Lately all I can think of is TFP Optimus being demon bait. Amongst every iteration that I seen with the Matrix, he feels more like a placeholder involving the relic than an actual Champion for Primus. Plus TFP is the only one who doesn't retain any knowledge about his past as Orion Pax.

Placeholders are easier to tempt than champions since they aren't fully protected or warned of the danger. The Matrix of Leadership practically rats him out to anything supernatural when you consider it acts more like a vessel unlike other relics. Optimus is gonna have a mixed time should a demon hone in on him.

I get what you're saying. All the strange and, let's face it, very sus Artifacts are painting a very wild picture.

Personally, while I do believe TFP Optimus is a legitimate Prime, he isn't a fully realized one. It gets weirder with the Canon lore in the Aligned verse that the Matrix was housed with Prima's Star Saber and that Optimus is supposed to be the reincarnation of the mysterious Thirteen. Plus, Metroplex from the games vouched his status as a Prime: "Metroplex heeds the call of the last Prime." (Fall of Cybertron game)

I wonder how come the writers didn't go with the Primal Artifacts being semi-sentient? It would really make sense with the mythos and immense powers, especially since those tools can be only wielded by a Prime. So the building blocks were there. Or, have the ghost of Prima within the Matrix that's controlling new ordained champions, and it's intefering with Thirteen's connections? The Matrix has an established history of reformatting new bearers, so is it a big surprise that they're turned into Prima's thoughts of a prefect guardian? Prima has different Aspects and Domains compared to his youngest brother.

The themes of identity and self-determination are there. I think he internally struggled with it. Is he Orion Pax of Alpha Trion? Optimus Prime of Prima? Are they one and the same mask? Does he remember the Wilds in his dreams? Did he have hopes and plans for reconstruction? At night, does he recounts all the steps that brought him to that point?

But yeah, TFP!Optimus would be a succulent prize for a supernatural entity. The Matrix is both a beacon and lighthouse. To see a mortal God-King or a divine champion drowning in uncertainty would turn the very dangerous or very desperate towards him because a contract could be established.

Weirdly enough, out of all the Autobots, I think Optimus would have the easiest time navigating any potential entities. Orion Pax lived and breathed in doublespeak as an archivist directly sponsored by Alpha Trion himself. He knows the intricate dance to steer between treacherous allies and hostile enemies and how to be very leery of certain agreements. Orion was stuck between impossible contradictions of his status.

Ratchet has had certain privileges afforded by his function and frame. He's comfortable taking over things and saying his piece, especially among the current team. He also has a poor opinion of non-Cybertronian anything. He would either be killed for insolence and disrespect or be ensnared in a dream that gives him his deepest wishes. Arcee, depending on your viewpoint, is either lucky or unlucky, especially since she survives all her partnerships. Even Jack Darby, no matter how careful, has a human lifespan, which is seafoam to a Cybertronian. Something would latch onto her anger and grief. Bulkhead can be a very considerate soul. Some being would be charmed by the mech. Bumblebee is kind, and Smokescreen can be impulsive and so very clever. Traits that are endearing to many entities in old tales.

Optimus would have his hands full should something start sniffing around the base.

                    O P T I M U S  P R I M E | Savior of Cybertron

The tale of Optimus Prime is a long and complicated one.

Optimus was originally born as one of the thirteen original Primes created by Primus themself to battle their ultimate enemy, Unicron. A mediator between his brothers and sisters, Optimus was the one responsible for keeping the peace between the frequent headbutting his fellow Primes got into. Though this sadly did not last as his brothers, Maximo and Megatronus, began the catalyst that would end the era of primes by revealing the secrets held by their eldest, Prima, and murdering their sister, Solus. This led to many of the Thirteen dying at each others hands. Though through this conflict, they discovered that Solus’ corpse had helped begin a process in Primus’ core that could eventually lead to the production of an entirely new species on their creators world. Onyx, who had been gravely injured in the battle of the Thirteen, agreed to be the one to be added to this process to begin its true production. Along with them, Optimus decided that he may be added to the Well as well, being reborn anew and living among these new Cybertronians. Optimus decended into the Well, Onyx cradled in his arms, as the process was complete and Primus began to once again produce life from the Well, including the reincarnation of Optimus, Orion Pax.

