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like_a_bossbotCharacter Information
*Character Name: Optimus Prime
*Character Canon: Transformers: Animated
*Age: By human standards, Optimus is the equivalent of someone in their mid-to-late twenties.
*Race: Cybertronian
*Timeline/Pull Point: Season Two, Post-Episode 27 "Sari, No One's Home" - Optimus and his team are settled in Detroit and Megatron has been resurrected. While the team is aware that there is an Autobot traitor, they still believe him to be Wasp and are unaware of Longarm Prime's treachery or secret identity. Sari's origins as a techno-organic have not yet been revealed either.
I would like to include his brief interlude in Axiom Nexus from the Bee in the City story as canon as well, if at all possible. As it happened when Sari still possessed the Key, it's safe to assume that it happened prior to this canon point.
*History: "We Autobots are programmed to respect the source of life... and protect it at all cost. For us, that means one thing - the AllSpark. Yet, you organics are life, which means we must protect you as well. But... how is it you're able to make these new, smaller organics?"
*Personality:
Despite his rank, Optimus Prime is still young by Cybertronian standards. Idealistic and a touch naive, he almost seems to romanticize his Cybertronian history and ideas of heroism. As the Great Wars end long before he can ever see the field of battle, his knowledge is primarily based on glorified Autobot records* and propaganda - records he has spent many a night poring over, in the hope that he might one day glean enough knowledge to hold a candle to the great leaders depicted.
For years, it had been his dream to become a member of the Elite Guard, fantasizing about adventures where he protected the weak and truly made a difference in the world. Alas, it is a dream that would never be fully realized, thanks to his untimely expulsion from the Autobot Academy following the events of Archa Seven. While he possesses the training, the combat skills, and even the ability to deliver inspiring - and dare I say heroic - speeches, this incarnation of Optimus still seems to be lacking something. Perhaps it's the seasoning of experience, or even just the confidence that comes with those years... whatever it is, he just isn't quite the stoic leader his name suggests.
Optimus earns his designation in Autobot boot camp, impressing Kup Minor with his relentlessly positive attitude and optimistic outlook. In the bleakest situations, he can and will make the best of the hand he's dealt - and, when one takes into account his propensity for bad luck, that is truly exceptional. Even stranded on an alien planet, hopelessly outmatched and the AllSpark lost, he manages to keep a level head and persevere, not once giving in to despair.
More than anything else, he believes in doing what is right. His morals are ironclad and he will stand by them no matter the consequence - even when it's not what's best for him personally. While he does respect the chain of command, he has also come to understand that following his spark does not necessarily mean following the rules. If it comes down to bending regulations to do what he believes, or going by the book, he doesn't mind colouring a little outside the lines.
A natural-sparked leader, Optimus is an outspoken advocate of teamwork and strives to be the glue that holds his crew of misfits together. He has learned enough to know that a war is not won by a single 'bot - working together yields far greater results, no matter how daunting the task. With that in mind, he genuinely cares for those under his command and works to support them however he can. He is always prepared to offer an open audio receptor, and works to accommodate even their stranger needs - after all, every robot deserves to have their own art show while protecting the Earth.
Once assigned to a mission, Optimus commits himself whole-sparkedly. Be it protecting humanity from the Decepticons or cleaning rubble out of space bridges - no task is too menial. He takes his responsibilities seriously and gives his all to every endeavour. He would not be comfortable assigning a task that he is unwilling to do himself, and, regardless of rank, is always prepared to take on his share of the load. He can frequently be seen working alongside his team, getting his hands dirty with the rest of the 'grease grunts'; to one who did not know, it would be impossible to tell that he is a top-ranking Academy student.
Despite his frequent endorsement of camaraderie and the importance of relying on others, he is a surprisingly private 'bot. He has a habit of burying his troubles while shouldering the burdens of others, devaluing his own problems by comparison. That sense of detached professionalism is likely a part of the reason that his team has difficulty approaching him - they respect him as a leader and teammate, but don't quite relate to him on a friend level. This steadily improves as time goes on, particularly in the case of Ratchet; in the wake of his kidnapping at the hands of Lockdown, Optimus does seem to open up a little bit about his own feelings. That said, he never fully lets his guard down - throughout the entirety of the series, he never shares the story of his expulsion or the nature of his relationship with Blackarachnia.
This professionalism also lends itself to the idea that Optimus can be a bit of a stick in the mud. It isn't that Optimus doesn't know how to have fun - he just... doesn't know how to have fun. Unlike the majority of his team, he doesn't tend to participate in their shenanigans outside of an observatory role. They have to haul him back in from patrol in order to take part in Christmas celebrations and he passes on Halloween altogether - he supports the idea of learning human customs and culture, but rarely takes an active part in the process.
