Matrix of Leadership

The name or term "Matrix" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Matrix (disambiguation).

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You put the life in the coconut.

The Autobot Matrix of Leadership (also known as the Creation Matrix or rarely, the Autobot Matrix of Power or the Matrix of Light) is an artifact of great power, traditionally carried by the leader of the Autobots. Although its appearance differs slightly from universal stream to universal stream, it generally appears as a glowing crystal sphere encased within a hollow metal shell, with a handle on either side.

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

But one day... an Autobot shall rise from our ranks... and use the power of the Matrix... to light... our darkest hour.A dying Optimus Prime, The Transformers: The Movie

German name: Das Hauptprogramm ("the core program", used once in fiction), Matrix der Führerschaft (Matrix of Leadership)

Portuguese name: Matriz da Liderança

Omni Productions dub name: The Power Pack

Polish name: Matryca Przywództwa, Matryca Przywódcy ("War for Cybertron" PC polish dubbing)

Conceptual history

The Matrix made its fictional debut when Optimus Prime transferred it to Buster Witwicky, an event recounted in this scene from "Second Generation!".

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

The concept of the Matrix originates from the brain of Marvel Comics writer Bob Budiansky and is a result of the no girls/no gender policy enforced by Hasbro regarding their then-new robot brand. Because there were no female robots/the robots had no gender, Budiansky came up with an asexual method of reproduction in the form of the Creation Matrix, a computer program housed within the Autobot leader that could bring new Transformers to life, which would also prove a helpful plot device when he was required to introduce new characters to the series.

The appearance of the Matrix in the Generation 1 animated series originated with early script drafts of The Transformers: The Movie, which introduced the idea of "Life Sparks", very similar to the sparks that would late be introduced with Beast Wars. The Matrix was not present in the earliest known incarnation of the movie; instead, upon his death, Optimus Prime transferred his own Life Spark to Ultra Magnus, with the implication that this was standard practise among Autobot leaders. This idea was eventually discarded, replaced with a physical object known as the "Matrix of Leadership", which evidently derived its name from the Creation Matrix of the comic book. The episode "Cosmic Rust" attempted to introduce the concept of the Matrix to the animated universe before the movie, but the dialogue containing the reference was deleted during production. The line, which dated the creation of the Matrix to 4.5 million years ago, would ultimately have conflicted greatly with what would be learned of the Matrix in the future.

Zeta Prime inherits the Matrix from Guardian Prime in the first recounting of the Prime lineage from "Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4.

Virtually nothing of the Matrix's nature was actually divulged in the finished film, where it was treated as simply a magic talisman of prophecy that was the antithesis of Unicron. The idea that had originated with the Life Spark concept—that of dying Autobot leaders merging their lifeforces with others—remained, ableit in a vague way, as Optimus Prime intoned upon his deathbed that he would soon be "one with the Matrix". The mini-series "Five Faces of Darkness" fully expanded on the meaning of his line, revealing that the Matrix contained the lifeforces of all the deceased Autobot leaders who had previously held it, collectively known as the "Wisdom of the Ages," which could be consulted for aid in moments of need.

The dying Sentinel Prime passes the Matrix to Optimus Prime in this flashback scene from "The Legacy of Unicron!".

Having already cannibalized many of the movie's best elements for use in his comic book stories, writer Simon Furman contradicted Bob Budiansky's US comic book stories by presenting the Matrix as it had appeared in the film, as a physical object, in his own UK storylines, and carried this over to the US comic when he later began writing it. This alteration was also reflected in a Universe profile written for Powermaster Optimus Prime around the time, where Budiansky's "program" concept and the cartoon's "physical object" idea were merged with the explanation that the program was encoded in light patterns in the Matrix's crystal core. As Furman's run progressed, the "lifeforces of previous holders" concept was also adapted into the comics, with the Matrix possessing a genetic memory of those that had held it. Most notably, in both UK and US books, Furman crafted a story to explain the origins of the Matrix, why Unicron was vulnerable to it, and how it could create new life, ultimately revealing it to be the essence of the Transformers' creator-god, Primus.

It was the Beast Machines animated series which made the next big addition to the growing mythology of the Matrix when it introduced the Allspark, the extradimensional source of all Transformers sparks living or dead, which was also known as "the Matrix." Although it did not explicitly make any callbacks to the Matrix as seen in the Generation 1 cartoons or comics, the implication was obvious—rather than contain anything, the physical Matrix object from those continuities was a gateway to the Allspark. Where the animated "Matrix of Leadership" and the comic book "Creation Matrix" had previously seemed incompatible, this revelation united them conceptually—the lifeforces of the dead from the cartoon and the ability to bring new life from the comics could now both be tied to the features of the Allspark dimension.

Fiction

Marvel Comics continuity

Generation 1

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

Intel Inside!

When Primus created the Transformer race, before entering voluntary systems shutdown, he bestowed upon them a genetic matrix containing his essence and the majority of his power, which could be used to give life to more Transformers so that the race might grow without his direct involvement. Primal Scream Later named the "Creation Matrix", this divine gift took the form of a program encoded in intricate patterns of light within a crystal, which was passed from leader to leader down through the millennia. The first holder of the Creation Matrix was the first Transformer, Prima, then subsequently Prime Nova, Sentinel Prime and in the modern era, Optimus Prime. Dark Creation The Autobot leaders evidently elected to keep the true nature of the Matrix a secret, since most other Transformers were shown to believe it was a program stored within the mind of Optimus Prime himself, rather than housed within a separate physical object. This mistaken belief gave rise to a legend that claimed that the program was encoded into a new Autobot leader once every ten millennia. The New Order

At one point during his tenure as Autobot leader, Optimus Prime came across Longtooth struggling to save the life of a fallen comrade on the battlefield after a particularly ferocious conflict. Mistakenly believing he was witnessing a great show of Autobot spirit (when in actuality, Longtooth was simply terrified of being the last one left alive), Prime extracted a tiny portion of the Creation Matrix's energy and gave it to Longtooth, telling him to use it wisely. Once Prime had left, however, Longtooth gave into his fear and kept the Matrix energy for himself, to serve as a "spare life" that allowed him to be daring and brave on the battlefield without fearing death. Whose Lifeforce Is It Anyway?

When the Transformers' war moved to Earth in 1984, current Decepticon leader Shockwave elected to increase his forces by creating new Transformers with the power of the Creation Matrix. Capturing the Autobots and decapitating Optimus Prime, Shockwave tapped the energies of the Matrix and brought the Constructicons to life. The Next Best Thing to Being There! Prime was able to transfer the Matrix into the mind of the Autobots' human ally, Buster Witwicky, The Worse of Two Evils! thereby preventing Shockwave from animating his newest construct, Jetfire, but the presence of the Matrix within Buster's mind gave they boy incredible powers over machinery. DIS-Integrated Circuits! Brainstorm! Deducing that Buster possessed the Matrix, Shockwave programmed the unliving Jetfire to capture the boy, but Buster used the Matrix to bring Jetfire under his control and used him to thwart Shockwave's plan and save Optimus Prime. With Prime and the Autobots rescued, Buster transferred the Creation Matrix back to the Autobot leader, Prime Time! and Prime subsequently used the Matrix to give Jetfire true life. Rock and Roll-Out!

