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The Great Car Rally

2009-11-15T14:37:05Z

Primus: /* Synopsis */

{{comicstory|
|prev=Battle for Cybertron
|seriesissue=[[Big Looker|Big Looker storybook]]
|next=Decepticon Hijack
|prev2=Battle for Cybertron
|seriesissue2=[[Kid Stuff|Kid Stuff storybook]]
|next2=Satellite of Doom
|image=GreatCarRallyRecord.jpg
|caption=Raise your hand if you know what one of these is.
|title=The Great Car Rally
|publisher=[[Marvel Books]], [[Kid Stuff]]
|date=1984, 1985
|written by=[[Dwight J. Zimmerman]]
|art by=[[Earl Norem]]
|pagecount=36
|ISBN=
|continuity=Don't hold your breath.}}
'''The Autobots enter a race to win free gas and oil for a year. But the Decepticons have a little surprise for them!'''

==Synopsis==
Cliffjumper shows Mirage a billboard advertising the "Big Car Rally", for which first prize is free gas and oil for one year. The Autobots decide to inform their commander, but unbeknownst to them (but knownst to us) the evil [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] just happens to be hiding in the bushes next to that very billboard, listening to their entire conversation. While Mirage and Cliffjumper go off to tell Prime, Soundwave likewise informs Megatron of the Autobots' plan.

The Autobots examine a map of the race and decide who will run each of the three stages of the rally. Mirage is assigned the winding coastal road portion, the mountainous section will be traversed by Hound, and Cliffjumper is assigned the final stretch. When the race begins, Spike and Sparkplug watch as Mirage takes an early lead. Spike is excited, but Sparkplug wisely cautions that the Autobots have a long way to go before the race is over. Almost as if Sparkplug has some sort of supernatural clairvoyance, Skywarp appears and attacked Mirage. Mirage counterattacks and defeats the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]], but in the course of the fighting, he has gone from first place to last.

[[Image:KidsCliff1.jpg|left|180px|thumb|Megatron has the most awesome [[Ultra Pretender]] shell ever! What the [[Primus]] was he thinking using all that money]]

Mirage meets Hound at the start of the mountain stage, and warns his ally to watch out for Decepticons. Hound starts his part of the race with confidence, but up ahead, Rumble awaits his approach. Thinking Hound will be too busy watching for threats to keep his optics on the road, Rumble collapses a bridge so Hound will fall into the chasm. Huffer shows up and puts the bridge back together after Rumble leaves, and the racers proceed to the end of the stage without interruption.

At the start of the final stage of the race, Thundercracker attacks, planning to ambush Cliffjumper before he even gets going. Hound foils the Decepticon's plan, sacrificing himself by jumping into the path of the missiles meant for Cliffjumper. [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] arrives and begins reassembling Hound as Cliffjumper speeds away. The little red Autobot makes his way to the front of the pack, with only an ominous black car between him and the lead. When he pulls even, the black car's driver reveals himself to be none other than the Decepticon leader, Megatron!

[[Image:KidsPrime1.jpg|right|180px|thumb|And good times were had by all. ''Yay.'']]

Megatron opens fire on Cliffjumper as a concerned Bumblebee watches from near the finish line. After Bumblebee explains the situation to his commander, Optimus uproots a nearby utility pole, telling Bumblebee that the way to deal with bullies like Megatron is to use a bigger stick. Prime then proceeds to swing his impromptu bat at Megatron, sending the Decepticon and his car beyond the horizon. With Megatron out of the race, Cliffjumper cruises to an easy victory, and the Autobots celebrate their win. Spike declines to share a portion of the Autobots' prize, opting for [[human]] food instead.

==Featured Characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (1)
* [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (2)
* [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (3)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (6)
* [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (11)
* [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (13)
* [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (14)
|c2=
* [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] (4)
* [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] (5)
* [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (9)
* [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (10)
* [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (12)
|c3=
* [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (7)
* [[Sparkplug Witwicky]] (8)
}}

==Quotes==
"You sure go all to pieces when a missile hits you, Hound."
:—Oh, that '''Ratchet''', what a comedian.

==Notes==
* Owing to its different author and its origin as a [[Big Looker]] storybook, this book differs quite a bit in style and tone from subsequent [[Kid Stuff]] books. Among other things, it has more than the normal stable of four speaking characters.
* Sparkplug's son is called "Spike", but the illustrations look like his other son, [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster]], or possibly his other other son, [[Butch Witwicky (G1)|Butch]]
* Rather than affording him invisibility, in this story Mirage's Electro-Disrupter seems to function like [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]'s electro-scrambler.
* Even if one assumes that the bridge he destroys is only one lane wide, and the trees he's standing next to are saplings, Rumble appears to be quite a bit bigger than his normal roughly-human-sized portrayal.
* Megatron is drawn in his [[Megatron (G1)|pre-production design]] with the black helmet. The text even mentions Megs pulling the trigger of his [[Fusion cannon|cannon]].
* Prime casually yanks a telephone pole out of the ground, probably cutting off telephone and electrical service to untold numbers of local residents in the process. What a jerk.

===Errors===
* At one point Cliffjumper is referred to as "Blow-Out".
* At the start of the third stage, the car next to Cliffjumper has its number '12' reversed.
* All appearances of Optimus show him with a mouth rather than his usual [[mouthplate]], leading to the ''really'' creepy open-mouthed grin on the last page.

==External links==
*[http://www.physics.ohio-state.edu/~sstoneb/tf/books/kidstuff/rally.html The Great Car Rally] at Steve-o Stonebraker's site.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Great Car Rally}}
[[Category:Generation 1]]
[[Category:Books]]
[[Category:Audiobooks]]

Optimus Prime (G1)

2009-11-15T14:34:05Z

Primus: /* Big Looker Story Books */

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
{{main|Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity}}
[[Image:CommandPerformances-Autobotsattack.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Don't worry, the multiple crises of conscience come soon enough.]]

Optimus Prime was a gladiator champion for [[Iacon]] before quickly working his way up the Autobot ranks once [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] started the war. Four million years ago, when Decepticons attacked the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], he personally chose to crash it onto [[Earth]], a decision that caused him much remorse when the war restarted on Earth in the modern day.

Though Optimus allowed himself to be destroyed when he betrayed his own moral code while playing a video game, a copy of his mind survived on a [[floppy disk]]. Years later, he was restored as a [[Powermaster]], binary bonded to the [[Nebulan]], [[Hi-Q]]. Optimus Prime slowly earned the respect of Decepticon leader [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], mourned the loss of his friend [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]], and ultimately sacrificed everything to defeat [[Unicron]]. Though Optimus died again, his mind persisted in Hi-Q, and the [[Last Autobot]] was able to restore him as an [[Action Master]] in time to bring a temporary end to the war.

In [[Generation 2 (Marvel Comics)|one universe]], Optimus Prime went on to battle [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]], his [[Cybertronian Empire]], and the [[Swarm (G2)|Swarm]]. In [[Classics (2006)|another]], fifteen years of peace passed before Megatron rose again.

{{-}}

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

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

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

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
{{main|Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity}}

[[Image:Mtmte2_shermandam.jpg|left|250px|thumb|He had this ax once. It was very memorable.]]

Before the war, Optimus Prime was originally '''Orion Pax''', a young dock worker with a girlfriend named [[Elita One|Ariel]]. But as the war began, Megatron destroyed them both, and [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] rebuilt them into more powerful warriors.

Four million years ago, Optimus Prime ended a Decepticon attack on the Ark by directing it towards prehistoric Earth. When both factions reawakened in 1984, Optimus Prime and the Autobots fought the Decepticons on numerous occasions until 2005. During an attack on [[Autobot City]] on Earth, Prime fell in battle against Megatron and passed the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]].

Optimus Prime eventually returned, once as a [[zombie]], and again when he was rebuilt by the [[Quintesson]]s to stop the spread of the [[Hate Plague]].

The details between these events differ between universes. Sometimes Optimus Prime merged with [[Vector Sigma]] soon after defeating the Hate Plague, and returned much, much later as Star Convoy. Sometimes Optimus Prime partnered up with [[Marissa Faireborn]] to receive upgrades through mutual [[kiss]]ing. Sometimes... look, he did a lot of weird stuff, okay?

===Kid Stuff Talking Story Books===
:''Voice actor:'' Unknown

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

{{charstubfiction}}

===Big Looker Story Books===
[[Image:KidsPrime1.jpg|right|150px|thumb|A big happy...family.]]

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

{{charstubfiction}}
{{-}}

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

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

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

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

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

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

In one of his less impressive moments, after running out of ammo during a battle with [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]], Optimus Prime ordered his fellow Autobots to improvise and hurl everything that wasn't nailed down at their enemy. This included the Blackball, unfortunately. Catching it, Deathsaurus began to fantasize about his inevitable galactic conquest, all the while being pelted with rocks and litter. Frustrated, Deathsaurus accidentally hurled the Blackball back to the Autobots in a fit of rage. {{storylink|Transformer PD Type|Good Job! Deathsaurus!!}}
{{-}}

===''Comic Bom Bom G-2'' comic===
[[Image:G2Hero.jpg|right|200px|thumb|GAH, HE'S LOOKING AT ME!]]
In the year 199X, the Decepticons had learned of a powerful new energy source known as [[forestonite]] which just happened to be located (surprise surprise) on [[Earth]]. Megatron sent his trio of [[Cyberjet]]s to Earth first to draw out the enemy Autobots. The Cyberjets made quick work of [[Electro]] but were soon halted by the appearance of Optimus Prime.

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

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

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

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

The [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]] raged on prehistoric Earth, eventually leading to the discovery of the buried Ark sometime after its crash on prehistoric Earth. [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]], following [[Megatron (G1)|his namesake's]] instructions in a desperate gambit, decided to attempt to change history by killing Prime, who was still lying in the Ark in [[stasis lock]]. Megatron hoped that this would result in the Decepticons winning the Great War and eventually [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] control of Cybertron. Megatron unleashed a full-power weapon blast at Optimus Prime's face, near-fatally injuring him. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part III)}} However, [[Optimus Primal]] proceeded to take Prime's spark into his body to protect it from surgical trauma while his injuries were repaired. The subsequent power increase caused by Prime's spark's connection to the Matrix mutated Primal into a large, [[Transmetal]] "Optimal Optimus" form. Then, with the repairs complete, Prime's spark was restored, and he briefly activated before sinking back into normal stasis. {{storylink|Optimal Situation}}

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

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

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

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

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

{{note|In the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon, Prime's spark was shown to be contained in a Matrix-like vessel. In [[Universe (2003 comic)|Primeval Dawn]], that vessel was shown to be merely a container for his spark, and the actual Matrix was hidden underneath.}}
{{-}}

===''Beast Wars Metals'' comic===
[[Image:CheetasManga1.jpg|right|100px|thumb|Cheetor, that's Prime's Spark, not a toy.]]
Optimus Prime was blasted into pieces by Dragon Megatron. Fortunately, his spark remained perfectly intact—in the remains of his [[Optimal Situation|Matrix-shaped spark chamber]]. Megatron was going to destroy Prime's spark, but [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] (now in his Transmetal body) saved it. Prime's spark was eventually swallowed by Optimus Primal, who was upgraded into Optimal Optimus by doing so.

After Megatron was killed by Optimal Optimus, Primal and his crew said it would be troublesome to fix Optimus Prime's body.
{{-}}

===Transformers Legends===
{{Charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|Prime Spark}}
{{note|Transformers Legends were meant to be "imaginary stories," and not to be taken as canon. Whether or not this story is to be taken as having happened is up to one's [[personal canon]].}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
{{cleanup|April 2009|Needs general expansion and STORYLINKS TO INDIVIDUAL ISSUES. Links to the series are not acceptable.}}

[[Image:Optronix optimus.jpg|left|180px|thumb|What? OPTRONIX is evolving!]]
Optimus Prime started life as '''Optronix''' (Orion to his friends<ref>The [[Keepers Trilogy]] novels set in Dreamwave continuity</ref>), a data archivist. After taking note of a battle in which the Autobot leader [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] had been defeated by Megatron, he was summoned to the council of elders and informed that the Matrix had chosen him to be the next leader of the Autobots. He received the Matrix of Leadership shortly thereafter, gaining a powerful new body in the process, and almost arranged for the Autobot evacuation of Cybertron, intending to leave the Decepticons to their own devices, until a battle with Megatron beneath the planet's surface, accompanied by visions from the Matrix, stirred him on to fight for the safety of his homeworld. Some time into his role as leader, Prime disappeared in a [[space bridge]] explosion along with Megatron, but returned some time later, having spent a period of time on [[Quintessa]]. {{storylink|The War Within}}

Following the awakening of the Transformers on Earth, the Autobots protected the planet from the Decepticons. Over the next fifteen years, the Autobots befriended the humans, particularly the [[Witwicky|Witwicky family]]. The Autobots finally allied with humankind and eventually defeated the Decepticons at the turn of the century. They planned to return to Cybertron aboard the newly constructed ''[[Ark II]]'', along with seven humans, including Witwicky patriarch [[Sparkplug Witwicky|Sparkplug]]. Before the ship departed, Prime gave a piece of the Matrix to [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]], Sparkplug's son and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]'s closest human friend. But the ship was destroyed as part of a military conspiracy to take control of the Transformers. However, a terrorist organization run by the enigmatic [[Lazarus]] was able to seize control of several of the Transformers that fell back to Earth, while the U.S. military located Prime's body. Spike was forced by the product chief, General [[Robert Hallo]], to use the piece of the Matrix to reactivate Prime. Functional again, Prime used the Matrix to reactivate more of his fallen comrades, and then faced off against Megatron in [[San Francisco]]. {{storylink|Prime Directive}}

Following this, Prime began to experience subconscious urgings, leading both the Autobots and the Decepticons to the Arctic Circle, where Shockwave arrived to greet them—and arrest them as war criminals. Shockwave had succeeded in ending the war on Cybertron, but Prime soon fell in with a rebel Autobot group that had discovered Shockwave had a greater agenda. Rallying Autobots across Cybertron to the cause, Prime faced Shockwave in battle but was defeated and had the Matrix ripped from him and used to activate Vector Sigma. Before Shockwave could make full use of the mega-computer's data, however, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] arrived and bested him. The injuries Prime took in this conflict necessitated a prolonged restoration period in stasis. {{storylink|War and Peace}}

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

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

Several Autobots and Decepticons, including Optimus Prime, were reformatted into will-less war machines under the control of [[Cobra]]. During an initial attack on a human peace conference, Cobra's remote control of Optimus (whom they had nicknamed "HISS-14") mysteriously failed. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 1|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue #1}} Later at Cobra's [[Cobra Island|island headquarters]] in the Caribbean, Cobra scientists pulled Optimus apart to find out what was impeding their commands. As this analysis took place, Optimus reverse hacked into Cobra computers until they shut him down in a panic. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 2|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #2}} Despite this, Prime sent a viral message out to hundreds of email addresses that included the coordinates of Cobra's base. The message was intercepted by [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] who teamed up with Wheeljack and Bumblebee. After Wheeljack broke the remote control over the Transformers, Prime went after [[Cobra Commander]]. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 3|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #3}} More than a bit frightened of a giant robot gunning for him, the human released Megatron, who was trapped in gun model. Megatron transformed and fought Prime to a standstill until other Autobots came to back him up. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 4|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #4}}

Although he was weak and low on [[Energon (fuel)|energon]], Prime made a last-ditch effort to save the day when he rammed through the wall of Megatron's energon-producing lab. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 5|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #5}} After a quick recharge, Optimus single-handedly smashed the Decepticons, pounded Megatron to the ground, and ripped his [[fusion cannon]] off his arm. Prime then teamed up with the Joes and used Megatron's cannon to shoot down the [[SPS Satellite]] that had gone rogue and was destroying the island.

With the battle over, Prime and the Autobots boarded a new ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' ship built by G.I. Joe and returned to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 6|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #6}}

[[Image:GIJoevstfIIprime1930s.jpg|left|275px|thumb|Retro Convoy: TRANSFORM!!!]]
On a Cybertron dominated by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and the Decepticons, Optimus Prime and the Autobots took on the roles of resistance fighters. Cobra experimentation transported a contingent of Cobras and G.I. Joes to Cybertron and destabilized [[Teletran 3]], which led to the computer sending several Transformers to [[Earth]] across different time periods. When Optimus Prime saw Jazz get zapped by Teletran 3, he leapt to rescue his soldier, only to be transported away as well. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 1|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #1}} A team made up of Joes and Cobra agents were sent back and found Optimus Prime and the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] in 1930s-era Chicago, disguised as period cars and trucks. The Stunticons chased Prime and the Joes around the city until everything was wrapped up with bullets, a collapsed bridge and some dynamite. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 2|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #2}}

After the Transformers and humans were returned to present-day Cybertron and the Decepticons were vanquished by the recently-arrived [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], Prime made an agreement with the Joes to destroy the technology that started the whole mess in order to protect Earth. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 4|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #4}}

On Cybertron, Optimus Prime kicked back to do a little bit of paperwork and reminisce. With Shockwave defeated, Cybertron was enjoying a new era of peace. He was interrupted by Hot Rod, who reported that a group of "pesky humans with their peashooters" were giving an Autobot team on Earth a hard time. Prime suspected Cobra's involvement and counseled Hot Rod not to be so dismissive of the humans. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 1|The Art of War #1}} When the team returned to Cybertron and mysteriously vanished in the [[Gladiator Zone]], Prime was prepared to go search for them, but was convinced by Hot Rod to stay behind and organize a peace ceremony. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 2|The Art of War #2}}

Later, at the peace celebration, Prime was watching a procession of Autobots when Decepticons attacked. Optimus ordered [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] into action but the huge Autobot was quickly overcome by [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]], [[Piranacon (G1)|Piranacon]] and [[Predaking]]. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 3|The Art of War #3}} Prime hopped into the fray, saved a female Autobot from getting smushed by the falling Omega, rode [[Sixshot]] into Piranacon's face, smashed [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] into the ground, and carried a wounded Autobot out of danger.

[[Image:Primevsserpentor.jpg|right|175px|thumb|Serpent O.R. soon realized that "This I command!" doesn't work on Optimus Prime.]]
Menasor cut off Prime's escape and handed him the [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] trio, who confronted Prime with a hologram of [[Serpentor|Serpent O.R.]] The new Decepticon leader carried Megatron's memories and information downloaded from Soundwave, from which he learned of the Matrix of Leadership. Serpent O.R. offered Optimus a trade: hostages and peace if he handed over the Matrix. Optimus agreed.

In his stronghold, Serpent O.R. questioned Prime about his own worthiness to carry the Matrix, but Optimus broke free of his chains and aggressively ordered him to surrender. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 4|The Art of War #4}} A group of Decepticons broke in and nearly took Prime apart, but not before Serpent O.R. took the Matrix for himself and changed into the massive Serpentor Prime. The Matrix showed Serpentor Prime the error of his ways but as he was about to commit suicide Cobra Commander tripped a device and took over Serpentor Prime's body. Moments before he crushed Arcee, a severely damaged Optimus Prime threw Hawk toward the Matrix but warned the human not to touch the artifact. Hawk did so anyway and through a quasi-mystical transfer of power Serpentor Prime was vanquished.

Later repaired by a female nursebot, Optimus went back to finishing his paperwork. A leader's job is never done. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 5|The Art of War #5}}

Sensing a new, yet old, danger to planet Earth, Prime elected to send himself to earth on an investigation, and gave Hot Rod a glare when the young Autobot accused his leader of taking an unnecessary risk to atone for the death of a [[Bumblebee (G1)|close friend]].

