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Departure

2025-08-18T19:58:19Z

Soundwave26: changed "as show" to "as shown"

{{comicstory|
|seriesissue=''[[Transformers: The Wreckers]]'' No. 1
|prev=Apelinq's War Journals
|prev2=Primeval Dawn Part 3
|next=Betrayal
|image=TheWreckers1 regcvr.JPG
|caption=
|title="Departure"
|publisher=[[3H Productions]]
|date=
|coverdate=[[July 13]], 2001 ([[BotCon 2001]])
|story=[[Glen Hallit]]
|script=[[Glen Hallit]]
|art=[[Dan Khanna]]
|lettering=[[Richard Starkings]] and [[Comicraft]]
|editor=[[Rob Gerbracht]], [[Jon Hartman]], Dan Khanna
|continuity=[[Beast Wars timeline (3H)|3H ''Beast Wars'' continuity]]
}}

'''The Oracle gathers a motley crew of Transformers and sends them on various missions. '''

==Synopsis==
:''In the near future, [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] (now grown to adulthood) and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] are killed while engaged in a battle against a horde of [[Nightbird (G1)|Nightbirds]]. This sends Daniel's friend [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] into a deep state of depression. [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus]] and [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] talk about undergoing the [[Great Upgrade|Maximal Upgrade]].''

Three hundred years later on [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon]]-controlled [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] and [[Nightscream (BM)|Nightscream]] are transporting the three [[Deployer (BM)|Deployer]]s while under attack from Vehicons. They are rescued by [[Ramulus]] and [[Primal Prime]], who take them to meet the rest of the [[Wreckers]] team. [[Apelinq (BM)|Apelinq]] recounts for Optimus their [[Terminus (issue)|mutual battle]] against [[Shokaract]], which Optimus does not fully remember.

In the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]] chamber, the Wreckers are joined by the [[Mutant (BW)|Mutants]] and [[Dinobot (BM)|Dinobots]]. The Oracle, after propounding vaguely at length, sends the three teams on a series of missions. Optimus and Nightscream are deemed to "have witnessed too much", and their memories of these meetings are purged.

Meanwhile, [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] has created two new Vehicon generals to hunt down these new wayward Cybertronians.

The Wreckers meet up with Rodimus, who has been trying to convince the morbid Arcee to join them. After she bids them leave, [[Fractyl]] gives it one last try, to which Arcee is more open... only for Fractyl to get blown away by the arriving Vehicon generals. Furious, Arcee blasts [[Quake (G1)|Quake]] and [[Blastcharge (BM)|Blastcharge]] out of the way and attempts to heal Fractyl.

[[Image:Apelink Transfer Interlink.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Apelinq remorselessly steals someone else's catchphrase. ("Choom")]]

Looking for a [[Autobot shuttle|starship]], the Wreckers arrive at [[Shuttle Complex Ohm]] in [[Dodecahex]], only to find it overrun with Vehicons under [[Spy Streak]]'s command. A battle ensues. The arrival of the Wreckers' air support ([[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]], [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]], and [[Rotorbolt (Universe)|Rotorbolt]]), as well as Arcee and the newly-Transmetalized Fractyl, turns the tide against the Vehicons. Blastcharge gets sliced in half by Fractyl while [[Tigatron]] vaporizes Quake. The Wreckers escape on the shuttle, leaving Spy Streak trapped in the rubble as Cyclonus detonates explosives that destroy the entire complex. Megatron observes their escape and advises them to run while they can.

In space, the Wreckers have little time to relax, as a stowaway has showed up and started beating up passengers for no apparent reason. He says his name is [[Devcon (G1)|Devcon]]...
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in the past or in flashbacks.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|h1=[[Autobot]]s/[[Maximal]]s|c1=
*[[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] (2)
*''[[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]]'' (3)
*''[[Sky Garry (G1)|Sky Garry]]'' (6)
*''[[Sureshot (G1)|Sureshot]]'' (8)
*''[[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]]'' (10)
*''[[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]]'' (11)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus]] (12)
*''[[Springer (G1)|Springer]]'' (13)
*[[Nightscream (BM)|Nightscream]] (16)
*[[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] (19)
*[[Ramulus]] (20)
*[[Primal Prime]] (21)
*[[Apelinq (BM)|Apelinq]] (22)
*''[[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'' (25)
*''[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]'' (27)
*''[[Windrazor (BW)|Windrazor]]'' (29)
*[[Sonar (BW)|Sonar]] (43)
*[[Tigatron]] (44)
*[[Packrat]] (46)
*[[Devcon (G1)|Devcon]] (60)
*[[Alpha Trion]] (62)

'''Dinobots'''
*[[Magmatron]] (35)
*[[T-Wrecks]] (36)
*[[Striker]] (37)
*[[Rapticon (BM)|Rapticon]] (38)
*[[Dinotron (BM)|Dinotron]] (39)
*[[Airraptor]] (40)
*[[Triceradon (BM)|Triceradon]] (41)
*[[Terranotron (BM)|Terranotron]] (42)

|h2=[[Decepticon]]s/[[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]]/[[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicons]]|c2=
*[[Tank Drone]]s (18)
*''[[Shokaract]]'' (23)
*''[[Sandstorm (BW)|Sandstorm]]'' (24)
*''[[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]'' (26)
*''Generation 1 [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'' (28)
*[[Fractyl]] (45)
*[[Spittor (BW)|Spittor]] (47)
*[[Stealth Drone]]s (48)
*[[Spy Streak]] (49)
*Beast Era [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (50)
*[[Quake (G1)|Quake]] (51)
*[[Blastcharge (BM)|Blastcharge]] (52)
*[[Quake's drones]] (53)
*[[Blastcharge's drones]] (54)
*[[Demolition Drone]]s (55)
*"[[Chase-model drone]]s" (56)
*[[Rotorbolt (Universe)|Rotorbolt]] (57)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] (58)
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (59)

|c4=
*''[[Nightbird (G1)|Nightbird]]s'' (1)
*[[Oracle (BM)|The Oracle]] (30)
*[[Vector Sigma]] (61)

'''[[Human]]s'''
*''[[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]]'' (4)
*''[[Doctor Fujiyama the Famous Scientist|Doctor Fujiyama]]'' (5)
'''[[Nebulan]]s'''
*''[[Spoilsport]]'' (7)
*''[[Pinpointer (G1)|Pinpointer]]'' (9)

'''[[Deployer (BM)|Deployers]]'''
*[[Rav (BM)|Rav]] (14)
*[[Mol]] (15)
*[[Dillo]] (17)

'''[[Mutant (BW)|Mutants]]'''
*[[Razor Claw]] (31)
*[[Icebird]] (32)
*[[Soundwave (BW)|Soundwave]] (33)
*[[Poison Bite]] (34)
}}

==Notes==
*Characters mentioned but not seen include: the [[Covenant (group)|Covenant]] and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]]s.
===Continuity notes===
*"Depature" and the following issue, "[[Betrayal]]", will make a number of references to plot points and events from the Sunbow ''The Transformers'' cartoon. This is in contrast to the previous [[Shokaract]] stories, which nodded more to the Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics.
*[[Doctor Fujiyama the Famous Scientist]] and the Nightbirds previous appeared in "[[Enter the Nightbird]]". Apparently he learned zilch since then.
*In 3H continuity, the [[Great Upgrade]] began almost immediately after the Pax Cybertronia is signed.
*Springer refers to Rodimus as "kid", causing him protests he's Rodimus "now", taking up his former name as a Prime. Whoever ''is'' running the Autobots (presumably a resurrected Optimus) goes unmentioned.
*The majority of this story takes place during the second season of ''Beast Machines''.
*Amusingly, Optimus Primal realizes that Primal Prime uses his old body, the Primal Prime toy being a redeco of Optimal Optimus, but fails to note the same with Apelinq, who is a redeco of Transmetal Optimus Primal.
*It's only here that we learn people did ''not'' die in a big explosion when Shokaract went up in "Departure". Instead, transwarp portals were opened to get everyone to safety between panels! It's not stated who opened them, though. The panel art implies [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] is opening at least one.
*Many new characters are [[protoform]]s abandoned on Earth after the Beast Wars, explaining what happened to all those pods launched at the start of the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon.
*The Oracle's memory wipe of Primal and Nightscream is intended to make sure this issue doesn't conflict with the events of the ''Beast Machines'' cartoon. Within the story, however, it is so that Optimus continues on his path of the technorganic reformatting of Cybertron-which the Quintessons believed would let them conquer it, as shown in later issues.
*Blastcharge is a noted to have been a Decepticon who fought back in the Great War.
*Fractyl mentions that he has lost a friend, which is almost certainly in reference to his fellow BotCon Pred [[Vice Grip]], while it was never confirmed, it's likely this plotline was meant to be seen in the "[[Primeval Dawn]]" back-up stories.
*Alpha Trion sacrificed himself to reactivate Vector Sigma, as shown in "[[The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2]]", and would later appear as a spirit in the Matrix in "[[The Rebirth]]".

===Transformers references===
*The shuttle that the Autobots, minus Daniel and Wheelie, use to escape the horde of Nightbirds is actually the Autobot [[Sky Garry (G1)|Sky Garry]] from ''[[Transformers: Return of Convoy (franchise)|Return of Convoy]]''. The transport it drops is a [[Micro Trailer]], though here, there's nothing "micro" about it!
*One of the viewers of the fireworks after the Pax Cybertronia is wearing the "Datsun" body type of [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] and his moldmates.
*As Arcee looks sullenly at the image of her and Daniel, the weapons seen mounted on the wall nearby are Hot Rod's photon pistols (drawn to toy-accurate specifications), and the laser-sword and shield he used during his duel with the [[auto-combatant]] in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''.
*For Rodimus, undergoing the [[Great Upgrade|Maximal Upgrade]] means a change from his original cartoon [[character model]], magenta coloration and all, to an accurate rendering of his [[Hot Rod (G1)/toys#Generation 1|original Generation 1 toy]].
*The Wreckers are a squad of Autobot commandos from the Marvel UK ''The Transformers'' comic.
[[File:Primalprimetheborrower.jpg|right|upright=0.85|thumb]]
*Ramulus and Primal Prime pinch [[Action Master]] Optimus Prime's big entry in Marvel's ''The Transformers'' issue "[[End of the Road! (US)|#80]]". Primal Prime will later borrow an Ultra Magnus pose from ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''.
*Ramulus is depicted with his colors from an unreleased running change to his toy.
*Quake's drones are all modeled on the original toy of [[Tankor (BM)#Toys|''Beast Machines'' Tankor]].
*The Mutants are noted to be failed experiments of Megatron, originally stated in their toy bios. Similarly, the Dinobots (or at least their alt-modes) are creations of the Oracle, as stated in their bios.
*The story takes a stand on fandom's [[Cyclonus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity#Who is Cyclonus.3F|"Was it Bombshell or Skywarp who became Cyclonus?"]] debate by having Skywarp standing next to him.
*Rotorbolt is a redeco of [[Obsidian (BM)#Toys|''Beast Machines'' Obsidian]], Devcon is a redeco of [[Mirage (BM)#Toys|''Beast Machines'' Mirage]], and Fractyl's upgraded body is a redeco of [[Terrorsaur (BW)#Transmetal|''Beast Wars''Transmetal Terrorsaur]]. All of these, along with the running change colors Ramulus, were planned redecoes by 3H at one time or another. Packrat, meanwhile, is a repurposing of a Wal-Mart exclusive redeco of ''Beast Wars'' Transmetal [[Rattrap (BW)/toys#WalMart|Rattrap]].
*The body shown to Alpha Trion at the end has [[Snarl (BM)#Toys|''Beast Machines'' Snarl]]'s head on [[Lio Convoy#Toys|''Beast Wars II'' Lio Convoy]]'s body, with the (ridiculous) weapon of [[Prowl (Magnaboss)#Toys|''Beast Wars'' Prowl]] floating besides it. That's three different lions at once!

===Real-world references===
*The Nightbirds are functionally identical to each other, but their accent colors vary between blue, orange, red, and purple, referencing the bandanas of the [[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]].

===Errors===
*Cybertron's population is seen celebrating the new peace on page 7, but this is several months after the treaty. Is it a really long party?
*When the Oracle is first addressing the crowd, all the text in the speech bubble ("It will soon be...") is repeated in the next bubble.
*The Oracle consistently refers to T-Wrecks as "T-Rex".
*Optimus and Nightscream have their memories wiped, but they'd travelled 100 kilometres in search of the Deployers, who are now with the Wreckers, so shouldn't this lengthy gap and lost equipment leave them with more questions than it prevents?
*Becoming a Transmetal was unprecedented until the Beast Wars and was presented as something that required transwarp explosions or weird science, yet Arcee became one centuries ago!
*After Quake and Blastcharge burst in on Fractyl and Arcee, a speech bubble that should be pointing to Quake (in the background) is instead assigned to one of his drones (in the foreground).

===Production notes===
*This was Glen Hallit's first piece of writing and in 2014, he would admit he took the reins because it was costing more each time to get [[Simon Furman]] to write all the con stories. Daniel's death was written because 3H wanted to make Arcee a more tragic character and, due to her close connection to Danny boy, the Hallits figured this was the best way to do it. "I admit they could have used a better polish to tighten up the stories and perhaps now that I've matured, I would have written things differently."<ref>[https://www.allspark.com/forums/topic/98174-3h-fiction-versus-modern-club-fiction/ Allspark forum thread, "3H fiction versus modern club fiction"]: Hallit is "Ramsay Lokos"</ref>
*This issue debuted at [[BotCon 2001]]. ''The Wreckers'' title would be rebranded as part of the [[Transformers: Universe (comic)|''Universe'' storyline]] in 2004.
*This issue also contained "[[Primeval Dawn Part 1]]" as a backup story.
*The inside cover has a row of [[insignia]]s. The Decepticons are left out but the [[Blentron|Blendtron]] symbol is here, as referencing [[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (cartoon)|a then-little seen anime passed on by internet rumours]] is the sort of thing 90s and early 00s nerds loved.

===Covers (2)===
*'''Regular cover:''' Several of the Wreckers watched by Megatron, in a [[homage]] to a [[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|''Beast Machines'']] [[:File:Beast-Machines-cartoon-poster.jpg|promo poster]], by [[Mainframe Entertainment]].
*'''Tigatron exclusive cover:''' A homage to ''{{w|Giant-Size X-Men}}'' #1 by [[Dan Khanna]] after Gil Kane and Dave Cockrum.
<gallery>
File:TheWreckers1 regcvr.JPG
File:Universewreckers1b.jpg
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.botconarchives.com/archive/story/2001/index.html "Departure" online at Botcon Archives]

[[Category:Universe issues]]

Wavelength (G1)

2024-03-07T21:06:29Z

Soundwave26:

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig3|Wavelength}}
:''Wavelength is an [[Autobot]] from the [[2005 IDW continuity|2005 IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:MTMTE-55-Wavelength.jpg|upright=1.33|thumb]]

'''Wavelength''' was thought dead, but turns out he ain't!

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
At some point, Wavelength was listed as MIA, in actuality because [[Mortilus|Censere the Necrobot]] used the [[time case]] to rescue Wavelength from whatever fate awaited him and bring him to the future after the war (because he was listed as "missing" before Censere decided to use the time case...). The rigors of [[time travel]] taking its toll on Wavelength, he was placed in a coma and disguised as an organic being using holograms in a chamber within the [[Necroworld]]. During [[Team Rodimus]]'s battle with the [[Decepticon Justice Division]], Wavelength and his fellow rescuees came to and were greeted by a future unfamiliar to them. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}} After getting brought back up to speed by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]], Wavelength watched the super strong [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] lift [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]]. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|Some Other Cybertron}} Following Team Rodimus' departure from Necroworld, the "Disappeared" Decepticons banded together and killed all of the Autobots on the planet, presumably including Wavelength. {{storylink|Sardines}}

===2019 IDW continuity===
After a [[data-bomb]] had crippled the [[Titan Net]], Wavelength reported that they'd lost all contact with the orbiting [[Titan (group)|Titan]] fleet and that [[Vigilem]] was now awake, unresponsive, and heading for the [[Winged Moon]]. {{storylink|The Change In Your Nature Part Five}} Wavelength and the Titan Hub did their best to reconnect with the orbiting Titans, but were unable to bring the system back online. {{storylink|Rise of the Decepticons: Tremors|Tremors}} Any further efforts were cut short after the Decepticon uprising at the Senate. Wavelength and the rest of the staff were removed and supplanted by Megatron's loyalists. {{storylink|War World: Hunt}}

==Notes==
*Wavelength was presumably designed by [[Alex Milne]] as the script to [[The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|''More than Meets the Eye'' #55]] did not specify any details for him and [[Syphon]].
*[[Sardines|''Lost Light'' #13]] indicates that after [[Team Rodimus]] left Necroworld, the "Disappeared" Decepticons banded together and killed all Autobots on the planet, save for [[Scrounge (G1)|Scrounge]]. Wavelength was presumably among the dead, but this is unconfirmed.

[[Category:Comic-only Autobots]]
[[Category:Disappeared]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Autobots]]
[[Category:IDW (2019) Transformers]]

Wavelength (G1)

2024-03-07T21:04:56Z

Soundwave26: Added Wavelength's potential fate from Sardines

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig3|Wavelength}}
:''Wavelength is an [[Autobot]] from the [[2005 IDW continuity|2005 IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:MTMTE-55-Wavelength.jpg|upright=1.33|thumb]]

'''Wavelength''' was thought dead, but turns out he ain't!

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
At some point, Wavelength was listed as MIA, in actuality because [[Mortilus|Censere the Necrobot]] used the [[time case]] to rescue Wavelength from whatever fate awaited him and bring him to the future after the war (because he was listed as "missing" before Censere decided to use the time case...). The rigors of [[time travel]] taking its toll on Wavelength, he was placed in a coma and disguised as an organic being using holograms in a chamber within the [[Necroworld]]. During [[Team Rodimus]]'s battle with the [[Decepticon Justice Division]], Wavelength and his fellow rescuees came to and were greeted by a future unfamiliar to them. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}} After getting brought back up to speed by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]], Wavelength watched the super strong [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] lift [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]]. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|Some Other Cybertron}} After Team Rodimus left Necroworld, the "Disappeared" Decepticons banded together and killed all of the Autobots on the planet, presumably including Wavelength. {{storylink|Sardines}}

===2019 IDW continuity===
After a [[data-bomb]] had crippled the [[Titan Net]], Wavelength reported that they'd lost all contact with the orbiting [[Titan (group)|Titan]] fleet and that [[Vigilem]] was now awake, unresponsive, and heading for the [[Winged Moon]]. {{storylink|The Change In Your Nature Part Five}} Wavelength and the Titan Hub did their best to reconnect with the orbiting Titans, but were unable to bring the system back online. {{storylink|Rise of the Decepticons: Tremors|Tremors}} Any further efforts were cut short after the Decepticon uprising at the Senate. Wavelength and the rest of the staff were removed and supplanted by Megatron's loyalists. {{storylink|War World: Hunt}}

==Notes==
*Wavelength was presumably designed by [[Alex Milne]] as the script to [[The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|''More than Meets the Eye'' #55]] did not specify any details for him and [[Syphon]].
*[[Sardines|''Lost Light'' #13]] indicates that after [[Team Rodimus]] left Necroworld, the "Disappeared" Decepticons banded together and killed all Autobots on the planet, save for [[Scrounge (G1)|Scrounge]]. Wavelength was presumably among the dead, but this is unconfirmed.

[[Category:Comic-only Autobots]]
[[Category:Disappeared]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Autobots]]
[[Category:IDW (2019) Transformers]]

Institute

2024-03-05T18:50:00Z

Soundwave26: Changed sentence structure slightly

[[File:The institute Shadowplay2.jpg|500px|thumb|He had won the victory over himself. He loved [[Big Convoy]].]]

Before the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], the '''Institute''' was a rumor whose very existence was, to many, suspect. How could there actually be a laboratory dedicated to rewriting [[Transformer]]s' minds—dabbling in the forbidden science known as [[shadowplay]]? But for many, it is a name whispered in fearful tones—the kind of place where out-of-line mechs might get 'disappeared' to, to have their loyalty coefficient brought back into lockstep with the desires of the [[Senate]].

Rational-minded Transformers dismiss the entire notion as nothing more than a hallucination of the paranoid. But those rational minds might want to reconsider...

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
Before the war, an acquaintance of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]] within the [[Senate]] feared that Orion could get sent to the Institute as punishment for interrupting a Senate session. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} Around the same time, [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Tumbler]] likewise noted that dissenters from the official government line were likely to get sent to the Institute. Though [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] dismissed the entire notion of the Institute with a derisive ''phht'', Tumbler was fascinated by the idea of the place, regardless of whether or not it was real. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}}

While on a mission to track down a murderer, Tumbler and Prowl were given a tipoff by [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], the security guard at [[Translucentica Heights]]: a robot that, unknown to then, had been mind-altered by the Institute to nudge them in the 'right' direction. The cops turned out to be ''too'' good though and tracked the murderers to a [[Relinquishment Clinic]]. Once inside, the duo were shocked to find much more than mere bodyswapping going on. They found an entire laboratory complex below the clinic, filled with technicians working on dozens of Transformer brains, and equipment dedicated to imprisonment and worse: magnetic circuit slabs, and a room full of [[Empty|Empties]] with hollowed-out heads. It was immediately obvious to Tumbler that they were in fact inside the fabled Institute. Hacking the lab's computer, Tumbler found a list of thousands of names organized by "threat level". {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}}

What neither they nor Orion Pax realized was that the very name "the Institute" was sleight of hand: it made people think there was just ''one'', not a whole network! In time, every Relinquishment Clinic would turn out to have an Institute under it and that was only part of it. [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Senator Shockwave]] would be a victim of the Institute, deliberately turned into an emotionless husk as an act of petty revenge. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

Years later, after the fall of the Senate, the restructuring of Cybertronian society under [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta Prime]], and the outbreak of the Great War, the Institute continued to operate in secret, rebranded as '''the New Institute''', used by Zeta to brainwash both captured Decepticons and to keep Autobots with wavering loyalties in line. Though Zeta would soon be slain by [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]], his "New Institute" would persist long after this death, still operated by the Autobots well into the war. It is unclear if there were ever multiple "New Institutes"; the only confirmed facility was hidden beneath a patch of wasteland, protected by a veritable army of [[Guardian (Marvel)|Guardian droids]]. This facility's staff included [[Trepan]], a skilled [[mnemosurgery|mnemosurgeon]], and a member of the original institute, his apprentice Tumbler, who would go on to earn the name "[[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]]" by performing thousands of lobotomies using his mnemosurgical skills, and [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]]. The three of them were unfortunate enough to be present when it was attacked by [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]] on a mission to rescue a captured [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]]. Overlord would also kidnap Trepan so he could learn the secrets of mnemosurgery. {{storylink|Remembrance Day}} Evidence suggests [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] was also a member of the New Institute. {{storylink|The Reluctant Specialist}} {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} Evidence also suggests that [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] worked there as well but was not a mnemosurgeon. {{storylink|Ten to Midnight}}

Six months before [[Declaration Day]], Red Alert sought out the rational-minded psychiatrist [[Rung (G1)|Rung]]. He regarded Red Alert's mentions of the Institute as a sure sign of a paranoid personality disorder, apparently unaware that the Institute really exists. {{storylink|Interiors}} Millions of years later, Highbrow, Chromedome, and Brainstorm were vague about their old job when talking to Tailgate. {{storylink|The Reluctant Specialist}}

Autobot [[Special Operations]] would use ex-New Institute technology: the [[nudge gun]], one charge that fires a thought into a target's mind and a second that blanks out any incriminating memories. {{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} When examining the exploded remains of [[Skids (G1)|Skids]]' nudge gun, Brainstorm could recognise it as Institute technology but didn't know what it was. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}}

==Notes==
*In an [http://theunderbase.libsyn.com/the-underbase-deconstructs-shadowplay interview (17:40 - 18:25)], [[James Roberts]] said that Transformers with head-based names all worked for, or were believed to work for, the Institute and were nicknamed appropriately. (And that's why the Headmaster toys have heady names despite not being Headmasters in IDW continuity!) Roberts went on to confirm that Highbrow worked there but that [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] didn't, he just has a hard head.
*At 57:00 in the same interview, Roberts implies that the Institute had a reason for 'getting' Red Alert and used him for more than just the one plot.

[[Category:Cybertron]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) locations]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Transformer culture]]

Institute

2024-03-04T10:35:18Z

Soundwave26: Added Trepan to members of new institute

[[File:The institute Shadowplay2.jpg|500px|thumb|He had won the victory over himself. He loved [[Big Convoy]].]]

Before the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], the '''Institute''' was a rumor whose very existence was, to many, suspect. How could there actually be a laboratory dedicated to rewriting [[Transformer]]s' minds—dabbling in the forbidden science known as [[shadowplay]]? But for many, it is a name whispered in fearful tones—the kind of place where out-of-line mechs might get 'disappeared' to, to have their loyalty coefficient brought back into lockstep with the desires of the [[Senate]].

Rational-minded Transformers dismiss the entire notion as nothing more than a hallucination of the paranoid. But those rational minds might want to reconsider...

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
Before the war, an acquaintance of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]] within the [[Senate]] feared that Orion could get sent to the Institute as punishment for interrupting a Senate session. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} Around the same time, [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Tumbler]] likewise noted that dissenters from the official government line were likely to get sent to the Institute. Though [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] dismissed the entire notion of the Institute with a derisive ''phht'', Tumbler was fascinated by the idea of the place, regardless of whether or not it was real. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}}

While on a mission to track down a murderer, Tumbler and Prowl were given a tipoff by [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], the security guard at [[Translucentica Heights]]: a robot that, unknown to then, had been mind-altered by the Institute to nudge them in the 'right' direction. The cops turned out to be ''too'' good though and tracked the murderers to a [[Relinquishment Clinic]]. Once inside, the duo were shocked to find much more than mere bodyswapping going on. They found an entire laboratory complex below the clinic, filled with technicians working on dozens of Transformer brains, and equipment dedicated to imprisonment and worse: magnetic circuit slabs, and a room full of [[Empty|Empties]] with hollowed-out heads. It was immediately obvious to Tumbler that they were in fact inside the fabled Institute. Hacking the lab's computer, Tumbler found a list of thousands of names organized by "threat level". {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}}

What neither they nor Orion Pax realized was that the very name "the Institute" was sleight of hand: it made people think there was just ''one'', not a whole network! In time, every Relinquishment Clinic would turn out to have an Institute under it and that was only part of it. [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Senator Shockwave]] would be a victim of the Institute, deliberately turned into an emotionless husk as an act of petty revenge. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

Years later, after the fall of the Senate, the restructuring of Cybertronian society under [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta Prime]], and the outbreak of the Great War, the Institute continued to operate in secret, rebranded as '''the New Institute''', used by Zeta to brainwash both captured Decepticons and to keep Autobots with wavering loyalties in line. Though Zeta would soon be slain by [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]], his "New Institute" would persist long after this death, still operated by the Autobots well into the war. It is unclear if there were ever multiple "New Institutes"; the only confirmed facility was hidden beneath a patch of wasteland, protected by a veritable army of [[Guardian (Marvel)|Guardian droids]]. This facility's staff included [[Trepan]], a skilled [[mnemosurgery|mnemosurgeon]], and a member of the original institute, his apprentice Tumbler, who would go on to earn the name "[[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]]" by performing thousands of lobotomies using his mnemosurgical skills, and [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]]. The three of them were unfortunate enough to be present when it was attacked by [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]] on a mission to rescue a captured [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] and kidnap Trepan so he could learn the secrets of mnemosurgery. {{storylink|Remembrance Day}} Evidence suggests [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] was also a member of the New Institute. {{storylink|The Reluctant Specialist}} {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} Evidence also suggests that [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] worked there as well but was not a mnemosurgeon. {{storylink|Ten to Midnight}}

Six months before [[Declaration Day]], Red Alert sought out the rational-minded psychiatrist [[Rung (G1)|Rung]]. He regarded Red Alert's mentions of the Institute as a sure sign of a paranoid personality disorder, apparently unaware that the Institute really exists. {{storylink|Interiors}} Millions of years later, Highbrow, Chromedome, and Brainstorm were vague about their old job when talking to Tailgate. {{storylink|The Reluctant Specialist}}

Autobot [[Special Operations]] would use ex-New Institute technology: the [[nudge gun]], one charge that fires a thought into a target's mind and a second that blanks out any incriminating memories. {{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} When examining the exploded remains of [[Skids (G1)|Skids]]' nudge gun, Brainstorm could recognise it as Institute technology but didn't know what it was. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}}

==Notes==
*In an [http://theunderbase.libsyn.com/the-underbase-deconstructs-shadowplay interview (17:40 - 18:25)], [[James Roberts]] said that Transformers with head-based names all worked for, or were believed to work for, the Institute and were nicknamed appropriately. (And that's why the Headmaster toys have heady names despite not being Headmasters in IDW continuity!) Roberts went on to confirm that Highbrow worked there but that [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] didn't, he just has a hard head.
*At 57:00 in the same interview, Roberts implies that the Institute had a reason for 'getting' Red Alert and used him for more than just the one plot.

[[Category:Cybertron]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) locations]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Transformer culture]]

Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity

2024-03-04T09:49:30Z

Soundwave26: The previous placement of soundwave's rescue from the New Institute in mtmte issue 14 is incorrect as it takes place after Overlord has already joined the Warrior's Elite and been infused with Ununtrium which happened 1 million years into the war.

{{factions|senator|decepticon}}
{{suite}}
[[File:StarscreamIDWF22-Infiltration4cvrA.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"BANZAAAAI KICK!"]]

Ever the opportunist, '''Starscream''''s boundless ambition drew him into the nascent Decepticon movement and catapulted him through the ranks as Cybertron collapsed into endless war. Though an intelligent, capable leader in his own right, Starscream struggled to distinguish himself from the shadow of [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]–a relationship that ended with Megatron invariably reminding Starscream of his place after several failed coups and bungled stints at leadership.

Following the end of the war and the revitalization of Cybertron, Starscream found the burden of leadership placed on his shoulders once more after a wayward [[Titan (group)|Titan]] declared him Cybertron's "Chosen One", destined to reunite and rebuild their ruined world. A subsequent series of crises saw Starscream leaving the Decepticons forever, establishing himself as the "High Chancellor" of Cybertron's growing [[NAIL|neutral population]] and carving out a new anti-factionalist government in the ruins of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]. But even after finally achieving his dream, Starscream still seems to be the same person he's always been: self-serving, prideful, treacherous, and perfectly willing to cheat, lie, and step on other 'bots to get his own way. His stubborn refusal to change his ways for the greater good is a constant thorn in the side of his reluctant allies.

Beneath it all, though, Starscream struggles with the ramifications of his morally dubious actions and the growing shadow of his future legacy–a struggle that, in the end, he may not win.

{{First|[[Infiltration issue 0|''Infiltration'' #0]]}}

{{quote|What kind of monster '''are''' you?|quote2=A '''goal-oriented''' one.|[[Stardrive]] and Starscream|[[Shining Armor issue 1|''Shining Armor'' #1]]}}

__TOC__
==Fiction==
===There at the beginning===
[[File:OP19-YoungStarscream.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.0]]
Starscream was [[Reproduction|constructed cold]]. {{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} As with all constructed cold Transformers, Starscream's [[spark]] carried genetic instructions for a "natural" shape, but the circumstances of his birth meant that his Spark was simply implanted into one of many identical, pre-constructed bodies. Over the course of his life, Starscream developed a predilection for periodically changing bodies; [[Windblade (G1)|some]] would interpret this as a sign that his spark was still trying to find its "true form," {{storylink|Your First Mistake}} while [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|others]] would simply write it off as a sign of his vanity. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 2: Another Mine|Another Mine}}

In his early life, Starscream studied at the prestigious [[Nova Point Academy]], but eventually moved to the city of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]], where he became a street hustler running scams for his personal gain and ran afoul of a young police officer named [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]]. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 4: The Hallowing|The Hallowing}} Unlike most members of Cybertron's [[flight class]], Starscream took pride in his [[alternate mode]], and, eventually, his silver tongue landed him a handsomely-paying job as a precinct [[Senate|senator]] in [[Vos (polity)|Vos]]. {{storylink|Starscream: The Movie (comic)|Starscream: The Movie}} Disappointed by the lack of fame or respect this job offered, he spent most of his time drinking and reluctantly attending political rallies when he could be dragged away from the bar. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 4: The Hallowing|The Hallowing}} Eventually, Starscream grew tired of politics and used his political connections to embezzle a vast sum of money from his constituents before deserting his post. He used his new fortune to recruit a pair of [[Outlier (group)|outliers]] named [[Skywarp (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Skywarp]] and [[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Thundercracker]] from the [[Jhiaxian Academy of Advanced Technology]]. After arranging their release from the school, he convinced the duo to undergo extensive rebuilds so that they'd look like him, a way to confuse any taxpayers who tried to pursue him. {{storylink|Starscream: The Movie (comic)|Starscream: The Movie}}

[[File:MegOrigin3 seekers.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.5]]
Some four million years ago, he became a fan of the [[Gladiatorial combat|gladiatorial games]] that existed in Cybertron's underworld, {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 2|Megatron Origin #2}} and came to idolize the rhetorician-turned-gladiator [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] for his teachings that Transformers didn't ''have'' to [[Functionism|accept their lot]] in life. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10|All Hail Megatron #10}} The trio were eventually approached by [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]]; {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}} seeing Megatron's nascent uprising as good a place as any to lose himself, {{storylink|Starscream: The Movie (comic)|Starscream: The Movie}} Starscream and his two lackeys believed that they were joining Megatron's team in the arena, but, after pledging allegiance to the Decepticon leader, learned that their leader had other plans for them: his [[Decepticon]] movement required air support as they made the move from activists to insurgents and beyond. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}}

[[File:MegatronOrigin4 StarscreamKillsSenate.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.5]]
Early on, the charismatic and cunning Starscream was tasked with recruitment of others to the Decepticon cause; significantly, he was the one assigned to approach the disenfranchised [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Senator Shockwave]] and bring him into the fold. {{storylink|Shockwaves}} Starscream was also given another key Senate-related task when he and his fellow Seekers were ordered to capture Senator [[Decimus (G1)|Decimus]], who would then supposedly be executed at Megatron's next recruitment rally. When security forces intervened in the rally and arrested the Decepticons, Starscream bargained for his freedom by offering to reveal all of Megatron's plans. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}} However, this turned out to have ''been'' Megatron's plan—brought before an emergency assembly of the Senate for questioning, Starscream, together with Soundwave, executed the Senators with Starscream personally executing [[Proteus (G1)|Proteus]] himself. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}} The two then freed every prisoner in the building, with Starscream arming the prisoner and even presenting Megatron with his the [[fusion cannon]] that would become his signature weapon. He then joined in their attack on [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]], during which he bested [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]]. The battle culminated in Megatron's defeat of [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]], whose body Starscream dumped in front of Sentinel's men in a fly-by. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 4|Megatron Origin #4}}

Following the ascension of [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta Prime]], the Decepticons were forced back underground for a time but continued their militarization: arming sympathizers with weapons—ostensibly in the name of "self-defense"—Starscream coordinated several illegal arms shipments from off-world suppliers, showing off his handiwork to a shocked [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]]. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 3: Behind My Bleeding Back|Behind My Bleeding Back}} When it became clear that Orion's Autobots would crack down on this gunrunning, Starscream rigged the latest arms shipments to detonate if the Autobots ever found it, {{storylink|New Cybertron End: Feel Safe Without Regrets|Feel Safe Without Regrets}} assuring Soundwave that the Decepticons caught in the crossfire were making the ultimate sacrifice for the cause. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 5: Future Glories Lost|Future Glories Lost}}

[[File:SLBlurr starscream recruits blurr.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]
When gunrunners [[Horri-Bull]] and [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]] had their latest transaction revealed as an Autobot-coordinated sting operation, Starscream destroyed the weapons cache, leaving Soundwave to lie to the two that the Autobots had booby-trapped the shipment. Though Soundwave was appalled, Starscream felt Megatron would have approved. {{storylink|New Cybertron End: Feel Safe Without Regrets|Feel Safe Without Regrets}}

With war now definitively declared, Starscream continued in his recruitment duties; he was unable to convince the youthful [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hot Rod]] to join the Decepticons {{storylink|Ruins}}, and had similarly bad luck with racing champion [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] despite a very pointed effort. Not long after, Starscream was part of a unit that tried to stop Blurr from couriering a message to new planet leader Zeta Prime. {{storylink|Spotlight: Blurr}} His identity evidently unknown to most, Starscream was also positioned as a delegate to the new Senate that was formed by Zeta Prime, though exactly who or where he was masquerading as the delegate ''of'' is unclear. While attending one of Zeta's security sessions, he brought a disguised Soundwave with him to record the Senate's newest plans for how to stop the growing Decepticon menace. When Zeta expressed surprise at how easily Starscream accepted his idea of draining energy from civilians to power [[vamparc ribbon|weapons]], he almost let slip that he'd done worse things in Megatron's name. To cover up his blunder, he drew attention to the spy in their midst, giving Soundwave a cue to reveal himself and stage an escape, distracting Zeta. {{storylink|Parasites}}

Since turning down Starscream's offer to join the Decepticons, Hot Rod had carried out some insurgent activities of his own, and Megatron and Starscream monitored the situation through [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] with some degree of pleasure as [[Autobot]] leader [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]] hunted him down. {{storylink|Ruins}} In Orion's absence, Zeta Prime then attacked [[Nyon]]'s population with his vamparc ribbons and [[Guardian robot|Omega Destructors]]—an action Starscream compared to Megatron's own tactics, though, Megatron assured him he was capable of much more. {{storylink|Purge}} In spite of Starscream's opinion that Megatron was a "stubborn wreck" for his repeated attempts to sway Orion Pax to his cause, they were successful, and the Decepticons joined forces with Orion's Autobots against Zeta Prime. {{storylink|Choices}} Together, they attacked Zeta Prime and his Omega Destructors, with Starscream personally leading the Seekers as air support. {{storylink|Overthrown}}

[[File:Autocracy9 take them away.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.95]]
After Zeta Prime was defeated, Megatron betrayed Orion and installed himself as ruler of Cybertron, then had the Decepticons hunt down all remaining Autobots. Starscream led a force to raid an Autobot hiding place in [[Ultrix]] and took special interest in Hot Rod, once again offering him the chance to join the Decepticons. {{storylink|Transformation (issue)|Transformation}} Starscream also tortured and interrogated Bumblebee, but learned little for his efforts. {{storylink|Rise}} Orion soon returned, however, having become [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]], and with new warriors at his side, he led the Autobots in an attack on Megatron's citadel. Starscream and the Seekers were ordered to take them out but were intercepted by the Aerialbots. {{storylink|Broadcast}}

[[File:FacesofDarkness-Tankor.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.70]]
Megatron was subsequently defeated by Optimus Prime, and Starscream conspired with [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] to overthrow him and have him exiled to [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]]. {{storylink|Derelicts}} While Scorponok became the new Decepticon leader, Starscream seemingly preferred to stay in the background and showed no signs of being his second-in-command in public. {{storylink|Wreckage (issue)|Wreckage}} He annoyed Scorponok by urging him to take action rather than just hold grandiose speeches, causing Scorponok to let him in on his plan to capture the [[Toraxxis mega-refinery]] for the Decepticons. Starscream participated in this attack by leading his Seekers to the refinery. {{storylink|Faces of Darkness}} Scorponok ordered him to keep the Autobot defenders busy while he left to deal with [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] personally. {{storylink|Rage (IDW)|Rage}} The plan ended disastrously when the refinery exploded, killing thousands and leaving the planet cripplingly low on [[energon]]; Starscream berated Scorponok for his actions, unable to see any point in staying on the dying planet himself. {{storylink|Massacre}} Fortuntely, Megatron soon returned from his exile and retook Decepticon command. Starscream attempted to welcome him back, but was quickly silenced. {{storylink|The Illusion of Control}}

There was a brief lull in the war, {{storylink|Primacy issue 1|Primacy #1}} before Megatron regrouped the scattered Decepticons for an all-out attack on Iacon. Starscream went to [[Canis Tor]] to inform the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] that Megatron was back and after that, bribed the Combaticons into coming home. {{storylink|Primacy issue 2|Primacy #2}} He fought during the siege of Iacon but it led in a Decepticon rout. {{storylink|Primacy issue 3|Primacy #3}} {{storylink|Primacy issue 4|Primacy #4}}

[[File:Devastation5-StarscreamAchinglyNaive.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.2]]
As the war bore on, Starscream was present when Megatron faced Optimus Prime in open battle on [[Sherma Bridge]], {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory #1}} witnessed [[Hot Shot (G1)|a yellow Autobot]] get destroyed in an Decepticon-Autobot crossfire in another of the war's countless battles, {{storylink|Drift issue 2|Drift #2}} and stood side by side with the Decepticon Deadlock in many other combat scenarios. {{storylink|Drift issue 3|Drift #3}} He would later admit that at one point, he had genuinely looked up to Megatron, but that changed when he realized that he ''feared'' the Decepticon leader, rather than ''respected'' him {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}} and was disgruntled that Megatron was leading them into a seemingly endless war. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10}} That epiphany evidently led to further attempts to take leadership from Megatron, but in time, these power plays ceased, and Megatron hoped that it meant he had moved beyond such things. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}} At some point, Starscream participated alongside [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]] and Thundercracker in a mission to rescue Soundwave from the [[Institute|New Institute]]. {{storylink|Remembrance Day}}

Starscream would even eventually end up as Megatron's bodyguard, and developed a mutual hatred with [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]], professing that he would not be able to defend Megatron against such a powerhouse. {{storylink|Devastation issue 5|Devastation #5}} But Starscream's appointment to this position was largely for show—Megatron could, of course, protect himself, and would later reveal that he kept Starscream close by despite his predilection for treachery as a reminder to himself to always watch his back. {{storylink|Spotlight: Megatron}}

At one point, Starscream's treachery reached the attention of the [[Decepticon Justice Division]], who had him added to their dreaded [[The List|list]] of targets. He was later removed from this list, perhaps due to Megatron's insistence on keeping him close by. {{storylink|An Axe to Break the Ice}}

