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Machine Wars: Transformers

2017-06-19T15:20:23Z

NinjaSaurus89: /* Fiction */

{{disambig2|the real-world franchise|the historical event within the fiction|Machine Wars (event)}}
{{nav-mw}}

'''''Machine Wars: Transformers''''' was a line of Transformers toys released in 1997 as a [[KB Toys|Kay-Bee]] Toy Works [[exclusive]]. Apparently, the line was an early attempt to bring vehicular characters and popular names back into ''Transformers'' after the success of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars]]'' revived the brand. Only one wave of figures was produced, and memory of the line has mostly faded. It is a rare example of a [[micro-continuity]] which nevertheless had a full (albeit very small) toyline of its own.

==Fiction==
[[File:StarscreamMW Genesis.jpg|right|upright=1.1|thumb|"I've got a hint for you too."]]
''Machine Wars''<nowiki>'</nowiki> placement within the larger fiction is an open-ended question. There is no form of accompanying fiction, nor even a story-establishing packaging blurb to set the stage. The on-package [[bio]]s establish that ten of the twelve toys are blatantly returning [[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]] characters in new bodies. (The errant two are [[Megaplex]] and [[Hubcap (MW)|Hubcap]], the latter of whom shares a name with but is otherwise nothing like the Generation 1 [[Hubcap (G1)|robot of that name]].) As such, many fans have taken to thinking that ''Machine Wars'' is part of the Generation 1 universe after ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (franchise)|Generation 2]],'' since this was its characters' first appearance as toys since then, and the [[Transformers brand|''Transformers'' franchise]] had not yet explicitly rebooted continuity nor established the concept of a [[Continuity|multiverse]].

This placement is supported somewhat by [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s bio, which refers to him taking to the skies "again", likely a reference to the [[Megatron (G1)/toys#ATB|unreleased ''Generation 2'' "ATB Megatron" toy]]. Years later, the idea would find more traction in [[TakaraTomy]]'s "[http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/TF/table.html official timeline]", where ''Machine Wars'' indeed follows ''Generation 2'' in a grand conglomeration of all ''Transformers'' continuities. Although that timeline makes ''Machine Wars'' a dead-end branch, the [[e-HOBBY]]-exclusive black [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] bio refers to his ''Machine Wars'' form in the past tense.

Within ''Machine Wars'' itself, the only remaining element of story progression is found in [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]]'s bio. Where his Generation 1 bio had established him as being unsure of the Decepticon cause but willing to follow orders, his ''Machine Wars'' function is "Rebel Warrior", and he's described as believing in the Decepticon cause, yet "rebellious among his own ranks".

The [[Genesis: The Art of Transformers|''Genesis'']] art book contains one more suggestion of continuity in a portrait of ''Machine Wars'' Starscream. [[Matt Kuphaldt|The artist]] embedded story information into the scene, placing [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] on the days where [[The Transformers: The Movie|he was once crowned]] and adorning him with the same purple cape. But the setting glows golden, a reference to the post-[[The Rebirth, Part 3|Rebirth]] [[Golden Age]], and Starscream brandishes the presumably-defeated [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]'s torn-off [[particle cannon]]. The picture was intended to be a sequel to [http://www.spektakle.com/portfolio/tf/tf_fan_starscream.html a piece of the artist's own fan art.]

In [[2012]] it was announced via [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 48|''Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club'' #48]] that the [[BotCon 2013]] set would be ''Machine Wars''-themed and set after ''Generation 2'' in the ''[[Transformers: Wings Universe|Wings Universe]]'', a variant version of the [[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]. [[A Flash Forward, Part 6|The G2-themed Club comic in the same issue]] was a prelude to the ''Machine Wars''-themed Botcon 2013 comic "[[Termination]]". The ''Machine Wars'' storyline concluded the next year with the digitally-released sequel "[[A Common Foe]]", which ended with a tease at the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars]]'' era.

{{-}}

==Toys==
===Original line===

The line consists entirely of pre-existing molds: four small molds that had been originally developed for ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (franchise)|Generation 2]]'' but were canceled with the line, and four larger toys released in the second-to-last year of "Generation 1" in European markets.

The four smaller molds share the same "flipchanger" quick transformation feature as early ''Beast Wars'' Basic class toys released the year before; the four larger toys are more in line with the blocky, non-articulated Generation 1 design style, but have had their missile launching gimmicks either altered or removed altogether [[for safety reasons]].

Most of them, despite being classic characters, are in color schemes that are completely ''not'' those of the characters they're meant to represent. Given Skywarp has the ''Generation 2'' Decepticon symbol on him, it's likely these non-matching decos were originally planned for that line as new characters.

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Basics'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|[[Hoist (G1)/toys#Machine Wars|Hoist]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Hubcap (MW)|Hubcap]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Mirage (G1)#Machine Wars|Mirage]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Prowl (G1)/toys#Machine Wars|Prowl]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"| 
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Megaplex#Machine Wars|Megaplex]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Megatron (G1)/toys#Machine Wars|Megatron]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Skywarp (G1)/toys#Machine Wars|Skywarp]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Thundercracker (G1)/toys#Machine Wars|Thundercracker]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Megas'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|[[Sandstorm (G1)#Machine Wars|Sandstorm]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Soundwave (G1)/toys#Machine Wars|Soundwave]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Ultras'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|[[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Machine Wars|Optimus Prime]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Starscream (G1)/toys#Machine Wars|Starscream]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|[[File:MachineWars Hoist toy.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Hoist]]
|}

===Post-''Machine Wars'' toys===
Unsurprisingly, ''Machine Wars'' was largely forgotten following its short lifespan. It did get a few nods here and there, but this would be a ''way'' shorter section if [[BotCon]] hadn't decided to devote a set to the theme one year. (This set/theme was also kind of a notorious clunker, with the souvenir sets needing to be clearanced out online.)

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''[[e-HOBBY]]'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Megaplex#Collector's Edition|Megaplex]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Starscream (G1)/toys#BlackStarscream|Starscream Black Version]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''[[Transformers: Universe (2003 toyline)|''Universe'' (2003)]]'''
{{Bp-d1|[[Soundwave (G1)/toys#Universe (2003)|Soundwave]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''[[BotCon 2013]]'''
{{Bp-a1d1|''Machine Wars'' box set ([[Hoist (G1)/toys#Timelines|Hoist]], [[Megaplex#Timelines|Megaplex]], [[Skywarp (MW)#Toys|Skywarp]])}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Starscream (G1)/toys#Timelines|Starscream]]}}
{{Bp-a1d1|[[Mirage (G1)/toys#BotCon2013|Mirage]] & [[Thundercracker (MW)#Toys|Thundercracker]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Sandstorm (MW)#Toys|Sandstorm]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"| 
{{Bp-a1d1|Kreon Souvenir Figure Set ([[Hoist (G1)/toys#BotCon2013|Hoist]], [[Megaplex#Kre-O|Megaplex]], [[Skywarp (MW)#Kre-O|Skywarp]])}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|
|}

{{-}}

==Notes==
* It has been speculated that ''Machine Wars'' would not have existed if not for an overenthusiastic [[Kenner]] presentation at [[BotCon 1996]]. At the time, ''Beast Wars'' was in full effect, but representative [[Anthony Gaud]] reportedly told the audience, in detail, that they were going to launch a Generation 1 revival as well, which naturally brought a LOT of excitement to the fandom. When the lackluster ''Machine Wars'' appeared the following year, with virtually none of the details mentioned coming to pass, some fans surmised that Hasbro had scrapped any true revival plans (assuming they were even "plans" rather than just musings), but still felt the need to follow through on Gaud's remarks.
* Three of the four Basic molds have card-art that is not of the actual toys, removing weapons and changing colors to kinda-sorta-vaguely match: Mirage/Prowl use altered ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (toyline)|Generation 2]]'' [[Jolt (G2)|Jolt]] art, Megatron/Megaplex use altered [[Predator (subgroup)|Predator]] [[Falcon (G1)|Falcon]] art, and Skywarp/Thundercracker use Predator [[Skydive (Predator)|Skydive]] art.
* A new version of Hubcap, based on the BotCon 2013 Hoist/Electrons toy, was under consideration for a [[Transformers Figure Subscription Service]] toy... but the low sales of the BotCon sets nixed that pretty effectively.

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/series/mw.htm ''Machine Wars'' toys at TFU.info]

[[Category:Franchises]]
[[Category:Generation 1 franchises]]
[[Category:Machine Wars| ]]
[[Category:Toylines]]

Matrix of Leadership

2015-12-18T17:12:54Z

NinjaSaurus89: /* IDW Generation 1 continuity */

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

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

==Conceptual history==
[[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 twenty-five-plus years, with different pieces of ''Transformers'' fiction creating new ideas centred on it, which have in turn influenced its representation in ''other'' fiction, and so on. The current nature of the Matrix as it is understood is beholden to quite a few different sources, and its development is described here to minimize confusion. For the specifics on the different interpretations of the Matrix in various continuities, see the "Fiction" section below.

