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Kingdom episode 2

2021-08-06T22:56:09Z

Chris2119: /* Trivia */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy (cartoon)|Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy: Kingdom]]''
|image=Kingdom-ep2-beastroars.jpg
|caption=And let it be called...Beast Roars!
|prev=Kingdom episode 1
|next=Kingdom episode 3
|title=Episode 2
|airdate=[[July 29]], [[2021]] (Netflix)
|production company=[[Allspark Animation]], [[Rooster Teeth]], [[Entertainment One]]
|written by=[[Tim Sheridan]]
|director=[[Takashi Kamei]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
}}
'''Autobots and Maximals join forces to rescue Airazor as Dinobot chooses his destiny.'''

==Synopsis==
''In a possible future, [[Blackarachnia (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Blackarachnia]] and [[Dinobot (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Dinobot]] await their leader, the Predacon [[Megatron (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Megatron]], as he steals the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]]. [[Maximal]] Enforcers fire on him in hot pursuit, causing Megatron to drop the Disk. Blackarachnia catches it, and the two threaten to shatter the Disk. Megatron implores them not to, claiming it is the only chance the Predacons have to take back their world. In the end, Blackarachnia agrees and relents, giving the Disk back to Megatron, much to Dinobot's chagrin...''

On [[Earth]], Dinobot catches [[Starscream (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Starscream]] and Blackarachnia quietly scheming, but before he can intervene, [[Thundercracker (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Thundercracker]] reports that [[Soundwave (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Soundwave]] has captured [[Airazor (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Airazor]], a Maximal spy. Dinobot finds the Predacon leader torturing Airazor for fun and calls out his leader for being dishonorable. As Blackarachnia retrieves Megatron, Airazor attempts to appeal to Dinobot's better nature from her cell. Torn between loyalty and honor, he grimly follows orders and resumes torture. But he only does it once, remaining full of conflict. Airazor attempts to reach him again, and a thin trust is established. Dinobot confesses that he wanted to change [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] for the better, but is unsure if he's doing the right thing. Airazor continues to extend kindness and suggests he has grown beyond loyalty to a single faction. Dinobot can hardly respond and departs.

At the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'', [[Optimus Prime (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Optimus Prime]] and [[Optimus Primal (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Optimus Primal]] argue priorities: Prime wants to stop "his" [[Megatron (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Megatron]] from retrieving the [[AllSpark|Allspark]] at all costs, while Primal is keen to rescue Airazor. The Maximals are especially loath to lose another comrade, having arrived on Earth with a full complement of 200 soldiers. Prime and [[Bumblebee (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy|Bumblebee]] agree to help the Maximals, and [[Arcee (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy|Arcee]] is instructed to assemble a strike team to retrieve Airazor alongside the Maximals. In exchange, Primal orders [[Rhinox (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy|Rhinox]] to remain with the Autobots to aid them in their search for the [[AllSpark]] and to repair the ''Ark''. After they depart, Rhinox, [[Ratchet (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Ratchet]], and [[Wheeljack (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Wheeljack]] struggle to repair [[Teletraan I]]. The tech-savvy rhinoceros Maximal stuns Wheeljack with his rapid progress. Learning that the ''Ark'' had passed through the [[Dead Universe]], he states that doing so is an option that he would not recommend. Meanwhile, the [[Autobot]]s learn that they are poorly equipped to handle the uneven terrain on Earth, unlike the bestial Maximals.

The two Megatrons discuss the contents of the Golden Disk (and the need for the Predacon to choose a different name). "Beast" Megatron warns his ancestor that too much knowledge of the future can be dangerous, but the Decepticon leader says he knows just enough to know not only where the Allspark is, but what he must do to retake it. Nearby, Starscream eavesdrops on their conversation, reporting it to Blackarachnia.

Near the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'', [[Hound (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Hound]] manages to hide their energy signatures and Primal sends [[Rattrap (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Rattrap]] in to get Airazor. He narrowly avoids detection by [[Astrotrain (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy|Astrotrain]] and Dinobot. As the rat-bot scurries away, Dinobot confronts Blackarachnia for scheming against the Megatrons, but Starscream ambushes him. Dinobot pleads to be heard, suggesting that they three, a third column apart from their factions, could seize the Allspark and prevent Autobots, Decepticons, Maximals, and Predacons alike from killing each other.

Megatron has another vision: he finally comes across the Allspark. After a brief struggle, he catches it, but then notices that he's actually holding the dead face of Ultra Magnus. As Megatron is consumed by a great void, he awakens, rips the Matrix off of his chest, and throws it across the room. He contacts Soundwave and "Beast" Megatron, telling them it is time to press his advantage with knowledge from the Golden Disk: he knows ''exactly'' when and where Rattrap will try to free Airazor and sends Astrotrain and Scorponok to intercept him. He also dispatches "Beast" Megatron to North Bridge to ambush Arcee and Primal's team, unfazed by Hound's energy signature suppression!

Rattrap is at the mercy of Astrotrain, but then [[Mirage (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy|Mirage]] de-cloaks and punches him across the room while Rattrap tussles with [[Scorponok (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy|Scorponok]]. Just as Rattrap finds himself at Scorponok's mercy, Mirage disguises himself as Astrotrain and convinces Scorponok to stand down. In disguise, Mirage orders Rattrap to open Airazor's cell, freeing their comrade as the ruse is discovered.

"Beast" Megatron's victory is short-lived, as the Decepticons refuse to take orders from the Predacons, giving the Autobots and Maximals an opportunity to escape. But just as they are overrun by the Predacons and Decepticons, Optimus Prime arrives, along with Rattrap and Mirage, and they drive back their enemies. Airazor rushes to embrace [[Tigatron#War for Cybertron Trilogy|Tigatron]] as Primal declares the mission a success. Even as Prime worries about Megatron's activities, Primal reveals that Airazor ''let'' herself get caught; in fact, that was her mission! As a result, she placed tracers on every bot she came in contact with, and Prime orders the Autobots and Maximals to roll out and converge on their location.

But in a shuttle craft elsewhere on Earth, Megatron approaches a mysterious structure, smiling as the Matrix glows on his chest...

==Featured characters==
Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in imaginary sequences and flashbacks.

{{featuredcharacters
|h1=[[Autobot]]s / [[Maximal]]s|c1=
*[[Security Officer (G1)|Security Officer]] (7)
*[[Arcee (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Arcee]] (8)
*[[Hound (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Hound]] (9)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Optimus Prime]] (10)
*[[Mirage (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Mirage]] (11)
*[[Tigatron#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Tigatron]] (12)
*[[Optimus Primal (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Optimus Primal]] (13)
*[[Rattrap (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Rattrap]] (14)
*[[Cheetor (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Cheetor]] (15)
*[[Rhinox (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Rhinox]] (16)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Bumblebee]] (17)
*[[Airazor (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Airazor]] (18)
*[[Ratchet (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Ratchet]] (19)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Wheeljack]] (20)
*''[[Ultra Magnus (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Ultra Magnus]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki> head (22)

|h2=[[Decepticon]]s / [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s|c2=
*[[Blackarachnia (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Blackarachnia]] (1)
*[[Dinobot (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Dinobot]] (2)
*[[Megatron (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Predacon Megatron]] (3)
*[[Starscream (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Starscream]] (4)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Thundercracker]] (5)
*[[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]] (6)
*[[Megatron (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Megatron]] (21)
*[[Astrotrain (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Astrotrain]] (23)
*[[Scorponok (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Predacon Scorponok]] (24)
*[[Barricade (IDW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Barricade]] (25)
*[[Soundwave (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Soundwave]] (26)
}}

==Quotes==
"I'm sorry, Megatron. I'm just trying to protect you from a dangerous, ill-conceived plan. We're giving it back." 
"No! They only ''think'' it's theirs. They think it's ''all'' theirs. But with the Disk, we finally have a chance to make this world ours!" 
:—'''Dinobot''' and '''Predacon Megatron''' didn't get together well from the very beginning

"You summoned me, my lord?" 
"''Megatron...'' you're going to have to do something about that name." 
"I wear it with ''honor''." 
"''My'' honor. Change it." 
:—'''Predacon Megatron''' and '''Megatron''' talk about removing the "s" from "Megatrons"

"This is why Megatron took us back to this place at this moment. Autobots and Decepticons at the most ''pivotal'' part of their story. We ''changed'' that story. We changed Cybertron... for the ''better''. Crazy plan for a band of thieves, but eventually, I went along with it." 
"And dragged the rest of us. So?" 
"Hmm. So why doesn't it feel right?" 
"If you can't see what's changed, then maybe what's changed is ''you.''"
:—'''Dinobot''' finally gets to air his grievances... with a Maximal, '''Airazor'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Megatron's Matrix of Leadership hallucination places him in [[Sector 12]], the factory he shut down and had its workers killed to fuel his ''Nemesis'' in [[Earthrise episode 1|''Earthrise'' episode 1]]. He grabs the Allspark, which turns out to be Ultra Magnus's severed head from that same episode.
*Several plot points were foreshadowed in the ''Kingdom'' webpage in the form of messages from the future:
**Airazor's message took place during her interactions with Dinobot, as she would "help guide a conflicted enemy towards redemption".
**Barricade's message was a reference to him partaking in Predacon Megatron's ambush, as he had to "accept orders from a new commander".
**Scorponok's message got proven true when Mirage tricked him while disguised as Astrotrain, as he was slated to be "deceived by someone he thought was on his side".
**Tigatron's message alluded to his reunion with Airazor, as he was foretold to "stick to the plan so that he will be reunited with a dear friend".

===Continuity errors===
===Animation and technical errors===
*When the Predacon Megatron and the Decepticons jump from the high ground to the Maximals and Autobots, Arcee's blaster changes from the common "RT-5 Circuit Welder" firearm to the less common "RT-5 Anti-Thermo Blaster" with the "SR Hushfuze" barrel attachment.

===Transformers references===
*The [[theft of the Golden Disk]] is recreated at the start of the episode.
*Optimus Primal yells "Maximize!", the robot mode transformation phrase from ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'', though in this show its a general transformation phrase, as the Maximals say it instead of "beast mode" to transform into their animal form.
*Likely a coincidence, but this is not the first time Dinobot stops Megatron from continually torturing a [[Nyx|flying Maximal]] with electricity, and thus kicking off the path to redemption despite Megatron's threats, as seen in "[[Savage Landing Part 3]]".
*Dinobot mentions that "Starscream is a ghost", a reference to a plot that began in [[The Transformers (cartoon)|''The Transformers'']] cartoon starting with "[[Starscream's Ghost]]" and continued through the ''Beast Wars'' episode "[[Possession]]".
*Mirage has an invisibility power, even with the orange line "box", from the original cartoon. He also retains his illusion power to make him appear as another Transformer.

===Trivia===
*As it is explained that without the AllSpark Cybertron was left uninhabitable. Their decendants the Maximals and the Predacons are still shown on Cybertron. It is possible that both races retreated underground to protect themselves from the harsh environment.

===Foreign localization===

==External Links==
*[https://www.netflix.com/watch/81056826 Episode 2 on Netflix]

[[Category:War for Cybertron: Kingdom]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron Trilogy episodes]]

Kingdom episode 5

2021-08-06T22:51:08Z

Chris2119: /* Trivia */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy (cartoon)|Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy: Kingdom]]''
|image=Kingdom-ep5-ark-megatron.jpg
|caption=I am tired of Earth, these people. I am tired of being caught in the tangle of their lives.
|prev=Kingdom episode 4
|next=Kingdom episode 6
|title=Episode 5
|airdate=[[July 29]], [[2021]] (Netflix)
|production company=[[Allspark Animation]], [[Rooster Teeth]], [[Entertainment One]]
|written by=[[Mae Catt]]
|director=[[Takashi Kamei]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
}}
'''Starscream listens to the Golden Disk and learns more than he bargained for. The ''Nemesis'' attacks the ''Ark'', leading to an unexpected counterattack.'''

==Synopsis==
Inside the [[Ark (G1)|''Ark'']], [[Wheeljack (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Wheeljack]] thinks the ship is ready for take-off, but [[Ratchet (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Ratchet]] strongly disagrees. [[Rhinox (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Rhinox]] takes Ratchet's side and advises caution. As they debate, [[Bumblebee (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Bumblebee]] arrives on the bridge with excellent news: [[Optimus Prime (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Optimus Prime]] has the [[AllSpark|Allspark]], and so they have no time to waste getting back to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Wheeljack takes this as a sign to punch the ignition! Suddenly the Ark quakes inside the unstable volcano, jostling around the skeleton crew. Rhinox tries to restore stability, but Teletraan fails to respond. Slamming the control console with his fist, the Ark powers down, and disaster is averted for the time being. Rhinox hears an unintelligible mumbling from [[Teletraan I|Teletraan]] again, which perplexes him.

Back in the wilderness, Optimus Prime and [[Optimus Primal (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Optimus Primal]] return victorious, with Prime holding the Allspark. The [[Autobot|Autobots]] and [[Maximal|Maximals]] rush to their leaders in excitement. Unfortunately, Prime has bad news: the Allspark is dying, having spent too much time apart from Cybertron. Prime barely has time to urge everyone to return to the ''Ark'' before being ambushed by [[Megatron (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Megatron]] and [[Megatron (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|"Beast" Megatron]]. Prime refuses to relinquish the Allspark to Megatron, and opposing factions have a stand-off.

Close by, [[Starscream (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Starscream]] watches the tense situation. [[Blackarachnia (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Blackarachnia]] uses her synthetic webbing to construct a facsimile of a device that can read the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]]. With a sample of Megatron's [[energon]], she is able to generate his unique energy signature, allowing them both to listen to the Disk's secrets. Starscream realizes that Blackarachnia urged him earlier to "take the crown" from Megatron for the primary purpose of stealing Megatron's energon. Angered, he attacks Blackarachnia and flies away with the Golden Disk and its listening device. Now a safe distance away, he listens to the Disk, and hears Megatron's moment of triumph against Optimus Prime, though he himself is mortally wounded. But Megatron is suddenly summoned to [[Unicron/Generation 1#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Unicron]] and forced into obeisance. Unicron saves Megatron by giving him a new body-that of [[Galvatron (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Galvatron]]! Starscream has no pity on the enslaved Galvatron, and begins to gloat when a voice in the Disk speaks to him-Unicron's voice! He is told to listen closely...

Blackarachnia catches up to Starscream and gives him an earful, calling him a backstabbing coward, but the easily-provoked Seeker is silent, and the lack of banter worries her. Starscream only has urgency in his voice, claiming that they have to go immediately.

The Autobots and Maximals finally return to the ''Ark''. Prime learns the ship is not cleared for launch yet, but he tells the crew that they have run out of time. He orders Wheeljack to get the ship airborne by any means necessary. While Optimus issues these orders, Bumblebee receives a communication...from Starscream! He exits the ''Ark'' to give Starscream and Blackarachia a chance to explain themselves. Frenetic and trembling, Starscream wonders of all the wars and suffering have been by design, caused by a malevolent architect. Possessed with rare insight, he admits his lack of strength, and in order to preserve Cybertron, entrusts the Golden Disk to Bumblebee.

And Bumblebee shatters the Disk.

Bumblebee advises his erstwhile enemy to confront the uncertainty of the future with courage, but the words are lost in the sudden rumbling of the volcano. The disturbance was caused by the [[Nemesis (G1)|''Nemesis'']] moving into attack position above the ''Ark''. Blackarachnia, Starscream, and Bumblebee rush inside the ''Ark'' for cover. The ''Ark'' raises its shields to withstand the Decepticon attack, but the situation remains dire. Prime attempts to reason with Megatron, but Megatron has no intention of destroying the Allspark, just the Autobots and Maximals. Primal wants to take the battle the ''Nemesis''; Prime rejects such self-sacrifice. Blackarachnia offers another solution: get her aboard the ''Nemesis'' so that she can disable all their weapons.

The Maximals lead a strike force to the Decepticon flagship, and crash through the top of the bridge and engaging the Decepticons and Predacons in battle. Primal taunts "Beast" Megatron for inadvertently serving Galvatron, but the beast tells Primal that he has ''saved'' Megatron. "Beast" Megatron accuses Primal of siding with Nemesis Prime, at least the bot who will become Nemesis. But Primal believes in Prime, and slams his opponent into a wall. Megatron himself is more than a match for the Maximals, and even manages to lift and toss a charging Rhinox aside. Shortly, the Maximals are defeated.

Airazor dispatches Blackarachnia to carry out her sabotage mission and defends her while she hacks the ship's weapon systems. The pressure rises as Airazor is attacked by a small army of [[Scorponok (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Predacon Scorponoks]].

Meanwhile, in the ''Ark'', Wheeljack and Ratchet desperately try to kickstart the ship's engines, but they fail. In their moment of despair, the Allspark glows and bathes the bridge in light. Concurrently on the ''Nemesis'', as both Megatrons aim their weapons at the fallen Primal, Soundwave detects a large energy increase in the ''Ark''. Megatron orders Soundwave to destroy the ''Ark'' quickly with one final shot, but Soundwave cannot: the weapons no longer function due to Blackarachnia and Airazor, who battle their way out of the ''Nemesis''. Megatron is unfazed; if his ship lacks a weapon, ''he'' will become the weapon, transforming into tank mode and resuming the assault on the ''Ark''.

Prime realizes that all is lost, and orders the crew to abandon ship. But Bumblebee ''cannot'' leave; the ''Ark'' begins shifting, its panels reconfiguring...

Megatron's attack is interrupted by Starscream, who attacks him and begs him to stop. Starscream reminds Megatron of his future self's words, about how he regretted not joining forces with the Autobots before becoming enslaved by Unicron. He finally reveals to Megatron that ''Galvatron'' is his future self, and that he is destined to be enslaved, a fact that fills Megatron with shock and revulsion. Still, Megatron is not swayed, and Starscream transforms into jet form, knocking Megatron off of the ship's ramp.

Onboard the ''Nemesis'', all is still for a moment. But through the mist and ash over the volcano, a titanic form appears: the ''Ark'' has transformed into robot mode! It grabs the ''Nemesis'' and delivers a mighty uppercut to it, crippling the spacecraft. Blackarachnia is thrown off of the ship by the large punch, but Airazor quickly dives after her and saves her from certain doom. A shocked expression covers Airazor's face when Blackarachnia says "My hero!" and smooches her on the cheek.

As the Autobots watch the ''Nemesis'' sink halfway into lava, Teletraan-the ''Ark''-speaks to the stunned Wheeljack. It tells him that it learned the schematics for its transformation during their time in the [[Dead Universe]], and modified itself accordingly; the Allspark gave it the final jolt it needed to complete its work. Optimus Prime declares the battle over as Teletraan holds the defeated and amazed Megatron in its palm.

Very soon, Teletraan returns to its ''Ark'' form. The Decepticons and Predacons (save Blackarachnia) are imprisoned within the ''Ark''. Prime and Primal thank each other for their mutual support. Primal and the Maximals prepare for the journey back to Cybertron with the Autobots, even though they could vanish at any moment due to the fact that they are changing their own history. The two leaders pledge to rebuild Cybertron as the ''Ark'' takes off, departing for a [[space bridge|spacebridge]] near Earth.

There is dread along with anticipation of returning home: Primal wants to tell Prime about [[Nemesis Prime (G1)|Nemesis]], and Starscream is horrified by the idea of reaching Cybertron, muttering that that's what ''he'' wants! The ''Ark'' passes through the spacebridge...

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|h1=[[Autobot]]s / [[Maximal]]s|c1=
*[[Wheeljack (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Wheeljack]] (1)
*[[Ratchet (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Ratchet]] (2)
*[[Rhinox (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Rhinox]] (3)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Bumblebee]] (4)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Optimus Prime]] (5)
*[[Optimus Primal (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Optimus Primal]] (6)
*[[Airazor (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Airazor]] (7)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Sideswipe]] (8)
*[[Cheetor (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Cheetor]] (9)
*[[Prowl (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Prowl]] (10)
*[[Arcee (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Arcee]] (11)
*[[Rattrap (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Rattrap]] (12)
*[[Ironhide (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Ironhide]] (19)
*[[Tigatron#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Tigatron]] (20)
*[[Teletraan I#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Teletraan I]]/[[Ark (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Arkbot]] (26)
*[[Hound (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Hound]] (27)

|h2=[[Decepticon]]s / [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s|c2=
*[[Megatron (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Predacon Megatron]] (13)
*[[Megatron (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Megatron]] (14)
*[[Starscream (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Starscream]] (15)
*[[Blackarachnia (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Blackarachnia]] (16)
*[[Galvatron (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|''Galvatron'']] (18)
*[[Soundwave (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Soundwave]] (21)
*[[Astrotrain (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Astrotrain]] (22)
*[[Reflector (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Refraktor]] (23)
*[[Scorponok (BW)#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Predacon Scorponok]] (25)
|h3=Others|c3=
*[[Unicron/Generation 1#War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon|Unicron]] (17)
}}

==Quotes==
"Lower the boarding ramp." 
"But our weapons..." 
"'''I''' am a weapon."

:—'''Megatron''' tells '''Soundwave''' he has not yet begun to fight.

"If I think for even one cycle you’re betraying us... I’ll rip all eight of your legs off!" 
"Careful. I like it rough."

:—'''Airazor''' lays down the law. '''Blackarachnia''' inspires slashfics.

"He thinks I'll just let this all happen! He thinks I'm weak, but I'm not...I'm not just another victim! I can do what has to be done! I-" 
"You can't do ''anything'' right, Starscream!" 
"...''I can fly.''"

:—'''Starscream''' finally gets one over on '''Megatron'''.

"What is it?!" 
"...a miracle." 

:—'''Predacon Megatron''' and '''Optimus Primal''' witness the ''Ark''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s transformation.

==Notes==

===Continuity notes===
*Wheeljack noticed that the ''Ark'' was producing a quiet mumble back in [[Kingdom episode 1|''Kingdom'' episode 1]].
*Starscream and Blackrachnia's alliance with the Maximals and Autobots were foreshadowed in the ''Kingdom'' webpage, as the former will have "[his] old alliances [being] tested and new [ones being] forged" whereas the latter will "forge new alliances that will lead her down her true path".

===Continuity errors===

===Transformers references===
*The ''Nemesis'' firing down upon the crashed ''Ark'' as its occupants attempt to free it from the volcano is more than a bit evocative of the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' series finale, "[[Nemesis Part 2]]".
*"Beast" Megatron rhetorically questions if Primal [[Master Blaster|thought he could withstand the fury of both Megatrons]]. It's more literal here than in ''Beast Wars''.

===Trivia===
*Though only referred to as "Autobot Ark" in the toyline and ''Kingdom'' [[Source:Golden Disk destinies|Golden Disk card]], the credits opt for "Teletraan I/'''Arkbot'''".
*It is not explained what became of the Axalon and the Nemisis vessels after they left the planet.

===Foreign localization===

==External Links==
*[https://www.netflix.com/watch/81056829 Episode 5 on Netflix]

[[Category:War for Cybertron: Kingdom]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron Trilogy episodes]]

Cerebros (G1)

2021-05-08T19:34:48Z

Chris2119: /* Notes */

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig3|Cerebros}}
:''Cerebros is an [[Autobot]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[File:G1Cerebros MTMTE.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Must I always strike poses wielding weapons? Can I have no peace?! And can I have my legs transformed correctly?!]]

'''Cerebros''' is the robot that transforms into [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]'s head, and is itself [[Binary bonding|binary bonded]] to [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]].

{{note|Whether Cerebros is a sentient robot or just a mid-sized mecha suit for Spike depends on the continuity. See below for elaboration.}}

{{TOCclear}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
{{note|Cerebros made cameo appearances in the ''[[The Transformers: Headmasters|Headmasters]]'' miniseries as an individual Autobot. However, that series contains many art errors, so the significance of those appearances is questionable.}}

[[File:CerebrosG1-TrialByFire.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|He probably wouldn't get along well with his cartoon counterpart...]]

After [[Galen]] chose to flee [[Nebulos]] along with the rest of the Autobots under Fortress Maximus's command, the former pacifist had resigned himself to a life of war. He decided that all resources must be put into winning that war, so during the ''[[Steelhaven (G1)|Steelhaven]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s journey to Earth, he ordered Fortress Maximus's body be doubled in size for greater power in combat. Now, Fortress Maximus's larger head transformed into the Autobot Cerebros, while Galen transformed into the head of Cerebros. (Cerebros was a robot entirely under the control of Galen.) {{storylink|The Transformers Universe|Fortress Maximus's ''Universe'' entry}}

Once the Autobots arrived on Earth, they encountered the Decepticons under [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok's command]]. The Decepticons remarked that Fortress Maximus seemed larger than usual, but no matter—Scorponok kidnapped a young [[human]] named [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] and retreated deep into the caverns of [[Mount St. Hilary|the volcano]] that housed the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]. The caverns were too small for the larger Fortress Maximus to navigate, so he sent the smaller Cerebros in his stead. When the battle moved to a narrow rock bridge, Cerebros threw his own head into battle. Unfortunately, his head, Galen, perished protecting the human. Subsequently, Spike Witwicky assumed Galen's role as Cerebros's head (and through him Fortress Maximus's), hoping to aid the Autobots in finding his younger brother, [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster]]. {{storylink|Trial by Fire!}}

[[File:CerebrosG1-everyCerebrosappearanceever.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Cerebros doesn't get to do much beyond the same expository panels over and over and over.]]

After Spike had been surgically altered for the Headmaster process, Spike accidentally revealed his changes to his father [[Sparkplug Witwicky]]. He showed his father how he could transform into Cerebros's head and then into Fortress Maximus's head, and with the Autobot [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmaster]]s at his side, he pledged to his father to find his brother Buster.

Buster had been spotted on [[Club Con|a tropical island]], but [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] refused to let Spike participate for fear of his emotional attachments gumming up their rescue mission. So, Spike, binary-bonded to Cerebros, stood outside the perimeter of the battle. But when the mission failed and the island transformed into a space-faring vessel, launching into space, Spike took matters into his own hands. He and Cerebros recombined with Fortress Maximus and grabbed onto the spaceship as it entered orbit. In space, Fortress Maximus's body was dealt a serious blow from the spaceship through the chest, forcing Cerebros to disengage. This led to Decepticon leader [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] himself confronting Cerebros in combat, and the Autobot was deactivated in one blast. Spike, disconnecting from Cerebros, was eventually able to defeat Shockwave himself. {{storylink|The Desert Island of Space!}}

After Fortress Maximus was repaired, their group of Autobots met the other group of Earthbound Autobots led by [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]]. When their two groups met, Grimlock belittled Earth's humans, and Spike showed Grimlock how a "worthless human" led his contingent of Autobots by transforming from Fortress Maximus to Cerebros to his own binary-bonded self. Grimlock laughed and challenged Fortress Maximus to a duel for Autobot leadership supremacy, but the recent damage to Fortress Maximus and Cerebros at the hands of Shockwave worried Spike. Fortunately, [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] was called on to fight in place of Fortress Maximus. {{storylink|Totaled!}}

[[File:CerebrosG1-ManinMachine.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|Later, though, they were a lot more efficient about it.]]

Later, Buster was found in the Arctic due to a distress signal. Cerebros was once again seen when Spike transformed from Fortress Maximus's head to Cerebros and again to Spike's binary-bonded suit to show Buster that he was his brother. {{storylink|Dark Star}} Once Buster was retrieved and home safe, Spike saw no reason to continue his campaign with the Autobots, and so he tried to return to his previous life. Unfortunately, Decepticons came looking for him, and Spike had to telepathically call on the power of Fortress Maximus's body from space. Cerebros was very (very) briefly seen as Spike transformed into Fortress Maximus's head. {{storylink|The Man in the Machine!}}

Cerebros was seen one last time, again merely as an intermediate transitional mode, when Spike was once again called back into action, this time against the increasingly deranged [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]]. {{storylink|The Last Autobot?}}
{{-}}

====Marvel ''Generation 2'' comic====
Spike transformed directly into Fortress Maximus's head, bypassing Cerebros. {{storylink|All or Nothing!}}

====''Classics''====
{{noteclassics}}

[[File:Invasion-FortMax.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]

In [[2012]], Cerebros was stationed in [[South America]] along with Spike inside Fortress Maximus. His body was present behind Spike one day when [[Rad (G1)|Rad]] reported from the [[Ironworks (facility)|Ironworks]] base in [[Oregon]] about a foiled attack by [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Gigatron]] and his Decepticons. Soon thereafter, due to the actions of an evil [[Ultra Magnus (SG)|Ultra Magnus]] from [[Primax -408.24 Epsilon|another dimension]], a rift of space-time opened over Earth, causing catastrophes worldwide. Cerebros, merged with Spike, gathered civilians inside Fortress Maximus for safety. {{storylink|Invasion (issue)|Invasion}}
{{-}}

===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Jered Barclay]] (English), [[Ken Narita]] (Japanese)|[[Francis Lax]] (European French)}}

[[File:CerebrosRebirth1.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|"I hate guns! I hate them so much!"]]
On Cybertron in 2007, Cerebros observed a race between [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] and [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]], the latter of whom was assisted by [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]], an experiment by [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] to show the advantages of a unity between the humans and Autobots. Cerebros would express concern regarding [[human]]ity's growing involvement in the Transformers' conflict. The debate was cut short, however, when the Decepticons attacked Cybertron, with the intent of unleashing the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]] on the Autobots. During the conflict, Cerebros, eleven other Autobots, Spike and Daniel took a ship to the chamber in pursuit of [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], who unwittingly unleashed the power of the Chamber. As Scourge was overloaded by the chamber's power, Cerebros took back the [[Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber]] and returned to the ship. A bolt of energy hit the ship and sent them flying across the galaxy to the planet [[Nebulos]]. Cerebros and the other Autobots wandered around the planet looking for a way off, but were captured and almost destroyed by Nebulon rebels who mistook them for [[Hive (G1)|Hive]] machines. When the Decepticons attacked, the Nebulon leader [[Gort]] freed them and they counterattacked. Unfortunately, this resulted in six Autobot's being captured, and Daniel getting injured. Brainstorm's idea of merging humans, or in this case Nebulons, with Autobots came up as a solution, and five of the six remaining Autobots agreed to become [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]]. Cerebros refused to undergo the process, reiterating his belief that human(oid)s shouldn't endanger themselves by fighting alongside Autobots. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}} As the new Headmaster Autobots attacked the Decepticons and rescued the other Autobots, Cerebros wandered off exploring the planet, but came across a Hive city and was attacked by them. He barely escaped with his life and managed to make it back to the cave, wounded. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}}

[[File:Rebirth3-Cerebrosgun.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|*cry*]]
When he awakened, he found out things had gotten worse. The Decepticons now had [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] (controlled by [[Zarak (G1)|Zarak]]) as well as Headmasters of their own, with the addition of [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmaster]]s. At Spike's insistence, he and Cerebros remained behind on Nebulos as the other Autobots departed to stop Scorponok. The two made their way back to the city where they were chased by Hive machines, but Spike was able to gain control of them. The two used the machines to create [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. Cerebros finally underwent the Headmaster process, with Spike as his partner, and was further modified to become the head of Fortress Maximus itself.

When the city was completed, the duo left for Cybertron to repel the Decepticon invasion. Though Cerebros was less than thrilled with the idea of fighting again, Spike assured Cerebros that it would be the last time. Maximus was transformed into battle mode and engaged the Decepticons, but Scorponok quickly followed suit. Soon the two city-bots revealed their secrets and transformed into two gigantic robots, engaging in combat. Scorponok was about to deliver the final blow, but Spike managed to distract Zarak, allowing Maximus to force him back into city mode. Cerebros then detached and infiltrated Scorponok to retrieve a captured Daniel and Arcee. Soon after, [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] unleashed the Chamber and took out every Autobot, including Cerebros and the Decepticons themselves. However, Spike and the Nebulon rebels were able to save Cybertron and restore it to its Golden Age. Cerebros was reawakened by Spike (who was unable to see the planet in his alt mode) and both were congratulated by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]]. Cerebros questioned the Decepticons' fates, with Prime stating that they may always be around but had a more important task. Cerebros, Optimus, the other Headmasters and Targetmasters took Maximus back to Nebulos were they all vowed to stop the Hive's machines. Optimus promised that when the machines were gone, Cerebros would live there in peace as the planet's guardian. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}
{{-}}

===''Kre-O'' online manga===
[[File:Cerebros_Kre-O_Character_Image.jpg|upright=0.4|left|thumb]]
Among with other Autobots, Cerebros was facing against the [[Alligaticon]] to get [[Optimus Prime (Kre-O)|Optimus Prime's]] body/parts back. {{storylink|Negligence Is the Greatest Enemy! Optimus Became a Monster!?}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
[[File:EverybodyHatesMetroplex-Cerebros.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
Cerebros was infiltrated and corrupted by [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]], causing Fortress Maximus to deteriorate into a mindless zombie-like state until the spider was defeated. He was then ripped off of Maximus's shoulders in battle with [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], only to transform in the dinosaur's mouth and hold its jaws open while his own head, Galen, detached and led several Autobots and [[G.I. Joe (team)|Joes]] hidden in Cerebros's body to infiltrate Trypticon. {{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
Cerebros, [[Binary bonding|binary-bonded]] to [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]], was turned into Fortress Maximus when [[Scorponok (G1)|MegaZarak]] threatened Nebulos, but the destructive power of the cityformer ultimately destroyed the entire planet's capacity to support life—an event remembered infamously as the "[[Scouring of Nebulos]]". {{storylink|Head Games}} {{storylink|A Brush With Infamy–Prologue}} The existence of Maximus and weapons like him was a major reason why post-singularity [[human]]ity confined the Transformers and their war to a small region of space. A traumatized Cerebros was fully in favor of this.
{{storylink|Head Games}}

When the Decepticons unleashed MegaZarak on the colony world of [[Master (planet)|Rebirth]], Cerebros and [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] deployed Fortress Maximus against their old foe. Their destructive battle ended with Rebirth devastated and MegaZarak triumphant, forcing the Autobots into a retreat. {{storylink|A Brush With Infamy–Prologue}}

At some point, presumably after Daniel's passing, Cerebros binary-bonded himself to [[Galen Witwicky]], the third and last in a line of Witwickys. {{storylink|Head Games}}

Cerebros contacted the humans when he learned of [[Eutychus Project|their plans to resurrect]] all pre-singularity humans and while they wouldn't hand that knowledge over, they did help him create the [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] so his race could have a future. The [[Builder of Cybertron|self-styled "Builders"]] used them to have [[Games (competition)|brutal bloodsports]] but, to Cerebros, this was acceptable as it was a smaller and more formalized conflict than the Great War.

As energy became scarce, Fortress Maximus could no longer move and ground to a halt in robot mode in [[Tarn (polity)|Tarn]], where his frozen, towering form was repurposed as a prison by the Builders. Cerebros himself died at some point, but his consciousness remained active within Maximus through three [[Cyberdroid]]s: [[Grand Maximus|Gran]], [[Galen|Kord]], and [[Cerebros (RID)|Plasma]].

When [[Lio Convoy#Beast Wars: Uprising|Lio Convoy]]'s [[Grand Uprising|rebellion]] started, Cerebros saw it as a threat: if the [[Resistance]] won, Lio Convoy would take the Transformers back off Cybertron and potentially upset the vastly superior [[Human Confederacy]]. When rebels broke in to free prisoners, he launched psychic attacks to brainwash them into turning on each other. The ''third'' raid took [[Buzzclaw (BW)#Beast Wars: Uprising|Buzzclaw]] as a patsy, hoping Cerebros would target him and thus, when they killed their comrade, the rebels would be able to kill Cerebros. It worked, ending the 'bot forever. {{storylink|Head Games}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
{{first|[[Animals|''More than Meets the Eye'' #46]] (mentioned); [[Ten to Midnight|#56]] (on-panel)}}

[[File:Cerebros IDW.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb]]

Cerebros was a mental health specialist who used to work for the [[Institute]] in some capacity. He maintained that he wasn't one of the [[mnemosurgery|mnemosurgeons]] responsible for the infamous [[shadowplay]] procedure. At one point, he worked for [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]. {{storylink|Ten to Midnight}}

In the present day, Cerebros was stationed on [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]]. [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] suggested to Fortress Maximus that he could have a look at the mentally damaged [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]], but this didn't come to pass. {{storylink|Animals}} [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] struck a deal with Cerebros to send bottles of [[engex]] from Luna 1 to the ''[[Lost Light]]'' via [[transwarp|subspace]]. {{storylink|Silent Light}}

After Fortress Maximus brought the [[Roboid]]s with him back to the moon, Cerebros turned his talents toward helping the mutilated Transformers, repairing their [[transformation cog]]s one by one while restoring their higher functions. It was a slow, laborious process, and months after their arrival Cerebros had only cured a fraction of the afflicted Transformers. Cerebros woke Red Alert from a nightmare, and the two of them visited the moon's [[space bridge]] chamber to bid farewell to [[Bolt]], the most recently treated Roboid. Inspired by [[Rung (G1)|Rung]]'s recent encounter with [[Sunder (G1)|Sunder]], Cerebros voiced a controversial idea: developing a brain implant that would remotely repair the brain damage the Roboids had suffered. Neither Red Alert or Fortress Maximus were on board with the idea—Red Alert brought up Cerebros's shady past with the Institute to make a point. The debate was cut short when [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] bridged through, Cerebros calmed down Maximus long enough for Prowl to reveal the reason for his visit: [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] had returned to life and was intent on bridging to Luna 1; Prowl theorized that he was planning to find a [[Titan (group)|Titan]] to follow through with his original plan, which Cerebros dismissed as impossible.

The quartet traveled to the Titan graveyard, where they discovered that Sentinel had followed through on his plan, having hijacked a dormant Titan. Worse yet, Red Alert seemingly changed sides, shooting Prowl down. {{storylink|Ten to Midnight}} While Sentinel was busy explaining his evil plan to resurrect the dead Titans as zombies and use them to attack Cybertron, Cerebros used his implant on the unconscious Prowl, taking control of his body and distracting Sentinel long enough for them and Fortress to escape. Transforming their own Titan base into robot mode, they used the implant to have Fortress take direct control of it, allowing him to battle the undead Titans while Cerebros and Prowl confronted Sentinel Prime and Red Alert. After Sentinel was defeated, Cerebros's invention had proven its worth and he was allowed to use it to cure the remaining Roboids. {{storylink|Last Light (issue)|Last Light}}

[[File:Sardines RedAlertCerebrosTidyUp.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|right|Oh god, what am I doing??]]
Having traced a distress call from [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]], Cerebros accompanied Fortress Maximus and the others to [[Necroworld]]. There, they found the planet overrun by Decepticons that had [[Disappeared|long been thought dead]]. They fought their way through the 'Cons and reclaimed Necroworld, but only after most of the Autobots that had been present were dead. Cerebros then attempted to free [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] from the [[isolation chamber]] he had been trapped in, only to find that the [[Mini Vehicle|Mini-Bot]] was gone. {{storylink|Sardines}}

Having returned to Luna 1, Cerebros was washing their Titan-base's [[transformation cog|t-cogs]] when Prowl returned and announced he was staying there for a brief while. Fortress Maximus told Cerebros and the others he was grateful for their company now that most of the Roboids had departed after having been cured. {{storylink|Last Light (issue)|Last Light}}

After receiving a bizarre message from Rodimus, Fortress Maximus had Luna 1 enter the [[Warren]], through which Cerebros and the others stumbled into a battle against a giant [[Primus]] avatar controlled by the [[Functionist Council]]. After crashing Luna 1 into the back of the avatar's head and forcing it to assume planet mode, Cerebros and the others looked on from above as Rodimus' group managed to end the threat, which also had the side-effect of re-igniting Luna 1's dormant [[hot spot (phenomenon)|hot spot]]. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 6): A Spark Among Embers|A Spark Among Embers}}

===''Titans Return'' marketing material===
The legendary Fortress Maximus, accompanied by Cerebros and Emissary, had slumbered underneath Cybertron until the battle for the [[Titan Master]]s roused him from his slumber. They awoke just in time to witness Soundwave's attack on Cybertron, frightening the Decepticon communications officer something fierce. {{storylink|Titans Return: The Power of the Titan Masters}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[File:G1Cerebrostoy.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|This little gun couldn't hurt anyone! I'm cool with it.]]
*'''Fortress Maximus''' (Headmaster Base, 1987)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-114'''
**''Accessories:'' Mini-Laser Rifle

: An accessory to [[Fortress Maximus (G1)#Generation 1|Fortress Maximus]], Cerebros is a large Headmaster unit whose head is formed by the [[Spike Witwicky (G1)#Generation 1|Spike]] toy. In turn, Cerebros transforms into the head of Fortress Maximus but does not actually need Spike to do so. Cerebros can also take the shape of a "communications room" when Maximus is in city mode.

: The Japanese release of the toy also included a sword accessory for Cerebros (a.k.a "Fortress").

: This mold was also used to make ''[[Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (toyline)|Super-God Masterforce]]'' [[Grand Maximus#Super-God Masterforce|Grand]], ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 toyline)|Car Robots]]'' [[Emissary (RID)#Car Robots|Brave]], and ''[[Robotmasters (franchise)|Robotmasters]]'' [[Zebres]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1987/Autobot/Cerebros/cerebros.htm More information on Cerebros at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Generations===
[[File:TF-Generations-Titans-Return-Cerebros.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Oh god, you made me look like my "The Rebirth" pacifist self while also giving me a much larger weapon! Why would you DO this?!?!]]
*'''Emissary & Cerebros & Fortress Maximus''' (Titan Class, 2016)
:Only available with his partners (both large and small), Cerebros once again forms the head of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/toys#Generations|Fortress Maximus]] in the ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' subline of ''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)|Generations]]''. He retains the double Headmaster gimmick of the original by having a small robot, [[Emissary (Generations)#Generations|Emissary]], form his head. Cerebros is based entirely on his [[Cerebros (G1)#The Transformers cartoon|cartoon model]], complete with the chest details and mouthplate, and the black-and-silver coloration to match. ''Titans Return'' Cerebros has electronic lights and sounds, and stores the two AAA batteries in his chest which power the rest of Fortress Maximus's electronic features. While flipping Fortress Maximus's face cover, Cerebros activates a transformation sound, and then while in robot mode, pressing down on Cerebros's head, first a robotic "CEREBROS" is uttered, and thereafter a sci-fi-y laser noise. A red light on his chest flashes while sounds are played.

:This mold, with the Emissary mold from the Convention Edition below, was also used to make ''[[Transformers Legends (franchise)|Legends]]'' [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/toys#Legends|Fortress]] and into ''Transformers & Downtown No Gaki No Tsukai Ya Arahende! Crossover'' [[Donarimasu]] and [[Guchirimasu]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2016/Autobot/TRCerebros/cerebros.htm More information on ''Titans Return'' Cerebros at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|SDCC2016}}{{anchor|SDCC}}
[[File:Titans-Return-SDCC-Cerebros.jpg|300px|thumb|Well now I don't even know WHO I am!]]
*'''Fortress Maximus Convention Edition''' (Titan Class, 2016)
:Available as an exclusive for [[San Diego Comic-Con]] 2016, the Cerebros included with [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/toys#SDCC2016|Fortress Maximus Convention Edition]] is a slight [[repaint]] of the above toy featuring additional paint details. He also has a different head, owing to this version of [[Emissary (Generations)#SDCC2016|Emissary]] being retooled to resemble the appearance of Fortress in ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|The Headmasters]]''.
{{-}}

==Notes==
[[File:CerebrosCityMode.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|So Fortress Maximus is a robot that turns into a base whose head is a robot who turns into a base. Inception Maximus.]]
*In "[[The Rebirth, Part 3]]", Cerebros is depicted as having an [[alternate mode]]. Curiously, it is in fact Fortress Maximus's city mode. Whether Spike based the larger Transformer's design on Cerebros, if it was a side effect of the binary bonding process, [[Animation error|or yet another mistake from the wonderful world of AKOM is unknown]].
*His [[character model]]'s head is way more made-up than the other Headmasters. The character model's head greatly resembles [[Cog (G1)|Cog]]'s, while the toy's looks like a smaller version of Fortress Maximus's head. As of 2021 there is still no offical explantion to what Cerebros's orginal alternate mode was before the Binary Bonding process.
*As you'll probably figure from its absence on this page, Cerebros doesn't really "exist" in the Japanese ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|Headmasters]]'' cartoon. There, as with all Headmasters, Fortress Maximus's head is not a separate character, but actually the same guy as Maximus himself, going by the diminutive name of "Fortress". To keep the characters distinct, in the way we normally do here at TFWiki, we've listed all of the exploits of "Fortress" on Fortress Maximus's page, and refer to him with that name, which was also used by [[Metrodome]] and [[Madman Entertainment]] on their DVD releases of the series. The reason we point this out is because the subtitles for the [[Shout! Factory]] DVD release, which used naming conventions established by Hasbro,<ref>According to Shout!'s Brian Ward, "Hasbro provided each of the names" used in the subtitles. http://www.shoutfactory.com/?q=node/177838&page=46</ref> refer to the character as "Cerebros." That has made our position (which was in place for some years before Shout! Factory's DVD came out) seem a ''bit'' confusing, but it's the most straightforward way of distinguishing the characters.
*Like other cameo-Kreons before him, Cerebros is made up from existing Kre-O parts, in this case the famously-generic [[Hound (Kre-O)|Hound]] helmet.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Cerebros''' (The Rebirth, セレブロス ''Sereburosu'')
*''Hungarian:'' '''Cerebro''' (Marvel Comics)

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising Autobots]]
[[Category:Classics Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Autobots]]
[[Category:Kre-O Autobots]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Titan Masters]]
[[Category:Titans Return Autobots]]

Fortress Maximus (G1)

2021-05-08T19:17:32Z

Chris2119: /* Notes */

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:''Fortress Maximus is an [[Autobot]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] and occasional [[Titan (group)|Titan]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:FortMax1.jpg|upright=2|thumb|[[Nobuyuki Hiyama|Link]] called. He wants the [[Master Sword]] back.]]

Despite his great power, size, and rank, '''Fortress Maximus''' is a weary and reluctant warrior. Fighting is against his pacifist nature, even for the most noble of causes. Over time, the endless conflict on Cybertron has worn him down, to the point that he's willing to walk away from the war entirely to preserve himself and his ideals.

Fortress Maximus is big. ''How'' big generally depends on the universe, but often as not he's binary-bonded to a smaller robot named [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] who forms his head; Cerebros's own head is formed by [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]], or in some universes, [[Emissary (Generations)|Emissary]].

{{note|Fortress Maximus is one of those fun characters whose incarnations are very different. See individual fiction entries below for continuity specific profiles.}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
[[File:Fortmaxgiveshead.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb]]
{{main|Fortress Maximus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity}}
{{-}}

===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Stephen Keener]] (English), [[Kunihiko Yasui]] (Japanese)}}

[[File:Fortressmaximusg1rebirth.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]
When a battle for possession of the [[Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber]] led a group of Autobots and Decepticons to be stranded on the planet [[Nebulos]], partnership between the Transformers and the native Nebulans led to the development of Headmaster and Targetmaster technology. The planet's evil ruling council, the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]], took the technology to its most powerful extreme when its leader [[Zarak (G1)|Zarak]] created the massive city-sized Scorponok to serve as his Headmaster partner and used his power to steal back the chamber key. The Decepticons departed for Cybertron, and the Autobots were poised to give chase when Spike Witwicky announced that he and the pacifistic Cerebros would be staying behind. While the other Autobots left in pursuit, Spike had Cerebros lead him to the ruins of the Hive's original city, which they had lived in before moving underground. Taking control of the various abandoned machines there, Spike rebuilt the city, Cerebros and even himself into a Headmaster robot that could stand up to Scorponok's power: Fortress Maximus!

[[File:Rebirth3 fortmax battlestation.jpg|right|upright=1.4|thumb]]
The completed Fortress Maximus quickly flew to Cybertron and made a dramatic entrance, setting down in city mode and then transforming to battle station mode to bombard Scorponok and the Decepticons with a hail of weaponsfire. When Zarak transformed Scorponok to [[robot mode]], Spike did likewise with Fortress Maximus, and the two titans battled, with Maximus on the losing end until Zarak threatened the life of Spike's son, Daniel. With a burst of strength, Fortress Maximus took Scorponok down, causing him to collapse with such force that he transformed back to city mode. Spike and Cerebros then disconnected from Maximus and headed inside Scorponok to recover the captive Daniel and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], leaving Maximus to keep the other Decepticons at bay with his many weapons. The Decepticons were able to get through Maximus's firestorm and got Scorponok airborne, but not before Spike succeeded in his rescue.

Subsequently, with the Plasma Energy Chamber back under Autobot control, Fortress Maximus flew the Autobot Headmasters and Targetmasters back to Nebulos. There, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] announced that after they had eradicated the Hive's evil from the planet, Cerebros would live on the planet as its guardian, presumably meaning that Fortress Maximus would be staying there too. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

{{note|It is unclear if Fortress Maximus had any sentience of his own; he did speak once in his own voice, but for the most part, even Cerebros's will seemed to be pushed aside so Spike could run the whole thing himself.}}

===Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
{{note|In Japan, Fortress Maximus's mental functions are housed in a small robot who transforms into a head and connects to a larger, lifeless transtector body. This larger body in turn becomes the head of a ''giant'' transtector, forming the robot known as Fortress Maximus. The ''Headmasters'' toyline referred to the smallest robot as '''Cerebros''', who formed the head of the intermediate robot '''Fortress''', but this distinction was never actually made in fiction, and the character was always referred to as "Fortress" regardless of whether he was in small or intermediate form.}}

====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Ikuya Sawaki]] (Japanese)|[[Simon Broad]] (English), [[Liu Xirui]] (Chinese)}}

[[File:Hm7 fortress small bot.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Drang nach Master!]]
Four million years ago, Fortress was a [[Cyberdroid|diminutive Cybertronian]] who had not yet mastered the art of transformation, and was a friend of [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]]'s. He was among the many Transformers that fled Cybertron in an attempt to escape the corrosion of war without end, and led a group of his fellow small Cybertronians in search of a new peaceful world they could call home. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} Alas, engine trouble caused their ship to crash on the inhospitable world of planet Master, whose hazardous environmental conditions began threatening the lives of Fortress and his men almost as soon as they departed the wreckage of their ship and began trekking through a desert of shifting sands. The need for survival fostered many technological and mental advancements, however, and Fortress and his people endured.

[[File:Hm1 battleship maximus.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Fortress was responsible for many of the technological quantum leaps, the most significant of which was the invention of "[[transtector]]s": larger, lifeless Transformer bodies to which the small Cybertronians could connect as heads. After a rigorous physical and mental training program that allowed them to finally master transformation and even instilled powerful telepathic and telekinetic powers in them, Fortress and nine other warriors bonded with these transtectors to become "Headmasters". {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}} Fortress even took the process one step further, and with the aid of other Master scientists like [[Jack (Headmasters)|Jack]], created a ''huge'' transtector that could transform into the battleship, Maximus. Fortress's own transtector was engineered to also transform into a head, which could control the many functions of the Maximus from a special docking bay on the battleship's bridge, {{storylink|Rebellion on Planet Beast}} and which could form the head for the battleship's own colossal robot mode, known as "Fortress Maximus". Fortress also created the powerful [[Master Sword]] for himself, and tied the Maximus's transformation into it; in order to convert the battleship to robot mode, Fortress had to draw a small version of the blade from a sheath beneath his command console, but this feat could only be accomplished when his physical and mental energies were in perfect synchronization. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}}

Unfortunately, half of the Headmasters eventually rebelled against Fortress's leadership, siding with a traitor named Scorponok against him. The traitors were defeated by Fortress and his comrades and exiled from Master, but eventually, they came to ally themselves with the Decepticons under the command of [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}}

[[File:Hm2 kup and fortress.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
In the year 2011, when Galvatron launched his latest attack on Cybertron with the added power of his new Decepticon Headmasters, Fortress Maximus brought the Autobot Headmasters back to their homeworld aboard the Maximus. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} Even the mightiest of the Decepticons' [[combiner]]s could not stand against Battleship Maximus's firepower, and the evil robots were forced into retreat. This task complete, Fortress set the Maximus down at the Autobots' secondary headquarters on the planet [[Athenia]], where he introduced himself and his comrades and explained their origins, and was reunited with Kup. After being filled in by the Autobots on the current crisis—[[Vector Sigma]] had become destabilized, putting the planet at risk—Fortress deduced that the [[Matrix of Leadership]] was necessary to bring the computer back under control. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} Unfortunately, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] had already ventured into the depths of Cybertron without the Matrix, willing to sacrifice his own life to stabilize Vector Sigma, so Fortress headed into the planet's catacombs after him while the other Headmasters helped [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] search for the Matrix, hidden somewhere on [[Earth]]. Though Fortress was not able to catch up to Prime before he reached Vector Sigma's chamber, he was able to use his telepathic powers to contact Prime's companion, the spirit of [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], helping to guide him safely through the maze of tunnels. It turned out that [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] had made it to the chamber ahead of Prime, however, and Fortress raced through the remainder of the tunnels to aid Prime against the two Decepticons. Hot Rod soon arrived with the Matrix, which he used to become Rodimus Prime again, but before he could use it to bring Vector Sigma back under control, Optimus Prime merged with the computer to stabilize it, giving up his life in the process. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}} Prime was not the only casualty of the crisis: [[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]] also lost his life in the search for the Matrix. Luckily, Fortress was able to use the advanced technology of Master to rebuild and resurrect him, as Twincast. {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}}

[[File:Hm5 fortmax headmode.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"Sorry I'm late! Well, let's see who's here! B-b-b-Brainstorm! Highbrow? You still here? We never expected you to stick around. Nice nosejob, no one would ever suspect. Hardhead! Putting on a little weight, huh? Speaking of dads Arcee, yours isn't worried about you. He loves your choice in men. Chromedome! How's your [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|sex life]]? What's your sex life?"]]
While patrolling space for Decepticon activity aboard the Maximus, the Autobot Headmasters discovered [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] stowed away on board. After explaining the function of his Head Mode to the shocked youngsters, Fortress agreed to let the pair join them on the patrol. Soon after, the Autobots came upon two stranded [[Beastformer]]s from the planet [[Beast (planet)|Beast]], and learned that the Decepticons had invaded their planet; the infuriated Fortress made for the planet with all due speed, after sending a report to Rodimus Prime on Athenia. The Autobot Headmasters helped the native Beastformers liberate their planet from Decepticon control, but Fortress was concerned with a blueprint recovered from an underground factory that indicated the Decepticons were building something. {{storylink|Rebellion on Planet Beast}}

[[File:Hm6 fortmax funnyfaces.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|:D]]
When the Decepticons launched a [[Metamorphose|metal-warping meteor]] at Athenia, Fortress and his battleship were powerless to do anything, for fear of being destroyed by the meteor's gravity sensors. It fell to Daniel Witwicky to destroy the meteor, so Fortress transported him as close to it as he was able. Daniel lost his nerve at the last minute, so Fortress calmed him down by making some silly faces. Dignified! {{storylink|Approach of the Demon Meteorite}} Later, a phoney distress call lured Fortress and the Autobot Headmasters into a trap on the planet [[Praum]] set by their old foe, Scorponok. Despite being trapped in a subterranean chamber with the endless desert sands pouring in on top of him, Fortress kept his head and reminded his young allies of the similar hardships they had suffered on Master and the training they had undergone to overcome them. With the skills they had learned back then, they were able to escape. {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}}

[[File:Hm10 fortress appointed commander.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"Take my job, New Toy! I don't want it!"]]
When Galvatron launched an attack on Cybertron in an attempt to steal a new alloy developed by Vector Sigma named [[cybertonuron]], Fortress advised Rodimus Prime against striking back in full force, preferring to find another way to stop the Decepticons than putting all their warriors in danger. Rodimus refused, and Fortress quietly acquiesced to his commander's wishes, ferrying him to Cybertron on Battleship Maximus. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1}} The battle ended catastrophically, however, when treachery on the part of Scorponok led to the detonation of a collection of bombs in Vector Sigma's chamber, devastating Cybertron and rendering it uninhabitable, and apparently killing Galvatron in the process. Realizing with deep regret that Fortress's caution had been warranted, Rodimus Prime decided that the era of his generation of Transformers was over, and vowed to search the universe for a new planet the Transformers could call home. He passed the title of [[Supreme Commander]] of the Autobots (though not the Matrix of Leadership) to Fortress, who was visibly uncomfortable with the appointment, but accepted it graciously, telling himself not to contest it because it was his destiny. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2}}

[[File:G1FortressMaximus HMstockfootage.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|"...But it's the pelvic thruuuuuust / that really drives you in-sa-a-a-ane..."]]
Fortress's tenure as leader got off to a strong start with the successful completion of the [[Sol 1]] satellite, a joint venture between the Autobots and humanity to gather solar energy. Unfortunately, the satellite was stolen by the Decepticons, forcing the Autobot Headmasters to destroy it to keep it out of their hands. Before being destroyed, however, the satellite's energy was beamed by the villains to the planet [[Zarak (planet)|Zarak]]. {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}} Fortress attempted to study Zarak from afar in hopes of deducing what the Decepticons were up to, but the planet's gaseous shroud prevented remote observation of its surface, and the Decepticons began staging concentrated attacks on Earth to keep the Autobots' attentions divided. {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}} One such attack saw the Decepticons unleash a carnivorous, ambulatory plant upon [[San Francisco]], which Fortress identified as a [[buridanka]] from the planet [[Darhos]]. When the Autobot Headmasters responded, Battleship Maximus was caught in the plant-monster's vines, and Fortress's lack of focus left him unable to draw the Master Sword and transform. Galvanized by the cries of the other Headmasters, however, his energies soon came into alignment, and for what was apparently the first time (given everyone else's surprise when it happened) Fortress transformed the Maximus and combined with it to form Fortress Maximus. With the power of the Master Sword, he easily dispatched the giant plant. {{storylink|Head On!! Fortress Maximus}}

[[File:Hm14 fortress draws mastersword.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Weakened by the great energy demands of his transformation, Fortress sent the Autobot Headmasters to [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] without him when news of Decepticon movement on the planet reached the Autobots. When the Headmasters discovered that the Decepticons were planning to blow up Mars, however, Fortress went into action, only to be struck with a [[plasma energy]] bomb by the Decepticons Headmasters just as he was in the middle of transforming into Fortress Maximus. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}} Although Fortress survived the blast, his energies were severely drained, and the powerless Maximus was unable to depart Mars as the countdown to the Decepticons' planet-destroying explosion continued. Even worse, into the middle of this crisis stepped Scorponok, now outfitted with a gigantic transtector of his own: the end result of the mysterious construction operations on planets Beast and Zarak. Scorponok pummelled the paralyzed Maximus, then pulled out just before the chain of explosion began. Fortress told the Headmasters to leave him and the Maximus to their fate, but luckily, at the last minute, the battleship began absorbing the energy released by the early stages of the explosion. Fortress was able to use this energy to transform into Fortress Maximus, and escaped the destruction of Mars, slashing Scorponok with the Master Sword as he came bursting from the conflagration. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears}}

[[File:Hm17 maximus vs scorponok.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|That's how the scorpions breed!]]
While Fortress and the Headmasters were patrolling the edges of Decepticon space to keep an eye on their enemies' activities, Scorponok attacked the Maximus, only for the fight to be broken up by a strange UFO. Back on Athenia, Fortress met with the Autobots' deep cover spy, [[Punch (G1)|Punch]], and learned that Scorponok was holding a coronation ceremony for himself on Earth's [[moon (moon)|moon]]. The Autobots attacked the ceremony, during which Fortress again pitted his battleship against Scorponok, but the fighting was brought to an end when the UFO returned, and was revealed to belong to Galvatron, who had survived Cybertron's destruction. {{storylink|Return of the Immortal Emperor}} Fortress fought Scorponok again soon after, when the Autobots tried to provide energy relief to the other-dimensional planet [[Sandra (planet)|Sandra]]. {{storylink|SOS from Planet Sandra}}

[[File:Hm23 fortmax sword slash.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
When the Decepticons embarked on an interplanetary energy quest, the Autobots determined to follow them aboard Fortress's battleship; Fortress had to be convinced to allow Daniel to come with them. {{storylink|Daniel Faces His Biggest Crisis Ever!!}} Their first port of call was the planet [[Hive (planet)|Hive]], but before the Maximus could set down, they were attacked by the planet's force. Fortress was intent on a show of non-resistance and would not fire back, while [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] went down to the planet's surface and proved the Autobots' good intentions to Hive's [[Queen Bee]]. The Autobots joined forces with the natives to fend off the Decepticons; Fortress disconnected the Maximus's "Master Shot" cannon so the Headmasters could wield it, then transformed into Fortress Maximus to send Scorponok packing with the Master Sword. {{storylink|Fight to the Death on Planet Hive!!}} Fortress then used the Maximus to fly the Autobots to [[Twin Star]], where he dealt with Scorponok by hauling him into the air and dropping him, {{storylink|Battle for Defense of the False Planet}} and [[Daros]], where he used the Maximus's internal defense systems to stop [[Curl|a gang of prisoners]] from taking control of the battleship. {{storylink|Find MegaZarak's Weak Spot!!}} The battleship needed some repairs before it could take the Autobots to [[Paradise]], which Fortress had Chromedome and [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] perform. {{storylink|Head Formation of Friendship}} Fortress again transformed to Fortress Maximus on the final planet of their journey, [[Pirate Planet]], taking Scorponok out with a Master Sword-slash to the chest. {{storylink|Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship}}

[[File:Hm25 fortress cradles magnus.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
After returning to Athenia, Fortress and the Headmasters received news of a Decepticon attack on Earth and headed there with all due haste, but they were not in time to stop [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]] from mortally wounding [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]]. Fortress held Magnus as he died, then carried his body aboard the Maximus for burial along an Earth coastline. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}} Soon after, with Decepticon attacks intensifying, Fortress had to talk [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] out of risking his own life in the pursuit of revenge against Sixshot. When word came through from Punch that Galvatron intended to use the gathered energy to fuse himself with the Earth itself, Fortress and the Headmasters immediately departed to confront the Decepticon leader in [[Alaska]]. The Headmasters were able to use Punch's information to finally end the threat of Galvatron with their [[Head Formation]], burying him in the Arctic ice. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}}

[[File:Hm26 weak spot.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|From USSR with "love"!]]
Galvatron's demise left a power vacuum that Scorponok immediately filled, and once appointed leader again, he immediately put into motion a plan to destroy the Earth by simultaneously erupting every volcano on the [[Pacific Ring of Fire]]. [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] deduced his plan, but a Decepticon attack on [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] left Spike fatally wounded, with a chunk of shrapnel embedded in one of his arteries. Medical science could do nothing for Spike, so Fortress used his telekinetic powers to dissolve the shrapnel, saving Spike, but draining all of Fortress's energy. Even in his weakened state, unable to transform, Fortress still attempted to stop Scorponok from initiating his plan on the Kamchatka Peninsula, but Scorponok simply hurled the Maximus into a volcano. As it turned out, this allowed Fortress to absorb the geothermal energy of the volcano's magma, restoring his power and ability to transform. Following information decoded by Chromedome, Fortress Maximus was able to puncture Scorponok's weak spot, the Decepticon symbol on his chest, forcing the villain and his followers to flee the planet. {{storylink|I Risk My Life for Earth}}

[[File:Hm28 fortress examines targetmaster.jpg|left|thumb]]
With Earth finally free of the Decepticons, the Autobots set about removing every trace of their evil from the planet. Fortress co-ordinated the effort, but just as he was meeting with three new Autobot arrivals—[[Pointblank]], [[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] and [[Sureshot (G1)|Sureshot]]—a report came through from Chromedome that one of the plasma energy bombs he had been tasked with gathering up had become active. Fortress quickly picked up the bombs in Battleship Maximus, intending to transport them into space so they could detonate harmlessly, but as the ship departed the atmosphere, it crossed paths with another vessel containing refugees from Master. While the Autobots held off the Decepticons pursuing the Master vessel, Fortress and Twincast welcomed the refugees on board, and learned from them that Scorponok's Decepticons had attacked Master. The refugees then helped get the plasma bombs off Battleship Maximus, but they proceeded to detonate before everyone could get clear, and the explosion fused the refugees to the arms of the Autobots and Decepticons. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)}} Fortress used his scientific know-how to remove the refugees from the Autobots' arms, but a strange link remained between the warriors. With these "[[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmasters]]" added to their ranks, Fortress piloted Battleship Maximus to Master to stop Scorponok's evildoings there. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 2)}}

[[File:MasterSwordDanger Floppydisk.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Insert 80s computer joke here.]]
Seeking to forge a weapon to counter Fortress's Master Sword, Scorponok arranged for the kidnap of Wheelie so that he could be ransom for information on the sword. Fortress agonized over what to do, but the decision was made for him when Chromedome and Daniel snuck away to rescue Wheelie themselves. Learning of their insubordination, Fortress played along, keeping the Decepticons' attentions on his battleship and preparing a data disk to "hand over". Unfortunately, when the Decepticons learned that Wheelie had been rescued, a fight broke out over the disk and it was snatched from Fortress's grasp. {{storylink|The Master Sword Is in Danger!!}} The Decepticons retreated underground, but Fortress was able to track them down by equipping the Master Sword with sensors that would allow the Maximus to track any surges of the energy needed to create it, which Scorponok was sure to require to forge his own weapon. Unfortunately, [[Weirdwolf (G1)|Weirdwolf]] was able to sneak aboard the Maximus, and although Fortress repelled him, he had secretly planted bombs on the battleship that covered the Decepticons' escape when they went off. {{storylink|The Zarak Shield Turns the Tide}}

[[File:Hm31 fortmax defeated.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
As Battleship Maximus was repaired, Fortress debated strategy with the Autobots, eventually agreeing with the Targetmasters' plan to lure the Decepticons into space to avoid collateral damage to Master. Unfortunately, the hot-headed Chromedome disagreed, and staged his own attack on the Decepticons with the aid of the young warriors of Master. Chromedome's strategy went sour, forcing Fortress Maximus to go into action, but when the Master Sword clashed with Scorponok's newly forged "[[Zarak Shield]]", it was the Zarak Shield that emerged triumphant! Defeated, Fortress Maximus could only watch as Scorponok departed for Earth, intending to destroy it once and for all. {{storylink|Operation: Destroy the Decepticons}}

The Autobots gave chase in the Maximus, but during the space battle that resulted, Daniel was set adrift when the Maximus's Laser Block unit was damaged and jettisoned. Fortress was forced to divert to rescue the boy, allowing the Decepticons a substantial lead in the race back to Earth. {{storylink|My Friend Sixshot!}} Their lead was lost when they were forced to set down on the asteroid [[Pallas]] for repairs, and the Maximus set down on [[Ceres]] in order to attack. During the fight, Sixshot challenged Chromedome to a one-on-one duel, and Fortress's pleas that he not accept the challenge fell on deaf ears. Even as Scorponok took off for Earth again, Fortress concluded that he and the other Autobots would have to leave Chromedome to his duel and carry on the chase. As it happened, the duel was interrupted by an explosion courtesy of bombs Scorponok had planted on the battlefield, so Chromedome was able to rejoin Maximus not long after. {{storylink|Duel on the Asteroid}}

[[File:Hm35 master sword zappped.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|By the power of Grayskull!]]
As the Maximus entered the final stretch back to Earth, reports began coming in from the Autobots down on the planet of Decepticon attacks, accompanied by the emergence of strange towers at specific points around the globe. Once back on Earth, Fortress met with Punch, who unfortunately had to report that Scorponok had disappeared into the Mediterranean Ocean. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1)}} The Autobots soon realized that the "Death Towers" were composed of energy-amplifying [[crysmagnetal]], and were creating a field of energy that was surrounding the Earth. Following Punch's lead, Fortress led the Autobots to Egypt, where Scorponok was outfitting a Death Tower with an induction booster to magnify the amount of energy it was projecting. The Master Sword played the unfortunate role of lightning rod in the presence of the Death Tower, attracting bolts of the tower's energy and stunning Fortress, preventing him from stopping Scorponok. As Scorponok fled, he told Fortress to meet him at the North Pole, where even he would have a role to play in his scheme.

[[File:Hm35 final battle.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
With no other choices, Fortress followed his enemy's instructions, and the entire Autobot and Decepticon armies clashed in battle in the frozen north. There, Scorponok lured Fortress Maximus onto a crysmagnetal dais, at which point, an orbiting Decepticon satellite that had been gathering the energies projected by the Death Towers activated, beaming the collected energy down to the dais. Scorponok disconnected from his transtector, and left the paralyzed Fortress Maximus trapped in the satellite's beam, part of a deadly circuit of energy that threatened to tear the Earth apart. The four Headmasters joined in Head Formation and tried to channel their energy into Fortress Maximus in hopes of giving him the strength to break free, but their own power was not enough. At Daniel's suggestion, all the other Autobots linked up as part of the chain, and together combined in "Final Formation", they infused Maximus with enough energy to deflect the satellite's beam with the Master Sword, destroying it. With one mighty slash, Fortress Maximus bisected Scorponok's transtector, finally ending the Decepticon threat.

The Decepticons subsequently fled Earth, and the Autobots gathered to pursue them. Fortress told the tearful Daniel that it was necessary in order to continue defend peace throughout the universe, but promised the boy that they would meet again. Together, the Autobots all boarded Fortress's battleship, and took off into the setting sun. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}

====''Kiss Players/15 Go! Go!''====
[[File:KPBraveMax.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7]]

Slumped miserably on the barren surface of Master in their smallest robot forms, Fortress, Chromedome and Highbrow's attention was caught when a [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|time-travelling spaceship]] materialized over their heads and crashed nearby. {{storylink|Sparkbots Volume 1}} By studying and reverse-engineering the technology found in this spaceship, Fortress and the scientists of Master invented transtectors and the Headmaster process. {{storylink|Transformers: Kiss Players (radio drama)|Kiss Players radio drama #48}} {{storylink|Sparkbots Volume 3}}

====''The Great Transformer War''====
[[File:Hmmanga battered headmasters.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66]]
In the year 2010, while significant Transformer battles were being waged throughout space and on Earth, Fortress was active on the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]]. After the younger Headmaster warriors under his command were defeated in battle by [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]] and the Decepticon Headmasters, Fortress quickly roused his fallen comrades and ordered them to board his battleship, the Maximus, so that they could pursue the villains. Their destination: Cybertron! {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 3|The Great Transformer War #3}}
{{-}}

====''The Headmasters'' manga====
[[File:Manga fort max.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5]]
Soon after Optimus Prime died stabilizing Vector Sigma, the Decepticons staged an attack on Athenia, and Fortress and the Autobot Headmasters quickly took off in Battleship Maximus to intercept them as they approached the planet. Daniel opined that the Decepticons were "a lot like parasites", to which Fortress murmured an agreement. At that point, the Decepticons appeared in front of them, and the Autobots realized that they had played into the villains' hands: they intended to destroy Fortress's battleship with a bomb. Luckily, Chromedome moved quickly enough to snatch the bomb away and save the Maximus. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 1|The Headmasters #1}}

Responding to an SOS from their Beastformer comrades, Fortress escorted the Autobot Headmasters to planet Beast to investigate. No sooner had the young warriors left Battleship Maximus to search, Rodimus Prime radioed Fortress for an update. Fortress didn't have anything to tell him, but assured Rodimus that the Headmasters would get to the bottom of the mystery. {{storylink|Great Decisive Battle of Planet Beast!}} Later, once they were back on Earth, Fortress sent the Headmasters on their next mission, to respond to a Decepticon attack on an Alaskan energy plant. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 2|The Headmasters #2}}

When a fire tore through [[Shinjuku]], Chromedome, [[Ricochet (Headmasters)|Ricochet]], and [[Artfire]] responded, but their rescue effort was impeded by the Decepticon Targetmaters. Luckily, Fortress soon arrived to extinguish the fire by dumping a massive amount of water on it from above using Battleship Maximus, freeing up the others to deal with the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 7|The Headmasters #7}}
{{-}}

====''Super-God Masterforce Master File''====
Following the expulsion of the Decepticons from Earth after the battle at the North Pole, the Transformers' war shifted into a series of space-based exchanges between Athenia and Chaar known as the [[Master Wars]]. With the space bridge destroyed, interstellar transportation was severely limited, and it fell to Fortress and the Maximus to patrol space for the Decepticons. While on one such patrol, Fortress received a transmission from Sixshot alerting him to the existence of a [[Devil Z|new shadowy puppet master]] who had taken control of the Decepticons. This news came at the same time as a report from the Trainbots which indicated that Scorponok had constructed a new transtector for himself, and so Fortress had no choice but to focus on dealing with this mystery. With access to the ever-important Earth now greatly reduced and his attentions now focused elsewhere, Fortress left guardianship of the planet in the hands of [[Metalhawk (Masterforce)|Metalhawk]] and his [[Pretender]]s. {{storylink|Master File No, 1}}

====Ask Vector Prime====
Fortress dispatched a team of [[Pretender]]s led by [[Marduk]] to retrieve the [[Ultra Matrix]] from [[Beast (planet)|Beast]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/30}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon continuity====
=====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon=====
Archive footage of Fortress Maximus destroying the MegaZarak transtector was used to educate the future [[Headmaster Junior]]s about the [[Master Wars]]. {{storylink|Birth! Headmaster Jrs}}

Fortress's younger brother, [[Grand Maximus|Grand]], travelled to Earth to aid the Autobots there against the approaching threat of [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]]. Grand was physically identical to his big bro, save for his coloration, and even piloted a smaller Maximus-style battleship of his own. {{storylink|Life? Death? The Desperate Lightfoot}}

=====''Legends'' comic=====
The battle between Fortress and Scorponok began on Master when Fortress discovered and put an end to his kidnapping and experimenting on citizens. {{storylink|Mutant Targetmaster Birth Chapter}} Years later, [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] told a visiting [[Legends World|Legends]] [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] the story about how he and other diminutive Autobots, including Fortress, left Cybertron and settled on Master. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 9|Bonus Edition Vol. 9}} Fortress later showed up when [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] was complaining about Brainstorm's recent upgrade and [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] was getting angry at Rattrap for not caring about ''The Headmasters'', and commented that everyone was getting worked up as usual. {{storylink|Transformers 2015 Brainstorm Chapter|Brainstorm Chapter}}

[[Springer (G1)|Springer]] harbored regrets over the fact that [[Arcee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arcee]] had parted ways with him and moved onto spending her time with Fortress. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 19|Bonus Edition Vol. 19}}

During development of [[Master-Brace|technology]] that would let [[Headmaster Junior]]s wield [[Masterforce]], Fortress created a Headmaster [[exosuit]] for human use and let [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike Witwicky]] test pilot it on his own transtector. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 54|Bonus Edition Vol. 54}}

By 2021, Scorponok had returned and Fortress continued to fight him in space, culminating in a battle to stop the Decepticon from detonating a black hole. The Autobots failed and were infected with [[blackball|miniature black holes]] that shrunk their bodies, threatening to eventually make them disappear entirely. After having all non-Headmasters on his crew converted into Headmasters to save their lives, Fortress told his forces they could find new transtectors in the Legends World, then set a course there before the battleship Maximus itself could disappear. {{storylink|Headmaster Chapter Prologue}} {{storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Prologue}} On arrival, Fortress requested help from the local [[Axalon Trading Company]], but was told by [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] that they didn't work for free. In lieu of money, Fortress offered them access to Headmaster technology and negotiated a partnership between the Autobots and Axalon, leading to him and his soldiers becoming office workers. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 21|Bonus Edition Vol. 21}}

Fortress was later called up by Grand, who asked him to open a portal and receive some humans he was sending to the Legends World. He was resistant to taking them in, being busy with managerial duties, but backed down when an angry Grand told him people's lives were at stake and accused him of getting too cozy in the peaceful dimension. {{storylink|LG24 Shockwave & Cancer Prologue}} When the Autobot Axalon Trading Company finished building a new battleship Maximus, Chromedome urged Fortress to use it to crush the Decepticons, only for Fortress to collapse while trying to argue for a peaceful solution. In sickbed, he let Chromedome in on a big secret: the process of controlling Maximus had been eating away at his life force all along, weakening him every time he combined. He then broke into tears, despairing that he was nothing but a coward who avoided having to use the transtector for his own safety, but Chromedome reassured him that he was a great commander who had only kept this secret from his troops to keep morale up. Despite his condition, Fortress didn't hesitate to become Fortress Maximus once more to defend his friends from [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], who was being mind-controlled by [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] into attacking the Maximus. After defeating Tarantulas by piercing his control device with the Master Sword, he told his comrades he was happy as long as he could keep defending the world. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 31|Bonus Edition Vol. 31}}

Highbrow began researching a cure to Fortress's condition and eventually found that it could be reversed by feeding him [[Zodiac]] energy, which was related to the Headmasters' telepathic energy. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 33|Bonus Edition Vol. 33}} When the Decepticon Headmasters stole Metroplex's [[transformation cog]] to rebuild [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], Megatron contacted Fortress as he was the only other Transformer large enough to stop Trypticon. {{storylink|LG43 Trypticon Mobilization Chapter: Decepticon Civil War|Decepticon Civil War}} However, Trypticon's new ability to fly caught Fortress by surprise before he could transform the Maximus, and the battleship was damaged and crashed. Fortress removed its transformation cog and had it delivered to Metroplex, then ended up among the victims devoured by Trypticon before he could be defeated. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 43|Bonus Edition Vol. 43}} The Maximus base was subsequently integrated into the city when it was rebuilt. {{storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Prologue}} {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Metroplex)|Bonus Edition Metroplex}}

[[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Goldbug]] and Spike later arrived at Axalon and informed Fortress that the Spike acting as a chairman of the [[Galactic Peace Alliance]] was an impostor. Noting that Spike had kept the exosuit, Fortress lent him his transtector so he could fight off the fake, then promised he would lend a hand when the time came to defeat him for good. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 54|Bonus Edition Vol. 54}} The Maximus was drowned when [[Tigerburn]] flooded the city {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 64|Bonus Edition Vol. 64}} and damaged when [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] attacked, but got repaired by [[Topspin (G1)|Topspin]] using the Zodiac. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 66|Bonus Edition Vol. 66}} When Grand came to the Legends World to battle [[Devil Z]] and BlackZarak using his own gigantic transtector, Fortress tried to stop him as didn't have the training required to control it, but Grand insisted on showing his worth and defeated Devil Z before collapsing. Fortress rushed to his fallen brother, who praised him for his ability to control such a huge body and joked that they would both be needing the Zodiac treatment now. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Grand Maximus)|Bonus Edition Grand Maximus}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' manga====
[[File:Mfmanga fortress meets ginrai.jpg|left|thumb]]
When a new and powerful Autobot warrior named [[Ginrai (human)|Ginrai]] rose to prominence on Earth, he distinguished himself to the point that Fortress decided to step down as Supreme Commander and appoint Ginrai in his place. The Trainbots brought Ginrai and his [[Headmaster Junior]] allies to Athenia, where Fortress formally handed over leadership, then departed to take care of some business on Master. In his absence, the united forces of the Earth- and space-based Decepticons attacked Athenia, but Ginrai was able to repel them. Fortress arrived back just as the Decepticons were pulling out, and announced that the Autobots must pool their resources as their enemies had, uniting their forces on Earth and space to commence the [[Godbomber|Bomber Project]]. {{storylink|The Battle Begins! The United Earth-Space Troops}}

Later talking to [[Metalhawk (Masterforce)|Metalhawk]], Fortress would check on the progress of the project after Chromedome arrived at Earth to assist with it. {{storylink|Headmasters VS Masterforce}}
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===''Transformers in 3-D''===
Fortress Maximus served as transport when Ultra Magnus lead a mission to a small asteroid in search of a new source of [[Energon]]. The Autobots discovered a [[Observer|small alien]], and [[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] utilized Maximus's laboratory to determine that the creature turned its food into Energon. A later fracas with the Decepticons resulted in Fortress Maximus getting involved, leading to a fight with Scorponok. {{storylink|The Test (issue)|The Test}}

===''PDTF Comic''===
[[File:Pdtype fortmax manga.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5]]
While casually minding his own business one day, Fortress Maximus was suddenly shocked to see a wave of Decepticons led by Galvatron bearing down on him. He immediately transformed into robot mode... but he had completely forgotten that he had been in city mode, leaving all the poor Autobots who had been inside him squished and thinking there had been an earthquake. {{storylink|PDTF Comic##12 "Bigger than Life! Fortress Maximus!"|Bigger Than Life! Fortress Maximus!}}

Fortress Maximus later met Scorponok in battle, vowing to never surrender. All the other Transformers would probably have preferred that he ''did'' surrender, though, since the battle put them ''all'' in danger when the two towering titans toppled over, threatening to accidentally crush them all! {{storylink|PDTF Comic##14 "Watch Out! Mega Zarak!"|Watch Out! MegaZarak!}}
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===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
A normal-sized Fortress Maximus was a co-leader of the Autobot forces on Cybertron, along with [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]. As Cybertron's resources ran low, they struggled to hold the Autobot army together; several of the newly created Micromasters grew increasingly dissatisfied with their lot in life within the Autobot army, and came to question if their larger counterparts were leading them in the right direction. {{storylink|Destined for Nothing}} The war continued despite their best efforts, and after a fruitless and disastrous skirmish with the Micromaster [[Skystalker (G1)|Skystalker]] and the Decepticons, Fortress Maximus gave up on the war. He left the Autobot army in order to seek a new path. {{Storylink|Victims of the Revolution}}

A gargantuan Fortress Maximus was also seen in a [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]-induced vision of future [[Nebulos]] by Optimus Prime and Megatron. {{storylink|The War Within issue 5|The War Within #5}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
[[File:Ironclaw artofwar.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb]]
While imbued with the wisdom of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], General [[Hawk (G.I. Joe)|Hawk]] had a vision of Fortress Maximus and [[Sgt. Savage]] fighting against [[Iron Klaw]] and [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 5|The Art of War #5}}

====''TransTech''====
Binary bonded to [[Emissary (RID)|Brave]] and Sgt. Savage as [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]]s, Fortress Maximus was part of the alliance between the Autobots and [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] [[Screaming Eagles]] against the Decepticons and [[S.K.A.R.]] A clash between Maximus and Trypticon nearly destroyed Earth's magnetosphere, but ultimately, the Autobots and their human allies won the day. {{storylink|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News Reporter|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News, 2016/05/01}}
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===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:SpotlightArcee FortressMaximus.jpg|left|upright=1.66|thumb]]
{{main|Fortress Maximus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity}}

A famed Autobot soldier, Fortress Maximus achieved renowned status during the [[Simanzi Massacre]] for having supposedly killed hundreds of Decepticons personally. His dedication to justice led to him being appointed warden of the [[Garrus-9]] penal colony, but he suffered greatly at the hands of [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] during the [[Surge (event)|Surge]]. Fortress Maximus was traumatized by the mutilation he received and the feeling of abandonment by [[Autobot High Command]], leading him to succumb to a violent mental break. Fortress Maximus recovered from his ordeal, though, becoming the new duly-appointed enforcer of the [[Tyrest Accord]], and continuing to stand for justice in an unjust universe.
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===''United''===
When the [[Autobot]]s fell down with a [[nano-virus]], Fortress Maximus was in city mode as part of [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]]. {{storylink|The Fierce Fighting on Planet Nebulos}}

===''Transformers GT: Mission GT-R''===
[[File:GT-R Maximus.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|What's worse? This pose? Or the fact that it's called the "master '''Jack''' Sword"?]]
In a world where the Transformers' war settled into a series of friendly competitive races known as the [[Transformers GT]], Fortress Maximus took on a race car form and became the [[GT Transformer]] known as '''GT-R Maximus'''. He was a fair and sportsmanlike racer who boasted the highest strength of all GT Transformers, and though normally averse to combat, he was willing to punish cheaters with his [[Master Jack Sword]]. Like other contestants, GT-R Maximus put a limit on his own strength by separating his Matrix into a [[GT Sister]], creating his partner [[Hiiro]].

====Comic====
GT-R Maximus was racing against [[Optimus Prime (G1)|GT-R Prime]] and [[Star Saber (Victory)|GT-R Saber]], cheered on by Hiiro on the sidelines, when the race was interrupted by the arrival of [[Megatron (G1)|GT-R Megatron]]. The intruder announced his intent to crush all racers inferior to him, causing a scuffle, but GT-R Prime talked him down and convinced him to join the race instead. {{storylink|Transformers GT: Mission GT-R (comic)|Transformers GT: Mission GT-R}}

====Story pages====
Like other racers, GT-R Maximus attended photo shoots alongside Hiiro in order to promote coexistence between humans and Transformers. {{storylink|Transformers GT: Mission GT-R (story page)|The Work of the GT Sister Race Queens?}} When a reincarnated [[Unicron]] attacked the Transformers GT finals and absorbed the huge [[energon]] pool saved up for the final prize, Maximus threw aside his usual dislike for battle and attacked the villain with his mighty sword. {{storylink|Transformers GT: Mission GT-R (story page)|Bringing Down the Sword}} But Maximus alone wasn't enough to defeat Unicron, so he used the "Matrix In" process to recombine with Hiiro and restore his true strength. Together with the other powered up racers and their GT Sisters, he fought and defeated Unicron, saving Earth. {{storylink|Transformers GT: Mission GT-R (story page)|The True TFGT}}

====''Story of Transformers GT''====
GT-R Maximus raced in the 19th Transformers GT in his usual pacifistic manner, refusing Hiiro's requests to prepare the Master Jack Sword and instead relying on his fists when he was forced into combat. His resolve was tested when he heard that GT-R Megatron was using unnecessarily violent methods to get ahead, however, and he ultimately relented and had Hiiro transfer the sword to him so he could teach the brute a lesson. {{storylink|A Biggest Sword! –The Last Resort–}}

===''Knights of Unicron''===
The Ft. Max Forum, located on Earth, was the third venue for the [[Knights of Unicron (band)|Knights of Unicron]] on their 2014 "Till All Are One" tour. {{storylink|Knights of Unicron}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
[[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]]'s corruption of his brain reduced Fortress Maximus to a mindless, energy-starved zombie who wandered Cybertron in a daze. {{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}} When [[U.S.7]] and the [[Oktober Guard]] passed by on a ship, Maximus grabbed it out of the sky and swallowed the occupants whole. {{storylink|Form Follows Function}} A group of [[G.I. Joe (team)|Joes]] and Autobots infiltrated the giant on a mission to save U.S.7, leading to their discovery and defeat of Blackarachnia and the restoration of Maximus's mind. He subsequently joined the battle against the Decepticons and [[Cobra]], going up against [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] who bit his head off only to for the head to transform into Cerebros in his mouth. In spite of the surprise attack this allowed for, the Autobots were defeated and the decapitated body of Fortress Maximus was left where it lay. {{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}}

Through circumstances unknown, [[Snake-Eyes]] bonded with Fortress Maximus through the [[Master Sword]], replacing his original head partner, [[Galen]]. He teamed up with [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], in turn controlled by Snake-Eyes's compatriot [[Scarlett]], and together they coerced [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] to fight again before marching on the Decepticon position as part of a joint Autobot-Joe army. {{storylink|Transformers vs. G.I. Joe issue 12|Transformers vs. G.I. Joe #12}} During the battle, even Maximus and Scorponok were dwarfed by Megatron's "Mega-Megatron" form, but fortunately they didn't have to fight the giant long before he was broken apart by [[Shipwreck]]. {{storylink|The War Never Ends}}

===''Kre-O'' online manga===
[[File:KreO-webcomic-10-Fortress.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.5]]
Fortress was at the newly constructed Autobot base, [[Metroplex (Kre-O)|Metroplex]]. {{storylink|Two Giant Bases! Everybody Getting Along, Come On, Fight!}}

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===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
[[File:HeadGames-ResistanceScaleFortMaxFace.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Cerebros and Spike Witwicky were turned into Fortress Maximus when the war spread to Nebulos to counter the rise of [[Scorponok (G1)|MegaZarak]]. But the destructive power of the city-bot brought only more devastation to the planet, and the existence of Maximus and weapons like him was a major reason why the [[Human Confederacy]] confined the Transformers and their war to the [[Allowed Zone]]. {{storylink|Head Games}}

When Galvatron threatened the planet [[Master (planet)|Rebirth]], Fortress Maximus—now bonded to Daniel Witwicky—returned to duty after the Decepticons deployed the newest incarnation of MegaZarak. When the two clashed for the second time, it was Fortress Maximus who fell. {{storylink|A Brush With Infamy–Prologue}}

As energy became scarce, Fortress Maximus could no longer move and ground to a halt in robot mode in [[Tarn (polity)|Tarn]], where his frozen, towering form was repurposed as a prison by the [[Builder of Cybertron|Builders of Cybertron]]. Cerebros himself died at some point, but his consciousness remained active within Maximus through three [[Cyberdroid]]s, [[Grand Maximus|Gran]], [[Galen|Kord]], and [[Cerebros (RID)|Plasma]].

When Cerebros learned of the Terran singularity, bringing back all humans who ever lived and died, he petitioned the Terrans to bring back his Witwicky partners as well. They refused, but instead gave Cerebros the [[Energon Matrix]] technology to create a new proto-race of Cybertronians. One of the earliest protoformers birthed was [[Maxima]], known as the first daughter of Fortress Maximus and ''She Who Sang''. Her principles led to the development of a proto-race faction called the Maximals, derived from Autobot teachings and named in part for Fortress Maximus. {{storylink|Head Games}} {{storylink|The Predacon Manifesto}}

[[Lio Convoy#Beast Wars: Uprising|Lio Convoy]]'s [[Resistance]] against the Builders sought to infiltrate Fortress Maximus and free the prisoners within, but their initial attempts were foiled by Cerebros's ability to get into the heads of the intruders and turn them against each other. The third strike team was able to turn the tide by willingly sacrificing [[Buzzclaw (BW)#Beast Wars: Uprising|Buzzclaw]] to Cerebros's control and using the mental link to paralyze him, allowing them to kill Kord and Plasma and kidnap Gran, effectively shutting down Maximus. {{storylink|Head Games}}
{{-}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
In [[Primax 1086.0 Kappa]], Fortress Maximus and Scorponok were killed by the Nebulans during the Transformers' battle on Nebulos, and their remains were fused together by [[Zarak (G1)|Mortilus Zarak]] into a giant robot body. After he binary bonded with the body, however, the faint traces of Maximus's and Scorponok's sparks began affecting his mind and eventually drove him mad, turning him into "[[Zarak Maximus]]". {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/11}}

In some other realities, Fortress Maximus survived the Great War and went on to found the [[Maximal]]s. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/08}}

===''TransTech''===
During the destructive conflict between the [[Screaming Eagles]] and [[S.K.A.R.]] in [[Primax 806.30 Gamma]], both sides found themselves binary-bonded to Cybertronian partners. Fortress Maximus formed a partnership with [[Sgt. Savage]] through [[Emissary (RID)|Brave]]. After a globe-spanning confrontation which almost destroyed Earth, the Autobots and G.I. Joes emerged victorious. {{storylink|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News Reporter|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News, 2016/05/01}}

===2006 IDW ''Beast Wars'' continuity===
Fortress Maximus was one of the many casualties of the Great War before the signing of the [[Pax Cybertronia]]. {{storylink|Dawn of the Predacus}}

===''Titans Return'' marketing material===
[[File:HasbroPulse FortressMaximus.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.66|This is highly unusual.]]
One of the last [[Titan (group)|Titans]] in the universe, {{storylink|#Generations|''Titans Return'' Fortress Maximus online bio}} the legendary Fortress Maximus had slumbered underneath [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], until the battle for the [[Titan Master]]s roused him from his slumber. He awoke just in time to witness [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]'s attack on Cybertron, frightening the Decepticon communications officer something fierce. {{storylink|Titans Return: The Power of the Titan Masters}} With a city alt-mode, Fortress Maximus served as the ultimate Autobot weapon and base. {{storylink|#Generations|''Titans Return'' Fortress Maximus online bio}}

When Fortress Maximus returned to full size and unleashed his power on the universe, the scientists [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] and [[Arcana|Teslor]] and Cityspeaker [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] fought against the rogue Autobot [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]], who sought to use a loyal Titan Master to bend the Titan to his will as part of his own misguided agenda.<ref>''Titans Return'' ''[[Titans Return (toyline)#Summer convention exclusives|Titan Force]] 3-pack'' bio material/instructions.</ref>
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===''Prime Wars Trilogy'' cartoons===
{{voiceactor|[[Michael Dorn]] (English), [[Nolan North]] (English, screams and grunts)}}
[[File:TF-CW-Cartoon-Fort-Max-close-up.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|left|"I was woken up at 3 in the morning, told I had to put on make-up and come to this town. What the hell is going on?"]]
[[File:FortMaxPoster.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4|''The sky is blue and all the leaves are green The sun's as warm as a baked potato I think I know precisely what I mean When I say it's a shpadoinkle day'']]

Fortress Maximus was a [[Titan (group)|Titan]] constructed during the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], and was aided by his Titan Master, [[Emissary (Generations)|Emissary]]. Once the conflict ceased, he was decommissioned and left dormant. {{storylink|Our Heroes Respond}} After the conclusion of the [[Combiner Wars (event)|Combiner Wars]], [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] experienced a vision of Fortress Maximus, indicating that the Titans had indeed returned. {{storylink|Destruction's Dawn}}

When Trypticon was reawakened, [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] proposed seeking out Fortress Maximus to combat the rogue Titan. At Perceptor's suggestion, the [[Mistress of Flame]] sent [[Computron (G1)|Computron]], [[Victorion]], [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], and [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] to locate and awaken Maximus. {{storylink|Our Heroes Respond}} The inert Titan was eventually located in a frozen wasteland by the four combiners, and Menasor accidentally fired a missile from one of Maximus's cannons that launched Emissary towards [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. {{storylink|The Fight Begins}}
Computron determined that Fortress Maximus's [[transformation cog]] was damaged, rendering him unable to directly join the battle. However, Victorion saw fit to target Maximus' functioning missiles at the saurian giant–with Metroplex expected to be killed in the process as an acceptable casualty of friendly fire–thereby fulfilling her own [[Prelude to Transformers: Combiner Wars - Victorion|personal vision of the Combiners saving the galaxy]]. {{storylink|Overlord and Emissary}}

The barrage ultimately failed, {{storylink|At the Last Second}} and the Combiners were distracted by [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s arrival, leading to a confrontation that was eventually halted by [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] and Emissary. After the others had departed, Emissary attempted to link to Fortress Maximus's mind, but was unable to access it. Instead, he initiated a procedure to link Windblade and Maximus via her [[Cityspeaker]] abilities. However, the process proved volatile and soon spiraled out of control. {{storylink|Desperate Actions}}

Windblade communed with Fortress Maximus, begging for his help, though he at first rejected her, having sworn a life of peace. She ultimately managed to convince Maximus, however, and he transformed himself back to robot mode, following Windblade back towards Metroplex City. {{storylink|Run for Our Lives}} Witnessing Trypticon's fight with Victorion from afar, Fortress Maximus admitted he was unsure he could win, but swore to try anyway for Cybertron's sake. He arrived in Metroplex City just in time to catch [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] before he could fall into some sharp rubble. {{storylink|In Good Hands}} He engaged in battle with Trypticon, refusing help from Emissary, and managed to get the upper hand until Trypticon swallowed Victorion and the [[Enigma of Combination]], powering himself up. Between attacks from the powered-up Trypticon and the now mind-controlled [[Combiner]]s, Maximus found himself at a disadvantage. When Trypticon swallowed [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] and the [[Matrix of Leadership]], even he was knocked away by the sudden surge of power it triggered. {{storylink|Consumed}}

Ultimately, however, the Matrix's power couldn't be controlled by Trypticon, and he released all those he had swallowed, along with Starscream's ghost. Catching Trypticon's deactivated body, Maximus lamented the loss of another Titan, but was interrupted by the return of [[The Fallen|Megatronus]]. He and Optimus attempted a sneak attack, but Megatronus effortlessly caught Maximus's Master Sword and tossed him away before killing Optimus. No longer able to bring himself to try attacking again, Maximus could only watch as Megatronus escaped with the Enigma and Matrix in hand. {{storylink|All Things Must Pass}} He was later severely weakened by the spark-draining power of [[Megatronus]]'s doomsday weapon. {{storylink|Collision Course}} Thankfully, he survived and began working under Windblade, who became the Magistrate of [[Cityspeaker]]s and aided those who communicated with the Titans. {{storylink|Saga's End}}

===''Star Trek vs. Transformers''===
[[File:StarTrekVsTF2-fortressmaximus.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66]]

As [[World War III]] swept Earth, the Autobots abandoned [[Earth]] aboard the [[Titan (group)|Titan]] Fortress Maximus, using his starship configuration to roam the cosmos in search of [[energon]]. Decades passed, and as Maximus passed by [[Cygnus Seven]] the Autobots were ambushed by the Decepticons aboard their own Titan, Trypticon; in the ensuing battle, the badly damaged Fortress Maximus crash-landed on the planet's surface, sending everyone aboard—Autobot and Decepticon alike—into stasis. Centuries later, the [[Federation]] set up a [[dilithium]] mine on the planet, and while surveying a potential mineshaft Federation miners accidentally stumbled on the Titan's inert form, and inadvertently reactivated Fortress Maximus's repair systems in the process.

[[File:STvsTF3-FortressTiberious.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|So do Gasket and Grommet turn into ''Enterprise'' shuttles now, or...?]]

Unable to distinguish between Autobot and Decepticon, Maximus's autonomous subsystems first brought the Decepticons back online, who proceeded to attack the mining colony before the ship could reawaken Prime and the other Autobots. {{storylink|Prime's Directive, Part Two}} When [[James T. Kirk|Captain Kirk]] and the crew of the ''[[USS Enterprise|Enterprise]]'' investigated the distress signal, they discovered Fortress Maximus's resting spot, only to be ambushed by the rest of the Autobots {{storylink|Prime's Directive, Part One}} before Kirk could convince them of his good intentions. The Decepticons soon got the upper hand by sealing the Autobots in the mine with their new allies, and so [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] hatched a risky plan to bring Fortress Maximus back online. {{storylink|Prime's Directive, Part Two}}

To bring the Titan back online, Ratchet rigged up a device that would access Kirk's memories through Fortress Maximus; using scans of the ''Enterprise''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s schematics, plucked from Kirk's brain, Ratchet was able to bring their living ship back to full functionality by rebuilding Fortress Maximus into a copy of the ''Enterprise''. Shortly after coming back online, Fortress Maximus burst from the ground to take on the Decepticons and their new [[Klingon]] allies; now fully under Kirk's mental control, the [[Starfleet]] captain was able to blast Trypticon with the ship's inbuilt [[Phaser (weapon)|phasers]] before beaming [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and [[Kuri]]'s Federation prisoners to safety. To take on the gigantic Decepticon, Kirk was able to transform the Titan into his new robot mode, their shared mind declaring themselves "Fortress Tiberius." {{storylink|Prime's Directive, Part Three}}

[[File:PrimesDirective4-CygnusVIIBattle.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66|[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ml4wAnvfM4M Dah-dah-dah-dah-dah-dah-DAAAAAAAH-dah-dah-dah]...]]

As the two Titans battled it out, Kirk was forced to keep Fortress Maximus's own desire for vengeance under control, using his powerful suite of onboard weapons to great effect against his foe. Despite the temptation, however, Kirk was able to keep himself under control, and by reigning in his partner's bloodlust Kirk was able to momentarily down Trypticon with a powerful punch.

When the Decepticons abruptly announced a retreat, however, Kirk used Tiberius's onboard sensors to realize that the treacherous Decepticon [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] had already absconded with a load of [[dilithium]], and sought to conquer the [[Klingon Empire]]. Optimus and the other Autobots boarded Fortress Tiberius and reunited with the real ''Enterprise'' over Cygnus Seven to help repair the damaged vessel. {{storylink|Prime's Directive, Part Four}}

When the ''Enterprise'' was once more spaceworthy, the two vessels pursued Starscream to the Klingon homeworld of [[Kronos]], using their onboard [[replicator]]s to construct [[Crewbot|a series of armored battlesuits]] so that the other members of the ''Enterprise'' could take on their foes. Kirk and the others had arrived too late, however: Starscream had already arrived and been summarily defeated by Megatron and the other Decepticons, with the Decepticon leader seeking to seize the planet as the capital of his Decepticon empire.

[[File:PrimesDirective5-warpspeed.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]

Fortress Tiberius and Trypticon battled it out once more as the Autobots, Klingons, and Starfleet members joined the fight, though the Titan and his human partner weren't able to overcome Trypticon before they were incapacitated by a paralyzing sonic blast from Soundwave. The Klingons, however, weren't affected by this frequency, and thanks to Kirk forewarning their leader [[Kuri]] about Cybertronian vulnerabilities, they were able to unleash an armada of [[Warbird (Star Trek)|warbird]]s on the Decepticons and defeat them.

In the aftermath, Optimus Prime and the other Autobots chose to go their own way aboard Fortress Tiberius once more, bidding farewell to Kirk and the other members of Starfleet but pledging to remain on call if the Federation ever needed their assistance again. {{storylink|Prime's Directive, Part Five}}
{{--}}

==Commercial appearances==
*Fortress Maximus grappled with [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] on [[Nebulos|Nebulon]] while other [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] and [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmasters]] scuffled at their feet. With a show of prodigious strength, Fortress Maximus picked up Scorponok by his tail and tossed his opponent about like a ragdoll. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Headmaster comic book|Headmaster comic book commercial}}
*When the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] threatened to attack Fortress Maximus, the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]] sprung up to oppose them. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Technobots and Terrorcons|Technobots and Terrorcons commercial}}
*The Terrorcons attacked Fortress Maximus once more; this time, the massive Autobot warded off their attack on his own by blasting them with his battle station mode. The Terrorcons regrouped and combined into [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]] to tare away at Fortress Maximus's armament. Little did they know that Fortress Maximus could still transform into a robot that dwarfed even the mighty combiner! {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Fortress Maximus|Fortress Maximus commercial}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: The Headmasters''===
When the Decepticons struck out at four planets, including Cybertron and Earth, Fortress Maximus was joined by [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] and the Headmasters of Justice to save the final planet from [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. {{storylink|Transformers: The Headmasters (video game)|Transformers: The Headmasters}}

===''Transformers Legends''===
{{Note|Although Fortress Maximus was not included in a storyline for the ''Transformers Legends'' game, he was featured as a playable character.}} {{storylink|Signature Series featuring Marcelo Matere|Signature Series}}

==Toys==
{{Main|Fortress Maximus (G1)/toys}}

==Merchandise==
{{main|Fortress Maximus (G1)/toys#Merchandise}}

==Notes==
[[File:Fortmaxsize1.jpg|thumb|upright=1|DAAAAAAAAAAAANG, that boy must eat his veggies.]]
*"Fortress Maximus" was an early name for the characters that eventually became [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] and [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. The [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] [[Transformers: The Movie (Marvel comic)|comic adaptation]] of the [[The Transformers: The Movie|1986 movie]] even refers to [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] as "Fortress Maximus" in a caption.
*Fortress Maximus was the first toy to be released with a bona-fide Earthling figure. All of the other Headmasters' companions were from Nebulos. (Although Maximus's on-package [[bio]] refers to "the Nebulan leader, Spike", the general consensus is that it was supposed to be the popular figure from TV and other media, who is almost certainly an Earthling.)
*Both Scorponok and Fortress Maximus suffer from the writers struggling to reconcile the characters' high rank with their size. In their comic appearances, they are portrayed as commanders in some capacity but are shrunk down to interact with other Transformers, and their city modes pretty much don't exist. Conversely, the cartoons have opted to portray them as giant city Transformers, though they seem to be merely extensions of the smaller beings that bond with them, with no real life or will of their own.
*According to the 1997 issue of ''The Super Robots Chronicles'', Fortress Maximus is three kilometers tall.
*The Battleship ''Maximus'' bears a slight resemblance to the {{w|White Base}}, a battleship from the ''{{w|Gundam}}'' franchise.
*Like most comic-only Kreons, Fortress is made up of existing Kre-O parts, namely the [[Hound (Kre-O)|Hound]] helmet and the sword first used by [[Headstrong (G1)|Torox]] and [[Tantrum (G1)|Headlock]] (in reference to the [[Master Sword]] used by the original Fortress).
*An [http://news.tfw2005.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2011/09/Fortress-Maximus-Prototypes-1_1315944004.jpg early prototype] for Fortress Maximus's toy featured, among other things, waist-guns that pushed straight out on levers instead of swinging out on an axis. This appears to have formed the basis for his character model's waist-guns, which feature red circles rather than hinges.
*When Rodimus Prime made Fortress Maximus Aubot Supreme Comamander it us unknown why he did not give him the Autobot Matrix of Leadership.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Cerebros''' (セレブロス ''Sereburosu''), '''Fortress''' (フォートレス ''Fōtoresu''), '''Fortress Maximus''' (フォートレスマキシマス ''Fōtoresu Makishimasu'')
*''English:'' '''Spaceship Bruce''' (spaceship mode, [[Omni Productions]] dub), '''Cerebros''' (Fortress, [[Shout! Factory]] sub)
*''French:'' '''Forteresse Maximus''' (Canada)
*''Mandarin:'' '''Fúthè Chǜ-jén''' (Taiwan, 福特巨人, "Fort Giant"), '''Jùwúbà Fútè''' (China, 巨无霸福特, "Extremely Gigantic Fort"), '''Furmon''' (Taiwan, 福蒙 ''Fú Móng''), '''Fortry''' (Taiwan [[Omni Productions]] dub, 福崔 ''Fú Tsuēi'')
*''Russian:'' '''Krepysh Maximus''' (Крепыш Максимус ''Krepysh Maksimus'', "Sturdy Fellow Maximus")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Fortetsya Maxima''' (Фортеця Максима, "Fortress Maxima")

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Autobot bases]]
[[Category:Autobot leaders]]
[[Category:Autobot starships]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising Autobots]]
[[Category:City Transformers]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cities]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobot starships]]
[[Category:GT characters]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:Kre-O Autobots]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Legends Autobots]]
[[Category:Multi-component Transformers]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce Autobots]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Autobots]]
[[Category:Titans]]
[[Category:Titans Return Autobots]]
[[Category:Transformers with three modes]]
[[Category:United Autobots]]

Fortress Maximus (G1)

2021-05-07T20:01:22Z

Chris2119: /* Notes */

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:''Fortress Maximus is an [[Autobot]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] and occasional [[Titan (group)|Titan]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:FortMax1.jpg|upright=2|thumb|[[Nobuyuki Hiyama|Link]] called. He wants the [[Master Sword]] back.]]

Despite his great power, size, and rank, '''Fortress Maximus''' is a weary and reluctant warrior. Fighting is against his pacifist nature, even for the most noble of causes. Over time, the endless conflict on Cybertron has worn him down, to the point that he's willing to walk away from the war entirely to preserve himself and his ideals.

Fortress Maximus is big. ''How'' big generally depends on the universe, but often as not he's binary-bonded to a smaller robot named [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] who forms his head; Cerebros's own head is formed by [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]], or in some universes, [[Emissary (Generations)|Emissary]].

{{note|Fortress Maximus is one of those fun characters whose incarnations are very different. See individual fiction entries below for continuity specific profiles.}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
[[File:Fortmaxgiveshead.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb]]
{{main|Fortress Maximus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity}}
{{-}}

===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Stephen Keener]] (English), [[Kunihiko Yasui]] (Japanese)}}

[[File:Fortressmaximusg1rebirth.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]
When a battle for possession of the [[Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber]] led a group of Autobots and Decepticons to be stranded on the planet [[Nebulos]], partnership between the Transformers and the native Nebulans led to the development of Headmaster and Targetmaster technology. The planet's evil ruling council, the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]], took the technology to its most powerful extreme when its leader [[Zarak (G1)|Zarak]] created the massive city-sized Scorponok to serve as his Headmaster partner and used his power to steal back the chamber key. The Decepticons departed for Cybertron, and the Autobots were poised to give chase when Spike Witwicky announced that he and the pacifistic Cerebros would be staying behind. While the other Autobots left in pursuit, Spike had Cerebros lead him to the ruins of the Hive's original city, which they had lived in before moving underground. Taking control of the various abandoned machines there, Spike rebuilt the city, Cerebros and even himself into a Headmaster robot that could stand up to Scorponok's power: Fortress Maximus!

[[File:Rebirth3 fortmax battlestation.jpg|right|upright=1.4|thumb]]
The completed Fortress Maximus quickly flew to Cybertron and made a dramatic entrance, setting down in city mode and then transforming to battle station mode to bombard Scorponok and the Decepticons with a hail of weaponsfire. When Zarak transformed Scorponok to [[robot mode]], Spike did likewise with Fortress Maximus, and the two titans battled, with Maximus on the losing end until Zarak threatened the life of Spike's son, Daniel. With a burst of strength, Fortress Maximus took Scorponok down, causing him to collapse with such force that he transformed back to city mode. Spike and Cerebros then disconnected from Maximus and headed inside Scorponok to recover the captive Daniel and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], leaving Maximus to keep the other Decepticons at bay with his many weapons. The Decepticons were able to get through Maximus's firestorm and got Scorponok airborne, but not before Spike succeeded in his rescue.

Subsequently, with the Plasma Energy Chamber back under Autobot control, Fortress Maximus flew the Autobot Headmasters and Targetmasters back to Nebulos. There, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] announced that after they had eradicated the Hive's evil from the planet, Cerebros would live on the planet as its guardian, presumably meaning that Fortress Maximus would be staying there too. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

{{note|It is unclear if Fortress Maximus had any sentience of his own; he did speak once in his own voice, but for the most part, even Cerebros's will seemed to be pushed aside so Spike could run the whole thing himself.}}

===Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
{{note|In Japan, Fortress Maximus's mental functions are housed in a small robot who transforms into a head and connects to a larger, lifeless transtector body. This larger body in turn becomes the head of a ''giant'' transtector, forming the robot known as Fortress Maximus. The ''Headmasters'' toyline referred to the smallest robot as '''Cerebros''', who formed the head of the intermediate robot '''Fortress''', but this distinction was never actually made in fiction, and the character was always referred to as "Fortress" regardless of whether he was in small or intermediate form.}}

====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Ikuya Sawaki]] (Japanese)|[[Simon Broad]] (English), [[Liu Xirui]] (Chinese)}}

[[File:Hm7 fortress small bot.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Drang nach Master!]]
Four million years ago, Fortress was a [[Cyberdroid|diminutive Cybertronian]] who had not yet mastered the art of transformation, and was a friend of [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]]'s. He was among the many Transformers that fled Cybertron in an attempt to escape the corrosion of war without end, and led a group of his fellow small Cybertronians in search of a new peaceful world they could call home. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} Alas, engine trouble caused their ship to crash on the inhospitable world of planet Master, whose hazardous environmental conditions began threatening the lives of Fortress and his men almost as soon as they departed the wreckage of their ship and began trekking through a desert of shifting sands. The need for survival fostered many technological and mental advancements, however, and Fortress and his people endured.

