Precursor World

A handy chart

The Precursor World (前史世界 Zenshi Sekai) is precisely what it says on the tin: the reality immediately prior to the "Known World" (正史世界 Seishi Sekai), aka the G1 World of Optimus Prime, Megatron, and friends.

Here, the Primus Vanguard wage their battle to destroy the evil forces of the Specters.

Or at least they did, before things got complicated...

Conceptual history

The seven Star Powers in their Matrices. (We know there are eight shut up.)

The exact nature of the Precursor World as a concept underwent some development over a number of comics from two major creators released by e-Hobby and Takara. As presented in the Legends —Spin Off— comics by Shin Sasaki, the setting appeared to be a universe totally unconnected to previous stories. Characters like Straxus and Rollermaster were given new backstories, while Convobat’s function of “Amazon Warrior” implied that his pack-in comic took place on Earth. Blue Big Convoy’s comic would present the Vanguard as operating on a multiversal level similar to pre-existing groups while also pulling in Go Prime under the name “Master Black Lion”, an Aligned continuity character previously established as being a multiversal traveller.

Under the Generations Selects line, Sasaki would show Optimus Prime and Galvatron being summoned from 2011 in the G1 World to an undescribed time and place to face off against a swarm of Novaroids and eventually the two teams of Seacons. Of particular note here is Seacons comic 4, Sasaki’s last work in the series, which shows Halfshell plotting on behalf of an unseen entity to create a new future, this being the earliest hint at this setting being in the distant past.

After this, Hayato Sakamoto would present the setting as the universe that existed before the JG1 universe, with multiple characters time-travelling back and forth between the two eras. Sakamoto would also elaborate on concepts introduced by Sasaki, such as seven varieties of Star Power being derived from The One. How exactly the original —Spin Off— fiction fits into all this remains to be seen.

Fiction

Generations Selects Special Comic

It's a very well lit universe.

In the beginning, there was G One. From G One emanated the Seven Lights, and with them seven universes. G One tasked Primus with the protection of these worlds, who in turn created the seven Orders of the Primus Vanguard, one colored Order to protect each colored world. The leader of each Order was given a unique Matrix, a vessel for the Light of their native universe. This was not all, however. An eighth vessel was made, a Silver Matrix capable of unspeakable power which Primus kept for himself. This Matrix was created with the unique ability to absorb all Seven Lights of G One, and, if filled, gave its bearer the ability to remake all of reality in their image.

When the Specters (ghastly "inversions" of the spectrum of Light taking the forms of the Vanguard's dead) threatened their multiverse, the leaders of the Primus Vanguard were forced to unleash their final option, and pooled the full Light of their Matrices to extinguish all shadows. This had the secondary effect of combining their seven universes into one peaceful, if chaotic, space.

Unfortunately, this peace was not to last. The Precursor World soon found itself under assault from a new threat: the Vok. Finale Part 1

Notes

• The Japanese term Zenshi Sekai more formally means "Prehistoric World". This is a label that exists in contrast with Seishi Sekai (lit. "Official History World"), which we've translated as "Known World". Those two terms are meant to emphasize the fact that this world exists prior to all history of the G1 World/Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity that is known to its characters and the reader.