The concept of the Matrix originates from the brain of [[Marvel Comics]] writer [[Bob Budiansky]] and is a result of the "no girls"/"no gender" policy enforced by [[Hasbro]] regarding their then-new robot brand. Because there were no female robots/the robots had no gender, Budiansky came up with an asexual method of reproduction in the form of the Creation Matrix, a "[[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 Spark]]s", 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]]. 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 (G1)|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)|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)|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 (G1)|Ark]], manifesting the Matrix power in the form of a giant, vaguely humanoid energy field around himself. Soon, however, the Matrix began to speak through Thunderwing, delighting in the firsthand experience of evil, and the Decepticon realized he was being possessed. Thunderwing tried to mentally battle the Matrix, to no avail, but the Autobots exploited his erratic behaviour to impale him with a harpoon and blow him out the Ark's airlock into space. {{storylink|All Fall Down}}

[[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 the alternate future timeline of [[Earth-120185]], a dying Optimus Prime passed the Matrix to Ultra Magnus in 2006. {{storylink|The Planet-Eater!}} It was then used by [[Hot Rod (G1)/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)|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 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, on the deck of Bludgeon's ''[[Warworld]]'', having himself been transformed into Rodimus Prime! {{storylink|Less Than Zero}}

===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 (G1)|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 (G1)|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|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 to the light of the Matrix.]]

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

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
{{note|The events of the Generation 1 cartoon occur in Japanese animated continuity as described above, except that the events of 2006 are moved forward to 2010, and "The Rebirth" does not occur. A 2007 [[retcon]] built upon the original cartoon's confusing hints to create a full origin for the Matrix in this continuity.}}

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

=====''The 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 mini-comics=====

[[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)|Wheeljack]] and [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] later discovered new properties of the Matrix, which prompted Megatron to duel Optimus Prime in the [[Mirtonian constellation]] in order to steal the Matrix for himself. {{storylink|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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===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/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]] witnessed the Matrix being torn by the [[Liege Maximo (G2)|Liege Maximo]] from the body of the enigmatic [[Primon]], its first holder. {{storylink|Herald, Covenant, Schism, Paradox|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]]

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 (G1)|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|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}} 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 [[Caminus]] believed the Matrix once adorned the hilt of the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] forged by [[Solus Prime (G1)|Solus Prime]] herself and wielded by [[Prima (G1)|Prima]]. {{storylink|The Sum and Its Parts}}

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}}

[[File:Autocracy9 pax finds matrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]

It was just after Zeta's death that Orion Pax found the true Matrix hidden in the Undergrid beneath the [[Citadel]], after he was hurled there by [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]. 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|left|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|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|left|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|right|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]] 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}}
{{-}}

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

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

===''Robot Heroes''===
[[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''===
{{ongoing}}
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}}

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===2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon===
{{noteCR}}
[[File:PowerToBurn prime matrix.jpg|left|225px|thumb|My chestplate glows for you, Hotrod]]
[[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] was chosen by Vector Sigma to be leader of the Autobots and to carry the Matrix. Less a physical object and more an energy that suffused his form, Prime could call on the power of the Matrix in moments of great emotion, at which point his body would glow with its green light. {{storylink|The Test (episode)|The Test}}
[[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 the Matrix of Leadership, instead carrying 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; the ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon had opted to portray it as a power socket, and treated the Matrix as an energy, as noted above.}}
{{-}}

===Shell Game===
{{askvectorprime}}
''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.'' 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. ''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.''

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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 (Cybertron)|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}}

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

====''Revenge of the Fallen'' film====
[[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 (Movie)|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''====
{{stub|{{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 (WFC)|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 (Prime)|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]], 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|right|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}}
{{--}}

==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 ''[[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 & 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")
*''English:'' '''Power Pack''' ([[Omni Productions]] dub)
*''German:'' '''Hauptprogramm''' ("Core Program", used once in fiction), '''Matrix der Führerschaft''' ("Matrix of Leadership")
*''Indonesian:'' '''Matriks Kepemimpinan''' ( "Matrix of Leadership")
*''Mandarin:'' '''Mǔ-thǐ''' (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'''

==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]]
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The Transformers: The Movie/dubs

2015-11-21T13:03:55Z

NinjaSaurus89: /* Spain */

'''''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''''' has been translated and dubbed into many languages, each with its own set of quirks and oddities.

==Brazil==
The Movie was released in Brazilian theaters almost simultaneously with the launch of the series on television. It was later released on home video on the late '80s, but on a very small scale, which made it very hard to find in video stores. The movie was aired on television just once and received a new dub for this.

The most probable reason for this is that the home video version was based on the one released in the United States and the television one was based on the European release, as it had the ''Star Wars''-type text in the beginning and the narrator at the end stating that [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus]] would return. Which dubbing is the best is a regular debate topic among Brazilian fans.

These dubs are different not only in the choice of some voice actors, but in the translation. Brazilian fans usually debate about which dub is the best, but as with many things in franchise, this is simply a matter of taste. After all, both dubs have their share of problems—though neither of them allowed Spike to swear.

===Home video dub===
The home video was released a few years before ''The Movie'' was shown on television, but a few years after the television series had stopped being broadcast on Brazilian networks. Because of this, it was the only way the fans could have a little taste of the franchise for years.

In this dubbing, all of the pre-''Movie'' main characters are dubbed by the same voice actors who played them on the television series. [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] does not receive a new voice when he is transformed into [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]].

This dubbing is the most localized of the two translations but is also the most "childish". For example, when [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] and [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] are running toward [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] and see the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]], Kup states, "The Insecticons are in the way," and Hot Rod replies, "Wrong, they're on their way to the hole!", something that made no sense at all and the translator probably thought would be fun for the kids watching ''The Movie''.

When Kup and [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck Gar]] are conversing, both make references to Brazilian television series. Kup says "plim-plim", which is a reference to a vignette program on Rede Globo, the Brazilian network that aired ''The Transformers'' during the '80s.

Instead of casting a deep-voiced actor for [[Unicron]], they heavily distorted Unicron's voice, making him sound menacing but almost unintelligible. The same thing was done to the [[Quintesson]]s and their servants. A similar situation occurred with [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]]; since the voice actor who played Blurr could not talk as fast as [[John Moschitta]], his voice was also distorted to make it sound faster. It worked, but it also made him difficult to understand.

Finally, the "mechanization" of the voice actors playing the robots was not the same as used in the television series; they sound more like characters talking through a radio.

[[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] does not rhyme.

===Television dub===
''The Movie'' was broadcast only once on Rede Globo during a special week dedicated to children. Most of the pre-''Movie'' characters retained the same voices they had on the home video release, but all of the new Transformers got new voice actors, including Galvatron. The dubbing also lost the "localization" the home video release received; many lines were more faithful translations, while others lost all sense to Brazilian audiences.

The characters possess the same "robotic" distortion on their voices that they had in the television series; no kind of heavy modulation was used. An actor with a deep voice was cast as Unicron, and no distortion was used for the character, which made it possible for the fans to understand his dialogue. On the other hand, no distortion was used on Blurr, so the actor was forced to try to emulate John Moschitta's impossibly fast speaking, with debatable results.

One notable dubbing error occurs when Hot Rod opens the Matrix at the end of ''The Movie'': The line "Light our darkest hour" is delivered by Optimus Prime's voice actor instead of Hot Rod's. Brazilian fans who'd only watched the television version debated that at this moment, Optimus's spirit was speaking through Rodimus, approving of him becoming leader while imbuing him with his courage. Of course, all this debate ceased when ''The Movie'' was released on DVD on the United States, which made it more accessible to Brazilian fans.

Wheelie rhymes.

==Denmark==
The first time the movie was shown was on Danish national television broadcaster DR in the fall of 2009. While there had been dubbed episodes of the original television show made in the 1980s for home video and later TV airings, the movie was not dubbed at that point. Rather a completely new cast was used for the movie, possibly made for this specific airing. The dubbed movie was re-broadcast 2 years later on a sub-station of DR.

The dubbing had a larger cast of voice actors than the late-80s dub of the TV series with one or two actors returning to the franchise after 25 years. However, some lines were omitted by mistake (a few characters could be seen moving their lips visibly but without any sound being heard) while others appeared at completely random times (a line uttered by Galvatron missing earlier in the movie "appearing" towards the end in a completely unrelated scene possibly due to a bad time code in the dubbing software).

This version was based on the UK print of the movie and has yet to see a public release on any kind of media.

==France/Quebec==
For French-speaking audiences, who had thus far been given two separate dubs of the TV series (one done in France and one done in Quebec, a very common occurrence), a single dub was made for all French releases of the film. This release used a brand-new voice actor team rather than using either dub team from the series. Whereas the old dubs used the French names from the toy packages, the movie used all of the characters' English names. Two characters were given gender changes for this dub; Starscream and Shrapnel both become females. One notable change to the dialog occurs when Starscream asks "Megatron? Is that you?" Galvatron's original answer, "Here's a hint!", is now much more direct: "Yes, but stronger than before!" ("Oui, mais plus fort qu'avant!" [obliterates her])
Another Megatron-related change is that he retains his "original" voice once he becomes Galvatron (unlike the original dub).

==Germany==
Germany also got two different dubs over the years:

As the movie had never been shown in German theaters, the first dub, titled ''Transformers: Der Kampf um Cybertron'' (''Transformers: The Battle for Cybertron''), was made in 1994 for airing on the German TV station RTL, to serve as a "pilot" for the [[Transformers: Generation 2 (cartoon)|''Generation 2'' cartoon series]] which would be subsequently broadcast. (One might argue that the initial omission of the movie from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original cartoon's]] German airing schedule resulted in an information gap regarding the shift from the season 2 setting to the season 3 setting; but then again, the cartoon ''started'' with episodes from season 3 in Germany, and only ''six'' episodes from the first two seasons were ever aired during the entire original "Generation 1" run of the show, so it's not like context problems weren't already all over the place.)

