I really can't remember everything from the 1986 movie or G1 S3, but... I don't really remember Rodimus talking much about his life prior to becoming the Prime. If we're taking lore SOLELY from the show and movie, given how often G1 just had the Autobots or Decepticons just Build New Guys, I don't think it's too unreasonable for some casual (or forgetful, idk) fan to assume that Hot Rod was built on Earth in the time skip period between S2 and the movie. You could totally do an AU interpretation where Rodimus and Daniel are the same age or close to it.
Some Autobot back on Cybertron: "When was this new Prime constructed? I don't recall meeting him before."
Rodimus: "I'm ten."
Some Autobot: "Ten what? Ten million? You wear your years extremely well, then. You can't possibly be only ten thousand, that's much too young for a Prime-"
Rodimus: "Just ten years old, buddy."
Some Autobot: "..."
Rodimus: "And trust me, every single one of them has sucked ass enough for a million. Are we doing these super important galactic politics today or what?"
Some Autobot: "I have energon stones in my filtration tanks that are older than you."
Rodimus: "Yeah, and I have to go beat the shit out of some Quintessons with my bare hands later, AND I still need to squeeze my daily crisis of depression, guilt, and self-loathing in somewhere because Ultra Magnus says I'm not allowed to put it on the official schedule anymore. Are we having this meeting or not? I'm a busy guy."
Story - Jon Rist
Art - James Cox
Colours - Josh Burcham
Letters - HdE
deviantART | TFW2005 | BotTalk
wada sez: The vignettes in this one all set up scenes from the beginning of The Transformers: The Movie, with Kup directing the other Autobots in setting up a roadblock, Blaster chilling in the communications tower, and Wheeljack and Windcharger hanging out before they’re both brutally killed side-by-side by the Decepticons. Hot Rod’s line opens his first scene with Daniel. Josh Burcham had already coloured an official adaptation of the film for IDW and a tie-in story by Simon Furman for Australian home-media company Madman Entertainment, so this fits nicely in that vein; he’d go on to colour the pack-in comic for the Reveal the Shield Rodimus vs. Cyclonus two-pack.
It was an absolute delight to draw their version of Danielle and Arcee! Check out their RP blog!
I still have commissions open! My patreon, Ko-fi if you are interested in seeing how this art work was made, or want a high res version of this drawing!
I can't stop thinking about a universe were they make peace before the movie. And toddler Daniel forcing the seekers to watch Rio.
Because birdies, obviously.
Skywarp:
would absolutely love the movie
got really excited during the escape the plane scene
Definitely did not cry during multiple scenes
Got upset every time a song was interrupted
Scared of the bulldog character
Traumatized by the cockatoo being a cannibal
Thundercracker:
would really like the movie too but would be less expressive of it,
would be really into storytelling aspect of it
thought the whole Carnival aspect was pretty cool
Fucking hated the cockatoo it reminds him of someone
Starscream:
actually really enjoyed the movie but would never tell anyone that
was tense during the blizzard scene
Traumatized by the end of "Real in Rio" song.
Accidentally verbalized this excitement at the plane Escape scene
Was secretly jealous of the bird couples
Laughed when the cockatoo got hit by the plane
All:
The Smuggler's made them uncomfortable
Resonated with the fear of being flightless
Thought the birds dancing with their wings was pretty
Got upset at the birds in the cages
Flinched with Jewel got her Wing Crushed
Cheered when blue learned how to fly, all but Skywarp denied this
PS: If someone wants to or is going to write the plot up to them watching the movie I would be happy to write they're in time reactions, just let me know.
I love how G1 Sixshot and Overlord are both purple and mint-colored, super strong competent villains who have issues with the even more powerful evil guys they work for, and how they are both like yes we will remorselessly kill and torture and laugh about it—and then they're also like... children?! I adore children ;A; They can always come to me when they are sad and talk to me. How dare anyone hurt them, only a barbarian would do that! I'll protect children with my life!
So I'm working on this AU. It's about Hot Rod being on Earth for about two years. He feels really lonely and isolated.
His friends have all made new friends and kind of moved on. Kup and Ultra Magnus are more his commanding officers now. They don't have time for him and they don't do what they used to do.
For example cuddling together when it was cold. Being more of a family. Kup telling him war stories because he's so busy.
Hot Rod was made during the war. The wreckers on Cybertron needed another person because of Shockwave constantly developing his tech.
They create Hot Rod using a Hot Spot in Nyon. He's the last person to be created using a Hot Spot.
When he gets to Earth he's the youngest. Which makes the Ark crew weary of him. Everyone talks about Cybertron and how it used to be. Which he's never seen. All he knows about Cybertron is that it's a wasteland where he struggled to survive with his team.
Everyone else on the Ark has known each other for a long time and Hot Rod doesn't feel like he belongs.
He's in a relationship with Arcee and Springer except they want to be monogamous and kick him out.
Hot Rod struggles to find his place and eventually he's introduced to Daniel who he's been put in charge of protecting.
He now lives at the Witwicky house where he's still lonely and he's there because people don't really want to deal with him so now he's out of the way.
He basically loves Daniel and will do anything for him. He becomes a second mom of sorts.
Soundwave also watches him from a far and can understand his loneliness they become friends and then something more.
Awwww that's adorable!! He's been absorbed into the family by the humans, and Soundwave's there too