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

While they wandered through the tunnels, the Joes and Prime found cave paintings that described the last visit to Earth by the planet-eating god [[Unicron]]. They were attacked again by Bludgeon and Cobra-La minions, but were led away by a ragged [[Joe Colton]], prisoner of Cobra-La for the last 25 years. {{storylink|Black Horizon, Part 1 of 2|Black Horizon, Part 1}} Bludgeon managed to find them again and during a second battle Prime tore open the Pretender's shell, revealing Bludgeon's robot form inside. Bludgeon tripped and dangled dangerously over a chasm, but rather than let Optimus Prime save him, Bludgeon forced Prime to drop him to his death laughing all the way down.

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

With the threat of Unicron gone, Prime relaxed with [[Eject]] and Firewall by watching some reality TV, and sighed at the banality. {{storylink|Black Horizon, Part 2 of 2|Black Horizon, Part 2}}

===''Transformers/G.I. Joe''===
{{charstubfiction}}
=== IDW comics continuity ===
{{ongoing}}
[[Image:Bumper-funeral.jpg|right|thumb|150px|Helloooo cameo.]]
In the very beginnings of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s civil war, Optimus was one of several Transformers who gathered for the funeral of the slain [[Fastback]] and [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]]. He stood solemnly with his arm around his [[Elita-One|girlfriend]], next to his [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|white clone]]. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3}}

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

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

An undisclosed amount of time later, Optimus became Optimus Prime. While reviewing his new troops, he came upon a defiant old veteran called Ironhide, who thought of Prime as a wet-behind-the-audio-receptors upstart. Optimus was intrigued by this old coot and asked Ironhide to teach him about the ways of war—and Ironhide did just that. Everything he threw at Optimus, Optimus took and learnt. All his hard comments were taken in. But one day, Optimus, having gained much wisdom since meeting Ironhide, decided to go against Ironhide's counsel, heading east instead of west. This turned out to be a good idea, as [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] had been waiting in the west to ambush the Autobot forces. Later still, Ironhide and Optimus got a bit unlucky and ended up dangling off a cliff with Ironhide missing a leg. They were eventually rescued. After this, Ironhide developed a respect and awe for his protege. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 13}}

{{note| This story conflicts with previous fiction featuring Optimus and Irohide: In ''Spotlight: Blurr'', pre-Prime Optimus and Ironhide are in the same unit, which contradicts neither of them recognizing the other when Optimus '''Prime''' reviews his troops.}}

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Arriving at [[New York City]] while the Decepticons were fending off attacks by a European air squad, Optimus and the Autobots began to engage the Decepticons again. After a bit of fighting, and with the threat of Devasator, Optimus ordered Omega Supreme to take Devastator away from the city and fight him elsewhere. Optimus Prime encountered Megatron, and the two engaged in a bit of viewpoint bantering, mostly about the way their war was now changing and the fact that the humans Prime had "sworn to protect" were about to drop a nuclear bomb on the city. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 11|All Hail Megatron #11}}

[[Image:AHM-13 Prime mouth.jpg|thumb|left|Optimus will overenergize on this stuff, then wake up the next morning in a CR chamber full of ice with his robo-kidneys missing.]]

After that, they engaged in a fierce battle while trading more banter. At first, Megatron took the advantage, but just as he was about to leave with the Decepticons and take the Matrix with him, a shot from [[Shockwave (G1)|an experimental weapon made from a Transformer]] fired by [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|a brave human]] hit him it the face. Seizing the opportunity, Optimus grabbed Megatron's fusion cannon and slammed it against Megatron's head, bringing him down in defeat. Before Optimus could truly finish him off, however, Starscream intervened and, after exchanging words, took off with Megatron and the Matrix. Prime's decision to go after them or save New York from nuclear devastation was rendered moot when Thundercracker, who had grown disenchanted with the way the Decepticons went after the humans, blew up the bomb at the cost of his own life (thanks to an angry Skywarp). The war over for the moment, Prime met with Spike Witwicky, thanked him for helping the Autobots out, and asked if there was some way to help the humans in return. However, Spike responded that they had brought their war to Earth, so any chance of human-Transformer relations was now long gone. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12|All Hail Megatron #12}}

Later, in an abandoned cave supposedly somewhere within NY's ruins, Optimus heard Iromhide's resignation from the Autobot forces. Respecting Ironhide too much, he did not argue, but after some energon and a little flashback, Optimus convinced Ironhide to stay. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 13}}

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

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

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

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

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

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

{{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 1}} {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 2}} {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 7}}

{{charstubfiction}}

===''Henkei! Henkei!'' Bun Bun manga===

{{storylink|Enter! The Transformers}} {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Appears!}} {{storylink|Kingdom of Giants}} {{storylink|The Enemy from the Arctic}} {{storylink|Wataru's Power}} {{storylink|Optimus Prime's Secret}} {{storylink|Time of Resurrection}} {{storylink|Creation! The New Emperor of Destruction!!}} {{storylink|The Threat of Galvatron}}

{{charstubfiction}}

===Alternity===

In 2007, the Optimus Prime of [[universal stream]] Primax 109.0 Beta encountered a mysterious messenger from another world: [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity#Alternity|another incarnation of himself]] from a parallel dimension who left him with a warning. Two years hence, Megatron would bring the terrifying super-dimensional lifeform known as the "Beast of Time", [[Hytherion]], into their dimension to destroy Earth. The only thing that could battle Hytherion was the power of the super-evolved multi-dimensional race of Cybertronians known as the [[Alternity (species)|Alternity]]. Prime agreed that when the danger appeared, he would join the Alternity in the fight.

Sure enough, in 2009, when Hytherion's colossal claw-marks appeared on planets throughout the solar system, Prime's other-dimensional incarnation returned, bringing with him a "Vibrant Red" Vector 109 [[auto-avatar]] with which Prime fused. In that instant, he was reborn as part of the Alternity, a manifold being who encompassed all the different incarnations of Optimus Prime through the multiverse at once. Prime reached his hands heaveanward and peeled back the layers of reality, exposing the gargantuan fanged maw of Hytherion looming above the Autobots. {{storylink|From Here to Alternity}}

Optimus battled alongside the Alternity to fend off the beast, when unexpectedly, [[Megatron (G1)#Alternity|Megatron]] overwrote the beast's higher functions with his own. At first, it seemed that Hytherion had been killed, but a newly empowered Megatron (in two bodies) appeared and declared that, now possessing a power that rivaled the Alternity's, he challenged his opponents to take him on or see the multiverse itself burn. {{storylink|To Mega Therion}}
{{note|Alternity beings are both individuals and a collective of separate entities. More fiction about Optimus Prime's Alternity collective can be found [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity#Alternity|here]].}}

===''Robot Heroes'' comic===
{{comingsoon}}
{{storylink|I Am Optimus Prime (Robot Heroes)|I Am Optimus Prime}}

==="Universe" cartoon===
: Voiseactor: [[Ron Hayden]](English)
Optimus Prime narates the events of what happened before the Ark crashed on earth. He explains that the heroic Autobots are fighting a war against the Evil decepticons who opress freedom on Cybertron for the life giving energy known as Energon. He also mentions that he became the new leader of a long line of Autobot leaders by the discovery of the Matrix. On there quest for more Energon, they were chased by Decepticons onto the planet known as Earth and crashed on it. When they got out of the ark, Optimus Prime scanned his truck altmode and states the war will not end on Earth. {{Storylink| Action Blast 1}}

Both Optimus Prime and Bumblebee race down a street in an unknow desert wile having an argument with Bumblebee about Energon. He orders Bumblebee to scan the suroundings to find the location where the Decepticons are hiding now, and to be carefull for possible scouts. When Bumblebee notes what they are doing, Prime speculates that what they might be planning is to convert the energy into Energon, and orders Bumblebee to make a diversion. During the time Bumblebee and Cyclonus are fighting, Prime made a suprise attack and takes out Cyclonus with his Ion-axe, and turns his attention to Megatron. When both Decepticons flee, Prime tells Bumblebee they did a good job(infront a burning Gass station), and both Autobots get back on the move.{{storylink|Fight for Energon}}

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

* Powermaster Prime and [[Piranacon (G1)|Piranacon]] are the representatives from each faction that [[Doubledealer]] doublecrosses! Everyone wonders who that guy is that Prime's talking to... He looks kinda suspicious!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

==Games==
===''Revenge of the Fallen'': The Game===
:''Voice actor:''
{{charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)|Revenge of the Fallen}}
==Toys==
{{main|Optimus Prime (G1)/toys}}

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

* As of [[All Hail Megatron issue 13|All Hail Megatron #13]], Optimus has a mouth underneath that [[faceplate]] of his.

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

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

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

== Footnotes ==
<references />

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

Optimus Prime (G1)

2009-11-15T12:56:18Z

Primus: /* Big Looker Story Books */

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
{{main|Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity}}
[[Image:CommandPerformances-Autobotsattack.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Don't worry, the multiple crises of conscience come soon enough.]]

Optimus Prime was a gladiator champion for [[Iacon]] before quickly working his way up the Autobot ranks once [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] started the war. Four million years ago, when Decepticons attacked the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], he personally chose to crash it onto [[Earth]], a decision that caused him much remorse when the war restarted on Earth in the modern day.

Though Optimus allowed himself to be destroyed when he betrayed his own moral code while playing a video game, a copy of his mind survived on a [[floppy disk]]. Years later, he was restored as a [[Powermaster]], binary bonded to the [[Nebulan]], [[Hi-Q]]. Optimus Prime slowly earned the respect of Decepticon leader [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], mourned the loss of his friend [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]], and ultimately sacrificed everything to defeat [[Unicron]]. Though Optimus died again, his mind persisted in Hi-Q, and the [[Last Autobot]] was able to restore him as an [[Action Master]] in time to bring a temporary end to the war.

In [[Generation 2 (Marvel Comics)|one universe]], Optimus Prime went on to battle [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]], his [[Cybertronian Empire]], and the [[Swarm (G2)|Swarm]]. In [[Classics (2006)|another]], fifteen years of peace passed before Megatron rose again.

{{-}}

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

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

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

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
{{main|Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity}}

[[Image:Mtmte2_shermandam.jpg|left|250px|thumb|He had this ax once. It was very memorable.]]

Before the war, Optimus Prime was originally '''Orion Pax''', a young dock worker with a girlfriend named [[Elita One|Ariel]]. But as the war began, Megatron destroyed them both, and [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] rebuilt them into more powerful warriors.

Four million years ago, Optimus Prime ended a Decepticon attack on the Ark by directing it towards prehistoric Earth. When both factions reawakened in 1984, Optimus Prime and the Autobots fought the Decepticons on numerous occasions until 2005. During an attack on [[Autobot City]] on Earth, Prime fell in battle against Megatron and passed the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]].

Optimus Prime eventually returned, once as a [[zombie]], and again when he was rebuilt by the [[Quintesson]]s to stop the spread of the [[Hate Plague]].

The details between these events differ between universes. Sometimes Optimus Prime merged with [[Vector Sigma]] soon after defeating the Hate Plague, and returned much, much later as Star Convoy. Sometimes Optimus Prime partnered up with [[Marissa Faireborn]] to receive upgrades through mutual [[kiss]]ing. Sometimes... look, he did a lot of weird stuff, okay?

===Kid Stuff Talking Story Books===
:''Voice actor:'' Unknown

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

{{charstubfiction}}

===Big Looker Story Books===
[[Image:KidsPrime1.jpg|right|150px|thumb|A big happy family.]]

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

{{charstubfiction}}
{{-}}

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

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

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

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

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

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

In one of his less impressive moments, after running out of ammo during a battle with [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]], Optimus Prime ordered his fellow Autobots to improvise and hurl everything that wasn't nailed down at their enemy. This included the Blackball, unfortunately. Catching it, Deathsaurus began to fantasize about his inevitable galactic conquest, all the while being pelted with rocks and litter. Frustrated, Deathsaurus accidentally hurled the Blackball back to the Autobots in a fit of rage. {{storylink|Transformer PD Type|Good Job! Deathsaurus!!}}
{{-}}

===''Comic Bom Bom G-2'' comic===
[[Image:G2Hero.jpg|right|200px|thumb|GAH, HE'S LOOKING AT ME!]]
In the year 199X, the Decepticons had learned of a powerful new energy source known as [[forestonite]] which just happened to be located (surprise surprise) on [[Earth]]. Megatron sent his trio of [[Cyberjet]]s to Earth first to draw out the enemy Autobots. The Cyberjets made quick work of [[Electro]] but were soon halted by the appearance of Optimus Prime.

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

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

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

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

The [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]] raged on prehistoric Earth, eventually leading to the discovery of the buried Ark sometime after its crash on prehistoric Earth. [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]], following [[Megatron (G1)|his namesake's]] instructions in a desperate gambit, decided to attempt to change history by killing Prime, who was still lying in the Ark in [[stasis lock]]. Megatron hoped that this would result in the Decepticons winning the Great War and eventually [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] control of Cybertron. Megatron unleashed a full-power weapon blast at Optimus Prime's face, near-fatally injuring him. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part III)}} However, [[Optimus Primal]] proceeded to take Prime's spark into his body to protect it from surgical trauma while his injuries were repaired. The subsequent power increase caused by Prime's spark's connection to the Matrix mutated Primal into a large, [[Transmetal]] "Optimal Optimus" form. Then, with the repairs complete, Prime's spark was restored, and he briefly activated before sinking back into normal stasis. {{storylink|Optimal Situation}}

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

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

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

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

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

{{note|In the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon, Prime's spark was shown to be contained in a Matrix-like vessel. In [[Universe (2003 comic)|Primeval Dawn]], that vessel was shown to be merely a container for his spark, and the actual Matrix was hidden underneath.}}
{{-}}

===''Beast Wars Metals'' comic===
[[Image:CheetasManga1.jpg|right|100px|thumb|Cheetor, that's Prime's Spark, not a toy.]]
Optimus Prime was blasted into pieces by Dragon Megatron. Fortunately, his spark remained perfectly intact—in the remains of his [[Optimal Situation|Matrix-shaped spark chamber]]. Megatron was going to destroy Prime's spark, but [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] (now in his Transmetal body) saved it. Prime's spark was eventually swallowed by Optimus Primal, who was upgraded into Optimal Optimus by doing so.

After Megatron was killed by Optimal Optimus, Primal and his crew said it would be troublesome to fix Optimus Prime's body.
{{-}}

===Transformers Legends===
{{Charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|Prime Spark}}
{{note|Transformers Legends were meant to be "imaginary stories," and not to be taken as canon. Whether or not this story is to be taken as having happened is up to one's [[personal canon]].}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
{{cleanup|April 2009|Needs general expansion and STORYLINKS TO INDIVIDUAL ISSUES. Links to the series are not acceptable.}}

[[Image:Optronix optimus.jpg|left|180px|thumb|What? OPTRONIX is evolving!]]
Optimus Prime started life as '''Optronix''' (Orion to his friends<ref>The [[Keepers Trilogy]] novels set in Dreamwave continuity</ref>), a data archivist. After taking note of a battle in which the Autobot leader [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] had been defeated by Megatron, he was summoned to the council of elders and informed that the Matrix had chosen him to be the next leader of the Autobots. He received the Matrix of Leadership shortly thereafter, gaining a powerful new body in the process, and almost arranged for the Autobot evacuation of Cybertron, intending to leave the Decepticons to their own devices, until a battle with Megatron beneath the planet's surface, accompanied by visions from the Matrix, stirred him on to fight for the safety of his homeworld. Some time into his role as leader, Prime disappeared in a [[space bridge]] explosion along with Megatron, but returned some time later, having spent a period of time on [[Quintessa]]. {{storylink|The War Within}}

Following the awakening of the Transformers on Earth, the Autobots protected the planet from the Decepticons. Over the next fifteen years, the Autobots befriended the humans, particularly the [[Witwicky|Witwicky family]]. The Autobots finally allied with humankind and eventually defeated the Decepticons at the turn of the century. They planned to return to Cybertron aboard the newly constructed ''[[Ark II]]'', along with seven humans, including Witwicky patriarch [[Sparkplug Witwicky|Sparkplug]]. Before the ship departed, Prime gave a piece of the Matrix to [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]], Sparkplug's son and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]'s closest human friend. But the ship was destroyed as part of a military conspiracy to take control of the Transformers. However, a terrorist organization run by the enigmatic [[Lazarus]] was able to seize control of several of the Transformers that fell back to Earth, while the U.S. military located Prime's body. Spike was forced by the product chief, General [[Robert Hallo]], to use the piece of the Matrix to reactivate Prime. Functional again, Prime used the Matrix to reactivate more of his fallen comrades, and then faced off against Megatron in [[San Francisco]]. {{storylink|Prime Directive}}

Following this, Prime began to experience subconscious urgings, leading both the Autobots and the Decepticons to the Arctic Circle, where Shockwave arrived to greet them—and arrest them as war criminals. Shockwave had succeeded in ending the war on Cybertron, but Prime soon fell in with a rebel Autobot group that had discovered Shockwave had a greater agenda. Rallying Autobots across Cybertron to the cause, Prime faced Shockwave in battle but was defeated and had the Matrix ripped from him and used to activate Vector Sigma. Before Shockwave could make full use of the mega-computer's data, however, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] arrived and bested him. The injuries Prime took in this conflict necessitated a prolonged restoration period in stasis. {{storylink|War and Peace}}

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

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

Several Autobots and Decepticons, including Optimus Prime, were reformatted into will-less war machines under the control of [[Cobra]]. During an initial attack on a human peace conference, Cobra's remote control of Optimus (whom they had nicknamed "HISS-14") mysteriously failed. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 1|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue #1}} Later at Cobra's [[Cobra Island|island headquarters]] in the Caribbean, Cobra scientists pulled Optimus apart to find out what was impeding their commands. As this analysis took place, Optimus reverse hacked into Cobra computers until they shut him down in a panic. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 2|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #2}} Despite this, Prime sent a viral message out to hundreds of email addresses that included the coordinates of Cobra's base. The message was intercepted by [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] who teamed up with Wheeljack and Bumblebee. After Wheeljack broke the remote control over the Transformers, Prime went after [[Cobra Commander]]. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 3|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #3}} More than a bit frightened of a giant robot gunning for him, the human released Megatron, who was trapped in gun model. Megatron transformed and fought Prime to a standstill until other Autobots came to back him up. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 4|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #4}}

Although he was weak and low on [[Energon (fuel)|energon]], Prime made a last-ditch effort to save the day when he rammed through the wall of Megatron's energon-producing lab. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 5|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #5}} After a quick recharge, Optimus single-handedly smashed the Decepticons, pounded Megatron to the ground, and ripped his [[fusion cannon]] off his arm. Prime then teamed up with the Joes and used Megatron's cannon to shoot down the [[SPS Satellite]] that had gone rogue and was destroying the island.

