Optimus Prime (KOU)
| The name or term "Optimus Prime" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Optimus Prime (disambiguation). |
- Optimus Prime is a rocker from the Knights of Unicron continuity family.
A true metalhead, Optimus Prime is the lead vocalist for the Knights of Unicron. Though he was once but a lowly record store clerk, he rose to fame and fortune after replacing Knights of Unicron founding member Bumblebee as the band's frontman. Truly the stuff of legend, when Optimus isn't performing face-melting musical hits, touring the cosmos and revolutionizing the music industry, he is often involved in petty in-fighting with his (former or current) band members. Optimus is in a relationship with Arcee.
Fiction
Behind the Music
In 1979, the bot who would one day take the stage name "Optimus Prime" was an unassuming record store clerk. Upon hearing of Bumblebee's dropping out of the band "Bumblebee and the Hive" and the ensuing search for a replacement talent, the store clerk submitted a demo tape to the band. Wildly impressed by the tape, the band hired him as their new lead singer. Optimus Prime rechristened the band the "Knights of Unicron" and led them back up to the top of the charts within the year.
In 1982, Optimus brought on his girlfriend, Arcee as the band's unofficial fifth member. Tension rose between Optimus and the rest of the band as he allowed Arcee to influence his decisions more and more as time passed. Following the bombing of the band's "Purple Energon" album in 1983, Optimus and Arcee organized a benefit concert to restore Iacon's Energon pools without the help of the rest of the band. Responding to Megatron's questioning him on how dedicated to the band he is, Optimus made a one-line press release: "Music is the right of all sentient beings." By the year's end Optimus found success in pursuing a solo album, "Ride the Energon."
Optimus nonetheless rejoined his band members in 1984 for their most ambitious tour, "Cybertronian Democracy." Though highly successful, the tour was also a financial drain on the band. Optimus was involved in a backstage brawl with as the rest of his band as the tour neared its end. The fight lead to the band's second dissolution. By 1990, Optimus opened "The Matrix of Music," a concert network dedicated to give emerging bands a home and bring music to the masses. In the years that ensued, Optimus decided to make all of his music available for free uplink on the Cybertronian Mainframe. This led to serious lawsuits.
By 2014, Optimus was still rocking the music scene, now the lead of a new band... until the call came to reunite with the other Knights. The reunion tour was sure to be like nothing ever seen before. Behind the Music
Games
Transformers Legends
After years of performing, The Knights of Unicron found themselves in need of new talent, especially since that spotlight-stealing hack Megatron often clashed with Optimus over creative differences. After a series of grueling auditions, Optimus and the rest of the band welcomed Smooth Jazz into their ranks. Years of glorious thrashing followed, cut short by infighting between Optimus and Megatron. The band split once more, going their separate ways for the time being. Knights of Unicron
Toys
Knights of Unicron
- Knights of Unicron Reunion Tour Set (San Diego Comic-Con 2014 exclusive, 2014)
- Accessories: Microphone
- Knights of Unicron Optimus Prime is a redeco of the Generations Deluxe Class Fall of Cybertron Optimus Prime, transforming from a rocker-themed Cybertronian truck into a rocker-themed robot. Instead of his Ion Blaster, Optimus Prime comes with a microphone accessory.
- The figure was released along with other Knights of Unicron members Megatron, Soundwave, Laserbeak, Ratbat, & Smooth Jazz as a San Diego Comic-Con 2014 exclusive box set.
