobot counterattack.
* Starscream and Thundercracker are seen strafing three Autobots, then getting shot down, in the Jetfire/Shockwave commercial.
* A 1985 commercial for [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. Starscream leads Thrust over the desert to attack the Autobots' new defense base, brushing off Thrust's concerns about the whereabouts of the Autobots themselves. He is caught off-guard when the base transforms into [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. Good goin' there, Starscream. This is the only ad in which Starscream has a speaking part; he's given his usual cartoon voice.
* He makes a short appearance in the 1986 commercial for Hot Rod/Kup/Blurr.
* He is seen in jet mode leading an attack on the Autobots' power station in a commercial for Ultra Magnus.
* He can be glimpsed flying into battle alongside Galvatron - yes, Galvatron! - in the Galvatron/Magnus commercial.
* He and the other two standard Seekers are seen battling the Dinobots on the ground in a commercial for the Predacons.
* Starscream briefly features in the [[Classic Pretender|Pretender Classics]] commercial. He's shown lurking in the dark of an Earth city as Optimus Prime is reunited with Jazz and Bumblebee. Narration from [[Victor Caroli]] leads the viewer to believe that his lurking is quite evil.
* Still in his Pretender Classics body, Starscream is seen dunking [[Wildfly]] and company into colorful vats to create the [[Pretender Monster]]s in their commercial.
* He features alongside Prowl and [[Over-Run (G1)|Over-Run]] in a commercial for [[Action Master]] vehicles; he's shown battling Prowl aboard his [[Turbo Jet]] on Cybertron.
* His jet form is shown in an early ''Generation 2'' commercial, rendered in CGI and flying over a rocky landscape alongside Ramjet.
{{-}}

==Games==
===Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons===
When Optimus embarked on his mission to rescue the Autobots' [[Mini Vehicle|Minicar]] troops from the Decepticons, Starscream could hinder Optimus Prime's progress, pushing him back towards Optimus's point of origin in the Decepticon's maze-like base. {{storylink|Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons|Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons packaging blurb and game}}

===''The Transformers'' (Commodore 64)===
{{charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|The Transformers (Commodore 64)}}

===''The Transformers'' (PS2)===
[[image:TF PS2 Starscream.jpg|thumb|250px]]
:''Voice actor'': [[Jack Merluzzi]]

While the Autobots were on their way to ELTA, Starscream appeared and told them to stop right where they were. Transforming to robot form, he announced that he would be their opponent. Optimus Prime asked him where he had been during the whole adventure, but Starscream just told him to shut up and warned him that his null ray was not like the others. Despite saying that he was going to shut Optimus' mouth forever, Starscream was defeated by the Autobots. Deciding to make a strategic withdraw and that discretion was the better part of valor, despite knowing that Megatron was going to chew him out, Starscream transformed to jet form and flew off. {{storylink|The Transformers (PS2)|The Transformers}}

{{-}}

===''Transformers Beast Wars: Transmetals'' video game===
{{note|This game takes place in an alternate version of the second season of the [[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]] cartoon.}}
[[Image:N64Starscream.jpg|200px|thumb|Yes, that's Transmetal Waspinator in original Waspinator colors as Generation 1 Starscream. No, that's not normal.]]
{{Note|Starscream is only available for game play in the Nintendo 64 version of this game.}}
Starscream returned to the Beast Wars following the [[quantum surge]], with a strange but powerful new [[Transmetal]] body. Fearing that the Beast Wars would alter history against his liking, Starscream set out to destroy any Maximal or Predacon that opposed him. After vanquishing his foes, Starscream entered the Ark and infused himself with the power of his old body, just as Megatron and Optimus Primal had increased their power. This fusion of old and new allowed Starscream to finally achieve his eons long goal of restoring his original body. Finally whole, Starscream undertook the long journey through transwarp back to Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals (N64)|Transformers Beast Wars: Transmetals}}
{{note|Each character possessed an alternate ending, displayed if the N64 version of the game was beaten with said character. Each character has only their own ending listed on their pages, see the other characters' pages for Starscream’s fate in those outcomes.}}
{{-}}

===3D Battle-Card Game===
Starscream serves under [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] as one of his Decepticon soldiers, battling [[Optimus Primal]]'s many Autobot allies in what might possibly have been an inter-universe battle. {{storylink|3D Battle-Card Game#Energon Wars expansion|Energon Wars Expansion Set}}
{{-}}

===Sector Seven Alternate Reality Game===
[[Image:Starscream 1982.jpg|200px|thumb|Masterpiece attack!]]
Disguised as an F-15 Eagle fighter jet, Starscream was active on Earth in [[1982]], with documented sightings of jets sporting his unique colors on several continents before he was caught on camera transforming to robot mode in California. This sighting (and its subsequent leak) was the direct impetus for [[Hungry Dragon|Hungry Dragon 1]].

Later, during late April/early May of [[2007]], [[Sector Seven]] intercepted two sound clips through Agent Cod3x and another source (currently unknown). Apparently, Starscream wanted to make his presence known and left a message announcing that he would have the All Spark, and that Agent Powers would be the one to hand it over. These messages were somewhat garbled, as they were apparently received over a SETI@home system. So far, only these two "blips" have been analyzed (the second still needing work), but more may come in the near future. {{storylink|Sector Seven (game)|Sector Seven}}
{{-}}

===''Revenge of the Fallen'' - The Game (Xbox 360/Sony PS3/PC)===
[[Image:ROTF_360PS3PC__DLC_G1Starscream.jpg|thumb|200px|"Why do I feel like [[Pat Lee]] designed me?"]]
:''Voice actor:'' [[Charlie Adler]]

{{Note|Starting on [[August 27]], [[2009]], Starscream was made available as one of a handful of downloadable characters in a DLC pack for Xbox 360 and Sony Playstation 3. }}
{{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)|Revenge of the Fallen}}
{{-}}

===Transformers Battle Universe===
{{storylink|Transformers Battle Universe}}
{{charstubfiction}}

===Transformers G1: Awakening===
[[Image:Starscream g1awakening stats.jpg|200px|left|thumb|]]
{{storylink|Transformers G1: Awakening}}
{{charstubfiction}}

{{-}}

==Toys==
{{main|Starscream (G1)/toys}}

==Notes==
[[Image:Ulchtar.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Phew.]]

*In [[Jim Shooter]] and [[Denny O'Neil|Denny O'Neil's]] original Transformers treatment, Starscream was named "'''Ulchtar'''." Yes. When [[Bob Budiansky]] took over Transformers preproduction from them, he changed it to "Starscream." <ref>[http://transformers-advent.blogspot.com/2009/07/exclusive-interview-with-bob-budiansky.html Exclusive Interview with Bob Budiansky!]</ref> And "Starscream" was the name given to [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]]'s bio, so who knows what else was going on. This may be related to a mix-up that involved all three jets' [[Tech Spec]] numbers being switched around (Starscream was given Skywarp's stats by mistake).

[[Image:Starscreamg1early.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Confusing Nelson Yomtov since 1984.]]

* An early ''[[Transformers Universe (Marvel comic)|Universe]]''-style character profile published in ''[[The Transformers Comic Magazine]]'' gave Starscream the smirk-worthy nickname of '''The Silver Snake'''. A second "alternate name" for Starscream shows up in Bob Budiansky's hand-written write-up of his bio, which is briefly visible in one of [[Shout! Factory]]'s DVD featurettes. In addition to "The Silver Snake", the hand-written bio gives Starscream the alternate name of '''Pretty Poison'''. Oookay then...

* For the first half of the [[Marvel Comics]], Starscream's chest was colored dark blue, versus the red seen on the toy and in the cartoon. The apparent reason for this discrepancy is hinted at in animated segments in early [[commercial]] footage (see right), where Starscream's chest and forearms are black. Lack of color depth in comic books at the time required black to be represented by dark blue. Starscream's "true" colors began appearing in the Marvel Comics starting with issue 47, "[[Club Con!]]"

* An actor in a Starscream costume was among "live" Transformers one could meet at the 1985 [[Universal Studios Tour]].

* According to the line art of Starscream by Studio OX, each side of his chest has a turbine mounted on it. This concept has influenced his [[Action Master]], [[Masterpiece]], and [[Classics (2006)|Classics]] toys and the [http://tfu.info/2004/Destron/RMStarscream/starscream.htm art of the Robot Master version].<ref>[[Transformers Visualworks]]</ref>

[[Image:StarscreamMW Genesis.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Bringing a [[Particle cannon|cannon]] to a [[canon]]-fight.]]

*In ''[[Genesis: The Art of Transformers]]'' is a picture by [[Matt Kuphaldt]] of [[Machine Wars]] Starscream wearing a purple cape and brandishing [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]'s torn-off arm cannon. To date, this remains the only canonical appearance of Starscream in this body—so far as the canonicity of art books can be placed.

* Starscream appears in the DLC for Revenge of the Fallen on the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 in his G1 appearance with quite a few new features, not the least of which is the fact that he can summon and fire [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron's]] gun mode (despite the fact that Megatron is already playable as a separate downloadable character).

*When seen in stasis lock aboard the Ark in "The Agenda-Part 3", Starscream almost looks kind of peaceful. It's kind of creepy, really.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Starscream''' (スタースクリーム ''Sutāsukrīmu'')
*''Cantonese:'' '''Seng Seng Giu''' (星星叫, "Star Shouting")
*''Czech:'' '''Hvězdolam''' ("Starbreak")
*''Euskera:'' '''Izaroihu''' (Basque)
*''French:'' '''Égo''' (Canada)
*''Hungarian:'' '''Üstökös''' ("Comet")
*''Italian:'' '''Astrum''', '''Scintillor''' (''Beast Wars'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Hǒu Hsīng''' (Taiwan, 吼星, "Roaring Star", or 天王星, "lord of sky and stars in meaning of translation / Uranus in direct translation"), '''Hóng Zhīzhū''' (China, 紅蜘蛛, "Red Spider")
*''Polish:'' '''Gwiazdowrzask''' ("Cosmic Rust"), '''Gwiezdny Krzyk''' (''Beast Wars'', "Stellar Cry")
*''Portuguese:'' '''Estrela-Estridente''' (Portugal comics, "Shrill Star"), '''Cometa''' (Brazil comics, "Comet")
*''Russian:'' '''Skandalist''' (cartoon, Скандалист, "Troublemaker")
*''Spanish:'' '''Grito de Estrella''' ("Star Cry"), '''Destello''' (America ''Beast Wars'', "Sparkle")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Zorekryk''' (Зорекрик, "Starscream")

==Footnotes==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Starscream Starscream's Universe profile at NTFA.net]
*[http://www.transformertoys.co.uk/content.php?/transformers-toys/toy-gallery/1784/Generation+2/Starscream.html Gallery of G2 Starscream with comparison to BW Starscream at Transformers At the Moon]

[[Category:Action Masters]]
[[Category:Alternators Decepticons]]
[[Category:Alternity Decepticons]]
[[Category:Beast Wars Decepticons]]
[[Category:Classics Decepticons]]
[[Category:Decepticon leaders]]
[[Category:Decoys]]
[[Category:Dimension hoppers]]
[[Category:Gender-switch characters]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Decepticons]]
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[[Category:Generation 2 Decepticons]]
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[[Category:Hall of Fame]]
[[Category:Henkei! Henkei! Decepticons]]
[[Category:Live-action film ARG characters]]
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[[Category:Machine Wars Decepticons]]
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[[Category:Pretenders]]
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[[Category:Unicron-related characters]]
[[Category:Zombies]]

Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity

2011-10-16T13:44:11Z

24.189.5.114:

{{suite}}
[[Image:G1OptimusPrimeStockFootage.jpg|thumb|right|350px|"Captions are the right of all TFwiki users"]]
Come read the incredibly complex, convoluted, and competing accounts of '''[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s massive amount of appearances in the [[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]!

==''The Transformers'' 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''), [[Diego Reggente]] (Italian, first season and part of second season), [[Giorgio Melazzi]] (Italian, third season), [[Celso de Vasconcelos]] (Brazil, episodes 4-27), [[Darcy Pedrosa]] (Brazil, episodes 28 onwards), [[Edgar Wald]] (Latin American dub), [[Vlastimir Đuza Stojiljković]] (Serbian)

[[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 (planet)|Cybertron]] nine million years ago. Together with his girlfriend [[Elita One|Ariel]] and his best friend [[Dion]], Orion was a dock-worker at a [[storage yard 67|storage yard]] who had the simple job of unloading and storing shipments of energy that came from a power plant 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 [[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|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 (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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 storing energy... at which point Megatron ordered his followers, the [[Decepticon]]s, 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 [[Transport drone|his troops]] 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 it 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.

Along with the rest of the Transformers on the Ark, Optimus lay dormant in the ship's pilot seat in stasis lock.

[[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 a tremor caused by a petty parting shot upon the ship from [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]], the inactive 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 Witwicky (G1)|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 (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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 (G1)|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 and 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 [[Victory (G1)|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 off 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 (G1)|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 [[antimatter]] 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 [[cosmitron]] component. A team of Autobots were dispatched to Cybertron to recover a replacement cosmitron, but in their absence, the Decepticons initiated an all-out attack on the Autobots. At the last moment, the cosmitron 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 (G1)|Ratchet]]'s project to create robotic dinosaurs to bolster their forces. Unfortunately, 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:Grimlockapologize.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 [[Meteorini Chipperoni|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 (G1)|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 combatting 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 "[[Insecticon (G1)|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 inevitably ally themselves with Megatron again. {{storylink|A Plague of Insecticons}}

[[Image:HeavyMetalWar Primedefeated.jpg|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 [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]], in battle with the Dinobots, but Prime refused to get involved, citing the law despite Ironhide's protests. Spike's 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 (G1)|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 (G1)|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 [[Wheeljack Instant Immobilizer|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 [[Starscream clone (G1)|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 when 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 Plant]] 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:MMP1 Gavel bang.jpg|right|215px|thumb|A collection of G1 Transformers toys, sold to the [[Megatron (G1)|psychotic robotic madman offscreen]].]]

After helping to save [[Central City (Earth)|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 (G1)|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 [[Greene|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| Rare [[Lucky Draw]] Optimus and Perceptor.]]

Optimus Prime was particularly exasperated with [[Blaster (G1)|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 [[Haley|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 (moon)|Titan]]. Prime intended to go to Titan and rescue Cosmos himself, but Red Alert urged against it, and [[Jazz (G1)|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|Aron just finished his cartoon accurate Optimus kitbash.]]

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 (G1)|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 [[Animalien]] 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 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 led him to become the target of the demented big-game hunter, [[Chumley|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 had 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 [[Beast of Borneo|ferocious dragon-like beast]], to several [[Chumley's arachnoid drones|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 (episode)|Prime Target}}

[[Image:G1 Prime Elita energy transfer.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 was just in time to keep Alpha Trion from falling for the Nigerian e-mail scam.]]

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 [[Stunticon (G1)|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 a team of jets known as the [[Aerialbot (G1)|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 sacrifice 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|"Perceptor, what happened?"
"It's... rust."
"But it looks like..."
"Rust."
"But it smells like..."
"RUST!"]]

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 realized 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 [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] attacked the unveiling ceremony for a [[Optimus Prime memorial|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 led 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, he 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 (G1)|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 escaping 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 be 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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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 opened 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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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 former 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}}

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 beforehand. 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 restore Prime to life. Rodimus succumbed to the "[[Hate Plague]]" before Sky Lynx returned, but the airborne Autobot 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|Not [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] srsly.]]

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 with 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 [[Nebulan]]s 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 (G1)|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 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 (G1)|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]] 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}}
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==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}}
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==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.}}

===e-Hobby pack-in comic===
[[Image:EHobby_packin_prime_vs_megs.jpg|right|thumb|]]

During an attack on [[Ark (G1)|Autobot Headquarters]], Optimus Prime once again found himself going toe to toe with Megatron. Prime eventually punched Megatron hard enough to send him smashing through a wall, seemingly defeating him. In reality, Prime's punch so was powerful it damaged Megatron's gyrocompass which acted as his internal stability regulators. This allowed Megatron to access a cache of [[Quantum surge|quantum surge]] energy within his circuits, upgrading him into a nigh-invulnerable [[Transmetal]]. Maybe pull your punches next time, Optimus? {{storylink|Decepticon Leader Megatron Black Ver.}}
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===''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' comic===

[[Image:FightSuperRobotLifeTransformersManga.JPG|left|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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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 Aerialbots 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 teamed up again to battle the Stunticons and [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] 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===
[[Image:Prime_magnus_scramblecity.jpg|right|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 (G1)|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: Mobilization}}

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

===Full Throttle Scramble Power!===
[[Image:MegatronMangaEnergonMace1.jpg|left|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 (G1)|Stunticons]], 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 seldom-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!}}
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===''The Stargate Battles''===
[[Image:Stargatebattles_prime_cx_slice.jpg|right|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 the [[Trigger]], a huge [[Warp gate|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|left|225px|thumb|''Rival Fusion!'']]

Three months later, Optimus Prime helped [[Adle|Professor Adle]] test his new [[C-X]] drone, which was 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 amidst the chaos caused by the most powerful tremor yet. The battle ended when a blast from Megatron's fusion cannon sent Prime plummeting 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 with 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}}
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===''Story of 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. {{storylink|Story of Binaltech, Chapter 1}}

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. {{storylink|Changing Lanes}} This left the Autobots to face the looming threat of [[Unicron]] alone, an opponent which Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus bravely faced together. Prime was badly damaged in the attack and passed the Matrix to Ultra Magnus, who was able to use it to destroy Unicron. {{storylink|Binal Time}}

[[Image:Alternators optimusprime package art.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]

Before departing to battle Unicron, Prime had put into motion a plan to try and undo the changes Ravage had wrought upon the timeline, having ordered [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] to use the time warp on Dinobot Island to send a message into the past. {{storylink|Darkest Hour}} Shortly after the defeat of Unicron, this plan bore fruit, and time began to correct itself. Thanks to the sudden intervention of a mysterious time-travelling entity known as "[[Optimus Primal|the Protector]]", however, the altered, "BT World" timeline was also preserved, and continued to exist as an alternate universe. {{storylink|Binal Time}}

{{Note|At this point, the original timeline was retroactively restored and the events of the ''Story of Binaltech'' diverged into a parallel universe. Skip to "[[#Robot Masters|Robot Masters]]" below to continue reading about the original timeline; exactly how many (if any) of the events related in this section, even prior to the divergence, occurred in the original unaltered timeline are unknown.}}

In this new, parallel world (known as [[universal stream]] Primax 903.0 Beta), the Protector explained that he had acted to preserve the "BT World" because it was the origin point for the ultimate evolution of Cybertronian life, the "[[Alternity (species)|Alternity]]", of whose he was an agent. Optimus Prime soon recovered from his injuries and adopted a Binaltech body of his own; it was thanks to the attributes of this new body that he and the other Binaltech Autobots were able to avoid being shut down when they triggered the Quintesson's [[large switch|killswitch]], deactivating nearly all the Decepticons. {{storylink|Kill Switch}} With their enemies all but eradicated by this move, the Autobots were free to start conducting experiments under the Protector's direction that would ultimately lead to the future he had spoken of. {{storylink|Unfinished Business, Part 3}} When the Protector's spark was stolen by the new leader of the remaining Decepticons—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. {{storylink|Unfinished Business, Part 4}}
{{-}}
====Alternity====

[[Image:Alternity convoy silver boxart.jpg|left|thumb|225px|Wait...i'm ''not'' red and blue? SOMEONE SHOULD PUNCH THE GUYS WHO MADE ME SILVER!!! Although it does look shiny...]]

Experimentation proceeded apace, and eventually, the Autobots succeeded in synthesizing the substance known as [[Alternium]], which would form the bodies of their new evolved forms, and the space-time transportation system known as the [[Timaeus drive]], which would allow them to travel through the [[multiverse]]. After millennia of experimentation, effort and broadening of his perceptions, Optimus Prime eventually integrated these new technologies into his systems, and 900,000 years later, became a founding member of the Alternity. Now existing outside of time, Prime interacted with the material world through a proxy body known as an [[auto-avatar]] (a "Vector 01" model, code-named "Ultimate Silver"), which he used to travel from world to world, inviting many different incarnations of himself from different dimensions to join the Alternity. Together, they merged into one composite trans-dimensional "Optimus Prime" being, becoming a huge collective consciousness existing outside of reality, while yet retaining their individuality as a cross-time "[[Convoy Corps]]", each one controlling an auto-avatar of their own in the physical world.

Learning that his eternal enemy, Megatron had reawakened, and that he planned to lure the Alternity's natural enemy, the time-eating god-beast known as [[Hytherion]], into universal stream Primax 109.0 Beta, Prime traveled into that universe in 2007. Approaching his [[Optimus Prime (G1)#Alternity|counterpart]] from that world, Prime informed him of this looming danger, and his counterpart agreed to join the Alternity when the time came. Sure enough, in 2009, Hytherion appeared in his dimension, and so Prime returned to that world, with a "Vibrant Red" Vector 109 auto-avatar for his counterpart to inhabit. {{storylink|From Here to Alternity}} Little did the Convoy Corps suspect, however, that Megatron had summoned Hytherion for reasons greater than mere destruction. Shackling the beast's power and overwriting its consciousness with his own, Megatron was able to confer hyperdimensional powers akin to the Alternity's upon himself and many other Megatrons he had gathered from across the multiverse. {{storylink|To Mega Therion}}

[[Image:To die game begins.jpg|right|thumb|220px| Hey, I can see Ultra Magnus's butt from down here! Oh...]]

As battles between numerous different Primes and Megatrons erupted quite literally all across time and space, "Ultimate Silver" Optimus Prime was seen engaging in a cross-dimensional duel with a Megatron who hailed from universal stream [[Transformers: Mystery of Convoy|Primax 1286:3 Kappa]]. Prime lost an arm to Megatron's tesseractal swords, but remained undeterred, observing that Megatron was fighting from the year 2009 and suspecting an ulterior motive for his being in that time period. Amused by Prime's observation, Megatron proposed a wager: if Prime could defeat him in a game of his choosing, he would answer any question he asks him honestly. Megatron's sadistic game involved manipulating the occupants of his home dimension in the year 2005, pitting them against each other in a "game full of death and suffering". While Megatron distributed a portion of his power through legions of this universe's Decepticons, Prime was only allowed to infuse his power into one being to send against them. Prime dismissed the rules as utter nonsense and refused to use another living being like a chess piece, but Megatron forced him to play the game by pointing out that the inhabitants of the dimension would only suffer if he did not. Prime selected Ultra Magnus as his champion, and the game began! {{storylink|To Die Game!}}
{{note|Alternity beings are both individuals and a collective of separate entities. More fiction about Optimus Prime's Alternity collective can be found [[Optimus Prime (G1)#Alternity|here]].}}
{{--}}

===''Robot Masters''===
[[Image:Robotmasters_four_great_commanders.jpg|left|thumb|275px|If Big Convoy would just hurry the hell up, they could summon Captain Planet.]]

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|Gah! What's wrong with Prime's chest? Was he drawn by [http://grotesqueanatomy.blogspot.com/2004/05/now-thats-grotesque-anatomy.html Rob Liefeld?]]]

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|Clash! The Two Leaders}}

Optimus Prime, Optimus Primal and [[Road Rocket (G2)|Road Rocket]] were later exploring a large crevasse 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 from escaping with a huge load of Solitarium. {{storylink|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 welcomed Lio Convoy to the team. {{storylink|Together, the 4 Great Supreme Commanders}}

Discovering an unconscious 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||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|The Dark Emperor of Destruction, Reborn}}

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|And Then}}
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====Cartoon====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Wataru Hatano]] (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 plummeting 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 nearby 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 a human 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. {{storylink|Information Administration Teletraan 15 Go! Go! Volume 1}}

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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] saved her from a [[Novaroid]]. {{storylink|Hot Rod Volume}} 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. {{storylink|Star Convoy Volume}} But before they could start the battle, an interruption came from an unexpected source: [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] emerged from a [[Transwarp]] portal and attacked! {{storylink|Galvatron Volume}} {{storylink|Galvatron Volume 2}}

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. {{storylink|Battle Convoy Volume}}
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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|225px|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 commandos 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. {{storylink|Kiss Players (radio drama)|Kiss Players radio drama #34}}

[[Image:Kissplayers2 prime marissa.jpg|right|thumb|These x-rays uncover the darnedest things.]]

When Prime's corpse was covertly flown to Japan by the EDC, {{storylink|Kiss Players issue 1|Kiss Players #1}} 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 [[Autorooper]] 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 Autorooper 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}}

Marissa and Prime promptly made themselves scarce, and began travelling together, battling the monstrous creatures known as [[Legion]] that Galvatron's dispersed cells had also produced, while also eluding the EDC. Marissa thought of Prime as her boyfriend, {{storylink|Kiss Players (radio drama)|Kiss Players radio drama #1}} and Prime himself certainly cared for the girl, unwilling as he was to put her in harm's way, despite the prodigious knife-wielding skills that she could share with him via their kiss-fusion. {{storylink|Kiss Players (radio drama)|Kiss Players radio drama #4}}

[[Image:Marissa convoy stack.jpg|left|150px|thumb|She prefers the Japanese version's longer stacks.]]

Prime had little use for Marissa's other great skill—surfing—given his own [[The Ultimate Doom, Part 3|experience in that area]], {{storylink|Kiss Players (radio drama)|Kiss Players radio drama #7}} so instead, he found a better use for Marissa's surfboard by using his new powers to transform it into a knife so he could make use of the skills Marissa's fusion gave with him. Marissa was not very happy, {{storylink|Kiss Players (radio drama)|Kiss Players radio drama #10}} but took it in stride, and dubbed the new weapon the "[[Surfblade]]". In response, Prime named her shirt "The Three Skull Brothers," after the image on it. {{storylink|Kiss Players (radio drama)|Kiss Players radio drama #16}}

Prime and Marissa had a close relationship, as the girl washed Prime in "intimate" spots like his stick shift and gas tank, {{storylink|Kiss Players (radio drama)|Kiss Players radio drama #19}} and they would go on "dates" together, at one point visiting the seaside, only to wind up in battle with a Legion created from the fusion of an octopus and a shipwreck. Prime regretted that these activities had to be carried out under the cover of night, and vowed that he and Marissa would visit the beach under the light of the sun. {{storylink|Kiss Players (radio drama)#CD_collections_and_special_episodes|Someday, Under the Sun}}

[[Image:PrimeKP.jpg|right|225px|thumb|Unable to take it anymore, Optimus tries to punch his way free of the Kiss Players Universe. Hey, it worked for Superboy-Prime.]]

Soon, Optimus Prime found himself suffering from a recurring nightmare filled with visions of his old enemy, [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]. In the grip of one of these hallucinations, Prime lost control of himself and almost crushed Marissa in his fist, but was thankfully able to regain his senses before he hurt her. Marissa and Prime subsequently fused, and were able to corral a legion of Legion for an attack upon the EDC headquarters. They found their way barred by a pair of most unexpected opponents: [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] had returned to Earth and become Kiss Player partners with Marissa's old friend, [[Shaoshao Li]]. Hot Rod believed Prime to be an impostor, and Shaoshao wished to see him dead so that she might "reclaim" Marissa as her friend, having long hated Prime for "stealing" Marissa away from her. Prime and Hot Rod began battling, but EDC Kiss Player [[Atari Hitotonari]] soon entered the fold and broke up the battle. The attack on EDC headquarters was broken off, and Prime and Marissa now found they had to elude Hot Rod and Shaoshao as well as the EDC's forces. {{storylink|Kiss Players issue 3|Kiss Players #3}}

[[Image:KPPrimeGoldbug.jpg|left|thumb|You, Sharkticon. Devour the human faster.]]

After viewing a seaside fireworks display for their "last date", {{storylink|Kiss Players (radio drama)|Kiss Players radio drama #34}} Marissa and Prime again launched a Legion-backed attack upon the EDC. This time, however, Marissa, Shaoshao, Atari, Prime and Hot Rod all decided to set their differences aside in order to discover the true, dark secret lurking within the EDC. {{storylink|Kiss Players (radio drama)|Kiss Players radio drama #37}} Venturing into the mysterious [[Genital System]] facility hidden beneath the EDC headquarters, the team discovered a mad plot by EDC Commander [[Hitoshizuku Amaō]] to resurrect her daughter, who had died in Galvatron's impact. Thanks to the efforts of Marissa and her friends, the plan was foiled, the [[anti-electron]] field keeping Transformers off Earth was deactivated, and Galvatron's cells were extracted from the Legions and Kiss Players and reconstituted within his body, which was launched off into space. As a result, Marissa lost her Kiss Player powers, and Prime slipped back into death once more. {{storylink|Kiss Players (radio drama)#CD_collections_and_special_episodes|You, I and the Spinning Earth}}

Marissa did get a few chances to see her friend again, however. In 2007, she, Shaoshao and Atari were transported back through time by the [[Sparkbot]]s to 1984 where they witnessed Prime's battle with Megatron atop [[Sherman Dam]]. Although invisible to residents of the past, Marissa was instructed by the Sparkbots to kiss Prime, and when she did so, a piece of what the Sparkbots claimed was the "[[Allspark]]" emerged from within him. {{storylink|Kiss Players (radio drama)|Kiss Players radio play #40}} While travelling on through time to search for more pieces of the Allspark, the girls accidentally crashed in 2010 and wound up in the clutches of the [[Quintesson]]s. Prime (and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Goldbug]]) helped Marissa once more by rescuing her and her friends from death in the fangs of the [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticon]]s. {{storylink|Kiss Players (radio drama)|Tokyo Toy Festival 2007 live script-reading}} Later still, Shaoshao embarked on a marathon Prime-kissing session (much to her own disgust), quickly jumping through time to kiss Prime in his Star Convoy, "Nucleon Quest," [[Action Master]] and [[Laser Rod]] bodies successively. {{storylink|Kiss Players (radio drama)|Kiss Players radio play #44}}
{{-}}

===''The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers''===
[[Image:2010_manga_primes.jpg|right|thumb|300px|And eat your greens or no dessert!]]

After boarding a Decepticon spaceship, [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] became trapped by the scheming 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 controlled by the ghost of [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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-primedies.jpg|thumb|250px]]
Some time before the Transformers' war left Cybertron, Optimus Prime engaged the Decepticons with his men. Later, on Earth, a suspiciously similar battle with the Decepticons resulted in, er, Prime's death.