With the battle over, Prime and the Autobots boarded a new ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' ship built by G.I. Joe and returned to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 6|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #6}}

[[Image:GIJoevstfIIprime1930s.jpg|left|275px|thumb|Retro Convoy: TRANSFORM!!!]]
On a Cybertron dominated by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and the Decepticons, Optimus Prime and the Autobots took on the roles of resistance fighters. Cobra experimentation transported a contingent of Cobras and G.I. Joes to Cybertron and destabilized [[Teletran 3]], which led to the computer sending several Transformers to [[Earth]] across different time periods. When Optimus Prime saw Jazz get zapped by Teletran 3, he leapt to rescue his soldier, only to be transported away as well. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 1|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #1}} A team made up of Joes and Cobra agents were sent back and found Optimus Prime and the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] in 1930s-era Chicago, disguised as period cars and trucks. The Stunticons chased Prime and the Joes around the city until everything was wrapped up with bullets, a collapsed bridge and some dynamite. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 2|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #2}}

After the Transformers and humans were returned to present-day Cybertron and the Decepticons were vanquished by the recently-arrived [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], Prime made an agreement with the Joes to destroy the technology that started the whole mess in order to protect Earth. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 4|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #4}}

On Cybertron, Optimus Prime kicked back to do a little bit of paperwork and reminisce. With Shockwave defeated, Cybertron was enjoying a new era of peace. He was interrupted by Hot Rod, who reported that a group of "pesky humans with their peashooters" were giving an Autobot team on Earth a hard time. Prime suspected Cobra's involvement and counseled Hot Rod not to be so dismissive of the humans. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 1|The Art of War #1}} When the team returned to Cybertron and mysteriously vanished in the [[Gladiator Zone]], Prime was prepared to go search for them, but was convinced by Hot Rod to stay behind and organize a peace ceremony. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 2|The Art of War #2}}

Later, at the peace celebration, Prime was watching a procession of Autobots when Decepticons attacked. Optimus ordered [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] into action but the huge Autobot was quickly overcome by [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]], [[Piranacon (G1)|Piranacon]] and [[Predaking]]. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 3|The Art of War #3}} Prime hopped into the fray, saved a female Autobot from getting smushed by the falling Omega, rode [[Sixshot]] into Piranacon's face, smashed [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] into the ground, and carried a wounded Autobot out of danger.

[[Image:Primevsserpentor.jpg|right|175px|thumb|Serpent O.R. soon realized that "This I command!" doesn't work on Optimus Prime.]]
Menasor cut off Prime's escape and handed him the [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] trio, who confronted Prime with a hologram of [[Serpentor|Serpent O.R.]] The new Decepticon leader carried Megatron's memories and information downloaded from Soundwave, from which he learned of the Matrix of Leadership. Serpent O.R. offered Optimus a trade: hostages and peace if he handed over the Matrix. Optimus agreed.

In his stronghold, Serpent O.R. questioned Prime about his own worthiness to carry the Matrix, but Optimus broke free of his chains and aggressively ordered him to surrender. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 4|The Art of War #4}} A group of Decepticons broke in and nearly took Prime apart, but not before Serpent O.R. took the Matrix for himself and changed into the massive Serpentor Prime. The Matrix showed Serpentor Prime the error of his ways but as he was about to commit suicide Cobra Commander tripped a device and took over Serpentor Prime's body. Moments before he crushed Arcee, a severely damaged Optimus Prime threw Hawk toward the Matrix but warned the human not to touch the artifact. Hawk did so anyway and through a quasi-mystical transfer of power Serpentor Prime was vanquished.

Later repaired by a female nursebot, Optimus went back to finishing his paperwork. A leader's job is never done. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 5|The Art of War #5}}

Sensing a new, yet old, danger to planet Earth, Prime elected to send himself to earth on an investigation, and gave Hot Rod a glare when the young Autobot accused his leader of taking an unnecessary risk to atone for the death of a [[Bumblebee (G1)|close friend]].

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

While they wandered through the tunnels, the Joes and Prime found cave paintings that described the last visit to Earth by the planet-eating god [[Unicron]]. They were attacked again by Bludgeon and Cobra-La minions, but were led away by a ragged [[Joe Colton]], prisoner of Cobra-La for the last 25 years. {{storylink|Black Horizon, Part 1 of 2|Black Horizon, Part 1}} Bludgeon managed to find them again and during a second battle Prime tore open the Pretender's shell, revealing Bludgeon's robot form inside. Bludgeon tripped and dangled dangerously over a chasm, but rather than let Optimus Prime save him, Bludgeon forced Prime to drop him to his death laughing all the way down.

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

With the threat of Unicron gone, Prime relaxed with [[Eject]] and Firewall by watching some reality TV, and sighed at the banality. {{storylink|Black Horizon, Part 2 of 2|Black Horizon, Part 2}}

===''Transformers/G.I. Joe''===
{{charstubfiction}}
=== IDW comics continuity ===
{{ongoing}}
[[Image:Bumper-funeral.jpg|right|thumb|150px|Helloooo cameo.]]
In the very beginnings of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s civil war, Optimus was one of several Transformers who gathered for the funeral of the slain [[Fastback]] and [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]]. He stood solemnly with his arm around his [[Elita-One|girlfriend]], next to his [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|white clone]]. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3}}

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

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

An undisclosed amount of time later, Optimus became Optimus Prime. While reviewing his new troops, he came upon a defiant old veteran called Ironhide, who thought of Prime as a wet-behind-the-audio-receptors upstart. Optimus was intrigued by this old coot and asked Ironhide to teach him about the ways of war—and Ironhide did just that. Everything he threw at Optimus, Optimus took and learnt. All his hard comments were taken in. But one day, Optimus, having gained much wisdom since meeting Ironhide, decided to go against Ironhide's counsel, heading east instead of west. This turned out to be a good idea, as [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] had been waiting in the west to ambush the Autobot forces. Later still, Ironhide and Optimus got a bit unlucky and ended up dangling off a cliff with Ironhide missing a leg. They were eventually rescued. After this, Ironhide developed a respect and awe for his protege. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 13}}

{{note| This story conflicts with previous fiction featuring Optimus and Irohide: In ''Spotlight: Blurr'', pre-Prime Optimus and Ironhide are in the same unit, which contradicts neither of them recognizing the other when Optimus '''Prime''' reviews his troops.}}

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Arriving at [[New York City]] while the Decepticons were fending off attacks by a European air squad, Optimus and the Autobots began to engage the Decepticons again. After a bit of fighting, and with the threat of Devasator, Optimus ordered Omega Supreme to take Devastator away from the city and fight him elsewhere. Optimus Prime encountered Megatron, and the two engaged in a bit of viewpoint bantering, mostly about the way their war was now changing and the fact that the humans Prime had "sworn to protect" were about to drop a nuclear bomb on the city. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 11|All Hail Megatron #11}}

[[Image:AHM-13 Prime mouth.jpg|thumb|left|Optimus will overenergize on this stuff, then wake up the next morning in a CR chamber full of ice with his robo-kidneys missing.]]

After that, they engaged in a fierce battle while trading more banter. At first, Megatron took the advantage, but just as he was about to leave with the Decepticons and take the Matrix with him, a shot from [[Shockwave (G1)|an experimental weapon made from a Transformer]] fired by [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|a brave human]] hit him it the face. Seizing the opportunity, Optimus grabbed Megatron's fusion cannon and slammed it against Megatron's head, bringing him down in defeat. Before Optimus could truly finish him off, however, Starscream intervened and, after exchanging words, took off with Megatron and the Matrix. Prime's decision to go after them or save New York from nuclear devastation was rendered moot when Thundercracker, who had grown disenchanted with the way the Decepticons went after the humans, blew up the bomb at the cost of his own life (thanks to an angry Skywarp). The war over for the moment, Prime met with Spike Witwicky, thanked him for helping the Autobots out, and asked if there was some way to help the humans in return. However, Spike responded that they had brought their war to Earth, so any chance of human-Transformer relations was now long gone. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12|All Hail Megatron #12}}

Later, in an abandoned cave supposedly somewhere within NY's ruins, Optimus heard Iromhide's resignation from the Autobot forces. Respecting Ironhide too much, he did not argue, but after some energon and a little flashback, Optimus convinced Ironhide to stay. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 13}}

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

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

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

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

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

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

{{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 1}} {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 2}} {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 7}}

{{charstubfiction}}

===''Henkei! Henkei!'' Bun Bun manga===

{{storylink|Enter! The Transformers}} {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Appears!}} {{storylink|Kingdom of Giants}} {{storylink|The Enemy from the Arctic}} {{storylink|Wataru's Power}} {{storylink|Optimus Prime's Secret}} {{storylink|Time of Resurrection}} {{storylink|Creation! The New Emperor of Destruction!!}} {{storylink|The Threat of Galvatron}}

{{charstubfiction}}

===Alternity===

In 2007, the Optimus Prime of [[universal stream]] Primax 109.0 Beta encountered a mysterious messenger from another world: [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity#Alternity|another incarnation of himself]] from a parallel dimension who left him with a warning. Two years hence, Megatron would bring the terrifying super-dimensional lifeform known as the "Beast of Time", [[Hytherion]], into their dimension to destroy Earth. The only thing that could battle Hytherion was the power of the super-evolved multi-dimensional race of Cybertronians known as the [[Alternity (species)|Alternity]]. Prime agreed that when the danger appeared, he would join the Alternity in the fight.

Sure enough, in 2009, when Hytherion's colossal claw-marks appeared on planets throughout the solar system, Prime's other-dimensional incarnation returned, bringing with him a "Vibrant Red" Vector 109 [[auto-avatar]] with which Prime fused. In that instant, he was reborn as part of the Alternity, a manifold being who encompassed all the different incarnations of Optimus Prime through the multiverse at once. Prime reached his hands heaveanward and peeled back the layers of reality, exposing the gargantuan fanged maw of Hytherion looming above the Autobots. {{storylink|From Here to Alternity}}

Optimus battled alongside the Alternity to fend off the beast, when unexpectedly, [[Megatron (G1)#Alternity|Megatron]] overwrote the beast's higher functions with his own. At first, it seemed that Hytherion had been killed, but a newly empowered Megatron (in two bodies) appeared and declared that, now possessing a power that rivaled the Alternity's, he challenged his opponents to take him on or see the multiverse itself burn. {{storylink|To Mega Therion}}
{{note|Alternity beings are both individuals and a collective of separate entities. More fiction about Optimus Prime's Alternity collective can be found [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity#Alternity|here]].}}

===''Robot Heroes'' comic===
{{comingsoon}}
{{storylink|I Am Optimus Prime (Robot Heroes)|I Am Optimus Prime}}

==="Universe" cartoon===
: Voiseactor: [[Ron Hayden]](English)
Optimus Prime narates the events of what happened before the Ark crashed on earth. He explains that the heroic Autobots are fighting a war against the Evil decepticons who opress freedom on Cybertron for the life giving energy known as Energon. He also mentions that he became the new leader of a long line of Autobot leaders by the discovery of the Matrix. On there quest for more Energon, they were chased by Decepticons onto the planet known as Earth and crashed on it. When they got out of the ark, Optimus Prime scanned his truck altmode and states the war will not end on Earth. {{Storylink| Action Blast 1}}

Both Optimus Prime and Bumblebee race down a street in an unknow desert wile having an argument with Bumblebee about Energon. He orders Bumblebee to scan the suroundings to find the location where the Decepticons are hiding now, and to be carefull for possible scouts. When Bumblebee notes what they are doing, Prime speculates that what they might be planning is to convert the energy into Energon, and orders Bumblebee to make a diversion. During the time Bumblebee and Cyclonus are fighting, Prime made a suprise attack and takes out Cyclonus with his Ion-axe, and turns his attention to Megatron. When both Decepticons flee, Prime tells Bumblebee they did a good job(infront a burning Gass station), and both Autobots get back on the move.{{storylink|Fight for Energon}}

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

* Powermaster Prime and [[Piranacon (G1)|Piranacon]] are the representatives from each faction that [[Doubledealer]] doublecrosses! Everyone wonders who that guy is that Prime's talking to... He looks kinda suspicious!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

==Games==
===''Revenge of the Fallen'': The Game===
:''Voice actor:''
{{charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)|Revenge of the Fallen}}
==Toys==
{{main|Optimus Prime (G1)/toys}}

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

* As of [[All Hail Megatron issue 13|All Hail Megatron #13]], Optimus has a mouth underneath that [[faceplate]] of his.

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

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

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

== Footnotes ==
<references />

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

Shockwave (Animated)

2009-11-14T22:19:21Z

Primus: /* Animated cartoon */

{{factions|decepticon|autobot|eliteguard}}
{{disambig3|Shockwave}}
{{disambig3|Longarm}}
:''Shockwave is a [[Decepticon]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:TFA Shockwave.jpg|thumb|right|250px|My awesomeness is logical.]]

'''Shockwave''' is a covert agent in service to [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]. This size-changing master of disguise has infiltrated the Autobot security apparatus at the highest level: his cover persona is '''Longarm Prime''', head of [[Cybertron Intelligence]], reporting directly to [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] himself. The undercover Decepticon is the perfect agent to pull this off, as he's able to change his voice, his appearance, and even his energy signature. This puts Shockwave in the perfect position to undermine and mislead the Autobots while feeding strategic information to his true master. To establish his credibility, "Longarm" attended the [[Autobot boot camp]] alongside Bumblebee and Bulkhead. Over the years, he worked his way up the Autobot hierarchy until finally he was promoted to be the very head of the Intelligence Division itself!

Befitting a double agent, Shockwave is highly secretive and fearful of detection. Befitting a cartoon villain, he can confidently give those secrets away if he thinks he's winning. If he suspects his cover may be compromised, he's given to acts of desperation.

{{bigquote|Rise, Shockwave: my most loyal servant!|Megatron|"[[This Is Why I Hate Machines]]"}}

==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon===
{{note|Events from IDW Publishing comic books are in italics.}}
:''Voice actor'': [[Corey Burton]] (English), [[Helmut Gauß]] (German)

[[Image:TFA Longarm.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Longarm:Why am I wearing a scuba mask?

Bumblebee:Oh Primus, that's not a mask!]]

[[Image:TFA Shockwave DoubleAgent.jpg|thumb|right|150px|So does that mean he's Shockwave Prime?]]

Shockwave was recruited by Megatron because his mass-shifting abilities allowed him to impersonate effectively a wide variety of shapes and sizes, making it difficult for Autobots to accurately track him during missions of infiltration and sabotage. It was these traits which led to Megatron sending him to enlist in the Autobot armed services as a means of climbing the ranks and eventually taking the organization down from within.

With the aid of [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]], {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac|The AllSpark Almanac}} Shockwave crafted an Autobot persona and form for himself from old historical records <ref>Shockwave's on-package bio</ref> and enrolled in [[Autobot boot camp]], where his ability to stretch his limbs to great lengths (a limited use of his ability to change shape and size) earned him the name "Longarm" from his drill sergeant [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Minor]]. However, he slipped up in the early days of training and was overheard reporting to Megatron by the black sheep recruit [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]]. Although Shockwave managed to avoid detection right away, Bumblebee was tipped off to the presence of a traitor in the camp and suspected fellow recruit [[Wasp]], whom he spotted leaving the building shortly afterward. Bumblebee turned to the espionage-savvy Longarm for advice, and Shockwave used the opportunity to divert attention away from himself. He suggested that the young Autobot refrain from telling their commander, [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Minor]], so that 'Bee could take all the credit himself. Unfortunately, all of Bumblebee's efforts only got him in worse trouble, and his fellow recruits began to bully him, with Longarm being the only one to stick up for him. After several failures on Bumblebee's part, Shockwave took matters into his own hands during a training exercise and switched the training equipment to live ammo in an attempt to offline the Autobot and keep the whole matter of a traitor a secret. Luckily for Bumblebee, this plan was foiled by [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]].

Eventually, Shockwave found out that Sentinel Minor intended to conduct a surprise inspection, and he contrived to set up Wasp to take the fall himself. After planting a Decepticon communicator in Wasp's locker, Shockwave, as Longarm, informed Bumblebee of the upcoming inspection, telling him that it was his last chance to find the evidence he needed. Using one of his extensible limbs to trip up Wasp, Shockwave allowed Bumblebee to palm Wasp's locker key as 'Bee helped him up, allowing him to find the communicator and show it to Sentinel. In the end, Wasp was dragged off to prison, and Longarm commended Bumblebee for his deductive work.

Subsequently, Shockwave graduated boot camp and eventually became the head of [[Cybertron Intelligence]]. Now "Longarm [[Prime (rank)#Transformers Animated|'''Prime''']]", he remained in this position, hiding in plain sight, for the fifty stellar cycles that Megatron was lost on [[Earth]]. {{storylink|Autoboot Camp}} He may have murdered [[Highbrow (Animated)|Intel director Highbrow]] to get the job. <ref>''[[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club (magazine)|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club]]''</ref>

''After [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]]'s ship was lost, Longarm pressed Sentinel to continue the search for the ship's crew, the AllSpark and [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]. His pleas fell on deaf ears. {{storylink|Dispatches}}''

After Megatron succeeded in restoring himself and the Decepticons were assembled on Earth, he re-established contact with Shockwave on Cybertron and initiated a plan to construct a [[space bridge]] that would allow the Decepticons to conquer the planet from within. {{storylink|Mission Accomplished}} Wasp, now criminally insane, escaped from prison, and Megatron started receiving transmissions from his double agent on Cybertron. When Megatron's captive, [[Isaac Sumdac]], attempted to alert the Autobots to the existence of the double agent by bouncing a transmission to their base, Bumblebee again suspected Wasp. He reported the news to Longarm Prime on Cybertron, but of course, that accomplished nothing. {{storylink|Autoboot Camp}}

[[Image:Anim shockwave pinchy.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Pinchy pinchy!]]

When the completed space bridge failed to function, Megatron contacted Shockwave and instructed him to locate the top space bridge specialist on Cybertron to help correct the problem. Shockwave was surprised to discover that the specialist was already on Earth; it was Bulkhead! Bulkhead was subsequently captured by Megatron and forced to perfect the space bridge. {{storylink|A Bridge Too Close, Part I}} The other Autobots arrived too late to stop him, and they were defeated by the Decepticons and strung up to watch as the bridge was activated. Shockwave revealed his alter ego of Longarm Prime to the Autobots, disclosing that he had already given Megatron an appropriate access code and forcing Bumblebee to feel the shame of sending an innocent Wasp to prison. When Megatron tried to test the space bridge by sending Optimus Prime through it, Shockwave assured his master that he awaited the "test subject" on the other side. Unfortunately, an attempt by Megatron to boost power caused the space bridge to overload, deleting the access code and setting the space bridge to random coordinates. {{storylink|A Bridge Too Close, Part II}}

Megacycles later, Shockwave, as Longarm once more, assured Ultra Magnus that the Decepticons would not be able to reach the Cybertron Space Bridge nexus. Shockwave then contacted [[Team Chaar]], who had successfully taken over a space bridge and were ready to use it in order to gate to Cybertron. [[Strika (Animated)|Strika]] asked for permission to begin the assault, only to have Shockwave deny her request. She was to stay put with her team and wait for Megatron to arrive, even if he was megacycles overdue.

[[Image:TransWarpedBlurrLongarm.jpg|left|thumb|250px|"Whoops—there's a bug on your head, Blurr. Holllld stilll..."]]

