Energon Matrix
| The name or term "Matrix" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Matrix (disambiguation). |
- The Leadership Matrix is a device given to all Maximal generals of the Hyper Convoy rank during the Beast Wars era of the Generation 1 universe.
By the time of the Beast Wars (300 years after the end of the Great War), the term "Convoy" was used to indicate the highest rank in the Maximal military. There was a Convoy Council which ruled over Cybertron, lead by Great Convoy. The rank-itself named after the original Convoy, the title also came with a Leadership Matrix.
During Generation 1 there was only one Matrix of Leadership, but by the era of the Beast Wars, multiple Matrices had been constructed. The Matrix allowed the Convoy to seek wisdom from Vector Sigma, as the Matrix was a direct conduit to the ancient Cybertronian mother computer. Conversely, Vector Sigma was capable of speaking through whoever held a Leadership Matrix, whether they wanted it to or not.
Additionally, the Leadership Matrix amplified the strength and power of the Convoy who held it. They could summon the power of the Leadership Matrix to energize their body and amplify their natrual skills, or they could unleash the power of the Matrix in one magnificent blast. If two or more Convoys did it at once, they could combine the blasts to increase their effectiveness.
Matrix bearers
The following characters are known to have achieved the rank of Hyper Convoy or greater and were awarded with a Leadership Matrix (exceptions are specifically noted).
- Optimus Primal
- Leo Prime
- Lio Junior (a copy of Leo Prime's)
- Big Convoy
- Crow Convoy
- Great Convoy
- The Convoy Council
Fiction
Beast Wars II
During Beast Wars II, both Leo Prime and Optimus Primal were shown to have a Leadership Matrix. When they teamed-up to take down Majin Zarak in "Lio Convoy in Imminent Danger", they displayed the various functions of the Leadership Matrix. Leo Prime used the power of his Matrix to upgrade his speed by transforming himself into Flash Lio Convoy. Optimus Primal did a similar move by upgrading his strength as Burning Convoy.
After that, they then unleashed the power of their Leadership Matrices and combined the force into a "Double Matrix Blast". This move sent a torrent of powerful energy directly into Majin Zarak, killing him.
Later, during Beast Wars, Optimus Primal's Leadership Matrix was destroyed along with his body by the Vok Planet Buster.
Beast Wars Neo
One of the most skillful, yet most anti-social members of the Convoy Council, Big Convoy, was shown to carry a Leadership Matrix. However, Vector Sigma took a more proactive approach with Big Convoy than with most others. after each battle, Vector Sigma would speak through Big Convoy and dispense wisdom to his new recruits who so desperately needed it. Eventually, this sentimentality rubbed-off on Big Convoy and he began dispensing wisdom all on his own.
When Unicron attacked Cybertron and possessed Vector Sigma, ultimately turning Cybertron into his new body, the Leadership Matrix proved to be the only thing capable of stopping him. When Unicron briefly exited Vector Sigma to do battle with the Maximals, Big Convoy removed his Leadership Matrix and used it to power his Big Cannon, turning it into the Matrix Buster. Firing a powerful blast of Matrix energy into Unicron, the Chaos-bringer was seemingly destroyed and evicted from Vector Sigma.
