Thirteen

This article is about the group of ancient Transformers . For the comic series that might never be published, see Transformers: The Thirteen.

Guess the one on fire!

We are the 13, the first, the forgotten, each of us serving a function vital to the survival of the universe. Each of us designated a Prime and given a function to serve during the long march of infinity.Vector Prime, "Vector Prime: In the Beginning"

When Primus first created Cybertron, he created a crew of thirteen living robotic beings to man him. These beings, in imitation of Unicron's transformation abilities, were able to change their forms into the likeness of vehicles, weapons, and machinery. They were the first Transformers, all godlike Primes, and rightfully huge. Many of the thirteen died in a cataclysmic first battle with Unicron, where he was sucked down into a black hole and trapped along with his acolyte known as The Fallen, one of the thirteen who had turned against his brothers and joined Unicron. Of those that survived, many abandoned their original functions and were lost to time. Only Vector Prime was known to still be following the path he was set upon by Primus. They are sometimes referred to simply as the Primes.

The thirteen

Vector Prime steps forward from the First Thirteen Tabernacle Choir with a heartfelt solo.

The identities of most of the thirteen remain shrouded in mystery.

Confirmed members are:

• Prima, the first Matrix-bearer and first Transformer born from Cybertron, leader of the 13. He was a warrior of light who used a Star Saber with the Matrix as its hilt.
• "The Fallen" (originally Megatronus Prime), the guardian of entropy and warrior of darkness.
• Alpha Trion who can see the past, present, and future, and who holds the Covenant of Primus and the Quill.
• Vector Prime, the guardian of space and time.
• Nexus Prime, the guardian of the multiverse's Rarified Energon, capable of splitting into 5 smaller robots:
  • Skyfall
  • Landquake
  • Breakaway
  • Topspin
  • Heatwave
• The Liege Maximo, the ultimate evil counterforce of good.
• An as yet unnamed female warrior.

Possible members are:

• Logos Prime, also known as "Soundblaster". The Beast Wars Reborn text story establishes that Logos Prime is an "Ancient", has incredible powers over space and time, and is "one of [Vector Prime's] own", which all combine with his title to strongly suggest that he is one of the thirteen. Additionally, the silhouetted image of the thirteen produced by Yuji Kaida for TakaraTomy's World of Transformers web site (written by Hirofumi Ichikawa, author of the Beast Wars Reborn story) includes a shadowed figure closely resembling Logos Prime, seemingly cementing TakaraTomy's intention that he be part of the group. However, a recent non-committal Hasbro Q and A answer suggests that they may not be including him in their definitive canonical list of 13 after all.
• The Last Autobot; according to the words he spoke "Since Cybertron's Creation, I have slumbered within the planet, awaiting a time long foreseen by your creator, Primus", it can be inferred that he might be one of the thirteen.

Numerous other very ancient Transformers exist—Boltax, steward of the Underbase, and the Keeper, protector of the slumbering Primus—but none have been included in the ranks of the thirteen.

Functions

Aside from their base functions as "crew" for Primus's planet form and their duty to battle Unicron, the quote above hints that each was given another charge. Three of the four known members of the thirteen were also charged with protecting specific aspects of the multiverse. It is possible, but unconfirmed, that each of the other ten might also have originally had an assigned role as guardian to some aspect of reality.

Vector Prime was tasked with overseeing the space and time continuum. The Prime who would eventually become the Fallen was tasked with overseeing the process of entropy. Nexus Prime was tasked with overseeing the multiverse's Rarified Energon.

Multiversal singularities

The original thirteen are multiversal singularities like Primus and Unicron, with only one of each of them existing throughout the whole multiverse. Though they may pass from universe to universe, it is one quantum individual doing so, and they possess no alternate-reality counterparts as normal beings do. For further details on how this weird little mind-bender works, see that article.

Fiction

Generation 1

Marvel Comics continuity

So if Prima was the first Transformer, who is that looming over him?

Megatronus wishes he was me.

As Unicron learned how to change his planetary form, Primus created the 13 in imitation of him. The 13 reproduced by budding, but the process had dark byproducts, so Prima was given the Matrix to perpetuate their race instead. Primal Scream The Power and the Glory

Unbeknownst to many, the Cybertronian Empire continued budding millions of years later, at their insistence of their leader, Liege Maximo. Liege Maximo described himself as the ultimate evil created as a counterpoint to the first Prime, and described Megatron as his "descendant". A Rage in Heaven!