Not long afterward, the entire Space Bridge Nexus powered down. Confused, Longarm questioned Cybertron Command, and [[Cliffjumper (Animated)|Cliffjumper]] informed him that Ultra Magnus had ordered the shutdown in order to prevent the Decepticons from accessing Cybertron. Just then, Agent [[Blurr (Animated)|Blurr]] arrived and (very) quickly informed Longarm that while on Earth, he had intercepted a transmission between Megatron and and his double agent on Cybertron, Shockwave. Further, Blurr noted that Shockwave's voice didn't match that of the suspected Wasp, but quick search of the Cybertron Intel Database would allow them to find the true identity of the traitor. Shocked, Longarm asked if Blurr had shared this information with anyone else. When Blurr replied that he had not, Shockwave decided it would be wise to quiet him down—permanently. Blurr eluded his initial attempts and escaped into the corridors around the nexus control center. Rather than give chase, Shockwave simply had the corridors' security hatches slam shut and close in on Blurr, trapping and crushing him to death.

At the [[Metroplex (Animated) | Metroplex]], Longarm handed over Blurr's remains to Cliffjumper, calling the small cube "sensitive materials." He received an incoming transmission from Lord Megatron in his private office. They traded information on their respective setbacks, but Megatron assured Shockwave that he had [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|a method]] of preventing the Earth Autobots from blowing Shockwave's cover.

Shortly, Longarm Prime attended an [[Autobot High Council]] meeting, where Ultra Magnus declared that the Decepticons' attacks were too organized to be random acts of sabotage. Rather, evidence pointed to a double agent in the Autobots' midst. Longarm nervously pointed out that the Decepticon uprisings had started after Wasp's escape, making the cause plain. Ultra Magnus agreed and ordered [[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]] and Sentinel Prime to organize an Elite Guard Unit to find the escapee. He then requested that the Earth-bound Autobots be contacted. Increasingly distraught, Longarm declared that all communications should be first filtered through him, without exceptions—for the sake of security and the protection of Cybertron, naturally. {{storylink|TransWarped}}

Unfortunately, Longarm's insistence on diverting blame toward Wasp was his undoing. When Wasp headed to Earth, Ultra Magnus didn't inform him about Wasp's destination until the Elite Guard's ship was in sight of the planet. Knowing he was on the verge of being exposed, Shockwave tried to contact Megatron, but still received no response. With no other orders on how to proceed, Shockwave took matters into his own hands: In an effort to inflict one last blow to the Autobots, Shockwave attacked and seriously damaged Ultra Magnus, stealing his Magnus hammer in the process. {{storylink|Where Is Thy Sting?}}

When the Autobots became trapped in [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave's]] virtual reality, Shockwave appeared to invade and attack Earth. However, he didn't seem to do much besides set an apartment on fire. {{storylink|Human Error, Part I}}

[[Image:TFAni ThisisWhyIHateMachines Shockwave TrueColors.jpg|thumb|240px|right|Wish you'd bought that repaint now, don't you?]]
After escaping, Shockwave hid in an underground tunnel, concealed from detection, waiting for Megatron to call. The Decepticon leader, trapped inside of [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]] along with [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] and [[Lugnut]], contacted Shockwave, who revealed a way to gain the access codes for Omega Supreme. However, Shockwave was soon discovered by [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] and [[Captain Fanzone]]. He easily defeated them and went to find the female intelligence agent [[Arcee (Animated)|Arcee]]. To do this, he "asked" an informant-bot named [[Rattletrap]] for the directions. However, he apparently got lost, and so merely hid and waited for Fanzone and Ratchet to find her. He battled Ratchet and severely wounded the elderly Autobot. During the battle, he then found Ultra Magnus, still wounded. He was about to kill him for good when Ratchet used his EMP generator on both Shockwave ''and'' Ultra Magnus's hammer. Ratchet was then distracted by the arrival of temporary Magnus Sentinel Prime. After getting back online, Shockwave took Arcee and escaped to Omega Supreme, using the access codes to transwarp to Earth's orbit. He then celebrated his freedom to serve Megatron openly by [[electronic paint job|changing]] into more...[[Shockwave (G1)|suitable colors]], while [[Lugnut]] silently fumed at Megatron's description of him as his "most loyal servant". {{storylink|This Is Why I Hate Machines}}

[[Image:TFA-Endgame-ShockwavePointsAndLaughs.jpg|thumb|left|240px|It is only logical that you're an idiot.]]
Shockwave worked on the captured Arcee, initially hitting an early datatrax from her time as a teacher before the Great War. Megatron assured his "ever-loyal Shockwave" that if any bot could access the right datatrax, it was him. Combined with some taunting by Starscream, this sent Lugnut into a frenzy of jealousy, and he knocked Shockwave across the room as he begged for Megatron's favour. Shockwave in turn pointed out that while Lugnut was "fawning at Megatron's feet", he'd risked "spark and servo" as a double agent. This didn't go over well, and soon the two purple 'Cons were fighting one another. Later, with both sent to convert material from the wrecked [[Nemesis (Animated)|Decepticon flagship]] into [[Lugnut Supreme|clones of Omega Supreme]], Shockwave could be seen pointing and laughing at a misfortune on his rival's part.

After dropping a bit of stripped material from the wrecked ship, unwittingly nearly crushing a spying Bumblebee, Shockwave returned to working on Arcee and successfully restored her to the [[The Thrill of the Hunt|point at which her memory was wiped]]. Briefly returning to his grey "Longarm" mode, he confirmed that she had the activation codes, so he ripped the wires which artificially sustained her from her head, knocking her back into stasis. Outside, with the clones ready for activation, he rebooted Arcee. Despite "Longarm's" prompting, she refused to give the activation codes to Megatron voluntarily. Instead, Shockwave knocked her back into stasis and extracted the codes manually, making no comment when they ended up in Lugnut and Megatron proclaimed Lugnut his "most loyal lieutenant". As it turned out, however, the codes which Shockwave had torn from Arcee were missing a crucial "security upgrade patch", and he was forced to rig up an inelegant bypass—involving Lugnut directly puppeteering the clones—until he could retrieve the rest of the code from Arcee. {{storylink|Endgame, Part I}}

As Shockwave attempted to find the patch in Arcee's processor, Megatron grew impatient with Lugnut's giving a long speech on the greatness of his Glorious Leader before he would actually do anything with the clones, and angrily enquired of Shockwave if he was done yet. Shockwave replied, with great amusement in his voice, that he was still working on it and Megatron would have to relay all orders through Lugnut for the time being.

[[Image:TFA-Endgame-PanAcrossEveryone.jpg|thumb|240px|Decepticons have failed forevermore.]]

Apparently, he gave up on extracting the patch, and instead left Arcee - her datatrax once again reverted to her teaching days - on the lunar surface as a trap, while he waited to ambush any Autobots who came for her and Omega Supreme. The group which transwarped there, led by Ratchet, blundered straight into the trap, and Ratchet was forced to flee with Arcee and [[Sari Sumdac]] while Bumblebee and Bulkhead confronted their old classmate. While Shockwave initially had little difficulty as they attempted to attack from distance, he couldn't deal with Bulkhead's strength Bot-to-Con, and was left sprawled on the lunar surface, his cannon knocked out of reach. In a desperate attempt to buy time, he switched to Longarm mode - forgetting to activate his [[electronic paint job]] - but the pair of Autobots were not impressed, and Bulkhead smashed the cannon.

He was last seen as the Autobots' prisoner, being paraded before a large crowd on Cybertron. {{storylink|Endgame, Part II}}

===Toy bios===
After graduating near the top of his class at the [[Autobot Academy]], he rose through the ranks of the [[Cybertron Elite Guard]] to become the head of its Intelligence Division. Though he normally enjoys a subtle approach, blackmailing Autobots in positions of authority, Bumblebee's hyperactive personality annoys him enough to make him break cover and attack the Autobot directly.

==Toys==
===Animated===
[[Image:Longarmanimatedvoyager.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Punch.]]
[[Image:Shockwaveanimatedvoyager.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Counterpunch.]]
* '''Shockwave''' (Voyager, 2008)

:Representing his double nature in the cartoon, ''Animated'' Shockwave becomes both the Autobot Longarm and Decepticon Shockwave, featuring four distinct modes. In "Infiltration Mode," the shorter, stockier Autobot Longarm transforms into a four-legged crane platform. If one fancies, one can stretch out his Shockwave-mode limbs to emulate his limb-stretching ability in Longarm mode (albeit not very well). In "Spy Mode," he stretches and converts into the taller, lankier Decepticon Shockwave, as the crane portion of Longarm's body converts into a hand-held cannon. The center panel on his chest flips between Autobot and Decepticon symbols. Both chest symbols are vacuum metalized, with very shiny silver and gold. Curiously, while the rotating faction symbols on his chest use the usual "classic" designs, the tampographed Decepticon symbol on his cannon/crane is in the movie style, and is visible in his Autobot modes. Additionally, the only mode in which Longarm's head is not fully visible is Shockwave himself.

:All the differences between Shockwave and Longarm can be difficult to remember, even for Hasbro. In the "tank mode" picture at right, the secondary guns are incorrectly folded back. On the back of this toy's box, there are several small transformation errors, the most obvious being that only ''one'' of Shockwave's shoulders has been correctly rotated up. Also, the toy [[instruction booklet|instructions]] do not show Shockwave's neck as correctly extended (his chin is touching his chestplate in the instructions, just as for Longarm). They also fail to mention that you can bend his upper torso forward as Shockwave to better replicate the slouch that he has in the cartoon.

:The instructions for the trilingual packaging version of Shockwave have an odd error, in the space that should explain the transformation for his hands, is a glitched/overlapping version of the final two steps instead.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Decepticon/Shockwave/shockwave.htm More information on Shockwave at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|Target}}
[[Image:Shockwavepurplebumblebeetoys.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Chugway.<ref>According to the ''Animated'' DVD closed captioning.</ref>]]
* '''Shockwave VS Bumblebee''' (Multi-pack, 2009)

:A predominantly purple [[redeco]] of the Voyager toy, this version of Shockwave is packaged with an apparently unaltered [[Activators]]-class [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] figure. Shockwave retains his four modes and gimmickry within each. A Target stores [[exclusive]], this set was available simultaneously with the [[Sunstorm (Animated)|Sunstorm]]/[[Ratchet (Animated)#Activators|Ratchet]] multi-pack. Although this version seems to be a less convincing Autobot due to its purple paintjob, in one respect he would be a better spy in this form, as the repaint doesn't have the Decepticon symbol on the cannon arm to give him away. The Autobot and Decepticon symbols are also now red and purple, as opposed to the original silver and gold.
: The official Hasbro picture at right contains several transformation errors: In robot mode, Shockwave's shoulders are not rotated up. In tank mode, the secondary guns are not deployed, the red panels which are on the robot mode's shoulders have not been flipped to show the tank's treads, and the middle panel on the side of the tank is oriented wrong (the circle should be down, not back). In addition, his head is not fully retracted. Someone at Hasbro is dozing.
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2009/Decepticon/Shockwave/shockwave.htm More information on Purple Shockwave at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

==Notes==

* Actor Corey Burton reprises the role of Shockwave from Generation 1, reusing precisely the same British-accented, [[Wikipedia:Sark (Tron)|David-Warner-inspired]] voice for the character (while employing an American accented variation for Longarm). In an online interview with Seibertron.com in early 2009 (sadly lost owing to a server crash), Burton revealed that Shockwave's inclusion in Season 2 arose from a between-scenes conversation he had with the production team, regarding how little the original Shockwave actually had to do.

* In somewhat of a reversal, while this incarnation of Shockwave has much fewer appearances than his original incarnation, he does a heck of a lot more stuff: in just a few fleeting appearances on Animated, Shockwave manages to destroy Wasp's life, kill a [[Blurr (Animated)|popular recurring character]], bring down Cybertron's entire interplanetary transport and communications system, brutally assault the Magnus (and steal his hammer!), and give Megatron control of the Autobots' [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|most feared and powerful weapon]]. Shockwave is ''awesome''. And it is very logical indeed.

* While Shockwave possesses the single, round optic and window-chest of his Generation 1 counterpart, much of the rest of his body appears to be largely patterned after ''[[Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'' [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]]; he transforms into an "H-tank", the front treads end up on his shoulders and the rear treads end up on the back of his lower legs, plus he has the large, spiky "antlers" on his head. Additionally, Shockwave's vehicle mode appears to be loosely based on one of the [[Transtech]] sketch designs for Megatron, with the high angled treads and turret. However, Shockwave is much thinner and taller than Megatron, and is also able to bend his knees.

[[Image:Chugway.jpg|thumb|right|180px|Closed Captioning provided by the Zero Wing Translation Team.]]
* Transformers Animated's closed captioning mispelled Shockwave's name as Chugway. Seriously. No, it's not a joke.

* Shockwave's status as an Elite Guard member in his Longarm identity is an issue fraught with much confusion. His on-package [[bio]] states that, as Longarm, he rose through the ranks of the [[Cybertron Elite Guard]] to reach his current position; this theoretically meshes with Longarm's cover story in "Autoboot Camp", where he states that he wishes to become an Elite Guard intelligence officer<ref>On the other hand, ''everyone else'' (outside of Bulkhead) in Sentinel Minor's recruit line-up stated that they wanted to serve some function in the Elite Guard, and none of them actually ended up in it.</ref>. However, [[Derrick J. Wyatt]] has informed this wiki that Longarm is not actually a member of that group in the cartoon continuity. Shockwave's status as a nonmember of the Elite Guard is supported by Longarm's lack of the Elite Guard's winged Autobot symbol, and the evident fact that, while Longarm ''is'' head of the Autobot Intelligence Division, the Autobot Intelligence Division is ''not'' a part of the Elite Guard; Longarm's immediate predecessor as head of the organization, [[Highbrow (Animated)|Highbrow]], did not sport the Elite Guard symbol either.
[[Image:Shockwave_goodside.jpg|thumb|right|180px|I hear this is my good side...]]

:Adding to this confusion, Longarm was drawn with an Elite Guard symbol in [[Dispatches|''The Arrival'' #1]], but this seems to have been in error, as Sentinel Prime {{m-}} stated to be ''the second-in-command'' of the Elite Guard in the story {{m-}} sported a normal Autobot symbol throughout it, suggesting the symbol-paster got confused.

*Both "Shockwave and "Longarm" have official alternate capitalizations. The credits of "[[TransWarped]]" give "LongArm Prime", and the credits for "[[This Is Why I Hate Machines]]" have "ShockWave".

* Despite not having a face, Shockwave still manages to have a [[chin]].

* Like [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]], Shockwave has the ability to fly despite having a land-based vehicle mode. Unlike Soundwave, his ability is explained by having rocket boosters in his feet [[Megatron (Animated)|like]] [[Starscream (Animated)|several]] [[Lugnut|other]] [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Decepticons]].

{{-}}

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Animated characters]]
[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Decepticons]]
[[Category:Double agents]]
[[Category:Elite Guard]]
[[Category:Multiple modes]]
[[Category:Spies]]

Shockwave (Animated)

2009-11-14T22:18:59Z

Primus: /* Fiction */

{{factions|decepticon|autobot|eliteguard}}
{{disambig3|Shockwave}}
{{disambig3|Longarm}}
:''Shockwave is a [[Decepticon]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:TFA Shockwave.jpg|thumb|right|250px|My awesomeness is logical.]]

'''Shockwave''' is a covert agent in service to [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]. This size-changing master of disguise has infiltrated the Autobot security apparatus at the highest level: his cover persona is '''Longarm Prime''', head of [[Cybertron Intelligence]], reporting directly to [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] himself. The undercover Decepticon is the perfect agent to pull this off, as he's able to change his voice, his appearance, and even his energy signature. This puts Shockwave in the perfect position to undermine and mislead the Autobots while feeding strategic information to his true master. To establish his credibility, "Longarm" attended the [[Autobot boot camp]] alongside Bumblebee and Bulkhead. Over the years, he worked his way up the Autobot hierarchy until finally he was promoted to be the very head of the Intelligence Division itself!

Befitting a double agent, Shockwave is highly secretive and fearful of detection. Befitting a cartoon villain, he can confidently give those secrets away if he thinks he's winning. If he suspects his cover may be compromised, he's given to acts of desperation.

{{bigquote|Rise, Shockwave: my most loyal servant!|Megatron|"[[This Is Why I Hate Machines]]"}}

==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon===
{{note|Events from IDW Publishing comic books are in italics.}}
:''Voice actor'': [[Corey Burton]] (English), [[Helmut Gauß]] (German)

[[Image:TFA Longarm.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Longarm:Why am I wearing a scuba mask?
Bumblebee:Oh Primus, that's not a mask!]]

[[Image:TFA Shockwave DoubleAgent.jpg|thumb|right|150px|So does that mean he's Shockwave Prime?]]

Shockwave was recruited by Megatron because his mass-shifting abilities allowed him to impersonate effectively a wide variety of shapes and sizes, making it difficult for Autobots to accurately track him during missions of infiltration and sabotage. It was these traits which led to Megatron sending him to enlist in the Autobot armed services as a means of climbing the ranks and eventually taking the organization down from within.

With the aid of [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]], {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac|The AllSpark Almanac}} Shockwave crafted an Autobot persona and form for himself from old historical records <ref>Shockwave's on-package bio</ref> and enrolled in [[Autobot boot camp]], where his ability to stretch his limbs to great lengths (a limited use of his ability to change shape and size) earned him the name "Longarm" from his drill sergeant [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Minor]]. However, he slipped up in the early days of training and was overheard reporting to Megatron by the black sheep recruit [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]]. Although Shockwave managed to avoid detection right away, Bumblebee was tipped off to the presence of a traitor in the camp and suspected fellow recruit [[Wasp]], whom he spotted leaving the building shortly afterward. Bumblebee turned to the espionage-savvy Longarm for advice, and Shockwave used the opportunity to divert attention away from himself. He suggested that the young Autobot refrain from telling their commander, [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Minor]], so that 'Bee could take all the credit himself. Unfortunately, all of Bumblebee's efforts only got him in worse trouble, and his fellow recruits began to bully him, with Longarm being the only one to stick up for him. After several failures on Bumblebee's part, Shockwave took matters into his own hands during a training exercise and switched the training equipment to live ammo in an attempt to offline the Autobot and keep the whole matter of a traitor a secret. Luckily for Bumblebee, this plan was foiled by [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]].

Eventually, Shockwave found out that Sentinel Minor intended to conduct a surprise inspection, and he contrived to set up Wasp to take the fall himself. After planting a Decepticon communicator in Wasp's locker, Shockwave, as Longarm, informed Bumblebee of the upcoming inspection, telling him that it was his last chance to find the evidence he needed. Using one of his extensible limbs to trip up Wasp, Shockwave allowed Bumblebee to palm Wasp's locker key as 'Bee helped him up, allowing him to find the communicator and show it to Sentinel. In the end, Wasp was dragged off to prison, and Longarm commended Bumblebee for his deductive work.

Subsequently, Shockwave graduated boot camp and eventually became the head of [[Cybertron Intelligence]]. Now "Longarm [[Prime (rank)#Transformers Animated|'''Prime''']]", he remained in this position, hiding in plain sight, for the fifty stellar cycles that Megatron was lost on [[Earth]]. {{storylink|Autoboot Camp}} He may have murdered [[Highbrow (Animated)|Intel director Highbrow]] to get the job. <ref>''[[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club (magazine)|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club]]''</ref>

''After [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]]'s ship was lost, Longarm pressed Sentinel to continue the search for the ship's crew, the AllSpark and [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]. His pleas fell on deaf ears. {{storylink|Dispatches}}''

After Megatron succeeded in restoring himself and the Decepticons were assembled on Earth, he re-established contact with Shockwave on Cybertron and initiated a plan to construct a [[space bridge]] that would allow the Decepticons to conquer the planet from within. {{storylink|Mission Accomplished}} Wasp, now criminally insane, escaped from prison, and Megatron started receiving transmissions from his double agent on Cybertron. When Megatron's captive, [[Isaac Sumdac]], attempted to alert the Autobots to the existence of the double agent by bouncing a transmission to their base, Bumblebee again suspected Wasp. He reported the news to Longarm Prime on Cybertron, but of course, that accomplished nothing. {{storylink|Autoboot Camp}}

[[Image:Anim shockwave pinchy.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Pinchy pinchy!]]

