Matrix of Leadership

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You put the life in the coconut.

The Matrix of Leadership (sometimes the Creation Matrix) is an artifact of great power. It is traditionally carried by the current Autobot Leader.

Much about the Matrix remains a mystery, including its exact composition. It generally appears as a hollow, spherical metal shell with two handles on either side and with a core sphere of blueish crystal at its center.

The Matrix is the one thing, the only thing which Unicron fears.

(The exact nature and power of the Matrix varied according to continuity. See individual entries below for details.)

Generation One

Marvel Comics continuity

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

Called the Creation Matrix, here it contains the essence of the Transformer's creator-god Primus, making it the one thing that can destroy Unicron, being the essence of his ancient enemy and antithesis.

Possessing the Creation Matrix allows the bearer to not only grant new Transformer life to otherwise unsentient constructs, but to also manipulate all machinery in a form of telekinesis. (The latter was only seen in practice when the human Buster Witwicky was in possession of it, so it is possible this ability was exclusive to him.)

File:Geneticmatrix.jpg

No one can be told what the Matrix is.

The Keeper of Primus refers to the Creation Matrix as the Genetic Matrix, a name which has seemingly fallen out of use in the modern era.

Its known bearers are:

• Prima
• Prime Nova
• Sentinel Prime
• Optimus Prime
• Buster Witwicky
• Rodimus Prime
• Thunderwing
• Starscream
• General Ghyrik

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

(In the later Botcon text story Reaching the Omega Point Simon Furman adds Primon to this number though he is never mentioned elsewhere. Not even by the Matrix itself.)

(Note: In its earliest stories the comic book version of the Matrix was portrayed as a life-granting computer program residing within Optimus Prime. After The Transformers: The Movie established it as a physical object Simon Furman retconned it into being such in the comics as well, first in the UK then the US books, with Powermaster Prime's Universe profile clarifying that the program was encoded in light patterns within the Matrix's crystal core.)

Animated continuity

File:MovieMagnus matrix.jpg

"Will I at least get to use the Matrix?" "No! Quit asking."

Called The Matrix of Leadership or Autobot Matrix or some combination of the two is an artifact of great power which holds within it the accumulated wisdom of past Autobot Leaders. As such it is traditionally carried by the current Autobot Leader.

My preciousssss!

Why the Matrix is the one thing, the only thing, which Unicron fears is not quite clear, but it seems to be in some way connected to Primacron's Assistant. It generally displays no powers beyond granting wisdom/visions and acting as a key to Vector Sigma. However it does, on occasion, seem capable of empowering and upgrading a Transformers physical form.

Known Matrix Bearers- The only named robots known to have possessed the Matrix of Leadership in the cartoon are:

• Optimus Prime
• Rodimus Prime
• Ultra Magnus
• Scourge

However, more than a dozen more past Autobot Leaders are seen within it at various points, but none of these are ever given names.

Decepticons using the Matrix either become disgusting freaks...

In the distant past the scientist Primacron and his assistant created some of the first, primitive Transformers (how exactly this connects to their Quintessonian origin revealed elsewhere in the Cartoon is unrevealed). Primacron eventually created Unicron, who rebeled against his maker. In the ensuing conflict Primacron was badly injured and his robotic-seeming assistant appeared destroyed. His Assistant survived however and out of his remains rose what appeared to be the Autobot Matrix of Leadership which then flew off into space. (The exact meaning and import of this flashback is unclear, but it seems to suggest the Matrix began as the essence of Primacron's assistant.)

...or get harassed by the ghost of Robocop.

The Matrix of Leadership first documented appearance in modern times occurred when a dying Optimus Prime passed it, and Autobot Leadership to his chosen successor, Ultra Magnus.

Before passing away, Prime spoke of a prophecy - that one day, "The Chosen One" would rise from the ranks of the Autobots, and use the power of the Matrix to light the Transformers' darkest hour. That darkest hour soon came upon Cybertron in the form of the world-eater, Unicron, who knew that the Matrix's power was the one thing that could destroy him. Recreating Decepticon leader Megatron as Galvatron, he dispatched him to steal the Matrix, but when Galvatron obtained the talisman, he tried and failed to use its power against Unicron. Ultimately, the Chosen One who could open the Matrix proved to be the youthful Hot Rod, who reclaimed the Matrix and was transformed by its power into Rodimus Prime, before opening it within Unicron and releasing its power, which tore Unicron apart from within.