===Xetaxxis, Earth and Ore-13===
Millions of years later, after the war had resulted in Cybertron becoming uninhabitable and the Autobots and Decepticons had spread out across the galaxy, Starscream came to be in command of one the small Decepticon units that secretly infiltrated planets across the galaxy. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 0|Infiltration #0}} In the mid-19th century, the group had conquered the [[Huni System]] and were approached by the [[Dire Wraith]] [[Vekktral]], who wanted to propose an alliance. Though Starscream initially wanted to kill the organic, Vekktral made him interested by showing him the [[Space Knight]] [[Stardrive]]. Though [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] had his doubts, Starscream realized the [[Solstar Order]] must have an Energon source to keep Stardrive alive and agreed to Vekktral's alliance. The group slew a [[Galactic Council]] force due to meet with the Solstar Order, and Starscream left behind a [[Vehicon (G1)|Vehicon]] and a bloke who turned into a bulldozer to destroy their ship while Astrotrain assumed its form. {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 2|Shining Armor #2}}

[[File:ShiningArmor1 StarscreamTeam.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.75|If [[Flamewar (G1)|Flamewar]] were there, she'd call them "Team Scream".]]
Upon arriving at ''[[Orchid Crossing]]'', Starscream swatted [[Rom|some pest]] out of the sky before he tried to recruit Stardrive. Failing to do so, he instead used her as a battering ram to reach her [[energon synthesizer]] only for [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] to show up with a standoff ensuing. {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 1|Shining Armor #1}} As Stardrive expressed confusion over who the Autobots were, Starscream again offered her a spot in the Decepticons, only to be shot through a wall by Ultra Magnus. No sooner had the Seeker regained his bearings did Magnus ram Starscream in truck mode. After a Wraith merged with [[Sky Blast (G1)|Sky Blast]] and turned into an ungodly abomination, Starscream opted for the better part of valour and decided the Wraiths could serve as canon fodder. Grabbing [[Doomwings (G1)|Doomwings]] (after getting his name wrong), Starscream made his way to the energon synthesizer only for the Wraith/Cybertronian hybrid to tear Doomwings apart. Starscream told Vekktral to get the beast under control, only to learn neither the Wraith or Sky Blast was in control. Starscream then took Astrotrain and made another run for their prize, only for the station to begin tumbling. He emerged to find Magnus had disabled its power, and he quickly destroyed the Autobot shuttle before giving the evacuation order, deciding to dig the energon synthesizer out of the rubble. In the skies of [[Xetaxxis]], Starscream questioned if the synthesizer was durable enough to survive reentry and how long it took for space stations to fall, before being informed the hybrid had survived. {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 2|Shining Armor #2}}

[[File:Shining Armor 4 - Ultra Vekktral vs Starscream.jpg|right|upright=1.5|thumb|"Wait, WAIT! Don't I get one phone call??"]]
Starscream and Vekktral tracked the hybrid to a [[Xetaxxan|Xetaxxian]] village where the situation neatly resolved itself. After the two performed a quick check on whether or not the Xetaxxians were mechanical (they weren't), Starscream bluntly told Vekktral he had no interest in furthering the Wraiths' agenda and merely wanted the synthesizer before mobilizing their forces. When the Seekers arrived at the crash site however, the [[Space Knight]]s had beaten them there. When Stardrive tried to evacuate some Xetaxxians past the Seeker blockade, Starscream expertly manoeuvred around her and shot the organics before turning his attention to the Space Knights, landing foot first ''on Rom''. Rom and Livia managed to use their speed to outmaneuver him with the former socking the Seeker square in the jaw. Sneaking away from the battle, Starscream made his way to the Energon synthesizer in Stardrive's room. The Camien soon realized he was there however and threatened to destroy the synthesizer with her [[Neutralizer]] before she offered to trade it in exchange for him leaving Xetaxxis. {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 3|Shining Armor #3}} After expressing his supreme annoyance at Rom's melodramatic speech pattern, Starscream tried to recruit Stardrive once again by extolling Cybertronian superiority and claiming to need her knowledge of the Wraiths to protect their kind from the Dire Wraiths. He might have succeeded had Rom and Livia not thrown Dirge into him forcing him to retreat. The Seekers then watched Stardrive suffer a mental breakdown and attack her allies before they annoyingly worked everything out. The promised Dire Wraith backup however soon arrived in the form of Vekktral having possessed Ultra Magnus. As Starscream gloated about a mutual Dire Wraith/Decepticon victory however, Vekktral turned on him. {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 4|Shining Armor #4}}

After being saved by [[Sata]] and Stardrive, Starscream blasted the Wraiths off his troops and made a run for the synthesizer. As he fished it out of the rubble, Stardrive confronted him again where, after making one last half-hearted effort to recruit her, Starscream downed her with his null-ray and prepared to execute her only to be shot in the chest by [[Livia]]. In his daze, he was assaulted by Stardrive who brutally beat him down and tore off his wings. Though grounded, Starscream's Seekers came to his rescue while he detonated the energon synthesizer and hitched a ride on Astrotrain. Reporting to Megatron on the Dire Wraiths' unfeasibility as allies, Starscream was congratulated...for finding yet another way to disappoint his master. {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 5|Shining Armor #5}}

[[File:Infiltration6 starscream on ultraenergon.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|[[Pat Lee]] has returned... be VERY afraid!!!]]
Roughly a century later, learning through undisclosed means of at least some of the secrets behind Shockwave's [[Regenesis]] program and the super-powerful [[energon]] [[Ore-13]] that the scientist had seeded on [[Earth]], {{storylink|Shockpoint}} and seeing in it the potential to challenge Megatron for Decepticon leadership once again, Starscream took his unit to that planet. There, they set about destabilizing Earth's governing organizations and create global anarchy in accordance with the strict [[infiltration protocol]] the Decepticons now operated to, all the while searching for Ore-13. After around four years, their search bore fruit when a seam of Ore-13 was uncovered in [[Nebraska]], but later, the discovery of an even purer source of the ore in [[Oregon]] prompted Starscream to step outside traditional infiltration protocols and move the Decepticons' base of operations to the new site, establishing a fortified "siege mode" bunker well in advance of the standard timeline. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 3|Infiltration #3}} Unfortunately for Starscream, the abandoned Nebraska bunker was then infiltrated by [[Stoker]], an agent of the human organization known as the [[Machination]], necessitating that both he and the data he gathered—including images of Starscream himself—be eliminated by the Decepticons. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 1|Infiltration #1}} Starscream sent Thundercracker, [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]] and [[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] after Stoker, and although they were successful in slaying the human, Starscream failed to count on [[Verity Carlo|another human]] obtaining Stoker's [[SM-40]] computer and falling in with the Autobot counter-insurgency unit also operating on the planet. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 0|Infiltration #0}}

{{bigquote|Thanks to Ore-13, Megatron, I have evolved... beyond you! I am the ''future!''|Starscream|[[Infiltration issue 6]]}}
[[File:Infiltration6 takeyourpunishment.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|right|Starscream, seen here actually getting off easy!]]
Concurrently with the search for Stoker, Starscream and [[Astrotrain (G1)/toys|Astrotrain]] successfully mined the first batch of Ore-13 from the Oregon seam. Starscream urged speed, aware that breaking protocol the way they had was sure to elicit a response from Megatron. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 2|Infiltration #2}} As he waited for the ore to process, Starscream ordered [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] and Skywarp to cover the Decepticons' tracks by destroying all evidence of Stoker's travels, including what remained of the Nebraska bunker. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 3|Infiltration #3}} Unfortunately for them, Megatron himself had arrived on Earth and was ''in'' the bunker, catching up on what Starscream had been up to, when they attacked. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 5|Infiltration #5}} Starscream emerged from the infusion capsule brimming with the incredible power of Ore-13 just as a furious Megatron arrived at the Oregon bunker and offered the Decepticons a choice: stand down, or be destroyed. Every one of his men surrendered, but the super-powered Starscream roared into battle and unleashed his full fury against Megatron. Alas, the power conveyed by Ore-13 proved insufficient to destroy the Decepticon leader, and Megatron blasted Starscream with his fusion cannon at point-blank range, virtually obliterating him. Megatron left Starscream's remains to be tended to by the Decepticons, unconcerned if he lived or died. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}}

[[File:Starcasm idw dev6.jpg|left|upright=1.95|thumb|Sarcasm from Starscream?? NO!]]
Starscream was placed in a [[CR chamber]] for extensive repairs but even with him out of the picture, the power of Ore-13 convinced Megatron to continue Starscream's subversion of infiltration protocol. The last straw for the other Decepticons came when Megatron called Sixshot in early, leading Astrotrain to propose reactivating Starscream so that he could challenge Megatron's actions. {{storylink|Devastation issue 1|Devastation #1}} Blitzwing and Astrotrain proceeded to bring Starscream back online, but no sooner was he back on his feet than the alien [[Reaper]]s attacked the Decepticon base. {{storylink|Devastation issue 4|Devastation #4}} With Megatron unaware he had been reactivated, Starscream initially decided to hold back and allow the Reapers to cause trouble first, but when Sixshot arrived, Starscream emerged from base and called the hated Six-Changer out. Starscream's appearance caused the living weapon to decide to accept the Reapers' offer to join their ranks... at which point Starscream promptly activated Sixshot's shutdown command, sending him crashing to the ground. Starscream then turned his weapons on the Reapers, causing Megatron to agree to take the fight to the aliens. {{storylink|Devastation issue 5|Devastation #5}} {{storylink|Spotlight: Grimlock}} Starscream once again accepted Megatron as his liege, and together they teamed up to destroy the alien invaders, with Starscream wielding Megatron in his Ore-13 empowered pistol mode to devastating effect. As the battle came to an end, Starscream stopped Megatron from punishing Blitzwing for going behind his back with the observation that a fleet of human jet fighters had arrived, and that the Decepticons' existence was now known to humanity. {{storylink|Devastation issue 6|Devastation #6}}

===The Decepticon ideal===
[[File:AHM8 starscream and sunstreaker.jpg|thumb|upright=1.95]]
While the Decepticons were occupied battling the Reapers, the Autobots had left Earth to deal with an incursion by the [[Dead Universe]]. Exploiting their enemies' absence, Starscream and the Decepticons went into hiding; when Autobots returned, they could find no trace of the villains, who kept one step ahead of them for months. They secretly returned to Cybertron, where Starscream stood by his leader's side as he received updates from scientist [[Deluge (G2)|Deluge]] on his experiments to create a monstrous [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticon]] [[Insecticon swarm|swarm]]. Upon returning to Earth, the Decepticons then staged a phony schism within their ranks, allowing the Autobots to believe that they had "disappeared" as a result of a power struggle that had split their ranks into two camps, one led by Megatron and one by Starscream. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} To complete their plot, Starscream approached the disenfranchised Autobot [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] with the proposition that the Autobots join with his fictitious forces against Megatron. Sunstreaker accepted, {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 8|All Hail Megatron #8}} but when he led the Autobots to the designated time and place, they were instead confronted by the united Decepticon army and promptly defeated. Starscream stood by Megatron's side and watched as the bested Autobots were exiled back to Cybertron through a [[space bridge]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}}

[[File:AHM3Starscream.JPG|left|upright=1.4|thumb|Hey, I just spotted the janitor from ''Futurama''!]]
With a year now passed since their battle with the Reapers, and with their enemies disposed of, the Decepticons began to lay waste to the Earth with the intention of taking it for their new homeworld. Starscream headed up the attack on [[New York City]] with glee, though he objected to Skywarp's insinuation that he could not sow destruction and terror on the same level as Megatron; Megatron soon arrived to prove him wrong. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1|All Hail Megatron #1}} After joining in the efforts to beat back military attacks and bomb the city's bridges, {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 2|All Hail Megatron #2}} Starscream headed for [[Washington, D.C.]], where he personally shot down the fleeing [[Air Force One]]. That task done, he returned to New York, to join Megatron in savoring their victory. Megatron mused that it was fitting to have a long-serving a Decepticon at Starscream beside him; Starscream believed he was being sarcastic, but Megatron's praise was genuine, going so far as to describe Starscream as the living embodiment of the Decepticon ideal, but a step short of full embracing it due to his own blindness to that fact. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 3|All Hail Megatron #3}}

With the conquest completed, Starscream stood at Megatron's side as he addressed the gathered Decepticons. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 4|All Hail Megatron #4}} However, as time passed and Megatron made no further new moves, content to allow his troops to wreak havoc around the world, Starscream began to suspect that Megatron ''had'' no further plan, and was merely giving his troops free reign as a distraction to keep them from turning on them. He confronted Megatron with this knowledge, and taunted him with the fact it was essentially his own fault for assembling an army of sociopaths and monsters in the first place. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}} Legitimately disheartened to see the leader he had once looked up to go so far astray, having led them through an endless war with no vision for what lay beyond, Starscream began secretly meeting with the other Decepticons, recruiting those who shared his feelings in preparation for a coup. After winning over the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]], he approached the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]], and also successfully convinced them to join him. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 8|All Hail Megatron #8}}

[[File:AHM11 all hail megatron.jpg|thumb|Roll credits!|upright=1.4]]
Starscream made his move a short while later, sending the Insecticons to attack Megatron, but the Decepticon leader summarily defeated them and revealed that he had known about Starscream's plans all along; he had, in fact, been doing nothing in order to allow the dissenting element of his army to weed themselves out. He had, however, failed to predict that the Constructicons would take Starscream's side. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10|All Hail Megatron #10}} As fate would have it, Starscream's uprising was suddenly cut short when the Decepticons came under attack, first from human jets arrived from [[Europe]], and then the returning Autobots. Starscream was forced to team up with Megatron, who assured him that someday he would get be in charge, someday after the Decepticons won, after he successfully crushed Megatron in the way that the taking of leadership required... but not today. After giving this some thought, Starscream organized his troops to fight back, hailing Megatron's name. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 11|All Hail Megatron #11}}

Megatron was subsequently defeated by Optimus Prime, but as the Autobot leader moved to inspect his fallen body, Starscream stepped in and picked up his injured leader, refusing to let the Autobots finish him off. For the moment, Megatron's words had struck home: Starscream told Prime that he now knew leadership had to taken by force, not gained through chance. Starscream led the Decepticons in withdrawing from the planet, though as he left, he reminded Prime that though the Autobots had won a battle, the Decepticons still reigned throughout the galaxy. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12|All Hail Megatron #12}}

===Leadership of the Decepticons===
[[File:AHM13 starscream and matrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67|Starscream: "Now light our darkest hour!" Decepticons: "You ARE our darkest hour, you putz!"]]
Along with a few other Decepticons, Starscream took off into space aboard Astrotrain. Despite what he had told Prime, he was not pleased that Soundwave was keeping Megatron on life support, but his attempts to dissuade the loyalist were met with failure. Afraid of the uncertainty that simply tossing Megatron out and airlock would result in, Starscream was ready to give up, knowing that the Decepticons had no real reason to follow him, and that the faction would fall to infighting as soon as others challenged his rule. All he had was the Autobot [[Matrix of Leadership]], which Megatron had seized from Optimus Prime earlier, but he had failed to find any supposed "ultimate power" within it, and prepared to throw it away. Caught in the act by [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]], Starscream was reminded of the talisman's significance to the Autobots by the Insecticon, and had the idea to use its reputation for his own ends. Gathering the Decepticons, he professed that the Matrix had chosen him to light their [[darkest hour]], but as they began hailing his name in the face of this alleged holy appointment, he stepped from the room already regretting his decision. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 13|Uneasy Lies the Head}}

[[File:Ongoing13 sad starscream is sad.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|Real Decepticon leaders chill on the [[Abraham Lincoln|Lincoln Memorial.]]]]
Starscream took the Decepticons to a barren asteroid that they could use as a staging base to regroup, but as more and more soldiers began arriving, circumstances quickly spiraled out of his control. With most of their limited resources tied up by Shockwave, who he had assigned the task of building a space bridge, Starscream charged [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] with finding a way to fabricate energon to feed his starving troops. When no breakthrough ensued, and the energy-deprived Decepticons turned to cannibalizing each other's bodies to survive, Starscream stormed into Insecticon's lab to discover he had been spending his time working on mind-controlling [[cerebro-shell]]s. Though initially angry, Starscream conceded that he could use these devices after he employed one to take out a rebellious [[Quake (G1)|Quake]]. {{storylink|All His Engines}} Later, visiting Shockwave for an update on his progress, Starscream discovered the scientist working with Soundwave to cut open Megatron's body and make weapons from his remains. Just as Starscream began to express fake outrage about this presumed "coup", Megatron himself appeared, revealing that the two had built him a new body with a built-in space bridge. He grudgingly admitted he knew Megatron would be back sooner or later, though Megatron neglected to take back leadership as long as Starscream had the Matrix, which he considered a possible threat. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 2: Altered Carbon|Altered Carbon}}

[[File:SLMegs just do it.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67|"At the very least [[Fire in the Sky|bean me with an energon cube!]] I got one right here! It'll be like old times!"]]
His leadership a complete failure, Starscream became sullen and withdrawn, lost in distant contemplation of the unknowable mysteries within the Matrix that hung around his neck and lashing out at any Decepticons who attempted to touch the talisman. After Starscream ignored his warning that an Autobot ship had crashed on the asteroid, Bombshell tried to remove the Matrix in hopes of snapping him out of his stupor, but was violently struck for his trouble. As it turned out, the wrecked ship had contained [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]], on a quest to take back the Matrix. After first using a cerebro-shell on [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]] to make him attack Starscream, he confronted the Decepticon leader on his own. Starscream was unimpressed, having used his rank to give himself nigh-impenetrable armor, only to be taken by surprise when Rodimus shot the Matrix around his neck instead, causing it to release a burst of energy and incapacitate Starscream. Rodimus snagged the Matrix, but both he and it were then blasted out into space by Megatron. {{storylink|Heart Like a Wheel}} With the threat of the Matrix now removed, Megatron re-established himself as leader of the Decepticons, and decided to inaugurate his return by beating the living daylights out of Starscream. The Seeker, however, had lost the will to continue: he would not rise to Megatron's mockery, and when the Decepticon leader aimed his fusion cannon at him, Starscream simply held it to his chest and demanded he fire. But Megatron kept pushing, eventually causing Starscream to snap and open fire with his own weapons, only to immediately regret the decision and attempt to flee in [[alternate mode|jet mode]]. A vicious dogfight above the asteroid ensued, culminating in a pained Starscream questioning how Megatron could understand what it felt like to have his dream crumble so completely. This inquiry only enraged Megatron further—his dream was the Decepticon faction itself, and Starscream had utterly destroyed it in his absence. But Megatron was not without mercy, and after pummeling Starscream to within an inch of his life, he offered him the chance to return to the fold as his subordinate. Meekly, Starscream accepted. {{storylink|Spotlight: Megatron}}

[[File:Ongoing16 brawn vs starscream.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Well, since Ironhide's not here to punch him...]]
As Megatron put his new plans into action and had the Decepticons return to Earth, Starscream went off on his own to meet with Thundercracker, who had abandoned the Decepticon cause following their previous defeat. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 2: Altered Carbon|Altered Carbon}} He tried to convince his fellow Seeker to join with him and overthrow Megatron again, seeing him as obsessed with petty revenge on humanity and lacking long-term goals. When Thundercracker refused, Starscream lost patience and gunned him down, but before he could finish the job he was attacked by [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]]. Starscream denied Brawn's accusation that he had been responsible for shooting down a plane carrying Optimus Prime, pleading for his life by suggesting he would be more valuable as a hostage. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 3: Woken Furies|Woken Furies}} Fortunately for him, Brawn chose to carry Thundercracker to safety rather than capture him. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 4: Burning Chrome|Burning Chrome}} Starscream returned to the other Decepticons and watched Optimus Prime confront Megatron in a one-on-one battle. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 5: Enemy Mine|Enemy Mine}}

Megatron subsequently surrendered to the Autobots and had himself transported back to Cybertron, in order to use his built-in space bridge to teleport the Decepticons back to their homeworld. Starscream and the other Decepticons gathered at a Native American settlement to await the bridge's opening, but were found by Bumblebee at the last minute. Starscream ordered the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] to dispose of the Autobot, while he led the other Decepticons through the bridge. {{storylink|The Question}} Emerging on Cybertron in the midst of the Autobots' battle with [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]]'s army of [[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]], Starscream and the Decepticons soon found themselves entranced by Galvatron's unseen puppetmaster, the [[D-Void]], who merged their bodies and minds together with the Sweeps to form a huge monster. {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings|Kings}} Once this "[[Deceptigod]]" was defeated, the weakened component Decepticons were captured by the Autobots and outfitted with [[Inhibitor/deterrence chip|I/D chips]]. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}}

===The Chosen One===
[[File:RID2 starscream must join you.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2]]
Two weeks after the Deceptigod's defeat, the Decepticons were still imprisoned, and Starscream was growing increasingly tired of [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]'s attempts to control the situation. Realizing that it was better to go along with the Autobots' orders for now rather than push back against them, Starscream joined most of his fellow Decepticons in serving as an enforcer, helping to put down a riot by [[NAIL]]s—unaffiliated Cybertronians who had recently returned to Cybertron and objected to Autobot governance. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}} He lurked in the background when [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] visited the Decepticon camp to lecture Ratbat, {{storylink|The Autonomy Lesson (issue)|The Autonomy Lesson}} then finally elected to depart the Decepticon camp after an argument with the new self-appointed Decepticon leader. Considering Ratbat's methods and goals regressive and seeking a new approach to power, Starscream paid a visit to Autobot high command with a legitimate desire to talk with Bumblebee about the future, only to be shocked by the distrusting Autobot's taser-cane and taken into custody for his troubles. Interrogated by Prowl, Starscream explained that Ratbat was planning to assassinate Bumblebee during the memorial ceremony for the ''Lost Light''. While the Autobots dealt with that threat, Starscream proceeded to gate-crash the ceremony himself and announced to the gathered masses his desire to be part of the planet's new government. {{storylink|The World & Everything in It}}

Naturally, all the Autobots were suspicious, but Starscream did his best to prove his good faith: he helped Prowl to cover up [[Arcee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Arcee]]'s assassination of Ratbat, then worked with [[Wheeljack (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Wheeljack]] to rescue some NAILs from a series of mysterious explosions. Wheeljack spoke up in his favor, convincing Bumblebee to let him join the government; the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] were so disgusted that they ceded from Bumblebee's leadership, and while Starscream expressed his regret to 'Bee in private later, he assured him the Autobot he would not regret his choice. {{storylink|Stick Together}} That proved untrue almost immediately, as Bumblebee, Starscream, and NAIL representative [[Metalhawk (G1)|Metalhawk]] soon held a public assembly to introduce their joint governance, and Starscream talked rings around both of them. {{storylink|Devisive}} Soon afterwards, Starscream approached [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] to buy his services as he made his play for Iacon's leadership. In exchange for protecting him from those like the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] or unruly bots, Starscream would allow Onslaught a position of power when the time came. {{storylink|Applicable Skills}}

[[File:RID8 starscream and metalhawk.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|"Us selfish, entitled jetformers gotta stick together!"]]
Starscream joined Metalhawk in greeting ex-Decepticon [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]] when he returned to Cybertron, but the new arrival's obvious distaste for his former faction prompted Starscream to step back and leave the welcoming to his fellow leaders. {{storylink|A Better Tomorrow}} Given his genuine desire to see the new government work out, Starscream was just as suspicious of the next returnee as his fellow leaders—noted Decepticon warmonger [[Turmoil]], claiming altruism, no less. Turmoil immediately began to foment distrust among the government by planting more doubts about the Autobots in Metalhawk's mind, so Starscream took the NAIL to [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]] to talk the matter out, calling upon bar owner Blurr to recount his own experiences with Turmoil as evidence for the prosecution. {{storylink|Interference Patterns}}

Not long after the Turmoil incident, Starscream and Metalhawk paid a visit to Autobot High Command to pester Bumblebee about setting up elections. {{storylink|Dinobot Hunt (IDW)|Dinobot Hunt}} That night, the pair returned to High Command, this time to check on the recently injured Wheeljack and to offer their assistance in locating [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], who had gone missing in the wilderness earlier that evening. Fearing that Starscream could leverage a successful rescue to his advantage during the elections, Bumblebee refused their offer. {{storylink|Night and the City}}

[[File:RIDannual the chosen one.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67|Starscrean volunteers to be Ted at Pawnee's annual Ted Party, not knowing what it entails.]]
That, however, didn't stop the pair from setting out regardless at dawn the next day. They watched as Blurr, also out searching, was caught in an explosion which revealed a subterranean cavern, but were prevented from entering the cave by the quick arrival of Prowl's security team. To put pressure on the Autobots, Starscream rounded up a crowd of NAILs and Decepticons and demanded that Prowl explain the situation to them. The Autobot was forced to admit that the cavern was home to the abandoned [[Crystal City]], and that [[Metrotitan (G1)|Metrotitan]] had teleported into the abandoned city, injuring itself in the process such that the surrounding area would shortly be destroyed. As Prowl returned to Wheeljack, at work in the cavern, Starscream snuck in after him, and a brief chase with the security officer led them to the Titan's face. Suddenly, it awoke, and lauded Starscream as a conqueror who would unite Cybertron, something witnessed by the entire crowd, who had followed them down into the city. The group fled to escape the Titan's detonation, and on the way back to Iacon, the divinely blessed Starscream was held aloft by NAILs and Decepticons. {{storylink|Primus: All Good Things|All Good Things}}

[[File:RID11 trying on crowns.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5]]
Being a 'bot of little faith, Starscream didn't actually ''believe'' Metrotitan's words, but he knew how to exploit ''everyone else's'' belief to virtually guarantee himself victory in the upcoming elections. He attempted to get an endorsement from [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] live on television, but Omega had greater matters to ponder; however, that night, Omega was the victim of a bombing that Starscream presumed to be the actions of the other Decepticons attempting to ruin his aspirations for political power. Finding that public opinion was already turning against him by association, Starscream confronted Shockwave over the attack, but received only an ambiguous warning to keep out of the one-eyed Decepticon's way. As he was leaving the Decepticon pen, Starscream was approached by [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] and [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]], who sought to trade information on Prowl's recent shady dealings in exchange for sanctuary from the coming storm. Starscream accepted, and used the info to blackmail Prowl into disposing of Shockwave's Decepticons for him. He was feeling quite pleased with himself, until a one-two punch of bad news took him down a peg: first, Arcee revealed she knew exactly where he had secreted Dirge away, meaning his bargaining chip was essentially useless... and second, Megatron returned. {{storylink|The End of the Beginning of the World}}

[[File:RID12 dont have to do this.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67]]
Starscream alerted the Autobot to Megatron's approach on the city, and watched as Bumblebee and the Autobots gunned him down and took him into custody. Starscream tried to dissuade the other Decepticons from marching on high command to call for Megatron's release with a stirring speech about discarding the old ways, but it failed rather spectacularly, so Starscream decided to visit the medical center and appeal to Megatron directly. {{storylink|City on Fire}} This "chat" was very one-sided as Megatron offered no response to Starscream's word save a smile—though that alone was enough to terrify the Seeker. The Decepticons' march subsequently turned into a riot, during which the prison was stormed and Megatron was liberated. The Decepticon leader dragged Starscream along to the [[Black Room]], where it was revealed that Prowl, mind-controlled by Bombshell, had been working for Megatron all along. {{storylink|The Verge}} Bumblebee and Metalhawk were soon brought to the Black Room as well, and Starscream tried to explain to them that he had had no part in Megatron's scheme; Megatron verified that, save to note that Starscream's political machinations had provided a useful distraction. {{storylink|Before the Dawn}}

[[File:RID16 heavyisthehead.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Oh no, nothing's worse than <s>Cartman</s> Starscream with ''authoritah''!]]Megatron then began his endgame, unleashing a perfected Devastator upon Iacon, and forcing Starscream to watch, professing that any political victory he had won would have been one of compromise, rather than a true Decepticon triumph. {{storylink|Plan for Everything}} Rendered near-paralytic with the seeming totality of his defeat, Starscream was dragged through the streets by Megatron, until the Autobots and Metalhawk surprised him by coming to his rescue. Separated from the main fight, Starscream and Metalhawk were confronted by Turmoil, and the re-energized Starscream killed him using Metalhawk's severed arm as a blade. The Autobots then foiled Megatron's scheme, and Starscream saw his moment to strike: though he admitted to Metalhawk that he genuinely was his friend, he used Turmoil's cannon to kill him, and presented his body to the crowd as a victim of the fighting. He called for the abandonment of factions, and the majority of the population rallied behind him, appointing him their leader {{storylink|Heavy Is the Head}} and cheering for the banishment of all those who didn't renounce their faction.

The Autobots attempted to fight this, first pointing to their wounded needing care, but Starscream promised they'd be fixed up. And hey, you didn't ''have'' to leave. All you had to was just... stop being an Autobot or Decepticon.

You're almost all leaving? Such a shame. {{storylink|Second Exodus}}

===Starscream the First===
[[File:ThreeMonologues-religiousnut.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66|Scoop using his [[Light-piping|fright-piping]] on Starscream.]]
Starscream's first night of leadership was a troubled one as the city of Iacon struggled to deal with the aftermath of Megatron's attack. One of the many problems he had to deal with was the blackouts that the city was suffering from. This was only made worse for Starscream by [[Scoop (G1)|Scoop]] and his construction patrol vowing to repair the city. He then visited the Medical Center to check on Dirge's condition but he was rebuffed by the former seeker. During an interview with Circuit on how he was planning to deal with the city's problems the power was restored by Scoop, it was at this moment that [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] approached him with the revelation that the power grid had been sabotaged with phosphex. As Scoop repaired the communication array he attempted to open his toolbox and instead found out that Scoop was a "religious nut" who believed Metrotitan's prophecy. When Rattrap tripped over Scoop, Starscream soon took the opportunity to accuse him of sabotaging the power grid, however Starscream later revealed that he was fully aware that Rattrap had planted the phosphex in Scoop's toolbox. {{storylink|Three Monologues}}

Soon afterwards, [[Solomus|Tyrest]]'s [[universal killswitch]] was activated, and Starscream was among those affected, and Starscream wondered if Megatron was causing it. {{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} However Starscream was saved thanks to Rodimus and Perceptor's {{storylink|Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|This Calamitous Life}} He later succeeded in getting a "pep" talk from Wheeljack's headless body—who had survived being shot by Prowl earlier. {{storylink|Three Monologues}} Starscream was the one who answered when the ''Lost Light'' when they called Cybertron with Tyrest's communication system; by this point, he'd started calling the place the [[Republic of Cybertron]]. {{storylink|The Sound of Breaking Glass}} Having successfully risen to power, Starscream reneged on his deal with Onslaught. {{storylink|Applicable Skills}}

[[File:DarkCybertron1-Starscream.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Even the Mini-Cons have abandoned me.]]
After being rebuilt into a new body, Starscream's secluded admiration of his new form was interrupted by Rattrap's worries about an unidentified glow just over the horizon. A scan of the phenomenon revealed a classified-but-familiar reading, that of the [[Dead Universe]], causing Starscream to seek out the crew of the ''[[Lost Light]]'' for expertise, particularly that of [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]]. {{storylink|Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|Dark Dawn}} Subsequently, an [[Quintessa (IDW)|undead Titan]] suddenly burst free from the ground, and so Starscream rounded up some weaponry in order to take out the behemoth, but Rattrap instead suggested caution. Starscream decided to visit Scoop in his cell, and the zealot pronounced Starscream as the dark answer to a prophesy hidden in the [[Covenant of Primes]]. {{storylink|Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|Black Metal}} Next Starscream visited the dead body of Metalhawk, succeeding in getting a "pep talk" out of his "old friend" as Rattrap eavesdropped. On his way out of the building, Starscream reassured his citizens that he could handle the ongoing situation—after all, he handled Megatron—and flew out towards the Necrotitan. Meanwhile, Scoop confided in Rattrap that while Starscream was the Chosen One, he may have been chosen to destroy everything. Starscream landed on the Necrotitan's shoulder and tried to start a conversation, but suddenly its eyes flashed and a deadly, chaotic wave of energy burst forth from its body. Starscream desperately tried to beat the wavefront home, but arrived just before it lay waste to the city. The wavefront had a strange and inconsistent effect on everyone, to the point that it reanimated the dead body of Metalhawk. Metalhawk beat down his murderer and abducted the captured body of Megatron, leaving with it for elsewhere. In the chaos that followed the city's destruction, Starscream soon found himself the subject of everyone's ire. {{storylink|Winners & Losers: Dark Cybertron Chapter 3|Winners & Losers}} The wave also left a strange black mark on Starscream's chest that Scoop believed was a message from [[Primus]]—Starscream was the cause of Iacon's problems. {{storylink|Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss}}

He later had the mark checked out at the Iacon Medical Center by Flatline and used this as an opportunity to check on the casualties of the Necrotitan's wave. This merely led to him being berated by [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]] on how he was letting the population down—only for the Necrotitan to then smash its way into the medical center. {{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|No Exit}} Starscream then received another berating, this time from Scoop, on how the fact he was the "Chosen One" was a responsibility to the people of Cybertron. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|The Dead Are Not Enough}} He was later approached by Rattrap and the remaining Autobots and Decepticons and merely lamented that all hope of defeating Shockwave was lost while Prowl explained his plan. He did however inform Prowl of the situation at the medical center as Flatline and Fixit "teamed up", he was then present when Megatron explained his alternative plan for defeating Shockwave. {{storylink|Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|Burning Bright}}

[[File:DarkCybertronFinale-StarscreamVsJhiaxus.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|"Is that what I look like? My god, I'm GORGEOUS!"]]
Later, Starscream was further lamenting about the hopelessness of the situation when the Lost Light arrived with Metroplex. He was observing the battle between the Necrotitan and Metroplex when Scoop started to recite the "Dark Cybertron" prophecy and was later cured when Metroplex released the [[Ore-7]] stored within his thumb. {{storylink|Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|Finis Temporis}} Starscream was later gloating to Scoop about how the prophecy was not fulfilled when he learnt its true origin—Shockwave. It was just at this moment when Metalhawk appeared with Skywarp and [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] and shot him. It was at this moment that Shockwave started to reveal his endgame to Galvatron and ''70 billion'' Ammonites appeared in the sky above Cybertron. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} Starscream then provided Bumblebee's group with a way of reaching Shockwave's base by revealing that Skywarp was still alive. He elected to take Waspinator along (much to Waspinator's objections) as the group required someone who knew the layout of the base, however he was nearly driven catatonic by the fact that Scoop willingly volunteered to remain behind instead of helping to defeat Shockwave with rest of the group. When he recovered he attacked Jhiaxus but the [[reactive armor]] Jhiaxus was wearing provided him with all of Starscream's new body's abilities. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} Starscream was not impressed by the reactive armor however (even going so far as accusing Jhiaxus of [[Fandom|cosplaying]] as him) and continued to fight Jhiaxus, even though Jhiaxus had the advantage due to him knowing everything that his new body contained and could do. He beat Jhiaxus by using the swords that were integrated into his body. He was later unfazed by Rattrap's claim that he would have difficulty maintaining control due to Metalhawk sacrificing himself to defeat the Ammonites by claiming that by killing them Metalhawk was a "genocidal despot" {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}

[[File:Words Hang in the Air - Honorable Starscream.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|It's good to be king, if just for a while. To be there in velvet, yeah, to give them a smile.]]

Starscream attended a meeting on the subject of what was to be done with Megatron to represent the People of Cybertron—who wanted a trial. Rodimus was not impressed with Starscream's rule of Cybertron. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} He was later called to provide a statement where he claimed to be "High Chancellor of the Refulgent Cybertronian Dynasty, Emperor Perpetua and Defender of the Realm". His statement on Megatron claimed that the former Decepticon leader was addled and impotent with a lack of control over his forces and that he deserved pity. Starscream was pleased with his statement as it increased his approval ratings with only one downside—the ratings of the Autobots increased as well. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|Words Hang in the Air}} Starscream's testimony had also convinced Megatron that he needed to leave behind a better legacy, and changed his plea to not guilty while invoking one of the forgotten laws of Luna-2. Starscream, fearing that Megatron wouldn't be executed as he hoped, protested, however Optimus would allow Megatron freedom of movement and shared command of the ''Lost Light''. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}}

Some time after Megatron's trial, Starscream approached Prowl and [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] to gloat about his control of Cybertron, only to be reminded by Optimus Prime that [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] was an Autobot and that Ironhide and [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] were keeping a close eye on him as well; upon being asked if he had any further comments on the situation by Circuit, he merely claimed that he couldn't feel better. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World|Hello Cruel World}} Some time after Metroplex started acting as a city for Cybertrons population, Starscream began mining operations on the Titan's filtration systems in an attempt to retrieve one of Shockwave's ores from the Titan, and hired some of the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] as guards. {{storylink|A Long Way Down}}

[[File:ABotAndHerCity-importantmatters.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|It's good to be king and have your own way, get a feeling of peace at the end of the day.]]

Six months after the events of Dark Cybertron, Starscream maintained a less than healthy relationship with Windblade due to Metroplex's constant systems failures. He confronted Windblade on the constant blackouts Metroplex was suffering with the claim that the population was blaming him for the system failures, he then threatened Windblade with serious consequences if she didn't solve the problem and left with Rattrap to discuss the rebuilding Iacon again. Starscream later claimed the blast that damaged Windblade was caused by poor maintenance and later entered her recovery room uttering the phrase "Well. Look who isn't dead". {{storylink|A 'Bot and Her City}} The ruler of Cybertron then went on to insist on how the explosion was a fortunate accident as Windblade had survived it with only minor injuries. He then threatened the cityspeaker again by claiming that she would probably not be able to cheat death twice before being kicked out of the room. Starscream then asked Rattrap to ensure that he was in the clear before Windblade made a move... {{storylink|A Long Way Down}}

[[File:Windblade3 StarscreamIntrosBadgeless.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.6]]
Starscream later oversaw the capture of Windblade and the group she had taken into Metroplex to expose his mining operations. With the group in his custody, Starscream attempted to obtain confessions to prove that Windblade was trying to undermine his regime as well as revealing the [[Badgeless]]—his new anonymous enforcers. He then tried to find out Windblade's try purpose on Cybertron as he believed that she was deliberately trying to sabotage Metroplex to gain further power. Starscream was seen confronting Blurr and [[Slag (G1)|Slug]] as Windblade and Chromia escaped from his prison. {{storylink|Windblade issue 3|Windblade vol. 1 #3}} As Chromia and Windblade rushed towards Metroplex's brain, Starscream fought Slug and Blurr, easily defeating them thanks to his handy shoulder cannons and then left to pursue the Camiens. Catching up to them at Metroplex's brain, Starscream was then attacked by Chromia as the fembot tried to buy more time for Windblade to merge with Metroplex. Starscream, however, managed to quickly dispatch Chromia and wound Windblade, before the Cityspeaker managed to successfully merge with the Titan. Despite this, Windblade still managed to merge with Metroplex and activate the Titan's defenses while she made one last attempt to find out who the mystery bomber was.

While Chromia attempted to convince Windblade to use Metroplex's space bridge to jump to [[Caminus (planet)|Caminus]], a desperate Starscream cried out that jumping while Metroplex still served as a city would kill all those who were not completely within the Titan's borders. Deciding to not make the jump, Windblade revealed to Starscream that there were other colonies formed by the ancient Titans and offered the use of Metroplex's space bridge to the leader of Cybertron to unite the colonies in return for not revealing any of the events surrounding the bombing to anyone else. Agreeing to the deal, Starscream left Windblade to deal with the aftermath. {{storylink|Windblade issue 4|Windblade vol. 1 #4}}

[[File:TheWorldOfTomorrow-StarscreamAltMode.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66]]
With Monstructor still on the loose and Devastator causing trouble on Earth, Starscream became aware of his own military shortcomings. To this end, he reactivated Wheeljack, in the hopes of bringing Megatron's failed experiment [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] back into fighting shape for the sake of his regime. Still struggling to come to terms with the vastly changed Cybertron, Wheeljack reluctantly agreed and began repairing the gestalt. A Decepticon ghetto had also grown up outside Metroplex, made up of 'Cons who were disgruntled with the status quo and loathed Starscream as a sellout. {{storylink|The World of Tomorrow}}

[[File:Punishment1 StarscreamSavesOptimus.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|right]]
A series of murders took place in the Decepticon ghetto, which Starscream was willing to dismiss as just one of them things but allowed his passionate officer [[Barricade (IDW)|Barricade]] to investigate. Starscream then left to welcome Optimus back to Cybertron after a six-month absence and, with Windblade, talk him through the new status quo. The Prime's social conscience saw them both walking the ghetto {{storylink|City of Steel (issue)|City of Steel}} and sparking a riot. Starscream swept in and helped pull Optimus free of the mob. The murderer they were tracking killed [[Heavy Barrel (G1)|Heavy Barrel]] in the midst of the riot, with Optimus and Starscream stumbling onto his still-smoking corpse. {{storylink|Fight or Flee (issue)|Fight or Flee}} Eventually, Starscream settled on the [[Firecon]]s as the obvious scapegoats culprits and joined Optimus in capturing them: a mission that went disastrously wrong thanks to brutality by the Dinobots and [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]]. {{storylink|Quest for Fire}} Optimus went on to suspect the Dinobots.

When the murderer followed up by killing ''Autobots'', Starscream told Optimus he'd been dumb and decided to raze the ghetto: the public would accept Decepticon murders but would want harsh action for Autobot ones. Barricade refused the order and went on to find a crucial clue {{storylink|The Killing Jar (issue)|The Killing Jar}} and Optimus talked Starscream into helping him with a plan: faking a fight with the Dinobots to draw out the real killer, who turned out to be Sandstorm all along. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming (issue)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}}

After Windblade repaired Metroplex's space bridge, Starscream hatched a plan to turn Caminus back into a protectorate of Cybertron—a plan that involved the recently purloined [[Enigma of Combination]]. Starscream recruited Swindle and the Stunticons for the job. While he bided his time, Starscream decided to pick out a new body for himself, although he was interrupted by Optimus Prime. The two bickered for a while about using Superion as a weapon (it's part of planetary security, honest) drawing up a truly representative government for Cybertron (as if!). Starscream finally shot down Optimus by pointing out that the people of Cybertron had chosen him as leader, although Optimus insisted that if Cybertron contacted its colonies, the governing body needed a council, not an empire.

