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Patch (episode)

Alpha/Omega

2012-09-29T03:17:24Z

76.91.164.252: /* Synopsis */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 47
|prev=Legacy
|next=Hard Knocks
|image=
|caption=
|title="Alpha/Omega"
|airdate=[[September 28]], [[2012]]
|written by=[[David McDermott]]
|directed by=[[Todd Waterman]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

'''Megatron takes extreme measures to harness the power of the Primes, while Optimus learns the secret of the Omega Keys.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]] volunteers to counterattack the [[Autobot]]s, but [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] points out that with the power of the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] in the hands of [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]], the [[Decepticon]]s will not stand a chance against him and must find a means of meeting that power. As the Seeker mentions the [[Forge of Solus Prime]], Megatron counters that it will only work for a Prime, but then comes up with an idea.

Optimus telepathically communicates with [[Alpha Trion (Prime)|Alpha Trion]], or rather a recorded message from same, through the Star Saber. Alpha Trion tells Prime that through the [[Covenant of Primus]], he foresaw the battle against the Decepticons on [[Earth]] and intentionally transported the Iacon relics there for use by the [[Autobot]]s. He furthermore informs Prime of the most important of the relics: the [[Omega Key]]s which hold the power to restore [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. After Optimus comes out of his trance, he tells the other Autobots about their new mission to retrieve the keys.

The ''[[Trypticon (Prime)|Nemesis]]'' reaches Earth's [[Moon (moon)|Moon]], beyond which is a new Decepticon [[space bridge]], hidden there after the Autobots found and destroyed it. Megatron and Dreadwing head through it to Cybertron.

The Autobots are overjoyed at the fact they're going to be able to go back to their homeworld and truly restore it, but quickly realize they will have to leave their [[human]] friends behind. [[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]] wonders if the keys can really restore Cybertron, and Optimus assures him that the [[Ancient]]s possessed knowledge beyond current sciences and so starts decoding the last four coordinates.

On Cybertron, Megatron and Dreadwing break into a sealed tomb which contains the lifeless shell of a Prime. Though Dreadwing does not like the place, as it reminds him of his lost twin, Megatron has him crack open the coffin and "respectfully" takes what he needs.

[[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]], [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] and [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] ponder if they really want to go back to Cybertron if it means leaving their friends on Earth, with Bulkhead wondering if he can do anything other than fight. [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] suggests he go back to construction as the cities will still be in ruin. Arcee reminds everyone that they still need to locate the four Omega Keys first before leaving Earth.

Having returned to the ''Nemesis'', Megatron directs [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] to attach his new arm. Though the doctor suggests inducing [[stasis]] for the procedure, Megatron refuses and insists the witness the transplant.

Optimus finishes decoding the first Omega Key coordinates. Smokescreen immediately volunteers to go look and Arcee joins him to keep an eye on him. They arrive in [[Egypt]] and start tracking down the relic. As they search, Smokescreen attempts to apologise again for endangering [[Jack Darby|Jack]], but Arcee rebuffs him by saying that she does not want to lose a '''third''' partner.

Megatron tests his new appendage on the Forge, and is elated to see it react to his touch. He starts using the Forge to pound out a new weapon from a lump of [[Dark Energon]]. He is interrupted by [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]], who has decoded more Iacon coordinates.

Arcee and Smokescreen follow the signal through underground ruins until they pull aside a stone and find the Omega Key they're after. They're soon back in the open air, only to find Megatron waiting for them with a shiny new sword. He sends them flying with an energy wave and when Smokescreen tries to charge at him, the Autobot is sent flying into the side of a pyramid. Megatron gives Arcee a message to tell Optimus to come get the Omega Key. Returning to base, Arcee reports Smokescreen's death and the other Autobots are ready to exact revenge. Optimus insists on going alone with the Star Saber. When he arrives, he's shocked to see Megatron has a new arm and a [[Dark Star Saber]]. The pair use their swords to send energy waves at each other but each manages to dodge or dispel the energy waves. They move in to close combat but it doesn't take long before Megatron's sword smashes right through the Star Saber. Megatron's about to make the killing blow when Smokescreen speaks up, having grabbed the Omega Key while Megatron was occupied. Optimus takes advantage of Megatron's distraction to renew his assault on the Decepticon leader, but after a short struggle, Megatron throws him off and flings a wave of energy. The energy wave to passes right through Prime and Smokescreen, who disappear through the [[GroundBridge]].

Back at base, Smokescreen reveals that he borrowed the [[phase shifter]] again, and that's how he escaped destruction. Ratchet says Smokescreen can keep the device, but Smokescreen's joy is short-lived as they contemplate the destroyed Star Saber. Optimus, however, is right back at work decoding coordinates.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (3)
*[[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (4)
*[[Alpha Trion (Prime)|Alpha Trion]] (5)
*[[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (6)
*[[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]] (7)
*[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (8)
*[[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (9)
|c2=
*[[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]] (1)
*[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (2)
*[[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] (10)
*[[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (11)
}}

==Quotes==
"So, did Alpha Trion ask about me?"
:—'''Smokescreen'''

"At last we take our rightful places, Optimus, as ''gods'', wielding the power of the cosmos." 
"I am but a soldier, Megatron, and you are a prisoner of your own twisted delusions."
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Optimus Prime'''

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===
*When Megatron wounds Optimus's right arm with his "Dark Star Saber", most of the Autobot insignia on that arm has been chipped off, but when his right arm is shown in the very next scene, the insignia is back on.

===Continuity notes===
* The episode continues from the end of the [[Legacy|previous one]], showing the message from Alpha Trion.
* Dreadwing feels uneasy being in a tomb due to [[Masters & Students|what happened]] to his twin brother [[Skyquake (Prime)|Skyquake]], and Megatron uses that and recalls Dreadwing's proclamation that [[Loose Cannons|every Autobot shall pay]] to egg Dreadwing on.
* Megatron and Dreadwing loot the tomb of an otherwise unnamed Prime. In ''[[Transformers: Exodus]]'', [[Sentinel Zeta Prime]] was laid to rest in a funeral vault somewhere on Cybertron.
* Megatron uses the [[Forge of Solus Prime]], which he acquired in "[[Operation Bumblebee, Part 2]]".
* Smokescreen uses the [[phase shifter]] [[New Recruit|again]], and [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] allows him to keep it as a "signature weapon".
* Optimus loses yet another sword to Megatron in battle, as he did in "[[Darkness Rising, Part 5]]" and "[[One Shall Fall]]".

===Transformers references===
* The idea that the Covenant of Primus could give Alpha Trion a blurry glimpse into the future as well as be a recording of the past was belabored in ''[[Transformers: Exodus]].''
* The Omega Keys are an amalgam of the [[Omega Lock]] and [[Cyber Planet Key]]s from ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)|Transformers: Cybertron]]'', which together had the power to reawaken [[Primus]].

===Real-world references===
* The battle takes place at the pyramids of [[Giza]], which was also the site for the [[Operation: Firestorm|final battle]] of ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]].''

===Trivia===
{{epstub}}

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Alpha/Omega

2012-09-29T00:45:55Z

76.91.164.252: /* Real-world references */

2012-09-15T02:52:36Z

76.91.164.252: /* War for Cybertron */

{{factions|autobot}}
[[Image:PrimusG1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|''[[Hasbro|They]] call him Gee-Oh-Dee And he the [[Big Daddy (G1)|big daddy]] He look like [[Hot Rod (G1)|me]] But he more [[Facial hair|beardie]]'']]
'''Primus''' is the creator-god of the [[Transformer]]s. An ancient and ethereal being whose origins date back to the beginnings of the universe itself, Primus is a multiversal force for good, his life force existing across multiple realities and infinite alternate universes. In each one, he is the final defense against his fallen sibling, [[Unicron]] the Chaos-Bringer.

Primus eventually transformed himself into the planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]; from its surface, his creations have risen to defend and patrol the galaxy. Within the depths of Cybertron, the mega-computer [[Vector Sigma]] serves as his internal mainframe, and a gateway for select Transformers to access his power. A portion of his lifeforce resides within the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], which often determines the [[Prime (rank)|leader]] of the [[Autobot]]s. Prophecies of a war to come were written down in his [[Covenant of Primus|holy covenant]] as well. The [[spark]] of each Transformer is a small piece of Primus's essence, and together they form his lifeforce, the [[Allspark]].