{{note|Optimus Prime appears in two Cybertronian flashback battles within the episode, alongside the same team of Autobots, suggesting that they represent the same fight. He also appears in one further flashback battle on Earth, which depicts his death in a scene that doesn't match up to his ''actual'' death in ''The Transformers: The Movie''. This was a continuity patch-job by the ''Headmasters'' production staff, as the movie hadn't been released in Japan yet. }}

At an unknown time, Optimus had an Autobot called [[Pointblank]] under his command. However, Pointblank went rogue, and Prime expelled him from his squad. {{storylink|Duel on the Asteroid}}

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, [[Image:Headmasters_prime_death.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Rodimus finally receives his Nemesis Prime RealDoll.]] [[Vector Sigma]] had become destabilized, and the Decepticons suddenly returned to exploit this, assaulting Cybertron in order to seize control of the mega-computer. The intensity of the battle caused [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] to recall the Cybertronian skirmish that Optimus took part in 4 million years ago — or another one very much like it. {{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}}

{{-}}
===''The Headmasters'' comic===
Following Prime's death, a great bronze [[Optimus Prime memorial|statue]] was erected on planet [[Athenia]] in order to memorialize him. Oddly, only [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] and the [[Headmasters of Justice]] attended its unveiling. Speaking for all the Headmasters, [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] announced that Optimus Prime was the greatest warrior who ever lived. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 1|The Headmasters #1}}

===''Super-God Masterforce'' and ''Victory'' cartoons===
[[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 (planet)|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|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...}} For whatever reason, the Autobots didn't try to build another one.

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 (Victory)|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 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|225px|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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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 (manga)|The Battlestars special}} 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 (ROC)|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 Super 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.
{{-}}

===''G-2'' story pages and pack-in comic===
[[Image:G2AllianceBeginsAndEnds.jpg|left|225px|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. Though Megatron dreamed of regaining sole command of his army, for the meantime, there was peace and the alliance ushered in what would be called the Second Generation of the Transformers. However, after human soldiers killed [[Megatron's dead friend|one of his 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 }}

[[Image:G2 manga hero prime.jpg|right|thumb|275px|Uh oh, [[Jolt (G2)|Jolt]]! You've cheesed off Prime so much he's broken through the panel borders!]]
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 manga)|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 manga)|G-2 #2}} Against Prime's orders, Volt immediately rushed Megatron from behind to free his captured friend. {{storylink|G-2 (pack-in manga)|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 manga)|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 manga)|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|left|thumb|225px|"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 manga)|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 manga)|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 manga)|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!}}
{{-}}

===e-Hobby storyline===

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

When the universe came under threat from an [[Galvatron II|alternate-reality incarnation of Galvatron]], Prime used his [[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 [[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}}

To combat the Decepticons' aggressive energy raids, Wheeljack and [[Ga'mede]] put their heads together and duplicated Prime's new black form to create twenty-one battle droids that would play on the Decepticons' subconscious fear of Optimus Prime. These "[[Eldedroid]]s" were placed under the remote control of [[Flip Sides (G1)|Flip Sides]] and sent out onto the battlefield.<ref>''Masterpiece'' Convoy Black Ver.‎ [[bio]]</ref> Later experimentation with the Eldedroids involved placing human minds in control of them; the first successful test subject was a human named [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Dan]]. This Eldedroid, along with [[Diver (Masterforce)|Diver]], [[Splashdown]], [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] and [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]], was dispatched by Optimus Prime to investigate Decepticon involvement in recent attacks on human shipping vessels. Prime was worried about Dan, but Ironhide encouraged him not to be so pessimistic. {{storylink|MP-1B Cybertron Commander / Convoy Black Ver.‎}}

From his command point on [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]], Optimus was convinced by Ironhide and Perceptor that the battle on the ocean floor required more back-up. Prime ordered Broadside to set a course for the undersea research station. On the way there, however, Prime and all the other Autobots within Broadside were suddenly menaced by the towering spectre of Starscream. {{storylink|MP-3G Destron Air Commander / Starscream Ghost Ver.}}

==References==

{{reflist}}

{{Template:Spiritguides nav}}

[[Category:Action Masters]]
[[Category:Alternators Autobots]]
[[Category:Alternity Autobots]]
[[Category:Autobot leaders]]
[[Category:Beast Wars Autobots]]
[[Category:Combiners]]
[[Category:Multi-component Transformers]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 2 Autobots]]
[[Category:Ghosts]]
[[Category:Kiss Players Autobots]]
[[Category:Matrix bearers]]
[[Category:Powermasters]]
[[Category:Return of Convoy Autobots]]
[[Category:Rulers of Cybertron]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Autobots]]
[[Category:United Autobots]]
[[Category:Zombies]]

Ultra Magnus (G1)

2011-10-16T13:35:14Z

24.189.5.114:

{{factions|autobot|autobotg2|wreckers}}
{{disambig3|Ultra Magnus}}
{{featured}}{{suite}}
:''Ultra Magnus is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[Image:Ultramagnusg1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|He can't deal with you now!]]
'''Ultra Magnus''' feels he is a soldier and nothing more. He very much prefers taking orders to giving them, and even avoids opportunities for higher responsibility. But when he is forced into those opportunities, he betrays his real talent for the job. He's strong, resolute, dependable, selfless, and courageous. Sadly, Ultra Magnus is the only Autobot who doesn't realize this.

Believing he is nothing but a soldier, Ultra Magnus is perfectly willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good if need be. He knows he's more powerful than the average Autobot, and will throw himself at larger threats accordingly. He is respected by both the Autobots ''and'' Decepticons, due to his courage and self-sacrifice. There is a special enmity between him and [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] for this reason, for Galvatron may be the most deadly foe of all. (Also, Galvatron, given his mental state, probably doesn't approve of people he's had blown up getting back up afterward. This can be seen as a sore point for Magnus, too.)

He is sometimes [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]'s [[Relatives|brother]].

{{quote|But Prime, I'm—I'm just a soldier. I—I'm not worthy.|Ultra Magnus receiving the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]|''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''}}

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
[[Image:Sosfromsandra magnus pwns galvy.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]
{{main|Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity}}

Ultra Magnus was appointed Commander of [[Autobot City]] some time before 2005. During the [[Battle of Autobot City]], he could not prevent many of his troops and the reinforcements being slaughtered, including [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]]. Still, honoring Ultra Magnus for his efforts, Optimus handed him the [[Matrix of Leadership]] and command of the Autobots. The Matrix had other ideas though, choosing [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] as its bearer instead. Ultra Magnus was okay with that and became Rodimus Prime's trustworthy [[second-in-command]].

Despite not being the Prime, Ultra Magnus became a second archenemy to the [[Decepticon leader]] [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. The two had many, many fights, and in between, Ultra Magnus also had to deal with the archrival he found in Galvatron's second-in-command [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]].

During the [[Hate Plague]] outbreak in 2006, Ultra Magnus was one of the infected. He was cured when a revived Optimus Prime unleashed the energy of the Matix. With everything back to normal and leadership passed back from Rodimus to Optimus, Ultra Magnus became somewhat of a second-in-command to the latter. He was taken out of commission by a grand scale Decepticon assault on Cybertron, but survived to see the next Cybertronian [[Golden Age]].
{{-}}

===Ladybird books continuity===
[[Image:Ladybird magnus.jpg|left|thumb|250px]]
Following the mysterious disappearance of Optimus Prime, Ultra Magnus travelled to Earth from Cybertron to take over leadership of the Autobots. Under his leadership, the Autobots established Metroplex as a city to live in, and yet were still able to keep their existence a secret from humanity at large. Nice work, Magnus!

With the Autoots' supply of [[cybernite]] running low, Ultra Magnus organized a salvage operation to potentially recover a supply of the material from wreckage strewn about an old battlefield that Kup would lead them to. Magnus's concerns grew when the Decepticons attacked the salvage team, apparently having known of their movements in advance, and the Autobots soon deduced that the villains had a network of spy satellites in orbit, watching them. Following Kup's advice, Magnus had [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] build a power generator that beamed false messages to the satellites, tricking them into colliding with each other and exploding. Magnus congratulated the Autobots on their team effort, declaring that teamwork was the only way to ultimately triumph over the Decepticons. {{storylink|Galvatron's Air Attack}}

When a small Decepticon attack force was able to penetrate Metroplex's security perimeter, Ultra Magnus had Bumblebee follow them upon their retreat in hopes of learning how the breach occurred. Bumblebee discovered that the Decepticons had been able to progressively sneak through the Autobots' spy screen and set up a base within a nearby industrial estate. Magnus led the Autobots in an attack on the Decepticon hideout, during which he faced off with Galvatron himself. Magnus stumbled and fell before the Decepticon leader, but Spike Witwicky saved him by downing Galvatron with a wrecking ball. {{storylink|Decepticon Hideout}}
{{-}}

===Marvel Comics US continuity===
{{quote|This is a time of great sorrow, fellow Autobots. But it is also a time to sense our purpose and with it—seize the future.|Magnus receives the [[Matrix of Leadership|Autobot Leadership Matrix]]}}

[[Image:MatrixCoconut1.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Oh, Prime, you shouldn't have. No, really.]]

In an alternate 2005, Ultra Magnus served as commander of [[Autobot City]] and directed the Autobots’ counter-offensive when the city came under [[Battle of Autobot City|attack]] from [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] and the [[Decepticon]]s. He directed [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] to transform the city into battle station mode, and after a strenuous battle, [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] was mortally wounded. On his deathbed, Optimus passed the [[Matrix of Leadership|Autobot Leadership Matrix]] on to Ultra Magnus. Despite his own misgivings, Magnus took possession of Matrix and became the new leader of the Autobots. {{storylink|The Planet-Eater!}}

Magnus’s leadership did not get off to an easy start, when reports came in from the Autobots stationed on Cybertron’s moons of [[Unicron]], a monster planet that was in the process of consuming them. Magnus quickly arranged for the Autobots to head to Cybertron aboard two shuttles, but en route to Cybertron, they were attacked by Decepticon forces led by [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], the upgraded form of Megatron. In a last-ditch effort to lose the Decepticons, Magnus ordered an emergency separation of the shuttle. After Galvatron destroyed the jettisoned portion of the vessel (and declared the Matrix destroyed), Magnus and his crew landed their craft on the [[Junkion (planet)|Planet of Junk]] for repairs. {{storylink|Judgment Day!}} Facing Galvatron solo, Magnus attempted to open the Matrix, but the talisman did not respond, and Magnus was torn to pieces by the [[Sweep]]s. Thankfully, Ultra Magnus was soon repaired by the native [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]] after they befriended the Autobots. Magnus joined the other Autobots in the battle with Unicron on Cybertron, which resulted in the young Autobot [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] opening the Matrix to destroy Unicron, becoming Rodimus Prime. {{storylink|The Final Battle!}}

[[Image:FinalBattle-drawnandquartered.jpg|left|thumb|300px|The Decepticons confuse Magnus for Stretch Armstrong.]]

In 2006, Ultra Magnus, [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]], and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] traveled in [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] to [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]] to investigate some strange goings-on there. Once there, the Autobots discover a chaotic scene where aliens from many worlds, including the Decepticons, had arrived and were all engaged in a deadly battle with one another while also attacking them. Blaster discovered a signal coming from space that seemed to be hypnotizing everyone. Ultra Magnus and Blaster hatched a plan which involved Blaster playing soothing music, while Omega Supreme carried him into the air. The music calmed the combatants and cleared Galvatron's mind long enough for him to blast the [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]]' television, which he recognized had influenced his mind. This broke the spell on everybody. The Junkions turned on the Decepticons, which caused them to retreat.

Ultra Magnus then expressed curiosity as to the source of the hypnotic messages, but Rodimus didn't care as long as they had ended for good. They never discovered that it was the work of the [[Quintesson]]s. {{storylink|The Big Broadcast of 2006 (issue)|The Big Broadcast of 2006 (US)}}

{{note|In the UK version of the story, the events of "The Big Broadcast of 2006" are a fabrication invented by [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]].}}

===Marvel Comics UK continuity===
[[Image:MagnusVGalv2006.jpg|right|150px|thumb|And this time...it's introductory!]]
{{bigquote|Does your pathetic Autobot code demand ''sacrifices''? Must I destroy you to stop you?!|Galvatron}}
{{bigquote|''Yes''.|Ultra Magnus}}

The remaining Autobot elders spent years designing Ultra Magnus, a leader to lift the resistance out of a deep darkness. He was finally given life in or shortly before 1986<ref>Ultra Magnus profile in Marvel UK #81</ref> for [[Operation: Volcano]]. His role was to act as the crucial back-up needed for the [[Wrecker]]s to successfully destroy their Decepticon targets and then escape in one piece. A serious complication arose when the Matrix Flame, the sacred and eternal blaze linked directly to the [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]] itself, suddenly extinguished. Fearing that something catastrophic had occurred on Earth to the Matrix and its bearer, Optimus Prime, Emirate Xaaron made the decision to send Ultra Magnus to that planet to investigate, even though Operation Volcano was unstoppably set to begin in ten cycles. Magnus traveled to Earth by way of [[space bridge]], and found the Ark's crew engaged in a deadly conflict with three new, yet unspeakably powerful, Decepticon warriors just as their leaders Optimus Prime, [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]], and [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] vanished before their optic sensors. Initially concerned only with his investigation of Prime's sudden disappearance, Ultra Magnus ignored the plight of his fellow Autobots until he learned the two situations were linked; [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] and his lieutenants were time-travelers from 2006, having employed a mass-substitution mechanism that sent the three Autobots into limbo in order to accommodate their presence at this point in the timeline. This connection was revealed to him by three Autobots from 2006, who had traveled back in time themselves in order to stop Galvatron. They had a plan; they had the means; all they needed was for Ultra Magnus to keep him busy for, oh... an hour or two.

Easier said than done.

Magnus' battle with Galvatron carried them out of the isolated wilderness and onto a human freeway system. It ended when Ultra Magnus threw a tanker truck full of fuel into the path of Galvatron's [[particle cannon]]. Galvatron walked away from the blast — Magnus didn't. Still, the future Autobots succeeded in tricking Galvatron into returning to the future with his plan incomplete, and the timeline more-or-less preserved. Unfortunately, Magnus was out of time: Operation Volcano proceeded without him, with disastrous results. Only one Decepticon was taken out, and the Wreckers' leader Impactor was killed protecting Xaaron. {{storylink|Target: 2006}}

[[Image:Galvatron V Magnus UK87.jpg|left|300px|thumb|Gatorade. Is it in you?]]
Ultra Magnus would not meet his counterpart, Optimus Prime, until Prime was inadvertently transported back to Cybertron in battle with Megatron. Hooking up with [[Straxus (G1)|Lord Straxus]] at [[Polyhex]], [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] quickly disseminated false information about a new Decepticon made over to look exactly like Optimus Prime, planning to infiltrate the Autobot forces. Having temporarily assumed control of the Wreckers until their new leader, [[Springer (G1)|Springer]], was ready for command, Ultra Magnus led them in hunting down the "impostor". This Prime's behavior led Magnus to be suspicious of his information and, after summoning Emirate Xaaron, confirmed his suspicions and welcomed the true Optimus Prime back to Cybertron. {{storylink|Distant Thunder!}}

Prime wasted no time leading Magnus and the others on a series of successful raids and strike missions against Decepticon-controlled territory. When Optimus decided to return home to Earth, however, Ultra Magnus was caught up in the space bridge's energy discharge as well, arriving on Earth but some considerable distance away from where Prime materialized. Having been frustrated ever since Impactor's death, Magnus welcomed the "vacation" this trip to Earth would provide him, and he took his time trying to track down the Ark's location. {{storylink|Resurrection!}}

[[Image:Magnus V Galvatron Burning Sky.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Holy hell.]]
For months, Ultra Magnus enjoyed a peaceful life in the American forests and wilderness, alone with his thoughts. A sudden seismic disturbance brought him back to reality, though, and into contact with three human females whose vehicle had been overturned by the tremor. One in particular, Cindy, took quite a liking to Magnus. As they traveled together to explore a nearby volcano and its connection to the tremors, Magnus was forced back into combat thanks to the arrival of his old sparring partner, the future Decepticon known as Galvatron. {{storylink|Burning Sky!}} Galvatron had constructed a [[power siphon]] atop the volcano's peak, and planned to convert the raw power of a volcanic eruption into enough energy to transform him into a god. Ultra Magnus teamed up with several Autobots from the future, who were trying to bring Galvatron back with them to face justice. Once again, Magnus was used as a "distraction" (read: living punching bag) while the future Autobots set up their plan to override Galvatron's time-jump mechanism and send them all back where they came from. Despite Ultra Magnus successfully getting the slag beat out of him, the override proved unsuccessful, sending only the Autobots back to 2007 and leaving Magnus virtually alone to deal with the fighting-mad Galvatron. {{storylink|Fire on High!}} Barely managing to rally his courage, Ultra Magnus threw himself into combat with Galvatron one more time, keeping him busy until the volcano exploded, destroying the power siphon and encasing both warriors in molten lava. {{storylink|Vicious Circle!}}

[[Image:Magnus V Galvatron %22Salvage%21%22.jpg|left|300px|thumb|Kick the baby!]]
Several months later, Ultra Magnus was dug out of the volcano by the [[Sparkabot|Sparkler Mini-Bots]]. They had been sent to Earth by Springer to monitor the volcano in case Galvatron ever got free. When Galvatron DID free himself several days earlier, though, they found themselves hopelessly outmatched, and hoped Magnus would have better luck. Sadly, the severe beatings Galvatron had routinely handed out to Ultra Magnus, combined with the final excruciating submergence in molten lava, had nearly unhinged the Autobot's mind, leaving him with a pathological fear of his tormentor. Confronted with Galvatron, Magnus would probably have gone fetal if that pose had any meaning for his people. As the Sparklers heroically tried to stand up to Galvatron anyway, Ultra Magnus saw his rescuers in grave danger and finally managed to push his fear aside and reclaim enough confidence to batter the Decepticon into a temporary retreat. {{storylink|Salvage!}}

Having renewed his fighting spirit, Ultra Magnus arranged to return to Cybertron with his companions in order to report on Galvatron's activities and hopefully gather the Wreckers for a counter-offensive. Instead, they found the Autobot base in Kalis full of battle signs, and the entire surrounding city-state a virtual "ghost-town". {{storylink|City of Fear!}} After confronting a legion of robot zombies, the Autobots eventually learned that a crazed scientist named [[Flame (Marvel)|Flame]] was trying to re-engineer the entire planet as a giant spacecraft, setting off an unstable fusion reactor beneath the planet's surface as a power source. With the help of the Wreckers and the Decepticons [[Flywheels]] and [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], Ultra Magnus and his team managed to put an end to Flame's maniacal scheme. {{storylink|Meltdown!}}

Ultra Magnus and the Wreckers then began preparations to return to Earth and confront the threat of Galvatron, finally, once and for all, and then... *poof*. The Wreckers went to Earth alone, and Ultra Magnus was never seen nor heard from again. {{storylink|Deadly Games!}}

{{note|Simon Furman did have a rematch planned for Magnus and Galvatron, "but the imminent change to black & white 5-page stories meant that Time Wars pretty much had to wrap up everything, (and with two Primes in the mix, Ultra Magnus kind of got sidelined)".<ref>[http://idwpublishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=42871#42871 IDW blog post]</ref>}}

====Marvel UK future timelines====
In 2003, Ultra Magnus began plans for the construction of [[Autobot City]] on Earth, a transforming fortress that would better defend the Autobot secrets than the old [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]. In order to accomplish the construction, Magnus made agreements with the various Earth governments to acquire materials for the building and fortification of the city. To collect these materials, he assembled a massive convoy of Autobots to ride out to all corners of the world and acquire the necessary parts. In order to secure the secrecy of the city's plans, he had [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] secretly transmit the necessary data to the Earth governments on a hyper-speeded signal, while Kup carried a dummy disk on a decoy mission. The [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] attacked Kup and stole the disk, thereby fooling the Decepticons into thinking they had access to the true specifications. {{storylink|Ark Duty}} A year later, Autobot City opened its doors and invited a delegation of human visitors to the ceremony. Despite a brief attack by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and the Decepticons, the opening went rather smoothly, and Autobot City became the new base of operations on Earth. {{storylink|Aspects of Evil!}}

[[Image:Soundwaveconsiders.jpg|left|thumb|250px|One look at Magnus is all Soundwave needs to prolong the Civil War for another 4 million years.]]

After the destruction of Unicron in 2006, Ultra Magnus became a top adviser to the Autobots' new commander, Rodimus Prime. As the war for territory on Cybertron continued, Magnus was seen leading [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] as a fighting unit during a [[Airborne hunter squad|Decepticon air strike]]. {{storylink|Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!}} In 2008, he fought alongside the Autobots when a major Decepticon counter-offensive was initiated by Scourge and Cyclonus in the name of their master, Unicron. He and Kup continued to spearhead the Autobot battle effort on Cybertron when Rodimus Prime traveled to the [[Junkion (planet)|Planet of Junk]] to confront Unicron, and the Decepticons were ultimately driven off. {{storylink|The Legacy of Unicron!}} Sometime later, [[Eject]] relayed a distress signal to Ultra Magnus at [[Autobase]], requesting aid at certain coordinates against an alien attack. With Autobot City: Earth off-line and Rodimus out with a sizable portion of their troops to check on it, Magnus was reluctant to jump into such a potential trap. Still, his better nature ultimately won out, and Ultra Magnus led an Autobot troop assortment out to answer the call. Surprisingly, he found [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] and the Decepticons under heavy fire from the Quintessons, and ended up fighting side-by-side with his arch-rival for the good of the entire planet. Despite some signs of wavering by Soundwave, the peace ultimately didn't last, though, and the war would continue. {{storylink|Space Pirates!}}

[[Image:TimeWars-Magnusdies.jpg|right|400px|thumb|"Finally, I can get my closure with Galvatro—okay, what the hell is this?"]]

In 2009, the long running loose-end of Galvatron being active in the past came back to haunt the Autobots, as a timestorm began raging at both 1989 and 2009, threatening all of existence. To deal with the problem, Ultra Magnus accompanied Rodimus Prime and several other Autobots back to 1989 to retrieve Galvatron...one way or another. Their mass-displacement caused confusion upon arrival, though, and led to a brief battle with their own 1989 Autobot counterparts. Ultra Magnus managed to fight off both [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] and [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] of the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] before he found someone willing to listen—1989's [[Bumblebee (G1)|Goldbug]], who had seen the mass-displacement effect before. Some late-coming Decepticons attempted to silence Goldbug before he could bring peace to the Autobot factions, but in the end the sight of Ultra Magnus carrying Goldbug's wounded body made an even MORE poignant appeal for peace. This ultimately led to an alliance between all four factions involved: the 1989 and 2009 Autobot and Decepticon factions. They were going to need it, as Galvatron had joined forces with his own "past self", [[Straxus (G1)|Megatron]]. During the battle, Ultra Magnus traded fire with both Megatron and Galvatron, but Galvatron then used the oh-so-tenuous alliance against Magnus by tricking him into firing on [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], leader of the 1989 Decepticons. Scorponok's henchmen ([[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]], [[Snapdragon (G1)|Snapdragon]] and [[Triggerhappy]]) quickly forgot the alliance after seeing that, and tore into Ultra Magnus without any regards for the more serious consequences at stake. The damage Magnus suffered from their attack was severe and, after the battle was over and the timestorm abated, his deactivated body was seen being carried by his future Autobot comrades. Magnus's final fate is unknown. {{storylink|Time Wars (issue)|Time Wars}}

In an alternate future of 2510, the Decepticons were at last defeated, and Rodimus Prime planned to step down as Autobot leader. He announced [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] as his replacement, but an Autobot named [[Triton]] jumped in to contradict the decision, saying that Ultra Magnus was a much better choice to lead the Autobots in times of peace, not to mention the fact that he had already been chosen to carry the Matrix once before. Springer's combat unit, the [[Wrecker|Wreckers]], didn't take kindly to Triton's comments, but then the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobot]]s jumped to the defense of Ultra Magnus and, as one thing led to another, shots were fired and fighting broke out among the Autobots. As the first bodies hit the floor, it became clear that a new war was beginning, and none of the Autobots were the wiser that Triton (the instigator of it all and one of the first casualties) had actually been a Decepticon deep-cover agent in disguise. {{storylink|Peace}}

===Fun Publications ''Classics'' Comic===
[[Image:Classics Ultramagnus Springer Grimlock comic.jpg|right|200px|thumb|God, you can't get away from the perverts anywhere can you?]]
Ultra Magnus commanded the crew of the ''[[Graviton (Classics)|Graviton]]'', coming to Earth on the hunt for [[Bug Bite (G1)|Bug Bite]], one of [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon's]] soldiers. Tracking the treacherous mechanoid, they assaulted the ''Ark'', which Megatron was using as a base, and basically did nothing but show up in time to see Megatron take care of their quarry for them. The crew then left for space again, this time with Grimlock along for the ride. {{storylink|Games of Deception}}

[[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] likes to call him "Little Prime". How professionally embarrassing.
{{-}}

===S.T.A.R.S. pack-in flyers===
[[Image:Youhavebeenchosen.jpg|left|200px|thumb|From the less-popular "Your Adventure Has Been Chosen For You" series.]]
Ultra Magnus personally chose a new [[S.T.A.R.S.]] Commander, to whom he sent a message inviting him or her to take up the role. This message guided the recipient through an exercise using "the special power you humans call 'imagination'" to visualize what it would be like to be several different [[Transformer]]s, Autobots and Decepticons included. After that, the recipient was given the opportunity to "requisition" those Transformers for his or her "Command" via a form marked with the following address:

<center>
ULTRA MAGNUS 
P.O. Box 7050, Dept. T10 
North [[Hollywood]], [[California|CA]] 91609

</center>
{{storylink|You Have Been Chosen.}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers in 3-D''===
[[Image:Blackthorne3_ultra_magnus.jpg|right|thumb]]
Ultra Magnus left [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] in charge of Cybertron while he took off in [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] to check out a strange [[Energon (fuel)|Energon]] reading they'd detected on an asteroid. When [[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] discovered a [[Observer|small alien]], Magnus reminded him that they were Autobots and sworn to protect all life. Lightspeed's tests determined that the creature converted its food into Energon, leading Magnus to send [[Searchlight (G1)|Searchlight]] out in search of more of the creatures. Not long after, the Autobots were found by [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]], and they pursued the small Decepticon until they ran into more Decepticons, resulting in a pitched battle. {{storylink|The Test (issue)|The Test}}

Following [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]'s destruction of Cybertron's Energon supply, [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] contacted Ultra Magnus in [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] and ordered him to take a team to find [[Metascan Alpha]]. Magnus took [[Kup (G1)|Kup]], [[Doublecross]], [[Grotusque]], and [[Repugnus (G1)|Repugnus]] with him, using [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] as transport. They eventually reached a desolate moon, on which they were attacked by [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]], but Magnus insisted they ignore the Decepticons and continue with their mission. Retreating to Sky Lynx, they flew down to the planet to find a rapidly-evacuating city under attack from the [[Destructon]]s.

The Autobots engaged the enemy, only to find themselves outclassed. Ultra Magnus was blasted by [[Lord Imperious Delirious]] and fought the confusion the Delirious Fire brought to his mind in order to sound a retreat. Kup sacrificed himself to allow the rest of the Autobots to escape, but Sky Lynx only had enough energy to reach the moon, and the Destructons were able to catch up. Faced with a superior foe, Ultra Magnus was forced to consider the unthinkable, and made an alliance with Cyclonus to attempt a combined attack. {{storylink|The War Against the Destructons, Chapter 1 of 3}}

{{Note|And then [[Blackthorne Publishing]] went bankrupt, so the outcome of the alliance may never be known.}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers PD Type''===
[[Image:PDType-Ultra Magnus strike.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]
Ultra Magnus and Optimus attempted to trick Starscream into thinking a bomb was a [[Blackball]], and succeeded, much to their surprise. {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##3 "Don't Cry! Megatron!!"|Don't Cry! Megatron!!}} Ultra Magnus later reported that the Autobots had run out of ammo, and as a result, they were forced to throw rocks at [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]] instead. {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##4 "Good Job! Deathsaurus!!"|Good Job! Deathsaurus!!}} He also pointed out that [[Ginrai|God Ginrai]]'s "[[Chōkon Power|Chōkon]] Fire Guts" attack was just a normal punch, and was asked to keep quiet because the Decepticons hadn't realised that yet and were still rolling around in agony. {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##13 "Now! Deliver the Finishing Blow! God Ginrai!!"|Now! Deliver the Finishing Blow! God Ginrai!!}} Magnus and Rodimus Prime enjoyed many victories against the Decepticons, but [[Greatshot|who was that in the background?]] {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##15 "No One Knows When he's Come or Gone. Greatshot..."|No One Knows When he's Come or Gone. Greatshot...}}

At one point, the [[Blackball]] was left in the safekeeping of Ultra Magnus. Galvatron, catching Magnus by surprise, managed to blow him up with a powerful energy blast from his fusion cannon. Recovering the Blackball, Galvatron began to gloat about his victory. That's when Magnus' body hurled his head at Galvatron like a bowling ball, causing the [[Emperor of Destruction]] to fall over like a set of pins and drop the Blackball. That's ''using your head'', Magnus! *sigh* {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##16 "Improve Yourself! Ultra Magnus!"|Improve Yourself! Ultra Magnus!}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
6.5 million years ago, when his brother [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and the Decepticon leader [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] vanished in a [[space bridge]] incident, the Autobots looked to Ultra Magnus for leadership. Magnus fled and exiled himself, believing he wasn't ready.

[[Image:Grimlockultramagnusnoooo.jpg|right|thumb|250px|It's funny because Magnus thinks Grimlock can die.]]

But half a million years later, Magnus re-emerged, finding the Autobots had fragmented themselves into different camps. Despite his fears about his inadequacy, Magnus managed to reunite the Autobots and retake Cybertron city by city, until finally, the Autobots were all but assured victory. [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]'s Decepticons and [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]'s [[Ultracon]]s were ready to surrender. The moments before a peace treaty was to be signed at [[Tyger Pax]], Ultra Magnus brooded in his chambers, alone, cursing Optimus Prime for his "heroic" sacrifice that nonetheless left his race to carry the torch themselves. [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] and his [[Predacon (War Within)|Predacons]], however, wouldn't go so quietly, and they staged an insurrection. Though, regrettably, Starscream assassinated the surviving members of the [[Council of Ancients]], Ultra Magnus was able to lead his Autobots, the Ultracons, and the Decepticons successfully against the Predacon insurrection. As the Predacons were arrested, [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] took an assassin's bullet meant for Ultra Magnus, apparently killing the Dynobot. Magnus, overcome with grief, cradled Grimlock's body in his arms and audibly mourned.