When the completed space bridge failed to function, Megatron contacted Shockwave and instructed him to locate the top space bridge specialist on Cybertron to help correct the problem. Shockwave was surprised to discover that the specialist was already on Earth; it was Bulkhead! Bulkhead was subsequently captured by Megatron and forced to perfect the space bridge. {{storylink|A Bridge Too Close, Part I}} The other Autobots arrived too late to stop him, and they were defeated by the Decepticons and strung up to watch as the bridge was activated. Shockwave revealed his alter ego of Longarm Prime to the Autobots, disclosing that he had already given Megatron an appropriate access code and forcing Bumblebee to feel the shame of sending an innocent Wasp to prison. When Megatron tried to test the space bridge by sending Optimus Prime through it, Shockwave assured his master that he awaited the "test subject" on the other side. Unfortunately, an attempt by Megatron to boost power caused the space bridge to overload, deleting the access code and setting the space bridge to random coordinates. {{storylink|A Bridge Too Close, Part II}}

Megacycles later, Shockwave, as Longarm once more, assured Ultra Magnus that the Decepticons would not be able to reach the Cybertron Space Bridge nexus. Shockwave then contacted [[Team Chaar]], who had successfully taken over a space bridge and were ready to use it in order to gate to Cybertron. [[Strika (Animated)|Strika]] asked for permission to begin the assault, only to have Shockwave deny her request. She was to stay put with her team and wait for Megatron to arrive, even if he was megacycles overdue.

[[Image:TransWarpedBlurrLongarm.jpg|left|thumb|250px|"Whoops—there's a bug on your head, Blurr. Holllld stilll..."]]

Not long afterward, the entire Space Bridge Nexus powered down. Confused, Longarm questioned Cybertron Command, and [[Cliffjumper (Animated)|Cliffjumper]] informed him that Ultra Magnus had ordered the shutdown in order to prevent the Decepticons from accessing Cybertron. Just then, Agent [[Blurr (Animated)|Blurr]] arrived and (very) quickly informed Longarm that while on Earth, he had intercepted a transmission between Megatron and and his double agent on Cybertron, Shockwave. Further, Blurr noted that Shockwave's voice didn't match that of the suspected Wasp, but quick search of the Cybertron Intel Database would allow them to find the true identity of the traitor. Shocked, Longarm asked if Blurr had shared this information with anyone else. When Blurr replied that he had not, Shockwave decided it would be wise to quiet him down—permanently. Blurr eluded his initial attempts and escaped into the corridors around the nexus control center. Rather than give chase, Shockwave simply had the corridors' security hatches slam shut and close in on Blurr, trapping and crushing him to death.

At the [[Metroplex (Animated) | Metroplex]], Longarm handed over Blurr's remains to Cliffjumper, calling the small cube "sensitive materials." He received an incoming transmission from Lord Megatron in his private office. They traded information on their respective setbacks, but Megatron assured Shockwave that he had [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|a method]] of preventing the Earth Autobots from blowing Shockwave's cover.

Shortly, Longarm Prime attended an [[Autobot High Council]] meeting, where Ultra Magnus declared that the Decepticons' attacks were too organized to be random acts of sabotage. Rather, evidence pointed to a double agent in the Autobots' midst. Longarm nervously pointed out that the Decepticon uprisings had started after Wasp's escape, making the cause plain. Ultra Magnus agreed and ordered [[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]] and Sentinel Prime to organize an Elite Guard Unit to find the escapee. He then requested that the Earth-bound Autobots be contacted. Increasingly distraught, Longarm declared that all communications should be first filtered through him, without exceptions—for the sake of security and the protection of Cybertron, naturally. {{storylink|TransWarped}}

Unfortunately, Longarm's insistence on diverting blame toward Wasp was his undoing. When Wasp headed to Earth, Ultra Magnus didn't inform him about Wasp's destination until the Elite Guard's ship was in sight of the planet. Knowing he was on the verge of being exposed, Shockwave tried to contact Megatron, but still received no response. With no other orders on how to proceed, Shockwave took matters into his own hands: In an effort to inflict one last blow to the Autobots, Shockwave attacked and seriously damaged Ultra Magnus, stealing his Magnus hammer in the process. {{storylink|Where Is Thy Sting?}}

When the Autobots became trapped in [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave's]] virtual reality, Shockwave appeared to invade and attack Earth. However, he didn't seem to do much besides set an apartment on fire. {{storylink|Human Error, Part I}}

[[Image:TFAni ThisisWhyIHateMachines Shockwave TrueColors.jpg|thumb|240px|right|Wish you'd bought that repaint now, don't you?]]
After escaping, Shockwave hid in an underground tunnel, concealed from detection, waiting for Megatron to call. The Decepticon leader, trapped inside of [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]] along with [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] and [[Lugnut]], contacted Shockwave, who revealed a way to gain the access codes for Omega Supreme. However, Shockwave was soon discovered by [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] and [[Captain Fanzone]]. He easily defeated them and went to find the female intelligence agent [[Arcee (Animated)|Arcee]]. To do this, he "asked" an informant-bot named [[Rattletrap]] for the directions. However, he apparently got lost, and so merely hid and waited for Fanzone and Ratchet to find her. He battled Ratchet and severely wounded the elderly Autobot. During the battle, he then found Ultra Magnus, still wounded. He was about to kill him for good when Ratchet used his EMP generator on both Shockwave ''and'' Ultra Magnus's hammer. Ratchet was then distracted by the arrival of temporary Magnus Sentinel Prime. After getting back online, Shockwave took Arcee and escaped to Omega Supreme, using the access codes to transwarp to Earth's orbit. He then celebrated his freedom to serve Megatron openly by [[electronic paint job|changing]] into more...[[Shockwave (G1)|suitable colors]], while [[Lugnut]] silently fumed at Megatron's description of him as his "most loyal servant". {{storylink|This Is Why I Hate Machines}}

[[Image:TFA-Endgame-ShockwavePointsAndLaughs.jpg|thumb|left|240px|It is only logical that you're an idiot.]]
Shockwave worked on the captured Arcee, initially hitting an early datatrax from her time as a teacher before the Great War. Megatron assured his "ever-loyal Shockwave" that if any bot could access the right datatrax, it was him. Combined with some taunting by Starscream, this sent Lugnut into a frenzy of jealousy, and he knocked Shockwave across the room as he begged for Megatron's favour. Shockwave in turn pointed out that while Lugnut was "fawning at Megatron's feet", he'd risked "spark and servo" as a double agent. This didn't go over well, and soon the two purple 'Cons were fighting one another. Later, with both sent to convert material from the wrecked [[Nemesis (Animated)|Decepticon flagship]] into [[Lugnut Supreme|clones of Omega Supreme]], Shockwave could be seen pointing and laughing at a misfortune on his rival's part.

After dropping a bit of stripped material from the wrecked ship, unwittingly nearly crushing a spying Bumblebee, Shockwave returned to working on Arcee and successfully restored her to the [[The Thrill of the Hunt|point at which her memory was wiped]]. Briefly returning to his grey "Longarm" mode, he confirmed that she had the activation codes, so he ripped the wires which artificially sustained her from her head, knocking her back into stasis. Outside, with the clones ready for activation, he rebooted Arcee. Despite "Longarm's" prompting, she refused to give the activation codes to Megatron voluntarily. Instead, Shockwave knocked her back into stasis and extracted the codes manually, making no comment when they ended up in Lugnut and Megatron proclaimed Lugnut his "most loyal lieutenant". As it turned out, however, the codes which Shockwave had torn from Arcee were missing a crucial "security upgrade patch", and he was forced to rig up an inelegant bypass—involving Lugnut directly puppeteering the clones—until he could retrieve the rest of the code from Arcee. {{storylink|Endgame, Part I}}

As Shockwave attempted to find the patch in Arcee's processor, Megatron grew impatient with Lugnut's giving a long speech on the greatness of his Glorious Leader before he would actually do anything with the clones, and angrily enquired of Shockwave if he was done yet. Shockwave replied, with great amusement in his voice, that he was still working on it and Megatron would have to relay all orders through Lugnut for the time being.

[[Image:TFA-Endgame-PanAcrossEveryone.jpg|thumb|240px|Decepticons have failed forevermore.]]

Apparently, he gave up on extracting the patch, and instead left Arcee - her datatrax once again reverted to her teaching days - on the lunar surface as a trap, while he waited to ambush any Autobots who came for her and Omega Supreme. The group which transwarped there, led by Ratchet, blundered straight into the trap, and Ratchet was forced to flee with Arcee and [[Sari Sumdac]] while Bumblebee and Bulkhead confronted their old classmate. While Shockwave initially had little difficulty as they attempted to attack from distance, he couldn't deal with Bulkhead's strength Bot-to-Con, and was left sprawled on the lunar surface, his cannon knocked out of reach. In a desperate attempt to buy time, he switched to Longarm mode - forgetting to activate his [[electronic paint job]] - but the pair of Autobots were not impressed, and Bulkhead smashed the cannon.

He was last seen as the Autobots' prisoner, being paraded before a large crowd on Cybertron. {{storylink|Endgame, Part II}}

===Toy bios===
After graduating near the top of his class at the [[Autobot Academy]], he rose through the ranks of the [[Cybertron Elite Guard]] to become the head of its Intelligence Division. Though he normally enjoys a subtle approach, blackmailing Autobots in positions of authority, Bumblebee's hyperactive personality annoys him enough to make him break cover and attack the Autobot directly.

==Toys==
===Animated===
[[Image:Longarmanimatedvoyager.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Punch.]]
[[Image:Shockwaveanimatedvoyager.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Counterpunch.]]
* '''Shockwave''' (Voyager, 2008)

:Representing his double nature in the cartoon, ''Animated'' Shockwave becomes both the Autobot Longarm and Decepticon Shockwave, featuring four distinct modes. In "Infiltration Mode," the shorter, stockier Autobot Longarm transforms into a four-legged crane platform. If one fancies, one can stretch out his Shockwave-mode limbs to emulate his limb-stretching ability in Longarm mode (albeit not very well). In "Spy Mode," he stretches and converts into the taller, lankier Decepticon Shockwave, as the crane portion of Longarm's body converts into a hand-held cannon. The center panel on his chest flips between Autobot and Decepticon symbols. Both chest symbols are vacuum metalized, with very shiny silver and gold. Curiously, while the rotating faction symbols on his chest use the usual "classic" designs, the tampographed Decepticon symbol on his cannon/crane is in the movie style, and is visible in his Autobot modes. Additionally, the only mode in which Longarm's head is not fully visible is Shockwave himself.

:All the differences between Shockwave and Longarm can be difficult to remember, even for Hasbro. In the "tank mode" picture at right, the secondary guns are incorrectly folded back. On the back of this toy's box, there are several small transformation errors, the most obvious being that only ''one'' of Shockwave's shoulders has been correctly rotated up. Also, the toy [[instruction booklet|instructions]] do not show Shockwave's neck as correctly extended (his chin is touching his chestplate in the instructions, just as for Longarm). They also fail to mention that you can bend his upper torso forward as Shockwave to better replicate the slouch that he has in the cartoon.

:The instructions for the trilingual packaging version of Shockwave have an odd error, in the space that should explain the transformation for his hands, is a glitched/overlapping version of the final two steps instead.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Decepticon/Shockwave/shockwave.htm More information on Shockwave at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|Target}}
[[Image:Shockwavepurplebumblebeetoys.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Chugway.<ref>According to the ''Animated'' DVD closed captioning.</ref>]]
* '''Shockwave VS Bumblebee''' (Multi-pack, 2009)

:A predominantly purple [[redeco]] of the Voyager toy, this version of Shockwave is packaged with an apparently unaltered [[Activators]]-class [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] figure. Shockwave retains his four modes and gimmickry within each. A Target stores [[exclusive]], this set was available simultaneously with the [[Sunstorm (Animated)|Sunstorm]]/[[Ratchet (Animated)#Activators|Ratchet]] multi-pack. Although this version seems to be a less convincing Autobot due to its purple paintjob, in one respect he would be a better spy in this form, as the repaint doesn't have the Decepticon symbol on the cannon arm to give him away. The Autobot and Decepticon symbols are also now red and purple, as opposed to the original silver and gold.
: The official Hasbro picture at right contains several transformation errors: In robot mode, Shockwave's shoulders are not rotated up. In tank mode, the secondary guns are not deployed, the red panels which are on the robot mode's shoulders have not been flipped to show the tank's treads, and the middle panel on the side of the tank is oriented wrong (the circle should be down, not back). In addition, his head is not fully retracted. Someone at Hasbro is dozing.
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2009/Decepticon/Shockwave/shockwave.htm More information on Purple Shockwave at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

==Notes==

* Actor Corey Burton reprises the role of Shockwave from Generation 1, reusing precisely the same British-accented, [[Wikipedia:Sark (Tron)|David-Warner-inspired]] voice for the character (while employing an American accented variation for Longarm). In an online interview with Seibertron.com in early 2009 (sadly lost owing to a server crash), Burton revealed that Shockwave's inclusion in Season 2 arose from a between-scenes conversation he had with the production team, regarding how little the original Shockwave actually had to do.

* In somewhat of a reversal, while this incarnation of Shockwave has much fewer appearances than his original incarnation, he does a heck of a lot more stuff: in just a few fleeting appearances on Animated, Shockwave manages to destroy Wasp's life, kill a [[Blurr (Animated)|popular recurring character]], bring down Cybertron's entire interplanetary transport and communications system, brutally assault the Magnus (and steal his hammer!), and give Megatron control of the Autobots' [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|most feared and powerful weapon]]. Shockwave is ''awesome''. And it is very logical indeed.

* While Shockwave possesses the single, round optic and window-chest of his Generation 1 counterpart, much of the rest of his body appears to be largely patterned after ''[[Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'' [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]]; he transforms into an "H-tank", the front treads end up on his shoulders and the rear treads end up on the back of his lower legs, plus he has the large, spiky "antlers" on his head. Additionally, Shockwave's vehicle mode appears to be loosely based on one of the [[Transtech]] sketch designs for Megatron, with the high angled treads and turret. However, Shockwave is much thinner and taller than Megatron, and is also able to bend his knees.

[[Image:Chugway.jpg|thumb|right|180px|Closed Captioning provided by the Zero Wing Translation Team.]]
* Transformers Animated's closed captioning mispelled Shockwave's name as Chugway. Seriously. No, it's not a joke.

* Shockwave's status as an Elite Guard member in his Longarm identity is an issue fraught with much confusion. His on-package [[bio]] states that, as Longarm, he rose through the ranks of the [[Cybertron Elite Guard]] to reach his current position; this theoretically meshes with Longarm's cover story in "Autoboot Camp", where he states that he wishes to become an Elite Guard intelligence officer<ref>On the other hand, ''everyone else'' (outside of Bulkhead) in Sentinel Minor's recruit line-up stated that they wanted to serve some function in the Elite Guard, and none of them actually ended up in it.</ref>. However, [[Derrick J. Wyatt]] has informed this wiki that Longarm is not actually a member of that group in the cartoon continuity. Shockwave's status as a nonmember of the Elite Guard is supported by Longarm's lack of the Elite Guard's winged Autobot symbol, and the evident fact that, while Longarm ''is'' head of the Autobot Intelligence Division, the Autobot Intelligence Division is ''not'' a part of the Elite Guard; Longarm's immediate predecessor as head of the organization, [[Highbrow (Animated)|Highbrow]], did not sport the Elite Guard symbol either.
[[Image:Shockwave_goodside.jpg|thumb|right|180px|I hear this is my good side...]]

:Adding to this confusion, Longarm was drawn with an Elite Guard symbol in [[Dispatches|''The Arrival'' #1]], but this seems to have been in error, as Sentinel Prime {{m-}} stated to be ''the second-in-command'' of the Elite Guard in the story {{m-}} sported a normal Autobot symbol throughout it, suggesting the symbol-paster got confused.

*Both "Shockwave and "Longarm" have official alternate capitalizations. The credits of "[[TransWarped]]" give "LongArm Prime", and the credits for "[[This Is Why I Hate Machines]]" have "ShockWave".

* Despite not having a face, Shockwave still manages to have a [[chin]].

* Like [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]], Shockwave has the ability to fly despite having a land-based vehicle mode. Unlike Soundwave, his ability is explained by having rocket boosters in his feet [[Megatron (Animated)|like]] [[Starscream (Animated)|several]] [[Lugnut|other]] [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Decepticons]].

{{-}}

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Animated characters]]
[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Decepticons]]
[[Category:Double agents]]
[[Category:Elite Guard]]
[[Category:Multiple modes]]
[[Category:Spies]]

Shockwave (Animated)

2009-11-14T22:18:19Z

Primus: /* Fiction */

{{factions|decepticon|autobot|eliteguard}}
{{disambig3|Shockwave}}
{{disambig3|Longarm}}
:''Shockwave is a [[Decepticon]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:TFA Shockwave.jpg|thumb|right|250px|My awesomeness is logical.]]

'''Shockwave''' is a covert agent in service to [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]. This size-changing master of disguise has infiltrated the Autobot security apparatus at the highest level: his cover persona is '''Longarm Prime''', head of [[Cybertron Intelligence]], reporting directly to [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] himself. The undercover Decepticon is the perfect agent to pull this off, as he's able to change his voice, his appearance, and even his energy signature. This puts Shockwave in the perfect position to undermine and mislead the Autobots while feeding strategic information to his true master. To establish his credibility, "Longarm" attended the [[Autobot boot camp]] alongside Bumblebee and Bulkhead. Over the years, he worked his way up the Autobot hierarchy until finally he was promoted to be the very head of the Intelligence Division itself!

Befitting a double agent, Shockwave is highly secretive and fearful of detection. Befitting a cartoon villain, he can confidently give those secrets away if he thinks he's winning. If he suspects his cover may be compromised, he's given to acts of desperation.

{{bigquote|Rise, Shockwave: my most loyal servant!|Megatron|"[[This Is Why I Hate Machines]]"}}

==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon===
{{note|Events from IDW Publishing comic books are in italics.}}
:''Voice actor'': [[Corey Burton]] (English), [[Helmut Gauß]] (German)

[[Image:TFA Longarm.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Longarm:Why am I wearing a scuba mask?
Bumblebee:Oh Primus, that's not a mask!]]

[[Image:TFA Shockwave DoubleAgent.jpg|thumb|right|150px|So does that mean he's Shockwave Prime?]]

Shockwave was recruited by Megatron because his mass-shifting abilities allowed him to impersonate effectively a wide variety of shapes and sizes, making it difficult for Autobots to accurately track him during missions of infiltration and sabotage. It was these traits which led to Megatron sending him to enlist in the Autobot armed services as a means of climbing the ranks and eventually taking the organization down from within.

