Editing Thirteen

{{disambig3|Thirteen}}
[[File:Original13.jpg|center|upright=2.8|thumb|Guess the one on fire!]] 

{{quote|We are the 13, the first, the forgotten, each of us serving a function vital to the survival of the universe. Each of us designated a [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] and given a function to serve during the long march of infinity.|[[Vector Prime]]|"[[Vector Prime: In the Beginning]]"}}

The '''Thirteen''' are the first [[Transformer]]s created by [[Primus]]. Rightfully huge and powerful, each was designated a [[Prime (rank)|Prime]],<ref>A Hasbro Q&A response would later try to alter this. See Notes above.</ref> and given unique roles and natures to battle Primus's ancient foe [[Unicron]].

==Conceptual history==
[[File:BW Covenant.jpg|left|thumb|The [[Covenant (group)|Covenant]] shares a very similar base concept with the Thirteen, and may have been the original inspiration for them.]]
The concept of the Thirteen has only been around for about a third of the Transformers brand's thirty-year history, and the slow drip-feeding of information that characterized the early stages of their story was not been presented in a very linear manner. The development of the concept is described in this section to minimize confusion; for details of their history and actions in specific bits of fiction, see below.

The very earliest seeds of the Thirteen can probably be found in material produced by [[3H Productions]] for [[BotCon]], most notably 1999's "[[Covenant (story)|Covenant]]". This story introduces the undeniably similar concept of the [[Covenant (group)|Covenant]], a group of twelve zodiac-themed robots who are the first creations of [[Primus]], created as a test-run for the Transformer race. Despite the basic similarity between the Covenant and the Thirteen, though, the two groups were not connected until 2015, and those same stories by 3H would ultimately contradict the later lore of the Thirteen by introducing [[Primon]], a Matrix-bearer who preceded [[Prima]], which should not be possible. (That 2015 connection was an October entry for "[[Ask Vector Prime]]", which flagged up that nobody in-universe knew if the Covenant had a link to the Thirteen and that they may just be stories the Thirteen tell themselves.)

[[File:Vectorprimeut.jpg|thumb|[[Fun Publications]] established [[Vector Prime]] to be a member of the Thirteen in 2005.]]

It was in the pages of 2004's ''[[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide]]'' that the mysterious "Thirteen Original Transformers" were first spoken of, and their basic origin was laid down: they were the first Transformers created by Primus to battle Unicron, and their number included Prima, the first [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]-bearer from the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel Comics series]] and [[The Fallen]], an enigmatic servant of Unicron from [[Dreamwave Productions]]' 2003 comic, ''[[Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages|War Within: The Dark Ages]]''. The book also noted that if ''[[Alignment]]'' had been published, the [[Liege Maximo]], an ancient evil [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronian]] from the [[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|''Generation 2'' comics]], would have been counted among them as well (retroactively, of course, since ''Alignment'' predated the idea of the Thirteen). The book also contained a passing mention that the enigmatic [[Maccadam|manager]] of [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]], a Cybertronian pub introduced in the UK Generation 1 Marvel Comics, was rumored to be one of the Thirteen (though it also admits that this could be a fabrication by the pub's drunken patrons). Not surprisingly, it was the creator of all four of these characters, [[Simon Furman]], who both wrote the guide and conceived the idea of the Thirteen.<ref>Simon Furman panel, BotCon 2012</ref> While it was Furman who also created the Covenant, it is not yet known whether or not he was deliberately drawing upon his old idea when he introduced the Thirteen in this book.

The concept of the Thirteen quietly bubbled under for the next year, until another element was added with the introduction of [[Vector Prime]] in 2005's ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]'' series. Although presented merely as a very ancient [[Autobot]] in the original Japanese version of the ''Cybertron'' cartoon, Hasbro envisioned him as one of the Thirteen, and writer [[Forest Lee]] made this explicit in [[Vector Prime: In the Beginning|the first story]] produced for the [[Transformers Collectors' Club]]. This story also introduced the idea that all of the Thirteen were [[Prime (rank)|Primes]], and that each had a specific function or purpose; Vector Prime's was stewardship of time, while a 2007 [[bio]] written for The Fallen's ''[[Titanium Series]]'' toy would later reveal he was the overseer of entropy. Between these two releases, in 2006, the short Japanese text story ''[[Beast Wars Reborn]]'' introduced [[Logos Prime]]; as a Japanese creation, his status among the Thirteen would be in question for years.

[[File:NexusPrimeflankedbyotherPrimes.jpg|left|thumb|Fun Publications also introduced the first [[combiner]], [[Nexus Prime]].]]

While it was not immediately apparent, Hasbro had put a plan in motion for the Thirteen with the Collectors' Club comic: across the next five years, five separate robots were introduced who were gradually revealed to be components of a combiner, Nexus Prime, who was one of the Thirteen. During this five-year span, the subject of the Thirteen often came up at BotCon Q&A sessions, during which the idea of them being [[multiversal singularity|multiversal singularities]] solidified—a concept which purported that across all the different [[universal stream]]s, only one incarnation of each of the Thirteen existed, moving between worlds. This idea would later be canonized with the pages of Fun Publications' comics.

Also during this time, current Transformers comic license holders [[IDW Publishing]] spoke often of a potential comic book mini-series about the Thirteen to be written by Simon Furman, but this was eventually nixed, with Furman noting in 2009 that this was because it had "become more of a [[Hasbro]] thing than an IDW thing."<ref>[http://hombreimaginario.deviantart.com/art/Interviews-10-Simon-Furman-130246343 Furman talks about the Thirteen in an interview on DeviantArt]</ref> Hasbro's desire to control and fully conceptualize the story of the Thirteen was further made evident when, after [[Fun Publications]]' Nexus Prime story concluded in the same year, they effectively took "custody" of the character as part of their future plans. This control, however, was evidently not all-encompassing: also in 2009, The Fallen made a surprising appearance as the titular villain of the second-live action Transformers film, ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', where he was a member not of a group of thirteen, but only ''seven'' Primes. Hasbro's [[Hasbro Q&A/October 2009#AllSpark.com|October 2009 online Q&A]] retroactively justified this by explaining that while all the Thirteen were Primes, only seven actually had the word "Prime" ''in their names''.

[[File:TransformersVault-Prima.jpg|thumb|The new design for [[Prima]] was revealed at [[BotCon 2010]].]]

