In the barbarian age after the departure of the [[Knights of Cybertron]], Onyx was the leader of a flock of wayward and mistreated Cybertronians, searching for whatever [[energon]] they could find. One day, they came across the time-lost [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]], transported twelve million years into the past as a result of the destruction of his [[time drive]]. The kindly Onyx offered the damaged Shockwave some of their energon and introduced himself. Realizing the implications of Onyx and his position in history, Shockwave took him up on his offer of energon after killing him first. Seizing control of Onyx's herd, Shockwave would take on his identity, eventually branding himself "Onyx Prime" and manipulating history under this guise till the 21st century. {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}}
In the barbaric age following the departure of the [[Knights of Cybertron]], Onyx Prime was a warlord who ruled over one of the [[Thirteen Tribes]] in what would one day become the city of [[Kalis]]. {{storylink|The Crucible}} Unlike his fellow Primes, Onyx had no respect for the myths of [[Primus]] or the [[Guiding Hand]], preferring to make history through his own deeds. {{storylink|Origin Myths}} Onyx Prime also owned the mysterious [[Talisman (G1)|Talisman]], a powerful artifact of unknown origin. {{storylink|The Iron Klaw}}
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When a conquering army of [[Darklands|Darklander]]s swept the primitive world, Onyx and his tribe encountered the [[Liege Maximo]], a fellow leader who had lost his kingdom to the hordes of warriors. The two Primes travelled to the fledgling [[Crystal City]] to warn the alliance of Primes — [[Alchemist Prime|Alchemist]], [[Vector Prime|Vector]], [[Solus Prime|Solus]], [[Nexus Prime|Nexus]], and [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] — of the coming danger. Onyx hoped that the Primes and their subjects could all work as one, but, if not, he and his army of beasts would fight the Darklanders alone. When Alpha Trion imparted on him the idea that myths and stories could inspire others to do great deeds, the bestial Prime came to appreciate the power that they held.
Onyx and his tribe trained the humble farmers and laborers in Crystal City in the ways of war, but there was little time to prepare before the Darklanders arrived. As the battle ground on, however, the ground beneath Cybetrtron shook and disgorged three [[Titan (IDW)|Titan]]s: [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]], and [[Chela]]. The sight of the ancient warriors drew the entire battle to a halt, providing Onyx Prime with the opening to slice through the Darklander's ranks and confront their leader... who turned out to be [[The Fallen|Megatronus]], an old friend of his. The two armies made peace shortly afterwards, and that night the eight united Primes agreed to work together to unify their world. Having come to appreciate the values of stories, Onyx began spreading false tales of his own: inspiring the perpetually-drunk [[Alchemist Prime]] with stories of a "Chosen One," and designing a sigil for their new alliance, allegedly based on the face of [[Primus]] himself. Alpha Trion was less than convinced by Onyx's manipulative tales, worrying that he was beginning to blur the lines between stories and lies.
The eight united leaders were later joined by the remaining five Primes from across the planet, forging the original [[Thirteen]] Primes. {{storylink|Origin Myths}} In this period of peace and prosperity, the Thirteen jointly ruled Cybertron, each possessing a Titan of their own. Onyx forged an alliance with Chela, who became known as the "Talon of Onyx Prime." {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 6|Windblade vol. 2 #6}} This brief era of peace came to an end ten million years ago, when tensions between the tribes erupted following the murder of [[Solus Prime]]. Onyx and his tribe of [[beast mode]] Transformers were dragged into the [[First Cybertronian Civil War]], pitting the tribes and their leaders against each other. {{storylink|Heavy}} {{storylink|The Crucible}} According to [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]], Onyx and the Liege Maximo were both "betrayed" by Onyx's closest friend, [[Micronus Prime]]. {{storylink|White Heat}} {{storylink|Crisis Intervention}}
One way or another, Onyx Prime eventually allied with [[Nexus Prime]], and together they used the [[Enigma of Combination]] to create an army of [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]]: [[combiner]]s of beasts and 'humanoid' Transformers. [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]] found this unification disgusting, and eventually killed Nexus, his Headmasters, and those under his command in the twilight of the conflict. {{storylink|The Crucible}} {{storylink|Earthfall Chapter 3: The Mind Bomb|The Mind Bomb}} The death of Nexus prompted the [[Titan Master]] [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Infinitus]] to defect to Onyx. {{storylink|White Heat}}
Even so, Nexus' passing had proved that the Thirteen were as mortal as any other Cybertronian, provoking most of them into leaving [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Those members of his tribe who stayed behind continued to fight on in his name, which ended in their subjugation under [[Nova Prime]]'s growing school of [[Functionism|functionist]] doctrine. {{storylink|The Crucible}}