Even though the dub was made only five years after the dub of the Generation 1 cartoon had started on German TV, only a few of the German voice actors returned, most of them not even in the same roles they had played before. Optimus Prime, for example, was now dubbed by Thomas Rau, who had originally voiced Rodimus Prime, Blaster and Scourge in the cartoon itself. As in the dub of the cartoon before, all the characters retained their English names... with the exception of [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], whose name was translated as "Der Vernichter" for reasons unknown (he was "Devastator" in the dub of the cartoon itself). This version of the movie was only shown twice (not counting late-night reruns following those airings), on its TV premiere in April of 1994 and one year later, in May of 1995. It was never released on VHS either. (Contrary to a widespread rumor,<ref>[http://www.ofdb.de/view.php?page=fassung&fid=7489&vid=38680 German movie database still listing the rumor about Starscream's "edited death" in TF:TM]</ref> the German TV edition of the movie was ''not'' edited to omit Starscream's death scene.)

In 2003, the movie, this time simply titled ''Transformers'', was finally released on DVD in Germany, by a little-known, low-budget label. Since the TV edition of the movie had been used as a "pilot" for the G2 cartoon, and it had been archived under the title "Der Kampf um Cybertron", the dubbing masters were not located until more than a year later, so the DVD company assigned an entirely new dub... which makes the [[Omni Productions]] dub and the [[Voicebox Productions|Voicebox]] dub of ''[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'' look like masterpieces. Numerous translation errors resulted from the apparent lack of an original script, thus requiring the dubbers to translate simply from listening to the original audio; coupled with a lack of experience with the source material and a lack of professional knowledge in the English (and German) language in general, resulting in look-it-up-in-a-dictionary-use-first-suggestion translations, sentences that ''make no sense whatsoever at all'' in context, and generally stilted and unnatural-sounding dialogue.

In addition, none of the voice actors sounded like they were particularly experienced in the field of dubbing, especially since none of their voices were recognizable from other productions. (It's not like the original TV dub was exactly a masterpiece, but there were some genuine gems, such as Bernd Simon's rendition of Starscream, or the [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]]' dialogue; and major technical and translation errors were by far fewer than the rampant across-the-board error-fest that was the DVD dub.)

The DVD is also notorious for its packaging, which does its best to obscure ''what exactly it contains'' (i.e. a feature-length animated movie). The front cover uses the cover artwork of the old Panini Generation 1 sticker album, while the back cover depicts stills from "[[The Golden Lagoon (episode)|The Golden Lagoon]]", "[[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1]]" and "[[The Autobot Run]]", coupled with an (incorrect) summary of the general setting of the first two seasons of the Generation 1 cartoon, with the term "Transformers" translated into German for whatever reason. A second edition of this DVD was released in 2006, this time featuring artwork of [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Armada Optimus Prime]] on the front cover, with Earth (from the [[Transformers (film)|2007 movie's]] promo poster) as the background, plus the 1984 back-of-the-box artwork rotated by 270 degrees as an overlay, and the "Transformers" title logo from the 2007 movie. The back cover depicts a screencap from the [[Transformers (PS2)|''Armada'' video game]], [[Don Figueroa]]'s "All Optimus" poster and the 1984 back-of-the-box battle scene, plus the same sleeve text as featured on the 2003 release of the DVD, with none of the errors fixed.

==Hungary==
The movie has two dubs even in Hungary. The first, created for a VHS release by a company called Televideo is ancient and unprofessional, the second, distributed by Mirax, is more recent and somewhat more professional. Both versions include the scrolling text and other European edits; the Mirax one even has the "gong man". Issues they both have in common include a small dubbing cast, inconsistent voices and translation errors. Further, neither dub used the name translations popularized by the Hungarian release of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|G1 comics]].

===Televideo===

Similar to the comics, the title is translated here as ''Alakváltók'' (''Shape-shifters''). Fans have counted a total of five actors in the dub (four men for random characters, while a female actress grants her voice to Arcee, Daniel, and most of Wheelie's dialog). Lip-sync is practically non-existent, the actors at times continue talking even when another character is moving its lips. Certain lines are missing or spoken at the wrong time (most notably Megatron's "Die, Autobots!" shout), Grimlock rhymes after meeting Wheelie instead of the latter, and Cliffjumper and Springer share the same name. Meanwhile Blaster, for instance, changes his voice three times during one scene. Due to the small dubbing cast and the early voice-altering techniques, the dialog of the Junkions is rather easily understood, and it appears the translator actually made an effort to write an occasional Hungarian commercial line or catch phrase into the script. (It is not known where the line was derived from or what it refers to, however, so it is entirely possible that it's nothing more than a spark of individual creativity on the translator's part. Even if that's true, it's a point in the dub's favor). There's also a curious translation gaffe during the Decepticons' reformation scene, where Unicron claims that there's only one Sweep, even naming him "Karmos" (roughly, "Claws").

In general, mistakes aside, the translation is surprisingly witty, and some of the lines are quite catchy – Blurr's cheesy tongue-twister about shooting Decepticons is especially famous among older fans. The problem is that the dialog is also drastically ''compressed'', leading to many awkward moments of characters silently mouthing unspoken words.

Even so, this first version remains popular, and only those fans who have only recently been introduced to it seem to hate it. As for why the word Decepticon was translated to "Toad", well, that remains a mystery to this day. It may be a tribute to an old German sci-fi TV series, ''Raumpatrouille – Die phantastischen Abenteuer des Raumschiffs Orion'' (''Space patrol – The Fantastic Adventures of the Spaceship Orion''), which was quite popular in Hungary in the late Sixties. In this series, the main enemy alien race is called "Frogs", but it was translated as "Varangyok" ("Toads") in the Hungarian version. Some fans like to give the nickname "Darth Vader" to Optimus Prime when talking about this dub, as (most of) Prime's lines were delivered by the same voice actor, the late Lajos Kránitz, who supplied the voice of the Sith Lord in the most recent ''Star Wars'' dubs. He had also played the part of Unicron in this dub, and later returned in ''[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Transformers: Energon]]'' to shout "Transform!" as the same character.

===Mirax===

The second and more disliked dub has a reputation among the fans for including more profanities than the original version of the film. Although Spike's "Oh, shit!" line was cut, [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]], Galvatron and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] say terms akin to "asshole" (from Grimlock to Blurr), "bastards" (Galvatron to the Autobots), "stupid", "brainless, wee-brained moron" ([[Slag (G1)|Slag]] to [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]]), "sons of bitches" (this one even twice, in place of the original's "Decepti-chops" and "Decepti-creeps"), and "candyass" (from Galvatron, regarding Hot Rod). Quite interesting, seeing as the dubs produced in that era have been known for freeing the movies of their swear words.

This dub is also infamous for using untranslated or incorrectly translated names, and random voice actors for random characters with random voice-pacing. These names include Unicornis (Unicron), Mega-robot (Devastator), Constructors ([[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]]), Deceptors ([[Decepticon]]s, but only said once), Gettison ([[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], derived and mis-interpreted from the line "Jettison some weight."), Astro (again, Astrotrain), and Eject (this refers to no one, it was mistranslated from Soundwave's "Eject" call). Unicron's last line in particular, which translates to "History cannot destroy m-e-e-e!" suggests that the translator had no script to work from, and thus had to rely solely on her hearing.

Other oddities are a non-rhyming Wheelie, and [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] and Unicron at first talking in a seg-men-ted, ro-bo-tic man-ner.

The switching of voices is also common in this version. An interesting blooper occurs during the attack on the Autobot shuttle: Ironhide speaks his final words in [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]]'s voice ("Please, have mercy!"), and curiously, the translation of Megatron's "Such heroic nonsense" line corresponds with this sudden change of personality, as he says to (supposedly) Starscream, "Death to all traitors" before blasting him – actually blasting Ironhide, of course. Now ''this'' is a foreshadowing of later events.

The DVD case has G.I. Joe pictures printed on the back side, as well as on the DVD itself. Spiffy. On a positive note, the summary on the back of the case is actually competently written, even if the references to the cartoon series (which wasn't released in the country) and to the movie's place in its timeline are worded a bit confusingly, and unlike the dub, it renders Unicron's name correctly.

An interesting tidbit is that Bumblebee in the 2007 movie has the same voice he had in the Mirax dub of ''The Transformers: The Movie'' – this, however, is probably a coincidence, seeing as that guy supplied half of the voices for the cast in this dub.

Mirax, working with the dubbing studio Masterfilm Digital would later localize ''[[Transformers: Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'', sadly still maintaining some of the general incompetence displayed by their handling of this movie.

==Italy==
There are two Italian dubs: the original one and a 2007 redub made when the live movie arrived in cinemas.

===Original dub===
This dub uses the original names for the new characters, except for Wheelie, named here "Saetta" (which was already Wheeljack's Italian name, curiously). Lots of lines are completely different from the original script: Devastator's "Prepare for extermination!" became "I'll destroy you, Transformers!", Grimlock's "Me Grimlock like challenge!" is replaced with "We Dinobots ready for great battle!" Optimus's line "Soon I shall be all one with the Matrix" turns into "The most important thing now is the passage of the Matrix" and "Arise, Rodimus Prime" was changed with "Now rise up, Hot Rod!"
===2007 redub===
The redub uses the Italian names for everyone except Ravage, Laserbeak, Ratbat and Rodimus Prime (Hot Rod, although, is called "Folgore"). "Soundwave superior, Constructicons inferior" becomes "The Soundwave is superior, the Constructicon is inferior!" (no, seriously.)

There are many mispronounciations: Constructicons is pronounced "Con-STROOK-ticons", Laserbeak is named "Laserback" and [[Junk]] is called "Yoonk".

Blurr's speech is fast, and for some reason he also speaks in rhymes, probably to make it sound more repetitive.