[[File:TheSumAndItsParts-StarscreamAndScoop.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]
On his orders, Swindle used the Enigma on the Stunticons and Starscream's mole [[Blackjack (G1)|Blackjack]], combining them together and re-creating [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]. Now, however, Blackjack's short temper amplified Menasor's already prominent anger problems, creating a completely uncontrollable monster. Starscream sicced Menasor and Swindle on Caminus, intending to use the similarly revived Superion to swoop in, save the day, and win the permanent adoration of the Camiens. {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}} Unfortunately word got out to Optimus Prime and Windblade, forcing him to deploy Superion early on. Starscream just couldn't win, especially after Optimus—a holy figure to the people of Caminus—upstaged Starscream in front of the [[Mistress of Flame]]. {{storylink|The Sum and Its Parts}}

[[File:ThePossibleLight-StarscreamsNewBody.jpg|thumb|upright=1.9]]
In the lull, Starscream took the opportunity to upgrade into his new body before overseeing the first contact ceremony between Caminus and Cybertron. While he was there, he bragged about Superion and how the combiner would keep them all safe. With that done, Starscream let Swindle take the fall for his actions by throwing him in his secret prison. But then, at the Space Bridge, Optimus Prime announced on live TV that Starscream intended to build a democratic [[Council of Worlds]], throwing a wrench in Starscream's imperialistic plans and forcing him to go through. Starscream ''really'' just couldn't win. {{storylink|The Possible Light}} Starscream, Prime, and some Camiens set about hammering out a legislation, although things didn't go particularly well—mostly because Starscream knew that the Camiens would always follow Optimus Prime's vote. The meeting was quickly adjourned after Mirage brought word of an attack on the space bridge. It turned out that Prowl wasn't happy about the situation, and had decided to form Devastator and just smash the Space Bridge. Not even Superion managed to defeat him, so Starscream used the Enigma to resuscitate the defeated Aerialbots. Realizing that Superion couldn't do the job alone, Starscream zapped a recently arrived group of representatives from the ''Lost Light'', fusing them together into [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]]. The two combiners trounced Devastator, and in the aftermath Starscream had Prowl dragged off to a public jail. Not the Constructicons, though; he had plans for them... {{storylink|Mistakes and Mayhem}}

[[File:CombinerWars5-disappointed.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|'''YOU!''' Where the '''SLAG''' is your '''CHIN?''']]

Starscream stationed both of his combiners on Caminus to keep the peace and guard the space bridge before heading back to his secret prison, where he had stashed the Constructicons. Hoping to turn Devastator back to his side, Starscream used the Enigma on Scoop and the Constructicons. This new version of Devastator, while still temperamental, was willing to go along with the commands of his "Chosen One" thanks to Scoop's mental influence. After an escaped Menasor sparked a Decepticon riot, Starscream deployed Devastator to calm things down. Defensor wound up attacking Devastator, who in turn went postal and started wrecking up Caminus. Oops. {{storylink|You, Me, and the Universe}} With no other recourse, Starscream and his Badgeless troops put in a personal appearance at the space bridge, helping to keep down the non-combined Decepticons while Devastator and the newly born [[Optimus Maximus (G1)|Optimus Maximus]] tumbled from colony to colony. With Devastator defeated, Starscream's snide remarks convinced Optimus Maximus to separate so that Prowl could be arrested. {{storylink|All That Remains}} Starscream later permitted Devastator to reform so that the Constructicons could be safely removed from Caminus. {{storylink|Now and On Earth}}

{{-}}

===A weakening grip===
{{quote|''Look'' at this place. I spent ''how long'' on dank battlefields, or huddled inside ''Astrotrain'' gathering troops for ''somebody else's'' cause? I ''made'' it, goldenrod.|Starscream, "[[The Transgressors]]"}}

[[File:Windblade DS 4 Velocitronian Ambassadors.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"And I hate him already."]]

Despite finally starting to bring the colonies together, Starscream was bitter and frustrated that nobody believed he could do it and that people were talking about him behind his back... so he said to ''a hallucinated ghost Bumblebee'', who he demanded recognise that he'd finally ''made it''. Arcee, unaware of what was going on, arrived with a captured Badgeless and executed him in front of Starscream to make a point. She informed him of a growing problem with the Decepticons, who Starscream needed to keep happy on Cybertron to avoid an uprising and invasion of other planets, and that he was the only one keeping the planet together so he better try harder. {{storylink|The Transgressors}}

With Caminus in the Council, Starscream turned his attention to the next Titan colony: [[Velocitron]]. To this end he met with delegates [[Knock Out (G1)|Knock Out]] and [[Moonracer (G1)|Moonracer]], although Knock Out wasn't particularly impressed with Cybertronian culture. Starscream was disturbed by the extremely hostile planet he'd glimpsed through the Space Bridge, and mentioned to Rattrap that he wouldn't set foot on the planet if he was paid. This might be why negotiations broke down. {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 4|Windblade vol. 2 #4}}

[[File:WindbladeVol2Issue6-deadlygame.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|"This game sucks. Let's play Hungry Hungry Hippos instead."]]

After Windblade decided to sneak off to Velocitron to convince them to join the Council, Starscream recruited Superion for a secret jaunt of his own: a trip to the planet [[Devisiun (planet)|Devisiun]]. The tiny modular colonists were very impressed by Superion's combiner technology, and sent [[Fireshot]] and [[Vanquish]] as delegates. Windblade had had enough of the secret power plays, though, so after a heated debate the two agreed to travel to the next colony together. That planet turned out to be [[Jungle Planet (colony)|Eukaris]], a planet colonized by xenophobic [[beast mode]] Transformers, who were less than thrilled to have vehicle-based Transformers set foot on their planet. Their Titan, [[Chela]], was even ''less'' thrilled than they were, so unhappy that he decided to just blow them up and be done with it. Starscream thought otherwise, and flew into his brain module, where he shot the Titan dead in spite of Windblade's protests. At least Eukaris decided to join the council. {{storylink|Race Against the Light}} {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 6|Windblade vol. 2 #6}}

Windblade and Starscream bickered some more after returning from Eukaris, although Starscream maintained that he had done the right thing—even saved Windblade from certain death. The next day, the two headed out to the final colony Metroplex had discovered, a spaceborne Titan he identified as [[Tempo]], crewed by philosophers. As it turned out, the ship was actually staffed by a well-armed military dictatorship. Captain [[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]] claimed that their Titan was actually named [[Vigilem|Carcer]]. Starscream tried to convince them to join the council, but his remarks just made Elita angry, and she threatened to kill him. Windblade managed to salvage the situation at the last minute, convincing them to join the council so as to counter Starscream's growing influence. {{storylink|The Will of the Few}}

[[File:ChooseMe_starscreamiest_grin.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.1|''The three words that best describe you are as follows, and I quote: Stink, stank, stunk!'']]

In a conversation with dead Bumblebee, a bitter and lonely Starscream decided to get some of the goodwill felt by the colonies' return and declared a new holiday, "[[Chosen One Day]]". While he intended for everyone to remember they owed their goodwill to ''him'' and show him some, it was misread as a holiday to show your loved ones goodwill instead. This worked in his favour as everyone assumed he'd done that deliberately. Wheeljack, Windblade, and the Council members showed up to toast him and honour him with a night of friendship. {{storylink|Choose Me}}

During a broodfest, [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]] showed up with his fellow Decepticons to ''oh so politely'' ask for a 'favour': they wanted Starscream to look the other way while they used the spacebridge later. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 1: Aphelion|Aphelion}} Rather than cause trouble, Starscream allowed it and when [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] at the space port noticed the Decepticon movement, Starscream told him not to "overreact" to "a stroll". Later, unsure and talking it through with 'Bumblebee', he let an actual moment of ''conscience'' decide his actions and informed Windblade of the Decepticon movement. But a bit too late! {{storylink|Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|Lagrange}} Starscream headed in with reinforcements to help in the form of Badgeless and Superion and was pissed to find Optimus there already with [[Victorion|his ''own'' combiner]], pulling rank again. He ordered all the defeated Decepticons rounded up for later and agreed to get the spacebridge up and running to allow Optimus to stop Galvatron on Earth. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 4: Perihelion|Perihelion}} The situation swiftly went terrible again as the Decepticons started fighting again as soon as Victorion was gone and when Starscream called in Devastator, he only trashed the place and let fugitives escape. Man, how could this get worse—Optimus declaring Earth a protectorate? Yeah, that'd do it. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 1: Once Upon a Time on Earth|Once Upon a Time on Earth}}

[[File:NewWorldsOrder-StarscreamAndBumblebee.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|"And I didn't even get the lousiest of T-shirts."]]
After Windblade, Optimus et al. had kept hinting he was a dodgy neo-imperialist, Starscream was ''utterly livid'' when Optimus ''actually'' annexed a planet and part of the Council of Worlds, all without talking to anyone else. He said they couldn't give Prime a seat and justify conquest, and was left distraught when Windblade agreed but said they should give Prime the ''benefit of the doubt''. In a conversation with dead Bumblebee, Starscream compared Prime's actions to Megatron's and [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]]'s and warned that this would go the same way. {{storylink|New Worlds Order}} Shortly after, Starscream witnessed a broadcast from the ''Lost Light'' of crew members about to be executed. He watched with fear as he knew they were victims of the [[Decepticon Justice Division]]. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}} Roughly around this time, Starscream came into contact with [[Airachnid (G1)|Airachnid]], a Eukarian [[Mnemosurgery|mnemosurgeon]] whom he tasked with finding [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle's]] body. {{storylink|The Price of You}}

Airachnid's methods however were less than subtle and following a series of mnemosurgical attacks on Decepticons around Iacon, Starscream oversaw a meeting of councillor [[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]]'s Justice Committee. The Carcer delegate proposed Ironhide be appointed to investigate possible Badgeless involvement in the crimes, and Starscream reluctantly agreed to consider the proposal while feigning ignorance about the murders. After Badgeless officers shot a drunk Decepticon under suspicious circumstances later that day, Windblade accused Starscream of orchestrating the murders in an attempt to locate the seemingly missing corpse of Swindle, but the sovereign of Cybertron threatened her in return with his knowledge of Chromia's bomb plot. Immediately afterwards, Starscream was aghast to discover that video footage of the murder had surfaced and was being broadcast on the city news. {{storylink|07:00:00}}

[[File:ApplicableSkills-ourfearlessleader.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"It's out of control. It's out of control and we'll be lucky to live through it."]]

A mob of angry citizens quickly formed outside Starscream's residence. After being needled by dead Bumblebee, the ruler of Cybertron was dragged to an emergency meeting of the Council of Worlds, where he immediately proposed that the Decepticon ghetto be locked down by the Badgeless. The other councillors quickly shot down the idea, and Starscream in return refused Rattrap's proposal to summons Victorion from Earth. He went on to explain his fear that events were being manipulated by his former ally [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]], out for revenge, before eventually agreeing to a plan for the situation: appoint Ironhide the new head of the Badgeless, to carry out a full investigation of recent events. As they watched Ironhide, Starscream confided in Windblade that he didn't possess Swindle's body, before blackmailing the Cityspeaker into taking responsibility for dealing with Onslaught and his [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]]. {{storylink|Applicable Skills}}

Several weeks later, Starscream caught Windblade on the way out of a council session to demanded a report, and was told that Onslaught was, by all appearances, not carrying out any scheme or plan. They were interrupted by an incoming message for the Cityspeaker, but Starscream refused to let her answer it until he was certain she was carrying out his bidding, again dangling his knowledge of Chromia's misdeeds in front of Windblade. {{storylink|Things We Said We'd Never Do}} As it happened, the call had been from Chromia, who had now witnessed the Combaticons use the Enigma of Combination to merge with the brain-dead Swindle into [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]. As security forces evacuated the councillors, Starscream attempted to blackmail Windblade into helping kill the rampaging combiner. Ultimately, however, Ironhide took down Bruticus, whilst Chromia admitted to her crimes on a live news broadcast, as an unhappy Starscream looked on. {{storylink|The Line Between Us}}

[[File:ItsBeginningToAndBackAgain-StarscreamAndRattrap.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|"Yeah well, I'm gonna go raise my own Titan. With blackjack! And hookers! In fact, forget the Titan!"]]

Optimus (who'd been haunted by dreams of Starscream accusing him of hypocrisy) finally contacted Starscream, along with the Mistress of Flame and Soundwave, proposing to meet with each of them to discuss recent events. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 2: Edge of the Earth|Edge of the Earth}} When Prime arrived on Cybertron for his meeting with Starscream and the Council of Worlds, the ex-Decepticon took a moment to revel in the Autobot leader's newfound bad reputation before arriving fashionably late. Accusing Optimus of starting an interstellar war, Starscream dismissed Optimus as another tyrannical [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] who ''took'' power rather than being ''chosen'' like he was. Citing the general populace's loss of faith in Optimus, Cybertron's leader announced that the council would not stand with Optimus, before striding away. The next morning, Starscream summoned the news team of [[Circuit (G1)|Circuit]] and [[Longtooth]] for a special task – travelling to Earth to show everybody firsthand what Optimus Prime's actions had wrought. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 3: The Medium and the Message|The Medium and the Message}}

This plan worked out rather nicely for Starscream, who watched with joy as live footage of human military forces attacking Optimus Prime's troops was beamed back to Cybertron. Dead Bumblebee insisted Prime's refusal to retaliate would show his heroism, but Cybertron's leader was confident he could spin any outcome to his advantage. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 4: It's Beginning To And Back Again|It's Beginning To And Back Again}} When the humans finally surrounded Prime, Starscream was ecstatic, but moments later, was taken aback when the Autobot raised Metrotitan, thought dead, from the ground! {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 5: As Above...So Below|As Above...So Below}} The ex-Decepticon was quickly called to an emergency council meeting by Windblade. Prime's holy act changed the group's tune, and they soon decided to declare Earth a colony world. Looking out over his planet, Starscream sulked about the decision whilst Bumblebee said "I told you so" – Optimus Prime had come out on top. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 6: No Fair Fights|No Fair Fights}}

[[File:TheLastAutobot KLUNK.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.9|This pretty much sums up their relationship.]]
When a massive energy discharge was detected at the former site of Kaon, Starscream was roped into investigating personally by Windblade. Shockingly, they found the city intact within a crater, but this matter was quickly forgotten when the pair were called back to Iacon, where none other than the long-dead Sentinel Prime was on a rampage! Starscream fired on the false Prime, but got a [[spark disruptor]] thrown onto his chest for his troubles. Luckily for the ex-Decepticon, Windblade was able to jump the disruptor onto her own spark, where its detonation was non-fatal thanks to the differing frequency of Camien sparks. The pair quickly flew to regroup with the forces fighting Sentinel Prime at the space bridge. {{storylink|The Last Autobot}}

Discussing recent events, General [[Joe Colton]], [[Scarlett]] and [[Miles Mayhem|Miles Manheim]] recalled Starscream's part in the [[Transformer]]s' early battles over Ore-13 on Earth. {{storylink|Secret Raiders: A Revolution Prelude|Secret Raiders}} When Windblade merged with Metrotitan's mind, she saw glimpses of all her possible pasts and futures, many of which included Starscream. {{storylink|Informed}}

[[File:Ping-Starscream.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"I ''am'' the Senate."]]
Starscream and Rattrap were soon summoned to Ironhide's office to discuss turning over the [[Enigma of Combination]] to Ironhide which Starscream (shockingly) refused to do. Ironhide them gave him a stirring speech telling him it was time for Starscream to actually start leading instead of playing political games. Before anything else could be said all three of their communicators pinged at exactly the same time. Regrouping at the [[Spire]], Starscream was shocked to hear Windblade and Obsidian's report of a fleet of undead [[Titan (group)|Titans]] bearing down on Cybertron. Taking Ironhide's speech to spark, Starscream told everyone to rally for war and drafted every ship into service. After transmitting a rousing speech (and saying any ship who fled would be either shot down or declared an enemy of the state), the fighting began. While things began promisingly enough, [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] soon fell and Starscream saw fit to contact [[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]] to request [[Vigilem|Carcer]] be transformed and brought to the surface. She refused. {{storylink|Ping}} After another failed try, Starscream gathered the [[Council of Worlds]] and told them to begin evacuating Cybertron. Windblade refused to do so however believing that either she or [[Lightbright (G1)|Lightbright]] could access Carcer's brain and convince the Titan to aid Cybertron on their own. Agreeing, Starscream sent a contingent of Cybertronian ships and Devastator to attack Carcer as a distraction informing Elita to never underestimate the depths of his pettiness. {{storylink|Desperate Times}} While waiting for news, Bumblebee commented that Windblade and Starscream would get so much more accomplished if they were actually friends. Starscream reminded Bumblebee what [[Death|happened]] to the [[Metalhawk (G1)|last person]] Starscream had considered a friend prompting a confused look from [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] at Starscream for talking to himself. {{storylink|Desperate Measures (Till All Are One)|Desperate Measures}} When Windblade had succeeded in awakening Carcer who himself had been successful in destroying the invaders Starscream cheered! {{storylink| Rubicon}}

[[File:Heavy StarscreamBumblebeeGuilty.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.9]]
Which was short lived because not only was Starscream informed "Carcer" was Vigilem and he'd freed [[Liege Maximo]], he soon had to preside over a court case regarding a [[Badgeless]] killing [[Drunkatron|some pleb]]. Though the Badgeless was clearly innocent, Starscream wondered if declaring him guilty would help things. He called a recess when he learned Elita was taking credit for "Carcer's" victory and called her to his office flanked by [[Fireshot]], [[Tigatron]], [[Moonracer (G1)|Moonracer]] and the [[Mistress of Flame]]. When Elita arrived, she recapped the history of Maximo and his Titan before explaining she'd thought to keep their existence a secret in case someone might have proven foolish, arrogant or desperate enough to free the ancient Prime before telling the Council to ready themselves for war against the member of the [[Thirteen]] and walked off. Starscream agreed that, for the moment, Maximo's freedom should be kept a secret before the Mistress of Flame requested Chromia be turned over to her. Starscream refused so the Mistress instead requested [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] and the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]]. Bumblebee soon appeared to Starscream and told him what to do: Rule the Badgeless innocent, hand over Chromia and stand against Elita. When Starscream pointed out doing all three would make him an easy target, Bumblebee said Starscream was choosing to fight and he could be better. Too bad Starscream didn't believe that himself as he convicted the innocent 'bot. He then freed Chromia into the Mistress's custody on the condition that she hunt down and slay Liege Maximo. {{storylink|Heavy}}

[[File:ThePriceOfYou-StarscreamBumblebee.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"The way is open."]]
With Elita soon ready to return to orbit, Starscream was summoned by Airachnid to give her report on the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]]. Airachnid revealed that while it was normally impractical to try and alter the minds of so many, she could do so after the five had combined but needed a willing lynchpin to make sure the other four didn't pick up on the lie. Starscream had Airachnid patch him into [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off's]] mind where Starscream offered to make his dream of "domestic bliss" with Onslaught a reality. Blast Off agreed and Starscream later spoke with Ironhide that the now loyal Combaticons would not be prosecuted since Airachnid had discovered (through genuine medical examination of course) that the Combaticons could not be held culpable for their actions. {{storylink|The Price of You}} Starscream was soon approached by [[Windblade's doctor|a doctor]] who brought him to [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] revealing her to not be brain dead but to have shut down due to ''too much'' data in her brain. Deducing it was Vigilem, Starscream nonetheless refused to delegate a mnemosurgeon. This was the final straw for Bumblebee who demanded to know why Starscream always pushed good people away. Starscream responded that every time he opened himself up, life (usually wearing Megatron's face) would beat the tar out of him. Seeing the odd looks he was getting, Starscream pretended to turn on his comm. and told Bumblebee to leave if he was so disgusted by him. And leave Bumblebee did. Starscream then allowed Blast Off to see Swindle while consulting Airachnid about how to help Windblade. The answer was simple: A third bot would enter her head and help her destroy Vigilem assuming the strain of three minds didn't kill all three. Reluctantly Starscream realized he had no choice but to help her. {{storylink|If I Know You}}

Starscream arrived and made a heroic entrance by shooting Vigilem in the back. Alas, Windblade was not grateful as Starscream had failed to consider a risk in the plan. By linking his mind to hers, Vigilem was able to access it and escape through Starscream. The evil Titan smirked and adopted the form of Starscream's worst fear: [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]].

[[File:Your First Mistake - Screamys True Form.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4|"Oh, no forged body for Starscream huh? Fine. I'll go build my own Vector Sigma. With blackjack! And hookers! In fact, forget the Vector Sigma and the blackjack! Aw screw the whole thing."]]
Now in Starscream's mind, Vigilem began beating Starscream through all his bodies wearing down his confidence before he prepared to execute him and take his body. Windblade saved him by scooping up Starscream's spark before she witnessed his birth. Horrified by cold construction, Windblade summoned a mental copy of the [[Forge of Solus Prime]] and began forging Starscream's true self, each strike bringing up a mental projection of someone who had an impact on Starscream's life, the ghosts holding off Vigilem. When she was done, Starscream stood as a towering version of what he would look like were his spark allowed to shape its own body. Stomping down Vigilem, the two jets were able to defeat the Titan and returned to the real world though Starscream insisted nothing had changed. Windblade cheekily bounced away telling Starscream not to be so foolish or close minded and that she'd now be her own bot and not just a mouthpiece for others. {{storylink|Your First Mistake}}

Optimus Prime later showed up to try and petition the [[Council of Worlds]] to grant [[Earth]] a spot on the Council and trade with the [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]]. Starscream refused both citing the [[Tyrest Accord]] saying Cybertron needed its resources to rebuild and that aliens were likely to use Cybertronian technology to ''attack'' Cybertron. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 3: Behind My Bleeding Back|Behind My Bleeding Back}} When [[Jazz (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jazz]] was interviewed by humans, he remembered Starscream's presence in the invasion of Earth as well as mentioning that Starscream now ruled Cybertron. {{storylink|What It's Really Like}} When [[Sideswipe (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sideswipe]] was given a mental projection to die peacefully, he remembered Starscream's deal with Sunstreaker. {{storylink|The Life of Sideswipe}}

When Optimus and [[Pyra Magna]] returned to Cybertron to the [[Rust Sea|Sea of Rust]], Starscream spied on them from afar with Bumblebee. Starscream scoffed at how saccharine Bumblebee's origins were before the conversation turned to [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Onyx Prime]]. Starscream then flew off while commenting to Bumblebee that the yellow 'bot was just a figment of the Seeker's imagination. {{storylink|Ghost Stories}}

[[File:Salvation SlugCorpse.jpg|upright=1.6|thumb|left]]
While a new [[hot spot (phenomenon)|hot spot]] had lit up in [[Alyon]] a few months earlier, Starscream was in no rush to harvest the sparks and instead kept its existence a secret, explaining to an outraged [[Swift (G1)|Swift]] that what with all the recent attacks, Cybertron was currently too dangerous to introduce a new generation to. He also sought to take care of the Dinobots, who'd gone rogue, killed many Badgeless and supposedly kidnapped [[Strafe (IDW)|Strafe]], but since they were still Autobots and he didn't want conflict with Optimus Prime, he acted off the record by offering Sandstorm freedom in exchange for their deaths. Unfortunately the Alyon sparks were stolen by [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] and used to revive [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. prompting Starscream to deploy Devastator in Iacon's defense. After Trypticon was freed from Bludgeon's control and made off with the sparks, Starscream recovered the defeated Bludgeon, one of his mutated sparks and the remains of Slug, and began making plans. {{storylink|The Transformers: Salvation|Salvation}} The experiments eventually bore fruit, succeeding in bringing Slug back to life. {{storylink|The Dead Come Home, Part 1 (of 2)|The Dead Come Home, Part 1}}

[[File:OriginMyths-Starscream.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.1|Pay no attention to me being the ''Combiner Wars'' body again for just this issue]]

Soon before Earth announced its chosen ambassador, ''Lord'' Starscream (best to get in the habit now) was called to Alpha Trion's apartment (and was bemused by the books) where the old sage recounted the origins of the Autobot insignia. Starscream, failing to grasp the story's meaning, questioned whether he was supposed to be [[The Fallen|Megatronus]] or Arcee, expressed disbelief that Arcee and Galvatron were twins, found "Megatronus" to be a made-up name and asked that since Alpha Trion said all stories were lies, why should be believe any of it? Earth then called to announce its representative to the [[Council of Worlds]], [[Marissa Faireborn]]. Starscream grumbled and said he'd prepare the plaza. {{storylink|Origin Myths}}

As the ceremony started, Starscream began a speech only for an explosion to cut him off. Demanding a status report from Ironhide and Windblade, he learnt that [[Red Shadows|tiny red robots]] were waiting to strike inside false Cybertronians. Starscream suspected human involvement and ordered the Space Bridge closed. {{storylink|First Strike issue 1|First Strike #1}} Heroically cowering in the [[Spire]], Starscream accused Elita One of treachery only for the femme to say humans were responsible and prepared to execute Marissa. Marissa however soon humbled Elita into calling for reinforcements from Carcer...only for the [[Solstar Order]] to transmit to Cybertron that they'd detected Dire Wraith energy signatures emanating from Cybertron and had quarantined the planet. Starscream called foul on this, familiar with the tactics of the Dire Wraiths and suspected Elita was up to another trick but the Carcerian informed him that Cybertron was on its own. {{storylink|First Strike issue 2|First Strike #2}} The debate of what to do continued until [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] and [[M.A.S.K.]] were brought before the Council where Elita ordered them executed. {{storylink|First Strike issue 3|First Strike #3}}

As the Council debated over that, Starscream advised Elita not to mention her past before he shut everyone up and reminded them of the fact that he was in charge of Cybertron and thus the final decision was his. Conceding that tricking Soundwave was nigh-impossible, Starscream asked [[Scarlett]] what Colton's plan was and she revealed to knowing nothing save a gut feeling that it involved some sort of bomb. Scoffing at the threat of humans bringing any harm to Cybertron, he threw G.I. Joe and M.A.S.K. in jail under suspicion charges before informing Optimus that not everyone shared Elita's feeling about him, some hated him even more than she did. Despite his posturing however, he sent Ironhide and [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] after Colton so as to not look weak with approval to use lethal force. {{storylink|First Strike issue 4|First Strike #4}}

[[File:FirstStrike5-satisfying.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.9|Perhaps... a quiet chuckle.]]

[[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]] soon brought the news that Optimus had broken the humans out of jail with Windblade arriving soon after to deliver the same news. Before doing anything, Starscream took a moment to enjoy the fact that everyone had come to him for help in stopping Optimus Prime.

Starscream then called in Ironhide and directed everyone to follow Optimus's trail, with orders to bring the humans in alive. Elita surprisingly offered herself and Obsidian as backup, though Starscream reminded her that he was in charge. {{storylink|First Strike issue 5|First Strike #5}}

The group caught up with the hostiles outside the core chamber, where Starscream placed everyone under arrest and fired a missile at Optimus, before engaging him in melee combat. The fighting was interrupted by [[Merklynn|Garrison Kreiger]] activating the alien [[Talisman (G1)|Talisman]] and revealing himself as an alien sorcerer known as Merklynn, creating [[New Prysmos]] and teleporting all combatants back to Iacon. On the surface, Starscream took Colton's rueful mumblings as his "witnessed confession" but was prevented from executing the human by Scarlett. {{storylink|First Strike issue 6|First Strike #6}}

[[File:TheDeadComeHomePart1 StarscreamCouncilMeeting.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.5]]
With Cybertron's own energon now unpalatable to its people, Starscream sampled the human-made substitute. It was terrible. At a Council meeting to debate the energy crisis, Starscream opined that the [[Solstar Order]] was indebted to Cybertron for their obstructive blockade before he was called away by Optimus Prime and [[G.B. Blackrock|Garrison Blackrock]]. Scoffing at Prime's accusations regarding the Seeker concealing the existence of the newborn [[protoform]]s, Starscream loaned them [[Slag (G1)|Slug]] and sent them on their way, {{storylink|The Dead Come Home, Part 1 (of 2)|The Dead Come Home, Part 1}} hoping that the protoforms would then be turned over to him. {{storylink|The Dead Come Home, Part 2 (of 2)|The Dead Come Home, Part 2}} When [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] used the [[Void Scepter]] to make Slug attack the Dinobots, Bumblebee noted he was not acting according to Starscream's plan. {{storylink|The Dead Come Home, Part 1 (of 2)|The Dead Come Home, Part 1}} After being informed of this, the Seeker came running and shattered the Void Scepter before going on a rant about his plan falling apart. {{storylink|The Dead Come Home, Part 2 (of 2)|The Dead Come Home, Part 2}}

Soon afterwards, Starscream repaired Bludgeon and the Void Scepter, sending the mad scientist out into the galaxy to rally all the lost Decepticon cells and bring them back into the fold. {{storylink|Unstopped and Unstoppable}} {{storylink|Stranger Eons}}

[[File:TheChosenOne StarscreamElectionPlans.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.3]]
From atop his tower, Starscream watched the unwashed masses lavish praises onto Optimus with ''[[The Birth of Cybertron]]'' playing in the background. The old film gave Starscream an idea to consolidate his power and win over [[Earth]]. To that end, he sought out [[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Thundercracker]] and hired him to produce [[Starscream: The Movie (film)|a biographical film]] about Starscream's life. {{storylink|Starscream: The Movie (comic)|Starscream: The Movie}}

To mark Windblade's return to the Council of Worlds, Starscream called in [[Circuit (G1)|Circuit]] and [[Longtooth]] for a photo-op but promptly kicked them out when Windblade nearly revealed [[Liege Maximo]]'s freedom. When Windblade stormed off to inform Circuit and Longtooth of this news, Starscream promised to look the other way if the [[Mistress of Flame]] wanted to tackle Windblade down. On [[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]]'s "advisement", Starscream called for free elections and confessed to Bumblebee that after seeing his "true self", he only had the best intentions for Cybertron, before organizing the debate schedule. Later on, he outlined his power infrastructure plans to Bumblebee before Windblade arrived with a briefcase containing all of his very dirty laundry. Unable to manipulate Windblade anymore, Starscream aggressively began looking for holes in the evidence, only to learn Bumblebee would not help him, saying the Seeker had to decide how much his future expansion meant to him. {{storylink|The Chosen One}}

Thundercracker then visited Starscream to find out what the Decepticons had meant to the chancellor. Starscream claimed it had been his job to point the Decepticons on the path of righteousness. A task that had failed due to the Decepticons ignoring Starscream's advice. But now they weren't. Now everyone listened to Starscream. {{storylink|Starscream: The Movie (comic)|Starscream: The Movie}}

[[File:TheChosenOne-imsorry.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.8|''I guess I gotta give part two of my confessions'' ''If I'm gonna tell it, then I gotta tell it all'']]
At the electoral debate, Starscream listened to Windblade's speech before he had a moment of conscience and, before all of Cybertron, confessed each and every one of his crimes (which took over an hour), costing him everything and landing him a life sentence.

Visiting him in his cell, Windblade gifted Starscream with a holo-projector of his forged body, signifying that he had finally fulfilled the ancient prophecy of the "Chosen One". By getting Cybertron to turn against him, he had succeeded in uniting the planet. {{storylink|The Chosen One}}

Incorporating this latest development into his film, Thundercracker visited Starscream in his cell and showed him the finished product. Displaying uncharasteric concern for others' feelings, Starscream claimed the film was "delightful but irrelevant" given his imprisonment. Despite his attempts to bury the film, Thundercracker was insistent on it getting out prompting Starscream to request [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]] pass along a message to a friend. On Starscream's orders, two [[Badgeless]] then diverted Thundercracker to [[Prion (planet)|Prion]] where they tried to kill him. {{storylink|Starscream: The Movie (comic)|Starscream: The Movie}}
{{-}}

===Decepticon once again===
[[File:AnotherMine-TrueSelfHologram.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.6|''So, yes, I still do bad things But are they actually bad? No!'']]
Starscream took his life sentence in stride, happy to let others carry the burden of planetary leadership and convinced his reign would be viewed, at worst, as a step in the right direction. When [[Scoop (G1)|Scoop]] arrived to vent his disappointment, the discussion was interrupted when Bumblebee told Starscream that [[Nemesis (BW)|a gigantic optic]] had appeared in the sky. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 1: Surfeit of Primes|Surfeit of Primes}} The confusion passed quickly as the Seeker was more content to stare at the holo-image of his "true" self and languish what he could have been if he'd been allowed to live as he was meant to. Bumblebee disputed that believing everyone was defined by the sum of their own experiences and that, at least in part, Starscream's imprisonment was on him. Starscream disagreed. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 2: Another Mine|Another Mine}} Soon enough, [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] broke Starscream out of prison, hailing him as the Chose One once again, before Metrotitan space bridged in to do the same. As Metrotitan began an attack on Nemesis, the evil Titan simply fired a crippling shot through his brother's torso, downing him. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 3: The Ground|The Ground}}

[[File:TheHallowing StarscreamBroken.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.5|"You weren’t born to be king. You were born to cause pain and suffering and death. That’s how it is, that’s how it was, that’s how it will be. All so that others can achieve their best versions of themselves."]]
After witnessing Onyx Prime, throw Optimus into the [[Crystal City]] [[black hole]], Devastator revealed to Starscream his theory that the Seeker was the reincarnation of [[the Fallen]]. Deciding to spin this to his advantage, Starscream had Devastator carry him to Metrotitan whereupon he set the combiner on the Autobots while Bumblebee vanished. Conversing with the Titan, Starscream was elated to find out he really was divine... whereupon Shockwave, who had been sent back in time and posed as Onyx Prime, arrived to reveal he had masterminded the "Chosen One" prophecy as a means of keeping a vain fool in charge of Cybertron and leaving the planet unprotected for his machinations. To punctuate his statement, Shockwave slew Metrotitan leaving Starscream to mutter where Bumblebee had gone. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 4: The Hallowing|The Hallowing}} His will to fight completely gone, Starscream despondently made his way back to his cell only to be noticed by the rioting Decepticons. After he explained himself to them, they hesitatingly suggested that he become the [[Decepticon leader]] once again. Though initially dismissive of such a prospect, Starscream soon realized he was the best choice for such a job. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 5: Endless Forever|Endless Forever}} Once Shockwave had been captured and the [[Maximal]]s had retreated, Starscream resumed leadership of the Decepticons, leading his army away to draw up plans of conquest. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 6: Unforgivable|Unforgivable}} Camping out in Metrotitan's corpse, Starscream outlined his plans to the Decepticons, and defended his choice of a hideout, before [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] entered seeking to bring Starscream to Shockwave. {{storylink|Unstopped and Unstoppable}}

[[File:LastStand StarscreamTheSavior.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.5|"He's brought a flag."{{-}}"Damn, that's dash cunning of him."]]
When he arrived, Shockwave told Starscream of his plans to create a new [[Decepticon Empire]], with Starscream in charge, but said Cybertron would have to be sacrificed to [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]. Scoffing at the offer, Starscream instead went to meet with the Camien refugees and announced he would be saving Cybertron. {{storylink|Last Stand (Unicron)|Last Stand}} When brought to the Council war room, Starscream revealed the existence of the [[Decepticon Vengeance Division]], a fleet of capital ships, all capable of destroying whole planets, that he'd ordered to corner and destroy Unicron at [[G Nebula 89]]. As debates flew over what course of action to take, [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] revealed the DVD was already facing Unicron to no effect. Soon enough, the monster had freed itself from the DVD and teleported to Cybertron, now having attained a [[robot mode]]. {{storylink|Stranger Eons}} In light of this, Starscream proposed space bridging away, even more so when it was revealed the [[Talisman (G1)|Talisman]] could kill Unicron if left behind. Unwilling to allow to sacrifice so many, Soundwave telepathically informed every Decepticon that their leader was willing to abandon them causing them to swarm into Metroplex. When Windblade began working on an alternate strategy, Starscream voted to stay, claiming he owed Windblade for the faith she'd put in him. {{storylink|Our Finest}} Metroplex did indeed space bridge to Earth soon after though all Starscream did was grumble about the humidity in the [[Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park]], an attitude which earned him a sock to the jaw from Arcee. {{storylink|Road's End}}

[[File:Unicron6 Starscream's Sacrifice.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|right|"Had to be me. Someone else might have gotten it wrong."]]

After waving off some employee complaints about his leadership, Starscream attended the briefing on Unicron where he told Jetfire to cut to the chase. As part of the final plan to save the universe, Starscream reunited with Skywarp and Thundercracker, ferrying Optimus Prime to Unicron so the Prime could use the Talisman to destroy the Chaos Bringer. {{storylink|Assembly (Unicron)|Assembly}} Though the fliers initially managed to slip past the mutated DVD, Skywarp and Thundercracker were soon forced to fall back, the latter tossing Starscream the Talisman. Unable to reach Unicron's core without Skywarp, Starscream realized there was only one way to complete the mission. After requesting that they give his best to Windblade, Starscream activated the Talisman, its magical energies consuming him completely but allowing the device to burrow its way to Unicron's core, ultimately allowing the monster to be felled. {{storylink|Ceremony}}

In the new era, Bumblebee became Cybertron's ambassador to the [[Galactic Council]]. Before the scout left Earth, he conversed with the ghostly Starscream (now himself trapped in [[infraspace]]) on a beach. Though Bumblebee openly invited his friend to join him, the Seeker knew he wouldn't be welcome. When the scout thought Starscream was annoyed that Optimus would receive all the credit for saving the universe, Starscream laughed it off, content that people would simply remember him. {{storylink|Post}}
{{--}}

==Spotlight: Mirage==
At the war's end, Starscream and a small team of Decepticons accompanied the mercenary [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] to the [[Pegasus Star Cluster]]. He led the Decepticons into the Autobot bunker after Mirage destroyed the Autobot security system, but stood back during the ensuing fight. After Megatron ordered the Autobot prisoners executed, Starscream held [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] back as Mirage prepared to kill [[Hound (G1)|Hound]].

But it was all Mirage's dream... or was it? {{storylink|Spotlight: Mirage}}

==Notes==
[[File:Wfc-starscream-0.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb]]
*As the issues go by, Starscream takes to a habit of changing into a new body whenever the toyline at the time releases a new toy rendition of him, which is eventually explained in-universe as a subconscious rejection of his bodies. Or maybe he's just a vain git.
**Starscream debuted in ''[[Infiltration issue 1|Infiltration]]'' with an original design as an F-22 drawn by [[E. J. Su]].
**In ''[[All Hail Megatron issue 1|All Hail Megatron]]'', Starscream (and Thundercracker and Skywarp) was drawn by [[Guido Guidi]] according his [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|''Masterpiece'' toy]] as an F-15.
**Starscream's appearance in the first half of ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' seems to be based more on this concept drawing (at right) of him for the ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (games)|War for Cybertron]]'' game, rather than his [[:File:WFC Starscream.jpg|actual appearance]] in either of the two games. This is most noticeable when looking at his pelvic region and thighs.
**Also, the crown he occasionally wears in later issues of the comic is based on the crown he sports in ''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron]]'', which in itself is based on the crown he wears in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''.
**[[Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|''Dark Cybertron'' #1]] updated him to the [[Starscream (G1)/toys#T30Armada|''Thrilling 30'' toy]] of his [[Starscream (Armada)|''Armada'' counterpart]].
**[[The Possible Light|''The Transformers'' vol. 2 #40]] debuts his [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Combiner Wars|''Combiner Wars'' toy body]].
**And from [[Ping|''Till All Are One'' #5]] until the end, Starscream had his [[evergreen]] [[:File:Quidd-evergreen-Starscream-robot-mode.jpg|design]] (similar but distinct from the [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Power of the Primes|''Power of the Primes'' toy]]).
*[[James Roberts]] clarified on Twitter that any members of the [[Functionist Council]] who survived into the Great War era were assassinated by Starscream at Megatron's behest.<ref>[https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/1055107548318220288 Twitter conversation with James Roberts (@jroberts332), 24 October 2018] "Hey James to quickly jump on this. What actually happened to the In-Universe FC? I assumed they were killed by the cons?" "Yep. Those that survived the various prewar political convulsions were hunted down and assassinated, mainly by Starscream." ".... personal reasons or just Megatron's assassin of choice? Asking for a friend. Not, uh... not relevant to a WIP or anything.... Lol" "Megs’ choice"</ref>
*According to [[Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook issue 3|''Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook'' #3]], Starscream is 28 feet tall and weighs 22 tons.<ref>For reference, this equals 8.5 metres and 20 metric tonnes.</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{i|Starscream}} at the IDW Hasbro Wiki

[[Category:Council members]]
[[Category:Decepticon leaders]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Seekers]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Transformers]]
[[Category:Matrix bearers]]
[[Category:Neutrals]]
[[Category:Politicians]]
[[Category:Rulers of Cybertron]]

Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity

2024-03-04T09:37:16Z

{{faction|decepticon}}
{{suite}}
[[File:SpotlightSoundwave clean.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Untrustworthy loyal silent verbose villainous hero.]]
An [[Outlier (group)|outlier]] with extremely powerful hearing and limited telepathic capabilities, '''Soundwave'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s unusual powers made him a freak and an outcast in the stifling days of [[Functionism|functionist]] [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. But after finding a mentor in [[Ravage (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ravage]], Soundwave's aspirations saw him join up with [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'s [[Decepticon]] movement, dreaming of a Cybertron where every Cybertronian could stand as true equals.

In this new role, Soundwave remained a loyal Decepticon for millennia—making one increasingly dubious compromise after the next—until after the end of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], when Megatron, the 'bot who had led him down this path, saw the error of his own ways and defected to the Autobots. Shattered by this betrayal, Soundwave fell in with the ambitious warlord [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]] in a new bid to return the Decepticon cause back to its roots: a pacifistic faction advocating for equality amongst Cybertronians. But Galvatron's own bloodlust precluded any hope of true peace, and when the uneasy alliance fell apart Soundwave did the unthinkable: joining forces with [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]]. Refusing to formally join the [[Autobot]] cause, Soundwave continues to proudly wear his purple Decepticon [[insignia]], a badge of honor that, to some, marks him as the last true Decepticon.

