Optimus Primal (ROTB)

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

Optimus Primal is the Maximal leader from the Movie continuity family.

He's the leader of the bunch. You know him well.

Optimus Primal had the burden of leadership unexpectedly thrust upon him when Unicron attacked his homeworld. He and a handful of Maximals successfully evacuated their doomed planet and used the Transwarp Key to flee across time and space, a journey that led them to ancient Earth.

Since arriving in the jungles of Peru, Optimus and the last remaining Maximals have spent millennia awaiting the day when they would one day battle Unicron and his many minions once more. While the recently arrived Autobots disguise themselves from prying human eyes, Primal has walked among the tribes of South America for many thousands of years, and in that time has come to regard humans as trustworthy friends and capable allies. Primal has sacrificed much, and seen enough tragedy to compel a gentle, resolute wisdom—sometimes, the better part of wisdom is knowing when to make heroic speeches, and when to use your twin swords and powerful beast mode to protect the innocent.

“	When Unicron destroyed our world, we took an oath dedicated to the preservation of life. No matter the cost. And Earth has been a safe refuge.	”
—Optimus Primal, Rise of the Beasts

Fiction

Rise of the Beasts film

Voice actor: Ron Perlman (English), Takehito Koyasu (Japanese), Michel Vigné (European French), Emmanuel Jacomy (European French, first trailer), Patrick Chouinard (Canadian French), Tilo Schmitz (German), Riccardo Lombardo (Italian), Humberto Solórzano (Latin American Spanish), Dláigelles Silva (Brazilian Portuguese)

Aren't you tired of being nice?

Optimus Primal—named in honor of the famous Optimus Prime—was one of the Maximals who inhabited a distant jungle world. When Unicron, the Terrorcons, and their Predacon drones attacked, Primal and a small group of Maximals fought their way through to meet their leader Apelinq, guardian of the Transwarp Key that allowed their race to cross time and space. Aware that the Terrorcon leader Scourge would try to claim the key, Apelinq passed both the mantle of command and the Transwarp Key to Optimus, who used the key to escape their doomed world moments before Unicron devoured their home. Optimus and the three remaining Maximals—Airazor, Cheetor, and Rhinox—fled across space and time to ancient Earth, where they established a new base of operations in southern Peru. Originally, Optimus established a hidden tomb where they stored the Transwarp Key; in time, however, the Maximals came to befriend the humans who took up residence in the region and entrusted them with the device instead.

The Maximals remained in hiding for many thousands of years, until, in the year 1994, a sequence of events set in motion by the accidental discovery of the Transwarp Key on Earth led a team of Autobots and their human allies Noah Díaz and Elena Wallace to the jungles of South America. After Airazor stopped a brief standoff between him and Optimus Prime, Primal agreed to help them retrieve the second half of the Key before the Terrorcons retrieved it, and led them to a nearby village to meet with the latest guardians of the key.

However, the next morning, Scourge's corruption finally overcame Airazor, who'd been previously infected with his corrosive powers during a prior confrontation, and after a brief battle Primal was forced to put his infected teammate down for good. However, the battle allowed Scourge to get a hold of both halves of the Transwarp Key, and used them to open a portal through which to summon Unicron to Earth. The Autobots and Maximals took part in the final battle to retrieve the Transwarp Key and close the portal, with Primal killing a disarmed Battletrap by smashing his head to bits with his own wrecking ball. Although Optimus Prime successfully killed Scourge and destroyed the key, the imploding transwarp portal forced Primal and his allies into a retreat. However, just when it seemed Noah's attempt to rescue Optimus Prime from the imploding portal ended in failure, Primal arrived in the nick of time to help pull the Autobot leader to safety. With the evil defeated for now, the three remaining Maximals chose to stay behind in Peru while the Autobots returned to America, but not before forming an alliance ready to face the return of Unicron someday. Rise of the Beasts

Optimus Primal's involvement in the preceding events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the book "The Search Is On".

Toys

Rise of the Beasts

Make your pecs dance, you deserve it!

• Optimus Primal (Voyager Class, 2023)
  • TakaraTomy name: Voyager Class Optimus Primal
  • TakaraTomy ID number: BV-02
  • TakaraTomy release date: June 24, 2023
  • Accessories: 2 swords

Released in the first wave of "Core" Rise of the Beasts Voyager Class figures, Optimus Primal is based on his appearance in the movie, and transforms into a mechanical gorilla with both bipedal and quadrupedal arrangements. Primal comes with two swords very similar in design to those of his original incarnation's, and likewise both can be wielded in one hand. The swords store on two slots on his back.