With the aid of [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]], {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac|The AllSpark Almanac}} Shockwave crafted an Autobot persona and form for himself from old historical records <ref>Shockwave's on-package bio</ref> and enrolled in [[Autobot boot camp]], where his ability to stretch his limbs to great lengths (a limited use of his ability to change shape and size) earned him the name "Longarm" from his drill sergeant [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Minor]]. However, he slipped up in the early days of training and was overheard reporting to Megatron by the black sheep recruit [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]]. Although Shockwave managed to avoid detection right away, Bumblebee was tipped off to the presence of a traitor in the camp and suspected fellow recruit [[Wasp]], whom he spotted leaving the building shortly afterward. Bumblebee turned to the espionage-savvy Longarm for advice, and Shockwave used the opportunity to divert attention away from himself. He suggested that the young Autobot refrain from telling their commander, [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Minor]], so that 'Bee could take all the credit himself. Unfortunately, all of Bumblebee's efforts only got him in worse trouble, and his fellow recruits began to bully him, with Longarm being the only one to stick up for him. After several failures on Bumblebee's part, Shockwave took matters into his own hands during a training exercise and switched the training equipment to live ammo in an attempt to offline the Autobot and keep the whole matter of a traitor a secret. Luckily for Bumblebee, this plan was foiled by [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]].

Eventually, Shockwave found out that Sentinel Minor intended to conduct a surprise inspection, and he contrived to set up Wasp to take the fall himself. After planting a Decepticon communicator in Wasp's locker, Shockwave, as Longarm, informed Bumblebee of the upcoming inspection, telling him that it was his last chance to find the evidence he needed. Using one of his extensible limbs to trip up Wasp, Shockwave allowed Bumblebee to palm Wasp's locker key as 'Bee helped him up, allowing him to find the communicator and show it to Sentinel. In the end, Wasp was dragged off to prison, and Longarm commended Bumblebee for his deductive work.

Subsequently, Shockwave graduated boot camp and eventually became the head of [[Cybertron Intelligence]]. Now "Longarm [[Prime (rank)#Transformers Animated|'''Prime''']]", he remained in this position, hiding in plain sight, for the fifty stellar cycles that Megatron was lost on [[Earth]]. {{storylink|Autoboot Camp}} He may have murdered [[Highbrow (Animated)|Intel director Highbrow]] to get the job. <ref>''[[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club (magazine)|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club]]''</ref>

''After [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]]'s ship was lost, Longarm pressed Sentinel to continue the search for the ship's crew, the AllSpark and [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]. His pleas fell on deaf ears. {{storylink|Dispatches}}''

After Megatron succeeded in restoring himself and the Decepticons were assembled on Earth, he re-established contact with Shockwave on Cybertron and initiated a plan to construct a [[space bridge]] that would allow the Decepticons to conquer the planet from within. {{storylink|Mission Accomplished}} Wasp, now criminally insane, escaped from prison, and Megatron started receiving transmissions from his double agent on Cybertron. When Megatron's captive, [[Isaac Sumdac]], attempted to alert the Autobots to the existence of the double agent by bouncing a transmission to their base, Bumblebee again suspected Wasp. He reported the news to Longarm Prime on Cybertron, but of course, that accomplished nothing. {{storylink|Autoboot Camp}}

[[Image:Anim shockwave pinchy.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Pinchy pinchy!]]

When the completed space bridge failed to function, Megatron contacted Shockwave and instructed him to locate the top space bridge specialist on Cybertron to help correct the problem. Shockwave was surprised to discover that the specialist was already on Earth; it was Bulkhead! Bulkhead was subsequently captured by Megatron and forced to perfect the space bridge. {{storylink|A Bridge Too Close, Part I}} The other Autobots arrived too late to stop him, and they were defeated by the Decepticons and strung up to watch as the bridge was activated. Shockwave revealed his alter ego of Longarm Prime to the Autobots, disclosing that he had already given Megatron an appropriate access code and forcing Bumblebee to feel the shame of sending an innocent Wasp to prison. When Megatron tried to test the space bridge by sending Optimus Prime through it, Shockwave assured his master that he awaited the "test subject" on the other side. Unfortunately, an attempt by Megatron to boost power caused the space bridge to overload, deleting the access code and setting the space bridge to random coordinates. {{storylink|A Bridge Too Close, Part II}}

Megacycles later, Shockwave, as Longarm once more, assured Ultra Magnus that the Decepticons would not be able to reach the Cybertron Space Bridge nexus. Shockwave then contacted [[Team Chaar]], who had successfully taken over a space bridge and were ready to use it in order to gate to Cybertron. [[Strika (Animated)|Strika]] asked for permission to begin the assault, only to have Shockwave deny her request. She was to stay put with her team and wait for Megatron to arrive, even if he was megacycles overdue.

[[Image:TransWarpedBlurrLongarm.jpg|left|thumb|250px|"Whoops—there's a bug on your head, Blurr. Holllld stilll..."]]

Not long afterward, the entire Space Bridge Nexus powered down. Confused, Longarm questioned Cybertron Command, and [[Cliffjumper (Animated)|Cliffjumper]] informed him that Ultra Magnus had ordered the shutdown in order to prevent the Decepticons from accessing Cybertron. Just then, Agent [[Blurr (Animated)|Blurr]] arrived and (very) quickly informed Longarm that while on Earth, he had intercepted a transmission between Megatron and and his double agent on Cybertron, Shockwave. Further, Blurr noted that Shockwave's voice didn't match that of the suspected Wasp, but quick search of the Cybertron Intel Database would allow them to find the true identity of the traitor. Shocked, Longarm asked if Blurr had shared this information with anyone else. When Blurr replied that he had not, Shockwave decided it would be wise to quiet him down—permanently. Blurr eluded his initial attempts and escaped into the corridors around the nexus control center. Rather than give chase, Shockwave simply had the corridors' security hatches slam shut and close in on Blurr, trapping and crushing him to death.

At the [[Metroplex (Animated) | Metroplex]], Longarm handed over Blurr's remains to Cliffjumper, calling the small cube "sensitive materials." He received an incoming transmission from Lord Megatron in his private office. They traded information on their respective setbacks, but Megatron assured Shockwave that he had [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|a method]] of preventing the Earth Autobots from blowing Shockwave's cover.

Shortly, Longarm Prime attended an [[Autobot High Council]] meeting, where Ultra Magnus declared that the Decepticons' attacks were too organized to be random acts of sabotage. Rather, evidence pointed to a double agent in the Autobots' midst. Longarm nervously pointed out that the Decepticon uprisings had started after Wasp's escape, making the cause plain. Ultra Magnus agreed and ordered [[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]] and Sentinel Prime to organize an Elite Guard Unit to find the escapee. He then requested that the Earth-bound Autobots be contacted. Increasingly distraught, Longarm declared that all communications should be first filtered through him, without exceptions—for the sake of security and the protection of Cybertron, naturally. {{storylink|TransWarped}}

Unfortunately, Longarm's insistence on diverting blame toward Wasp was his undoing. When Wasp headed to Earth, Ultra Magnus didn't inform him about Wasp's destination until the Elite Guard's ship was in sight of the planet. Knowing he was on the verge of being exposed, Shockwave tried to contact Megatron, but still received no response. With no other orders on how to proceed, Shockwave took matters into his own hands: In an effort to inflict one last blow to the Autobots, Shockwave attacked and seriously damaged Ultra Magnus, stealing his Magnus hammer in the process. {{storylink|Where Is Thy Sting?}}

When the Autobots became trapped in [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave's]] virtual reality, Shockwave appeared to invade and attack Earth. However, he didn't seem to do much besides set an apartment on fire. {{storylink|Human Error, Part I}}

[[Image:TFAni ThisisWhyIHateMachines Shockwave TrueColors.jpg|thumb|240px|right|Wish you'd bought that repaint now, don't you?]]
After escaping, Shockwave hid in an underground tunnel, concealed from detection, waiting for Megatron to call. The Decepticon leader, trapped inside of [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]] along with [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] and [[Lugnut]], contacted Shockwave, who revealed a way to gain the access codes for Omega Supreme. However, Shockwave was soon discovered by [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] and [[Captain Fanzone]]. He easily defeated them and went to find the female intelligence agent [[Arcee (Animated)|Arcee]]. To do this, he "asked" an informant-bot named [[Rattletrap]] for the directions. However, he apparently got lost, and so merely hid and waited for Fanzone and Ratchet to find her. He battled Ratchet and severely wounded the elderly Autobot. During the battle, he then found Ultra Magnus, still wounded. He was about to kill him for good when Ratchet used his EMP generator on both Shockwave ''and'' Ultra Magnus's hammer. Ratchet was then distracted by the arrival of temporary Magnus Sentinel Prime. After getting back online, Shockwave took Arcee and escaped to Omega Supreme, using the access codes to transwarp to Earth's orbit. He then celebrated his freedom to serve Megatron openly by [[electronic paint job|changing]] into more...[[Shockwave (G1)|suitable colors]], while [[Lugnut]] silently fumed at Megatron's description of him as his "most loyal servant". {{storylink|This Is Why I Hate Machines}}

[[Image:TFA-Endgame-ShockwavePointsAndLaughs.jpg|thumb|left|240px|It is only logical that you're an idiot.]]
Shockwave worked on the captured Arcee, initially hitting an early datatrax from her time as a teacher before the Great War. Megatron assured his "ever-loyal Shockwave" that if any bot could access the right datatrax, it was him. Combined with some taunting by Starscream, this sent Lugnut into a frenzy of jealousy, and he knocked Shockwave across the room as he begged for Megatron's favour. Shockwave in turn pointed out that while Lugnut was "fawning at Megatron's feet", he'd risked "spark and servo" as a double agent. This didn't go over well, and soon the two purple 'Cons were fighting one another. Later, with both sent to convert material from the wrecked [[Nemesis (Animated)|Decepticon flagship]] into [[Lugnut Supreme|clones of Omega Supreme]], Shockwave could be seen pointing and laughing at a misfortune on his rival's part.

After dropping a bit of stripped material from the wrecked ship, unwittingly nearly crushing a spying Bumblebee, Shockwave returned to working on Arcee and successfully restored her to the [[The Thrill of the Hunt|point at which her memory was wiped]]. Briefly returning to his grey "Longarm" mode, he confirmed that she had the activation codes, so he ripped the wires which artificially sustained her from her head, knocking her back into stasis. Outside, with the clones ready for activation, he rebooted Arcee. Despite "Longarm's" prompting, she refused to give the activation codes to Megatron voluntarily. Instead, Shockwave knocked her back into stasis and extracted the codes manually, making no comment when they ended up in Lugnut and Megatron proclaimed Lugnut his "most loyal lieutenant". As it turned out, however, the codes which Shockwave had torn from Arcee were missing a crucial "security upgrade patch", and he was forced to rig up an inelegant bypass—involving Lugnut directly puppeteering the clones—until he could retrieve the rest of the code from Arcee. {{storylink|Endgame, Part I}}

As Shockwave attempted to find the patch in Arcee's processor, Megatron grew impatient with Lugnut's giving a long speech on the greatness of his Glorious Leader before he would actually do anything with the clones, and angrily enquired of Shockwave if he was done yet. Shockwave replied, with great amusement in his voice, that he was still working on it and Megatron would have to relay all orders through Lugnut for the time being.

[[Image:TFA-Endgame-PanAcrossEveryone.jpg|thumb|240px|Decepticons have failed forevermore.]]

Apparently, he gave up on extracting the patch, and instead left Arcee - her datatrax once again reverted to her teaching days - on the lunar surface as a trap, while he waited to ambush any Autobots who came for her and Omega Supreme. The group which transwarped there, led by Ratchet, blundered straight into the trap, and Ratchet was forced to flee with Arcee and [[Sari Sumdac]] while Bumblebee and Bulkhead confronted their old classmate. While Shockwave initially had little difficulty as they attempted to attack from distance, he couldn't deal with Bulkhead's strength Bot-to-Con, and was left sprawled on the lunar surface, his cannon knocked out of reach. In a desperate attempt to buy time, he switched to Longarm mode - forgetting to activate his [[electronic paint job]] - but the pair of Autobots were not impressed, and Bulkhead smashed the cannon.

He was last seen as the Autobots' prisoner, being paraded before a large crowd on Cybertron. {{storylink|Endgame, Part II}}

===Toy bios===
After graduating near the top of his class at the [[Autobot Academy]], he rose through the ranks of the [[Cybertron Elite Guard]] to become the head of its Intelligence Division. Though he normally enjoys a subtle approach, blackmailing Autobots in positions of authority, Bumblebee's hyperactive personality annoys him enough to make him break cover and attack the Autobot directly.

==Toys==
===Animated===
[[Image:Longarmanimatedvoyager.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Punch.]]
[[Image:Shockwaveanimatedvoyager.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Counterpunch.]]
* '''Shockwave''' (Voyager, 2008)

:Representing his double nature in the cartoon, ''Animated'' Shockwave becomes both the Autobot Longarm and Decepticon Shockwave, featuring four distinct modes. In "Infiltration Mode," the shorter, stockier Autobot Longarm transforms into a four-legged crane platform. If one fancies, one can stretch out his Shockwave-mode limbs to emulate his limb-stretching ability in Longarm mode (albeit not very well). In "Spy Mode," he stretches and converts into the taller, lankier Decepticon Shockwave, as the crane portion of Longarm's body converts into a hand-held cannon. The center panel on his chest flips between Autobot and Decepticon symbols. Both chest symbols are vacuum metalized, with very shiny silver and gold. Curiously, while the rotating faction symbols on his chest use the usual "classic" designs, the tampographed Decepticon symbol on his cannon/crane is in the movie style, and is visible in his Autobot modes. Additionally, the only mode in which Longarm's head is not fully visible is Shockwave himself.

:All the differences between Shockwave and Longarm can be difficult to remember, even for Hasbro. In the "tank mode" picture at right, the secondary guns are incorrectly folded back. On the back of this toy's box, there are several small transformation errors, the most obvious being that only ''one'' of Shockwave's shoulders has been correctly rotated up. Also, the toy [[instruction booklet|instructions]] do not show Shockwave's neck as correctly extended (his chin is touching his chestplate in the instructions, just as for Longarm). They also fail to mention that you can bend his upper torso forward as Shockwave to better replicate the slouch that he has in the cartoon.

:The instructions for the trilingual packaging version of Shockwave have an odd error, in the space that should explain the transformation for his hands, is a glitched/overlapping version of the final two steps instead.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Decepticon/Shockwave/shockwave.htm More information on Shockwave at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|Target}}
[[Image:Shockwavepurplebumblebeetoys.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Chugway.<ref>According to the ''Animated'' DVD closed captioning.</ref>]]
* '''Shockwave VS Bumblebee''' (Multi-pack, 2009)

:A predominantly purple [[redeco]] of the Voyager toy, this version of Shockwave is packaged with an apparently unaltered [[Activators]]-class [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] figure. Shockwave retains his four modes and gimmickry within each. A Target stores [[exclusive]], this set was available simultaneously with the [[Sunstorm (Animated)|Sunstorm]]/[[Ratchet (Animated)#Activators|Ratchet]] multi-pack. Although this version seems to be a less convincing Autobot due to its purple paintjob, in one respect he would be a better spy in this form, as the repaint doesn't have the Decepticon symbol on the cannon arm to give him away. The Autobot and Decepticon symbols are also now red and purple, as opposed to the original silver and gold.
: The official Hasbro picture at right contains several transformation errors: In robot mode, Shockwave's shoulders are not rotated up. In tank mode, the secondary guns are not deployed, the red panels which are on the robot mode's shoulders have not been flipped to show the tank's treads, and the middle panel on the side of the tank is oriented wrong (the circle should be down, not back). In addition, his head is not fully retracted. Someone at Hasbro is dozing.
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2009/Decepticon/Shockwave/shockwave.htm More information on Purple Shockwave at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

==Notes==

* Actor Corey Burton reprises the role of Shockwave from Generation 1, reusing precisely the same British-accented, [[Wikipedia:Sark (Tron)|David-Warner-inspired]] voice for the character (while employing an American accented variation for Longarm). In an online interview with Seibertron.com in early 2009 (sadly lost owing to a server crash), Burton revealed that Shockwave's inclusion in Season 2 arose from a between-scenes conversation he had with the production team, regarding how little the original Shockwave actually had to do.

* In somewhat of a reversal, while this incarnation of Shockwave has much fewer appearances than his original incarnation, he does a heck of a lot more stuff: in just a few fleeting appearances on Animated, Shockwave manages to destroy Wasp's life, kill a [[Blurr (Animated)|popular recurring character]], bring down Cybertron's entire interplanetary transport and communications system, brutally assault the Magnus (and steal his hammer!), and give Megatron control of the Autobots' [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|most feared and powerful weapon]]. Shockwave is ''awesome''. And it is very logical indeed.

* While Shockwave possesses the single, round optic and window-chest of his Generation 1 counterpart, much of the rest of his body appears to be largely patterned after ''[[Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'' [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]]; he transforms into an "H-tank", the front treads end up on his shoulders and the rear treads end up on the back of his lower legs, plus he has the large, spiky "antlers" on his head. Additionally, Shockwave's vehicle mode appears to be loosely based on one of the [[Transtech]] sketch designs for Megatron, with the high angled treads and turret. However, Shockwave is much thinner and taller than Megatron, and is also able to bend his knees.

[[Image:Chugway.jpg|thumb|right|180px|Closed Captioning provided by the Zero Wing Translation Team.]]
* Transformers Animated's closed captioning mispelled Shockwave's name as Chugway. Seriously. No, it's not a joke.

* Shockwave's status as an Elite Guard member in his Longarm identity is an issue fraught with much confusion. His on-package [[bio]] states that, as Longarm, he rose through the ranks of the [[Cybertron Elite Guard]] to reach his current position; this theoretically meshes with Longarm's cover story in "Autoboot Camp", where he states that he wishes to become an Elite Guard intelligence officer<ref>On the other hand, ''everyone else'' (outside of Bulkhead) in Sentinel Minor's recruit line-up stated that they wanted to serve some function in the Elite Guard, and none of them actually ended up in it.</ref>. However, [[Derrick J. Wyatt]] has informed this wiki that Longarm is not actually a member of that group in the cartoon continuity. Shockwave's status as a nonmember of the Elite Guard is supported by Longarm's lack of the Elite Guard's winged Autobot symbol, and the evident fact that, while Longarm ''is'' head of the Autobot Intelligence Division, the Autobot Intelligence Division is ''not'' a part of the Elite Guard; Longarm's immediate predecessor as head of the organization, [[Highbrow (Animated)|Highbrow]], did not sport the Elite Guard symbol either.
[[Image:Shockwave_goodside.jpg|thumb|right|180px|I hear this is my good side...]]

:Adding to this confusion, Longarm was drawn with an Elite Guard symbol in [[Dispatches|''The Arrival'' #1]], but this seems to have been in error, as Sentinel Prime {{m-}} stated to be ''the second-in-command'' of the Elite Guard in the story {{m-}} sported a normal Autobot symbol throughout it, suggesting the symbol-paster got confused.

*Both "Shockwave and "Longarm" have official alternate capitalizations. The credits of "[[TransWarped]]" give "LongArm Prime", and the credits for "[[This Is Why I Hate Machines]]" have "ShockWave".

* Despite not having a face, Shockwave still manages to have a [[chin]].

* Like [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]], Shockwave has the ability to fly despite having a land-based vehicle mode. Unlike Soundwave, his ability is explained by having rocket boosters in his feet [[Megatron (Animated)|like]] [[Starscream (Animated)|several]] [[Lugnut|other]] [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Decepticons]].

