Optimus Prime

Background

Optimus Prime

Optimus Prime is the leader of Cybertron's Autobots. He and Megatron were once commanders in the Autobot ranks, however war turned Megatron into a cold blooded killer. Soon enough the two split sides. Megatron lusted after power and soon created the Decepticons. Optimus Prime had to choose to work with his former partner or stay with the Autobots. When Optimus chose to stand on the side of justice, Megatron was furious. From then on, Optimus Prime and Megatron have been in war with each other for centuries.

Major Plots

Transformers G1 (1986) TV Series

Transformers G1 (1986)

Before the War, Nine Million years ago Optimus Prime was Orion Pax-a young dock worker. His girlfriend was Ariel until Megatron came and destroyed both of them. Then Alpha Trion rebuilt them into powerful warriors. Five Million years later Optimus Prime deflected another attack by the decepticons. The two factions later awoke again in 1984, fighting each other many times over the next twenty one years. During that time Optimus Prime fell in battle against Megatron while protecting Autobot City, passing the Matrix of Leadership onto Ultra-Magnus. He once again returned but as Zombie and was rebuilt to stop the Hate Plague from spreading.

Transformers live-action movie

After the destruction of their home planet of Cybertron by Decepticon leader Megatron, the Autobots -- the good-aligned faction of the Transformers -- descend onto the planet Earth. They are in search of the All Spark, an artifact that could very well restore their civilization. Optimus tasks Bumblebee, the Autobot scout, to protect Sam Witwicky, a human who could lead them to the All Spark. Unfortunately, the Decepticons arrive at Earth and resurrect Megatron, who had been under human custody. The Autobots and the humans join forces to defeat the Decepticons and protect the All Spark. Optimus fights Megatron, but Megatron holds the advantage. At first, Optimus plans to merge his spark with the All Spark, causing the destruction of both, to prevent it from falling into Megatron's hands. However, Sam uses the All Spark to kill Megatron. Although the Decepticons are left without a leader, the All Spark has been destroyed and the Autobots can no longer return to Cybertron. The film ends with the Autobots choosing to remain on Earth, and Optimus sends a message to space, hoping to find more Autobots scattered across the galaxy.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

In Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, the Autobots and humanity have formed N.E.S.T., a special task force to hunt down the remaining Decepticons hidden on Earth. During a mission on China, Optimus defeats the Decepticon Demolishor, but not before Demolishor warns the Autobots that "the Fallen will rise again." During a conference with Secretary of Defense Theodore Galloway, Optimus conveys the warning about the Fallen, but Galloway dismisses it, saying that the Decepticons are only on Earth because of the Autobots. Optimus says that if the Autobots are asked to leave Earth, they will comply. After the last All Spark shard is stolen, Optimus asks Sam's help in retrieving it, but he declines, as he wants to live a normal life. Unfortunately, the Decepticons use the shard to resurrect Megatron, who kidnaps Sam, as he holds a special code in his mind that will allow them to find Energon on Earth. Optimus and Bumblebee save Sam, and Bumblebee takes Sam to safety while Optimus fights Megatron and his henchmen. Although he kills Grindor and rip Starscream's head off, Optimus is killed by Megatron. Afterwards, Sam learns from Jetfire that the Fallen is an ancient Prime, and only a Prime can kill him. Sam deduces that the legendary Matrix of Leadership could revive him. The Autobots bring Optimus's dead body to Egypt, where Sam uses the Matrix to resurrect Optimus. Unfortunately, the Fallen steals the Matrix and uses it to activate the sun harvester, a machine that will destroy Earth's sun to create energon. To give Optimus the power he needs to defeat the Fallen, Jetfire commits suicide, and Ratchet and Jolt combine Jetfire's parts, giving Optimus a flying mode. With his new power, Optimus destroys the sun harvester, faces Megatron and the Fallen. After a short but violent battle, Optimus severly injures Magatron and kills the Fallen, forcing Megatron and Starscream to retreat. At the end of the film, Optimus sends another message to space, hoping to find more Autobots.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

In Dark of the Moon, Optimus continues his duties as a member of N.E.S.T., until a routine mission leads to a battle with the Decepticon Shockwave, and Optimus discovers that the humans have concealed the discovering of the Ark, a Cybertronian spaceship, in the Moon. He and Ratchet investigate the Ark and find the comatose body of Sentinel Prime, Optimus's predecessor and mentor. Optimus resurrects him using the Matrix of Leadership, telling him of Cybertron's fate. Later, Optimus offers Sentinel the Matrix, but Sentinel declines, as Optimus knows more about Earth than him. Later, Sentinel reveals that to restore Cybertron, he made an alliance with Megatron. Then, he attacks the N.E.S.T. base and recovers the Pillar, special artifacts that will open a portal to transport Cybertron to Earth's solar system. His plan is to enslave humanity so that they are used as a working force to rebuild Cybertron. Optimus tries to reason with him, but to no avail. Sentinel later insists to the humans that they will be unharmed, as long as the Autobots leave Earth. The Autobots are forced to comply, but their spaceship is destroyed by Starscream as soon as they leave Earth's atmosphere. However, the Autobots manage to escape and travel to Chicago, saving Sam from the Decepticons. Optimus tells him that the Decepticons were never going to keep their word, and the Autobots needed them to believe they had left. As the Autobots engage the Decepticons, Optimus wears a new flight pack. Flying down the battlefield, Optimus kills Shockwave and deactivates the Control Pillar. Then, he challenges Sentinel to a final battle. Sentinel cuts Optimus's right arm off and prepares to kill him, but Megatron arrives and brutally defeats Sentinel. Then, Megatron proposes a truce, but Optimus, knowing that Megatron cannot be trusted, kills him. Optimus then grabs Megatron's shotgun and prepares to kill Sentinel, who pleads for his life, saying that he betrayed the Autobots because he wanted to save their race. Optimus executes him anyway, saying that Sentinel betrayed himself. With the Decepticons defeated and the war finally over, Optimus and the Autobots declare Earth as their true home.