This figure was first sighted in Mexico before any announcement from Hasbro.

Heyo, look out down below! Here he comes, banana slamma, Kongo Bongo's hero!

• Optimus Primal (Smash Changers, 2023)
  • TakaraTomy name: Papapatto (Quick) Change Optimus Primal
  • TakaraTomy ID number: BPC-01
  • TakaraTomy release date: April 15, 2023

• Known designers: Shogo Hasui and Tomoki Tatsumi (TakaraTomy)

This 9-inch (the same height as the Beast Wars Ultra Class figure) Optimus Primal toy changes automatically from gorilla to robot by tapping his feet against a surface three times -- once to unlock his auto-rotating waist into a standing pose, and twice more to convert him further after turning him face-forward.

TakaraTomy elder statesman and designer of most of Generation 1 Kōjin Ōno considers this toy a triumph of engineering. Yes, really.

I've heard of Apeface, but this is ridiculous!

• Optimus Primal (2-in-1 Mask, 2023)

This Optimus Primal converts from robot to a wearable mask of Optimus Primal's gorilla mode face in 12 steps.

This Kong's so strong, it's isn't funny!

• Optimus Primal (Ultimate, 2023)
  • TakaraTomy Name: Kakusei (Awakening) Optimus Primal
  • Accessories: 2 Cyber Blades, 2 Missiles

• Known designers: Kōjin Ōno and Yūya Ōnishi (TakaraTomy)

Released in the same size as the pre-War for Cybertron Trilogy Leader Class figures, "Ultimate" Optimus Primal transforms into a mechanical gorilla that can assume both bipedal and quadrupedal stances. He features poseable knuckles, a built-in interchangeable face mask, pop-out forearm plasma cannons, and a pair of back cannons complete with fully launchable pressure-launch projectile missiles (a gimmick not seen on a new-mold Transformers toy since Combiner Wars). Aside from the palms (complete with poseable knuckle fingers), Primal features additional 3mm ports on the shoulder armors, forearms, and lower legs for extra playability, where the Battle Masters can be mounted on to create the "Awakening Weapon Gorilla" form.

Ultimate Optimus Prime was first revealed by Hasbro for the Hasbro Pulse store, with TakaraTomy Mall putting up preorders a few days later. TakaraTomy Mall also added the "Burning Cheetor" Battle Master as a freebie with the preorder while orders from Amazon Japan included it as a paid manufacturer bonus.

• Optimus Primal (Command and Convert, 2023)

Beast Alliance

"Hey, Tigatron, could you come here for a second?"
"Sure, Optim-HEY WHAT ARE YOU OW OW OW OW-"

• Optimus Primal & Arrowstripe (Beast Weaponizers, 2023)
  • TakaraTomy name: Kakusei Change Set Optimus Primal & Arrowstripe
  • TakaraTomy ID number: BCS-01
  • TakaraTomy release date: April 15, 2023

• Known designers: Shogo Hasui (TakaraTomy)

Beast Weaponizer Optimus Primal converts from a 5-inch (roughly the size of his Robotmasters namesake) robot to a bipedal gorilla in 7 steps and comes packaged with Arrowstripe, a 3-inch Beast Battle Master toy that can convert from tiger to crossbow in 5 steps. Optimus Primal can wield Arrowstripe in crossbow mode.

Like the same line's Prime, the stock photo of his packaging depicts him being positioned on the left (with Arrowstripe on the right) before the actual product swaps their positions. The promotional render on the back of the box also depicts Arrowstripe's tail as being painted blue, which it is not on the finished toy.

Megatron's gonna see this and flip a desk.

• Optimus Primal & Skullcruncher (Beast Combiners, 2023)
  • TakaraTomy name: Kakusei Change Armor Set Optimus Primal & Skullcruncher
  • TakaraTomy ID number: BCAS-03
  • TakaraTomy release date: June 24, 2023

• Known designers: Koki Yamada (TakaraTomy)

Beast Combiners Optimus Primal converts simply from a robot to a quadrupedal gorilla in 7 steps, and is packaged with Skullcruncher, who Primal can be armored with after he's converted in 6 partially autotransformed steps.

File:TF-ROTB-Battlemaster-Primal.jpg

His coconut gun
Can fire in spurts
If he shoots ya, it's gonna hurt!