Eventually, in 2010, the grand scope of the new [[Aligned continuity family]] became the "delivery method" for Hasbro's long-percolating tale of the Thirteen. However, the "Aligned" continuity was also established to ''not'' be part of the multiverse in which all preceding Transformers fiction took place, which until then had lain the groundwork for the Thirteen. As such, the new information introduced by the Aligned continuity was only true for ''that'' continuity, and even chose to ignore or overrule some previous pieces of the story that had been revealed in "Multiverse" stories—The Fallen was given a much more tragic origin story that involved no connection to Unicron, Logos Prime was not included in the ranks of the "Aligned Thirteen", and [[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] was named as a member of the Aligned group. From 2010 to 2013, various pieces of Aligned media—including the novels ''[[Transformers: Exodus]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Exiles]]'', the ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' cartoon, and the prose work ''[[Transformers: The Covenant of Primus]]''—detailed in full the complete roster and history of the Thirteen in the Aligned Continuity, including many brand-new characters and events, which can all be read about further down this article.

In 2014, things got a little complicated when [[The Crucible|''Robots in Disguise'' #34]] introduced the Thirteen into IDW Publishing's Generation 1 continuity...except that the Thirteen involved in the story were not the "Multiverse Thirteen", but a version of the "Aligned Thirteen", with a backstory that did not match ''either'' incarnation. Over the course of the next year, the Q&A feature [[Ask Vector Prime]] worked to explain this, revealing that non-singularity versions of the Thirteen also exist within the multiverse, and that the "Aligned Thirteen" were one such example. The feature also revealed the remaining members of the "Multiverse Thirteen", which included a mixture of the new characters from the Aligned version of the group, and other characters drawn from Transformers history (including the [[Guiding Hand]], an entirely ''different'' group of forerunners to the Transformers introduced in IDW's comics). The completion of the roster was done as a "last hurrah" for the singularity version of the Thirteen—in 2015, the Collectors' Club comic storyline ''[[Another Light]]'' saw the Thirteen's existence as multiversal singularities nullified. Freed from the complex bounds of this concept, the story of the Thirteen is now free to be told any way, in any continuity, with membership freely able to differ across universes. 
{{--}}

==Members==
Because of their complicated fictional natures, conceptual histories, and status as multiversal "archetypes", TFWiki.Net opts to break our standard rules a little and give most members of the group a single article that covers all different versions of that character, as opposed to separate articles (G1, Unicron Trilogy, Movie, etc...) for each incarnation.

===Covenant Thirteen===
[[File:OneShallRise1-WellofAllSparks.jpg|thumb|325px|"No, Harry, no! Don't look at the light!"]]
The first full lineup of the Thirteen was originally formalized for the [[Aligned continuity family]], and properly revealed in ''[[Transformers: The Covenant of Primus]]''. The "Aligned Thirteen" were initially considered to be separate from the "Multiverse Thirteen", something backed up in fiction which described their [[universal stream|universal cluster]] as being previously separate from the multiverse, but the core list has since propagated far beyond the bounds of Aligned media into such places as the [[2005 IDW continuity]], the ''[[Transformers: Cyberverse (cartoon)|Cyberverse]]'' cartoon, and even the ''[[Generations (toyline)|Generations]]'' toyline.

*'''[[Prima]]'''—The leader of the Thirteen, a warrior of light and the first [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix-bearer]] who wielded the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]].
*'''[[Vector Prime]]'''—The master of time and space, which he could manipulate through his [[Blades of Time]].
*'''[[Alpha Trion (disambiguation)|Alpha Trion]]'''—Holder of the [[Quill]], which he uses to record the past, present, and future of Cybertron in the [[Covenant of Primus]] as part of his role as recordskeeper of the Primes.
*'''[[Solus Prime]]'''—The master artificer and creator of many of the Primes' weapons through use of her incredible [[Forge of Solus Prime|Forge]]. She was the first [[female Transformer|female Cybertronian]].
*'''[[Micronus Prime]]'''—The conscience of the Thirteen, and the first [[Mini-Con]], able to [[Powerlinx|link up with and enhance the power]] of his siblings through the use of his [[Chimera Stone]]; responsible for creating the alternate dimension of [[Microspace]].
*'''[[Alchemist Prime]]'''—Student of the elemental structure of the natural world, aided in this by his [[Lenses]], which allowed him to see further and deeper than anyone, in both material and spiritual senses; fond of the occasional tipple, with some claiming that he still walks Cybertron in the form of [[Maccadam|a humble bartender]].
*'''[[Nexus Prime]]'''—The first and greatest [[combiner]], granted the ability to divide himself into separate forms by his [[Enigma of Combination]]. Unpredictable, fascinated by change, and a lighthearted prankster.
*'''[[Onyx Prime]]'''—The first beast-form Cybertronian, a primitive and spiritual being able to view other times, places, souls, and even the afterlife through his three-faced [[Triptych Mask]].
*'''[[Amalgamous Prime]]'''—The joker of the Thirteen and the first [[Shifter]], unpredictable and easygoing. He was first Cybertronian with the ability of [[transformation]], granted him by his [[Transformation cog]], which became the basis for the cogs in all subsequent Transformer life.
*'''[[Quintus Prime]]'''—A daydreamer and perfectionist whose drive to express his ideas led him to become a scientist. His artifact was the [[Emberstone]], which gave him the ability to create life; the [[Quintesson]]s were among his creations.
*'''[[Liege Maximo]]'''—The "Prime of Lies", a black-hearted and amoral manipulator. Though his artifact was notionally the toxin-loaded [[Liegian Darts]], his real skill was his ability to talk others into his way of thinking.
*'''[[The Fallen]]'''—Once known as '''Megatronus''', guardian of entropy and wielder of the [[Requiem Blaster (Megatronus)|Requiem Blaster]], the Fallen's name was stricken from history when the dark warrior turned on his siblings.
*'''The [[Thirteenth Prime]]'''— the last and most mysterious of the Thirteen, all we can say for certain is that he bore a strong connection to the [[Matrix of Leadership]] and his depictions look [[Optimus Prime (disambiguation)|awfully familiar...]]

===Multiversal Thirteen===
[[File:AnotherLight-Thirteen.jpg|thumb|325px|Who are we? You'll never know!]]
Though the "multiversal Thirteen"—considered separate to the "Aligned Thirteen"—had almost half of their members revealed before any non-multiversal incarnation was ever mentioned, the remainder of their membership was unknown until a [[Ask Vector Prime/Facebook src#ThirteenList|June 2015 Facebook post]] from "[[Ask Vector Prime]]" listed off twelve of Vector Prime's siblings. The members known before then were:
*'''[[Prima]]'''—The first [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix-bearer]] and first Transformer born from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], the leader of the Thirteen.<ref>''Sentinel Prime was one of a dynasty of Primes, stretching back to the original '''13 Transformers''' and their leader, Prima.''—''[[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide]]'' (2005) 1st ed p15, "Sentinel Prime"</ref> He wielded the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]], a mighty blade capable of unparalleled destruction.
*'''[[Liege Maximo]]'''—A legendary schemer.<ref name="askvectorprime">[[Ask Vector Prime]] on Facebook</ref>
*'''[[The Fallen|Megatronus]]'''—Formerly the guardian of entropy, whose name was stricken from history when he betrayed his brothers and became a [[Herald of Unicron]] under the new name "'''The Fallen'''".<ref>''[[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide]]''</ref>
*'''[[Vector Prime]]'''—The guardian of space and time, who spent most of his life outside of reality, observing it and occasionally stepping in to help.
*'''[[Logos Prime]]'''—An enigmatic figure who, operating in the present day under the new name Soundblaster, sought to pass on his incredible powers over time and space to an heir.
*'''[[Nexus Prime]]'''—The first combiner and the guardian of [[Rarified Energon]].