Though wise and powerful beyond measure, Primus is neither infallible nor without weakness. At times he has [[Out of Time!|been deceived by mere mortals]], and has made [[The Sun|miscalculations]] which [[Transformers: Cybertron: Balancing Act|jeopardized all of existence]], and has been betrayed by one of his [[The Fallen|earliest creations]]. Indeed, even the intended agents of his grand plan, the Transformers, have all too frequently become mired in endless civil war. Still, in [[Withered Hope|most realities]] he has [[Wreckers: Finale Part II|managed to hold the line]] against Unicron and other threats, either directly or through his innumerable children, the Transformers.

{{quote|Until all are one!|Primus to his children|"[[Trap]]"}}

==In the beginning==
[[Image:Primus original.jpg|left|180px|thumb|Hold the sword and say, "I am the Protector of the Universe!"]]
Before the dawn of time, Order and Chaos existed within an extradimensional entity known as [[The One]]. To explore the fledgling universe, he created the astral being known as [[Unicron]], and then subdivided him, creating his twin, Primus. Both brothers were [[Multiversal singularity|multiversal singularities]], unique in all realities, but whereas Unicron could only exist in one dimension at a time, moving between them at will, Primus existed simultaneously in all realities at once. It is suggested, in fact, that the two brothers embody the basic concepts of reality—good and evil, order and chaos—and that their continued existence is necessary for the stability of the multiverse.

[[Image:Primusoriginal.jpg|right|180px|thumb|"No, [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] is [[FIRRIB| ''blue''!"]]]]
As Unicron and Primus went about their appointed task, venturing through the cosmos, it became apparent to Primus that Unicron was a corrupt being, and he took it upon himself to stop the threat posed to all of existence by his sibling. In combat, Primus was no match for Unicron. In cunning, however, he proved himself to his brother's superior when he shifted their battle to the astral plane, and then back to the physical world once more, only to have both their essences manifest within metallic planetoids, leaving them both trapped. It was with this act of sacrifice that Primus hoped to contain Unicron's evil forever. Unfortunately for him, over time, Unicron learned to psionically shape his prison into a giant metallic planet, and Primus followed suit, becoming the mechanical world of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. When Unicron then learned to transform his planetary form even further, into a gigantic robot form, Primus adapted the idea to suit his own ends—rather than transforming his own body, he would create small beings that would be able to change their shape, like Unicron. After performing a "test run" on the moon of [[Protos]], where he successfully created [[Covenant|twelve transforming robotic beings]], {{storylink|Herald, Covenant, Schism, Paradox|Covenant}} he birthed from his own body a group of thirteen robots that possessed the ability to change shape, like Unicron. These were the [[Thirteen|thirteen original Transformers]], each one infused with a fragment of Primus's life essence known as a [[spark]].

The Thirteen were Primus's soldiers in his war with Unicron, which came to its seeming end during a climactic battle in which one of the Thirteen, Megatronus Prime, who would forever afterwards be known as the [[The Fallen|Fallen]], betrayed Primus and became an acolyte of Unicron. The battle ended when the Fallen and Unicron were sucked into a black hole and disappeared from reality. With Unicron gone for now, Primus entered an eons-long slumber, his self-imposed sleep preventing Unicron from detecting him through the mental link the brothers shared. The Transformer race grew, and Primus fell into the realm of legend, with a portion of his power, the [[Matrix of Leadership]], handed down through the generations, serving as the Transformers' ever-present link to their creator.

===Evolution of the Primus/Unicron myth===
''The Primus/Unicron backstory has evolved and been rewritten a good number of times since it first originated in the [[Marvel Comics]] series. The version recounted above is the current iteration, which has slowly solidified across a wide swath of media (beginning around the time of [[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Armada]]). Before the Primus/Unicron mythos reached its present form it went through several distinct versions in the Marvel G1 comics and elsewhere.''

====Unicron's story====
''The first time we ever heard the Primus/Unicron backstory was in the UK comic continuity, from Unicron himself, in the story "[[The Legacy of Unicron!]]", when he recounted it to [[Death's Head (G1)|Death's Head]]. Per Unicron's telling of events, he was a primal force of evil at the dawn of the universe who led an army of [[Dark God]]s against his mortal foe, Primus, Lord of the [[Light God]]s (note the plural). Events proceeded to play out basically as described above, though the role of the Light and Dark Gods would diminish with each subsequent retelling of the story, until the current version, in which Primus and Unicron are alone and have a unique origin. (Only one of the other gods was ever named—the [[Chronarchitect]]. How exactly he factors into the current iteration of the myth is unknown.)''

====The Keeper's story====
''The second time the story was told was in the US book by the [[Keeper (Transformer)|Keeper]], an ancient mechanoid who guarded Primus's head at the center of Cybertron. This telling is effectively the same as the previous UK story, but mentions that their battle was towards the end of the era of gods, that Primus and Unicron were the last of their respective pantheons, and Primus had to defeat Unicron before he could take his place with the other gods in the "[[Omniversal Matrix]]".''

====Primus's story====
''The third time the story was told was also in the US Marvel series, this time by Primus, when he gathered all his children together to prepare for Unicron's coming. It was with this telling that we learned that Unicron predated the [[universe (universe)|current universe]], and had destroyed the [[old realms|previous universe]] which existed before the current one. He had slept peacefully, alone in the [[void]] of uncreation that remained, until fragments of the old universe that he had overlooked reacted, causing the Big Bang and birthing the current universe. The [[The One|"sentient core"]] of this new universe recognized the threat that Unicron posed, and so created Primus to counter his evil and be guardian of the new creation.''

====Fleer and DK====
[[Image:WarWithinPrimus.jpg|left|150px|thumb|I feel prickly...]]
''The first modern retelling of the origins of Primus and Unicron did not come from G1-oriented media, but from a set of ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'' trading cards released by Fleer. It was the backstory printed on Unicron's card which introduced the concept of the two being brothers created to explore the new universe by an extradimensional entity, here named the "[[Allspark]]."''

''This was subsequently expanded on and combined with aspects of the various Marvel Comics stories in [[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide]], published by Dorling Kindersley and written by [[Simon Furman]], who had written all three prior tellings in the first place. Here, the entity Fleer had called the "Allspark" was redubbed "[[The One]]," and the modern iteration of the myth detailed above was firmly established, and went on to form the backbone of subsequent fiction such as ''[[Transformers: Universe (2003 franchise)|Universe]]'' and [[Fun Publications]]' ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]'' comics.''

''It was also at this point that it was established that Primus could transform from Cybertron into a robot mode like Unicron, but preferred not to, choosing to remain connected to the universe on a planetary level.''
{{-}}

==Generation 1==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
[[Image:Primalscream.jpg|right|250px|thumb|KHHHHHAAAAANNNNN!]]
Eventually, millions of years later, in [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|one universe]] located in the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Primax cluster]], [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]], [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] found themselves transported to the center of Cybertron, where they discovered the sleeping form of Primus {{storylink|Yesterday's Heroes!}} and were told the tale of his and the Transformers' origins by the [[Keeper (Transformer)|Keeper]]. Subsequently, [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]'s [[Pretender]]s attacked, and during the battle, a laser blast ricocheted off Grimlock and struck the essence of the sleeping Primus, causing a universe-shaking "Primal Scream" that alerted Unicron (who was located "outside the fringes of known space") to Primus's location. {{storylink|Primal Scream}} Primus himself immediately slipped back into his sleep, but it was too late. Unicron was coming. {{storylink|Bird of Prey!}}

{{note|Later, in "[[Vector Prime: In the Beginning]]", this event would be presented in a greater context, with the Primal Scream being heard multiversally, and awakening Unicron from his own slumber as well.}}

[[Image:OutofTime-wakePrimus.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Have you tried crashing cymbals together?]]

