Optimus Primal (BW)
Optimus Primal is a Maximal and an Autobot in the Beast Era portion of the Generation 1 continuity.
Young and untested, Optimus Primal was a mere captain of an exploration ship when he and his crew were diverted off-course to pursue a stolen Predacon ship. The rest, they say, is (literally) history.
Though he does have a penchant for stuffy speeches, Optimus Primal is much more down-to-earth than his legendary namesake. He is committed to the Maximal codes of honor and moral judgment, but he does view them with some irreverence, and is not above finding loopholes or administering unorthodox solutions if necessary. ("Sometimes, crazy works," he says.) He is eternally loyal to his friends and respectful to his enemies. He is brave and selfless in battle. However, he is so committed to helping others that he can withdraw into a deep depression when he feels he has let them down. This is the only time he is self-absorbed.
Optimus Primal is extraordinary for not only being able to distinguish himself despite living in the shadow of Optimus Prime, but for perhaps even surpassing him. It is possible Optimus Primal is the greatest Cybertronian hero who has ever lived.
European-market name: Blackjack
Japanese name: (Beast) Convoy
Fiction
American animated continuity
Timelines
Beast Wars
Voice actor: Gary Chalk (US), Takehito Koyasu (Japan)
Optimus Primal was the captain of the exploration ship Axalon when his crew got word that the Predacon criminal Megatron had stolen the Golden Disk and a ship with transwarp capabilities. Primal's was the closest vessel that also possessed a transwarp drive, so the Axalon was sent to engage them. Primal followed the Predacons through a transwarp portal and appeared above a mysterious planet, but both ships were damaged in the ensuing space battle, and before both ships crashed into the planet's surface below, Primal ordered that the stasis pods carrying the rest of his crew to be ejected into orbit.
The planet was rich with energon -- so much so that prolonged exposure would short out their bodies, so the Maximals and Predacons were forced to take organic forms from the local creatures. Primal took the form of silverback gorilla. Estranged, the Predacon Dinobot challenged Primal to a duel, seeking command of the Maximals so he could, in turn, defeat Megatron. Primal won both the duel and Dinobot's respect, and Dinobot joined their ranks.
Beast Machines
Voice actor: Gary Chalk (US), Takehito Koyasu (Japan)
Optimus Primal suddenly finds himself alone on Cybertron, back in his original organic gorilla body, unfamiliar with how he arrived there, and persued by an army of tank drones. A supernatural force leads him to Rattrap, Cheetor, and Blackarachnia, and though all four appear to be succumbing to the effects of a deadly virus that is keeping them from transforming into their robot modes, he is able to lead them to the legendary Oracle. The Oracle reformats them into new technorganic forms that are immune to the virus.
Universe
Cybertron
Optimus Prime recalls the end of the Universe conflict, where we see Optimus Primal leading an assault on the Minions of Unicron. But, suddenly, Unicron's existence is unstable, and thanks to Primal's victory, he and his troops are able escape back to Cybertron as the Dark God disappears. (Unknown to Primal, Unicron's dispersion was caused by the Grand Black Hole in an alternate timeline.)
Japanese
Beast Wars II
Movie
Convoy (Optimus Primal) is summoned across time by Liojunior to help Lio Convoy destroy Majin Zarak. Convoy becomes Burning Convoy by joining the power of his matrix with Lio Convoy's.
After Majin Zarak's destruction, Optimus Primal returned to ancient Earth.
The events of the Beast Wars II movie, especially Optimus Primal having a matrix, did not accour in American continuity. It's not clear when during the Beast Wars Optimus Primal was taken from. Possibly the same time as his Robotmasters verion.
Manga
When Lio Convoy goes nuts and grows to giant proportions, wreaking havok across the landscape, Convoy is summoned across tiem by the power of the Matix to heal him.
Beast Wars Metals Manga
Optimus Primal, who was killed while destroying the Vok Planet Buster, is ressurected as a sparkless monster using a voodoo ceremony. Rhinox rescues Primal's spark from Transwarp Space and resores him to his body.
Later, he eats Optimus Prime's spark.
The Metals Manga takes Primal's manic action hero side to the next level. He once put a bomb in his mouth and tricked the canibalistic Rampage into eating his head. "I have a spare," he says casually, transforming to beast mode.
Robot Masters
Voice actor: Yuto Kazama (Japan)
In the story of the brief toyline of Robot Masters, Optimus Primal chased Megatron in yet another time warp into the Generation 1 era. There, he met and joined forces with the Optimus Prime. Since both were known as simply Convoy in their respective Japanese series, Optimus Prime was designated "G1 Convoy" while Optimus Primal was designated "Beast Convoy". Together, their special attack was a massive energon tornado called Double Convoy Tornado. The Double Convoy Tornado would come to be countered by Beast Megatron's and Rebirth Megatron's Double Megatron Tornado, but emerge victorious with the addition of Lio Convoy's Lio Typhoon Arrow, creating Triple Convoy Tornado Link attack.
In this storyline, he also had a temporary virus-induced Black Body form which was depicted by the Hobby Japan magazine exclusive toy. There was another toy form, which was a translucent red form called "Burning Beast Convoy", referring to his Beast Wars II Movie form where he partnered Lio Convoy, turning them into Burning Convoy (note the name difference) and Flash Lio Convoy respectively.
Toys
Beast Wars
- Optimus Primal (versus two-pack)
- Optimus Primal
- Optimus Primal (Transmetal)
- Optimal Optimus
Beast Wars II
- Burning Convoy
Beast Machines
- Optimus Primal
- Blast Punch Optimus Primal
Robots in Disguise
- Air Attack Optimus Primal
Universe
- Optimus Primal
Robot Masters
- Beast Convoy
- Black Beast Convoy
- Burning Beast Convoy
Beast Wars 10th Aniversery
- Optimus Primal
Titanium Series
- Optimus Primal (3" Robot Master figurine)
Timelines
- Optimus Primal