Optimus will readily sacrifice himself for the sake of others, be it physically or otherwise. The most significant example of this occurs shortly after arriving in Detroit, when he gives up his own life to keep the AllSpark out of Decepticon servos. While this state is obviously not permanent, he did so not knowing that Sari would be able to revive him; he feels that the safety of everyone matters more than his own, and is prepared to lay down his life to protect that. In his mind, personal loss is a small price to pay, if it prevents someone else from paying it. That said, this tends to be a double-edged sword - in Headmaster, he volunteers for a suicide mission without so much as considering the other options. That willingness to throw himself in harm's way for others is an easily exploitable weakness.
The biggest chink in Optimus' armor is his crippling lack of self-confidence. Even in the face of all he has accomplished, Optimus often has trouble seeing beyond his own failings. His career tanked and his closest friends lost to him, he finds it difficult to accept that he is a victim of fate, rather than a victim of his own ineptitude. Ultra Magnus' disappointed words weigh heavily on him, leading him to believe it possible to be constricted by limitations in his own programming. These feelings can result in him questioning his decisions and his effectiveness as a leader, both of which hold him back from his true potential.
It is only through his trials on Earth that he has come to understand the true nature of heroism and that one does not need to be programmed for greatness. With each experience, he discovers a little more of his own potential, and that being a hero is not about glory, but instead, about giving everything you have in the name of what you believe in.
--
* I believe that the records are inaccurate, based not only on the brief clip shown at the beginning of the series, but also on the fact that Optimus initially thought the Decepticons destroyed in the war. It would stand to reason that the other records were biased in order to portray the Autobots in a better light, given their own less than honourable deeds.
*Powers/Abilities: Aside from the obvious benefits of being a two storey tall robot, Optimus is capable of transforming into a futuristic red truck. It is generally described as a fire truck, however, he has proven himself capable of wielding an assortment of trailers, including a transport trailer and a dump truck attachment.
As one might expect based on his vehicle mode, Optimus possesses advanced firefighting skills, and can use high-powered jets of foam to put out fires, distract and disable enemies, or just make a general mess of things, should he so desire. (Of course, he'd probably feel responsible and mop it up later.)
Along with his foam blaster, he is equipped with a variety of other integrated weapons, including grappler lines, a net, negative friction lubricant (I wish I was kidding), and bola-whip throwers. The grapplers are versatile in that they can be used for anything from saving Prime from a particularly nasty fall, capturing foes, catching items, or... Megatron can turn them against their wielder, and tie him up.
Competence comes with experience, after all.
His primary weapon is a rocket-powered, extendable ion axe. It has a laser blade that can cut through anything from reinforced steel to solid rock. The handle can grow in length to be used as a staff, shield him from attack, or even to vault himself toward a distant target or enemy. Its rocket boosters make for a powerful punch.
Of course, the most dangerous weapon in his arsenal is his resourceful use of these tools. He has a creative processor, and can make good use of whatever is available to him in even the most dire of situations.
*Inventory: Outside of his integrated weaponry and his axe, Optimus has his fire truck, dump truck, and transport trailer in his subspace. (As... I am assuming that is where it disappears to. Even he doesn't really know, after all.)
*Starting Polarity: Prima.
Writing Samples
*First Person Sample:
[Video]
[The video feed clicks on to show a red and blue 'bot, his lips set in a concerned frown. The smooth lines of his armor are indicative of the Malgian universal stream, if anyone is familiar with it.]
Greetings, citizens of... err... Cybertron. [He still couldn't quite wrap his processor around it. This was Cybertron, and yet, it wasn't. Not that he'd never seen an alternate Cybertron before, but... there was still a lot to process.
How could a world be so similar to the home he knew, and yet, so different at the same time?]
My name is Optimus Prime, leader of a small crew of Autobots currently stationed on the planet Earth. While I am sure that several of you are just as trapped here, I was hoping that I might... ask for your assistance.
I am looking for an organic by the name of Sari Sumdac. She is small and has red... um. She has a red helm, gold and tan plating, and...
[He made a vague hand gesture that might imply size, not entirely sure how to explain his young companion. If the 'bots here knew organics the way the ones back home did, then it would be like looking for a switch on a switchboard.]
I can assure you that she doesn't mean any harm-
[Okay, so this wasn't quite as smooth as he'd hoped. He vents a sigh, trying once again to collect his thoughts.]
If anyone has seen her, please let me know. I can be reached at this frequency. [He provides his personal commlink information.]
Thank you.