After [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] sent teams of Autobots to retrieve the lost [[Creation Matrix]], the container of Primus' essence that could destroy Unicron, he communed with the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'s [[:Image:Arkaltar.jpg|Altar to Primus]]. Reaching out his mind to the Creation Matrix, the altar gave him a vision of a Matrix that had been tainted by evil. {{storylink|Kings of the Wild Frontier.}}

Unicron dispatched a group of [[Hook, Line, and Sinker|heralds]] to attack Cybertron and pave the way for his coming, including a [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]] plucked from an [[Rhythms of Darkness!|alternate future]]. Galvatron, however, was not content to serve under Unicron, and instead captured Autobot leader [[Emirate]] [[Xaaron]], forcing him to fully awaken Primus, who possessed Xaaron's body and summoned Transformers from all across the universe back to Cybertron. {{storylink|Out of Time!}} Here, Primus spoke through Xaaron, telling the Transformers of his history with Unicron. Additionally, Primus chose Optimus Prime to lead both factions, united, against the Chaos Bringer. Primus knew this would draw out the [[Unicron cultist]]s among them, and Autobot and Decepticon were able to put aside their differences to defeat them. When Optimus Prime learned of Primus' ruse, his suspicions regarding his Creator's motives began to grow. Optimus wondered if the Transformers meant anything to Primus beyond being a means to an end. {{storylink|The Void! (US)|The Void!}}

[[Image:OntheEdgeofExtinction-Primus.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Now you're like me.]]

Though their battle against the Unicron cultists did temporarily unite both factions, this facade shattered once the Planet-Eater arrived. Sheer terror prevented them from carrying out his desire, and the Transformers fled despite Primus' pleas. Primus instead made a stand himself, attempting to dupe Unicron into believing he still retained his full power, but Unicron saw through the deception, and destroyed Xaaron's body. Optimus Prime came to a realization, following Primus' destruction and his retrieval of the lost and contaminated Creation Matrix, that Primus did not mean only for the Transformers to fight his battles for him, but to carry on after he was gone. Flying into space with the Matrix, Prime unleashed the full measure of Primus's power, destroying Unicron. {{storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}}

Though the Transformers were technically victorious, this victory came with a price. With Primus dead, and with the grievous wounds inflicted on Cybertron itself, the planet threatened to come apart. The Transformers made plans to flee it. {{storylink|Exodus!}} Ultimately, this was averted by the [[Last Autobot]], who put into motion the planet's recovery, allowing the Autobots, who had finally won the civil war, to return to their home. {{storylink|End of the Road! (US)|End of the Road!}}

{{note|As originally written, it is quite clear that the story intends for Primus to have died after his battle with Unicron. As the current retcon makes it clear that this cannot possibly be, one must assume that Prime was wrong in his analysis that Primus had died. Notably, even in the original comics themselves, the Matrix—the life-force of Primus—is shown to still exist and is functioning fine in the G2 Marvel Comics series that follows his supposed death.}}
{{-}}
====''Classics''====
The Last Autobot created a race of tiny beings, [[Mini-Con]]s, to rebuild and restore Cybertron so that it would be ready for the Autobots' return. Part of the Mini-Cons' job was to excise certain evolutionary throwbacks, remnants of Primus' earlier experiments, such as the [[Mutant (G1)|Mutant]]s, and this alarmed one Mini-Con. He suspected that one day that Primus would consider the Mini-Cons surplus to requirements as well, and he instigated an insurgency against their Creator and his followers. {{storylink|The New World}}

===Japanese cartoon continuity===
{{note|Primus did not exist in the American [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] as it was originally written, since it was produced long before the [[retcon]] which established him to be a multiversal singularity. Precisely how Primus should then fit into the framework of the cartoon has not been explicitly established, although the [[Transformers: Universe (comic)|''Universe'' comic'']]'' offered one attempt for its continuity (see "Beast Era", below). Primus was, however, explicitly and thoroughly retconned into being part of the expanded universe of the ''Japanese'' cartoon continuity by the [[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)|Kiss Players]] fiction of 2007, as part of a complicated process that folded various animated concepts—[[Oracle (G1)|Primacron's assistant]], [[Vector Sigma]] and the [[Oracle (G1)|Oracle]]—into the Primus myth.}}
[[Image:TGGPrimus.jpg|left|220px|thumb|Now you need to get this toy.]]

Formerly the assistant to the Primacron, the ancient genius who created the giant mechanoid Unicron, the robotic being known as the Oracle was badly damaged when Unicron rebelled against his creator. His essence fled to a dead world at the centre of the galaxy, which he used his powers to transform into a verdant, green planet. However, the Oracle could sense that in the future, Primacron would go on to create another universal danger in the form of Tornedron, and so summoned a group of [[Primitive]] Transformers back through time from the year 2010 to his planet, where he instructed them in how to destroy the threat. {{storylink|Call of the Primitives}}/{{storylink|Generation 1 cartoon timeline (Japan)|Kiss Players timeline}}

[[Image:TGGPrimus2.jpg|right|100px|thumb|Primus = Oracle = Vector Sigma = Primacron's Assistant = aaaargh.]]

Later in his life, the Oracle also reached through time when he discovered that the evil [[Sparkbot]]s were attempted to recreate Unicron following the planet-eater's destruction in the year 2005. By this stage calling himself "Primus", the Oracle attempted to stop the villains and their unwitting pawns, the human [[Kiss Players (singing group)|Kiss Players]], appearing as a giant golden hand to snatch away the fragments of Unicron's lifeforce each time the Kiss Players recovered them. {{storylink|Transformers: Kiss Players (radio drama)|Kiss Players radio drama #45-46}} Unfortunately, this merely led the Kiss Players to pursue him through the timestream and resulted in them crashing into the "[[Wall of Time]]" and becoming scattered throughout the multiverse. {{storylink|Transformers: Kiss Players (radio drama)|Kiss Players radio drama #47}} Knowing that the Kiss Players were innocent in this whole affair, having been duped by the Sparkbots, the benevolent Primus rescued them from the different regions of time and space they had wound up in, and properly introduced himself, explaining the Sparkbots' treachery. He then took them back in time to prehistoric Earth, arriving just in time to witness the Sparkbots' successful restoration of Unicron to life. Primus transformed once more and unleashed the power of his mobile cannon platform, destroying Unicron's energy and sealing it and the Sparkbots deep within the planet. To ensure that Unicron would never be freed again, he created a mighty guardian, [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Brave Maximus]], who would watch over it and the Earth. With the battle over, Shaoshao asked about the Kiss Players' future, but Primus did not reply. After sending the Kiss Players back to their home time, Primus transformed into the golden sphere of Vector Sigma and returned to his world to sleep. {{storylink|Transformers: Kiss Players (radio drama)|Kiss Players radio drama #48-51}}

Unfortunately for Primus, as he slumbered, his world was eventually discovered by the alien Quintessons, who shackled his powers and used them to both transform the planet into the metallic Cybertron, and to create the races of robots that would eventually become the Transformers. Additionally, the aliens acquired the shell that had held his essence, which became, through unknown means, the talisman that would be known to the Transformers as the Matrix of Leadership. {{storylink|Generation 1 cartoon timeline (Japan)|Kiss Players timeline}}
{{note|For further information, see [[Vector Sigma]] and [[Oracle (G1)|Oracle]].}}

===Beast Era===
====''Tales From the Beast Wars''====
[[Image:Terminus-Primus.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Great, now he's going to become the Smoke Monster.]]

Before Primus became Cybertron, he plotted to create robotic life that would ultimately defeat Unicron, but first he needed to do a test run. He created twelve beings, the [[Covenant]], on a small moon named [[Protos]]. These twelve would watch the Transformers from afar and only intervene when necessary.

