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Optimus Prime changes with every toy line – uhh whoops, I mean film – and this is his full theatrical evolution...animated!
warning: spoilers ahead!In the 1980’s animated film, “The Transformers: The Movie”, Optimus is blocky, has a red torso with a grey stripe, blue body accents, chest windows, and his signature grill abs. Though he lacks wheels, has shoulder-mounted smokestacks, yellow pelvis markings, and an Autobot insignia on his left shoulder. Optimus’ head features pointed antennas and his iconic mouth plate. Plus, he’s packing an Ion Blaster. He transforms into a cab-over, semi-truck, complete with a bulky trailer. To defeat his nemesis, the fatally injured Optimus passes the Matrix of Leadership to a fellow Autobot, sacrificing his life and desaturating himself.
In the 2007 film, Optimus arrives on Earth in a silver protoform before scanning a Peterbilt semi-truck. This adds mechanical car parts, visible tires, and shoulder spikes. Doors frame the front car body work, and he lacks the grill abs. His color scheme is bluer with flame detailing, and his faceplate retracts to reveal a mouth. He uses this truck form to blend in, and wields both his retractable Energon sword and Ion Blaster to protect a nerdy teen, stopping an evil robot takeover.
In the sequel, “Revenge of the Fallen”, Optimus deploys dual Energon swords, a Barrage Cannon, and Energon Hooks. Though he’s mortally stabbed, Optimus is later resurrected by the Matrix of Leadership. He’s then beefed up with Jetfire’s mechanical parts, granting him additional artillery, heavy jet cannons, and flight abilities to prevent a sun-harvesting Decepticon.
In “Dark of the Moon”, Optimus’ plating is refined, his forearms extend upward, his red is more maroon, and his abs are more visible. He utilizes a shield, knuckle-spikes, an Energon battle axe, Mega-Striker gun, dual arm cannons, and a transforming weapons platform that becomes jet-wings for flight abilities. When he’s in vehicle mode they turn into a detachable truck trailer. In this film, a long-lost Prime is awakened and apparently wants to enslave humanity. Despite being disarmed, Optimus brutally dispatches this foe.
In “Age of Extinction”, Optimus appears rusty and faded, regains his arm and has grill abs. He initially transforms into a cab-over truck before upgrading into a 2014 Western Star semi. This redesign gives him a saturated knight-like armor, with no chest windows or visible tires. Though it does feature a tasset, additional smokestacks, large shoulder plates, and a more silver head. He’s now equipped with a shield cannon, a massive sword that streamlines his gauntlet design, and jet boots. Optimus brings down a ruthless bounty hunter before departing Earth to face their employer.
In the next film, “The Last Knight”, the bounty hunter’s employer Quintessa – the apparent creator of the Transformers – corrupts Optimus, giving him a red cheek marking and purple eye glow. His mini-shotgun tucks into his forearm and he has a wrist blade. This Nemesis Prime briefly turns on his allies, but the corruption is short-lived, as hearing his friend’s voice, “Hey, yo, I’m Bumblebee”, snaps him back to his good ol’ self. He then chooses to save the planet once again.
In the reboot, “Bumblebee”, Optimus resembles his classic 80’s look, but lacks the grill abs, roof lights, and yellow pelvis markings. He has added arm stripes, two shoulder emblems, blue forearm sections, leg tires, and knee pads. He’s also shorter than the previous Optimus, and is equipped with his classic blaster to lead the Autobot rebellion. Upon arriving on Earth, his robot design adds wipers, has more prominent smokestacks, no blue forearm parts, and he takes on his G1 truck form.
In the follow-up film, “Rise of the Beasts”, Optimus has more detailing, is slimmer, has more silver sections, a branded grill, larger insignia, prominent chest visors, and his faceplate retracts again. The truck form also lacks the trailer. This time around he has more built-in weaponry for combat. Prime helps lead a battle against Unicron’s forces in pursuit of a key to Cybertron, but to protect Earth he ultimately destroys it.
In the standalone animated film, “Transformers One”, the miner Orion Pax has small shoulder pylons, tiny thighs, and a cartoony face. After receiving a cog, he gets a beefy upgrade, with a slim chest window, yellow lights, head antennas, and his pylons become jet boosters. He can also now transform into a Cybertronian truck. After being left for dead, he’s then revived with the Matrix of Leadership, becoming the even larger Optimus Prime. This enlarges his jet boosters, gives him a full chest window, and a retractable mouth plate. To battle his former ally, he uses flamethrowers, an Energon axe that fires projectiles, and a powerful blast emitter – before using the Matrix to restore Cybertron.
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This animation took about twice the time to make because of all the detailing, so give Aaron a hearty thanks if you like. And don’t forget to subscribe to Tell It Animated for more!
Optimus Prime is the leader of the Autobots - but how has he evolved across the Transformers films? From the classic 1980s design to the Bayverse and beyond, this video breaks down Optimus Prime’s theatrical designs and story...animated and illustrated!