• Optimus Primal (Beast Battle Masters, 2023)
  • TakaraTomy name: Kakusei Weapon Optimus Primal
  • TakaraTomy ID number: BW-04
  • TakaraTomy release date: July 15, 2023

• Known designers: Shogo Hasui (TakaraTomy)

Beast Battle Master Optimus Primal is a 3-inch figure that transforms from gorilla to a blaster in 5 steps. Like other Beast Battle Masters, he features a 5mm peg on his blaster mode that allows it to be held by other figures. While stock photos depict his gorilla mode standing on two legs, it is actually designed to look more natural in a quadrupedal stance.

This figure was first found listed on Canadian store kidtoy.ca's website, prior to any announcement by Hasbro.

Studio Series

I'll shower you with coconut cream pies~

• Optimus Primal (Leader class, 2023)
  • Movie: Rise of the Beasts
  • Hasbro ID number: 106
  • Accessories: 2 Scimitars, 2 chain pieces, Axe, Transwarp Key, "Peruvian Jungle Discovery" backdrop

• Known designers: Evan Brooks (Hasbro), Shuhei Umezu (TakaraTomy)

Released as part of the thirteenth wave of Studio Series Leader Class figures, Optimus Primal transforms into a mechanical gorilla in 34 steps. He comes with 2 scimitars, the Transwarp Key (which can split in two, just like in the movie), and also an axe, which is intentionally meant for Studio Series Rise of the Beasts Optimus Prime. He also comes with 2 chain pieces which, whilst he didn't use in the final movie, were seen briefly in the first teaser trailer. He also features jaw articulation.

Optimus Primal's head in robot mode is the version which does not include the face mask, which is a strange design choice since we can only see his mouth for a mere few seconds in the movie.

While the aforementioned chain pieces were primarily included due to this figure being based off of early concept art, Primal's designer Evan Brooks later elucidate that, intentional or no, the 3mm connections they utilized mean that they can be combined with the wrecking ball included with Studio Series Battletrap to recreate the flail Battletrap very much did use in the film.

Primal's scimitars can store on the back in both robot and beast mode, which allows the handles to almost resemble the iconic shoulder cannons which featured on the original Beast Wars design.

• Designer commentary on Optimus Primal('s accessories) from Evan Brooks on Instagram

Merchandise

Yolopark

He has no style
He has no grace
Th-this Kong has a funny face

• Optimus Primal (model kit, 2023)
  • Accessories:

Yolopark's poseable, 8-inch snap-together pre-painted model kit of Rise of the Beasts Optimus Primal comes with his two swords, various replaceable hands, and an alternate face with a mouth.

Printables

• Optimus Primal (Print-in-place figure, 2023)

A 3D printable model of Optimus Primal in gorilla mode was made available for free by Paramount Pictures on Printables. Once printed, the figure features ten points of articulation on its arms and legs.

• More information on print-in-place Optimus Primal at Printables.com

• Optimus Primal (Bust, 2023)
  • Accessories: Stand

Another 3D printable model of Optimus Primal available on Printables, this time of his gorilla head on a stand. The stand features a prominent Maximal insignia.

• More information on the Optimus Primal bust at Printables.com

Figural Bag Clip

• Optimus Primal (2023)

Released by Monogram, this 2.5" 3D foam bag clip takes the form of a chibi Rise of the Beasts Optimus Primal in gorilla mode.

It was available only as part of a mystery blind bag collection.

Pop!

• Optimus Primal (2023)
  • ID number: 1376

Released as part of a Rise of the Beasts-themed batch of the Pop! Movies segment, Funko's Pop! Optimus Primal is a super deformed vinyl figure of the character roaring in gorilla mode.

Notes

Mmm... monkey

• Optimus Primal was originally conceived for Transformers: The Last Knight. His design in Rise of the Beasts is actually a heavy modification of Furio Tedeschi's unused concept art from said film. Aside from the removal of the AOE/TLK Optimus Prime-like helmet and the addition of organic components (like leather and fur), the most notable differences are a more brown-ish paintjob, green eyes and a more anatomic chest with a Maximal insignia. While the concept art intends for him to be larger, standing at least at 50 feet tall compared to a human, the official AR statue website app depicts Primal at 13'2" in beast mode.
• As a contrast to the more static faces of the Autobots, Steven Caple Jr. needed Primal's beast mode face to be more expressive. He had the graphics team split the face into myriad slivers so the mouth and eyebrows could move expressively, without subtracting the fact that he was supposed to be a robot in disguise.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Optimus Primal (オプティマスプライマル Oputimasu Puraimaru)
• Hungarian: Optimusz Falkavezér ("Pack Leader Optimus")
• Mandarin: Jīngāng Wáng (金剛王, "Vajra King"), Qíng Tiān Shèng (擎天圣, "Sage that Supports the Sky")