Also, for some reason, there is a flub on Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus's voices: At the beginning of the movie Optimus is voiced by [[Fabrizio Pucci]]. Ultra Magnus is voiced by [[Sergio Di Giulio]] in his first line, and then Fabrizio Pucci takes the role starting from the character's second line. Then, after the "Dinobots, destroy Devastator!" line, Optimus's voice is [[Claudio Sorrentino]] for the remainder of the movie.

Another amusing error is in the Junkion's chant of "remove the toughest stains", that is translated as "remove the toughest Slags"... as in "taking away an army of clones of [[Slag (G1)|the Dinobot who transforms into a Triceratops]]", since the actual Italian line is "rimuovere i Tricex più duri" ("Tricex" is Slag's Italian name). What.

The script is more faithful to the original version otherwise. The redub was poorly received by Italian fans.

==Japan==
[[File:UnicronWarMagami01.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb]]

Although '''''Transformers: The Movie''''' (トランスフォーマーザ・ムービー) was advertised during 1987, and was even originally scheduled for a theatrical release in the summer of that year, unknown circumstances resulted in a delay of the Japanese release. It was not released in Japan until August of 1989, first through limited charity screenings for UNICEF in Tokyo and Osaka (where a man in a Powermaster Optimus Prime costume greeted guests), followed immediately by a [[Wikipedia:LaserDisc|LaserDisc]] and VHS release. A precise reason for the delay has never been confirmed. Footage taken during the charity screenings was included in the straight-to-video promotional film, "Transformers Theatrical Version!! Video Finally Here" (トランスフォーマー劇場公開バージョン!!ビデオついに登場).

Unfortunately, the delay would later cause some continuity problems in future Japanese-penned ''Transformers'' fiction, as characters killed in the movie (notably [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]) appear in later series ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|The Headmasters]]'' and ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (cartoon)|Victory]]'' respectively.

Despite not being released in Japan in 1987 as intended, the events of the movie were summarized in ''[[TV Magazine]]'' with accompanying artwork by [[Ban Magami]] so that children tuning into ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (franchise)|Transformers 2010]]'' would not be lost. The events of the movie would regularly be referred to as the "[[Unicron War]]", gaining something of a mysterious and legendary quality, as their events were constantly referred to but never ''seen''.

Although ''Transformers: The Movie'' was dubbed several years after ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (franchise)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]'' and ''Transformers 2010'' had ended, the majority of cast members from those series returned to reprise their roles.

[[File:TFTMMagnusJapCaption01.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|"Hang on, there's something on the screen down here. Let me get that..."]]

The Japanese dub is notable for adding a lot of lines and voice effects to moments which had been silent in the English version, including the following:

* The shuttle attack scene originally doesn't have much talking during combat, but the Japanese dub adds numerous lines to many characters on both sides of the fight. For example, after killing Brawn, Starscream cheerfully asks who's next while waving Megatron around.
*During Optimus Prime's attack on the Decepticons and his fight with Megatron, every Decepticon Prime shoots can be heard screaming in pain, while his battle with Megatron has numerous grunts and curses added in.

Some of the additions were quite goofy (e.g., Blitzwing begs Prime not to run him over before getting out of the way) but some were actually quite disturbing. For example, when Starscream is killed by Galvatron, he gives off a long, tortured scream. In addition, the destruction of Lithone is made more horrifying by the sounds of the natives dying (some of them even being cut off mid-scream).

There are also a few slight dialogue alterations, such as Megatron ''specifically'' ordering the Insecticons to breach the Autobot defenses, to which [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] and [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] respond in unison with a high-pitched ''"Yessss siirrr!"'' Soundwave's famous "Soundwave superior, Constructicons inferior," is modified into "Soundwave is intelligent, the Constructicons are just idiots!"

The only other alteration of note in regards to the Japanese version is that whenever a character appears on screen for the first time, their name and function appears with them (written in Japanese, of course).

{{-}}

==Latin America==
The Latin American Spanish dub was done in [[Los Angeles]] and is notable because it kept all the voice actors from the cartoon and the new characters remained with the same voices for the remainder of the show. With the exception of Ravage, who was now called "Destructor", every character is referred to by his/her original English name, since none of the characters' names were translated when the cartoon was dubbed into Spanish.

Though it is one of the most popular dubs of the movie, it has only been released domestically on home video once and is very difficult to find nowadays. In addition, it hasn't been shown on TV since the early Nineties. Despite this, the dub has been included in many international releases of the movie.

This dub removes all swearing and makes Optimus Prime's death scene even more traumatic by having Daniel ''actually'' crying when Optimus flatlines.

Galvatron sounds exactly like Megatron and Wheelie occasionally rhymes because his dialogue was ''literally'' translated.

==Spain==
In Spain, the movie was originally aired with the Latin American dub, but when the Generation 1 DVDs were published in Spain by Selecta Visión, they included a brand new spanish dub, but it used the original translations. It was aired in 2008 in Local Media TV, but the audio quality wasn't very good. Some characters names were changed.

==Poland==
In Poland, the movie was never professionally dubbed. In the only official (and cult classic) release on VHS in 1992, all the dialogue was read by a single voice-over actor, while the original sound was left intact and could be heard in the background. To this day, that characteristic form of "narrating" is a very popular solution in Poland when it comes to translating movies for TV or DVDs. Thanks to this method, you can both understand the story and hear all the original voices. In the case of ''The Transformers: The Movie'' it also forced translators to leave (almost) all the original names intact. (Yay!)

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Transformers: The Movie/dubs}}
[[Category:Generation 1 media]]
[[Category:Real world films]]

The Transformers: The Movie/dubs

2015-11-07T15:13:29Z

NinjaSaurus89: /* Spain */

'''''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''''' has been translated and dubbed into many languages, each with its own set of quirks and oddities.

==Brazil==
The Movie was released in Brazilian theaters almost simultaneously with the launch of the series on television. It was later released on home video on the late '80s, but on a very small scale, which made it very hard to find in video stores. The movie was aired on television just once and received a new dub for this.

The most probable reason for this is that the home video version was based on the one released in the United States and the television one was based on the European release, as it had the ''Star Wars''-type text in the beginning and the narrator at the end stating that [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus]] would return. Which dubbing is the best is a regular debate topic among Brazilian fans.

These dubs are different not only in the choice of some voice actors, but in the translation. Brazilian fans usually debate about which dub is the best, but as with many things in franchise, this is simply a matter of taste. After all, both dubs have their share of problems—though neither of them allowed Spike to swear.

===Home video dub===
The home video was released a few years before ''The Movie'' was shown on television, but a few years after the television series had stopped being broadcast on Brazilian networks. Because of this, it was the only way the fans could have a little taste of the franchise for years.

In this dubbing, all of the pre-''Movie'' main characters are dubbed by the same voice actors who played them on the television series. [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] does not receive a new voice when he is transformed into [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]].

This dubbing is the most localized of the two translations but is also the most "childish". For example, when [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] and [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] are running toward [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] and see the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]], Kup states, "The Insecticons are in the way," and Hot Rod replies, "Wrong, they're on their way to the hole!", something that made no sense at all and the translator probably thought would be fun for the kids watching ''The Movie''.

When Kup and [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck Gar]] are conversing, both make references to Brazilian television series. Kup says "plim-plim", which is a reference to a vignette program on Rede Globo, the Brazilian network that aired ''The Transformers'' during the '80s.

Instead of casting a deep-voiced actor for [[Unicron]], they heavily distorted Unicron's voice, making him sound menacing but almost unintelligible. The same thing was done to the [[Quintesson]]s and their servants. A similar situation occurred with [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]]; since the voice actor who played Blurr could not talk as fast as [[John Moschitta]], his voice was also distorted to make it sound faster. It worked, but it also made him difficult to understand.

Finally, the "mechanization" of the voice actors playing the robots was not the same as used in the television series; they sound more like characters talking through a radio.

[[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] does not rhyme.

===Television dub===
''The Movie'' was broadcast only once on Rede Globo during a special week dedicated to children. Most of the pre-''Movie'' characters retained the same voices they had on the home video release, but all of the new Transformers got new voice actors, including Galvatron. The dubbing also lost the "localization" the home video release received; many lines were more faithful translations, while others lost all sense to Brazilian audiences.

The characters possess the same "robotic" distortion on their voices that they had in the television series; no kind of heavy modulation was used. An actor with a deep voice was cast as Unicron, and no distortion was used for the character, which made it possible for the fans to understand his dialogue. On the other hand, no distortion was used on Blurr, so the actor was forced to try to emulate John Moschitta's impossibly fast speaking, with debatable results.

One notable dubbing error occurs when Hot Rod opens the Matrix at the end of ''The Movie'': The line "Light our darkest hour" is delivered by Optimus Prime's voice actor instead of Hot Rod's. Brazilian fans who'd only watched the television version debated that at this moment, Optimus's spirit was speaking through Rodimus, approving of him becoming leader while imbuing him with his courage. Of course, all this debate ceased when ''The Movie'' was released on DVD on the United States, which made it more accessible to Brazilian fans.

Wheelie rhymes.

==Denmark==
The first time the movie was shown was on Danish national television broadcaster DR in the fall of 2009. While there had been dubbed episodes of the original television show made in the 1980s for home video and later TV airings, the movie was not dubbed at that point. Rather a completely new cast was used for the movie, possibly made for this specific airing. The dubbed movie was re-broadcast 2 years later on a sub-station of DR.