{{first|[[Stormbringer issue 1|''Stormbringer'' #1]] (cameo)}}

{{bigquote|It is an...'''expansive''' universe. Why does it always feel so crowded?|''Soundwave''|"[[South of Heaven]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Joining the Decepticons===
[[File:Soundwaves-whoareyou.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|Gaddangit, Soundwave, the answer to that question is ''always'' "I'm Batman!"]]
Soundwave was [[Reproduction|forged]]. {{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} He was found living on the streets by [[Ravage (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ravage]], [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]], and [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]], a barely-coherent derelict driven to the brink of insanity by his uncontrolled mind-reading powers, which bombarded him with the thoughts and emotions of all around him. "Smelling" some decency within him, Ravage elected to share with Soundwave the secrets of control he had learned years of mastering his own enhancing olfactory senses, teaching him the art of focus. {{storylink|Soundwaves (issue)|Soundwaves}} The quartet lived together; some time thereafter, Soundwave was sent to the [[Jhiaxian Academy of Advanced Technology]] to further control his abilities and hone his Outlier skills. Now better able to control his natural telepathy, Soundwave was sent to [[Moonbase Two|Luna 2]] to supervise an [[energon]] mine at the behest of [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] and [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]], and brought his animal friends along with him. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 2: Another Mine|Another Mine}}

When the mine closed, Soundwave and his friends were left destitute and returned to a life on the streets until Soundwave was approached by [[Ratbat (G1)|Senator Ratbat]] with an offer of employment. The senator saw a political use for Soundwave's mind-reading, and while Soundwave was disgusted by Ratbat's [[Functionism|Functionist]] attitude toward his beast-form companions, he accepted the offer for the position it would afford him. While in Ratbat's employ, Soundwave and his three companions were refitted so that they could store within his chest as cassettes. {{storylink|Soundwaves (issue)|Soundwaves}}

When the ex-miner and revolutionary rhetorician [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] caught Ratbat's eye as a champion of the illegal underground gladiatorial matches, the senator sent Soundwave to offer Megatron funding and weapons technology, seeking to foster political instability for his own profit. When [[Bumper (G1)|two]] [[Fastback (G1)|Autobots]] were discovered listening in on their conversation, Soundwave dispatched his three cassette partners to capture them. After their capture, he read Bumper's mind to see if there was any immediate threat to Megatron's activities. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 2|Megatron Origin #2}}

Brought to the gladiator arenas, Soundwave was questioned by Megatron over his opinions on Ratbat's activities, but Soundwave—assaulted by the thoughts of the huge throng of gladiators around him—struggled to answer. Impressed by the way in which Soundwave viewed his cassette partners as equals in outright contradiction to the Functionist standards of his employer, Megatron permitted him to read his mind, and there, Soundwave saw Megatron's genuine desire for all Cybertronians to be equal. The strength of his desire became something for Soundwave to focus upon, and his dedication to the Decepticon ideal of equality allowed him to finally master his mind-reading powers, shutting out all other distractions and making Megatron the stillpoint his life revolved around. {{storylink|Soundwaves (issue)|Soundwaves}}

Some time later, Soundwave was assigned to find a warrior with flight capabilities, and recruited the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]]: Starscream, [[Skywarp (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Skywarp]], and [[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Thundercracker]]. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}} Megatron's next new recruit was senator [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]], who Soundwave hated on sight: the [[Shadowplay]] Shockwave had been subjected had removed his emotions, leaving Soundwave completely unable to read his thoughts. Though awed by this terrible perfection, Soundwave believed that one day, he would have to kill Shockwave. {{storylink|Soundwaves (issue)|Soundwaves}}

[[File:MegatronOrigin4 Soundwave humbles Ratbat.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|"Ratbat, you shall be repurposed as the greatest mix tape ever to be given to Megatron."]]
His mind now finally clear for the first time in his life, Soundwave turned against Ratbat and formulated for Megatron a plan that would allow the Decepticons to make a formal statement of their intent that could not be ignored. {{storylink|Soundwaves (issue)|Soundwaves}} Per Soundwave's plan, the Decepticons allowed themselves to be arrested during a recruitment rally, when Megatron provoked an Autobot response by making an attempt on the life of [[Decimus|Senator Decimus]], resulting in an emergency convening of the Senate in [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]]. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}} Soundwave and his cassettes—now joined by [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] and [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]], refitted by Shockwave—were freed on an unwitting Ratbat's orders, and then helped Starscream murder the entire Senate. Attacking Ratbat himself, Soundwave took his former employer offline and placed his [[spark]] into a new cassette body. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 4|Megatron Origin #4}} Shockwave entered just as Soundwave was removing his [[brain module]], and the pair had a terse conversation about means and ends before Shockwave changed the subject to designing Ratbat's new body as a flyer. {{storylink|Soundwaves (issue)|Soundwaves}}

[[File:BehindMyBleedingBack-Soundwave.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66|"I have a package from Amazon. We haven't worked out what to call our premium service yet."]]
After [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta Prime]] was made leader of the Autobots, the new leader managed to restore a semblance of order to Cybertron, forcing the Decepticons back to the shadows for a period of time. In spite of - or perhaps ''because'' of—Zeta's clampdown on illegal activities, the Decepticons continued to amass resources and new recruits, but as increasingly unscrupulous 'bots joined their ranks the Decepticons slowly lost sight of their original goal and became increasingly militant. Following the death of a [[Hefter|Decepticon sympathizer]] in Autobot custody, {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}} Soundwave was approached by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]] regarding accusations that Hefter had been smuggling guns from offworld. Soundwave insisted that the Decepticons were innocent of such acts; no sooner had the police left than [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] arrived toting a new shipment of offworld weaponry. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 3: Behind My Bleeding Back|Behind My Bleeding Back}}

Hoping to sow further division between the Autobots and Decepticons Starscream then hatched a new plan that involved booby-trapping a cache of arms shipments—a plan that Soundwave found concerning, given that it would kill loyal Decepticons. Using his smooth vocalizer, Starscream managed to get Soundwave to look past these reservations. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 5: Future Glories Lost|Future Glories Lost}} When the plan was complete, Soundwave met with [[Horri-Bull]] and [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]], who had been patsies in Starscream's scheme. Soundwave—who had been encouraged by Starscream that Megatron would agree that Starscream's means—lied that the explosion had been the work of the Autobot police officers. {{storylink|New Cybertron End: Feel Safe Without Regrets|Feel Safe Without Regrets}}

[[File:GhostStories-ferak.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
Soundwave's brief flirtation with duplicity would come to an end shortly thereafter when he helped Shockwave and [[Ferak]] test an experimental device that would amplify Soundwave's natural telepathy, allowing him to broadcast visions that would frighten sleeping Cybertronians into committing acts of terror. They found a prime target in a civilian named [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]], but after Bumblebee eventually went to the police and helped them raid their temporary base, the yellow Autobot jumped Soundwave, shouting that the Decepticons were supposed to fight ''for'' the people. Though Soundwave easily repelled Bumblebee, his words had left an impact on the Decepticon; as the Decepticons fled, Soundwave told his comrades that he would only recruit through reason, not trickery. {{storylink|Ghost Stories}}

Later in the war with Zeta, Soundwave was sent to spy on him and gather information on what he planned to do about the growing Decepticon movement. Smuggled into a Senate security meeting by Starscream, he overheard Zeta announce his plan to drain civilians of their energy in order to power the [[Guardian robot|Omega Destructors]]' [[vamparc ribbon|weaponry]], but was forced to make a break for it when Starscream revealed his presence in order to ease suspicion against himself. Fearing what would happen if the populace found out about his plans, Zeta Prime sent Orion Pax to hunt Soundwave down. {{storylink|Parasites}}

[[File:Soundwave ejects Ravage the Hunt For Soundwave.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66|"Ravage, use Metal Claw!"]]
As Soundwave fled towards the safety of Kaon, he was continuously set upon by Orion Pax's Autobots, but got away every time by ejecting one of his many cassettes to defeat or distract them. When he finally reached the border of Kaon, Orion himself caught up and put a stop to his minions by crushing his chest window before defeating him in hand-to-hand combat. {{storylink|The Hunt for Soundwave}} Luckily, a squad of Decepticons showed up before the Autobots could arrest Soundwave, and his findings were delivered to Megatron. {{storylink|Cause and Effect}}

Soundwave was present when Megatron and Orion Pax formed an alliance to overthrow Zeta Prime. {{storylink|Choices}} He then participated in their troops' combined assault on Zeta's [[Citadel]]. {{storylink|Overthrown}} After Megatron betrayed Orion and declared himself the new ruler of Cybertron, Soundwave stood by him as he attempted to recruit [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hot Rod]] to the Decepticons. {{storylink|Rise}} Soundwave was also present when Megatron rechristened [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] as "Deadlock". {{storylink|Drift issue 2|Drift #2}} Soundwave tracked down the location of the anti-Decepticon pirate news broadcaster, [[Blaster (G1)/toys|Blaster]], and had [[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]] and [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]] sent to assassinate him. He was then present when the Autobots made an assault on the Decepticon-held Citadel. {{storylink|Broadcast}} Megatron was defeated by Orion, now Optimus Prime, but Soundwave swept past on [[Astrotrain (G1)/toys|Astrotrain]] and rescued his leader before he could be captured. {{storylink|Endgame}}

[[File:Massacre-SoundwaveShockwaveBlitzwing.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|The Decepticons don't have suggestion boxes.]]
A short time after Megatron's defeat, Soundwave watched in silence as [[Scorponok (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Scorponok]] declared himself Decepticon leader, having exiled Megatron for his failure. {{storylink|Wreckage (issue)|Wreckage}} He participated in Scorponok's assault on the [[Toraxxis mega-refinery]], a battle which ended with the destruction of the facility. {{storylink|Rage (IDW)|Rage}} Having survived the destruction, he then returned to [[Kolkular]] where Scorponok urged him and the other Decepticons to cannibalize parts from those who had perished. {{storylink|Fallout (issue)|Fallout}} On Scorponok's orders, Soundwave and [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] then led an attack on the [[Starsreach Spaceport]] to kill the neutrals evacuating Cybertron, a mission they both believed to be a waste of resources. {{storylink|Massacre}} After getting driven into a retreat by a raging [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]], they were relocated to the [[Toraxxis Plains]] to bear witness to Scorponok's new plan: the awakening of [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. {{storylink|Unleashed}} At this point the Decepticons were thoroughly fed up with his leadership, and thus quick to return to Megatron's side when he returned from his exile. {{storylink|The Illusion of Control}} Soundwave was later present when Megatron was able to turn Trypticon to the Decepticon side, {{storylink|Belly of the Beast (issue)|Belly of the Beast}} and was subsequently among the Decepticons who left Cybertron on Trypticon to gather their forces. {{storylink|Primacy issue 1|Primacy #1}}

During their journey, Soundwave doubted the wisdom of Megatron's plans to visit [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]], but was told not to question his leader's judgment. {{storylink|Primacy issue 2|Primacy #2}} The Decepticons then returned to Cybertron for an assault on Iacon, during which Soundwave remained by Megatron's side at the sidelines. {{storylink|Primacy issue 3|Primacy #3}} He spent the battle keeping Megatron updated on the tactical situation, and was shocked when his leader suddenly ran off, leaving him with the orders to burn Iacon to the ground if he did not return. {{storylink|Primacy issue 4|Primacy #4}}

[[File:Soundwave Spotlight Blaster.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|"I'm telling you, Legends scale will catch on. Look at the detail on just this Insecticon."]]
Four million years ago, Soundwave and [[Hook (G1)|Hook]] were leading a Decepticon offensive to cover for [[Octane|Tankor]]'s convoy of energon. When Optimus Prime slipped away to intercept the convoy, Soundwave went after him and got the drop on Prime from behind. Prime's bodyguard [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] turned the tables on him, though, taking out both Soundwave and his Mini-Cassettes. {{storylink|The Iron Age}} As the war went on, Soundwave organized a number of anti-[[neutral]] pogroms. {{storylink|Life After the Big Bang}} At another point he had one of his arms sliced off by [[Springer (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Springer]] using a sword that would later end up [[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]]'s collection. {{storylink|Bullets}}

Three million years ago, Soundwave was captured and taken to the [[Institute|New Institute]] to be lobotomized, but was saved in the nick of time by [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]]. {{storylink|Remembrance Day}} When the war began to spread offworld, Soundwave was one of several Decepticons under the command of Shockwave who returned to Junkion in an attempt to recruit the [[Junkion (species)|native]]s into the Decepticon army. They were opposed by a contingent of Autobots led by Prowl; the battle continued until one side detonated the planet's core, destroying the hostile world entirely. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 2: A Lonely Pillar on the Plain|A Lonely Pillar on the Plane}}

As the war ground on, [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] contacted various scientists on both sides to discuss his startling findings that the conflict would create such devastation that would render the planet uninhabitable, and that the only way to survive was to adopt the [[Pretender|organic carapace]] idea he had come up with. Soundwave was among those scientists who refused to accept Thunderwing's findings and his proposal. {{Storylink|Stormbringer issue 1|Stormbringer #1}}

After the end of the cataclysm brought by Thunderwing, as part of a plan to assassinate Blaster, now a motivational speaker for the Autobots, Soundwave had [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]] captured and used [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] to implement a [[cerebro-shell]] into him. While Beachcomber didn't outright kill Blaster, his motivational broadcast failed to air at precisely the moment the Decepticons began the big push. {{storylink|Spotlight: Blaster}}

At some point in time, Soundwave fought against the Dynobots alongside Runamuck and Ravage. They were thoroughly trounced for their efforts. {{storylink|Spotlight: Grimlock}} Some two hundred years ago, Soundwave stood along Megatron and his retinue as Starscream returned from a bungled mission on [[Xetaxxis]]. {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 5|Shining Armor #5}}
{{-}}

===On Earth===
[[File:TheSecretOfTheMummysTomb-SoundwaveVsMummies.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Soundwave's collaboration with The Bangles went horribly wrong.]]
Shockwave would eventually take an unauthorized leave of absence from the Decepticons—unbeknownst to Megatron, to investigate the progress of his own [[Regenesis]] project—and so Megatron assigned [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] to delve into Shockwave's research and relay all the information back to him. As the Decepticon leader did not fully trust Bludgeon, Megatron would also order Soundwave to keep a covert eye on Bludgeon. In [[1984]], Soundwave followed Bludgeon and his team after they set a course for Shockwave's last known location: the planet [[Earth]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Soundwave}}

Soundwave adopted a tape player [[alternate mode]] to blend in on the primitive planet, but shortly after arrival he was sidetracked by reports of [[IRON Trooper|mysterious robotic humanoids]]. Curious, he found his way into the possession of Egyptologist Dr. [[Elliot Marsh]] to track the mindless machines a [[Tomb of Amtoltec|tomb]] in [[Dahshur]]. Elliot Marsh, it turned out, was in league with the villainous [[Merklynn|Garrison Kreiger]], who promptly murdered his companion when he had no need for him and left his discarded "tape player" to be discovered by [[Joe Colton]], whose [[Adventure Team]] had mistaken Soundwave's submillimeter radiation for a distress beacon, a few days later. Soundwave transformed and blasted more Iron Troopers, making a brief attempt to off Colton before continuing to the source of the signal: a gigantic "[[Talisman (G1)|Talisman]]" of extraterrestrial manufacture. Believing that the "monster" had come to steal his prize, Kreiger ordered his mummies to swarm the Decepticon as the rest of the Adventure Team swung into action. Their onslaught didn't provide much of an obstacle for Soundwave, but—despite being intrigued by the relic's restoration of [[Atomic Man]]'s limbs—he eventually decided the obelisk was more trouble than it was worth, and flew away to continue his primary mission on Earth. {{storylink|The Secret of the Mummy's Tomb}}

Colton would forever remember his encounter with the Decepticon; though he initially wrote off the adventure as a one-off anomaly, repeated Cybertronian incursions over the years would lead him to regret not taking greater actions against the Transformers. {{storylink|First Strike issue 1|First Strike #1}} Fellow Adventure Team member [[Bulletman|Richard "Bulletman" Ruby]] would offer a simpler opinion of Soundwave, remembering him as a "jerk." {{storylink|The Secret of the Mummy's Tomb}}

[[File:SpotlightSoundwave infoispower.jpg|left|thumb|He's just too busy being an eighties guy.]]
Returning to the [[United States of America|United States]], Soundwave tracked Bludgeon's group to a base within [[Mount St. Helens]] and discovered that they intended to resurrect [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]. Though Soundwave tried to stop them, [[Iguanus (G1)|Iguanus]] used an experimental cannon from Shockwave's arsenal to lock him in his alt mode while they instigated a volcanic eruption. {{storylink|Spotlight: Soundwave}} Soundwave and his cassettes would remain buried in the rubble for several decades until [[Skywatch]] discovered the base in the early 2000s, renovating it into [[Project Hot House|a top secret research laboratory]] to investigate the deactivated Ravage, Laserbeak, and [[Bugly (G1)|Bugly]]. Unable to recognize the tape player for what it really was, Soundwave's mode-locked form was discarded and donated to goodwill. {{storylink|When Eagles Scream}} Soundwave's body changed hands several times until it found its way into a pawn shop. {{storylink|Spotlight: Soundwave}}

Soundwave spent 23 years trapped in his alternate mode; in the year [[2007]], he was purchased by a human teenager named [[Jimmy (G1)|Jimmy]] and taken to his home. When Ravage and Laserbeak were reprogrammed by Skywatch to find the other Transformers, Skywatch's control signal was blocked by a signal emanating from a functioning Soundwave, still in cassette-player mode. {{storylink|Devastation issue 4|Devastation #4}} Sometime later on, Ravage and Laserbeak located the signal and reclaimed their master from Jimmy. Relocating to Mount St. Helens, Soundwave told them that he could barely keep blocking Skywatch's hold on them, due to his weakening state in cassette mode. Shockwave suddenly appeared from a cave entrance and said that the four could make a deal together. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 3|Maximum Dinobots #3}} {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 4|Maximum Dinobots #4}} Soundwave knew how Shockwave could unlock his [[robot mode]], but Shockwave required a favor in return; Skywatch had placed a bomb in Shockwave's head, and that he needed Soundwave to intercept and copy its disarm code. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 5|Maximum Dinobots #5}} Soundwave attempted to further bargain for information on the Regenesis program, but was rebuffed when Shockwave observed that said information would die with him if the bomb went off. {{storylink|Shockpoint}} After Soundwave relented, he allowed his cassettes to be recaptured, and once Shockwave's time-limit reached the 30 second mark, Soundwave intercepted [[Joshua Red|Joshua Red's]] reset code. After transmitting the code to Shockwave, Soundwave was informed of how to disable the mode-lock, finally freeing him. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 5|Maximum Dinobots #5}}

[[File:Soundwave ejects AHM 1.jpg|thumb|"I hate it when my hinge jams..."]]
Freed from his humiliating mode-lock, Soundwave quickly returned to his position as Megatron's right hand and helped to defeat the Autobot forces on Earth. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} In [[2008]], Soundwave stood by Megatron as the Decepticon leader launched the infamous [[Surge (event)|Surge]], which began with a devastating attack on [[New York City]]. Soundwave detected incoming human military jets, and, on Megatron's orders, Soundwave calmly detonated their arsenal. He then launched Laserbeak to take out the human resistance. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1|All Hail Megatron #1}}

Soundwave reported that the humans had sent a sizable ground force after the Decepticons. Following Megatron's orders, he released [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] and set him loose on the humans. The only being immune to Frenzy's infrasonic manipulation, he silently observed his minion's work. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 2|All Hail Megatron #2}} With the conquest of New York complete, Soundwave listened to Megatron's victory speech. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 4|All Hail Megatron #4}} When a group of humans led by [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cmdr. Spike Witwicky]] deactivated [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] with an experimental weapon which originated from Shockwave, Soundwave, sensing this, found Rumble's lifeless body, grieved, and took him away. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 9|All Hail Megatron #9}}

[[File:UneasyLiesTheHead-Buzzsaw.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66]]
During [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]]'s attempt to take control of the Decepticons, Megatron revealed that Soundwave had been watching him all along, reporting his planned rebellion to Megatron. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10|All Hail Megatron #10}} The infighting amongst the Decepticons stopped when jets from [[Europe]] arrived to take them all on, soon followed by the return of the Autobots. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 11|All Hail Megatron #11}} Megatron was defeated, and Soundwave escaped alongside the rest of the Decepticons. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12|All Hail Megatron #12}} Whilst traveling away from Earth onboard [[Astrotrain (G1)/toys|Astrotrain]], Soundwave and his cassettes took care of their heavily injured leader. Starscream attempted to dissuade him from wasting energon on Megatron, all the while buttering him up with compliments about his loyalty, but all Soundwave said in response was "Negative. Megatron functions." {{storylink|Uneasy Lies the Head}}

Three years later, Soundwave was still dutifully attending to Megatron's reconstruction. {{storylink|All His Engines}} He eventually came to the conclusion that his leader's body was beyond repair, and instead recruited Shockwave to build a new body for him. Once Megatron returned in a new and upgraded form, he hatched a plan to use parts of his old body to make Megatron gun replicas that would subconsciously influence humans. Alongside his cassettes and Shockwave, Soundwave helped produce these weapons. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 2: Altered Carbon|Altered Carbon}}

He was later present when Megatron got rid of Hot Rod and the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], and was ordered to gather everyone in the base so that their leader could address them. {{storylink|Heart Like a Wheel}} He accompanied Megatron until his confrontation with Starscream, at which point Megatron had him leave... but knew he'd be listening in from afar as he always did. Megatron overall didn't think much of Soundwave's apparent loyalty, believing he'd only assisted in his revival because it suited his own needs. {{storylink|Spotlight: Megatron}}

[[File:BurningChrome Prime shoots Soundwave.jpg|thumb|"Right between the optics..."]]
As part of Megatron's master plan, the Decepticons subsequently returned to Earth, where Soundwave led Rumble and Frenzy in an attack on the [[Skywatch]] base where several Decepticons were being held captive. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 1: The Demolished Man|The Demolished Man}} He also trampled [[Lani Gushman|a BNN newscaster]]. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 3: Woken Furies|Woken Furies}} Soundwave was then responsible for holding [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] hostage while Megatron explained to Optimus Prime that he was the one turning the humans against the Autobots. In an attempt to throw off Megatron's concentration, and with it his influence over the gun-wielding humans, Prime fired on Soundwave, blowing off a large portion of his head. The plan worked: seeing his loyal soldier fall sent Megatron into a rage, and he picked up the barely living Soundwave and flew off. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 4: Burning Chrome|Burning Chrome}} With his body in [[stasis lock]], Soundwave was brought to Shockwave, who was unsure if he could repair such an extensive injury with the limited resources at his disposal. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 5: Enemy Mine|Enemy Mine}}

Soundwave was mostly repaired by the time Megatron had surrendered himself to the Autobots, although half his face remained exposed and damaged from Optimus Prime's attack. The damage caused to his vocal processors rendered him completely mute. {{storylink|The World & Everything in It}} Once on Cybertron and having freed himself, Megatron used the [[space bridge]] technology built into his new body to summon Soundwave and the rest of the Decepticons on Earth to him. {{storylink|The Question}} At first, Soundwave and the others did battle with the Autobots, but were soon entranced by [[D-Void]]. The Decepticons along with [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]]'s army of [[Sweep (G1)|Sweep]]s combined into an [[Deceptigod|enormous monster]], which was eventually defeated when Optimus Prime opened the Matrix of Leadership, "resetting" Cybertron into a primordial state and ending the Great War. {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings|Kings}}

===Back on Cybertron===
[[File:Needlenose Autonomy Lesson.jpg|thumb|left|upright=2]]
Following the defeat and fracturing of this "Deceptigod", Soundwave and the rest were left in a weakened state from the ordeal. This allowed the Autobots to round the Decepticons up, stick [[inhibitor/deterrence chip|I/D chips]] in them, and place them in a holding pen. [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] was eventually forced to sanction their release to quell a riot, leaving Soundwave and the others with a limited sort of freedom. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}} [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]], fed up with working as an enforcer for the Autobots, accused Soundwave, Shockwave, and [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] of just sitting around instead of doing something about the Decepticons' situation. {{storylink|The Autonomy Lesson (issue)|The Autonomy Lesson}} Little did Needlenose know that Soundwave and Shockwave had actually been working together to take control of the I/D chips on the orders of Ratbat, who was trying to reassert his authority in Megatron's absence. {{storylink|The World & Everything in It}} When Horri-Bull and Needlenose began beating up [[Zetca]], Bumblebee attempted to "detonate" the diabled I/D chip in his head; Soundwave having remotely detonated the chip to keep him quiet. {{storylink|The Autonomy Lesson (issue)|The Autonomy Lesson}} {{storylink|The World & Everything in It}}

Even after Ratbat was killed, Soundwave continued working with Shockwave, who apparently had his own ideas about what to do about the Autobots. When Starscream found out about that they were plotting something, he and Prowl had [[Arcee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Arcee]] capture the two and fake their deaths. {{storylink|The End of the Beginning of the World}} However, Prowl was in fact under Decepticon control, and instead had the captured Decepticons upgraded in anticipation of Megatron's return. His voice restored, Soundwave helped explain to the captured [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] that the Decepticons had been planning this all along in a bid to conquer Cybertron. {{storylink|The Verge}} {{storylink|Before the Dawn}} During the ensuing battle with the Autobots, he reported to Megatron that Shockwave had gone off somewhere and that their new and improved [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] had seemingly gained sentience. {{storylink|Plan for Everything}} In the end, Megatron was defeated yet again, after which Starscream used the influence of the [[NAIL|neutral population]] to exile all Autobots and Decepticons who would not renounce their factions, including Soundwave. {{storylink|Heavy Is the Head}}

[[File:Soundwaves-allofustogether.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Somewhere, right now, the "Justice League Unlimited" [[theme song|theme]] is playing.]]
While out in the wilderness, Soundwave was alarmed to find Ravage was suffering from intense pain, and in a rare emotional moment ran to the other Decepticons pleading for help. {{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} Soundwave eavesdropped on Shockwave and [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] as the pair communicated. As the other Decepticons became disgruntled, he declared his leadership and immediately came under attack by Astrotrain and [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] though in the end [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]] told him if he wanted to destroy Shockwave, he'd have to do it alone. Soundwave journeyed into [[Crystal City]] to confront Shockwave, and discovered when he killed [[Dreadwing (G2)|Dreadwing]] that the [[Ore-14]] in the city promptly brought him back to life. {{storylink|Shockpoint}} Discovering that Shockwave had betrayed the Decepticon cause, Soundwave unleashed his cassettes, only to discover that the Ore-14 made anything but a stalemate impossible. He returned to the other Decepticons as Shockwave's plan commenced. {{storylink|Soundwaves (issue)|Soundwaves}}

After the appearance of Shockwave's [[Quintessa (IDW)|Metrotitan]], Soundwave and his men attacked the Autobots who had approached it, {{storylink|Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|Black Metal}} but were unable to prevent Starscream approaching the giant. The combined group was hit moments later by a shockwave of energy. {{storylink|Winners & Losers: Dark Cybertron Chapter 3|Winners & Losers}} In the aftermath, as the survivors discussed what to do next, Soundwave heard something he had never heard before: Megatron screaming. {{storylink|Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss}} They reached Shockwave's lab to find the scientist using the space bridge in Megatron's chest to extract [[Nova Prime]] and Galvatron from the [[Dead Universe]]. Soundwave assaulted Shockwave, but ultimately Shockwave triumphed and called in the Metrotitan, which forced the Autobots and Decepticons to retreat. {{storylink|Finest Hour: Dark Cybertron Chapter 5|Finest Hour}}

Fleeing in the direction of Iacon in front of the giant, Soundwave and Frenzy carried Ironhide and Ravage between them. {{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|No Exit}} They eventually made it back to Iacon and found Starscream feeling sorry for himself. Prowl took control, with Soundwave supplying communications. As things went from bad to worse, he told Prowl he had little idea what Shockwave's plans were but believed they would be able to stop the Metrotitan. Moments later Bumblebee arrived with Megatron, the latter of whom had a plan to evacuate Cybertron. While Bumblebee was still objecting, [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] and the ''[[Lost Light]]'' quantum jumped in to lend a hand. {{storylink|Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|Burning Bright}} Soundwave was among those to greet the Lost Lighters as they disembarked. {{storylink|Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|Finis Temporis}}

[[File:AndTheDamageDone-Soundwave.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|left|"He can change symbols all he wants, but I'm keeping my head design."]]
Following the defeat of the Necrotitan, Soundwave busied himself seeing to Megatron's repairs. It wasn't long before the remainder of Shockwave's plan came into play and billions of [[Ammonite]]s invaded the planet. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} As Megatron joined in a plan to defeat Shockwave, Soundwave told him that he saw the wisdom in using the Autobots' help, however Megatron responded that Bumblebee had command and that a new approach was needed. While Bumblebee's team went to Shockwave's laboratory, Soundwave and his cassettes joined the rest of the population in fighting the Ammonites. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} As the battle concluded in victory, Soundwave was shocked to discover that Megatron had taken on the sigil of the Autobots. Reeling from this betrayal, Soundwave and the other Decepticons were approached by Galvatron, who believed he had an alternative for them. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}

Questioned by Galvatron on what he truly wanted, Soundwave told the ancient Transformer of the Decepticons' origins and his dream for a community where they could all be equals, ruled by nobody. With Cybertron now ruled by the Autobots, he instead turned his eyes back to Earth, recalling the existence of energon there. Galvatron followed, hoping to conquer the planet, but Soundwave rejected his proposal, telling him they were returning to the Decepticons' true path—peace. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 4: Full Fathom Five|Full Fathom Five}}

===Forging a new Decepticon future===
[[File:DetonationBoulevard-galvatronandedc.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Soundwave's revival tour is starting off a bit shaky.]]
Retaining some hope that Megatron's defection was merely a ruse, Soundwave left Ravage on Cybertron to keep an eye on their former leader. {{storylink|slaughterhouse}} In the meantime, Soundwave, Galvatron, and other Decepticon loyalists departed Cybertron aboard the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'', hoping to start anew on Earth and rebuild their fraught relationship with humanity. They discovered that, in their absence, Skywatch had given way to the heavily militarized [[Earth Defense Command]], who were rightfully skeptical of a human-Decepticon alliance. Meeting with the humans in [[Antarctica]], Soundwave and Galvatron approached the humans with a peace offer, revealing the Decepticon's change in ideology. The humans remained unconvinced up until Soundwave told a half-truth by revealing that Megatron had left them for the Autobots; unaware of Megatron's change of heart, the EDC assumed that Megatron had brought his villainy to the Autobots. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 2: Detonation Boulevard|Detonation Boulevard}}

The EDC offered to cooperate with the Decepticons under a strict set of guidelines: they would build a new commune for the Decepticons in the form of a [[Sanctuary Station|a space station]] orbiting [[Jupiter]], in exchange for the Decepticons' aid in secretly capturing a team of Autobots bound for Earth. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 4: Full Fathom Five|Full Fathom Five}} Soundwave elected not to share certain pieces of Cybertronian technology with the humans. While Soundwave saw their alliance with the humans as convenient, he still did not see them as truly sentient beings or equals to Cybertronians, no different from any other Earth creatures. {{storylink|South of Heaven}} To operate undetected amidst the EDC motor pool,
Soundwave adopted a new alternate mode based off the EDC's armored personnel carriers. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 2: Detonation Boulevard|Detonation Boulevard}}

Some six months later, a small team of Autobots arrived on Earth in search of [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], and under the terms of their alliance the Decepticons mobilized to stage an ambush with the EDC. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World|Hello Cruel World}} While pursuing the Autobots to the town of [[Poverty Flat]], Soundwave blocked their communications, keeping them from contacting their allies in space. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 2: Detonation Boulevard|Detonation Boulevard}} As the battle escalated and bystanders witnessed the combatants' [[robot mode]]s, the EDC was forced to teleport the Decepticons away, though they had to activate their secret "[[mindbomb]]" weapon to knock Soundwave and his comm block out first. Galvatron immediately demanded revenge, but Soundwave insisted on sticking to the plan and calmed him with the information that they had found the location of Galvatron's own goal on Earth—[[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]]. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 3: The Mind Bomb|The Mind Bomb}}

Warping to the coordinates, Soundwave arrived at the EDC's [[Marshall Islands]] base along with Galvatron, who he once again had to talk out of resorting to violence. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 4: Full Fathom Five|Full Fathom Five}} Interrupted by an Autobot attack on the base, Soundwave detected an intruder and set out to take care of them, locating [[Jazz (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jazz]] and an unconscious Prowl. He attempted to capture them, but was blasted out of the way by the EDC's stash of tanks and V.T.O.L.s, the machines having been hacked by Prowl. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 5: I Dream of Wires|I Dream of Wires}}

Not long after, Soundwave chastised Galvatron for taunting the incapacitated Skywarp, before also telling him that he was going to check on the progress of their Jupiter commune. {{storylink|Onyx Interface Part One: Signals, Calls, and Marches|Signals, Calls, and Marches}} In truth, however, Soundwave had Skywarp teleport him to a remote forest, where he met with former Decepticon Thundercracker. Soundwave offered the flying Cybertronian the chance to return to the fold and come aboard their commune, brushing aside his concerns about Galvatron and the humans. Although Thundercracker promised to think about it, Soundwave was left a bit befuddled when his former comrade gave him one of his screenplays to read. Soundwave then made his leave, though not before warning Thundercracker that those who align with a Prime would not be welcome at the commune. {{storylink|Onyx Interface Part Two: Vs.|Vs.}}

[[File:TheObliterati-SoundwaveElephants.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66|When with a musical block, never hurts to get [[Soundwave (ROTF)#Dark of the Moon film|inspiration]] from elsewhere.]]
While strolling with [[elephant]]s at [[Tanzania]]'s [[Mikumi National Park]], Soundwave was again contacted by Thundercracker, who asked for his help in stopping the EDC's [[Seeker clone|Ramjet and Thrust clones]] from engaging in battle with the Autobots and Decepticons. Although Soundwave was angry at this betrayal by their human allies, and tempted to let Galvatron viciously retaliate, Thundercracker ultimately convinced him that Earth was their planet to protect too, causing him to finally relent and shut down the clones via their quantum signal. Soundwave then told the grateful Thundercracker to not contact him again. Upon returning to the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'', Soundwave did not tell Galvatron about any of the events that had transpired and continued to lie that he had been at the commune. {{storylink|The Onyx Interface Conclusion: The Obliterati|The Obliterati}}

[[File:SouthOfHeaven-wakawaka.jpg|thumb|"Cosmos, for the last time, this is NOT how you play Pac-Man!"]]
As construction on [[Sanctuary Station]] neared completion, [[Onyx]] founder and EDC investor [[G.B. Blackrock|Garrison Blackrock]] offered his clients a tour of their new commune. Partway into the tour, Soundwave excused himself to secretly investigate a disturbance outside the station, which turned out to be [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] on an investigative mission. Soundwave tried to invite the wayward Autobot inside, but was instead fired upon. Soundwave reluctantly chased Cosmos through some asteroids before pinning him down; the Decepticon was surprised that Cosmos, stuck in a wartime mindset, expected to be tortured by the Decepticons. Seeing that the Autobot was unhappy with his current lot in life, Soundwave invited him to come live aboard the commune and asked him to speak with his Autobot teammates about using their captured [[space bridge]] for peaceful purposes, telling the conflicted Autobot that all he'd have to do was say Soundwave's name. {{storylink|South of Heaven}}

After returning to the ''Nemesis'', Soundwave told Galvatron of how the first shuttle from Cybertron was already on its way to Sanctuary Station. Soundwave wished to inform the EDC when Rumble picked up some Autobots approaching Earth, but Galvatron thought it unnecessary. This proved to be true, as both Decepticons watched the Autobots' [[Ark-7|ship]] get turning into a smoking ruin. Soundwave wondered if Galvatron knew this would happen, but he denied it and then told Soundwave to take a shuttle back to Sanctuary Station, as the Autobots' space bridge would soon be theirs to bring their fellow Decepticons from Cybertron. {{storylink|The Nothing Man}}

When Soundwave arrived back at the station, he welcomed the crew of the aforementioned shuttle from Cybertron, the ''[[Peace Without Tyranny]]'', which included [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]] and [[Slugslinger (G1)|Slugslinger]]. Soundwave then heard Cosmos calling out his name, but the Autobot had not made up his mind about joining them; rather, he had nowhere else to turn with the other Autobots not responding to any of his calls and feared that they had died. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 1: Aphelion|Aphelion}} Soundwave found himself unable to sense any trace of Cosmos's missing teammates, but invited the hapless Autobot into the commune so that they could plan their next step. Moving on with the Decepticons' own plans, Soundwave used his abilities to take control of the space bridge aboard the ''Ark-7'' so that the Decepticons on Cybertron could infiltrate the ship and take it over. As Soundwave reported this to Galvatron, a furious Cosmos overheard the conversation and believed that the Decepticons really were responsible for what happened to the other Autobots, but Soundwave claimed otherwise; he and the other Decepticons were simply taking advantage of the situation the Autobots were in. Soundwave declared they would be paving the way for a new era of peace, but as Cosmos objected by pointing out the Decepticons who now had their weapons pointed at him, Soundwave ordered them to stand down. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|Lagrange}}

At the same time, [[D.0.C.]] showed Thundercracker a hologram of Soundwave. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 3: Helden|Helden}} Once the Decepticons on board the ''Ark-7'', led by Needlenose and [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]], had taken control of the craft, Soundwave ordered them to set course for Sanctuary Station. Brawl, however, revealed that he had other orders to take the ship to Earth, leading to much rage on Soundwave's part. Soundwave became further infuriated when he learned Galvatron had given the orders, and tried to convince Skywarp to not help the ancient conqueror in his plans, but the Seeker refused. Believing that his dreams of the Decepticons living in peace were at an end, Soundwave became despondent, and apologized to both Cosmos and Sky-Byte; they would now have to make preparations for war. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 4: Perihelion|Perihelion}}

[[File:OnceUponATimeOnEarth-SoundwaveTurnsOnGalvatron.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|Darn that Galvatron.]]
Galvatron then contacted Soundwave again to ask for his help in fending off the Autobots, which led to the communications officer becoming further outraged and making plans to head to Earth to rescue those Decepticons Galvatron had misled into following his plans of conquest. Soundwave and his allies thus took the ''Peace Without Tyranny'' to [[Shanghai]] on Earth, where Autobots and Decepticons alike were under attack by the [[People's Liberation Army Mecha Force]]. While Soundwave did not want to bring any of Prime's followers onto the craft, he did invite all present Decepticons to come aboard and find refuge on Sanctuary Station, with many taking the offer to escape the battlefield. After the ship made its escape, Soundwave watched Prime's declaration of his annexing Earth, showing little surprise. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 1: Once Upon a Time on Earth|Once Upon a Time on Earth}} After the ''Peace Without Tyranny'' docked back at Sanctuary Station, Soundwave interrupted Needlenose and [[Swift (G1)|Swift]]'s conversation about Galvatron, vowing that the ancient warlord would be the last to manipulate him. {{storylink|New Worlds Order}} It was around this period that Soundwave telepathically felt Ravage's death as his old friend expired from injuries incurred by [[Tarn (G1)|Tarn]]. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}}
{{-}}

===Allying with the Enemy===
[[File:TheMediumAndTheMessage-SoundwaveJoinsOptimus.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"I didn't know you carried skeletons in that Tape Deck." "I didn't know [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|that prick]] taught you how to negotiate."]]
While recharging, Optimus had a nightmare in which Soundwave, Starscream, and the [[Mistress of Flame]] chastised him for his recent actions. Spurred by this and other events, Optimus contacted Soundwave and the other two in order to set up talks with all of them. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 2: Edge of the Earth|Edge of the Earth}} Soundwave had little patience for Optimus and Thundercracker when they arrived at Sanctuary Station, wanting nothing to do with the Prime's attempts to make humans equal to Cybertronians, even despite Thundercracker's bringing up that he had compromised his beliefs for the greater good in the past. However, Prime then revealed that he knew that Soundwave had killed Horri-Bull, not Bumblebee. With Optimus threatening to tell Needlenose who had truly murdered the 'bot he loved and potentially jeopardize the future of Soundwave's commune, Soundwave asked what Optimus wanted of him and his Decepticons. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 3: The Medium and the Message|The Medium and the Message}}

[[File:AsAboveSoBelow-SoundwaveSurrenders.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66|At this point, we're starting to expect all of our favourite villains to turn good.]]
Soundwave and his loyalists travelled back to [[Monument Valley]] alongside Prime to help coordinate an undersea strike against the ''Nemesis''. Soundwave stayed behind to supervise the battle, which took a turn for the worse when Galvatron revealed his newest ability - the power to create combiners at will, thanks to the power of the Onyx code. Soundwave was prepared to help out his comrades when the Earth Defense Command intervened, strafing their temporary command post. Although Soundwave wanted to engage the humans, he was prevented from doing so by Optimus, who was trying to present the best image to [[Circuit (G1)|Circuit]] and [[Longtooth]]. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 4: It's Beginning To And Back Again|It's Beginning To And Back Again}} Soundwave finally lost his temper and returned fire on the humans, goading [[Aileron]] into action too. Desperate to call off the violence, Optimus encouraged Soundwave to try and read a human's mind, insinuating that he couldn't do it. Soundwave took the challenge and experienced an epiphany, realizing that human brain impulses were electrical, just like those of Cybertronians - and that their emotions were just as real as any Transformer. Overwhelmed with guilt, Soundwave willingly surrendered, taking full responsibility for his crimes against humanity. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 5: As Above...So Below|As Above...So Below}}

[[File:NoFairFights-SoundwaveVsGalvatron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
Hoping to right his wrongs, Soundwave accompanied Arcee and Optimus Prime to [[Jupiter]], where they intercepted Galvatron. Optimus and Soundwave teamed up against the Decepticon warlord. As they fought, Galvatron argued that they would ''need'' him when [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Onyx Prime]] and his forces returned. Optimus thought otherwise, and finally executed him before, tearing his head off for good measure. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 6: No Fair Fights|No Fair Fights}} Soundwave returned with the two Autobots to Monument Valley, where the recently revived [[Metrotitan (G1)|Metrotitan]] lay waiting for them. Hoping to send a less threatening message to humanity, Optimus ordered the [[Titan (group)|Titan]] to transform into its city mode, an embassy he dubbed "[[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]]". The transformation was accompanied by a powerful transmission that immortalized Optimus's myriad deeds. Soundwave was left unsettled by this portentous turn of events. {{storylink|The Last Autobot}}

Soundwave's fears regarding Metrotitan's data pulse proved founded when Metrotitan's transmission awoke [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] from his slumber on Cybertron. Hijacking Iacon's space bridge, Sentinel Prime—disgusted by the state of postwar Cybertron, yet hoping to win the loyalty of Optimus Prime—rampaged through Autobot City, revealing himself as an ancient [[Titan Master]]. Soundwave and Optimus contended with Sentinel's [[Transtector|headless body]], which led them to a large cache of [[Ore-13]] buried beneath the city. It was then that Sentinel returned with [[G.B. Blackrock|Garrison Blackrock]], revealed to be another Titan Master known as [[Sovereign]]. The two Titan Masters, wielding [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]]'s decapitated body, hijacked Metrotitan's [[Space bridge|spacebridge]] and vanished with Soundwave and Optimus Prime. {{storylink|White Light}}

[[File:WhiteHeat-SoundwaveVsSovereign.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66|Soundwave's eager to see a [[Titan Master]] mechanic for the first time.]]
The two Cybertronians were transported to a ruined Cybertronian [[Prion (planet)|colony]] once inhabited by the [[Titan (group)|Titan]] [[Prion (Titan)|Prion]]. Sentinel pontificiated at length about his true identity of [[Infinitus]]—and revealed that he and Sovereign, relics from Cybertron's ancient past, were the heralds of Onyx Prime's return. When Soundwave raised the point that Sentinel was not truly a Prime, Sovereign, using Trion's body, stabbed him; Optimus managed to tackle Sentinel into Sovereign to free his ally. Using his sonic abilities, Soundwave was able to modulate the frequency of Sovereign's neocortex, reawakening "Blackrck" and freeing him of Sentinel's influence. This did not deter Sentinel from promptly grabbing Sovereign and rushing through the spacebridge. {{storylink|White Heat}} Unaware that they had set a course for [[Moonbase One|Luna One]], {{storylink|Ten to Midnight}} Soundwave proved unable to track them; at Optimus' urging, Soundwave opened the space bridge to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] so they could get medical aid for Alpha Trion. The sage pulled through, and as the two returned to Earth Soundwave revealed to Prime that Ravage had died recently. Spurred on by his recent epiphany, Soundwave had reached a new realization: all lifeforms were equal before [[Primus]], and though both Autobots and Decepticons had made compromises, the threat of Onyx's return meant that all Cybertronians would have to put aside their differences for good and face the future united. {{storylink|White Heat}}

Over the next few months, Optimus Prime's group of Transformers remained on Earth, performing good deeds, while Soundwave split his time between assisting the Autobots on Earth and helping the Decepticons aboard Sanctuary Station. {{storylink|Concorde Hymn}} When Metrotitan abruptly stopped communicating with his Autobot crew, Soundwave accompanied [[Pyra Magna]] to retrieve [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]], in the hopes that her [[Cityspeaker|cityspeaking]] skills could pinpoint the problem. The trio spent several days searching for the issue but found nothing. {{storylink|Informed}}

[[File:ConcordeHymn-SoundwaveEMP.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
Some time into their investigation, Metrotitan reported that a large cache of [[Ore-13]] had detonated beneath [[Mount Olympus]]; using his Outlier powers, Soundwave was able to "hear" said explosion, but doubted that he would be able to hear it fast enough to evacuate if the cache of Ore-13 beneath their base detonated. The rapid destabilization of Ore-13 across Earth was enough for [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]], the new replacement for the defunct EDC, to declare open war on the Cybertronians. When a group of Joes ambushed Arcee and Jazz in [[Oregon]], Soundwave accompanied Optimus, Windblade, and [[Victorion]] to provide backup; unimpressed by their weaponry, Soundwave created a debilitating electromagnetic pulse that deactivated all their equipment. The fracas was interrupted when [[Rom]], on a mission on his own, arrived and murdered four Joes, including "[[Joe Colton (Dire Wraith)|Joe Colton]]."

