#I want Optimus to be mean to him

[steelthroat]

I have the sudden need to write a fic in which Optimus and Megatron start bantering about politics and shit and Megatron is sure he won the debate and starts goading Optimus but then...

Boom

Optimus folds him like a homelette (not literally) and is like, "bich u dumb?" And starts explaining why everything he just said is wrong. He's a bad politician, and he's too full of himself and needs to be humbled.

And Megatron thinks about it, and actually, yeah... he's screwed.

[wolfythewitch]

My Watching Over Kids Hot Take a lot of kids just want someone to talk to them calmly without telling them what to feel. Or maybe they just want to talk and have someone listen

A kid at church today was sulking under a table blocked off by chairs that he couldn't get to play with this Optimus prime toy they had in a cabinet and when I asked him if he was willing to wait for it after the service or if maybe he had some toys at home he said he didn't and church was the only place he could play with one, and Optimus prime is his favorite character ever. I told him we couldn't let him play with it now, but if he was willing to wait until later when there were fewer kids he could take it for a spin. He was still sitting under the table but he wasn't frowning anymore. He told me about dinosaurs. His favorite is the allosaurus. He came out from under the table for a second just to mimic its roar. I said yooo that's sick my favorite is the pterodactyl. I mimed a screech (my dinosaur knowledge is very limited, alas). He crawled out from under the table and started clawing at the air, doing his best impression of a dinosaur. It was very cute. I think he likes dinosaurs almost as much as he likes Optimus prime. Then he ran off to play with the other kids

[uniiiquehecrt]

Voice actors are NOT the same as actors.

It takes a specific kind of skill-set and training to be able to warp and meld the voice. It takes a certain kind of talent and dedication to hone that talent into the ability to meld the voice and invoke emotion with one's voice alone. Actors are used to using their voice secondarily to their body language and their facial expressions. It's all mirrored back on camera. They do have nuance. But it's a different kind of nuance and a different kind of training to produce that nuance.

Voice actors might get their likeness transposed on their character's design, and maybe their mannerisms might seep into the character's animation. But when it's all said and done: their presence is in their voice. They are bringing a character to life, showing that emotion in their voice, trying to keep a specific accent, drawl, pitch, tone in that voice and keep it consistent for their recording sessions.

The voice actor is like a classically trained musician who can play first chair in a competitive, world-renown orchestra. The actor (who fills the voice actor's role) is like a moot who played violin in beginner and intermediate high school orchestra and thinks they can get into Juilliard with that 2-4 years of experience.

This doesn't mean that the HS orchestra moot can't play. They can even be really good at it. Maybe they won competitions and sat first chair. But they are not in the same league as the person who's been training their whole lives and lives and breathes to hone their craft using the instrument and all of the training they've ever acquired to perfect it. They are not meant for the same roles. They are not in the same caliber. You do not hire the HS equivalent when you want to play complex music in a competitive orchestra.

Actors are not the same as voice actors.

And furthermore, actors - especially big name actors - taking the roles of animated characters for big budget films or TV pilots makes no sense anyways when - at least in the case of TV pilots - there's not a point to hiring a big budget actors anyways. That money could be used elsewhere (like paying your animators), and the talent that is brought onto the screen for X character could then be hired on to voice said character no recasting required.

I wouldn't say voice acting as a profession is in danger exactly, but it's certainly being disrespected and overlooked for celebrity clout, and this has ALWAYS been an issue. Shoot, even Robin Williams knew that much - which is why he tried so hard not to be used as a marketing chess piece for Aladdin and got royally pissed off when it happened anyways. People shouldn't go to any movie (but especially not animated films) because "oh famous actor is in it". People should go because it's a good movie and the voice acting is good.

People who honest to god think that voice actors are replaceable because "oh well anyone can voice act" or "I like xyz celebrity so naturally it'll be good" ... Honestly I just wish you'd reassess your priorities because you're missing the point and are part of the problem.

Voice Actors ≠ Actors.