The technically non-canon Alignment states Liege Maximo continued budding selectively, causing a small taint in the Transformers that led to the Decepticons.

Generation 1 cartoon continuity

When Rodimus Prime journeyed inside the Matrix, Prima was the second guide he encountered. He was created from the corpse of another robot which the Quintessons deactivated for its underperformance in its tasks. The robot was smelted and reformed into Prima, who, through unknown circumstances, became the second documented bearer of the Matrix. Prima was made to battle in the Quintessons' gladiatorial pits, but finding the endless fighting repellent, he decided to strike back at his masters. He was blasted out of the air, and fell to the ground in a smoking wreck, apparently deceased. He was succeeded as Matrix-bearer by Prime Nova. Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4

Prima's appearance was a retcon introduced by The AllSpark Almanac Volume 2. In the episode's script he was simply referred to as "Powerful Robot".

Beast Era

Before creating the Thirteen, Primus created the Covenant on the moon Protos to practice his creation abilities. They once had a vision of Liege Maximo tearing the Matrix from Primon's chest. Covenant

When Megatron shot Optimus Prime in the head, Vector Prime was forced to intervene to prevent Prime from dying and changing history. Vector Prime: In the Beginning

Dreamwave Comics

The Fallen was thwarted in his attempted to sabotage Primus' physical form, and the 13 allegedly died after casting The Fallen and his master Unicron through a black hole into another dimension. Transformers: The Ultimate Guide Several million years before the 20th century, The Fallen returned after a space bridge accident that allegedly killed Optimus Prime and Megatron weakened the barrier between reality and The Fallen's prison. He set about initiating the "Unbinding", recruiting the Chaos Trinity of Bludgeon, Mindwipe, and Bugly, promising them knowledge of the occult. Fragmentation The four Transformers captured Grimlock, Jetfire, Blitzwing and Hot Spot, strapping them to a device in the Well of All Sparks that would drain their unique sparks to break the Seal of Primus. Confrontation Several factions defeated the Chaos Trinity and penetrated The Fallen's operation, as Jetfire arranged a force-field to surround the Seal. The Fallen was impressed that Jetfire understood enough to try to contain the Seal, not realizing the God of Light had been roused from his slumber. With a gesture of his radiant hand, Primus engulfed his wayward creation in a torrent of searing energy that was then sucked back into the Seal of Primus. Conflagration

Unicron Trilogy and beyond

Vector Prime and Alpha Trion had agreed with Nexus Prime to divide him into five Transformers, to hide the shards of Prima's Star Saber. Skyfall and Landquake were placed in the Aurex universal stream, Breakaway and Topspin in the Primax cluster, and Heatwave in a Negative Polarity universe. But Primus was calling his sons home...

Cybertron

Get out of my way brother!

The Unicron Singularity threatened all of existence, and Vector Prime returned to Cybertron for the first time in millions of years to aid the Autobots in finding the Cyber Planet Keys, which would stop the black hole. Fallen Vector Prime regularly reported their progress to Alpha Trion, and during one such visit Alpha Trion retrieved Sentinel Maximus from the Universe war to aid them. But Unicron's servants Ramjet and Nemesis Prime attacked. Skyfall came to Cybertron looking for clues to his past, only to be attacked by Dark Scorponok, but his forcefield protected him. Ramjet saved him and offered him clues to his past in exchange for his soul service. They went to Primus's spark core to destroy him with the Dead Matrix, but Vector and Sentinel fought back. Ramjet said he would stop trying to kill Primus if Vector aided them in restoring the balance by resurrecting Unicron, but he refused. Skyfall tried to save Ramjet but his forcefield only ignited an explosion that killed Ramjet. Vector had drones repair Skyfall and found Omega Prime had helped Sentinel defeated Nemesis. Omega's presence saddened Vector, as it confirmed the multiverse was falling apart, and he left, but not before asking Sentinel to keep Skyfall safe. Balancing Act

