Optimus Primal (BW)

This article is about the Maximal captain Optimus Primal. For other characters called "Optimus", see Optimus (disambiguation). For other characters and concepts called "Primal", see Primal (disambiguation).

This article is about Optimus Primal the heroic Maximal. For Optimus Primal the dinosaur body of Aligned Optimus Prime, see Optimus Prime (WFC).

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Optimus Primal is a Maximal from the Beast Era portion of the Generation 1 continuity family. He is also sometimes known as Optimal Optimus.

Next one of you says "trukk not munky" gets it in the FACE.

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 under the leadership of some crook named Megatron. The rest, they say, is (literally) history.

Though he does have a penchant for stuffy speeches, Optimus Primal is much more down-to-cybertron 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 he may even have surpassed the greatest of the Autobots, seeing as he saved the life of his namesake and ushered in a new technorganic Cybertron. It is possible Optimus Primal is the greatest Cybertronian hero who has ever lived.

Come on, let's hear it, the usual destiny and honor speech.Megatron, "Nemesis Part 2"

Speech this!Optimus as he punches Megatron in the face, "Nemesis Part 2"

Fiction

Toy bios

Function: Megatron's lunch

Under the eerie shadows of a full moon Optimus Primal, a gigantic bat, Cheetor, a swift-stalking cheetah, and Razorbeast, a fearsome wild boar, hunted purposely through the depths of a jungle. Soon, Optimus detected the thermal emissions and fusion activity from a building, which meant they'd found their target. His motion sensors registered what appeared to be a harmless Earth creature below.

Before Optimus realized his mistake, the alligator lashed out with as smashing swipe of its tail, knocking Optimus into the swampy waters. The beast transformed and Megatron towered above him. The building ahead was the Predacons' genetics lab and he'd never let Optimus reach the secrets inside. He ordered his troops to attack and everyone transformed to robot mode. The gigantic arthropods Tarantulas and Waspinator engaged Razorbeast and Cheetor respectively while Optimus and Megatron faced off.

Optimus bragged that the Maximal "bio-genetic morphing process has allowed us to create the perfect fusion of organic musculature and Transformers technology!" Megatron responded that his side did all that too, so nan-neh, but used the DNA of Earth's most vicious predators. When Optimus noted that the Maximals seemed to be getting the upper hand, Megatron immediately detonated the lab and escaped, vowing to return with new forms and new plans when the Maximals least expect it. The Beast Wars had just begun! Optimus Primal vs Megatron!

Optimus believed, as his namesake did, that freedom was the right of all sentient beings... When it didn't clash with the greater good. His goal was to vanquish the Predacons from the planet Earth, a task he recognized would not be done easily. Optimus Primal bio (Basic class)

Optimus eventually re-engineered his body, from a fruit bat to a gigantic gorilla, alluded to be comparable in size to King Kong. His strength had been most notably increased by this process, and he possessed "mega blast missiles", produced from his shoulder mounted cannons. Optimus Primal bio (Ultra class)

This comic, along with the on-package Bios of the first wave of Beast Wars toys, predate the development of the Beast Wars cartoon and its backstory. Instead, they seem to present the characters as a direct continuation of the previous Autobot/Decepticon conflict, with Optimus Primal actually being a new form of Optimus Prime and Megatron being his Generation 1 counterpart, and their battles taking place on present day, human-inhabited Earth, rather than in the distant past. Once the cartoon launched, the toyline adjusted itself to match that continuity instead, relegating this one to an aborted micro-continuity.

His transformation into Optimal Optimus was due to exposure to a "nebulous entity". Optimal Optimus toy bio

When a spirit guide was needed to counsel an Optimus Prime of the past, Optimus Primal rose to the task. Air Attack Optimus Primal toy bio

Beast Wars cartoon continuity

King Kong took a weird turn.

Optimus Primal was a minor Maximal officer of little note who commanded the Axalon. When he received an alert about a fugitive Predacon ship, the Darksyde, he had the Axalon pursue it through a transwarp portal, eventually ending up on a primitive planet. There, he and his Maximal crew scanned beast modes and battled Megatron's criminal band of Predacons in what the Maximal dubbed the "Beast Wars". The two forces soon became embroiled in an "experiment" by the mysterious Vok, and Primal gave his life to stop the destruction of the Maximals by the aliens' Planet Buster. The planet was revealed to be Earth in the past, putting the conflict in a vital context. Optimus Primal was soon reborn in a Transmetal body and was later granted a more powerful body after taking Optimus Prime's spark into his body to foil Megatron's plans to change history. Despite his nemesis's numerous machinations, the Predacons were defeated and Megatron brought back to Cybertron.