Orion Pax had no memories of his past life, knowing nothing of previously being a prime and leading a very quiet life. Orion would eventually return to his former brother, Alpha Trion, becoming his apprentice as a data clerk. Yet despite his quiet job and life, he was always destined to head back into conflict. Orion would eventually find his way to Megatronus, the former miner and gladiator, and head straight into the Great War. Just as he was destined to claim the matrix of leadership, once again becoming a prime and once again being known as Optimus Prime. Though he still did not retain his original memories, he still retained the wish for peace as he gathered his own forces to fight the new threat of the Decepticons headed by his old friend Megatron.

Their battle would eventually be taken to Earth, where they defended the native species from the attacking Decepticons. There, Optimus went through many hardships to save not only his loyal allies, but the human beings he had come to personally care for. Just as they had come to his aid many times in return. Eventually, after the restoration of their planet, Cybertron, Unicron possessed the corpse of the recently deceased Megatron and came to find and consume the All-Spark. After a long battle, Optimus made the ultimate sacrifice by absorbing the All Spark himself and using its container to trap Unicron and save his old comrade from a long and painful torture. However, this meant that Optimus, like his former brother before him, had to merge with the All Spark within Primus’ core thus saving the planet but sacrificing his own life in the process.

Thanks to his efforts, Cybertron has known peace for many years since then. However, there might come a need for another prime very soon.

My idea for a Transformers Series

So I’ve been running this idea in my head off and on for a number of years, changing it up here and there based upon whatever toys I had at the time.  It’s gone by a number of different names, but these days, I like to call it Transformers: ‘Till All Are One, because the title fits, and stealing from the comics’ titles seems to be a thing these days.

Though there’d be a lot of guest stars, it would primary focus on two groups.  The Autobots (Orion Pax, Kup, Perceptor, Springer, Blaster, Arcee, Blurr, and Hot Rod) and the Destrons (Megatron, Cyclonus, Soundwave, Blitzwing, Scourge, Crasher, Skywarp, and Slipstream).

Millions of years ago, the planet Cybertron was a war-torn world, until one brave Autobot discovered the lost Matrix of Prima, the first Prime, and formed the Council of 13.  This ushered in an era of peace.  Cybertronians colonized many worlds throughout the universe, and their peacekeeping and exploration arm, the Autobots, were renowned throughout for their heroism.  This is a universe where, if you’re being invaded, plagued by natural disasters, or even need a diplomat, you call in the Cybertronians.  You’re happy when they show up.

The greatest of these were brothers-in-arms, Orion Pax and Megatron.

On a mission to protect an alien world from deadly invaders, Orion and Megatron lead their teams into battle, alongside other Autobots.  During this conflict, Megatron is blasted into a chasm, seemingly lost.  Orion and the others press on, but are stymied against the invaders.  Fortunately, Megatron did not die, and makes his reappearance saving the others.  The day is saved.  But something about Megatron seems different… he’s colder, harder, more brutal.  Orion writes it off as a temporary side effect of his near death experience.

Later, Pax and Megatron’s teams are acting as security for a peace conference for another pair of alien species.  But just because the peace agreement can be signed, Megatron kills both rulers, declaring that both were weak and unfit.  His team stands with him and battles Pax’s’s team, until they make their escape.

This would cover the first half of the series, with Pax’s pursuing Megatron’s, and both sides gaining new allies from other Autobot teams. One major conflict would see Pax alone, fighting Megatron’s specialized troops, the Combatrons and their combined form, before eventually being rescued by the Technobots. Other highlights would include Science Station Alpha (home to numerous scienecy Autobots like Jetfire and Wheeljack), the Wreckers (led by Ultra Magnus), and the Mayhems (led by Bludgeon).

Another mission would see Pax’s team, having lost Megatron’s trail, responding to another distress call from an Autobot team, the Dynobots.  On that planet, they would discover monstrous robotic creatures hunting them, and the remains of the Dynobots’ ship.  They would eventually discover those creatures ARE the Dynobots, now the Dinobots, reformatted to survive this hostile world and its hostile creatures.