According to the inhabitants of the Cybertronian colony world [[Eukaris]], Onyx Prime left Cybertron aboard his personal [[Titan (IDW)|Titan]], the colossal [[Chela]]. By seven million years ago, he had settled an uninhabited jungle world, using Chela's [[hot spot]] to create a new civilization of beastformers who could live free of the stigma that surrounded beast modes. {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 6|Windblade vol. 2 #6}} {{storylink|Crisis Intervention}} As his last command, Onyx ordered his Titan to defend the newly-christened Eukaris from all "standard-formers" by any means necessary. By the modern day, Onyx had disappeared. The planet's inhabitants continued to venerate him, and [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] the [[Fateweaver]] claimed to be his prophet. {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 6|Windblade vol. 2 #6}}
Despite Nexus' passing, Onyx knew that Galvatron would be unable to destroy the Enigma of Combination. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 3: Helden|Helden}} Approximately 20,000 years ago, he sent the [[Axalon (BW)|''Axalon'']] and a crew of Eukarians into deep space to find it. {{storylink|Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook issue 1|Centurion profile}} Believing that the Talisman would offer protection against an unknown threat, Onyx entrusted the artifact to the ship's commander [[Domitius Major]]. {{storylink|Ghost in the Machine (IDW)|Ghost in the Machine}}
When the crew failed to return, Onyx sent the Titan Master [[Sovereign]] to Earth to find the artifact, and summon the Prime when he had found it. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 3: Helden|Helden}}
[[File:GhostStories-onyxprime.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.66|Friendship is magic.]]
At some point afterwards, Onyx had abandoned Eukaris and travelled to a distant, uninhabited planet, the location of which was later discovered by [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]]. As with the other Primes, Shockwave sent one of his [[Regenesis]] ores to Onyx's hiding place. {{storylink|The Crucible}} Sovereign, clad in a human disguise and conditioned with false memories, remembered a childhood visit from a "black angel" who showed him a world of rust and infinite darkness. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|Lagrange}}
Under unknown circumstances, Onyx acquired an optic the size of a mountain that he used as a ship. He eventually set up a base for himself on the planet [[Antilla]] before three Camiens arrived on his world in response to a Cybertronian beacon. Onyx instantly beheaded [[Magrada|one of them]] while the other two managed to escape. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 1: Surfeit of Primes|Surfeit of Primes}}
Years later, Onyx managed to follow the escapees back to [[Caminus]], where he and an army of beasts terrorized the inhabitants of [[Parvus Oppidum]]. Though the [[Torchbearer]]s were called to investigate, Onyx Prime and his army felled their leader [[Praesidia Magna]], one of the two escapees, and dragged her body into a singularity under Onyx's control. Torchbearer [[Pyra Magna|Pyra]], who had survived a close encounter with the Prime himself, began experiencing nightmares of her old commander, trapped on the dead, rust-stricken world of Antilla, and Onyx Prime reciting an ancient Camien poem. It wasn't until Pyra Magna realized that if Onyx had fled when the opportunity presented itself, then he could not be infallible; bolstered by this knowledge, she and a new team of Torchbearers privately began preparing for his return. {{storylink|Ghost Stories}}
When the [[Republic of Cybertron]] made contact with Eukaris in [[2015]], the presence of [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] and [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]] on the planet was enough to provoke Chela, who rose to carry out his master's final command. It wasn't enough, however; Starscream killed the Titan, allowing Eukaris and its inhabitants to join the [[Council of Worlds]]. {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 6|Windblade vol. 2 #6}}
In his final battle with [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]], Galvatron warned his nemesis that Onyx Prime was on his way to Earth to retrieve the Enigma, and would soon arrive. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 6: No Fair Fights|No Fair Fights}} When Infinitus and Sovereign made their presence known, Infinitus proclaimed that the Titan Masters were the "harbingers of [Onyx's] return". Though Optimus and [[Soundwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Soundwave]] were given pause to consider what Galvatron had said about Onyx Prime, they were confident they could best the ancient Prime. {{storylink|White Heat}}
After being captured by the [[Iron Klaw]] and hooked into a replica of the Talisman, Blackrock dreamt of Onyx Prime standing over his divided selves, reciting the same Camien poem. This vision caused him to realize that there was a connection between the Talisman and his former master. {{storylink|The Iron Klaw}} While hacking into [[I.R.O.N.]]'s systems, [[G.B. Blackrock|Blackrock]] found what Onyx had done to Centurion and declared his former master would have to go through him to get Earth. Blackrock was able to use the fact that both were pawns of Onyx to convince Centurion to stand down. {{storylink|Strange Visitors}}