Their intervention would become necessary when [[Shokaract]] used Unicron's essence, the [[Matrix of Conquest|Decepticon Matrix of Conquest]], to conquer the future, threatening the end of all things at an important historical crossroads dubbed Point Omega. Though the Covenant's ranks were halved in the battle against Shokaract on prehistoric Earth during the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]], they were ultimately able to discover a way to defeat Shokaract and his Unicron-fueled power. The remaining Covenant members returned to their original Primus-spawned energy forms and entered Shokaract's Matrix of Conquest. Reconstituting as an astral form of Primus, they severed Unicron's link with Shokaract, leaving him vulnerable to attack. {{storylink|Terminus (issue)|Terminus}}
{{-}}

====''Beast Wars'' cartoon====
In addition to its occasional invocation in prayer or in righteous anger by the Beast Warriors {{storylink|Bad Spark}}, Primus's name was also lent to a set of prophetical datatrax, known as the [[Covenant of Primus]]. From this document, the [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] of this era took his name (as did, presumably, the original [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]), and the scriptures foretold the events which completed the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]]. {{storylink|Nemesis Part 2}}

====''Universe''====
{{Note|The [[3H Productions]] ''Wreckers'' comic was the first attempt by official fiction to detail how the Quintesson-born origin of the Generation 1 cartoon could be reconciled with the Primus creation myth from the comic books. Set concurrently with the ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' cartoon, it only ''strictly'' applies to the continuity of the Beast Era, which is not explicitly the same universe as the Generation 1 cartoon itself.}}

Dispatched to an ice world in the far reaches of the galaxy by the orders of the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]], [[Primal Prime]]'s [[Wrecker]]s encountered the exiled [[Quintesson]] known as [[Al-Badur]], who revealed to them the full extent of his race's connection to Cybertron and Primus. Al-Badur explained that, millions of years ago, the Quintessons sought to exploit the power of Primus for profit, and to that end, invaded Cybertron and set up numerous barriers to separate Primus from the Transformers. Their first attempt, the [[Plasma energy|Plasma Energy Chamber]], met with failure; next, the Quintessons targeted Vector Sigma itself, surrounding it with a shell program that acted as a barrier between the Transformers and the power and guidance of Primus. {{storylink|Disclosure}} Realizing that the Oracle itself was the Quintessons' shell program, Primal Prime began to fear that all that had come about as a result of its guidance—including [[Optimus Primal]]'s mission to restore a techno-organic balance to Cybertron—was all part of a Quintesson plot, but [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] assured him that Primus worked in mysterious ways.

The Wreckers soon returned to Cybertron, discovering that in their absence, Optimus Primal had achieved his goal of recreating the planet as a technorganic world. In the wake of this overwhelming transformation, the Quintessons had invaded the planet, but they were not the only threat to Cybertron's safety: The Wreckers were also faced with [[Cryotek (RID)|Cryotek]], who had used the legendary [[Divine Light]] to tap into the power of Primus and transform himself into a living god. During the course of the battle that ensued, Primal Prime and [[Apelinq]] were struck by a blast of Primus's power by Cryotek, which wound up merging them into [[Sentinel Maximus]]. At Al-Badur's direction, Sentinel Maximus steered the battle to an interdimensional portal chamber far below the planet's surface, where [[Matrix Templar]]s [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus]] and [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] began draining Primus's power out of Cryotek. To stop them, Cryotek shattered the Divine Light and absorbed Primus's energies directly into himself, where they could not drain it, but as he grappled with Sentinel Maximus, the fused Autobot forced them both through the portal, into a [[transwarp|shapeless interdimensional void]]. Although unable to drain Primus's power any further, Cryotek was sustained in the void by the power he had absorbed, and he was ready to carry on the battle until Primus himself—now unshackled thanks to the destruction of the Oracle in the final stages of Optimus Primal's quest—took an active hand, spiriting Sentinel Maximus away to partake in [[Transformers: Cybertron: Balancing Act|another battle]] elsewhere in the multiverse.

While all of this was happening on Cybertron, elsewhere in the universe, on [[New Quintessa]], Primus briefly possessed the body of [[Icebird]] so that he could address the Quintesson leader [[Heirodyus|Judge Heirodyus]]. Primus shocked the Quintesson by revealing that he had allowed all that had transpired to occur, and he "thanked" Heirodyus for his race's role in the scheme, promising to call upon them again if he ever needed an "evolutionary crisis" to drive his children forward. {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

[[Image:TFUPrimus.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Alpha, Rita's escaped! Recruit a team of teenagers with attitude!]]
In the wake of the repulsion of the Quintesson invasion, [[Unicron]] began gathering Transformers from across the multiverse, forcing them to fight and harvesting the [[spark]]s of the losers to restore his power. With each spark devoured, Primus was weakened, and so, communing with Alpha Trion, he chose to summon Optimus Primal back from the Allspark, restoring the Maximal commander to life. {{storylink|Abduction}} Primal was charged with re-securing the battling captives from the Pit of Unicron and leading a team of multiversal warriors to put a stop to this soul-stealing scheme before it could cause the Allspark to collapse. {{storylink|Escape (Universe)|Escape}}

Primus allowed Optimus Primal to choose any Transformer who ever existed—living or dead—for his army. This required considerable amounts of Primus's power, so Primal was told to choose sparingly. Primal chose his departed former troops [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] and [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]]. {{storylink|Homecoming (issue)|Homecoming}} Ultimately, however, Unicron's defeat came not as a result of their efforts, but as a consequence of another battle, happening in another corner of the Transformers multiverse. {{storylink|Revelations Part 2}}
{{-}}

===''Universe'' CD-ROM comic===
[[Image:UniverseCDROM-Primus.jpg|left|thumb|200px|In the future, Primals will travel on beams of light!]]

In a strange variant universe where [[Optimus Primal]] leads the [[Autobot]]s and [[Reptilion]] leads the [[Decepticon]]s, a ship arrives once a year, when the Transformers' civil war reaches a fever pitch. The ship abducts every Decepticon it can find and promptly leaves.

These Decepticons are brought to Unicron, who is preparing them for an eventual, ultimate battle for the universe. But unknown to even Unicron, Primus, the sentient core of Cybertron, is amassing an army of Autobots that rivals Unicron's army of Decepticons. Can Primus meet Unicron's challenge, or is the universe doomed? {{storylink|Universe CD-ROM}}
{{-}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
{{ongoing}}

{{spoiler|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|October 10}}
According to [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]], in the beginning, Primus, the giant warrior-god, emerged from the planet Cybertron; a reaction to the creation of something opposite to him, although it's not made quite clear who or what that something was. One day he felt something stirring within him, and his body split into five separate entities--Primus the life-giver, [[Mortilus]] the death-bringer, [[Epistemus]] the embodiment of knowledge, [[Solomus]] the embodiment of wisdom and [[Adaptus]] who represented change. These five beings were known as The [[Guiding Hand]], and it was they who brought forth the Cybertronian race to inhabit the planet of Cybertron. Primus believed that every Cybertronian had an obligation to do his part in society, thus blessing each one with a second form that best suited his environment and surroundings. However, Mortilus eventually rebelled because he wished the Hand and its children to strike out at the rest of the universe, while the other members of the Guiding Hand were against unnecessary war. Primus eventually destroyed the death god, but nearly died himself in doing so. He retreated to the heart of Cybertron from whence he came, reformatting himself into the life-giving supercomputer known as [[Vector Sigma]]. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations}}

Before the war, in a discussion with the religious [[Springarm]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Orion Pax]] said he wasn't convinced Primus, [[Mortilus]], and [[Adaptus]] actually existed. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}}

==Unicron Trilogy==

===''Armada'' cartoon===
A "unique digital entity" came to exist eons ago. To search for other life in the universe, it sent out the Transformers as explorers. One of the first places the Transformers settled was on a planet that would eventually become known as Cybertron. {{storylink|First Encounter}}

===''Energon'' cartoon===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Ron Halder]] (English), [[Tesshō Genda]] (Japanese), [[Johan Hedenberg]] (Swedish)

[[Image:Primus eng.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Primus mistakes Kicker for a Japanese schoolgirl.]]
Primus was the living energy core of Cybertron, as well as the originator of the precious and ancient fuel, [[energon]]. Transformers of this universe believed the stories of Unicron, Primus, and [[Omega Supreme (Energon)|Omega Supreme]] to be only myth and legend until the existence of Unicron was revealed in "[[the Unicron Battles]]" of 2010. With Cybertron left in a disastrous state after the chaos-bringer's attack, large amounts of energon were required to repair the planet, and to search for and acquire the mineral, the united Autobot-Decepticon forces entered into an alliance with the [[Earth Federation]] government.