However, Megatron prematurely freed himself, and he arrived at Cybertron before the Maximals. When they arrived, they found the planet to be desolate and conquered by Megatron. They soon met the Oracle, who reformatted the Maximals into technorganic forms and entrusted Optimus Primal with the task of defeating Megatron and bringing about an evolution of the planet and the species into the technorganic. Despite some missteps, Optimus Primal was able to free Cybertron from Megatron's reign and bring about a new age for Cybertron, albeit with the cost of his life.

When Unicron instigated the Universe war with his abductions of Transformers from across the multiverse, Primus resurrected Optimus Primal to act as the leader of the Children of Primus. Well into the war efforts, Unicron disappeared and Optimus Primal's fate was left unknown.

In a divergent timeline, Optimus Primal, a possessor of an Energon Matrix, joined forces with various Autobot and Maximal leaders, such as the legendary Optimus Prime himself, the Optimus Prime of a different universal cluster, Lio Convoy, and Star Saber. He also became one of the Alternity's agents and met with the ancient Transformer Vector Prime.

Beast Wars II toy catalog

"And what's that, Lio Convoy? Your toy is now out in all major retailers and buying it will make children be seen as cool by their peers? Boy, who wouldn't want to buy your toy?"

On Cybertron, Optimus Primal observed a warrior named Lio Convoy advance through the ranks of the Maximal Space Patrol. Respecting him for his strength and courage (though feeling he was a bit too straightforward), Primal dynamically named him as his successor. Shaking hands, Lio Convoy swore not to let Primal down. The next stage of battle advances to the Second War... Beast Wars, Transform!

Bom Bom manga continuity

Beast Wars II comic

Many years ago, before Lio Convoy became "Lio Convoy", Optimus Primal was a sitting member of the Convoy Council and personally awarded him his Energon Matrix and Convoy rank.

Years following that, during a battle with Galvatron on planet Gaea, Lio Convoy's Energon Matrix was damaged by his foe and corrupted with Angolmois energy. The chaotic energy caused Lio Convoy to grow to enormous size and go berserk. To stop him from destroying everyone and everything, Apache and Scuba used an ancient Gaean computer to summon Optimus Primal across time and space.

Primal observed the danger and immediately recognized the problem. Stretching out his glowing hand, Primal pressed his palm against Lio Convoy's Energon Matrix, repairing it. This act disspelled the Angolomois corruption, returning Lio Convoy to normal size and sanity. The deed done, Primal faded away, returning to wherever he had come from. Free the Captured Matrix!

Before Lio Convoy and his team set out to the artificial planet Nemesis, Optimus Primal showed up in the Maximals' base on Gaea via holographic communication. He warned Lio Convoy would die due to overexposure to the Angolmois energy if he went to the planet. All Hands, Make a Special Attack on the Evil Planet!

Beast Wars Metals comic

It's on like a reanimated cyborg Donkey Kong!

Following the Quantum surge, Primal was left dead. Within Transwarp space, he found himself being dragged into the afterlife by a horde of monsters. Suddenly, Rhinox arrived and attempted to return him to life. Primal at first refused, saying he wished to move on. Rhinox then smacked some sense into him, reminding him of his duty to his Maximals. Brought back to his senses, Primal left Transwarp space, his spark being blasted from a laser cannon of Rhinox's design.

Over at the Predacon base, Hindenburg, Megatron had recovered Primal's sparkless, rampaging body and imprisoned it in shackles. Using a voodoo ceremony of Tarantulas's design, Megatron intended to turn Primal's body into a Predacon slave. Before he could apply his mutant blood and finish the ceremony, Primal's spark reunited with his body and upgraded into a Transmetal.

None too pleased, Primal proceeded to make short work of Tarantulas, Terrorsaur and Megatron's army of drones. He then defeated Megatron and escaped Hindenburg, rescuing an injured Airazor in the process. Raise the Curtain for Beast Wars Metals!!

In another adventure, he fed his head to Rampage. (Don't worry, he had a spare; the head that was eaten had a bomb in its mouth, anyway.) Beast Wars Metals #2

After Megatron blasted Optimus Prime in an attempt to kill the slumbering Autobot,Beast Wars Metals #5 Optimus Primal ate his spark in order to become Optimal Optimus. He then killed Megatron in a final confrontation. After all was said and done, Primal lamented that repairing Optimus Prime and restoring the time stream would be a tall order.Beast Wars Metals #6

Universe CD-ROM

"Pardon me, just passing through."