[[File:Hm1 battleship maximus.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Fortress was responsible for many of the technological quantum leaps, the most significant of which was the invention of "[[transtector]]s": larger, lifeless Transformer bodies to which the small Cybertronians could connect as heads. After a rigorous physical and mental training program that allowed them to finally master transformation and even instilled powerful telepathic and telekinetic powers in them, Fortress and nine other warriors bonded with these transtectors to become "Headmasters". {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}} Fortress even took the process one step further, and with the aid of other Master scientists like [[Jack (Headmasters)|Jack]], created a ''huge'' transtector that could transform into the battleship, Maximus. Fortress's own transtector was engineered to also transform into a head, which could control the many functions of the Maximus from a special docking bay on the battleship's bridge, {{storylink|Rebellion on Planet Beast}} and which could form the head for the battleship's own colossal robot mode, known as "Fortress Maximus". Fortress also created the powerful [[Master Sword]] for himself, and tied the Maximus's transformation into it; in order to convert the battleship to robot mode, Fortress had to draw a small version of the blade from a sheath beneath his command console, but this feat could only be accomplished when his physical and mental energies were in perfect synchronization. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}}

Unfortunately, half of the Headmasters eventually rebelled against Fortress's leadership, siding with a traitor named Scorponok against him. The traitors were defeated by Fortress and his comrades and exiled from Master, but eventually, they came to ally themselves with the Decepticons under the command of [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}}

[[File:Hm2 kup and fortress.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
In the year 2011, when Galvatron launched his latest attack on Cybertron with the added power of his new Decepticon Headmasters, Fortress Maximus brought the Autobot Headmasters back to their homeworld aboard the Maximus. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} Even the mightiest of the Decepticons' [[combiner]]s could not stand against Battleship Maximus's firepower, and the evil robots were forced into retreat. This task complete, Fortress set the Maximus down at the Autobots' secondary headquarters on the planet [[Athenia]], where he introduced himself and his comrades and explained their origins, and was reunited with Kup. After being filled in by the Autobots on the current crisis—[[Vector Sigma]] had become destabilized, putting the planet at risk—Fortress deduced that the [[Matrix of Leadership]] was necessary to bring the computer back under control. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} Unfortunately, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] had already ventured into the depths of Cybertron without the Matrix, willing to sacrifice his own life to stabilize Vector Sigma, so Fortress headed into the planet's catacombs after him while the other Headmasters helped [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] search for the Matrix, hidden somewhere on [[Earth]]. Though Fortress was not able to catch up to Prime before he reached Vector Sigma's chamber, he was able to use his telepathic powers to contact Prime's companion, the spirit of [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], helping to guide him safely through the maze of tunnels. It turned out that [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] had made it to the chamber ahead of Prime, however, and Fortress raced through the remainder of the tunnels to aid Prime against the two Decepticons. Hot Rod soon arrived with the Matrix, which he used to become Rodimus Prime again, but before he could use it to bring Vector Sigma back under control, Optimus Prime merged with the computer to stabilize it, giving up his life in the process. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}} Prime was not the only casualty of the crisis: [[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]] also lost his life in the search for the Matrix. Luckily, Fortress was able to use the advanced technology of Master to rebuild and resurrect him, as Twincast. {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}}

[[File:Hm5 fortmax headmode.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"Sorry I'm late! Well, let's see who's here! B-b-b-Brainstorm! Highbrow? You still here? We never expected you to stick around. Nice nosejob, no one would ever suspect. Hardhead! Putting on a little weight, huh? Speaking of dads Arcee, yours isn't worried about you. He loves your choice in men. Chromedome! How's your [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|sex life]]? What's your sex life?"]]
While patrolling space for Decepticon activity aboard the Maximus, the Autobot Headmasters discovered [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] stowed away on board. After explaining the function of his Head Mode to the shocked youngsters, Fortress agreed to let the pair join them on the patrol. Soon after, the Autobots came upon two stranded [[Beastformer]]s from the planet [[Beast (planet)|Beast]], and learned that the Decepticons had invaded their planet; the infuriated Fortress made for the planet with all due speed, after sending a report to Rodimus Prime on Athenia. The Autobot Headmasters helped the native Beastformers liberate their planet from Decepticon control, but Fortress was concerned with a blueprint recovered from an underground factory that indicated the Decepticons were building something. {{storylink|Rebellion on Planet Beast}}

[[File:Hm6 fortmax funnyfaces.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|:D]]
When the Decepticons launched a [[Metamorphose|metal-warping meteor]] at Athenia, Fortress and his battleship were powerless to do anything, for fear of being destroyed by the meteor's gravity sensors. It fell to Daniel Witwicky to destroy the meteor, so Fortress transported him as close to it as he was able. Daniel lost his nerve at the last minute, so Fortress calmed him down by making some silly faces. Dignified! {{storylink|Approach of the Demon Meteorite}} Later, a phoney distress call lured Fortress and the Autobot Headmasters into a trap on the planet [[Praum]] set by their old foe, Scorponok. Despite being trapped in a subterranean chamber with the endless desert sands pouring in on top of him, Fortress kept his head and reminded his young allies of the similar hardships they had suffered on Master and the training they had undergone to overcome them. With the skills they had learned back then, they were able to escape. {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}}

[[File:Hm10 fortress appointed commander.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"Take my job, New Toy! I don't want it!"]]
When Galvatron launched an attack on Cybertron in an attempt to steal a new alloy developed by Vector Sigma named [[cybertonuron]], Fortress advised Rodimus Prime against striking back in full force, preferring to find another way to stop the Decepticons than putting all their warriors in danger. Rodimus refused, and Fortress quietly acquiesced to his commander's wishes, ferrying him to Cybertron on Battleship Maximus. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1}} The battle ended catastrophically, however, when treachery on the part of Scorponok led to the detonation of a collection of bombs in Vector Sigma's chamber, devastating Cybertron and rendering it uninhabitable, and apparently killing Galvatron in the process. Realizing with deep regret that Fortress's caution had been warranted, Rodimus Prime decided that the era of his generation of Transformers was over, and vowed to search the universe for a new planet the Transformers could call home. He passed the title of [[Supreme Commander]] of the Autobots (though not the Matrix of Leadership) to Fortress, who was visibly uncomfortable with the appointment, but accepted it graciously, telling himself not to contest it because it was his destiny. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2}}

[[File:G1FortressMaximus HMstockfootage.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|"...But it's the pelvic thruuuuuust / that really drives you in-sa-a-a-ane..."]]
Fortress's tenure as leader got off to a strong start with the successful completion of the [[Sol 1]] satellite, a joint venture between the Autobots and humanity to gather solar energy. Unfortunately, the satellite was stolen by the Decepticons, forcing the Autobot Headmasters to destroy it to keep it out of their hands. Before being destroyed, however, the satellite's energy was beamed by the villains to the planet [[Zarak (planet)|Zarak]]. {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}} Fortress attempted to study Zarak from afar in hopes of deducing what the Decepticons were up to, but the planet's gaseous shroud prevented remote observation of its surface, and the Decepticons began staging concentrated attacks on Earth to keep the Autobots' attentions divided. {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}} One such attack saw the Decepticons unleash a carnivorous, ambulatory plant upon [[San Francisco]], which Fortress identified as a [[buridanka]] from the planet [[Darhos]]. When the Autobot Headmasters responded, Battleship Maximus was caught in the plant-monster's vines, and Fortress's lack of focus left him unable to draw the Master Sword and transform. Galvanized by the cries of the other Headmasters, however, his energies soon came into alignment, and for what was apparently the first time (given everyone else's surprise when it happened) Fortress transformed the Maximus and combined with it to form Fortress Maximus. With the power of the Master Sword, he easily dispatched the giant plant. {{storylink|Head On!! Fortress Maximus}}

[[File:Hm14 fortress draws mastersword.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Weakened by the great energy demands of his transformation, Fortress sent the Autobot Headmasters to [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] without him when news of Decepticon movement on the planet reached the Autobots. When the Headmasters discovered that the Decepticons were planning to blow up Mars, however, Fortress went into action, only to be struck with a [[plasma energy]] bomb by the Decepticons Headmasters just as he was in the middle of transforming into Fortress Maximus. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}} Although Fortress survived the blast, his energies were severely drained, and the powerless Maximus was unable to depart Mars as the countdown to the Decepticons' planet-destroying explosion continued. Even worse, into the middle of this crisis stepped Scorponok, now outfitted with a gigantic transtector of his own: the end result of the mysterious construction operations on planets Beast and Zarak. Scorponok pummelled the paralyzed Maximus, then pulled out just before the chain of explosion began. Fortress told the Headmasters to leave him and the Maximus to their fate, but luckily, at the last minute, the battleship began absorbing the energy released by the early stages of the explosion. Fortress was able to use this energy to transform into Fortress Maximus, and escaped the destruction of Mars, slashing Scorponok with the Master Sword as he came bursting from the conflagration. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears}}

[[File:Hm17 maximus vs scorponok.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|That's how the scorpions breed!]]
While Fortress and the Headmasters were patrolling the edges of Decepticon space to keep an eye on their enemies' activities, Scorponok attacked the Maximus, only for the fight to be broken up by a strange UFO. Back on Athenia, Fortress met with the Autobots' deep cover spy, [[Punch (G1)|Punch]], and learned that Scorponok was holding a coronation ceremony for himself on Earth's [[moon (moon)|moon]]. The Autobots attacked the ceremony, during which Fortress again pitted his battleship against Scorponok, but the fighting was brought to an end when the UFO returned, and was revealed to belong to Galvatron, who had survived Cybertron's destruction. {{storylink|Return of the Immortal Emperor}} Fortress fought Scorponok again soon after, when the Autobots tried to provide energy relief to the other-dimensional planet [[Sandra (planet)|Sandra]]. {{storylink|SOS from Planet Sandra}}

[[File:Hm23 fortmax sword slash.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
When the Decepticons embarked on an interplanetary energy quest, the Autobots determined to follow them aboard Fortress's battleship; Fortress had to be convinced to allow Daniel to come with them. {{storylink|Daniel Faces His Biggest Crisis Ever!!}} Their first port of call was the planet [[Hive (planet)|Hive]], but before the Maximus could set down, they were attacked by the planet's force. Fortress was intent on a show of non-resistance and would not fire back, while [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] went down to the planet's surface and proved the Autobots' good intentions to Hive's [[Queen Bee]]. The Autobots joined forces with the natives to fend off the Decepticons; Fortress disconnected the Maximus's "Master Shot" cannon so the Headmasters could wield it, then transformed into Fortress Maximus to send Scorponok packing with the Master Sword. {{storylink|Fight to the Death on Planet Hive!!}} Fortress then used the Maximus to fly the Autobots to [[Twin Star]], where he dealt with Scorponok by hauling him into the air and dropping him, {{storylink|Battle for Defense of the False Planet}} and [[Daros]], where he used the Maximus's internal defense systems to stop [[Curl|a gang of prisoners]] from taking control of the battleship. {{storylink|Find MegaZarak's Weak Spot!!}} The battleship needed some repairs before it could take the Autobots to [[Paradise]], which Fortress had Chromedome and [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] perform. {{storylink|Head Formation of Friendship}} Fortress again transformed to Fortress Maximus on the final planet of their journey, [[Pirate Planet]], taking Scorponok out with a Master Sword-slash to the chest. {{storylink|Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship}}

[[File:Hm25 fortress cradles magnus.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
After returning to Athenia, Fortress and the Headmasters received news of a Decepticon attack on Earth and headed there with all due haste, but they were not in time to stop [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]] from mortally wounding [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]]. Fortress held Magnus as he died, then carried his body aboard the Maximus for burial along an Earth coastline. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}} Soon after, with Decepticon attacks intensifying, Fortress had to talk [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] out of risking his own life in the pursuit of revenge against Sixshot. When word came through from Punch that Galvatron intended to use the gathered energy to fuse himself with the Earth itself, Fortress and the Headmasters immediately departed to confront the Decepticon leader in [[Alaska]]. The Headmasters were able to use Punch's information to finally end the threat of Galvatron with their [[Head Formation]], burying him in the Arctic ice. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}}

[[File:Hm26 weak spot.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|From USSR with "love"!]]
Galvatron's demise left a power vacuum that Scorponok immediately filled, and once appointed leader again, he immediately put into motion a plan to destroy the Earth by simultaneously erupting every volcano on the [[Pacific Ring of Fire]]. [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] deduced his plan, but a Decepticon attack on [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] left Spike fatally wounded, with a chunk of shrapnel embedded in one of his arteries. Medical science could do nothing for Spike, so Fortress used his telekinetic powers to dissolve the shrapnel, saving Spike, but draining all of Fortress's energy. Even in his weakened state, unable to transform, Fortress still attempted to stop Scorponok from initiating his plan on the Kamchatka Peninsula, but Scorponok simply hurled the Maximus into a volcano. As it turned out, this allowed Fortress to absorb the geothermal energy of the volcano's magma, restoring his power and ability to transform. Following information decoded by Chromedome, Fortress Maximus was able to puncture Scorponok's weak spot, the Decepticon symbol on his chest, forcing the villain and his followers to flee the planet. {{storylink|I Risk My Life for Earth}}

[[File:Hm28 fortress examines targetmaster.jpg|left|thumb]]
With Earth finally free of the Decepticons, the Autobots set about removing every trace of their evil from the planet. Fortress co-ordinated the effort, but just as he was meeting with three new Autobot arrivals—[[Pointblank]], [[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] and [[Sureshot (G1)|Sureshot]]—a report came through from Chromedome that one of the plasma energy bombs he had been tasked with gathering up had become active. Fortress quickly picked up the bombs in Battleship Maximus, intending to transport them into space so they could detonate harmlessly, but as the ship departed the atmosphere, it crossed paths with another vessel containing refugees from Master. While the Autobots held off the Decepticons pursuing the Master vessel, Fortress and Twincast welcomed the refugees on board, and learned from them that Scorponok's Decepticons had attacked Master. The refugees then helped get the plasma bombs off Battleship Maximus, but they proceeded to detonate before everyone could get clear, and the explosion fused the refugees to the arms of the Autobots and Decepticons. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)}} Fortress used his scientific know-how to remove the refugees from the Autobots' arms, but a strange link remained between the warriors. With these "[[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmasters]]" added to their ranks, Fortress piloted Battleship Maximus to Master to stop Scorponok's evildoings there. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 2)}}

[[File:MasterSwordDanger Floppydisk.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Insert 80s computer joke here.]]
Seeking to forge a weapon to counter Fortress's Master Sword, Scorponok arranged for the kidnap of Wheelie so that he could be ransom for information on the sword. Fortress agonized over what to do, but the decision was made for him when Chromedome and Daniel snuck away to rescue Wheelie themselves. Learning of their insubordination, Fortress played along, keeping the Decepticons' attentions on his battleship and preparing a data disk to "hand over". Unfortunately, when the Decepticons learned that Wheelie had been rescued, a fight broke out over the disk and it was snatched from Fortress's grasp. {{storylink|The Master Sword Is in Danger!!}} The Decepticons retreated underground, but Fortress was able to track them down by equipping the Master Sword with sensors that would allow the Maximus to track any surges of the energy needed to create it, which Scorponok was sure to require to forge his own weapon. Unfortunately, [[Weirdwolf (G1)|Weirdwolf]] was able to sneak aboard the Maximus, and although Fortress repelled him, he had secretly planted bombs on the battleship that covered the Decepticons' escape when they went off. {{storylink|The Zarak Shield Turns the Tide}}

[[File:Hm31 fortmax defeated.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
As Battleship Maximus was repaired, Fortress debated strategy with the Autobots, eventually agreeing with the Targetmasters' plan to lure the Decepticons into space to avoid collateral damage to Master. Unfortunately, the hot-headed Chromedome disagreed, and staged his own attack on the Decepticons with the aid of the young warriors of Master. Chromedome's strategy went sour, forcing Fortress Maximus to go into action, but when the Master Sword clashed with Scorponok's newly forged "[[Zarak Shield]]", it was the Zarak Shield that emerged triumphant! Defeated, Fortress Maximus could only watch as Scorponok departed for Earth, intending to destroy it once and for all. {{storylink|Operation: Destroy the Decepticons}}

The Autobots gave chase in the Maximus, but during the space battle that resulted, Daniel was set adrift when the Maximus's Laser Block unit was damaged and jettisoned. Fortress was forced to divert to rescue the boy, allowing the Decepticons a substantial lead in the race back to Earth. {{storylink|My Friend Sixshot!}} Their lead was lost when they were forced to set down on the asteroid [[Pallas]] for repairs, and the Maximus set down on [[Ceres]] in order to attack. During the fight, Sixshot challenged Chromedome to a one-on-one duel, and Fortress's pleas that he not accept the challenge fell on deaf ears. Even as Scorponok took off for Earth again, Fortress concluded that he and the other Autobots would have to leave Chromedome to his duel and carry on the chase. As it happened, the duel was interrupted by an explosion courtesy of bombs Scorponok had planted on the battlefield, so Chromedome was able to rejoin Maximus not long after. {{storylink|Duel on the Asteroid}}

[[File:Hm35 master sword zappped.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|By the power of Grayskull!]]
As the Maximus entered the final stretch back to Earth, reports began coming in from the Autobots down on the planet of Decepticon attacks, accompanied by the emergence of strange towers at specific points around the globe. Once back on Earth, Fortress met with Punch, who unfortunately had to report that Scorponok had disappeared into the Mediterranean Ocean. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1)}} The Autobots soon realized that the "Death Towers" were composed of energy-amplifying [[crysmagnetal]], and were creating a field of energy that was surrounding the Earth. Following Punch's lead, Fortress led the Autobots to Egypt, where Scorponok was outfitting a Death Tower with an induction booster to magnify the amount of energy it was projecting. The Master Sword played the unfortunate role of lightning rod in the presence of the Death Tower, attracting bolts of the tower's energy and stunning Fortress, preventing him from stopping Scorponok. As Scorponok fled, he told Fortress to meet him at the North Pole, where even he would have a role to play in his scheme.

[[File:Hm35 final battle.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
With no other choices, Fortress followed his enemy's instructions, and the entire Autobot and Decepticon armies clashed in battle in the frozen north. There, Scorponok lured Fortress Maximus onto a crysmagnetal dais, at which point, an orbiting Decepticon satellite that had been gathering the energies projected by the Death Towers activated, beaming the collected energy down to the dais. Scorponok disconnected from his transtector, and left the paralyzed Fortress Maximus trapped in the satellite's beam, part of a deadly circuit of energy that threatened to tear the Earth apart. The four Headmasters joined in Head Formation and tried to channel their energy into Fortress Maximus in hopes of giving him the strength to break free, but their own power was not enough. At Daniel's suggestion, all the other Autobots linked up as part of the chain, and together combined in "Final Formation", they infused Maximus with enough energy to deflect the satellite's beam with the Master Sword, destroying it. With one mighty slash, Fortress Maximus bisected Scorponok's transtector, finally ending the Decepticon threat.

The Decepticons subsequently fled Earth, and the Autobots gathered to pursue them. Fortress told the tearful Daniel that it was necessary in order to continue defend peace throughout the universe, but promised the boy that they would meet again. Together, the Autobots all boarded Fortress's battleship, and took off into the setting sun. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}

====''Kiss Players/15 Go! Go!''====
[[File:KPBraveMax.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7]]

Slumped miserably on the barren surface of Master in their smallest robot forms, Fortress, Chromedome and Highbrow's attention was caught when a [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|time-travelling spaceship]] materialized over their heads and crashed nearby. {{storylink|Sparkbots Volume 1}} By studying and reverse-engineering the technology found in this spaceship, Fortress and the scientists of Master invented transtectors and the Headmaster process. {{storylink|Transformers: Kiss Players (radio drama)|Kiss Players radio drama #48}} {{storylink|Sparkbots Volume 3}}

====''The Great Transformer War''====
[[File:Hmmanga battered headmasters.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66]]
In the year 2010, while significant Transformer battles were being waged throughout space and on Earth, Fortress was active on the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]]. After the younger Headmaster warriors under his command were defeated in battle by [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]] and the Decepticon Headmasters, Fortress quickly roused his fallen comrades and ordered them to board his battleship, the Maximus, so that they could pursue the villains. Their destination: Cybertron! {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 3|The Great Transformer War #3}}
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====''The Headmasters'' manga====
[[File:Manga fort max.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5]]
Soon after Optimus Prime died stabilizing Vector Sigma, the Decepticons staged an attack on Athenia, and Fortress and the Autobot Headmasters quickly took off in Battleship Maximus to intercept them as they approached the planet. Daniel opined that the Decepticons were "a lot like parasites", to which Fortress murmured an agreement. At that point, the Decepticons appeared in front of them, and the Autobots realized that they had played into the villains' hands: they intended to destroy Fortress's battleship with a bomb. Luckily, Chromedome moved quickly enough to snatch the bomb away and save the Maximus. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 1|The Headmasters #1}}

Responding to an SOS from their Beastformer comrades, Fortress escorted the Autobot Headmasters to planet Beast to investigate. No sooner had the young warriors left Battleship Maximus to search, Rodimus Prime radioed Fortress for an update. Fortress didn't have anything to tell him, but assured Rodimus that the Headmasters would get to the bottom of the mystery. {{storylink|Great Decisive Battle of Planet Beast!}} Later, once they were back on Earth, Fortress sent the Headmasters on their next mission, to respond to a Decepticon attack on an Alaskan energy plant. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 2|The Headmasters #2}}

When a fire tore through [[Shinjuku]], Chromedome, [[Ricochet (Headmasters)|Ricochet]], and [[Artfire]] responded, but their rescue effort was impeded by the Decepticon Targetmaters. Luckily, Fortress soon arrived to extinguish the fire by dumping a massive amount of water on it from above using Battleship Maximus, freeing up the others to deal with the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 7|The Headmasters #7}}
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====''Super-God Masterforce Master File''====
Following the expulsion of the Decepticons from Earth after the battle at the North Pole, the Transformers' war shifted into a series of space-based exchanges between Athenia and Chaar known as the [[Master Wars]]. With the space bridge destroyed, interstellar transportation was severely limited, and it fell to Fortress and the Maximus to patrol space for the Decepticons. While on one such patrol, Fortress received a transmission from Sixshot alerting him to the existence of a [[Devil Z|new shadowy puppet master]] who had taken control of the Decepticons. This news came at the same time as a report from the Trainbots which indicated that Scorponok had constructed a new transtector for himself, and so Fortress had no choice but to focus on dealing with this mystery. With access to the ever-important Earth now greatly reduced and his attentions now focused elsewhere, Fortress left guardianship of the planet in the hands of [[Metalhawk (Masterforce)|Metalhawk]] and his [[Pretender]]s. {{storylink|Master File No, 1}}

====Ask Vector Prime====
Fortress dispatched a team of [[Pretender]]s led by [[Marduk]] to retrieve the [[Ultra Matrix]] from [[Beast (planet)|Beast]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/30}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon continuity====
=====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon=====
Archive footage of Fortress Maximus destroying the MegaZarak transtector was used to educate the future [[Headmaster Junior]]s about the [[Master Wars]]. {{storylink|Birth! Headmaster Jrs}}

Fortress's younger brother, [[Grand Maximus|Grand]], travelled to Earth to aid the Autobots there against the approaching threat of [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]]. Grand was physically identical to his big bro, save for his coloration, and even piloted a smaller Maximus-style battleship of his own. {{storylink|Life? Death? The Desperate Lightfoot}}

=====''Legends'' comic=====
The battle between Fortress and Scorponok began on Master when Fortress discovered and put an end to his kidnapping and experimenting on citizens. {{storylink|Mutant Targetmaster Birth Chapter}} Years later, [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] told a visiting [[Legends World|Legends]] [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] the story about how he and other diminutive Autobots, including Fortress, left Cybertron and settled on Master. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 9|Bonus Edition Vol. 9}} Fortress later showed up when [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] was complaining about Brainstorm's recent upgrade and [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] was getting angry at Rattrap for not caring about ''The Headmasters'', and commented that everyone was getting worked up as usual. {{storylink|Transformers 2015 Brainstorm Chapter|Brainstorm Chapter}}

[[Springer (G1)|Springer]] harbored regrets over the fact that [[Arcee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arcee]] had parted ways with him and moved onto spending her time with Fortress. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 19|Bonus Edition Vol. 19}}

During development of [[Master-Brace|technology]] that would let [[Headmaster Junior]]s wield [[Masterforce]], Fortress created a Headmaster [[exosuit]] for human use and let [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike Witwicky]] test pilot it on his own transtector. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 54|Bonus Edition Vol. 54}}

By 2021, Scorponok had returned and Fortress continued to fight him in space, culminating in a battle to stop the Decepticon from detonating a black hole. The Autobots failed and were infected with [[blackball|miniature black holes]] that shrunk their bodies, threatening to eventually make them disappear entirely. After having all non-Headmasters on his crew converted into Headmasters to save their lives, Fortress told his forces they could find new transtectors in the Legends World, then set a course there before the battleship Maximus itself could disappear. {{storylink|Headmaster Chapter Prologue}} {{storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Prologue}} On arrival, Fortress requested help from the local [[Axalon Trading Company]], but was told by [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] that they didn't work for free. In lieu of money, Fortress offered them access to Headmaster technology and negotiated a partnership between the Autobots and Axalon, leading to him and his soldiers becoming office workers. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 21|Bonus Edition Vol. 21}}

Fortress was later called up by Grand, who asked him to open a portal and receive some humans he was sending to the Legends World. He was resistant to taking them in, being busy with managerial duties, but backed down when an angry Grand told him people's lives were at stake and accused him of getting too cozy in the peaceful dimension. {{storylink|LG24 Shockwave & Cancer Prologue}} When the Autobot Axalon Trading Company finished building a new battleship Maximus, Chromedome urged Fortress to use it to crush the Decepticons, only for Fortress to collapse while trying to argue for a peaceful solution. In sickbed, he let Chromedome in on a big secret: the process of controlling Maximus had been eating away at his life force all along, weakening him every time he combined. He then broke into tears, despairing that he was nothing but a coward who avoided having to use the transtector for his own safety, but Chromedome reassured him that he was a great commander who had only kept this secret from his troops to keep morale up. Despite his condition, Fortress didn't hesitate to become Fortress Maximus once more to defend his friends from [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], who was being mind-controlled by [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] into attacking the Maximus. After defeating Tarantulas by piercing his control device with the Master Sword, he told his comrades he was happy as long as he could keep defending the world. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 31|Bonus Edition Vol. 31}}

Highbrow began researching a cure to Fortress's condition and eventually found that it could be reversed by feeding him [[Zodiac]] energy, which was related to the Headmasters' telepathic energy. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 33|Bonus Edition Vol. 33}} When the Decepticon Headmasters stole Metroplex's [[transformation cog]] to rebuild [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], Megatron contacted Fortress as he was the only other Transformer large enough to stop Trypticon. {{storylink|LG43 Trypticon Mobilization Chapter: Decepticon Civil War|Decepticon Civil War}} However, Trypticon's new ability to fly caught Fortress by surprise before he could transform the Maximus, and the battleship was damaged and crashed. Fortress removed its transformation cog and had it delivered to Metroplex, then ended up among the victims devoured by Trypticon before he could be defeated. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 43|Bonus Edition Vol. 43}} The Maximus base was subsequently integrated into the city when it was rebuilt. {{storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Prologue}} {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Metroplex)|Bonus Edition Metroplex}}

[[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Goldbug]] and Spike later arrived at Axalon and informed Fortress that the Spike acting as a chairman of the [[Galactic Peace Alliance]] was an impostor. Noting that Spike had kept the exosuit, Fortress lent him his transtector so he could fight off the fake, then promised he would lend a hand when the time came to defeat him for good. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 54|Bonus Edition Vol. 54}} The Maximus was drowned when [[Tigerburn]] flooded the city {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 64|Bonus Edition Vol. 64}} and damaged when [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] attacked, but got repaired by [[Topspin (G1)|Topspin]] using the Zodiac. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 66|Bonus Edition Vol. 66}} When Grand came to the Legends World to battle [[Devil Z]] and BlackZarak using his own gigantic transtector, Fortress tried to stop him as didn't have the training required to control it, but Grand insisted on showing his worth and defeated Devil Z before collapsing. Fortress rushed to his fallen brother, who praised him for his ability to control such a huge body and joked that they would both be needing the Zodiac treatment now. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Grand Maximus)|Bonus Edition Grand Maximus}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' manga====
[[File:Mfmanga fortress meets ginrai.jpg|left|thumb]]
When a new and powerful Autobot warrior named [[Ginrai (human)|Ginrai]] rose to prominence on Earth, he distinguished himself to the point that Fortress decided to step down as Supreme Commander and appoint Ginrai in his place. The Trainbots brought Ginrai and his [[Headmaster Junior]] allies to Athenia, where Fortress formally handed over leadership, then departed to take care of some business on Master. In his absence, the united forces of the Earth- and space-based Decepticons attacked Athenia, but Ginrai was able to repel them. Fortress arrived back just as the Decepticons were pulling out, and announced that the Autobots must pool their resources as their enemies had, uniting their forces on Earth and space to commence the [[Godbomber|Bomber Project]]. {{storylink|The Battle Begins! The United Earth-Space Troops}}

Later talking to [[Metalhawk (Masterforce)|Metalhawk]], Fortress would check on the progress of the project after Chromedome arrived at Earth to assist with it. {{storylink|Headmasters VS Masterforce}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers in 3-D''===
Fortress Maximus served as transport when Ultra Magnus lead a mission to a small asteroid in search of a new source of [[Energon]]. The Autobots discovered a [[Observer|small alien]], and [[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] utilized Maximus's laboratory to determine that the creature turned its food into Energon. A later fracas with the Decepticons resulted in Fortress Maximus getting involved, leading to a fight with Scorponok. {{storylink|The Test (issue)|The Test}}

===''PDTF Comic''===
[[File:Pdtype fortmax manga.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5]]
While casually minding his own business one day, Fortress Maximus was suddenly shocked to see a wave of Decepticons led by Galvatron bearing down on him. He immediately transformed into robot mode... but he had completely forgotten that he had been in city mode, leaving all the poor Autobots who had been inside him squished and thinking there had been an earthquake. {{storylink|PDTF Comic##12 "Bigger than Life! Fortress Maximus!"|Bigger Than Life! Fortress Maximus!}}

Fortress Maximus later met Scorponok in battle, vowing to never surrender. All the other Transformers would probably have preferred that he ''did'' surrender, though, since the battle put them ''all'' in danger when the two towering titans toppled over, threatening to accidentally crush them all! {{storylink|PDTF Comic##14 "Watch Out! Mega Zarak!"|Watch Out! MegaZarak!}}
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===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
A normal-sized Fortress Maximus was a co-leader of the Autobot forces on Cybertron, along with [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]. As Cybertron's resources ran low, they struggled to hold the Autobot army together; several of the newly created Micromasters grew increasingly dissatisfied with their lot in life within the Autobot army, and came to question if their larger counterparts were leading them in the right direction. {{storylink|Destined for Nothing}} The war continued despite their best efforts, and after a fruitless and disastrous skirmish with the Micromaster [[Skystalker (G1)|Skystalker]] and the Decepticons, Fortress Maximus gave up on the war. He left the Autobot army in order to seek a new path. {{Storylink|Victims of the Revolution}}

A gargantuan Fortress Maximus was also seen in a [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]-induced vision of future [[Nebulos]] by Optimus Prime and Megatron. {{storylink|The War Within issue 5|The War Within #5}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
[[File:Ironclaw artofwar.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb]]
While imbued with the wisdom of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], General [[Hawk (G.I. Joe)|Hawk]] had a vision of Fortress Maximus and [[Sgt. Savage]] fighting against [[Iron Klaw]] and [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 5|The Art of War #5}}

====''TransTech''====
Binary bonded to [[Emissary (RID)|Brave]] and Sgt. Savage as [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]]s, Fortress Maximus was part of the alliance between the Autobots and [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] [[Screaming Eagles]] against the Decepticons and [[S.K.A.R.]] A clash between Maximus and Trypticon nearly destroyed Earth's magnetosphere, but ultimately, the Autobots and their human allies won the day. {{storylink|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News Reporter|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News, 2016/05/01}}
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===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:SpotlightArcee FortressMaximus.jpg|left|upright=1.66|thumb]]
{{main|Fortress Maximus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity}}

A famed Autobot soldier, Fortress Maximus achieved renowned status during the [[Simanzi Massacre]] for having supposedly killed hundreds of Decepticons personally. His dedication to justice led to him being appointed warden of the [[Garrus-9]] penal colony, but he suffered greatly at the hands of [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] during the [[Surge (event)|Surge]]. Fortress Maximus was traumatized by the mutilation he received and the feeling of abandonment by [[Autobot High Command]], leading him to succumb to a violent mental break. Fortress Maximus recovered from his ordeal, though, becoming the new duly-appointed enforcer of the [[Tyrest Accord]], and continuing to stand for justice in an unjust universe.
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===''United''===
When the [[Autobot]]s fell down with a [[nano-virus]], Fortress Maximus was in city mode as part of [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]]. {{storylink|The Fierce Fighting on Planet Nebulos}}

===''Transformers GT: Mission GT-R''===
[[File:GT-R Maximus.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|What's worse? This pose? Or the fact that it's called the "master '''Jack''' Sword"?]]
In a world where the Transformers' war settled into a series of friendly competitive races known as the [[Transformers GT]], Fortress Maximus took on a race car form and became the [[GT Transformer]] known as '''GT-R Maximus'''. He was a fair and sportsmanlike racer who boasted the highest strength of all GT Transformers, and though normally averse to combat, he was willing to punish cheaters with his [[Master Jack Sword]]. Like other contestants, GT-R Maximus put a limit on his own strength by separating his Matrix into a [[GT Sister]], creating his partner [[Hiiro]].

====Comic====
GT-R Maximus was racing against [[Optimus Prime (G1)|GT-R Prime]] and [[Star Saber (Victory)|GT-R Saber]], cheered on by Hiiro on the sidelines, when the race was interrupted by the arrival of [[Megatron (G1)|GT-R Megatron]]. The intruder announced his intent to crush all racers inferior to him, causing a scuffle, but GT-R Prime talked him down and convinced him to join the race instead. {{storylink|Transformers GT: Mission GT-R (comic)|Transformers GT: Mission GT-R}}

====Story pages====
Like other racers, GT-R Maximus attended photo shoots alongside Hiiro in order to promote coexistence between humans and Transformers. {{storylink|Transformers GT: Mission GT-R (story page)|The Work of the GT Sister Race Queens?}} When a reincarnated [[Unicron]] attacked the Transformers GT finals and absorbed the huge [[energon]] pool saved up for the final prize, Maximus threw aside his usual dislike for battle and attacked the villain with his mighty sword. {{storylink|Transformers GT: Mission GT-R (story page)|Bringing Down the Sword}} But Maximus alone wasn't enough to defeat Unicron, so he used the "Matrix In" process to recombine with Hiiro and restore his true strength. Together with the other powered up racers and their GT Sisters, he fought and defeated Unicron, saving Earth. {{storylink|Transformers GT: Mission GT-R (story page)|The True TFGT}}

====''Story of Transformers GT''====
GT-R Maximus raced in the 19th Transformers GT in his usual pacifistic manner, refusing Hiiro's requests to prepare the Master Jack Sword and instead relying on his fists when he was forced into combat. His resolve was tested when he heard that GT-R Megatron was using unnecessarily violent methods to get ahead, however, and he ultimately relented and had Hiiro transfer the sword to him so he could teach the brute a lesson. {{storylink|A Biggest Sword! –The Last Resort–}}

===''Knights of Unicron''===
The Ft. Max Forum, located on Earth, was the third venue for the [[Knights of Unicron (band)|Knights of Unicron]] on their 2014 "Till All Are One" tour. {{storylink|Knights of Unicron}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
[[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]]'s corruption of his brain reduced Fortress Maximus to a mindless, energy-starved zombie who wandered Cybertron in a daze. {{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}} When [[U.S.7]] and the [[Oktober Guard]] passed by on a ship, Maximus grabbed it out of the sky and swallowed the occupants whole. {{storylink|Form Follows Function}} A group of [[G.I. Joe (team)|Joes]] and Autobots infiltrated the giant on a mission to save U.S.7, leading to their discovery and defeat of Blackarachnia and the restoration of Maximus's mind. He subsequently joined the battle against the Decepticons and [[Cobra]], going up against [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] who bit his head off only to for the head to transform into Cerebros in his mouth. In spite of the surprise attack this allowed for, the Autobots were defeated and the decapitated body of Fortress Maximus was left where it lay. {{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}}

Through circumstances unknown, [[Snake-Eyes]] bonded with Fortress Maximus through the [[Master Sword]], replacing his original head partner, [[Galen]]. He teamed up with [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], in turn controlled by Snake-Eyes's compatriot [[Scarlett]], and together they coerced [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] to fight again before marching on the Decepticon position as part of a joint Autobot-Joe army. {{storylink|Transformers vs. G.I. Joe issue 12|Transformers vs. G.I. Joe #12}} During the battle, even Maximus and Scorponok were dwarfed by Megatron's "Mega-Megatron" form, but fortunately they didn't have to fight the giant long before he was broken apart by [[Shipwreck]]. {{storylink|The War Never Ends}}

===''Kre-O'' online manga===
[[File:KreO-webcomic-10-Fortress.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.5]]
Fortress was at the newly constructed Autobot base, [[Metroplex (Kre-O)|Metroplex]]. {{storylink|Two Giant Bases! Everybody Getting Along, Come On, Fight!}}

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===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
[[File:HeadGames-ResistanceScaleFortMaxFace.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Cerebros and Spike Witwicky were turned into Fortress Maximus when the war spread to Nebulos to counter the rise of [[Scorponok (G1)|MegaZarak]]. But the destructive power of the city-bot brought only more devastation to the planet, and the existence of Maximus and weapons like him was a major reason why the [[Human Confederacy]] confined the Transformers and their war to the [[Allowed Zone]]. {{storylink|Head Games}}

When Galvatron threatened the planet [[Master (planet)|Rebirth]], Fortress Maximus—now bonded to Daniel Witwicky—returned to duty after the Decepticons deployed the newest incarnation of MegaZarak. When the two clashed for the second time, it was Fortress Maximus who fell. {{storylink|A Brush With Infamy–Prologue}}

As energy became scarce, Fortress Maximus could no longer move and ground to a halt in robot mode in [[Tarn (polity)|Tarn]], where his frozen, towering form was repurposed as a prison by the [[Builder of Cybertron|Builders of Cybertron]]. Cerebros himself died at some point, but his consciousness remained active within Maximus through three [[Cyberdroid]]s, [[Grand Maximus|Gran]], [[Galen|Kord]], and [[Cerebros (RID)|Plasma]].

When Cerebros learned of the Terran singularity, bringing back all humans who ever lived and died, he petitioned the Terrans to bring back his Witwicky partners as well. They refused, but instead gave Cerebros the [[Energon Matrix]] technology to create a new proto-race of Cybertronians. One of the earliest protoformers birthed was [[Maxima]], known as the first daughter of Fortress Maximus and ''She Who Sang''. Her principles led to the development of a proto-race faction called the Maximals, derived from Autobot teachings and named in part for Fortress Maximus. {{storylink|Head Games}} {{storylink|The Predacon Manifesto}}

[[Lio Convoy#Beast Wars: Uprising|Lio Convoy]]'s [[Resistance]] against the Builders sought to infiltrate Fortress Maximus and free the prisoners within, but their initial attempts were foiled by Cerebros's ability to get into the heads of the intruders and turn them against each other. The third strike team was able to turn the tide by willingly sacrificing [[Buzzclaw (BW)#Beast Wars: Uprising|Buzzclaw]] to Cerebros's control and using the mental link to paralyze him, allowing them to kill Kord and Plasma and kidnap Gran, effectively shutting down Maximus. {{storylink|Head Games}}
{{-}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
In [[Primax 1086.0 Kappa]], Fortress Maximus and Scorponok were killed by the Nebulans during the Transformers' battle on Nebulos, and their remains were fused together by [[Zarak (G1)|Mortilus Zarak]] into a giant robot body. After he binary bonded with the body, however, the faint traces of Maximus's and Scorponok's sparks began affecting his mind and eventually drove him mad, turning him into "[[Zarak Maximus]]". {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/11}}

In some other realities, Fortress Maximus survived the Great War and went on to found the [[Maximal]]s. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/08}}

===''TransTech''===
During the destructive conflict between the [[Screaming Eagles]] and [[S.K.A.R.]] in [[Primax 806.30 Gamma]], both sides found themselves binary-bonded to Cybertronian partners. Fortress Maximus formed a partnership with [[Sgt. Savage]] through [[Emissary (RID)|Brave]]. After a globe-spanning confrontation which almost destroyed Earth, the Autobots and G.I. Joes emerged victorious. {{storylink|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News Reporter|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News, 2016/05/01}}

===2006 IDW ''Beast Wars'' continuity===
Fortress Maximus was one of the many casualties of the Great War before the signing of the [[Pax Cybertronia]]. {{storylink|Dawn of the Predacus}}

===''Titans Return'' marketing material===
[[File:HasbroPulse FortressMaximus.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.66|This is highly unusual.]]
One of the last [[Titan (group)|Titans]] in the universe, {{storylink|#Generations|''Titans Return'' Fortress Maximus online bio}} the legendary Fortress Maximus had slumbered underneath [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], until the battle for the [[Titan Master]]s roused him from his slumber. He awoke just in time to witness [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]'s attack on Cybertron, frightening the Decepticon communications officer something fierce. {{storylink|Titans Return: The Power of the Titan Masters}} With a city alt-mode, Fortress Maximus served as the ultimate Autobot weapon and base. {{storylink|#Generations|''Titans Return'' Fortress Maximus online bio}}

When Fortress Maximus returned to full size and unleashed his power on the universe, the scientists [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] and [[Arcana|Teslor]] and Cityspeaker [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] fought against the rogue Autobot [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]], who sought to use a loyal Titan Master to bend the Titan to his will as part of his own misguided agenda.<ref>''Titans Return'' ''[[Titans Return (toyline)#Summer convention exclusives|Titan Force]] 3-pack'' bio material/instructions.</ref>
{{-}}

===''Prime Wars Trilogy'' cartoons===
{{voiceactor|[[Michael Dorn]] (English), [[Nolan North]] (English, screams and grunts)}}
[[File:TF-CW-Cartoon-Fort-Max-close-up.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|left|"I was woken up at 3 in the morning, told I had to put on make-up and come to this town. What the hell is going on?"]]
[[File:FortMaxPoster.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4|''The sky is blue and all the leaves are green The sun's as warm as a baked potato I think I know precisely what I mean When I say it's a shpadoinkle day'']]

Fortress Maximus was a [[Titan (group)|Titan]] constructed during the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], and was aided by his Titan Master, [[Emissary (Generations)|Emissary]]. Once the conflict ceased, he was decommissioned and left dormant. {{storylink|Our Heroes Respond}} After the conclusion of the [[Combiner Wars (event)|Combiner Wars]], [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] experienced a vision of Fortress Maximus, indicating that the Titans had indeed returned. {{storylink|Destruction's Dawn}}

When Trypticon was reawakened, [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] proposed seeking out Fortress Maximus to combat the rogue Titan. At Perceptor's suggestion, the [[Mistress of Flame]] sent [[Computron (G1)|Computron]], [[Victorion]], [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], and [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] to locate and awaken Maximus. {{storylink|Our Heroes Respond}} The inert Titan was eventually located in a frozen wasteland by the four combiners, and Menasor accidentally fired a missile from one of Maximus's cannons that launched Emissary towards [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. {{storylink|The Fight Begins}}
Computron determined that Fortress Maximus's [[transformation cog]] was damaged, rendering him unable to directly join the battle. However, Victorion saw fit to target Maximus' functioning missiles at the saurian giant–with Metroplex expected to be killed in the process as an acceptable casualty of friendly fire–thereby fulfilling her own [[Prelude to Transformers: Combiner Wars - Victorion|personal vision of the Combiners saving the galaxy]]. {{storylink|Overlord and Emissary}}

The barrage ultimately failed, {{storylink|At the Last Second}} and the Combiners were distracted by [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s arrival, leading to a confrontation that was eventually halted by [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] and Emissary. After the others had departed, Emissary attempted to link to Fortress Maximus's mind, but was unable to access it. Instead, he initiated a procedure to link Windblade and Maximus via her [[Cityspeaker]] abilities. However, the process proved volatile and soon spiraled out of control. {{storylink|Desperate Actions}}

Windblade communed with Fortress Maximus, begging for his help, though he at first rejected her, having sworn a life of peace. She ultimately managed to convince Maximus, however, and he transformed himself back to robot mode, following Windblade back towards Metroplex City. {{storylink|Run for Our Lives}} Witnessing Trypticon's fight with Victorion from afar, Fortress Maximus admitted he was unsure he could win, but swore to try anyway for Cybertron's sake. He arrived in Metroplex City just in time to catch [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] before he could fall into some sharp rubble. {{storylink|In Good Hands}} He engaged in battle with Trypticon, refusing help from Emissary, and managed to get the upper hand until Trypticon swallowed Victorion and the [[Enigma of Combination]], powering himself up. Between attacks from the powered-up Trypticon and the now mind-controlled [[Combiner]]s, Maximus found himself at a disadvantage. When Trypticon swallowed [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] and the [[Matrix of Leadership]], even he was knocked away by the sudden surge of power it triggered. {{storylink|Consumed}}

Ultimately, however, the Matrix's power couldn't be controlled by Trypticon, and he released all those he had swallowed, along with Starscream's ghost. Catching Trypticon's deactivated body, Maximus lamented the loss of another Titan, but was interrupted by the return of [[The Fallen|Megatronus]]. He and Optimus attempted a sneak attack, but Megatronus effortlessly caught Maximus's Master Sword and tossed him away before killing Optimus. No longer able to bring himself to try attacking again, Maximus could only watch as Megatronus escaped with the Enigma and Matrix in hand. {{storylink|All Things Must Pass}} He was later severely weakened by the spark-draining power of [[Megatronus]]'s doomsday weapon. {{storylink|Collision Course}} Thankfully, he survived and began working under Windblade, who became the Magistrate of [[Cityspeaker]]s and aided those who communicated with the Titans. {{storylink|Saga's End}}

===''Star Trek vs. Transformers''===
[[File:StarTrekVsTF2-fortressmaximus.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66]]

As [[World War III]] swept Earth, the Autobots abandoned [[Earth]] aboard the [[Titan (group)|Titan]] Fortress Maximus, using his starship configuration to roam the cosmos in search of [[energon]]. Decades passed, and as Maximus passed by [[Cygnus Seven]] the Autobots were ambushed by the Decepticons aboard their own Titan, Trypticon; in the ensuing battle, the badly damaged Fortress Maximus crash-landed on the planet's surface, sending everyone aboard—Autobot and Decepticon alike—into stasis. Centuries later, the [[Federation]] set up a [[dilithium]] mine on the planet, and while surveying a potential mineshaft Federation miners accidentally stumbled on the Titan's inert form, and inadvertently reactivated Fortress Maximus's repair systems in the process.

[[File:STvsTF3-FortressTiberious.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|So do Gasket and Grommet turn into ''Enterprise'' shuttles now, or...?]]

Unable to distinguish between Autobot and Decepticon, Maximus's autonomous subsystems first brought the Decepticons back online, who proceeded to attack the mining colony before the ship could reawaken Prime and the other Autobots. {{storylink|Prime's Directive, Part Two}} When [[James T. Kirk|Captain Kirk]] and the crew of the ''[[USS Enterprise|Enterprise]]'' investigated the distress signal, they discovered Fortress Maximus's resting spot, only to be ambushed by the rest of the Autobots {{storylink|Prime's Directive, Part One}} before Kirk could convince them of his good intentions. The Decepticons soon got the upper hand by sealing the Autobots in the mine with their new allies, and so [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] hatched a risky plan to bring Fortress Maximus back online. {{storylink|Prime's Directive, Part Two}}

To bring the Titan back online, Ratchet rigged up a device that would access Kirk's memories through Fortress Maximus; using scans of the ''Enterprise''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s schematics, plucked from Kirk's brain, Ratchet was able to bring their living ship back to full functionality by rebuilding Fortress Maximus into a copy of the ''Enterprise''. Shortly after coming back online, Fortress Maximus burst from the ground to take on the Decepticons and their new [[Klingon]] allies; now fully under Kirk's mental control, the [[Starfleet]] captain was able to blast Trypticon with the ship's inbuilt [[Phaser (weapon)|phasers]] before beaming [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and [[Kuri]]'s Federation prisoners to safety. To take on the gigantic Decepticon, Kirk was able to transform the Titan into his new robot mode, their shared mind declaring themselves "Fortress Tiberius." {{storylink|Prime's Directive, Part Three}}

[[File:PrimesDirective4-CygnusVIIBattle.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66|[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ml4wAnvfM4M Dah-dah-dah-dah-dah-dah-DAAAAAAAH-dah-dah-dah]...]]

As the two Titans battled it out, Kirk was forced to keep Fortress Maximus's own desire for vengeance under control, using his powerful suite of onboard weapons to great effect against his foe. Despite the temptation, however, Kirk was able to keep himself under control, and by reigning in his partner's bloodlust Kirk was able to momentarily down Trypticon with a powerful punch.

When the Decepticons abruptly announced a retreat, however, Kirk used Tiberius's onboard sensors to realize that the treacherous Decepticon [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] had already absconded with a load of [[dilithium]], and sought to conquer the [[Klingon Empire]]. Optimus and the other Autobots boarded Fortress Tiberius and reunited with the real ''Enterprise'' over Cygnus Seven to help repair the damaged vessel. {{storylink|Prime's Directive, Part Four}}

When the ''Enterprise'' was once more spaceworthy, the two vessels pursued Starscream to the Klingon homeworld of [[Kronos]], using their onboard [[replicator]]s to construct [[Crewbot|a series of armored battlesuits]] so that the other members of the ''Enterprise'' could take on their foes. Kirk and the others had arrived too late, however: Starscream had already arrived and been summarily defeated by Megatron and the other Decepticons, with the Decepticon leader seeking to seize the planet as the capital of his Decepticon empire.

[[File:PrimesDirective5-warpspeed.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]

Fortress Tiberius and Trypticon battled it out once more as the Autobots, Klingons, and Starfleet members joined the fight, though the Titan and his human partner weren't able to overcome Trypticon before they were incapacitated by a paralyzing sonic blast from Soundwave. The Klingons, however, weren't affected by this frequency, and thanks to Kirk forewarning their leader [[Kuri]] about Cybertronian vulnerabilities, they were able to unleash an armada of [[Warbird (Star Trek)|warbird]]s on the Decepticons and defeat them.

In the aftermath, Optimus Prime and the other Autobots chose to go their own way aboard Fortress Tiberius once more, bidding farewell to Kirk and the other members of Starfleet but pledging to remain on call if the Federation ever needed their assistance again. {{storylink|Prime's Directive, Part Five}}
{{--}}

==Commercial appearances==
*Fortress Maximus grappled with [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] on [[Nebulos|Nebulon]] while other [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] and [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmasters]] scuffled at their feet. With a show of prodigious strength, Fortress Maximus picked up Scorponok by his tail and tossed his opponent about like a ragdoll. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Headmaster comic book|Headmaster comic book commercial}}
*When the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] threatened to attack Fortress Maximus, the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]] sprung up to oppose them. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Technobots and Terrorcons|Technobots and Terrorcons commercial}}
*The Terrorcons attacked Fortress Maximus once more; this time, the massive Autobot warded off their attack on his own by blasting them with his battle station mode. The Terrorcons regrouped and combined into [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]] to tare away at Fortress Maximus's armament. Little did they know that Fortress Maximus could still transform into a robot that dwarfed even the mighty combiner! {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Fortress Maximus|Fortress Maximus commercial}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: The Headmasters''===
When the Decepticons struck out at four planets, including Cybertron and Earth, Fortress Maximus was joined by [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] and the Headmasters of Justice to save the final planet from [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. {{storylink|Transformers: The Headmasters (video game)|Transformers: The Headmasters}}

===''Transformers Legends''===
{{Note|Although Fortress Maximus was not included in a storyline for the ''Transformers Legends'' game, he was featured as a playable character.}} {{storylink|Signature Series featuring Marcelo Matere|Signature Series}}

==Toys==
{{Main|Fortress Maximus (G1)/toys}}

==Merchandise==
{{main|Fortress Maximus (G1)/toys#Merchandise}}

==Notes==
[[File:Fortmaxsize1.jpg|thumb|upright=1|DAAAAAAAAAAAANG, that boy must eat his veggies.]]
*"Fortress Maximus" was an early name for the characters that eventually became [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] and [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. The [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] [[Transformers: The Movie (Marvel comic)|comic adaptation]] of the [[The Transformers: The Movie|1986 movie]] even refers to [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] as "Fortress Maximus" in a caption.
*Fortress Maximus was the first toy to be released with a bona-fide Earthling figure. All of the other Headmasters' companions were from Nebulos. (Although Maximus's on-package [[bio]] refers to "the Nebulan leader, Spike", the general consensus is that it was supposed to be the popular figure from TV and other media, who is almost certainly an Earthling.)
*Both Scorponok and Fortress Maximus suffer from the writers struggling to reconcile the characters' high rank with their size. In their comic appearances, they are portrayed as commanders in some capacity but are shrunk down to interact with other Transformers, and their city modes pretty much don't exist. Conversely, the cartoons have opted to portray them as giant city Transformers, though they seem to be merely extensions of the smaller beings that bond with them, with no real life or will of their own.
*According to the 1997 issue of ''The Super Robots Chronicles'', Fortress Maximus is three kilometers tall.
*The Battleship ''Maximus'' bears a slight resemblance to the {{w|White Base}}, a battleship from the ''{{w|Gundam}}'' franchise.
*Like most comic-only Kreons, Fortress is made up of existing Kre-O parts, namely the [[Hound (Kre-O)|Hound]] helmet and the sword first used by [[Headstrong (G1)|Torox]] and [[Tantrum (G1)|Headlock]] (in reference to the [[Master Sword]] used by the original Fortress).
*An [http://news.tfw2005.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2011/09/Fortress-Maximus-Prototypes-1_1315944004.jpg early prototype] for Fortress Maximus's toy featured, among other things, waist-guns that pushed straight out on levers instead of swinging out on an axis. This appears to have formed the basis for his character model's waist-guns, which feature red circles rather than hinges.
*When Rodimus Primw made Fortress Maximus Aubot Supreme Comamander it us unknown why he did not give him the Autobot Matrix of Leadership.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Cerebros''' (セレブロス ''Sereburosu''), '''Fortress''' (フォートレス ''Fōtoresu''), '''Fortress Maximus''' (フォートレスマキシマス ''Fōtoresu Makishimasu'')
*''English:'' '''Spaceship Bruce''' (spaceship mode, [[Omni Productions]] dub), '''Cerebros''' (Fortress, [[Shout! Factory]] sub)
*''French:'' '''Forteresse Maximus''' (Canada)
*''Mandarin:'' '''Fúthè Chǜ-jén''' (Taiwan, 福特巨人, "Fort Giant"), '''Jùwúbà Fútè''' (China, 巨无霸福特, "Extremely Gigantic Fort"), '''Furmon''' (Taiwan, 福蒙 ''Fú Móng''), '''Fortry''' (Taiwan [[Omni Productions]] dub, 福崔 ''Fú Tsuēi'')
*''Russian:'' '''Krepysh Maximus''' (Крепыш Максимус ''Krepysh Maksimus'', "Sturdy Fellow Maximus")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Fortetsya Maxima''' (Фортеця Максима, "Fortress Maxima")

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Autobot bases]]
[[Category:Autobot leaders]]
[[Category:Autobot starships]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising Autobots]]
[[Category:City Transformers]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cities]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobot starships]]
[[Category:GT characters]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:Kre-O Autobots]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Legends Autobots]]
[[Category:Multi-component Transformers]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce Autobots]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Autobots]]
[[Category:Titans]]
[[Category:Titans Return Autobots]]
[[Category:Transformers with three modes]]
[[Category:United Autobots]]

Transmetal 2

2020-12-26T22:06:38Z

Chris2119: /* 3H comics */

[[Image:Transmetals2_Logo.jpg|center|350px|]]

[[Image:Dinobot2provinggrounds.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Pose!]]

A '''Transmetal 2''' (alternately '''Transmetal II'''; plural '''Transmetals 2''') is a [[Transformer]] who has been mutated to a more advanced degree than the [[Transmetal]]s during the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]]. Where Transmetals are marked by a mode-based inversion of biological and mechanical elements, Transmetals 2 have had those elements blended in equal parts between both modes, the result being an asymmetrical, patchwork jumble that is frequently rather monstrous.

Some Transmetals 2 exhibit a degree of "supernatural" power, such as rapid healing or telekinesis. Additionally, being a Transmetal 2 seems to provide a temporary resistance to the full effects of [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]'s [[Transformation virus|virus]], but at the cost of losing one's Transmetallization.

==Fiction==
===''Beast Wars'' toy bios===
Transmetals 2 were the result of Megatron's cloning experiments, a hyper-aggressive breed of warriors with advanced strength and speed but also more savage impulses. Some were Predacons and some were Maximals, but all struggled to control their own violent tendencies.<ref>Transmetal 2 packaging blurb</ref>

===''Beast Wars'' cartoon===
[[Image:Ba transmetal2.JPG|175px|thumb|This lasted five episodes. Then Megatron got his new invention all over it.]]

Only Cheetor, [[Dinobot II]], and Blackarachnia were explicitly described as Transmetals 2. Each of them was altered by an enigmatic piece of Vok technology known as the "[[Transmetal driver]]", which appeared in Megatron's possession without explanation. Despite lacking the vehicle modes of the previous Transmetals, Transmetal-2-ness was generally viewed as an enviable upgrade. Cheetor, Blackarachnia and Dinobot II all displayed some degree of "supernatural" powers, the use of which was signified by conspicuous glows in their sparks and/or eyes: Cheetor showed vague visionary tendencies {{storylink|Go with the Flow}} (which, admittedly, had happened before), enhanced healing abilities, and telekinesis; {{storylink|Feral Scream Part 2}} Blackarachnia demonstrated telekinesis; {{storylink|Master Blaster}} and Dinobot II showed enhanced healing (although this could also be attributed to him sharing a piece of [[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]]'s nigh-immortal [[spark]]). {{storylink|Proving Grounds}}
{{-}}

===''Beast Machines'' cartoon===
[[Image:Devolvinggas in-action.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Well, that was fun.]]

When the Maximals returned to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and encountered Megatron's [[Transformation virus|virus]], both the Transmetals and Transmetals 2 among them had a strange reaction. Rather than become instantly paralyzed, as apparently happened to the majority of Cybertronians exposed, they simply lost their Transmetallization. Primal, Cheetor, Rattrap, and Blackarachnia reverted to their pre-Transmetal beast modes. {{storylink|The Reformatting}} They were able to stay mobile, though glitching and amnesic, while Rhinox and Silverbolt immediately succumbed to paralysis. {{storylink|Revelations Part II: Descent}}

When the escaped Maximals recovered via [[reformatting]] and fought their way to [[Council Citadel|Megatron's citadel]], they found him still a Transmetal 2, though he fervently sought to rid himself of his organic elements. He was concealed within a bulky control suit, but in moments of rage he would fall out of it and transform seemingly uncontrollably into dragon mode. {{storylink|Master of the House}} This body was eventually obliterated in a [[Key to Vector Sigma|doomsday]] [[Plasma energy|storm]], {{storylink|End of the Line}} but its biological and mechanical elements were somehow made manifest in [[Noble (BM)|Savage/Noble]] and the [[Grand Mal]]. {{storylink|Prometheus Unbound}}
{{-}}

===3H comics===
[[Image:3H Spittor Sonar.jpg|right|thumb|250px|]]
[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] was reborn in a Transmetal 2 body. {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 1}}

[[Iguanus (BW)|Iguanus]], {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 1}} [[Spittor (BW)|Spittor]], and [[Sonar (BW)|Sonar]] {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 2}} were obtained by [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] from stasis pods left behind and were Transmetals 2.

[[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]]'s dragon body was Transmetal 2. [[Cryotek (Universe)|Cryotek]] obtained the technical data of his dragon beast form amd transferred it to his body, becoming a Transmetal 2 himself.<ref>[http://botcon.com/archive/story/characters/cryotek.html Cryotek's 3H bio, found online and in the Director's Cut edition of "[[Betrayal]]".]</ref>

===Ain't No Rat===
[[Optimus Minor]] was a Transmetal 2. {{storylink|Ain't No Rat}} It is unknown how he became one.

===IDW ''Beast Wars'' comics===
[[Ramulus]], [[Optimus Minor]], {{storylink|The Gathering issue 1|The Gathering #1}} [[Scourge (BW)|Scourge]], [[Stinkbomb]], [[Prowl II|Prowl]], [[Nightglider|Night Glider]], [[Sonar (BW)|Sonar]], {{storylink|The Gathering issue 2|The Gathering #2}} and [[Scarem]] {{storylink|The Gathering issue 4|The Gathering #4}} were Transmetals 2, despite only existing as [[Protoform|protoforms]] beforehand. Ravage was reborn into a Transmetal 2 body. {{storylink|The Gathering issue 3|The Gathering #3}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
[[Galaxy Convoy]] transformed into a Transmetal 2 [[klud]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/08}}

==Toys==
[[Image:Crosssell-transmetal2.jpg|right|450px|thumb|Asymmetry the line!]]
The Transmetals 2 were sold at multiple price points as the dominant subline of ''Beast Wars'' in 1999. Like their predecessors the Transmetals, they feature [[vacuum metallizing]] as a dominant aesthetic feature, but their designs are more irregular and patchwork, featuring skeletal elements and lacking the smooth contours of the Transmetals.

Unlike the Transmetals, most Transmetals 2 did not have a third mode. Only the largest Transmetal 2 toys, Tigerhawk and Megatron, were designed to have more than two modes, but Megatron's was never featured in the cartoon and Tigerhawk's was dropped entirely even from the toy. Neither vehicle mode was especially well-implemented.

Early on in the release of Transmetal 2 toys, the packaging used a Roman numeral "II", but a [[Variant|running change]] in the packaging was made to the Arabic number "2", which is generally considered the "correct" spelling of the term.

'''Transmetals 2''' (1999)
[[Image:BWtoy-OptimusMinor.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Optimus Minor]]
*''Basic''
**[[Nightglider]]
**[[Optimus Minor]]
**[[Scarem]]
**[[Sonar (BW)|Sonar]]
**[[Spittor (BW)|Spittor]]
**[[Stinkbomb]]

[[File:BW-toy TripredacusAgent.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Tripredacus Agent (aka Ravage)]]
*''Deluxe''
**[[Cheetor (BW)/toys|Cheetor]]
**[[Dinobot II|Dinobot]]
**[[Iguanus (BW)|Iguanus]]
**[[Jawbreaker]]
**[[Prowl II|Prowl]]
**[[Ramulus]]
**[[Ravage (G1)/toys|Tripredacus Agent]] (Walmart Exclusive, 2001)
**[[Scourge (BW)|Scourge]]

[[Image:BWdragonmegs toy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Transmetal 2 Megatron]]
*''Mega''
**[[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]]
**[[Cybershark]]

*''Ultra''
**[[Megatron (BW)/toys|Megatron]]
**[[Tigerhawk]]

==Notes==
* The packaging blurb that described the Transmetals 2 as "infused with ultra-aggressive tendencies that they must struggle to control" was reinforced in more than one toy bio, including Megatron's. Beyond Cheetor's first proper transformation in "Feral Scream", this was never in evidence in the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon, but it may have been a factor in ''Beast Machines'': As mentioned above, Megatron displayed the strange tendency to convert to dragon mode (apparently against his own will) when enraged.
* Several Transmetal 2 characters, including Optimus Minor, Sonar, Scarem, and Tigerhawk, appear to have an oddball ability to acquire more limbs in their robot modes by shifting around a few parts. Though this might not normally be noteworthy, as several characters from the beast era have animal limbs going all over the place due to complex transformation schemes, there is evidence that this was a conscious decision from the designers: Scarem, Sonar, and Tigerhawk are all portrayed as having their extra limbs deployed in their packaging art, and Optimus Minor's multiple limbs having nothing to do with his transformation. In any case however, this feature was never portrayed in fiction for any of these characters.
*Despite there being no overt involvement of the Transmetal Driver in the cartoon, Megatron's dragon-form and [[Tigerhawk]] were sold as a Transmetal 2 toys. While Tigerhawk definitely had extraordinary powers, this could be explained as the result of his unique origin as the "ultimate weapon" of the Vok; Megatron's only enhanced powers seemed to be an ability to breathe fire and ice, which might have been inherent in his mode of choice and were not shown to be involved with any supernatural glowing spark powers. [[Cryotek (Universe)|Cryotek]]'s [[3H Productions|3H]] [[bio]] described Megatron and Cryotek as Transmetals II. But "Optimal Optimus", who was upgraded in the same fashion (one body holding two sparks), was sold as a vanilla Transmetal.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Transmetals 2''' (トランスメタルス2 ''Toransumetarusu Tsū'')
*''French:'' '''Transmétaux 2'''
*''Spanish:'' '''Transmetales 2'''

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Beast Wars subgroups]]
[[Category:Beast Wars technology]]
[[Category:Transmetals 2| ]]

Lily Sloane

2020-12-05T21:31:55Z

Chris2119:

:''Lily Sloane is a [[human]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[File:STvT Lily Sloane.jpg|thumb|225px|]]

'''Lily Sloane''' is a human who lived during [[World War III]]. She was a close friend of [[Zefram Cochrane]] and helped him construct Earth's first warp capable ship the Phoenix.

==Fiction==
===''Star Trek vs. Transformers''===
When the [[Autobot]]s left [[Earth]] in [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] to escape [[World War III]], Lily Sloane was one of several [[human]] witnesses to the event. {{storylink|Prime's Directive, Part Two}}

==External links==
*[[memoryalpha:Lily Sloane|Lily Sloane]] at Memory Alpha

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sloane, Lily}}
[[Category:Generation 1 humans]]
[[Category:Star Trek]]

Lily Sloane

2020-12-05T21:24:27Z

Chris2119:

:''Lily Sloane is a [[human]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[File:STvT Lily Sloane.jpg|thumb|225px|]]

'''Lily Sloane''' is a human who lived during [[World War III]]. She was a close friend of [[Zefram Cochrane]] and helped him construct Earth's first warp capable ship the Phonix.

==Fiction==
===''Star Trek vs. Transformers''===
When the [[Autobot]]s left [[Earth]] in [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] to escape [[World War III]], Lily Sloane was one of several [[human]] witnesses to the event. {{storylink|Prime's Directive, Part Two}}

==External links==
*[[memoryalpha:Lily Sloane|Lily Sloane]] at Memory Alpha

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sloane, Lily}}
[[Category:Generation 1 humans]]
[[Category:Star Trek]]

User talk:Chris2119

2020-05-30T19:00:44Z

Chris2119:

Please stop randomly capitalizing terms and removing humor. [[User:Saix|Saix]] ([[User talk:Saix|talk]]) 11:47, 26 July 2018 (EDT)
: Again, stop removing humor and flavor text. While not the focus, it is still allowed. -- [[User:Cyberlink420|Cyberlink420]] ([[User talk:Cyberlink420|talk]]) 17:02, 8 May 2020 (EDT)

Yea grow up. You've undone all my edits not just the humour, you tit. {{unsigned|Chris2119}}
:Because they weren't good edits. I'm not the only one who's done so previously. Also, personal attacks aren't a good look. -- [[User:Cyberlink420|Cyberlink420]] ([[User talk:Cyberlink420|talk]]) 17:16, 8 May 2020 (EDT)

My heart bleeds for you. {{unsigned|Chris2119}}

How about letting people write what they want, without your childish behaviour.

User talk:Chris2119

2020-05-08T21:17:40Z

Chris2119:

User talk:Chris2119

2020-05-08T21:10:46Z

Chris2119:

Matrix of Leadership

2020-05-08T20:25:34Z

Chris2119: /* The Transformers cartoon */

{{disambig3.5|the MacGuffin|the titular cartoon episode|Matrix of Leadership (episode)|Matrix}}
{{featured}}
{{suite}}
[[File:Matrix.jpg|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 [[Matrix holder|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]]s, serving as a means of access to the [[Transformer afterlife]], 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==
[[File:SecondGeneration prime gives buster matrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|The Matrix made its fictional debut when [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|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 the history of the brand, 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 "[[Primal 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 Sparks", very similar to the [[spark]]s that would later be introduced with ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''. The Matrix was not present in the earliest known incarnation of the movie; instead, upon his death, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] transferred his own Life Spark to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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.

[[File:FFOD4 passing the matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|[[Zeta Prime (G1)|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/Generation 1|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.

[[File:Sentinel prime lou.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|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 ''[[The Transformers Universe|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: Transformers (cartoon)|''Beast Machines'' animated series]] which made the next big addition to the growing mythology of the Matrix when it introduced the [[Transformer afterlife|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]] 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 Transformers Trilogy]]'' novels, which retroactively make sense now.
{{-}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
{{noteukonly}}
[[File:Prima.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|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|The Primal Scream}} Later named the "Creation Matrix", this divine gift took the form of a "[[Primal 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}}

[[File:WhoseLifeforce prime and longtooth.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb]]
''At one point during his tenure as Autobot leader, Optimus Prime came across [[Longtooth]] struggling to save the life of [[Clockwise|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?}}

[[File:DisintegratedCircuits buster uses matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5]]
When the Transformers' war moved to [[Earth]] in [[1984]], current Decepticon leader [[Shockwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}

[[File:Matrixflame.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.5|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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}

[[File:DarkCreation we would know more.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5]]
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 (Marvel)|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}}

[[File:Creation Matrix 65.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.15|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?}} [[File:Thunderwing with matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Primus says it's my turn on the Matrix. ]] ''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, 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}}

[[File:EdgeofExtinction-sothatallmaylive.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.5|It cures what ails ya.]]
Thunderwing's body came to rest on the surface of a planet, where the Matrix began to heal his battered frame. {{storylink|Out of Time!}} Repairs took time, but once completed, the Matrix set out for Cybertron, {{storylink|The Void! (US)|The Void!}} 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)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]]. {{storylink|Still Life!}}
{{-}}

=====Marvel UK future timelines=====
[[File:MatrixCoconut1.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|"Will I become a great Autobot leader?" "All signs point to no."]]
In an alternate future timeline, a dying Optimus Prime passed the Matrix to Ultra Magnus in [[2006]]. {{storylink|The Planet-Eater!}} It was then used by [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}

[[File:MarvelUK-187.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2]]
Later in 2008, the [[Quintesson]]s invaded and conquered [[Autobot City (G1)|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}}

[[File:WhiteFire kup yanks matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}
{{-}}

====Marvel ''Generation 2'' comic====
[[File:G210 starscream warworld.jpg|left|thumb|Don't do Matrix, kids. Not even once. ]]
When Optimus Prime was recreated by the [[Last Autobot]], the Matrix was also restored. {{storylink|End of the Road! (US)|End of the Road!}} {{storylink|Escalation!|Generation 2 #8 letters page}} Years later, it became a target for Megatron, who required it to bring to life an army of new warriors created by [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]. Besting Prime in battle, Megatron tore the Matrix from his body with an energy siphon, {{storylink|The Gathering Darkness}} and used it to give life to the [[Laser Rod]]s 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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}
{{-}}

====''Regeneration One''====
{{NoteRG1}}
With the Creation Matrix lost following the destruction of Unicron, the last reservoir of Matrix energy the Autobots had access to consisted of what traces still clung to the remains of Thunderwing, stored within the high-security [[Hall of Silence]]. When [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] was able to penetrate the Hall in [[2012]], acting commander [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]] anguished over whether or not to follow protocol and destroy the Hall, and the last of the Matrix's energy with it. He was convinced it was necessary by [[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]], but Soundwave was able to teleport out with Thunderwing just before the building blew. {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part One}} He delivered the remains to Bludgeon, who used the Matrix energy within them to animate his new army of self-regenerating [[Blitz Engine]]s. {{storylink|Destiny, Part One}}

After Primus revealed to Hot Rod that he still existed, and sent Hot Rod through a portal into [[Zero Space]], {{storylink|Destiny, Part Four}} the young Autobot found himself tumbling through time and space. He observed the battle with the Deathbringer, only to discover that the fragment of corrupted Matrix energy survived the battle. After observing two more time periods, Hot Rod found himself on a [[Junkion (planet)|planet of junk]], witnessing the final confrontation between [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]] and "Rodimus Prime"—an alternate version of himself! As Rodimus fell at the hands of Galvatron, the Matrix landed at the feet of Hot Rod, who reached for it...

... only to find himself back in his own time and place, on the deck of Bludgeon's ''[[Warworld]]'', having himself been transformed into Rodimus Prime! {{storylink|Less Than Zero}}

====''Classics''====
The Matrix was destroyed along with Unicron. Decades later, while displaced in another universe, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ultra Magnus]] briefly confused the [[Origin Matrix]] for the Creation Matrix while speaking with [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]]. {{storylink|Shattered Paths}}

====''Unite Warriors''====
[[File:Baldigus Chapter Galvatron II.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
[[Galvatron II]] stole the Creation Matrix in his native universe and carried it with him to another reality, where its power allowed him to endure as a ghost when his body was destroyed. Unfortunately, it also made him a target of [[Grand Scourge]], who, as a Matrix Hunter, could manhandle even ghosts if they were in possession of a Matrix. While Scourge was fighting Galvatron for the Creation Matrix, both of them were knocked into a rift in space-time by [[Megaempress]], and the Matrix disappeared along with them to places unknown. {{storylink|Ruination Chapter, Part Two}}
{{-}}

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
[[File:OracleMatrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|"The Matrix leaves Primacron's assistant."]]
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}}; [[File:Matrix 5faces4 7.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|Alpha Trion receives The Matrix]] 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 (G1)|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}}

[[File:Optimusg1passingthematrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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 (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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.

[[File:Tftm1986e.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
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 (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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}}

[[File:Darkawakening matrix pain.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|The zombified Optimus Prime reacts in pain from 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 soon transpired, however, that Optimus had been reanimated by the Quintessons as "a robotic [[zombie]]" so he would lure the [[Autobot fleet]] into a fatal trap. When Rodimus went to confront his mentor on the Autobot flagship, the Matrix's energy made Optimus too powerful to defeat in single combat but also overrode the malicious coding that the Quintessons had installed within him, properly restoring Optimus to life. His mind cleared, Optimus returned the Matrix to Rodimus before apparently sacrificing himself again to trigger the Quintessons' trap alone. {{storylink|Dark Awakening (episode)|Dark Awakening}}

[[File:BurdenHardest Hot Rod retrieves matrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2]]
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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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}}

[[File:ReturnOptimusPrime2 Matrix open.JPG|thumb|upright=1.2]]
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====
[[File:Madman comic PrimeHotrod.jpg|left|upright=0.85|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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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 (planet)|Quintessa]], while Hot Rod, [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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}}
{{-}}

====''Wings Universe''====
{{Wingsnote}}
Nine million years ago, the Matrix of Leadership was being transported aboard the Autobot cargo hauler ''[[Van De Graaff]]'' when the ship was attacked by the Quintessons and crash-landed on the planet [[Beta-Nine]]. All aboard perished, but the Matrix was soon recovered by the crew of the ''[[Eight Track (G1)|Eight Track]]'', who safely delivered it back to Cybertron. There, the Matrix was passed into the care of Alpha Trion, who granted it to his new choice for Autobot leader, Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Wings of Honor}}

====''Deviations''====
After viewing the massive death toll at [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] claimed all the deceased had found peace in the Matrix. [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] slapped him upside the head for speaking blasphemy about the Matrix. When [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] arrived at Cybertron, he made a baragin with [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] that the newly minted Decepticon leader would destroy the Matrix in exchange for upgrades. ''En route'' to Cybertron, Hot Rod confessed to [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel]] that whenever he came near Optimus, he saw visions of the Prime dying as if the Matrix was trying to tell him something. Starscream, now "Megascream", then attacked but withdrew when Unicron devoured [[Moonbase One]]. The Autobots regrouped on [[Moonbase Two]] when Unicron began attacking Cybertron directly where Optimus Prime took a shuttle to the Chaos Bringer's shell, believing the Matrix could stop him. Still haunted by visions, Hot Rod secretly climbed aboard. Megascream was waiting for Optimus and combined with several of his troops to steal the Matrix. Hot Rod saved Prime from certain death and teleported him away before he opened the Matrix, destroying Unicron at the cost his own life and the talisman. In the aftermath, Optimus Prime saw a vision of [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] and the newest addition to the rank of great Autobots within the Matrix: Rodimus Prime. {{storylink|Transformers: Deviations}}

====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.}}

What would become known as the Matrix was a device created by Primacron to convert its wielders' accumulated experiences and wisdom into a powerful all-purpose energy. It was originally built into his assistant (also known as the "Oracle") who was then targeted and destroyed by Unicron when he realized the power of the Matrix was a threat to him. However, the Oracle's lifeforce persisted within the Matrix and fled to a dead world at the centre of the galaxy, which he 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. They also found and held onto the now empty shell of the Matrix, which absorbed their malevolent brand of wisdom and filled up with corrupted, evil energy. When the Quintessons were kicked off the planet by the robots that would become the Autobots, they claimed the Matrix and, repulsed by its contents, emptied it out again. The discarded energy would one day grow sentient and become [[Devil Z]]. {{storylink|Generation 1 cartoon timeline (Japan)|2007 TakaraTomy Transformers timeline}} {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Grand Maximus)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}}

=====''The Battle of the Star Gate''=====
[[File:StargateBattles matrix powered megatron.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Ka-me-ha-me-ha~!]]

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 (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]], who had fused himself with the space station known as the ''[[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 Battle of the Star Gate}}

=====''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}}
{{-}}

=====''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|Transformers: 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...

[[File:DoublePrime matrix recharged.jpg|left|upright=1.45|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}}
{{-}}

=====''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 pack-in manga=====

[[File:G2StoryPageReconfigurationMatrix1.jpg|upright=1.4|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|Transformers: G-2 (story page)|G-2 Part 1}} A research team led by [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], [[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]], and [[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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|Transformers: 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|Transformers: 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}}
{{-}}

=====''Legends'' comic=====
Alpha Trion and the Matrix played a role in Hot Rod's conversion to a [[Micromaster]]. {{storylink|Transformers 2015 Tailgate/G1 Mini-Con Chapter|Tailgate/G1 Mini-Con Chapter}} During the rise of Galvatron II, Optimus Prime contacted the spirit of Alpha Trion within the Matrix and asked him to locate and bring back Ultra Magnus's spark. The process of resurrecting Magnus also brought Trion himself back in a diminutive body connected to the powers of the Matrix. {{storylink|LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue#Resurrection Chapter|Resurrection Chapter}} Scourge later captured Alpha Trion to draw upon the Matrix's energy, but it ended up overloading his [[transtector]], which exploded. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 26|Bonus Edition Vol. 26}}

===Start Your Own Decoy Collection===
[[File: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}}
{{-}}
===Beast Era===
====''Beast Wars'' cartoon====
[[File:OptimalSituation spark holder.jpg|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)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]], [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|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}}
{{-}}

====3H comics====
While experiencing a swirl of visions from throughout history, the [[Covenant (group)|Covenant]] witnessed the Matrix being torn by the [[Liege Maximo]] from the body of the enigmatic [[Primon]], its first holder. {{storylink|Covenant (story)|Covenant}}

[[File:Sparkholderprimevaldawn.jpg|left|upright=1.66|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.

[[File:Primevaldawn2 tarantulas matrix.jpg|215px|I'm not sure how I'll get this in my chest. Maybe I'll carry it with a sheath of some sort?|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 miscalculated: 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.}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
[[File:Ancients.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|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|Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|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}}
[[File:TWW1 prime gets matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|150 points to Gryffindor!]]

The earliest known bearer of the Matrix was [[Primon|Alpha Prime]], who was succeeded by Guardian Prime, and then Sentinel Prime. {{storylink|Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|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}}
[[File:PrimeDirective2 spike replaces matrix.jpg|left|upright=1.66|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}}
[[File:G1 Vol.2 Issue6 2.jpg|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}}

====''The Transformers 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|Transformers: Hardwired|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|Transformers: Annihilation|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|Transformers: Fusion|Fusion}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
[[File: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}}
[[File:ArtofWar5 hawk serpentor matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|My God... the Matrix has given us eye lasers!]]
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 the 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/Generation 1|angry god]]. {{storylink|Black Horizon, Part 1 of 2}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers/G.I. Joe''===
[[File: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}} 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}}
{{-}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:MTMTEannual solomus matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]
According to religious legend, the core of the Matrix was created from [[Solomus]], the god of wisdom, trapped in the form of a crystal by [[Mortilus]], the god of death. Following the defeat of Mortilus, Solomus managed to transform his crystal prison into the Matrix—a conduit for the energies of [[Primus]], who had himself transformed into the life-giving computer Vector Sigma. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}} {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (2): The God War|The God War}}

In actuality, the Matrix was created by [[Rung (G1)|Primus]], {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}} and passed onto the [[Knights of Cybertron]] when they left to explore new worlds. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}} Legend says that they called it the "Creation Matrix" for the life-giving abilities they believed its connection to Vector Sigma granted it. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} When the Knights landed on the medical hub of [[Mederi]], the moon's telepathic field, intended to induce happiness in euthanasia patients so they could die in peace, inadvertently convinced them they had discovered a perfect mechanical world, which they dubbed "[[Cyberutopia]]." To share this discovery with their homeworld, they inscribed a map to Mederi inside the Matrix's crystal core, and sent it back to Cybertron (via currently-unknown means), hoping the rest of their kind would follow it and join them in eternal happiness. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}}

It was, perhaps, fortunate that this roadmap to a peaceful death was never discovered by contemporary Cybertronians; upon its return to Cybertron, the Matrix was used by [[Solus Prime]] in the construction of the mighty [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] sword, becoming the jewel on the hilt of the blade, which came to be wielded by [[Prima]]. {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}} The Matrix's integration into the Saber survived in the folklore of both Cybertron and [[Caminus (planet)|Caminus]], {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}} with the latter culture regarding it as the "Matrix of Light". {{storylink|The Sum and Its Parts}} {{storylink|Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|Lagrange}} {{storylink|O Ship of State|Victorion profile in Revolution #3}} In [[Velocitron]]ian culture, the device remained known as the Creation Matrix. {{storylink|Primeless, Part 2}}

[[File:Tyrest and the matrix.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]

Those capable of bearing the Matrix within them are marked by certain [[Signs of Affinity|signs of affinity]]: having optics the same shade of "liberty blue" as the [[Matrix Flame]], finding ''[[Living metal#2005 IDW continuity|sentio metallico]]'' wet to the touch, becoming giddy when standing on a [[hot spot]], and the ability to make a [[photonic crystal]] "snap" when placed in their chest. {{storylink|The Plotters' Club (Part 3): Journey's End|Journey's End}}

The cruel supremacist [[Nova Prime]], a former lieutenant of Prima's, is the earliest known bearer of the Matrix in recent history, though exactly how he came to carry it after Prima's death is unknown. Nova observed that the pulsewaves from Vector Sigma which generated new sparks from the substance of Cybertron and its moon were lessening in regularity, and, fearing (correctly) that they would one day stop entirely, tasked his scientists with studying the Matrix, hoping that the life-giving power the legends said it possessed could be tapped into. A team led by [[Solomus|Tyrest]] set to the task, and succeeded in finding a way to generate sparks from the Matrix in abundance, producing a vast reservoir of them which were stockpiled and steadily rolled out into society as new bodies were constructed for them. The true origin of these "Matrixed" sparks was hidden from the general public, and a cover story was put into place that claimed they were created via "spark splicing", using the energy of an existing spark to ignite a new one. Transformers created in this manner were described as "constructed cold", while those born naturally were "forged". {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}}

Eventually, the Matrix would yield no more sparks, causing Tyrest and his team to believe it had run dry. In reality, one of the scientists had had an attack of conscience and stolen the Matrix, replacing it with a facsimile and hiding the real one away in the subterranean labyrinth of the [[Undergrid]]. {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}} Once Nova Prime left the planet aboard the [[Ark (G1)|Ark-1]] and vanished into the [[Benzuli Expanse]],<ref>Author Simon Furman implied in a [http://simonfurman.wordpress.com/2007/12/12/another-quick-qa/ December 2007 Q&A on his blog] and in the narration of ''[[Spotlight: Galvatron]]'' that in his original plans for this story, Nova ''did'' take the Matrix into the Dead Universe (Optimus Prime is never shown to carry it in Furman's stories), where it would have "become" something. Presumably, it was his intention for it to become the Darkness itself, which would not have been the separate entity it was in the finished story. 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.</ref> the fake Matrix was protected by the presumably-unwitting [[Primal Vanguard]], carried by its leader [[Delta Magnus]] during a period known as the [[Interregnum]] until a new bearer was chosen. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}} [[Nominus Prime]] is the earliest recorded Matrix-bearer after Nova, but whether he was his direct successor or not is unknown. It's also unclear whether Nominus Prime was aware that the Matrix was a fake. It's likely he did, since Nominus presumably falsified an "affinity for the Matrix" somehow in order to be named Prime.

Many Transformers embraced the religion surrounding the Matrix during the time of Nominus's reign, though with exceptions, such as police captain [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]], who remained sceptical of its touted divinity. Some Transformers would even "tattoo" an image of the Matrix on their bodies as evidence of their faith, such Orion's co-worker [[Springarm]] {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} and the trainee theoretician [[Skids (G1)|Skids]]. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}} Nominus's reign was a time of great civil unrest, however; a senator named [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] hoped that a new Matrix-bearer might steer the planet off the path to self-destruction the corrupt [[Senate]] had placed it upon, and so began selecting promising young Cybertronians like [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta]] and Orion Pax, befriending and rebuilding them with Matrix chambers in their chests. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

[[File:Autocracy9 pax finds matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
In order to take control of the Matrix's life-giving powers, the corrupt forces within the Senate arranged for an attack upon Nominus Prime, moving him into hiding so they could gain unfettered access to the talisman. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} Upon opening Nominus's chest, however, the Senate at last discovered that the Matrix had been replaced with a fake. Furious, they had Nominus killed, establishing a cover story that he had died of a rust infection, and announcing that their security head [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel]] was showing signs of Matrix affinity, paving the way for him to become Sentinel Prime. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} The fake Matrix was then transformed into a bomb as part of a plot to incriminate and round up the burgeoning Decepticon faction, {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} but a team led by Orion Pax uncovered the scheme, broke into the [[Primal Basilica]] and removed the Matrix-bomb, which Orion then detonated to win a battle with the [[Heavies]]. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}} It was not long after this that tensions exploded in the outbreak of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]; {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} {{storylink|The Transformers: Megatron Origin|Megatron Origin}} when reflecting back on this time, Kup distilled the reasons behind the outbreak of the conflict down to blaming the Matrix as the root cause. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}}

[[File:AHM7 megs rips out matrix.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|Megatron, [[Ratchet (WFC)|I needed that]]!]]

Sentinel was succeeded by Zeta Prime, who much like his predecessor used a new fake Matrix (with lights installed!) to claim the title, and only those involved with Sentinel's scheme were aware of the truth. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}} {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 4: Dance Among the Shadows|Dance Among the Shadows}} Zeta was subsequently killed by [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]], who then hurled Orion Pax into the Undergrid, where Orion found the hiding place of the true Matrix. The damaged Pax was called out to by Matrix, which asked him to take hold of it. Upon doing so, he was linked to the sparks of every single Cybertronian alive and was overcome by the pain, fear and loneliness his people were experiencing. As power of the Matrix repaired his body, he realized that it was not only a symbol of leadership or creation, but a "Matrix of our sparks" in which [['Til all are one|all were one]]. With his newfound clarity and the Matrix in his chest, Orion declared his name to be Optimus Prime and set out to bring freedom to Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformation (issue)|Transformation}} Just thereafter, the Matrix guided him to the ruins of [[Nyon]] and allowed him to sense and awaken the dormant lifeforce of [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], who was in deep slumber below the city. {{storylink|Rise}}

Optimus Prime would later try to unleash the power of the Matrix in an attempt to vanquish the ancient monster [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], but was for some reason unable to open it. {{storylink|Annihilation}} He revealed his possession of the Matrix to [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] as proof of his Primehood, {{storylink|Primacy issue 1|Primacy #1}} and later used its cleansing powers to purge the influence of [[Pentius]]'s spark from Megatron's body. {{storylink|Primacy issue 4|Primacy #4}} At some point Prime took a sabbatical and left the Matrix in the care of [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]], whom it took to so well legend says it had to be surgically removed from his chest. {{storylink|Little Victories}}

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 reasoned 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|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}}
[[File:TFvol1 13hotrod starscream matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|This seems familiar...]]
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|Altered Carbon}}
[[File:IDW19 matrix in chest.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67]]
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|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)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]], who provided a fuel cell for their ship. {{storylink|Space Opera Act 2: Out of the Silent Planet|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|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 experience 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}}
[[File:DoOP split matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|"Where'd you get the Matrix?" "We found it." "Found it? In Altihex? The Matrix is tropical!"]]
Upon the Autobots' return to Cybertron, they were faced with the threat of Galvatron, latest carrier of the Heart of Darkness, who combined it with Vector Sigma in order to allow D-Void to emerge into the universe through Cybertron. To prevent this, Optimus Prime opened the Matrix, which succeeded in stopping D-Void, but also left the Matrix spent, its crystal core darkened and split in two. {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis|Genesis}} With unrest growing between the Autobots and the unaligned Transformers in the process of returning to the planet, Prime brought the two halves of the Matrix to [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] for study, and the scientist discovered that the crystal was artificial, designed to [[photonic crystal|split in two]], and contained a map of the stars. [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] believed the map would lead the way to the long-lost Knights of Cybertron, and Rodimus elected to gather a crew and follow the path it charted, much to acting leader [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]]'s consternation. Optimus Prime gave each of them one of the Matrix-halves, before departing Cybertron himself in hopes of ending the civil unrest. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}} Optimus kept the shell of the Matrix and returned it to within his chest cavity. {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}}

When Rodimus set foot on [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], a billion sparks suddenly lit up on the moon's surface, something he credited to the Matrix half he was carrying. {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}} Having developed a belief that Cybertronians born from the Matrix were inherently evil, Tyrest used his knowledge of the talisman to construct the [[universal killswitch]]—a device capable of killing all cold constructed Transformers in existence by scrambling their unique sparkcode. Rodimus was able to put a stop to the process by hooking himself up to the machine and using his Matrix half to reinstate the code, but the crystal was shattered in the process. {{storylink|Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|This Calamitous Life}} He later scattered the dust of the Matrix on Luna 1 in honor of the sparks that were lost before they could be harvested. {{storylink|The Sound of Breaking Glass}} Optimus was...displeased when he learned of this. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}}

[[File:ForeverIsALongTimeComing-MatrixofLeadership.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67]]
The other half of the Matrix remained in Bumblebee's care until his death, after which it fell back into the hands of Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 2: Detonation Boulevard|Detonation Boulevard}} On his anniversary of becoming Prime, he returned to where he had found it all those years ago, hoping to find some of the same hope to press forward. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming (issue)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}} He later spoke with [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] about the Matrix where she made said if the Matrix chose him, it had a good reason. {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}} When contact with [[Caminus (planet)|Caminus]] was established, Optimus was unwilling to let Starscream exploit it and all the other colonies. With Windblade at his side he passed through [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]'s [[Space bridge|spacebridge]] to the chamber of the [[Forgefire Parliament]] where Windblade proclaimed him to be a Prime. The [[Mistress of Flame]] demanded proof of this and Optimus revealed the glowing Matrix to all. The natives of the planet bowed in his presence and revered him as a god, equal to [[Primus]] and the [[Thirteen]] Primes. {{storylink|The Sum and Its Parts}} After being immobilized by [[Victorion]], Optimus recounted the history of the Matrix but stated he believed to simply be a piece of advanced technology not a mystical artifact while also expressing confusion over why it had flared on Caminus. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|Lagrange}}

[[File:ToWalkAmongTheChosen-Ore13Matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]
When Optimus had his chest ripped open by a mutated [[Baron Karza]], the Matrix shone through the damages. {{storylink|Valley Forge}}

Atop the [[Matterhorn]], waiting for [[Quintesson Cruiser|an alien spacecraft]], Optimus regarded the Matrix only for it to suddenly glow. An unimpressed [[Pyra Magna]] simply revealed that the Matrix was simply reacting to the nearby [[Ore-13]]. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}} When talking to [[Aileron]], Optimus again expressed that he did not believe the Matrix to be a divine artifact, calling it a "pulsewave generator". He noted however that could he use its symbolic importance to do good. Pyra Magna overheard his comment and was... displeased. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 4: Dance Among the Shadows|Dance Among the Shadows}} After the Autobots and Junkions had gone to war, Optimus realized the precariousness of the situation and revealed the Matrix to all, allowing the assembled species to begin a peaceful resolution to the conflict. {{storylink|New Cybertron End: Feel Safe Without Regrets|Feel Safe Without Regrets}}

When Optimus Prime was thrown into the [[Crystal City]] [[black hole]], Starscream amusedly observed the remains of the Matrix be shattered by the gravitational forces. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 4: The Hallowing|The Hallowing}} Though the physical object had been destroyed, the powerful idea that the Matrix represented survived with Optimus when he found himself in [[infraspace]]. Realizing the symbolism that the artifact carried could represent a means to escape the realm of pure information, Optimus began to channel its power, {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 5: Endless Forever|Endless Forever}} expanding the black hole and allowing his and Bumblebee's minds to escape infraspace. This came at the heavy cost of disintegrating the Matrix's avatar, destroying the talisman once and for all. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 6: Unforgivable|Unforgivable}} {{storylink|Last Stand (Unicron)|Last Stand}}

[[File:LL24 Matrix Opening Pt1.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.45|They've got The Touch...]]

Though the original Matrix was no more, Rung would rediscover his ancient memories and his alternate mode's ability to manufacture more Matrices. Though the [[Omega Guardian]]s pushed for him to forge three duplicates as part of their evil plan to blow up the Functionist Council's false Primus avatar, [[Team Rodimus]] hit on the plan to use twelve duplicates to overload [[Vector Sigma]] via the [[hot spot]]s. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}} Though Rung managed to produce the Matrices, doing so claimed his life. His sacrifice would not be in vain however as all twelve were opened and used to free Cybertron from the Council's tyranny. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 6): A Spark Among Embers|A Spark Among Embers}}

[[File:LL24 Matrix Opening Pt2.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.45|They've got the power!!! Yeah!]]
In Megatron's [[Galactic Council]] presided trial, Rodimus would falsely testify that Megatron had opened one of the duplicate Matrices, swaying some of the more religious races on the jury. {{storylink|How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2}}
{{-}}

====The Functionist Universe====
[[File:ModesOfProduction-SixOfTwelveAndMatrix.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67]]
When the [[Functionist Council]] overthrew the [[Senate]], [[Twelve-of-Twelve]] obtained the false Matrix from Nominus and gave it to [[Six-of-Twelve]]. After obsessively studying the artifact, Six-of-Twelve came to believe Primus was speaking to him through it and integrated it into his head casing. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}}

When the council discovered Rung's ability to produce [[photonic crystal]]s, Six-of-Twelve tried to tap the Matrix to reignite Nova Prime's old cold construction program, but discovered that the Matrix was a useless fake. Undaunted, he turned the Matrix into a weapon that was able to suspend Cybertronians in a field of agonizing energy. When Rodimus was caught in this field, he immediately knew that Six-of-Twelve's Matrix was a false due to being familiar with the energies of the genuine article. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}
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===''Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun'' manga===
[[File:Henkei11 matrix.jpg|thumb|left|IT BURNS!!]]

When the demented [[Galvatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Galvatron]] went on a rampage in [[Hoshinochō]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|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]], 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 manga|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}}
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===''Robot Heroes''===
[[File:Robotheroes primus and matrix.jpg|thumb|By the power of Grayskull! I AM OPTIMUS PRIME!]]
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}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
The Matrix was passed down to [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] by [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] before his death. {{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}} [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] later defeated Prime and stole the Matrix, which he bonded with his [[black hole]] spark and used to subjugate [[Primus]] himself, allowing him to shape Cybertron according to his wishes. {{storylink|Pax Megatronus}}

Atop the Dyson Sphere above the Sun, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] managed to rip the Matrix from Megatron before a reborn Optimus Prime hurled Megatron into the sun. The Decepticon managed to hold onto the Matrix however, taking it with him only for [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] to seize the Matrix for himself. It was then snatched by [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] beginning a game of "hot potato" before [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] managed to return it to Optimus. {{storylink|The War Never Ends}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
To save Earth from the [[Swarm (G2)|Swarm]], Optimus Prime sacrificed himself and the Matrix. {{storylink|Book of Logos}} With the talisman lost to the Transformers, [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] was instead felled by the [[Point One Percenter]]s, prompting [[Deluge (G2)|Deluge]] to genetically engineer more of them. {{storylink|The Inexorable March}}

===''Prime Wars Trilogy'' cartoons===
In the aftermath of the [[Combiner Wars (event)|Combiner Wars]], [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] no longer felt worthy to carry the Matrix of Leadership and instead decided to return it to the [[Chorus of the Primes]], reverting to Hot Rod. {{storylink|Aftermath and Rebirth}} The [[Mistress of Flame]] criticized his decision, claiming they would need the Matrix to stop [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]'s rampage. {{storylink|Our Heroes Respond}} The Matrix projected a message to Optimus Prime, granting him a vision of future events, including the role the Matrix itself would play, prompting Optimus to head back towards the battlefield. {{storylink|The Fight Begins}} Learning from [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] that Rodimus had given up the Matrix, Optimus entered the Chorus chamber in the [[Primal Basilica]] and asked to take back the Matrix, which the Chorus obliged. {{storylink|Desperate Actions}} Guiding Perceptor to a secret exit below the Basilica, Optimus asked him to take the Matrix and get as far away as possible, lest Trypticon obtain it and use it's power to become unstoppable. {{storylink|Run for Our Lives}}

After running only a short while, the Matrix spoke to Perceptor and detailed its own plan; despite his apprehension, Perceptor did as it asked and tricked Trypticon into swallowing both himself and the Matrix. {{storylink|Consumed}} However, because the Matrix could only be used by its chosen wielder, Trypticon could not contain its power and ejected it and Perceptor from his body, along with the previously-swallowed [[Victorion]] and the [[Enigma of Combination]] and the ghost of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] possessing the Titan. Before Victorion could reclaim the Matrix and Enigma, they were surrounded by a barrier of flame as [[The Fallen|Megatronus]] revealed himself. After killing Optimus and issuing a series of vague threats, Megatronus grabbed the Matrix and the Enigma for himself and blasted off into the sky. {{storylink|All Things Must Pass}}

Megatronus later removed the Matrix from its storage and installed it and the Enigma into an unknown device in the [[Well of All Sparks|Well of Sparks]]. {{storylink|Without Warning}} Megatron eventually realized that Megatronus planned to use the Enigma to merge the Matrix's energy with the [[Requiem Blaster (Megatronus)|Requiem Blaster]], creating a weapon capable of killing every Transformer in the universe. Learning of Megatronus's use of the Matrix, the Unicron-controlled Rodimus Cron turned on him, declaring the Matrix must be destroyed. {{storylink|Consequences}} Megatronus returned to the [[Well of All Sparks|Well of Sparks]] and installed the Blaster into his doomsday weapon, beginning siphoning the life force from every Transformer's spark. Perceptor attempted to remove the Matrix and the other relics, but his efforts proved unsuccessful as Solus Prime began to return. {{storylink|Collision Course}} Unicron appeared, now fully in possession of Rodimus, and attempted to take the Matrix while Megatronus attempted to stop him. [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]], [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] and [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] resumed attacking the machine until it finally released the relics, and the Matrix interfaced with Primal, creating a shield protecting them from Megatronus. Having been chosen by the Matrix as its new bearer, Primal placed it in his chest, transforming him into Optimal Optimus. {{storylink|Megatronus Unleashed}}

In the aftermath of Megatronus's and Unicron's defeats, Optimus Prime was resurrected thanks to his connection to the Matrix. He praised the Matrix's choice of Optimal as the new Prime, and agreed to guide him in his newfound role as the leader of Cybertron. {{storylink|Saga's End}}

===''Star Trek vs. Transformers''===
While mind-melded with Optimus Prime, [[Spock]] glimpsed a memory of the Matrix. {{storylink|Prime's Directive, Part Two}}

===2019 IDW continuity===
The Matrix of Leadership was held by the leader of the Autobots. Upon his death, Nominus Prime had passed it to Sentinel Prime. When Sentinel felt that Orion Pax was overstepping his authority, he gave his subordinate a verbal slap and reminded him who carried the Matrix as well as promising to pass it onto Ultra Magnus, not Orion. {{storylink|Rise of the Decepticons: All Fall Down}}

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===2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon===
[[File:PowerToBurn prime matrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|My chestplate glows for you, Hotrod]]
Simply known as just 'the Matrix',<ref>The Matrix is never once called the 'Matrix of Leadership' in the ''Robots in Disguise'' 2001 cartoon. Though, it was initially called Optimus's 'Cyber Matrix' in "[[The Test (episode)|The Test]]", it was never again referred to as such afterward. It would not be until Optimus's profile published in [[The Official Transformers Collectors' Club Magazine issue 1|The OTFCC Magazine issue 1]] that this Matrix would be formally referred to as the "Matrix of Leadership".</ref> [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] was chosen by Vector Sigma to be its bearer and lead the Autobots as Commander-in-Chief of Cybertron. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus: Forced Fusion!}} 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}}
[[File:TwoFaces magnus matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|I set my chestplate from studly to kill. Go nipple blasters!]]
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]] channeled 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 a version of the Matrix of Leadership, instead carrys an [[Energon Matrix]].}}
{{--}}

====''Cybertron'' comic====
[[File:OptimusPrimeRIDprimuschamber.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Oops! Sorry. I had a premature matrix-ejaculation....]]
Teleported into the midst of a battle in another universe, Prime and Magnus found themselves on Cybertron, where the evil [[Nemesis Prime (Universe)|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, as the ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon only implied it to be such but never actually made explicit use of it in this manner.}}
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===Shell Game===
After the [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] of [[Viron 704.31 Epsilon]] was killed by [[Megazarak (Universe)|Megazarak]], once-leader of the [[Protection Team]] [[Defensor (OTFCC)|Hot Spot]] was passed the Matrix of Leadership by [[Ultra Trion]], becoming his team's combined form [[Defensor (OTFCC)|Defensor]] himself. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime/Facebook src#September 9, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 07/09/2015}} Megazarak sought the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]], believing that it would yield the location of [[Base Sigma]], the last outpost of Autobot resistance and the hiding place of the Matrix-bearer. He failed, being slightly delayed by Ultra Trion's final gambit. {{storylink|Shell Game}} Defensor would eventually triumph over Megazarak and begin to rebuild his world. However, the Matrix gave him visions of another Megazarak, one who had succeeded in conquering [[Viron 403.0 Beta|his own universe]] and spreading out to other universes. Defensor felt the duty to seek out this Megazarak and stop him as well. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime/Facebook src#September 7, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 07/09/2015}}

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===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====
[[File:Crisis Hot Shot Matrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|Optimus said that I could drive this up somewhere....]]
When [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]] threatened to destroy the Earth with the [[Hydra Cannon]], [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|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 (Armada)|Crisis}}

[[File:Miracle sparkplug and matrix.jpg‎|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''.

[[File:ArmadaMatrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|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}}
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====''Energon'' cartoon====
[[File:MysteriousMercenary matrix generates blaster.jpg‎|thumb|Also, it does not go anywhere in the robot mode. Get outta here, blaster. No one likes your style.]]
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]] of 2020, when Prime was badly injured by [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|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}}
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====''Cybertron'' cartoon====
[[File:Cybertron matrix of leadership.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|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}}

[[File:Unfinished matrix glow prime.jpg‎|thumb|upright=1.2|The Matrix is made up of [[Burning Justice]]!]]
After the Autobots had obtained the Cyber Planet Keys from [[Velocitron]], [[Animatron|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===
In [[Aurex 404.11 Kappa]], Vector Prime held the Matrix during Cybertron's [[Golden Age]]. He led the Autobots for many years until he received a higher calling from the [[Chronarchitect]] to lead the [[Time Warrior (AVP)|Time Warrior]]s in protecting space and time. Vector passed the Matrix on to his trusty lieutenant, [[Guardian Major]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime/Facebook src#July 12, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 12/07/2015}}

===''Galaxy Force'' manga===
[[File: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 (Armada)|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}}
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===''Hot Shot's Bot Thoughts''===
During an interview with [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], Hot Shot proved it was easy to get hold of a Matrix by telling Optimus Prime that his shoes were untied, and then yonking the Matrix right out of his chest while he was distracted. The Matrix upgraded Hot Shot into Shotimus Prime. During a later interview with [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]], the exasperated interviewee grabbed the Matrix, reverting Shotimus back to Hot Shot, and then beat him with it. {{storylink|Hot Shot's Bot Thoughts}}
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===Live-action film series===
[[File:Tf2009 mol.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|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 movie comic====
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====
[[File:ROTF Matrix crumbles.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|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.

[[File:TheFallen-ROTFMatrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|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 (Earth)|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|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}

{{Note|The [[Transformers: 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====
[[File:DOTM-SentinelOptimusMatrix.jpg|left|upright=1.66|thumb|You thought they forgot about it already, didn't you?]]
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.

Megatron later explained to Starscream that he wanted Prime to use the Matrix on Sentinel as he was vital to Megatron's plan for invasion. {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}}
{{-}}

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===''Animated'' cartoon===
[[File:Tfanimated matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
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 Almanac II}}
{{-}}

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===Aligned continuity family===
====''The Covenant of Primus''====
The Matrix was created by the Primes sometime after Unicron's defeat and before the War of the Primes though according to [[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] it was a very different device at its creation then in the present day. It formed the hilt of the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] but [[Prima]] surrendered it to [[Primus]] in the [[Core]] after the Primes fought.

During the [[Age of Rust]], Alpha Trion went to [[Vector Sigma]] to try and retrieve the Matrix in hopes that it could reignite the fire of Cybertronian society. The supercomputer denied his request saying the time was not right but it gave him the [[Badge of Vector Prime]].

When [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] had poisoned the core of Cybertron with [[Dark Energon]], Primus inserted a portion of his Spark into the Matrix and gave it to [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] to carry and guard. This had the effect of restoring Optimus' memories of his earlier life among the [[Thirteen]]. {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}}

====Aligned novels====
[[File: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 (WFC)|Orion Pax]] met the charismatic gladiator named [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]]. Unbeknownst to Orion, Megatron plotted revolution, and, desiring the Matrix's power to fuel his ambition, had [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] send [[Rumble (WFC)|Rumble]] and [[Frenzy (WFC)|Frenzy]] to search for the Matrix in [[Crystal City]] to no avail.

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 (polity)|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|Exodus}}
{{-}}

====''Prime'' cartoon====
[[File:OneShallRise3-unleash.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Care Bear Stare!]]
During the Great War, the core of Cybertron, which contained the Spark of the Transformers' creator Primus, became poisoned with [[Dark Energon]]. Orion Pax journeyed there hoping to cure the god, but instead was given the Matrix of Leadership by Primus himself, becoming [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus]], the last of the Primes. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 3}}

When the Autobots discovered that [[Unicron/Aligned|Unicron]] dwelt at the center of the Earth, Optimus Prime gambled that the Matrix held the power to destroy the dark god. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 2}} Led to the core of the planet by [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]], Prime emptied the full power of the Matrix into Unicron's spark. [[File:OrionPax3 Matrix of Leadership.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5]] The chaos-bringer responded by possessing Megatron in an attempt to stop him, but the Matrix generated a shield to protect Prime so that the mission could be completed, and Unicron was successfully returned to stasis. Unfortunately, in draining the Matrix of its energy, Optimus lost not merely the wisdom of the Primes, but all of his own memories since becoming a Prime.{{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 3}} Anticipating this, Optimus had left a solution to this problem in the hands of the Autobot's human ally [[Jack Darby]]: the [[Key to Vector Sigma]], which would allow the Matrix to be refilled, and Optimus's memory restored, via the mega-computer Vector Sigma on Cybertron. {{storylink|Orion Pax, Part 1}} Jack and [[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] travelled to Cybertron to load the key, then returned to Earth in the midst of a battle between Orion and Megatron. Though the archivist was hesitant at first, Jack convinced him that he was in fact worthy and used the key to restore the Matrix's power and Optimus's memories. {{Storylink|Orion Pax, Part 3}}

When Optimus Prime lay dying after the destruction of the Autobot base, he told [[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]] that the Matrix would choose someone else to be leader, whom he believed to be Smokescreen. When Optimus did die, his chest ejected the Matrix as it began to search for a successor, only for Smokescreen simply to placethe [[Forge of Solus Prime]] in Optimus's hand which, combined with the Matrix, revived and reformatted Optimus though at the cost of draining the Forge of all its power. {{storylink|Rebellion (Prime)|Rebellion}}

When the Great War ended and Cybertron was restored, Optimus used the Matrix of Leadership to guide him to the location of the [[AllSpark]], in the hazardous system of [[Theta Scorpii]]. To safeguard the AllSpark from Unicron, Optimus merged it with the Matrix. In doing so however, he rendered his own [[spark]] inseparable from all those within the AllSpark, ultimately sacrificing himself and the Matrix to the [[Core]] to reignite it, ending the age of Primes. {{storylink|Predacons Rising (Prime)|Predacons Rising}}
{{-}}

====''Rescue Bots'' cartoon====
[[File:OddBotOut Optimus Matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
When Optimus located the [[Liquefier]], its energies out of control and threatening [[Griffin Rock]], he used the Matrix to shut it down. {{storylink|Odd Bot Out}}
{{-}}

----

===''Knights of Unicron''===
[[File:Dark Side of the Matrix album cover.jpg|thumb|left]]
The Matrix of Leadership served as inspiration for the legendary rock band the [[Knights of Unicron (band)|Knights of Unicron]], immortalized on the cover of their studio album "Dark Side of the Matrix". {{storylink|Knights of Unicron (band)|Knights of Unicron}}
{{-}}

----
===''Cyberverse'' cartoon===
[[File:MatrixOfLeadership-OPglows.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
The Matrix of Leadership was an artifact of the [[Thirteen]]. Within, it held the accumulated wisdom of not only the original Primes, but all those who'd borne it, allowing for its current bearer to access this wisdom in times of crisis. Conversely, these spirits could bring the bearer before them through the Matrix. {{storylink|Dweller In The Depths (Cyberverse)|Dweller In The Depths}}

In the modern era, the Matrix was safeguarded by [[Alpha Trion (Cyberverse)|Alpha Trion]]. In the early days of the [[Great War (Cyberverse)|Great War]], [[Megatron (Cyberverse)|Megatron]] murdered all of the [[Autobot High Council|High Council]] save Trion who had been mortally wounded by the attack. When [[Optimus Prime (Cyberverse)|Optimus]] was brought before his ailing mentor who bestowed the Matrix onto his protege. Despite Optimus's hesitations, he accepted the talisman and became Optimus Prime, the last sight Trion witnessed before he passed. The power of the Matrix allowed Optimus to manifest a powerful blue shield in the likeness of the Autobot insignia. {{storylink|Matrix of Leadership (episode)|Matrix of Leadership}}

After claiming that one of his [[scraplet]]s was a reborn Alpha Trion, [[Starscream (Cyberverse)|Starscream]] had others reveal the Matrix for him to claim. Before he could, [[Cheetor (Cyberverse)|Cheetor]] pounced on the Seeker and disabled his scarplet horde. {{storylink|Starscream's Children}} Prime would later get his own back on Starscream by separating the treacherous Seeker from the AllSpark with a blast from the Matrix, the energies sending both into [[stasis lock]]. {{storylink|I Am The Allspark}} Starscream awoke in a prison cell while Prime remained in coma with a vision of the Matrix. It closed on him and he later woke up as a turbolaser barrage from the [[Nemesis (Cyberverse)|''Nemesis'']] was ripping the [[Ark (Cyberverse)|''Ark'']] apart. {{storylink|Escape From Earth}}

When the [[Quintesson]]s, invaded Cybertron, Optimus combined the power of the Matrix with one from another reality, stolen by Megatron, to overwhelm the now [[Judge (Cyberverse)|Judge]] Starscream, finally killing him and ending the invasion. {{storylink|The End Of The Universe IV}}

Not long afterwards, Cybertron was invaded by Megatron X, the owner of Megatron's stolen Matrix, whom Optimus engaged in a duel of Matrices. When Windblade sabotaged the alternate Megatron's Matrix, Optimus' beam prevailed, its energy short-circuiting the tyrant. {{storylink|The Other One}}

====Alternate universe====
In another world, upon realizing that Optimus would forever oppose him, [[Megatron X (Cyberverse)|Megatron]] killed Optimus outright before he stole his Matrix. {{storylink|Megatron Is My Hero}} {{storylink|The Other One}}

Untold years later, Megatron's universe was visited by an alternate version of himself who managed to steal his Matrix and flee. Knowing that his counterpart would eventually track him down, the alternate Megatron tried to access the Matrix's wisdom but the Primes refused to speak to him. {{storylink|Silent Strike}} The Primes of this reality imparted onto their Optimus a directive to destroy this otherwordly Matrix. {{storylink|Dweller In The Depths (Cyberverse)|Dweller In The Depths}}

A psychic shard of the native [[Windblade (Cyberverse)|Windblade]] wound up lodged in the Matrix, being met by Optimus' spirit who told her to destroy the Matrix. Eventually, Megatron located the reality and reclaimed his property only to be engaged in a Matrix dual by the native Optimus. Though Megatron initially held the advantage, Windblade followed Optimus' orders and destroyed the psychic pillars of the Primes, short-circuiting the Matrix. {{storylink|The Other One}}

==Games==
===''The Transformers'' (PS2)===
[[File:TFPS2 matrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1]]
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''===
[[File:Netjetmatrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
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: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''. {{storylink|Transformers Battle Universe}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers: War for Cybertron'' (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)===
[[File:WFC Matrix of Leadership.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|How are you supposed to hold it up and release its cleansing flame if the handles aren't even attached to the sphere?]]
Though [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|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}}
{{--}}

===''Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark'' (console)===
Among the many rumours that circled the origins of the [[Dark Spark]] was that it was the natural antithesis to the Matrix of Leadership.

In the midst of the [[Great Exodus]], Megatron managed to acquire the Dark Spark and bond it to himself, forcing Optimus to personally confront him in the labs of [[Kolkular]]. After fighting a horde of Autobot [[Terrorcon (Prime)|Terrorcons]], Optimus unleashed the power of the Matrix against the Dark Spark, his superior experience in wielding the artefact granting him victory and blasting the Dark Spark off of Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (console)|Rise of the Dark Spark}}

===''Angry Birds Transformers''===
[[File:AngryBirdsMatrix.jpg|left|thumb|200px]]
The Matrix can be unlocked as an accessory that when equipped; grants an effect to several characters.
<center>
{|class="wikitable" border="5" style="width:75%" align="center"
|-
! scope="col" width="20%" | '''Accessory'''
! scope="col" width="10%" | '''Body Part'''
! scope="col" width="10%" | '''Rarity'''
! scope="col" width="10%" | '''[[Gem]] Cost'''
! scope="col" width="20%" | '''Base Effect'''
! scope="col" width="30%" | '''Notes'''
|-
|[[Red (AB)|Red]] as [[Red (AB)#As Optimus Prime|Optimus Prime]]
|Chest
|Epic
|<s>325</s> Free
| Incendiary Rounds
|Became a free Accessory in June 2017
|-
|Red as [[Red (AB)#As Ultra Magnus|Ultra Magnus]]
|Chest
|Legendary
|900
| +10% Fire Rate
|
|-
|Red as [[Red (AB)#Energon Optimus Prime|Energon Optimus Prime]]
|Chest
|Epic
|650
| +10% Fire Rate
|
|-
|Red as [[Red (AB)#Ultimate Optimus Prime|Ultimate Optimus Prime]]
|Chest
|Uncommon
|100
| +10% Defense
|
|-
|}
</center>
{{-}}
{{storylink|Angry Birds Transformers (mobile game)|Angry Birds Transformers}}

===''Transformers: Devastation''===
In the past, [[Nova Prime]] bore the Matrix of Leadership but parted with the artifact when he left Cybertron aboard the ''[[Proudstar]]''. When Optimus Prime explored the scuttled ''Proudstar'' millions of years later, the Matrix reacted to [[Unicron/Generation 1|a dark presence]] in the ship, shutting down for a second. As the Autobots ventured deeper into the ship, [[Teletraan Alpha]] used the Matrix to see their future. As the Autobots neared the ship's core and discovered the same dark presence, the Matrix allowed Optimus to learn that the entity responsible for corrupting Nova was searching and destroying its way to Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformers: Devastation}}

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

==Notes==
[[File:G1toon matrix strings.jpg|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. If an Autobot is not brave, strong, or wise enough, the program would either drive him insane or lobotomise him.<ref name="BC10">[http://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc10/bc10bb.html griffin's 2010 BotCon report]</ref> Although the "ten millennia" bit made it into the comic, the rest of it was never realized. (Budiansky also left a note that the Matrix isn't the only way of making new Transformers, which was never touched on until ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (franchise)|Generation 2]]''.)
*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 and Swindle]]" has empty Generation 1 Matrix containers for sale, as seen in an illustration from the prose story "[[I, Lowtech]]".
*The Matrix of Leadership [[:File: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]]".

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Matrix''' (マトリクス ''Matorikusu''), '''Leader no Matrix''' (''Revenge'', リーダーのマトリクス, "Matrix of Leader"), '''Matrix of Leadership''' (マトリックスオブリーダーシップ ''Matorikkusu obu Rīdāshippu''), '''Creation Matrix''' (クリエーションマトリクス ''Kuriēshon matorikusu'')
*''Arabic:'' '''Masfufat Alqiada''' (مصفوفة القيادة, "Command Matrix")
*''English:'' '''Power Pack''' ([[Omni Productions]] dub)
*''French:'' '''Matrice de Commandement''' ("Command Matrix")
*''German:'' '''Hauptprogramm''' ("Core Program", used once in fiction), '''Matrix der Führerschaft''' ("Matrix of Leadership")
*''Indonesian:'' '''Matriks Kepemimpinan''' ( "Matrix of Leadership")
*''Italian:'' '''Matrice''' ("Matrix"), '''Scettro del Comando''' (first ''The Transformers'' dub, "Scepter of Command"), '''Matrix''' (second ''The Transformers'' dub), '''Matrice del Comando''' (''Generations'', "Matrix of Command")
*''Mandarin:'' '''Mǔtǐ''' (Taiwan, 母體, "Matrix" or "Mother Body"), '''Jǔzhèn''' (China Mainland, 矩阵, "Matrix"), '''Lǐngdǎo Mókuài''' (China Mainland, 领导模块, "Module of Leader")
*''Polish:'' '''Matryca Przywództwa''', '''Matryca Przywódcy''' (''War for Cybertron'', "Matrix of Leadership")
*''Portuguese:'' '''Matriz da Liderança''' ("Matrix of Leadership")
*''Russian:'' '''Matritsa Liderstva''' (Матрица Лидерства, "Matrix of Leadership")
*''Spanish:'' '''Matriz de Liderazgo''' ("Matrix of Leadership")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Enerhoblok''' (ICTV, Енергоблок, "Power unit")

==Footnotes==
[[File:DiamondStickerbookMatrixOfLight.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Not shown: Anything in the caption.]]
<references />

[[Category:Animated]]
[[Category:Armada]]
[[Category:Artifacts of the Primes]]
[[Category:Beast Wars]]
[[Category:Classics]]
[[Category:Crystals]]
[[Category:Cybertron franchise]]
[[Category:Cyberverse (2018)]]
[[Category:Energon franchise]]
[[Category:Generation 1 objects]]
[[Category:Generation 2]]
[[Category:Henkei! Henkei!]]
[[Category:Interjections]]
[[Category:Legends franchise]]
[[Category:MacGuffins]]
[[Category:Matrices]]
[[Category:Movie]]
[[Category:Prime]]
[[Category:Primus]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise (2001)]]
[[Category:Transformers (2010)]]
[[Category:Universe (2003)]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron]]
[[Category:Wings Universe]]

Matrix of Leadership

2020-05-08T20:25:02Z

Chris2119: /* The Transformers cartoon */

{{disambig3.5|the MacGuffin|the titular cartoon episode|Matrix of Leadership (episode)|Matrix}}
{{featured}}
{{suite}}
[[File:Matrix.jpg|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 [[Matrix holder|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]]s, serving as a means of access to the [[Transformer afterlife]], 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==
[[File:SecondGeneration prime gives buster matrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|The Matrix made its fictional debut when [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|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 the history of the brand, 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 "[[Primal 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 Sparks", very similar to the [[spark]]s that would later be introduced with ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''. The Matrix was not present in the earliest known incarnation of the movie; instead, upon his death, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] transferred his own Life Spark to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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.