Residual energy from the Matrix that lingered in Buster's brain soon began to give the youth nightmarish visions, causing him to black out and create strange images of previously-unheard of Transformers. Devastation Derby! Seeking to help Buster, the Autobots hooked him up to equipment that would allow them to monitor his dreams, and discovered that the Matrix was showing them all them a vision of the future, and the creation of the Special Teams. Second Generation!

The Matrix was also known to have an analog on Cybertron, the Matrix Flame, which burned constantly as long as the Matrix still existed, no matter where in the universe it was. It could also be used to channel the energy of the Matrix, which the Autobots on Cybertron did to bring life to their new warrior, Ultra Magnus. Not long after, however, the Matrix Flame flickered out when Optimus Prime was shunted into limbo by time-travelling Decepticons, leading the Autobots on Cybertron to send Magnus to Earth to investigate. Prime was returned in due time, and the Matrix Flame re-ignited. Target: 2006

Following the earlier vision from the Matrix, the Autobots created the Aerialbots, and Optimus Prime used the Matrix to bring them to life. Little did the Autobots realise, however, that Megatron had deduced a way to usurp the Matrix's power, using a cerebro-shell previously planted in Prime's body by Bombshell to siphon off some of the life-giving energy, which he employed it to animate his own new creations, the Stunticons. Heavy Traffic!

When Optimus Prime died following a video-game duel with Megatron a short time later, Afterdeath!, the Autobots loaded his body into a funeral bier and launched it into space in accordance with Cybertronian tradition. Funeral for a Friend! Unfortunately, having been unaware of the existence of the physical Creation Matrix crystal within the corpse's chest, this meant that they unwittingly set the sacred lifeforce of their race adrift in the sea of stars. After some time, the craft eventually crashed on the distant moon of VsQs, where it lay undisturbed for a time. Left in solitude, the rudimentary consciousness of the Matrix formed from the genetic memory of its past holders began to desire new sensations. Dark Creation

It got its chance when a Deathbringer, a medical mechanoid created to painlessly end the life of the terminally ill, crashed on VsQs. Critically wounded, the dying robot reached out to the touch the Matrix, and in its hunger for new experiences, the talisman used its powers of creation to disassemble and rebuild the Deathbringer, inadvertently warping its programming and transforming it into a powerful being who sought to destroy all life. A trace of its energy remaining in its body, the Matrix revelled in its first experience of "evil" as the Deathbringer cut a swathe of destruction across the galaxy, ultimately finding its way to Earth. Sensing the Matrix's power within the creature, Optimus Prime—since resurrected by the technology of Nebulos—was hesitant to destroy the only link they had discovered to the lost Matrix, but Nightbeat solved the problem by convincing the Deathbringer that since the Matrix's power was eating away at it, it should destroy itself. Deathbringer

The Creation Matrix was the Leader-1's-head of the Marvel comic. Can't be drawn the same way twice.

Back on VsQs, the Matrix's curiosity found new expression when an insectoid creature crawled into Prime's corpse's chest cavity and became the next recipient of the Matrix's power. Dissecting and studying the beast, the Matrix was fascinated that the creature seemed to be meant to do nothing but destroy, so it re-created the thing into a larger, more powerful predator. Dark Creation The monster attacked a team of astronauts that had set up a research station on VsQs, killing nearly all of them, but at least one escaped and crashed in the seas of the nearby planet Pequod. His body infused with Matrix energy from the beast that had attacked him, the astronaut was swallowed by a klud, which ingested the energy. Deadly Obsession

Meanwhile, Optimus Prime became aware of the threat of Unicron, and, realizing that the Matrix would be necessary to defeat the Chaos-Bringer, arranged for search parties to scour the cosmos for any trace of it. Longtooth was among the Autobots recruited for the search mission, and was forced for the first time to truly confront the selfishness of what he had done with the Matrix energy Prime had given him millennia before. In hopes of redemption, he loaded the energy fragment into a pod and sent it back to Optimus Prime. Whose Lifeforce Is It Anyway?

Prime agonized over how to best use the Matrix energy, knowing that it had the power to revive only one of the deactivated Autobots on the Ark, and ultimately, elected to disperse it the Earth's atmosphere to rejuvenate damage done to the ecosystem by the Transformers' warring on the planet. The Greatest Gift of All!

In the meantime, the search parties seeking the Matrix had piqued the curiosity of new Decepticon leader Thunderwing, who possessed an affinity with the Matrix and a desire to possess its power for his own. As the opposing teams dodged each other, they eventually set their sights on Pequod, where the klud had been attracting attention because its species was supposed to have been extinct. Thunderwing used his Matrix affinity to psychically link with the Matrix-infused beast and see the memory of swallowing the dying scientist. Recognizing the "VsQs" stamp on his equipment, Thunderwing set out for that moon. Deadly Obsession Once there, both sides battled the creature the Matrix had created, which had grown to enormous size, with Thunderwing ultimately killing the beast and taking the Matrix. Dark Creation The Decepticon immediately attacked the spaceborne Ark, manifesting the Matrix power in the form of a giant, vaguely humanoid energy field around himself. Soon, however, the Matrix began to speak through Thunderwing, delighting in the firsthand experience of evil, and the Decepticon realized he was being possessed. Thunderwing tried to mentally battle the Matrix, to no avail, but the Autobots exploited his erratic behaviour to impale him with a harpoon and blow him out the Ark's airlock into space. All Fall Down

It cures what ails ya.

Thunderwing's body came to rest on Earth's moon, where the the Matrix began to heal his battered frame. Repairs took time, but once completed, the Matrix set out for Cybertron, coincidentally arriving just as Unicron was trying to destroy the planet. The Matrix-creature fought Unicron, but Unicron soon realized that the Matrix had been tainted with evil, and that it was no longer a threat to him, given the infinitely greater magnitude of his own evil nature. Thunderwing was destroyed by Unicron's attack and Optimus Prime was able to recover the Matrix, cleansing it of the taint of evil and restoring its purity. Rocketing into Unicron's gaping maw, Prime released the Matrix's energy within the planet-eater's body, destroying him. On the Edge of Extinction! The explosion should have killed Prime as well, but his devastated body was saturated with Matrix energy, keeping it alive long enough for the suffering Prime to pass on leadership of the Autobots to Grimlock. Still Life! Prime's consciousness, however, was transferred to his Nebulan partner, Hi-Q, who was later recreated into a new Optimus Prime by the Last Autobot, complete with a reconstructed Matrix. End of the Road!

Marvel UK future timelines

"Will I become a great Autobot leader?" "All signs point to no."

In the alternate future timeline of Earth-120185, a dying Optimus Prime passed the Matrix to Ultra Magnus in 2006. The Planet-Eater! It was then used by Hot Rod to destroy Unicron, in the process transforming the young Autobot into Rodimus Prime. The Final Battle!

In the year 2008, Unicron attempted to engineer his resurrection by mentally controlling the Junkions into building him a new body. Drawn into the conflict by Death's Head, Rodimus Prime used the power of the Matrix to battle Unicron on his own mindscape, while Wreck-Gar set explosives to destroy the portion of Unicron's body that had been constructed. The explosion tore Unicron's body apart, but did not destroy him; instead, with no physical shell to inhabit, his essence wound up trapped within the the Matrix. The Legacy of Unicron!

