Character discussion : This Week 'Optimus Prime!'

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Impactor returns 2.0
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Character discussion : This Week 'Optimus Prime!'

Post by Impactor returns 2.0 » Tue Jun 28, 2005 12:22 am

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Optimus Prime...
OP,
Oppy,
Prime,
What more can be said about the greatest Transformer of them all?
Well this is what we are here for, and in tribute to the 'great one' lets hear what you have to say.

So, his greatest achivement?
His worst moment?
your fav moment?
How do remember him?
Does anyone really dislike him? - honest gov?

So lets hear from you all, on what draws a close to the the character discussions chosen by me...
From next week id like to see some PM in my inbox, then we can choose some new topics! - this will hopefully keep them to 1 per week...

Now back to Optimus Prime!
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Shanti418
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Post by Shanti418 » Tue Jun 28, 2005 2:09 am

Optimus who?









Seriously though....Optimus obviously rules.

Comic wise, I'd say "Plight of the Bumblebee" was my fav pre Powermaster Optimus comic. Post PM, he started strong (I actually liked the way he and Hi Q were handled), and ended strong (saving the universe, awakening the Last Autobot, etc, etc.), but the middle was all, "Waaah, where's the Matrix? Need the Matrix? Matrix!! Megatron? Ratchet? Waah, I can't make a decision!"

Toy wise, Powermaster Optimus Prime is the bomb diggity as far as G1 goes.

Cartoon wise, he did a pretty good job. THIS is where his iconic status comes from, you know. People think Optimus Prime, they think Cullen's voice.

I just rewatched Return of Optimus Prime, and there's that part where Sky Lynx and the Quintesson are like, "Well, everybody's gone crazy, we're the only ones left and we worked our asses off to revive you because you THE MAN, so what's the plan?" And Optimus says something to the effect of, "Uh, I don't have a plan, 'cause I don't have the Matrix. That's got all the wisdom in it. Without it, I don't know how to tie my shoes." And I thought, "Man, ain't that the truth. Where would that guy be without the Matrix in him?"

I think all incarnation of Optimus that DON'T involve faceplates are sacriledge.
Best First wrote:I thought we could just meander between making well thought out points, being needlessly immature, provocative and generalist, then veer into caring about constructive debate and make a few valid points, act civil for a bit, then lower the tone again, then act offended when we get called on it, then dictate what it is and isn't worth debating, reinterpret a few of my own posts through a less offensive lens, then jaunt down whatever other path our seemingly volatile mood took us in.
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Re: Character discussion : This Week 'Optimus Prime!'

Post by Warcry » Tue Jun 28, 2005 4:17 am

Impactor returns 2.0 wrote: Does anyone really dislike him?
I do.

*dodges thrown fruit, garbage, shoes and knives*

Actually, for the most part it's not the character I dislike. I dislike the way that, whenever he's around, he's always hogging in the spotlight. The TF universe has hundreds of nigh-untouched characters just waiting for a brave writer to come along and flesh them out, but instead the writers keep turning back to Optimus, Megatron, Grimlock and Starscream because they're already popular.

That aside, I'm still pretty cold towards Optimus. He's more of an archetype than a real character, which has always kept me from developing any real fondness for him. He's just too perfect. It's a lot easier for me to root for someone like Magnus or Roddy or Grimlock or Prowl...someone with emotions and reactions I can understand and empathise with, rather than a cypher that I know will always do the right thing no matter what.
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Post by Shanti418 » Tue Jun 28, 2005 4:30 am

"Archetype" is NOT a bad word. MANY superheroes fufill archetypes, but I don't think that should stop characterization in its tracks. Look at Superman.