[[File:TheDivineSourceOfLiberty-RomMeetsTheAutobots.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66]]
Realizing that humans would mistake the alien for a Cybertronian, Optimus ordered his team to pursue the alien; Soundwave pausing only to restore the human's telecommunications network to tend to their wounded. {{storylink|Concorde Hymn}} They tracked Rom to the [[Umpqua National Forest]], where he managed to suplex Optimus Prime before the other Cybertronians surrounded it. The alien managed to punch Soundwave in the face before he was soundly defeated and encouraged at gunpoint by Optimus to speak. {{storylink|The Divine Source of Liberty}}

With their captive in tow, the Transformers returned to Autobot City where the alien introduced himself as Rom and explained his mission to hunt down the [[Dire Wraith]]s who had taken an interest in the power of [[Ore-13]]. Soundwave agreed with Windblade that [[Micronus Prime]]'s realm of [[Microspace]] was their priority, as [[Aileron]] and [[Kup (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Kup]] confirmed that the Energon was disappearing into another universe. Before the debate could continue more, the nearby spacebridge activated, and Rom began sending many Ore-13 crystals to Microspace. In doing so, the Space Knight was jeopardizing that universe before Optimus made him see reason. Soundwave then told Rom that he sympathized with placing expediency over morality as he placed the Space Knight in [[stasis cuffs]]. {{storylink|O Ship of State}}

[[File:ValleyForge-mainframeandsoundwave.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"Well, that fixes my tape jam."]]
When Arcee began fighting a [[Micronaut|group of]] [[Snake-Eyes|intruders]], Soundwave broke it up with a sonic attack; further mediations were cut short when a swarm of Dire Wraiths, bolstered by the forces of [[M.A.S.K.]], besieged their base to steal the Ore-13 beneath. Soundwave was blasted by the humans but was functional enough to stay on his feet. The architect of the recent madness was finally revealed when [[Miles Mayhem]] activated the space bridge, in spite of Soundwave's attempts to shut it down, to summon the Microspace conqueror [[Baron Karza]]. The Baron promptly [[enerchange]]d with the Wraiths to become a gigantic hybrid monster. {{storylink|The New Colossus}} When G.I. Joe arrived, Soundwave caught the falling [[Dragonfly]] of [[Mainframe (G.I. Joe)|Mainframe]] and [[Ayana Jones|Mayday]] and apologized to the former for his actions during Megatron's initial invasion of Earth. Realizing that he could communicate with the Micronauts through [[Ancient Cybertronian]], Soundwave formulated a plan to combine the abilities of multipl heroes, devising a counter frequency against the detonation of the Ore-13 at the cost of damaging the Space Bridge. His gambit paid off; when the portal to Microspace self-destructed and dragged Karza back inside, Soundwave shielded Mainframe from the cataclysmic blast. Otherwise unharmed, Soundwave returned to the now-airborne Autobot City to see Optimus announce that he and his new allies would work with humanity. {{storylink|Valley Forge}}

Over the next few months, Optimus Prime's cadre of Transformers continued to patrol Earth aboard their new command center, performing good deeds and keeping the peace across the planet. Optimus' legendary status as the mythical Thirteenth Prime, "[[The Arisen]]," would inspire religiously inclined colonists, and Prime's alliance received reinforcements in the shape of the zealous "[[Colonist Soldiers]]." The rookies were sent to [[Mexico City]] to neutralize a cache of stolen Cybertronian technology, but were quickly overwhelmed by protesters wielding Cybertronian-derived guns, forcing Soundwave and several other veterans to intervene. The group arrived at the [[White House]] to warn the [[President of the United States|President]] that Earth could be held in violation of the [[Tyrest Accord]]. Negotiations were cut short when Soundwave received a transmission from Metrotitan, warning of an incoming spaceship, and Metrotitan and his crew accordingly set a course for the [[Matterhorn]] to intercept the aliens as they touched down. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}}

[[File:BehindMyBleedingBack-SoundwaveandGIJoe.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66]]
The gigantic spaceship disgorged a cargo of [[Junkion (species)|Junkion]] nomads led by [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] and [[Rum-Maj]], looking to rebuild their destroyed homeworld using supplies of Earth's Ore-13. Soundwave immediately recognized the aliens before a G.I. Joe taskforce arrived to cordon off the landing zone. Returning to Metrotitan, Soundwave ordered the overeager colonists to shut up while he explained the history behind the Battle of Junkion. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 2: A Lonely Pillar on the Plain|A Lonely Pillar on the Plain}} Deducing that the Junkions had salvaged sensor technology from many different cultures, Soundwave called Cosmos, Rumble and Frenzy from [[Sanctuary Station]] to sneak aboard their ship with their own custom shielding to try and gleam more information while he put in an appearance at the G.I. Joe camp below to speak with Mainframe. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 3: Behind My Bleeding Back|Behind My Bleeding Back}} As Optimus began a risky diplomatic gamble to ratify a formal alliance between Earth, Cybertron, and the Junkions, Soundwave reluctantly agreed to help arrange a meeting between the various leaders of Earth. Talon noted that despite everything they'd been through, Soundwave was still fundamentally uncomfortable with the idea of working with Optimus. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 4: Dance Among the Shadows|Dance Among the Shadows}}

[[File:FutureGloriesLost-SoundwaveSharkticons.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"If Prime can give speeches, I can do it better."]]
Soundwave's subterfuge was soon revealed when the Junkions tossed Cosmos' battered body overboard, unleashing a swarm of rapacious [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]] to attack Earth. Soundwave broke his fall and brought him to the G.I. Joe base camp, where he and [[Hi-Tech]] helped stabilize the damaged Autobot. Cosmos revealed the poor living conditions of the Sharkticons; realizing that the Sharkticons were an oppressed underclass, Soundwave put his penchant for class warfare to good use as he flew into the air and recited some of Megatron's old [[Towards Peace|pre-war treatises]] to the aliens, calling for them to rise up against their Junkion masters. The message worked, and Soundwave led them in tearing apart the Junkion ship. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 5: Future Glories Lost|Future Glories Lost}}

When Optimus Prime brokered a new ceasefire between the warring factions, Soundwave watched as Optimus pontificated on the importance of their renewed alliance. {{storylink|New Cybertron End: Feel Safe Without Regrets|Feel Safe Without Regrets}} The Junkions and their freed Sharkticons were relocated to the [[Marshall Islands|Bikini Atoll]] to begin the construction of [[Little Cybertron]], a project that Soundwave helped supervise. {{storylink|The Next Day, and the Next}}

Around this time, a group of heroes went to interview Richard Ruby, ex-Bulletman, for information on the [[Talisman (G1)|Talisman]]. He was unconvinced about Soundwave's change of heart in spite of [[Ayana Jones|Mayday]]'s protests to the contrary. {{storylink|The Secret of the Mummy's Tomb}}

A virtual simulation of "Soundwave" was one of the many characters that appeared in [[Sideswipe (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sideswipe]]'s dying dream thanks to Wreck-Gar's [[mnemopathis projector]]. {{storylink|The Life of Sideswipe}}

The defeat and subsequent reconciliation with the Junkions forced Earth to accelerate its schedule to join the Council of Worlds, and eventually the President of the United States found an ambassador in Marissa Faireborne. As members of Optimus' inner retinue travelled by Space Bridge to join him, Soundwave remained behind on Earth with the colonists and a G.I. Joe support team... only for the [[Iron Ring]] to launch a genocidal attack on Iacon to disrupt the link and sever the two planets. Soundwave corroborated [[Chameleon (G.I. Joe)|Chameleon]]'s testimony and watched as Aileron took command. {{storylink|Primeless, Part 1}}

[[File:FirstStrike03-SoundwaveVsStrika.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66]]
As [[Scarlett]] raced to figure out why her mentor had betrayed her, Soundwave was approached by her team, who requested passage to Cybertron; though the Space Bridge had been deactivated, [[Skyburst (G1)|Skyburst]] and [[Stormclash]] realized that Colton's group had used their [[M.A.S.S. Device]] to reach Cybertron. The group headed to [[Castle Destro]] to retrieve the M.A.S.S. Device so as to replicate the effect. {{storylink|First Strike issue 2|First Strike #2}} The alliance easily breached the castle and emerged on Cybertron where Soundwave casually incapacitated some [[Iron Grenadier]]s with a sonic attack before Scarlett tackled Baron Ironblood... only to find [[Doctor Mindbender]] beneath the mask. After [[Gloria Baker]] hacked one of the Trojan horse bots, she discovered the real Colton had taken the Talisman and a small team into the depths of the planet, though Soundwave was skeptical of what damage the humans could do to Cybertron's core. The group gave chase, but their path was barred by [[Strika (BM)|Strika]], who fought Soundwave to a standstill before [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] broke up the fighting and brought them all to the Council. {{storylink|First Strike issue 3|First Strike #3}}

In the ensuing hearing, Soundwave confirmed Scarlett's testimony regarding Colton's plan to reach the core, though [[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]] was unconvinced. [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]], knowing how difficult it was to lie to Soundwave, chose to send forces underground to confirm his story before detaining the humans in prison. {{storylink|First Strike issue 4|First Strike #4}} Optimus, however, realized that Scarlett's forces would prove invaluable against Colton, and went outside the law to break them out of jail; Soundwave was less enthusiastic and noted that the three should handle the problem alone. After freeing the humans, the group pursued the Iron Ring towards the core of the planet, contending with booby traps along the way; fording a holographic river of "acid," the group reached the core just in time to bar Colton's path. {{storylink|First Strike issue 5|First Strike #5}}

[[File:FirstStrike6-SoundwaveVsStormShadow.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
The ensuing battle saw Soundwave contend with [[Tempest (G.I. Joe)|Storm Shadow]], discovering that his sonic powers had no effect on her. The combatants were soon joined by Starscream, Strika, and [[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]], and, in the chaos, Iron Ring member Garrison Kreiger made a break for the Talisman, taking advantage of the confusion to activate it preemptively. The human revealed himself as an ancient alien wizard named [[Merklynn]], who had specifically manipulated events in such a way to allow Cybertron to be transformed into a copy of his lost homeworld [[Prysmos]]. Seizing control of the planet's [[energon]], Merklynn used it to forge the city of "[[New Prysmos]]." Dismayed by the fact that he had sacrificed so much for naught, Colton willingly surrendered and allowed himself to be taken into by Cybertronian forces. {{storylink|First Strike issue 6|First Strike #6}}

===Freedom fighter===
[[File:AnotherMine SoundwaveAngry.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5]]
Returning to Earth, Soundwave was present at the opening of the [[Ore-13]] mine in [[Kentucky]] where, always listening, he overheard Rum-Maj and Wreck-Gar's conversation. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 1: Surfeit of Primes|Surfeit of Primes}}

The arrival of the lost Prime, Onyx Prime, with Liege Maximo in tow as his prisoner caused a stir on Cybertron. Optimus Prime requested Soundwave's presence, and he arrived via Space Bridge. Onyx appeared somewhat deferential to Optimus as the Arisen, and Soundwave bristled at the idea of Primes consorting and reaching decisions for the population unilaterally, the social structure he and the Decepticons had fought so long to defeat. While Windblade, the Mistress of Flame and the Primes talked, Soundwave reconnected with the Decepticons on Cybertron. Dreadwing and Needlenose found his lack of action and faith in Optimus offensive, so Soundwave decided to make a move. He visited the Liege Maximo in his cell, but was unable to read anything from the Prime's mind. He confronted Onyx Prime in the meeting, just as an explosion erupted through the party. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 2: Another Mine|Another Mine}}

Alpha Trion and Dreadwing lay dead in the blast. Onyx Prime was quick to place blame on Soundwave and the Decepticons for being a disruptive influence among the Primes. Playing to the crowd, Onyx also revealed Soundwave's long-held secret for everyone to hear: the I/D Chips were deactivated when Bumblebee tried to detonate Horri-Bull's, and so Soundwave killed Horri-Bull himself to maintain their cover. Needlenose immediately turned on Soundwave and the overlapping allegations forced Soundwave to remove himself from the crowd under a cloud of suspicion. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 3: The Ground|The Ground}}

[[File:Unforgivable NeedlenoseCallsSoundwaveOut.jpg|right|upright=1.6|thumb]]
As Onyx revealed himself as none other than Shockwave—having manipulated eons of history under the guise of "Onyx Prime," all in service of his ultimate goal—Soundwave hid himself from Needlenose and his mob of angry Decepticons intent on bringing him to justice; when it became clear that a recently freed Starscream stood poised to take control of what remained of the Decepticons, however, Soundwave decided to take action, {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 5: Endless Forever|Endless Forever}} and prepared to assassinate Starscream from afar... before Needlenose found him, and his fellow Decepticon's accusation that his actions made him no better than the other Decepticon leaders caused the telepath to falter, and ultimately spare Starscream's life. Though Shockwave was subdued and taken into custody, and Soundwave pardoned for the false accusations laid against him, Soundwave was not comforted by this outcome—for not only had Shockwave robbed the Decepticon movement of its leader and ideology, not only had Soundwave allowed the treacherous Starscream to live, but Shockwave had already unleashed the final stage of his eons-long plan on the galaxy: [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 6: Unforgivable|Unforgivable}}

[[File:LastStand SoundwaveRomFightTogether.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5]]
As Unicron began his rampage across the galaxy, devouring one planet after the other, Soundwave joined Optimus and his inner retinue as the group traveled aboard the ''[[Ark-Zero]]'' to the planet [[Elonia]], and as Optimus and the others led the evacuation efforts Soundwave was able to detect a counter-frequency that blocked Wheeljack's portable teleport pylons: a signal that belonged to the comatose body of the Titan [[Emissary (IDW)|Emissary]]. After Arcee dealt with the dying giant, Soundwave reported that two-thirds of the planet's biosphere had been safely teleported to Cybertron. {{storylink|Our Darkest}} As Unicron continued his attacks, Soundwave was part of the group that met to discuss their next moves, {{storylink|Unstopped and Unstoppable}} and when Unicron arrived in the skies above [[Caminus (planet)|Caminus]] Soundwave and the united Cybertronian armada arrived to stop him and his [[Maximal]] servants. Soundwave fought alongside [[Rom]] the [[Space Knight]] to get to safety, attempting to use his rhetoric to turn the Maximals against Unicron; this proved fruitless, however, and Soundwave was later forced to coordinate the teleportation of Optimus, Bumblebee, and Arcee out of Unicron after the three launched an exploratory mission into the monster's innards. Back on Cybertron, Soundwave joined the other Decepticons as they watched Starscream take command of the Decepticons, {{storylink|Last Stand (Unicron)|Last Stand}} pledging to take control of the situation by assembling the [[Decepticon Vengeance Division]]. {{storylink|Stranger Eons}}

Doublecrossed and mutated by Bludgeon, the D.V.D. swiftly fell, however, and as Unicron and his new flotilla of Decepticon traitors arrived in the skies over Cybertron Soundwave joined the emergency meeting in the [[Spire]] with the [[Enigma of Combination]] to propose that they use its energies to combine the entirety of Cybertron into a giant form to fight Unicron—but even all of the combined Transformers on Cybertron wouldn't be nearly large enough to do so. Starscream proposed cutting their losses and running, abandoning whoever couldn't escape Cybertron to their fate... but Soundwave refused to be complicit in such a plan, and used his powers to telepathically broadcast Starscream's words to every Decepticon in Iacon, who coalesced into an angry mob. {{storylink|Our Finest}} Salvation came in the shape of Windblade and the [[Prysmosian]] citizens of [[New Prysmos]], who tapped into the [[magic]] of the Talisman to project a beam of teleportation energy, scooping up every Cybertronian it touched and hurling them to Earth. Soundwave was one of the many Cybertronians who materialized near [[Victoria Falls]] as Unicron ripped Cybertron apart and destroyed Sanctuary Station as the planet-eater made its way to Earth. {{storylink|Road's End}}

[[File:ASunriseDark SoundwaveMournsMainframe.jpg|right|upright=1.4|thumb]]
As the Cybertronians regrouped in preparation for the final showdown with Unicron, Soundwave was part of a smaller group that traveled to [[Mount Rushmore]] as envoys to de-escalate a conflict between the [[Colonist Soldiers]] and the Dinobot. When Soundwave discovered that [[Flint (G.I. Joe)|Flint]]'s anger at the situation was due to the death of his friend Mainframe—who had been stepped on by [[Gimlet]] during the scuffle—Soundwave's grief finally overwhelmed him, and the Decepticon released a psychic "scream" that overwhelmed the nation, disrupting electronics as far away as [[Los Angeles]]. The raw feelings and memories encoded within the scream, however, finally proved to a doubting humanity that Cybertronians were as "real" as any human, and with this in mind Soundwave was part of the group of heroes and villains that attended a meeting within Trypticon to discuss their battle plan. {{storylink|Time Will Rust}} {{storylink|A Sunrise Dark}}

[[File:Unicron6 Operation Absolution.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8|''There was no other way...'']]
As the Maximal swarms descended on Earth, Soundwave remained at Mount Rushmore with Jetfire and the Aerialbots to put his stage of the plan into motion. As Optimus Prime plunged into the [[black hole]] that made up the heart of Unicron, Jetfire remotely linked the Enigma of Combination that Soundwave had saved from Cybertron's destruction into the "Earth Enigma" that Superion embodied and [[Stardrive]]'s [[Dire Wraith]] magic. As Superion and Victorion vanquished Monstructor, Prime began his final battle with [[Unicron's creator]] in [[infraspace]] and Soundwave unleashed the second and final phase of his plan: using the Enigma's power to combine the minds and souls of all living beings, amplifying its reach with his own telepathic powers, Soundwave was able to breach the barrier between the living and the dead, uniting the souls of all those who had died in the war against Unicron and more and beaming their faith—and his own—to Optimus. As the spirits of the dead united, Soundwave's body crumbled away with his last words: "Operation: Absolution." {{storylink|Ceremony}}

In the aftermath of Unicron's defeat, Buzzsaw honored Soundwave's memory by defending his deceased friend's favorite Earth creatures- elephants, from human poachers in [[Africa]]. {{storylink|Post}}

==''Spotlight: Mirage''==
[[File:SpotlightMirage Soundwavescorpse.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Not so superior now, are you?]]
In a dream set in an alternate universe wrapped in an enigma surrounded by a soft taco shell dreamt by [[Mirage (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Mirage]], Soundwave was part of the Decepticon strike force who attacked the last stronghold of the Autobots. Soundwave was attacked by [[Hound (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hound]], who snapped his head off, killing him. But it was just a dream, so it didn't matter. Right? {{storylink|Spotlight: Mirage}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
[[File:Unused AHM Soundwave.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|What? You mean we don't use brick-sized microcassette recorders anymore?]]
*IDW Publishing seems to be undecided on Soundwave's speech pattern. In ''[[The Transformers: Megatron Origin|Megatron Origin]]'', he speaks in his classic cartoon-based monotone. However, in ''[[Spotlight: Soundwave]]'', he speaks in a normal fashion. Which is once again reverted to the classic speech in ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]''. During the [[The Transformers (IDW)|ongoing series]] he has lost the ability to speak completely due to damage done to his face. Finally, during ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots In Disguise]]'' he has regained the ability to speak, and does so in a normal fashion, though, late into the series, he would often preface his actions with "Operation:" in homage to his cartoon counterpart.
*[[Guido Guidi]] made a concept drawing of Soundwave with a modern microcassette recorder as an alt mode (which are still used by reporters and doctors today) for [[IDW Publishing]]'s ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]'' maxi-series. This was unused. Consequently, Soundwave may go down as the ''Transformers'' character with the most unused designs.
*According to [[Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook issue 3|''Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook'' #3]], Soundwave is 32 feet tall and weighs 14 tons.<ref>For reference, this equals 9.8 metres and 12.7 metric tonnes.</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{i|Soundwave}} at the IDW Hasbro Wiki

[[Category:Decepticon leaders]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Decepticons]]

Optimus Prime (Movie)

2024-02-24T01:59:48Z

Soundwave26: A small spelling fix. I believe "tape 4" is supposed to be "take 4" as it is referring to movie takes.

{{factions|autobot|{{factions/icons|custom=Cyberglyphics Prime Symbol.png|cLink=Dynasty of Primes|cPretty=Prime}}|NEST|hofsilver}}
{{disambigm|Optimus Prime (disambiguation)|Nemesis Prime (disambiguation)}}
{{suite}}
:''Optimus Prime is the [[Autobot]] leader from the [[Movie continuity family]].''
[[File:Movieprime meettheautobots.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|Hello, pretty bird. GIVE ME YOUR FACE.]]
'''Optimus Prime''' is the leader of the [[Autobot]]s. Long ago, he was the humble leader of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s science division, which studied the [[AllSpark]], and were protected by [[Lord High Protector]] [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]]'s military. When Megatron was corrupted by [[The Fallen]], Optimus discovered that he was the last of the [[Dynasty of Primes]], hidden away when The Fallen destroyed their lineage. In response to Megatron's attempts to seize the AllSpark and conquer other worlds, Optimus assumed his proper [[Prime (rank)|title]] and rallied the Autobots to stand against the [[Decepticon]]s.

As obsessively as Megatron strives to achieve his objective, Optimus is equally as dedicated to stopping him, even at the cost of his life, his world, and—if necessary—his own people. It was on his order that the AllSpark was jettisoned into space, dooming Cybertron to a slow death and his people to a nomadic life. The sacrifices he has made weigh heavily on his [[spark]], but they must be done, for there is no other choice. He knows the ambitions that lurk in Megatron's spark, and they must never see the light of day. Lives must be kept free from the threat of Megatron's tyranny, no matter the cost. This obsession with the defeat of Megatron has robbed Optimus of some of his early idealism. This has created a certain ruthlessness beneath his otherwise honest and caring personality. Prime is not one for second chances and is willing to consider any action that might lead to victory, short of directly sacrificing those he cares about.

{{bigquote|You just wanna die for the guy! That's leadership… or brainwashin', or somethin'.}}
{{bigquote|No… that's ''Optimus Prime.''|[[Crosshairs (AOE)|Crosshairs]] and [[Drift (AOE)|Drift]] on their leader|''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction]]''}}

==Fiction==
===Movies===
{{note|The seven movies are the primary component of the live-action movie continuity family. Their events should be taken as canon for all other pieces of fiction listed below, unless otherwise specified.}}
====''Transformers'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Peter Cullen]] (English), [[Tesshō Genda]] (Japanese)|[[Wang Kai]] (Chinese), [[Andrei Yaroslavtsev]] (Russian), [[Guilherme Briggs]] (Portuguese), [[Jacques Frantz]] (European French), [[Guy Nadon]] (Canadian French), [[Reiner Schöne]] (German), [[Alessandro Rossi]] (Italian), [[Jung Goo Lee]] (Korean), [[Blas Garcia]] (Latin-American Spanish), [[Jordi Boixaderas]] (Spain-Spanish), [[Zdeněk Maryška]] (Czech), [[Shailendra Pandey]] (Hindi), [[Tibor Kristóf]] (Hungarian), [[Thongchai Chanchamni]] (Thai), [[Ayhan Kahya]] (Turkish, theatrical and home media), [[Payidar Tüfekçioğlu]] (Turkish, VOD)}}

[[File:TF2007 optimus meets sam.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.85|"I will peer into your spark..." Wait wait wrong line. CUT, TAKE 4, ACTION... 
"I will peer into your aplahds" sorry sorry. CUT, read the script, you're supposed to say "I am Optimus Prime" "Okay okay I got it"...]]
Optimus Prime and his Autobots were forced to depart their homeworld of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] thousands of years ago, after the life-giving [[AllSpark]] was lost to the far reaches of space. In the year 2007, having received word from [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] that the AllSpark was on the planet [[Earth]], Optimus brought his troops to the small, blue world. After descending through Earth's atmosphere in his [[transition form]], Optimus [[Trans-scan|scanned]] a passing truck, then quickly learned the planet's languages via the [[internet]]. Meeting up with Bumblebee, Prime and his men were introduced to [[Sam Witwicky]] and [[Mikaela Banes]], with whom Prime shared their history and their reason for being on Earth.

[[File:TF2007 optimus truckmode.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Like a Boss.]]
Prime and the Autobots returned with Sam to his house, so that he could obtain for them [[Archibald Witwicky's glasses|a family heirloom]]: a pair of [[glasses]] belonging to his ancestor [[Archibald Witwicky]], which contained the location of the AllSpark encoded across its lenses. Prime had his troops wait outside while Sam and Mikaela searched for the glasses, but the Autobot leader's thunderous footsteps, clumsy attempts to hide, and general impatience made the whole experience quite a trial. Nevertheless, the Autobots managed to keep themselves hidden from Sam's parents long enough for Sam to find the glasses—at which point, the forces of [[Sector Seven]] arrived to take Sam and Mikaela into custody. Prime intercepted the S7 convoy, tearing the roof off the SUV containing the two kids and demanding that the organization's director [[Seymour Simmons]] release them. Sector Seven back-up soon arrived, however, forcing Prime to hide beneath a bridge, carrying Sam and Mikaela on his shoulders. When the humans slipped, Bumblebee was forced to break cover to rescue them, which resulted in all three of them being captured by S7. Now in possession of the glasses which could tell him the location of the AllSpark, Optimus remorsefully left Bumblebee in Sector Seven's hands despite protestations from [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] and [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]]; Prime was unwilling to employ the deadly force he knew would be required to save their teammate, as he knew humanity held the potential to be something great.

[[File:Movie2007 Prime sword.jpg|left|upright=1.85|thumb|Swiss army Prime.]]
Using the glasses to trace the AllSpark to the [[Hoover Dam]], Prime led his men there, but while they were en route, the [[Decepticon]]s who were also in hiding on the planet launched an attack on the facility. Sam, Mikaela, Bumblebee and the forces of Sector Seven met up with Prime and his team on the road, and they all headed for nearby [[Mission City]] to hide the AllSpark. On the way, Prime was attacked by [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]]; a brief but brutal struggle followed, concluding when Prime succeeded in decapitating the hate-filled Decepticon. Joining his men in the streets of Mission City, Prime was met in battle by his ancient enemy Megatron, who quickly proved to be superior both in physical strength and in terms of firepower. [[File:TF2007 optimus vs megatron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.85|"You, Kakarot. I choose you to be the first of my victims."]] Realizing that there was only one way to end the fighting, Optimus instructed Sam to push the AllSpark into his chest if all hope seemed lost, which would merge the cube with his own [[spark]], destroying both it and himself. As it turned out, Sam did just the opposite, instead thrusting it into ''Megatron's'' chest, killing the Decepticon leader and destroying the AllSpark. Prime regretted the necessity of the action, but knew there had been no other choice.

Though the Decepticons were defeated and their bodies dumped in the [[Laurentian Abyss]] by the military, the loss of the AllSpark meant the Autobots were unable to use its power to restore their homeworld. Electing to remain on Earth, Prime sent a message into deep space to any surviving Autobots in the galaxy to come to join them there. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}}

{{note|Optimus Prime's involvement in the preceding events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the novels "[[Transformers (novel)|Transformers]]," "[[Transformers: The Junior Novel]]" and "[[The Quest for the AllSpark]]";
the "[[Transformers: Movie Adaptation]]" and "[[Movie Trilogy]]" comics; the activity book "[[Look and Find Transformers]]"; and the storybooks "[[Optimus Prime Versus Megatron]]," "[[Sam's New Car]]," "[[Transformers (interactive Play-a-Sound Storybook)|Transformers Play-a-Sound]]," "[[Transformers Mix & Match]]," "[[Meet the Autobots]]," "[[Meet the Decepticons]]," and "[[Transformers: The Movie Storybook]]." In the comic book and novel adaptations of the film, Prime also kills [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] after his altercation with Bonecrusher.}}
{{--}}

====''Revenge of the Fallen'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Peter Cullen]] (English), [[Tesshō Genda]] (Japanese)|[[Wang Kai]] (Chinese), [[Guilherme Briggs]] (Portuguese), [[Jacques Frantz]] (European French), [[Guy Nadon]] (Canadian French), [[Reiner Schöne]] (German), [[Alessandro Rossi]] (Italian), [[Jung Goo Lee]] (Korean), [[Andrei Yaroslavtsev]] (Russian), [[Blas Garcia]] (Latin-American Spanish), [[Jordi Boixaderas]] (Spain-Spanish), [[Zdeněk Maryška]] (Czech), [[Shailendra Pandey]] (Hindi), [[Imre Szélyes]] (Hungarian), [[Thongchai Chanchamni]] (Thai), [[Ayhan Kahya]] (Turkish, theatrical and home media), [[Volkan Ateş Akyılmaz]] (Turkish, VOD)}}

[[File:ROTF optimus takes aim.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.8|''My OptiPrime don't want none Unless he's got GUNS Hun'']]
In the two years which followed the events in Mission City, Optimus Prime and the Autobots—including a group of new arrivals who had responded to Prime's message—became part of a Transformer/human military group called [[NEST]]. Together, they hunted down the remaining Decepticons in hiding across Earth. After a destructive clash with [[Demolishor (ROTF)|Demolishor]] in [[Shanghai]] went awry, Optimus was air-dropped onto a highway and crippled the Decepticon. Demolishor taunted Optimus about the mysterious force known as "[[The Fallen]]", who would rise again. Prime ensured that Demolishor would not be around to see it, as he unceremoniously executed him.

[[File:ROTF Prime blades.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Optimus' rampage through the Hundred Acre Wood left no survivors.]]
When the Decepticon [[Ravage (ROTF)|Ravage]] stole the remaining shard of the AllSpark from NEST's [[Diego Garcia]] base, Optimus Prime arranged a meeting with Sam Witwicky, who had since left home to go to college, hoping for the boy's help. Sam, unfortunately, was presently focused on having some semblance of a normal life, and was not receptive Optimus's pleas, but Optimus feared that the choice to be involved would soon be taken out of Sam's hands. This soon proved true when Megatron—resurrected by the AllSpark shard—abducted Sam to draw out the wisdom of the AllSpark that was hidden within the human's mind. Optimus and Bumblebee ambushed the Decepticons in the [[Broadwater Metal Works|abandoned industrial complex]] where Sam was being held and managed to whisk the boy away, but Megatron, [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] and [[Grindor (ROTF)|Grindor]] gave chase, resulting in a ferocious three-on-one battle between Prime and the Decepticons in the depths of the nearby forest. Prime held his own, even managing to kill Grindor, but the underhanded Megatron was able to impale him on his pincer-blade and blast him open with point-blank shot. Although the rest of the Autobots soon arrived and drove off Megatron and Starscream, Optimus Prime was [[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|dead]].

[[File:ROTF optimus dead body.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.8|This is what happens when you get close to [[Stephanie Sheh|Nui Harime]].]]
Prime's body was brought back to Diego Garcia, but was soon covertly transported to [[Egypt]] by [[William Lennox]] and [[Robert Epps]] when they got word from Sam that he had discovered a possible means of restoring the Autobot leader to life: the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. In the midst of a battle between the Autobots and The Fallen's Decepticons in the Egyptian desert, Sam plunged the Matrix into Optimus's chest, and his gamble proved successful, as Optimus Prime lived again. To help Prime defeat The Fallen and destroy his [[Star Harvester|sun-harvesting weapon]] hidden within the [[Great Pyramid of Giza]], the turncoat Decepticon [[Jetfire (Movie)|Jetfire]] sacrificed his life, entreating Prime to use his parts to gain "a power he had never known". [[File:ROTF movie Powered-Up Optimus Prime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|I'm bringing sexy back.]] [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] and [[Jolt (ROTF)|Jolt]] transplanted Jetfire's remains onto Prime's body, upgrading him into a heavily armed, flight-capable powerhouse. Prime immediately took flight and disabled the harvester, after which he engaged The Fallen in battle. Megatron attempted to intervene, but Optimus overpowered his old enemy and used his own fusion cannon to shoot half his face off. Resuming his fight with The Fallen, Optimus tore the ancient Decepticon's face off, and when the villain attempted to flee, Prime punched through his abdomen and crushed his spark, finally killing him.

On the return voyage home, Optimus thanked Sam for saving his life, as the boy thanked the Autobot leader for believing in him. Following this, Optimus Prime sent another transmission into space, detailing recent events so that the pasts of both races would be remembered, and also declaring that Humanity and the Autobots would face the future together. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}

{{note|Optimus Prime's involvement in the preceding events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the novels "[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen]]," "[[Revenge of the Fallen: The Junior Novel]]" and "[[The Last Prime]]"; the "[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Official Movie Adaptation]]" and "[[Movie Trilogy]]" comics; and the storybooks "[[I Am Optimus Prime (ROTF)|I Am Optimus Prime]]," "[[Operation Autobot]]," "[[Rise of the Decepticons]]," "[[When Robots Attack!]]," "[[Ratchet to the Rescue]]," "[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Electronic Voice Changer]]" and "[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Mix & Match]]." The publications targeted at younger readers tending to downplay Optimus's ferocity—in several, he defeats The Fallen not by killing him, but by [[:File:TheFallen-thrownintospace.jpg|hurling him into space]]. In the [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|novelization]] of the film, Prime is not killed by Megatron's attack, but rather sent into [[stasis lock]], and would have stayed that way for years if not for Sam's intervention.}}

====''Dark of the Moon'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Peter Cullen]] (English), [[Tesshō Genda]] (Japanese)|[[Wang Kai]] (Chinese), [[Reiner Schöne]] (German), [[Alessandro Rossi]] (Italian), [[Jacques Frantz]] (European French), [[Guy Nadon]] (Canadian French), [[Andrei Yaroslavtsev]] (Russian), [[Blas Garcia]] (Latin American-Spanish), [[Arturo Casanova]] (Latin American-Spanish, one line error), [[Jordi Boixaderas]] (Spain-Spanish), [[Zdeněk Maryška]] (Czech), [[Akshay Kumar]] (Hindi), [[Imre Szélyes]] (Hungarian), [[Guilherme Briggs]] (Portuguese), [[Srinivasa Moorthy]] (Telugu), [[Thongchai Chanchamni]] (Thai), [[Ayhan Kahya]] (Turkish, theatrical and home media), [[Volkan Ateş Akyılmaz]] (Turkish, VOD)}}
[[File:DOTM optimus armored weapons platform.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.8|Chevron seven locked.]]
Three years after the defeat of The Fallen, the Autobots and NEST took to dealing with human conflicts in the absence of the Decepticons. Optimus's vehicle mode was now complemented by a [[Armored Weapons Platform|large transformable trailer]], containing an armory of various weapons and flight equipment. While investigating a tip that a piece of Cybertronian technology could be found in the ruins of the [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]], Optimus and his NEST allies were attacked by [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] and his pet [[Driller]], who attempted to steal the component. Optimus drove off Shockwave and his monstrous "pet", but was perturbed to discover that the recovered Cybertronian tech was a piece of the ancient Autobot spacecraft known as the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]''—flagship of his mentor and predecessor, [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]], and believed destroyed during the war on Cybertron millennia beforehand.
[[File:DOTM optimus with trailer.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|"Callin' all trucks, this here's the duck. We're about to go a-huntin' bear."]]
Demanding an explanation from National Intelligence Director [[Charlotte Mearing]], Prime learned from both her and astronaut [[Buzz Aldrin]] that humanity had discovered the ruins of the ''Ark'' on Earth's [[Moon (moon)|moon]] in the 1960s. Travelling to the moon with Ratchet aboard the ''[[Xantium (DOTM)|Xantium]]'', Prime discovered the comatose form of Sentinel within the ''Ark''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s crash vault, along with a small fraction of the special cargo the ''Ark'' had been carrying—five [[pillar]]s capable of opening a [[space bridge]]. Optimus brought his old mentor back to Earth and used the Matrix of Leadership to reactivate him; showing him the peace and beauty of Earth, Optimus expressed his willingness to cede leadership back to Sentinel once more, but Sentinel refused.

[[File:DOTMSentinelOptimus.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.8|Sentinel, can you put that sword somewhere else so we can talk?]]
Unfortunately, it would soon transpire that Sentinel was in league with Megatron, when he murdered Ironhide and brought the pillars to [[Washington, D.C.]]. A shocked Optimus confronted his mentor at the National Mall reflecting pool, pleading with him to stop, but Sentinel was unmoved, and opened a space bridge through which at 200 Decepticon troops launched a vicious assault on the city. In the chaos that followed, Optimus tried to fight Sentinel; Sentinel defeated him, but spared his life in the belief he would come around to his side eventually. Naturally, Optimus refused, which led to Sentinel publicly denouncing him and his Autobots as rebels, falsely leading humanity to believe that their planet would be spared if they exiled Optimus's team into space aboard the ''Xantium''. Appearing to willingly comply, Optimus suspected Decepticon treachery—and he was right, as Starscream fired upon the ''Xantium'' soon after launch, destroying it. To all watching, it appeared Optimus and the Autobots had been destroyed, but in actuality, Prime had had his men hide within one of the ship's booster rockets, which had detached before the vessel's destruction.
[[File:DOTM optimus with flight tech.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|"That's my secret, Captain. I ''always'' want faces."]]
Optimus's team headed for [[Chicago]], which had been conquered by the Decepticons in their absence, and arrived just in time to rescue Sam, Epps and a team of former NEST soldiers from a Decepticon [[Orbital Assault Carrier|fighter ship]]. Venturing into the heart of the city, the Autobots were ambushed by Shockwave and the Driller, and Prime was separated from his trailer in the brawl. Leaving his Autobots to battle on without him, Prime quickly recovered the trailer and donned the flight tech within, which he used to slay the Driller. Unfortunately, he was then blasted by Shockwave and wound up tangled in the cables of a construction crane, temporarily taking him out of the fight.