Later in 2008, the Quintessons invaded and conquered Autobot City while Rodimus Prime was absent, and set a trap for the Autobot leader by leaving the wounded Arcee at the city entrance. Arriving to find the one-time object of his affections in dire straits, Rodimus opened his chest cavity in order to heal Arcee with the energy of the Creation Matrix, only to be blindsided by the Quintessons and the Matrix plucked from him, transforming him back into Hot Rod. The Matrix wound up the hands of Quintesson General Ghyrik, who was able to harness its power and boost his strength for a throwdown with Hot Rod. A bout of impromptu ventriloquism from the young Autobot distracted Ghyrik, allowing Hot Rod to rip the Matrix from his body and transform back into Rodimus Prime, handing Ghyrik an ignominious defeat. Space Pirates!

When disruption to the fabric of space and time forced Rodimus and several other Autobots to travel back in time from 2009 to 1989 in order to discover the source of the disturbance, the presence of the Matrix within his body required that Optimus Prime once again be shunted into limbo in order to maintain balance. Rodimus was able to use the power of the Matrix they shared to allow Optimus to communicate with the other Autobots, and when Rodimus was then defeated in battle, Optimus risked the security of the space-time continuum by using the Matrix as a stepping stone to return to reality for a final battle with Galvatron. Time Wars

Returning to Cybertron after their time-travel adventure, Rodimus and the Autobots found that the disruption of space and time had altered their future, and that Galvatron was waiting for them. Galvatron attempted to force Rodimus Prime into a savage battle, hoping to force him to unleashed his basest, most violent impulses, and by extension, lead them to corrupt the Matrix. Fortunately, Rodimus realized his plan and stopped. Aspects of Evil! However, it soon became apparent that the Matrix required no external corruption; Unicron's essence, still trapped within the talisman following the events of 2008, slowly began to take hold of Rodimus Prime's mind, forcing him to sabotage the guidance systems of the Autobots' craft when they were on a hyperspace trip to Earth in 2010. The Void! Edge of Impact Rodimus battled within Unicron inside the Matrix in an attempt to wind back control of his mind and body, but it took Kup deducing what was going on and wrenching the Matrix from Rodimus's chest to free him from the chaos-bringer's influence. But now, Rodimus knew that the evil of Unicron would be waiting for him within it... Shadow of Evil White Fire

Alas, later in 2010, Unicron's essence succeeded in taking over Rodimus's body, transforming it into a duplicate of his own and attacking Cybertron once more, until Rodimus was able to defeat him from within and re-seal him within the Matrix. Aspects of Evil!

When last seen, in the far future of 2356, Unicron's essence remained sealed within the Matrix, causing Rodimus's body to steadily wither and weaken. Aspects of Evil!

Generation 2

Requiring the Matrix to bring the new warriors created by Bludgeon to life, Megatron defeated Optimus Prime in battle and tore the Matrix from his body with an energy siphon. The Gathering Darkness The Matrix's energy was then used it to give life to the Laser Rods and Rotor Force. New Dawn

Subsequently, Prime and Megatron were forced into an uneasy alliance against the massed forced of the Cybertronian Empire, and Starscream exploited the chaos of the huge battle to take the power of the Matrix for himself. Using it, he merged his mind and body with the Decepticons' Warworld, becoming a colossal living weapon able to reshape himself at will. Tales of Earth, Part Seven However, unlike with Thunderwing, Starscream found his own evil being subverted by the Matrix's goodness, Tales of Earth, Part Eight and he returned the Matrix to Prime, for fear of being changed beyond recognition.

Soon after, when Prime was consumed by the Swarm, he channelled the Matrix's energy into the dark force, enlightening and completing it with the purity of Primus's vision. Suddenly transformed from a destructive force into a force for life, the Swarm re-created Prime and departed into space. A Rage in Heaven!

Generation 1 cartoon continuity

The Transformers cartoon

The origins of the Matrix of Leadership are almost entirely unknown. The only hint of its beginnings was given in an account from near the dawn of time, soon after the ancient genius Primacron and his assistant created the colossal robot, Unicron. Unicron turned on his creators and destroy the assistant's body, but seen to rise from his remains and disappear into space was an object that appeared identical to the Matrix. If this was truly the Matrix, it is wholly unknown how it came to be held by the Autobots and how it was elevated to the position of power it became known for. Call of the Primitives

However it came to be in Autobot hands, the Matrix came to be at the centre of the robots' belief system and was safeguarded by each successive generation of Autobot leaders. Upon the passing of its holder, the Matrix became a receptacle for the deceased Autobot's lifeforce, which cumulatively became known as the "Wisdom of the Ages", a storehouse of knowledge and experience stretching back to the dawn of Cybertronian history (and potentially beyond) that could be consulted by the Matrix's living wielders in times of need. The spirits of many Autobots have been seen within the Matrix, but the names of only a select few are known: The oldest entity within the Matrix is known only as "It" The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2;

My preciousssss!

following this entity, the next oldest known was Primon, who possessed the Matrix in the early days of the Cybertronian race around twelve million years ago; Prima bore it at the height of their oppression by the Quintessons about a million years later; Prime Nova was its wielder during the eventual rebellion against the five-faced aliens; Guardian Prime and his successor Zeta Prime carried it during the first war between the Autobots and Decepticons, before it was passed to Sentinel Prime, under whose leadership the war came to an end.

Around nine million years ago, the Autobot/Decepticon war was reignited by the creation of Megatron, who killed Sentinel Prime as one of his first actions. In his death throes, Sentinel entrusted the Matrix to the ancient Autobot Alpha Trion, who kept it hidden until a damaged young robot was brought to his workshop, another victim of Megatron's wrath. Trion recreated him as Optimus Prime, new leader of the Autobots, and gave him the Matrix. Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4

Fatally wounded by Megatron in the year 2005, Optimus Prime passed the Matrix and leadership of the Autobots to his chosen successor, Ultra Magnus. Before passing away, Prime spoke of a prophecy—that one day, a "Chosen One" would rise from the ranks of the Autobots, and use the power of the Matrix to light the Transformers' darkest hour. When Prime's strength faltered at the last moment and he dropped the Matrix, the young Autobot Hot Rod stooped to catch it before it hit the floor. The Matrix glowed brightly in response to his touch, signifying what the Autobos present would not realize until later: that Hot Rod was the Chosen One.

When word of Unicron's approach on Cybertron reached the Autobots on Earth, Ultra Magnus believed (and Hot Rod agreed, based on nothing more than a feeling) that the Matrix might be able to stop the world-eater. Knowing that this was indeed the case, Unicron recreated Megatron as Galvatron and dispatched him to steal the Matrix, leading to a confrontation on the Planet of Junk in which Ultra Magnus tried in vain to open the Matrix and use it to fend off the attacking Decepticons. Galvatron bested him and took the Matrix, believing he could use it to subjugate Unicron himself, but he had no more luck opening it than Magnus did. Unicron swallowed Galvatron whole as punishment, and it was within Unicron's body that the Decepticon leader engaged Hot Rod in the battle that saw the young Autobot claim his destiny. Seizing the Matrix from around Galvatron's neck, Hot Rod was transformed by its power into Rodimus Prime, then proceeded to fulfil the prophecy by opening the talisman and releasing its power, which tore Unicron apart from within. The Transformers: The Movie

Later, when injured in battle, Rodimus's consciousness briefly entered the Matrix itself and witnessed a vision that led him to believe that the answer to the mystery of the alien Quintessons currently plaguing the Autobots was held within it. Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2 To find his answer, Rodimus deliberately short-circuited himself and entered the Matrix a second time. Guided by the ancient Autobots within, Rodimus was shown the history of Cybertron and discovered the Quintessons' role in the creation of the Transformers. Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4

The zombified Optimus Prime reacts in pain to the light of the Matrix.

