Ultra Magnus (G1)
| The name or term "Ultra Magnus" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Ultra Magnus (disambiguation). |
Ultra Magnus is an Autobot in the Generation 1 continuity.
Ultra Magnus feels he is a soldier and nothing more. He very much prefers taking orders to giving them, and even avoids opportunities for higher responsibility. But when he is forced into those opportunities, he betrays his real talent for the job. He's strong, resolute, dependable, selfless, and courageous. Sadly, Ultra Magnus is the only Autobot who doesn't realize this.
Believing he is nothing but a soldier, Ultra Magnus is perfectly willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good if need be. He knows he's more powerful than the average Autobot, and will throw himself at larger threats accordingly. There is a special enmity between he and Galvatron for this reason, for Galvatron may be the most deadly foe of all.
He is possibly Optimus Prime's brother.
Fiction
Generation 1 Cartoon
Voice actors: Robert Stack → Jack Angel (US); Banjō Ginga → Show Hayami → Hōchū Ōtsuka (Japan)
By 2005, Ultra Magnus was the full-fledged City Commander for Autobot City. Autobot City was under his authority when Megatron and the Decepticons waged their full-scale attack. Ultra Magnus ordered Springer and Arcee to transform it to battle-mode, but it only held the Decepticons off for so long. In the fight, Optimus Prime was mortally wounded and passed the Matrix of Leadership on to Ultra Magnus, making Magnus the new Supreme Commander of the Autobots.
Autobot City was quickly attacked a second time by Galvatron, the upgraded version of Megatron. Ultra Magnus lured him away on his shuttle, but was eventually shot-down onto the Planet of Junk. Galvatron tracked him there and Ultra Magnus managed to draw him away from the other Autobots to face the enemy alone. Magnus attempted to open the Matrix, but the Matrix was all like "Up yours", and Ultra Magnus was blown to pieces. Galvatron took the Matrix, intending to use it to destroy Unicron.
After the Autobots befriended the Junkions, they used their expertise to rebuild Ultra Magnus. Magnus joined the other Autobots in the battle with Unicron on Cybertron and helped drive the last of the Decepticons from their home planet.
In 2006 (or 2010, if you're Japanese), Magnus ceased his role as a City Commander and became head-adviser to Rodimus Prime, the new Supreme Commander of the Autobots and chosen one of the Matrix. Rodimus Prime, in his inexperience, was rather inept at leading the Autobots. Ultra Magnus did a vast majority of the actual leadership, while that dick, Roddy, got all the credit. When the Hate Plague possessed all of Earth and Cybertron, Ultra Magnus' subconsciousness hatred of Rodimus came to the surface. Ultra Magnus singled Rodimus Prime out of all the other Autobots and focused all his rage on him, vowing to track him wherever he went.
Ultra Magnus was eventually cured of the Hate Plague when Optimus Prime came back from the dead. He then returned to his post as City Commander on Earth.
Scramble City OVA
(Note: Scramble City takes place before the events of Transformers: the Movie.)
Ultra Magnus first came to Earth around the year 1986 to head-up the Scramble City (AKA Autobot City) project. Under his supervision, Metroplex was built. Unfortunately, he didn't do too good a job supervising the whole thing, as Astrotrain and Reflector were able to sneak-in close enough to the project to take detailed photographs of the construction process of Metroplex. The Constructicons then used that information to create Metroplex's rival, Trypticon. Metroplex was discovered by spies a second under Ultra Magnus' watch, this time by Ratbat, who leaked the location back to Megatron.
Japanese manga
(The "Fight! Super Robot Life Transformer" manga takes place before the events of Transformers the Movie and around the events of Scramble City)
Ultra Magnus appears most prominantly in the 4th issue of the Fight! Super Robot Life Transformer! manga published by TV Magazine. In this issue he delivers Optimus Prime his trailer, containing a special cannon upgrade, the "Scramble Power Buster". They engage the Decepticons in battle and Ultra Magnus and Optimus Prime team-up to defeat the villains with their "Convoy Magnus Double Cross Kick".
(This issue specifically notes that Optimus Prime looks upon Ultra Magnus as his "Kid Brother". Although the manga is a suppliment to the TV series, this family-dynamic between the two characters was never used in the cartoon.)
Headmasters Cartoon
Ultra Magnus continued his work as Commander of Autobot City on Earth and was instrumental in several victories over the Decepticons. Because of this, Sixshot singled him out for assasination. Ultra Magnus and Sixshot engaged in a one-on-one duel outside Autobot City, and Ultra Magnus was completely wrecked by Sixshot's six transformations. He was finally done in by Sixshot's mysterious 7th transformation, "Wingwolf". After his death, Ultra Magnus was placed in a coffin and buried on Earth, the planet he loved so dearly.
Marvel UK Comics continuity
Dreamwave Generation 1 Comics
Toys
Generation 1
- Ultra Magnus
- Japanese ID number: C-69