[[File:FFOD4 passing the matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|[[Zeta Prime (G1)|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/Generation 1|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.

[[File:Sentinel prime lou.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|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 ''[[The Transformers Universe|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: Transformers (cartoon)|''Beast Machines'' animated series]] which made the next big addition to the growing mythology of the Matrix when it introduced the [[Transformer afterlife|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]] 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 Transformers Trilogy]]'' novels, which retroactively make sense now.
{{-}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
{{noteukonly}}
[[File:Prima.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|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|The Primal Scream}} Later named the "Creation Matrix", this divine gift took the form of a "[[Primal 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}}

[[File:WhoseLifeforce prime and longtooth.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb]]
''At one point during his tenure as Autobot leader, Optimus Prime came across [[Longtooth]] struggling to save the life of [[Clockwise|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?}}

[[File:DisintegratedCircuits buster uses matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5]]
When the Transformers' war moved to [[Earth]] in [[1984]], current Decepticon leader [[Shockwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}

[[File:Matrixflame.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.5|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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}

[[File:DarkCreation we would know more.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5]]
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 (Marvel)|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}}

[[File:Creation Matrix 65.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.15|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?}} [[File:Thunderwing with matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Primus says it's my turn on the Matrix. ]] ''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, 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}}

[[File:EdgeofExtinction-sothatallmaylive.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.5|It cures what ails ya.]]
Thunderwing's body came to rest on the surface of a planet, where the Matrix began to heal his battered frame. {{storylink|Out of Time!}} Repairs took time, but once completed, the Matrix set out for Cybertron, {{storylink|The Void! (US)|The Void!}} 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)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]]. {{storylink|Still Life!}}
{{-}}

=====Marvel UK future timelines=====
[[File:MatrixCoconut1.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|"Will I become a great Autobot leader?" "All signs point to no."]]
In an alternate future timeline, a dying Optimus Prime passed the Matrix to Ultra Magnus in [[2006]]. {{storylink|The Planet-Eater!}} It was then used by [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}

[[File:MarvelUK-187.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2]]
Later in 2008, the [[Quintesson]]s invaded and conquered [[Autobot City (G1)|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}}

[[File:WhiteFire kup yanks matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}
{{-}}

====Marvel ''Generation 2'' comic====
[[File:G210 starscream warworld.jpg|left|thumb|Don't do Matrix, kids. Not even once. ]]
When Optimus Prime was recreated by the [[Last Autobot]], the Matrix was also restored. {{storylink|End of the Road! (US)|End of the Road!}} {{storylink|Escalation!|Generation 2 #8 letters page}} Years later, it became a target for Megatron, who required it to bring to life an army of new warriors created by [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]. Besting Prime in battle, Megatron tore the Matrix from his body with an energy siphon, {{storylink|The Gathering Darkness}} and used it to give life to the [[Laser Rod]]s 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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}
{{-}}

====''Regeneration One''====
{{NoteRG1}}
With the Creation Matrix lost following the destruction of Unicron, the last reservoir of Matrix energy the Autobots had access to consisted of what traces still clung to the remains of Thunderwing, stored within the high-security [[Hall of Silence]]. When [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] was able to penetrate the Hall in [[2012]], acting commander [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]] anguished over whether or not to follow protocol and destroy the Hall, and the last of the Matrix's energy with it. He was convinced it was necessary by [[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]], but Soundwave was able to teleport out with Thunderwing just before the building blew. {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part One}} He delivered the remains to Bludgeon, who used the Matrix energy within them to animate his new army of self-regenerating [[Blitz Engine]]s. {{storylink|Destiny, Part One}}

After Primus revealed to Hot Rod that he still existed, and sent Hot Rod through a portal into [[Zero Space]], {{storylink|Destiny, Part Four}} the young Autobot found himself tumbling through time and space. He observed the battle with the Deathbringer, only to discover that the fragment of corrupted Matrix energy survived the battle. After observing two more time periods, Hot Rod found himself on a [[Junkion (planet)|planet of junk]], witnessing the final confrontation between [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]] and "Rodimus Prime"—an alternate version of himself! As Rodimus fell at the hands of Galvatron, the Matrix landed at the feet of Hot Rod, who reached for it...

... only to find himself back in his own time and place, on the deck of Bludgeon's ''[[Warworld]]'', having himself been transformed into Rodimus Prime! {{storylink|Less Than Zero}}

====''Classics''====
The Matrix was destroyed along with Unicron. Decades later, while displaced in another universe, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ultra Magnus]] briefly confused the [[Origin Matrix]] for the Creation Matrix while speaking with [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]]. {{storylink|Shattered Paths}}

====''Unite Warriors''====
[[File:Baldigus Chapter Galvatron II.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
[[Galvatron II]] stole the Creation Matrix in his native universe and carried it with him to another reality, where its power allowed him to endure as a ghost when his body was destroyed. Unfortunately, it also made him a target of [[Grand Scourge]], who, as a Matrix Hunter, could manhandle even ghosts if they were in possession of a Matrix. While Scourge was fighting Galvatron for the Creation Matrix, both of them were knocked into a rift in space-time by [[Megaempress]], and the Matrix disappeared along with them to places unknown. {{storylink|Ruination Chapter, Part Two}}
{{-}}

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
[[File:OracleMatrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|"The Matrix leaves Primacron's assistance."]]
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}}; [[File:Matrix 5faces4 7.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|Alpha Trion receives The Matrix]] 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 (G1)|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}}

[[File:Optimusg1passingthematrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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 (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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.

[[File:Tftm1986e.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
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 (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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}}

[[File:Darkawakening matrix pain.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|The zombified Optimus Prime reacts in pain from 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 soon transpired, however, that Optimus had been reanimated by the Quintessons as "a robotic [[zombie]]" so he would lure the [[Autobot fleet]] into a fatal trap. When Rodimus went to confront his mentor on the Autobot flagship, the Matrix's energy made Optimus too powerful to defeat in single combat but also overrode the malicious coding that the Quintessons had installed within him, properly restoring Optimus to life. His mind cleared, Optimus returned the Matrix to Rodimus before apparently sacrificing himself again to trigger the Quintessons' trap alone. {{storylink|Dark Awakening (episode)|Dark Awakening}}

[[File:BurdenHardest Hot Rod retrieves matrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2]]
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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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}}

[[File:ReturnOptimusPrime2 Matrix open.JPG|thumb|upright=1.2]]
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====
[[File:Madman comic PrimeHotrod.jpg|left|upright=0.85|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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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 (planet)|Quintessa]], while Hot Rod, [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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}}
{{-}}

====''Wings Universe''====
{{Wingsnote}}
Nine million years ago, the Matrix of Leadership was being transported aboard the Autobot cargo hauler ''[[Van De Graaff]]'' when the ship was attacked by the Quintessons and crash-landed on the planet [[Beta-Nine]]. All aboard perished, but the Matrix was soon recovered by the crew of the ''[[Eight Track (G1)|Eight Track]]'', who safely delivered it back to Cybertron. There, the Matrix was passed into the care of Alpha Trion, who granted it to his new choice for Autobot leader, Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Wings of Honor}}

====''Deviations''====
After viewing the massive death toll at [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] claimed all the deceased had found peace in the Matrix. [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] slapped him upside the head for speaking blasphemy about the Matrix. When [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] arrived at Cybertron, he made a baragin with [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] that the newly minted Decepticon leader would destroy the Matrix in exchange for upgrades. ''En route'' to Cybertron, Hot Rod confessed to [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel]] that whenever he came near Optimus, he saw visions of the Prime dying as if the Matrix was trying to tell him something. Starscream, now "Megascream", then attacked but withdrew when Unicron devoured [[Moonbase One]]. The Autobots regrouped on [[Moonbase Two]] when Unicron began attacking Cybertron directly where Optimus Prime took a shuttle to the Chaos Bringer's shell, believing the Matrix could stop him. Still haunted by visions, Hot Rod secretly climbed aboard. Megascream was waiting for Optimus and combined with several of his troops to steal the Matrix. Hot Rod saved Prime from certain death and teleported him away before he opened the Matrix, destroying Unicron at the cost his own life and the talisman. In the aftermath, Optimus Prime saw a vision of [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] and the newest addition to the rank of great Autobots within the Matrix: Rodimus Prime. {{storylink|Transformers: Deviations}}

====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.}}

What would become known as the Matrix was a device created by Primacron to convert its wielders' accumulated experiences and wisdom into a powerful all-purpose energy. It was originally built into his assistant (also known as the "Oracle") who was then targeted and destroyed by Unicron when he realized the power of the Matrix was a threat to him. However, the Oracle's lifeforce persisted within the Matrix and fled to a dead world at the centre of the galaxy, which he 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. They also found and held onto the now empty shell of the Matrix, which absorbed their malevolent brand of wisdom and filled up with corrupted, evil energy. When the Quintessons were kicked off the planet by the robots that would become the Autobots, they claimed the Matrix and, repulsed by its contents, emptied it out again. The discarded energy would one day grow sentient and become [[Devil Z]]. {{storylink|Generation 1 cartoon timeline (Japan)|2007 TakaraTomy Transformers timeline}} {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Grand Maximus)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}}

=====''The Battle of the Star Gate''=====
[[File:StargateBattles matrix powered megatron.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Ka-me-ha-me-ha~!]]

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 (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]], who had fused himself with the space station known as the ''[[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 Battle of the Star Gate}}

=====''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|Transformers: 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...

[[File:DoublePrime matrix recharged.jpg|left|upright=1.45|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 pack-in manga=====

[[File:G2StoryPageReconfigurationMatrix1.jpg|upright=1.4|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|Transformers: G-2 (story page)|G-2 Part 1}} A research team led by [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], [[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]], and [[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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|Transformers: 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|Transformers: 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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=====''Legends'' comic=====
Alpha Trion and the Matrix played a role in Hot Rod's conversion to a [[Micromaster]]. {{storylink|Transformers 2015 Tailgate/G1 Mini-Con Chapter|Tailgate/G1 Mini-Con Chapter}} During the rise of Galvatron II, Optimus Prime contacted the spirit of Alpha Trion within the Matrix and asked him to locate and bring back Ultra Magnus's spark. The process of resurrecting Magnus also brought Trion himself back in a diminutive body connected to the powers of the Matrix. {{storylink|LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue#Resurrection Chapter|Resurrection Chapter}} Scourge later captured Alpha Trion to draw upon the Matrix's energy, but it ended up overloading his [[transtector]], which exploded. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 26|Bonus Edition Vol. 26}}

===Start Your Own Decoy Collection===
[[File: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====
[[File:OptimalSituation spark holder.jpg|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)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]], [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|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 (group)|Covenant]] witnessed the Matrix being torn by the [[Liege Maximo]] from the body of the enigmatic [[Primon]], its first holder. {{storylink|Covenant (story)|Covenant}}

[[File:Sparkholderprimevaldawn.jpg|left|upright=1.66|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.

[[File:Primevaldawn2 tarantulas matrix.jpg|215px|I'm not sure how I'll get this in my chest. Maybe I'll carry it with a sheath of some sort?|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 miscalculated: 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 ''Generation One'' continuity===
[[File:Ancients.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|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|Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|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}}
[[File:TWW1 prime gets matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|150 points to Gryffindor!]]

The earliest known bearer of the Matrix was [[Primon|Alpha Prime]], who was succeeded by Guardian Prime, and then Sentinel Prime. {{storylink|Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|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}}
[[File:PrimeDirective2 spike replaces matrix.jpg|left|upright=1.66|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}}
[[File:G1 Vol.2 Issue6 2.jpg|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}}

====''The Transformers 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|Transformers: Hardwired|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|Transformers: Annihilation|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|Transformers: Fusion|Fusion}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
[[File: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}}
[[File:ArtofWar5 hawk serpentor matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|My God... the Matrix has given us eye lasers!]]
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 the 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/Generation 1|angry god]]. {{storylink|Black Horizon, Part 1 of 2}}
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===''Transformers/G.I. Joe''===
[[File: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}} 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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===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:MTMTEannual solomus matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]
According to religious legend, the core of the Matrix was created from [[Solomus]], the god of wisdom, trapped in the form of a crystal by [[Mortilus]], the god of death. Following the defeat of Mortilus, Solomus managed to transform his crystal prison into the Matrix—a conduit for the energies of [[Primus]], who had himself transformed into the life-giving computer Vector Sigma. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}} {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (2): The God War|The God War}}

In actuality, the Matrix was created by [[Rung (G1)|Primus]], {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}} and passed onto the [[Knights of Cybertron]] when they left to explore new worlds. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}} Legend says that they called it the "Creation Matrix" for the life-giving abilities they believed its connection to Vector Sigma granted it. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} When the Knights landed on the medical hub of [[Mederi]], the moon's telepathic field, intended to induce happiness in euthanasia patients so they could die in peace, inadvertently convinced them they had discovered a perfect mechanical world, which they dubbed "[[Cyberutopia]]." To share this discovery with their homeworld, they inscribed a map to Mederi inside the Matrix's crystal core, and sent it back to Cybertron (via currently-unknown means), hoping the rest of their kind would follow it and join them in eternal happiness. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}}

It was, perhaps, fortunate that this roadmap to a peaceful death was never discovered by contemporary Cybertronians; upon its return to Cybertron, the Matrix was used by [[Solus Prime]] in the construction of the mighty [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] sword, becoming the jewel on the hilt of the blade, which came to be wielded by [[Prima]]. {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}} The Matrix's integration into the Saber survived in the folklore of both Cybertron and [[Caminus (planet)|Caminus]], {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}} with the latter culture regarding it as the "Matrix of Light". {{storylink|The Sum and Its Parts}} {{storylink|Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|Lagrange}} {{storylink|O Ship of State|Victorion profile in Revolution #3}} In [[Velocitron]]ian culture, the device remained known as the Creation Matrix. {{storylink|Primeless, Part 2}}

[[File:Tyrest and the matrix.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]

Those capable of bearing the Matrix within them are marked by certain [[Signs of Affinity|signs of affinity]]: having optics the same shade of "liberty blue" as the [[Matrix Flame]], finding ''[[Living metal#2005 IDW continuity|sentio metallico]]'' wet to the touch, becoming giddy when standing on a [[hot spot]], and the ability to make a [[photonic crystal]] "snap" when placed in their chest. {{storylink|The Plotters' Club (Part 3): Journey's End|Journey's End}}

The cruel supremacist [[Nova Prime]], a former lieutenant of Prima's, is the earliest known bearer of the Matrix in recent history, though exactly how he came to carry it after Prima's death is unknown. Nova observed that the pulsewaves from Vector Sigma which generated new sparks from the substance of Cybertron and its moon were lessening in regularity, and, fearing (correctly) that they would one day stop entirely, tasked his scientists with studying the Matrix, hoping that the life-giving power the legends said it possessed could be tapped into. A team led by [[Solomus|Tyrest]] set to the task, and succeeded in finding a way to generate sparks from the Matrix in abundance, producing a vast reservoir of them which were stockpiled and steadily rolled out into society as new bodies were constructed for them. The true origin of these "Matrixed" sparks was hidden from the general public, and a cover story was put into place that claimed they were created via "spark splicing", using the energy of an existing spark to ignite a new one. Transformers created in this manner were described as "constructed cold", while those born naturally were "forged". {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}}

Eventually, the Matrix would yield no more sparks, causing Tyrest and his team to believe it had run dry. In reality, one of the scientists had had an attack of conscience and stolen the Matrix, replacing it with a facsimile and hiding the real one away in the subterranean labyrinth of the [[Undergrid]]. {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}} Once Nova Prime left the planet aboard the [[Ark (G1)|Ark-1]] and vanished into the [[Benzuli Expanse]],<ref>Author Simon Furman implied in a [http://simonfurman.wordpress.com/2007/12/12/another-quick-qa/ December 2007 Q&A on his blog] and in the narration of ''[[Spotlight: Galvatron]]'' that in his original plans for this story, Nova ''did'' take the Matrix into the Dead Universe (Optimus Prime is never shown to carry it in Furman's stories), where it would have "become" something. Presumably, it was his intention for it to become the Darkness itself, which would not have been the separate entity it was in the finished story. 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.</ref> the fake Matrix was protected by the presumably-unwitting [[Primal Vanguard]], carried by its leader [[Delta Magnus]] during a period known as the [[Interregnum]] until a new bearer was chosen. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}} [[Nominus Prime]] is the earliest recorded Matrix-bearer after Nova, but whether he was his direct successor or not is unknown. It's also unclear whether Nominus Prime was aware that the Matrix was a fake. It's likely he did, since Nominus presumably falsified an "affinity for the Matrix" somehow in order to be named Prime.

Many Transformers embraced the religion surrounding the Matrix during the time of Nominus's reign, though with exceptions, such as police captain [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]], who remained sceptical of its touted divinity. Some Transformers would even "tattoo" an image of the Matrix on their bodies as evidence of their faith, such Orion's co-worker [[Springarm]] {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} and the trainee theoretician [[Skids (G1)|Skids]]. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}} Nominus's reign was a time of great civil unrest, however; a senator named [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] hoped that a new Matrix-bearer might steer the planet off the path to self-destruction the corrupt [[Senate]] had placed it upon, and so began selecting promising young Cybertronians like [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta]] and Orion Pax, befriending and rebuilding them with Matrix chambers in their chests. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

[[File:Autocracy9 pax finds matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
In order to take control of the Matrix's life-giving powers, the corrupt forces within the Senate arranged for an attack upon Nominus Prime, moving him into hiding so they could gain unfettered access to the talisman. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} Upon opening Nominus's chest, however, the Senate at last discovered that the Matrix had been replaced with a fake. Furious, they had Nominus killed, establishing a cover story that he had died of a rust infection, and announcing that their security head [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel]] was showing signs of Matrix affinity, paving the way for him to become Sentinel Prime. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} The fake Matrix was then transformed into a bomb as part of a plot to incriminate and round up the burgeoning Decepticon faction, {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} but a team led by Orion Pax uncovered the scheme, broke into the [[Primal Basilica]] and removed the Matrix-bomb, which Orion then detonated to win a battle with the [[Heavies]]. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}} It was not long after this that tensions exploded in the outbreak of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]; {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} {{storylink|The Transformers: Megatron Origin|Megatron Origin}} when reflecting back on this time, Kup distilled the reasons behind the outbreak of the conflict down to blaming the Matrix as the root cause. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}}

[[File:AHM7 megs rips out matrix.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|Megatron, [[Ratchet (WFC)|I needed that]]!]]

Sentinel was succeeded by Zeta Prime, who much like his predecessor used a new fake Matrix (with lights installed!) to claim the title, and only those involved with Sentinel's scheme were aware of the truth. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}} {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 4: Dance Among the Shadows|Dance Among the Shadows}} Zeta was subsequently killed by [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]], who then hurled Orion Pax into the Undergrid, where Orion found the hiding place of the true Matrix. The damaged Pax was called out to by Matrix, which asked him to take hold of it. Upon doing so, he was linked to the sparks of every single Cybertronian alive and was overcome by the pain, fear and loneliness his people were experiencing. As power of the Matrix repaired his body, he realized that it was not only a symbol of leadership or creation, but a "Matrix of our sparks" in which [['Til all are one|all were one]]. With his newfound clarity and the Matrix in his chest, Orion declared his name to be Optimus Prime and set out to bring freedom to Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformation (issue)|Transformation}} Just thereafter, the Matrix guided him to the ruins of [[Nyon]] and allowed him to sense and awaken the dormant lifeforce of [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], who was in deep slumber below the city. {{storylink|Rise}}

Optimus Prime would later try to unleash the power of the Matrix in an attempt to vanquish the ancient monster [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], but was for some reason unable to open it. {{storylink|Annihilation}} He revealed his possession of the Matrix to [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] as proof of his Primehood, {{storylink|Primacy issue 1|Primacy #1}} and later used its cleansing powers to purge the influence of [[Pentius]]'s spark from Megatron's body. {{storylink|Primacy issue 4|Primacy #4}} At some point Prime took a sabbatical and left the Matrix in the care of [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]], whom it took to so well legend says it had to be surgically removed from his chest. {{storylink|Little Victories}}

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 reasoned 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|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}}
[[File:TFvol1 13hotrod starscream matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|This seems familiar...]]
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|Altered Carbon}}
[[File:IDW19 matrix in chest.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67]]
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|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)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]], who provided a fuel cell for their ship. {{storylink|Space Opera Act 2: Out of the Silent Planet|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|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 experience 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}}
[[File:DoOP split matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|"Where'd you get the Matrix?" "We found it." "Found it? In Altihex? The Matrix is tropical!"]]
Upon the Autobots' return to Cybertron, they were faced with the threat of Galvatron, latest carrier of the Heart of Darkness, who combined it with Vector Sigma in order to allow D-Void to emerge into the universe through Cybertron. To prevent this, Optimus Prime opened the Matrix, which succeeded in stopping D-Void, but also left the Matrix spent, its crystal core darkened and split in two. {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis|Genesis}} With unrest growing between the Autobots and the unaligned Transformers in the process of returning to the planet, Prime brought the two halves of the Matrix to [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] for study, and the scientist discovered that the crystal was artificial, designed to [[photonic crystal|split in two]], and contained a map of the stars. [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] believed the map would lead the way to the long-lost Knights of Cybertron, and Rodimus elected to gather a crew and follow the path it charted, much to acting leader [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]]'s consternation. Optimus Prime gave each of them one of the Matrix-halves, before departing Cybertron himself in hopes of ending the civil unrest. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}} Optimus kept the shell of the Matrix and returned it to within his chest cavity. {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}}

When Rodimus set foot on [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], a billion sparks suddenly lit up on the moon's surface, something he credited to the Matrix half he was carrying. {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}} Having developed a belief that Cybertronians born from the Matrix were inherently evil, Tyrest used his knowledge of the talisman to construct the [[universal killswitch]]—a device capable of killing all cold constructed Transformers in existence by scrambling their unique sparkcode. Rodimus was able to put a stop to the process by hooking himself up to the machine and using his Matrix half to reinstate the code, but the crystal was shattered in the process. {{storylink|Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|This Calamitous Life}} He later scattered the dust of the Matrix on Luna 1 in honor of the sparks that were lost before they could be harvested. {{storylink|The Sound of Breaking Glass}} Optimus was...displeased when he learned of this. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}}

[[File:ForeverIsALongTimeComing-MatrixofLeadership.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67]]
The other half of the Matrix remained in Bumblebee's care until his death, after which it fell back into the hands of Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 2: Detonation Boulevard|Detonation Boulevard}} On his anniversary of becoming Prime, he returned to where he had found it all those years ago, hoping to find some of the same hope to press forward. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming (issue)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}} He later spoke with [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] about the Matrix where she made said if the Matrix chose him, it had a good reason. {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}} When contact with [[Caminus (planet)|Caminus]] was established, Optimus was unwilling to let Starscream exploit it and all the other colonies. With Windblade at his side he passed through [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]'s [[Space bridge|spacebridge]] to the chamber of the [[Forgefire Parliament]] where Windblade proclaimed him to be a Prime. The [[Mistress of Flame]] demanded proof of this and Optimus revealed the glowing Matrix to all. The natives of the planet bowed in his presence and revered him as a god, equal to [[Primus]] and the [[Thirteen]] Primes. {{storylink|The Sum and Its Parts}} After being immobilized by [[Victorion]], Optimus recounted the history of the Matrix but stated he believed to simply be a piece of advanced technology not a mystical artifact while also expressing confusion over why it had flared on Caminus. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|Lagrange}}

[[File:ToWalkAmongTheChosen-Ore13Matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]
When Optimus had his chest ripped open by a mutated [[Baron Karza]], the Matrix shone through the damages. {{storylink|Valley Forge}}

Atop the [[Matterhorn]], waiting for [[Quintesson Cruiser|an alien spacecraft]], Optimus regarded the Matrix only for it to suddenly glow. An unimpressed [[Pyra Magna]] simply revealed that the Matrix was simply reacting to the nearby [[Ore-13]]. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}} When talking to [[Aileron]], Optimus again expressed that he did not believe the Matrix to be a divine artifact, calling it a "pulsewave generator". He noted however that could he use its symbolic importance to do good. Pyra Magna overheard his comment and was... displeased. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 4: Dance Among the Shadows|Dance Among the Shadows}} After the Autobots and Junkions had gone to war, Optimus realized the precariousness of the situation and revealed the Matrix to all, allowing the assembled species to begin a peaceful resolution to the conflict. {{storylink|New Cybertron End: Feel Safe Without Regrets|Feel Safe Without Regrets}}

When Optimus Prime was thrown into the [[Crystal City]] [[black hole]], Starscream amusedly observed the remains of the Matrix be shattered by the gravitational forces. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 4: The Hallowing|The Hallowing}} Though the physical object had been destroyed, the powerful idea that the Matrix represented survived with Optimus when he found himself in [[infraspace]]. Realizing the symbolism that the artifact carried could represent a means to escape the realm of pure information, Optimus began to channel its power, {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 5: Endless Forever|Endless Forever}} expanding the black hole and allowing his and Bumblebee's minds to escape infraspace. This came at the heavy cost of disintegrating the Matrix's avatar, destroying the talisman once and for all. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 6: Unforgivable|Unforgivable}} {{storylink|Last Stand (Unicron)|Last Stand}}

[[File:LL24 Matrix Opening Pt1.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.45|They've got The Touch...]]

Though the original Matrix was no more, Rung would rediscover his ancient memories and his alternate mode's ability to manufacture more Matrices. Though the [[Omega Guardian]]s pushed for him to forge three duplicates as part of their evil plan to blow up the Functionist Council's false Primus avatar, [[Team Rodimus]] hit on the plan to use twelve duplicates to overload [[Vector Sigma]] via the [[hot spot]]s. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}} Though Rung managed to produce the Matrices, doing so claimed his life. His sacrifice would not be in vain however as all twelve were opened and used to free Cybertron from the Council's tyranny. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 6): A Spark Among Embers|A Spark Among Embers}}

[[File:LL24 Matrix Opening Pt2.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.45|They've got the power!!! Yeah!]]
In Megatron's [[Galactic Council]] presided trial, Rodimus would falsely testify that Megatron had opened one of the duplicate Matrices, swaying some of the more religious races on the jury. {{storylink|How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2}}
{{-}}

====The Functionist Universe====
[[File:ModesOfProduction-SixOfTwelveAndMatrix.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67]]
When the [[Functionist Council]] overthrew the [[Senate]], [[Twelve-of-Twelve]] obtained the false Matrix from Nominus and gave it to [[Six-of-Twelve]]. After obsessively studying the artifact, Six-of-Twelve came to believe Primus was speaking to him through it and integrated it into his head casing. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}}

When the council discovered Rung's ability to produce [[photonic crystal]]s, Six-of-Twelve tried to tap the Matrix to reignite Nova Prime's old cold construction program, but discovered that the Matrix was a useless fake. Undaunted, he turned the Matrix into a weapon that was able to suspend Cybertronians in a field of agonizing energy. When Rodimus was caught in this field, he immediately knew that Six-of-Twelve's Matrix was a false due to being familiar with the energies of the genuine article. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}
{{-}}

===''Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun'' manga===
[[File:Henkei11 matrix.jpg|thumb|left|IT BURNS!!]]

When the demented [[Galvatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Galvatron]] went on a rampage in [[Hoshinochō]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|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]], 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 manga|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''===
[[File:Robotheroes primus and matrix.jpg|thumb|By the power of Grayskull! I AM OPTIMUS PRIME!]]
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}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
The Matrix was passed down to [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] by [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] before his death. {{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}} [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] later defeated Prime and stole the Matrix, which he bonded with his [[black hole]] spark and used to subjugate [[Primus]] himself, allowing him to shape Cybertron according to his wishes. {{storylink|Pax Megatronus}}

Atop the Dyson Sphere above the Sun, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] managed to rip the Matrix from Megatron before a reborn Optimus Prime hurled Megatron into the sun. The Decepticon managed to hold onto the Matrix however, taking it with him only for [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] to seize the Matrix for himself. It was then snatched by [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] beginning a game of "hot potato" before [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] managed to return it to Optimus. {{storylink|The War Never Ends}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
To save Earth from the [[Swarm (G2)|Swarm]], Optimus Prime sacrificed himself and the Matrix. {{storylink|Book of Logos}} With the talisman lost to the Transformers, [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] was instead felled by the [[Point One Percenter]]s, prompting [[Deluge (G2)|Deluge]] to genetically engineer more of them. {{storylink|The Inexorable March}}

===''Prime Wars Trilogy'' cartoons===
In the aftermath of the [[Combiner Wars (event)|Combiner Wars]], [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] no longer felt worthy to carry the Matrix of Leadership and instead decided to return it to the [[Chorus of the Primes]], reverting to Hot Rod. {{storylink|Aftermath and Rebirth}} The [[Mistress of Flame]] criticized his decision, claiming they would need the Matrix to stop [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]'s rampage. {{storylink|Our Heroes Respond}} The Matrix projected a message to Optimus Prime, granting him a vision of future events, including the role the Matrix itself would play, prompting Optimus to head back towards the battlefield. {{storylink|The Fight Begins}} Learning from [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] that Rodimus had given up the Matrix, Optimus entered the Chorus chamber in the [[Primal Basilica]] and asked to take back the Matrix, which the Chorus obliged. {{storylink|Desperate Actions}} Guiding Perceptor to a secret exit below the Basilica, Optimus asked him to take the Matrix and get as far away as possible, lest Trypticon obtain it and use it's power to become unstoppable. {{storylink|Run for Our Lives}}

After running only a short while, the Matrix spoke to Perceptor and detailed its own plan; despite his apprehension, Perceptor did as it asked and tricked Trypticon into swallowing both himself and the Matrix. {{storylink|Consumed}} However, because the Matrix could only be used by its chosen wielder, Trypticon could not contain its power and ejected it and Perceptor from his body, along with the previously-swallowed [[Victorion]] and the [[Enigma of Combination]] and the ghost of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] possessing the Titan. Before Victorion could reclaim the Matrix and Enigma, they were surrounded by a barrier of flame as [[The Fallen|Megatronus]] revealed himself. After killing Optimus and issuing a series of vague threats, Megatronus grabbed the Matrix and the Enigma for himself and blasted off into the sky. {{storylink|All Things Must Pass}}

Megatronus later removed the Matrix from its storage and installed it and the Enigma into an unknown device in the [[Well of All Sparks|Well of Sparks]]. {{storylink|Without Warning}} Megatron eventually realized that Megatronus planned to use the Enigma to merge the Matrix's energy with the [[Requiem Blaster (Megatronus)|Requiem Blaster]], creating a weapon capable of killing every Transformer in the universe. Learning of Megatronus's use of the Matrix, the Unicron-controlled Rodimus Cron turned on him, declaring the Matrix must be destroyed. {{storylink|Consequences}} Megatronus returned to the [[Well of All Sparks|Well of Sparks]] and installed the Blaster into his doomsday weapon, beginning siphoning the life force from every Transformer's spark. Perceptor attempted to remove the Matrix and the other relics, but his efforts proved unsuccessful as Solus Prime began to return. {{storylink|Collision Course}} Unicron appeared, now fully in possession of Rodimus, and attempted to take the Matrix while Megatronus attempted to stop him. [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]], [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] and [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] resumed attacking the machine until it finally released the relics, and the Matrix interfaced with Primal, creating a shield protecting them from Megatronus. Having been chosen by the Matrix as its new bearer, Primal placed it in his chest, transforming him into Optimal Optimus. {{storylink|Megatronus Unleashed}}

In the aftermath of Megatronus's and Unicron's defeats, Optimus Prime was resurrected thanks to his connection to the Matrix. He praised the Matrix's choice of Optimal as the new Prime, and agreed to guide him in his newfound role as the leader of Cybertron. {{storylink|Saga's End}}

===''Star Trek vs. Transformers''===
While mind-melded with Optimus Prime, [[Spock]] glimpsed a memory of the Matrix. {{storylink|Prime's Directive, Part Two}}

===2019 IDW continuity===
The Matrix of Leadership was held by the leader of the Autobots. Upon his death, Nominus Prime had passed it to Sentinel Prime. When Sentinel felt that Orion Pax was overstepping his authority, he gave his subordinate a verbal slap and reminded him who carried the Matrix as well as promising to pass it onto Ultra Magnus, not Orion. {{storylink|Rise of the Decepticons: All Fall Down}}

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===2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon===
[[File:PowerToBurn prime matrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|My chestplate glows for you, Hotrod]]
Simply known as just 'the Matrix',<ref>The Matrix is never once called the 'Matrix of Leadership' in the ''Robots in Disguise'' 2001 cartoon. Though, it was initially called Optimus's 'Cyber Matrix' in "[[The Test (episode)|The Test]]", it was never again referred to as such afterward. It would not be until Optimus's profile published in [[The Official Transformers Collectors' Club Magazine issue 1|The OTFCC Magazine issue 1]] that this Matrix would be formally referred to as the "Matrix of Leadership".</ref> [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] was chosen by Vector Sigma to be its bearer and lead the Autobots as Commander-in-Chief of Cybertron. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus: Forced Fusion!}} 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}}
[[File:TwoFaces magnus matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|I set my chestplate from studly to kill. Go nipple blasters!]]
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]] channeled 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 a version of the Matrix of Leadership, instead carrys an [[Energon Matrix]].}}
{{--}}

====''Cybertron'' comic====
[[File:OptimusPrimeRIDprimuschamber.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Oops! Sorry. I had a premature matrix-ejaculation....]]
Teleported into the midst of a battle in another universe, Prime and Magnus found themselves on Cybertron, where the evil [[Nemesis Prime (Universe)|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, as the ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon only implied it to be such but never actually made explicit use of it in this manner.}}
{{-}}

===Shell Game===
After the [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] of [[Viron 704.31 Epsilon]] was killed by [[Megazarak (Universe)|Megazarak]], once-leader of the [[Protection Team]] [[Defensor (OTFCC)|Hot Spot]] was passed the Matrix of Leadership by [[Ultra Trion]], becoming his team's combined form [[Defensor (OTFCC)|Defensor]] himself. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime/Facebook src#September 9, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 07/09/2015}} Megazarak sought the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]], believing that it would yield the location of [[Base Sigma]], the last outpost of Autobot resistance and the hiding place of the Matrix-bearer. He failed, being slightly delayed by Ultra Trion's final gambit. {{storylink|Shell Game}} Defensor would eventually triumph over Megazarak and begin to rebuild his world. However, the Matrix gave him visions of another Megazarak, one who had succeeded in conquering [[Viron 403.0 Beta|his own universe]] and spreading out to other universes. Defensor felt the duty to seek out this Megazarak and stop him as well. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime/Facebook src#September 7, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 07/09/2015}}

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===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====
[[File:Crisis Hot Shot Matrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|Optimus said that I could drive this up somewhere....]]
When [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]] threatened to destroy the Earth with the [[Hydra Cannon]], [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|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 (Armada)|Crisis}}

[[File:Miracle sparkplug and matrix.jpg‎|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''.

[[File:ArmadaMatrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|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====
[[File:MysteriousMercenary matrix generates blaster.jpg‎|thumb|Also, it does not go anywhere in the robot mode. Get outta here, blaster. No one likes your style.]]
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]] of 2020, when Prime was badly injured by [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|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====
[[File:Cybertron matrix of leadership.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|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}}

[[File:Unfinished matrix glow prime.jpg‎|thumb|upright=1.2|The Matrix is made up of [[Burning Justice]]!]]
After the Autobots had obtained the Cyber Planet Keys from [[Velocitron]], [[Animatron|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===
In [[Aurex 404.11 Kappa]], Vector Prime held the Matrix during Cybertron's [[Golden Age]]. He led the Autobots for many years until he received a higher calling from the [[Chronarchitect]] to lead the [[Time Warrior (AVP)|Time Warrior]]s in protecting space and time. Vector passed the Matrix on to his trusty lieutenant, [[Guardian Major]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime/Facebook src#July 12, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 12/07/2015}}

===''Galaxy Force'' manga===
[[File: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 (Armada)|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}}
{{-}}

===''Hot Shot's Bot Thoughts''===
During an interview with [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], Hot Shot proved it was easy to get hold of a Matrix by telling Optimus Prime that his shoes were untied, and then yonking the Matrix right out of his chest while he was distracted. The Matrix upgraded Hot Shot into Shotimus Prime. During a later interview with [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]], the exasperated interviewee grabbed the Matrix, reverting Shotimus back to Hot Shot, and then beat him with it. {{storylink|Hot Shot's Bot Thoughts}}
----

===Live-action film series===
[[File:Tf2009 mol.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|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 movie comic====
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====
[[File:ROTF Matrix crumbles.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|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.

[[File:TheFallen-ROTFMatrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|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 (Earth)|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|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}

{{Note|The [[Transformers: 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====
[[File:DOTM-SentinelOptimusMatrix.jpg|left|upright=1.66|thumb|You thought they forgot about it already, didn't you?]]
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.

Megatron later explained to Starscream that he wanted Prime to use the Matrix on Sentinel as he was vital to Megatron's plan for invasion. {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}}
{{-}}

----

===''Animated'' cartoon===
[[File:Tfanimated matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
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 Almanac II}}
{{-}}

----
===Aligned continuity family===
====''The Covenant of Primus''====
The Matrix was created by the Primes sometime after Unicron's defeat and before the War of the Primes though according to [[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] it was a very different device at its creation then in the present day. It formed the hilt of the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] but [[Prima]] surrendered it to [[Primus]] in the [[Core]] after the Primes fought.

During the [[Age of Rust]], Alpha Trion went to [[Vector Sigma]] to try and retrieve the Matrix in hopes that it could reignite the fire of Cybertronian society. The supercomputer denied his request saying the time was not right but it gave him the [[Badge of Vector Prime]].

When [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] had poisoned the core of Cybertron with [[Dark Energon]], Primus inserted a portion of his Spark into the Matrix and gave it to [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] to carry and guard. This had the effect of restoring Optimus' memories of his earlier life among the [[Thirteen]]. {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}}

====Aligned novels====
[[File: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 (WFC)|Orion Pax]] met the charismatic gladiator named [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]]. Unbeknownst to Orion, Megatron plotted revolution, and, desiring the Matrix's power to fuel his ambition, had [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] send [[Rumble (WFC)|Rumble]] and [[Frenzy (WFC)|Frenzy]] to search for the Matrix in [[Crystal City]] to no avail.

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 (polity)|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|Exodus}}
{{-}}

====''Prime'' cartoon====
[[File:OneShallRise3-unleash.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Care Bear Stare!]]
During the Great War, the core of Cybertron, which contained the Spark of the Transformers' creator Primus, became poisoned with [[Dark Energon]]. Orion Pax journeyed there hoping to cure the god, but instead was given the Matrix of Leadership by Primus himself, becoming [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus]], the last of the Primes. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 3}}

When the Autobots discovered that [[Unicron/Aligned|Unicron]] dwelt at the center of the Earth, Optimus Prime gambled that the Matrix held the power to destroy the dark god. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 2}} Led to the core of the planet by [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]], Prime emptied the full power of the Matrix into Unicron's spark. [[File:OrionPax3 Matrix of Leadership.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5]] The chaos-bringer responded by possessing Megatron in an attempt to stop him, but the Matrix generated a shield to protect Prime so that the mission could be completed, and Unicron was successfully returned to stasis. Unfortunately, in draining the Matrix of its energy, Optimus lost not merely the wisdom of the Primes, but all of his own memories since becoming a Prime.{{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 3}} Anticipating this, Optimus had left a solution to this problem in the hands of the Autobot's human ally [[Jack Darby]]: the [[Key to Vector Sigma]], which would allow the Matrix to be refilled, and Optimus's memory restored, via the mega-computer Vector Sigma on Cybertron. {{storylink|Orion Pax, Part 1}} Jack and [[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] travelled to Cybertron to load the key, then returned to Earth in the midst of a battle between Orion and Megatron. Though the archivist was hesitant at first, Jack convinced him that he was in fact worthy and used the key to restore the Matrix's power and Optimus's memories. {{Storylink|Orion Pax, Part 3}}

When Optimus Prime lay dying after the destruction of the Autobot base, he told [[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]] that the Matrix would choose someone else to be leader, whom he believed to be Smokescreen. When Optimus did die, his chest ejected the Matrix as it began to search for a successor, only for Smokescreen simply to placethe [[Forge of Solus Prime]] in Optimus's hand which, combined with the Matrix, revived and reformatted Optimus though at the cost of draining the Forge of all its power. {{storylink|Rebellion (Prime)|Rebellion}}

When the Great War ended and Cybertron was restored, Optimus used the Matrix of Leadership to guide him to the location of the [[AllSpark]], in the hazardous system of [[Theta Scorpii]]. To safeguard the AllSpark from Unicron, Optimus merged it with the Matrix. In doing so however, he rendered his own [[spark]] inseparable from all those within the AllSpark, ultimately sacrificing himself and the Matrix to the [[Core]] to reignite it, ending the age of Primes. {{storylink|Predacons Rising (Prime)|Predacons Rising}}
{{-}}

====''Rescue Bots'' cartoon====
[[File:OddBotOut Optimus Matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
When Optimus located the [[Liquefier]], its energies out of control and threatening [[Griffin Rock]], he used the Matrix to shut it down. {{storylink|Odd Bot Out}}
{{-}}

----

===''Knights of Unicron''===
[[File:Dark Side of the Matrix album cover.jpg|thumb|left]]
The Matrix of Leadership served as inspiration for the legendary rock band the [[Knights of Unicron (band)|Knights of Unicron]], immortalized on the cover of their studio album "Dark Side of the Matrix". {{storylink|Knights of Unicron (band)|Knights of Unicron}}
{{-}}

----
===''Cyberverse'' cartoon===
[[File:MatrixOfLeadership-OPglows.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
The Matrix of Leadership was an artifact of the [[Thirteen]]. Within, it held the accumulated wisdom of not only the original Primes, but all those who'd borne it, allowing for its current bearer to access this wisdom in times of crisis. Conversely, these spirits could bring the bearer before them through the Matrix. {{storylink|Dweller In The Depths (Cyberverse)|Dweller In The Depths}}

In the modern era, the Matrix was safeguarded by [[Alpha Trion (Cyberverse)|Alpha Trion]]. In the early days of the [[Great War (Cyberverse)|Great War]], [[Megatron (Cyberverse)|Megatron]] murdered all of the [[Autobot High Council|High Council]] save Trion who had been mortally wounded by the attack. When [[Optimus Prime (Cyberverse)|Optimus]] was brought before his ailing mentor who bestowed the Matrix onto his protege. Despite Optimus's hesitations, he accepted the talisman and became Optimus Prime, the last sight Trion witnessed before he passed. The power of the Matrix allowed Optimus to manifest a powerful blue shield in the likeness of the Autobot insignia. {{storylink|Matrix of Leadership (episode)|Matrix of Leadership}}

After claiming that one of his [[scraplet]]s was a reborn Alpha Trion, [[Starscream (Cyberverse)|Starscream]] had others reveal the Matrix for him to claim. Before he could, [[Cheetor (Cyberverse)|Cheetor]] pounced on the Seeker and disabled his scarplet horde. {{storylink|Starscream's Children}} Prime would later get his own back on Starscream by separating the treacherous Seeker from the AllSpark with a blast from the Matrix, the energies sending both into [[stasis lock]]. {{storylink|I Am The Allspark}} Starscream awoke in a prison cell while Prime remained in coma with a vision of the Matrix. It closed on him and he later woke up as a turbolaser barrage from the [[Nemesis (Cyberverse)|''Nemesis'']] was ripping the [[Ark (Cyberverse)|''Ark'']] apart. {{storylink|Escape From Earth}}

When the [[Quintesson]]s, invaded Cybertron, Optimus combined the power of the Matrix with one from another reality, stolen by Megatron, to overwhelm the now [[Judge (Cyberverse)|Judge]] Starscream, finally killing him and ending the invasion. {{storylink|The End Of The Universe IV}}

Not long afterwards, Cybertron was invaded by Megatron X, the owner of Megatron's stolen Matrix, whom Optimus engaged in a duel of Matrices. When Windblade sabotaged the alternate Megatron's Matrix, Optimus' beam prevailed, its energy short-circuiting the tyrant. {{storylink|The Other One}}

====Alternate universe====
In another world, upon realizing that Optimus would forever oppose him, [[Megatron X (Cyberverse)|Megatron]] killed Optimus outright before he stole his Matrix. {{storylink|Megatron Is My Hero}} {{storylink|The Other One}}

Untold years later, Megatron's universe was visited by an alternate version of himself who managed to steal his Matrix and flee. Knowing that his counterpart would eventually track him down, the alternate Megatron tried to access the Matrix's wisdom but the Primes refused to speak to him. {{storylink|Silent Strike}} The Primes of this reality imparted onto their Optimus a directive to destroy this otherwordly Matrix. {{storylink|Dweller In The Depths (Cyberverse)|Dweller In The Depths}}

A psychic shard of the native [[Windblade (Cyberverse)|Windblade]] wound up lodged in the Matrix, being met by Optimus' spirit who told her to destroy the Matrix. Eventually, Megatron located the reality and reclaimed his property only to be engaged in a Matrix dual by the native Optimus. Though Megatron initially held the advantage, Windblade followed Optimus' orders and destroyed the psychic pillars of the Primes, short-circuiting the Matrix. {{storylink|The Other One}}

==Games==
===''The Transformers'' (PS2)===
[[File:TFPS2 matrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1]]
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''===
[[File:Netjetmatrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
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: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''. {{storylink|Transformers Battle Universe}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers: War for Cybertron'' (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)===
[[File:WFC Matrix of Leadership.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|How are you supposed to hold it up and release its cleansing flame if the handles aren't even attached to the sphere?]]
Though [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|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}}
{{--}}

===''Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark'' (console)===
Among the many rumours that circled the origins of the [[Dark Spark]] was that it was the natural antithesis to the Matrix of Leadership.

In the midst of the [[Great Exodus]], Megatron managed to acquire the Dark Spark and bond it to himself, forcing Optimus to personally confront him in the labs of [[Kolkular]]. After fighting a horde of Autobot [[Terrorcon (Prime)|Terrorcons]], Optimus unleashed the power of the Matrix against the Dark Spark, his superior experience in wielding the artefact granting him victory and blasting the Dark Spark off of Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (console)|Rise of the Dark Spark}}

===''Angry Birds Transformers''===
[[File:AngryBirdsMatrix.jpg|left|thumb|200px]]
The Matrix can be unlocked as an accessory that when equipped; grants an effect to several characters.
<center>
{|class="wikitable" border="5" style="width:75%" align="center"
|-
! scope="col" width="20%" | '''Accessory'''
! scope="col" width="10%" | '''Body Part'''
! scope="col" width="10%" | '''Rarity'''
! scope="col" width="10%" | '''[[Gem]] Cost'''
! scope="col" width="20%" | '''Base Effect'''
! scope="col" width="30%" | '''Notes'''
|-
|[[Red (AB)|Red]] as [[Red (AB)#As Optimus Prime|Optimus Prime]]
|Chest
|Epic
|<s>325</s> Free
| Incendiary Rounds
|Became a free Accessory in June 2017
|-
|Red as [[Red (AB)#As Ultra Magnus|Ultra Magnus]]
|Chest
|Legendary
|900
| +10% Fire Rate
|
|-
|Red as [[Red (AB)#Energon Optimus Prime|Energon Optimus Prime]]
|Chest
|Epic
|650
| +10% Fire Rate
|
|-
|Red as [[Red (AB)#Ultimate Optimus Prime|Ultimate Optimus Prime]]
|Chest
|Uncommon
|100
| +10% Defense
|
|-
|}
</center>
{{-}}
{{storylink|Angry Birds Transformers (mobile game)|Angry Birds Transformers}}

===''Transformers: Devastation''===
In the past, [[Nova Prime]] bore the Matrix of Leadership but parted with the artifact when he left Cybertron aboard the ''[[Proudstar]]''. When Optimus Prime explored the scuttled ''Proudstar'' millions of years later, the Matrix reacted to [[Unicron/Generation 1|a dark presence]] in the ship, shutting down for a second. As the Autobots ventured deeper into the ship, [[Teletraan Alpha]] used the Matrix to see their future. As the Autobots neared the ship's core and discovered the same dark presence, the Matrix allowed Optimus to learn that the entity responsible for corrupting Nova was searching and destroying its way to Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformers: Devastation}}

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

==Notes==
[[File:G1toon matrix strings.jpg|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. If an Autobot is not brave, strong, or wise enough, the program would either drive him insane or lobotomise him.<ref name="BC10">[http://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc10/bc10bb.html griffin's 2010 BotCon report]</ref> Although the "ten millennia" bit made it into the comic, the rest of it was never realized. (Budiansky also left a note that the Matrix isn't the only way of making new Transformers, which was never touched on until ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (franchise)|Generation 2]]''.)
*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 and Swindle]]" has empty Generation 1 Matrix containers for sale, as seen in an illustration from the prose story "[[I, Lowtech]]".
*The Matrix of Leadership [[:File: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]]".

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Matrix''' (マトリクス ''Matorikusu''), '''Leader no Matrix''' (''Revenge'', リーダーのマトリクス, "Matrix of Leader"), '''Matrix of Leadership''' (マトリックスオブリーダーシップ ''Matorikkusu obu Rīdāshippu''), '''Creation Matrix''' (クリエーションマトリクス ''Kuriēshon matorikusu'')
*''Arabic:'' '''Masfufat Alqiada''' (مصفوفة القيادة, "Command Matrix")
*''English:'' '''Power Pack''' ([[Omni Productions]] dub)
*''French:'' '''Matrice de Commandement''' ("Command Matrix")
*''German:'' '''Hauptprogramm''' ("Core Program", used once in fiction), '''Matrix der Führerschaft''' ("Matrix of Leadership")
*''Indonesian:'' '''Matriks Kepemimpinan''' ( "Matrix of Leadership")
*''Italian:'' '''Matrice''' ("Matrix"), '''Scettro del Comando''' (first ''The Transformers'' dub, "Scepter of Command"), '''Matrix''' (second ''The Transformers'' dub), '''Matrice del Comando''' (''Generations'', "Matrix of Command")
*''Mandarin:'' '''Mǔtǐ''' (Taiwan, 母體, "Matrix" or "Mother Body"), '''Jǔzhèn''' (China Mainland, 矩阵, "Matrix"), '''Lǐngdǎo Mókuài''' (China Mainland, 领导模块, "Module of Leader")
*''Polish:'' '''Matryca Przywództwa''', '''Matryca Przywódcy''' (''War for Cybertron'', "Matrix of Leadership")
*''Portuguese:'' '''Matriz da Liderança''' ("Matrix of Leadership")
*''Russian:'' '''Matritsa Liderstva''' (Матрица Лидерства, "Matrix of Leadership")
*''Spanish:'' '''Matriz de Liderazgo''' ("Matrix of Leadership")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Enerhoblok''' (ICTV, Енергоблок, "Power unit")

==Footnotes==
[[File:DiamondStickerbookMatrixOfLight.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Not shown: Anything in the caption.]]
<references />

[[Category:Animated]]
[[Category:Armada]]
[[Category:Artifacts of the Primes]]
[[Category:Beast Wars]]
[[Category:Classics]]
[[Category:Crystals]]
[[Category:Cybertron franchise]]
[[Category:Cyberverse (2018)]]
[[Category:Energon franchise]]
[[Category:Generation 1 objects]]
[[Category:Generation 2]]
[[Category:Henkei! Henkei!]]
[[Category:Interjections]]
[[Category:Legends franchise]]
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[[Category:Matrices]]
[[Category:Movie]]
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[[Category:Primus]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise (2001)]]
[[Category:Transformers (2010)]]
[[Category:Universe (2003)]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron]]
[[Category:Wings Universe]]

Plasma Energy Chamber

2020-05-05T21:01:17Z

Chris2119:

[[File:G1 cartoon Plasma Energy Chamber.JPG|thumb|upright=1.67]]

The '''Plasma Energy Chamber''' is a reservoir of [[plasma energy]]. It was used to forge the bodies of the first Transformers. It was also a vital component in bringing about a new Golden Age on Cybertron. Several hundred years later it was used to prevent the planets organic core from being turned into techno matter by Megatron.

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
According to [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], the Plasma Energy Chamber was the foundry where the original Autobots' bodies were forged, millions of years ago. Since that time, every Autobot leader's duties included guarding the key to the Chamber. The Chamber was located on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], twelve levels below [[Generator C]].

Unfortunately, the key was stolen during an all-out [[Decepticon]] assault on [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]]. {{Storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}} The Autobots managed to get back the key on [[Nebulos]] but failed to keep it when [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] got into the fray. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}} The Autobots and Decepticons returned to Cybertron and continued to battle over the key but [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] used it to open the chamber and unleash the energies on [[Earth]]'s [[Sun]]. [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike]] found a way to reabsorb the plasma energy back into [[Vector Sigma]] and restore Cybertron to its [[Golden Age]]. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

===''Beast Wars'' cartoon continuity===
[[File:PlasmaEnergyChamber BM.jpg|thumb|The "M" stands for "Murder".]]

====''Beast Machines'' cartoon====
By the time of the Beast-Era, which had become smaller in design, and fallen into myth and legend.[[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] received a vision from the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]] showing that the Plasma Energy Chamber could aid them in the battle against [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] and his [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon]] forces. During a desperate hour, when Megatron had defeated all the [[Maximal]]s with the [[Key to Vector Sigma]], Optimus opened the Plasma Energy Chamber. {{storylink|End of the Line}} The energy of the Key clashed with the energy from the Plasma Energy Chamber, threatening to tear Cybertron apart, but Optimus was able to channel the energies into the [[Transformer afterlife|Matrix]]. {{storylink|Fallout (episode)|Fallout}}

====3H comics====
The Plasma Energy Chamber was an attempt by the [[Quintesson]]s at controlling [[Primus]], but it failed and created the [[Trans-Organic]]s. {{storylink|Disclosure}}

===Aligned novels===
[[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] tried to use the Plasma Energy Chamber to spread his [[Dark Energon]] influence across Cybertron. Despite [[Omega Supreme (WFC)|Omega Supreme's]] efforts, Megatron was successful and continued for the [[Core|Core of Cybertron]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
[[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] was the guardian of the Plasma Energy Chamber. {{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Devastation''===
The [[Plasma Core]] was forged from the Plasma Energy Chamber and later installed aboard [[Nova Prime]]'s vessel, the ''[[Proudstar]]''. {{storylink|Transformers: Devastation}}

[[Category:Beast Machines technology]]
[[Category:Cybertron]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon technology]]
[[Category:Legends]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron technology]]

Plasma Energy Chamber

2020-05-03T18:44:25Z

Chris2119:

[[File:G1 cartoon Plasma Energy Chamber.JPG|thumb|upright=1.67]]

The '''Plasma Energy Chamber''' is a reservoir of [[plasma energy]].

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
According to [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], the Plasma Energy Chamber was the foundry where the original Autobots' bodies were forged, millions of years ago. Since that time, every Autobot leader's duties included guarding the key to the Chamber. The Chamber was located on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], twelve levels below [[Generator C]].

Unfortunately, the key was stolen during an all-out [[Decepticon]] assault on [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]]. {{Storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}} The Autobots managed to get back the key on [[Nebulos]] but failed to keep it when [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] got into the fray. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}} The Autobots and Decepticons returned to Cybertron and continued to battle over the key but [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] used it to open the chamber and unleash the energies on [[Earth]]'s [[Sun]]. [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike]] found a way to reabsorb the plasma energy back into [[Vector Sigma]] and restore Cybertron to its [[Golden Age]]. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

===''Beast Wars'' cartoon continuity===
[[File:PlasmaEnergyChamber BM.jpg|thumb|The "M" stands for "Murder".]]

====''Beast Machines'' cartoon====
By the time of the Beast-Era, which had become smaller in design, and fallen into myth and legend.[[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] received a vision from the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]] showing that the Plasma Energy Chamber could aid them in the battle against [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] and his [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon]] forces. During a desperate hour, when Megatron had defeated all the [[Maximal]]s with the [[Key to Vector Sigma]], Optimus opened the Plasma Energy Chamber. {{storylink|End of the Line}} The energy of the Key clashed with the energy from the Plasma Energy Chamber, threatening to tear Cybertron apart, but Optimus was able to channel the energies into the [[Transformer afterlife|Matrix]]. {{storylink|Fallout (episode)|Fallout}}

====3H comics====
The Plasma Energy Chamber was an attempt by the [[Quintesson]]s at controlling [[Primus]], but it failed and created the [[Trans-Organic]]s. {{storylink|Disclosure}}

===Aligned novels===
[[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] tried to use the Plasma Energy Chamber to spread his [[Dark Energon]] influence across Cybertron. Despite [[Omega Supreme (WFC)|Omega Supreme's]] efforts, Megatron was successful and continued for the [[Core|Core of Cybertron]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
[[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] was the guardian of the Plasma Energy Chamber. {{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Devastation''===
The [[Plasma Core]] was forged from the Plasma Energy Chamber and later installed aboard [[Nova Prime]]'s vessel, the ''[[Proudstar]]''. {{storylink|Transformers: Devastation}}

[[Category:Beast Machines technology]]
[[Category:Cybertron]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon technology]]
[[Category:Legends]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron technology]]

Hibernation Chamber

2020-04-30T20:09:38Z

Chris2119:

:''Hibernation Chamber is something from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:DwellerDepths Hibernation chamber.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Your lower intestine.]]
The '''Hibernation Chamber''' is a large room constructed by the [[Quintesson]]s in the very depths of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] during their rule of the mechanical planet. Placed in the lowest known levels of the machine world, the Hibernation Chamber appeared organic in construction and had large biological cocoons hooked to a machine where they were suspended above through cords.

These cocoons pulsed as they kept their occupants in a deep sleep. The Hibernation Chamber was used by the Quintessons to trap the most powerful [[Trans-Organic]]s which they could not destroy and were to remain there for all of time.

A secondary larger chamber nearby, which was sealed, contained the beast known as the [[Dweller (G1)|Dweller]].

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
The [[Decepticon]]s were informed by the Quintessons that an [[Autobot]] power core was located in the chamber. Travelling to the depths of Cybertron, they found the chamber only to learn that they were tricked. In [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]'s anger, he damaged the hibernation cocoons which awakened the Trans-organics.

Galvatron, [[Cyclonus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cyclonus]], [[Scourge (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Scourge]], and his [[Sweep (G1)|Sweep]]s attempted to flee from the powerful Transorganics by destroying the door into another chamber. While inside, they quickly learnt they were not alone and unwittingly released the deadly Dweller; which was part of the Quintesson plan. {{storylink|The Dweller in the Depths}}

[[Category:Cybertron]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon locations]]

Unicron

2020-04-30T19:49:41Z

Chris2119:

{{factions|unicron|decepticon|cybearth|deceptihog}}
{{disambig3|Unicron}}
{{featured}}
{{suite}}
[[File:Unicron-UltimateGuide.jpg|upright=1.95|thumb|He's been ignoring Galactus's C&D letters.]]

'''Unicron''' is the eternal arch-enemy of his twin brother [[Primus]]. Also known as the [[Lord of Chaos]], the Chaos Bringer, and the Planet Eater, he is dedicated to consuming the [[multiverse]]. His massive form is powered by the consumption of planets, moons, stars, and even the very fabric of existence. Unicron will not be sated until his ultimate goal is attained: to bring an end to the annoying creation boasting independence around him, and find peace by becoming the living center of a [[Void|swirling, infinite torrent of nothingness]] at the end of all things.

To undertake this seemingly overwhelming task, Unicron is able to travel across realities at will, a meandering plague upon existence itself.<ref>Titanium Series 3" Unicron profile</ref><ref>Universe Armada Series Unicron bio</ref> Integrated into his systems are incomprehensible quantum computers which calculate probabilities forward and backwards in time, in perpetuity, giving his processors an ever changing, evolving map of the multiverse.<ref>Profile, [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 10|''Hasbro Transformers Collector's Club'' #10]]</ref> With these abilities at his disposal, Unicron has thus far devoured approximately 22.56% of known universes. Seen at a detached distance from the multiverse, this collective "'''Unicron Phenomenon'''" acts with the characteristics of a virus or plague seeping through reality, succeeding where it can, retreating when it cannot.<ref>According to the [[Transcendent Technomorph]]s' records in "[[Withered Hope]]."</ref> Various permutations of Unicron can spawn into existence outside the trappings of the larger entity, hailing from a more mundane origin but possessing the same consumptive traits.<ref>Decoded [[Ask Vector Prime]] text within "[[Transformers Animated: The Complete AllSpark Almanac]]".</ref> For much of multiversal history, the singularity Unicron threatened all of existence, but now, [[Shroud|that is no longer the case]], versions of Unicron being restricted to their own dimensions.

Within Unicron is a set of organic caverns strewn with his internal defenses. Those unlucky enough to be consumed by Unicron are captured and dissolved in putrid acid pools. Deep within Unicron is his core.

The only thing that he fears is Primus's essence, contained inside the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]. To a being of chaos and uncreation, this font of life is a poison.

Frequently, Unicron will make deals with [[Herald of Unicron|lesser beings]], promising them vast new powers in exchange for their servitude. These minions are [[Thunderwing (G1)|sometimes]] stripped entirely of their free will, but [[Sideways (Armada)|others]] follow him willingly. Service to Unicron, however, is a double-edged sword, for it causes insanity and loss of self. And in the end, Unicron's plans ultimately call for their consumption as well.

{{bigquote|Unicron is frightening. Unicron will destroy... will destroy ''space''.|[[High Wire (Armada)|High Wire]]|"[[Uprising (Armada)|Uprising]]"}}

==In the beginning==
[[File:UK150Unicron.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Saay, that shield looks [[Decepticon|familiar]].]]
Before the dawn of time, Order and Chaos existed within an extra-dimensional 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 universe 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.

[[File:Primusoriginal.jpg|thumb|"No, [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] is ''[[FIRRIB|red]]!''"]]
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 be 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, creating a group of [[Thirteen|thirteen robots]] that possessed the ability to change shape, like Unicron.

The war between Unicron and Primus came to its seeming end during a climactic battle in which one of the Thirteen, who would forever afterwards be known as [[The 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.

===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 Generation 1 comics and elsewhere.

====Unicron's story====
The first time the Primus/Unicron backstory appeared 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 a legion of [[Dark God]]s against his mortal foe, Primus, Lord of the [[Light God]]s. 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.

====The Keeper's story====
The second time the story was told was in the United States 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 United States 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 un-creation that remained, until fragments of the old universe that he had overlooked reacted, causing the Big Bang and birthing the current universe. The "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====
The first modern retelling of the origins of Primus and Unicron did not come from Generation 1-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 extra-dimensional entity, here named the "[[Transformer afterlife|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.

==Fun Publications==
Since time immemorial, the [[Thirteen]], children of [[Primus]], fought Unicron. [[Prima]], leader of the Thirteen, wielded the mighty [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] in the Thirteen's conflicts with Unicron. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#May 18, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 18/05/2015}} [[Solus Prime]] forged the [[Terminus Blade]] for herself and her brethren to cross dimensions in their campaign against the primordial entity. {{storylink|Out of the One, Many}}

As guardian of time and space, [[Vector Prime]]'s most frequent opponent was Unicron, though the Chaos-Bringer often seemed barely aware of Vector's existence. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#May 31, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 31/05/2015}} For various periods of time, Vector would follow Unicron and attempt to repair the damage to spacetime which Unicron's presence wrought. {{storylink|Vector Prime: In the Beginning}}

==Generation 1 continuity family==
[[File:OnTheEdgeOfExtinction-Unicrondoublespread.jpg|left|thumb|350px|Unicron goes to town on Cybertron like Eleanor Shellstrop on some shrimp.]]

{{main|Unicron/Generation 1}}

In the [[Primax]] universal cluster, Unicron had many incarnations, all often attacking [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] at some point and being destroyed by the [[Transformer]]s that lived there. He also would repeatedly serve as a Faustian devil; making deals with lesser lifeforms in return for servitude. Among his most famous of those was [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], who would often be reformatted into the powerful [[Decepticon]] known as [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]].

{{--}}

==2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' continuity family==
The [[Viron]] universal cluster was not particularly notable for instantiations of Unicron.

===Ask Vector Prime===
The Unicron of [[Viron 704.08 Gamma]] began life as a tyrant and a conqueror on [[Planet X (Cybertron)|Planet X]]. Originally possessing a destroyer tank configuration, Unicron united his planet, and eventually he utilized a mystical [[Cyber Key]] to merge his consciousness with it. Unicron proceeded to begin to consume this reality before [[Omega Prime]] and [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Fortress Maximus]] stopped him.

Dimensional observer [[Vector Prime]] wasn't sure if it was merely [[Trans-dimensional harmonic resonance|trans-dimensional harmonic resonance]] which had caused Unicron's actions or if something greater was behind it all. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#July 28, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 28/07/2015}}

==Unicron Trilogy continuity family==
In the [[Aurex]] universal cluster, Unicron often played a notable role in Cybertronian history. Often, his incarnations would attack Cybertron during the conflict for the [[Mini-Con]]s, be the subject of a revival campaign involving energon and the [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcons]], and then be trapped the [[Unicron Singularity]].

===Toy pack-in comics===
[[File:Armadaminicomic4-Unicron.jpg|left|thumb|upright=0.85|Check out my tiny buildings!]]
The Transformers were unaware of Unicron's gradual approach during the climax of their civil war. [[Megatron (Armada)|Galvatron]] was defeated and imprisoned, and just when he had escaped, the Planet-Eater suddenly appeared over their planet. Only time would tell if the Transformers could possibly defeat him! {{storylink|Armada Volume 4}}

Apparently, they could, and years later Galvatron was reborn as Megatron deep inside the [[Unicron's core|core]] of the defeated Unicron. {{storylink|Energon Volume 1}} The threat of Unicron still loomed over the [[Transformer]]s as they battled over Earth's Energon reserves. {{Storylink|Energon Volume 2}} {{Storylink|Energon Volume 4}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave ''Armada'' continuity===
====Dreamwave ''Armada'' comic====
[[File:TheEnd-Unicron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|The southern hemisphere is known as the "footsmell" region.]]

The nearly-dead body of [[Primax 703.09 Gamma|a ravaged universe]]'s [[Optimus Prime (G1)#Dreamwave Armada comic|Optimus Prime]] was sent ahead by Unicron to his [[Aurex 402.24 Gamma|next target universe]], as a "calling card". Additionally, Unicron sent a group of heralds—incarnations of [[Bludgeon (G1)#Dreamwave Armada continuity|Bludgeon]], [[Dirge (G1)#Dreamwave Armada continuity|Dirge]], [[Galvatron (G1)#Dreamwave Armada contoinuity|Galvatron]], [[Scourge (G1)#Dreamwave Armada continuity|Scourge]], and [[Thunderwing (G1)#Dreamwave Armada continuity|Thunderwing]]—to this second universe to find the [[Mini-Con Matrix]] and kill that universe's Optimus Prime and Megatron. The heralds did not realize that their target Optimus Prime had been accidentally transported to the initial, dying Cybertron. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 1 of 4}}

Optimus Prime found one lone survivor, [[Spinister (G1)#Dreamwave Armada comic|Spinister]], and begged him to tell him what was going on. Spinister told him that the "heart of darkness, the root of all evil" had ravaged their world. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 2 of 4}} {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 3 of 4}} When Unicron loomed over them, Spinister surrendered himself to his fate. Spinister soon returned as an avatar for Unicron, who found this Optimus Prime's presence to be an "anomaly". Soon [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] managed to trace Optimus Prime to this dying universe and travel there to rescue him. Using the power of the Mini-Con Matrix, Prime and Jetfire were able to combine into Jet Optimus and fire a powerful shot into the heart of Unicron. Though they were too late to save this Cybertron, they could return home and prepare for Unicron's coming there. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 4 of 4}}

Optimus Prime called for an alliance with the Decepticons and the Mini-Cons, hoping to unite their forces against the coming Dark god. After warping to Cybertron's surface, Unicron himself arrived, and announced that they would all soon be consumed. During the following battle, Unicron was curious about the Transformers [[Airazor (Armada)|Airazor]], [[Cheetor (Armada)|Cheetor]], [[Rhinox (Armada)|Rhinox]], and [[Terrorsaur (Armada)|Terrorsaur]], and abducted them for future purposes. Unicron was ultimately defeated by the Mini-Con Matrix, boosted from the additional power of two universes' Mini-Cons. This universe's [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]], having made a bid for Unicron's power, was standing on the surface of the planet-eater when he was destroyed, and his body was also lost, his spark trapped within Unicron's remains. {{storylink|The End}}

====''Energon'' comic====
[[File:ThisEvilReborn-Unicron.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|You never see him transform to robot mode.]]

Ten years later, his broken body was still left floating in space after his defeat. Despite his damaged form, his [[Unicron's core|core]] presented huge potentials for power, and so [[Alpha Quintesson]] gathered together a group of Decepticon dissidents under the leadership of [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]] and transformed them into "[[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcons]]". He promised these Terrorcons this power in exchange for their services. {{storylink|This Evil Reborn}} Meanwhile, Megatron's consciousness was trapped within this core, and over time was able to use Unicron's systems to create for himself a new body, though he was unable to transfer his spark into it. {{storylink|What Lies Beneath, Part Three}}

Alpha Quintesson was secretly working for Unicron himself, and he sent the corrupted forms of Airazor, Cheetor, Rhinox, and Terrorsaur, his "[[Unicron's Four Horsemen|Four Horsemen]]", to Cybertron to distract the Autobots from Unicron's revival. {{storylink|This Evil Reborn}}

Optimus Prime, who received a telepathic message from the disembodied Megatron, turned to the [[Autobot High Council]] for permission to dedicate an army towards Unicron's return and his intent to consume alleged huge amounts of [[energon]] on Earth, but the Council dismissed these concerns as paranoia. While they did not grant Prime his army, they did permit him to travel to Earth alone. Before Prime could get out of the building, Unicron's Horsemen struck. Prime and the Council realized this was an act of war perpetrated by Unicron, and so Prime's original pleas were finally heard. {{storylink|What Lies Beneath}}

[[File:WhatLiesBeneath3-Unicroninterior.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Unicron has a big [[negative universe]] [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] collection.]]

After they were defeated by Optimus Prime on Earth, Scorponok and his Terrorcons were forcibly brought back to Unicron for disciplinary action by Alpha Quintesson. {{storylink|What Lies Beneath, Part Four}} Afterwards, Optimus Prime stepped through a portal back to Cybertron to assemble a team of reinforcements... but instead found himself brought to within Unicron, summoned by Megatron's consciousness. {{storylink|Omni-Potent}} Optimus Prime argued with Megatron, denying that he would ever help his thought-dead foe inhabit his new body. Megatron countered with images of a massive-scale Terrorcon attack on Earth. Alpha Quintesson had used Unicron's power to reconfigure [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]] into Mirage, and [[Moscow]], [[Toronto]], and [[Los Angeles]] were under heavy siege from his Terrorcon army. Still, Optimus Prime resisted helping Megatron, even with the promise of teaming up to destroy the remnants of Unicron, as he feared releasing Megatron in his new body would be unleashing an equal evil. {{storylink|Multiplicity}}

Finally, after images of carnage on Earth overwhelmed him, Optimus Prime caved to Megatron's demands, and Prime began traveling through Unicron under Megatron's direction. After falling in some goo, Prime located the sensor array that was keeping Megatron's consciousness from entering his new body. It worked, and Megatron was freed... though Optimus Prime was subsequently located by Unicron's internal defenses. {{storylink|Multiplicity, Pt. 2}} But through sheer force of will, Optimus broke through Unicron's immune system, and managed to allow Megatron access to his new body. {{storylink|Multiplicity, Pt. 3}} Optimus was last seen having defeated the remnants of Unicron's antibodies, with a bandolier and his hand-held cannon. He boasted to Unicron that he was coming for him. {{storylink|No Exit}}

{{Unreleased energon comic}}
Previously, Unicron had destroyed [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]], and [[Alpha Quintesson]] was the sole survivor. With the [[Initiator]], Alpha attempted to escape Unicron, only for his ship to be pulled to the planet eater. {{storylink|Doomsday Redux!}} The energon used for Unicron's reactivation came not from Earth, but from [[Nervissa]], a fact Optimus Prime discovered after connecting to Unicron's consciousness. {{storylink|Armageddon Part 1}} Alpha Quintesson sought to destroy Unicron and had a [[seismic-shock warhead]] teleported to Unicron. {{storylink|Armageddon Part 2}} Within Unicron, Optimus gambled that he would need to make contact with Cybertron if he had any chance of escaping the malevolent planet. He ascended to Unicron's surface, only to come upon the warhead, right after it had been teleported in. {{storylink|Armageddon Part 3}} In the later chaos of an alternate-universe [[Quintesson]] invasion of Cybertron, Unicron awoke and began to strike out against the Transformers. HIs first target was Megatron, who had teleported back to within his body to confront Alpha Trion. {{storylink|Armageddon Part 4}} Realizing that their planet was open to Unicron's attack, the Quintessons attacked Unicron, to no avail. The Quintessons were destroyed, and the Transformers managed to delay Unicron enough for the warhead to explode, destroying the planet. The shockwaves from Unicron's destruction created a [[Unicron Singularity|black hole]] from the portal to the alternate-universe Quintessa. {{storylink|Armageddon Part 5}}

===Cartoon continuity===
Unicron was evidently very active in this universe at various points in time, although the precise chronological order of his activities is unclear.

At some undetermined point in the past of this universe, Unicron was approached by the survivors of [[Planet X (Cybertron)|Planet X]], a world that had been destroyed in a war with the inhabitants of the Giant Planet, [[Gigantion]]. In return for the chance to gain revenge on Gigantion, the survivors swore loyalty to Unicron, and "Planet X" became something of a code-phrase that identified those in the service of the planet-eater.

{{note|Liner notes included with the DVD release of ''Galaxy Force'' in [[Japan]] claim that Planet X is actually the body of Unicron from a parallel universe. This would not appear to be compatible with the Western storyline, nor, indeed, with the date later given to the planet's destruction on the [[TakaraTomy]] "[http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/TF/bible/index.html World of the Transformers]" website.}}

Cybertronian legend referred to an attack by Unicron on the planet that was ultimately thwarted by the mighty Autobot warrior, [[Omega Supreme (Energon)|Omega Supreme]]. {{storylink|Omega Supreme (episode)|Omega Supreme}}

====''Armada'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Mark Acheson]] (English), [[Katsumi Chō]] (Japanese)|[[Jhonny Torres]] (Latin-American Spanish), [[Raine Heiskanen]] (Finnish), [[Ekkehardt Belle]] (German)}}
[[File:Alliance-Unicronmoon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|That's no moon!]]
Unicron's first attack on Cybertron was over a million years in the making, begun when he opted to disguise his dormant body as Cybertron's moon. From this secret vantage point, he implanted his own cells within the planet, where they germinated and grew into the small race of robots known as the [[Mini-Con]]s. Unicron hoped to use the Mini-Cons to increase the ferocity of the Autobot/Decepticon war, and feed off of the energies released in the conflict. The Cybertronians would then be subjugated through the Mini-Cons' influence. Though his plan succeeded in one timeline, the interference of three time-displaced children changed this. [[Rad White]], [[Carlos Lopez]], and [[Alexis Thi Dang]] planted the seed of sentience and free will within the Mini-Cons, who ultimately rebelled against their creator and fled Cybertron, crash-landing on the planet Earth. This forestalled Unicron's emergence by eons. {{storylink|Origin}} {{storylink|Drift (episode)|Drift}}

[[File:Union-Unicron.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|Don't mind me, just chillin'.]]

When the Mini-Cons were reawakened a million years later in 2010, they were detected by the Autobots and Decepticons, who followed their signal to Earth. {{storylink|First Encounter}} Unicron also picked up the signal, and dispatched his minion [[Sideways (Armada)|Sideways]] to carry on his work. {{storylink|Gale}} Rad, Alexis, and Carlos encountered a digital manifestation of Unicron when Sideways transported them to a digital world, in a bid to steal the [[Street Action Mini-Con Team]] from them. Unicron's avatar gave chase to the children as they fled back into the physical realm, but was unable to catch them in time. {{storylink|Chase (episode)|Chase}} Sideways then continued to escalate the conflict by manipulating control of the three Mini-Con weapons, the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]], the [[Skyboom (Armada)|Skyboom]] shield and the [[Requiem Blaster (Armada)|Requiem Blaster]], but eventually arranged for all three to be returned to Cybertron, where he stole them and used them to reawaken Unicron. {{storylink|Portent}} While still awakening, Unicron sent an energy bolt down at Starscream, who had fired a powerful blast at the Dark God to convince Galvatron of his threat. Starscream was disintegrated before his shot could even reach Unicron. {{storylink|Cramp}}

[[File:ArmadaUnicron02.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|The Power Cosmic gives you wrinkles.]]
[[File:Unicron Vanishes.jpeg|upright=1.1|thumb|left|You cannot destroy my destiny! Shut up!]]
Shedding his moon disguise and transforming to robot mode, Unicron turned on Cybertron, only to be met with resistance in the form of the united armada of Autobots and Decepticons {{storylink|Alliance}}, and his own Mini-Cons, who had linked together and formed a [[Unicron of Light|giant duplicate]] of his body. {{storylink|Union}} Now at full power, however, it was child's play for Unicron to exert control over his creations, and bring the Mini-Cons under his thumb once more. Again, it was thanks to the Autobots' human allies—the same children who had been sent back in time and given the Mini-Cons free will in the first place—that the Mini-Cons struggled free of Unicron's control, including the three Mini-Con weapons, who broke free and left Unicron's body deactivated. {{storylink|Origin}} Believing the threat over, [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] then challenged Optimus Prime to their final battle, only for the hatred and ferocity of their fight to awaken Unicron once more. To end the circle of hate that gave Unicron life, Galvatron allowed himself to be consumed by the monster, and in a brilliant flash of light, Unicron apparently ceased to exist. {{storylink|Mortal Combat}}
{{-}}

====''Linkage''====
[[File:Arm-art Linkage13-Title.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Everything they've built will fall! And from the ashes of their world, we'll build a better one!]]

While traversing the [[Linkage (dimension)|Linkage]] dimension, [[Redline]] noticed an ominous presence watching him. {{storylink|Linkage Part 7}} Redline recognized it as "The Terrible One" and relayed that info to [[Servo (MD)|Servo]], who then relayed it to [[Rollbar (Armada)|Rollbar]]. Having also seen The Terrible One while in the Linkage, [[Falcia]] chose to stay with Redline and work with him on the [[Master Key]]. Meanwhile, [[Sideways (Armada)|Sideways]], a minion of Unicron, gave the [[Speed Chaser Team]], also minions of Unicron, the [[Doomstone]], an artifact intended to permanently enslave the Mini-Cons to Unicron's will. {{storylink|Linkage Part 8}}

The Doomstone was then installed in [[Ravenus]], who used its evil energies to destroy the souls of the Mini-Cons and revert them into mindless death-machines. {{storylink|Linkage Part 10}} Ravenus and the Doomstone intended to destroy the Earth. {{storylink|Linkage Part 11}} Redline and [[Kingbolt (MD)|Kingbolt]] were able to contain Ravenus and extract the Doomstone. Redline then sealed it away in his extra-dimensional storage space for safekeeping. {{storylink|Linkage Part 12}}

While all this was going on, Unicron was busy assaulting Cybertron. Ravenus, now freed from Unicron's control via the Doomstone, fought alongside the other Mini-Cons against the god. The combined forces of the Autobots, Decepticons and Mini-Cons then joined for a final battle against Unicron. {{storylink|Linkage Part 13}}
{{-}}

====''Energon'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[David Kaye]] (English), [[Mark Acheson]] (English), [[Nobutoshi Canna]] (Japanese)|[[Fredrik Beckmann]] (Swedish), [[Juha Paananen]] (Finnish)}}

[[File:MegatronRaid Unicronhead.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|If I need to steal [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]'s eyes again, I quit.]]

In truth, however, Unicron had survived, and for the next ten years, continued to consume planets in other regions of space. One such planet was the world known as [[Planet Q]], whose inhabitants fought back by detonating the planet's core in Unicron's face. Badly damaged by the explosion, Unicron fell into a state of dormancy, but the life essence of the planet's ruler—the being who would come to be known as [[Alpha Quintesson|Alpha Q]]—continued to exist within him, and began a not-entirely-sane plan to use Unicron's powers to recreate everything the Chaos-Bringer had ever destroyed. {{storylink|Alpha Q: Identity}} Recreating the armies of Planet Q as "Terrorcons", Alpha Q had them attack Autobot facilities on Earth and throughout the [[Solar System]] to gather the [[energon]] that would be necessary for his plan to work. {{storylink|Cybertron City (episode)|Cybertron City}}

[[File:Energon Unicron.jpg|thumb|Unicron sported [[Neon|awesome]] [[Black repaint|colors]] during ''Energon''.]]

Unbeknownst to Alpha Q, Megatron's corpse and spark remained within Unicron, and he slowly siphoned off some of the gathered Energon, allowing him to be reborn in his own new body. To escape Megatron's fury, Alpha Q jettisoned Unicron's head and escaped in it, {{storylink|Megatron Resurrected}} while Megatron took over Unicron's body, and continued to gather Energon in order to rebuild Unicron to use as his ultimate weapon. {{storylink|Megatron Raid}} Both parts of Unicron's inert form were used by Megatron and Alpha Q as their bases from then on. Though Unicron briefly lashed out towards those housed within him when he became starved with energon, he otherwise remained incapable of attacking them. {{storylink|Survival Instincts}}

As the climax of Megatron's plans neared, a joint attack by Alpha Q, the Autobots and their human allies saw all of Earth's Energon channeled into Unicron's head, which Alpha Q then rammed into Unicron's body. {{storylink|Unicron Unleashed}} The positively-charged Energon of Earth reacted with the negatively-charged Energon running through Unicron, tearing open a fissure in reality leading to a new area of space where planets Unicron consumed were recreated, and sustained through the Energon radiated from Unicron's head, which had now become a glowing red sun. {{storylink|Open Fire!}} {{storylink|Ripped Up Space}} {{storylink|Farewell Inferno}}

[[File:Unicron eats blizzard.jpg|left|thumb|Unicron should stop eating so many Blizzards.]]
Unicron's body, damaged once more, lay in the dark reaches near the fissure, and the Decepticons began to raid Alpha Q's new planets for the Energon necessary to revive Unicron again. This time, they succeeded, {{storylink|Omega Supreme (episode)|Omega Supreme}} and Megatron directed Unicron's body to retrieve his head, extinguishing the Energon Sun and killing Alpha Q in the process. {{storylink|A Heroic Battle}} But the power of Unicron proved too much for Megatron to control, as Unicron began to take over Megatron's body. {{storylink|The Power of Unicron}} The Autobots made a valiant but futile attempt to stop him, and Unicron swatted them like gnats. Just as things seemed hopeless, a surge of power from Primus allowed Optimus Supreme to grow to Unicron's size and powered up the other Autobots. {{storylink|Optimus Supreme}} After a long and hard battle, Optimus destroyed Unicron's body. {{storylink|Unicron Perishes}}

[[File:Energon-Unicrons-Arms.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|"Geodude geeeeoooo geodude."]]

None of the Transformers were aware, however, that Unicron lived on in two forms: his miniscule Spark, floating in space, and his consciousness, which lay buried in Megatron's mind. With quiet, subconscious nudging, Unicron led Megatron to a massive reservoir of "[[Super Energon]]" beneath Cybertron's surface, {{storylink|Ambition}} which transformed him into Galvatron upon his first exposure. {{storylink|Wishes}} Galvatron used his newfound power to take command of Cybertron, exiling the Autobots off-world by unleashing a toxic energon gas into the atmosphere. Unicron next pushed Galvatron to use the planet's systems to propel Cybertron towards Alpha Q's planets. {{storylink|Galvatron!}} {{storylink|The Omega Train}}

At some point in time, a virtual copy of Unicron appeared in an Autobot "virtual training program" as a special opponent for Hot Shot and Rodimus to battle after defeating all other contenders. Despite this copy being scaled-down to be about the same size as his opponents, he proved to be a formidable foe. The Autobots nonetheless defeated him, winning the <s>video game</s> training exercise. {{storylink|Distribution}}

Optimus beheld a vision of Unicron as looked upon an energon gas-envelopped Cybertron, clueing him in on the fact that Unicron's evil still persisted in some form. {{storylink|Formidable}}

After a series of failed battles, Galvatron proceeded to expose himself to the Super Energon once again, and this time grew to a gigantic height. {{storylink|Galvatron Terror}} Unicron seized control of his body again for a new vessel and set out to rejoin with his Spark, {{storylink|Destructive Power}} but a Primus-empowered Optimus Supreme engaged him in battle once more, and drew all of Unicron's consciousness out of Galvatron and sealed it within his own Spark. {{storylink|Spark (episode)|Spark}}

[[File:EnergonUnicronOrbTheSun.jpg|left|thumb|"How could this puny thing be Unicron?" 
—[[Kicker Jones]]]]
Enraged, Galvatron prepared to destroy Unicron's Spark, but it merged with him, enlarging him again, leading to another battle with Optimus Supreme, this time bolstered by the combined energy of all his troops' Sparks. Meanwhile, Primus merged with the Super Energon, creating a foundling sun which arrived at the site of the battle. Taking control of his body for a brief moment, Galvatron made the decision to plunge himself into the infant sun to rid himself of Unicron's possession. The super energon mass, having now received Unicron's spark, ignited into a powerful red sun which gave new life to Alpha Q's worlds. {{storylink|The Sun}}
{{-}}

====''Cybertron'' cartoon====
[[File:Cyb ep20 unicron chunks.jpg|left|thumb|upright=0.85|Ssssh, don't tell ''Galaxy Force'' that I'm here!]]

The bitter [[Overhaul (Cybertron)|Overhaul]] was a loner, but his attitude changed when, in deep space, he was trapped underneath some debris near the remains of Unicron and saved by [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]]. {{storylink|Honor}}

[[File:Unicronsingularity.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|The cause of—and solution to—all of our continuity problems.]]

Primus's plan to trap Unicron in the heart of a new sun failed when the star collapsed into a massive [[Unicron Singularity|black hole]] (sometimes known as the "Unicron Singularity") that threatened the entire multiverse. The collapse of the sun also allowed [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]] to escape, [[Armor of Unicron|but not before integrating what remained of Unicron's body into himself]], increasing his power to nightmarish new heights. {{storylink|Fallen (episode)|Fallen}}

In addition to strengthening the Decepticon leader, the Armor of Unicron apparently gave Megatron access to a few of the Chaos Bringer's reality-warping powers, including the ability to unleash a devastating Energon aura, {{storylink|Starscream (episode)|Starscream}} {{storylink|Showdown (Cybertron)|Showdown}} create new Transformer bodies, upgrade and repair fallen Transformers {{storylink|Darkness (episode)|Darkness}}, and tap into the power of the [[Cyber Planet Key]]s. {{storylink|Revelation (episode)|Revelation}} {{storylink|Fury (Cybertron)|Fury}} The Decepticon leader's newest plan also held hints of the dark god's old agenda, as he intended to use the Keys to accelerate the black hole's growth and destroy the entire universe (albeit with the intent to remake it in his image afterwards).

Unfortunately for Unicron and Megatron (who again upgraded into Galvatron), the black hole would be sealed away by Primus himself after the Autobots restored his full power. {{storylink|End}} The Armor of Unicron would be overwhelmed and destroyed along with its wearer in a final battle with Optimus Prime, wiping away the last traces of Unicron from the universe. {{storylink|Unfinished}}

{{-}}
====''Cybertron'' comic====
From interdimensional space, [[Vector Prime]] observed the Autobots and Decepticons attacking and defeating Unicron. When Unicron collapsed into the [[Unicron Singularity]], [[Vector Sigma]] alerted Vector Prime to the spatiotemporal crisis threatening Cybertron. Vector Prime thus returned to normal space for the first time in millions of years to aid his homeworld. {{storylink|Vector Prime: In the Beginning}}

During the crisis, Unicron's heralds [[Ramjet (Universe)|Ramjet]] and Nemesis Prime arrived on [[Aurex 405.0 Epsilon|that universe]]'s nearly deserted Cybertron. They were intent on unleashing the [[Dead Matrix]] upon Primus's vulnerable essence—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}}

[[File:Unicroncybertron.jpg|upright=0.85|left|thumb|The Planet-Eater's back, and you're gonna be in trouble.]]
Ramjet and Nemesis Prime were ultimately stopped by Vector Prime and allies [[Sentinel Maximus]] and [[Omega Prime]], plucked from the midst of the [[Universe War]] by the multiverse-warping energies of the black hole. {{storylink|Revelations Part 1}} The Dead Matrix, however, was taken by Unicron's servant [[Soundwave (Cybertron)|Soundwave]] and cast into the heart of the black hole, freeing Unicron's spark, which entered the planet [[Yst]] and immediately began to sow chaos and disorder. Re-energized by the hatred and violence than ran rampant on Yst, Unicron formed a new, diminutive body for himself, born into the universe when Yst exploded. {{storylink|Revelations Part 3}}

[[File:Sentinelmaximusunicron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Sorry, did that previous image indicate that Unicron was still huge?]]
During the time that followed, from behind the scenes Unicron orchestrated a civil war between the Mini-Cons stationed on Cybertron's moons. {{storylink|Revelations Part 4}} When Sentinel Maximus led a team of Autobots to stamp out the escalating conflict, Unicron's involvement was revealed, and he joined the battle himself alongside Soundwave. With no further use for the Mini-Cons, he murdered several of them and tried to capture [[Skyfall (Cybertron)|Skyfall]] and [[Landquake (Timelines)|Landquake]], whom he had plans for; {{storylink|Revelations Part 5}} {{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 1}} by eliminating the [[Thirteen]], Unicron knew he could put Primus in a vulnerable position and thus best him. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 10|Unicron's profile in Club magazine #10}} However, before Unicron could achieve victory, Primus was reawakened, and the dark god fled as Cybertron transformed into its robot mode. {{storylink|Revelations Part 6}}
{{-}}

===MegaWing Galvatron continuity===
In [[Aurex 304.0 Epsilon|an alternate universe]], after being left for dead by the Decepticon warlord [[Megazarak (Universe)|Megazarak]], [[Optimus Prime (Balancing Act)|Optimus Prime]]'s corpse was cloned by Unicron to create [[Nemesis Prime (Universe)|Nemesis Prime]]. Nemesis Prime spent his entire early existence being tortured by Unicron so that he could be molded into the perfectly loyal herald. Through the tortured clone, Unicron was able to create the [[Dead Matrix]], a weapon capable of slaying his hated opposite, Primus. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 6|Nemesis Prime's profile}} {{storylink|Balancing Act, Part 2}}

===2003 ''Universe'' toy bios===
Unicron granted [[Treadshot (Universe 2003)|Treadshot]] new power, which Treadshot planned to use to kill [[Ultra Magnus (Energon)|Ultra Magnus]] and [[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]] once and for all. {{storylink|Treadshot (Universe 2003)#Toys|Ultra Magnus vs. Treadshot toy bio}}

===Spacewarp's Log===
In [[Spacewarp]]'s [[Aurex 006.0 Kappa|home reality]], [[Starscream (Armada)|Ulchtar]] sacrificed himself against Unicron. {{storylink|Source:Transformers: Spacewarp's Log#November 28, 2015|Spacewarp's Log (2), 2015/11/28/11/2015}}

At some point, Spacewarp sneaked in and out of Unicron's docking bay, a feat she considered miraculous to have pulled off. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Guest column#October 27, 2015|Spacewarp's Log (1), 27/10/2015}}

Unicron was later pulled into the Unicron Singularity. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#September 17, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 17/09/2015}}

==''Q-Robo Transformer''==
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Q-Robo Transformer}}}}
{{-}}

==''TransTech''==
At some point, the [[Transcendent Technomorph]]s of [[Nexus 208.0 Epsilon]] confronted and succeeded in defeating the Unicron Phenomenon for the time being. {{storylink|Withered Hope}}

When [[G1 GoBots|a team of traveling cyborgs]] appeared before the [[High Senate]], TransTech Minister of Higher Dimensional Sciences [[Rhinox (TransTech)|Rhinox]] was asked to provide background to the [[Cataclysm (GoBots)|Cataclysm]]. Rhinox explained within the [[Primax 984.0 Gamma]] universal stream, the appearance and subsequent destruction of Unicron and the destruction of Primus's [[Xaaron|avatar]], {{Storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}} as well as the tainting of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] caused by [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]], created a great many [[splinter timeline]]s. These events, as well as an earlier, undefined event related to [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], resulted in the creation of yet another splinter timeline, [[Primax 207.0 Epsilon]]. This universe overwrote [[Gargent 984.08 Alpha|the universe]] home to said dimensional travelers. {{storylink|Withered Hope}}

==Live-action film series==
===''The Last Knight'' film===
[[File:Transformers_5_Unicron.jpg|thumb|right|400px|The Transformer with the least amount of screen time.]]

In the distant past, the planet [[Earth]] formed around the inert body of Unicron. On [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Unicron was known as the planet's ancient enemy. A book that would eventually come to be held in the Trinity Library spoke of Unicron being the core of Earth.

Somehow the Cybertronian sorceress [[Quintessa (TLK)|Quintessa]] had discovered Unicron's resting point and hit on a plan to restore Cybertron by draining the life from Unicron to revive the planet, sending both [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] and a brainwashed [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] to Earth to reclaim [[Staff of Merlin|the device]] she needed to complete her plan.

In preparation, Quintessa moved Cybertron into Earth's solar system, its presence causing Unicron's six horns to sprout on the Earth as he reacted to the presence of his old enemy. Growing at a rate of three meters a day, the horns were a sign of a great scientific curiosity and mass panic across the globe. [[Edmund Burton|Sir Edmund Burton]] and [[Cogman]] recognized the horns for what they were and took them as a sign of the apocalypse.

At Stonehenge, Quintessa and [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] began the ritual and sent Unicron's life force to Cybertron before the Autobots and the TRF halted their efforts. Enough of Unicron's life force had been sent to Cybertron however that it had healed most of its damage to the point that the Autobots felt they were able to return to their homeworld.

In the aftermath, several human scientists were examining one of Unicron's horns only to be approached by Quintessa in a human guise. She warned them against touching the horn lest they incur Unicron's wrath but offered them a way to kill the Chaos Bringer. {{storylink|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight}}

===Titan movie comics===
{{quote|I'm certain I can speak for all those pledged to the Decepticon cause when I say Unicron spells one thing, and that's trouble with a capital 'running and screaming'.|Barricade|[[Transformers Comic issue 2.6|#6 (Vol.2)]]}}

[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] encountered Unicron {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 12|#12's Star Screams}} in an event where Unicron attempted to devour Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 19|#19's Star Screams}} It left him terrified. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 17|#17's Star Screams}}

Both [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] and [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] were also aware of Unicron's existence. His sheer might scared them. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.6|#6's Law and Disorder}} They knew that [[fandom|you]] wanted to see Unicron in the third film and it sickened them. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.13|#13's Law and Disorder}}

[[File:Unicron Titan19.JPG|left|upright=1.1|thumb|"The psoriasis is barely slowing him down!"]]
In an alternate timeline where Megatron won the battle of Mission City, [[Stockade (Movie)|Stockade]] and his Decepticon chums attempted to rebirth Cybertron by sending out a summons that would attract any entity related to the lost [[AllSpark]], and then drawing that entity into Cybertron once it arrived.

As that entity announced itself to be '''"Unicron the Anti-Life!"''', they felt like a right bunch of plonkers. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 18|Return to Cybertron: Part 2}}

Unicron moved swiftly, transforming Cybertron into a scarier looking physical form and causing the planet's surface to becoming hostile to the Transformers on it. Stockade's attempts at communication were met with contempt and a strange attack. The new Unicron then warped into the Sol system, shot down an Autobot shuttle, and went "OM NOM NOM" at the sight of Earth. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 19|Return to Cybertron: Part 3}}

The downed Autobots regrouped with Stockade's Decepticons and worked to take away the [[Nucleon (substance)|Nucleon]] that was powering Unicron's physical form. They succeeded in this by causing it to blow up and catch fire, which caused Unicron to draw on more Nucleon to recover, which fueled the fire and so on until the source ran out. Unicron disappeared, though whether he was dead or just gone is ambiguous. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 20|Return to Cybertron: Part 4}}

Either way, the changes Unicron had made to Cybertron remained. The teleportation equipment he'd created was used by the Autobots to finally end the war. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 25|Revolution Part Three}}

==''Animated'' continuity family==
[[Multiversal singularity|Multiversal singularities]] did not exist in the [[Malgus|Malgus Cluster]]. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#May 29, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 29/05/2015}} [[Malgus 1207.26 Alpha]] had one such non-singular Unicron, built by [[Primacron]] in his laboratory on [[Protos]]. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#June 10, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 10/06/2015}}

==Aligned continuity family==
[[File:Transformers_Covenant_of_Primus_Unicron.jpg|right|thumb]]
{{main|Unicron/Aligned}}

In the [[Uniend]] Cluster, Unicron was the ultimate enemy of [[Primus]], until his defeat at the hands of the [[Thirteen]]. Floating in the cosmos, structure began to form around Unicron, until he evolved into the planet [[Earth]].

==''Kre-O''==
UniKREON was [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]'s boss.<ref>[http://www.hasbro.com/kre-o/en_US/discover/microchangers.cfm# Kreon Micro-Changers online bios]</ref>

===Ask Vector Prime===
[[Vector Prime]] noted UniKREON to be another instantiation of the Dark Lord Unicron and part of the multiversal singularity. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#June 10, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 10/06/2015}}

===''Legends'' comic===
UniKREON was among the evil [[Kreon]]s summoned by [[Megatron (Kre-O)|Megatron]] to conquer the [[Legends World]]. {{storylink|Transformers Legends Special Chapter|Special Chapter}}

==''Knights of Unicron''==
Legendary super rockers the [[Knights of Unicron (band)|Knights of Unicron]] named themselves in honor of this demonic entity. The Sinister Tympanic Membrane (the left eardrum), located on "Planet Unicron", was also the eleventh venue for the band on their 2014 "Till All Are One" tour. {{storylink|Knights of Unicron (band)|Knights of Unicron}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
Vector Prime considered it distasteful that the [[Knights of Unicron (band)|Knights of Unicron]] would name themselves after something that was very much not a joking matter. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#May 13, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 13/05/2015}}

==''Shattered Glass''==
{{main|Unicron/Shattered Glass}}

This reality is a form of "Mirror Universe", where the heroic Decepticons fight the evil Autobots. The Unicron of this reality is the arch enemy of the evil Primus.

==Ask Vector Prime==
[[Vector Prime]] noted that the non-Singularity Unicron of [[Primax 984.17 Alpha]] or [[Viron 704.08 Gamma]] would not be able to defeat [[Darth Vader]]'s [[Death Star]] mech of [[Lukas 577.25 Beta]] in battle. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime#Transformers Animated: The Complete AllSpark Almanac|Ask Vector Prime, The Complete AllSpark Almanac}}

In many universal streams, the local iteration of [[Primacron]] built his universe's version of Unicron, one that was typically not part of the singularity. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#May 22, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 22/05/2015}} Two such instances included [[Primax 984.17 Alpha]] and [[Malgus 1207.26 Alpha]]. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#June 10, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 10/06/2015}}

Vector Prime noted that most [[Quadwal]] universes were not in danger of being consumed by Unicron as most [[Unicron/toys|Quadwal Unicrons]] were small and made of [[plastic]]. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#June 21, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 21/06/2015}}

Vector Prime was unsure if the number of universes destroyed by Unicron was a quantifiable number as once Unicron consumed a universe, little remained to prove that it ever existed. However, some destroyed universes, such as [[Primax 703.09 Gamma]], lived on the memory of interdimensional travelers who had visited the universe prior to its destruction. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#June 26, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 26/06/2015}}
{{-}}

==''GoBots''==
While on an inter-dimensional mission to [[Primax 207.0 Epsilon]]'s Earth in [[Primax -408.24 Epsilon]], the [[GoBot]] [[Small Foot]] had a vision in which Unicron devoured her allies, plunging them into an eternal abyss. {{storylink|High Noon (SG)|High Noon}}

==Games==
===''Transformers'' (PS2)===
{{voiceactor|[[Matthew Yang King]] (English)}}
[[File:Armadavideogame-Unicron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Unicron takes a shot in the mouth.]]

After the Autobots defeated the Decepticons on [[Earth]] and had secured the majority of the Mini-Cons there, Unicron made his appearance above Cybertron, intent on destroying the planet. Optimus Prime's team of Autobots and the Mini-Cons returned home via a warp gate to see the Chaos Bringer unleash a wave of destruction upon the great cities of their planet. The Mini-Cons joined together to form the [[Matrix Cannon]], the [[Vanguard Booster]] and the [[Nemesis Shield]] for the Autobots to use against Unicron. The Autobots flew into Unicron's maw and blasted their way into his energy core, damaging it enough to send Unicron spiralling out of control and destroying him. {{storylink|Transformers (PS2)|Transformers}}

===''Transformers Energon: Battle for Megatron''===
In his attempts to stop Scorponok and the other Terrorcons from retrieving Megatron, held deep within Unicron himself, the Chaos Bringer dispatched many units acting as his automated defenses. Among these were Pods, weak individually but strong in numbers; Tentacle Pods, more advanced versions of the previous units possessing ranged attacks; slow moving but strong Tendril units; heavily armored Spiderbot units; and immobile but powerful Shocktowers. A final unit, The Cortex, held Megatron captive. Once The Cortex was destroyed, Megatron was released and Unicron was defeated. {{storylink|Transformers Energon: Battle for Megatron}}

===''Transformers: Forged to Fight''===
One of Unicron's horns was visible sticking out of the ground within one of Earth's cities. {{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight}}

==Toys==
{{main|Unicron/toys}}

==Merchandise==
{{main|Unicron/toys#Merchandise}}

==Notes==
*The [[Unicron Trilogy]], the series of ''Transformers'' franchises that includes ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'', ''[[Transformers: Energon (franchise)|Energon]]'', and ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]'', was so named by Hasbro designer [[Aaron Archer]] because of Unicron's importance in each story.
*[[Roberto Orci]] was interested in having Unicron in the then untitled ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Transformers 3]]''.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/ask-roberto-orci-roundup-january-14---mythology-money-shots-jolt-military-and-bringing-chaos-166603/ Ask Roberto Orci Roundup January 14 - Mythology, Money Shots, Jolt, Military, and Bringing Chaos]</ref>
*Unicron has the ability to create [[tainted world]]s, but none have yet been discovered.
*The animated film and the following season of the cartoon are extraordinarily consistent about Unicron never actually moving his mouth while speaking, suggesting his voice may be ''broadcast'' as opposed to physically produced.
**Armada similarly features a lack of mouth movement, however, he DOES move it while speaking once.
**''Transformers: Prime'' features another exception, with Unicron actually speaking with his mouth more often.
*UniKREON's appearance in the ''Legends'' comic is drawn like a [[Kre-O#2015 (Robots In Disguise/Generation 1)|Battle Changer]]-type [[Kreon]] in order to make him larger than the average Kreon. His construction appears to be specifically based on [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys#BattleChangers|Battle Changers Bumblebee]]'s, and he also wears Bumblebee's helmet.
*In a Q&A session, ''[[Transformers: Cyberverse (cartoon)|Cyberverse]]'' writer [[Mae Catt]] noted that the crew wanted to avoid a storyline featuring Unicron because of how repetitive it has become.<ref>"[https://shikai-the-storyteller.tumblr.com/post/613237429097365504/i-absolutely-didnt-go-back-through-and-edit-this Transformers: Cyberverse – Mae Catt Q&A Session (Unedited Edition)]", 21 March 2020</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Unicron''' (ユニクロン ''Yunikuron''), '''Gaia Unicron''' (''Prime'', ガイアユニクロン ''Gaia Yunikuron'')
*''Hungarian:'' '''Unikron''', '''Unikornisz''' ("Unicorn")
*''Korean:'' '''Unicron''' (유니크론 ''Yunikeuron'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Unicron''' (Taiwan, 尤尼克隆 ''Yóuníkèlóng''), '''Yǔzhòu Dàdì''' (China, 宇宙大帝, "Emperor of the Universe")
*''Polish:'' '''Unicron''', '''Rogacz''' ("The Horned One"), '''Jednorożec''' ("Unicorn")

==References and footnotes==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Armada characters]]
[[Category:Cybertron characters]]
[[Category:Cybertron Decepticons]]
[[Category:Dimension hoppers]]
[[Category:Energon characters]]
[[Category:Energon planets]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Generation 1 gods]]
[[Category:Generation 1 planets]]
[[Category:Gods]]
[[Category:Ghosts]]
[[Category:Kre-O characters]]
[[Category:Legends]]
[[Category:Legends characters]]
[[Category:Letters page answerers]]
[[Category:Moons]]
[[Category:Movie Transformers]]
[[Category:Planet X]]
[[Category:Planets]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise (2001) characters]]
[[Category:The Last Knight Transformers]]
[[Category:Unicron| ]]

Plasma Energy Chamber

2020-04-30T19:28:41Z

Chris2119:

[[File:G1 cartoon Plasma Energy Chamber.JPG|thumb|upright=1.67]]

The '''Plasma Energy Chamber''' is a reservoir of [[plasma energy]].

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
According to [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], the Plasma Energy Chamber was the foundry where the original Autobots' bodies were forged, millions of years ago. Since that time, every Autobot leader's duties included guarding the key to the Chamber. The Chamber was located on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], twelve levels below [[Generator C]].

Unfortunately, the key was stolen during an all-out [[Decepticon]] assault on [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]]. {{Storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}} The Autobots managed to get back the key on [[Nebulos]] but failed to keep it when [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] got into the fray. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}} The Autobots and Decepticons returned to Cybertron and continued to battle over the key but [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] used it to open the chamber and unleash the energies on [[Earth]]'s [[Sun]]. [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike]] found a way to reabsorb the plasma energy back into [[Vector Sigma]] and restore Cybertron to its [[Golden Age]]. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

===''Beast Wars'' cartoon continuity===
[[File:PlasmaEnergyChamber BM.jpg|thumb|The "M" stands for "Murder".]]

====''Beast Machines'' cartoon====
By the time of the Beast-Era, the chamber had fallen into myth and legend.[[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] received a vision from the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]] showing that the Plasma Energy Chamber could aid them in the battle against [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] and his [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon]] forces. During a desperate hour, when Megatron had defeated all the [[Maximal]]s with the [[Key to Vector Sigma]], Optimus opened the Plasma Energy Chamber. {{storylink|End of the Line}} The energy of the Key clashed with the energy from the Plasma Energy Chamber, threatening to tear Cybertron apart, but Optimus was able to channel the energies into the [[Transformer afterlife|Matrix]]. {{storylink|Fallout (episode)|Fallout}}

====3H comics====
The Plasma Energy Chamber was an attempt by the [[Quintesson]]s at controlling [[Primus]], but it failed and created the [[Trans-Organic]]s. {{storylink|Disclosure}}

===Aligned novels===
[[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] tried to use the Plasma Energy Chamber to spread his [[Dark Energon]] influence across Cybertron. Despite [[Omega Supreme (WFC)|Omega Supreme's]] efforts, Megatron was successful and continued for the [[Core|Core of Cybertron]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
[[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] was the guardian of the Plasma Energy Chamber. {{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Devastation''===
The [[Plasma Core]] was forged from the Plasma Energy Chamber and later installed aboard [[Nova Prime]]'s vessel, the ''[[Proudstar]]''. {{storylink|Transformers: Devastation}}

[[Category:Beast Machines technology]]
[[Category:Cybertron]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon technology]]
[[Category:Legends]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron technology]]

Primacron

2020-04-30T19:16:13Z

Chris2119:

[[File:Primacron.jpg|250px|thumb|There are some things man just wasn't meant to know!]]
'''Primacron''' is an ancient scientist. He's supposedly hyper-intelligent with an infinity of intricate plans nested within plans, but he sometimes over-thinks things to the point of coming off as rather dim.

He was famous for the creation and construction of [[Unicron]] very near the beginning of the galaxy.

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Philip L. Clarke]] (English), [[Keiichi Nanba]] (Japanese)|[[Peter Musäus]] (German)}}

Primacron existed at the beginning of the universe and built "some of the [[Primitive]]s" with [[Oracle (G1)|his assistant]]. As he grew more ambitious, Primacron eventually constructed [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]], who rebelled against him. Unicron's attack appeared to destroy the assistant and badly injured Primacron.

Primacron eventually recovered from his wounds and not to be undone by the giant planet-devouring monster, Primacron returned in [[2006]] to try the whole conquest thing again. This time, he created the giant energy-siphoning monster [[Tornedron]]. The same thing proceeded to happen again and Primacron would have been dead, if not for Grimlock's simple instincts (which somehow told him to reverse the polarity). Grimlock then proceeded to wreck his lab. {{storylink|Call of the Primitives}}

====Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity====
Primacron was the original creator of the [[Matrix of Leadership]], having built the device into the [[Oracle (G1)|Oracle]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Grand Maximus)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}}

After the unleashing of [[Tornedron]] out into the cosmos, Primacron was put on trial in [[2011]] {{storylink|The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 2}} for his crimes against the universe. Restrained by mechanical shackles and guarded by both [[Quintesson#Bailiffs|Quintesson Bailiffs]] and [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]], Primacron was presented before the judge [[Adveraros]] for his sentencing. Primacron freely admitted to creating both Tornedron and Unicron, but added that the latter was the prototype for ''all'' mechanical life in the universe, and considering his current entourage, this could hardly be considered a crime. After silencing the defendant, Adveraros stated that acts of Unicron had been classified as "natural disasters" long ago, and due to the lack of evidence found after the destruction of Primacron's lab, he could not be readily tied to Tornedron's creation either. Primacron's own admissions held little weight as he was considered to be legally insane. Primacron was acquitted, but Adveraros ruled that he would be sent to [[Doruka III]] for his own safety.

Wise to the Quintessons' plans to harvest Primacron's brain on the asylum planet, the Autobots moved in to rescue him, only for the Decepticons to rush the courtroom as well. In the ensuing chaos, Primacron managed to remove his shackles, and rebuilt them into a high-tech whistle. With this device, he took control of all nearby "[[Primitive]]" robots, and used them to subdue Adveraros. Primacron asked if the Quintesson still refused to believe that he was the progenitor of mechanical life, in light of this feat. Adveraros was steadfast in his denials, even after Primacron informed him that he had once created bacterial machines that were likely Quintesson ancestors.

The Autobots finally managed to reach Primacron and took him into protective custody. Optimus and his soldiers informed Primacron that he would be sent to another Universe, but Primacron was unfazed by this; having attained "mythical" status in his home universe, he would no longer have been able to operate freely anyways. Before being sent away, Primacron was asked one final question by [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]; the Autobot was concerned over the nature of his kind's inception, and wondered if Primacron would have been able to create the Cybertronians' [[spark|souls]]. Primacron chose to answer enigmatically with an analogy, stating that a being may know how to build a fire... but that being did not create fire, merely brought into being something that is part of nature. {{storylink|Controverse}} His meeting with Wheeljack would go on to inspire the latter in his research that eventually discovered the [[spark]] in [[2025]]. {{storylink|The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 2}}

{{charstubfiction|Generations Selects comic}}

====Ask Vector Prime====
Subsequent to his trial on the OG World, Primacron explored and researched other dimensions wherein robotic life was created by [[Primus]]. Concluding that such a prospect was cosmic madness, he began to attack them with a terrible weapon capable of ''deleting universes with ease''. Detecting his experiment, [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] and the [[Protector]]s rushed to stop him, but Primacron, tired of having others fight for him, personally engaged the Protectors with [[Solduron]], a nigh-invincible armor. With Solduron, Primacron beat back the Protectors, destroying Primal's body, but Primal had experience with non-corporeality and persevered as just a spark. Amazingly, Primal's wisdom convinced Primacron of the futility of his actions, and the scientist withdrew from Newtonian space for an indeterminate period of time. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/30}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
[[Scoop (G1)|Scoop]] used the phrase "Primacron knows". After being captured by [[Bludgeon (G1)|a maniac]] and learning of his plans with [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]], [[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] said, "Primacron protect us!" {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 2|Stormbringer #2}}

===''Animated'' cartoon===
On his stellar cartography map, [[Swindle (Animated)|Swindle]] noted Primacron's lab on [[Protos]]. {{Storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
[[Vector Prime]] clarified that any Unicron created by a Primacron was not the [[multiversal singularity]] Unicron. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/05/22}} He also noted that Primacron was not immune to fashion trends, wearing a yellow helmet because it was "all the rage" in [[Primax 984.17 Alpha]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/13}}

In [[Aurex 304.0 Epsilon]], the mad genius Primacron unleashed [[Mini-Con]]s on the cosmos. He also created [[Tornedron]], which drained the entire universe dry of life and energy; Primacron did not survive his ultimate creation's exponential growth. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/11}}

==Notes==
*When first telling their story, the assistant calls him "the being we will ''refer to'' as Primacron" and later calls himself "the Primacron's assistant". These seem to suggest that "Primacron" may actually be some sort of title and not this creature's actual name.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Primacron''' (プリマクロン ''Purimakuron'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Zhìzūn Tàijūn''' (China, 至尊太君, "Supreme Great Lord")

==See also==
* [[Unicron's creator|Unicron's creator in 2005 IDW continuity]]

[[Category:Animated characters]]
[[Category:Armada characters]]
[[Category:Generation 1 aliens]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon aliens]]
[[Category:Legends aliens]]
[[Category:Multi-family characters]]
[[Category:Scientists]]
[[Category:Unicron-related characters]]

Plasma Energy Chamber

2019-06-21T18:12:03Z

Chris2119:

[[File:G1 cartoon Plasma Energy Chamber.JPG|thumb|upright=1.67]]

The '''Plasma Energy Chamber''' is a reservoir of [[plasma energy]].