Eventually, Pax and his side would capture Megatron and his followers, and bring Megatron to trial before the Council of Thirteen.  Led by Sentinel Prime, with the rest made up of Star Saber, Victory Leo, Metalhawk, Fortress, the Minicon Sparkplug, Dail Atlas, Shockwave, Scorponok, Ratbat, Thunderwing, and the paired generals, Obsidian and Strika.  Megatron would make an impassioned speech about the rightful peace of tyranny over the lesser species… and the Council would break over it, with Shockwave, Scorponok, Ratbat, Thunderwing, Obsidian, and Strika siding with him.  Full conflict would escalate, and Sentinel Prime would be killed.  Soon, it would seem as though the whole Cybertronian race has erupted in Civil War. 

Alpha Trion, however, would reveal what has happened to Megatron, by first telling the origin of their race.  In the beginning, the Light Gods warred with the Dark God Unicron, until only one remained.  The Light God Primus destroyed Unicron, scattering his essence to the cosmic winds.  His energy mostly depleted, Primus transformed himself into a world, Cybertron.  From that, he breathed life into 13 beings…

Prima, keeper of the Matrix, and the first Prime.

Liege Maximo, the Warrior

Megatronus, the Gladiator

Artemis, the Hunter

Vector, Master of Time

Micronus, the Explorer and first minicon

Onyx, the first beast

Nexus, the first combiner

Amalgus, the first multi-changer

Solus, the Maker

Loci, father of the Titans

Inquirius, the Seer

…and Apha Trion himself.

It was these 13 who began Cybertronian civilization.  Primus had charged them with creating a new race to guard the universe in his place, and to that end, Solus crafted Vector Sigma, to which they each contributed a portion of their sparks, so that Cybertronians descended from each of them would be born.

But even in destroying Unicron, some small part of his dark energies remained with Primus, and he passed these dark energies to Liege Maximo and Megatronus.  It corrupted them, turned them against the others.  They killed Solus and set the civilization of Cybertron to war.  One by one, the Thirteen died or left Cybertron, until only Alpha Trion remained.  Worse, the dark energies of Unicron had spread throughout the universe when he was destroyed, leaving little hidden pockets of corruption throughout it.  To most beings, they were harmless.  But to the 2/13th’s of the Cybertronian population descended from Liege Maximo and Megatronus…  they were instantly corrupting, bringing out the very worst in them.  And worse, acting like a virus, spreading one from host to any other receptive beings.  Beings like Megatron and his followers.  On that alien world, Megatron had plunged into a wellspring of this energy, and come out with his worst impulses and desires brought to the surface.

And now, Alpha Trion declares, the Cybertronian race will need a new leader.  He bestows the Matrix upon Orion Pax… transforming him into Optimus Prime.

From here, the conflict only escalates, taking teams of Autobots and Destrons to the far corners of the galaxy, awakening the lost Titans Omega Supreme and Trypticon, encountering the sinister Quintessons and rescuing the wildboy Cybertronian Wheelie, finding the lost Autobot Colony of Junkion, the hidden school of Cyberninjas and the warriors Drift and Nightbird…

Until the conflict finally reaches the planet that was directly below when Primus destroyed Unicron, the place that holds the bulk of his essence.  A massive battle wages, with Optimus Prime taking on Megatron personally. Losing, he desperately reaches out to his brother in arms, his friend.

For a moment, Megatron is himself again.  But it matters little.   Bringing so many Cybertronians who hold a part of him to this world has awakened Unicron.  He drains the dark energy from the Destrons, freeing them, and transforming the world to his familiar form.  The Cybertronians flee into space…

But Megatron and Prime are trapped within.  They battle to the core of Unicron, brothers in arms once more.  There, they realize that they could destroy Unicron, but it would cost them their lives.  Prime could open the Matrix, while Megatron holds off Unicron’s defenses…

Instead, Megatron rips the Matrix from Prime, and hurls him from Unicron. Megatron knows that, however corrupted he was by Unicron, the impulses were still his, the plans for tyranny still his, his weapons that slaughtered many.  There can be no forgiveness for him.  He begs the universe, begs Primus, to let him have enough good left in him for this.  He opens the Matrix…  And sacrifices himself to destroy the Dark God…

The universe is saved, but the reputation of the Cybertronians may have been irreparably damaged, the Matrix is seemingly gone, and Orion Pax has lost his brother…

@cryoverkiltmilk, @thefingerfuckingfemalefury, @alchemyprime, you’re my TF buddies on Tumblr.  What do you think?