File:Dark awakening matrix.jpg

"Swap Matrix for braaainnns?"

Later, when injured in battle, Rodimus's consciousness briefly entered the Matrix itself, and he discovered that it was more than a mere source of energy - it, in fact, contained the amassed wisdom of deceased Autobot leaders throughout history. Venturing into the Matrix a second time, Rodimus was shown the history of Cybertron by the ancient Autobots whose consciousnesses existed within the Matrix, revealing to him the Quintessons role in the creation of the Transformers. When he was resurrected, Optimus Prime later did the same thing when faced with the Hate Plague, (which he ALSO seemed to claim as their "darkest hour"). To cure the madness of the plague he expelled all of the wisdom from within the Matrix, saving the universe, but emptying the Matrix and leaving only a shell. He claimed they would have to start filling it with wisdom again, from that moment on.

Optimus Prime eventually used the shell of the Matrix as a substitute key to access Vector Sigma.

File:Matrix troop1.jpg

You see, this is why they don't use the Matrix too often - it keeps playing old 8-tracks of Stan Bush.

Energon Matrix

For further information, see: Energon Matrix

In Japan, the original Matrix held by Optimus and Rodimus Prime was portrayed more as a power source than anything else, though its power did apparently determine which faction Vector Sigma would obey. (Once the Matrix was depowered in Return of Optimus Prime, Vector Sigma became open to either Autobots or Decepticons controlling it, and by extension the planet.)

In later Japanese continuity a Matrix was seemingly carried by any individual with high rank. Therefore, there are many distinct Matrices. (It is unknown what relation, if any, these have to the original.) They tend to be weapons of extreme power and last resort. Accessing them, or having two of them in close proximity, can "power-up" their possessors into temporarily enhanced forms.

• Beast Convoy
• Leo Prime
• Lio Junior (a copy of Leo Prime's)
• Big Convoy

Dreamwave comics continuity

Matrix-shaped platform above the Oracle Tank

Prior to Optimus, the Matrix was held by Sentinel Prime, an Autobot leader killed by Megatron in an attempt to gain possession of the artifact. But Sentinel had already given up the Matrix for reasons unknown (perhaps foreseeing his own death), passing it to the Council of Ancients, who chose a data archivist named Optronix as the new bearer. Optronix and the Matrix were lowered into the Oracle Tank, with the words "Fill this sacred vessel with the wisdom of the ages", though it may be that the council was referring to Optronix and not the Matrix. Like Hot Rod, Optronix - now Optimus Prime - is physically changed by the installation of the Matrix, his frame altered to become larger and more powerful. Soon after, he is attacked by Megatron who cracks open his form and exposes the Matrix, which shows both Optimus and Megatron visions of the future, seeming to transport them to Earth, then to Nebulon. It is implied that Optimus somehow uses the Matrix to force Megatron to forget these visions, though how much knowledge he himself retains is unknown.

Before the Autobots leave for Cybertron on the Ark II, Optimus Prime gives Spike Witwicky a piece of the Matrix to safeguard during their journey. The Ark II crashes, but when Spike and Optimus are reunited, Spike returns the piece to him. Optimus uses the complete Matrix of Leadership to awaken his deactivated troops and call them to him.

A Dreamwave newsletter provides us a seldom-seen image of the back of the Matrix.

After returning to Cybertron, a chain of events ultimately leads Optimus Prime to a confrontation with Shockwave in the chamber containing Vector Sigma. Shockwave transforms and blows open Optimus Prime, claiming the Matrix for himself and using it to access Vector Sigma's databanks. Shockwave was defeated by Ultra Magnus and the Matrix returned to Optimus Prime, but the forceful removal of the Matrix from his body combined with the long period of time spent without it caused a great deal of trauma to his systems, necessitating an extended session in a CR chamber to recover, and suggesting that at least in the Dreamwave comics the Matrix actually integrates with the systems of its holder to some degree rather than merely residing inside them.

Beast Wars

In the 1990s animated series, Beast Wars and Beast Machines series, the nature of the Matrix was explored and evolved.