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
According to [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], the Plasma Energy Chamber was the foundry where the original Autobots' bodies were forged, millions of years ago. Since that time, every Autobot leader's duties included guarding the key to the Chamber. The Chamber was located on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], twelve levels below [[Generator C]].

Unfortunately, the key was stolen during an all-out [[Decepticon]] assault on [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]]. {{Storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}} The Autobots managed to get back the key on [[Nebulos]] but failed to keep it when [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] got into the fray. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}} The Autobots and Decepticons returned to Cybertron and continued to battle over the key but [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] used it to open the chamber and unleash the energies on [[Earth]]'s [[Sun]]. [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike]] found a way to reabsorb the plasma energy back into [[Vector Sigma]] and restore Cybertron to its [[Golden Age]]. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

===''Beast Wars'' cartoon continuity===
[[File:PlasmaEnergyChamber BM.jpg|thumb|The "M" stands for "Murder".]]

====3H comics====
The Plasma Energy Chamber was an attempt by the [[Quintesson]]s at controlling [[Primus]], but it failed and created the [[Trans-Organic]]s. {{storylink|Disclosure}}

====''Beast Machines'' cartoon====
By the era of the Maximals, The Plasma Energy Chamber had fallen in to myth and legend.[[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] saw a vision from the Oracle revealing it's location and showing it could help them against [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] and his [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon]] forces. During a desperate hour, when Megatron had defeated all the [[Maximal]]s with the [[Key to Vector Sigma]], Optimus opened the Plasma Energy Chamber. {{storylink|End of the Line}} The energy of the Key clashed with the energy from the Plasma Energy Chamber, threatening to tear Cybertron apart, but Optimus was able to channel the energies into the [[Transformer afterlife|Matrix]]. {{storylink|Fallout (episode)|Fallout}}

===Aligned novels===
[[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] tried to use the Plasma Energy Chamber to spread his [[Dark Energon]] influence across Cybertron. Despite [[Omega Supreme (WFC)|Omega Supreme's]] efforts, Megatron was successful and continued for the [[Core|Core of Cybertron]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
[[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] was the guardian of the Plasma Energy Chamber. {{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Devastation''===
The [[Plasma Core]] was forged from the Plasma Energy Chamber and later installed aboard [[Nova Prime]]'s vessel, the ''[[Proudstar]]''. {{storylink|Transformers: Devastation}}

[[Category:Beast Machines technology]]
[[Category:Cybertron]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon technology]]
[[Category:Legends]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron technology]]

Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber

2019-06-20T20:05:50Z

Chris2119: /* The Transformers cartoon */

[[File:G1 cartoon Plasma Energy Chamber key.JPG|right|upright=1.67|thumb|There seems to be a problem with the new Rubik's Cubes.]]
The '''Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber''' is a device used to activate the ancient forge that created the bodies of early cybertronians who would one day become known as Autobots and Decepticons. The key was believed to be the only device capable of activating the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]]. It was believed to be the key to the end of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]... or a [[Golden Age|miracle]].

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
After the [[Quintesson]]s were overthrown, the Key was placed in the stewardship of the [[Prime (rank)|leader]] of the [[Autobot]]s, which he was to guard with his life. However, [[Vector Sigma]] caused [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] to learn of the Key, and that it could allow him to use the Plasma Energy Chamber to destroy Cybertron. He organized an assault on [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], where [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] had stored the Key. The battle allowed [[Pounce]] and [[Wingspan]] to get in and steal the key. Heading for Cybertron, the Decepticons launched an attack, while [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] was sent to the Plasma Energy Chamber. However, Galvatron hadn't told Scourge of his plan, and Scourge jumped the gun a little. He placed the Key in the activation slot, causing [[Plasma energy]] to unleash and nearly kill him. [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] and [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] managed to remove the Key, and hid it with [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]]. Unfortunately, the Autobot shuttle was hurled to [[Nebulos]] by a stray blast of plasma energy. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}}

After the [[Decepticon]]s allied with the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]], they were able to steal the Key from Brainstorm. Scourge held it, but [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] took it from Scourge. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}} [[Zarak (G1)|Lord Zarak]], however, used [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] to grab Arcee and Daniel, and take the Key to Cybertron. Setting the console on a timer, Galvatron gave his men ten minutes to escape, at which point the Key would open the Plasma Energy Chamber, and the plasma energy would spread out toward the [[Sun]]. However, that had been Vector Sigma's plan all along. The excess solar energy was used to restore Cybertron's energy reserves, bringing about a second golden age. What became of the key following the second Golden Age is unknown. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

===3H comics===
The Quintesson [[Al-Badur]] explained the Plasma Energy Chamber as a conduit intended to directly channel the power of [[Primus]], one of the Quintessons' first attempts to control the imprisoned god. The results... [[Trans-Organic|didn't turn out so well]]. {{storylink|Disclosure}}

[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon objects]]
[[Category:MacGuffins]]
[[Category:Universe (2003)]]

Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber

2019-06-20T20:04:56Z

Chris2119:

[[File:G1 cartoon Plasma Energy Chamber key.JPG|right|upright=1.67|thumb|There seems to be a problem with the new Rubik's Cubes.]]
The '''Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber''' is a device used to activate the ancient forge that created the bodies of early cybertronians who would one day become known as Autobots and Decepticons. The key was believed to be the only device capable of activating the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]]. It was believed to be the key to the end of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]... or a [[Golden Age|miracle]].

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
After the [[Quintesson]]s were overthrown, the Key was placed in the stewardship of the [[Prime (rank)|leader]] of the [[Autobot]]s, which he was to guard with his life. However, [[Vector Sigma]] caused [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] to learn of the Key, and that it could allow him to use the Plasma Energy Chamber to destroy Cybertron. He organized an assault on [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], where [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] had stored the Key. The battle allowed [[Pounce]] and [[Wingspan]] to get in and steal the key. Heading for Cybertron, the Decepticons launched an attack, while [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] was sent to the Plasma Energy Chamber. However, Galvatron hadn't told Scourge of his plan, and Scourge jumped the gun a little. He placed the Key in the activation slot, causing [[Plasma energy]] to unleash and nearly kill him. [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] and [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] managed to remove the Key, and hid it with [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]]. Unfortunately, the Autobot shuttle was hurled to [[Nebulos]] by a stray blast of plasma energy. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}}

After the [[Decepticon]]s allied with the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]], they were able to steal the Key from Brainstorm. Scourge held it, but [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] took it from Scourge. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}} [[Zarak (G1)|Lord Zarak]], however, used [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] to grab Arcee and Daniel, and take the Key to Cybertron. Setting the console on a timer, Galvatron gave his men ten minutes to escape, at which point the Key would open the Plasma Energy Chamber, and the plasma energy would spread out toward the [[Sun]]. However, that had been Vector Sigma's plan all along. The excess solar energy was used to restore Cybertron's energy reserves, bringing about a second golden age. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

===3H comics===
The Quintesson [[Al-Badur]] explained the Plasma Energy Chamber as a conduit intended to directly channel the power of [[Primus]], one of the Quintessons' first attempts to control the imprisoned god. The results... [[Trans-Organic|didn't turn out so well]]. {{storylink|Disclosure}}

[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon objects]]
[[Category:MacGuffins]]
[[Category:Universe (2003)]]

Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber

2019-06-20T20:04:39Z

Chris2119:

[[File:G1 cartoon Plasma Energy Chamber key.JPG|right|upright=1.67|thumb|There seems to be a problem with the new Rubik's Cubes.]]
The '''Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber''' is a device used to activate the ancient forge that created the bodies of early cybertronians who would one day become known as Autobots and Decepticons. The key was believed to be the only device capable of activate the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]]. It was believed to be the key to the end of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]... or a [[Golden Age|miracle]].

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
After the [[Quintesson]]s were overthrown, the Key was placed in the stewardship of the [[Prime (rank)|leader]] of the [[Autobot]]s, which he was to guard with his life. However, [[Vector Sigma]] caused [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] to learn of the Key, and that it could allow him to use the Plasma Energy Chamber to destroy Cybertron. He organized an assault on [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], where [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] had stored the Key. The battle allowed [[Pounce]] and [[Wingspan]] to get in and steal the key. Heading for Cybertron, the Decepticons launched an attack, while [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] was sent to the Plasma Energy Chamber. However, Galvatron hadn't told Scourge of his plan, and Scourge jumped the gun a little. He placed the Key in the activation slot, causing [[Plasma energy]] to unleash and nearly kill him. [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] and [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] managed to remove the Key, and hid it with [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]]. Unfortunately, the Autobot shuttle was hurled to [[Nebulos]] by a stray blast of plasma energy. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}}

After the [[Decepticon]]s allied with the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]], they were able to steal the Key from Brainstorm. Scourge held it, but [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] took it from Scourge. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}} [[Zarak (G1)|Lord Zarak]], however, used [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] to grab Arcee and Daniel, and take the Key to Cybertron. Setting the console on a timer, Galvatron gave his men ten minutes to escape, at which point the Key would open the Plasma Energy Chamber, and the plasma energy would spread out toward the [[Sun]]. However, that had been Vector Sigma's plan all along. The excess solar energy was used to restore Cybertron's energy reserves, bringing about a second golden age. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

===3H comics===
The Quintesson [[Al-Badur]] explained the Plasma Energy Chamber as a conduit intended to directly channel the power of [[Primus]], one of the Quintessons' first attempts to control the imprisoned god. The results... [[Trans-Organic|didn't turn out so well]]. {{storylink|Disclosure}}

[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon objects]]
[[Category:MacGuffins]]
[[Category:Universe (2003)]]

Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber

2019-06-20T20:03:02Z

Chris2119:

[[File:G1 cartoon Plasma Energy Chamber key.JPG|right|upright=1.67|thumb|There seems to be a problem with the new Rubik's Cubes.]]
The '''Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber''' is a device used to activate the ancient forge that created the bodies of early cybertronians who would one day become known as Autobots and Deceptocpns. The key was believed to be the only device capable of activate the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]]. It was believed to be the key to the end of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]... or a [[Golden Age|miracle]].

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
After the [[Quintesson]]s were overthrown, the Key was placed in the stewardship of the [[Prime (rank)|leader]] of the [[Autobot]]s, which he was to guard with his life. However, [[Vector Sigma]] caused [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] to learn of the Key, and that it could allow him to use the Plasma Energy Chamber to destroy Cybertron. He organized an assault on [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], where [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] had stored the Key. The battle allowed [[Pounce]] and [[Wingspan]] to get in and steal the key. Heading for Cybertron, the Decepticons launched an attack, while [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] was sent to the Plasma Energy Chamber. However, Galvatron hadn't told Scourge of his plan, and Scourge jumped the gun a little. He placed the Key in the activation slot, causing [[Plasma energy]] to unleash and nearly kill him. [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] and [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] managed to remove the Key, and hid it with [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]]. Unfortunately, the Autobot shuttle was hurled to [[Nebulos]] by a stray blast of plasma energy. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}}

After the [[Decepticon]]s allied with the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]], they were able to steal the Key from Brainstorm. Scourge held it, but [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] took it from Scourge. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}} [[Zarak (G1)|Lord Zarak]], however, used [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] to grab Arcee and Daniel, and take the Key to Cybertron. Setting the console on a timer, Galvatron gave his men ten minutes to escape, at which point the Key would open the Plasma Energy Chamber, and the plasma energy would spread out toward the [[Sun]]. However, that had been Vector Sigma's plan all along. The excess solar energy was used to restore Cybertron's energy reserves, bringing about a second golden age. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

===3H comics===
The Quintesson [[Al-Badur]] explained the Plasma Energy Chamber as a conduit intended to directly channel the power of [[Primus]], one of the Quintessons' first attempts to control the imprisoned god. The results... [[Trans-Organic|didn't turn out so well]]. {{storylink|Disclosure}}

[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon objects]]
[[Category:MacGuffins]]
[[Category:Universe (2003)]]

Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber

2019-06-20T19:57:06Z

Chris2119:

[[File:G1 cartoon Plasma Energy Chamber key.JPG|right|upright=1.67|thumb|There seems to be a problem with the new Rubik's Cubes.]]
The '''Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber''' is the only thing which can unlock the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]]. As such, it could be the key to the end of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]... or a [[Golden Age|miracle]].

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
After the [[Quintesson]]s were overthrown, the Key was placed in the stewardship of the [[Prime (rank)|leader]] of the [[Autobot]]s, which he was to guard with his life. However, [[Vector Sigma]] caused [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] to learn of the Key, and that it could allow him to use the Plasma Energy Chamber to destroy Cybertron. He organized an assault on [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], where [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] had stored the Key. The battle allowed [[Pounce]] and [[Wingspan]] to get in and steal the key. Heading for Cybertron, the Decepticons launched an attack, while [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] was sent to the Plasma Energy Chamber. However, Galvatron hadn't told Scourge of his plan, and Scourge jumped the gun a little. He placed the Key in the activation slot, causing [[Plasma energy]] to unleash and nearly kill him. [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] and [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] managed to remove the Key, and hid it with [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]]. Unfortunately, the Autobot shuttle was hurled to [[Nebulos]] by a stray blast of plasma energy. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}}

After the [[Decepticon]]s allied with the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]], they were able to steal the Key from Brainstorm. Scourge held it, but [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] took it from Scourge. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}} [[Zarak (G1)|Lord Zarak]], however, used [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] to grab Arcee and Daniel, and take the Key to Cybertron. Setting the console on a timer, Galvatron gave his men ten minutes to escape, at which point the Key would open the Plasma Energy Chamber, and the plasma energy would spread out toward the [[Sun]]. However, that had been Vector Sigma's plan all along. The excess solar energy was used to restore Cybertron's energy reserves, bringing about a second golden age. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

===''Beast Machines'' cartoon===
While the key itself is not shown during the [[Spark War]] the [[Oracle]] downloaded access to the Plasma Energy Chamber via telepathic link to Optimus Primal in what Primal believed was the Oracles will to destroy the technological side of Cybertron, returning it to it's organic origins before the Qunintesson's created their robot factories.

===3H comics===
The Quintesson [[Al-Badur]] explained the Plasma Energy Chamber as a conduit intended to directly channel the power of [[Primus]], one of the Quintessons' first attempts to control the imprisoned god. The results... [[Trans-Organic|didn't turn out so well]]. {{storylink|Disclosure}}

[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon objects]]
[[Category:MacGuffins]]
[[Category:Universe (2003)]]

Energon cube

2019-06-20T19:38:44Z

Chris2119: /* The Transformers cartoon */

{{disambig2|garden-variety cubes of energon|the really big cube of energon|Energon Cube}}

The '''Energon Cube''' is the safest form of [[Energon]], used for transportation and storage of the energy fuel.

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
[[File:EnergonCubesCartoon1.jpg|right|upright=1.4|thumb|[[N.R.G.|NRG]].]]
Energon Cubes could be created by [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1}}, who generated the empty cube framework from his similarly-shaped chest; several other Decepticons were able to produce them as well. Energon Cubes seem to be Decepticon technology going as far back as Cybertron's [[Golden Age]]. {{storylink|War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn}}, as Autobots such as [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] were apparently unaware of them until their reawakening on [[Earth]] in 1984. By 2005, however, the Autobots had begun to use energon cubes for power as well.

Exactly how an energon cube operates is unclear, especially as their framework appears to be some sort of self-sustaining force field with no internal mechanisms. Most frequently, the empty cube is simply attached to or placed near the energy source from which it is to drain power, and the energy in question is automatically converted into liquid energon that fills the cube. Energon cubes have proven able to transform a vast array of resources into energon, including electricity, magma, oil and steam. Energon seems to have a much higher energy potential than carbon-based fuel sources: 1000 barrels of oil are needed to fill a single energon cube, {{storylink|Thief in the Night}} and the electrical energy within the synapses of the human brain are insufficient to generate even a few drops. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 3}}

The liquid energon within energon cubes is a glowing pink color, although the cubes could also be compressed for easy storage and transport, causing them to take on an iridescent rainbow effect.

===Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics===
[[File:Energoncubesrockandrollout.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb|Energon cubes come in Grande...]]
[[File:Marvel52 concentratedenergoncubes.jpg|right|upright=1.1|thumb|...and Tall!]]
[[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] builds an energy converter that's capable of converting both [[oil]] and the sonic energy from a [[Brick Springhorn]] concert into large purple energon cubes. Unfortunately when these cubes are exposed to x-ray energy from Shockwave's weaponry, they detonate in a blinding flash of light. {{storylink|Rock and Roll-Out!}}

[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] invented the [[Geothermal Generator]] which converted the [[Earth]]'s underground heat into energon cubes. {{storylink|Used Autobots}}

'''Concentrated energon cubes''' are a highly valuable form of universally accepted currency among alien cultures. These tiny green non-glowing cubes measure approximately 6 inches (15.2 cm) on a side and are easily transportable, as well as being less combustible than normal energon cubes. {{storylink|Guess Who the Mecannibals Are Having for Dinner?}}

===''Beast Wars'' cartoon===
The naturally-occurring energon on prehistoric [[Earth]] appeared only in an unstable, highly-explosive raw [[Energon crystal|crystalline form]]. However, after the [[Planet Buster]] baked Earth's surface, the crystals were all either incinerated or somehow "converted" into more stable cubes. These cubes no longer emitted the dangerous radiation which prompted the Beast Warriors to adopt their [[beast mode]]s in the first place. They were significantly smaller than the cubes used by Transformers from before the [[Great Upgrade]] and colored blue.

[[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] threatened to detonate an energon cube near her head if [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] would not remove the mind-link he had with her. The explosion would have killed them both via the link, so Tarantulas did remove it. {{storylink|Tangled Web}}

===''Animated'' cartoon===
[[File:Ani07 sllsparkinfusedenergon.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4]]
Energon cubes are purple. During the [[Great War (Animated)|Great War]], the Decepticons hoarded them in mass quantities on their battleships. However many centuries of neglect they suffered left them unstable.

They are also apparently delicious ''and'' nutritious to newborn giant spiders. {{storylink|Along Came a Spider}}

Energon becomes unstable if cut in its cube form, which combined with an elevator makes for a handy bomb in tight quarters. It is suggested that one not stare down the shaft while attempting this. {{storylink|Decepticon Air}}

There also exists 'demolition-grade' energon, which appears as palm-sized cubes and utilizes the potentially explosive properties of full-size energon. When used properly, they are very useful in clearing away rubble from space bridges. But using them ''in''correctly could lead to a messy accident—say, like the destruction of a small spaceship. {{storylink|Endgame, Part I}}

===''Prime'' cartoon===
[[File:Masters&Students-EnergonCube.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|left]]
[[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] and [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] inserted Energon, kept inside a metal cube, into [[Skyquake (Prime)|Skyquake]]'s [[stasis pod]] to revive him. {{storylink|Masters & Students}}

Later, when [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] and his troops harvested Dark Energon from a volcano, they cut some of it into cubes. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 1}}

Starscream sneaked on board the ''[[Trypticon (WFC)|Nemesis]]'' in an attempt to steal a number of energon cubes. But he dropped them when he saw Optimus Prime working for Megatron, {{storylink|Orion Pax, Part 1}} and was forced to leave without them after some Vehicons came {{storylink|Orion Pax, Part 2}}

Bulkhead later discovered a stash of cubes ready for transport in a ditch but fell into the ditch by accident and was transported with the cubes onto the ''Nemesis''. {{storylink|Armada (episode)|Armada}}

After the ship crashed, Megatron infused a Dark Energon cube into its power core to bring it back online. The Dark Energon brought the ship's personality online and it was a threat until [[Jack Darby]] succeeded in extracting the Dark Energon cube from the core. {{storylink|Flying Mind}}

{{-}}

==Games==
===''War for Cybertron''===
Both the Autobots and Decepticons used energon cubes to regain energy they had lost in the heat of battle. [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] was capable of producing energon cubes on the fly to heal his Decepticon brethren. {{storylink|Transformers: War for Cybertron (360/PS3/PC)|Transformers: War for Cybertron}}

===''Battle for the Matrix''===
{{Note|Battle for the Matrix is a simplified retelling of the events of [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]. It can be played from the perspective of either Bumblebee or Optimus Prime.}}
[[File:Energon battleforthematrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|right]]
[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] and/or [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus]] can collect Energon cubes in order to repair themselves. {{storylink|Transformers: Battle for the Matrix}}
{{-}}

==Things that look like energon cubes but aren't==
*[[Personality component]]s for some reason look like small energon cubes. {{storylink|Starscream's Brigade}}
*Refined [[Cybertonium]] looks like a green colored energon cube. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2}}
*The refined heat resistant alloy developed by [[Jessica Morgan]]'s father resembles yellow colored energon cubes. {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2}}

The reason why all share the shape of energon cubes is a mystery that plagues us to this day....

==Toys==
===The Transformers Collection===
[[File:EnergonCubeToy1.jpg|right|100px|thumb|Rubik, the Amazing Cube!]]
*'''Insectrons''' (Multi-pack, 2004)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''16''' (full set)

*'''Insectron Clone Army''' (Multi-pack, 2004)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''75''' (individual), '''76''' (clones set)

:Energon Cubes were available with Takara's "TF Collection" reissue of the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]], and the set's [[redeco]], the Collector's Edition [[Insecticon (G1)|Insectron Clone Army]] ([[Shothole]], [[Salvo]] and [[Zaptrap (G1)|Zaptrap]]) box set released in Japan in 2004.

===European ''Energon'' McDonald's promotion===
[[File:Energontoy-McUnicron.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb]]
*'''Ironhide''' (Happy Meal, 2004)
*'''Megatron''' (Happy Meal, 2004)
*'''Optimus Prime''' (Happy Meal, 2004)
*'''Unicron''' (Happy Meal, 2004)
:In 2004, McDonald's locations in various parts of Europe released four ''[[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|Energon]]''-based Happy Meal toys of [[Ironhide (Energon)|Ironhide]], [[Megatron (Armada)/toys|Megatron]], [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/toys|Optimus Prime]], and [[Unicron/toys|Unicron]]. These toys were united by a common feature of interchangeable light-up "energon cube" accessories.

:These cubes were little more than a cheap, battery powered [[gimmick]] (the battery couldn't be replaced; the triangle-headed screws used by McDonald's are notoriously impossible to remove) that would make sound or light the toy up. The cubes were interchangeable, but not all of them were "compatible", so to speak—Unicron's light-up feature didn't work on the more opaque plastic of the other toys.

===Masterpiece===
*'''Soundwave''' (2013)
**''ID number'': '''MP-13'''

* '''Soundwave''' (2013)
**''ID number:'' '''MP-02'''

:Both the Takara and Hasbro releases of [[The Transformers: Masterpiece|Masterpiece]] [[Soundwave (G1)/toys##Masterpiece|Soundwave]] included an Energon Cube accessory. A clear plastic box, one side could be removed so that the cube could be plugged into Soundwave's cassette door chest to simulate the cube production he performed on the [[Sunbow Productions|Sunbow]] animated series. At least on the Hasbro release, the cube didn't attach so well, though it did connect firmly to the grid attachment for Soundwave's chest.

:The edition purchased via [[Amazon (website)|Amazon.com]] in Japan came with two additional energon cubes.

*'''Soundblaster''' ([[Calendar|March]]-[[2014|14]])
**''Japanese ID number'': '''MP-13B'''

:The Soundblaster retool includes the Energon Cube accessory, now cast in red plastic.

===Platinum Edition===
*'''Insecticons''' (Platinum Edition 3-pack, 2015)

:The Energon cube accessories were available again for this release.

{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===Live-Action Movies===
: Released along side the Movie Preview protoform figures, Energon now takes on the delicious form of candy! Held inside clear, plastic containers, the "energon" inside is more or less flavorless balls of condensed sugar with articial colors. The cubes are held together by stickers, depicting scenes from Generation 1. The larger cube, made of 8 smaller ones, can be open and folded, in one direction, until it returns to its original position.

:Out of the eight cubes, only two have candy in them. Most of the art on the cube is taken from Dreamwave art by [[Pat Lee|Superstar Funana]], with the exception of two parts that feature art by [[Don Figueroa]].

===G.I. Joe and the Transformers===
*'''Shockwave H.I.S.S. Tank with two figures & Energon''' (2012)

: An [[exclusive]] release for [[San Diego Comic-Con]] 2012. Included in the set were three energon cubes inspired by the Generation 1 cartoon. They are clear pink plastic with inserts to make them appear to be partially filled with liquid. Also included was a trolly for the included [[Battle Android Trooper]] to transport the cubes.

==Notes==
*Thanks to [[Abdul Fakkadi (G1)|the exalted leader]] of [[Socialist Democratic Federated Republic of Carbombya|Carbombya]] in "[[Thief in the Night]]", we know 1000 barrels of oil makes a single energon cube. This means each cube contains the equivalent power of 42,000 U.S. gallons of crude oil. If refined into gasoline (with a conservative 30% yield ratio) that much oil would keep [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee's]] Volkswagen [[alternate mode|alt mode]] (with a rough value of 40 miles/gallon) going for approximately half a million miles without needing to refuel! That's enough to circumnavigate the [[Earth]] over seventeen times without stopping! No wonder a few cubes of the stuff got [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|ol' Megsy]] [[Microbots|drunk off his rocker!]]

===Foreign names===
*''English:'' '''Power pack''' ([[Omni Productions]] dub)
*''Japanese'' '''Energon cube''' (エネルゴンキューブ ''Enerugon Kyūbu'')

[[Category:Animated technology]]
[[Category:Beast Wars technology]]
[[Category:Energon|Cube]]
[[Category:Generation 1 technology]]
[[Category:Power sources]]
[[Category:Prime technology]]
[[Category:Substances]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron technology]]

Energon cube

2019-06-20T19:36:50Z

Chris2119:

{{disambig2|garden-variety cubes of energon|the really big cube of energon|Energon Cube}}

The '''Energon Cube''' is the safest form of [[Energon]], used for transportation and storage of the energy fuel.

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
[[File:EnergonCubesCartoon1.jpg|right|upright=1.4|thumb|[[N.R.G.|NRG]].]]
Energon cubes could be created by [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1}}, who generated the empty cube framework from his similarly-shaped chest; several other Decepticons were able to produce them as well. Energon Cubes seem to be Decepticon technology going as far back as Cybertron's [[Golden Age]]. {{storylink|War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn}}, as Autobots such as [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] were apparently unaware of them until their reawakening on [[Earth]] in 1984. By 2005, however, the Autobots had begun to use energon cubes for power as well.

Exactly how an energon cube operates is unclear, especially as their framework appears to be some sort of self-sustaining force field with no internal mechanisms. Most frequently, the empty cube is simply attached to or placed near the energy source from which it is to drain power, and the energy in question is automatically converted into liquid energon that fills the cube. Energon cubes have proven able to transform a vast array of resources into energon, including electricity, magma, oil and steam. Energon seems to have a much higher energy potential than carbon-based fuel sources: 1000 barrels of oil are needed to fill a single energon cube, {{storylink|Thief in the Night}} and the electrical energy within the synapses of the human brain are insufficient to generate even a few drops. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 3}}

The liquid energon within energon cubes is a glowing pink color, although the cubes could also be compressed for easy storage and transport, causing them to take on an iridescent rainbow effect.

===Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics===
[[File:Energoncubesrockandrollout.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb|Energon cubes come in Grande...]]
[[File:Marvel52 concentratedenergoncubes.jpg|right|upright=1.1|thumb|...and Tall!]]
[[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] builds an energy converter that's capable of converting both [[oil]] and the sonic energy from a [[Brick Springhorn]] concert into large purple energon cubes. Unfortunately when these cubes are exposed to x-ray energy from Shockwave's weaponry, they detonate in a blinding flash of light. {{storylink|Rock and Roll-Out!}}

[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] invented the [[Geothermal Generator]] which converted the [[Earth]]'s underground heat into energon cubes. {{storylink|Used Autobots}}

'''Concentrated energon cubes''' are a highly valuable form of universally accepted currency among alien cultures. These tiny green non-glowing cubes measure approximately 6 inches (15.2 cm) on a side and are easily transportable, as well as being less combustible than normal energon cubes. {{storylink|Guess Who the Mecannibals Are Having for Dinner?}}

===''Beast Wars'' cartoon===
The naturally-occurring energon on prehistoric [[Earth]] appeared only in an unstable, highly-explosive raw [[Energon crystal|crystalline form]]. However, after the [[Planet Buster]] baked Earth's surface, the crystals were all either incinerated or somehow "converted" into more stable cubes. These cubes no longer emitted the dangerous radiation which prompted the Beast Warriors to adopt their [[beast mode]]s in the first place. They were significantly smaller than the cubes used by Transformers from before the [[Great Upgrade]] and colored blue.

[[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] threatened to detonate an energon cube near her head if [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] would not remove the mind-link he had with her. The explosion would have killed them both via the link, so Tarantulas did remove it. {{storylink|Tangled Web}}

===''Animated'' cartoon===
[[File:Ani07 sllsparkinfusedenergon.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4]]
Energon cubes are purple. During the [[Great War (Animated)|Great War]], the Decepticons hoarded them in mass quantities on their battleships. However many centuries of neglect they suffered left them unstable.

They are also apparently delicious ''and'' nutritious to newborn giant spiders. {{storylink|Along Came a Spider}}

Energon becomes unstable if cut in its cube form, which combined with an elevator makes for a handy bomb in tight quarters. It is suggested that one not stare down the shaft while attempting this. {{storylink|Decepticon Air}}

There also exists 'demolition-grade' energon, which appears as palm-sized cubes and utilizes the potentially explosive properties of full-size energon. When used properly, they are very useful in clearing away rubble from space bridges. But using them ''in''correctly could lead to a messy accident—say, like the destruction of a small spaceship. {{storylink|Endgame, Part I}}

===''Prime'' cartoon===
[[File:Masters&Students-EnergonCube.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|left]]
[[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] and [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] inserted Energon, kept inside a metal cube, into [[Skyquake (Prime)|Skyquake]]'s [[stasis pod]] to revive him. {{storylink|Masters & Students}}

Later, when [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] and his troops harvested Dark Energon from a volcano, they cut some of it into cubes. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 1}}

Starscream sneaked on board the ''[[Trypticon (WFC)|Nemesis]]'' in an attempt to steal a number of energon cubes. But he dropped them when he saw Optimus Prime working for Megatron, {{storylink|Orion Pax, Part 1}} and was forced to leave without them after some Vehicons came {{storylink|Orion Pax, Part 2}}

Bulkhead later discovered a stash of cubes ready for transport in a ditch but fell into the ditch by accident and was transported with the cubes onto the ''Nemesis''. {{storylink|Armada (episode)|Armada}}

After the ship crashed, Megatron infused a Dark Energon cube into its power core to bring it back online. The Dark Energon brought the ship's personality online and it was a threat until [[Jack Darby]] succeeded in extracting the Dark Energon cube from the core. {{storylink|Flying Mind}}

{{-}}

==Games==
===''War for Cybertron''===
Both the Autobots and Decepticons used energon cubes to regain energy they had lost in the heat of battle. [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] was capable of producing energon cubes on the fly to heal his Decepticon brethren. {{storylink|Transformers: War for Cybertron (360/PS3/PC)|Transformers: War for Cybertron}}

===''Battle for the Matrix''===
{{Note|Battle for the Matrix is a simplified retelling of the events of [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]. It can be played from the perspective of either Bumblebee or Optimus Prime.}}
[[File:Energon battleforthematrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|right]]
[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] and/or [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus]] can collect Energon cubes in order to repair themselves. {{storylink|Transformers: Battle for the Matrix}}
{{-}}

==Things that look like energon cubes but aren't==
*[[Personality component]]s for some reason look like small energon cubes. {{storylink|Starscream's Brigade}}
*Refined [[Cybertonium]] looks like a green colored energon cube. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2}}
*The refined heat resistant alloy developed by [[Jessica Morgan]]'s father resembles yellow colored energon cubes. {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2}}

The reason why all share the shape of energon cubes is a mystery that plagues us to this day....

==Toys==
===The Transformers Collection===
[[File:EnergonCubeToy1.jpg|right|100px|thumb|Rubik, the Amazing Cube!]]
*'''Insectrons''' (Multi-pack, 2004)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''16''' (full set)

*'''Insectron Clone Army''' (Multi-pack, 2004)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''75''' (individual), '''76''' (clones set)

:Energon Cubes were available with Takara's "TF Collection" reissue of the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]], and the set's [[redeco]], the Collector's Edition [[Insecticon (G1)|Insectron Clone Army]] ([[Shothole]], [[Salvo]] and [[Zaptrap (G1)|Zaptrap]]) box set released in Japan in 2004.

===European ''Energon'' McDonald's promotion===
[[File:Energontoy-McUnicron.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb]]
*'''Ironhide''' (Happy Meal, 2004)
*'''Megatron''' (Happy Meal, 2004)
*'''Optimus Prime''' (Happy Meal, 2004)
*'''Unicron''' (Happy Meal, 2004)
:In 2004, McDonald's locations in various parts of Europe released four ''[[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|Energon]]''-based Happy Meal toys of [[Ironhide (Energon)|Ironhide]], [[Megatron (Armada)/toys|Megatron]], [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/toys|Optimus Prime]], and [[Unicron/toys|Unicron]]. These toys were united by a common feature of interchangeable light-up "energon cube" accessories.

:These cubes were little more than a cheap, battery powered [[gimmick]] (the battery couldn't be replaced; the triangle-headed screws used by McDonald's are notoriously impossible to remove) that would make sound or light the toy up. The cubes were interchangeable, but not all of them were "compatible", so to speak—Unicron's light-up feature didn't work on the more opaque plastic of the other toys.

===Masterpiece===
*'''Soundwave''' (2013)
**''ID number'': '''MP-13'''

* '''Soundwave''' (2013)
**''ID number:'' '''MP-02'''

:Both the Takara and Hasbro releases of [[The Transformers: Masterpiece|Masterpiece]] [[Soundwave (G1)/toys##Masterpiece|Soundwave]] included an Energon Cube accessory. A clear plastic box, one side could be removed so that the cube could be plugged into Soundwave's cassette door chest to simulate the cube production he performed on the [[Sunbow Productions|Sunbow]] animated series. At least on the Hasbro release, the cube didn't attach so well, though it did connect firmly to the grid attachment for Soundwave's chest.

:The edition purchased via [[Amazon (website)|Amazon.com]] in Japan came with two additional energon cubes.

*'''Soundblaster''' ([[Calendar|March]]-[[2014|14]])
**''Japanese ID number'': '''MP-13B'''

:The Soundblaster retool includes the Energon Cube accessory, now cast in red plastic.

===Platinum Edition===
*'''Insecticons''' (Platinum Edition 3-pack, 2015)

:The Energon cube accessories were available again for this release.

{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===Live-Action Movies===
: Released along side the Movie Preview protoform figures, Energon now takes on the delicious form of candy! Held inside clear, plastic containers, the "energon" inside is more or less flavorless balls of condensed sugar with articial colors. The cubes are held together by stickers, depicting scenes from Generation 1. The larger cube, made of 8 smaller ones, can be open and folded, in one direction, until it returns to its original position.

:Out of the eight cubes, only two have candy in them. Most of the art on the cube is taken from Dreamwave art by [[Pat Lee|Superstar Funana]], with the exception of two parts that feature art by [[Don Figueroa]].

===G.I. Joe and the Transformers===
*'''Shockwave H.I.S.S. Tank with two figures & Energon''' (2012)

: An [[exclusive]] release for [[San Diego Comic-Con]] 2012. Included in the set were three energon cubes inspired by the Generation 1 cartoon. They are clear pink plastic with inserts to make them appear to be partially filled with liquid. Also included was a trolly for the included [[Battle Android Trooper]] to transport the cubes.

==Notes==
*Thanks to [[Abdul Fakkadi (G1)|the exalted leader]] of [[Socialist Democratic Federated Republic of Carbombya|Carbombya]] in "[[Thief in the Night]]", we know 1000 barrels of oil makes a single energon cube. This means each cube contains the equivalent power of 42,000 U.S. gallons of crude oil. If refined into gasoline (with a conservative 30% yield ratio) that much oil would keep [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee's]] Volkswagen [[alternate mode|alt mode]] (with a rough value of 40 miles/gallon) going for approximately half a million miles without needing to refuel! That's enough to circumnavigate the [[Earth]] over seventeen times without stopping! No wonder a few cubes of the stuff got [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|ol' Megsy]] [[Microbots|drunk off his rocker!]]

===Foreign names===
*''English:'' '''Power pack''' ([[Omni Productions]] dub)
*''Japanese'' '''Energon cube''' (エネルゴンキューブ ''Enerugon Kyūbu'')

[[Category:Animated technology]]
[[Category:Beast Wars technology]]
[[Category:Energon|Cube]]
[[Category:Generation 1 technology]]
[[Category:Power sources]]
[[Category:Prime technology]]
[[Category:Substances]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron technology]]

Battle of Autobot City

2019-06-20T19:34:56Z

Chris2119: /* Aftermath */

{{disambig2|the in-universe battle|the eponymous mobile game event|The Battle for Autobot City}}
:''The Battle of Autobot City is a battle from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[File:BattleAutobotCity2.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|In ur base, killin ur doods.]]
The '''Battle of Autobot City''' refers to the protracted battle between the [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s at [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], the base of the Autobots on [[Earth]], taking place in the year 2005 in one reality. By its end, the leaders of both the Autobot and Decepticon forces were dead or dying, numerous combatants on both sides had been killed, and events were set in motion that would lead to the creation of [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] and, eventually, the passing of the [[Matrix of Leadership]].

{{bigquote|Let the slaughter begin!|[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]|''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''}}

==Prelude==
The Decepticons had succeeded in driving the Autobot army off [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. However, the Autobots retained staging grounds on Cybertron's two moons and were in the final phase of preparations for their counterassault. All that remained was the transport of a final shipment of [[Energon cube]]s from Autobot City's production facilities. [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] dispatched a shuttle to Earth for this purpose, interestingly crewed by most of his command staff.

[[File:Tftm1986a.jpg|left|thumb|The future of pratfall technology: the Exploding Banana Peel.]]
Unfortunately for the Autobots, the Decepticon spy [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] got wind of the Autobots' plans and warned [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]], ruler of the Decepticons. In a move reminiscent of the Decepticons' boarding of the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] on their initial arrival on Earth, Megatron led a sizeable contingent of Decepticons against the small Autobot crew on the shuttle. Heavily outnumbered and outmatched, the Autobots were overwhelmed.

[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] was the first to fall, killed by [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] using Megatron's gun mode. [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] was next to die after being shot by the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicon]] [[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]]. [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] and [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] then fell to Starscream's marksmanship, though Ironhide clung onto life just long enough to be executed by Megatron's [[fusion cannon]].

Having taken control of the shuttle, Megatron's plan became clear: the shuttle was to be used as a "Trojan Horse", conveying the Decepticons for a surprise attack on Autobot City itself, which Megatron seemed to think would vanquish the Autobots forever. On the other hand, Megatron was never really known for his tactical genius.

{{note|There ''is'' a reason Megatron thought this—the original script makes it clear that Autobot City is, in fact, a massive energy-gathering facility, so if the Decepticons destroy this, the Autobots will be without an energy supply, pretty much crippling their war effort.}}

==The Battle==
===First Phase===
Megatron had calculated correctly in that the Autobot shuttle would not set off Autobot City's automated defences even if carrying a Decepticon crew. It was sheer chance that the young human [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] noted there was a hole in the shuttle and alerted the young Autobot [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]], who investigated further and quickly learned the truth of the situation. Hot Rod opened fire on the shuttle, damaging it to the point that it exploded and went into an uncontrolled crash. His actions also allowed other nearby Autobots, including [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]], to realize something was wrong.

With the shuttle's destruction imminent and the Decepticons' cover blown, Megatron ordered his troops to debark and attack immediately. A number of Decepticons transformed to [[alternate mode]], commenced attacks on Autobot City and attempted to pick off those Autobots caught outside.

[[File:AutobotCitytransforms.jpg|thumb|Launch Black Tiger squadron, and prepare the Wave Motion Gun for firing...oh, sorry, wrong anime.]]
The Autobots, though surprised and outnumbered, quickly rallied to the defense. [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]], commanding the City, ordered [[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]] to contact Optimus Prime on [[Moonbase One]] to obtain reinforcements, [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] to [[Transformation|transform]] Autobot City into its battle mode, and [[Blurr (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blurr]] to assist in alerting Autobots to the attack.

Springer and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] delayed transforming the city for as long as possible to try and allow Hot Rod and Kup to get back inside. Eventually running out of time, they began the transformation, offering the city (and its Autobot defenders) greater defensive capability to meet the Decepticon assault. It also had the added bonus of maiming Starscream's right foot.

Kup and Hot Rod, speeding toward the city, saw that the two [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]] [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] and [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] were eating through one of the doors, but Kickback was taken across a chasm by the retracting bridge. Using the Insecticon as a springboard, Hot Rod and Kup were able to clear the gap and enter the city (crushing Kickback's head and ramming Shrapnel out of the way in the process) moments before the armored doors closed.

Meanwhile, Blaster did manage to make brief contact with the Cybertronian Autobots, but the signal was cut off by the intervention of [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] and the four henchmen he had with him: [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]], [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] and [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]. However, Blaster evened the odds by putting his own quartet of counterparts into the fight: [[Ramhorn (G1)|Ramhorn]], [[Steeljaw (G1)|Steeljaw]], [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]], and [[Eject (G1)|Eject]].

Though unable to penetrate Autobot City's defences by conventional means, the Decepticons succeeded in mowing down the Autobot soldiers, such as [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] and [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]]. Realizing that a frontal assault was futile, Megatron ordered the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] to merge into the [[Combiner|gestalt]] [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]. The giant robot quickly made his presence felt, penetrating the first line of defences by literally tearing them open, and shattering one attempt by Springer, Kup, Hot Rod and Arcee to put him out of action. But even so, the two sides were so evenly matched that the battle continued over the course of the remainder of that day and throughout the night.

===Second Phase===
{{quote|One shall stand, one shall fall.|Optimus Prime on seeing Megatron|[[The Transformers: The Movie|TFTM]]}}

[[File:Tftm1986b.jpg|left|thumb|"Will you stop being such a baby about this? Just hold on a second. I can see the splinter. It's right ... there ..."]]
However, the City could not hold out forever; by the next morning Autobot defences had been broken by relentless Decepticon assaults, and the likelihood of a mass slaughter was high. It was at this crucial point that Autobot reinforcements commanded by Optimus Prime arrived. The [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] were deployed to attack Devastator, with some success, but could not halt the Decepticons' advance into Autobot City.

That task fell to Optimus Prime, who made a heroic solo frontal assault against the massed firepower of the most elite members of the Decepticon army. In tractor-trailer mode, he mowed down Thrust and Shrapnel and nearly Blitzwing, before transforming to [[robot mode]] and using his [[ion blaster]] to singlehandedly blast the Decepticons Ramjet, Thundercracker, Soundwave, Kickback, and Dirge, fighting his way to engage Megatron in what he assured the Decepticon would be their final battle.

[[File:Battleofautobotcity.jpg|thumb|"Megatron is responsible for [[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|Prime's]] [[death]], not [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|me]]!"]]
The battle between the two leaders was brief and intense, but resulted in a seeming-victory for Prime. But Megatron had spotted a gun a matter of yards away from him. Stalling for time with false pleas for mercy, Megatron crawled towards the gun while Optimus pointed out the irony of Megatron, who was "without mercy," now pleaing for it. Before Optimus could take his shot, Hot Rod intervened as Megatron grabbed the gun, trying to overpower the Decepticon leader. But his efforts backfired, as Megatron overpowered the young Autobot, used him as a shield and shot Optimus repeatedly. Tossing aside Hot Rod, Megatron prepared to finish off his longtime nemesis. Prime, however, managed to gather his remaining strength to deal a {{w|Punch (combat)|haymaker}} powerful enough to knock Megatron off a ledge and into a fall that would prove almost-lethal.

Seeing their leader conclusively defeated in this way broke the Decepticons spirit. Starscream, taking interim command, ordered [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] to transform and ferry the Decepticons away in a general retreat. Unsurprisingly, Starscream appeared ready to leave Megatron to die, but Soundwave carried him to Astrotrain. Gathering up their wounded, the Decepticons fled, leaving the Autobots to similarly gather up their own casualties.

==Aftermath==
[[File:Optimusg1passingthematrix.jpg|left|thumb|"One of you must take the Matrix." "Not it!" "I wasn't talking to you, Blurr."]]
Large numbers of Autobots and Decepticons had either been terminated or wounded as a result of the battle. Windcharger, Wheeljack, and [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] were among the casualties, and even the mighty Optimus Prime soon succumbed to his wounds and expired, but not before passing the Matrix of Leadership to Ultra Magnus as his successor, unaware that the Matrix had chosen Hot Rod to become the new [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]].

[[File:Tftm1986c.jpg|thumb|Galvatron, or just plain old TRON?]]
The wounded Decepticons—including Megatron, [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]], [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]], and the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]]—were thrown out of Astrotrain to lighten the load, where they would later be found by the Chaos-Bringer [[Unicron]] and reshaped into [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]], [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]], [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], and the [[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]].

The [[Unicron War]] would be the next major Transformer battle, its events spinning directly out of the Battle of Autobot City. By 2006 Autobot City had been fully repaired and had more personal stationed there.

{{-}}

==Known participants==
{{featuredcharacters|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]]
*[[Springer (G1)|Springer]]
*[[Arcee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arcee]]
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]]
*[[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]]
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]]
*[[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]]
**[[Eject (G1)|Eject]]
**[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]]
**[[Steeljaw (G1)|Steeljaw]]
**[[Ramhorn (G1)|Ramhorn]]
*[[Blurr (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blurr]]
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]]
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]]†
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]]
*[[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]]
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]†
*[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]]†
*[[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]]*
*[[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]]*
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]]†*
*[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]]*
*[[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]]†*
*[[Superion (G1)|Superion]]*
*[[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]]*
*[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]*
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]]†
*[[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]]
*[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]]
*[[Slag (G1)|Slag]]
*[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]]
*[[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]]
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]]
*[[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]]†
*[[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]]†
*[[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]]†
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]]†
{{!}}}
|c2=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]]
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]]
**[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]]
**[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]]
**[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]]
**[[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]
**[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]]
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]]†
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]]†
*[[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]~
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]]†
*[[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]]†
*[[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]]†
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]]
*[[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]]
*[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]]
*[[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]]
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]]
*[[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]]
*[[Lugnut (TF 2010)|Lugnut]]*
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]
**[[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]]
**[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]]
**[[Hook (G1)|Hook]]
**[[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]]
**[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]]
**[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]]
*[[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]*
*[[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]*
{{!}}}
|nonumbering=true
}}
:<nowiki>*</nowiki> Retroactively included in the battle in [[Rodimus vs. Cyclonus|other]] [[The Gathering Storm|forms of]] [[A Flash Forward|media]].
:~ Shockwave only appeared in one shot, which may have been an [[animation error]].
:† Those killed in the battle, and from battle wounds.

==Notes==
[[File:TFTM-SideswipeRedAlertTracks.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
*The battle is "act 1" of ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]].''
*It's unclear how Megatron managed to beat the Autobot shuttle to Earth's [[solar system]].
*Storyboards that have found their way to the public over the years show additional scenes that were scripted and planned, but (in all probability) never animated:
**At the beginning of the shuttle segment, the Autobot shuttle would have been shown dodging through an asteroid storm, thus explaining why they didn't at least detect the approaching Decepticons. Some of this concept made it into the Marvel Comics [[The Planet-Eater!|adaptation of the movie]].
**Hot Rod's adventures outside the city would have been a bit longer and more dramatic. A short scene would also show him getting reprimanded by Ultra Magnus inside the city itself.
**[[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] would have stealthily blasted [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] before getting shot at by Megatron (given the emphasis on body-count, and the fact that Mirage never appears after the movie, it's likely this would have killed him).
**[[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]], [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]], [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], and Ultra Magnus would have finally brought down Devastator with a missile barrage. The Constructicons would subsequently [[:File:TFTM-RedAlertDown.jpg|kill Red Alert]] as the Autobots retreated.
***In 2012, the [[Transformers Collectors' Club]] comic "[[A Flash Forward]]" directly adapted this scene into the ''[[Transformers: Wings Universe|Wings Universe]]'', a continuity nearly identical to the Generation 1 cartoon.
**Several Decepticons would have dogpiled Optimus Prime at the start of his confrontation with Megatron, only for him to trounce them all soundly.
***Just before this, Blitzwing would have knocked Optimus Prime's gun out of his hands. In the final version of the movie, Optimus's gun just seems to have disappeared for no reason when he finally finds Megatron.
**[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker's]] lifeless body would have been seen as the Decepticons retreated.
*Alternate footage of the opening stage of the battle was part of a [[The Transformers: The Movie promo|promotional trailer]] assembled early in the movie's production.
[[File:ShockwaveBattleAutobotcity.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Logic dictates that I put in a token appearance.]]
*Counting characters who were meant to be there, were seen outside, or were killed, the Autobots had Ultra Magnus, Hot Rod, Kup, Blurr, Springer, Arcee, Blaster, Perceptor, Grapple, Huffer, Trailbreaker, Bluestreak, Windcharger, Wheeljack, Smokescreen, Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Mirage and 4 cassettes - more than enough to counter Megatron, six Seekers, three Insecticons, six Constructicons, Astrotrain, Blitzwing, Soundwave and 4 cassettes from inside a fortified position. Being 'outnumbered' or at a 'distinct tactical deficiency' assumes either that the Autobot cast has been trimmed down or the Decepticons brought along a ton of generics. Though the Insecticons ''do'' have the ability to clone themselves, so maybe they just brought a large horde of disposable Insecticons?
*The events of "[[Five Faces of Darkness]]" imply that [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] was present at the battle, but unable to transform to [[robot mode]] because his [[transformation cog]] was damaged. Some fiction suggests that Metroplex is part of (or the same thing as) Autobot City. (All sorts of [[fanon]] ensues from placing these two facts in close proximity. Use caution.)
*The fight between Optimus Prime and Megatron was remade into the commercial of [[Transformers: Universe (2008 franchise)|2008 Universe]] toyline, with [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI]] models based on their ''[[The Transformers: Masterpiece|Masterpiece]]'' toys.
*The "[[Rodimus vs. Cyclonus]]" comic book [[retcon]]s [[Lugnut (TF 2010)|Lugnut]] and [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] into the battle, as well as canonically confirming Tracks as a participant in the battle.
*Okay, we're going to be honest here. The whole point of this battle is [[To sell toys|to off your favorite characters in violent ways, then replace them with newbies who we've never seen before]].

[[Category:Battles]]
[[Category:Generation 1 history]]

Transformation virus

2019-06-01T00:57:55Z

Chris2119:

[[File:Primal ModeLocked.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|Optimus Primal attempting to transform.]]

The '''Transformation Virus''' was a virus that was created and then released on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] by [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] in order to conquer the planet. It was his most potent weapon that subdued the population almost overnight. It had many effects, though the primary intended ones seemed to be [[Transformation paralysis|mode lock]] and deactivation. It has also been associated with paralysis, short-term amnesia, and "devolution".

{{bigquote|Nobody saw it coming: a virus suddenly spreading over the whole planet. Everyone was infected. Many deactivated; most just disappeared.|[[Nightscream (BM)|Nightscream]]|"[[Forbidden Fruit]]"}}

==Fiction==
===''Mutant Beast Wars'' toy bios===
At some point before unleashing the virus on Cybertron, Megatron tested it on a group of [[Fuzor]]s. But rather than freeze their transformations and shut them down, it somehow gave them two ''separate'' [[beast mode]]s at the expense of their [[robot mode]]s. They also gained special powers like telepathy and teleportation. Unsurprisingly they were able to escape and became the renegades known as the [[Mutant (BW)|Mutants]].

Megatron presumably improved the virus after that incident, since the Fuzor [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]] would later be one of the few Beast Warriors who succumbed immediately and completely. He also showed no signs of spontaneous superpowers.

===''Beast Machines''===
[[File:BM Virus Attack.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1|You'll ''never see it com—'' well, okay, you will.]]
As recounted by [[Nightscream (BM)|Nightscream]], Megatron's viral assault came massively and without warning. It was actually visible as a pillar of green... ''something'' erupting in the center of a city, then falling back down and sweeping through the streets as a rapidly-moving cloud. Those who weren't immediately deactivated were hunted down by the ever-growing hordes of [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon]]s. Despite "everyone" being infected (presumably including himself), Nightscream managed to stay mobile even as the Vehicon ranks increased into the thousands. Running away from an attack, he fell down a deep pit and "went offline." His internal DNA scanner discovered a fossilized bat and used it to give him a [[beast mode]]. When he reactivated, he had no memory of the bat or the chamber it was in, and he was stuck in his new beast mode. However, he also found an organic tree with edible fruit, which he used to survive for some time. {{storylink|Forbidden Fruit}} He would later credit his beast mode with his resistance to the virus. {{storylink|Survivor}} However, the fruit diet may also have been a factor, as he told [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] and his reformatted [[Maximal]]s, "This'll make you better."

[[File:Devolvinggas in-action.jpg|thumb|upright=1|Remember how happy you were when you saw your beast mode the first time? Want that feeling again?]]

The Maximals themselves had also been struck with amnesia and mode-lock upon ''their'' exposure to the virus, though that wasn't the only effect. After their ship crashed, they were hounded by Vehicons firing explosive canisters. The canisters released a glowing, green gas in an apparently much smaller-scale version of the original planet-wide viral release. All of the [[Transmetal]]lized Maximals were immediately "devolved" into their original beast modes, though they were still mobile. The non- and partially-Transmetallized, however, remained in their [[robot mode]]s, seemingly paralyzed as the Vehicons overtook them. {{storylink|Revelations Part II: Descent}}

While the de-Transmetallized Maximals did evade capture, they lost their memories of the entire event, forgetting even Megatron's escape from their shuttle in [[transwarp]] and other passengers who were also aboard. They were trapped in beast mode and slowly shutting down, electric jolts occasionally sparking from their bodies. Primal and [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] both somehow concluded, independently of each other, that they could avoid shutdown if only they could transform or find a CR Chamber within a few hours. But without that option, Primal followed visions to the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]], at which point the Maximals seemed on the verge of deactivation. However, the Oracle [[reformatting|reformatted]] them into [[technorganic]] bodies instantly energized and immune to the virus. {{storylink|The Reformatting}}

The Maximals eventually found the laboratory where Megatron had manufactured the virus. [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]], frustrated that he couldn't get his new body to transform out of beast mode, correctly anticipated that there would be a "counter-virus" with the opposite effect. Taking it, he found himself transforming uncontrollably. {{storylink|Mercenary Pursuits}}

With Maximals' technorganic immunity making the virus practically irrelevant, little more was learned about it or its relationship to the green gas. It made one more possible return when [[Botanica (BM)|Botanica]] arrived from offworld, though the evidence is scant. Her ship was shot down, and the investigating Maximals found themselves attacked by her feral, seed-scattering plant mode. She was drawn underground to the technorganic orchard and its pipeline to the planet's organic core. Once there, she began to spark like the Maximals had when they were infected, giving Primal the idea to reformat her. The reformatting successfully restored her mental and bodily health, and she said that Megatron's attack on her ship had "shorted out" her "higher reasoning protocols." She had been running on pure self-preservation, lashing out at anything, but the reformatting had "rebooted [her] primary operating systems." With that explanation, the only viral symptom in evidence was the brief sparking. But whether or not Primal was right in his diagnosis, this would be the last mention of the transformation lock virus. {{storylink|Home Soil}}

===3H comics===
Megatron may have developed the virus from [[Cryotek (Universe)|Cryotek]]'s research.<ref>[http://botcon.com/archive/story/characters/cryotek.html Cryotek's 3H bio]</ref>

Watching in astonishment at Megatron's takeover, [[Apelinq (BM)|Apelinq]] was able to protect at least himself by creating a shield suit against the "residual effects" of the plague. Another advance came when he reunited with [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus]], whose "unique physiology" had made him immune to the virus. Apelinq created an inoculant "by mapping and replicating his Spark's low-band energy signatures." When [[Primal Prime]] and his Maximals arrived later, Apelinq intended to inoculate them. But, according to Primal, Apelinq was attacked and hurled through a transwarp gateway "before he could inoculate the rest of my crew." What that phrase implies for the [[Wrecker]]s' immunity or lack thereof is open for speculation. {{storylink|Apelinq's War Journals}}

===''Ultimate Guide''===
The ''Beast Machines'' summary in ''[[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide]]'' claims that the technorganic Maximals' transformation difficulties are the result of the "last vestiges" of the virus. This is somewhat at odds with Optimus Primal's dialogue, which places the blame on their new bodies' lack of [[onboard computer]]s. {{storylink|Master of the House}} However, if the virus ''is'' at least part of the cause, this could help account for the fact that all of the Maximals reformatted later are able to transform instantly. Nightscream, while most likely infected, showed markedly light symptoms all along (and he had already watched Primal and co. practice transforming for some time). Botanica showed even fewer symptoms before her reformatting, if she was infected at all. And Silverbolt was reformatted from his almost-certainly-immune Vehicon body. {{storylink|In Darkest Knight}}

===Devolving gas?===
[[File:Devolvinggas canister.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1|Gas with oily discharge.]]

Involved in the ambiguous nature of the virus is its connection to the mysterious green gas. Its first appearance is during Nightscream's flashback, where it appears synonymous with the virus itself. However, if this "virus" is like any other known virus, it shouldn't be visible. This leads to the notion that the gas is perhaps a delivery system. But if Botanica ''was'' infected on her arrival despite the gas being absent, then the gas isn't necessary for the virus to spread.

Additionally, the "devolution" of the Transmetals occurred when they were exposed to the gas. This has led some fans to think that the ''gas'' devolved them, not the virus at all. However, while the non-Transmetals seemed to be instantly paralyzed, the de-Transmetallized were able to keep moving. So other fans have suggested that Transmetallization was an unforeseen buffer against the virus's full effects, the de-Transmetallization process buying them time before shutdown.

Ultimately, though, the "true" nature of the virus and gas are unknowable, as the fiction contains no clear explanation.

==Notes==
*''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II]]'' states that this virus is a weaponized form of [[Nucleon (substance)|Nucleon]], a substance that indeed inhibits transformation.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Henshin seigyo virus''' (変身制御ウイルス, "transformation-suppressing virus")

==See also==
*[[Transformation cog]]
*[[Transfixatron]]
*[[Transformation Lock Lens]]
*[[Transformation paralysis]]
*[[Mode lock]]
*[[Suppressor (device)]]

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Diseases]]
[[Category:Beast Machines]]

Council Citadel

2019-04-03T20:00:53Z

Chris2119: /* Beast Machines cartoon */

:''The Council Citadel is a structure from the [[Beast Machines: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Machines]] portion of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[Image:Citadel.JPG|right|250px|thumb|]]
Standing above its surroundings in [[Cybertropolis|the capital city]] of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], the '''Council Citadel''' served as the meeting place for the [[Maximal Elder]]s.

==Fiction==
===''Beast Machines'' cartoon===
After "purifying" Cybertron, [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] made it his base of operations, retro fitting the meeting room into his throne room. {{storylink|Master of the House}}

It was also where he originally kept the [[spark]]s of the kidnapped [[Transformer]]s within containers stored in the floor. {{storylink|Fires of the Past}}

During the [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicons]]' assault on the [[Grand Mal|big floating head]], it crashed into the Citadel after losing all its power, but without damaging the Citadel itself. The Citadel was destroyed by Megatron, tunneling through to the planets core to reach the Technoganic liguid. {{storylink|Endgame Pt. I: The Downward Spiral}}

[[Category:Bases]]
[[Category:Beast Machines locations]]
[[Category:Cybertron]]

Maximal

2019-04-03T19:48:40Z

Chris2119:

{{factions|maximal|maximalbm}}
:''The Maximals are a faction from the [[Beast Era]] portion of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Maximal symbol.png|right|thumb|Woof woof!]]
Arising from the ashes of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], the '''Maximals''' are the descendants (at least in part) of the [[Autobot]]s, controlling [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] under the [[Pax Cybertronia]]. The Maximals and their counterpart race the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s both owe their origins to the [[Great Upgrade]], which provided the downsized, fuel-efficient bodies that became the hallmark of the successor factions.

In many ways, the Maximals share traits with their their Autobot ancestors; primarily a "civilian" race, the Maximals are committed to upholding the peaceful, democratic values of their forebears. They do however have questionable moral issues at times, and Maximal science has occasionally resulted in the odd [[Rampage (BW)|unethical scientific horrors]].

The most distinctive factor of both Maximal and Predacon physiology is their development of pseudo-organic [[beast mode]]s, allowing both sides to adopt [[alternate mode]]s that blend in seamlessly with the organic lifeforms found elsewhere in the universe. This technology, an offshoot of earlier [[Pretender]] tech,<ref>"[[Departure]]"</ref> sheathes a beast mode in an artificial organic skin, integrating its natural instincts directly into the Maximal form.

When Maximals take on beast modes, they tend to select mammals, birds or fish, although this is not a hard-and-fast rule. Occasionally, Maximals might choose to become [[Insectron|insects]], [[Cohrada|reptiles]], or [[Dinobot (BM)|dinosaurs]].

The Maximal [[activation code]] is "Maximize".

{{quote|I'm a Maximal. I have to give peace a chance, no matter how unlikely it seems.|[[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]]|"[[Before the Storm]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Toy bios===
[[File:Optimusprimalvsmegatronsplash.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]
The product of an innovative "[[bio-genetic morphing process]]" that sought to create the ultimate fusion of organic musculature and Transformer technology, the rise of the Maximals and their leader [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Primal]] signified that the old conflict between Autobot and Decepticon had entered a new phase. {{storylink|Optimus Primal vs Megatron!}}
{{-}}

===''Beast Wars'' cartoon continuity===
[[File:ForbiddenFruit-Cybertropolis.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

The exact origins of the Maximals (and Predacons) were never entirely explained, though several aspects can be inferred from dialogue. The events of ''Beast Wars'' and ''Beast Machines'' are stated to have taken place 300 years after the end of the Great War, though whether this is in Earth years or Cybertronian years has never been made clear. {{storylink|Dark Designs}} Dialogue from the cartoon suggests that the signing of the [[Pax Cybertronia]], which ended the conflict between the [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s, was the precipitating event that led to the development of Maximal and Predacon technology. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 1)}}

A transitional period can be inferred from [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]]'s dialogue, mentioning the [[Great Upgrade]] as the specific era when the Autobot population transitioned "from Autobot to Maximal". Around this time, the Autobot capital of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] would have been abandoned {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. II: The Search|The Search}} and replaced by [[Cybertropolis]] as the new central city of Cybertron. {{storylink|Master of the House}} Characters would occasionally reference Autobot heroes from the past as their "ancient ancestors," {{storylink|Possession}} with [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] mentioning his "great-aunt [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]]" on one occasion. {{storylink|Transmutate (episode)|Transmutate}} Optimus Primal similarly described [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] as his revered "ancestor", though whether or not these references are literal or metaphorical are anyone's guess. {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. II: The Search|The Search}}

[[File:Stasispod.jpg|thumb|left|250px|[[Stasis pod]]s formed the backbone of Maximal exploration programs.]]

By the modern day, the Maximal government had organized itself into a [[democracy]] {{storylink|Chain of Command (BW)|Chain of Command}} led by the [[Maximal Elder]]s {{storylink|Possession}} and the [[Maximal High Council|High Council]], {{storylink|Deep Metal}} ruling from the [[Council Citadel]] in [[Cybertropolis]]. {{storylink|Master of the House}} The general Maximal populace of Cybertron had largely forgotten about the struggles their ancestors had faced in the Great War; a state of affairs that the Elders found convenient for their purposes. Under their tenure, most records relating to the Great War were sealed away, {{storylink|Possession}} and Maximals were forbidden from travelling to [[Earth]]. {{storylink|Deep Metal}}

Despite this, the Maximals maintained a significant space presence, using the development of [[protoform]] and [[beast mode]] technology to explore neighboring worlds such as [[Regalis V]] without disturbing the native life forms. {{storylink|Home Soil}} [[Stasis pod]]s, which allowed large numbers of protoforms to be safely carried through space, {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 1)}} suggests that these expeditions were the precursors to an expansion-minded colonization program. The most significant development in regards to space travel was the invention of [[transwarp]] travel, an evolution of [[space bridge]] technology which allowed ships to travel through time as well as space. {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 1)}}
{{-}}

====''Beast Wars'' cartoon====
[[File:BeastWarsPart1-Maximals.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]
According to [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]], peace between the Maximals and Predacons had lasted for centuries. {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 1)}} Four stellar cycles prior to the disappearances of the ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'' and the ''[[Darksyde (BW)|Darksyde]]'', {{storylink|Deep Metal}} Maximal scientists conducted research into [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]'s mutant [[spark]], {{storylink|Possession}} hoping to learn more about its anomalous immortality. The end result of their experiments was [[Rampage (BW)|Protoform X]]: a hyper-aggressive mutant {{storylink|Bad Spark}} who promptly attacked both the Maximal colony [[Colony Omicron|Omicron]] {{storylink|Deep Metal}} and [[Starbase Rugby]]. {{storylink|Nemesis Part 1}} Most likely as a result from this failed experiment, the Maximal Elders restricted access to Starscream's history file by the general Maximal public, deeming the file classified information. {{storylink|Possession}}

Both Maximals and Predacons possessed an [[onboard computer]] that was symbiotically hardwired into their superstructure; this secondary AI was responsible for autonomously coordinating the movement of parts during [[transformation]], {{storylink|Master of the House}} as well as coordinating energy shielding, {{storylink|The Spark}} power distribution, and the emergency failsafe mode known as [[stasis lock]]. {{storylink|Code of Hero}}

Maximals traditionally adopted [[beast mode]]s via external [[DNA scanner]]s integrated into external machinery, {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 1)}} which directly integrated organic material into an outer layer of synthetic flesh. {{storylink|Revelations Part III: Apocalypse|Apocalypse}}
Unlike Predacons, Maximal programming directly integrated beast mode instincts into the consciousness of the Cybertronian and dividing them from higher reasoning through a programming block. {{storylink|Call of the Wild}} In some cases, damage sustained in a [[protoform]] state could prevent this programming block from forming. {{storylink|Fallen Comrades}} Severely damaged protoforms might fail to scan a beast mode entirely, emerging as a deformed and unstable robot. {{storylink|Transmutate (episode)|Transmutate}}

In other instances, Maximals who remained in beast mode for too long would suffer from feral impulses, which would go on to completely override their consciousness and reduce them into wild animals. {{storylink|Call of the Wild}} Despite this fundamental difference in programing, it was easy for a Predacon to become a Maximal - or vice versa - by simply changing one's [[activation code]]. {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 2)}} {{storylink|Double Jeopardy}}

[[File:MaximalMutations.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]
Over the course of the "[[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]]" on prehistoric [[Earth]], exposure to [[Quantum surge|exotic energy]] and [[Transmetal driver|alien technology]] would change several Maximals into [[Transmetal]] {{storylink|Aftermath}} and [[Transmetal 2]] forms; {{storylink|Feral Scream Part 2}} though these mutations outwardly changed afflicted Maximals back into more mechanical beings, organic material remained integrated into both forms.
{{-}}

====''Beast Machines'' cartoon====
[[File:Botanica OriginalBody.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]
Maximal society revolved around new research and innovations, which were apparently distributed to the populace during regularly scheduled upgrade cycles. At some point after the departure of the ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'' from Cybertron, the [[Quantum Cycle Upgrade]] involved the instillation of built-in [[DNA scanner]]s into the Maximal populace, which rendered stasis pod technology obsolete. {{storylink|Survivor}}

Other Maximal expeditions involved a voyage to the distant world of [[Regalis V]] to study the native lifeforms there. {{storylink|Home Soil}}

Following the end of the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]], the Maximals returned to Cybertron with Megatron as their prisoner; taking advantage of a transwarp disruption, Megatron returned early and sought to conquer Cybertron for his own; engineering a [[transformation virus|transformation-paralysing virus]], he was able to swiftly conquer the undefended planet by using [[spark extractor]]s to remove the [[spark]]s from the incapacitated Maximal populace, reengineering their lifeless bodies into a horde of [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicons]] to hunt down the survivors. {{storylink|Revelations Part I: Discovery|Discovery}}

{{note|Though the characters only described the imprisoned sparks as "Maximal" sparks, comments from the showrunners confirmed that both Maximals and Predacons were targeted indiscriminately by the Vehicons.}}

[[File:Thereformattingmaximalsmaximize.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]
The surviving Maximals from the Beast Wars crash-landed on Cybertron shortly after Megatron had fully consolidated his rule across the planet; those Transmetal Transformers were able to resist the debilitating effects of the virus and took refuge underground. There, they discovered the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]], who, acting on part of a greater plan to evolve Cybertron to its next stage of existence, used the organic matter they brought back to Cybertron to [[reformatting|reformat]] them into new [[technorganic]] bodies. {{storylink|The Reformatting}} The rise of the technorganics represented the most marked divergence from the standard Maximal physiology yet: representing the "perfect" fusion of technology and biology at the cellular level, this new breed of Maximal lacked the onboard computers that characterized other protoform Cybertronians, and had to learn to [[transformation|transform]] by applying conscious willpower to shift from beast to robot form—a "transformation" that was akin to fluid shapeshifting. {{storylink|Master of the House}}

After some brief misunderstandings regarding the nature of his mission, {{storylink|Fallout (episode)|Fallout}} Optimus eventually came to understand that he would have to restore Cybertron's balance between the organic and technological, and in the final battle against Megatron the seven Maximals drew upon the collective spark power of Cybertron's Maximal population to power themselves up. {{storylink|Endgame Pt. II: When Legends Fall|When Legends Fall}} In the end, Optimus was able to defeat Megatron, triggering [[Great Reformatting|a planetary reformatting]] that saw Cybertron itself transformed into a technorganic form and the captured Maximal population restored to their bodies. {{storylink|Endgame Pt. III: Seeds of the Future|Seeds of the Future}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
=====''Beast Wars II'' cartoon=====
[[File:Lioconvoyinemminentdomain.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]
Tens of thousands of years after Optimus Primal's adventures on Cybertron, the Maximal leader would go on to be remembered as a "legendary commander" and one of the most important Maximals of all time. {{storylink|Lio Convoy in Imminent Danger!}} The dynasty of the Maximals would last for millennia, stretching into the distant future and outlasting [[human]]ity's time on [[Earth]]. {{storylink|The New Forces Arrive!}} At least some shreds of human culture would remain impressed into the collective racial psyche of the Transformers, as evidenced by the ethnically dubious antics of the [[Jointron]]s. {{storylink|The Festive Jointrons}}

In this distant future, a [[Lio Convoy Unit|group]] of Maximals led by [[Lio Convoy]] would pilot the starship ''[[Yukikaze (BWII)|Yukikaze]]'' to the post-apocalyptic ruins of Earth, which had become known as [[Gaia]], and battled a group of Predacons led by [[Galvatron (BWII)|Galvatron]]. {{storylink|Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers}} On one occasion, an alien teleport gate would warp Optimus Primal himself from his position in time and space to this future world, where he briefly teamed up with Lio Convoy before returning home. {{storylink|Lio Convoy in Imminent Danger!}}
{{-}}

=====''Beast Wars Neo'' cartoon=====
[[File:ConvoyCouncil1.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]
In the many years following the Great Reformatting, the Maximal Elders had either been replaced by or evolved into the [[Convoy Council]]. {{storylink|Big Convoy, Move Out}} At this point, Maximal colonization efforts started generations before had evidently yielded fruit, and many Transformers, Maximal and Predacon alike, had chosen to take up permanent residence on distant worlds far from Cybertron. {{storylink|Bump the Physicist}}

At least some Maximals professed to be religious; [[Big Convoy]] and his rookie crew of the ''[[Gung Ho]]'' shared a belief in a nebulous entity known as the "[[God of the Maximals]]". {{storylink|Chase the Mysterious Capsule}}
{{-}}

====3H comics====
[[File:Wreckers3hlineup.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|The new team of Wreckers, consisting of Maximals, Predacons, Autobots, and Decepticons]]
The Maximals took their name from the Maximal Upgrade, which was instituted after the end of the Great War and the signing of the Pax Cybertronia. Several prominent Autobots partook of the upgrade, including [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] (renaming himself just "Rodimus") and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]]. {{storylink|Departure}} As the Maximals and Predacons came to supplant the Autobots and Decepticons as the new ruling castes of Cybertron, the two factions coexisted in an unstable alliance of peace that lasted for centuries. {{storylink|Covenant (story)|Covenant}} {{storylink|Betrayal}} During this time, Maximal society had become driven by exploration and advancements in technology. {{storylink|Departure}} Law and order was enforced by a peacekeeping organization known as the [[Imperial Peace Marshal]]s, headed by Peace Marshal Command. {{storylink|Apelinq's War Journals}} {{storylink|Departure}} But as a precaution, the High Council had also recommissioned a new Maximal version of the elite strike team known as the [[Wrecker#3H comics|Wreckers]]—previously disbanded after the Great War—to serve as a last resort the Council had hoped would never be needed, {{storylink|Departure}} with a base established for Wrecker Command in Delta Three (and later relocated to Delta Five). {{storylink|Apelinq's War Journals}}

In the time between Megatron's return and subsequent takeover of Cybertron, the Predacon worked in secret to conquer the planet with his Vehicon drone armies, overtaking the Peace Marshals via terrorist attacks and rendering the Maximal High Council helpless to stop him. The Wreckers took action but were overwhelmed by Megatron's numbers and his deadly virus that crippled the planet's entire population. Only the Maximal [[Apelinq (BM)|Apelinq]] and his advisor [[Hot Rod (G1)#3H comics|Rodimus]] remained as the sole surviving Wreckers. {{storylink|Apelinq's War Journals}} Following the return of Optimus Primal's Maximals to Cybertron, the two Wreckers would eventually be joined by the arrival of yet another unit of time-displaced warriors led by the Maximal [[Primal Prime]], whose team (which included a mix of Maximals and Predacons) would be added to the Wreckers' ranks, along with a scant few surviving Autobots and Decepticons. {{storylink|VEHICON ALERT!}} {{storylink|Apelinq's War Journals}}

[[Image:Maximalhighcouncil.jpg|left|300px|thumb|The Maximal High Council]]
Following the defeat of Megatron and the Great Reformatting, evidence surfaced that suggested that the technorganic reformatting of the planet had in fact been a ruse by the malicious [[Quintesson]]s to lead the development of Cybertron astray. {{storylink|Disclosure}} When the Quintessons attempted to invade the now-verdant Cybertron, however, they discovered that the technorganic Maximals had evolved far beyond their specifications; not only were they invisible to Quintesson technology, their new constitutions gave them rapid healing abilities that allowed them to rejuvenate themselves from even the most grievous injuries.

Ultimately, it was soon revealed that the Quintessons themselves had been manipulated by [[Primus]], who thanked them for allowing his children to discover this great leap forward. {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

In a year's time, {{storylink|Abduction}} the High Council had returned to power, governing the planet just as the [[Universe War]] was about to begin. {{storylink|Homecoming (Universe)|Homecoming}}

In an alternate timeline where Megatron had conquered Cybertron not with Vehicons but with Predacons, the Maximals became subservient to the planet's new dominate faction and, for years, their numbers were constantly run to ground and executed by the Predacons. However, over time, the Predacons had become too complacent in their rule, allowing the Maximals to retaliate with greater organization and shift the balance of power back in their favor. {{storylink|Paradox}} By the 32nd Century, an even greater power had entered the conflict: A mad Predacon despot known as [[Shokaract]]—empowered by the lifeforce of [[Unicron]]—conquered Cybertron and half the known galaxy. Both the Maximals and Predacons were defeated and driven underground by Shokaract's onslaught, forcing the once and former enemy factions to unite into pan-factional resistance groups, originally formed out of convenience but later out of necessity. {{storylink|Herald}} {{storylink|Schism (story)|Schism}}

====Dreamwave ''Generation One'' comics====
Half of a Maximal symbol could be seen on the doors to the ''Ark''. {{storylink|Night of the Combaticons}}

====Descent into Evil====
A the end of the Great War, the Autobots and the next generation of Maximals coexisted for a period of time, and threatened to overrun the concurrent Predacon/Decepticon alliance. {{storylink|Descent into Evil}}

====IDW ''Beast Wars'' comics====
[[File:DawnOfThePredacus-onerace.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

The Maximal faction appears to have arisen as an Autobot subgroup at some point before the end of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]. In the year [[2035]], the Maximals and Autobots participated in the battle that followed immediately after the deaths of both [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]; with command of the factions ceded to the [[Primal Council]], the conflict seemingly concluded when the [[Tripredacus Council]] voluntarily surrendered, allowing for the signing of a temporary ceasefire. The conflict gave rise to the development of [[protoform]] technology, which would form the basis for future Maximal colonization endeavors. {{storylink|Dawn of the Predacus}}

In the years that followed, the Maximals and Predacons grew in prominence and eventually eclipsed their respective progenitor races. At some point, the [[Great Upgrade]] occurred, which saw every Maximal and a handful of surviving Autobots downsize into fuel efficient bodies. Among them were the former Autobots [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]], and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]], who became the first [[Maximal Elder]]s in what would later be known as the [[Maximal Imperium]].

[[File:BWPack.jpg|thumb|left|200px]]
Despite the apparent ceasefire, war, in some fashion, would continue on between the new factions for some years; the Maximals were known to have set up "re-education centers" in their prison camps and the Predacon [[BB]] was a "guest" of one such place. In the last days before the signing of the Pax Cybertronia, a group of Maximals led by [[Lio Convoy]] pursued [[Galvatron (BWII)|Galvatron]] and a force of Predacons to the planet [[Gaia|Gaea]], where they battled for control of the planet's [[Angolmois]] energy until Lio Convoy's group prevailed.

Following the signing of the Pax Cybertronia and the official end of hostilities between the Maximals and Predacons, the Great War and its numerous minor conflicts were officially considered over. The Maximal Elders remained on guard for any attempts to violate this new peace and dispatched [[Big Convoy]] to take out the rogue dissident [[Magmatron]] when the Predcaon attempted to restart the war. In time, both governments established the [[Bi-Partate Committee for State Affairs]] to deal with inter-factional diplomacy; {{storylink|Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook|Beast Wars Sourcebook}} the Maximals maintained a standing law enforcement presence in the shape of the [[Maximal Command Security Force]], {{storylink|Dawn of Future's Past}} and trained new recruits for their military arm in the [[Maximal Military Academy]].

In these peaceful postwar years, the civilian branches of the Maximal government turned its attention to the stars, and focused on several long-range exploration and colonization missions. Many Maximals—some of them civilians looking for new adventures, others veterans of the Great War looking to start anew—volunteered for these missions, reduced to a [[protoform]] state for ease of interstellar transport. {{storylink|Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook|Beast Wars Sourcebook}}

[[File:TheGathering04-breaksomeheads.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

Neither side was prepared for Megatron's attempt to change history by travelling back in time, and the Maximal Elders responded by dispatching [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] and his crew to chase the stolen ship through [[transwarp]] space. {{storylink|Dawn of Future's Past}} Not long afterwards, Magmatron would embark on his own scheme to pursue Megatron to prehistoric Earth; the Maximals responded by secretly inducting the Maximal double agent [[Razorbeast]] into his ranks. Hoping to raise an army from the [[stasis pod]]s left on prehistoric Earth with which to conquer Cybertron, Razorbeast managed to tamper with the [[shell program]] required to turn the protoforms and managed to raise an adhoc team of Maximals to counter Magamtron's plans. {{storylink|Transformers, Beast Wars: The Gathering|The Gathering}} Both sides warred with one another until the rise of [[Shokaract]] and [[Unicron]]'s heralds threatened both sides. Both sides joined forces to defeat the menace on Cybertron, but the planet was left ravaged and defenseless by the battle, allowing Megatron—freshly returned from his defeat on Earth—to easily conquer the planet with hordes of [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon]]s. {{storylink|Transformers: Beast Wars: The Ascending|The Ascending}}
{{-}}

===''Beast Wars'' manga continuity===
[[File:BWN manga Great Convoy.jpg|thumb|left]]
Descendants of the Autobots, {{storylink|Beast Wars Metals issue 5|Beast Wars Metals #5}} the Maximals were led by the [[Convoy Council]], headed by [[Great Convoy]] with the authority of [[Vector Sigma]] and of which [[Optimus Primal]] was a member. The council granted Convoy-rank Maximals such as [[Lio Convoy]] their [[Energon Matrix]]. {{storylink|Free the Captured Matrix!}} The Maximals maintained a [[Maximal Army Central Headquarters|planetary headquarters]] from where they were able to coordinate Maximal troops in the war against the Predacons. The Maximal military was split into different units, including the [[Maximal First Fleet]] and the [[Maximal Seventh Space Fleet]]. As part of the greater war, Great Convoy sent a band of troops under Lio Convoy's command to [[Gaia]] to keep [[Angolmois|Angolmois Energy]] from [[Galvatron (BWII)|Galvatron]] and his band of Predacons. {{storylink|Demolish the Superdreadnought Tank!}} New members of the military started as cadets; five in particular were trained by [[Big Convoy]] on Gaia after Lio Convoy's disappearance. There, they would encounter the [[Unicron/Generation 1|Black Ball]] and be sent on a journey to collect Angolmois Capsules. {{storylink|The 5 Rookies}} When the Black Ball was revealed to be Unicron and he posed an immediate threat to all of Transformerkind, the Maximals united with the Predacons against the ancient being, but the combined fleet was of little match. Unicron was ultimately defeated through the sacrifice of Big Convoy. {{storylink|Return to Zero}}

The Maximals presumably had native Cybertronians in their ranks, but at least several Maximals were from various animal species that had evolved into Transformers via the power of Angolmois Capsules and the guidance of time-lost warriors from Lio Convoy's troop. {{storylink|The Beast Wars "Neo" Begin!!!}} {{Storylink|A Battle Fought Alone}}

===Titan movie comics===
[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] identified [[Simon Furman]] as a Maximal whose alternate mode was a "strategically shaved ape". {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 7|#7's Star Screams}} According to [[Vector Prime]], Furman joined the Maximals because they had the better dental plan. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/16}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
[[File:BrkW-BBoom.jpg|thumb|250px]]
The Maximals were one of the two "Proto-races" created by [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]], using the [[Energon Matrix]] he acquired from humanity, in the aftermath of the Great War, in the mid-21st century. {{storylink|Head Games}} They took their name from [[Maxima]], "She Who Sang", basing their insignia on her [[luponoid]] steed. {{storylink|The Predacon Manifesto}} Smaller and more energy efficient than their precursors, the Maximals were initially used by the [[Builder of Cybertron|Builders of Cybertron]] to carry on the war in their stead, until it became clear this wasn't a possibility. The Maximals and Predacons inherited a ruined Cybertron ruled by a corrupt and selfish oligarchy, as the Builders oppressed their successors out of jealousy for their greater freedom of movement, making the proto-races second class citizens at best. {{storylink|Broken Windshields}} Some Autobots surreptitiously had their Sparks installed into proto-race bodies, and were treated no better by the Builders. {{storylink|Micro-Aggressions}} On what few extra-planetary ships there were that patrolled the [[Allowed Zone]], Maximals served as command officers, subservient to their Micromaster political officers, a tactic of the Builders to ensure the proto-races didn't start getting along, and that they remembered who was still in-charge. {{storylink|Intersectionality}} Not that Maximals and Predacons needed help disliking one another, as there was always low-level tension between both races at the best of times. {{storylink|Burning Bridges}} {{storylink|Trigger Warnings}} The Maximals were supposedly governed by the [[Maximal High Council]], but in practice the Council had little actual authority. {{storylink|Not All Megatrons}}

As a substitute for actual war, and as a way to further serve their pettiness, the Builders—inspired by [[Catching Fire|human fiction]]—instituted a series of [[Games]], their most favored of which was [[gladiatorial combat]], which any Maximal could be dragged into at any time save those in the [[Maximal Command Security Force]], who were exempt. Unknown to the proto-races, these games were rigged, to make sure once again that neither Maximals or Predacons got along. {{storylink|Broken Windshields}}

[[File:Stiletto Burning Bridges.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

In the 24th century CE, thanks to the [[Resistance]], the [[Grand Uprising]] against the Builders began; three-quarters of Cybertron's Maximal population opted to join the burgeoning [[Resistance]] against the Builders. {{storylink|Broken Windshields}} Four years into the war, the reputable [[Darksyder|Darksyder Inc.]] introduced the Beast Upgrade to Cybertron, granting proto-formers much more energy efficient beast modes. During this time, the Maximal High Council began seizing more and more control of their people from the Builders. {{storylink|Not All Megatrons}} Within a year of the Beast Upgrade's appearance, the Maximal High Council seized the [[Tagan Heights|Tagon Heights]], declaring it was now the [[Maximal Nation]], and was neutral so long as they were left alone. {{storylink|Cultural Appropriation}} When the [[Vehicon Apocalypse]] kicked off, the High Council eventually voted to join with the Resistance to bring an end to the Builders. In the aftermath of the war, the Maximals became part of the newly formed [[Cybertronian Parliament]]. {{storylink|Derailment}}

Sometime in the thousand years after [[Unity Day]], the Maximals were replaced by the [[Commandron]]s. {{storylink|The Inexorable March}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
In some realities, the Maximals were founded by Fortress Maximus. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/08}} In other realities, the Maximals and Predacons were all [[Mutant (BW)|Mutant]]s. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/01}}

In [[Aurex 615.03 Epsilon|one particular universe]], the Beast Wars were fought in [[Alpha Q's universe]]; the Maximals involved in that conflict adopted strange alien [[beast mode]]s to cope with the peculiar conditions of each world. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/03}}

The legendary [[Hyperdrive (Turbomaster)|Hyperdrive]] inspired many Maximals who studied his bygone adventures. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/07/16}}

In [[Aurex 1104.30-JH Zeta|another timeline]], the Maximals and Predacons clashed on prehistoric Earth for control of Earth's [[Mini-Con]]s. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/13}} The Maximals pursued the Predacons to southern [[Mexico]] some 3000 years ago; their exploits were recorded by the native [[Natiltec]], who came to worship the aliens as animalistic gods. {{storylink|Fire in the Dark}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
[[File:StrangerEons-MaximalAttack.jpg|thumb|right|300px|"This is what you get for ignoring our [[Beast_Wars:_Transformers (franchise)#20th Anniversary|20th anniversary!]]"]]

A group known only as the "originators" once referred to the perfect [[alternate mode]] as "attaining the maximal". {{storylink|Sins of the Wreckers issue 2|Sins of the Wreckers #2}}

Twelve million years ago, the '''Maximal Army''' emerged as a tribe of prehistoric warriors who had named themselves after their master, [[Liege Maximo]]. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 5: Endless Forever|Endless Forever}} When [[The Fallen|Megatronus]] swept across the world, the Maximals and their leader were ousted from their territory in the [[Forgotten Plains]], and came into the employ of "Onyx Prime", an alias for the temporally-displaced [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]], who incorporated the Maximals into his "menagerie" of bestial warriors. {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}} {{storylink|Origin Myths}} {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 5: Endless Forever|Endless Forever}}

Many Maximals joined Onyx Prime as he set out for the [[Crystal City]], and helped instruct the peaceful denizens of the village in the ways of war, so as to better meet the oncoming approach of Megatronus's [[Darklands|Darklanders]]. Though the Maximals fought bravely, the fighting ultimately ceased when the original three [[Titan (group)|Titans]] arrived on the scene and peace was made between the two factions. {{storylink|Origin Myths}}

In the era that followed, the Maximals were among Onyx's many followers as he established a castle in Old [[Kalis]]; {{storylink|The Crucible}} however, their choice of [[beast mode]]s meant that the Maximals, were treated poorly by the other tribes, seen as little more than animals. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 2: Another Mine|Another Mine}} When the [[First Cybertronian Civil War]] broke out, Onyx Prime aligned himself with [[Nexus Prime]] who used the [[Enigma of Combination]] on some of the smaller Maximals to create [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]]. After [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]] had killed Nexus Prime, Onyx Prime fled Cybertron aboard [[Nemesis (BWII)|Nemesis]], taking his army with him, {{storylink|The Crucible}} {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}} to [[Antilla]] where they made camp. {{storylink|Our Finest}}

[[File:StrangerEons-MutantMaximals.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Fleshy on the outside like their [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|daddy]] but pointy on the inside like their [[Liege Maximo|other daddy]].]]

In the modern era, the unaligned scientist [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] described his work on [[Chimeracon]] technology—based around perfectly disguising Transformers as organic creatures—using the phrase coined by the originators. {{storylink|Sins of the Wreckers issue 2|Sins of the Wreckers #2}}

Unknown years later, Antilla was visited by a trio of [[Caminus (planet)|Camiens]]. The Maximals attacked but their would-be victims managed to escape. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 1: Surfeit of Primes|Surfeit of Primes}} The escapees were later tracked back to Caminus where the Maximals clashed with the [[Torchbearer]]s as they retrieved a sample of [[Ore-4]]. {{storylink|Ghost Stories}} {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 6: Unforgivable|Unforgivable}}

Bands of Maximals began hunting down and killing Cybertronians across the galaxy. {{storylink|Unstopped and Unstoppable}} Among those targeted were the stranded [[Throttlebot]]s on [[Regalis V]], only for the Maximals to be chased off by [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]]'s forces. {{storylink|The Dead Come Home, Part 1 (of 2)|The Dead Come Home, Part 1}} {{storylink|The Dead Come Home, Part 2 (of 2)|The Dead Come Home, Part 2}}

Shortly afterwards, Onyx Prime returned to Cybertron and revealed himself to be Shockwave. As part of his plans, he had Liege Maximo lead a squad of Maximals to attack the crew of the fallen [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]]. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 4: The Hallowing|The Hallowing}} Met by [[Arcee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Arcee]], Maximo explained his army's true origins to her before they took her prisoner. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 5: Endless Forever|Endless Forever}}

After Maximo's death and Shockwave's capture, the Maximals retreated to Nemesis and fled, intent on joining up with the approaching [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] at Shockwave's behest. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 6: Unforgivable|Unforgivable}} Though Shockwave believed that his forces were doing so as part of his scheme, his carefully curtailed plan had shattered the Maximals' own faith and they aimed to bring down the galaxy as an act of revenge by sincerely joining forces with the Chaos Bringer. {{storylink|Ceremony}}

Unbeknownst to the Maximals, they were trailed by the ''[[Peaceful Revolution]]'' who followed them to [[Devisiun (planet)|Devisiun]] as Unicron bore down on the planet. Prowl's crew fought to defend the colony, but the sheer amount of Maximals forced them to retreat, leaving the world to be consumed. However, by tracking Nemesis' flight path, Prowl was able to predict the planet-eater's eleventh target would be Caminus. {{storylink|Unstopped and Unstoppable}} Following Prowl's advice to bait a trap, Optimus assembled a massive fleet to defend the colony, only for the Maximals' sheer numbers to allow them to break through the lines and make planetfall in a single-mindedly suicidal attempt to kill the population. The [[Mistress of Flame]] sacrificed herself to hold the horde back long enough for the populace to evacuate. {{storylink|Unicron issue 1|Unicron #1}} The Maximals would live on however, exposed to the [[Ore-11]] within Unicron's systems, they mutated into highly durable skeletal forms. When the [[Decepticon Vengeance Division]] attacked Unicron, the Maximals were regurgitated onto the flagship [[Worldsweeper]] with [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], himself a Unicron loyalist, declaring that their mutated forms would form the basis of Shockwave's new [[Decepticon Empire]]. {{storylink|Stranger Eons}}

As part of their deception, [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]], [[Megatron (BW)|Beast Megatron]], and [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] greeted Shockwave in [[Toronto]] and began destroying the city at his command. {{storylink|Road's End}} This made them targets for [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] and the [[Red Shadows]] when the forces of Earth attacked the city. After learning that the [[Talisman (G1)|Talisman]]'s removal from Cybertron had allowed Unicron to survive Cybertron's destruction, Shockwave tracked the artifact and ordered Bludgeon to have the Maximals retrieve it so they could kill Unicron with it. It was then that the Maximals and Bludgeon revealed to Shockwave they were now loyal to Unicron. Led by "[[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]]", the Maximals travelled to [[Victoria Falls]] to retrieve the device, only for [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] to [[space bridge]] away with it. {{storylink|Unicron issue 5|Unicron #5}}

The Maximals soon came under attack from every power on [[Earth]], while their absence left the Decepticon Vengeance Division open to attack, with the minority remaining in orbit being unable to withstand the might of Earth's army, all of them falling prior to Unicron's collapse. {{storylink|Ceremony}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
The Maximals existed alongside Autobots, Decepticons, and Predacons in the 21st century CE. In the aftermath of the Earth/Cybertronian war, Maximal shepherds co-habited the plains of [[Uranus]] with Predacons. {{storylink|The War Never Ends}}

==Variations==
*'''[[Transmetal]]s''': When exposed to the exotic radiation produced by a [[quantum surge]] or a [[Super Energon]] explosion, some Maximals and Predacons develop a "mutated superstructure," granting them purely mechanical beast modes while their [[robot mode]]s take on additional organic traits. In most instances, Transmetals develop a tertiary "transport mode". Such robots are undetectable to [[Vok]] technology.
*'''[[Fuzor]]s''': An alternate evolution also stemming from said radiation, Fuzors possess a single [[beast mode]] based off two or more creatures, mashed together into a single chimeric form. Fuzors possess a degree of Transmetallization that also renders them invisible to Vok sensors.
*'''[[Mutant (BW)|Mutants]]''': When exposed to a [[transformation virus]], Fuzors may react to the infection by losing their robot form, instead developing the power to switch between two beast modes at will. Paranormal abilities such as telepathy frequently manifest.
*'''[[Transmetal 2|Transmetals 2]]''': The power of the [[Transmetal driver]] has the ability to upgrade Cybertronian lifeform one step beyond the initial Transmetal mutation. Transmetal 2 Maximals are recognizable by their asymmetrical and frequently monstrous appearances, incorporating a patchwork of organic and mechanical components in both modes. In some instances, Transmetal 2 Transformers develop supernatural powers such as telekinesis or rapid healing.
*'''[[Technorganic]]s''': When [[reformatting|reformatted]] by the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]], Maximals become an entirely new type of being, one that merges true organic life with Cybertronian construction at the cellular level. Considered to be the "perfect" fusion of the mechanical and the technological, technorganics transform via fluid shapeshifting and manifest a variety of energy-based powers.

==Notes==
*The "Maximal" faction name came from a last-minute attempt by [[Vincent D'Alleva]] to figure out a new protagonist name that would represent the animal Transformers, clear trademark checks and please the executive group. He combined the name of a scrapped ''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]'' line, ''Manimals'', with the name of the car driven by the team marketing coordinator, a Nissan ''Maxima''. Manimals + Maxima = ''Maximals''. Ta-da!<ref>[http://obscuretf.com/hhk/BC04interviews.html Botcon 2004 Interview with Vinnie D'Alleva], p1-2</ref>
*An early draft for season 3 of ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' would have depicted the Maximals and Predacons as threats on a rejuvenated Cybertron, but these early plans were scrapped in favor of the ''[[Transformers: Prime (toyline)#Beast Hunters (2013)|Beast Hunters]]'' [[subline imprint]]. <ref>Rik Alvarez panel in 2015</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Cybertron''' (サイバトロン ''Saibatoron''), '''Maximal''' (マキシマル ''Makishimaru'', ''Earth Wars'')
*''Latvian:'' '''Maksimāļi'''
*''Mandarin:'' '''Jíxiàn Dòngwù''' (Taiwan, 極限動物, "Extreme Animal"), '''Qiángdà Shòu''' (Taiwan, 強大獸, "Powerful Beast"), '''Jùwúbà''' (China, 巨无霸, "Extremely Gigantic")
*''Polish:'' '''Maksimale''' ("Maximals")

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Beast Wars]]
[[Category:Beast Machines]]
[[Category:Beast Wars II]]
[[Category:Beast Wars Neo]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising factions]]
[[Category:Factions]]
[[Category:Generation 1 factions]]
[[Category:Maximals| ]]
[[Category:TransTech]]

Ravage (G1)

2019-04-03T19:42:11Z

Chris2119: /* Beast Wars cartoon */

{{faction|decepticon|predacon|cobra|skywatch|autobot|deceptihog}}
{{disambig3|Ravage}}{{suite}}
:''Ravage is a [[Decepticon]] [[Decepticon Mini-Cassette|Mini-Cassette]] and later [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:Ravageboxart.jpg|upright=1.95|thumb|This is every comic book panel Ravage [[Character model#Model sheet poses used in fiction|has ever been in]]. Well, okay, sometimes they rotate him a bit.]]
No Decepticon has a stronger loyalty to [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] than '''Ravage''' (aka '''Battle Ravage''', '''Tripredacus Agent''', '''Tri-Predacus Agent''', '''Black Panther Man''', '''Ravrav''', '''Chief''', '''Grandmaster Cattington''', '''Dangerflouf''', '''Hairless [[Meowgatron]]''', '''Analogue Kitty''', '''Nuggy McBubatron''', and '''Meow-Meow McNiff'''<ref>https://www.facebook.com/transformers/photos/a.153259298077606/2454681957935317/?type=3&theater</ref>). One of [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]'s most reliable [[Decepticon Mini-Cassette|spies]], Ravage believes unwaveringly in the Decepticon cause, and Megatron embodies that cause. To better serve Megatron and the Decepticons, Ravage has become the most efficient and deadly war machine under his command. He hides himself in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike with grim accuracy. His name is synonymous with stealth. His survivors are few.

Ravage's only weakness is bright light, which can temporarily blind him. Perhaps his absolute loyalty to Megatron can blind him as well.

Sometimes he's a talker, other times he just growls or hisses at anything that isn't Megatron or Soundwave.

{{quote|Decepticons forever!|Ravage|"[[The Agenda (Part 2)]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
[[File:Ravage uk258.png|thumb|left|upright=0.55]]

{{main|Ravage (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity}}

{{--}}

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
[[File:RavagePet.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]

{{main|Ravage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity}}

A violent beast (potentially capable of speech but preferring to growl), Ravage acted as one of Soundwave's primary spies and enforcers. Ravage excelled at this during the 1980s, when the Autobot and Decepticon conflict was renewed on Earth. He continued terrorizing Autobots and humans alike, even surviving the [[Battle of Autobot City]] in 2005. Following that, Ravage was revealed to be a "[[primitive]]" and assisted in the battle against [[Tornedron]].

In a splinter timeline, Ravage aided in the restoration of the fallen Soundwave in 2011. In 2021, Ravage travelled with his master to another dimension, only to be abandoned, whereupon the unemployed Ravage was left to seek his fortune as a police officer. Following the end of the Autobot-Decepticon conflict, Ravage was granted amnesty and rebuilt as a Predacon and proceeded to have numerous time-travelling adventures.

{{--}}

===Deadly Paradise===
[[File:DeadlyParadise-RavageattacksProwl.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.3]]
Ravage was stationed on [[Carob Island]], where the Decepticons had set up a mining an construction operation. Using a rare ore from the island, the Decepticons were building duplicate Autobots loyal only to Megatron. Ravage acted as a go-between the Decepticons and Madame [[Cee]], a human who's expertise and tinkering in mechanics were crucial in building the clones. Upon one of his visits to Madame Cee's workshop, Ravage came upon Madame Cee talking to the Autobot Prowl. Ravage attempted to attack Prowl, but Prowl evaded him and locked Ravage in a room. {{storylink|Deadly Paradise}}
{{-}}

===Sticker Adventures books===
Under Megatron's orders, Ravage snuck into the Autobots’ headquarters and stole all of their fuel. It wasn't easy, but once the deed done, Ravage assured Megatron that the Autobots were as defenceless as Earth kittens. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons}}

===Marvel colouring books===
[[File:Decepticon patrol ravage.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Either Ravage is really big or that's a tiny elephant]]
Ravage is super-sneaky. He used the cover of an iceberg to board the Autobots' ship and tried to pounce on [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]], only to discover he'd fallen foul of a hologram. Outnumbered by the alerted Autobots, he fled the ship. During a later battle, he and the other Decepticons became accidental victims of [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]]'s earthquake. {{storylink|Search for Treasure Under the Sea}} Ravage was once successful in defeating [[Roller (G1)|Roller]]. [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] trapped him in a [[force field]] with [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] and Rumble. {{storylink|Bumblebee to the Rescue!}}

Searching for a factory suitable for manufacturing troops, Ravage looked in a jungle fruitlessly. When they eventually found a factory, Ravage realized it was an Autobot trick, and pounced on [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] who was providing the hologram. Mirage retaliated by throwing electric balls at Ravage. {{storylink|Decepticon Patrol}} Ravage was among the Decepticons who attacked [[Hoover Dam]], but were driven off by the Autobots. {{storylink|The Deadly Fuel Shortage}}

Ravage's spying alerted the Decepticons to a space communicator possessed by the Autobots, which allowed the Decepticons to send a fake message so they could take over the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]. {{storylink|A Message From Outer Space}} Like [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], Ravage loved to follow Megatron's orders. When the Autobots interrupted the Decepticons in the process of tearing up a forest, Ravage leaped at [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] only to completely miss and go plunging off a cliff. {{storylink|Forest Rescue Mission}}

When [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] found a junk yard with a car compactor, Ravage came up with a cunning plan to lure the Autobots into it by disguising it as an [[Autobot Rest Stop]]. They compacted [[Gears (G1)|Gears]], but then the rest of the Autobots turned up, and [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] paralyzed Ravage with a cloud of dust. {{storylink|The Autobot Smasher!}}

Under Shockwave's orders, Ravage, Laserbeak, Kickback, and the Constructicons attacked a human village, planning to raze it and build a fuel plant in its place. Little did they know they were being spied upon from orbit by the Autobot [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]]. When the Autobots attacked, Shockwave had Ravage and Kickback sneak up on them to hit them from behind. But Cosmos was still looking down upon the battlefield, and warned Grapple and Gears of the duo's approach. The Autobots then beat up the Decepticons, shoved them down a hole, and poured quick-drying cement atop of them to hold them in place. {{storylink|The Autobot Spy in the Sky}}

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|The Big Book of Coloring Fun}} {{storylink|The Invasion of the Decepticon Camp}}}}

===Transformers Pop-Up Book===
Ravage was one of the Decepticons to participate in the battle at [[Castle Decepticon]]. He pounced out of Starscream's cockpit to attack Ultra Magnus. {{Storylink|Transformers Pop-Up Book}}

===''Big Looker'' storybooks===
Ravage was among the Decepticons who tried to steal an oil truck from near the Autobots' base. {{storylink|Decepticon Hijack}}

===Dinobot War===
[[File:Time sphere dinobot war.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Disco inferno!]]
Skulking around [[Disneyland]], Ravage hid himself inside a Walkman so that [[you]] would carry him inside [[Wizard's Cave|The Wizard's Cave]] attraction where workmen had uncovered a buried UFO. After you activated a [[time-sphere]], Ravage and Laserbeak were transported four million years back in time, where they planned to locate the crashed Ark and destroy the Autobots within. After a few battles with the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], the two cassettes located the site of the flying saucer, intending to take the [[time-travelling alien]]s' advanced technology. {{storylink|Dinobot War}}
{{note|As "Dinobot War" is a [[multipath adventure]], there are multiple outcomes for Ravage:}}
*One of the aliens transported him and Laserbeak to times and places unknown.
*You transported him and Laserbeak back to the present day and they slunk away, or were lost in the time-stream.
There are also several endings where Ravage kills you. Presumably he and Laserbeak then go on to carry out their plan and the Decepticons ultimately conquer the Earth.
{{-}}

===Ladybird Books continuity===
[[File:AutobotsFightBack Ravage hunting.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]
When the Decepticons were hit by a surge of power from a lightning collector built by the Autobots, they all began malfunctioning. Ravage spontaneously ejected from [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] and attacked [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], who batted him aside. Soundwave picked up the stricken "mechanical hound" as the Decepticons retreated. {{storylink|Autobots' Lightning Strike}}

On another occasion, the Decepticons spotted [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] spying on them and send Ravage after him. Ravage pursued the small Autobot, managing to fire off one of his missiles before Bumblebee used his sensitivity to bright light against him. After recovering from the eye-full of headlights, Ravage found Bumblebee had gone, but the cassette stumbled on a cave that would be perfect for testing the ion-drive for the space cruiser they were building. The news somewhat defused Megatron's temper at the escape of Bumblebee, and Ravage led the other Decepticons to his find. Ultimately, the Autobots got wind of the test and launched an attack, resulting in the ion-drive exploding and the tunnel collapsing on the Decepticons. {{storylink|Autobots Fight Back}}
{{-}}

===Listen 'n Fun audiobooks continuity===
{{voiceactor|? (English)}}
Ravage followed [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]], and when the Autobot tried to abduct Doctor [[Heath Blaisedale]], Ravage decided to capture her for the Decepticons instead. After jumping onto Cliffjumper's hood in panther mode, he transformed to [[robot mode]](?!) and tried to grab the doctor, only for Cliffjumper to [[glass gas]] his right arm. The Autobot made off with Blaisedale, leaving Ravage in the dust, but the Decepticon notified Megatron who made alternate arrangements. When later the Decepticons wanted to attack the solar plant, Ravage successfully kidnapped Blaisedale as a diversion. He and the other Decepticon guards later fled when the Autobots came to rescue her. {{storylink|Sun Raid (Listen 'n Fun)}}

===The Battle for Planet Earth===
Ravage spied on [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] and a bunch of Autobots in the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] and reported to Megatron. He was on Megatron's team as they tracked [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] to [[South America]] and attempted to seize [[Mount Sheelah]]. Unfortunately the volcano blew up in their faces, trapping them with lava. {{storylink|Terror of Mount Sheelah}} Ravage was hanging out at the Decepticon fortress when [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] stole the Decepticons' [[global crystal]], but didn't detect the scout until it was too late. {{storylink|Bumblebee to the Rescue (G1)|Bumblebee to the Rescue}}

When [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] spotted a construction at [[Stanley Lake]], Ravage was the only Decepticon who knew his history well enough to recognize what a hydro electric station was, a method of generating power used on Cybertron "way way back in the mists of time." He accompanied Megatron to Stanley Lake on a fact-finding mission, and when the other Decpticons were washed away by a torrent thanks to the Autobots, Ravage alone escaped. He confronted [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], only to be dazzled by the Autobot's [[sound and light show]] until the other Autobots arrived, and he had to retreat. {{storylink|Menace at the Dam}} Sore at all the defeats, the Decepticons discussed how to defeat the Autobots, and Ravage came up with the idea of infiltrating the Autobot ranks with a spy. This plan paid off when Starscream did so and reported on an Autobot [[Deuterium Orbital Laser Tracing System|super weapon]] being stored at [[Mount Levram]]. Of course, while the Decepticons were smashing Mount Levram, the Autobots demolished the Decepticon fortress, having gotten wise to Starscream and fooled him themselves. {{storylink|Espionage!!!!!}}

===Battle Beneath the Ice===
[[File:BBTI-Ravagetransforms.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|right]]
When human scientists discovered a mysterious city beneath the ice of the North Pole, they placed a call to Autobot City in order to get the Transformers' perspective on the discovery. The Decepticons also somehow learned of the city, and Ravage found a way to infiltrate it unnoticed. As he lurked, Ravage managed to record a conversation between one of the city-dwellers and the human Nyder, who were discussing stealing the warrior-factors from both the Autobots and Decepticons in order to encode it within themselves, thus turning their people into an army. He later came upon a group of humans as they were being given a tour of the city.

Making himself known, Ravage was threatened to leave at gunpoint by Hot Rod, who was accompanying the humans. Ravage assured him that if he had come as their enemy, he wouldn't have let them see him. Ravage went on to explain that the Decepticons hadn't shot down the humans’ plane, as the group had earlier been led to believe. One of the city-dwellers interrupted their conversation, and threatened to neutralize Ravage, pointing towards him a rod-like blaster. But Ravage was too quick for the city-dweller and pounced right for his throat. Before Ravage could reach him, Hot Rod discharged his photon lasers, and hit the city-dweller by accident. The city-dweller was revealed to be a robot, and Ravage played the conversation between Nyder and the [[Watcher]], the leader of the city-dwellers, he had previously recorded. Ravage and Hot Rod then forged a temporary alliance. Their group stumbled upon the city-dwellers analyzing a fight between Skydive and Vortex, programming themselves with the Autobots and Decepticons’ battle tactics. One of the young humans in the group, Jeff, asked Ravage to record the footage of the Gus Gopher Cartoon Show he had captured on his [[chronovid wristwatch]], and overwrite the city-dwellers’ computers with it. Ravage complied, noting that he liked this kind of sneaky plan.

Once the reprogramming was accomplished, and the city-dwellers began acting like cartoon characters, Ravage contacted the Combaticons above-ground and told them to cease fighting, and to follow the Aerialbots to the underground city. The city-dwellers defeated, the Decepticons honoured Ravage's truce and left in Blast Off's shuttle form peacefully. {{storylink|Battle Beneath the Ice}}

===Find Your Fate Junior===
{{notemultipath}}

====Attack of the Insecticons====
Ravage alternatively spied on Decepticons of doubtful loyalty towards Megatron or prowled about Decepticon headquarters, keeping a lookout for intruders. He accomplished the first task in one possible adventure, where Shrapnel planned to overthrow Megatron with the use of an energy device called the Sun-Pak, and the later in another possible adventure where the Autobots attempted to retrieve the same device after it had been stolen by the Decepticons. {{storylink|Attack of the Insecticons}}

====Desert Flight====
Ravage was part of a Decepticon deployment stationed in a desert base. The Decepticons plotted to lure the Autobots in a trap through the use of an anti-gravity beam. Using the beam on a nearby human settlement, the Autobots would be duped into coming to the fleshliness’ rescue, only to be themselves trapped by the effects of the beam.

In the event that the Autobots used a trojan ruse to infiltrate the Decepticon base, and the Decepticons’ forcefield was disabled, Frenzy and Ravage tackled Powerglide after the later had burst into the Decepticons’ base, guns ablaze, only for the two Decepticons to crash into one another when Powerglide ducked.{{storylink|Desert Flight}}

====Decepticon Poison====
Ravage possessed an fighter jet alternate mode. He was also armed with [[proton bomb]]s. He was one of the many Decepticons who attempted to poison a water reservoir in order to turn the nearby human population into mindless slaves. Whether they succeeded or not depended on which choices the Autobots made. {{storylink|Decepticon Poison}}

====Autobot Alert!====
Ravage was stationed at the Decepticons’ command centre, working as a guard to make sure the Decepticons’ latest plan to conquer the Earth went smoothly. {{storylink|Autobot Alert!}}

====The Invisibility Factor====
In one possible scenario, Ravage accompanied Galvatron on a patrol in a desert at night. Upon spotting a spaceship that flickered in-and-out of sight, the patrol investigated. Finding the Autobots Kup and Hot Rod conversing with a woman at the ship's landing site, Ravage and the others fired upon them, causing them to scramble away. Galvatron then ordered his troops to stay and scrutinize the spaceship instead of pursuing the Autobots.

If Hot Rod and Kup decided to attack immediately, the Autobots were easily defeated and destroyed by the Ravage and the other Decepticons.

If Hot Rod and Kup silently followed the Decepticons back to their hide-out in a nearby canyon, they managed to tricked Ravage and the others into thinking that they were being ambushed by a whole squadron of Autobots. Panicking, the Decepticons attempted to retaliate by firing in all directions. Amidst the confusion, Ravage began arguing with Thrust, both of them insisting that the Autobots were attacking from a different direction.

If Hot Rod snuck down and successfully snatched the Invisibility Device from Shockwave, the Decepticons gave chase to the young Autobot. They were unable to catch him before Kup fired down onto the canyon's walls, causing it to collapse and burying the Decepticons under an avalanche of earth and rocks.

In an alternate scenario, Ravage and the other Decepticons decided to take off into space in Sarah Sander's ship after acquiring the Invisibility Device. Whether the Decepticons succeeded in mastering the Invisibility Device and subsequently destroyed the Autobots, or were destroyed or defeated themselves depended on what choices the Autobots made from this point on.