[the-autism]

nobody talks about the inherent tragedy of tfp optimus’ character and i want to know why

[lord-squiggletits]

Also I'm just gonna say that even if it were true that Rodimus was a """""true Prime"""" and Optimus wasn't, that isn't as much of an L for Optimus as people seemingly want it to be.

Like so you're telling me Optimus was never a chosen hero and the burden of the Matrix/leadership pained him morally, emotionally, and physically, yet he still survived 4 million years of war?

You're telling me he wasn't God's Designated Special Boy but he still tried his best to live up to that impossible ideal to the point of developing serious depression and suicidal ideation as a result of so much goddamn loneliness and self-doubt?

Optimus wasn't a "true Prime" and yet he still believed in ideals of reconciliation and ending the cycle of violence? He wasn't a true Prime but he still stayed on Cybertron trying to fix a broken, broken society while also trying to stop Earth from being invaded for a second time? He didn't even need to do that he could've just stayed in exile which he was originally supposed to do all along, and which he would've personally preferred?? You're telling me that Optimus wasn't Primus' Specialest Boy And Chosen Leader and yet he stepped into leadership anyways bc he perceived that there was injustice to be fixed??

Wow yeah I guess Optimus is just such an inferior leader, clearly his actual actions/moral character as person don't matter and his "worthiness" should be judged solely on whether the Magic Cybertronian 8 Ball liked him or not.

[lets-try-some-writing]

Uh hey….uh…I been daydreaming as usual lately and I been having hilarious thoughts on Optimus being related to unicron instead and they have a chaotically good relationship despite their appearance and all that…what do you think on such an AU?

You always have the best au ideas. Seriously, I love them so much. And because I suddenly had a grand idea for this one, I thought I would once again disregard my request order and do a little writing for this lovely au. Hope you don't mind me expanding on this a bit. Although fair warning, this one is a little long since I got carried away writing it and ended up rambling bit.

Hidden in Plain Sight

Primus's creation of his Primes did not go unnoticed by his chaotic counterpart. Unicron was well aware of what his twin was doing and could have disrupted the creation of the Primes if he so desired. However he saw an opportunity to cause greater damage long term for his counterpart and so allowed Primus to continue crafting his champions. And so while his brother was busy forging the fledgling sparks of his firstborn children, Unicron began his work creating a little life of his own.

Carefully and over the course of what could have been an eternity, Unicron crafted one small spark, perfectly designed for his purposes. He filled the small spark with strength, indominable will, a desire to succeed by any means necessary, and an impossibly possessive nature. And then to ensure that nothing could stop his plan from coming to fruition, he gave his first and only child a gift.

His sparkling would not rend reality or have the strength to shatter worlds. No, that was Unicron's design. Instead he gave his child a subtler means of fulfilling his will. He gave his child an immortal spark. So long as Unicron lived, his sparkling would never truly perish, it would persist, and if all went according to plan, be a pain in Primus's side until the universe unraveled.

Unicron did not create to bring forth order, no, he created for the sole purpose of causing discord. Primus was born to fill the universe with some semblance of stability, whereas Unicron was born to disrupt it and force all life within it to change, for better or for worse. These traits he pushed upon his creation, urging it to strive for change, to push for growth even at the cost of pain. It was his hope that by giving his child immortality, the sparkling would learn and be able to keep Primus in check even when Unicron himself could not.

And so with his only child impressed with all the desires of its creator, Unicron shifted his gaze to the twelve tiny sparks circling his brother's core, growing while bathed in the light of their maker and preparing to be given frames. His smile was wicked as he grasped at the spark circling his own and scrubbed it of his presence. The little spark in his hold cried out, searching for him even as he moved to push the little one in amongst Primus's children. Unicron nearly stopped, almost unable to let go of his sparkling. However after steeling himself, he set the spark adrift, letting it settle in amongst the twelve other sparks so similar yet to different to itself.

Like a Cuckoo bird leaving its egg in another's nest, Unicron fled after leaving his creation among Primus's own, hoping that the creator god would feed and sustain it. Lovingly and unknowingly growing the very creature that would haunt him for eternity. At least, that was the plan...