*Third Person Sample:
His processor felt sluggish, error reports and diagnostics flickering across his display as his systems slowly rebooted. Optimus groaned, rubbing a servo over his faceplates; he could already feel the beginnings of a processorache taking root, and it wasn't helped by the rough edge of the recharge platform jammed up against the back of his helm. In fact, the entire surface felt uneven. And... rock-like.
His optics snapped online, all but throwing himself into an upright position.
"W-What-?"
Wherever this was, it wasn't Detroit. The craggy terrain couldn't have hidden the distinctive silhouette of the city, nor the familiar shadow of Sumdac Tower. Even the sky behind it was nothing like he'd ever seen on Earth, unnatural and yet... somehow, it reminded him of...
He shook his head. At this moment, location wasn't important.
A quick scan of his memory files didn't provide him with any answers for him. Sari, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee had been up watching a late night horror movie, their muffled yelps still audible from his room. Ratchet had long since gone to recharge, grumbling about the antics of the young 'bots the entire way. Prowl... well, Optimus never quite knew where the ninjabot went, but it was generally assumed that he'd retired for the evening.
Nothing out of the ordinary.
Definitely nothing that would explain his current predicament.
Hauling himself to his feet, Optimus raised a finger to his audial, tapping his commlink. It was still functional, but scans weren't picking up any energy signatures, Autobot or otherwise. The Decepticons had already proven themselves more than capable of disguising their signals, but his crew? Either they weren't there, or-
"Autobots, report in," he tried, letting the message hang for a moment. "Is everyone alright?"
The radio silence wasn't exactly the response he'd been looking for, but... there was still a good chance that he'd been the only one transported. Optimus wasn't even sure how he'd ended up there, after all. If that were the case, and his fellow Autobots were still in Detroit, he wouldn't be alone in his search for a way home; he knew his team wouldn't rest until they found him. If they were somewhere in this rocky wasteland, well... there were a myriad of reasons he wouldn't be able to detect them. He couldn't assume the worst.
All the more determined, Optimus ran one more scan before setting off. One way or another, he'd get to the bottom of this.
Final Notes: Transform and Roll Out-
No, actually, I do have one note. I have been playing Optimus under the assumption that Primus is not recognized as an entity in the TFA universe. I just wanted to make sure this is acceptable, as his existence (or lack thereof) was addressed at the TFA panel at Botcon and Primus is never mentioned in the cartoon or comics.
*Character Name: Optimus Prime
*Character Canon: Transformers: Animated
*Age: By human standards, Optimus is the equivalent of someone in their mid-to-late twenties.
*Race: Cybertronian
*Timeline/Pull Point: Season Two, Post-Episode 27 "Sari, No One's Home" - Optimus and his team are settled in Detroit and Megatron has been resurrected. While the team is aware that there is an Autobot traitor, they still believe him to be Wasp and are unaware of Longarm Prime's treachery or secret identity. Sari's origins as a techno-organic have not yet been revealed either.
I would like to include his brief interlude in Axiom Nexus from the Bee in the City story as canon as well, if at all possible. As it happened when Sari still possessed the Key, it's safe to assume that it happened prior to this canon point.
*History: "We Autobots are programmed to respect the source of life... and protect it at all cost. For us, that means one thing - the AllSpark. Yet, you organics are life, which means we must protect you as well. But... how is it you're able to make these new, smaller organics?"
*Personality:
Despite his rank, Optimus Prime is still young by Cybertronian standards. Idealistic and a touch naive, he almost seems to romanticize his Cybertronian history and ideas of heroism. As the Great Wars end long before he can ever see the field of battle, his knowledge is primarily based on glorified Autobot records* and propaganda - records he has spent many a night poring over, in the hope that he might one day glean enough knowledge to hold a candle to the great leaders depicted.
For years, it had been his dream to become a member of the Elite Guard, fantasizing about adventures where he protected the weak and truly made a difference in the world. Alas, it is a dream that would never be fully realized, thanks to his untimely expulsion from the Autobot Academy following the events of Archa Seven. While he possesses the training, the combat skills, and even the ability to deliver inspiring - and dare I say heroic - speeches, this incarnation of Optimus still seems to be lacking something. Perhaps it's the seasoning of experience, or even just the confidence that comes with those years... whatever it is, he just isn't quite the stoic leader his name suggests.
Optimus earns his designation in Autobot boot camp, impressing Kup Minor with his relentlessly positive attitude and optimistic outlook. In the bleakest situations, he can and will make the best of the hand he's dealt - and, when one takes into account his propensity for bad luck, that is truly exceptional. Even stranded on an alien planet, hopelessly outmatched and the AllSpark lost, he manages to keep a level head and persevere, not once giving in to despair.