By the time the [[Wreckers]] cut Optimus free, Sentinel had activated his space bridge and begun teleporting Cybertron itself into Earth's [[Solar System]]. Prime went on a rampage, scything through the Decepticons on the main battlefield on his way to a final confrontation with Shockwave; after killing the cyclopean Decepticon, he used Shockwave's own cannon to blast the space bridge's control pillar, stalling Cybertron's transportation. [[File:DOTM optimus executes sentinel.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.8|Hey, you guys remember when Optimus Prime used to crack jokes and play basketball? Good times.]] Optimus then demanded that Sentinel face him; his one-time mentor complied, and the pair engaged one another in a battle which Optimus initially dominated, but in which Sentinel eventually got the upper hand when he sliced off Prime's right arm. Before Sentinel could deliver a killing blow, however, Megatron himself intervened, attacking the elder Prime from behind and heavily damaging him. Megatron proposed a truce to Optimus, wishing only to be in charge of the Decepticons again; Optimus's response was to plunge his energon axe into Megatron's head and tear it from his shoulders, killing his eternal foe once more. The damaged and helpless Sentinel begged for mercy, claiming that all he ever wanted was their race's survival, but Optimus refused, claiming Sentinel didn't betray the Autobots, but rather ''himself.'' With bitter regret, Optimus executed his treacherous master with Megatron's shotgun. With Cybertron now apparently destroyed by the deactivation of the space bridge, Prime and the Autobots accepted Earth as their new home, and Optimus declared that the Autobots would never forsake the defense of the planet or its people. {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}}

{{note|Optimus Prime's involvement in the preceding events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the novels "[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)|Transformers: Dark of the Moon]]" and "[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel]]"; the "[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation]]" and "[[Movie Trilogy]]" comics; and the storybooks "[[Autobots Versus Decepticons]]," "[[The Lost Autobot]]," "[[Optimus Prime's Friends and Foes]]," "[[Bumblebee's Best Friend]]," "[[Dark of the Moon: Action Pop-ups!]]" and "[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Mix & Match]]." Numerous adaptations targeted at younger readers scaled back the film's violence. In the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation|comic book]] and [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)|novel]] adaptations of the film, Optimus accepts Megatron's truce and allows him to leave, and he kills Sentinel not with Megatron's gun, but with Sentinel's own [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]] cannon.}}
{{--}}

====''Age of Extinction'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Peter Cullen]] (English), [[Tesshō Genda]] (Japanese)|[[Wang Kai]] (Chinese), [[Andrei Yaroslavtsev]] (Russian), [[Reiner Schöne]] (German), [[Alessandro Rossi]] (Italian), [[Jacques Frantz]] (European French), [[Guy Nadon]] (Canadian French), [[Alfonso Ramírez]] (Latin American Spanish), [[Jordi Boixaderas]] (Spain - Spanish), [[Zdeněk Maryška]] (Czech), [[Shailendra Pandey]] (Hindi), [[Imre Szélyes]] (Hungarian), [[Sławomir Pacek]] (Polish), [[Guilherme Briggs]] (Portuguese), [[Arun Alexander]] (Tamil), [[Srinivasa Moorthy]] (Telugu), [[Thongchai Chanchamni]] (Thai), [[Ayhan Kahya]] (Turkish)}}
[[File:AoE-junkeroptimus.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|Optimus' years of hard drinking and wild partying had finally caught up with him.]]
At some point in the distant past, Optimus was a member of an order of Cybertronian knights dedicated to exploring the universe. When he left the order to focus on becoming a Prime, he left his [[Sword_of_Judgement|sword]] and shield in the Knights' Temenos.

Following the battle in Chicago and the dissolution of NEST, the US government continued granting Optimus and the other Autobots asylum on Earth, in spite of the negative reputation the Autobots had gained. The White House believed that [[Harold Attinger]] was working alongside Optimus Prime to hunt down the last of the Decepticon fugitives; what the President didn't know was that Attinger's [[Cemetery Wind]] taskforce had began hunting down Autobots and terminating them. Learning of the betrayal, Optimus broadcast an urgent message to the Autobots on Earth, ordering his troops to cut off all contact with humans and go into hiding. Optimus successfully evaded Cemetery Wind for several years, but was eventually pinned down in [[Mexico]], caught in an ambush set by Attinger's lieutenant [[James Savoy]] and their Cybertronian ally, the bounty hunter [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]]. Though badly wounded, Prime threw off his pursuers by scanning a dilapidated cab-over truck, and fled north to Paris, [[Texas]], where he hid in an abandoned movie theater and succumbed to stasis lock induced by his grevious injuries.

[[File:AOE-injuredoptimus.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.8|Cade Yeager was able to rebuild Optimus in a BARN! [[Iron Man|With a BOX OF SCRAPS!]]]]
Prime remained inert until aspiring roboticist [[Cade Yeager]] visited the theater for salvage. Hoping to strip the seemingly ordinary truck and sell the parts, he purchased Optimus and towed him home to his workshop, whereupon his examination of the truck's unusual inner workings led him to realize he had discovered a Transformer. Though Cade's daughter [[Tessa Yeager|Tessa]] and partner [[Lucas Flannery|Lucas]] wanted to turn Optimus in for a cash reward, Cade argued against it, wanting to increase his technical expertise by studying Optimus's systems further. To prove that the Transformer was "dead" and unable to retaliate, Cade opened the truck up and discovered a live missile from the truck's inner workings. When the missile was removed, Optimus suddenly awoke and transformed into robot mode. Confused and disoriented, Optimus threatened the humans, but Cade was able to calm him down, and offered to help repair him as best he could. Before he could get very far, Savoy's forces stormed the farm, forcing Optimus to hide underneath the barn, but when Savoy threatened Tessa's life, Optimus burst from concealment to aid his new human friends. A running battle with Lockdown ensued, culminating in an abandoned factory, where Prime regrouped with the Yaegers and Tessa's boyfriend [[Shane Dyson]] and escaped.

[[File:AOE optimus new altmode.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|Cemetery Wind would never think to go after a red and blue truck covered in flames!]]
After confirming that they had shaken their pursuers, Optimus summoned the surviving Autobots to a rendezvous point in the desert, scanning a passing truck on the way to adopt a new alternate mode and repair his injuries. Reuniting with Bumblebee, [[Drift (AOE)|Drift]], [[Crosshairs (AOE)|Crosshairs]], and [[Hound (Movie)|Hound]], an angry and embittered Prime announced his intent to break his long-held vow and kill the humans responsible for the Autobots' suffering. With Cade's help, the Autobots learned that the bodies of their fallen comrades were being taken to [[Kinetic Solutions Incorporated]] in [[Chicago]], where they were being melted down for [[Living metal|raw material]] to produce KSI's own Transformers. Enraged to learn that Ratchet had recently suffered this gruesome fate, Optimus led the Autobots in a furious attack on KSI, but stopped short of killing company head [[Joshua Joyce]] when the human shamed him by declaring the mankind had advanced past the Transformers. [[File:AOE optimus reformatted.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.6|I need a face. '''AND I'M LOOKIN' AT YOURS!''']] The Autobots pulled out, but Attinger ordered KSI creations "Galvatron" and [[Stinger (AOE)|Stinger]] to be sent after them; Optimus faced off against Galvatron, but before the battle could conclude, Lockdown shot down Optimus and dragged him away.

Imprisoned aboard Lockdown's ship, the very same one once used by the order of knights Optimus had been a part of, Optimus learned that the bounty hunter had been hired by the Transformers' mysterious [[Creator]]s to round up their renegade creations, starting with the ancient knights to whom the ship had once belonged. Optimus was soon rescued by his fellow Autobots, and they escaped by detaching the section of the ship they were in from the main body without Lockdown's notice. After the team regrouped, [[Brains]] revealed that Galvatron was, in fact, a rebuilt Megatron, and was planning to detonate a cyberforming [[seed]]—given to Attinger by Lockdown—in [[Hong Kong]]. Though Prime lacked a strong reason to defend humankind after his recent experiences, Cade petitioned him to have faith, in if not humanity itself, then in their potential to be better.

[[File:AOEOptimusRidingGrimlock.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|I have a giant robot dinosaur. Your argument is invalid.]]
Arriving in Hong Kong, the Autobots' stolen ship was shot down by Galvatron's forces and crashed in the Wulong Valley. In need of reinforcements, Optimus reclaimed his sword and shield from the ship's armory and freed the other captive knights aboard the ship, the [[Dinobot (AOE)|Dinobots]], and proposed that they let him lead them into battle. Their leader [[Grimlock (AOE)|Grimlock]] was not receptive to this idea, and challenged Optimus, but the Autobot leader triumphed over him, and offered Grimlock freedom under his leadership, or death under his foot. Grimlock conceded defeat, and allowed Optimus to ride him into battle in his massive ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' mode. The Autobot-Dinobot alliance decimated Galvatron's army, forcing the Decepticon to retreat, but just when it seemed the day was won, Lockdown returned. Optimus disabled Lockdown's ship's tractor beam in order to allow his comrades to pull back while he faced the bounty hunter alone; during the course of their one-on-one fight, Optimus was forced to briefly break away to save Cade's life by shooting Attinger. [[File:OptimusPrimeleavesAOE.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.8| ''So if you care to find me'' ''Look to the western sky!'' ''As someone told me lately'' ''Everyone deserves a chance to fly!'']] Unfortunately, this distraction allowed Lockdown to impale Optimus on his own sword, immobilizing him, but Bumblebee and Cade intervened to hold off Lockdown while Shane and Tessa freed Optimus, enabling him to finally kill Lockdown. Optimus set off one of Lockdown's grenades to finish off Galvatron's remaining drones, and flew the humans to safety as it detonated.

After releasing the Dinobots from his command, Optimus prepared to depart into space, to both remove the seed from Earth, and to investigate the mystery of his creators, who still had a price on his head. His innate faith in humanity reignited by Cade and his family and friends, Optimus entreated the humans to think of one of the stars as his soul, and instructed the Autobots to guard the Yaegers, their allies, and all the humans they could.

As he left the planet, Optimus sent a message to the creators: leave Earth alone, because he was coming for them... {{storylink|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction}}
{{--}}

====''The Last Knight'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Peter Cullen]] (English), [[Tesshō Genda]] (Japanese)|[[Wang Kai]] (Chinese), [[Andrei Yaroslavtsev]] (Russian), [[Reiner Schöne]] (German), [[Alessandro Rossi]] (Italian), [[Jacques Frantz]] (European French), [[Guy Nadon]] (Canadian French), [[Blas Garcia]] (Latin American Spanish), [[Jordi Boixaderas]] (Spain - Spanish), [[Zdeněk Maryška]] (Czech), [[Shailendra Pandey]] (Hindi), [[Imre Szélyes]] (Hungarian), [[Sławomir Pacek]] (Polish), [[Guilherme Briggs]] (Portuguese), [[Thongchai Chanchamni]] (Thai), [[Ayhan Kahya]] (Turkish)}}

[[File:TLK-history-Optimus-Prime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|If Prime was a redcoat in 1815, he probably didn't like Americans very much...]]
In 1815, Optimus Prime participated in the {{w|Battle of Waterloo}} during the {{w|Napoleonic Wars}}. His early presence on Earth was covered up by the [[Order of the Witwiccans]].

After the battle of Hong Kong, Optimus exhausted his Energon in the vicinity of [[Jupiter]] and fell into [[stasis lock]], drifting through space. When [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] entered the Sol system, its gravitational pull affected Optimus and caused him to crash land on his homeworld, its atmosphere reviving him. Optimus awoke and despaired at the state of Cybertron. It was at this point that [[Quintessa (TLK)|Quintessa]] made herself known to Optimus, claiming to be his creator. Optimus cared very little for that and demanded to know what she'd done to Cybertron, trying to attack her when she refused to answer him, only to be overwhelmed by her powers and her [[Infernocon]]s. Quintessa accused Optimus of destroying Cybertron, but Optimus protested that Megatron had started the Great War. Quintessa however, retorted Optimus was responsible for Cybertron's state as he had been the one to launch the [[AllSpark]].

[[File:TLK Optimus chained.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Such folly and futility in the grand design.]]
With the Prime in chains, Quintessa explained her plan to him and why she needed him. She revealed to him that the Earth had formed around the body of [[Unicron]] and that she wanted Optimus to retrieve [[Staff of Merlin|her staff]] from the [[Guardian Knight|Knights of Iacon]] on Earth. With the staff, Quintessa would drain the life out of Unicron and use his energy to revive Cybertron. Brainwashing Optimus into "'''Nemesis Prime'''", she sent him back to Earth to complete the task.

[[File:TLK Optimus confronts Viviane.jpg|thumb|300px|Happy birthday, Kryptonian. I give you oblivion.]]
Nemesis Prime arrived back on Earth in the Knights' ship and slew two of their number before demanding that [[Viviane Wembly]] hand over the staff. His former ally Cade Yeager tried to reason with Optimus but Nemesis Prime reasserted his identity and claimed to fight only for Cybertron and its people. Once Viviane had handed over the staff, [[Santos]] (futilely) opened fire on Nemesis, who swatted the [[Transformers Reaction Force|TRF]] aside with his [[Quad Barrel Shotgun|shotgun]] and exited the ship. On the surface, Nemesis was assaulted by Bumblebee, whom the Prime easily bested in combat before the sound of Bumblebee's true voice allowed Optimus Prime to return.

[[File:TLKOptimusVsBumblebee.jpg|thumb|left|300px|It was at this point that Optimus' obsession with faces went too far.]]
The moment was short lived, as [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] flew in to steal the staff and the Knights arrived to slay Optimus for serving "Quintessa the Deceiver". While Optimus offered no resistance, viewing his execution as proper atonement, Cade managed to activate the [[Talisman (TLK)|Talisman]] and call off the Knights. Optimus then allied with the Knights and they flew off in the [[Knight Ship]] to confront Megatron and Quintessa on Cybertron. Arriving on [[Dragonstorm]], Optimus finally destroyed Infernocus by [[decapitation|decapitating]] all six Infernocons in a single mighty swing of his sword, reminding them that he is Optimus Prime. [[File:TLK Optimus decapitates Infernocons.jpg|thumb|300px|"Yeeart!"]]

In the [[ignition chamber]], Optimus engaged his old foe once again who tried to reignite their old friendship and offered Optimus the chance to stand beside them as they restored Cybertron. Optimus rebuked him, and was forced on the defensive before his fellow Autobots intervened and the Prime kicked Megatron out the side of the chamber.. Optimus then distracted Quintessa so Bumblebee could slay her when her defences were down as Vivian removed the staff, stopping Cybertron's destruction of Earth but leaving the two planets connected to one another. Optimus saved Cade and Vivian from falling to their death and, to the relief of their human allies, emerged from the destruction of the ignition chamber in his alternate mode with the two humans in his cab.

Despite the destruction of Earth being stopped, enough of Unicron's life force had been transmitted to Cybertron that it could again support its people. Optimus reflected that both humans and Cybertronians would have to work together to rebuild both their worlds before he sent out a call for all Autobots across the galaxy to return to Cybertron so they could begin rebuilding.
{{storylink|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight}}
{{--}}

====''Bumblebee'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Peter Cullen]] (English), [[Jon Bailey]] (English international trailers), [[Tesshō Genda]] (Japanese)|[[Wang Kai]] (Chinese), [[Jacques Frantz]] (European French), [[Guy Nadon]] (Canadian French), [[Alessandro Rossi]] (Italian), [[Jordi Boixaderas]] (Spain-Spanish), [[Blas Garcia]] (Latin-American Spanish), [[Reiner Schöne]] (German), [[Zdeněk Maryška]] (Czech), [[Shailendra Pandey]] (Hindi), [[Imre Szélyes]] (Hungarian), [[Sławomir Pacek]] (Polish), [[Guilherme Briggs]] (Portuguese), [[Andrei Yaroslavtsev]] (Russian), [[Thongchai Chanchamni]] (Thai), [[Ahyan Kahya]] (Turkish)}}
{{note|''Bumblebee'' takes place before the other films (supposedly), but was released later. As such, it is placed here after ''The Last Knight''.}}
[[File:BBfilm-Optimus-Bumblebee-Earth.jpg|left|thumb|300px|"Wanna take our war here? Seems like it'd be fun."]]
Leader of the Autobot rebels during the war for [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Optimus Prime took part in the final battle for Cybertron against the Decepticons. Though he dispatched numerous [[Seeker (Movie)|Seeker]]s in the fight, he soon concluded that the Autobots were on the brink of being overrun by the Decepticon advance. As the Autobot rearguard battled [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]], [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]], and [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]], Optimus explained to his troops that they would need to abandon Cybertron and regroup elsewhere in the galaxy, and as they headed to a nearby launchpad. Prime explained to his scout, [[Bumblebee (Movie)|B-127]], that he had selected [[Earth]] as the site of a new Autobot base, instructing him to reconnoiter the planet while he and the other refugees gathered Autobots throughout the galaxy to rendezvous at Earth.

As the other Autobots evacuated via escape pods, Optimus Prime stayed behind to delay any pursuit, leaping from the launchpad just as the Decepticons brought it down and fighting on alone. Soundwave confronted him, forcing Optimus to struggle briefly against Ravage. Though Optimus fought Ravage off, the distraction cost him his gun and allowed the Decepticons to surround him. Together, they advanced on the outnumbered and defenseless Autobot leader.

[[File:TF-BB-Optimus-Prime-and-Bumblebee-Earth-modes.jpg|thumb|300px|"Good work Bumblebee, I'm sure this mission won't result in a continuity nightmare."]]
Prime was somehow able to escape the Decepticons and leave Cybertron; at some point afterward, the Decepticons [[Shatter]] and [[Dropkick (Movie)|Dropkick]] fruitlessly attempted to interrogate [[Cliffjumper (Movie)|Cliffjumper]] about Prime's whereabouts. A memory-hazy B-127, while being repaired by [[Charlie Watson]] in a forest, unintentionally played a glitched hologram message from Optimus Prime, triggering a memory in the yellow soldier. Later the message played clearly, once again unintentionally by B-127 when he was beaten by Dropkick at [[Sector Seven]]. The message revealed to Shatter and Dropkick that Optimus and the Autobots were coming to join B-127 on Earth, prompting them to attempt to summon the larger Decepticon armada to Earth and destroy the planet before Optimus could arrive.

Prime arrived on Earth and adopted a cab-over truck mode as a terrestrial disguise, then met up with B-127—now calling himself "Bumblebee"—on the [[Golden Gate Bridge]] after Bumblebee and [[Charlie Watson]] parted ways. That night, Prime and Bumblebee took refuge in a nearby forest, with Optimus thanking the scout for his efforts and commending his bravery as they watched more Autobot escape crafts descend to Earth. {{storylink|Bumblebee (film)|Bumblebee}}
{{note|Optimus Prime's involvement in the preceding events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the novel "[[Transformers: Bumblebee: The Junior Novel]]".}}

====''Rise of the Beasts'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Peter Cullen]] (English), [[Tesshō Genda]] (Japanese)|[[Patrick Messe]] (European French), [[Guy Nadon]] (Canadian French), [[Reiner Schöne]] (German, Main Voice), [[Klaus-Dieter Klebsch]] (German, Second Trailer), [[László Horányi]] (Hungarian), [[Blas Garcia]] (Latin American Spanish), [[Víctor Hugo Aguilar]] (Latin American Spanish, Second Trailer), [[Guilherme Briggs]] (Brazilian Portuguese)}}

[[File:TF-ROTB-Optimus-Sees-Transwarp-Signal.jpg|thumb|left|300px|"Is this for that ''{{w|Stargate (film)|Stargate}}'' movie I heard Bumblebee was excited to see?"]]
Seven years after his arrival on Earth, Optimus Prime, stranded on Earth after his arrival, updated his alternate mode to have a bulbar and sun visors. He became mentally worn down from being unable to leave and laid low in New York for the time being, up until the [[Transwarp Key]] activated, sending a transmission into the sky. Optimus Prime immediately signaled for Bumblebee, [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]], and [[Mirage (Movie)|Mirage]] to rendezvous at a warehouse to make plans to retrieve the key and finally return home to Cybertron. Arriving last at the location, he noticed that Mirage had brought a human, revealed by Arcee to be [[Noah Díaz]], to their location. Optimus initially dismissed Noah and talked with the other Autobots to come up with a plan in order to retrieve the Transwarp Key. Mirage offered the idea of Noah to retrieve the key for them, as he was the ideal size in order for them to be able to sneak around into the location. Initially against the idea, Optimus eventually agreed to the plan.

[[File:TF-ROTB-Optimus-Prime-Confronts-Noah.jpg|thumb|300px|"Are you John Laurens in the place to be, two pints of Sam Adams, but working on three?"]]
Optimus waited on standby alongside Bumblebee and Arcee, the Autobot Leader still untrusting of Noah's capability to assist them. Bumblebee tried to say that the human race was not that bad, and while Optimus acknowledged that Bumblebee was treated kindly by [[Charlie Watson|another human]], he stood firm with his belief, and grew annoyed while waiting. The wait was shortened, however, as the [[Terrorcon (ROTB)|Terrorcons]] arrived on the scene, and Optimus headed into the battlefield with the other Autobots by his side. Optimus was overpowered by the Terrorcon leader, [[Scourge (ROTB)|Scourge]], and pinned to the floor via [[Battletrap (ROTB)|Battletrap]]. Before Scourge could deal the finishing blow to Optimus, Scourge redirected his attack towards Bumblebee, and Optimus had to watch his old friend be blasted by the Terrorcon leader, and was forced to retreat with Noah and another human, [[Elena Wallace]], after being rescued by the [[Maximal]] [[Airazor (ROTB)|Airazor]].

Wounded emotionally by the loss of Bumblebee, Optimus tried to pin the blame of the situation onto Noah, with the human placing the blame back on Optimus. Initially believing for all hope to be lost with Scourge holding the Transwarp Key and being able to summon [[Unicron]], Airazor clarified that Scourge had only half of the Transwarp Key, with Elena stating that the remaining half is in Peru. Optimus then changed their objective to getting both halves of the Transwarp Key and to kill Scourge. Realizing that the entire Autobot Team and the humans would need a means to travel to Peru, Optimus enlisted the help of [[Stratosphere]] to fly the team, remaining mostly silent in the flight to Peru, while hoping that Bumblebee could be revived with an Energon transfusion.

Upon arrival in Peru, Optimus and his team were guided by [[Wheeljack (ROTB)|Wheeljack]] to the city of [[Cusco]] in order to reach the location of the remaining half of the Transwarp Key, though they would not be able to traverse due to there being a festival held in the city at the time. Optimus reluctantly accepted the assistance of Noah and Elena to reach the temple while he and the other Autobots laid low in vehicle mode throughout the city for reinforcement. Upon the transmission received by Noah, Optimus and the other Autobots moved out towards their location to the jungle, with Scourge and the other Terrorcons following suit. Optimus transformed once out the city, telling Mirage he would get the half of the key from Scourge, as well as remove his head. Optimus shot at the Terrorcon leader, but Scourge tackled Optimus down the cliffside. Their fight was cut short by Airazor, Optimus then moved ahead towards the other Autobots and humans. Optimus then jumped into a standoff between the Autobots and humans against the other Maximals in the area. Airazor broke the tension between him and [[Optimus Primal (ROTB)|Optimus Primal]], the latter revealing to Optimus he was his namesake.

Resting in a nearby village that was aware of the existence of the Maximals, Optimus looked over the lifeless body of Bumblebee once more, with Primal stating that there was raw Energon in the area, but it was inert and would not be able to restore Bumblebee in the state it was in. Optimus then discussed the matter of the humans with Optimus Primal, the Maximal leader stating that all life mattered to them, while also finding that the humans are able to be trusted.

The day after this conversation, however, Airazor, corrupted by an attack from Scourge, stole both the Transwarp Key and Elena, and while ready to shoot down the infected Maximal, Primal stopped him from doing so. Optimus arrived to the location of both Elena and Noah, and noticed the latter was ready to destroy the half of the Transwarp Key with his blaster, but Optimus pleaded with Noah to not destroy it, the Key being his only way to get himself and the Autobots home. The Transwarp Key however was stolen once more and placed into the hand of Scourge, Optimus coming in shortly after Primal was forced to kill Airazor.

Left with little options, but also weighing Primal's belief in the humans alongside the efforts of Elena and Noah willing to not destroy the Key, Optimus made a plan to directly go after Scourge with the Maximals and Autobots, deciding to fight for Earth, and if necessary, die fighting to protect the planet no matter the cost. He joined in the plan to get the attention of the Terrorcons and Scourge while Elena and Noah sneaked up to the control panel of the Transwarp Drive and Elena could use the shutdown code in order to prevent Unicron's arrival. Optimus then partook in the final battle, taking on the Terrorcon [[Sweep (ROTB)|Sweep]]s as well as Battletrap, both him and Primal working together to dismantle the Terrorcon, with Optimus expressing annoyance with Primal doing the finishing blow.

Optimus soon made his way to the bridge in order to take on Scourge and assisted in the effort to stop the arrival of Unicron and protect Noah, but Optimus was soon be overwhelmed by the Terrorcon leader once more as well as an army of Sweeps. Optimus was saved however, by Bumblebee, who was revived via the Energon pulse given off by the Energon being ignited through the Transwarp Tower's activation. Upon being freed, Optimus gained the upper hand against Scourge. Though Scourge ended up destroying the control panel to the Transwarp Drive, Optimus emerged victorious in their final fight, removing Scourge's head from his body, and took back the Autobot insignia Scourge had taken from Bumblebee in their first encounter.

Left with no options to stop Unicron, Optimus was forced to take another action and planned to destroy the Transwarp Key. Optimus ordered the other Autobots to leave immediately, giving Bumblebee his insignia back, before readying himself. Unicron tried to bargain with the Autobot leader in order to preserve the Key, but Optimus refused to listen, destroying the Key and causing the platform to explode. Optimus tried to save himself from the transwarp vortex sucking him into the closing portal, only to be helped by Noah grabbing his axe. The human refused to let Optimus die, and then they were rescued by Optimus Primal, the Maximal Leader throwing him towards a road for him to drive both himself and Noah to safety, the latter giving him a boost while in vehicle mode.

Optimus then returned to America in Stratosphere with the other Autobots and the humans, having found the ability to trust in them should they face any future threats.
{{storylink|Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (film)|Rise of the Beasts}}
{{note|Optimus Prime's involvement in the preceding events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the books "[[Mission at the Museum]]" and "[[The Search Is On]]".}}

====''One'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Chris Hemsworth]] (English)}}
{{comingsoon|when=September 13, 2024}}
{{storylink|Transformers One}}
{{--}}

===Novels===
====''Ghosts of Yesterday''====
Before coming to Earth, Optimus Prime led the search for the AllSpark in the transport vessel, the ''[[Ark (Movie)|Ark]]''. In 1969, Earth-time, in an abandoned solar system, Prime and the crew discovered [[Ghost 1|a vessel]] of strangely Cybertronian design, which they pursued to a nearby planet. Prime dispatched Bumblebee to the surface to investigate the ship while he and the other Autobots battled Decepticons from the ''[[Nemesis (Movie)|Nemesis]]''; Prime personally took on and defeated [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]], [[Scorponok (Movie)|Scorponok]], and [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]]. Contact having been lost with Bumblebee during the fight, Prime headed down to the planet to join him, where a joint attack by Starscream and the alien ship sent the two Autobots tumbling into a subterranean cavern network.

Fleeing an attack by [[Worm-thing|indigenous worm-creatures]], Optimus Prime and Bumblebee came across the alien vessel, which Prime deduced was trying to surrender. Lines of communication were opened, and Prime realized that Starscream had duped the little aliens into attacking him. However, the creatures, who called themselves "[[human]]s", explained that they held Megatron, whom they called the Ice Man, on their home world, [[Earth]]. Realizing the destruction Megatron would wreak upon the defenseless humans if he escaped, Prime vowed to see them return to their world to warn it.

Prime blasted a way out of the caverns, but on the way back to the ''Ark'', the Decepticons attacked again, and Prime found himself in the difficult position of fighting Starscream and protecting the human ship. Speared by Bonecrusher's tail, Optimus seemed doomed to perish at Starscream's hand until the humans interceded, opening fire on Starscream. The Decepticon destroyed the humans and their ship in retaliation, but Optimus Prime, inspired by their courage and sacrifice, resolved to locate Earth—and the AllSpark which he speculated had come to rest there—before the Decepticons did... and hopefully before Megatron came back online. {{storylink|Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday|Ghosts of Yesterday}}

====''The Veiled Threat''====
{{bigquote|I know Megatron. I know all of you. You would not have taken the AllSpark and left this world in peace. You would have subdued it and made slaves of its people. Even in the absence of the AllSpark, my conscience and that of my friends could not have allowed that.|Optimus Prime to [[Macerator (ROTF)|Macerator]]}}
Following the battle for the AllSpark in Mission City and the formation of NEST, Optimus and Lennox led a team of Autobots to investigate a Decepticon sighting in [[Zambia]]. They found a trap waiting for them, which resulted in Optimus being dragged over [[Victoria Falls]] by the Decepticon [[Macerator (ROTF)|Macerator]]; Prime saved himself by grabbing an outcropping and was hauled to safety by rookie Autobot [[Beachbreak]]'s tow line, but Starscream then killed Beachbreak in retaliation. Prime took the Autobot's death personally, regarding it as a failure of his leadership. The team proceeded to hunt down their Decepticons prey, and after a lengthy fight at the [[Kariba dam]], Optimus decapitated Macerator. The other Decepticons escaped however, and Optimus prevented Ironhide from firing after [[Dropkick (Movie)|Dropkick]] for fear of harming nearby humans.

Another mission to [[Australia]] saw Optimus and his team spend days searching the outback for Decepticons, during which they discussed the possibility that the Decepticons might be hunting for energy to resurrect Megatron. Optimus doubted there was an energy source on the planet that could do so. They eventually encountered [[Kickback (ROTF)|Kickback]], [[Trample]] and [[Tread]], three [[Constructicon (ROTF)|Constructicon]]s mining for minerals. Optimus found Kickback's sonic charge weapon to be a challenge, but with some help from Lennox, killed the Decepticon.

The narrow streets of [[Rome]] proved a challenge for Optimus's truck mode to navigate when NEST travelled there to hunt down [[Jolt (Movie)|Deadend]] and [[Swindle (Movie)|Swindle]]. After [[Knock Out (ROTF)|Knockout]] dealt to the two Decepticons, a furious Starscream challenged Optimus to one-on-one combat in the nearby [[Colosseum]]. Naturally it was a trap — Starscream had allied himself with a human, [[Bruno Carrera]], and together they trapped Optimus in a pit and set Barricade on him. With the help of four humans, Optimus broke free, threw Barricade into the pit and sealed him there. He then had only to show his face outside to where Starscream was fighting Ironhide, Ratchet and [[Salvage (Movie)|Salvage]], and the would-be Decepticon leader fled. {{storylink|Transformers: The Veiled Threat|The Veiled Threat}}

====''Classified''====
[[File:Tfc-battlemountain.jpg|thumb|upright=1]]
After the massive battle in Egypt and the defeat of The Fallen, NEST continued to hunt Decepticons around the Earth. When a trio of Decepticons
attacked the [[United States Air Force]] [[Nevada Test and Training Range]], Optimus Prime and Ironhide responded; Optimus attempted to talk [[Dropshot (Classified)|Dropshot]] into abandoning the Decepticon cause, but was forced to kill him when he attempted to kill some human soldiers. Likewise, when [[Bombshock (PCC)|Bombshock]] threatened to blow up some humans, Optimus and Ironhide took him down with a pincer movement they had practised during the war back on Cybertron, in the [[Battle of Polyhex]]. Returning to base, Optimus took part in a meeting of some generals, though he had to talk his way into doing so, as they were initially reluctant to include the aliens. Optimus disagreed that the Decepticons' target was [[Area 51]] and correctly deduced it to be [[Hawthorne Army Depot]]. When he arrived there with Ironhide, Bumblebee and Ratchet were already engaged in a battle with [[Reverb (ROTF)|Reverb]], however the Decepticon's personal [[force field]] made him impossible to hit and he did substantial damage to Prime. Once the shield was eliminated, Optimus defeated Reverb. Though Reverb asked Optimus to finish him off, Optimus instead took him prisoner. He also talked [[Marcus|General Marcus]] into allowing [[Kevin Bowman]] to join NEST. {{storylink|Transformers Classified: Switching Gears|Switching Gears}}

After supervising a test of a prototype [[Hyperdynamix]] tank, Optimus returned to the [[NEST Rapid Response Base]] for a briefing on a new Cybertronian storehouse detected at [[Battle Mountain]]. Before they had a chance to investigate, Optimus was forced to go defend Hyperdynamix against Decepticon attackers and was kept busy there trying to find the three aggressors. {{storylink|Transformers Classified: Battle Mountain|Battle Mountain}}

During a visit to Hyperdynamix Aerospace to learn about the [[Hyperdynamix Orbital Debris Disposal Initiative Station|HODDIS]] station intended to track incoming Cybertronians, and the satellite with which [[Alexander Porter|Dr. Porter]] intended to wipe out the Decepticons, incoming meteoroids were detected. Optimus and his team went to the crash site in [[Idaho]], and found themselves having to fight the giant [[robo-pede|robot centipedes]] which came out of the meteoroids. Despite suffering major damage, Optimus was able to dispatch two of them on his own. {{storylink|Transformers Classified: Satellite of Doom|Satellite of Doom}}
{{-}}

===IDW movie comics===
[[File:Foundation1 optimus and sentinel.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.5|'''Optimus:''' Hey Sentinel! Wouldn't it be funny if you died on a ship, came back to life using the Matrix, betrayed your own kin, aided Megatron and killed my right-hand man? '''Sentinel:''' Heh, heh, heh. That'll never happen!]]
Optimus Prime was the last surviving descendant of the [[Dynasty of Primes]], orphaned and hidden away to protect him from the evil of The Fallen. {{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen issue 3|Revenge of the Fallen #3}} Optimus grew up with no knowledge of who he was, and was eventually found by Sentinel Prime, who claimed to be descended from [[Primus]] himself. Joining Sentinel's tribe of "Autobots", Optimus worked with his teacher and other pupils Megatron and [[Elita-One (Movie)|Elita-One]] to restore order to an energy-starved Cybertron by helping to locate the lost AllSpark, buried far beneath Cybertron's surface. Re-energized by a star harnessed by the science of [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Wheeljack]], the AllSpark restored life and energy to Cybertron, unifying the planet once more, but the old and weary Sentinel Prime had no desire to lead this new, united populace. At last, he revealed to Optimus the secret of his heritage, and that he, as "Optimus Prime", ought to succeed him as leader. {{storylink|Foundation issue 1|Foundation #1}} Unable to believe that he was a [[Prime (rank)|Prime]], Optimus turned the role down, proposing instead that he investigate Cybertron's history, in an attempt to bring some of the good the Primes created back to the world. Accordingly, Sentinel redrew his plans for Cybertron, having Optimus lead the archaeological [[Science Division]], while placing Megatron in charge of Cybertron's [[Defense Force]]. {{storylink|Foundation issue 2|Foundation #2}} Alas, neither Sentinel nor Optimus realized that Megatron had eavesdropped on their conversation. {{storylink|Foundation issue 1|Foundation #1}} Megatron was consumed with anger and jealousy at the knowledge that he was Sentinel's second choice, and further lost all respect for Prime because he had turned down an incredible birthright. {{storylink|Foundation issue 2|Foundation #2}} Nevertheless, the pair were able to govern Cybertron together for two generations, their two personalities creating a balance; Prime was fair while Megatron was firm. {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 1|Movie Prequel #1}} When [[Malcontent]] activity opposing Sentinel's order began escalating, however, Megatron intimidated Optimus into giving him supreme power in defense of the planet. {{storylink|Foundation issue 2|Foundation #2}}

[[File:Defiance1 Megs Prime argument.jpg|upright=2|thumb|"Hey, I wanted a mouthplate!"]]
When ''Lord'' High Protector Megatron toured a Science Division excavation site near the AllSpark [[Simfur Temple|temple]] at [[Simfur]], he and Optimus clashed over several issues; all Megatron cared about was whether the site contained power similar to the AllSpark, while Optimus insisted on taking things slowly with the reminder that it was ''his'' division was in charge of the proceedings. Subsequently, after the dig uncovered a mysterious [[sarcophagus|relic]], Optimus and Megatron's argument over what should be done with it was interrupted by an attack from [[Ejoornian|aliens]] from the neighbouring [[Eshems Nebula]]. Megatron ordered that the relic be taken to his personal quarters for protection during the battle, and Optimus could not argue. {{storylink|Defiance issue 1|Defiance #1}} After the aliens were repelled, Optimus ordered his science teams to help the survivors of the attack while he went to confer with Megatron, only to nearly come to blows with the High Protector when he demanded that Optimus marshal the Science Division for war against the aliens. Fear that Megatron sought to divide Cybertron, Optimus called a meeting of the Science Division and appealed to all those who served under him not to join Megatron on his crusade, asking them instead to stay by his side and continue on with their mission of peaceful research. {{storylink|Defiance issue 2|Defiance #2}} With help from closest confidants [[Prowl (Movie)|Prowl]] and [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]], Optimus broke into Megatron's quarters in search of some clue to his brother-in-arms' sudden compulsion towards war, but only had time to observe that the enigmatic relic had somehow been restored to pristine condition before he was forced to leave to avoid detection. {{storylink|Defiance issue 3|Defiance #3}}

[[File:Defiance3 optimus cybertron alt mode.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8|Guys, stop look'n at me! I'm transforming here!]]
Returning to Science Division headquarters, Optimus was greeted with a stunning discovery: Ratchet, Elita-One and Arcee had uncovered other ancient artefacts, each of which bore a symbol that matched one on Optimus's helmet: a symbol that proved Optimus was indeed a descendant of the Dynasty of Primes. Prime went with Arcee and Ratchet to the excavation site, where they discussed the ramifications of this new information, only for the group to be apprehended for treason by an unwilling Prowl, forced to do so on the orders of Megatron. This turned out to be a trap, however: while they were being escorted to the city of [[Metrotitan (ROTF)|Metrotitan]], Megatron's forces ambushed them with intent to kill. Optimus bested Starscream and collapsed [[Metrotitan (ROTF)|Metrotitan]] on top of the attackers, {{storylink|Defiance issue 3|Defiance #3}} then raced back to the embattled excavation site to usher Elite-One, Sentinel Prime and Wheeljack to safety, with a little help from Elita's sister [[Chromia (ROTF)|Chromia]]. Optimus informed Sentinel of the marking on his head that proved his mentor had been right all along: now, he was Optimus ''Prime''. {{storylink|Foundation issue 3|Foundation #3}} All those loyal to Optimus regrouped at [[Burthov]], where Optimus was recognized as the leader of the group, with Prowl serving as his lieutenant. [[File:Foundation1 optimus is mad.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3| If I had a face everytime I got angry, I'd be rich.]] Captain Ironhide—a former member of Megatron's Defense Force, who had now christened themselves the "Decepticons"—informed Optimus of the huge starship ''[[Nemesis (ROTF)|Nemesis]]'' that Megatron was building, and the newly christened Prime began working toward equipping his own side with similar vessels. Though the Autobots found themselves at an advantage when the ''Nemesis'' left Cybertron with the balance of the Decepticon forces, it was then that ''true'' war finally broke out between Optimus's and Megatron's forces. {{storylink|Defiance issue 4|Defiance #4}}

The war raged for thousands of years, with no end in sight until Sentinel came up with a solution: a "torch" that could bring the conflict to an end without the mass murder of the Decepticons. Contact with the AllSpark was required to activate it, so the Autobots made for Simfur Temple, {{storylink|Foundation issue 3|Foundation #3}} where Optimus held off Megatron so that Elita-One could activate the torch and deliver it to Sentinel. Sentinel loaded the torch aboard the Autobots' ship, the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'', but to Optimus and Megatron's disbelief, Starscream blew the ship out of the air. Consumed with grief and rage at the apparent death of his mentor, Optimus ordered Wheeljack to use the second, remaining ''[[Ark (Movie)|Ark]]'' to transport the AllSpark away Simfur, then declared he would be going on a suicide mission to kill Megatron. {{storylink|Foundation issue 4|Foundation #4}} Concerned for their friend, Ironhide and Elita-One stayed by Prime's side as he made his way through the soldiers guarding Megatron's [[Lord High Protector citadel|citadel]]. {{storylink|Foundation issue 1|Foundation #1}} {{storylink|Foundation issue 2|Foundation #2}} Optimus demanded Megatron face him, but the Decepticon leader responded by dropping the [[smelting pool]] on him. Ironhide saved Prime from the fiery rain, and Optimus then entered Megatron's chamber alone, to discover his former ally surrounded by hungry [[hatchling]]s, confident that the "weak" Optimus would not harm the infants to get to him. {{storylink|Foundation issue 3|Foundation #3}} At that point, Wheeljack's team removed the AllSpark from its temple, plunging Cybertron into darkness. Optimus escaped, leaving Megatron to fend off his ravenous hatchlings, and joined Ironhide in fending off Starscream and Shockwave. Returning to oversee the AllSpark's transportation, Optimus recognized that the drastic actions he had taken had forever fractured his relationship with Elita-One, and observed he still had a long way to go to being a great leader. {{storylink|Foundation issue 4|Foundation #4}}

[[File:Ark Bridge Defiance4.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.5|"Who ''are'' all you people?"]]
To put the AllSpark's power beyond Megatron's reach, Optimus Prime made preparations to send it off-planet. Allowing word to reach the Decepticons that the cube was being held at Simfur, Prime and the main force of his Autobots occupied their enemies in battle there, while a small team led by Bumblebee guarded the AllSpark's true hiding place, [[Tyger Pax]]. The cube was launched into space, and Megatron immediately gave chase. {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 1|Movie Prequel #1}} {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 2|Movie Prequel #2}} Optimus was immediately regretful of his decision, feeling that in buying the Autobots some time in the war, he had sentenced their world to death, but Prowl insisted he had made the right choice, and that he had turned death into a fighting chance to live. Bolstered by Prowl's words, Prime and his Autobots took off after the AllSpark and Megatron aboard the ''Ark'', hopeful that they could defeat the Decepticon leader while he was alone, and bring the cube back to heal their homeworld. {{storylink|The Reign of Starscream issue 1|The Reign of Starscream #1}}