And even though I love and enjoy all the TFs, I think DW's move to not include Optimus in WW2-3 and G1 V3 was sheer folly.
Best First wrote:I thought we could just meander between making well thought out points, being needlessly immature, provocative and generalist, then veer into caring about constructive debate and make a few valid points, act civil for a bit, then lower the tone again, then act offended when we get called on it, then dictate what it is and isn't worth debating, reinterpret a few of my own posts through a less offensive lens, then jaunt down whatever other path our seemingly volatile mood took us in.
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Post by spiderfrommars » Tue Jun 28, 2005 8:40 am

In the cartoon he was a bit John Wayne. Loved the voice. He was brilliant in the movie.

In the comic under Budiansky he was a bit dull.

Fascinating in Crisis of Command, and nicely written by Furman in the Prey arc, The Unicron War and G2.

Yes the character can be cloying, though I like his little speeches. The one at the end of Matrix Quest is a bit of a flagwaver.

Interesting character development in that xmas story. What made comic Optimus quite intruiging was the fact that he was solely responsible for bringing the 'cons to Earth, and that influenced a lot of his decisions.

Dreamwave G1 Vols 1 and 2 got the character very very wrong. In the first he was a psycho, in the other an imbecile.
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Post by Dead Head » Tue Jun 28, 2005 1:46 pm

Hate him? No. Dislike him? No. Indifferent to him? No. Like him? Yes. Love him? No.
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Post by Legion » Tue Jun 28, 2005 2:31 pm

Prime? Peace loving hippy beatnick who was too concerned over trivial matter to effectively fight, let alone lead an entire race, in a war... numerous attrocious command decisions and a reliance upon the Creation Matrix to make his decisions for him/make him aware of **** going down/fight his battles for him...

utterly useless.

prowl was a better commander than prime was.

bah.

(slightly over the top, but my main point is, i feel valid) :twisted:
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Post by Impactor returns 2.0 » Tue Jun 28, 2005 3:08 pm

so his worst moment? surely being blown for a cumpouter game and letting megatron loose on earth?
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Post by Legion » Tue Jun 28, 2005 3:50 pm

Impactor returns 2.0 wrote:so his worst moment? surely being blown for a cumpouter game and letting megatron loose on earth?
probably :)

also ranking up there is the

"No, i won't let us use the Matrix to create super warrior Autobots"
Next Week:
"Oh, I'm gonna create Omega Supreme, oh and what's that Matrix? Special Teams of giant combining super warrior Autobots? OK!"

duh...
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Post by Shanti418 » Tue Jun 28, 2005 5:26 pm

What about handing the Matrix to Hot Rod? Boy, THAT was lame-o. :o
Best First wrote:I thought we could just meander between making well thought out points, being needlessly immature, provocative and generalist, then veer into caring about constructive debate and make a few valid points, act civil for a bit, then lower the tone again, then act offended when we get called on it, then dictate what it is and isn't worth debating, reinterpret a few of my own posts through a less offensive lens, then jaunt down whatever other path our seemingly volatile mood took us in.
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Post by Guest » Tue Jun 28, 2005 5:44 pm

Shanti418 wrote:What about handing the Matrix to Hot Rod? Boy, THAT was lame-o. :o
Umm... when did he do that? :???:
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Post by Shanti418 » Tue Jun 28, 2005 6:17 pm

s' a joke, s' a joke! :blush:
Best First wrote:I thought we could just meander between making well thought out points, being needlessly immature, provocative and generalist, then veer into caring about constructive debate and make a few valid points, act civil for a bit, then lower the tone again, then act offended when we get called on it, then dictate what it is and isn't worth debating, reinterpret a few of my own posts through a less offensive lens, then jaunt down whatever other path our seemingly volatile mood took us in.
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Post by sprunkner » Tue Jun 28, 2005 8:20 pm

He did say, "Arise, Rodimus Prime."

Speaking of which, if my wife were a TF, she'd be Hotimus Prime...
There is an audience in my head roaring with laughter.

Prime. I like the Furman Prime, a little weary of being a leader, but unable to be anything else. Noble and better than everyone else just by nature, not by attempt. I think the issue where Hot Rod used the psycho robot to go after him because he was depressed about Ratchet dying... even if the premise was forced, it showed a lot of his character.
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