More than anything else, he believes in doing what is right. His morals are ironclad and he will stand by them no matter the consequence - even when it's not what's best for him personally. While he does respect the chain of command, he has also come to understand that following his spark does not necessarily mean following the rules. If it comes down to bending regulations to do what he believes, or going by the book, he doesn't mind colouring a little outside the lines.
A natural-sparked leader, Optimus is an outspoken advocate of teamwork and strives to be the glue that holds his crew of misfits together. He has learned enough to know that a war is not won by a single 'bot - working together yields far greater results, no matter how daunting the task. With that in mind, he genuinely cares for those under his command and works to support them however he can. He is always prepared to offer an open audio receptor, and works to accommodate even their stranger needs - after all, every robot deserves to have their own art show while protecting the Earth.
Once assigned to a mission, Optimus commits himself whole-sparkedly. Be it protecting humanity from the Decepticons or cleaning rubble out of space bridges - no task is too menial. He takes his responsibilities seriously and gives his all to every endeavour. He would not be comfortable assigning a task that he is unwilling to do himself, and, regardless of rank, is always prepared to take on his share of the load. He can frequently be seen working alongside his team, getting his hands dirty with the rest of the 'grease grunts'; to one who did not know, it would be impossible to tell that he is a top-ranking Academy student.
Despite his frequent endorsement of camaraderie and the importance of relying on others, he is a surprisingly private 'bot. He has a habit of burying his troubles while shouldering the burdens of others, devaluing his own problems by comparison. That sense of detached professionalism is likely a part of the reason that his team has difficulty approaching him - they respect him as a leader and teammate, but don't quite relate to him on a friend level. This steadily improves as time goes on, particularly in the case of Ratchet; in the wake of his kidnapping at the hands of Lockdown, Optimus does seem to open up a little bit about his own feelings. That said, he never fully lets his guard down - throughout the entirety of the series, he never shares the story of his expulsion or the nature of his relationship with Blackarachnia.
This professionalism also lends itself to the idea that Optimus can be a bit of a stick in the mud. It isn't that Optimus doesn't know how to have fun - he just... doesn't know how to have fun. Unlike the majority of his team, he doesn't tend to participate in their shenanigans outside of an observatory role. They have to haul him back in from patrol in order to take part in Christmas celebrations and he passes on Halloween altogether - he supports the idea of learning human customs and culture, but rarely takes an active part in the process.
Optimus will readily sacrifice himself for the sake of others, be it physically or otherwise. The most significant example of this occurs shortly after arriving in Detroit, when he gives up his own life to keep the AllSpark out of Decepticon servos. While this state is obviously not permanent, he did so not knowing that Sari would be able to revive him; he feels that the safety of everyone matters more than his own, and is prepared to lay down his life to protect that. In his mind, personal loss is a small price to pay, if it prevents someone else from paying it. That said, this tends to be a double-edged sword - in Headmaster, he volunteers for a suicide mission without so much as considering the other options. That willingness to throw himself in harm's way for others is an easily exploitable weakness.
The biggest chink in Optimus' armor is his crippling lack of self-confidence. Even in the face of all he has accomplished, Optimus often has trouble seeing beyond his own failings. His career tanked and his closest friends lost to him, he finds it difficult to accept that he is a victim of fate, rather than a victim of his own ineptitude. Ultra Magnus' disappointed words weigh heavily on him, leading him to believe it possible to be constricted by limitations in his own programming. These feelings can result in him questioning his decisions and his effectiveness as a leader, both of which hold him back from his true potential.
It is only through his trials on Earth that he has come to understand the true nature of heroism and that one does not need to be programmed for greatness. With each experience, he discovers a little more of his own potential, and that being a hero is not about glory, but instead, about giving everything you have in the name of what you believe in.
--
* I believe that the records are inaccurate, based not only on the brief clip shown at the beginning of the series, but also on the fact that Optimus initially thought the Decepticons destroyed in the war. It would stand to reason that the other records were biased in order to portray the Autobots in a better light, given their own less than honourable deeds.
*Powers/Abilities: Aside from the obvious benefits of being a two storey tall robot, Optimus is capable of transforming into a futuristic red truck. It is generally described as a fire truck, however, he has proven himself capable of wielding an assortment of trailers, including a transport trailer and a dump truck attachment.
As one might expect based on his vehicle mode, Optimus possesses advanced firefighting skills, and can use high-powered jets of foam to put out fires, distract and disable enemies, or just make a general mess of things, should he so desire. (Of course, he'd probably feel responsible and mop it up later.)