This would not be the day's only setback, to say the least. Amid the chaos of Grimlock's death, Megatron had somehow returned, backed up by the [[Air Warrior|Aerospace Extermination Squadron]]. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath}} The peace Magnus had struggled for immediately crumbled. Ultra Magnus and the other Autobots were put to work as slaves, [[Internment Camp Pi|deep below Cybertron's surface]]. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath Pt.2}}

[[Image:GreatShutdown.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Don't mind me, I'm just frozen in this weird other body.]]

Fewer than four million years ago, after Optimus Prime and Megatron disappeared once again, this time with dozens of their best warriors on board the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] and the [[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]], Ultra Magnus and Shockwave worked together to replenish their armies in the [[Little Iacon]] incident. Many of the [[Micromaster]]s created resented Ultra Magnus and Shockwave for bringing them into their war. {{storylink|Transformers: Micromasters}}

In the present day, Ultra Magnus was reactivated following the [[Great Shutdown]], {{storylink|Revelation (War and Peace)|Revelation}} and begrudgingly took the role of security officer under [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], who had ushered in a new peace. Though Magnus suspected Shockwave had some shady personal projects, he thought the threat of these were minimal compared to the greater promise of peace, and willingly helped Shockwave.

Ultimately, in 2003, Optimus Prime and the rest of the missing Autobots were discovered on a planet called Earth, where Prime and Megatron had awakened and rekindled the Transformer Civil War there. Ultra Magnus and a team of Decepticons traveled to Earth and approached Prime's Autobots, asking for their understanding and their surrender, lest they disrupt Cybertron's new peace. {{storylink|New World Order}} Though a few were willing to give in to Magnus, most were not. Optimus Prime sent a team of Autobots secretly out the back door, while the rest of his troops approached Magnus and submitted to his demands. Prime still harbored ill feelings towards his brother, and in moment of weakness, Prime punched Magnus to the floor, calling him a traitor.

[[Image:Wreckersdw.jpg|right|thumb|250px|When it comes to group shots, Magnus isn't a team player.]]

Ultra Magnus transported his captives to Cybertron, where Shockwave announced that for the good of Cybertron, Prime and the others would be deactivated. {{storylink|Brothers' Burden}} Magnus, of course, disapproved, and he angrily confronted Shockwave. Shockwave showed Magnus footage of Optimus Prime and Megatron in a recent, heated battle in [[San Francisco]], and this did not flatter the mental state of the combatants. Still, Magnus was not convinced, and he went to the [[Autobot High Council|High Council]] to address his fears of giving Shockwave too much control. His audience with the council was interrupted by grave news: the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] had been unleashed from [[Detention Banks|prison]], and [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] was tearing apart [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]. In response, Ultra Magnus assembled the [[Wrecker]]s. {{storylink|Cold War (issue)|Cold War}}

Though casualties were high, Ultra Magnus was able to take down Menasor by turning his components against its team leader, [[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]]. While Menasor was confused, Magnus rammed into him in vehicle mode, separating the combiner. Suspecting Shockwave was somehow behind all this, Magnus left to confront him. On his way there, Magnus put a missile in Grimlock's head, quelling the Dinobots' own little rampage. {{storylink|Passive Aggression}} Magnus ordered [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] to put them into the [[CR chamber]]s immediately.

[[Image:Magnuslongshot.jpg|left|250px|thumb|And then Takara saw this and were all like, "Oh, crap, that's right, we can do redecoes, can't we?"]]

Finally, Ultra Magnus arrived in [[Shockwave's Tower|Shockwave's throne room]] and ordered the former Decepticon to stand down. Shockwave had a different idea and shot him in the back. As Magnus staggered out, he met Prime, who was also on his way to tussle with Shockwave, and he apologized to his brother for going astray. Magnus collapsed. {{storylink|Countdown to Extinction (issue)|Countdown to Extinction}} A short time later, he got up to his feet and slowly made his way back into the throne room, though he was crumbling as he went. When he reached his destination, Magnus had shed his super robot form, leaving only his smaller inner robot. Seeing Prime had been defeated, Magnus attacked Shockwave. Though Ultra Magnus lost his arm to Shockwave's ruthlessness, Magnus was ultimately able to toss Shockwave into the pit in the center of the room. Grimlock carried both Prime and Magnus's heavily-damaged forms out of the throne room, but not without insulting them constantly. Magnus, like Prime, suspected that despite Shockwave's defeat, their hardships were only just beginning. {{storylink|Revelation (War and Peace)|Revelation}}

Optimus Prime was kept in stasis due to his minor injuries, while despite the complete destruction of his armor and the removal of his arm, Ultra Magnus was quickly reassembled and back on duty. Meanwhile, reports of a strange disturbance in a hidden Decepticon laboratory caught Magnus's attentions, but no one thought it was [[Sunstorm (G1)|very significant]]. {{storylink|Black Sunshine}} In the wake of Shockwave's dethroning, [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] was having trouble [[Central Hall|addressing public concerns]], but Ultra Magnus was able to speak to the crowd empathetically. {{storylink|Skyfire (issue)|Skyfire}} Later, Magnus checked in on Prowl to see if he had any leads on the lab disturbance, and advised the overworked security officer to rest more. {{storylink|The Omega Effect}} Prowl and a team of Autobots soon left to construct an [[Autobot City]] on Earth, leaving Magnus to coordinate Autobot affairs on Cybertron. {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}}

{{-}}

===Devil's Due ''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers'' comics===
Ultra Magnus was among the Autobot forces resisting [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]'s rule of Cybertron, and was shocked when he witnessed [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] get zapped by energy and vanishing. Investigating the disappearance along with [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]], Magnus found that the powerful [[Teletran 3]] computer had malfunctioned and sent various Cybertronians dispersed throughout various points in Earth's timeline. After erecting a [[force field]] around Teletran 3 to prevent Shockwave and his forces from taking control of it, Ultra Magnus made a plan together with the [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joes]] and [[Cobra]] members whom had been transported to Cybertron by the computer. As he was feeding the force field with his own power and Perceptor was operating Teletran 3, it was up to the humans to travel back in time and retrieve the lost Transformers, or else time travel "feedback" would lead to the destruction of Earth. Unfortunately, his force field could only stay up for twelve hours at best. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 1|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #1}} Six hours later, only one of four teams had returned. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 2|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #2}} By the time the third team returned, Ultra Magnus's force field had dissipated and the Autobot had been gunned down by Shockwave's troops. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 3|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #3}}

Fortunately his wounds weren't lethal, and some time later, Ultra Magnus joined a team of Autobots preparing to rescue Optimus Prime from [[Serpentor|Serpent O.R.]]'s imprisonment. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 4|The Art of War #4}} After receiving reinforcements from G.I. Joe, they attacked, they attacked the Decepticon base and fought against Serpent O.R.'s army. While urging his comrades to never give up, Ultra Magnus helped with a barrage of weaponsfire against [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]'s throat. After the defeat of Serpent O.R., he attended [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]'s funeral alongside [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]]. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 5|The Art of War #5}}

A few months later, Ultra Magnus was put in control of Cybertron while Optimus Prime left for Earth to investigate a [[Unicron|mysterious signal]] from outer space. When Hot Rod hurt Prime's feelings by accusing him of doing things himself because he felt guilty about Bumblebee's death, Magnus told the young Autobot that he really needed to learn when to stay quiet. {{storylink|Black Horizon, Part 1 of 2}}

===IDW comics continuity===
{{ongoing}}
[[Image:Bumper-funeral.jpg|right|200px|thumb|A brother from another motherboard.]]
Just before the War, Ultra Magnus attended the funeral of [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]] and [[Fastback (G1)|Fastback]]. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}}

Countless years later, in the present day, Magnus was an agent of the [[Tyrest Accord]], upholding the [[Code of Interplanetary Conflict]], a treaty between Autobots, Decepticons and other alien races. As an enforcer of the Accord, Magnus hunted down any Transformers, Autobots and Decepticons alike, who illegally sell or distribute Cybertronian technology, handing them over to their superiors for prosecution.

One such violation saw Ultra Magnus pursue the Autobot [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], who was pursuing a paranoid vendetta against [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]], the scientist who allegedly transformed her into her current state against her will. When he caught up with Arcee, it took a combination of holographic trickery and shock grenades to put her down. Magnus shipped her off to [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]'s care at the [[Garrus-9]] penitentiary. {{storylink|Spotlight: Arcee}}

[[Image:SpotlightUltraMagnus shoots Scorpie.jpg|left|250px|thumb|See? See what you did? You made me deal with you now!]]
On another mission, Ultra Magnus tracked the Decepticon [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] to the planet [[Zull]]. After arresting the criminal, Magnus reluctantly released Swindle in exchange for the current whereabouts of an even greater offender: [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. Magnus had a personal grudge against Scorponok, who was the Autobot's polar opposite; while Magnus set great stock in rules, Scorponok flouted them. Ultra Magnus followed Swindle's lead to the planet [[Nebulos]], and although he disrupted Scorponok's operations, the Decepticon was able to escape. {{storylink|Spotlight: Ultra Magnus}}

Years later, Magnus arrested Swindle for yet another violation, and once again, Swindle offered a deal, leaving Magnus to wonder whether it's necessary to break the rules to catch those who've been caught breaking them. {{storylink|Escalation issue 1}} Exactly what Magnus did with Swindle is unclear, but he soon made another report to Optimus Prime, claiming to have picked up a new "lead" on Scorponok, suggesting that yet another deal had been made with Swindle. {{storylink|Spotlight: Optimus Prime}}

After the break-in on Garrus-9, Ultra Magnus told Optimus Prime that he was heading there to follow up on the escaped prisoners, but received a distress call from [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] and changes course to assist their crew. Magnus arrived in time to help drive off [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and together, they tracked him to [[Corata-Vaz]]. After Cyclonus activated the [[Nega-Core]], he hesitated activating the guardian, [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]], due to the destruction he caused Cybertron. Cyclonus walked out of the cave and was ambushed by Hound's crew and Magnus. After a skirmish, Cyclonus was brought down by [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] and Magnus held a gun to his head. As a last resort, Cyclonus detached his hand, which rocketed to the cave and activated Thunderwing. Using the distraction, Cyclonus escaped but Magnus sent another tracker after him. {{storylink|Spotlight: Cyclonus}}

Ultra Magnus would later work out the identities of Cyclonus and [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] {{storylink|Spotlight: Hardhead}} and receive intell on the [[Dead Universe]]'s plot. {{storylink|Spotlight: Doubledealer}} With Optimus [[Nova Prime|otherwise engaged]], Ultra Magnus informed the various Autobot teams of the situation, helped direct their strategy, and came up with the idea sending Arcee to deal with Jhiaxus. Man can deal with a ''lot''. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}}

[[Image:MaxDinos5 Grimlock Magnus.jpg|right|thumb|300px|It's now my job to jail all the interesting guys.]]

Sometime after the [[Expansion]], Ultra Magnus received a signal from a battered Hot Rod, requesting some backup for [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]], who had gone into Scorponok's [[Machination]] headquarters building to reclaim his head. Ultra Magnus decided to put an end to Scorponok, once and for all. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 4}} By the time Ultra Magnus arrived at Machination HQ, the long missing [[Dinobot (G1)|Dynobot]]s had already defeated Scorponok, but Ultra Magnus stopped them from killing him, saying that he would be punished under Intergalactic law, and ordered the Machination stripped of all Cybertronian technology. After rendezvousing with Optimus Prime's crew, Ultra Magnus relayed the events to Optimus, who felt they were well and truly compromised on Earth. Once business was concluded, Ultra Magnus left with Grimlock, Scorponok, and Shockwave as his prisoners, telling Grimlock that his assistance would help reduce his sentence and that the warrants on the other Dynobots had been rescinded. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 5}}

[[Image:LastStandoftheWreckers1-trysomethinghilarious.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Ultra Magnus uses sarcasm quotes to remind you he doesn't find ''anything'' hilarious.]]

Several years later, after the fall of many Autobot strongholds and the subsequent defeat of Megatron on Earth, Ultra Magnus and his human stowaway [[Verity Carlo]] transported the Wreckers to Garrus-9, the Autobot penal colony which had been overrun by the Decepticons. En-route, they encountered a battered Decepticon dropshop emitting a distress signal that failed to acknowledge any hailing frequencies, which then subsequently exploded. Magnus was shocked to discover that a survivor had successfully escaped the ship's destruction, and even more shocked that it was the notorious former commander of the Wreckers, [[Impactor]]. {{Storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1}} Magnus watched as [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] tinkered with Impactor's head, noting that the former Wrecker probably had an explosive [[deterrence chip]] embedded into his cranium from his imprisonment at Garrus-9. When Impactor told the story of his escape and what had occurred at the prison, even the usually taciturn Ultra Magnus was disturbed by the revelation that the powerful [[Infiltration protocol|phase-six]] Decepticon [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] was now in charge of G-9, and suggested that perhaps they should delay the mission. After [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] and Impactor got into an argument over who was in charge and what the latter did that got him sent to G-9 in the first place, Ultra Magnus managed to convince Springer that Impactor had been through an awful lot, and that he was a valuable aspect that was needed for this mission. However, Magnus declined to personally involve himself with the mission, so he could to turn a blind eye to the Wreckers' often-brutal methods, and because [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] had requested his presence back on Earth. Also, Prowl gave him a name, something that would be of importance to both Springer and Magnus: [[Aequitas]]. During the mission briefing, Magnus revealed to the other Wreckers it wasn't [[Skyquake (G1)|Skyquake]] that was up against them, but the infamous Overlord, prompting Kup to tell Verity of the time he faced Overlord on [[Caldoon 4]] and barely survived. With the younger Wreckers clearly rattled by the tale, Ultra Magnus reminded Kup that they had talked about the elder Autobot's perchant for "talking up the enemy". Twenty minutes before launch, Magnus discussed [[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]]'s strange blackouts with Springer, though the Wrecker was inclined to give his subordinate the benefit of doubt. As the Wreckers (and unbeknownst to them, Verity) launched their drop pods to Garrus-9, Ultra Magnus wished them luck and intoned an old Cybertonian proverb: [[Rite of the Autobrand|"May your wires never cross and your luster never dull"]]. {{Storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 2}}

Arriving on Earth, Ultra Magnus reiterated his position as an enforcer of the Tyrest Accord, and demanded to know which of the local Autobots was in charge. {{storylink|New Arrivals, Old Encounters}} With the remaining Autobots left at the caves before him, Ultra Magnus tried to allay their concerns by attempting to use the local Earth slang and idioms related to criminal investigations, with only served to cause confusion. However, with a case as serious as [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]]'s death and Optimus Prime's surrender to [[Skywatch]], he asked for help from the Autobots and failing that, demanded full cooperation. Unfortunately, Magnus was ''unusually'' obstinate and obtuse in his investigation, questioning Bumblebee's authority as leader (after being told that [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] had left the Bumblebee's group), and refusing to help the Earth-based Autobots deal with their problems. After witnessing [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] lead away yet another group of Autobots, Magnus left the caves to search for Hot Rod. {{storylink|A Rude Awakening}}

[[Image:SeasonsInFlight-RodimusMagnus.jpg|right|thumb|300px|WOOKIEE RAGE!]]

After tracking the Autobot splinter group down, Ultra Magnus laid out a series of legal quibbles that would make it impossible for the self-styled "Rodimus Prime" to leave Earth and demanded the dismantling of the rocket they were building. The situation turned ugly when Magnus spotted Swindle among the Decepticons in Rodimus' group, and attempted to arrest him. Citing Rodimus' violations of the law and collusion with the Decepticons, Magnus threatened to arrest him under charges of treason if he failed to cooperate. However, Magnus was disappointed when Prowl defended Rodimus' decisions and wondered why Prowl had summoned him to Earth in the first place if he was going to break the law himself. Sticking to the rigid letter of the law got Magnus nowhere, as Rodimus correctly pointed out that he couldn't arrest them all. Furious, Ultra Magnus returned to Bumblebee's cave. {{storylink|Seasons in Flight}}

Sometime after Bumblebee had been rebuilt into a new, more powerful body, Ultra Magnus rdered several of the Autobots to form a team to arrest Rodimus' group. He seriously got the Autobots offside by demanding [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]]'s participation despite his recent trauma at the hands of Skywatch and overrode Bumblebee's command authority. Returning to the launch site, Magnus officially declared his intent to arrest Rodimus under order 00101001 of the Tyrest Accord, which majorly honked off Rodimus as he felt there was no factions any longer, the war was over and that "his" group only wanted to get off Earth. However, Magnus' distrust of the Decepticons was proven correct when Swindle interrupted the argument to unveil his new creation: the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticon]] [[combiner]] [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]], who was ordered to kill Magnus first. {{storylink|Enemies of the System}} During the battle, Ultra Magnus exhausted his arsenal of firepower and was about to be killed by the titanic Decepticon when Optimus Prime arrived on the scene courtesy of Skywatch. The Autobots rallied and defeated the Decepticons, forcing Swindle and the Constructicons to retreat. Shortly after being repaired, Magnus was furious to learn that Swindle had escaped his grasp once again, and took out his frustrations on Rodimus, charging him with treason for all of his actions. When Bumblebee stepped in to diffuse the situation, Magnus attempted to cite his greater authority of his legal jurisdiction, but was put in his place when the younger Autobot pointed out that on Earth, he was in charge, and that no Autobot would be arrested, regardless of their mistakes. However, as this was going on, Rodimus took off in Ultra Magnus' shuttle. {{storylink|Earthworks}}

Evidently after regaining his sense of perspective, Ultra Magnus rescued the surviving Wreckers from Garrus-9. In his debriefing to Prowl, Magnus discussed the reasons for even sanctioning the mission given what it cost the Wreckers, and despite his disgust at the horrific crimes perpetrated by some of the Autobots who faced the infallible Aequitas, he argued the need for revealing the contents of the supercomputer's data to the Autobot rank-and-file. After handing over a [[data slug]] containing the Aequitas data, Magnus stated that he hoped Prowl was true to his word and would hand it over to Bumblebee, because he knew Prowl would have hoped the data in the slug was corrupted so he could maintain the cover up. As he left, he said that perhaps he should have checked the data for corruption after all, but considered it would be a disservice to the both of them for not trusting Prowl and going behind his back. {{Storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5}}

With his ship stolen, Ultra Magnus was stranded on Earth alongside the other Autobots, and was none too happy about it. He had little patience for [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] raging about an attempted assassination of Bumblebee, and threatened to have the angry little guy restrained if he didn't shut up. He was interrupted by the news that the plane carrying Optimus Prime's team back from [[North Korea]] had been blown out of the sky, but before he and [[Kyle Pennington|Pennington]] could get any real information about the attack, an explosion rocked the Autobot-Skywatch base. The Decepticons had returned to Earth to rescue their captured comrades, and Ultra Magnus found himself incapacitated by [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]]'s mind-scramblingly loud battle cry. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 1: The Demolished Man}}

The attacking Decepticons quickly left with the freed captives, leaving Ultra Magnus to wonder why they neglected to finish him and the other Autobots off. There were more important things to worry about, though: the base was in ruins, Bumblebee and Pennington were both in critical condition, and Optimus Prime and his team were still missing in action. Ultra Magnus took command and had the base evacuated, moving the personnel to [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]'s location, but not before leaving Brawn with a mission to find a [[Thundercracker (G1)|special somebody]]. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 2: Altered Carbon}} As the Autobot convoy moved towards Omega, they found themselves under attack from humans who didn't want them on their planet. Ultra Magnus was initially prepared to defend himself, but Pennington convinced him that killing humans would only make things worse for them, and the convoy continued. Unfortunately, things got worse for them ''anyway'' when Megatron himself showed up and easily dispatched Ultra Magnus and his troops. Assuming that he was out to destroy the Autobots as usual, Magnus tried to distract Megatron from killing the Skywatch soldiers, but the Decepticon made it clear that the humans were just as important targets for his revenge. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 3: Woken Furies}}

Injured, Ultra Magnus was held hostage by Megatron and [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]], who used him as leverage to get Optimus Prime to meet with them. This meeting ended with Megatron retreating with a [[stasis lock]]ed Soundwave, and Ultra Magnus was brought to safety. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 4: Burning Chrome}} As he awaited repairs, Magnus told Prime that he had managed to place a tracking chip on Soundwave, allowing the Autobots to find Megatron's hideout. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 5: Enemy Mine}}

Six weeks later, Ultra Magnus watched as Rodimus returned to Earth with the [[Matrix of Leadership]] and several lost Autobots in tow. He brought news that Galvatron had built an army and taken control of Cybertron, prompting Optimus Prime to lead his Autobots back to their home planet. On Bumblebee's orders, Ultra Magnus remained on Earth with him, Prowl and a few others. {{storylink|Space Opera—Final Tableaux: Orphans of the Helix}} He still participated in talks of what would be done with Megatron, whom had surrendered himself and been taken into space with Prime's Autobots. When [[Xaaron]] explained that they needed a neutral third party to judge the Decepticon leader for his crimes, Magnus suggested [[Tyrest (Autobot)|Chief Justice Tyrest]], and opined that they should aim for a death sentence. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1}}

Ultra Magnus was involved with the investigation on [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]]'s supposed murder of [[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]]. He chewed out Prowl and [[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] after the latter had broken protocol and transformed into robot mode during a mission to spy on Witwicky. Prowl brought up his suspicions of anti-Transformer pundit [[Ben Simpson]] and of a deeper Decepticon conspiracy, but Magnus ordered him to stick to the case at hand. {{storylink|Police Action: Part 1}}

{{-}}

===''Alternity''===
[[Image:To die game begins.jpg|left|thumb]]

The Ultra Magnuses of various [[universal stream]]s had different roles to play in the mind-bending cross-dimensional war between the hyper-evolved future Autobots known as the [[Alternity]] and the [[Megatron Aggregate]].

When the universal stream of [[Transformers: Mystery of Convoy|Primax 1286.3 Kappa]] was chosen by [[Megatron (G1)#Alternity|Diamond Black Megatron]] to play host to a "game full of death and suffering" of his own devising, Megatron's opponent, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity#Alternity|Ultimate Silver Optimus Prime]], was allowed to pick one inhabitant of this universe to be his champion, and to battle the horde of Decepticons Megatron would empower. Loathe as he was to use him like a chess piece, Prime selected Ultra Magnus and imbued him with a portion of his power. Even with this added strength, though, Prime knew that Magnus's resilience and determination were truly his greatest weapons. {{storylink|To Die Game!}}

{{note|This story incorporates the events of the video game "[[Transformers: Mystery of Convoy]]". See [[#Games|Games]], below, for more.}}

[[Image:AlternityMagnuscomic.jpg|thumb|right|150px|]]

The Magnus of another, unknown universal stream also found himself pulled into the Alternity's war when the Megatron of his world joined the Aggregate and began razing his Cybertron with his increased power, forcing the Autobots to step up their efforts to protect the planet's citizens. While patrolling Sector 51, Administrative Official Magnus entered City #14, which had recently been freed from Decepticon occupation. Walking amidst the disheveled and displaced citizens, Magnus burned a huge Autobot brand into the ground, marking the city as Autobot territory.

Suddenly, a dazzling being of light appeared to him, referring to him by the military rank of "Ultra"; a rank he did not yet possess. Then, another Ultra Magnus who had joined the Alternity, sporting an [[auto-avatar]] looking very much like Optimus Prime, stepped through a glowing portal, asking Magnus to join him. Magnus then shook hands with Prime, joining the Alternity collective and sharing the consciousness of every Magnus across the multiverse. Magnus then vowed to use his newfound power to bring peace to Cybertron... as ''Ultra'' Magnus! {{storylink|Nissan GT-R / Ultra Magnus (Brilliant Pearl White)}}
{{-}}

==Games==
===''Mystery of Convoy''===
[[Image:Moc_magnus_sprites.jpg|left|thumb]]
When Optimus Prime disappeared under mysterious circumstances in the year 2005, Ultra Magnus set out to find him. Magnus fought his way through a seemingly endless horde of Decepticon antagonists, including the [[Devilstar]], the [[Double Devilstar]], [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]], and [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]], as well as attempting to recover seven energon cubes the Decepticons had stolen from Rodimus Prime. Finally, Magnus unveiled the truth—everything had been Megatron's doing all along! Besting the Decepticon leader, Magnus was then faced with a seemingly endless series of tunnels and time loops, leading him into a climactic battle with [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. After Magnus dispatched the city-bot in a hard-fought battle, a new challenge rose its head, but with his energon cubes recovered through Magnus's heroism, Rodimus Prime was able to take up the fight in his stead. {{storylink|Transformers: Mystery of Convoy}}
====Famicom How-to Manga: Transformers: Mystery of Convoy====
{{charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|Famicom How-to Manga: Transformers: Mystery of Convoy}}

====Transformers (Mystery of Convoy)====
{{charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|Transformers (Mystery of Convoy)|Transformers (Mystery of Convoy) strategy guide comic}}

===The Transformers (PS2)===
{{charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|The Transformers (PS2)}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
{{main|Ultra Magnus (G1)/toys}}

==Notes==
[[Image:DiacloneMagnusAnime1.jpg|right|250px|thumb|"Do you guys think my hair would look better in blue?"]]
* It has been speculated by some fans that, in the animated continuity, Ultra Magnus may have been created from Orion Pax's friend [[Dion]], the same way and at the same time Prime and [[Elita One]] were rebuilt by [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]].

:''For further elaboration, see [[Dion|Who is Dion?]].''

* Ultra Magnus is Optimus Prime's brother in the [[Dreamwave Generation One continuity|Dreamwave continuity]], and possibly also in [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]. Additionally, Optimus Prime also was described as treating Ultra Magnus as his "kid brother" in [[TV Magazine|TV Magazine]]'s [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 4|issue #4]] of [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (manga)|''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' manga]].

* In the early [[The Transformers: The Movie promo|promotional trailer]]/test footage for "[[The Transformers: The Movie]]", Ultra Magnus can be seen in alternate [[Autobot City]] sequences in his toy's original ''[[Diaclone]]'' color scheme, indicating the final coloration may have been a late change to the toy. This footage has appeared in various ''Transformers'' DVDs over the years.

*In the [[Beast Era]] future, the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] [[Killer Punch]] (a bit of a paranoid conspiracy nut) believes that Ultra Magnus was secretly a Decepticon agent. This is, shall we say... unlikely.

* This Ultra Magnus, along with the original [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]], and [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] makes a cameo appearance as one of the four elders who began the [[space bridge]] project in the ''[[Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]]'' episode "[[Balance]]".

*He can't deal with all of these notes right now!

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Ultra Magnus''' (ウルトラマグナス ''Urutora Magunasu'')
*''French:'' '''Ultramag''' (Canada)
*''Italian:'' '''Convoy'''
*''Mandarin:'' '''Mags''' (Taiwan, 馬格斯 ''Mǎ Gè Sz''), '''Magnum''' (Taiwan [[Omni Productions]] dub, 麥農 ''Mài Núng''), '''Tong Tian Xiao''' (China, 通天曉, "The One Who Knows Everything")
*''Portuguese:'' '''Ultra Magnum''' (Portugal comic)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.tfu.info/1986/Autobot/UltraMagnus/ultramagnus.htm Ultra Magnus at TFU.info]
* [http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Ultra_Magnus Ultra Magnus's Universe profile at NTFA.net]
* [http://www.diaclone.net/orid/dia057/index.html Diaclone Powered Convoy at Diaclone.net (Japanese-language site)]

[[Category:Alternators Autobots]]
[[Category:Alternity Autobots]]
[[Category:Autobot leaders]]
[[Category:Classics Autobots]]
[[Category:Decoys]]
[[Category:E-Hobby]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 2 Autobots]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Autobots]]
[[Category:Kiss Players Autobots]]
[[Category:Matrix bearers]]
[[Category:MyClone]]
[[Category:Robot Heroes]]
[[Category:Rulers of Cybertron]]
[[Category:Target exclusives]]
[[Category:Titanium Series]]
[[Category:Wreckers]]

Sentinel Prime (Animated)

2011-09-03T22:54:38Z

24.189.5.114:

{{disambig3|Sentinel Prime}}
{{factions|autobot|eliteguard}}
:''Sentinel Prime is <strike>a jerk</strike> an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:SentinelPrimeAnimated-model.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"Where's the jerk who calls himself Sentinel Prime?" "I am that jerk!"]]

Many times, brash, leap-before-you-think types learn a lesson from their misadventures, and use that knowledge to grow into more mature, well-rounded fighters, even into leadership roles.

And sometimes, they learn the wrong lesson (or the right lesson the wrong way), and turn out like '''Sentinel Prime'''.

Sentinel was once the impulsive type, until a disastrous "unsanctioned" mission he'd suggested with his best friends [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Elita-1]] ended in the loss of Elita. Though both bots carried the grief, Sentinel blamed Optimus for abandoning her. When Optimus officially took the blame for the mission (and Sentinel failed to speak up for his part of it), Sentinel placed all his anger on his former friend, and drove himself to climb the Autobot ranks into the [[Cybertron Elite Guard]] through strict adherence to military protocol.

The end result is an Autobot who could be one of the Autobots' greatest assets, but he's such a jerk that it's hard to see ''how''. His expandable [[Skyboom (Animated)|Skyboom Shield]] is virtually impenetrable, and he's a strong combatant and utterly tenacious hunter. And he seems to have Cybertron's best interests at heart... but his perception of "best interests" is definitely skewed.

To his core, he's still the same smug, act-first-think-later-maybe bot he was before, only far more focused. Despite the "stickler for the rules" aspect of his personality that has come from the loss of Elita, he seems to use the rules largely to bully his way of doing things on others. He really can't handle the unexpected, thanks to a distinct lack of genuine field experience and inability to improvise like [[Jazz (Animated)|others in the Guard]]. Thanks to that one fateful trip to [[Archa Seven]], he has a severe phobia of organics, and a burning desire to further humiliate Optimus. To his credit, he would never actively sabotage another Autobot... but he sure will make their lives a living hell if he thinks he can get away with it.

Don't mention his [[chin]]. He's a little touchy about it.

