Primon

Primon is an Autobot from the Generation 1 continuity family.

That's a beard you'll have. In the future past.

Primon, the Alpha Prime, is one of the oldest known bearers of the Matrix. As he predated Prima, who is characterized as the first Transformer created on Cybertron, it is conceivable that he predates the planet itself (much like the Covenant).

Fiction

The Transformers cartoon

Voice actor: Michael Bell (English), Osamu Saka (Japanese)

Primon was the earliest documented bearer of the Matrix of Leadership, but how he came to hold the talisman, and his activities during the Quintesson occupation of Cybertron, are unknown. He was succeeded as Matrix-bearer by Prima. When Rodimus Prime voyaged into the Matrix in 2005, Primon was the first guide the Autobot leader encountered. Primon related to him the story of the Transformers' creation by the Quintessons, and how they were endowed with sentience. Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4

3H comics

Primon was seen twice in a swirl of visions experienced by the Covenant at the coming of the Chronarchitect—once as part of a long lineage of Primes, and again having the Matrix torn from his chest by the Liege Maximo. The Matrix eventually found its way to Prima. Covenant

Dreamwave Generation One continuity

Alpha Prime was the first known Matrix-bearer and was succeeded by Guardian Prime. More Than Meets The Eye #8

Ask Vector Prime

Primon was known as the Alpha Prime and predated Cybertron according to legend. Vector Prime was unsure if Primon and the Covenant were a template for the Thirteen, a version of the Thirteen, or just a legend for the Thirteen to believe in. Ask Vector Prime, 2015/05/31 and 2015/06/10

Transformers vs. G.I. Joe

One of the spirits of former Autobot leaders who resided in the Matrix, Primon haunted Megatron after he stole the artifact, warning the Decepticon that if he sought to control Cybertron, he would have to deal with its ghosts. Transformers vs. G.I. Joe #12 Ghostly images of Primon and other leaders appeared in the sky when Optimus Prime took back the Matrix. The War Never Ends

Notes

• Primon is conspicuously absent from other lists of past Primes, even those by Simon Furman who wrote "Covenant". When questioned, he offered up "The Matrix forgot?" as an excuse. (Also "Ummm...")
• Aaron Archer's original back-of-a-dinner-napkin outline for the Transformers: Cybertron series included a character named "Alpha Prime", who in later drafts became Vector Prime.
• The robot ghost from "Five Faces of Darkness" was never named in the cartoon, having been referred to only as "Ancient Robot" in the episode's dialogue script. The AllSpark Almanac II came along and declared the character an incarnation of Primon, at the same time merging the two characters with the complete cipher, Alpha Prime, who had been mentioned only in passing in Dreamwave's More Than Meets The Eye guidebook. Many pages were consolidated that day.
  • According to Recordicons #9, Vector Prime "always lies about Five Faces of Darkness". If true, this would mean that the guy in the image isn't necessarily Primon or the Alpha Prime; we're keeping this page as-is because there's no objective evidence either way, and Primon is more convenient as a page title than "Ancient Robot".
• The symbol stamped on cartoon Primon's forehead is a "prototype" version of the Autobot insignia. Although this is the only place it appears on a Cybertronian in-fiction, the symbol was later released as a sticker with Overcharge.

References

	"Five Faces of Darkness" spirit guides
Primon Prima Prime Nova Guardian Prime Zeta Prime Sentinel Prime Optimus Prime