To these Vector Prime added four of the ones invented by the Covenant:

*'''[[Alchemist Prime]]'''—Rumored to have established [[Maccadam's Old Oil House|a bar]] on modern Cybertron, seeking to provide a respite from endless war.<ref name="askvectorprime"/><ref>In [[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide|''The Ultimate Guide'']], the enigmatic [[Maccadam]] was rumored to be a member of the Thirteen by drunken patrons of his bar. Vector Prime would later half-jokingly imply that Alchemist Prime and Maccadam were the same individual, as described above. There's nothing that explicitly ''says'' they're the same, but... you know.</ref>
*'''[[Solus Prime]]'''—A renowned smith who wielded a powerful [[Forge of Solus Prime|Forge]].<ref name="askvectorprime"/>
*'''[[Micronus Prime]]'''—The progenitor of the [[Mini-Con]]s.<ref>[[Rook - Axiom Nexus News: Investigative Journalist]]</ref>
*'''[[Onyx Prime]]'''—In-tune with nature and the organic.<ref name="askvectorprime"/>

And three other powerful figures from "Transformers" lore:

*'''[[Last Autobot|Autonomous Maximus]]'''—A lonely sentinel who renounced his name, becoming simply known as the Last Autobot.
*'''[[Solomus]]'''—A gentle and kind individual, who is instead in some universes a member of the [[Guiding Hand]].
*'''[[Epistemus]]'''—A Cybertronian of unconventional intellect, also sometimes of the Guiding Hand.

===Other members===
Particularly following the Shroud, certain realities include entirely different lineups of the Thirteen, which have included:
*'''[[Adaptus]]'''—Blessed with powers of change, ''also'' sometimes of the Guiding Hand; may or may not in some universes be the same individual as Amalgamous Prime.
*'''[[Mortilus]]'''—A solitary member of the Thirteen who stayed apart from the others, who was in some universes a member of the Guiding Hand.
*'''[[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]]'''—A Prime known for his wisdom.<ref>''[[Transformers: Titans Return (cartoon)|Transformers: Titans Return]]'' episode 4, "[[Overlord and Emissary]]"</ref>

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 continuity family===
====Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity====
[[File:Thefallen.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|No, seriously guys, is it just me, or is it hot in here?]]

[[The Fallen]] was thwarted in his attempt to sabotage [[Primus]]'s [[Cybertron (planet)|physical form]], and the Thirteen allegedly died after casting the Fallen and his master [[Unicron]] through a [[black hole]] into another dimension. In truth, the Fallen was imprisoned in another dimension, while [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] kept watch over the Transformers in the [[Well of All Sparks]] and Primus entered his eternal sleep to hide from Unicron. {{storylink|Transformers: The Ultimate Guide}}

After [[Optimus Prime (G1)#Dreamwave Generation One continuity|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)#Dreamwave Generation One continuity|Megatron]] were lost in a [[space bridge]] explosion, the Fallen was free from his prison in [[Transwarp|underspace]], and returned to Cybertron. He immediately set about trying to undo the [[Seal of Primus]] that locked the Well of All Sparks. However, upon his success, the Fallen was promptly destroyed by his reawoken creator. {{storylink|Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages}}

{{Unreleased DW G1 comic}}
In the present day, Jetfire discovered that Shockwave had broken the Seal for his cloning experiments. The Fallen's essence escaped and corrupted [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]], and following his death, passed into Jetfire. This corruption caused Jetfire to be plagued by many visions, among them The Fallen beating down his brethren in an ancient battle. {{storylink|The Enemy Within}}

'''Known members:'''
*[[Prima]]
*[[The Fallen]]
*[[Maccadam]] (rumored)

====Fun Publications====
[[Vector Prime]] aided the [[Autobot]]s in finding the [[Cyber Planet Key]]s to close the [[Unicron Singularity]]. He regularly reported their progress to [[Alpha Trion (Energon)|Alpha Trion]], but during one visit Unicron's servants [[Ramjet (Universe)|Ramjet]] and [[Nemesis Prime (Universe)|Nemesis Prime]] attacked. {{storylink|Balancing Act}} [[Skyfall (Cybertron)|Skyfall]] came to Cybertron looking for clues to his past, only to be attacked by [[Scorponok (Energon)|Dark Scorponok]], {{storylink|Balancing Act, Part 2}} but his forcefield protected him. Ramjet offered him clues to his past in exchange for his <s>soul</s> service. {{storylink|Balancing Act, Part 3}} They went to Primus's spark core to destroy him with the [[Dead Matrix]], but Vector and [[Sentinel Maximus]] fought back. {{storylink|Balancing Act, Part 4}} Ramjet said he would stop trying to kill Primus if Vector aided them in restoring the balance by resurrecting Unicron, but he refused. {{storylink|Balancing Act, Pt 5}} Skyfall tried to save Ramjet but his forcefield only ignited an explosion that killed Ramjet. {{storylink|Revelations Part 1}} Vector had drones repair Skyfall and found [[Omega Prime]]—the creation of one of Trion's [[Viron]] counterparts—had helped Sentinel defeated Nemesis. Omega's presence saddened Vector, as it confirmed the multiverse was falling apart, and he left for Earth. {{storylink|Revelations Part 2}}