{{bigquote|[Sentinel] is a glitch-head. All due respect.|[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] sums up Sentinel Prime|"[[The Elite Guard]]"}}

==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon===
{{Idw-tfa}}
:''Voice actor:'' [[Townsend Coleman]] (English), [[Junichi Suwabe]] (Japanese), [[Peter Reinhardt]] (German), [[Ricardo Teles]] (Portuguese), [[Ricardo Soto]] (Latin American Spanish)

''Sentinel was named and trained in [[Autobot boot camp]] by the drill sergeant [[Kup (Animated)|Kup]], which is also where he met Optimus and [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Elita-1]]. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II}} During their studies, Elita and Sentinel observed Optimus battle [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] in a virtual training program. Sentinel sneered when Optimus ultimately failed, but Ultra Magnus noted that Optimus had scored better than any Autobot thus far. {{storylink|Survival Skills}}''

[[Image:Animated sentinel1.JPG|left|200px|thumb|"You're gonna need tickets to—THE GUN SHOW!"]]
Sentinel took Optimus and Elita-1 on a mission to [[Archa Seven]] looking for an old Decepticon [[Twilight (Animated)|warship]], hoping to get all the [[Energon (fuel)|energon]] stored within. However, they ran into a pack of massive arachnids. Sentinel tried to hold them off long enough for Optimus and Elita to escape. When he came across a ship that Optimus and Elita had found, Optimus had to drag him away from the exploding energon, forcing them to leave Elita-1 behind. Optimus's radar couldn't find Elita's energy signature, and he assumed that she was dead. A furious Sentinel blamed Optimus for what happened, even though this whole disaster had been ''his'' idea. Jerk. {{storylink|Along Came a Spider}} When Ultra Magnus brought the two up on a military tribunal, Optimus gallantly took the fall — while Sentinel just stood there smirking. Jerk. {{storylink|Endgame, Part I}}

After graduation from the Academy, he received an official rank as Sentinel ''[[Minor (rank)|Minor]]'', the drill officer for an Autobot training camp. Obviously compensating for being a jerk, he took out his frustrations on recruits like [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]], [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]], [[Ironhide (Animated)|Ironhide]], [[Shockwave (Animated)|Longarm]] and [[Wasp]]. Busting their transistors at every turn, he liked to conduct surprise inspections and force the recruits to chant that they were worthless grease stains. Of course, in Bumblebee's case, the extra attention was not exactly unmerited, as the little glitch-head managed to get Sentinel's feelings on whether Ultra Magnus should retire from command broadcast across the camp. In the end, he commended Bumblebee for his role in discovering a seeming Decepticon traitor. Then Bumblebee admitted to accidentally knocking a tower on him (actually covering for Bulkhead), and Sentinel gave him the boot. Jerk. {{storylink|Autoboot Camp}}

[[Image:The Arrival 1 Memorial Plaza Sentinel speech.jpg|250px|right|thumb|]]
Years later, he was still a jerk, but a jerk with prestige, having been promoted to Sentinel ''Prime''. When Optimus Prime rang up the Cybertron Elite Guard to tell them of the Decepticons in pursuit, he sneered that a screw-up like Optimus wasn't worth the attention of Ultra Magnus. Seeing a piped-through visual of the [[AllSpark]] from the cargo hold of [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|their ship]] shut him up quickly enough. {{storylink|Transform and Roll Out}}

''After the ship was lost, Sentinel found himself the only one who knew Optimus well enough to give him a eulogy. However, while his words were reasonably civil, his thoughts were not. Later, when Longarm pressed him to continue the search, Sentinel acted like an old man and told him some things are best left buried. Jerk.'' {{storylink|Dispatches}}

[[Image:Sentl prime alt.jpg|left|200px|thumb|When the snow starts a-falling, There's a man you should be calling...]]

Later, the Elite Guard visited Earth to reclaim the AllSpark. When [[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]] decided to take a closer look at the humans, Sentinel warned that organics could spew out slime that melts through armor plating, deliberately goading Optimus Prime with memories of Elita-1's fate. He decontaminated Optimus Prime's crew after setting a force field around the ship. When he heard that they'd defeated [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] and the Decepticons, he didn't believe Optimus, almost causing a fight between him and [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]]. Sentinel boasted to Ultra Magnus that he had taken the initiative and scanned some "typical" Earth vehicles so they would not draw undue attention. He had, in fact, scanned massive, destructive vehicles for them both.

En route to [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]], Sentinel further evidenced how subtlety obviously isn't his strong point by driving through a blockade and off an overpass still under construction. When he, Optimus and Magnus arrived, they encountered the [[Dinobot (Animated)|Dinobots]], and Sentinel began to attack, believing their technology was primitive. [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]]'s subsequent [[transformation]] caught him off guard. They then went back to the city to take care of malfunctioning [[police drone]]s. Sentinel started to act like a jerk again, more worried about organic contamination, and vowed to see Optimus arraigned on charges of high treason, but Optimus had got enough of Sentinel's mouth and finally told him off, asserting that his former friend was on his turf now and should respect Optimus's decisions. Unsurprisingly, Sentinel was unmoved. Even when shown proof of the AllSpark not being destroyed, Sentinel's attitude did not change. He was thus rather surprised when Ultra Magnus said that Optimus had characteristics that Sentinel himself could stand to learn. {{storylink|The Elite Guard}}

[[Image:Sentinelprimeanimatedbattlemask.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Come one, come all! Join the merriment at the Cybertronian Renaissance Faire!]]

[[Image:Sentinelprimeanimatedknightmode.jpg|right|150px|thumb|He's here to eat giant turkey legs and kick butt...and he's all out of giant turkey legs.]]

Not taking the criticism to heart at all, he continued to be a general jerk to Optimus, the local police, humans, and pretty much everyone. His comeuppance would soon come in the form of a humiliating body-jacking by the [[Headmaster (Animated)| Headmaster]]. Putting his reputation (and his noggin) in Optimus Prime's hands, he trusted his comrade to help him get his body back without letting anybody else find out. In this state, he was slightly less condescending to Optimus, but it was hard to talk down to someone when reduced to a tenth his size. He still had choice words about Optimus's actions in the process of saving his body, however, such as ripping its arm off and using his head as a soccer ball. Deep down, Optimus was enjoying himself.

After recovering his body, Sentinel had to face the embarrassing prospect of reporting to Ultra Magnus, but surprisingly enough, Optimus covered for him. It took every ounce of effort for the big guy to utter a "thank you" to his comrade later.

While in the Headmaster's possession, Sentinel's body's weapons were upgraded into more powerful forms. At the moment, it's not clear whether Sentinel got to keep the upgrades when the Headmaster Unit was separated. {{storylink|The Return of the Headmaster}}

Unfortunately, the whole Headmaster debacle ''still'' failed to purge Sentinel of even a dram of his jerk quotient. When Optimus protested Ultra Magnus's decision to have his crew join the rest of the Autobots off-Earth, Sentinel was quick to jump on Optimus, saying that ''no'' sign of Decepticon activity had been detected (failing to consider that the Decepticons had been dampening their signals). He even went so far as to bribe Optimus with an offer of reinstatement in the Elite Guard if he went along with the official story. Through all this, he was more than slightly keen to slap [[stasis cuffs]] on Optimus in order to get him to comply with Magnus's orders. Jerk.

[[Image:Sentinel Prime shocked.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Will get owned again...]]

When the Elite Guard's ship detected an AllSpark fragment in a runaway passenger train (actually a trap set by [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]]), Sentinel was irritated to find that he had to stay behind and nursemaid "Maintenance Prime" while Ultra Magnus and Jazz set off to investigate. The situation got worse when, discovering Decepticon presence, Optimus goaded Sentinel into a blind attack and took the opportunity to slap the stasis cuffs on ''him.'' Poor sap... (snicker)

Sentinel eventually worked his way out of the cuffs and pursued Optimus to where the AllSparked train had stopped, threatening to have him tried and blacklisted for assaulting an Elite Guard, dismissing out of hand Optimus's justification of Decepticon involvement. Fortunately for Optimus, Megatron and [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] chose that moment to blast Starscream to the ground in front of the Autobots.

[[Image:Sentinel vs Optimus%2C with Jazz in the middle.jpg|left|180px|thumb|"You're a jerk!" "No, you!" "No, YOU!" Ummm... bad guy?"]]

Sentinel had to take more time than the other Elite Guards to rally; unlike Magnus and Optimus, he had never seen a Decepticon before. Initial dismay aside, Sentinel did manage to last longer than the other Autobots against Starscream's onslaught, but the only reason he didn't fall was that Optimus took the stasis cuffs Sentinel had brought with him (anticipating Optimus's formal arrest as he was) and slapped them onto Starscream. Sentinel still thought Optimus drew out that battle on purpose. Jerk.

Afterwards, Magnus expressed admiration over Optimus's willingness to disregard what were clearly ill-informed orders—praise to which Sentinel, predictably, objected. This just earned him another chastisement from Magnus about how sometimes the right thing ''was'' to trust one's gut over the book. Shortly afterward, the Elite Guard departed for Cybertron. Sentinel could probably sigh in relief—no more looking worse than the "washout". {{storylink|Mission Accomplished}}

Unfortunately, while the Elite Guard was in deep space, Starscream managed to escape his stasis cuffs and get out of the their ship. Being the jerk he is, Sentinel probably thinks Optimus is responsible for that happening. {{storylink|A Fistful of Energon}}

Things only got worse for Sentinel, as his former trainee and convicted "traitor" Wasp escaped from prison. Pursuing the former Autobot across an asteroid field, Sentinel had a standoff with Wasp at a space bridge relay point. The escapee activated the space bridge, and, blinded by its energies, Sentinel assumed Wasp had gone through it to parts unknown. In reality, Wasp had mustered what little cunning his shattered mind had left and faked out the Elite Guard member by hiding behind the archway. As usual, Sentinel's deductive skills left something to be desired, so he returned to base. {{storylink|Autoboot Camp}}

Later, Sentinel, Magnus and Jazz took the Elite Guard's flagship to back up [[Rodimus Prime (Animated)|Rodimus Prime]]'s team, who were defending [[space bridge 687-030]] from [[Team Chaar|a Decepticon raiding party]]. As the Elite Guard arrived, however, Megatron ordered all of his troops to withdraw, having changed his plans thanks to a [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|recent acquisition]]. After returning to Cybertron, Sentinel and Jazz were ordered ''back'' into space to hunt down the "traitor" Wasp. {{storylink|TransWarped}}

Upon arriving in Earth orbit, Sentinel was contacted by an agitated Longarm Prime. Now head of Autobot Intel, Longarm was upset that Sentinel's ship had entered Earth Sector when Longarm had ordered that all contact with Earth be filtered through him first. Sentinel was annoyed, since Longarm had sent them to intercept Wasp in the first place. After Ultra Magnus cut in to explain, Sentinel confirmed for Longarm that no one had heard from Optimus Prime's crew in at least a [[units of time|decacycle]].

Upon touchdown near [[Detroit]], Sentinel was disgusted with yet another aspect of Earth: rain. He quickly proved he had no ability to handle rain-soaked pavement in vehicle mode, further bruising his ego. With their other crew members already dispatched to hunt for Wasp, he and Jazz arrived at the Earth Autobots' base just after Wasp (actually Bumblebee in a forced disguise) had departed from there. Sentinel was all for chewing out Optimus for not answering his comlink, and he didn't care about Optimus's "excuses", as he had a fugitive spy to catch. It didn't help that Optimus pointed out said spy had just slipped past Sentinel, then claimed that Longarm was the real spy. Disgusted with such a brazen, baseless accusation, Sentinel ordered Prime's group to stay out of his way, then he and Jazz departed. Jerk.

Eventually, he found Prime and Ratchet battling his new recruits, [[Jetstorm (Animated)|Jetstorm]] and [[Jetfire (Animated)|Jetfire]], whom they'd mistaken for Decepticons since the new pair could fly. Sure, he hadn't told Prime about them before, but that was Prime's fault for butting in on Elite Guard business. Prime still insisted Wasp wasn't a double agent, but Sentinel would hear none of it and ordered the jet twins to find Wasp again. While he struggled to avoid skidding on the pavement and keep pace with Jazz, Optimus and Ratchet, he got word from Jetstorm that he and Jetfire had found Wasp, but that Bulkhead and Prowl were apparently his cohorts. Prime continued attempting to persuade him that he was on the wrong track, but Sentinel was all for arresting everyone and letting Ultra Magnus sort it out. Jerk.

Back at the Earth Autobots' base, "Bumblebee" tried to prove his identity by recounting the various ways he'd inconvenienced Sentinel during 'Bee's stint in boot camp—most of which Sentinel didn't remember. Sentinel quickly got fed up and ordered "Wasp" wheeled out, but then Bulkhead hit upon a sure-fire way to tell who was who: a versus round of Bumblebee's latest video game passion, ''[[Ninja Gladiator]]''. Despite Sentinel's doubts, the real Wasp quickly revealed himself, taking 'Bee hostage and escaping. Jazz realized the full import of this revelation: The true Decepticon double agent was the head of Autobot Intel. Sentinel protested that Prime should have told him this in the first place. Jerk. {{storylink|Where Is Thy Sting?}}

[[Image:5servos sentinel kicked.jpg|left|thumb|If only he had been kicked [[Gearbox|a little lower]]...]]

Remaining on Earth, Sentinel made contact with the bounty hunter [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]] for a mutually beneficial arrangement: if Sentinel supplied him with parts from the Elite Guard ship, Lockdown would turn over Decepticons to Sentinel and let him take the credit. His ego overriding his sense of superiority, Sentinel agreed, bringing the captured Decepticons and taking all the credit. Only the twins believed that Sentinel was really making the captures alone, especially as Sentinel was both vague and defensive about how he captured the Decepticons. Finally, Lockdown needed a gyrostabilizer from the ship, in exchange for the [[Ramjet (Animated)|Liar Starscream]]. Prowl followed Sentinel, and discovered the arrangement, but was betrayed by Lockdown and the clone, and placed in stasis cuffs. Despite using Sentinel as a hostage, the Autobots showed little restraint in attacking, even though they only succeeded in hurting Sentinel. The battle ended with Sentinel being driven into the ground head first. After establishing contact with Cybertron, the Autobots learned that Ultra Magnus had been attacked by Shockwave, but was recovering. Optimus decided not to inform Cybertron Command of Sentinel's misconduct, but instead gave sole credit for the captures to Prowl. Even though he wasn't going to be court-martialled, Sentinel was still displeased that he didn't get a single ounce of credit. Annoyed, Optimus reminded him that there were more important things than his ego, but gave Sentinel fair warning: when smoke clears, there will be a reckoning. {{storylink|Five Servos of Doom}}

[[Image:TFA-PredaconsRising-OhSentinel.jpg|thumb|[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bender_Bending_Rodr%C3%ADguez Jimmy cracked corn and I don't care!]]]
Even knowing Wasp was innocent, Sentinel continued to pursue the 'bot, leading to a chase through the streets of Detroit as Optimus and Bumblebee attempted to reach him first. When they did, a jurisdictional argument between Optimus and Sentinel allowed Wasp to slip away... only for him to be flown away by a [[Swoop (Animated)|a Dinobot]]. Despite Optimus warning Sentinel off, Sentinel pursued them to Dinobot Island under [[Safeguard (Animated)|Safeguard]] in his own... unique... manner.

[[Image:TFA-PredaconsRising-SentinelBlackArachnia.jpg|thumb|left|DIE MUTANT FREAK DIE!!!]]
Bulling past the Dinobots, Sentinel entered the laboratory inside... to be confronted by what Elita-1 had become, and the experiment she was undertaking on Wasp. Blackarachnia's existence as a [[technorganic]] disgusted him to the deepest core of his spark, and he wished she had gone offline on Archa Seven. In return, after the emergence of the technorganic "Waspinator", she attempted to drain him dry. He was saved by a pursuing Optimus, and shortly afterward Blackarachnia was transwarped to apparent oblivion by the exploding Waspinator. Sentinel walked off without a word.

As he was set for departure to Cybertron to take his place as acting [[Magnus]], he discussed what had happened with Optimus, and admitted that they should never have gone to the spider-planet in the first place. {{storylink|Predacons Rising}}

[[Image:TFA-DecepticonAir-SentinelJazz.jpg|thumb|"Jazz old friend, I don't know which disgusts me more: Your cowardice or your stupidity! We'll simply set a new course for that empty region over there. Near that blackish, holish thing."]]
On the trip back to Cybertron, after a failed interrogation of the Decepticon prisoners, he was contacted by [[Perceptor (Animated)|Perceptor]], [[Alpha Trion (Animated)|Alpha Trion]] and [[Cliffjumper (Animated)|Cliffjumper]], to inform him that the [[Autobot High Council]] intended to make the news of the attack on Ultra Magnus public. Sentinel was unhappy about this, but they reminded him that the decision was for the full Council to make, and that his "taking control" as acting [[Magnus]] was premature, since Ultra Magnus was still online, albeit on [[spark support]]; and Cliffjumper wound him up further by reminding him that Prowl, not SP, had been given credit for the capture of the Decepticon prisoners. As a result, he took his frustrations out on Jazz, ordering him to take [[Steelhaven (Animated)|the ship]] to full power—even after Jazz reminded him it would use up all their energon—and to steer through a stormy nebula. Jerk.

The effect of the electrical storms on the ship then caused [[Swindle (Animated)|Swindle]] to be freed of his transformation lock, and in turn he freed the other prisoners. They then attacked the bridge, and with Sentinel refusing to contact Cybertron and let them know what his mistake had wrought, he sent [[Broken Lance|a coded message]] to Optimus Prime, asking for help shortly before they were all captured. Optimus then [[transwarp]]ed in through Swindle's personal storage dimension, refused to obey a single order from Sentinel, thought up a plan to defeat the Decepticons and set Jazz to it, used Sentinel as a bludgeon to knock [[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]] away, and saved the day. Chastened, even Sentinel had to admit Optimus had done a good job, and offered him the position on the Elite Guard he would have to vacate to become Magnus, although Optimus declined. He then dropped Optimus back on Earth, and they mutually saluted in goodbye.

Finally arriving at Cybertron, Sentinel proceeded to lead a parade across Cybertron in his own honour, urging the cheering throngs to accept him as their Magnus. {{storylink|Decepticon Air}}

[[Image:TFA ThisIsWhyIHateMachines Sentinel Propaganda.jpg|left|thumb|He's the Decider!]]
Sentinel Prime immediately began putting out propaganda warning Autobots that anyone they knew could be a Decepticon spy, began shutting down facilities like [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]] as a security measure, and started viewing any challenge to him as treason. When the Decepticon-occupied [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]] appeared in the skies above Cybertron, Sentinel immediately advocated firing on it, ignoring a displaced [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]]'s warnings that Omega was so transwarp-saturated that this would ''take out the planet''. Jerk.

Ratchet's opposition led to Sentinel having him hunted down for treason. Jerkier still, Sentinel prepared to fire on Omega while the Council were still discussing the matter, and he lied to them about his intentions. Luckily, when he did have the Elite Guard's [[Fortress Maximus (Animated)|Fortress Maximus]] fire on the titan, the Decepticons transwarped away. Sentinel brushed off the Council's ire and tried to take [[Magnus Hammer|Ultra Magnus' salvaged hammer]] from Ratchet, attempting to pursue and arrest the medic when Ratchet simply took the hammer with him back to Earth. Jazz volunteered to go instead, taking the opportunity to get out from under Sentinel's command. {{storylink|This Is Why I Hate Machines}}

[[Image:EndgamePart2-Sentinel.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The end of an error.]]

Soon, Sentinel would have to swallow his pride when Optimus Prime returned to Cybertron with his crew, with captured Megatron, Shockwave, and Lugnut, and with three reclaimed stasis pods—in Omega Supreme, no less! He stood glowering as the <s>cheering throngs</s> unwashed masses surrounded his rival.

History would vindicate his actions! {{storylink|Endgame, Part II}}

Jerk.

{{note|[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II]] detailed in general how Season 4 might have played out would it have been produced. After Megatron's escape from prison and the death of Ultra Magnus, Sentinel would try to secure his position as Sentinel Magnus, first by commissioning a [[Powermaster]] upgrade for himself from the Project Omega team, then by invading Earth with the intent of using the collected AllSpark fragments to defeat Megatron. Optimus would steal Sentinel's Powermaster upgrade and travel to Earth to stop Sentinel from making a huge mistake.}}

{{-}}

===''The Cool'' comic===

[[Image:TheCoolEliteGuard01.jpg|thumb|250px|left|]]

Years ago, after losing their friend [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Elita-1]] on a distant planet, Sentinel and Optimus immediately formed a rescue party to save her. Despite all their searching, however, they were unable to find her and were forced to give up. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 4}}

Sentinel Prime was later present when Optimus Prime was discharged from the Elite Guard by Ultra Magnus. {{storylink|The Cool Extra issue 1}}

Sentinel later traveled with the Elite Guard to Earth in order to extract an explanation from Optimus Prime regarding why he had yet to return to Cybertron with his crew. Sentinel looked obnoxiously smug, of course. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 5}}

On Cybertron, Sentinel joined a throng of Autobot citizens in welcoming the victorious Optimus Prime and his Autobots back home. Sentinel remarked to himself that Optimus and his crew had finally returned... as ''heroes''. {{storylink|The Cool Episode Final}}

{{-}}

==Toys==
===Animated===
[[Image:Deluxeanimatedsentinel.jpg|right|300px|thumb|He's shortpacked at the jerk store.]]
*'''Sentinel Prime''' (Deluxe, 2008)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''TA-28'''
**''Accessories:'' Lance, shield

: Sentinel Prime transforms into a metallic blue monster-truck snowplow, and is armed in robot mode with his trademark Skyboom shield and lance. Either item can fit in either of his hands, and the shield has a ring mount to allow the lance to attach to it for transporting on the back of the vehicle mode. Surprisingly for an otherwise pointy object, the lance is actually cast in hard plastic. The weapons are also painted blue rather than cast in translucent plastic, an unusual choice for modern "energy" weapons". The toy also has an abandoned light-piping gimmick: not only are the eyes painted over, but the eye-piece is cast in black plastic, making it useless.

: Unfortunately, due to being released in the Deluxe size class, the Sentinel toy is ''technically'' incompatible with the [[Headmaster (Animated)|Headmaster]] accessory, which is only designed to work with Leader-class toys. You actually can wedge it on to him quite snugly, though.

: Due to a quirk of the transformation process, the plow on the front of the truck can be angled left or right, just as on real-world snowplows. Also, if you're the type that ''really'' goes for [[show accuracy]], the antenna on the left side of Sentinel Prime's robot mode head can be tilted back and forth, just like he did in the episode "[[Predacons Rising]]". That's some mighty fine scannin', Sentinel!

: In a surprising reversal from the norm, the TakaraTomy release uses softer, rubbery plastic on the lance rather than the harder plastic of the Hasbro release.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Autobot/SentinelPrime/sentinelprime.htm More information on Sentinel Prime at TFU.info]''

==Notes==
[[Image:TFASentinel-OriginalHead.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Spooooon!!]]

* Sentinel Prime's blue coloration and ''especially'' pronounced [[chin]] (even by normal ''Animated'' standards!) really make him look like [[wikipedia:Tick (comics)|the Tick]]. He's even voiced by Townsend Coleman, who provided the voice of the Tick in his 1990s animated series. At the Cartoon Network panel at BotCon 2008, it was confirmed that Sentinel's design was created after Coleman was cast for the role. It's pretty evident that the writers ran with it, having him utter silly, Tick-esque lines like "Energon-y goodness!"

* As for personality, [[Marty Isenberg]] said during an interview in the [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 22|Transformers Collector's Club magazine]] that his love of ''[[wikipedia:M*A*S*H*|M*A*S*H*]]'' was the big reason Sentinel Prime is a jerk. He believes that the Transformers universe "needed a [[wikipedia:Frank Burns|Major Frank Burns]]."

* At [[BotCon 2008]]'s [[Cartoon Network]] panel, [[Derrick J. Wyatt]] confirmed that originally the character of Sentinel Prime was going to be named Rodimus Prime, but the idea of casting Rodimus as a big jerk didn't sit well with [[Hasbro|some people]]. But they'd eventually find some use for [[Rodimus Prime (Animated)|Rodimus]] somewhere, to be sure!

* Wyatt also related some previously unknown design trivia at BotCon 2008: At the time "Transform and Roll Out" went into production, the only part of Sentinel Prime that had been fully designed was his head. However, this turned out to be a non-final design; in his subsequent appearances, Sentinel's head is shorter and squatter, with a more bulbous chin and dark grey instead of white. Also, in "Transform and Roll Out", he has a set of extra smoke stacks/antennae on his shoulders, which would vanish during his first full-body appearance.

* Sentinel Prime is the first incarnation of [[Sentinel Prime (disambiguation)|the character]] to possess an Earth-mode. He is also the first to have a toy of him released, as well as the only incarnation of the character to not die at all during his appearances.

* If the Season Four-inspired "Powermaster Optimus Prime" toy would have been completed, designers vaguely planned, if at all possible, for it to also be compatible with the Sentinel Prime toy. Oh, what we have lost.

* Sentinel Prime's animation model and toy served as raw material for informal mockups of how [[Ironhide (Animated)|Ironhide]]'s Earth form would look in Season 4. Ironhide's actual appearance and toy, would they have been completed, would have resulted in an entirely new look and action figure.

*He is the universe's hugest douchebag.

===Foreign names===
:''Japanese:'' '''Sentinel''' (センチネル ''Senchineru'')

==External links==
*[http://www.formspring.me/SentinelPrime Sentinel Prime at FormSpring]

[[Category:Animated Autobots]]
[[Category:Autobot leaders]]
[[Category:Elite Guard]]

Matrix of Leadership

2011-09-03T22:53:36Z

24.189.5.114:

{{disambig3|Matrix}}
{{featured}}
{{suite}}

[[Image:Matrix.jpg|right|375px|thumb|You put the life in the coconut.]]

The '''Autobot Matrix of Leadership''' (also known as the '''Creation Matrix''' or rarely, the '''Autobot Matrix of Power'''<ref>[[The Autobots Have a Special Mission for:]]</ref> or the '''Matrix of Light'''<ref>For the majority of the ''Transformers: The Movie'' sticker book (see right), though it is also referred to as the "Matrix of Leadership" once or twice.</ref>) is an [[sacred implement|artifact of great power]], traditionally carried by the [[Prime (rank)|leader]] of the [[Autobot]]s. Although its appearance differs slightly from [[universal stream]] to universal stream, it generally appears as a glowing crystal sphere encased within a hollow metal shell, with a handle on either side.

By most accounts, the Matrix is a conduit for the power of [[Primus]], the creator-god of the [[Transformer|Transformers]], serving as a means of access to the [[Allspark]], the "afterlife" of the Transformer race, through which it can either bestow new Transformer life, or provide its wielder with a means of communicating with the deceased leaders who have come before them. These divine powers put it at the centre of much Autobot [[religion]], spirituality and prophecy; while many [[Decepticon]]s are less inclined to believe in its divinity, they certainly covet the increased physical power it is known to convey upon its holders, and several have made obtaining the Matrix one of their primary goals. As one of the embodiments of the power of Primus, the Matrix is antithesis to [[Unicron]], and one of the very few things the chaos-bringer fears.

{{quote|But one day... an Autobot shall rise from our ranks... and use the power of the Matrix... to light... our [[darkest hour]].|A [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|dying Optimus Prime]]|''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''}}

==Conceptual history==
[[Image:SecondGeneration prime gives buster matrix.jpg|left|thumb|250px|The Matrix made its fictional debut when [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] transferred it to [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]], an event recounted in this scene from "[[Second Generation!]]".]]
The Matrix and the concepts associated with it have continuously evolved over twenty-five-plus years, with different pieces of ''Transformers'' fiction creating new ideas centred on it, which have in turn influenced its representation in ''other'' fiction, and so on. The current nature of the Matrix as it is understood is beholden to quite a few different sources, and its development is described here to minimize confusion. For the specifics on the different interpretations of the Matrix in various continuities, see the "Fiction" section below.

The concept of the Matrix originates from the brain of [[Marvel Comics]] writer [[Bob Budiansky]] and is a result of the "no girls"/"no gender" policy enforced by [[Hasbro]] regarding their then-new robot brand. Because there were no female robots/the robots had no gender, Budiansky came up with an asexual method of reproduction in the form of the Creation Matrix, a computer program housed within the [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]] that could bring new Transformers to life, which would also prove a helpful plot device when he was required to introduce new characters to the series.<ref>[http://www.bwtf.com/interviews/bb204/ Bob Budiansky Interview at BWTF.com]</ref><ref>[http://www.metalmachine.net/blog/2009/11/21/todds-take-with-bob-budiansky-the-architect-of-the-transformers/ Metal Machine interview with Bob]</ref><ref>[http://rustingcarcass.yuku.com/topic/954 Rusting Carcass interview]</ref>

The appearance of the Matrix in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 animated series]] originated with early script drafts of ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', which introduced the idea of "[[Life Spark]]s", very similar to the [[spark]]s that would later be introduced with ''[[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''. The Matrix was not present in the earliest known incarnation of the movie; instead, upon his death, [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] transferred his own Life Spark to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], with the implication that this was standard practise among Autobot leaders. This idea was eventually discarded, replaced with a physical object known as the "Matrix of Leadership", which evidently derived its name from the Creation Matrix of the comic book. The episode "[[Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust]]" attempted to introduce the concept of the Matrix to the animated universe before the movie, but the dialogue containing the reference was deleted during production. The line, which dated the creation of the Matrix to 4.5 million years ago, would ultimately have conflicted greatly with what would be learned of the Matrix in the future.

[[Image:FFOD4 passing the matrix.jpg|right|thumb|200px|[[Zeta Prime]] inherits the Matrix from [[Guardian Prime]] in the first recounting of the Prime lineage from "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4]].]]

Virtually nothing of the Matrix's nature was actually divulged in the finished film, where it was treated as simply a magic talisman of prophecy that was the antithesis of [[Unicron]]. The idea that had originated with the Life Spark concept—that of dying Autobot leaders merging their lifeforces with others—remained, albeit in a vague way, as Optimus Prime intoned upon his deathbed that he would soon be "one with the Matrix". The mini-series "[[Five Faces of Darkness]]" fully expanded on the meaning of his line, revealing that the Matrix contained the lifeforces of all the deceased [[ancient Autobots|Autobot leaders]] who had previously held it, collectively known as the "Wisdom of the Ages," which could be consulted for aid in moments of need.

[[Image:Sentinel prime lou.jpg|left|thumb|200px|The dying [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] passes the Matrix to Optimus Prime in this flashback scene from "[[The Legacy of Unicron!]]".]]