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

Still struggling with leadership, Rodimus tried to forget his woes with a bout of drag-racing in the hills of Japan, only to be ambushed by Dead End and Wildrider. The two Stunticons stole the Matrix and brought it back to Galvatron, but when the Decepticon leader attempted to use its energy to power his cannon, he was instead tormented by the spirits of the Autobots within it. The terrified Galvatron instructed Scourge to dispose of the Matrix, but Scourge grasped the true nature of its power where his leader could not, and instead placed it within his own chest. The Matrix's energies warped his body into a powerful, misshapen hulk, increasing his power to the point that he was able to Galvatron and take control of the Decepticons himself. Scourge proceeded to lead the Decepticons in an attack on Earth, only to be bested by Hot Rod, who had since learned the importance of "the burden hardest to bear", and reclaimed the Matrix once more. The Burden Hardest to Bear

When Optimus Prime was at last truly resurrected, he was forced to battle the Hate Plague-infected Rodimus in order to reclaim the Matrix from him, in hopes of consulting the Wisdom of the Ages to find a cure for the disease. Communicating with the mysterious It, he learned that the only way combat the madness of the plague was with wisdom, and opened the Matrix, expelling all of the wisdom within it to extinguish the disease (in the process claiming that this was also the Autobots' "darkest hour"). Although the Matrix was emptied, leaving only a shell, Optimus claimed they would have to start filling it with wisdom again, from that moment on. The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2

In 2007, Optimus Prime used the shell of the Matrix as a substitute key to access Vector Sigma, where he consulted Alpha Trion on the mystery of the Plasma Energy Chamber. The Rebirth, Part 2

Madman The Transformers comic

Optimus' proposal to Hot Rod.

The significance of the Matrix to the Autobots was such that when Optimus Prime prepared to lead the Autobots in an evacuation of Cybertron in the year 2001, he hid the Matrix in a bunker at the construction site of the future Autobot City. Unfortunately, Soundwave had monitored the Autobot leader's meeting with Ultra Magnus, and moved to steal the Matrix for the Decepticons. Fate intervened in the form of Hot Rod, who defeated the Decepticons and took back the ancient Autobot relic, and at the same time received a vision of his future as the Autobot who would light Cybertron's darkest hour. The Transformers

Rodimus vs. Cyclonus

After their adventure on Quintessa, while Hot Rod, Kup and the Dinobots were searching space for Ultra Magnus's team, they were attacked by Cyclonus. A flash of ancient knowledge he had received from the Matrix upon catching it when Optimus Prime had passed it to Magnus inspired Hot Rod to invoke the Challenge of Aria-Bellum. Rodimus vs. Cyclonus

Japanese cartoon continuity

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

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

The Stargate Battles

In the mid-1990s, Optimus Prime put the power of the Matrix to an unconventional use when a battle in space forced him to team up with Megatron in order to stop the rampage of Starscream, who had fused himself with the space station known as the Trigger. With Megatron in gun mode clutched in his arms, Prime summoned up the Matrix's energy and channelled it through his body, into the Decepticon leader, who unleashed it all in one colossal shot of cosmic proportions. The blast obliterated Starscream's new Trigger-body, but the backwash of the explosion was so great that it sent Prime, Megatron and all the Transformers observing the battle on a fiery plummet into Earth's atmosphere. The Stargate Battles

Story of Binaltech

In a parallel timeline that diverged off from this one thanks to the flow of history being altered by the time-tossed Ravage, Optimus Prime did not die in 2005, and was prepared to confront Unicron himself. However, after sustaining serious injuries in the opening salvo of the battle with the chaos-bringer, Prime passed the Matrix to Ultra Magnus. Despite knowing he was not the Chosen One, Magnus bravely petitioned the Matrix to allow him to wield its power anyway, as otherwise, the Autobots' destruction was assured. The Matrix granted Magnus his wish, and its energy was used to destroy Unicron. Binal Time

Kiss Players

After inheriting the Matrix in 2005, Rodimus Prime was horrified to discover that when he threw Galvatron out of Unicron, the Decepticon leader had wound up crash-landing on Earth, destroying Tokyo. Seeking to atone for his sins, Rodimus returned the Matrix to Ultra Magnus and became Hot Rod again, leaving both the talisman and the role of leadership in Magnus's hands for five years until he returned to his post in 2010. A Big Catch Tonight?!

The Headmasters cartoon

After emptying the Matrix to cure the Hate Plague, Optimus Prime sought to restore the lifeforce that had been lost by filling it with energy drawn from the lifeforce of Earth itself. To this end, the Matrix was secreted away in the lower levels of one of many Autobot energy-gathering facilities on Earth, where Prime hoped it would steadily recharge. Whether or not this odd-sounding plan would have worked is an area of some debate, but ultimately, a different set of circumstances soon came into play...

Alpha Trion's spirit re-enters the Matrix, recharging it.

In the year 2011, a catastrophic side-effect of the Matrix's energy being released became apparent—without the Matrix to act as a controlling force, Vector Sigma began to destabilize, putting all of Cybertron in great danger. The Decepticons took this opportunity to invade the planet, hoping to take control of the unstable computer and by extension, the planet itself. Four Warriors Come out of the Sky During the battle that followed, Optimus Prime headed for Vector Sigma's chamber to try and bring the computer back under control, but without the Matrix—which remained hidden on Earth, its location known only to Prime himself—the only recourse would be to give up his own life. To stop Prime from making this sacrifice, Hot Rod led the Autobot Headmasters in a methodical search across Earth, checking every Autobot energy facility. The Mystery of Planet Master After successfully locating the Matrix in the last possible hiding place and evading his pursuers, Hot Rod returned to Cybertron, arriving in Vector Sigma's chamber just as Optimus Prime was facing off against the Decepticons. The ghost of Alpha Trion, who had survived the emptying of the Matrix and who had led Prime safely to the computer chamber, merged with the Matrix, restoring its lost lifeforce and giving it the power to once again transform Hot Rod into Rodimus Prime. The two Primes dispatched the Decepticons, but before Rodimus could use the Matrix to stabilize Vector Sigma, Optimus Prime sacrificed himself by merging with the computer to bring it back under control. Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime

Some time later, when Cybertron was subsequently devastated thanks to the machinations of Decepticon Headmaster leader Scorponok, Rodimus Prime voyaged into space to search for a new homeworld for the Transformers, taking the Matrix with him. Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2

The Headmasters comic

On his many travels through space, the Matrix gave Rodimus Prime courage to face every challenge that presented itself. In addition to the teachings of the ancient Autobots, the energy of Earth's lifeforce that now dwelled within the Matrix as well truly opened Rodimus's eyes to the beauty of Earth and humanity. Believing that Transformers should aspire to be more like human beings, he returned to Earth and announced his desire for humans and Transformers to live and work together to move forward and evolve. The Headmasters #8