The dubbing had a larger cast of voice actors than the late-80s dub of the TV series with one or two actors returning to the franchise after 25 years. However, some lines were omitted by mistake (a few characters could be seen moving their lips visibly but without any sound being heard) while others appeared at completely random times (a line uttered by Galvatron missing earlier in the movie "appearing" towards the end in a completely unrelated scene possibly due to a bad time code in the dubbing software).

This version was based on the UK print of the movie and has yet to see a public release on any kind of media.

==France/Quebec==
For French-speaking audiences, who had thus far been given two separate dubs of the TV series (one done in France and one done in Quebec, a very common occurrence), a single dub was made for all French releases of the film. This release used a brand-new voice actor team rather than using either dub team from the series. Whereas the old dubs used the French names from the toy packages, the movie used all of the characters' English names. Two characters were given gender changes for this dub; Starscream and Shrapnel both become females. One notable change to the dialog occurs when Starscream asks "Megatron? Is that you?" Galvatron's original answer, "Here's a hint!", is now much more direct: "Yes, but stronger than before!" ("Oui, mais plus fort qu'avant!" [obliterates her])
Another Megatron-related change is that he retains his "original" voice once he becomes Galvatron (unlike the original dub).

==Germany==
Germany also got two different dubs over the years:

As the movie had never been shown in German theaters, the first dub, titled ''Transformers: Der Kampf um Cybertron'' (''Transformers: The Battle for Cybertron''), was made in 1994 for airing on the German TV station RTL, to serve as a "pilot" for the [[Transformers: Generation 2 (cartoon)|''Generation 2'' cartoon series]] which would be subsequently broadcast. (One might argue that the initial omission of the movie from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original cartoon's]] German airing schedule resulted in an information gap regarding the shift from the season 2 setting to the season 3 setting; but then again, the cartoon ''started'' with episodes from season 3 in Germany, and only ''six'' episodes from the first two seasons were ever aired during the entire original "Generation 1" run of the show, so it's not like context problems weren't already all over the place.)

Even though the dub was made only five years after the dub of the Generation 1 cartoon had started on German TV, only a few of the German voice actors returned, most of them not even in the same roles they had played before. Optimus Prime, for example, was now dubbed by Thomas Rau, who had originally voiced Rodimus Prime, Blaster and Scourge in the cartoon itself. As in the dub of the cartoon before, all the characters retained their English names... with the exception of [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], whose name was translated as "Der Vernichter" for reasons unknown (he was "Devastator" in the dub of the cartoon itself). This version of the movie was only shown twice (not counting late-night reruns following those airings), on its TV premiere in April of 1994 and one year later, in May of 1995. It was never released on VHS either. (Contrary to a widespread rumor,<ref>[http://www.ofdb.de/view.php?page=fassung&fid=7489&vid=38680 German movie database still listing the rumor about Starscream's "edited death" in TF:TM]</ref> the German TV edition of the movie was ''not'' edited to omit Starscream's death scene.)

In 2003, the movie, this time simply titled ''Transformers'', was finally released on DVD in Germany, by a little-known, low-budget label. Since the TV edition of the movie had been used as a "pilot" for the G2 cartoon, and it had been archived under the title "Der Kampf um Cybertron", the dubbing masters were not located until more than a year later, so the DVD company assigned an entirely new dub... which makes the [[Omni Productions]] dub and the [[Voicebox Productions|Voicebox]] dub of ''[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'' look like masterpieces. Numerous translation errors resulted from the apparent lack of an original script, thus requiring the dubbers to translate simply from listening to the original audio; coupled with a lack of experience with the source material and a lack of professional knowledge in the English (and German) language in general, resulting in look-it-up-in-a-dictionary-use-first-suggestion translations, sentences that ''make no sense whatsoever at all'' in context, and generally stilted and unnatural-sounding dialogue.

In addition, none of the voice actors sounded like they were particularly experienced in the field of dubbing, especially since none of their voices were recognizable from other productions. (It's not like the original TV dub was exactly a masterpiece, but there were some genuine gems, such as Bernd Simon's rendition of Starscream, or the [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]]' dialogue; and major technical and translation errors were by far fewer than the rampant across-the-board error-fest that was the DVD dub.)

The DVD is also notorious for its packaging, which does its best to obscure ''what exactly it contains'' (i.e. a feature-length animated movie). The front cover uses the cover artwork of the old Panini Generation 1 sticker album, while the back cover depicts stills from "[[The Golden Lagoon (episode)|The Golden Lagoon]]", "[[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1]]" and "[[The Autobot Run]]", coupled with an (incorrect) summary of the general setting of the first two seasons of the Generation 1 cartoon, with the term "Transformers" translated into German for whatever reason. A second edition of this DVD was released in 2006, this time featuring artwork of [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Armada Optimus Prime]] on the front cover, with Earth (from the [[Transformers (film)|2007 movie's]] promo poster) as the background, plus the 1984 back-of-the-box artwork rotated by 270 degrees as an overlay, and the "Transformers" title logo from the 2007 movie. The back cover depicts a screencap from the [[Transformers (PS2)|''Armada'' video game]], [[Don Figueroa]]'s "All Optimus" poster and the 1984 back-of-the-box battle scene, plus the same sleeve text as featured on the 2003 release of the DVD, with none of the errors fixed.

==Hungary==
The movie has two dubs even in Hungary. The first, created for a VHS release by a company called Televideo is ancient and unprofessional, the second, distributed by Mirax, is more recent and somewhat more professional. Both versions include the scrolling text and other European edits; the Mirax one even has the "gong man". Issues they both have in common include a small dubbing cast, inconsistent voices and translation errors. Further, neither dub used the name translations popularized by the Hungarian release of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|G1 comics]].

===Televideo===

Similar to the comics, the title is translated here as ''Alakváltók'' (''Shape-shifters''). Fans have counted a total of five actors in the dub (four men for random characters, while a female actress grants her voice to Arcee, Daniel, and most of Wheelie's dialog). Lip-sync is practically non-existent, the actors at times continue talking even when another character is moving its lips. Certain lines are missing or spoken at the wrong time (most notably Megatron's "Die, Autobots!" shout), Grimlock rhymes after meeting Wheelie instead of the latter, and Cliffjumper and Springer share the same name. Meanwhile Blaster, for instance, changes his voice three times during one scene. Due to the small dubbing cast and the early voice-altering techniques, the dialog of the Junkions is rather easily understood, and it appears the translator actually made an effort to write an occasional Hungarian commercial line or catch phrase into the script. (It is not known where the line was derived from or what it refers to, however, so it is entirely possible that it's nothing more than a spark of individual creativity on the translator's part. Even if that's true, it's a point in the dub's favor). There's also a curious translation gaffe during the Decepticons' reformation scene, where Unicron claims that there's only one Sweep, even naming him "Karmos" (roughly, "Claws").

In general, mistakes aside, the translation is surprisingly witty, and some of the lines are quite catchy – Blurr's cheesy tongue-twister about shooting Decepticons is especially famous among older fans. The problem is that the dialog is also drastically ''compressed'', leading to many awkward moments of characters silently mouthing unspoken words.

Even so, this first version remains popular, and only those fans who have only recently been introduced to it seem to hate it. As for why the word Decepticon was translated to "Toad", well, that remains a mystery to this day. It may be a tribute to an old German sci-fi TV series, ''Raumpatrouille – Die phantastischen Abenteuer des Raumschiffs Orion'' (''Space patrol – The Fantastic Adventures of the Spaceship Orion''), which was quite popular in Hungary in the late Sixties. In this series, the main enemy alien race is called "Frogs", but it was translated as "Varangyok" ("Toads") in the Hungarian version. Some fans like to give the nickname "Darth Vader" to Optimus Prime when talking about this dub, as (most of) Prime's lines were delivered by the same voice actor, the late Lajos Kránitz, who supplied the voice of the Sith Lord in the most recent ''Star Wars'' dubs. He had also played the part of Unicron in this dub, and later returned in ''[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Transformers: Energon]]'' to shout "Transform!" as the same character.

===Mirax===

The second and more disliked dub has a reputation among the fans for including more profanities than the original version of the film. Although Spike's "Oh, shit!" line was cut, [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]], Galvatron and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] say terms akin to "asshole" (from Grimlock to Blurr), "bastards" (Galvatron to the Autobots), "stupid", "brainless, wee-brained moron" ([[Slag (G1)|Slag]] to [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]]), "sons of bitches" (this one even twice, in place of the original's "Decepti-chops" and "Decepti-creeps"), and "candyass" (from Galvatron, regarding Hot Rod). Quite interesting, seeing as the dubs produced in that era have been known for freeing the movies of their swear words.

This dub is also infamous for using untranslated or incorrectly translated names, and random voice actors for random characters with random voice-pacing. These names include Unicornis (Unicron), Mega-robot (Devastator), Constructors ([[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]]), Deceptors ([[Decepticon]]s, but only said once), Gettison ([[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], derived and mis-interpreted from the line "Jettison some weight."), Astro (again, Astrotrain), and Eject (this refers to no one, it was mistranslated from Soundwave's "Eject" call). Unicron's last line in particular, which translates to "History cannot destroy m-e-e-e!" suggests that the translator had no script to work from, and thus had to rely solely on her hearing.

Other oddities are a non-rhyming Wheelie, and [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] and Unicron at first talking in a seg-men-ted, ro-bo-tic man-ner.

The switching of voices is also common in this version. An interesting blooper occurs during the attack on the Autobot shuttle: Ironhide speaks his final words in [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]]'s voice ("Please, have mercy!"), and curiously, the translation of Megatron's "Such heroic nonsense" line corresponds with this sudden change of personality, as he says to (supposedly) Starscream, "Death to all traitors" before blasting him – actually blasting Ironhide, of course. Now ''this'' is a foreshadowing of later events.