Skyfall was helping Sentinel repair [[Vector Sigma]], when [[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]] informed him he had found a twenty-million-cycle-old carving of him and another bot. {{storylink|Revelations Part 4}} Immediately during a battle between [[Mini-Con]] Autobots and [[Decepticon]]s, Skyfall found [[Landquake (Timelines)|Landquake]]. {{storylink|Revelations Part 5}} The two seemingly vanished when Unicron attacked, {{storylink|Revelations Part 6}} when they had been transported to [[Breakaway (Classics)|Breakaway]]'s universe, {{storylink|Crossing Over, Part 1}} and the trio and went through a [[space bridge]] {{storylink|Crossing Over: Part 6}} to find [[Topspin (Classics)|Topspin]] in [[Axiom Nexus]]. [[Cheetor (TransTech)|Cheetor]] and [[Silverbolt (TransTech)|Silverbolt]] introduced the trio to [[Alpha Trion (SG)|Alpha Trion]]. However, [[Shockwave (TransTech)|Shockwave]] had Breakaway quietly subdued and taken to his laboratory. {{storylink|Transcendent: Part 1}} Skyfall and Landquake realized Breakaway was gone, but Alpha Trion told them to come with him if they wanted to rescue their brother from the evil [[Transcendent Technomorph|TransTechs]]. {{storylink|Transcendent: Part 2}} He explained he was not from this dimension and was part of a resistance movement, introducing them to Topspin, whose job was to transfer their [[lowtech]] followers' [[spark]]s into their TransTech counterparts. Realizing Topspin was one of their kin, Skyfall and Landquake agreed to help. {{storylink|Transcendent: Part 3}} [[Nightscream (TransTech)|Nightscream]] found Breakaway was being held near the portal to Alpha Trion's dimension, {{storylink|Transcendent: Part 4}} and his acolytes attacked, rescuing Breakaway {{storylink|Transcendent: Part 5}} and entering the [[transwarp]] device. Alpha Trion explained to Skyfall he was the key to the reunification, and killed him as they entered [[Primax -408.24 Epsilon|his universe]]. {{storylink|Transcendent: Part 6}}

[[File:Reunification5-arisenexusprime.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.95|"It's beautiful..." <br> "Holy crap!" <br> "It's perfect!" <br> "This is the best thing!"]]
Despite his claim his was a peaceful world, Alpha Trion shot [[Downshift (SG)|Downshift]], and Breakaway realized Skyfall had been killed by an energy blade rather than shot from behind as the old Autobot claimed. Alpha Trion's troops arrived, took the four components and he proclaimed he would kill them all—as reunification still worked with one of them dead—and that his reign would begin. {{storylink|Reunification: Part 1}} Landquake manipulated the raw energon and used smokebombs to escape, with Topspin and Breakaway carrying Skyfall. Weeks later, after trying unsuccessfully to revive Skyfall, {{storylink|Reunification: Part 2}} the [[Quintesson]] [[Aquarius (SG)|Aquarius]] appeared to take them to [[Megatron (SG)|Megatron]]. {{storylink|Reunification: Part 3}} Landquake explained their situation to the Decepticons, and Megatron asked [[Cyclonus (SG)|Cyclonus]] to bring [[Heatwave (Timelines)|Heatwave]], but then Cyclonus, revealing himself to be an agent of Alpha Trion, assassinated Megatron. {{storylink|Reunification: Part 4}} Breakaway suggested they use their powers to revive Megatron, and found themselves in a white space with Skyfall and Primus. They made their choice: [[Nexus Prime]] was reborn. {{storylink|Reunification: Part 5}} Nexus resurrected Megatron as Galvatron and defeated [[Omega Doom]]. {{storylink|Reunification: Part 6}} Using Galvatron's gift of the [[stellar spanner]], Nexus and Aquarius began dimension-hopping to find the shards of the [[Star Saber (Prima)|artifact]] he had been entrusted with, so he could complete his memories. While Nexus outlined the artifact's background to Aquarius, the faces of Vector Prime and [[The Fallen]] flashed through his mind. {{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 1}}

The TransTechs knew the [[Mini-Con]]s to be the children of [[Micronus Prime]] {{storylink|Rook - Axiom Nexus News: Investigative Journalist|Rook - Axiom Nexus News, 2015/05/09}} and early on in their history were threatened with an ultimately failed coup led by [[Jhiaxus (TransTech)|Jhiaxus]], a follower of the [[Liege Maximo]]. {{storylink|Rook - Axiom Nexus News: Investigative Journalist|Rook - Axiom Nexus News, 2015/05/06}}

When the [[Transcendent Technomorph|TransTech]]s detected significant multiversal chaos resulting from negative polarity Primax Autobots [[Invasion (issue)|crossing over into a mirror universe]], they suspected that [[Rarified Energon]] was somehow involved. [[Rhinox (TransTech)|Rhinox]] was also aware of (correct) rumors that the Thirteen were involved with Rarified Energon. {{storylink|Invasion Prologue}} As part of their response to the multiversal chaos, the TransTechs deployed [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]] to prehistoric Shatteredverse Earth in order to keep the [[Origin Matrix]] out of evil hands. {{storylink|Invasion: Epilogue}}

After several unspecified adventures, Aquarius ended up in Axiom Nexus and took charge of a shard of the Star Saber from [[Chifumi Takahashi|a courier]]. In exchange, he promised to help her get home. {{storylink|Transformers I.Q.#issue 48|Transformers I.Q. last issue review}} To their surprise, however, they ended up on Shatteredverse Cybertron. It soon became obvious that Nexus had transported them there in order to receive the [[Origin Matrix]], the fifth and final piece, from [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], recently retrieved from prehistoric Shatteredverse Earth. {{storylink|Transformers I.Q.#issue 54|Transformers I.Q. trivia bonus #12}} {{storylink|Falling into Place}}

When he reunited the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] and the [[Terminus Blade]], Nexus Prime decided that he was going to return things to "how they used to be", {{storylink|Restoration}} and strengthened the walls between the various realities of the multiverse, which had the consequence of ending the existence of he and siblings as multiversal singularities. {{storylink|Out of the One, Many}}

'''Known members:'''
:''See "[[#Multiversal Thirteen|Multiversal Thirteen]]" above''

====''Beast Wars Reborn''====
[[File:Bwreborn text.jpg|thumb]]
The '''Ancients''' (エンシェント ''Enshento'') were the original clan of Transformers created by Primus before he became [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], and possessed extraordinary powers over space and time. One of them, [[Logos Prime]], lost sight of his objective and memory of him faded away. {{Storylink|Planetfall (BWR)|Planetfall}} He would return under the name of Soundblaster, abducting [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] and [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] so he could apparently appoint Megatron as his successor. [[Vector Prime]] was sent by Primus to stop the plot and was taken aback when confronted with his fellow Ancient who he thought lost. {{Storylink|Master of the Game}} While Vector Prime and what remained of Logos Prime fought on the astral plane, Soundblaster revealed the [[Zeonomicon]], the key to his power, and had Optimus and Megatron hunt it down on [[Animatron]] to decide who would inherit his power. {{storylink|Planetfall (BWR)|Planetfall}}

'''Known members:'''
*[[Vector Prime]]
*[[Logos Prime]]

====2005 IDW continuity====
[[File:Heavy-TheThirteen.jpg|thumb|375px|"I think the Thirteen were blurry, that's the problem. It's not the artist's fault. The Primes were blurry, and that's extra scary to me. There were thirteen large, out-of-focus Transformers roaming Cybertron."]]
After the departure of the mythical [[Knights of Cybertron]], Cybertronian civilization, deprived of their benevolent guidance, descended once more into a primitive state of barbarism, with lesser tribal leaders carving out kingdoms and territories of their own. It was to this landscape that the [[Decepticon]] [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] was cast back in time by the destruction of his [[chronal drive]], and—after an encounter with a kindly shepherd named [[Onyx Prime|Onyx]]—realised from his extensive historical foreknowledge that he could study why Cybertronians inevitably fell to war by ensuring that history followed the path he knew that it must. As such, Shockwave murdered Onyx and took his identity as "Onyx Prime" in order to engineer the rise of the Thirteen Primes; his first act was to christen the most fearless member of Onyx's flock as "[[The Fallen|Megatronus]]", taking him on as a student.