Unbeknownst to Unicron, Primus had not been idle while his twin's creation was hidden amongst his own. He watched as the small purple spark was pushed into orbit around his core, and if he desired it, he could have smothered the little life, sending it back to its maker without a second thought. But Primus, despite sensing the danger, instead brought the small spark closer to himself, bathing it even more so than his own children in the light of his being. He saw how much his brother adored the little spark that now circled his core, and he couldn't in good conscience, snuff out the only life his brother loved so dearly. And so seeing what his brother had impressed upon the spark, Primus began to process of pushing his own, far subtler adjustments onto it in order to give the sparkling the best life possible.

Strength was balanced with humility. Indominable will was met with empathy. The desire to succeed was quieted by morality and a strong sense of duty. The spark's possessive nature was calmed by love and protectiveness. The urge to bring about change could not be removed, and so Primus etched in the spark deep longing for a better future alongside it.

Everything was made equal, balanced, as all things should be.

And so with his adjustments made, Primus accepted his brother's creation in amongst his own and treated it no differently from his children. He nurtured it lovingly and cultivated its growing personality even as Unicron's only sparkling tried to devour the other little sparks around it instinctually. Of course Primus intervened, instead sustaining the eternally starving spark with his own power and keeping it constantly bathed in his light in order to calm it. Then, when all of the sparks were fully developed, Primus gave each and every one of the little sparks circling him frames. Even Unicron's child was not exempt.

His thirteen Primes took to their frames without much issue. Some were more outlandish in design whereas others were rather simple in comparison. The first to fully adjust to their frames were those more closely attuned to their creator, whereas those who took longer were more inclined toward their creator's counterpart. However no matter their differences in appearance and personality, they all shared one defining trait, their sparks were stable, unchanging, and secure... that was all save one.

The Thirteenth Prime, the most tempered and diplomatic of his kin was... different. His frame was odd when compared to his siblings, his swirling nebula of a spark being the only thing holding it together. He lacked a power and a relic like the other Primes and always had an aura of a predator, always watching his siblings, always quiet as he walked, and always so startling in his observations. His spark never settled, always growing and shifting, changing with every passing moment to better match his adopted siblings. It was cause for concern at first, but the Thirteenth quickly appeared to settle, his spark shrinking down and remaining within the confines of his frame. And so after a time, his siblings paid his odd nature little heed and instead enjoyed his company.

They did not know what he was. They did not know that their brother was merely mirroring them, doing his best to blend in as he grew in power and the instincts his creator bestowed on him became active. They did not know that the Thirteenth was waiting, watching, and preparing for an chance to strike at his siblings as his creator intended.

When the time came for the Primes to battle Unicron, it was incredibly difficult for the Thirteenth. His entire being screamed at him to stop even as he lay blow after blow upon the entity he had been taught to believe was the enemy but knew was his creator. However he had bonded to his siblings and to his adopted father, the possessive nature his true creator had given him made it impossible for him to abandon them. They were his family, he would not allow them to perish by any servo save his own.

And so he and his siblings cut down the chaos god, casting him into a deep sleep, hopefully to never wake. But when this was done, the Thirteenth quickly began to deteriorate, his spark weakening and all the strength his creator had given him dissipating. And just like that, as the power of his maker fled him, the changes Primus had impressed upon him began to surface. The Thirteenth changed, instead of being a creature meant only to wreak havoc, he became and entity of balance, designed to keep all things equal, both good and evil.

And so as Primus fell deep into sleep, exhausted from his battle with Unicron, the Thirteenth's priorities and instincts shifted as he was bathed in his adopted maker's light one last time. He would ensure that his creators, his true and adopted one, never exterminated the other. He would keep them in balance, always keeping the scales even and supporting whatever side needed aid to ensure that both parties came out of the conflict alive.