The DVD case has G.I. Joe pictures printed on the back side, as well as on the DVD itself. Spiffy. On a positive note, the summary on the back of the case is actually competently written, even if the references to the cartoon series (which wasn't released in the country) and to the movie's place in its timeline are worded a bit confusingly, and unlike the dub, it renders Unicron's name correctly.

An interesting tidbit is that Bumblebee in the 2007 movie has the same voice he had in the Mirax dub of ''The Transformers: The Movie'' – this, however, is probably a coincidence, seeing as that guy supplied half of the voices for the cast in this dub.

Mirax, working with the dubbing studio Masterfilm Digital would later localize ''[[Transformers: Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'', sadly still maintaining some of the general incompetence displayed by their handling of this movie.

==Italy==
There are two Italian dubs: the original one and a 2007 redub made when the live movie arrived in cinemas.

===Original dub===
This dub uses the original names for the new characters, except for Wheelie, named here "Saetta" (which was already Wheeljack's Italian name, curiously). Lots of lines are completely different from the original script: Devastator's "Prepare for extermination!" became "I'll destroy you, Transformers!", Grimlock's "Me Grimlock like challenge!" is replaced with "We Dinobots ready for great battle!" Optimus's line "Soon I shall be all one with the Matrix" turns into "The most important thing now is the passage of the Matrix" and "Arise, Rodimus Prime" was changed with "Now rise up, Hot Rod!"
===2007 redub===
The redub uses the Italian names for everyone except Ravage, Laserbeak, Ratbat and Rodimus Prime (Hot Rod, although, is called "Folgore"). "Soundwave superior, Constructicons inferior" becomes "The Soundwave is superior, the Constructicon is inferior!" (no, seriously.)

There are many mispronounciations: Constructicons is pronounced "Con-STROOK-ticons", Laserbeak is named "Laserback" and [[Junk]] is called "Yoonk".

Blurr's speech is fast, and for some reason he also speaks in rhymes, probably to make it sound more repetitive.

Also, for some reason, there is a flub on Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus's voices: At the beginning of the movie Optimus is voiced by [[Fabrizio Pucci]]. Ultra Magnus is voiced by [[Sergio Di Giulio]] in his first line, and then Fabrizio Pucci takes the role starting from the character's second line. Then, after the "Dinobots, destroy Devastator!" line, Optimus's voice is [[Claudio Sorrentino]] for the remainder of the movie.

Another amusing error is in the Junkion's chant of "remove the toughest stains", that is translated as "remove the toughest Slags"... as in "taking away an army of clones of [[Slag (G1)|the Dinobot who transforms into a Triceratops]]", since the actual Italian line is "rimuovere i Tricex più duri" ("Tricex" is Slag's Italian name). What.

The script is more faithful to the original version otherwise. The redub was poorly received by Italian fans.

==Japan==
[[File:UnicronWarMagami01.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb]]

Although '''''Transformers: The Movie''''' (トランスフォーマーザ・ムービー) was advertised during 1987, and was even originally scheduled for a theatrical release in the summer of that year, unknown circumstances resulted in a delay of the Japanese release. It was not released in Japan until August of 1989, first through limited charity screenings for UNICEF in Tokyo and Osaka (where a man in a Powermaster Optimus Prime costume greeted guests), followed immediately by a [[Wikipedia:LaserDisc|LaserDisc]] and VHS release. A precise reason for the delay has never been confirmed. Footage taken during the charity screenings was included in the straight-to-video promotional film, "Transformers Theatrical Version!! Video Finally Here" (トランスフォーマー劇場公開バージョン!!ビデオついに登場).

Unfortunately, the delay would later cause some continuity problems in future Japanese-penned ''Transformers'' fiction, as characters killed in the movie (notably [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]) appear in later series ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|The Headmasters]]'' and ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (cartoon)|Victory]]'' respectively.

Despite not being released in Japan in 1987 as intended, the events of the movie were summarized in ''[[TV Magazine]]'' with accompanying artwork by [[Ban Magami]] so that children tuning into ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (franchise)|Transformers 2010]]'' would not be lost. The events of the movie would regularly be referred to as the "[[Unicron War]]", gaining something of a mysterious and legendary quality, as their events were constantly referred to but never ''seen''.

Although ''Transformers: The Movie'' was dubbed several years after ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (franchise)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]'' and ''Transformers 2010'' had ended, the majority of cast members from those series returned to reprise their roles.

[[File:TFTMMagnusJapCaption01.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|"Hang on, there's something on the screen down here. Let me get that..."]]

The Japanese dub is notable for adding a lot of lines and voice effects to moments which had been silent in the English version, including the following:

* The shuttle attack scene originally doesn't have much talking during combat, but the Japanese dub adds numerous lines to many characters on both sides of the fight. For example, after killing Brawn, Starscream cheerfully asks who's next while waving Megatron around.
*During Optimus Prime's attack on the Decepticons and his fight with Megatron, every Decepticon Prime shoots can be heard screaming in pain, while his battle with Megatron has numerous grunts and curses added in.

Some of the additions were quite goofy (e.g., Blitzwing begs Prime not to run him over before getting out of the way) but some were actually quite disturbing. For example, when Starscream is killed by Galvatron, he gives off a long, tortured scream. In addition, the destruction of Lithone is made more horrifying by the sounds of the natives dying (some of them even being cut off mid-scream).

There are also a few slight dialogue alterations, such as Megatron ''specifically'' ordering the Insecticons to breach the Autobot defenses, to which [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] and [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] respond in unison with a high-pitched ''"Yessss siirrr!"'' Soundwave's famous "Soundwave superior, Constructicons inferior," is modified into "Soundwave is intelligent, the Constructicons are just idiots!"

The only other alteration of note in regards to the Japanese version is that whenever a character appears on screen for the first time, their name and function appears with them (written in Japanese, of course).

{{-}}

==Latin America==
The Latin American Spanish dub was done in [[Los Angeles]] and is notable because it kept all the voice actors from the cartoon and the new characters remained with the same voices for the remainder of the show. With the exception of Ravage, who was now called "Destructor", every character is referred to by his/her original English name, since none of the characters' names were translated when the cartoon was dubbed into Spanish.

Though it is one of the most popular dubs of the movie, it has only been released domestically on home video once and is very difficult to find nowadays. In addition, it hasn't been shown on TV since the early Nineties. Despite this, the dub has been included in many international releases of the movie.

This dub removes all swearing and makes Optimus Prime's death scene even more traumatic by having Daniel ''actually'' crying when Optimus flatlines.

Galvatron sounds exactly like Megatron and Wheelie occasionally rhymes because his dialogue was ''literally'' translated.

==Spain==
In Spain, the movie was originally aired with the Latin American dub, but when the Generation 1 DVDs were published in Spain by Selecta Visión, they included a brand new spanish dub, but it used the original translations. It was aired in 2008 in Local Media TV, but the audio quality wasn't very good.some names

==Poland==
In Poland, the movie was never professionally dubbed. In the only official (and cult classic) release on VHS in 1992, all the dialogue was read by a single voice-over actor, while the original sound was left intact and could be heard in the background. To this day, that characteristic form of "narrating" is a very popular solution in Poland when it comes to translating movies for TV or DVDs. Thanks to this method, you can both understand the story and hear all the original voices. In the case of ''The Transformers: The Movie'' it also forced translators to leave (almost) all the original names intact. (Yay!)

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Transformers: The Movie/dubs}}
[[Category:Generation 1 media]]
[[Category:Real world films]]

The Transformers: The Movie/dubs

2015-11-07T15:12:50Z

NinjaSaurus89:

'''''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''''' has been translated and dubbed into many languages, each with its own set of quirks and oddities.

==Brazil==
The Movie was released in Brazilian theaters almost simultaneously with the launch of the series on television. It was later released on home video on the late '80s, but on a very small scale, which made it very hard to find in video stores. The movie was aired on television just once and received a new dub for this.

The most probable reason for this is that the home video version was based on the one released in the United States and the television one was based on the European release, as it had the ''Star Wars''-type text in the beginning and the narrator at the end stating that [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus]] would return. Which dubbing is the best is a regular debate topic among Brazilian fans.

These dubs are different not only in the choice of some voice actors, but in the translation. Brazilian fans usually debate about which dub is the best, but as with many things in franchise, this is simply a matter of taste. After all, both dubs have their share of problems—though neither of them allowed Spike to swear.

===Home video dub===
The home video was released a few years before ''The Movie'' was shown on television, but a few years after the television series had stopped being broadcast on Brazilian networks. Because of this, it was the only way the fans could have a little taste of the franchise for years.

In this dubbing, all of the pre-''Movie'' main characters are dubbed by the same voice actors who played them on the television series. [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] does not receive a new voice when he is transformed into [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]].

This dubbing is the most localized of the two translations but is also the most "childish". For example, when [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] and [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] are running toward [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] and see the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]], Kup states, "The Insecticons are in the way," and Hot Rod replies, "Wrong, they're on their way to the hole!", something that made no sense at all and the translator probably thought would be fun for the kids watching ''The Movie''.

When Kup and [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck Gar]] are conversing, both make references to Brazilian television series. Kup says "plim-plim", which is a reference to a vignette program on Rede Globo, the Brazilian network that aired ''The Transformers'' during the '80s.

Instead of casting a deep-voiced actor for [[Unicron]], they heavily distorted Unicron's voice, making him sound menacing but almost unintelligible. The same thing was done to the [[Quintesson]]s and their servants. A similar situation occurred with [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]]; since the voice actor who played Blurr could not talk as fast as [[John Moschitta]], his voice was also distorted to make it sound faster. It worked, but it also made him difficult to understand.

