Theomachy

Every universe has a beginning; in some universes, that's the theomachy. An ancient, mythic battle between two deities, this initial, early conflict between Primus and Unicron spans across the multiverse, and often concludes in the creation of the Matrix of Leadership and Cybertron.

{{#if:The Fallen"Confrontation"|

“

Understand simply that you are causalities of war. Not this insignificant engagement... A war... of the gods!

”

{{#if:The Fallen|

—The Fallen{{#if:"Confrontation"|, "Confrontation"}}

}}

Fiction

Marvel The Transformers comics

Events from the UK-only comic stories are in italics.

Unicron would recount his conflict with Primus to the ~~bounty hunter~~ freelance peacekeeping agent known as Death's Head. At the dawn of time, Unicron and Primus led the Light Gods and Dark Gods into battle, destroying much of the old universe. Primus and Unicron fought both on the physical plane and the astral plane, but Primus could not defeat Unicron through sheer strength. Primus lured Unicron into a trap by having the Chaos Bringer follow him back into the physical realm. Rather than return to their original physical bodies, the two became trapped in asteroids, thus ending Unicron's campaign of chaos across the universe. Primus rose from the conflict as the winner, changing his new asteroid body into the planet Cybertron, but created the Matrix of Leadership as a deterrent. The Legacy of Unicron!

In another telling of the story, the Keeper claimed that during the theomachy, Primus and Unicron were the last of their kind and that Primus was required to defeat Unicron to join the Omniversal Matrix. Primus created the "Genetic Matrix", going into a deep slumber to hide from Unicron until his creations were ready to fight Unicron in his stead. The Primal Scream

Primus would later provide his version of events by possessing the body of Emirate Xaaron. According to Primus, Unicron had destroyed the "old realms" that had existed before the present-day universe, and the "sentient core" of the universe created Primus to defend the universe from Unicron, leading to the theomachy. The Void!

3H comics

In their eons of seclusion on Protos, Covenant members Libras and Scorpius constantly discussed the theomachy. Covenant

Dreamwave Generation One continuity

The One, a harmonious fusion of chaos and order, existed at the dawn of time. Seeking to learn more of this new world, The One created Unicron, and then divided him into Unicron and Primus. Eventually recognizing Unicron as a threat to existence, Primus began protecting the universe by attacking Unicron with the powers granted to him by The One. At one point, Primus created thirteen Transformers to optimize his defensive and tactical options in planet mode. One particular member of the Thirteen betrayed Primus, but ended up joining his new master in a black hole. The Ultimate Guide

After his return to Cybertron, The Fallen attempted to break the Seal of Primus, exposing his creator to his archnemesis and ending the lull in their conflict. Primus's wayward creation explained to the four chosen for the Unbinding that they were to die for a divine war. Confrontation

Cybertron cartoon

According to Vector Prime, Primus battled Unicron at the dawn of time. Cybertron

Aligned continuity family

Long before the time of Primes, Autobots, and Decepticons, a single being existed. As it roamed across a young galaxy and encountered life, it became confused and disturbed. Two voices began to develop within its mind. The first voice, Primus (meaning first and one), was reassuring and accepting. The second voice, Unicron (meaning unique and one), could not rest after seeing flaws and unanswered questions throughout the universe. The two voices began to oppose each other, causing the single being to split mentally and physically. Before their physical form fully separated, Primus and Unicron traveled with each other. Unicron would destroy what he encountered, and Primus would try to stop him or fix the harm he had done. Primus tried to reconcile with his twin, but Unicron refused to reunite as one uncertain being. Primus was filled with righteous rage, and the shared body between them fully split into two. The Covenant of Primus

Unicron became an incarnation of destruction as he continued to destroy all life, believing it would give him peace. Primus became an incarnation of creation, believing that it was his responsibility to stop Unicron. These two figures were ideologically opposed and evenly matched, an endless conflict that saw neither side achieving true victory. With prior attempts to defeat Unicron failing, Primus created the Thirteen. The Covenant of Primus One Shall Rise, Part 1

The conflict between Primus and Unicron would conclude with the Expulsion of Unicron, which led to the Age of Primes. The Covenant of Primus One Shall Rise, Part 1 Over time, matter gravitated toward Unicron's fallen form, eventually forming a planet which found an orbit around a distant star. One Shall Rise, Part 1

2005 IDW continuity

From the earliest days of the species, Cybertronian legend spoke of Unicron—a name that translated to "uncreator"—Unstopped and Unstoppable and, according to myth, the diametric opposite of the mythological Primus. All Good Things Some religious circles considered the two beings as natural balances to one another; the Clavis Aurea sect believed that Primus had formed as a "counterbalance" to the uncreator. You, Me, and Other Revelations Metastasis According to these myths and legends, Primus battled against this villainous being for eons in a war that predated the universe before eventually triumphing over his foe and casting him out. Last Stand Another account claimed that the original three Titans—Metroplex, Metrotitan, and Chela—had taken part in the battle. Origin Myths

Primus and Unicron may have battled in myths, but their real-world counterparts never encountered each other. Primus was a regular Cybertronian who was involved in a separate conflict with other "Gods", You, Me, and Other Revelations The Unremembering while Unicron was created by an Antillan scientist as revenge for the Primes' assault on his homeworld. Stranger Eons When Unicron finally emerged, he was simply a tool of Shockwave, meant to destroy Cybertron's myths and ideologies, allowing for a new start for the Cybertronian race. Road's End

Games

Transformers Legends

Before he became Cybertron, Primus battled his evil brother Unicron, their blows against one another shaking the very foundation of the cosmos. A group of Transformers from the future then appeared and joined in the struggle. Rodimus and his Autobots came to Primus's aid while the mad Galvatron ordered his troops to help Unicron. Primus eventually prevailed and sent his brother into a retreat. Knowing that Rodimus and the others did not belong in the present, Primus sent them back to their proper place in the timeline. Battle of the Brothers

Notes

"Theomachy" is taken from the Greek words meaning "god" (θεός theos) and "battle" (μάχη makhē). The term only appears in "Covenant", where it is misspelled as "thoemachy".

God War, a different mythical conflict involving Primus and other gods in the 2005 IDW continuity
Unicron War, Unicron's attack on Cybertron, and the united efforts of Autobots and Decepticons to stop him in various Generation 1 continuities
Unicron Battles, the Armada version of the Unicron War
Powerlinx Battles, another conflict set ten years after the Unicron Battles, focused on Unicron's return
Universe War, a different, multiversal conflict between Primus's Children of Primus and Unicron's Minions

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