As such when the Primes bickered and began to fight, the Thirteenth watched, he waited, and weighed the options before him critically. His nature did not allow him to support Prima and the others who wished for things to stay static. However he also could not bring himself to support the others who stood against Prima's faction and fought for their right to create, they were far too passionate. And so he bode his time and allowed his kin to fight one another as they wished, although he did make valiant attempts to create some form of compromise between his kin.

The Thirteenth expected that eventually his adopted siblings would calm themselves and reach a compromise. But every single one of his expectations and carefully crafted plans to calm his kin were thrown out the window when Megatronous killed Solus, throwing the Primes into civil war. Having no other choice, the Thirteenth joined the fight, trying to save as many of his siblings from each other as possible. In the end, after Liege Maximo had been killed, the Thirteenth used all of his influence and what little power he retained to convince the remaining Primes to let Megatronous go.

Things played out quickly from there, and the Primes broke apart. Some fleeing to the stars, some deciding to remain on the surface and watch over the beings that would come from the well, and others yet offering themselves to what remained of Solus. In the end, the Thirteenth saw that all was equally balanced for the time being and knowing that he would be needed later, joined Onyx and the others in the well, planning on waking once more when the scales tipped yet again.

The Calling

The Thirteenth had not exactly intended to be reborn through the Allspark. He was a creation of Unicron and had honestly thought that Primus's afterlife for his children was not accessible to him. But his adoptive father apparently viewed him as one of his children despite his less than stellar origins, and so the Allspark welcomed him when he entered the well.

His plan to keep his cover and also remain out of the picture until he was needed via awaiting rebirth by the servo of his true creator went flying out the window when Primus took in his spark as it had with his siblings, and allowed him to rest for a time. He could not remain for long, his immortal spark could never be content in eternal rest, and so he was quickly given a new frame and sent back to the surface again.

This change of plans was acceptable to the Thirteenth as he thanked his adoptive father and accepted his new frame. However what he was not made aware of was that his memory and true nature would be locked away when he took up the frame that Primus offered him. If he had been conscious enough at the time he would have been rather upset. He should have known that even half asleep, Primus would still try and influence him and give him a better life. But by the time he had crawled his way out of the well and wandered off into the wilds before anyone could stop him, all his memory had up and dissipated, leaving the dark prince to survive purely off instinct.

After a time he was picked up by Alpha Trion who could sense the familiar spark of the Thirteenth. And after cleaning him up a bit, Alpha Trion gave him the name Orion Pax, swiftly beginning the long arduous work of turning the feral youngling into a civilized mech.

Orion Pax lived without much fanfare. All he learned from the wilds helped him develop to be independent, his training under Alpha Trion gave him all the knowledge he could ever want, and for many millennia, all was as it should be, balanced. However peace did not last forever and soon enough Orion Pax got involved with Megatronous, rapidly helping his new friend gain a following. Together they fought for change, and just as quickly as their friendship developed, it shattered.

War enveloped Cybertron, and Orion Pax felt the call within his spark. And so he went to Primus's core, following instinct more than anything else. There Primus felt his familiar presence and granted him the Matrix of leadership, unlocking his memory and suppressed nature as well as granting him a frame better suited to his purposes.

On that day, Optimus, the last of the Primes, was forged.

Spawn of Unicron

The changes both of his creators had instilled in him made Optimus one of the greatest leaders the Autobots could ever wish for. He seemed a little too perfect to be real. Everything about him appeared to be without fault, from his skill in battle, his charisma, his caring nature, to his strategic genius.

In truth Optimus was constantly torn. His base nature as a creation of Unicron made him delight in battle, trial, tribulation, and victory in any sort of combat, verbal or physical. But the changes Primus made in him and the memories of his life as Orion Pax made him abhor the suffering such things wrought. Unicron's instruction made him view others as potential tools, things to manipulate and use to his own ends before anything else. And yet Primus's touch made him want to hold his loved ones close, keep them safe from the horrors of reality, even if it required sacrifice on his part. His entire identity was a mess of contradictions, and it certainly didn't help that some parts of his nature became more prominent depending on the strength of one of his creators.