Finally, the "mechanization" of the voice actors playing the robots was not the same as used in the television series; they sound more like characters talking through a radio.

[[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] does not rhyme.

===Television dub===
''The Movie'' was broadcast only once on Rede Globo during a special week dedicated to children. Most of the pre-''Movie'' characters retained the same voices they had on the home video release, but all of the new Transformers got new voice actors, including Galvatron. The dubbing also lost the "localization" the home video release received; many lines were more faithful translations, while others lost all sense to Brazilian audiences.

The characters possess the same "robotic" distortion on their voices that they had in the television series; no kind of heavy modulation was used. An actor with a deep voice was cast as Unicron, and no distortion was used for the character, which made it possible for the fans to understand his dialogue. On the other hand, no distortion was used on Blurr, so the actor was forced to try to emulate John Moschitta's impossibly fast speaking, with debatable results.

One notable dubbing error occurs when Hot Rod opens the Matrix at the end of ''The Movie'': The line "Light our darkest hour" is delivered by Optimus Prime's voice actor instead of Hot Rod's. Brazilian fans who'd only watched the television version debated that at this moment, Optimus's spirit was speaking through Rodimus, approving of him becoming leader while imbuing him with his courage. Of course, all this debate ceased when ''The Movie'' was released on DVD on the United States, which made it more accessible to Brazilian fans.

Wheelie rhymes.

==Denmark==
The first time the movie was shown was on Danish national television broadcaster DR in the fall of 2009. While there had been dubbed episodes of the original television show made in the 1980s for home video and later TV airings, the movie was not dubbed at that point. Rather a completely new cast was used for the movie, possibly made for this specific airing. The dubbed movie was re-broadcast 2 years later on a sub-station of DR.

The dubbing had a larger cast of voice actors than the late-80s dub of the TV series with one or two actors returning to the franchise after 25 years. However, some lines were omitted by mistake (a few characters could be seen moving their lips visibly but without any sound being heard) while others appeared at completely random times (a line uttered by Galvatron missing earlier in the movie "appearing" towards the end in a completely unrelated scene possibly due to a bad time code in the dubbing software).

This version was based on the UK print of the movie and has yet to see a public release on any kind of media.

==France/Quebec==
For French-speaking audiences, who had thus far been given two separate dubs of the TV series (one done in France and one done in Quebec, a very common occurrence), a single dub was made for all French releases of the film. This release used a brand-new voice actor team rather than using either dub team from the series. Whereas the old dubs used the French names from the toy packages, the movie used all of the characters' English names. Two characters were given gender changes for this dub; Starscream and Shrapnel both become females. One notable change to the dialog occurs when Starscream asks "Megatron? Is that you?" Galvatron's original answer, "Here's a hint!", is now much more direct: "Yes, but stronger than before!" ("Oui, mais plus fort qu'avant!" [obliterates her])
Another Megatron-related change is that he retains his "original" voice once he becomes Galvatron (unlike the original dub).

==Germany==
Germany also got two different dubs over the years:

As the movie had never been shown in German theaters, the first dub, titled ''Transformers: Der Kampf um Cybertron'' (''Transformers: The Battle for Cybertron''), was made in 1994 for airing on the German TV station RTL, to serve as a "pilot" for the [[Transformers: Generation 2 (cartoon)|''Generation 2'' cartoon series]] which would be subsequently broadcast. (One might argue that the initial omission of the movie from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original cartoon's]] German airing schedule resulted in an information gap regarding the shift from the season 2 setting to the season 3 setting; but then again, the cartoon ''started'' with episodes from season 3 in Germany, and only ''six'' episodes from the first two seasons were ever aired during the entire original "Generation 1" run of the show, so it's not like context problems weren't already all over the place.)

Even though the dub was made only five years after the dub of the Generation 1 cartoon had started on German TV, only a few of the German voice actors returned, most of them not even in the same roles they had played before. Optimus Prime, for example, was now dubbed by Thomas Rau, who had originally voiced Rodimus Prime, Blaster and Scourge in the cartoon itself. As in the dub of the cartoon before, all the characters retained their English names... with the exception of [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], whose name was translated as "Der Vernichter" for reasons unknown (he was "Devastator" in the dub of the cartoon itself). This version of the movie was only shown twice (not counting late-night reruns following those airings), on its TV premiere in April of 1994 and one year later, in May of 1995. It was never released on VHS either. (Contrary to a widespread rumor,<ref>[http://www.ofdb.de/view.php?page=fassung&fid=7489&vid=38680 German movie database still listing the rumor about Starscream's "edited death" in TF:TM]</ref> the German TV edition of the movie was ''not'' edited to omit Starscream's death scene.)

In 2003, the movie, this time simply titled ''Transformers'', was finally released on DVD in Germany, by a little-known, low-budget label. Since the TV edition of the movie had been used as a "pilot" for the G2 cartoon, and it had been archived under the title "Der Kampf um Cybertron", the dubbing masters were not located until more than a year later, so the DVD company assigned an entirely new dub... which makes the [[Omni Productions]] dub and the [[Voicebox Productions|Voicebox]] dub of ''[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'' look like masterpieces. Numerous translation errors resulted from the apparent lack of an original script, thus requiring the dubbers to translate simply from listening to the original audio; coupled with a lack of experience with the source material and a lack of professional knowledge in the English (and German) language in general, resulting in look-it-up-in-a-dictionary-use-first-suggestion translations, sentences that ''make no sense whatsoever at all'' in context, and generally stilted and unnatural-sounding dialogue.

In addition, none of the voice actors sounded like they were particularly experienced in the field of dubbing, especially since none of their voices were recognizable from other productions. (It's not like the original TV dub was exactly a masterpiece, but there were some genuine gems, such as Bernd Simon's rendition of Starscream, or the [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]]' dialogue; and major technical and translation errors were by far fewer than the rampant across-the-board error-fest that was the DVD dub.)

The DVD is also notorious for its packaging, which does its best to obscure ''what exactly it contains'' (i.e. a feature-length animated movie). The front cover uses the cover artwork of the old Panini Generation 1 sticker album, while the back cover depicts stills from "[[The Golden Lagoon (episode)|The Golden Lagoon]]", "[[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1]]" and "[[The Autobot Run]]", coupled with an (incorrect) summary of the general setting of the first two seasons of the Generation 1 cartoon, with the term "Transformers" translated into German for whatever reason. A second edition of this DVD was released in 2006, this time featuring artwork of [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Armada Optimus Prime]] on the front cover, with Earth (from the [[Transformers (film)|2007 movie's]] promo poster) as the background, plus the 1984 back-of-the-box artwork rotated by 270 degrees as an overlay, and the "Transformers" title logo from the 2007 movie. The back cover depicts a screencap from the [[Transformers (PS2)|''Armada'' video game]], [[Don Figueroa]]'s "All Optimus" poster and the 1984 back-of-the-box battle scene, plus the same sleeve text as featured on the 2003 release of the DVD, with none of the errors fixed.

==Hungary==
The movie has two dubs even in Hungary. The first, created for a VHS release by a company called Televideo is ancient and unprofessional, the second, distributed by Mirax, is more recent and somewhat more professional. Both versions include the scrolling text and other European edits; the Mirax one even has the "gong man". Issues they both have in common include a small dubbing cast, inconsistent voices and translation errors. Further, neither dub used the name translations popularized by the Hungarian release of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|G1 comics]].

===Televideo===

Similar to the comics, the title is translated here as ''Alakváltók'' (''Shape-shifters''). Fans have counted a total of five actors in the dub (four men for random characters, while a female actress grants her voice to Arcee, Daniel, and most of Wheelie's dialog). Lip-sync is practically non-existent, the actors at times continue talking even when another character is moving its lips. Certain lines are missing or spoken at the wrong time (most notably Megatron's "Die, Autobots!" shout), Grimlock rhymes after meeting Wheelie instead of the latter, and Cliffjumper and Springer share the same name. Meanwhile Blaster, for instance, changes his voice three times during one scene. Due to the small dubbing cast and the early voice-altering techniques, the dialog of the Junkions is rather easily understood, and it appears the translator actually made an effort to write an occasional Hungarian commercial line or catch phrase into the script. (It is not known where the line was derived from or what it refers to, however, so it is entirely possible that it's nothing more than a spark of individual creativity on the translator's part. Even if that's true, it's a point in the dub's favor). There's also a curious translation gaffe during the Decepticons' reformation scene, where Unicron claims that there's only one Sweep, even naming him "Karmos" (roughly, "Claws").

In general, mistakes aside, the translation is surprisingly witty, and some of the lines are quite catchy – Blurr's cheesy tongue-twister about shooting Decepticons is especially famous among older fans. The problem is that the dialog is also drastically ''compressed'', leading to many awkward moments of characters silently mouthing unspoken words.

Even so, this first version remains popular, and only those fans who have only recently been introduced to it seem to hate it. As for why the word Decepticon was translated to "Toad", well, that remains a mystery to this day. It may be a tribute to an old German sci-fi TV series, ''Raumpatrouille – Die phantastischen Abenteuer des Raumschiffs Orion'' (''Space patrol – The Fantastic Adventures of the Spaceship Orion''), which was quite popular in Hungary in the late Sixties. In this series, the main enemy alien race is called "Frogs", but it was translated as "Varangyok" ("Toads") in the Hungarian version. Some fans like to give the nickname "Darth Vader" to Optimus Prime when talking about this dub, as (most of) Prime's lines were delivered by the same voice actor, the late Lajos Kránitz, who supplied the voice of the Sith Lord in the most recent ''Star Wars'' dubs. He had also played the part of Unicron in this dub, and later returned in ''[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Transformers: Energon]]'' to shout "Transform!" as the same character.