On some alternate Cybertron, that universe's Optimus Primal was leading the Autobots Snarl, Silverbolt, and Striker against Reptillion, Obsidian, Tankor, Razorclaw, and Blackarachnia in the most intense day of fighting that year. Just as the combatants were really starting to beat the slag out of each other, they were interrupted by a mysterious spaceship that swooped down, sucked the Decepticons up on beams of light, and flew away. Primal and his troops were left dumbfounded, unaware that the ship had been a tool of Unicron in his quest to build an army for a grand war. Universe CD-ROM

G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers continuity

He's looking into your other browser tabs RIGHT NOW.

When Serpent O.R. plugged himself into Soundwave's deactivated head to download information on the history of Cybertron, he skimmed past some facts on Optimus Primal. The Art of War #1

Beast Wars: Uprising

On a Cybertron where the Autobots and Decepticons had grown too decrepit to carry on the Great War, they constructed proxy armies in the form of the Maximals and Predacons. Increasingly questioning the orders of her Autobot masters, the breaking point with Blackarachnia came with the death of her colleagues Silverbolt and Rhinox. She conspired with Nightscream and together they killed their commander, Optimus Primal, who refused to turn against the Autobots. "TransTech" Blackarachnia's bio in Club magazine #25

Generation 1 cartoon continuity

Wings Universe

Wings Universe is based on the Generation 1 cartoon, but deviates from it in cosmetic ways and continuity points.

In 2984 C.E. as the sage of Cybertron Alpha Trizer was engaged in combat against the Star Seekers, a vision of his mentor Optimus Primal flashed through his mind. Hoist the Flag

Games

Beast Wars: Transformers video game continuity

Beast Wars: Transformers video game advertising comic

Upon arriving on "Planet Energon", the dangers of Energon radiation forced the six surviving Maximals and their Predacon adversaries to take on beast alternate forms. Beast Wars: Transformers video game advertising comic

Beast Wars: Transformers video game

Voice actor: ??? (English), ??? (Japanese)

Many of the Beast Wars combatants had managed to built personal bases, customized to their personal tastes, due to the extended duration of the war. Optimus Primal himself remained stationed at the Axalon. Optimus Primal joined his fellow Maximals in battling not only an entrenched Predacon threat, but the interdimensional monsters known as the Skriix.

Maximal campaign

Optimus Primal is a playable character for both rescue missions and normal gameplay.

Optimus and Airazor had the task to rescue any of their comrades that were captured whenever a mission against the Predacons failed.

Upon having eliminated the Predacon threat, Optimus Primal declared the galaxy to be at peace thanks to the Maximals.

Predacon campaign

Retaliating after Dinobot had been assassinated by the Predacons, Optimus launched an offensive directly against the Predacon's ship. His drone troops were unsuccessful in destroying the Predacons, who launched a counter-offensive while Optimus troops were still in disarray after the failed attack. The Maximal leader was ultimately assassinated, securing the Predacons their victory in the Beast Wars. Beast Wars: Transformers

Due to the nature of this game, a player may select various individual characters to perform the feats required in every level, and complete the game's narrative. Thus, any playable Maximal can fill the role of protagonist in Maximal Mode, and any playable Predacon can fill the role of protagonist in Predacon Mode. To view the various feats Optimus Primal can accomplish throughout gameplay in Maximal Mode, it is told on the Beast Wars video game page, wherein Optimus Primal fills the role of the nameless Maximal.

Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals (N64)

Back in 1999, you thought these graphics were awesome! ADMIT IT!

Voice actor: Garry Chalk (English), ??? (Japanese)

The Beast Wars seemed over, but the captured Megatron had prepared for such a situation and was able to send a message to his past self via transwarp, causing history to be altered! These rewritten Beast Wars came to an end when Optimus lead a final strike against the Predacon forces. The battle was hard-fought, resulting in tragic casualties on both sides, but ended with Megatron’s capture.

After Megatron was secured to the outside of an Autobot escape shuttle, the remaining Maximals were on their way to return to Cybertron. Unfortunately, the captured Megatron had prepared for such a situation and was able to send a message to his past self via transwarp, causing history to be altered! These rewritten Beast Wars came to an end when Optimus... Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals (N64)

Each character possessed an alternate ending, displayed if the game was beaten with said character. Each character has only their own ending listed on their pages; see the other characters' pages for Optimus's fate in those outcomes.

Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals (PS)

Voice actor: Garry Chalk (English), ??? (Japanese)

Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals (PS)

Duel Fight Transformers Beast Wars

Optimus Primal became involved in a series of disputes when a super-powerful energon crystal was discovered on Earth. He partook in a series of one-on-one battles, his goal to become the last warrior standing, allowing him to take possession of the crystal.

Optimus could also partake in various other tasks, such as a mission to break a boulder to reveal an energon crystal hidden within before sundown, using a block in a mission to defend himself against various incoming projectiles, and missions to run across a pit-riddled field, sometimes involving hideously large bacteria he had to fend off.

His old nemesis, Megatron, was the final bot opposing him at the end of his quest. Overcoming his Predacon foe, he used the power of the crystal to finally defeat the Predacons, saving the universe! Duel Fight Transformers Beast Wars

Each character possessed an alternate ending, displayed if the game was beaten with said character. Each character has only their own ending listed on their pages, see the other characters' pages for Optimus Primal's fate in those outcomes.

Transformers Battle Universe

At the edge of time, when the Matrix needed a new host, Optimus Primal was among several warriors (and Optimuses) summoned from the multiverse to battle for control of the prize. Transformers Battle Universe

Transformers Legends

During a tectonic upshift, a huge amount of Energon was exposed. Optimus Primal and the other Maximals found themselves the victims of a Predacon ambush as they tried to secure the Energon themselves, and the cache ultimately fell into Predacon hands. Beast Wars On their return to Cybertron, the Maximals discovered that Megatron had conquered the planet, and they were forced to face his Vehicon generals. Beast Machines

Transformers: Battle Tactics

Optimus Primal participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! Transformers: Battle Tactics

Toys

There's a lot more where these came from!

Notes

• The design of Optimus Primal's bat form is an homage to Batman, an action figure license also held at the time by Kenner.

• Optimus was given the rank of "Maximal General" on his punch-out card for Mcdonald's original Beast Wars promotion.

• Primal's gorilla mode, paired against Megatron's T. rex mode, was inspired by the showdown in King Kong.

• Indeed, gorilla Primal's original tech specs (which belong to the micro-continuity that takes place on modern-day Earth) seems to strongly imply that Primal is a building-scaling ape of Kong-like stature. As speculated in the Beast Wars volume of the Cybertronian action figure guide, this may have been intended to explain why he is in the same scale as Megatron, a Tyrannosaurus rex. This would also make somewhat greater sense in the context of the toyline itself, wherein the leader characters were of a much larger "Ultra" size-class than their minions, unlike their eventually much smaller depictions in the CG cartoon.

• In the Beast Wars II issue "All Hands, Make a Special Attack on the Evil Planet!", Tasmania Kid calls Optimus Primal "Mr. Gorilla" (ゴリさん Gori-san). Optimus likes the nickname.

• Early concept artwork for the Beast Machines toyline depict Optimus's new body as having a white/silver, black and red color scheme.

• According to his 2001 Robots in Disguise toyline bio, Optimus Primal is from "the future", suggesting the events of Robots in Disguise are somehow part of the Beast Era's past.

• "Powered Convoy", Optimal Optimus's Japanese name, is Ultra Magnus's pre-Transformer name in the Diaclone toyline.

• According to the control art of Optimus Primal's toy, his chest originally seemed to be a kind of launcher instead of being an homage to the Matrix.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Convoy (コンボイ Konboi), Convobat (bat, コンボバット Konbobatto), Powered Convoy (Optimal Optimus, パワードコンボイ Pawādo Konboi), Beast Convoy (Robotmasters, ビーストコンボイ Bīsuto Konboi), Yvonco (イボンコ, Ibonko), Optimus Primal (オプティマスプライマル Oputimasu Puraimaru)
• Cantonese: Odim (Hong Kong, 奧狄武 Oudikmou)
• Italian: Black Jack (Ultra toy), Metal Gorilla (Transmetal toy), Optimus Primal (Optimal Optimus toy)
• Mandarin: Jīngāng Wáng (Taiwan, 金剛王, "King Kong King"), Hēixīngxīng Duìzhǎng（China, 黑猩猩队长, "Captain Gorilla" BW）, Xīngxīng Jiāngjūn (China, 猩猩将军, "General Gorilla" BM)
• Polish: Optimus Naczelny ("Optimus Primal"）
• Russian: King Kong (first Beast Wars dub), Optimus Comandeer (second Beast Wars dub, "Optimus the Commander")
• Spanish: Optimus Primal (Spain), Optimus Primitivo (America, "Optimus Primal")