{{-}}

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Animated characters]]
[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Decepticons]]
[[Category:Double agents]]
[[Category:Elite Guard]]
[[Category:Multiple modes]]
[[Category:Spies]]

Autoboot Camp

2009-11-14T22:12:09Z

Primus: /* Synopsis */

{{episode|
|series=Anitoon
|ep=25
|image=Autobot Cadets.jpg
|caption=Class of 2008. The ENTIRE Class of 2008.
|title="Autoboot Camp"
|airdate=[[June 3]], 2008
|written by=[[Michael Ryan]]
|directed by=[[Ben Jones]]<br> [[Christopher Berkeley]]<br> [[Shunji Ōga|Shunji Oga]]
|animation studio=[[The Answer Studio]]
}}

'''On the trail of an escaped Autobot traitor, Bumblebee flashes back to a previous encounter with the traitor when he first met Bulkhead in Autobot Boot Camp.'''
:''German title:'' "'''Dr Spion-Bot'''" ("The Spy-Bot")
:''Polish title:'' "'''Maszeruj, Autobocie"''' ("Run, Autobot")

==Synopsis==
[[Image:TFA Autoboot Camp Wasp Salute.jpg|thumb|left|"Sayonara, suckerzzz."]]
Somewhere in space, an Autobot shuttle streaks through the solar night and crash-lands on an asteroid, where its lone occupant races off across the barren ground in vehicle mode. Hot on his trail is [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]], who chases him to a [[space bridge]] node on the asteroid. The green-armoured escapee triggers the space bridge with a blast from a familiar pair of stingers, and Sentinel loses his quarry as the portal explodes with light.

On Earth, [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] reports the news of the escapee to the [[Autobot]]s. [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] immediately recognizes the criminal in question as [[Wasp]], a 'bot sharing his bodyform whom he met when during his [[Elite Guard]] training days.

[[Image:TFA Autoboot Camp Bee Sentinel.jpg|thumb|right|Living rooms of America, do you catch my drift? Do... you... dig...faggots?]]
In the [[Decepticon]]s' underground lair, [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] contacts his double-agent on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and congratulates him on orchestrating Wasp's breakout. The double-agent is concerned that they are speaking so freely on the subject, but Megatron assures him that nobody will be able to listen in on the broadcast. [[Isaac Sumdac|Professor Sumdac]] has other plans, though, as he secretly taps into the communication frequency and bounces it to the Autobots' base. Bumblebee and [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] are on monitor duty at the time, and the message comes through exceedingly scrambled, but they are at least able to comprehend the existence of a double-agent. Naturally, Bumblebee immediately assumes it to be Wasp, and he decides to settle his old score, with Bulkhead tagging along. Bumblebee remembers how it all went down...

''Stellar cycles ago, on Cybertron, Bumblebee meets Bulkhead for the first time when they both attend boot camp to train under Sentinel Minor, alongside Wasp, super-durable [[Ironhide (Animated)|Ironhide]] and telescopic-limbed [[Shockwave (Animated)|Longarm]]. The two B's immediately earn Sentinel's ire{{m-}}Bumblebee for his impetuous bungling, and Bulkhead for his desire to be nothing more than a space bridge technician{{m-}}and the pair gets saddled with oil cleanup. Of course, Bumblebee begins goofing off, which results in a stack of oil drums collapsing on Sentinel, which results in Bumblebee being made to stand in the middle of the courtyard in the dead of night, holding up oil drums and repeatedly declaring himself a “worthless oil stain.”''

[[Image:AutobootCamp-Sentinelgetsowned(Secondtime).jpg|thumb|left|150px|Hardly a relaxing oil bath.]]
''After a while, though, Bumblebee calls it quits, but as he is walking by a warehouse, he spots a shadowy figure speaking into a communicator, with the voice of Megatron responding! After a moment's hesitation, Bumblebee pops his stingers and commands the spy-bot to show himself...but the figure has vanished. When Bumblebee turns to leave, however, he spots Wasp walking out of the warehouse.''

''Unsure of how to proceed, Bumblebee confides in Longarm, who encourages him to gather some evidence and present it to Sentinel. Bumblebee tries setting up a trap, planting a box with the Elite Guard symbol on it in the open, hoping Wasp will grab it...except Sentinel is the first to come upon it, and it explodes, covering him in paint. Next, Bumblebee tries a listening device, but accidentally winds up broadcasting Sentinel over the camp's loudspeakers as he jokes about Ultra Magnus being too old to hack the commander role. In traditional boot camp manner, Sentinel makes the whole team suffer for Bumblebee's mistakes, and Wasp and Ironhide take it out on the little 'bot by disconnecting his legs and stuffing him in a locker. Longarm comes to Bumblebee's rescue, and urges Bumblebee not to give in.''

[[Image:TFA Autoboot Camp Oh Slag.jpg|thumb|Optimus must be kicking himself for having missed this.]]
''But the bullying doesn't stop, as Wasp hits Bumblebee with a burst of “friendly fire” in a simulated combat training exercise. Of course, it's just a paint grenade, but when Bulkhead offers to help Bumblebee up, Bumblebee snaps and insults Bulkhead's lack of ambition before storming off. Turning a corner, Bumblebee yelps as he finds several auto-cannons pointed in his face, but then laughs as he remembers that they're only loaded with paint rounds for the simulated combat. Or rather, they ''were'', as the shadowy figure from the warehouse slinks by the cannons and switches them to active ammunition. As the cannons open fire on Bumblebee, Bulkhead speeds to his rescue and takes out the cannons by dropping a building on them with his wrecking ball...only for Sentinel to get squashed under it as well. Bumblebee encourages Bulkhead to scarper, rather than risk his career by owning up.''

Tracking the message Sumdac broadcast to them, Bumblebee and Bulkhead wander through the wilderness, reminiscing about the old days. When Bumblebee stumbles into a patch of quicksand, Bulkhead plucks him out, but the conflict between the pair from their boot camp days starts bubbling back to the surface, and Bulkhead leaves Bumblebee to the mission himself. Angrily stomping up a mountain, Bumblebee loses his footing and falls off a cliff, becoming buried in an avalanche.

[[Image:TFA Autoboot Camp Wasp Captured.jpg|thumb|left|Will go on to star in [[Wikipedia:The Count of Monte Cristo|''The Count of Monte Cristo'']].]]

''Longarm informs Bumblebee that Sentinel is about to conduct a surprise locker examination, meaning that it's his last chance to find evidence on Wasp before Sentinel can take credit for it himself. Using his extensible limbs to trip up Wasp, Longarm allows Bumblebee to "help him up" and finger his locker key in the process. As Bumblebee quickly opens Wasp's locker, Sentinel appears behind him, demanding to know what he's doing, only to be quickly silenced when Bumblebee presents him with a Decepticon communicator. Impressed with Bumblebee's work, Sentinel plans to recommend him for an Elite Guard position. After Wasp is carted off, screaming his innocence all the way, Sentinel brings up the matter of the building being dropped on him. Since nobody has owned up, he decides to kick out whoever he feels like—and he feels like Bulkhead. Before he can give Bulkster the boot, however, Bumblebee steps forward and claims responsibility, sheepishly asking if it will affect his Elite Guard position.''

[[Image:TFA_Shockwave_DoubleAgent.jpg|thumb|Sometimes, when you stare into the abyss, it stares right back.]]
''Some time later, Bumblebee and Bulkhead are on an asteroid, working on a space bridge node, as Bulkhead cheerfully announces "I have arrived!"''

Buried under the rockslide, Bumblebee reflects on his friendship with Bulkhead out loud, and about how he saved Bulkhead's career, even ''if'' his friend never dreamed big. But Bulkhead ''did'' dream big; as the bulky bot appears above Bumblebee and hauls him out from beneath the boulders, he announces that he dreamed of being Bumblebee's friend. Bumblebee thanks his big buddy, and the pair drive off...having only been mere feet from the secret entrance to the Decepticon base.

Out in space, it turns out that Wasp didn't escape to Earth at all, and that he is still on the asteroid, huddled up in a ball. His mind clearly broken, the insectoid 'bot buzzes and twitters to himself about how he will find Bumblebee and make him pay for ruining his life.

Back at the Autobot base, our heroes contact Cybertron to alert the Autobots there about Megatron's double-agent. As it turns out, Bumblebee's old boot camp buddy Longarm is now Longarm ''Prime'', head of Cybertronian Intelligence, and he promises to root out the traitor no matter what.

In the Decepticon base, Megatron communicates once again with his double-agent... Longarm Prime! But the deception is a dual-layered one, for Longarm is, in fact, the shape-shifting [[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]]!

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Wasp]] (1)
*[[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] (2)
*[[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] (3)
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] (4)
*[[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] (5)
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (6)
*[[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] (7)
*[[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] (8)
*[[Ironhide (Animated)|Ironhide]] (11) (Flashback)
*[[Cliffjumper (Animated)|Cliffjumper]] (14) (Flashback)
|c2=
*[[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] (9)
*[[Lugnut]] (13, voice only)
*[[Shockwave (Animated)|Longarm Prime/Shockwave]] (12)
|c3 =
*[[Isaac Sumdac]] (10)
}}

==Quotes==
"Hey there, little buddy. You mind scanning me next to these tall buildings? They'll never believe me back home."<br>
"Mhm. First time off the energon farm?"<br>
"How'd you know?"
:—'''Bulkhead''' and '''Bumblebee''', together for the first time.

'''Sentinel Minor''': Wipe that smile off your face, dullspark!<br>
'''Bulkhead''': Uh, I'm not smiling, sir! My jaw is just tempered that way, sir!<br>
'''Bumblebee''': Forget Mudflap's jaw, check out the asteroid-sized chin on Sarge!<br>
'''Sentinel Minor''': YOU GOT A COMMENT, FUNNY-BOT?!<br>
'''Bumblebee''': No, sir!
:—The future Sentinel Prime is a little sensitive about his chin. Maybe it's why he's such a jerk.

'''Sentinel Minor''': Now here's a bot who knows his place. You should try to be more like your friend here.<br>
'''Bumblebee''': He's not my friend, sir!<br>
'''Sentinel Minor''': WE'RE ALL FRIENDS HERE!
:—Mr. Personality does it again.

"You are nothing but a BUMBLER! From now on, your name is...BUMBLEBEE!"
:—And lo, a legend was born, thanks to '''Sentinel Minor'''

''[stands in the middle of an empty yard, holding up oil drums, reciting...]'' <br />
"I am a worthless oil stain. I am a worthless oil stain. I am a worthless oil stain...why am I even doing this?"
:—Sentinel Minor's punishment of '''Bumblebee''' could be considered "cruel and unusual".

"You would not '''believe''' the glitches the Commander's saddled me with this time. I'm starting to think that Ultra Magnus is a few circuits shy of a full processor, know what I mean? Oh, sure, he was The Bot back in the day, but now? Ultra Magnus is just a rusted-out, obsolete model sorely in need of an upgrade."
:—'''Sentinel Minor''' is a suck-up only to the boss's face. ''Quelle surprise''.

"But I'm innocent, I tell you! You're making a big mistake, all of you!"<br />
"Mute it, traitor!" <br />
''[Sentinel strips Wasp of his Autobot insignia]''<br />
"I'll get you, Bumblebee, '''if it's the last thing I do'''!
:—'''Wasp''' proclaims his innocence as he's wheeled away in restraints, while '''Sentinel Minor''' acts much as ever.

"I couldn't leave you all alone out here like that. I should've, but I didn't."
:—'''Bulkhead''' is loyal, but not stupid.

"Bumblebot not hide from Wasp. Wasp swears he find Bumblebot. Wasp make Bumblebot pay for RUINING WASP'S LIFE!"
:—There lies a broken '''Wasp'''...

"Our long stellar cycles of planning will now come to fruition. I knew your size-altering power would allow you to blend in perfectly with the Autobots. Well done, my loyal servant...[[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]]."
:—'''Megatron''' really knows how to introduce a major <s>plot point</s> Decepticon.

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===
* In the scene after Sentinel Prime rips off Wasp's insignia you can see him still wearing it.

===Continuity errors===
* Bumblebee's stingers are shown to be powerful enough to knock down a building; yet in prior episodes they were only useful for zapping debris and bouncing uselessly off Decepticon armor. The discrepancy is somewhat explained in "[[TransWarped]]" when Ratchet gives Bumblebee battle-grade stingers to boost his power. Maybe when he was demoted to space bridge duty, his stingers were downgraded.
* If Professor Sumdac can reroute a Decepticon message between Earth and Cybertron to the Autobots on Earth, why can't he call for help too?
* If Cybertronians live on a planet with no organic life-forms, how does Sentinel know that wasps and bumblebees exist?

===Transformers references===
* Sentinel's speech about his troops being "cogs in a machine" is very similar to Optimus's comment at the beginning of "[[Transform and Roll Out]]" (although Optimus gets the message across without the attitude); it may be a standard message from the Autobot Academy.
* Clearly, when Bumblebee and Bulkhead noted that Sentinel Prime didn't remember them back in "[[The Elite Guard]]", they were referring to their boot camp days.
* It was explained back in "The Elite Guard" that "Prime" was a rank, and this episode reveals that before attaining the rank, Sentinel was known as "Sentinel Minor". [[Optimus Minor|Sounds a little familiar]].
[[Image:A25 cliffjumper.jpg|thumb|right|"Traitors? Fancy that."]]
* In the final moments of the episode, the addled Wasp (who has spoken perfectly normally throughout the flashbacks) begins speaking in the buzzing, third-person style of ''[[Beast Wars]]'' [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]].

===Trivia===
* Marty Isenberg has revealed that the other boot-campers being [[repaint]] characters was an idea of [[Derrick J. Wyatt]]'s, that the inclusion of Shockwave was a late decision, and that originally ''Cliffjumper'' was going to be the falsely accused. [http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/interviews-27/tfw2005-interviews-transformers-animated-story-editor-marty-isenberg-165509/]

* Sentinel Prime has switched back to his Cybertronian alt-form, presumably since arriving back on Cybertron (since he still had his Earth form in "[[A Fistful of Energon]]"). Considering what he thought of Earth, it's not really a surprise that he'd want to change back as soon as possible. [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] even muses over this in an entry in the [[AllSpark Almanac]], where he also explains that the only reason Sentinel is seen with his Earth mode later on is because he (Ultra Magnus) decided to keep his.

* This episode certainly explains a lot about Bumblebee's independent streak. His very first "team" effort was basically people being colossal jerks to him for no reason (well, except for Sentinel, really...drill sergeants are ''supposed'' to be like that) except for the big goofy country-bot...and standing up for said bot basically led to his dreams being crushed.

* On the other hand, if names get assigned by drill sergeants, you have to wonder exactly to what levels Optimus and [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Elita-1]] stooped in order to get those names...

* Lugnut is not shown, but is briefly heard saying "Megatron will speak to you now," when Megatron is contacted by Shockwave in the flashback, ten minutes into the episode.

* In this episode, when Sentinel gives Bumblebee his name, Bumblebee reacts as if he doesn't like it. However, in "[[Transform and Roll Out]]", when Bumblebee tells Sari his name and she responds, "I'm Sari," Bumblebee then says, "Oh, don't be. I like my name." Maybe he got over it?

*Bulkhead used to have a "hick" accent while in boot camp that he lost sometime after starting work on space bridges with Bumblebee and the others.

*What, exactly, was the point of Sentinel Prime keeping one arm in a bandage and sling? And for that matter, why do robots have slings?
**Most likely, for comedic effect, if nothing else.

*When commenting on Sentinel's chin, Bumblebee looks directly at the "camera", so to speak, making this one of the few occasions where animated ''Transformers'' media break the fourth wall.

==External links==
* [http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/video/dlink/index.html?episodeID=8a25c3921fc6a295011fc9a121850188 "Autoboot Camp" streaming video at Cartoon Network] (link functional until 3/03/10)

[[Category:Animated episodes]]

Bud Hansen

2009-11-14T20:50:45Z

Primus: /* Cybertron cartoon */

{{picsneeded|Early alternate model, fiction (once that's filled)}}
:''Bud Hansen is a [[human]] from the [[Cybertron (franchise)|''Cybertron'']] portion of the [[Unicron Trilogy]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Budhansen.jpg|right|250px|thumb|You kiss in my story.]]
'''Bud Hansen''', [[Tim Hansen|Tim]] and [[Coby Hansen|Coby]]'s younger brother, is a young boy, with all the exuberance and naivete that comes with. Though he's far from stupid, his imagination rules him. A fan of bad sci-fi movies and the ''[[Galactic Guardians]]'', he doesn't just want to be a movie director when he grows up—he wants to be a movie director ''now''. As such, he has a quirky flair for drama, though it's tempered by a sense of fair play.

Despite his years, Bud is able to be surprisingly mature and even somewhat wise when he has to be. This doesn't keep him from getting himself and the more foolish of his robot friends into some rather bad situations (like [[Space|unprotected orbital reentry]]). Fortunately (or unfortunately), the Transformers don't seem to know enough about [[human]] development to apply the necessary butt-whuppins to prevent these minor disasters.

With his brother and their friend [[Lori]], Bud assists the Autobots during their search for the [[Cyber Planet Key|Cyber Planet Keys]]. He has probably bonded the most with the geeky [[Mini-Con]] [[Jolt (Cybertron)|Jolt]], who calls him "Bud-dude", after Bud insisted he stop saying "Master Bud". (Not that it's much of an improvement, dorkiness-wise.) He believes that if they wanted to, the Autobots could walk around in plain sight as long as people thought they were just [[Fandom|fanboys]] wearing costumes. The sad thing is...[[:Image:Transformers-cosplayers.jpg|he's probably right]].

==Fiction==
===''Cybertron'' cartoon===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Ryan Hirakida]] (English), [[Mayumi Kurokawa]] (Japanese)
[[Image:SpaceDudeNumeroUno.jpg|left|thumb| It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Super Bud!!!]]
Bud doesn't trust the government because he's seen enough TV to know better. Smart kid!

{{charstubfiction}}

==Trivia==
* According to TV Aichi's ''Galaxy Force'' webpage, Bud is 11 years old at the beginning of the series.

* Early promotional materials for ''Galaxy Force'' showed a somewhat different [[character model]] for Bud.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hansen, Bud}}
[[Category:Cybertron characters]]
[[Category:Entertainers]]
[[Category:Humans]]

Constructicon (ROTF)

2009-11-14T20:25:23Z

Primus: /* Revenge of The Fallen film */

{{disambig3|Constructicon}}
{{faction|decepticon}}

[[Image:Constructicons-RiseoftheDecepticons.jpg|right|thumb|400px|Hightower not included. C'mon, truss cranes need love too!]]

The '''Constructicons''' are a group of Decepticons that take the form of various construction vehicles, many sharing alternate modes, [[body-type]]s and even names. Unlike previous continuities, it seems as if only ''some'', not all, of the Constructicons are [[combiner]]s.