Knowing that Megatronus's conquests would be the impetus for the founding of Cybertronian civilization, Shockwave allowed his pupil to run amok; {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}} Megatronus thus began a new war of conquest to expand the [[Darklands]], annexing nearby regions such as the city of [[Protihex|Protohex]] and the [[Forgotten Plains]], murdering neighbouring ruler [[Septimus Prime]] and recruiting the fearsome twin [[gladiatorial combat|gladiators]] [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]] and [[Arcee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Arcee]] to become his vanguards. Other tribal leaders who had arisen, including [[Alchemist Prime]], [[Vector Prime]], [[Solus Prime]], [[Nexus Prime]] and [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], agreed in the face of Megatronus's conquests to work together, uniting their followers and founding a small village that they named "[[Crystal City]]." {{storylink|Origin Myths}}

[[File:OP18 Thirteen in Crystal City.jpg|thumb|left|375px|Ruling from an ivory tower. What could possibly go wrong?]]

While Megatronus's legions marched on Crystal City, the united Primes were bolstered by Onyx Prime and his ''other'' student, [[Liege Maximo]], {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}} whose kingdom had been claimed by the Darklander advance. The two armies met in a battle that had the unexpected side effect of awakening three slumbering [[Titan (group)|Titan]]s—[[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]], and [[Chela]]—from beneath Cybertron's surface, but while the armies were distracted by the arrival of the colossal beings, Onyx "realized" that their enemy was his "old friend" Megatronus. The two armies agreed to a truce, and all eight primes vowed to work together to rebuild and unify their planet. Having been enlightened on the value of myths and stories by Alpha Trion, Onyx Prime began telling tales of his own, inspiring Alchemist with legends of a "Chosen One" and dreaming up a new [[Autobot|insignia]] to commemorate their alliance—{{storylink|Origin Myths}} all, of course, based on his own knowledge of what the future held. The [[Dark Cybertron (prophecy)|"Dark Cybertron" prophecy]] and idea of the Chosen One were specifically concocted to ensure [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]]'s future rise to power, as a "fool" like Starscream would not be able to see through Shockwave's machinations. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 4: The Hallowing|The Hallowing}}

The eight original Primes were soon joined by five more, and over time Cybertron's inhabitants united under the banner of the [[Thirteen Tribes]], each Prime building a distinct civilization. {{storylink|The Crucible}} In this era of peace, the Liege Maximo was responsible for building and maintaining the alliance between the Thirteen; in honor of his feats, Liege Maximo's followers became known as skilled diplomats and negotiators. {{storylink|Heavy}} Each Prime commanded the loyalty of at least one [[Titan (group)|Titan]], {{storylink|The Sum and Its Parts}} {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}} while the diminutive [[Titan Master]]s served as their heralds. {{storylink|White Heat}} Over the years, however, the decidedly mortal Primes had come to believe that they were inherently superior to other Cybertronians due to their powerful artifacts and historic feats; indeed, it was commonly held only another Prime could kill a Prime, though this was decidedly untrue. {{storylink|Origin Myths}} {{storylink|The Crucible}}

[[File:TheFirstWhoWasNamed-MegatronusKillsSolus.jpg|thumb|right|310px|Sephiroth, you jerk!]]
With Cybertron now in a "golden age", Onyx advised the Thirteen's leader [[Prima]] to spread Cybertron's "enlightenment" to other worlds, with their expedition—led by Onyx and Megatronus, with Alpha Trion accompanying them as recordskeeper—being the first to leave the planet since the Knights of Cybertron. However, their first planetary landing on the world of [[Antilla]] ended in a brutal conflict and the extinction of the native [[Antillan]]s, with Prima blaming Megatronus for the expedition's failure. {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}} {{storylink|Our Finest}} Liege Maximo, who (seeing helpful lies as more beneficent than harmful truths) had become increasingly manipulative and self-serving, {{storylink|Heavy}} acted on Onyx's orders to stoke Megatronus's resentment over this incident, leading him to attack Prima. Solus Prime intervened to save Prima's life, but Megatronus killed her with the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] that she had created.

Megatronus fled the planet, while Liege Maximo was captured by the Primes and imprisoned within his titan, [[Vigilem]], whom the other Titans deemed unworthy of remembrance and exiled into space. A repentant splinter of Liege Maximo's old tribe agreed to keep their former leader and his Titan permanently interred, renaming their dormant Titan "[[Vigilem|Carcer]]". {{storylink|Rubicon}} {{storylink|Heavy}} {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}}

The fallout from Maximo's betrayal sparked the [[First Cybertronian Civil War]], turning the tribes against one another in a planet-wide conflict. {{storylink|The Crucible}} Battle lines were drawn, but allegiances shifted throughout the war, necessitating betrayals and new alliances; Onyx initially allied with Micronus, {{storylink|White Heat}} but by ten million years ago, with the war drawing to a close, his tribe of [[beast mode]] Transformers had joined forces with Nexus Prime and his [[combiner]]s. Together, they raised a new army of [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] using the [[Enigma of Combination]]. Disgusted by this fusion, [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]] abandoned his post in Megatronus' army to slaughter the Headmasters to the last 'bot. {{storylink|Earthfall Chapter 3: The Mind Bomb|The Mind Bomb}} 

Together, Onyx Prime and Prima hunted down Megatronus aboard Prima's Titan [[Emissary (IDW)|Emissary]], finding him on the planet [[Tsiehshi]]. Megatronus killed Prima before being slain by Onyx, his usefulness to Shockwave's machinations at an end; Emissary carried Prima's body to the stars, but Onyx ensured that he would crash on [[Elonia|a faraway planet]]. On returning, Onyx told Alpha Trion that Megatronus and Prima slew each other in final battle—the account of their deaths that he had learned from Trion in his youth. Megatronus's name was soon forgotten by history, and he became known only as "the Fallen". {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}}

