Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime, also known in Japan as is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the Transformers franchise. Generally depicted as a brave and noble leader, Optimus Prime is the supreme commander of the Autobots in their fight against the Decepticons. The Transformers characters were developed for the American market after Hasbro representatives visited the 1983 Tokyo Toy Show. Some designs were modified and the coloring was changed; notably, Optimus Prime was colored red, chrome, and dark blue. While the Diaclone version was intended to be a piloted mecha, the Transformers version was a sentient robot. The popularity of the Transformers toys resulted in comics, movies, and a TV series.
In the Transformers mythology, Optimus Prime is a Cybertronian, a member of an extraterrestrial species of sentient self-configuring modular robotic lifeforms, a blend of biological evolution and technological engineering. He is the primary hero of the story, opposing the Decepticon leader Megatron.
Due to the popularity of the Transformers franchise, Optimus Prime has remained one of the franchise's most iconic characters, and one of the greatest and most recognizable fictional characters of all time. As an established pop culture icon, his voice has been portrayed by a variety of actors, with the most common being his first, Peter Cullen. Other actors include Garry Chalk, Neil Kaplan, David Kaye, Alan Tudyk, and Chris Hemsworth.
Animated character biography
In the Transformers story, Optimus Prime, also known as Orion Pax, embodies strong moral values, exceptional leadership, and strategic prowess. Equipped with advanced weaponry and martial arts skills, he champions justice and peaceful coexistence with humans. As the bearer of the Matrix of Leadership, he leads the Autobots, engaged in an eternal conflict against the Decepticons. Originating from the ancient Dynasty of Primes, Optimus Prime's selfless sacrifice and rallying cry of "Till All are One" were pivotal in defeating Unicron. Reborn as Orion Pax, he embraced his new identity, only to reclaim his role as Optimus Prime to confront the Decepticons led by his former friend, Megatron, igniting the Great War on Cybertron. While his origins and persona may vary across different storylines, this depiction remains consistent throughout iterations of the Transformers universe.Generation 1
The first-generation Optimus Prime transforms into a Freightliner FL86 cab over semi truck. Within his chest is a mystic talisman, known as the Autobot Matrix of Leadership or the "Creation Matrix", carried by all Autobot leaders. When Optimus transforms, his tractor cab disconnects to become a sentient robot, and his trailer opens to reveal an ion blaster, forming a combat deck. The combat deck supports a mobile battle- station and command headquarters armed with assorted artillery and beam weapons that fire automatically. The combat deck can also serve as a radio antenna for battlefield communications between the Autobots. The combat deck also included "Roller", a mobile scout buggy meant to scout behind enemy lines. When Roller is deployed, Optimus can see and hear what Roller sees and hears. Injury to one component is felt by each of the others. If the combat deck or Roller were to be destroyed, Prime could survive. However, despite the slight degree of autonomy they possess, the combat deck and Roller would not be able to survive without Optimus.The original specification of the Generation 1 Optimus Prime specifies that Optimus Prime consists of three components: the humanoid "Brain Center", the "Combat Deck", and the "Scout Car", a non-transforming six-wheeled buggy called Roller, which can ride inside the truck trailer. All three components can function independently, but injury to one is felt by the other two. However, in by far most of the fiction, the humanoid robot is itself Optimus Prime, with the other two components treated as mere accessories that disappear off the scene when Optimus Prime transforms from truck to robot mode.
''Transformers: Robots in Disguise''
Optimus Prime is the fictional protagonist of the Transformers: Robots in Disguise branch of the Transformers universe. Based on the character of the same name, Prime once again leads the autobots against the Decepticons. His voice actor, Neil Kaplan, does his voice in a style reminiscent of that of Peter Cullen, the voice of the original Optimus Prime. Wired Magazine nominated Fire Convoy as one 12 most ridiculous Transformers ideas of all time.Hidden on Earth as common, everyday vehicles, the Autobots are forced to emerge when Megatron and his Predacons arrive and wreak havoc in their attempts to attain the power of Earth's various energy sources. In this universe, Optimus Prime transforms into a fire engine. This is also the first incarnation of Optimus Prime to transform into a fire engine.