So, Optimus is the 13th Prime? Why is his name not recognized? My guesses: 1. It's so old and not used that it has been lost in translation. 2. Alpha Trion, the Archivist, erased the name from their history. So, if we go by what has been supplied in the Aligned continuity and the Covenant of Primus, and, if what I've read is correct and Optimus translates to "Visionary" and Prime to "One", then Optimus Prime should mean something along the lines of "Visionary One" or "One of/with Vision". And, (as pointed out on Wikipedia and TF Wiki), his phrase is "All are One". We know that OP is known for saying "Until All are One". Why the change? I have my own thoughts. And... maybe they aren't quite right, but it does put some heavy weight behind why he continues to be revived. In TFP Season 3, Optimus is given the choice to join the Allspark, as Alpha Trion speaks with him. The Matrix offers itself up to Smokescreen who denies it as Optimus makes the choice to live. Smokescreen then grabs the Forge, and Prime is rebuilt (into the image Solus has chosen, but, that's for another thought process). At the end of TFP, Optimus merges his spark with the Allspark in order to save Cybertron from Unicron once more. Here, we know he is then brought before his fellow Primes and put to training. We don't know for how long or when it started, or who all worked with him besides Micronus (another strand elsewhere). Optimus speaks with Bumblebee, is later brought back in order to fight Megatronus, and then «very fucking painfully» revived by the Primes. Why? Then, we have over in IDW's continuity an Optimus Prime who had been reverted to Orion Pax once more only to be turned back into Optimus. He... is a more fiery individual. He seeks justice, calls out the council with Megatron own words, and then leads a faction in a war he does not want to fight. (There are also parallels to the situation as seen in Megatron's assassination of Sentinel, the MegaRod relationship, and OP's own downward spiral... but it's late and I need to write. This out before I lose momentum). He is contradictory to his own beliefs, his own desires. Why? He sacrificed his spark during the war of Primes in exchange for the opportunity to come back and live among Prima's creations, reincarnated as Orion Pax: humble data clerk or fiery law enforcer. Both stimulated by the words of a Miner/Gladiator (who was also foretold in the Covenant of Primus). Why did OP sacrifice his spark for the opportunity to come back? I think it boils down to a few simple things: 1. Megatronus betrays and kills Solus Prime 2. "All are One", and, the big one... 3. Guilt. OP's "vision" was of a united Cybertron. He watched as his fellow primes waged war on each other, sparked by Megatronus's betrayal, which came from Leige Maximo's influence... And, he couldn't stop it. He was meant to act as the unifying force behind the group of primes... and he failed. He is leading a war, in the hope of unifying Cybertron once more, and is failing. Is his failure, his continued failure, the cause for his perpetual turmoil? Is that why he can't stay dead? Because, he can't realize his dream? I don't know. But, this puts a whole new understanding (for myself) of Optimus's character. That, underneath what many believe to be a collected exterior, the whole of his existence, the reason for his being, is to fail... or, to find a way to reverse the failure that was the civil war of the Primes. (More to come. Eventually. Solus and Rodimus. Megatron and the Requiem blaster. Vector's choice. Prima and his "siblings" (why Optimus?). The Dark Prime.)

So apparently, because there's still a couple of Primes still kicking around in the Aligned verse...

What would happen if the still living siblings met a June-is-Megatronus?

I want Alpha Trion to also have an escape pod that the Autobots fetched on Earth, and they need to deal with Optimus' old mentor being weird around cyber!June and the sparklings.

While this has a lot of potential to be shrugged off as "old-ass respectable elite being shocked over outsider flouting social conventions," it has much hurt/no comfort and angst as well.