===Mirax===

The second and more disliked dub has a reputation among the fans for including more profanities than the original version of the film. Although Spike's "Oh, shit!" line was cut, [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]], Galvatron and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] say terms akin to "asshole" (from Grimlock to Blurr), "bastards" (Galvatron to the Autobots), "stupid", "brainless, wee-brained moron" ([[Slag (G1)|Slag]] to [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]]), "sons of bitches" (this one even twice, in place of the original's "Decepti-chops" and "Decepti-creeps"), and "candyass" (from Galvatron, regarding Hot Rod). Quite interesting, seeing as the dubs produced in that era have been known for freeing the movies of their swear words.

This dub is also infamous for using untranslated or incorrectly translated names, and random voice actors for random characters with random voice-pacing. These names include Unicornis (Unicron), Mega-robot (Devastator), Constructors ([[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]]), Deceptors ([[Decepticon]]s, but only said once), Gettison ([[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], derived and mis-interpreted from the line "Jettison some weight."), Astro (again, Astrotrain), and Eject (this refers to no one, it was mistranslated from Soundwave's "Eject" call). Unicron's last line in particular, which translates to "History cannot destroy m-e-e-e!" suggests that the translator had no script to work from, and thus had to rely solely on her hearing.

Other oddities are a non-rhyming Wheelie, and [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] and Unicron at first talking in a seg-men-ted, ro-bo-tic man-ner.

The switching of voices is also common in this version. An interesting blooper occurs during the attack on the Autobot shuttle: Ironhide speaks his final words in [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]]'s voice ("Please, have mercy!"), and curiously, the translation of Megatron's "Such heroic nonsense" line corresponds with this sudden change of personality, as he says to (supposedly) Starscream, "Death to all traitors" before blasting him – actually blasting Ironhide, of course. Now ''this'' is a foreshadowing of later events.

The DVD case has G.I. Joe pictures printed on the back side, as well as on the DVD itself. Spiffy. On a positive note, the summary on the back of the case is actually competently written, even if the references to the cartoon series (which wasn't released in the country) and to the movie's place in its timeline are worded a bit confusingly, and unlike the dub, it renders Unicron's name correctly.

An interesting tidbit is that Bumblebee in the 2007 movie has the same voice he had in the Mirax dub of ''The Transformers: The Movie'' – this, however, is probably a coincidence, seeing as that guy supplied half of the voices for the cast in this dub.

Mirax, working with the dubbing studio Masterfilm Digital would later localize ''[[Transformers: Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'', sadly still maintaining some of the general incompetence displayed by their handling of this movie.

==Italy==
There are two Italian dubs: the original one and a 2007 redub made when the live movie arrived in cinemas.

===Original dub===
This dub uses the original names for the new characters, except for Wheelie, named here "Saetta" (which was already Wheeljack's Italian name, curiously). Lots of lines are completely different from the original script: Devastator's "Prepare for extermination!" became "I'll destroy you, Transformers!", Grimlock's "Me Grimlock like challenge!" is replaced with "We Dinobots ready for great battle!" Optimus's line "Soon I shall be all one with the Matrix" turns into "The most important thing now is the passage of the Matrix" and "Arise, Rodimus Prime" was changed with "Now rise up, Hot Rod!"
===2007 redub===
The redub uses the Italian names for everyone except Ravage, Laserbeak, Ratbat and Rodimus Prime (Hot Rod, although, is called "Folgore"). "Soundwave superior, Constructicons inferior" becomes "The Soundwave is superior, the Constructicon is inferior!" (no, seriously.)

There are many mispronounciations: Constructicons is pronounced "Con-STROOK-ticons", Laserbeak is named "Laserback" and [[Junk]] is called "Yoonk".

Blurr's speech is fast, and for some reason he also speaks in rhymes, probably to make it sound more repetitive.

Also, for some reason, there is a flub on Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus's voices: At the beginning of the movie Optimus is voiced by [[Fabrizio Pucci]]. Ultra Magnus is voiced by [[Sergio Di Giulio]] in his first line, and then Fabrizio Pucci takes the role starting from the character's second line. Then, after the "Dinobots, destroy Devastator!" line, Optimus's voice is [[Claudio Sorrentino]] for the remainder of the movie.

Another amusing error is in the Junkion's chant of "remove the toughest stains", that is translated as "remove the toughest Slags"... as in "taking away an army of clones of [[Slag (G1)|the Dinobot who transforms into a Triceratops]]", since the actual Italian line is "rimuovere i Tricex più duri" ("Tricex" is Slag's Italian name). What.

The script is more faithful to the original version otherwise. The redub was poorly received by Italian fans.

==Japan==
[[File:UnicronWarMagami01.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb]]

Although '''''Transformers: The Movie''''' (トランスフォーマーザ・ムービー) was advertised during 1987, and was even originally scheduled for a theatrical release in the summer of that year, unknown circumstances resulted in a delay of the Japanese release. It was not released in Japan until August of 1989, first through limited charity screenings for UNICEF in Tokyo and Osaka (where a man in a Powermaster Optimus Prime costume greeted guests), followed immediately by a [[Wikipedia:LaserDisc|LaserDisc]] and VHS release. A precise reason for the delay has never been confirmed. Footage taken during the charity screenings was included in the straight-to-video promotional film, "Transformers Theatrical Version!! Video Finally Here" (トランスフォーマー劇場公開バージョン!!ビデオついに登場).

Unfortunately, the delay would later cause some continuity problems in future Japanese-penned ''Transformers'' fiction, as characters killed in the movie (notably [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]) appear in later series ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|The Headmasters]]'' and ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (cartoon)|Victory]]'' respectively.

Despite not being released in Japan in 1987 as intended, the events of the movie were summarized in ''[[TV Magazine]]'' with accompanying artwork by [[Ban Magami]] so that children tuning into ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (franchise)|Transformers 2010]]'' would not be lost. The events of the movie would regularly be referred to as the "[[Unicron War]]", gaining something of a mysterious and legendary quality, as their events were constantly referred to but never ''seen''.

Although ''Transformers: The Movie'' was dubbed several years after ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (franchise)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]'' and ''Transformers 2010'' had ended, the majority of cast members from those series returned to reprise their roles.

[[File:TFTMMagnusJapCaption01.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|"Hang on, there's something on the screen down here. Let me get that..."]]

The Japanese dub is notable for adding a lot of lines and voice effects to moments which had been silent in the English version, including the following:

* The shuttle attack scene originally doesn't have much talking during combat, but the Japanese dub adds numerous lines to many characters on both sides of the fight. For example, after killing Brawn, Starscream cheerfully asks who's next while waving Megatron around.
*During Optimus Prime's attack on the Decepticons and his fight with Megatron, every Decepticon Prime shoots can be heard screaming in pain, while his battle with Megatron has numerous grunts and curses added in.

Some of the additions were quite goofy (e.g., Blitzwing begs Prime not to run him over before getting out of the way) but some were actually quite disturbing. For example, when Starscream is killed by Galvatron, he gives off a long, tortured scream. In addition, the destruction of Lithone is made more horrifying by the sounds of the natives dying (some of them even being cut off mid-scream).

There are also a few slight dialogue alterations, such as Megatron ''specifically'' ordering the Insecticons to breach the Autobot defenses, to which [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] and [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] respond in unison with a high-pitched ''"Yessss siirrr!"'' Soundwave's famous "Soundwave superior, Constructicons inferior," is modified into "Soundwave is intelligent, the Constructicons are just idiots!"

The only other alteration of note in regards to the Japanese version is that whenever a character appears on screen for the first time, their name and function appears with them (written in Japanese, of course).

{{-}}

==Latin America==
The Latin American Spanish dub was done in [[Los Angeles]] and is notable because it kept all the voice actors from the cartoon and the new characters remained with the same voices for the remainder of the show. With the exception of Ravage, who was now called "Destructor", every character is referred to by his/her original English name, since none of the characters' names were translated when the cartoon was dubbed into Spanish.

Though it is one of the most popular dubs of the movie, it has only been released domestically on home video once and is very difficult to find nowadays. In addition, it hasn't been shown on TV since the early Nineties. Despite this, the dub has been included in many international releases of the movie.

This dub removes all swearing and makes Optimus Prime's death scene even more traumatic by having Daniel ''actually'' crying when Optimus flatlines.

Galvatron sounds exactly like Megatron and Wheelie occasionally rhymes because his dialogue was ''literally'' translated.

==Spain==
In Spain, the movie was originally aired with the Latin American dub, but when the Generation 1 DVDs were published in Spain by Selecta Visión, they included a brand new spanish dub, but it used the original translations.It was aired in 2008 in Local Media TV, but the audio quality wasn't very good.some names

==Poland==
In Poland, the movie was never professionally dubbed. In the only official (and cult classic) release on VHS in 1992, all the dialogue was read by a single voice-over actor, while the original sound was left intact and could be heard in the background. To this day, that characteristic form of "narrating" is a very popular solution in Poland when it comes to translating movies for TV or DVDs. Thanks to this method, you can both understand the story and hear all the original voices. In the case of ''The Transformers: The Movie'' it also forced translators to leave (almost) all the original names intact. (Yay!)

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Transformers: The Movie/dubs}}
[[Category:Generation 1 media]]
[[Category:Real world films]]