G-2 story pages and mini-comics

Presumably, Rodimus Prime must have returned the Matrix to Optimus Prime when he was restored to life as Star Convoy, since Prime had the talisman back in his chest when he adopted his "Hero" body at the beginning of the renewed war against Megatron some number of years after 2025. G-2 Part 1 A research team led by Jetfire, Wheeljack and Perceptor later discovered new properties of the Matrix, which prompted Megatron to duel Optimus Prime in the Mirtonian constellation in order to steal the Matrix for himself. G-2 Part 4 Megatron fatally wounded Prime, but the ancient Autobots within the Matrix were able to restore him thanks to the newly-discovered power Jetfire's team had learned of: the Reconfiguration Matrix, which repaired and restored Prime in a new Laser Rod body. G-2 Part 5

e-Hobby storyline

Having briefly held the Matrix, Ultra Magnus's spark was among the chosen few which retained autonomy within the Allspark. Sensing the threat Galvatron II posed to the universe with his fleet of Warworlds, Magnus used the powers of the Reconfiguration Matrix to resurrect himself in a new body based on Prime's Laser Rod form so that he could battle the Decepticon leader. It didn't go very well. Hybrid Style Convoy Black Version

Beast Era

Beast Wars cartoon

As Rhinox voyages into the Allspark, the glowing image of the Matrix drifts by in the bottom-right.

The similarity between Prime's "spark holder" and the Matrix was a source of some confusion.

Several enigmatic references were made to the Matrix by the Beast Warriors at various points, though it is never precisely clear if they are referring to the Matrix of Leadership, the Allspark dimension, the protoform production facility on Cybertron that also goes by that name, or some theoretical conglomeration of any of the above that they only speak of out of misconception.

When Rhinox voyaged into the Allspark to recover Optimus Primal's lost spark, the image of the Matrix of Leadership could be seen floating in the void. Coming of the Fuzors (Part 2) Later, when the body of Optimus Prime was fatally wounded by Megatron, Optimus Primal opened Prime's chest compartment in order to take the Autobot leader's spark into his own body for safety. Prime's spark was shown to be contained within a holder shaped just like the Matrix of Leadership, and Rhinox remarked that Prime's spark had "the Matrix with it." Optimal Situation

3H comics

While experiencing a swirl of visions from throughout history, the Covenant witnessed the Matrix being torn by the Liege Maximo from the body of the enigmatic Primon, its first holder. Reaching the Omega Point

The Matrix, beneath Prime's "spark holder".

The confusion surrounding the Matrix-like "spark holder" in Prime's chest and its relation to the actual Matrix of Leadership was clarified when it was revealed that the Matrix was actually concealed in a compartment beneath Prime's own spark, a deception specifically designed to protect the Matrix and keep it from those who would misuse its power.

Following the end of the Beast Wars, the deceased Tarantulas was resurrected, having harnessed the powers of the alien Vok with the intention of stealing the Matrix and delivering it to his master, Unicron. Seeking to keep the Matrix out of Tarantulas's hands, the Vok took the talisman from the sleeping Optimus Prime and used its power to transform the discarded control suit the Predacons had previously used to manipulate Optimus Primal into Primal Prime. Primal Prime was made guardian of the Matrix, and filled with all the wisdom of the past leaders within it. Primeval Dawn Part 1 Unfortunately, the Vok had miscalcuated: While it was within Optimus Prime, the Matrix had been safe, but once they had broken the forces that had bound it to Prime in order to transfer it to their creation, it had become vulnerable. This was proven in drastic fashion when, in the following battle, Tarantulas was able to overpower Primal Prime and rip the Matrix from his body. Primeval Dawn Part 2 The shock threw Primal Prime into a comatose state, while Tarantulas took the Matrix back to his lab to await the completion of the Transwarp portal that would take him and his prize to Unicron. Primeval Dawn Part 3

"Primeval Dawn" was never finished as a result of 3H Productions losing the Transformers license. Obviously enough, its finale would have seen our heroes recover the Matrix from Tarantulas and replace it in Optimus Prime's chest.

Dreamwave comics continuity

The Matrix-shaped platform above the Oracle Tank.

Most modern Cybertronians eschew the mythology of the Matrix as set out by the Council of Ancients, which claims that it is a conduit for the energies of Primus, choosing instead to believe in atechnogenesis. Despite this, Transformer society still holds the Matrix itself in great reverence, as, product of a deity or not, it is indisputably the most effective source of new Transformer life. Many conflicting stories and rumors swirl about the Matrix's true nature, born of claims that the Council actively prevented Alpha Trion from telling the general public more about it, but what is known about the talisman is that it is a virtually limitless source of energy. Only those with an affinity for the Matrix can wield its power; these Transformers are typically those chosen to be the next Prime, who often receive physical augmentation when the Matrix is taken into their bodies. More Than Meets The Eye #8 The Ancients claim that the Matrix contains the wisdom of all sparks that return to it after death, though they do keep a more tangible version of that sort of thing in the form of a golden disk that holds the knowledge of past Primes. The War Within #6

Around 8.2 million years ago, seeking to use the Matrix to power the planetary turbine engines he had discovered beneath Cybertron's surface, Megatron attacked and killed the current holder of the talisman, Sentinel Prime. Tearing his victim open, however, Megatron discovered that the Matrix was gone, having already been given by Sentinel Prime to the Council of Ancients for unknown reasons (perhaps having foreseen his own death). The Council subsequently chose a data archivist named Optronix to be the new bearer of the Matrix, and brought him to the Oracle Tank, in which both he and the Matrix were immersed. Optronix was enlarged and strengthened by the Matrix, and transformed into Optimus Prime. The War Within #1

Soon after, Megatron attacked Prime in the catacombs beneath Cybertron and cracked open his form, exposing the Matrix. A blinding flash burst from the Matrix, showing Prime and Megatron visions of future conflicts on Earth and Nebulos, but it was implied that Optimus somehow used the Matrix to force Megatron to forget these visions. How much knowledge he himself retained is unknown. The War Within #5

Millions of years later, after their war on Earth, the Transformers were set to return to Cybertron aboard the Ark II in 1999, at which point Optimus Prime gave Spike Witwicky a piece of the Matrix with the promise that he would be back. Prime Directive #2 The Ark II proved to have been sabotaged, however, and exploded in mid-flight, leaving the world to believe that the Transformers were dead until 2002, when the terrorist Lazarus recovered several of their bodies and reprogrammed them for use as weapons that he would sell on the black market. Prime Directive #1 The American military recovered the body of Optimus Prime and General Hallo drafted Spike to help in bringing him back to life, Prime Directive #1 which Spike accomplished by returning the portion of the Matrix Prime had given him. Thus restored, Prime revived the other surviving Autobots by casting the light of the Matrix across the Arctic landscape where their bodies lay, melting away the ice that held them and bringing them back online. Prime Directive #2