Primus entered into the equation when the project's head scientist, [[Brian Jones (Energon)|Dr. Brian Jones]], brought his son, [[Kicker Jones|Kicker]], to Cybertron. Terrified of the giant robots surrounding him, Kicker fled, only to find himself tumbling through tunnels into a hidden chamber deep beneath Cybertron's surface. Primus awoke and saved Kicker from what would have been a fatal fall, and for his own reasons, imbued the child with a special gift—the ability to detect energon throughout the [[universe (universe)|universe]]. [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] subsequently discovered Kicker in Primus's chamber, and the god chose to work with the Transformers quite directly, imbuing them with the [[Spark of Combination]], which would allow the Autobots to [[Powerlinx]] and increase their powers. Primus went on to advise Optimus Prime on his actions in order to prepare for the future, including the [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcon]] invasion, the return of [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]], and the next battle with Unicron; although vague at times, he would offer just enough information to allow his children to survive the threats they faced. Primus was often very weak due to the damage done to the planet's surface, and spent most of his time in a mode of stasis to preserve his energy and keep Cybertron's energy grid online.

When Megatron succeeded in reanimating Unicron, most of the Autobot army was critically wounded in the ensuing battle. This prompted the sleeping Primus to awaken and infuse their armor with his power, upgrading them into new forms, and allowing Optimus Prime and Omega Supreme to combine into a gigantic form and defeat Unicron. {{storylink|Unicron Perishes}} Unicron's spark survived, however, and Primus sought to contain it by trapping it at the heart of a new sun that he created from a reservoir of "super energon" hidden within Cybertron. {{storylink|The Sun}}

===''Cybertron'' cartoon===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Michael Donovan]] (English), [[Tesshō Genda]] (Japanese)

[[Image:Cyb ep31 cybertron breakup.jpg|right|thumb|200px|''[[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]]'' [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], "[[Cybertron (episode)|Cybertron]]." [[wikipedia:Buffalo_buffalo_Buffalo_buffalo_buffalo_buffalo_Buffalo_buffalo|Cybertron Cybertron Cybertron Cybertron Cybertron.]]]]

{{bigquote|He who charted the universe when it was new! He who battled Unicron at the dawn of time! He whose spark formed the basis of all life on Cybertron, and Velocitron, and all the other Transformer colonized homeworlds! It can be no other! This... is... Primus!|[[Vector Prime]], religiously intoning Primus' achievements throughout the Multiverse|[[Cybertron (episode)|Cybertron]]}}

[[Image:Cyb ep32 balance.jpg|left|200px|thumb|This looks [[Xaaron|familiar]].]]

Primus's plan to contain Unicron's essence in the center of the sun failed when the star collapsed into a massive [[Unicron Singularity|black hole]] which threatened not only Cybertron and the universe, but the entire multiverse itself. His energy drained to the point that he had once again been rendered dormant, Primus could now only be awakened and restored to full power by the four ancient [[Cyber Planet Key]]s, lost to the far reaches of the galaxy in a failed [[space bridge]] experiment eons ago. The magnitude of the threat posed to the multiverse was enough to summon [[Vector Prime]]—one of the original thirteen Transformers, who had been following Unicron through the multiverse and repairing the damage he had done—back to Cybertron to aid the Autobots in the quest for the keys.

After a while, the Autobots were able to find the focusing device, the [[Omega Lock]], and the keys from [[Velocitron]] and [[Animatron|Jungle Planet]]. Bringing all three together caused the group to be drawn into the consciousness of Primus, who spoke through the three Mini-Cons and told his children to "maintain the balance". {{storylink|Trap}}

[[Image:Cyb ep48 starships.jpg|right|thumb|200px|I can see my house from here!]]

Eventually, despite continued attempts by both Megatron and [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] to steal the power of the Cyber Planet Keys, the Autobots were able to gather the keys from [[Velocitron]], the [[Animatron|Jungle Planet]] and [[Earth]], and brought them and their focusing device, the [[Omega Lock]], back to Cybertron. Coupling these three keys with the power of the Matrix, Optimus Prime was able to initiate Primus's transformation from planet mode to robot mode. Communicating with the Autobots through the [[Mini-Con]], [[Jolt (Cybertron)|Jolt]], Primus explained that the destruction of Unicron, the embodiment of the force of evil, had unbalanced the universe, and that only he could seal the black hole and restore order—but to do that, the fourth Cyber Planet Key, from [[Gigantion]], the Giant Planet, was required to reconnect Primus's spark with his body and restore his full power. {{storylink|Cybertron (episode)|Cybertron}}

[[Image:Cybertron Ark Homecoming.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Eat this, in remembrance of Me.]]

Attempting to retrieve the Omega Lock, [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] made a rather pointless attack on Primus, only to be smacked down hard. {{storylink|Balance}} Shortly thereafter, when Primus was in the process of channelling some of his power into holding back the ever-growing black hole, Starscream tried again, plunging into the energy beam and absorbing some of Primus's power into himself. Starscream expanded in size until he was as large as Primus himself, but Primus did not take this slight lightly, as he converted Cybertron's moons into a pair of mace weapons and relentlessly pounded Starscream into submission. {{storylink|Titans}}

[[Image:Cyb ep49 primus smiles.jpg|right|thumb|200px|He's pretty happy so long as you don't wake him up while he's napping.]]

Eventually, the Autobots were able to acquire the final key, as well as to reactivate the four ancient ships which had carried the keys to the respective worlds ages ago—the [[Atlantis]], the [[Lemuria (Cybertron)|Lemuria]], the [[Hyperborea]] and the [[Ogygia (Cybertron)|Ogygia]]. Primus fused the four ships together to form the [[Ark (Cybertron)|Ark]], and with his powers subsequently restored by all four keys, he channelled all of his power through the Ark as a beam, straight into the heart of the black hole. With a massive blast, the black hole was finally sealed, and Primus transformed back into Cybertron—not Cybertron as it had been, but a new Cybertron, infused with the differing aspects of Velocitron, Jungle Planet, Earth and Gigantion, a true paradise for Transformers and humans alike. {{storylink|End}}
{{-}}

===''Cybertron'' comic===
[[Image:Revelations6-Primus.jpg|left|thumb|200px|pudding]]
While the Autobots were occupied with the quest for the Cyber Planet Keys, Unicron's heralds [[Ramjet (Universe)|Ramjet]] and [[Nemesis Prime (Universe)|Nemesis Prime]] arrived on Cybertron, {{storylink|Balancing Act}} intent on unleashing the [[Dead Matrix]]—as the Matrix was the antithesis of Unicron, so too would the Dead Matrix ensure the destruction of Primus, thereby totally destabilizing the multiverse and reducing it to a sea of entropic chaos. For the first time, it would be possible for Unicron to strike at Primus in all realities simultaneously, ending their cosmic feud once and for all. {{Storylink|Balancing Act, Part 2}} Ramjet and Nemesis Prime were ultimately stopped by Vector Prime and allies [[Sentinel Maximus]] and [[Omega Prime]], plucked from the midst of the Universe conflict by the multiverse-warping energies of the black hole. {{storylink|Revelations Part 1}}

The Dead Matrix, however, was cast into the heart of the black hole by Unicron's servant [[Soundwave (Cybertron)|Soundwave]], freeing Unicron's spark and allowing it to adopt a new, diminutive physical form. {{storylink|Revelations Part 4}} Unicron participated in the escalating Mini-Con civil war on Cybertron's moons, {{storylink|Revelations Part 5}} but when the planet transformed into Primus's robot mode, Unicron fled. His whereabouts are unknown. {{storylink|Revelations Part 6}}

{{note|The events in the second paragraph happen concurrently with Primus' transformation in the ''Cybertron'' cartoon, detailed in the section prior.}}

==Shattered Glass==
The idea of Primus, the benevolent Creator, was unknown to the heroic Decepticons until [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]], a visitor from the Positive Polarity universes, told them about Him. {{storylink|Shattered Glass}} Before long, Cliffjumper's "beliefs" were a subject of derision, especially among the evil Autobots. {{storylink|Dungeons & Dinobots}}

Cliffjumper was eventually vindicated, however, when the [[Nexus Prime]] gestalt members attempted to resurrect a recently-assassinated [[Megatron (SG)|Megatron]]. As they applied their powers to the body, they were transported to Primus' presence. {{storylink|Reunification: Part 5}} There they chose for Primus to rebirth them as their original self, with Nexus returning to the battlefield and declaring himself to his enemies as being the "mighty fist of the lord of light". {{storylink|Reunification: Part 6}}

Megatron, meanwhile, received a vision from the other side of the Allspark of a healed Cybertron, before being reborn himself as Galvatron, with Nexus investing him with some of Primus's power by proxy. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 30|Galvatron's TFCC bio}}

==Robot Heroes==
[[Image:Robotheroes primus and matrix.jpg|right|thumb|Screw continuity, I don't see YOU with a Matrix!]]