[[File:AllianceOptimusHoloDriver.jpg|upright=1.8|thumb|[[Peter Cullen|Optimus Prime]] driving Optimus Prime! Sheer awesomeness!]]
Following Optimus and the Autobots' arrival on Earth, and the subsequent battle of [[Mission City]] and the destruction of Megatron and the AllSpark, {{storylink|Transformers: Movie Adaptation}} Optimus Prime helped eliminate the remaining [[AllSpark Mutation]]s skittering around the city, then requested the help of William Lennox and his men in getting the Autobots out of the city before other, less trustworthy humans could arrive. They located a trailer that Prime could use to transport the deceased body of his first lieutenant [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]], and, equipped with a hologrammatic driver to avoid suspicion on the road, Prime led his Autobots in rolling out. Sector Seven's Seymour Simmons would later exploit this friendship between Prime and Lennox when, a month later, he convinced Lennox to request assistance from Prime and the Autobots in transporting the Decepticons' remains. {{storylink|Alliance issue 1|Alliance #1}} Prime's team was to escort a Sector Seven convoy from their Nevada base to a naval base at [[California|San Diego, California]], from whence the Decepticons and Jazz's remains would be buried at sea. Before departing Nevada, he entrusted the remaining AllSpark fragment to [[Vine|Professor Vine]] for safekeeping, but had second thoughts soon after leaving, and ordered Bumblebee and Ironhide to turn around and retrieve it. {{storylink|Alliance issue 2|Alliance #2}} The two returned to discover that the base had been attacked in their absence by Decepticons [[Wreckage (Movie)|Wreckage]] and Starscream; Prime soon arrived back to retake ownership of the shard. {{storylink|Alliance issue 3|Alliance #3}}

[[File:Alliance4 angryLennox Prime.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.8| Did I ever tell you about my unhealthy addiction?]]
Weeks later, following the aquatic interment of Jazz and the Decepticons, Optimus and Lennox agreed to a formal [[NEST|alliance between the Autobots and humans]] as the first line of offense and defense against the Decepticons. The team trained on the island of Diego Garcia, their mutual respect for one another growing, and soon word came in of new Decepticon sightings around Earth. {{storylink|Alliance issue 3|Alliance #3}} For their first mission, NEST was deployed to [[San Francisco]] to take out the Decepticons Deadend and Swindle, the former of whom was quickly dispatched by Prime via a head-on collision. Swindle's last words caused Prime concern, as they suggested more Decepticons would soon be coming to search the Earth for something; Lennox feared it might be Sam Witwicky, and Prime, sadly convinced the boy was destined to be a part of the conflict, decided to send Bumblebee to resume his role as Sam's guardian. {{storylink|Alliance issue 4|Alliance #4}}

[[File:Alliance4 Prime killingspree.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|Freedom is the right of all '''non-Decepticon''' sentient beings.]]
Knowing that Lennox's superiors held little trust in the Autobots, Optimus Prime dedicated himself and his Autobots to working harder to prove their goodwill through continued success. NEST proceeded to hunt for Decepticons around the world over the next year, with Optimus Prime personally destroying [[Jetstorm (Movie)|Jetstorm]], [[Dropkick (Movie)|Dropkick]] and [[Incinerator (Movie)|Incinerator]]. NEST's ranks continued to grow, with Autobot refugees even arriving on Earth in response to the message Optimus had sent into space, including Prime's old friend Elita-One. {{storylink|Alliance issue 4|Alliance #4}} One particular new arrival proved a little troublesome, however: in November 2008, [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] caused chaos in [[Uruguay]] when he recklessly pursued his old Decepticon foe [[Demolishor (ROTF)|Demolishor]] towards [[Buenos Aires]]. Prime assured [[Morshower|Admiral Morshower]] that they would forcibly bring Sideswipe in if necessary, but fortunately, Ironhide was able to calm the rampaging Autobot down. {{storylink|Tales of the Fallen issue 2|Tales of the Fallen #2}} Demolishor escaped, but was tracked to Shanghai by NEST the following year, and Prime's team headed out to finally take the giant Decepticon down. {{storylink|Alliance issue 4|Alliance #4}}

[[File:Nefarious2 Prime on Soundwave.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.95|Ass-whooping. Noun. To have your posterior presented to you with overwhelming force.]]
After Optimus's death and rebirth during the conflict with The Fallen, {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Official Movie Adaptation|Revenge of the Fallen movie adaptation}} NEST resumed its day-to-day business of hunting down rogue Decepticons. Optimus was dissatisfied with their present reactive state, however, insisting that they begin proactively rooting out Decepticons before they struck. With NEST low on resources, Optimus deployed several new Autobot arrivals to deal with a Decepticon attack on [[Kingdom Petrochemicals]]. {{storylink|Nefarious issue 1|Nefarious #1}} The presence of [[Initiative|unknown humans]] at the petrochemical plant gave Prime and Lennox something to puzzle over, and soon after, when NEST was tipped off to Decepticon activity in [[Utah]], the pair believed things to be connected. Optimus went to Ironhide and Sideswipe's aid in Utah, besting [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] and taking him into Autobot custody in order to learn everything he knew about the enigmatic human organization. {{storylink|Nefarious issue 2|Nefarious #2}} Optimus oversaw the preparations of the facilities for holding Soundwave, rather than face having to tell Major Lennox what they'd done, but this proved the wrong choice: when the plane carrying Soundwave was shot down by [[Buzzsaw (ROTF)|Buzzsaw]], Prime's off-the-record actions meant that Lennox was unable to call in any help. {{storylink|Nefarious issue 3|Nefarious #3}}

[[File:Nefarious6 Optimus must feed allspark.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|I hope [[Rubik's Cube#Revenge of the Fallen|this cube]] isn't like the ones you find in [[Walgreens]].]]
When [[Theodore Galloway]] got too close to discovering the actions of the [[Initiative]], the mysterious human group, they sent the mind-controlled Decepticon [[Ransack (ROTF)|Ransack]] to eliminate him. Optimus sent [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] to help him, after which Soundwave returned and proposed an alliance between himself and the Autobots to stop the Initiative for good. {{storylink|Nefarious issue 4|Nefarious #4}} Soundwave led the Autobots to the location of the [[Initiative base]] in [[California]], but the mobile headquarters had moved on by the time they arrived. Following its trail to Utah, Optimus sensed the power of something very like the [[AllSpark]] upon approach, and began to realize what they were up against—though he did not expect that the Autobots would then find themselves facing brainwashed Transformers, including [[Armorhide (Movie)|some]] [[Blazemaster|of]] [[Brawn (ROTF)|their]] [[Smokescreen (Movie)|own]] comrades! {{storylink|Nefarious issue 5|Nefarious #5}}

During the battle, Optimus demanded their foe surrender the [[Project Nefarious|artificial AllSpark]] they possessed, but [[Carter Newell]], head of the Initiative, responded by trying to use the artifact to terminate all Cybertronian life. An injury courtesy of [[Reedman]] aborted the attempt, and Newell tried to flee, forcing Optimus to ram the truck he was in. From the wreck, Optimus pulled the rapidly-destabilizing faux-AllSpark, and was ready to feed it his own [[spark]] to stop the deadly chain reaction building within it. Luckily that turned out to be unnecessary, as [[Fortress (ROTF)|Fortress]]—a [[Seeker (ROTF)|Seeker]] who had long been the Initiative's captive—took the AllSpark from him and carried it into space, where it exploded safely. In the aftermath, Optimus noted that the Initiative databanks had been picked clean by Soundwave, and feared the possibility that anyone else might attempt to recreate the AllSpark. {{storylink|Nefarious issue 6|Nefarious #6}}

[[File:RisingStorm1 ElitaandOptimus.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.5|Optimus, you don't wanna know.]]
The Autobot refugees rescued from the Initiative were eager to get back in the field, but Optimus encouraged them to take more time to recuperate, as they were clearly not fully healed. The havoc the Initiative wrought had convinced Optimus that the Autobots had to refocus their efforts on a new objective: ensuring that no other humans could exploit Cybertronian technology. A team inducing Elita-One and her sisters was deployed to recover Cybertronian weapons from an arms dealer; upon their return to Diego Garcia, Prime shared a quiet moment with Elita, learning more about the new symbiotic bond that had recently been forged between her and her sisters, and growing fearful of the violent streak she had developed. {{storylink|Rising Storm issue 1|Rising Storm #1}}

When word reached NEST that Sam Witwicky had come under attack from Decepticons in [[Philadelphia]], Optimus mobilized the Autobots to respond. With Arcee having been injured on the previous mission, he initially wanted her and her sisters to stay behind, but they insisted on going. {{storylink|Rising Storm issue 2|Rising Storm #2}}

During the flight to Philadelphia, Optimus tried once more to have Arcee sit out of the mission, but Elita reinforced her need for revenge—a sentiment that only opened old wounds between her and Prime, reminding both of the time in the past when Prime let his rage get the better of him. Elita's anger over Prime's abandonment of her on Cybertron, and the fact that her death and reunion with him had only led to more fighting and killing, boiled over, and she and her sisters angrily departed on their own mission: to infiltrate what the Autobots believe to be the Decepticons' base of operations in upstate New York. {{storylink|Rising Storm issue 3|Rising Storm #3}}

[[File:RisingStorm4 shockers vs prime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|Shockwave threatens his face collection.]]
Optimus and the rest of the team proceeded on to Philadelphia, where they engaged and contained the Decepticons, but after a while, Elita reappeared, attempting to warn them that the whole thing was a trap laid by Shockwave. No sooner had she spoken his name, the cyclopean Decepticon himself rocketed down out of the air and crushed the life out of her. Driven into a rage by her death, Optimus Prime took Shockwave on one-on-one, and would have killed him had Shockwave's pet [[Driller]] not came to save his master. {{storylink|Rising Storm issue 4|Rising Storm #4}}

Shockwave had also ravaged the Diego Garcia base and killed all the Autobots stationed there, requiring it to be shut down and NEST operations moved to Washington, D.C. Optimus oversaw the decommissioning of the facility, {{storylink|Dark of the Moon issue 1|Dark of the Moon #1}} which was soon followed by the return and betrayal of Sentinel Prime. {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation|Dark of the Moon adaptation}}
{{--}}

====''Transformers: Beginnings''====
[[File:Optimusprimemovieprequel.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Black and white is edgy and cool, so we use it Bumbles.]]
{{voiceactor|[[Peter Cullen]] (English)}}
Bumblebee remembered Optimus Prime's orders that they must launch the AllSpark into space, for it was better to lose it to the depths of space than allow Lord Megatron to corrupt it with his evil. For wherever there is hope, there is life. {{storylink|Transformers: Beginnings (Movie)|Transformers: Beginnings}}

{{note|Transformers: Beginnings is a condensed, flash-animated retelling of the events of the [[Transformers: Movie Prequel|Movie Prequel]], described in the above section.}}
{{-}}

====''Schick Hydrobot and the Transformers''====
[[File:OptimusMegatronSchickComic.jpeg|thumb|300px|No Megatron! '''THAT FACE IS MINE!''']]
While searching for Decepticons, who had plans to build an Energon converter to create a massive army and enslave the Earth, Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Hound came across [[Hydrobot (TLK)|Hydrobot]] and mistook him for a [[Decepticon]]. Before they could catch him, Hydrobot escaped from the Autobots' clutches. The trio started to realize that they might have judged the small 'bot wrongly when Hound found out that the [[H-Boostium|substance]] Hydrobot left behind was nothing like something a Decepticon would use. Optimus requested Hound to trace its source, which led the Autobots to a [[Schick]] R&D department. They gained access into it in vehicle mode by fooling the guard into believing that the vehicles modes they were using was ordered by the scientist Dr. [[Hiroshi Benson]] himself. Upon gaining access to the laboratory, they confronted Hiroshi in robot mode, which left the human scientist baffled.

Shortly after the scientist finished explaining the origin of the substance and Hydrobot, a squadron of Decepticons led by Megatron suddenly bursted through the wall, explaining their intent to use the devices inside Hiroshi's laboratory to build the Energon converter. Luckily, Hydrobot arrived at the scene to help the Autobots. Just before Megatron and Optimus could dish it out, Megatron grabbed a hold of Hiroshi but failed to stop the human from explaining how to use the [[Energy-field razor|control set]] against Decepticons. A surprise punch from Optimus staggered Megatron and gave Hydrobot enough time to snitch the device away and use it to release a shock burst through Bumblebee towards the Decepticons, prompting them to retreat. After all was said and done, Optimus apologised to Hydrobot for the misunderstanding. The trio and Hiroshi later realised that Hydrobot had forged a new life for himself. The trio then gave Hydrobot a lift and bid their farewells. {{storylink|A New Friend|A New Friend}}
{{-}}

===Titan movie comics===
[[File:OptimusMovie GeoffSenior.JPG|upright=1.4|left|thumb|Starting as he means to go on.]]
When war broke out, Optimus Prime studied the entire history of intergalactic warfare from any datatrack he could find—he studied whole campaigns to desperate last stands, gaining a focused "playbook" of warfare strategy. He understands warfare on a practical and psychological level, and in desperate battles knows to show no mercy to opponents beyond a swift death. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 4|Autobot VS Decepticon Smackdown!}}

While preparing to launch the AllSpark into space, Optimus hesitated before pressing the fateful button, fearful that he was condemning his world to a slow death. Before he could reach a conclusion, Prime came under attack from a drone sent by Megatron to kill him, and instructed his assistant [[Arctus]] to launch the AllSpark if he had not returned from the fight within ten cycles. When Prime's battle with the drone carried them both into the AllSpark chamber, the drone attempted to alert Megatron to the cube's location, forcing a desperate Prime to transform into his cometary protoform and cannonball directly into his opponent. The drone was successfully blown it pieces, but Prime was knocked out by the impact, and experienced a prophetic vision of [[Mission City|a battle on another world]]. Realizing that the AllSpark's ejection could spread the Transformers' war to other planets, Prime awoke too late to change the course of fate, and could only watch as the AllSpark rocketed off into the sky... {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 1|Prelude: Optimus Prime}}

Prime and his Autobots pursued the AllSpark to Earth and battled the Decepticons for it. Almost immediately after triumphing over their foes, however, Optimus and his men had to face them ''again'' when they somehow rose as [[zombie]]s. Despite having no idea how they could be stopped and having had his power drained by fighting Megatron, Optimus continued to fight the monsters rather than let them run amok. Fortunately, Ratchet deduced that they had been reanimated by energies scavenged from the AllSpark by Starscream, enabling the Autobots to target their power sources and slay them once more. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 7|Starscream's Militia}}

[[File:Titan5 Optimustwins.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|"Your slang is bad and you should ''feel'' bad!"]]
With the formation of NEST, Optimus found he had to strive daily to gain credibility with the human powers-that-be. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.5|Reversal of Fortune}} Working diligently to root out Decepticon threats around the globe, Prime was too busy to meet with new Autobot arrivals Skids and Mudflap, who claimed to have important information for him, though Ironhide noted that the twins had cried wolf so many times, even Optimus had trouble believing their stories these days. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.3|Learning Curve}} While in [[Australia]] on NEST business, Prime went into action alongside Arcee to apprehend [[Sideways (ROTF)|Sideways]]; the two Autobots found the terrain down under to be a challenge, while Sideways was in his element, so Prime elect to just ''blow up'' the terrain instead. Taking the captive Sideways back to Diego Garcia, Prime was greeted on arrival with the sight of Skids and Mudflap brawling on the runway. He bawled them out over improper conduct, but before he could go further, Scorponok made an attack. In the firefight that followed, Optimus tripped over Skids, and by the time he had righted himself, Scorponok and Sideways had both escaped. Knowing that the enemy could ''not'' have got this close without NEST security being compromised, Optimus was convinced by Sideswipe's argument that the twins had turned traitor and had them taken away for questioning. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.5|Reversal of Fortune}}

When the twins were sprung by Decepticons, Prime agreed with Theodore Galloway that the Autobots would make finding the twins a number one priority. However, Optimus was left suspicious when a [[Soundwave (ROTF)|mysterious "friend"]] tipped the Autobots off about the twins. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.6|Outlaw Blues}} [[File:Titan10 Optimusgetsout.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.8|Never had a human face before. GIVE ME IT ANYWAY!]] Soon, it came out that the twins were being framed and by tracking the two, Optimus and his men found out about a Decepticon base near [[Mars (planet)|Mars]]. Optimus led a raid on it, taking down the [[Purple generic drone|drone army]] stationed there. But he never did get to hear Skids and Mudflap's intel, about a mysterious threat known as The Fallen... {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.8|Back-to-Back}}

Following The Fallen's attack on Earth, Optimus continued operations against the Decepticons. [[Jolt (ROTF)|Jolt's]] over-enthusiasm began to muck that up, causing damage and getting NEST into trouble, despite Optimus's attempts to point this out to him. Optimus had to confine him to base. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.9|Culture Shock}} Soon after that, he was drawn out into a trap by [[Trophy White]] and the [[Free Men]], who wanted to take his head as a trophy. Optimus worked out their plan and allowed himself to be captured by the deranged hunter, in order to keep the fight away from civilians. He pretended to be securely chained down and listened to White's sociopathic ravings, before (at the moment he considered funniest) breaking free and taking White prisoner. Shockingly, he found keeping the severed heads of animals as trophies to be ''bad'', and destroyed Trophy's trophies. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.10| Bring Me the Head of Optimus Prime}}

[[File:DividedLoyalties prime striketeam.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8]]
When several Decepticons escaped from NEST's [[Bloemfontein]], [[South Africa]] holding facility, Optimus ordered his men to let the prisoners flee: a battle outside [[World Cup|a major sports event]] would cause unacceptable civilian casualties. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.13|Inside Out!}} This led to a major collapse in Autobot popularity, and open battles with Decepticons in cities were just risking further alienation. In response, Prime created a secret covert unit (even under NEST's radar) that would monitor the Decepticons, wait for windows of opportunity out of the public eye, and then hit hard and fast. While this worked, Optimus was left disquieted: the tactics he was using were too akin to the Decepticons, and a fine line was being walked. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.18|Shadow War}} Tracking the Decepticons, led by [[Bludgeon (ROTF)|Bludgeon]], to a base in [[Russia]], Optimus led a strike team in, unaware that [[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] had sold them all out to Bludgeon and that they were walking into an ambush. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.20|Divided Loyalties}} "Luckily," Megatron arrived to destroy Bludgeon in punishment for running a rival faction; rather than engage Optimus, Megatron departed with the ominous warning that a day of reckoning was coming soon. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.21|A Short, Sharp Lesson!}}

[[File:Titan3-3 OpSoundwavefaceoff.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8|"Sorry Soundwave, you're going to need braces."]]
When a relic of [[Ark (DOTM)|an unknown UFO]] was discovered in Fiesole, [[Italy]], Optimus led a NEST team to secure the find. Starscream launched a surprise attack to claim it: Optimus ordered the human archaeologist to keep digging and fought the Decepticon, taking two blows before overpowering and thrashing him. But Starscream kept fighting, asking Optimus if there were things worth dying for. Optimus agreed and said he was willing to die to save Earth from Decepticons... at which point Starscream suckerpunched him and stole the artifact. Optimus was left concerned about what the 'cons were up to {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 3.1|Fight for Fiesole}} but found himself distract by other plots hatched by Soundwave. After intel from Bumblebee led NEST to the Laguna De Guatavita, Optimus and Ratchet tracked down Soundwave working alongside the [[Tanto Gang]]. After the Decepticon and his allies had uncovered [[El Dorado]], Soundwave turned on the Tanto Gang, and the Autobots swooped in the middle of the carnage. Optimus beat down the Decepticon, and forced him to explain his motives: using El Dorado's gold, Soundwave planned on crashing the Earth's economy. Though the Autobots foiled the plot, both Soundwave and the Tanto Gang escaped when the latter triggered a bomb to cover their retreat. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 3.2|Blood And Gold}} Optimus then encountered Soundwave in [[Spain]] after he'd drawn [[Robert Epps]] and Bumblebee into an ambush. With Bumblebee near death, Optimus agreed to fight Soundwave without weapons if it would mean his comrade's survived, and he was nearly sent plummeting off the mountaintop in the resulting fight. However, he managed to use Soundwave's sonic blasts and the local environment against his foe; by locating a fissure, he snuck behind Soundwave, and shoved him into an avalanche triggered by the Decepticon's attacks. Soundwave was swept away and Optimus emerged victorious. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 3.3|Dealing with the Devil}}

When Ratchet contacted NEST to let them know there was trouble at the [[Tech Museum of Innovation]], Optimus himself turned out to help chase off Starscream and Barricade. He later tried to convince the anti-[[Transformer|Cybertronian]] protesters that the Autobots were here to help, but Ratchet and Ironhide's actions during the fight had already convinced them of that, and their leader, [[Marcus Castor]], was already producing anti-Decepticon T-shirts. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 3.4|Automatic for the People}}

[[File:ThousandIslandFight prime shield.jpg|thumb|upright=2]]
In the aftermath of the battle for Chicago, Optimus and Decepticon defector [[Drift (AOE)|Drift]] were cleaning up ''Ark'' debris on the Moon. Optimus was bemused that Drift would rather be hunting down Decepticons instead, asking if he really wanted to fight his former allies, and pointing out this was necessary work. Soon after, Drift was horrified to find the corpse of his old comrade [[Knucklehead]]. He recounted a story involving them and the murderer, [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]], and Prime said he was sorry for the loss. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 5.1|Adrift in Space and Time}}

A while later, Optimus, Bumblebee, and [[Crosshairs (AOE)|Crosshairs]] engaged a trio of Decepticon survivors in [[Jakarta]], [[Indonesia]]. When their charges retreated, Optimus suggested that the three Autobots follow together, but Crosshairs insisted that he go it alone. After giving permission for this action, Prime commanded Bumblebee to keep a watchful eye on the new arrival and relay any findings back to him. With the three Decepticons located and single-handedly defeated by Crosshairs on the island of [[Pulau Bidadari]], Optimus informed Crosshairs that he was more than combat ready, but he had the feeling that they may have missed [[Lockdown (ROTF)|something...]] {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 5.2|Thousand Island Fight}}

[[File:AcceptNoSubstitute prime vs stinger.jpg|left|thumb|upright=2]]
When [[Stinger (AOE)|Stinger]] impersonated Bumblebee, Optimus found himself training his weapons on both of the 'bots, confident that the true Bumblebee would be able to prove his identity. He did not have long to wait, as Bumblebee saved a human who had fallen from a nearby burning building, and Optimus quickly overpowered Stinger and ordered him to get out of his sight, repulsed by his artificial nature. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 5.3|Accept No Substitutes!}}

Hearing a news report suggesting a potential Transformer threat in the town of [[Cullum]], Optimus Prime investigated alongside Crosshairs, and discovered that the area was being menaced by a powerful [[turbofox]]. Crosshairs had once lost an entire platoon to a pack of turbofoxes and struggled to overcome his fears in order to help Prime battle the creature, but fortunately, just as Prime was about to become fox-food, Crosshairs got his head in order and blasted the beast. Optimus congratulated him on conquering his fear, and hoped that humankind would be able to do the same and become allies of the Autobots' once again. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 5.5|Creature of Chaos}}
{{-}}

====Alternate timeline====
[[File:TitanUK9 frozen prime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|The Prime Who Came In From The Cold]]
In a parallel universe, the battle of Mission City turned out very differently—Optimus was defeated and captured by Megatron, and the AllSpark fell into Decepticon hands. The Decepticons proceeded to conquer North America, and by the start of 2008, had begun a plan to cyberform the Earth using the AllSpark's energies. Working with Mikaela Banes and [[Tom Banachek]], the Autobots staged a plan to rescue Prime, who they knew was being held in Sector Seven's old Hoover Dam base, repurposed by the Decepticons as their new headquarters... but when Bumblebee and Mikaela infiltrated the base, they did not expect to find Prime frozen solid by the liquid nitrogen cooling system previously used to imprison Megatron. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 9|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 1}} While Bumblebee distracted Megatron, Mikaela began her attempt to deactivate the system, {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 10|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 2}} but soon came under attack herself by [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]]. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 10|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 3}} Fortunately, she was able to dupe Frenzy into rupturing the liquid nitrogen tanks with his blades, damaging the system to the point where Prime began to thaw out. The revived Prime challenged Megatron to a duel, {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 12|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 4}} but as they fought, Optimus learned that Megatron's link to the AllSpark allowed his old enemy to instantly heal any damage Prime managed to inflict. Luckily, Bumblebee and Mikaela saved the day, hitting the distracted Megatron with an old [[Sector Seven]] nanovirus, which destroyed him from within. Simultaneously, Autobots elsewhere destroyed the AllSpark to halt its cyberforming of Earth, but despite this success and the death of Megatron, Prime could take no satisfaction in victory: this battle was won, but the war remained... {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 13|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 5}}

[[File:Aftermathpt2 prime attacked by NATO.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.5|Proportions? Never heard of it!]]
Surveying the damage done to Earth, Prime became resigned to the fact that Humanity, battered by Decepticon occupation, would view both Autobot and Decepticon as hostile invaders. Worse yet, although a fragment of the AllSpark had survived the cube's destruction, Optimus feared its contact with Megatron had corrupted it beyond all hope. In spite of these concerns, Prime was quick to order his men to protect a human shelter against Decepticon attack, but the Autobots' defense was misinterpreted as hostile action, and they came under attack from a [[NATO]] unit. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 14|Aftermath, Part 1}} Optimus refused to allow his men to return fire, but fortunately, the crisis soon passed when the human who had ordered the attack was freed from the Decepticon mind-control that had guided his actions. Optimus surrendered to the humans, beginning an alliance between the Autobots and the United States government. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 15|Aftermath Part 2}}

After examining a particularly volatile spot of geological flux brought on by the AllSpark's energy in [[Okeechobee]], [[Florida]] alongside Tom Banachek and recently appointed [[Theodore Allen|President Theodore Allen]], Optimus Prime returned to the Autobots' base in [[Savannah]], [[Georgia]], where he was shocked to discover that Ratchet had used the AllSpark fragment that Prime had entrusted to him to resurrect Jazz. Prime assigned Ratchet and Jazz to monitor the Okeechobee situation, but warned Ratchet to keep a close eye on Jazz, fearing what the potentially-tainted AllSpark had done to him. Unfortunately, Prime's fears proved true, and Jazz soon revealed himself to have been left corrupted and amoral by the shard's power. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 16|Dark Spark}}

[[File:ReturntoCybertron optimus allies with stockade.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|"Don't worry, readers, I'll just leave him to starve to death in #25." "What was that?" "I SAID I'M GONNA KILL YA"]]
Optimus Prime soon worked out that while the AllSpark's transformation of Earth had been halted, the damage had been done: the infection had reached [[Earth's core|the planet's core]], and the organic Earth and the technological transformation were now fighting for supremacy, killing the planet in the process. While he arranged for a specialist team to investigate and limit the damage, Prime reported his findings to President Allen, but refrained from telling him of the back-up plan he was putting into action lest humanity's hopes be unduly raised: a team led by Ironhide was to retrieve [[Nucleon (substance)|Nucleon]] from the dead Cybertron in the hope it could be used to save Earth. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 17|Return to Cybertron, Part 1}} Planetary surveyor [[Camshaft (Movie)|Camshaft]] was appalled when Prime revealed the plan to him, knowing how unstable Nucleon could be, {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 18|Return to Cybertron, Part 2}} and the bad news continued to pour in when a distress call from Ironhide's team reported that a band of Decepticons led by [[Stockade (Movie)|Stockade's]] already had control of Cybertron's Nucleon. Optimus led the entirety of the Earth-bound Autobots (save Camshaft's team) to Cybertron as back-up, but was surprised to see Cybertron coming to ''them'', possessed by the evil entity [[Unicron]]. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 19|Return to Cybertron, Part 3}} Shot down by Unicron, Prime's team abandoned ship and made it to Cybertron using their cometary protoforms. Forming an alliance with Stockade, Prime formed a plan to drain off the Nucleon so Unicron couldn't use it as a power source, while the bulk of the Transformers provided a distraction by going underground and shooting up Unicron's body. The plan worked, Nucleon was secured for Earth, and Optimus extended an offer for Stockade to join them on Earth whenever he wished. Optimus was left optimistic that Autobots and Decepticons had come together in a common cause. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 20|Return to Cybertron: Part 4}}

[[File:Optimus Titan22.JPG|upright=1.6|left|thumb|Freedom is not dispensed here, sentient fools, only DEATH!]]
On returning to Earth, Prime found the Decepticons had seized the Autobot base and surrounding area; he made the decision to withdraw to [[Washington, D.C.]], knowing that this meant leaving Mikaela in Decepticon hands. Upon landing at an air base, the Decepticon-controlled President Allen lured him into a trap, and he found himself fighting Jazz, now a Decepticon hired gun. Optimus lured him away from humans and prepared to engage him, but when a second assassin named [[Kullt]] turned up, Jazz gunned it down out of annoyance. Optimus had viewed Jazz as a lost cause but now stated there was still some Autobot in him: he ''could'' have let Kullt do the work for him and then killed him, but he saved Prime instead. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 21|Hard Target}} Prime then took the Autobots to rescue Mikaela; he himself went first, launching himself in protoform mode to land in Savannah like a bomb and tearing his way through [[Swindle (Movie)|drone hordes]]. He was quickly gunned down by aerial units and about to be killed by Starscream, but this whole flashy attack had been a diversion—allowing other Autobots a chance to hit the distracted air forces and nab Mikaela. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 22|The Decepticon Who Haunted Himself}}

[[File:Revolutionpt3 optimus vs megatron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6]]
Optimus seemed to quickly bond with [[Seward|General Seward]], his military liaison at Andrews Air Base, but that didn't help when the mind-controlled President Allen had the government order the Autobots out of America. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 23|Revolution, Part One}} However, having deduced that Allen was under Decepticon control following his clash with Jazz, Prime had anticipated this. As expected, Allen attempted to [[Nuclear weapon|nuke]] the Autobots' ship as it departed, but he only succeeded in blowing up a decoy ship Prime had had Ironhide and Bumblebee prepare. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 25|Revolution, Part Three}} Believed dead, the Autobots went undercover on Cybertron, making another deal with Stockade to have his team protect Earth in their absence, kicking off a [[Decepticon Civil War]]. Optimus didn't trust Stockade to not renege on the deal and just take control of Earth for himself, {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 24|Revolution, Part Two}} but he ensured the Decepticons were set up for the Autobot's final strike: forcibly teleporting all of the enemy to Cybertron via Unicron's leftover teleportational engines, then stranding Cybertron in a remote solar system. Optimus led the troops to Earth and witnessed Megatron's return from the dead, but this proved no impediment to the Autobots' plan: Prime briefly distracted Megatron so he could be tagged with a teleporter like the other Decepticons, and the next minute, both Megatron, Stockade, and their entire armies were all teleported away. This left the Autobots stranded on Earth and with a lot of clean-up to do... but at long last, Optimus Prime had finally brought the war to an end. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 25|Revolution, Part Three}}

===Toy bios===
[[File:FireBlastOptimusart.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]
Orion Pax used to be a humble data scientist, however, he would eventually receive the Matrix of Leadership and become the universe's greatest protector Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#Tribute|Evolution Pack Optimus Prime & Orion Pax}}

The truck Optimus Prime [[trans-scan]]ned upon arrival on Earth was ''the coolest thing he ever saw''. {{storylink|Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#Voyager Class toys|Robo-Vision Optimus Prime}}

When the AllSpark was destroyed in Mission City, Optimus was bathed in its power and became a living receptacle: he could destroy or heal with the merest thought. He still remained dedicated to peace and altered his exterior decorations to match the ones he bore as a young leader, before the beginning of the war. {{storylink|Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#Voyager Class toys|First Strike Optimus Prime}} When Starscream came out of hiding, Prime teamed with Arcee to hunt him down. {{storylink|Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#Voyager Class toys|Arcee, Starscream & Optimus Prime}}

However, as more Decepticons under Starscream's command began appearing on Earth, Prime had to use the AllSpark power within him to alter his body into a new sensor-transparent, super-silent form for stealth missions. Prime considered it dishonorable but knew had to be done. {{storylink|Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#Leader Class toys|Nightwatch Optimus Prime}} Unfortunately, Starscream followed his lead and also modified himself for stealth so he could target Prime personally. {{storylink|Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#Legends Class toys|Nightwatch Optimus Prime vs. Stealth Starscream}}

[[File:Evasion-Mode-Optimus-Prime-art.jpeg|thumb|200px]]
Once the Decepticons were beaten on Earth, Optimus was provided with intelligence by [[Sector Seven]] about Decepticon bases on Mars. After assuming new colors, he headed to the red planet. {{storylink|Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#Fast Action Battlers|Fire Blast Optimus Prime}} As it turned out, though, the Decepticons would soon strike at Earth again; Prime upgraded his sensor suite and trained with Ironhide to better track their enemies. {{storylink|Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#ROTFvoyager|''Revenge of the Fallen'' Voyager Optimus Prime}}

Following the battle with The Fallen in Egypt, Optimus made a particular point of tracking down Starscream, {{storylink|Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#HFTDleader|''Hunt for the Decepticons'' Leader Optimus Prime}} and enhanced his arsenal with weapons designed to take on airborne Decepticons. Unfortunately, these new weapons were not a great help in battling hypnotic Decepticon [[Mindwipe (ROTF)|Mindwipe]], who prevented Prime from opening fire by attacking him with mind-controlled humans. {{storylink|Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#VoyagerDefender|Defender Optimus Prime}}

Prime had more luck against [[Banzaitron (TF 2010)|Banzaitron]], who mistakenly believed that Optimus won his fights through raw power. In actuality, Prime's decades of training made him one of Cybertron's most skilled fighters, and Banzaitron held little of a challenge for him. {{storylink|Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#BattleBlades|Battle Blades Optimus Prime}}

Optimus was known to team up with [[Comettor (DOTM)|Comettor]] for lunar missions. {{storylink|Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#OptimusComettor|Optimus Prime & Comettor}} It was on the lunar surface that lost Autobot leader Sentinel Prime was found, and the team-up of these two Primes meant the Decepticons didn't stand a chance! {{storylink|Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#walmartdlx|Walmart Deluxe Optimus Prime}}

Optimus continued to combat threats to the Autobots with various new upgrades like armor reinforced with [[Cybertanium]] {{storylink|Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#Lunarfire|Lunarfire Optimus Prime}} and [[Tritanium]]. {{storylink|Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#TritaniumPrime|Tritanium Optimus Prime}} He also got to use a variety of [[MechTech]] weapons, including a powerful Cybertanium battle axe {{storylink|Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#DOTMVoyFireburst|Fireburst Optimus Prime}} and the combining [[Mega Striker]] cannon, {{storylink|Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#StrikerOptimus|Striker Optimus}} and the incredible [[Omega Combat Armor]]. {{storylink|Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#UltimatePrime|Ultimate Optimus Prime}}

Following the battle of Chicago, Optimus Prime was faced with a new kind of war, as once-strong alliances now stand in doubt. As Earth still needed him, Optimus altered his form so he could move around unrecognized and commit covert strikes on Decepticons. {{storylink|Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#Voyager Class toys 5|Evasion Mode Optimus Prime}}

As the sense of justice within Optimus Prime grew stronger, "Black Knight Optimus Prime", the reversed being that lived deep within him, also grew stronger. Optimus Prime was forced to face this being, whenever he tried to have a dialogue with his inner self. With the Nemesis Sword that could reverse time of substances with it's antimatter energy and the Sphere Shield, a transfer device, Black Knight Optimus Prime revealed itself as darkness in a world filled with light. {{storylink|Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#BlackKnightLeader|Black Knight Optimus Prime}}

===''Beast Wars Diorama Story''===
[[File:BWDS 11.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5]]
Under mysterious circumstances, Optimus Prime, Ironhide, Jazz, Ratchet, and Starscream were transported through a warp in space and time and deposited on the prehistoric Earth of another universe, smack into the middle of the [[Beast Wars (event)|"Beast Wars"]] between [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]]'s [[Maximal]]s and [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]]'s [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]]. Prime made fast friends with Primal; they joined their forces and double-teamed the injured [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]], who had just taken a blast to the face from [[Tigatron]]. The two Optimuses commemorated their accomplishment of teamwork by shaking hands, while the Maximals and Ratchet looked on in approval. {{storylink|Tigatron Chapter}}

Starscream allied with the Predacons, and was soon joined by Blackout, his own Megatron, {{storylink|Gimlet Chapter}} and [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]] who all also travelled through the warp. The two Megatrons combined their troops into a fearsome force against the Autobots and Maximals. Fortunately for the Autobots and Maximals, [[Motorarm (BW)|Motorarm]] arrived to assist. The two factions then took formation against each other with the intention of combining their energies to attack the opposing side. With [[Motorarm (BW)|Motorarm]] leading the charge, the Maximals and the Autobots attacked first. {{storylink|Motorarm Chapter}}
{{-}}

===''The Real Effing Deal'' website===
[[File:TheRealEffingDealOptimusonMissionCity.jpeg|thumb|left|100px]]
During the Mission City "incident", a huge robot with flames on it was photographed by an anonymous person, and the photograph was sent to the [[The Real Effing Deal]] website by a mysterious [[Agent X|X]] with a short message stating that the photo was taken on [[July]], [[2007]] and that it was legitimate.