When the Autobots and Decepticons were finally able to return to Cybertron, a chain of events ultimately led Optimus Prime into a confrontation with Shockwave in Vector Sigma's chamber. Knocking Prime out and blasting his chest open, Shockwave harnessed the energy of the Matrix and used it to access Vector Sigma's databanks in an attempt to learn all of the dark secrets at the heart of Cybertron. Countdown to Extinction Before Shockwave could complete his dark experiments, enemy forces converged on his lab, so the Decepticon logician tore the Matrix from Prime's body, intending to flee, only to be stopped and defeated by Ultra Magnus. Grimlock recovered the Matrix and returned it to Prime, Revelation but the trauma of its forceful removal necessitated that Prime spend an extended session in a CR chamber to recover. Generation One #0

Keepers Trilogy novels

Captured by the enigmatic aliens known as the Keepers and imprisoned inside their giant techno-organic bodies, Optimus Prime found himself forced into a suicide ploy, using the power of the Matrix to destroy the creatures from within, willing to take himself with it. The gateway back to Earth was opened by Spike at the last moment, allowing Prime to hold off on his sacrifice, but unfortunately, the Keepers came through the portal as well. Hardwired During the battle that ensued against the Keepers in Las Vegas, a pool of pure energon was uncovered beneath the city, which Prime combined with the Matrix to temporarily imbue himself with incredible power. Simultaneously, the American government launched a nuclear missile at Las Vegas in order to destroy both the Transformers and the Keepers, but the super-charged Prime was able to capture the missile's explosion in a net of Matrix energy, hurling it at the Keepers and blasting them through their portal. Annihilation

Following the Keepers' apparent defeat, Megatron called Prime in on a favour he had extracted from him in order to ensure his co-operation when they had been captives of the Keepers: Prime was to hand over the Matrix itself. Prime complied, partially out of honor, and partially due to the fact that he knew Megatron, as a Decepticon, would be unable to use the Matrix's power. Unfortunately, Prime had not reckoned with Megatron's giant soldier, Omega Sentinel, who was actually a reprogrammed Autobot whose non-Decepticon circuitry could interface with the Matrix to some extent. Omega Sentinel used his new Matrix-powered strength to destroy the White House, but the talisman's effect on his systems was immediately apparent by the fact that no life was lost in the attack. When the Sentinel refused to kill the Keeper-controlled Bluestreak and Starscream on Megatron's orders, the Decepticon leader realized that the Matrix was influencing the giant and had him remove it from his body. The Matrix was recovered by the Keepers' agent Franklin Townsend and brought to the pocket-dimension into which the aliens had been transported, but Optimus Prime pursued Townsend and recovered the Matrix, once again intending to use it to destroy his alien enemies by collapsing the pocket dimension, at the cost of his own life. And once again the portal opened, leaving Prime content to force the Keepers back with the Matrix's light while he himself returned to Earth. However, Prime was unable to shut the portal off, required as he was to devote his attention to using the Matrix to keep the creatures from passing through the gateway. Salvation came in the form of the Omega Sentinel, the Matrix's effect on his systems persisting even after its removal: the giant threw himself and Devastator into the portal just as Prime shut off the Matrix, collapsing the gate and sealing the Keepers away forever. Fusion

G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers

Optimus Prime was formerly a simple data archivist until the Matrix chose him to be the new leader of the Autobots. The Art of War #2

Renegade military artificial intelligence Serpent O.R. learned about the Matrix whilst downloading information on the history of Cybertron from Soundwave, and really liked the bit about "bestowing great power". The Art of War #1 He subsequently captured Optimus Prime and tried to convince him to give up the Matrix peacefully. From Serpent O.R.'s point of view, he was a great and respected leader too, so surely the Matrix would deem him a worthy bearer. In addition, he was sure the ancient relic would provide him with a spark so he could finally understand what life and death really meant. The Art of War #4

Unfortunately, Prime disagreed, so Serpent O.R. ended up having to take the Matrix by force. As he had planned, the Matrix did deem him worthy and did give him a soul, all while transforming him into a new form to boot. However, with his newfound wisdom, "Serpentor Prime" quickly saw the error of his ways, and would've committed suicide if it weren't for Cobra Commander hijacking his body. In order to stop the commander, Hawk tried to take the Matrix away from him, and was deemed worthy of it as well. This caused a power feedback that destroyed Serpent O.R., fried Cobra Commander's mind, and imbued Hawk with all the knowledge of the Matrix. While artifact was unharmed and was returned to Optimus Prime when everything was over, the knowledge that now filled Hawk's mind gave him visions of future conflicts to come. The Art of War #5

In addition to vision, the Matrix also gave Hawk the ability to control machinery with his mind, converse with Transformers telepathically, and force enough information into Transformers to incapacitate them with a single touch. Unfortunately, it also gave him recurring nightmares about an angry god. Black Horizon, Part 1 of 2

Transformers/G.I. Joe

As the Autobots and Decepticons on Earth lay deactivated among the Fera Islands, the Matrix was discovered by local humans, and became the sacred relic of a group of monks, who built it into the chest of a statue. Unfortunately, a rumour spread that the glowing blue orb possessed by the monks was an "ultimate weapon", and in 1938, Cobra massacred the monks and stole the Matrix. When Major Bludd touched the relic, the Decepticons who laid dormant on the island were reactivated. The Line

The Matrix subsequently came into the possession of Cobra Commander, who learned that he could use it to hurt and weaken Megatron. Using this method, he blackmailed the Decepticons into serving him. Trial by Fire In the end, Cobra Commander was killed, and Snake-Eyes grabbed the Matrix. By this time, the Autobots and Joes were under attack by the unstoppable Bruticus, so Optimus Prime urged Snake-Eyes to smash the Matrix, in hopes that the destruction of the life-giving artifact would take away Bruticus's lifeforce. Snake-Eyes complied and let Bruticus crush the Matrix with his wildly swinging fists, causing a flash of blue light that killed all Transformers present. The Iron Fist

IDW comics continuity

This section covers fiction that is ongoing. It will be added to as the story progresses. If it isn't current, you can help by updating it.

The Matrix is carried by each successive generation of Primes, although it is apparent that the cruel supremacist Nova Prime did not take the sacred relic with him on the fateful space voyage that ultimately led him to the Dead Universe. There, Nova was found by the Darkness, a mysterious dark energy that ruled the Dead Universe that served as a kind of "anti-Matrix", Spotlight: Galvatron an evil counterpart of the Matrix from this dark dimension that was driven to seek out Matrix-bearers. Spotlight: Sideswipe

Author Simon Furman has strongly implied that in his original plans for this story, Nova did take the Matrix into the Dark Universe (Optimus Prime is never shown to carry it in Furman's stories) and that it "became" something while there—presumably, the Darkness itself, which would not have been a separate entity. These plans were cut short and wrapped up when Furman left the series, and subsequent writers established that Optimus had indeed been carrying the Matrix all along.