Primus, considered to be the very first Transformer, created the Matrix of Leadership and personally gave it to Optimus! Wait WHAT?{{storylink|I Am Optimus Prime (Robot Heroes)|I Am Optimus Prime}}
{{-}}

==Live-action film series==
The location on Cybertron that is named after Primus is surrounded by the [[Rad Zone]] and [[Uraya]]. {{storylink|Risk}}

===Titan Magazines ''Revenge of the Fallen'' comics===

Legend has it that the original seven Transformers are creations of Primus, though they themselves don't think this. It is not said who started the legend. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.3|The Fallen Profile}}

===IDW ''Revenge of the Fallen'' comics===

The [[Dynasty of Primes|Primes]] ''do'' think they're "children of Primus". {{storylink|Tales of the Fallen issue 4}}

===IDW ''Dark of the Moon'' comics===
According to legend, when the [[AllSpark]] cube crashed into Cybertron, it gave life to Primus and his descendents, the Primes. {{storylink|Foundation issue 2}} Primus was known as the first Cybertronian and, after the [[Dynasty of Primes]] was ended due to [[The Fallen]]'s treachery, left behind his only legacy in [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel]] and, revealed much later, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus]]. {{storylink|Foundation issue 1}}
{{-}}

==Animated==

In [[universal stream|some parts of the multiverse]], Primus created organic worlds around himself, with the inhabitants eventually becoming robotic lifeforms: these worlds are [[Gobotron]] and [[Robotix|Skalorr]], with a known [[Vector Sigma]] node in the latter. The inhabitants seem unaware of the existence of Primus.

Unicron created [[Unicron#G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers|a body for himself]] in at least one of the Gobotron timelines. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II}}

==Aligned continuity==
===''Exodus'' and ''Exiles'' novels===
Primus is generally accepted to exist though his 13 children are considered a myth by [[Jazz (WFC)|some]]. Throughout Cybertron devices carry out his will: the [[AllSpark]] creates the [[protoform]]s in the [[Well of All Sparks]]. The [[Sonic Canyons]] are believed to be his ears, feeding him knowledge of the universe via Vector Sigma, though that is actually beneath [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]. And the [[Core]] produces his own physical emanation, [[Energon]].

During the civil war, the AllSpark was ejected into space to keep it out of Decepticon hands, eventually floating into the [[Milky Way]], while the Core was corrupted by the [[Dark Energon]]-imbued [[Plasma energy]] Chamber. [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] removed the Chamber, but the damage was done, and the Core had to shut down and reboot to survive. But before leaving, Optimus was bestowed Primus' essence in the form of the Matrix. When the Autobots left Cybertron, the last original Prime [[Alpha Trion (Prime)|Alpha Trion]] remained, stating Vector Sigma would keep him alive. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus}}

===War for Cybertron===
[[Jetfire (WFC)|Jetfire]] exclaimed Primus' name when he realized the orbital station was a living Cybertronian. Afterwards, Optimus thanked Primus when he managed to defeat [[Trypticon (Prime)|Trypticon]]. {{storylink|Transformers: War for Cybertron (360/PS3/PC)}}

===Transformers: Prime===

According to legend, at the beginning of time, Unicron and Primus battled each other for eons, with neither side remaining victorious for long. Until, that is, Primus created the [[Thirteen]]: the original Primes. These Thirteen defeated Unicron and cast him into space. Primus then became one with the core of Cybertron, and brought life to new Cybertronians through the [[Well of All Sparks]]. Optimus Prime would later speak of Unicron as being a physical being that had likely transcended physical form, with Primus presumably being the same. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 1}}

Later Optimus came into contact with Primus and was given the Matrix of Leadership. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 3}}

{{note|Cybertron is shown to exist before Primus "became one" with it, implying the planet predates him in Prime continuity.}}

==Games==
===Transformers Cybertron: Primus Unleashed===

Faced with the growing threat of the black hole, Primus attempted to obliterate the dark matter before it spread further into the universe. {{storylink|Transformers Cybertron: Primus Unleashed}}

== Retconning the retcon? ==

It's no secret that, after the Unicron Trilogy, ''Universe'' and the Unicron-heavy [[Dreamwave Productions]] comic books, the [[fandom]] at large was generally quite sick of stories revolving around Unicron and Primus. It is likely no coincidence, then, that the major new universes created in western media between then and [[2010]]—those of the [[IDW Publishing]] comic books, the [[live-action film series|live-action movie]] and the ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]]'' cartoon—all eschewed use of the Primus creation myth. But what does this mean for the status of the retcon that states Primus exists in all universes?

The world of the live-action initially presented the Transformers as creations of the enigmatic [[AllSpark]], with no explicit connection drawn between it and Primus. However, connections soon began to emerge. First, Takara's [[World of the Transformers]] website listed the AllSpark as a [[sacred implement]] alongside other Primus-related talismans such as the Matrix and Vector Sigma. Then, the UK's ''[[Transformers (Titan Magazine)|Transformers]]'' magazine introduced Unicron in [[Transformers Comic issue 18|its eighteenth issue]], and then in [[Transformers Comic issue 20|#20]], had the Transformers discover huge versions of their own interior workings deep inside Cybertron, in a clear reference to Cybertron being the transforming body of Primus. Primus was first referred to by name in a profile for The Fallen printed by Titan, which noted that legend claimed he was the creator of the first Transformers, and then again in IDW's ''[[Transformers: Tales of the Fallen|Tales of the Fallen]]'' mini-series. At this point, it is clear that Primus does exist in the movie universe, and that the AllSpark is merely the object through which he acts. In 2010, the new ''[[Transformers: Prime (franchise)|Transformers: Prime]]'' continuity family lent further credence to this reading of events by incorporating it into its own storyline.

Much like the movieverse, the world of ''Transformers Animated'' also depicts the source of Transformer life as a mysterious talisman known as the [[AllSpark]], for which no origin has been given. As far as [[authorial intent]] goes, series art director [[Derrick J. Wyatt]] stated more than once his opinion that Primus does not exist in the ''Animated'' universe [http://twitter.com/DerrickJWyatt/status/1759990650]. The [[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|''AllSpark Almanac II'']] treads lightly on the matter in seeming honor of Wyatt's wishes, never revealing Cybertron's origins. It does, however, mention a "battle between primordial titans" as one possible origin for the planet, in an obvious allusion to the Unicron/Primus creation story, and repeatedly brings up Primus and many of the concepts associated with him by name when discussing ''other'' universes.

The IDW universe was less clear on the matter. Writer [[Simon Furman]] outright said that the IDW universe would have "no Primus. No Unicron". In accordance with this, the Furman-penned ''[[The Transformers: Stormbringer |Stormbringer]]'', rather than have Transformers swear by Primus, instead had them swear by [[Primacron (G1)|Primacron]], but a monkeywrench was thrown into the works when Primus's name was heard being taken in vain in [[Eric Holmes]]'s [[Megatron Origin issue 4|''Megatron Origin'' #4]]. Furman attempted to justify this on his blog by claiming that this was not ''the'' Primus, but simply "something or someone" called Primus that had existed some point. [http://simonfurman.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/all-this-and-devastation-4/]

With Furman's removal as the primary architect of the IDW universe, things got changed: "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]" by [[James Roberts]] refers to a Primus. However, he is not only referred to as a being that Optimus doesn't believe in, he's mentioned in conjunction with two ''other'' gods, [[Mortilus]] and [[Adaptus]], that Optimus also didn't believe in.