On [[July 4]], [[2008]], [[Leo Spitz]] made a post on it titled "''PROOF!!!! EXCLUSIVE IMAGE EXPOSES THE LIES OF MISSION CITY!!!!''" proclaiming that it was indeed legit and that this was the proof for the alien robots' existence on Earth. He concluded that the robot was an intelligent being based on its position and/or motion in the picture (especially noting that "the ball thing" on top of the robot's head was looking right at the camera person) and held its flame deco as proof that it was alien instead of manmade, saying that the government wouldn't put flames on a robot. [http://web.archive.org/web/20111019021624/http://www.therealeffingdeal.com/blog/proof/] {{storylink|The Real Effing Deal}}

===''Cyber Missions''===
{{voiceactor|[[Eric Edwards]] (English)|[[Blas Garcia]] (Latin-American Spanish), [[Sérgio Fortuna]] (Brazilian Portuguese)}}
[[File:CyberMissions1 Optimus.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|Yes, I know, I'm scary.]]
During NEST's ongoing hunt for the Decepticons after the death of The Fallen, Optimus Prime recorded some information on the Autobot-Decepticon war for preservation in [[Vector Sigma]]. Bumblebee and Ironhide were reviewing the data when Bludgeon and Soundwave launched an attack on NEST command. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 1}} The next morning, Optimus had been informed of the attack and Soundwave's capture, and he ordered Ironhide to wait for reinforcements to assist in pursuing Bludgeon. Bludgeon made that difficult for Ironhide. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 2}} Later, Optimus contacted Ratchet to inform him that [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] was causing chaos in [[Mission City]], and he reminded the Autobot medic to be careful. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 3}}

Optimus and Sideswipe tracked Megatron to a disused factory, but the Decepticon leader eluded them by cloaking his spark signature. The hidden Megatron ambushed the two Autobots, and Optimus brought his swords to bear in battle, though he tried appealing to Megatron to surrender. Megatron's response came in the form of a blast that brought the fatory's roof down on the two Autobots, and though Megatron escaped, Optimus promised that he would no longer be able to hide. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 4}}

When Ironhide went missing after the incident with Bludgeon, Optimus searched for him, following directions from Bumblebee to a cave loaded with [[Energon]]. That cave turned out to be the hiding place of Decepticon hypnotist Mindwipe, who had Ironhide in his thrall, and tried to do the same to Optimus. The Autobot leader was able to resist Mindwipe's mesmerizing powers with a little help from his blaring truck horns, and defeated him, leaving a confused Ironhide to wonder what was going on. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 5}}

[[File:Cybermissions12 optimus faces megatron.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.6]]
Reports of [[Smolder (PCC)|Smolder]] attacking a building in [[Scramble City (city)|Scramble City]] resulted in Optimus dispatching Bumblebee and Ratchet to investigate. He filled them in on the situation en route. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 9}} During another mission, Optimus warned Sideswipe and Ratchet that they were being tracked, moments before the pair were attacked by Starscream and Mindwipe. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 10}}

Bumblebee reported to Optimus that he'd managed to pinpoint the location where Megatron and Starscream were meeting, leading Optimus to confront the two Decepticons in an Arctic region. When Megatron expressed surprise that he'd come to fight them without backup, Optimus assured him that the Autobots were never far from their leader's side. While Starscream went to attack the others, Optimus and Megatron continued to fight, with Optimus emerging the eventual victor. As Megatron tried to goad him into finishing the fight, Optimus announced that the Autobots protected all sentient life, and that included the Decepticons. He subsequently allowed Megatron to flee. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 12}}

[[File:Cybermissions GTFO.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6]]
{{quote|By showing even one such as him the power of mercy, Megatron might realize that we'll never give up, no matter the cost.|Optimus Prime|''Cyber Missions'' #12}}

Prime set up an elaborate trap involving a hologram of Soundwave to lure the Decepticons to a spot in the wilderness. The ploy worked, and Optimus attacked Megatron while his men attacked Megatron's troops. At one point during the battle, Megatron threw a train car at him, and he simply somersaulted along its length. Though Megatron boasted that the Decepticons would win through sheer determination, Optimus knocked him to the ground and gave a speech about building alliances, which was the cue for the [[human]]s to turn up in force and surround the Decepticons. Optimus informed Megatron that he could either leave the planet peacefully or be destroyed. Once the rest of the Decepticons fled, Megatron delivered a final threat before taking off. Prime celebrated with another speech, before admiring the huge Autobot [[insignia]] Bumblebee had stomped into the ground. {{storylink|Decepticons Attack}}
{{-}}

===Transformers Annual 2011===
During NEST's global hunt for Decepticons in the time period between the battle of Mission City and The Fallen's attack on Earth, an alert of Decepticon activity in [[Tokyo]] sent Optimus, Ironhide, Ratchet and Sideswipe to investigate. Prime intervened in Sideswipe and Barricade's battle to lift the Decepticon into the air, only to find himself under attack by Grindor. Ordering Sideswipe and Ratchet to cover him, Optimus scaled the side of a nearby office block so he could punch the helicopter out of the air. Standing over the two Decepticons, Optimus was surprised when they informed him that they were simply providing a diversion. Optimus realised that Sam was in danger, and rushed back to America in time to find Starscream attempting to abduct the boy. He jumped on Starscream's back, causing the Decepticon to flee and saving Sam from a kidnapping. {{storylink|Sam in Danger}}

===''I Can Read!'' books===
[[File:OptimusandIronhide-TrainingDay.jpeg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
Optimus met up with Ironhide, Sideswipe and Bumblebee in a desert to train. He and Ironhide tackled a rough off-road trail, only for their training to be interrupted by a nearby dam bursting open. The two Autobots sealed up the dam using rocks from a nearby quarry. They met back up with Bumblebee and Sideswipe afterwards, who admitted to have encountered their own "natural disaster." The source of the disturbances soon revealed itself to be Megatron and Starscream tunneling underground. Though the two Decepticons attempted to ambush the Autobots, Optimus and the others were able to send them running thanks to the training they had gone through that day. {{storylink|Training Day (book)|Training Day}}

[[File:OptimusKOsStarscream-BuddyBrawl.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|And that's terrible]]
Optimus came upon Starscream attacking Sam and Mikaela, while Bumblebee and Wheelie argued with one another nearby on how to defeat the Decepticon. Optimus knocked out Starscream with a single punch before chastising both his subordinates for allowing their feelings get in the way of their mission to protect the humans. Sam and Mikaela attempted to have Wheelie and Bumblebee reconcile, but the two Autobots were too stubborn to apologize to one another. Optimus suggested that the humans give Bumblebee and Wheelie time to work things out. But Starscream suddenly regained consciousness, prompting Optimus to order Wheelie and Bumblebee to work together to defeat him while he protected the humans. The two Autobots managed to put their differences aside and accomplished their task. Optimus looked on with pride as the two friends thanked each other afterwards. {{storylink|Buddy Brawl}}
{{-}}

===''Hunt for the Decepticons'' storybooks===
[[File:OptimusgetsSamsmessage-PrimeTarget.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Optimus "likes" Sam's status before going back to looking at cat videos.]]
Optimus had assigned Skids and Mudflap to watch over Sam while Bumblebee was away on a mission. When he asked the Twins for their report on the situation, they informed him that they suspected the [[new lab assistant]] working at Sam's university to be a Decepticon spy. Optimus ordered the two Autobots to continue their vigil over Sam. The Twins' hunch turned out to be correct, and the Decepticon spy sent Optimus a false distress signal through Sam's computer. Optimus sped to meet Sam at his university, where he encountered Megatron. Using a supermagnet within the university lab, Megatron was able to lock Optimus in his vehicle mode. Megatron would have destroyed Optimus if not for Sam's timely intervention. Sam used the supermagnet on Megatron, allowing Optimus to escape, and get repaired by Ratchet. {{storylink|Prime Target (book)|Prime Target}}

[[File:AutobotsthankSam-SatelliteMeltdown.jpeg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|May I ''please'' take your face?]]
Optimus received word from human authorities that [[Buzzsaw (ROTF)|Buzzsaw]] and [[Ratbat (ROTF)|Ratbat]] were causing trouble. But thanks to Soundwave's tampering with communications, he and his Autobots wound up driving to an empty warehouse miles away instead of the location of the conflict. Upon arriving at the warehouse, Optimus and his troops quickly realized that they had been tricked. Thankfull, Sam and Bumblebee met them there, and led them to the correct location. Optimus took care of both Decepticons by himself, sending them fleeing. Optimus then met with the human military, and informed them of Soundwave in Earth orbit. Together, they managed to have the satellite to which Soundwave was attached to self-destruct, sending the Decepticon tumbling off into outer space. Sam later thanked Sam for his help in the mission. {{storylink|Satellite Meltdown}}
{{-}}

===''Spot the 'Bots''===
While on a mission to find Decepticons, Optimus found Megatron hiding behind a tree. Megatron tried to scamper away, but Optimus and his Autobots gave chase. A small group of both factions then met at an old warehouse, and they began to duke it out for the fate of the Earth! {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Spot the 'Bots}}
{{-}}

===''Unite for the Universe''===
[[File:Project Unite.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5]]
In the wake of The Fallen's defeat, NEST initiated [[Project Unite]] to find a way of modifying Jetfire's parts so that Optimus could use them again. Unaware of the project's objective, but knowing that it held a great power, Starscream attacked the Unite facility to try stealing its fruits for himself, only to find a successfully powered-up Optimus Prime ready and waiting to take him on. {{storylink|Unite for the Universe issue 1|The Secret of Project: Unite}} Starscream fled, but immediately began plotting on how he could take Optimus's new power for himself. {{storylink|Unite for the Universe issue 1|Ambition Instigated}}

When word came in of another Starscream sighting on the [[Greece|Greek]] island of Delos, Optimus used his new abilities to fly there personally, where Sideswipe briefed him on what the Autobots had deduced: Starscream had managed to replicate the Unite process using the bodies of dead Decepticons, and was making a play for power. Knowing that Starscream did not have the necessary neural interface protocols to handle the Unite upgrade and would soon be driven mad, Optimus led the Autobots in tracking him to [[Taipei]], [[Taiwan]] for a confrontation... only for Megatron himself to show up, also dedicated to bring Starscream to heel! {{storylink|Unite for the Universe issue 2|On the Road of Destruction}} Tempting as it was to stand back and watch Megatron and Starscream duke it out, Optimus could not risk the Unite technology falling into Megatron's hands, and soon interceded in the Decepticons' battle. While Optimus kept Megatron busy, Ratchet hit Starscream with a scrambler weapon that burned out Starscream's new cyber-genetic sequencing, rending the Unite tech useless; Megatron departed, vowing vengeance. Optimus sadly reflected that in striving to create new and better weapons, the Autobots had almost handed the Decepticons victory, and swore that fortitude and valour would be the only weapons he relied on henceforth. {{storylink|The Strongest Weapon}}
{{-}}

===The Creation Revoltech!===
[[File:The Creation Revoltech.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.8|From about this point on, things get progressively sillier. You've been warned.]]
At the mercy of Megatron and the powerful [[Revocube]], Optimus Prime, at Ratchet's urging, called upon the power of the [[Revoltech]] universal joint. As the Wreckers watched, Prime surged with energy—and guns!—and prepared to renew the fight. {{storylink|The Creation Revoltech!}}
{{-}}

===''How to Ride Your Dinobot''===
====Cartoon====
[[File:Htryd-chapter-2-optimus-grimlock.jpg|upright=1.8|thumb|We all did this with our toys as kids. Now Optimus hates us for it.]]
Optimus found trying to ride [[Grimlock (AOE)|Grimlock]] was far from an easy task, which wasn't helped by his notably impatient attitude. First, Grimlock flung him into a wall when he first tried to get him to move. After [[Humanization|receiving a cast on his leg]] following the incident, he again lost his patience when trying to get his steed to move. However, it was all for naught, as now it was time for Grimlock to ride on Optimus's shoulders. Optimus could only groan in pain as he carried the massive Dinobot around, who was having a much better day than he was. {{storylink|How to Ride Your Dinobot Chapter 2: How to Ride|How to Ride}}

====Comic====
[[File:HowtoRide prime is an expert.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.5]]
Intending to teach his Autobots the fine art of Dinobot-riding, Optimus Prime led his men through a Chinese forest to the Dinobots' stomping ground—though he refrained from ''telling'' the Autobots where he was taking them, so they couldn't say no! Hound and Bumblebee had little luck taming [[Slash (AOE)|Slash]] and [[Strafe (AOE)|Strafe]], but when Drift and Crosshairs managed to saddle up atop [[Slug (AOE)|Slug]] and [[Scorn]], Optimus cautioned them against overconfidence, but suggested they try practising combat scenario. It did not go well. Bruised and tired, Hound pointed out that Optimus hadn't done any riding, but Optimus professed that he didn't ''need'' to, since he was already an expert. Grimlock evidently didn't get the message, as he flipped the unsuspecting Optimus onto his back, then took off running. Optimus called to the Autobots that Grimlock had picked up the scent of Decepticons, and instructed them all to RIDE OUT! {{storylink|How to Ride a Dinobot!}}
{{-}}

===Yokohama Decepticon Secret Base===
[[File:YokohamaBase movie primes vs nemesis.jpg|thumb|upright=0.75]]
''Two'' versions of Optimus Prime were hanging out at the [[Transformers Expo]] in [[Yokohama]] at the same time—one in his original Earth body, the other in his ''Age of Extinction'' form—when the evil clone of a ''different'' Optimus Prime, [[Yokohama Convoy|Nemesis Prime]], came crashing into the building. The Primes attacked him alongside Bumblebee, at which point Nemesis was backed up by some of the other Expo attendees: a ''second'' [[Nemesis Prime (AOE)|Nemesis Prime]] (this one Optimus's ''own'' evil duplicate) and [[Nemesis Grimlock]]! They glared at each other a bit, until suddenly, the combined energies of the AllSpark, the Matrix of Leadership and the [[seed]]—all on display at the Expo, naturally—began reacting with the [[Dark Energon]] within the first Nemesis Prime. This was all part of a complicated plot by [[Unicron]], but fortunately, Nemesis resisted the dark urges within himself, and channelled all the Dark Energon into the stickers his creator [[Doctor Arkeville]] had used to make him evil. Nemesis ripped the stickers off and hurled them into the air, where all the Autobots and Decepticons—and even the Expo's human attendees, using their cell phones—blasted them and stopped the chain reaction.

It was a ''super'' weird day. {{storylink|Yokohama Decepticon Secret Base}}
{{-}}

===''Cheetos/Age of Extinction'' comic===
[[File:CheetosAOE optimusprime.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.8]]
Discovering that the Decepticons were increasing their strength through artifacts from the [[Cheetos (galaxy)|Cheetos galaxy]], Optimus Prime and the Autobots recruited [[you]]r help to acquire the power-enhancing objects. {{storylink|Cheetos/Transformers: Age of Extinction}}
{{-}}

===''Q-Transformers'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Yoshimasa Hosoya]] (Japanese)}}
[[File:QTransformers the cast.jpg|thumb|upright=2]]
In this world, Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and Lockdown were aware that they were toys: specifically, ''Q-Transformers'', a new line of cute-looking ''Transformers'' merchandise produced to tie-in with the 30th anniversary of the [[Transformers brand|''Transformers'' brand]]. Optimus sometimes changed his look to match other Optimus Prime toys, but his "default" form was that of a toy based on his ''Age of Extinction'' look. They hanged out at different famous service areas on Japanese expressways, and talked about the ''[[Transformers: Mystery of Convoy|Mystery of Convoy]]'' video game, and the remake produced as a tie-in with their toyline, ''[[Q-Transformers: Mystery of Convoy Returns (mobile game)|Mystery of Convoy Returns]]''.

Discussing the ins and outs of their cute designs, Optimus and his pals explained that they were created for the purpose of appealing to non-Transformers fans; Optimus suggested plush Transformers could be another way of tapping that market. {{storylink|Mystery of the 30th Anniversary Merchandise}} When the trio talked about and how terrible ''Mystery of Convoy'' was, Optimus huffed, insisting that, at the very least, it wasn't ''unbeatable''. Discussing traits that they thought made games bad, Optimus voiced a dislike for games without different difficulty settings. {{storylink|Mystery of Reliably Crappy Games}}

[[File:Qtransformers optimus on underwear.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.8|See? We weren't lying.]]
Lockdown suggested that re-releasing such a terrible game was like rubbing salt in a wound; Bumblebee didn't understand the expression, since, as Optimus pointed out, they were robots, and it didn't mean anything to them. While trying to come up with situations the phrase was applicable to, Lockdown suggested "accidentally sending your father an "I love you" text instead of your boyfriend or girlfriend"; the trio joked about what sort of response the father would send, and Optimus silenced everyone with the thoughtful answer: "I know". {{storylink|Mystery of Smearing Salt in the Open Wound}} The group then talked about the rubbish stage bosses in ''Mystery of Convoy'', particularly the [[Destron Mark|floating Decepticon insignia]], and wondered what sort of fictional scenarios it could be used in. {{storylink|Mystery of the Stage Bosses}}

[[File:Qtransformers optimus on psychics.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8]]
Prime and company began being joined by their friends to discuss facets of the game. [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] participated in a talk about the differences between the original and the remake, {{storylink|Mystery of the Wittily Similar Circumstances}} while [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] highlighted the tonal "gap" between the cute character designs and the very ''un''-cute action in the game. Everyone tried to think of examples of similar "gaps": Optimus suggested a stylish young dude wearing unfashionable underwear, and started sweating when everyone laughed. {{storylink|Mystery of the Gap of Unpopular Men}} [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] and [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] joined them to talk about classic terrible games, which turned into a discussion about adventure and exploring, and the comforts an explorer might like to have with them on such a journey. {{storylink|Mystery of a Certain Explorer}} [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] and [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] also talked about some famously awful old games, seguing into a discussion about psychokinetic powers; Optimus remembered seeing a guy on TV who had the power to magnetize cutlery to his body. {{storylink|Mystery of a Certain Psychic}}

[[File:Qtransformers gtoptimus copenbee.jpg|left|thumb|upright=2]]
When [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] came along to share his thoughts on points of commonality among famously awful games, the group talked about the technical advancements of video games, but when Optimus wanted to talk about motion capture technology, he got confused and mixed it up with a CAT scan! {{storylink|Mystery of Game Balance}} [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] also had some opinions on the common themes of bad games, but Bumblebee and Optimus's willingness to settle for less frustrated Lockdown. {{storylink|Mystery of the Lowest Possible Standards}}

[[File:Qtransformers g1 convoy.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|Only you, could prevent wild fires.]]
Optimus had changed his look to match that of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#GTR|his ''Transformers GT'' incarnation]] when [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] dropped in. They talked about the changing faces of Optimus Prime through history, and how he used to be called "Convoy" in Japan, then Lockdown compared "Optimus Prime" and "Convoy" to the Mario Brothers. Everyone had a good chuckle when Jazz specified that Optimus would be the "Luigi" of the pair. {{storylink|Mystery of Convoy}} Bumblebee later told [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] about Optimus's fondness for ''Mystery of Convoy''. {{storylink|Mystery of Mystery of Convoy}}

When [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] turned up to join the argument over just how bad ''Mystery of Convoy'' was, the shocked Optimus quickly switched bodies, taking on the form of [[Optimus Prime (G1)|his Generation 1 self]]. They argued back and forth for a bit, discussing other ways the game could have been remade, until Optimus proposed the most drastic rebranding he could think of: calling it "Mysteryvoy of Con". {{storylink|Mystery of Return of Convoy}}

Tiring of talking about ''Mystery of Convoy'', Optimus noted the unexpected popularity of ''Q-Transformers'' itself and steered the towards other ways to reach a wider audience for ''Transformers''. His own suggestion was to make the franchise more like ''[[w:Mito Kōmon|Mito Kōmon]]''. {{storylink|The Road to Winning a New Fanbase}} The three decided to go over previous ''Transformers'' series to make sure they'd stay within established rules, but Optimus and Bumblebee immediately ran into an argument with Lockdown when they refused to acknowledge anything bad about [[The Transformers (cartoon)|the original cartoon]]. Lockdown argued that it was hard to tell the difference between Autobots and Decepticons, so the three discussed ways of making it more obvious. {{storylink|The Road to Easy Identification}}

Introducing a new "Q-Transformers Radio" segment, the trio invited Tracks to talk about popularity, and he brought along [[Yukimura Sanada]] from ''[[w:Sengoku Basara|Sengoku Basara]]''. After interviewing their guest on his franchise of origin, they struck upon the idea of having Transformers appear in ''Basara'' games, and Optimus failed to impress by imagining his in-game super move would be a car horn. {{storylink|The Road to Borrowing Popularity from Sengoku Basara}}
{{-}}

===Legends World===
[[File:TFLegends optimus rides grimlock.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2]]
In the [[Legends World]], Optimus Prime was just a fictional character featured in a series of popular movies and toylines. When the newest film, ''Age of Extinction'' came out, [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] and the other employees of the [[Axalon Trading Company]] went crazy for the new toys. [[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]] got the Leader-class figure, {{storylink|TF4 Toy Party#Part 1|TF4 Toy Party Part 1}} while [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]], being more of a fan of the Generation 1 series, instead opted for the "Evasion Mode" figure, with its Generation 1-inspired alternate mode. He was disgusted to discover that such a classic, '80s-looking toy transformed into Optimus's movie-based robot mode design, and was even more put out when Silverbolt had the figure ride the new Grimlock toy. {{storylink|TF4 Toy Party#Part 2|TF4 Toy Party Part 2}}

A new Optimus Prime toy was on show when the Axalon gang went to the 2014 Tokyo Toy Show during the summer. {{storylink|Tokyo Toy Show 2014 Report#Part 2|Tokyo Toy Show 2014 Report Part 2}} Six months later, [[Nightscream (BM)|Nightscream]] spent [[Christmas]] enjoying Prime's exploits in the new ''Age of Extinction'' DVD. {{storylink|Merry X'mas!!}} When Rhinox turned into [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]] and tried to revert the world back to how it was in the '80s, Rattrap attempted to stop him by singing the praises of modern-day Transformers, including the movie incarnation of Optimus. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 5|Bonus Edition Vol. 5}}

When [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Gelshark]] arrived in the Legends World and found that "Optimus Prime" was the English name of his enemy, [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Fire Convoy]], he sought to ruin his reputation by dressing up as the ''Age of Extinction'' version of the character. The masses of adoring young fans that showed up made Gelshark unable to bring himself to crush their dreams. {{Storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 6|Bonus Edition Vol. 6}}

At [[Tokyo Toy Show|Tokyo Toy Show 2015]], [[Scourge (RID)|Black Convoy]] appeared and took down somebody in an Optimus Prime costume. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Black Convoy)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}}
{{-}}

===Bot on the Street===
Optimus was asked if Frenzy was red or blue, but as far as he was concerned, [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]] was silver. {{storylink|Bot on the Street}}

===''Timelines''===
In one reality, Megatron suddenly shifted position during the Battle of Chicago and thus took advantage of his mysteriously good luck to kill both Optimus Prime and Sentinel Prime. Eventually, though, a new Prime arose, [[Hot Rod (DOTM)|Rodimus Prime]]. {{storylink|Megatron (Movie)/toys#Timelines|BotCon 2015 Megatron profile card}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
In [[Tyran 609.23-PX Kappa]], Megatron defeated [[The Fallen]] and returned to space to gather the Decepticon army, beginning new engagements which sent the Autobots on the defensive. Optimus Prime rose to the bait planted by Soundwave for Sam Witwicky and took the ''[[Xantium (DOTM)|Xantium]]'' to the Moon to revive [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]]. Backed into a corner by the Decepticon offensive, Optimus revived Sentinel on the lunar surface, and Sentinel helped Megatron capture Optimus. The Decepticons gained control of Earth and brought Cybertron to Earth orbit. Sentinel spent time unsuccessfully trying to turn Optimus over to his way of thinking.

Everything changed with the arrival of [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] to Decepticon-controlled Earth. The bounty hunter demanded that Optimus be handed over to him; Megatron refused out of pride while Sentinel refused out of loyalty. While Sentinel debated over Lockdown's offer of a protomatter [[seed]], Optimus used the opportunity to reignite Sentinel's cold spark. Sentinel thus tricked Lockdown to seize control of [[Knight Ship|Lockdown's ship]]. Allying themselves with the [[Dinobot (AOE)|Dinobot]]s, Optimus and Sentinel waged a long guerrilla war against the Decepticons. After the long struggle, they managed to liberate Earth and revitalize Cybertron with the seed. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/07/22}}

In [[Tyran 511.0 Kappa]], once [[Cade Yeager]] had revived Optimus Prime, Optimus put out the call to all surviving Autobots. Bumblebee, [[Bulkhead (DOTM)|Bulkhead]], and [[Backtrack (Movie)|Backtrack]] joined...and so did the desperate Decepticons [[Axor|Axel]] and [[Wild Rider]]! The Autobots were initially skeptical of them but learned to appreciate Wild Rider, who remained loyal even in the face of Megatron's return as Galvatron. Axel on the other hand attempted to sell out the Autobots to Lockdown only to be killed by Lockdown. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/16}}

===''Age of Time''===
[[File:Prime1StudioSuperiorOptimusPrime.jpg|thumb|300px]]
Like at least some of the other Transformers of his dimension, Optimus Prime was somehow amalgamated with his [[Optimus Prime (G1)#Age of Time|counterpart]] from an [[The Transformers (franchise)|alternate dimension]], who came to this dimension through a wormhole; together, they formed a superior version of themselves.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1395741837139121.1073741971.371066602939988 TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF TIME - SUPERIOR OPTIMUS PRIME] by [[Prime 1 Studio]] on Facebook: "The story began when the Ark carrying G1 Optimus Prime and his fellow Autobots was attacked on their route to Earth from Cybertron by Megatron and his evil Decepticons. Both spaceships were sucked into a wormhole and ended up in an alternate dimension. This dimension is the cinematic Transformers universe. Different yet the same, both transformers from the different dimension amalgamated and formed the Superior version of their old self. Hence the New Generation Transformers was formed. To be continued..."</ref> {{storylink|Optimus Prime (Movie)/merchandise#Prime 1 Studio|Transformers: Age of Time statue bios}}

===''Mission to Cybertron'' comic===
While searching for the Creator, Optimus arrived on [[Paradron]] to refuel on Energon, but was denied by a [[Gyronian Sentry]] and his pet Guard Cats. Optimus explained his past to the Sentry, who was not impressed, demanding a passcode. The passcode was written in Old Cybertronian, but the gate didn't open even with a decoder. Prime and Sentry's egos clashed, causing a fight to break out. Optimus tried directly inserting the decoder into the door, with the passcode: "In Primus We Trust". The door opened, allowing Optimus to drink half of the Energon, giving the other half to Sentry. Optimus told Sentry he did a good job, relieved him of his guard duties, and flew off into space.
{{storylink|Mission to Cybertron}}
{{-}}

===Gathering of the Strongest Robots DVD===
{{storylink|Gathering of the Strongest Robots}}

===''Bumblebee's First Life on Earth''===
[[File:TF-BB-Movie-Bumblebee's-First-Life-Episode-2.jpg|thumb|250px]]
A hologram of Optimus Prime made a brief appearance when [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] was learning how to transform, prompting Bumblebee's human friend [[Charlie Watson|Charlie]] to wonder who he was. {{storylink|Hiding in the Park!}}
{{-}}

==Games==
{{main|Optimus Prime (Movie)/games}}

==Commercial appearances==
*As part of the hype buildup to the first movie's release, Optimus Prime made a brief cameo at the {{w|2007 MTV Movie Awards}}, interacting with host Sarah Silverman. The scene spliced Silverman into pre-existing movie footage, but featured new dialogue recorded for the event by Peter Cullen. Prime heavily hinted that he wanted to present an award, but was rejected for a regular MTV fan.
*According to a tie-in advertisement for [[Burger King]], Prime likes his Whoppers with no onions, no cheese, extra pickles, with a side of ????. However, due to a cruel twist of fate, he can never enjoy the sweet taste of beefy victory (and all because he needed a driver for him to receive his order). He saved the world from the Decepticons, and still he can't even have it his way? Where's the justice? {{storylink|Commercial/Transformers (2007)#Burger King|Transformers Burger King tie-in commercial}}
*Optimus fell on some guy's car, smashing it to scrap. The car's owner was rather upset about this development, but Optimus could only respond with "My bad..." {{storylink|Commercial/Transformers (2007)#General Motors|Transformers Chevy tie-in commercial}}
*Optimus Prime (in truck mode) made an appearance at [[BotCon 2007]], alongside the [[Sector Seven Mobile Command Unit]]. He was available for pictures all weekend. He made a second appearance at [[BotCon 2009]].
*Optimus was convinced that a man's new LG Versa was really a Decepticon in disguise. The phone's owner vehemently denied this, despite the phone demonstrating transformation capabilities. He laughed off Optimus's apparent fixation with Decepticons...until one dropped down behind him, sending him running. {{storylink|Commercial/Revenge of the Fallen#LG Versa|Revenge of the Fallen LG Versa tie-in commercial}}
*Optimus was tasked with delivering trailers of Strawberry and Peanut Butter [[M&M's]]. Instead of hauling them in his truck mode, he picked one up and threw it into the distance, clipping some power lines in the process. This earned him some sarcastic clapping from [[Red (M&M)|Red]]. {{storylink|Commercial/Revenge of the Fallen#M&Ms|Revenge of the Fallen M&Ms tie-in commercial}}
*Optimus was seen sporting an [[Robot Powered Machines|RPMs]] logo as a grill ornament. {{storylink|Commercial/Revenge of the Fallen#RPMs|Robot Powered Machines toy commercial}}
*During the 2009 NBA Finals, a commercial aired where [[The Master Builders (episode)|Optimus made a slam dunk]] and shattered the backboard.
*On [[July 6]], 2009, Optimus appeared on ''The {{w|Late Show With David Letterman}}'' to declare the "Top Ten Things That Sound Cool When Said By A Giant Robot". Optimus said it was nice to be there, although David was ''clearly'' concerned with having a 28-foot tall robot in the studio because of a bad history of robots messing up the place, and during the presentation Letterman decided there was something about Prime he didn't like. Anyway, the top ten was:
<ol>
<li value="10">"Jergens lotion leaves my hands silky smooth."</li>
<li value="9">"Do you have these khakis in a Size 114?"</li>
<li value="8">"My perfect night involves a pint of Häagen-Dazs and season three of ''Sex and the City''."</li>
<li value="7">"Man, do I love me some 'taters."</li>
<li value="6">"It was so hot in Central Park today, I saw a squirrel rubbing sunblock on his nuts."</li>
<li value="5">"You seemed a little pitchy, dawg."</li>
<li value="4">"Brody Jenner has added you as a friend on Facebook."</li>
<li value="3">"Live from New York...it's Saturday night!"</li>
<li value="2">"My parents wanted me to be a Rabbi."</li>
<li value="1">"All the slammin' shorties in the house say 'Yeah'!"<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v-P5x1Mp00 Archive video of Optimus's guest spot.]</ref></li>
</ol>
*To promote the DVD and Blu-ray release of ''Revenge of the Fallen'', Paramount set up a website where US fans could request Optimus call up their friends, warning them of Starscream's attempts to recruit human civilian allies.
*In the Discovery Channel promo, "The World Is Just Awesome," Optimus made a brief cameo, singing the words "boom-de-ya-da, boom-de-ya-da."<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0jZzBEKIMc Discovery commercial] on YouTube.</ref>
*Prime (voiced by Cullen, but not animated by ILM) appeared to promote a NASA competition to vote for videos made by children about NASA's impact on commonplace technology.<ref>[http://ipp.gsfc.nasa.gov/optimus/ NASA Optimus Prime]</ref>
*Optimus appeared in truck mode at [[Toy Fair 2011]]. He got a $115 parking ticket.<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1357327/Transformers-truck-gets-parking-ticket-toy-fair.html ''Daily Mail'' article on Prime's fine.]</ref>
*Optimus duked it out with [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] in front of a [[Burger King]] restaurant, while some of the patrons inside were too enraptured with savoring their Bacon Cheddar Ranch Tendercrisp sandwiches to notice. {{storylink|Commercial/Dark of the Moon#Burger King|Dark of the Moon Burger King tie-in commercial}}
*Optimus was seen firing a [[basketball]] from his blaster in an ESPN commercial with [[Mark Cuban]]. {{storylink|Commercial/Dark of the Moon#Burger King|Dark of the Moon ESPN commercial}}
*Optimus Prime joined Bumblebee on the road as part of the "[[Win A Ride To School With The Autobots]]" contest. He also delivered $1000 worth of Transformers toys to a lucky winner. {{storylink|Commercial/Dark of the Moon#Win A Ride|Win A Ride To School With The Autobots contest and commercial}}
*To promote Age Of Extinction, Optimus appeared on screen during the 2014 [[Nickelodeon]] Kids Choice Awards to warn Mark Wahlberg that he was in danger of being slimed.
*Both Optimus and Bumblebee could be seen driving around the [[Speed Stars]] logo in vehicle mode. {{storylink|Commercial#Speed Stars|Speed Stars commercials}}
*Optimus acted as goalkeeper as Diego Poyet, Gor Grigoryan and Patrick Otte practiced for the World Cup. After stopping a goal, he deflated the ball with his hand and commented that Diego was "Not bad... for a human." {{storylink|Commercial/Age of Extinction#ESPN|"The Future of Soccer" Age of Extinction tie-in commercial}}
*After Optimus was injured by a shot, a little boy come over to him and offered him an Oreo cookie. The generous act somehow gave Optimus the strength to go on, and he thanked the child before running off to do whatever heroic thing he was in the middle of. {{storylink|Commercial/Age of Extinction#Oreo|Age of Extinction Oreo tie-in commercial}}
*Optimus happened upon an excavation site, where several children were unearthing Grimlock. Soon after his arrival, Grimlock awakened, prompting Prime to hop on his back and order his mount to "Roll Out!" {{storylink|Commercial/Age of Extinction#Mega|Mega 1-Step Bumblebee toy commercial}}
*After helping some guy shave, Hydrobot immediately transformed to robot mode to fist bump Optimus, who destroyed the wall of the man's bathroom while trying to do so. Optimus then accidentally destroyed the man's daughter's personal playground, trying to use it as a stand. {{storylink|Commercial/The Last Knight#Schick|The Last Knight Schick commercial}}
*Optimus Prime's voice also narrated some commercials:
**A Revenge of the Fallen toy commercial for the figures of the main cast. {{storylink|Commercial/Revenge of the Fallen#Movie Characters|Revenge of the Fallen movie characters toy commercial}}
**A [[Power Bots]] and [[Gravity Bot]]s toy commercial. {{storylink|Commercial/Revenge of the Fallen#Power Bots and Gravity Bots|Power Bots and Gravity Bots toy commercial}}
**The Bumblebee Voice Mixer and Plasma Cannon toy commercial. {{storylink|Commercial/Revenge of the Fallen#Voice Mixer and Plasma Cannon|Bumblebee Voice Mixer and Plasma Cannon commercial}}
**An ad for the Supreme [[Devastator (ROTF)|Devastator]] set. {{storylink|Commercial/Revenge of the Fallen#Supreme Devastator|Supreme Devastator commercial}}
**The N.E.S.T. Global Alliance figures. {{storylink|Commercial/Revenge of the Fallen#Global Alliance|N.E.S.T. Global Alliance toy commercial}}
**The Double Your Action Giveaway ad. {{storylink|Commercial/Revenge of the Fallen#Double|Double Your Action Giveaway commercial}}
*During his time off, Optimus went on a road trip across the UK with a hitchhiker. {{storylink|Commercial/International#Live Action Movie Era|Direct Line commercial}}

==Toys==
{{main|Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys}}

==Merchandise==
{{Main|Optimus Prime (Movie)/merchandise}}

==Notes==
===''Transformers''===
[[File:Movie Primetruck before.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|8:30 pm: "Trick My Truck". Tonight's guest: [[Alpha Trion (disambiguation)|Alpha Trion]].]]
[[File:Movie OptimusPrime truckrear.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb]]
[[File:Movie Prime Trucklogomistake.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|In the darkness, a PA will misread "Truck A" as "Truck B", and there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth — Revelation 11:7.]]
[[File:MBMovieOptimusAttacks.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85]]
*When Optimus's design was first revealed, [[GEEWUN|many fans of the Generation 1 series objected to the flames seen on Prime's body]]. When asked in an interview why he put the flames on, [[Michael Bay]] claimed he liked them because it was "cool". It was later revealed on a special featurette on the DVD that the flames were added because, apparently, red is not very good to film on camera, so Bay chose a blue truck but used the flames so that when Optimus transformed, the layout would result in maintaining his iconic red chest.
*In the director's commentary of the 2007 Transformers DVD, Michael Bay said that he had told the animators to seek inspiration from Liam Neeson in creating Optimus Prime's body language. ''Awesome.''
*Optimus Prime's truck mode is apparently intended to haul a flatbed trailer, based on the presence of the large silver "headache rack", a piece of optional equipment that protects the driver in case a flatbed load breaks free during braking. It is generally not installed on trucks hauling enclosed container trailers.
*[[TakaraTomy]] officially recognizes Optimus Prime's [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] as a Kenworth W900 truck, even though the vehicle used for filming was a modified Peterbilt 379, a different model from a different brand, although both are made by the PACCAR company.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20070809065140/http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Features/articleId=121424 Article at Edmunds.com on some of the vehicles used in the movie]</ref>
*When Optimus Prime scans a truck for his new body, the passing truck has what appears to be an Autobot sigil on its grill, but the actual truck that Prime turns into at the end of the scene has a much wider, flatter symbol on the grill, which looks rather more like that of Peterbilt. Then, Prime has an Autobot sigil on his grill while driving to meet the other Autobots.
*According to the free trading cards from the Boston Globe, Optimus is 28 feet tall, weighs 4.3 metric tons, and his primary weapon is an [[ion blaster]]. (Considering Optimus's height, however, this weight would seem implausible. It's also roughly half of the actual weight of the truck he's based on.)
*The [[Milton Bradley]] [[Transformers Battling Card Game]] depicts Prime with a unique magnetic grapple attack, fired from the side of his arm. It also declares his forearm gun to be a chain gun (it's an ion blaster in other sources), and has him using a "judo kick", which... while it may not be out of the realm of plausibility for Prime to have learned an Earth martial art, judo does not actually '''use''' kicks, being focused on throwing moves. Oops.
*The Optimus Prime computer generated model consisted of 10,108 individual parts, 1,830,898 polygons, 27,744 rig nodes, and 2336 texture maps. The volume of all pieces combined came to 5445 cubic feet.<ref>Robertson, Barbara (2007). Heavy Metal. ''Computer Graphics, 30''(7), 12-17.</ref>
*The [[Transformers Autobots/Decepticons|''Autobots'' DS game]] notes that Megatron killed Optimus's father. Considering several pieces of movie tie-in fiction treat Optimus and Megatron as brothers, it's entirely possible that he killed his ''own'' father too. ''Dark of the Moon'' may have unintentionally (given the obscurity of the four-year-old tie-in game) retconned this, as Optimus believed [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]], the mentor figure to both of them, had perished during a Decepticon attack as he tried to escape from Cybertron.
*During Optimus Prime's transformation from vehicle into robot in Mission City, a piece of Chevrolet intake manifold can be seen on Optimus Prime's left collar.
{{--}}

===''Revenge of the Fallen''===
[[File:ROTF Optimus trailer super mode.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"One shall be scrawny...One shall be brawny"]]
*Optimus was supposed to combine with a trailer for ''Revenge of the Fallen'', something for which [[Ben Procter]] and [[Josh Nizzi]] drew up designs. In the end, Nizzi designed the combination with Jetfire. However, the idea of Optimus combining with his trailer was not forgotten, and showed up on screen in ''Dark of the Moon''.
{{--}}

===''Dark of the Moon''===
*In ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon]]'', Optimus has ''[[Kibble#.22Faux-parts.22|Faux-parts]]'', when he transforms inside of the NEST base facing [[Charlotte Mearing|Mearing]] and [[William Lennox|Lennox]]. It is noticeable that the Optimus robot truck parts are not the same as that of the actual truck mode body parts (or at least not all of them). Notice the red chest panels are in fact hidden under the truck nose panels and his arm appears (God knows from where) already with its red/blue flames parts; meanwhile the rest of the front of the vehicle fragments and hides into the robot. This is the only Optimus transformation that occurs this way. In the other in-movie conversions some of his alternate mode's appearances seem to be absorbed into his body or outright disappear.
* After he left the screen following ''Dark of the Moon'' and returned with a new form, the truck was sold at the Barret Jackson Auction in 2016 for $110,000. Another prop was kept around for attraction purposes, while another sold prop was converted into a tow truck.
{{--}}

===''Age of Extinction''===
[[File:AOEOptimusComparison.jpg|thumb|upright=1.95|Fear is freedom! Subjugation is liberation! Contradiction is truth! Those are the facts of this world, and you will all surrender to them. You pigs in human clothing!|left]]
*The overwhelming majority of ''Age of Extinction'' toys and promotional images for Optimus, not to mention his RotDS in-game model, are based on a preliminary design for the character, not used in the final film. The differences are most noticeable on the chest, although there are minor design variations across pretty much the entire body. [[TakaraTomy]]'s later release schedule for their version of the line allowed them to somewhat remedy this situation – their Battle Command Optimus Prime toy appears to have had its chest and feet retooled before release to match the newer design, and their 'Armor Knight' re-release of the Leader Class toy features extensive retooling to similar effect.
*Optimus's "evasion mode" body possesses one of the more cheatsy transformation schemes in the series. Not only does Optimus manage to turn into a fairly small truck while retaining his normal [[robot mode]] height and mass, his windows and grille rather conspicuously change size whenever he transforms. The paint job is still Optimus Prime as in the first three films, but heavily saturated in brown rust.
{{--}}

===''The Last Knight''===
*The red "scar" on Optimus/Nemesis Prime's face in ''The Last Knight'' came about one day when Michael Bay went into [[Industrial Light & Magic|ILM]] and asked the animators to add red markings to Optimus Prime and Megatron's faces and come up with an explanation for them. Visual effects artist Chris Zammit came up with the idea that the markings were the use of [[Dark Energon]] due to its mind-control abilities and the presence of Unicron in the film.<ref name="MegatronScar">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mke7biooPA4&ab_channel=TFcon The Explanation for Megatron's Red Face Paint in Transformers The Last Knight Discussion at TFcon]</ref>
**In an early version of the fight between Nemesis Prime and Bumblebee, a canister filled with normal [[Energon]] (much like the jars Izabella used on the TRF Sentinels) could have been tossed onto Nemesis Prime to release him from Quintessa's control.<ref name="MegatronScar" /> The idea was scrapped, leaving the red markings as some kind of "paint" and Bumblebee's voice used as the device to restore Optimus Prime.
{{--}}

===''Bumblebee''===
[[File:BBfilm-Optimus-Prime-model.jpg|thumb|200px|Boxy and blocky is the new sexy.]]
*Optimus Prime's design in ''Bumblebee'' is heavily influenced by his Generation 1 [[Optimus Prime (G1)|namesake]], which is especially seen with his Earth-mode body. The truck used as Prime was actually a rental, but given a new coat of G1-influenced paint for the role.
*Optimus Prime was to have an extended role in the opening scene of ''Bumblebee'', having a Cybertronian vehicle mode, though it was cut for time. Concept art for a more Cybertronian robot mode and vehicle mode was created by [[Alex Jaeger]], though the film ultimately uses a model closer to his Earthen robot form.<ref>[https://www.ilm.com/art-department/bumblebee-developing-an-epic-set-piece/ BUMBLEBEE: DEVELOPING AN EPIC SET PIECE] at ILM</ref>
{{--}}

===''Rise of the Beasts''===
*Optimus Prime's right leg from the then yet-to-be-released ''Rise of the Beasts'' was featured in a Hasbro-sanctioned cameo in the 2022 direct-to-streaming film ''{{w|Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers (film)|Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers}}''.<ref>[https://news.tfw2005.com/2022/05/20/possible-transformers-rise-of-the-beasts-cameo-on-the-new-chip-n-dale-rescue-rangers-movie-456697]</ref>
{{--}}

===Other notes===
*According to [[TakaraTomy]] marketing director [[Masahiko Yamazaki]], for the Japanese dub of ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]]'', the [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus]] featured in that show would become a young version of this one. Ultimately, this didn't make it into the end product as the show went largely unchanged.
*On [[September 30]], [[2014]], Optimus Prime was immortalized on the Hollywood Walk of Fame with a cement printing ceremony outside [[Grauman's Chinese Theatre]]. In lieu of hand prints, Optimus provided tire prints. [[Peter Cullen]] was also in attendance and provided handprints alongside his alter ego.
*According to [[Steven Caple Jr.]], Optimus Prime's facial features are based on his voice actor Peter Cullen.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Optimus Prime''' (オプティマスプライム ''Oputimasu Puraimu''), '''Nemesis Prime''' (ネメシスプライム ''Nemeshisu Puraimu''), '''Orion Pax''' (''Tribute'', オライオンパックス ''Oraion Pakkusu'')
*''Cantonese:'' '''O Baak Man''' (Hong Kong, 柯柏文)
*''Hungarian:'' '''Optimusz Fővezér''' ("Prime Leader Optimus"), '''Nemezis Fővezér'''
*''Indonesian:'' '''Optimus Prime''', '''Sang Ketujuh''' ("The Seventh", since in Indonesian Optimus is known as the seventh Prime) or '''Pemimpin Para Autobot''' ("The Leader of the Autobots")
*''Korean:'' '''Optimus Prime''' (옵티머스 프라임 ''Obtimeoseu Peulaim''), '''Nemesis Prime''' (네메시스프라임 ''Nemesisu Peulaim'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Kēbówén''' (Taiwan, 柯博文), '''Qíngtīanzhù''' (China, 擎天柱, "Pillar that Supports the Sky")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Optimus Naikrashchiy''' (Оптимус Найкращий, "Optimus the Best")
{{--}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Autobot leaders]]
[[Category:Age of Extinction Autobots]]
[[Category:Beast Wars Autobots]]
[[Category:Bumblebee Autobots]]
[[Category:Classified Autobots]]
[[Category:Convention guests]]
[[Category:Cyber Missions characters]]
[[Category:Dark of the Moon Autobots]]
[[Category:Hall of Fame characters]]
[[Category:Knights]]
[[Category:Legends Autobots]]
[[Category:Live-action film ARG characters]]
[[Category:Matrix bearers]]
[[Category:Movie Autobots]]
[[Category:NEST]]
[[Category:Primes]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen Autobots]]
[[Category:Rise of the Beasts Autobots]]
[[Category:Rulers of Cybertron]]
[[Category:The Last Knight Autobots]]