Not only did the civilization Alpha Trion had a direct hand (as one of the major pillars in Prima's Guiding Hand) in laying a foundation that had been corrupted and came crashing in a hot wildfire, but his attempts to step away and separate his Primal influence did not help at all. (Look, he's a living member of the original Primes who was either active or at least on the periphery of politics. Like what happened? Why did he let the Council get away with so much? What made him limit his presence? Did he trust Prima's Matrix that much? And now there are implications if he took the feral Orion Pax under his wing.)

The last image Alpha had of Megatronus was his grief-stricken face at the resulting carnage and his immediate judgment of self-exile away from everything. (They thought he was in the wilderness, and Prima spent the rest of his life establishing city-states, bringing the nomadics to heel, and laying the groundwork to convert nature. The Predacons gone. The seas dried. The forests cut. The mountains excavated. The wetlands rerouted. The volcanoes harvested. Megatronus was never found -not even when the Quintessons Quintus why messed with the Well of Allsparks.)

He can't help but feel sucker-punched and exhausted over his diminished sibling, especially on a thriving world, and the once Megatronus has buried everything so deep, June doesn't truly recognize him anymore.

You're nothing but an echo of yourself, Megatronus. Prima was a beacon of the future, but when you walked, the world stilled beneath your steps. Where Prima went, you followed him, and now... Our siblings are either dead or scattered, and our people have fled to distant, uncaring stars, and our Creator has not spoken to anyone in a very long time. "Tell me, do you have oceans where you're from?" June interrupted Alpha Trion's dark thoughts. "No." He couldn't help the sharp dig. "Not anymore." June didn't turn to look at him, still gazing into the horizon of the desert, into the sea of sand and stars. "That's a pity then. There's something beautiful about the vastness. How small we really are." Is that why you ventured into the wilds, sister, he didn't ask. Did you steal Liege's glossa or were we never close enough for these thoughts, left unsaid. I missed you, Megatronus, Alpha Trion refused to speak those damning words.

Hi there! I wanted to ask about the Rudis ask, if you could comment more about the TFP-Soundwave option? All your fic ideas are lovely! Have a nice day :) !!

When it comes down to it, I just really want to delve down into the mythos that the Aligned universe gave us.

TFP in general seems to pull a lot of influence from Ancient Greek and Roman culture and mythos as well as pulling from Judeo-Christian roots.

I mean, there's so much going on, and yet... It feels undersold or fallen wayside. Even though it's all right there!

The War kicked off exponentially when the High Council named Orion Pax as the next Prime

The Autobots on Earth fell apart without Optimus

Questions about the role of the Matrix of Leadership: Is Orion Pax and Optimus Prime completely separate entities?

The Primal Artifacts and their immense power (and Megatron's willingness to desecrate a Prime's corpse)

Smokescreen getting worked up when Ratchet question Optimus' decision to destroy the only thing that could revive their homeworld

Fucking Unicron sleeping in Earth's core

And this is just the top of my head.

So being a Prime isn't just a leadership position, but has some deeply religious/mythical divine status akin to a mortal God-king.

And the sheer fact that Megatron managed to oppose an actual Prime chosen by the damn Matrix itself, just shows how much of a force of personality and charisma the guy is as well as how much faith he inspired in his own people.

There is so much more that could have been done, especially since people are biting for more lore on Decepticon culture. Like FUUUUUUUU-

There seems to be a fandom take that Decepticons are either atheists or deeply reject religion as opposed to the very pious Autobots. That doesn't seem to work in the Aligned universe.

There should be sects and cults surrounding the Thirteen Primes, especially with the theme of the triads and duos: Prima and Megatronus. Megatronus and Solus. Liege Maximo, Megatronus, and Solus. Prima, Alpha Trion, and Alchemist Prime. (Like where's the rest of the myths and parables? )

Shoot, secret ones!

So hear me out, what if Megatron was the rallying call for the Decepticons because the Fallen was considered the patron of the oppressed? He was the Prime of Chaos, the closest to the Unicron by Primus' own hand, the Undefeated.

It was said that he and Solus were lovers, so is it too much of a step that they were the First Conjunx?

I am the one within all of you, little brother.