In another possible scenario, Ravage and the other Decepticons happened upon Sarah Sanders's ship before any Autobots had come in contact with her. While Scavenger held the woman captive, Ravage and the other Decepticons dragged the ship itself to a hidden location. In whichever scenario that followed, the Autobots managed to steal the Invisibility Device from the Decepticons, either dazzling Ravage and the others with their headlights while Hot Rod took the device right out of their hands, or tricking him and most of the other Decepticons into leaving the spaceship behind while they pursued the young Autobot on a wild goose chase. The Decepticons did not succeed in catching Hot Rod no matter what scenario ensued. {{storylink|The Invisibility Factor}}

===Frito-Lay posters===
Ravage was amongst a squad of Decepticons who attempted to get to the power source within [[Sherman Dam|Boulder Dam]]. While Megatron dueled Optimus, Ravage joined Starscream, Buzzsaw and Soundwave in an attack formation. The Decepticons were ultimately unsuccessful in gathering the data they were after. {{storylink|Battle in the Desert Valley}}
{{-}}

===''Beast Wars'' cartoon continuity===
====''Beast Wars'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Lee Tockar]] (English), [[Toshiyuki Morikawa]] (Japanese)|[[Xue Weigang]] (Chinese), [[Daoiz Cabezudo]] (Portuguese), [[Federico Romano]] (Latin-American Spanish)}}

[[File:BWRavage introduction.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|left|"I vill ask you only vuhnce more... vhere are moose and skvirrel?"]]
Ravage was one of the few Decepticon warriors who was granted amnesty at the end of the Great War and reformatted into a Predacon, complete with [[Accent|classy Russian accent]]. He was sent by the [[Tripredacus Council]] to capture [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]], clean up any messes he might have made, and deal with the rest of those on Earth. Ravage made the trip to prehistoric Earth in a specially modified stealth [[transwarp cruiser]]. He successfully contacted the [[Maximal]]s and allied with them to capture Megatron. Due to the stealth capabilities of his ship, and the fact that [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] was also an agent of the council, Ravage and the Maximals easily captured Megatron and imprisoned him. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 1)}}

Megatron, however, had one more card to play. He knew that Ravage wasn't going to let any of the stranded Transformers live, and also knew he had the one thing that would turn Ravage to his side. Using a fragment from the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]], Megatron showed Ravage something which shocked him—a message from [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], the leader of the Decepticons. As a safeguard against potential defeat, Megatron had left instructions for the descendants of the Decepticons to use transwarp technology to return to prehistoric Earth. Although the message cut out before it was finished, Megatron's plan worked: Ravage, moved by the sight of his former master, released Megatron. After Megatron explained the rest of the message, Ravage joined the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] and turned on the Maximals. Megatron and Ravage attacked [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] and [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]], at which point he transformed into his old mini-cassette alternate mode, jumped into the tape player on his ship and took full control. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 2)}}

His latest treachery was short-lived. During the assault on the ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'', [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] infiltrated his ship and used [[Fusion weaponry#Fusion grenade|fusion grenade]]s to cause an explosion that destroyed the vessel and Ravage himself. As the inferno headed toward the bridge, Ravage raised a fist and shouted, "Decepticons forever!" as he was destroyed, along with his ship. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part III)}}

His head, seemingly all that remained of him, was knocked into the water below the ''Axalon'' by one of Tarantulas's [[Arachnoid]]s. {{storylink|Optimal Situation}}
{{-}}

====3H comics====
[[File:Ravageiguanusrazorclawpd2.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Ravage 3 Bodies Evolution!<ref>http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers.fanfic/msg/a5cd7fda89f12c7c?dmode=source&hl=en&pli=1</ref>]]

Even though the [[Maximal]]s had left Earth with [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]], the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]] were far from over! [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]]'s "death" was actually a cover for his return in a more powerful form that had ingested the power of the [[Vok]]! He revived Ravage into a new [[Transmetal 2]] body to help boost his forces, which also included [[Iguanus (BW)|Iguanus]] and [[Razorclaw (BW)|Razorclaw]], and prepared to begin the next stage of his evil plan. Meanwhile, the remnants of Ravage's previous body were recycled by the Vok to re-create [[Tigatron]]. {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 1}} {{storylink|Primeval Dawn II}}

Soon, Ravage led an attack on [[Primal Prime]], the Vok's new champion, and managed to separate Prime from Tigatron, [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]], and [[Ramulus]]. Ravage boasted of his "dark cloak" which shrouded him from even Airazor's impressive sensor array, and unleashed a volley of missiles which knocked her out of the sky. Meanwhile, Tarantulas encountered Primal Prime far from the main battle, and after a heated battle, the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] itself was ripped from his chest by the undead [[Unicron's Spawn|spawn of Unicron]]. {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 2}}

[[File:Ravagespittorpd3.jpg|left|upright=1.66|thumb|Transforms from catlike thing to catlike thing.]]
Back at [[Tarantulas's lair]], with the Matrix in their possession, Ravage oversaw the construction of a [[transwarp]] portal that would transport them deep within the maw of their new master, [[Unicron]]! Their newly-born ally, [[Spittor (BW)|Spittor]], expressed frustration at their unwillingness to finish off the Maximals during the battle, and Ravage responded brutally. Ravage was immune to Spittor's deadly venom-covered surface, but Spittor was not likewise protected from Ravage's savage claws, so Spittor quickly quit complaining. Once the portal was completed, Tarantulas allowed them to attack the Maximals; Ravage and the others had served their purpose. Ravage led them to the Ark, but warned them to not disturb the [[Autobot]]s or [[Decepticon]]s on board. But little did they know that the Vok themselves had taken control of Primal Prime's body, and remade it in their powerful image... {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 3}}

{{note|[[3H Productions]] dissolved before this storyline could be completed. Based on the subsequent ''Wreckers'' and ''[[Transformers: Universe (comic)|Universe]]'' storylines, it can be assumed that the Matrix of Leadership was restored to [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]'s body at the end of this altercation, that the Maximals were triumphant, and that Tarantulas somehow fled to return to Unicron. Ravage's fate is unknown.}}

====IDW ''Beast Wars'' comics====
While Ravage is considered by many to be loyal only to himself, his primary loyalty is actually to Megatron and the dream of Decepticon conquest. He views himself as carrying on where Megatron left off, scheming and operating constantly to end Cybertron's peace and bring back a conquering empire. Any plot and rebellion, you'll find Ravage there.

Also, he has psycho blasters, guns that ''give you seizures''. Don't mess with Ravage. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 15}}

Alternately, Ravage was encouraged to follow the will of the [[Tripredacus Council]] by [[Sea Clamp]], and was rumored to have gained a newer, less limited body from them. {{Storylink|#Combiner Wars|''Combiner Wars'' Ravage bio}}

By the tail-end of the Great War, Ravage could combine with the Tripredacus Council and [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] to form [[Predacus]]. He did so when several soldiers, including Predaking, refused to follow their orders of standing down after the deaths of both [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. In this form, he slayed Predaking, ensuring that the Council's far-reaching and sinister plans could continue unimpeded. He next sniped an upstart soldier going by the name "[[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]" with a stun-gun, and the Council surrendered to the Autobots on behalf of all Predacons. For this "great risk" he took to ensure the signing of the Pax Cybertronia, Ravage was granted amnesty by the Primal Council. He and Tarantulas had a good laugh the Autobots' expense afterwards, mocking their gullibility; all they had ensured was that the Tripredacus Council's machinations would continue during peacetime. {{storylink|Dawn of the Predacus}}

As [[Magmatron]] was surveying the timestream, he witnessed several key events of the Beast Wars. Among those was Ravage having a conversation with the captured [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]]. {{storylink|The Gathering issue 1|The Gathering #1}}

[[File:RavageTheGathering4.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|[[IDW Publishing|IDW]] decided having his actual robot mode was a little too "Transformers"-y.]]
After Ravage's involvement in the Beast Wars, Magmatron recovered his heavily-damaged torso, which still contained his spark. Magmatron then inserted the spark into a blank [[protoform]], which had already been affected by the Transmetal 2 Driver, and Ravage was reborn. {{Storylink|Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook|Beast Wars Sourcebook}} In his Transmetal 2 body, he and his fellow Predacons, under the command of Magmatron, sought out [[Razorbeast]]'s band of Maximals. Viewing from a safe distance, Ravage ordered his soldiers to engage. Additional Maximal forces arrived, however, and Ravage's forces were defeated. Ravage retreated into the wilderness. {{storylink|Transformers, Beast Wars: The Gathering|The Gathering}}

Subsequently, Ravage would utilize all the Predacons under his command in a desperate attack as a diversion while he crept into the Maximal base to steal the [[chronal phase armband|chronal phase facilitators]] left behind by Magmatron. He was confronted by Razorbeast, who guessed incorrectly that Ravage intended to use them to board the Autobot shuttle and return to Cybertron. Ravage corrected him by stating that he intended to free Megatron and eradicate the Maximal forces. His ambitions, however, were thwarted by [[Snarl (BW)|Snarl]] who caught him off guard and gave Razorbeast the opportunity to knock Ravage offline. {{storylink|The Ascending issue 1|The Ascending #1}}

It is not certain if Ravage's intentions for Megatron were another ruse or if he was ''actually'' out of his kitty mind regarding the tactical feasibility of this endeavor.

[[File:Lio V Ravage.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Who's the big cat NOW?]]
However, what WAS a ruse was Ravage being offline — as soon as he had been tied up by Razorbeast, the Maximal commander had to leave to help on the battlefield—upon which Ravage stopped playing dead and broke loose rather easily, managing to obtain the chronal displacement bands that Razorbeast had put him right next to after pointing them out. (A tactical genius, that Razorbeast.) However, upon activating the bands, Ravage was pulled into Chronospace by the trapped Magmatron, who warned him of the apocalypse that was to come, and ordered him to form a truce with the Maximals to fight this menace. And after hearing the warning, Ravage heeded the sage advice, sneaking out of the base while [[Chronal phase|chronically displaced]] and re-emerging to the sight of several gun barrels from [[Lio Convoy]], Razorbeast, and the Pack. However, just as he explained the situation, [[Rartorata]] emerged from nowhere and turned Razorbeast into a frenzied monster. {{storylink|The Ascending issue 2|The Ascending #2}}

After introducing himself to Lio Convoy, Ravage agreed with him on a truce until they dealt with the menace of [[Shokaract]]. Commandeering his Predacons, Ravage's forces defeated Rartorata and Ravage extracted a sample of [[Angolmois]] energy from the [[Blentron|Blendtron]]. When he told Lio Convoy to abandon the Angolmois-infected Razorbeast, the Pack's leader warned him that if he made light of his friend's peril again, he'd personally de-spark him. Ravage boarded the Pack's ship and returned to Cybertron with them, on the way analyzing the Angolmois capsule, to come up with a vaccine. However, as he explained, none of them were qualified scientists for the task. After arriving on Cybertron, Shokaract blasted the Maximal ship out of the sky. {{storylink|The Ascending issue 3|The Ascending #3}}

[[File:BWTheAscending4 Grimlock Convoys Ravage.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Ravage was the fifth Maximal legend who left before they became famous.]]
Ravage survived the crash, along with the Pack, and visited Magmatron again. Magmatron told Ravage to chronally-displace Shokaract so he could "enlighten him". He then showed unusual concern for Razorbeast's Maximals, asking how they were doing. Ravage then returned to the battle and hit [[Herald of Shokaract|Shokaract's Heralds]] with a grenade at an opportune moment. After Shokaract's suicide, Ravage found Magmatron returned and they all lived happily ever after.

Until [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] returned. {{storylink|The Ascending issue 4|The Ascending #4}}
{{-}}
====SD BotCon====
Ravage was [[Dawn of the Predacus|laughing maniacally over drinks]] with Tarantulas when the pair were approached by Beetle. Beetle told the pair they were being kicked out of the bar, since everyone else was tired of their cackling. Ravage turned to Tarantulas and asked where they could go to laugh to their hearts' content... and Tarantulas knew just the place: a children's ball pit! {{storylink|SD SG#SDBC1|SD BotCon #1}}

====''Timelines''====
Ravage was mentioned as being recruited along with fellow [[Mini-Cassette]]s [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] and [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]] by the Predacon [[Divebomb (G1)|Divebomb]], but for some reason left them soon afterwards to become an operative for the [[Tripredacus Council]]. {{storylink|Dawn of Future's Past}}

===''Beast Wars Metals'' manga===
[[File:Metals2-22.jpg‎|thumb|right|300x|Ready to make kharakiri, my lord!]]
Ravage was on board the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' when it crashed onto [[Earth]]. {{storylink|Beast Wars Metals issue 5|Beast Wars Metals #5}}

Many millennia later, after his son, [[Jaguar]], went crazy and began killing everyone, even Predacons, Ravage disowned him. Ravage was later chosen by the [[Tripredacus Council]] to take an army to [[Earth|Energoa]] and defeat [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] and end the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]]. But before Ravage could leave Cybertron, he and his troops were attacked by Jaguar.

Ravage ordered his men to kill his son, but Jaguar easily slaughtered them all. Jaguar then told the corpse of his father that he would finish his mission and eliminate all the Transformers on Energoa. {{Storylink|Beast Wars Metals issue 2|Beast Wars Metals #2}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
{{notekeepers}}
[[File:Soundwavewarwithin.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|MUKNY NOT CATT]]
Ravage, with a much more arboreal alt mode, was among the opponents that Optronix foresaw himself battling against in a prophetic visions bestowed upon him upon first receiving the Matrix of Leadership. {{storylink|The War Within issue 1|The War Within #1}} Ravage was part of the second assassination team Megatron sent after the now new [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]] Optimus Prime, alongside Soundwave, Kickback, Shrapnel, and Bombshell. {{storylink|The War Within issue 2|The War Within #2}} But Optimus proved to be more formidable than any of them anticipated. Optimus lost his pursuers in Cybertron's labyrinthine underground, forcing them to rely on Ravage's sense of smell to track him down. Optimus managed to use the environment to sneak up on the Decepticons, and savaged the lot of them. After taking care of Shrapnel and Bombshell, Prime blinded Ravage with an energy burst from his own partner [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]], then he tossed Kickback into the feral Decepticon, squashing him against the wall. {{storylink|The War Within issue 3|The War Within #3}}

Later, Ravage became an operative of Shockwave's faction during the [[Dark Ages]]. They made war against the [[Chaos Trinity]] to upset the plans of [[The Fallen]]. {{storylink|Conflagration}} Ravage was also present at [[Tyger Pax]] when the Decepticons and [[Ultracon]]s reluctantly planned to sign a peace treaty with the Autobots. The ceremony was interrupted by a bombing engineered by Starscream, but this only served to further cement the alliance between the three factions. Ravage was among the 'bots who struck back against Starscream's troops, fighting alongside the likes of Prowl and Bluestreak. After the Starscream's Predacons were defeated, Cybertron's finally seemed to be drawing to a close... right until Megatron returned in all his glory, with the thousand-strong [[Air Warrior|Aerospace Extermination Squadron]] at his back. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath}}

Millions of years later, Ravage and the crew of the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'' awoke on Earth in 1984, and did battle with the crew of the ''Ark'' for some time. He and the rest of Megatron's army were eventually defeated and captured by the Autobots, but their return vessel to Cybertron, the ''[[Ark II]]'', was destroyed in mid-flight, leaving the Transformers apparently dead. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 1|Prime Directive #1}} Ravage and many others were recovered and reprogrammed by the human mercenary known as [[Lazarus]]. As a test of his control and their power, Lazarus sent his robots to destroy the [[Smitco Oil Refinery]], and Ravage was there to "pacify" any human resistance. Megatron soon broke free of Lazarus's control, however, and freed his fellow Decepticons in the process. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 2|Prime Directive #2}}

''When Megatron vanished from the face of the Earth, Ravage reluctantly joined Soundwave and many other Decepticons in following Starscream as the new leader. Starscream made his first act to take over the human city of [[Las Vegas]], turning it into a kingdom under his command. In order to ensure cooperation, he worked with the human population, promising them fame and protection in exchange for their obedience. Soundwave and his cassettes worked directly with the LVPD, supplementing their efforts with surveillance and Cybertronian based weaponry. Ravage personally intervened during a block war, dismembering a gang member before he could kill patrol officer [[Ryan O'Brien]]. The Decepticons weren't above silencing their detractors, though, and that same officer was beaten to death by some of his fellow cops later that evening, for conspiring against the Decepticons.'' {{storylink|Transformers: Hardwired|Hardwired}}

''Megatron returned from deep space sometime later, but the extent of his injuries at the hands of the [[Keeper (species)|Keepers]] left him unable to retake his command from Starscream. Instead, he voluntarily went into exile, but invited the other Decepticons to leave Starscream and join him. Ravage and Soundwave were among the Decepticons was eagerly accepted this invitation.'' {{storylink|Transformers: Annihilation|Annihilation}}

''After an enormous battle with the Keepers in Las Vegas, Megatron reclaimed leadership of the Decepticons from Starscream. To properly declare his return to power to the world, Megatron made a brazen assault directly on the White House in [[Washington, D.C.]] He had Ravage patrolling the alleyways, terrorizing civilians and running interference—the cat's efforts kept a large portion of the DCPD and National Guard occupied while Megatron had his "conference" with the [[President of the United States|President]]. Later, the President sought revenge on the Transformers during an ambush in the Nevada desert. He had American troops employ [[deconstructionite]]s, tiny microchip-sized projectiles reverse engineered from Cybertronian technology, with the power to drain energy away from Transformer systems. Ravage was caught in the initial barrage, and either his small size or limited processing power made him fall victim faster than others. Megatron had to carry Ravage to safety as the Decepticons retreated.'' {{storylink|Transformers: Fusion|Fusion}}

[[File:Ravagewarandpeace.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|RARRRRR yourself.]]
Sometime thereafter, Shockwave arrived on Earth with a detachment of Unified Cybertronian soldiers, equipped to take both Autobots and Decepticons into custody as enemies of the peace. Shockwave quickly granted clemency to Soundwave, Ravage, and the other Decepticons willing to swear fealty to him, after he disposed of Megatron. {{storylink|New World Order}} After returning to Cybertron, Soundwave was considering his options when a small sound caught his attention. He dispatched Ravage to investigate, but the poor kitty tried to tackle [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] and got a mouthful of [[null-ray]]. {{storylink|Brothers' Burden}} Starscream had plans of his own, and managed to convince Soundwave and his cassettes that following him would be more profitable than throwing in with Shockwave. During the chaos of the Autobot insurrection that soon followed, they arranged [[Sky Lynx (G1)|transport]] and fled back to Earth to loot its energy resources. {{storylink|Revelation (War and Peace)|Revelation}}

{{BW Shell Game}}
After having sent Ravage out on his errand on prehistoric Earth, the Tripredacus Council tasked Magmatron with keeping a watch on all Maximal Channels, should their agent in the field fail in his mission. But Magmatron and Ravage were working together behind the Council's back, and the former-Decepticon sent planetary scans to Magmatron so he could implement his own plans for the stasis pods on prehistoric Earth. {{storylink|Shell Game issue 1|Shell Game #1}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
[[File:Ravage clones gi joe vol 2.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb]]
Ravage was among the Transformers laying dormant aboard the ''Ark'' when it was discovered by [[Cobra]], who took the alien robots and reprogrammed them to serve in [[Cobra Commander]]'s plot to conquer the world. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 2|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #2}} Along with Soundwave and the other cassettes, Ravage was sent to attack the [[SPS Research Facility]], where he protected [[Zartan]] as the ninja stole a necessary module from the facility. He fought against [[Quick Kick]] and [[Mutt]], and would've killed them if he hadn't been recalled to [[Cobra Island]] when Zartan got out and deemed the mission a success. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 3|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #3}} Shortly after the Decepticons returned, however, Cobra's control of them was broken by [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]'s tampering, and Soundwave sent out Ravage to punish his former captors. The jaguar knocked out [[Firefly]] and dragged him back to Soundwave to be used as a slave. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 4|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #4}} Ravage later attacked [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] only to be grabbed and crushed in the Autobot's fist. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 5|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #5}}

Two years later when [[Teletran 3]] had gone berserk, sending scores of Transformers and humans both forwards and backwards in time, Ravage was among the Decepticons who surrounded the tower where the disturbance had originated. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 2|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #2}}

In an alternate future in which the Decepticons had conquered Earth, packs of Ravages prowled the woods that a team of [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joes]] and Cobra members were traveling through. A few of them were destroyed by [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]], causing the remaining ones to flee. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 3|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #3}}

===''Transformers/G.I. Joe''===
[[File:Ravage-Trial by Fire.jpg|thumb|upright=0.75]]
Ravage was one of the Decepticons under [[Cobra]]'s command in [[1939]]. [[Storm Shadow|Stormshadow]] pitted him against [[Snake-Eyes]] during the two ninjas' duel among the [[Fera Islands]]. {{storylink|Transformed}} After a short but fierce battle, Snake-Eyes incapacitated Ravage with a hand grenade. {{storylink|Trial by Fire}} The injured jaguar re-emerged soon after Snake-Eyes had killed Stormshadow, but quickly lost his life to the ninja's katana. {{storylink|Trenches}}

===''Transformers Legends'' anthology===
Laserbeak and Ravage spied on Starscream after the Seeker's latest falling out with Megatron, and watched Starscream fall off a mountain. After reporting back to Soundwave, they spied some more and got footage of Starscream acting chummy with the Autobots. {{storylink|Redemption Center}}

===''The Beast Within''===
Ravage participated in an all-out Decepticon offensive, squaring off against Steeljaw as the carnage raged around them. {{storylink|The Beast Within}}

===IDW 2005 continuity===
{{main|Ravage (G1)/IDW 2005 continuity}}

===''Hearts of Steel''===
[[File:Marktwainvsravage.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Tales of my lion-taming have been greatly exaggerated.]]
[[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] sent Ravage to kill [[Tobias Muldoon]], who had deserted the Decepticons when he learned they were evil. Ravage tracked him to [[Stanford Merriweather]]'s house in [[San Francisco]] and crashed into the household, startling Muldoon, Merriweather, Merriweather's daughter [[Kitty Merriweather|Kitty]], and [[Mark Twain]]. The humans fled the house as Ravage broke through the wall.

He then pretty much got his ass kicked by Mark Twain, who took advantage of Ravage being momentarily trapped in rubble to flick a [[cigar]] at him, thus igniting a gas leak. The explosion flung Ravage into the bay, never to be seen again. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 3|Hearts of Steel #3}}

{{IDW HOS}}

===''Q-Robo Transformer''===
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Q-Robo Transformer}}}}

===''Lil Formers''===
Ravage was one of the absurd amount of minion Soundwave ejected out of his chest, all in a row, in preparation for a fight. {{storylink|Lil Formers}}

===''Mini Mayhem!''===
Ravage participated in an infiltration of [[BotCon]] to track down next year's toy designs, and use them to conquer the Autobots once and for all! While scouting out the area, he was captured by the humans organizing the convention, and put on display as a sale item. {{storylink|Mini Mayhem!}}

===''Henkei! Henkei!'' pack-in manga===
[[File:Henkei ravage petted.jpg|thumb|"Who's my kitty? Who's my kitty?"]]
Ravage stole a sack of energon cubes for [[Starscream (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in manga|Starscream]], deftly avoiding the pursuing [[Hound (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in manga|Hound]] and delivering the booty to his waiting master. Just before Starscream could put the energon to use, however, the pair were attacked by [[Cheetor (BW)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in manga|Cheetor]], who stabbed Ravage in the side with one of his throwing stars and pinned both Decepticons beneath his feet. {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 8}}

===''Henkei! Henkei!'' Bun Bun manga===
When [[Starscream (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Starscream]] attacked a power plant with the help of the brainwashed [[Jetfire (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Skyfire]], Ravage stealthily observed and recorded the battle with the Autobots that followed. Ravage took his recording back to [[Megatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Megatron]], and then curled up in his leader's lap as he reviewed the footage. {{storylink|Wataru's Power}}

===''Henkei! Henkei! Transformers -Visualize-''===
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Visualize Shot 10}}}}

===''Device Label''===
Ravage had been given the mission to root out and interfere with the Autobot activity taking place within the computer under Megatron and Soundwave's command. {{storylink|Ravage (G1)/toys#Device Label|Ravage's Device Label Bio}}

===''Recordicons''===
Ravage was at a bar that Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, and [[Lazorbeak]] were at. {{storylink|Recordicons|Recordicons 16}}

===Robot Heroes===
Soundwave hid in his harmless-looking alternate mode... until it was time to strike! He then loosed Laserbeak and Ravage from his chest compartment. {{storylink|I Am Optimus Prime (Robot Heroes)|I Am Optimus Prime}}

===''Kre-O'' online manga===
[[File:KreORavage.jpg|thumb]]

Ravage was standing upright among the Decepticon forces when they introduced the Predacons. {{storylink|Behemoth Combination! But They're Cute? The Predacon Unit}}

While [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]'s plan to brainwash humanity unfolded, the Decepticon patted Ravage's head. {{storylink|Soundwave's Trap? Stop Operation Brainwash Humanity!}}

Ravage was seen flying into battle with Soundwave in [[Isami Tatewaki|some kid]]'s living room. {{storylink|Robots in Disguise! The Transformers Are by Your Side!?}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
Part of a troupe of Decepticons sent to Earth to demand the humans surrender to Megatron, Ravage met with the human representative, [[Hawk (G.I. Joe)|Hawk]], and quickly learned that [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] wasn't so keen on the idea of surrendering. The Decepticons seemed to have the upper hand in the ensuing battle and Ravage again invited Hawk to surrender, but the human only responded by cleaving the cat's head with his mysterious tomahawk. {{storylink|I Saw Three Ships}} Ravage was then captured by G.I. Joe and fell under the control of [[Doctor Venom]] when he turned Soundwave's body into a human-controlled mech suit. During a battle with [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], Venom unleashed Ravage from Soundwave's chest compartment to attack the Autobot. {{storylink|Expelled from the Garden}}

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Black Cybertron}} {{storylink|Transformers vs. G.I. Joe issue 12|Transformers vs. G.I. Joe #12}} {{storylink|The War Never Ends}}}}

===''Transformers: All Spark''===
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|The Fated Rival, Once Again...}} {{storylink|Plans of the Emperor of Destruction}} {{storylink|Revenge (All Spark)|Revenge}}}}

===''Cloud''===
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Eagerness}} {{storylink|Lightwave}}}}

===''Transformers Legends'' comic===
Ravage was the manager of a toy store, where he was puzzled by customer [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]]'s attempts at using telepathy at him. {{storylink|Legends Vol. 1}} He was later shocked when Rattrap showed up to buy toys in the form of a real Transformer. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 1|Bonus Edition Vol. 1}} During [[Christmas]], Ravage was standing outside his store, wielding guns and advertising the [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)|newest ''Transformers'' series]]. {{storylink|Merry X'mas!!}}

===''Titans Return'' marketing material===
Bolstered by the [[Titan Master]]s, Ravage accompanied Soundwave as the Decepticons orchestrated an all-out Decepticon attack on Cybertron, which was soon routed by [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. {{storylink|Titans Return: The Power of the Titan Masters}}

==Commercial appearances==
Commercials that featured original footage of Ravage include:
*A battle he took part in a battle against the Dinobots alongside [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] and [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]]. Ravage blasted [[Slag (G1)|Slag]], only to find himself face-to-face with a robotic Triceratops when his opponent assumed his beast mode. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Dinobots|Dinobots commercial}}
*When [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] was duped into bringing [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] into the Decepticons' headquarters, thinking the Autobot was just a normal radio, Soundwave dispatched Laserbeak and Ravage to deal with the intruder. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Blaster|Blaster commercial}}

==Games==
===Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons===
When Optimus embarked on his mission to rescue the Autobots' [[Mini Vehicle|Minicar]] troops from the Decepticons, Ravage could interfere with Optimus Prime's progress. {{storylink|Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons|Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons packaging blurb and game}}

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

===''Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals'' (N64)===
{{voiceactor|[[Martin Roach]] (English)}}
[[File:N64Ravage.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Stupid sexy Ravage.]]
Ravage betrayed the Predacon Megatron, then entered the ancient Autobot battle cruiser, the Ark. Using a prototype cloning device based on transreplication technology, he produced clones of the ancient Decepticons, with memories and personalities intact. One by one, he downloaded protoform cloning data of the legendary warriors: (Decepticon) Megatron, Skywarp, Starscream, Thundercracker, Reflector, Rumble, Frenzy, Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, and Soundwave. With his clone army, Ravage returned to Predacon space with plans of conquest. {{storylink|Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals (N64)}}

{{note|Each character possessed an alternate ending, displayed if the game was beaten with said character. Each character has only their own ending listed on their pages, see the other characters' pages for Ravage’s fate in those outcomes.}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals'' (PS)===
{{voiceactor|[[Martin Roach]] (English)}}
{{charstubgame|{{storylink|Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals (PS)}}}}

===3D Battle Card Game===
Ravage fights under the command of [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] once more, this time with several allies from (potentially) different universes and/or timelines. {{storylink|3D Battle-Card Game#Energon Wars expansion|Energon Wars Expansion Set}}

===''Transformers Legends''===
Ravage took part in a covert infiltration of the Autobot base led by Soundwave, allowing them to pass information back to the Decepticons and ensure a string of Decepticon victories. They were eventually uncovered by [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]], [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]], and [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]], and sent packing. {{storylink|Covert Operations}}

Ravage aided the Decepticon Powermasters in a battle against their hated rivals, the Autobot Powermasters. {{storylink|End of the Road (Legends)|End of the Road}}

Ravage was part of a group of Decepticons who teamed up with the Autobots [[Windblade (G1)|Wingblade]] and [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] to battle the Ammonites on a distant planet. Together, they were able to drive off several Ammonite attacks, but the two factions soon started fighting one another over differing opinions. Eventually, the Autobots defeated the Ammonites and sent the Decepticons packing. Though angered by this turn of events, Ravage and the other Decepticons found consolation that the Ammonites also tasted defeat at the Autobots' hands, and returned to their starship. {{storylink|Into the Abyss}}

Ravage was among a group of Decepticons who accidentally time traveled back to the sixth century and ended up having to battle some similarly displaced Autobots using medieval technology. They lost, and returned to the present as prisoners of the Autobots. {{storylink|A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court (Legends)|A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers: Devastation''===
Ravage aided Soundwave in his battles with the Autobots. {{storylink|Transformers: Devastation}}
{{-}}

===''Angry Birds Transformers''===
[[File:ABTF-screen Acc-Ravage.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.1]]
Ravage is an "Accessory" character, giving Deceptihogs he's attached to "acid rounds": anything their weapon hits but does not immediately destroy has its HP quickly sapped by burning acid. This bonus can be increased with upgrades won from random-prize Crates or in the "[[King Pig|Shockwave]]'s Tower" mini-game.

He can be unlocked by purchasing him with Gems in the Barracks, with Tokens during specific [[Angry Birds Transformers (mobile game)/Challenge Events|Challenge Events]], or won from Crates and [[King Pig|Shockwave]]'s Tower. {{storylink|Angry Birds Transformers (mobile game)|Angry Birds Transformers}}

<center>
{|class="wikitable" border="5" style="width:75%" align="center"
|-
! scope="col" width="20%" | '''Deceptihog'''
! scope="col" width="10%" | '''Body Part'''
! scope="col" width="10%" | '''Rarity'''
! scope="col" width="10%" | '''Gem Cost'''
! scope="col" width="20%" | '''Base Effect'''
! scope="col" width="30%" | '''Notes'''
|-
|[[Chef Pig#As Soundblaster|Soundblaster]]
|Arms
|Legendary
|900
|Acid Rounds
|
|-
|}
</center>

===''Transformers: Battle Tactics''===
[[File:Battle-Tactics-Ravage-(TM).jpg|thumb|upright=2.2]]
Ravage (TM) participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He was an Epic character first available as a reward to ''60'' players in the "Beast Wars: Episode 4" event.
{{storylink|Transformers: Battle Tactics}}
{{--}}

===''Transformers: Frontiers''===
{{charstubgame|{{storylink|Transformers: Frontiers}}}}

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

==Merchandise==
{{main|Ravage (G1)/toys#Merchandise}}

==Notes==
*A working name for Ravage was '''Stalker'''.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/conventions-15/botcon-2010-bob-budiansky-panel-coverage-170041/ Bob Budiansky Botcon Panel Coverage]</ref>
*As given in early ''[[The Transformers Universe|Universe]]''-style profiles published in ''[[The Transformers Comics Magazine]]'', Ravage's nickname is '''Cat'''.
*Alternate names, narration, and in-universe descriptions by other characters over the years have inconsistently described the specific sub-genus of feline which Ravage represents as a jaguar, a panther, a puma, and sometimes even as a canine.
*Ravage's original [[package art]] is by far the most-copied depiction of any Transformer. It was, of course, adapted for his ''[[The Transformers Universe|Transformers Universe]]'' profile, but was also used (twice) in 1984's "back-of-the-box" battle scene,<ref>http://www.botchthecrab.com/galleryImage.asp?gallery=7&image=33</ref> and was copied in licensed coloring books and storybooks; the pose also showed up repeatedly in the Marvel Comics. In "[[Time Wars|Time Wars Part 2]]" (Marvel UK #200), artist [[Robin Smith]] copied the art multiple times across several subsequent panels. And it was, of course, recolored for [[Howlback (G1)|Howlback]]'s card-art. Yikes.
*According to the [[The Transformers Adventure Game Books|''Transformers'' Adventure Game Book]] "[[Dinobot War]]", Ravage's cassette mode is labelled as the soundtrack to the musical ''[[Cats]]''.
*In the Japanese dub of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original ''The Transformers'' cartoon]], all of [[Frank Welker]]'s various growling and snarling sounds for Ravage were maintained and not redubbed with a Japanese voice actor (though [[Yū Shimaka|Yutaka Shimaka]] ''did'' speak as Ravage during the character's one lone instance of dialogue in "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 3]]"). Frank Welker was not credited in the Japanese version, either. Jerks.
**Exactly the same thing happened in the Brazilian dub for the series, but to be fair, voice actors in Brazil were never credited for their work until the late nineties. Welker only received the same treatment.
*Ravage's ''Beast Wars'' [[robot mode]] is simply a modified Transmetal Cheetor with Tigatron's beast head.
*Ravage's transformation to cassette mode in "[[The Agenda (Part 2)]]" was accompanied by the Generation 1 transformation sound effect.
*Ravage's profile in the IDW ''[[Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook|Beast Wars Sourcebook]]'' seems to suggest that, in the body he is first seen in the ''Beast Wars'', he possess three separate modes; robot, beast, and cassette.
*Reportedly, Hasbro wanted to bring Ravage's "Jaguar X-9" figure over to the States as part of the Beast Wars 10th Anniversary line, but they couldn't find the mold. Bummer.
[[File:RiseOfCobraRobotPanther.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|Note: not Baroness, not Ravage, '''and''' not actually from ''Pursuit of Cobra''. Nice going, slide. (Furthermore: panther sadly confirmed not able to use Ravage's G1 weapons.)]]
*The name "Ravage" became unavailable as a [[trademark]] during ''Beast Wars'', so Hasbro used the alternative "Shadow Panther" instead, and when even ''that'' turned out to be off-limits, used the somewhat clunky name "Tripredacus Agent". The name "Ravage" eventually became available again in time for ''[[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|Energon]]'', but apparently Hasbro decided to play safe and added a prefix, thus releasing the ''Energon'' toy under the compound name "[[Battle Ravage]]" (and later, its redeco as "[[Command Ravage]]"). Hasbro also used "Battle Ravage" for the ''[[Transformers: Alternators|Alternators]]'' toy and ''also'' intended to use it for the [[Generation 1 reissues|reissue]] of the original Generation 1 toy available with the [[Toys"R"Us]] [[exclusive]] ''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]''-affiliated "Commemorative Edition" reissue of [[Soundwave (G1)/toys|Soundwave]]... but then decided that the single name "Ravage" would work just as fine. Thus, the reissue is still named "Battle Ravage" on the packaging, but simply "Ravage" in the [[instructions]]. Following that, multiple subsequent toys have simply used the name "Ravage" again.
*At JoeCon 2011, [[Rik Alvarez]] and [[John Warden]] participated in a "Treasures from the Hasbro Archives" panel, which revealed that an unproduced ''Rise of Cobra'' "[[Baroness|Arctic Baroness]]" figure would have come with a robot panther modeled on Ravage. While Alvarez was ambiguous about the figure's identity, Warden consistently denied that it was actually going to '''be''' Ravage, though admitted the use of Ravage design cues was intentional. Neither the Baroness or the robot panther were tooled, with the panther in the photo being the only one in existence.
*In his first appearance, ''Kre-O'' Ravage is based on his bipedal ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars]]'' appearance, and in the third one he is based on his quadruped 1984 appearance. While only his head is seen in his second appearance, he's likely to be in quadruped form as his role there is more pet-like.
*In his third appearance, he's shown in the pose depicted on his classic G1 package art. And [[Character model#Model sheet poses used in fiction|everywhere else]].

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Jaguar''' (ジャガー ''Jagā''), '''Ravage''' (ラヴェッジ ''Ravejji'', ラベッジ ''Rabejji'')
*''Czech:'' '''Trhač'''
*''French:'' '''Saboteur''' (Canada)
*''Hungarian:'' '''Romboló''' ("Ravager")
*''Italian:'' '''Iena''' ("Hyena"), '''Ursus''' (''Beast Wars'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Phò-hùai''' (Taiwan, 破壞, "Ravage"), '''Robin''' (Taiwan ''Beast Wars'', 羅賓 ''Lúo Pīn''), '''Jīqì Gǒu''' (China, 机器狗, "Mechanical Dog"), '''Lüèduóshòu''' (China ''Beast Wars'', 掠夺兽, "Ravening Beast")
*''Polish:'' '''Dewastator''' (''Beast Wars'', "Devastator")
*''Portuguese:'' '''Raiva''' (Portugal comics, "Rage"), '''Selvagem''' (Brazil comics, "Wild"), '''Destruição''' (Brazil ''Beast Wars'', "Destruction")
*''Russian:'' '''Grabitel'''' (Грабитель, "Robber")
*''Spanish:'' '''Destructor''' (Spain, "Destroyer"), '''Devastador''' (''Beast Wars'' Latin American dub, "Devastator")
*''Swedish:'' '''Utplånaren''' (''Generation 2'', "Obliterator")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Spustoshuvach''' (ICTV dub, Спустошувач, "Ravage")

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/1984/Decepticon/Ravage/ravage.htm Ravage at TFU.info]

[[Category:Beast Wars Predacons]]
[[Category:Cats]]
[[Category:Cloud Decepticons]]
[[Category:Combiner Wars]]
[[Category:Combiners]]
[[Category:Deceptihogs]]
[[Category:Dreamwave Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Henkei! Henkei! Decepticons]]
[[Category:Kre-O Decepticons]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Legends Predacons]]
[[Category:Mini-Cassettes]]
[[Category:Saboteurs]]
[[Category:Spies]]
[[Category:Transformers with three modes]]
[[Category:Transmetals 2]]

Transmutate (BW)

2018-07-26T15:41:53Z

Chris2119: /* Notes */

{{disambig2|the ''Beast Wars'' character|the ''Beast Wars'' episode|Transmutate (episode)}}
{{faction|maximal}}
:''Transmutate is a [[Maximal]] from the [[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars]] portion of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:Transmutate.jpg|250px|thumb|MU-tilate. MU-tant. Hm. I wonder. Oh well.]]

Twisted and warped, '''Transmutate''' (also '''Trans-Mutate''') is a [[Transformer]] in name only. The damage done to them by their troubled birth has rendered them unable to [[transformation|transform]], and reduced their mind to infancy, leaving them utterly innocent in personality and able to grasp only simple concepts. Their trusting and curious nature is both a boon and a handicap.

Transmutate's distorted frame conceals almost unbelievable destructive power in the form of a super-sonic scream which can leave all but the hardiest victim out cold. Their simple mind means that many of its capabilities remain unknown, even to itself, and they will express surprise when, for instance, they find they have the ability to flyyyyyyyyy.

{{quote|Man, I am tellin' ya, the things coming out of these pods is just getting weirder and weirder.|[[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]]|"[[Transmutate (episode)|Transmutate]]"}}

==Fiction==
===''Beast Wars'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Susan Blu]] (English), [[Haruna Ikezawa]] (Japanese)|[[Xu Lin]] (Chinese), [[Luca Bottale]] (Italian)}}
[[File:Transmutate Rampage.jpg|thumb|left|230px]]
Transmutate's [[stasis pod]] was one of many aboard the ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'' and at some point crashed from [[Earth]] orbit in seismically-unstable [[Grid Deltron]]. The heavily-damaged pod later became uncovered by the region's earthquakes and Transmutate explosively freed itself. Presented with the choice of [[Maximal]] or [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]], it hesitated and when [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] accidentally shot it, it unleashed its sonic scream. With the Maximals out of commission as a result and feeling he'd found a kindred spirit, [[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]] lost no time in befriending Transmutate. Though [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] failed to see the value in the mutant and wanted it destroyed, Rampage intended to prove it a worthy ally. He and Inferno persuaded it to act as bait for a trap for [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]]. When Transmutate was reluctant to finish off the Maximal, Inferno pushed the creature aside and was promptly blasted into the distance for his troubles.

[[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] arrived and, defeating Rampage, persuaded Transmutate to return with him to the ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'' for a scan. The results were discouraging—Optimus felt that it was a danger to itself as well as those around it, [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] suggested putting it into [[stasis lock]], and Silverbolt was the only one to speak up angrily in its favor. Walking through the base alone, Transmutate heard Rampage calling to it, and opted to leave the ''Axalon'' to join him.

Silverbolt quickly found the pair and immediately came to blows with Rampage. Transmutate tried to get them to stop, landing between them right as they each fired missiles. Transmutate blazed with power as it tried to halt the missiles, but was shattered in the resulting explosion and, though its consciousness lingered for a few moments more, its spark was extinguished. {{storylink|Transmutate (episode)|Transmutate}}
{{-}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
[[File:Timelines Trans-MutateCardArt.jpg|thumb|300px|left|]]

In [[Primax 209.0 Gamma|a parallel reality]] where the Maximals and Predacons were created by the Autobots and Decepticons to serve as proxy armies to continue fighting in their stead, the 'bot who would become known as "Trans-Mutate" was a fully-formed Maximal. Cheerful and curious about everything around her, she suffered from a disconnect in her processors that prevented her from properly interpreting emotions and social cues, which only made her all the more fascinated in her fellow Maximals and the way they interacted with the world, and with her. For this condition, the cruel had given her the mocking nickname of "Trans-Mutate", but would likely have thought twice about doing so if they had realized that she was a [[Point One Percenter]], possessing a terrifyingly powerful [[spark]] that gave her a strength she herself feared and tried to forget about.

[[File:AloneTogetherPerception Trans-Mutate.jpg|thumb|300px|right]]
Observing multiple instances of incompatible, contradictory information in the official history logs of Cybertron and concluding that it had been perpetrated deliberately, the innocent-minded Trans-Mutate brought her concerns to the authorities, who reacted not with a desire to see it corrected, as she had expected, but with an anger she could not understand—they, of course, were the ones ''responsible'' for adjusting the history logs for their own purposes. Trans-Mutate ended up allying with the mobster [[Cryotek (Universe)|Cryotek]], though she did not comprehend that he was a criminal: she sided with him because ''his'' account of history matched the facts she had gathered. When her usefulness to Cryotek ended, he discarded her, but she was rescued from the authorities by [[Botanica (BM)|Botanica]] and fell in with [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]]'s freedom fighters, struggling to overthrow the masters who forced them to fight a continuous war. Though she understood that she had been wrong in trusting Cryotek, she could not understand ''why''. {{storylink|Perception}} {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 55|Transmutate's profile in Club magazine #55}}

During the group's raid on the [[Ferromax Detention Center]] to free [[Dinobot (BW)|Dynobot]], Trans-Mutate found herself distracted by a voice emanating from a cell on the maximum security level: [[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]], a fellow Point One Percenter who sensed a kindred spirit in her, and who told her that he could feel the pain in her [[spark]]. The Maximals freed Dynobot, and before they left, Rampage promised Trans-Mutate that they would meet again. {{storylink|Alone Together: Prologue|Prologue}} Unfortunately, Trans-Mutate was captured during the escape, tried, and sentenced to incarceration on [[Garrus-16]]. En route, however, the prison ship ''[[Claustrum]]'' suffered a hull breach, jettisoning her stasis pod, which crashed on dwarf planet [[Metascan Omega|LGC-8803]]. Taking the [[navicomp]] from the pod to supply advice, she explored and discovered a huge structure. A short time later, she was found by Rampage, who had also been imprisoned aboard the ''Claustrum''. {{storylink|Perception}} When he turned out to be so low on energy he could barely stand, she connected him to the navicomp to give him power, and he filled her in on the concept of Point One Percenters. The pair soon realized that they were not alone, and came under attack from [[Bruton]] and [[Medusa]]. Despite putting up a fair battle, they were rendered unconscious and presented to [[Lord Imperious Delirious]]. {{storylink|Kindred}}

[[File:AloneTogetherPerception Trans-Mutate vehicle mode.jpg|thumb|200px|left]]
The [[Destructon]] leader provided the pair with [[energon]] and revealed that he had shot the ''Claustrum'' down in order to liberate them. Explaining the origins of himself and his friends, who were all "second-born intellects"—being created by other beings—that had rebelled against their creators, Delirious invited Trans-Mutate and Rampage to join their ranks. Trans-Mutate, however, spotted the inconsistencies in Lord Imperious Delirious's story and, having uncomfortable memories of Cryotek, insisted that she and Rampage would be leaving. When pressed, she pointed out that Delirious had to be lying, because there was no way he could have known about them being onboard the ship; the Destructon leader confirmed her suspicions, explaining he had shot the ship down purely to salvage its tech, but insisted that "broken" 'bots like them belonged in his care. Rampage wavered, but Trans-Mutate firmly refuted the notion that she was "broken"—and Lord Imperious Delirious responded with his hallucinogenic Delirious Fire. {{storylink|Delirious}} Trans-Mutate found herself floating in a fragmented space, unable to string together a thought, until Rampage was able to mentally contact her and persuade her to use her power to break them both free. They were immediately attacked by the Destructons, and Trans-Mutate sliced Medusa in two. The Destructons opted to leave Rampage and Trans-Mutate to be picked up by whomever answered the distress call Delirious had sent to Cybertron. {{storylink|Clarity}}

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Intersectionality}} {{storylink|The Inexorable March}}}}
{{-}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Battle Tactics''===
[[File:Battle-Tactics-Transmutate.jpg|thumb|400px]]
Transmutate participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of her! She was an Epic character who was available in the December Daily Campaign and could be recruited by collecting 20 Alpha cores, 20 Beta cores, 20 Omega cores, and 10 cores of this character. {{storylink|Transformers: Battle Tactics}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===''Beast Wars 10th Anniversary''===
[[File:BW10 Transmutate.jpg|thumb|150px|Not wanted anywhere but eBay.]]
:Trans-Mutate was never sold as an individual toy. Rather, it was only available with the first two waves of Beast Wars 10th Anniversary toys in 2006; each of the first six releases had a part to Trans-Mutate packaged with it. All six parts combined to form a non-transformable figure with limited articulation... but the simple fact that an official figure of a one-episode show character got ''made'' is itself an extraordinary occurrence.

:The plastic in Trans-Mutate's legs is very rubbery and prone to warping, leaving the toy unable to stand unsupported after a few years.
*Head - [[Waspinator (BW)/toys#Beast Wars 10th Anniversary|Waspinator]]
*Torso - [[Cheetor (BW)/toys#Beast Wars 10th Anniversary|Cheetor]]
*Waist & right leg - [[Rhinox (BW)#Beast Wars 10th Anniversary|Rhinox]]
*Left leg - [[Tarantulas (BW)#Beast Wars 10th Anniversary|Tarantulas]]
*Right arm - [[Rattrap (BW)/toys#Beast Wars 10th Anniversary|Rattrap]]
*Left arm - [[Dinobot (BW)#Beast Wars 10th Anniversary|Dinobot]]

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2006/Maximal/Trans-Mutate/trans-mutate.htm More information on Transmutate at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===''Timelines''===
[[File:Timelinestoy-Transmutate.jpg|thumb|300px|"Abed, she’s a program." "People have said similar things about me."]]
*'''Trans-Mutate''' (Deluxe, [[2014]])
**''Accessories:'' Two arm blades/motorcycle panels, stand
:Trans-Mutate is a [[redeco]] of ''[[Transformers: Prime (toyline)|Prime: First Edition]]'' [[Arcee (WFC)#FirstEdition|Arcee]]. She was an exclusive available for purchase by [[Transformers Collectors' Club]] members. Trans-Mutate transforms from a green and tan motorcycle to a robot and back. Arm blades stow in vehicle mode and can be plugged under Trans-Mutate's forearms in robot mode.

:''Timelines'' Trans-Mutate came in a large box that is meant to serve as shared [[giftset]]-style packaging with ''Timelines'' Protoform X, though that figure is sold separately. The [[package art]] for this box is an homage to the sci-fi film ''{{w|Enemy Mine (film)|Enemy Mine}}''.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2014/Maximal/Trans-Mutate/trans-mutate.htm More information on ''Timelines'' Trans-Mutate at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

==Notes==
*A minor point of argument among fans is exactly why the Maximals were so quick to stasis-lock Transmutate instead of transferring its spark to another body like Rhinox did with Optimus Primal following the latter's unintentional sacrifice. It was stated only that its [[core consciousness]] and body structure were mutilated beyond recovery; no mention was made about the condition of its spark. Of course, the euthanasia metaphor of the character's title episode would fall apart if they did that, but hey, semantics.
**The script for this episode explicitly states that Transmutate's spark was unstable: "Energy ERUPTS throughout Its body as Its own unstable spark begins to tear It apart." Although stage direction and narration from scripts are only [[pseudocanon]], this may nonetheless satisfy some fans that the spark was indeed as damaged as the body. The script, like many ''Beast Wars'' scripts, can be found on [http://web.archive.org/web/20050211031602/http://www.bwtf.com/bw/tvshow/episodes/seasontwo/ BWTF.com].
[[File:Transmutate Facepic.jpg|200px|thumb|faaaaaaaaaaaace]]
*Also from the episode script comes this character description in the cast listing section: ''TRANSMUTATE: a being with no beauty of form nor logic of shape, massive, made of unmatched parts: bits of Predacon, pieces of Maximal, chunks of Fuzor and Transmetal, heavy-duty weapons, and a face that vaguely indicates it is female.'' This wording lends some credence to the fan notion that Transmutate was originally a female Protoform. However, Transmutate is consistently referred to within the script using genderless pronouns, confusing the issue. In 2014, an alternate universe version of Transmutate would be depicted as female by a [[Transformers Timelines (toyline)|''Timelines'']] toy and corresponding Club magazine story.
*According to [[Ben Yee]] on [[Madman Entertainment]]'s ''Beast Wars'' Season 2 DVD commentaries, Hasbro attempted to replicate Transmutate's sonic scream attacks first as a spring-loaded projectile, then as a static decoration. Fortunately for the sake of good taste, they abandoned those plans.
*Many people feel Transmutate's face is unsettling (though not as much as its voice).
*Transmutate is the first example of a disabled Transformer.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Transmutate''' (トランスミューテイト ''Toransumyūteito'')
*''Italian:'' '''Convertor'''
*''Portuguese:'' '''Transmutante'''
*''Spanish:'' '''Transmutante'''
*''Russian:'' '''Transmutatsiya''' (Трансмутация), '''Transmutant''' (Трансмутант)
*''Mandarin:'' '''Biànyì Biàntǐ''' (China, 变异变体, "Transmutate")

[[Category:Beast Wars Maximals]]
[[Category:Beast Wars Transformers]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising Maximals]]
[[Category:Female Transformers]]
[[Category:Point One Percenters]]
[[Category:Timelines characters]]
[[Category:Transmetals]]

Quantum surge

2018-07-26T15:39:43Z

Chris2119:

:''The Quantum Surge was an energy wave from the [[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars]] portion of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[Image:Aftermath Quantum Surge Earth.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Oddly-selective wave front approaching!]]

The '''Quantum Surge''' was one of the results of the destruction of the [[Vok]] [[Planet Buster]] in a [[transwarp]] explosion. Part shockwave and part energy/radiation wave, the quantum surge swept across [[Earth]] and caused [[Transmetal|strange changes]] in some of the [[Transformer]]s stranded there.

==Fiction==
===''Beast Wars'' cartoon===
When [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] piloted a [[stasis pod]] into the center of the Planet Buster and detonated a transwarp cell, the destruction was accompanied by a quantum surge. {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 2}}

The quantum surge irradiated both the ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'' and ''[[Darksyde (BW)|Darksyde]]''. The strange energies unleashed altered [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]], [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]], [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]], and [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]], giving them new Transmetal forms. {{storylink|Aftermath}} The surge also affected the [[protoform]]s still in stasis pods, resulting in any and all awakened Transformers having partial or whole Transmetal bodies. {{storylink|Coming of the Fuzors (Part 1)}} Local deposits of unstable Energon were either destroyed or converted to stable [[Energon cube]]s by the surge. {{storylink|Coming of the Fuzors (Part 2)}}

The wavefront eventually reached [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertronian space]], where it disrupted a [[Predacon Command Outpost One|Predacon outpost]] and alerted the [[Tripredacus Council]] to Megatron's whereabouts. The council arranged for a Predacon satellite to explode, blocking the wavefront from being detected by Maximal sensors. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 1)}}

The connection of the surge to [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]]'s spontaneously becoming a Transmetal as he entered the Beast Wars time zone is not known. {{storylink|Deep Metal}}

===e-HOBBY comics===
The sudden activation of quantum surge energy in [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]], obtained from [[Master Blaster|unknown events]], granted him black coloration and greatly increased strength and resilience. {{storylink|Destron Leader Megatron Black Ver.}}

===IDW ''Beast Wars'' comics===
In [[Primax 208.06 Zeta]], it was [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] who piloted the spacecraft which destroyed the Planet Buster, tricked into doing so by Megatron. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime}} When the quantum surge hit, [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] (this one a dimension-hopper from [[Primax 206.15 Gamma]]) was able to influence the mutation of his possessed body of [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] to give Waspinator a third jet fighter mode resembling Starscream's old alt-mode. {{storylink|Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook|Beast Wars Sourcebook #4}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
In [[Aurex 1104.30-JH Zeta]], [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] gathered a cache of the powerful and volatile [[Super Energon]]. [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] hijacked Tarantulas's makeshift spacecraft and sacrificed himself to destroy it in orbit, causing a '''Super Energon Transwarp Explosion''' which gave a Transmetal upgrade to many of the participants in the Beast Wars and damaged some [[stasis pod]]s to create Fuzors. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/13}}

==Notes==
===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Quantum surge''' (クォンタムサージ ''kwontamu sāji'')

[[Category:Beast Wars]]
[[Category:Generation 1]]
[[Category:Vok]]

Transwarp wavefront

2018-07-26T15:36:24Z

Chris2119:

:''The transwarp wavefront is an energy wave from the [[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars]] portion of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[Image:CybertronBW Transwarp.jpg|right|200px|thumb|"It will... accidentally explode, blocking the Maximal sensors from detecting the wavefront. Or, you know, looking out their window and seeing it."]]

The '''Transwarp Wavefront''' was the result of a massive explosion involving a [[transwarp]] cell detonating withing and active alien device. As a result of its transwarp drive-related origin, it moves forward through time at an accelerated rate.

It is speculated that the [[Quantum Surge]] was a section of the wave front impacting on Earth.

==Fiction==
===Beast Wars cartoon===
With the [[Vok|alien]] [[Planet Buster]] pouring energy into the [[energon]] deposits of the [[Earth|mysterious planet]] where he and his crew were stranded, [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] detonated a [[transwarp cell]] to destroy the alien device. The transwarp wavefront was the result. After impacting on prehistoric Earth, Rhinox discovered that the wave had detonated a large portion of the Energon and transformed the rest into naturally occurring stable [[Energon Cubes]]. {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 2}}

The wavefront traveled outward from pre-historic [[Earth]], moving into the future at an accelerated rate, and eventually reached what was, for the Maximals, present-day [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]].

The [[Tripredacus Council]] detected the wavefront when it smashed into [[Predacon Command Outpost One]]. Recognizing its energy signature as matching that of [[Darksyde (BW)|the ship stolen by Megatron]], the Council used an exploding satellite to disrupt the wavefront before it reached Cybertron proper. They then sent an [[Ravage (G1)|agent]] to take care of the [[Megatron (BW)|problem]] that it represented. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 1)}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
In [[Aurex 1104.30-JH Zeta]], the Transwarp Pulse also alerted the Tripredacus Council to Megatron's illicit activities on prehistoric Earth. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/13}}

[[Category:Beast Wars]]

Planet Buster

2018-07-26T15:28:31Z

Chris2119:

:''The Planet Buster is a weapon from the [[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|''Beast Wars'' cartoon portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:Planetbuster.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|A Vok Planet Buster.]]
The '''Planet Buster''' was a heat-ray cannon the size of a moon, used by the [[Vok]] aliens in an attempt to destroy prehistoric [[Earth]].

{{quote|Brilliant! They're causing a chain reaction which will rip this planet to atoms, and destroy all traces of them. Simply to deal with us. Such sheer ruthlessness, such disregard for sentient life... I rather like these aliens.|[[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]]|"[[Other Voices, Part 2]]"}}

==Fiction==
===''Beast Wars'' cartoon===
During [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]]'s studies of the mysterious planet the [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] were stranded on, he discovered that one of the planet's moons had less mass than its size would suggest. Almost as if it were... hollow... {{storylink|The Trigger, Part 1}}

After [[Brigadoon|the flying island]] was destroyed in a battle against the [[Transformer]] forces, a beacon was sent to the Vok, first being received by a structure on the Planet Buster before being shot off into space. {{storylink|The Trigger, Part 2}} Receiving this beacon, the Vok returned to Earth and were quite displeased to see that the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]] had completely wrecked their "project". Deeming the entire planet to now be a liability, the Vok revealed their magnum opus: a "termination sequence" that transformed the planet's hollow second moon into a massive weapon. {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 1}}

[[File:Other Voices 1 Moon opening.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|''The light at the end of the world'']]
The Vok attempted to use this cannon (which [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] later dubbed "the Planet Buster") to ignite every [[energon]] deposit on the planet, resulting in an explosion powerful enough to destroy the planet itself!

As the alien device charged up, receiving power from an alien site on the planet, the power beam somehow caused the orbiting [[stasis pod]]s to fall out of orbit.

In order to destroy the weapon, [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] confiscated a customized stasis pod, which [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] and [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] had rebuilt as a means to escape from the planet, and rigged its [[transwarp cell]] with an explosive charge.

Optimus's plan was to fly the pod into the core of the Planet Buster, where the transwarp cell would explode, taking the alien construct with it. Unfortunately, the pod itself was a trap, set by [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]], revealed to Optimus when he was unable to exit the pod and escape from the imminent explosion. The plan to destroy the Planet Buster succeeded, but cost the Maximals their leader. {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 2}}

As an unforeseen development, the destruction of the Planet Buster created a massive [[quantum surge]]. This surge mutated several Transformers into [[Transmetal]]s {{storylink|Aftermath}} and damaged the stasis pods of others, resulting in the [[Fuzor]]s {{storylink|Coming of the Fuzors (Part 1)}} and [[Transmutate (character)|Transmutate]]. {{storylink|Transmutate (episode)|Transmutate}} The destruction of the stasis pods' transwarp cell also created a [[transwarp wavefront]] which traveled across space and time, eventually reaching [[Predacon Command Outpost One]] in the time that the Maximals and the Predacons hailed from. Upon intercepting this wavefront, the [[Tripredacus Council]] sent [[Ravage (G1)|an agent]] to investigate. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 1)}}

==Notes==
*Earth of the [[Primax -408.24 Epsilon|''Shattered Glass'' universe]] also had two moons during its prehistoric era as seen in "[[Shattered Time]]", an obvious reference to ''Beast Wars''. However, whether or not the second moon was in fact a Planet Buster was not covered.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Planet Buster''' (プラネットバスター ''Puranetto Basutā'')

[[Category:Beast Wars locations]]
[[Category:Beast Wars weapons]]
[[Category:Moons]]
[[Category:Ranged weapons]]
[[Category:Vok]]

Planet Buster

2018-07-26T15:26:50Z

Chris2119:

:''The Planet Buster was a weapon from the [[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|''Beast Wars'' cartoon portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:Planetbuster.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Pretty much the last thing you'd want to see out your window.]]
The '''Planet Buster''' is a heat-ray cannon the size of a moon, used by the [[Vok]] aliens in an attempt to destroy prehistoric [[Earth]].

{{quote|Brilliant! They're causing a chain reaction which will rip this planet to atoms, and destroy all traces of them. Simply to deal with us. Such sheer ruthlessness, such disregard for sentient life... I rather like these aliens.|[[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]]|"[[Other Voices, Part 2]]"}}

==Fiction==
===''Beast Wars'' cartoon===
During [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]]'s studies of the mysterious planet the [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] were stranded on, he discovered that one of the planet's moons had less mass than its size would suggest. Almost as if it were... hollow... {{storylink|The Trigger, Part 1}}

After [[Brigadoon|the flying island]] was destroyed in a battle against the [[Transformer]] forces, a beacon was sent to the Vok, first being received by a structure on the Planet Buster before being shot off into space. {{storylink|The Trigger, Part 2}} Receiving this beacon, the Vok returned to Earth and were quite displeased to see that the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]] had completely wrecked their "project". Deeming the entire planet to now be a liability, the Vok revealed their magnum opus: a "termination sequence" that transformed the planet's hollow second moon into a massive weapon. {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 1}}

[[File:Other Voices 1 Moon opening.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|''The light at the end of the world'']]
The Vok attempted to use this cannon (which [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] later dubbed "the Planet Buster") to ignite every [[energon]] deposit on the planet, resulting in an explosion powerful enough to destroy the planet itself!

As the alien device charged up, receiving power from an alien site on the planet, the power beam somehow caused the orbiting [[stasis pod]]s to fall out of orbit.

In order to destroy the weapon, [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] confiscated a customized stasis pod, which [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] and [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] had rebuilt as a means to escape from the planet, and rigged its [[transwarp cell]] with an explosive charge.

Optimus's plan was to fly the pod into the core of the Planet Buster, where the transwarp cell would explode, taking the alien construct with it. Unfortunately, the pod itself was a trap, set by [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]], revealed to Optimus when he was unable to exit the pod and escape from the imminent explosion. The plan to destroy the Planet Buster succeeded, but cost the Maximals their leader. {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 2}}

As an unforeseen development, the destruction of the Planet Buster created a massive [[quantum surge]]. This surge mutated several Transformers into [[Transmetal]]s {{storylink|Aftermath}} and damaged the stasis pods of others, resulting in the [[Fuzor]]s {{storylink|Coming of the Fuzors (Part 1)}} and [[Transmutate (character)|Transmutate]]. {{storylink|Transmutate (episode)|Transmutate}} The destruction of the stasis pods' transwarp cell also created a [[transwarp wavefront]] which traveled across space and time, eventually reaching [[Predacon Command Outpost One]] in the time that the Maximals and the Predacons hailed from. Upon intercepting this wavefront, the [[Tripredacus Council]] sent [[Ravage (G1)|an agent]] to investigate. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 1)}}

==Notes==
*Earth of the [[Primax -408.24 Epsilon|''Shattered Glass'' universe]] also had two moons during its prehistoric era as seen in "[[Shattered Time]]", an obvious reference to ''Beast Wars''. However, whether or not the second moon was in fact a Planet Buster was not covered.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Planet Buster''' (プラネットバスター ''Puranetto Basutā'')

[[Category:Beast Wars locations]]
[[Category:Beast Wars weapons]]
[[Category:Moons]]
[[Category:Ranged weapons]]
[[Category:Vok]]

Shell program

2018-07-26T15:26:39Z

Chris2119:

[[File:Shell program.JPG|upright=1.4|thumb|A Predacon based Shell Program.]]
A '''Shell Program''' is a personality altering program that can be installed within a Transformer to change the way they act. It can also compel a Transformer to behave in ways diametrically opposed to what they would do without if it were not installed.

==Fiction==
===''Beast Wars'' cartoon===
Upon the landing of each [[stasis pod]], the [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] would both rush to the scene in hopes of recruiting the [[protoform]] inside to their team. The protoforms were Maximals by default, but the Predacons were able to turn some by implanting shell programs before waking the protoform up. [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] and [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] joined the Predacons through this scheme. ([[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]] and [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]] joined without being reprogrammed.) Rhinox's brief stint as a Predacon was not explicitly explained, but may have also been the result of a shell program. {{storylink|Dark Designs}}

Eventually, despite her shell program, Blackarachnia decided to side with the Maximals. When hidden code in her shell program began to threaten her life, the Maximals attempted to remove it entirely, a procedure which was very dangerous for her. [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] then conducted a strange kind of virtual, videogame-style "search and destroy" mission within Blackarachnia to accomplish this. Sadly, a safeguard that [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] included in the program terminated her before Rhinox could finish the removal. (She was then revived "magically" by the [[Transmetal driver]].) {{storylink|Crossing the Rubicon}}

===''Beast Machines'' cartoon===
[[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] utilized the sparks of [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]], [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]], and [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] to power shell programs giving life to the original three [[Vehicon general]]s.

Each of these programs seemed to have personalities the exact opposite of the spark (i.e. Thrust a dark, brooding type as opposed to Waspinator's wimpy personality, Tankor is a dumb buttface opposed to Rhinox's superior intelligence, and Jetstorm is a cold hearted murderer opposed to Silverbolt's chivalry). [[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]] and [[Strika (BM)|Strika]], however, did not appear to be altered in this manner.

===Ask Vector Prime===
[[Megazarak (Universe)|Megazarak]] was fond of using his [[Robo-Smasher]] to implant [[Predacon (RID)|Predacon]] shell programs in Autobot [[combiner]]s. [[Dominus Trannis]] and [[Devastator (Universe Ultra)|Devastator]] were among his victims. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime}}

==See also==
*[[Destructicon chip]]
*[[Gene Key]]
*[[Neuro-control helmet]]
*[[Personality destabilizer device]]
*[[Robo-Smasher]]
*[[Transmuter (BW)]]

[[Category:Beast Wars technology]]
[[Category:Beast Machines technology]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise (2001) technology]]

Transformer afterlife

2018-07-26T15:23:08Z

Chris2119: /* Beast Wars cartoon */

{{Disambig3.5|the afterlife|the life giving object|AllSpark|Allspark}}

[[File:Theallspark.jpg|upright=2|thumb|The Allspark. Yes, it does kind of look like a big sperm on purpose.]]
Whereas [[human]]kind has fought wars over the meaning behind life and death, the [[Transformer]] race is fortunate enough to possess a sense of security in knowing for certain that their lifeforce will persist in some form when they pass on from the material plane to the '''Transformer afterlife'''.

At the heart of an endless, cyclical process of birth, [[death]] and resurrection, the Cybertronian afterlife is an extradimensional realm that is the living essence of their creator [[Primus]]. It is the wellspring from which all Transformers' [[spark]]s are born, and the place to which they return when they die. When a Transformer is brought online, it is commonly through use of a [[sacred implement]] which serves as a means of access to Primus's realm. Through this implement, a spark departs the afterlife and enters the new Transformer's body, granting it life. The Transformer then lives out their life, and upon the moment of their death, their spark will return whence it came, taking with it all the emotions, experiences, and knowledge that the Transformer has gained throughout their time online. All this information is suffused into the collective essence of the afterlife, gathering with that derived from all other sparks from throughout time, forming a collection of information known as the "Wisdom of the Ages".

There is little individuality in the great beyond; deceased Transformers lose all sense of self-awareness as their experiences become one with all the others in the afterlife and they effectively cease to exist as a singular entity. However, some Transformers do retain their individuality—typically, those who have had close contact with sacred implements, such as the Autobots who have carried the [[Matrix of Leadership]]—and can serve as guides for any visitors to their realm.

The afterlife is known by many names in many different [[universal stream]]s, often shared with the names of sacred implements and locations that allow access to it; these include the '''Matrix''', the '''Allspark''', the '''Well of All Sparks''', and the '''Afterspark'''. If considered the analog of "heaven" in the Transformers' belief system, its "underworld" counterpart is [[Pit|The Pit]], but there is no evidence that realm actually exists.

{{bigquote|Where...all are one.|[[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] after travelling through the Allspark|"[[Coming of the Fuzors (Part 2)]]"}}

==Conceptual history==
[[File:FFoD4 rodimus ancient robot.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.35|Rodimus Prime ventures into the Matrix, guided by the spirit of [[Primon|an ancient robot]].]]
The concept of the Transformers having an afterlife to which they go when they expire has existed since near the beginning of the line, and has evolved and coalesced over the last thirty years. The history of this development is covered here for clarity; for the specifics on the different interpretations in various continuities, see the "Fiction" section below.

The very beginnings can be found in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]], which introduced the Autobot [[Matrix of Leadership]] in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''. The Matrix was a powerful, ancient talisman, revealed in the episode "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4]]" to be a vessel containing the "life forces" of its previous bearers, who stood sentinel over the accumulated "Wisdom of the Ages" within the Matrix and guided [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] through its depths. Additionally, the deceased Autobot [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] was shown to exist within both the Matrix in "[[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2]]" and the mega-computer [[Vector Sigma]]—source of Transformer life in this continuity—in "[[The Rebirth, Part 2]]"; this was a contradiction at the time, but would become hugely relevant years later.

While the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Generation 1 Marvel comic]] had debuted its version of the Matrix, the Creation Matrix, ''before'' the cartoon under writer [[Bob Budiansky]], it was not until after the cartoon introduced these concepts that writer [[Simon Furman]] expanded on the nature of the comic's Matrix. Under Budiansky, the Matrix had already established to be the source of new Transformer life in the comic continuity, while Furman further revealed it to be a vessel containing the essence and power of the Transformers' creator and god Primus, in addition to explaining that all Transformer life-forces are fragments of Primus' own.

[[File:TheReformatting allspark oracle.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.35|''Beast Machines'' was responsible for clearly explaining most of the mechanics of the afterlife, which it depicted as a huge mass of sparks when seen from the "outside."]]

It was the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' cartoon that took understanding of Transformer life to the next level when it established the concept of [[spark]]s, a Transformer's "soul." Sparks, it was explained, came from somewhere or something called "the Matrix," and returned to this realm when they died. Additionally, the Transformers could often be heard swearing "by the Matrix," indicating its reverential place in their belief system. Behind the scenes, ''Beast Wars'' writers [[Bob Forward]] and [[Larry DiTillio]] did not have the specifics of this "Matrix" fleshed out; they envisioned it variously as a mysterious facility on Cybertron from which Maximal protoforms emerged, or as the nebula that was home to the cartoon's enigmatic aliens, the [[Vok]], thus making those creatures responsible for Transformer life in the Beast Era. The latter idea was never used (and has since been pushed well out of the realm of possibility by subsequent fiction) while the former would later be officialized over a decade later in the [[Transformers Collectors' Club]] story "[[The Razor's Edge]]." Regardless, it was ''Beast Wars'' own sequel series ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' that was first to expand on what this "Matrix" truly was, forging it into the central concept of its own storyline. ''Beast Machines'' introduced an additional name for the Matrix, the "Allspark," and established it to be the realm from which all Transformer sparks "that ever lived, or ever will live" come from, cementing the vast majority of the details covered in the top section of this article.

[[File:RebirthPt2 optimus and alpha.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.35|This scene from "[[The Rebirth, Part 2]]", depicting Alpha Trion inside Vector Sigma, was contradicted by an earlier scene from "[[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2]]" that showed him within the Matrix. The discontinuity was retroactively corrected when the details of the afterlife were further explored.]]

In ''Beast Machines'', the Allspark was accessed by the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]] supercomputer, at the core of which was Vector Sigma, tying back into the Generation 1 cartoon and indicating how the computer had been able to provide life in its version of events. The ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)|Robots in Disguise]]'' cartoon soon reiterated the connection, describing Vector Sigma as "the Allspark" in "[[Ultra Magnus: Forced Fusion!]]". A year or two later, [[Dreamwave Productions]]' ''[[Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More Than Meets The Eye]]'' guidebook did the same for the Matrix of Leadership, describing it as a conduit for the life-giving power of Primus (as in the Marvel comic), a container of great wisdom (as in the cartoon), and the source and destination of all sparks (as in the ''Beast'' cartoons). With all these links in place, the Alpha Trion contradiction mentioned above suddenly took on new meaning: he was not within either the Matrix ''or'' Vector Sigma, but within the afterlife realm, which was merely being ''accessed'' by these two items. As a final touch, in 2006, the bio of the e-Hobby exclusive "Laser" [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/toys|Ultra Magnus]] figure explained why the Autobot leaders from the Generation 1 cartoon had appeared as individuals within the afterlife when ''Beast Machines'' had established this should not be the case: those who had held the Matrix of Leadership were exempt from this rule, and retained their individuality.

Following ''Beast Machines'', which favored the "Matrix" name in-show despite the secondary moniker it introduced, "Allspark" became the standard term used to refer to the afterlife, presumably to avoid confusion with the physical Matrix object. This held for several years, until the [[Movie (franchise)|2007 live-action movie]] and ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]]'' cartoon used "AllSpark" (with a camelCase "S") as the name of the [[AllSpark|ancient object]] that was the source of Transformer life in these continuities (itself identified as a "[[sacred implement]]" like the Matrix and Vector Sigma by Takara's [[World of the Transformers]] website). Faced with finding a new way to avoid confusion, ''Animated'' referred to the afterlife not as the "Allspark," but as the "Well of All Sparks," after a location introduced in Dreamwave's comics which was itself another means of accessing the realm, while the movies simply avoided referring to the afterlife by any kind of name or identifier. The ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' cartoon, however, did not replicate either solution, resulting in a somewhat confusing depiction of the Allspark/AllSpark in "[[Predacons Rising (Prime)|Predacons Rising]]" that practically treated the physical object and the afterlife realm as if they were the same thing—not unlike the treatment of the Matrix in the Generation 1 cartoon, but with the weight of history against it. Such conflation was probably inevitable given the afterlife had three different names, each one shared with an item or location connected to it; in 2011, [[IDW Publishing]] sought to sidestep such issues by providing a fourth, original name, the "Afterspark," introduced in ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]''.

{{--}}

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
[[File:RoOP2 enter the matrix.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.25]]
Injured in battle with the [[Decepticon]]s in 2005, [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]]'s lifeforce temporarily retreated into the [[Matrix of Leadership]], where he was offered confusing glimpses of the Transformers' history that implied a connection with the [[Quintesson]]s. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2}} Desperate to learn more about the evil aliens and why they were targeting the Transformers, Rodimus voluntarily short-circuited himself so that he could travel into the Matrix once again. This time, he was greeted by the spirits of the deceased leaders who had come before him, who took him on a guided tour through twelve million years of Cybertronian history that revealed the full extent of their origins. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}}

When Optimus Prime was returned to life in 2006, he entered the Matrix in the hope that amongst the wisdom it contained was a cure for the [[Hate Plague]] currently ravaging the galaxy. Welcomed back to the afterlife by the spirit of [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], Optimus journeyed back through history to consult the earliest known entity within the Matrix, "[[It]]," who revealed that the unthinking rage brought on by the spores could be counteracted by the wisdom found within the Matrix itself. Prime emptied the Matrix to cure the plague, {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2}} but subsequently used its empty shell to reactivate [[Vector Sigma]] so that he could commune with Alpha Trion once more, seeking answers about the Decepticon's theft of the [[Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber|key]] to the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]]. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}}
{{-}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
[[File:Legends trion finds magnus.jpg|left|thumb|upright=2.25]]
Following [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'s death in 2011, {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}} his temporary custodianship of the Matrix saw him inducted into the ranks of past Autobot leaders who retained their individuality in the afterlife. Decades later, when [[Galvatron II]] arrived from another dimension, Magnus sensed the danger from within the Matrix. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus (G1)/toys#G-2|G-2 Laser Ultra Magnus bio}} Requiring help to battle Galvatron, Optimus Prime called upon Alpha Trion's spirit—now bonded to the Matrix after he had restored it from its emptied state {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}}—to help him resurrect Magnus. Trion ventured into the afterlife and located Magnus's spirit, then used his Matrix-granted powers to bring both Magnus and himself back to life. {{storylink|LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue#Resurrection Chapter|Resurrection Chapter}}

The indestructible nature of the treacherous Decepticon [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]]'s mutant spark meant that when he died, rather than go to the afterlife, he found himself in the twilight realm of [[Limbo]], between life and death. From there, Starscream created a [[flip-soul|crystal]] that allowed him to return to the physical plane as a ghost. {{storylink|MP-3G Destron Air Commander / Starscream Ghost Ver.}}

After his death in the war against the [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon]]s, {{storylink|Fallout (episode)|The Cost of Victory}} [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]]'s spirit ended up in the [[Legends World|Legends Universe]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Rattrap)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}} As a ghost, Rhinox was able to fight and defeat fellow ghost Starscream. Afterwards, Rhinox had his soul placed into a fully-functional body built in the Legends Universe, and he returned to his home universe with his friends. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Rhinox)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}}

{{-}}

===Beast Era===
====''Beast Wars'' cartoon====
[[File:ComingoftheFuzors2 other side of the matrix.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.25]]
The Beast Warriors' first reference to the Matrix came when Tigatron swore by it as an exclamation of shock. {{storylink|The Probe}} When [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] perished, [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] said a prayer for his spark to "join the Matrix, the finest of Cybertron." {{storylink|Code of Hero}} [[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]] was heard to invoke it as a threat; when firing what he thought was a killing shot at [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]], he mockingly declared "Time to go back to the Matrix, hero!" {{storylink|Transmutate (episode)|Transmutate}}

When Optimus Primal perished in a [[transwarp]] explosion and his spark crossed over into "the other side of the Matrix," the nature of the explosion meant that it left a trans-ion trail behind, an ethereal pathway leading into the great beyond. Piggybacking on this trail, [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] was able to project his own consciousness into the afterlife, where he located Primal's spark, bringing it back to reality and implanting it into a blank [[protoform]], restoring him to life. {{storylink|Coming of the Fuzors (Part 2)}}
{{-}}

====''Beast Machines'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|Miscellaneous overlapping voices (English)}}
{{quote|We are all but fragments of the Matrix, which releases each of us in order to struggle, and grow, and evolve—so when we return to it, ''it'' may grow and evolve. Thus do we serve the Matrix, not just by battling, but also by acquiring knowledge, wisdom, and experiencing love.|Optimus Primal|[[Endgame Pt. III: Seeds of the Future]]}}

[[File:BMEndgame2 Optimus allspark vision.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.5]]

Upon their return to Cybertron, Optimus Primal and his Maximals were summoned to the planet's depths by the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]] supercomputer. Thanks to his "receptive spark," Primal was able to interface with the Oracle, and via its Vector Sigma core, commune with the Matrix itself—referred to by the Oracle as "the Allspark that links everyone and everything that ever lived or ever will live." {{storylink|The Reformatting}} Through this link, Primal would often experience prophetic, metaphorical visions that steered him on a mission that he believed was the Matrix's purpose for him: to restore organic matter to Cybertron. {{storylink|Revelations Part II: Descent}} It was while he was in the middle of such a communion that Primal found himself unexpectedly joined on this higher plane of consciousness by [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]], whose [[spark]] had been separated from her body during a battle with [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]'s [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicons]]. Blackarachnia was confused, but Primal explained that all Transformers were linked through the Matrix. {{storylink|Revelations Part III: Apocalypse}}

[[File:Fallout primal enters allspark.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.5]]

It was also through communion with the Oracle and the Allspark that Primal discovered Rhinox's spark was trapped within the Vehicon general [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]]. As Tankor, Rhinox manipulated Optimus and Megatron into releasing the energies of the Plasma Energy Chamber and the [[Key to Vector Sigma]], but the resultant clash between the two threatened to destroy the planet, with Tankor as one of its first victims. In the heart of the maelstrom, Primal found himself drifting into the Matrix once more, where Rhinox's spark appeared to impart a final message. Spurred on, Primal was able to take control of the forces ravaging Cybertron and directed them through the Oracle, into the Matrix itself. In doing so, however, Primal destroyed himself, and his own spark began to join the Matrix. Just before he merged with it, he had another vision that finally made clear what the Matrix's mission for him was: not to ''replace'' the planet's technology with organic matter, but to unite the two and create a [[technorganic]] Cybertron. Realizing his work was not yet done, Primal's spark refused to join the Matrix, and he returned to the physical world to continue leading his Maximals. {{storylink|Fallout (episode)|Fallout}}

[[Botanica (BM)|Botanica]] saw the Allspark when the Oracle granted her a vision of what had been happening to Cybertron. {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. I: The Strike}} Soon after, when Optimus petitioned the Oracle for aid in fighting the final battle against Megatron's forces, the Allspark itself answered the call, super-charging the sparks of the Maximals with the energy of the innumerable sparks that made up its being. {{storylink|Endgame Pt. II: When Legends Fall}} Optimus subsequently perished defeating Megatron and his spark appeared one last time to [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] through his own newfound connection to the Oracle before departing to join the Matrix. {{storylink|Endgame Pt. III: Seeds of the Future}}
{{-}}

====Singularity Ablyss====
During his ongoing battles with the Maximals for control of the sparks of Cybertron, Megatron's own spark became separated from his body. Against his own wishes, his spark began to drift into the next world, where it was greeted by the spark of the deceased Rhinox. The Maximal explained that he was to serve as Megatron's guide through the "[[Tree of Life]]" that linked the physical world to the Allspark, and that he would lead him through the eight "levels" on the tree, each one repsenting a different emotion or ethic that would educate Megatron's spark in preparation for his arrival at the "top" of the tree and his merging with the Allspark. Revulsed at the notion of losing his individuality, Megatron fought back, obliterating Rhinox's spark and returning to the material world to continue his plans. {{storylink|Singularity Ablyss}}

===Unicron Trilogy cartoon continuity===
[[File:Vector Primevs.Megatron.JPG|thumb|left|upright=1.5]]
In [[Aurex 802.23 Alpha|this reality]], sparks emerge from the Allspark via something called the "Iacon chamber." {{storylink|Rebellion (Armada)|Rebellion}} Characters could be heard to swear by the Allspark, and [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Starscream]] once referred to death as being sent to "meet the Allspark." {{storylink|Trap}}

When [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] died defending Earth against the threat of the [[Hydra Cannon]], the [[Mini-Con]]s were able to resurrect him by recovering his spark from the great beyond via the Matrix of Leadership. {{storylink|Miracle}}

After [[Vector Prime]] and [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]] met their ends during the quest for the [[Cyber Planet Key]]s, their spirits were shown duelling one another in the next world. {{storylink|Beginning}}

Mini-Cons have what is essentially their own version of the Allspark, called the [[Linkage (dimension)|Linkage]]. {{storylink|Linkage (comic)|Linkage}}
{{-}}

===''Animated'' cartoon===
Uniquely, the afterlife is referred to as the "Well of All Sparks" in this dimension, first referenced by the Autobot medic [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] when wryly commenting on the non-life-threatening severity of injuries received by [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]]: "Well, he's not quite ready to join the Well of All Sparks, if you know what I mean." {{storylink|Transform and Roll Out}}

In order to sufficiently reconstitute the shattered AllSpark crystal, Prowl added his own spark to the crystal mass. He died in the process, but his spark did not move on to the afterlife, instead persisting as a ghost. {{storylink|Endgame, Part II}}

{{note|Had ''Animated'' been renewed for a fourth season, a further episode would have explored Prowl's adventures as a ghost, possessing Transformers animated by AllSpark fragments.}}

===Live-action film series===
[[File:ROTF-sixprimes.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.75]]
While carrying the knowledge of the [[AllSpark]] in his mind, [[Sam Witwicky]] was gravely wounded by a blast from [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]]. As his body lay apparently dead, his consciousness ascended into the Transformer afterlife, where he was met by the [[Dynasty of Primes]]. Congratulating Sam on his valiant efforts to resurrect the fallen [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], the Primes revealed that by being willing to die in Optimus's name, Sam's had proven himself worthy of the power of the Matrix of Leadership. The Primes then returned him to the material world so he could complete his mission and use the Matrix to revive Optimus. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}
{{-}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
[[File:DoOP afterspark.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.75|Optimus Prime initially mistook the blighted, primordial landscape of the transformed Cybertron for the Afterspark.]]
The afterlife is typically referred to as the "Afterspark," though when [[Nominus Prime]] was given a grand funeral, it was said to honor his "ascension to the Allspark". {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}}

According to legend, the Afterspark had been created by the [[Guiding Hand]] after the God War so that Cybertronians could live forever following their deaths. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (2): The God War|The God War}} One interpretation of the Afterspark was that it was an informational cloud with skies of program code and mountains of ancient data. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (1): Metastasis|Metastasis}}

After awakening from his "sacrifice" to cleanse [[Vector Sigma]] of the [[D-Void]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] thought he was in the Afterspark. Subsequent exploration soon revealed his belief to be incorrect; the world was [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] itself in a period of rebirth. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}} The massive changes to the planet caused [[Hipotank]] to ask the Autobots "What in the Afterspark have you done?" {{storylink|The Autonomy Lesson (issue)|The Autonomy Lesson}}

During a discussion on [[Primus]], [[Ore]] told [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] that he didn't believe in the Afterspark or any other afterlife for that matter. Once Ore suddenly vanished, the more religious Swerve assumed that Primus had intervened and sent the poor soul to the Afterspark. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations}} [[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]] was similarly skeptical, but considered himself agnostic rather than atheist, because while he considered the existence of the Afterspark to be in doubt, he had no doubts that Hell was real—and that he had created it in [[Grindcore (prison)|Grindcore]] prison. {{storylink|Speak, Memory! (Part 2)}}

"Afterspark" was also utilized in insults. When [[Outback (G1)|Outback]] casually mentioned killing other bots, [[Jetfire (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jetfire]] denounced him "Afterspark-spawned". {{storylink|New Cybertron End: Feel Safe Without Regrets|Feel Safe Without Regrets}}

On [[Caminus]], devout adherents of the [[Way of Flame]] believe in reincarnation: the Sparks of the departed return to the forge of [[Solus Prime]], which burns beneath the Primal Wellspring, and are eventually reborn as new Cybertronians. {{storylink|The Life of Sideswipe}}

After an accident with the [[Warren]], [[Team Rodimus]] found themselves on [[Mederi]] which presented itself to them as [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]]'s interpretation of the Afterspark based on his powerful desire to reunite with the believed to be deceased [[Tailgate (G1)|Taligate]]. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}}
{{-}}

===Aligned continuity family===
[[File:PredaconsRising allspark.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1]]
In this world, the distinction between the afterlife and the sacred implement used to access it is harder to define. At first, it seemed as if there was a physical AllSpark object through which the afterlife was accessed, kept within the [[Well of All Sparks]], {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}} but later, it was explained the "physical" Allspark was actually nothing of the sort: it was ethereal energy, which was placed within a container built by [[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] so that it could be launched into space and put beyond Megatron's reach. The language used to describe the energy was vague, but spoke of how it was "extracted from the ether" and was made up of "a multitude of sparks," suggesting that the energy might have actually been that of the Allspark realm itself, drawn into the material world. {{storylink|Predacons Rising (Prime)|Predacons Rising}}

[[File:Rebellion prime sees the light.jpg|left|thumb|upright=2|Don't go into the light, there's a whole season left yet!]]
As [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] lay dying, he had a vision of approaching the Allspark and speaking with Alpha Trion, who invited him to join it. {{storylink|Rebellion (Prime)|Rebellion}} The power of the [[Forge of Solus Prime]] saved Optimus's life, and he returned to the material plane to resume his war with Megatron, which culminated in Megatron's death at [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]]'s hands—but Megatron was soon to learn that ''his'' spark was ''unable'' to join the Allspark, as it was forever marked with the taint of [[Unicron]]'s evil by [[Dark Energon]]. {{storylink|Predacons Rising (Prime)|Predacons Rising}}

When Optimus recovered the reliquary containing the Allspark, he found it necessary to empty the container so it could be used as a prison for Unicron's dark spark. To keep safe the energy of the Allspark, he transferred it from the container into the Matrix of Leadership, bonded to his own spark. Gravely, [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] and [[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokscreen]] realized that Optimus had quite literally enacted the metaphysical concept of becoming "one with the Allspark." Only by sacrificing his own life could Prime release the energy of the Allspark, returning it to the Well of All Sparks and restoring Cybertron's ability to generate new life. {{storylink|Predacons Rising (Prime)|Predacons Rising}} However, before his own spark could join the Allspark, it was intercepted by the [[Thirteen|legendary Primes]] and transported to the [[Realm of the Primes|their realm]], {{storylink|Decepticon Island (Part 1)}} from whence he was resurrected. {{storylink|Battlegrounds, Part 1}}

{{-}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
[[File:TFvsJoe12 afterlife.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.75]]
After being slain by the god-emperor [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'s sparks embarked on the journey to their eternal rest, travelling across a digital wireframe plane. Informed by the spirit of Alpha Trion that as they were not guaranteed a place in the pantheon of the Matrix, they had to prove their worth by facing the weird landscape's many perils, including [[Kremzeek (G1)|Kremzeek]], the "eater of souls", who threatened to consume their lifeforces before they could transcend to the next world. Grimlock struggled along the way, weighed down by the metaphorically representative burden of his sword, but Prime helped him, and together they climbed a winding mountain pain, where they were confronted by the [[Bludgeon (G1)|Angel of Death]], who told them that only those possessing the "Key to Vector Stigmata" could cross over into the Matrix. Prime realized that the wounds on his body were the key, but the angel would not permit him to bring Grimlock with him. Prime traded Grimlock the key for his sword, and allowed the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]] to take his place in the Matrix. From his new seat in the afterlife, Grimlock tormented the talisman's current holder, Megatron himself, mockingly telling him there was nowhere he could hide from him. {{storylink|Transformers vs. G.I. Joe issue 12|Transformers vs. G.I. Joe #12}} [[Scarlett]] subsequently used [[Doctor Venom]]'s [[Brainwave Scanner]] to induce a transcendental experience, allowing her to make contact with Optimus Prime's spirit and guide it back to his repaired body. {{storylink|The War Never Ends}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
After his death at the hands of the [[GoBot]] [[Vamp]], the [[Maximal]] [[Overshoot]] was faced with a choice: he could either join the Allspark — and abandon his partner [[Stiletto (BW)|Stiletto]] — or remain in the material plane, forever forsaking his chance to transcend to the next life. He chose the latter option, remaining an incorporeal presence who could prod the thoughts of his ex-partner. {{storylink|Cultural Appropriation}}

Following the end of the [[Vehicon Apocalypse]], Overshoot, his job in this life done, rejoined the Oracle, reaching transcendence of a sort. {{storylink|Derailment}}

==Notes==
[[File:Ffod tree of life.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.25]]
*When Rodimus Prime gains his first glimpse of the afterlife in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] episode "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2]]", he is shown travelling down a purple-walled corridor, and experiences a psychedlic vision of flying mathematical formula which then explode (see collage, at right). The prose story "Singularity Ablyss" by ''Beast Machines'' story editor [[Bob Skir]], ''also'' included these pieces of imagery during its description of Megatron's journey into the afterlife—but only as the result of an absolutely ''incredible'' coincidence, as Skir had never seen the G1 episode!
*[[Unicron]]'s ''Transformers: Armada'' 2003 Fleer/Skybox trading card—the first new modern retelling of the Unicron/Primus origin story—claimed that "the All Spark" was responsible for birthing both him and Primus. This doesn't make a heck of a lot of sense, and when the story was recounted in ''[[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide]]'' within the following year, the "All Spark" was replaced with [[The One]].

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Matrix Zone''' (マトリクスゾーン ''Matorikusu Zōn'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Huǒzhǒng Yuán''' (火种源, "Origin of Sparks")

==See also==
*[[Primus]]
*[[Vector Sigma]]
*[[Linkage (dimension)|Linkage]]

[[Category:Animated]]
[[Category:Beast Machines]]
[[Category:Beast Wars]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising]]
[[Category:Dimensions]]
[[Category:Generation 1]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1]]
[[Category:Interjections]]
[[Category:Prime]]
[[Category:Primus]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen]]

Matrix of Leadership

2018-07-26T15:09:06Z

Chris2119:

{{disambig3|Matrix}}
{{featured}}
{{suite}}
[[File:Matrix.jpg|375px|thumb|The Autobot Matrix of Leadership.]]
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 [[Matrix holder|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]]s, serving as a means of access to the [[Transformer afterlife]], 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==
[[File:SecondGeneration prime gives buster matrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|The Matrix made its fictional debut when [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|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 the history of the brand, 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 "[[Primal 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 Sparks", very similar to the [[spark]]s that would later be introduced with ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''. The Matrix was not present in the earliest known incarnation of the movie; instead, upon his death, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] transferred his own Life Spark to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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.

[[File:FFOD4 passing the matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|[[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/Generation 1|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.

[[File:Sentinel prime lou.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|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 ''[[The Transformers Universe|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: Transformers (cartoon)|''Beast Machines'' animated series]] which made the next big addition to the growing mythology of the Matrix when it introduced the [[Transformer afterlife|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]] 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 Transformers Trilogy]]'' novels, which retroactively make sense now.
{{-}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
{{noteukonly}}
[[File:Prima.jpg|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|The Primal Scream}} Later named the "Creation Matrix", this divine gift took the form of a "[[Primal 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}}

[[File:WhoseLifeforce prime and longtooth.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb]]
''At one point during his tenure as Autobot leader, Optimus Prime came across [[Longtooth]] struggling to save the life of [[Clockwise|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?}}

[[File:DisintegratedCircuits buster uses matrix.jpg|thumb|275px]]
When the Transformers' war moved to [[Earth]] in [[1984]], current Decepticon leader [[Shockwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}

[[File: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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}

[[File:DarkCreation we would know more.jpg|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 (Marvel)|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}}

[[File:Creation Matrix 65.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.15|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?}} [[File:Thunderwing with matrix.jpg|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, 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}}

[[File:EdgeofExtinction-sothatallmaylive.jpg|left|thumb|275px|It cures what ails ya.]]
Thunderwing's body came to rest on the surface of a planet, where the Matrix began to heal his battered frame. {{storylink|Out of Time!}} Repairs took time, but once completed, the Matrix set out for Cybertron, {{storylink|The Void! (US)|The Void!}} 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)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]]. {{storylink|Still Life!}}
{{-}}

=====Marvel UK future timelines=====
[[File:MatrixCoconut1.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|"Will I become a great Autobot leader?" "All signs point to no."]]
In an alternate future timeline, a dying Optimus Prime passed the Matrix to Ultra Magnus in [[2006]]. {{storylink|The Planet-Eater!}} It was then used by [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}

[[File:MarvelUK-187.jpg|left|thumb|215px]]
Later in 2008, the [[Quintesson]]s invaded and conquered [[Autobot City (G1)|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}}

[[File:WhiteFire kup yanks matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}
{{-}}

====Marvel ''Generation 2'' comic====
[[File:G210 starscream warworld.jpg|left|thumb]]
When Optimus Prime was recreated by the [[Last Autobot]], the Matrix was also restored. {{storylink|End of the Road! (US)|End of the Road!}} {{storylink|Escalation!|Generation 2 #8 letters page}} Years later, it became a target for Megatron, who required it to bring to life an army of new warriors created by [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]. Besting Prime in battle, Megatron tore the Matrix from his body with an energy siphon, {{storylink|The Gathering Darkness}} and used it to give life to the [[Laser Rod]]s 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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}
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====''Regeneration One''====
{{noterg1}}
With the Creation Matrix lost following the destruction of Unicron, the last reservoir of Matrix energy the Autobots had access to consisted of what traces still clung to the remains of Thunderwing, stored within the high-security [[Hall of Silence]]. When [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] was able to penetrate the Hall in [[2012]], acting commander [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]] anguished over whether or not to follow protocol and destroy the Hall, and the last of the Matrix's energy with it. He was convinced it was necessary by [[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]], but Soundwave was able to teleport out with Thunderwing just before the building blew. {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part One}} He delivered the remains to Bludgeon, who used the Matrix energy within them to animate his new army of self-regenerating [[Blitz Engine]]s. {{storylink|Destiny, Part One}}

After Primus revealed to Hot Rod that he still existed, and sent Hot Rod through a portal into [[Zero Space]], {{storylink|Destiny, Part Four}} the young Autobot found himself tumbling through time and space. He observed the battle with the Deathbringer, only to discover that the fragment of corrupted Matrix energy survived the battle. After observing two more time periods, Hot Rod found himself on a [[Junkion (planet)|planet of junk]], witnessing the final confrontation between [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]] and "Rodimus Prime"—an alternate version of himself! As Rodimus fell at the hands of Galvatron, the Matrix landed at the feet of Hot Rod, who reached for it...

... only to find himself back in his own time and place, on the deck of Bludgeon's ''[[Warworld]]'', having himself been transformed into Rodimus Prime! {{storylink|Less Than Zero}}

====''Unite Warriors''====
[[File:Baldigus Chapter Galvatron II.jpg|thumb|200px]]
[[Galvatron II]] stole the Creation Matrix in his native universe and carried it with him to another reality, where its power allowed him to endure as a ghost when his body was destroyed. Unfortunately, it also made him a target of [[Grand Scourge]], who, as a Matrix Hunter, could manhandle even ghosts if they were in possession of a Matrix. While Scourge was fighting Galvatron for the Creation Matrix, both of them were knocked into a rift in space-time by [[Megaempress]], and the Matrix disappeared along with them to places unknown. {{storylink|Baldigus Chapter, Part Two}}
{{-}}

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
[[File:OracleMatrix.jpg|225px|thumb|"This Ming...is a psy-cho."]]
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}}; [[File:Matrix 5faces4 7.jpg|left|225px|thumb|Alpha Trion receives the Matrix]] 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}}

[[File:Optimusg1passingthematrix.jpg|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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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 (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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.

[[File:Tftm1986e.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
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 (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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}}

[[File:Darkawakening matrix pain.jpg|225px|thumb|The Quintesson controlled Optimus Prime reacts in pain from 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 (episode)|Dark Awakening}}

[[File: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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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}}

[[File:ReturnOptimusPrime2 Matrix open.JPG|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}}
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====Madman ''The Transformers'' comic====
[[File:Madman comic PrimeHotrod.jpg|left|upright=0.85|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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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 (planet)|Quintessa]], while Hot Rod, [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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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====''Wings Universe''====
{{Wingsnote}}
Nine million years ago, the Matrix of Leadership was being transported aboard the Autobot cargo hauler ''[[Van De Graaff]]'' when the ship was attacked by the Quintessons and crash-landed on the planet [[Beta-Nine]]. All aboard perished, but the Matrix was soon recovered by the crew of the ''[[Eight Track (G1)|Eight Track]]'', who safely delivered it back to Cybertron. There, the Matrix was passed into the care of Alpha Trion, who granted it to his new choice for Autobot leader, Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Wings of Honor}}

====''Deviations''====
After viewing the massive death toll at [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] claimed all the deceased had found peace in the Matrix. [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] slapped him upside the head for speaking blasphemy about the Matrix. When [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] arrived at Cybertron, he made a baragin with [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] that the newly minted Decepticon leader would destroy the Matrix in exchange for upgrades. ''En route'' to Cybertron, Hot Rod confessed to [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel]] that whenever he came near Optimus, he saw visions of the Prime dying as if the Matrix was trying to tell him something. Starscream, now "Megascream", then attacked but withdrew when Unicron devoured [[Moonbase One]]. The Autobots regrouped on [[Moonbase Two]] when Unicron began attacking Cybertron directly where Optimus Prime took a shuttle to the Chaos Bringer's shell, believing the Matrix could stop him. Still haunted by visions, Hot Rod secretly climbed aboard. Megascream was waiting for Optimus and combined with several of his troops to steal the Matrix. Hot Rod saved Prime from certain death and teleported him away before he opened the Matrix, destroying Unicron at the cost his own life and the talisman. In the aftermath, Optimus Prime saw a vision of [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] and the newest addition to the rank of great Autobots within the Matrix: Rodimus Prime. {{storylink|Transformers: Deviations}}

====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.}}

What would become known as the Matrix was a device created by Primacron to convert its wielders' accumulated experiences and wisdom into a powerful all-purpose energy. It was originally built into his assistant (also known as the "Oracle") who was then targeted and destroyed by Unicron when he realized the power of the Matrix was a threat to him. However, the Oracle's lifeforce persisted within the Matrix and fled to a dead world at the centre of the galaxy, which he 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. They also found and held onto the now empty shell of the Matrix, which absorbed their malevolent brand of wisdom and filled up with corrupted, evil energy. When the Quintessons were kicked off the planet by the robots that would become the Autobots, they claimed the Matrix and, repulsed by its contents, emptied it out again. The discarded energy would one day grow sentient and become [[Devil Z]]. {{storylink|Generation 1 cartoon timeline (Japan)|2007 TakaraTomy Transformers timeline}} {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Grand Maximus)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}}

=====''The Battle of the Star Gate''=====
[[File:StargateBattles matrix powered megatron.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Ka-me-ha-me-ha~!]]

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 (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]], who had fused himself with the space station known as the ''[[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 Battle of the Star Gate}}

=====''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}}
{{-}}

=====''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|Transformers: 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...

[[File:DoublePrime matrix recharged.jpg|left|upright=1.45|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}}
{{-}}

=====''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 pack-in manga=====

[[File:G2StoryPageReconfigurationMatrix1.jpg|upright=1.4|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|Transformers: G-2 (story page)|G-2 Part 1}} A research team led by [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], [[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]], and [[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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|Transformers: 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|Transformers: 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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=====''Legends'' comic=====
Alpha Trion and the Matrix played a role in Hot Rod's conversion to a [[Micromaster]]. {{storylink|Transformers 2015 Tailgate/G1 Micron Chapter|Tailgate/G1 Micron Chapter}} During the rise of Galvatron II, Optimus Prime contacted the spirit of Alpha Trion within the Matrix and asked him to locate and bring back Ultra Magnus's spark. The process of resurrecting Magnus also brought Trion himself back in a diminutive body connected to the powers of the Matrix. {{storylink|LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue#Resurrection Chapter|Resurrection Chapter}} Scourge later captured Alpha Trion to draw upon the Matrix's energy, but it ended up overloading his [[transtector]], which exploded. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 26|Bonus Edition Vol. 26}}

===Start Your Own Decoy Collection===
[[File: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}}
{{-}}
===Beast Era===
====''Beast Wars'' cartoon====
[[File:OptimalSituation spark holder.jpg|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)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]], [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|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 (group)|Covenant]] witnessed the Matrix being torn by the [[Liege Maximo]] from the body of the enigmatic [[Primon]], its first holder. {{storylink|Covenant (story)|Covenant}}

[[File:Sparkholderprimevaldawn.jpg|left|upright=1.66|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.

[[File:Primevaldawn2 tarantulas matrix.jpg|215px|I'm not sure how I'll get this in my chest. Maybe I'll carry it with a sheath of some sort?|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 miscalculated: 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.}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
[[File: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|Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|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}}
[[File:TWW1 prime gets matrix.jpg|225px|thumb|150 points to Gryffindor!]]

The earliest known bearer of the Matrix was [[Primon|Alpha Prime]], who was succeeded by Guardian Prime, and then Sentinel Prime. {{storylink|Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|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}}
[[File:PrimeDirective2 spike replaces matrix.jpg|left|upright=1.66|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}}
[[File:G1 Vol.2 Issue6 2.jpg|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}}

====''The Transformers 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|Transformers: Hardwired|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|Transformers: Annihilation|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|Transformers: Fusion|Fusion}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
[[File: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}}
[[File:ArtofWar5 hawk serpentor matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]
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 the 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/Generation 1|angry god]]. {{storylink|Black Horizon, Part 1 of 2}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers/G.I. Joe''===
[[File: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}} 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}}
{{-}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
{{ongoing}}
[[File:MTMTEannual solomus matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]
According to religious legend, the core of the Matrix was created from [[Solomus]], the god of wisdom, trapped in the form of a crystal by [[Mortilus]], the god of death. Following the defeat of Mortilus, Solomus managed to transform his crystal prison into the Matrix—a conduit for the energies of [[Primus]], who had himself transformed into the life-giving computer Vector Sigma. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}} {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (2): The God War|The God War}}

Whatever the truth of its origins, the Matrix is known to have been carried by the first generation of Cybertronians, the [[Knights of Cybertron]], when they left Cybertron to explore new worlds. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}} Legend says that they called it the "Creation Matrix" for the life-giving abilities they believed its connected to Vector Sigma granted it. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} When the Knights landed on the medical hub of [[Mederi]], the moon's telepathic field, intended to induce happiness in euthanasia patients so they could die in peace, inadvertently convinced them they had discovered a perfect mechanical world, which they dubbed "[[Cyberutopia]]." To share this discovery with their homeworld, they inscribed a map to Mederi inside the Matrix's crystal core, and sent it back to Cybertron (via currently-unknown means), hoping the rest of their kind would follow it and join them in eternal happiness. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}}

It was, perhaps, fortunate that this roadmap to a peaceful death was never discovered by contemporary Cybertronians; upon its return to Cybertron, the Matrix was used by [[Solus Prime]] in the construction of the mighty [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] sword, becoming the jewel on the hilt of the blade, which came to be wielded by [[Prima]]. {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}} The Matrix's integration into the Saber survived in the folklore of both Cybertron and [[Caminus]], {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}} with the latter culture regarding it as the "Matrix of Light". {{storylink|The Sum and Its Parts}} {{storylink|Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|Lagrange}} {{storylink|O Ship of State|Victorion profile in Revolution #3}} In [[Velocitron]]ian culture, the device remained known as the Creation Matrix. {{storylink|Primeless, Part 2}}

[[File:Tyrest and the matrix.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]

Those capable of bearing the Matrix within them are marked by certain [[Signs of Affinity|signs of affinity]]: having optics the same shade of "liberty blue" as the [[Matrix Flame]], finding ''[[Living metal#IDW Generation 1 continuity|sentio metallico]]'' wet to the touch, becoming giddy when standing on a [[hot spot]], and the ability to make a [[photonic crystal]] "snap" when placed in their chest. {{storylink|The Plotters' Club (Part 3): Journey's End|Journey's End}}

The cruel supremacist [[Nova Prime]], a former lieutenant of Prima's, is the earliest known bearer of the Matrix in recent history, though exactly how he came to carry it after Prima's death is unknown. Nova observed that the pulsewaves from Vector Sigma which generated new sparks from the substance of Cybertron and its moon were lessening in regularity, and, fearing (correctly) that they would one day stop entirely, tasked his scientists with studying the Matrix, hoping that the life-giving power the legends said it possessed could be tapped into. A team led by [[Tyrest (G1)|Tyrest]] set to the task, and succeeded in finding a way to generate sparks from the Matrix in abundance, producing a vast reservoir of them which were stockpiled and steadily rolled out into society as new bodies were constructed for them. The true origin of these "Matrixed" sparks was hidden from the general public, and a cover story was put into place that claimed they were created via "spark splicing", using the energy of an existing spark to ignite a new one. Transformers created in this manner were described as "constructed cold", while those born naturally were "forged". {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}}

Eventually, the Matrix would yield no more sparks, causing Tyrest and his team to believe it had run dry. In reality, one of the scientists had had an attack of conscience and stolen the Matrix, replacing it with a facsimile and hiding the real one away in the subterranean labyrinth of the [[Undergrid]]. {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}} Once Nova Prime left the planet aboard the [[Ark (G1)|Ark-1]] and vanished into the [[Benzuli Expanse]],<ref>Author Simon Furman implied in a [http://simonfurman.wordpress.com/2007/12/12/another-quick-qa/ December 2007 Q&A on his blog] and in the narration of ''[[Spotlight: Galvatron]]'' that in his original plans for this story, Nova ''did'' take the Matrix into the Dead Universe (Optimus Prime is never shown to carry it in Furman's stories), where it would have "become" something. Presumably, it was his intention for it to become the Darkness itself, which would not have been the separate entity it was in the finished story. 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.</ref> the fake Matrix was protected by the presumably-unwitting [[Primal Vanguard]], carried by its leader [[Delta Magnus]] during a period known as the [[Interregnum]] until a new bearer was chosen. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}} [[Nominus Prime]] is the earliest recorded Matrix-bearer after Nova, but whether he was his direct successor or not is unknown. It's also unclear whether Nominus Prime was aware that the Matrix was a fake. It's likely he did, since Nominus presumably falsified an "affinity for the Matrix" somehow in order to be named Prime.

Many Transformers embraced the religion surrounding the Matrix during the time of Nominus's reign, though with exceptions, such as police captain [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]], who remained sceptical of its touted divinity. Some Transformers would even "tattoo" an image of the Matrix on their bodies as evidence of their faith, such Orion's co-worker [[Springarm]] {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} and the trainee theoretician [[Skids (G1)|Skids]]. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}} Nominus's reign was a time of great civil unrest, however; a senator named [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]] hoped that a new Matrix-bearer might steer the planet off the path to self-destruction the corrupt [[Senate]] had placed it upon, and so began selecting promising young Cybertronians like [[Zeta Prime|Zeta]] and Orion Pax, befriending and rebuilding them with Matrix chambers in their chests. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

[[File:Autocracy9 pax finds matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
In order to take control of the Matrix's life-giving powers, the corrupt forces within the Senate arranged for an attack upon Nominus Prime, moving him into hiding so they could gain unfettered access to the talisman. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} Upon opening Nominus's chest, however, the Senate at last discovered that the Matrix had been replaced with a fake. Furious, they had Nominus killed, establishing a cover story that he had died of a rust infection, and announcing that their security head [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel]] was showing signs of Matrix affinity, paving the way for him to become Sentinel Prime. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} The fake Matrix was then transformed into a bomb as part of a plot to incriminate and round up the burgeoning Decepticon faction, {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} but a team led by Orion Pax uncovered the scheme, broke into the [[Primal Basilica]] and removed the Matrix-bomb, which Orion then detonated to win a battle with the [[Heavies]]. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}} It was not long after this that tensions exploded in the outbreak of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]; {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} {{storylink|The Transformers: Megatron Origin|Megatron Origin}} when reflecting back on this time, Kup distilled the reasons behind the outbreak of the conflict down to blaming the Matrix as the root cause. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}}

[[File:AHM7 megs rips out matrix.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]

Sentinel was succeeded by Zeta Prime, who much like his predecessor used a new fake Matrix (with lights installed!) to claim the title, and only those involved with Sentinel's scheme were aware of the truth. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}} {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 4: Dance Among the Shadows|Dance Among the Shadows}} Zeta was subsequently killed by [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]], who then hurled Orion Pax into the Undergrid, where Orion found the hiding place of the true Matrix. The damaged Pax was called out to by Matrix, which asked him to take hold of it. Upon doing so, he was linked to the sparks of every single Cybertronian alive and was overcome by the pain, fear and loneliness his people were experiencing. As power of the Matrix repaired his body, he realized that it was not only a symbol of leadership or creation, but a "Matrix of our sparks" in which [['Til all are one|all were one]]. With his newfound clarity and the Matrix in his chest, Orion declared his name to be Optimus Prime and set out to bring freedom to Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformation (issue)|Transformation}} Just thereafter, the Matrix guided him to the ruins of [[Nyon]] and allowed him to sense and awaken the dormant lifeforce of [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], who was in deep slumber below the city. {{storylink|Rise}}

Optimus Prime would later try to unleash the power of the Matrix in an attempt to vanquish the ancient monster [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], but was for some reason unable to open it. {{storylink|Annihilation}} He revealed his possession of the Matrix to [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] as proof of his Primehood, {{storylink|Primacy issue 1|Primacy #1}} and later used its cleansing powers to purge the influence of [[Pentius]]'s spark from Megatron's body. {{storylink|Primacy issue 4|Primacy #4}} At some point Prime took a sabbatical and left the Matrix in the care of [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]], whom it took to so well legend says it had to be surgically removed from his chest. {{storylink|Little Victories}}

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|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}}
[[File:IDW13 hotrod starscream matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
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|Altered Carbon}}
[[File:IDW19 matrix in chest.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67]]
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|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)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]], who provided a fuel cell for their ship. {{storylink|Space Opera Act 2: Out of the Silent Planet|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|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 experience 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}}
[[File:DoOP split matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|"Where'd you get the Matrix?" "We found it." "Found it? In Altihex? The Matrix is tropical!"]]
Upon the Autobots' return to Cybertron, they were faced with the threat of Galvatron, latest carrier of the Heart of Darkness, who combined it with Vector Sigma in order to allow D-Void to emerge into the universe through Cybertron. To prevent this, Optimus Prime opened the Matrix, which succeeded in stopping D-Void, but also left the Matrix spent, its crystal core darkened and split in two. {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis|Genesis}} With unrest growing between the Autobots and the unaligned Transformers in the process of returning to the planet, Prime brought the two halves of the Matrix to [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] for study, and the scientist discovered that the crystal was artificial, designed to [[photonic crystal|split in two]], and contained a map of the stars. [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] believed the map would lead the way to the long-lost Knights of Cybertron, and Rodimus elected to gather a crew and follow the path it charted, much to acting leader [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]]'s consternation. Optimus Prime gave each of them one of the Matrix-halves, before departing Cybertron himself in hopes of ending the civil unrest. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}} Optimus kept the shell of the Matrix and returned it to within his chest cavity. {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}}

When Rodimus set foot on [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], a billion sparks suddenly lit up on the moon's surface, something he credited to the Matrix half he was carrying. {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}} Having developed a belief that Cybertronians born from the Matrix were inherently evil, Tyrest used his knowledge of the talisman to construct the [[universal killswitch]]—a device capable of killing all cold constructed Transformers in existence by scrambling their unique sparkcode. Rodimus was able to put a stop to the process by hooking himself up to the machine and using his Matrix half to reinstate the code, but the crystal was shattered in the process. {{storylink|Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|This Calamitous Life}} He later scattered the dust of the Matrix on Luna 1 in honor of the sparks that were lost before they could be harvested. {{storylink|The Sound of Breaking Glass}} Optimus was...displeased when he learned of this. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}}

[[File:ForeverIsALongTimeComing-MatrixofLeadership.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67]]
The other half of the Matrix remained in Bumblebee's care until his death, after which it fell back into the hands of Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 2: Detonation Boulevard|Detonation Boulevard}} On his anniversary of becoming Prime, he returned to where he had found it all those years ago, hoping to find some of the same hope to press forward. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming (issue)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}} He later spoke with [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] about the Matrix where she made said if the Matrix chose him, it had a good reason. {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}} When contact with [[Caminus]] was established, Optimus was unwilling to let Starscream exploit it and all the other colonies. With Windblade at his side he passed through [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]'s [[Space bridge|spacebridge]] to the chamber of the [[Forgefire Parliament]] where Windblade proclaimed him to be a Prime. The [[Mistress of Flame]] demanded proof of this and Optimus revealed the glowing Matrix to all. The natives of the planet bowed in his presence and revered him as a god, equal to [[Primus]] and the [[Thirteen]] Primes. {{storylink|The Sum and Its Parts}} After being immobilized by [[Victorion]], Optimus recounted the history of the Matrix but stated he believed to simply be a piece of advanced technology not a mystical artifact while also expressing confusion over why it had flared on Caminus. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|Lagrange}}

[[File:ToWalkAmongTheChosen-Ore13Matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]
When Optimus had his chest ripped open by a mutated [[Baron Karza]], the Matrix shone through the damages. {{storylink|Valley Forge}}

Atop the [[Matterhorn]], waiting for [[Quintesson Cruiser|an alien spacecraft]], Optimus regarded the Matrix only for it to suddenly glow. An unimpressed [[Pyra Magna]] simply revealed that the Matrix was simply reacting to the nearby [[Ore-13]]. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}} When talking to [[Aileron]], Optimus again expressed that he did not believe the Matrix to be a divine artifact, calling it a "pulsewave generator". He noted however that could he use its symbolic importance to do good. Pyra Magna overheard his comment and was...displeased. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 4: Dance Among the Shadows|Dance Among the Shadows}} After the Autobots and Junkions had gone to war, Optimus realized the precariousness of the situation and revealed the Matrix to all, allowing the assembled species to begin a peaceful resolution to the conflict. {{storylink|New Cybertron End: Feel Safe Without Regrets|Feel Safe Without Regrets}}

When Optimus Prime was thrown into the [[Crystal City]] [[black hole]], Starscream amusedly observed the remains of the Matrix be shattered by the gravitational forces. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 4: The Hallowing|The Hallowing}}
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====The Functionist Universe====
[[File:ModesOfProduction-SixOfTwelveAndMatrix.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67]]
When the [[Functionist Council]] overthrew the [[Senate]], [[Twelve-of-Twelve]] obtained the false Matrix from Nominus and gave it to [[Six-of-Twelve]]. After obsessively studying the artifact, Six-of-Twelve came to believe Primus was speaking to him through it and integrated it into his head casing. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}}

When the council discovered that [[Rung (G1)|Rung]]'s true purpose was to produce [[photonic crystal]]s, Six-of-Twelve tried to tap the Matrix to reignite Nova Prime's old cold construction program, but discovered that the Matrix was a useless fake. Undaunted, he turned the Matrix into a weapon that was able to suspend Cybertronians in a field of agonizing energy. When Rodimus was caught in this field, he immediately knew that Six-of-Twelve's Matrix was a false due to being familiar with the energies of the genuine article. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}
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===''Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun'' manga===
[[File:Henkei11 matrix.jpg|thumb|left|IT BURNS!!]]