Along with his foam blaster, he is equipped with a variety of other integrated weapons, including grappler lines, a net, negative friction lubricant (I wish I was kidding), and bola-whip throwers. The grapplers are versatile in that they can be used for anything from saving Prime from a particularly nasty fall, capturing foes, catching items, or... Megatron can turn them against their wielder, and tie him up.
Competence comes with experience, after all.
His primary weapon is a rocket-powered, extendable ion axe. It has a laser blade that can cut through anything from reinforced steel to solid rock. The handle can grow in length to be used as a staff, shield him from attack, or even to vault himself toward a distant target or enemy. Its rocket boosters make for a powerful punch.
Of course, the most dangerous weapon in his arsenal is his resourceful use of these tools. He has a creative processor, and can make good use of whatever is available to him in even the most dire of situations.
*Inventory: Outside of his integrated weaponry and his axe, Optimus has his fire truck, dump truck, and transport trailer in his subspace. (As... I am assuming that is where it disappears to. Even he doesn't really know, after all.)
*Starting Polarity: Prima.
Writing Samples
*First Person Sample:
[Video]
[The video feed clicks on to show a red and blue 'bot, his lips set in a concerned frown. The smooth lines of his armor are indicative of the Malgian universal stream, if anyone is familiar with it.]
Greetings, citizens of... err... Cybertron. [He still couldn't quite wrap his processor around it. This was Cybertron, and yet, it wasn't. Not that he'd never seen an alternate Cybertron before, but... there was still a lot to process.
How could a world be so similar to the home he knew, and yet, so different at the same time?]
My name is Optimus Prime, leader of a small crew of Autobots currently stationed on the planet Earth. While I am sure that several of you are just as trapped here, I was hoping that I might... ask for your assistance.
I am looking for an organic by the name of Sari Sumdac. She is small and has red... um. She has a red helm, gold and tan plating, and...
[He made a vague hand gesture that might imply size, not entirely sure how to explain his young companion. If the 'bots here knew organics the way the ones back home did, then it would be like looking for a switch on a switchboard.]
I can assure you that she doesn't mean any harm-
[Okay, so this wasn't quite as smooth as he'd hoped. He vents a sigh, trying once again to collect his thoughts.]
If anyone has seen her, please let me know. I can be reached at this frequency. [He provides his personal commlink information.]
Thank you.
*Third Person Sample:
His processor felt sluggish, error reports and diagnostics flickering across his display as his systems slowly rebooted. Optimus groaned, rubbing a servo over his faceplates; he could already feel the beginnings of a processorache taking root, and it wasn't helped by the rough edge of the recharge platform jammed up against the back of his helm. In fact, the entire surface felt uneven. And... rock-like.
His optics snapped online, all but throwing himself into an upright position.
"W-What-?"
Wherever this was, it wasn't Detroit. The craggy terrain couldn't have hidden the distinctive silhouette of the city, nor the familiar shadow of Sumdac Tower. Even the sky behind it was nothing like he'd ever seen on Earth, unnatural and yet... somehow, it reminded him of...
He shook his head. At this moment, location wasn't important.
A quick scan of his memory files didn't provide him with any answers for him. Sari, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee had been up watching a late night horror movie, their muffled yelps still audible from his room. Ratchet had long since gone to recharge, grumbling about the antics of the young 'bots the entire way. Prowl... well, Optimus never quite knew where the ninjabot went, but it was generally assumed that he'd retired for the evening.
Nothing out of the ordinary.
Definitely nothing that would explain his current predicament.
Hauling himself to his feet, Optimus raised a finger to his audial, tapping his commlink. It was still functional, but scans weren't picking up any energy signatures, Autobot or otherwise. The Decepticons had already proven themselves more than capable of disguising their signals, but his crew? Either they weren't there, or-
"Autobots, report in," he tried, letting the message hang for a moment. "Is everyone alright?"
The radio silence wasn't exactly the response he'd been looking for, but... there was still a good chance that he'd been the only one transported. Optimus wasn't even sure how he'd ended up there, after all. If that were the case, and his fellow Autobots were still in Detroit, he wouldn't be alone in his search for a way home; he knew his team wouldn't rest until they found him. If they were somewhere in this rocky wasteland, well... there were a myriad of reasons he wouldn't be able to detect them. He couldn't assume the worst.
All the more determined, Optimus ran one more scan before setting off. One way or another, he'd get to the bottom of this.
Final Notes: Transform and Roll Out-
No, actually, I do have one note. I have been playing Optimus under the assumption that Primus is not recognized as an entity in the TFA universe. I just wanted to make sure this is acceptable, as his existence (or lack thereof) was addressed at the TFA panel at Botcon and Primus is never mentioned in the cartoon or comics.