From Prima to Thirteen. From those forged within Solus and those that rise from below. In the deep Wilds touched by none and the very spark of our fledgling civilization.

Amalgamous may share the claim to Nature with his beastly shapes, but I am the Shadow to the Light, the unfettered Instinct without Rationality, the Unmaker upon our Creator, the Beast of Madness that dwells within everyone and everything. 

Even you, quicksilver and trickster, cannot deny my Domain. Not even Prima, the Eldest of us all, can deny my power.

-- excerpt of a WIP where Megatronus Prime answers Liege Maximo's questions on his wanderings and leeway to everywhere

Megatron walking away from the High Council would cement his position among his people -the downtrodden, the lower castes, the lost and forlorn -the "Uncrowned Prime." He had purposely invoked the Fallen's name since he needed the ferocious strength to force change in society. Megatronus is the only Prime to remain victorious against all foes; his siblings didn't force him to yield, Megatronus Prime willingly laid down his arms and exiled himself.

It would explain the fanatical devotion and outpour of support against Optimus, the chosen official Prime, especially with the religious angle of Prima slighting Megatronus once more should the Matrix be explicitly connected to the first Prime. And then there's the fact that Prima was a founding father of Cybertronian civilization, so there's the slant of "rebel and tear down the established regime!"

The very name of the Decepticons could have been a hail to Megatronus' companionship with Amalgamous and Liege Maximo, both Primes were mainly tricksters. (In the gladiatorial clades, they were often invoked for victory.)

TFP Soundwave isn't just the Decepticon, he's Megatron's Decepticon. Whatever Megatron wants, he does. Soundwave put down Airachnid when she tried to set the Nemesis off Earth.

I've seen takes where Soundwave is deeply in love with Megatron or the ghost of the old Megatron, and that's why he stayed even when there's nothing left but dust. I've seen a take where Megatron sets fire to Cybertron as a "love song" in a style to mimic how Megatronus and Solus changed Cybertron.

I have yet to see a deeply faithful/religious Soundwave seeing Megatron as a Sign from his chosen God/Prime to hold the match, prep the gas, and start a firestorm. He essentially used his rudis as kindling upon the altar of Megatronus Prime; Wilds and Passion and Madness Incarnated. (And seeing the Decepticons take back cities and planet, Dark Energon zombies, and Megatron's multiple resurrections from the dead or near death, Soundwave's fucking deep in devotion.)

Okay, this idea keeps haunting me since ss-shitstorm’s Fortuna Primigenia on AO3, so combining a few universes together: the dynasty of the Primes.

Ignoring RID, like what if in TFP, the Primes that were killed were eventually reborn because of an incoming danger?

Orion Pax doesn’t know where he descends from, only that he’s hungry for knowledge, for change in the society that Alpha Trion snuck in this Badland’s Wilder inside. While Orion enjoys sorting all the datapads, some of the information is off, it itches at his processor: the dates wrong or the names rescinded. (Orion Pax once stared into the golden walls gleaming in the distance and wondered at creations laid with it and if he would ever have a chance to make his own.)

Silver-tongued and ambitious miner D-16 went from the gladiator Megatronus to Megatron led the Decepticon movement, birthed in the Pits of Kaon to overturn the deeply injust society placed upon them based on bastardized Prima’s records. (Megatron never put that much stock in the Primes, prefering the Titans, and always felt deeply suspicious of Alpha Trion.)

So here, Megatron went bat-shit crazy since Optimus is essentially Prima’s (not Primus, Prima is the Eldest of the Thirteen) Matrix-form on how a Prime should be. Stripped down to bare minimum, less of a mech and more of a figure.

Here’s the kicker, though: Optimus was once Solus and Megatron was once Liege Maximo.

That’s why Optimus keeps his cards close to his spark. That’s why Megatron has such a dysfunctional relationship with his SIC. That’s why Optimus and Megatron have that strange dynamic with one another. They could have killed each other and yet they haven’t!!

So where’s Megatronus Prime? Well, the guy was called Fallen, what if he never returned to Primus? What if Earth is teeming with Cybertronian relics because Megatronus Prime was called by Unicron/Gaia and is on Earth?!