After being stabbed through the chest by [[Storm Shadow]], Blackrock's consciousness entered [[infraspace]] where he encountered Onyx. Onyx revealed to his former servant that the Talisman was inoculation against a coming threat before attempting to slay the [[Titan Master]]. He was stopped by the spectre of [[Atomic Man|Mike Power]]. The two returned to the living plane, leaving an enraged Onyx behind. {{storylink|Ghost in the Machine (IDW)|Ghost in the Machine}}
After [[Liege Maximo]] escaped captivity, {{storylink|Rubicon}} he eventually crossed paths with Onyx once again only to be subdued and chained up. Onyx returned to Cybertron atop his optic craft where he announced his intent to pass judgement on Maximo for betraying the Cybertronian race. Optimus Prime then called Onyx down to surface for a rational discussion. Onyx agreed to the request, viewing the state of Cybertron as Optimus' responsibility, declaring the younger Prime as none other than [[The Arisen]]. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 1: Surfeit of Primes|Surfeit of Primes}}
===Fun Publications===
===Fun Publications===
Revision as of 00:28, 21 May 2018
This article is a featured article, and considered to be one of the most informative on this wiki.
The name or term "Onyx" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Onyx (disambiguation).
Of the Thirteen, Onyx Prime, the "Lord of Beasts", is the most spiritually-minded of their number, in tune with both the creatures of the natural world and the intangible realm of the spirit. He alone has the ability to properly use the three-faced Triptych Mask given to him by Primus; this artifact allows him to cast his spirit across vast distances to commune with the dreams of far-off beings, or even track the journey of a Spark across the afterlife. Though some view these strange mental voyages across distant realms as mere flights of fancy, Onyx and his visions make him one of the most inspirational Primes.
Onyx Prime's spiritual aptitude allowed him to cultivate an inscrutable presence that made him appear mysterious and slightly intimidating at the best of times, even to the other members of the Thirteen. In spite of his powers, Onyx Prime is a kind-hearted and friendly individual at Spark, a trait that made him one of the most liked members of the Thirteen. Indeed, all of his siblings treated him as a fiercely loyal companion and a steadfast confidant—Micronus Prime, in particular, once regarded Onyx as his closest friend. As the first Transformer to possess a beast mode, those Transformers who revere him as the greatest of the Primes tend to eschew the vehicular alternate modes of other Transformers, preferring to wear the animalistic forms exemplified by their spiritual progenitor.
Onyx Prime was the eighth member of the Thirteen produced by Primus, to serve as his children and warriors against his opposite, Unicron. As one of the mid-level Thirteen spawned between the opposing warriors Prima and Megatronus, Onyx Prime had a more balanced and elemental quality. He was a fierce warrior and fought valiantly in the battle with Unicron, but also had a spiritual side that intrigued some of his fellows while flummoxing others. He was very close to Solus Prime (often to Megatronus's chagrin) and was perhaps best friends with Micronus Prime.
The death of Solus Prime hit Onyx harder than any other member of the Primes. It was Onyx who discovered her body in her workshop, and the cry he let loose chilled Alpha Trion to his very oil. He had to be physically restrained by Vector Prime's power after finding Solus, and held in that position to prevent him from seeking vengeance on Megatronus himself. When the division between Megatronus and Liege Maximo came to a head, all the remained Thirteen warred with one another in a battle lust that was divorced from all possible reason. When they regained their senses, the Thirteen found Maximo dead and Onyx Prime gravely injured.
As Megatronus declared himself "The Fallen" forevermore and exiled himself from Cybertron, the Thirteen questioned what to do next. Solus Prime's body had melted down to the core of Cybertron, creating a font of life that could potentially produce new Cybertronians. As his dying act, Onyx Prime volunteered to catalyze the process, journeying down into this Well of All Sparks with the power of his Triptych Mask reorganizing the thirteen patterns of the Thirteen into an endless variety of new Cybertronians. They believed the power of Primus would preserve Onyx Prime at the core forevermore, keeping him from the death awaiting his injuries. Quintus Prime, Alchemist Prime, and Amalgamous Prime each contributed some of their power and skills to this experiment as well, ensuring its success. In the end, Optimus Prime and Micronus Prime chose to journey down into the Well with Onyx. Optimus intended to be reincarnated among the new sparks, allowing him to live among them and learn from them. Micronus could not bear to be parted from Onyx, and chose to exile himself to the core with his mortally wounded friend as well.