Gigacycles later, Skyfall helped Sentinel repair Vector Sigma. Over-Run informed Skyfall he found a twenty million cycle old carving of him and another bot (Landquake). This revelation was interrupted by the need to destroy a cannon aimed at a Mini-Con moon, and it turned out Landquake was the Decepticon guarding it. The two questioned each other about their origins, but Unicron attempted to destroy the Mini-Cons and the two vanished in an explosion as they pushed their forcefields to the limit. Sentinel inwardly apologized to Vector for his failure. Balancing Act

Meanwhile, Vector had completed the Omega Lock in the dimension of Gigantion, but Galvatron took the Omega Lock and closed the space bridge to the Autobots' home universe. Showdown Refusing to let his allies wait another year for the space bridge to reopen, Vector Prime sacrificed himself to reopen it. However, as Jolt explained, Vector Prime had spent so much of his life outside of space and time that he would always be there to aid them. Guardian Indeed, Vector Prime reappeared to help Optimus Prime reclaim the Omega Lock, End and gave him his sword Rhisling to kill Galvatron once and for all. Unfinished Vector Prime was then seen dueling the dead Galvatron in another dimension. Beginning

Classics

Skyfall and Landquake awoke in a forest to find Megatron looming over them. Before he could kill them, human RUNTs, Optimus Prime, Grimlock, Jetfire and Mirage interrupted him, and Skyfall was taken to the Ark. Landquake did not fare so well and was captured and interrogated by the Decepticons, who were convinced he was from another dimension. During the next battle, Skyfall and Landquake were reunited and fell into a crater with Cliffjumper. Underground, Breakaway emerged from a CR chamber, who took them to the Caretaker, who told them of Nexus Prime and sent them to reunite with another component. Cliffjumper disappeared following them though. Crossing Over

Transtech

Cheetor and Silverbolt introduced Skyfall, Landquake and Breakaway to Axiom Nexus, and took them to meet Alpha Trion. However, Shockwave had Breakaway quietly subdued and taken to his laboratory. Skyfall and Landquake realized Breakaway was gone, but Alpha Trion told them to come with him if they wanted to rescue their brother from the evil TransTechs. He explained he was not from this dimension and was part of a resistance movement, introducing them to Topspin, another foreigner who had been flung into Axiom Nexus after he had been unable to stop his Cybertronian ship from going at near-light speeds. Topspin's TFCC profile He had the ability to transfer their lowtech ' sparks into their TransTech counterparts. Realizing Topspin was one of their kin, Skyfall and Landquake agreed to help. Nightscream found Breakaway was being held near the portal to Alpha Trion's dimension, and his acolytes attacked, rescuing Breakaway and entering the transwarp device. Alpha Trion explained to Skyfall he was the key to the reunification, and stabbed and killed him as they entered his universe. Transcendent

Shattered Glass

Despite his claim his was a peaceful world, Alpha Trion shot Downshift, and Breakaway realized Skyfall had been killed by an energy blade rather than shot from behind as the old Autobot claimed. Alpha Trion's troops arrived, took the four components and he proclaimed he would kill them all—as reunification still worked with one of them dead—and that his reign would begin. Landquake manipulated the raw energon and used smokebombs to escape with Topspin and Breakaway carrying Skyfall.

Weeks later, after trying unsuccessfully to revive Skyfall, the Quintesson Aquarius appeared telling them he knew of where Heatwave, now a veteran of the battles on Earth, Eye in the Sky Blitzwing Pop was. Avoiding Computron, the four bots met Megatron, who was with Cliffjumper. Landquake explained their situation to the Decepticons, and Megatron asked Cyclonus to bring Heatwave, but then Cyclonus, revealing himself to be an agent of Alpha Trion, assassinated Megatron. Breakaway suggested they use their powers to revive Megatron, and found themselves in a white space with Skyfall and Primus. They made their choice: Nexus Prime was reborn. Nexus resurrected Megatron as Galvatron and defeated Omega Doom. Reunification

Wings of Honor

Using Galvatron's gift of the Stellar Spanner, Nexus and Aquarius entered another Primax timeline, explaining he had to now find the shards of the Star Saber across the cosmos to restore his memory. The Coming Storm: Part 1

Live-action film series

I feel pretty, I feel pretty...