Having already cannibalized many of the movie's best elements for use in his comic book stories, writer [[Simon Furman]] contradicted Bob Budiansky's US comic book stories by presenting the Matrix as it had appeared in the film, as a physical object, in his own UK storylines, and carried this over to the US comic when he later began writing it. This alteration was also reflected in a ''[[Transformers Universe (Marvel comic)|Universe]]'' profile written for Powermaster Optimus Prime around the time, where Budiansky's "program" concept and the cartoon's "physical object" idea were merged with the explanation that the program was encoded in light patterns in the Matrix's crystal core. As Furman's run progressed, the "lifeforces of previous holders" concept was also adapted into the comics, with the Matrix possessing a genetic memory of those that had held it. Most notably, in both UK and US books, Furman crafted a story to explain the origins of the Matrix, why Unicron was vulnerable to it, and how it could create new life, ultimately revealing it to be the essence of the Transformers' creator-god, [[Primus]].

It was the [[Beast Machines (cartoon)|''Beast Machines'' animated series]] which made the next big addition to the growing mythology of the Matrix when it introduced the [[Allspark]], the extradimensional source of all Transformers sparks living or dead, which was also known as "the Matrix." Although it did not explicitly make any callbacks to the Matrix as seen in the Generation 1 cartoons or comics, the implication was obvious—rather than ''contain'' anything, the physical Matrix object from those continuities was a ''gateway'' to the Allspark. Where the animated "Matrix of Leadership" and the comic book "Creation Matrix" had previously seemed incompatible, this revelation united them conceptually—the lifeforces of the dead from the cartoon and the ability to bring new life from the comics could now both be tied to the features of the Allspark dimension. [[Dreamwave Productions]]' comics proceeded to cement this concept, depicting a Matrix of Leadership that possessed both these traits, and explicitly identifying it not as a holder of Primus's power, but a ''conduit'' for it.

The Matrix took something of a back seat in major fiction in the latter years of the 2000s, effectively replaced in the worlds of the [[live-action film series|live-action movies]] and ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]]'' by the [[AllSpark]]—a mystical object that, while physically distinct from the Matrix, possessed its life-giving powers and record of Transformer history. Before long, however, both these continuities reintroduced the idea of the Matrix: In both universes, the AllSpark was destroyed and its knowledge and power was reincarnated in an object either specifically named, or designed to look like, the Matrix, thereby bringing the whole concept full-circle.

Finally, the recent revelation (implied in the movies, confirmed by [[Fun Publications]]' "[[Crossing Over]]" and reiterated in ''[[Transformers: Exodus]]'') that the energy that is the basis of Transformer life is actually the rarefied form of the Transformers' fuel, [[energon (fuel)|energon]] itself, suggests that the energy of the Matrix is also (a form of) energon. This had actually been portrayed as the case in some formerly-questionable pieces of fiction such as the [[Keepers Trilogy]] novels, which retroactively makes sense now.

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}
[[Image:Prima.jpg|right|thumb|275px|Intel Inside!]]

When Primus created the Transformer race, before entering voluntary systems shutdown, he bestowed upon them a genetic matrix containing his essence and the majority of his power, which could be used to give life to more Transformers so that the race might grow without his direct involvement. {{storylink|Primal Scream (issue)|Primal Scream}} Later named the "Creation Matrix", this divine gift took the form of a program encoded in intricate patterns of light within a crystal,<ref>[http://ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Optimus_Prime_PM Powermaster Optimus Prime's Marvel comic profile]</ref> which was passed from leader to leader down through the millennia. The first holder of the Creation Matrix was the first Transformer, [[Prima]], then subsequently [[Prime Nova]], [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] and in the modern era, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]]. {{storylink|Dark Creation}} The Autobot leaders evidently elected to keep the true nature of the Matrix a secret, since most other Transformers were shown to believe it was a program stored within the mind of Optimus Prime himself, rather than housed within a separate physical object. This mistaken belief gave rise to a legend that claimed that the program was encoded into a new Autobot leader once every ten millennia. {{storylink|The New Order}}

[[Image:WhoseLifeforce prime and longtooth.jpg|left|200px|thumb]]

''At one point during his tenure as Autobot leader, Optimus Prime came across [[Longtooth]] struggling to save the life of a fallen comrade on the battlefield after a particularly ferocious conflict. Mistakenly believing he was witnessing a great show of Autobot spirit (when in actuality, Longtooth was simply terrified of being the last one left alive), Prime extracted a tiny portion of the Creation Matrix's energy and gave it to Longtooth, telling him to use it wisely. Once Prime had left, however, Longtooth gave into his fear and kept the Matrix energy for himself, to serve as a "spare life" that allowed him to be daring and brave on the battlefield without fearing death.'' {{storylink|Whose Lifeforce Is It Anyway?}}

[[Image:DisintegratedCircuits buster uses matrix.jpg|right|thumb|275px]]

When the Transformers' war moved to [[Earth]] in 1984, current Decepticon leader [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] elected to increase his forces by creating new Transformers with the power of the Creation Matrix. Capturing the [[Autobot]]s and decapitating Optimus Prime, Shockwave tapped the energies of the Matrix and brought the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] to life. {{storylink|The Next Best Thing to Being There!}} Prime was able to transfer the Matrix into the mind of the Autobots' human ally, [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]], {{storylink|The Worse of Two Evils!}} thereby preventing Shockwave from animating his newest construct, [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], but the presence of the Matrix within Buster's mind gave the boy incredible powers over machinery. {{storylink|DIS-Integrated Circuits!}} {{storylink|Brainstorm!}} Deducing that Buster possessed the Matrix, Shockwave programmed the unliving Jetfire to capture the boy, but Buster used the Matrix to bring Jetfire under his control and used him to thwart Shockwave's plan and save Optimus Prime. With Prime and the Autobots rescued, Buster transferred the Creation Matrix back to the Autobot leader, {{storylink|Prime Time!}} and Prime subsequently used the Matrix to give Jetfire true life. {{storylink|Rock and Roll-Out!}}

''Residual energy from the Matrix that lingered in Buster's brain soon began to give the youth nightmarish visions, causing him to black out and create strange images of previously-unheard of Transformers.'' {{storylink|Devastation Derby!}} ''Seeking to help Buster, the Autobots hooked him up to equipment that would allow them to monitor his dreams, and discovered that the Matrix was showing them all them a vision of the future, and the creation of the [[Special Teams]].'' {{storylink|Second Generation!}}

[[Image:Matrixflame.jpg|left|thumb|275px|If the Autobots were Jewish, it would have burned another six days.]]

''The Matrix was also known to have an analog on Cybertron, the [[Matrix Flame]], which burned constantly as long as the Matrix still existed, no matter where in the universe it was. It could also be used to channel the energy of the Matrix, which the Autobots on Cybertron did to bring life to their new warrior, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]].<ref>Ultra Magnus profile page in Marvel UK [[Target: 2006#Defeat!|#81]]</ref> Not long after, however, the Matrix Flame flickered out when Optimus Prime was shunted into [[limbo]] by time-travelling Decepticons, leading the Autobots on Cybertron to send Magnus to Earth to investigate. Prime was returned in due time, and the Matrix Flame re-ignited.'' {{storylink|Target: 2006}}

''Following the earlier vision from the Matrix,'' the Autobots created the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]], and Optimus Prime used the Matrix to bring them to life. Little did the Autobots realise, however, that [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] had deduced a way to usurp the Matrix's power, using a [[cerebro-shell]] previously planted in Prime's body by [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] to siphon off some of the life-giving energy, which he employed it to animate his own new creations, the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]]. {{storylink|Heavy Traffic!}}

[[Image:DarkCreation_we_would_know_more.jpg|right|thumb|275px]]

When Optimus Prime died following a video-game duel with Megatron a short time later, {{storylink|Afterdeath!}}, the Autobots loaded his body into a funeral bier and launched it into space in accordance with Cybertronian tradition. {{storylink|Funeral for a Friend!}} Unfortunately, having been unaware of the existence of the physical Creation Matrix crystal within the corpse's chest, this meant that they unwittingly set the sacred lifeforce of their race adrift in the sea of stars. After some time, the craft eventually crashed on the distant moon of [[VsQs]], where it lay undisturbed for a time. Left in solitude, the rudimentary consciousness of the Matrix formed from the genetic memory of its past holders began to desire new sensations. {{storylink|Dark Creation}}

It got its chance when a [[Deathbringer (species)|Deathbringer]], a medical mechanoid created to painlessly end the life of the terminally ill, crashed on VsQs. Critically wounded, the dying robot reached out to touch the Matrix, and in its hunger for new experiences, the talisman used its powers of creation to disassemble and rebuild the Deathbringer, inadvertently warping its programming and transforming it into a powerful being who sought to destroy ''all'' life. A trace of its energy remaining in its body, the Matrix revelled in its first experience of "evil" as the Deathbringer cut a swathe of destruction across the galaxy, ultimately finding its way to Earth. ''Sensing the Matrix's power within the creature, Optimus Prime—since resurrected by the technology of [[Nebulos]]—was hesitant to destroy the only link they had discovered to the lost Matrix, but [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] solved the problem by convincing the Deathbringer that since the Matrix's power was eating away at it, it should destroy itself.'' {{storylink|Deathbringer (issue)|Deathbringer}}

[[Image:Creation Matrix 65.jpg|left|thumb|210px|The Creation Matrix was the Leader-1's-head of the Marvel comic. Can't be drawn the same way twice.]]

Back on VsQs, the Matrix's curiosity found new expression when an insectoid creature crawled into Prime's corpse's chest cavity and became the next recipient of the Matrix's power. Dissecting and studying the beast, the Matrix was fascinated that the creature seemed to be meant to do nothing but destroy, so it re-created the thing into a [[Matrixspawn|larger, more powerful predator]]. {{storylink|Dark Creation}} The monster attacked a team of astronauts that had set up a research station on VsQs, killing nearly all of them, but at least one escaped and crashed in the seas of the nearby planet [[Pequod]]. His body infused with Matrix energy from the beast that had attacked him, the astronaut was swallowed by a [[klud]], which ingested the energy. {{storylink|Deadly Obsession}}

Meanwhile, Optimus Prime became aware of the threat of Unicron, and, realizing that the Matrix would be necessary to defeat the Chaos-Bringer, arranged for search parties to scour the cosmos for any trace of it. ''Longtooth was among the Autobots recruited for the search mission, and was forced for the first time to truly confront the selfishness of what he had done with the Matrix energy Prime had given him millennia before. In hopes of redemption, he loaded the energy fragment into a pod and sent it back to Optimus Prime.'' {{storylink|Whose Lifeforce Is It Anyway?}} [[Image:Thunderwing with matrix.jpg|right|thumb|215px]] ''Prime agonized over how to best use the Matrix energy, knowing that it had the power to revive only one of the deactivated Autobots on the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], and ultimately, elected to disperse it the Earth's atmosphere to rejuvenate damage done to the ecosystem by the Transformers' warring on the planet.'' {{storylink|The Greatest Gift of All!}}

In the meantime, the search parties seeking the Matrix had piqued the curiosity of new Decepticon leader [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]], who possessed an affinity with the Matrix and a desire to possess its power for his own. As the opposing teams dodged each other, they eventually set their sights on Pequod, where the klud had been attracting attention because its species was supposed to have been extinct. Thunderwing used his Matrix affinity to psychically link with the Matrix-infused beast and see the memory of swallowing the dying scientist. Recognizing the "VsQs" stamp on his equipment, Thunderwing set out for that moon. {{storylink|Deadly Obsession}} Once there, both sides battled the creature the Matrix had created, which had grown to enormous size, with Thunderwing ultimately killing the beast and taking the Matrix. {{storylink|Dark Creation}} The Decepticon immediately attacked the spaceborne [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], manifesting the Matrix power in the form of a giant, vaguely humanoid energy field around himself. Soon, however, the Matrix began to speak through Thunderwing, delighting in the firsthand experience of evil, and the Decepticon realized he was being possessed. Thunderwing tried to mentally battle the Matrix, to no avail, but the Autobots exploited his erratic behaviour to impale him with a harpoon and blow him out the Ark's airlock into space. {{storylink|All Fall Down (issue)|All Fall Down}}

[[Image:EdgeofExtinction-sothatallmaylive.jpg|left|thumb|275px|It cures what ails ya.]]

Thunderwing's body came to rest on Earth's [[Moon (moon)|moon]], where the Matrix began to heal his battered frame. Repairs took time, but once completed, the Matrix set out for Cybertron, coincidentally arriving just as Unicron was trying to destroy the planet. The Matrix-creature fought Unicron, but Unicron soon realized that the Matrix had been tainted with evil, and that it was no longer a threat to him, given the infinitely greater magnitude of his own evil nature. Thunderwing was destroyed by Unicron's attack and Optimus Prime was able to recover the Matrix, cleansing it of the taint of evil and restoring its purity. Rocketing into Unicron's gaping maw, Prime released the Matrix's energy within the planet-eater's body, destroying him. {{storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}} The explosion should have killed Prime as well, but his devastated body was saturated with Matrix energy, keeping it alive long enough for the suffering Prime to pass on leadership of the Autobots to [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]. {{storylink|Still Life!}} Prime's consciousness, however, was transferred to his [[Nebulan]] partner, [[Hi-Q]], who was later recreated into a new Optimus Prime by the [[Last Autobot]], complete with a reconstructed Matrix. {{storylink|End of the Road! (US)|End of the Road!}}
{{-}}
=====Marvel UK future timelines=====

[[Image:MatrixCoconut1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|"Will I become a great Autobot leader?" "All signs point to no."]]

''In the alternate future timeline of [[Earth-120185]], a dying Optimus Prime passed the Matrix to Ultra Magnus in 2006. {{storylink|The Planet-Eater!}} It was then used by [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] to destroy Unicron, in the process transforming the young Autobot into Rodimus Prime. {{storylink|The Final Battle!}}

''In the year 2008, Unicron attempted to engineer his resurrection by mentally controlling the [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]] into building him a new body. Drawn into the conflict by [[Death's Head (G1)|Death's Head]], Rodimus Prime used the power of the Matrix to battle Unicron on his own mindscape, while [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] set explosives to destroy the portion of Unicron's body that had been constructed. The explosion tore Unicron's body apart, but did not destroy him; instead, with no physical shell to inhabit, his essence wound up trapped within the Matrix.'' {{storylink|The Legacy of Unicron!}}

[[Image:MarvelUK-187.jpg|left|thumb|215px]]

''Later in 2008, the [[Quintesson]]s invaded and conquered [[Autobot City]] while Rodimus Prime was absent, and set a trap for the Autobot leader by leaving the wounded [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] at the city entrance. Arriving to find the one-time object of his affections in dire straits, Rodimus opened his chest cavity in order to heal Arcee with the energy of the Creation Matrix, only to be blindsided by the Quintessons and have the Matrix plucked from him, transforming him back into Hot Rod. The Matrix wound up the hands of Quintesson [[Ghyrik|General Ghyrik]], who was able to harness its power and boost his strength for a throwdown with Hot Rod. A bout of impromptu ventriloquism from the young Autobot distracted Ghyrik, allowing Hot Rod to rip the Matrix from his body and transform back into Rodimus Prime, handing Ghyrik an ignominious defeat. {{storylink|Space Pirates!}}

''When disruption to the fabric of space and time forced Rodimus and several other Autobots to travel back in time from 2009 to 1989 in order to discover the source of the disturbance, the presence of the Matrix within his body required that Optimus Prime once again be shunted into limbo in order to maintain balance. Rodimus was able to use the power of the Matrix they shared to allow Optimus to communicate with the other Autobots, and when Rodimus was then defeated in battle, Optimus risked the security of the space-time continuum by using the Matrix as a stepping stone to return to reality for a final battle with [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]].'' {{storylink|Time Wars (issue)|Time Wars}}

[[Image:WhiteFire kup yanks matrix.jpg|right|thumb|160px|I honestly can't tell if it's the Matrix, or a weird kind of saucepan...]]

''Returning to Cybertron after their time-travel adventure, Rodimus and the Autobots found that the disruption of space and time had altered their future, and that Galvatron was waiting for them. Galvatron attempted to force Rodimus Prime into a savage battle, hoping to force him to unleash his basest, most violent impulses, and by extension, lead them to corrupt the Matrix. Fortunately, Rodimus realized his plan and stopped.'' {{storylink|Aspects of Evil!}} ''However, it soon became apparent that the Matrix required no external corruption; Unicron's essence, still trapped within the talisman following the events of 2008, slowly began to take hold of Rodimus Prime's mind, forcing him to sabotage the guidance systems of the Autobots' craft when they were on a hyperspace trip to Earth in 2010.'' {{storylink|The Void! (UK)|The Void!}} {{storylink|Edge of Impact}} ''Rodimus battled within Unicron inside the Matrix in an attempt to win back control of his mind and body, but it took [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] deducing what was going on and wrenching the Matrix from Rodimus's chest to free him from the chaos-bringer's influence. But now, Rodimus knew that the evil of Unicron would be waiting for him within it...'' {{storylink|Shadow of Evil}} {{storylink|White Fire}}

''Alas, later in 2010, Unicron's essence succeeded in taking over Rodimus's body, transforming it into a duplicate of his own and attacking Cybertron once more, until Rodimus was able to defeat him from within and re-seal him within the Matrix.'' {{storylink|Aspects of Evil!}}

''When last seen, in the far future of 2356, Unicron's essence remained sealed within the Matrix, causing Rodimus's body to steadily wither and weaken.'' {{storylink|Aspects of Evil!}}

{{-}}

====Generation 2====
[[Image:G210 starscream warworld.jpg|left|thumb|180px]]
Requiring the Matrix to bring the new warriors created by [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] to life, Megatron defeated Optimus Prime in battle and tore the Matrix from his body with an energy siphon. {{storylink|The Gathering Darkness}} The Matrix's energy was then used to give life to the [[Laser Rod|Laser Rods]] and [[Rotor Force]]. {{storylink|New Dawn}}

Subsequently, Prime and Megatron were forced into an uneasy alliance against the massed forces of the [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronian Empire]], and [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] exploited the chaos of the huge battle to take the power of the Matrix for himself. Using it, he merged his mind and body with the Decepticons' [[Warworld]], becoming a colossal living weapon able to reshape himself at will. {{storylink|Total War!|Tales of Earth, Part Seven}} However, unlike with Thunderwing, Starscream found his own evil being subverted by the Matrix's goodness, {{storylink|Dark Shadows!|Tales of Earth, Part Eight}} and he returned the Matrix to Prime, for fear of being changed beyond recognition.

Soon after, when Prime was consumed by the [[Swarm (G2)|Swarm]], he channelled the Matrix's energy into the dark force, enlightening and completing it with the purity of Primus's vision. Suddenly transformed from a destructive force into a force for life, the Swarm re-created Prime and departed into space. {{storylink|A Rage in Heaven!}}
{{-}}

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
[[Image:OracleMatrix.jpg|right|225px|thumb]]

The origins of the Matrix of Leadership are almost entirely unknown. The only hint of its beginnings was given in an account from near the dawn of time, soon after the ancient genius [[Primacron]] and [[Oracle (G1)|his assistant]] created the colossal robot, Unicron. Unicron turned on his creators and destroyed the assistant's body, but seen to rise from his remains and disappear into space was an object that appeared identical to the Matrix. If this was truly the Matrix, it is wholly unknown how it came to be held by the Autobots and how it was elevated to the position of power it became known for. {{storylink|Call of the Primitives}}

However it came to be in Autobot hands, the Matrix came to be at the centre of the robots' belief system and was safeguarded by each successive generation of Autobot leaders. Upon the passing of its holder, the Matrix became a receptacle for the deceased Autobot's lifeforce, which cumulatively became known as the "Wisdom of the Ages", a storehouse of knowledge and experience stretching back to the dawn of Cybertronian history (and potentially beyond) that could be consulted by the Matrix's living wielders in times of need. The spirits of many Autobots have been seen within the Matrix, but the names of only a select few are known: The oldest entity within the Matrix is known only as "[[It]]" {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2}}; [[Image:Matrix 5faces4 7.jpg|left|225px|thumb|My preciousssss!]] following this entity, the next oldest known was [[Primon]], who possessed the Matrix in the early days of the Cybertronian race around twelve million years ago; [[Prima]] bore it at the height of their oppression by the [[Quintesson]]s about a million years later; [[Prime Nova]] was its wielder during the eventual rebellion against the five-faced aliens; [[Guardian Prime]] and his successor [[Zeta Prime]] carried it during the first war between the Autobots and Decepticons, before it was passed to Sentinel Prime, under whose leadership the war came to an end.

Around nine million years ago, the Autobot/Decepticon war was reignited by the creation of [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]], who killed Sentinel Prime as one of his first actions. In his death throes, Sentinel entrusted the Matrix to the ancient Autobot [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], who kept it hidden until a damaged young robot was brought to his workshop, another victim of Megatron's wrath. Trion recreated him as [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], new leader of the Autobots, and gave him the Matrix. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}}

[[Image:Optimusg1passingthematrix.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

Fatally wounded by Megatron in the year 2005, Optimus Prime passed the Matrix and leadership of the Autobots to his chosen successor, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]. Before passing away, Prime spoke of a prophecy—that one day, a "Chosen One" would rise from the ranks of the Autobots, and use the power of the Matrix to light the Transformers' darkest hour. When Prime's strength faltered at the last moment and he dropped the Matrix, the young Autobot Hot Rod stooped to catch it before it hit the floor. The Matrix glowed brightly in response to his touch, signifying what none of the Autobots present would realize until later: that Hot Rod was the Chosen One.

[[Image:Tftm1986e.jpg|left|thumb|250px]]

When word of Unicron's approach on Cybertron reached the Autobots on Earth, Ultra Magnus believed (and Hot Rod agreed, based on nothing more than a feeling) that the Matrix might be able to stop the world-eater. Knowing that this was indeed the case, Unicron recreated Megatron as Galvatron and dispatched him to steal the Matrix, leading to a confrontation on the [[Junkion (planet)|Planet of Junk]] in which Ultra Magnus tried in vain to open the Matrix and use it to fend off the attacking Decepticons. Galvatron bested him and took the Matrix, believing he could use it to subjugate Unicron himself, but he had no more luck opening it than Magnus did. Unicron swallowed Galvatron whole as punishment, and it was within Unicron's body that the Decepticon leader engaged Hot Rod in the battle that saw the young Autobot claim his destiny. Seizing the Matrix from around Galvatron's neck, Hot Rod was transformed by its power into Rodimus Prime, then proceeded to fulfil the prophecy by opening the talisman and releasing its power, which tore Unicron apart from within. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}

Later, when injured in battle, Rodimus's consciousness briefly entered the Matrix itself and witnessed a vision that led him to believe that the answer to the mystery of the alien Quintessons currently plaguing the Autobots was held within it. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2}} To find his answer, Rodimus deliberately short-circuited himself and entered the Matrix a second time. Guided by the ancient Autobots within, Rodimus was shown the history of Cybertron and discovered the Quintessons' role in the creation of the Transformers. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}}

[[Image:Darkawakening_matrix_pain.jpg|right|225px|thumb|The zombified Optimus Prime reacts in pain to the light of the Matrix.]]

The burden of leadership weighed heavily upon Rodimus, and he was all too eager to return the Matrix to Optimus Prime when it seemed that the Autobot leader had returned from the dead in 2006. It transpired, however, that Optimus had only been reanimated as a robotic zombie by the Quintessons, with the intent of luring the assembled Autobot forces into a trap. Fortunately, with the Matrix now back within him, its energies overrode the evil intentions the aliens had programmed him with, and he returned it to Rodimus before apparently sacrificing himself again to trigger the Quintessons' trap alone. {{storylink|Dark Awakening}}

[[Image:BurdenHardest Hot Rod retrieves matrix.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

Still struggling with leadership, Rodimus tried to forget his woes with a bout of drag-racing in the hills of [[Japan]], only to be ambushed by [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] and [[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]]. The two Stunticons stole the Matrix and brought it back to Galvatron, but when the Decepticon leader attempted to use its energy to power his cannon, he was instead tormented by the spirits of the Autobots within it. The terrified Galvatron instructed [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] to dispose of the Matrix, but Scourge grasped the true nature of its power where his leader could not, and instead placed it within his own chest. The Matrix's energies warped his body into a powerful, misshapen hulk, increasing his power to the point that he was able to oust Galvatron and take control of the Decepticons himself. Scourge proceeded to lead the Decepticons in an attack on Earth, only to be bested by Hot Rod, who had since learned the importance of "the burden hardest to bear", and reclaimed the Matrix once more. {{storylink|The Burden Hardest to Bear}}

[[Image:ReturnOptimusPrime2 Matrix open.JPG|right|thumb|225px]]

When Optimus Prime was at last truly resurrected, he was forced to battle the [[Hate Plague]]-infected Rodimus in order to reclaim the Matrix from him, in hopes of consulting the Wisdom of the Ages to find a cure for the disease. Communicating with the mysterious It, he learned that the only way combat the madness of the plague was with wisdom, and opened the Matrix, expelling all of the wisdom within it to extinguish the disease (in the process claiming that this was also the Autobots' "darkest hour"). Although the Matrix was emptied, leaving only a shell, Optimus claimed they would have to start filling it with wisdom again, from that moment on. {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2}}

In 2007, Optimus Prime used the shell of the Matrix as a substitute key to access [[Vector Sigma]], where he consulted Alpha Trion on the mystery of the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]]. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}}
{{-}}

====Madman ''The Transformers'' comic====
[[Image:Madman comic PrimeHotrod.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Optimus's proposal to Hot Rod.]]
The significance of the Matrix to the Autobots was such that when Optimus Prime prepared to lead the Autobots in an evacuation of Cybertron in the year 2001, he hid the Matrix in a bunker at the construction site of the future Autobot City. Unfortunately, [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] had monitored the Autobot leader's meeting with Ultra Magnus, and moved to steal the Matrix for the Decepticons. Fate intervened in the form of Hot Rod, who defeated the Decepticons and took back the ancient Autobot relic, and at the same time received a vision of his future as the Autobot who would light Cybertron's darkest hour. {{storylink|The Transformers (Madman)|The Transformers}}
====Rodimus vs. Cyclonus====
After their adventure on [[Quintessa]], while Hot Rod, Kup and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]]s were searching space for Ultra Magnus's team, they were attacked by [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]]. A flash of ancient knowledge he had received from the Matrix upon catching it when Optimus Prime had passed it to Magnus inspired Hot Rod to invoke the [[Challenge of Aria-Bellum]]. {{storylink|Rodimus vs. Cyclonus}}
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====Japanese cartoon continuity====
{{note|The events of the Generation 1 cartoon occur in Japanese animated continuity as described above, except that the events of 2006 are moved forward to 2010, and "The Rebirth" does not occur. A 2007 [[retcon]] built upon the original cartoon's confusing hints to create a full origin for the Matrix in this continuity.}}

When Primacron and his assistant (also known as the "Oracle") were attacked by the rebelling Unicron, the assistant's body was destroyed, but his lifeforce persisted. Sealed within a protective shell, the Oracle's lifeforce fled to a dead world at the centre of the galaxy, which the Oracle used his powers to transform into a lush, green world. In time, however, the alien Quintessons came to the Oracle's world and were able to bring him under their power, transforming him into the mega-computer, Vector Sigma. Using the [[Key to Vector Sigma]], the Quintessons cyber-formed the Oracle's world into [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], and the Oracle's life-giving powers were harnessed to produce a race of robotic slaves. The shell which had contained the Oracle's essence became the Matrix, but precisely how it came to be held by the Quintessons' consumer goods robots (later known as the Autobots), or even why the Quintessons would ''allow'' their creations to possess such a powerful item, is unknown. {{storylink|Generation 1 cartoon timeline (Japan)|2007 TakaraTomy Transformers timeline}}

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

[[Image:StargateBattles_matrix_powered_megatron.jpg|right|200px|thumb]]

In the mid-1990s, Optimus Prime put the power of the Matrix to an unconventional use when a battle in space forced him to team up with Megatron in order to stop the rampage of Starscream, who had fused himself with the space station known as the [[Warp Gate|Trigger]]. With Megatron in gun mode clutched in his arms, Prime summoned up the Matrix's energy and channelled it through his body, into the Decepticon leader, who unleashed it all in one colossal shot of cosmic proportions. The blast obliterated Starscream's new Trigger-body, but the backwash of the explosion was so great that it sent Prime, Megatron and all the Transformers observing the battle on a fiery plummet into Earth's atmosphere. {{storylink|The Stargate Battles (issue)|The Stargate Battles}}

=====''Story of Binaltech''=====
In a parallel timeline that diverged off from this one thanks to the flow of history being altered by the time-tossed [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], Optimus Prime did not die in 2005, and was prepared to confront Unicron himself. However, after sustaining serious injuries in the opening salvo of the battle with the chaos-bringer, Prime passed the Matrix to Ultra Magnus. Despite knowing he was not the Chosen One, Magnus bravely petitioned the Matrix to allow him to wield its power anyway, as otherwise, the Autobots' destruction was assured. The Matrix granted Magnus his wish, and its energy was used to destroy Unicron. {{storylink|Binal Time}}
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=====''Kiss Players''=====
After inheriting the Matrix in 2005, Rodimus Prime was horrified to discover that when he threw Galvatron out of Unicron, the Decepticon leader had wound up crash-landing on Earth, destroying [[Tokyo]]. Seeking to atone for his sins, Rodimus returned the Matrix to Ultra Magnus and became Hot Rod again, leaving both the talisman and the role of leadership in Magnus's hands for five years until he returned to his post in 2010. {{storylink|Kiss Players (radio drama)|A Big Catch Tonight?!}}

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

After emptying the Matrix to cure the Hate Plague, Optimus Prime sought to restore the lifeforce that had been lost by filling it with energy drawn from the lifeforce of [[Earth]] itself. To this end, the Matrix was secreted away in the lower levels of one of many Autobot energy-gathering facilities on Earth, where Prime hoped it would steadily recharge. Whether or not this odd-sounding plan would have ''worked'' is an area of some debate, but ultimately, a different set of circumstances soon came into play...

[[Image:DoublePrime matrix recharged.jpg|left|260px|thumb|Alpha Trion's spirit re-enters the Matrix, recharging it.]]