When the demented [[Galvatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Galvatron]] went on a rampage in [[Hoshinochō]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|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]], 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 manga|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''===
[[File:Robotheroes primus and matrix.jpg|thumb|By the power of Grayskull! I AM OPTIMUS PRIME!]]
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}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
The Matrix was passed down to [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] by [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] before his death. {{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}} [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] later defeated Prime and stole the Matrix, which he bonded with his [[black hole]] spark and used to subjugate [[Primus]] himself, allowing him to shape Cybertron according to his wishes. {{storylink|Pax Megatronus}}

Atop the Dyson Sphere above the Sun, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] managed to rip the Matrix from Megatron before a reborn Optimus Prime hurled Megatron into the sun. The Decepticon managed to hold onto the Matrix however, taking it with him only for [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] to seize the Matrix for himself. It was then snatched by [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] beginning a game of "hot potato" before [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] managed to return it to Optimus. {{storylink|The War Never Ends}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
To save Earth from the [[Swarm (G2)|Swarm]], Optimus Prime sacrificed himself and the Matrix. {{storylink|Book of Logos}} With the talisman lost to the Transformers, [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] was instead felled by the [[Point One Percenter]]s, prompting [[Deluge (G2)|Deluge]] to genetically engineer more of them. {{storylink|The Inexorable March}}

===''Prime Wars Trilogy'' cartoons===
In the aftermath of the [[Combiner Wars (event)|Combiner Wars]], [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] no longer felt worthy to carry the Matrix of Leadership and instead decided to return it to the [[Chorus of the Primes]], reverting back to Hot Rod. {{storylink|Aftermath and Rebirth}} The [[Mistress of Flame]] criticized his decision, claiming they would need the Matrix to stop [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]'s rampage. {{storylink|Our Heroes Respond}} The Matrix projected a message to Optimus Prime, granting him a vision of future events, including the role the Matrix itself would play, prompting Optimus to head back towards the battlefield. {{storylink|The Fight Begins}} Learning from [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] that Rodimus had given up the Matrix, Optimus entered the Chorus chamber in the [[Primal Basilica]] and asked to take back the Matrix, which the Chorus obliged. {{storylink|Desperate Actions}} Guiding Perceptor to a secret exit below the Basilica, Optimus asked him to take the Matrix and get as far away as possible, lest Trypticon obtain it and use it's power to become unstoppable. {{storylink|Run for Our Lives}}

After running only a short while, the Matrix spoke to Perceptor and detailed its own plan; despite his apprehension, Perceptor did as it asked and tricked Trypticon into swallowing both himself and the Matrix. {{storylink|Consumed}} However, because the Matrix could only be used by its chosen wielder, Trypticon could not contain its power and ejected it and Perceptor from his body, along with the previously-swallowed [[Victorion]] and the [[Enigma of Combination]] and the ghost of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] possessing the Titan. Before Victorion could reclaim the Matrix and Enigma, they were surrounded by a barrier of flame as [[The Fallen|Megatronus]] revealed himself. After killing Optimus and issuing a series of vague threats, Megatronus grabbed the Matrix and the Enigma for himself and blasted off into the sky. {{storylink|All Things Must Pass}}

Megatronus later removed the Matrix from its storage and installed it and the Enigma into an unknown device in the [[Well of All Sparks|Well of Sparks]]. {{storylink|Without Warning}} Megatron eventually realized that Megatronus planned to use the Enigma to merge the Matrix's energy with the [[Requiem Blaster (Megatronus)|Requiem Blaster]], creating a weapon capable of killing every Transformer in the universe. Learning of Megatronus's use of the Matrix, the Unicron-controlled Rodimus Cron turned on him, declaring the Matrix must be destroyed. {{storylink|Consequences}} Megatronus returned to the [[Well of All Sparks|Well of Sparks]] and installed the Blaster into his doomsday weapon, beginning siphoning the life force from every Transformer's spark. Perceptor attempted to remove the Matrix and the other relics, but his efforts proved unsuccessful as Solus Prime began to return. {{storylink|Collision Course}} Unicron appeared, now fully in possession of Rodimus, and attempted to take the Matrix while Megatronus attempted to stop him. [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]], [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] and [[Grimlock G1)|Grimlock]] resumed attacking the machine until it finally released the relics, and the Matrix interfaced with Primal, creating a shield protecting them from Megatronus. Having been chosen by the Matrix as its new bearer, Primal placed it in his chest, transforming him into Optimal Optimus. {{storylink|Megatronus Unleashed}}

In the aftermath of Megatronus's and Unicron's defeats, Optimus Prime was resurrected thanks to his connection to the Matrix. He praised the Matrix's choice of Optimal as the new Prime, and agreed to guide him in his newfound role as the leader of Cybertron. {{storylink|Saga's End}}
{{-}}

----

===2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon===
[[File:PowerToBurn prime matrix.jpg|left|225px|thumb|My chestplate glows for you, Hotrod]]
Simply known as just 'the Matrix',<ref>The Matrix is never once called the 'Matrix of Leadership' in the ''Robots in Disguise'' 2001 cartoon. Though, it was initially called Optimus's 'Cyber Matrix' in "[[The Test (episode)|The Test]]", it was never again referred to as such afterward. It would not be until Optimus's profile published in [[The Official Transformers Collectors' Club Magazine issue 1|The OTFCC Magazine issue 1]] that this Matrix would be formally referred to as the "Matrix of Leadership".</ref> [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] was chosen by Vector Sigma to be its bearer and lead the Autobots as Commander-in-Chief of Cybertron. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus: Forced Fusion!}} 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}}
[[File:TwoFaces magnus matrix.jpg|215px|thumb|I set my chestplate from studly to kill. Go nipple blasters!]]
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]] channeled 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 a version of the Matrix of Leadership, instead carrys an [[Energon Matrix]].}}
{{--}}

====''Cybertron'' comic====
[[File:OptimusPrimeRIDprimuschamber.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Oops! Sorry. I had a premature matrix-ejaculation....]]
Teleported into the midst of a battle in another universe, Prime and Magnus found themselves on Cybertron, where the evil [[Nemesis Prime (Universe)|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, as the ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon only implied it to be such but never actually made explicit use of it in this manner.}}
{{-}}

===Shell Game===
After the [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] of [[Viron 704.31 Epsilon]] was killed by [[Megazarak (Universe)|Megazarak]], once-leader of the [[Protection Team]] [[Defensor (OTFCC)|Hot Spot]] was passed the Matrix of Leadership by [[Ultra Trion]], becoming his team's combined form [[Defensor (OTFCC)|Defensor]] himself. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/07}} Megazarak sought the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]], believing that it would yield the location of [[Base Sigma]], the last outpost of Autobot resistance and the hiding place of the Matrix-bearer. He failed, being slightly delayed by Ultra Trion's final gambit. {{storylink|Shell Game}} Defensor would eventually triumph over Megazarak and begin to rebuild his world. However, the Matrix gave him visions of another Megazarak, one who had succeeded in conquering [[Viron 403.0 Beta|his own universe]] and spreading out to other universes. Defensor felt the duty to seek out this Megazarak and stop him as well. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/07}}

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===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====
[[File:Crisis Hot Shot Matrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|Optimus said that I could drive this up somewhere....]]
When [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]] threatened to destroy the Earth with the [[Hydra Cannon]], [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|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 (Armada)|Crisis}}

[[File:Miracle sparkplug and matrix.jpg‎|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''.

[[File:ArmadaMatrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|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====
[[File:MysteriousMercenary matrix generates blaster.jpg‎|thumb|Also, it does not go anywhere in the robot mode. Get outta here, blaster. No one likes your style.]]
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]] of 2020, when Prime was badly injured by [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|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====
[[File: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}}

[[File:Unfinished matrix glow prime.jpg‎|thumb|225px]]
After the Autobots had obtained the Cyber Planet Keys from [[Velocitron]], [[Animatron|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===
In [[Aurex 404.11 Kappa]], Vector Prime held the Matrix during Cybertron's [[Golden Age]]. He led the Autobots for many years until he received a higher calling from the [[Chronarchitect]] to lead the [[Time Warrior (AVP)|Time Warrior]]s in protecting space and time. Vector passed the Matrix on to his trusty lieutenant, [[Guardian Major]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/07/12}}

===''Galaxy Force'' manga===
[[File: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 (Armada)|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}}
{{-}}

===''Hot Shot's Bot Thoughts''===
During an interview with [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], Hot Shot proved it was easy to get hold of a Matrix by telling Optimus Prime that his shoes were untied, and then yonking the Matrix right out of his chest while he was distracted. The Matrix upgraded Hot Shot into Shotimus Prime. During a later interview with [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]], the exasperated interviewee grabbed the Matrix, reverting Shotimus back to Hot Shot, and then beat him with it. {{storylink|Hot Shot's Bot Thoughts}}
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===Live-action film series===
[[File:Tf2009 mol.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|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 movie comic====
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====
[[File:ROTF Matrix crumbles.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|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.

[[File:TheFallen-ROTFMatrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|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 (Earth)|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|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}

{{Note|The [[Transformers: 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====
[[File:DOTM-SentinelOptimusMatrix.jpg|left|upright=1.66|thumb|You thought they forgot about it already, didn't you?]]
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.

Megatron later explained to Starscream that he wanted Prime to use the Matrix on Sentinel as he was vital to Megatrons plan for invasion. {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}}
{{-}}

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===''Animated'' cartoon===
[[File:Tfanimated matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
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 Almanac II}}
{{-}}

----
===Aligned continuity family===
====''The Covenant of Primus''====
The Matrix was created by the Primes sometime after Unicron's defeat and before the War of the Primes though according to [[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] it was a very different device at its creation then in the present day. It formed the hilt of the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] but [[Prima]] surrendered it to [[Primus]] in the [[Core]] after the Primes fought.

During the [[Age of Rust]], Alpha Trion went to [[Vector Sigma]] to try and retrieve the Matrix in hopes that it could reignite the fire of Cybertronian society. The supercomputer denied his request saying the time was not right but it gave him the [[Badge of Vector Prime]].

When [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] had poisoned the core of Cybertron with [[Dark Energon]], Primus inserted a portion of his Spark into the Matrix and gave it to [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] to carry and guard. This had the effect of restoring Optimus' memories of his earlier life among the [[Thirteen]]. {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}}

====Aligned novels====
[[File: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 (WFC)|Orion Pax]] met the charismatic gladiator named [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]]. Unbeknownst to Orion, Megatron plotted revolution, and, desiring the Matrix's power to fuel his ambition, had [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] send [[Rumble (WFC)|Rumble]] and [[Frenzy (WFC)|Frenzy]] to search for the Matrix in [[Crystal City]] to no avail.

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 (polity)|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|Exodus}}
{{-}}

====''Prime'' cartoon====
[[File:OneShallRise3-unleash.jpg|thumb|275px|Care Bear Stare!]]
During the Great War, the core of Cybertron, which contained the Spark of the Transformers' creator Primus, became poisoned with [[Dark Energon]]. Orion Pax journeyed there hoping to cure the god, but instead was given the Matrix of Leadership by Primus himself, becoming [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus]], the last of the Primes. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 3}}

When the Autobots discovered that Unicron's spark dwelt at the center of the Earth, Optimus Prime gambled that the Matrix held the power to destroy the dark god. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 2}} Led to the core of the planet by [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]], Prime emptied the full power of the Matrix into Unicron's spark. [[File:OrionPax3 Matrix of Leadership.jpg|thumb|left|275px]] The chaos-bringer responded by possessing Megatron in an attempt to stop him, but the Matrix generated a shield to protect Prime so that the mission could be completed, and Unicron was successfully returned to stasis. Unfortunately, in draining the Matrix of its energy, Optimus lost not merely the wisdom of the Primes, but all of his own memories since becoming a Prime.{{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 3}} Fortunately, Optimus had left a solution to this problem in the hands of the Autobot's human ally [[Jack Darby]]: the [[Key to Vector Sigma]], which would allow the Matrix to be refilled, and Optimus's memory restored, via the mega-computer Vector Sigma on Cybertron. {{storylink|Orion Pax, Part 1}} Jack and [[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] travelled to Cybertron to load the key, then returned to Earth in the midst of a battle between Orion and Megatron. Though the archivist was hesitant at first, Jack convinced him that he was in fact worthy and used the key to restore the Matrix's power and Optimus's memories. {{Storylink|Orion Pax, Part 3}}

When Optimus Prime lay dying after the destruction of the Autobot base, he told [[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]] that the Matrix would choose someone else to be leader, whom he believed to be Smokescreen. When Optimus did die, his chest ejected the Matrix as it began to search for a successor, but Smokescreen simply put the [[Forge of Solus Prime]] in Optimus's hand which, combined with the Matrix, revived and reformatted Optimus at the cost of draining the Forge of all its power. {{storylink|Rebellion (Prime)|Rebellion}}

Optimus used the Matrix of Leadership to guide him to the location of the AllSpark. While engaging the army of Terrorcon Predacons on the Nemesis, Smokescreen finally confessed to Bumblebee that he was the original choice for new leader. To safeguard the [[AllSpark]] from [[Unicron/Aligned|Unicron]], Optimus merged it with the Matrix. Unfortunately that meant when he restored the AllSpark to its rightful place, both he and the Matrix had to be sacrificed to do so, ending the age of Primes. {{storylink|Predacons Rising (Prime)|Predacons Rising}}
{{-}}

====''Rescue Bots'' cartoon====
[[File:OddBotOut Optimus Matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Optimus located an [[Liquefier|Iacon relic]] that was threatening [[Griffin Rock]], and used the Matrix to shut it down. {{storylink|Odd Bot Out}}
{{-}}

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===''Knights of Unicron''===
[[File:Dark Side of the Matrix album cover.jpg|thumb|left|200px]]

The Matrix of Leadership served as inspiration for the legendary rock band the [[Knights of Unicron (band)|Knights of Unicron]], immortalized on the cover of their studio album "Dark Side of the Matrix". {{storylink|Knights of Unicron (band)|Knights of Unicron}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===''The Transformers'' (PS2)===
[[File:TFPS2 matrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1]]
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''===
[[File:Netjetmatrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
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: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''. {{storylink|Transformers Battle Universe}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers: War for Cybertron'' (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)===
[[File:WFC Matrix of Leadership.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|How are you supposed to hold it up and release its cleansing flame if the handles aren't even attached to the sphere?]]
Though [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|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}}
{{--}}

===''Angry Birds Transformers''===
{{storylink|Angry Birds Transformers (mobile game)|Angry Birds Transformers}}
{{charstubgame|Does it do anything, game-play wise? How about adding to the note how much it costs?}}

===''Transformers: Devastation''===
In the past, [[Nova Prime]] bore the Matrix of Leadership but parted with the artifact when he left Cybertron aboard the ''[[Proudstar]]''. When Optimus Prime explored the scuttled ''Proudstar'' millions of years later, the Matrix reacted to [[Unicron/Generation 1|a dark presence]] in the ship, shutting down for a second. As the Autobots ventured deeper into the ship, [[Teletraan Alpha]] used the Matrix to see their future. As the Autobots neared the ship's core and discovered the same dark presence, the Matrix allowed Optimus to learn that the entity responsible for corrupting Nova was searching and destroying its way to Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformers: Devastation}}

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

==Notes==
[[File:G1toon matrix strings.jpg|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. If an Autobot is not brave, strong, or wise enough, the program would either drive him insane or lobotomise him.<ref name="BC10">[http://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc10/bc10bb.html griffin's 2010 BotCon report]</ref> Although the "ten millennia" bit made it into the comic, the rest of it was never realized. (Budiansky also left a note that the Matrix isn't the only way of making new Transformers, which was never touched on until ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (franchise)|Generation 2]]''.)
*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 and Swindle]]" has empty Generation 1 Matrix containers for sale, as seen in an illustration from the prose story "[[I, Lowtech]]".
*The Matrix of Leadership [[:File: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]]".

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Matrix''' (マトリクス ''Matorikusu''), '''Leader no Matrix''' (''Revenge'', リーダーのマトリクス, "Matrix of Leader")
*''Arabic:'' '''Masfufat Alqiada''' (مصفوفة القيادة, "Command Matrix")
*''English:'' '''Power Pack''' ([[Omni Productions]] dub)
*''French'': '''Matrice de Commandement''' ("Command Matrix")
*''German:'' '''Hauptprogramm''' ("Core Program", used once in fiction), '''Matrix der Führerschaft''' ("Matrix of Leadership")
*''Indonesian:'' '''Matriks Kepemimpinan''' ( "Matrix of Leadership")
*''Italian:'' '''Matrice''' ("Matrix"), '''Scettro del Comando''' (first ''The Transformers'' dub, "Scepter of Command"), '''Matrix''' (second ''The Transformers'' dub)
*''Mandarin:'' '''Mǔtǐ''' (Taiwan, 母體, "Matrix" or "Mother Body"), '''Jǔzhèn''' (China, 矩阵, "Matrix"), '''Lǐngdǎo Mókuài''' (China, 领导模块, "Module of Leader")
*''Polish:'' '''Matryca Przywództwa''', '''Matryca Przywódcy''' (''War for Cybertron'' PC, "Matrix of Leadership")
*''Portuguese:'' '''Matriz da Liderança''' ("Matrix of Leadership")
*''Spanish'': '''Matriz de Liderazgo''' ("Matrix of Leadership")

==Footnotes==
[[File:DiamondStickerbookMatrixOfLight.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Not shown: Anything in the caption.]]
<references />

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Daniel Witwicky (G1)

2018-07-20T20:46:09Z

Chris2119: /* The Transformers cartoon */

{{factions|autobot|autobotg2}}
{{disambig3|Daniel Witwicky}}
:''Daniel [[Witwicky]] is an [[Autobot]]-allied [[human]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:TVMGuideHotRodDaniel.jpg|thumb|upright=1.95|ADVENTURE!]]
'''Daniel Witwicky''' is the human son of [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]] and [[Carly|Carly Witwicky]]. He is approximately 12 years of age in [[2005]], and was presumably born sometime between [[1990]] and [[1993]]. He is the grandson of [[Sparkplug Witwicky]].

Daniel often gets into trouble, which requires either his father or the [[Autobot]]s to save him. He is very good friends with the Autobots, particularly [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]], [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]], and [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]], but the one he's closest to is [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], who views him as a surrogate son. Come to think of it, he doesn't seem to ''have'' any human friends...

Daniel is (sometimes) a [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster partner]], and sometimes he is a [[Titan Master]] named '''Leinad''', both in conjunction with Arcee.

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[David Mendenhall]] (English), [[Mayumi Tanaka]] (Japanese, ''The Movie''), [[Masumi Gotō]] (Japanese, ''Transformers 2010''), [[Yoshiko Kamei]] (Japanese, ''The Rebirth'')|[[Zhang Anna]] (Chinese), [[Francette Vernillat]] (French), [[Francesco Pezzulli]] (Italian, ''The Movie'' first dub), [[Alessia La Monica]] (Italian, ''The Movie'' second dub), [[Dirk Meyer]] (German, ''The Ultimate Weapon'')}}
[[File:HotRodFishing1.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2|Hot Rod's babysitting rates run at three shanix an hour. Four after nine.]]
In the year 2005, Daniel appeared to be in the care of [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] (smart choice) at [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] while his father was preparing for an assault on the [[Decepticon]]-held planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] from [[Moonbase One]]. The separation from his dad had left Daniel feeling blue, but his spirits were lifted when he saw an incoming Autobot shuttle. Hot Rod gave him a lift to [[Lookout Mountain]] to get a better view, but Daniel found something he'd rather not see; a massive hole in the shuttle's side, revealing that it had been commandeered by the [[Decepticon]] army!

This chance discovery caused Hot Rod to attack the shuttle, forcing [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] to evacuate his troops and giving the Autobots a chance to prepare the city's defenses. Daniel nearly perished when Megatron blasted the observation platform below him, but Hot Rod managed to keep him safe as they headed for the besieged city with [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]].

[[File:Danielwitwickytftm.jpg|thumb|He wears a matching "D" on his underroos.]]
Following a brutal battle in which he was almost killed, Daniel tearfully witnessed the death of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], sobbing on the fallen commander's hand as the color left his corpse. (We forgive Daniel's crying on this occasion, as [[Fandom|everyone else]] cried as well.)

Escaping from a second Decepticon attack, Daniel and a group of Autobots were stranded on [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]], where Daniel donned his father's old [[exosuit]] to weather the harsh environment. He did not get much time to enjoy the suit, as yet ''another'' Decepticon assault left [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] dead and stirred the native [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]] into violent action. Daniel proved his worth in this battle by smacking Junkion leader [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] with an I-beam, saving a prone [[Springer (G1)|Springer]].

Hostilities with the Junkions were settled with the arrival of Hot Rod and [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]], Ultra Magnus was revived, and a brief celebration was held wherein Daniel showed he could boogey down.

Daniel joined the combined Autobot-Junkion attack force in the assault on [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]. He was on the ship that plunged into Unicron's eye, and soon became separated from the main Autobot group. As luck would have it, he ended up in Unicron's acid-based digestion center, where he was able to save his father, [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]], [[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]], and [[Cliffjumper (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cliffjumper]] from certain death.

Daniel and the rest soon met up with the other Autobots inside of Unicron. Everything around them was exploding! And then came this [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] guy. Spike and Daniel hopped into his front seat, all of the Autobots drove out of Unicron's undamaged eye, ''through space'' (!), and back to Cybertron as Unicron blew up. Daniel looked on as Rodimus gave a heroic speech. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}
{{note|Daniel Witwicky’s involvement in these events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the comic mini-series “[[Transformers: The Animated Movie]],” the storybook “[[Transformers the Movie (Ladybird adaptation)|Transformers the Movie]]” and the "Special Edition The Transformers: The Movie extra page" of "[[Transformers: The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe]]."}}

The Witwickys attended the first [[Galactic Olympics]] on [[Athenia]]. The event was attacked by [[Quintesson]] forces, who kidnapped Daniel's father. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}} Some time later, Spike and Daniel were on a mission with the Autobots when they sought refuge on the [[Autobot Mausoleum]]. Exploring on his own, Daniel encountered what appeared to be Optimus Prime, and they soon found that Optimus was back from the dead. After it turned out that Optimus had been resurrected by the Quintessons as a trap, and Optimus sacrificed himself to save the Autobots, Daniel grieved for the Autobot leader all over again. {{storylink|Dark Awakening (episode)|Dark Awakening}}

[[File:SurpriseParty Daniel and Wheelie.jpg|upright=1.3|left|thumb]]
After the Autobots threw a birthday party for Daniel, he started to wonder if [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] had a birthday. The quest to find out led Daniel and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] to steal a spacecraft and locate a [[Lost Cybertronian Storage Asteroid|lost storage asteroid]]. They were followed by [[Cyclonus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cyclonus]] who took Daniel hostage and attempted to crash the asteroid into Cybertron, but Daniel and Wheelie escaped during a rescue by Ultra Magnus. {{storylink|Surprise Party}} Bored with a diplomatic event, Daniel went exploring on Cybertron with [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] and the pair were inadvertently transported to [[Menonia]], a realm of magic. They met the Red Wizard—in reality the exiled Quintesson [[Mara-Al-Utha]], who tricked Grimlock into helping him while imprisoning Daniel. Daniel escaped with the help of [[Golden One's pupil|a fellow prisoner]] and, with the help of some Autobots who had followed him, freed the [[Golden One]] who overturned Mara-Al-Utha's rule. {{storylink|Madman's Paradise}}

[[File:MadmansParadise Daniel held up.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
When Daniel was plagued by bad dreams about a giant Galvatron, Rodimus advised him to visualize a giant Rodimus to fight the Galvatron. Daniel was later abducted by the Quintessons who projected his dreams into reality. He struggled to mentally help the Autobots caught up in the projection, but when a giant Galvatron appeared, Rodimus realized what was happening and encouraged Daniel to overcome the Quintessons' machine. Daniel was thus able to be rescued. {{storylink|Nightmare Planet}} Following the theft of [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]'s [[transformation cog]], Spike and Daniel disguised themselves as workers and stole [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon's]] cog to replace it. {{storylink|The Ultimate Weapon}}

[[File:HeadmasterDanielRebirth1.jpg|upright=1.55|left|thumb|That kid's therapist is gonna make a fortune.]]
To demonstrate [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]]'s theory that human partners could help, Hot Rod engaged in a race with [[Blurr (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blurr]], with Daniel helping Hot Rod by shooting enemies from the driver's seat. Following an attempt by the Decepticons to open the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]], Spike, Daniel and a group of Autobots were hurled across space to the plant of [[Nebulos]]. After a slight misunderstanding with the locals, the Autobots had a brief battle with the Decepticons who had followed them there. When Daniel tried to help Arcee against [[Snapdragon (G1)|Snapdragon]], the Decepticon used him as a chew-toy, severely injuring him. Though he survived, he required extensive life support. [[Arcee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arcee]] volunteered her own systems to assist in saving Daniel's life. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}} Arcee's head was reconfigured into an [[exosuit]], allowing Daniel to become Arcee's [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster partner]].

They tested out their new partnership on the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]]'s machines, and when Optimus arrived on the planet, the pair were able to recapture the key to the Plasma Energy Chamber from the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}} Unfortunately [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] arrived and grabbed Arcee in his mighty pincer. She and Daniel were taken back to Cybertron as captives aboard the fortress, and Arcee was forced to either turn over the key or watch Daniel be tortured. Spike, [[Binary bonding|binary bonded]] to [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]], staged a rescue shortly before Scorponok was shot off into space. After Cybertron entered a new [[Golden Age]], Daniel and Arcee returned to Nebulos to help rebuild. It is unknown if he was ever able to separate from Arcee.{{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}
{{-}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
{{note|The events of the Generation 1 cartoon occur in Japanese continuity as detailed above, except that the events of season 3 are pushed back to 2010, and "The Rebirth" does not occur (hence, Daniel never becomes a Headmaster). Japanese continuity inserts several new stories into different points in the timeline, as described below.}}

=====Rodimus Wars=====
Before the battle with Unicron, Daniel befriended Hot Rod, then "Crystal Rodimus", as well as [[Dark Hot Rod]]. On Dark Hot Rod's death, Hot Rod lamented that Daniel would be sad only to realize his clone had in fact merged with him. The "completed" Hot Rod then returned to Earth and took Daniel fishing. {{storylink|Rodimus Wars}}

=====''Kiss Players''=====
When the EDC banned Transformers from Earth in 2005, sympathizers like Daniel fled into space with his father. He got into an accident and was put into cryogenic stasis, emerging from it in the year 2010. {{storylink|Autorooper|Autotrooper packaging}}

=====''The Great Transformer War''=====
[[File:DanielGrimlockGreatTransformerWar.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|left]]
Daniel and Spike celebrated the success of Doctor [[Dalton]]'s upgrades to the Autobots. When [[Computron (G1)|Computron]] was coated in [[Cohesive Control Liquid]], Daniel offered to go help deal with it as humans wouldn't be affected by the substance, however Spike vetoed that notion and went himself. {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 2|The Great Transformer War #2}}
{{-}}

=====''The Headmasters'' cartoon=====
{{voiceactor|[[Tomiko Suzuki]] (Japanese)|[[Deng Changlan]] (Chinese), [[Davide Garbolino]] (Italian), [[Ivette González]] (Latin-American Spanish)}}
[[File:HM1 Daniel and Wheelie.jpg|thumb|upright=1.45|A boy and his car.]]
In [[2011]], [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] came under attack by the [[Decepticon]]s. While Daniel and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] were planning to travel there, they encountered [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] and, thanks to some quick thinking from Wheelie, managed to trick him into plunging into a ravine. Donning his [[exosuit]], Daniel accompanied Wheelie on the [[Trainbot]]s to Cybertron, where he immediately managed to get into trouble, encountering [[Tantrum (G1)|Tantrum]]. He was rescued by [[Shouki]], who told the pair they should evacuate the planet forthwith. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} Daniel joined his parents on [[Athenia]]. Following the battle, the triumphant [[Autobot]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] also arrived on Athenia to introduce themselves. Daniel went into mourning after [[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]] died while helping [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] find the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] on [[Earth]]. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}}

Back on Cybertron, Daniel and Wheelie played computer games while they waited for the outcome of Hot Rod and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s respective missions. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}} When the Autobot [[Autobot Mini-Cassette|Cassettes]] refused to go on a mission, Daniel spoke up for them, pointing out that they were still mourning Blaster's death. They were all overjoyed when [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress]] was able to resurrect Blaster as Twincast, though Daniel took a bit of reminding to remember his new name. {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}} Daniel and Wheelie stowed away aboard Battleship Maximus, and, as a result, paid a visit to planet [[Beast (planet)|Beast]], where they befriended [[Monkey Beastformer child|a young Beastformer]], were temporarily captured by the Decepticons, and helped free the [[Beastformer]]s from Decepticon rule.{{storylink|Rebellion on Planet Beast}}

[[File:HM6 Daniel regresses.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.3|''The Headmasters'' made Daniel into the character everyone '''remembers''' hating.]]
When the Decepticons sent a [[Metamorphose|metal-warping meteor]] towards Athenia and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]] was too injured to go, Daniel volunteered to plant bombs on it. Partway there, he started having second thoughts, but after Fortress made funny faces at him, he calmed down and completed the mission on his own. {{storylink|Approach of the Demon Meteorite}} Daniel and Wheelie were shopping in [[Japan]] with the Trainbots when a mysterious figure began blackmailing the world's governments. Daniel was upset when [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] argued with the Trainbots over the shopping trip; however, a ninja star he'd bought caused Chromedome to remember the ninja [[Sixshot]], who it turned out was behind the blackmail. {{storylink|Terror! The Six Shadows}}

[[File:HM11 Daniel at party.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3]]
After the destruction of Cybertron, Daniel touched down on the remains of the planet with the Autobots, and watched as Rodimus Prime, [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]], and [[Blurr (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blurr]] departed on a mission to find a new home for the [[Transformer]]s. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2}} Though glum at Rodimus's departure, Daniel and Wheelie attended a party put on by Fortress to celebrate the completion of the [[Sol 1]] satellite. They also went to the launch itself. {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}} Spike, Daniel and Wheelie rode along with the Autobots as they went to save the village of [[Pan]] from an erupting volcano, and Daniel met [[Pipiro]] and his sister [[Alyssa]]. {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}}

Daniel took some seeds back to Athenia to plant, unaware they'd been switched for alien seeds. The resulting [[buridanka]] plant attacked the Autobot base there and Daniel courageously tried to fight it off with a stick, but it exploded anyway when the Headmasters destroyed another buridanka on Earth. {{storylink|Head On!! Fortress Maximus}} Spike and his father helped the Autobots conduct a geological survey on [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] (at least when Daniel wasn't playing jokes on Wheelie) until they detected some strange activity. Daniel, Wheelie, and Shouki were captured by Decepticons, but, by staging a fight, they used the Autobot [[insignia]] from Daniel's exosuit to alert Spike to their predicament. Once the Headmasters rescued them, they evacuated back to Athenia in the Trainbots. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}} From there, they monitored the efforts of the Autobots as they unsuccessfully tried to prevent the Decepticons from destroying Mars. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears}}

[[File:HM16 Daniel attempts to make contact.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.3]]
After Daniel and Wheelie were buzzed by [[Galvatron's UFO|a UFO]] on Athenia, Daniel became obsessed with calling the aliens back using a musical technique he'd seen in a movie. Unfortunately, the UFO later turned out to be a spacecraft carrying [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] and Daniel smashed his musical instrument in disgust. {{storylink|Return of the Immortal Emperor}} When the Autobots received an SOS from [[Sandra (planet)|Sandra]], a world nearly depleted of energy, Daniel and Wheelie went along on the mission of mercy. {{storylink|SOS from Planet Sandra}} Spike decided to try to negotiate with the Decepticons, and went to Earth with Daniel and [[Carly]] to meet with Galvatron and try to persuade the Decepticon leader that they could work together. The Decepticons insisted on holding Daniel and Carly hostage for the duration. When Galvatron insisted that one of the preconditions of any arrangement would be that Daniel would have to stay on Earth, apart from his father, Daniel tearfully agreed. It later turned out that it had all been a trick, and "Galvatron" was really [[Sixshot]]. With the subsequent destruction of the [[space bridge]] network, the Autobots opted to pursue the Decepticons into space in Battleship Maximus, and Daniel insisted on going too. {{storylink|Daniel Faces His Biggest Crisis Ever!!}}

[[File:HM21 Gunslinger Daniel.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
They first followed the Decepticons to [[Hive (planet)|Hive]]. {{storylink|Fight to the Death on Planet Hive!!}} When they were approaching the [[Twin Star]] system, Daniel and Wheelie were sent with [[Arcee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arcee]] and [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] to Toruin for safety's sake. Instead, the foursome found that the population of neighboring Sperity had evacuated there to escape the Decepticon attack. {{storylink|Battle for Defense of the False Planet}} Daniel practiced his gun-slinging by playing ''[[Video Challenger]]'' and trying to shoot balls out of Wheelie's hand. When the Headmasters rescued some people from [[Daros]], one of them, [[Curl]], took Daniel hostage. With the help of his [[Challenge Blaster]], he broke free, and the Autobots subsequently helped Curl overturn the planet's corrupt rulers. {{storylink|Find MegaZarak's Weak Spot!!}}

[[File:HM23 Daniel with Challenge Blaster.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|Give a boy a gun and you arm him for a day. Teach him how to make a gun... and the whole metaphor breaks down.]]
On [[Paradise]], Daniel met a young girl named [[Papika]] and the Autobots chased the Decepticons off the planet. {{storylink|Head Formation of Friendship}} As Maximus moved through the [[Space Graveyard]], Daniel was interested in a [[Space Pirate Ship|spaceship resembling a pirate ship]] though they couldn't stop to investigate further. He got the chance to when [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] later discovered a pyramid on the [[Pirate Planet]], and the spaceship's skull figurehead turned out to be the key. Daniel used his Challenge Blaster, upgraded by Highbrow, to fend off [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundblaster]] while they retrieved the skull. {{storylink|Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship}}

[[File:HM26 real men don't cry.jpg|upright=1.45|thumb|"Danny, boys can cry, but not out loud. Men don't cry; they only get stronger."]]
As they headed back to Earth, Daniel and Wheelie tried fruitlessly to help Highbrow find a weak spot in [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]'s [[transtector]] design. They reached Earth to find that Sixshot had attacked and killed [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]], much to Daniel's distress. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}} Back on Athenia, Daniel and Spike monitored the Decepticons' mounting devastation of Earth. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}} When Spike was critically wounded during a Decepticon attack, Daniel refused to blame Chromedome (though Wheelie did). He paid a visit to his father in the medical bay before Fortress used telepathy to successfully remove the shrapnel that endangered Spike's life. Daniel later helped Chromedome unravel the secret of Scorponok's weak point. {{storylink|I Risk My Life for Earth}}

Daniel and Wheelie accompanied Spike to the [[United Nations]] as he tried to coordinate recovery efforts after the Decepticons abandoned Earth. Wheelie's "friends", whom Daniel had assumed he'd made up, finally arrived in the form of [[Pointblank]], [[Sureshot (G1)|Sureshot]] and [[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]]. Daniel went on board Maximus as the Autobots took some bombs into space for disposal. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)}} Following the unexpected creation of the [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmaster]]s, Daniel persuaded his father to let him head to planet [[Master (planet)|Master]] with the Autobots to head off the Decepticons. He and Wheelie helped cheer Chromedome up after the death of [[Jack (Headmasters)|Jack]]. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 2)}}

Wheelie claimed he was going to learn to become a Headmaster and sneaked off, only to be captured by the Decepticons. When they tried to ransom the tiny Autobot for information about the [[Master Sword]], Daniel immediately set out to mount a rescue with the help of Chromedome. As Scorponok's defenses were geared towards Transformers, Daniel slipped through them with ease and successfully rescued Wheelie. The Decepticons still got the information they were after, and Daniel, Wheelie and Chromedome were relegated to cleaning duties. {{storylink|The Master Sword Is in Danger!!}} Daniel and Wheelie caught [[Weirdwolf (G1)|Weirdwolf]] doing something on Battleship Maximus's hull, and Daniel took a few shots at the Decepticon with his Challenge Blaster until Fortress told him to get back inside. {{storylink|The Zarak Shield Turns the Tide}}

[[File:Sixshot Daniel Daira.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67|A boy and his psychotic murdering wolf-tank-plane-gun-car.]]
Annoyed at the failure to stop the Decepticons constructing the [[Zarak Shield]], Daniel and Wheelie turned to video games, but found even those had lost their appeal. {{storylink|Operation: Destroy the Decepticons}} On the way back to Earth, Daniel decided to take a look at Maximus's laser turrets. Unfortunately, the ship got into a battle with the Decepticons, and the damaged laser turret was jettisoned, landing on the barren world of [[Daira]]. Also stranded there was Sixshot, who had no intention of dishonorably killing a small unarmed boy, and instead protected Daniel from the rock people until the Autobots arrived. Daniel stopped Chromedome from shooting Sixshot, as he'd come to regard the Decepticon as a friend. {{storylink|My Friend Sixshot!}}

When he subsequently found out that Sixshot had challenged Chromedome to a duel to the death, Daniel tried to talk the Headmaster out of taking part. When this failed, Daniel donned his exosuit and followed Chromedome to asteroid [[Juno]] where he interposed himself between the two fighters. It transpired that Scorponok intended to deal with two problems by blowing up the asteroid. With Sixshot's help, Chromedome and Daniel escaped, but the boy was upset when it appeared that Sixshot had perished in the asteroid's explosion. {{storylink|Duel on the Asteroid}}

Daniel brooded the rest of the way to Earth. When they arrived, Arcee reported that Spike and Carly's plane had gone down in the [[Andes Mountains|Andes]], and Daniel insisted on going with the Headmasters on the rescue mission. When they reached the location, Spike was pulling people out of a crevasse, and Daniel volunteered to be the one to haul his unconscious mother to safety. They returned to Battleship Maximus, where the Autobots had found the Decepticons were erecting [[Death Tower]]s across the planet. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1)}} With the Decepticon plan nearing completion, Daniel accompanied the Autobots to the [[Arctic|North Pole]]. He and Wheelie helped Fortress Maximus against Scorponok, but were threatened by [[Battletrap]]. After Battletrap was struck by laser fire, Daniel discovered that Sixshot had survived the explosion of Juno after all. Following their defeat, the Decepticons fled into space; as the Autobots departed as well, Daniel gave his friends a tearful send off. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}
{{-}}

=====''The Headmasters'' manga=====
[[File:DanielWheelie.jpg|thumb|We find this picture works better WITHOUT the captions.]]
While chilling on the Battleship Maximus, Daniel let Fortress know just how little he thought of the Decepticons, likening them to parasites. After the Autobot Headmasters thwarted a Decepticon bombing attempt, Daniel showered them with praise. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 1|The Headmasters #1}}

Daniel later joined the [[Trainbot]]s on a mission deep beneath the sea to stop the Decepticons from stealing energy at a crack in the Earth's crust. Donning his exosuit, Daniel helped the Autobots fend off the Decepticons and their menacing robot squid. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 3|The Headmasters #3}}

After a raid by the Decepticon [[Sixshot]] to steal a spaceship's emergency rations, Daniel managed to follow the ninja in secret to a forest planet. There, he learned that the Decepticon was really a big softy who loved small woodland creatures. After mocking the startled Decepticon, Daniel took a bullet to the arm, as the denizens of the forest were attacked by a group of ruthless [[Space Hunter]]s. Enraged, Sixshot used all seven of his six modes to handily defeat the hunters. Daniel asked Sixshot to defect to the Autobots, but the ninja rattled off some nonsense about honor debts or whatever, then sent an SOS to the Autobots so they could pick up Daniel before flying off. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 4|The Headmasters #4}}

On an alien planet, Daniel joined Chromedome in scaling the [[Tower of Omega]] to retrieve a powerful weapon called the [[Charge Arrow]]. The [[Horrorcon]]s swiftly attacked and things started to look bad, at least until Chromedome summoned up enough [[burning justice]] to save the day. Daniel was then treated to a trite lecture on inner strength and righteous courage and so on. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 5|The Headmasters #5}}

Returning to Earth, Daniel joined the new Targetmasters no one had ever seen before, [[Ricochet (Headmasters)|Ricochet]] and [[Artfire]], in quenching a fire that was burning Shinjuku to the ground. He actually didn't do anything to help, but everyone praised him at the end for some reason. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 7|The Headmasters #7}}

Shortly after [[Scorponok (G1)|MegaZarak]] and the Decepticons were driven from Earth, [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundblaster]] showed up and took Daniel's family hostage. Upon seeing his father getting beaten down by [[Slugfest (G1)|Slugfest]], Daniel was propelled into action. He leaped onto Slugfest and covered the Decepticon's eyes, causing him to panic and blindly tackle down [[Overkill (G1)|Overkill]]. The pair of Cassette dinosaurs now defeated, Soundblaster was open to an attack from [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]]. Rodimus Prime then returned from his outer space quest and, having witnessed Daniel's bravery, told the young lad that he was growing up to be an inspiration to everyone. Emboldened by Rodimus's words, Daniel later ran along the beach with his parents, shouting "Transform!" at the top of his lungs. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 8|The Headmasters #8}}

=====''Unite Warriors''/''Legends''=====
In [[2021]], Daniel (wearing his exosuit) came with a bunch of Autobots on <s>vacation</s> ''special surfing training'' in [[Hawaii]], where he hung onto [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] for dear life as the Autobot rode the waves. {{storylink|Unite Warriors Offshot#Crossing the Pacific Ocean!?|Crossing the Pacific Ocean!?}}

{{note|It is unclear how Daniel could already have his exosuit which his "Train Wars"-associated bio indicates he had only recently acquired as of [[2035]].}}

That same year, Daniel worked with Sixshot to break the unjustly imprisoned [[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]] out of the [[Planet Micro Satellite Penitentiary]] by piloting Sixshot's new [[transtector]] body as an escape vehicle. They traveled to the [[Legends World]] to hide out at Chromedome's place but were tracked down by a revived Ultra Magnus, leading to Sixshot being fatally injured. Daniel rushed out to help, but Sixshot accepted his fate and seemingly perished after telling Daniel to cherish his life. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 50|Bonus Edition Vol. 50}} Daniel returned home after the false charges against Star Saber were dropped, and years later in [[2026]] he was reunited with Sixshot, who had survived and become the Autobot Greatshot. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Greatshot)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}}

=====Train Wars=====
[[File:TrainWars DanielWitwicky.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
Having left the spotlight in the Transformers' war, Daniel grew into a man and became an expert in information warfare, acquiring an [[exosuit]] that let him disguise himself as a Transformer. He used it to infiltrate the Decepticons and steal information on the ''[[Thunder Arrow]]'', though he was caught by the [[Jet Corps]] and fled back to [[Metrobase]] where he was saved by [[Shouki]]. He then presented a plan to use the data to disguise Shouki as the ''Thunder Arrow'' while he himself was disguised [[Skystalker (G1)|its pilot]], though Shouki resented having to work with a partner. {{storylink|Train Wars: Shouki & Daniel Chapter}} Partnered with Shouki, Daniel could use his exosuit to transform into an electrical bow and a pantograph for him. Despite wanting to work with him on infiltration missions, Daniel was rejected by Shouki, who did not desire harm to come upon the human. {{storylink|#Generations|Shouki and Daniel bios}}

When [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] arrived in a shuttle with stolen [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] plans, the duo lured him in as the "''Thunder Arrow''" before revealing themselves. Shouki used Daniel as the electrical bow to quickly defeat the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticon]]. Daniel congratulated his partner on their success, but Shouki was quick to reject any idea of partnership, still haunted by a previous loss he suffered.

Daniel and Shouki responded to an emergency alert on Cybertron, and found [[The Fallen]] trying to steal [[Vector Sigma]]. They were joined by a half-dozen new soldiers summoned by the Oracle-enhanced [[Quantum Dial]] of the [[Omnibot (G1)|Omnibot]], [[Overdrive]]. Although he acquired reinforcements for them, Overdrive vanished into quantum space from the effort. {{storylink|Train Wars}}

These new Autobots were not enough to defeat The Fallen. In a last ditch effort, Daniel joined forces with [[Shūta Gō]], human partner to the new arrival, [[Goshooter]]. They were snared in the same tentacles The Fallen used to grasp Vector Sigma. The Fallen attempted to assimilate knowledge about organic life from Shūta as well, and Daniel fired his suit's weaponry to defend the younger human. He only succeeded in angering The Fallen, though, and the villain backhanded Daniel into a dimensional rift. Daniel pleaded with Shouki to carry on in his absence as he fell out of sight.

Luckily, Daniel was found by the displaced Overdrive as he entered the rift, and Overdrive used Daniel as a beacon to lead them both back to Cybertron. Back in his electrical bow configuration, Daniel and Shouki shot Shūta and the Vector Sigma node free of the Fallen's grasp. Through the assistance of Alpha Trion and Metroplex, Shouki became an immensely powerful "train bazooka" strong enough to defeat the Fallen. In the aftermath of the battle, Shouki and Daniel developed a stronger partnership than before. {{storylink|Train Wars 2}}

=====e-HOBBY comics=====
[[File:EldedroidMPBlack01.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb]]
At some point beyond the year 2035, Daniel (now going by "Dan") underwent the process to have his personality programmed into an [[Eldedroid]] (codenamed "Black Convoy"). Dan joined a strike team of Autobots sent to destroy an undersea mining operation overseen by the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicon]]s. Unknown to Autobot intelligence, however, the operation was actually being commanded by Megatron, who proceeded to hit Dan with a surprise attack. Dan attempted to fool Megatron into thinking that he was really Optimus Prime (as Eldedroid bodies are modeled in Prime's likeness), but Megatron didn't fall for it. Bitter at having been overthrown by [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]], Megatron decided to ditch the entire operation in disgust rather than continue fighting, leaving the strange creatures the Decepticons had freed in their mining operation to the Autobots. Dan was then promptly attacked by one of those very creatures. {{storylink|MP-1B Cybertron Commander / Convoy Black Ver.}}

After Dan failed to report back, the Autobots dispatched a rescue party. When they found Dan in the core chamber of the undersea base, he had been strung up and molested by the tentacles of the sea creature. To make matters worse, the gigantic ghost of [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] traveled forward in time or something and attacked the Autobots still on the surface. {{storylink|MP-3G Destron Air Commander / Starscream Ghost Ver.}}
{{-}}

====''TransTech''====
A version of [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] who ended up in [[Axiom Nexus]] mentioned [[Madman's Paradise|the time he helped Daniel in an alternate universe]] as proof that he could be [[Ask Vector Prime|an advice columnist]]. {{storylink|Rook - Axiom Nexus News: Investigative Journalist|Rook - Axiom Nexus News, 2015/10/01}}

====Ask Vector Prime====

In and around the Decepticon attack on [[Autobot City]], [[Sideways (RID)|Sideways]] and [[Gong]] interfered with the integrity of the universal streams. As a result, Daniel Witwicky was supplanted by Nick Burns early on in the conflict. Daniel later resurfaced, but his friends Hot Rod and Kup were replaced by members of the Robo Rebels in the narrative. By the next reality shift, Daniel was once again replaced, this time by Nick Burns and A.J. Foster together. {{storylink|Echoes and Fragments}}

====''Deviations''====
In a universe where Optimus Prime survived the Battle of Autobot City, Daniel accompanied Ultra Magnus's team of Autobots back to Cybertron. Along the way, Hot Rod confessed to Daniel that he'd been having strange visions of seeing Optimus dying, but Daniel tried to assure him. Things quickly started going wrong after "Megascream"—a Unicron-upgraded form of Starscream—attacked, and Hot Rod's recklessness sent their shuttle hurtling towards Junkion. Daniel clambered into an exo-suit, and he and Hot Rod boarded an escape pod.

The only two survivors of the crash, Daniel tried to cheer up Hot Rod by reminding him of what he'd said about the Matrix and the ways in which it worked. The duo were soon picked up by Optimus Prime, Kup, and the Dinobots, and together they travelled back to Cybertron. He later celebrated the defeat of the planet-eater and the Decepticons with his father. {{storylink|Transformers: Deviations|Deviations}}

===Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics===
{{note|The movie adaptation, originally published by Marvel US, is in italics}}
[[File:Arcee daniel the final battle.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8]]
''In [[2005]], Daniel was friends with the Autobot [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]]. The pair were out fishing when Daniel detected an Autobot shuttle nearing Autobot city. Daniel was eager to watch it land, and though Hot Rod wasn't nearly as excited as his young friend, he obliged him, driving Daniel to "lookout point." There, they saw not Autobots disembarking from the ship, but [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] and his soldiers! The pair fled to Autobot City, where an epic clash between the Autobots and the Decepticons took place. After the Decepticons were forced to retreat, Daniel was at [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus]]'s bedside as the fatally wounded Autobot leader passed on the Matrix of Leadership to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ultra Magnus]] before expiring.'' {{storylink|The Planet-Eater!}}

''Daniel and his friends were only given a brief respite before more bad news reached them: Daniel's father, [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]], and [[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Bumblebee]] reported a monster planet advancing menacingly towards Cybertron. There was little time to contemplate the situation however, as the group was then assaulted by a new enemy: [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. The Autobots were forced to split up into two groups and blast off aboard a couple of shuttles in their attempt to escape him, but Galvatron remained in pursuit. In a last-ditch effort to lose the Decepticon, Magnus ordered an emergency separation of their shuttle. After Galvatron destroyed the jettisoned portion of the vessel (and declared the Matrix destroyed), Daniel's group landed their craft on the [[Junkion (planet)|Planet of Junk]] for repairs.'' {{storylink|Judgment Day!}}

[[File:Danieluk.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Fifteen years old, and still wearing matching outfits with his dad... and still a hysterical wreck too.]]
''When Daniel asked to be allowed to help, [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] dismissed him at first, telling him to "play with crayons or something." [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] made a more productive offer, and brought out one of Spike's [[Exosuit]]s from storage. Though Daniel had trouble with the suit's workings, Arcee assured him that he was doing well for his first time operating it. The Autobots barely managed to get any work done before Galvatron tracked them down again. Daniel was able to evade both [[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] and [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] when they tried to gun him down by converting his Exosuit into its vehicle mode and driving away. Ultra Magnus wasn't as lucky in his clash with Galvatron, which ended with him being drawn in quarters and Galvatron taking off with the Matrix of Leadership in hand. There was little time to grieve afterwards as the hostile [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]] then sprung forth! Thankfully, another ship carrying Hot Rod and several other Autobots arrived, and managed to talk peace with [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]], leader of the Junkions. Wreck-Gar's troops rebuilt Ultra Magnus, and everyone on Junk readied for a confrontation against Unicron. This clash ended with Daniel's group crashing through the titan's eye. Daniel and the others were separated from Hot Rod inside Unicron, but his team found Spike, Bumblebee, and [[Jazz (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Jazz]]. They were soon rejoined by Hot Rod, though in his absence he had reacquired the Matrix of Leadership, which had both upgraded him into "Rodimus Prime" and begun a chain reaction inside Unicron. As Unicron was blown to smithereens, Daniel and Spike rode within Rodimus to safety.'' {{storylink|The Final Battle!}}

In [[2009]], the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] and the rest of the Decepticons rampaged across Earth unhindered, and Daniel and his father Spike were rescued from the carnage by [[Kup (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Kup]]. Kup brought them to Autobot City, where Daniel convinced Rodimus Prime that he wasn't devoting enough resources towards defending Earth. {{storylink|Time Wars}}
{{-}}

===Marvel coloring books===
Daniel was visiting [[Oil Valley]] with Hot Rod, admiring the oil drilling area. Then Hot Rod spotted some Decepticons nearby, and drove Daniel to the safety of Autobot city stopping only momentarily to inform the Dinobots of the situation. {{storylink|Battle at Oil Valley}}

[[File:LostTreasureofCybertron-BusterDanielwhoknows.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|left]]
Returning home from a road trip with his Autobot friends, Daniel had a sandwich while listening to Kup's story about a lost stash of [[energon cube]]s on Earth. While Daniel wanted to participate in the ensuing treasure hunt, the Autobots deemed it too dangerous for the boy, and Hot Rod drove him home to his parents, [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster]] and [[Jesse (G1)|Jesse]]. {{storylink|The Lost Treasure of Cybertron}}

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Hot Rod's Escape}}}}

===3H comics===
[[File:Departure-WheelieDaniel.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Rebel without a cog.]]
Supposedly, Daniel met [[Devcon (G1)|Devcon]] at some point after 1987. Centuries later, the latter would comment he liked [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] better when she still had "that kid" [[Headmaster (technology)|in her head]]. {{storylink|Betrayal}}

Daniel detonated an explosive to destroy a legion of [[Nightbird (G1)|Nightbird]] drones, killing himself and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] in the process. This event caused Arcee to enter a deep depression, setting the stage for her personality change as she became a [[Wrecker]]. {{storylink|Departure}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
{{notekeepers}}
[[File:DW Extermination Witwickyfamily.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|It was either this tiny, near indecipherable shot of him in the bottom right corner or the horrible [[Pat Lee]] monstrosity. ''You're welcome''.]]

{{quote|Thanks kiddo. What would I do without you?|[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]]}}
{{quote|Get your head knocked is what.|Daniel}}
A day after a reactivated [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] attacked and destroyed a South American rebel militia, a young Daniel reminded Spike to wear his [[hard hat]], which he scrawled his father's name on so he wouldn't forget (the hardhat, not his name). Spike told him to go upstairs when General [[Robert Hallo]] invited himself into Spike's home. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 1|Prime Directive #1}}
{{charstubfiction|[[The Transformers Trilogy]] ({{storylink|Transformers: Hardwired|Hardwired}})}}

Sometime after that, Daniel joined his mom and dad in unloading the groceries from their minivan. Once again, Daniel was forced to watch as his father abruptly ran out on him when a [[Bumblebee (G1)|mysterious stranger]] stepped into their lives. {{storylink|Extermination}}
{{-}}

===''Mini Mayhem!''===
After a vending machine caught Bumblebee's eye, he wound up spending all of his money on "her." This left him with a surplus of granola bars. He got rid of these by feeding them to Daniel. {{storylink|Mini Mayhem!}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
Daniel Witwicky was the son of Spike, husband to [[Llyra]], and father of [[Galen Witwicky|Galen]] and [[Olin Zarak|Olin]]. Daniel succeeded his father as the Headmaster partner to Cerebros; together they were the second set of controllers of the double-Headmaster [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. Some time after the [[Scouring of Nebulos]], the Autobots deployed Fortress Maximus on the colony world [[Master (planet)|Master]]. Unfortunately, Maximus hesitated in this round with [[Scorponok (G1)|MegaZarak]], and the Decepticons held control of the planet.

Some time after the Master War, Daniel was succeeded by Galen as a Maximus controller. It is unknown if Daniel was still alive to witness this and how he felt about Olin joining the Decepticons. {{storylink|A Brush With Infamy–Prologue}}

When Cerebros got wind of the [[Human Confederacy]]'s [[Eutychus Project]], he asked them to resurrect his former human partners, but they refused and gave him the [[Energon Matrix|energon matrix]] instead.

By the late 24th century, an etching of "Daniel Witwicky" existed in the now-stationary Fortress Maximus, along with "[[Galen Witwicky]]" and "[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]]". [[Cerebros (RID)|Plasma]], part of the trio that controlled Fortress Maximus, claimed to be Daniel, among many other individuals related to the giant. {{storylink|Head Games}}

==Games==
===''Transformers Legends''===
Daniel and Arcee encountered a group of Decepticons while hunting for their friends inside Unicron. After fending off an attack by Unicron's internal defenses, the pair managed to reunite with Daniel's father and their other friends and escape before Unicron exploded. {{storylink|Belly of the Beast (Legends)|Belly of the Beast}}

==Toys==
===Unreleased===
[[File:Concept-HeadmasterArcee.jpg|thumb|Every boy dreams of his own car. Daniel is head over wheels for his.]]
A pink [[redeco]] of [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] as Headmaster Arcee was considered by Hasbro/Takara at one time. Presumably, Daniel would have been the Headmaster partner.

{{canceledtoy}}
{{-}}

===''Brave-Goukin''===
[[File:BraveGoukin exosuit.jpg|thumb|upright=2.33]]
*'''Excel Suit''' (<s>2014</s>)

:A Daniel figure was to be included with [[CM's Corporation]]'s ''Brave-Goukin'' [[Exosuit]] toy, alongside Spike. The figure's head and shoulders would have been removable, allowing you to place Daniel inside the suit, with an alternate "driving" head provided for its vehicle mode. This toy went unreleased following CM's Corporation's bankruptcy.

{{canceledtoy}}
{{-}}

===''Generations''===
[[File:Generationstoy shouki.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
*'''Shouki and Daniel''' (Deluxe Class, [[2014]])
:''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' Daniel is a [[redeco]] of the [[Mini-Con]] [[Groundspike]] in [[Skystalker (G1)|Skystalker]]'s colors, meant to represent an exosuited Daniel disguised as the [[Skystalker (G1)|pilot]] of the ''[[Thunder Arrow]]'' during a secret mission with [[Shouki]]. Available only with Shouki through [[Hero-X|Million Publishing]]'s ''[[Transformers Generations 2014]]'' Vol. 1 book, Daniel triple-changes into a bow weapon for Shouki and a pantograph for his train mode.

{{-}}{{anchor|HasCon}}{{anchor|Titans Return}}
[[File:TitansReturntoy-Leinad.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67|If you say his name backwards he disappears for 30 years.]]
*'''Arcee''' (Deluxe Class, [[2017]])
: ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' [[Arcee (G1)/toys#Titans Return|Arcee]] is a retool of [[Blurr (G1)/toys#Titans Return|Blurr]], and includes [[Titan Master]] Leinad–''pssst'', that's "Daniel" backwards! A retool of [[Haywire#Generations|Hyperfire]], Leinad turns into Arcee's G1 head; his own robot mode is based on an [[exosuit]]. Leinad and Arcee debuted at [[HasCon 2017]] ahead of a later release at [[New York Comic Con]] 2017 and a standard release<ref>[http://io9.gizmodo.com/hasbros-own-convention-will-sell-you-a-giant-transforme-1797331311 Hasbro's Own Convention Will Sell You a Giant Transformer That Actually Charges Your Phone]</ref> at [[Toys"R"Us]]. Leinad's listed healing power is focused on the bot he unites with<ref>Titans Return Arcee's bio note in her instructions</ref>, turning Arcee not into a kindly medic, but into an unkillable rapid-healing berserker. Bub.

{{TRHyperfireMold}}
{{-}}

===''Masterpiece''===
[[File:Masterpiece Bumble Daniel.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
*'''Bumble''' (2014-[[November 29|11-29]])
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''MP-21'''

:''Masterpiece'' [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|Bumble]] includes a new toy of Daniel clad in the [[exosuit]] he wore in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''. The suit can be transformed into vehicle mode. The stock photos (as seen right) have the helmet mistransformed in Vehicle mode, as the helmet should be rotated 90 degrees to make it more in line with cartoon appearance. This move is shown in the instructions.

:While mostly referred to as just "Excelsuit" on the packaging and instructions, the figure is both identified as Spike in one instance of the box back and as Daniel in the lineart included in ''[[The Transformers Masterpiece Official Guide]]''.
{{-}}
{{anchor|MP22}}
[[File:MP22-UltraMagnus-SpikeDaniel.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]
*'''Ultra Magnus''' (2014-[[December 27|12-27]])
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''MP-22'''

:''Masterpiece'' MP-22 [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/toys#MP22|Ultra Magnus]] includes articulated figurines of Daniel and his father [[Spike Witwicky (G1)#MP22|Spike]], based on their appearances in the movie and Season 3 of the cartoon. Both can fit in seats inside the truck cab.
{{--}}

==Merchandise==
===''Super Collection Figure''===
[[File:Hoc arcee and daniel.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|''A & D'', this fall on Fox.]]
*'''Arcee & Daniel''' ([[2001]])

:A PVC figure of Daniel in his exosuit was released in [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]'s ''[[Heroes of Cybertron|Super Collection Figure]]'' series. It was only available in ACT-4, coming in the same blind-packed box as [[Arcee (G1)/toys|Arcee]] (who was unchanged from her ACT-1 release).
{{--}}

==Notes==
*Originally, in Japanese continuity, there was no explanation as to why Daniel did not seem to age between ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' and ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|Transformers 2010]]'', which were separated by a 5-year gap. It was a long-standing, unaddressed continuity error until a brief, obscure blurb in the [[Autorooper]] toy packaging [[retcon]]ned the situation with a note that he was placed in cryogenic stasis for many years after a serious accident.
*At [[HasCon 2017]], Hasbro representatives pronounced "Leinad" as "Lee-uh-nad".<ref>[https://www.allspark.com/forums/topic/133785-the-hascon-2017-thread/?p=3595692 Post by Sabrblade at the Allspark Forums, 2017/09/09]</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Daniel Witwicky''' (ダニエル・ウィトウィッキー ''Danieru Witowikkī'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Daniel Witwicky''' (丹尼尔·维特维奇 ''Dānní'ěr Wéitèwéiqí'')

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Witwicky, Daniel (G1)}}
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising humans]]
[[Category:Generation 1 humans]]
[[Category:Generations]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:Legends humans]]
[[Category:Mail order exclusives]]
[[Category:Masterpiece]]
[[Category:The Headmasters humans]]
[[Category:Titan Masters]]
[[Category:Titans Return]]
[[Category:Unite Warriors humans]]
[[Category:Universe characters]]
[[Category:Witwicky family|Daniel Witwicky (G1)]]

Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity

2018-07-20T20:38:48Z

Chris2119: /* The Transformers cartoon */

{{factions|{{factions/icons|custom=Symbol autobot reg.png|cLink=Honorary Autobot}}|autobot}}
{{suite}}
Read about '''Spike Witwicky''', the [[Autobot]]s' friendly human companion from your favorite 1980s cartoon.

==''The Transformers'' cartoon==
{{voiceactor|[[Corey Burton]] (English), [[Show Hayami]] (Japanese, ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform''), [[Masashi Ebara]] (Japanese, ''The Movie'', ''Transformers 2010''), [[Kōji Ochiai]] (Japanese, ''The Rebirth'')|[[Liang Zhenghui]] (Chinese, ''Season 1''), [[Xu Weihong]] (Chinese, ''Season 2''), [[Xia Zhiqing]] (Chinese, ''Season 3''), [[Wolfgang Mascher]] (German; Generation 1), [[Dirk Meyer]] (German; ''Generation 2''), [[Crock Krumbiegel]] (German; ''The Movie''), [[Olivier Destrez]] then [[François Leccia]] (French), [[Nada Blam]] (Serbian), [[Staffan Hallerstam]] (Swedish; Generation 1), [[Dick Eriksson]] (Swedish; Generation 2)}}

[[File:Mtmte2 witiwickys saved.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|This isn't what they meant by "bodyboarding", Prime...]]
In [[1984]], the fourteen-year-old Spike was working on an oil rig with his father [[Sparkplug Witwicky|Sparkplug]] when his life was turned upside-down by the arrival of the [[Decepticon]]s. The evil robots began attacking the rig and terrorizing the workers; when Spike tried vainly to save his father from the clutches of [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]], he was swatted away by the Decepticon and fell in the ocean. Sparkplug broke free from Rumble's grip a second later and leapt in after him, and as the two Witwickys floated in the brine, the [[Autobot]]s arrived to stop the Decepticons' evildoing. To cover the villains' escape, [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] collapsed the oil rig, imprisoning Spike and Sparkplug beneath a metal lattice with fire creeping towards them. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1}} Autobot leader [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] freed the two humans and brought them to safety, and in reciprocation, Spike and his father offered to serve as the Autobots' guides to [[Earth]] and allies in the fight against the Decepticons.

[[File:Mtmte2 spike finds soundwave.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|I don't see anyone else around. I guess this must be mine. Result!]]
While returning to the Autobots' base after writing the latest entry in [[Spike's diary|his journal]], Spike stumbled across a sweet discarded cassette player, which he brought back to the base with him. After quizzing [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]], [[Hound (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hound]] and [[Mirage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Mirage]] on the Autobots' various special abilities, Spike took Hound up on his offer for a joyride through the desert, leaving the tape player behind. When he returned, however, he was horrified to discover that the device had been the Decepticon [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] in disguise, and that he had downloaded much secret information from [[Teletraan I]]. Using that information, the Decepticons soon struck [[Sherman Dam]], and when the Autobots tried to stop them, Hound was buried under a pile of rocks, deep in the river, by Rumble. Spike dived in to save him, but once he had done so, he then had to be saved by Hound, who gave him CPR.

[[File:Mtmte2 witwickys and trailbreaker.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|They never miss the game]]
While out scanning for Decepticon transmissions with Trailbreaker, Spike and his father learned that Megatron was planning to hit the [[ruby crystal mines of Burma]], and the Autobots mobilized to confront them. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 2}} Soon after, when the Autobots learned that the Decepticons were poised to return to Cybertron, Spike and Sparkplug volunteered to stop them before they could depart aboard [[Victory (G1)|their space cruiser]]. During the subsequent battle, Spike threw a rock that dislodged [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]]'s [[null-ray]]. Eventually, the threat of the Decepticons was believed ended when their space cruiser crashed in the ocean. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 3}}

[[File:Transporttooblivion captive spike.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|All we need is [[Chewbacca|Chewie]] and we'll be all set!]]
Several months later, the Decepticons resurfaced with a plan to create an intergalactic transportation system known as a "[[space bridge]]". Spike was chilling with [[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] when the villains struck a solar power plant, knocking out power across the city. When Optimus Prime charged [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] with spying on the Decepticons to learn their plan, Spike requested that he be allowed to accompany the small Autobot, beginning a long-standing friendship between the two. Unfortunately, this first mission together did not go very well, as Spike was captured by the Decepticons and almost used as a guinea pig for the first test run of the space bridge, but was thankfully saved at the last second by Optimus Prime and Bumblebee. {{storylink|Transport to Oblivion (episode)|Transport to Oblivion}}

Spike's friend [[Chip Chase]] brought Spike and Bumblebee on a visit to the laboratory of [[Alcazar|Doctor Alcazar]], with whom he was working on an [[antimatter]] formula. [[Laserbeak (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Laserbeak]] attacked the trio as they were leaving the lab, and although they were able to escape, the Decepticons returned to capture Chip in his home. Spike, Bumblebee, Hound and Mirage teamed up to rescue Chip, but the Decepticons were still able to acquire the antimatter formula. In the battle that resulted, [[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] was wielding the antimatter-powered Megatron when Spike bravely attacked his leg with a pneumatic drill. Skywarp seized the boy, but this gave Chip the distraction he needed to plant an override device on the Decepticon's leg, allowing [[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] to control Skywarp's motor relays remotely, tipping the scales of the battle in the Autobots' favor. {{storylink|Roll for It}}

[[File:Divideandconquer spike grabs gun.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2]]
Spike was helping Optimus Prime search for the newest location of the Decepticons' space bridge when a distress call from Chip summoned them to a munitions plant under Decepticon attack. Prime was fatally wounded in the subsequent battle, forcing Chip and a team of Autobots to head to Cybertron to recover a replacement [[cosmitron]] for his systems. In their absence, the Decepticons attacked Autobot Headquarters, and the leaderless Autobots could not muster the courage to fight. Claiming that this was not what Prime would have wanted, Spike seized Jazz's pistol and announced that he would fight the battle himself if he had to, his bravery galvanizing the other Autobots into action. During the fight, the Cybertron team returned with the cosmitron, restoring Prime, who defeated Megatron and won the day. {{storylink|Divide and Conquer}}

A freak snowstorm in the desert around Autobot Headquarters gave Spike cause for celebration, as he introduced the Autobots to the wonders of a snowball fight. When the unnatural weather was discovered to be the product of a Decepticon plot at the North Pole, Spike and his father headed to the Arctic Circle with the Autobots. There, the two humans were captured by the Decepticons' newest recruit [[Jetfire (G1)|Skyfire]], but they could see that his heart wasn't in the evil robots' scheme, and he soon switched sides. {{storylink|Fire in the Sky}}

[[File:Fireonthemountain spike and luisa.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|It's the pink interior that makes Spike such a [[Sam Witwicky|Ladiesman]].]]
When the Autobots discovered a cavern full of [[dinosaur (dinosaur)|dinosaur]] bones behind their Headquarters, Spike educated them on the ancient reptiles, and helped design the robotic "[[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]]" that Optimus Prime decided to have created based on Spike's stories. {{storylink|S.O.S. Dinobots}} Later, he and Bumblebee headed to [[South America]] to investigate a Decepticon scheme in Peru, where he got cosy with a native girl named [[Luisa]] after he saved her life. Luisa led them to the temple the Decepticons were using as a base, where Spike discovered and repaired the captive Skyfire. {{storylink|Fire on the Mountain (episode)|Fire on the Mountain}}

Soon after, he and Chip helped the Autobots create two more Dinobots, {{storylink|War of the Dinobots}} Spike faced his greatest challenge yet when he saw his father abducted by the Decepticons. The Autobots quickly enacted a rescue plan, but Spike soon realized that his father was not in his right mind when he discovered that he was responsible for sabotaging Teletraan I and the Autobots' weapons. In truth, a [[hypno-chip]] had transformed Sparkplug into a mind-controlled Decepticon slave! {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 1}}

[[File:Tud hypnochipped sparkplug.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|So this is where he learned the excellent parenting skills he demonstrates in Headmasters]]
Concurrently, the Decepticons activated a massive space bridge that teleported the entire planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] into Earth's orbit, causing massive natural disasters that Spike and the Autobots were also forced to contend with. Discovering that his father had been taken to Cybertron, Spike insisted that Optimus Prime allow him and a team of Autobots to go to the planet and find him. Navigating traps and ventilation shafts, Spike, Bumblebee and [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] made their way to [[Decepticon Headquarters (G1 Cybertron)|Decepticon Headquarters]], where Spike confronted his father in hopes of bringing him to his senses. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 2}} Unfortunately, Sparkplug instead triggered an alarm that brought the Decepticons running, forcing Spike and the Autobots to flee and take refuge in [[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]]'s old laboratory. There, Wheeljack analyzed a computer disk stolen from Decepticon Headquarters by Bumblebee and created a device to undo the hypno-chips' effects. Spike served as bait to lure the Decepticons and Sparkplug out so that the device could be tested, and although he was nearly shot by his brainwashed father, Wheeljack's counter-weapon succeeded, freeing Sparkplug from Decepticon control. The Autobots and Witwickys headed back to Earth, where Spike hit on the idea to blow up the Decepticons' stockpile of [[energon cube]]s in order to blast Cybertron out of Earth orbit. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 3}}

[[File:AutobotSpike-AutobotXTabled.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Well, you can call him "Junkbot"!]]
Spike traveled with the Autobots to [[Bali]] to battle the newest Decepticons, the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]], and was the one who came up with the idea to use Trailbreaker's forcefield to block [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]]'s clone beams. {{storylink|A Plague of Insecticons}} Soon after, Spike was among the spectators of a mighty one-on-one battle between Optimus Prime and Megatron, which ended with Prime's defeat. When Megatron was revealed to have cheated by combining all the powers of the Decepticons together, the Autobots overturned the result of the fight and sent the Decepticons tumbling into a river of lava. Spike wondered if this was truly the end of the Transformers' war, but Optimus Prime was uncertain. {{storylink|Heavy Metal War}}

[[File:Autobotspike spike and bee.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2]]
When Spike was grievously injured by Megatron in a Decepticon attack, the Autobots had to figure out a way to remove his mind from his body so that life-saving surgery could be performed. The process was carried out using [[Autobot X (G1)|Autobot X]], a [[Frankenstein's monster|Frankenstein]]-like robot created by Sparkplug from various Autobot spare parts, but the unstable robot body clouded Spike's mind. He began rampaging, and eventually fled Autobot Headquarters, at which point he was approached by Megatron, who manipulated him into allying with the Decepticons against his friends. Only after nearly killing his father did Spike come to his senses, and turned on the Decepticons, after which his mind was subsequently transferred back into his body. {{storylink|Autobot Spike}}

Spike was instrumental in saving [[New York City]] from Decepticon domination when he and Bumblebee infiltrated Megatron's command post and goaded him into destroying his own weapons control console, {{storylink|City of Steel (episode)|City of Steel}} after which he had to fight against his friends when the Autobots fell under the influence of a Decepticon [[personality destabilizer device]]. {{storylink|Attack of the Autobots (episode)|Attack of the Autobots}}

[[File:Arcade Hahaha.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Bumblebee comforts Carly after a sudden tiff]]
While on a run to pick up a [[polarizer]] for Wheeljack's new [[Wheeljack Instant Immobilizer|Immobilizer]] invention, Spike and Bumblebee stopped off at the [[Robots Video Arcade]], where Spike was approached by an older girl named [[Carly]]. When it turned out that all she wanted was to be introduced to Bumblebee, however, Spike excused himself and his Autobot buddy, and they had an eventful journey back to the base, enduring a policeman who questioned Spike's driving age and a surprise attack by [[Ravage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ravage]]. Carly trailed them back, and then helped them out in their mission to reclaim the stolen Immobilizer from the Decepticons. At the adventure's end, Spike invited Carly out for a chocolate [[soft drink|soda]], beginning a romance between the two teens. {{storylink|The Immobilizer}}

When Spike and Chip came up with the idea of the Autobots racing for charity, they could never have predicted that the Decepticons would use it as an opportunity to trap the heroic robots in their [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]]s with their new [[Transfixatron]]. Wheeljack and [[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] managed to escape the paralyzing device's influence and created a [[Anti-transfixation grenade|grenade]] to undo its effects, and Chip and Spike outran Soundwave and his cassettes to detonate it in the Autobots' midst and save them. {{storylink|The Autobot Run}}

[[File:Spike SemiNude.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb|We have hereby filled our beefcake quota for this Wiki. Move along.]]
After a lesson in how to play football, Spike went with a team of Autobots to investigate the underwater city of [[Sub-Atlantica]], and told them of the legend of [[Atlantis]] that was potentially inspired by it. {{storylink|Atlantis, Arise!}} Later, while investigating a Decepticon oil pumping platform, Spike was captured alongside Skyfire and Hound, but was able to effect their release by incapacitating their Decepticon guards with an electro-magnet. {{storylink|Day of the Machines}} Later still, Spike told the Autobots about ninjas when he attended the unveiling of [[Nightbird (G1)|Nightbird]]. {{storylink|Enter the Nightbird}}

When a mysterious second [[Optimus Prime clone|Optimus Prime]] appeared while the Autobots were investigating a crevice of [[korlonium crystal]]s, Spike proposed a series of tests to determine which was the real one. The tests failed, but the impostor Prime was revealed when he displayed no concern for Spike after the boy was captured by Megatron. His deception revealed, Megatron hurled Spike from his [[Incredibly tall rocket|rocket base]] to cover his retreat, but he was safely rescued by [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]]. {{storylink|A Prime Problem}} Soon after, Spike joined the Autobots in battling the super-powered Insecticons, and bravely climbed Shrapnel's body to deliver by hand the antidote that stopped his over-charged frame from exploding. {{storylink|The Insecticon Syndrome}}

[[File:Dinobotisland ham on his eggs.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
The Autobots' discovery of a mysterious prehistoric island where dinosaurs still lived was a dream come true for Spike, and he christened the lost world "[[Dinobot Island (G1)|Dinobot Island]]" when Powerglide and the Dinobots took him there. After some perilous encounters with the local wildlife, however, Spike decided he would limit his dinosaur experiences to reading about them in [[Ere Cenozoique Periode Tertiaire|books]]. Powerglide returned Spike home, but while he and Bumblebee headed to the library, the Decepticons arrived on Dinobot Island and began draining its many sources of energy. This caused a series of time warps to open all over the world, including one that disgorged barbarians and woolly [[mammoth]]s right into Spike and Bumblebee's path! The time-tossed creatures collapsed a building on top of the duo, {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 1}} but Bumblebee shielded Spike with his body, and the other Autobots soon arrived to dig them out and send the unwelcome visitors back through the time warp. {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 2}} A little later, Spike taught Optimus Prime how to play [[basketball]]. {{storylink|The Master Builders (episode)|The Master Builders}}

[[File:Masterplan spike cornered.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|"I learned in history that [[Mark Twain]] fought you with one of these too!"]]
Spike believed it was "about time" when the mayor of [[Central City (Earth)|Central City]] decided to honor the Autobots with a holiday dedicated to them, but he was horrified when mayoral rival [[Shawn Berger]] interrupted the ceremony with a tape given to him by Megatron that framed the Autobots for energy theft. Naturally, Spike, his father and Chip were not fooled by the bogus footage, but unfortunately, they were about the only humans who stood by the Autobots. When the heroic robots went to trial, Spike left in the middle of the proceedings to try and locate some evidence to prove their innocence. He was successful, discovering more footage on the tape that revealed the "Autobots" on display as disguised Decepticons, but was then confronted by Ravage. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1}} Escaping, Spike presented his evidence to the mayor, but it came too late: the Autobots had already been exiled from Earth, and the world was now celebrating the Decepticons. Megatron did not allow his pantomime to last long, however, announcing in a press conference his dominion over Central City. Spike was captured and put to work in a slave camp along with the rest of the city's population, but thankfully, before long, the Autobots returned to Earth to clear their names and rout the Decepticons. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2}}

[[File:Dotd spike carly swoop.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2| "Now that's some pre-[[Pat Lee|Lee]] '[[Dull surprise]]' right there!"]]
Spike and Carly were enjoying themselves at an [[Fun A Rama Park|amusement park]] with Bumblebee, but the merriment had to come to an end so they could go to the airport and pick up Sparkplug. The airfield became a battlefield, however, when a [[Hangar|Decepticon base was discovered in a nearby hangar]] and the Dinobots were ordered in to attack. Badly damaged by the fight, the Dinobots decided to finally secede from the Autobots, but this could not have come at a worse time: no sooner had they left than the Autobots began to malfunction due to [[cybertonium]] deterioration. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1}} Spike and Carly volunteered to go to Cybertron to recover a fresh supply, but as soon as they had arrived, they fell afoul of Shockwave, and were forced to flee into the tiny tunnels honeycombing the planet. Heading for Wheeljack's lab, Spike and Carly encountered [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]], who had come to Cybertron with the other Dinobots, but had been the only member of the team to avoid capture. With Swoop to help them, Spike and Carly navigated the ancient traps in the bowels of the planet, and even found a historical video records room that relayed for them the history of the Transformers' war. While watching the video, they were ambushed by Shockwave's [[Sentinel (G1)|sentinels]] and taken to join the other Dinobots in the cybertonium pits. The Dinobots had had their memory circuits bypassed to ensure their compliance, but Carly soon put their systems right, and they worked with the two humans to escape the pits, defeat their captors and return to Earth with enough cybertonium to repair all the Autobots. For their bravery, Spike and Carly were appointed [[Honorary Autobot]]s. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2}}

[[File:Spike gets kissed.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|Spike valiantly resists the princess' advances]]
Spike and Carly got to travel to the [[moon (moon)|moon]] when the Decepticons threatened the world with the [[Voltronic Galaxer]], {{storylink|Blaster Blues}} after which Spike went on an even greater journey: into the past! Along with [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] and [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]], Spike followed a group of Decepticons through a relic called the [[Dragon Mound]], which transported them to 543 AD. There, Spike took an immediate liking to [[Nimue]], the daughter of a local nobleman, and tried to single-handedly rescue her when she was kidnapped by the Decepticons and their local ally, Sir [[Wigend of Blackthorne]]. Unfortunately, by the time Spike had scaled the tower Nimue was being held in (which was in and of itself a challenge thanks to the heavy suit of armor Hoist had made for him), she and Wigend had fallen in love and become engaged! Spike subsequently returned to the present with the Transformers, where we can only assume he didn't tell Carly about the hot medieval chick. {{storylink|A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court (episode)|A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court}}

When several Autobots and Decepticons were lost in a space bridge accident, Spike was among those who huddled around Teletraan I as Chip tried to use the computer to locate them. {{storylink|Child's Play (episode)|Child's Play}} After the lost Transformers returned, Spike, Bumblebee and [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] were sent to the planet [[Floron III]] to recover [[robotic insecticide]] that would help deal with the threat of the Insecticons. Unfortunately, they also inadvertently brought back one of the planet's native lifeforms, the [[Morphobot]]s. {{storylink|Quest for Survival}}

[[File:Gwlp spike and astoria.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
Spike was washed away in a flash flood caused by [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] and [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] when they started fighting for Decepticon leadership, but was rescued by Optimus Prime and carried to safety by Powerglide. {{storylink|Triple Takeover}} Later, Spike was working in his father's automotive garage when Powerglide dropped in with [[Astoria Carlton-Ritz]], a flighty heiress he had rescued from the Decepticons. Spike began hitting on Astoria when they were left alone, but when he found that all she wanted to talk about was Powerglide, he grumpily returned to his work...at which point all his equipment started malfunctioning thanks to Astoria's tendency to jinx up machinery around her. We bet Spike didn't tell Carly about her, either. {{storylink|The Girl Who Loved Powerglide}}

[[File:Hoisthollywoodflesheatinglava.jpg|left|thumb|From this angle, it looks like they're STANDING on the lava...|upright=1.2]]
When Hoist, Spike and Carly accidentally stumbled into the middle of a movie shoot, the movie's [[Attack of the Alien Robots director|director]] decided to hire Hoist and some other Autobots on to star in his movie, and Spike and Carly were given free passes to the studio lot. While there, they discovered the Decepticons were also hiding out on the lot, searching for footage a film crew had accidentally taken of a secret cargo they were transporting. Spike and Carly were able to get hold of the negative the Decepticons were looking for, and fled (with some difficulty) through the myriad movie sets decorating the lot. Eventually, the Decepticons were tricked into believing the negative was destroyed when Hoist pretended to be evil and dropped it, Spike and Carly in a vat of lava... but of course, it was only movie magic. {{storylink|Hoist Goes Hollywood (episode)|Hoist Goes Hollywood}}

Spike, Carly and Sparkplug were in the audience when [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] received the [[National Scientific Achievement]] award for his newest invention, [[Corrostop]]. {{storylink|Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust}} Later, when the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] tried to plunge the Earth into the sun using the space bridge, Spike helped the Autobots find the missing space bridge control panel, and convinced Megatron to join forces with them to stop the Combaticons' plan. {{storylink|The Revenge of Bruticus}} For his final recorded adventure in the 20th century, Spike aided the Autobots in apprehending the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]], reacting with some distress to the sight of Optimus Prime playing "chicken" with [[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]]. {{storylink|Masquerade}}

[[File:Spike ospit.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|Oh, bother. How do you propose we solve our predicament at this moment?]]
Over the course of the next twenty years, Spike and Carly married and had a son named [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel]]. Spike was even able to take a more active hand in the Transformers' battles, as he was given a transforming [[exosuit]]. In the course of these twenty years, the Decepticons finally conquered Cybertron, forcing the Autobots to relocate to their newly-built [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] on Earth, and to bases on two of Cybertron's moon. In the year 2005, the thirty-five-year-old Spike was stationed on [[Moonbase Two]] with Bumblebee when the Autobots decided to make their big push against the Decepticons, and he requested that [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] tell Daniel, on Earth, that he would be home soon.

[[File:Tftm spike acid drop.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.55|And now he doesn't feel like swearing]]
Spike could never have predicted what would happen next. As he and Bumblebee watched, the monstrous planet [[Unicron]] appeared from the depths of space and consumed Moonbase One, with Moonbase Two next on the menu. Acting quickly, Spike and Bumblebee set a stockpile of explosives to blow up the moon right in Unicron's mouth as they escaped on a shuttlecraft. When the smoke cleared, however, they found that Unicron was completely uninjured, and a frustrated Spike expressed his discontent in a distinctly PG manner. Their craft was then caught in the suction from Unicron's mouth, and they were pulled in to the behemoth's digestive system, where they hung from a conveyor, waiting to be dropped into an acid pit. Thankfully, they were saved from his messy fate by Daniel, wearing an older version of Spike's exosuit, who shot the pit cover down just as they were dropped. Spike and his son escaped Unicron's body along with the other Autobots who had entered it, as the chaos-bringer exploded thanks to the power of the Autobot [[Matrix of Leadership]]. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}
{{note|Spike Witwicky’s involvement in these events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the comic mini-series “[[Transformers: The Animated Movie]]” and the storybook “[[Transformers the Movie (Ladybird adaptation)|Transformers the Movie]]."}}

Under their new leader, [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]], the Autobots subsequently forced the Decepticons off Cybertron and retook the planet. With Cybertron established as a force for good in the universe once more, Spike was appointed Earth's official ambassador to the planet. {{storylink|Madman's Paradise}}

[[File:Ffod2 spike wrestles deliberata.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
While attending the first [[Galactic Olympics]], Spike, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] and [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] were captured by a strike team of [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]] that attacked the event. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}} They were taken to the planet [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]], where the native [[Quintesson]]s questioned them, and then intended to put them to death. The trio tried rushing the aliens and taking [[Deliberata|one of their number]] captive, but the other Quintessons simply sentenced their comrade to death along with them, and they were all dropped into the Sharkticon pit together. At the last moment, a team of Autobots arrive to pluck them from the jaws of death, but the Quintessons then detonated a [[core bomb]] that blew up their planet and sent the Autobots and Spike hurtling through space. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2}} They eventually landed on the planet [[Goo 8739B]], where they came under attack from the Decepticons, now allied with the Quintessons, {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3}} but they were soon rescued by the [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]]. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}} They returned to Cybertron, but the Decepticons and Quintessons pursued them, and ultimately, the aliens betrayed their allies when they activated a [[large switch]] that shut down Transformers all across the galaxy. Unfortunately for them, the Quintessons had not reckoned with Spike, who used the paralyzed Rodimus Prime's gun to destroy the switch, undoing its effects. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5}}

[[File:Madmansparadise witwicky future duds.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2]]
In 2006, while fleeing from a Decepticon attack, Spike, Daniel and a team of Autobots took refuge in the colossal [[Autobot Mausoleum|mausoleum]] the Autobots had built to hold the bodies of their fallen warriors. There, they discovered that Optimus Prime was apparently not dead after all, as he appeared to see the Decepticons off. Rodimus quickly returned the Matrix to his old leader, at which point Optimus was revealed to simply be a re-animated Quintesson pawn who activated the mausoleum's self-destruct sequence and left Spike and the others to die in the mausoleum. Luckily, they were able to hastily construct an improvised craft to get themselves to safety. {{storylink|Dark Awakening (episode)|Dark Awakening}}

Despite preparations for the first major peace conference on Cybertron taking up most of his time, Spike was still able to organize a surprise party for Daniel's birthday. This gave Daniel the idea to have a party for Ultra Magnus, however, and he proceeded to get in a lot of trouble trying to find out the Autobot's birthday. Once Daniel had been rescued from the Decepticons' clutches, Spike decided that they would just appoint that day as Ultra Magnus's birthday. {{storylink|Surprise Party}} Later, he welcomed the ambassador from [[Odessix]], [[Ynara]], to Cybertron, and had to make a few apologies for the bored Daniel's brusque behavior. Daniel subsequently went missing (in actuality, he was transported to the other-dimensional world of [[Menonia]]), but Carly told Spike to stay at the party while she and [[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]] went looking. {{storylink|Madman's Paradise}}

[[File:Ultimateweapon spike steals cog.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
When Daniel began suffering nightmares, Spike and Carly called on Rodimus Prime to help ease the boy's troubles. {{storylink|Nightmare Planet}} A little later, Spike accompanied Kup on a security inspection of [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], during which Starscream's ghost and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] tried to steal the giant Autobot's eyes. Spike and Bumblebee teamed up to investigate, and caught the villains in the act. {{storylink|Ghost in the Machine (G1)|Ghost in the Machine}} Spike also helped Rodimus Prime moderate peace talks between the planets [[Xetaxxis]] and [[Lanarq]], {{storylink|The Quintesson Journal}} after which he and Daniel helped the Autobots by posing as human repairmen to sneak inside [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] and steal his [[Transformation cog|transforming cog]]. {{storylink|The Ultimate Weapon}}

[[File:Rebirth 1 Autobot heads.JPG|left|thumb|upright=1.2|Guess which one the marble is under?]]
In 2007, Spike was on Cybertron when the Decepticons launched a massive attack on the planet with the intention of taking control of the legendary [[Plasma energy|Plasma Energy Chamber]]. Together with a team of Autobots, Spike pursued Scourge deep into the planet, where a blast of energy from the Plasma Energy Chamber struck their craft and overloaded its engines, sending them careening across the galaxy, wildly out of control. They eventually crashed on the planet [[Nebulos]], where they ran afoul of a cell of rebel Nebulans who were fighting against the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]], the tyrannical rulers of their planet, and mistook the Autobots for their robot servants. Spike tried to talk the Nebulans out of destroying the captured Autobots, but it took the arrival of the Decepticons for the Nebulans to risk releasing their prisoners to help them fight back. During the battle, several Autobots were captured, forcing the Autobots and Nebulans to take a drastic step: to fight back against the Decepticons and the Hive, four Nebulans and four Autobots volunteered to undergo a process developed by [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] that would merge them together into [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]]. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}} Spike carried out the biotechnological modifications, following Brainstorm's design, and in addition to the Nebulans, also bonded Daniel to [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] at her request in order to save his life. The Decepticons subsequently emulated the Autobots' Headmaster process with members of the Hive, and also modified the process to create [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmasters]]. The Autobots didn't rest on their laurels, and Spike again helped modify six of the rebel sharpshooters to become Autobot Targetmasters themselves. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}}

[[File:SpikeHeadmasterRebirth1.jpg|thumb]]
To battle against [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], the gigantic robot created by Hive leader Lord [[Zarak (G1)|Zarak]] from the Hive's own subterranean city, Spike had the pacifistic Autobot [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] lead him to the Hive's old, abandoned surface city, which he had previously discovered while wandering the planet. There, Spike used the city's old machines to reconstruct it, Cerebros and himself, bonding them all together into the mighty [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. Spike flew his new creation to Cybertron (which the Decepticons have moved into the vicinity of Earth with a giant rocket engine in his absence), where he battled and defeated Scorponok and rescued Daniel and the captive Autobots within the giant robot's city banks. The Decepticons, however, had already opened the Plasma Energy Chamber, which threatened to drive the [[Sun]] nova and destroy Earth, Cybertron and the entire [[Solar System]]. As they were organic and unaffected by the chamber's energy, Spike and the Nebulons were able to act quickly to save the planet by shutting the chamber down and reversing the Decepticons' rocket to draw off the excess solar energy. This energy was funnelled into [[Vector Sigma]], revitalizing Cybertron and bringing about a new [[Golden Age]]. Despite all of this, Cerebros was insistent that Spike deactivate him so that he would never have to fight again...but quickly changed his tune when Spike transformed back into his head so that he could see the beauty of the restored planet. Optimus Prime subsequently appointed Cerebros as guardian of Nebulos, where he and the other Autobot Headmasters destroy what was left of the Hive. It was decided that Cerebros would live on the planet as its guardian. It is unknown if Spike remained bonded to Cerebros.{{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}
{{-}}

==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 events of "The Rebirth" do not occur. Japanese animated continuity inserts several additional stories into the timeline, as detailed below.}}

===Scramble City: Mobilization===
[[File:Scramblecity spike and bee.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
In the late 1980s, the Autobots began work on a mobile battle fortress dubbed "[[Metroplex (G1)|Scramble City]]", and began construction of the massive structure in a subterranean cavern. Spike helped the Autobots work on the project along with [[Carly]], [[Sparkplug Witwicky|his father]] and [[Chip Chase|Chip]], and while welding a section of machinery, he was approached by Bumblebee with the prospect of taking a quick break from the labor. {{storylink|Scramble City: Mobilization}}
{{-}}

===''The Great Transformer War''===
[[File:Greattfwar spike in exosuit.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2]]
After the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] brainwashed [[Computron (G1)|Computron]] into becoming a [[Decepticon]] with [[Cohesive Control Liquid]], Spike donned a modified [[exosuit]] and lasergun to save his Autobot friends. Daniel initially asked to go, but Spike forbid him, as the mission was too dangerous. Dodging Computron's laserfire, Spike burned the control liquid off with his lasergun, freeing Computron from the Terrorcons's hold. Computron immediately defeated the Decepticons and sent them fleeing. {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 2|The Great Transformer War #2}}
{{-}}

===Controverse===
Spike Witwicky attended the trial of [[Primacron]] by the Galactic Courts on behalf of Earth. After hearing the deliberations would be overseen by a [[Quintesson]], Spike and the Autobots were suspicious of the proceedings, and prepared a contingency plan. When it appeared the Quintessons planned to secretly kidnap and harvest Primacron's brain, the Autobots sprung into action while Spike coordinated the evacuation of the other delegates and onlookers. {{storylink|Controverse}}

===''The Headmasters'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Masashi Ebara]] (Japanese), [[Jack Murphy]] (English)}}
[[File:Hm1 tea with witwickys.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
In the year that followed the resurrection of Optimus Prime, Spike spent most of his time on Cybertron, actively working as a liaison between the Autobots and humanity to develop new sources of energy. In 2011, Spike was enjoying a cup of tea with Carly in [[Great Dome|Autobot Base]] on Cybertron when the Decepticons suddenly launched a massive offensive against the planet, backed up with the added power of their new Headmaster warriors. Spike quickly contacted Optimus Prime at the Autobots' secondary command post on the planet [[Athenia]], and then withdrew to the safety of Athenia himself once reinforcements arrived on Cybertron. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} Optimus Prime himself was among the Autobots who went to Cybertron, intending to stabilize Vector Sigma, which had begun to run out of control. Spike had researched the computer and claimed there was no way to stop it without the Matrix, which was precisely what Prime didn't have. Daniel was concerned for Prime, but Spike assured him he would be fine. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} He wasn't, though. He died. Again. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}}

[[File:Hm6 unexplained injuries.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2]]
When Spike next appeared, he had sustained some serious injuries through unexplained means. Although he was on the mend, it meant he was not fit for a mission that required a human agent: the disabling of a [[Metamorphose|metal-warping meteor]] that the Decepticons had set on collision course with Athenia. Daniel volunteered to go in his place, and Spike, impressed with his bravery, allowed it. {{storylink|Approach of the Demon Meteorite}}

After Cybertron was destroyed thanks to the machinations of Decepticon Headmaster leader [[Scorponok (G1)#Japanese cartoon continuity|Scorponok]], Spike moved his family and his research to Athenia. Soon after this, Spike supervised the launch of the [[Sol 1]] satellite, a solar energy satellite built by both humans and Transformers that served as a symbol of unity between their two planets. Unfortunately, the Decepticons stole it. {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}} Later, Spike went with the Autobots to help evacuate the residents of a South American village that was threatened by a volcanic eruption, {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}} and was menaced on Athenia by [[buridanka|an ambulatory monster-plant]] from [[Darhos]]. {{storylink|Head On!! Fortress Maximus}}

[[File:Hm14 mars survey.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"Damn it, IKEA!"]]
While conducting a geographic survey on [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] with a view to terraforming the planet, Spike, Daniel, [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] and the [[Trainbot]]s discovered a Decepticon plot to destroy the red planet with plasma energy bombs. The Autobot Headmasters were called in while Spike, Daniel and Wheelie returned to Athenia, {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}} but alas, the four young heroes were not able to stop Mars from being blown up. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears}} Spike subsequently scanned the remains of the planet with Arcee and [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]], and they concluded that the gravimetric balance of the solar system had been badly damaged. Spike feared that the destruction of another planet by the Decepticons would utterly destroy the whole system. {{storylink|Return of the Immortal Emperor}}

When the Autobots received an distress signal from the planet [[Sandra (planet)|Sandra]] in a parallel dimension, which was running critically low on energy, Spike was unsure whether or not they should risk giving up any of their own carefully-managed energy supply. He was eventually convinced that it was the right way to proceed, and even allowed Daniel and Wheelie to travel to Sandra with him and the Headmasters on the basis that it would be a good experience for them. Spike got very philosophical once they were on Sandra, remarking that all resources tend to run out eventually, and lamenting that Earth could face the same fate as Sandra if they weren't careful. {{storylink|SOS from Planet Sandra}}

[[File:Hm18 negotiating with galvatron.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|We aren't negotiating in good faith? We went through a lot of trouble to make a wicker chair that would support your weight.]]
His fears for the safety of the universe growing since the destruction of Mars, Spike stunned the Autobots when he announced his intention to negotiate with Galvatron the possibility of the Autobots and Decepticons allying to create a joint energy development programme. Even more surprising was that Galvatron ''agreed'', on the condition that Spike bring Carly and Daniel with him, that the Decepticons might hold them hostage so that the negotiations could be held in "good faith". Negotiations proceeded badly, with Galvatron accusing Spike of arguing from a non-neutral position, given that he lived with the Autobots on Athenia, instead of his native Earth. Galvatron instructed Spike to leave his "most precious thing" on Earth to prove his neutrality: his son, Daniel! Daniel reluctantly agreed to stay on Earth, and Carly decided to stay with him, meaning that Spike would be separated from his whole family in the pursuit of peace. As it turned out, however, Spike wasn't actually negotiating with Galvatron at all: a transmission from [[Chaar]] by the Autobot spy [[Punch (G1)|Punch]] revealed that the real Galvatron was still there, and that Spike was conversing with a disguised [[Sixshot]]! The Decepticons were using the peace talks as a cover to embark on an interplanetary energy quest, and the Autobots were left in the dust as a consequence. As the Autobots prepared to follow the villains, Daniel insisted that he be allowed to go to defend his family honor, and Spike and Carly were silently proud of their determined son. {{storylink|Daniel Faces His Biggest Crisis Ever!!}}

[[File:Hm26 telekinetic operation.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
The Autobots' return to Earth some time later heralded a great loss, as Ultra Magnus soon died in battle with Sixshot, and Spike wept at his funeral. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}} Decepticon attacks continued with increased ferocity around the globe, angering Spike, {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}} but he did not let these tragedies deter him from his work. While attending a summit on Earth to discuss using the planet's volcanoes for power, he realized that the Decepticons' recent activities had been focused on the [[Pacific Ring of Fire]]. When he returned to Autobot City to present his findings, however, the city came under attack by Trypticon and Sixshot, and Spike was wounded by a stray laser blast. With all of the Headmasters' technology unable to remove a large chunk of shrapnel embedded in one of his arteries, Spike told Daniel to remain strong even in the face of his death, and to take his place as Earth's envoy to the Autobots. Luckily, this wasn't necessary: in a drastic step that used up all of his energy, [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress]] used his telekinetic powers to dissolve the shrapnel and save Spike's life. {{storylink|I Risk My Life for Earth}}

In a major subsequent battle, the Autobots were able to force the Decepticons to withdraw from Earth, seemingly for good. Fortress appointed Spike head of the clean-up operation to remove all traces of the villains' memory from Earth, and Spike started by organizing an Autobot wrecking crew to destroy the Decepticons' desert Earth headquarters. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)}} News soon reached the Autobots on Earth that the Decepticons had returned to the Headmasters' home planet, [[Master (planet)|Master]], and Daniel petitioned Spike to be allowed to accompany the Headmasters there. Carly was unwilling to let him go, but Spike decided it'd be good for his character, and asked Fortress to let Daniel go with them. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 2)}} Spike watched as the worried Carly cooked up some [[space ration]]s for Daniel to take with him. {{storylink|My Friend Sixshot!}}

[[File:Hm35 witwickys goodbye.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|How!]]
Unfortunately for the Earth, the Decepticons would eventually return, just as Earth's restoration programme was entering a critical phase. With Fortress and the other Headmasters not yet back from Master, Spike was left to co-ordinate the Autobot counter-attack to the Decepticons' renewed offensive, and headed to Santiago, [[Chile]] with Carly to investigate the emergence of a strange metal tower there. On the way, his plane was forced to make an emergency landing in the Andes, where Carly and several other passengers fell into a crevasse. Simultaneously, Fortress's team returned to Earth, and Daniel immediately set out to help his parents. Spike attempted to descend into the crevice himself despite his injuries, and was surprised when Daniel stopped him and insisted that he rescue his mother personally. Daniel performed the task admirably, and Spike could see that his boy had grown into a man. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1)}} When the message came in for the Autobots to gather for the final battle with the Decepticons, Spike told Daniel that he would look after Carly so that he could join his friends in the fight.

Following the Decepticons' ultimate defeat in a colossal battle royal at the North Pole, which saw the evil robots at last forced off Earth, the Autobots prepared to depart the planet as well. Spike, Carly and Daniel gathered to bid farewell to their long-time friends, and Spike was determined that the goodbye should be a happy one, since, while the Transformers were leaving, the peace they had brought to the planet was there to stay. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}

===''The Headmasters'' manga===
[[File:Hm manga8 spike vs slugfest.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
While traveling in the Battleship Maximus, Spike detected Decepticons approaching. He rallied the Headmasters, who defended the ship from sabotage. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 1|The Headmasters #1}}

After the Decepticons' defeat at the North Pole, but shortly before the Autobots' departure from Earth, Spike was out walking with Carly, Daniel, Wheelie and Chromedome when they were attacked by [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundblaster]]. [[Slugfest (G1)|Slugfest]] charged at Daniel, but Spike leapt into his path and was injured, driving Daniel furious. The youth leapt onto Slugfest and covered his eyes, tricking him into blasting [[Overkill (G1)|Overkill]] and freeing up Chromedome to take Soundblaster down.

A little later, after the Autobots had left, Spike, Daniel and Carly were seen happily running along a beach. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 8|The Headmasters #8}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers Legends'' comic===
At some point after 2011, Spike traveled to Master and helped Fortress test pilot a new type of exosuit that could transform into a head, allowing humans to control transtectors. Even after the technology was perfected in the form of [[Master-Brace]]s, Spike kept the suit. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 54|Bonus Edition Vol. 54}}

By [[2021]], Spike had become chairman of the [[Galactic Peace Alliance]] only to be impersonated and replaced by [[Cobra Commander|Old Snake]], an agent of the [[Concurrence]] who used his position to send [[Shaoshao Li]] on a mission to recover the lost [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmasters]]. {{storylink|Mutant Targetmaster Birth Chapter}} {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 58|Bonus Edition Vol. 58}} Targeted for elimination by the Concurrence, Spike went on the run and was reunited with Goldbug, who protected him and brought him to the [[Legends World]]. After the injured Goldbug was rebuilt as Bumblebee again and the two reaffirmed that their friendship was intact even after years apart, the fake Spike showed up to hunt them down, and Spike borrowed Fortress's transtector to help defeat him. The two then began searching the Legends World for Daniel, who was also hiding out there. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 54|Bonus Edition Vol. 54}} Ultimately the truth about Old Snake was made public and the Concurrence was defeated, and Spike safely returned to his post. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Greatshot)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}}

==Madman ''The Transformers'' comic==
[[File:Madman comic Spike AutobotCity.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]
In the year 2001, Spike Witwicky was overseeing the construction of [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] when his friend [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] complained about the fact he was stuck on guard duty while the rest of the Autobot forces were fighting a rearguard action during the evacuation of Cybertron. Spike tried to cheer him up, assuring the young Autobot that his time was coming, and for now, to just enjoy the view of the future Autobot City. While Hot Rod rambled on about Optimus Prime bravely fighting off Decepticons single-handedly, Spike spotted [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] and his minions up to no good on the dig site, and Hot Rod sprang into action. The young Autobot prevented the Decepticons from stealing the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, and during the struggle, the Autobot artifact spoke to him with Spike's own words of encouragement. {{Storylink|The Transformers (Madman)|The Transformers}}
{{-}}

==''Wings Universe''==
{{Wingsnote}}
In [[2012]], Spike was stationed on [[Nebulos]] with Carly and Chip Chase. When [[Hi-Q]] went missing in the middle of a project, Spike sent a distress call that brought [[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]] and his team to visit. Spike took them to meet the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]]s and [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmasters]], and helped them question [[Hi-Test (G1)|Hi-Test]] on the disappearance. With [[Hubcap (G1)|Hubcap]]'s help, they got hold of some security footage that revealed Hi-Q had been kidnapped by the [[Battlecharger]]s. {{storylink|A Flash Forward, Part 3}}

==''Mars Attacks: The Transformers''==
Following a particularly intense battle in a city, Spike ran up to congratulate Prime on the victory, only to find his footwear being disparaged by [[The General|a General]]. Moments later, the planet was attacked by [[Martian]]s, and Spike sought cover with Bumblebee, who was reluctant to translate the Martians' speech for him. When later Spike found himself surrounded by Martians while standing in a puddle of [[water]], his [[yellow boots|rubber boots]] saved him from an electric jolt which took out the Martians, vindicating his choice of foot covering. {{storylink|Mars Attacks: The Transformers}}

==Ask Vector Prime==

Spike Witwicky and Bumblebee were stationed on Moonbase 2 when Optimus Prime sent Ironhide for a special run to Autobot City on Earth. However, because of the intervention of [[Sideways (RID)|Sideways]] and [[Gong]], the events that followed became jumbled with inhabitants of a Gargent universal stream. Spike and Bumblebee were intermittently replaced on Moonbase 2 by Scooter, Matt Hunter, and Anya Turgenova. {{storylink|Echoes and Fragments}}

==''Deviations''==
In an alternate timeline where [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] killed [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] in the [[Battle of Autobot City]], Spike watched as Optimus Prime prepared to sacrifice himself to stop [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] and later celebrated the defeat of the planet-eater and the [[Decepticon]]s on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] with the [[Autobot]]s. {{Storylink|Transformers: Deviations|Deviations}}

[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon humans]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:Legends humans]]
[[Category:The Headmasters humans]]

Matrix of Leadership

2018-07-20T17:15:38Z

Chris2119: /* The Transformers cartoon */

{{disambig3|Matrix}}
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[[File:Matrix.jpg|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 [[Matrix holder|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]]s, serving as a means of access to the [[Transformer afterlife]], 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==
[[File:SecondGeneration prime gives buster matrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|The Matrix made its fictional debut when [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|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 the history of the brand, 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 "[[Primal 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 Sparks", very similar to the [[spark]]s that would later be introduced with ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''. The Matrix was not present in the earliest known incarnation of the movie; instead, upon his death, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] transferred his own Life Spark to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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.

[[File:FFOD4 passing the matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|[[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/Generation 1|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.

[[File:Sentinel prime lou.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|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 ''[[The Transformers Universe|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: Transformers (cartoon)|''Beast Machines'' animated series]] which made the next big addition to the growing mythology of the Matrix when it introduced the [[Transformer afterlife|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]] 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 Transformers Trilogy]]'' novels, which retroactively make sense now.
{{-}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
{{noteukonly}}
[[File:Prima.jpg|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|The Primal Scream}} Later named the "Creation Matrix", this divine gift took the form of a "[[Primal 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}}

[[File:WhoseLifeforce prime and longtooth.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb]]
''At one point during his tenure as Autobot leader, Optimus Prime came across [[Longtooth]] struggling to save the life of [[Clockwise|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?}}

[[File:DisintegratedCircuits buster uses matrix.jpg|thumb|275px]]
When the Transformers' war moved to [[Earth]] in [[1984]], current Decepticon leader [[Shockwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}

[[File: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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}

[[File:DarkCreation we would know more.jpg|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 (Marvel)|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}}

[[File:Creation Matrix 65.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.15|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?}} [[File:Thunderwing with matrix.jpg|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, 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}}

[[File:EdgeofExtinction-sothatallmaylive.jpg|left|thumb|275px|It cures what ails ya.]]
Thunderwing's body came to rest on the surface of a planet, where the Matrix began to heal his battered frame. {{storylink|Out of Time!}} Repairs took time, but once completed, the Matrix set out for Cybertron, {{storylink|The Void! (US)|The Void!}} 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)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]]. {{storylink|Still Life!}}
{{-}}

=====Marvel UK future timelines=====
[[File:MatrixCoconut1.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|"Will I become a great Autobot leader?" "All signs point to no."]]
In an alternate future timeline, a dying Optimus Prime passed the Matrix to Ultra Magnus in [[2006]]. {{storylink|The Planet-Eater!}} It was then used by [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}

[[File:MarvelUK-187.jpg|left|thumb|215px]]
Later in 2008, the [[Quintesson]]s invaded and conquered [[Autobot City (G1)|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}}

[[File:WhiteFire kup yanks matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}
{{-}}

====Marvel ''Generation 2'' comic====
[[File:G210 starscream warworld.jpg|left|thumb]]
When Optimus Prime was recreated by the [[Last Autobot]], the Matrix was also restored. {{storylink|End of the Road! (US)|End of the Road!}} {{storylink|Escalation!|Generation 2 #8 letters page}} Years later, it became a target for Megatron, who required it to bring to life an army of new warriors created by [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]. Besting Prime in battle, Megatron tore the Matrix from his body with an energy siphon, {{storylink|The Gathering Darkness}} and used it to give life to the [[Laser Rod]]s 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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}
{{-}}

====''Regeneration One''====
{{noterg1}}
With the Creation Matrix lost following the destruction of Unicron, the last reservoir of Matrix energy the Autobots had access to consisted of what traces still clung to the remains of Thunderwing, stored within the high-security [[Hall of Silence]]. When [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] was able to penetrate the Hall in [[2012]], acting commander [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]] anguished over whether or not to follow protocol and destroy the Hall, and the last of the Matrix's energy with it. He was convinced it was necessary by [[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]], but Soundwave was able to teleport out with Thunderwing just before the building blew. {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part One}} He delivered the remains to Bludgeon, who used the Matrix energy within them to animate his new army of self-regenerating [[Blitz Engine]]s. {{storylink|Destiny, Part One}}

After Primus revealed to Hot Rod that he still existed, and sent Hot Rod through a portal into [[Zero Space]], {{storylink|Destiny, Part Four}} the young Autobot found himself tumbling through time and space. He observed the battle with the Deathbringer, only to discover that the fragment of corrupted Matrix energy survived the battle. After observing two more time periods, Hot Rod found himself on a [[Junkion (planet)|planet of junk]], witnessing the final confrontation between [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]] and "Rodimus Prime"—an alternate version of himself! As Rodimus fell at the hands of Galvatron, the Matrix landed at the feet of Hot Rod, who reached for it...

... only to find himself back in his own time and place, on the deck of Bludgeon's ''[[Warworld]]'', having himself been transformed into Rodimus Prime! {{storylink|Less Than Zero}}

====''Unite Warriors''====
[[File:Baldigus Chapter Galvatron II.jpg|thumb|200px]]
[[Galvatron II]] stole the Creation Matrix in his native universe and carried it with him to another reality, where its power allowed him to endure as a ghost when his body was destroyed. Unfortunately, it also made him a target of [[Grand Scourge]], who, as a Matrix Hunter, could manhandle even ghosts if they were in possession of a Matrix. While Scourge was fighting Galvatron for the Creation Matrix, both of them were knocked into a rift in space-time by [[Megaempress]], and the Matrix disappeared along with them to places unknown. {{storylink|Baldigus Chapter, Part Two}}
{{-}}

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
[[File:OracleMatrix.jpg|225px|thumb|"This Ming...is a psy-cho."]]
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}}; [[File:Matrix 5faces4 7.jpg|left|225px|thumb|Alpha Trion receives the Matrix]] 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}}

[[File:Optimusg1passingthematrix.jpg|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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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 (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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.

[[File:Tftm1986e.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
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 (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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}}

[[File:Darkawakening matrix pain.jpg|225px|thumb|The Quintesson controlled Optimus Prime reacts in pain from 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 (episode)|Dark Awakening}}

[[File: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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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}}

[[File:ReturnOptimusPrime2 Matrix open.JPG|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====
[[File:Madman comic PrimeHotrod.jpg|left|upright=0.85|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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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 (planet)|Quintessa]], while Hot Rod, [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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}}
{{-}}

====''Wings Universe''====
{{Wingsnote}}
Nine million years ago, the Matrix of Leadership was being transported aboard the Autobot cargo hauler ''[[Van De Graaff]]'' when the ship was attacked by the Quintessons and crash-landed on the planet [[Beta-Nine]]. All aboard perished, but the Matrix was soon recovered by the crew of the ''[[Eight Track (G1)|Eight Track]]'', who safely delivered it back to Cybertron. There, the Matrix was passed into the care of Alpha Trion, who granted it to his new choice for Autobot leader, Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Wings of Honor}}

====''Deviations''====
After viewing the massive death toll at [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] claimed all the deceased had found peace in the Matrix. [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] slapped him upside the head for speaking blasphemy about the Matrix. When [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] arrived at Cybertron, he made a baragin with [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] that the newly minted Decepticon leader would destroy the Matrix in exchange for upgrades. ''En route'' to Cybertron, Hot Rod confessed to [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel]] that whenever he came near Optimus, he saw visions of the Prime dying as if the Matrix was trying to tell him something. Starscream, now "Megascream", then attacked but withdrew when Unicron devoured [[Moonbase One]]. The Autobots regrouped on [[Moonbase Two]] when Unicron began attacking Cybertron directly where Optimus Prime took a shuttle to the Chaos Bringer's shell, believing the Matrix could stop him. Still haunted by visions, Hot Rod secretly climbed aboard. Megascream was waiting for Optimus and combined with several of his troops to steal the Matrix. Hot Rod saved Prime from certain death and teleported him away before he opened the Matrix, destroying Unicron at the cost his own life and the talisman. In the aftermath, Optimus Prime saw a vision of [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] and the newest addition to the rank of great Autobots within the Matrix: Rodimus Prime. {{storylink|Transformers: Deviations}}

====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.}}

What would become known as the Matrix was a device created by Primacron to convert its wielders' accumulated experiences and wisdom into a powerful all-purpose energy. It was originally built into his assistant (also known as the "Oracle") who was then targeted and destroyed by Unicron when he realized the power of the Matrix was a threat to him. However, the Oracle's lifeforce persisted within the Matrix and fled to a dead world at the centre of the galaxy, which he 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. They also found and held onto the now empty shell of the Matrix, which absorbed their malevolent brand of wisdom and filled up with corrupted, evil energy. When the Quintessons were kicked off the planet by the robots that would become the Autobots, they claimed the Matrix and, repulsed by its contents, emptied it out again. The discarded energy would one day grow sentient and become [[Devil Z]]. {{storylink|Generation 1 cartoon timeline (Japan)|2007 TakaraTomy Transformers timeline}} {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Grand Maximus)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}}

=====''The Battle of the Star Gate''=====
[[File:StargateBattles matrix powered megatron.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Ka-me-ha-me-ha~!]]

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 (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]], who had fused himself with the space station known as the ''[[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 Battle of the Star Gate}}

=====''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}}
{{-}}

=====''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|Transformers: 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...

[[File:DoublePrime matrix recharged.jpg|left|upright=1.45|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 pack-in manga=====

[[File:G2StoryPageReconfigurationMatrix1.jpg|upright=1.4|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|Transformers: G-2 (story page)|G-2 Part 1}} A research team led by [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], [[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]], and [[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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|Transformers: 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|Transformers: 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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=====''Legends'' comic=====
Alpha Trion and the Matrix played a role in Hot Rod's conversion to a [[Micromaster]]. {{storylink|Transformers 2015 Tailgate/G1 Micron Chapter|Tailgate/G1 Micron Chapter}} During the rise of Galvatron II, Optimus Prime contacted the spirit of Alpha Trion within the Matrix and asked him to locate and bring back Ultra Magnus's spark. The process of resurrecting Magnus also brought Trion himself back in a diminutive body connected to the powers of the Matrix. {{storylink|LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue#Resurrection Chapter|Resurrection Chapter}} Scourge later captured Alpha Trion to draw upon the Matrix's energy, but it ended up overloading his [[transtector]], which exploded. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 26|Bonus Edition Vol. 26}}

===Start Your Own Decoy Collection===
[[File: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====
[[File:OptimalSituation spark holder.jpg|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)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]], [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|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 (group)|Covenant]] witnessed the Matrix being torn by the [[Liege Maximo]] from the body of the enigmatic [[Primon]], its first holder. {{storylink|Covenant (story)|Covenant}}

[[File:Sparkholderprimevaldawn.jpg|left|upright=1.66|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.