On days where Unicron stirred, Optimus was a beast on the battlefield, causing even Megatron to look at him in fear. He was cold to those around him, often tending to look upon the loss of life apathetically, even disdainfully if the death did not benefit him. His maliciousness and tolerance for lackluster results took a nosedive, nearly leading him to harm his own soldiers on days where Unicron's influence was worst. He always apologized afterward, pinning the blame on the stress of war and the Matrix's prodding. His Autobots always forgave him in turn, but each harbored and still harbors a slight fear for and of their Prime.

On days where Primus was more active, Optimus had a way with words that boosted the morale of his own troops more so than any other time. He was saintly in his actions, often able to understand others and offer them the comfort they didn't know they needed. He was capable of making enemy soldiers turn away, often contemplative and sometimes even coming back to him with a desire to join him. He never raised his blade unless he had to and he took every care to ensure that his people were happy, even amidst a war. On those days he was dearly loved by his Autobots and greatly loathed by his enemies.

Thankfully for everyone, Optimus generally kept himself controlled, his grip on his emotions and moods being tight at all times. However when Optimus and his team arrived to earth, his carefully constructed stability started to crack. Even before him and his team entered the atmosphere he could feel the thrum of his creator's spark beneath the surface. He could hear his maker's whispers, his desires, the pulses that came from his spark, urging those who could feel him to do his bidding.

With the Matrix's aid and the constant distractions that came from his team and earth in the form of the human children and his team having to handle them. But as time passed and Megatron began messing with dark energon, Optimus found it harder and harder to not slip back into his original design. After Uniron started to awaken there was no stopping it. No matter what Optimus did to suppress or hide his nature, nothing could stop him from reacting as power unlike anything he had felt in millennia fueled him in response to his creator's waking.

In front of his entire team, his frame shifted, his spark growing beyond its confines as it was strengthened. His form became deadlier, sharper, and yet still so eerily graceful, the remnants of his creator's intent to have him hide among Primus's perfect children. His personality warped, falling right back into who he was before Unicron fell into stasis, only partially under the influence of the changes Primus impressed on him.

One would think that this would have led Optimus to go running to his creator, doing everything in his power to help him wake. But Optimus was a possessive creature, and he could not allow his maker to destroy earth for multiple reasons.

Earth is home to the humans, and since they spawned on Unicron's slumbering form, they are sort of like family. No family of his is allowed to die unless it is by his own servos.

HIS humans love earth. And Optimus would do anything to see those that are HIS are kept happy and healthy.

HIS team like earth and require the relics on it to restore Cybertron. As such, despite being a mudball, earth is something he finds himself required to keep somewhat secure.

Unicron may be his maker, but Optimus cannot exactly allow him to wake and go about destroying everything. To kill Primus would be to doom HIS loved ones to an existence without an afterlife waiting for them.

Also the balance matters... if only so that HIS loved ones don't need to deal with the fallout of two mighty gods duking it out.

Hence when Unicron started activating his avatars, Optimus went out and attempted to convince his maker to slumber a while longer... with varied results.

Unicron: "My glorious creation! Come! Let us conquer this universe and end Primus once and for all!"

Optimus: "I can't let you do that"

Unicron: "What? Why?"

Optimus: *gestures to his team and his humans* "Those are mine, and you waking up right now would hurt them"

Unicron: *aghast* "I am your creator!"

Optimus: "You left me to be raised by your twin and expected me to kill all of his creations despite the possessiveness that YOU gave me acting up because they actually showed me some affection like a real family. Not to mention Primus fixed up a scrap ton of instabilities in my spark making it so that I can actually live somewhat normally outside of combat"

Unicron: *feeling more than a little guilty* "Well... I didn't exactly intend for you to have any other purpose besides fighting by my side"

Optimus: *with his servos on his hips* "Wow. What a great father you are"

Unicron: *flustered as all get out* "Wait a moment! What if I let you keep your little playthings and made sure not to hurt them? Would you come with me then?"