In the year 2011, a catastrophic side-effect of the Matrix's energy being released became apparent—without the Matrix to act as a controlling force, Vector Sigma began to destabilize, putting all of Cybertron in great danger. The Decepticons took this opportunity to invade the planet, hoping to take control of the unstable computer and by extension, the planet itself. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} During the battle that followed, Optimus Prime headed for Vector Sigma's chamber to try and bring the computer back under control, but without the Matrix—which remained hidden on Earth, its location known only to Prime himself—the only recourse would be to give up his own life. To stop Prime from making this sacrifice, Hot Rod led the Autobot [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] in a methodical search across Earth, checking every Autobot energy facility. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} After successfully locating the Matrix in the last possible hiding place and evading his pursuers, Hot Rod returned to Cybertron, arriving in Vector Sigma's chamber just as Optimus Prime was facing off against the Decepticons. The ghost of Alpha Trion, who had survived the emptying of the Matrix and who had led Prime safely to the computer chamber, merged with the Matrix, restoring its lost lifeforce and giving it the power to once again transform Hot Rod into Rodimus Prime. The two Primes dispatched the Decepticons, but before Rodimus could use the Matrix to stabilize Vector Sigma, Optimus Prime sacrificed himself by merging with the computer to bring it back under control. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}}

Some time later, when Cybertron was subsequently devastated thanks to the machinations of Decepticon Headmaster leader [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], Rodimus Prime voyaged into space to search for a new homeworld for the Transformers, taking the Matrix with him. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2}}
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=====''The Headmasters'' comic=====

On his many travels through space, the Matrix gave Rodimus Prime courage to face every challenge that presented itself. In addition to the teachings of the ancient Autobots, the energy of Earth's lifeforce that now dwelled within the Matrix as well truly opened Rodimus's eyes to the beauty of Earth and humanity. Believing that Transformers should aspire to be more like human beings, he returned to Earth and announced his desire for humans and Transformers to live and work together to move forward and evolve. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 8|The Headmasters #8}}

=====''G-2'' story pages and mini-comics=====

[[Image:G2StoryPageReconfigurationMatrix1.jpg|right|250px|thumb]]

Presumably, Rodimus Prime must have returned the Matrix to Optimus Prime when he was restored to life as Star Convoy, since Prime had the talisman back in his chest when he adopted his "Hero" body at the beginning of the renewed war against Megatron some number of years after 2025. {{storylink|G-2 (story page)|G-2 Part 1}} A research team led by [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] and [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] later discovered new properties of the Matrix, which prompted Megatron to duel Optimus Prime in the [[Mirtonian constellation]] in order to steal the Matrix for himself. {{storylink|G-2 (story page)|G-2 Part 4}} Megatron fatally wounded Prime, but the ancient Autobots within the Matrix were able to restore him thanks to the newly-discovered power Jetfire's team had learned of: the [[Reconfiguration Matrix]], which repaired and restored Prime in a new Laser Rod body. {{storylink|G-2 (story page)|G-2 Part 5}}

=====e-Hobby storyline=====
Having briefly held the Matrix, Ultra Magnus's spark was among the chosen few which retained autonomy within the Allspark. Sensing the threat [[Galvatron II]] posed to the universe with his fleet of [[Warworld]]s, Magnus used the powers of the Reconfiguration Matrix to resurrect himself in a new body based on Prime's Laser Rod form so that he could battle the Decepticon leader. It didn't go very well. {{storylink|Hybrid Style Convoy Black Version}}
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===Start Your Own Decoy Collection===
[[Image:Decoy_comic_matrix.jpg|left|thumb]]
Through unknown means, the Decepticons were able to steal the Creation Matrix and holed it up in their headquarters. In order to stage a recovery, the Autobots created an army of [[Decoy]]s to distract the Decepticon forces, while Ultra Magnus, Hot Rod, Kup and [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] secretly penetrated the base. Fighting their way through a slew of [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]], the team discovered the Matrix in a transparent case. Blurr blasted it open at Hot Rod's direction, and the Autobots successfully escaped with the talisman back in their possession. {{storylink|Start Your Own Decoy Collection|The Decepticon Deception}}
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===Beast Era===
====''Beast Wars'' cartoon====
[[Image:OptimalSituation_spark_holder.jpg|right|thumb|The similarity between Prime's "spark holder" and the Matrix was a source of some confusion.]]
Several enigmatic references were made to the Matrix by the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Warriors]] at various points, though it is never precisely clear if they are referring to the Matrix of Leadership, the Allspark dimension, [[Matrix (facility)|the protoform production facility on Cybertron]] that also goes by that name, or some theoretical conglomeration of any of the above that they only speak of out of misconception.

When the body of Optimus Prime was fatally wounded by [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]], Optimus Primal opened Prime's chest compartment in order to take the Autobot leader's spark into his own body for safety. Prime's spark was shown to be contained within a holder shaped just like the Matrix of Leadership, and Rhinox remarked that Prime's spark had "the Matrix with it". {{storylink|Optimal Situation}}
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====3H comics====
While experiencing a swirl of visions from throughout history, the [[Covenant]] witnessed the Matrix being torn by the [[Liege Maximo]] from the body of the enigmatic [[Primon]], its first holder. {{storylink|Herald, Covenant, Schism, Paradox|Covenant}}

[[Image:Sparkholderprimevaldawn.jpg|left|300px|thumb|The Matrix, beneath Prime's "spark holder".]]

The confusion surrounding the Matrix-like "spark holder" in Prime's chest and its relation to the actual Matrix of Leadership was clarified when it was revealed that the Matrix was actually concealed in a compartment beneath Prime's own spark, a deception specifically designed to protect the Matrix and keep it from those who would misuse its power.

[[Image:Primevaldawn2 tarantulas matrix.jpg|right|215px|thumb]]

Following the end of the Beast Wars, the deceased [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] was resurrected, having harnessed the powers of the alien [[Vok]] with the intention of stealing the Matrix and delivering it to his master, Unicron. Seeking to keep the Matrix out of Tarantulas's hands, the Vok took the talisman from the sleeping Optimus Prime and used its power to transform the discarded control suit the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] had previously used to manipulate Optimus Primal into [[Primal Prime]]. Primal Prime was made guardian of the Matrix, and filled with all the wisdom of the past leaders within it. {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 1}} Unfortunately, the Vok had miscalcuated: While it was within Optimus Prime, the Matrix had been safe, but once they had broken the forces that had bound it to Prime in order to transfer it to their creation, it had become vulnerable. This was proven in drastic fashion when, in the following battle, Tarantulas was able to overpower Primal Prime and rip the Matrix from his body. {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 2}} The shock threw Primal Prime into a comatose state, while Tarantulas took the Matrix back to his lab to await the completion of the [[Transwarp]] portal that would take him and his prize to Unicron. {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 3}}

{{note|"Primeval Dawn" was never finished as a result of [[3H Productions]] losing the Transformers license. Obviously enough, its finale would have seen our heroes recover the Matrix from Tarantulas and replace it in Optimus Prime's chest.}}
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===Dreamwave comics continuity===
[[Image:Ancients.jpg|left|thumb|225px|The Matrix-shaped platform above the Oracle Tank.]]
Most modern Cybertronians eschew the mythology of the Matrix as set out by the [[Council of Ancients]], which claims that it is a conduit for the energies of Primus, choosing instead to believe in [[atechnogenesis]]. Despite this, Transformer society still holds the Matrix itself in great reverence, as, product of a deity or not, it is indisputably the most effective source of new Transformer life. Many conflicting stories and rumors swirl about the Matrix's true nature, born of claims that the Council actively prevented Alpha Trion from telling the general public more about it, but what ''is'' known about the talisman is that it is a virtually limitless source of energy. Only those with an affinity for the Matrix can wield its power; these Transformers are typically those chosen to be the next Prime, who often receive physical augmentation when the Matrix is taken into their bodies. {{storylink|More Than Meets The Eye (G1)|More Than Meets The Eye #8}} The Ancients claim that the Matrix contains the wisdom of all sparks that return to it after death, though they do keep a more tangible version of that sort of thing in the form of a [[Golden Disk (council)|golden disk]] that holds the knowledge of past Primes. {{storylink|The War Within issue 6|The War Within #6}}
[[Image:TWW1 prime gets matrix.jpg|right|225px|thumb]]

The earliest known bearer of the Matrix was [[Primon|Alpha Prime]], who was succeeded by Guardian Prime, and then Sentinel Prime. {{storylink|More Than Meets The Eye (G1)|More Than Meets The Eye #8}} Around 8.2 million years ago, seeking to use the Matrix to power the planetary turbine engines he had discovered beneath Cybertron's surface, Megatron attacked and killed Sentinel Prime, only to discover upon tearing his victim open that the Matrix was gone, having already been given by Sentinel Prime to the Council of Ancients for unknown reasons (perhaps having foreseen his own death). The Council subsequently chose a data archivist named Optronix to be the new bearer of the Matrix, and brought him to the [[Oracle Tank]], in which both he and the Matrix were immersed. Optronix was enlarged and strengthened by the Matrix, and transformed into Optimus Prime. {{storylink|The War Within issue 1|The War Within #1}}

Soon after, Megatron attacked Prime in the catacombs beneath Cybertron and cracked open his form, exposing the Matrix. A blinding flash burst from the Matrix, showing Prime and Megatron visions of future conflicts on Earth and [[Nebulos]], but it was implied that Optimus somehow used the Matrix to force Megatron to forget these visions. How much knowledge he himself retained is unknown. {{storylink|The War Within issue 5|The War Within #5}}
[[Image:PrimeDirective2 spike replaces matrix.jpg|left|300px|thumb]]

Millions of years later, after their war on Earth, the Transformers were set to return to Cybertron aboard the [[Ark II]] in 1999, at which point Optimus Prime gave [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] a piece of the Matrix as a promise that he would be back. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 2|Prime Directive #2}} The Ark II proved to have been sabotaged, however, and exploded in mid-flight, leaving the world to believe that the Transformers were dead until 2002, when the terrorist [[Lazarus]] recovered several of their bodies and reprogrammed them for use as weapons that he would sell on the black market. The American military recovered the body of Optimus Prime and [[Robert Hallo|General Hallo]] drafted Spike to help in bringing him back to life, {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 1|Prime Directive #1}} which Spike accomplished by returning the portion of the Matrix Prime had given him. Thus restored, Prime revived the other surviving Autobots by casting the light of the Matrix across the Arctic landscape where their bodies lay, melting away the ice that held them and bringing them back online. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 2|Prime Directive #2}}
[[Image:G1 Vol.2 Issue6 2.jpg|right|thumb]]
When the Autobots and Decepticons were finally able to return to Cybertron, a chain of events ultimately led Optimus Prime into a confrontation with Shockwave in Vector Sigma's chamber. Knocking Prime out and blasting his chest open, Shockwave harnessed the energy of the Matrix and used it to access Vector Sigma's databanks in an attempt to learn all of the dark secrets at the heart of Cybertron. {{storylink|Countdown to Extinction (issue)|Countdown to Extinction}} Before Shockwave could complete his dark experiments, enemy forces converged on his lab, so the Decepticon logician tore the Matrix from Prime's body, intending to flee, only to be stopped and defeated by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]. Grimlock recovered the Matrix and returned it to Prime, {{storylink|Revelation (War and Peace)|Revelation}} but the trauma of its forceful removal necessitated that Prime spend an extended session in a CR chamber to recover. {{storylink|Black Sunshine}}

====Keepers Trilogy novels====
Captured by the enigmatic aliens known as the [[Keeper (species)|Keepers]] and imprisoned inside their giant techno-organic bodies, Optimus Prime found himself forced into a suicide ploy, using a torrent of energon from the Matrix to destroy the creatures from within, willing to take himself with it. The gateway back to Earth was opened by Spike at the last moment, allowing Prime to hold off on his sacrifice, but unfortunately, the Keepers came through the portal as well. {{storylink|Hardwired}} During the battle that ensued against the Keepers in [[Las Vegas]], a pool of pure energon was uncovered beneath the city, which Prime combined with the energon of the Matrix to temporarily imbue himself with incredible power. Simultaneously, the American government launched a nuclear missile at Las Vegas in order to destroy both the Transformers and the Keepers, but the super-charged Prime was able to capture the missile's explosion in a net of Matrix energy, hurling it at the Keepers and blasting them through their portal. {{storylink|Annihilation}}

Following the Keepers' apparent defeat, Megatron called Prime in on a favour he had extracted from him in order to ensure his co-operation when they had been captives of the Keepers: Prime was to hand over the Matrix itself. Prime complied, partially out of honor, and partially due to the fact that he knew Megatron, as a Decepticon, would be unable to use the Matrix's power. Unfortunately, Prime had not reckoned with Megatron's giant soldier, [[Omega Sentinel (G1)|Omega Sentinel]], who was actually a reprogrammed Autobot whose non-Decepticon circuitry could interface with the Matrix to some extent. Omega Sentinel used his new Matrix-powered strength to destroy the White House, but the talisman's effect on his systems was immediately apparent by the fact that no life was lost in the attack. When the Sentinel refused to kill the Keeper-controlled [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] and Starscream on Megatron's orders, the Decepticon leader realized that the Matrix was influencing the giant and had him remove it from his body. The Matrix was recovered by the Keepers' agent [[Franklin Townsend]] and brought to the pocket-dimension into which the aliens had been transported, but Optimus Prime pursued Townsend and recovered the Matrix, once again intending to use it to destroy his alien enemies by collapsing the pocket dimension, at the cost of his own life. And once again the portal opened, leaving Prime content to force the Keepers back with the Matrix's light while he himself returned to Earth. However, Prime was unable to shut the portal off, required as he was to devote his attention to using the Matrix to keep the creatures from passing through the gateway. Salvation came in the form of the Omega Sentinel, the Matrix's effect on his systems persisting even after its removal: the giant threw himself and [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] into the portal just as Prime shut off the Matrix, collapsing the gate and sealing the Keepers away forever. {{storylink|Fusion (novel)|Fusion}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
[[Image:ArtofWar1_matrix.jpg|left|thumb]]
Optimus Prime was formerly a simple data archivist until the Matrix chose him to be the new leader of the Autobots. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 2|The Art of War #2}}

Renegade military artificial intelligence [[Serpentor|Serpent O.R.]] learned about the Matrix whilst downloading information on the history of Cybertron from Soundwave, and ''really'' liked the bit about "bestowing great power". {{storylink|The Art of War issue 1|The Art of War #1}} He subsequently captured Optimus Prime and tried to convince him to give up the Matrix peacefully. From Serpent O.R.'s point of view, he was a great and respected leader too, so surely the Matrix would deem him a worthy bearer. In addition, he was sure the ancient relic would provide him with a spark so he could finally understand what life and death really meant. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 4|The Art of War #4}}
[[Image:ArtofWar5 hawk serpentor matrix.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]
Unfortunately, Prime disagreed, so Serpent O.R. ended up having to take the Matrix by force. As he had planned, the Matrix did deem him worthy and did give him a soul, all while transforming him into a new form to boot. However, with his newfound wisdom, "Serpentor Prime" quickly saw the error of his ways, and would've committed suicide if it weren't for [[Cobra Commander]] hijacking his body. In order to stop the commander, [[Hawk (G.I. Joe)|Hawk]] tried to take the Matrix away from him, and was deemed worthy of it as well. This caused a power feedback that destroyed Serpent O.R., fried Cobra Commander's mind, and imbued Hawk with all the knowledge of the Matrix. While artifact was unharmed and was returned to Optimus Prime when everything was over, the knowledge that now filled Hawk's mind gave him visions of future conflicts to come. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 5|The Art of War #5}}

In addition to vision, the Matrix also gave Hawk the ability to control machinery with his mind, converse with Transformers telepathically, and force enough information into Transformers to incapacitate them with a single touch. Unfortunately, it also gave him recurring nightmares about an [[Unicron|angry god]]. {{storylink|Black Horizon, Part 1 of 2}}
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===''Transformers/G.I. Joe''===
[[Image:DWTFJoe3 cobra commander matrix.jpg|left|thumb|125px]]
As the Autobots and Decepticons on Earth lay deactivated among the [[Fera Islands]], the Matrix was discovered by local [[human]]s, and became the sacred relic of a group of monks, who built it into the chest of a statue. Unfortunately, a rumour spread that the glowing blue orb possessed by the monks was an "ultimate weapon", and in 1938, [[Cobra]] massacred the monks and stole the Matrix. When [[Major Bludd]] touched the relic, the Decepticons who laid dormant on the island were reactivated. {{storylink|The Line}}

The Matrix subsequently came into the possession of [[Cobra Commander]], who learned that he could use it to hurt and weaken [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]. Using this method, he blackmailed the Decepticons into serving him. {{storylink|Trial by Fire (issue)|Trial by Fire}} In the end, Cobra Commander was killed, and [[Snake-Eyes]] grabbed the Matrix. By this time, the Autobots and [[G.I. Joe (team)|Joes]] were under attack by the unstoppable [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]], so [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] urged Snake-Eyes to smash the Matrix, in hopes that the destruction of the life-giving artifact would take away Bruticus's lifeforce. Snake-Eyes complied and let Bruticus crush the Matrix with his wildly swinging fists, causing a flash of blue light that killed all Transformers present. {{storylink|The Iron Fist}}
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===IDW comics continuity===
{{ongoing}}
The Matrix is carried by each successive generation of Primes, stretching back to the days of the legendary [[Knights of Cybertron]], who claimed it could create life, and so called it the "Creation Matrix". {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} For reasons unknown, the cruel supremacist [[Nova Prime]] did not take the Matrix with him on the fateful space voyage that ultimately led him to the [[Dead Universe]]. There, Nova was found by the [[Darkness (G1)|Darkness]], a mysterious dark energy that ruled the Dead Universe that served as a kind of "anti-Matrix", {{storylink|Spotlight: Galvatron}} an evil counterpart of the Matrix from this dark dimension that was driven to seek out Matrix-bearers. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}}

{{note|Author Simon Furman has strongly implied that in his original plans for this story, Nova ''did'' take the Matrix into the Dark Universe (Optimus Prime is never shown to carry it in Furman's stories) and that it "became" something while there—presumably, the Darkness itself, which would not have been a separate entity.<ref>[http://simonfurman.wordpress.com/2007/12/12/another-quick-qa/ December 2007 Q&A on Simon Furman's blog]</ref> These plans were cut short and wrapped up when Furman left the series, and subsequent writers established that Optimus had indeed been carrying the Matrix all along.}}
[[Image:AHM7 megs rips out matrix.jpg|right|thumb|200px]]
The Matrix came to be held by [[Nominus Prime]], and although some Autobots like [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Orion Pax]] remained sceptical of its touted divinity, most embraced the religion surrounding it—Orion's co-worker [[Springarm]] even had an image of the Matrix "tattooed" on his helmet, and claimed that in moments of stress, he tried to calm himself by channelling the talisman's wisdom.

When rebel factions within the [[Senate]] arranged for an attack upon Nominus Primein order to orchestrate the security lockdown of the planet that became known as the "[[Clampdown]]", they also moved Nominus into hiding so that they would have unfettered access to the Matrix, hoping to unlock the life-giving secrets the Knights spoke of. Learning of the corruption within the Senate, Orion Pax was imprisoned for speaking out, but an anonymous Senator, aware of the misdeeds of his fellows, arranged for his release. Moved by Orion's speech and realizing that greatness lay in his future, secretly had a chamber built within Orion's chest to contain the Matrix. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} It was not long after the initiation of the Clampdown that tensions exploded in the outbreak of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]; {{storylink|Megatron Origin}} when reflecting back on this time, Kup would claim that the Matrix was responsible for the outbreak of the conflict. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}} The Matrix passed from Nominus to Sentinel Prime, then to Zeta Prime. The precise circumstances under which Orion Pax received the Matrix and became Optimus Prime are unknown, but years later, [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] would comment that to say Optimus was "given" the Matrix wouldn't be quite the right way to describe it. Prime admitted to experiencing great pain upon taking the Matrix into his body. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}}

After the Transformers' conflict moved to Earth in the present day, Megatron determined to separate Optimus Prime from the Matrix. He was unaware of what the Matrix was actually capable of, but viewed any unknown element as a potential threat, and rationed that even if he could not use it himself, it would still be safer in his hands than in those of his enemies. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 2: Altered Carbon}} To this end, Megatron staged a trap for the Autobots with the aid of the traitorous [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]], catching them off-guard with his newly-created gestalt Devastator. Defeated, the Autobots were dumped via space bridge in the ruins of Cybertron, but not before Megatron tore the Matrix from Prime's chest himself. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}}
[[Image:IDW13 hotrod starscream matrix.jpg|left|thumb|200px]]
When Megatron was defeated a year later and his forces were routed off of Earth, Starscream took up the role of leader and "inherited" the captive Matrix. Frustrated by his failure to find any "ultimate power" within it after several cycles of study, he decided to throw it away, only to be caught by [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] just before blowing it out an airlock. Scrabbling for an explanation as to why he had the Matrix and reminded by the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticon]] of its massive symbolic importance to the Autobots, Starscream claimed he had been "chosen" by the talisman and now wielded its power. He went on to make this declaration before all the Decepticons, boosting morale and rallying them beneath him, but immediately regretted the decision. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 13|Uneasy Lies the Head}} And rightfully so: with the Matrix hung around his neck on a chain, its subtle influence on his mind over the next three years made the Decepticon air commander subdued and withdrawn, lost in contemplation of its mysteries, lashing out violently at any Decepticons who tried to touch it. This left him open to a brash attack by Hot Rod, who infiltrated the Decepticons' asteroid base in order to recover the Matrix. Hot Rod actually ''shot'' the Matrix to cause a discharge of energy that knocked Starscream out, then attempted to escape with the Matrix in hand, but was confronted by the newly-repaired Megatron. He proceeded to blast both the Matrix and Hot Rod through the base wall, setting them adrift in the void of space. {{storylink|Heart Like a Wheel}} Starscream's possession of the "potentially threatening" Matrix had previously made Megatron hesitant to take back leadership of the Decepticons, but with the artifact lost in space, he had nothing to fear and quickly reclaimed his position. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 2: Altered Carbon}}
[[Image:IDW19_matrix_in_chest.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]
As they drifted through space together, the Matrix fused itself to Hot Rod's chest, keeping him alive and healing the damage Megatron had done. Eventually, Hot Rod crash-landed on the planet [[LV-118]], where he was taken captive by the [[Ilxian]] "[[Admiral]]", a stranded alien who sought to use the Matrix as a power source for his ship. With help from [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]], another Autobot stranded on the planet, Hot Rod was able to seize control of the Admiral's ship, and allowed Wheelie to tap the energy of the Matrix to get them off the planet. {{storylink|Space Opera Part 1: The Stars My Destination}} Knocked unconscious by the process, Hot Rod awoke some time later to find that Wheelie had been able to remove the Matrix from his chest, and had piloted the ship to Cybertron. Knowing that the planet was overrun by the [[Insecticon swarm]], Hot Rod tried to convince Wheelie that they needed to leave right away, but that proved impossible, as the Matrix had ceased providing power to the ship. Things on Cybertron turned out to be better than Hot Rod had thought, though, as they met up with [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]], who provided a fuel cell for their ship. {{storylink|Space Opera Act 2: Out of the Silent Planet}} The entire group returned to Earth, where Hot Rod made his first duty the return of the Matrix to Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Space Opera—Final Tableaux: Orphans of the Helix}}

Departing for Cybertron aboard [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] with Megatron a captive, Prime removed the Matrix from his chest in order to prove to himself that even without its wisdom, he still had the ability to make rational judgements under his own power. Ratchet watched over the talisman while Prime deliberated on Megatron's fate, and was holding it while he examined the damaged [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]], whose ability to walk was suddenly restored by its power. Although Prime ultimately concluded that Megatron's fate should be left for Megatron himself to decide, he did expierence one disquieting revelation: Hot Rod revealed that when the Matrix had bonded with him, he had experienced not pain, as Optimus had felt, but unbridled elation. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}}
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===''Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun'' comic===
[[Image:Henkei11 matrix.jpg|thumb|left|IT BURNS!!]]

When the demented [[Galvatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun comic|Galvatron]] went on a rampage in [[Hoshinochō]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun comic|Optimus Prime]] and his Autobots were forced to abandoned the secrecy with which they had been operating on Earth in order to confront the villain and save the human lives he was threatening. Just as Galvatron targeted the Autobots' human ally [[Wataru Hoshinoumi]], Optimus Prime threw himself into the path of the villain's attack, and was knocked unconscious by the force of the attack. In addition to rendering Prime insensate, however, Galvatron's blow had also shattered his chest, exposing the Matrix of Leadership that was kept within. Responding to Wataru's ability to manipulate [[Energon (fuel)|energon]], the Matrix surged to life, restoring Prime and boosting his strength. The light of the Matrix also revealed an unexpected deception: the Autobots were not merely fighting Galvatron, but [[Cyclonus (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun comic|Cyclonus]], possessed by Galvatron's disembodied spark! {{storylink|A Nightmare, Once Again}} Summoning up the Matrix's energy, Prime struck Cyclonus with one almighty Matrix-powered punch, utterly obliterating his body and causing Galvatron's spark to dissipate. {{storylink|To the Sea of Stars}}
{{-}}

===''Robot Heroes''===
[[Image:Robotheroes primus and matrix.jpg|right|thumb]]
The Matrix is a glowing crystal that gives the Autobots knowledge. It was created by the first Transformer, Primus, who gave it to Optimus Prime. {{storylink|I Am Optimus Prime (Robot Heroes)|I Am Optimus Prime}}
{{-}}
<hr>
===''Robots in Disguise''===
====''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon====
[[Image:PowerToBurn_prime_matrix.jpg|left|225px|thumb]]
[[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] was chosen by Vector Sigma to be leader of the Autobots and to carry the Matrix. Less a physical object and more an energy that suffused his form, Prime could call on the power of the Matrix in moments of great emotion, at which point his body would glow with its green light. {{storylink|The Test (episode)|The Test}}
[[Image:TwoFaces magnus matrix.jpg|right|215px|thumb]]
Unfortunately for Prime, his brother [[Ultra Magnus (RID)|Ultra Magnus]] was furious at being passed over for the leadership role, and about halfway through Prime's campaign against [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]] on Earth, Magnus arrived on the planet with the intent to take the Matrix for himself. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus (episode)|Ultra Magnus}} When he attempted to absorb the energy of the Matrix from Prime's body, however, a bizarre fusion occurred instead, merging the two brothers into [[Omega Prime]] and revealing that the intention had always been for them to ''share'' the energy of the Matrix between them. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus: Forced Fusion!}} Magnus later inadvertently used this link to channel the energy of the Matrix into the [[Autobot Brothers]], supercharging them. {{storylink|The Two Faces of Ultra Magnus}}

In the final battle against Megatron—now Galvatron—at the Earth's core, [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] channelled all his energy into Omega Prime to give his leader the power boost that he hoped would ensure triumph. The extra energy combined with that of the Matrix and it burst forth, coalescing into the colossal [[Matrix Blade]], which Omega Prime used to claim victory. {{storylink|The Final Battle (RID)|The Final Battle}}
{{note|In ''Car Robots'', the original Japanese version of ''Robots in Disguise'', Prime does ''not'' possess the Matrix of Leadership, instead carrying an [[Energon Matrix]].}}
{{--}}
====''Cybertron'' comic====
[[Image:OptimusPrimeRIDprimuschamber.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]
Teleported into the midst of a battle in another universe, Prime and Magnus found themselves on Cybertron, where the evil [[Nemesis Prime (Universe 2003)|Nemesis Prime]] was attempting to use his [[Dead Matrix]] to destroy Primus. The brothers took him down, then separated so that Optimus could use his own Matrix to negate the evil energies released by the Dead Matrix. Opening the chamber in his Super Mode chest, he projected a beam of the Matrix's pure light into the Dead Matrix's swirling darkness, eliminating it. {{storylink|Revelations Part 1}}
{{note|This was the first fictional use of the detail sculpted into the ''Robots in Disguise'' Prime toy's Super Mode chest as the Matrix; the ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon had opted to portray it as a power socket, and treated the Matrix as an energy, as noted above.}}
{{-}}
<hr>

===Unicron Trilogy cartoon continuity===
{{note|Plot points derived only from the original Japanese versions of the Unicron Trilogy cartoons, lost to the slipshod dubbing that plagued the series, are in italics.}}
====''Armada'' cartoon====
[[Image:Crisis_Hot_Shot_Matrix.jpg|left|thumb|200px]]
When [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] threatened to destroy the Earth with the [[Hydra Cannon]], [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]], not expecting to survive the battle ahead, tried to pass the Matrix on to [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] before entering the conflict. Hot Shot refused, not feeling himself worthy, and Prime subsequently died throwing himself into the path of the Hydra Cannon blast meant for Earth. Prime's body was reduced to ashes, and the Matrix was all that remained, clung onto by his [[Mini-Con]] partner [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]], floating helplessly until rescued. {{storylink|Crisis}}

[[Image:Miracle sparkplug and matrix.jpg‎|right|thumb|''in your eyes, the light, the heat 
''in your eyes, I am complete]]

Not long thereafter, as the Autobots and Decepticons battled in space on their way back to Cybertron, Sparkplug and [[Perceptor (Armada)|Perceptor]] presented the Matrix to the large armada of Mini-Cons who had joined the Autobots on their journey. Many Mini-Cons plunged themselves into the Matrix, using their powers to recreate Prime's body and restore him to life. {{storylink|Miracle}}

Some time later, in the midst of the Transformers' battle with Unicron, Optimus Prime was confronted by the evil demi-god with the suggestion that, on some level, he enjoyed the thrill of combat as much as Megatron did, ''and that the only difference between the two leaders was the Matrix in Prime's chest.'' {{storylink|Origin}} Following Unicron's defeat, when Megatron (now Galvatron) challenged Optimus to one final battle, these words led Prime to discard the Matrix, that he might battle Galvatron not as the leader of the Autobots, ''but as an individual, and the equal of his foe''.

[[Image:ArmadaMatrix.jpg|left|thumb|200px|A Unicorn designed this. (See the pretty rainbows?)]]

Prime flung the Matrix through Unicron's hide, out into space, where it later drifted by the two combatants as their fight moved to Unicron's surface. Soon, however, it became apparent that Prime and Galvatron's fight was sustaining and re-energizing Unicron, and Galvatron allowed himself to die into order to destroy the chaos-bringer. As the battered Prime hung in space afterwards, the Matrix floated past him. Prime turned to look at it, but, having revelled in his battle with Galvatron and in a way proven Unicron correct, shifted his glance away, pronouncing himself unworthy to carry it.