[[File:Primevaldawn2 tarantulas matrix.jpg|215px|I'm not sure how I'll get this in my chest. Maybe I'll carry it with a sheath of some sort?|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 miscalculated: 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 ''Generation One'' continuity===
[[File: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|Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|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}}
[[File:TWW1 prime gets matrix.jpg|225px|thumb|150 points to Gryffindor!]]

The earliest known bearer of the Matrix was [[Primon|Alpha Prime]], who was succeeded by Guardian Prime, and then Sentinel Prime. {{storylink|Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|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}}
[[File:PrimeDirective2 spike replaces matrix.jpg|left|upright=1.66|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}}
[[File:G1 Vol.2 Issue6 2.jpg|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}}

====''The Transformers 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|Transformers: Hardwired|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|Transformers: Annihilation|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|Transformers: Fusion|Fusion}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
[[File: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}}
[[File:ArtofWar5 hawk serpentor matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]
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 the 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/Generation 1|angry god]]. {{storylink|Black Horizon, Part 1 of 2}}
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===''Transformers/G.I. Joe''===
[[File: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}} 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 Generation 1 continuity===
{{ongoing}}
[[File:MTMTEannual solomus matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]
According to religious legend, the core of the Matrix was created from [[Solomus]], the god of wisdom, trapped in the form of a crystal by [[Mortilus]], the god of death. Following the defeat of Mortilus, Solomus managed to transform his crystal prison into the Matrix—a conduit for the energies of [[Primus]], who had himself transformed into the life-giving computer Vector Sigma. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}} {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (2): The God War|The God War}}

Whatever the truth of its origins, the Matrix is known to have been carried by the first generation of Cybertronians, the [[Knights of Cybertron]], when they left Cybertron to explore new worlds. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}} Legend says that they called it the "Creation Matrix" for the life-giving abilities they believed its connected to Vector Sigma granted it. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} When the Knights landed on the medical hub of [[Mederi]], the moon's telepathic field, intended to induce happiness in euthanasia patients so they could die in peace, inadvertently convinced them they had discovered a perfect mechanical world, which they dubbed "[[Cyberutopia]]." To share this discovery with their homeworld, they inscribed a map to Mederi inside the Matrix's crystal core, and sent it back to Cybertron (via currently-unknown means), hoping the rest of their kind would follow it and join them in eternal happiness. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}}

It was, perhaps, fortunate that this roadmap to a peaceful death was never discovered by contemporary Cybertronians; upon its return to Cybertron, the Matrix was used by [[Solus Prime]] in the construction of the mighty [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] sword, becoming the jewel on the hilt of the blade, which came to be wielded by [[Prima]]. {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}} The Matrix's integration into the Saber survived in the folklore of both Cybertron and [[Caminus]], {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}} with the latter culture regarding it as the "Matrix of Light". {{storylink|The Sum and Its Parts}} {{storylink|Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|Lagrange}} {{storylink|O Ship of State|Victorion profile in Revolution #3}} In [[Velocitron]]ian culture, the device remained known as the Creation Matrix. {{storylink|Primeless, Part 2}}

[[File:Tyrest and the matrix.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]

Those capable of bearing the Matrix within them are marked by certain [[Signs of Affinity|signs of affinity]]: having optics the same shade of "liberty blue" as the [[Matrix Flame]], finding ''[[Living metal#IDW Generation 1 continuity|sentio metallico]]'' wet to the touch, becoming giddy when standing on a [[hot spot]], and the ability to make a [[photonic crystal]] "snap" when placed in their chest. {{storylink|The Plotters' Club (Part 3): Journey's End|Journey's End}}

The cruel supremacist [[Nova Prime]], a former lieutenant of Prima's, is the earliest known bearer of the Matrix in recent history, though exactly how he came to carry it after Prima's death is unknown. Nova observed that the pulsewaves from Vector Sigma which generated new sparks from the substance of Cybertron and its moon were lessening in regularity, and, fearing (correctly) that they would one day stop entirely, tasked his scientists with studying the Matrix, hoping that the life-giving power the legends said it possessed could be tapped into. A team led by [[Tyrest (G1)|Tyrest]] set to the task, and succeeded in finding a way to generate sparks from the Matrix in abundance, producing a vast reservoir of them which were stockpiled and steadily rolled out into society as new bodies were constructed for them. The true origin of these "Matrixed" sparks was hidden from the general public, and a cover story was put into place that claimed they were created via "spark splicing", using the energy of an existing spark to ignite a new one. Transformers created in this manner were described as "constructed cold", while those born naturally were "forged". {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}}

Eventually, the Matrix would yield no more sparks, causing Tyrest and his team to believe it had run dry. In reality, one of the scientists had had an attack of conscience and stolen the Matrix, replacing it with a facsimile and hiding the real one away in the subterranean labyrinth of the [[Undergrid]]. {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}} Once Nova Prime left the planet aboard the [[Ark (G1)|Ark-1]] and vanished into the [[Benzuli Expanse]],<ref>Author Simon Furman implied in a [http://simonfurman.wordpress.com/2007/12/12/another-quick-qa/ December 2007 Q&A on his blog] and in the narration of ''[[Spotlight: Galvatron]]'' that in his original plans for this story, Nova ''did'' take the Matrix into the Dead Universe (Optimus Prime is never shown to carry it in Furman's stories), where it would have "become" something. Presumably, it was his intention for it to become the Darkness itself, which would not have been the separate entity it was in the finished story. 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.</ref> the fake Matrix was protected by the presumably-unwitting [[Primal Vanguard]], carried by its leader [[Delta Magnus]] during a period known as the [[Interregnum]] until a new bearer was chosen. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}} [[Nominus Prime]] is the earliest recorded Matrix-bearer after Nova, but whether he was his direct successor or not is unknown. It's also unclear whether Nominus Prime was aware that the Matrix was a fake. It's likely he did, since Nominus presumably falsified an "affinity for the Matrix" somehow in order to be named Prime.

Many Transformers embraced the religion surrounding the Matrix during the time of Nominus's reign, though with exceptions, such as police captain [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]], who remained sceptical of its touted divinity. Some Transformers would even "tattoo" an image of the Matrix on their bodies as evidence of their faith, such Orion's co-worker [[Springarm]] {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} and the trainee theoretician [[Skids (G1)|Skids]]. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}} Nominus's reign was a time of great civil unrest, however; a senator named [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]] hoped that a new Matrix-bearer might steer the planet off the path to self-destruction the corrupt [[Senate]] had placed it upon, and so began selecting promising young Cybertronians like [[Zeta Prime|Zeta]] and Orion Pax, befriending and rebuilding them with Matrix chambers in their chests. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

[[File:Autocracy9 pax finds matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
In order to take control of the Matrix's life-giving powers, the corrupt forces within the Senate arranged for an attack upon Nominus Prime, moving him into hiding so they could gain unfettered access to the talisman. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} Upon opening Nominus's chest, however, the Senate at last discovered that the Matrix had been replaced with a fake. Furious, they had Nominus killed, establishing a cover story that he had died of a rust infection, and announcing that their security head [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel]] was showing signs of Matrix affinity, paving the way for him to become Sentinel Prime. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} The fake Matrix was then transformed into a bomb as part of a plot to incriminate and round up the burgeoning Decepticon faction, {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} but a team led by Orion Pax uncovered the scheme, broke into the [[Primal Basilica]] and removed the Matrix-bomb, which Orion then detonated to win a battle with the [[Heavies]]. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}} It was not long after this that tensions exploded in the outbreak of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]; {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} {{storylink|The Transformers: Megatron Origin|Megatron Origin}} when reflecting back on this time, Kup distilled the reasons behind the outbreak of the conflict down to blaming the Matrix as the root cause. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}}

[[File:AHM7 megs rips out matrix.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]

Sentinel was succeeded by Zeta Prime, who much like his predecessor used a new fake Matrix (with lights installed!) to claim the title, and only those involved with Sentinel's scheme were aware of the truth. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}} {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 4: Dance Among the Shadows|Dance Among the Shadows}} Zeta was subsequently killed by [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]], who then hurled Orion Pax into the Undergrid, where Orion found the hiding place of the true Matrix. The damaged Pax was called out to by Matrix, which asked him to take hold of it. Upon doing so, he was linked to the sparks of every single Cybertronian alive and was overcome by the pain, fear and loneliness his people were experiencing. As power of the Matrix repaired his body, he realized that it was not only a symbol of leadership or creation, but a "Matrix of our sparks" in which [['Til all are one|all were one]]. With his newfound clarity and the Matrix in his chest, Orion declared his name to be Optimus Prime and set out to bring freedom to Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformation (issue)|Transformation}} Just thereafter, the Matrix guided him to the ruins of [[Nyon]] and allowed him to sense and awaken the dormant lifeforce of [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], who was in deep slumber below the city. {{storylink|Rise}}

Optimus Prime would later try to unleash the power of the Matrix in an attempt to vanquish the ancient monster [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], but was for some reason unable to open it. {{storylink|Annihilation}} He revealed his possession of the Matrix to [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] as proof of his Primehood, {{storylink|Primacy issue 1|Primacy #1}} and later used its cleansing powers to purge the influence of [[Pentius]]'s spark from Megatron's body. {{storylink|Primacy issue 4|Primacy #4}} At some point Prime took a sabbatical and left the Matrix in the care of [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]], whom it took to so well legend says it had to be surgically removed from his chest. {{storylink|Little Victories}}

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|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}}
[[File:IDW13 hotrod starscream matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
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|Altered Carbon}}
[[File:IDW19 matrix in chest.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67]]
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|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)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]], who provided a fuel cell for their ship. {{storylink|Space Opera Act 2: Out of the Silent Planet|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|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 experience 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}}
[[File:DoOP split matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|"Where'd you get the Matrix?" "We found it." "Found it? In Altihex? The Matrix is tropical!"]]
Upon the Autobots' return to Cybertron, they were faced with the threat of Galvatron, latest carrier of the Heart of Darkness, who combined it with Vector Sigma in order to allow D-Void to emerge into the universe through Cybertron. To prevent this, Optimus Prime opened the Matrix, which succeeded in stopping D-Void, but also left the Matrix spent, its crystal core darkened and split in two. {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis|Genesis}} With unrest growing between the Autobots and the unaligned Transformers in the process of returning to the planet, Prime brought the two halves of the Matrix to [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] for study, and the scientist discovered that the crystal was artificial, designed to [[photonic crystal|split in two]], and contained a map of the stars. [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] believed the map would lead the way to the long-lost Knights of Cybertron, and Rodimus elected to gather a crew and follow the path it charted, much to acting leader [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]]'s consternation. Optimus Prime gave each of them one of the Matrix-halves, before departing Cybertron himself in hopes of ending the civil unrest. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}} Optimus kept the shell of the Matrix and returned it to within his chest cavity. {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}}

When Rodimus set foot on [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], a billion sparks suddenly lit up on the moon's surface, something he credited to the Matrix half he was carrying. {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}} Having developed a belief that Cybertronians born from the Matrix were inherently evil, Tyrest used his knowledge of the talisman to construct the [[universal killswitch]]—a device capable of killing all cold constructed Transformers in existence by scrambling their unique sparkcode. Rodimus was able to put a stop to the process by hooking himself up to the machine and using his Matrix half to reinstate the code, but the crystal was shattered in the process. {{storylink|Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|This Calamitous Life}} He later scattered the dust of the Matrix on Luna 1 in honor of the sparks that were lost before they could be harvested. {{storylink|The Sound of Breaking Glass}} Optimus was...displeased when he learned of this. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}}

[[File:ForeverIsALongTimeComing-MatrixofLeadership.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67]]
The other half of the Matrix remained in Bumblebee's care until his death, after which it fell back into the hands of Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 2: Detonation Boulevard|Detonation Boulevard}} On his anniversary of becoming Prime, he returned to where he had found it all those years ago, hoping to find some of the same hope to press forward. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming (issue)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}} He later spoke with [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] about the Matrix where she made said if the Matrix chose him, it had a good reason. {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}} When contact with [[Caminus]] was established, Optimus was unwilling to let Starscream exploit it and all the other colonies. With Windblade at his side he passed through [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]'s [[Space bridge|spacebridge]] to the chamber of the [[Forgefire Parliament]] where Windblade proclaimed him to be a Prime. The [[Mistress of Flame]] demanded proof of this and Optimus revealed the glowing Matrix to all. The natives of the planet bowed in his presence and revered him as a god, equal to [[Primus]] and the [[Thirteen]] Primes. {{storylink|The Sum and Its Parts}} After being immobilized by [[Victorion]], Optimus recounted the history of the Matrix but stated he believed to simply be a piece of advanced technology not a mystical artifact while also expressing confusion over why it had flared on Caminus. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|Lagrange}}

[[File:ToWalkAmongTheChosen-Ore13Matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]
When Optimus had his chest ripped open by a mutated [[Baron Karza]], the Matrix shone through the damages. {{storylink|Valley Forge}}

Atop the [[Matterhorn]], waiting for [[Quintesson Cruiser|an alien spacecraft]], Optimus regarded the Matrix only for it to suddenly glow. An unimpressed [[Pyra Magna]] simply revealed that the Matrix was simply reacting to the nearby [[Ore-13]]. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}} When talking to [[Aileron]], Optimus again expressed that he did not believe the Matrix to be a divine artifact, calling it a "pulsewave generator". He noted however that could he use its symbolic importance to do good. Pyra Magna overheard his comment and was...displeased. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 4: Dance Among the Shadows|Dance Among the Shadows}} After the Autobots and Junkions had gone to war, Optimus realized the precariousness of the situation and revealed the Matrix to all, allowing the assembled species to begin a peaceful resolution to the conflict. {{storylink|New Cybertron End: Feel Safe Without Regrets|Feel Safe Without Regrets}}

When Optimus Prime was thrown into the [[Crystal City]] [[black hole]], Starscream amusedly observed the remains of the Matrix be shattered by the gravitational forces. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 4: The Hallowing|The Hallowing}}
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====The Functionist Universe====
[[File:ModesOfProduction-SixOfTwelveAndMatrix.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67]]
When the [[Functionist Council]] overthrew the [[Senate]], [[Twelve-of-Twelve]] obtained the false Matrix from Nominus and gave it to [[Six-of-Twelve]]. After obsessively studying the artifact, Six-of-Twelve came to believe Primus was speaking to him through it and integrated it into his head casing. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}}

When the council discovered that [[Rung (G1)|Rung]]'s true purpose was to produce [[photonic crystal]]s, Six-of-Twelve tried to tap the Matrix to reignite Nova Prime's old cold construction program, but discovered that the Matrix was a useless fake. Undaunted, he turned the Matrix into a weapon that was able to suspend Cybertronians in a field of agonizing energy. When Rodimus was caught in this field, he immediately knew that Six-of-Twelve's Matrix was a false due to being familiar with the energies of the genuine article. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}
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===''Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun'' manga===
[[File:Henkei11 matrix.jpg|thumb|left|IT BURNS!!]]

When the demented [[Galvatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Galvatron]] went on a rampage in [[Hoshinochō]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|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]], 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 manga|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}}
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===''Robot Heroes''===
[[File:Robotheroes primus and matrix.jpg|thumb|By the power of Grayskull! I AM OPTIMUS PRIME!]]
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}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
The Matrix was passed down to [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] by [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] before his death. {{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}} [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] later defeated Prime and stole the Matrix, which he bonded with his [[black hole]] spark and used to subjugate [[Primus]] himself, allowing him to shape Cybertron according to his wishes. {{storylink|Pax Megatronus}}

Atop the Dyson Sphere above the Sun, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] managed to rip the Matrix from Megatron before a reborn Optimus Prime hurled Megatron into the sun. The Decepticon managed to hold onto the Matrix however, taking it with him only for [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] to seize the Matrix for himself. It was then snatched by [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] beginning a game of "hot potato" before [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] managed to return it to Optimus. {{storylink|The War Never Ends}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
To save Earth from the [[Swarm (G2)|Swarm]], Optimus Prime sacrificed himself and the Matrix. {{storylink|Book of Logos}} With the talisman lost to the Transformers, [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] was instead felled by the [[Point One Percenter]]s, prompting [[Deluge (G2)|Deluge]] to genetically engineer more of them. {{storylink|The Inexorable March}}

===''Prime Wars Trilogy'' cartoons===
In the aftermath of the [[Combiner Wars (event)|Combiner Wars]], [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] no longer felt worthy to carry the Matrix of Leadership and instead decided to return it to the [[Chorus of the Primes]], reverting back to Hot Rod. {{storylink|Aftermath and Rebirth}} The [[Mistress of Flame]] criticized his decision, claiming they would need the Matrix to stop [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]'s rampage. {{storylink|Our Heroes Respond}} The Matrix projected a message to Optimus Prime, granting him a vision of future events, including the role the Matrix itself would play, prompting Optimus to head back towards the battlefield. {{storylink|The Fight Begins}} Learning from [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] that Rodimus had given up the Matrix, Optimus entered the Chorus chamber in the [[Primal Basilica]] and asked to take back the Matrix, which the Chorus obliged. {{storylink|Desperate Actions}} Guiding Perceptor to a secret exit below the Basilica, Optimus asked him to take the Matrix and get as far away as possible, lest Trypticon obtain it and use it's power to become unstoppable. {{storylink|Run for Our Lives}}

After running only a short while, the Matrix spoke to Perceptor and detailed its own plan; despite his apprehension, Perceptor did as it asked and tricked Trypticon into swallowing both himself and the Matrix. {{storylink|Consumed}} However, because the Matrix could only be used by its chosen wielder, Trypticon could not contain its power and ejected it and Perceptor from his body, along with the previously-swallowed [[Victorion]] and the [[Enigma of Combination]] and the ghost of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] possessing the Titan. Before Victorion could reclaim the Matrix and Enigma, they were surrounded by a barrier of flame as [[The Fallen|Megatronus]] revealed himself. After killing Optimus and issuing a series of vague threats, Megatronus grabbed the Matrix and the Enigma for himself and blasted off into the sky. {{storylink|All Things Must Pass}}

Megatronus later removed the Matrix from its storage and installed it and the Enigma into an unknown device in the [[Well of All Sparks|Well of Sparks]]. {{storylink|Without Warning}} Megatron eventually realized that Megatronus planned to use the Enigma to merge the Matrix's energy with the [[Requiem Blaster (Megatronus)|Requiem Blaster]], creating a weapon capable of killing every Transformer in the universe. Learning of Megatronus's use of the Matrix, the Unicron-controlled Rodimus Cron turned on him, declaring the Matrix must be destroyed. {{storylink|Consequences}} Megatronus returned to the [[Well of All Sparks|Well of Sparks]] and installed the Blaster into his doomsday weapon, beginning siphoning the life force from every Transformer's spark. Perceptor attempted to remove the Matrix and the other relics, but his efforts proved unsuccessful as Solus Prime began to return. {{storylink|Collision Course}} Unicron appeared, now fully in possession of Rodimus, and attempted to take the Matrix while Megatronus attempted to stop him. [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]], [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] and [[Grimlock G1)|Grimlock]] resumed attacking the machine until it finally released the relics, and the Matrix interfaced with Primal, creating a shield protecting them from Megatronus. Having been chosen by the Matrix as its new bearer, Primal placed it in his chest, transforming him into Optimal Optimus. {{storylink|Megatronus Unleashed}}

In the aftermath of Megatronus's and Unicron's defeats, Optimus Prime was resurrected thanks to his connection to the Matrix. He praised the Matrix's choice of Optimal as the new Prime, and agreed to guide him in his newfound role as the leader of Cybertron. {{storylink|Saga's End}}
{{-}}

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===2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon===
[[File:PowerToBurn prime matrix.jpg|left|225px|thumb|My chestplate glows for you, Hotrod]]
Simply known as just 'the Matrix',<ref>The Matrix is never once called the 'Matrix of Leadership' in the ''Robots in Disguise'' 2001 cartoon. Though, it was initially called Optimus's 'Cyber Matrix' in "[[The Test (episode)|The Test]]", it was never again referred to as such afterward. It would not be until Optimus's profile published in [[The Official Transformers Collectors' Club Magazine issue 1|The OTFCC Magazine issue 1]] that this Matrix would be formally referred to as the "Matrix of Leadership".</ref> [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] was chosen by Vector Sigma to be its bearer and lead the Autobots as Commander-in-Chief of Cybertron. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus: Forced Fusion!}} 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}}
[[File:TwoFaces magnus matrix.jpg|215px|thumb|I set my chestplate from studly to kill. Go nipple blasters!]]
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]] channeled 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 a version of the Matrix of Leadership, instead carrys an [[Energon Matrix]].}}
{{--}}

====''Cybertron'' comic====
[[File:OptimusPrimeRIDprimuschamber.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Oops! Sorry. I had a premature matrix-ejaculation....]]
Teleported into the midst of a battle in another universe, Prime and Magnus found themselves on Cybertron, where the evil [[Nemesis Prime (Universe)|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, as the ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon only implied it to be such but never actually made explicit use of it in this manner.}}
{{-}}

===Shell Game===
After the [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] of [[Viron 704.31 Epsilon]] was killed by [[Megazarak (Universe)|Megazarak]], once-leader of the [[Protection Team]] [[Defensor (OTFCC)|Hot Spot]] was passed the Matrix of Leadership by [[Ultra Trion]], becoming his team's combined form [[Defensor (OTFCC)|Defensor]] himself. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/07}} Megazarak sought the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]], believing that it would yield the location of [[Base Sigma]], the last outpost of Autobot resistance and the hiding place of the Matrix-bearer. He failed, being slightly delayed by Ultra Trion's final gambit. {{storylink|Shell Game}} Defensor would eventually triumph over Megazarak and begin to rebuild his world. However, the Matrix gave him visions of another Megazarak, one who had succeeded in conquering [[Viron 403.0 Beta|his own universe]] and spreading out to other universes. Defensor felt the duty to seek out this Megazarak and stop him as well. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/07}}

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===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====
[[File:Crisis Hot Shot Matrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|Optimus said that I could drive this up somewhere....]]
When [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]] threatened to destroy the Earth with the [[Hydra Cannon]], [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|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 (Armada)|Crisis}}

[[File:Miracle sparkplug and matrix.jpg‎|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''.

[[File:ArmadaMatrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|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====
[[File:MysteriousMercenary matrix generates blaster.jpg‎|thumb|Also, it does not go anywhere in the robot mode. Get outta here, blaster. No one likes your style.]]
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]] of 2020, when Prime was badly injured by [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|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====
[[File: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}}

[[File:Unfinished matrix glow prime.jpg‎|thumb|225px]]
After the Autobots had obtained the Cyber Planet Keys from [[Velocitron]], [[Animatron|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===
In [[Aurex 404.11 Kappa]], Vector Prime held the Matrix during Cybertron's [[Golden Age]]. He led the Autobots for many years until he received a higher calling from the [[Chronarchitect]] to lead the [[Time Warrior (AVP)|Time Warrior]]s in protecting space and time. Vector passed the Matrix on to his trusty lieutenant, [[Guardian Major]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/07/12}}

===''Galaxy Force'' manga===
[[File: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 (Armada)|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}}
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===''Hot Shot's Bot Thoughts''===
During an interview with [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], Hot Shot proved it was easy to get hold of a Matrix by telling Optimus Prime that his shoes were untied, and then yonking the Matrix right out of his chest while he was distracted. The Matrix upgraded Hot Shot into Shotimus Prime. During a later interview with [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]], the exasperated interviewee grabbed the Matrix, reverting Shotimus back to Hot Shot, and then beat him with it. {{storylink|Hot Shot's Bot Thoughts}}
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===Live-action film series===
[[File:Tf2009 mol.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|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 movie comic====
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====
[[File:ROTF Matrix crumbles.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|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.

[[File:TheFallen-ROTFMatrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|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 (Earth)|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|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}

{{Note|The [[Transformers: 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====
[[File:DOTM-SentinelOptimusMatrix.jpg|left|upright=1.66|thumb|You thought they forgot about it already, didn't you?]]
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.

Megatron later explained to Starscream that he wanted Prime to use the Matrix on Sentinel as he was vital to Megatrons plan for invasion. {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}}
{{-}}

----

===''Animated'' cartoon===
[[File:Tfanimated matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
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 Almanac II}}
{{-}}

----
===Aligned continuity family===
====''The Covenant of Primus''====
The Matrix was created by the Primes sometime after Unicron's defeat and before the War of the Primes though according to [[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] it was a very different device at its creation then in the present day. It formed the hilt of the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] but [[Prima]] surrendered it to [[Primus]] in the [[Core]] after the Primes fought.

During the [[Age of Rust]], Alpha Trion went to [[Vector Sigma]] to try and retrieve the Matrix in hopes that it could reignite the fire of Cybertronian society. The supercomputer denied his request saying the time was not right but it gave him the [[Badge of Vector Prime]].

When [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] had poisoned the core of Cybertron with [[Dark Energon]], Primus inserted a portion of his Spark into the Matrix and gave it to [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] to carry and guard. This had the effect of restoring Optimus' memories of his earlier life among the [[Thirteen]]. {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}}

====Aligned novels====
[[File: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 (WFC)|Orion Pax]] met the charismatic gladiator named [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]]. Unbeknownst to Orion, Megatron plotted revolution, and, desiring the Matrix's power to fuel his ambition, had [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] send [[Rumble (WFC)|Rumble]] and [[Frenzy (WFC)|Frenzy]] to search for the Matrix in [[Crystal City]] to no avail.

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 (polity)|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|Exodus}}
{{-}}

====''Prime'' cartoon====
[[File:OneShallRise3-unleash.jpg|thumb|275px|Care Bear Stare!]]
During the Great War, the core of Cybertron, which contained the Spark of the Transformers' creator Primus, became poisoned with [[Dark Energon]]. Orion Pax journeyed there hoping to cure the god, but instead was given the Matrix of Leadership by Primus himself, becoming [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus]], the last of the Primes. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 3}}

When the Autobots discovered that Unicron's spark dwelt at the center of the Earth, Optimus Prime gambled that the Matrix held the power to destroy the dark god. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 2}} Led to the core of the planet by [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]], Prime emptied the full power of the Matrix into Unicron's spark. [[File:OrionPax3 Matrix of Leadership.jpg|thumb|left|275px]] The chaos-bringer responded by possessing Megatron in an attempt to stop him, but the Matrix generated a shield to protect Prime so that the mission could be completed, and Unicron was successfully returned to stasis. Unfortunately, in draining the Matrix of its energy, Optimus lost not merely the wisdom of the Primes, but all of his own memories since becoming a Prime.{{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 3}} Fortunately, Optimus had left a solution to this problem in the hands of the Autobot's human ally [[Jack Darby]]: the [[Key to Vector Sigma]], which would allow the Matrix to be refilled, and Optimus's memory restored, via the mega-computer Vector Sigma on Cybertron. {{storylink|Orion Pax, Part 1}} Jack and [[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] travelled to Cybertron to load the key, then returned to Earth in the midst of a battle between Orion and Megatron. Though the archivist was hesitant at first, Jack convinced him that he was in fact worthy and used the key to restore the Matrix's power and Optimus's memories. {{Storylink|Orion Pax, Part 3}}

When Optimus Prime lay dying after the destruction of the Autobot base, he told [[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]] that the Matrix would choose someone else to be leader, whom he believed to be Smokescreen. When Optimus did die, his chest ejected the Matrix as it began to search for a successor, but Smokescreen simply put the [[Forge of Solus Prime]] in Optimus's hand which, combined with the Matrix, revived and reformatted Optimus at the cost of draining the Forge of all its power. {{storylink|Rebellion (Prime)|Rebellion}}

Optimus used the Matrix of Leadership to guide him to the location of the AllSpark. While engaging the army of Terrorcon Predacons on the Nemesis, Smokescreen finally confessed to Bumblebee that he was the original choice for new leader. To safeguard the [[AllSpark]] from [[Unicron/Aligned|Unicron]], Optimus merged it with the Matrix. Unfortunately that meant when he restored the AllSpark to its rightful place, both he and the Matrix had to be sacrificed to do so, ending the age of Primes. {{storylink|Predacons Rising (Prime)|Predacons Rising}}
{{-}}

====''Rescue Bots'' cartoon====
[[File:OddBotOut Optimus Matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Optimus located an [[Liquefier|Iacon relic]] that was threatening [[Griffin Rock]], and used the Matrix to shut it down. {{storylink|Odd Bot Out}}
{{-}}

----

===''Knights of Unicron''===
[[File:Dark Side of the Matrix album cover.jpg|thumb|left|200px]]

The Matrix of Leadership served as inspiration for the legendary rock band the [[Knights of Unicron (band)|Knights of Unicron]], immortalized on the cover of their studio album "Dark Side of the Matrix". {{storylink|Knights of Unicron (band)|Knights of Unicron}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===''The Transformers'' (PS2)===
[[File:TFPS2 matrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1]]
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''===
[[File:Netjetmatrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
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: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''. {{storylink|Transformers Battle Universe}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers: War for Cybertron'' (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)===
[[File:WFC Matrix of Leadership.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|How are you supposed to hold it up and release its cleansing flame if the handles aren't even attached to the sphere?]]
Though [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|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}}
{{--}}

===''Angry Birds Transformers''===
{{storylink|Angry Birds Transformers (mobile game)|Angry Birds Transformers}}
{{charstubgame|Does it do anything, game-play wise? How about adding to the note how much it costs?}}

===''Transformers: Devastation''===
In the past, [[Nova Prime]] bore the Matrix of Leadership but parted with the artifact when he left Cybertron aboard the ''[[Proudstar]]''. When Optimus Prime explored the scuttled ''Proudstar'' millions of years later, the Matrix reacted to [[Unicron/Generation 1|a dark presence]] in the ship, shutting down for a second. As the Autobots ventured deeper into the ship, [[Teletraan Alpha]] used the Matrix to see their future. As the Autobots neared the ship's core and discovered the same dark presence, the Matrix allowed Optimus to learn that the entity responsible for corrupting Nova was searching and destroying its way to Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformers: Devastation}}

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

==Notes==
[[File:G1toon matrix strings.jpg|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. If an Autobot is not brave, strong, or wise enough, the program would either drive him insane or lobotomise him.<ref name="BC10">[http://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc10/bc10bb.html griffin's 2010 BotCon report]</ref> Although the "ten millennia" bit made it into the comic, the rest of it was never realized. (Budiansky also left a note that the Matrix isn't the only way of making new Transformers, which was never touched on until ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (franchise)|Generation 2]]''.)
*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 and Swindle]]" has empty Generation 1 Matrix containers for sale, as seen in an illustration from the prose story "[[I, Lowtech]]".
*The Matrix of Leadership [[:File: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]]".

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Matrix''' (マトリクス ''Matorikusu''), '''Leader no Matrix''' (''Revenge'', リーダーのマトリクス, "Matrix of Leader")
*''Arabic:'' '''Masfufat Alqiada''' (مصفوفة القيادة, "Command Matrix")
*''English:'' '''Power Pack''' ([[Omni Productions]] dub)
*''French'': '''Matrice de Commandement''' ("Command Matrix")
*''German:'' '''Hauptprogramm''' ("Core Program", used once in fiction), '''Matrix der Führerschaft''' ("Matrix of Leadership")
*''Indonesian:'' '''Matriks Kepemimpinan''' ( "Matrix of Leadership")
*''Italian:'' '''Matrice''' ("Matrix"), '''Scettro del Comando''' (first ''The Transformers'' dub, "Scepter of Command"), '''Matrix''' (second ''The Transformers'' dub)
*''Mandarin:'' '''Mǔtǐ''' (Taiwan, 母體, "Matrix" or "Mother Body"), '''Jǔzhèn''' (China, 矩阵, "Matrix"), '''Lǐngdǎo Mókuài''' (China, 领导模块, "Module of Leader")
*''Polish:'' '''Matryca Przywództwa''', '''Matryca Przywódcy''' (''War for Cybertron'' PC, "Matrix of Leadership")
*''Portuguese:'' '''Matriz da Liderança''' ("Matrix of Leadership")
*''Spanish'': '''Matriz de Liderazgo''' ("Matrix of Leadership")

==Footnotes==
[[File:DiamondStickerbookMatrixOfLight.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Not shown: Anything in the caption.]]
<references />

[[Category:Animated]]
[[Category:Armada]]
[[Category:Artifacts of the Primes]]
[[Category:Beast Wars]]
[[Category:Classics]]
[[Category:Crystals]]
[[Category:Cybertron franchise]]
[[Category:Energon franchise]]
[[Category:Generation 1 objects]]
[[Category:Generation 2]]
[[Category:Henkei! Henkei!]]
[[Category:Interjections]]
[[Category:Legends franchise]]
[[Category:MacGuffins]]
[[Category:Matrices]]
[[Category:Movie]]
[[Category:Prime]]
[[Category:Primus]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise (2001)]]
[[Category:Transformers (2010)]]
[[Category:Universe (2003)]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron]]
[[Category:Wings Universe]]

Matrix of Leadership

2018-07-20T17:14:38Z

Chris2119: /* The Transformers cartoon */

{{disambig3|Matrix}}
{{featured}}
{{suite}}
[[File:Matrix.jpg|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 [[Matrix holder|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]]s, serving as a means of access to the [[Transformer afterlife]], 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==
[[File:SecondGeneration prime gives buster matrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|The Matrix made its fictional debut when [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|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 the history of the brand, 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 "[[Primal 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 Sparks", very similar to the [[spark]]s that would later be introduced with ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''. The Matrix was not present in the earliest known incarnation of the movie; instead, upon his death, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] transferred his own Life Spark to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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.

[[File:FFOD4 passing the matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|[[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/Generation 1|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.

[[File:Sentinel prime lou.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|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 ''[[The Transformers Universe|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: Transformers (cartoon)|''Beast Machines'' animated series]] which made the next big addition to the growing mythology of the Matrix when it introduced the [[Transformer afterlife|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]] 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 Transformers Trilogy]]'' novels, which retroactively make sense now.
{{-}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
{{noteukonly}}
[[File:Prima.jpg|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|The Primal Scream}} Later named the "Creation Matrix", this divine gift took the form of a "[[Primal 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}}

[[File:WhoseLifeforce prime and longtooth.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb]]
''At one point during his tenure as Autobot leader, Optimus Prime came across [[Longtooth]] struggling to save the life of [[Clockwise|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?}}

[[File:DisintegratedCircuits buster uses matrix.jpg|thumb|275px]]
When the Transformers' war moved to [[Earth]] in [[1984]], current Decepticon leader [[Shockwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}

[[File: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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}

[[File:DarkCreation we would know more.jpg|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 (Marvel)|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}}

[[File:Creation Matrix 65.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.15|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?}} [[File:Thunderwing with matrix.jpg|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, 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}}

[[File:EdgeofExtinction-sothatallmaylive.jpg|left|thumb|275px|It cures what ails ya.]]
Thunderwing's body came to rest on the surface of a planet, where the Matrix began to heal his battered frame. {{storylink|Out of Time!}} Repairs took time, but once completed, the Matrix set out for Cybertron, {{storylink|The Void! (US)|The Void!}} 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)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]]. {{storylink|Still Life!}}
{{-}}

=====Marvel UK future timelines=====
[[File:MatrixCoconut1.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|"Will I become a great Autobot leader?" "All signs point to no."]]
In an alternate future timeline, a dying Optimus Prime passed the Matrix to Ultra Magnus in [[2006]]. {{storylink|The Planet-Eater!}} It was then used by [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}

[[File:MarvelUK-187.jpg|left|thumb|215px]]
Later in 2008, the [[Quintesson]]s invaded and conquered [[Autobot City (G1)|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}}

[[File:WhiteFire kup yanks matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}
{{-}}

====Marvel ''Generation 2'' comic====
[[File:G210 starscream warworld.jpg|left|thumb]]
When Optimus Prime was recreated by the [[Last Autobot]], the Matrix was also restored. {{storylink|End of the Road! (US)|End of the Road!}} {{storylink|Escalation!|Generation 2 #8 letters page}} Years later, it became a target for Megatron, who required it to bring to life an army of new warriors created by [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]. Besting Prime in battle, Megatron tore the Matrix from his body with an energy siphon, {{storylink|The Gathering Darkness}} and used it to give life to the [[Laser Rod]]s 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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}
{{-}}

====''Regeneration One''====
{{noterg1}}
With the Creation Matrix lost following the destruction of Unicron, the last reservoir of Matrix energy the Autobots had access to consisted of what traces still clung to the remains of Thunderwing, stored within the high-security [[Hall of Silence]]. When [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] was able to penetrate the Hall in [[2012]], acting commander [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]] anguished over whether or not to follow protocol and destroy the Hall, and the last of the Matrix's energy with it. He was convinced it was necessary by [[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]], but Soundwave was able to teleport out with Thunderwing just before the building blew. {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part One}} He delivered the remains to Bludgeon, who used the Matrix energy within them to animate his new army of self-regenerating [[Blitz Engine]]s. {{storylink|Destiny, Part One}}

After Primus revealed to Hot Rod that he still existed, and sent Hot Rod through a portal into [[Zero Space]], {{storylink|Destiny, Part Four}} the young Autobot found himself tumbling through time and space. He observed the battle with the Deathbringer, only to discover that the fragment of corrupted Matrix energy survived the battle. After observing two more time periods, Hot Rod found himself on a [[Junkion (planet)|planet of junk]], witnessing the final confrontation between [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]] and "Rodimus Prime"—an alternate version of himself! As Rodimus fell at the hands of Galvatron, the Matrix landed at the feet of Hot Rod, who reached for it...

... only to find himself back in his own time and place, on the deck of Bludgeon's ''[[Warworld]]'', having himself been transformed into Rodimus Prime! {{storylink|Less Than Zero}}

====''Unite Warriors''====
[[File:Baldigus Chapter Galvatron II.jpg|thumb|200px]]
[[Galvatron II]] stole the Creation Matrix in his native universe and carried it with him to another reality, where its power allowed him to endure as a ghost when his body was destroyed. Unfortunately, it also made him a target of [[Grand Scourge]], who, as a Matrix Hunter, could manhandle even ghosts if they were in possession of a Matrix. While Scourge was fighting Galvatron for the Creation Matrix, both of them were knocked into a rift in space-time by [[Megaempress]], and the Matrix disappeared along with them to places unknown. {{storylink|Baldigus Chapter, Part Two}}
{{-}}

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
[[File:OracleMatrix.jpg|225px|thumb|"This Ming...is a psy-cho."]]
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}}; [[File: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}}

[[File:Optimusg1passingthematrix.jpg|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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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 (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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.

[[File:Tftm1986e.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
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 (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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}}

[[File:Darkawakening matrix pain.jpg|225px|thumb|The Quintesson controlled Optimus Prime reacts in pain from 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 (episode)|Dark Awakening}}

[[File: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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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}}

[[File:ReturnOptimusPrime2 Matrix open.JPG|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====
[[File:Madman comic PrimeHotrod.jpg|left|upright=0.85|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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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 (planet)|Quintessa]], while Hot Rod, [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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}}
{{-}}

====''Wings Universe''====
{{Wingsnote}}
Nine million years ago, the Matrix of Leadership was being transported aboard the Autobot cargo hauler ''[[Van De Graaff]]'' when the ship was attacked by the Quintessons and crash-landed on the planet [[Beta-Nine]]. All aboard perished, but the Matrix was soon recovered by the crew of the ''[[Eight Track (G1)|Eight Track]]'', who safely delivered it back to Cybertron. There, the Matrix was passed into the care of Alpha Trion, who granted it to his new choice for Autobot leader, Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Wings of Honor}}

====''Deviations''====
After viewing the massive death toll at [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] claimed all the deceased had found peace in the Matrix. [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] slapped him upside the head for speaking blasphemy about the Matrix. When [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] arrived at Cybertron, he made a baragin with [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] that the newly minted Decepticon leader would destroy the Matrix in exchange for upgrades. ''En route'' to Cybertron, Hot Rod confessed to [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel]] that whenever he came near Optimus, he saw visions of the Prime dying as if the Matrix was trying to tell him something. Starscream, now "Megascream", then attacked but withdrew when Unicron devoured [[Moonbase One]]. The Autobots regrouped on [[Moonbase Two]] when Unicron began attacking Cybertron directly where Optimus Prime took a shuttle to the Chaos Bringer's shell, believing the Matrix could stop him. Still haunted by visions, Hot Rod secretly climbed aboard. Megascream was waiting for Optimus and combined with several of his troops to steal the Matrix. Hot Rod saved Prime from certain death and teleported him away before he opened the Matrix, destroying Unicron at the cost his own life and the talisman. In the aftermath, Optimus Prime saw a vision of [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] and the newest addition to the rank of great Autobots within the Matrix: Rodimus Prime. {{storylink|Transformers: Deviations}}

====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.}}

What would become known as the Matrix was a device created by Primacron to convert its wielders' accumulated experiences and wisdom into a powerful all-purpose energy. It was originally built into his assistant (also known as the "Oracle") who was then targeted and destroyed by Unicron when he realized the power of the Matrix was a threat to him. However, the Oracle's lifeforce persisted within the Matrix and fled to a dead world at the centre of the galaxy, which he 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. They also found and held onto the now empty shell of the Matrix, which absorbed their malevolent brand of wisdom and filled up with corrupted, evil energy. When the Quintessons were kicked off the planet by the robots that would become the Autobots, they claimed the Matrix and, repulsed by its contents, emptied it out again. The discarded energy would one day grow sentient and become [[Devil Z]]. {{storylink|Generation 1 cartoon timeline (Japan)|2007 TakaraTomy Transformers timeline}} {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Grand Maximus)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}}

=====''The Battle of the Star Gate''=====
[[File:StargateBattles matrix powered megatron.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Ka-me-ha-me-ha~!]]

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 (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]], who had fused himself with the space station known as the ''[[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 Battle of the Star Gate}}

=====''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|Transformers: 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...

[[File:DoublePrime matrix recharged.jpg|left|upright=1.45|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}}
{{-}}

=====''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 pack-in manga=====

[[File:G2StoryPageReconfigurationMatrix1.jpg|upright=1.4|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|Transformers: G-2 (story page)|G-2 Part 1}} A research team led by [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], [[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]], and [[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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|Transformers: 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|Transformers: 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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=====''Legends'' comic=====
Alpha Trion and the Matrix played a role in Hot Rod's conversion to a [[Micromaster]]. {{storylink|Transformers 2015 Tailgate/G1 Micron Chapter|Tailgate/G1 Micron Chapter}} During the rise of Galvatron II, Optimus Prime contacted the spirit of Alpha Trion within the Matrix and asked him to locate and bring back Ultra Magnus's spark. The process of resurrecting Magnus also brought Trion himself back in a diminutive body connected to the powers of the Matrix. {{storylink|LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue#Resurrection Chapter|Resurrection Chapter}} Scourge later captured Alpha Trion to draw upon the Matrix's energy, but it ended up overloading his [[transtector]], which exploded. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 26|Bonus Edition Vol. 26}}

===Start Your Own Decoy Collection===
[[File: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}}
{{-}}
===Beast Era===
====''Beast Wars'' cartoon====
[[File:OptimalSituation spark holder.jpg|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)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]], [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|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 (group)|Covenant]] witnessed the Matrix being torn by the [[Liege Maximo]] from the body of the enigmatic [[Primon]], its first holder. {{storylink|Covenant (story)|Covenant}}

[[File:Sparkholderprimevaldawn.jpg|left|upright=1.66|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.

[[File:Primevaldawn2 tarantulas matrix.jpg|215px|I'm not sure how I'll get this in my chest. Maybe I'll carry it with a sheath of some sort?|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 miscalculated: 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 ''Generation One'' continuity===
[[File: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|Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|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}}
[[File:TWW1 prime gets matrix.jpg|225px|thumb|150 points to Gryffindor!]]

The earliest known bearer of the Matrix was [[Primon|Alpha Prime]], who was succeeded by Guardian Prime, and then Sentinel Prime. {{storylink|Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|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}}
[[File:PrimeDirective2 spike replaces matrix.jpg|left|upright=1.66|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}}
[[File:G1 Vol.2 Issue6 2.jpg|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}}

====''The Transformers 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|Transformers: Hardwired|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|Transformers: Annihilation|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|Transformers: Fusion|Fusion}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
[[File: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}}
[[File:ArtofWar5 hawk serpentor matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]
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 the 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/Generation 1|angry god]]. {{storylink|Black Horizon, Part 1 of 2}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers/G.I. Joe''===
[[File: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}} 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 Generation 1 continuity===
{{ongoing}}
[[File:MTMTEannual solomus matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]
According to religious legend, the core of the Matrix was created from [[Solomus]], the god of wisdom, trapped in the form of a crystal by [[Mortilus]], the god of death. Following the defeat of Mortilus, Solomus managed to transform his crystal prison into the Matrix—a conduit for the energies of [[Primus]], who had himself transformed into the life-giving computer Vector Sigma. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}} {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (2): The God War|The God War}}

Whatever the truth of its origins, the Matrix is known to have been carried by the first generation of Cybertronians, the [[Knights of Cybertron]], when they left Cybertron to explore new worlds. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}} Legend says that they called it the "Creation Matrix" for the life-giving abilities they believed its connected to Vector Sigma granted it. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} When the Knights landed on the medical hub of [[Mederi]], the moon's telepathic field, intended to induce happiness in euthanasia patients so they could die in peace, inadvertently convinced them they had discovered a perfect mechanical world, which they dubbed "[[Cyberutopia]]." To share this discovery with their homeworld, they inscribed a map to Mederi inside the Matrix's crystal core, and sent it back to Cybertron (via currently-unknown means), hoping the rest of their kind would follow it and join them in eternal happiness. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}}

It was, perhaps, fortunate that this roadmap to a peaceful death was never discovered by contemporary Cybertronians; upon its return to Cybertron, the Matrix was used by [[Solus Prime]] in the construction of the mighty [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] sword, becoming the jewel on the hilt of the blade, which came to be wielded by [[Prima]]. {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}} The Matrix's integration into the Saber survived in the folklore of both Cybertron and [[Caminus]], {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}} with the latter culture regarding it as the "Matrix of Light". {{storylink|The Sum and Its Parts}} {{storylink|Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|Lagrange}} {{storylink|O Ship of State|Victorion profile in Revolution #3}} In [[Velocitron]]ian culture, the device remained known as the Creation Matrix. {{storylink|Primeless, Part 2}}

[[File:Tyrest and the matrix.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]

Those capable of bearing the Matrix within them are marked by certain [[Signs of Affinity|signs of affinity]]: having optics the same shade of "liberty blue" as the [[Matrix Flame]], finding ''[[Living metal#IDW Generation 1 continuity|sentio metallico]]'' wet to the touch, becoming giddy when standing on a [[hot spot]], and the ability to make a [[photonic crystal]] "snap" when placed in their chest. {{storylink|The Plotters' Club (Part 3): Journey's End|Journey's End}}

The cruel supremacist [[Nova Prime]], a former lieutenant of Prima's, is the earliest known bearer of the Matrix in recent history, though exactly how he came to carry it after Prima's death is unknown. Nova observed that the pulsewaves from Vector Sigma which generated new sparks from the substance of Cybertron and its moon were lessening in regularity, and, fearing (correctly) that they would one day stop entirely, tasked his scientists with studying the Matrix, hoping that the life-giving power the legends said it possessed could be tapped into. A team led by [[Tyrest (G1)|Tyrest]] set to the task, and succeeded in finding a way to generate sparks from the Matrix in abundance, producing a vast reservoir of them which were stockpiled and steadily rolled out into society as new bodies were constructed for them. The true origin of these "Matrixed" sparks was hidden from the general public, and a cover story was put into place that claimed they were created via "spark splicing", using the energy of an existing spark to ignite a new one. Transformers created in this manner were described as "constructed cold", while those born naturally were "forged". {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}}

Eventually, the Matrix would yield no more sparks, causing Tyrest and his team to believe it had run dry. In reality, one of the scientists had had an attack of conscience and stolen the Matrix, replacing it with a facsimile and hiding the real one away in the subterranean labyrinth of the [[Undergrid]]. {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}} Once Nova Prime left the planet aboard the [[Ark (G1)|Ark-1]] and vanished into the [[Benzuli Expanse]],<ref>Author Simon Furman implied in a [http://simonfurman.wordpress.com/2007/12/12/another-quick-qa/ December 2007 Q&A on his blog] and in the narration of ''[[Spotlight: Galvatron]]'' that in his original plans for this story, Nova ''did'' take the Matrix into the Dead Universe (Optimus Prime is never shown to carry it in Furman's stories), where it would have "become" something. Presumably, it was his intention for it to become the Darkness itself, which would not have been the separate entity it was in the finished story. 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.</ref> the fake Matrix was protected by the presumably-unwitting [[Primal Vanguard]], carried by its leader [[Delta Magnus]] during a period known as the [[Interregnum]] until a new bearer was chosen. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}} [[Nominus Prime]] is the earliest recorded Matrix-bearer after Nova, but whether he was his direct successor or not is unknown. It's also unclear whether Nominus Prime was aware that the Matrix was a fake. It's likely he did, since Nominus presumably falsified an "affinity for the Matrix" somehow in order to be named Prime.

Many Transformers embraced the religion surrounding the Matrix during the time of Nominus's reign, though with exceptions, such as police captain [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]], who remained sceptical of its touted divinity. Some Transformers would even "tattoo" an image of the Matrix on their bodies as evidence of their faith, such Orion's co-worker [[Springarm]] {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} and the trainee theoretician [[Skids (G1)|Skids]]. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}} Nominus's reign was a time of great civil unrest, however; a senator named [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]] hoped that a new Matrix-bearer might steer the planet off the path to self-destruction the corrupt [[Senate]] had placed it upon, and so began selecting promising young Cybertronians like [[Zeta Prime|Zeta]] and Orion Pax, befriending and rebuilding them with Matrix chambers in their chests. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

[[File:Autocracy9 pax finds matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
In order to take control of the Matrix's life-giving powers, the corrupt forces within the Senate arranged for an attack upon Nominus Prime, moving him into hiding so they could gain unfettered access to the talisman. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} Upon opening Nominus's chest, however, the Senate at last discovered that the Matrix had been replaced with a fake. Furious, they had Nominus killed, establishing a cover story that he had died of a rust infection, and announcing that their security head [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel]] was showing signs of Matrix affinity, paving the way for him to become Sentinel Prime. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} The fake Matrix was then transformed into a bomb as part of a plot to incriminate and round up the burgeoning Decepticon faction, {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} but a team led by Orion Pax uncovered the scheme, broke into the [[Primal Basilica]] and removed the Matrix-bomb, which Orion then detonated to win a battle with the [[Heavies]]. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}} It was not long after this that tensions exploded in the outbreak of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]; {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} {{storylink|The Transformers: Megatron Origin|Megatron Origin}} when reflecting back on this time, Kup distilled the reasons behind the outbreak of the conflict down to blaming the Matrix as the root cause. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}}

[[File:AHM7 megs rips out matrix.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]

Sentinel was succeeded by Zeta Prime, who much like his predecessor used a new fake Matrix (with lights installed!) to claim the title, and only those involved with Sentinel's scheme were aware of the truth. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}} {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 4: Dance Among the Shadows|Dance Among the Shadows}} Zeta was subsequently killed by [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]], who then hurled Orion Pax into the Undergrid, where Orion found the hiding place of the true Matrix. The damaged Pax was called out to by Matrix, which asked him to take hold of it. Upon doing so, he was linked to the sparks of every single Cybertronian alive and was overcome by the pain, fear and loneliness his people were experiencing. As power of the Matrix repaired his body, he realized that it was not only a symbol of leadership or creation, but a "Matrix of our sparks" in which [['Til all are one|all were one]]. With his newfound clarity and the Matrix in his chest, Orion declared his name to be Optimus Prime and set out to bring freedom to Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformation (issue)|Transformation}} Just thereafter, the Matrix guided him to the ruins of [[Nyon]] and allowed him to sense and awaken the dormant lifeforce of [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], who was in deep slumber below the city. {{storylink|Rise}}

Optimus Prime would later try to unleash the power of the Matrix in an attempt to vanquish the ancient monster [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], but was for some reason unable to open it. {{storylink|Annihilation}} He revealed his possession of the Matrix to [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] as proof of his Primehood, {{storylink|Primacy issue 1|Primacy #1}} and later used its cleansing powers to purge the influence of [[Pentius]]'s spark from Megatron's body. {{storylink|Primacy issue 4|Primacy #4}} At some point Prime took a sabbatical and left the Matrix in the care of [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]], whom it took to so well legend says it had to be surgically removed from his chest. {{storylink|Little Victories}}

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|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}}
[[File:IDW13 hotrod starscream matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
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|Altered Carbon}}
[[File:IDW19 matrix in chest.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67]]
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|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)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]], who provided a fuel cell for their ship. {{storylink|Space Opera Act 2: Out of the Silent Planet|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|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 experience 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}}
[[File:DoOP split matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|"Where'd you get the Matrix?" "We found it." "Found it? In Altihex? The Matrix is tropical!"]]
Upon the Autobots' return to Cybertron, they were faced with the threat of Galvatron, latest carrier of the Heart of Darkness, who combined it with Vector Sigma in order to allow D-Void to emerge into the universe through Cybertron. To prevent this, Optimus Prime opened the Matrix, which succeeded in stopping D-Void, but also left the Matrix spent, its crystal core darkened and split in two. {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis|Genesis}} With unrest growing between the Autobots and the unaligned Transformers in the process of returning to the planet, Prime brought the two halves of the Matrix to [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] for study, and the scientist discovered that the crystal was artificial, designed to [[photonic crystal|split in two]], and contained a map of the stars. [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] believed the map would lead the way to the long-lost Knights of Cybertron, and Rodimus elected to gather a crew and follow the path it charted, much to acting leader [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]]'s consternation. Optimus Prime gave each of them one of the Matrix-halves, before departing Cybertron himself in hopes of ending the civil unrest. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}} Optimus kept the shell of the Matrix and returned it to within his chest cavity. {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}}

When Rodimus set foot on [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], a billion sparks suddenly lit up on the moon's surface, something he credited to the Matrix half he was carrying. {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}} Having developed a belief that Cybertronians born from the Matrix were inherently evil, Tyrest used his knowledge of the talisman to construct the [[universal killswitch]]—a device capable of killing all cold constructed Transformers in existence by scrambling their unique sparkcode. Rodimus was able to put a stop to the process by hooking himself up to the machine and using his Matrix half to reinstate the code, but the crystal was shattered in the process. {{storylink|Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|This Calamitous Life}} He later scattered the dust of the Matrix on Luna 1 in honor of the sparks that were lost before they could be harvested. {{storylink|The Sound of Breaking Glass}} Optimus was...displeased when he learned of this. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}}

[[File:ForeverIsALongTimeComing-MatrixofLeadership.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67]]
The other half of the Matrix remained in Bumblebee's care until his death, after which it fell back into the hands of Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 2: Detonation Boulevard|Detonation Boulevard}} On his anniversary of becoming Prime, he returned to where he had found it all those years ago, hoping to find some of the same hope to press forward. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming (issue)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}} He later spoke with [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] about the Matrix where she made said if the Matrix chose him, it had a good reason. {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}} When contact with [[Caminus]] was established, Optimus was unwilling to let Starscream exploit it and all the other colonies. With Windblade at his side he passed through [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]'s [[Space bridge|spacebridge]] to the chamber of the [[Forgefire Parliament]] where Windblade proclaimed him to be a Prime. The [[Mistress of Flame]] demanded proof of this and Optimus revealed the glowing Matrix to all. The natives of the planet bowed in his presence and revered him as a god, equal to [[Primus]] and the [[Thirteen]] Primes. {{storylink|The Sum and Its Parts}} After being immobilized by [[Victorion]], Optimus recounted the history of the Matrix but stated he believed to simply be a piece of advanced technology not a mystical artifact while also expressing confusion over why it had flared on Caminus. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|Lagrange}}

[[File:ToWalkAmongTheChosen-Ore13Matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]
When Optimus had his chest ripped open by a mutated [[Baron Karza]], the Matrix shone through the damages. {{storylink|Valley Forge}}

Atop the [[Matterhorn]], waiting for [[Quintesson Cruiser|an alien spacecraft]], Optimus regarded the Matrix only for it to suddenly glow. An unimpressed [[Pyra Magna]] simply revealed that the Matrix was simply reacting to the nearby [[Ore-13]]. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}} When talking to [[Aileron]], Optimus again expressed that he did not believe the Matrix to be a divine artifact, calling it a "pulsewave generator". He noted however that could he use its symbolic importance to do good. Pyra Magna overheard his comment and was...displeased. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 4: Dance Among the Shadows|Dance Among the Shadows}} After the Autobots and Junkions had gone to war, Optimus realized the precariousness of the situation and revealed the Matrix to all, allowing the assembled species to begin a peaceful resolution to the conflict. {{storylink|New Cybertron End: Feel Safe Without Regrets|Feel Safe Without Regrets}}

When Optimus Prime was thrown into the [[Crystal City]] [[black hole]], Starscream amusedly observed the remains of the Matrix be shattered by the gravitational forces. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 4: The Hallowing|The Hallowing}}
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====The Functionist Universe====
[[File:ModesOfProduction-SixOfTwelveAndMatrix.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67]]
When the [[Functionist Council]] overthrew the [[Senate]], [[Twelve-of-Twelve]] obtained the false Matrix from Nominus and gave it to [[Six-of-Twelve]]. After obsessively studying the artifact, Six-of-Twelve came to believe Primus was speaking to him through it and integrated it into his head casing. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}}

When the council discovered that [[Rung (G1)|Rung]]'s true purpose was to produce [[photonic crystal]]s, Six-of-Twelve tried to tap the Matrix to reignite Nova Prime's old cold construction program, but discovered that the Matrix was a useless fake. Undaunted, he turned the Matrix into a weapon that was able to suspend Cybertronians in a field of agonizing energy. When Rodimus was caught in this field, he immediately knew that Six-of-Twelve's Matrix was a false due to being familiar with the energies of the genuine article. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}
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===''Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun'' manga===
[[File:Henkei11 matrix.jpg|thumb|left|IT BURNS!!]]

When the demented [[Galvatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Galvatron]] went on a rampage in [[Hoshinochō]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|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]], 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 manga|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}}
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===''Robot Heroes''===
[[File:Robotheroes primus and matrix.jpg|thumb|By the power of Grayskull! I AM OPTIMUS PRIME!]]
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}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
The Matrix was passed down to [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] by [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] before his death. {{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}} [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] later defeated Prime and stole the Matrix, which he bonded with his [[black hole]] spark and used to subjugate [[Primus]] himself, allowing him to shape Cybertron according to his wishes. {{storylink|Pax Megatronus}}

Atop the Dyson Sphere above the Sun, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] managed to rip the Matrix from Megatron before a reborn Optimus Prime hurled Megatron into the sun. The Decepticon managed to hold onto the Matrix however, taking it with him only for [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] to seize the Matrix for himself. It was then snatched by [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] beginning a game of "hot potato" before [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] managed to return it to Optimus. {{storylink|The War Never Ends}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
To save Earth from the [[Swarm (G2)|Swarm]], Optimus Prime sacrificed himself and the Matrix. {{storylink|Book of Logos}} With the talisman lost to the Transformers, [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] was instead felled by the [[Point One Percenter]]s, prompting [[Deluge (G2)|Deluge]] to genetically engineer more of them. {{storylink|The Inexorable March}}

===''Prime Wars Trilogy'' cartoons===
In the aftermath of the [[Combiner Wars (event)|Combiner Wars]], [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] no longer felt worthy to carry the Matrix of Leadership and instead decided to return it to the [[Chorus of the Primes]], reverting back to Hot Rod. {{storylink|Aftermath and Rebirth}} The [[Mistress of Flame]] criticized his decision, claiming they would need the Matrix to stop [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]'s rampage. {{storylink|Our Heroes Respond}} The Matrix projected a message to Optimus Prime, granting him a vision of future events, including the role the Matrix itself would play, prompting Optimus to head back towards the battlefield. {{storylink|The Fight Begins}} Learning from [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] that Rodimus had given up the Matrix, Optimus entered the Chorus chamber in the [[Primal Basilica]] and asked to take back the Matrix, which the Chorus obliged. {{storylink|Desperate Actions}} Guiding Perceptor to a secret exit below the Basilica, Optimus asked him to take the Matrix and get as far away as possible, lest Trypticon obtain it and use it's power to become unstoppable. {{storylink|Run for Our Lives}}

After running only a short while, the Matrix spoke to Perceptor and detailed its own plan; despite his apprehension, Perceptor did as it asked and tricked Trypticon into swallowing both himself and the Matrix. {{storylink|Consumed}} However, because the Matrix could only be used by its chosen wielder, Trypticon could not contain its power and ejected it and Perceptor from his body, along with the previously-swallowed [[Victorion]] and the [[Enigma of Combination]] and the ghost of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] possessing the Titan. Before Victorion could reclaim the Matrix and Enigma, they were surrounded by a barrier of flame as [[The Fallen|Megatronus]] revealed himself. After killing Optimus and issuing a series of vague threats, Megatronus grabbed the Matrix and the Enigma for himself and blasted off into the sky. {{storylink|All Things Must Pass}}

Megatronus later removed the Matrix from its storage and installed it and the Enigma into an unknown device in the [[Well of All Sparks|Well of Sparks]]. {{storylink|Without Warning}} Megatron eventually realized that Megatronus planned to use the Enigma to merge the Matrix's energy with the [[Requiem Blaster (Megatronus)|Requiem Blaster]], creating a weapon capable of killing every Transformer in the universe. Learning of Megatronus's use of the Matrix, the Unicron-controlled Rodimus Cron turned on him, declaring the Matrix must be destroyed. {{storylink|Consequences}} Megatronus returned to the [[Well of All Sparks|Well of Sparks]] and installed the Blaster into his doomsday weapon, beginning siphoning the life force from every Transformer's spark. Perceptor attempted to remove the Matrix and the other relics, but his efforts proved unsuccessful as Solus Prime began to return. {{storylink|Collision Course}} Unicron appeared, now fully in possession of Rodimus, and attempted to take the Matrix while Megatronus attempted to stop him. [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]], [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] and [[Grimlock G1)|Grimlock]] resumed attacking the machine until it finally released the relics, and the Matrix interfaced with Primal, creating a shield protecting them from Megatronus. Having been chosen by the Matrix as its new bearer, Primal placed it in his chest, transforming him into Optimal Optimus. {{storylink|Megatronus Unleashed}}

In the aftermath of Megatronus's and Unicron's defeats, Optimus Prime was resurrected thanks to his connection to the Matrix. He praised the Matrix's choice of Optimal as the new Prime, and agreed to guide him in his newfound role as the leader of Cybertron. {{storylink|Saga's End}}
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===2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon===
[[File:PowerToBurn prime matrix.jpg|left|225px|thumb|My chestplate glows for you, Hotrod]]
Simply known as just 'the Matrix',<ref>The Matrix is never once called the 'Matrix of Leadership' in the ''Robots in Disguise'' 2001 cartoon. Though, it was initially called Optimus's 'Cyber Matrix' in "[[The Test (episode)|The Test]]", it was never again referred to as such afterward. It would not be until Optimus's profile published in [[The Official Transformers Collectors' Club Magazine issue 1|The OTFCC Magazine issue 1]] that this Matrix would be formally referred to as the "Matrix of Leadership".</ref> [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] was chosen by Vector Sigma to be its bearer and lead the Autobots as Commander-in-Chief of Cybertron. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus: Forced Fusion!}} 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}}
[[File:TwoFaces magnus matrix.jpg|215px|thumb|I set my chestplate from studly to kill. Go nipple blasters!]]
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]] channeled 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 a version of the Matrix of Leadership, instead carrys an [[Energon Matrix]].}}
{{--}}

====''Cybertron'' comic====
[[File:OptimusPrimeRIDprimuschamber.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Oops! Sorry. I had a premature matrix-ejaculation....]]
Teleported into the midst of a battle in another universe, Prime and Magnus found themselves on Cybertron, where the evil [[Nemesis Prime (Universe)|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, as the ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon only implied it to be such but never actually made explicit use of it in this manner.}}
{{-}}

===Shell Game===
After the [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] of [[Viron 704.31 Epsilon]] was killed by [[Megazarak (Universe)|Megazarak]], once-leader of the [[Protection Team]] [[Defensor (OTFCC)|Hot Spot]] was passed the Matrix of Leadership by [[Ultra Trion]], becoming his team's combined form [[Defensor (OTFCC)|Defensor]] himself. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/07}} Megazarak sought the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]], believing that it would yield the location of [[Base Sigma]], the last outpost of Autobot resistance and the hiding place of the Matrix-bearer. He failed, being slightly delayed by Ultra Trion's final gambit. {{storylink|Shell Game}} Defensor would eventually triumph over Megazarak and begin to rebuild his world. However, the Matrix gave him visions of another Megazarak, one who had succeeded in conquering [[Viron 403.0 Beta|his own universe]] and spreading out to other universes. Defensor felt the duty to seek out this Megazarak and stop him as well. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/07}}

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===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====
[[File:Crisis Hot Shot Matrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|Optimus said that I could drive this up somewhere....]]
When [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]] threatened to destroy the Earth with the [[Hydra Cannon]], [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|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 (Armada)|Crisis}}

[[File:Miracle sparkplug and matrix.jpg‎|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''.

[[File:ArmadaMatrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|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====
[[File:MysteriousMercenary matrix generates blaster.jpg‎|thumb|Also, it does not go anywhere in the robot mode. Get outta here, blaster. No one likes your style.]]
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]] of 2020, when Prime was badly injured by [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|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====
[[File: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}}

[[File:Unfinished matrix glow prime.jpg‎|thumb|225px]]
After the Autobots had obtained the Cyber Planet Keys from [[Velocitron]], [[Animatron|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===
In [[Aurex 404.11 Kappa]], Vector Prime held the Matrix during Cybertron's [[Golden Age]]. He led the Autobots for many years until he received a higher calling from the [[Chronarchitect]] to lead the [[Time Warrior (AVP)|Time Warrior]]s in protecting space and time. Vector passed the Matrix on to his trusty lieutenant, [[Guardian Major]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/07/12}}

===''Galaxy Force'' manga===
[[File: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 (Armada)|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}}
{{-}}

===''Hot Shot's Bot Thoughts''===
During an interview with [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], Hot Shot proved it was easy to get hold of a Matrix by telling Optimus Prime that his shoes were untied, and then yonking the Matrix right out of his chest while he was distracted. The Matrix upgraded Hot Shot into Shotimus Prime. During a later interview with [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]], the exasperated interviewee grabbed the Matrix, reverting Shotimus back to Hot Shot, and then beat him with it. {{storylink|Hot Shot's Bot Thoughts}}
----

===Live-action film series===
[[File:Tf2009 mol.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|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 movie comic====
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====
[[File:ROTF Matrix crumbles.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|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.

[[File:TheFallen-ROTFMatrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|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 (Earth)|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|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}

{{Note|The [[Transformers: 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====
[[File:DOTM-SentinelOptimusMatrix.jpg|left|upright=1.66|thumb|You thought they forgot about it already, didn't you?]]
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.

Megatron later explained to Starscream that he wanted Prime to use the Matrix on Sentinel as he was vital to Megatrons plan for invasion. {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}}
{{-}}

----

===''Animated'' cartoon===
[[File:Tfanimated matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
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 Almanac II}}
{{-}}

----
===Aligned continuity family===
====''The Covenant of Primus''====
The Matrix was created by the Primes sometime after Unicron's defeat and before the War of the Primes though according to [[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] it was a very different device at its creation then in the present day. It formed the hilt of the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] but [[Prima]] surrendered it to [[Primus]] in the [[Core]] after the Primes fought.

During the [[Age of Rust]], Alpha Trion went to [[Vector Sigma]] to try and retrieve the Matrix in hopes that it could reignite the fire of Cybertronian society. The supercomputer denied his request saying the time was not right but it gave him the [[Badge of Vector Prime]].

When [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] had poisoned the core of Cybertron with [[Dark Energon]], Primus inserted a portion of his Spark into the Matrix and gave it to [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] to carry and guard. This had the effect of restoring Optimus' memories of his earlier life among the [[Thirteen]]. {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}}

====Aligned novels====
[[File: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 (WFC)|Orion Pax]] met the charismatic gladiator named [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]]. Unbeknownst to Orion, Megatron plotted revolution, and, desiring the Matrix's power to fuel his ambition, had [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] send [[Rumble (WFC)|Rumble]] and [[Frenzy (WFC)|Frenzy]] to search for the Matrix in [[Crystal City]] to no avail.

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 (polity)|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|Exodus}}
{{-}}

====''Prime'' cartoon====
[[File:OneShallRise3-unleash.jpg|thumb|275px|Care Bear Stare!]]
During the Great War, the core of Cybertron, which contained the Spark of the Transformers' creator Primus, became poisoned with [[Dark Energon]]. Orion Pax journeyed there hoping to cure the god, but instead was given the Matrix of Leadership by Primus himself, becoming [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus]], the last of the Primes. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 3}}

When the Autobots discovered that Unicron's spark dwelt at the center of the Earth, Optimus Prime gambled that the Matrix held the power to destroy the dark god. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 2}} Led to the core of the planet by [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]], Prime emptied the full power of the Matrix into Unicron's spark. [[File:OrionPax3 Matrix of Leadership.jpg|thumb|left|275px]] The chaos-bringer responded by possessing Megatron in an attempt to stop him, but the Matrix generated a shield to protect Prime so that the mission could be completed, and Unicron was successfully returned to stasis. Unfortunately, in draining the Matrix of its energy, Optimus lost not merely the wisdom of the Primes, but all of his own memories since becoming a Prime.{{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 3}} Fortunately, Optimus had left a solution to this problem in the hands of the Autobot's human ally [[Jack Darby]]: the [[Key to Vector Sigma]], which would allow the Matrix to be refilled, and Optimus's memory restored, via the mega-computer Vector Sigma on Cybertron. {{storylink|Orion Pax, Part 1}} Jack and [[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] travelled to Cybertron to load the key, then returned to Earth in the midst of a battle between Orion and Megatron. Though the archivist was hesitant at first, Jack convinced him that he was in fact worthy and used the key to restore the Matrix's power and Optimus's memories. {{Storylink|Orion Pax, Part 3}}

When Optimus Prime lay dying after the destruction of the Autobot base, he told [[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]] that the Matrix would choose someone else to be leader, whom he believed to be Smokescreen. When Optimus did die, his chest ejected the Matrix as it began to search for a successor, but Smokescreen simply put the [[Forge of Solus Prime]] in Optimus's hand which, combined with the Matrix, revived and reformatted Optimus at the cost of draining the Forge of all its power. {{storylink|Rebellion (Prime)|Rebellion}}

Optimus used the Matrix of Leadership to guide him to the location of the AllSpark. While engaging the army of Terrorcon Predacons on the Nemesis, Smokescreen finally confessed to Bumblebee that he was the original choice for new leader. To safeguard the [[AllSpark]] from [[Unicron/Aligned|Unicron]], Optimus merged it with the Matrix. Unfortunately that meant when he restored the AllSpark to its rightful place, both he and the Matrix had to be sacrificed to do so, ending the age of Primes. {{storylink|Predacons Rising (Prime)|Predacons Rising}}
{{-}}

====''Rescue Bots'' cartoon====
[[File:OddBotOut Optimus Matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Optimus located an [[Liquefier|Iacon relic]] that was threatening [[Griffin Rock]], and used the Matrix to shut it down. {{storylink|Odd Bot Out}}
{{-}}

----

===''Knights of Unicron''===
[[File:Dark Side of the Matrix album cover.jpg|thumb|left|200px]]

The Matrix of Leadership served as inspiration for the legendary rock band the [[Knights of Unicron (band)|Knights of Unicron]], immortalized on the cover of their studio album "Dark Side of the Matrix". {{storylink|Knights of Unicron (band)|Knights of Unicron}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===''The Transformers'' (PS2)===
[[File:TFPS2 matrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1]]
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''===
[[File:Netjetmatrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
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: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''. {{storylink|Transformers Battle Universe}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers: War for Cybertron'' (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)===
[[File:WFC Matrix of Leadership.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|How are you supposed to hold it up and release its cleansing flame if the handles aren't even attached to the sphere?]]
Though [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|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}}
{{--}}

===''Angry Birds Transformers''===
{{storylink|Angry Birds Transformers (mobile game)|Angry Birds Transformers}}
{{charstubgame|Does it do anything, game-play wise? How about adding to the note how much it costs?}}

===''Transformers: Devastation''===
In the past, [[Nova Prime]] bore the Matrix of Leadership but parted with the artifact when he left Cybertron aboard the ''[[Proudstar]]''. When Optimus Prime explored the scuttled ''Proudstar'' millions of years later, the Matrix reacted to [[Unicron/Generation 1|a dark presence]] in the ship, shutting down for a second. As the Autobots ventured deeper into the ship, [[Teletraan Alpha]] used the Matrix to see their future. As the Autobots neared the ship's core and discovered the same dark presence, the Matrix allowed Optimus to learn that the entity responsible for corrupting Nova was searching and destroying its way to Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformers: Devastation}}

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

==Notes==
[[File:G1toon matrix strings.jpg|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. If an Autobot is not brave, strong, or wise enough, the program would either drive him insane or lobotomise him.<ref name="BC10">[http://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc10/bc10bb.html griffin's 2010 BotCon report]</ref> Although the "ten millennia" bit made it into the comic, the rest of it was never realized. (Budiansky also left a note that the Matrix isn't the only way of making new Transformers, which was never touched on until ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (franchise)|Generation 2]]''.)
*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 and Swindle]]" has empty Generation 1 Matrix containers for sale, as seen in an illustration from the prose story "[[I, Lowtech]]".
*The Matrix of Leadership [[:File: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]]".

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Matrix''' (マトリクス ''Matorikusu''), '''Leader no Matrix''' (''Revenge'', リーダーのマトリクス, "Matrix of Leader")
*''Arabic:'' '''Masfufat Alqiada''' (مصفوفة القيادة, "Command Matrix")
*''English:'' '''Power Pack''' ([[Omni Productions]] dub)
*''French'': '''Matrice de Commandement''' ("Command Matrix")
*''German:'' '''Hauptprogramm''' ("Core Program", used once in fiction), '''Matrix der Führerschaft''' ("Matrix of Leadership")
*''Indonesian:'' '''Matriks Kepemimpinan''' ( "Matrix of Leadership")
*''Italian:'' '''Matrice''' ("Matrix"), '''Scettro del Comando''' (first ''The Transformers'' dub, "Scepter of Command"), '''Matrix''' (second ''The Transformers'' dub)
*''Mandarin:'' '''Mǔtǐ''' (Taiwan, 母體, "Matrix" or "Mother Body"), '''Jǔzhèn''' (China, 矩阵, "Matrix"), '''Lǐngdǎo Mókuài''' (China, 领导模块, "Module of Leader")
*''Polish:'' '''Matryca Przywództwa''', '''Matryca Przywódcy''' (''War for Cybertron'' PC, "Matrix of Leadership")
*''Portuguese:'' '''Matriz da Liderança''' ("Matrix of Leadership")
*''Spanish'': '''Matriz de Liderazgo''' ("Matrix of Leadership")

==Footnotes==
[[File:DiamondStickerbookMatrixOfLight.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Not shown: Anything in the caption.]]
<references />

[[Category:Animated]]
[[Category:Armada]]
[[Category:Artifacts of the Primes]]
[[Category:Beast Wars]]
[[Category:Classics]]
[[Category:Crystals]]
[[Category:Cybertron franchise]]
[[Category:Energon franchise]]
[[Category:Generation 1 objects]]
[[Category:Generation 2]]
[[Category:Henkei! Henkei!]]
[[Category:Interjections]]
[[Category:Legends franchise]]
[[Category:MacGuffins]]
[[Category:Matrices]]
[[Category:Movie]]
[[Category:Prime]]
[[Category:Primus]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise (2001)]]
[[Category:Transformers (2010)]]
[[Category:Universe (2003)]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron]]
[[Category:Wings Universe]]

Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber

2018-06-12T22:08:34Z

Chris2119:

:''The Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber is a device from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[File:G1 cartoon Plasma Energy Chamber key.JPG|right|upright=1.67|thumb|The key appeared to be able to change shape.]]
The '''Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber''' is the only thing which can unlock the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]]. As such, it could be the key to the end of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]... or a [[Golden Age|miracle]].

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
After the [[Quintesson]]s were overthrown, the Key was placed in the stewardship of the [[Prime (rank)|leader]] of the [[Autobot]]s, which he was to guard with his life. However, [[Vector Sigma]] caused [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] to learn of the Key, and that it could allow him to use the Plasma Energy Chamber to destroy Cybertron. He organized an assault on [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], where [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] had stored the Key. The battle allowed [[Pounce]] and [[Wingspan]] to get in and steal the key. Heading for Cybertron, the Decepticons launched an attack, while [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] was sent to the Plasma Energy Chamber. However, Galvatron hadn't told Scourge of his plan, and Scourge jumped the gun a little. He placed the Key in the activation slot, causing [[Plasma energy]] to unleash and nearly kill him. [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] and [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] managed to remove the Key, and hid it with [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]]. Unfortunately, the Autobot shuttle was hurled to [[Nebulos]] by a stray blast of plasma energy. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}}

After the [[Decepticon]]s allied with the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]], they were able to steal the Key from Brainstorm. Scourge held it, but [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] took it from Scourge. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}} [[Zarak (G1)|Lord Zarak]], however, used [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] to grab Arcee and Daniel, and take the Key to Cybertron. Setting the console on a timer, Galvatron gave his men ten minutes to escape, at which point the Key would open the Plasma Energy Chamber, and the plasma energy would spread out toward the [[Sun]]. However, that had been Vector Sigma's plan all along. The excess solar energy was used to restore Cybertron's energy reserves, bringing about a second golden age. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

What became of the Key is unknown. Three hundred years after the [[Great War]], the [[Oracle]] gave Optimus Primal the ability to activate the chamber without the need for the key.

===3H comics===
The Quintesson [[Al-Badur]] explained the Plasma Energy Chamber as a conduit intended to directly channel the power of [[Primus]], one of the Quintessons' first attempts to control the imprisoned god. The results... [[Trans-Organic|didn't turn out so well]]. {{storylink|Disclosure}}

[[Category:Generation 1 objects]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon technology]]
[[Category:MacGuffins]]
[[Category:Universe (2003)]]

Battle of Autobot City

2018-05-27T16:46:39Z

Chris2119: /* Aftermath */

{{disambig2|the battle from ''The Transformers: The Movie''|the ''[[Transformers Legends (mobile game)|Legends]]'' event|The Battle for Autobot City}}
:''The Battle of Autobot City is a battle from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[File:BattleAutobotCity2.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|In ur base, killin ur doods.]]
The '''Battle of Autobot City''' refers to the protracted battle between the [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s at [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], the base of the Autobots on [[Earth]], taking place in the year 2005 in one reality. By its end, the leaders of both the Autobot and Decepticon forces were dead or dying, numerous combatants on both sides had been killed, and events were set in motion that would lead to the creation of [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] and, eventually, the passing of the [[Matrix of Leadership]].

{{bigquote|Let the slaughter begin!|[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]|''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''}}

==Prelude==
The Decepticons had succeeded in driving the Autobot army off [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. However, the Autobots retained staging grounds on Cybertron's two moons and were in the final phase of preparations for their counterassault. All that remained was the transport of a final shipment of [[Energon cube]]s from Autobot City's production facilities. [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] dispatched a shuttle to Earth for this purpose, interestingly crewed by most of his command staff.

[[File:Tftm1986a.jpg|left|thumb|The future of pratfall technology: the Exploding Banana Peel.]]
Unfortunately for the Autobots, the Decepticon spy [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] got wind of the Autobots' plans and warned [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]], ruler of the Decepticons. In a move reminiscent of the Decepticons' boarding of the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] on their initial arrival on Earth, Megatron led a sizeable contingent of Decepticons against the small Autobot crew on the shuttle. Heavily outnumbered and outmatched, the Autobots were overwhelmed.

[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] was the first to fall, killed by [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] using Megatron's gun mode. [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] was next to die after being shot by the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicon]] [[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]]. [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] and [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] then fell to Starscream's marksmanship, though Ironhide clung onto life just long enough to be executed by Megatron's [[fusion cannon]].

Having taken control of the shuttle, Megatron's plan became clear: the shuttle was to be used as a "Trojan Horse", conveying the Decepticons for a surprise attack on Autobot City itself, which Megatron seemed to think would vanquish the Autobots forever. On the other hand, Megatron was never really known for his tactical genius.

{{note|There ''is'' a reason Megatron thought this—the original script makes it clear that Autobot City is, in fact, a massive energy-gathering facility, so if the Decepticons destroy this, the Autobots will be without an energy supply, pretty much crippling their war effort.}}

==The Battle==
===First Phase===
Megatron had calculated correctly in that the Autobot shuttle would not set off Autobot City's automated defences even if carrying a Decepticon crew. It was sheer chance that the young human [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] noted there was a hole in the shuttle and alerted the young Autobot [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]], who investigated further and quickly learned the truth of the situation. Hot Rod opened fire on the shuttle, damaging it to the point that it exploded and went into an uncontrolled crash. His actions also allowed other nearby Autobots, including [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]], to realize something was wrong.

With the shuttle's destruction imminent and the Decepticons' cover blown, Megatron ordered his troops to debark and attack immediately. A number of Decepticons transformed to [[alternate mode]], commenced attacks on Autobot City and attempted to pick off those Autobots caught outside.

[[File:AutobotCitytransforms.jpg|thumb|Launch Black Tiger squadron, and prepare the Wave Motion Gun for firing...oh, sorry, wrong anime.]]
The Autobots, though surprised and outnumbered, quickly rallied to the defense. [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]], commanding the City, ordered [[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]] to contact Optimus Prime on [[Moonbase One]] to obtain reinforcements, [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] to [[Transformation|transform]] Autobot City into its battle mode, and [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] to assist in alerting Autobots to the attack.

Springer and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] delayed transforming the city for as long as possible to try and allow Hot Rod and Kup to get back inside. Eventually running out of time, they began the transformation, offering the city (and its Autobot defenders) greater defensive capability to meet the Decepticon assault. It also had the added bonus of maiming Starscream's right foot.

Kup and Hot Rod, speeding toward the city, saw that the two [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]] [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] and [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] were eating through one of the doors, but Kickback was taken across a chasm by the retracting bridge. Using the Insecticon as a springboard, Hot Rod and Kup were able to clear the gap and enter the city (crushing Kickback's head and ramming Shrapnel out of the way in the process) moments before the armored doors closed.

Meanwhile, Blaster did manage to make brief contact with the Cybertronian Autobots, but the signal was cut off by the intervention of [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] and the four henchmen he had with him: [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]], [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] and [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]. However, Blaster evened the odds by putting his own quartet of counterparts into the fight: [[Ramhorn (G1)|Ramhorn]], [[Steeljaw (G1)|Steeljaw]], [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]], and [[Eject (G1)|Eject]].

Though unable to penetrate Autobot City's defences by conventional means, the Decepticons succeeded in mowing down the Autobot soldiers, such as [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] and [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]]. Realizing that a frontal assault was futile, Megatron ordered the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] to merge into the [[Combiner|gestalt]] [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]. The giant robot quickly made his presence felt, penetrating the first line of defences by literally tearing them open, and shattering one attempt by Springer, Kup, Hot Rod and Arcee to put him out of action. But even so, the two sides were so evenly matched that the battle continued over the course of the remainder of that day and throughout the night.

===Second Phase===
{{quote|One shall stand, one shall fall.|Optimus Prime on seeing Megatron|[[The Transformers: The Movie|TFTM]]}}

[[File:Tftm1986b.jpg|left|thumb|"Will you stop being such a baby about this? Just hold on a second. I can see the splinter. It's right ... there ..."]]
However, the City could not hold out forever; by the next morning Autobot defences had been broken by relentless Decepticon assaults, and the likelihood of a mass slaughter was high. It was at this crucial point that Autobot reinforcements commanded by Optimus Prime arrived. The [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] were deployed to attack Devastator, with some success, but could not halt the Decepticons' advance into Autobot City.

That task fell to Optimus Prime, who made a heroic solo frontal assault against the massed firepower of the most elite members of the Decepticon army. In tractor-trailer mode, he mowed down Thrust and Shrapnel and nearly Blitzwing, before transforming to [[robot mode]] and using his [[ion blaster]] to singlehandedly blast the Decepticons Ramjet, Thundercracker, Soundwave, Kickback, and Dirge, fighting his way to engage Megatron in what he assured the Decepticon would be their final battle.

[[File:Battleofautobotcity.jpg|thumb|"Megatron is responsible for [[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|Prime's]] [[death]], not [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|me]]!"]]
The battle between the two leaders was brief and intense, but resulted in a seeming-victory for Prime. But Megatron had spotted a gun a matter of yards away from him. Stalling for time with false pleas for mercy, Megatron crawled towards the gun while Optimus pointed out the irony of Megatron, who was "without mercy," now pleaing for it. Before Optimus could take his shot, Hot Rod intervened as Megatron grabbed the gun, trying to overpower the Decepticon leader. But his efforts backfired, as Megatron overpowered the young Autobot, used him as a shield and shot Optimus repeatedly. Tossing aside Hot Rod, Megatron prepared to finish off his longtime nemesis. Prime, however, managed to gather his remaining strength to deal a [[wikipedia:Punch (combat)|haymaker]] powerful enough to knock Megatron off a ledge and into a fall that would prove almost-lethal.

Seeing their leader conclusively defeated in this way broke the Decepticons spirit. Starscream, taking interim command, ordered [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] to transform and ferry the Decepticons away in a general retreat. Unsurprisingly, Starscream appeared ready to leave Megatron to die, but Soundwave carried him to Astrotrain. Gathering up their wounded, the Decepticons fled, leaving the Autobots to similarly gather up their own casualties.

==Aftermath==
[[File:Optimusg1passingthematrix.jpg|left|thumb|"One of you must take the Matrix." "Not it!" "I wasn't talking to you, Blurr."]]
Large numbers of Autobots and Decepticons had either been terminated or wounded as a result of the battle. Windcharger, Wheeljack, and [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] were among the casualties, and even the mighty Optimus Prime soon succumbed to his wounds and expired, but not before passing the Matrix of Leadership to Ultra Magnus as his successor, unaware that the Matrix had chosen Hot Rod to become the new [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]].

[[File:Tftm1986c.jpg|thumb|Galvatron, or just plain old TRON?]]
The wounded Decepticons—including Megatron, [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]], [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]], and the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]]—were thrown out of Astrotrain to lighten the load, where they would later be found by the Chaos-bringer [[Unicron]] and reshaped into [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]], [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]], [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], and the [[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]].

The [[Unicron War]] would be the next major Transformer battle, its events spinning directly out of the Battle of Autobot City. By 2006 Autobot City had been fully repaired.

{{-}}

==Known participants==
{{featuredcharacters|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]]
*[[Springer (G1)|Springer]]
*[[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]]
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]]
*[[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]]
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]]
*[[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]]
**[[Eject (G1)|Eject]]
**[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]]
**[[Steeljaw (G1)|Steeljaw]]
**[[Ramhorn (G1)|Ramhorn]]
*[[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]]
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]]
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]]†
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]]
*[[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]]
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]†
*[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]]†
*[[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]]*
*[[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]]*
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]]†*
*[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]]*
*[[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]]†*
*[[Superion (G1)|Superion]]*
*[[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]]*
*[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]*
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]]†
*[[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]]
*[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]]
*[[Slag (G1)|Slag]]
*[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]]
*[[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]]
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]]
*[[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]]†
*[[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]]†
*[[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]]†
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]]†
{{!}}}
|c2=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]
*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]]
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]]
**[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]]
**[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]]
**[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]]
**[[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]
**[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]]
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]]†
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]]†
*[[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]~
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]]†
*[[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]]†
*[[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]]†
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]]
*[[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]]
*[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]]
*[[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]]
*[[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]]
*[[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]]
*[[Lugnut (TF 2010)|Lugnut]]*
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]
**[[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]]
**[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]]
**[[Hook (G1)|Hook]]
**[[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]]
**[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]]
**[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]]
*[[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]*
*[[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]*
{{!}}}
|nonumbering=true
}}
:<nowiki>*</nowiki> Retroactively included in the battle in [[Rodimus vs. Cyclonus|other]] [[The Gathering Storm|forms of]] [[A Flash Forward|media]].
:~ Shockwave only appeared in one shot, which may have been an [[animation error]].
:† Those killed in the battle, and from battle wounds.

==Notes==
[[File:TFTM-SideswipeRedAlertTracks.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
*The battle is "act 1" of ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]].''
*It's unclear how Megatron managed to beat the Autobot shuttle to Earth's [[solar system]].
*Storyboards that have found their way to the public over the years show additional scenes that were scripted and planned, but (in all probability) never animated:
**At the beginning of the shuttle segment, the Autobot shuttle would have been shown dodging through an asteroid storm, thus explaining why they didn't at least detect the approaching Decepticons. Some of this concept made it into the Marvel Comics [[The Planet-Eater!|adaptation of the movie]].
**Hot Rod's adventures outside the city would have been a bit longer and more dramatic. A short scene would also show him getting reprimanded by Ultra Magnus inside the city itself.
**[[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] would have stealthily blasted [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] before getting shot at by Megatron (given the emphasis on body-count, and the fact that Mirage never appears after the movie, it's likely this would have killed him).
**[[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]], [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]], [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], and Ultra Magnus would have finally brought down Devastator with a missile barrage. The Constructicons would subsequently [[:File:TFTM-RedAlertDown.jpg|kill Red Alert]] as the Autobots retreated.
***In 2012, the [[Transformers Collectors' Club]] comic "[[A Flash Forward]]" directly adapted this scene into the ''[[Transformers: Wings Universe|Wings Universe]]'', a continuity nearly identical to the Generation 1 cartoon.
**Several Decepticons would have dogpiled Optimus Prime at the start of his confrontation with Megatron, only for him to trounce them all soundly.
***Just before this, Blitzwing would have knocked Optimus Prime's gun out of his hands. In the final version of the movie, Optimus's gun just seems to have disappeared for no reason when he finally finds Megatron.
**[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker's]] lifeless body would have been seen as the Decepticons retreated.
*Alternate footage of the opening stage of the battle was part of a [[The Transformers: The Movie promo|promotional trailer]] assembled early in the movie's production.
[[File:ShockwaveBattleAutobotcity.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Logic dictates that I put in a token appearance.]]
*Counting characters who were meant to be there, were seen outside, or were killed, the Autobots had Ultra Magnus, Hot Rod, Kup, Blurr, Springer, Arcee, Blaster, Perceptor, Grapple, Huffer, Trailbreaker, Bluestreak, Windcharger, Wheeljack, Smokescreen, Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Mirage and 4 cassettes - more than enough to counter Megatron, six Seekers, three Insecticons, six Constructicons, Astrotrain, Blitzwing, Soundwave and 4 cassettes from inside a fortified position. Being 'outnumbered' or at a 'distinct tactical deficiency' assumes either that the Autobot cast has been trimmed down or the Decepticons brought along a ton of generics. Though the Insecticons ''do'' have the ability to clone themselves, so maybe they just brought a large horde of disposable Insecticons?
*The events of "[[Five Faces of Darkness]]" imply that [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] was present at the battle, but unable to transform to [[robot mode]] because his [[transformation cog]] was damaged. Some fiction suggests that Metroplex is part of (or the same thing as) Autobot City. (All sorts of [[fanon]] ensues from placing these two facts in close proximity. Use caution.)
*The fight between Optimus Prime and Megatron was remade into the commercial of [[Transformers: Universe (2008 franchise)|2008 Universe]] toyline, with [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI]] models based on their ''[[The Transformers: Masterpiece|Masterpiece]]'' toys.
*The "[[Rodimus vs. Cyclonus]]" comic book [[retcon]]s [[Lugnut (TF 2010)|Lugnut]] and [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] into the battle, as well as canonically confirming Tracks as a participant in the battle.
*Okay, we're going to be honest here. The whole point of this battle is [[To sell toys|to off your favorite characters in violent ways, then replace them with newbies who we've never seen before]].

[[Category:Battles]]
[[Category:Generation 1 history]]

Cybertron (planet)

2018-05-21T20:34:23Z

Chris2119: /* The Headmasters cartoon */

{{disambig3|Cybertron}}{{suite}}
[[File:Cybertronplanet.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|The planet Cybertron, as seen in the original series. Not pictured: Realistically sized buildings.]]

'''Cybertron''' is the home planet of the [[Transformer]]s and (usually) the body of their creator, [[Primus]]. Cybertron is ([[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|almost]] [[Transformers: Universe (comic)|always]]) a shining metal, technological world; a planet of towering future cities without end and vast metallic plains, spiraling metal mountains and bottomless neon-lit chasms. Battling over control of Cybertron and its resources is frequently the motivation for, or origin of, the Transformers' epic wars. Beyond these facts much about Cybertron can differ between continuities, see individual entries below.

{{bigquote|This world is older than you can imagine. It has sailed the starscape...tending budding galaxies...forever a buffer to [[Unicron|the approaching darkness]]. And now its fate...is in your hands.|A voice to [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]|[[The War Within issue 6|''The War Within'' #6]]}}

==Generation 1 / Beast Era==
{{picsneeded}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
[[File:Marvel issue 1 Cybertron.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Just another Alpha Centauri sunrise.]]
Cybertron was the adopted form of the lord of the light gods [[Primus]], who trapped himself and [[Unicron]] in barren asteroids which they then shaped into their physical forms. While Unicron turned his prison into a transformable, humanoid body, Primus reformed himself into a vast Saturn-sized machine-world, home for a [[Transformer|robotic race]] he created to fight Unicron with similar [[transformation]] abilities. {{storylink|The Primal Scream}}

{{note|A Saturn-sized metal world like Cybertron is an impossibility under our current understanding of the laws of physics. Then again it was created by and infused with the power of a “space god” so, well, if anyone’s gonna bend those laws…}}

It has been suggested that the [[Demon]]s in the darkness were the world’s original inhabitants, locked away beneath the world by Primus, though this remains unconfirmed.
Aside from the Transformers, the world seems to possess the mechanical equivalent of plant and animal life, though the exact nature and origin of this lower "life" has never been examined in detail. This version of Cybertron has rough hewn [[Manganese Mountains|mountain ranges]] and great [[Rust Sea|seas]]. (Though of note these seas are not made of water. Liquid water is so rare on Cybertron as to be thought a mythical substance. Alternative substances these bodies are filled with are mercury {{storylink|The Smelting Pool!}} and liquid helium {{storylink|The Primal Scream}}/{{storylink|Letters page (Marvel UK)|Darn 'n' Blast #303}}) The atmosphere and temperature on most of the surface is such that human life can survive unaided.

In its earliest recorded era Cybertron orbited [[Alpha Centauri]], and the Transformers were at peace. But the avaricious [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] sought to rule the planet and turn it into a "cosmic dreadnought". This plan would find a kind of fruition, but not what Megatron intended: The cataclysmic forces of his [[Cybertronian Civil Wars|wars]] eventually sent the planet careening through deep space.

Its aimless journey brought it near [[Earth]] four million years ago. When our [[asteroid belt]] threatened it, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] led an expedition to clear the way. They were successful, but they were ambushed by [[Decepticon]]s led by Megatron, and their battle ended with a crash-landing on Earth that left all the combatants deactivated. Their compatriots on Cybertron mourned their loss but continued the wars. {{storylink|The Transformers (issue)|The Transformers}}

{{locationstub}}

[[File:Edgeofextinction-someonefight.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|Don't worry, if Unicron eats this Cybertron, Marvel can xerox another copy of the model sheet.]]

In the modern day, Prime and Megatron's troops were reactivated, and they eventually found their way back to Cybertron. The world had changed little in the intervening eons, but the return of the old legends helped bring about the fulfillment of the planet's destiny. Deep below the surface, a small group of the once-lost Autobots fought the [[Mayhem Attack Squad]] in a chamber containing the giant head of Primus. A stray shot hit the god's face, and he awoke with a scream that alerted Unicron to his location. When the Chaos Bringer arrived, the Autobots and Decepticons united against him, but the battle still wreaked havoc on the planet. Unicron was defeated by the opening of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], which destroyed both deities. {{storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}} In the aftermath, Cybertron suffered storms and earthquakes that many believed would tear the world apart. {{storylink|Exodus!}} The remaining Transformers evacuated, but Cybertron was ultimately saved by a [[Neo-Knights|band of humans]] who awakened the [[Last Autobot]]. {{storylink|The Last Autobot?}} He was, it turned out, a safeguard put in place by Primus to guide the planet's reconstruction after the god's “death.” Cybertron was healed and for a time there was peace.

====Significant locations====
*Cybertron has two moons. {{storylink|The Bridge to Nowhere!}}
*Cybertron was historically organized into city-states, the largest and most important being [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]. Others have included [[Kalis]], [[Tarn (polity)|Tarn]], and [[Vos (polity)|Vos]]. Within the province of [[Polyhex]] was the Decepticon stronghold called [[Darkmount (Cybertron)|Darkmount]].
*Beneath the [[Mutant (G1)|Mutant]] filled sewers, the [[Demon|Demons in the Darkness]] were locked away.
*At the center of this Cybertron there was a room with a huge head of Primus on the wall where he slept and was watched over by the [[Keeper (Transformer)|Keeper]]. Somewhere within the depths of Cybertron could also be found a chamber containing the [[Last Autobot]].
{{-}}

====''Regeneration One''====
Before creating the Cybertronians, [[Primus]] created the [[Demon]]s as a first run. The creatures' free will however caused them to turn each other and Primus attempt to wipe the slate clean. Though most perished, a few survived beneath Cybertron's surface, unnoticed by the Cybertronians who took their place. {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part Four}}

Prior to the Great War, Cybertron had trade relations with other mechanical planets. {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 1}}

As Cybertron reconstructed itself following Unicron's defeat, the [[Dark Matrix (G1)|Dark Matrix]] entity merged itself with the planet infecting every crack and becoming one with it as Primus had done before. {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 5}} After the end of the Great War, the [[Pax Cybertronia]] was signed which brought peace to the planet. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 1}}

After 21 years of relative peace however, the planet was again thrown into the fire by the machinations of the Dark Matrix entity, {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 5}} marked by the destruction of the Last Autobot. {{storylink|Counterpoint}} After learning that Megatron still lived and was wreaking havoc on Earth, Optimus left the planet under [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod's]] leadership. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 3}} [[Scorponok (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Scorponok]] planned to use a [[Gene Key]] to turn all on the planet into Decepticons.
{{storylink|Natural Selection, Part One}} Though the Decepticon was halted, his scheme had caused great damage to Cybertron, {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part Five}} with many turning themselves in or asking to be prosecuted for war crimes. {{storylink|Destiny, Part One}} Cybertron however was soon invaded by Bludgeon's ''[[Warworld]]'', {{storylink|Destiny, Part Three}} which soon turned into all out war before the [[Wrecker]]s destroyed the ship. {{storylink|Destiny, Part Five}}

As Cybertron began (another) cleanup, rogue senator, [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] arrived, {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 1}} and offerred to integrate Cybertron into the [[Hub (G2)|Hub Network]]. {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 2}} The Autobots soon went to war with the Hub and while they were offworld, the Dark Matrix struck out on Cybertron, turning everyone on the planet into a [[Shadow-leech|shadow-leeches]]. Hot Rod, now Rodimus Prime, eventually realized the Dark Matrix creature had been posing as Primus and confronted it in [[Zero Space]]. There, Optimus Prime revealed to the entity's plan to Rodimus and that the only way to prevent it was to sever their own reality from the multiverse which Rodimus reluctantly did. Cut off from Primus, Cybertron and its people became mortal, with the latter abandoning the planet in the aftermath. When Rodimus Prime returned to Cybertron after untold eons to finally die, the last vestiges of his Spark energy flowed to one of the stasis pods inhabited by the Demons and [[Botanica (BM)|a new breed of Cybertronian]] emerged to tame the planet. {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 5}}

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
[[File:Cybertron-mtmte-actioncards1.jpg|left|thumb|And that, my friends, is when you say "Look out below!"]]
Cybertron appeared [[Scale|considerably smaller than the planet Earth]]. Entirely metallic on the surface, some of the [[Organic core|lowest levels]] of Cybertron consisted of rock and dirt, suggesting an organic beginning to the planet. Its gravity was light enough that [[human]]s were able to traverse the surface without any trouble, and it possessed a breathable atmosphere. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2}} [[Water]], or at least a substance resembling it, was in evidence on the planet—lakes and rivers have been shown to exist, albeit sparingly. {{storylink|Grimlock's New Brain}} {{storylink|War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn}} Many levels below the surface was the energy-furnace, the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]], {{storylink|The Rebirth}} and at the heart of the planet was the spherical mega-computer, [[Vector Sigma]]. {{storylink|The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1}}

[[File:G1 Cybertron's galaxy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|LOOK HOW LOUD I HAVE TO YELL!]]
Cybertron was orbited by at least three unnamed moons, but its own place in the cosmos appears unfixed—in [[1984]], it was clearly shown to exist outside of the [[Milky Way]]; on the cusp of an entirely different galaxy, in fact. {{storylink|Roll for It}} Nine million years prior, however, [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] and [[Jetfire (G1)|Skyfire]] had been able to fly from their home planet to Earth under their own power, {{storylink|Fire in the Sky}} suggesting that it may drift freely through space, and had been passing through the Sol System at that point, going on to drift out of the galaxy over the ensuing millennia.

If the assorted colourful exclamations made by numerous Transformers are anything to go by, Cybertron also played host to [[:Category:Cybertronic wildlife|a vast array of fauna]], including but not limited to: [[Antroid]]s, [[bolt-bat]]s, [[cyber-duck]]s, [[dynametal duck]]s, [[electro-toad]]s, [[glitch mouse|glitch mice]], [[guinea pigatron]]s, [[helio-hamster]]s, [[hydro-weasel]]s, [[photovoltaic pussycat]]s, [[pidgeonoid]]s, [[retrorat]]s, [[robo-rat]]s, [[sheepacron]]s, [[titanium moosebot]]s, [[turbofox]]es, [[zap-mouse|zap-mice]] and [[robotopossum]]s.

Twelve million years ago, the [[Quintesson]]s used Cybertron as a factory to manufacture their robot creations. Notably, the origins of the planet are never explicitly stated—the Quintessons may have built it, terraformed an organic world, or colonized an existing metal planet. Whatever the case, after a million years, the Quintessons were forced to abandon Cybertron when their robots evolved true sentience and feelings, and knew they were being used as slaves, rebelling in the [[Cybertronian Civil Wars|First Cybertronian War]]. The second war was soon to come, however, when the robots splintered into two factions, the peace-loving [[Autobot]]s and the war-mongering [[Decepticon]]s—and began fighting amongst themselves. With the Autobots' innovation of transformation, they were able to win—or at least stalemate—the war, and a period of peace descended on Cybertron, which shone with a healthy golden glow, distinguishing the period as the "[[Golden Age]]". {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}}

Eventually, however, Decepticons adopted transformation as well, along with [[robot mode]] flight, and around nine million years ago, the creation of the Decepticon [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] re-ignited the war on Cybertron. Megatron rallied like-minded individuals to his cause, and brainwashed others into his service, quickly killing the current Autobot leader in a strike on one of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]'s outer cities. With this act kept out of the public knowledge, rumors circulated as Autobot machinesmith [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] worked diligently on a new process to reconstruct Autobots into battle-hardy configurations for the war he knew was coming. That war finally erupted in full when Megatron fatally injured a naive young dock worker, Orion Pax, and Alpha Trion made him the first subject of his new process, reconstructing him into [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], who would lead the Autobots in the [[Great War (G1)|Third Cybertronian War]]. {{storylink|War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn}}

[[File:Cybertron-mtmte-actioncards2.jpg|thumb]]
After a further five million years of war, during which many Autobots fled the planet, the Decepticons had acquired a large hold on the planet, with the majority of it under their control. The main Autobot force continued to operate from the capital city-state of Iacon, but Cybertron's energy levels were depleted to a dangerous low, necessitating a space mission to locate a new planet with new sources of energy that the Transformers could harness. Optimus Prime led his best and brightest on the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], but they were pursued by Megatron's elite troops, and all were stranded in stasis on Earth for four million years. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1}}

[[File:Cybertron-mtmte-actioncards3.jpg|left|thumb|The white zone is for blasting Autobots only.]]
In the ensuing four million years, [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], who Megatron had left in charge as guardian of the planet, maintained the Decepticon hold on the planet, though he was unaware of the continued guerrilla efforts of [[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]]'s [[Female Autobots]] to undermine him as they raided his energy supplies. {{storylink|The Search for Alpha Trion}} Eventually, Cybertron's energy level dipped so low as to put the planet in immediate, mortal danger. Reestablishing contact with Megatron, who had awoken with the other Transformers on Earth in the year 1984, Shockwave co-designed the [[space bridge]], an intergalactic transport system that could transport [[energon]] [[energon cube|cubes]] from Earth to Cybertron, abating the planet's impending doom. {{storylink|Transport to Oblivion (episode)|Transport to Oblivion}}

[[File:UltimateDoom2 Cybertron Earth.JPG|thumb|I see a Cybertron a-risin'. I see trouble on the way.]]
Cybertron's place in the universe was forcibly altered in 1984 when the Decepticons constructed a colossal space bridge that actually transported the entire planet into the [[Solar System|Sol system]], into Earth's orbit,{{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 1}} where its gravity wreaked havoc with the planet's natural balance, unleashing an unending torrent of energy created by natural disasters. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 2}} The energy acquired re-energized Cybertron enough to put it out of the danger zone, but the planet was soon knocked out of orbit by a massive energon explosion, and set drifting off through the solar system. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 3}} At this closer range, Cybertron remained easily accessed throughout 1985 at least, with the Autobots now able to reach it by conventional transportation ([[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]), rather than having to constantly hijack use of the spacebridge. {{storylink|The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1}}

By the Earth year 2005, Cybertron had exited the Sol system, but, remaining within the Milky Way, was still relatively easily accessible by shuttlecraft from Earth. By this time, the Decepticon forces had succeeded in conquering the entire planet, forcing all the Autobots off it, leading them to relocate to [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] on Earth, and to two staging ground bases on two of [[Moonbase One|Cybertron]]'s [[Moonbase Two|moons]]. It was at this time that Cybertron came under attack from the world eater, [[Unicron]], who consumed the two moonbases and assaulted Cybertron itself, only to be destroyed by the power of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Autobot Matrix of Leadership]]. His deactivated, decapitated head fell into orbit around Cybertron, a grisly new satellite to replace those he had destroyed. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}} With the Decepticon forces in disarray after Unicron's attack, [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] and his troops succeeded in driving their foes off Cybertron, reclaiming the planet for the Autobots, and restoring and re-energizing much of the planet by 2006, {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}} when the world came under frequent attacks from the returning Quintessons, whose previously-secret history with the Transformers came to light. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5}}

In the year 2007, Cybertron was once again wrenched from its place in space when [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] and the Decepticons invaded the planet and constructed a massive [[planetary engine]] that propelled Cybertron back into Earth orbit once more. Once there, Galvatron opened the Plasma Energy Chamber, intending for the energy release to drive the Sun supernova, consuming Earth, Cybertron and everything else in one final destructive blow. [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] and the Autobots' [[Nebulan]] allies were able to stop this plan by reversing the rocket engine, which drained off the excess solar energy and channeled it straight into Vector Sigma, which used it to fully re-energize Cybertron. Its rich golden hue restored, Cybertron entered a new Golden Age. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
{{note|The events of the Generation 1 cartoon occur in Japanese cartoon continuity as detailed above, except that the events of "The Rebirth" do not occur. Japanese continuity inserts several new stories into the timeline, including an extensive 2007 retcon that revealed the complicated origins of Cybertron in this continuity.}}

=====''Kiss Players''=====
[[File:OracleMatrix.jpg|left|thumb|"It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree."]]
12 billion years ago, the ancient genius [[Primacron]] and his assistant, the [[Oracle (G1)|Oracle]] were attacked by Primacron's renegade creation Unicron. The Oracle's body was destroyed, but his essence, encased within a protective shell, fled to a dead planet at the center of the universe, which he proceeded to transform into a verdant, living world.

In time, the Quintessons discovered the Oracle's world and invaded, taking control of the Oracle and his powers. The Oracle was transformed by the Quintessons into the mega-computer [[Vector Sigma]] and also obtained the shell that had held his essence, which went on to become the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. Using the power of the [[Key to Vector Sigma]], the Quintessons transformed the Oracle's green planet into the metallic Cybertron. {{storylink|Generation 1 cartoon timeline (Japan)|2007 TakaraTomy Transformers timeline}}
{{-}}

=====''The Headmasters'' cartoon=====
In 2011, it was discovered that the release of the energy of the Matrix by Optimus Prime to cure the [[Hate Plague]] had much more far-reaching consequences that anyone suspected. With the Matrix's energy depleted, Vector Sigma's balance—permanently tilted in favor of the Autobots by the existence of the Matrix—was reset to neutrality, allowing the Decepticons, bolstered by their new [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] troops, to freely invade Cybertron. Eventually, this forced Optimus Prime to sacrifice his life by merging with Vector Sigma in order to stabilize the computer before it destroyed Cybertron from within. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}}

Not long thereafter, Vector Sigma developed a new metal alloy dubbed [[Cybertonuron]], which enticed Galvatron into another raid on the planet. However, the Decepticon Headmaster leader, [[Scorponok (G1)|Zarak]], feared the power that Galvatron would gain from the alloy, and so, to prevent either him or the Autobots from obtaining it, arranged for his Headmasters to plant bombs at the core of the planet, within Vector Sigma's chamber. The Autobots were unable to stop the countdown and the bombs detonated, tearing Cybertron apart and leaving it a charred uninhabitable ruin drifting in space. {{Storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1}} {{Storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2}}

What became of the remains of Cybertron is currently unknown.

=====''Unite Warriors''=====
Having survived the devastation of Cybertron, Vector Sigma granted the Autobot [[Disaster Relief Team]] new bodies and powers so that they could rebuild the planet. By 2021, Cybertron had been made inhabitable once more. {{storylink|Sky Reign Chapter}} That same year, Unicron's head returned and attempted to turn the planet into his new body, but was repelled. {{storylink|Baldigus Chapter, Part Two}}

=====Nucleon Quest Super Convoy bio=====
Some time beyond the year 2036, Cybertron began to suffer from a major energy shortage. In order to re-energize the struggling planet, Optimus Prime upgraded became a [[Powermaster]] and ventured into a black hole to obtain the super-energy [[Nucleon (substance)|nucleon]], which was used to restore Cybertron to its former glory. {{storylink|Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#NucleonQuestSuperConvoy|Nucleon Quest Super Convoy bio}}

=====''Beast Wars Neo'' cartoon=====
Tens of thousands of years into the future, in the era of the [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]], Cybertron was reigned over by Vector Sigma itself, who handed down orders through the ruling body known as the [[Convoy Council]]. {{storylink|Big Convoy, Move Out}} When Unicron attempted to engineer his rebirth following his destruction eons beforehand, his [[Angolmois|lifeforce]] possessed Vector Sigma and briefly transformed Cybertron into his new body before he was defeated by [[Big Convoy]].

{{locationstub}}

====''Wings Universe''====
{{Wingsnote}}
The second [[Golden Age]] of Cybertron came to an end in [[2013]] when [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] initiated the [[Machine Wars (event)|Machine Wars]]. However, the Machine Wars ended in a matter of weeks and inadvertently brought about the signing of the [[Pax Cybertronia]]. {{storylink|Termination}} {{storylink|A Common Foe}}

In [[2984]], the [[Star Seeker]]s arrived from a temporal journey through [[transwarp]] to enact Captain [[Cannonball (G1)|Cannonball]]'s newest scheme: plunder Cybertron of all its energon using Unicron's head when Cybertron would be at peace and have high levels of energy. The pirates attracted the attention of Cybertron's elite defenders, the [[Cybertronian Knight]]s, but during the clash aboard Unicron's head, [[Cheetor (BW)|Alpha Trizer]] gave Cannonball a crushing revelation: his scheme was doomed to fail from the start because the Cybertron he was attacking was technorganic and ''no longer ran on energon'' (as a result of the [[Great Reformatting]]). {{storylink|Hoist the Flag}}

===''A Birth of Planet Saybertron''===
Cybertron was originally a mere satellite, built to ensure peace between a coalition of planets. But the powerful computer within the satellite proved too advanced for it to remain in its initial form; using electromagnetic forces to draw in other satellites, it used their materials to build itself up. This ultimately led to a malfunction of the computer, and the civilizations that had built it found themselves no longer able to access it. Though the united civilizations tried to stop the satellite, it kept on growing and becoming more sophisticated, eventually plundering all nearby resources and leaving its galactic neighborhood bare of resources. Ages passed and Cybertron became a planet proper, with metallic mountains and oceans of oil. From it sprung primitive machines, which evolved into Transformers over the millennia. {{storylink|A Birth of Planet Saybertron}}

===''Beast Wars'' cartoon continuity===
====''Beast Wars'' cartoon====
[[File:CybertronBW Transwarp.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb|Sunny with an 80% chance of lens flares. If you're traveling, watch out for transwarp waves.]]
[[File:CybertronBW SolarSystem.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|At least it's finally trying to keep an orbit.]]
Three hundred years after the end of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], the Autobots and Decepticons had faded into obscurity while their descendants, the [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]], dominated Cybertron. The planet had found a star to orbit (eccentrically, but still), which reflected the relative stability that had come upon Cybertronian culture at last. The Maximals, inheriting the [[Pax Cybertronia]], ruled over the Predacons in a time of uneasy truce. Peacetime diversions had sprung up, such as the [[Six Lasers Over Cybertron]] amusement park. Or for more "mature" amusement, one could find joints where the servers went around without their torso plates on.

{{-}}

====''Beast Machines'' cartoon====
[[File:CybertronBM Season1.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb|Amidst Megatron's spark collection, a little pocket of validation blossomed.]]
The tranquility of that age would come to a rapid end when [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] returned from the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]] and set a [[Transformation virus|virus]] loose on the world that incapacitated the population and paved the way for [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon]] rule.

As [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] and his Maximals fought back, several facts about the planet became apparent. It had at least two moons, one with big gashes in its surface. The Maximal city of [[Cybertropolis]] had been built over the ruins of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] and was home to billions of Transformers. And this was just the latest example of an eons-old trend of vertical expansion. In fleeing from the Vehicons, the Maximals found many layers of abandoned civilization, all the way down to the rocky crust of the world. There, fossils existed of bats, dinosaurs, and birds (which were well-preserved enough to harbor DNA). A few plants, such as trees and flowers, were seen growing underground or even occasionally breaking through to the surface. And stranger yet, drilling through the rock revealed the planet's green, oozing "organic core".