Optimus: "Some of my possessions require the use of this planet. And the others rather like their homeworld. Either way I can't let you wake up entirely"

Unicron: "I really don't want to have to fight you my wayward spark. Don't make me"

Optimus: "And I would rather not have to betray my own creator, but then again its either that or complete annihilation of the universe which houses MY special people"

Unicron: "We don't have to do this"

Optimus: "We kind of do"

Unicron: ....

Optimus: .....

Unicron: "For the record, I'm sorry"

Optimus: *Already getting ready to take a nice swing at the avatar using his newfound strength* "A bit late for that I'm afraid"

[th3e-m4ng0]

an old, retired warrior

[pastelpaperplanes]

Omg the kobd couple is so cute, wildbreak too. What was Op and Megs reaction to them ? :3

ah, I’d imagine after both of them woke up after being patched up they’d surely be grateful, but dazed and confused as HELL

kinda like, whomst the fuck attacked us and how the fuck are we alive. WHAT the fuck is that little thing, where the fuck are we and why the FUCK are we all the way in the isles???

Give them a break, they are in pain 😂

[transingthoseformers]

Transformers animated but instead of Optimus being expelled and becoming a spacebridge technician, it's Sentinel Prime. It's Sentinel Prime who ends up leading team Prime on earth, I'd love to see how their personalities change and what stays the same

Will Sentinel not go down the same xenophobic route, will UM give him his own thinly veiled insult? What will being Ultra Magnus's protégé and becoming the leader of the elite guard do to Optimus (... If he becomes that). Are we heading into "it's only this handful of characters who are shattered glass" territory?? Will we see Sents rank stripped actually bc Ngl that's a definite possibility?

[ghostingcrows]

I personally really want decepticon high command to each get their own little personal redemptions

And by redemptions they just get put on baby sitting duty and having little moments of

“Am I seriously trying to fight literal toddlers right now-”

[zyanova]

Bumblebee being child.

[straybots]

Why is flashchase a former... everything? Did his old jobs break his principles or were there specific events that got him kicked?

It was mostly about the nature of his... creation. He's an mto, specifically from a tiny team created for extremely specific assassinations that won't lead down to Who was the killer. As an autobot mto there was a lot of "we're the good guys" trash fed to him, and he was GOOD at what he was made to do (well. still is), but at some point he fulfilled the mission and there was little else he was good for.

So he joined the Wreckers. And he was good at it too. It's just at some point he realized, when he was allowed time for some thought and reflection, and understanding of himself, things they did and things decepicons did weren't too far from each other. It's just that autobots did it for the "right" reasons.

He's a loving person, at the core. It didn't really align with what he Felt was right, but at the same time he doesn't really know Different.

Basically, he disowned his badge, his teams, his past and wants to be an actual good guy, even if it's hard and he's deemed a traitor, cuz boy he's got some autobot blood on his hands.

[roger-that-palidan]

Well, that is good. I am the Anom. Could I get a TFP or Bayverse Prime smiling lovely at his s/o?

Lil rusty cause got an art block kicking my ass but I hope this makes you just as happy as he is to see his SO/Conjunx(?)

[juniaships]

OK BUT SINCE TFA WAS INFLUENCED BY GARGOYLES IT WOULD'VE BEEN CUTE IF THEY HAD GIVEN OPTIMUS A HUMAN LOVE INTEREST LIKE GOLIATH AND ELISA

[lord-squiggletits]

"Rodimus is a better Prime because it didn't hurt for him to bond with the Matrix while for Optimus it did" headcanon/theory my beloathed.

One day I'm literally gonna snap and make a whole post addressing why what's wrong bc I'm tired of the inaccuracy and tired of ppl not understanding the Point TM of IDW and its version of the Matrix/Primacy and even more tired of people putting down Optimus in favor of Rodimus by essentially arguing that being unworthy means you deserve to be punished/put in pain bc you just weren't good enough to hold the Symbol of Ultimate Authority

[bumbleblurr]

gives shockwave sympathetic traits but also won't let him escape the consequences of his actions