Unicron trilogy
The "Unicron Trilogy" version of Optimus Prime is a fictional character in this branch of Transformers lore. Appearing in Transformers: Armada, Transformers: Energon and Transformers: Cybertron, Optimus is the leader of the heroic autobots. He often converted to his super combat mode. In all three series, Optimus' English voice actor is Garry Chalk, who previously voiced Optimus Primal in Beast Wars: Transformers and Beast Machines.During the events of Armada, Optimus looks similar to the original G1 Optimus Prime until he copies himself with a semi-truck, and his design in robot mode changes. He is shown to be a well-respected leader who treats those under his command with respect and is partnered with the Minicon Sparkplug.
During the events of Cybertron, Optimus Prime is the main protagonist and shows a near-xenophobic reluctance to interact with other cultures, believing that such interaction would cause more harm than good. Consequently, he prohibits his team from mingling with the locals of Earth, Velocitron, and the Jungle Planet during their search for the Cyber Planet Keys. This attitude was drastically changed when Prime realized that the only way to acquire the Cyber Planet Keys from Velocitron and Animatros was to play by their laws.
''Transformers: Animated''
Optimus Prime appears in the 2007 series Transformers: Animated as a red semi-trailer truck, able to be fitted with many trailer attachments, most notably one that effectively makes him a fire truck. Unlike the other Optimus Primes, this one is much younger.Optimus can change any part of his robotic body into a tool or gadget. He has swing lines on his wrists. His wrists can also capture bolas. His arsenal includes a grappler, a fire extinguisher, and a negative friction spray. Unlike in all the previous series, his face can almost always be seen because his mouthplate is retractable like in the 2007 live-action film and Cybertron anime.
Animated Optimus Prime, in an Earth-based fire truck mode, appears as a hidden character in the Transformers Netjet video game by Hasbro. Instead of being the leader of the Autobots, Prime was actually a washout from the Elite Guard. Despite no longer being a member, he maintains his military ranking of "Prime". The scale chart released for the series indicates Optimus Prime stands about 22 feet tall.
In the animated series, Optimus Prime was originally in the Autobot Academy and friends with Sentinel Prime and Elita One. When Elita is lost on a planet dominated by giant spider-like aliens, he blames himself for leaving her behind, where she supposedly dies in the explosion of a wrecked Decepticon warship loaded with Energon. Sentinel does not forgive him for losing her, and Optimus takes full responsibility for Elita's demise. This caused Optimus Prime to wash out of the Autobot Academy. However, Ultra Magnus pulls some strings so that Optimus Prime can be captain of a strange Space Bridge repair crew composed of a war vet named Ratchet, a fledgling cadet named Bumblebee, and his fellow cadet Bulkhead. Optimus is given command of the starship, the vehicle mode of Omega Supreme.
Optimus Prime appears among the characters in Re-Unification, the 2010 TFCon voice actor play prelude comic.
''Aligned Continuity''
Optimus Prime is the leader of the main group of Autobots in the iteration of the Transformers franchise primarily marked by the 2010 animated series Transformers: Prime on The Hub. Optimus Prime was created as the last of the Thirteen Primes, the first generation of Transformers, each created directly by Primus as a band of unique warriors to combat and defeat Unicron. Upon his creation, Optimus united the Thirteen by his greeting All are one. While all of the other members of the Thirteen each possessed unique abilities and artifacts, Optimus wielded no special powers or weapons. It was only his vision and courage that allowed the Thirteen to finally defeat Unicron. Reborn through the Well of All Sparks, Orion Pax became Optimus Prime, a veteran military commander and second in command who wields an ion blaster and a double-bladed Energon axe. He became the leader of the Autobots after Sentinel Zeta Prime fell in battle, but he is not certain he wants the responsibility.In the Transformers: Prime series, he can form bladed weapons or blasters from his hands. He has telescopic vision and turns into a long-nose semi-trailer truck. Before the Great War, Optimus Prime was originally known as Orion Pax; a young data clerk who worked in Iacon, under the wing of Alpha Trion. Orion was chosen by the High Council and became Optimus Prime, upon being entrusted with the Matrix of Leadership by Primus himself.