Prime did not return to his fellow Autobots immediately, as Cybertron was now at peace. Instead, he apparently embarked on some sort of soul-searching space voyage, seeking to find worthiness once again. {{storylink|Mortal Combat}}
{{-}}

====''Energon'' cartoon====
[[Image:MysteriousMercenary matrix generates blaster.jpg‎|right|thumb]]
Prime returned to reclaim the Matrix and leadership of the Autobots at some point over the next ten years. ''Despite the talisman being back in his hands once more, its power was employed but once during the war for [[Energon (fuel)|Energon]] of 2020, when Prime was badly injured by [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] during a battle on Earth's moon and fell unconscious. When Prime was infused with a massive jolt of Energon in an attempt by the [[Omnicon]] [[Skyblast (Energon)|Skyblast]] to revive him, the interaction of the element with the Matrix brought forth the [[Energon Blaster]], which coalesced out of a sphere of light that burst out of Prime's chest. Prime considered the weapon a gift from the previous commanders within the Matrix and fended off the Decepticons with it, then proceeded to never use or even mention it again.'' {{storylink|Starscream the Mysterious Mercenary}}
{{-}}
====''Cybertron'' cartoon====

[[Image:Cybertron matrix of leadership.jpg|left|thumb|225px|Good grief, Prime! There are KIDS present!]]

A further ten years later, during the quest to stop the [[Unicron Singularity]] in 2030, Optimus Prime used the Matrix of Leadership in concert with [[Vector Prime]]'s [[Rhisling|sword]] to open dimension gates to the various colony worlds that held the [[Cyber Planet Key]]s. It was only through the stabilizing powers of both objects that safe transit through the gates was made possible. {{storylink|Landmine (episode)|Landmine}} The Matrix influenced Optimus Prime's [[Cyber Key]], giving it a unique shape that mimicked the Matrix's own as opposed to the standard design shared by the other Autobots. {{storylink|Savage (episode)|Savage}}

[[Image:Unfinished matrix glow prime.jpg‎|right|thumb|225px]]

After the Autobots had obtained the Cyber Planet Keys from [[Velocitron]], [[Jungle Planet (Cybertron)|Jungle Planet]] and Earth and placed them in the [[Omega Lock]] on Cybertron, Optimus Prime substituted the energy of the Matrix for the still-missing fourth key. This proved enough to initiate Cybertron's transformation into the body of Primus, but without the key from [[Gigantion]], the god's power remained at an ebb, unable to close the black hole. {{storylink|Cybertron (episode)|Cybertron}} Before departing for Gigantion to obtain the final key, the Autobots were able to develop a method that allowed Primus to use the energy of the three keys and the Matrix to at least halt the singularity's growth, giving them the time the needed to complete their mission. {{storylink|Titans}} In order for the Autobots to safely traverse the tunnel in space-time that led to Gigantion, [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] created a "vaccine" program based on the stabilizing properties of the Matrix and Vector Prime's sword. {{storylink|Family}}

The Matrix would often glow with energy when Prime poised himself to unleash powerful combat moves; during his final battle with Galvatron, the golden glow of the Matrix surrounded Prime's entire body. {{storylink|Unfinished}}
{{-}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
Vector Prime claimed to have held the Matrix in Cybertron's past, during its [[Golden Age|golden age]]. He led for many years until he received a higher calling to become the protector of space and time. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime}}

===''Galaxy Force'' comic===
[[Image:GFmanga_matrix.jpg|left|thumb|RESPECT MAH AUTHORITAH!]]
With the Earth besieged by the [[Ancient Decepticon]]s under the command of [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]], and the treacherous air commander himself transformed into a skyscraper-sized giant by the power of Primus, things were looking grim for the Autobots. Taking a direct hit from the giant Starscream, Optimus Prime's chest was smashed open, exposing the Matrix within. Reviving after only a few moments of unconsciousness to find that [[Wing Saber (Energon)|Wing Saber]] had arrived on the planet with news that Primus had reawakened, Prime doubted how important he was to the battle if their god was now restored. Wing Saber pointed to his open chest, telling him that the Matrix within him signified him as the true leader of the Autobots, and Prime, his resolve restored, plucked the talisman from within himself and called upon its power to initiate his and Wing Saber's combination into Sonic Wing Mode for the first time. {{storylink|Galaxy Force Mission.9}}
{{-}}
<hr>

===Live-action ''Transformers'' film series===
[[Image:Tf2009 mol.jpg|thumb|250px|Now...how do you open this thing, dammit?]]
Created by the [[Dynasty of Primes]], the '''Matrix of Leadership''' is required to operate the [[Star Harvester]]. It can only be properly utilized by one who shares the lineage of the Primes.

====Sector Seven ARG====
The Matrix was mentioned in passing.{{fact}} {{storylink|Sector Seven (game)|Sector Seven}}

====Titan Magazines====
According to [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]], [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] carries the Matrix of Leadership. Not quite yet, he doesn't, Screamer! {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 8|Star Screams #2}}

====''Revenge of the Fallen'' film====
[[Image:ROTF Matrix crumbles.jpg|thumb|left|250px|And Unicron breathed a sigh of relief.]]
The [[Dynasty of Primes#Revenge of the Fallen movie|Seven Primes]] had agreed never to use a [[Star Harvester]] on a [[Sun]] that fed intelligent life. But in 17,000 BC, [[the Fallen]] chose to activate it on [[Earth]], for he hated [[human]]s, so the other Primes fought him and stole the Matrix. They sealed it away in a [[Tomb of the Primes|tomb]] made of their own bodies in a secret location. In 2009 AD, following the death of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], the last Prime, the Fallen had returned to Earth and was seeking the Matrix to finish what he'd started.

[[Image:TheFallen-ROTFMatrix.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Hot Rod's gonna have trouble gettin' his fingers in this one.]]
[[Sam Witwicky]], having deciphered the only clue to the tomb's location, found the Matrix in [[Petra]], but it crumbled to dust. He stuffed its remains into a sock and took it to the [[Pyramid]]s of [[Egypt]], where he still hoped it could resurrect Optimus, who was being protected by the human-Autobot alliance [[NEST]]. The Fallen's pupil, [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], shot and killed Sam, but the [[spark]]s of the Primes came and revived him. They also revealed the Matrix could not be found but only earned, and they restored its shape. Sam then used the Matrix to resurrect Optimus by shoving its sharp end into his chest. Almost immediately afterward, the Fallen teleported in and stole the Matrix, then used it to activate the harvester. {{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}

{{Note|The [[Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|novelization]] reveals the Matrix was created by the AllSpark to help the Primes in their search for energon. After Sam Witwicky conversed with the Dynasty of Primes in the afterlife, the intent was that the power and knowledge of the AllSpark moved from his mind into the remains of the Matrix, reconstituting it; ''this'', then, was why it was able to bring Prime back to life. In turn, this essentially transforms this universe's version of the Matrix (initially entirely distinct from the other depictions of the object seen in this article) into the same life-giving, knowledge-holding object from other Transformers fiction. Additionally, Prime was to recover the Matrix from the sun harvester and carry it within himself in traditional Matrix fashion. While none of these events were seen to play out explicitly on-screen, the Matrix's continued presence in ''Dark of the Moon'', within Prime's body, and the reverence it receives suggests that these events still "happened" within the continuity of the films, even if they didn't explicitly talk about them.}}

====''Dark of the Moon'' film====
[[Image:DOTM-SentinelOptimusMatrix.jpg|left|300px|thumb]]
After the dormant body of [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] was retrieved from the [[Moon (moon)|moon]], the Autobots' former leader was brought to [[NEST]] headquarters on Earth. Optimus Prime removed the Matrix of Leadership from his chest (which he was able to manipulate as it hovered through the air) and inserted it into Sentinel Prime's chest, similarly to how Sam Witwicky used it to resurrect Optimus three years prior.

Optimus later offered it to Sentinel, as he felt that Sentinel was the rightful leader of the Autobots. Sentinel refused it, citing that he was the wiser on their own homeworld, but on this strange new planet, Optimus was the more experienced. {{storylink|Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}}
{{-}}

----

===''Animated'' cartoon===
[[Image:Tfanimated_matrix.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]
Following [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] and [[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]]'s successful reconstruction of a substantial portion of the shattered [[AllSpark#Animated|AllSpark]], [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] used the [[Magnus Hammer]] to forge a new containment vessel for the crystal sphere. He termed the resultant holder the "[[AllSpark Matrix]]", and wore it on a chain around his neck upon the Autobots' return to Cybertron. {{storylink|Endgame, Part II}} {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Alamanc II}}
{{-}}
<hr>

===''Exodus'' novel===
[[Image:TransformersVault-Prima.jpg|left|thumb|Prime lucked out. Feel bad for the guy who has to carry that blade around in his chest.]]
Originally the jewel in the hilt of Prima's [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] sword in the distant past of Cybertron, the Matrix had been missing for billions of cycles by the time data clerk [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Orion Pax]] met the charismatic gladiator named [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]]. Unbeknownst to Orion, Megatron plotted revolution, and, desiring the Matrix's power to fuel his ambition, had [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] send [[Rumble (WFC)|Rumble]] and [[Frenzy (WFC)|Frenzy]] to search for the Matrix in [[Crystal City]] to no avail.

[[Image:PrimeMatrixboxart.jpg|thumb|"By the Power Of... have we done this joke yet?"]]
Later, when the [[Autobot High Council|High Council]] appointed Orion as Cybertron's leader, Optimus Prime, they ordered him to find the Matrix, and Megatron's true motives stood revealed as he also declared it would be his. War erupted across Cybertron and raged for millions of years, until, during the conflict's dying days, Optimus purged Cybertron's [[core]] of a [[Dark Energon]] infection that Megatron had wrought upon it. Speaking directly into Prime's mind, the core explained that Prime's predecessor, [[Sentinel Zeta Prime|Sentinel Prime]] had been unworthy of the Matrix, but as long as he had survived in [[Kaon]]'s prisons, Optimus was technically not [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] and could not receive it. With Sentinel's death and the core's purification, however, the time had at last come: the Matrix emerged from the core, and Optimus accepted it into his body. Subsequently, the Autobots left Cybertron on the ''[[Ark (WFC)|Ark]]'', but Optimus knew that the Matrix would guide them home one day, where it would act in concert with the core to fully restore their ravaged homeworld. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus}}
{{-}}

==Games==
===''The Transformers'' (PS2)===
[[Image:TFPS2_matrix.jpg|right|thumb|200px]]
The quest for the [[Zel Quartz]], a powerful crystal upon which the fate of the future hinged, led groups of Autobots and Decepticons from both the present day and time-travellers from the near-future to converge on the planet Zel Samine, culminating in a two-way showdown between Optimus Prime and Rodimus Prime and Megatron and Galvatron in the complex housing the planetary power generator [[ELTA]]. When the battle threatened to cause the computer to overload, it appeared that all four Transformers were doomed, until the twin Primes opened both their Matrices, using their power to bring the computer under control and win the day. {{storylink|The Transformers (PS2)|The Transformers}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers Battle Universe''===
[[Image:Netjetmatrix.jpg|left|thumb|200px]]
The Matrix would appear following the successful defeat of an opponent. Picking it up would initiate the next round of combat, accompanied by a burst of music from ''[[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''. {{storylink|Transformers Battle Universe}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers: War for Cybertron'' (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)===
[[Image:WFC Matrix of Leadership.jpg|right|thumb|200px|]]
Though [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] and his Autobots helped purge the [[Core|Core of Cybertron]] of the [[Dark Energon]] infection, its spark had been corrupted and had to shut itself down completely if it was to survive. For the millions of years that this process would take, Cybertron would be left cold and barren, meaning the Transformers would be forced to take to the stars. However, the Core bestowed a portion of its spark within the Matrix of Leadership to Optimus Prime, leader of the free Autobots. For as long as the Matrix survived, Cybertron's spark would remain. {{storylink|Transformers: War for Cybertron (360/PS3/PC)|Transformers: War for Cybertron}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
{{main|Matrix of Leadership/toys}}

==Notes==
[[Image:G1toon matrix strings.jpg|right|thumb|Strings connect the Matrix's core to its holder in the Generation 1 cartoon.]]
*Bob Budiansky's original pitch for the Transformers comic book included an event known as the "[[Ceremony of the Unending Circuit]]", held by the Autobots every ten millennia to commemorate the passing of the Creation Matrix from one Autobot leader to the next, according to Autobot Law. Although the "ten millennia" bit made it into the comic, the ceremony itself was never realized.
*When asked about the visual design of the Matrix in an interview, [[Floro Dery]]'s reply was, "The inspiration for the Matrix of Leadership is a thermonuclear bomb."<ref>[http://transformersph.blogspot.com/2007/06/interview-with-floro-dery.html TransFormers Philippines: Interview With Floro Dery]</ref> "Light our darkest hour", indeed.
*Blink and you'll miss it—the crystal core of the original Generation 1 cartoon incarnation of the Matrix is connected to the two halves of its holder by a string! This oddity of design is visible during the two instances the Matrix is opened in the cartoon, in ''The Transformers: The Movie'' and "The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2".
* The body-mod shop "[[Swindle, Swindle & Swindle]]" has empty Generation 1 Matrix containers for sale, as seen in an illustration from the prose story "[[I, Lowtech]]".
*The Matrix of Leadership [[:Image:The Arrival 4 Lockdown's cabinet.jpg|makes a cameo]] as one of ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Animated]]'' [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]]'s possessions in "[[The Arrival issue 4|A Few Loose Strands]]".

*Stan Bush's The Touch seems to play when it is opened.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Matrix''' (マトリクス ''Matorikusu''), '''Matrix no Leader''' (''Revenge'', リーダーのマトリクス, "Matrix of Leader")
*''English:'' '''Power Pack''' ([[Omni Productions]] dub)
*''German:'' '''Hauptprogramm''' ("Core Program", used once in fiction), '''Matrix der Führerschaft''' ("Matrix of Leadership")
*''Polish:'' '''Matryca Przywództwa''', '''Matryca Przywódcy''' (''War for Cybertron'' PC)
*''Portuguese:'' '''Matriz da Liderança'''
{{--}}

==Footnotes==
[[Image:DiamondStickerbookMatrixOfLight.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Not shown: Anything in the caption.]]
<references />

[[Category:Animated]]
[[Category:Armada]]
[[Category:Beast Wars]]
[[Category:Classics]]
[[Category:Cybertron]]
[[Category:Energon franchise]]
[[Category:Generation 1 objects]]
[[Category:Generation 2]]
[[Category:Henkei! Henkei!]]
[[Category:Interjections]]
[[Category:MacGuffins]]
[[Category:Matrices]]
[[Category:Movie]]
[[Category:Primus]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen]]
[[Category:Robot Heroes]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise]]
[[Category:Transformers (2010)]]
[[Category:Universe (2003)]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron]]

Jazz (Movie)

2011-09-03T22:45:05Z

24.189.5.114:

{{factions|autobotfilm}}
{{disambig3|Jazz}}
:''Jazz is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Movie (franchise)|2007 movie franchise]] in the [[Live-action film series|live-action film]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:MovieJazz promorender.jpg|right|350px|thumb|"Slide with me. Just bounce with me. Now freeze!"]]
[[second-in-command|First Lieutenant]] '''Jazz''' is one happy-go-lucky Autobot. Good-natured and always able to take things in stride, he provides a decent contrast to the more serious demeanor of [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] or [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] himself. He's also a talker, something Ironhide and Prime like to tease him about. He might be the smallest Autobot but he's by no means a coward, willing to take on any foe, big or small.

{{bigquote|Oh, I got something ''real'' flashy in mind!|Jazz gets ready to create a distraction, [[Transformers The Game (console)|Transformers The Game]]}}

==Fiction==
===IDW ''Transformers'' movie comics===
[[Image:Defiance1 Ratchet Jazz vocalprocessors.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Kup and Ratchet like blaming turbo revvin' young punks.]]
Many years before the civil war on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Jazz was a member of the Security Force under [[Prowl (Movie)|Prowl]]. As Optimus pondered the venerable age of the artifacts they had found at an excavation near the temple of [[Simfur]], Jazz jokingly asked if they were as old as [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]], earning him a threat of [[vocal processor]]-disabling retribution and a whack on the back of the head. He was present when [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]]'s team found a strange artifact with the [[Decepticon|strange symbol]] and helped escort the relic out of the dig site when the aliens whom Commander [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] had encountered earlier suddenly attacked the planet. {{storylink|Defiance issue 1|Defiance #1}}

In the aftermath, Jazz accompanied Prowl as the latter investigated the attack on the Simfur temple. Prowl theorised that the aliens were trying to break into the temple, not destroy it, Jazz opined that they must have been after the [[AllSpark]]. When Megatron rallied Cybertron's inhabitants to war against the alien attackers, Jazz and most of the others in the science and security division loyally stayed at Optimus's side to uphold the ideals of Cybertron. Later, when Prime mentioned Megatron's questionable behavior and wished there was unity in the population, Jazz pointed out that he had the same chance of convincing Megatron to be unified as they do of being considered part of his army. Realising sentries such as Prowl and Jazz had access to Megatron's personal quarters, Prime asked them for a favour. {{storylink|Defiance issue 2|Defiance #2}}

Jazz accompanied Optimus and Prowl to Megatron's quarters, where Optimus discovered that the relic previously unearthed seemed to have been restored by Megatron himself. Later, Jazz was part of the team sent to arrest Optimus for treason. However, on the way to Trypticon, the group were ambushed by members of the [[Defense Force]] sent to kill them. Optimus directed the others in a successful counter attack and ordered the group to rally at [[Burthov]]. {{storylink|Defiance issue 3|Defiance #3}}

Jazz and several other former security officers helped [[Cliffjumper (Movie)|Cliffjumper]] "capture" the former military officer [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] and bring him into the rebel base to see Optimus '''Prime'''. Later after it was discovered that Megatron was building a [[Nemesis (ROTF)|massive starship]] for some unknown purpose, Jazz was the one who suggested they should have their own ship as well, just in case. {{storylink|Defiance issue 4|Defiance #4}} As part of a crowd of Autobots, he later watched from a distance as the Decepticon ship was launched. {{storylink|Foundation issue 3|Foundation #3}} During the subsequent civil war, Jazz fought alongside Optimus Prime in their struggle for freedom, but as the war reached its height, Optimus decided to launch the AllSpark into space to keep it out of Lord Megatron's hands and to buy them time. {{storylink|Defiance issue 4|Defiance #4}} [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] was successful in diverting the Decepticon leader's attention at [[Tyger Pax]], but was grievously injured as a result. Jazz was part of the team that discovered him in the wreckage after the Decepticons had left. {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 1|Movie Prequel #1}}

As the Autobots prepared to leave Cybertron to go after Megatron and the AllSpark, Optimus Prime expressed concern on if the remaining civilians and Autobots on Cybertron could hold out while they were gone. Jazz informed him that their troops were laying low, but if the Decepticons tried any mischief, they would be in for a nasty surprise. {{storylink|The Reign of Starscream issue 1|The Reign of Starscream #1}}
{{-}}

===''Ghosts of Yesterday'' prequel novel===
Onboard the ''[[Ark (Movie)|Ark]]'', Jazz was the first to detect the ''[[Ghost 1|Ghost 1's]]'' presence, and the first to point out that, despite the Cybertronian elements in its design, it did not originate from Cybertron. He was in favor of blowing it up anyway, as he agreed with [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] that there was a chance it could be a Decepticon ruse. After [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] was sent to follow the ship down to a nearby planet, Ironhide and Optimus joked that Jazz would have made a poor scout.

When [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] mounted an attack on the ''Ark'', Jazz and Ironhide backed up Optimus. Jazz was unhappy when the plan changed, and the two Autobots were sent back to guard the ship, but they got to expel [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]] from the hangar, and had the damage done repaired by the time Optimus returned. Jazz lost contact with Bumblebee, resulting in Optimus going down to the planet to check. While Optimus was gone, the Decepticons attacked once again, and Jazz came up with a new plan. Jazz kept the Decepticons distracted, while Ironhide attempted to approach the ''[[Nemesis (Movie)|Nemesis]]'' through a sensor blind-spot.

Unfortunately the plan was ruined by the return of [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]], and Jazz suffered a large amount of damage. Ironhide got the smaller Autobot back to the ''Ark'', where Jazz was insistent that situation was bad enough that they should leave the area without Optimus and Bumblebee, as Prime has originally ordered. As it turned out, the two missing Autobots returned in time for it to not turn into an issue, and Optimus ordered another engagement. Despite his severe damage, Jazz was able to take out [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]] and help Ironhide fight Bonecrusher. {{storylink|Ghosts of Yesterday}}

===Titan Magazines ''Transformers'' movie comics===
Jazz likes "to keep his bodywork ''buff''" by externalizing his [[Spark]] Core forcefield - in the past, that led to him almost being killed when [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]] almost tore out his unprotected Spark. He only survived thanks to fellow Autobot [[Clocker (Movie)|Clocker]], who was killed covering his retreat. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 6|Lost In Space 4: Jazz}}

When the [[AllSpark]] was launched, Jazz, [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] and [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] attempted to distract Megatron from pursuing it. They ended up attacked by [[Brawl (Movie)|Devastator]] and warped across space by a [[foldspace warhead]]. {{storylink|Prelude: Megatron}}

[[Image:JazzTitan06.JPG|left|250px|thumb|"I HAVE SEEN THE LORD!"]]

Jazz ended up on a planet that he dubbed "the Information Highway"—a constantly-morphing world with "the accumulated knowledge of countless alien cultures, condensed into some kind of sensory precipitation". He loved this world and the constant new experiences so much that he deliberately ignored Ratchet's homing beacon, wanting to stay here forever. However, the planet was alive and predatory, and ended up absorbing him into it - he fired off a warning buoy to stop others arriving, and only this led to Ratchet & Ironhide finding where he was and rescuing him. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 6|Lost In Space 4: Jazz}}

He doesn't like the war and, as the Information Highway incident shows, has no qualms about deserting if given the opportunity.
{{-}}
{{notetitantlg}}
Because of a lack of troops on [[Earth]], Ratchet used a corrupted fragment of the AllSpark to bring Jazz back to life.<ref name="allsparkjazzbio"> '''AllSpark-Enhanced Autobot Jazz''' bio</ref> Happy to be back, Jazz blew off the suggestion that death had made any impact beyond him wanting to live every day as if it was his last, and he was dispatched with Ratchet to secure a raw energon field.

[[Image:JazzTitan21.JPG|right|250px|thumb|"And my sound effects are inane!"]]

Unfortunately, it turned out the corrupted fragment had indeed led to Jazz himself being corrupted; he paralyzed Ratchet and attempted to exploit Earth's apocalypse by selling the newly energon rich planet to the highest bidder. His auction was interrupted by [[Dreadwing (Movie)|Dreadwing]], who rejected an offer to join forces, and attacked. Ratchet revived and managed to destroy the energon field the auction was being held in; Jazz escaped in the resulting confusion. {{storylink|Dark Spark}}

He later kept back as a happy hired gun for [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]], out to murder Optimus Prime. He was prevented from this when the ''second'' hired gun, [[Kullt]], turned up; he realised Starscream didn't trust him to be able kill an old comrade and was so insulted he gunned down the other mercenary. He was left rattled when Optimus pointed out he could have let Kullt do the work for him and ''then'' gun him down, which suggested there was still some goodness in him. He drove off in the face of reinforcements, vowing to prove Optimus wrong next time. {{storylink|Hard Target}}

{{note|He wasn't seen again before the alternate universe was wrapped up.}}

===''Transformers'' (2007) film===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Darius McCrary]] (English), [[Taiten Kusunoki]] (Japanese), [[Torsten Michaelis]] (German), [[Reginaldo Primo]] (Brazil), [[Gerardo García]] (Latin American-Spanish)

[[Image:Movie2007 Jazz dealership.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Why buy? When you can be!]]
Jazz was part of Optimus Prime's unit, summoned to Earth by [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] after the latter Autobot came to be in the possession of [[Sam Witwicky]]. After his [[protoform]] crashed through a baseball stadium, he investigated a nearby car dealership and chose a Pontiac Solstice hardtop as his vehicle mode.

[[Image:Jazz movie ally.JPG|right|250px|thumb|Sadly, the other car's owner only had liability.]]

Linking up with his fellow Autobots in a deserted alley, Jazz greeted Sam and [[Mikaela Banes]] as "little bitches," stating that Earth seems to be a cool place to hang out. He casually sat on the hood of another car while Optimus Prime explained to Sam they learnt Earth's languages through the internet. He then relayed their mission to find the [[AllSpark]] and explained how his [[Archibald Witwicky|grandfather's]] glasses were the key to its location.

Soon after, as Sam looked for his grandfather's glasses, the Autobots attempted to assist by clumsily destroying the yard where they went. When it came to hide from [[Ronald Witwicky|the]] [[Judy Witwicky|parents]], Jazz had the easiest time blending into the shadows due to his small stature.

[[Image:Movie Jazz Sector Seven.JPG|thumb|left|250px|You'll get them back at the end of class.]]
When Sam and Mikaela were captured by [[Sector Seven]], the Autobots mounted a rescue that saw Optimus Prime tearing the roof off [[Seymour Simmons|Agent Simmons's]] vehicle. When the agents attempted to resist, Jazz used a magnet to relieve the humans of their weapons. After Bumblebee was captured by Sector Seven during the retreat, Jazz expressed his desire to rescue him, but was overruled by Optimus Prime, who didn't believe it possible to accomplish this without harming the humans, and so they should let them go.

The next day, after Optimus used his navigation scanner on Archibald Witwicky's glasses, Jazz again commented that they could not leave Bumblebee to die at the hands of Sector Seven, to become a human experiment. Optimus replied that Bumblebee would die in vain if they did not find the AllSpark, and when Ironhide asked if the primitive and cruel humans deserved to be saved, Optimus countered by asking if Transformers were so different in the past. Going on to explain what he saw in the humans, Prime declared that if it came to it, he would sacrifice himself to destroy the AllSpark - the humans should not pay for Cybertron's mistakes. Inspired by his words, Jazz and the other Autobots rolled out, filled with determination.

[[Image:Movie Jazz on Brawl.JPG|right|250px|thumb|"Come on, Decepticon punk!" "MY MISSILE LAUNCHER! That's like a reproductive organ to me!"]]

On the way to [[Hoover Dam]], the Autobots encountered Bumblebee leading a column of Sector Seven assault vehicles. Jazz and his fellow Autobots applied brakes and did a hard u-turn to join the formation.

Entering [[Mission City]], the [[William Lennox|human]] [[Robert Epps|soldiers]] tried to call for air support from their own forces, only to be attacked by [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] disguised as a human F-22 fighter. Jazz, oddly, sat in vehicle mode after the explosion which crippled Bumblebee, destroying his legs. When [[Brawl (Movie)|Devastator]] began shelling the battle site, Jazz led the Autobot charge toward the Decepticon, speeding to the tank in vehicle mode, then transformed and hopped on top of the turret to distract the Decepticon from the humans. As Devastator also transformed, Jazz managed to wreck his left-side rocket launcher pod before being tossed off. He then sped back to the battle, firing at Devastator, while [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] sliced of Devastator's left arm.

[[Image:Jazz DyingAction.jpg|left|250px|thumb|"Wait, why did I tell everyone to retreat again?"]]

Jazz tried to delay [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] when he appeared on the scene in order to cover the escape Captain Lennox's men and civilians. Despite Lennox's cries for him to fall back, Jazz bravely faced Megatron alone, but all he got for his trouble was being blasted by the Decepticon's fusion cannon. As Ironhide and Ratchet escorted Sam and the AllSpark to safety, Megatron preyed upon the small Autobot who had the audacity to attack him. The Decepticon leader tossed him through the air, then landed upon him with the crushing grip of his talons. Valiantly, Jazz fought on to the bitter end as Megatron tore him in two, throwing his pieces to the ground before attacking Optimus Prime.

[[Image:Movie Prime Jazz Ironhide Ratchet battleaftermath.jpg|right|250px|thumb|"We lost a great comrade today. We'll miss you, Blues." "His name was ''Jazz'', Prime." "Whatever."]]

After being separated from Sam Witwicky, Ratchet hurried to Jazz, but his [[spark]] had already faded. In the aftermath of Megatron's defeat, Ironhide somberly handed Optimus Prime Jazz's remains as Ratchet reported that he could not save their comrade. The Autobot leader somewhat half-heartedly eulogized him, and quickly moved on. {{storylink|Transformers (2007)|Transformers}}

{{-}}

===IDW ''Transformers'' Target exclusive comic===
{{storylink|Transformers: Jazz}}
{{note|The events of ''Transformers: Jazz'' takes place in the middle of the first movie, after Bumblebee, Sam and Mikaela are taken by Sector 7.}}

===Toy packaging bios===
{{notemoviebio}}

Before coming to Earth, Jazz was involved in a deep-space battle over a barren world. He was badly damaged in the conflict and was taken offline by Brawl. After he was fixed up and upgraded his endoskeleton reinforcements, he had a renewed determination to keep his vehicle mode in pristine condition.<ref>'''Premium series''' bio</ref>

In the final battle for the AllSpark, Jazz faced off against Bonecrusher for a last battle to the absolute finish.<ref>'''Autobot Jazz vs. Bonecrusher''' bio,</ref> Also in that battle, Jazz took on Megatron alone, as everyone else was preoccupied with Brawl. Although he knew he didn't stand a chance, he would go down fighting for the weak, as a true Autobot would.<ref>'''Battle Jazz vs. Ice Megatron''' bio</ref>

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Jazz was left badly damaged as a result of those confrontations.

Ratchet rebuilt Jazz in what turned out to be a long recovery process. Jazz had time to think. And think he did, about a new paintjob!<ref>Target Exclusive Generation 1-style '''Autobot Jazz''' bio</ref>

Jazz came back, and more powerful than ever due to the power of the AllSpark.<ref name="allsparkjazzbio"/> {{storylink|Dark Spark}}

Before going into battle, Jazz often adorns his body with [[Cyberglyphics|ancient Transformer markings]], a custom that he observes in order to make sure he never truly forgets his world of origin. <ref> '''Dark of the Moon Jazz''' bio</ref>

{{note|Jazz's fate in the film is about as unambiguous a depiction of a [[Death|Transformer death]] as one could hope for. [[Michael Bay]], when speaking on the subject, stated emphatically, "Jazz is dead". This puts the weight of [[authorial intent]] on the side of Jazz being truly deceased. Later, in the ''Revenge of the Fallen'' prequel comic, Optimus Prime asked to have Jazz's remains buried. Despite all this, bio information on his Target-exclusive [[redeco]] clearly said that he was rebuilt by Ratchet. Make of this what you will. His Allspark power bio says he came back by the power of the AllSpark. This actually happened in an [[Dark Spark|alternate timeline]].}}

===Beast Wars Diorama Story===
At some point, Jazz and multiple Autobots and Decepticons traversed dimensions and found themselves on a different [[Earth]], in the distant past. They crossed paths with new Transformer factions, the [[Maximal]]s and the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]], who were engaged in a conflict called the [[Beast Wars (franchise)|Beast Wars]]. A battle broke out between the four factions. The Autobots and the Decepticons eventually returned to their home dimension, leaving the Maximals and Predacons behind to settle the Beast Wars. {{storylink|Beast Wars Diorama Story}}

===Battle Bio===
Jazz's closest ally is [[Sideswipe (ROTF)|Sideswipe]], and his arch-enemy is Brawl. He is equipped with a magnetic field generator and a crescent-shaped photon blaster.