{{chapters
|title=Constructicons
|center=false|align=left|style=2
|content=<div class="list-header">Excavator:</div>
*[[Demolishor (ROTF)|Demolishor]]
*[[ze little one|unnamed]]
*[[Scavenger (ROTF)|Scavenger]]{{dag|black}}

<br/><div class="list-header">Truss crane:</div>
*[[Hightower (ROTF)|Hightower]]{{dag|black}}

<br/><div class="list-header">Dump truck:</div>
*[[Long Haul (ROTF)|Long Haul]]{{dag|black}} (×2)
*[[Constructicon Warrior]]s
*[[Unknown Constructicon dump truck|Unnamed]]{{dag|black}}

<br/><div class="list-header">Cement mixer:</div>
*[[Mixmaster (ROTF)|Mixmaster]]{{dag|black}} (×2)

<br/><div class="list-header">Articulated dump truck:</div>
*[[Overload (ROTF)|Overload]]{{dag|black}}

<br/><div class="list-header">Bulldozer:</div>
*[[Rampage (ROTF)|Rampage]]{{dag|black}} (×2)
*[[Kickback (ROTF)|Kickback]]
*[[Unknown Constructicon shovel|Unnamed]]{{dag|black}}

<br/><div class="list-header">Front loader:</div>
*[[Scrapper (ROTF)|Scrapper]]{{dag|black}} (×2)
*[[Constructicon Scout]]s

<br/><div class="list-header">Multi-arm Excavator:</div>
*[[Trample]]
*[[Tread]]

<br/><div class="list-header">Combined form:</div>
*[[Devastator (ROTF)|Devastator]]
<br/><small>{{dag|black}}Components of [[Devastator (ROTF)|Devastator]]</small>
}}

==Fiction==
===IDW ''Transformers'' movie comics===
[[Image:Defiance4_Constructicons.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The Constructicons build a monument to their manhood.]]

In the distant past, the [[All Spark]] Cube created the [[Dynasty of Primes]], a race of powerful, trans-dimensional beings as the first inhabitants of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. The Cube gave these beings mighty powers, as well as terraforming their world, but it was not limitless, and gradually became depleted. The first beings learned that the All Spark's power could be replenished by harvesting the energy of stars, but they were unable to locate new stars to suit their purposes, despite their amazing ability to travel between dimensions. Once again, the Cube came to the rescue, creating a race of workers, who had the ability to change their shape.

The "builder" workers were among the very first of these new beings, who would construct a [[Solar harvester|harvester]] when a suitable sun had been found. Once built, the device would drain the energy of these stars, thus replenishing the All Spark. {{Storylink|Defiance issue 4|Defiance #4}} The Primes ruled harvesters could not be used on a sun that replenished life, but one of them began to defy this rule and gathered together his own workers and a [[Seeker (ROTF)|Seeker]] to secretly harvest suns and ignoring the genocide they caused. The other Primes found out and followed them to [[Earth]], and [[The Fallen]] Prime teleported his servants elsewhere, but the Seeker [[Jetfire (ROTF)|Jetfire]] turned on the builders and killed them. {{Storylink|Tales of the Fallen issue 3|Tales of the Fallen #3}}

It is assumed that at some point during the civil war on Cybertron, the builders sided with [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], the new protege of their only surviving ancient master, The Fallen. In Megatron's [[Decepticon]] army, they became known as the Constructicons. During the war, [[Demolishor (ROTF)|Demolishor]] destroyed an [[Autobot]] colony guarded by [[Sideswipe (ROTF)|Sideswipe]], who swore revenge and tracked him to Buenos Aires, Argentina, on [[Earth]] thousands of years later. The Constructicon drew out Sideswipe but fled when [[NEST]] forces led by [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and [[William Lennox]] arrived. {{storylink|Tales of the Fallen issue 2|Tales of the Fallen #2}}

===''The Veiled Threat''===
The Constructions [[Kickback (ROTF)|Kickback]], [[Trample]], and [[Tread]] came to Earth hoping to be able to revive their leader [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]]. They were mining for uranium in the [[Australia]]n outback in the hopes that if they collected enough energy, they could jump-start Megatron's spark.

[[NEST]] became aware of their presence when they picked up their intermittent energy signatures. They sent a strike team consisting of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]], [[Salvage (Movie)|Salvage]], [[William Lennox]], and [[Kaminari Ishihara]] to take care of them. The three Constructicons put up a good fight but were killed. {{storylink|The Veiled Threat}}

===''Revenge of The Fallen'' film===
[[NEST]] followed Demolishor to [[Shanghai]], [[China]], and he was executed by [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]].

[[Image:ROTFMegatronrebirth.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Can we fix him? Yes we can!]]
After the [[All Spark]] shard was retrieved from NEST's secure bunker at [[Diego Garcia]], [[Long Haul (ROTF)|Long Haul]], [[Rampage (ROTF)|Rampage]], [[Mixmaster (ROTF)|Mixmaster]], [[Scalpel]], [[Ravage (ROTF)|Ravage]] and another Constructicon secreted themselves aboard the ''[[Bayos]]'' freighter heading towards the North Atlantic. Once the ship passed over the [[Laurentian Abyss]], the Decepticons jumped overboard and dived down to where [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]]'s broken body lay. Scalpel ordered the death of "[[ze little one]]" to rebuild Megatron, a request that Long Haul and Mixmaster readily granted. Soon, Megatron was reborn!

Rampage, Long Haul, Mixmaster and [[Scrapper (ROTF)|Scrapper]] hunted for [[Sam Witwicky]] in ruins near the [[Egypt]]ian [[pyramid]]s. Rampage was ordered by [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] to spring a trap by demanding Sam hand over the [[Matrix of Leadership]] in exchange for his captive parents [[Ron Witwicky|Ron]] and [[Judy Witwicky|Judy]], but [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] attacked and killed him. [[Jetfire (ROTF)|Jetfire]] killed Mixmaster, while the others died in a bombing raid by the [[United States Air Force]].

[[Image:Constructicons-ROTFcanyon.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Keep on trucking!]]
Simultaneously, another Scrapper, Long Haul, Mixmaster and a yellow Rampage met with [[Hightower (ROTF)|Hightower]], [[Scavenger (ROTF)|Scavenger]], [[Overload (ROTF)|Overload]] and a [[Unknown Constructicon dump truck|couple]] [[Unknown Constructicon shovel|others]] in a quarry and combined into [[Devastator (ROTF)|Devastator]]. Devastator battled [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]], before he was called by Megatron to excavate the stones covering the [[solar harvester]] within the [[Great Pyramid of Giza]]. Devastator was blown up by an experimental [[Wikipedia:railgun|railgun]] fired by the [[United States Navy#U.S.S. Kidd (DDG-100)|USS ''Kidd'']]. {{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}
{{-}}

===''Revenge of the Fallen Movie Adaptation''===
[[image:Constructicons ROTF adaptation 3.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Details are for chumps.]]
[[Scavenger (ROTF)| Scavenger]], [[Long Haul (ROTF)| Long Haul]], [[Scrapper (ROTF)| Scrapper]], [[Overload (ROTF)| Overload]], and [[Mixmaster (ROTF)| Mixmaster]] arrived in Egypt together along with other Constructicons and Decepticons to battle the Autobots.
{{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen Movie Adaptation issue 3|Revenge of the Fallen Movie Adaptation #3}}

Some of the Constructicons combined into Devastator and revealed the solar harvester hidden beneath a pyramid. Devastator was destroyed by a prototype [[rail gun]] soon afterwards. At the same time, [[Rampage (ROTF)| Rampage]] and Long Haul fought in the battle and were defeated by Bumblebee and Jetfire, respectively. {{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen Movie Adaptation issue 4|Revenge of the Fallen Movie Adaptation #4}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'' - The Game===
[[Image:Concept rotfgame-big trouble in big china.jpg|thumb]]

====Xbox 360/Sony PS3/PC====
=====Decepticon campaign=====
{{stub}}
{{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)}}

=====Autobot campaign=====
{{stub}}
{{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)}}

==Constructicons defined==
Determining who is and who isn't a Constructicon is a little more problematic than it may first appear. The subgroup is not especially well defined. Is any Decepticon who chooses a construction vehicle [[alternate mode]] a Constructicon? Possibly. The only solid information we have is to see which Decepticons are explicitly called Constructicons.
*The Devastator components are called Constructicons in ''[[Revenge of the Fallen: The Movie Universe]]''.
*The four Decepticons that accompanied Ravage and The Doctor to the bottom of the [[Laurentian Abyss]] are called Constructicons in the [[Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|novel adaptation of the movie]].
*Devastator is called a Constructicon in the toys.
So, are [[Demolishor (ROTF)|Demolishor]], [[Kickback (ROTF)|Kickback]], [[Tread]], and [[Trample]] actual Constructicons or just Decepticons who have taken on construction vehicle alternate modes? It is not entirely clear.

==Toys==
===Revenge of the Fallen===
{{stub}}

==Notes==
*In the [[Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|Revenge of the Fallen novel adaptation]], the four Constructicons that accompany Ravage to the [[Laurentian Abyss]] are not named, but described as bipedal, disqualifying Rampage. This is contradicted by the movie, as the Rampage that later battles [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] is almost certainly one of the four.
*[http://www.stevejung.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=4&pos=11 One abandoned Constructicon concept] by artist [[Steve Jung]] was a "nurse" that would have transformed into a Volvo wheel loader. It is unknown if this character later evolved into the character referred to as [[ze little one]], who alternately transformed into a Volvo excavator and a yellow front-end loader.

[[Category:Combiner teams]]
[[Category:Constructicons| (ROTF)]]
[[Category:Decepticon subgroups]]
[[Category:Engineers]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen Constructicons| ]]

Sparkplug (Armada)

2009-11-14T20:01:07Z

Primus: /* Animated continuity */

{{picsneeded}}
{{disambig3|Sparkplug}}
:''Sparkplug is a [[Mini-Con]] from the [[Armada (franchise)|Armada]] section of the [[Unicron Trilogy]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Sparkplug-AR-DVD.jpg|right|300px|thumb|HERE I COME TO SAVE THE DAAAAY!]]
'''Sparkplug''' is a good-natured, energetic young [[Mini-Con]] who through the fates of war has become partnered with [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]], leader of the [[Autobot|Autobots]]. Through this and his heroic actions, he's become something of a leader to his fellow Mini-Cons. He is also one of the few Mini-Cons to advocate siding with the Autobots. While most Mini-Cons view the differences between the Autobots and the [[Decepticon|Decepticons]] with apathy at best, Sparkplug is firmly aware of what those differences mean to Mini-Cons. He's seen the way [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] treats [[Leader-1 (Armada)|Leader-1]] compared to the way Optimus Prime treats him. Given the choice, Sparkplug gladly prefers the Autobots.

:''Japanese name:'' '''Prime'''
:''Polish name:'' '''Liderus''' (Leaderus)

==Fiction==
===Animated continuity===
====Armada cartoon====
[[Image:Carnival Sparkplug.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Sparkplug, Cute Decepticons have red eyes!]]
Soon after arriving on [[Earth]], both the Autobots and Decepticons detected a Mini-Con signal located in the [[Grand Canyon|<strike>Grand</strike> Big Canyon]]. The Autobots were at a considerable disadvantage during the inevitable confrontation due to the Decepticon strength in numbers and the fact they had to protect their human passengers. But with the help of the kids, Optimus Prime managed to find the Mini-Con panel, whose occupant turned out to be Sparkplug, Optimus Prime's old Mini-Con ally and friend. Together, they [[Powerlinx|Powerlinxed]], activating Optimus's powerful Maximum Blast, which sent the Decepticons into retreat. {{storylink|Comrade}}

While exploring a forest for other Mini-Cons, Optimus Prime left Sparkplug to guard his trailer. Later when the trailer was needed to stop a forest fire, Sparkplug drove it to the Autobots by sitting atop of it in vehicle mode. {{storylink|Jungle}}

Sparkplug stood in front of Optimus Prime to protect him from [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] and the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]]. He then '''spoke English''' and summoned the [[Skyboom (Armada)|Skyboom Shield]] for Optimus to use to fend off Megatron. {{storylink|Decisive Battle}}

After Optimus Prime's destruction, Sparkplug was left floating in space clutching the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. {{storylink|Crisis}} He then handed it off to Jetfire, who then presented it to Hot Shot as the new Autobot leader. {{storylink|Remorse}} Sparkplug later took the Matrix and held it above his head. Doing so harnessed the power of the Mini-Cons and revived Optimus Prime, who Sparkplug powerlinked with. {{storylink|Miracle}}

====Linkage comic====
Sparkplug and [[Perceptor (Armada)|Perceptor]] appeared as holograms to tell Redline and his group that they were leaving Earth for Cybertron with the Autobots. {{storylink|Linkage Part 12}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
Having miraculously avoided capture by [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]] and [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 1|Armada #1}}, Sparkplug was instrumental in helping the [[Air Defense Mini-Con Team (Armada)|Air Defense Mini-Con Team]] free his Mini-Con brethren from their initial imprisonment by the Decepticons (by getting strapped to a rocket pack by [[Runway]] and drawing fire from the laser-based security system). {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 2|Armada #2}} After the escape ship broke up and crashed on Earth, he was with [[High Wire (Armada)|High Wire]], [[Grindor (Armada)|Grindor]], and [[Sureshock (Armada)|Sureshock]] when [[Rad White|Rad]] accidentally reactivated the Mini-Cons. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 3|Armada #3}}

Later, he convinced the [[Space Mini-Con Team|Space Mini-Con Team ]] to help rescue Rad, who was himself strapped in a space mine in a mine field surrounding the Mini-Con moon base. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 10|Armada #10}}

In the Arctic soon after, when one of the escape pods from the [[Moon Base]] had been tracked there, he powerlinxed with Optimus Prime, without holding back power, in order to stop Cyclonus (who'd been driven mad by the [[Destruction Mini-Con Team]] because they were overloading him with ''their'' power). Optimus then confronted Sparkplug, asking why he'd held power back even though the two trusted each other. Sparkplug explained the lore about their power and that it could save or destroy the universe, only to discover Optimus had mysteriously vanished. Power. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 13|Armada #13}}

Sparkplug accompanied the dimension-traveler, [[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]], and [[Comettor]] in Over-Run's travel pod to find Optimus (who had been sent to a [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] about to be eaten by [[Unicron]]), and was upgraded along with Optimus by the [[Mini-Con Matrix]]. {{storylink|Worlds Collide|Worlds Collide}} He was last seen standing with Optimus after the Chaos Bringer had been dealt a crippling blow by the Mini-Con Matrix. {{storylink|The End|The End}}

===Transformers Playstation 2 Game===
He is Optimus Prime's Mini-Con partner. You can run him over!

===''Timelines''===
With the [[Unicron Singularity]] forcing the evacuation of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Sparkplug and a number of Autobot leaders were summoned to the ''[[Iron Hope]]'', where [[Ultra Magnus (Energon)|Ultra Magnus]] dispatched them across the galaxy to locate the lost Autobot colony worlds. Sparkplug was given command of the ''[[Valiant]]'' and sent to the [[Betelgeuse]] region. {{storylink|Force of Habit|Force of Habit}}

==Toys==
===Armada===
[[Image:Arm-toy Sparkplug.jpg|right|thumb|300px|I look like [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]], but my name is [[Sparkplug Witwicky|Sparkplug]]. Some people think I look like [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]], but pretty much everyone calls me [[Leader-1 (Armada)|Leader-1]]. The Japanese call me [[Prime (rank)|Prime]], but the Polish call me Leaderus. I call myself confused.]]
* '''Optimus Prime with Sparkplug''' (Super, 2002/2003)
** ''Japanese ID Number:'' '''MC-01'''

: Sparkplug transforms into a Lamborghini Diablo sports car. His robot mode bears a passing resemblance to the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[Autobot]] [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]'s cartoon model. He was only available with his larger partner Optimus Prime. The [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] release made a minor change to Sparkplug's deco, giving him medium-gray windows rather than the dark purple of the [[Hasbro]] version.

: This mold was redecoed to make [[Atlas]] and [[Drop-Test]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2002/Mini-Con/Sparkplug/sparkplug.htm More information on Sparkplug at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{Anchor|Green}}
* '''Prime Super Mode''' (Mini-Con, 2003)

: The August 2003 issue of ''TV-kun'' magazine in Japan included a special promotional "powered up" [[redeco]] of the Sparkplug toy in green. Also included was a little cardboard roadway and punch-out "targets" of various Decepticons for him to knock over.
: According to the brief ''Transformers'' section of the magazine, Sparkplug takes on this coloration when the other Mini-Cons give him their strength. When Powerlinxed to Super Optimus Prime in this mode, he causes Prime's cannon to fire a powerful energy blast that takes the shape of Sparkplug's robot mode.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2003/Micron/GreenPrime/prime.htm More information on Super Mode Sparkplug at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|Corona}}
[[Image:Arm-toy SparkplugCorona.jpg|right|thumb|300px|]]
* '''Powerlinx Optimus Prime with Corona Sparkplug''' (Super, 2003)

: For the "Powerlinx" redeco of Optimus Prime, the original Sparkplug was [[Retool|retooled]] into a Cybertronian sports car with roof-lights and given a gold-chrome finish. (This finish seems to be a lot more durable than the chrome found on the [[Transmetal]] toys, being very resistant to flaking.) It is the only part of the set that was retooled, possibly because the yellow parts of Sparkplug are on their own mold tree (i.e., there are no other yellow-plastic parts to Super Optimus Prime), meaning an easy change to make.

: This mold was used to make [[Chrome]], [[Synapse]] and [[Road Rebel]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2003/Mini-Con/Sparkplug/sparkplug.htm More information on Corona Sparkplug at TFU.info].

{{-}}{{anchor|KMart}}
*'''Battle for the Matrix''' (Multi-pack, 2003)

: Released on "[[Black Friday]]" (the day after Thanksgiving), this K-Mart store [[exclusive]] bundled together Super Optimus Prime, Sparkplug, [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]], [[Comettor]], the [[Adventure Mini-Con Team]] and (oddly enough) [[Longarm (Armada)|Longarm]]. This release of Sparkplug is identical to the original; out of the entire set, only Optimus received a deco change.

{{-}}{{anchor|BTR}}
* '''Optimus Prime with Sparkplug''' (Built to Rule, 2003)

: Available only in the large ''[[Built to Rule]]'' Optimus Prime set, this version of Sparkplug is a building-block "figure" that partially transforms, partially gets rebuilt from robot to vehicle mode and back.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2003/Mini-Con/BTRSparkplug/sparkplug.htm More information on Built to Rule Sparkplug at TFU.info]''

===''[[Energon (franchise)|Energon]]''===
*'''Optimus Prime and [[Overload (Armada)|Overload]] with Corona Sparkplug and [[Rollout (Armada)|Rollout]]''' (Multi-pack, 2004)

: Part of a very large CostCo exclusive set, this release of Corona Sparkplug is identical to the original release, despite the extensive color changes made to Optimus.

==Trivia==
* Sparkplug's robot mode design appears to be an homage to [[Bumblebee (G1)|G1 Bumblebee]]'s cartoon model, with a similar head, "pipe" biceps, hood-feet and roof-chest. Well, and being yellow. His own cartoon model kind of downplays the similarity of the noggin. The [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] comic changed his head design practically every issue, with some being more Bumblebee-esque than others. Some people think he looks like Sunstreaker due to his exotic car mode and his roof chest.
* Due to bad American dubbing of ''Armada'', Sparkplug has been called Leader-1 several times through the course of the series. In fact, the first episode he appeared in, EVERYONE was calling him Leader-1. Talk about an identity crisis.

==External Links==
*[http://tfu.info/2002/Mini-Con/Sparkplug/sparkplug.htm Sparkplug at TFU.info.]

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[[Category:Armada characters]]
[[Category:Built to Rule]]
[[Category:Dimension hoppers]]
[[Category:Energon characters]]
[[Category:Mini-Cons]]
[[Category:Stub]]