Ultimately, there is ''very'' little to say that Primus does not exist in the IDW or ''Animated'' universe, besides the fact that creators involved with those universes do not want to include the character in their stories. After all, just because Primus doesn't ''appear'', or characters are unaware of him, it doesn't mean he doesn't ''exist''. It wouldn't be the only time this has happened: the occupants of the parallel ''[[Transformers: Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass]]'' universe were largely ignorant of Primus until a [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper from another universe]] mentioned him. It seems quite safe to conclude that, as of this moment, the retcon has not yet itself been retconned... and we kinda hope it isn't, because then some poor sod is going to have rewrite this article from the ground up.

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:GodPrimus2.jpg|250px|thumb|The rod god.]]
*'''God Primus''' (2004)
**''Accessories:'' Photon Eliminator, spoiler, 2 gun shields
[[Image:GodPrimus1.jpg|150px|left|thumb|Popemobile, meet Godebago.]]
:Unbeknownst to many Western fans, the first Primus figure was a "[[Lucky Draw figure]]" in Japan, a [[Vacuum metallizing|vacuum-metallized]] gold chrome recolored [[Hot Rod (G1)/toys|Rodimus Prime]] that was given away as a contest prize from the collector book, ''[[Transformers Generations|Transformers Generations Deluxe]]''. Supposedly, only 100 pieces of these lucky draw figures were manufactured.

:As a [[redeco]] of a Rodimus (no doubt inspired by the resemblance of his astral form to Rodimus in the UK comics), Primus transforms into a futuristic truck resembling nothing so much as a Winnebago. Following the trend started by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|the original Optimus Prime toy]], his trailer splits down the middle to transform into a battle station with an extending double-barrelled cannon. The figure comes with a large, hand-held blaster, and two blast-shield accessories that plug into the sides of his battle station cannon.

{{-}}{{anchor|CybG1}}
*'''Primus''' (Supreme, 2006)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''00'''
**''Accessories:'' Omega Lock, two missiles, special silver Cybertron planet-type Cyber Planet Key
[[Image:Cybertron Primus toy.jpg|350px|thumb|Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven imag— You know what, just forget it. It's not like we have rules for a reason.]]
:Primus was developed by Hasbro and Takara as a toy for their joint [[Transformers: Cybertron (toyline)|''Cybertron/Galaxy Force'' toylines]], but was released in Japan in the ''Generation 1'' line a few months after ''Galaxy Force'' had ended its run. This release can be considered a pre-release of the ''Cybertron'' toy because it features Hasbro's [[Cyber Key Codes]] that the ''Galaxy Force'' line lacked.

:Primus is the first toy representation of the Transformers' creator as their home planet of Cybertron. In planet mode, he is considerably more detailed than [[Unicron]] from the [[Transformers: Armada (toyline)|''Armada'' line]], with visible cities, including [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]], based upon its appearance in the [[DK Publishing]] book, ''[[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide]]'', and [[Kaon]], specifically [[Kolkular]], as seen in ''[[Transformers: The War Within|The War Within]]''. On the 'bottom' of the planet mode there are four hard rubber legs, molded to be shaped like towers, allowing Primus to be displayed in planet mode, yet not require a flat base as Unicron did.

:Primus's transformation is unusual, in many ways similar to a [[Powermaster]], in that he requires the owner to insert his accompanying Omega Lock accessory into several special ports around the planet, then manipulate it to unlock his parts and transform him. When the Omega Lock is inserted into his back and pushed, a transforming sound is heard. When it is inserted into his chest and pushed up to reveal his head, his eyes glow red and a laser-type sound effect is heard. The Lock itself lights up red when it is inserted into any of the ports.

:In robot mode, Primus resembles both the ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (franchise)|Beast Wars Neo]]'' Unicron prototype as well as [[Don Figueroa]]'s Primus concept, created for ''The War Within'' and used in ''The Ultimate Guide''. He is bristling with weaponry, including two shoulder-mounted cannons that can fire missiles, two forearm blasters that raise and extend when a Cyber Power Key is inserted, and several banks of Gatling guns, lasers and missile launchers in his shins and legs revealed by the Omega Lock.

:Primus also has what might charitably be called a third mode—an intergalactic world-ship, which is basically formed by transforming the figure halfway and leaving the head down and the legs backward. It features no dedicated parts or transformation steps, making it very obvious that it was created after the fact. It looks kinda like The Starship Enterprise...backwards.

:Primus comes with two accessories, the aforementioned battery-operated Omega Lock that lights up red when inserted into any of the four Omega Lock ports, and a special silver Cybertron-Planet Cyber Power Key with the key code '''sp8u''' [[tampograph]]ed onto the back. Any four Cyber Planet Keys can be inserted into the four key slots at the base of the Omega Lock, though doing this does not activate any feature. There are also nine inactive Mini-Con [[powerlinx]] ports on the Primus figure, including two on the claws on his legs.
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===Cybertron===
*'''Cybertron Primus''' (Supreme, 2006)
**''Accessories:'' Omega Lock, two missiles, special silver Cybertron planet-type Cyber Planet Key
[[Image:CybertronPrimusPackagingComparison.jpg|right|280px|thumb|This was an expensive time for completists.]]
:Cybertron Primus is the North American version of Primus, released a few months after the Japanese version. The toys are identical.

:In North America, limited early-run versions of Cybertron Primus came packaged with a very creepy "battle damaged" Unicron head based upon his Armada appearance.

:A later version, [[exclusive]] to [[Walmart]] as a [[Black Friday (event)|Black Friday]] 2006 special, included four Mini-Cons; [[Strongarm (Cybertron)|Strongarm]], [[Knockdown (Cybertron)|Knockdown]], [[Nightscream (Cybertron)|Nightscream]], and [[Offshoot (Cybertron)|Offshoot]].
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===Transformers 2010===
[[Image:Primus_2010.jpg|250px|thumb|Oh. Your. God.]]
*'''Creator Primus''' (2010)
**''Accessories:'' Omega Lock, two missiles, clear Cybertron Cyber Planet Key
:To celebrate the year [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (franchise)|2010]], Takara [[redeco]]ed the previous Primus toy. It is primarily silver and gold in planet mode with blue robot parts, and has a large number of black paint washes here and there. A blue [[Omega Lock]] is also included.

:Primus includes a retooled Cybertron style Cyber Key which was originally available with both [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/toys#CybDx|Cybertron Planet Deluxe Class Optimus Prime]] and [[Demolishor (Armada)#Cybertron 2|Cybertron Planet Deluxe Class Demolisher]]. The Cyber Key features a "blank" central area (so any faction symbol could be tampographed on) and a Mini-Con-style Powerlinx socket on the back. The Cyber Key included with this figure is entirely unpainted, aside from the tampographed Autobot symbol.
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==Notes==
* The original form of Primus in Marvel Comic continuity is similar to [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime]]. Rather creepily, this is suggested to be down to deliberate action on Primus' part in [[Salvage!|#160's Grim Grams]].
* The myth of Primus and Unicron is similar to the duality concepts present in numerous real-world religions, such as [[wikipedia:Zoroastrianism|Zoroastrianism]].
*The idea of Primus transforming bears some resemblance to an [[The Secret of Cybertron|early script]] for [[The Transformers: The Movie|the original movie]], in which [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] merges with [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and transforms into a super robot to defeat Unicron.
*The "unique digital entity" mentioned in "[[First Encounter]]" is confirmed to be Primus in an edition of [[Ask Vector Prime]] in ''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II]]''.
*According to the same source, [[Gobotron]], home planet of the [[GoBots (franchise)|GoBots]], is also an aspect of Primus, just from a very distant part of the [[Multiverse]].
*''Energon'' [http://web.archive.org/web/20041207164548/www.tfpulp.com/archive/energonprod/energonprod.html pre-production notes] detail early ideas the cartoon had for Primus's origin. Presumably non-canon, given that they are not particularly in-line with the "multiversal singularity" origin of the character, they present Primus as an entity consisting purely of energon. Energon, the notes state, is the product of the "genetic material" of the sun interacting with planetary bodies—this, then, appears to be a very literal interpretation of Primus's role as "[[Transformers: The Facts|the lord of light]]", presenting him as an actual product of the light of the sun.
*His ''Cybertron'' toy was designed by [[Hirofumi Ichikawa]], which is ironic, considering his dislike for the religious aspects of the ''Transformers'' mythos.
*The word "Primus" is Latin for "First."