Jazz was presumed dead after the battle of [[Mission City]], but he was revived by a piece of the [[AllSpark]] and a little help from [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]]. He is anxious to get back into action.<ref>Jazz's [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/Battle-Bios.cfm Battle Bio].</ref>

===IDW ''Revenge of the Fallen'' movie comics===
[[Image:Alliance1 Ironhide-Jazz momentofsilence.jpg|right|250px|thumb|He's dead, Jim.]]
Shortly after the battle in Mission City, Captain Lennox, Sergeant Epps and the other soldiers helped Ironhide find suitable transportation for Jazz's remains. As Ironhide somberly placed Jazz's body into the [[trailer]], the soldiers lowered their heads in honour of the Autobot who sacrificed his life to save theirs. {{storylink|Alliance issue 1|Alliance #1}}

Later in the Nevada Desert, Optimus Prime and the other Autobots arrived with Jazz's remains. The Autobots escorted the Decepticons' carcasses while the U.S Navy planned on giving a proper burial ceremony for Jazz. {{storylink|Alliance issue 2|Alliance #2}} Weeks later, the Autobots and their soldier friends are on a US Navy aircraft carrier for Jazz's burial at sea. A crane hoisted the trailer containing Jazz's body and dropped it into the ocean. Optimus Prime thanked Lennox for his participation in Jazz's Funeral. {{storylink|Alliance issue 3|Alliance #3}}

{{-}}

===Toy bios===
Jazz is not only not dead, he's been working with [[William Lennox]] for so long that they've become in synch! The two double-team Decepticons and bring them crashing down. {{storylink|#Human Alliance|Human Alliance}}

==Games==
===Transformers The Game (console)===
:''Voice actor'': [[Andrew Kishino]]

====Autobot campaign====
[[Image:VGE4M3Jazzkabob.jpg|right|250px|thumb|"Ironhide, check this out." "Cool, a piñata!" "...Hate...both of...you..."]]
Jazz arrived on Earth as part of Optimus Prime's unit, summoned to the [[human]] planet by Bumblebee. After taking on the form of a Pontiac Solstice, he met up with the other Autobots. His first mission was to distract Sector Seven and law enforcement units, which he did, buying his fellow Autobots time to escape. Jazz was then surrounded by Sector Seven SUVs and Decepticon drones numerous times, requiring Ironhide's help to escape.

He would then make his way to [[Mission City]], where he engaged [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]], [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] and two [[Dreadwing (Movie)|Dreadwing]] drones. Jazz defeated all four of them, but as he celebrated his great victory, [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]] appeared behind him and punctured Jazz's chest with his claw, extinguishing his [[spark]]. [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] arrived just in time to witness the killing, swore he'd make Brawl's death slow, and fought through a horde of Decepticon units to destroy him. {{storylink|Transformers The Game (console)|Transformers The Game}}

{{note|Press left, up, down(2), left, up, right, at the New game menu. The screen will flash to confirm the code was entered correctly. Go to the bonus features, then the [[Generation 1]] option to use a G1-homage deco on Jazz. This does not change his appearance in the Decepticon campaign, however.}}

====Decepticon campaign====
Jazz arrived in Mission City with Sam and Mikaela (taking the role of the destroyed Bumblebee), where he was confronted by [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]]. After a brief chase through the city, Jazz engaged Barricade in battle, where he was defeated with ease. {{storylink|Transformers The Game (console)|Transformers The Game}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers: Autobots''===
Jazz's first appearance is with the other Autobots, meeting in an old junk yard. Setting out into the city, he retrieved a number of [[Sector Seven]] vehicles before running into [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]]; after a tedious battle, Blackout ran. Returning to the group, Jazz informs that Sector Seven holds Megatron and the AllSpark in the Hoover Dam and has patrols looking for the Autobots, which Bumblebee volunteered to distract them, getting himself caught in the progress. Jazz later upload a virus to access Sector Seven mainframe, and downloaded data from a military hangar. Jazz was able to get the data, despite being outnumbered by remote vehicles, returned to the rendezvous point, which he reported that he was able to find an entrance to the base and Bumblebee, but could not find Megatron and the AllSpark. Jazz tells Optimus that rescuing Bumblebee be their first priority because of Bumblebee's tracking ability, which Optimus agrees. When the Autobots returned to Tranquility with the AllSpark, Jazz required assistance to take out spark drones within the area. Create-A-Bot answered the call and both Autobots took out 50 drones. With the drones destroyed, Jazz stayed where he was in case more show up and told Create-A-Bot to check on Bumblebee. After that, he was not seen again. {{storylink|Transformers Autobots/Decepticons|Transformers: Autobots}}

===''Transformers: Decepticons''===
At the [[Hoover Dam]], Jazz set up several automated turrets and Autobot drones around the lower perimeter of the Dam, preventing [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] from escaping. However, this line of defense only works for so long, as the turrets could only fire at air-borne objects. Finally getting up the side of the Dam, Jazz stepped in Megatron's path, doing little more than trash talking before Megatron jumped into battle. After a roughly equal fight, Jazz finally fell. Megatron then finished him off and desecrated the Autobot's corpse. {{storylink|Transformers Autobots/Decepticons|Transformers: Autobots}}

===AllSpark Wars===
After the first battle with the Decepticons on Earth, Jazz and the other Autobots went into stasis lock, held in storage around the world. {{storylink|AllSpark Wars}}

===Allspark Highway===
Jazz, Bumblebee, Ironhide and Optimus Prime fought to keep the Allspark out of Decepticon hands. {{storylink|Allspark Highway}}

===Autobot Stronghold===
The Decepticons were invading an Autobot stronghold in the city, and Jazz and the Autobots placed themselves at key positions to defend it from attack. {{storylink|Autobot Stronghold}}

===''Revenge of the Fallen'' - The Game (Xbox 360/Sony PS3/PC)===
[[Image:ROTF_360PS3PC_MovieJazz_DLC.jpg|thumb|250px|It's a zombie! Kill it! Kill it with fire!]]
:''Voice actor: Andrew Kishino''

{{Note|On [[August 27]], [[2009]], Jazz was one of a handful of downloadable characters in a DLC pack for Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3.}}
{{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)|Revenge of the Fallen}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
===''Transformers'' (2007)===
====Legends Class toys====
[[Image:Movie Legends Jazz toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|WhY My bUmPeRs hUrT?]]
*'''Autobot Jazz''' (Legends Class, 2007)
**''Japanese name:'' '''EZ Collection Jazz'''

:A much smaller version of the character, [[Legends Class|Legends-class]] Jazz features limited articulation and detail, along with a much simpler transformation. A rather glaring side-effect of this simplicity, in a desire to mimic the hood chest of the larger toy, is the addition of [[kibble]]: a second front bumper on the roof of his alt-mode. Whether this means Jazz also includes a second engine to go with this front bumper or an attempt at compensation for a case of [[Barricade (Movie)|police car envy]] is unknown. Ironically, the smallest version of Jazz is the biggest Legends toy in the movie line. Even bigger than Optimus. This may make up for the Arcee toy being taller than his Deluxe figure.

:This mold was also used to make ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' [[Runamuck (ROTF)|Runamuck]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2007/Autobot/LegendsJazz/jazz.htm More information on Legends Jazz at TFU.info]''

{{-}}

*'''Optimus Prime bonus pack''' (Costco exclusive multi-pack, 2007)

:A Costco exclusive special pack of Leader Class [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] with Legends Class [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] and Autobot Jazz as bonus figures. None of the three toys is changed from their respective original releases.

{{-}}

[[Image:Movie Allspark Legends pack.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Why's the man always putting me down?]]
*'''Battle for the AllSpark''' (Toys'R'Us exclusive Legends multi-pack, 2007)

:A Toys "R" Us exclusive, this six-pack of Legends class figures contains unmodified toys of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys|Optimus Prime]], Jazz, [[Bumblebee (Movie)/toys|Bumblebee]], [[Megatron (Movie)/toys|Megatron]], [[Starscream (Movie)/toys|Starscream]] and [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]].

{{-}}

{{anchor|LegendsVsBonecrusher}}
[[Image:Movie Legends JazzBonecrusher toys.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Bonecrusher tried to make Jazz smaller by slamming his head in.]]
*'''Autobot Jazz vs. Bonecrusher''' (Legends "Allspark Battles" two-pack, 2008)

:As part of the ''AllSpark Battles'' refresh of the ''Movie'' toyline, Legends class Jazz with slightly different deco with more paint for his robot mode chest... but no paint for the vehicle mode hood while the vehicle mode windows are now blue, painted on all sides, he also has black paint on his spoiler. He is packed in a versus two-pack with an all-new Legends class figure of [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Autobot/LegendsJazz/jazz.htm More information on Allspark Battles Jazz at TFU.info]''

{{-}}
{{anchor|LegendsVsMegatron}}
[[Image:Movie Legends JazzIceMegatron toys.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Megatron's going to have a tough time tearing that in half.]]
*'''Battle Jazz vs. Ice Megatron''' (Legends "Allspark Battles" two-pack, 2008)

:Once again Legends class Jazz is redecoed, this time in a battle-damaged deco based upon his appearance during the battle in Mission City. Amusingly, like the Deluxe class Final Battle Jazz toy, the "battle damage" can only be seen in robot mode. He comes packed with a redecoed Legends class Megatron toy colored with blue accents.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Autobot/LegendsBattleJazz/jazz.htm More information on Battle Jazz at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

====Deluxe Class toys====
[[Image:Jazzmovietoydeluxe.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"Just wait. They'll do me in G1 colors soon..."]]
*'''Autobot Jazz''' (Deluxe Class, 2007)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''MA-04'''
**''Accessories'' Telescoping "sword" (rifle)

:Jazz transforms into a silver [[wikipedia:Pontiac_Solstice|Pontiac Solstice]] Custom Hardtop. Included is a blaster weapon that elongates into a sniper rifle, which may also be clipped directly onto his rear spoiler when in vehicle mode. In robot mode, the section featuring this same rear spoiler may be kept folded onto his back or worn on either shoulder as a shield. An interesting undocumented feature is a hinge joint located on the bottom of the rifle can attach to the ''shield's'' hinge joint, creating three choice weapon configurations: ''(a)'' a mounted long range sniper rifle, ''(b)'' an ambidextrous shoulder-mounted cannon, or ''(c)'' a short range blaster with built-in shield somewhat akin to what has been seen in Jazz's concept art and in the movie itself.

:As with most of the mainline toys, he features a [[Automorph Technology|Automorphing]] gimmick that is activated by pushing the car roof down onto his back and locking it into place. This raises his head and slides his chest panels into proper position for the robot mode. This feature, like the weaponry mentioned above, is not documented at all, so one must be careful to not press the chest ''and'' the back at the same time.

:This toy was later redecoed into ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' [[Smokescreen (Movie)|Smokescreen]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2007/Autobot/AutobotJazz/jazz.htm More information on Deluxe Jazz at TFU.info]''

{{-}}

*'''Deluxe three-pack''' (Sam's Club exclusive multi-pack, 2007)
**''Accessories'' Telescoping "sword" (rifle)

:This Sam's Club exclusive three-pack contains an unchanged Deluxe Class Autobot Jazz together with equally unchanged Deluxe Class [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]] and [[Brawl (Movie)|Decepticon Brawl]] toys. It also comes with a nifty poster depicting all three toys in a standoff scene.

{{-}}

*'''Deluxe three-pack''' (multi-pack, UK 2007)
**''Accessories'' Telescoping "sword" (rifle)

:This three-pack, which was available at general retail in the United Kingdom, contains an unchanged Deluxe Class Autobot Jazz together with equally unchanged Deluxe Class [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Protoform Optimus Prime]] and [[Brawl (Movie)|Decepticon Brawl]] toys.

{{-}}

[[Image:Movie G1Jazz toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"See? Nineteen-Eighty-Four!"]]
*'''Autobot Jazz''' (Target Exclusive Deluxe, 2007)
**''Accessories'' Telescoping "sword" (rifle)

:An extensive [[redeco]] of Deluxe class Jazz, this Target-[[exclusive]] is heavily based on ''[[The Transformers (toyline)|Generation 1]]'' [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz's]] Martini Racing scheme. He's lacking in Martini sponsorship for all the obvious reasons, replacing them with his own name. Disco Jazz doesn't really need to advertise, but he does.

:This figure also features a minor retool of the joint in the forearm. On the initial, mass retail release of Deluxe Jazz, the black hinge-joint was able to slide over slightly as part of the original design. The new version features a shorter joint, which makes it a lot less floppy in robot mode. [[Cyberfly|Cyberflies]] sold separately.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2007/Autobot/TargetJazz/jazz.htm More information on Target "G1" Jazz at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|FinalBattle}}
[[Image:Movie FinalBattleJazz toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|No Cool colors in movie #2? Aww.]]
*'''Final Battle Jazz''' (Deluxe Class, 2007)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''MA-14'''
**''Accessories:'' "Crescent Cannon", energy-blast missile

:An extensive retool of Jazz, modifying his head and most of his legs to give them a broken, battle-scarred appearance. Amusingly, because Hasbro chose to keep his vehicle mode pristine, the rest of his body is undamaged. All the damaged parts have a black and blue deco, representing glowing circuitry and exposed conduits.

:Jazz comes with a brand new spring-loaded weapon (called a ''Crescent Cannon'' on the packaging), partially modeled after the actual weapon Jazz appears with in the film. It can fire a transparent blue projectile and, not unlike his original featured weapon, can be mounted in different configurations: ''(a)'' Mounted on his ''right'' arm with the Crescent Cannon missile launcher (with the crescent up) facing forward a la the film, or ''(b)'' mounted on his ''left'' arm with the flip-out rifle barrel pointed forwards (with the crescent down). The cannon can actually be rotated on the connecting peg, allowing the gun to be mounted in either configuration on either arm.

:Unusual for a regular Deluxe class figure, this version of Jazz is packaged on his card in robot mode, no doubt to highlight the changes to the figure that would not be visible in the vehicle mode.

:In addition to the retooled forearm joint also found on the Target exclusive "G1 color" Jazz, a running change variant of Final Battle Jazz adds another peg to the Crescent Cannon, thus allowing Jazz to use the weapon in all the different configurations on either arm.<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=40291 Original Allspark thread about the running change mold variant for Final Battle Jazz's Crescent Cannon]</ref>

:In spite of the claim that this is a "final battle" version of Jazz, his torso does not separate easily from his legs.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2007/Autobot/FinalBattleJazz/jazz.htm More information on Final Battle Jazz at TFU.info]''

{{-}}

[[Image:Movie2007 Allspark Jazz.jpg|right|300px|thumb|I feel so pretty with this makeup.]]
*'''AllSpark-Enhanced Autobot Jazz''' (Target Exclusive Deluxe, 2007)
**''Accessories'' Telescoping "sword" (rifle)

:This Target exclusive features the Deluxe Class Jazz in cylindrical packaging, with the only difference from his standard release being that key robot mode parts are highlighted by [[AllSpark Power]] blue..

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2007/Autobot/AllsparkJazz/jazz.htm More information on AllSpark Jazz at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

{{anchor|Premium}}
[[Image:PremiumJazzToy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Almost movie-accurate. Hasbro forgot they made the proper gun.]]
*'''Autobot Jazz''' (Deluxe Class "Premium Series", 2008)
**''Accessories'' Telescoping "sword" (rifle)

:This more movie-accurate version of Jazz sports a shinier coat of silver paint, along with added paint application detail to his robot mode parts. As it is a straight redeco, despite his coloration being far closer to the movie model, his weapon is still the old preliminary-art "sword" rather than the [[#FinalBattle|"Final Battle" version's]] much more screen-accurate shield/cannon (which is [[gang-molding|gang-molded]] with the battle damaged parts).

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Autobot/PremiumJazz/jazz.htm More information on Premium Jazz at TFU.info]''

{{-}}

*'''Battle Over Mission City (Two-Pack)''' ("Screen Battles" Deluxe, 2008)
**''Accessories'' Telescoping "sword" (rifle)

:A Target exclusive two-pack that pits an unchanged Deluxe Class Final Battle Jazz (but simply named "Autobot Jazz" for this release) with a beige, brown, and on-fire orange version of Voyager Class [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] in reference to their battle on the top of a skyscraper in the film that was, in fact, Jazz's final battle.

====Fast Action Battlers====
[[Image:Movie FAB Jazz.jpg|right|300px|thumb|The kids love me.]]
*'''Ion Blast Autobot Jazz''' (Fast Action Battler, 2007)
**''Accessories'': Energy-blast missile

:Though larger than the standard [[#Deluxe_Class_toys|Deluxe class Jazz]], [[Fast Action Battlers]] "Ion Blast" Jazz is a simplified toy for the younger set with comparatively few parts and detailing. In vehicle mode he's kind of a squat and cutified Pontiac Solstice. His articulation is limited to his shoulders, hips and knees, and has a spring-loaded missile launcher in place of his left hand.

:This toy was later redecoed into [[Smokescreen (Movie)|Sonic Shock Smokescreen]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2007/Autobot/FABJazz/jazz.htm More information on Ion Blast Jazz at TFU.info]''
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====Cyber Slammers====
[[Image:Movie Jazz CyberSlammer.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Silver scratches too easy, ask Jazz.]]
*'''Autobot Jazz''' (Cyber Slammers, 2007)

:[[Cyber Slammers]] Jazz is an amazingly cute Pontiac Solstice that transforms into an amazingly cute Autobot hipster. "Slam" his robot mode down into car mode and he rolls along, slowly transforming back up into robot mode. Like most Cyber Slammers, Jazz manages to cram most of his vehicle mode's major details into a compact, super-deformed version of that mode.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2007/Autobot/CySlamJazz/jazz.htm More information on Cyber Slammers Jazz at TFU.info]''
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====Robot Replicas====
[[Image:Movie RobotReplicas Jazz.jpg|right|200px|thumb|My hand picks up XM.]]
*'''Autobot Jazz''' (Robot Replica, 2007)
**''Accessories:'' "Crescent cannon" rifle/shield, alternate left & right forearms

:As part of the [[Robot Replicas]] line, this version of Jazz is a non-transforming action figure that utilizes [[Revoltech]]-style jointing. The sculpt hews much closer to the movie CGI model than is possible with the full transforming toys, plus the universal jointing of the line allows for his forearm to be replaced with the included Crescent Cannon (which is also called that on the toy's packaging), or parts from other Robot Replica figures. Jazz's shoulders are actually mounted on the wrong sides of the toy as compared to the [[Transformers (2007)|Movie's]] CG design, but can easily swapped due to the toy's body construction.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2007/Autobot/RRJazz/jazz.htm More information on Robot Replicas Jazz at TFU.info]''
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====Titanium Series====
[[Image:Movie TitaniumRM Jazz.jpg|right|200px|thumb|"Are you looking at me?"]]
*'''Autobot Jazz''' (3" Robot Masters, 2007)
*''Accessories'' Movie-style Autobot sigil display stand

:''[[Titanium Series]]'' Jazz is a die-cast metal and plastic figurine, with an accurate sculpt based on the slender CG model owing to the fact he doesn't need to transform. Being a figurine, he only has articulation in his shoulders, neck and waist. Jazz is sculpted with a small handgun that was only featured in concept art early in film development that still showed Arcee as part of the main cast. Jazz comes with a Movie-style Autobot symbol display stand, as is expected.

:This mold was also used to make the [[Toys"R"Us]]-exclusive ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' Titanium Series [[Dead End (ROTF)|Dead End]].

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===''Transformers'' (2010)===
====Human Alliance====
[[Image:TF2010 HumanAlliance Jazz&Lennox.jpg|thumb|right|300px| Hasbro DOES listen to the fans!]]
*'''Autobot Jazz / Captain Lennox''' ( Human Alliance 2010)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''RA-32'''
**''Accessories:'' Gun/motorcycle, missile

:[[Human Alliance]] Jazz comes with [[William Lennox|Captain Lennox]], who can interact with him in various ways. Lennox can be seated inside Jazz in vehicle mode or on his shielded gun in robot mode, and the weapon can additionally transform into a motorcycle for him to ride. Additional Human Alliance figures may also occupy "seats" on the side of Jazz' head, and on each of his feet.
:Jazz has a switch on the back of his head that flips his visor up and down. The Japanese release sees the transparent blue plastic used for the windows and the visor switched for clear plastic on the windows and orange for the visor.
: Captain Lennox uses a more simplified design than other Human Alliance figures, the waist joint has been omitted.

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{{picsneeded|Japanese version}}

===''Dark of the Moon''===
[[Image:DOTM Movie Autobot Jazz.JPG|thumb|right|300px|]]
*'''Autobot Jazz''' (Deluxe, 2011)
**''Accessories:'' Telescoping "sword" (rifle)

:A [[Target]]-[[exclusive]] redeco of Jazz. He is cast in smokey grey translucent plastic and features black [[Cyberglyphics]]. His weapon is cast in opaque grey with copperish telescoping lance.

:He comes with a comic book by [[IDW Publishing]], ''[[Transformers: Jazz]]''.

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==Merchandise==
===''Transformers'' 3D Battle-Card Game===
[[Image:3DBattleCard_Jazz.jpg|thumb|right|300px|]]
*'''Jazz''' (3D Battle-Card, 2007)
**''Card number'': '''5'''

: Jazz is a 37-point "Rare" piece in the [[3D Battle-Card Game]]. Constructed of punch-out pieces from plastic cards, he can be assembled into his sports car or robot mode. He uses the same construction as the [[Cliffjumper (Movie)|Cliffjumper]], [[Smokescreen (Movie)|Smokescreen]], [[Blurr (Armada)|''Armada'' Blurr]] and [[Hot Rod (G1)|Generation 1 Hot Rod]] cards.

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===Transformers (2007)===
====Unleashed====
[[Image:Movie UnleashedTurnarounds RatchetJazz.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Ratchet, unable to re-attach Jazz's lower torso, fitted Jazz with one of those things the Quintesson Judges float with, and made it flamin'!]]
*'''Autobot Ratchet and Autobot Jazz''' (2008)

:The Ratchet and Jazz turnaround is a 3D sculpture of the two characters, both in robot mode, emerging from rubble and explosions, with a movie-accurate sculpt (compared to the various transforming toys). The "turnaround" aspect of these sculptures simply means one can turn the piece around to display a raised-relief of the movie-style Autobot sigil instead.

:This product's release was canceled for the US market, but was released in Central America, Australia and in Asia.

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====Transformers Movie Danglers====
[[Image:Movie Jazz Dangler.jpg|right|159px|thumb|]]
*'''Autobot Jazz''' (2007)

:Released by [[Tomy Yujin]] in November 2007<ref name="TomyYujin">[http://www.gachausa.com/products/transformers.asp Tomy Yujin ''Transformers'' page]</ref> as part of the [[Danglers Collection]], this toy is a weird plastic [[super-deformed]] version of Jazz that pops out his vehicle mode when you squeeze him, kinda like he's either giving birth to it or...er, excreting it. Classy. This little figurine has a little strap on it so that it can be put on cell phones or portable gaming devices.

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====Transformers Movie Screen Cleaners====
[[Image:Movie Jazz Screencleaner.jpg|right|150px|thumb|]]
*'''Autobot Jazz''' (2008)

:Released by Tomy Yujin on January 2008<ref name="TomyYujin"/>, this dangler is a faction logo-shaped screen cleaner for your cell phone, with a stock image of Jazz printed on the other side.

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===Revenge of the Fallen===
====RPMs - Robot Powered Machines====
=====Battle Series=====
[[Image:ROTF-toy_RPM_Jazz_vs_Brawl.jpg|thumb|right|300px|]]
*'''Autobot Jazz Vs. Decepticon Brawl''' (2009)
**''Number:'' '''02 of 08'''

:[[Robot Powered Machines]] Jazz is a small non-transforming Pontiac Solstice Custom Hardtop with his robot mode sculpted on the car's underside. He was only available in a two-pack with [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]].

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===Robot Heroes===
[[Image:Movie Robotheroes JazzVsFrenzy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"His only real complaint is that he's always stuck fighting the small ones."]]
*'''Autobot Jazz vs. Decepticon Frenzy''' (2007)

: This pack of cutely sculpted figurines features an oddly brown-coloured [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]].
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[[Image:Rhjazzbrawl.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Yeah, um, that sure is Jazz.]]
*'''Protoform Jazz vs. Decepticon Brawl''' (2007)

:This ''Robot Heroes'' pack features a cutely murderous figurine of Brawl, and Jazz in his "[[Protoform]]" mode. Considering the generic nature of the protoforms, Protoform Jazz can easily represent any of his other three companions who crash landed to Earth. Like many Robot Heroes, he's jointed at the shoulders and neck.
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[[Image:Robotheroesfinalbattle.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Hi, then die.]]
*'''The Final Battle''' (2008)

: Packaged with Autobot Ratchet, Megatron, Blackout, and Optimus Prime, "Battle Damage" Jazz is a slightly redecoed version of the first two pack version. His exclusive deco involves a black paint wash and black-lined cracks over a shiny silver painted finish. The Final Battle 5-pack was sold exclusively in Wal-Mart stores.
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[[Image:Robotheroesjazzmegatron.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Okay, this is getting ridiculous.]]
*'''Battle Jazz vs. Megatron''' (2008)

:Once again the first Jazz sculpt is given a battle damage deco. This time black cracks and starbursts are painted over dull unpainted silver plastic.
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==Notes==
[[Image:Movie Jazz armswordconcept.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Cool melee weapon in the game, totally non-existent in the movie.]]
* The packaging text for the Deluxe Jazz figure refers to his weapon as a "telescoping sword". As ridiculous as this sounds, considering this weapon ''looks'' like a firearm and can attach to his spoiler in vehicle mode as such, this very idea actually comes from concept drawings of a sword weapon featured on the same concept art that also had Jazz showcasing the short range blaster/shield thingy both featured in the film and included with his Final Battle retool. So, ''really''...not that ridiculous anymore.

* According to a press kit sent out in conjunction with the movie, Jazz has a "near-perfect recordable memory that makes him invaluable as a documenter of battles" and is "equipped with a fusion engine that allows him to reach sub-light speeds in vehicle mode." [http://numberonestars.com/transformers/production/autobots.htm] One, uh, would ''hope'' a Pontiac Solstice would be travelling at ''sub''-light speeds...

* During the final battle in [[Mission City]], there's a long period during which Jazz is not doing ''anything''. He's standing around in vehicle mode when Ironhide notices that the F-22 flying above the city is Starscream, stays in vehicle mode when Ironhide and Bumblebee pick up a Furby delivery truck for cover, ''still'' remains in vehicle mode when Starscream blasts them, and after Sam discovers that Bumblebee has lost his legs, all Jazz does is pull back for a few feet to give Bumblebee space to crawl. In the end, Jazz doesn't really join the battle ''at all'' until Brawl shows up.

[[Image:MovieJazzBarricadeLicensePlates.jpg|thumb|180px|right|Hey, who gave me Barricade's license plate?]]
* In an earlier draft of the movie script, [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] was supposed to "consume" the sparks of Autobots he killed. A remainder of this can be found in the novelization and the IDW comic adaptation of the movie, which both explicitly state that Megatron tears out Jazz's spark. In the movie itself, however, Megatron simply appears to kill Jazz by ripping him apart at the waist, even though [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]] was previously able to survive as a detached head. However, a recent rejiggering of Frenzy's biology makes this a moot point.

*Jazz's manner of speech is a late development. In the early script draft his first line in the film is simply saying "Greetings" to the humans.

* Though it is very brief, Jazz does indeed get a face close-up during the Mission City battle when he is shot by Megatron and falls over in pain, before he is ripped in half.

* The Pontiac Solstice prop car used for the movie sports the [[license plate]] "664 NLZO", without a state-specific registration. Although barely identifiable during his transformation before his fight with [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]], the car on display at GM Riverwalk in Detroit in June 2007 sported the same plate.<ref name="jazzgmriv">[http://www.flickr.com/photos/jalopnik/592023523/ Pontiac Solstice prop car on display at GM Riverfront in Detroit in June 2007], Jalopnik photo at Flickr</ref> His robot CG model sports the license plate "1-4027E" instead... which also happens to be [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]]'s license plate in vehicle mode. The license plate can be briefly glimpsed in the movie when Barricade slows down after having seemingly cornered Bumblebee, but is more clearly seen in set photos.

* In an appeal to his better nature in [[Transformers (Titan Magazine)|Titan]], Optimus said part of him was "still Autobot Jazz", a reference to the name of the Jazz toys.

* Jazz was included in the downloadable content for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the Revenge of the Fallen game. Apparently over-compensating for not being in the movie, Jazz is pretty much the most dangerous robot ever. If you play against him, just run.

* In both of his console game appearances for the [[Transformers The Game (console)|first movie game]] and [[Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)|the second]], Jazz was not seen wearing his iconic visor.

* Jazz is killed by three completely different Decepticons. He's killed by Megatron in the movie, while [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]] is the one that kills the Autobot in the Autobot campaign and a [[Barricade (Movie)|fake law enforcer]] kills him in the Decepticon campaign in the Transformers 2007 video game. On that note, he dies in almost every movieverse continuity.
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==Footnotes==
<references/>

[[Category:3D Battle-Cards]]
[[Category:Beast Wars Autobots]]
[[Category:Costco exclusives]]
[[Category:Dark of the Moon Autobots]]
[[Category:Human Alliance]]
[[Category:Movie Autobots]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen Autobots]]
[[Category:Robot Heroes]]
[[Category:Sam's Club exclusives]]
[[Category:Target exclusives]]
[[Category:Titanium Series]]
[[Category:Transformers (2010) Autobots]]