Optimus Maximus (Prime)

Optimus Maximus is an Autobot ... thing from the Aligned continuity family

"Gentlemen... BEHOLD!"

Optimus Maximus is a powerful mobile Autobot battle platform. It is so powerful, in fact, that some Autobot commanders are hesitant to use it, even if it could turn the tide of a battle. Even Megatron fears its power.

“	When you're rolling into battle, there's big... bigger... or maximus!	”
—Ratchet, from the Optimus Maximus commercial

Commercial appearances

Ratchet walked Bumblebee through the Autobots' motor pool, dismissing a humvee and a tank in favour of the biggest, baddest walking arsenal they had - Optimus Maximus! Manning the titan's shoulder turrets, the two Autobots rode Maximus into battle against an army of Vehicons, deploying Bulkhead from one of his arm compartments and blowing up an Energon Driller with his mighty weapons. Optimus Maximus commercial

Toys

Prime

"Your Optimus is so fat, when he sits down people call it base mode!"

• Optimus Maximus (August-11-2012)
  • Japanese ID number: EZ-17
  • Accessories: Three missiles, blaster

Optimus Maximus is designed around his ability to accommodate multiple Cyberverse figures, with nine different cockpits and compartments the figures can occupy: a central control cockpit in his chest, where his head lowers down over the riding figure as a helmet, turrets on either of his shoulders, hollows in his forearms, opening chambers in his shins, and bays in his feet. Buttons on his left and right shoulders activate electronic sounds and red LEDs in his shoulders and chest; his right shoulder also stores three firing pressure-launched missiles, while his left features an under-slung double-barrelled gun that rotates when the turret above it is moved left and right. He is armed with a large translucent blue gun.

Maximus transforms very simply from robot to rolling battle station mode by doing little more than swinging his legs up, activating more electronic lights and conversion sounds. In this mode, his gun mounts in the centre of his chest, clearly intended to be illuminated by the light there, but like so many light-up gimmicks of this style in the Cyberverse line, it doesn't work at all. He is, of course, peppered throughout with 3mm posts that allow Cyberverse weapons to be attached all over his body, and also features C joint bars and rungs so his station mode can be linked up with other Cyberverse playsets.

Notes

• According to design director Joshua Lamb, the reason Hasbro is able to sell Optimus Maximus at a $30 price-point is because it contains roughly the same amount of plastic as the Dark of the Moon Ark. He concept-proofed this idea by physically unscrewing an Ark toy and hot-gluing the pieces into the rough shape of a robot. Awesome!
• This continuity's Optimus' ego may be worth evaluating if the Autobots have a mech suit that looks like their leader, is named after their leader, and is typically piloted by their leader.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Optimus Grand Base (オプティマスグランドベース Oputimasu Gurando Bēsu)