Although reports from the time period suggest otherwise, Kup has claimed that Megatron started the Great War over the Matrix and what it represented. All Hail Megatron #6 Megatron's drive to acquire the Matrix reasserted itself in the year that followed the defeat of Nova Prime, and he staged a trap for the Autobots with the aid of the traitorous Sunstreaker. Defeated thanks to the surprise appearance of the newly-created gestalt Devastator, the Autobots were dumped via space bridge on the ruined, but not before Megatron tore the Matrix from Prime's chest himself. All Hail Megatron #7

File:IDW13 hotrod starscream matrix.jpg

When Megatron was defeated a year later and his forces were routed off of Earth, Starscream took up the role of leader and "inherited" the captive Matrix. Frustrated by his failure to find any "ultimate power" within it after several cycles of study, he decided to throw it away, only to be caught by Shrapnel just before blowing it out an airlock. Scrabbling for an explanation as to why he had the Matrix and reminded by the Insecticon of its massive symbolic importance to the Autobots, Starscream claimed he had been "chosen" by the talisman and now wielded its power. He went on to make this declaration before all the Decepticons, boosting morale and rallying them beneath him, but immediately regretted the decision. Uneasy Lies the Head And rightfully so: with the Matrix hung around his neck on a chain, its subtle influence on his mind over the next three years made the Decepticon air commander subdued and withdrawn, lost in contemplation of its mysteries, lashing out violently at any Decepticons who tried to touch it. This left him open to a brash attack by Hot Rod, who infiltrated the Decepticons' asteroid base in order to recover the Matrix. Hot Rod actually shot the Matrix to cause a discharge of energy that knocked Starscream out, then attempted to escape with the Matrix in hand, but was confronted by the newly-repaired Megatron. Megatron's interest in the Matrix had evidently diminished to nothing, as he proceeded to blast both it and Hot Rod through the base wall, setting them adrift in the void of space. Heart Like a Wheel

Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun comic

IT BURNS!!

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

Robot Heroes

The Matrix is a glowing crystal that gives the Autobots knowledge. It was created by the first Transformer, Primus, who gave it to Optimus Prime. I Am Optimus Prime

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Robots in Disguise cartoon

Optimus Prime was chosen by Vector Sigma to be leader of the Autobots and to carry the Matrix. Less a physical object and more an energy that suffused his form, Prime could call on the power of the Matrix in moments of great emotion, at which point his body would glow with its green light. The Test

Unfortunately for Prime, his brother Ultra Magnus was furious at being passed over for the leadership role, and about halfway through Prime's campaign against Megatron on Earth, Magnus arrived on the planet with the intent to take the Matrix for himself. Ultra Magnus When he attempted to absorb the energy of the Matrix from Prime's body, however, a bizarre fusion occurred instead, merging the two brothers into Omega Prime and revealing that the intention had always been for them to share the energy of the Matrix between them. Ultra Magnus: Forced Fusion! Magnus later inadvertently used this link to channel the energy of the Matrix into the Autobot Brothers, supercharging them. The Two Faces of Ultra Magnus

In the final battle against Megatron—now Galvatron—at the Earth's core, Fortress Maximus channelled all his energy into Omega Prime to give his leader the power boost that he hoped would ensure triumph. The extra energy combined with that of the Matrix and it burst forth, coalescing into the colossal Matrix Blade, which Omega Prime used to claim victory. The Final Battle

In Car Robots, the original Japanese version of Robots in Disguise, Prime does not possess the Matrix of Leadership, instead carrying an Energon Matrix.

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Unicron Trilogy cartoon continuity

Plot points derived only from the original Japanese versions of the Unicron Trilogy cartoons, lost to the slipshod dubbing that plagued the series, are in italics.

Armada cartoon

When Megatron threatened to destroy the Earth with the Hydra Cannon, Optimus Prime, not expecting to survive the battle ahead, tried to pass the Matrix on to Hot Shot before entering the conflict. Hot Shot refused, not feeling himself worthy, and Prime subsequently died throwing himself into the path of the Hydra Cannon blast meant for Earth. Prime's body was reduced to ashes, and the Matrix was all that remained, clung onto by his Mini-Con partner Sparkplug, floating helplessly until rescued. Crisis

in your eyes, the light, the heat
in your eyes, I am complete

Not long thereafter, as the Autobots and Decepticons battled in space on their way back to Cybertron, Sparkplug and Perceptor presented the Matrix to the large armada of Mini-Cons who had joined the Autobots on their journey. Many Mini-Cons plunged themselves into the Matrix, using their powers to recreate Prime's body and restore him to life. Miracle

Some time later, in the midst of the Transformers' battle with Unicron, Optimus Prime was confronted by the evil demi-god with the suggestion that, on some level, he enjoyed the thrill of combat as much as Megatron did, and that the only difference between the two leaders was the Matrix in Prime's chest. Origin Following Unicron's defeat, when Megatron (now Galvatron) challenged Optimus to one final battle, these words led Prime to discard the Matrix, that he might battle Galvatron not as the leader of the Autobots, but as an individual, and the equal of his foe.

A Unicorn designed this. (See the pretty rainbows?)

Prime flung the Matrix through Unicron's hide, out into space, where it later drifted by the two combatants as their fight moved to Unicron's surface. Soon, however, it became apparent that Prime and Galvatron's fight was sustaining and re-energizing Unicron, and Galvatron allowed himself to die into order to destroy the chaos-bringer. As the battered Prime hung in space afterwards, the Matrix floated past him. Prime turned to look at it, but, having revelled in his battle with Galvatron and in a way proven Unicron correct, shifted his glance away, pronouncing himself unworthy to carry it.

Prime did not return to his fellow Autobots immediately, as Cybertron was now at peace. Instead, he apparently embarked on some sort of soul-searching space voyage, seeking to find worthiness once again. Mortal Combat

Energon cartoon

Prime returned to reclaim the Matrix and leadership of the Autobots at some point over the next ten years. Despite the talisman being back in his hands once more, its power was employed but once during the war for Energon of 2020, when Prime was badly injured by Starscream during a battle on Earth's moon and fell unconscious. When Prime was infused with a massive jolt of Energon in an attempt by the Omnicon Skyblast to revive him, the interaction of the element with the Matrix brought forth the Energon Blaster, which coalesced out of a sphere of light that burst out of Prime's chest. Prime considered the weapon a gift from the previous commanders within the Matrix and fended off the Decepticons with it, then proceeded to never use or even mention it again. Starscream the Mysterious Mercenary

Cybertron cartoon

Good grief, Prime! There are KIDS present!

A further ten years later, during the quest to stop the Unicron Singularity in 2020, Optimus Prime used the Matrix of Leadership in concert with Vector Prime's sword to open dimension gates to the various colony worlds that held the Cyber Planet Keys. It was only through the stabilizing powers of both objects that safe transit through the gates was made possible. Landmine The Matrix influenced Optimus Prime's Cyber Key, giving it a unique shape that mimicked the Matrix's own as opposed to the standard design shared by the other Autobots. Savage

After the Autobots had obtained the Cyber Planet Keys from Velocitron, Jungle Planet and Earth and placed them in the Omega Lock on Cybertron, Optimus Prime substituted the energy of the Matrix for the still-missing fourth key. This proved enough to initiate Cybertron's transformation into the body of Primus, but without the key from Gigantion, the god's power remained at an ebb, unable to close the black hole. Cybertron Before departing for Gigantion to obtain the final key, the Autobots were able to develop a method that allowed Primus to use the energy of the three key and the Matrix to at least halt the singularity's growth, giving them the time the needed to complete their mission. Titans In order for the Autobots to safely traverse the tunnel in space-time that led to Gigantion, Red Alert created a "vaccine" program based on the stabilizing properties of the Matrix and Vector Prime's sword. Family

The Matrix would often glow with energy when Prime poised himself to unleash powerful combat moves; during his final battle with Galvatron, the golden glow of the Matrix surrounded Prime's entire body. Unfinished

Ask Vector Prime

Vector Prime claimed to have held the Matrix in Cybertron's past, during its golden age. He led for many years until he received a higher calling to become the protector of space and time. Ask Vector Prime

Galaxy Force comic

RESPECT MAH AUTHORITAH!

