Optimus Primal (BW)
| The name or term "Optimus" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Optimus (disambiguation). |
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.
Both sides entrenched themselves on their new world and the "Beast Wars" began. Strange unnatural sites and artifacts were discovered, leading Primal and the others to believe that aliens had seeded the primitive planet with experiments and traps. One such trap, the Standing Stones, ensnared Primal's body for a short time, during which the Maximals scrambled to ascertain their chain of command. In his absence, the Maximals squabbled and fought over leadership, until finally his core consciousness was able to speak to them and name Rattrap as his replacement. Primal's body was subsequently retrieved from the Standing Stones, and he resumed command.
Primal was killed destroying their moon-weapon and saving the planet. Miraculously his spark was recovered from the Matrix by Rhinox and placed in a blank protoform which become his new transmetal body. Primal now transformed into a mechanical gorilla with a gorilla-on-a-hoverboard third mode. Eventually it was discovered that this world was actually pre-historic Earth, altered by the alien Vok.
When Megatron attempted to assassinate Optimus Prime aboard the Ark, Primal took the great Autobot's spark inside himself to keep it protected. This caused his body to grow larger and stronger, gaining ground and air vehicle modes along with his previous gorilla form. This new "Optimal Optimus" successfully protected Prime's spark until it could be returned to his repaired body, saving history and the future from destruction.
In the end Primal's forces defeated Megatron's and with the captured Predacon strapped to the roof of a borrowed Autobot shuttle, the Beast Warriors at last headed home.
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 pursued 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.
Eventually Primal and his allies learn that Megatron broke free durring their Transwarp flight home and so arrived on Cybertron before them. Megatron conquered the planet and laid a trap for Primal's crew and any other Transformers returning to Cybertron.
During the events that follow Optimus Primal comes to be much more in touch with his spiritual side than he ever was before, due to an almost mystical connection to the Oracle, granting him visions and intuitions, guiding him to complete its designs. Though he has some trouble at first comprehending just what the Oracle wants and how to go about it, he is, in the end, successful. Optimus Primal sacrifices his life, plunging with Megatron into the heart of Cybertron and innitiating the reformating that returns the deactivated population to life and gives birth to the new technorganic Cybertron.
Universe
His sacrifice to end the Beast Machines conflict and restore Cybertron would not be the final battle for Optimus Primal. He had proved his worth to the matrix. When a spirit guide was needed to council the Optimus Prime (RiD) of an alternate reality Primal's spark was chosen for the task, and when the mechanations of Unicron lead to a new conflict, with Transformers abducted from across the multiverse forced to fight for Unicron's benefit, Vector Sigma and Alpha Trion chose Optimus Primal to lead the Children of Primus against this threat. Primal was returned to life, and chose his old comrades Depth Charge and Rhinox to return as well and aid him. (Returning Primal to life, however, also resulted in the return of his old foe Megatron's spark to the living in a new body.)
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 Lio Junior 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 Leadership Matrix, did not occur in American continuity. It's not clear when during the Beast Wars Optimus Primal was taken. Possibly the same time as his Robotmasters version.
Manga
When Lio Convoy goes nuts and grows to giant proportions, wreaking havok across the landscape, Convoy is summoned across time by the power of the Matrix to heal him.
Beast Wars Metals Manga
(Note: the Beast Wars Metals manga is NOT in-continuity with the Beast Wars television series.)
Optimus Primal, who was killed while destroying the Vok Planet Buster, is resurrected as a sparkless monster using a voodoo ceremony. Rhinox rescues Primal's spark from Transwarp Space and restores 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 cannibalistic 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)
- Japanese ID number: C-06
- Optimus Primal
- Japanese ID number: C-01
- Optimus Primal (Transmetal)
- Japanese ID number: C-40
- Optimal Optimus
- Japanese ID number: C-47
Beast Wars II
- Burning Convoy
Beast Machines
- Optimus Primal
- Blast Punch Optimus Primal
- Japanese ID number: BR-01
Robots in Disguise
- Air Attack Optimus Primal
Universe
- Optimus Primal
Robot Masters
- Beast Convoy
- Japanese ID number: RM-11
- Black Beast Convoy
- Burning Beast Convoy
- Japanese ID number: RM-21
Beast Wars 10th Aniversary
- Optimus Primal
- Optimus Primal (Original toy released in show accurate colors with a remolded head based upon the BW Reborn figure. And like the figure, it too will be released with an original Megatron also fixed up for the anniversary line in a vs. pack. Due out in fall/winter 2006)
Beast Wars Reborn
- Convoy
- Japanese ID number: BWR-01
Titanium Series
- Optimus Primal (3" Robot Master figurine)
- Optimal Optimus (6" Transformable figure)
Timelines
- Optimus Primal