Eventually, Galvatron tracked down and confronted Nexus Prime, obliterating the Prime with a single blast. Realizing that they were as mortal as any other Transformer, the remaining few Primes fled the planet for other worlds, with the exception of Alpha Trion. The war finally ended when Galvatron and [[Nova Prime|Nova Major]] famously routed the bestial hordes of [[Onyx Prime]] and, with Trion's aid and blessing, united the tribes as one planet under Nova '''Prime'''. Only Galvatron and Trion were left aware of what had happened to the Thirteen Primes; Alpha Trion simply let himself fade into the background of Cybertronian society, his true background as a Prime forgotten by the general populace. {{storylink|The Crucible}}

One way or another, the Thirteen departed Cybertron and vanished from history at around the same time that the thirteen Titans departed Cybertron, with the intent of founding new colonies elsewhere in the galaxy. {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}} Exact details are unclear, but the mythologies of several of these colony planets claim that the Primes, including [[Solus Prime]] and [[Onyx Prime]], had spearheaded the colonization missions themselves and subsequently left these newly settled worlds to their own devices. {{storylink|The Sum and Its Parts}} {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 6|Windblade vol. 2 #6}} Either way, the developing civilizations on the colony worlds – cut off from Cybertron and the brutal injustices committed by Nova Prime and [[Nominus Prime|his]] [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|dubious]] [[Zeta Prime (G1)|successors]] – began deifying the Thirteen Primes, with some going so far as to worship any leader who wielded the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. The [[Way of Flame|dominant religion]] on [[Caminus (planet)|Caminus]] exalted Solus Prime as the greatest of the Thirteen, {{storylink|The Sum and Its Parts}} while the four tribes of [[Eukaris]] and their prophet [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] viewed Onyx Prime as a benevolent protector. {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 6|Windblade vol. 2 #6}}

The role that the original Primes had played in the establishment of Cybertronian society would eventually be immortalized on the silver screen in the "hella-racist" film, ''[[The Birth of Cybertron]]''. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 4: Dance Among the Shadows|Dance Among the Shadows}} {{storylink|Starscream: The Movie (comic)|Starscream: The Movie}}

[[Micronus Prime]], master of [[Prion (Titan)|Prion]], {{storylink|White Heat}} was known to have abandoned his native universe entirely after founding a colony of [[Mini-Con]]s. By the present day, his body lay dormant in the center of an alternate universe: the subatomic realm of [[Microspace]]. {{storylink|O Ship of State}} The ruler of Microspace, [[Baron Karza]] eventually {{i|enerchange}}d with Micronus and used the Prime's power to try and conquer the Earth, {{storylink|Wrath of Karza issue 1|Wrath of Karza #1}} only for [[Shazraella]] to use {{i|Time Traveler}} energy to separate the Prime from her husband and banish the Mini-Con through time. {{storylink|Wrath of Karza issue 5|Wrath of Karza #5}}

[[File:GhostStories-onyxprime.jpg|thumb|left|210px|"Stand and address your Almighty Tallest, Camien child."]]

The colony of Caminus detected a Cybertronian beacon emanating from the planet [[Antilla]] and sent three representatives to make contact with their ancestors. When they arrived, they found the planet to be a rusted wasteland ruled by Onyx Prime, who murdered [[Magrada]]. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 1: Surfeit of Primes|Surfeit of Primes}} Following the expedition's return to Caminus, the [[Torchbearer]] [[Pyra Magna]] encountered Onyx Prime when an army of robotic beasts terrorized the inhabitants of [[Parvus Oppidum]] so they could retrieve a sample of [[Ore-4]]. The experience left her traumatized, but with time she realized that the Primes were not the divine entities that she had believed them to be and began preparing to take up arms against Primes should the need arise. {{storylink|Ghost Stories}} {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 6: Unforgivable|Unforgivable}}

In the modern day, [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] unknowingly sent the [[Regenesis]] ores off to what he believed were random suitable worlds, but were, thanks to his future self's time-travelling manipulations, worlds touched by the Thirteen. {{storylink|The Crucible}} {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}}

When Cybertron re-opened a [[space bridge|spacebridge]] link with Caminus after years of isolation, the [[Mistress of Flame]] believed that Optimus, wielding the Matrix of Leadership, was the legendary reincarnation of the Thirteenth Prime: a mysterious figure from Cybertron's past known as "[[the Arisen]]". {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 3: The Medium and the Message|The Medium and the Message}} Optimus's supposed divinity proved a double-edged sword as he grew increasingly bold and unilateral in his decision making; leaning on the faith of others to unconditionally support his choices, he wound up annexing Earth into the [[Council of Worlds]] and sparking an interplanetary diplomatic crisis. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 1: Once Upon a Time on Earth|Once Upon a Time on Earth}} [[Colonist Soldiers|New recruits]] from Caminus, Eukaris, [[Velocitron]], and [[Devisiun (planet)|Devisiun]] believed wholeheartedly in Optimus's status as one of the Thirteen and began wearing [[mouthplate]]s to better emulate their leader. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}}

Liege Maximo escaped from his imprisonment in Carcer in 2017, following a [[zombie]] Titan invasion on Cybertron. {{storylink|Rubicon}} The Camien [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] was released from prison by Cybertron's leader Starscream to hunt Maximo down, {{storylink|Heavy}} {{storylink|The Chosen One}} but Liege—who, by this point, had come to understand his master's decision to exile him aboard his loyal Titan—was found by Onyx, and brought with him in chains on his return to Cybertron. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 1: Surfeit of Primes|Surfeit of Primes}} Liege was taken into custody while Optimus and the [[Council of Worlds]] entered negotiations with Onyx, but the Prime's manipulations caused infighting and chaos, as well as an explosion that killed Alpha Trion. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 2: Another Mine|Another Mine}} With all of his plans falling into place, Shockwave discarded his "Onyx" identity, having no further use for it after he cast Optimus into the Crystal City singularity. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 4: The Hallowing|The Hallowing}}

Though Maximo soon perished and Shockwave was taken prisoner, the Decepticon's machinations had forced all of Cybertron accept a bitter truth; the Thirteen had been nothing more than ordinary Cybertronians. Upon hearing [[Pyra Magna]] vocalize this, Shockwave claimed this acceptance had been part of his plan to render all faiths and beliefs on Cybertron meaningless in preparation for [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]'s arrival. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 6: Unforgivable|Unforgivable}}

'''Known members:'''
:''See "[[#Covenant Thirteen|Covenant Thirteen]]" above''
{{--}}

====Olympian universe====
In certain universes, the Thirteen visited [[Greece]] in a time before human technology was advanced enough for them to assume vehicular disguises. Instead, twelve of their number dwelled on [[Mount Olympus]] and used [[holomatter]] avatars to interact with the natives, {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/07/20}} while [[Mortilus]] remained beneath the Earth with their ship, alongside his vassal [[Bruticus (RID)|Bruticus]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/08}}

