Primon

Primon is an Autobot from the Generation 1 continuity family.

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

Primon, or 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 is 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. His sole appearance came when Rodimus Prime voyaged into the Matrix in 2005, where he 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. He was succeeded as Matrix-bearer by Prima. 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. Covenant

Dreamwave comics continuity

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

Notes

• Primon is conspicuously absent from other lists of past Primes, even those by Simon Furman who wrote this text story. When questioned (see below), he offered up "The Matrix forgot?" as an excuse. (Also "Ummm...")
  • Hasbro's official doctrine, circa 2010, is that Prima is the first Transformer and first Matrix-bearer. Primon is the elephant in the room when it comes to the thirteen original Transformers, his predating Prima yet to be explained.

• 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 Dreawave's More Than Meets The Eye guidebook. Many pages were consolidated that day.

• The symbol stamped on Primon's forehead is a "prototype" version of the Autobot insignia. Although this is the only place it appears in-fiction, the symbol was later released as a sticker with Overcharge.

• 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.

External links

• Furman questioned about Primon in ASM interview

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