[[File:CybertronBM Season2.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Times were so dark, the sun had a shadow.]]
Another previously-unseen feature of the planet—but one that went unremarked upon—was its heavy cloud cover. Across dimensions and timeframes, Cybertron has been conspicuously devoid of visible weather systems. But when the Maximals returned from the Beast Wars, their view from orbit showed extensive, unmistakable clouds (which were also seen from the ground). This wouldn't last forever, though: By the time [[Botanica (BM)|Botanica]] arrived, the clouds had vanished again. The only major planetary event in the meantime was the doomsday energy storm that occurred when Primal and Megatron pitted the [[Plasma energy|Plasma Energy Chamber]] against the [[Key to Vector Sigma]]. However, it is unclear whether this actually caused any meteorological effects.

Finding a chamber of fossils, [[Nightscream (BM)|Nightscream]] drew the conclusion that Cybertron's animals had been driven extinct by colonizing robots, a theory mildly supported by Primal's conviction that a balance between organic and mechanical needed to be "restored" to the planet. In the end, Primal's dream became a reality when he applied his "[[reformatting]]" power to the organic core and converted the entire world to a [[technorganic]] state.
{{-}}

====3H comics====
According to the [[Al-Badur]], the Quintessons had once served Unicron, and in so doing, they found the "dimensional landing" of Primus: Cybertron. Rather than alert their master, however, they decided to capitalize on their discovery for their own purposes. They attempted to subvert Primus's creations via the Plasma Energy Chamber, but the [[Trans-Organic|results]] were disastrous. Success came when they placed a shell program over [[Vector Sigma]] and channeled the divine power into creating a subservient race. That race would one day rebel and become the Transformers, but the Quintessons' influence remained in the form of the Vector Sigma shell program—otherwise known as the Oracle. Primus could nonetheless sometimes send messages from Vector Sigma through the Oracle, but it is difficult to tell the difference. {{storylink|Disclosure}}

A week after the [[Great Reformatting]], the Quintessons invaded Cybertron, hoping the sudden transition to technorganic would leave the Transformers disoriented. Instead, the population of Cybertron successfully repelled the invaders. {{storylink|The Wreckers: Finale Part 1}} {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

One year later, this reality's Cybertron later became became the home base of the [[Child of Primus|Children of Primus]] in the multiverse-spanning [[Universe War]] against Unicron. {{storylink|Abduction}} {{storylink|Escape (Universe)|Escape}} {{storylink|Homecoming (Universe)|Homecoming}} Unfortunately during the war, Cybertron fell victim to the "Culling", where Unicron's [[Minion of Unicron (Universe)|Minion]]s cut a swath across the planet to feed the sparks of the victims to the Chaos-Bringer, though the invaders were ultimately repelled. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 9|Beast Wars 10th Anniversary Optimus Primal's bio}} The Children continued the war, and eventually emerged victorious. {{storylink|Revelations Part 2}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
{{locationstub}}

{{note|The only continuity in which Cybertron has been mapped to some extent. A map of one hemisphere of the planet appears in the DK Transformers Ultimate Guide.}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
The [[Quintesson]]s created both [[Trans-Organic|transorganics]] and the gladiator and slave races that would evolve into the Decepticons and Autobots. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 1|The Art of War #1}}

Following Optimus Prime and Megatron's crash on Earth, Cybertron was conquered by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]. The planet was also the location of [[Teletran 3]], which accidentally transported members of [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] and [[Cobra]] to the alien world. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 1|G.I. Joe vs the Transformers #1}}

Shockwave was eventually defeated and the Decepticons were driven back to the [[Gladiator Zone]], allowing Cybertron to be at peace for the first time in millennia. A [[warp gate]] was set up between Cybertron and [[Area 52 (G1)|Area 52]] on Earth. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 1|The Art of War #1}} The peace was interrupted when [[Serpentor|Serpent O.R.]] warped to Cybertron and took control of the Decepticons, but he was eventually defeated. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 5|The Art of War #5}} Notable locations on Cybertron included [[Capitol City]] and the large junkyards where the [[cannibalizer]]s would reside. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 3|The Art of War #3}}

After the death of Serpent O.R., Cybertron was peaceful yet again, and seemingly stayed that way. {{storylink|Black Horizon, Part 1 of 2}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
Cybertron was created by Primus five billion years prior to the present day. {{storylink|Crisis Intervention}}

The Transformers' homeworld is located around {{w|Lambda Scorpii|Shaula}} which can be seen from Earth as the second brightest object in the constellation {{w|Scorpius}} located in its tail.<ref>[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?t=705 Simon Furman Q&A]</ref> Cybertron is the only known world with naturally occurring [[energon]]. {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1}} This resource occurs deep beneath the surface and was initially mined by hand, before the mines became automated, and the labourers lost their livelihoods. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 1|Megatron Origin #1}} Atypically compared to most worlds in the galaxy, Cybertron perfected interstellar travel prior to achieving a unified world peace. {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 3|Shining Armor #3}}

Cybertron's origins are shrouded in mystery, and honestly somewhat conflicting. Rung and Nightbeat, traversing the inside of the hollow planet of [[Necroworld]], found it to be the mold inside which Cybertron was created. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}} However, it is also suggested that Cybertron could have originally been an organic world with organic lifeforms, and that they deliberately made the evolutionary jump to cyborgs and, eventually, to fully mechanical lifeforms. {{storylink|Spotlight: Nightbeat}} In fact, the world of [[Gorlam Prime]], a massive experiment by [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] in evolutionary science, gradually changed into a metal world full of transforming robots. The inhabitants forgot its old name and existence, and renamed it... Cybertron. This raises interesting questions about the planet's origin... {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}}

According to Cybertronian legend, the first inhabitants of the planet were the [[Knights of Cybertron]], who left ten million years ago. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}} The [[Thirteen]] governed the planet for some time after their departure, {{storylink|Origin Myths}} but eventually tensions between the [[Thirteen Tribes]] boiled over and sparked the [[First Cybertronian Civil War]], {{storylink|Heavy}} {{storylink|The Crucible}} which ended in the ascension of [[Nova Prime]] and a grand reordering of the planet's society under [[Functionism|Functionist]] doctrine. {{storylink|The Crucible}} Around this time, thirteen [[Titan (IDW)|Titan]]s departed Cybertron to colonize other worlds, including [[Caminus]], [[Eukaris]], [[Velocitron]], and [[Devisiun]]. {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}} Following the end of war, [[Nova Prime]] took power and created [[Functionism]] to ensure order. {{storylink|The Crucible}}

Cybertron originally had two moons, [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]] and [[Moonbase Two|Luna 2]], but Luna 1 disappeared over six million years ago. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}} Antebellum Cybertron was seen as a backwater placed by [[alien]] civilizations owing to the cultural stagnation Functionism brought to the planet. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} Four million years ago, the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] began, which tore the planet asunder as Autobots and Deceptions waged war for control of the planet and its resources.

Some 1500 years ago, the constant fighting and the stripping of Cybertron's natural resources by both Autobot and Decepticon to feed their age-long war led to a terrible [[Thunderwing (G1)|cataclysm]] that rendered Cybertron uninhabitable. With no atmosphere, Cybertron's surface was unprotected from cosmic radiation and was wracked by plasma storms. Transformers had to divert energy to their personal shielding in order to remain on the surface for short periods; the surface was presumably immediately lethal for humans. Gravity was also weaker than normal and Transformers needed [[magno-tread]]s to walk on the surface. The Transformer race abandoned the planet (save for occasional scientific surveys from orbit) and began conducting its conflict across the galaxy.

According to Autobot command directives, landing on Cybertron was forbidden. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 1|Stormbringer #1}} However, with the resurrection (and subsequent defeat) of Thunderwing, this directive was lifted due to the unusual circumstances. {{storylink|Spotlight: Galvatron}}

Around the year 1997, the wise [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] returned to Cybertron with a plan to revive the planet. Through years of work, he began to repair Cybertron's atmosphere and rid it of radiation, though the planet remained dead and resourceless. {{storylink|Any Old Iron}}

Many years later, the Decepticons created the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]] on Cybertron, which had the side effect of also creating thousands of mindless monsters dubbed the [[Insecticon swarm]] whom they left to their own devices on the planet. After the Decepticons defeated the Autobots on Earth, they sent their battered enemies through a portal to Cybertron, where the swarm would finish them off. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} By this time, Alpha Trion's hard work had eliminated much of the radiation and electromagnetic storms, so the Autobots survived their stay on the planet with only minor pains. {{storylink|Any Old Iron}} Later, the Autobot starship ''[[Trion]]'' was shot down over Cybertron, and its crew joined the rest of the survivors on its surface. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 5|All Hail Megatron #5}} They were eventually rescued by [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10|All Hail Megatron #10}}

Most of the [[Insecticon swarm]] survived their brushes with the Autobots and stayed on Cybertron, which interfered with Alpha Trion's plans. In order to make Cybertron habitable again, he first needed to get rid of the swarm, and thus he revived [[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] to take care of them. {{storylink|Ironing Out the Details}} Trion then left again, with only Ironhide, [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] and a few hundred swarm members remaining on the planet. {{storylink|Any Old Iron}} Shortly thereafter, [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]] made Cybertron his first line of defense against [[D-Void]], a malevolent entity set on devouring all Transformers. {{storylink|Heart of Darkness issue 4|Heart of Darkness #4}} By the time his army arrived on the planet, the swarm had seemingly been exterminated. The arrival of Galvatron caused Ironhide and Sunstreaker to flee on [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]]'s newly arrived ship, after which they traveled to Earth to alert the rest of the Autobots to Galvatron's occupation of their swarm-free and (almost) habitable planet. {{storylink|Space Opera Act 2: Out of the Silent Planet|Out of the Silent Planet}}

Led by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]], the Autobots on Earth returned to Cybertron and confronted Galvatron. {{storylink|Chaos Part One: Lamentations|Lamentations}} During the battle, Galvatron inserted his [[Darkness (G1)|Heart of Darkness]] into the remains of Vector Sigma in the belief that this would stop D-Void from entering the universe. In reality, the Heart of Darkness was an aspect of D-Void, and doing so would allow the entity to turn the dead planet of Cybertron into a giant portal to the Dead Universe. To stop this from happening, Optimus Prime opened the [[Matrix of Leadership]] into Vector Sigma. {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis|Genesis}} By a process that nobody could explain with science, this restarted Vector Sigma and caused the entire planet to be "reset" into an primordial, alive state. Everything old on its surface was wiped out, geographical landmarks and Cybertronian cities alike, and the only Transformer-made structure remaining was the crashed remains of [[Kimia Facility]]. Simultaneously, Cybertron itself sent out a signal to all Cybertronians out in space, telling them to come home. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}} The only structures that were spared this reformatting were [[Crystal City]], resurrected by [[Ore-14]], {{storylink|Shockwaves}} and [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]] which had been buried beneath the new layer of metal. {{storylink|The Last Autobot}}

With Cybertron restored, most Decepticons captured and thousands of neutrals returning to repopulate their planet, the war was considered over. When the planet came alive again, it began transmitting energy to its two moons, reviving Luna 2 as well. Since Luna 1 was missing, its share of the energy ended up in the atmosphere instead, supercharging it and causing "ball lighting" effects to strike the planet's surface until [[Wheeljack (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Wheeljack]] got a temporary satellite in orbit. {{storylink|Stick Together}} After a brief revival of the Autobot/Decepticon war, the neutrals kicked the two factions out of Iacon and assumed control of the planet under the leadership of Starscream, {{storylink|Heavy Is the Head}} who established the [[Republic of Cybertron]]. {{storylink|The Sound of Breaking Glass}}

Soon afterwards, [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]] attempted his ultimate plan of collapsing all of space/time into a singularity to fuel Cybertron for eternity which would have made the planet the sole thing that existed, had ever existed or would exist before he was slain by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]. {{storylink|Dark Cybertron (IDW)|Dark Cybertron}}

After Metroplex returned to Cybertron, {{storylink|Dark Cybertron (IDW)|Dark Cybertron}} he located five of Cybertron's lost thirteen colonies which led to the formation of the [[Council of Worlds]]. {{storylink|The Transformers: Windblade}} When [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] returned, he was...displeased at the state of Cybertron believing it to now be a world built on compromise. {{storylink|The Last Autobot}} He planned to send a through an army of undead Titans to wipe the slate clean. {{storylink|Ten to Midnight}} Though he perished, {{storylink|Last Light}} the Titans arrived at Cybertron and began destroying all in sight, {{storylink|Ping}} before they were stopped by the unusual alliance of [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] and [[Vigilem]]. {{storylink|Rubicon}}

Repeated Cybertronian incursions on Earth had convinced [[Joe Colton]] that one day Cybertron would destroy Earth so he decided to strike first and wipe Cybertron off the cosmic map. {{storylink|First Strike issue 1|First Strike #1}} He planned to do so by having [[Shazraella]] enerchange the [[Talisman (G1)|Talisman]], who's energy was anathema to Cybertronians, with Cybertron's very core thereby poisoning all the [[energon]] on the planet. The [[Solstar Order]] detected the [[Dire Wraith]] genetics within the [[Red Shadows]] and sent four of its [[Space Knight]]s to place Cybertron under quarantine, preventing the Carcerians from teleporting in reinforcements. {{storylink|First Strike issue 2|First Strike #2}}

As [[Joe Colton]]'s cabal descended deeper into Cybertron, they set up various traps to stall any pursuers. When they approached the core, Cybertron detected their presence and unleashed bolts of lightning to defend itself before it unleashed the Insecticon swarm. Both methods failed to stop the alien hostiles however but Optimus Prime and [[Scarlett]]'s team had managed to reach the core before Colton, barring his path. {{storylink|First Strike issue 5|First Strike #5}}

The heroes, soon bolstered by the situational allies of the Council of Worlds, proved an ample defense which prompted Kreiger to forego reaching the core and activate the Talisman then and there. Revealing himself to be an alien wizard known as Merklynn, he turned part of Cybertron's underground into [[New Prysmos|a copy]] of his lost homeworld of [[Prysmos]]. The process drained nearly half of Cybertron's energon supply which caused the planet to "scream", the missing energon sent into space as a communication signal that translated to "Welcome. Death". The signal struck the form of [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] who awoke. {{storylink|First Strike issue 6|First Strike #6}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
Cybertron was the alternate mode of [[Primus]], one of the many living worlds created by [[Daiakuron]]. {{storylink|Earth: R.I.P.}}

Its original orbit was a galaxy away from [[Earth]]. When Starscream brought Bumblebee's head to Megatron, the Decepticons won the Great War. {{storylink|The Golden Boys}} After Megatron had bonded the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to his Spark, {{storylink|Pax Megatronus}} he subjugated Primus to his will via [[Vector Sigma]]. Cybertron then slowly began to transform into a massive spaceship in the shape of Megatron's face that would cyberform the galaxy. {{storylink|Expelled from the Garden}}

Cybertron then moved into Earth's solar system, {{storylink|I Saw Three Ships}} before it was invaded by [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]. {{storylink|Funeral for a Friend}} Cybertron soon after grew a pair of mega mountains that reached high into its atmosphere. {{storylink|Form Follows Function}} Megatron then used the horns to destroy Earth, {{storylink|Pax Megatronus}} and clear a path to the Sun, intending for Primus to consume it and supercharge his creation powers. {{storylink|Escape from Primus}}

Starved of energy, Primus needed little incentive to consume the star, creating a dyson sphere from his own body to speed up its consumption before he was stopped by the still alive [[Atlas (G1)|Atlas]]. Though many Cybertronians chose to emigrate from Cybertron to various planets and moons in Earth's solar system, Rodimus guided the impaired but functional Primus back to his original orbit. With Optimus on a mission to the find the [[Quintesson|Makers]], Rodimus then took charge of the planet. {{storylink|The War Never Ends}}

[[Psych Out]] described Cybertron as "the ultimate Transformer" owing to its constantly shifting geography though whether this was a natural phenomenon or a side-effect of Megatron's plan is unclear. {{storylink|Form Follows Function}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
[[File:Beast Wars Uprising - Map of Cybertron.jpg|thumb|left|]]
Following the [[Scouring of Nebulos]] in [[2031]] and the [[Great Push]] of [[2033]], the Transformers were forcibly pacified by the [[Human Confederacy]] and exiled back to Cybertron and a [[Allowed Zone|small region of surrounding space]]. After eleven million years of civil war, Cybertron had become a dying planet drained of energy. {{storylink|Micro-Aggressions}} The old Autobots and Decepticons, too fuel-inefficient to fight or even move under their own power, reorganized themselves into the [[Builder of Cybertron|Builder]]s, hard-wiring themselves into the architecture and landscape of their planet as a means of saving fuel. {{storylink|Broken Windshields}} [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] eventually constructed the [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s as successors to the old factions; the Builders preferred to use them for sport in a series of violent [[Games]] that were fought in the ruined remains of the old Builder cities. {{storylink|Head Games}} This Cybertron was crawling with [[mechanimal]] life; it would eventually be revealed that this was due to the [[Underbase]] being brought to Cybertron's core, revitalizing the ecosystem of the wartorn planet. {{storylink|Derailment}} It was the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]] itself that allowed for this miracle to happen, though few recognized it as such when it occurred. {{storylink|Cultural Appropriation}}

===''Combiner Wars'' toy bios===
Cybertron was drained of life by the war of conquest which [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] started. {{storylink|Megatron (G1)/toys#Combiner Wars|''Combiner Wars'' Megatron toy bio}}

===''Titans Return'' marketing material===
[[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] led a Decepticon attack on an Autobot base on Cybertron only to be routed when the base transformed into [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. {{storylink|Fortress Maximus (G1)#Generations|''Titans Return'' Fortress Maximus online bio}}

==''Robots in Disguise'' (2001)==
[[File:RID Cybertron.jpg|thumb|Well, it's... uh... it's green!]]
Cybertron was located near or orbiting a larger ringed world, {{storylink|Ultra Magnus (episode)|Ultra Magnus}} and had an [[asteroid prison colony]] in which dangerous Decepticon and Predacon prisoners were interred. {{storylink|The Final Battle (RID)|The Final Battle}} At one point there were a series of civil wars, in which [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ultra Magnus (RID)|Ultra Magnus]], both creations of [[Alpha Trion (RID)|Alpha Trion]], fought side-by-side. Following the wars, Magnus was honored, but [[Vector Sigma]] selected Optimus as Autobot leader and bestowed on him the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus: Forced Fusion!}} The [[Predacon (RID)|Predacon]]s on Cybertron were ruled over by a [[Predacon Council|council]], of which [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]] was a subordinate, {{storylink|Mystery of the Ultra Magnus}} though he once claimed to be "leader of the Predacons and future ruler of the galaxy" and that he was already "ruler of many worlds". {{storylink|Battle Protocol!}}
{{--}}

==Unicron Trilogy==
Cybertron was the body of [[Primus]]. {{storylink|Cybertron (episode)|Cybertron}} Nine billion years ago, he created the [[Thirteen]] to aid him in his fight against [[Unicron]]. {{storylink|Vector Prime: In the Beginning}}

Another account claimed that Primus was a "unique digital entity" that came into existience 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}}

Unicron made another attempt to attack Cybertron but he was stopped by the mighty warrior [[Omega Supreme (Energon)|Omega Supreme]]. {{storylink|Omega Supreme (episode)|Omega Supreme}} Joined by the four "Maximus" combiners he went into stasis lock deep beneath Cybertron to guard a reservoir of [[Super Energon]]. {{storylink|Ambition}} The Chaos Bringer however went into stasis lock and disguised himself as one of Cybertron's moons. {{storylink|Alliance}} Cybertron had two other moons. {{storylink|Titans}}

[[File:PlanetCybertron Armada.jpg|left|165px|thumb|Flaky crust.]]

The Cybertronians attempted to turn Cybertron into the centre of a galaxy spanning empire via establishing four colony worlds with the intent of using the [[Cyber Planet Key]]s to [[Eco-structuring|cyberform]] them into mechanical worlds before connecting them all via a galaxy wide [[Space bridge|Space Bridge]]. For unknown reasons however, the plan fell through with Cybertron losing contact with the ships it sent out. {{storylink|Fallen (episode)|Fallen}} The four worlds evolved in their own way with most considering Cybertron to be little more than a legend. {{storylink|Invasion (episode)|Invasion}}

As the millennia rolled past, the Cybertronians fell into civil war. {{storylink|First Encounter}} Seeing an opportunity at revival, Unicron spawned the [[Mini-Con]]s intending for these diminutive robots to grant additional power to the Autobots and Decepticons so he could feed off the escalating war. {{storylink|Prehistory}} As a result of their unintended sentience however, {{storylink|Drift (episode)|Drift}} the Mini-Cons soon realized what they were doing to Cybertron and its people and promptly left the planet so that their power could do no harm. [[Exodus (Armada)|Their ship]] crashed on one of the four ancient colony worlds, [[Earth]]. {{storylink|First Encounter}} At some point during the war, [[Rodimus (Energon)|Rodimus]] gathered [[Rodimus's crew|a crew]] to escape the endless battle. {{storylink|The Legend of Rodimus}} Composed of both Autobots and Decepticons, these warriors left Cybertron behind for [[Omnitron]]. {{storylink|Survival Instincts}}

In [[2010]], the unwitting [[Rad White]] activated [[High Wire (Armada)|one of the Mini-Cons]] which beamed a signal to Cybertron alerting the planet to the Mini-Cons' location. While [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]] led their inner circles to Earth to retrieve the Mini-Cons, the bulk of the Cybertronians remained on their homeworld to continue battle. {{storylink|First Encounter}}

After repeated battles on Earth, Megatron managed to slay Optimus Prime and obtain all three Mini-Con superweapons. The Decepticons set course back for Cybertron, followed by the Autobots. {{storylink|Depart}} Unicron however made his move prompting [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Starscream]] to sacrifice himself to unite the warring planet. {{storylink|Cramp}} Unicron's defeat marked the end of the war and both Autobots and Decepticons began working together to rebuild their world. {{storylink|Mortal Combat}}

[[File:PlanetCybertron Energon.jpg|165px|thumb|I can see my house from here!]]

In the aftermath, the existence of Cybertronians was revealed to the human race who sent an envoy to Cybertron in [[2012]] to establish friendly relations. {{storylink|Cybertron City (episode)|Cybertron City}}

In [[2020]], however, Unicron and Megatron returned. {{storylink|Megatron Raid}} After Cybertron had been protected by [[Energon tower]]s, the Autobots and Decepticons fought Unicron. {{storylink|Shockblast: Rampage}} After Unicron's physical form had been destroyed, {{storylink|Unicron Perishes}} he possessed Megatron and travelled to the [[Super Energon]] reservoir below the planet to properly revive himself turning Megatron into Galvatron once again. {{storylink|Wishes}} The release of energon gas however moved the planet from its orbit into [[Alpha Q's universe]]. {{storylink|Formidable}} Primus trapped Unicron's essence in a star composed of [[Super Energon]]. {{storylink|The Sun}}

[[File:PlanetCybertron GalaxyForce.jpg|left|165px|thumb|You DENTED it!]]

The conflict ended (again), the now predominantly Autobot and Neutral population began to rebuild their world. A further ten years later however, Primus's plan failed when the star collapsed into a [[Unicron Singularity|black hole]] so powerful it not only threatened to consume reality itself but warped space/time, altering the past to an extent. {{storylink|Revelations Part 2}} With the black hole hovering above Cybertron, Optimus gave the order to evacuate. [[Vector Prime]] returned to the planet for the first time in eons and revealed to Optimus that the Cyber Planet Keys were required to save their homeworld. {{storylink|Fallen (episode)|Fallen}} Though Optimus was skeptical at first, he eventually made the search for the keys the top priority of the Autobots. {{storylink|Hidden}} After the Autobots had retrieved the [[Omega Lock]] and the keys from [[Velocitron]], [[Animatron|Jungle Planet]] and [[Earth]], they brought them all to an altar deep beneath Cybertron where the energy of the three relics (bolstered by the [[Matrix of Leadership]]'s energies) allowed Primus to transform to robot mode. {{storylink|Cybertron (episode)|Cybertron}}

After all four Cyber Planet Keys had been restored to the Omega Lock, Primus was restored to his full power which allowed him to close the black hole and save the multiverse. With peace now secured, Primus transformed into a new Cybertron which incorporated aspects of all four colony worlds. {{storylink|End}}
{{-}}

==Live-action film series==
[[File:DOTMCybertronopeningscene.jpg|thumb|upright=1.95|The Allspark clearly loves hexagons.]]

Cybertron was a world created by a device known as the [[AllSpark]]. With its power, it created a race of dimensional travelers, the [[Thirteen|Thirteen Primes]], and made Cybertron suitable for their habitation. The Primes soon discovered that while the AllSpark's power was vast, it was also finite, needing to be recharged. The universe soon provided the answer, for a nearby star went nova, recharging the AllSpark. Though the Primes could travel dimensions, they needed help locating stars and harvesting their energy. The AllSpark responded by creating two things to help the Primes. The first gift was the second race of Cybertronians, the [[Transformer]]s, who could change their forms. The Thirteen Primes ruled over the Transformers with their descendants, forming the [[Dynasty of Primes]], to protect the AllSpark and Cybertron, while seeking out stars to harvest. The Dynasty even shared their dimensional traveling abilities with the [[Seeker (ROTF)|Seeker]]s, those tasked with finding stars. Once they found a star, the Dynasty would follow with [[Constructicon (ROTF)|builders]] to forge a [[Star Harvester|harvester]] to drain a star of its energy and send it to the AllSpark to form [[energon]]. The second gift the AllSpark gave the Dynasty was the [[Matrix of Leadership]], a key which contained the essence of the AllSpark and powered the harvesters. The Dynasty of Primes recognized the potential for destruction the harvesters presented, so they decreed that any star system which supported life was to be spared.

One day, the Dynasty of Primes and their attendants came to [[Earth|a world]] to harvest its [[sun|star]]. Just as the harvester was completed, the Primes discovered [[human|primitive but sentient creatures]]. Twelve of the Primes upheld the sanctity of life, but the thirteenth despised the creatures as insects and sought to steal the AllSpark's power for himself. What followed was the very first battle of Transformer against Transformer, as the rogue Prime and his loyalists waged war against the Dynasty of Primes and their loyalists. The rogue Prime murdered eleven of his brothers, but the twelfth stole the Matrix and hid it a [[Tomb of the Primes|tomb]] forged from the bodies of his brothers, sacrificing his own spark to seal the Tomb. The rogue Prime, now known as [[The Fallen]], dispatched the Seekers to find the Matrix. When he returned to Cybertron, he brought his war there as well, killing the rest of the Primes and destroying his brothers' [[Sarcophagus|sarcophagi]] to prevent them from returning. However, he expended much of his power in this process and withdrew to his own sarcophagus to heal. It was there that he learned that he'd made two mistakes: First, the spirits of his brothers were able to seal him in the sarcophagus, preventing him taking over Cybertron. Second, the warriors of the Dynasty had managed to save a single orphan, hiding him from the Fallen. The Dynasty of Primes passed into the realm of legend. {{storylink|Defiance issue 3|Defiance #3}} {{storylink|Defiance issue 4|Defiance #4}} {{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen issue 3|Revenge of the Fallen #3}}

[[File:Movie Cybertron surfaceconcept.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Hell on Cybertron. Image taken from New York skyline.]]
Eventually, what little the Transformers knew of their origins would be lost to time. A new society arose, known as the [[Autobot]]s. The Autobots were a peaceful people, led by [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus]], head of the [[Science Division]], and [[Megatron (Movie)|Protector Megatron]], head of the [[Defense Force]]. The two leaders created a balance; Optimus was fair while Megatron was firm. {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 1|Movie Prequel #1}} Their world's main cities included [[Tyger Pax]], [[Metrotitan (ROTF)|Metrotitan]], [[Simfur]], and the capital city of [[Trypticon (Movie)|Trypticon]]. Another area of importance was [[Burthov]], where the Science Division had many facilities. In time, the Autobots began work on a dig near the [[Simfur Temple]], discovering the remains of the Twelve's sarcophagi and the intact sarcophagus of The Fallen. At the same time, unknown [[Ejoornian|alien hostiles]] attacked Cybertron. Megatron had Optimus remove the intact artifact to his quarters to better protect it, allowing him to come under the influence of The Fallen. {{storylink|Defiance issue 1|Defiance #1}} {{storylink|Defiance issue 2|Defiance #2}}

[[File:DOTMCybertrontransit.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Honeycomb's big, yeah yeah yeah.]]
As Megatron began to grow more aggressive, Optimus discovered that he was the orphaned Prime hidden away when the Dynasty fell. Megatron raised an army, the Decepticons, and sought to take the AllSpark to conquer the universe. However, most of the early Decepticon forces left on the [[Nemesis (ROTF)|''Nemesis'']] with The Fallen and [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] to seek out the harvester. With the number of Megatron's Decepticons now diminished, Optimus assumed his proper [[Prime (rank)|title]] and raised his own army of Autobots. In the war that followed, Cybertron was decimated. Prime eventually sent the AllSpark through a wormhole into deep space, and Megatron pursued it. Both were lost. Without the AllSpark's power, Cybertron became a dead world. The Autobots and the Decepticons scattered across the galaxy, hoping either to create a new world or locate the AllSpark and restore Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}} A number of Transformers remained, with the Decepticons centered in Trypticon (now a ''Decepticon'' capital), but this didn't last long. {{storylink|Transformers: The Reign of Starscream|The Reign of Starscream}}

[[File:DOTM space bridge collapse.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Attempts to replicate the giant gash from Generation 1 have gone horribly wrong.]]
Cybertron's upper layers seem to have a lot of interlocking hexagonal shapes, and several battles near the end of the war took place there. [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] used these geographical features to his advantage when he attempted to escape Cybertron aboard the ''Ark''. Later on, Sentinel Prime attempted to teleport Cybertron via the space bridge-forming pillars from his ship, the [[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]] in order to acquire Earth's resources to re-energize Cybertron. However, Bumblebee destroyed the master pillar and Cybertron collapsed as it fell back through the portal. {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}}

While it had survived the Space Bridge, Cybertron was left in pieces and condensed to a much smaller size than before (only slightly larger than Earth's moon) with several of its continents precariously attached to its core by large metallic cables. The sorceress [[Quintessa (TLK)|Quintessa]] based herself on Cybertron, along with several Decepticon forces, and opted for a variation of Sentinel Prime's plan to restore Cybertron. Instead of draining Earth's resources to revive Cybertron, she would drain the life from [[Unicron]] (the core of the Earth) to revive Cybertron. To do this, she required a staff from Earth and Optimus Prime and thus sent [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] to retrieve the latter while she moved Cybertron into Earth's orbit. As the planet entered the Sol system, Optimus Prime crashed landed on it where Quintessa found him, brainwashed him and sent him back to Earth after she explained her plan to him. Cybetron's entry into the solar system caused Unicron's six horns to sprout from Earth's crust as the Chaos Bringer reacted to Primus' approach. Human scientists tracked Cybertron's approach and predicted it would collide with, and destroy, the Earth. Cybertron hid its final approach into the solar system behind the [[Sun]], blinding the [[European Space Agency]] from tracking it before its trailing continents caused large gashes on the surface of the [[Moon (moon)|moon]].

[[File:TLKCybertronArrives.jpg|right|upright=1.6|thumb|Well, there goes the neighborhood... and that neighborhood. And that neighborhood. And that one.]]
When Cybertron arrived in Earth's orbit, its continents slammed into the Earth causing massive destruction. Quintessa and Megatron then began the ritual, draining Unicron's life force into Cybertron. Cybertron then began knitting itself back together, its continents reconnecting and the damage from the Great War vanishing as the planet began to regain its larger size. The Autobots and the TRF however managed to halt their efforts which left Cybertron in Earth's orbit. Enough of Unicron's life force had been transmitted to it that it had healed most of its damage and that Optimus felt it was time for all Autobots in the galaxy to return to their homeworld. {{storylink|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight}}

Geography-wise, the surface of Cybertron is a mystery. Large rivers of liquid criss-cross the planet, though whether this is lava, molten metal, or possibly [[energon]] is anyone's guess. In more urbanized areas, such as the city of [[Tyger Pax]], the stone and lava seem to be covered over with steel or other refined metal. However, these incidents took place during the war, so it may have been the result of the devastation Cybertron saw. This liquid is even on the tops of ''buildings''! {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.1|Training Day}}

Internally, Cybertron has similar features to the inside of a ''Transformer'', including gyroscopic joints. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 20|Return to Cybertron, Part: 4}}

At the time of its partial restoration, Cybertron possessed notably organic landscapes such as grassy hills. As these were visible from space as the planet approached Earth, it is unknown if they were a natural part of the planet or if Cybertron collected this feature during its journey through interstellar space. {{storylink|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight}}

===Titan movie comics===
While everyone had abandoned Cybertron, the twin Autobot [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] hung out there for a while, and Starscream began organising [[Purple generic drone|an army]] there in secret. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.1|Training Day}}

{{notetitantlg}}
Cybertron's status was unknown, with everyone abandoning it as it began to die. However, [[Stockade (Movie)|Stockade]] and a group of Decepticons remained, staying alive by using [[Nucleon (substance)|Nucleon]]. Stockade believed they could renew Cybertron by summoning a new power source, one related to the AllSpark. They succeeded in summoning such an energy being, {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 17|Return to Cybertron: Part 1}} which did enter Cybertron to renew it...

[[File:Unicron Titan19.JPG|upright=1.1|thumb|The Beast Planet!]]
...and to everyone's horror, announced itself as [[Unicron|Unicron, the Anti-Life]]! {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 18|Return to Cybertron: Part 2}}

The possessed Cybertron was swiftly altered into a scarier-looking form with a large mouth and grasping prongs, turned hostile to those on it, and warped to the Sol system. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 19|Return to Cybertron: Part 3}} The Autobots and Decepticons were able to destroy Unicron, but Cybertron was left in its transformed state and seemingly in the Sol system, as well as continuing to be dead and powerless. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 20|Return to Cybertron: Part 4}}

When the Autobots were ordered off American soil, they regrouped ''under'' Cybertron and began working on the teleportation engines that Unicron had left there when he transformed the planet. Using these, they were able to make a decisive strike by teleporting the entire Decepticon army to Cybertron, then teleporting ''Cybertron'' to the far reaches of space. With the engines now burnt out and no energy on the planet, the Decepticons were marooned there, at the cost of the Autobots never being able to go home. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 24|Revolution Part 2}} {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 25|Revolution Part 3}}
{{-}}

==''Shattered Glass''==
Cybertron was a peaceful planet whose inhabitants pursued only science and social harmony until the obsessive researcher [[Optimus Prime (SG)|Optimus Prime]] rose from the ranks of civilization and began a civil war. This Cybertron never broke free of its orbit and continues to revolve around a sun. True to its backwards universe, Cybertron can be a frightening and arbitrary place whose natives are born from [[Omega Terminus]] and possess embers instead of sparks. {{storylink|Shattered Glass (issue)|Shattered Glass}} This Cybertron received a new satellite when the Earth of [[Primax 207.0 Epsilon]] entered its orbit as a result of the destruction of its home reality by [[Ultra Magnus (SG)|Ultra Magnus]]'s multiversal villainy. {{storylink|Invasion (issue)|Invasion}} Following the [[Shroud]], Primus reawakened and assumed his robot form for the first time in eons, but had developed an evil personality as a result of ceasing being a [[multiversal singularity]]. Primus attacked the displaced Earth in his orbit but the planet fought back, revealing itself to be Primus's "sister" [[Gaea]]! Gaea was more than capable of defending herself and the [[Knights of Unicron (SG)|Knights of Unicron]] helped her at a pivotal moment in the great clash, blinding Primus, and allowing her to obliterate her foe, destroying his body and thus the Cybertron of this reality. Only Primus's head remained, orbiting Gaea in her planet mode as she became "New Cybertron". {{storylink|The Future Buried...}}

==''Animated''==
[[File:Animated Cybertron.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Pointier than most.]]
Cybertron was once a beautiful and peaceful world; one of the most important in the galaxy. The planet sported a mysterious origin and a great deal of spirituality. It was the creation place of the powerful [[AllSpark]]; the source of all Cybertronian life. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}}

Cybertron was fractured by war when [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] expressed his plan of using the Allspark to transform Cybertron into an "interstellar juggernaut". {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}} The war razed Cybertron, {{storylink|The Thrill of the Hunt}} but the Autobots finally found a lasting advantage with the construction of the [[Omega Sentinel (Animated)|Omega Sentinels]] {{storylink|TransWarped}} Autobot mastery of [[space bridge]] technology and their strategic relocation of the Allspark led to ultimate victory, where the Decepticons were driven from the planet entirely; a unique departure from other fictions. {{storylink|Transform and Roll Out}} {{storylink|TransWarped}} Cybertron was once again dedicated to peace and an entire generation had seen neither [[armor-plating]] nor the transistor of a Decepticon. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}}

The Autobot culture under commander [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] was primarily peaceful, although there was an organized militancy in the form of active boot camps {{storylink|Autoboot Camp}}. The ancient building [[Metroplex (Animated)|Metroplex]] was home to the [[Autobot High Council#Animated Cartoon|Autobot High Council]] and [[Guilds Domesticus#Animated Cartoon|Guilds Domesticus]], while the head of military operations was [[Fortress Maximus (Animated)|Fortress Maximus]]. The capital of Iacon was a major location, home to destinations such as [[Maccadam's Old Oil House#Animated Cartoon|Maccadam's Old Oil House]], {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}} and the abandoned [[Cyber-Ninja Dojo]]. {{storylink|Five Servos of Doom}} Cybertron and its citizens were very unfamiliar with and afraid of organic life. {{storylink|This Is Why I Hate Machines}} According to [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]], it doesn't rain liquid on Cybertron; {{storylink|Where Is Thy Sting?}} despite this, it is has been shown raining. {{storylink|The Stunti-Con Job}} Make of this what you will.

Many [[stellar cycle]]s later, a web of uncoordinated Decepticon attacks on the rim of the galaxy began taking place, in an attempt to claim control of the space bridges and TransWarp to the [[Emirate Xaaron Spacebridge Nexus|Spacebridge Nexus]] in Iacon, to wipe out the unarmed Autobot populace from within. Receiving wind of these attacks from a [[Shockwave (Animated)|double agent on Cybertron]], Megatron sent a transmission to the Decepticon cells and ordered the organizing of the attacks, {{storylink|Mission Accomplished}} and he himself began constructing a Space Bridge to lead his armies. {{storylink|Rise of the Constructicons}}

However, Megatron's space bridge was destroyed by the reactivated Omega Sentinel [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]]. {{storylink|A Bridge Too Close, Part II}} The attacks were subsequently called off, much to the disappointment of the Decepticons who had managed to secure the bridges. {{storylink|TransWarped}}

When Megatron's double agent, Shockwave, sensed that his cover was about to be blown, he attacked Ultra Magnus, mangling the Autobot leader {{storylink|Where Is Thy Sting?}} and causing him to be put on severe life-support. {{storylink|This Is Why I Hate Machines}} This was not enough to save him, unfortunately, and he soon went offline. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}} Sentinel Prime, the acting Magnus, took advantage of the fear and paranoia created by the attack to grant himself emergency powers and aggressively remilitarize Cybertron, in an effort to combat the growing Decepticon threat. {{storylink|This Is Why I Hate Machines}}

However, Megatron, Shockwave and the other Decepticons immediately under his command were subsequently captured by the Maintenance bot [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] and his team on [[Earth]], {{storylink|Endgame, Part II}} where they were imprisoned in [[Trypticon Prison]], part of the Decepticon City State of Kaon. A failed breakout attempt followed, with the Decepticons then diverting their attention to the (forceful) acquisition of Energon. {{storylink|The Stunti-Con Job}}

==Aligned continuity family==
[[File:WFCCybertron.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb]]
[[File:DarknessRising4-Cybertron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Well, at least there's ''one'' consistency.]]
Cybertron is orbited by three "near-Cybertron" objects: [[Moonbase One|Moon Bases One]] and [[Moonbase Two|Two]] and the [[Trypticon (WFC)|Trypticon Asteroid Belt Station]], each on opposite hemispheres of the planet (presumably the [[Iacon (polity)|Iaconian]] and [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]]ian sides). Beyond the moons and asteroid belt floats the last of the great [[space bridge]]s, the long-abandoned interstellar transportation system that once connected Cybertron to its colonies [[Velocitron]], [[Gigantion]], and the [[Hub (G2)|Hub]] elsewhere in the galaxy.

[[Unicron]] attacked this Cybertron early on in its history, but was defeated by the [[Thirteen]]. After their squabbles escalated into murder, the [[Covenant of Primus]] decreed only one [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] could rule at a time, with the thirteen members of the [[Autobot High Council|High Council]]. The Quintessons seized control but an [[Cybertron Elite Guard|Elite Guard]] named [[Sentinel Zeta Prime|Sentinel]] led the revolution, and with the High Council and the [[Guilds of Cybertron|Guilds]], he led the Transformers to a [[Golden Age]] of expansion. As the space bridges became less reliable and contact with the colonies was lost, Sentinel and the Guilds instituted the [[caste system]] to slow their civilization's decline. The High Council and their Guards were in charge of law and order, but each state controlled its own militia.

But as the nameless miners resorted to [[gladiatorial combat]] as an outlet for their misery, a champion named [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] rose to seize the title of Prime for himself. Unwittingly, his Iaconian ally was appointed [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] instead, and their anti-caste movement became a civil war for Cybertron's future. The [[AllSpark]] was lost to space, whole regions of the planet were laid waste, and the [[core]] of Cybertron was poisoned by [[Dark Energon]], the remnants of Unicron's attack, prompting the Autobots to evacuate on the ''[[Ark (WFC)|Ark]]''. Megatron and his elite forces left on Trypticon too, now modified into the ''Nemesis'', leaving [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] to deal with the [[Wrecker]]s. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}}

In the present, Megatron raised a [[zombie]] [[Terrorcon (Prime)|Terrorcon]] army from Cybertron's dead by hurling solidified Dark Energon at it through a space bridge. His plan to have them sack Earth was foiled, when the Autobots turned the Energon pump on the space bridge and caused it to implode. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 5}}

When Optimus lost his memories, [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] sent [[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] and [[Jack Darby|Jack]] to Cybertron to find [[Vector Sigma]]. Arcee told Jack to watch out for vermin. {{Storylink|Orion Pax, Part 2}} They were attacked by an [[Insecticon (WFC)|Insecticon]], left behind as a sentry, and a swarm of [[scraplet]]s, but managed to get the information they needed from Vector Sigma, deep under [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]]. {{storylink|Orion Pax, Part 3}}

Seeking to gain an advantage over Optimus Prime and his newly acquired [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]], Megatron and Dreadwing used a space bridge to travel to Cybertron to acquire the hand of an unnamed [[Liege Maximo|dead Prime]]. {{storylink|Alpha/Omega}}

After acquiring the four [[Omega Key]]s, the Autobots returned to Cybertron to activate the [[Omega Lock]] and restore the planet. However, as they were about to activate the lock, Megatron and his subordinates arrived with the Autobots' human allies, threatening to expose them to Cybertron's atmosphere if they did not give him the Omega Keys. {{storylink|Regeneration (Prime)|Regeneration}} Prime and the Autobots surrendered, handing over the Omega Keys in exchange for the humans. However, before Megatron could use the Omega Lock to [[Eco-structuring|cyberform]] [[Earth]], Optimus Prime used the Star Saber to destroy it and save the human planet. {{Storylink|Darkest Hour (episode)|Darkest Hour}}

Eventually, the Decepticons, with help from Ratchet, built a second functioning Omega Lock on the exterior of the ''Nemesis''. {{storylink|Synthesis}} Following their defeat of Megatron, the Autobots commandeered the ship and flew to Cybertron, where they fired the Omega Lock into the [[Well of All Sparks]], restoring the planet at last. {{storylink|Deadlock}}

During the process of rebuilding the planet for returning refugees, Optimus Prime and Wheeljack flew off to retrieve the AllSpark, which had been removed from the planet during the war. During this time, however, Unicron revived and took control of Megatron's body, and returned to Cybertron to destroy Primus. The chaos god led an army of Predacon Terrorcons to the Well of All Sparks, and the Autobots and Predacons joined forces to oppose them. Their efforts failed, but Optimus Prime arrived with the AllSpark and was able to use its container to trap Unicron, returning his undead army to dust in the process.

Afterwards, Optimus Prime revealed that, in order to use the container, he had transferred the AllSpark into the Matrix of Leadership, rendering his own spark inseparable from multitude within the AllSpark in the process. Consequently, the only way to return the AllSpark to the core would be to give his own life. With his farewells complete, the Prime flew into the Well of All Sparks, returning the AllSpark to Cybertron's core and causing numerous sparks to soar into the sky. {{storylink|Predacons Rising (Prime)|Predacons Rising}}

After the restoration of the Well of All Sparks, Cybertron once again returned to a period of peace and prosperity. Statues commemorating various figures in the war were constructed.
{{storylink|Pilot (Part 1)}} A new [[Autobot High Council|High Council]] was chosen to rule the planet {{storylink|Can You Dig It?}} but they were usurped by [[Cyclonus (WFC)|Cyclonus]]'s Decepticon cell. Via the use of a [[Light Bender|light bender]], the five Decepticons assumed control of their homeworld and began making prepartions for the return of Megatron and the rebirth of the [[Decepticon Empire]]. {{storylink|Freedom Fighters}} As part of their plans, they kept Cybertron isolated from the rest of the galaxy and blamed the Autobots (Optimus Prime in particular) for the damage the Great War did to Cybertron. {{storylink|Decepticon Island (Part 1)}} Those who stood by Optimus Prime were blacklisted and were forced to find work in the lower rungs of society. {{storylink|Enemy of My Enemy (RID)|Enemy of My Enemy}}

Lieutenant Bumblebee eventually found employment as a street patrol officer, but eventually returned to Earth via space bridge on the orders of a ghostly Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Pilot (Part 1)}} This act caused the High Council to place a bounty on Bumblebee's head for his illegal use of a space bridge {{storylink|Hunting Season}}. The Council also sent Jazz to Earth to respond to the distress signal from the ''[[Alchemor (RID)|Alchemor]]''. After capturing [[Ped (RID)|Ped]], Jazz promised he'd smooth things over with the Council, {{storylink|Can You Dig It?}} but later Drift and Fracture (and their Mini-Cons) arrived on Earth to capture Bumblebee and collect the bounty. {{storylink|Hunting Season}}

Optimus Prime returned to Cybertron aboard the rebuilt ''[[Alchemor (RID)|Alchemor]]'' to confront the new Council. {{storylink|Decepticon Island (Part 2)}} During the flight, he made contact with several old friends, {{storylink|Worthy}} but returned to Earth in a smaller craft when Bumblebee put out a distress signal. {{storylink|Strongarm's Big Score}} When he departed Earth again, he said the political situation on Cybertron was fluid but he was working with his friends to change it. {{storylink|Worthy}} On Cybertron however, the Council freed [[Steeljaw (RID)|Steeljaw]] and his [[Steeljaw's Pack|pack]] to capture the [[Bee Team (RID)|Bee Team]] in exchange for a full pardon. {{storylink|Exiles}} {{storylink|Freedom Fighters}}When Bumblebee became aware of this, he commented on the growing corruption on Cybertron. {{storylink|Exiles}} After [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]]'s defeat, Optimus took him and [[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]] back to Cybertron to stand trial. {{storylink|Collateral Damage}}

Knowing the people of Cybertron would never support galactic conquest, the Council developed powerful mind-control techniques through which they could control the entire planet's population. {{storylink|Five Fugitives}} {{storylink|Enemy of My Enemy (RID)|Enemy of My Enemy}} The mind control was powerful enough to keep Cybertronians enthralled even if they were off Cybertron. {{storylink|Five Fugitives}}

The Bee Team eventually returned to Cybertron aboard [[Prime Force One]] only to come under attack from the planet's orbital defences. As a result of their situational ally, Steeljaw, they managed to land on their homeworld where they were soon surrounded by the Council's security forces {{storylink|Enemy of My Enemy (RID)|Enemy of My Enemy}} only to be rescued by [[Dropforge]]. The High Council soon made a planet wide broadcast announcing the "glorious invasion of Earth" and the coming prosperity before the Bee Team destroyed their light bender and exposed their Decepticon bodies. When the mind-control signal had been destroyed, all of Cybertron bore witness to [[Galvatronus (RID)|Galvatronus]] proclaiming loyalty to [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] before [[Ultra Bee]] defeated him, freeing Cybertron from Decepticon control.

In the aftermath, Optimus Prime declined the opportunity to rule Cybertron and left [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]], [[Jazz (WFC)|Jazz]], [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] and [[Windblade (RID)|Windblade]] in charge until free elections could be held. The Bee Team opted to return to Earth however as Cybertron's first ambassadors to the planet. {{storylink|Freedom Fighters}}

In one timeline, Cybertron is still a living planet and apparently never had a civil war or perhaps the war was already long over. [[Rescue Force Sigma-17]] was stationed on Cybertron when [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] called them for a rescue mission on Earth. While it is unclear what happened in this timeline, it is apparent that the [[Decepticon]]s either do not exist in this universe or are not malevolent. {{storylink|Rescue Bots Roll Out}}
{{-}}

==''Knights of Unicron''==
[[Maccadam's Old Oil House]], the [[Toxic Sludge Swamps]], [[Smelting pool|The Smelting Pool]], and [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] [[Great Dome|Stadium]], all located on Planet Cybertron, were the final venues for the [[Knights of Unicron (band)|Knights of Unicron]] on their 2014 "Till All Are One" tour. {{storylink|Knights of Unicron (band)|Knights of Unicron}}

==Toys==
===Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers===
{{anchor|CybG1}}
[[File:Cybertron Primus toy.jpg|upright=2.2|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''' (Supreme, 2006)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''00'''
**''Accessories:'' [[Omega Lock#Generation 1|Omega Lock]], two [[missile]]s, silver Cybertron planet-type [[Cyber Key]]

:[[Primus#CybG1|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 as a Generation 1 ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (toyline)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]'' toy 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 [[Transformers: Armada (toyline)|''Armada'']] [[Unicron/toys#Armada|Unicron]], with visible cities, including [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]], based upon its appearance in the [[DK Publishing]] book, ''[[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide]]'', and [[Kaon (polity)|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 the "top" of his planet mode and pulled back, a transforming sound is heard, and two spring-loaded missile-firing "Stellar Converter Cannons" swing out. When it is inserted into his chest and pushed up, his head is revealed, his shoulder-pads pop-up, his eyes glow red, and a laser-type sound effect is played. 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 in this mode, with the Stellar Converter Cannons ending up on his shoulders, and the Omega Lock revealing several banks of Gatling guns, lasers, and missiles in his shins and legs. Each of his legs also contains extendable [[Articulation|articulated]] "manipulator arms".

:Primus also has what might charitably be called a third mode—a "battle station" mode, 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.

:In any mode, he is armed with two double-barreled cannons which pop-up and extend when a Cyber Key is inserted. He has a special silver Cybertron-type Cyber Key, with the key code '''sp8u''' [[tampograph]]ed onto the back. His Omega Lock also features four slots at its base, which are meant to accommodate the four [[Cyber Planet Key]]s, although inserting them does not activate any features. There are also nine inactive Mini-Con [[5mm post|5mm]] [[powerlinx]] posts on his person, including two on the claw arms on his legs.

{{-}}{{anchor|2010}}
[[File:Primus 2010.jpg|upright=2.2|thumb|Oh. Your. God.]]
*'''Creator Primus''' (2010)
**''Accessories:'' [[Omega Lock#2010|Omega Lock]], two missiles, clear Cybertron planet-type Cyber Key

:To celebrate the year 2010, Takara [[redeco]]ed the Supreme Class Primus toy and released him in the [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (toyline)|''Transformers 2010'' toyline]], being packaged in a special box that is meant to go with the [[Unicron/toys#2010Takara|Unicron]] toy released the same year. "[[Primus#2010|Creator Primus]]" is primarily metallic gunmetal in planet mode, with metallic blue robot parts, and a large number of black paint washes here and there. His Omega Lock is now blue.

:Primus comes with a [[retool]]ed 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]]. This Cyber Key features a "smooth" central area with no molded [[insignia]], and a Mini-Con-style Powerlinx socket on the back. The Cyber Key included with this figure is entirely unpainted, aside from the [[tampograph]]ed Autobot symbol at the center.

{{-}}

===Cybertron===
[[File:CybertronPrimusPackagingComparison.jpg|upright=2.2|thumb|This was an expensive time for completists.]]
*'''Cybertron Primus''' (Supreme, 2006)
**''Accessories:'' [[Omega Lock#Cybertron|Omega Lock]], two missiles, silver Cybertron planet-type Cyber Key, [[Unicron/toys#PrimusUnicronHead|Unicron head]] (second wave only)

:''Cybertron'' "[[Primus#Cybertron|Cybertron Primus]]" is the North American version of Supreme Class Primus, released a few months after the Japanese version. The toys are identical.

:In North America, Cybertron Primus was initially released in the second wave of ''Cybertron'' Supreme Class toys. This version came packaged with a very creepy "battle damaged" Unicron head based upon his Armada appearance, whereas the following wave did not come with the Unicron head. Unusually, both waves ended up shipping simultaneously.

{{anchor|Walmart}}
*'''Cybertron Primus''' (Supreme, 2006)
**''Accessories:'' [[Omega Lock#Walmart|Omega Lock]], two missiles, silver Cybertron planet-type Cyber Key

:A later version of Supreme Class [[Primus#Walmart|Cybertron Primus]] was [[exclusive]] to [[Walmart]] as a [[Black Friday (event)|Black Friday]] 2006 special, and included four Mini-Cons: [[Strongarm (Cybertron)|Strongarm]], [[Knockdown (Cybertron)|Knockdown]], [[Nightscream (Cybertron)|Nightscream]], and [[Offshoot (Cybertron)|Offshoot]].
{{-}}

===The Last Knight===
[[File:TF-TLK-MtS-Planet-Cybertron.jpg|400px|thumb|Just ''try'' to tell us this isn't [[Transformers: Generation 2 (toyline)|G2 Primus]], we dare you. ]]
*'''Cybertron''' (Supreme Class, 2017)
**''Accessories:'' [[Omega Lock|Omega Lock]], two missiles, Autobot Cybertron-type Cyber Key

:''Cybertron'' is a redeco of the Primus mold. Contrary to [[stock photography]], which depict the Matrix-styled Cyber Key originally sold with ''Cybertron'' Leader Class Optimus Prime, it instead comes with the standard Autobot Cybertron Cyber Key, just as the older releases of the mold did. It is advertised on the box as having a fourth mode, "Defense Mode," that like his Battle Station mode appears to be an intermediate between his robot and planet modes. This figure is exclusive to [[Toys"R"Us]] under the ''Mission to Cybertron'' banner. As the rest of the toys under this banner, he has decodeable [[Cyberglyphics]] on his body that spell out '''CYBERTRON''' and two cards that can form a bigger picture of Optimus and Megatron fighting on Cybertron, with Cyberglyphic writing on the back.
{{-}}

==Notes==
[[File:Planet scale.jpe|thumb|right|350px]]
*The name "Cybertron" was used by Marvel Comics long before the Transformers series came about. In issue 48 of the original ''X-Men'' title (released in September 1968), a computer named Computo created a race of robots named the "Cybertrons".<ref>[http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix4/computoxm.htm Computo and the "Cybertrons" at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe]</ref>
*The size of the planet Cybertron varies between different continuities. In one, the diameter of the planet is smaller than Earth's while the Marvel comics describe it as "Saturn-sized," placing its diameter at around 120,000 km.<ref>[http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/TF/bible/wottf.html World of TRANSFORMERS]</ref> We can probably lay these at the feet of Primus, who is a god after all, and can decide to be whatever size he wants.
*Towards the end of the original comic run, Blaster was asked in the [[Letters page (Marvel UK)|UK Letters Page]] whether Cybertron would be turned into a Transformer. His response was "No. More likely it will turn into a rapidly expanding ball of component molecules, the way things are going at the moment". [[:File:Cybertron Primus toy.jpg|Oh, what fools time makes of us all]].<ref>[http://transfans.co.uk/popup.php?id=2242 Letters page for Marvel UK Issue #323]</ref>
*Cybertron's "gashed" moon, often glimpsed during the course of ''Beast Machines'', is heavily based on one side of a modern sculpture by Arnaldo Pomodoro, "Sphere with Sphere" ("Sfera con Sfera"), that can be found in the Vatican City's Courtyard of the Pinecone.<ref>[http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/italy/rome/pomodoro/0003.jpg Photo of ''Sfera con Sfera'']</ref> See, kids? Transformers IS educational.
*In the Japanese Headmasters continuity, the planet is repeatedly called ''Cyberton''. This is most likely due to bad translation.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Cybertron''' (セイバートロン ''Seibātoron'';<ref>For decades, Western fans have typically opted to render the Japanese pronunciation of the planet's name as "Seibertron" (pronounced "Say-ber-tron") in order to distinguish it from the Japanese name of the Autobots, the "Cybertrons" (pronounced "Sigh-ber-tron"). However, several Japanese sources actually spell it as "Cybertron" in English, including the [[Transformers: The Headmasters (video game)|''Headmasters'' video game]], the covers of the ''"Planet of Cybertron Guide"'' books included with Takara's mid-90s {{w|LaserDisc}} sets of the original cartoon, a ''Beast Wars'' [http://www18.tok2.com/home/jackhama/transformers/bwtcard_2/img/043.jpg trading card], and the packaging for ''Galaxy Force'' toys. Sources beyond these are surprisingly scarce, although [[A Birth of Planet Saybertron|an article]] in the December 1985 issue of ''[[Comic Bom Bom]]'' did render the planet's name in English as, of all things, "Saybertron".</ref> サイバトロン ''Saibatoron'')
*''Armenian:'' '''Cybertron''' (Կիբերտրոն ''Kibertron'')
*''English:'' '''Cyberton''' ([[Omni Productions]] dub)
*''Hungarian:'' '''Kibertron''', '''Kájbertron''' (first ''The Movie'' dub), '''Mesterséges bolygó''' (''Energon'', "Artificial planet")
*''Indonesian:'' '''Saibertron'''
*''Korean:'' '''Cybertron''' (사이버트론 ''Saibeoteulon'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Cybertron''' (赛博坦/塞伯坦 ''Sài Bó Tǎn''; 賽博創 ''Sài Bó Chuàng''; 賽博宙 ''Sàibózhòu'')
*''Serbian:'' '''Kibortron''' (Generation 1 dub and first dub of ''Generation 2''), '''Sajbertron''' (Second ''G2'' dub, ''Armada'', ''Cybertron'', ''Animated'', ''Prime'')

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://transfans.co.uk/comics_guide_detail.php?id=447 Transformers #303 Letters Page on Transfans.co.uk]

[[Category:Animated planets]]
[[Category:Armada planets]]
[[Category:Beast Machines locations]]
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[[Category:Beast Wars Neo planets]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising planets]]
[[Category:Classics planets]]
[[Category:Council of Worlds]]
[[Category:Cybertron| ]]
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[[Category:The Last Knight locations]]

Matrix of Leadership

2018-05-21T20:30:04Z

Chris2119:

{{disambig3|Matrix}}
{{featured}}
{{suite}}
[[File:Matrix.jpg|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 [[Matrix holder|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]]s, serving as a means of access to the [[Transformer afterlife]], 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 embodiment's of the power of Primus, the Matrix is antithesis to [[Unicron]], and one of the very few things the chaos-bringer fears.

There have only been two known Autobots in Transformers history to have opened the Matrix of Leadership. Hot Rod used it to destroy Unicron during the [[Unicron War]] and Optimus Prime used it to destroy the [[Hate Plague]] in 2006.

{{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==
[[File:SecondGeneration prime gives buster matrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|The Matrix made its fictional debut when [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|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 the history of the brand, 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 "[[Primal 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 Sparks", very similar to the [[spark]]s that would later be introduced with ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''. The Matrix was not present in the earliest known incarnation of the movie; instead, upon his death, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] transferred his own Life Spark to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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.

[[File:FFOD4 passing the matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|[[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/Generation 1|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.

[[File:Sentinel prime lou.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|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 ''[[The Transformers Universe|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: Transformers (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]] 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 Transformers Trilogy]]'' novels, which retroactively make sense now.
{{-}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
{{noteukonly}}
[[File:Prima.jpg|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|The Primal Scream}} Later named the "Creation Matrix", this divine gift took the form of a "[[Primal 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}}

[[File:WhoseLifeforce prime and longtooth.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb]]
''At one point during his tenure as Autobot leader, Optimus Prime came across [[Longtooth]] struggling to save the life of [[Clockwise|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?}}

[[File:DisintegratedCircuits buster uses matrix.jpg|thumb|275px]]
When the Transformers' war moved to [[Earth]] in [[1984]], current Decepticon leader [[Shockwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}

[[File: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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}

[[File:DarkCreation we would know more.jpg|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 (Marvel)|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}}

[[File:Creation Matrix 65.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.15|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?}} [[File:Thunderwing with matrix.jpg|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, 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}}

[[File:EdgeofExtinction-sothatallmaylive.jpg|left|thumb|275px|It cures what ails ya.]]
Thunderwing's body came to rest on the surface of a planet, where the Matrix began to heal his battered frame. {{storylink|Out of Time!}} Repairs took time, but once completed, the Matrix set out for Cybertron, {{storylink|The Void! (US)|The Void!}} 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)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]]. {{storylink|Still Life!}}
{{-}}

=====Marvel UK future timelines=====
[[File:MatrixCoconut1.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|"Will I become a great Autobot leader?" "All signs point to no."]]
In an alternate future timeline, a dying Optimus Prime passed the Matrix to Ultra Magnus in [[2006]]. {{storylink|The Planet-Eater!}} It was then used by [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}

[[File:MarvelUK-187.jpg|left|thumb|215px]]
Later in 2008, the [[Quintesson]]s invaded and conquered [[Autobot City (G1)|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}}

[[File:WhiteFire kup yanks matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}
{{-}}

====Marvel ''Generation 2'' comic====
[[File:G210 starscream warworld.jpg|left|thumb]]
When Optimus Prime was recreated by the [[Last Autobot]], the Matrix was also restored. {{storylink|End of the Road! (US)|End of the Road!}} {{storylink|Escalation!|Generation 2 #8 letters page}} Years later, it became a target for Megatron, who required it to bring to life an army of new warriors created by [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]. Besting Prime in battle, Megatron tore the Matrix from his body with an energy siphon, {{storylink|The Gathering Darkness}} and used it to give life to the [[Laser Rod]]s 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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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!}}
{{-}}

====''Regeneration One''====
{{noterg1}}
With the Creation Matrix lost following the destruction of Unicron, the last reservoir of Matrix energy the Autobots had access to consisted of what traces still clung to the remains of Thunderwing, stored within the high-security [[Hall of Silence]]. When [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] was able to penetrate the Hall in [[2012]], acting commander [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]] anguished over whether or not to follow protocol and destroy the Hall, and the last of the Matrix's energy with it. He was convinced it was necessary by [[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]], but Soundwave was able to teleport out with Thunderwing just before the building blew. {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part One}} He delivered the remains to Bludgeon, who used the Matrix energy within them to animate his new army of self-regenerating [[Blitz Engine]]s. {{storylink|Destiny, Part One}}

After Primus revealed to Hot Rod that he still existed, and sent Hot Rod through a portal into [[Zero Space]], {{storylink|Destiny, Part Four}} the young Autobot found himself tumbling through time and space. He observed the battle with the Deathbringer, only to discover that the fragment of corrupted Matrix energy survived the battle. After observing two more time periods, Hot Rod found himself on a [[Junkion (planet)|planet of junk]], witnessing the final confrontation between [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]] and "Rodimus Prime"—an alternate version of himself! As Rodimus fell at the hands of Galvatron, the Matrix landed at the feet of Hot Rod, who reached for it...

... only to find himself back in his own time and place, on the deck of Bludgeon's ''[[Warworld]]'', having himself been transformed into Rodimus Prime! {{storylink|Less Than Zero}}

====''Unite Warriors''====
[[File:Baldigus Chapter Galvatron II.jpg|thumb|200px]]
[[Galvatron II]] stole the Creation Matrix in his native universe and carried it with him to another reality, where its power allowed him to endure as a ghost when his body was destroyed. Unfortunately, it also made him a target of [[Grand Scourge]], who, as a Matrix Hunter, could manhandle even ghosts if they were in possession of a Matrix. While Scourge was fighting Galvatron for the Creation Matrix, both of them were knocked into a rift in space-time by [[Megaempress]], and the Matrix disappeared along with them to places unknown. {{storylink|Baldigus Chapter, Part Two}}
{{-}}

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
[[File:OracleMatrix.jpg|225px|thumb|"This Ming...is a psy-cho."]]
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}}; [[File: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}}

[[File:Optimusg1passingthematrix.jpg|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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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 (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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.

[[File:Tftm1986e.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
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 (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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}}

[[File:Darkawakening matrix pain.jpg|225px|thumb|The zombified Optimus Prime reacts in pain from 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 (episode)|Dark Awakening}}

[[File: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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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}}

[[File:ReturnOptimusPrime2 Matrix open.JPG|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====
[[File:Madman comic PrimeHotrod.jpg|left|upright=0.85|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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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 (planet)|Quintessa]], while Hot Rod, [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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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====''Wings Universe''====
{{Wingsnote}}
Nine million years ago, the Matrix of Leadership was being transported aboard the Autobot cargo hauler ''[[Van De Graaff]]'' when the ship was attacked by the Quintessons and crash-landed on the planet [[Beta-Nine]]. All aboard perished, but the Matrix was soon recovered by the crew of the ''[[Eight Track (G1)|Eight Track]]'', who safely delivered it back to Cybertron. There, the Matrix was passed into the care of Alpha Trion, who granted it to his new choice for Autobot leader, Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Wings of Honor}}

====''Deviations''====
After viewing the massive death toll at [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] claimed all the deceased had found peace in the Matrix. [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] slapped him upside the head for speaking blasphemy about the Matrix. When [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] arrived at Cybertron, he made a baragin with [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] that the newly minted Decepticon leader would destroy the Matrix in exchange for upgrades. ''En route'' to Cybertron, Hot Rod confessed to [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel]] that whenever he came near Optimus, he saw visions of the Prime dying as if the Matrix was trying to tell him something. Starscream, now "Megascream", then attacked but withdrew when Unicron devoured [[Moonbase One]]. The Autobots regrouped on [[Moonbase Two]] when Unicron began attacking Cybertron directly where Optimus Prime took a shuttle to the Chaos Bringer's shell, believing the Matrix could stop him. Still haunted by visions, Hot Rod secretly climbed aboard. Megascream was waiting for Optimus and combined with several of his troops to steal the Matrix. Hot Rod saved Prime from certain death and teleported him away before he opened the Matrix, destroying Unicron at the cost his own life and the talisman. In the aftermath, Optimus Prime saw a vision of [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] and the newest addition to the rank of great Autobots within the Matrix: Rodimus Prime. {{storylink|Transformers: Deviations}}

====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.}}

What would become known as the Matrix was a device created by Primacron to convert its wielders' accumulated experiences and wisdom into a powerful all-purpose energy. It was originally built into his assistant (also known as the "Oracle") who was then targeted and destroyed by Unicron when he realized the power of the Matrix was a threat to him. However, the Oracle's lifeforce persisted within the Matrix and fled to a dead world at the centre of the galaxy, which he 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. They also found and held onto the now empty shell of the Matrix, which absorbed their malevolent brand of wisdom and filled up with corrupted, evil energy. When the Quintessons were kicked off the planet by the robots that would become the Autobots, they claimed the Matrix and, repulsed by its contents, emptied it out again. The discarded energy would one day grow sentient and become [[Devil Z]]. {{storylink|Generation 1 cartoon timeline (Japan)|2007 TakaraTomy Transformers timeline}} {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Grand Maximus)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}}

=====''The Battle of the Star Gate''=====
[[File:StargateBattles matrix powered megatron.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Ka-me-ha-me-ha~!]]

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 (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]], who had fused himself with the space station known as the ''[[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 Battle of the Star Gate}}

=====''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|Transformers: 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...

[[File:DoublePrime matrix recharged.jpg|left|upright=1.45|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 pack-in manga=====

[[File:G2StoryPageReconfigurationMatrix1.jpg|upright=1.4|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|Transformers: G-2 (story page)|G-2 Part 1}} A research team led by [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], [[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]], and [[Perceptor (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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|Transformers: 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|Transformers: 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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=====''Legends'' comic=====
Alpha Trion and the Matrix played a role in Hot Rod's conversion to a [[Micromaster]]. {{storylink|Transformers 2015 Tailgate/G1 Micron Chapter|Tailgate/G1 Micron Chapter}} During the rise of Galvatron II, Optimus Prime contacted the spirit of Alpha Trion within the Matrix and asked him to locate and bring back Ultra Magnus's spark. The process of resurrecting Magnus also brought Trion himself back in a diminutive body connected to the powers of the Matrix. {{storylink|LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue#Resurrection Chapter|Resurrection Chapter}} Scourge later captured Alpha Trion to draw upon the Matrix's energy, but it ended up overloading his [[transtector]], which exploded. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 26|Bonus Edition Vol. 26}}

===Start Your Own Decoy Collection===
[[File: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====
[[File:OptimalSituation spark holder.jpg|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)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]], [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|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 (group)|Covenant]] witnessed the Matrix being torn by the [[Liege Maximo]] from the body of the enigmatic [[Primon]], its first holder. {{storylink|Covenant (story)|Covenant}}

[[File:Sparkholderprimevaldawn.jpg|left|upright=1.66|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.

[[File:Primevaldawn2 tarantulas matrix.jpg|215px|I'm not sure how I'll get this in my chest. Maybe I'll carry it with a sheath of some sort?|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 miscalculated: 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 ''Generation One'' continuity===
[[File: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|Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|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}}
[[File:TWW1 prime gets matrix.jpg|225px|thumb|150 points to Gryffindor!]]...]]

The earliest known bearer of the Matrix was [[Primon|Alpha Prime]], who was succeeded by Guardian Prime, and then Sentinel Prime. {{storylink|Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|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}}
[[File:PrimeDirective2 spike replaces matrix.jpg|left|upright=1.66|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}}
[[File:G1 Vol.2 Issue6 2.jpg|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}}

====''The Transformers 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|Transformers: Hardwired|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|Transformers: Annihilation|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|Transformers: Fusion|Fusion}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
[[File: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}}
[[File:ArtofWar5 hawk serpentor matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]
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 the 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/Generation 1|angry god]]. {{storylink|Black Horizon, Part 1 of 2}}
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===''Transformers/G.I. Joe''===
[[File: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}} 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 Generation 1 continuity===
{{ongoing}}
[[File:MTMTEannual solomus matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]
According to religious legend, the core of the Matrix was created from [[Solomus]], the god of wisdom, trapped in the form of a crystal by [[Mortilus]], the god of death. Following the defeat of Mortilus, Solomus managed to transform his crystal prison into the Matrix—a conduit for the energies of [[Primus]], who had himself transformed into the life-giving computer Vector Sigma. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}} The Matrix was inherited by the Guiding Hand's creations, the first Cybertronians, the [[Knights of Cybertron]], who called it the "Creation Matrix" for its life-giving abilities. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} The people of both Cybertron {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}} and [[Caminus]] believed the Matrix - idolized in Camien culture as the "Matrix of Light" - once adorned the hilt of the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] forged by [[Solus Prime]] herself and wielded by [[Prima]]. {{storylink|The Sum and Its Parts}} {{storylink|O Ship of State|Victorion profile in Revolution #3}} In [[Velocitron]]ian culture, the device remained known as the Creation Matrix. {{storylink|Primeless, Part 2}}

[[File:Tyrest and the matrix.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]

Those capable of bearing the Matrix within them are marked by certain [[signs of affinity]]: having optics the same shade of "liberty blue" as the [[Matrix Flame]], finding ''[[Living metal#IDW Generation 1 continuity|sentio metallico]]'' wet to the touch, becoming giddy when standing on a [[hot spot]], and the ability to make a [[photonic crystal]] "snap" when placed in their chest. {{storylink|The Plotters' Club (Part 3): Journey's End|Journey's End}}

The cruel supremacist [[Nova Prime]] is the earliest known bearer of the Matrix in recent history, though how he came to carry it is unknown. Nova observed that the pulsewaves from Vector Sigma which generated new sparks from the substance of Cybertron and its moon were lessening in regularity, and, fearing (correctly) that they would one day stop entirely, tasked his scientists with studying the Matrix, hoping that the life-giving power the legends said it possessed could be tapped into. A team led by [[Tyrest (G1)|Tyrest]] set to the task, and succeeded in finding a way to generate sparks from the Matrix in abundance, producing a vast reservoir of them which were stockpiled and steadily rolled out into society as new bodies were constructed for them. The true origin of these "Matrixed" sparks was hidden from the general public, and a cover story was put into place that claimed they were created via "spark splicing", using the energy of an existing spark to ignite a new one. Transformers created in this manner were described as "constructed cold", while those born naturally were "forged". {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}}

Eventually, the Matrix would yield no more sparks, causing Tyrest and his team to believe it had run dry. In reality, one of the scientists had had an attack of conscience and stolen the Matrix, replacing it with a facsimile and hiding the real one away in the subterranean labyrinth of the [[Undergrid]]. {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}} Once Nova Prime left the planet aboard the [[Ark (G1)|Ark-1]] and vanished into the [[Benzuli Expanse]],<ref>Author Simon Furman implied in a [http://simonfurman.wordpress.com/2007/12/12/another-quick-qa/ December 2007 Q&A on his blog] and in the narration of ''[[Spotlight: Galvatron]]'' that in his original plans for this story, Nova ''did'' take the Matrix into the Dead Universe (Optimus Prime is never shown to carry it in Furman's stories), where it would have "become" something. Presumably, it was his intention for it to become the Darkness itself, which would not have been the separate entity it was in the finished story. 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.</ref> the fake Matrix was protected by the presumably-unwitting [[Primal Vanguard]], carried by its leader [[Delta Magnus]] during a period known as the [[Interregnum]] until a new bearer was chosen. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}} [[Nominus Prime]] is the earliest recorded Matrix-bearer after Nova, but whether he was his direct successor or not is unknown. It's also unclear whether Nominus Prime was aware that the Matrix was a fake. It's likely he did, since Nominus presumably falsified an "affinity for the Matrix" somehow in order to be named Prime.

Many Transformers embraced the religion surrounding the Matrix during the time of Nominus's reign, though with exceptions, such as police captain [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]], who remained sceptical of its touted divinity. Some Transformers would even "tattoo" an image of the Matrix on their bodies as evidence of their faith, such Orion's co-worker [[Springarm]] {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} and the trainee theoretician [[Skids (G1)|Skids]]. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}} Nominus's reign was a time of great civil unrest, however; a senator named [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]] hoped that a new Matrix-bearer might steer the planet off the path to self-destruction the corrupt [[Senate]] had placed it upon, and so began selecting promising young Cybertronians like [[Zeta Prime|Zeta]] and Orion Pax, befriending and rebuilding them with Matrix chambers in their chests. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

[[File:Autocracy9 pax finds matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
In order to take control of the Matrix's life-giving powers, the corrupt forces within the Senate arranged for an attack upon Nominus Prime, moving him into hiding so they could gain unfettered access to the talisman. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} Upon opening Nominus's chest, however, the Senate at last discovered that the Matrix had been replaced with a fake. Furious, they had Nominus killed, establishing a cover story that he had died of a rust infection, and announcing that their security head [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel]] was showing signs of Matrix affinity, paving the way for him to become Sentinel Prime. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} The fake Matrix was then transformed into a bomb as part of a plot to incriminate and round up the burgeoning Decepticon faction, {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} but a team led by Orion Pax uncovered the scheme, broke into the [[Primal Basilica]] and removed the Matrix-bomb, which Orion then detonated to win a battle with the [[Heavies]]. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}} It was not long after this that tensions exploded in the outbreak of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]; {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} {{storylink|The Transformers: Megatron Origin|Megatron Origin}} when reflecting back on this time, Kup distilled the reasons behind the outbreak of the conflict down to blaming the Matrix as the root cause. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}}

[[File:AHM7 megs rips out matrix.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]

Sentinel was succeeded by Zeta Prime, who much like his predecessor used a new fake Matrix (with lights installed!) to claim the title, and only those involved with Sentinel's scheme were aware of the truth. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}} {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 4: Dance Among the Shadows|Dance Among the Shadows}} Zeta was subsequently killed by [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]], who then hurled Orion Pax into the Undergrid, where Orion found the hiding place of the true Matrix. The damaged Pax was called out to by Matrix, which asked him to take hold of it. Upon doing so, he was linked to the sparks of every single Cybertronian alive and was overcome by the pain, fear and loneliness his people were experiencing. As power of the Matrix repaired his body, he realized that it was not only a symbol of leadership or creation, but a "Matrix of our sparks" in which [['Til all are one|all were one]]. With his newfound clarity and the Matrix in his chest, Orion declared his name to be Optimus Prime and set out to bring freedom to Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformation (issue)|Transformation}} Just thereafter, the Matrix guided him to the ruins of [[Nyon]] and allowed him to sense and awaken the dormant lifeforce of [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], who was in deep slumber below the city. {{storylink|Rise}}

Optimus Prime would later try to unleash the power of the Matrix in an attempt to vanquish the ancient monster [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], but was for some reason unable to open it. {{storylink|Annihilation}} He revealed his possession of the Matrix to [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] as proof of his Primehood, {{storylink|Primacy issue 1|Primacy #1}} and later used its cleansing powers to purge the influence of [[Pentius]]'s spark from Megatron's body. {{storylink|Primacy issue 4|Primacy #4}} At some point Prime took a sabbatical and left the Matrix in the care of [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]], whom it took to so well legend says it had to be surgically removed from his chest. {{storylink|Little Victories}}

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|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}}
[[File:IDW13 hotrod starscream matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
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|Altered Carbon}}
[[File:IDW19 matrix in chest.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67]]
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|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)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]], who provided a fuel cell for their ship. {{storylink|Space Opera Act 2: Out of the Silent Planet|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|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 experience 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}}
[[File:DoOP split matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|"Where'd you get the Matrix?" "We found it." "Found it? In Altihex? The Matrix is tropical!"]]
Upon the Autobots' return to Cybertron, they were faced with the threat of Galvatron, latest carrier of the Heart of Darkness, who combined it with Vector Sigma in order to allow D-Void to emerge into the universe through Cybertron. To prevent this, Optimus Prime opened the Matrix, which succeeded in stopping D-Void, but also left the Matrix spent, its crystal core darkened and split in two. {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis|Genesis}} With unrest growing between the Autobots and the unaligned Transformers in the process of returning to the planet, Prime brought the two halves of the Matrix to [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] for study, and the scientist discovered that the crystal was artificial, designed to [[photonic crystal|split in two]], and contained a map of the stars. [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] believed the map would lead the way to the long-lost Knights of Cybertron, and Rodimus elected to gather a crew and follow the path it charted, much to acting leader [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]]'s consternation. Optimus Prime gave each of them one of the Matrix-halves, before departing Cybertron himself in hopes of ending the civil unrest. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}} Optimus kept the shell of the Matrix and returned it to within his chest cavity. {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}}

When Rodimus set foot on [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], a billion sparks suddenly lit up on the moon's surface, something he credited to the Matrix half he was carrying. {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}} Having developed a belief that Cybertronians born from the Matrix were inherently evil, Tyrest used his knowledge of the talisman to construct the [[universal killswitch]]—a device capable of killing all cold constructed Transformers in existence by scrambling their unique sparkcode. Rodimus was able to put a stop to the process by hooking himself up to the machine and using his Matrix half to reinstate the code, but the crystal was shattered in the process. {{storylink|Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|This Calamitous Life}} He later scattered the dust of the Matrix on Luna 1 in honor of the sparks that were lost before they could be harvested. {{storylink|The Sound of Breaking Glass}} Optimus was...displeased when he learned of this. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}}

[[File:ForeverIsALongTimeComing-MatrixofLeadership.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67]]
The other half of the Matrix remained in Bumblebee's care until his death, after which it fell back into the hands of Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 2: Detonation Boulevard|Detonation Boulevard}} On his anniversary of becoming Prime, he returned to where he had found it all those years ago, hoping to find some of the same hope to press forward. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming (issue)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}} He later spoke with [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] about the Matrix where she made said if the Matrix chose him, it had a good reason. {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}} When contact with [[Caminus]] was established, Optimus was unwilling to let Starscream exploit it and all the other colonies. With Windblade at his side he passed through [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]'s [[Space bridge|spacebridge]] to the chamber of the [[Forgefire Parliament]] where Windblade proclaimed him to be a Prime. The [[Mistress of Flame]] demanded proof of this and Optimus revealed the glowing Matrix to all. The natives of the planet bowed in his presence and revered him as a god, equal to [[Primus]] and the [[Thirteen]] Primes. {{storylink|The Sum and Its Parts}} After being immobilized by [[Victorion]], Optimus recounted the history of the Matrix but stated he believed to simply be a piece of advanced technology not a mystical artifact while also expressing confusion over why it had flared on Caminus. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|Lagrange}}

[[File:ToWalkAmongTheChosen-Ore13Matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]
When Optimus had his chest ripped open by a mutated [[Baron Karza]], the Matrix shone through the damages. {{storylink|Valley Forge}}

Atop the [[Matterhorn]], waiting for [[Quintesson Cruiser|an alien spacecraft]], Optimus regarded the Matrix only for it to suddenly glow. An unimpressed [[Pyra Magna]] simply revealed that the Matrix was simply reacting to the nearby [[Ore-13]]. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}} When talking to [[Aileron]], Optimus again expressed that he did not believe the Matrix to be a divine artifact, calling it a "pulsewave generator". He noted however that could he use its symbolic importance to do good. Pyra Magna overheard his comment and was...displeased. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 4: Dance Among the Shadows|Dance Among the Shadows}}
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====The Functionist Universe====
[[File:ModesOfProduction-SixOfTwelveAndMatrix.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67]]
When the [[Functionist Council]] overthrew the [[Senate]], [[Twelve-of-Twelve]] obtained the false Matrix from Nominus and gave it to [[Six-of-Twelve]]. After obsessively studying the artifact, Six-of-Twelve came to believe Primus was speaking to him through it and integrated it into his head casing. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}}

When the council discovered that [[Rung (G1)|Rung]]'s true purpose was to produce [[photonic crystal]]s, Six-of-Twelve tried to tap the Matrix to reignite Nova Prime's old cold construction program, but discovered that the Matrix was a useless fake. Undaunted, he turned the Matrix into a weapon that was able to suspend Cybertronians in a field of agonizing energy. When Rodimus was caught in this field, he immediately knew that Six-of-Twelve's Matrix was a false due to being familiar with the energies of the genuine article. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}
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===''Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun'' manga===
[[File:Henkei11 matrix.jpg|thumb|left|IT BURNS!!]]

When the demented [[Galvatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Galvatron]] went on a rampage in [[Hoshinochō]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|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]], 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 manga|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''===
[[File:Robotheroes primus and matrix.jpg|thumb|By the power of Grayskull! I AM OPTIMUS PRIME!]]
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}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
The Matrix was passed down to [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] by [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] before his death. {{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}} [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] later defeated Prime and stole the Matrix, which he bonded with his [[black hole]] spark and used to subjugate [[Primus]] himself, allowing him to shape Cybertron according to his wishes. {{storylink|Pax Megatronus}}

Atop the Dyson Sphere above the Sun, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] managed to rip the Matrix from Megatron before a reborn Optimus Prime hurled Megatron into the sun. The Decepticon managed to hold onto the Matrix however, taking it with him only for [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] to seize the Matrix for himself. It was then snatched by [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] beginning a game of "hot potato" before [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] managed to return it to Optimus. {{storylink|The War Never Ends}}

===''Prime Wars Trilogy'' cartoons===
In the aftermath of the [[Combiner Wars (event)|Combiner Wars]], [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] no longer felt worthy to carry the Matrix of Leadership and instead decided to return it to the [[Chorus of the Primes]], reverting back to Hot Rod. {{storylink|Aftermath and Rebirth}} The [[Mistress of Flame]] criticized his decision, claiming they would need the Matrix to stop [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]'s rampage. {{storylink|Our Heroes Respond}} The Matrix projected a message to Optimus Prime, granting him a vision of future events, including the role the Matrix itself would play, prompting Optimus to head back towards the battlefield. {{storylink|The Fight Begins}} Learning from [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] that Rodimus had given up the Matrix, Optimus entered the Chorus chamber in the [[Primal Basilica]] and asked to take back the Matrix, which the Chorus obliged. {{storylink|Desperate Actions}} Guiding Perceptor to a secret exit below the Basilica, Optimus asked him to take the Matrix and get as far away as possible, lest Trypticon obtain it and use it's power to become unstoppable. {{storylink|Run for Our Lives}}

After running only a short while, the Matrix spoke to Perceptor and detailed its own plan; despite his apprehension, Perceptor did as it asked and tricked Trypticon into swallowing both himself and the Matrix. {{storylink|Consumed}} However, because the Matrix could only be used by its chosen wielder, Trypticon could not contain its power and ejected it and Perceptor from his body, along with the previously-swallowed [[Victorion]] and the [[Enigma of Combination]] and the ghost of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] possessing the Titan. Before Victorion could reclaim the Matrix and Enigma, they were surrounded by a barrier of flame as [[The Fallen|Megatronus]] revealed himself. After killing Optimus and issuing a series of vague threats, Megatronus grabbed the Matrix and the Enigma for himself and blasted off into the sky. {{storylink|All Things Must Pass}}

Megatronus later removed the Matrix from its storage and installed it and the Enigma into an unknown device. {{storylink|Without Warning}}
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===2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon===
[[File:PowerToBurn prime matrix.jpg|left|225px|thumb|My chestplate glows for you, Hotrod]]
Simply known as just 'the Matrix',<ref>The Matrix is never once called the 'Matrix of Leadership' in the ''Robots in Disguise'' 2001 cartoon. Though, it was initially called Optimus's 'Cyber Matrix' in "[[The Test (episode)|The Test]]", it was never again referred to as such afterward. It would not be until Optimus's profile published in [[The Official Transformers Collectors' Club Magazine issue 1|The OTFCC Magazine issue 1]] that this Matrix would be formally referred to as the "Matrix of Leadership".</ref> [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] was chosen by Vector Sigma to be its bearer and lead the Autobots as Commander-in-Chief of Cybertron. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus: Forced Fusion!}} 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}}
[[File:TwoFaces magnus matrix.jpg|215px|thumb|I set my chestplate from studly to kill. Go nipple blasters!]]
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]] channeled 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 a version of the Matrix of Leadership, instead carrys an [[Energon Matrix]].}}
{{--}}

====''Cybertron'' comic====
[[File:OptimusPrimeRIDprimuschamber.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Oops! Sorry. I had a premature matrix-ejaculation....]]
Teleported into the midst of a battle in another universe, Prime and Magnus found themselves on Cybertron, where the evil [[Nemesis Prime (Universe)|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, as the ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon only implied it to be such but never actually made explicit use of it in this manner.}}
{{-}}

===Shell Game===
After the [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] of [[Viron 704.31 Epsilon]] was killed by [[Megazarak (Universe)|Megazarak]], once-leader of the [[Protection Team]] [[Defensor (OTFCC)|Hot Spot]] was passed the Matrix of Leadership by [[Ultra Trion]], becoming his team's combined form [[Defensor (OTFCC)|Defensor]] himself. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/07}} Megazarak sought the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]], believing that it would yield the location of [[Base Sigma]], the last outpost of Autobot resistance and the hiding place of the Matrix-bearer. He failed, being slightly delayed by Ultra Trion's final gambit. {{storylink|Shell Game}} Defensor would eventually triumph over Megazarak and begin to rebuild his world. However, the Matrix gave him visions of another Megazarak, one who had succeeded in conquering [[Viron 403.0 Beta|his own universe]] and spreading out to other universes. Defensor felt the duty to seek out this Megazarak and stop him as well. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/07}}

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===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====
[[File:Crisis Hot Shot Matrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|Optimus said that I could drive this up somewhere....]]
When [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]] threatened to destroy the Earth with the [[Hydra Cannon]], [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|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 (Armada)|Crisis}}

[[File:Miracle sparkplug and matrix.jpg‎|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''.

[[File:ArmadaMatrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|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====
[[File:MysteriousMercenary matrix generates blaster.jpg‎|thumb|Also, it does not go anywhere in the robot mode. Get outta here, blaster. No one likes your style.]]
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]] of 2020, when Prime was badly injured by [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|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====
[[File: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}}

[[File:Unfinished matrix glow prime.jpg‎|thumb|225px]]
After the Autobots had obtained the Cyber Planet Keys from [[Velocitron]], [[Animatron|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===
In [[Aurex 404.11 Kappa]], Vector Prime held the Matrix during Cybertron's [[Golden Age]]. He led the Autobots for many years until he received a higher calling from the [[Chronarchitect]] to lead the [[Time Warrior (AVP)|Time Warrior]]s in protecting space and time. Vector passed the Matrix on to his trusty lieutenant, [[Guardian Major]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/07/12}}

===''Galaxy Force'' manga===
[[File: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 (Armada)|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}}
{{-}}

===''Hot Shot's Bot Thoughts''===
During an interview with [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], Hot Shot proved it was easy to get hold of a Matrix by telling Optimus Prime that his shoes were untied, and then yonking the Matrix right out of his chest while he was distracted. The Matrix upgraded Hot Shot into Shotimus Prime. During a later interview with [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]], the exasperated interviewee grabbed the Matrix, reverting Shotimus back to Hot Shot, and then beat him with it. {{storylink|Hot Shot's Bot Thoughts}}
----

===Live-action film series===
[[File:Tf2009 mol.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|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 movie comic====
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====
[[File:ROTF Matrix crumbles.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|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.

[[File:TheFallen-ROTFMatrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|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 (Earth)|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|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}

{{Note|The [[Transformers: 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====
[[File:DOTM-SentinelOptimusMatrix.jpg|left|upright=1.66|thumb|You thought they forgot about it already, didn't you?]]
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.

Megatron later explained to Starscream that he wanted Prime to use the Matrix on Sentinel as he was vital to Megatrons plan for invasion. {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}}
{{-}}

----

===''Animated'' cartoon===
[[File:Tfanimated matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
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 Almanac II}}
{{-}}

----
===Aligned continuity family===
====''The Covenant of Primus''====
The Matrix was created by the Primes sometime after Unicron's defeat and before the War of the Primes though according to [[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] it was a very different device at its creation then in the present day. It formed the hilt of the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] but [[Prima]] surrendered it to [[Primus]] in the [[Core]] after the Primes fought.

During the [[Age of Rust]], Alpha Trion went to [[Vector Sigma]] to try and retrieve the Matrix in hopes that it could reignite the fire of Cybertronian society. The supercomputer denied his request saying the time was not right but it gave him the [[Badge of Vector Prime]].

When [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] had poisoned the core of Cybertron with [[Dark Energon]], Primus inserted a portion of his Spark into the Matrix and gave it to [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] to carry and guard. This had the effect of restoring Optimus' memories of his earlier life among the [[Thirteen]]. {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}}

====Aligned novels====
[[File: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 (WFC)|Orion Pax]] met the charismatic gladiator named [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]]. Unbeknownst to Orion, Megatron plotted revolution, and, desiring the Matrix's power to fuel his ambition, had [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] send [[Rumble (WFC)|Rumble]] and [[Frenzy (WFC)|Frenzy]] to search for the Matrix in [[Crystal City]] to no avail.

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 (polity)|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|Exodus}}
{{-}}

====''Prime'' cartoon====
[[File:OneShallRise3-unleash.jpg|thumb|275px|Care Bear Stare!]]
During the Great War, the core of Cybertron, which contained the Spark of the Transformers' creator Primus, became poisoned with [[Dark Energon]]. Orion Pax journeyed there hoping to cure the god, but instead was given the Matrix of Leadership by Primus himself, becoming [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus]], the last of the Primes. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 3}}

When the Autobots discovered that Unicron's spark dwelt at the center of the Earth, Optimus Prime gambled that the Matrix held the power to destroy the dark god. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 2}} Led to the core of the planet by [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]], Prime emptied the full power of the Matrix into Unicron's spark. [[File:OrionPax3 Matrix of Leadership.jpg|thumb|left|275px]] The chaos-bringer responded by possessing Megatron in an attempt to stop him, but the Matrix generated a shield to protect Prime so that the mission could be completed, and Unicron was successfully returned to stasis. Unfortunately, in draining the Matrix of its energy, Optimus lost not merely the wisdom of the Primes, but all of his own memories since becoming a Prime.{{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 3}} Fortunately, Optimus had left a solution to this problem in the hands of the Autobot's human ally [[Jack Darby]]: the [[Key to Vector Sigma]], which would allow the Matrix to be refilled, and Optimus's memory restored, via the mega-computer Vector Sigma on Cybertron. {{storylink|Orion Pax, Part 1}} Jack and [[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] travelled to Cybertron to load the key, then returned to Earth in the midst of a battle between Orion and Megatron. Though the archivist was hesitant at first, Jack convinced him that he was in fact worthy and used the key to restore the Matrix's power and Optimus's memories. {{Storylink|Orion Pax, Part 3}}

When Optimus Prime lay dying after the destruction of the Autobot base, he told [[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]] that the Matrix would choose someone else to be leader, whom he believed to be Smokescreen. When Optimus did die, his chest ejected the Matrix as it began to search for a successor, but Smokescreen simply put the [[Forge of Solus Prime]] in Optimus's hand which, combined with the Matrix, revived and reformatted Optimus at the cost of draining the Forge of all its power. {{storylink|Rebellion (Prime)|Rebellion}}

Optimus used the Matrix of Leadership to guide him to the location of the AllSpark. While engaging the army of Terrorcon Predacons on the Nemesis, Smokescreen finally confessed to Bumblebee that he was the original choice for new leader. To safeguard the [[AllSpark]] from [[Unicron/Aligned|Unicron]], Optimus merged it with the Matrix. Unfortunately that meant when he restored the AllSpark to its rightful place, both he and the Matrix had to be sacrificed to do so, ending the age of Primes. {{storylink|Predacons Rising (Prime)|Predacons Rising}}
{{-}}

====''Rescue Bots'' cartoon====
[[File:OddBotOut Optimus Matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Optimus located an [[Liquefier|Iacon relic]] that was threatening [[Griffin Rock]], and used the Matrix to shut it down. {{storylink|Odd Bot Out}}
{{-}}

----

===''Knights of Unicron''===
[[File:Dark Side of the Matrix album cover.jpg|thumb|left|200px]]

The Matrix of Leadership served as inspiration for the legendary rock band the [[Knights of Unicron (band)|Knights of Unicron]], immortalized on the cover of their studio album "Dark Side of the Matrix". {{storylink|Knights of Unicron (band)|Knights of Unicron}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===''The Transformers'' (PS2)===
[[File:TFPS2 matrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1]]
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''===
[[File:Netjetmatrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
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: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''. {{storylink|Transformers Battle Universe}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers: War for Cybertron'' (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)===
[[File:WFC Matrix of Leadership.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|How are you supposed to hold it up and release its cleansing flame if the handles aren't even attached to the sphere?]]
Though [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|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}}
{{--}}

===''Angry Birds Transformers''===
{{storylink|Angry Birds Transformers (mobile game)|Angry Birds Transformers}}
{{charstubgame|Does it do anything, game-play wise? How about adding to the note how much it costs?}}

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

==Notes==
[[File:G1toon matrix strings.jpg|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. If an Autobot is not brave, strong, or wise enough, the program would either drive him insane or lobotomise him.<ref name="BC10">[http://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc10/bc10bb.html griffin's 2010 BotCon report]</ref> Although the "ten millennia" bit made it into the comic, the rest of it was never realized. (Budiansky also left a note that the Matrix isn't the only way of making new Transformers, which was never touched on until ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (franchise)|Generation 2]]''.)
*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 and Swindle]]" has empty Generation 1 Matrix containers for sale, as seen in an illustration from the prose story "[[I, Lowtech]]".
*The Matrix of Leadership [[:File: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]]".

===Foreign names===
*''Arabic:'' '''مصفوفة القيادة'''
*''English:'' '''Power Pack''' ([[Omni Productions]] dub)
*''French'': '''Matrice de Commandement'''
*''German:'' '''Hauptprogramm''' ("Core Program", used once in fiction), '''Matrix der Führerschaft''' ("Matrix of Leadership")
*''Indonesian:'' '''Matriks Kepemimpinan''' ( "Matrix of Leadership")
*''Italian:'' '''Matrice''' ("Matrix"), '''Scettro del Comando''' (First dub of G1 Season 3, "Scepter of Command"), '''Matrix''' (Second dubs of both 86 movie and G1 Season 3)
*''Japanese:'' '''Matrix''' (マトリクス ''Matorikusu''), '''Leader no Matrix''' (''Revenge'', リーダーのマトリクス, "Matrix of Leader")
*''Mandarin:'' '''Mǔtǐ''' (Taiwan, 母體, "Matrix" or "Mother Body"), '''Jǔzhèn''' (China, 矩阵, "Matrix"), '''Lǐngdǎo Mókuài''' (China, 领导模块, "Module of Leader")
*''Polish:'' '''Matryca Przywództwa''', '''Matryca Przywódcy''' (''War for Cybertron'' PC, "Matrix of Leadership", "Matrix of the Leader")
*''Portuguese:'' '''Matriz da Liderança'''
*''Spanish'': '''Matriz de Liderazgo'''

==Footnotes==
[[File:DiamondStickerbookMatrixOfLight.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Not shown: Anything in the caption.]]
<references />

[[Category:Animated]]
[[Category:Armada]]
[[Category:Artifacts of the Primes]]
[[Category:Beast Wars]]
[[Category:Classics]]
[[Category:Crystals]]
[[Category:Cybertron franchise]]
[[Category:Energon franchise]]
[[Category:Generation 1 objects]]
[[Category:Generation 2]]
[[Category:Henkei! Henkei!]]
[[Category:Interjections]]
[[Category:Legends franchise]]
[[Category:MacGuffins]]
[[Category:Matrices]]
[[Category:Movie]]
[[Category:Prime]]
[[Category:Primus]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise (2001)]]
[[Category:Transformers (2010)]]
[[Category:Universe (2003)]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron]]
[[Category:Wings Universe]]

Chaar

2018-05-21T20:24:56Z

Chris2119:

{{disambig3|Chaar}}
[[File:Chaar EstablishingShot.jpg|center|800px|thumb|The original inhabitants were very big on domes.]]
'''Chaar''' is the planet where the [[Decepticon]]s settled after being driven from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. It is a burned-out, barren husk of a planet. The planet is far from dead, however; in its caves lurk [[energy leech (species)|energy leech]]es and at least one [[Chaar spider|monstrous spider]]. Like Cybertron, Chaar has two metal moons.

{{quote|Our charts don't show any planets in that sector... no, wait, here it is. I thought it was a smudge on the screen.|[[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] finds Chaar on the galactic map|"[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
[[File:Chaar City.JPG|upright=1.3|left|thumb|Sure the rent's low, but would you want Galvatron as your landlord? Or Soundwave as your neighbor? And you know the Predacons are just gonna mess up your yard.]]
After the battle against [[Unicron]] in 2005, the [[Autobot]]s successfully drove away all the Decepticons occupying [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. With [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] missing, the Decepticons became directionless and chose to seek refuge on the burned-out world of Chaar. Starved of [[energon]], they were reduced to scrounging for scraps. [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] and [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] visited the planet in search of kidnapped Autobots and found their old foes in this sorry state. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}} While [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] went to retrieve [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] from his resting place on [[Thrull]], the rest of the Decepticons were recruited by the [[Quintesson]]s to take part in an assault on Cybertron. Thus when Galvatron arrived on Chaar, the only one left to greet him was [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], who explained what had happened. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3}}

Reinvigorated, the Decepticons gradually transformed the planet into a suitable place to live, {{storylink|Starscream's Ghost}} though some ruins still littered the landscape. {{storylink|Ghost in the Machine (G1)|Ghost in the Machine}} The Decepticons made use of the damaged buildings, even for delicate medical procedures. {{storylink|Webworld}} Eventually a substantial portion of the planet was [[Eco-structuring|altered]] to be Cybertron-like. {{storylink|The Burden Hardest to Bear}}

Not even Chaar was safe from the [[Hate Plague]], and Galvatron found himself the only Decepticon left uninfected. A group of Autobots led by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] arrived there in search of the samples of [[Impervious alloy|an alloy]] stolen earlier by the Decepticons. Galvatron guided them through one of Chaar's caverns, infested with many examples of the planet's native wildlife, until they found the storehouse containing the metal. {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2}}

{{--}}

====''Robotmasters''====
The Autobot [[Road Rocket (G2)|Road Rocket]] resided on Chaar before coming to Earth to be [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s bodyguard in 2004. {{storylink|Road Rocket (G2)|Road Rocket's ''Robotmasters'' toy bio}}

====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
[[File:GreatCassetteOp Chaar.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
The Decepticons continued to use Chaar as a base of operation into 2011, {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} although by then it had lost both its moons and was considerably more desolate. The Decepticons operated out of a single small city, though their facilities were sufficient to reconstruct [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] as Soundblaster after he was killed. {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}}

[[File:ExplosionMarsMegaZarak Chaar base.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]
The planet apparently occasionally experienced heavy fog, such as when [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] arrived to report to Galvatron. {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}} Their security was not particularly efficient however, as demonstrated when [[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Twincast]] managed to sneak through the [[space bridge]] and spy on a Decepticon meeting. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears}} The Decepticon ranks were also infiltrated by the Autobot [[Punch (G1)|Punch]]. {{storylink|Return of the Immortal Emperor}} The Decepticon early warning system ''was'' sufficient to detect the incoming [[Horrorcon]]s though. {{storylink|Daniel Faces His Biggest Crisis Ever!!}}

The Decepticons continued to use their planet as a base of operations though their quest for power would see them occasionally leaving the planet to carry out tasks on other works, such as when they went to [[Master (planet)|Master]] to forge the [[Zarak Shield]]. {{storylink|The Zarak Shield Turns the Tide}} Following a failed attempt to destroy [[Earth]], {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}} the Decepticon main force abandoned that world completely and consolidated on Chaar. They continued to operate from there as they battled the Autobots based on [[Athenia]]. {{storylink|TV Magazine|TV Magazine prose epilogue}}

{{--}}

====''Victory''====
The [[Dinoforce]] hailed from Chaar. {{storylink|Dinoforce|Dinoforce's toy bios}}

===The Big Broadcast of 2006===
{{NoteMarvelBB2006}}
By the year 2006, the Decepticons under [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]'s command had claimed Chaar as their home base of operations. {{storylink|The Big Broadcast of 2006 (issue)|The Big Broadcast of 2006 (US)}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
Once a populated planet, Charr became a barren wasteland crisscrossed by lava flows as a result of natural disaster. {{storylink|Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye #8}}

===''Animated'' cartoon===
Chaar is a world within the once mighty [[Decepticon Empire]], ruled by [[Strika (Animated)|General Strika]]. [[Team Chaar]] is stationed there. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}}

===''Knights of Unicron''===
The Trypticon Dinobase, located on Planet Chaar, was the eighth venue for the [[Knights of Unicron (band)|Knights of Unicron]] on their 2014 "Till All Are One" tour. The planet also inspired the title of their studio album, "Bot Out of Chaar". {{storylink|Knights of Unicron}}

==Notes==
[[File:Chaar concept art.jpg|thumb|right|200px]]
*The spelling "Chaar" (two As, one R) was first revealed in the Marvel Comics adaptation of ''[[The Big Broadcast of 2006 (issue)|The Big Broadcast of 2006]]''. Years later, the same spelling was found in internal [[Sunbow Productions]] documents, such as the [[dialogue script]]s. This means that the planet's official spelling has been known since 1988... yet "Charr" still persists in the [[fandom]] to this day, even cropping up in [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]]'s ''[[Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' guidebook. Oh well.
*[[Floro Dery]]'s original design for Chaar was considerably more gnarly and sinister-looking than the version that made it to screen. The planet was jagged (its moon even more so) and had those weird rocky rings similar to the ones that appeared around [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]]. The caption on Dery's production art describes Chaar as, "a burned-out, Hellish and God-forsaken planet".<ref>http://www.etsy.com/listing/168663286/space-carrier-planet-chaar-signed-print?ref=shop_home_active</ref>
*In fact, it's not clear there ever was a final design; Chaar hardly ever appears the same way twice on screen. At one point in "[[Five Faces of Darkness]]", it's portrayed by a stock shot of [[Goo 8739B|the planet Goo]]; another time, it's shown looking like [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] itself.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Jaar''' (ジャール ''Jāru'')<ref>ジャール is [[Romanization|romanized]] on a computer screen in "[[Daniel Faces His Biggest Crisis Ever!!]]" as "Jarl". Even so, "Jaar" is preferred due to its closer similarity to "Chaar".</ref>
*''English:'' '''Jolo''' ([[Omni Productions]] dub)
*''Mandarin:'' '''Chaar''' (查尔 ''Cháěr'')
*''Russian:'' '''Yurona''' (Юрона)
*''Spanish:'' '''Estrella Mortis''' (American ''The Headmasters'')

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Animated planets]]
[[Category:Decepticon bases]]
[[Category:Dreamwave Generation 1 locations]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon planets]]
[[Category:Generation 1 planets]]
[[Category:Marvel Generation 1 planets]]
[[Category:Planets]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen locations]]
[[Category:Robotmasters locations]]
[[Category:The Headmasters planets]]
[[Category:Victory planets]]

Unicron War

2018-05-21T20:23:07Z

Chris2119:

:''The Unicron War is a campaign from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:UnicronWarMagami01.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]
The '''Unicron War''' refers to [[Unicron]]'s attack upon [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and his efforts to destroy the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. Unicron's threat is successfully repelled by a joint effort between the [[Autobot]]s and the [[Decepticon]]s and by Hot Rod opening the [[Matrix of Leadership]]).

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
The Unicron War spun directly out of the events of the [[Battle of Autobot City]]. The planet-eater [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] was first drawn to the Transformers on [[Earth]] and [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] when the dying [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] bequeathed the [[Autobot]] [[Matrix of Leadership]] to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]]. Unicron recognized the Matrix as the only thing capable of eliminating him and so, seeking a means to destroy it, began what would be known as the "Unicron War".

Following the Battle of Autobot City, [[Decepticon]] leader [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] and several of his injured subordinates were thrown out of [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] and set adrift in outer space. Unicron sought to use these discarded Decepticons as his servants. Upgrading Megatron into [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] and the other Decepticons into [[Cyclonus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cyclonus]], [[Scourge (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Scourge]], and the [[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]], he charged them with the mission of destroying the Matrix.

[[File:TFTM UltraMagnus dies.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb]]
After a brief trip to Cybertron to reassert his authority as leader of the Decepticons, Galvatron then led his forces back to [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] on Earth. Now under the command of Unicron, Galvatron's single goal was to destroy Ultra Magnus and the Matrix within him. When Ultra Magnus and several other Autobots fled in shuttles, Galvatron and the Decepticons gave chase, shooting one shuttle down on the planet [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]], and seemingly destroying the shuttle piloted by Ultra Magnus. Galvatron, thinking his mission a success, returned to Unicron.

It was a ruse, however, and Ultra Magnus and his Autobots had escaped to the Planet of [[Junkion (planet)|Junk]]. Informing Galvatron of his failure, Unicron dispatched his servants to Junk to finish the job. Galvatron was more successful on his second attempt, blowing Ultra Magnus to pieces and stealing the Matrix for himself.

Galvatron, desiring freedom from Unicron, attempted to wield the Matrix against his master. Unfortunately, he was not capable of opening the device and was promptly eaten. Enraged by his servant's behavior, Unicron transformed to [[robot mode]] and swore to destroy all of Cybertron in retaliation. [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] quickly ordered all Decepticons to engage in a counterattack on their foe, though their firepower proved ineffective.

[[File:TFTM Unicron smashes cybertron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
The Autobots, both those who had been stranded on Quintessa and on Junk, arrived to aid in defending Cybertron, joining forces with the Decepticons in battle. Several Autobots invaded Unicron by flying their ship through his eye, though were met by his inner defenses. The Autobot [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] became separated from his teammates and ran afoul of Galvatron (still carrying the Matrix). Galvatron initially asked for Hot Rod's aid in destroying their common foe, but still under Unicron's control, was forced to fight his would-be-comrade, instead.

The battle continued until Hot Rod removed the Matrix from Galvatron's possession, transforming himself into Rodimus Prime. Throwing Galvatron into deep space, Rodimus Prime then opened the Matrix, causing a devastating chain reaction within Unicron's body. Rodimus and the other Autobots escaped just as Unicron's body exploded, with only his head left to sightlessly orbit Cybertron. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}

Following the end of the Unicron War, the Decepticons, who had previously been in control of Cybertron, were driven from the planet by the Autobots. The Decepticons would eventually seek asylum on planet [[Chaar]]. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}}

Galvatron would eventually crash-land into a plasma pit on the planet [[Thrull]]. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2}}

Unicron's head would continue to orbit Cybertron for many years, causing various sorts of trouble. {{storylink|Ghost in the Machine (G1)|Ghost in the Machine}} {{storylink|Grimlock's New Brain}}

====''Beast Wars Neo'' cartoon====
The energy released by his destruction would be known as [[Angolmois]] energy. It would eventually be used to resurrect the planet-eater, who would make a second attempt to destroy Cybertron many hundreds of years later. {{storylink|Unicron Revived!?}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
After [[Primus]] had inadvertently been awakened, Unicron became aware of his brother's location and set course to finish their duel. {{storylink|The Primal Scream}} The Transformers scrambled to find the lost [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]] to destroy the Chaos Bringer, {{storylink|Bird of Prey!}} A group of Autobots tracked down the talisman to the moon of [[VsQs]] where they found that the Matrix had developed sentience without a host and encounters with alien lifeforms had turned it evil. As such, the Matrix latched onto [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]], {{storylink|Dark Creation}} forcing the Autobots to send it adrift once again leaving them with no defence against the coming of Unicron. {{storylink|All Fall Down}}

A temporally displaced [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]] knew however that Unicron could also be felled if all Transformers were united as one and convinced Primus to recall all his creations back home. {{storylink|Out of Time!}} After the Transformers had dealt with the [[Acolyte of Unicron]]s, Unicron himself arrived. {{storylink|The Void! (US)|The Void}}

The sheer size of the Chaos Bringer threw the Transformers into a panicked frenzy requiring Galvatron to mount a lone attack to rally his people into battle. In spite of this unity, Unicron still murdered millions of Transformers, even banishing Primus from the physical plane, before the corrupted Matrix returned and attempted to destroy Unicron. Bereft of its virtuous nature however, it was no threat to the Chaos Bringer who swatted it aside with ease.

After that, Unicron decided to simply devour Cybertron in planetary mode before [[G.B. Blackrock]] managed to rally [[Circuit Breaker (G1)|Circuit Breaker]] into unleashing her full power on the Chaos Bringer temporarily stunning him. This bought [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] the time he needed to purify the Matrix and open it within Unicron destroying the dark god. {{storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}}

Though Unicron was vanquished, it had seemed he was ultimately victorious as Cybertron threatened to tear itself apart in a series of planetary quakes. {{storylink|Still Life!}} It was later revealed however that the Matrix had sacrificed itself to destroy Unicron and had released a wave of healing energy onto Cybertron, the quakes being a side-effect that were eventually quelled by the [[Last Autobot]], a contingency Primus had placed in the event he was banished during Unicron's attack. {{storylink|End of the Road! (US)|End of the Road!}}

====''Classics''====
{{noteclassics}}
In [[2012]] when facing off against his [[Octopunch (SG)|negative polarity counterpart]], [[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]] boasted that he had survived the Unicron War. {{storylink|Invasion (issue)|Invasion}}

====''Regeneration One''====
Though he was resurrected after destroying Unicron, Optimus Prime carried lingering trauma from the Unicron War. Even twenty-one years later, he was still haunted by visions of the Chaos Bringer returning. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 1}} This trauma snowballed into an aggressive form of pacifism with Optimus adamantly refusing to believe the Decepticons were returning, confident that the Unicron War had been the end of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]. {{storylink|Counterpoint}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
In a hybrid universe created by the machinations of [[Sideways (RID)|Sideways]] and [[gbwiki:Gong|Gong]], the Unicron War incorporated the [[GoBot]]s. After a few quantum destabilizations—first pitting the Autobots against the [[Renegade]]s, and later the Decepticons against the [[Guardian (GoBots)|Guardian]]s—the reality coalesced into an amalgamated universe that incorporated both GoBots and Transformers. In this strange timeline, [[Leader-1 (GoBots)|Leader-1]] perished at the hands of Megatron, passing the Guardian Matrix of Leadership on to [[gbwiki:Major Mo|Major Mo]]. Unicron reformatted Megatron into Galvatron to seize the Matrix, with [[Fracture (Movie)|Fracture]] and [[Deadlift]] in place of Cyclonus and Scourge.

Kup, Hot Rod, and the Dinobots crashed on [[Antares 3|Antares III]], where they battled [[Master Renegade]] and his [[Monster GoBot]]s, while Springer, Arcee, and Major Mo encountered and allied with the [[Rock Lord]]s on [[Quartex (planet)|Quartex]].

During Unicron's final assault on Cybertron, [[Vector Prime]] managed to intervene from behind the scenes. The two universes were set back on their correct courses, allowing Hot Rod to open the '''Autobot''' Matrix of Leadership and save the day. {{storylink|Echoes and Fragments}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
Unicron attacked Cybertron during the height of the Great War. Autobots, Decepticons and even Neutrals came together to defeat the Chaos Bringer but thousands upon thousands of them perished under his heel. With the Matrix lost to the Cybertronians, Unicron was brought down through the actions of a [[Point One Percenter|select few]]. The scientist [[Deluge (G2)|Deluge]] took note of this fact and endeavoured to create additional Point One Percenters in the future. Peace reigned for a time following the Chaos Bringer's destruction before the war inevitably restarted, more violent than ever.

By the 24th century, [[information creep]] had caused memories of the attack to become distorted, some doubting Unicron had ever even existed. {{storylink|The Inexorable March}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
*In Japan, the term "Unicron War" was coined by the writers of the ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (story page)|Transformers 2010]]'' [[story page]]s (most likely by [[Masumi Kaneda]]) as a means to describe the events of ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', which would not be released in Japan until 1989. With the events of the Unicron War being referred to extensively but never ''seen'', it gained a mysterious and almost legendary quality, both among the characters in the series and the audience observing the fiction. The term was also used in multiple episodes of the [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (franchise)|Transformers 2010]] dub, often by the narrator at the start of episodes like [[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2]] and in [[Secret Files of Teletraan II]] segments, and is still used in Japanese fiction to refer to the conflict to this day.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Unicron Sensō''' (ユニクロン戦争, "Unicron War")

[[Category:Generation 1 history]]
[[Category:Wars]]