A race of beings that included The Fallen were the first creations of the All Spark, but considered themselves the children of Primus. They were extremely powerful and able to travel across dimensions. The AllSpark then created the Transformers to seek out stars that could replenish itself. With their descendants, they formed the Dynasty of Primes, protecting Cybertron and the All Spark. Defiance issue 4 The Fallen began seeing himself as the AllSpark's chosen one and began destroying solar systems with sentient life to replenish the Cube. His brothers warned him not to do it again, so The Fallen tried it again on Earth to lure them. Tales of the Fallen issue 3

Now stronger than ever after arming himself with the galaxy's knowledge, The Fallen slaughtered all his brothers bar but Prima himself. Prima diverted The Fallen by teleporting across the planet, while gathering his brothers' lifeforce to finally trap The Fallen within his sarcophagus. Prima gathered his brothers' bodies and sacrificed himself to form a tomb to hide the Matrix. Tales of the Fallen issue 4 A long time passed, and The Fallen was eventually dug up. From his prison, he then pushed High Protector Megatron into forming the Decepticons. Defiance issue 4

Thousands of years later, the Primes appeared to Sam Witwicky, resurrecting him and giving him the Matrix. Revenge of the Fallen (film)

The ROTF adaptations have thirteen Primes. While designs were made for twelve non-Fallen Prime heads, the finished film shows only seven Primes, and this change was followed in Tales of the Fallen and the Titan magazine. Like his appearance in the cartoon, Prima's appearance is also a retcon by The AllSpark Almanac.

Exodus novel

What is known about the Primes is that their war made "enemies of brothers, murderers of lovers, heroes of the insignificant, and cowards of the mighty". Allegiances formed and broke apart: Megatronus refused to bow before his brothers, and he believed he would be vindicated someday despite his destructive methods. The murder of one sent them across the stars, to battle among themselves for billions of cycles. Finally, there came a time when Prima had to relenquish the Matrix.

Alpha Trion remained on Cybertron, recording these events into the Covenant of Primus, and the Primes became myths doubted by some. Alpha Trion retreated into becoming the Archivist of the Hall of Records when Sentinel Prime, the High Council and the Guilds of Cybertron ignored his protests about the caste system. The Matrix did not bestow itself onto another until the unworthy Sentinel died, and Optimus Prime was imbued with it, while his nemesis had become known as Megatron, who like his namesake had come to destroy that he believed in. Exodus: The Official History of the War for Cybertron

Notes

• IDW comics talked repeatedly about a planned/potential miniseries telling the story of the Thirteen. What similarity this new telling would have to the previous original thirteen stories is unknown. Hasbro became quite involved, and Simon Furman stated that it "seems pretty likely that Vector Prime will be amongst the 13, the Liege Maximo too, and possibly Alpha Trion. But nothing's set in stone here yet." [1] No release date for this series was ever set. As of BotCon '09, IDW says this series is off their publishing schedule. In an interview, Furman said it's "probably not going to happen for a while, as it's become more of a Hasbro thing than an IDW thing, and Hasbro need to crystallize the whole concept before it can be turned into a comic book". [2]

• Transformers: The Ultimate Guide specifically asserts that all of the original 13 Transformers were destroyed in the early battle between Primus and Unicron. In and of itself this statement cannot be accurate, since the same book recounts how The Fallen was not destroyed but exiled to a transdimensional prison from which he later escaped. Subsequent canon has indisputably established the survival of others of this cohort.

• Speaking of the Ultimate Guide, it also made mention of a rumor on Cybertron that Maccadam--proprietor of Maccadam's Old Oil House--was supposedly one of the 13 and that his bar existed outside the normal flow of space-time. The prose story "Prime Spark" confirms the latter half of that rumor, depicting the bar as a multiversal nexus of sorts, but it makes no revelations about Maccadam himself. Aaron Archer has declared that when the full identities of the 13 are revealed in the forseeable future, Maccadam will not be among them. Moral of the story: rumors are dumb.

• In an answer in October 2009's Q&A Hasbro indicated that only seven of the 13 were Primes. These seven were hinted at as being the seven Primes featured in the film version of Revenge of the Fallen. How that relates to the claim in fiction that all 13 were Primes is not yet known.

• In Hasbro Q&A on October, 2009 from The Allspark Forum, The Thirteen are referred to as "the Original Epic Warriors of Cybertron" by Hasbro.