As "quasi-humans", the Thirteen would become known to the local humans as the {{w|Twelve Olympians|gods of Olympus}}. [[Vector Prime]] was {{w|Hermes}}; the rage-filled [[The Fallen|Megatronus]] was {{w|Ares}}; the hard-working [[Solus Prime]] was {{w|Hephaestus}}; the wise [[Alpha Trion (disambiguation)|Alpha Trion]] was {{w|Athena}}; the eldest of their number [[Prima]] was {{w|Zeus}}; his close ally [[Nexus Prime|Nexus Maximus]] was {{w|Hera}}; the nature-loving hunter [[Onyx Prime]] was {{w|Artemis}}; the hard-drinking [[Alchemist Prime]] was {{w|Dionysus}}; the vain and manipulative [[Liege Maximo]] was {{w|Aphrodite}}; the healer [[Last Autobot|Autonomous Prime]] was {{w|Apollo}}; the chaotic [[Adaptus]] was {{w|Poseidon}}; the solitary Mortilus was {{w|Hades}}; and the knowledge-sharing [[Epistemus]] was {{w|Demeter}}. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/07/20}} {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/08}}

As the Olympians, several of the Thirteen deviated from both their more common gender identities and their status as siblings; Vector considered Hades and Poseidon to be his uncles, {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/07/20}} and because of the animosity between Hephaestus and Aphrodite, Zeus decreed that they should be [[Transformer romance|bonded together]] to avoid further conflict (which only made things worse). Amongst the Thirteen's many experiences, Hades and Demeter quarrelled over a woman named [[Persephone]]; Vector would later note that as "quasi-humans" their conflicts were far more petty and frequent. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/08}}

'''Known members:'''
{{collist|3|
*[[Vector Prime|Hermes]]
*[[The Fallen|Ares]]
*[[Solus Prime|Hephaestus]]
*[[Alpha Trion (disambiguation)|Athena]]
*[[Prima|Zeus]]
*[[Nexus Prime|Hera]]
*[[Onyx Prime|Artemis]]
*[[Alchemist Prime|Dionysus]]
*[[Liege Maximo|Aphrodite]]
*[[Last Autobot|Apollo]]
*[[Adaptus|Poseidon]]
*[[Mortilus|Hades]]
*[[Epistemus|Demeter]]
}}

====''Power of the Primes'' marketing material====
The [[spark]]s of the original Primes were carried by the [[Prime Master]]s, diminutive Transformers who, when in spark mode, could unite with larger Transformers to grant them [[Prime Master/Combinations|the powers of the Primes]] to wield as they choose. To minimise unwanted attention from those who sought the power they held, the Prime Masters hid themselves inside special decoy armor, which cloaked their vast power from the outside world.

Rather than a Prime Master, the role of the Thirteenth Prime was held by whoever currently bore the [[Matrix of Leadership]].<ref name="POTPMatrix">Comments made by Hasbro representatives at [[San Diego Comic-Con]] 2017.</ref> The Thirteenth Prime was, however, made into a Prime Master too, transforming into a core resembling the Matrix of Leadership.

'''Known members:'''
:''See "[[#Covenant Thirteen|Covenant Thirteen]]" above''
{{--}}

====''Prime Wars Trilogy'' cartoon====
The combined knowledge of the Thirteen was hidden away in the [[Athenaeum Sanctorum]]. In the wake of [[Solus Prime]]'s death at [[The Fallen|Megatronus]]'s hands, the remaining members chose to seal away the [[Requiem Blaster (Megatronus)|Requiem Blaster]] in [[Primal Swamp]], tasking a series of guardians with protecting it that culminated in [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]]. {{storylink|Athenaeum Sanctorum (episode)|Athenaeum Sanctorum}}

During a crisis, the [[Mistress of Flame]] prayed to Primus and the Thirteen for spiritual guidance and aid. {{storylink|Overlord and Emissary}}

'''Known members:'''
{{collist|3|
*[[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]]
*[[Alchemist Prime]]
*[[Quintus Prime]]
*[[Alpha Trion (disambiguation)|Alpha Trion]]
*[[Amalgamous Prime]]
*[[Solus Prime]]
*[[Prima]]
*[[The Fallen|Megatronus]]
}}
{{note|The intro sequence to ''Power of the Primes'' shows the wheel of symbols representing the twelve Primes of the ''POTP'' marketing material; however, considering the anomalous presence of Sentinel, it's hard to take this as confirmation that those twelve are members of the Thirteen in-universe.}}

====2019 IDW continuity====
When forced to take [[Lodestar (Titan)|Lodestar]] on an almost certainly suicidal mission against a crazed [[Vigilem]], [[Lightbright (G1)|Lightbright]] prayed that the Thirteen would see the two through their task. {{storylink|The Change In Your Nature Part Five}}

{{--}}

===Live-action film series===
{{main|Dynasty of Primes}}

[[File:ROTF-sixprimes.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66|The Primes in the Matrix/Allspark/surreal part of Primus's imagination.]]
The Primes were the guardians of the [[AllSpark]], charged with replenishing it. They commanded [[Seeker (ROTF)|Seekers]] and [[Constructicon (ROTF)|workers]] to find stars and replenish the AllSpark with their energy. The Fallen began seeing himself as the AllSpark's chosen one and began destroying solar systems with sentient life to replenish the Cube. His brothers warned him not to do it again, so The Fallen tried it again on [[Earth]] to lure them. {{storylink|Tales of the Fallen issue 3|Tales of the Fallen #3}} The Fallen slaughtered all his brothers bar Prima himself, who gathered his brothers' lifeforce to trap The Fallen in his [[sarcophagus]]. Prima sacrificed himself to form a [[Tomb of the Primes|tomb]] with his brothers' bodies to hide the Matrix. {{storylink|Tales of the Fallen issue 4|Tales of the Fallen #4}} 

A long time passed, and The Fallen was eventually dug up. From his prison, he pushed [[Megatron (Movie)|High Protector Megatron]] into forming the Decepticons. {{storylink|Defiance issue 2|Defiance #2}} Thousands of years later, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], the sole surviving descendant of the Primes to survive The Fallen's rampage, {{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen issue 3|Revenge of the Fallen #3}} had been killed. The Primes appeared to [[Sam Witwicky]], giving him the Matrix to revive Optimus, and Optimus avenged The Fallen's brothers by killing him. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}

'''Known members:'''
*[[Prima]]
*[[The Fallen]]

{{note|The ''Revenge of the Fallen'' adaptations have thirteen Primes. While designs were made for twelve non-Fallen Prime heads, the finished film shows only seven Primes, and this change was followed in ''[[Transformers: Tales of the Fallen|Tales of the Fallen]]'' and [[Transformers (Titan Magazine)|the Titan magazine]].}}

===Aligned continuity family===
[[File:OneShallRise1-TheThirteen.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|They're not a fan of direct lighting.]]