These series used "The Matrix" as a term that referred not merely to the physical object, but to an actual other-dimensional realm - the Transformer afterlife also called the Allspark, the well of all sparks that are, have been, or ever shall be. From the Allspark springs all Transformer life, and when a Transformer dies, their spark returns to the Allspark, sharing its life experience with the collective, creating a huge store of accumulated wisdom and knowledge. Understanding this, it can be retroactively assumed that the physical Matrix object wielded by Autobot leaders in the cartoon continuity is not simply a storehouse of knowledge itself, but rather, a gateway to this afterlife realm. Similarly, this also explains its ability to bestow life as seen in the comic book continuity - by transferring a spark from the Allspark through its connection to the realm.

(According to the story editors, the Matrix was also used as a nickname in the Beast Wars series for the facility which produced Maximal protoforms, though this information was never introduced in the show.)

Universe: Primeval Dawn

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

After the Beast Wars, Tarantulas was reborn, intending to use his new Vok powers to steal the Matrix and warp reality to his liking. To protect the timestream, the Vok took the Matrix of Leadership from the unconscious Optimus Prime residing within the Ark, used it to create Primal Prime, then gave the Matrix to their new creation. In the following battle, however, Tarantulas was able to overpower Primal Prime and rip the Matrix from his body.

(Note: In the Beast Wars cartoon, Prime's spark was shown to be contained in a Matrix-like vessel. In Primeval Dawn, that vessel was shown to be merely a container for his spark, and the actual Matrix was hidden underneath.)

Unicron Trilogy

Animated continuity

Armada's version of the Matrix

Optimus Prime tried to pass the Matrix on to Hot Shot before he warped into space with Jetfire, but Hot Shot refused it, not feeling himself worthy.

When Optimus died standing purposefully in the path of the Hydra Cannon blast meant for Earth, Prime's Mini-Con partner Sparkplug held on to the Matrix, floating helplessly until rescued.

Later, it was the Mini-Cons who resurrected Prime, entering the Matrix and reconstructing a new body for him. Some time later, Unicron forced Prime to face the fact that on some level he enjoyed the thrill of combat. Following Unicron's defeat, Galvatron challenged Optimus to one final, furious battle. Prime choose to discard the Matrix at this time, flinging it into the void of space, so that he could battle Galvatron not as the leader of the Autobots, but as himself.

(How Optimus Prime got the Matrix back after this is uncertain.)

Note: Although in Energon Optimus Prime appears to have a permanent Matrix-like structure (complete with handles and all!) in his chest, this is not the case! The devise located in his chest is the Spark of Combination and not the Matrix of Leadership

In Transformers Cybertron, Optimus Prime uses the Matrix of Leadership to widen Vector Prime's dimension gates. Optimus Prime's distinctive cyber key is unique because of the influence of his Matrix.

Toys

Generation 1

• New Year Convoy (2002)

He comes with the Matrix of Leadership!

• Galvatron II (2005)

He comes with the Creation Matrix! It's green.

Robots in Disguise

• Optimus Prime (2000, 2001)

Robots in Disguise Optimus Prime has a little door on his chest that hides a sculpted Matrix. It cannot be removed.

20th Anniversary/Masterpiece

• Optimus Prime (2003/2004)

Japanese ID number: MP-01

20th Anniversary Optimus Prime includes a removable vacuum-metalized Matrix of Leadership that can also be pulled open.

• Ultra Magnus

Japanese ID number: MP-02

He had it too.

• Convoy Perfect Edition (2006)

Japanese ID number: MP-04

He still had it here.

Armada

• Optimus Prime (Super Base, 2002/2003)

Japanese ID number: MC-01

The large version of Armada Optimus Prime has a non-removable Matrix of Leadership behind the grill on his chest. This feature was kept for the various redecos of this mold.

Cybertron

• Optimus Prime (Leader, 2005)

Japanese ID number: GC-01

Cybertron Optimus Prime has a removable Matrix of Leadership in his chest. This feature was kept for the "Galaxy Force Optimus Prime" redeco.

Classics

• Optimus Prime (20th Anniversary DVD Edition, 2006)

Yep, this version of the 20th Anniversary Optimus Prime mold still has the Matrix.

From Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki, a Wikia wiki.