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Primus''' (プライマス ''Puraimasu'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Primus''' (Taiwan, 普萊瑪斯 ''Pǔ Lái Mǎ Ssū'') / '''Yúanshǐ Tīanzūn''' （China, [[Wikipedia:Yuanshi Tianzun|元始天尊]], "The Prime Gold of Heaven "）

==See also==
*[[Allspark]]
*[[Vector Sigma]]

==External links==
* [http://www.tfu.info/2006/Primus/Primus/primus.htm Primus at TFU.info]

[[Category:Contest prizes]]
[[Category:Cybertron Autobots]]
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[[Category:Energon characters]]
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[[Category:Interjections]]
[[Category:Kiss Players characters]]
[[Category:Prime characters]]
[[Category:Primus| ]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen characters]]
[[Category:Shattered Glass characters]]
[[Category:Transformers with three modes]]
[[Category:Universe characters]]
[[Category:Wal-Mart exclusives]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron characters]]

2012-09-01T04:07:06Z

76.91.164.252: /* Trivia */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 43
|prev=Hurt
|next=New Recruit
|image=
|caption=
|title="Out of the Past"
|airdate=[[August 31]], [[2012]]
|written by=[[Mike Johnson]]
|directed by=[[Todd Waterman]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

'''Arcee and a friend uncover a feat of Decepticon engineering intending to destroy the Autobots.'''

==Synopsis==
:''The ''[[Trypticon (Prime)|Nemesis]]'' flies through space. On the bridge, [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] is dragged before [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] who's interested in decrypting an Autobot signal he's intercepted. While Arcee defies his "offer" by telling him where to go, Starscream reveals he has another prisoner—[[Cliffjumper (Prime)|Cliffjumper]].''

In the present day, [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] is struggling with his recovery, with [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] providing some "encouragement" in the form of ordering him around. [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] is similarly struggling to decode the recovered Iacon database. [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] says Bulkhead needs a break, despite Miko being annoyed at the slow progress her friend is making. She storms out of the base, but Arcee follows and finds her crying atop the plateau in which the base is located. The Autobot tries to talk to her friend about Bulkhead, and the conversation leads to Miko asking about Cliffjumper.

:''Cliffjumper is dumped in the cell, having undergone torture but has resisted talking. He and Arcee discuss how they came to be back on Cybertron. Elsewhere Starscream complains about the failure of his interrogation, and [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] suggests taking them down on the planet's surface. Starscream and some [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons]] are soon leading the two prisoners through [[Kaon]] to a laboratory. Cliffjumper is concerned at the sight of the many tools lying ready to be used, even moreso when Starscream introduces them to [[Shockwave (Prime)|Shockwave]] himself. The two Autobots are strapped to tables, and Shockwave uses a [[cortical psychic patch]] to hook in to Arcee's mind. The process is successful and Starscream uses it to decode the transmission—which turns out to be Optimus Prime's message to bring the other Autobots to [[Earth]].''

:''Though the Decepticons have assumed Arcee is dead, she is very much alive and surreptitiously begins freeing herself. As Shockwave prepares to finish off Cliffjumper, Cliff suggests Starscream should be the one to do it. Shockwave leaves them to it, but as Starscream moves in, he's attacked by Arcee. She straps him to the free table and releases Cliffjumper. Starscream quickly folds under questioning and confesses Shockwave remained on the planet because he's building a [[space bridge]]. Knocking the 'Con out, Arcee goes to shut down the space bridge, and Cliffjumper insists on going along, despite her skepticism about his capacity for stealth. As they walk, Cliff suggests they should join Optimus's team, but Arcee isn't as keen, and rejects the idea that Cliff is her partner. Cliffjumper believes she shouldn't close herself off just because of [[Tailgate (Prime)|Tailgate]]'s death.''

Miko recognizes the truth of this advice, but asks Arcee what happened next.

:''Arcee and Cliffjumper find the space bridge, with two Vehicons operating it. While Cliff provides a distraction, Arcee starts sabotaging the bridge to overload it. Unfortunately Shockwave arrives and attempts to fix the bridge. Cliffjumper dispatches the Vehicons before sparring with Shockwave, ultimately being defeated by the hulking Decepticon. Arcee lends a hand, bringing the roof down on the Decepticon, but the pair become pinned down by Starscream and some Vehicons. Starscream demands they reverse the damage to the space bridge, but they instead head through it. Halfway through the space bridge tunnel, Shockwave catches up with the two Autobots and they exchange fire until Arcee shoots him in the eye. The space bridge deposits Cliffjumper and Arcee on Earth seconds before exploding, and after declaring themselves partners, they go to find Optimus.''

Arcee finishes her story as the sun goes down, saying she misses Cliffjumper. Miko rests her hand on Arcee's in a gesture of comfort as they watch the sunset.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Arcee (Prime) | Arcee]] (2)
*[[Cliffjumper (Prime) | Cliffjumper]] (5) (flashback)
*[[Bulkhead (Prime) | Bulkhead]] (6)
*[[Optimus Prime (Prime) | Optimus Prime]] (8)
*[[Ratchet (Prime) | Ratchet]] (9)
*[[Bumblebee (Prime) | Bumblebee]] (10)
*[[Tailgate (Prime) | Tailgate]] (13) (flashback)
|c2=
*[[Vehicon (Prime) | Vehicons]] (1) (flashback)
*[[Starscream (Prime) | Starscream]] (3) (flashback)
*[[Soundwave (Prime) | Soundwave]] (4) (flashback)
*[[Shockwave (Prime) | Shockwave]] (11) (flashback)
*[[Airachnid (Prime) | Airachnid]] (12) (flashback)
|c3=
*[[Miko Nakadai]] (7)
}}

==Quotes==
"So this is Kaon, huh? Love what you Decepticons have done with the place. The ruins are especially picturesque."
:—'''Cliffjumper'''

"While it often pains me, I ''try'' to be a team player."
:—'''Starscream'''

"Funny. At first I didn't think I'd ever get used to Cliff's constant chatter. Now, there's nothing louder to me than the silence."
:—'''Arcee'''

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===
*Within the space bridge, Cliffjumper is by Arcee's side while shooting at Shockwave, but disappears when it's just Arcee facing the Decepticon and then reappears as Arcee shoots Shockwave's eye.

===Continuity notes===
* This episode retells the prequel story told in [[Transformers: Prime (graphic novel)|the IDW graphic novel]]. The story's still about Arcee and Cliffjumper learning about Optimus Prime on Earth, uncovering a Decepticon plot to reestablish forgotten [[space bridge]] technology, Cliffjumper pretending to forfeit to the Decepticons as a cover for Arcee's hijinks, and them running for the space bridge portal to Earth while being blasted at by Decepticons. However, how each of these things occurs happens in an incompatible way, and the story shunts responsibility for the space bridge project to Shockwave instead of Starscream.
* Cliffjumper is voiced by [[Billy Brown]], whose imitation of [[Dwayne Johnson]] generally sounds quite convincing.
* Bulkhead survives to the point that he's regained consciousness, but can barely walk.

===Transformers references===
*Cliffjumper mentions getting lost in the [[Rust Sea|Sea of Rust]], which did sort of happen in [[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron| Fall of Cybertron]], and was, kind of, separated from his unit (if you count [[Sideswipe (WFC)|two]] [[Jazz (WFC)|bots]] as a unit). However, Cliff ''did'' have Jazz to talk to.
*Shockwave stayed behind on Cybertron, much like how his G1-counterpart remained on the planet.
*Arcee's declaration that space bridge technology was lost for a long time was true in the Transformers: Exodus novel.
*Throughout several continuities, Shockwave has kept to logic as his sense for reason.

===Real-world references===
===Trivia===
*Shockwave is apparently the inventor of the illegal cortical psychic patch. Not surprising, considering he's also responsible for some "certain" changes made to some "certain" [[Dinobots(Prime)|Autobots]].
*Starscream and Shockwave seem to blame each other when they work together and something bad happens. They should get their personality problems straightened out.

[[Category:Prime episodes]]