Seeing the endless stalemate between him and [[Unicron/Aligned|Unicron]], [[Primus]] created the Thirteen, warriors in the mould of himself and Unicron, to fight in his stead and introduce random variables. The Thirteen did indeed succeed in defeating Unicron but were infected with a touch of the Chaos-Bringer's darkness as a result of direct proximity to the Dark God.

Following Unicron's exile, the Primes began reshaping their world before the manipulations of [[Liege Maximo]] caused the group to descend into civil war. The skirmish claimed both Maximo and [[Solus Prime]]. [[Onyx Prime|Onyx]], [[Micronus Prime|Micronus]] and [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] chose to descend into the [[Core]] and join Primus so they could aid in the creation of the Cybertronian race with [[Prima]], [[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] and [[Alchemist Prime]] remaining on Cybertron to act as stewards for the newborn species while [[Nexus Prime]] separated himself into separate individuals to live among the ordinary Cybertronians. [[Quintus Prime|Quintus]], [[Amalgamous Prime|Amalgamous]], [[Vector Prime]] and [[The Fallen]] left Cybertron outright.

Following the [[Great Cataclysm]], Prima and Alchemist Prime disappeared with Alpha Trion choosing to fall into obscurity. As a result, the Thirteen became little more than a myth in the new era. {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|Covenant of Primus}} 

What lore regarding the Primes survived into the pre-War era is that their war made "enemies of brothers, murderers of lovers, heroes of the insignificant, and cowards of the mighty". Allegiances formed and broke apart: Megatronus refused to bow before his brothers, and he believed he would be vindicated someday despite his destructive methods. The murder of one sent them across the stars, to battle among themselves for billions of cycles. Finally, there came a time when Prima had to relinquish the Matrix. Afterwards, the [[Covenant of Primus]] decreed Cybertron could only have one Prime at a time. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}} The chamber of the [[Autobot High Council|High Council of Cybertron]] had statues depicting the Primes. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 3}} 

[[File:OneShallRise1-Thirteenattack.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|Three seconds of one episode made up for a lifetime of lack of Thirteen images.]]
[[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] remained on Cybertron, recording these events into the Covenant, and the Primes became myths doubted by [[Jazz (WFC)|some]]. Alpha Trion retreated into becoming the Archivist of the [[Hall of Records]] when [[Sentinel Zeta Prime|Sentinel Prime]], the [[Autobot High Council|High Council]], and the [[Guilds of Cybertron]] ignored his protests about the [[caste system]]. The [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] did not bestow itself onto another until the unworthy Sentinel died, and [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] was imbued with it, while his nemesis had become known as [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]], who like his namesake had come to destroy that he believed in. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}}

During his travels across the galaxy, Optimus Prime encountered both [[Vector Prime|Vector]] and [[Nexus Prime]] both of whom expressed surprise that Alpha Trion still lived and wondered if any of their other brothers might still be alive. {{storylink|Transformers: Exiles|Exiles}}

When Unicron stirred, Optimus Prime explained the history of the Thirteen to his human allies. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 1}}

Before Optimus Prime was to die, {{storylink|Predacons Rising (Prime)|Predacons Rising}} the Primes intercepted his [[spark]] and brought him to their [[Realm of the Primes|realm]]. {{storylink|Decepticon Island (Part 1)}}

After his death, Optimus was able to appear to Bumblebee when the Primes deemed the young bot's need was most dire. {{storylink|W.W.O.D.?}} As part of Optimus's training, Micronus challenged him to a test which resulted in him unlocking the capabilities of the [[Prime Decepticon Hunter]]. {{storylink|Out of Focus}} Though Optimus did not fully complete his training, he had six of the Primes in the [[Realm of the Primes]] send him to Earth to deal with the return of Megatronus, {{storylink|Battlegrounds, Part 1}} which he successfully accomplished with the aid of the [[Bee Team (RID)|Bee Team]]. {{storylink|Battlegrounds, Part 2}}

'''Known members:'''
:''See "[[#Covenant Thirteen|Covenant Thirteen]]" above''
{{--}}

===''Cyberverse'' cartoon===
Legendary figures in Cybertronian society, the Thirteen were the first of the Primes, each having a psychic pillar dedicated to them in the Matrix of Leadership where their spirits persisted after their physical deaths. {{storylink|Dweller In The Depths (Cyberverse)|Dweller In The Depths}} Through this, the bearer of the Matrix could commune with the Thirteen and seek their power and wisdom in times of crisis. {{storylink|Silent Strike}}

In the modern era, the only known members of the Thirteen to survive were [[Alpha Trion (Cyberverse)|Alpha Trion]] and [[Alchemist Prime]].  {{storylink|Dweller In The Depths (Cyberverse)|Dweller In The Depths}} Under unknown circumstances, Alchemist adopted the alias of "[[Maccadam]]" and hid his connection to the group though rumours, ones that [[Bumblebee (Cyberverse)|Bumblebee]] personally didn't buy into, of his true origins circled around. {{storylink|Maccadam's}} Alpha Trion, meanwhile, carried the [[Matrix of Leadership]], seeking to pass it on to a worthy bearer; he eventually found someone worthy in [[Optimus Prime (Cyberverse)|Optimus Prime]], and passed the Matrix on to him after Trion was mortally wounded, inducting him as a Prime. {{storylink|Matrix of Leadership (episode)|Matrix of Leadership}}

'''Known members:'''
:''See "[[#Covenant Thirteen|Covenant Thirteen]]" above''

{{note|The fact that Optimus Prime is not, apparently, an ancient Cybertronian like he is in the [[Aligned continuity family]] makes it unclear how he fits into the Thirteen, despite having one of the thirteen pillars in [[Matrix of Leadership#Alternate universe|a divergent timeline's Matrix]]. ''Cyberverse'' writer [[Mae Catt]] suggested that it was possible that there were additional pillars for other Primes within the Matrix that just happened to be "offscreen".}}

==Notes==
*''Transformers: The Ultimate Guide'' asserts that all of the Thirteen were destroyed in the early battle between Primus and Unicron, but the statement was disproven by the book itself, since it recounted how The Fallen was not destroyed but exiled to a transdimensional prison from which he later escaped. Fun Publications comics would later depict Vector Prime as the sole surviving member of the Thirteen before introducing Nexus Prime as another survivor.
*In Hasbro Q&A on October, 2009 from [http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=63609 ''The Allspark Forum''], The Thirteen are referred to as "the Original Epic Warriors of Cybertron" by Hasbro.
*The notion of the Primes being originally huge is similar to early ''Revenge of the Fallen'' concepts where the Fallen dwarfed Optimus and was almost the size of a pyramid, as evident from [[Defiance issue 4|''Defiance'' #4]] and the [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|novelization]].

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Saisho no Jūsannin no Prime''' (最初の13人のプライム, "Original 13 Primes")

==References==
<references/>

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