With the Earth besieged by the Ancient Decepticons under the command of Starscream, and the treacherous air commander himself transformed into a skyscraper-sized giant by the power of Primus, things were looking grim for the Autobots. Taking a direct hit from the giant Starscream, Optimus Prime's chest was smashed open, exposing the Matrix within. Reviving after only a few moments of unconsciousness to find that Wing Saber had arrived on the planet with news that Primus had reawakened, Prime doubted how important he was to the battle if their god was now restored. Wing Saber pointed to his open chest, telling him that the Matrix within him signified him as the true leader of the Autobots, and Prime, his resolve restored, plucked the talisman from within himself and called upon its power to initiate his and Wing Saber's combination into Sonic Wing Mode for the first time. Galaxy Force Mission.9

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Live-action Transformers film series

Now...how do you open this thing, dammit?

Created by the Dynasty of Primes, the Matrix of Leadership is required to operate the solar harvester. It can only be properly utilized by one who shares the lineage of the Primes.

Sector Seven ARG

The Matrix was mentioned in passing. Sector Seven

Revenge of the Fallen film

And Unicron breathed a sigh of relief.

The Seven Primes had agreed never to use a solar harvester on a Sun that fed intelligent life. But in 17,000 BC, the Fallen chose to activate it on Earth, for he hated humans, so the other Primes fought him and stole the Matrix. They sealed it away in a tomb made of their own bodies in a secret location. In 2009 AD, following the death of Optimus Prime, the last Prime, the Fallen had returned to Earth and was seeking the Matrix to finish what he'd started.

Hot Rod's gonna have trouble gettin' his fingers in this one.

Sam Witwicky, having deciphered the only clue to the tomb's location, found the Matrix in Petra, but it crumbled to dust. He stuffed its remains into a sock and took it to the Pyramids of Egypt, where he still hoped it could resurrect Optimus, who was being protected by the human-Autobot alliance NEST. The Fallen's pupil, Megatron, shot and killed Sam, but the sparks of the Primes came and revived him. They also revealed the Matrix could not be found but only earned, and they restored its shape. Sam then used the Matrix to resurrect Optimus by shoving its sharp end into his chest. Almost immediately afterward, the Fallen teleported in and stole the Matrix, then used it to activate the harvester. Revenge of the Fallen

The novelization reveals the Matrix was created by the All Spark to help the Primes in their search for energon. When the Cube was destroyed, the All Spark moved into Sam's mind, and when he was dying, it moved into the remains of the Matrix, reconstituting it. After the battle, the Matrix now resides lodged in Optimus Prime's hip, effectively replacing the Cube as the All Spark's physical form. This, in turn, transforms this universe's version of the Matrix (initially entirely distinct from the other depictions of the object seen in this article) into something much more similar to the object seen in other Transformers fiction.

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Animated cartoon

Following Prowl and Jazz's successful reconstruction of a substantial portion of the shattered AllSpark, Optimus Prime used the Magnus Hammer to forge a new containment vessel for the crystal sphere. He termed the resultant holder the "AllSpark Matrix", and wore it on a chain around his neck upon the Autobots' return to Cybertron. Endgame, Part II The AllSpark Alamanc II

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Exodus: The Official History of the War for Cybertron

Originally the jewel in the hilt of Prima's Star Saber sword in the distant past of Cybertron, the Matrix had been missing for billions of cycles by the time data clerk Orion Pax met the charismatic gladiator named Megatron. Unbeknownst to Orion, Megatron plotted revolution, and, desiring the Matrix's power to fuel his ambition, had Soundwave send Rumble and Frenzy to search for the Matrix in Crystal City to no avail.

Later, when the High Council appointed Orion as Cybertron's leader, Optimus Prime, they ordered him to find the Matrix, and Megatron's true motives stood revealed as he also declared it would be his. War erupted across Cybertron and raged for millions of years, until, during the conflict's dying days, Optimus purged Cybertron's core of a Dark Energon infection that Megatron had wrought upon it. Speaking directly into Prime's mind, the core explained that Prime's predecessor, Sentinel Prime had been unworthy of the Matrix, but as long as he had survived in Kaon's prisons, Optimus was technically not Prime and could not receive it. With Sentinel's death and the core's purification, however, the time had at last come: the Matrix emerged from the core, and Optimus accepted it into his body. Subsequently, the Autobots left Cybertron on the Ark, but Optimus knew that the Matrix would guide them home one day, where it would act in concert with the core to fully restore their ravaged homeworld. Exodus: The Official History of the War for Cybertron

Games

The Transformers (PS2)

The quest for the Zel Quartz, a powerful crystal upon which the fate of the future hinged, led groups of Autobots and Decepticons from both the present day and time-travellers from the near-future to converge on the planet Zel Samine, culminating in a two-way showdown between Optimus Prime and Rodimus Prime and Megatron and Galvatron in the complex housing the planetary power generator ELTA. When the battle threatened to cause the computer to overload, it appeared that all four Transformers were doomed, until the twin Primes opened both their Matrices, using their power to bring the computer under control and win the day. The Transformers

Transformers Battle Universe

The Matrix would appear following the successful defeat of an opponent. Picking it up would initiate the next round of combat, accompanied by a burst of music from Beast Wars. Transformers Battle Universe

Transformers: War for Cybertron (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)

Though Optimus Prime and his Autobots helped purge the Core of Cybertron of the Dark Energon infection, its spark had been corrupted and had to shut itself down completely if it was to survive. For the millions of years that this process would take, Cybertron would be left cold and barren, meaning the Transformers would be forced to take to the stars. However, the Core bestowed a portion of its spark within the Matrix of Leadership to Optimus Prime, leader of the free Autobots. For as long as the Matrix survived, Cybertron's spark would remain. Transformers: War for Cybertron

Notes

Strings connect the Matrix's core to its holder in the Generation 1 cartoon.

• Bob Budiansky's original pitch for the Transformers comic book included an event known as the "Ceremony of the Unending Circuit", held by the Autobots every ten millennia to commemorate the passing of the Creation Matrix from one Autobot leader to the next, according to Autobot Law. Although the "ten millennia" bit made it into the comic, the ceremony itself was never realized.
• When asked about the visual design of the Matrix in an interview, Floro Dery's reply was, "The inspiration for the Matrix of Leadership is a thermonuclear bomb." "Light our darkest hour", indeed.
• Blink and you'll miss it—the crystal core of the original Generation 1 cartoon incarnation of the Matrix is connected to the two halves of its holder by a string! This oddity of design is visible during the two instances the Matrix is opened in the cartoon, in The Transformers: The Movie and "The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2".
• The Matrix of Leadership makes a cameo as one of Animated Lockdown's possessions in "A Few Loose Strands".

Footnotes

Not shown: Anything in the caption.