The experiment was a success, and the Well of All Sparks soon erupted with an endless array of new lifeforms, brought into existence by Onyx Prime and the power of his brothers and sisters. The Predacons of the Age of Evolution certainly drew strongly from Onyx's pattern, as did the other beastformers that followed in their wake over time. The Covenant of Primus
Prime cartoon
According to legend, at the beginning of time, Unicron and Primus battled each other for eons, with neither side remaining victorious for long. Till, that is, Primus created the Thirteen. These Thirteen defeated Unicron and cast him into space. One Shall Rise, Part 1
IDW Generation 1 continuity
In the barbarian age after the departure of the Knights of Cybertron, Onyx was the leader of a flock of wayward and mistreated Cybertronians, searching for whatever energon they could find. One day, they came across the time-lost Shockwave, transported twelve million years into the past as a result of the destruction of his time drive. The kindly Onyx offered the damaged Shockwave some of their energon and introduced himself. Realizing the implications of Onyx and his position in history, Shockwave took him up on his offer of energon after killing him first. Seizing control of Onyx's herd, Shockwave would take on his identity, eventually branding himself "Onyx Prime" and manipulating history under this guise till the 21st century. The First Who Was Named
When Nexus Prime united the Terminus Blade and Star Saber with the intent of thickening the walls between realities to prevent dimensional travel, Onyx Prime and the other members of the "multiversal singularity" incarnation of the Thirteen gathered to witness this momentous event. When Nexus brought the blades together, Onyx and the Thirteen ceased to exist as singularities and were splintered into multiple different incarnations across the multiverse. Out of the One, Many
The individual Thirteen were not identified on-panel in "Out of the One, Many", but an orange, winged, vaguely bird-like Transformer depicted in the comic was possibly Onyx.
Power of the Primes toy bios
Onyx Prime's Spark passed into the possession of one of the twelve Prime Masters; hidden within a suit of decoy armor, they safeguarded the abilities of the Primes until the present day. By uniting with a larger Transformer, the Prime Master could channel the powers of Onyx's Spark and grant them unique abilities that varied with each new partner. Power of the Primes
For a list of every permutation of Onyx Prime's abilities, see this link.
Toys
Generations
Predaking (Titan Class, 2018)
Power of the Primes Predaking comes packaged with Onyx Prime as a Prime Master. Since he is a Prime Master he can plug into any decoy armor's Pretender or weapon form, or replace a Power of the Primes Leader's Matrix core. Onyx Prime can also ride Legends Class figures and attach to Deluxe Class figures' chest armor, Voyager Class figures' bucklers, or Voyager Class figures' combined mode. It includes the frame for the Onyx Matrix, and can attach to it as a Prime Master would to a normal Matrix frame. When connected to the frame, he can hide in Predaking's chest, under Razorclaw's beast head. His presence among them might be due to the animalistic nature of the team.
Or you could pick... WHAT'S IN THE BOX.
This item is currently scheduled for release, but is not yet available at mass retail.
Notes
Like other members of the Thirteen, Onyx Prime was once as a multiversal singularity who existed as one being across all space and time, but that is no longer the case.
The artwork of Onyx Prime in the Covenant of Primus (at the top of this article) is a little hard to decipher, which has had something of a knock-on effect on his appearances in IDW's comics. He is a centaur, as can clearly (if briefly) be glimpsed in his Prime cartoon appearance, but the Covenant artwork depicts him rearing up on his hind legs, obfuscating his forelegs and leading several IDW artists to misinterpret his design, either mis-drawing his forelegs or omitting them entirely, thereby drawing him as a normal two-legged 'bot. Artist Kei Zama would later state on her Twitter that she views Onyx's "normal" position as a centaur but that he's facultatively bipedal and prone to standing on his hind legs for the sake of appearing imposing. But we later found out in Optimus Prime #18 that he is actually Shockwave, and the real Onyx Prime was always a centaur, but Shockwave being bipedal portrayed Onyx Prime as bipedal.
